for Sathan But we must loath and detest all manner of sinne with an absolute and perfect hatred or else his weapon is not taken away for what praise is it for a rich man not to fall to theft a sin whereto he is not tempted or for a begger not to slip into briberie a sinne that is kept farre from him or what is it to keepe thy body cleane from filthinesse if thou defile thy tongue with euill speeches It was nothing for Herod to heare Iohn Baptist gladly Mar. 6.20 since he kept his bed polluted with incest for the sweetnesse of this sinne did so possesse him Matth. 14.3 that for Herodias the strumpets sake Iohn was bound and beheaded A liuely example wee haue of this 2. King 5.18 in Naamun the Syrian who vowed vnto the Prophet to worship none but the Lord heere was Sathan cast out of him in good measure Yet when I go saith he with my master into the house of Rimmon and hee leaneth on my hand and I likewise bow there the Lord bee mercifull vnto mee in this point So he will continue still an example of idolatry in the seruice of a superstitious master which is a sufficient hold for Sathan to get into his soule againe and euen in this did hee carry a weapon to kill himselfe for Christ died not that wee should die to some sinnes but to all sinnes and if wee make exception of any one we are guilty of all as S. Iames saith chap. 2.10 if we faile in any one point we are guilty of all and therefore Ezech. 18.21 the wicked are admonished to returne from all their sinnes and to walke in all the waies of the Lord In omnibus sine exceptions quamuis non in omnibus cum impletione in all without exception though in all we cannot with perfection for repentance must not be to some dead workes but to all with a full purpose of our heart to renounce all sinnes I speake not of infirmities but of presumptuous and crying sinnes that we do not blesse our soules in any such sinne for if we doe it is Sathans ladder to clime vp againe though for a time he be cast downe that is neither so forcibly felt nor so visibly seene in thee Fourthly obserue that Sathan in policy will bee content not to shew himselfe alwaies in thee as he is but sometime euen to transforme himselfe into an Angell of light and hee will not grudge at thee though thou remit somewhat of thine enormities and grosse sinnes so he may retaine somewhat to himselfe hee cares not to be cast out of thee in idolatry as that thou shalt not bow thy knee to Baal so hee may bee kept in thee by Atheisme to say with the wicked in thy heart There is no God He was well pleased that Iudas should become a Disciple of Christ learne of Christ follow Christ so couetousnesse might so possesse him as to sell his master for money Mat. 26.15 Hee cared not though Abimelech entertained Abraham the seruant of God Gen. 20.14 with the best of his land when he had once drawne him to consent to adultery with Sara his wife A most liuely example of this we haue in the bodily Pharaoh of Egypt Exo. 8. Moses had a commission from God that hee should goe three daies iourney with the children of Israel to celebrate a feast vnto the Lord. Go saith Pharaoh vers 25. but first doe sacrifice vnto the Lord in this land vers 26. No faith Moses that were abhomination to sacrifice beasts to them that worship beasts vers 28. Go saith Pharaoh but not farre vers 27. No saith Moses I must goe three daies iourney Chap. 10.11 Go saith Pharaoh ye and the men but leaue the children No saith Moses vers 8. yong and old must goe vers 24. Goe all but leaue your cattell and your sheepe behind you somewhat 〈◊〉 will crosse the commandement of the Lord vers 25. No we must haue all for we know not what neede we shall haue of sacrifice Thus we see how Sathan deales in sinne by conditions and limitations for hee will suffer himselfe to be dislodged of ignorance by a generall knowledge of the truth and if hee cannot send forth error to corrupt our knowledge if he can but worke by worldlinesse to prophaine it he will not greatly care for this shall bee as a cable rope to pull him in againe We must therefore learne to incounter this spirituall Pharaoh if wee haue a desire to goe out of Egypt that is to be deliuered from eternall darknesse with Moses his courage◠and if we gaine by our courage as Moses did let vs follow on stoutly to keepe the ground and commandement which is set before vs. Sathan will if hee can retaine some sinne and make thee relish some iniquitie but if thou preserue any works of the flesh for him thou cariest a most fearefull weapon to destroy thy selfe Againe since so much of the vncleane spirit may be said to be gone out of a man as admitteth any participation of the spirit of God and since euen the reprobate may partake of all the graces of God Heb. 6.5 sauing one grace to bee made new creatures lest this doctrine not rightly vnderstood might shake the foundation of some weake Christians wee will set downe certaine markes to distinguish betweene Sathans going out of Christians and out of the reprobate since the holy Ghost may bee and is communicated euen to them The difference then standeth in two points for the graces of God in these be different first in the measure of grace being greater in the elect than in the reprobate secondly in the obedience and working whereby the elect shew themselues conformable to the grace and so doe not the reprobate Now there be two kind of graces wherein the measure is greater in the children of God than in the reprobate and yet the first of these is really communicated to the wicked that is the enlightning of the minde for the reprobate are indeed enlightned in the knowledge of God as Heb. 6.5 do taste of the good word of God but not effectually as the elect do And though the Lord doth not regard the quantity but the substance of this enlightning so as sometimes there may be more light in a reprobate than in the childe of God yet for the most part the elect haue receiued a greater measure of this grace For the reprobate as Mark. 8.24 be like the blinde man who at the first putting on of Christ his hands saw men like trees that is a shape aduanced vpright but the elect as vers 25. are like vnto him when the Lord had laid his hands the second time vpon him for then he saw cleerely a farre off So as the hypocrite may goe thus farre hauing not a vaine but a vanishing light No◠enim gratia vana est sed euanescem to walke for a time in the light as Iohn 12.35 Yet a little while the light
was a type of the Messias 1. Sam. 15.28 it was begun in Dauid onely for Saul though he was king before yet was he no type of the Messias And for this second order which is all of Kings we shall see if we peruse the booke of God that Christ came of some as wicked kings as euer were for where from Salomon to the captiuitie there were 19. kings 13. of them were most wicked and some of them had such speciall blemishes spots vpon them as it is doubted whether they be saued or no Salomon had great enormities but there is no doubt of his repentance witnessed by his booke of retractions called Ecclesiastes Asa began well but in his old age he imprisoned the Prophet that told him of his sinne and in his sicknesse trusted more to the Physitian then to God 2. Chr. 16.10.12 Iehosaphat did the woorst act that could be 2. King 8.18 to marrie his sonne Iehoram to Athaliah the daughter of Iezabel whereby manie prouocations were committed and yet these were the best Iehoram he caused all Iuda to commit idolatry so as the Lord forsooke him and 2. Chro. 21.15 he died a miserable death his guts falling out of his belly not all at once but day by day which was more grieuous Ahazia his sonne was slaine 2. Chro. 22.9 by Iehu in the field and neuer any reuenged his blood Ioash his sonne 2. Chron. 23.3 was mightily preserued by Iehoiada the Priest from the hands of Athaliah Yet when the Priest was dead 2. Chron. 24.78 when the Prophets came to tell him he was a bused and misled by his Princes to idolatry he caused them to be slaine in the temple and himselfe Vers 25. was afterward killed by his owne seruants Amaziah his sonne fell to Idolatrie after a victory obtained of the Edomites and 2. Chro. 25.27 was traiterously slaine by his owne subiects Azariah his sonne 2. Chro. 26.21 because he vsurped vpon the Priests office was immediatly smitten with the hand of God that he came to be a Leper but some of those last Kings are not heere named by S. Matthew because hee meant to make a proportionable and euen number that should consist on foureteenes For Ahaz hee made all the altars like the altars of Damascus and 2. King 16.3 made his owne sonne passe through the fire according to the sacrifice and abhomination of the Heathen Iehoiakim hee contemned the threatnings of the Lord and caused the roule to be burnt Ier. 36.23 which Baruch had writ from the mouth of Ieremie he was therefore buried like an Asse as was prophecied by Ieremie 22.19 euen drawne and cast foorth without the gates of Ierusalem And for Zedechiah hee imprisoned the Prophet Ieremie and contemned the Lord therefore were his eies put out by the king of Babel Iere. 39.7.8 and he bound in chaines and led like a slaue into captiuity Out of which obserue that there is no priuiledge in the Princes chaire to keepe them from sinning neither yet that the maiestie of their places can protect them from the Lords vengance Vnderstand these words touching Christs descent legally as Deu. 25.5.6 and pag. 8. line 29. but that if their hearts bee lifted vp against God his hand shall fall vpon them to their distruction for the grace of the Lord must season their palaces else doe they stand but in slippery places And though our Sauiour Christ vouchsafed to come out of the loines of such wicked Kings it was not at all to giue anâ—e countenance to their offences or to embolden them in their sinnes but onely to open the fountaine of mercy to vs that wee may know he is able to sanctifie the vilest sinner Now for the third order which is of them who were caried away into captiuity note first the cause of the captiuity secondly the cruelty of it thirdly the mercy of the Lord in their deliuerance For the first which is the cause that Gods owne children and them of the blood royall should be caried into slauery it is set downe 2. Chro. 36.12 to be first for that the king rebelled against God and humbled not himselfe before Ieremy the Lords Prophet Secondly for that both Priest and people trespassed wonderfully set downe in two things principally First they polluted the house of the Lord with the abhominations of the heathen Secondly they mocked and misused the messengers of the Lord and despised his words vntill the wrath of the Lord rose vp against them and that there was no remedie but he was enforced to giue them to the bloud-thirsty Babylonians Wherein obserue what a fearefull thing it is to fall into idolatrie after our eies haue once beene opened and how nothing prouokes the Lord so much as the contempt of his embassage For if hauing once seene the goodnesse and power of God we decline from him and lay holde on other helpes and contemne the face and speech of his Ministers whom he hath made acquainted with his secrets and that wee waxe strong in our selues we doe but as Vzziah did 2. Chron. 26.16 lift vp our hearts to destruction and force the Lord to take his cuppe of indignation in his hand and to holde it as well to the mouth of the king as to the people for where all conspire to worke mischiefe all shall be ouerwhelmed with the same madnesse as Ieremy speaketh chap. 25.18 For the second which is the miserie they sustained being captiues it is to be seene first in their vsage before they came to Babylon set downe 2. Chr. 36.17 they tooke both young and old men and women and though they fled to the Sanctuarie for succour yet were they there stabbed with daggers they burnt the house of God and tooke the precious vessels of it to abuse in their superstition when they come to Babel Now to see the temple on fire and yong and old slaine without mercy had beene enough to haue rent their hearts in peeces to see the worship of God thus defaced and themselues reserued but as an after pray to the enemy But now secondly comming thither namely to Babel to behold such grosie idolatry and to heare such high reproches as no doubt were giuen against the God of Israel as Psal 137.3 Come sing a song to the God of Iuda that hath forsaken you and Beholde heere be the people whom the Lord hath spued out besides the bondage wherein themselues were kept how could they but straine foorth teares of bloud and send foorth deepe sighes from a mournfull spirit Yea their case was so desperate and miserable as Ezech. 37.11 their raising vp againe and restitution was made of the Lord as great a matter and as hard as to put life into a company of dead bones for their the Lord saith These drie bones are the house of Israel neither yet did this their captiuity last but a while but they were wintred and sommered there full 70. yeeres as was foretold by the Prophet Ieremy chap. 25.11 that
ieopard his owne soulâ— in suffering the soules of others to famish he will instantly and shamelesly deny their consciences condemning them in the particular So will the Atheist and prophane person confesse in generall that God is iust that he hateth sinne yea and that he will bee auenged for sinne but that Gods hand shall euer come neere him or that the euillday shall fall vpon him though he wallow in his owne filthinesse his senslesse soule will neuer allow of Howbeit let euery one of vs beware after the example of these great Scribes who found that to bee true to their particular condemnation which they onely held to be true in their owne generall opinion namely that the Messias was borne but that Christ was he though he wrought with power and taught with authority they vtterly denied it For though in the whole booke of God most of the promises and cursings be set downe in generall yet they are not effectuall to comfort vs nor powerfull to terrifie vs if our owne soules do not assume particularly to our selues as generally to beleeue that whosoeuer is weary shall be refreshed yet shalt thou neuer find rest in thy soule vnlesse thou likewise beleeue that Christ shall euen be the water of life to thee Lastly in the resolution of these Diuines obserue how diuersely men vse the Scripture which are heere set downe to bee of three sorts First the Scribes they vsed them for speculation onely thinking it enough if they so studied them as they could know such a thing should bee strengthening onely their iudgement and neuer suffering it to sinke into their affections Secondly Herod hee inquireth of the Scripture to compasse mischiefe that this babe might likewise haue fallen within his butchery Thirdly the graue wise men they enquire after them with a single eie and an honest heart that being resolued according to the truth they may goe to the worship of the Messias So as euen of those that will bee accounted professors we see there is but one sort onely that bring foorth the simple fruites of righteousnesse Answerable almost to these may we say we haue three sorts of congregations in this time The first of them that loue the euill which they haue contenting and pleasing themselues with a dumbe Minister committing the cure of their soules to them that know no Physicke The second of them that haue not the good they loue they wanting a good Minister and heartily desiring him that he might leade them foorth into the pleasant feedings of the Lord. The third of them that loue not the good they haue enioying a good Minister and not regarding him And all these may well be counted miserable though the affection of the second sort be most righteous The fourth generall circumstance is Herods pretending of piety and vsing of policy to destroy the babe our Sauiour set downe by three circumstances First how after the resolution deliuered he calleth the Wise-men priuily and in secret for this newes came vpon him like the pangs of death and commands them to enquire of the babe not the King for this was it that gauled him to the heart Secondly to returne what successe they had Thirdly he pretendeth a good end namely that he also would goe to worship as they had done In the first of these note two things first his extreame sottishnesse secondly his extreame fury His sottishnesse that hauing a remedy at hand to haue beene sure to haue caught the child namely to haue sent some of his Courtiers vnder pretence of gratifying these Wise men and then hee could not doubt but haue grasped him in his clawes howbeit though this was a matter touched the kingdome and his crowne yet the Wise-men goe alone and he sendeth not one with them Thus the Lord deliuereth his Church out of the pawes of the Lion by striking their enemies with the spirit of giddinesse and astonishment that either they cannot see the way to reuenge or being in their hands they become foolish His extreame fury impiety and audacious hardnesse appeareth in this that hee knowing this babe spoken of by the Prophets was to be set vp and aduanced for King and that heauen and earth could not depose him whom God would haue lifted vp and that considering the starre appeared that these Wise-men came so farre to worship him whereby he could not but know that it was the ordinance of the most high yet hee goeth about to crosse the Lord and to resist his prouidence yea hee knew out of the Oracle cited by his owne Scribes that such an one was to be borne yet hee laboureth to dispossesse him when he might as easily lay siege against the seate of God and seeke to batter heauen or to stay the course of the Sunne or to hold the winds in his fist as to keepe this babe from the kingdome But thus doe the wicked make God an Idoll and so lightly regard him as they dare fight hand to hand with him saying as it is Iob. 21.15 Who is the Almighty that we should serue him Exod. 8. 9. Thus did Pharao beare often plagues sent by the immediate hand of God before he would let the Israelites depart against the expresse charge and commandement sent vnto him by the mouth of Moses And thus did Saul follow Dauid at the heeles to haue had his life 1. Sam. 15.28 though he knew he was set vp of the Loâ—d to succeed him Howbeit we must incline to the counsell of Gamaliel Act. 5.35 to say that if it be of God it will preuaile for how can the hand of the creature destroy that which the breath of the Creator will haue preserued or how can the Lord giue blessing to that course which his hand hath cursed Nay his decrees shall stand vnchangeable being farre more wise then the law of the Medes and Persians Dan. 6.8 that altereth not how euer Herod and his brethren haue made a couenant with hell that come what can come they feare it not for vengeance is both aboue from heauen to smite them and beneath on earth to swallow them and they can no more auoide it then the old world could auoid the floud Further obserue in this speech of Herod to the Wise-men that he also would goe to worship the babe that some man may speake that in hypocrisie to the damnation of his owne soule which another beleeuing in simplicity may heare with comfort For no doubt the Wise-men heere were glad when they heard Herod say he would also worship though himselfe meant nothing lesse Which example we that are Christians must still follow for so long as men beare vp their heads in the Church of God and ioyne with vs in his seruice we must leaue their hearts to him that made them and reioyce that by the leaues of their profession they seeme to be trees of the Lords planting The fift generall point is what befell these Wise-men both in their iourney from Herods Court and
when they came to their iournies end set downe by fiue circumstances First that they went when they were resolued Secondly that the starre appeareth againe and goeth before them Thirdly that it stands vpon the particular place where the babe lay Fourthly their exceeding ioy Fiftly how comming thither they find the babe in a base place yet they are not discouraged but reuerence him and giue him gifts For the first it is shewed that they went alone not one with them though this was the King specially borne for the saluation of the Iewes Wherein wee may admire their ingratitude and the impiety of the Scribes that pointed the way to others and yet vouchsafed not themselues to goe one foot to enquire after Christ Thus may Preachers be as Mercuriales statui set vp aâ— directors of others shewing the way to heauen and yet goe themselues to hell Perhaps they feared the cruelty of the king that if they should haue beene caried with an affection of seeing him it might haue cost them their liues or at least their honours Though it were so yet doth it not excuse their vngodlinesse to preferre the feare of a King that could but kill the body and touch the goods Mark 8.36 before the feare of the great King of the heauens that can destroy both body and soule For though the disciples and Apostles Act. 4.18 bee commanded that they should teach no more in the name of Iesus yet if the burden of the Lord be vpon them they may not but speake vers 20. the things which they haue seene and heard And though Micaiaâ— the Prophet 1. King 22.13 doe know what message will please the King yet though he be smitten on the cheeke and cast into prison hee must deliuer the counsell of the Lord. For as Saint Paul saith Gal. 1.10 If in these things I should please meâ— I were not the seruant of Christ. In that none of the people accompanied these Wise-men obserue their dulnesse and Atheisme that they all stay at home and yet they kept an outward shew and deuotion in seruing God and offered sacrifices which vnlesse they knew that they praefigured the death of Christ what made they of their temple but a butchers shambles Yet by their idlenesse that they would not steppe one foot to see him is perceiued that of the Messias spiritually they knew nothing Which is likewise to be feared of vs in these daies that we onely rest our selues within the reach of the Gospell for that it hath brought vs peace which peace hath purchased for vs profit and promotion but if the state might stand in quiet though Christ were banished from vs or if we might gaine more by Diana of Ephesus Act. 19.24 then by the God of Israel it is to bee doubted Christ might lodge long enough at Bethlem before we would goe to visit him Further obserue if these Wise-men had not left Herod to his canuassing of the matter the Scribes to their speculation the people to their trades if they had respected the example of the mighty or of the learned or considered the danger that it was a matter of treason if it had so beene taken they had not had this glory and honour to haue seene the Messias but they are glad to goe alone though they would be desirous to haue company Whereby we learne that to embrace religion and to ioyne our selues with the congregation of the Saints it is good in going if wee can get company for the greater blessing fals vpon a multitude howbeit we must haue this resolution to go what danger soeuer may befall and not to stay vntill others goe for thou shalt neuer see the Lord Iesus if thou stay till all Hierusalem doe goe with thee to Bethlem These Wise-men might haue said with themselues Wherefore should we goe see him since his owne people will not as Iudas asked Christ Ioh. â— 22 Why doest thou shew thy selfe to vs and not to the world but they take no occasion of stay but are resolute to goe alone Now if these heathen men were so earnest as to admit of nothing which might hinder them from beholding Christ in the flesh how much more ought wee to bee eager to heare Christ in his word and to see him in the Sacrament The Queene of Saba shall rise vp in iudgement against vs that came so farre to heare the wisdome of Salomon 1. Kings 10.1 and yet as Christ speaketh Mat. 12.42 a greater then Salomon is heere yet are we negligent in attending the voice of God Now for the second circumstance namely that the starre went before them consider the wonderfull wisdome of God that he doeth so qualifie and moderate the trials and afflictions of his seruants that euen to the greatest temptations if they mistrust not he giueth a most blessed issue for it might haue stricken these men with a strange astonishment and driuen them into great perplexity that they being of speciall reputation in their country and comming this tedious iourney and hauing such colde entertainment both in the Kings court and of the meaner people and hauing lost their direction the starre being vanished these things might greatly haue dismaied them not to haue gone any further yet they proceeding forward in their obedience the light that was quenched was againe of the Lord reuiued and with this they were comforted greatly seeing the resolution of the Priests concurring with the dumbe message of the starre Wherein also marke that the starre guided them to the particular place where the babe lay for if they had come to Bethlem it is likely none there knew it Christ his birth being a thing not dreamt of and he being a babe vnregarded and so much the more because he comes of the house of Dauid And if they had enquired of wicked men for such a thing they would but haue scorned them or else sought to haue intrapped them if of good men they had indangered themselues by discrying it Therfore not to need any helpe the Lord from heauen pointeth out the place vnto them wherin for our further instruction learne that God in euery good purpose doth goe before vs by his grace to make vs willing Phil. 2.13 as Saint Paul speaketh and with the same grace doth follow vs and confirme vs in the first worke that we shall neuer wash our hands in vaine but that as we are by his direction come to Ierusalem to seeke after Christ so wee shall by the same direction go strait to Bethlem where we shall see him as Dauid saith Psalm 25.12 They that feare the Lord shall know how to choose the right way For their reioycing at the sight of the starre appearing againe it implieth they were strangely discomforted at the losse of it Where note that if the Lord doe at any time quench the light of his spirit in vs or change the pleasure and eclipse the ioy of his countenance if sometimes wee cannot apply to our soules the sweet
shall want the Rauens shall feed him yea hee will make the wicked an instrument to prouide for his chosen as Zedekiah to command that Ieremy be fed in the prison as long as there is any bread in the City Ier. 37.21 which ought to teach vs not to compasse any thing vnlawfully or to dig vs cisternes out of the policy of the flesh but to relie vpon the Lord who can and will send vs reliefe from the vttermost parts of the earth and when we least looke for it and when it shall be most welcome as he did heere to the mother of Iesus For the sixt generall circumstance namely for the oracle giuen these Wise-men to goe home another way learne first how the Lord disappoints the purposes of tyrants and wicked men which bend their bowes whet their swords and make their arrowes keene to pierce the sides of the godly Psal 7.14 that it fals out they are but concerued with vanity and trauell of iniquity and bring foorth a lie For when Herod meant to haue glutted his bloudy minde vpon the report of these Wise-men then are they of the Lord sent another way And when Act. 23.12 the Iewes had bound themselues with a curse that they would neither eate nor drinke till they had killed Paul then the Lord sent into the heart of the chiefe Captaine so to intrench him about with souldiers as he was kept safe from their fury So when Senaherib the King of Ashur had thought to haue swallowed vp Ierusalem Esay 36.33 then the Lord said and performed it that he should not so much as shoot an arrow nor cast a mount against it Thus doeth the Lord alwaies preuent the dangers intended against his children Psal 91.5.6 that neither the plague that flies by day nor the pestilence that walkes by night nor the snare of the hunter can once intrap them but his eares are open euen to the praiers of Ionas c. 2.2 to deliuer him out of the Whales belly and his eies are so bent vpon Daniel c. 6.22 as the Lions haue no power to hurt him but he is as a shadow against the parching heat and as a shield against the blustering cold which may incoâ—â—age vs still to lay hands vpon him as our succour to behold him as our deliuerer to flie to him as our comforter to waite vpon him as our guide and to commit our soules vnto him as vnto the best keeper Secondly heere learne by the not returning of these Wisemen to Herod according as they were commanded that an oath or a vow taken and made against the bond of charity and tending to the hurt of our brother is not to be performed but being vndertaken vpon weakenesse is to be discharged vpon conscience and therefore rash was the vow of Iphtah Iudg. 11.31 to promise to the Lord without limitation a sacrifice of that he should first meet when he came home For though the Apostle Heb. 11.32 commendeth him for his worthy enterprise in deliuering the people yet by this rash vow and wicked performance of the same his victory was much defaced For we must make no haste with our mouthes to pronounce any thing but set a watch before our lippes that they may hedge in our tongues from speaking euill of our brethren and yet if we hap to slip in this wee must keepe in our hands from executing what vnaduisedly we vttered For first we are so farre from being bound to derect them when their liues or bodies are sought for as wee are to counsell them to hide them as Eliah 1. Kings 17.3 was counselled of the Lord to hide himselfe So did Ionathan 1. Sam. 20.42 make his fathers fury knowen to Dauid that hee might hide himselfe and therfore cursed be the Ziphims 1. Sam. 23.20 that promised Saul to deliuer Dauid into his hands and cursed be Irrijah Ier. 37.13 that staid Ieremy and brought him to the Princes as a fugitiue when hee was going to the land of Beniamin Secondly if they cannot hide themselues wee must doe it for them So did Obadiah 1. Kin. 18.13 in the court of Ahab hide a hundred Prophets from the cruelty of Iesabel So did Rahab Iosh 2.1 in great zeale to God and loue to his seruants hide the spies with the danger of her owne life So did the Disciples Act. 9.21 let downe Paul in a basket when his life was sought for by the Inquisition Thirdly if they be apprehended we must be so farre from accusing them as we must countenance and defend them to our powers So did Ebedmelech Ier. 38.9 when he came to the King in the gate and told him Ieremy had wrong to be imprisoned and so did Ionathan 1. Sam 20.32 defend Dauid against his owne father for it is not the commandement of a King that ought to make vs giue vp the sonnes of God into their hands nay the Lord himselfe in this place teacheth vs otherwise that would not suffer these Wise-men to obey Herod wherby the babe might haue beene exposed to his butchery Lastly in the departure of these Wise-men obserue that God both in the beginning and in the end will blesse all courses and actions enterprised and done in his feare and in a holy obedience as he did blesse and prosper the iourney of these Wise-men giuing them both a direction which way to come to Ierusalem and which way to goe from Bethlem which must make vs if we expect any blessed successe of that we vndertake not to begin but with the warrant of a good conscience nor to proceed but with a reuerent and resolute obedience as to the commandement of God and as aiming at the aduancement and promotion of his glory and the furtherance of his seruice MATH chap. 2. vers 13 14 15. verse 13 After their departure behold the Angell of the Lord appeareth to Ioseph in a dreame saying Arise and take the babe and his mother and flie into Aegypt and be there till I bring thee word for Herod will seeke the babe to kill him verse 14 So he arose and tooke the babe and his mother by night and departed into Aegypt verse 15 And was there vnto the death of Herod that the might bee fulfilled which is spoken of the Lord by the Prophet saying Out of Aegypt haue I called my Sonne THE Euangelist as before hee shewed the glorious and blessed beginnings of our Sauiours birth who though borne in basenesse had testimony giuen him of his maiesty by the starre in heauen and in earth by the Wise-men of Persia so now he setteth downe a matter of great discomfort that this same babe euen from his cradle should begin to bee crucified in himselfe and his members Wherein generally there be three points set downe first the commandement of the Angell secondly the obedience of Ioseph thirdly the fulfilling of a prophesie In the commandement consider first the circumstance of the time that it was after the departure of the Wise-men how long after is not
certainely set downe but it is probable and likely that it was not till Mary had recouered the weaknes of her child-birth Secondly heerein consider the substance of the message containing these foure things first that Ioseph must take the babe and his mother hee doth not say his wife for the Angell had before satisfied him for that matter Secondly the place whither he must goe to Egypt the worst of all other Thirdly the time he should stay there set downe indefinitely till hee was called away Fourthly a reason of this commandement expressed to releeue the weaknesse of Ioseph though the commandement it selfe had been sufficient because Herod sought to destroy the child Out of the first circumstance of the time learne that God giueth and alloweth no long time of peace and truce to his seruants whom he will make mirrors of patience but hee sendeth one trouble in the necke of another that though the life of man be but as a tale told yet the estate of a Christian soule hath many fractions and interruptions before it can passe like the weauers shuttle through the web so as the breathing time which they haue had is but to enable them to further strength for that which succedeth Heere being in this place set downe how the Lord mingled the sweetnesse of the gifts brought to this babe by the men of Persia with the bitternesse of an immediate persecution by the hand of Herod the King to teach Ioseph and in him all of vs that when we haue had honour together with the profession of the Gospell we may not flatter and perswade our selues of the continuance of this but bee armed to stand to the truth and to the acknowledgement of the Lord Iesus both in honour and dishonour For Mary as she had this comfort to see the babe her sonne honoured and worshipped of these Wisemen so had she this sorrow and discomfort mixed therewithall in the night to trusse vp her furniture and to flie Thus fared it with her sonne at another time who Mat. 21.8 comming riding on the Sabboth to Hierusalem had acclamations and cries of the people Hosanna to the Sonne of Dauid blessed be he that commeth in the name of the Lord yea had the greatest glory that euer happened to any earthly Prince to haue garments strawed in the way for him to tread on thereby the more royally to entertaine him yet after all this within fiue daies he is exclaimed on and tumultuously they crie Crucifie him crucifie him his bloud be vpon vs and our children To teach vs that neither prosperity puffe vs vp nor aduersity cast vs downe knowing that it is the Lords will and pleasure that there should be an interchangeable course of these things As Simeon prophesied Luk. 2.35 that a sword should pierce Maries soule which euen now was fulfilled being commanded to take her heeles to teach her that she should not expect any great state in this life though she was the mother of the King of glory but that euen shee should be fashioned after her owne Sonne to come to a crowne by the crosse Heere then is condemned the daintinesse of those professors that will waite no longer at the Lords table then they may be fed from his trencher and which doe loue the practise of the Gospell onely for the peace of the Gospell For Ioseph may not bee discouraged though he bee driuen to flie with the Lord of life in his armes but heereby may he be secured of safety hauing his Sauiour with him And on this may we all rest that 〈◊〉 wee bee driuen to flight for the cause of Christ our feet shall 〈◊〉 leade vs to the wings of Christ where we shall be cherished euen in Egypt a place of darknesse and disdaine to the truth 〈◊〉 God For the second circumstance which is the place wither they must flie it cannot be thought but Ioseph was distracted and wearied with sundry cogitations yea and perplexed with deepe sorrowes to see that this King of glorie must bee forced to flie from the cruelty of Herod and to such a place as was alwares an enemy to the Church of God Howbeit heerein wee may obserue how sometimes the Lord sheweth but a sparkle and portion of his power in the deliuery of his seruants though at other times hee openly sheweth himselfe for their protection in great glorie and maiesty as in the case of Eliah 2. King 1.9 when the souldiers came to him and scoffed him saying Man of God come downe presently the arme of God was made naked and fire came downe and consumed them So did the Lord deale with Elisha 2. King 6.18 who hauing discouered the secrets spoken in the King of Syriahs chamber the King in indignation sends foorth against one man hauing but Gehezi to wait on him and hoast of armed men to compasse the place where hee was and when they came thinking to haue caught him they were smitten with sudden blindnesse and Elisha in a holy zeale of Gods glory leadeth them to a city where but for him they had beene all slaine So Daniel chap. 6.7.22 he is put into the Lions denne sealed with the Kings owne signet as escape out he could not which since it is so the mouths of the Lions are shut that they cannot hurt him heere is maiesty but now Iesus his owne sonne he must flie and shall not be rescued by any immediate hand of his Father heere is a diuerse dispensation The children in the fire Dan. 3.22 though it consumed them that cast them in yet doe not their cloaths so much as smell of it and shall wee thinke that the hand of the Lord was now shortned or his power abated that hee could not haue wrought as mightily for the safety of his owne sonne God forbid Peter we see is cast into the gaole Act. 12.8 but the Angell of the Lord openeth the doore and bids him preach with confidence and â—hen hee was condemned the next day to bee executed lying â—ound with two great chaines the Angell with one blow vnlooâ—eth them both bringeth him through the souldiers and an iron gate flieth open to giue him passage So Paul Act. 16.26 he is deliuered by an earth-quake that shakes the prison and the gouernours are faine to intreat him to go foorth Thus can the praiers of Gods seruants obtaine the ministery of Angels to disarme the power of Sathan and to frustrate the malice of the wicked Howbeit on the other side how the Lord suffereth as it were his power to bee blasted vnder a wonderfull kind of infirmity wee haue equall examples in the Scripture We see Eliah 1. King 19.3 that before could command fire from heauen must now flie from the face of Iezabel and is driuen to such an exigent that hee cries out vnto the Lord euen to take away his life So the spies that came to see Iericho Iosh 2.4 and were sent from Ioshua the Lieutenant of God to take possession of the land of Canaan so
the liuing God though he had the warrant of the King of Ashur to doe it but in these and such like sinnes they hazard and aduenture their owne soules therefore let euery of vs keepe the ground that Balaam at first stood vpon Numb 24.13 not for a house full of gold to passe the commandent of the Lord yet I doe not say rebell but obey not Let Saul himselfe fall vpon the Priests if he will haue them slaine and let not vs assist him Let Iesabel her selfe sit in iudgement vpon Naboth but let not vs condemne him we are bound to do good to the saints of God much lesse to persecute them And it is said in the Gospell hee that clotheth a poore prisoner Mat. 35.36 clotheth the Lord Iesus Now what shall we say then of him that standeth vp like Tertullus against Paul Act. 24.5 to plead against him and to reproch him with the name of a pestilent and seditious fellow For if they shall bee condemned that haue not ministred to the necessity of the saints Luke 16.25 but haue been ashamed of their bands If Diues shall hang in hell for not refreshing Lazarus at his gate what shall become of them that take the bread from Lazarus and put Paul into bands or else enforce crimes against him to retaine him in bands Looke Iudg. 5.23 Cursed be Meroz because they helped not the Lord nor stood in defence of his truth A double curse then shall light vpon them that oppose themselues against the truth Obediah against the expresse edict of Iezabel 1. King 18.4 hideth the Prophets and Rahab Iosh 2.3 ventureth her life to preserue the spies Exod. 17.12 Psal 106 23. And what better spies can there bee then Preachers which stand in the gap betweene God and vs as did Moses which watch ouer the soules of the people and shew vs the way to heauen Ionathan being often incited by his father to kill Dauid 1. Sam. 20.2 protesteth Dauids innocencie though Saul perswaded him that Dauids glorie could not bee without Ionathans ruine and would not be drawne to doe it And if hee would not compasse such a mischiefe at the commandement of Saul which had a threefold force in it first as proceeding from his Father secondly from his Soueraigne thirdly being ioyned with the temptation of a kingdome much Iesse ought we to gratifie the State with the affliction of Gods Saints for we must rather Act. 4.19 obey God then man yet disobey not the Prince for his commandement standeth on these two feet either to doe the thing or to sustaine the punishment for not doing it Fourthly obserue that assoone as Christ is borne there is trouble and commotion ciuill and forren warres yet is not Christ the cause of it but the wickednesse and peruersenesse of Herods heart for righteousnesse must not yeeld to iniquity and Christ must be borne and being borne must raigne though the diuell rage and the world swell neuer so much Certaine it is no Gospell teacheth so much peace as this of Christs for it teacheth peace betweene God and man betweene man and man yea betweene man and his inward soule and maketh the wolues to become lambes and the Lyon to lodge with the Beare But Herod would haue the Gospell abolished and Christ murthered which cannot be Shall Dagon 1. Sam. 5.3 yeeld to the Arke or the Arke to Dagon Shall the ten Tubes go to Iuda or Iuda to them Ishbosheth to Dauid 2. Sam. 2.16 or Dauid to him Herod loues not Christ therefore hee murthers the children and Dauid especially being king must not yeeld to Saul house nor Iuda goe to the ten tribes nor Christ giue place 〈◊〉 Herod but if his Crowne cannot stand with the gouernment of Christ well may he harbour murther in his thought against him but iudgement shall fall on his owne head for God will wateâ— ouer his owne sonne and fight for his owne truth So as wheâ—â— religion hath beene granted by Parliament and suppressed by priuate commandement there may the subiects stand on the part defensiue to ward the blow being smitten but if it hath not beene established by publike authority then may they not take vp armes to set it vp Out of the murther it selfe gather that though there be many flaine yet Christ escapeth and that in the greatest persecution yet Christs religion shall neuer bee abolished For heere is great bloudshed yet Christ liueth great persecution yet the Gospell flourisheth When Iezabel thought she had had her hands full of bloud and that she had rooted out all the Lords Prophets you and when visibly there was no face at all to be seene so as Eliâ—â— thought himselfe onely to be left then the Lord 1. King 19.18 reserued seuen thousand to himselfe that had not bowed theâ—â— knees to Baal And when by scattering the sheepe and smitiâ—â— the shepheard the diuell thought himselfe flush and that 〈◊〉 Christ sleepe in the earth he had vtterly stung him to destruction then was his resurrection most glorious and then did the Churches of God increase daily For such is the nature of the Gospell that the more it is troden downe the higher it riseth the more it is maligned the broader it spreadeth and whâ—â—â— seemeth to be dead then is there most life in it For the third point which is the prophesie Ieremy chap. 13.15 to declare the greatnesse of Gods mercy in the deliuery of the Iewes sheweth them that they were like to the Beâ—â—â—mites or Israelites that is vtterly destroyed and caried away insomuch that if Rahel the mother of Beniamin could haue riâ—â—â— againe to seeke for her children shee might haue wept 〈◊〉 want of them but she should haue found none remaining Thâ—â— doth the holy Ghost bring in heere as a butchery foretold 〈◊〉 the end that none might either wonder or be offended at it for it might haue beene said Is this the consolation of Israel nay he is the discomfort and destruction of Israel his birth hauing kindled such a fire as neuer was the like before leauing so many sad hearts for their lost children And how may we hope he shall be our Sauiour when his beginning is with this bloud And the more to increase the cruelty of it the holy Ghost speaketh excessiuely bringing in Rachel dead many yeares before howling and wringing her hands at the rufull spectacle of this bloudy tragedy as if the calamitie of the liuing might seeme to touch and affect the dead That therefore this might not seeme strange the spirit of the Lord recorded it long before that when it came to passe they might digest it as a thing foreseene in the wisedome of God necessary to fall out MATH chap. 2. vers 19 20 21 22 23. verse 19 And when Herod was dead behold an Angell of the Lord appeareth in a dreame to Ioseph in Egypt verse 20 Saying Arise and take the babe and his mother and goe into the land of Israel for they are dead which sought
affections if our vnderstandings be illuminated and lightened with the lampe of the Gospell if we be inflamed and set on fire with the zeale of Gods glory and well hearted toward his children then may wee hope to haue beene baptized truely for the holy Ghost worketh these things in beleeuers But he that is drossie or luke-warme in his profession that is hard hearted to the Saints that followeth the sent of his affections and that is weary of the candle of truth hath cause to suspect that he is not yet baptized with the holy Ghost In Ioh. 3.5 this spirit is compared to water cleansing the soule inwardly which hath three properties first to wash away filthinesse secondly to moisten that which is drie and to quench thirst and allay the scorching heate thirdly to fructifie as Psalm 1. willowes are said to bee fruitfull planted by the water side euen so the holy Ghost doth purifie and wash the soule refresheth the conscience scorched with the feare of Gods vengeance and giueth power to make our drie and barren hearts to prosper in euery good worke MATH chap. 3. vers 12. verse 12 Which hath his fan in his hand and will make cleane his floore and gather his wheat into his garner but will burne vp the chaffe with vnquenchable fire BEcause it falleth out in great auditories and assemblies that there bee many wilfull and peruerse persons which doe not esteeme of the Lords rich bounty but doe scorne and tread vnder foote tâ—â— mercy offered Iohn Baptisâ— doth heere denounce peremptory vengeance and intollerable torment against all â—â—ose that shall not submit themselues to the ministery of the Messias and that they which will not bee baptized with the fire of the holy Ghost and of Christ that is with his bloud and with his spirit shall be baptized with the fire of hell The words doe containe an Allegorie or continued borrowed speech which may be thus resolued First by the Fanne vnderstand the ministerie of the Gospell which should begin at the preaching of Iesus and should winnow the people to make a separation betweene the bastardly brood of Abraham and the true Nathaniels Ioh. 1. chap. 47. Israelites in whom is no guile betweene them that had onely the marke of circumcision in the flesh and them whose hearts and vile affections were inwardly circumcised By that it is said In his hand is ment that it is presently to be manifested By floore vnderstand all places where a Church may be gathered or more specially for a visible Church alreadie gathered Iohn addressing his speech heere to the Iewes which were at this time the Church of God By wheate is ment all that should beleeue either Iewes or Gentiles By the Garner is ment the kingdome of heauen By chaffe is ment hypocrites and vnbeleeuers mis-liuers or the children of perdition that refuse to bee fanned by the Lords voice By cleansing is ment that separation the Gospell should make betweene the apostate Iew and the beleeuing Iew. By vnquenchable fire is ment the torment of hell prouided for vnbeleeuers Out of this first generally obserue that where the Gospell comes and is preached with power and with a good conscience and not huckstered nor merchandized as men doe their wares but that they so labour as not to be ashamed of that they doe preaching their doctrine not to the eare but to the doore of the conscience that there it makes a manifest difference betweene true and false children whereas before all was shuffled together for though before this time the Pharisees and all others were as one bearing the same title of Abrahams seed yet saith Iohn afterward shall come the venting of the Gospell which with the powerfull blast thereof shall scatter the hypocrites and make knowne the faithfulnesse of them that with honest hearts embrace and cherish it After this maner is the word in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Heb. 4.12 compared to a sword with two edges that cutteth two waies either to conuersion if it be beleeued or to confusion if it be despised Hereupon it is that Simeon did prophesie to Mary Luk. 2.34 to preuent any conceit might rise in her minde of her dignitie and glory being the mother of the eternall Lord heereby thinking that all the world should applaud her for her Sonne telling her that this child should be set vp for the rising and ruine of many a marke that euery man should shoot at and by his comming should the hearts of many be discouered For the sound of his mouth Heb. 4.12 deuides betweene the ioynts and the sinewes and the marrow and the bones anatomizing the hearts of men to see whether they be sound or rotten And they that before seemed to bee all one shall when the fan comes differ then the poison that before lurked shall bee layed foorth and the hidden gall shall be displaied Heereupon also the word is compared to fire which hath a double effect to wast stubble and drosse and to purifie that is refinable as siluer and gold For the Gospell hath this vertue to inflame some mens hearts with a zealous loue of God and his glory setting others on fire to persecute it to quench and to impugne it This effect had it in Iohns time some saying that he was an honest man some that he was Christ others that he was a Galilean Luk. 3.16 Mat. 11.16 whence could come no good thing and others more plainely that hee was a diuell all before being as they thought well circumcised and the children of Abraham So when Christ spake in his owne person the chaffe flew away and then was easily knowen who was an hypocrite hee comming to some place where they had rather haue their hogges Mark 5.17 then their soules saued Luk. 4.29 and to others where they brought him to the side of a hill of purpose to haue throwne him downe and to Iairus house where some Mark. 5.40 laugh him to scorne for his speech This fanne by Christ was committed to his Apostles that they likewise should make a separation where they came Paul Preaching at Antioch the Iewes railed against him when the Gentiles desired him to preach the same sermon the next Sabbath And by the power of this Fanne Act. 22.23 the Iewes cast vp dust in the aire and crie that Paul is vnworthy to liue And Act. 23.12 certaine doe bind themselues by oath not to eate nor drinke till they had killed him when as others in Iudaea did submit themselues and became the true disciples of Christ Yea Luk. 12.53 it appeareth that there is no bond so streight nor so well knit but religion will violate and cause the father with the sonne the mother with the daughter to impugne the Gospell with hostility not that it is the property of the Gospell to breed dissention but it is the malice of Sathan to enrage mens hearts that they should not receiue it that his barnes might be full And then must Ahab 1. King 21.19
a miracle it shall more conueniently be spoken of in Christs reply Now for the second generall point which is the beating â—â—ke of the temptation we must consider two parts first that â—â—â—ulseth him by alleaging Scripture secondly the place alleâ—â—â— what sense it is to be applied For the first vnderstand that out Sauiour Christ might many waies haue ouercome him yea by the power of his Godâ—ead he could haue confounded him without an answer but it leased him to fight with the weapons of flesh and bloud that we by his exampl might learn out of the word as our of a school of defence to beate backe Sathan Where obserue that Christ alleaging Scripture as an instrument to repulse the diuell that there is no sword of the spirit to driue away temptations so sure as the Word of God being most necessary for this purpose Where two sorts of men are iustly reproued first they that wring this weapon out of the peoples hands secondly they that cast it from them that are content themselues to abide the blowes but another must weare the sword For the first they are the prelates of Rome who in the time that heauen was made a haire-cloth and Antichrist set foot on the Lords throne shut vp the booke of God into the rusty scabberd of Bishops houses where it was kept vnder the bondage of the Clergy vpon paine of excommunication charging the lay people not to meddle with it as if it had beene the readiest weapon to haue cut their throats But since the Sonne of righteousnesse appeared the Gospell shining in mens hearts they being ashamed of this and being perswaded in common equitie that men were not to bee kept from it they haue published one part of the word the new Testament not say they vpon any absolute necessitie but to auoid corruptions that may gâ—â—â— by reading other translations they knowing the people 〈◊〉 would not bee made such fooles and babes as they were 〈◊〉 there was a generall mistouer the whole world But wee doe stand vpon the absolute necessity of hauing the word common because the danger is common that thereby is to bee auoided and this for two causes first it is necessary that euery one should trie the spirits so as he must vnderstand more then hee is taught by the mouth of that spirit which should bee tried therefore they must haue the booke of God according as the men of Beroea had Act. 17.11 giuing no further credite to Pauls Sermons then they were consonant to the written word Secondly euery Christian is a souldier and in his baptisme hath taken presse money of Christ to serue him in this field of the world against the Diuell our sworne enemy who worketh outwardly by the glittering shewes of the earth inwardly by the desires of flesh and bloud adding his owne suggestions to both these Now the weapons to encounter him are the word as the sword and faith as the shield And euery one being tempted in his owne person the more to offend the enemy and the better to defend himselfe and since our owne sinnes shall be required at our owne hands we must euery one take his sword out of the Lords armory that we may resist in person as we are striken in person And it was a fearefull thing for them to put out the kandle while the people were smitten and a shamefull thing to put out their right eye that they might not discerne their euill wares they vttered them for their good money Oh say they it is good they should haue them to keepe them from the infection of other impressions as if the reading of the Scriptures by the people were Physicke when men are sicke and not meate when they bee whole Treacle to driue out poison and not preseruatiues to keepe from it as if it had strength to put the enemy to flight and none to hinder his approach the contrarie whereof is rather true For if it bee meete to giue light to the simple when the heauens are ouercast with the mist and cloudes of heresie it is much more forcible to shew the way when they are not so clouded Oh but there be many hard matters in the Scripture past the common reach So there bee many easie within their reach for the Lord hath so tempered them as some be easie to prouide against penurious stomackes and some difficult to preuent fastidious lothsomnesse Yea as in the most champion and plaine ground of the booke of the Scripture there be some mysteries as hillockes higher then the rest so in the greatest and steepest hill thereof there is footing whereby with labour and trauell we may come to that height of it where wee may see and discouer so much of the land of Canaan and the kingdome of heauen as our places doe require Therefore it is well said that the Scriptures are like a floud wherein the lambe may wade and the Elephant swim for the plainer places are to be digested with comfort and the hidden treasure to be digged out by praier Therefore saith Christ Mat. 23.14 Let him that readeth consider c. Oh but this taketh away the glorie of the Church when euery one may controule his master and breedeth heresies when euery one may maintaine by this his owne opinion Yea but it is good that euery one shold know the truth that they may follow the steppes of their teachers but in the way of truth and if because some haue beene seduced all should be depriued of this blessing then away with preaching for it is the sauour of death to many 2. Cor. 2.16 and with the Sacraments for many feede of Christs flesh but to choke them to damnation and then away also with Christ himselfe for to many Luk. 2.34 he is a rocke of offence to rush their bones to perdition And if Heretikes haue abused the Scripture this is a reason to restore it that they may be againe conuinced by Scripture And if it be sufficient to say the diuell alleaged Scripture therefore hide it from the people we say to this Christ vsed nothing but Scripture therefore let them haue it for it is no reason to take away the thing for the abuse of the thing no more then that a lambe should cast off his fleece because the Lion sometime weareth it or that because one abuseth is sword therefore none should weare any weapon For howsoeuer some mad-men-or quarrellers in the campemay abuse them to their owne and others destruction yet the Law of not bearing sword in the field will neuer bee iust And to meet with such an euill by taking away the good is â—â—e vnto those vnskilfull Physitians that rid their Patients of no disease vnlesse they take their liues from them Yea but it is dangerous medling Why then put out the candle lest it burne the house Oh but put not kniues into childrens hands But there is no such comparison in the Scripture it is indeed compared with a sword in the
Whereas wee so looke to the meanes on earth as if there came no blessing from heauen when as wee should in duty first lift vp our eies to the Highest that hee would adde his fauour to our labour for hee can make vs aswell want in abundance as abound in scarcity the dearest things a man can haue either for possession as lands or for affection as wife in the middest of persecution if the crosse be sanctified vnto vs by the hand of God in the want of both these we shall haue an hundred fold more that is more peace of conscienc more contentation of minde and more sweet tast of the Lords loue then wee should haue had auoiding this persecution in an hundred wiues or an hundred times more liuing We being now assured of Gods fauour and being but pilgrims on earth wee shall see Christ in the heauens with his armes displaied to imbrace vs a ioy surpassing all that worldly men can conceiue in all their superstuities this but tickling the sense and nothing contenting the mind the other wrapping vp the soule in assurance of full and perfect blessednesse For the second point which is the affirmatiue that is for the blessing of God and the way he hath deemed to bee most fit to maintaine our selues that is his word we are to learne a double vse the first speciall the second generall Speciall in the matter heere expressed for sustenance that it is the Lord who doth maintaine vs so as his blessing must be vpon the bread else it can affoord no nourishment Whereby are to be reproued those inordinate men that go vnto their meates like horses to prouinder and like hogges gathering the mast and neuer looking vp to the tree whence it falleth They should consider first that the bread vnlesse it be sanctified 1. Tim. 4.4.5 by God is none of theirs for we lost all the benefite of Gods creatures in the fall of Adam and can no way challenge them but by restitution in Christ and this must be by praier Secondly if wee would thinke that God could take away the strength from bread wee would feed more religiously let vs know that he may rot the graine in the clods or blast it in the eare he may restraine the latter raine that it may not yeeld in the barne vermine may consume it if it passe the flaile the mill the ouen yet in thy mouth it may be rats-bane and turne to poison or in thy stomacke it may become the gall of Aspes for why shouldest thou feede on Gods creatures not acknowledging them whence they come Set before thee the example registred in the Scripture Numb 11.33 quaâ—les came loth somely out of their nostrels and they died with meate in their mouthes hauing fat bodies and leane soules Therefore let vs pray that the food wee take may doe vs good otherwise wee haue no more right to vse them then the Israelites had to the quailes And as God can turne stones into bread so can hee also turne bread into stones for it is not the nature of the thing it selfe simply to nourish without a blessing but wine which doth comfort the weake the Lord can make it to the wicked a cup onely to infatuate them that their account may be the greater for vsurping the Lords creatures And this is the reason why wee are taught in the Lords praier to pray that our daily bread may be giuen vs thereby acknowledging first God to bee the giuer secondly that we haue trust that through our praiers onely it shall bee giuen vs thirdly that not onely the creatures themselues but the blessing vpon them comes from God for though our garments were as costly as the Ephod of Aron yet without his blessing they were nothing For so miserable is our condition that we are not able to liâ—â— one moment without the speciall prouidence of God For the second vse which is generall as it is true in bread so is it in all other things that without the blessing of God they can auaile vs nothing when wee are sicke wee seeke like Asa 2. Chron. 16.12 to the Physitian fixing our eies and fastening our hope only vpon this outward meanes whereas if the Lord hath called for a plague vpon vs what man can cure it vnlesse the Lord doe reuoke it So is it for warres men may prouide money munition and horses for the day of battell but victory commeth of the Lord for it is he that amazeth the rider Prou. 2â— 31 and asswageth the fury of the enemy and blindeth the wisedome of the Princes of the world that they shall faile in policy And how commeth it to passe saith the Prophet Hagge 1.6 that ye sow much and reape little weare much apparell and it doth not warme you drinke and your thirst is not quenched but onely that the Lord hath blowne vpon it hath blassed and not blessed it Therefore let vs learne to remooue this fault that by the secret infidelity of our hearts wee doe not attribute too much to the meanes for the Lord can feed without bread but bread cannot nourish without his blessing The vse then of this doctrine is double first for our indgements secondly for our affections For the first first we are heereby warranted to pray for things necessary for this life as Math. 7. it is said Aske and it shall be giuen you secondly that the expectation of these things from God and not to haue them without him is an outward profession that he is onely the distributer of them and therefore will giue to euery one his appointed portion Wee may not therefore simply pray for these outward and earthly things but with limitation first that they be subiect to the pleasure of God secondly that they be desired not for themselues but to glorifie God and to profit our neighbour Thirdly heere is confuted the error of the heathen that worshipped Ceres as the God of corn and Bacchus as the God of wine which howsoeuer they were the first inuenters of grinding the one and pressing the other yet both the Corne and the Grape come from God For the second which concerneth our affections heere is first reproued couetousnesse in getting the venome of all vertue and is contrary to the keeping of a good conscience before God and desiring of a good name before men making vs deafe to the noise of infamy For if the hand of God containeth all and the blessing of God continueth all to what end shall we tempt him or bury our selues as it were in the graues of lust Secondly is reprehended our vnthankefulnesse in vsing Gods blessings pasting by them with our eies shut and glorifying the meanes aboue the matter Thirdly our diffidence lest we should lose or want them for the fountaine of all riches streaming from the Lord hee can conuey vnto vs whole riuers of them and measure them vnto vs without stint if we depend vpon his prouidence Then the Diuell tooke him vp into the holy
the skinne as wee seeme to stand but on one foote from slipping into hell the other striking so deepe into the ioyes of this life that feeling as it were a quotidian ague of discomforts hanging vpon vs we can hardly weane our thoughts from listening to the knell of iudgement founding in our eares it is fit we prouide for our inward peace there being no outward balme able to asswage a raging conscience nor no externall Physicke of force to relieue a distressed soule We may not therefore iudge our selues safest when wee are freest from the buffetings of Satan for bearing in our bodies a diuided kingdom between the flesh the spirit represented vnto vs in the wrestling of Rebeccahs twins within her wombe Gen. 25.22 if we haue peace with God we shall haue warre with the dragon hauing forsaken Egypt in the way to Canaan Reu. 12.9 Exod. 14.9.10 we shal haue Pharaoh his captaines flie like grashoppers to feed vpon vs yea the liberty we haue in Christ the corruption of our hearts will labour to inuert to voluptuousnes the sweetnes we taste in his word Gal. 5.13 the vanity of our minds will endeuor to ouercast with drowsines Act. 20.9 the faith which we ground on his promises Gen. 3.4 the subtilty of the serpent will seeke to vndermine by doubtfulnes the conscience we make to offend the lusts of our flesh will contend for to couer with hypocrisy the detestatiō we haue of sin the concupiscence of our eies wil striue to out-reach with profanenesse the interest we haue to heauen the pride of our liues will perswade vs to exchange for trifles Gen. 25.30 With which temptations we may not be dismaied for where the siege is layd there is watchfulnesse to withstand but where no feare of the enemy is there the weapon rusteth and feeling a continuance of this contention between the law of the flesh and the spirit of life wee may bee assured that the seed of grace giuen vs from aboue which first drew vs into fight with our vncleannesse is well growen and that imputing the first thought of our peace to the loue of God Iohn 3.16 the full accomplishment of it to the death of Christ and the alone messenger and perswader of it to the holy Ghost and knitting the whole power of the worke the mercy in our preseruation the glory in our victorie to the arme and action of the almighty we shall haue our corruptions as it were closed in our hands and the pride of our resistance so abated in our liues as sinne shall but droupingly be seene in vs and mortality that cannot bee priuiledged with perfection shall yet be beautified with sanctification in such measure as we shall walke heere but as dispatcht from heauen on our Lords message to giue the sonnes of men a paterne of good life to forewarne them of their woes 〈◊〉 7. 〈◊〉 28.20 by bounding our desires within Iacobs compas the presence of the Lord to guide vs that we doe not stray his prouidence to feed vs that we do not starue and his bounty to cloth vs that we do not perish On the otherside so tender are our thoughts and so iealous our meditations of the loue of God Io◠6.4 as we are stricken with a trembling distrust to haue lost the starre of our direction and comfort in Christ when wee see our selues exposed to the shame of the world and the winds still to beate on our rudders where the wicked saile away proudly in a set calme our houses to be inclosed with snares when theirs are peaceable without feare and our liues to be bound vp in sorow Iob 21.24 when their brests as Iob speaketh are full of milke and their bones of marrow And when the apprehension of this feare hath taken such hold of our flesh as we thinke our selues smitten in displeasure and the tree of our hope to bee torne downe in wrath wee then wrastle with sinne as if the steps of our strength were restrained and looke vpon death as the Iailer that commits vs to the graue as a dungeon Hobeit euen in this doth the Lord reach forth a most approued cordiall to remoue the faintnesse of our hearts for hauing accesse into his sanctuary through the vnion communion we haue with Christ the vncleanues of our birth being wiped away in the sanctification of his nature our transgression remoued in his innocency our rebellion discharged in his obedience and the vtmost farthing paid in his sufferings and hauing the image of God we lost in Adam not renewed onely but a fairer and deeper stamp thereof engrauen and set vpon vs it being not now in our power to listen any more to the counsel of the flesh Christ bearing our names before him as his brest-plate and our bodies with him as members whereof he is head and hauing this written in the tables of our heart by the finger of no forgerer but of that comforter was sent from heauen and testified by ourselues in the pietie of our religion and purity of conuersation setting saluation before vs as a binding benefite euen to the losse of our souls to venture for the Lords glory Rom. 8.33 we may in a Christian resolution giue challenge at the gates of hell that nothing can be charged vpon vs as a debt and therefore nothing can light vpon vs as a punishment Wherefore if the Lord doe cast his cloudy countenance vpon vs it is that we should watch against the weaknesse of the flesh Mat. 16.41 which is then readiest to sleepe when temptation is nearest and yet if the streame of temptation cary vs into some sin from thence we slip into some shame in his compassion he cureth vs and yet in kindnesse doth correct vs. If he mingle our bread with care and lodge vs in the bed of darknes discomfort it is to weane vs from the flesh pots of Egypt and to aduance vs in the way to Canaan yet being driuen to any strait or exigent in this wildernes rather then we shall want it shall raine Manna Exod. 26.4 27.6 rather then we shall thirst the rocke shal yeeld vs water yea though the wicked be like the bramble who in confidence of their shadow dare chalenge to be kings ouer the trees of the forrest and our selues like sheepe Iudg. 9.15 who in simplicity grazing vpon the mountaines are either fleeced of the shearer when we are growne in wooll or snatched vp by the butcher when we are growen in flesh yet when death hath made vs both euen with the earth the graue shal be to vs a fold till our shepheard come and to them a shambles till the destroier of their soules shall haue receiued an endles commission to torment them What cause then haue we to shut our gates against the gasps of death or like trembling leaues to entertaine the gale or blast of sicknes which doth
encouraged to presse within the border of the mount when the horne of saluation shall be blowen For it is a miserie and madnesse to imagine the labour of a Christian to be mued vp within the wales of the ministerie or that men are so straitned in their vocations as that they may not looke aside to a sermon or that because the theese was saued on the gallowes Luk. 23.43 therefore heauen may bee wonne with a wet finger or that since the workers for an houre Mat. 20.9 had the penny with them that bore the paine and heate of the day therefore it shall suffice to come as Nicodemus did to Christ by night Ioh. 3.2 Nay we must know that as the promise of mercie is equall to all so the prayer and practise for mercie must be the same in all that we are no longer within the compasse of the Lords protection Psal 91 11. then wee walke in feare within the bounds of his direction that if religion be not the commander in our callings scarcitie or discontent will bee as mothes in our blessings and that if presumption misleade vs to pledge only a pang of deuotion for a sacrifice when the pleasure of our daies be past iudgement shall but requite vs if either death do strangle vs before we speake or the wrath of God rebound vpon vs when wee haue wept our fill For it standeth not with the Lords honour to be shaken off so oft when he would lodge with vs Ier. 32.33 nor with our duties to runne away so fast when wee should turne to him but that at length iustice must arise to preserue the maiestie of his mercy so much abased and so long abused which we haue sensibly felt the stripes being yet seene in our streets and may feare heereafter to bee more fierce 2. Sam. 24.14 by how much the sword of the enemie sharpened to destruction doth exceed the correcting hand of God tempered with compassion The Lord graunt this short setting of his face against vs may haste vs to haue peace with him that hath the ends of the world subiect to his power and the plagues of the world restrainable at his will so shall wee bee preserued from the venime and ransomed from the violence of them that seeke our soules and either still praise him in the land of the liuing Psal 56.13 or eternally dwell with him in the habitation of his Saints which God grant may bee your portions and the inheritance of your posterity Amen Yours in all dutie H. Yeluerton TO THE READER THinke not gentle Reader that the turning backe from the world is any looking backe from the plough Luk. 9.62 but by example iudge it safer to bend thine eie toward Zoar a place of rest then to wrest thy sight toward Sodome the citie of wrath Gen. 19.22 And since the earth was cursed for thy sinne in Adam Gen. 3.17 Gal. 2.16 Rom. 3.22 Matt. 6 20. Phil. 3.20 1. Ioh. 5 6. and thy selfe art saued by thy faith in Christ let the direction of thy thoughts to him be the messenger to thy heart that thou art in heauen for thou art not placed that thou shouldest be planted here but being bought from this earth by bloud cleanse thy selfe in this earth by water that since some inferior affections must needs be foule Ioh. 13.8 the dust may onely cleaue to thy feet thy head and thy hands be lift vp to God For if in the pride of thy flesh thou dost build thy nest neere him or in the profanenes of thy heart doest striue to be rich without him Esay 14.15 Gen. 11.7 Luk. 12.20 the least breath of his mouth shal batter thy seat to be seene no more scatter thy wealth as before the wind Yea the Lord hath choked thy fields with thistles Gen. 3.18 Iam. 5.3 wrapped vp thy treasure in rust that seeing the ground whereon thou standest to be out of Paradise and the staffe whereon thou leanest to bee but wood of the woorst sort thou mightest pray to haue the sword put vp that stops thee from the tree of life Gen. 3.24 and those boughes cut off that shadow thee from beholding thy sinnes borne in Christs body 1. Pet. 2.24 Now the humour that hindreth thy sight is the Crystall shew of brittle honor that sets thine eies on fire to follow after it for if Adam may be as God Gen. 3 5. there is no commandement can hedge him Gen. 33. â—â— if Esau may haue a traine of men at his heeles hee will soone digest the losse of his birth-right 2. Tim. 4.10 if Demas may but win the world he will haste to shake hands with the Saints of God But remember how with the fruite thy father swallowed wrath Ier. 31.29 which to this day hath set thy teeth on edge Mâ— â— 3 Mat 4.10 that the ioy the reprobate hath in his flesh is ioined with the hatred of God vpon his soule and that if the sonnes of men shall take the diuell at his word as the Sonne of God did not it is but a bitter recompence for the losse of the better part Mat. 16.26 when themselues are compassed with confusion Take the counters into thine owne hand and see what reckoning thou canst make of life what is past frighteth thee with the remembrance of it because so much of thy light is spent what is present burdeneth thee with the weight of it because in sweate and sorrow thou doest waste thy time what is to come troubleth thee with the incertainty of it lest the graue do swallow thee before thou see it yea make thy account as thou ought and thou shalt find it swifter then the weauers shittle Iob 7.6 Iob 9.25 and speedier then a Post caried vpon the wings of the wind for if the Lord steppe not betweene thee and death before thou canst lay one thy breath is gone What booteth it then so vnseasonably to ripen thy cares for the tares of this life for if thou heape vp siluer as the sand and prepare raiment as the clay yet building thy house as the moth not in thine owne but in anothers garment when thou shalt make thy bed in the darke Iob â—8 13 Ioâ— 16. â—â— and the first borne of death shall consume thy strength where then be the strings of thy hope thy horne being thus abased to the dust Of thy selfe thou art but a tree turned vpward hauing no sap from the earth and if thou beest not moistened with the deaw from heauen though by the sent of water thou maiest bud yet shalt thou perish in the blade because thou hast no spirit at the roote Therefore if thou expect in thy labour blessing in thy peace continuance in affliction comfort in thy death triumph thou must respect in thy calling honesty in thy pleasures iudgement Eccles 11.9 Tit. 2.12 in thy sorrowes mercy in thy life
religion For if God be not with thee to direct thee that thou stray not to correct thee that thou swell not to preserue thee that thou famish not to pardon thee that thou despaire not to curb thee that thou stumble not to strengthen thee that thou fall not to sanctifie thee that thou sinne not and to glorifie thee that thou perish not Psal 145.14 Psal 19.12 so many be the errors of thy life as thou canst not heale them and so safe is thine iniquitie sealed vp as thou canst not chuse but haue change of sorrowes I haue therefore presumed in a Christian loue of thy soule if not to cure thy iealosie of the world yet to prescribe thee Physicke to crucifie thy selfe It is a field sowne by the hand of another though some fell not vnfruitfully I hope into my ground and albeit many yeeres haue now ouergrowne my papers since I first plowed it and that the seeds-man himselfe sleepeth in the earth yet somewhat to awake the memory of the righteous and to quicken and giue heart to the desires of the religious I haue shot some few arrowes that I had of his which if thou peruse with diligence and lay vp with conscience thou shalt find of greater force then the shafts of Ionathan since these forewarne thee of the fury not of Saul 1. Sam. 20.21 but of Satan who reioyceth more in thy damnation then he sorroweth for his owne So hoping thou wilt either looke vpon me in loue or lay me aside without shame I commit thee to God who giue thee and forgiue thee much Grayes Inne Decemb. 24. 1604. Thy friend H. Yeluerton To the Christian Reader CHRISTIAN Reader when thou takest a view of the bookes already abroad and daily increasing as also according to thy measure of grace receiued doest discerne of and censure the weaknesse and insufficiency of too many I speake not now of those idle and vaine oh that I might not say tending to Atheisme and prophanenes which are rather to be bewailed in a Christian common-weale than censured but of those whose subiect is profitable and workmen desirous to profit Euen in too many of these thou hast cause iustly to complaine there is no end of making many books the reading of such being but wearisomnes to the flesh and so breedeth a distast of the necessary vse of reading But when thou shalt lift vp thine eies and spie out as in a foggie mist Eccle. 12.10 diuers also wherein is an vpright writing the words of truth able to teach and to conuince thou art now to be encouraged and not to be wearie to exercise thy selfe as thy calling and meanes will affoord in bookes that are necessary pretious and godly Among these if thou wilt take the pains to read thou wilt easily condescend that these Sermons deserue both for their matter and penning to be preserued for the vse of Gods Saints Which will appeare if with mee thou wilt a little neerer obserue the frame and comelinesse of this work namely the doctrines naturally raised the reproofe of the aduersary soundly concluded and that in such a pithie phrase and words sauouring of grace that thou canst not but with me acknowledge diuers excellent graces of God shining clearely in the Author in the Penman By the Authour the word is truly interpreted and in a most excellent maner brought home to thy conscience both for mortification of life and quickening in heauenly duties as also for setling thee against that accursed heresie of Popery which is too much neglected of too many able teachers In the Pen-man obserue diligence wisedome godlinesse he tooke this pains only for his owne priuate vse for very hardly could hee bee drawen to communicate this to the common good yet so carefully is it performed that vndoubtedly not a sentence yea hardly will it appeare that a word of moment escaped him as those who were diligent hearers with him may remember and can witnesse His godly wisdome appeareth not only in attending on the Lords own ordinance the publike ministery of the word on the Lords day and other set times but also in treasuring the same vp by writing knowing well that the voice working inwardly for a time through mans weaknesse and infirmity doth quickly perish to this end that with his ordinary sanctifying of the Sabbath he might and that liuely set before his owne eies this powerfull meanes also of saluation therby nourishing the same faith and godlinesse in himselfe which he saw from his infancy and daily doth see to dwell in that reuerend and truely religious Iudge his father and in that vertuous Lady alwaies ready to refresh the bowels of the Saints his mother to whom I also owe my selfe both for encouragement in my entrance to the worke of the ministery first begun in that their well ordered family as also for many fauours since principally for that charge where I now dwell bestowed on me by that worthy most religious carefull disposer of the Church-liuings the right honourable Sir Thomas Egerton Knight Baron of Elsemeere Lord Chancelor of England Lastly Christian Reader with me consider of the blessing of God vpon the labours of this godly and learned Gentleman in his owne profession who hath taken these paines now for thy good euident to all those that know him which doth clearely conuince that the keeping of the sabbath is not the losse of one yeere in seauen as too many of his rank I would they only by their practise do discouer they think Indeed if the fourth commandement were ceremoniall and consequently abrogated if there were no heauen no hell and that man were only for this life they might haue some colour But that the care of thy calling and of holy religion may go together yea hand in hand heere thou hast a paterne and example benefite thy selfe by this his paines and tread in the same steps of godly wisedome Thine in the Lord George Bard Minister of the word of God at Stanes in Middlesex GEntle Reader whereas by some ouersight the 19.20.21 and 22. verses of the eight chapter to the Romans follow not in their due place thou art to be aduertised that they are handled in the end of the chapter after the 38. and 39. verses where thou art to looke for them MATH chap. 1. vers 1. verse 1 The Booke of the Generation of Iesus Christ the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham c. to the 18. verse THE foure Euangelists haue beene resembled by some writers to the foure beasts spoken of Ezec. 1.10 and Reu. 4.7 This Euangelist Mathew being compared to a man because he begins with the pedegree of our Sauiour Christ S. Marke to a lion because hee begins with the preaching of Iohn Baptist who roared like a lion in the wildernesse the doctrine of Repentance S. Luke to an Oxe or Bullock because he begins with the story of Zachary the Priest whose office was vnder the Law to offer sacrifice and
would not mary her as by the law he might haue done and after haue put her to death Deu. 22.21 if she could not haue shewed the tokens of her virginity but he would haue put her away priuily and resigned his interest to him who as he suspected had abused her Wherein we learne that iust men are to take all things at the best and not to seeke occasions of others hurt or meanes to wreake their malice on them that haue in sort abused them for loue must couer and religion must passe by offences If Nabal be so churlish as to deny refreshing to our seruants 1. Sam. 25.10 we may not be so impatient as Dauid to vow their destruction but with the mildenesse of Abigael we must leaue them to the Lord. A patterne of this also we haue in Ioseph of Egypt who though he was sold by his brethren in the depth of their malice yet neuer vpbraided them with their fault but gently passed by it freely forgaue it accounting it as the hand of God that had sent him thither Gen. 45.8 And this indeed ought to be the affectiō of all Gods children Gal. 6.1 not to blaze but as as S. Paul speaketh to support one another in their infirmities and not to shame them when the actiō committed may in some sort be wel construed Further obserue that this example of Iosephs in making the best of his wiues honesty is no warrant for husbands to keepe their wiues that may publikely be conuinced of adultery but they may safely releeue themselues by the law of the Magistrate so as their end in prosecuting the matter be not to defame them but to reforme them for the sword is a notable meanes to bring vs to repentance And though Ioseph complaineth not it doeth not prooue that others should be silent for the cause is diuers First Ioseph seeing her defloured did abhor to accompany with her Secondly knowing her great piety and singular modesty he wondred how it came he could not accuse her for an adulteresse for it might be the act was done before they were betrothed Now in this perplexity he staieth his thoughts and recommendeth it to God and so this was of a matter altogether doubtfull therefore not like to that where she is publikely conuinced of such shameles filthines Againe in this of Iosephs the whole case was extraordinary and the Lord had the full stroke in it for he suffered Ioseph to be abused by the errour of his iudgment and restrained Mary from speaking one word to her husband how all this matter was wroght whereas he louing her to entirely and being fully perswaded of her piety and thereby halfe induced not to make suspition of her chastity he would haue rested contented with her relation but the Lord stopped her mouth that as this action proceeded immediatly from God so Ioseph should be satisfied only by the oracle of God and therefore this is not to be matched resembled to that where women shamelesly breake then vow which they made to God and man as we may see 1. Cor. 6.15 Mal. 2.14 where the Prophet bringeth in the Lord as a witnesse betweene man and wife and vrgeth this as a reason why the one should not trespasse against the other because out of the abundance of his spirit he hath made them one Now for the second part which is the satisfaction Ioseph receiued and the meanes whereby his thoughts were appeased while hee was musing of this euent we must consider three points first what messenger God dispatcheth namely an Angell secondly at what time when he was euen vpon the resolutiō to haue put her away thirdly what message was brought while he was thus reasoning with himselfe and was anguished with blinde discourses which containeth seuerall parts first that which is set downe in the very first words as much as to say as Thou hast not done amisseto take such a moderate course in this matter but feare not she is a virgin Secondly a confirmation of this That which is in her is of the holy Ghost Thirdly he declareth the blessed condition of the child fore-prophesying of this name Fourthly a reason of his name He shall saue his people Fiftly because the Angel know Ioseph prepossessed with preindice and therefore yet there might rest some scruple in his mind he allegeth an ancient record of the Prophet Esay 6.7.14 written 800. yeres before which expressed as much as the Angel now told him by this testimonie concurring with his speech he doth absolutely resolue him for an angel speaking according to scripture is not to be doubted For the first the messenger that is dispatched from the heauenly palace being so excellent as an Angel let vs learne to be caried into an admiration of the Lords loue that the Angels elect shal be messengers ministers for his chosen Hereupon Dauid Psa 8.4 being confounded with the Lords goodnes breaketh forth saying O Lord what is man that thou shouldest be so mindfull of him and shouldest thus exalt him for thou hast made him little lower then God not that the Angels in themselues are baser in nature condition then we for as it is Esa 6 2. as they haue two wings to hide their face from the glorie of God so haue they two wings to hide their feet because we cannot behold them in their excellencie for the seruice they do is not to vs for our owne sakes but they do it as to Christ their head as is prefigured by Iacobs ladder Gen. 28.13 wheron the Angels ascended and descended Ioh. 1.51 this ladder being Christ and Christ vouchsaffing vs this honour to sit with him at his table the Angels minister to vs as owing all dutie to him Now this ministerie of Angels is so deputed as euery particular member elect hath not one but many continually attendant on him as Psal 91.11 Hee hath giuen his Angels charge to beare vs in their armes lest we should dash our feet to hurt them not that the Lord is vnable to rescue vs or insufficient to support vs from any danger but he doth it onely to prouide a remedie for our infidelitie who must euer bee held as it were by the hand Mat. 14.20 or else we crie with Peter in the least temptation Lord helpe vs we perish Euen as a man desiring safe conduct out of the realme should receiue of the Prince not onely his letters but his royall guard to wait vpon him which were a matter ex abundanti that by this meanes he could no way doubt of quiet passage so lest we should distrust the Lord or bee too much confounded with his maiestie hee hasteneth to helpe vs by more familiar meanes and hath giuen vs as it were his royall name to guard vs that we may be sure as Sathan hath manie waies and laieth many snares to entrap and to hurt vs so hath the Lord pitched his tents about vs and compassed vs with fenced souldiers to preserue
name as a thing that Ioseph could not be vnmindefull of And this indeed is the duty and ought not to be the labour of euery trembling Christian to lodge as it were with the booke of God in their bosome and with the Noble-men of Beraea Act. 17.11 to receiue the word with readinesse and to search the Scriptures daily which is the garden of the Lord where runneth the riuer of wisedome to resolue all doubts and where is to be had the oile that softeneth all our afflictions Now in the testimony it selfe heere alleaged consider two things first the person that should beare a virgine secondly the person that should be brought foorth Emmanuell consubstantiall with vs in nature for both these the Prophet beginneth with a word of wonder Behold as of a miracle neuer performed but once If it be asked how it was possible a virgine should conceiue we must beleeue it was so and rest in this nothing to bee impossible with God Mat. 19.26 For as it was possible at the first to make a woman out of a man without the helpe of a woman as wee may see in the first creation Gen. 2.22 so was it possible for him in this new creation to make a man out of a woman without the helpe of a man Which was done to this end because if there should haue beene any corruption of the seed of man in Christ he could not haue sanctified others Concerning the person that should be brought forth it is Emmanuel the same that Iesus and they both imply one thing for he that is Emmanuel is God with vs as Iesus is God sauing vs. Now he is God with vs many waies and albeit in the Arke vnder the law the Lord was alway speaking through the Cherubins insomuch as the very enemies of God the Philistims 1. Sam. 4.7 could say when the Arke came that the God of Israel came and therefore cried woe vnto vs yet is he farre neerer with vs namely in such a spirituall manner as the Prophet speakes heere a God not onely present and fauourable to vs but connaturall to vs and vpon which did depend all the graces of God formerly giuen to his Church Therefore if Moses did say in admiration of the Lords goodnesse Deuter. 4.7 Looke if euer the like came to passe that God from heauen should speake vnto his people and shew his glory so to appeare on earth much more may we breake foorth into the like astonishment to whom God is come so neere as to be of the same nature with vs and to speake vnto vs not in the publication of the killing law but in the manifestation of the quickening Gospell whereby we may receiue comfort in the deepest dangers that gathering our selues vnder his wings and seeking rest and refreshing at his hands he will first giue vs a generall charter of grace for the pardon of out sins And because pardon of our sinne will not saue vs from hell but our iudgement shall be iust vnlesse we yeeld full obedience to the law hee will secondly impute and lay all his obedience and righteousnesse vpon vs so as in him we shall fulfill it And yet because we are still sinners as carying about vs the orignall vncleanenesse we brought with vs Ephes 5.30 the third rest he will giue vs is so to sanctifie vs as we shall be bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh not that we are absolutely sanctified in this life but that that which this our Christ brings vs is al-sufficient to saluation And being sure of this we need not to be dismaide for the waters of trouble are but a bath to cleanse and purge vs from those corruptions we gather by walking in this dirty world Further let vs consider heere why it was necessary that he that should be Iesus should also be Emmanuel first it was necessary he should be the Emmanuel that is the strong God for when wee were all enwrapped in sinne and shut vp vnder death then was there neede of remedy And what shall that be Mercy No God is iust and we hauing smitten his Maiesty by our sinne must bee smitten againe by his punishment Shall it then be iustice No for we haue need of mercy Heere so to be mercifull as not to disanull his iustice and so to be iust as not to forget his mercy and to make a way both to appease his wrath that his iustice might be satisfied and yet so to appease it as his mercie might be magnified in forgiuing there must needes come a mediation and if all the world should be offered to God for satisfaction it is nothing for it is his owne the worke of his owne hands If Angels should step in before the Lord it were nothing for they are engaged to him for their creation and being but temporally good they cannot satisfie for an infinite sinne howbeit he that must satisfie must bee infinit to suffer infinite punishment for an infinite sinne committed against an infinite Maiesty therefore he must be God he must be also Emmanuel with vs for how can there bee satisfaction for our apostasie but by humility nor procurement of life but by death Now when God comes to obey hee must needes bee humbled and when he comes to deserue hee must needes serue which God alone cannot doe and when he comes to die he must needes be mortall which God cannot be Therefore hee was man to be himselfe bond God to free others man to become weake and God to vanquish man to become mortall and God to triumph ouer death The situation also of the Ladder spoken of Gen. 28.12 is an euident demonstration of the two natures of this Emmanuel for the word must bee vnderstood of the second person in the Trinity By the foot to satisfie his Fathers wrath as being of our nature that he might stand close to Iacobs loines and to his Church militant and by the top to expresse his diuinity which toucheth the seate and reacheth to the bosome of God that he might in time bring thither his Church triumphant Now euery ladder is a Medium or meane whereby weascend to some place that otherwise we could not reach vnto which this Emmanuel is to vs for wee being euill debters and God a seuere creditor Colos 2.14 Christ is the meane to cancell this debt and to set it on his owne score and we being ignoant clyents and God a skilfull Iudge not able to vnderstand our tale Christ must be our aduocate 1. Ioh. 2.1 to pleade our cause for vs. And as betweene God and vs so betweene the diuell and vs he is a mediator for he casteth fierie darts against vs which we onely driue backe by the shield of faith in Christ Ephes 6.11 Further in the word Emmanuel obserue three things first the truth and verity of the subsistance of both these natures in Christ secondly the reall distinction of them thirdly the personall vnion of them And these three points wisely and
all the Angels must worship him and yet as man no essentiall quality of the Deity rested in him The third priuiledge is this that his Diuine nature hath giuen the participation of his office to him as man that as God is Mediator so is man as God hath deserued saluation so hath man and that hee as man shall iudge the quicke and dead not that he shall iudge by his manhood but Christ-man shall iudge the world The second fruit of this vnion is the communication of properties not that the properties of the one are communicate to the other but that one may bee attributed to both as Christ God died Christ man is eternall and this is either when we giue that to the humanity which is proper to the diuinity or giue that to the diuinity which is proper to the humanity as God by his bloud redeemed his Church yet God had no bloud but Christ God had bloud so this man Christ forgiueth sinnes not that this power is in his manhood but hee doeth it meerely as God for these and such like speeches be true in Concreto not in abstracto as they be both ioyned together and not as they be separate one from the other Lastly in the word God with vs obserue that Christ is not only God with vs in nature but in person for the reprobate are of the same nature with him and he with them yet is he not God with them but against them but we as the Apostle speaketh are flesh of his flesh Ephes 5.30 and bone of his bones euen as man and wife which are not onely one in nature as all other men and women are but one person by speciall couenant and euen so are wee one person with Christ by the couenant of grace being one with him we are also one with the whole Trinity as himselfe saith I and my Father will come and sup with him and according to his last praier Iohn 17. Father I beseech thee that as I am one with thee and thou with me so these speaking of the faithfull and pointing at them may be one with vs both which bringeth great comfort to Gods children that through Christ we haue the whole Godhead reconciled to vs and dwelling in vs. And Ioseph did as the Angell had commanded him This is the third generall part spoken of before namely the obedience of Ioseph according to euery thing that was prescribed out of which gather generally that when we are acertained it is Gods pleasure wee should doe such a thing that wee stand not still consulting with our owne peruerse natures nâ—â— inclining too much to tender our owne frailties but that knowing it to be the voice of God we admit of no contradictions but we are to constraine our affections to bee pacified and perswaded according as the Lord hath disposed This was the infirmity of Sara Genes 18.12 who laughed when the Angels promised to come againe according to the time of life she râ—â—â—â—ting rather the order of nature then beleeuing the promise of God And this likewise was Lots fault Gen. 19.16 who prolonged the time when the Angels bad him arise and be gone for the which hee might iustly haue beene destroied in the punishment of the City But the contrary to this we see in Abraham Gen. 22.3 who when he was commanded to sacrifice his sonne than which what could be more contrary to nature than for a father to be the butcher to his owne sonne yet being assured that it was the voice of God speaking by the Angell he presently commended his affection and rose vp early to execute that bitter message Wherein obserue that all the children of Abraham must be children of obedience which must be shewed by walking in euery thing according as it is written For now seeing onely the voice of the Lord is the voice of the scripture Luke 16.29 which is as certaine as if Christ were to speake immediatly from heauen so farre as is commanded so farre is to bee performed howsoeuer it may cost vs deare and crosse vs much yea though it bee with Ioseph to embrace her for a wife whose honesty we might iustly suspect And if Ioseph did this at the first word of the Angell what shall bee said to vs who haue heard the voice of God so often beating vpon vs that we should forsake our sinnes and yet we spread curtaines ouer them But that as his obedience is heere recorded for his praise so our stubburnnesse and disobedience be regestred in our punishment that it may be as a hissing and astonishment to other nations Further obserue hence that the obedience of a Christian standeth not in a generall subscribing to the truth of that is taught them no nor yet in a verball confession of it but the commendation of a Christian resteth in his works of obedience as it is said â—eere Ioseph did as he was enioyned 1. Ioh. 3 1â— so that the hand and the mouth must goe together as our Sauiour Christ teacheth Not euery one that saith Lord Lord Mat. 7. â—â— but he that doth the will of the Lord shall be an heire of heauen Whereby we must learne that the calling of a Christian is noidle but a painfull calling wherein we must striue daily to plucke vp some weedes or other that ouergrow our godlinesse and to liue as children in the sight of our Father alwaies doing what hee commendeth vnto vs. For if Ioseph after this time had no more suspected his wife yet if hee had not taken her againe and dwelt with her as his wife he had failed in his obedience and had been like Lots wife Gen. 19.22.26 who beginning well in going out of Sodome and yet forgetting halfe her obedience to the commandement in looking backe behind her is left as a monument to this day for vs to take heed by And he knew her not till she had c. Though it be said he knew her not till shee had c. yet it doth not follow necessarily he knew her after for the word till in the Hebrew tongue signifieth as well that a thing shall not come to passe in time to come as that it came not to passe before as Mat. 28.20 I am with you vntill the end of the world not that he will leaue vs then but that he will by his spirit be with vs then and euer after Like to this is the phrase vsed 2. Sam. 6.23 Michol had no children till the day of her death and it is certain she had none after So in the speech following Christ was her first begotten Sonne it doth not therefore follow shee had any more sonnes for the phrases only exclude the time before And this we are to beleeue vpon our saluation that Ioseph knew her not till Christ was borne and that Christ was the first borne And it is very probable agreeable to the best churches that he knew her not after nor that she had any more
sure to haue knowen the truth but it pleased the Lord he should be so besotted with this grosse feare that his wisdome was turned into foolishnesse that so the poore child might as yet escape the bloudy clawes of this cruell tyrant The people they were affraid and troubled because they had beene so long acquainted and made familiar with slauish seruitude that their hearts were euen growen hard and they were willing to sustaine this bondage so they might be quiet chusing rather to abide some tolerable seruitude then to endanger themselues further by the commutation of their state and change of their king Out of the feare of the king obserue the nature and condition of wicked and profane Princes who if the finger of God doe but come neere them and shake them in their seates they murmure and grudge and are smitten with feare as with the spirit of giddinesse for Herod feared lest hee should lose his kingdome if Christ should raigne so as it was the losse of the Crowne did so much affect him Euen so was the countenance of King Balthazar changed and his thoughts troubled when he saw the hand writing on the wall Dan. 5.6 which signified the diuision and losse of his kingdome for it is not in the power of Princes to stay their conscience from checking and accusing them nay it is as a butcher that will first flea and rifle them when their destruction draweth on Therefore let the great men of the earth beware how they spurne against the gouernement of Christ for hee is no lesse a King now then hee was then nay hee gouernes now with more maiesty then before and therefore they may not bee as Lions ouer his heritage 1. Pet. 5.3 but if they will haue their Scepters blessed in their hands they must suffer Christ to rule and themselues though Lords ouer others yet to bee but subiects vnder him In that the people were also afraid obserue the grosnesse and profanesse that was in these Iewes before these Wise-men came thither for as soone as they heard of the birth of their Messias they were presently astonished as if they had neuer heard of any such matter before and yet they knew that the Kingdome was now translated from the tribe of Iuda and that it was to bee restored they were exercised and vexed with great calamities as were their forefathers vnder Pharao Exod. 5.7 so as that might haue made them cast vp their eies to haue looked for a deliuerer The sacrifices they daily offered portending the dteah of Christ might haue put them in minde of his comming but they were so dead in sinne and licentious liuing as they dreamed of no such matter yea they sung out of the Psalmes continually in their Seruice Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord Ma. 21.9 Psal 118.26 yet when he is come it appalleth and like beasts voide of vnderstanding they had rather sleepe in a knowen slauery then enioy an vnknowen liberty their religion being but common deuotion and a set kinde of seruing God without sincerity which wrought no more in their consciences but that now as if they were heathen they tremble to heare of the name of a Sauiour Which ought to teach vs to lay religion at the heart and to keepe the fire burning lest if we neglect this acceptable time of grace and shuffle off the seruice of God as a thing of course wee grow and become as senslesse and profane in our selues as these Iewes did to bee troubled with Christes comming to vs in his word preached Againe in that it is said All Ierusalem were afraid it is to bee vnderstood onely of the greatest part for some waited and expected his comming in great hope Luk. 2.28.37 as Anna Simeon and Zachary but these were but as a sparke in comparison of a mighty fire Where we learne not to fashion our selues to follow multitudes the greatest number being alwaies enemies to the Crosse of Christ Luk. 12.32 as himselfe testifieth Mine is a little flocke But such is the power of the Prince of darkenesse and such strength hath corruption in vs as they leade vs altogether from the way of holinesse and the least occasion moueth vs to bee offended at Christ howbeit let vs retire our selues into the straites of godlinesse and let pirates roue vpon the maine Sea it is the narrow path that leadeth and the smaller company that entreth into Sion For in Sodome that great citie Genes 18.32 there shall not bee found tenne righteous nor religious and the house of Noah onely excepted Genes 6.11 the whole earth was corrupt before the Lord. It cannot therefore bee safe for vs to ioyne in amitie with the sonnes of men least wee bee wrapped in the same destruction and ouercome of the same feare wee see all Hierusalem troubled with Further obserue hence that if the birth of our Sauiour Christ in this basenesse strooke such terrors into the hearts of Kings how much more shall his second comming cause the very mountaines of the earth to tremble when hee shall appeare in power accompanied with hoastes of Angels and when heauen and earth shall flie before him That therefore his presence may bring vs ioy Psal 125.1 and that we may bee as mount Sion not to be shaken let vs lay aside the leauen of the flesh and put on this our Christ by whom wee haue redemption euen the forgiuenesse of our sinnes Ephes 1.7 for faith in him shall driue out all trembling distrust whatsoeuer where his comming worketh feare there the conscience threatneth destruction else would the wicked neuer cry to the mountaines to fall on them Luke 23 30. and to the hils to couer them Obserue againe by this great perplexity that arose both in Prince and people that it was alwaies the destiny of the Gospell to bring commotion to States and alteration to Kingdomes for now besides the generall feare that fretted their hearts the whole company of Diuines are troubled to turne their bookes and to seeke out what shall become of the matter This was but a beginning of that Christ himselfe spake afterward Matthew 10.34 I came not to bring peace but a sword not that the Gospell in it selfe causeth warres but that the wrath and vengeance of God might redound vpon the faces of his enemies for it maketh peace betweene men and men and God and men that the loue of God boiling from him to vs through his grace in the word might againe issue from vs to him through our obedience to the word Yet before the Gospell can enter to take roote and worke vpon vs it causeth hatred euen to the effusion of bloud this proceeding from the malice of Satan who by the growth of the Gospell loseth his iurisdiction and from our owne corruption that loue darknesse more then light because the Gospell discouereth our sinnes as the Sunne doth the motes that otherwise lie hid And againe it is a
comfort of the scriptures yet the Lord after he hath sufficiently humbled vs if we goe on with a simple heart and perseuere as these Wise-men did in their iourney in a time vnlooked for he will kindle in vs the former light and take away that foggy mist that obscured the Sunne of righteousnes and it shall clearely shine vpon vs and our ioy in the holy Ghost shall bee multiplied and the Lord will ease that heart that was before troden downe with the burden of sinne Now in that it is said they found the babe lying in a cratch we may consider how strangely and strongly the Lord did exercise the faith and perswasion of these Wise-men that after the former discouragements passed ouer they find the babe lying in this base place which had beene enough to haue made them repent their long trauell in the end to see no other sight then this but such was the quicke sight of the eye of faith and the speciall instigation of the holy Ghost as they were not dismaied with the basenesse of this King Heere they find neither guard to defend him nor resort of people to see him neither Crowne on his head nor Scepter in his hand but such a child as for outward beauty they might haue seene many a thousand equall and farre beyond him in their owne countrey without this great trauell Where learne that for the beleeuing of the promise and to be resolued of the truth the Lord doeth so incline the heart and bend the conscience that whatsoeuer doth seeme contrary doth nothing offend them for these Wise-men doe beleeue that this base child laied in this base manner is the King of heauen and earth Heereupon it is that Sara must beleeue being a dead woman that is spent by nature and ouergrowen with yeeres that so many children must come from her as there bee starres in the firmament Gen. 17.19 So Abraham Gen. 15.18 must beleeue that he and his posterity shall bee inheritours of the land of Canaan though they be not to haue actuall possession of it foure hundred yeeres after So Dauid 1. Sam. 17.15 comming from the sheepe must beleeue that he shall be a king yet he seeth Saul so furious against him 1. Sam. 19.1 as he proclaimes it saying Let me see if I haue any that will kill Dauid Heere is open conspiracy yea hee is driuen into caues and holes he is as a stone that euery man refuseth yet his faith may not faile him but he must perswade himselfe hee shall be crowned though Saul bee euen at his heeles to dispatch him and it shall be performed Ioseph hee had a dreame that the Sunne and Moone and eleuen starres Gen. 37.10 should tall downe and worship him when he was in the pit ready to be slaine in the malice of some of his brethren hee beleeued this yea being sold into Egypt and after by the false accusation of his mistres Genes 39.20 cast into prison where he could see neither Sunne nor Moone yet he fainteth not but perswadeth himselfe of the truth of his dreame and it fell out accordingly So Ezechiel being brought into the field of the Lord Ezec. 37.4 must beleeue that of a company of dead bones there shall rise vp armed men for those dead bones were the house of Israel Yea faith must be so quicke sighted as to beleeue that in prison there is liberty in persecution comfort in life death in the Crosse a Crowne and in a manger the Lord Iesus Heere also learne by the example of these Wise-men not to be offended at the basenesse of the Gospell for if they had beene offended at the basenesse of Christ in the flesh they had not had the blessing of seeing the Messias Therefore howsoeuer the diuell in Christs time broached this argument to with draw men from the Gospell Iohn 7.48 see whether any of the Scribes or of the famous learned men follow Christ onely a few rascall company flocke vnto him yet wee must not thinke that the kingdome of Christ standeth in any outward pompe or glory for so much did Simeon Luk. 2.34 insinuate to his mother Mary that she should not expect any glorious acceptation of her sonne no not in Israel confirmed by the Prophet Esay chap. 8.14.28.16 but that he should be as a white set vp in a but whereat euery man would shoot some bolt Such therefore shall bee blessed who as himselfe speaketh shall not be offended at him for we must obserue Math. 11.6 that as the proceeding of his kingdome is aboue nature so the perswading of vs to his kingdome is most contrary to nature and that either in a generall opposition of the world which is caried away with the affectation of honour and an vtter hatred of falling into the extremities of contempt pouerty and persecution or else to euery mans particular heart which is forcible to disswade him from suffering in the flesh or for casting the anker of his affections vpon the basenesse of Christ and of his Crosse True it is if an Orator should vse an argument contrary to art he could not preuaile but if hee should frame his argument of that the people were most in hatred of it were a fruitlesse labour and a vaine hope to expect his purpose so if a Physitian should apply a medicine contrary to the disease he could neuer hope to cure it but if the medicine were also contrary to the complexion of the party then were it most vnlikely to haue successe But such is the miraculous power of the Almighty that as hee can make something of nothing so he can also make of a thing contrary such as hee would haue it as hee hath vanquished the crownes of Monarks by the Crosse whose triumphant seates are most contrary to the Crosse he hath ouercome the pride of the world by pouerty and the wisdome of the flesh by the foolishnesse of the spirit yea he hath wrought submission in the hearts of these heathen men that though Christ lay in a cratch void of all dignity yet they take no offence at it which thing is onely proper for the spirit of God to performe who hath both the tongue the heart and the knee in his power In that these Wise-men offered gold and other gifts vnto the babe obserue how gratiously the Lord prouided for the pouerty of Iesus parents that euen now immediatly before the persecution came hee sends them gold from the East for their reliefe and comfort And thus doth the Lord deale with all that depend vpon him neuer suffering them to fall into extremity or to be too much distressed with pouerty as Dauid saith Psal 37.25 he neuer saw the righteous begging their bread but the Lord supported them by his power and will make the stones to yeeld bread the rockes water the heauens Manna rather than his children shall be vnprouided For if Eliah be forced to hide himselfe from the knife of Iesabel 1. King 17.4 rather then he
commanding that which flesh and bloud most abhorreth and giueth no reason of it namely to bee the butcher to his owne sonne But heerein shall our condemnation be the more iust because the Lord hath giuen so many calles and yeelded so many reasons why we should flie from sinne and why we should turne to him not for feare of any bodily destruction by the hand of Herod but for feare of that spirituall thraldome wherein Satan laboureth to keepe our soules the Lord hauing discouered vnto vs early and late that hee is an old and a subtill enemie armed not onely with darts but euen with fiery darts to sting vs vnto damnation Let vs therefore with Ioseph embrace the sweet kindnesse of the Lord who mildly exhorteth vs to haste as it were out of Sodome and let vs with him resolue without any fleshly discourse with our selues to bee gone at the first call for his word is truth and the danger he foretelleth will follow Secondly heerein obserue that the Lord knoweth the secrets of mens hearts for Herod pretended adoring but intended the murthering of the Lord Iesus And his crafty and concealed purpose is heere named by the Angell that we may feare to deale doubly with our owne soules and may abhorre all hypocrisie because the Lord casteth his eie not only vpon our actions but watcheth euen ouer our very thoughts and will in time discouer them to our great shame This is it Dauid praieth against Psalm 32.3 that the Lord would free him from guile of spirit not to deceiue himselfe nor to dissemble his sinne for his dealing doubly with God and his soule in that his sinne with Barsheba had so distempered his conscience that vntill he had fully mastered his hypocrisie he could finde no rest in his bones Yet such is the simplicity or rather the frowardnesse of our harts that though wee know all things to bee naked and open before God we still runne on in hiding and cloaking of our sinnes which is as auncient as our first fathers fall who after the eating of the fruite forbidden had his eies opened indeed that is he then by experience perceiued and by checke of conscience saw what euill he came into and what good he had lost being conuinced of his owne misery he takes fig-leaues to couer his shame a small couer to hide it from the eies of God Beside marke his sottishnesse he couereth but his shame whereas the principall instruments of his wickednesse were his eies his eares and his taste and these were more filthy for the other part actuall had not sinned Now when he heard the voice of God the winde carying to his eare such a voice as he had not heard before then hee flieth among the trees thinking if fig-leaues would not serue yet the shadow of trees would sufficiently hide him alwaies when the Lord summons vs seeking shelter that wee may not come to reprehension And when this voice of the Lord could not bring him to a confession of his sinne nor pierce his heart enough the Lord calles him with his owne mouth Why doesâ— thou hide thy selfe Marke now his wonderfull hypocrisie crept in so soone after his fall Adam assigneth two causes of the hiding of himselfe both false and omitteth the true cause that is his sinne the one because he heard God speake which is most false for he had heard him speake often before and that most comfortably The second cause because he was naked and yet this was no cause for it is said in the text they were both naked and were not ashamed And by the malignity of his nature in this hee secretly chargeth God to be the cause of his sinne who in his originall creation had made him naked whereas hee himselfe was the cause of the shame of his nakednesse God goeth further with him Hast thou not eaten of the fruit which I forbâ—â— thee Now the Lord names the sinne and in his answer marke his hypocrisie and guile of spirit worse then before The womaâ— saith he which thou gauestâ—â—e gaue me of the tree and I did eate As if he should say it was thine owne ordinance so as he impudently faceth out the matter and laâ—es it vpon his wife whereas it was his owne ambition and not her suggestion only that prouoked him to the sinne and in the whole story yee shall not finde one word of confession So the woman shee transfers from her selfe to the diuell the cause of her fall the Serpent indeed blew the coles but the fire was in her owne heart and she would not confesse that shee abused her selfe to bee seduced by the Serpent so as both of them felt the punishment of their sinne but would not iudge of the cause of it in eating the forbidden fruit By which examples as by the naming of Herods sinne conceiued but in heart and by the traducing forth of Adam for his sinne that brake foorth into his hands we must learne to hedge in our thoughts that they harbour not so much as an euill inclination for sinne is of a forward brood and will soone bee hatcht and though as it is Psalm 50.21 the Lord hold his peace that is forbeare with patience for a time whereby wee thinke him like our selues that is as in the Hebrew a good fellow like our selues yet saith the Lord I will lay thy sinne before thee that is as it signifieth in the Hebrew either set them in order before thee like dishes on the table or write them in a role and make thee reade them in despight Thirdly in that it is saied Herod will seeke to destroy him it sheweth what hearts the wicked beare toward the godly and what purpose they haue but that it shall bee frustrate for it is said Herod would kill him not he shall kill him Thus though we be all sheepe appointed to the slaughter in the malice of the enemy yet we are not so in the purpose of God For the Dragon Reu. 12 4. like a bloudy mid-wife standeth ready to deuoure the child whereof the Church should bee deliuered but the Lord prospereth her in her trauell and assumeth the child into heauen that he may be free from the cruelty of the beast Whereby we are taught euery day to take vp our crosse for if wee will liue godly in Christ there is a necessity of persecution and we must all suffer either the sword of Esau or the frumping of Ismael Gen 27.1 Gen. 2â— 9 Act. 23.31 And this may be our comfort Herod may trauell with mischiefe but he shall neuer bring it foorth the Iewes may vow and sweare the death of Paul 1. King 17.5 but they shall be preuented Iesabel may make hue and crie after Eliah but the Lord himselfe shall hide him What did Herod thinke God to be an idoll or to haue cast off all care of his Sonne he knew by the Prophets that God had set him vp to raigne ouer his people and yet he vainly thinkes
we learne that Princes thinke them selues abused and that disparagement is done to the state royall if men will not be executioners of their bloudy complots and euen sell their soules for the effecting of their designes Herod is mocked because the Wise-men will not relate the certainty of Christs birth that he may murder him and Saul 1. Sam. 22.17 thinketh himselfe contemned because his footmen would not slay the Priests of the Lord that had their hand with Dauid Secondly in that he tearmeth it mockery note that the wicked can father that vpon others whereof themselues are most guilty for the Wise-men they meant simply but that they were interdicted of God to returne to the court but Herod he mocked with the Lord for though hee knew that this new-borne King was to be set vp and that hee must raigne in the hearts of men yet in despight of God he though either by policy to circumuent it or by power to withstand the ordinance of the Lord scorning at the Oracles of the Prophets and complaining of cousinage when himselfe would haue cousined the almighty like vnto Fimbria of Rome who hauing dangerously wounded one the next day entred an action against the party grieued because hee had receiued but part of his blade into his bodie and not all And is it not strange when Pharaoh shall call Moses hard hearted when the Wolfe shall accuse the Lambe the Serpent saie the Doue is too subtle and Herod exclaime vpon the Wise men for mockerie when himselfe nourished so foule a vice against the highest No doubt he was wroth but not simplie because the Wise men returned not but for his owne sottishnesse that hee had not sent some man with them to haue seene what had become of the babe But thus when Princes make league and band themselues against the Lord and contribute toward the affliction of his saints hee insnareth them in their owne inuentions and infatuateth their deuises and destroieth the counsell of Achitophel Psal 18.26 2. Sam. 17.14 for as the Psalmist saith With the froward the Lord will deale frowardly For the second point which is the execution of this butchery we see to the end that if it were possible he might haue the bloud of the babe among the multitude he spareth none and the stories report in this massacre was killed his owne sonne whereupon Augustus the Emperour said in detestation of his cruelty that he had rather be Herods hogge then his heire By which we learne that the diuell possessing the heart of a tyrant makes him execute any thing tending to the maintenance of his state though the nature of man abhorre it as the effusion of bloud or though they be checked and amated by their owne hearts for Herod knew if Christ were borne he must raigne yet against his owne conscience he endeuours by counsell if he be able to deceiue or by crueltie if he be able to supplant the decree of God Thus did Pharaoh Exod. 8.4 seeke to crosse the commandement and purpose of the Lord in the deliuery of his seruants though by many immediate testimonies and wonders from heauen hee saw it as it were written on the walles that the Israelites must depart And thus did Saul seeke the life of Dauid though he was told by Samuel 1. Sam. 15.28 that the Lord the strength of Israel that could not lie had rent the kingdome from him and giuen it to his neighbour Secondly obserue hence that when one way succeedeth not to these Atheists then they straite attempt another Pharaoh at the first doth but exact further and greater labour of the Israelites but after he dealeth with the Midwiues Exod 1.15 to kill them that should be borne and after his malice breaketh foorth more fiercely into an edict or proclamation vers 22. that the male borne should be cast into the riuer So Saul confessing that he knew the Lord would establish the kingdome in the throne of Dauid yet first he sought to insnare him by his daughter 1. Sam. 18.17 Onely saith he fight thou the battels of the Lord and thou shalt haue my daughter but after his hypocrisie is discouered c. 19.1 making solemne proclamation Who haue I among all my souldiers that will do thus much for me to kill Dauid So as he that could spare Agag would pierce Dauid So Herod when he saw he was preuented of his first purpose by the not returning of the Wise men he still trauelleth with the same mischiefe and whereas before hee sought but the life of the babe onely now he is so enraged as he doubleth his crueltie and will haue the life of many innocent babes such a fire is sinne to double and increase the heate by burning and the deferring of their cursed attempts which should be as water to quench them is as oile to inflame them this being wrought by the malice of the diuell who throweth in fresh poison into our hearts that if wee bee preuented in our resolution of murdering the Lord Iesus we will be like the Dragon Reu. 12.12 to send foorth whole flouds of waters out of our mouthes to drowne and destroy his members Thirdly obserue that there is no edict or proclamation so cruell or execrable against Gods Saints which some wicked men will not execute at their Princes commandement If Iesabel would haue Naboths vineyard and cannot obtaine it without his life 1. King 21.11 she shall haue gouernors to serue her turne that will so one follow her cursed counsell When no man will fall vpon the Priests at the words of Saul 1. Sam. 22.17 then will Doeg take the sword and do it and Herod heere can no sooner mention a murder but his seruants will execute it Where further consider that if hell be prepared for the commander so is it likewise for the executioner though his act bee warranted by authority Is it in the power of the Prince to bring in a religion against God or may they doe what they will God forbid If the Prince should command mee to burne the Bible I ought not to doe it for a thing is not of God because she commands it but because it is of God therefore ought shee to command it Cambises king of Persia inflamed with incest consulteth with his Wise-men whether he may lawfully mary his sister they answer they find no such law to warrant it but they finde another law that the King of Persia is without all law And thus doe Princes counsellers feed them in their humors nodding at whatsoeuer Augustus will haue done And euen so miserable are these times that men doe wait at their Princes mouthes and performe their decrees not scanning whether they be grounded vpon the law of God which ought to bee the rule whereat Princes should leuell their commandements and by which subiects should square their obedience For it is not enough to slay Amnon 2. Sam. 13.29 at Absoloms commandement neither shall Rabshaketh excuse himselfe Esay 36.16 for railing on
the Lords followers to be betrayed of their owne fathers and to be entangled with sundry afflictions to bee banished into Egypt and if thou beest called backe againe yet neuer to haue but a steppe betweene thee and death as Dauid saith 1. Sam. 20.3 But for all this we may not be dismaied for in all these wee shall bee more then conquerours through Christ The third point is in what state Ioseph found all things in Indaea not quiet but still troublesome where we see how God exerciseth the faith and patience of this his seruant shewing heerein as in a glasse the state and condition of the godly how one trouble succeedeth another as if they were thornes folded one within the other Ioseph long expected his deliuerie out of Egypt and now in his returne he is as much grieued at the raigne of Archilaus as he was comforted at the death of Herod which the Lord doth not to presse him downe but to giue him the greater occasion to praise his name in the experience of his many deliuerances Iob 5.19 As Iob saith Out of six troubles the Lord will free me and the seuenth shall neuer come neere me And this is the vse which all Gods children ought to make of the varietie of their dangers the more to strengthen and confirme their hope that Gods hands shall euer be stretched foorth to send them deliuerance from his tabernacle as they were to Dauid Psal 32.6 and as they be in this place to Ioseph who riddeth him likewise out of this second feare Heere also we learne not to be negligent and secure when the Lord hath taken awaie one enemie of his Church for though the principall Doeg be gone that through flatterie abused Saul and that none is like to succeed him that shall haue such grace with the king yet still to keepe vs awake after Herods death comes Archilaus that beareth the same heart and the same affection that Herod did though he hath not the same power and though this be some comfort that hee shall neuer be crowned And thus did the Lord subiect his people still vnder the hand of some succeeding Pharaoh that they might cast vp their hearts to him and bewaile their wants and powre foorth their soules vnto the Almightie And thus shall the forrest neuer be without some Bore or other that would destroy the vine but if we be rooted into Christ and may beare him about vs as Ioseph did he will teach vs to watch or at least if we sleepe he will awake vs as he did his drowsie disciples Mat. 26.40 when danger was at hand For the fourth point how in this perplexed feare an Angell was sent vnto him we learne first wholly to depend on Gods prouidence seeing that in the seuerall extremities of Ioseph the Lord sent him seuerall comforts For first in the suspition and iealousie of his wife an Angell was dispatched from the heauenly palace to resolue him then the same messenger warned him of the imminent persecution and now releeueth him in his distresse And thus will the Lord deale with all his seruants that walke aright if they be not either too forward through hope or too backward through feare Secondly as this was one cause of Iosephs turning into Galiley namely to be succoured in his feare so in this the Lord had another end vnknowen to Ioseph which was the fulfilling of a prophesie that his sonne should be called a Nazarite that is one set apart vnto the Lord by speciall sanctification of nature which was praefigured by Sampson and others vnder the Law Where we learne how the Lord executeth his will both by his seruants and his enemies when as they meane nothing lesse then to doe it Thus did not Dauids father know when he set his sonne to keepe sheepe that he should fight with a Lion 1. Sam. 17.34 nor Sauls father know or once dreame that his sonne should bee anointed king when he sent him to seeke his Asses 1. Sam. 9.16 nor Mary when shee went to Bethlem to be tasked that therein the Prophesie of Michah should bee fulfilled that out of Bethlem should come the gouernour of Israel Michah 5.2 nor Herod in the cruell massacre little thought of performing Ieremiahs prophesie A voice of lamentation Rachel weeping for her children Ier. 31.15 nor the chiefe Priests when with the 30. peeces of siluer which Iudas brought they bought a potters field neuer dreamed of the prophesie of Zachariah chap. 11.13 that for so much should Christ be valued and therewith should such a field be brought But such strength hath the Lord and such power ouer the hearts of men as he can secretly moue them to be executioners of that himselfe hath appointed shall come to passe MATH chap. 3. vers 1 2 3 4 verse 1 And in those daies Iohn the Baptist came and preached in the wildernesse of Iudea verse 2 And said Repent for the kingdome of heauen is at hand verse 3 For this is he of whom it is spoken by the Prophet Esaias saying The voice of him that crieth in the wildernesse prepart yee the way of the Lord make his pathes strait verse 4 And this Iohn had his garment of Camels haire and a girdle of a skinne about his loiâ—es his meate also was Locusts and wild hony NOW the Euangelist goeth forward and passeth from the infancy of Christ vnto his manifestation to the world when hee was to be inuested into the office of his Priesthood before whom as before a mighty Monarch was to goe a harbinger to the vp lodging for his Lord in the hearts and consciences of men which was this Ioâ—â— Baptist. In the words consider first the time when this fore runneâ— did preach which being by this Euangelist set downe indefinitely is precisely declared by Saint Luke chap. 3.1 Secondly the place where hee exercised his ministery in the wildernesse Thirdly the summe and effect of his Sermons Repent and change your minds and amend your liues for the great King that shall open the doore of saluation vnto all is now at hand Fourthly by what commission he was warranted and authorized to doe this namely by Esay chap. 40.3 who had prophesied this long before Fiftly is described the wonderfull precisenesse and strictnesse of his life by his garments and diet wheâ— by all the people cast their eies vpon him admiring his austeritie For the first circumstance which is the time we must not vnderstand an immediate successiuenesse that Iohn began to preach as soone as Christ was brought to Nazareth but that it was while Christ liued there which was some 25. yeeres after for this Iohn was stirred vp that hee as the day-starre might goe before the Sonne of righteousnesse Saint Luke setteth it downe to be in the fifteenth yeere of Tiberius and Christ was borne in the fifteenth yeere of Augustus so as Christ was about thirtie yeeres of age when he began to preach Out of which learne generally that we must
they confessed not each one their particular priuate slippes and infirmities for then he would haue giuen them speciall remedies whereas Luk. 3.13.14 hee laboreth to preuent onely the abuses in their generall calling as for souldiers to aske no more then their due and to offer no violence nor to accuse anie falsly such like as followeth in that place Fifthly if Iohn should haue troubled himselfe with such a particular confession as they dreame of seuen yeeres would not haue sufficed him Now when he saw the Pharises c. Heere learne first that it is in the wisdome of the Minister to discerne of the auditory and there is nothing more vnsauorie then alwaies to vse one kinde of teaching for according to the inordinate walking of some they may and ought to be charged and reproued openly for Herod though he be a king Mat. 14.4 must be told openly of his incest and though Bethel be the kings chapell Amos must tell Ieroboam that hee shall die by the sword Amos 7.11 Yea the Lord hath so cloathed his Ministers with wisedome and with righteousnesse as they are able to appropriate the iudgements of God to particular sinnes as to say that the men of Bershemi 1. Sam. 6.19 were slaine for looking into the Arke that the Corinths were some sicke and some dead 1. Cor. 11.30 for abusing the Sacrament that Vzzah 2. Sam. 6.7 was stricken with death for laying but his hand to the Arke to sustaine it and in this place that the Pharisees are but vipers that would eare vp and deuoure their mother this being a particular reprehension to them wherewith the multitude were not blemished for the hypocrisie of the Pharisees touched not them Secondly obserue heere as Iohns wisdome â—â—de to discerne betweene the chaffe and the corne so his godly resolution whereby he durst challenge these great men which were reputed most holy and the speciall leaders and gouernors of the people for this he was enioyned to doe of the Lord as 〈◊〉 was said to Ieremy Spare them not and to Ezechiel I will make thy face as brasse that thou shalt not be afraid And as it is said 〈◊〉 Esay Speake what euer it cost thee be not ashamed to tell them the be shamelesse of their faults Whereupon Esay 50.6 saith I hâ—â—â— giuen my backe to the smiters and my cheekes to the nippers and haue not hid my face as being afraid of theirs And this appeareth by Iohn in this place by his sharpe reproofe not mildely peswading them but eagerly and bitterly rebuking them giuing them their most iust titles as brood of vipers not fathers of the Church or leaders of the people knowing Elihu his speech 〈◊〉 Iob to be most true Iob 32.22 that man could man giue to titles that is ought not to call a foole a wise-man nor a Sadduce other then a Seâ—pent Thirdly note he reproueth them because it was proâ—â—â—ble for the people to vnderstand what grosse abusers they were of Moses chaire carying a great and goodly shew of external sanctimony and holinesse among the people so as it was good and necessarie to discouer their pestilent hypocrisie Heereupon Christ was enforced to doe the like Mat. 23. calling then painted tombes faire to sight but their hearts were full of extortion so that vnlesse they were disgraced among the people the people could not turne-their hearts and affections from them therefore that they might not any longer bleare their eies he 〈◊〉 faine to vse these words of disgrace and disparagement of them Againe in that he calleth them generation of vipers obseâ—â—â—â— that hee excepteth not onely against these that came to heâ—â—â— him but against the whole order of them and of those two orders heere named though they disagree in iudgement the Pharisees holding that there is a resurrection the Sadduces that after this life there is an vtter extinguishment of the soule Math. 22.23 Acts 23.8 yet both agree in this to be viperously minded against the Gospell euâ—â—â— as the Atheists and Papists in these daies haue the same poisâ—â— of their hearts common against the true professors howsoeuer they bee diuersly distracted in factions And such hath alwaies beene the condition of the Gospell that euen the Princes of thâ— earth though otherwise diuided among themselues will yâ—â—â— ioyne hands against the Lord. Which may not discourage vs both because the Lord as he did heere will by his wisedome discouer their poison before they cast it and likewise as Asa saith 2. Chron. 14.11 It is nothing with the Lord to helpe with manie or with no power if we rest on him for his trueth shall preuaile Againe in that Iohn Baptist so sharply takes them vp learne that there is nothing so senslesse as hypocrisie for it was hard to perswade a Pharisee he was not as good a man as liued for thus they lied to their owne soules They made faire monuments of the Patriarchs as pretending to reuerence their remembrance but Christ Matth. 23.33 tels them they were onely monuments of their fathers crueltie in putting them to death So fearfull a thing is it to accustome our selues to an outward shew of religion without sinceritie thinking that Gods thoughts be like ours as to be pleased with that possesseth and dazeleth the bodily eie whereas he pondereth the steps of the heart that onely maketh the actions pure or vncleane Therefore Saint Iohn knowing it to bee so difficult to sound the vast bottome of their filthie foules they were so hardened and ouergrowne in hypocrisie hee breaketh out into admiration that their hearts being fraught with such vncleannesse they should thinke it possible to flie from the vengeance that would at the last pursue them Let vs therefore keepe the conscience tender and apply our hearts to entertaine the seruice and worship of God in puritie and simplicitie assuring our selues it is not our outward pretence of holinesse nor cutting of the flesh with the Priests of Baal 1. Kin 18.28 that shall goe for currant with the Lord and protect vs from the wrath to come but it is the plainnesse of the heart and the singlenesse of the eie in the true seruice of that one God Ioh. 4.24 that shall be accepted Further learne hence what an abhominable thing sinne is and among the rest hypocrisie that it is able to transforme men into beasts as resembling them in their qualities And thus Daâ—id Ps 32. to make the sinne of rebellion more odious he compareth men to horses and mules the mule if he be not well watched will take his rider in his teeth and lay him in the manger and the horse if he can cast his rider will giue him a kinde farewell with his heele And if euer there might be iust complaint of this it is now when men bee so full of iadish qualities that hardly can the Minister sit in his saddle Sometimes men are compared to Lions as the proud enemies of the Church sometimes as Psal 22.16 to dogges
Psal 58.6 and Psal 59.6 So Paul calleth false teachers dogges snarling against the preaching of the truth sometime they are called swine to disgrace the filthinesse of mans nature sometime for their cruelty to Beares robbed of their whelpes sometimes for their boldnesse to Wolues as Mat. 10. Christ saith I send you as sheepe among Wolues which vers 16. he expounds to be among men sometime to Buls Psalm 22. The fat Buls of Basan seeke to deuoure me sometime to wild Boares as Dauid praieth O Lord set a hedge before thy vineyard for feare of wild Boares Psal 80.13 they are so full of rage sometime for the subtilty they are tearmed Foxes as Christ saith Gord that Fox speaking of Herod that I will preach to day and to morrow Luk. 13.32 sometime to horse-leaches Prou. 30.15 which haue two daughters that crie bring bring they are so full of cruelty so Psal 22. those that persecute and afflict the Church are called Vnicornes and heere the Pharisees are named Vipers that would eate and deuoure the Church and yet they would come to heare which made their sinne so much the heauier that they would come to so holy a place with so vnholy harts Thus doâ—â— sinne strangely change vs and thus are men when the Lord hâ—â—â— giuen them ouer that they haue not the property of one beak but of all beasts for they are as malicious as Apes as enuious as Serpents and as venimous as Adders and yet they dare come and state the Lord in the face in his congregation hauing neuer communed with their hearts before This is that the Lord complaineth of Ier. 7.9 Will you steale and commit adultery auburne incense vnto Baal and come and stand before me in this house where my name is called vpon Nay the Lord abhorreth all such manner of worship and sacrifice as himselfe protesteth Esa 66. The sacrifice of a sheepe in this sort I esteeme as the bloud of a mâ—â— For though the meanes to auoid the wrath to come be by conming to Gods ordinance of preaching yet to come with a pharisaicall heart doth but increase the vengeance and hasten thy destruction Now for the instruction Bring foorth therefore fruits c. Marke how plainly and precisely Iohn doth stand vpon an open declaration of repentance by amendement of life for euery one may say he meaneth well which if he doe he will not be ashamed to bring it foorth So as if we will be trees of righteousnesse engrafted into Christ we must shew foorth the fruits and not the leaues of righteousnesse by the operation of his spirit for thou canst not be one flesh with a harlot and one spirit with the Lord Iesus 1. Cor. 6. and charitie ought not to make mee beleeue him to be Christs sheepe that heareth not his voice So as marke that the Lord measureth the flowre of our hearts by the fruit of our lips for Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and men may see our hearts through our hands Since then the Lord requireth that wee should approoue our faith to men and manifest our reconciliation with God in heauen by the works of loue shewed to men on earth let vs weigh our steppes that they may be straight watch ouer our words that they may be gracious passe nothing through our fingers that shall be entangled with the hurt of our neighbour but measure out our actions by the rule and square of religious loue And say not with your selues c. This is the second point before deliuered namely the godlie and graue exhortation Iohn made vnto these false hearted Pharisees and Sadduces containing two parts first what they should do Amend their liues Secondly what they should not doe that they should not presume vpon the externall priuiledge they had of being circumcised as the children of Abraham For this was the error of their iudgement that the whole seed of Abraham by generation of the flesh were within the couenant of grace to be saued And this is the obiection implied and answered by S. Paul Rom. 9.6.7 namely that if the Iewes were cast away then the word of the Lord was fallen away because it is said I will be thy God and the God of thy seed for euer which is confuted there by the Apostle by a distinction of a double seed There is an Israel in the couenant and an Israel out of the couenant So as there is a double election in the house of Israel first generall that all that came of the loines of Abraham should haue this dignity to be accounted within the couenant to partake of the word and seale of circumcision The second is a speciall election out of the former that out of the seed of Abraham one seed onely should be saued as it is Malach. 1.2 Is not Esau Iacobs brother yet haue I hated Esau and loued Iacob Whereby appeareth there is a speciall election out of the generall so as the grace of the couenant was offered to all Israel and all Israel differed from the vncircumcised nations yet the promise was effectuall onely in the elect Whereupon gather that if these Pharisees had not beene blinded and bereaued of the spirit of truth they would neuer haue stood vpon any externall priuiledge for the promise being made indefinitely had beene fulfilled if ten onely had beene saued for the Scripture goeth onely thus farre I will be the God of thy seed not of all thy seed And this the Apostle proueth in the place before thus If all the Iewes were within the compasse of the promise and the couenant of grace by vertue of the outward seale of cutting the foreskin of the flesh then it was necessary the first borne should bee and that he might challenge this assoone as any to be saued But this was not so for in Ismael the eldest was not the promise but in Isaac shall thy seed be called so as God declared his purpose by distinguishing them at first when the couenant was but new made while Abraham himselfe liued and when he had but two sonnes And lest this particular example might bee excepted against by reason of the disparagement in their birth Israel being borne of the bond-woman Take saith the Apostle Esau borne of the same wombe begot of the same father yea borne at the same time almost and if there were any prerogatiue it was Esaus for he was eldest both of them circumcised yet did not the promise pertaine to Esau as is proued by two testimonies of Scripture Gen. 25 23. The elder shall serue the yonger and Mal. 1.2 I haue loued Iacob and hated Esau his seruitude in the flesh being ioyned with the hatred of God vpon his soule So as the difference betweene the children of Abraham according to the flesh onely and according to the flesh and spirit also standeth in these two things first in Gods secret purpose whom to glorifie and whom to reiect secondly in the effects of faith and
Neither is this contrary to that God willeth not the death of a sinner for the difference is this God willeth not the confusion simply of any man as a thing wherein he delighteth but he willeth it as it is his iustice and what greater or better iustice can there be then to bee glorified in the condemnation of some that haue deserued it and he must be no more vnwillingly iust then vnwillingly mercifull Further learne that euen in this life the godly are gathered to heauen and so of the wicked that though they liue yet they are in hell So S. Iohn saith he that beleeueth is already passed to life Iohn 5.24 and Heb. 12.22 we are gathered already to the Patriarks and to the soules of iust and perfect men through hope and wee are as sure to haue that we hope for as we are of this we haue already namely the pledge of Gods spirit and Ephes 2. vs he hath gathered to the celesticall places vnder hope speaking as if it were already done though the reall gathering shal be at the latter day On the other side of the wicked it is said by the same spirit He that beleueth not is already damned the words are fearefull but it is so set downe to expresse the certainty of it not but that hee that is not beloued Ose 2.23 may be beloued and he that is not vnder mercy 1. Pet. 2.10 may obtaine mercy But looke in what state a man is in the Church in the same shall hee be after this life for whatsoeuer is bound on earth is bound in heauen and they that bee not bound heere being priuy hypocrites are notwithstanding bound in heauen and shall be so in hell also For the last which is vnquenchable fire thereby is meant the condemnation prepared for the reprobate not that wee must imagine there is any naturall fire there for first this fire can not pierce the soules of men nor the spirits of diuels and the paine must extend both to soule and body Secondly it is no more naturall fire then it is a bodily worme spoken of in the Gospell which shall gnaw the hearts and consciences of the damned Mark 9.44 Thirdly in Esay 30.33 it is said there was a great lake prepared for Kings with fire of much wood and it is absurd to thinke there is any wood there and a riuer of brimstone burning by the breath of the Lord which is not to bee intended of materiall brimstone but it is set out by such termes to expresse the vnspeakable torment of it not to be comprehended much lesse to be endured for the torment of fire and brimstone euen to flesh and bloud are strange and terrible therefore these speeches are vsed to conuey to our vnderstanding what we could not before conceiue So it is said in the Gospell that they shall bee bound hand and foot not that there be any bonds or chaines there Mat. 22.13 but the meaning only is that they are the prisoners of the Lord for euer neuer to be released but to be restrained from all libertie wherby they might in any sort be eased Againe hell fire is called Gehenna or Topheth which was a litle place where the Israelites did sacrifice their children in fire to the Diuels this being taken for the torment of the reprobate Now this torment is expressed two waies first in the extremitie of it secondly in the permanencie of it The first two waies First by that they shall feele both in soule and body secondly by that they shall lose both of them expressed 2. Thess 1.9 they shall be separated from the power of his presence and bound in chaines in euerlasting darknesse The greatnesse of this torment is expressed two waies first it shall be vniuersall in all parts and it is most fearfull in this life to be pained in euery part of the body at one time Secondly the particular torment thâ— euery one in hell shall feele as that Princes shall be tormented like Princes euery one according to the sinnes that he wrought in his body Mat. 10.15 as it is said in the Gospell It shall bee easier for Sodome then for them and yet they be in hell already for the damnation of Belzebub shall be the greatest and then of them that sinned against the holy Ghost and none of these shall haue so much as a drop of water to coole their toongues but they shall continually bee blaspheming of God for the which they shall continually be tormented And though this shall be great and grieuous such as they cannot yet they must abide yet shall it be a farre greater hell vnto them to thinke they haue lost heauen seeing Gods children to reioice that their persecutors be now plagued and that God is so auenged of them for their sakes For the second which is the endlesnesse of this torment it is a fire that shall neuer go out nor the flames wherof can neuer beâ—bated If there were but as many yeeres to endure it as there be grasse piles on earth or starres in heauen the conscience might somewhat through hope bee eased because at length it should cease but the end thereof cannot be imagined and this word neuer is fearefull Let this therefore teach vs rightly to embrace the Gospell that we may be wheate in this earthly floore of the Lord to the end we may be gathered into his heauenly garner MATH Chap. 3. vers 13 14 15 16 17. verse 13 Then cam Iesus from Galile to Iordan vnto Iohn to he baptized of him verse 14 But Iohn earnestly put him backe saying I haue neede to be baptized of thee and comest thou to me verse 15 Then Iesus answering said to him Let be now for thus it becommeth vs to fulfill all righteousnesse so hee suffered him verse 16 And Iesus when he was baptized came straite out of the water and lo the heauens were opened vnto him and Iohn saw the Spirit of God descending like a Diue and lighting on him verse 17 And lo a voice came from heauen saying This is my beloloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased NOW the Euangelist proceedeth to shew now Iohn exercised part of his Ministery euen toward the Messias himselfe and setteth downe how after Christ had liued long in Nazareth containing himselfe in Iosephs house till his heauenly father should consecrate him and call him forth to the great worke of the Ministery and of maiestie hee being now of thirty yeeres of age commeth to Iohn and requireth to be baptized in as much as he appearing in the flesh of man was to ioyne himselfe to them that confessed their sinnes Iohn by reuelation perceiuing that he was the Lord for they neuer met before this being in wise dome prouided of the Lord lest it might haue seemed a compact betweene them two to cosen the world refuseth to do it and put him backe earnestly acknowledging Christs excellency and his owne vnworthinesse In this bewraying the error of his
iudgement that hee knew not all that pertained to his calling and ministery yet addeth a reason why he did this I can giue but water but thou canst giue the spirit to purge the conscience Christ seeing his modesty bids him leaue off to intreate of his excellency and his owne basenesse that he was as the Sonne and Iohn but as the day starre Let this goe saith Christ for thou and I both must labour to doe that God hath appoiâ—ted it is thy calling to baptize and mine to require it professing himselfe to bee in the number of repentants Iohn seeing that Christ shewed this actioÌ„ to be a part of that righteousnesse should be fulfilled did receiue him whereupon after Christ had beenâ— drenched in the water a miracle was seene the heauens to open the holy Ghost to descend a voice from his Father that this Sonne was principally beloued and for his sake all others should be beloued So as the Sauiour of the world was first baptized and then miraculously consecrated to be that great monarch of heaven and earth In the words there are two generall parts to bee considered first that Christ was baptized from vers 13. to the latter end of vers 15. secondly what-testimony was giuen from heauen for his consecration to the Mediatorship In the first there be these circumstances set downe first that Christ tooke paines himselfe to come secondly that Iohn at first refused him giuing a reason why he did so thirdly Christ replying vpon him with a reason added why he required it and why Iohn may not deny it For the first of these consider two circumstances first at what time Christ came secondly whence he came then the word shewes a continuance of the story then when Iohn had prepared a people by his ministery to receiue Christ and when the fulnesse of time was come and the time of his present prinate life expired Heere generally consider that God determineth the times and seasons of mens priuate and publike callings Moses was forty yeeres of age before God told him he should bee the delinerer of his people and after hee had discontinued and walked priuatly forty yeeres more then hee was called of God to that office Act. 7.23 Exo. 3.10 So Iohn was thirty yeeres old before hee began to execute his ministery So for Christ it might seeme tedious to his parents that hee should so long containe himselfe in their priuate house and albeit he was destinated and ordained from the wombe to this great office and worke yet he must expect his fathers pleasure before hee offer himselfe to goe forth of Galile It is true of all men which Ieremy speakes of himselfe ch 1.5 God called me saith he and sanctified me to be a Prophet from the wombe yea before I was fashoined So Paul Gal. 1.15 saith he was separate from his mothers wombe to preach the gospell yet they must both wait and attend for a reall calling The vse that is hence to be gathered is that as Christ contented and satisfied himselfe with a priuate life when by comming abroade he might haue come to great renowne in the world so much more are we to satisfie our selues with that place wee haue and leaue it to Gods wisedome who in fulnesse of time will call if he haue any imploiment for vs so as no man may beg or buy a calling or thinke all his graces buried if he enter not presently into the broade way of worldly fame for God will in time if he haue set him apart for his husbandry prouide him a place and meanes for his lawfull entrance and such an admittance as may secure his conscience For the second whence he came from Galile where may be demanded why Iohn went not to him he being but the seruantâ— the reason is first because Iohns ministery was appointed to be exercised in the wildernesse secondly it was to set forth the maiesty and to preserue the dignity and worthinesse of the ministery for in as much as Christ was to be baptized hee was to come thither as one that was to partake of some fruit of his office Which example and prefident shewes that no man ought to thinke himselfe too good to come to Iohn that is to the Minister of God in whose mouthes heehath put the words of reconciliation and in whose hands are the distribution of his seales And this condemneth all those that seeke to bring the Temple into their house or wait that the Arke should come to them Dauid we see though a King of high glory and renowne Psal 84 2.3 complaineth and mourneth that he could not haue accesse to the church of God and thought the birds happier theâ— he that sate and sung within the Temple And if the King of heauen the Lord Iesus did humble himselfe to goe to Iohn much more ought flesh and bloud to striue to ioyne themselues to the publike place where the ministery is exercised The second circumstance is Iohns forbidding of Christ to come to his baptisme Out of which place appeareth that Iohn acknowledged him to be the Messias though he was cloathed with sinfull flesh for he saith he had need to receiue the holy Ghost of him which none can giue but Christ Now how knew he this for by the wisedome of God it was wrought that they neuer saw nor met before therefore hee must needs know it miraculously euen as miraculously Luke 1.41 hee leapt in his mothers wombe when she first heard of Christs conception And if the signe to know him be the Doue as some would haue it how knew he him before It must be answered that God gaue him a secret reuelation to himselfe to discerne that this was the person in whom dwelt the God-head bodily Coloss 2.9 and after for further confirmation which was a signe a posteriori there was this exhibition of that token a Doue descending on him According as Exod. 3.12 Moses was told he should bee a deliuerer of the people of Israel and this was his signe that when he had done it he should sacrifice to God in the mount that is it should further confirme him for he knew it before when he went forth of Egypt with the people Where we may learne that if we walke simply as in the sight of God and make a conscience of our calling wee shall haue if need require an extraordinary presence and help of God to instruct vs and we shall be taught of him the secrets and wonders of the Lord. Further learne in this refusall of Iohn to baptise Christ that although a man may be an excellent Minister yet hee may erre concerning some chiefe point of his office and this to bee no disparagement to him euen as Iohn failed in this duty So as we draw out of this particular example this generall instruction against such as except against Ministers being of another iudgement then others be for if he be faithfull in the greatest duty of his calling and his end be
begets beames from thâ—â— Sunne and the beames proceeds light the beames cannot beâ—â— without the Sunne nor the light without them both So froâ— the spring riseth the well head yet is not the spring without thâ—â— well head and the streame proceeds from them both These 〈◊〉 steps and traces as it were to conceiue somwhat of this mysteâ—â— of mysteries Lastly obserue as the whole Trinity was present at Câ—â—â—â— baptisme the Father to iustifie his Sonne the Spirit to saâ—â— him and Christ to be sanctified so are they also present 〈◊〉 baptisme God the Father to receiue vs Christ to purchaâ—en for vs the holy Ghost to purge our consciences yea and the heauens are open that is we are as sure to come thither as we are sure Christ is there Therefore is the whole congregation bound to stay the setting on of this seale and to see the child receiued into the church since there is such a glorious presence at it and it ought to be meditated vpon when it is applied to others MATH chap. 4. vers 1 2 3 4. c. verse 1 Then was Iesus led aside of the spirit into the wildernesse to bee tempted of the diuell verse 2 And when he had fasted forty daies and forty nights he was afterward hungry verse 3 Then came to him the Tempter and said If thou be the Sonne of God command that these stones be made bread verse 4 But he answering said It is written man shal not liue by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God verse 5 Then the diuell tooke him vp into the holy City and set him on a pinacle of the temple verse 6 And said vnto him If thou be the Sonne of God cast thy selfe downe for it is written that he will giue his Angels charge ouer thee and with their hands they shall lift thee vp lest at any time thou shouldest dash thy foot against a stone verse 7 Iesus said vnto him It is written againe Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God verse 8 Againe the diuell tooke him vp into an exceeding high mountaine and shewed him all the kingdomes of the world and the glory of them verse 9 And said vnto him All these will I giue thâ—â— if thou wilt fall downe and worship me verse 10 Then Iesus said vnto him auoid Satan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God him only shalt thou serâ—â— verse 11 Then the Diuell left him and behold the Angels came and ministred vnto him NOW the Euangelist further sheweth that because the time was neare when our Sauior Christ was to enter into his office to which hee was before consecrated that it was ordained by God and the holy Ghost immediatly before that he should submit himselfe to bee exercised in a hot conflict challenging Sathan hand to hand that ouercomming in this first and great combate hee himselfe might bee consumed and others might know that he came to destroy the works of the diuell And to the end that Sathan might haue the greater power and fuller blow at him hee was led into a solitary and desert place where the diuell might be in his ruffe and to such a place wherein men possessed were specially tormented and there Christ liued among wild beasts as Marke saith chap. 1.13 that Sathan might doe his vttermost And forasmuch as Moses in the deliuery of the Law Exod. 34.28 was taken vp into a mount to God and was taken from men where hee abstained from meate fourty daies and fourty nights that the excellency of his doctrine might receiue the greater grace and might further be authorised and forasmuch as Eliah 1. King 19.8 in the restoring of the Law defaced in the idolatrous raigne of Ahab did goe in the strength of one cake and a pot of water fourty daies and fourtie nights So heere before the doctrine of the Gospell was to bee published it was meet that Christ should doe no lesse lest there might be thought some disparagement done and lesse glory to haue beene in the Gospell that the law being written but in stone and to endure but a time should bee adorned and beautified with a greater miracle then the Gospell which should bee written in the liuing stones of mens hearts Howbeit in this Christ giueth vs no example of abstinence for hee fasted because hee had no manner of stomacke all that while which was to confirme vs that hee was a man meerely supernaturall being able to forbeare without aâ—â— appetite forty daies During which time the Diuell set vpon him and he was not free from this encounter any while but after beginning to be hungry then the diuel more furiously assaulteth him hoping to worke and preuaile somewhat vpon this occasion of his infirmity whereupon follow three seuerall temptations which in their place shall be spoken of In the words are set downe three points first Saint Mathew diligently deliuereth all such circumstances as went before his temptation secondly what these temptations were both in number and in kinde after he grew hungrie from the third to the end of the tenth verse thirdly the euent and issue of this assault that when he had repulsed the rage and driuen backe the darts of his enemy the Angels came to doe him homage as to a great and mighty conquerour For the circumstances before the combat they be fiue first is noted the time then that is immediatly after he had receiued testimony from heauen that hee was the great Doctor of the church secondly the place where this was in the wildernesse a place most for the aduantage of Sathan thirdly by what motion he was caried thither by the direction of that spirit which before descended on him fourthly to what end he went namely to be tempted fifthly the occasion Sathan tooke more specially ta assault him which was his fasting and hunger For the first when he was solemnely pronounced to bee the Sonne of God and that he was full of the holy Ghost then the diuell setteth vpon him While he liued a priuate life and kept himselfe close and within his compasse hee assaied not to assault him but when he is to execute a matter and worke of his office concerning the saluation of mankind and that this is now to bee accomplished by the preaching of the Gospell and by miracles and that the power of the diuell is to be extinguished and that he is to be cast out of mens consciences now he begins to challenge him Where learne that the same which befell to the head the members be not exempted from especially such as be ordained to bee instruments for the setting vp of the Gospell When Moses liued priuate and shewed not himselfe to the world there was no cause of quarrell but when he saw one of his brethren suffer wrong and defended him and auenged his quarrell that had the harme done to him and smote the Egyptian Act. 7.25 then they began to disgrace him and he was
hand of a souldier Ephes 6.17 and this is that wee vrge that euery man may beare his owne sword since euery one is to fight and in the iustice of the Law of Armes it should bee so since wee know not how soone we shall be assaulted and except they will discharge vs of the Lords seruice and say that we are no Souldiers to combat against the corruptions of the flesh and suggestions of the diuell it is a wrong not to bee suffered thus to haue the weapon wrested out of our hands Yet I cannot but commend the wit of the Clergy for they had not sold their wares vnlesse they had folded the peoples eies wherein they haue done like theeues that put out the candle that they may rifle more safely in the darke so they wisely haue sought their vantage that their vile filthy merchandize of Masses and such like might bee vented abroad which would lie rotting at home vpon their hand if men might be suffered to bring any light with them into their pack-houses Oh but they say they haue kept it but from hogges and dogges Yea and from sheepe and lambes too besides that many are vncleane in their liues which yet are not hogges But in this they bewray a cleane contrary spirit to that wherewith our Sauiour Christ was conducted for hee oft preached in the hearing of knowen hogges and dogges the Scribes and Pharisees lest for their sakes the children should bee defrauded of their bread whereas on the contrary they depriue the children of their appointed portion lest the dogges should happily snatch at it which is no reason that it should bee kept from the iust owners because there be some vsurpers by Yea but saith Stapleton by searching the Scripture diligently they haue erred shamefully This is as if one that were to traine vp a child to be an archer should giue him this precept that by aâ—ming at the marke most surely hee should misse most foully Whereas men haue erred onely because they sought it not diligently enough and though many haue missed yet heerein haue they beene brought to a conscience to craue the Lords helpe in guiding their hands that they may come as neare to the price of Christs glory as may be Well forsooth to gratifie the people they haue now giuen them as they terme it the Rhemish Testament but as the cursings of the people haue hitherto pierced their soules and runne them thorough for ingrossing into their hands the graine of life so now they will be as sore and sharpe against them for selling them such mustie mildewd and blassed graine neither is their impiety lesse now in poisoning them then it was before in staruing them The second sort of men that wring this sword 〈◊〉 the people are they that dare not but allow some instruments for tillage yet they content themselues with bare reading as if they would haue a souldier but halfe armed like vnto the subtill practise of the Philistims who to keepe 1. Sam. 13.19 the Lords people alway in slauery permitted no vse of weapon vnto them a few excepted whereby they would shew grace vnto them Heereupon men are to be exhorted not to except against them that come to feed at a Sermon hauing none at home For wee ought to learn in this schoole of defence how to handle our weapon and Seruice is commanded by the law not to exclude Preaching but to goe with it so as if they come for conscience to heare and not for contempt to their owne Pastor at home they are to be permitted without complaint Heere also are they to be charged that hauing gifts and being Christs Lieutenants yet neglect to traine vp those souldiers that are to serue vnder their band And by this meanes many of them are strongly assaulted in their absence taking the fleece and not looking to the sheepe and sitting to guide the sterne and yet suffering the vessell to bee blowne about with euery tempest For it comes to passe oft times that some of the flocke are taken with the trembling of the heart and dismaied by the terror of conscience Sathan hath driuen them vnto wanting a teacher to bridle his rage and to answer his so phistry and to salue the wound of the distressed so that their faith is so dangerously assailed as sometimes they are strangled with despaire whereas for any thing such a teacher knoweth his disease might haue beene cured by praier and for any thing he knoweth also hee may pay the price of his bloud Againe though the iudgement doth not pursue them thus far yet sometimes through these hot conflicts they grow senslesse leading a long life in feare and leauing an ill example of a miserable end whereas if their want of knowledge and experience had beene supplied by the lippes of their guides there had been great hope they might haue preuailed Now for them that depriue themselues of this iewell and fling this weapon from them saying that they beleeue as the Church beleeueth and so hang their faith vpon the hookes of anothers beleefe and being miserably abused refuse to reade the word saying God keepe them from the new and old Testament for if there bee such bookes they are bookes of controuersie but thinke if they come to a Masse it is enough though they beleeue they know not what It is to bee lamented to see that they haue thus put foorth their eies to abuse them after as they list And thus haue they all the secrets of the people brought vnto them by their auricular confessions keeping their owne iugling and playing fast and loose from the peoples sight because they hide away the glasse of the word wherein they might view their owne deformities and the scabs of their instructers Which is all one as if a man being ready to goe a dangerous iourney wherein he were sure to meet with riflers and being well appointed for the purpose should bee perswaded to goe but in no case to carry his weapon with him Wherefore let vs not hang our swords vpon other mens backes for we shall be iudged according to our owne workes but let vs still holde the sword in one hand and the shield in the other for wee are beset on euery side our sleepe is a thing to tempt vs single life and mariage are things to tempt vs yea there is no minute wherin we are not assaulted Let vs therfore since the Lord hath furnished vs with all things fit for the warre-fare and since Christ hath sanctified by example this weapon of the word vnto vs in the like conflict let vs apply our hearts to reade it and striue to haue this light both in our liues and in our mouths for it is necessary for the king to reade and lay vp that hee may command not through the pride of his heart things that are vnlawfull and for the people lest in too great basenesse of minde they should obey man rather then God Act. 4.20 Now for them that thinke
heauen and the holy Ghost was there by his soleâ—â—â— presence He had no possessions of his owne but was maintained by the almes of deuout women but out of them had hee cast Diuels Hee must paie tribute Mat. 17.27 but hee will fetch it out of the fishes mouth in the end hee was taken with a band of men but when he spake Ioh. 18.6 they reeled backward and none durst lay hold on him he was whipped and ill intreated but twice before had hee whipped the money changers out of the Temple and none durst open their mouth against him Mark 11.15 Mat. 27.19.24 he was condemned to die but the Iudges wife dreamed and was troubled being perswaded of his innocency and Pilat himselfe acquitted him When he was going to the crosse he was so worne as he was not able to beare it but he was able to beare the wrath of his Father He was hanged betweene two theeues Mat. 27.32 Luk. 23.43 but he saueth one of them And howsoeuer sometimes he was called Belzebub yet Belzebub confesseth him often to bee the Sonne of God thus was euer his humility qualified with some testimony of his diuinitie In that it is said The Angels came and ministred vnto him note that howsoeuer they bee ministring spirits to giue vs security of the Lords protection though his promise were sufficient yet by speciall prerogatiue they are attending on Christ to whom alone they owe and doe their homage And besides learne heere the time when we are to expect this ministery of Angels not vntill we haue fought the battels of the Lord then to succour our faint spirits and to releeue our distressed hearts they are sent as comforters vnto vs. Gen. 22.11 And thus when Abraham held in his body an anguished soule and in his hand a blondy knife to haue fetched the life of Isaac from him then was the window of comfort opened and then had God prouided another sacrifice When Iacch was wearied and benighted Gen. 28. hauing for his bed the earth and for his pillow an heape of stones then standeth the Lord about him and blesseth him and when Eliah is forced to flie to preserue his life and yet ready to die for want of food then doth the Lord awake him by his Angell and bid him eate 1. King 19.5 And when Christ had finished the combat and wonne the field then the Angels come to waite vpon him so as wee may not thinke to beare away the victory without blowes nor to be comforted without sorrowes not to bee refreshed without 〈◊〉 MATH 4. vers 12 13.14.15.16 verse 12 And when Iesus heard that Iohn was committed to prison he turned into Galile verse 13 And leauing Nazareth went and dwelt in Capernaum which is neere the sea in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalins verse 14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet Esaias saying verse 15 The land of Zabulon and the land of Nephthalins by the way of the sea beyond Iordan Galile of the Gentiles verse 16 The people which sate in darknesse saw great light and to them which sate in the region and shadow of death light as risen vp HEere followeth the real execution of Christs office and what hee did after Iohn was in prison For now was the time that the day-star going away the Sunne of righteousnesse might appeare In the words there are three things to bee considered first the cause why Christ returned into Galile the very place where that Herod dwelt that committed Iohn for reprouing him of his adultery Secondly that hee leaueth Nazareth his owne place the reason whereof is giuen by Saint Luke chap. 4.29 because they sought to breake his necke Thirdly the cause of his going to Capernaum to fulfill Esay his Prophesie that those quarters should first bee made famous through Christs doctrine and miracles being the first that were caried away into captiuity Now first it shall not be amisse since wee see Iohn in prison to seeke out the cause of his commitment which though it bee not heere expressed yet it is in the 14. chapter of this Euangelist set downe vpon another occasion that Herod thought the soule of Iohn Baptist to be gone into Christ howbeit S. Luk. chap. 3.19 vpon this very occasion sheweth the cause to bee for reprouing Herod for taking his brother Philips wife Where note behold as in a mirror the wonderfull resolution of a Christian seruant of God that durst tell a king to his face of so enormous a crime And if Iohn liued now howeuer many might haue commended his zeale yet most would haue condemned his discretion that durst aduenture himselfe so far for he was growen into high fauor with the king as appeareth Mark 6.20 Herod would heare him often acknowledged him to bee godly reformed many things and granted many things at his request so that heerein men now adaies would call in question his discretion that hauing such interest in the king he would not spare him in this one vice but must needs lance this sore whereas if he had but stopped his mouth in this one hee might haue continued still and done much good But Iohn Baptist durst not conceale any part of his ambassage The imitation of which president will be thought to be preiudiciall to the serpentine wisedome of these times for now it is thought good aduice not to wake a sleeping Lion nor to put our hands into the hiue lest we be stung but to beware of vae nobis lest wee come coram vobis not at all to reproue lest wee bee striken Which is contrary to the wisedome of Iohn for though there were none left but Christ yet hee spareth not his message nor is ashamed to tell Herod of that sin he ought to be ashamed to commit and away with this idoll discretion which marreth all euen as the image in Daniel chap. 3.1 which was set vp in Dura Nathan 2. Sam. 12.1 must tell Dauid of his adultery to his face and Paul aduiseth 1. Tim. 5.20 those that sin to rebuke openly that the rest may feare which being sealed by the canon of the Apostle prooueth that men must not onely rebuke in generall but in particular And if Paul had need of the prayer of the Ephesians chap. 6.19 that he might speake boldly much more haue wee that stand in such feare to be bound for our speech for by this courage and boldnesse shall wee establish our doctrine in mens consciences Secondly in this example of Iohn note as his constancy to speake boldly so his persecution to suffer extreamly and this is the portion allotted to all Gods Ministers If Eliah speake the truth in reprouing Ahab 1. King 19.8 he must flie to the mount Horeb to saue himselfe If Amos preach at Bethel the destruction of Ieroboams house Amos 7.12 he must go to his tar-box again And if Michaiah 1. Kings 22.17 tell the king truly he may not go to battell he shall be sure to
eat the bread of affliction If Hanani tell Asah 2. Chronic. 16.9 thou hast done foolishly not to rest vpon the Lord to prison with him If Zachariah 2. Chron. 24.20 tell Ioash he shall not prosper if he forsake the Lord and that he doth ill to put downe religion he shall be slaine euen in the court of the Lords house Ieremy must to the dungeon Esay to the saw Iohn Baptist to the axe if they bee so quicke sighted and so hot spirited as they cannot winke at sinne And Reuel 11.3 of two Preachers out of whose mouthes shall proceed fire though in the eies of the Lord they be as Oliues dropping down most comfortable mice yet at last the Beast shall get them and ouercome them they being stronger in the spirit but he in the flesh and he shall kill them and they shall not be buried and the people shall send gifts one to another saying the Prophets are gone now making merry as that they might sinne without controlement and giuing applause to that beastly tyranny was shewed on them Let vs further consider the indignity offered to this man borne a Prophet whose father was stricken dumbe by a miracle the Bridegroomes friend yet was hee not condemned by publike sentence not at the desire of the people but by the request of a harlots daughter executed in a priuate place Could the Sun shine vpon such a King as could breake foorth into this impietys And how could the Lord spare his wrath and not powre it forth that such a famous seruant of his should bee taken away by such an infamous death But howsoeuer wee may after a sort coâ—â— fesie that our bodies are in the Princes power yet this may comfort vs that not the life no nor the haue of a Minister shall perish without the pleasure and permission of God To day to morow and the third day Christ shall preach let the Fox do bis worst Luk. 13.32 when his time is come their malice shall put him to death also Thirdly note Gods prouidence that both Iohn and Christ may not be clapped vp together but God euer will haue some left to carry his message When the three children Dan. 5. were in the fire Daniel was at liberty in the Court and when Dauiel was in the Lions denne the three children were in credit in the Court When Iohn is fallen Christ riseth When Herod Act. 1â— had imbrued his hands in bloud putting Iames to death hee thought to haue done the like to Peter but the Lord sent his Angell to vnshackle him for they must not both goe to the pot together And when the Temple of God by the inuasion of Antichrist is become a slaughter-house of the Saints yet the Lord Râ—â— 11.3 had a number left namely two witnesses at the least one to comfort another for the propagation and publishing of the truth so as we may be assured though the Lions of the field roare and rauin neuer so much it is not possible all the true preachers of the Gospel shal be abolished but as their bloud is pretious in his eies Psal 116.15 so out of their ashes will he raise vp others that shall hold the cup of his indignation euen to the mouthes of Princes Further obserue how the Lord esteemeth the tyranny and cruelty of men in this kind toward his Ministers for Luk. 3.20 it is said that of the euils which Herod had done hee added this aboue all to imprison Iohn so hainous a thing is the persecution of the Gospell in the sight of God and much more of them that are his Embassadors and therefore this is noted 2. Chron. 16 12. to be the captaine sinne of Asah that hee put Hanani in prison so beautifull be they in the opinion of the Almighty for he priseth the death of these Saints at a high rate as may bee seene first in their often redemption from death as Paul escaped Act. 23. when the people had sworne to stay him and Peter was loosed from his chaines when the gouernours had conspired against him Secondly it may bee discerned in the precious reward of it Blessed be they that die in the Lord. and Stephen Act. 7.60 is said but to sleep when he had been stoned of the Iewes his spirit being receiued of the Lord Iesus And thirdly it is manifested in the seuere reuenge of their death the Lord first hauing they stay in the sea still so if we do but nibble at the Gospell we shall continue in the sea of the world still and so shall neuer bee blessed Secondly obserue in the speech of Christ he doth not say I doe make you but I will make you fishers of men that is I will traine you vp to bee competently fit for that worke I call you for Where they are conuinced that place men in the Church before they bee sufficient for hee must haue no hand laid on him till he be qualified saith Paul 1. Tim. 5.22 and hee must be able to bring foorth of his store new and old saith the Gospel Mat. 13.52 and hee must not bee placed in hope hee will proue sufficient for while the grasse groweth the horse starueth and while hee is furnishing himselfe the people perish Saul 1. Sam. 9.16 being but a shepheard was suddenly by Gods spirit qualified for the ciuill gouernment For the Lord neuer commanded any but he enabled him first neither hath he lesse prouided for them that should haue the administration and custody of soules Moses Exod. 4.11 had a tongue made him before he went Esa 6.6 Esay had a coale from the altar before be spake Christ had his grace increased Luk. 2.52 when he began to preach for it is said he grew in wisedome and was corroborated in spirit and when he elected his Apostles he praied to his Father a whole night that he would direct his choice and Iohn 20.22 when he had breathed on them the holy Ghost yet hee charged them to stay at Ierusalem till they had receiued more grace and then Act. 2.3 the holy Ghost came down vpon them in clouen tongues to speake to all nations and fiery that they might be zealous Luk. 24.45 and then they were fit In the old Testament the Priests were first anointed that God might testifie by that oile their inuisible grace and in the new Testament hands were laid on them to signifie that that hand which had called them to this great office would alwaies bee ready to protect them Who would chuse a Captaine that neuer saw the enemy in the face or send him of an embassage that knew not how to deliuer his message And yet is the Lords embassage committed to them that haue no language whereas the shepheards of Gods sheepe must bee watchfull to defend their charge from wolues carefull to bring them home that stray and skilfull to heale them that are wounded Make no yong plant 1. Tim. 3.6 a Minister saith Paul and though Paul himselfe
doe thy will for thy law is written in my heart And they bee such of whom Esay 50.5 saith the Lord hath opened their eares therefore they are not rebellious But otherwise it is with the hypocrites for though their eares be opened yet they are rebellious and though the word of God be in their stomackes yet like dogges they cast it vp againe and doe not shew themselues pliable to the grace of God He walketh thorow drie places This is the second part spoken of at first namely that when Satan is gone out of a man he hath a restlesse kind of desire euery place is to him as a wildernesse vnlesse he may returne whence he came for he walketh through drie places that is his operation and power being interrupted in that man all other places are as irkesome and vnpleasant Out of this generally obserue that whether Sathan be really cast out or onely so dispossessed as the power of his subtill illusion is made lesse that is whether the iudgement be onely enlightned or with the light of iudgement the affections be also changed which is the effectuall casting out it doth so prouoke Satan distemper him as he will assault that man more fiercely than he did before in his time of ignorance And if he be cast out by a true enlightning then he is more busie than with hypocâ—iâ—â— for being Sathan that is an enemy he is an enemy to God because he disthronized and threw him out of heauen and he doth therefore most oppose himselfe against Gods children because he cannot assault the person of God and yet we see how hee assaied it to God in the flesh Luk. 4.2 Againe as hee is an enemie to God so he is said to be the Prince of the world and therefore would draw all to be vnder his seepter Ioh. 16.11 and he can finde no rest in a Papist nor in an Atheist for he knoweth there is a canker alreadie growen vpon their consciences which onely must be seared by the hot iron of the Lords wrath 1. Tim. 4.2 for they are already so hardned in prophanesse and so rooted in the obstinacie of their errour that he is sure enough of them But his labour and rage is to assault professors such as haue a true knowledge of the true God and especially such as beare true affections toward God and whom hee seeth to yeeld obedience to the Gospell of Christ A liuely example and figure of this we haue in Pharaoh who while the children of Israel Exod. 5.7 continued in Egypt onely oppressed them with heauy burdens but then most fiercely and deadly pursued them when they were gone out of Egypt Euen so let euery of vs assure our selues that the further wee be from the regiment and dominion of Sathan and the more excellent seruants of God we be the more will Satan buffet vs and vexe vs. This is that Christ forewarned Peter of saying that Sathan desired to winnow him like Wheate Luk. 22.31 And why him aboue the rest of the Disciples First because he was one whom Iesus loued secondly on the confession of whose faith hee said hee would build his Church And this is the condition of all true Christians that when Sathan is effectually to be cast out and distodged it cannot be but by violence for he will not onely winnow vs that we shall feele the fanne to grate vs but euen the flaile to bruise vs. Example whereof we haue in the dumbe man in the Gospell Mark 9.18 who before Sathan would leane his fort and habitation was so tormented that he fomed raged and was euen rent in peeces so as hee is not to bee encountred with a false alarme or with one hand but in this combat betweene vs and him we must prepare our selues to great temptations and carie Iob before vs as our patterne Iob 1.7 in the subuersion of whose faith and constancie in the loue of God the diuel tooke more delight than in compassing the whole earth yet was he faithfull to the end whereby he obtained the crowne of life Further obserue hence the wisedome and policie of Sathan that his purpose is alwaies to be some where yea and hee foreseeth his future place before he will leaue his former habitation as Math. 8.32 he would not go out of the men whom hee possessed before hee had libertie to goe into the swine and would bee in them rather than no where For Sathan being by nature a destroier seeketh oftentimes by the losse of goods and substance to draw mens faith and feare from God as hee assaied in Iob chapter 1. vers 15.16.17 by his oxen taken by the Shabeans by his sheepe deuoured with fire and by his Camels led away by the Caldeans to driue him to impatiencie against God But yet because the shaking of a mans estate in substance pierceth not the soule so deepely not withdraweth not the heart so swiftly from God as the sinne and corruption seated in himselfe therefore his trauell is to keepe the cup foule within and to haue still some foule blood lurking in our veines which in time may breake forth to some distemper not but that thou must expect when thou art called to feele thy sinnes and hast withall this grace to see some comfort of Gods mercy to bee so haled and pulled betweene these two as thou shalt haue many perplexed feares many troublesome garboiles and infinit great temptations when sinne is to be cast out of thee and seeing so many difficulties thou shalt stand appalled to be restrained from the loose custome of thy former sinnes But as the siege is great which is against thee so must thy encounter and resistance be fierce against him and not done percunctorily or slowlie as the sluggard riseth in the morning Prouerb 6.10 with a little raising of his head and folding of his hands to sleepe againe thinking that if thou beest not so euill in thy life nor so malicious in thy heart against God as others that then thou art good enough and hast sufficiently profited in the schoole of Christ for thy luke-warmth in religion is lothsome to the Lord Reu. 3.14 and a strong stirrop for Sathan to get vp to thy soule againe And therefore consider and thou shalt find whether he bee truely or hypocritically cast out of thee consider whether thou feele not foule and grosse temptations to beset thee for if Sathan labor not mightily in this thou art not called for if thou be a despiser of the word or nourishest any such enormous fault as seemeth sweet to thy taste Sathan hath thee at commandement what needeth he tempt thee when thou temptest thy selfe Not that he that falleth into temptations and fulfilleth them is the best Christian but hee that hath no tubbes set in his way to stumble at and findeth euery thing plaine and easie may know he liueth in the broade way that leadeth not to heauen Math. 7.13 for hee that is most vexed and hath
are in Christ are through this coniunction made proper and communicated euen to vs as the life in the body cannot be maintained without food no more can the life in the soule bee held and kept in without her feeding on Christ and as the body hath naturall instrumeâ—â— as the hands and the mouth to receiue her sustenance euen so the soule hath her members and instruments as prater faith and hearing the word whereby she receiueth her spirituall nourishment to eternall life Hence let vs raise this vse First that since our bodies are the members of Christ let vs not make them the members of an harlot 1. Cor. 6.15 but as in the time of our ignorance we vsed them to vncleannesse and to profanenesse so now being free from sinne through Christ let vs make them seruants vnto righteousnesse in holinesse Rom. 6.19 For as it were an vnnaturall part in the hand to striue to pull out the heart or in the teeth by tearing the flesh to make the rest of the body deformed euen so much more vnciuill and beastly is it in vs to flie vpon the Lord Iesus and to rend his name in sunder by out othes and blasphemy and to lend as it were our forces to his enemies that doe inuade his Church our selues being not onely faint-harted but false-hearted to fight for him who fought so many cumbats for vs with Sathan and wrastled so strongly with the wrath of his father which otherwise had fallen vpon vs whereas now in recompence of his grace and fauour towards vs we should sift as it were our armory to finde out the best weapons of perfection for the defence of him and of his truth and should keepe such a continuall harmony in our life as if our eies were only giuen vs to behold him wounded for our sinnes and now aduanced for our sakes our tongues onely lent vs to set foorth his praise our cares to heare of his godnesse what he hath wrought for the sonnes of men our feet to carry vs into his sanctuary where we may more neerely approch to him in his word Finally all the parts of our thoughts of our affections of our actions to be imploied and taken vp wholly to his aduantage Secondly let vs learne hence that as the life is conueied into the inferiour members from the head euen so our life is hid in Christ and wee hold it onely from him for as the Apostle saith Ephes 1.12 without Christ we are aliants from the common-wealth of Israell strangers from the couenants of promise and without God in the world which must teach vs not to auoid but rather to embrace those meanes wherein the life of Christ is made manifest in vs which principally is by our inward worship of God which is performed foure waies First by our obedience to his lawes Secondly by our patience in afflictions Thirdly by our humility in our giftes Fourthly by our affiance in the Lords assistance All which were performed by our head Christ for he submitted himselfe to his fathers will euen to the death of the crosse he was reuiled yet answered not againe as a sheepe before the shearer so opened hee not his mouth he taught humility to others and often humbled himselfe before his father he could by praier haue obtained twelue leagions of Angels to rescue him such confidence he had both in his fathers loue and power but he knew there was a greater worke to be done his testament to be sealed with bloud for our redemption for we were before but rotten and corrupted members of sinnefull Adam till by being made one with him we were brought into his maruellous light therefore as the head hath the gouernement of the members so let Christ haue the rule and dominion ouer vs that we may runne when he calleth stoope when he smiteth stoppe our mouthes when he afflicteth debase our selues till he exalteth and not at all to distrust in his deliuerance Fiftly this vnion of Christ with vs is set foorth vnder the estate of marriage Ephe. 5.30 For we are members of his bodie of his flesh and of his bones That as there is an inseparable bond in marriage betweene a man and his wife so is there betweene Christ and the Church his spouse and as the woman was taken out of the side of man while he was a sleepe so was the Church taken as it were out of the side of Christ while he fell a sleepe vpon the Crosse and as the woman is not married to the goods of the man nor to his lands nor to her dowry but to the man himselfe and so hath power and interest in his body so are not we married and ioyned to the gifts and benefits of Christ but to Christ himselfe for it is improper to say we are in the graces of Christ but by our being in Christ we are partakers and are interessed in all the benefits of Christ euen as the woman by her marriage is in her husbands goods Hence obserue first that all that are elect are onely flesh of Christs flesh and none other for though Adam was in the flesh foure thousand yeeres before him yet was Christ the lambe slaine from the beginning so as by their faith in the vertue of the promised seed which is Christ were the Patriarkes and the rest saued that were before him as Iohn 8.56 it is said by Christ Abraham reioiced to see my day and he saw it And though Christ was made of our flesh as Phil. 2.7 He was found in shape as a man and not we of his yet this must be vnderstood spiritually and mystically and not grossely and carnally for then will the reprobates steppe in and say that they are of Christs flesh and so challenge saluation but note though all men and women are of one flesh yet betweene man and wife there is a neerer bond not that the woman is of her husbands flesh only as she is of all other mens but that she is also in her husbands flesh by reason of the sanctified ordinance of God and so is she not in the flesh of other men so fareth it betweene Christ and man all men are of Christs flesh because he took vpon him the true substance nature of man but yet none are in the flesh of Christ but those that by his spirit are ingrafted into him This then being a speciall prerogatiue to vs that are elect let vs labour in our liues to shew foorth the fruits of Christs flesh that we may shew we are bought from men by following the lambe whithersoeuer he goeth by hauing no guile found in our mouthes nor pollution in our bodies Reuel 14.4 but keeping our selues pure virgines and vnspotted as being the first fruites vnto God Secondly obserue that if we will be flesh of Christs flesh and will be ingrafted into his body that we may die vnto sinne then must we first consider where Christ is secondly where our affections are if they be heere
obedience therefore now he may take his swinge in sin as Pro. 7.18 the harlot entised the yong man to take his fill of loue But we must know Christ hath not satisfied for vs to liue as we list nor redeemed vs from darknesse to light that we should runne to darknesse againe for a pardon is not giuen to a traitour that he should offend againe neither doth that pardon serue for offences to be committed after but so oft as he offendeth so oft shall he be punished or else he must haue so many pardons so Christ hath satisfied once and that hath taken away the guilt of al that went before but if we 〈◊〉 sume vpon this to sinne againe either we must looke for 〈◊〉 satisfactions which cannot be for there is but one sealed 〈◊〉 blood or else we must suffer so many punishments as wâ—â—â—â—mit sinnes Secondly it will be said since there can be 〈◊〉 satisfaction for sinne therefore we haue now liberty giuen 〈◊〉 sinne It is true indeed that the wrath of God could not â—â—â—ppeased for sinne nor satisfied without the bloud of the Soâ—â—â— of God and this was by him performed that being reconciled to his father we might no more fall at enmity for sin alone makes the separation betweene God and vs but that we might liue according to his will in newnesse of life howbeit there is a satisfaction God requireth at our hands but that is onely obedience in our affections holinesse in our actions humility in our hearts and thankefulnesse in our persons that we may bee as pretions stones in the brest plate of Christ to be represented to his father And therefore let vs abhorre such presumptuous and rechlesse impiety as either to liue as we list or to thinke wee haue time enough to repent before we die for who can tell when the cocke will crow or when death as a thiefe will steale vpon vs nay let vs remember it is said Reuel 22.11 He that is filthy let him be filthy still and in our age wee shall possesse the iniquities of our youth and therefore our life being but a span long the day is short enough by repentance to make our accompts with God euen and easie Thirdly obserue hence that we cannot serue God and riches Christ and Beliall the flesh and the spirit for their walkes and courses are opposite and contrary one to the other as may appeare by the Apostles putting of it negatiuely that we must not walke at all after the flesh Mal. 1.6 for if God be a father he will haue all the honour if a master all the feare neither will he suffer himselfe to be diuided or his worship to bee performed by halfes for this is as Eliah calleth it 1. King 18.21 the halting between two opinions but as before our conuersion the affections of sins doe force vs to bring foorth fruit vnto death so being called the strength of grace must thrust vs forward to bring forth fruits to God and not to our selues and therefore it is said Gal. 6.8 He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reape life euerlasting so as though thou doest that which is lawfull yet if thou doest it more vnto men then vnto God thou sowest to the flesh and shalt receiue damnation but if thou seekest in thy whole life to please God more then men yea to please him though thou displeasest men then shalt thou of the spirit reape saluation for the end why God hath created and saued vs is to glorifie him in this life and were it not he respected and receiued glory by thy life what need he suffer thee to stay heere on earth but haue taken thee presently from the wombe to heauen but he suffereth thee to liue partly that by thy fruitfulnesse to God the corruption that is hid within thee may in part be abolished partly to distinguish between thee and the reprobate at the last daie when thou shalt be blessed and that worthily euen in the iudgement and acknowledgment of the damned for the fruites thou hast brought forth to God So as it standeth vs vpon to haue the eies of our thoughts the bent of actions wholy vpon God to hazerd yea to prefer his glory before the glory and comfort of our owne saluation for if we be not rich in God and good works then are we still dead in sinne then is not Sathan at all cast our of vs then are we so far from needing but to wash our feet Iohn 13.9 as we are wholly polluted hands head and all Howbeit because euerie one will say he brings foorth fruit to God and walketh in the spirit being inwardly greiued for his sinnes and resorting vnto publike praier and preaching which are indeed good steppes to trace a Christian by yet we must know this is not sufficient for the inward sorrow is inuisible and the comming to praier and to the word is deceiuable and communicable euen to hypocrites therefore we must bring forth visible fruit to be seene of men in performing towards them the duties of the second table by loue patience compassion and such like else is it as a light â—id vnder a bushell if it be not sensibly felt of men for their comfort and seene of men for their example that they which are without may be wonne and the rest which are of the same fold with vs may be stirred vp to glorifie God in heauen for the fruitfulnesse of his Saints on earth To which duties we may be the better encouraged because the whole fruit both in the practise of them and in the reward of them shall redound to our selues producing ioy and peace of conscience in this life and the crowne of glory in the life to come Rom. 6.22 Fourthly for thine owne comfort learne to make a difference betweene walking after the flesh and walking through the flesh the one being a following and pursuing of thy sinfull desires with greedinesse and with delight through that rage of corruption which rests within thee the other being a performing of thy duties to God and a walking with him though with weakenesse and infirmity by reason of that remnant of flesh which will be in thee til death so as though the good thou dost be not done so cheerfully so exactly so perfectly as it ought but is mingled with many imperfections that euen in thy own iudgement thou thinkest thine actions euill be not discouraged for albeit thou hast in truth cause to pray to haue not only thy euill actions but euen thy best actions to be forgiuen because they are a little tempered with the flesh yet know that this is the case of all the children of God which are effectually sanctified to haue naturally concupiscence in them which causeth these three things first either it maketh vs alwaies think euill thoughts secondly or else it hindereth vs from good thoughts thirdly or else it maketh
vs to mingle with our good thoughts euill thoughts And heerein wee must first know what we are by nature and before our conuersion namely wee are bound both hand and foote as it were with the chaines and irons of sinne that wee cannot mooue to any good and so long we are the slaues of Sathan who whips vs with our owne corruption and so hardeneth our hearts through vse and custome of sinne that we are led into the wrath of God before we see it but when the Lord doth strike vs on the sides as he did Peter and open our hearts as he did the heart of Lydia that we doe see the riches of his mercy Act. 12.7.16.14 and doe feele our irons somewhat vnloosed that is our corruption abated whereby we get some liberty to doe that is good though it be not done with that perfection that is required yet let vs assure our selues that our purpose and desire to walke with God and to doe good is accepted of him for he regardeth the heart and dispenseth with the imperfection of the outward man To which purpose Saint Paul saith Phil. 3.13.14 I forget that which is behind and endeuour to that is before and follow hard toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ In which obserue three things First we must know our marke at which we must 〈◊〉 that is Christ and vnto the comming of this marke wee must be absolutely resolued Secondly we must not looke behind vs not forbidding vs to look backe vnto our former estate but nothing must hinder vs from going to this worke as whoredome vsury flattery deceit idolatry and such like grosse sinnes Thirdly we must so striue as in the end we may attain this marke which is Christ and so we come thither it skilleth not whether we creepe or goe by steppes and degrees answerable to that 1. Cor. 9.24 So runne that yee obtaine that though wee haue many stops in the flesh yet if our eies bee still vpon God it sufficeth Lastly that we may be abashed at the shaking of sinne and may grow into perfect hatred and detestation of it we see heere the miserable estate of them that are subiect to the prince of the world and are at league with hell that howsoeuer their life is varnished ouer with a little temporall prosperity yet they feede themselues but for their slaughter for being out of Christ and disclaiming holinesse of life their glory shall be their shame and their end is but damnation it being impossible as Salomon saith Prouer. 12.3 for a man to be established by wickednesse If therefore thou seest his barnes full let not thy soule enuy it for in the reuenues of the wicked there is trouble because they tend to sinne and the Lord casteth away his substance If thou seest him tall and proud as the Cedar blesse thou thy selfe in thy humility for the curse of the Lord being in his house though his excellency mount vp to heauen and his head reach vp to the clouds yet shall he perish for euer like his dung his rootes shall be dried vp beneath and aboue his branch shall be cut downe If thou seest him seated and waxing old in his outward happines let it nothing trouble thee for his bones are full of the sinnes of his youth and it shall lie downe with him in the dust at length his eies shall faile and then shall his candle be put out his refuge shall perish and then fearefulnesse shall driue him to his feet If thou seest him eate and drinke and rise vp to play desire not thou to taste of his ioy for his reioicing is short and but a moment and though wickednesse be sweet in his mouth yet God shall draw 〈◊〉 out of his belly yea affliction followeth sinners and feare shall be for the workers of iniquity such a one consumeth like a râ—â—â— thing God shall run vpon him and his arme shall be broken 〈◊〉 shall destroy him as the vine her sower grape and cast him off 〈◊〉 the oliue doth her flower for he that is not planted in Christ his branch cannot be greene but brimstone shall be scattered in 〈◊〉 habitation and his hope shal be indignation and sorrow of miâ—â— ROM chap. 8. vers 2. verse 2 For the law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus hath freed me from the law of sinne and of death IN this verse the Apostle insisteth to proue that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ which he doth by two arguments First because we are freed from the law and dominion of sinne Secondly because we are freed from the law and domination of death Against these tâ—â—o the conscience opposeth two things First how are we freed from the law and power of sinne since we haue so many vncleane thoughts so many raging affections and so many vile and naughty actions that passe from vs in the course of our liues secondly how are we freed from the law and sting of death since we die daily and suffer so many afflictions and miseries in this life which are the merits and deserts of sinne These two obiections that might skare and trouble â—â—e tender conscience and inward peace of a Christian he answereth to the end of this chapter In this verse to the end of the 〈◊〉 he sheweth how far we are deliuered from the law of sinne 〈◊〉 from the 19. verse to the 17. how far we are freed from the law of death which was the first punishment for sinne as appeaâ—â—th Gen. 2.17 In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die 〈◊〉 death and from the 17. verse to the end of the Chapter he â—â—eweth how far we are freed from the miseries and calamities of 〈◊〉 life Now in this verse as it deuideth it selfe we are to consider two â—â—â—ing First how and by what meanes wee obtaine this freeâ—â—me â—â—â—ly by the spirit of life which is in Christ Secondly â—â—things from which we are freed which be two first from the â—â—â—son of sin secondly from the power of death For the first we must learne to make a difference betweene the spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus and the spirit of life of Christ which is in vs the one being absolute and inherent in Christ the vertue wherof imputed vnto vs brings perefect absolution from the tyranny of sinne and bitternesse of death the other being but poured into vs through the grace of Christs spirit abiding in vs doth but qualifie and temper the heat of sinne and the violence of death which otherwise would rage ouer vs. And therefore if we speake of the spirit of life which is in vs wee may well crie out with Saint Paul Rom. 7.24 O wretched men that we be who shall deliuer vs from the body of this death But if we speake of the spirit of life which is in Christ then may wee boldly say wee are already deliuered from it That this may bee
meant by spirit for the first what is meant by flesh Christ tels vs Iohn 3.5 in his answer to Nicodemus saying That except a man be borne againe of water and of the spirit he cannot see heauen meaning thereby that before a man be regenerate he is nothing but flesh soule and body and all for that is borne of flesh is flesh and a cleane thing cannot be drawen out of corruption so Paul 1. Cor. 15.50 saith that flesh and blood cannot inherit heauen not meaning thereby that flesh wherein we are inclosed for the very substance of it shall see God but the old man the corruption of nature which is our mother wit and wil howbeit what this flesh is is more amply set downe Gen. 6.5 where it is said in the originall that all the very mould of the deuising thoughts of a mans heart are not inclined to euill but simply euill and not euill but onely euill and not onely euill but euill in all things and not onely euill in all things but euill in all things euery day and Saint Paul Rom. 3.10 maketh a full description of a fleshly man shewing what euery one is by nature There is none righteous no not one the reason is because there is none that seeketh God and for not seeking him they are all become apostats and by this their apostasie are become vnprofitable and being thus of no value their throate is an open sepulchre and being thus enlarged like hell they vse them either to deceit in that poison is vnder their lips or else their mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse which are two contrarie sinnes their feete are swift to shed bloud and destruction and calamitie are in all their waies and the way of peace they haue not knowen and last of all they haue not the feare of God before their eies which is the true cause of that cursed brood and chaine of sinnes that hang together Now for the second what is meant by Spirit and that is a diuine heauenly inuisible and supernaturall working of the holy Ghost in the hearts of Gods children in begetting them anew into the glorious image of Christ by changing into another quality and condition all the powers of their soules and affections of the heart which is done by faith in the outward man and by peace of conscience in the inner man by reason whereof the elect are saied euen in this prison of theirs to bee spirituall From hence obserue first that the world is diuided but into two kinds of people fleshly and spirituall for there is no meane betweene them howsoeuer the enemies of God are distracted into seuerall and sundry factions some denying the power of godlinesse through porfanenesse some diuiding the power of it through opinion of merit some thinking there is no God at all and some imagining he sits idle in heauen without hauing any sterne to guide and direct the frame of the earth yet doe they all erre alike in their hearts and being all out of the way they shall finde the same reward of their worldly wisdome and their end to bee damnation now these two sorts and conditions of men are easily discerned for by their fruits you shall know them the one sauoring the flesh pots of Aegyt the other the sweetnesse of the land of Canaan the one being taken vp and possessed by the pleasures of the flesh the other striuing and laboring in the workes of the spirit the one hauing sinne as it were alwaies vnder his nose sauoring nothing else the other hauing the spirit euer in his eie to diuert his feet from the snares and pleasures of concupiscence for by this word after which is in the text is signified in the original tongue to be guided and conducted and led by the flesh which sheweth our great infidelity in not beleeuing what the holy Ghost sets downe giuing it heere in precise commandement that we should not be directed by the flesh and binding this commandement in the breach of it with a peremptory curse of damnation for being guided by it and yet as if God could not make his word good or that we could wrastle our selues from his wrath our taste our smell and all our senses are busied onely in the workes of the flesh as if we would cast away our selues willingly whereas euen in naturall reason wee should abhor it for who would be conducted by such a one as cuts the throats of al he guideth or who is he that trauelling toward the desert will picke out such a guide as should lead him to be deuoured of wild beasts or who that hath his iourney by sea will make choice of such a Pilot as hath cast away as many as he conducted or who would entertaine a knowen theefe and a waster to be the steward of his house or who would take such a husband to be the guid of her youth as spends and wasts himselfe in licentiousnesse or what Prince will admit him to bee his cheefe counsellor that is a knowen traitor to his person or such a one to be captaine ouer souldiers as is a knowen and proclaimed rebell There is none so simple nor so profane but will dislike and detest the choice of any such guides and leaders and yet he that taketh his flesh to be his captaine his arme his guide a knowen and vnreconciliable enemy to the soule shall by the conduct of his owne corruption not onely lose his body but his soule also for if the blind lead the blind both shall fall into the pit of perdition Therefore let the world loue her owne and the flesh pamper it selfe let Cain build him a citie Gen. 4.17 to hide him from the presence of the Lord let Esau follow his hunting Gen. 26.30 to satisfie his pleasure in the death of venison let Nimrod Gen. 11.4 build him a tower to get him a name vpon the earth let the rich man Luk. 12.17 heape vp his fruits till his barnes will hold no more let Diues Luk. 16 19.20 be costly in his apparrell and delicate in his fare euery day yet obserue thou but their ends and thou wilt not ioyne hands with them for Cain was branded of the Lord as a castaway Nimrod confounded for his pride Esau reiected for his profanenes the rich man snatched suddainly from his substance and Diues throwne downe to hell where he lies panting and criing for a drop of water and cannot haue it Againe in that it is said they sauour the things of the flesh obserue that all that is in a naturall and carnall man and commeth from him is but flesh that is sinne yea and the most excellent parts that are in him that is his wisdome deserueth death and is but as a worme in the shell to consume him for he wanting the spirit which is the life of the soule as the foule is the life of the body his soule his body his minde his will and his vnderstanding are but members as Paul
to Moses to be read to the people and to be left for vs their posterity it would teach vs how to be the friends of God as Abraham was for therein is both life and death set before vs Deut. 5.33 it is as a line and plummet to square our liues by and to measure our steppes to heauen in it is the reuealed will of God for vs and the secret for himselfe Deut. 29.29 in it are contained promises for obedience and a whole volume of cursings for breaking it so that if wee will be saued wee must please God and how wee shall doe this is set forth vnto vs in his law and if we separate our selues from the vse of this law then shall it become a killing letter to vs that is as oft as we read it we shall read our owne damnation as appeareth 2. Kin. 22.11 But if we study it to make it the rule of our obedience and as a light to direct vs through the darkenesse of this life then doth it conuert the soule condemning sinne in the flesh and freeing the flesh from sinne that if we fall we fall but in the armes of Christ for hee is the way wee are directed to walke in by the law So as in a word learne that the Apostle wil measure thy loue of God by thy loue of the law of God euen as an earthly Prince will discerne thy affection of him by thy subiection to his scepter Secondly obserue hence that of all the creatures of God the rebellion of man is greatest nay he only swarueth from the course of his first creation for heere we see how farre he is degenerate that being made after the image of God to glorifie him in his subiection to his law now he turneth the heele against him and hath framed a law to himselfe which he doth follow namely the lusts of the flesh denying any obedience to the law of his maker and not onely disarming himselfe of all possibility of subiection but putting on the armor of Gods enemy flatly opposing himselfe and standing in contradiction with the law of God But now the rest of the creatures of God they keepe the end of their creation the Sunne giuing her light for which she was made the Sea keeping her bounds wherin she was set the water yelding her power to cleanse for which she was ordained the earth bringing foorth her fruit as she was commanded euery beast of the field liuing in the ignorance of his strength and in his acknowledgement of man to be his head as he was at first enioyned whereas if they should alter their naturall course as the sunne to bring darknesse the watâ—â— to defile the earth to miscarry and cast all her fruit out of her wombe before it were ripe and the rest to peruert their ends for which they were giuen vs wee would count it as monstrous as for a man to goe vpon his head with his feet vpward and yet is the case of man more monstrous for where God made him a liuing soule hee hath made himselfe a dead carkase and a damned creature and where he had his reason sanctified to all good and knew no euill he hath now all the powers of his vnderstanding polluted that nothing but weeds and sinnes doe grow vp in him and where he had a law giuen him to bridle and keepe him in from ranging he hath taken the bridle in the teeth and wrung himselfe by his concupiscence out of the hands and protection of God nothing being able to curbe or keepe him in till he had cast himselfe out of the saddle namely the paradise of God and not resting thus foiled with his fall he stands now in armes against the Lord as if he threw him downe whereas alas the Lord tooke pleasure in the worke of his hands seeing it was very good and hee ouerthrew himselfe in pride and infidelity which stil encreaseth as his age increaseth and maketh him so rebellious as he is The consideration whereof this being the condition of the best of vs as we lie in the wombe ought exceedingly to humble vs and wound vs at the heart that what wee would condemn in the insensible creatures that we senselesly run into and yet the obedience wee see performed by them cannot draw vs to the subiection whereto we are tied which shewes vs to be farre more brutish then they and therefore what recompence of reward can we expect if we continue thus vntamed but as Salomon saith Prou. 1.31 to be filled with our owne deuises and cap. 5.22 to be holden with the cords of our owne sinne till destruction come like a whirle wind and carry vs away without recouery Againe learne hence who they be that loue and who they be that hate God such as keepe or keepe not his commandements according to the saying of Christ If ye loue me keepe my commandements and as is comprised in the end of the second commandement that mercy shall bee shewed to them that loue him and keepe his commandements but those that hate him and wil not haue Christ raigne ouer them but cast his yoake far from them he will pursue them with his wrath to the fourth generation And heere we are to iudge of two sorts of men the one that sinne of too much presumption the other that sinne of good intention the first are blasphemers profaners of the labbath drunkards adulterers vsurers such like that thinke all time lost which is not spent vpon their lusts dare braue the heauens as if there were no vengeance reserued for them these men chacing and hunting vp and downe to get new occasions of sinning not masking or dissembling but openly proclaiming the poison in their hearts by the scabs and vicers in their liues doe shew from what head they spring for making no conscience of sinne they are the brood of the serpent Ioh. 8.44 Ioh. 3.8 For he that is borne of God sinneth not that is he that laboreth to mortifie his flesh daily and to purge himselfe by repentance but he that will set fire to his affections that are already enraged and study how to inuent mischief he is of the diuel For the other sort they are such as will serue God after their fancies but this will not suffice for though they meane no hurt or that their conscience be perswaded that they doe is right yet heere wee see wee must not frame the law of God according to our conscience but bend our conscience according to the law of God to worship him as hee hath prescribed in his word for if good purposes or good intentions would haue serued then had the Iewes as great cause to be accepted of God as any for though they went about to establish their owne righteousnesse through workes yet heerein they did no more then they were taught by the Scribes Pharisees which were their leaders yea and they liued strictly as was commanded by the law of Moses and had a zeale
but not according to knowledge and therfore missed of their saluation They that persecuted the Prophets and rose vp against Paul Act. 22. had a good intention and Paul himselfe in the state of a Pharisie thought he had done God good seruice when Act. 9.2 he had got a commission to persecute the church and what could bee better then for Peter in meere loue to his master Christ to disswade him from going vp to Ierusalem where he knew he shold be hardly intreated yet was hee called sathan for his labour or what could be better in zeale of conscience then for Vzzah to releeue and support the Arke from falling yet because it was contrary to the commandement he was stricken with sudden death So as our meaning is not that which can excuse vs for wee must square out our crabbed and knotty timber by the line and plummer measuring crooked things by that which is straight that both may be straight and we must goe to the plaine rule the law word of God not to that leaden rule wherby we are abused in the errour of our iudgement for we must in euery thing submit our wils to Gods will that they may be pure and holy as his law is therfore let this his law be our glasse to see whether we be deformed or beautifull our touch-stone to trie whether our deuotion be gold or drosse our ballance that it may appeare whether we be weight or refuse our diet to feede on that we suâ—fet not with the sinnefull pleasures of this lfie and let vs walke with straight feete in an euen path that wee neither decline to the right hand to sinne of presumption not to the left to sinne of good intention but without looking backe except it be to correct that which is amisse let vs euer bee going forward in that way the Lord hath set vs in and then to vs that walke according to this rule peace shall light and rest vpon vs Gal. 6.16 and mercy shall compasse vs on euery side Further in that the Apostle saith that the wisedome of man neither is nor can be subiect to the law of God we gather against the opinion of the Papists that it is no way in our power or free-will to take or to refuse the grace of God whereby at first wee should be conuerted for as there is no power in a bow to bend it selfe further then it is drawen by the strength of man no more is there any liberty in vs to incline our wils to goodnesse further then it is pressed and forced by grace for first we say the infusion of grace is from aboue and the power to retaine it and apply it is from aboue also it being a speciall prerogatiue giuen to Gods elect onely as Christ himself saith None can come to me except my father draw him the word signifieth a violent forceing and vrging of a man when with all his strength he withstands it and the heart of a man is as a stone that cannot be softned except it be by the blod of Christ no more then the diamond can except it be by the blood of a Goate but when it hath once beene washed with the blood of the Sonne of God then our wils worke like waxe in the singers of the Lord Phil. 2.3 Besides if it should bee arbitrary with vs to refuse or receaue the grace of our conuersion then should we still continue in our blood for as we haue no light in our selues at all so being inlightned wee can no longer keepe it then the hands of Christ are laide vpon vs and therefore the Lord saith Exo. 33.19 I will haue mercy on whom I will and whom I will I harden it being wholly and meerely in him for the magnifying of his mercy on some and the manifestation of his iustice on others to saue and to condemne and this is set foorth vnto vs Luk. 15.5 in the parable of the lost sheepe for such are wee all by nature straying from God in the breach of his commandement in the fruit of the forbidden tree Now they will al grant it is mercy at first in the Lord to seeke vs and when he hath spied vs our in the desert of our sinnes doe we of our selues set any one foote forward to hasten or helpe our returne home No but our shepheard is faine to take vs on his shoulders and carry vs all the way home to his fathers house for if we were not haled and pulled and borne and drawne to God by violence we would be like the starting bow that would recoile back againe Neither doth this take away the freedome we had in our creation for in Adam there was a double or twofold free will answerable to the twofold estate wherin he stood the first while he was in his innocencie that was like the wil of the Angels in heauen in that of his own nature he was wholly freely inclined to do that which was good The second after his fall that was like the will of the diuell who was a liar from the beginning and hath no libertie but in doing euill for hee can not but sinne and euen such is ours that come out of the corrupted loines of Adam for we haue election onely to commit this sin or that sinne as may serue our turnes best and as naturall reason doth lead vs to so as in that wee are said to be free it is to make vs inexcusable and in that wee are bound it is to make vs miserable for so long as wee are holden of the flesh there is a kind of seruile and slauish necessitie to sinne naturally there being nothing but sinne and filth in our conception and all the tortures and contradictions that are cannot change our willes to good when they are inclined to sinne howbeit this necessitie shall not excuse the will nor the will excuse the necessitie neither yet by holding this necessitie of sinning in the vnregenerate man doe we charge God with any iniustice at all as the papists charge vs with because this necessitie proceedeth not from God but from Adam in whom we stood and in whom we fell in whom we were blessed and in whom we were cursed And yet haue we great need to be stirred vp by exhortations and terrified by threats for the reprobate in three respects First to keepe them from outragious sinnes for God hath giuen that grace and power to the voice of a man that it strikes the heart as a thunderbolt and by this awe they are kept in by denouncing of iudgement it doth appeare that God hath some church among them which they like wilde Boares of the forrest would otherwise willingly roote out Secondly that by this meanes their consciences being a little opened might sometime accuse them to their greater confusion for hearing of the wrath of God and the nature of it of the mercy of God and the comfort in it they doe ofttimes taste of hell euen in
God can haue no roome to dwell in such a soule Further from the Metaphor or borrowed speech dwelleth note that there is a residence of the holy Ghost in all those that be his so as it must not be a so iourning of the Lord with vs to come like a stranger for a night or for a meale and away againe but he must be a houshold guest to go in and out with vs so that we must know it is not euery pang of conscience or fit of prayer or hanging downe our heads for a day whereby we are sometime perplexed and wringed with sorrow that is the dwelling of the spirit in vs no more then was that fit of Balaam Numb 23.10 when he praied that his soule might die the death of the righteous and that his last end might be like his Neither is this spirit knowen to bee in thee by doing many good things for Herod Mark. 6.20 did many things at the perswasion of Iohn Baptist yet was he a most cruell incestuous bloudy tyâ—ant nor yet by leauing many euill things vndone for the very Heathen had many morall vertues which made them decline from many viâ—â—â— â—ut by this shalt thou know that thou hast this spirit if aâ—â—◠〈◊〉 â—â—osseth and repugneth thy affections if thy affections â—â—e â—â—t against it but that in the meditation and purpose of sin thou please thy selfe and take part with thy affections against God to fulfill it as Balaam did when by the proffer of riches Num. 24.13 he would faine haue cursed where the Lord had blessed it is certaine this spirit of God abideth not there but the diuell Lastly obserue since there is no hope of the resurrection but so farre as wee are sealed in this life to that glory wee shall haue heereafter by the earnest of Gods spirit giuen vnto vs we may truly say of the wicked whom the Son neuer kissed Psal 2.12 that when they die they go to the damned for he that hath not his part of this spirit in this life vnlesse the Apostle be a liar which were blasphemy to thinke that man shall neuer haue the glorie of the life to come And therefore such as do scorne and scoffe at the seruants of God as Ishmael did at Isaac Gen. 21.9 calling them Men of the spirit they do commit most sacrilegious scurrilitie and in this state wherein they stand they are as surely the diuels as the diuell is not Gods yea in this they do with their owne mouths pronounce and subscribe to their owne damnation for the Apostle saith we must haue this spirit else it is impossible to bee saued Heere it may be said Since there is only ioy and peace in the spirit how is it that the wicked runne on in the course of their life prosperously and in the end of their daies go away quietly whereas the godly walke through many snares and are in their life scratched as it were with many thornes and in their death oft times are much troubled and depart in great agonies True it is the wicked may perhaps die quietly and to the sight of man comfortably hauing as Iob speaketh no bands in their death Iob. 21.13 Psal 73.4 but looke thou iudge him no more by his death than by his birth for many women haue had more easie trauell of a reprobate than an elected child of God especially the cause of their quiet being because hypocrisie hath put their consciences to silence heere that they may soone after roare out in hell and there is such a crust growen vpon their hearts 1. Tim. 42. that they rot and fester within and feele it not whereas in the elect the 〈…〉 is kept alwaies open and wee cannot feele the least bâ—◠〈…〉 Lords displeasure but we are anguished neither can wee 〈◊〉 that we euer feare enough which tender heart of a Christiâ—â— is like the Adamant to draw the oile of comfort into his soule and to hasten and quicken the life of the spirit in him Let vs all therfore earnestly pray for this spirit hauing obtained it let vs cherish and welcome it so as it may take delight in vs for wee all know it must one day come to this In manas tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit and it is now at this In manas tuas homo commendo spiritum meum Into thy hands O man I commit my spirit And therefore as we will haue the Lord gratious to our spirits at the latter day so let vs well vse and entertaine his spirit in this acceptable time which vouchsafeth to dwell with vs. ROM chap. 8. vers 12. verse 12 Therefore we are debters not to the flesh to liue after the flesh VPon that which went before the Apostle inferreth a most vehement exhortation to this effect that seeing Christ hath saued them and freed them not onely from the condemnation of sinne but also from the power of sinne therfore the Lord doth indent with them and in them with vs all not to merit saluation but because saluation is already merited for vs to be engaged and obliged to the Lord and that since he hath taken the hand writing away from Sathan Coloss 2.14 and hath cancelled it in Christ that therfore we should be debters not to the flesh but to the spirit Hâ—â—reupon obserue that the greatest argument to perâ—◠〈◊〉 rather to inforce vs to good workes is taken from 〈…〉 of our redemption as appeareth by Saint Paul who 〈◊〉 â—â—â—t argument Rom. 12.1 I beseech you by the mercies of God that you giue vp your bodies a liuing Sacrifice vnto the Lord that since the Lord hath beene so mercifull vnto you as not to looke vpon your nakednesse but as you are cloathed in Christ you would therefore returne vnto him conformitie of obedience in sacrificing your selues vnto him After the same manner doth Saint â—eter perswade 1. Pet. 2.11 I beseech you as stangers and pilgrimes abstaine from fleshly lusts As if hee should say Since you are now a chosen generation and a people set at liberty by the death of Christ and by this meanes made Citizens of heauen walke according to the lawes of that heauenlie citie Heere are they condemned that say If by doing good works we can deserue nothing what heart can we haue to doe them And since we are bought already why should the Lord be twife fatisfied Whereto we answer that though we can deserue nothing Luk. 17.10 yet by this meanes we shew our thankfulnesse in doing as much as we can and though in all things we are vnprofitable seruants yet must wee bee thankfull for that which Christ hath done for vs. And since Christ hath fully satisfied for vs it is not further required that wee keepe the law to satisfie it but to testifie our obedience and thankes that wee are made partakers of such grace and haue receiued so great a pardon And so by this our working we
man deceiue you he beginneth with a preoccupation to possesse their minds before hand He that doth righteousnesse saith he is righteous not he that can discourse and talke of righteousnesse and therefore one saith truely Tace lingua loquerevita talke not of a good life but let thy life speake This the Apostle there proueth by the contrary for he that committeth sin is of the diuell that is he that committeth fâ—â—â—â— the world doth and doth not purge himselfe for the Apostle opposeth sinning to purging and he that is of the diuell cannot please God For therefore was Christ sent to destroy the workes of the diuell so as if these workes be not destroyed in thee and his building pulled downe Christ was neuer sent vnto thee Againe he proueth it by the contrary He that is borne of God doth not sinne for he hath the seed of the spirit therefore it is as if he should say when such wicked men shall bee saued the diuell shall be saued This is further proued by the words which Christ himselfe spake in the flesh Ioh. 8.34 He that so sinneth as to make a trade of it he is the seruant of the diuell vers 44. and if no chastisements nor benefites can reclaime you ye are the diuels for the lusts of your father ye will doe Lastly adde to this that of the new couenant made with Israel and so with vs Ier. 31.31 I will write my law in their hearts vers 33. And I will be their God and they shall bee my people So as if God pardoneth any hee doth promise him grace to amend his life and if that grace be denied him he neuer couenanted to saue him The couenant then implieth thus much If thou hast not grace to abstaine from grosse sinnes thou shalt be damned and if thou hast the grace of sanctification giuen thee thou shalt be saued But if ye mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit c. This is the second proposition which the Apostle layeth downe namely that a good course of life leadeth to a good end Wherein first is questionable whether it standeth in the power of the heart of man to subdue the corrupt desires and affections of his nature as well as it doth to fulfill the lusts of the flesh for 2. Tim. 2.20.21 Paul shewing how that in a great house there be vessels some for honour and some for dishonour some for base and some for higher seruices which house he meaneth to be the Church of God saith that if any man purge himselfe hee shall be a fit vessell for Gods house and 1. Ioh. 5.18 He that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe from that wicked one which is the diuell that he touch him not Which places may seeme to attribute the purifying and cleansing of our selues to our selues by our owne inclinations and wils but it must be vnderstood that the Scripture in these and such like places setteth not downe the cause of this cleansing but the execution of it For the cause of this our mortification appeareth Ezech. 36.26 I saith the Lord will giue you a new heart and a new spirit so as there it must be had euen of God but it must be in vs otherwise we pertaine not to the Lords election Hereupon the Scripture vouchsafeth vs that honour to say we do it because notwithstanding the reforming of our iudgements and the changing of our affections is wrought by the supernaturall power of the holy Ghost working in vs yet this holy Ghost doth worke in vs as the subiects and by vs as the instruments as when it is said I will write my law in your hearts the spirit writes but the heart is the place and whatsoeuer is written in our hearts is ours To make this more plaine by a naturall proportion As a man that rectifieth and guideth the hand of a child to write the writing is said to be the worke of the child and not of him that directed him though without such direction the child could not haue done it euen so the Lord doth guide vs in all things we doe well and what doth hee guide but our wils so as the worke proceeding from our wils is ours yet without the guide of the spirit we could not doe it And in this working there is not a double effect one of the holy Ghost and another of our selues but we doe it euen as before there were not two writers though the child was directed but the child onely writ it Secondly where it is said If ye mortifie c. ye shall liue it may be demanded whether by the same reason we deserue saluation by this mortifying of our fleshâ— as by walking in the flesh we deserue damnation It is certaine vnlesse we doe well we can not be saued yet the holy Ghost sheweth that there is not the same perfection to doe well in our natures as there is in vs agilitie and dexterity to follow wickednesse For by our fall we are throughly corrupted as the Prophet Esay speaketh chap. 1.6 From the sole of the foot to the top of the head there is nothing but wounds and swelling but by our regeneration in this life we can neuer perfectly bee renued It sufficeth we haue obtained the blessing of Iacob Gen. 32.28.29 to haue such power from God as to be lame in sinne all our life long So Paul Rom. 6.23 saith The wages of sinne is death but the gift of God is eternall life through Christ whereby appeareth that the contraries themselues are not perfect for sinne of it selfe deserueth death but being good of it selfe deserueth not life for it is the gift of God and so the consequents of these two cannot be perfect and agree together Againe it is one question to aske who shall be saued and another to aske how we shall be saued for true it is that none shall be saued but they that mortifie themselues if they liue and for children they are changed in a moment by a supernaturall power of the Lord. As it is said Esa 33.14 Who shall dwell with the deuouring fire He that walketh in iustice and speaketh righteous things refusing the gaine of oppression shaking his hands from taking of gifts stopping his eares from hearing of blood and shutting his eies from seeing of euill And Dauid Psal 15.1 asketh the question and bringeth in the Lord to answer it Who shall dwell in thy tabernacles He that walketh vprightly he that taketh no reward against the innocent and such like as it followeth there as if the Lord should say Such and none else for the words haue an exclusiue nature So if it be asked who they be that shall be set at the right hand of God in heauen Mat. 25.34.41 it must be answered They that visite the members of Christ in affliction and leade their liues answerable to their religious profession And if Who they be that shall be set on the left hand the answere is They that refuse to releeue the
and a holy life which in those places he bringeth in he proueth himselfe to be adopted So as to assure vs we are Gods children we are to get as many testimonies of the spirit of regeneration as wee can whereby to comfort and secure our soules that we shal be heard because we are beloued Abba Some thinke this was vnderstood that God would be serued onely of the Iewes who spake this language but the Apostle by geminating and doubling the word both in Hebrew and in Greeke wherein he spake doth teach vs that as God was once onely serued in the Hebrew nation of thâ—â—â—â—â—â—s who had this speciall priuiledge aboue other peopâ—â— so the time should come and now is that all the world should bee as Canaan to serue him in their seuerall and special language and that all tongues should bee pleasing and acceptable to God Rom. chap. 8. vers 16. verse 16 The same spirit beareth witnesse to our spirit that we are the children of God WHereby is meant that we are so fure of our saluation that except the holy Ghost can lie we cannot be damned Where obserue first that a man may be certaine of his saluation for this witnesse and testimony giuen by the spirit to out spirits is that which euery elect child of God doth and must feele euen in this life Secondly they are heere confuted that perswade themselues by a vaine and false hope that they shall be saued as well as others For the first carie abou◠〈◊〉 the speech of Saint Paul 2. Cor. 13.5 Know yee not your oâ—â—e selues how Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates And 1. Cor. 2.12 We haue receiued the spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are giuen to vs of God not hope for them but know them and 1. Iohn 4.13 Heereby know we that we dwell in him because he hath giuen vs of his spirit and chap. 5.19 We know we are of God and the whole world lieth in wickednesse Now he that hath the true knowledge that hee hath this spirit hee may know he is the sonne of God and so in Christ and so out of condemnation as the Apostle saith in the first verse of this chapter There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ So as then he that is the sonne of God is sure of life that is saluation but all the doubâ— is how we may be sure we haue this spirit which will and may easily be discerned by walking in the spirit and by sauouring the things of the spirit For if we sit in the seat of the scorner and walke in the waies of the wicked suffering our thoughts to range after that the flesh desireth and not relishing the foolishnesse of the Gospell to bring our affections in captiuity to the obedience of Christ we may well dreame of the spirit but the spirit as yet hath not lodged within vs for where the spirit is there it worketh and workes of a contrary nature then those which the wisdome of the world produceth Where those men are confuted that stand vpon their owne spirits to assure them that they are Gods children their spirits being no sufficient witnesse the heart of man being alwaies euill and oft-times deceitfull as was the heart of the Pharisie Luk. 18.11.12 who might haue a good worke in hand but tooke no fit time to performe it nor propounded no good end to fulfill it praying in the market-place and giuing his almes to be seene of men But it is the testimony of the spirit of God which must secure vs and by which we stand and this must thou shew me by the visible fruits of the spirit in the reformation of thy life for thine owne conscience will no more serue thee then it did the Iewes who thought they did God good seruice when they crucified Christ Ioh. 19.7 nor no more then it did Paul who being a Pharisee and before he was stricken to the ground in his iourney to Damascus Phil. 3.6 Act. 9.21 made hauocke of the Church of God and tooke a pride in persecuting of the Gospell of Christ whereby weâ—â—â—â—y see 1. Ioh. 3.19 that euery mans heart is enough to condemne him but not to iustifie him But yet must we needes haue the testimony and witnesse of our consciences to fasten vs and ground vs in this perswasion that we are Gods children for as it is said 1. Ioh. 3.20.21.29 If our owne hearts condemne vs what boldnesse can we haue with God And Paul speaking of his ministerie saith 1. Cor. 4.4 I am guilty of my selfe in nothing yet am I not thereby iustified So as the best conscience of it selfe is not able to warrant vs of Gods fauour to eternall life but it is soone able to assure vs of his displeasure to damnation For if the conscience be wounded the heart cannot be cheared and a grieued spirit who can beare Now as our conscience must generally signifie vnto vs our election so particularly it must auow euery action that we performe The conscience by excusing cannot iustifie because there may be error of iudgement and therefore must haue a seale and warrant to it that is it must bee ratified and confirmed by the word and though it cannot excuse yet can it and doth it easily and often accuse for whatsoeuer is done against the conscience is sinne be it neuer so lawfull of it selfe or neuer so much commanded yea though it be the sacrifice of prayer wherein we are most familiar with God yet if it receiue not an edge and sharpnesse from thy owne spirit but that thy conscience doth checke thee and pull in as it were thy words againe it maketh that thy prayer can neuer ascend to God nay it so smothers it in thy heart as it not onely returneth empty but bringeth a plague with it which otherwise had beene of force to haue driuen away any present vengeance wherein the conscience doth amisse and doth rather wound vs than cure vs. So as obserue that to the performance and accomplishment of euery good action there must these two concurre the spirit of God and the conscience of the party But yet let vs bee well aduised where the conscience doth accuse vs of such things as may iustly be reprooued as of adultery bribery vsury and such like for if wee doe directly resist this forewarning of our soules or do whet our selues on when our consciences do call vs backe then haue we this our conscience to testifie 〈◊〉 vs which doth counteruaile a thousand witnesses hauing alwaies these two properties first not to conceale any truth secondly not to open any more than truth for what the conscience speaketh our selues shall subscribe to And therfore if wee shall feare this checke of conscience and yet not feare to performe the sinne it will come to passe that either wee shall preuaile for a time to bring our consciences to a dead sleepe and Lethargie 1. Tim. 4.2
by the same rounds that he did If we suffer with him Not if we suffer with the world whereby vnderstand and learne that all that are afflicted shall not be saued but on the contrary none shall bee saued vnlesse they be afflicted for a man may suffer all the plagues to be deuised on the earth and yet after goe to hell to suffer more Some suffer with the world such as Peter speaketh of 1. Pet. 2.20 that are buffeted for their demerits and misdeeds on whom the Lord doth satisfie part of his iustice in this life These are poore in the â—esh but proud in the spirit for the misery they sustaine can nothing humble them vnlesse perhaps sometime they will weep for curst heart as Esau did when he lost the blessing Gen. 27.38 but they are so hardned in obstinacy as they are past fearing the heauinesse and weight of the Lords displeasure so as there is a worldly affliction that leadeth to death as well as a godly suffering that prepareth the way to life Now againe some suffer with Christ and such be they as suffer either to profit by the Lords afflictions as that they bee sent as chastisements to reclaime them from some sinne past and so they amend or else as preseruatiues against some sinne to come and so they are made more watchfull or els if we suffer for the Gospell because we will not communicate with the world Now though all afflictions ought to be esteemed iust in respect of our infirmities yet sometimes the Lord regardeth not this alone but maketh it more honorable as when we are troubled for the Gospell that we being but vile wormes and but dust and ashes should either with losse of goods which are but lent vs or with our liues which are the Lords doe the Lord of heauen some honour to maintaine his truth against such as doe maligne it that the wicked may see wee striue for a more precious reward then is set before the eies of mortall men Wee shall bee glorified with him Wee would thinke it a small honour for flesh and blood to suffer with Christ for company and to stay there therefore obserue hence by the Apostles speech that wee are not to looke and to fixe our eyes on the beginnings of affliction but to regard the end that patience may haue her full perfection Looke not vpon Lazarus begging at Diues doore but lying in Abrahams bosome Looke not to the beginning of Ioseph Luk. 16.22 who was so farre from his dreame Genes 37.9 that the Sunne and Moone should reuerence him that for two yeeres he was cast where hee could see neither Sunne nor Moone but behold him at the last made ruler ouer all Egypt 1. Sam. 24.1 Looke not vpon Dauid as there was but a step betweene him and death his life was so thirsted after nor as he was abused by Sauls flatterers 1. King 2.2.10 but behold him feated in his royall throne and dying in his bed of honour with his sonne Salomon about him Looke not vpon Christ borne basely after persecuted from Ierusalem when he came to teach encountred and resisted by the proud Pharisees a litle before his death in such an agony as an Angell from heauen was faine to comfort him Luk. 22.43 his doctrine esteemed false his life notoriously sinnefull betraied by his owne Disciple led as a sheepe to the slaughter a man without blemmish and yet as the Prophet Esay speaketh Esay 53.2 Luk. 23.26 a branch arising from a dead stocke carrying a Crosse vnder which he was so distressed as another was faine to ease him going vp to the crosse nailed hand and foote scoffed and reuiled as hee was vpon it crying as if the sea of the Lords wrath had burst foorth vpon him beholding him in this estate and there was neuer any creature so miserable at last caried as a dead man laied in a graue not only dead but three daies vnder the dominion of death so as his Apostles fled and the diuell thought all had beene quiet But afterward behold him raised vp againe ascending to the heauens Mark 16.19 Luk. 24.51 then hee became head of Angels then a dead man by a few fisher-men conquered all the world so as Emperors submitted their â—â—ownes and sought their saluation in 〈◊〉 Crosse of Christ So we must looke vpon the Martyrs who died in their holinesse and were put to death for their holinesse not as hauing reeds in their hands in signe of basenesse and bolts on their feete and stripes on their backes as euill doers but as Renelat 7.9 standing before the throne and before the Lambe with palmes in their hands in token of victory arraied in white robes in signe of innocency and in long robes in signe of statelinesse for these are they saith the spirit of God that came out of tribulation and therefore he that sitteth on the throne will dwell among them We must therefore alwaies bend our thoughts and set our eies not vpon the present affliction which is tedious to the flesh but vpon the end and successe which shall bring spirituall consolation not vpon the crosse which is wearisome but vpon the crowne which is delightsome not vpon the race which is long and crooked but vpon the prize which is weighty and precious not vpon the combat which may be to the blood but vpon the conquest which shall bee certaine and glorious And if we can subdue our affections truely to this meditation all our troubles in the greatest extremity shall seeme light and we shall goe from the whip as the Apostles did with more reioycing then we had before Act. 5.41 because we may be sure our end shall be blessed for if we suffer with him we shall be glorified with him Now for the glory heere spoken of it is not comparable with the sorrow wee sustaine heere for this glory is eternall whereas afflictions are but temporall not possible to bee conceiued in heart nor vttered by speech it is in shew beautifull in sense wonderfull in weight excessiue in measure without bounds in dignity without comparison and in continuance without end â—â—â—â—ea it is such and so great that as one torment in hell shall make a reprobate forget his wordly pleasure so the least taste ye one drop of this glory shall make the heires of God forget all their miseries and for their single and temporary afflictions heere they shall haue double and infinite ioyes in heauen ROM chap. 8. vers 18. verse 18 For I count that the afflictions of this present time are not worthy of the glorie which shall be shewed vnto vs. IN this verse the Apostle proceedeth to proue that he set downe before namely that being companions in Christ his sufferings we shall also be copartners with him in the blessed light Hee proueth it can bee no small glory wee shall partake of since it is the very same that Christ himselfe enioyeth alwaies keeping the correspondencie and
exceedeth all number and it is not possible for our thoughts to reach or to conceiue any end of it For this glory is like God the giuer of it that must be embraced for the excellency of it and thirsted after for the eternity of it Now as the Apostle heere perswadeth the necessity and yeeldeth the reason for patience in our afflictions Heb. 10.35 by the eternity of the glory which waiteth vpon vs as the iust recompence of our reward so must we learne to disswade from the pleasures of sin by the greatnesse and continuance of the sense of torment that waiteth on them And this standch in two points the first is called sensus poenae the feeling and smart of punishment which is aggrauated and made heauier in three respects first in the vniuersalitie of it that no part shall be free from torment but euery ioynt in thy body and euery power of thy soule shall be pained and vexed which is not so in this life saue onely in a fellow-feeling of one member with another for neuer any man was tormented in all the singular parts of his body at one instant Secondly in the extremity of it that as they shall be tormented in all parts at one time and that continually so one damned spirit shall be vexed more then another for as there be here degrees of sinnes so shall there be heereafter degrees of smart and punishments as Christ speaking of Hierusalem said It shall be easier for Sodme then for this citie and yet Sodome was in hell Thirdly in the necessity of it Mat. 11.23 the greatnesse of this their torment being much increased in that they shall haue no meanes to ease and lift vp or releeue themselues for they shall be bound hand and foote that they cannot stirre as we may see by the vsage of him that came to the Lords feast without his wedding garment And for the eternity of their torment Mat. 22.13 if they should suffer no more yeeres then there bee creatures on earth it were some comfort because they might espie some light of deliuerance but when there shall be no more heauens and when God shall leaue to be God and to lose his glory then the damned ghosts shall be eased The second aggrauation of their punishment is in this damno loci in the losse of heauen for it shall not so much vex them that they be tormented as that they haue lost those ioyes they see the Saints of God enioy This shall make them murmure and gnash their teeth and vpon their apprehension and conceauing of that they haue lost shall follow the remorse and sting of conscience that in their life time they despised to labour in mortification and newnesse of life for there are none damned Reuel 20.12 but their owne hearts shall tell them they are iustly damned Vers 23. And not onely the creature but we also which haue the first fruits of the spirit euen we doe sigh in our selues waiting for the adoption euen the redemption of our body c. to the 26. verse The Apostle still enlargeth the weight of glory spoken of before prouing it to be so great that the very frame of heauen and earth and all other creatures doe waite for the restitution and deliuerance of mankinde at which time they shall receiue their originall excellency Now Paul vseth an argument from the lesse to the greater that if the beasts and other insensible things which be accursed and subiect to this corruption by reason of the bondage whereinto man by his fall was inthralled and cast into do labour as it were in trauell till men be glorified and themselues for our sakes restored then how much more should wee wait for the reuelation of this glory wee that are sealed with the first fruites of the spirit and which in the Gospell may behold as it were in a glasse a great glimce and shew of this glory sigh after and wait for this great and glorious day not that wee should wish simply to be vnclothed but as the Apostle speaketh 2. Cor. 5.2.3 to be clothed vpon with our house from heauen and not so much that our selues might die as that sinne might be extinguished and our sanctification perfected Howbeit in this affection of ours there must be two things the first sighing and groning the second a patient waiting for that we hope for Where consider what that is we wait for and sigh for the Apostle heere calleth it adoption that is the accomplishment of that glory whereto wee are in Christ adopted or as himselfe expounds it the redemption of mankind euen as Dauid was King when he was anointed but he staied long for the reall possession of it and as Abraham had the land of Canaan giuen him which was performed 400. yeeres after In waiting and expecting for this redemption obserue and hold it as a principle and ground that howsoeuer the Philosophers haue dreamed of a simple immortality of the soule alone yet that we know and learne that except the body which we beare about vs be restored also the immortality of the soule is abolished otherwise it were a lame and imperfect restitution and otherwise in vaine had Iob said chap. 19.26 Though after my skinne wormes destroy this body yet shall I see God in my flesh that is body and soule at the last day which is also plainely expressed heere by the Apostle in these words Redemption of the body Further obserue hence the dulnesse blockishnesse of man that is to take example and to be taught his duty euen of the insensible creatures who in their kind by the very instinct of nature can grone for the day of mans redemption and yet man himselfe though spurred on and prouoked can hardly be drawen to that duty which may teach euery one of vs to bee more watchfull in our Christian exercises that wee may learne to know and desire to approch neere the day of our redemption lest the creatures that want the vse of reason rise vp against vs to condemne vs for they faile nothing so much in their duties as man doth Pro. 30.25 nay Salomon sendeth the sluggard to the Ant and Pismire who by his sommer-labour prouideth for a hard and stormy winter Christ will haue vs learne innocency of the Doue and wisdome and prouidence of the Serpent and the Apostle heere will not haue a Christian man short of the creatures who traâ—ell in paine to bee deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God and therefore much more must we sigh for this redemption of our body wherein wee our selues haue the greatest interest Further in that the Apostle saith We doe sigh in our selues we learne that it is the dutie of euery Christian to be touched at the hart and to be prickt in his conscience as generally for the wickednesse of the whole world so particularly and more narowly for his owne sinnes for these be they whereby
with Gods saints Heb. 10.35 that they haue done it in this respect as hauing regard to the recompence of reward set before them in a hope that cannot faile Let vs therfore not scrape so greedilie in the earth as the blind moles doe nor wallow our selues in the mire of this world like swine nor root our affections in the things of this life but let vs sigh with desire and wait with patience the generall redemption of the sonnes of God and restitution of the creatures to their first perfection at least let vs look to our owne particular departure out of this life for there is no priuiledge nor protection can come from the court of heauen but depart we must and how soone we know not the Diuell would faine take vs in the lurch and the world will intice vs to deferre the buying of oyle for the keeping of our lampes burning till the Lord do knocke Mat. 25.10 but let vs euer be furnished for the way let our faith hold vs and our hope containe vs within the compasse and assurance of our saluation These be the daies of our pangs and pilgrimage happy shall that day be when we shall be deliuered and when our iourney shall be ended Heere we haue to walke a most tedious and craggy course happy shall that day be when we shall come to our heauenly country Heere wee sight a troublesome though no doubtfull comâ— happy shall that day be when wee shall be crowned as conqâ—â—rors heere we sow with sorrow happy shall â—hat day bee wâ—â—â— we shall reape a plentifull and perpetuall haruest with much â—â—y heere wee are full of wounds and our eies stand full of teares happy shall that day be when our wounds shall be healed and our teares wiped away ROM chap. 8. vers 26.27 verse 26 Likewise also the spirit helpeth our infirmities for wee know not what to pray as we ought but the spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed verse 27 But he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the meaning of the spirit for he maketh request for the Saints according to the will of God THE Apostle proceedeth to minister consolation in all those afflictions we must passe thorow and sheweth that there is no cause wee should shrinke or faint since we are maintained and supported by a heauenly power against which the gates of hell cannot preuaile for the Lord doth assist vs by the holie Ghost which doth excite and stirre vp in vs gronings that is heauenly praiers which doe reach and pierce the very throne of God which being made according to his will we must needs obtaine whatsoeuer we shall request In the words obserue three things first generally that the â—â—â—ly Ghost doth relieue vs in our infirmities and weaknesse seâ—â—ndly by what meanes he doth it namely when we are low brought by stirring vp in vs such vehement and feruent praiers as cannot proceed from any naturall man nor the power of man but from a power farre aboue man thirdly the powerfull working of these praiers namely that being made according to Gods meaning the Lord must needs shew himselfe exorable and to be intreated and it is not possible they can returne emptie from the throne of grace For the first consider that it were impossible for vs to stand one minute if no other power did sustaine vs but flesh and bloud for euen in the choisest of Gods children faith is verie weake and our hope verie wearie and flesh and bloud through selfe loue desireth ease and doth mone it selfe and is fearefull to see or to suffer the crosse yea Sathan doth buffet vs by our inward infirmities for sinne lieth heauie within vs and this maketh vs to grone outward afflictions make the flesh to smart the world tempteth vs on both hands one way with the peace of the wicked another way with the troubles of the godly alluring vs to the vaine glistering shewes of the one and terrifying vs from the ghastfull and hideous sight of the other So as hauing sinne within vs Sathan without vs and the world about vs all enemies to the peace and rest of our soules euerie houre should we perish were we not supported by the mightie hand of this inuisible spirit and therefore flesh and bloud hath no cause to be proud but ought in trueth to glory in it owne weaknesse because it hath such an helper and so strong an helper and so certaine a helper as is this spirit which is nothing else then the very power of God himselfe as it was said to Paul My grace is sufficient for thee Further in that it is said He helpeth our infirmities obserue that hee doth not free vs fully from them or remooue them fully from vs but hee doeth onely helpe and releeue vs in them And this is that Christ praied for in his bitter agonie Iohn 17.15 I praie vnto thee Father saith hee not that thou wouldest giue them an exemption and freedome from trials but that they may bee so kept from euill as euer they may finde some comfortable deliuerance So in another place Christ saith vnto his Apostles Mat. 9.15 that when the Bridegroome was with them they could not mourne hee sparing them for that time but afterward he saith Hitherto haue yee liued in peace haue ye a sword if not buy one for tribulation shall come and then he said A little while I will be from you that is during the time of my death but I will send a better comforter and then followeth The world shall reioyce but ye shall mourne mourne though ye haue a comforter but not mourne vntill ye haue a comforter which setteth forth the riches of the Lords mercie that prouideth a remedie before we receiue the wound and layeth himselfe as it were in our bosome before he sendeth vs cause of sorrow To this purpose is that Paul speaketh 2. Corinth 4 8 9. we are afflicted on euery side yet not in distresse in doubt but we despaire not persecuted but not forsaken cast downe but perish not because by the same spirit that was in Christ the inward man is renewed daily And this was the answer which Paul himselfe receiued from God being sore buffeted by Sathan 2. Cor. 12.9 Content thy selfe saith the Lord my grace is with thee therefore striue thou and I will helpe thee This also is prefigured in the combat betweene the Angell and Iacob Gen. 32.25 who had his bone in his thigh shrunke but yet would not forsake his hold till he had a blessing So as by this combat we are sure to receiue such a blow as we shall halt all our liues after to this end that we may seeke for Iacobs staffe the blessing of the Lord to strengthen vs. And this was Moses comfort when his hands were faint and wearie in holding of them vp in prayer so that they fell downe Exod. 17.12 then did the spirit of the Lord support
Elizabet no doubt prayed in their youth for the fruite of their bodie but they were not then heard for the Lords time was not yet but when Zachary as priest was exercising the publike ministerie of the Church and both he and his wise striken in age then the Angell comes and tels him the Lord had heard his prayers and that his wife should haue a child Which may be a great encouragement to vs to grow perfect in this exercise and that the worke of praier may bee easie to vs because there is not a word falls to the ground but either it rebounds presently vpon vs againe with a blessing or that blessing is reserued for a better time when it trebles the ioy in receiuing an vnexpected benefit No doubt Iacob had fetched many a sigh for the losse of his sonne Ioseph Gen. 37.34 but if Ioseph had presently returned to his father before he obtained the honour in Egypt it had nothing so much cheared Iacobs heart Gen. 45.27 as it did when he saw the chariots sent to fetch him that he might see him in his state and dignitie So for the Lord to cary in his remembrance and to keepe as it were a booke of our prayers alwayes open before his eyes and either to heale vs when we are past cure as he did Dauid when he heard him out of the deepe of deeps or in his good time to put vs in mind of our owne prayers by the fruit doubled in our bosome when we thought our haruest past can not but exceedinglie stirre vs vp to magnifie his goodnes and to employ all the powers of our soule to please him Thirdly we pray for many things which we cannot obtaine and yet we must pray for them for if we cannot haue our desire here it shall be fulfilled in the life to come as when wee pray that Gods kingdome may come that we may be deliuered from temptation and that wee may not sinne which onely shall be performed in the life to come for God according to his owne disposition of times hath ordained that we his creatures should apply our selues vnto and therefore hath taught vs by his spirit as well to pray for the end as for the meanes Faith in this life being the foundation of our hope and our hope being perfited in the life to come through the loue of Christ so that as here we pray to haue our faith strengthened our infirmities cured our sins pardoned and Gods graces renewed in vs daily which be apples of such a tree as we taste of in this life so here we pray also that sinne may be abolished the number of Gods elect gathered and the worke of our sanctification perfited which is the end and perfection of the former and which is reserued for a better life when both our owne prayers and the intercession of Christ for vs also shall cease Fourthly obserue that God so heareth thy prayers that though he do not graunt formam the forme yet he graunteth finem the end of thy prayers Euen as Christ when he prayed in the garden Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me now shall wee say that Christ euer prayed and was not heard Mat. 26.39 God forbid and yet the cuppe did not passe from him yet was hee heard as the Apostle to the Hebrewes saith in that he feared for though hee was not deliuered from death Heb. 5.7 yet was hee freed from the horrour of death for an Angell was sent to comfort him 2. Cor. 12.8 So Paul when he prayed to be deliuered from the buffetings of Satan he had his desire thus farre the Lord graunteth the end of his prayer that is strength to abide it exempted he could not be but this was it the power of the Lord should be in him so much the greater as his temptations and afflictions were increased so that none must be discouraged nor grow cold though their first or second voice in praier be not heard for by this we learne first to continue in praier and in this doth the Lord secretly heare vs that wee breake not off Secondlie the Lord doth for a time withdraw his eares from the words of our mouth that we may know the deliuerance praied for comming from God we are not to appoint him the houre Thirdly we stay a time before our hands be filled with our requests to exercise our patience that our desire be not like the longing and fainting of a woman Fourthlie that by this small absence of the Lord in not hearing our praiers at the first we may learne to depend vpon his prouidence Fiftlie that we may vse them the better when we haue them and receiue them with the greater thankfulnesse because things wished for as they are gratefully receiued so are they carefully preserued ROM chap. 8. vers 28. verse 28 Also we know that all things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God euen to them that are called of his purpose HEere the Apostle proceedeth to open another fountaine of exceeding comfort to the faithfull which is all things worke for the best to those that loue God but euery faithfull man is assured he loues the Lord therefore to him all things worke for the best and if all things then afflictions He proues it by this reason to those that be predestinate all things turne to the best but they that loue the Lord are predestinate therefore to them all things turne to the best And to proue this he setteth downe a reason vers 29. Those that be called in the eternall purpose of God them hath he predestinate to be like the image of his Sonne Heb. 2.9 that as he passed by the crosse and from the crosse to glory so shall wee being children of the same Father and who are borne and bound to resemble Christ our elder brother in this point chiefly To declare how afflictions worke for the best in Gods children we must vnderstand that afflictions be of two sorts either remedies to correct our corruptions and heale our infirmities or els exercises of Gods graces in his children that he may try them how much they will suffer for his sake For the first kind of afflictions we cannot doubt but they do worke for the best whether we consider them as chastisements for sins past or as preuentions of sins to come For sins that are committed the rod is necessary for he is a bastard that is not corrected that wee may see and loath the cause of our affliction that is our corruption as it is said 1. Cor. 11.32 We are chastised of the Lord because we should not be condemned with the world And to Dauid the Lord saith Thy sonnes I will correct for their sinnes but my louing kindnesse shall neuer depart from thee for the punishments of these our sinnes are pardoned in the sacrifice of Christ but so is not the chastisement for this proceedeth from the loue of God and Christ
that he hath a name at which all knees shall bow and this name is giuen him so as he hath it not as God for being God nothing could be giuen him Phil. 2.13 so as he hath it not as God for being God nothing could be giuen him but hee hath it as man and God for his bare humanity could not deserue this neither yet to be gouernour of all the world Now for the third which is the priuiledge we haue by being his brethren they are chieflie three First we are by this heires and fellow heires with him of all things in this life and in the life to come as appeareth vers 16.17 of this chapter Secondlie by this followeth and from this commeth the soueraigntie we haue ouerall creatures as 1. Cor. 3.22 Whether it be the world or life or death all things are ours for we are Christs and Christ is Gods and being vnder Gods wings no man neither dareth and though his stomacke bee neuer so good yet hee hath not the strength to hurt vs for the Lord will keepe vs as the apple of his cie Thirdlie by this though the Angels be farre aboue vs in nature yet we haue one of our nature better then they that is Christ and through him they doe all become our ministers Heb. 1.4.7 Christ is made more excellent then the Angels and he maketh them but his messengers Now for the degrees wherby the Lord doth execute this his eternal purpose for the first of them which is calling it is wrought by the holie Ghost as the principall cause and by a double instrument the holy Ghost vseth first the preaching of the law whereby we are brought to a holie despaire of our selues by the sight of our owne corruption that we may seeke for remedie in the profound sea of the Lords vnsearchable mercie The second the preaching of the Gospell whereby hee anointeth our eyes with the eye salue of the holie Ghost Col. 2.13 that being dead in sinne and not so much as dreaming of saluation the sound of the Gospel doth awake vs that we may heare that hearing we may liue Hereupon it is said that the Lord doth draw men and pull them vnto him as Christ saith Iohn 6.44 No man can come vnto me vnlesse the father draw him that is doth separate them from the cursed generation of the world and sets his inward seale vpon them that is his spirit and brandeth them in the forehead with a visible marke of holinesse of life that euery man may know them to be the Lords Hereupon also it is said that the Lord doth open the hart with the key of the Gospel as Act. 16.14 he is said to open the heart of Lydia and as Psal 40.6 he boareth the eare and softeneth the heart and moisteneth it with his grace that aboue all things a man shall esteeme of the pearle of the Gospell and be brought chearefully to sell all he hath to buy such a iewell as shall bring him righteousnesse to saue his soule so as this calling of the Lord is to this end to manifest and to secure a man in his soule that the Lord hath giuē him to Christ out of all the world Here may be obiected are not all vniuersally called by grace We answer No for first all men are not called effectuallie secondly some are not called at all Some are called externallie by the Preachers mouth and saluation is offered them by the ministerie of the word and sacraments and the kingdom of God is come to their dores and peace is shewed them and the glory of Ierusalem is set before them Math. 22.3 but yet we see of them that were bidden to the mariage there were three sorts not effectually called first they that being called carelesly refused to come being possessed with the cares of this world and with voluptuous liuing secondly they that cruelly persecured the inuiters messengers of the Bridegroome not onely refusing to come being called but disdaining to come as scorning such cheare and faring euery day better themselues at home thirdly they that came hand ouer head neuer looking to their feet before they entred into the Lords house nor neuer changed their attire but came without the wedding garment of a holy life So wee reade that of the foure sorts of ground that receiue the word and the seed thereof Mark 4.4 one sort onely shall be saued not that we must vnderstand it as if of foure hearers there should be but one saued for the Lord may haue mercy vpon a whole congregation to saue them but three sorts of them filled with seuerall affections that vouchsafed to come and to stand before the Lord as hearers were reprobate that is such as did not beautifie the profession of the Gospell with a holy life And truly of them that come and feed vpon the word and yet be reprobates it is wonderfull to see how farre they goe euen in the right course for first they may be enlightned generally in the knowledge of the truth and may taste of the heauenly gift yea and be partakers of the holy Ghost Heb. 6.4.6 and yet may fall away neuer to be renewe◠by repentance Secondly they may haue faith Luk. 8.13 for a time not counterfeit yet not truly sincere for in the daie of trial they fall away like fruit from the tree with a blast of wind yea they may take ioy in the word as Herod did Mark 6.20 who was glad to heare Iohn Baptist and with Herod they may for a time do many things at the request of Gods Ministers Mark 16.20 And for outward reformation swine we know may be washed so may they leaue off and discontinue some grosse sins for a time when Sathan being for a season cast out of them doth not worke so forciblie in them as Math. 12.34 the Pharises and Sadduces may for nouelties sake come to Iohns baptisme and for a time speake good things when they are euill and yet be but a generation of vipers yea they may wish with Balaam to die the death of the righteous Num. 23.10 iustifying in their owne conscience the course of holinesse and which is more they may partake of all the graces of God sauing that one grace of sanctification and yet they may seeme to bee sanctified as Hebrews 10.29 they tread vnder foot the Sonne of God and count the bloud of the new Testament an vnholy thing were with they were so sanctified Now others there be that are not called at all and these be of two sorts either those to whom the Lord hath denied the verie contemplation of the booke of nature as children that die as soone as they be borne who if they be elect it is by a supernaturall power of the holy Ghost if they be reprobate it is iust in respect of their naturall filth and corruption that did cleaue so fast vnto their bones for in that they die it proues they had finned and
rage but to glorifie Christ which glorie of his is greatest in our saluation We therefore in a spirituall confidence of the Lords loue do challenge all men and all things that euer were created that what violence soeuer they offer vs or what punishment soeuer they inflict vpon vs it is so farre from presting vs downe as it maketh vs spread higher and furthereth our saluation for God is with vs and while the bridegroome is with vs wee cannot mourne The euill they can doe is but with the dragon to fight with vs and as the enemies of God to persecute vs and though they be led to do this by the malice of their harts yet they serue but as the Lords rods to chastise vs and as Apothecaries to make drugs to cure our infirmities but so as they cannot put in one dramme more then the Lord knoweth of for he hath the tempering of the cup as it is said of Salomon The Lord weigheth the enterprises of men and their actions are in his hands and the woorst they can doe vs is but this to shorten our daies by that meanes to hasten our ioyes Hereupon we are to gather and to lay vp this comfort that if the course of nature should be altered yet euen in this confusion of nature if we call vpon the Lord his eare is readie to heare and his hand to helpe vs nay if there be any speciall iudgement and vengeance determined against a citie or a people the presence of the Lords children doth euen binde his hands that he can doe nothing while they be there as Genes 19.16 till Lot was snatched out of Sodome the fire could not fall from heauen to destroy it So that if heauen and earth conspire against vs if sea and sand should imagine vs mischiefe if the Princes of the world should set their armies against vs and like grashoppers in multitude should lie waiting for our liues if the sorrowes of death and the pangs of hell should compasse vs yet this is our shade and comfort that we liue vnder the wings of the Almightie and that wee are to the Lord as precious as the tenderest part of his eie and he that commeth so neare him the breath of his mouth shall confume him and in the middest of all these calamities wee shall stand like mount Sion and shall feare no more then the heauens were affraid Psal 125.1 Psal 91.11 Gen. 11.4 when Nimrod and his companie would haue built vp a tower vnto them For the Lord hath giuen his Angels charge ouer vs and not a haire of our head shall fall without his prouidence but as the wicked haue many waies to hurt vs so hath the Lord farre more meanes to helpe vs. Who spared not his owne Sonne This is another consolation ministred vnto vs to stay vs from fainting in afflictions that if God hath giuen vs his Sonne when wee were his enemies then much more now being reconciled vnto him will he giue vs with his Sonne all things else In this consider two parts first what it is that is said heere God deliuered vp his Sonne to death secondly that if hee giue him hee will giue all things else In the first consider two parts first the person of him that was giuen vp it was his owne Son secondly who the persons be for whom hee is giuen vp namely for all the faithfull In the first which is the person of him was giuen vp to death doth appeare the wonderfull loue of God that would vouchsafe to bestow vpon vs rebels and runnagates no woorse thing then his owne Sonne Great was the loue of Abraham toward God Gen. 22.8 that so commaunded his naturall affections as to offer vp his sonne Isaac at the Lords commaundement vnto death hauing but one sonne and he giuen him by a speciall fauor to comfort his age and him whom he loued being vertuous and religious when he had no hope to haue any more sonnes and this being the sonne of the promise in whom both himselfe and the whole world should be saued that this child should not bee banished from him but put to death and killed not before his face but with his owne hand this was a great loue for flesh and bloud to fall into But yet farre greater is the loue of God toward vs who louing Christ a thousand times more then Abraham could loue Isaac Ioh. 3.15 because betweene heauenly and earthlie things there is no comparison that God should deliuer him vp not to the whip but to the gibber not by commandement as Abraham did but of his meere and voluntarie loue and motion not into the hands of them that sorrowed to see him afflicted but into the hands of butchers that cared not how cruelly they dealt with him and this not for his friends as Abraham did for he was called the friend of God but for traitors that would haue pulled the Lord foorth of his owne seate and not to death onely as Abraham did his sonne who by the losse of his life should presently haue gained heauen but to a most cursed death and detestable and this to bee performed not in a mountaine or secret place where there should be sew beholders as Abrahams was to haue beene done but euen before the face of all the Iewes to hang as a most odious and notorious sinner to suffer his accusation to bee no lesse then for blasphemie to haue him so debased as to haue Barrabas who for an insurrection and murther was cast into prison Lu. 23.18.19 Mat. 27.22 in the choice of the people preferred before him who not onely was condemned by Pilate prosecuted by the malice of the Iewes conuinced by false testimonies scorned at by them that bad him helpe himselfe when he was in such extremitie as hee could scarce speake but that euen God his Father should arraigne him in heauen hauing all the sins of the world cast vpon him that pressed him at one time to the highest and lowest part of hell Whereupon consider that for the sinnes in our person all the horrors of hell did compasse him and all the torments of the damned did seize vpon him Reu. 19.15 and God for the time accounted him his enemie and brought him to that exigent and extremitie as he was forced to crie Father why hast thou forsaken me for if he had not bin the Sonne of God it had bin impossible to haue sustained or endured it and yet being the Son of God he was driuen so low as an Angel was faine to be dispatched from heauen to comfort him and all this to befall him who in himselfe was not in any one particular sinfull being cleane by birth and holy by conuersation True it is the high Priest was angrie with him because he tooke him as an offender in his owne person but God was angrie with him as esteeming him a sinner in our person that he which had not deserued being smitten wee that had deserued might
hauing described the necessitie of these miseries that shall befall the elect the demand or question is most triumphantly answered when he saith In all these we are more them conquerors For the first which is the demaund it selfe it cannot be made plainer onely in the words To be separate from the loue of Christ we must not vnderstand it actiuely but passiuely not of the loue wherewith we loue Christ but of that loue wherewith wee are beloued of God in Christ For though our loue to Christ is so substantially rooted in our hearts as that it is Cant. 8.6 strong as death which ouercometh all things hard as the graue that swalloweth vp all things like the flame of God that whole flouds of water cannot quench yea such as we will not depart with for any money and such and so great as it is true that nothing thing can separate vs from the loue of Christ yet this is to be taken and vnderstood of the loue of Christ to vs as appeareth by the end of the 37. Luk. 22.60 2. Tim. 4.10 2. Tim. 2.13 and 39. verses So as if it were possible we should forget Christ or renounce him as Peter did or forsake him as Demas did yet he cannot forget vs for he is faithfull that hath promised For the second which is the testimonie out of Psal 44.22 that we that are Christians do as verily looke for these miseries as we do for the rising of the Sunne the Prophet setting it down as an absolute purpose of God not to bee preuented nor auorded and not onely permitting it as a thing which may and may not come In which words consider two points first what is the cause in Gods sight why the world afflicteth the Church secondly in what grieuous sort it is afflicted For the first the cause is set downe in these words for they names sake that is because thou opposest thy selfe against Anrichrist and dost not fall downe nor bow to Baal nor dost not fashion thy selfe after the world in swallowing vp their iolities and delights Wherein obserue that true Christians are not only subiect to common miseries as those that beare the face of fleshly Adam but to some peculiar calamities that neuer disquiet the wicked and this onely as they beare the image of that heauenly Adam Christ Iesus from which the world is exempted euen as the chaffe and the wheate they both feele the flaile but the chaffe is free from the milstone from the fanne and from the ouen for of these onely doth the wheate taste and happy is he that is ground fit for the Lords table for though the chaffe feele not the bitternesse of the mill nor the heare of the ouen yet marke what becommeth of it Hark 9.50 it is like vnsauorie salt good for nothing but to be cast foorth and is either troden vnder feete or caried away with the winde and so vanisheth in the aire Such is the case and estate of the wicked for when they are separated as tares from the corne either the Lord treads vpon them in his wrath or burneth them in his displeasure or bloweth them from his presence like the stubble Secondly obserue where it is said We are killed for thy names sake that though God doth neuer chastise any man vniustly because hee may haue occasion enough to afflict him for his owne corruption whereby he may be humbled yet heerein appeareth his infinite wisedome that hee maketh the cause of our sufferings to be more honorable bearing this title and superscription for the name of God the puritie of religion and because we will not communicate with the world in their superstitious deuotions So as the Lord changeth the nature of the chastisement and imputeth it as borne for none of our wickednesse but for the glorious profession of the Gospell the wicked not punishing in vs our sinnes but Gods graces for if we would partake with them in their lusts we might goe free For if Balaam would curse the people hee might soone rise to promotion Numb 22.37 and if Michaiah would please the king in his Prophesie hee need not befed with the bread of affliction 1. King 22.27 and if the three children would worship Nabuchadnezzars Image they might easily escape the fornace Dan. 3.12 but we must keepe our standing and not shrinke a foorâ— from the foolishnesse of the Gospell what stormes soeuer may arise for it is no more then as if Christ should borrow our lines for a time to do him credit withall which shall bee mightily rewarded Thirdly in that it is said killed for thy names sake there ariseth this consolation that forasmuch as our suffrings are ioyned with Gods glorie and are brought vpon vs for Gods glorie we may be sure they shall haue a good issue and shall end well for as he tendreth his owne glorie so will hee also tender vs. We thinke it strange that the wicked haue such a swinge in their delights and that wee hang downe our heads Yea Danid complaineth that seeing the prosperitie of the wicked he had almost in his haste accused God of partialitie but Paul 2. Thes Psal 73.13 1.5.6 prooueth that it is impossible since we that are thus tossed and vexed as it were in the whirlepoole of sorrowes are better then the world and in higher account with God but that there shall come a day when rest shall be giuen to our soules and vengeance powred into the bosomes of persecutors For there cannot be a truth more certainly to be beleeued then this that since we doe suffer at their hands who are woorse then our selues it is a sure token that there shall come a reuelation of Gods iudgement wherein the iron rod of the Lords wrath shall bruise them soule and bodie when wee shall be caried vp with S. Paul into the third heauen and with Lazarus into Abrahams bosome 2. Cor. 12.4 Luk. 16.23 and when the vengeance of the Lord shall pursue our enemies driuing them from his presence and from the glorie of his power 2. Thes 1.9 Fourthly in that it is said for thy names sake obserue that it is not the suffering of euery phanaticall or phantasticall spirit that shall be taken for the Lords truth for there may be such forcible illusions as men may giue their bodies to the fire or neckes to the halter for the supposed truth of Poperie then their suffering is as a seale set to a wrong instrument but it must bee in a true zeale of a true cause for the death doth not iustifie the cause to be good but the cause iustifieth the death to be holie and religious For Paul 1. Tim. 1.13 was a zealous persecutor when he was a blasphemer and yet though the did God good seruice but when God receiued him to mercie then hee forsooke and disclaimed the righteousnesse of workes So that if our sufferings be for God we must lay our foundation onely in Christ crucified harbouring and maintaining a pure
then conquerers two waies first in respect of our selues secondly in respect of others We are conquerers in respect of our selues three waies first in the afflictions that goe before death secondly in the very suffering of death thirdly that sometimes there comes a speciall deliuerance and the wicked are made a ransome for the godly Prou. 21 1â— The first of these appeareth in that wee chuse to suffer rather then to admit any ill condition in seruing God as rather then the three children would stoupe to the worship of the beast they embraced the fire Daniel 3.22.23 And though through the sharpnesse of the trouble oftentimes the outward man trembleth and decaieth yet are wee strengthened and renewed in our soules and consciences that wee are not carefull to answer the greatest tyrant vpon the earth that that God whom wee serue is able and will deliuer vs from the sting and poison of any torment yea though sometimes the Lord strangely handleth them that suffer for the Gospel so as their soule is troubled and cannot apprehend any comfort but euen feele the iustice of God vpon them for their sinnes and in the instant of their dissolution they seeme to be void of inward heauenly power to strengthen them and do find a heauy vnaptnesse and vnapt heauinesse to sustaine the triall and that though they haue poured foorth their soule with teares vnto the Lord yet they cannot finde that resolution in any comfort to take the cup but as it is held to their mouths yet at the last being for the cause of Christ they may be sure he will send his spirit to quicken them and dispatch such a comforter from heauen as they shall find euen in the flames such alacritie and delight as if they had rather receiued a pardon from death then any power to bee thrust on to death for the Lord will comfort the abiect bring light out of darknesse and as 2. Cor. 4.11 make the life of Iesus manifest in our flesh by our being deliuered vp to death for his sake For the second that we are more then conquerers in death we haue many examples in the booke of Martyrs and elsewhere how some haue protested they haue sate in the flame as easilie as in a downe bed some haue lifted vp their hands when they were halfe consumed verifying this speech in Esay 43.2 Neither shall the waters drowne thee nor the fire burne thee nor the flame kindle vpon thee meaning thereby that the Lord shall make the most bitter drinke pleasant to them whom he hath called by his name Thirdly wee are more then conquerers in our owne person by the Lords sending of some strange deliuerance and by seeing our enemies consumed in our stead and this is two-fold either extraordinarily immediate or extraordinarily mediate The first appeareth Act. 5.19 Peter cast into prison had the dore opened by the Lords messenger was brought forth in despite of his enemies the same Peter was whipt and being Act. 12.6 a sheepe appointed to the slaughter lying fast bound between two souldiers the prison doores being watched the Angel of God smote him on the side and his chames fell off he was brought through the first and second watch and the praiers of the church did disappoint the purpose of the tyrant whose hands were not yet washed from the blood of Iames whom he had killed with the sword So vehement also were the praiers of Paul and Silas Act. 16.25 that an earthquake shaked the foundation of the prison and loosed the bands of all the prisoners and the Lord put it into the hearts of authority to send Paul foorth in peace and when hee would not standing vpon the law of the Romanes Act. 22.25 that no man should be scourged before he was condemned his enemies were glad to intreate him to goe Of which examples wee must make this vse that if the Lord saw it good for his glory he could doe as much now for nither is his power abated nor his loue diminished Exod. 16.15 Deut. 8.3 For in that he fed the Israelites with Manna he shewed that he can make a man liue without bread in that he blessed the small quantity of meale which the widow of Sarepta had he sheweth that our life standeth not in abundance 1. Kin. 17.16 and he that made the three children dance in the fierie fornace Dan. 3.22 when they that put them in were killed with the heat of the ouens mouth he can and will cheare vs and make glad our hearts in the vale of death For it is he that strengtheneth Dauid to ouerthrow Goliah and his power shall support vs to ouer come death 1. Sam. 17.45 Now for the deliuerance which is extraordinary mediate wee haue example in Saul Act. 9.25 who by the Disciples was put thorow the wall and let downe by a rope in a basket when the Iewes watched the gates to kill him Wee haue likewise our owne Prince Queene Elizabeth on whom many waters did beat and ouer whose head many flouds haue runne and when euen in her sisters time she was as a lambe to be led foorth to the shambles it pleased the Lord to snatch her out of the mouthes of the mighty and to set her seate farre aboue their reach and then were they sory they had cur downe the branches and suffered the stocke to stand Secondly we are more then conquerors in these afflictions in respect of other and that two waies either in the conuersion of others in seeing the Lords power in the midst of our perplecities or else in the confirmation of others they being emboldened by the Lords hand on vs to assure themselues he will not leaue them destitute in the like extremitie Examples of the first wee haue Act. 4.32 and 5.14 how in the heat of the disciples afflictions and when it was counted little better then insurrection to flocke to sermons the people sold their possessions to buy a good conscience and to know the fruit of Christ his death and how the number of them that beleeued grew more and more and how out of the blood of that constant Martyr Stephen there sprung vp daily fresh and new Christians Examples of the latter wee may see in the testimony of Paul who said his bonds were famous in the Court of the Emperor Phillip 1.13 and by that others were taught to preach more boldly and 2. Tim. 2.10 I suffer as an euill doer euen vnto bonds but the word of God is not bound therefore I suffer for the elects sake meaning thereby that his example of captiuity and patience did sundry waies confirme the Church in the hope of a better life For this is the property of the Gospell to grow highest where it is troden downe and to spring fastest where it is killed For when Ahab and Iezabel thought they had not left a Prophet of the Lord but had destroyed all but Eliah and him had they sought for as with
a candle then had Obadiah hid an hundred of the Lords Prophets in a caue 1. King 18.4 that neuer bowed their knees to Baal Iob. 5.22 For the Lord doth but laugh at the policies of the wicked and he in his time will discouer their shame to their faces and lift vp the heads of his seruants aboue all the tyrants of the world Now for the meanes whereby wee obtaine this victory obserue that it is by a spirituall power of the holy Ghost enabling vs to so great a worke for such is our ambition to be great men as if Demas find no preferment by the Gospell 2. Tim. 4.10 he will nothing esteeme of Pauls company Such is our desire to be rich as if we gaine by our seruants that worke with the Diuell we had rather they should be possessed still then we would lose our gaine which we may see Act. 16.19 where Paul and Silas were haled before the Magistrates onely for casting out the spirit of diuination in the maide that got her masters great aduantage by diuining Yea such and so vehement are our naturall and earthly affections and so great our greedinesse to enioy the pleasures of our life that the mariage of a wife or the triall of a yoke of oxen shall keepe vs from Christ Mat. 22.5 Luk. 14.19.20 So that it must be a greater power then the faculty or abilitie of a man for if naturally we are not able to abide the snuffe of a candle much lesse to burne in the fire Why then so many examples as we see patiently induring death for the testimony of the truth of God so many testimonies haue wee of the Lords power to enable weake vessels to hold such scalding liquer For many through presumption of their owne strength haue apostated and Peter was well neare it notwithstanding his bragge that he would not leaue his master to the death if Christ his eie had not pierced his soule to repentance for his former denials Luk. 22.61 Dauid 1. Sam. 17.45.46 confesseth that it was not in his strength to contend with Goliah neither did he come to him with sword or with speare but in the name of the God of Israel who would close him into his hands And this in truth must be our paterne and our praise in these temptations and afflictions to flie out of our selues and to run to the wings of the Lord Iesus whose grace onely is sufficient for vs and whose power is made perfect in our weakenesse for where the flesh carieth a confidence in it selfe there is no roome for the spirit for the spirit helpeth onely those that be infirme and Christ is onely a Physition for a sicke sinner Mark 2.17 Now as wee are conquerors through him that loueth vs so let vs labour that Christ may thinke his loue well bestowed his bloud well spent and his victory for vs well gained by our loue of him againe that it may be as hot as the flame that whole flouds of waters may not quench it and so strong as neither terrors in persecution nor pleasures in life nor the anguish of death may make vs forsake our ankor Christ Iesus but that wee may hold our confidence in a hope sure and stedfast which shall at the last giue vs entrance into the veile whither Christ our forerunner is for vs entred in Heb. 6.29 ROM chap. 8. vers 38 39. verse 38 For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Augels nor Principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come verse 39 Nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. HEere the Apostle setteth downe a conclusion full of all consolation proceeding from a diuine and heauenly resolution and christian magnan unity extended and offered by the Apostle in the person of all the faithfull wherein he doth couragiously challenge and exultantly triumph ouerall creatures being assured that nothing that euer was created could finally separate him from that loue wherewith the Lord had loued him in Christ This conclusion standeth on two parts first in the enumeration or reckoning vp of some particulars which if any thing could seuer vs from the Lord it were likely to bee some of these he named Secondly because the Apostle could not insist in the induction or bringing in of particulars he vseth a generall comprehension of all things that nothing might bee excepted in these words nor any other creature the things reckoned vp are nine which be either one contrary to another or else diuers from other For death that cannot separate vs from God for though it be most terrible to the flesh to see his prefixed end yet this is so farre vnable to seuer vs as nothing hath greater power to ioyne vs to God through the death of him that ouercame death which appeareth likewise by this that euen the wicked though they loue not to liue the life of the righteous because it is tedious through afflictions yet they can wish with Balaam Num. 23. vers 10. that their last end may be like theirs who alwaies resigne vp their soules in rest vnto the Lord. And though some wicked may make a peaceable end whereby Satan hardeneth others to thinke they are beloued of the Lord because they depart like the light of a candle and some of the elect die troublesomely whereby Satan maketh his instruments to condemne the generation of the godly yet in their inward man they doe not onely patiently expect but deepely sigh for the day of their dissolution that being vncloathed of this corruption they may be crowned with the Lords glorie for they that haue receiued the earnest of the spirit the pledge of their inheritance and the first fruits of the Lords loue and vnto whom he hath sealed and assured pardon of their sinne they do know they haue cause to expect the reuelation and shew of their happinesse being heere tossed with sundrie waues of perplexed miseries and being sure there to arriue from a tempestuous voyage to a most blessed hauen And it is ioyfull to a Christian to bee deliuered from this careful life wherein euery day is the messenger of fresh sorrowes and wherein hee findeth his corruption so burdensome so as though Paul was taken vp into the third heauen 2. Cor. 12.4 yet hee cried Who shall deliuer me from this body of sinne For heere wee know our selues to be scarce worth the ground we go on we are so worne with care and so ground with affliction but then we shall enter into the presence of God and dwell with him perpetually To be short many haue beene so rauished with this ioy which wee see but as in a mist as they haue not onely giuen vp themselues to naturall death but euen suffered violent death embracing it as chearefully as the souldier that comes after his valour shewed to be made a knight or as the King that goeth to his
beloued And verse 36. Wee are killed all the day and we are more than conquerers including all the faithfull Now that a man may know hee shall bee saued it is prooued thus A man may know certainly whether hee bee a Christian and truly ingrafted into Christ prooued by the first of Iohn 4.13 By this we may know we are â—n Christ because we haue his spirit And to prooue this 2. Cor. 13.5 Paul speaketh plainly Doe yet not know vnlesse ye haue the spirit of Christ ye be reprobates Againe a man may know whether he be led by this spirit by the fruits of this life and being led by the spirit he is sure he is the sonne of God and being his son vndoubtedly an heire of his kingdome Some will say he may know it for the present but no man can tell what hee shall be 1. Cor. 10.12 for let him that standeth take heed he fal not But know this it is no perswasion vnlesse it reach extend to that that is to come as Paul saith heere he was perswaded neither things present nor things to come could remoue him from his hold he had in Christ and we may assure our selues that he that hath begun this worke in vs if we walke before him in feare and trembling will finish it to his glory and our comfort Secondly obserue that all haue not the same measure of this resolution for there is a diuers measure of this according to the diuers degrees of faith and age of a Christian for some are such of whom the Church doth as yet trauell of and are not deliuered some are new borne to be fed with milke others are growne more in faith and come vnto a riper age of Christ as the holy Ghost saith The righteousnesse of the Gospel is reuealed from faith to faith alluding to the Sunne that riseth not in his excellencie but sendeth foorth a dawning before it appeareth and then a meane light before it commeth to the height of his brightnesse euen so there is a measure in the feeling of this perswasion but yet so as being but a graine a sparkle or a droppe of true faith it doth lay hold vpon the Lord Iesus and assure vs that we shall haue eternall life through Christ Num. 2.19 euen as none were healed but they that beheld the Serpent though some saw it more clearely then others And it is not our faith properly that saueth vs no more then it is the hand that nourisheth but as by the hand though it be weake we receiue nourishment so by faith as by an instrument not alwaies of like strength wee feed vpon Christ and all his benefits Why but this resolution heere spoken of not onely the weake but they that be strong feele not for we see by experience that none haue such securitie but they sometimes despaire through their owne feeling and priuitie of their sinnes which present themselues so many and so deformed and therefore it is so terrible as they sometimes doubt of Gods loue and kindnesse and so vehement is the perturbation of their spirits rising from their owne vnworthinesse as they seeme forsaken of the Lord and much disquieted in themselues therefore though Paul had this perswasion yet euery man cannot haue it To this answer It is not said there must be any such securitie as that there must be no doubting or such tranquillity as there must bee no trouble for Dauid seemed to doubt whether there was a God or no Psal 73.13 because he saw the wicked flourish so proudly And it is no commendation of faith to be free from doubting of Gods mercy in some measure for sometimes there are throwne against vs such fierie darts to the dismaying of our poore consciences as hardly can our buckler of faith driue them backe yea the soule of a man may euen be astonished vnder the Lords heauie hand and yet there may be true faith for though it be shaken it cannot be ouerthrowne though it be oppressed it cannot be left in distresse and though our faith may be strongly assaulted and foiled and wounded with the terrors of the Lord so as his arrowes shall euen pierce our souls and the venime thereof drinke vp our bloud and that wee shall thinke the Lord hath shut his compassion from vs yet shall wee at the last be raised vp to behold the Sun-beames of the Lords loue for the praise of faith is to ouercome by fighting that the power of the Lord may be made strong by our infirmity and weaknesse ROM chap. 8. vers 19.20.21.22 verse 19 For the feruent desire of the creature waiteth when the sons of God shall be reuealed verse 20 Because the creature is subiect to vanitie not of it owne will but by reason of him which hath subdued it vnder hope verse 21 Because the creature also shall bee deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God verse 22 For we know that euery creature groneth with vs also and trauelleth in paine together vnto this present THe Apostle hauing formerly taught vs what way the Lord had allotted for vs to walke to heauen to wit by the same line that Christ his naturall Sonne ascended that is through a crowne of thornes and a sea of afflictions from the ladder to the crosse and from the fold to the shambles and that heerewith wee ought not to be dismaied but rather inwardly comforted First because heereby Christ and we draw together in one yoke Secondly because by this subiection in infirmitie there is wrought in vs a conformitie with him in glory Thirdly because this glory is of that kinde that the least taste of it doth farre surmount the extremitie of all our miseries in this life Yet as if he would strike the naile deeper anâ—â—ill the cup of comfort fuller he sheweth in these verses First that a change and confusion shall be scraped off Secondly that we that are the selected of God shall be freed exempted from the feare and sense of this horrible deformation of the world Thirdly that it is certaine this spoile and consumption of the earth with the works therein shall come for wee are might so much by the insensible creatures that wait for it themselues nature informing them that their subiection to vanitie shal haue an end for as they were at first created good and became accursed for the sinne of man so shall they at length be restored with vs that are elect through the remoouing of that curse for sinne in the seede of the woman which is Christ First in that it is said there is a feruent desire in the dumbe and senselesse creatures we are not to vnderstand that there is heerein a wil and an affection or a desire or a hope or any sense or vnderstanding in the bruite beasts or other Insensible creature as the Heauen Earth Sunne Moone c. for that which they haue is onely through the instruction and instinct of
sense that all the sonnes of God are not yet reuealed for part are in heauen part in earth and part of them not yet borne Secondly touching the sonnes of God on earth they are not all yet reuealed in regard that the Lord calleth daily and maketh as it were a fresh addition to his church by the power of his word as he did in the Apostles time Peter by one sermon Act. 2.41 conuerting three thousand soules to Christ Thirdly they are not all yet reuealed on earth because the wicked cannot discerne them for as Christ was visible heere with vs yet was not knowen to the Scribes and Pharisees their eies through ignorance and malice being so shut as they could not see him euen so though the members of Christ are visible in themselues yet to the malitious and vngodly they are inuisible because they haue not the eies of faith to spie them out Fourthly the sonnes of God here on earth are not yet reuealed to the children of God for Elias 1. King 19.14.18 thought there had beene none left but himselfe to serue God when the Lord vnknowen to him had reserued seuen thousand that had not bowed their knees to Baal Fiftly there are many hypocrites among vs in which respect the sonnes of God on earth are not yet reuealed but at the latter day when the Angell shall come to make a separation then shall the fish be knowen from the frogges the sheepe from the goats and the sincere professor from the dissembler for then there shal be two in one bedde the one receaued the other refused who before were so linked in fellowship as it was vndiscernable that in their deaths they should haue such seuerall ends Howbeit the better sense for these words When the sonnes of God shall be reuealed is this When the sonnes of God shall be receaued vp to glory for then shall they know as they be knowen and then shall the restitution come when the sea and the graue shall yeeld vp all their dead and all the creatures receaue as it were their first robes of puritie and goodnesse wherein they were created Now vers 20. the Apostle setteth downe the reason why these insensible creatures doe thus waite for mans glorious libertie because they themselues are subiect to vanitie wherein wee are to consider two things First to what they are subiect Secondly by whom they are made subiect That the creature is subiect it is not to be stood vpon because it is granted of all men but this is no willing nor voluntarie subiection but by force and constraint for the horse must haue his rough rider or else the snaffle will not hold him in and the oxe must haue his yoke on his necke and his goad in his side or else he will not draw well and the mule as Dauid saith Psal 32.9 must haue his mouth bound with the bitte and bridle lest hee come neere thee with his heele Now that which the creature is subiect to is heere saide to be to vanitie and vers 21. to the bondage of corruption that is to a vanishing and fleeting estate and they are said to be so in three respects First in respect they haue lost their first comelinesse and order their first beautie and their first perfection in which they were created for as there is great difference betweene that gold that hath beene tried seuen times in the fire and that which is taken out of the veines of the earth mixt with other mettals betweene that sword that is newly varnished and that which hath line so long by as it is eaten through with rust betweene the shining of the sunne in his brightnesse when it is eclipsed or shineth in a gloomy day so is there as great or greater difference betwixt the heauen and earth all the host therein which then were made for the furnishing of Gods house toward the entertainment of Adam his sonne in paradise and the heauen and the earth which now are left vnto vs poisoned by the curse of God for Adams sinne with thornes and thistles barrennesse and vnholsome smels that the very corruption in the aire killeth both them vs. Secondly they are subiect to vanity in regard the wicked do enioy them and the godly oftentimes abuse them for the rust of the money which the vsurer hoordeth vp crieth in the eares of God because it is deteined by the vniust owner the gay apparell of the proud and ambitious do fret as it were themselues that they should hide the shame of them that are so shamelesse to snatch at the maiestie of God to shake his seate by their sinne the wine which is swilled in by the drunkards doth boile as it were in wrath that it was pressed out of the grape to heate their stomacks that deserue only to be inflamed by the fire of hell yea and euery morsell that falleth into the mouths of gluttons and wicked persons the Sunne that shineth on the vniust and the raine that lighteth vpon the fields of the oppressors and all creatures else that come within their fingring are grieued and doe wait with feruencie for the end of all flesh that they may no longer be forced to serue and sustaine the enemies of their maker for the sinnes of the wicked are so heauie and burdensome and their abuse of the creatures so intollerable that the earth groneth that it cannot swallow them vp as it did Korah Dathan and Abiram Numb 16.32 or otherwise bee disburdened of them though to her owne desolation as it was in the vniuersall floud Gen. 7.21 And againe if we that are sanctified vse them otherwise than they are ordained of God as that the Sunne should giue vs light to wander out of the way of holinesse that we should otherwise be clothed then as becommeth Christians or any further refreshed by recreation then to make vs the fitter for the ranging of our selues within the compasse of our callings heerein do we also make them subiect to vanitie because wee should vse the world as if we vsed it not with such moderation and comelinesse as not to snatch at any of them or to profane them for it is against the law of truce when we are at league with any either to surprise them or abuse them and wee through Christ are at league and peace with all the creatures as Iob saith Chap 5.23 Thirdly they are subiect to vanitie in regard those shal die which haue life in them and the rest shall be cleane melted and dissolued for this heauen and earth we now see shall heereafter be abolished as it is said Esay 65.17 I will create new heauens and a new earth and the former shall not be remembred nor come into mind and Psal 102.25.26 The foundation of the earth and the heauens are the works of thy hands saith Dauid to the Lord they shall perish but thou shalt endure they shall waxe old as doth a garment and Reuel 21.1 I saw saith Iohn a new
looke that they bee first of honest report which giueth small warrant for cards or dice and if they were lawfull yet ought not the children of God so much to vse them because in that they imbolâ—en others that doe abuse them For that is the Apostles rule Phil. 4.8 Whatsoeuer are honest and of good report thinke on such things Secondly wee must looke we vse them as recreations â—â—t so long as they may make vs vnfit to discharge our vocatioâ—â— for the end of our play must bee labour and not to be brought asleepe with it for then doth it neither comfort the strength of the bodie nor releeue the powers of the mind for which recreation was ordained For the third that is apparell the holy Ghost giueth vs a glasse to see when we are seemely arraied wherein we must obserue two rules first that it be not costly secondly that it bee not garish costly for the price nor garish for the fashion Paul 1. Tim. 2.9 comprehendeth both these by name forbidding costly apparell which is that that is either aboue a mans abilitie or aboue those whom in degree profession sâ—xe and age the Lord hath matched with vs. For wee must alwaies in attire striue to match our selues with the grauest Christians of our profession Garish is opposite to comelinesse and is that which followeth the cut which by the outward vanitie of the bodie sheweth the instabilitie of the minde for the visible attire hath these inconueniences with it first it descrieth the inuisible pride of the minde and saie and pretend what thou wilt that thou hast no such end when the leafe is greene on the toppe of the tree how can I beleeue that the sappe is gone downe to the root and when I see these streames of pride about thee how can I thinke but they flow from the well head which boileth in the heart Secondly as it expresseth pride so it exciteth and stirreth vp lust and very oft the occasion maketh the sinne Neither is it good for a light braine to drinke much nor to put flaxe to the fire nor oile to the flame nor to lay open a costly garment before a glancing eie Thirdly it doth abridge vs in the performance of many christian exercises as contribution to the poore hospitalitie in the house and such like for as the French man saith Where there is a veluet coate there is a belly of rust and when wee are growne so high in pride as wee cannot looke downe vpon the low estate of our brethren but behold them as Grashoppers vpon the earth we may well curse that garment that withdrawes that blessing pronounced by Christ to them that visit the needy and relieue the naked Mat. 25.36 True it is the Gospel prescribeth no set fashion but looke what the most godly doe of our profession by the grace of this Gospel we ought to follow that and wee shall finde peace for our soules for the Lord dwelleth but in two places either in the high heauens or in an humble heart And as a Philosopher said of concupiscence some was naturall and necessary some naturall but not necessarie some neither naturall nor necessary so may we say of apparell some is comely and necessary some comely but not necessarie and some neither comely nor necessarie The second thing that is to be followed is righteousnesse in life and iust dealing betweene man and man and this is either generall and vniuersall or particular and peculiar The first is the ground of nature That all men deale as they would bee dealt with the second is this that euery man in his seuerall calling should deale with a good conscience giue euery man his due Iohn Baptist hauing preached a sermon of repentance Luke 3.8 first generally exhorts them to newnesse of life and then descendeth to speciall duties to be recommended to speciall men as particularly for the Publicans vers 13. you must receiue tribute according as it is taxed and not inhaunce it for your owne gaine For souldiers vers 14. Doe no man any violence neither robbe yee vnder this pretence but be content with your wages For rich men vers 11. that as the Lord had dealt bountifully with them so they should extend their compassion to others Wherein obserue that as euery calling hath his speciall sinnes waiting on it so the Baptist setteth downe speciall and particular remedies that euerie man must labour to furnish himselfe withall So heere to speake of one kinde of righteous liuing as that which is most abused though the thing it selfe be most common namely of bargaining first obserue that Paul setteth downe a rule 1. Thessalon 4.6 that no professor in his trade should goe beyond a man that is that euery seller should set such a price as there may bee a iust proportion betweene the value and the thing bought Now this value must be rated according to the generall rule of nature Luk. 6.31 Doe as thou wouldst be done vnto and it is not enough to say Caueat emptor Let the buyer looke to it but thou oughtest to haue care that he may haue equall aduantage of the thing he buieth with the benefite thou receiuest Prouerbs 20.14 is set downe the generall corruption of both these It is naught saith the buyer abasing it that hee may haue it the cheaper which implieth It is good saith the seller praising it too much that hee may price it the higher Howbeit we must consider that the same God that commaundeth thee not to assault his person but to preserue it from violence the same God enioyneth thee to haue care ouer his goods that if his money doe passe thorow thy hands thou doe vse it with the same affection thou doest thine owne alway remembring Prouerbs 20.23 that diuers weightes are abomination to the Lord and that 1. Corinth 6.9 no vnrighteous or vniust dealer shall euer see God Manie will come and make such a shew of holinesse that their endeuour is to deale iustly toward all as they will needs bee resolued what are false weights what is vsurie and what is circumuention or cosenage that they may auoide it and when it shall bee tolde them truely out of Gods worde what they are and it falleth out to bee such as they expected not then they returne either with heauie or with angrie hearts and will resolue themselues what was spoken was false Euen as Ieremie 42.5 Iohanan commeth to Ieremie to know whether hee and the rest might goe downe into Egypt to dwell there where they should see no warre and promiseth whether his message from the Lord was good or bad he would obey it Ieremie went and asked counsell of the Lord who answered they should not in any case goe downe to Egypt When Iohanan heard this he burst foorth into outrage saying It is not the Lord hath told thee this Ier. 43.2.3 It is Baruch that maketh thee thus precise against vs so hee was resolued before what to doe onely hee
prescribed and with that alacrity and resolution that we ought euen as Abraham did heere to the sacrificing of his sonne Secondly in this example obserue that if Abraham could for beare to command his naturall loue of a father to a child at the Lords commandement how much more shall wee bee vnexcusable that cannot command our selues from vncleannesse of the flesh and such like sinnes but will keepe our sinnes as tenderly and as long as wee keepe our liues and yet will bee counted the children of Abraham But wee must answer our selues as Christ did the Pharisees Ioh. 8.44 and as Saint Iohn did answer those to whom he wrot 1. Iohn 3.7 that we doe but flatter our selues with the name when wee are in truth the children of the diuell for hee that doth righteousnesse is righteous and if Abraham resigned vp the lawfulnesse of the tender affection of a father at the Lords commandement much more must wee resigne vp our affections and discourses in vnlawfull matters Further obserue that it is not enough for vs to deny our vnlawfull pleasures and appetites but wee must euen forbeare things lawfull if the Lord command it If hee call vs foorth to triall for the Gospels sake Mat. 4.20 we must with Peter and Andrew leaue our nets that is our calling and forsake our wiues that is our comforts Mark 9.47 and our selues euen to pull out our right eyes if they be any impediments to vs in the progression of faith and a good conscience and if there be any repugnancy that we cannot enioy our wiues and glorifie God we must not regard them in respect of God for if we doe the Lords mouth hath spoken it we shall neuer be saued Let vs therefore take heed how wee build for if our foundation be of stubble the day of affliction will soone consume it and wee shall be as blowne bladders emptied with the least pricke of any triall and as brasse that yeeldeth an hideous sound vnder the hammer but if we ground vpon that golden foundation of faith then in our afflictions shall we be as gold which is more agreeable in the sound and more pliable in the stroke and we lying betweene the anuill of death and the hammer of the Lords hand shall shew our selues in patience to possesse our soules euen like Abraham who without grudging did execute the Lords ambassage though most repugnant to nature and to the promise made Againe obserue as this matter of triall in Abraham turned in the end to a comfortable issue euen so shall it fare with vs in our afflictions and temptations and if we wil sacrifice vp our honor our affections our Isaac that is our laughter the ramme only shall die for it that is our cares our troubles our afflictions and our vexations shall be wiped away This is agreeable to that Mat. 10. Yee shall for my names sake forsake what you honour most and loue best and then followeth If any man doe this I will giue him in this life an hundred fold more that is more ioy more resolution and peace of conscience and more comfort in this base and low estate then he should haue had in an hundred fathers or an hundred wiues not regarding the quantitie but the blessing of God in the comfortable enioying of them This offereth singular consolation to those that suffer for the crosse of Christ that the thrones of this life shall onely be sacrificed and our soules and consciences shall rest secure filled with greater ioy in the end and issue of our troubles then euer wee were before And as the world saith that he is rich that is contented euen so we say that he is safe that resteth in the Lords hands And if we stretch foorth all our powers to embrace Christ then is he gone as a harbinger to prouide a place for vs in heauen Ioh. 14.3 and he that saueth our soules wee may well trust him with our bodies Further obserue that he offered vp his sonne and yet he did it not wherein we learne that the purpose of a mans heart being fully resolued to do a thing it is in the Lords eies as if he did it though he doe it not for therefore is Isaac said to be offred vp because he was so in the purpose of Abrahams heart which the Lord accepted as an execution of the thing it selfe And this holdeth both in vertues and in vices for if a man be called before the iudgement seate as an heretike in any time whatsoeuer and being called thus to triall offereth to seale his opinion with his blood and matters going further doth not relent what is this man in the light of God if his religion bee true but a Martyr though his life be after pardoned Not that euery resolution is taken of God as if it were performed for Peter was caried with a vehement precipitation and presumptuous conceit of his owne strength when he said Master though all men forsake thee yet will not I Iohn 13.37 but I will lay downe my life for thy sake and yet afterward vpon a small occasion he denied him But if a man stand in the day of his examination and triall and shrinke not but is ready to sacrifice his life for the defence of God his truth as Abraham was ready to haue sacrificed his sonne then because in the triall he did not relent but euen in this time did purpose it it shall be taken of God euen as this worke of Abraham done though not done and his life lost though he escaped with his life In like manner falleth it out in sinnes for if thy heart be full of a dultery and yet because shee that should bee thy harlot dallied too long with thee or else occasion did not fit thee wherby thou art kept from the act it selfe yet art thou a whoremonger in the sight of God Mat. 5.28 The like may be said of other sinnes for though Saul threw not a stone at Stephen but onely kept the clothes of them that did it yet is he Act. 8.1 inrolled in the booke of God as one that consented to his death Vers 22. Seest thou not that the faith wrought with his works and through the works was the faith made perfect 23. And the Seripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham beleened God and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse and hee was called the friend of God 24. Ye see then how that of workes a man is iustified and not of faith onely This is the third part namely the amplifying of this example in the 22. and 23. verses together with the conclusion in the 24. verse Heereupon the Papists take occasion to say that not faith alone but faith together with workes worketh our iustification Whereunto we answer that there be some things wherein faith worketh alone and some things wherein it worketh together with workes Faith worketh alone with God it hath wings and flies to heauen it dealeth onely betweene God and Christ
he must sauour of death which cannot be proued by this The wisedome of the flesh is enmitie to God but he that is borne of God cannot be Gods enemy on the other side hee that walketh in the wisedome of the flesh obeieth not the law of God and by consequent saith the Apostle cannot but sinne Whereupon it followeth that they that liue after the inclination of the heart of man cannot please God and so cannot bee saued now hee that is in Christ cannot but please God because he cannot but performe his will Another reason that being a true Christian a man cannot but amend his life is taken out of Rom. 6.5 Whosoeuer is made partaker of Christ is made partaker of the death of Christ then is he dead to sinne proued thus Christ by his death deserued not onely remission of our sinnes but also to haue the holy Ghost in those that bee his to mortifie their sinne and this spirit cannot bee idle but worketh and his worke is to dâ—â—troy oâ—â—â—nemie that is sinne Lastly it is proued thus Whosoeuer is in Christ hath the spirit of Christ he that hath this spirit liueth in the spirit for the life of the spirituall man is the Lord Iesus euen as the life of the bodie is the soule and hee that hath a soule must needs breath and walking Galat. 5.24 in the spirit hee cannot fulfill the lustes of the flesh for the flesh and the spirit bee contrary And vers 24. it is said They that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections thereof and who these bee appeareth 1. Peter 4.2 such as suffer in the flesh and these be they that cease from sinne Now then for thee to say thou art flesh and blood is not a shelter pleadable when thou art reprehended for sinne for he that is a good Christian cannot but forbeare it and if thou art all flesh and blood then hast thou not the spirit of God which is proued 1. Corinth 6.16 Do you not know how he that coupleth himselfe with a harlot is one flesh with her and hee that is one flesh with a harlot cannot bee one spirit with Christ Iesus Euen so for wrath toward thy brother thou saiest thou canst not loue him Consider that if the Lord should iudge thee out of thine owne mouth thou couldest not bee saued Thou wilt say the iniury is so great as no man can put it vp but hee that is more then a man can doe it and if thou beest all man Christ Iesus will neuer put vp thy name among the Saints Looke 1. Ioh. 5.3 Hee that is borne againe counteth all the commandements of God light so as if thou be of God it is an easie matter to forgiue the brother If he repent not of the wrong done vnto thee leaue the vengeance to God Rom. 12.20 and heape thou coles of fire on his head and if he do repent and seeke reconcilement it is the easier to forget it and flesh and blood doth pity the case of the suppliant For the third point which is the way how to assure our selues to be the sons of God wee must learne that there is no so certaine a marke to discerne a man to be of God as holinesse of life not but that Gods children may fall most grieuously and blemish their profession most foully but that if Sathan happe to blindfold them that they goe astray yet with the lost sonne they will returne with double sorrow and vnfold to their shame their owne sinne Example wâ—â—ere â—f wee haue in Dauid who though he was ingaged to the Lord by his many benefites that tooke him from the sheepe-hooke and gâ—â—e him a Scepter that by his protection had made him escape the snares of his enemies and by his mercy had freed him from many tribulations yet did he fall into great vncleannesse euen the sinne of adulterie 2. Sam. 11.4.5.6.7 which by the law of God deserued depriuation of this humane life When he had done this hee glauered and flattered with the womans husband and bad him goe home to refresh himselfe with his wife seeking thereby to father the bastard on him When this succeeded not he thought to make him drunke that he might thereby bee more irritable to lust and so to haue gone to his wife And though Vriah answered hee could not doe it because the Arke of the Lord was in the field which had not Dauid beene desperatly sicke in his soule how could he haue beene so forgetfull of the Lord as to haue dealt so with him that was no Iew but a conuert to religion heereby to make the name of the Lord euill spoken of Yet when this preuailed not hee went further and vnto adultery hee added murther that hee might make his sinne knowen and his vnholy life to appeare both to God and man and carry as the greefe of it in his heart so the shame of it in his fore-head And in this hee wrought worse then Iesabel for hee made Vriah the instrument and messenger of the letters for his owne execution yea hee sent them to Ioab who had himselfe beene a murtherer which might harden his heart in that sinne seeing Dauid that was the King not onely a fauourer but the cause of such bloody actions And after what manner should this be done namely that hee should fall by the sword of the vncircumcised a most ignominious and shamefull and grieuous death for so Christian a Gentleman and that hee should so murder him as to colour the grieuousnesse of his fault not hee alone but many other should die innocent and that hee should continue senslesse in this sinnefull course by the space of a yeere yet when it pleased God to cure his disease of hypocrisie and to cleare his eyes that hee saw not his sinne but his chaine of sinnes beâ—â—â—â—â—im then he calleth himselfe not a man of blood but of bloâ—â—â— â—nd then â—is conscience is open to grieue for it and then with his teares he washeth away his vncleannesse and wallâ—â—â—â—â—s a man cleansed and purged from his filthinesse So as if aâ—y bee a whoore let her remember the teares of Mary Mâ—gâ—alene if a persecuter of the Saints let him repent with Paâ—â— Luk. 7.38 Gal. 1.15 Mat. 26.75 if a murtherer let him soundly confesse his sinne with Dauid and if he be Apostasied weepe with Peter for these be the workes of righteousnesse whereby they are knowen to be of God And seeing others deliuered from the pit wee must learne as Dauid saith Psal 56.3 to feare and to trust so as wee must alwaies feare to fall into the sinne before being fallen we can trust to bee deliuered for this is one part of the righteousnesse of Gods children to tremble at the sight of sinne and then shall wee neuer swallow it without remorse Secondly from hence learne that a man may know in what state another man is If I see thee a despiser of religion a profaner of the Sabbath a butcher to the poore and an vncleane liuer what shall I beleeue thee to be but the child of the diuell for this may I know by thy fruites Why but loue biddeth you hope the best 1. Cor. 13.7 and beleeue the best True it is loue biddeth me beleeue all things but not a sow to bee cleane wallowing in the mire or a dogge not to bee filthy that is regorging vp his stomacke Mar. 6.44 or that grapes can grow vpon brambles or that mercy can bee found in the heart of an vsurer or that thornes may bee touched and will not pricke For as loue bids mee not to determine too soone so not to bee abused too late and God bids me looke vpon the tree to iudge of the fruite I may say thou art in the state of damnation for by thy snarling I know thee to bee a dogge Mat. 7.6 and I see thy heart through thy hands but whether thou shalt be finally damned I leaue thee there for the Lord may haue mercy on thee vpon thy repentance I may come to the tree and say heere is no fruite or here is small fruit or heere is bad fruit but I cannot say Neuer fruit grow on thee heereafter as Christ did Mark. 11.13 And it is not the commers to Sermons but the doers of Sermons