thee sinne committed by thy selfe no no when he beginneth to smite thee hee shall neuer lift vp his hand from thee but double his stripes vpon thee and there shall be no end of thy sorrow As the ioyes prepared for the godly so the paines prepared for the wicked are such as the eye neuer saw the tongue cannot vtter nor the heart conceiue That place of the damned is the great deepe the Ocean of all the iudgements of God all his temporall plagues are but like little riâ—ers and strands running into it If therefore the beautie of Sion doth not allure vs let the terrour of Sinai afray vs. The Lord proclaimed his Law in a fearefull manner vpon mount Sinai but in a more terrible manner will hee execute it if Moses who was so familiar with the Lord trembled when hee heard it proclaimed what horrible feare shall ouer-take the wicked when they shall see it executed vpon themselues Let therefore the children of wisedome hearken in time to the ioyfull tidings of peace which are daily proclaimed on mount Sion let vs drinke of the still and peaceable waters of Siloh which flow from it let vs embrace that mercy which Iesus by the merit of his death hath conquered vnto vs that so wee may be saued from the wrath which is to come His owne Sonne Iesus Christ is called Gods owne Son both in respect of his diuine and humane natures for as hee is God he was begotten of the Father by so vnspeakable a generation that as Esay saith none are able to declare it and as hee is man hee is the Sonne of God conceiued by the holy Ghost made man indeed but not after the manner of other men but of this see Verse 3. But gaue him for vs all This is very often alleadged in holy Scriptures as an argument of the great loue of God toward vs that he gaue his sonne to death for vs and so it is indeed for it is not by any corruptible thing as Gold and siluer that he hath redeemed vs but by the precious blood of his owne Sonne the Lambe vndefiled and without spot There is no man will giue much for that whereof he esteemes but little we measure the price of a thing according to the worth of it in our iudgement euen so of the greatnesse of that gift which our God hath giuen for vs wee may estimate the greatnesse of his affection toward vs. Pretious indeed in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints who to redeeme vs from death spared not to giue his dearest sonne vnto the death It was the Lords reasoning to Abraham now I perceiue thou louest mee because for my sake thou hast not spared thine onely sonne and haue we not much more cause to turne ouer the same reasoning to the Lord now Lord we perceiue thou louest vs because for our sake thou hast not spared thine onely one sonne The Lord shed abroad in our hearts more aboundantly the sense of that inestimable loue that we may be carefull to requite the kindnesse of the Lord putting his holy will before all things in our affection and endeauouring in holy loue to serue him who hath saued vs. Shall hee not with him giue vs all things also Wee are to vnderstand all things that are needfull for vs And here it is necessary that we put a difference betweene our right and our possession The children of God haue the right and propertie of all Gods good creatures for Christ their Lord is the heire of all and hath made them with himselfe fellow heires All things are yours saith the Apostle and yee are Christs and Christ is Gods But as for the possession of them the Lord giues it or with-holds it according as hee sees may be for the good of his children We know our father Abraham had the right of Canaan when he had not the possession of it and are not therefore to thinke it strange that the Lord giues not alwayes possession of that to his Children whereof they haue the right But as for the wicked they haue possession without a right and therefore shall be punished as theeues and robbers and violent vsurpers of Gods creatures whereunto Iesus Christ who is the heyre of all hath neuer giuen them a right Secondly wee marke here that the giuing and dispensation of earthly things is from God if wee could remember this it would moderate our care and make vs in our callings first to seeke the Lords blessing loath any manner of way to take the things of this world vnlesse we see they be giuen vs out of the hand of God For we are to know that Sathan who is a counterfaiter of God doth also arrogate to himself though falsely to be the giuer of things hee that durst say to the sonne of God all the kingdomes of the earth are mine I will giue them to thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me will hee stand in awe to speake it vnto sinnefull man No indeed it is his daily tentation by which he circumuents many intangling their hearts with the loue of worldly gaine that to obtaine it they care not to lye to steale to sweare to oppresse to deceiue one another which in effect is to fall downe before Sathan and worship him Thus Sathan rules in the kingdome of Babell like a spirituall Nabuchadnezar presenting to his subiects his great image of gold accompanied with all sorts of musicall instruments that is worldly pleasures vvealth and prosperitie which bewitch the simple and makes them fall downe and worship yeelding themselues seruants to Mammon But happy are those children who refuse so to do and can stand vp vvith their father Abraham lifting vp his hand to heauen can say I will not haue so much as the latchet of a shoe from the king of Sodome I will haue nothing by any crooked or indirect meanes out of the hand of Sathan or any of his instruments the buddes of Balak shall not hire me to doe euill neither the wages of iniquitie nor the reward of Sodome for doing good shall euer cleaue to my hands I will looke for my portion from the Lord. Againe seeing God is the giuer of all things let vs learne with the Apostle in whatsoeuer state we are to be content remembring that euery mans portion of vvorldly things is measured vnto him from the Lord. We see that a steward in a familie ministers not alike vnto all that are in it the aged and the young the seruant and the Lord receiues not a like portion yet no man gainsayes it and shall vve not reuerence the Lords dispensation who is the great steward of his familie in heauen and earth shall vve murmure against him if he giue Beniamin a double portion and bestow vpon some of his children these worldly things in greater aboundance than he doth vpon others farre be it from vs for he dispenses these
Lord in the world to come As this is the comfort of Gods chosen so doth it point vnto vs the contrary miserable estate of the reprobate for there is nothing in heauen and earth which shall not stand vp against them to accuse them the Lord himselfe shall come neere them as a swift witnesse against them O miserable are they to whom the Lord is a Partie a Iudge and a Witnesse as our Sauiour said to the Iewes Moses and all the seruants of God shall be witnesses against them yea the dust of the feete of those who brought the glad tidings of peace shall witnesse against them the stones of the field said Ioshua the heauens and earth said Moses their moth-eaten garments said S. Iames yea they themselues said our Sauiour shall witnesse against themselues woe be vnto them they must be presented to iudgement but shall haue none eyther in heauen or earth to speake for them nothing without them nothing within them which shall not be a witnesse against them when they are iudged they shall be condemned and their owne conscience shall say righteous is the Lord and iust are his iudgements It is God that Iustifies Of this ye may see cleerely that Iustification as the Apostle vseth it here is a iudicial terme for he oppones it to accusation and condemnation but leauing that because wee marked it before in the poynt of Iustification we will adde this more that the Apostle brings not the reason of his comfort from his owne innocencie but from Gods mercy he saith not there is nothing in me worthy to be accused or to be condemned but his comfort is that whateuer it be God hath pardoned it This is it that breedes vnquietnesse and perturbation in many weake consciences they seeke within themselues that which should commend them to God as if they could not be saued vnlesse they were perfect this commeth of Sathans singular subtiltie who labours to creep in betweene vs and our warrant as if our owne innocencie were the warrant of our saluation and not Gods mercy nor Christs merit It is true it becomes vs for our greater comfort to nourish within our selues the tokens of Grace but to conclude that because they are weake therefore wee cannot be saued it is Sathans sophistrie with which wee should not suffer our soules to be abused Verse 34. Who shall condemne it is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh request also for vs. THe Apostle insists in his perticular triumph against sinne and hee demaunds now who shall condemne it may be as wee heard there be some bold to accuse but is there any saith the Apostle that hath power to condemne none at all and that hee proues from the death resurrection exaltation and intercession of Christ for as all these were done for vs so doe euery one of them render vnto vs the sweete fruit of consolation Of the comfort arising from Christs death we haue spoken before The next is his resurrection we haue comfort saith the Apostle in his death but much more comfort in his resurrection therefore saith the Apostle It is Christ who is dead or rather who is risen againe for if wee looke to Iesus dying albeit in death hee shewed himselfe a powerfull Sauiour yet in his death his glory was greatly obscured vnder the couering of mortalitie which againe in his resurrection was more clearely manifested for hee was declared mightily to be the sonne of God by his resurrection and hath made vs sure of the remission of our sinnes for hee had not come out of the prison of the graue if hee had not payed the vttermost farthing of our debt If Christ saith the Apostle be not yet risen then are we yet in our sinnes thanks be to God we may turne it to our comfort Iesus is already risen therefore wee are not in our sinnes As for his exaltation the Apostle saith hee sits at the right hand of God to speake properly the Lord who is a Spirit hath neyther right hand nor left but by these borrowed speaches the Lord who dwelleth in light inaccessible to whom wee cannot ascend by our selues that wee should know him descends vnto vs and speakes of his vnspeakeable Maiestie vnto vs in such manner as wee are best able to conceiue it so that when eyes and eares and hands are ascribed to the Lord wee are to thinke these hee hath per effectum non per naturam And this may rebuke that bolde blasphemie of the Papists who presume to paint the incomprehensible Maiestie of God vnder the similitude of an aged and worne creature expresly contrary to Gods commaundement In that day saith the Lord that I spake vnto thee out of the mountaine thou heardest a voyce but saw no Image beware therefore thou make none and in many places is the same presumption condemned by the Prophets Where if they excuse themselues that they paint the Lord in such a similitude as hee appeared vnto Daniell and no otherway I answere first this is false for sometime which is horrible to speake they paint him in the shape of an humane body hauing three heads but albeit it were true which they say yet doth it not excuse them for the Lords extraordinary facts are not to bee vsed as warrants to breake his ordinary and eternall Commaundements neyther doth it any more excuse them than that deed of the Lord whereby he caused the Israelits to take from the Egiptians their siluer gold and Iewels which they neuer rendred can excuse them that doe borrow steale and robbe from others but neuer restore But howeuer they excuse themselues as long as the word of the Apostle stands true they shall not rubbe off them the blot of idolatry they turne the glory of the incorruptible God into the similitude of a corruptible man The Maiestie of God is eternall the heauens waxe olde but he remaines the same why then doe they paint him vnder the similitude of a worne creature weakned by the length of dayes The Iesuites of Rhemes conuinced of darknesse are ashamed of the light that shines in this place of Scripture and passe by it without an answer they excuse the making of the Image of Christ and of his Saints but speak not one word to defend that grosse Idolatry whereby they turne the glory of the inuisible God into the image of a corruptible man It had ben good for them they had beene as dumbe in the defence of the rest of their abhominations as they are in this This speach therefore to sit at the right hand of God is a borrowed speach the Metaphor being taken from Kings who vse to set on their right hand those whom they honour most as Salomon did his mother Bathsheba and so the phrase will import that high honour and dignitie whereunto Christ
speakes of a naturall generation Let Paul speake before Agrippa of the heauenly vision and Festus shall count him a foole Let Lot speake to his Sonnes in Law of the iudgement to come vpon Sodome and they shall esteeme him as a mocker thus Naturalists can neyther vnderstand the words of mercy nor iudgement to be allured with the one or terrified with the other for he minds onely earthly things but as for the spiritual man he hath receiued that new mind Whereby he knowes him that is the true one hee is indued with new senses whereby he perceiues things which are excellent habet enim oculos interiores quibus videt iustitiae lumen he hath those naturall eyes whereby he seeth the light of righteousnesse And if from the vnderstanding we proceed to the affections whereupon can the naturall man set his affections but vpon those things which his vnderstanding commends for good for euery man hath his heart enclined to that which accoâ—ding to his knowledge hee thinks best for himselfe The Gadarens wil prefer their Swine before Christ and naturalists make more of their smallest earthly commodities than of those things which are aboue at the right hand of God 〈◊〉 the Christian accounts the testimonies of the Lord sweeter â—nto him then all the treasures of worldlings hee findes â—ore ioy in the lightsome countenance of God then in all abundance of Wheat and Wine the best things of this earth he accounts but doung the pleasures of the world are loathsome vnto him her glory is despised in his eyes habet enim olfactum interius de quo dixit Apostolus Christi bonus odor â—â—mus Deo in omni loco estque verbum illi odor vitae ad vitamâ— for he hath that internall sense of smelling whereof the Apostle speakes wee are vnto God the sweet sauour of Christ in euery place this makes the word of God vnto him either reason which should rule is ouer-ruled by the will or at least the crooked is led by the blinde that is a blinded vnderstanding directs the crooked will and peruerse affections a wrong way and what meruaile then if both fall into the ditch for where the eye which is the light of the body is darknesse how great must be the darknesse of the whole man and seeing the vnderstanding facultie of the soule giues no counsels nor conclusions but such as are deadly what can the will and affections doe but run headlong into the wayes of death This is that encrease of knowledge which we haue gotten by our Apostasie from God this is the fruit wee haue plucked from off the forbidden tree we haue a wisedome which brings out death the most excellent knowledge whereunto the quickest ingines could euer attaine by the light of nature profited them not vnto saluation Lanctantius compared all the learning of Philosophers to a liuelesse body wanting a head in seeing they were blind in hearing they heard not vnderstanding they vnderstood not while they professed themselues to be wise they became fooles As the sences are in the head so all spirituall vnderstanding of the way of life is in Christ Iesus by naturall philosophie they attayned to the knowledge of the creatures but learned not to know the Creator by natural reason they learned to discerne the sophistrie of men but not to resist the sophistrie of Sathan By practise also of Morall philosophie they attayned to a shew of those vertues which they called cardinall to a shew I say but as for true Prudence Iustice Temperance and Fortitude they attayned not vnto them without faith it is impossible to please God neyther can there be without it any thing which deserueth the name of vertue quid enim illis cum virtutibus qui Dei virtutem Christum ignorant for what haue they to doe with vertue who are ignorant of Christ the vertue and power of God All the light that is in nature is like to the sight of blinded Sampson for as he without a guide could not finde one pillar of the house no more can naturall vnderstanding finde out so much as one of the articles of our faith nascimur vniuersi viae ciuitatis prorsus ignari wee are all borne altogether ignorant of the way that leadeth to the citie of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle cals vs without a minde to know any thing pertayning to our owne saluation Whatsoeuer wisedome man hath without grace may leade him forward to euill but cannot teach him to eschew euill Achitophell was counted wise in his time and his wisedome and counsell as the oracle of God but hee had no wisedome to foresee nor preuent his miserable end he hanged himselfe in his impatiencie yet is the wit of naturalists in our time no better than his they are wise in their owne eyes and glories within themselues that by their subtile wits they haue gone through dangerous courses wherein others haue fallen yet they know not their end neither are sure that the politique deuise wherein they haue placed their confidence shall not at length be a snare to themselues Therefore the spirit of God vouchsafeth not vpon the men of this world the 〈◊〉 of wise men but calles them wise with arestriction they are wise saith Ieremie to doe euill Wiser saith our Sauiour in their owne generation than the children of God Basil properly compares them vnto Howlets which see somthing in the night but nothing in the day such are worldlings they haue some vnderstanding of the works of darknesse but no iudgement how to approue themselues to the light of God wise to compasse things present but carelesse for those which are to come Where if it be demaunded why then doth the Apostle attribute wisedome to them who vvalke after the flesh it is answered Prudentia dicitur cum res stulta sit quia sic ipsis videtur it is called wisedome because so it seemes to them who haue it albeit in very deed it bee foolishnesse The iudgements of the carnall and Christian man are so different that eyther of them esteemes another foolish but the one iudges with a warrant the other not so the spirituall Spirit they haue not As the waues of the Sea are stirred with euery winde so are their mindes perturbed through the tumultuous desire of their variable affections And as for peace of Conscience which ariseth of the sense of Gods mercy towards vs in Christ how can they haue it whose life is a continuance in inimitie with God for righteousnesse and peace doe kisse one another where there is no righteousnesse how can there be peace pax est haereditas ChristianoruÌ„ peace is the heritage of Christians The wicked haue their owne carnall securitie they blesse themselues in their heart when the word of the Lord doth curse them but the false conclusions of peace and safetie which they haue laid in their owne
vs from the seruice of all other Masters that he might binde vs the more straightly to serue himselfe And indeede if Christ commaund vs as hee ought no other thing shall commaund vs beside him otherwise if we be not seruants to him we shall be slaues to euery thing beside him O quam multos dominos habet qui vnum non habet O how many Lords hath that man who hath not Christ to be his Lord assuredly there is no thing which will not vsurpe superioritie ouer thee who liues not as a bound seruant to Iesus Christ either thy belly shall become thy God and for a mease of pottage with Esau thou shalt sell thy birth-right and blessing or a wedge of gold shall become thy confidence and thou shalt not care for gaine to loose a good conscience or then some other vncouth Lord who hath no title to thee shall tyrannize ouer thee Thus wee see that the Christian libertie we haue by Christ makes vs free from the seruitude of sinne as the Apostle teacheth vs and not free to commit sinne as the carnall Atheist conceiues it But seeing we are debters let vs see with what bondes wee are bound surely the obligations are many by which we are bound debters to the Lord but specially now wee will shortly consider these two Creation and Redemption It is a principle receiued among all men that the fruit and vantage of a mans owne workmanship should redound to himselfe Who planteth a vineyard and eates not of the fruit thereof or who feedeth a flocke and eates not of the milke of the flocke No man begets sonnes and daughters but he will be honoured of them hee that hyreth seruants requires seruice of them yea Balaam will be offended if his beast serue him not according to his pleasure this is the measure wherwith men mete vnto themselues what reason then is ther we should refuse to doe that dutie vnto the Lord our Superiour which wee craue to our selues from our Inferiours The Lord hath made vs wee made not our selues his hand hath formed and shaped vs the life we haue wee hold it of him we can not abide a moment longer in this house of our earthly tabernacle than the Lords thinkes expedient his will makes the last day yea as we said before all our necessarie maintenance for this mortall life is furnished out of his hand seeing wee our selues craue seruice of those to whem we giue the smallest things shall wee not much more giue seruice vnto GOD from whom wee receiue the greatest The other is the bond of Redemption Wherein we are to consider these three things first that vve are bought secondly that we are sworne thirdly that we haue receiued wages before hand all for this end that vve should serue him Ye are bought saith the Apostle with a price therefore glorifie God in your bodies and in your spirits for they are Gods And againe wee are redeemed not with corruptible things as gold and siluer from our vaine conuersation but with the pretious bloud of Christ as of a Lambe vnspotted and vndefiled we should not therefore liue as seruants of men farre lesse as seruants of Sathan and sinne but as seruants of that Lord who hath redeemed vs. Of all fooles those are the greatest who sels their life for the silly shadowes of sinfull pleasures which Iesus Christ hath bought with the greatest price that euer was payed Not onely are we bought to be Christs seruants but also we are sworne for baptisme as on the part of God it is a seale of the couenant of grace to confirme that promise of remission of sinnes which God hath made to vs in the blood of Iesus Christ so on our part it is a solemne resignation of our selues and our seruice to the Lord wherein we giue vp our names to be enrolled among his souldiers seruants swearing binding and oblieging our selues to renounce the seruice of the Diuell the World and the Flesh and this oath of resignation we haue renued so oft as wee communicated at his holy Table Whereof it is euident that they who hath giuen their names to Christ and yet liues licentiously walking after the flesh are for-sworne Apostates guiltie of perfidie and of foule apostasie and desertion from Iesus Christ. And thirdly not onely are we bought and sworne but we haue receiued wages and payment in hand which should make vs ashamed if we haue so much as common honestie to refuse seruice to the Lord vvhose wages we haue receiued already It may be said to euery one of vs which Malachie in the name of the Lord spake to the Leuiets of his time who among you shuts the dore of my temple or kindles a fire vpon my alter in vaine who among vs can stand vp and say that hee hath done seruice to the Lord for nought Consider it when ye will for euery peece of seruice ye haue done to the Lord ye haue receiued wages more then ten times who hath called aright on his name hath not been heard who hath giuen thanks for benefits receiued hath not found Gods benefits doubled vpon him who hath giuen almes in the name of the Lord and not found increase I speake not now of rewards which God â—ath promised vs I speake only of that we haue receiued already the least of Gods mercies shewed vpon vs already doth farre exceede all that seruice that we poore wretches haue done vnto him as therefore we are content to receiue the Lords pay let vs neuer refuse to giue the seruice of our bodyes and spirits vnto him But alas is not this the common sinne of this generation to receiue good things out of the hand of God and with them to sacrifice vnto other Gods to whom they owe no seruice at all A horrible sacriledge a vile idolatry for this the Lord complaines of the Iewes they haue receiued my gold and my siluer and made vp Baal to themselues and the same complaint stands against the prophane men of this age The couetous man as riches encrease doth hee not set his heart vpon them though with his tongue hee denie it doth he not say within himselfe that which Iob protested hee would neuer say to the wedge of Gold thou art my confidence The glutton when hee hath receiued from God abundance of Wheat Oyle and Wine though hee know the commandement be not filled with wine wherein is excesse but be filled with the Spirit yet how oft takes hee in superfluous drinke and spares not for loue of it to grieue the Spirit sacrificing to his belly as vnto God those things which bindes him to doe seruice vnto the Lord thus neither are the benefits of God returned to doe honour vnto him from whom they come but sacrilegiously also abused to the making vp of Bâ—al or some other Idoll abhominable to God for which it it most certaine that the moe wages
these Aâ—heists haue receiued for doing seruice to God which they neuer did the more feareful plagues stripes from God shall be doubled vpon them Againe wee marke here that there is a double debt lying vpon vs the debt of sinne and the debt of obedience wee are freede of the one by a humble seeking and crauing of the remission thereof through Iesus Christ for the debt of sinne the Lord Iesus hath taught vs daily to seek Gods discharge Lord forgiue vs our debts and indeed as euery day wee contract some debt so it is great wisedome by daily repentance to sue the discharge of it for they who neglect to do it their debt multiples vpon them it stands vncancelled in the register of God written as it were with a pen of iron and the poynt of a Diamond and they shall at length be cast into that prison for non-payment wherin will be weeping and gnashing of teeth for euer But as for the debt of obedience whereof the Apostle here speakes wee cannot with a good conscience desire the Lord to discharge it nor exempt vs from it but wee must in all humilitie craue Grace of God that wee being enriched by him who of our selues are poore may be able in some measure to pay and performe it Where if the weake Children of God obiect and say how then can wee but drowne in this debt seeing no day of our life wee can pay to the Lord that debt of obedience which we owe vnto him To this there is giuen a three-fold comfort first the Lord dealeth with vs as a louing liberall man dealeth with his debter who knowing that he hath nothing of his owne wherewith to pay him and not willing to put him to shame stops priuately into his hand that which publikely againe he may giue vnto him so the Lord conuaies secret grace into the hearts of his children whereby they are in some measure able to serue him but as Dauid protested so may wee all whatsoeuer wee giue vnto the Lord wee haue it of his owne hand Secondly the Lord our God is so gracious that hee is content to accept part of payment at our hand till wee bee able to doe better if our faith bee but like the graine of Mustard seede yet if it bee true the Lord will not despise it though our repentance be not perfect and absolute though our prayers bee weake though wee cannot doe the good that wee would yet the good that wee doe is accepted at his hands through Iesus Christ. And thirdly wee haue this comfort that the more wee pay of this debt of obedience the more wee are able to pay In other debts it is not so for if the more be payed out by him that is indebted the lesse remaines behinde vnto himselfe but here the more wee pay the richer wee are the doing of one good worke of seruice vnto the Lord makes vs both more willing and able to doe an other the talents of spirituall Graces being of that nature that the more they are vsed the more they are encreased and these should worke in vs a delight to pay that debt which wee owe vnto the Lord. Last of all wee marke vpon this word that the good wee doe is debt and not merit When one of your seruants saith Iesus hath done that which hee is commaunded will one of you giue him thanks because hee hath done that which was commaunded him I beleeue not hee applyeth the Parable to his Disciples and in them to vs all so likewise when you haue done all those things which are commaunded you say that yee are vnprofitable Seruants Our Sauiour commaunds vs plainely to doe well but as plainely forbids all presumptuous conceit of our merit when vvee haue done well To speake against good works is impietie and to presume of the merits of our best works it Antichristian pride No man led by the Spirit of Iesus did euer vse this word of merit it is the proud speech of the spirit of Antichrist search the Scripture and ye shal see that none of all those who spake by diuine inspiration did euer vse it yea the Godly Fathers who haue liued in darke and corrupt times haue alway abhorred it If a man could liue saith Macarius from the dayes of Adam to the end of the world and fight neuer so strongly against Sathan yet were hee not able to deserue so great a glory as is prepared for vs how much lesse then are we able to promerit it that is his owne word who so short a space are militant here vpon earth Praetendat alter meritum sustinere se dicat aestus dieâ— ieiunare his in Sabbatho mihi adhaerere Deo bonum est let another man saith Bernard pretend merit let him boast that hee suffers the heat of the day and that he fasts â—wise in the Sabboth it is good for me to draw neere the Lord and put my hope in him Meritum enâ—m meum miseratio Domini non sum plane meriti inops quamdiu ille miserationum non fuerit for my merit is Gods mercy I shall not altogether want merits as long as he wants not compassion And againe sufficit ad meritum scire quod non sufficiant merita this is sufficient merit to know that merits are not sufficient this he makes more cleare in that Sermon of his de quadruplici debito wherein hee declares how man is so many wayes debter to the Lord that hee cannot doe that which hee ought why then shall any man say that hee hath done enough cum nec millissimâ—â— imo nec minimae parti debitorum suorum valeat respondere seeing he is not able to answer the thousand part no not the least part of that debt which hee oweth vnto God To liue Wee haue heard that wee are debters now haue wee to see wherein wee are debt-bound Wee owe to the Lord not onely these things which are ours but as sayeth Paul to Philemon we owe him our selues also Euery mans life must declare who it is whom hee acknowledgeth for a Superiour and vnto whom hee submitteth himselfe a debter Shew me saith Saint Iames thy Faith by thy workes shew mee saith Malachie thy Father by thy Sonly reuerence toward him let me know thy master by thy obedience and the attendance thou giuest him As Caesars money is discerned by his image and superscription so the Christian is knowne by his conuersation hee vvalkes after the Spirit and by his deedes more then by his words hee disclaimeth the gouernement of the flesh But surely as Chrisostome complained of bastard professors in his time so may wee in our time of many to whom wee are ambassadours in Christs name we haue more then cause to feare we haue bestowed labour vpon you in vaine for I pray you vvhat part of your liues giues sentence for you and proues that ye are
punishment serues to let vs see if we looke to them how horrible this death is which here is threatned against them vvho liue after the flesh As for the place it is called the winepresse of the wrath of God the lake that burnes with fire and brimstone Tophet prepared of old deepe and large the breath of the Lord like a riuer of brimstone doth kindle it It is that great deepe which the damned spirits themselues abhorre they know it to be the place appointed for their torment all that they craue was onely that the Lord vvould not send them thether to be tormented before the time It 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 there is in it a burning fire but without light a gnawing worme without rest Saint Peter calles it a prison and our Sauiour calles it Gehenna for the horrible scrieches of them who are brunt in it and the vile and stinking filthinesse vvherewith it is replenished And as for the vniuersalitie of their paine It is certaine 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 bee 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 hovv intollerable vvill that paine be he vvho novv is payned vvith the tooth ach takes some comfort when he sees another tormented vvith the collicke and hee also if hee 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 feete yea the whole man shall be racked vpon the torments of Gods wrath and that not vvith 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 punishment of the damned But yet the eternitie of that paine doth still increase the horrour thereof their shall be no end of their punishment their fire shall neuer bee quenched their worme shall neuer dye they shall seeke death as a benefite and shall not finde it The fire of Sodome vvas ended in a day the deluge of water that drowned the originall world lasted but a yeere the famine that plagued Aegipt lasted but seauen yeeres the captiuitie of Israell was ended in seauenty yeeres but this wrath of God vpon the damned shall endure for euer and euer Thus wee see what a horrible death the Apostle threatneth here vvhile hee sayth if yee liue after the flesh yee shall dye The Lord giue vs wise and vnderstanding hearts that we may ponder it according to the waight therof and it may be to vs a liuely voyce of God to prouoke vs to flee from that fearefull wrath vvhich is to come But if yee mortifie c. Here followes the other member of the argument taken from the great vantage wee receiue by mortifying the lusts of the body if wee doe so wee shall liue Here also we haue first to consider that albeit the Apostle affirmed before verse 9. that these godly Romanes were not in the flesh yet now he exhorts them to a further mortification of the lusts of the flesh which were superfluous if there vvere nothing in them that needed to be mortified then we see clearely vvhich we may also feele in our selues that so long as we liue in the bodie there is euer some remanent life of sinne vvhich vvee haue neede to mortifie and put out In this battell we must fight without intermission till we haue gotten the victory for vvho can say that he hath in such sort cut away his superfluities that there remaynes nothing in him which hath need of reforming beleeue me when they are cut off they spring when they are chased away they returne when they are once quenched they kindle againe except thou dissemble thou shalt alway finde within thy selfe something that hath need to be subdued There is nothing harder sayth Cyrill than the Rocke yet in the seames and clifts thereof the noysome weede fasteneth her roote and springes out and albeit there be no man in the vvorld stronger than a Christian yet is hee oftentimes buffeted by Sathan and sinne which hath fastened their roote in him sends out her inordinate motions and affections against vvhich hee hath neede to fight continually But here it is inquired how doth the Apostle require this of them that they should mortifie their lusts lyeth it in the power of man to doe it To this I answere first that as man gaue life to sinne so is hee bound to put out the life thereof vpon no lesse paine than condemnation and therefore iustly is it required of him Secondly these same good workes vvhich the Lord vvorkes in vs hee is content to asscribe them to vs and calles them ours Of our selues vve must say with the Apostle we are not sufficient of our selues to thinke so much as a good thought our sufficiencie is of God and it is hee who worketh in vs both the vvill and the deed so hee workes in vs that he makes vs through his grace vvilling vvorkers vvith him through him that strengthens vs vve are able to doe all things and therefore the praise of all the good wee can doe should be ascribed vnto God When Dauid had offered to God aboundance of siluer and gold and other mettels vvhich hee had prepared for the house of God hee concludes in the humilitie of his heart What am I O Lord and what is my people that wee should be able to offer willingly after this sort for all things come of thee and of thine owne hand haue wee giuen thee But much more vvhen vve doe any worke of sanctification for the building of our selues vp into a spirituall Temple to the Lord our God we may say O Lord all the good wee can doe is of thee and of thine owne hand wee haue giuen backe vnto thee for except thou Lord hadst giuen vnto vs grace vve should neuer haue giuen to thee obedience Let therefore the presumptuous conceit of Merit yet againe be farre from vs seeing the good which vve doe is debt and is done also by the spirit of the Lord in vs let vs reserue the glory thereof vnto him Quare dona mea non merita tua quia si ego quarerem merita tua non venires ad dona mea seeke my gifts saith Augustine
and Mary who had beene a sinner brought him the sacrifice of a contrite heart and the Lord esteemed more of her teares than of the Phariâ—ies delicates No banquet pleaseth the Lord Iesus so well as a banquet of teares poured from a truely penitent heart The Lord is said to gather the teares of his children and keepe them in a bottell 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 needlesse But alas how shall hee gather that which wee haue not scattered where are our teares the witnesses of our vnfained humiliation before God The hardnesse of hart hath ouergrowne 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 to get a melting heart The rocke rendred water to Moses at the third stroke but alas many strokes will our hearts take before they send out the sweete teares of repentance this I marke that knowing our naturall hardnesse we may learne without intermission to fight against it For herein is our case so much the more pittifull that hauing more than matter enough of mourning yet wee 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 peaceable 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 made Eliah wearie of his life the Arke of God captiued and the glory departed from Israell draue all comfort out of the heart of the wife of Phinees these and many moe may teach vs that the affliction of Ioseph should be matter of our sorrow The causes of mourning within vs are partly our 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 contrary to the nature of the disease our sinne is a sicknesse 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 euill which wee haue done this mourning for sinne lasts in the godly so long as they liue in the body yea those same sinnes which God hath forgiuen and put out of their affection are still in their remembrance for their humiliation so that with Godly Ezechia they recount all their dayes and their former sinnes in the bitternes of their heart so long as sinne remained in their affection it vvas the matter of their ioy but now being by grace remoued out of the affection it becomes the matter of their sorrow The other cause of our mourning is our manifold tentations for this world is no other thing but a stormie 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 besets vs with tentations on the right hand and on the left vt quatuor angulis pulsata domus alâ—qua ex parte ruinam faciat that the house being shaken at all the foure corners may fall downe in one part or other no rest nor quietnes for vs in this habitation terrours within fightings without Propter quod vno consilio migrandum est Christianis For the which it is best for vs with one aduise to conclude that wee will remoue and in the meane time send vp our complaint to our Father in heauen as the Gibionites did to Ioshua shewing him how we are beseiged and enuironed for his sake and praying him to come with hast and helpe vs. Wayting for the Adoption Now followeth the other effect of the Spirit for hee not onely causeth vs as we haue heard to sigh and mourne for our present miseries but also comforts vs with the hope and expectation of deliuerance though in this life wee haue trouble yet haue we no trouble without comfort Blessed be God who comforts vs in all our tribulations and beside that which we presently haue it is yet much more which wee looke for The men of this world haue no ioy without sorrow euen in laughter their heart is sorrowfull pretend what they will in their countenance there is a heauinesse in their conscience arising of the weight of sinne but it is far otherwise with the Godly for euen in mourning they doe reioyce and vnder greatest heauinesse they carry a liuely hope of ioyfull deliuerance Againe wee are to marke that the Godly are described in holy Scripture to be such as doe not liue content with their present estate but waites and longs for a better and specially there are two dayes for which the Children of God are said to wait the first the day of death wherin they goe to the Lord the second the day of appearing wherein the Lord shall come vnto them they soiourne in the body more weary of it then Dauid was of his dwelling in the tents of Kedar they waite with patient Iob till the day of their change come and doe desire with the Apostle to bee dissolued that they may be with Christ they pray for it so oft as they vse that petition Let thy kingdome come seeking death so farre as it is a meanes to abolish sinne vtlerly that Christ their King may alone raigne in them but as for the wicked the remembrance of death is terrible vnto them and in their thought they put it farre from them and when it comes it comes vpon them vnlooked for As Iehu furiously came vpon Iehoram and hee made with all his speede to his chariot thinking to flye away but in vaine for the arrow of Iehu ouertooke him so death comes vpon the wicked in a day and place wherein they looked not for it and they being terryfied with it runnes with all the speede they can to their chariots that is to their refuges of vanitie but the dart of death surely ouer-takes them Miserable are they whose comfort standeth rather in an vncertaine delay of death than in any certaintie which they haue of eternall life But let vs be prepared for it as the good Israelites of God with our loynes girded vp and our staues in our hands ready to take our iourney from Egypt to Canaan whensoeuer the Lord our God shall commaund vs. As foules desirous to flye stretch out their wings so should man desirous to be with the Lord
and foresee their end for eyther that shall be fulfilled in them which Mâ—rdecay said to Ester who knowes if for this thou art come to the kingdome that by thee deliuerance may come to Gods people or else that which Moses in Gods name said to Pharaoh the oppressour of the Church in her adolescencie I haue set thee vp to declare my power because thou exaltest thy selfe against my people May wee not behold here how vnsure their standing is and how certaine their fall who when they are highest abuse their power most to hold the people of God lowest what else are they but obiects whom the Lord hath raised vp to declare his power and iustice vpon them If wee shall mark the course of the Lords proceeding euer since the beginning of the world wee shall finde a blessing following them whom he hath made instruments of good vnto his Church and that such againe haue not wanted their owne recompense of wrath who haue continued instruments of her trouble When the Lord concluded to bring his Church from Canaan to soiourne in Egypt hee sent such a famine in Canaan as compelled them to forsake it but made plentie in Egypt by the hand of Ioseph whom the Lord had sent before as a prouisor for his Church and by whom Pharaoh was made fauourable to Iacob but when the time came that the Lord was to translate his Church from Egypt to Canaan then hee altered Pharaohs countenance and raised vp a new King who knew not Ioseph hee turned the Egyptians hearts away from Israell so that they vexed Israell and made them to serue by crueltie Thus when the Lord will bring them to Egypt hee maketh Pharaoh fauourable which also brings a blessing vpon Pharaoh and his people but when the Lord vvill haue them to goe out of Egipt hee maketh another Pharaoh an enimie vnto them whereby both they are made willing to forsake Egypt and Pharaoh prepares the way for a fearefull iudgement on himselfe and his people Againe when the sinnes of Israell came to that ripenes that their time was come and their day drew neere the Lord stirred vp the King of Babell as the rod of his wrath and staffe of his indignation He sent him to the dissembling nation and gaue him a charge against the people of his wrath to take the spayle and the pray and to tread them vnder feete like mire in the streets and to this effect that the Lord might be auenged of the sinnes of Israell he subdued all the kingdomes round about them vnder the King of Babell that no stoppe nor impediment should be in the way to hold back the rodde of Ashur from Israell But yet againe when the Lord had accomplished all his worke vpon Israell and the time of mercy was come and the seauentie yeares of captiuitie expired then the Lord visited the proud heart of the King of Ashur and for his Churches sake he altered againe the gouernement of the whole earth translating the Empyre to the Medes and Persians that so Cyrus the Lords annoynted might performe to his people the promised deliuerance All which should learne vs in the greatest changes and alterations that fall out in the world to rest assured that the Lord will worke for the good of his Church though the earth should be moued and the mountaines fall into the middest of the sea yea though the waters thereof rage and be troubled yet there is a riuer whose streames shall make glad the cittie of our God in the middest of it yea if they who should be the nourishng Fathers of the Church forsake her and become her enimies they shall assuredly perish but comfort and deliuerance shall appeare vnto Gods people out of another place The Lord for a while may put the brydle of bondage in the Philistims hand to humble Israell for their sinnes but it shall be taken from them at length his Church shall with ioy draw water out of the Well of saluation and prayse the Lord saying though thou wert angry with mee thy wrath is turned away and thou comfortest mee yea Sion shall cry out and shout for ioy for great is the holy One of Israell in the middest of her And therefore in our lowest humiliations let vs answere our enimies Reioyce not against me O mine enimie though I fall I shall rise when I shall sit in darkenesse the Lord is a light vnto mee I will beare the wrath of the Lord because I haue sinned against him vntill hee plead my cause and execute iudgement for me he will bring me forth to the light and I shall see his righteousnesse then hee that is mine enimie shall looke vpon it and shame shall couer him who said to mee where is the Lord thy God now shall hee be trodden vnder as the mire in the streets yea so let all thine enimies perish O Lord. For the best This good or best is no other thing but that precious saluation prepared to be shewed in the last time reserued in the heauens for vs and whereunto wee are reserued by the power of God through Faith Of this it is euident that our best is not yet wrought it is onely in the vvorking and therefore vvee are not to looke for it in this life There is a great difference in this betweene the Godly and the wicked the one enioyes their best in this life the other not so but looketh for it If if should be demaunded when a wicked man is at his best I would answere his best is euill enough but then is bee at his best when hee comes first into the world for then his sinnes are fewest his iudgement easiest it had beene good for him that the knees had not preuented him but that hee had dyed in the birth For as a riuer which is smallest at the beginning increases as it proceedes by the accession of other waters vnto it so the wicked the longer he liueth waxeth worse and worse deceiuing and being deceiued proceeding from euill to worse till at length hee be swallowed vp in that lake that burnes with fire and brimstone And this the Apostle expresseth most significantly when hee compaâ—es the wicked man vnto one gathering a treasure wherein hee heapeth vp wrath vnto himselfe against the day of wrath for euen as the worldling who euery day casteth a piece of money into his treasure in few yeares multiplyes such a summe that hee himselfe is not able to keepe in minde the particulars thereof but when hee breaketh vp his boxe hee finds in it sundry sorts of coyne which were quite out of his remembrance Euen so it is and worse with thee O impenitent man who not onely euery day but euery houre and moment of the day doest multiply thy transgressions and defile thy conscience by hoording vp into it some dead worke or other to what a reckoning thinkest thou shall thy sinnes amount in the end though thou doest
our workes but according to his purpose grace Surely except the Lord had reserued mercy for vs we had beene like to Sodome and Gomorrha but it pleased him of his owne good will of the same lumpe of clay to make vs vessels of honour whereof hee made others vessels of dishonour And who is able sufficiently to ponder so great a benefit and therefore howsoeuer the blinded Pharisee sacrifice to his owne net and make his mouth to kisse his hand as if his own hand had done it yet let the redeemed of the Lord praise the Lord let them cry out with a louder voyce than Dauid did O Lord what are wee that thou art so mindefull of vs Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but to thy name giue the glory for thy louing kindnesse and thy truth for our saluation comes from God that sits vpon the throne and from the Lambe To thee O Lord be praise and honour and glory for euer Now as for the calling we are to know that the calling of God is twofold outward and inward Hee speakes not here of the outward calling of which our Sauiour saith many are called but few are chosen but he speakes of the inward calling which is the first intimation and declaration of our election For the decree of our election is alwaies hid and secret vnto vs till the Lord by calling reueile it and make it knowne vnto vs that we are of the number of those whom he hath appointed to life As in his secret counsell hee made a distinction of the elect and reprobate so by his calling heâ— beginnes the execution of this decree seperating the one from the other in this life in manners and conditions who are to be seperated in the life to come for euer in estate and place He that will take a right view of all mankinde shall find them standing as it were in three circles they onely being happy who are within the third In the outmost circle are all those on whom the Lard hath not vouchsafed so much as an outward calling by his Gospell and here standeth the greatest part of the world In the middle circle which is much narrower stand they who are pertakers of an outward calling by the Word and Sacraments In the third circle which yet is of smaller compasse than the other two stand they who are inwardly and effectually called these are Christs little flocke the communion of Saints the few chosen the Lords third part so to speake with Zachary the other two parts shall be cut off and dye but the third will the Lord fine as siluer and gold the Lord will say of them this is my people and they shall say the Lord is my God It is a great steppe indeed that wee are brought from the first circle into the second but it is not sufficient to saluation yea rather they who stand in the second circle hearing the voyce of God calling them to repentance and yet harden their hearts and will not follow him may looke for a more fearefull condemnation then they who are in the outmost rancke of all Double stripes are for him who knoweth his Maisters will and doth it not Sodome and Gomorrha shall be in an easier estate than they Content not therefore your selues that yee are brought within the compasse of the visible Church that yee haue beene baptised in the name of Iesus and haue communicated at his holy Table Not euery one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into his kingdome except yee finde also his inward and effectuall calling that the arme of his grace hath drawne you within the compasse of the third circle and hath set you downe among those whom he hath chosen to be his owne peculiar people And againe that the calling of God is according to his purpose yeelds vnto vs this comfort that seeing his calling is extended toward vs we may be sure that from euerlasting hee hath had toward vs a purpose of loue Certainely hee had not sent his Gospell among vs were it not that he hath here a number belonging to the election of his Grace hee hath lighted a candle among vs and set it in an eminent candlesticke to assure vs that hee is seeking here some peeces of money which were lost and hee will not rest till hee finde them When the Apostle Paul should haue gone to Bythinia the Lord commaunded him to goe to Macedonia what the purpose of God was the euent declared namely that it was to conuert Lidia and the Iaylour Who may not see here Gods meruailous mercy towards his owne that for the conuersion of a few will haue his Gospell to be preached to a whole kingdome which doth yet more clearely appeare in that when hee commaunded his Apostle Paul to tarry at Corinthus hee gaue this reason because saith hee I haue much people here shewing vnto vs that the greater haruest hee hath the longer doth hee continue his Labourers among a people This is the very work of God which hee is working in the middest of you and for which hee continueth among you the preaching of his glorious Gospell it is because toward many of you hee hath a purpose of loue some hath he called already whom hee will haue confirmed others not yet inwardly called hee will conuert by the Gospell before hee remoue it Let euery man looke to himselfe whether hee haue part in that grace which comes by the Gospell or no for woe will be to him that shall be found in darknesse after that the light hath shined vnto him Good were it yet for vs all if wee could more deepely consider this that the Gospell of the Lord Iesus is come among vs not by accident nor by the meanes of men but by the purpose of God that in these dayes wee heare that voyce which many of our Fathers heard not that in some places of the world this Gospell is preached and not in others that it is continued with vs notwithstanding of the manifold machinations of the Children of darknesse to subuert it yea that by such and such persons the Gospell hath beene preached vnto vs if vvee did consider that all these fall out according to Gods determinate purpose it would waken in vs a more reuerent hearing of the word of Grace and a greater care to take heede to the smallest occasion of grace when it is offered but all the contempt thereof which now is among men floweth from this that they doe not looke vnto the hand of God sending out such a message to them by such persons at such a time in such a place as hee in his eternall purpose hath concluded with himselfe But as Samuell before hee knew the Lord thought the voyce of God to be but the voyce of Eli and therefore went againe to his rest so the great multitude of them who heare it not as the word of God but as the word of men esteeming that it commeth by
is your reward in heauen Qui volens detrahit famae meae nolens addit mercedi meae he that with his will impaires my name against his will augments my reward I haue spoken the more of this purpose partly because it is a common craft of Sathans to oppresse good men with misreports vt qui conscientiae suae luce clarescunt alienis rurâ—oribus sordidâ—ntur and partly because our weakenesse is easily ouercome with this tentation Seeing the Lord will haue vs to sustaine the strife of tongues let vs strengthen our selues let vs so walke through good report that wee be not puft vp and through euill report that we be not cast downe but that by weapons of righteousnesse on the right hand and on the left we may ouercome Now as for Sathan he is stiled the accuser of the Saints of God night and day sometime hee accuses God to man sometime man to God and sometime man to himselfe In Paradise hee began and accused God charging him with enuie and in the same trade of lying doth he still continue For sometime he lyes against the iustice of God when hee saith to the licentious liuer albeit yee sinne yee shall not dye that so he may puffe him vp to presumption sometime he lyes against the mercy of God as vvhen hee saith to the vveake in faith your sinne is greater than that God can forgiue it that so he may driue him to desperation sometime he lyes against Gods prouidence as when hee saith to them that are in necessitie the Lord hath cast you off and will no more prouide for you that so hee may prouoke them to put out their hand to wickednesse Secondly he is a restlesse accuser of man vnto God as yee may see in the example of Iob he heard the Lord commending him yet he spared not to traduce him when hee could not gainesay his actions hee gainsayd his intention and affection hee charged him to be a hireling and not a sonne a mercenarie worshipper who serued God for his gifts and not for himselfe albeit after tryall he was found a lyer And herein we are to consider how faithlesse a traytour Sathan is for those same sinnes which man doth by Sathans instigation he is the first accuser of man for them vnto God Oh that man could remember that Sathan is euer doing one of these three against him first hee is a Tempter of man to sinne secondly when sinne is committed hee is an accuser of man vnto God for those same sinnes which he tempted him to doe and thirdly hee is a tormenter of man for them vnlesse they be remoued by repentance But Iesus Christ our Lord is of a plaine contrary disposition first hee disswades vs from sinne warning vs of the danger and then if of weakenesse wee sinne hee offers himselfe an aduocate for vs if wee repent These things my babes I write to you that yee sinne not but if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the Father euen Iesus the iust These two compared lets vs see what a great difference there is betweene them that knowing the deceitfull malice of the diuell we may learne to abhorre him and the heartie vnfayned affection of Iesus Christ toward vs wee may loue and follow him Thirdly Sathan accuses man vnto himselfe he deceiues the vvicked beares them in hand that they are the sonnes of God and labours to perswade the godly that they are reprobates denying that they haue Faith or Repentance or any spiritual grace There is nothing so true but Sathan dare deny it hee that durst call it in doubt to Christ himselfe whether he were the sonne of God or no will that shameles lyar spare to doe it vnto others But let vs worke out our saluation in feare and trembling and make sure our calling by well doing that we may haue within vs the infallible tokens of our election and as for the rest let vs keepe this ground seeing the worke of our saluation is done by God in despite of Sathan Sathans testimonie in it is not to be regarded though hee would call vs as he did Paul and Sylas the seruants of the liuing of God yet are we not the better neither the worse albeit hee pronounce vs to be such as are abiect and cast away from the fauour of God And last the children of God are accused of their owne consciences these are eyther such as proceede from sufficient light or from wrong information If conscience accuse vpon light which shee hath receiued out of the word of God her sentence is diuine and wee are to regard it if otherwise shee accuse vpon wrong information it is the errour of conscience and wee are to remedie it by sending conscience to seeke the warrant of her sentence out of the word of God It is very expedient that wee put a difference betweene conscience and the errour of conscience where conscience discernes not according to the Law of the supreame Iudge it cannot but erre eyther in being ouer large and then shee pronounceth those things lawfull which are vnlawfull or ouer strait and so she declares those things vnlawfull which are lawfull for if this be not obserued wee shall be disquieted while we hearken to the errours of conscience as if they were the iust and lawfull accusations of conscience Sometime againe conscience presents to men sins which they haue done many yeeres agoe and whereof they haue repented for wee are to know that albeit the Lord after repentance forgiue the guiltinesse of sinne yet he will haue the memorie thereof to remaine in that conseruing facultie of conscience called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it may both serue to humble vs for the euill wee haue done as also to preserue vs from sinne for the time to come And sinne this manner of way retained in the memory I compare it to thornes bryers which in the middest of a garden are hurtfull and hinder the grouth of good fruit but being put in the hedge are profitable to preserue them so sinne as long as it is in the affection is very pernitious for then it chokes the seede of the word of God in them but being taken out of the affection and set in the memory is as a hedge to the soule to preserue it from wilde and raging beasts that would come in and deuoure it thus for our humiliation the Lord keepes in vs a remembrance euen of those sinnes which hee hath pardoned but so that with the remembrance of the euill which we haue done our conscience doth also excuse and comfort vs with the remembrance of our vnfained repentance toward God And if otherwise the conscience accuse vs for those euill deeds which wee haue done and whereof wee haue not repented it is of Gods great mercy toward vs who by inward trouble wakens vs to iudge our selues now that we should not be iudged of the
THREE HEAVENLY TREATISES VPON THE EIGHT Chapter to the Romanes Viz. 1 Heauen opened 2 The right way to eternall Glory 3 The Glorification of a Christian. VVherein the Counsaile of God concerning Mans saluation is so manifested that all men may see the Ancient of dayes the Iudge of the world in his generall Iustice Court absoluing the Christian from sinne and death Which is the first benefit wee haue by our Lord Iesus Christ. Come and see Written by Mr. William Cowper Minister of Gods word LONDON Printed by Thomas Snodham for William Firebrand and Iohn Budge and are to be sould at his shop at the great Southdoore of Paules 1609. TO THE MOST SAcred Christian truely Catholique and mightie Prince Iames King of great Britaine France and Ireland defender of the faith c. SIR The Apostle S. Paule that chosen vessell of God and his ambassadour sent forth into the world to bring in the house of Iapheth into the tents of Sem hauing in his peregrination vndertaken for preaching from Ierusalem vnto Illyricum seene the most pleasant parts of the world and in an extasie transported from earth into the third heauen seene also 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 were but dung in respect of the Lord Iesus and that whatsoeuer pleasure on earth may delight the eye or eare 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 helpe out of his Sanctuarie in all your need according as hee hath done O King beloued of God hated of none but for Gods sake keepe still your heart in the loue of God and his truth Reioyce in the strength of your God and feare not what flesh can doe vnto you Is it not the Lord who set your Highnesse on the throne to bee 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 grieued you hated you and shot at you were not the hands of your armes strengthened by the hands of the 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 of the breast and wombe Sir let his liberall blessings wherewith the Lord your God hath preuented you be so many obligations binding your Highnesse to honour the Lord who hath honoured you Let his forepast manifold deliuerances be as so many confirmations that if your Maiestie rest in him and not in man he will still be a buckler vnto you Let Abaddon the King of the Locusts that Romish vsurper rage Vnto the Lord belongs the issues of death Can Balaam curse where God hath blessed yea can Sathan hurt the man who is hedged by the Lord Let the Ambassadours of new Babel more shamelesse than Sennacherib his Rabsache raile at good king Ezekiah ruling in Ierusalem the Lord hath yet a hooke for his nosethrils and a bridle for his lips Doe not the eyes of the Lord behold the whole earth to shew himself strong with them that are strong and of a perfect heart toward him Therefore feare not their feare but sanctifie the Lord God of hostes let him be your feare and hee shal be a Sanctuarie vnto your Maiestie Count it a part of your high glorie and no small matter of your Maiesties ioy that with Christ you beare this peece of his crosse that the rebukes of them who rebuke the Lord are fallen vpon you and trust still O King in the Lord and in the mercie of the most High and so your Maiestie shall neuer fall Long may your Highnesse liue and raigne ouer vs as a faithfull seruant to your God and a happie King of many blessings to your people Your Maiesties most humble Subiect and dayly Oratour William Cowper Minister at Perth works of God there is a difference and some of them more cleerely then others declares the glorie of God so it is also among his holy writs they breath all out one truth by a most sweet harmonie diuine enim lectiones ita sibi connectuntur tanqnam vna sit lectio quia omnes ex vno ore procedunt yet ye shall finde that in some of them the Lord commeth neere vnto vs as it were with the face of a man talking familiarly vnto vs in others againe hee mounts high aboue vs as it were with the wings of an Eagle And the Lord hath left it free to delight our selues most in those places of holy Scripture wherein for our estate we haue most edification and to seeke in this Apothecarie shop of that sweet Samaritan the Lord Iesus pharmaca morbo nostro conuenientia such medicines as are meet for our maladie Among all the bookes of the old Testament most frequent testimonies are brought by our blessed Sauiour and his holy Apostles out of the booke of the Psalmes Ierome called it a treasurie of all learning And among all the Epistles of the Apostles no meruaile this to the Romanes haue the first place not that it was first written but because aboue the rest it contayneth a most perfect compend of our Christian faith And this middle Chapter thereof hath in it an Abridgement of all these comforts and instructions one excepted which otherwise are dispersed throughout the whole Epistle and is so to call it a pleasant kâ—ot of the garden and Paradise of God and therefore shall it not be vnprofitable for vs by Gods grace to delight our selues for a while in it As to the connexion of this Chapter with the former wee are to know that it is a conclusion of the foregoing treatise of Iustification Wherein the Apostle summarilie collects the excellent state of a Christian iustified by faith in Christ Iesus declaring it to bee such that there is no condemnation to him that nothing were it neuer so euill is able to hurt him yea by the contrary that all things workes for the best vnto him And because there are onely two euils which grieue vs in this life to wit sinne that remaines in vs and affliction that followes vs in the following of Christ. Against both these the Apostle furnishes the iustified man with strong consolations Comforts against the remanents of sinne wee haue from the 1. verse to the 18. Comforts against our afflictions wee haue from the midst of the 18. verse to the 31. That this is the very purpose and order of the Apostle is euident out of his owne conclusion set downe from
the 31. verse to the end wherein hee drawes all that hee hath spoken in this Chapter to a short summe contayning the glorious triumph of a Christian ouer all his enimies The triumph is first set downe generally verse 31. What shall wee then say to these things if God bee with vs who can bee against vs c. This generall incontinent hee parts in two there is sayeth hee but two things may hurt vs either Sinne or Affliction As to Sinne hee triumphs against it verse 33. and 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God his chosen it is God that iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christ who is dead or rather who is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh request for vs. As to Affliction hee triumphs against it from the 35. to the end Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation anguish or persecution shall famine nakednesse or perill yea shall death doe it or that which is much more shall Angels principalities or powers doe it No In all these things wee are more than Conquerours through him that loued vs. Thus doth the Apostle like a faithfull steward in the house of God take by the hand the weary sonnes and daughters of the liuing God that hee may leade vs into the Lords winesellers there to refresh and stay vs with the â—lagons of his Wine to comfort vs with his Apples to strengthen vs with his hid Manna and to make vs merry with that Milke and Hony which our immortall husband Iesus Christ hath prouided for vs to sustaine vs that we faint not through our manifold tentations that compasse vs in this barren wildernes We come then to the first part of the Chapter wherein the Apostle keepes this order First hee sets downe a generall proposition of comfort belonging to the iustified man Secondly he subioynes a confirmation therof Thirdly he explanes his reason of confirmation and fourthly applyes iâ—first by commination of them who walke after the flesh secondly by consolation of the godly against the remanents of the flesh thirdly by exhortation of both not to walke after the flesh In the proposition againe set downe Verse 1. first he points at the comfort Now then there is no condemnation secondly he sets downe a limitation restrayning this comfort To them who are in Christ thirdly hee subioynes a clearer declaration of those persons who are in Christ to wit they walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Verse 1. Now then This is a relatiue to his former discourse and is as I haue said a Conclusion inferred vpon that which goeth before Seeing wee are iustified by Faith in Iesus Christ and are now no more vnder the Law but vnder Grace seeing we are buryed with Christ by Baptisme into his death that like as he was raised from the dead by the glory of his Father so we also should walke in newnesse of life hauing receiued that spirit of Christ whereby wee fight against the Law of sinne in our members which rebelleth against the Law of our minde seeing it is so we may be sure that the remanent power of sinne in vs shall neuer be able to condemne vs. We see then that these words containe the Apostles glorying against the remanents of sinne the sense whereof in the end of the last Chapter made him burst out in a pittifull lamentation and cry O miserable man who will deliuer me from the body of this death but now considering the certaintie of his deliuerance by Iesus Christ he reioyceth and triumpheth Wherein for our first lesson we marke the diuersitie of dispositions to which the Children of God are subiect in this life sometime so full of comfort that they can not containe themselues but must needs breake forth into glorious reioycings at other times so far deiected in mind that their ioy is turned into mourning and this ariseth in them from the variable change of their sight and feeling The Disciples on mount Tabor seeing the bright shining glorie of Christ were rauished with ioy but incontinent when the cloud ouershadowes them they become afraid If the Lord let vs feele his mercies wee are aliue but if hee hide his face and set our sinnes in order before vs wee are sore troubled As the troubles wee haue in this life are not without comforts blessed bee God the Father of our Lord Iesus the Father of mercies and God of all comfort who comforts vs in all our tribulation so our ioy saith Saint Peter is not without heauinesse the one arising of the knowledge of that vndeserued inheritance reserued for vs in heauen the other of our manifold tentations to which wee are subiect here vpon earth it is these vicissitudes and changes which wrought in Dauid such different dispositions as appeareth in him in the Booke of the Psalmes and which all the godly may be experience finde in themselues Pascimur hic patimur for here we are so nourished with the comforts of God that we are nurtred with his crosses It is the Lords dispensation and we are to reuerence it resting assured that the peace and ioy which once the Lord hath giuen vs may be interrupted but can neuer vtterly be taken from vs the Lord who will not suffer the rod of the wicked for euer to lie vpon the back of the righteous least they put out their hand to wickednesse will fâ—rre lesse suffer his owne terrours continually oppresse our consciences least we faint and dispaire though he wound vs he will binde vs vp againe after two daies he will reuine vs and we shall liue in his sight Weeping may abide in the Euening but ioy shall come in the Morning The chosen vessell of God shall not alway lament and cry woe is me sometime the Lord will put a song of thanksgiuing in his mouth and make him to reioyce thus de aduersis prosperis admir abilivirtute vitam Sanctorum contexuit Deus The life of a Christian may bee compared to a webbe so meruailously mixed and wouen of comfort and trouble by the hand of God that the long thread thereof reaching from the day of our birth to the day of our death are all of trouble but the weft interiected manifold comforts and this haue we marked vpon the coherenee of the beginning of this Chapter with the end of the former Now in these words it is to be obserued the Apostle saies not there is no sinne in them who are in Christ but he saith there is no condemnation to them he hath confessed before that he did the euill which he would not and that he saw a law in his members rebelling against the law of his minde but now hee reioyceth in Christ that sinne in him is not able to condemne him It is then a false exposition of these words which is made by Caietane and
Aquinas Nihil est damnabile in illis qui sunt in Christo nullus actus quo mereamur damnari that in them who are is Christ there is nothing worthy to be damned no act that merits damnation for the Apostle condemnes these motions of sinne which he found in himselfe as euill and repugnant to the Law of God and if the holy Apostle was not ashamed to confesse this of himselfe what blinde presumption is this in them to exempt themselues or others from such motions as are worthy to be damned wee shall still confesse our guiltines there remaines in vs of our owne which the Lord might condemne if he would enter into iudgement with vs and shall so much the more praise his mercie who hath deliuered vs from condemnation and further comfort then this the Apostles words do not afford vnto vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is no iudgement no sentence to be giuen against them who are in Chrst. Surely our righteousnesse in this life consists rather in the remission of sinnes then in the perfection of vertue Ne quis sibi quasi innocens placeat cum innocens nemo sit se extollendo plus pereat instruitur docetur peccare se quotidie dum quotidie pro peccatis iubetur orare that no man saith Cyprian should flatter himselfe as though he wer innocent when as indeed no man is innocent and so by extolling himselfe should perish so much the more he is instructed and taught that he sinnes while as euery day hee is commaunded to pray for remission of sins but this errour we shall God willing further improue hereafter In the meane time for our comfort let vs consider that albeit the Lord when hee iustified vs might haue vtterly destroyed the life of this sinning sinne in vs yet for waighty causes hath he suffered some life thereof to abide in vs for a time the first is for the exercise of our faith Peccata quorum reatum Soluit Deus ne post hanc vitam obsint manere tamen voluit ad certamen fidei these sinnes saith Augustine the guiltinesse whereof God hath loosed that they should not hurt vs in the life to come hee will haue to remaine for the exercise of our faith No man is crowned except he striue as he ought and therefore the Lord who hath prepared for vs a crowne and hath put vpon vs his compleat armour hath also suffered some enimies to remaine against whom we may fight for the tryall of our faith patience and perseuerance euen as the Cananites were left in the Land that the Lord by them might proue the Israelits whether if or not they would keepe the way of the Lord to walke into it Secondly some life of sinne is left in vs for our instruction that wee may know the better how farre we are oblieged to Gods mercy and how excellent is that deliuerance which we haue by Iesus Christ. Nulla quidem est condemnatio his qui sunt in Christo tamen ad humiliandos nos peccatum adhuc patituâ— viâ—tere in nobis grauiter nos affligere vt sentiamus quid gratia nobis praestet semper ad illius auxilium recurramus It is true indeed saith Bernard that there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ yet for our humiliation the Lord suffers sinne to liue in vs and oftentimes afflict vs that we may know the benefit wee haue by Grace and make our recourse for helpe vnto it continually and indeed except by experience wee felt how powerfull sin is of it selfe to ouer rule vs we could neuer haue knowne that vile bondage and seruitude of sinne vnder which wee lay by nature nor that excellent Grace of Christ by which we haue gotten deliuerance And therefore so oft as wee are troubled with our inhabitant corruption we are to consider that if the remanents of the old man breed vs such strong and restlesse tentations how would it tyrannize ouer vs if it were liuing in the full vigour strength thereof that so we may praise and magnifie that sauing Grace of the Lord Iesus which hath freed vs from so intollerable a tyrannie Thirdly the Lord hath done this for his own greater glory like vnto those Victors in battaile who albeit they may yet will not put all their enimies to the edge of the sword some of them they take Captiues and reserues for a while aliue against the day of triumph to be put then to death to their greater shame and the greater honour of their Conquerours When Ioshua had discomfited those fiue Kings who made warre against Gibeon hee would not slay them in the battaile but inclosed them in a caue that the battell being ended he might put them to death in sight of all his people and then for their further confirmation hee caused his Captaines and chiefe men of warre to tread vpon the necks of these Kings to assure them that after the same manner the Lord should subdue all the rest of their enimies vnder them And so our Captaine mightie conquerour the Lord Iesus hath by himselfe obtained vnto vs victorie ouer all our enimies these Kings which besieged Gibeon are turned to flight these inordinate affections which held vs Captiues before are now by his power captiued of vs they are closed vp vvithin vs as in a Caue vvhere they remaine vvith some life but restrained of their former libertie and power And vve rest assured that when the battaile shall be finished our Lord Iesus shall altogether spoyle them of their life The God of peace shall shortly tread Sathan vnder our feete then Goliah being ouercome his army of the Philistines shall flie and no inordinate desire shall bee left within vs. Thus wee see how the Lord permits his enimie to liue and will not fully torment him before the time it is not because he wants power to subdue him Set vt â—o magis confundatur but that so much the more he may confound him When as all the warriours of God aswell those who are to come in the last age of the world as those who were in the forefront of the battaile haue foughten against him and ouercome him then shall the Lord Iesus put all his enimies vnder his feete Yea euen now in the very time of the conflict is Sathan wonderfully confounded in this that notwithstanding the Serpent keepe his sting yet there is no deadly power in it This vncircumcised Goliah hath that same sword in his hand by which he hath slaine many one the Lord permits him also to strike the Christian man therewith but hee sees himselfe it is in vaine O how doth he returne ashamed and confounded when hauing gotten leaue to shoot out his sting and to strike with his accustomed sword of sinne those whom he hateth vnto death he perceiues that for all hee can doe there remaines in them a seed of life which cannot be
wicked may be put to death for their most vnreasonable disobedience her commandements for number being but ten and so not burdenable to the memorie for vnderstanding plaine written in the hart of euery man for equitie not contradictable for the Law craueth nothing of man but that which by the holinesse of his nature receiued by Creation hee was able to performe neither doth the law command any thing profitable to God vvho gaue it but vnto man who receiued it And for holinesse euery precept of the law when God proclaymed it on mount Sinai was assisted with a thousand of his Saints as witnesses of the holinesse therof all these circumstances doe aggrauate the waight of that iudgement which the law shall giue out against the transgressors thereof Then from the Law iudgement shall proceede to Conscience and Conscience shall witnesse against them of their transgressions against euery precept of the law wherein they shall be so cleerely conuinced that their perticular sinnes with the circumstances thereof time and place though now they haue cast them behind their backs shall then be set in order before them and so iustly euery manner of way shall iudgement goe out against them Eliphaz spoke it falslie to Iob thy owne mouth and not I condemnes thee but most iustly shall the ruler of the world lay it vpon the wicked out of thy owne mouth I iudge thee O thou euill and vnfaithfull seruant the voyce of thine own conscience and no other shall condemne thee And as this condemnation will bee most righteous so shall it bee also most fearefull not onely in regard of the manner of the Lords proceeding in that last iudgement but chieflie in regard of that irrevocable sentence of damnation which shall be executed without delay The Law was giuen with Thunders and Lightnings and a thicke cloud vpon the mount with an exceeding loude sound of the Trumpet so that all the people were afraide yea so terrible was the sight that Moses said I feare and quake The lawes of mighty Monarches are executed with greater terror then they are proclaymed what then shall we looke for when the God of glory shall appeare to iudge the world according to his law the Heauens shall passe away with a noyse the Elements shall melt with heate the Earth with the workes which are therein shall be burnt vp the Archangell shall blow a Trumpet at the voyce whereof the dead shall rise If Moses the seruant of the Lord quaked to heare the first Trumpet how shall the wicked condemned in their owne conscience tremble and quake to heare the second Then shall the Kings of the Earth and the great men and the rich men and the chiefe Captaines and the mightie men hide themselues in the Dennes and among the rockes of the Mountaines for what strength is there in man who is but stubble to stand before a consuming fire and or euer their doome bee giuen out they shall crye Mountaines and Rockes fall vpon vs and hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth on the Throne but when they shall heare that fearefull sentence depart from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Diuell and his Angels O how shall the terrour thereof confound their spirits and presse them downe to the bottome of hell O fearefull sentence depart from me what shall the creature doe when the Creator in his wrath commaunds it to depart and by his power banishes it from his presence O man wilt thou consider in time vvho shall receiue thee when God casts thee out from his face or who shall pittie and bee able to comfort thee when God shal persecute thee with his wrath assure thy selfe euery creature shall refuse her comfort to thee if a drop of colde water might bee a reliefe vnto thee thou shalt not get it Happie therefore are they vvho in time resolues themselues vvith Peter Lord whether away shall wee goe from thee thou hast the wordes of eternall life For they who doe now goe a whoring from the LORD wandring after lying vanities shall in that day receiue this for a recompence of their errour goe to the Gods whom yee haue serued Your whole life was but a turning backe from mee now therefore depart from mee and whether into fire and what fire euerlasting fire and with whom with the Diuell and his Angels thou hast forsaken mee thou hast followed them goe thy way with them a companion of their torment O fearefull sentence quae cum it a sint bene nobiscum ageretur si iam nunc sic nos paeniteret super malis nostris quomodo tunc sine vllo remedio paenitebit It were good therefore sayes Augustine if novv all men could so repent of their sinnes as it is certaine in that day they shall repent without any remedie for then the wicked vvill shed teares aboundantly but they shall bee fruitlesse And if yet all this cannot waken thee to goe to the Lord Iesus vpon the feete of faith and repentance that in him thou mayest bee deliuered from this fearefull damnation yet remember that seeing this iudgement is supreame and the last from which will bee no recalling most foolish art thou if in time thou doe not foresee and prouide how thou mayest stand in it Now if thy conscience condemne thee thou may get if thou seeke absolution in Christ but in that day if the Lord condemne thee thou shalt neuer be absolued the day before the Trumpet sound mercy shall bee preached to the penitent and beleeuers by the Gospell but from the time that once the sentence is giuen out there shall neuer bee more offering of mercy the doore shall be closed though the wicked cry for mercy and vvith Esau seeke the blessing vvith many teares yet shall they neuer finde it Of all this novv it is euident vvhat an excellent benefit wee haue by Iesus Christ in that vve are deliuered from this threefold condemnation For first being iustified by faith vve haue peace vvith God in our consciences that holy spirit of adoption testifying vnto vs that our sinnes are forgiuen vs whereof arises in our heart an vnspeakable and glorious ioy which ioy notwithstanding cannot be full nor perfect vntill the former sentence of our absolution be also pronounced in the other two iudgements that in the houre of death wee heare that ioyfull sentence Come to mee thou with the Apostle the terrour of that day but surely when the Lord shall set vs on mount Sion among those thousands which follow the Lambe and we shall see the smoake of the damned ascending continually when we shall stand at the right hand of the Lord Iesus and shall heare that fearefull sentence pronounced on the wicked and see the speedie and terrible execution thereof the earth opening incontinent to swallow them then shall we perfectly know how greatly the Lord hath magnified his mercies towards vs in
ipso cuiâ—s potissimum esse videar thus doe they striue within mee saith Bernard about mee to which of their dominion I should appertaine That which hee confessed of himselfe all the Godly may feele in their owne experience innumerable are those tyrants that striue among themselues but all of them striue against vs to haue domination ouer vs but indeede these are vncouth Lords and such as can claime no title nor right vnto vs wee are the workemanship of God the redeemed of the Lord and are bound to doe seruice to none but to him alone O Lord therefore come downe and possesse thine owne kingdome erect a throne to thy selfe in our hearts that thou by thy Spirit may raigne in vs as our King and make vs free from these tyrants that would oppresse vs. But that wee may the better perceiue how abhominable this seruitude is let vs out of the Apostles words mark these three things first how this dominion is tyrannicall Secondly how the Commaundements of these tyrants are all wicked and thirdly are all deadly these three he toucheth shortly when he saith that Christ hath freed vs from the law of sinne and death First then he ascribeth vnto sinne a Law not as if sin proceeded by a Law properly so called or that there were any lawfulnesse in sinne but onely to poynt out the tyranny thereof for as Rulers ordayned by the image of God inuested in this dignitie to be Lord and ruler ouer the creatures Animal es O homo principatu decoratum vt quid seruis affectionibus quamobrem tuam ipsius dignitatem abijcis teque ipsum seruum peccati constituis quare tcipsumfacis captiuuÌ„ diaboli Princeps creaturarum constitutus es dignitatem naturae tuae proijcâ—s O man thou art a creature adorned with princely power by thy first creation why then seruest thou affections why dost thou cast away thine owne dignitie and makes thy selfe a captiue of Sathan thou wast placed Lord of the creatures thou wast appoynted to rule ouer the fish of the Sea and euery beast of the field what shame is it then that thou shouldest be ouerruled with those beasts which are within thee Secondly consider what thou hopest to bee after this life dost thou not hope to raigne as a King in the heauens and wilt thou now liue as a slaue to Sathan vpon earth Is any man crowned except he striue as he ought or doth he receiue the price who runnes not the race or caâ— hee obtaine the victorie who neuer wrestled why then fightest thou not why runnest thou not why beginnest thou not to raigne in earth as a king ouer thy lusts seeing thou hopest to raigne as a king in heauen in glory Doe not deceiue thy selfe that crowne is for conquerours not for captiues Non sperare potest regnum coelorum cui supra propria membra regnare non donatur hee cannot looke for that heauenly kingdome to whom it is not giuen to raign ouer his owne earthly members Wee know that when Iesus shall appeare we shall bee like him for wee shall see him as hee is and hee that hath this hope in himselfe purgeth himselfe euen as hee is pure Certainely if the Lord through Grace prepare thee not for his Heauenly Kingdome thou canst neuer say with a warrant that the Lord hath prepared that kingdome for thee And thirdly the consideration of the present occasion should waken vs to goe out of this house of bondage for now the Sonne of God offers to make vs free a Prince of greater power is content to enter in confederacie with vs hee promiseth to restore vs to all the priuiledges wee lost in Adam yea to giue vs much more than euer we had in him and shall we neglect so faire an occasion When Cyrus king of Persia proclaymed liberty to the Iewes to goe from Babell the place of their captiuitie homeward to Ierusalem it is said that all those went forward whose spirit God had raised vp and now when the Lords annoynted proclaymes liberty to the captiues and the opening of the dore to them that are in prison I know that none shall follow his calling but such whose spirit the Lord hath raysed vp the rest being miserably blind delight to lye still in captiuitie thinking their bondage liberty The Lord giue vs grace that we may discerne the time of our visitation that with Dauid we may aduance our eyes toward the Lord who hath begunne to plucke our feete out of the net and that still we may lift vp and stretch out our hands vnto him till hee haue deliuered vs fully from the power of the enimie This being spoken of the bondage vve are now to consider that our deliuerance from it is here ascribed to Iesus Christ. Thy perdition is of thy selfe O Israel But our saluation belongs to the Lord and to the Lambe that sits vpon the throne Let no man therefore bee so vnthankfull as to ascribe any part of this glory to another my glory will I not giue to an other saith the Lord the glory of a temporall deliuerance God will not giue it vnto man hee would not saue Israell vnder Gideon with thirtie two thousand and why least Israell should vaunt against the Lord and say my right hand hath done it Or euer he entred his people Israell into the land of Canaan he forewarned them that they should not say it was for their righteousnesse and will hee then thinke yee giue the praise of this most notable deliuerance to the Creature No the whole booke of God witnesseth that it is not for our righteousnesse but for the praise of the glory of his rich mercie that wee are entred into heauenly Canaan Did Peter Iames and Iohn help the Lord Iesus in that agonie which hee suffered in the garden no surely hee bad them watch with him and pray but when hee was sweating blood they were sleeping when hee was buffeâ—ed in Caiphas hall did not Peter deny him when hee went to the Crosse did not all his Disciples forsake him and those who loued him most dearely did they not stand a farre off from him Certainely he alone troad the wine-presse of the wrath of God he alone bare the punishment of our sinnes in his blessed body on the Crosse to him therfore alone pertayneth the glory of our saluation As for the persons to whom this deliuerance pertaines the Apostle names himselfe among them hath freed vs not to exclude but rather to confirme all others who are in Iesus Christ. For hee confesses of himselfe that hee was receiued to mercy for this end that God might shew vpon him an example of long suffering to them who shall in time to come beleâ—ue in him vnto eternall life therefore is it that hee speakes of this deliuerance in his owne person for the confirmation of others who hauing beene before as hee was notorious sinners are now become such as repents
the praise of the bright shining glory of Gods mercie His owne Sonne Iesus Christ is called Gods owne Sonne to distinguish him from all others who are his sonnes by adoption onely Christ is the Sonne of God by nature by that diuine inutterable generation whereof Esay saith Who can expresse it Thus is hee Gods owne sonne that is coeternall and coessentiall begotten of the Father before all time by the full communication of his whole essence vnto him in a manner that cannot bee expressed And in the fulnesse of time hee became man God being manifested in the flesh and in regard of his humane nature which was conceiued of the holy Ghost and vnited in a personall vnion with his diuine hee stands in the title of Gods owne sonne after so singular a manner that hee admits no companion The last of these two the Apostle makes the first point of the misterie of Godlinesse God manifested in the flesh wherein he bridles our curiositie for if his manifestation in the flesh that is his incarnation be a mysterie that goes beyond our vnderstanding what shall we say of his diuine generation a mystery indeed to bee adored not to be enquired an article proposed to be belieued not to bee disputed The Arrians seeking to search out this vnsearchable mysterie with naturall reason by infinite degrees more foolish then if they had presumed to number the starres of heauen or measure with their fist all the vvaters in the Sea they stumbled and fell being neuer able to comprehend how the son that was begotten should bee coeternall and coessentiall to the Father who begot him therefore the worthy Fathers of the primitiue Church to expresse the presumption of these arrogant spirits drew them down from the dangerous speculation of these high mysteries far aboue their capacitie to consideration of things which are in nature Si in Creatura genitum inueniri potest coaeuum genitori an non aequum est conced as posse ista in creatore coaeterna inueniri if in things created that which is begotten may be found equall in time to that which begat it why should it be denyed that in the Creator the begetter and begotten are equall in eternitie When a candle saith Augustine is first lighted at once there are two things the fire and the splendor or light if it be enquired whether the fire come from the light or the light from the fire all men will agree that the splendor or light comes from the fire but if againe it be demanded which of them is first or last in time it cannot be determined But vvherefore shall vve vse these similitudes as the Creator is aboue the creature so is that mysterie aboue all the secrets of nature no similitude can bee found in nature so much as shadow that most high and supernaturall mysterie yet is the endeuor of these godly fathers commendable vvho haue laboured to bring downe men to the exercising of their wits in things vvhich are below like vnto themselues leauing curious inquisition of higher secrets vvhich as I haue said are to be receiued with faith reuerenced vvith silence not searched out by curiositie O man bee not high minded but feare In the similitude of sinnefull flesh Wee must not so vnderstand these words as if Iesus had onely the similitude of a naturall bodie no hee was very man made of the seed of Dauid he hath taken on our flesh indeed yet was he not a sinfull man but separated from sinners A holy One from the first moment of his conception conceiued of the holy Ghost A Stone cut out of the mountaine without hands The Flower of the field that groweth without mans labour or industry The second Adam very man as was the first but not begotten of man So then the word similitude is not to be ioyned vvith the word Flesh but with the word sinfull He tooke on mans nature without sin yet subiect to those infirmities mortalitie and death which sin brought vpon vs he appeared like a sinfull man being indeed without sinne in the shape of a Seruant content to be made inferiour not onely to Angels but to men of the vilest sort sold for thirtie pieces of siluer not so worthy to liue as Barrabas ranked vvith Theeues on the Crosse and reputed as a Worme of the earth thus being voyde of all sinne yet was hee handled as a sinner and most wicked malefactor Wherein wee are to consider so farre as vve may though vve cannot comprehend it that vvonderfull loue vvhich the Lord hath shevved vs in this vvorke of our saluation how deere and precious our life hath beene in his eyes perceiue by the greatnesse of that prise which hee hath giuen for vs for vvho vvill giue much for that vvhereof he esteemes but little it was not vvith gold nor siluer nor any corruptible thing that the Lord hath redeemed vs but vvith the precious bloud of his owne Son Iesus as of a Lambe vnblemished and vnspotted If Dauid considering the goodnesse of God towards man in the vvork of creation fell out into this admiration O Lord what is man that thou art mindfull of him or the Son of man that thou doest visite him how much more haue vve cause so to crye out considering the riches of God his vvonderfull mercies shewed vs in the vvork of redemption It vvas a great kindnesse vvhich Abraham shewed to Lot vvhen he hazarded his owne life and the liues of his familie to recouer Lot out of the hands of Chedarlaomer but not comparable to that kindenesse which our kinsman the Lord Iesus hath shewed vnto vs who hath giuen his life to deliuer vs out of the hand of our enimies The Lord shed abroad in our hearts more and more abundantly the sence of that loue that wee may endeauour to be thankfull for it by this threefold dutie first of thanksgiuing secondly of seruice thirdly of loue toward those who are beloued of him As for the first our life should bee a continuall thanksgiuing and worshipping before him who hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his bloud When the children of Israell had passed the red sea suppose they had a wast wildernesse between them and Canaan yet they praised God with a song of thanksgiuing and the Lord appointed an yearely remembrance of that benefit If smaller mercies are to be remembred with thanksgiuing what shall wee think of the greater As for the second which is seruice Zacharie teacheth vs that for this end God hath deliuered vs from all our enimies that all our dayes wee should serue him in righteousnesse and holinesse the reason why the Israelites bound themselues to giue subiection and obedience to Dauid was that he had deliuered them from the hand of the Philistins the same reason Ezra vsed to the Iewes returned from captiuitie to make them obedient to the Lord Seeing thou O Lord hath
Iesus onely therefore blessed are they who are in Christ Hee that heares my wordes and belieues in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life And lastly we may obserue here what a powerfull Sauiour wee haue when to the iudgement of man he was weakest then did hee the greatest worke that euer was done in the world he was powerfull in working of miracles in his life but more powerfull in his death for then hee darkened the Sunne hee shooke the earth hee made the rockes to cleaue he rent the vaile of the temple a sunder and caused the dead to rise Mortuum Caesarem quis metuat sed morte Christi quid efficacius if Caesar bee once dead who will feare Christ euen when hee is dead is terrible to his enimies nothing can be more effectuall then his death By it he did a greater worke than was the creation of the world by it he brought in new heauens and a new earth by suffering death he destroyed him who had the power of death when hee was condemned of man hee condemned sinne that it should not condemne man passus est vt infirmus operatus vt fortis â—e suffered as a weake man but wrought as a strong one Sicut serpens mortuus c. As that Serpent without life erected by Moses in the wildernesse ouercame the liuing Serpents that stung Israell so the Lord Iesus by suffering death hath slaine that serpent that liuing in vs had slung vs vnto death Hic vides mortem morte peremptam maledictum maledicto extinctum per quae Diabolus iam antea valebat per ea ipsa tyrannidem ipsius esse destructam here thou seest saith Chrisostome death slaine by death and the tyrannie of Sathan destroyed by these same meanes by which before most of all he preuailed O wonderfull worke surely the weaknesse of God is stronger then man hee is that stronge One indeed stronger then Samson When the Philistines thought they had him sure within the portes of Azzah hee arose at midnight and tooke the doores of the gates of the Cittie and the two posts and carried them away with the bars thereof on his shoulders vp to the top of the mountaine which is before Hebron but our mightie Conquerour and deliuerer the Lord Iesus hath in a more excellent manner magnified his power for being closed in the graue clasped in the bands of death and a stone rolled to the mouth of the graue the Sepulcher sealed and guarded with souldiers he rose againe the third day before the rising of the Sunne he carried like a victor the bars and posts of death away as vpon his shoulders and vpon the mount of Oliues hee ascended on high leading captiuitie captiue Like as therefore wee receiued before great comfort through the consideration of Christs incomprehensible loue toward vs so is it now confirmed by the meditation of his power Let Sathan boast like Rabsache that the Lord is not able to deliuer Ierusalem out of his hands hee is but a blasphemous Lyar the Lord will rebuke him and will shortly tread Sathan vnder our feet it is the curse of the wicked hee shall be oppressed and there shall bee none to deliuer him but blessed bee the Lord who hath prouided a strong deliuerer for vs who certainly shall set vs free from our enimies and destroy all the oppressours of our soules Glory therefore be vnto him for euer Verse 4. That the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in vs who walke not after the Flesh but after the Spirit THe Apostle hauing taught vs in the former verse how the Lord Iesus hath freed vs from the condemning power of sinne doth now let vs see how we are freed also from the commanding power of sinne for hee sets downe this to bee the first and neerest end of Christs death in respect of vs the renouation of our nature and conformitie thereof with God his holy law which hee expresses more cleerely in another place when he saith that Christ gaue himselfe to the death for his Church that hee might sanctifie it and make it to himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinckle or any such thing but that it should bee holy and without blame This is the end which Christ hath proposed vnto himselfe and whereof hee cannot bee frustrate as hee hath begunne it so he shall finish it he shall conforme vs to the law the righteousnesse thereof shall be fulfilled in vs there shall not bee left in our nature so much as a sinfull motion or desire but hee shall at the last present vs pure and without blame to his Father This righteousnesse of the law I vnderstand to be that perfect obedience to the Commaundements thereof which the law requires flowing from the perfect loue of God and our neighbour and it is fulfilled in vs two manner of wayes first by application or imputation of Christs righteousnesse vnto vs he is our head and we his members and are so vnited with him that now we are not to be taken as sundry but as one bodie with him By vertue of the which communion it comes to passe that that which is ours is his and that which is his is ours so that in our head we haue fulfilled the law satisfied Gods iustice for our sinnes Secondly it will be fulfilled in vs by our perfect sanctification though now wee haue but begunne obedience and in part the Lord Iesus at the last shall bring it in vs to perfection The Iesuites of Rhemes in their marginall notes on this Verse collects a note which the word here rendreth not vnto them Wee see say they that the Law which is Gods commandements may be kept that the keeping therof is iustice and that in Christian men that is fulfilled by Christs grace which by the force of the Law could neuer be fulfilled that the law may be fulfilled and also shall be fulfilled by the grace of Christ who hath deliuered vs from the Law of sinne is euident out of the Apostles words we confesse it and are comforted in it this is an end which Christ hath proposed vnto himselfe that he may make vs perfectly answerable to that holinesse which the Law requireth and in his owne good time he shall bring it to passe but that the Law is fulfilled of men in this life cannot be proued neyther out of this place nor any other place of holy Scripture Damnatum est pecatum non extinctum Sinne is condemned sayeth Caietane one of their owne but not extinguished And hereunto beside infinite testimonies of holy Scripture agreeth also the suffrages of pure antiquitie Non dicit familia tua sana sum medicum non requiro sed sana me Domine sanabor It is not saith Ambrose the voyce of thy familie I am whole and needes not a Phisition but
many times when it doth not appeare and these desertions which endure for a while are but meanes to effectuate a neerer communion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. hee turneth away from thee saith Chrysostome for a short while that he may haue thee for euer with himselfe Now it remaines that wee consider of these benefits wee haue by the dwelling of Christs Spirit in vs and of the duties which we owe againe vnto him The benefites are many and great Si enim tanta sit vis animae in massa terrae sustinenda mouendâ— impellenda quanta erit vis Dei in anima quae natura agilis est mouenda for if the soule be of such force to giue life and motion to this body which is but a masse of earth what shall the spirit of God doe vnto our soule which naturally is agill the wonderfull benefits that the body receiues by the dwelling of the soule in it may leade vs some way to consider of those great benefits which are brought vnto the soule by the dwelling of the spirit of God in vs. But of many we will shortly touch these two onely the first is that where this holy spirit comes to dwel he repaires the lodging man by nature being like vnto a ruinous pallace is restored by the grace of Christ. This reparation of man is sometimes called a new creation sometimes regeneration and it extends both to soule and body as to the soule the Lord strikes vp nevv lights in the miâ—do restores life to the heart communicates holinesse to the affections so that where before the soule was a habitation for vncleane spirits lying vnder the curse of Babel the Iim and Zijm dwelling in it the Ostriches lodging the Satires dauncing the Dragons crying within her pallaces that is defiled with all sorts of vile and vncleane affections the Lord Iesus hath sanctified it to be a holy habitation vnto himselfe And as to the reparation of our bodies it consists partly in making all the members thereof weapons of righteousnesse in this life and partly in deliuerance of them from mortalitie and corruptibilitie which shall be done in the day of resurrection which for the same cause is called by our Sauiour the day of regeneration for then shall hee change our mortall bodies and make them like vnto his owne glorious body thus by his dwelling in vs haue we the reparation both of our soules and bodies The other benefit we enioy by his dwelling in vs is the benefit of Prouision where hee comes to dwell hee is not burdenable after the manner of earthly Kings but his reward is vvith him for he hath not chosen vs to be his habitation for any neede hee hath of vs sed vt haberet in quem collocaret sua beneficia but that he might haue some on whom to bestow his benefits non indiget nostro ministerio vt domini seruorum sed sequimur ipsum vt homines lumen sâ—quuntur nihil ipsi praestantes sed beneficium a lumine accâ—pientes he hath no need of our seruice as other Lords haue neede of their seruants but we follow him as men follow the light giuing nothing to it but receiuing a benefit from it It falles commonly out that where men of meane estate receiue to lodge those that are more honourable they disease themselues to ease their guests but if thou receiue this rich spirit of the Lord to lodge non angustaberis sed dilataberis thou shalt not be straited but shalt be enlarged sayth Augustine hee knew the comfort hee reaped by this presence of God and therefore could speake the better thereofvnto others quando hic non eras angustias patiebar nunc implesti cellam meam non meam exclusisti sed angustiam meam when thou Lord dwelst not in me much anguish of minde oppressed mee now thou hast filled the cellers of my hart thou hast not excluded mee but excluded that anguish which troubled mee In a word the benefits wee receiue by him doe not onely concerne this life but are stretched out also to eternall life Dauid comprises all in a short summe the Lord is a light and defence hee will giue grace and glory and no good thing shall be withholden from them that loâ—e him The greater benefits we haue by the dwelling of Christ in vs the more are we obliged in our dutie to him O how should that house be kept in order wherein the King of glory is resident what daily circumspection ought to bee vsed that nothing be done to offend him not without cause are these watch-words giuen vs grieue not the spirit quench not the spirit There are none in a familie but they discerne the voyce of the master thereof and followes it they goe out and in at his commandement if he say vnto one Goe he goeth if to another Come he commeth if the Lord be our master let vs heare euery morning his voyce and inquire what his will is we should doe with a promise to reâ—igne the gouernment of our hearts vnto him for it is certaine he will not dwell where he rules not as he will admit no vncleane thing within his holy habitation so will he not dwell with the vncircumciâ—ed in hart the Lord will not take a wicked man by the hand noâ— haue fellowship vvith the throne of iniquitie If holy men when they see brothels abhorre them and goes by them how much more shall wee thinke that the most holy Lord will despise and passe by their soules which are polluted rather like to the filthie stewes of Sodome than the holy sanctuary of Sion for the Lord to dwell in And if hereby the weake conscience be cast downe reasoning within the selfe alas how can my beloued dwel with me who am so polluted and defiled remember that the more thou art displeased vvith thy selfe the more thy Lord is pleased with thee for thy daily pollutions hee hath appointed daily washings in that fountaine which he hath opened to the house of Dauid for sin and for vncleannesse Sweepe out thy sinnes euery day by the besome of holy anger and reuenge and vvater the house of thy hart with the teares of contrition quoniam sine aliquo vulnere esse non possumus medelis spiritualibus vulnera nostra curemuâ— seeing wee cannot be without some wounds of Conscience let vs daily goe to the next remedie that vvith spirituall medicines wee may cure them chastising our selues euery morning and examining our selues vpon our bed in the euening And againe seeing wee are made the Temples of the holy Ghost there should be within vs continuall sacrifices offered vnto God of prayer and praysing together with a daily slaughter of our beastly affections Among the Israelites Princes vvere knowen by the multitude of their sacrifices vvhich they offered vnto God but now they who sacrifice most of their vncleaâ—e affâ—ctions are most approued
as excellent Israelites of the Lord who can best discerne an Israelite From the time the Lord departed from Ierusalems Temple the daily sacrifice and oblation ceased and where there is not in man neither prayer nor praysing of God nor mortification of his beastly lusts but the spirituall Chaldeans hath come in and taken away this daily sacrifice it is an euident argument that the Lord dwelleth not there Last of all let vs marke here that the Apostle sayth this dwelling of the spirit is in vs it is not without vs the kingdome of God is within vs if hee dwell hee will dwell in our hearts by faith for he himselfe requires the heart As for them who lodge him in their mouths by professing him in their eyes by aduancing them to heauen in their hands by doing some workes of mercy and not in their hearts these are carnall men not spirituall pretend what they will hipocrits who drawes neere the Lord with their lips but their harts are farre from him accursed deceiuers vvho hauing a male in their flock vowes and sacrifices a corrupt thing vnto the Lord vvhich I doe not speake as if I did condemne the outward seruice done in the body to the Lord prouided it flowe from the hart Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit for they are Gods And this also is to be marked for the amendment of two sorts of men among vs who are in two extremities vve haue some who are become scorners of the grace of God in others neither can they be humbled themselues in the publike assemblies of the Saints nor be content to see others expresse their inward motion by outward humiliation they sit downe in the throne of God and condemnes others for hipocrisie not remembring that sinne is to be reserued to the iudgement of God vvho onely knowes the hart and that those same things vvhich they mislike in their brethren the Lord hath allowed in others The Apostles precept commaunds vs to lift vp to the Lord pure hands in prayer Dauids practise teaches vs to aduance our eyes to the Lord shall not thy brother lift vp his hands and his eyes to the Lord shall he not sigh to God nor mourne in his prayers like a Doue as Ezekiah did but thou incontinent wilt taxe him of hipocrisie Wee read that Iacob sought a blessing from the Lord with tearrs and obtained it Esau sought a blessing from his father with teares and crying and obtained it not were the teares of Iacob the worse because Esau also shed teares Iudge not least thou bee iudged the iudgement of Hypocrisie as I haue sayd belongs to the Lord. On the other extremitie are they who thinke they haue done enough when they haue discharged some outward exercises of religion though they take no paine to sanctifie the heart to works of diuine seruice On the Saboth they come to the house of God they bow their heads like a bulrush with the rest they pray and praise the Lord in the externall formes with the rest of the congregation but considers not whether or no they come into the temple by the motion of the Spirit as Simeon did if they pray and praise the Lord with prepared hearts as Dauid did neyther tâ—ye they when they goe out whether or no they haue met with the Lord found mercy and returneth home to their houses iustified as the Publican did It is true wee are to glorifie God with ouâ— bodyes because they are his but most of all with our spirits because God is a spirit he loueth truth in the inward affections and delights to bee worshipped in spirit and truth Wee are called by the Apostle the Temples of God Salomons Temple the further it was the finer in the outward Court stood an Alter of brasse whereupon beastes were sacrificed in the inward Court was an Altar of gold whereupon incense was sacrificed but the Sanctuarie or most holy place did farre exceed them both in it was nothing but fine gold in it the Lord gaue out his oracles from betweene the Cherubins in it stood the Arke of the couenant wherein was the Tables of the Law And so indeed the Christian ought to bee holy without his lookes his words his wayes should all declare that God dwelleth in his heart hee should haue ingrauen as it were on his forehead Holinesse to the Lord as Aaron had but much more should hee bee holy within betweene the secrets of his Soule should the Lord haue his residence and in his heart the testimonie of God which is the word of God should dwell plentifully But as for the wicked they are eyther compared to open sepulchers their mouth being like that gate of the Temple called Shallecheth out of which was carryed all the filth of the temple the abhomination of their heart being made manifest by their mouth or then in their best estate they are compared to painted Sepulchers beautifull without but within full of rottennesse hauing a shew of godlinesse wanting the power thereof But the man is blessed in whose heart there is no guile hee is a Nathamell indeede a true Israeliâ—e who is one within whose praise is not of men but of God But if any man haue not the Spirit of Christ the same is not his The Comfort being ended now followes the Caution Euery man saith Salomon boasts of his owne goodnesse but the Lord saith the Apostle knoweth who are his As the first great question in Religion is concerning the Sauiour of the world Art thou hee who is to come or shall wee looke for another so the second is concerning them who are to bee saued if the iudgement be referred to man now euery man among vs accounts himselfe a Christian If iudgement be sought from the Lord here hee giues one answere for all If any man haue not the Spirit of Christ the same is not his Albeit among men there be an allowable difference of estates yet concerning Christianitie both King and Subiect rich and poore learned and vnlearned comes all to be tryed by one rule It is a common thing among men to esteeme somewhat more of themselues for the priuiledge of their estate wherein they excell others but the Apostle destroyes the pride of all their glory with one word If any man so hee speakes without exception bee what thou wilt beside were thou neuer so noble neuer so rich neuer so learned if thou hast not the Spirit of Christ thou art none of his all the priuiledges of men without Iesus are nothing that which is high among men is abhomination to God Man in his best estate is altogether vanitie the glory of flesh is but as the floure of the field the Spirit of the Lord iudgeth of all the glory of man as of the pompe of Agrippa he came downe saith S. Luke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is all
Sunne and his clothes were white as the light Moses after fortie dayes talking with God on the Mount came downe with so bright a shining countenance that the Israelites might not behold him what then may we thinke shall be the glory of the children of God when they shall be transchanged with the light of Gods countenance shining vpon them not fortie dayes onely but for euer and euer And if euery one of their faces shal shine as the Sun in the firmament O how great light and glory shal be among them all if their bodies shal be so glorious what shal be the glory of their soule surely no hart can conceiue it no tongue is able to expresse it Fourthly our body shall bee raysed spirituall which is not so to bee vnderstood as if our bodies should loose a corporall substance and receiue a spirituall substance but then shall our bodies bee spirituall as now our Spirits by nature are carnall which are so called because they are subiect to carnall corruption pressed downe and carryed away after earthly and carnall things so shall our bodies then be spirituall because without contradiction they shall obey the motions of the spirit the body shall be no burthen no prison no impediment to the soule as now it is the soule shall carry the body where it will without resistance where now it is earthly heauie and tends downward it shall then be restored so lightsome and quick that without difficultie it shall mount from the earth to meet our Lord in the aire As our head ascended on the mount of Oliues and went through the cloudes into heauen so shall his members ascend that they may be with the Lord they shall follow the Lambe where euer he goes Let vs beleeue it and giue glory vnto God for hee who is the worker of our resurrection is also the worker of our ascension If the wit of man be able to frame a vessell of sundry mettels that our Resurrection is put betweene the Article of the remission of sinnes and that other Article of eternall life to â—each vs that then onely the Resurrection of the body is a benefite when remission of sinnes goes before it and eternall life followes after it whereof the Lord of his great mercy make vs pertakers through Iesus Christ. Verse 12. Therefore Brethren wee are debters not to the flesh to liue after the flesh AS it is true concerning vs that a necessitie lyeth vpon vs to preach and woe will be to vs if we preach not so it is true concerning you that a necessitie lyeth vpon you to heare and woe will bee to you if you heare not It is commaunded to vs that when wee speake wee should speake as the oracles of God and it is also required of you that ye receiue this word not as the word of man but as it is indeede the word of God therefore take heede how yee heare for as Moses said to the Israelites so say wee vnto you It is no vaine word concerning you it is your life Ye haue heard that maine proposition of Comfort there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ yee haue heard it confirmed explaned and applyed the miserable estate of them who walke after the flesh hath beene shewed vnto you as likewise the happy estate of them who walke after the Spirit and what comforts the godly haue both against the remanents as also against the fruits of sinnes hath beene declared vnto you Examine your selues and see how far forth these comforts belong vnto you If yee bee such as thinke with those scornefull men in Ierusalem that yee haue made a couenant with death and it shall not come neere you then goe on in your securitie and doe that which is good in your owne eyes but if yee finde by experience that death is already entred into your mortall body bee wise in time see that thou haue this onely soueraigne comfort against death the spirit of Christ dwelling in you otherwise flatter your selues in your securitie as you will miserable shall your end be Now the Consolation being ended the Apostle subioynes the Exhortation both these two consolation and exhortation are needefull for vs in the course of this life the one to keepe vs that wee faint not through the remanents of sinne left in vs and beginnings of death which already haue seased vpon vs exhortation againe to stir vs vp when wee linger in the way of godlinesse For it fareth with vs as it did with Lot in Sodome the Angels warned him of the imminent iudgement and exhorted him to escape for his life yet hee delayed and lingred hee could not bee gotten out of Sodome till they as it were violently thrust him out And allbeit the Lord admonish vs earely and late by his messengers of that wrath which is to come vpon the children of disobedience and warne vs in time to flye to the mountaine of his saluation yet alas so loath are wee to forsake our old finnes that the Lord is forced to double his exhortations vnto vs all which yet shall not auaile vs if the Lord lay not the hands of his grace vpon vs and by his holy Spirit make vs obedient to the heauenly vocation Let vs therefore take heede to the exhortations made vs by the Lord and that so much the more because it is most certaine that the sweetnesse of Gods consolation shall not bee felt of them who are not moued with his exhortation Contemplationis enim gustus non debetur nisi obedientiae mandatoruâ— the tast of Gods mercy by contemplation is onely due to them who make conscience of the obedience of his commaundements Therefore This particle is relatiue to the words preceding seeing it is so that by the Spirit of Christ dwelling in vs wee haue such excellent benefits wee are debt bond not to liue after the flesh but after the Spirit Of this wee haue first to learne that euery benefit wee receiued from God is an Obligation binding vs debters of seruice to God Debters Of this it is euident that the doctrine of grace proclaimes not liberty to men to liue as they will but rather bindes them to liue godly there can be no higher contempt done to the Lord than to turne his grace into wantonnesse Certainly the iniquities of Pagans doth not halâ—e so much offend him as the licentiousnesse of bastard Christians who will sinne the more freely because Christ hath suffered for sinne they heare that a man is not iustified by good workes and therefore being deceiued by Sathans sophistrie they cease to doe well not considering that good workes must proue wee are sanctified and sanctification must proue that wee are iustified In the second verse the Apostle said that Christ hath freed vs from the Law of sinne and here he sayth that hee hath made vs debters to righteousnesse these are not contrary they agree very well together hee hath loosed
Christians shall wee iudge by the place vvhich ye delight most to frequent are there not many among you oftner in the Tauerne then in the Temple filling your belly intemperately at that same time vvherein the Sonnes and Daughters of the liuing God are gathered together into their fathers house to be refreshed with his heuenly Manna shall we iudge you by your garments doe they not in many of you declare the vanitie of your minds if we estimate you according to your companions what shall wee thinke but that ye are such as those are with whom ye delight to resort ye sit in the seat of scorners if thou seest a theefe thou must with him and art pertaker with the adulterers If wee try you by your language yee shall be found vncircumcised Philistims and not holy Israelites for yee haue learned to speake the language of Ashdod ye speake as Micah complayned of the wicked in his time out of the corruption of your soule making your throat an open sepulchre yee send out the stinking breath of your inward abhominations by your euill and vncleane speaches ye corrupt the minds of the hearers And thus seeing euery part of your life giues sentence against you as a cloud of many vvitnesses testifieng that yee are vncleane what haue yee to speake for you to proue that yee are Christians shall your naked word be sufficient to doe it no certainely for against it the Lord Iesus hath made exception before hand Not euery one that sayth Lord Lord shall enter into my kingdome your workes must be your witnesses and your deedes must declare who it is to whom ye acknowledge your selues seruants and debters Not to the flesh Sometime the flesh signifies the body and in that sense wee are debters vnto it for the couenant sayth Bernard which the Lord hath bound vp betweene the soule and the body is not to be broke at our will but at the Lords will and in the meane time wee are bound to nourish it but the flesh here is put for the sinfull lusts of the flesh and so we are not debters vnto it Take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the sinfull lusts thereof But alas the corruption of our nature is so great that without great circumspection we cannot nourish the body vnlesse we also nourish sinne in the body many vnder pretence of doing dutie to the one failes in the other so they pamper the body that they quench the spirit ouercome with gluttony they are not able to pray Wee are with the godly to keepe a meane of a shaking sword to keepe Adam from the way of the tree of life so the Apostle stands here betweene vs and death with a sentence like a two edged sword in his mouth to keepe the sonnes of Adam as farre as hee can from the way of death the one stood as a minister of Gods iustice the other stands as a messenger of mercy The Lord hath sworne by himselfe as I liue I desire not the death of a sinner but that he should returns liue he iustifies his word by his deed in that in all ages of the world hee hath sent out messengers to warne them to goe by the way of death so that novv if any man perish it is because hee stoppes his eares at the warning of the watchman of God for thou canst not say but Moses and the Prophets Iesus Christ and his Apostles and Preachers haue met thee in the way of thy sin and warned thee many a time by the vvord of the Lord that if thou vvalke on that vvay thou shalt assuredly dye vvhere thou passing by them all rushest headlong after the lusts of thy flesh and so thou perishest and thy blood shall be vpon thine owne head As the Apostle to the preceding exhortation annexed an argument a debito from that which we are bound to doe so now hee subioynes another argument partly a damno from the losse wee incurre if we doe it not in these words if yee liue after the flesh yee shall dye and partly a commodo from the vantage we shall reape if we do it in these words if yee mortifie the deedes of the bodie by the spirit yee shall liue If wee vvere such men as wee should be the former exhortation taken from honestie and dutie were sufficient to moue vs but in that the spiâ—it of God doth also threaten vs with death is an euident argument of the froward rebellion of our nature The word of God is compared not onely to milke but also to salt we haue neede of the one because of our infancy that being nourished therewith wee may grow and because of our corruption wee haue neede to be seasoned with the other to both these ends should Preachers vse the word of GOD to some as milke for their nourishment to others as salt for their amendment But these are the times foretold by the Apostle wherein the itching eares of men cannot abide wholesome doctrine they hate him that rebukes in the gate as Achab hated Micaiah to the death because hee prophecyed no good vnto him that is hee spake not according to his phantasie but warned him faithfully of the iudgement which afterward came vpon him so the hearers of our time can abide no teachers but such as are after their owne lusts but alas they are foolish for are not my words good to him that walkes vprightly sayth the Lord. Aduersarius est nobis quamdiu sumus ipsi nobis quamdiu tu tibi inimicus es inimicum habebis sermonem Dei the word of God is an aduersarie to none but such as are aduersaries to themselues neither doth it condemne any but such as assuredly shall be condemned of the Lord vnlesse they repent Stop thine eare as thou wilt from hearing of the threatnings of the word yet shalt thou not stop that iudgement which the word hath threatned against thee There is a cry that will come at midnight and will waken the dead but blessed are they who in time are wakened out of the sleepe of their sins by the cryes of the watch-men of God for vndoubtedly a fearefull and painefull consumption shall torment them for euer who now cannot suffer that the salt of the Word should bite their sores to cure them The opposition made here by the Apostle vvarnes vs that a necessitie lyeth vpon vs to mortifie our sinfull lusts it stands vpon our liues vnlesse wee slay sinne sinne shall not faile to slay vs. It is like a Serpent in our bosome which cannot liue but by sucking out that bloud vvherby we liue here is a vvholesome preseruatiue against sinne if at euery occasion vvee vvould carry it in our minde vve would make no doubt to put sinne to the death that our selues might liue For alas what pittifull folly is this vvee hate them that pursues our bodily life vvee eschew them by all bodily
Adoption we pray vnto God without that Spirit men may speake of God but without him they cannot speake vnto God Prayer is a proper action of the sons of God The Apostle describing them who are Saints by calling saith they are sanctified by Christ and call vpon the name of the Lord Iesus hee ioynes these two together to tell vs that they who are not called by God and sanctified in Christ cannot call vpon him as for prophane men it is certain they cannot pray though they repeat that prayer Our Father which art in heauen what else doe they but multiply lyes as they multiply words Onely the spirit of Adoption teacheth the Children of God to pray Prayer is vnto them like that fire Chariot in the which Eliah was carried from earth to heauen by it they are transported to haue their conuersation with God and speake to him in so familiar a manner that they know not those things which are beside them neyther see they those things which are before them being in the body they are carried out of the body they present to the Lord sighs which cannot be expressed and vtters to the Lord such words as they themselues are not able to repeat againe and that all this proceeds from the operation of the Spirit who bends vp their affections and teacheth them to pray is euident by this that when this holy Spirit intermits or relents his working in them they become senselesse and heauy hearted more ready to sleepe with Peter Iames and Iohn than to watch and pray with Iesus yea suppose it were in the very houre of tentation Wee cry c. The Apostle you see reckons himselfe among others who cryes by this spirit of Adoption though the children of God be many yet seeing they all are led by one spirit they should all cry for one thing vnto God the assemblies of the Church militant on earth should resemble as neere as they can the glorious assemblies of the Church triumphant in heauen many are they who followes the Lambe their voyce is like vnto the voyce of many waters yet they all sing but one song so should there be among vs that are Christians but one voyce specially when we meet in the publike assemblies of the Church though wee were neuer so many yet our affections and desires should concur in one and all of vs send vp one voyce to the Lord. Wee see that in nature coniunction of things which are of one kinde makes them much stronger many flames of fire vnited in one are not easily quenched many springs of water if they meet together in one make the stronger riuer but being deuided are the more easily ouercome Saint Iames saith the prayer of one righteous man auailes much if it be powred out in faith what then shall we thinke of the prayers of many Oh what a blessing might we looke for if wee could ioyne in one to call vpon God but now alas where one with a contrite hart cryes to God for mercy how many by continuance in sinne cryes to him for iudgement what meruaile then the arme of the Lord be shortned toward vs and hee doe not help vs As they who resolue to lift any heauie burthen ioyne their hands together vnder it and so by mutuall strength makes that easie to many which were impossible to one so when we are assembled together to lift from off our heads by vnfayned repentance that burthen of the wrath of God which our sinnes hath brought vpon vs if there be among vs no deceiuers but that euery man in the sinceritie of his hart ioyne his earnest supplication with the prayers of his brethren what a blessing may wee looke for Take heede therefore how you behaue your selues in the holy assemblies though they should neuer bee brought forth by speach of the mouth and this for their comfort who through extremitie of sicknesse or otherwise are not able to vse their tongues in prayer to God Father wee learne here that the Parent which begets Prayer is the Spirit of adoption the mother that conceiues it is the humble and contrite heart for no proud vncleane and hard heart can pray vnto God the vvinges whereby it ascends are feruencie and an heauenly disposition feruency is noted in the word of Crying for as in crying there is an earnestnesse of the powers of the body to send out the voice so in prayer should there bee an earnestnesse of the powers of our soule to send vp our desires As incense without fire makes no smell and therefore the Lord commaunded it to bee sacrificed with fire in the Law so prayer without feruencie sends vp no sweet smell vnto the Lord. Our heauenly disposition required in prayer is collected out of this that hee to whom wee speake is our Father in Heauen if our mindes bee earthly wee can haue no communing with him that is in heauen vvee must therefore ascend in our affection enter within the vaile if vvee would speake familiarly vvith our Father Prayer this manner of way sent vp and presented to our aduocate and intercessor the Lord Iesus out of the hand of Faith cannot but returne a fauourable answere if not at the first as in the very time of Prayer Daniell receiued his answer yea at the beginning of his supplication as the Angell Gabriell informed him the commandement came forth to answere him yet shall not the Lord faile in his owne good time to fulfill the desires of them vvho feare him Manifold examples of holy Scripture lets vs see that Prayer this vvay powred out vnto God is most effectuall At fiue sundry petitions did not Abraham bring the Lord from fitie to ten euery petition returnes to Abraham some vantage faine vvould Abraham had Sodome preserued for Lots cause at his first request hee got this answere that the Lord would spare it for fiftie righteous mens sake if they might be found in it but at the last from fiftie hee brings him to ten as long as Abraham prayed the Lord answered and for euery petition hee yeelded something to Abraham and most comfortable is it that the Lord ceases not from answering till Abraham ceased from asking any more When Peter prayed vpon the house top he fel into a trance and saw a heauenly vision when Iesus prayed vpon Mount Tabor he was transfigured and if at any time the children of God bee transformed from an earthly disposition to a heauenly they finde in their owne experience that it is in the time of prayer Sathan for this cause is a most troublesome enimie to the exercises of the word and of prayer because the one is the mother the other is the nurse of all the graces of God in vs either hee makes men lightly to esteeme the exercise of prayer or then doth what he can to interrupt them in it as that Pithonisse interrupted Paul while hee was going to pray
I am who shall deliuer mee from the body of this death matter of ioy wee haue also in our God for vvhich vvee may reioyce with him and say I thanke God through Iesus Christ surely it cannot bee vvithout vnthankfulnesse vnto God so to mourne for our vvants that wee giue not praise to God for the beginnings of grace vve haue And for this same effect let vs yet further consider that this testimonie of the Spirit is not at all times enioyed in a like measure for that were to enioy heauen vpon earth The Lord therefore doth in such sort dispense it that sometimes he lets his children feele it for their consolation and againe with-drawes it from them for their humiliation when they feele it they so abound in ioy that all the terrors and threatnings of Sathan all his promises and allurements are despised of them and trodden vnder their feete they sing within themselues that glorious triumph of the Apostle who shall seperate vs from the loue of God but this ioy proceeding from the fulnesse of faith continues not the voyce of the Spirit of adoption waxing somwhat more silent feares and doubts succeedes in that same heart which before abounded with ioy and this for our humiliation But now in this estate least the Children of God be discouraged by the silence of the testimonie let them first of all haue recourse to the forepast working of God in them let them call to minde with Dauid the dayes of old remember their ioyfull songs by which they haue praised GOD their humble prayers by which many a time they haue gotten accesse to the throne of grace and these heauenly motions which haue replenished their soules with ioy and so of the former footesteps of his grace let them discerne his presence euen then when they cannot perceiue him And next let them consider that the godly in the time of their desertion which is their spirituall disease are euill iudges of themselues for they perceiue not that which they possesse there may bee an invincible hope of mercy in that soule wherein for the present there is no hope of mercy and this all the Children of God may make in their owne experience for whereof I pray thee hath it come that thou a weak man hast foughten so long against principalities powers the Lord had reserued mercy for vs wee should bee made like vnto Sodome or Gomorrha but now the lots are fallen to vs in pleasant places and we haue a fayre heritage Blessed bee the God of our saluation from henceforth and for euer If wee bee Children As for the Apostles order in these words wee are to remember that the Apostle here insists in the confirmation of that part of his reason that they who are the Sonnes of God shall liue Now hee lets vs see the necessitie thereof the Sonnes of God are the Heyres of God and the heritage whereunto they are borne is eternall life therefore of necessitie they must liue Wee haue here first to consider that high preferment whereunto wee are called in Christ not onely to bee the Sonnes of God but declared also to be the Heyres of God The heyre in a familie hath this prerogatiue that albeit the hand of his Father bee not closed from giuing good things vnto others yet the inheritance is reserued for him As Abraham gaue gifts to the Sonnes of Keturah but kept his best things for Isaac so the Lord our God shewes his great bountifulnesse in that hee makes his Sunne to shine and his raine to fall downe vpon the vniust no lesse than the iust yet herein stands the comfort of his children that hee reserues his best and most excellent things for them Neyther is it his creatures that hee giues to them in a portion hee giues himselfe vnto them as he promised to Abraham so he perfermes it to all the seed of Abraham I am thy exceeding great reward and therefore doe the godly so craue him that without him nothing can content them O Lord thou art my portion said Dauid My Soule saith to the Lord thou art my portion said Ieremie But as for them who can content themselues with the gifts of God suppose they neuer inioy himselfe they declare they are but Seruants who are not to bide in the house for euer and not the Sonnes of God Againe wee haue to marke here that albeit the Lord haue innumerable sonnes yet are they all his Heyres No Monarch in the world can beautifie his children with this priuiledge as to make them all his heyres and not diminish his Empyre but the Lord herein declares the riches of his glorious inheritance that all his sonnes are his Heyres and yet the inheritance inioyed of many is not the lesse Neyther are wee to thinke this impossible for seeing the Lord hath endued the Sunne in the firmament with this propertie that albeit the light thereof be communicated vnto many yet is it not the lesse in it selfe plurium oculos pascit tamen tanta est quanta erat illi pascuntur illa non minuitur it feedes the eyes of many they are nourished and it is not diminished may wee not much more thinke that the heauenly light communicated to many shall for all that not be impared In earthly inheritances it is so the moe be pertakers of them the lesse they are but it is not so in the heauenly there needes no strife among the brethren for diuision of the inheritance for the rich portion of one shall be no preiudice to another Neyther shall wee that are called to bee the sonnes of God in this last age of the world suffer any preiudice that many hundred years before vs some haue been entred heires of that kingdome God prouiding a better thing for vs that they without vs should not bee perfected Adam the first that euer was made the sonne of God by creation and afterward the first sonne of God also by regeneration together with the rest of those faithfull Patriarches that followed him hath in regard of years long before vs inherited the promises yet shall it not preiudice them who in the last age of the world are called to the fellowship of the faith of Christ yea hee that shall bee the last borne sonne of God in the earth by regeneration shall also bee pertaker of this priuiledge of the inheritance And this should greatly encourage vs to serue our God considering that how euer many of our brethren be entred before vs whose example should confirme vs yet the portion prepared for vs shalt not be the lesser There is also another difference for in the earthly inheritances the father must first die before the son come to the full possession thereof but in the heauenly wee our selues must die that wee may possesse the inheritance For our father is the auncient of dayes the heauens are the workes of his hands they
according to your Highnesse wonted fauour and clemencie toward me your maiestie would graciously accept it as a testimonie of my earnest and vnfained affection toward your Highnesse name and honour in this life and euerlasting welfare in the life to come Your Maiesties most humble Subiect and dayly Oratour William Cowper Minister at Perth THE RIGHT WAY TO Eternall Glory THE SECOND PART OF THE CHAPter contayning Comforts against the CROSSE Verse 17. If so be wee suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him THE mortification of a Christian whereunto the spirit of GOD so frequently exhorts vs consists in these two first in a subduing by a holy Discipline our inordinate lustes which naturally rebell against the law of God secondly in a patient bearing of the Crosse of Iesus In the first part of the Chapter the Apostle hath exhorted vs vnto the one and now in the second by many arguments he strengthens vs against the other vnlesse wee make some profit in the first point of mortification it is certaine we shall neuer proceed to the second For the life of one affection is far lesse preuailes most to make man impatient and so driue him to blaspheme God And therefore most of all wee are to confirme our weakenesse against the crosse since in it the enimie of our saluation placeth his principall strength Let vs hearken to the Apostle who as a minister of Iesus indeede and a heauenly Phisition sent to vs from the Lord our God doth here temper the bitter waters of Marah and make them sweet vnto all the Israell of God The first argument of comfort is set downe in this latter end of the 17. Verse and it is taken partly from the nature of out sufferings they are sufferings with Christ and partly from the end thereof which is to raigne with Christ in glory Here first we learne that suffering must goe before glory the husband-man must labour before hee receiue the fruits neither is hee that striueth for a maisterie crowned except hee striue as hee ought The prince of saluation was consecrated by affliction it behoued him first to suffer and then to enter into his kingdome All that professe him are desirous with the sonnes of Zebedeus to sit some at his right hand and some at his left but are not so content to drinke of his cuppe and be baptised with his baptisme Volunt omnes te frui at non ita imitari conregnare cupiunt sed non compati they would all enioy thee knowing that pleasures for euermore are at thy right hand but are not content to follow thee they all desire to raigne with thee but not so to suffer with thee but this is a preposterous way it is to diuide those things which the Lord here hath ioyned together except first we suffer with him we shall not hereafter raigne with him Secondly let vs marke here the different courses of the Christian and worldling the Christian by temporall trouble goes on to eternall glory the worldling by temporall glory goes on to eternall shame If yee goe to the Schoole of Iesus the first ABC of religion taught you there will bee this If any man will be my Disciple let him denie himselfe take vp his Crosse and follow mee if yee goe to the Schoole of Sathan the first ABC of Atheisme taught there is this All the kingdomes of the world will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship mee The Lord Iesus through light and momentanie afflictions leades his children to an infinite waight of glory but Sathan through the present perishing pleasure of sinne leades his miserable captiues to euerlasting paine therefore it is said of our Sauiour of the one blessed are yee that mourne for yee shall be comforted and of the other wâ—e bee to you that laugh now for yee shall waite and weepe As there is no comparison betweene these two so blessed shall wee be if wee make choyse of the best Moses esteemed the rebuke of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt because he had respect to the recompense of reward and shall not we reioyce in our present afflictions considering they are the way vnto our glory if wee sowe in teares wee shall reape in ioy The end of the godly is better than their beginning for the light of the righteous encreaseth more and more like the Sunne vnto the noone day they begin with teares and they end with ioy but the light of the wicked is like vnto the light of a candle it shineth for a while and incontinent ends in stincking smoake as Beltasars banquet was concluded with a cuppe of wrath so all the pleasures of the wicked ends in paine At that banquet in Cana the Lord Iesus brought in the finest wine hindmost but Sathan doth with his miserable banquetters as the gouernours of that feast speakes hee presents his best first and after when they haue well dronken brings in that which is worse in the entry he presents the deceitfull pleasures of sinne but doolefull and lamentable is their end for what better portion can he giue vnto them than is prepared for himselfe he is reserued to blacknesse of darknesse tribulation and anguish of Spirit terrour and horrible wrath shame and endlesse confusion is prepared for him and all those who are portioners with him owne bloud that fruitful Vine which hath sprung out from that blessed stock Iesus Christ the more it was cut by the bloudy kniâ—e of cruell persecuters the more hath it flourished Againe wee haue here this comfort that the sufferings of the godly are sufferings with Christ. There is no man in the world who wants his owne crosse euen they who haue their fattest portions in earth haue it not without many sorrowes by vertue of that cursse in the sweat of thy brow shalt thou eate bread till thou returne to the earth and herein they are but miserable vae portantibus Crucem non sequentibus Christum woe is vnto them who beare the crosse and follow not Christ comfortlesse fruitlesse and endlesse will their sufferings be But as for the Godly they are sufferers with Christ they suffer not alone if Ioseph goe to the prison the Lord shall goe with him if the three Children goe to the fire the fourth like the sonne of God shall goe with them God the Father protests that in all the troubles of his Children hee was troubled and that he hath such a tender feeling of their afflictions that hee who toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye and the Lord Iesus the sonne of God when his Saints at Damascus were persecuted cryed from heauen to the persecuter Saul Saul why perseâ—cutest thou me And as concerning the holy Ghost the Apostle testifies Blessed are yee if yee be railed vpon for the name of Iesus for the Spirit of God and of glory rests on you which on their
part is euill spoken of but on your part is glorified Thus wee see quam magnos habeamus commilitones how great and strong fellow-warriours wee haue to assist the Lord being so present with vs non vt seruos suos spectet tantum sed vt ipse luctetur in nobis that hee doth not onely behold his seruants in their conflicts but hee himselfe also doth wrestle in them Where for our further comfort if any man be desirous to know whether if his sufferings be sufferings with Christ or not let him consider these three things first how Iesus receiued the Crosse as a cuppe giuen to him out of his Fathers hand neither looking to Iudas that betrayed him nor to the Iewes that pursued him Secondly hee receiued it not grudgingly nor impatiently but with an humble submission of his will to the will of his Father Thirdly hee suffered for this end that he might abolish sinne and destroy him who had the power of death If these three concurre in thy sufferings thou mayest be sure they are suffrings with Christ first if passing by the instrument of thy trouble thou looke to the hand of God tempering and giuing it vnto thee secondly if thou receiue it with a humble submission of thy spirit to him who is the Father of Spirits and thirdly if it worke in thee a mortification of thy sinfull lusts and affections And of this we haue to make our vse in all our afflictions inward or outward and first concerning inward afflictions if at any time it please the Lord to exercise vs with fearefull agonies of Conscience let vs looke vnto GOD who killes and makes aliue who casts downe and raises vp let vs for a while beare his indignation he abides but a moment in his anger if we finde that by them wee are more humbled wakened out of securitie and stirred vp more feruently to pray and that the life of sinne is weakened in vs let vs be out of all doubt that these inward troubles are sufferings with Christ whose soule for our sinnes was heauie vnto the death and his body did sweat blood through the vehement anguish of his spirit And as for outward sufferings they are either such as concernes our Name our goods or our persons As for those which concerne our name it is a singular pollicy of Sathan to beare downe the children of God in the estimation of others vt qui conscientiae suae luce clarescunt alienis rumoribus sordidentur that they who are glorious in the light of their owne conscience may be made filthie by the false reports of others and so made vnprofitable to doe others the good that they would but let vs in such tentations learne from Dauid to looke vnto God and not to Shimei vsing the vndesâ—rued contumeliâ—s of men as profitable meanes to worke in vs that inward humiliation which our manâ—fold sinnes though not against man yet against God requireth of vs so shall we suffer with him who being the innocent Lambe of God sustayned neuerthelesse great contradiction of sinners reproched to be one possessed with a Diuell notwithstanding that hee was the very sonne of God filled in his manhood with the holy Ghost And as concerning the losse of worldly goods who euer bee the instrument learne thou to take it as a cup out of the hand of thy heauenly Father after the example of Iob who passing by the Sabeans and the Caldeans looked to the hand of God the Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken saith hee blessed be the name of the Lord. It is not for lacke of loue that the mother withdrawes from the Childe the vse of the pappe but that shee may acquaint him with stronger meat and if the Lord take from vs these transitorie things it is not because we are not beloued of him but that we may set our harts vpon those things which are more waightie and permanent which if wee doe then are our sufferings sufferings with him who being rich became poore that in all things we might be made rich in him And the same are we to doe in those troubles which we sustayne in our bodyes for if as the Apostles sayth wee haue had fathers of our bodies who haue corrected vs and we haue giuen them reuerence should we not much rather be in subiection to the father of Spirits that we might liue and if we can yeeld our bodies to phisitions to be cut or burnt at their pleasure how much more should wee submit them to the Lord in all humble contentment to be chastised as he will seeing hee protests himselfe hee doth it not but for our singular profit that wee might be pertakers of his holines We shall raigne with Christ. Worldlings wrestles for their corruptible crowne as vncertaine whether they shall obtaine it or no but it is not so with the Christian we runne not as vncertaine we are sure that if we suffer with Christ we shall also raigne with him though for the present no trouble bee sweet yet is the end thereof most comfortable and we are by the eyes of faith to looke vnto it least our present manifold tentations driue vs vnto impatience for as he that going through a strong running riuer is in danger to fall drowne by reason of the dissinesse of his braine vnlesse he fixe his eyes vpon the bancke so shall we be ready to faint in affliction vnlesse we looke to the comfortable end thereof If we shall looke to Lazarus vpon the dunghill and Ioseph in the prison what can wee iudge them to be but miserable men but if we consider their end we shall see the one in Abrahams bosome and the other raigning in great glory vnder Pharoah in Egipt then shall wee say verely there is fruit for the righteous and we shall find it true which here the Apostle saith that if we suffer with Christ we shall also raigne with him Verse 18. For I count that the afflictions of this present time are not worthie of the glory to be reuealed THe Apostle here subioynes an amplification of his first argument wee shall not onely saith hee raigne with Christ but raigne in such a glory as doth so farre surmount all our present sufferings that if they be weighed together in a balance the one shall bee found but light in regard of the other For I count The word the Apostle vseth here imports thus much after reasoning I conclude or after iust reckoning this is the summe which I collect and gather here then are two circumstances which greatâ—y amplifies his purpose one that hee sets not downe this as an vncertaine opinion but as a most sure conclusion gathered out of good reason And againe that it is the conclusion of such a one as by experience knew both what experience the Apostle had of our present suffering hee telleth vs 2. Cor. 11. what experience he had of the glory to be
hell and hath made vs to sit with himselfe in the highest places where wee shall be filled with the ioyes which are at his right hand we shall drinke of the riuers of his pleasures in his light we shall see light and be transchanged by the light of his countenance Moses was fortie dayes with God vpon Mount Sinai and his face shined so brightly that when hee came downe the people of Israell might not behold him if fortie dayes remayning with God did so transchange him how shall we be changed who shall for euer abide with him neuer any more come downe from him Our Sauiour Christ saith that the face of the iust shall shine in that day like the Sunne in the firmament O what glory shall be among them all when the glory of one shall be like the brightnesse of the Sunne et qualis tunc erit splendor animarum quando solis habebit claritatem lux corporum and when the light of their body shall be like vnto the light of the Sunne how great thinke yeâ— shall be the shining light of the soule Those three disciples that were with our Lord vpon Mount Tabor were so filled with ioy at the little glance of his glory which they saw that they wished they might bide therefor euer how then shall we be rauished when we shall see that full manifestation of his glory we shall neuer desire to remoue out of that mountaine of God another hart shall be giuen vs and we shall become other men then we are so that as a little drop of water powred into a great vessell full of wine looseth both the taste and colour of water and becomes wine or as iron put into the fire takes on after a sort the nature of fire and as the ayre illuminated with the bright shining Sunne seemes not so much to be illuminated as to be light it selfe so our soules and bodyes when the glory of God shal shine vpon them shall be so wonderfully transchanged that after a sort wee shall become pertakers of the diuine nature Beside this the excellencie of that glory shall yet better appeare if we consider the companions with whom we shal be glorified there is the congregation of the first borne all of them are men of excellent strength and dignitie not of base linage but noble indeede for by their second birth they are the Sonnes of God and brethren of the Lord Iesus The Citizens of Tyrus are discribed by Esau to haue been companions to Princes but in that heauenly Ierusalem euery Citizen is a crowned King and none but Kings are freemen of that citie knit among themselues by the band of one Spirit into so holy a communion that euery one of them accounts the ioy and glory of his brethren an increase of his owne ioy It is not there as here vpon earth where the ioy of one is the cause of sorrow to another the light of the Sun darkneth the Moone and the light of the Moone obscureth the light of the Stars if the one halfe of the earth be illuminated the other is left in darknesse but there the light of one augments the light of another the glory of one shall be the glory of all euery one of them reioycing not onely because the lightsome countenance of God shines vpon themselues but also because they see their brethren admitted to the fruition of that same glory But among all those with vvhom wee shall be glorified there is one companion of our glory who aboue all the rest shall breede vs exceeding delectation Iesus Christ the man O with what boldnesse and spirituall reioycing shall wee stand in among the holy Angels when wee shall see seest it replenished with varietie of all necessary and pleasant things no sense wanting innumerable obiects that may delight thee and yet all the beautie and pleasure of this earth is as farre inferiour to that which is aboue as it is superiour to that which the infant had in the mothers belly The firmament which is the seeling of our second house beautified with the Sunne Moone and Starres set in it by the hand of God and shining more gloriously than all the pretious stones in the world shall be no other thing but the neather side of the pauement of our Pallace Iohn the Baptist sprung for ioy in the bellie of his mother Elizabeth when the Lord Iesus came into the house in the wombe of his mother Mary but afterward when hee saw the Lord Iesus more clearely face to face and pointed him out with the finger behold the Lambe of God when he stood by him as a friend and heard the voyce of the Bridegroome he reioyced in another manner so in very truth all the reioycing that wee haue in the house of our pilgrimage is but like the springing of Iohn Baptist in his mothers wombe in comparison of those infinite ioyes wherewith wee shall be replenished when wee shall meete with our bridegroome in our Fathers house wherein we shall see him face to face and abide with him for euer It is written of Ahashuerus that he made a great banquet to his Princes and Nobles vvhich lasted for the space of an hundâ—ed and fourescore dayes and when he had done with that hee made another banquet to his Commons for the space of seauen dayes the place vvas the outmost court of the kings Pallace the Tapestry was of all sorts of colours white greene and blew fastned with cords of fine linnen and purple through rings and pillars of siluer and marble the beds were of gold and siluer the pauement of porphire marble alablaster and blew colour the vessels wherein they dranke were all of Gold all this hee did that hee might shew the glory of his kingdome and the honor of his maiestie If a worm of the earth hath done so much for declaring his begged glory as rauished men into admiration thereof how I pray you shall the Lord our God the great King declare his glory when hee shall make his banquet couer his Table and gather his Princes that is his Sonnes therevnto not for a few dayes but for euer not in the outmost Court but in the inner Court of his Pallace Surely no tongue can expresse it for seeing hee hath decked this world wherein wee soiourne and which I haue called the outmost Court of his Pallace in so rich and glorious manner that he hath ordayned lights both by day and night to thine in it and hath prepared a store-house of Fowles in the ayre another of Beastes in the earth and the third of Fishes in the Sea for our necessitie beside innumerable pleasures for delectation what glory and varietie of pleasures may wee looke for when hee shall separate vs fully from the children of wrath and assemble vs all into the inner Court of his owne Pallace into the chamber of his presence wee may well thinke with the Apostle that the heart
brought vpon them To make this yet more cleare wee are to know that there are three obiects of Sathans malice The first is God and his glory the second is man and his saluation the third is the creature made for Gods glory and mans good The principall obiect of Sathans malice is God and his glory he hates the Lord vvith a deadly and irreconcilable hatred so that if it lay in his power he would vndoe that most high and holy maiestie but because rage as he will he cannot impaire his sacred Maiestie he turnes him to the secondarie obiect which is man and troubles him by all meanes not so much for mans owne cause as for the Lords whose glory he seekes to deface that shines in man And if here also he cannot preuaile by reason that the Lord hath made a hedge round about man he turnes him to the third obiect of his malice which is the creature against which he is so insatiable that if he can be licensed to doe no more yet doth he esteeme it some pleasure to him to get leaue to enter into Swine that he may destroy them and this hee doth not that hee accounts a beast his pray for all the beasts of the earth cannot satisfie this roaring Lyon but that destroying the creature he may driue man to impatience and prouoke him to blaspheme the Lord as by these same meanes he made the Gadarens murmure against Iesus Christ and put him out of their land and this hath beene the course of Sathan euer since the beginning But blessed be the Lord our God who ouer-shootes Sathan and all his intentions that same man whom Sathan wounded hath the Lord restored and shall set his image more glorious in him than it was before and those creatures which Sathan defaced for the hatred he carryeth to Gods glory and mans good the Lord shall restore againe the glory of God encreaseth as it is impugned euery new declaration of Sathans malice shall end in a new declaration of Gods glory neyther is that enimie able to giue a wound to any of Gods children but the Lord shall make it whole and shall at the length confound Sathan by his owne meanes And here because it is commonly demaunded vnto what vse can these creatures serue in that day seeing wee shall haue no neede of the Sunne nor of other naturall meanes whereby now our life is preserued To this I answere that if the Lord will haue these workes of his hands to continue and stand as euerlasting monuments of his goodnesse and witnesses in their kinde of his glory who is it that can contradict it It is enough for vs that wee know they shall be deliuered and transchanged into a more glorious estate but for what vse wee shall best know in that day when we shall see it in the meane time reuerencing the Lords dispensation let vs rather endeauour to be pertakers of that glory than curiously to moue thorny and vnprofitable questions concerning it Now as for the manner of their deliuerance Seeing the Apostle saith that the heauens shall passe away with a noise and the elements shall melt with heate and the earth with the workes therein shall be burnt vp with fire and seeing the Psalmist saith that they shall perish how is it that here the Apostle saith they shall be deliuered This doubt shall easily be loosed if Scripture be made interpreter of Scripture The Psalmist in that same place expones the word of perishing by the word of changing what this changing shall be the Apostle here makes it manifest while he cals it the deliuering of them from one estate into another so that wee are not to thinke that they shall perish as concerning their substance but as concerning those qualities of vanitie seruitude and impotencie whereunto they haue beene subiected by the fall of man As siluer and gold is changed by the fire the drosse perisheth but the substance remayneth so shall these creatures be changed in that day for which cause also they are called new heauens and new earth And out of this wee may perceiue the necessitie of that exhortation giuen vnto vs by the holy Apostle Seeing therfore that all these things must be dissolued what manner of persons ought we to be in holy conuersation and godlinesse seeing the simplest seruant who shall haue any place in that kingdome must be changed and receiue a new liuerie how much more ought wee our selues to be changed who are the sonnes and heyres of that kingdome let vs not deceiue our selues no vncleane thing can enter into that heauenly Ierusalem without sanctification wee cannot see the Lord vnlesse wee be purged from our drosse and puâ—ified and fined by the spirit of the Lord wee shall not dwell in those new heauens wherein dwels righteousnesse Verse 22. For wee know that euery creature groneth with vs also and trauaileth in paine together vnto thâ—s present THe Apostle in this Verse concludes this purpurpose with some amplification thereof for hee ascribes to the creature a groning with vs and a trauailing together in paine whereby he doth yet more expresse the vehemencie of their desire for as he that goeth vnder an heauie burthen grones and longs to be eased thereof or as the woman which trauailes with childe hath a most earnest desire to be deliuered thereof so the creature wearie of this seruitude longs to bee eased This groning of the creature is not to be neglected seeing in holy Scripture wee finde that sometime God complaines to his creatures vpon the sinne of man and somtime the creatures complaines to God miserable is man if hee doe not complaine vpon himselfe In the first of Esay there the Lord complaines to his creatures vpon man Heare O Heauens hearken O Earth I haue nourished and brought vp Children but they haue rebelled against me c. and here againe the creature is brought in groning and complaining to God vpon man The first bloud that euer the earth receiued into her bosome sent vp vnto God a crying voyce for vengeance and the Lord heard it and now the earth meruailes in her kinde that hauing receiued so much bloud of the Saints of God into her bosome the Lord should delay to require it shee wonders againe that the hand of the Lord stablisheth her and makes her beare vp such a number of wicked men as are a burthen to her considering that once he caused her to open and swallow vp Corah Dathan and Abiram and hath many a time since shaken her foundations and destroyed by earth-quake notable cities making the houses of the inhabitants therof their buriall place the burden of sinne being now wonderfully encreased shee meruailes that the Lord causeth her to beare it and for this cause she cryes and grones vnto the Lord and this complaining of the creature wee are not to neglect it as I said for seeing they sigh and grone for the vanitie vnder
his body and leauing them whole and sound hath stricken the heart with such terrours that most valiant men hauing eyes could not see hauing a tongue could not speak hauing hands could not strike to defend themselues and hauing feete could not doe so much as runne away their heart being taken from them by God they are left in a strait and comfortlesse estate But farre more miserable are they when the Lord turnes their owne hearts against themselues and makes them a terrour to themselues A fearefull example whereof wee haue in Belshazzar who seeing nothing without him but the figure of a hand which stirred him not was so stricken and pursued with his owne heart within him that his flesh trembled his countenance waxed pale his knees smote one against another If man considered this he would be loath to prouoke the Lord vnto anger seeing hee can neyther sustaine the wrath of God nor eschew it Moreouer wee are taught here seeing our Prayer is a conference with him who searcheth the heart that we should alway pray with our heart for otherwise if wee draw neere him with our lips our heart being farre from him hee will curse vs as deceiuers that hauing a male in our flock doe sacrifice a lame thing vnto the Lord that is in stead of the seruice of our hearts doe offer vnto him the seruice of our lips The Lord hath no delight in the sacrifice of fooles who are rash with their mouth to vtter a thing before him not considering that hee is in heauen and they are vpon earth the mouth may reach to men who are beside vs the heart onely may reach to God who is aboue It was a very godly protestation that Dauid made Try me O Lord and prooue my thoughts in the night and see if at any time I haue spoken that to thee with my mouth which I haue not thought with my heart and albeit wee haue not as yet atteyned vnto it yet is it that holy sinceritie whereat wee should ayme in all our prayers so to speake vnto God that our conscience may beare vs record that we lye not and that we haue spoken nothing with our mouth which we haue not thought vvith our heart We are therefore for the right ordering of our prayers to take heede to these three things First preparation before prayer Secondly attention in prayer Thirdly reuerent thanksgiuing after prayer As for the first as Moses and Iosua put off their shooes before they came neere the Lord so are we to remoue out of our hearts vncleane cogitations and affections whereby we haue trode in the filth of sinne before we pray for those are neuer lawfull but most vnlawfull in the time of prayer As for worldly cogitations they are sometimes lawfull but neuer in the time of prayer As Abraham vsed his Asses to serue him for the iourney but when he came to mount Moriah the place of the worship he left them at the foot of the hill so the thoughts of the world are sometime tollerable if wee vse them as seruants to carry vs through in our iourney from the earth to heauen but we must not take them with vs into the holy place wherein the Lord is to be worshipped To help vs to the preparation before prayer let vs consider first that he to whom we speake is the Father of light and we are by nature but the children of darknes call therefore vpon him in the sinceritie and vprightnesse of thine heart for he loues truth in the inward affections Secondly he is the Father of glory come therefore before him with feare and reuerence for thou art but dust and ashes Thirdly he is the Father of mercy repent thee therefore of thy sinnes and then draw neere with a true heart in assurance of Faith The second thing requisit is attention in Prayer the Lord to whom we speake is the searcher of the heart and therefore we should beware that we speake nothing to him with our mouth which our heart hath not conceiued For it is a great mockerie to the Lord to desire him to consider those petitions which we haue not considred our selues we scarcely heare what we say our selues and how then shall we craue the Lord may heare vs We finde by experience that it is not an easie thing to gather together in one and keepe vnited the powers of our soule in prayer vnto God Sathan knowes that the gathering of our forces is the weakening of his kingdome and that then we are strongest when we are most feruent in prayer and therefore doth hee labour all that hee can to slacke the earnestnesse of our affection and so to make vs more remisse in prayer by stealing into our hearts if not a prophane at least an impertinent cogitation so that vnlesse we fight without ceasing against the incursion of our enimie like Abraham dâ—iuing away the rauening birds from his Sacrifice vnlesse we expell them speedely as oft as they come vpon vs it is not possible that wee can intertaine conference with God by prayer And thirdly after thy prayer thou shouldst come away with reuerent thanksgiuing It is the fault of many carelesse worshippers they goe vnto God as men goe to a Well to refresh them when they are thirstie they goe to it and their face toward it but being refreshed they returne with their backe vpon it euen so doe they sit downe to their prayers without preparation powre them out without attention and deuotion and when they haue done goes away without reuerent thanksgiuing whereas indeede euery accesse to God by prayer should kindle in our harts a new affâ—ction toward him if we consider that when we pray and gets any accesse so oft we are confiâ—mâ—d in this that he who hath the keyes of the house of Dauid and opens and no man shuts hath opened to vs an entrance to the throne of grace which shall neuer be closed againe vpon vs whereof their should arise in our hearts a daily encrease of ioy which should make vs to abound in thanksgiuing Makes request for the Saints We haue further to learne that none are pertakers of the grace of Prayer but men sanctified in Christ Iesus the Spirit requests for Saints not for prophane and impenitent men howsoeuer sometime they babble for themselues yet are their prayers turned into sinne The curse of Moab is vpon them they pray and preuailes not As without sanctification we cannot see God so without sanctification wee cannot pray to God euery one that calles on the name of the Lord should depart from iniquitie Doe we not feele it by experience that the further we goe from our sinnes the neerer accesse we get vnto the Lord and on the contrary doth not the Lord protest against his people the Iewes albeit yee make many prayers yet I will not heare yoâ— for your hands are full of blood Will you steale murther and commit adultrie and come
their workes vnto this one end the good of those who loue him where euer they be in regard of place what euer in regard of persons yea howsoeuer disagreeing among themselues yet are they so ruled by the prouident power of the supreame gouernour our heauenly Father that all of them workes together vnto the good of them that loue him For albeit the Lord rested the seauenth day from the workes of creation so that hee made no new kinde of creature after that day yet did hee not rest from the workes of prouidence or gubernation whereof our Sauiour saith my Father workes hitherto and I worke When man hath finished a vvorke hee resignes it to another to be gouerned as the Wright vvhen he hath builded a ship giues it ouer to the Marriner to rule it neither is man able to preserue the vvorke of his hands neither yet knowes hee what shall be the end thereof It is not so with the Lord as by the worke of creation hee brought them out so by his prouident administration hee preserues them and rules euen the smallest creatures directing them vnto such ends as he hath ordained them for in the counsell of his vvill How euer some Ethnicks haue beene so blinde as to thinke that God did neglect the smaller things vpon earth scilicet is superis labor est and Epicures also whose false conceptions of the diuine prouidence are rehearsed by Eliphaz How should God know how should hee iudge through the darke cloud the cloudes hide him that he cannot see and hee walkes in the circle of heauen yet it is certaine hee rules not a part onely but all hee is not as they thought of him a God onely aboue the Moone No though he dwell on high yet he abases himselfe to behold the things that are on earth hee is not onely a God in the mountaines as the Syrians deemed but a God in the vallies also There is nothing so great nothing so small but it falles vnder his prouidence yea hee numbers our hayres and keepes them not one of them can fall to the ground without his prouidence Si sic custodiuntur superflua tua in quanta securitate est anima tua if hee so keepe thy superfluities how much more will hee keepe thy soule Let it therefore content vs in the most confused estate of things we can see fall out in the world that the Lord hath said All things shall worke for the best vnto vs. Let vs not question with Marie how can this be nor doubt with Sarah how can I conceiue nor with Moses where shall flesh be gotten for all this multitude but let vs sayth Augustine consider the author and such doubts shall cease As he hath manifested his power and wisedome in the tempering of this world making Elements of so contrary qualities agree together in one most pleasant harmonie so doth it appeare much more in gouerning all the contrary courses of men to the good of his own children One notable example whereof wee will set downe for all Iacob sends Ioseph to Dothan to visit his brethren his brethren casts him into the pit Reuben releeues him the Midianites buyes him and sels him to Potiphar his Mistresse accuses him his Maister condemnes him the Butler after long forgetfulnesse recommends him Pharaoh exaltes him O vvhat instruments are here how many hands about this one poore man of God neuer a one of them looking to that end which God had proposed vnto him yet the Lord contrary to their intention makes them all vvorke together for Iosephs aduancement in Aegipt But now to the particulars There is nothing in the world which workes not for our weale all the vvorkes of God all the stratagems of Sathan all the imaginations of men are for the good of Gods children yea out of the most poysonable things such as sinne and death doth the Lord draw wholesome and medicinable preseruatiues vnto them vvho loue him All the wayes of the Lord saith Dauid are mery and truth marke vvhat hee sayth and make not thou an exception vvhere God hath made none All none excepted therefore be thou strengthened in the Faith and giue glory vnto God resoluing with patient Iob albeit the Lord would slay me yet will I trust in him Sometime the Lord seemes to walke in the way of anger against his children which hath moued many of them to poure out the like of these pittifull complaints the arrowes of the almightie are vpon me said Iob the venime whereof doth drincke vp my spirit and the terrours of God fight against me thou settest me vp as a marke against thee and makes me a burthen to my selfe Thy indignation lyes vpon me said Dauid yea from my youth I haue suffered thy terrours doubting of my life For felicitie I haue had bitter griefe said Ezekiah for the Lord like a Lyon brake all my bones so that I did chatter like a Swallow and mourne like a Doue I am troubled on euery side said the Apostle hauing fightings without and terrours within Yet in all this dealing the Lord hath a secret way of mercy in the which he walkes for the comfort of his children it is but to draw vs vnto him that he shewes himselfe to be angry with vs aduersatur tibi deus ad tempus vt te secum habeat in perpetuum the Lord is an aduersarie to thee for a while that hee may for euer reconcile thee to himselfe And this albeâ—t for the present we cannot perceiue and can see no other but that the Lord hath taken vs for his enimies yet in the end we shall be compelled to acknowledge and confesse with Dauid it was good for mee O Lord that euer thou correctedst me for the Lord is mernailous in his saints O the deepenesse of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God how vnsearchable are his iudgements and his wayes past finding out His glory is great when he vvorks by meanes his glory appeares greater when hee vvorkes without meanes but then his glory shines most brightly when he workes by contraries It was a great worke that hee opened the eyes of the blinde man but greater that hee did it by application of spittle and clay meanes meeter to put out the eyes of a seeing man than to restore sight to a blinde man So hee wrought in the first creation causing light to shine out of darknesse so also in the worke of redemption for by cursed death he brought happy life by the crosse he conquered the crowne and through shame hee went to glory And this same order the Lord still keepeth in the worke of our second creation which is our regeneration hee casts downe that hee may raise vp hee kils and hee makes aliue hee accuseth his children for sinne that so hee may chase them to seeke remission of sinness hee troubleth their consciences that so hee may pacifie
Ierusalem except the hand of God first beat from vs our proud lumps by the hammer of affliction As standing waters putrifie and rot so the wicked feares not God because they haue no changes and Moab keepes his sent because he was not powred from vessell to vessell but hath beene at rest euer since his youth And therefore O Lord rather than that we should keepe the sent of our old naturall corruption and liue in a careles securitie without the feare of thine holy name and so become sit fasts in our sinnes no rather O Lord change thou vs from estate to estate waken vs with the touch of thine hand purge vs with thy fire and chastise vs with thy roddes alway Lord with this protestation that thou keepe towards vs that promise made to the sonnes of Dauid I will visit them with my roddes if they sinne against me but my mercy will I neuer take from them So be it O Lord euen So be it The same comfort haue we also against death that now in Iesus Christ it is not a punishment of our sinnes but a full accomplishment of the mortification of our sinne both in soule and body for by it both the fountaine and the fluxe of sinne are dryed vp all the conduits of sinne are stopped and the weapons of vnrighteousnesse broken And though our bodyes seeme to be consumed and turned into nothing yet are they but sowen like graynes of Wheat in the field and husbandry of the Lord which must dye before they be quickned but in the day of Christ shall spring vp againe most glorious And as for our soules they are by death releeued out of this honse of seruitude that they may returne vnto him who gaue them therefore haue I compared death to the red sea wherein Pharaoh and his Aegiptians were drowned and sancke like a stone to the bottome but the Israelits of God went through to their promised Canaan so shall death be vnto you O miserable infidels whose eyes the God of this world hath blinded that no more then blinded Aegiptians can yee see the light of God shining in Goshen which is his Church though yee be in it to you I say your death shall be the very centre of all your miseries a sea of the vengeance of God wherein yee shall be drowned and shall sincke with your sinnes heauier than a milstone about the necke of our soules to presse you downe to the lowest hell But as for you who are the Israelits of God ye shall walk through the valley of death and not neede to be afraid because the Lord is with you his staffe and his rod shall comfort you albeit the guiltinesse of forepassed sinnes yet remayning in the memory the terrour of hell and horrour of the graue stand vp on euery side like mountaines threatning to ouerwhelme you yet shall yee goe safely through to the land of your inheritance where with Moses and Miriam and all the children of God euen the congregation of the first borne yee shall sing prayses ioyfully to the God of your saluation Now in the last roome concerning the imaginations of men against vs wee shall haue cause to say of them in the end as Ioseph said to his brethren yee did it vnto me for euill but the Lord turned it to good The whole history of Gods booke is a cloude of manifold witnesses concurring together to confirme his truth therefore among many wee will be content with one When Dauid was going forward in battell against Israell with Acish King of Gath vnder whom he soiourned a while in the time of his banishment the remanent Princes of the Philistims commanded him to goe backe and this they did for the worst to disgrace him because they distrusted him but the Lord turned it vnto him for the best for if hee had come forward he had been guiltie of the blood of Israell specially of Saul the Lords annointed who was slaine in that battell from this the prouident mercy of God doth in such sort deliuer him that no offence is done by Dauid to Saul or his people because Dauid came not against them neither yet could the Philistims blame him because he went backe by their own commaund So a notable benefit Dauid did receiue by that same deed wherein his enimies thought they had done him a notable shame And where otherwise it pleaseth the Lord to suffer wicked men to lay hand on the bodyes of his children yet all they are able to doe is but like the renting of Iosephs garment from him As he doth sustaine small losse whose garment is cut if his body be preserued so the Christian when his body is wounded vnto the death yet hath he lost nothing which hee striues to keepe for hee knowes it is but a corruptible garment which would decay in it selfe albeit there were no man to rent it Non sunt itaque timenda spiritui quae fiunt in carne quae extra nos est quasi vestamentum let not therefore our soule be afraid for those things which are done to our bodyes for it is without vs as a garment that doth but couer vs. Thus haue wee seene how that their is nothing so euill in â— selfe vvhich by the prouident vvorking of God is not turned to the good of his children Whereof arises yet vnto vs this further comfort that seeing it is the priuiledge of euery one who loues the Lord it must much more be the priuiledge of the whole Church that promise made to the Father of the faithfull I will blesse them that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee we may easily thinke belongs also to all his seed euen to that congregation of the first borne The Lord will bee a wall of fire round about Ierusalem and the glory in the middest of her he will keepe her as the apple of his eye and make Ierusalem a cuppe of poyson to all her enimies and a heauie stone which whosoeuer striueth to lift shall be torne therewith though all the people of the earth were gathered together against it the weapons 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 burne but cannot be consumed the house built on a rocke which may be beaten with winde and raine but cannot be ouerthrowne The Lord who changeth times and seasons who takes away Kings and sets vp Kings hath reproued Kings for his Churches sake yea hee gouernes all he 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 world may see themselues
forget them as thou committest them yet the Apostle tels thee that thou hast laid them vp in a treasurie Yea not onely hast thou laid vp in store thy sinnes but with euery sinne hast gathered a portion of wrath proportionable to thy sinne which thou shalt know in that day wherein the Lord shall breake vp thy treasure and open the booke of thy conscience and set thy sinnes in order before thee then shall thine owne wickednesse correct thee and thy turning backe shall reproue thee then shalt thou know and behâ—ld that it is an euill thing and a bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God Thou shalt be astonished to see such a multitude of witnesses standing vp against thee those sins which thou hast cast behind thy backe thou shalt see them set in the light of the countenance of God woe then shall be vnto thee for the Lord then shall turne thine owne wayes vpon thiâ—e head the Lord shall giue thee to drincke of that cuppe which thou hast filled with thine owne hand when thou shalt haue accomplished the measure of thine iniquitie and hee shall double his stripes vpon thee according to the number of thy transgressions But as for the children of God if yee doe aske when they are at the best I answere praysed be God our worst is gone our good is begunne our best is at hand As our Sauiour said to his kinsmen so may wee say to the worldlings your time is alway but my time is not yet come We were at the worst immediately before our conuersion for our whole life till then was a walking with the children of disobedience in the broad way that leads to perdition then we were at the worst when we had proceeded furthest in the way of vnrighteousnesse for then we were furthest from God Our best began in the day of our recalling wherein the Lord by his word and holy spirit called vpon vs and made vs change our course turning our backes vpon Sathan and our faces toward the Lord and so caused vs to part company with the children of disobedience that where they went on in their sinnes to iudgement we came home with the penitent forlorne vnto our fathers familie That was a a happy day of diuision betweene vs and our sinnes in that day with Israell we entred into the borders of Canaan to Gilgall there were we circumsised and the shame of Egipt taken from vs euen our sinne which is our shame indeede and which wee brought vvith vs euen from our mothers wombe The Lord graunt that we may keepe it in thankfull remembrance and that we may count it a double shame to returne againe to the bondage of Egipt to serue any more that Prince of darknesse in bricke and clay that is to haue fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darknâ—sse but that like the redeemed of the Lord wee may walke from strength to strength till we appeare before the face of our God in Sion Alway this difference of estates betweene the godly and wicked should learne vs patience let vs not seeke that in the earth which our gratious father in his most wise dispensation hath reserued for vs in heauen Let vs not be like the foolish Iewes who loued the place of their banishment in Babell better than their home Now our life is hid with God in Christ and we know not yet what we shall be but we know when hee shall appeare we shall be like him the Lord shall carrie vs by his mercy and bring vs by his strength into his holy habitation hee shall plant vs in the mountaine of his inheritance euen the place which he hath prepared and sanctuary which he hath established then euerlasting ioy shall be vpon our head and sorrow and mourning shall flye from vs for euer And now till the Lord haue accomplished his worke in vs let vs not faint because the wicked floorish how euer they prosper they are to bee pittied more than enuied let them eate and drinke and be merry sure it is they will neuer see a better life then that which presently they enioy they haue receiued their consolation in this life and haue gotten their portion in this present world Surely no tongue can expresse their miserie and yet as Samuel mourned for Saul when God reiected him and Ieremie wept in secret for the pride of his people that would not repent of their sinnes how can wee but take vp a bitter lamentation for many of you whom in this time of grace wee see to be strangers from grace wee wish from our harts ye were not like the kinsemen of Lot they thought hee had but mocked when hee told them of an iminent iudgement and therefore for no request would goe out of Sodome but tarryed till the fire of the Lords indignation did consume them but that rather as Sarah followed Abraham from Caldee to Canaan so yee would take vs by the hand and goe with vs from hell to heauen but alas the lusts of the flesh hold you captiue or then the loue of the world doth bewitch you but all of them in the end shall deceiue you for all the labour vnder the Sunne is but vanitie and vexation of Spirit when you haue finished your taske you shall be lesse content than you were at the beginning you shall be as one wakened out of a dreame who in his sleepe thought hee was possessor of great riches but vvhen hee awaketh behold hee hath nothing or not vnlike that rich man who said in his securitie Now my Soule thou hast much goods for many yeares and euen vpon the next day redacted to such extreame necessitie with that other who dispised Lazarus that he had not so much as a drop of cold vvater to coole his tongue withall then shall you lament and say We haue wearied our selues in the way of iniquitie and it did not profit vs. Alas how shall I learne you to be wise Is not this a pittifull blindnesse the Lord vvhen hee created man made him Lord aboue all his creatures and now vnthankfull man sets euery creature in his heart aboue the Lord. O fearefull ingratitude Doe you so reward the Lord O foolish people and vnwise There is nothing which yee conceit to be good but when yee vvant it you are carefull to seeke it vvhen you haue it you are carefull to keepe it onely you are carelesse of the Lord Iesus though hee be that incomparable iewell vvhich bringeth light in darkenesse life in death comfort in trouble and mercy against all iudgement ye should set him as a signet on your heart as an ornament on your head and put him on as that glorious attire vvhich gets you place to stand before God But vvhat paines doe ye take to seeke him vvhat assurance haue yee that yee are in him or vvhat mourning doe yee make for that yee doe not possesse him can you say in truth that the
tenth part of your thoughts or words haue been bestowed vpon him No no it is the shame of many that they haue taken more paynes to keepe a signet on their hand than euer they did to keepe Iesus in their hart they wander after vanitie and follow lyes they forsake the fountaine of liuing waters Oh consider this yee that forget God least hee teare you in peeces and there be none to deliuer you The last lesson vve obserue in this part of the Verse is this as all things workes for the best to them who loue the Lord so all things workes for the vvorst vnto the vvicked there is nothing so cleane which they defile not nothing so excellent vvhich they abuse not Make Saul a King and Balaam a Prophet and Iudas an Apostle their preferment shall be their destruction if they be in prosperitie they contemne God and their prosperitie becomes their ruine if they be in aduersitie they blaspheme him and like raging waues of the sea cast out their owne dirt to their shame yea what speake I of these things euen their table shall be asâ—are vnto them Iesus Christ is a rocke of offence vnto them the Gospell the sauour of death vnto them and their prayer is turned into sinne and what more excellent things then these As a foule stomacke turnes most healthfull food into corruption so their polluted conscience turnes iudgement into gall and the fruit of righteousnesse into wormewood And all this should prouoke vs to a holy care to become good our selues or else there is nothing were it neuer so good can be profitable to vs. To them that loue God We haue heard the Apostles last argument of comfort which is that the Lord so ruleth all things by his prouidence that those things which seemes to be against his children are made to worke together for the aduancement of their good Deus enim adeo bonus est vt nihil mali esse sineret nisi etiam adeo esset potens vt ex quolibet malo possit elicere bonum for God is so good that hee would suffer no euill to be were it not he is also so powerfull that of euery euill hee is able to draw out good Now wee proceede to the persons to whom this comfort belongs who are first described to be such as loue God secondly as are called according to his purpose Here are three things conioyned together euery one depending on another First the purpose of God vvhich is no other thing but his eternall and immutable decree concerning our saluation Secondly our calling flowing from this purpose Thirdly a loue of God wrought in our hearts by this effectuall calling These three are so inseperably conioyned together that from the lowest of these we may goe vp to the highest of that vnâ—ayned loue of God which is in thee thou mayest know that he loued thee and in his vnchangeable purpose hath ordayned thee to life This is the greatest comfort that can be giuen to men vpon earth to let them see that or euer the Lord laide the foundations of the earth he first laid the foundation of thy saluation in his owne immutable purpose which being secret in it selfe and obscured from vs is now manifested vnto vs by our effectuall calling But of this we will speake more God willing hereafter The loue of God then is set downe here as a principall effect and token of our calling As the Lord calles none effectually but those whom hee hath elected so none caâ— loue him but those who are effectually called by him yea thou thy selfe who now loues the Lord before thy calling louedst him nod thy heart went a whooring from God and thou preferredst euery Creature before him and for the smallest pleasure of sinne thou caredst not to offend him It is thought among the multitude a common thing and an easie to loue the Lord and euery man abhorres in word to be counted such a monster as hath not the loue of God but they are farre deceiued for man till he be called by grace cannot loue the Lord herein is loue not that we loued God but that hee loued vs. If now we doe know him and know him so that we loue him it is because we were first knowne of him and so knowne that we were beloued of him not that there is any equalitie betweene these loues or that we are able to match the Lord in affection non enim pari vbertate fluunt hi duo amores for these two loues flowes not in a like plentie as the running of a little strand is nothing in comparison of the great Ocean so is our loue to God as nothing if it be compared with his incomprehensible loue toward vs yet is it most certaine amor Dei amorem animae parit it is Gods loue to vs which begets in the soule a loue to God Nemo itaque se amari diffidat qui iam amat let no man therefore who loues God distrust that he is beloued It is very comfortable that among all the pen-men of the holy Ghost none doe speake more of loue than Iohn euen hee who vvas Christs beloued Disciple whom hee loued aboue the rest for it doth teach vs that whosoeuer is greatly beloued of God shall also become a carefull practiser of loue toward others That therefore we may know the heart of God toward vs it shall not be needfull that we enter into his secret counsell but let vs goe and enter into our owne hearts and there we shall finde resolution albeit the Lord send not now to you that are men an Angell to witnesse as hee did to Daniel that he was a man greatly beloued of God or to testifie to you that are women that which he did to Mary that shee was freely beloued of the Lord yet so many of you as vpon knowledge in sinceritie can say with Peter Lord thou knowest that I loue thee haue here a testimonie no lesse certaine to wit his owne Oracle in his word to make you sure that yee are beloued of him And that the comfort may be the more sure vnto vs seeing loue is the principall token of our calling wee will speake a little of Loue that so we may know whether wee be endued with this most excellent grace of the spirit or no. Naturally the affection of Loue iâ— man is so inordinate that not vnproperly Nazianzen called it dulcem tyrannum a sweet tyrannie that by deceitfull allurements compels the whole man to follow it and it is not onely in it selfe distemperated but altogether set vpon wrong obiects our loue being so set vpon the creature that we neglect the Creator a fearefull ingratitude that where in the beginning the Lord set vp man as Prince and ruler ouer all his creatures putting all the workes of his hands in subiection vnder him that man should meet the Lord with such vnthankfulnesse as to set in his affection euery creature
the word and prayer so doth it serue for the conuiction of those to whom any other place is more amiable than the labernacles of God an euident proofe they haue not the loue of God because they neglect the meanes euen when they are offered by which familiar accesse is gotten vnto the Lord. And againe because the fight we haue of God in this life is but through a vaile and the tast we get of his goodnesse is but in part and that in the life to come the Lord will fully embrace vs in the armes of his mercy and kisse vs for euer with the kisses of his mouth therefore is it that the soule which vnfainedly loues the Lord cannot rest content with that familiaritie which by the Word and Prayer it hath with God in this life but doth long most earnestly to be with the Lord where shee knoweth that in a more excellent manner shee shall embrace him whereof proceedeth these and such like complaints As the Hart brayeth for the riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God O when shall I come and appeare before the presence of my God My Soule desireth after thee as the thirsty land For I would be dissolued and be with the Lord Therefore come euen so come Lord Iesus But alas here are wee taken in our sinnes thou sayest thou louest the Lord but how is it then that thou longest not to see him neyther desirest thou to be with him yea a small appearance of the day of deaâ—h or mention of the day of iudgement doth terrifie and afray thee where as otherwise if thou didst loue him they would be ioyfull dayes vnto thee seeing in the one wee goe to him and in the other he commeth to vs to gather vs and take vs thether where he is Surely those men who contenting themselues with the gifts of God in this life thinke not long to enioy himselfe are but like an adulterous woman who if so be shee possesse the goods of her husband regards not albeit shee neuer see himselfe I confesse indeed wee may reioyce in all the gifts which God hath giuen vs as in the tokens and testimonies of his loue but wee are alwayes to vse them with this protestation that nothing giuen vs in this life be allowed vnto vs for our portion and inheritance and that no contentment euer come vnto our hearts till wee get himselfe who gaue them If the loue of the Corinthians made the Apostle to say I seeke not yours but you how much more should the loue of God compell vs to say vnto him It is not thy gifts O Lord but thy selfe I long for thou art the portion of my soule if thou wouldest giue me all the workes of thine hands yet shall I neuer haue comfort nor contentment except thou dost giue me thy selfe Therefore O thou whom my Soule loueth shew me where thou feedest where thou lyest at noone and dost rest for why should I be as shee that turneth aside to the flockes of thy companions Blessed is he that hungers and thrists for thy righteousnesse for hee shall behold thy face and be filled with thine image for in thy presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at thy right hand are pleasures for euermore The second tryall of our loue is Obedience and an holy care in all our callings to serue and honour the Lord. Preachers must be tryed by this rule Peter louest thou mee feede my flocke Gouernours and Counsellers must be tryed by this Can yee say in truth with the Godly Gouernour Dauid I loue the Lord then will yee also say with him what shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits how shall I shew my loue toward him and what shall I doe in my time for aduancement of his glory If thou dost loue the Lord then wilt thou be a nourishing Father to his Church a carefull aduancer of his kingdome a wise prouisor to remoue those stumbling blocks which hinder the course of the Gospell If yee loue the Lord then will yee stand vp with Dauid and say Doe not I hate them O Lord that hate thee doe not I earnestly contend with them that rise vp against thee surely I hate them with vnfained hatred as if they were mine vtter enimies If ye honour the Lord as Dauid did the Lord shall blesse you as hee blessed Dauid Dauid sware vnto the Lord that hee would not rest till hee found out a place for the Lord euen an habitation for the mightie God of Iacob And the Lord sweares againe vnto Dauid that of the fruit of his body hee would set vp one to raigne after him But if otherwise there be nothing in you but a care to stablish your selues and your houses vvith the neglect of the glory of God then remember that the curse of Shebna and not the blessing of Eliakim shall be vpon you Yee shall not be fastned as a nayle in sure place but shall be rolled and turned away like a ball the Lord shall driue thee from thy station and out of thy dwelling place shall hee destroy thee For the wicked shall not haue his desire his thoughts shall not be performed neyther shall hee be established on the earth but euill shall hunt him to destruction The Lord shall take thee and plucke thee out of thy Tabernacle and roote thee out of the Land of the liuing And generally all of you in your callings remember that the value of your Christian loue must be tryed by the same touchstone not by your words but by your workes If any loue mee saith Iesus let him keepe my commandements but here also the hypocrisie of this age is discouered as the Iewes called Iesus their King and bowed their knees before him but spat in his face and buffetted him so the bastard Christians of this age call Christ their Lord and bowe their knees before him yet by their sinfull life they crucifie him and tread his bloud of the couenant vnder their feete they kisse and betray him with Iudas it is but a Scepter of reed they allow him for they giue him no commaundement ouer their affections wherefore great is the controuersie which the Lord hath this day with the men of this generation The third tryall of loue is Bountifulnesse the Apostle sayth Loue is bountifull experience proues that euery louer bostoweth bountifully on that which hee loueth yee loue your bodyes and therefore largely bestow vpon them to feede them and cloth them yea with excessiue apparrell yee loue your Children and lets them want no needfull thing for them yea yee loue your beasts and spares not to bestow largely vpon them onely you say you loue the Lord but wherein are yee bountifull toward him It is true that in nothing can a man be profitable to the Almightie but are there not workes commaunded vs which should so shine before men that by them
our heauenly Father may be glorified though workes can be no merits yet are they your witnesses and what haue yee done to remaine when yee are dead as witnesses of your loue toward the Lord Though your goodnesse extend not to the Lord yet where is your delight that should be on his Saints and excellent ones vpon earth where is your compassion and loue toward the brethren are not the men of this age like vnto that fig-tree which had faire leaues but not so much as one figge to giue vnto Iesus in his hunger hauing the shew of godlinesse but haue denyed the power therof yeelding words inough but no fruits to adorne the glorious Gospell of our Lord Iesus Of these and many moe if wee might insist in them it is manifest that all haue not the loue of God in their hearts who this day pretend it The last tryall of Loue which novv we bring is readinesse to suffer affliction for the cause of God The Apostles being beaten for preaching in the name of Iesus instead of mourning departed reioycing that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christs sake and all because they loued him For the loue of Rahel seauen yeeres of hard seruitude seemed vnto Iacob but a short space For the loue of Dinah Sichem willingly sustayned the circumcision and cutting of his flesh much more to him in whose heart abounds the loue of the Lord vvill bitter things become sweet and hard things easie This Loue hath made the holy Martyres step out of their owne element into the fire with greater ioy and willingnesse then worldlings haue when they fit downe to their banquetting tables to refresh them or lyes downe in their beds to rest them The Apostle who suffered all sorts of affliction for the Gospell giues this for a reason that the loue of Iesus constrayned him Thus much concerning the effects of holy loue by which we are to make sure our calling and consequently our election for our euerlasting comfort Euenâ—toâ—them that are called according to his purpose Hitherto the Apostle hath summarily set downe his third principall argument of comfort and now in the end of this verse he shortly breakes vp the confirmation thereof which is this they who loue God are called according to his purpose therefore all things must work for the best vnto them The necessitie of this reason shall appeare if we consider that the Lord cannot be frustrated of his end Those whom the Lord in his immutable purpose hath ordayned to glory and whom according to that purpose he hath called in time how can it be but all things must worke vnto their good for the working prouidence of God which is the executer of his purpose doth so ouer-rule all incidents which fall out in the world and doth so gouerne all secondary and inferiour causes that of necessitie they are directed to that end whereunto the supreame cause of all to wit the purpose and will of God hath ordayned them This is shortly set downe in these words and more largely explaned in the two verses following It is the last reason of comfort and the highest for now the Apostle leades vs out of our selues and sets vs vpon that rocke which is higher than wee hee carries vs by the hand as it were out of the earth vp into heauen and lets vs see how our saluation is so grounded in Gods eternall purpose that no accident in the world can change it We haue here then three things euery one of them depening vpon another the loue of God flowing from the calling of God and the calling of God comming from the purpose of God vnto which the Apostle here drawes vs that vve casting our anchor within the vaile and resting in the Lords immutable purpose may haue comfort in all our present tentations It is most expedient for the godly to marke this that our manifold changes doe not interrupt our peace let vs consider that the Lord hath in such sort dispensed our saluation that the ground thereof is laid in his owne immutable purpose but the markes and tokens thereof are placed in vs after our calling the markes and tokens are changeable like a wee our selues in whom they are are changeable but the ground holds fast being laid in that vnchangeable God in whom falles no shadow of alteration I am God and am not changed My sheepe none can take out of my hand The counsell of the Lord shall stand and his foundation remaines sure It is true that the tokens of election cannot be fully taken away from any that is effectually called nay not in the greatest desertion yet haue they in vs their owne intention and remission And this should comfort vs against our daily vicissitudes and changes when wee feele that our Faith doth faint our life languishes our hope houers and we are like to sincke in the tentation with Peter and our feeble hands fall downe with Moses yet let vs not dispaire no change in vs can alter Gods vnchangeable purpose he who hath begunne the worke in vs will also perfect it Because I am not changed saith the Lord therefore is it that yee O sonnes of Iacob are not consumed This purpose of God is called otherwise the will of God and the good pleasure of his Will In that the Apostle saith our calling is according to his purpose it teacheth vs to ascribe the whole praise of our saluation to the good pleasure of his will and not to our owne foreseene merits That poyson of pride which Sathan poured into our first parents and by which they aspyred to be equall with God doth yet breake forth in their posteritie the corrupt heart of man euer ayming at this to seeke vnto himselfe either in part or in whole the power and praise of his own saluation This is to start vp into the roome of God and to vsurpe that glory which belongs to the Lord and he will not giue to any other than the which no greater sacriledge can be committed against the Lord. O man content thee with that which the Lord offers thee and let that alone which hee reserues vnto himselfe My peace saith the Lord I giue to you my glory I will not giue to any other The first Preachers of the Gospell were Angels they proclaymed glory and peace but glory they gaue to God which is on high and peace they cryed to the children of his good will which are vpon earth It is inough that peace and saluation is giuen to be thine but as for the glory of saluation let it remain to the Lord. Hee is for this called the father of mercy because mercy bred in his owne bosome Hee hath found many causes without himselfe mouing him to execute iustice but a cause mouing him to shew mercie hee neuer found but the good pleasure of his will therefore the Apostle saith the Lord hath called vs with an holy calling not according to
the meanes of men and not according to the determinate purpose of God it is no meruaile if still they returne to their old sinnes and remaine disobedient to the heauenly vocation And further out of the ground laid already that the calling of God is according to his purpose we are taught that the least intermission of Gods calling should be vnto vs a great matter of our humiliation seeing the Lord calleth men to be Preachers and hath them in his hand as starres holding them out sometime to one part of the world and sometime to another that hee may communicate light to them who are sitting in darknesse the remouing of them from a people is a fearefull token of the Lords departure and translating of his kingdome The Husbandman calles not his Labourers out of the field in the middest of the day vnlesse the haruest be done and if the Lord remoue his Seruants from a people it is because his purpose is finished for the ground is sure that his calling is according to his purpose but the Lord forbid that the tearme of the ending of this calling should euer come in our dayes And to the ende that wee haste it not vpon our selues wee are to know that as the Gospell comes not to a Land by mans procurement so no power of man is able to remoue it The Lord who set the Sunne in the Firmament and gouernes it in such sort that it giues light to one part of the world when another is in darknesse and no malice of the euill doer is able to obscure it howeuer hee hates it hath also set his Gospell in the firmament of his Church to giue light to Goshen while as Egypt is in darknesse and all the courses of politikes though they were filled vvith Achitophels wisedome are not able to stay it onely our owne vnthankfulnesse and abuse of the time of Grace is to be feared if therefore wee loue the light let vs cast away the vvorkes of darkenesse and walke in the light while as yet wee haue it let vs welcome those messengers of peace that come to vs in the name of the Lord endeuouring by all holy meanes to transferre this Kingdome of God to our Children after vs that they also may see the beautie of the Lord which vvee haue seene to their euerlasting saluation Verse 29. For those whom hee knew before hee also predestinated to be made like vnto the image of his Sonne that he might be the first borne among many brethren THe whole Booke of God is full of heauenly consolation euery parcell thereof hath in it the words of eternall life but this place of Scripture wherein now wee are trauailing may be called aboue the rest a treasure of comfort for here the Apostle leadeth vp the Christian to the register of God and lets him see his owne name written in the booke of life his saluation established in Gods immutable decree exhibited now by Gods effectuall calling to be performed and perfected to him by his endlesse glorification So that in all the booke of God there is not so cleare and certaine a sight of saluation giuen to the Christian as in this place It comforted Stephen when he was in the vally of death that he saw the heauens opened and the Lord Iesus standing at the right hand of his Father and it should no lesse comfort vs in all our tribulations that the Apostle here lets vs see the third heauens opened vnto vs to make knowne vnto vs the will of God concerning our saluation This comfort the Apostle brake vp shortly as we heard in the end of the last verse and now more largely explanes it in these two verses in the which hee sets downe in order the causes of our saluation and lets vs see how our present effectuall calling is so inseperably knit with our election glorification by the hand of God that no power in earth nor in hell is able to sunder them whereof the certaintie of his former comfort appeares cleerely that of necessitie all things must worke together for the best vnto them that loue God euen to them that are called according to his purpose Which shall yet be more manifested if wee consider how that this golden Chaine of our saluation reaches so to speake it from eternitie to eternitie the beginning of it albeit without beginning is our Election the end of it albeit without end is our Glorification And these two ends of the chaine the Lord keepes them sure and secret in his owne hand but the two middle linckes thereof to wit our Calling and Iustification the Lord lets them downe from heauen to the earth that wee for our comfort might gripe and apprehend them and being sure of the two middle linekes we might also be sure of the two ends because the Lord hath knit them inseperably together Thou then who wouldst be comforted with the assurance of thy saluation make it first knowne to thy owne conscience by breaking off the former course of thy sinnes and by well doing for the time to come that God hath called thee and iustified thee Gripe sure as it were with the one hand the lincke of Calling and with the other the linck of Iustification fasten both thy hands vpon the middle linckes of this Chaine that by them thou mayst be pulled out of this dungeon and raised vp to heauen to see that thou art one of them who was elected before time after time shall be glorified To make this yet more plaine we are to know that this mortall life of ours is a short interiected point of time betweene two eternities so to call it in the which some in feare and trembling working out their saluation passes from Gods eternall election to endlesse glorification others againe in wantonnes and carelesse securitie drincke in iniquitie with greedinesse and so steps from the decree of reprobation that most iustly they procure their owne condemnation So that euery man hath to consider of his euerlasting weale or woe by his present disposition in this life Oh that we had sanctified memories alwayes to remember this so long as we are here if of weakenesse wee fall wee may rise againe and if in one day we haue not learned well to repent we haue leaue of the Lords patience to learne it better another day but he who in the day of his transmigration steps the wrong step will neuer get leaue to amend it where the tree fals it shall lye there the wicked who die in their sinnes step downeward to the deepe pit and gulfe out of the which there is no redemption Let vs therefore be well aduised before we leape let vs fasten the one foote vpon the border of that Canaan before we go out of the body let vs make sure that wee shall be receiued into those euerlasting habitations This shall be done if we make our whole life a proceeding from election to
stand at the right hand of Iesus and heare that fearfull condemnation of the wicked Depart from mee c. when vvee shall see the earth open and swallow them then shall wee reioyce and prayse the mercy of our God O happie time wherein the Lord sent his messengers among vs to call vs from the fellowship of the damned There is no difference by nature betweene the Elect and reprobate neyther in inward nor outward disposition till God make it by grace Paul as bloudy a persecuter as euer was Domitian or Iulian. Zacheus as vnconscionable and couetous a Worldling as was that rich Glutton damned to hell The elect and reprobate men before Grace make a difference are like two men walking in one iourney with one minde and one heart like Eliah and Elisha walking and talking together when a chariot of fire did incontinent seperate them and Eliah is taken vp into heauen Elisha left vpon the earth not vnlike is it when the vnlooked for calling of God commeth and seperateth those two who before were walking together yea running in the same excesse of ryot the one changing the course of his life returneth back againe to the Lord from whom hee had stollen whereas the other not touched with the same Calling meruailes that his former companion hath forsaken him and walketh still on stubbornely in the former course of his sinnes to his condemnation Apply this vnto your selues and see whether this effectuall Calling hath seperated you in your conuersation from the wicked or not an euident argument that ye shall be seperated from them in their condemnation Blessed is hee that walketh not in the counsell of the wicked nor stands in the way of sinners nor sits in the seat of the scornfull And if wee finde after tryall that the Lord hath called vs then should wee alway shew forth his prayses who hath translated vs from darknesse into his meruailous light The Lord shewed a great mercy to Israell when he deliuered them out of the house of bondage he set the remembrance of that benefit in the forefront of his law as a bond euer oblieging them vnto thankfulnesse but their bondage was not so horrible as ours Pharaoh oppressed their bodies and compelled them to worke in bricke and clay yet their spirits were free to sigh and cry to God for the bondage but here so long as we were the slaues of Sathan he compelled vs to worke the abhominable workes of darknesse and vncleannesse and therewithall did so captiue our spirits that we could not so much as cry and sigh vnto God for the bondage and therefore our deliuerance should neuer goe out of our remembrance and our hearts and mouthes should euer be filled with the prayses of our redeemer when we think of this yeere of Iubilie wherin he hath opened the doore of the prison and set vs at libertie as the freemen of God who were the captiued and bond slaues of Sathan The author of this calling is the Lord euen hee who calles things which are not and makes them to be Caâ—ling is a new creation and the first resurâ—ection The Lord that commanded light to shine out of darkenes is he who hath giuen to our mindes the light of the knowledge of his glory in the face of Iesus Christ. It is he who creates in vs a new hart and puts in our bowels a new spirit that we may walk in his statutes As man when hee was not could not helpe to create himselfe and Lazarus when he was dead helped not to raise himselfe so a stranger from Grace helpes not to call himselfe to the fellowship of Grace the Lord who makes the barraine wombe a mother of many children makes also the barraine hart to be fruitfull The praise of our calling belongs to the Lord onely Nemo dicat idâ—o me vocauit quia colâ—i Deum quomodo coluisses si vocatus non fuisses let no man say therefore hath God called me because I worshipped him for thou couldst not haue worshipped him vnlesse he had called thee The calling of God findes euery man either vainely or wickedly exercised When God called Paul to be a Preacher he found him a persecuter when he called Matthew he found him sitting at the receipt of custome when he called Peter and Andrew they were mending their nets no such minde had they as to be fishers of men As Saul was seeking his Fathers Asses when Samuel came to call him to the kingdome and as Rebecca had no errand to the well but to water her fathers goods when Eliezer came to seeke her in marriage vnto Isaac so if wee doe enquire at our owne consciences how we were exercised when God called vs we shall finde our harts were set vpon the trifling things of this world and that we had no minde of his kingdome let the praise therefore of our calling berâ—sâ—rued to the Lord onely As this worke of calling is the Lords onely so hee extends it to none but vnto those who are chosen it makes a perticular seperation of a few from the remanant and doth so distinguish betweene man and man in all ranckes and estates that of two brethren as Iacob and Esau of two Prophets as Moses and Balaam of two Kings as Dauid and Saul of two Apostles as Peter and Iudas of two theeues the one is taken the other is reiected The first distinction betweene man and man was in Gods eternall counsell and this is secret the last distinction will be in that last day wherein the one shall stand at the right hand of Iesus the other at the left and that shall be manifest the middle distinction is presently made by this calling of God his Gospell is the arme of his Grace being extended sometime to one corner of the world sometime to another according to his owne dispensation to seuer out his owne from among the remanent of the world Whereof it comes to passe that this sauing grace of the Gospell enters into a land but not into euery Cittie it enters into a Cittie and not into euery familie it enters into a familie but comes not on euery person of the familie Of Husband and Wife of Maisters and Seruants of Parents and Children of Brethren and Sisters the one is taken the other reiected It came to Iericho and chose out Zacheus it came to Philippi and chose out Lydia and the Iaylour it entred at Rome into the Court of Nero but lighted not vpon Nero it entred into the Familie of Narcissus but not into the heart of Narcissus As the Lord so gouernes the cloudes that he makes them raine vpon one Cittie and not vpon another so doth hee dispense the dew of his grace that he makes it drop vpon one hart not vpon another The Gospell is preached to many but the blessing that comes by the Gospell abides onely vpon the children of peace Let euery one among you see to himselfe this preaching of the Gospell
in this that Christians are without a Crosse yea rather he shewes it is the lot of Gods children to be exercised with all sorts of crosses but herein hee reioyces that no crosse can seperate vs from the loue of God In this quarrell the Apostle prouokes all enimies whatsoeuer corporall or spirituall present or to come and against them all he takes vp the triumph in his owne name and in the name of all the children of God Neuerthelesse in all these things we are more then conquerours through him that loued vs. By the loue of Christ we are to vnderstand here that loue wherwith God in Christ hath loued vs for so he expounds it himselfe through him that loued vs. It is true also that the sense of our loue to God once shed abroad in our harts by the holy ghost can neuer fully nor finally be taken from vs I say fully and finally because of those inward tentations wherewith Gods children are so exercised that the sense of that loue in them is greatly diminished but in all those spirituall desertions oppressions Faith ouercomes at length and lets vs see the face of God our mercifull father shining toward vs in Christ we may be cast downe but we cannot perish if Peter be ready to sincke Iesus Christ shall succour him But as I said by the Loue of God I vnderstand that loue which hee hath borne toward vs from this most constant loue it comes to passe that wee who are weake and silly creatures cannot be ouercome notwithstanding the multitude of mightie enimies that are against vs. If our saluation were in our owne custodie and wee stoode by our owne strength the smallest tentation would ouercome vs our feet are ready to slide and then our feeble hands le ts goe that hold of mercy which once wee had gotten but howsoeuer we loose our hold the Lord holds it fast for vs wee may change but hee remaines the same because the Lord hath loued vs and whom once he loueth he loueth to the ende therefore is it that it cannot be but well with vs hee loued vs before wee were yea before the world was made If we search the beginning of Gods Loue towards vs wee may runne vp in our thought to the beginning of the world but cannot attaine to the beginning of this Loue before the mountaines were made and thou hadst formed the world euen from euerlasting to euerlasting thou art our God Likewise we are taught here that the end vvhich Sathan proposeth to himselfe in all tentations is to seperate vs from the loue of God vvhich notwithstanding he shall neuer effectuate There is a couenant knit vp betweene God and man the band whereof is Iesus Christ this Couenant Sathan doth what he can to dissolue it by alluring vs to sinne and accusing vs to God on Gods part he cannot preuaile on our part he assaults continually but in vaine also because the Lord vvho hath made a couenant with vs keepes vs also vvith him so that though vvee be tempted vve cannot be ouercome This is euident in Iobs tentations it was neyther the affliction of his body the losse of his children nor goods which Sathan craued so much as to empty his heart of the loue of God and make him to blaspheme If vve remembred this it vvould make vs endeauour to possesse our soules in patience in all our troubles for so oft as those things vvhich vve loue are seperate from vs Sathans end is to seperate vs from our God vvhom vve should loue aboue all things And in very deed this is a proper mark of the Children of God that hovveuer their outvvard estate change their heart is neuer changed from the loue of God they are Godly in prosperitie but more Godly in aduersitie the more they are troubled the neerer they draw vnto the Lord as fire in not quenched with wind but made greater so the loue of God waxeth stronger in the hearts of Gods children by tribulation whereas the wicked not rooted in Iesus Christ are like vnto chaffe and the dust of the earth carryed away with euery winde there is no pleasure so small nor profite so vaine which they preferre not before God Now before the Apostle subioynes the answere he maketh an enumeration of some perticular crosses and demaunds if they will doe it these crosses do eyther concerne our bodies our goods our dwellings or our mindes for we are not to thinke here that the Apostle beates the ayre triumphing against such enimies as we haue not No we haue both crosses of body and of minde which wee must prepare our selues to suffer so vsing all the helpes of this our mortall life as being content for the loue of God to want them for this is the tryall of true religion we must not looke to our houses as Nabuchadnezer did to his pallace of Babell as a place of his glory but remember that which Micah said to the Iewes This is not the place of your rest and whatsoeuer thing else wee vse for maintenance of this mortall life let vs so vse them as if we vsed them not that wee be not found when it comes to the tryall louers of them more then louers of God Blessed is the man who loues nothing otherwise but in God Nam solus is nihil charum amittit cui omnia chara sunt in eo qui non amittitur Againe perceiue here in this enumeration a gradation of seauen steppes by which the Apostle ascends It is a great thing to be in trouble but to be troubled and in anguish also is yet greater and for him that is in anguish to be banished in banishment to sustaine hunger and nakednesse and with these to be in continuall perill and last of all to dye by the sword euery one of these last is greater then the former yet all of them saith the Apostle are not able to seperate vs from the loue of Christ. Our warning is here that when we see vnto how many crosses Christians are subiect and how few of them God hath laid vpon vs wee should acknowledge the Lords fatherly indulgence toward vs who regarding our weakenesse hath hitherto dealt tenderly with vs. And againe it should prepare vs for greater afflictions so long as wee haue not resisted to the bloud nor laide downe our liues for Iesus we should remember that greater battailes than any which as yet we haue foughten are before vs wherein we must fight if it please the Lord to enter vs into them Shall tribulation Now hee commeth to the perticular enumeration The first is tribulation the vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvhich the Apostle vseth signifieth a pressing out from the effect vvhich it vvorketh in the godly to vvit that it presseth out and maketh manifest that grace of God which before vvas latent in them like as in the vvicked it presseth out their vile and filthy
and rotten members Secondly wee communicate with the affliction of our brethren when in our affection wee are ready to suffer with them if so it would please the Lord to employ vs as they are Martyres in action so will the Lord accept the others as Martyres in affection Deus enim non estimat quenquam ex euentu rerum sed ex affectu for God esteemes not one by the euent of things but by their affection Non fraudabitur Martyrij gloria per quem non stetit quo minus Martyrium peregerit hee shall not be defrauded of the glory of martyrdome in whose default it was not that he accomplished his Martyrdome therefore Aquila Priscilla are commended that for the Apostles life they had laide downe their owne â—eckes their good-will being reckoned vnto them for a deede But as Iacob hazarded some of his familie in the hands of Esau before others so the Lord sends out some of his seruants to trouble before others For the Lord is not so prodigall of the liues of his children that at one time hee will hauock them all in the hands of the wicked though he send some out to the tryall he will reserue others to be as it were the seede of the Gospell All the day long If we apply this testimonie to the whole Church then this day shall be the whole course of time from the beginning to the end thereof Earely in the morning Cain began to persecute his brother and euer since bloudy persecuters in all ages haue followed his way but among them all the persecuters of this last age which is the euening are most miserable for all the blood shed since the dayes of Abell shall light vpon them As in a good course his praise is greatest who is formost so in an euill course his iudgement shall be greatest who comes hindmost because he subscribes to the wickednesse of all those who hath gone before him But if otherwise we apply this testimonie to euery christian then this day must be called the whole time of our life from our birth to our death warning vs that in no age of our life we should promise to our selues immunitie from affliction yet our comfort is that the time of our trouble is here called a day and in the Reuelation the houre of tentation because it is but short That rebuke which our Sauiour gaue his Disciples when they were sleeping in the garden could you not watch with me one houre may serue as a checke vnto vs when wee faint in tentation could yee not suffer with me one houre Againe seeing our trouble is short let vs not in it limit the holy one of Israell to prescribe to the Lord the time of our deliuerance O how may wee be ashamed of our impatience in trouble when wee looke to Noah who entring into the Arke at the Lords commandement after hee had tarried a whole yeere in it yet sought not to come put till the Lord commaunded him And Ioseph the nourishing father of our Lord Iesus when the Angell commaunded him to goe to Aegipt and said further vnto him tarte there till I tell thee though Ioseph knew not when hee should come out of Aegipt the place of banishment yet referring the time to the Lord hee yeelded himselfe obedient to the holy commandement The Lord work in vs the like obedience of Faith And are counted This is added by way of amplification we are not onely slaine but slaine as if we vvere slaues nothing worth Wicked men account the godly little worth and therefore doe handle them in a vile manner but shall we for that be discouraged No the Prince of our saluation was esteemed among men no more worth then thirtie peeces of siluer and that for our sake shall we then thinke euill for his sake to be counted lesse than the doung or clay wher vpon we tread The Lord giue vs true humilitie that wee may be content to be despised of men that wee may be approued of our God he onely hath the ballance in his hands what euer waight worldlings haue in the eyes of men when the Lord beginnes to weigh them as hee did Beltasar no honour no riches no kingdome shall help them to hold out waight As sheepe for the slaughter Wicked men accounts the godly slaughter sheepe because they thinke nothing is lost when they are taken out of the way yea also they reape a benefit thereby a proofe whereof wee may see in the primitiue Church for when Famine Pestilence and such like calamities were inflicted by God vpon the Empire for the contempt of his Gospell the cause thereof was still imputed by men to the christians and therefore they were persecuted to death with no lesse opinion than that the putting them out of the way was to put the plagues of God from the whole Empire yet did they not this way remedy the wrath due to their sinnes but procured thereby either double stripes to themselues or then were handled in the patience of God like vnto Oxen fed for the slaughter And here it shall not be vnprofitable to oppone the iudgement of the Lord concerning his children to the iudgement of men The Lord also compares his little ones to sheepe but vpon plaine contrary respects to those which the world hath first for their innocencie and simplicitie they are not like other beastes that haue either teeth in their head pawes in their feete or poyson in their bowels to powre out when they are offended secondly for their patience whereas other beasts being beaten vtter vnruly and rowting voyces they are dumbe before their shearers yea when they are iniured are farre from reuenge The sheepe of Christ saith Cyprian hath not the bloudy teeth of Wolues crueltie is an argument of bastard religion and thirdly for their vtilitie for they do not onely giue their milk but their Wooll and Skinne to the vse of man teaching vs how profitable wee should be to our brethren but alas the great number of them who being voide of innocencie wise to do euill voide of patience not acquainted with the yoke void of charitie being like that barren tree which had no fruit to giue to Christ in his hunger euidently declares how that many in this age howsoeuer esteemed among men yet are not accounted of God the sheepe of Christ. Verse 37. Neuerthelesse in all these things we are more then conquerours through him that loued vs. HEre the Apostle doth now subioyne an negatiue answere to his former interrogations with an amplification these things whereof I haue spoken are so farre from being able to seperate vs from the loue of God that by the contrary in them all we are more then conquerours that is victors out of all doubt In all these things Then yee may perceiue that vnto all those crosses enumerated before the christian man is subiect hee is not
which he giues not to his superiour Redemption here consider first that we are bought seruants That which cost Christ full deare men sels good cheape Secondly Sworâ— seruants Thirdly wee haue receiued wages before hand for seruice to be done Mal. 1. 10. But many receiue that from the true God which they return noâ— to him but sacrifice to Idols Hos. 2. 8. Eph. 5. 18. A double debt lying vpon vs the one the debt of sinne which â—e must seeke to be forgiuen the other the debt oâ— obedience which we must seeke to performe A three-fold comfort for the godly for the debt of obedience The Lord to whom we owe it giues vs wherewith to pay it 1 Chron. 29. 14. He accepts for a time part of payment The more wee pay of this debt the more we are able to pay Good works are debts therfore not merits Luke 17. 7. 8 9. 10. No penman of the holy Ghost did euer vse the word of merit The Fathers thought it smelled of presumption Mac hom 15 Ber in Psal. qui habitat Ser. 1. In Cant. ser. 61. Serm. 66. De quadruplici debito Our life should declare whose Seruants and debters we are Philem. v. 19. Iam. 2. 18. Mal. 1 6. An accusation of the carelesse Christians of our time Nehe. 13. 24. Micah 7. 3 Math. 7. 21. Is is a difficult thing so to nourish the body that we nourish not sinne in the body Rom. 13. 14. Not like that Cherubin a minister of iustice to hold Adâ—m out of paradise Eâ—e 18. 32. Both the word and deed of the Lord declares that he craues not the death of a sinner That the spirit of God vseth threatnings is an argument of our rebellious nature The word should be vsed as milk to some as salt to others But now men cannot abide the rebuke of Gods word 2 Tim. 4. 3. Amos. 5. 10. 1 King 22. 8 Micah 2. 7. Aug. ser. 1. Zach. 7. 11. Either we must slay sin or sin shall slay vs. Aug. de temp serm 29. Euery sin is to vs the forbiddeÌ„ tree Men seeke on it that fruit which they shall not finde and finde on it that fruit which they would not haue Great wisdome to discerne betweene the deceit of sin and fruit of sinne Sinfull lusts compared to the streame of Iordan And to the locusts with womans hair lions teeth Scorpions taile Basil in verb. Mos. attende tibi Cirill catech 2. Gal. 6. 8. This life is a thorow-way or middle passage eyther to heauen or hell Eccles. 11. 3. They who liue in sin are dead and yet a worse death abides them in hell The least degree of their punishment shall be a feareful famine of all worldly comforts Ioell 1. 12. Reu. 18. 14. Why that secoÌ„d death is called a wrath and a wrath to come The place of the damned shews the greatnesse of their iudgement Reu. 21. 8. Esa. 30. 33. Iude verse 6. Mark 9. 48. 1 Pet. 3. 19. Math. 5. 22. The vniuersalitie of it Nothing in man shall be without paine all Gods plagues shall concur to punish him The eternitie of it In the most regenerate there is some thing that needes to be mortified For out of the stony rocke springeth noysome weedes Cyrill That which God works in vs he calles it our worke Phil. 2. 12. Therefore vve should be humble and giue God the glory 1 Chro. 29. 14 Presumptuous opinion of Merit damned Aug. de verb. Apost serm 2 1 Cor. 15. 10 Aug. hom 14 Aug. de verb. Apost ser. 14. A tryall of our Mortification Death to sinne takes not life away but restores it Sanctification is a work of difficultie for it is a birth a death a circumcision c. The knife by which beastly lusts are slaine to be sacrificed Mac. hom I. Temporall life is not the recompense of righteousnesse and why 1. Cor. 15. 19 Gal. 2. 20. He proues the last part of his preceding argument The operation of the Spirit is eyther vniuersall extending to all his creatures Comfort The beginning progresse and perfection of our saluation is from him Heb. 12. 2. In that we can not walk without a guide we â—re warned that we are but babes Act. 8. 30. 31 It is good religion to turne Gods precepts into prayers Psal. 43. 3. Psal. 143. 10 We ought to follow our guide as Israell did the Lord in the wildernesse A three-fold operation of the spirit in the Sons of God Why in his first operation he is called a spirit of bondage to fear By the preaching of the Law he discouers sin and wrath due to it which causeth feare Mat. 3. 10. Hee is not here comparing the godly vnder the Law vvith the godly vnder the Gospell A seruile feare A filiall feare Psal. 130. 4. A Diabolicall feare Iames. 2. 19. From what sort of feare are we exempted In the godly feare prepares a place for the perfect loue of God and then departs it selfe Mat. 15. But in the wicked feare of wrath once begun encreases till it proceede to despâ—rate feare No prayer to God without the spirit of God How the godly sometime are transported in Prayer 2 King 2. Mat. 26. 38. The godly should cry together not one against an other Vnion of desires in prayer commended Iames. 5. 16. As many hands lift a burthen importable to one so The Parents of Prayer The wings whereby praier ascends Dan. 9. 22. 23. Efficacie of prayer euery petition returns with profit Gen. 18. Acts. 10. Mat. 17. Sathan an enimie to the Word and Prayer Acts. 16. 16 Zach. 3. 1. Gen. 15. In all the scripture no prayer to Abraham Moses c. nor to Cherubin nor Seraphin Psal. 6. 1. Psal. 4. 1. Reu. 19. 10. It is not in the court of heauen as in the courts of earthly kings Euery tongue and language is sanctified for prayer if we vnderstand it They are builders of Babell who speake to the people in a language they vnderstand not A comfort for weake Christians who are moued by their wants to doubt of this testimonie A necessary admonition so to mourn for that which we waÌ„t that wee giue thanks for that mesure of grace which we haue Rom. 7. 24. Ibid. ver 25. This testimonie of the spirit is not alway perceiued in a like measure of them who haue it Rom. 8. 35. CoÌ„fort against spirituall desertions Isai. 1. 9. The Sons of God cannot but liue because they are the heires of God Gods goodnes is shewed to all his creaturs but his inheritance is resâ—â—ued to his Sonnes Gen. 25. Mat. 5. 45. Psal. 119. 57 Lam. 3. 24. All the sons of God are his heyres and yet the inheritance is not diminished Aug. de verb dom in Euan. Ioan. ser. 64. They who wer born in the first age of the world shall not be perfected without vs. Heb. 11. 40. In earthly inheritances the father dyes or the sonne inherit but here the sonne must dye or else hee cannot inherit Psal. 102. 26 Psal. 17.
of man is not able to vnderstand those things which God hath prepared for vs and therefore will rest with Dauid Blessed is the man whom thou chusest and causest to come vnto thee he shall dwell in thy Courts and be satisfied with the pleasures of thine house This being spoken as concerning the excellency of that life in that it is called a life of glory the next thing to bee considered here is the eternitie thereof for there is here a secret opposition betweene our present sufferings of which the Apostle here saith they are but for now and betweene that Glory which 2 Cor. 4. hee cals eternall but herein wee insist not hauing spoken of it before The third thing concerning this Glory here touched is the claritie and perspicuitie thereof it shall be reuealed and not obscured any more as now it is Now our life is hid with Christ in God Now are wee the sonnes of God but it appeares not what wee shall be As our head being the God of glory came into the world in the shape of a seruant so his members yea and to reioyce in our present afflictions vnder hope of that glory to be reuealed in vs. There is no man vve see that will refuse to change for the better he exchanges siluer for gold and giues leade for pretious stones though the better he gets be but in opinion and shall not wee be content like the vvise men of God to forgoe the earth and the pleasures thereof that vve may enioy heauen As for worldlings it is no meruaile to see them take a dunghill of earth in their armes and say vnto it thou art my ioy and my portion for they not being illuminated with the light of the liuing make choyse of that which according to their light they esteeme to be best or if at any time they haue tasted of the powers of the life to come yet are they like those Marchants who hauing tasted wines vvhich pleases them well refuse to buy them being scared with the greatnesse of the price which must be giuen for them euen so haue they their owne ioy at the hearing of the word and hath also their owne desires to be glorified with Christ but when they heare that before they enioy that glory they must suffer with Christ deny themselues for sake their sinfull pleasures and cease from their gainfull trade of wickednesse they giue ouer the bargaine they stumble and fall backe to the former course of their vngodly life But assuredly if we all knew those things which belong to our peace but now are hid from our eyes ten thousand worlds could not keepe vs backe from them and therefore seeing all the cause of our slow running towards that price of our heauenly calling is in the darknesse of our minds let vs pray continually that the Lord would lighten the eyes of our vnderstanding that we may know the riches of his glorious inheritance prepared for the Saints and againe Lord remember vs with the fauour of thy people and visit vs with thy saluation that we may see the felicitie of thy chosen and reioyce with the ioy of thy people and glory with thine inheritance which the Lord graunt vnto vs for Iesus Christs sake Verse 19. For the feruent desire of the creature wayteth when the sonnes of God shall be reueiled WE haue heard hitherto the Apostles first principall argument of comfort against the Crosse taken from the end of our afflictions set downe in the end of the 17. verse If wee suffer with Christ we shall raigne with Christ. This argument hee hath amplyfied in the 18. verse We shall be glorified with such a glory as for weight and eternitie shall farre exceed our present sufferings Now he insists still in the same amplification and he proues that glory must be both a great and a certaine glory First because the creature by that instinct of nature which God hath put into it waites for the reuelation of that glory Secondly because the sonnes of God who haue receiued the first fruits of the spirit by instinct of grace waite also for it Now it can neither be a small thing nor yet vncertaine which God hath taught his creatures both by instinct of Nature and of Grace to long for but it must be some excellent and most certaine good wherevpon God hath set the instinct and desire of his creature This being the Apostles purpose the order of his proceeding is shortly this verse 19. he sets downe a proposition of the creatures feruent desire to see that glory reueiled thereafter he assignes two reasons why they are so desirous of it The first is verse 20. taken from the present hard estate of the creature The next is verse 21. taken from their future better estate vnto the which they shall be restored when the sons of God shall be reuealed and then he concludes this argument verse 22. And this purpose he handles at the greater length because in all the booke of God this subiect is not handled saue in this place onely For the feruent Here as I haue said he sets downe a proposition of that feruent desire whereby the creature waites for the reuelation of the sonnes of God and this earnest 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 but for vs so they shall 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 reueiled The sonnes of God are now said not to be reueiled in two respects first because their persons are not reueiled secondly because their glory dignitie is not yet reueiled As for the persons 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 which none knowes but they who haue it but now they are not so reueiled that they are knowne of the world For this cause the world knowes you not because 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 vessell 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 wee know not but in that genâ—rall assemblie 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 enimies shall know them and be confounded to behold them And of this ariseth a warning to vs all that none of vs 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 will 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 enimie 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 bee sure that ere hee dye the Lord shall conuert him if not of a persecuter to make him a Preacher as he 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 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 we may learne to beware of Sathans pollicie whereby hee carryeth 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 now are wee the Sonnes of God yet doth it not appeare what we shall be it is but the beginnings and and not the perfection of grace and glory which we haue in this life by the beginnings let vs know that we are the sons of God and where wee 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 where the Lord giues vnto the rest of his workes the name of a creature he 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 workes yet now in regard of his grace communicated vnto vs wee are The sinne of man hath brought this curse vpon the creature and the daily increase of mans sinne makes a daily encrease of the curse The first man that sinned was Adam and for his sake God cursed the earth the second notorious sinner we read of was Cain and for his sake God cursed the earth the second time and albeit the Lord doth not alway tell in expresse words how euery abhominable sinner that hath succeeded Cain hath in like manner drawne on a new curse vpon the creature yet that one serueth for all to teach vs that as sinne growes so growes the curse and the multiplication of the curse brings with it a daily diminution of that originall vertue and beautie which the creature had in the beginning The other part of this vanitie is the abuse of the creature which is threefold first concerning God secondly concerning the godly and thirdly concerning the wicked Concerning God this is a fearefull abuse that the creature which God made for his glory is abused to his dishonour as when the Iewes tooke the gold and siluer which God gaue them and made vp of it Baal to themselues or when the Persians worshipped the Sunne and the Egiptians beasts insteade of God for his vanitie and bondage the creatures in their owne kinde they sigh and groane complayning they should be abused to another end then that whereunto the Lord did make them and wheeat by their naturall inclination they would be also themselues Secondly the creature is abused as concerning the godly when they are compelled to doe euill to those to whom they would doe good for euery creature in the owne kinde is naturally bent to be a comfortable instrument and a seruant to the seruant of God but otherwise where the fire is forced to burne them or the water to choke them or that they are in any such sort abused by the wicked to trouble the seruants of God it is against their will a vanitie and seruitude whereof they faine would be deliuered And thirdly the creatures are abused when they are compelled to serue the wicked rebels and enimies of God sore against their will The Sunne is weary of shining to the wicked who hauing their eyes open to see the workes of God had neuer their hearts nor mouths open to glorifie him the Earth in like manner is wearied of the heauie burthen of sinne which daily increases vpon her she cryes vnto God and desires to be releeued of this bondage yea if the Lord did not restraine her she would open her mouth and swallow the wicked as she did Corah Dathan and Abiram and in very deed when once the creature shall be set at liberty and no superiour power shall hold them vnder this seruitude then shall the creatures declare that they serued the wicked sore against their will for no creature shall render any more seruice vnto them the Sunne shall shine no more vpon them the Earth shall beare them no longer and the water shall not giue so much as one drop out of her treasures to refresh them To cleare this out of that one temporall iudgement inflicted vpon the stife-necked Egiptians we may take some notice how fearefull that last and vniuersall wrath shall be that shall be powred out vpon all the wicked being assembled into one Out of the third heauen came his Angell to fight against them and slew their first borne In the second heauen the Sunne withdrew his countenance from them as from a people of darknesse not worthie of his light In the third heauen the elements by course fought against them the Fire flashed out terrible flames into their faces the soft Water gushed out of the bowels of the clouds and was turned into hard stones to strike them who in the hardnesse of their harts rebelled against God the Aire became pestilentious to them and corrupted their bodies with Biles and Botches the waters beneath were turned into bloud the earth was poysoned with venemous flyes which made it â—ot abhominable Frogs made their land stinck for the lothsomnesse of their sinnes their sensitiue creatures which serued them were horribly plagued their flockes by land consumed with murrâ—ine their Fish in the Sea rots and dâ—es their vegitatiue creatures are also destroyed their Vines and Fig-trees are blasted the flaxe that should haue clothed them the Barly that should hâ—ue