in hell then feele this great want and sustaine this great torment of recouering it againe For first when thou considerest the losse of thy former paines which thou spentest in the mortifying of thy flesh that secondly when the spirit is abated Mark 9.18 the power of Satan is increased and that he cannot be dispossessed without great violence and euen rending thee in peeces as appeareth by the dumbe man in the Gospell Thirdly that if thou die at this time as Ezech. 18.24 all thy former righteousnesse shall not be remembred but thou shalt die in thy present sinne and fourthly that as a man dangerously sicke and somewhat recouered and after by misgouernment falling into a relapse it doth exasperate and increase the disease and as a wound halfe healed to come to a new incision cannot be without greater paine then before and for a man halfe in his iourney to returne backe againe when hee must needes goe thorow cannot bee but a great discontentment So when thou remembrest the great conflicts thou hadst at first when thou didst enter thy name into the schoole of Christ and considerest that now thou must abide greater it shall be halfe a hell to thee to be brought seriously without guile of spirit from the detestation of thy sinne as we may see Psal 32.4 before Dauid could be brought to confesse his sinne of filthinesse and of murther hee saith that very care had eaten his bones not but that in his priuate chamber hee had confessed it to the Lord but before he could come to taske his conscience and to set it as it were vpon the racke to bee rent in peeces by his confession of it before men and to abide patiently the shame of the world for it hee seemed to bee plunged into the deepe of deepes as himselfe saith Out of the deepes O Lord haue I cried vnto thee Euen so when the spirit of the Lord is abated in thee thou shalt finde it will not bee regained by some sleight worke and ssubbring vp a short praier as Lord haue mercy vpon me but thou must come to the case of Dauid euen to pine and wast away and to haue the moisture dried vp within thee yea consider his tedious trauell before he could repent suddenly And if he was beaten thus farre of the Lord with Scorpions of whom the Lord had protested that he was a man after his owne heart shalt thou thinke by a pang of deuotion and superficiall praier to recouer that sweet comfort thou hast lost in the Lords spirit Nay know that if thou temptest the Lord so farre as to withdraw his spirit from thee it shall cost the deere before thou canst inioy it againe and if thou breake foorth into sighes and grones which fill the heauens euen in this doth the Lords mercy greatly appeere for hee might giue thee vp into hardnesse of heart and neuer trouble himselfe to restore his spirit againe vnto thee But thy sorrow must be so great thy praiers so feruent and thy sighes so many as to crie out with Dauid Psal 51.8 Heale the bones O Lord which thou hast broken Let vs beware then how we distemper our selues spiritually for feare the arrow-head of the Lords wrath should rankle in our sides and let vs take heed with the Apostle how we greeue this spirit for if Adam might haue had the whole spirit taken from him in respect of his Apostasie who was perfect in his creation how much more may wee that haue receiued but the earnest of the spirit and the first fruits thereof in Christ Iesus Howbeit as the euill spirit in an hypocrite may be cast out and yet hee may returne to his vomite againe 2. Pet. 2.22 and his casting out was but in regard of his enlightening for the time and he was not gone out indeed so in the elect the spirit and the working of the spirit may be interrupted for a season but it cannot cleane be taken away Againe consider where it is said Quench not the spirit that all Scripture commandeth alwaies the contrary to that it forbiddeth as 2. Tim. 1.6 the contrary vertue to this heere spoken of is commanded I charge thee saith Paul to Timothy that thou stirre vp the graces of God which bee in thee the word in Greeke signifieth To keepe the fire burning giuing vs to vnderstand that this spirit is a flame kindled by the holy Ghost which Satan the flesh and the world labour to blow out so much the more carefull therefore must wee bee to foster it and maintaine it that it neuer go out Heere then must be considered the sleights of Satan-to blow it out and alwaies by the cleane contrary wee must labour to keepe it in for as the flesh lusteth against the spirit so must the spirit likewise against the flesh The first motion therefore Satan stirreth vp in vs to quench the spirit is to lust after euill not to lust after nothing which temptation he threw into the eies of Dauid as hee walked vpon the roofe of the Kings palace 2. Sam. 11.2.3 to lust after Bathsheba Vriabs wife As earnestly then as the flesh lusteth after euill so earnestly and more must the spirit lust after good things as to say with the Prophet Dauid I am ready vpon euery occasion to do thy will O God neither yet must we not deceiue our selues for euery lusting after good things is not of the spirit for it is easie to doe many good things wherein thy affections are not strained and to abstaine from many euill things to which thou art not tempted but thou shalt know whether the spirit do fight against the lusts of the flesh by this if any thing do directly oppugne the affections of the flesh if thou take part with the spirit and crosse thy affections in this thou maintainest and dost cherish the spirit As Dauid 1. Sam. 25.13 vpon a churlish answer giuen by Nabal in a passion of anger was resolued to kill him but vpon the intreatie of Abigail Nabals wife hee was pacified and entred into consideration of the greatnesse of the sinne of murther and blessed the God of Israel and the counsell of Abigail that had kept him from shed ding of blood Secondly if Satan cannot get vs lust for euill he will striue to get vs either doe nothing or else to spend our time in trifles and in pastimes to driue away dumps with vaine delights which may sometimes bee vsed for recreations to make vs more fit to walke in our callings but if we play to play that is suffer our hearts to be stollen away and snared in the pleasures of this life then the Lord will iudge vs as vnthrifty seruants that haue not gained by our talents Our labour therefore must be on the contrary since euery man hath his taske set him and God is our ouerseer though presently not our reuenger that wee fall not asleepe with new wine but according to the Apostles rule Ephe. 5.16.18 that we redeeme
cause of war which the godly haue with the worldlings to shew the diuision betweene the seed of the woman and the serpent and to exercise the patience and praiers of Gods seruants for these ends the Gospell breedeth commotion Now for the effect of this feare it makes the King to call a Synod of Diuines and he gathereth the learned and all the learned omitting none to this end not to satisfie the question of the wise men Where he was that was borne but to satiate his owne bloudy purpose That he might know the place where he should be borne Where we learne how Princes doe vse religion and to what purpose they call for Diuines not for conscience but for policy for it was the matter of the crowne onely troubled Herod so as he called them not for any reuerence hee bare to them for he knew them to be miserable claw-backes but to serue his turne and that they might releeue him in this his trouble and scruple Thus did Balak Numb 22.5 send for Balaam onely to curse the people and Ahab 1. Kin. 22.8 sent for Micah only that he might concurre in opinion with the foure hundred false Prophets For the third generall circumstance namely the resolution giuen by these Diuines which is right and sincere out of the Scripture the Iesuites hereupon note that these priests though their persons were neuer so wicked yet God doth force them to speake trueth by vertue of their vnction Iohn 11.50 So Caiaphas onely as high Priest shall say and that truly that one shall die for the sins of the people though he neither know what he speaketh not beleeue what he speaketh We answer that if the priuiledge of oâ—le did this then could he neuer sentence any thing amisse but if this vnction worke but by fits like Sauls frensie 1. Sam. 16.23 then must they seeke out some other cause of the vpright iudgement of these Diuines in this place Balaam Num. 24.17 prophesied true not because he was a Priest but he spake euen as his Asse spake God putting it into his heart to doe so And it is strange that the Popes person may be an heretike and yet the Pope himselfe as Pope be a Catholike and that though his person be ouerflowen with wickednesse yet that as some grounds will beare no poisoned beasts so his Consistory will breed no errors We say the seate of Moses had no such priuiledge much lesse they for though Caiaphas spake true that one should die yet as high Priest hee condemned the Lord Iesus that was innocent So we must take it heere that these Diuines resolued Herod of the truth not by inforcement but voluntarily euen as they thought for their lips preserued so much knowledge as to be acquainted with the Prophets euen in these speciall and secret points of the comming of Christ Note further in the prophesie of the Messias heere cited the great mercy of God that set downe particularly so many things by so many sundry instruments and all fall out to be as true as if the Prophets had then seene them It was first prophesied Gen. 3. he should bee the seed of the woman then to what nation hee should be giuen to the Iewes then to what Tribe to Iuda Gen. 49.10 then to what house of this Tribe to Dauid then at what time he should be borne Dan. 9.25 Genes 49.10 when the Scepter shall goe from Shilo then shall the Messias come then the person that should beare him a virgine his name Emmanuel Esa 7.14 his office a Sauiour the place where hee should bee borne Bethlem Micah 5.2 the maner of his life to be poore Za. 99. he shall come riding on an asse the maner of his death Esa 53.12 he should be condemned with sinners the price should be giuen to betray him and what should be done with it to buy a field Zach. 11.12 that he should be pierced and yet that in his death not a bone should be broken Exod. 12.46 that he should thirst vineger should be giuen him Psa 69.21 that lots should be cast vpon his garments Psal 22.18 Let vs therefore seeing this sweet harmony of the Prophets and as perswaded of the verity of the whole scripture labour to learne all things that are written and so to learne them as to doe them that we may be contrary minded to these Iewes reioyce at his comming who will fill vs with all ioy Further wee are to consider by what occasion the Lord wrought that the virgine should be brought to bed at Bethlem Luke reciteth it chap. 2.1 that Mary hauing purposed to be deliuered at Nazareth where shee had conceiued which had beene contrary to the scripture the Lord changeth this determination and sendeth a thought into the heart of Augustus the Emperour to impose a taxe vpon all the world Mary though great with child and neere her trauell yet is constrained to go to Bethlem Thus doeth the Lord turne the purposes of wicked men to a blessed end and makes all wind blow good for his children and prouokes the Emperor to bee an executioner of the prophesies not that he any whit regarded them in his heart or did this vpon any voluntary obedience for his end was to inrich his fist and to shew the Maiesty of his Empire that by this men might testifie their submission vnto him Thus did the Lord turne Gen. 45.7 the mischieuous malice of Iosephs brethren to an honorable end that he might be a purueyor and a nurse to his Church as Ioseph himselfe testifieth Gen. 50.20 speaking to his brethren Ye thought euill against me but the Lord turned it vnto good that I might preserue the liues of many Note further in the resolution of these Diuines that we are to wonder how they could so sincerely willingly answer to the question propounded whereas afterward they peruert all the scripture rather then they will subiect themselues to this Messias it is because as yet the Messias had not opened his mouth to conuince their sinne and shew their shame nor challenged them for murthering of soules but when he comes to discouer their hypocrisie and persecution of the truth then he is no more the King of the Iewes borne at Bethlem but he is a Nazarean and no good thing can come out of Galile Iohn 7.53 reprouing also Nicodemus verse 52. that would not haue him condemneâ— before he was heard graunting the truth in the generall but denying it in the particular which is the nature of all Atheists and Non-residents 2. Tim. 4.2 Mat. 15.14 which subscribe to the generall places of Scripture that the word must bee preached in season and out of season that if the blind leade the blind both shall fall into the pit of perdition that where the vision faileth the people perish Prou. 11.14 and that the price of soules is bloud but that hee himselfe is in this danger that taketh the fleece yet feedeth not the sheepe or that he doth
hardly escape they with their liues than harlot is faine to make a lye to saue them and to couer them with the stalkes of flaxe that they may not bee found Paul thaâ— had before an earth-quake to vnshackle him hath at another time Act. 9.25 no other way to preserue himselfe but by being let downe in a basket So Ieremy to flesh and bloud 〈◊〉 most basely deliuered for being cast into the dungeon Ebelmelech Ier. 38.11 obtaineth of the King to bring him ouâ— and then with a company of ragges and old worne clouts bounâ— together as with a cord he draweth him foorth and is glad 〈◊〉 send him away So fared it with Dauid 1. Sam. 19.12.13 foâ— Michol perceiuing he could hardly escape the fury of Saul firâ—â— shee lets him downe at a window and then shee puts an imageâ—â— the bed as if some sicke man had beene there And thus did thâ—â— Lord prouide for his sonne after the basest manner that his parents must take their heeles to preserue his life he could haue seâ—â— a kind of madnes on Herod as he did on Nebuchadnezzar Dâ—â— 4.29 and haue spoiled him of all his kingly royalty and seuerâ— him from the company of men and made him feed with beasts he could haue made his Angell haue strucke him as hee did 〈◊〉 nephew Act. 12.23 or haue raised vp his sonnes to haâ—â— slaine him Esa 37.38 as he did to Senaherib or haue caused him to haâ—â— hanged himselfe in a desperation of the kingdome hee coulâ— haue astonished them when they had come to kill him as he did Ioh. 18.5 when they came to take him that they shoâ—â— haue killed another as did the Madianites Iudg. 7.21 Psal 83.9 But it was the will and pleasure of the Father that he should beginne his life in misery as he should end it in ignominy and hee worketh not by miracles for the deliuery of his Sonne For first as yet there was no time for the manifestation of miracles for then he might haue beene thought not to haue beene true man Secondly it was to fulfill a prophesie that out of Egypt his Sonne might be called intending heerein a proportion betweene the head and the members that as the Israelites were caried out of Egypt Exod. 12.31 so also should Christ the head of his Church be Thirdly in this was praefigured the casting away of the Iewes and the calling and cariage of the Gospell among the Gentiles Fourthly that another prophesie might be fulfilled that for his sake should the children of Bethlem bee slaine Fiftly that the cruelty of Herod by this meanes might bee the more disappointed Sixtly to giue warrant to vs that in the time of danger and persecution wee may lawfully flie Seuenthly that we may not thinke the crosse too base for vs since the Lord of glory did thus beare it Further it is wonderfull to see that the Lord will haue his Sonne thrust out of Iuda and from among the Iewes to whom specially hee was promised and whom principally hee should saue and to bee entertained in Egypt a place of all abominations and which hated God But thus did the Lord aduance Ioseph in Egypt Gen. 41.40 when his brethren would haue killed him in Israel and thus did he prouide for Daniel in Babylon Dan. 6.3 where diuels were worshipped and aduanced him to bee the second person in the kingdome Achis King of the Philistims 1. Sam. 21.10 receiued Dauid when Saul persecuted him Eliah when he could not be fed in Israel 1. King 17.15 is cherished by a poore widow of Sarepta in Sydon an heachenish country And Ieremy the Prophet Ier. 39.12 is better entertained by Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel then by Zedechia the Priest Thus can the Lord stirre vp the hearts of the heathen to bee better to his seruants then their owne brethren and that Saul shall prophesie when he intendeth to persecute 1. Sam. 19.24 to comfort vs that euen our greatest enemies shall nourish vs if we be cast out of our country for the profession of the Lord Iesus yea Egypt shall be a resting placeâ— for Ioseph if the babe be with him though it be grieuous and tedious to Ioseph to want the sacrifices and to lose the comfort 〈◊〉 hearing the law of God expounded And when Paul can haue 〈◊〉 preaching place at Hierusalem the Citie of God then shall hee preach two yeeres without contradiction in Rome Act. 28.30 a place of all persecution For the third circumstance how long Christ should stay in Egypt consider first that Ioseph is heereby assured he shall noâ— stay euer which doth somewhat ease and refresh his anguished soule for when he considered the iourney hee was to take was tedious the place whither he was to flie barbarous the tendernesse of the child he must take with him that hee must be absent from the publike exercises of religion that his dispatch was so sudden as he had no time to take his leaue of the godly of Hierusalem no doubt his heart was much astonished and his spirits of life much appalled therefore to comfort him the Lord bids him stay till he calleth him implying that there shall bee a time wherein he shall be deliuered In which we learne that affliction shall not alway last and that the rod shall not euer rest vpon the backe of the godly but we shall haue beauty for ashes the oile of gladnesse for the garment of heauinesse Psal 104.15 and our captiuity shall be like the Summer riuers and they that goe foorth with a little seed shall come home with full sheaues Heere also note thaâ— by saying he must not come but abide there till the Lord doe call him that it is as much as to haue said Come not of thy selfe no not vpon any exigent or sheights whatoeuer though thou be neuer so villanously intreated and by setting downe the time of his abode indefinitely he doth it to trie his obedience that he may with patience attend the Lords pleasure Wherby we learne that we must not prefix any set time vnto the Lord how long he shall exercise vs vnder the crosse Ioseph must stay in Egypt til he be called foorth and let this be Iosphs hope in Egypt hee shall not alwaies be but he shall returne againe to Hierusalem and the scourge of the vngodly shall not alway claspe about the loines of the righteous Now for the fourth circumstance which is the reason of the commandement Learne first how the Lord releeueth our weakenesse and tendreth our infirmitie that though a bare commandement had beene sufficient for Ioseph to haue addressed himselfe for this iourney yet the Lord taketh pity vpon him and will not tempt hm aboue the measure of his faith but fully satisfieth him not onely commanding by authority but euen perswading by reason that he may obey with the greater cheerefulnesse For Herod saith hee goeth about to destroy him Otherwise did the Lord deale with Abraham Gen. 22.2 according to his strong faith
foreskin of their hearts that is that they should change their vile affections but how this must be done appeareth Deut. 30.6 The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart so Deut. 39.19 there is a commandement to chuse life That thou and thy seed may liue the performance whereof is Ezech. 36.26 A new heart saith the Lord I will giue you and a new spirit I will put into you and I will take away the stony heart out of thy body and I will giue you a heart of flesh which place doeth fully answer all suppositions of our owne ability for if there bee any pliablenesse in a stone then is there so in man For the second we are commanded to liue well and to worke but whence this proceedeth appeareth Philip. 2.13 It is God that worketh in you both the will and the deed so 2. Cor. 7.1 there is a commandement giuen by S. Paul that we should cleanse our selues and 1. Iohn 3.5 Euery man that hath hope purgeth himselfe and 2. Tim. 2.21 He that is a vessell of honour purgeth himselfe but how this is done is set downe Ezech. 36.25 I saith the Lord will powrâ— cleane water vpon you and yee shall be cleane and as the Apostle saith Hebr. 9.14 The bloud of Christ purgeth the conscience from dead workes For the third we are commanded to stand fast and to hold fast our profession so Acts 14.22 Barnabas exhorteth to continue in the faith but from whence this commeth Paul teacheth vs Ephes 4.30 The Lord make you strong for it is â—ee that hath sealed you to the day of redemption and 2. Thessal 1.11 The Lord make you woorthy of this calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodnesse and the worke of faith with power and 1. Thess 5.24 Faithfull is he which calleth you which will also doe it By which wee may perceiue that this exhortation to Repent and other such like inserted in the Scripture are but to wheâ— vs on and to set an edge vpon our praiers and desires that wee may fetch these graces out of the closet and bosome of our Sauiour Christ who is as ready to giue as wee to aske Further learne hence that forasmuch as the most vehement and pithy exhortation to obedience is taken from the manifestation of Christ that the Gospell euen as it is the Gospell requireth reformation of life howsoeuer it bee charged either to giue too much occasion to sinne as that being cleansed in the bath of Christs bloud we may abandon our selues to vncleannesse or to make too much restraint as it were from sinne as that wee must abstaine from all apparence of euill for saith the Gospell 2. Thess 5 2â— 1. Iohn 3.8 Hee that doeth not labour to purge himselfe in euery thing is of the diuell Wherein we must consider that there is a double couenant first of workes by the law which being obserued giueth life but being broken but in cogitation onely doth damne a man secondly of grace that all that beleeue shall bee saued Now in euery couenant there is a restipulation or mutuall agreement of both parties ours in the law was that we would doe what was commanded in grace that wee will beleeue that we may bee saued for as no man can be saued by the law but by absolute obedience so no man shall be saued by the Gospell but by faith and repentance for this is that God requireth of vs to beleeue and amend Againe obserue that when we preach repentance we preach not the law but the Gospell for the law admits of no repentance for though wee could now obserue all that is written in the law yet should we be damned vnlesse we could satisfie for that was broken in our first conception we being borne in the filthinesse of nature Now there is no way of saluation for circumcised or vncircumcised for Iew nor Gentile before the law nor after either before our conuersion in the time of our infidelity or after our conuersion in the time of repentance but onely in the bloud of Christ whom by the power of the holy Ghost by the instrument of the word as the second cause we doe by faith apprehend vnto our euerlasting peace Thus much is set foorth by Saint Paul Rom. 8.1 that there is nothing but condemnation to â—hem that are without Christ and none are in Christ but they â—hat haue receiued the spirit of Christ and none hath this spirit â—ut he that hath receiued the gift of faith which doth ingraft vs â—â—to Christ and none hath faith but hee that hath repentance and none hath repentance but he whose soule is changed cleansed in his conscience reformed in his affections so that howsoeuer he slippeth through infirmity yet his full endeuour is alwaies to please the Lord and no mans soule is changed whose life is not already amended For this must declare a purified conscience and none hath amended his life who doth deliberately persist in any grosse sinne so that whatsoeuer purposelie grieueth the spirit and smiteth God by his sinne hee is not in Christ but consequently in the state of condemnation except hee repent for this that is spoken of 1. Iohn 5.3 Hee that is borne of God keepeth his commandements and they bee not burdensome to him For this is the new couenant saith the Lord Ier. 31.31 I will make with you I will pardon your sinnes and write my Law in your hearts that is whomsoeuer I will pardon I will reforme their hearts both inward and outward mortification that they shall be obedient to my Law So that whosoeuer hath not receiued power to amend his life hee neuer felt the power of God to the pardoning of his sinne for he neuer giueth saith alone but it is euer ioyned with an ability from the same spirit 〈◊〉 amend the life so as vnlesse outwardly thou bee amended that thy light doe shine before men both in thy conuersation and in thy actions for any peace the Gospell can preach vnto thee thou maiest feare thou art in the state of condemnation And if thou hardenest thy heart against this sweet sound of the Lords voice hee will at the length scorne thee and thou maiest crie and not be heard for Esau may weepe too late Gen. 27.38 for we are therefore to repent because by grace we are sure to bee saued as Saint Peter saith 1. Pet. 1.17 if yee call God Father that is if ye will be his children passe your time in feare because he hath redeemed you by his bloud Luke 1.75 Leuit 11.44 So saith the Gospell It yee holy as your heauenly Father is holy for children must be of liâ—â— disposition to their father and he that worketh euill is of the dâ—â—â— as Christ speaketh Iohn 8.44 So Paul Rom. 12.1 doth beseeâ— them by the merits of Christ a forcible argument to perswade that they offer vp their bodies a holy sacrifice vnto God sheâ—ing that the greatest matter to inforce vs to reformation is
when there lurketh so much poison in your breasts when all your deuotion standeth in open ostentation Euen as Peter challenged Simon Magus Acts 8.23.24 saying Thou art in the gall of bitternesse repent if it be possible and pray that the thought of thine heart may be forgiuen thee Iohn denouncing also their fearefull estate as that the axe was now laied to the roote of the tree that faith in Christ and not the glory of comming of Abrahams race should saue them from hell fire In the words obserue two parts first how great the auditory was Secondly how he applied himselfe diuersly according to the diuers sorts of hearers which he had baptizing some confessing their sinnes and for the other first he sets downe a bitter reprehension calling them a brood of Serpents full of poison against the truth and frameth his speech as wondring how they durst come the Sadduces beleeuing no wrath to come the Pharises thinking by their merits to auoide it Secondly followeth a graue exhortation remouing away many blockes and hindrances wherwith they were blinded that they could not see the truth in Christ Thirdly he concludeth with a commination and threatning that they were to bee cut downe first because they were wicked in themselues secondly that there should double damnation fall vpon them if they refused Christ as the Prophet Malachy had foretold For the first obserue three causes of their concourse and frequent comming to Iohns ministery first because there had been a long surceasing of Prophesie Malachy being the last that spake by that extraordinary spirit and hearing this great newes and fame of Iohn they thought some great Prophet had beene raised vp and so were desirous to heare him Secondly they were moued to frequent him by the strangenesse of his teaching not teaching coldely and without power as the Pharises did but in vehemency of spirit and great feruency and earnestnesse to perswade to amendment of life Thirdly they resorted the rather vnto him as pricked forward by the extraordinary austerity of his life and diet Where learne that when God furnisheth a man with a commission and sealeth him a warrant of his calling and giueth him a booke as hee did to Ezechiel Ezech. 3.2.3 which hee must eate when the word of the Lord is as fire in the heart of Ieremy and when the purpose of the Lord is that it shall preuaile it cannot bee crossed by any wit or policy of man For great exceptions might haue beene taken against Iohn first preaching there was a Kingdome at hand it might haue come neere to treason sounding in the eares of Herod to the dispossessing of him and Princes are easily iealous of their greatnesse and will not haue any of their priuiledges called into question Secondly the Pharises knew they should be controuled and called into question for misleading and abusing the people so as no doubt they suggested to the King that it was dangerous for the State and touched the Crowne that he should whisper into the peoples eares of the comming of a new King labouring heereby to haue their flocking staied by Proclamation or other sharpe commandement as that also if this man were tolerated and winked at the great Fathers of the Church might bee exposed to great shame and obloquy Math. 23.13 as keeping the keyes of heauen and neither entering themselues nor suffering others to enter And againe it might be thought fantasticall that the people would leaue their trades to goe so farre to heare Iohn And for the Pharises themselues they as Luke 7.30 despised the counsell of God and were not baptized of him and Mat. 21.27 Christ telleth them they would neuer beleeue that Iohn came from heauen but laboured by all meanes to supplant him yet obserue that before he had executed and finished his message neither the power of Herod nor the craft of the Pharises could suppresse him Howbeit as we heare in this place of great flocking so Ioh. 5.35 it is said that he was at first as a burning lamp â—nd the people for a season reioyced in this light but after they grew secure and carelesse Where further note that in deposing â—dolatry and in the restitution of the Gospell how earnest men â—aue beene and the kingdome of God hath euen suffered violence for a time the people running in great multitudes to welcome it but after it is once established they grow to a Laodicean luke-warmth Reuel 3. neither hote nor cold as if it were hony that could cloy the stomacke therfore we must suspect the pregnancy and eager fits of them that runne so speedily at first to the Gospell for Iohn soone loseth many of his hearers some comming onely to behold him some to intrap him some to see what was in him that was so much renowmed and some to shake off the yoake of the law thinking to get greater liberty by the Gospell and few as Christ saith came of a good purpose and with honest hearts Further learne that this baptizing heere spoken of was of such as were of age for they were not receiued before they confessed their sinnes For this Sacrament being a seale of sinnes pardoned there must first be a confession of sinnes commited heere being a double couenant first God sealing vs a Charter of forgiuenesse in the bloud of Christ through the sanctification of his spirit secondly God requiring of vs first a confession for who hath hope to haue his debt released before it bee acknowledged or to be infranchised before hee thinkes himselfe bond or to bee washed before hee seeth himselfe vncleane secondly a beleeâ—â— that the bloud of Christ is of force and able to purge vs of all 〈◊〉 sinnes and thirdly a dedication of our selues to serue the Lorâ— in newnesse of life as testifying our thankefulnesse for so gâ—â—ous a pardon Heere the Iesuits like Spiders that sucke vp poison gather vpon this confession of the people a confession of shrift that euery one should whisper his sinnes into the eares of the Priest before he can be pardoned which is most absurd for first the woâ—â— heere vsed beares not any secret confession being answerable 〈◊〉 that Leu. 16.21 where the Priest was to confesse all the people sins and to put them vpon the scape Goate which praefiguâ—â— Christ secondly this of Iohns was a publike action and so 〈◊〉 place for priuate whispering thirdly the sacrament of Bapâ—â—â—â— which he ministred required this confession for the professâ—â—â— of faith is requisite in them that are of yeares and baptized 〈◊〉 we are not then first ingrafted into Christ when we are baptiâ—â—â—â— but being already ingrafted we are then confirmed and therefore Act. 8.37 the Eunuch first confessed is faith and then was baptized by Philip. And Mar. 16.16 He that shall beleeue and be baptized shall be saued So as it was Iohns dutie as the minister of God that such as receiued this seale should giue testimony of their faith Fourthly Iohns giuing of generall plaisters argueth that
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
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
them that be halfe dead through cold euen so the holy Ghost not onely warmeth him that is benummed in his soule but quickeneth him that is starke dead in pleasures and other corruptions of the world and doth kindle in him a holy zeale to the Lords truth and raiseth him vp to the hope of eternall life being before though hee seemed to liue through the dulnesse and obstupefaction of his flesh drouping or rather dead in sinne Fourthly fire giueth light to them that before sat in darknesse and sheweth them the way how to walke so the holy Gost doth enlighten our iudgments and vnderstandings that we may be able to discerne and desire to thirst after that acceptable will of the Lord vnto saluation Secondly consider since the holy Ghost cannot be quenched but where he is how the Apostle writing to the whole Church of Thessalonica assumeth and taketh it as granted that they all had this spirit and this ought to be the generall iudgement of all men so long as a people conforme themselues to the outward obedience and sound of the Gospell to presume and hope the best of all For no doubt many in this Church were accompted Saints which were detestable hypocrites yet in respect of this mingling of the seede and tares together the Apostle medleth not with them leauing that to the last iudgement but signeth them all with this excellent badge of hauing the spirit for so ought it to be vnlesse their sinnes be enormous and notorious and that they sinne and offend with so high a hand as that they refuse the censure of the Church and to be thereby reformed for then they are vtterly to bee cut off and separate from the rest of the Saints And this intermingling of hypocrites and the elect together in the visible church maketh that oftentimes the Apostle in a generall stile disswadeth and dehorteth all from that which can be verified in the wicked onely as when he saith Heb. 3.12 Take heed none of you be so vnfaithfull as to fall from the grace of the liuing God which is true onely in the hypocrite and so doth hee sometimes generally exhort to that which is true onely in the elect as when he saith to the Philippians Worke fourth your saluation with feare and trembling Phil. 2.12 for all the Ministers of God must know that there will alwaies be one Iudas among the Disciples Mat. 26.22 whom Christ onely could discouer but for them that cannot see the heart they must offer the cup of grace to all for the tares cannot be seuered from the wheat till that great day of separation come when then the Lord by his Angels shall cut vs all downe and shall binde the tares in bundles by themselues to be cast from the Lords floore into perpetuall tormenting flaming fire Againe learne since the spirit must not be quenched that it followeth of necessity euery one of Gods children must haue it and think it so far from shame as they must esteeme it to be their onely victory and crowne that they do enioy it For first by this spirit there is made a distinction and differnce betweene vs and the reprobate and it is like the bloud Exod. 12.22 that was stricken vpon the doore tops which shall make the Lord to passe ouer vs and not to suffer the destroier to come neare vs when he goeth to smite the Egyptians and as Paul saith 2. Cor. 13.5 The spirit of God is in vs all except we be reprobates Secondly from this spirit we receiue direction whereby to guide the steps and actions of our life that we snarle not at the Ministers like dogs nor runne after the world like Demas 2. Tim. 4.10 Thirdly in this spirit we reape such comfort as all the lightsome pleasures of this life are but as shadowes and all the burdensome profit of this life of no value in respect of that ioy wee take to be transformed into the image of the sonne of God wherby the slanderous speeches and impious and sacrilegious scurrility of some is notably condemned who in scorne and derision doe call such as are fearefull to offend and doe tremble and quake at the name of sinne men of the spirit Puritanes precise and such like they themselues shrinking vp sinne in a narrow scantling as if none offended but they that lie in the goale But what is he that hauing a waspe about him will stay till he be stung and not auoide it at the first buzzing What is he when he hath roome inough that will ride vpon the edge of a pit and venture his falling Nay 1. Thes 5.22 it must be the wisedome of the Saints of God to flie as far from sinne as can be and as the Apostle saith to shun all apparence of euill and we must not be fraighted from the rule of conscience nor from walking in a strait course of religion by any such prophane and vngodly mouthes which carry the poison of Aspes vpon their tongues and the gall of bitternesse within their hearts and let them know that in this state wherein they stand they are as surelie the diuels as the diuell is not Gods for in whomsoeuer this spirit of God dwelleth not and worketh not that man shall assuredly be damned Now this exhortation not to quench the spirit is very weighty for by this the Apostle teacheth insinuateth of the feareful declinations of some that haue begun in the spirit and haue ended in the flesh that haee saluted Christ in the market place and yet neuer entertained him in their houses For that the spirit may be quenched Mat. 25.3 Mark 4.4 is proued by the fiue virgines that had their lamps but wanted oile and by the parable of the foure sorts of graine whereof only one shall be saued for therby is manifest that the Gospell may be receiued with ioy yea it may take root to grow vp to a stalke and from a stalke to a blade yea from a blade to an eare and yet shall neuer ripen but when it is gone so farre shall either be burned vp by the heat of persecution or choked by the thornes of this life and shall neuer come to perfection Againe that parable which carieth with it a reall truth of the spirit which being cast out of a man walketh in dry places for so much is Sathan cast out as wee are enlightned in our iudgements Luk. 11.24 but when he returnes he finds it more garnished then before that is after he hath once refused and troden vnder foote that light of knowledge which he had hee is possessed with such darknesse as hee is wholly left a prey for Sathan It is also proued that the spirit may be quenched by plaine places of Scripture as that of Ezechiel 18.24 the man that liueth in righteousnesse a long time after falling away shall bee iudged in his vnrighteousnesse and 2. Peter 2.22 the dogge is returned to his vomire and the sow that was washed
to her wallowing in the ruire Some will say True it is the spirit may bee quenched in 〈◊〉 hypocrite but neuer in the elect as 1. Iohn 3.9 Hee that is borne of God sinneth not And whom God loued once hee loueth alwaies This is true but then looke that thou stand vpon good and sound euidence when Sathan troubles thee for thou knowest how the burning lampes went out how the seed in the blade came to nothing and it is certaine that a man illuminate may sinne against the holy Ghost and therefore see that thou hast good title and groundest vpon good interest when thou shalt bee vexed with temptations For Rom. 8.13 if wee liue after the flesh wee shall die and as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God and who hath this spirit looke 1. Iohn 3.14 We are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren for hee that hath a soule must needes breath and he that hath the spirit must needs fulfill the fruits of the spirit Secondly albeit the elect haue receiued an euerlasting spirit whereof the Lord can neuer repent and which can neuer vtterly be quenched yet let vs feare and tremble for in the elect it may so bee obscured and ouerwhelmed that some of the graces of Gods spirit nay most of the graces yea the chiefest of the most nay all almost of Gods graces may in them be quenched as Dauid praieth Psal 51. Lord create in me a new spirit and yet he had it in him for in the same place he saith Lord take not thy spirit from me So as this exhortation not to quench the â—â—â—rit hath a double fruit in the hypocrite to make him vnexcusable in the elect to make them more circumspect and carefull in their conuersation for we must not be secure in as much as albeit the spirit of God in those that be his cannot bee absolutely quenched and wholly put out yet there may bee a great abatement of the spirit as not to be recouered without great touch and terror of conscience For first while a man feeles the presence of this spirit there is giuen him such ioy and with that a singular peace in the inward man and such securitie of his saluation that he feeles the loue of God spiritually to do him as much good as his meat and vpon this assurance he doth as it were behold the heauens open for the Lord to embrace him liuing or dying and he knoweth himselfe to be sealed vp in the blood of Christ vnto eternall life Now if this spirit be gone absenteth it selfe in spirituall operation together with this is our former ioy abated and the foundation of our hope begins to be shaken and being weake of our selues we are surprised with many feares and suspecting our selues to bee cast from the feare of God and our sinnes arising and flying vp like smoake in our eies we almost are brought to the case of Cain Gen. 4.12 to thinke that whosoeuer meeteth vs will slay vs. Secondly as vpon the enioying presence of the Lords spirit there springs an vnspeakable ioy and comfort in our hearts and we find that the Lords loue breedeth in vs an heauenly assurance of eternall peace and filleth our hearts with a mutuall and reciprocall loue of God our loue streaming and flowing from the well head of the Lords loue then it followeth that the lesse we feele the Lords loue toward vs the lesse we loue him againe and then we droope and languish in our selues our praiers be faint our meditations cold and when we should watch we with the Disciples fall asleepe and we feeling not the life of the spirit Mat. 26.43 we are greatly abated in our loue of holy and Christian exercises and we then only keepe a generall course in our profession and performe euery good thing as it were tedious vnto vs like Eutychus Act. 20.9.10 who came to heere Pauls sermon but was ouercome with sleepe Thirdly when the spirit is abated by the diminishing of the Lords loue towards vs and the withdrawing of our loue from him then because we haue grieued the spirit the Lord suffereth vs to fall into fearefull and presumptuous sinne as hee did suffer Dauid to fall into the sinne of whoredome with Bathsheba aggrauated with the murder of Vriah wherein hee lay frozen by Satans subtilty nine monthes at the least before he confessed it to God for it appeareth 2. Sam. 11.27 that the child was borne before Nathan the Prophet came to him and howsoeuer no doubt he could no more escape the pricke of conscience then he could stay the panting of his heart yet before that time not a word to God of any serious humiliation for his adultery So as neuer any of Gods children sinned more grieuously then he Mat. 26.70 except Peter who was not so much kindled at the fire of the high Priest as he was cold in his soule for first he lied in that he said hee knew not Christ secondly burst foorth into swearing and thirdly gaue himselfe to the diuell if it were he that was with Christ which the Lord most iustly suffered to befall him as a great chastisement since he neglected the louing forewarning of his master and though hee was neuer so much elect yet would the spirit neuer comfort him till he had with drawne himselfe to bewaile his sinne bitteâ—â— All which is liuely expressed Cant. 3.1 In my bed by night saith the church I sought him that my soule loued I sought hâ—â—â—â—â—t I found him not I went and rose and walked about the citie and by the streeâ—s and by open places I sought him but found him not thereby to declare that when the Lord once withdraweth his face from vs how hardly we shall win his fauour againe Fourthly when the Lord hath suffered vs to fall thus farre as we shall euen seeme to be swallowed vp of hell already though in the end he will restore thee yet first he will suffer thee to beare the shame of thy sinne in this life Gen. 9.23 1. Sam. 15.14 as Noah for his drunkennesse to be a scorne to his owne children and Dauid for his adultery to bee thrust out of his kingdome by his owne sonne which was such a griefe to him as all the ioy of his sonnes life did not so much comfort him as the sorrow of his death did wound him he mourning for Absolon 2. Sam. 19.33 as if he had doubted of his saluation But happy is hee that hath the thornes in his sides in this life and that is afflicted heere for though the Lord will neeuer take his louing kindnes from thee yet he will scourge thee not for any satisfaction of his iustice for Christ hath paied all but onely for a chastisement Lastly besides all this when the spirit is gone and abated it shall be such a terror to thy conscience such smart and vexation to thy whole minde as thou wert better bee almost
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
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
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
they should be an astonishment and serue the king of Babel so many yeeres For the third which is the Lords mercy in their deliuerance they be the words of his owne mouth For thy sake O Israel I will not doe it for thou art filthy Ezec. 36.22 but for my owne sake I will that they may know I am able to doe it and for Dauid my seruants sake I will not vtterly put out the light of Israel Hence learne generally that there is no nation so free but the Lord may captiuate and if they decline and leaue their first loue the Lord may and will abandon them For if any people might haue presumed it was this who had the promises and a more peculiar presence of God then any nation vnder heauen yet were they vile and did stincke in his sight for abusing his kindenesse and setting at nought his Ministers Howbeit neuer were they more scorned then in these daies wherein either men make themselues deafe that they will not heare or heare but there is a noise of vanity higher and louder in their eares Heere then is the same cause of captiuity why should wee not feare the same iudgement We see it is our selues can doe vs the greatest hurt for when wee once giue our selues ouer to loosenesse of life and to distaste the word the Lord then disarmes vs both of policie and strength that euen a weake enemy may soone surprize vs. Let therefore euery man amend one albeit these times bee so mischieuous as it is to be feared lest many of vs be as willing to returne to Babylon for religion as euer were the Israelites to come foorth Secondly obserue the cursed and hard-harted disposition of the enemies of God that they thinke no torment nor cruelty too exquisite nor too sharpe for his people for Zedechia and Ahab did the King of Babel burne in the fire Ier. 29.22 and the rest were slaues to him and his sonnes 2. Chro. 36.20 With which malice the diuell hath poisoned and filled their hearts because they cannot be auenged of the Lord himselfe for euen at him doe the proud Nimrods of the world point their fingers Gen. 11.4 and against him doe they lay their siege to plucke him out of his seate for the Babylonians were more fierce to the Israelites then to any other whom they subdued onely because they were the chosen and beloued of the Lord. Lastly obserue in their deliuery the compassion of the Almighty that he will not be angry for euer and the truth of his promise that he will at the length visite his people in mercy when they thinke the clouds so thicke as they cannot be ouerblowne for now when Israel was euen rent to ragges he harboured Ier. 29.11 the thoughts of peace and not of trouble and gaue them an end of their fainting hope euen a mighty deliuerance by the hand of Cyrus king of Persia 2. Chro. 36.22 Where it is said Iechonias begat Salathiel obserue that Salathiel was not his naturall sonne but ouely succeeded him in the kingdome by legall succession as next heire for Iechonias had no sonnes but the house of Salomon ended with him as appeareth Ier. 22.30 Write this man that is Iechomas destitute of children So also Ezec. 21.26.27 the Lord speaking of Salomon I will ouerturne saith he repeating it thrice the diademe of this king and neuer shall any out of his loines weare it vntill he come whose right it is that is the Messias and I will giue it him To prooue also that Salomons line must cease and that Christ must not come of him lineally appeareth by the prophesie of Isaiah 2. King 20.18 that there should not one bee left of the house of Iehoiakim which could not be so vnlesse the line of Salomon were vtterly extinguished and for Salathiel he came of Nathan the second brother as Saint Luke setteth it downe chap. 3.31 which nothing disagreeth from this of Saint Matthew for he was but to shew the line of the Kings and not naturally of whom Christ came but whom hee should succeed in the kingdome Where note the wonderfull prouidence of God that Salomon who had so many wiues and children hath not now any left to sit vpon the throne to teach vs that Salomon was to bee punished for his many wiues so as the Lord would not haue Christ to come of him naturally but of his yonger brother Whereby all nobility may bee swallowed vp in the glory of the Lords progeny and generation that drowneth all nobility that since Salomon in all his glory wanteth naturall heires that they stand not vpon these outward shewes and dignities but seeke to continue their posterity by liuing in a cleane and holy course of life for the Lord will wash away the vnholy seede and serape out their names from vnder heauen that seeke to establish their house in filthinesse and to pollute the mariage bed Further in that Christ is said to come of Ioseph the poore Carpenter heerein are the ancient Prophecies fulfilled Esay 53.2 that Christ should come and no man regard him and that he should grow vp as a roote out of the drie ground without forme or beauty and as Esay 11.1 that the should come as a rod out of the stocke of Ishai the Yeoman 1. Sam. 16.3 whereby we obserue that when things are most desperate then the Lord recouereth them and now when the kingdome was come to a poore Carpenter then Christ was borne to teach vs that in the greatest exigents and extremities we must neuer distrust nor seeke to extricate our selues out of any sorrow the Lord hath brought vs to but still to waite vpon him for as Dauid saith Psalm 32.7 The Lord is our secret place that is he hath many priuie deliuerances wee know not of and as Psalm 4.3 will strengthen vs vpon the bed of sorrow as he did Dauid who when Saul with his armie was euen at his heeles and hee no doubt much anguished yet the Lord had his secret deliuerance for him and turned Saul on the sudden another way 1. Sam. 23.27 Euen so heere when it had beene night with the Israelites a long time and that their enimies thought they should neuer recouer their sight againe then ariseth Christ like they day-starre and restoreth the beauty of their kingdome to greater glory then before let vs therefore waite with Simeon for the saluation that shall come Now remaineth to shew the difference in the recital of Christs pedegree by Saint Matthew and that of Saint Luke chap. 3.23 and it standeth in three points first Mathew doeth descend from the first to the last from Abraham to Ioseph Luke ascendeth from the last to the first from Ioseph to Abraham Secondly Mathew was to fetch his pedegree so as he might proue him to be the Messias of the Iewes and to come directly from the feed of Abraham Luke deriueth him not onely from Abraham but from Adam that he might shew him to be
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
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
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
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
hee shall be hold his destruction Exod. 14.28 in the red sea How oft 〈◊〉 Saul thinke and how sore did he thirst for the life of Dauid 〈◊〉 he misseth of his purpose and slaieth himselfe 1. Sam. 31.4 〈◊〉 make way for Dauid to the kingdome And such shall be the â—â—cesse of all that conspire against the Lord and his Christ to fall 〈◊〉 to the pit which themselues haue digged and to make the wâ—â—ked a ransome for the godly For the maner of Herods death though it be silenced by the Euangelist yet the Ecclesiasticall stories make mention of it as Iosephus and Eusebius which though it command not the conscience to beleeue yet the more to magnifie the Lord it is not vnfit to consider it He had a great swelling in his legs woonderfull rottennesse in his whole flesh his breath did so stinke as he could not be accompanied with he had such a disease in his parts of shame as wormes did crawle about them he was greedie of meat hauing the appetite of a dogge not to be satisfied his whole race was accursed after him hauing eight children within an hundred yeeres there was not any of their loines lest Archilaus heere spoken of was banished to Vienna and there died a beggar Antypas that beheaded Iohn Baptist and whom Christ called Foxe Luke 13.32 was banished to Lions in France and there died a most miserable abiect Agrippa the son of Aristobulus the sonne of this Herod an insolent and proud man was eaten vp with lice most shamefully Act. 12.23 The sonne of this Agrippa that would haue put Peter to death liuing till the destruction of Ierusalem there had his end Thus did the wrath of God rest vpon the familie of this cruell persecutor of Gods Church who was blasted in himselfe and his posteritie And thus did the Lord 1. Kings 14.10 sweepe away the house of Ieroboam as a man sweepeth away dung till it bee all gone and 1. King 21.21 did cut off the posteritie of Ahab for their prouocations wherewith they had prouoked him to teach vs to feare and tremble before his face and if we will be blessed in our selues and in the fruit of our bodie to looke vnto our paths that we lay not our hands to wickednesse Note further that we are not to feare what Princes can doe vnto vs for they liue no longer then they haue some seruice to doe for Gods glorie as it is said Col. 1.16 All things are in Christ and for Christ And Saul could not Acts 9.1 breath out threatnings against the Church of God had not the Lord some speciall purpose in it either for the exercising of his Saints or the waiting for his owne repentance Neither could Pharaoh so long â—â—ie his rodde vpon the Israelites were it not as S. Paul saith Rom. 9.17 that the Lord stirred him vp to shew his power in him For now when Herod had executed the children whereby God is glorified in their innocent death and his owne malice fully manifested then he dieth himselfe which may teach vs patience against the time of trouble knowing that the wicked are but as the weapons of the Lord to set an edge on our affectionâ— which otherwise would creepe vpon the earth and make vs forget our maker whereas by this meanes we oft times cast our 〈◊〉 on our deliuerer which is in heauen Further learne that though tyrants appoint vs as sheepe to the slaughter and in the malice of their hearts doe purpose to fleece vs yet sometime the butcher wanteth his knife and the sheepe in the shambles do escape therefore we need not to be afraid of them that haue not so much power as to kill the bodie vnlesse the Lord giue vs vp into their hands as Dauid saith Psal 7.12 speaking of the wicked hee hath bent his bow and spread his net and hath conceiued mischiefe but shall bring foorth vanitie and the euill intended shall fall vpon his owne hairy scalpe For the diuell that is stronger then man yea that aâ—meth the malice of men cannot stretch foorth his hand vpon the goods of Iob Iob. 1.12 much lesse touch his body without the permission of the Almighty Herod shall die and Christ shall escape if not the worst that flesh and bloud can doe is but 〈◊〉 send vs with the children of Bethlem into heauen for the Lorâ— is our shield and we are as neare deare vnto him as the apple of his eie yea he is our secret place and vnder his shadow we can not but be safe For the second point containing the obedience of Iosepâ— by his example we learne not to runne before Gods promises but patiently to waite vpon them for as hee is alwaies a sure deliuerer of his people so then especially when his mouth haâ—â— spoken it and vpon this Ioseph relied not stirring till he was called Moses was sure to bring the people of Israel out of Egypt Exod. 3.10 yet hee must staie for it fortie yeeres as if the Lord had forgotten to what purpose hee had appointed him Noab 〈◊〉 the Lords commandement entreth into the Arke and commeâ—â— not foorth till by the same commandement Gen. 8.16 he 〈◊〉 called foorth though by the not returning of the Doue he knâ—â— the waters were abated from the earth Dauid was sure to be king after Saul yet he waited so long as in his haste he said Psalm 116.11 All men are liers thinking that Samuel had abused him to tell him hee should be King which we must beware of for the cause why the Lord staieth many times is because his seruants crie not out vnto him nor presse him with importunity as Luk. 18.5 the widow did the Iudge or for that our curst heares will not come downe so as he is faine to vse the wicked as rods to chastise and humble vs. Heere also learne that as Christ commeth out of Egypt so the Lord draweth the Gospell out of the fire and giueth it some Sun-shine out of the darkest persecution yea and that as it is said Act. 12.24 in the time of the most ambitious and Lordly tyrants it shall grow and multiply exceedingly for so it hath pleased God that the hotest persecutors as was S. Paul haue embraced it and that kings haue submitted their scepters to the foolishnesse of preaching Which noteth vnto vs that the ignominy that lighteth vpon the crosse is not nor ought to be any occasion to disswade vs from it for the proceeding of Christs kingdome is aboue nature and the perswading to it is cleaue contrary to the custome of the world For saith Cyrus if a Lacedaemonian will serue mee if hee bee a foot-man I will make him an horseman if a horse-man I will giue him a Chariot if hee haue a Chariot I will giue him a Castle if a Castle a Citie and he shall receiue his gold not by tale but by waite But now in the groweth and age of a Christian it fareth otherwise for this is the condition of
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
his Sermon wee must weigh and consider two parts first the exhortation Repent and change your minds Secondly the reason perswading to embrace this exhortation For the Kingdome of heauen is a hand For the first the word Repent it signifieth an alteration both of iudgement and of affection not onely by a displeasance with ones selfe and a checke of conscience for the euill he committeth which cannot bee staied no more then the panting of the heart or the bearing of the pulse but also an vtter loathing and detestation of all manner of sinne so as all repentance though it be proper to the minde and the fountaine of it be in the heart yet it is both inward and outward the visible shew of amendment being a declaration of the inuisible thought of sorrow for a thorne cannot grow vpon a figge-leafe and if any man will iudge of his repentance let him manifest the fruits of it What can a cursed mouth shew but that the heart is viruleâ—â— and full of poison or garish attire but that the minde is not humbled for where there is no reformation of action there is no alteration of affection Secondly repentance is noted to be either generall for all men for all sinnes for all times or speciall for some men for some sinnes and for some times For specialâ— men that euery man repent him according to his disposition and place as Saint Iohn sheweth Luke 3.11 exhorting the rich men if they haue two coates to giue one to the poore the customers to require but their due the souldiers to bee counteâ— with their wages For as euery man hath a seuerall calling so hath hee speciall sinnes attending and waiting on his callâ—â—â— which must bee repented of Now for our infirmities whâ—â— hourely breake foorth of vs generall repentance is required but if we be stained with any peculiar sinne that must haue a repentance by it selfe Dauid Psal 32.3 cannot be healed of his adulterie by a generall confession but he must peculiarly taske his soule for that sinne and so much Paul expresseth 2. Cor. 12.21 I feare saith he lest when I come I shall bewaile many of them which haue sinned and haue not repented of the vncleannesse fornication and wantonnesse which they haue committed for for such sinnes it is not sufficient to finde a remorse of conscience but for adulterie profaning of the Sabbaoth oppression of the poore and such like he must haue a speciall humiliation and may not thinke to obtaine the comfort of Gods countenance by blurting out a short praier that passeth out of the mouth like gunshot as Lord I haue sinned which though the words be good auaileth not because the heart is naught fraught with hypocrisie Such then as will be true repentants must bee of the number of them Christ speaketh of Mat. 11.28 that are inwardly wearie of the burden of sinne which excludeth three sorts of people first such as be not wearie of their owne righteousnesse but desire to applie the plaister of their owne workes to cure their wound secondly such as bee not weary of the pleasure of this life which profane-sensuall men will neuer be such as Paul speaketh of Philip. 3.19 that make their belly their God and with Esan Gen. 25.30 will for a messe of pottage sell their birthright thirdly such as be onely cast downe with some hard exigents in the world for many be weary of the world that are not wearie of themselues or of themselues that are not wearie of their sinnes wishing to be deliuered from the burden of their distresse but not with Paul Phil. 3. from the body of sinne Rom. 7 2â— for none of these sorts can thriue in the course of repentance but such onely as be â—amed from their naturall rebellions by the afflictions of this life that haue their spirits broken to dust and euen brought to confusion that will confesse no good thing dwelleth in their flesh but are cast as it were into a burning feuer of desperation and doe feele in a maner hell in their soules such will the Lord â—â—â—fort such doth he call and enable to repent For to whom is the commission giuen Esay 61.1.2 to preach good tidings but to the poore deliuerance but to the captiues so as he openeth no prison except thou confesse thy selfe to bee chained in the irons of Satan neither canst thou repent except thou thinke thou hast beene a runnagate from the Lord Iesus and what need he to giue thee the water of life except thou feele a drowth in thy soule like the drowth of Summer True it is the Lord comforts none but the abiect seekes none but the lost makes wise none but fooles iustifies none but sinners so as vnlesse we finde these wants in our selues the Gospel was neuer preached to our comfort and this exhortation is vainly deliuered that we should repent Howbeit since repentance and wearinesse is of such necessitie for Christians we must enter into a three-fold examination of our selues first of the knowledge of our sinnes secondly of the sorrow for our sinnes thirdly of the amendment of our sins First for the knowing of thy sinne thou must not examine it according to the law of thine owne heart that will glorie in hanging vp the Lord Iesus and in getting letters to Damascâ—s Acts 9.2 to persecute the Church of God for thine heart will make things lawfull by thy abuse vnlawfull and things vnlawfull by the flattering of thy selfe in too much libertie lawfull but it must be done according to the commandement of God raising vp his tribunall in thy soule and setting before thee the curse that resteth on thee for thy sinne Neither must this be a generall acknowledgement that thou art sinfull but thou must walke in the steps of Dauid in the bitternesse of the soule to say O Lord they are so many as they run ouer my head and so heaâ—y as they presse me downe and in the 2 Sam. 24.10 I haue not onely sinned in numbring the people but sinned exceedingly O Lord take away the trespasse of thy seruant for I haue done very foolishly so as for particular sins thou must keepe the circumstance of time and place and aggrauate the degrees of it 〈◊〉 thy soule And because thou art not able to remember the wholâ— catalogue of thy sins and perhaps flatterest thy selfe in some 〈◊〉 as Naaman did 2. King 5.18 who protested hee would serue the Lord and yet bowed himselfe in the house of Rimmon thou must craue pardon for thy secret sins and those which thou haâ—â— passed ouer as no sinnes and neuer rest thinking of them till they haue forced thee to Christ which is euer accompanied with a perswasion that the sinne is pardonable which is no small comfort Then when thou art come to a sight of thy sinne the second point is sorrow for thy sinne such as is expressed Zach. 12.10 as that when we consider how wee haue pierced God with our sins and that euen my sinnes
were the nailes that fastned Christ to the Crosse wee must weepe and cry as one mourneth for his onely sonne and first borne and there must be such a compunction of the spirit as to crie with the hearers of Peter Act. 2.37 What shall we doe and with Dauid Psal 6.6 to wash our bed with teares and so to mourne as if we heard the Lord summoning vs to iudgement for our sinnes are not lighter then Dauids that our sorrow should be lesse then his And when we haue attained to this to be pierced to the soule with sorrow not for any discomforts in this life but for that we haue offended God and haue exercised our selues in this not as in a pang that shall perplex vs for the time but that wee haue daily ripped and laied our hearts naked before the Lord then from hence springeth forth the third fruit amendment of our sinnes and repentance for them which standeth in two parts first in the forsaking of the old sinne secondly in inclining to the contrary vertue for the repentance of an vlurer is not restitution only but with Zaccheus Luke 19.8 to restore and to be mercifull to the poore as before he was vnmercifull for drunkards not onely to leaue the combat of their cups but to forsake that company and to obserue all kind of abstinence whereby he may be more fit for his calling and in iudgement to condemne it and in affection to abhor it both in himselfe and others so as briefly to repent is not to be as thou hast bene but to be in Christian duties that thou hast not beene For the second point which is the reason of the exhortation by the word Kingdome of heauen vnderstand the manifestation of the Messias which as a â—â—ately monarch shall rule in the hearts of men such as shall bee gathered by the Gospell with a wonderfull spirituall maiesty by his word and graces first leading them by the Gospell to haue their conuersation in heauen while they liue heere whereupon gather there is a double kingdome first of administratory prouidence which is that wherby the Lord ruleth ouer all euen the diuels secondly of royall preheminence in his church which is threefold first in their beginning by imperfect sanctification when men translated drawen from the power of sin are brought to the obedience of the Lord Iesus the second confirmed by perfect sanctification in the soules of the saints already departed the third fully to be accomplished when wee shall bee crowned of the Lord both in soule and body with perfect and perpetuall glory when God shall raigne in his Sonne his Sonne in his Church and his Church triumph in them both for euer Now this spirituall maiesty of Christ setling and inthronizing himselfe in the hearts of men is far more magnificent then any earthly throne prescribing vs lawes within which we are to bound our selues for in a kingdome there are foure things requisite first a King to gouerne secondly subiects to obey thirdly lawes to keepe in awe fourthly authority to execute them Now in this kingdome of light Christ is the King the faithfull be the subiects the word of God the lawes the power of the spirit the authority to execute them so that if by our subiection to the word the little flocke of Christ be increased the workes of the diuell bee destroied the enemies of God be subuerted and sinne bee subdued in the strength thereof then 〈◊〉 being gathered into this first kingdome which consisteth in the regeneration of the spirit may assuredly waite for the expectation of the other kingdome which standeth in the perfection 〈◊〉 all glory And we may the better vnderstand this by weighing the diuersity of Kingdomes which the diuell hath these being double first on earth secondly in hell On earth the reprobate being his subiects their corrupt affections their lawes 〈◊〉 their being giuen ouer of God to follow those wicked waies being the power to execute them So as in all those places bâ—â— they neuer so well polished to the eye which haue not sufficiâ—â—â— power of the Gospell to saue them â—or which haue it notatâ—â—â— or which haue it in a counterfet manner and measure or whâ—â—â— hauing it sincerely Mat. 7.6 doe flie like dogs to rend them in peeces thâ—â— bring it in these is the kingdome of darknesse set vp and sauing for the elects sake which shall bee taken out of them by the manifestation of Gods grace it were but a cage of filthy birds and the Synagogue of Satan For the second which is in hell it is that wherein vnmercifull Diues now lieth Luk. 16.24 and cannot haue so much refreshing as to coole his tongue and wherein after this life the wicked and impenitent shall bee tormented with endlesse paine The consideration whereof may driue vs to the meditation of the Lords bounty that hath prepared another place for vs if we follow the counsell of Iohn Baptist to amend our liues and to reforme our waies euen such a place wherein we shall behold and enioy the beauty of his glorie for euer Further obserue though Iohn Baptist willeth them to repent and amend yet it proueth no ability or naturall inclination in a man to doe this no more then when Christ saith Mat. 11.28.29 Come vnto me and take vp my yoake it argueth no power of our selues to come for so much himselfe setteth downe in another place where hee saith No man can come vnlesse my Father drawe him But the end of this is Iohn 6.44 not that the commandement is giuen to meet with our power to performe it but as Rom. 3.20 that thereby might come the knowledge of sinne for when wee see our weakenesse that we cannot doe it and our wretchednesse that we haue done the contrary as that where we should haue repented of our sins we haue rather increased them it leads vs to seeke grace in Christ pardon for the sinne and power of his spirit to forsake it So as in the commandement know thou oughtest to doe it in the correction of the Lord know thou hast not done it in not doing it know thy condemnation in praier and faith thou knowest where to haue it in thy conuersion thou knowest where thou hast receiued it and in thy perseuerance know by whom thou doest retaine it And albeit all commandements are of three sorts first such as command our first conuersion secondly that command our obedience to the Lord after our conuersion thirdly that command our perseuerance after wee haue begun obedience yet we shall see the strength of all these commeth from the Lord. For the first Zach. 1.3 there is a commandement giuen to turne to the Lord and Ioel 2.12 this is more particularly set downe that it must be a turning with all the heart But how shall this be wrought Obserue Ephraims speech to the Lord Ier. 31.18 Conuert thou me and I shall be conuerted So Deut. 10.16 Moses commandeth that the people should circumcise the
take◠from mercy And 1. Cor. 6.15 Your bodies are the temples 〈◊〉 the holy Ghost and yee are bought with a price therefore doe not prostitute them to vncleannesse but let the loue of God constraine vs to loue him againe Yet may wee not heereupon imagine that we make the law of God of no effect through faith nay as S. Paul saith Rom. 3.31 by this we rather establish the Law and that two waies first in the absolute obedience of Christ inherent in himselfe and imputed vnto vs secondly by the spirit of sanctification abiding in vs for the same righteousnesse the law commands the very same doth faith apprehend for we doe challenge the promise of God to saue vs by this that Christ in our person hath absolutely performed it so as there is no difference in respect of the substance but only in the maner of conueiance wherby we apply it vnto our soules So doth the Gospel command the same works that the law exacteth though there be a threefold difference between them for first the law commands works to gaine saluation by them the Gospell because saluation is already gained by the bloud of Christ for as S. Paul saith 1. Cor. 6 2◠we are bought with a price therefore we are debtors secondly the law giueth no power to worke that it commandeth for Moses that was the giuer of it could not frame his owne heart to do it therfore it is called a dead letter written in stones 2. Cor. 3 6◠which prefigured the harts of men but the Gospel in the elect neuer cōmandeth but first giueth grace and power to performe as the Lord neuer pardoneth any mans sin but he first writeth his law in his heart as S. Iohn saith 1. Ioh. 3.8 God sent his son to destroy the works of the diuel in vs and this is the argument of S. Paul Rom. 6.14 Let not saith he sin raigne in your mortal bodies that is haue dominion ouer you for yee are not vnder the law but vnder grace that giueth power to amend Thirdly the law commands works absolutely and admits of no repentance but the Gospel neuer excludes repentance the father euer waiting for the returne of his lost son so as it is true no whoremonger shal be saued continuing such a one but alwaies vnderstand repentance comming between staieth the iudgement for though our sins be of a purple or skarlet die yet if we turne to God the bloud of Christ hath this vertue 1. Ioh. 5.6 that it can make them white as snow so as the summe of al this is bloud water Ioh. 13.8 must go together faith in Iesus and the spirit of the Lord Iesus remission of sins and reformation of life must neuer be disioined Now for that the Papists say the expectation of a reward would make vs worke that in vaine should the worke be if there were no merit Wee answer that if a man freely shall gratifie his bondman with libertie and he shall after preserue his masters life by this hee hath not deserued his freedome for if he had remained still bond he had beene bound to haue done it and all hee can doe after is not to recompence his freedome but to testifie his thankfulnesse So whatsoeuer we can do or deserue we are bound to it by a double bond first of our creation secondly and much more by our redemption and after our saluation promised and purchased to doe well is nothing but dutie for we were bound to doe it before we were saued So as this is the order of exhortation in the Scripture All that haue hope 2. Cor. 7.1 must cleanse themselues not to clense themselues that they may hope but they haue hope therfore they must doe it Mat. 25.34 And not because we releeue the poore therefore wee shall be saued but because in mercy a kingdome is prepared for vs therfore as members of one bodie we releeue the poore And Abraham did not therefore offer vp his sonne that he might be iustified Gen. 22.8 but because he was iustified before Gen. 15.6 therefore he thought nothing too deare to gratifie the Lord with though it were with the sonne of the promise So heere we doe not therefore repent that the kingdome of heauen may come but wee must amend our liues and change our minds because the Messias is already come that will saue our soules Againe obserue he saith it is at hand noting a neere manifestation of him which was more then any of the Prophets could say whereupon Christ saith that there was neuer any Prophet so great as Iohn Baptist Mat. 11.11 yet the least in the kingdome of heauen is greater then he not comparing their persons for there were diuers of the Prophets as excellently qualified as Iohn nor that a Minister of the Gospell now should be greater then hee but that the ministery of Iohn was plainer then that of the Prophets they but foretelling indefinitely that Christ should come Iohn pointing at him with his finger that he was now comming and the ministery now being more excellent then Iohns because he preached but of the Messias at hand wheras we haue seene the fingers of this hand Christ to haue come with power to haue died with triumph and to haue ascended with glorie therefore let him that hath an eare heare and hee that hath hope let him arise for the kingdome is now come not at hand Iohn 14.12 Againe note the excellent Harmonie betweene Iohn the fore-runner and Christ the after-commer for Matt. 4.17 Christ vseth the very same words to perswade to amendement of life because the kingdome of heauen is at hand Which sheweth the agreement ought to be among Ministers and how wee may discerne whether they be of God or no for then as they all worke vpon one foundation so shall they all speake by one spirit and the voice of the herbinger agree with Christ and Christ with him pressing no other doctrine then that Iohn preached before For the fourth circumstance which is the warrant whereby Iohn was authorized to preach wee note that all callings in the Church of God must bee warranted expresly in the booke of God For if any were to bee exempted it was this of Iohns being extraordinarie but he is enforced to prooue it as if hee should say Though I am not Christ nor Elias in person howbeit in power of spirit I am yet looke in Esay 40.3 my authoritie recorded for the place of a Minister is not like the power of the Magistrate which though it be Gods ordinance in generall yet is it not in particular as that there should be this or that Magistrate as an Emperour Duke Chancellor and such like for this is humane and God hath giuen man this freedome by the remnant and portion of reason abiding in him to deuise what may be safest for the state And these offices as they be by man erected so may they be by him abolished But
for the officers of the Church and the ministerie it is not onely ordained of God in generall but euery particular place and euery kind of office is set downe the Church being his owne house which he meant to beautifie with all necessarie furniture and none of this can be put downe neither may others be added 1. Cor. 12.28 and Ephes 4.11 For the Pastor may bee put downe by the Prince but not the Pastorship without maiming the bodie of Christ for then were it an humane constitution as is the other of Magistrates And therefore most grosse is it that women should be licenced to baptize which pertaineth onely to the office of a Minister and it is an idle answer to saie Quod fieri non debet factum valet that which should not be done is yet effectuall when it is done for this is a seale put into a wrong hand And if Vzziah 2. Sam. 6.7 being no Leuite was striken with sudden death for but touching the Arke of God which was readie to fall though his intent was good and if Vzziah 2. Chro. 26.20 was smitten with leprosie which he could neuer claw off to his death for burning incense to the Lord which onely pertained to the Priests to doe then may these intruders vpon the Lords possessions feare some plague to light on them for intermedling with these holy things and as well may they administer the Supper as Baptisme for they be seales of equall dignitie Howbeit if thou wilt be Iohn Baptist shew me these two things first a commission of thy calling secondly besides that thou must proue thy calling warranted shew me that thou commest rightly by it and that thou canst lawfully conuey it vnto thy selfe as Luk. 3.1 the spirit of the Lord came vpon Iohn For to haue this securitie is good in two respects first for the sasety of thine owne conscience in the day of affliction for thou knowest the iudgement of Christ concerning such as creepe in at the window they haue neither loue nor care of the flocke Ioh. 10.1 Therefore Ieremie chap. 1.6 cried O Lord I neuer thrust my selfe into this vnthankefull office but thou sentest me and thy wordwas as afire shut vp in my bones Secondly it is good to retaine the people in obedience when they shall see the Patent of thy calling whereas otherwise they will esteeme thee but as offering thy selfe vncalled and then thou maiest labour among them vnthanked For that Esay spake saying The voice of a crier in these words is set downe the execution of his office Where we learne that there are no names giuen to Ministers but they are words of emploiment and of labour For Preaching comes of Praeco to be a proclaimer in the market place so are they called trumpeters for that they must blow the siluer Trumpet of the Lords word that it may sound and ring in the eares of the people Criers Esa 4.11 Ezec. 34.10 1. Pet. 5.4 so as they must be no toong-tied fellowes for they are no fitter for this office then is a blinde man to be a Pilot. They must be shepheards which in Iuda were faine to watch all night to preserue their flockes from Wolues Watchmen who must take heed lest through their sloth the fort be surprized Embassadors hauing a great message to deliuer from the king of heauen Angels as Christ is called the Angell of the great couenant and Reuel 3. Write vnto the Augell that is 2. Tim. 2 1â— 1. Cor. 3 1â— the Minister of such a Church Workmen because they be builders of mens consciences Stewards to prouide meat for the Lords inheritance And as Iohn was to crie in his time so is there as great necessitie laid vpon vs to crie in this time according to the proportion of that grace we haue receiued In Pauls time 1. Cor. 9.16 it was a curse of damnation not to preach which cannot be appropriated to Paul himselfe it being a dutie specially required of all that labour in this vineyard And 2. Tim. 4.2 he adinreth Timothie to preach instantly so that as Iohn as the fore-runner and Timothie as an Euangelist were to preach with vehemencie so are wee as Pastors to crie the same crie for it neuer yet pierced deepe enough nor entred far enough to make men watchfull ouer their liues Now some are vnwoorthie the name of celers being scarce able to speake others are able but not willing to be criers bringing others a sleepe with their sloth vpon whom without repentance resteth a woe into lerable to beare and impossible to auoid Secondly obserue heere the agreement betweene the Prophet Esay and Iohn Baptist Iohn making that plaine was spoken obscurely by the Prophet Prepare yee the waies What is that Repent Let the high mountaines be brought low that is let pride of life be abated Let the low velleis be filled that is let despaire be reiected Let crocked things be made straight that is let the iudgement be rectified Let the rough waies be made smooth that is let thy swelling affections be changed Now this Allegorie vsed by the Prophet is borrowed from entertaining of Princes at their first coronation at which time all ordures bee clensed bridges repaired the streets pauâ—â—l herbingers goe before to take vp lodging the trumpets sound the volley of shot goeth off and euery man is arraied in his best robes not that the Lord of glorie expecteth such a transitorie triumph for hee requireth but this amend thy life and a cleane heart is his best harbour a spirituall entertainment being fittest for a spirituall king Lastly in this crie of Iohns obserue his faithfulnesse he prepareth a way for the Lord not for himselfe he might haue liued farre better in respect of the world then in this base office and in this base place for his priestly birth being the sonne of Zachary Luk. 1.13 would haue affoorded him a richer portion yea he was offered to be Christ Ioh. 3.28 but he would none of it contenting himselfe with that share the Lord had allotted him and attending on that dutie the Lord had enioined him And thus ought all the Ministers of the word to doe not to preach for reward nor to crie for ambition though the herbinger must not lie without doores but they must looke for a recompence from the highest for the world is vnthankfull And it is not enough to preach but they must preach to the consciences of men that the Lord Iesus may enter in and not to gratifie the affections of men with the eloquence of the flesh and in swelling words that themselues may enter in For if they crie to get a name or renowne or preach in contention they may crie long enough they haue all they shall haue hauing that they sought for to bee caried in the mouthes and to bee had in admitation of the people For the fift circumstance which is his extraordinarie austeritie his attire and girdle was such as Eliah did weare 2. King
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
giuen vp Rom. 1.24 to serue their owne lusts that profited not by that one light of nature whereby they were constrained to acknowledge a superiour power that made that excellent frame of heauen and earth If the Pharisees were thus sharpely charged and reprooued for not amending their liues at these few sermons of one Iohn Baptist much more may wee feare lest wee be swallowed vp of present destruction that haue had so many sounds of the Lords trumpets and yet haue not retired from our owne waies that after so much dressing and pruning and lopping haue brought foorth nothing but briers that haue deuoured so many full yeares of peace and yeeres of preaching and plentie and yet continue leane and ilfauoured in the course of our liues for now at the time of the Gospel as we see heere beginneth iudgement Secondly learne how faithfully Iohn executed and performed his ministery which stood in two parts as was foretold by Malachy chap. 4. to preach mercie and iudgement both which he performed in this one sermon Heere the Iesuits take occasion to say that we should dehort men from euill for feare of hell and exhort them to doe well in hope of heauen We say with Paul who is our patterne and forerunner that we haue weapons for all those that shall despaire after the obedience of Gods Saints fulfilled but we preach not onely to worke well in hope of heauen for as we are seruants we deserue nothing but as children wee are receiued to an inheritance bought for vs before we were so we striue not that men should keepe themselues from sin onely for feare of hell for the Lord will neuer account of such a soule as will doe nothing but for feare of the whip for hee loueth a free giuer and hateth constrained subiection and it is not the horror of damnation but the commemoration of the Lords mercie shewed toward vs in giuing his owne Sonne to so ignominious a death to ransome vs from that curse wee had incurred This is that containes vs within the bounds of obedience for if the heart bloud of the Lord Iesus will not make thy heart to relent and thy hands to tremble to put them forth to wickednesse then art thou in a desperate case Shall the feare of the gibber or the ghastly shew of death make one that was a traitor and now pardoned and aduanced vnto high place by the meere mercie of his Soueraigne shall this make him afraid to commit treason againe and nothing else nay the grace of his Prince shall rest alwaies before his eies and shall most forcibly perswade him to perseuere in his loialtie For this is the most effectuall of all others to mooue vs in the bowels of the mercies of Christ to keepe our selues cleane and washed because wee are already purified in his bloud and not for feare of falling into the pit againe Thirdly note that if any man will escape and auoide damnation he must of necessitie liue wel for he must be a tree bringing foorth good fruit Where first consider what is good fruit which is implied in the text it cannot bee good except the tree be good as Christ saith If the casting out of a diuell be a good worke why am not I a good man Matt. 12.28 Ioh. 7.21 So as first the person must be accepted before the worke be accepted and no person can please without faith that purifieth the heart and there is no such heart where religion dependeth not vpon the true worship of the law of God and by consequent there is no good faith where the heart is not cleansed by the spirit of God Since then a man must first be good before he can doe good it is impossible that anie man erronious in religion should produce a good worke Externall righteousnesse and the morall vertues of the Papists is a vizard that bleares manie mens eies and wee say that they are honest as well may we say it of them that hanged vp the Lord Iesus thinking he had spoken blasphemie because being but a poore wretch to see to he challenged himselfe to be the Sonne of God and in this doing they thought they had done God an excellent peece of seruice And for Paul before his conuersion who could except against his life nay as he testifieth of himselfe Philip. 3. â— hee walked according to all the ordinances the law prescribed yet after hee was called he accounted all his morall righteousnesse but as the excrement of a dogge And if religion do not distinguish betweene men the heathen shall condemne both vs and them who by the meere instinct of nature liued in the hatred of grosse sinnes and walked soberly without exception and yet are they already damned For first we must be good by grace and being adopted into Christ then we doe good and of all the trees of the forest as Ezec. 15.3 there is none but is better then the vine if it beare not grapes for the oake is good for timber and euerie tree may serue for some good vse but the farments of the vine if it be not clustered is fit for nothing but for the fire The Papists are good as okes to build monasteries and to set vp houses and places of religion but an vnfaithfull and vnfruitfull Protestant and Professor is good for nothing being but a rotten bough or branch of a fruitlesse and barren vine but to be burned So that to iudge a worke to be good it must bee good both quo ad fontem quo ad finem proceeding from an honest heart and driuing to a right end the glory of God to whom I owe honor Further to come to the true knowledge of good fruit let vs know what bad fruit is which is double first sinnes in substance such as are contrarie to the expresse commandement of God as adulterie is absolutely a sinne in Dauid as wel as in any other secondly sinnes by circumstance as giuing of almes Matt. 23.5 onely when the trumpet sounds to be seene of men or to come into the sanctuarie with a purpose to pray and presently to returne to his vomit againe for the Lord abhorreth what himselfe commandeth Esay 66. if it be not doâ—â— with that heart he commandeth The sacrifice of a sheepe is 〈◊〉 his sight as the bloud of a man not that he hateth the action but the hypocrisie in the action which staineth the whole a Hagg. 2.13 if an vncleane person touch the holy flesh the flesh it selfe is vncleane but holie flesh maketh not other flesh holy which was not so before Further obserue where it is said Euery tree that bringeth 〈◊〉 foorth good fruit shall be hewne downe that it is not enough not to doe euill but it is damnable not to do good for he doth not say the tree that brings foorth no fruit but that brings not forth good fruit For it is not enough for Zacheus Luk. 19 after his conuersion to be no poller or robber of
being but the herbinger and the person of Christ whose comming he proclaimed yea so great as he was not worthy to do him the basest seruice so much as to pull off his shooes this being a prouer be taken from those countries where trauelleâ—s going in the heat all day did accustome at their iourneies end to haue a seruant attendant to plucke off their shooes and to wash their feete In the speech there are two parts to be obserued first the abasing of himselfe and his office secondly the magnifying of the ministery of the Messias Here first note that Iohn doth not compare the baptisme hee administred with that the Apostles should afterward minister nor his outward signe of water with theirs as being any difference betweene them but he compareth his owne person with the person of Christ and that which he worketh visibly with water with that which Christ worketh supernaturally cleansing the conscience They therefore are deceiued that thinke 〈◊〉 baptisme lesse effectuall then this of ours drawne from the 〈◊〉 postles for in the substance there is no difference but onelyâ— the manifestation and perspicuity of it that as Iohn was plaâ—â— then the Prophets so were the Apostles and after Minister more plaine then hee which was signified by that speech a Christ Mat. 11.11 Hee that is least in the kingdome of God is greater then Iohn Baptist this being meant of their ministeries for the Sunne is the same both in the morning in his weaknesse and at nooâ—â— daie in his strength and there is the same humane nature is a child as in a man and no other baptisme in substance now then this of Iohns being both instituted by the same Lord. But the Iesuites challenge the Caluinists for making Iohns baptisme comparable with the Apostles for Iohns say they did not remit sinnes but he onely baptized them vnto amendment of life Wee answer first in neither of their baptismes there is any remission of sins this onely being in the power of Christ the institutor as in circumcision the cutting of the flesh in it selfe aâ—â—led nothing but the effieacy was in sealing to the conscience the beliefe in the Messias to come for many had outwardly that signe whom the Lord abhorred and if that did but secure the soule vpon an inward beleefe much more is baptisme now but a seale of righteousnesse vnto vs. Againe if their baptisme vnder the cloud was the same with Iohns so was that of the Apostles and could any of them giue any more then the external ministerie But Iohn say they baptized onely to amendment of life We answer as it is Marke 4. Iohn baptized to repentance and remission of sinnes and can there be any repentance without remission No for being promised both together they are receiued of the person both together Againe if this baptisme of ours and that of Iohns be not the same in substance then did not Christ sanctifie our baptisme in his flesh which is false for man can giue but the outward element and Christ alone doth purge the soule Secondly learne what power there is in the outward ministerie of men and in the outward seales for howsoeuer the Scripture doth magnifie outward means and the men as instruments as that Paul is said to saue soules and to haue begot Onesimus in the faith Philemon 2. Cor. 3.6 chap. 1. and our ministerie is called the ministerie of the spirit yet when the scripture will shew what either the men or the meanes separately and apart can do in their owne nature and that all is the worke of God onely then either the meanes are not at all mentioned or else they are woonderfully debased as Paul can but plant Apollo can but water but it is God that giueth the increase Heere Paul is nothing 1. Cor. 3.6 for the blessing is onely from the Lord the internall being opposed to the external for whensoeuer these be either opposed by comparing or compared by opposing then all is in God for God dealeth otherwise in disposing of things that nourish to eternall life then of those that helpe to the conseruation of this present life As there is some power and as it were an inherent vertue in bread to nourish in it owne nature and there is power of generation in man to beget but to awake the conscience and to clense the heart there is no power that remaines in the Ministers person or in the seales of Baptisme and the Lords Supper the Minister separately hee speakes and it is but a perishable breath as the voice of another man though they be the words of God Act. 16.14 for otherwise why should Lydiaes heart bee opened more then any of the rest of the hearers there was the same voice of man sounding into the same eares of men by nature And in Baptisme for himselfe the Minister can doe nothing but powreon water and the water is but naturall which can but wet the body and there is no power appropriate to it that of it selfe it is able to conuey any security to the conscience But doe not the words of institution worke something and bee they not operatorious to worke some change As the words bee pronounced with the organ and instrument of the mouth it cannot make the bread to alter the substance but the words haue this power to declare what the Lord will worke first for our selues that we must breake bread for the people that they must eate it This is my body shewing what the Lord will doe that wee must not be amazed in beholding the signes but lift vp our eyes vnto the Lord that giueth Christs bloud to the heart of euery beleeuer for there is no flesh in the bread nor vnder the bread nor with the bread These therefore haue no power to conney any grace to the soule for if they had then were all regenerate that receiue them and sometime regeneration preceeds and goeth before baptisme as in Cornelius Acts 10. sometime it followeth baptisme as in children And againe if there were any power in water of it selfe or by the words of institution then after the sacrament the water should euer remaine sanctified which we see contrary for it doth putrifie like common water And no more doeth the Sacrament depend vpon the intention of the giuer and consecratour then it doth vpon the intention of the receiuer for it was as true a sacrament and as effectually offered to Simon Magus and to Iudas as to the other of the Disciples for the same Sunne shneth to all though some doe shut their eies Further obserue and beware that we doe not make duos totos baptismos two whole baptismes one of Iohns another of Christs but onely of one whole baptisme two parts as of one whole man we make two parts body and soule one is as in the law a circumcision with the hand cutting the flesh the other cleansing the conscience by faith in Christ Neither do we make them two thâ— God
yeeld to Eliah and not Eliah to Ahab There is execrable cruelty committed on the infants of Bethlem who is the cause of it not Christ but Herod and Christ may not giue place to Herod though it cost neuer so much bloud Secondly obserue where it is said hee will make his floore cleane that all that refuse the Gospell whatsoeuer they pretend they are but chaffe For the Pharisees heere which had the chiefest places in the Church they pretend to haue the Oracles and the temple to bee descended from the Patriarks and to liue after the law of Moses yet they are but chaffe which fill the floore being onely puffed vp with pride and hauing no sound graine in them for when Christ is offered they persecute him and crie Hang him as an enemy to the law of Moses Mat. 27.22 so as their intention was good yet was that no excuse for then they that persecuted the Prophets and crucified the Lord of glory should be blamelesse for they had a zeale but not according to knowledge Now if they that stand onely in defence of that God himselfe ordained and like not that any of that should be abrogated by the Gospell are but chaffe what shall they be that seeke to maintain their owne traditions against both law and Gospell and stand in defence of many corruptions in the Church of God and yet perswade the Prince that all is well what can they bee but chaffe of the worst sort And will purge his floore c. Here may be demanded what the cause is why there is so much chaffe in our Church and so little good graine for it is strange to see with what belli-gods it is stuffed how disguised men be in pride and how excessiue in vsury which bee not as S. Peter calleth them spots 2. Pet. 2.13 but as the biles and vlcers of Egypt yea so much biting gaine raigneth among vs as hath made no more friendship betweene man and man then betweene Cain and Abel such whoredome as the Sunne cannot hide it nor the earth beare it but doth crie for vengeance and their children baptized that are woorse then Sodomites which as Saint Iude saith be now in hell To this we answer that the cause is first the want of fanning in many places of the land the people hauing onely a man set ouer them that can giue no one word to separate but onely reade bare Seruice and stinted praier which can make no manifest separation but of open recusants so as the people may well be quiet because the word neuer blowes among them and till the winde come the chaffe and the wheat are mixt together for can the wild asse bray if he hath grasse or the oxe low if he hath fodder or an hypocrite shew himselfe till his heart be discouered Iob 6.5 and his vizard taken off All the plagues of Egypt which made Pharaohs heart to relent somewhat and yet in the end so hardened it as he vtterly contemned the Lords hand are not like to this fanne of the word which searcheth euery part of a man and bloweth him away vnlesse he be substantially rooted in religion A second cause of this is that where there is fanning yet it hath no power they huckstering and tempering of it for their owne fame and for Balacâ—s offer of preferment and not preaching to the conscience the crucified word of the Lord they preach of contention to adde affliction to others and not in sinceritie and meeknesse to bring consolation to others and also when they speake it is but verball for their liues doe really confute the words of their mouth A third cause why there is such a mixture in this floore is because although it be truely preached yet men may do what they list and the maiestie of the word is not hedged in with discipline for if men liue wickedly vnlesse the law of man take them by the heele and restraine them the word of God cannot determine so as except there be some speciall good inclination in some few for the multitude preaching doth no good For he must be a good scholler that will learne without discipling he a sound christian that will refraine from sinne by bare preaching The Word indeed is the speciall farme for this floore but then is it most powerfull if it haue discipline to strengthen it and authority to countenance it What doe you meane the floore must be purged in this life and that there must be nothing but wheat in the Church of God Why this cannot bee till that great day of separation when euery thing shall be put in his peculiar place To this wee answer that there is a double purging the one in this life the other after this life the one particular the other vniuersall That purging that may and ought to be is first the separating of all such as doe not offer themselues Secondly of them that offer themselues but are vnworthy as if a man can make no conscience to profit by the word or can render no found account of his faith when he hath beene long taught but like an idle and slothfull professor is still to be trained vp in the rudiments of religion it is no reason to let him be in this floore without feeling some smart for his negligence neither is it fit to giue the holy things of the Lords Supper vnto him for hee deserues not the crummes that fall from his table If a man be obstinate and will not promise reformation his child ought not to be receiued to Baptisme vnlesse hee confesse his sinne or giue witnesse to the Church by others which must doe it and then they ought to take the child from his father and not to returne him to his parents againe where his education shall bee corrupt For others that doe professe if after they breake out into any enormous sinne such chaffe must bee separate for no vncleane liuer must be in the Church but either hee must submit himselfe and then he is none such or hee must be cut off if he continue senslesse in his sinne for it is the house of God which harboureth none but such as heare his voice And such as these ought not to be admitted to the Sacrament though they present and offer themselues neuer so much for hee that permits them sinneth three waies first in respect of Gods giuing the bread of children vnto dogges and making the house of God as a common Inne where he may buy any thing for mony but he must doe as Iehoiada the Priest did 2. Chron. 23.19 not suffer any vncleane man to enter or to set his foot within the Temple Secondly as hee must not doe it in respect of God and his owne conscience so neither in respect of the party himselfe for seeing himselfe debarred and disfranchised from the citie of God he would bee ashamed and this his abdication would bring him to humility 1. Cor. 5.2 2. Thess 3.14 whereby his soule
might be saued and he would stand abashed that hee that should bee a Christian should bee separate from Christians and thrust out of the Church out of which there is no saluation whereas now seeing that his sinne doth not separate him from the communion of the Saints it brings him a sleepe in it and hardly he comes to repentance Thirdly he sinneth against the Church in admitting such a one for who would suffer a leprous man to lie with a child and this animateth and emboldeneth others to sinne by the sight of his impunity and many are infected by the scab of such a one Did God in the law abhorre lepers and must no man that touched a dead carkase partake of the Passeouer a moneth after and shall not whoredome and such like vncleannesse bee a cause to barre men from the Supper of the Lord Paul said plainely 1. Cor. 5.7 Purge out the old leauen speaking of him that had committed incest comparing the Paschall lambe to the Gospell the seauen daies wherein it was eaten to the whole course of our liues the house where it was eaten to the Church the lumpe to the multitude the leauen to maliciousnesse and filthinesse the vnleauened to the children of God so as they must separate all that are leauened in malice or wickednesse that not onely euery peculiar man may be blamelesse but all the Church may be cleane comming to so holy a place For since we are all partakers of that immaculate Lambe that is slaine Christ Iesus we must cast both out of our selues and out of our houses and congregations all impurity Wherefore let not thy hand bee in sacriledge to permit such a one it is in thy power to giue and answer the church at thy perill thou must whatsoeuer the law of the Magistrate is for no man may command thee to sinne but according to the rule giuen to Timothy speaking of vnable men to goe before the people in life and doctrine 1. Tim. 5.22 Lay not thou saith Paul thy hands on him It will be said this was an easie matter in the Apostles time when they had the keyes of the Church and the power in their hands to cut off the incestuous person and when the Gospell was but newly entred and but stept as it were within the threshould but now men are not so easily corrigible as they were then being now more growen and sturdy in sinne then before We answer that if the censures of the church were so duly executed when there was no Christian magistrate to countenance and protect them much more might they bee so now when they might haue the sword also to assist them And if they had fewer offences when they had lesse meanes to purge them for they could but separate from the congregation only and then if they would they might haue returned againe to the infidels far greater beuty might be looked for now if the gouernors of the church had not some great mist before them And if the churches of Iudaea and Galile as we may see Acts 2. 3. did multiply exceedingly hauing the magistrate not against them though not with them much more might they flourish now hauing the Christian law of the Magistrate binding their bodies whose consciences should be bound by the censures of the Church But is it no true Church where this exact cleansing is not And is it not the table of the Lord because some strangers besides children are receiued and is the whole lumpe infected by a little leauen God forbid onely we say the leauen ought to be separate and the incestuous man ought to be cast out for they thaâ— eate the Passeouer must haue none come to it that hath eaten leauen and if wee ought not to eate with him that is haue no familiatity with him much lesse ought he to bee admitted by the Minister but if he be yet to thy conscience that art a worthy receiuer it is a sacrament If Saul be in the Tabernacle I little doubt but Dauid will with all his heart wish to pray with him And was Zacharie any whit polluted by praying and scrificing with the filthy Pharises or Annaes praiers lesse auailable because many swine entred into the Temple The church saith Paul hath no such custome to be contentious 1. Cor. 11.16 but if it be yet it remains a Church stil And to resolue this point to whom spake Iohn in this place but to the Church of God for as yet there was no separation of the wheate from the chaffe but afterward they prooued sworne enemies to Christ and it was Moses chaire though they sate in it and the people were commanded to heare them Was not the church of Iuda the floore of the Lord though the Pharises taught false and corrupt doctrine that Gods name was not taken in vaine vnlesse men were openly forsworne Mat. 5.33 and though the high Priests were aduanced by simony Christ himselfe saith it was and laboreth onely to remoue these errors and to reduce euery thing to the purity of his Fathers institution But now with vs since this long venting of the word of God hath beene with so litle profit and that the Pharises stand so close about the Princes mouth as that she can hardly breath in the wholsome aire of the truth what hope is there of a better separation but the fanne of fiery triall that if wind will not doe it persecution may doe it for the drosse that cannot be scattered by blasts must be consumed with burning Now when the floore is cleane and swept within the Church then is there another cleansing out of the Church which is either particular or vniuersall particular when good or bad men die and such as they die such they shall continue for the tree that is fallen there it lieth Vniuersall at the last day when all things shall be complete and perfect when not onely the chaffe shall bee blowne away but euen the tares that is secret hypocrites shal be cut vp by the Angels for open offenders should be cut off heere by the word and discipline Further in that it is said Some shall be gathered into the Lords garner obserue that it is a most detestable opinion to thinke that all shall be saued and that damnation is preached but for fashion to containe men in some obedience For let the scripture be burnt if this be true and let Belzebub bee saued if all shall bee saued and let Iudas come foorth of hell if none shall goe thither Nay our owne consciences doe adiorne and summon vs to thinke of a generall iudgement and Iudas owne heart condemning him caused him to hang himselfe Mat. 27.5 The Lords house must be fully furnished and in all such houses as S. Paul speaketh there must be vessels of honour and dishonor 2. Tim. 2.20 some prepared to glory some to destruction for in that hee is willing to shew his wrath Rom. 9.23 appeareth that it is his will some should bee damned
that of Angels euen that which hee had in his humane soule yet were they created and finite and it is no vitious or blame-worthy ignorance not to know that as a man which commeth not within the compasse of his humanity as the certainty of the latter day is not reuealed as himselfe saith to the sonne of man Mark 13.32 Further in that the spirit doth now annoint him learne that whosoeuer shall challenge any calling from God must shew himselfe to be qualified in some sort more then he was in his priuate life for that which is true in Christ as the head is also in the inferiour members And as it is intolerable in a man to vsurpe any place in the Church without authority from men so is iâ— high presumption to take it vpon him except with the outward calling he can shew the inward seale of the holy Ghost for without this the approbation of men is but as a seale set vpon water and if he pretend the allowance of the holy Ghost let him shew some competent sufficiency to discharge it Secondly is to bee considered why he descended in the shape of a doue Where note first that wee vnderstand not the shape spoken of as if the done appeared but as in a shape for it had a reall and a bodily being and substance and the word shape is to bee referred to the holy Ghost which is in all places as God and so not visible in himselfe but truely represented in the doue all signes being as they must bee proportionable to the representing of that is to bee signified In Acts 2.2 the spirit appeareth like the rushing winde to shew the power and feruency of the Gospell secondly like a clouen tongue which should speake and be as it were diuided to all thirdly like a fiery tongue to purge vs and to wast mens filthinesse And heere like a doue to testifie Christs kingdome to be in all lowlinesse and harmlesnesse to be a preacher of peace of such a doue like simplicity Esa 42.2 Mat. 12.20 that as is spoken by the Prophet he should not lift vp his voice in the streets and of so compassionate a heart as not to breake the bruised reede Heere further consider the difference between the manifestation of the Law and of the Gospell in the deliuery of the Law blowes the sound of a trumper appeares fearefull lightning aâ—â— dreadfull thundring Exod. 19.16 so as the people could not abide to heare it and Moses himselfe being astonished and said I feare and quake Heb. 12.21 But when the Gospell is giuen there is nothing commeth foorth that is fearefull to testifie that Christ would not terrifie with thundring threates but by a mild and a still and a familiar voice would call men how long soeuer they haue continued in their sinnes and how many soeuer they be yea if they be distressed in their hearts and anguished in their soules as a milde doue he allureth them and promiseth to saue them Whereupon if any man doe bleed that he hath wounded the Lord by his offences and do grone with sighes vnspekeable and be confounded with his owne sin and ashamed of himselfe let him not feare to goe to Christ who is yet euen to this day a doue The least grone of a repentant heart the Lord will not refuse for it is his nature to be mercifull and his glory and ioy to saue and if there be but a litle worke begun in vs the Lord Iesus will quicken and cherish it which may comfort vs to powre foorth our soules before him for hee lieth in waite for our returne with the lost Sonne Luk. 15.20 and hath not deposed not laid aside his compassion Now if neither the voice of Moses 〈◊〉 terrifie Luk. 1.32 nor the voice of Christ allure vs if piping will not make vs dance nor weeping will make vs repent then this is our condemnation that this meeke doue is not embraced and that wee beleeue not the Gospell whereby we may haue accesse to Christ and so be saued Thirdly heere is to be considered how Iohn could call the doue the holy Ghost since the essence of this spirit is not discernable nor the power infused into Christ to be seene Againe he that is euery where and in no place circumscribed cannot be discerned how is it said then that Iohn saw him Wee most vnderstand they are both figuratiue and borrowed speeches hee saw not the Essence of the holy Ghost nor the power infused into Christ is not to be discerned for this was to be seene onely with the eye of the soule but the sight of the doue perswaded him the spirit was there after a speciall manner singualr and extraordinary Againe hee saw not the spirit descend but the doue which did really signifie that as verily and truly the spirit was light vpon him But is the holy Ghost that Doue as Ioh. 1.32 I beheld that spirit come downe from heauen like a Doue and it abode on him This is to be vnderstood not that the holy Ghost was inclosed in the Doue or personally vnited to the Doue but it is a sacramentall speech whereby that which is proper to the signe is giuen and attributed to the thing signified as we say the bread is the body of Christ but if substantially the holy Ghost be present in the Doue then so is the body of Christ in the Supper Not like for the holy Ghost is euery where because he is a spirit but the body of Christ is circumscribed and bounded in a place certaine and so they be not of the same nature Againe we do not say the Doue was a type of the substantiall presence of the holy Ghost for it was then euery where and it was not there present as in essence but it was a type to signifie that he was so there as in no place so much and it must be intended of a sacramentall and of no essentiall presence as if he were no where else but of the presence of his essence in a speciall maner Againe it is absurd to aske how there can be a true giuing of the thing vnlesse the thing be there as that Christ cannot be giuen by the bread vnlesse he be in or with or vnder the bread for it is not the locall presence or absence that makes the truth of giuing it but if the verity of the thing be there it is enough for God can giue man leaue to eate his flesh being in heauen The fathers did eate it otherwise they could not haue beene saued Iohn 6.31 and then Christ was not onely not present but not at all as touching his humanity so as Christ began not onely to be flesh when he was manifested but they did eate Manna and in that by faith they did eate Christ So in the water the conscience is washed and yet is there no bloud transfused with the water but it is as truly there as this Doue did testifie Christ to be filled with
agonies not doubting but hee will compassionatly respect vs because hee in this flesh of ours knew and felt the hard encounter according to that is said often in the old Law to the Israelites Remember thou wert once a seruant in Egypt experience of afflictions making men more mercifull and as it is said Heb. 5.2 he is meet to haue compassion on vs that are out of the way because that he also was compassed with infirmity and Heb. 12.3 the Apostle draweth his argument thus that the consideration of the sufferings of Christ should perswade vs not to bee wearied nor to faint in our minds both because hee by his sufferings learned obedience and also because hee in our sufferings will bee a bearer of the weight lest it ouerpresse vs that we also might be consecrated through afflictions And this also is a second comfort to vs that as Christ ouercame by flesh so shall wee also victoriously conquer through him if with patience we perseuere for heerein hath Christ recouered what Adam lost who receiued concupiscence by Sathans temptations but Christ hath ouercome the diuell in as great temptations as euer Adam was ouercome Further in that Christ is led by the sprit and the diuell tempteth him consider what the purpose of them both are since being opposite one to the other they both ioyne in this one action We must learne that temptations are diuersly spoken of in the Scripture first the diuell tempteth therefore when we are moued to anger giue not place saith the Apostle to the diuell Ephes 4.27 for he bloweth the coales to kindle thy wrath which is murder two waies first either in the vniust matter of it secondly or in the immoderate measure of it and in all things hee as an externall instrument worketh vpon the corruption of our hearts Secondly one wicked man tempteth another as it is said in the Prouerbes Come lay thy lot with vs and we will take a purse Prou. 1.14 alluring others by their example to the participation of the same sinne and these are two causes of temptations without our hearts But Saint Iames chap. 1.14 goeth to a third cause Euery one saith he is tempted of his owne concupiscence as speaking of the inward cause that another prouoketh vs by and Sathan worketh vpon namely our owne pronenesie and pregnancy to sinne and the fire that burneth in our breasts so as euer we must charge and challenge our selues for our sinnes and euery temptation is either from an outward prouocation or inward instigation or both Fourthly God tempteth not onely to trie what strength we haue to vse prosperity with sobriety and aduersity with patience for this is not enough though by this he doth manifest what is hidden in the inward minde but these other inward solicitations come not without God yet doth hee not tempt Iames 1.13 as it is euill but vseth the ministerie of Sathan two waies first toward the elect then toward the reprobate toward these to giue them vp into an euill minde that sinnes past may bee the punishments of sinnes to come and the deserts of punishments that are to come which the Lord doth as a iust reuenger and not as any euill author for to punish sinne by sinne is but iustice with God As God willeth that Absolon shall plague his father by committing incest 2. Sam. 16.22 to bring Dauid to repentance for his adultery not that he willeth it as adultery but as a iust plague to him that did it and to conuert his seruant Dauid Now for the elect the Lord letteth the raines loose that thereby he may manifest their strength and his owne power in their weakenesse And by this was made knowen what excellent graces Iob had receiued Iob 2.10 when by his extremities and anguishes hee was not consumed but refined which otherwise had beene hid euen as the Pilot cannot shew his cunning but in a storme nor a man his valour but in a combat So Dauid was by affliction brought low Psal 32.3 that the Lord might shew the richer mercie in his recouery that all his children might bee assured to finde the same mercy though they fall into the same sinne if they follow his steppes of repentance So as temptations are sent of the Lord to discouer his graces in them or their owne wants if they relent partly to heale their pride partly to teach them to repent of some sinnes which before were not thought of and that the Church of God might bee comforted knowing that in the extremity of a bleeding heart the Lord sendeth compassion Sathan tempteth Adam to proue God a lyer and to bring him to dishonour and to bee the instrument of mans damnation Adam tempted himselfe to tast of that which as hee thought should make him God God tries him by this meanes to make a way for his iustice in thereprobate and for his mercy on the elect for if there had beene no fall God had beene neither iust in condemning some nor merciful in sauing others So heere Christ is caried to be tempted The purpose of God in this is to confirme it vnto Christ that he should be of power to destroy and extinguish the power of the diuell but Sathan fully intended to haue destroied the head by this meanes to haue hindred the saluation of the members For the fift circumstance which is the aduantage sathan tooke by Christs fasting vnderstand first that it was not the purpose of God nor of Christ himselfe to commend vnto vs his abstinence for it is no commendation to forbeare when he hath no appetite to eate but it was to commend his miraculous power for he was qualified with such diuine vertue as hee was for the time like an Angell not subiect to humane desires The Papists from hence doe draw the institution of Lent saying that all things are written for our instruction therefore as Christ fasted fortie daies so must we It is true that all things are written for our instruction but not for our imitation for he was borne of a Virgin conceiued of the holy Ghost Mat. 17.2 transfigured in the mount hee had a confirmation of his doctrine by diuers miracles came into the house the doores being shut Iohn 20.26 Mark 6.51 commanded the winds walked on the waters and must we be like him in these things No for all these taste of his Diuinity But his obedience his patience his loue to giue his life for his enemies his meeknesse not to breake a bruised reede his willingnesse to suffer all kind of affliction these things let vs imitate for these be fruits of the spirit only but to fast forty daies and forty nights is no more imitable for vs then it is to be borne of a Virgin Yea but say they it is good by this to take occasion to exhort to abstinence We answer it is no reason that because Christ fasted hauing no stomacke therefore we should abstaine hauing stomake Againe in all this time
me to haue me vse my liberty in this place but I discerne thy subtilty and to doe this thou requirest should be no glory to my Father nor any confirmation of doctrine heereafter therefore I will not cast pearles before Sathan The words containe two parts first the suggestion or temptation secondly the beating backe of the temptation In the first consider first the occasion sathan tooke to tempt him namely his hunger secondly the matter wherewith he was tempted For the first he tempts him in a matter of food being hungry Where learne that Sathan espieth all aduantages where and when he may finde vs best and he vseth our present infirmities or conditions of life as the fittest coales to set vs on fire withall For the rich man is neuer assaulted with the temptation to steale because he hath enough nor beggers to purchase because they want nor priuate men to peruert iustice because they sit not in place but there bee some temptations on the right hand and some on the left some are tempted by sickenesse to impatience by health to forget God by youth to embrace liberty and by age to loue riches by fulnesse to lift vp their heele against God some by penury to distrust him as if hee had cast off all care of them some are moued to reuenge by being disgraced and some to worke mischiefe by being flattered therefore we must correct such imperfections whereunto by nature wee are most inclined and not to giue the least aduantage vnto Sathan lest vpon our vnwatchfulnesse we be surprized for euery one shall finde that in something hee is not left vntempted and since temptations come on both sides wee must arme our selues with weapons on each side For the second which is the matter of the temptation we obserue a double drift in Sathan first to driue Christ to doubt that he is not Gods child because of his present exigent and want secondly vpon this to driue him to vse a preposterous miracle against Gods glory and whereby hee should haue graunted the diuell that he could not haue liued without bread and by this meanes to haue lost the glory of the triumph For the first of these leauing the particular of Christ the head let vs see whether the members bee not afflicted with the same temptations Psal 73.13.14.15 The greatest man the Prophet Dauid was mightily shaken with this when he saw Gods children liue so miserablie and the wicked so prosperously The Prophet Ieremy ch 12.1 desireth to reason with the Lord about this matter and bursteth forth with wonder Why doeth the way of the wicked so prosper why are all they in wealth that rebelliously transgresse They are planted and they grow where as the godly leade a life fraught and full of sorrow And this was the argument of all Iobs friends that being so strangely afflicted he must needs be Gods enemy Iob. 8.20 Indeed if the Lords loue should be measured by outward blessings the vngodly had farre greater cause to boast for they weare pride about their neckes as a chaine and are couered with extortions as with a garment their faces shine saith Ieremy and their plants are safely rooted yea not onely their persons but their children are like flockes of sheepe in the pleasant field and like oliue branches at a furnished table they see their houses established before their faces and are comforted with the sight of their childrens children Nay all things fareth well with them their Cow calueth and casteth not their hearâ—â— come in and out with daily plenty so as with them euery thing prospereth by a proportionable kinde of happinesse And as they are happie in their liues so they haue a great priuiledge in the time of death for they die like lambes and passe away farre men comfortably to the eye then Gods children for they die not languishingly or as the prisoners of death but they goe to the graue sodainly yet their wickednesse is such and their hearts so full of poison as Iob describing their cogitations saith they regard not chap. 21.15 the Almighty but say what is the Lord that they should serue him And Dauid Psal 7.5 sheâ—â—â— that their mouthes speake blasphemy against the heauens and their tongues walke freely through the earth not fearing mâ—â— Whereas on the other side 1. Pet. 4.17 the iudgement of God beginner aâ— his owne house and they drinke the dregs of the cup of sorrow they are but wormes scarce worthy to creepe in respect of the magnificence of the wicked they eate the bread of care and quench their thirst with the water of affliction they are for their bodies poore for their credit despised and for their consciences they haue many combats the terrors of death doe oft so fight against them as they are shaken in the foundation of their faith so as they doubt besides these miseries they sustaine heere they shall be adiudged to death in the life to come yea they are hated of those by their name that neuer saw them by their face And besides this amid these waues of their miseries they are tempted yet by Sathan as that they are but grashoppers abiected of the world ouerwhelmed with sinne which woundeth their soule to death and yet they take themselues to bee heires of heauen and fellow-heires with Christ These seas of miseries should neuer ouerflow thee which sting thy conscience nor these disgraces outward should neuer ouerthrow thee which touch thy body if thou wert Gods child for then should his eye watch ouer thee to ease thee Such is the portion allotted to Gods Saints so as Dauid was caried so farre in perturbation of spirit that had hee not entred into the sanctuarie of the Lord he had vtterly condemned the generation of the godly Howbeit when we are assaulted on this sort let vs not bee dismayed but let vs know that herein is wrought our conformity with the Lord Iesus let vs learne the same defence that he vsed not to seeke to wind out our selues by our owne power or policy but to rely wholly vpon the Lord for the hath many secret waies to rescue vs if it please him to shew the power of his prouidence and by this trouble and depth of sorrowes we are plunged into we may the rather assure our selues that there shall be a generall restauration of all things because they are now so out of frame whereas if the wicked should heere bee punished and the godly prosper we might more call in doubt the comming of the Lord to glory But now seeing things in such a lamentable confusion euen this nay perswade vs with Saint Paul that there shall come a daie of vengeance for them that liue wickedly 2. Thess 1.7.8 and for them that are now distressed a day of comfort for if euery thing should be caried with an euen hand we might well doubt of an immortalitie For the second drift of Satan which was to vrge Christ vpon this his distresse to worke
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
subtilties as it will be hard to keepe him out Whereas God doth this to exercise his seruants in praier and to make them more diligent in searching and not that we should turne it to a matter of security and idlenesse these men not being so deuout as they that worship the Sunne and Moone Reu. 12.4 for they haue some conscience We must know that Sathan is able to pull starres from heauen as it is in the Reuelation and hee doth not alwaies speake with the mouth of a Dragon therefore in these perplexities wee must approch to God Mat. 7.8 whose promise we haue Seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened and Iohn 7.17 if any man haue an honest heart and good inclination to liue well I will shew him saith Christ from whence my doctrine is And the Lord hath promised to be a Schoole-master to the humble they being not prepossessed with preiudice and he will giue plentifully and neuer vpbraid O most bountifull inuitation of our gracious God whereby wee may bee assured that asking the truth hee will not giue error Luke 11.12 and desiring to be conducted in the right way he will not leade vs into by-paths no more then asking bread hee will giue vs a Scorpion but he will vphold vs in the most dangerous temptations whereas others hauing no desire at least in a single affection for their malice and preiudice may be iustly damned 1. Thess 2.16 But what shall we doe shall we make them like waxe flexible to euery impression or like bels tuneable to the eares of the heater What resolution is there for the conscience the text cannot speake It is written saith Christ It is written saith the diuell if they be written they are both true and must needs be contrary being cited by enemies We answer it is true the letter printed cannot speake and they that writ it are in heauen The Church therefore hath prouided certaine meanes whereby a man not preiudicate may know the truth which bee sixe first praier with Dauid that the Lord would open our vnderstandings and shew vs the light of his statutes Psal 25.12 and the way that wee may choose whereby our steps may be assured Secondly wee must vnderstand the words of the place in the originall tongue of the old Testament in the Hebrew of the new in the Greeke for this was the instrument sanctified to that purpose Thirdly we must consider the words what they be by themselues and what they bee together ioyned with others whether they bee to bee taken properly or figuratiuely which shall bee knowen if either they be not proportionable to the analogie and rule of faith or not agreeing with the circumstance of the place Fourthly to examine the drift of the place what went before and what followeth as Christ to one asking him how hee should get eternall life answered by keeping the commandements Luk. 18 2â— not meaning thereby that wee must come to it by our workes as the Papists gather Luke 10.26.29 but he speaking to one that iustified himselfe by keeping the Law spake after that sort to shew him his wound namely that that was not the way vnlesse he fulfilled all Fiftly by comparing and conferring of places one with another the true sense of the Scripture against the Scripture abused as Christ in this place doth and as else-where Loue couereth the multitude of â—â—nes 1. Pet. 4.8 conferre with this Prou. 10.12 Hatred stirreth â—peontention but loue couereth all trespasses loue being taken â—or the loue of men whereby things are qualified and the best made of the worst and not for couering of sinnes before God â—s the Papists would haue it but inding it before men So Aâ—raham was iustified by faith faith Paul Rom. 4.3 by works saith â—ames chapt 2.21 Saint Iames dealing with them that denied â—orks altogether S. Paul with them that stood too much vpon â—â—em the one speaking how aman might approue himselfe before men to be iustified the other how men are iustified before God Sixthly approue of no interpretation nor accept of any scripture which is not proportionable to the analogy and agreeable to the rule of faith which is threefold first the tenne commandements secondly the Lords praier thirdly the Creed of the Apostles As when it is said This bread is my body I must not take it for the very substantiall body of Christ as it was on earth because it is against my Creed which teacheth me to beleeue he is in heauen Againe if we eate him in the bread flesh and bone it crosseth a commandement Thou shalt not kill for it is cruelty so to rend his flesh betweene our teeth Oh but how shall vnlearned men doe this Let vs know that God is the teacher of the vnlearned and he wil not giue a stone if we aske food but he will instruct the humble and in compassion will bring them foorth of darknesse if they will confer with the learned as the Eunuch did with Philip Act. 8.31 and if they will frequent the word preached with the same hearts that the men of Beroea did heare Pauls sermons Act. 17.10 comparing then with the verity of the word written For the second how truely Sathan applied the Scripture he brought the place is taken out of Psal 91.11 and though his purpose was to abuse Christ hauing no promise of protection going out of his waies yet in this he saith truely that hee applied the pomise especially to Christ the naturall Sonne of God though it extend to all the faithfull for Christ is that ladder of Iacob Gen. 28.12 whereupon the Angels ascended and descended and so much did he himselfe tell Nathaniel of 1. Iohn 51. that he should see the Angels ascend and descend vpon the sonne of man for they are seruiceable properly to him as the sonne of God and of him it is principally true that the Angels do attendeâ— for though they serue vs it is but for his sake not that they are inferior to vs in themselues but God hauing for his sonnes sake made vs heires of glory and Christ vouchsafing vs to bee companions with him in his kingdome they minister vnto vs and by that ladder doe descend vnto vs hauing of our selues nothing Further note that the diuell doth know that Christ and 〈◊〉 Gods children must haue sufficient security from God thâ—â— walking in their calling and in the waies prescribed them they shall be guided by the prouidence of the most high which is our comfort that neither the pestilence that walketh by night Psal 91.5.6 nor the arrowes that flie by day neither the dragon nor the aspe the open furious nor the secret malicious tyrant shall once hurt vs for Sathan knowes and doth heere testifie that we dwell in the secret of the Highest and vnder his shadow that shall shelter vs from stormy blasts and boiling heate and no more shall wee need to feare Gen. 11.4 then did the heauens when
it commeth euer betweene the heart and the sinne for thus Sathan powreth in poison into the heart by the outward sense and our looks are as windowes whereat lust is let in and concupiscence inflamed Heereupon it is that the Saints of God haue made their praiers that the Lord would turne away their eies from beholding vanity Iob 31.1 and Iob made And if these that were so full of the holy Ghost so painful in crucifying their members so feruent in praier and so awfull of God did this much more ought we that are farre behind them in religious exercises and farre before them in fleshly desires haue a steddy hand ouer our selues and our senses that they bee not caught and insnared Therefore let vs yeeld nothing to the course of waters nor seeke to quench the fire with oile or abate our lust by dalliance Some haue the eies of the Cockatrice of Egypt that sendeth foorth poison to infect others and rebounding backe againe poisoneth it selfe For him that can scarse stand of himselfe it is not safe sliding on the ice nor for a weake braine to come neere an Iuie bush for in this hee betraieth his owne soule For the second which is the promise hee made him All these faith he I will giue thee and lest he might seeme to promise that was none of his owne it appeareth by S. Luk. 4.6 that he doth not challenge this as his of himselfe but as giuen him as if hee should say They are all giuen me and I wil giue them all to thee wherein partly hee saith true and in part lieth most shamefully His truth is in this that he acknowledgeth it to bee bestowed by a higher Lord but heereby he would insinuate that they are so giuen as the Lord hath vtterly renounced and abdicated his care of the world and hath left the earth to bee disposed by Satan or the wheele of fortune contenting himselfe with the gouernment in the heauens Where learne that though Sathan doth rule against Gods will and that he neuer allowed his power whee ruleth not without his will Heereupon we must vnderstand a double power the first giuen the second onely permitted All power thou hast saith Christ to Pilate is giuen this of my Father Iohn 19.11 But the Diuels power is so permitted as it was neuer ordained of God therefore it is not so lawfull as that of Magistrates be they neuer so wicked for this is so giuen as though it bee abused yet the authority in it owne nature commeth from God Reuel 13. The beast that was the Emperour of Rome came tumultuously and aduanced by warres had his authoritie giuen him from the Dragon Where wee must distinguish two things first the ordinance of God commanding such magistracy so farre as it is preheminence secondly their Apostasie their tyrannie persecution of the Saints and their vniust comming to that seate was from the diuell But the diuels power he executeth is no way lawfull as from God for he neuer commanded it so as he is a meere vsurper and according to this is the lieutenancy of Sathan which God doth suffer but not ordiane namely that princely imperious popish Priest of Rome neither Magistrate nor Minister and hath no power but from sathan and is absolutely as vnlawfull as the Diuels Where further consider that there is nothing so euill but it is by Gods decree though not allowed and it is good there should be euill And though the diuell as hee is the Diuell ruleth not well yet it is to Gods glorie for the exercising of his children by the buffetings of Satan to humble them lest they should waxe proud and for the condemnation of the reprobate by the suggestions of Sathan to ntangle them that they might not escape the iustice of God The second thing Sathan assumeth to himselfe is most false namely that they were his to dispose for since they were neuer giuen him he cannot assigne them ouer for hee hath gained no interest by vsurpation And this is true that Nabuchadnezzar Dan. 4. learned by liuing among beasts Now saith he vers 31. I see by experience which I could not before iudge of that the Lord of Lords disposeth of kingdomes But it may bee thought a strange impudency in the diuell to goe about to perswade the Sonne of God that he could giue these things for scarce any of vs would thinke his soueraignty so great It is true Christ could noâ—â—â— this proffer bee seduced but a great part of the world doth thinke that hee can dispose of the comforts of this life which is proued by the meanes they vse to come to these blessings vsing leud practises and vnlawfull meanes not for a kingdome but for a trifle which they would neuer doe if they were not perswaded the disposition of these inferiour things were turned ouer to the Diuell for God giueth nothing as a blessing but by a lawfull course so as vsing Sathans meanes how can wee thinke it commeth from God And that such is our iudgement also appeareth by the prouerbe Hee that liueth an honest man shall die a begger and what is this but to giue ouer the gouernement to the Diuell of these earthly things And though they aske their daisie bread of God yet they testifie that this their God is Sathan For note the meanes they vse For kingdomes can a man perswade himselfe that God setteth vp Princes and that promotion commeth neither from the East not from the West and shall he aspire to it by treason For authority can a man thinke that to come to a place is in the disposition of the highest when he is aduanced by bribery and corruption He that thinks to win somewhat from a Prince by flattery perswadeth not himselfe that God can dispose of Princes harts And he that comes to a liuing by simony thinks not that the holy Ghost hath appointed him there nor he that increaseth his wealth by vsury holds not that riches come from the Lord for all these meanes hath his mouth cursed Further for the promise hee will giue him all if hee will giue him but a knee a small matter and if he would acknowledge him a benefactor he would gratifie him as a person worthy with all he shewed him Now how euer Christ was not ouercome with this yet it mightily preuailes with the sonnes of men Looke into all particular places and we shall finde he hath many to crouch to him for a great deale lesse then this was Iudas will betray his master for thirty peeces of siluer Mat. 26.15 Doeg will flatter Saul 1. Sa. 22.10 and speake all euill of Dauid in hope of preferment Absolon will seeke his fathers life to step into his throne 2. Sa. 15.2 Ioab will kill Amasa 2. Sam. 10. to get but the chiefe captainship of the guard And Abimelech will slay threescore and ten men Iudges 9.2 to make himselfe way to the Crowne This made Balaam Numbers 24. that hee would faine haue cursed
him but answereth him with one onelie word of detestation Auoid Sathan For the blasphemous may not bee reasoned with if they should it would make them but burst foorth into greater outrage against the peareles and matchlesse wisedome of God giuing vs likewise by this answer secretly to vnderstand that whosoeuer goeth about to withdraw vs from God is of the diuell so likewise are they that seeke by reason to disswade vs from the shame of the crosse Therefore Mat. 16.23 when Christ indeuoured to preuent the ignominy should come vpon the crosse and to make his disciples and the rest vnuanquishable when it should come it is said there Peter tooke him aside and vsed reasons to disswade him from such 〈◊〉 comfortable speeches whereupon Christ not mildly but sharply being displeased with this carnall excoption of his bids him 〈◊〉 Sathan that is as a great enemy to him and others And so whensouer flesh and bloud shal take exception against the mystery of godlinesse it is thus sharply to bee reproued Heereupon Rom. 3.31 exceptions being taken that the law serued to no vse because Christs obedience had absolutely purchased our pardon the Apostle in like wisdome of the spirit of God answereth not onely by a simple deniall but by a deniall with a detestatioâ—â— God forbid as that it is blasphemy to be of such opinion And sometime to this phrase the Apostle addeth more as Rom. 3.8 not replying one word but onely saith their damnation is iust rather setting before them their cursed end then conuincing them by reason for as Salomon saith A foole may not bee answered in his folly Out of the second answer which Christ maketh for our instruction and satisfaction obserue that God must haue both all outward and inward worship so as it is impious to thinke a man can keepe his soule for God when hee humbleth his bodie to strange gods and in this hee doth withdraw his reuerencâ— from his owne religion either through feare or profanenâ—â—â—â— reaching foorth part of the worship to another But wee must know God will haue both and in creating both hee challengeth both besides that of them both hee hath made but one man which cannot be diuided but goeth together For we are not baptised in our bodies onely but in our soules out soules only were not redeemed neither shall they onely bee saâ—ed but the whole man If the bodie then be the Lords both by creation and by redemption let vs giue testimony of his worship in both otherwise it is as if a woman should protest she loued her husband at the heart and in her soule and yet should prostitute her bodie to vncleannesse but wee are espoused and maried to the Lord therefore let vs keepe both for him vnspotted Lastly out of the diuels argument let vs learne to feare and serue the Lord for if gifts may draw on worship as he pretendeth by his proffer to Christ then hath the Lord offered farre more largely for vs I will giue thee saith he eternall life and it is no aduantage to winne the world and to take the diuels offer and after to lose our soules But let vs set God on our right hand in him we liue in him wee haue our being it is hee that feedeth vs with naturall and supernaturall things and blessings godlinesse hauing the promises of this life and of the life to come 1. Tim. 4.8 hee will make vs heires of the earth the world standing for our sakes we shall be heires of heauen Ioh. 1â— 2 Christ hauing prepared places for vs in his fathers house yea fellow heires with his owne Sonne tasting of no other loue Ioh. 17.24 nor feeling any other glory then his Sonne hath and therefore in the iudgement of the diuell hee shall worthily bee damned that refuseth so large an offer at Gods hand who giueth and neuer vpbraideth pardoneth and neuer reperteth Then the diuell left him c. This is the third part namely the issue and euent of the temptations had and sustained by Christ set downe in two things first that when the diuell could not ouercome him he left him secondly that the Angels attended and ministred For the first by this vnderstand that as Christ was tempted for vs and in our flesh ouercame for vs in his person so wee haue good and comfortable security that vsing the same meanes hee did according as we shall be enabled and through the grace of the same spirit wee also shall ouercome the Prince of darknesse for wee must not thinke our selues freed from these assaults the life of a Christian being a warfare the world the campe the first registring and inrolling of vs being in baptisme where we tooke a vow to be true to the Lord Iesus Christ is our victorious Captaine our enemies are the world without vs the flesh within vs as accessaries and the diuell as principall besides temptations on both hands Now the power we haue to repell these is the sword of the spirit the word of God the schoole where we learne this defence is the Church of God where we finde weapons both offensiue and defensiue a shield of faith to defend our selues and a sword of the word to offend the enemy And this may bee our comfort his rage will haue an end and his malice shall not preuaile but as Saint Iames saith If we resist him Iames 4.7 he will flie from vs that is he will hasten as fast away as he came fiercely toward vs for heere is promised victory to all that striue infeare For the second generally we note how it pleased God by wisdome and dispensation to dispose of the exinanition as I may so tearme it or the impairing and abasing of Christ while he was in the flesh that in the midst of the greatest ignominy and reproch yet he bore some marke and badge of his notable and diuine power whereby by the eies of faith hee might bee discerned to be the Sonne of God His basenesse appeareth in this that he liued in the wildernesse he was assaulted of the diuell he had no company but beasts hee was hungry and had no food but stones Sathan was busie with him to make him tempt his Father and in all this there was nothing but ignominy and extreame basenesse But after all this there breaketh foorth like the Sunne through the clouds a matter which maketh him knowen and discerned to be more then a man that the Angels come to doe him seruice And thus did it euer fall our that hee was neuer brought so low nor so neare the ground but there did at last shine forth an impregnable worke of his diuinity hee was borne in a stable his Cradle was a Manger there was lodging in the Inne but none for Mary Mat. 22. yet was there then a starre in the heauens to signifie to the Wise-men the birth of this noble personage hee was baptised by Iohn his seruant Mat 3.15.16 but a voice was heard from
he had beene but newly entred into the schoole of Christ when after his long profession of God yet after a tedious hypocrisie had ouergrowne his soule he cried out Psal 51. Lord create a new spirit in me as if he had not had it before euen so may the vncleane and euill spirit bee like the snow hidden in the thicke clouds and as fire raked vp in the ashes that the heat when it breaketh foorth may be the greater for euen in the powers of thy body and soule there may be an interruption of the soueraignty of sinne for a season leauing notwithstanding some grosse sinnes of a wicked conuersation behind him that when he wandreth abroad he may make thee know he hath a home in thy heart and that this abatement of his power in thee for a time may make thy sinne at length more vgly and enormous than before Againe Sathan may be cast out in the iudgement of the man himselfe the Lord giuing him the spirit of slumber that he perswadeth himselfe so or in the iudgement of the Church Sathan may seeme to be cast out when in all outward exercises of religion he conformeth himselfe like a Christian for who would haue thought otherwise of Iudas being a disciple and one of Christ his scholars till the Lord discouered his hypocrisie Yea Sathan may seeme both to the man himselfe and to the Church to bee cast out and yet not to be so indeed as appeareth Luk. 8.18 where it is said Euen that shall be taken away which hee seemeth to haue Lastly as the vncleane spirit may bee said to come into a man when he was in him before because in comming in there commeth in a more forcible and stronger illusion of Sathan than there was before as Luk. 22.3 it is said that Sathan entred into Iudas before the Passeouer and we cannot thinke that the spirit of God was in him before for he was a thiefe and carried the bagge and paid himselfe for the carriage and yet Iohn 13.27 it is said precisely that Sathan entred into Iudas after the soppe meaning by entring in a greater power than there was before Euen so he may be said to go out and to be cast out when hee is not let in for a time that after he may be giuen vp into a reprobate sense for it was but a weake kind of Sun-shine that euer appeared in his life Hence obserue that so much is Sathan cast out of vs as sin 〈◊〉 cast out of vs for Sathan fighteth against vs with two weapons first with that he found within vs which is flesh and bloud secondly by that he brought vpon vs which is death Why then the speciall weapon wherewith he striketh vs being our corruptions they must be cut off and east away or else Sathan himselfe is not vanquished If thou therefore wilt saie hee be cast out of thee shew what alteration there is in thy life and what change in thy affections if the greatest part be not pietie in religion and puritie in conuersation be sure Sathan hath more weapons in thee than God for as Christ saith Ioh. 8.44 Yee are of the diuell for yee do his workes And therefore euery one must make this examination with himselfe that if of a despiser and vnreuerent speaker of the word of God he doe not now shew his words to be such as may giue grace to the hearers Sathans weapon still remaineth in him for this is the argument Saint Paul vseth Rom. 6.19 As when we were seruants to vncleannesse we did commit iniquitie so now being seruants vnto righteousnesse we must haue our fruit in holinesse of life that our end may be saluation Secondly obserue since Sathan may be cast out of thee in thine owne iudgement and in the opinion of those with whom thou liuest and yet be besieging thy soule with hypocrisie that thou must labour to get good euidence of the spirit of God that thou art Christs which especially thou shalt performe by winning the spirit of humilitie to dwel within thee For if thou doest publikely vaunt and bragge how fruitfull thou art in thy profession and how farre thou hast runne in a short time in Christianitie when thou art not called thereunto by God but thrust forward in the pride and vanitie of thine owne heart then maist thou with the Pharisee Luk. 18.14 depart home puffed vp in thy selfe and seeming to others like a painted sepulcher when as within thou art nothing but rottennesse and farre from being iustified before God This did Salomon in his wisedome finde in his time which made him leaue it as an example for vs to learne by Prouerb 30.12 that there was a generation pure in their owne eies and yet they were not washed from their filthinesse such as would carrie a glorious shew that they had tasted of the tree of life and such as in presumption of their owne strength will knocke at heauen gates as due to them by desert when alas the Lord neuer knew them Howsoeuer therefore euery Christian is in dutie to sit in iudgement vpon himselfe yet let him know that he must solemnly keepe this Court in his owne conscience and there let him suruey and examine his maners and his members his wit and his senses how he hath vsed them and in this triall let him make the law of God his Iudge for that shall cut him to the quicke and by this shall he truely see whether Sathan be truely cast out of him or no. For Sathan will teach thee to hide thy sinne but the law will discouer it to thy face if thy sinne be seene he will double it with this temptation that thou shalt dissemble it but the law will set thy sinnes in order and in a ranke before thee If he cannot teach thee thus to beguile thy selfe and God yet will hee mooue thee to excuse and lessen it but the law shall shew it thee in such a glasse as shall truly set foorth the vgly shape of it And if when thou hast made this perfect law of God to be thy Iudge thou canst likewise make Christ the answerer of this Iudge and canst walke cloathed with his garments of innocencie humilitie and obedience as with the garments of our elder brother and out of a cleane and pure heart and affection canst send foorth the fruits actions of thy life then maist thou assure thy selfe Sathan is so cast out as he shall neuer haue power to returne to thee againe Thirdly obserue since Sathan may seeme to be cast out for a time by an interruption of the power and strength of sinne in a man which at length breaketh in vpon him like whole flouds of waters that therefore if wee will haue Sathan effectually cast out of vs we must learne not to discontinue some sinnes and to retaine others not to take vp some in the imbers while wee suffer others to racke our soules for one sinne nourished and maintained is sufficient to keepe possession
is with you and as Iohn 5.35 for a season to reioice in this light but that is onely spoken of the elect which is Malac. 4.2 that vnto them that feare the name of God shall the Sunne of righteousnesse arise and health shall be vnder his wings And as it is in the Prophet Esay The Sunne shall neuer go downe Esay 66.23 nor the Moone be darkned that is their light shall neuer be put out Againe the reprobate may conceiue and retaine a knowledge of reconciliation but it is a confused knowledge but the elect hath a more particular knowledge that he can receiue it to apply it to the reforming of his life whereas the other haue it onely to make them vnexcusable or to make them burst foorth into some confession of their sinne without repentance Examples here of we haue Esau Gen. 27.38 losing the blessing wept and Peter Luke 22.62 losing Christ by his denials wept bitterly Heere are teares alike but not in trueth alike So Math. 27.3 Iudas betraying Christ saith I haue sinned and 2. Sam. 24.10 Dauid numbring the people against Gods commandement said I haue sinned here is repentance in both the worke alike but the faith vnlike So as the reprobate haue a common beginning with the children of God vnder the veile and couering of hypocrisy but they can neuer come to that height wherin the elect do stand as 2. Cor. 3.17 to behold the Lord with open face or to be transformed to his image or as Reu. 1.7 to haue receiued that true cie-salue as to see Christ comming in the clouds with comfort or as it is said in the Prophet Ieremie that true anointing of the Lords grace which neither wasteth with time nor decaieth in vertue The second grace which is diuers in substance is adoption which no hypocrite can perswade himselfe to haue in such measure as the elect may for indeed this spirit of adoption is alwaies denied them And this may bee knowen by two parts that are to bee performed first by praier to GOD secondly by affections towards GOD. For the first it is impossible for an hypocrite to praie aright hee may babble or vse the externall gesture in prayer as the Pharisee did in the open streetes yea Sathan may suffer him to vtter some words without feeling sometime so farre as to condemne his owne sinne Mat. 27.4.5 as Iudas did his selling of Christ but yet his conscience neuer disalloweth it for this is an inseparable marke set vpon the praiers of the elect Rom. 8.26 Neither haue any this sanctified spirit to pray as they ought but they which are of God And as Galath 4.6 For that assurance in praier whereby wee crie Abba Father the reprobate cannot possibly haue nor feele that force in praier for as the Apostle there saith it is proper onely for the sonnes of God The reason is because the reprobate want the second grace which accompanieth and waiteth vpon the spirit of adoption that is good affections toward God for hee doth but dissemble his loue of God that hee might still continue as a bayâ—rec euer florishing the reuerence that he yeelds him is but in hypocrisie Iames. 2.19 and the obedience that he giueth him is but constrained as is the diuels Howbeit with the elect it fareth farre otherwise for their praiers are auailable because they are taught of God and their affections are good because they are changed by his spiâ—â—e and they can come to God as children to a father only loking to speed in the name of father for this sheweth reconcilement after our first enmity and setteth foorth more sound loue than nature can affoord And this his loue draweth our feare to oftend and our care to please and we doe lift vp our voice with an assurance we shall be heard Ioh. 5.15 because we humble our selues in a detestation of our sinnes and with a resolution to be obedient to his commandements which the reprobates cannot doe for though the Lord doe often euen shew mercy to them in their praiers and other Christian exercises so as they may thinke they haue their sinnes forgiuen as he did to Ahab 1. King 21.27.29 who hauing solde himselfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of God vpon the iudgement pronounced against him sitting but within the shadow of praier and fasting was spared that the euill should not fall in his daies yet can they not possibly loue the Lord of heauen but in a confused sort nor come before him but with a slauish feare But it may be said If the Lord sheweth mercie to hypocrites and yet their praiers nor auaileable it may be thought the Lord is deceitfull No for the hypocrite is taken with the sweetnesse of the Lords mercy but he not apprehending it as hee should in obedience it proueth to him but a decaying sweetnesse Neither yet doth this any whit proue the will of God to be changeable though after his mercy disclosed he doth withdraw it from them for they relie onely and stay themselues vpon the present mercy not seeking further euen as Esau Gen. 25 34. who so he might presently haue to fill his belly cared not for his birth-right whereas the elect ground themselues vpon Gods mercy in all maner of tempests and doe gather together as many remembrances of it as they can in any of their afflictions after the example of Dauid who 1. Sam. 17.37 armeth himselfe against Goliah vpon the remembrance of the Lords mercy formerly shewed him in deliuering him out of the paw of the Lion and of the Beate Neither yet doth the spirit of God at all deceiue the reprobate for the Lord did not so extend his mercy as to take them to bee his and keepe them as his but did cast that seed into them to make them without excuse and to double their damnation Mark 4.5.6 in that they loued darknesse more than light so as for their ingratitude it was taken away Now for the second difference which is betweene the elect and the reprobate which is discerned by the working of this spirit it is to be obserued that it worketh more effectually in the elect than in the reprobate for the grace offered them doth but puffe them vp with a dexterie of wit and volubility of speech that they can conceiue and speake something of the Lord as the Pharisees could in Christ his time but this grace worketh farre otherwise in the elect and by no comparison for the Lord doth not onely enlighten the iudgement of his chosen to make them know his Gospell but changeth also their affections to make them worke foorth their saluation with feare and trembling And as it is Ezechiel 18.31 they shall haue a new heart giuen them to walke in the commandements of the Lord and as Danià speaketh Psal 40.6.7.8 they haue a new song put into their mouths and the Lord hath so prepared their eares as they can say Here I am O Lord I desire to
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
felt most suggestions and yet hath resisted them may assure himselfe that Sathan is cast out for flesh and bloud cannot bee cured but by temptations as Paul witnesseth of the Churches of Macedon 2. Corinthians 8.2 whose ioy abounded in their great triall of affliction And as the same Apostle testifieth of himselfe 2. Corinthians 12.7 lest he should be exalted aboue measure the messenger of Satan was sent to buffet him which though Satan doth it of malice yet the Lord doth it to humble vs for if he should at once cast Satan out of vs then the wild beasts of pride and of not feeling the infirmities of our brethren would deuoure vs euen as Deut. 7.22 the Canaanites were rooted out but by little and little from among the Israelites lest the beasts of the field should haue increased vpon them I will returne c. and when he commeth he findeth c. This is the third point set downe in this parable that setteth foorth the enlightning of hypocrites to their most iust condemnation namely the meanes and the fit occasion Sathan espieth to surprise againe that man out of whom he was cast There be two set down here the first swept the second garnished and the third is supplied Mat. 12.44 He findeth him empty that is void of the graces of God and fitter to receiue Sathan after his enlightning then he was before It is a metaphor or translated speech taken from trauellers or guests that desire to be entertained with clenlinesse For so it is with Satan that when thou art filled with all bitternesse gall of heart and hypocrisie then art thou a clean habitation for him and the fuller of sinnes the fairer and fitter not that Sathan doth delight in cleanlinesse but that thou art to him most neate and handsome when there is in thee the superfluitie of all wickednesse and when thou art become a most excellent and perfect hypocrite as thâ—â— thou canst pray at Church cousin at home pretend kindnesse to thy brother and yet eat him thorow with vsury the sweeter dwelling is there for Sathan in thee Hence let vs obserue for our comfort that this cannot bee meant of the true children of God for it is impossible that Sathan can find the soule of a Christian empty that is depriued and void of the whole grace of God For an abatement of the spirit of God must not be taken for an emptinesse as Ephes 4.30 it is said the spirit may be grieued and 1. Thess 5.19 it is said it may be quenched and many of the graces of God in his children may be empty that is there may bee no feeling of them for a time but the chosen of God cannot cleane fall away not the image of God be cleane defaced in them for then could they not be brought home againe vnlesse Christ should suffer againe which cannot be Heb. 10.10 Againe in the greatest sins when men haue deserued the greatest punishments yet we presume they haue some of the good spirit in them as Paul did of the incestuous person 1. Cor. 5.5 whom he willed to be separated for a time that his flesh might be tamed which sheweth the Apostle had some hope he had the spirit for if all in him had beene flesh then should he not haue beene excommunicate by the censures of the Church but wholly cut off from the Church and accursed Dauid Psal 51. praieth to haue a cleane heart created in him vers 10.11 not to haue it taken away which shewes he felt it therefore hee praieth not there for the holy Ghost simply but for some graces of the holy Ghost as for a stable spirit that he fall not againe for that grace he had not before and after he praieth Lord giue me peace so as hee had not the peace of conscience before and when he saith Take not thy spirit from me that is though his sinne had deserued it euen as wee praie Lord be not farre from vs not that the Lord is at any time absent from his Saints but that wee feele it not at that time so comfortablie as wee desire so Dauid praieth Lord giue me a free spirit that is that hee might praie more seruently then he did before for except he had had indeed the heat of the spirit it is impossible hee should haue yeelded obedience to the chastiâ—â—ment of God or for Peter to haue wept in his heart at the rebuke of Christ except hee had some seedes of the spirit of God in him Mat. 26.75 Howbeit we may not be drawne by this to presumption to thinke it maketh no matter how wee liue for as the children of God haue the inuisible marke of the earnest of the spirit so must they also beare the visible marke of zealous profession and honest conuersation For if wee doe not cherish the spirit of God by good emploiment and spirituall gaine that wee grow from faith to faith it is a signe that the spirit of trueth is not in vs so that we must not flatter our selues because there cannot bee indeed an emptinesse but with Saint Peter 2. Peter 1.5 we must ioine vertue with faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance c. For if we stay at the first staire we shall neuer be able to ascend to the Saints of God and if growth and increase be not in vs we are but idle and vnfruitfull in the acknowledging of Christ The reason is because being elect when wee receiue grace of God wee receiue withall grace to employ and vse it that it may abound alwaies excepted the storme and tempest of an afflicted conscience for that time for the Lord if he see vs prosper with one grace hee will giue vs more and if we thriue not with a graine of faith Mat. 25 16. he will take all from vs so as though thou canst praie yet vnlesse thou canst praie better with more feruent zeale and powre out thy soule more fully before the Lord than before it is nothing for the first grace to pray onely was but giuen thee as an hypocrite to make thee vnexcusable Further obserue hence that Sathans fittest garniture and best entertainment is hypocrisie to make thee pretend holinesse when thou intendest nothing but wickednesse and this hypocrisie standeth in two things first in not doing that which God hath commanded secondly in doing it otherwise than God hath commanded If thou fallest into the first thou shewest thy selfe rebellious if thou slip into the second thou discouerest thy thy selfe against the law of the Eternall If he tell thee thou shalt not eate of the forbidden tree thou oughtest not so much as to looke on it lest the lust of thine eie betray thy heart and the desire of thy heart doe beguile thy taste If he prescribe thee a rule and a course wherein thou shalt walke thou must not as Numb 22.18 for a house full of gold go beyond the word of the Lord to do more or lesse And therefore
if wee will not be hypocrites we must arraie our selues with a contrarie garnishment casting downe as 2. Cor. 10.5 euery thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ For as Satan delighteth to haue his house garnished and the fuller of sinnes thou art the fitter for him as that if the cup be full of extortion if it be faire without Mat. 23.25 he makes thee thinke thy selfe a great Scribe So also there is a furniture the Lord delights in namely sanctification and as 2. Cor. 7.1 to keep our soules clean for since Sathan 〈◊〉 needs be doing and willingly contenteth not himselfe to get the borders but hee will assay to take the arch city wee that are the children of God must keepe him occupied in some out-house or outward member at the most and aboue all striue to shut him out of the bed-chamber and from ruling in the heart bearing a religious care to follow the waies of God and to be garnished in humility to receiue the riches of the Lords graces not excepting against any thing the Lord willeth but shewing our selues reformable to all He taketh seuen other spirits worse c. As Sathan at his returne findeth the field well growen and the heart of that man fuller of sinnes than before so the fourth thing followeth namely what meanes he vseth not to be turned out againe hee bringeth seuen spirits worse than himselfe by this meanes so to rampire this his fortresse as to make it his continuall mansion Mat. 23.15 not to make him two fold worse as Proselites but seuen times worse like Diuels Wherein obserue that God in iustice is prouoked to reuenge himselfe vpon ingratitude for his graces according to the proportion of the grace that was offered so as Sathan vpon the contempt of the grace giuen shal preuaile more than before which the Lord doth as a iust reuenger of sinne for Sathan is chained that without his permission he can do nothing and the Lord is alway present vel per gratiam vel per vindictam either by grace to preuent thy sinne or by reuenge to punish it and therefore thou that hast spurned at the riches of the Lords mercy that hast thought Manna to be lothsome and syncerity in religion to be burdensome the Lord shall so punish thee that the sinnes past shall be the punishments of sinnes to come and the deserts of punishments that are to come For if wee thinke not the hearing of the word and receiuing of the Sacraments to be speciall meanes to bring in Sathan looke Luk. 13.26 and it will make vs take heed whether we come to them of conscience or of custome for Christ may teach in our streets and wee may eat and drinke in his presence and yet not know vs to bee his for it is said To him that hath profited shall more grace bee giuen but if thou hast onely heard that grace 〈…〉 hast shalt thou be spoiled of Heb. 6.7 And it fareth with the 〈◊〉 as with the raine that neuer falles vpon the ground but if maketh the earth more barren or more fruitfull so the word of God neuer returneth in vaine but euery man is made thereby either to sauour damnation or saluation 2. Cor. ◠26 as Saint Paul speaketh Euen so it is also of the Sacrament for though Christ was kinde in giuing the soppe to a traitor yet wee see Iohn 13.2 that after the soppe giuen Sathan entred into Iudas For the more familiar and the better acquainted wee are with the best of Gods graces the more shall our paine and torment bee for our prophane vse of them Secondly in that it is said Seuen spirits woorse wee must vnderstand a verie forcible seducing and great power of Sathan for heere is put a certaine number of an incertaine seuen spirits that is an infinite number of enormous sins expressed in diuers places of the Scripture as Acts 5.3 it is said Sathan had filled Ananias heart that he should lie vnto the holy Ghost and Act. 8.23 of Simon Magus that he was in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquitie and Act. 13.8 of Elymas the sorcerer such an enemie of righteousnesse as the least occasion will moue him to sinne and hauing as Eph. 4.19 their hearts past feeling haue giuen themselues to all wantonnesse and such as Reuel 22.11 being filthie will be more filthie Now if any should expostulate and question why the Lord will suffer this where hee once bestowed his graces wee answer Mat. 2. if the Lord do gather where he sowed not if he take away the talent for not vsing it to gaine by a spirituall trafficke then what shall his case bee that casteth the pearles of his graces to swine Againe as Rom. 1.20 the Lord did iustly condemne them that onely had the law written in their hearts and had no other spectacle than the booke of heauen and earth and thereby did see his power and iustice in administring these inferior things which hee had created if I say as vers 24. he gaue them vp into a reprobate sense what shall become of those that haue the booke of the Gospell and haue acknowledged the Lord and yet haue troden him vnder foot but that they be giuen vp into a triple reprobate sense since the Gentiles were cast away onely for despising him in his creatures and yet we despise him in his Christ Further in that it is said Seuen spirits woorse obserue th◠there is a difference of sinnes sinners and punishments for it is said they be woorse yet the first was said to be vncleane which we note not that wee should learne to extenuate any sinne for thought idle words be but an vncleane spirit in respect of whoordome which is worse yet shalt thou be iudged for them aswell as for this In Mat. 5.22 there is a difference of sinnes and punishments set downe whosoeuer is angry with his brother vnaduisedly shall be culpable of iudgement but he that saith Raca shall be woorthy to bee punished by a Councell but who so shall say Foole shall be worthy to be punished with hell fire So as we see though some sinnes be more sharply punished than others yet the least is culpable of iudgement So Dauid Psal 1.1 pronounceth blessednesse to him that first hath not walked secondly that stands not thirdly that sits not in the sea◠of the scornefull that is hath a resolute purpose to despise the spirit of grace harder shall it be for him than for the other and as the Apostle Saint Iude v. 7. harder for them than for Sodome and yet they be in hell For as all haue not the same spirit of grace in like measure so is it of the vncleane spirit which raigneth more in some than in others Withall obserue the speech of S. Paul Eph. 4.30 who after warning giuen not to grieue the spirit setteth downe how one sinne increaseth another as
first let there be no bitternesse secondly a degree further a heating of the blood by anger thirdly wrath more then anger that is into a further distemper fourthly loud speaking that is crabbednesse or brawling fiftly blasphemy standering backbiting and open reuiling sixtly malice when a man will keepe it in his heart And all these by degrees do grieue the spirit let vs not therefore yeeld a little to the course of the waters lest some streame carrie vs away Lastly since we see what is in an hypocrite that is seuen spirits woorse an infinit number of enormous and notorious sinnes examine thy heart whether thou hast contrary affections to an hypocrite or is assure thy selfe thou art one too For the Lord setteth downe their sins for vs to take heed by and their punishments for our example As they then haue seuen woorse spirits so must thou labor to haue seuen better spirits for if thou do not increase in zeale in thankfulnesse and in humility nor hast greater grace now than thou hadst when thou first began to beleeue thou art not the Lords for if thou wert hee would haue multiplied his mercie vpon thee as hee doth his iustice in sending seuen woorse spirits to them that despised him And this is proued Matth. 25.28 the talent that was taken away was not giuen to him that had fiue but to him that had ten talents so as to him that hath shall more be giuen and the more we haue the more delight will the Lord take to load vs as vers 29. To him that hath shall be giuen and he shall haue abundance Wherefore commend me to thy conscience by this token if the grace of God be not increased in the end it will be taken away which is prooued Reuel 22.11 He that is righteous must be more righteous the reason is rendred by Saint Ioh. 1.4 4. Because he that is in vs is stronger than hee that is in the world Why then as they grow dailie more wicked so must wee grow more godly the rather because hee that hath the seuen candlestickes that is Christ that hath the fulnesse and is the distributer of all the graces of God will giue liberally to vs whom he hath vouchsafed the name of brethren So the last state of that man c. This is the fift point spoken of at the first how Satan whom hee first trained on in hypocrisie neuer leaueth till hee hath brought him to confusion Answerabale to that 2. Peter 2.20 If they be tangled againe and ouercome of the filthinesse from which they were at first escaped the latter end is woorse with them than the beginning And this is true whether we respect this life or the life to come for first while they carried a face and countenance of religion they were wrapped vp in the generall praiers of the Church but when the maske of hypocrisie is taken from them and their leprosie appeareth they are singled out as the enemies of God and his iudgements hastned vpon them at the intreatie of his seruants Secondly while they liued in their hypocrisie they were quiet within themselues and they had good hope the night wold neuer haue come but when they depart in the open contempt and hardnesse of heart then they find their consciences open to condemne them and hell gates open to let them in Thirdly their end shall be worst at the last iudgement when the least part of the Lords wrath shall be bigger than all the torments they felt before when his iron rod shall bruise them and they shall be beaten with woorse than Scorpions But now with the godly shall it fare otherwise whose end shall be better than their beginning whether wee measure the blessings they haue heere or which shall be reuealed to them hereafter as Ioh 42.10.12 when the Lord had turned away the captiuitie of Iob hee blessed his last daies more than the first and gaue him as the text speaketh twise so much as he had in outward things and when he died full of yeeres he gaue him ioies without comparison without measure and without end ROM chap. 8. vers 1. verse 1 Now then there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit THe Apostle beginneth this chapter with a conclusion full of all comfort depending vpon his former treatise and disputation for before he shewed what our estate was in the marriage with our first husband which was the flesh namely that while we liue at the becke and commandement of our corruption and can no sooner haue a motion to sinne beating as it were in our pulse but wee bend our desires and consent to encourage it to the fruit of actuall sinne that all this while so long as we giue wine as it were to strengthen sinne in the conception wee are no better then in the state of damnation But when being diuorced from the flesh wee are by the power of the spirit vnited vnto Christ which not onely keepeth vs from that bondage of sinning whereto wee were at first enthralled and vnder which wee were so forceably held as we were constrained to sinne by violence but also so killeth that muenomed flesh of ours that there is as it were a new creation in vs the strength of Christ dispossessing and disarming the strength of sinnefull flesh and wee are so changed both in the outward and inward man as all is become fresh and new our thoughts our wils our affections our endeuours seruing and performig their duties to God in the newnesse of the spirit not in the oldnesse of the letter then when Christ hath thus sanctified vs and wee liue sanctifiedly in him when his spirit hath rifled the corrupted corners of our hearts and planted the flowers of grace where before grew the weedes of concupiscence then neither is there any hell to swallow vs nor any feare of condemnation to torment vs nor any sinne so to presse vs downe but with the wound we receiue the cure nay before wee are smitten wee haue our Sauiour Christ our most approued Physitian and salue who when we are left more then halfe dead by the sting of sinne like the mercifull Samaritan doth lay vs in his owne breast bosome Luk. 10.34 powreth the oile of his owne blood into our wounds and deliuereth vs ouer to be cherished preserued and guided by his owne spirit This verse standeth on three parts first a description of the persons that are and shal be preserued from damnation set downe indefinitly yet restrained to a particular all those and those only and alone that are in Christ and no other Secondly by what meanes this preseruation from hell is wrought namely by our being in Christ not by our being neere Christ Thirdly to take away the strife which commonly is in the world because forfooth all will be Christs he setteth downe a visible badge wherby to discerne whether we be truly married to Christ or no.
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
the euerlasting curse of God for so are we all by nature in which nature of ours he representing vs became vile before his father in respect of vs. But now for the punishment of sinne vpon him that was not imaginarie but true and sensible both in soule and body so extreame as in anguish of spirit he was driuen to crie My God my God why hast thou forsaken me yea the death he endured was in it owne kind accursed as it is written Deut. 21.23 Cursed is euery one that hangeth on the tree yea looke what miseries what wants what dangers he did vndergoe and taste of from his birth to his ascension into heauen the same he suffered and slept in onely for vs which cleareth the iustice of God that a righteous man should smart for vs sinners because we are in him and he in vs which I vrge the more that we may see the great price the sonne of God paied for our redemption to stirre vs vp to a better and deeper consideration of it he being the only shepheard that euer gaue his life for his sheepe the only lambe which being vnspotted in himselfe did euer take vpon him the scabbes and vlcers of the whole flocke the onely man full of sorrowes and experience of infirmities whom the world iudged as plagued smitten of God and humbled yet was it onely for our iniquities that the chastisement of our peace might be vpon him Therfore as Esay 53.11 let him see the trauell of his soule that is the fruit of his labour and the efficacy of his death in the saluation of vs his people For the other profit it is also double as first we are made partakers of his graces secondly of the glorie for his graces And this standeth also with the iustice of God that he being in vs and we in him God must needs with him giue vs all things also Now the graces we taste of by this coniunction are twofold first by imputation which is his satisfaction for our sinnes we being starke bankerupts able to pay nothing and the benefit of his obedience we being rebellious bastards able to fulfill nothing secondly in our selues but drawen and deriued from Christ the fountaine as the change of our affections reforming of our iudgements renuing of our minds mortification a sanctified life and these graces did farre more abound in Christ then euer they did in Adam in his integrity for he was flesh made â—â—t after the image of God wheras this flesh Christ had the God head dwelling in him bodily as Col. 1.18 had in all things the preheminence that we might tast of the fulnes of his graces as far as is fit And for the second much is the glory for his graces namly eternall life of this hee hath also made vs partakers ye as if he had no other errand to heauen he saith Io. 14.32 I go to prepare a place for you in my fathers house Therfore let vs not say in our hearts that is let vs not doubt but assure our selues that as Christ is ascended so shall we and it is no presumption to beleeue that the Lord for his Sonnes sake will saue thee for he hath first giuen thee his word and promise He that beleeueth and repenteth shall be saued so as if thou canst apply repentance to thy selfe thou maiest challenge him on his word and secondly thou hast his oath hee sware to Abraham that his seed through his faith should be blessed and this hath Christ sworne againe A men Amen he that beleeueth is already translated from death to life shewing the certainty of it by the maner of speech as if it were already done and if thou wilt relie vpon neither of the former he hath thirdly left thee a pawne that is his spirit to guide and conduct thee in the right way that though thy selfe connot be in heauen as yet yet thy affections may be in the bosome of Christ and that thy faith in his resurrection may assure thee of thy incorruption and thy comfort in his sitting at the right hand of God may rebound backe vpon thy owne soule in being an vndoubted testimony of thy exaltation and aduancement heereafter for where Christ is there by reason of this coniunction betweene thee and him thou must needs be also Hence ariseth a most comfortable instruction for an afflicted conscience for Sathan will lay a whole scrowle of particular sins before thee charge thee that there be many omitted wherein thou hast offended that corruption is so worne into thy bones and lieth so low at the heart as it cannot be taken forth but must needs rankle to damnation and that thy sinnes are in their number so many and in their weight so heauy as there can be no case nor satisfaction for them Thou must confesse thou art indeed in thy selfe a worme vnworthy to creepe vpon the earth but in Christ as bold and strong as a lion yea if thou canst appropriate the sufferings of Christ to thy selfe in particular as the Gospâ—â— propounds them generally thou maiest answer that by the â—â—rity of his birth the obedience of his life and the bitternesse of his death he hath clensed thee from thy sinne wherein thou wert conceiued made vp the breach of thy rebellion and ransomed thee from the cruelty of that second death whereinto thou wert plunged by thine actuall pollution this thou knowest because thou art one with him and he with thee True indeed sathan will confesse that Christ took our flesh vpon him as himself said in the Gospell that he was come before his time to torment him but yet he will suggest that Christ being but one his satisfaction can be but for one and he will tell thee in this truely that the sinnes of all men are infinite and the wrath of God for them is infinite for which the satisfaction of Christ must bee as infinite which saith he cannot be To which answer that as by the first Adam all men are made sinners so by the second Adam which is Christ all that beleeue are made righteous and as Adam can damne all that shall be damned for all in him did eate of the forbidden fruit so Christ can saue all that shall be saued for all in him are brought againe into the Paradise of God Reu. 2.7 In Rom. 5.14 and 1. Cor. 15.22 Adam is said to be a figure of Christ wherein they agree in this that as Adam gaue as much as he had to his posterity so doth Christ proportionably giue that he hath to those that be his Adam gaue sinne and death Christ giueth life and grace And they disagree in three respects first we receaue sin from Adam by nature but we receaue not the graces of Christ and life eternall by nature but by imputation and by grace only and not by imitation for we cannot imitate Christ in euery thing secondly by Adam came only originall sinne not actuall but Christ hath satisfied for both
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
For the first of these the Papists say it is meant that none can be saued by the works of the ceremoniall Law that it is not to be vnderstood of the morall law Which is most false as is proued Rom. 3.20 By the works of the law shall no flesh be iustified for by the law commeth the knowledge of sin He doth not say by the knowledge of the ceremoniall law and 2. Cor. 3.7 where he calleth the law the ministration of death written with letters and ingrauen in stones we all knowing there was no law written with the finger of God and ingrauen in stones but the law of the tenne commandements and Gal. 3.21.22 the Apostle maketh an opposition between the law and the promise that if life should bee giuen by the law and by that meanes should iustifie then should it abolish that iustification promised to Abraham and â—o his seed by faith which cannot bee vnderstood but of the mâ—â—all law and Rom. 7.7 He had not knowen sinne but by the laâ—â— for he had not knowen lust except the law had said Thou shaâ—â— not lust and this is the law of the ten commandements Howbeit the â—uestion between the Papists and vs is not whether we performing the precise rule of the law may challenge eternall life as merit for there is no question but wee may the commandement being as Rom. 7.10 ordained vnto life as appeareth Deut. 5.33 If you walke in all the commandements of God ye shall liue and Mark. 10.17.18 vpon the question asked how he should possesse eternall life answer was made by Christ by keeping the commandements but the question is whether any child of God euen in the highest degree of regeneration can doe it in that maner and measure as he ought And this can he not doe and that for two reasons First because of the singular purity of the law Secondly because of the extreme impurity of our nature For the first consider that the law is proportionable to the law-giuer which bindeth not onely the hands from petie larce the tongue from ribauldry and the life from incontinency but commandeth the eie and speaketh to the heart And in the nine first commandements whersoeuer there is an affirmatiue expressed there is the negatiue implied and where the negatiue is expressed there is the affirmatiue implied that is where any duty is commanded there the contrary vice is forbidden and where the sinne is inhibited there the contrary duty is required for if we must not kill our brother then must we by all meanes seeke to preserue his life and if his life must be pretious to vs then must we not hate him for this is a sinne that will beget murther But the tenth commandement is the key that is able to discouer the cabinet of the heart this entreth betweene the marrow and the bones and howsoeuer wee may refraine in action and may bee staied in affection yet this striketh dead extending but to the motion though the heart impugne it and this is the sharpest corasiue to eate forth our proud flesh when we shall see our selues arraigned but for a thought which we would haue withstood and if any man will looke himselfe in this glasse he shal see as foule filthy an Adâ—â—â— as can be And this was that awakened Paul out of that dead â—â—eepe wherinto he was cast by nature namely the knowledgâ— of concupiscence to be sinne for he knew the action and the resolution of the heart to vncleannesse to be sinne aswell by the law of nature as by the law written but that the thoughts should be hedged in and inclosed so precisely he did not conceaue before the excellency of the tenth commandement had reuealed it to him howbeit though not to extenuate and lessen any sinne whereby the maiesty of God is violated so offended we must not imagine the thoughts conceaued by a suddaine motion or sight and quickly suppressed againe to be so sinfull for the thoughts meant here are those of the heart which haue an inclination and pronenesse to sinne proceeding from corruption of nature suffering them to rest with vs for a time though they bee after pressed downe by the speciall worke of God and if we could but register the thoughts of this kinde doe passe from vs in one day wee should finde them abominable in Gods sight and onely pardonable in Christ For though they be hid from men yet do they appeare before God the searcher of the heart and shall receaue their reward which is death if they be not passed ouer in Christ And though some haue thought that thoughts without the consent of the heart are not sinfull yet it is certaine they be so for Salomon Pro. 24.9 saith The wicked thought of a foole is sinne and so may it likewise bee proued by three speciall arguments First whatsoeuer hindreth the absolute and perfect conformity of the power of the soule to the liuely image of God wherein we were at first created is sin but thoughts without consent of the heart doe hinder this our conformity to the image of God because the thoughts being admitted in there must needs be excluded therefore they are sinfull Secondly Adam in his innocency could neuer haue any such by-thoughts being created to the absolute image of God Since then we haue lost this perfect image by his fall and haue such thoughts arise in vs they must needs hinder vs from comming to that perfection againe wherin he stood at first while he walked with God in paradise and therefore they are sinfull Thirdly God hath redeemed all the parts both of our body and soule and therfore we ought to honour him with all parts and the thoughts are some parts which he hath redeemed therefore wee must honour him with them but many one thought be wandering and ranging out of the way there â—ants the honour of that thought to God therefore they are sinfull for where it is said in the law we must honor God with all our heart with all our minde with all our soule Christ Luk. 10.27 expounds it we must also loue him with all our thoughts then so many thoughts as tend not to loue God must needes be sinfull Now as concerning thoughts therâ—â—â— foure degrees one more sinfull then another but the least damnable in the reprobate pardonable in the elect The first are when a man thinketh on some childish toie or on a thing that is not which oft commeth into a mans minde by some occasion or other offâ—ed to the sense and represented to the fancie but soone vanisheth away although the thing offered to the imagination be not sinfull yet the very thought of it is sinfull because it possesseth vs for the time and being idle and vnprofitable for that time be it neuer so short so much of Gods image was thrust out of vs the whole man was not takeÌ„ vp for him as it ought and therefore Genes 6.5 it is said all the thoughts of a
be fulfilled in vs which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit THis verse hath reference to that which went before amplifying the reason why God sent his sonne in the similitude of sinnefull flesh that the righteousnesse of the law might be fulfilled in vs and standeth on two parts First by whom Secondly for whom this righteousnesse was fulfilled From hence obserue that there be two kinds of righteousnes first a righteousnesse whereby God doth iustifie secondly a righteousnesse whereby man would iustifie himselfe The first is so called in two respects First because it proceedeth from God Secondly because it is in God and not in vs and this appeareth by opposition of the contrary 2. Cor. 5.21 Christ was made sinne for vs that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him where that sinne and this righteousnesse are opposed that as there dwelt no vncleannesse in his flesh but our corruption was imputed vnto him because he appeared in our likenesse so is there no righteousnesse in vs but that of Christ is imputed vnto vs we being made one flesh and one spirit with him Therefore erroneous is that of the Papists that say this iustifying righteousnesse is not absolutely of God but partly of nature and the faculty of free will and partly of grace concurring with free will Againe the second they deny that it is onely in God for Gods righteousnesse say they is that wherewith he indueth them that shall be saued at the moment of their regeneration but after is abiding in them called his because at first he doth iustifie the wicked but after it is mans put and infused into him as a quality by God which is meere contrary to this place that we must seeke to be righteous in Christ onely because he onely hath fulfilled the righteousnesse of the law and this was the end why Christ was sent namely to supply our wants and was performed by him onely by the spirit of life which was in himselfe for by the spirit of life of Christ which is in vs it cannot be For first vnlesse wee bee able to doe it as exactly as Adam in his integrity before concupiscence entred into his heart wee cannot doe it as wee should and this none can doe but Christ therefore in our owne persons we are damned Secondly if we could attaine to the perfection of Adam yet is out case in our selues desperare because it sufficeth not that we now fulfill it but wee must make vp that breach and cure vp that wound was made at first by the sinne of Adam else is the law in the strictnesse of it vnsatisfied and this no flesh can doe but the flesh of the sonne of God howbeit hee by the spirit of sanctification hath made vs a holy people set at liberty in him and as highly in Gods fauour as euer Adam was For first he hath absolutely performed it Secondly he hath infinitely satisfied for our breach of it And thirdly he hath mercifully washed away the filth of our sins by the water come forth of his side which is his spirit We must therefore beware our iudgements be not corrupted with this error of the Papists to thinke we are iustified partly by workes and partly by grace for we are saded by grace onely and without works for who can tell when he hath wrought well that he deserueth saluation nay looke Mark 10.17 and we shall see one through the hypocrifie of his heart bragge he had from his youth obserued the whole law and yet asked what he should doe more to obtaine eternall life so as no man can tell when he hath done enough besides that when all is done to the vttermost euen then are wee but vnprofitable seruants for the most righteous in his workes doth either sinne in the matter or in the measure and manner or in the end or in all three and therefore he that laboureth to build a tower with his workes to clime to heauen buildeth Babel to his owne confusion And if thy saluation should be thus diuided betweene the works of thy hands and the workes of Christs flesh then makest thou Christ but in part mercifull and in part a Sauiour who is altogether mercifull and a perfect sauiour there being no name vnder heauen but his by which we can be saued as the scripture speaketh he being the scape goate mentioned Leuit 16. that carried our sinnes into the wildernesse for which otherwise we had beene slaine if the wrath of God by that meanes had not beene staied for there is not so much as a weake disposition in vs to doe good which may bee made sufficient by grace as the Papists would perswade vs but our naturall will is not onely weake to doe good but willing to commit all kind of sinne needing not onely furtherance but alteration and change not in substance but in qualities and corruption for as Ieremy saith cap. 10.23 The way of man is not in himselfe neither is it in man to walke and to direct his steps and Ezek. 36.26 A new heart saith the Lord will I giue you c. the old heart in a man being no more able to receiue goodnesse then a stone is to receaue softnes Nay we say first that God offereth not grace generally to all men but to such onely as shall be saued and whereas they leaue this grace in a suspension in saying it lieth in our willes to receaue it or not we say naturally we haue no such free-will to chuse good or euill True it is our will hath this freedome of two sinnes to chuse the lesse as some chuse to be couetous some to be idolaters some to be vsurers some to be flatterers some to be Atheists but to haue the choice of good or euill is not in our wils for that liberty was onely in mans integrity and taken from vs when Euah tooke of the fruit of the forbidden tree so that al the power of all the creatures of heauen earth is not able to cause the wil to like of that which is good nor keepe it from that sin wherto it resolutly inclineth But now if we regard the will as it is changed and partly renewed to the will of Christ yet for all that it hath not any such freedome as to chuse betwixt good euill for this belongs not to the nature of the will otherwise the Angels in heauen should hang in the same suspence with vs whereas we know they doe absolutely the will of God in heauen as we pray we may on earth so with as much of our wils as is renewed wee do the will of God willing lie without any such free election this is wholly wrought by God as Phil. 2.13 It is he that worketh both the will the deed and Ioh. 6.37 All that the father giueth me shall come vnto me he doth not say shall come if they will Ezek. 36.26 the Lord doth not say this will I do if yee wil but
speaketh absolutely powerfully A new hart will I giue you I will take away the stony hart For howsoeuer it is meet Adam should haue this free election being made a perfect resemblance of the image of God yet is it not meet for vs in this second creation lest heereby we should make the death of Christ of no effect neither his grace nor spirit for if we had it then should we fall from Christ because of that flesh infirmity that is in vs therfore as the Lord doth begin with vs by his spirit to conuert vs without any thing in vs to further it but altogether to withstand it so doth he proceed with vs by his spirit and end with vs by his spirit that he may be all in all in our weldoing and in the worke of our saluation And yet notwithstanding this we haue neede of exhortations threatnings praier and such like to strengthen and stirre vp our dull and senselesse wils for the inward working of the spirit which frameth our wils to will good doth not abolish the instrumentall causes but we haue need of these meanes first because they are sanctified of the Lord and ordained to make vs lay hold on the spirit secondly because without these the spirit and graces of God would soone perish which counsell is giuen Heb. 3.13 to exhort one another daily lest we be hardened through the deceit of sinne for though God could doe this onely by his spirit yet hee will haue these meanes vsed that we be neither high minded nor idle for since we cannot doe good why should we be proud and since we so hardly keepe good we must not be idle but as Phil. 2.12.13 end and worke forth our saluation with trembling for as one holdeth a great masse of lead or other vnremoueable weight not to remoue it for hee knowes hee cannot but onely to trie his strength so though we cannot nor need not performe the law because Christ hath done it yet must we make it the rule of our obedience and of a sanctified life that heerein we may resemble Christ who alone hath sanctified vs. We are then to consider how Christ hath fulfilled the righteousnesse of this Law and that he hath done two waies partly by abrogating it and partly by establishing it he hath abrogated the law in two things First in the power of separation between man and man which was the law of ceremonies so as what was enmity betweene Iew and Gentile that hath Christ abolished and therefore as it is said Ephes 2.14 Christ is our peace which made of both one and hath broken the stop of the partition wall through his flesh in abrogating the hatred that is the law of coÌ„mandements which standeth in ordinances for to make of two one newe man in himselfe Secondly in the power of malediction betweene God and man whereupon it is said Gal. 5.23 There is no law against vs that is the curse of the law for sinne is not due to vs because Christ hath taken it away and therefore it is said 1. Tim. 1.9 The law is not giuen vnto a righteous man that is against a righteous man there is no law the curse of the law belonging onely to the reprobate and not to the elect howbeit we must not thinke we are so deliuered from the condemnation of it as that wee are freed from the obedience of it Christ therefore hath likewise established the law and this two waies First in the doctrine Secondly in the obedience to the doctrine For the first that not any thing of the doctrine is abrogated but perfectly taught by Christ as appeareth Mat. 5.22 2â— That the least euill thought is damnation That anger in heart is flat murder That he that lusteth but in hart after a woman committeth adultery and Saint Paul saith Rom. 7.7 hee knew not what lust was till he knew the righteousnesse of Christ Againe as was touched before Christ came but for these two ends first to make peace betweene man and man secondly between God and man now the moral law made no enimity betweene Iew and Gentile but the ceremoniall law for that was the wall parted vs and them and that onely is broken downe by the comming of Christ and for the other the curse of the law made all the warre betweene God and vs the rigor of it Christ hath satisfied but the doctrine of the law made none for we yet in the precise keeping of it challenge life Christ hauing fulfilled it in vs and for vs so as Christ giueth vs no new righteousnesse but that wee our selues could not perform yet we claime it as done in our person by the righteousnesse of the law that Christ in our flesh performed for the second he doth also establish it in the obedience to the law and this two waies Fiâ—â—t bâ—â—â—he person of Christ for by his inherent holinesse was fulfilled all the law which is imputed to vs Secondly as by righteousnesse inherent in him so by his spirit of sanctification dwelling in vs hauing the whole man in part changed that we are able to doe what God will and in iudgement to allow in affection to embrace and in action to execute what he commandeth so as if we consider our filthinesse we haue the blood of Christ to bathe in if our nakednesse wee haue the robes of his righteousnesse if our beggery we haue his riches filled with all graces yet must we alwaies ioyne bloud and water faith and works in the person iustified for they are notes of our religion signes of our conuersion seales of our election fruits of our iustification testimonies of a good conscience in their end they are referred to the Lords glory they are causes to stirre vp others to the seruing of the same God they are of the Lord accepted and recompensed in the mercy of the rewarder and not at the merit of the worker for he can accept of none by desert but that which is according to the precise couenant of the law but water is to be stood vpon as a signe that bloud hath gon before and the writing of his law in our hearts by sanctification of life is a proofe that our sinnes are purged in the blod of Christ and pardoned through the mercy of God And in respect of these seuerall operations and workes of Christ in aboliâ—â—â—â— the law in the curse and establishing the law in the obedienâ—◠〈◊〉 it we that are elect are said to be dead to the law Rom. 7.4 and also liuing to the law wee are dead to the law in three respects First to the condemnation of it because being iustified by Christ we cannot be condemned by the law for the wrath of God is taken away through the imputation of his righteousnesse Secondly to the constraint of the law for it doth not constraine vs which are Gods elect as it doth the reprobate because Christ by the worke of his spirit doth bend our wils to
purchasing and possessions if couetousnesse did not delight thee nor profanenesse and cursed speaking so please thine eares if ignorance and contempt of God did not so seale vp thy conscience as thou canst not see thine owne deformity Hobeit in this thy iudgement of others obserue 3. rules First iudge thy self first lest while thou reprouest others thy self may be coÌ„demned Secondly giue thou no final iudgement for that pertains to God alone before whose eies all things are open Thirdly iudge not according to the inner man but by the outward that euery man may see as much as thy selfe though they want that heauenly wisedome to mislike for what sow did euer finde fault with other for wallowing in the mire secondly consider the phrase or metaphor vsed by the Apostle borrowed from trauellers or those that vndertake dangerous iournies for as one is subiect to fall if he walke in slippery places or to be hindred in his walke if blocks doe lie in his way so fareth it with the child of God he walketh through slippery places and gets many fals but riseth immediately because he meets with Christ in the way he trauaileth ouer mountains as it were in the wildernesse and is much wearied but refreshed by Christ who is vnto him the water of life yea he hath many stones laid on purpose to stumble at but through the strength of Christ he creepes ouer them and comes at length to his iournies end which is his rest in heauen Thirdly marke the difference betweene the way of the elect and of the reprobate the first as Mat. 7.14 is strait and narrow the other broad and wide now though the labour be greater to croud into the narrow way yet heerein is the benefit greater also that being narrow when thou art once in thou canst not lose it and being strait thou maiest goe on as by a line and cannot misse it yea if thou fall as needes thou must through frailety being in the way that God prescribes thee thou hast Psal 91.11 the Angels to protect thee so farre as thy fall shall not hurt thee whereas now the wicked that take such elbow roome in their walkes they may and do easily wander and being once out of the way the further they goe the further they are off the end they desire nay they haue such windings and turnings in the lusts of the flesh wherein they liue as it carieth them at length among the wolues of their soules that will deuour them and though as Iob speaketh cap. 15.20 The wicked man is continually as one that trauelleth of childe being euer conceaued with some mischiefe as Esa 59.4 yet God so disappointeth them as it were of their midwiues as they bring forth but a lie as Dauid saith Psal 7.14 And therfore it fareth with the children of God and the wicked as with two setting forth together the one going strait toward the place appointed the other turning backeward from it the first will come to his iournies end at the time appointed the other neuer euen so will God in his due time bring vs whom hee findeth watchfull and vigilant to that place that Christ hath prepared for vs in his house and shut the dores vpon them that wandred all their life as in the darke that since with darkenesse they were delighted in darkenesse they shall be tormented Fourthly obserue the maner of the hypocrites walke For as the Hare when she is started by the hounds by reason of that naturall instinct sagacity God hath giuen her runneth toward the market way not for any desire she hath to the way it selfe but that the hounds might lose her tract by the continuall passage of the people euen so doe the hypocrites walke in the tract of Gods children as come to sermons ioyne in praier reproue swearing lispe out somthing for reformation and such like but why do they this onely because wee should not trace them like foxes into their form whither their carriage for the flesh is gone before so as they are but clokes to couer their filth withall that looking into their profession they will deceiue vs but if wee cast our eie but vpon their feete we shall finde their steps tend to death And whereas policy hath diuided the state into three branches the King the Clergy and the Laiety the scripture affordeth vs examples of hypocrisie in euery one of these Herod for a King Mark 6.20 will grace the doctrine of Iohn Baptist so farre as he will heare him gladly and fauour his person so much as he will yeeld to many things at his request but yet he had a swing in the flesh he could not bee turned from for you might haue traced him home to his brother Philips house and haue sene a most filthy nest he had there made for his walk in the flesh Looke vpon Iudas a Disciple a follower and preacher of Christ he pretends a worke of mercy and a religious care of the poore Ioh. 12.5 there is too much ointment wasted on Christ that might better haue beene spent and bestowed in mony vpon the poore heere are good words and faire shewes but the Lord vneaseth his hypocrisie and discouereth his priuy way to be but for the filling of the purse which he câ—â—ied that he might spend it on his lusts for faith the text vers 6. He was a theefe Lastly steps in Ananias and Sapphira the foundation of a family being man and wife they Act. 5.1.2 will be such hot followers of the Apostles as none shall goe beyond them for the reliefe of persecuted Christians they will sel a possession pretend to bring the whole price of it and lay it at the Apostles feete but marke they haue a secret chest they thought no man should see one corner of couetousnesse in their heart must be filled by keeping part of the mony to themselues which dissembling of theirs was suddenly and seuerely auenged that we may beware by their destruction After this sort doth the Lord in all ages discouer the skirts of hypocrites that if they be but watcht ouer in a holy wisdom they haue euer some backedore which we shall at length espie whereat the lusts of the flesh doe enter which heapeth but heauier desolation at the last because they thought to haue mocked God who in truth will not be mocked Now some will say if they walke in the right way at any time it sufficeth alledging for their example the thiefe vpon the Crosse Luk. 23.40.41 who made but a short confession for that long happinesse he hath in heauen and therfore thinke thy need not take so long a iourney as Abraham and the rest of the saints of God haue done But how can he that setteth foorth in the euening finish the same iourney he doth that went out in the morning It is true God calleth at all houres yet must we not looke for such miracles at the moment of death as the conuersion of the thiefe was for if we deferre
haue giuen Iohn Baptist good countenance and yet haue chopt off his head for reproouing iustly It is true there is none standeth but he may fall if he leane to his owne wisedome nay he must wither if he grow vp among stones because he was neuer well rooted and whensoeuer the Lord pulleth away the vizard from any that masked vnder the cloake of religion he doth it to make them that stand strengthen themselues in Christ Philip. 4.13 and to make them that be hollow harted tremble for they that thus fall their heart telleth them before hand of it their comming to Christ being but in the Sunne-shine when there are no clouds of persecution hanging ouer and their following after him being like a theefe after his pray that will let it goe vnlesse hee may gaine by it their hearts euer misgiuing them in their owne profession and they hauing a secret corner in the flesh which they alway feede what shew soeuer they make to the contrarie But now the straight and vpright minded Christian hath his heart as adamant and his face as brasse that armes him with resolution for the Lords cause he hath no confidence in the flesh Phil. 3.3 but his whole reioycing is in Christ he feeleth such sap of the spirit at the roote that he thinketh it with Christ to be his meate to do the will of God yea he can truly and boldly say with this Apostle that neither anguish of minde nor torment of body vers 39. can seuer him or make him so much as lose the sight of his master Christ but he will euer be iust behind him for by his life he hath comfort in him by his afflictions he hath fellowship with him and by his death he shall enioy the presence of him for euermore all this heart and assurance they haue hauing their foundation from the words of Christ Iohn 10.28 None shall plucke my sheepe out of my hands And whether thou beest a sheepe or no thou canst tell by thy feeding for howsoeuer thou mayst come to graze in the outward assemblie with the congregation yet if thine eare be only feeding at Church and thy thoughts and thy affections at home in the flesh thy selfe canst tell thou art but a wolfe in sheeps clothing so that as the perswasion of our saluation is certaine and vndoubted so is it also constant and perpetuall Howbeit the power and pride of prosperitie wherewith the wicked are puffed vp and the strength and sting of aduersitie wherewith the godly are humbled and abased the one trampling vpon the earth as if it were too base to beare them the other creeping like wormes and grashoppers vpon the ground hath made many to stagger in the opinion of their profession and in the perswasion of their saluation because he seemed thus to passe by them as in a whirlewind and by the wicked with a mild and still voyce meeting them as it were in the successe of euery thing and this was that made Dauid Psal 73.13 thinke his labour in mortification to be but lost because he tasted of correction euery morning whereas they that set their mouths against heauen were lusty strong and had the waters of a full cup of prosperity wrung out to them but when he had beene in the Sanctuary of God asking counsell of him by whom he vnderstood their end to be but as a dream when one awaked they increasing their sins by their fulnesse wherby they make the sword sharper for their slaughter then he found his owne footing to be safe and theirs to be slipperie the one to begin his iourney with sorrow and to end it with peace the other to set foorth in iollitie but to come home as we say by weeping crosse for as Ioh saith Chap. 20.22 Terrors shall take the wicked as waters and the east wind shall hutle him out of his place and God shall cast vpon him and not spare him though hee would faine flee out of his hand Euen so let vs not make this comfort of our assured blessednes vncomfortable to vs by our doubting for if we wauer in this whether God loue vs and we him the chastisement of a father will prooue the scourge of a reuenger and we shall thinke he smites vs because he hates vs and lifts vs vp to cast vs downe or else wee shall imagine our store to come from our owne hands and measure our liues after the crooked line of mens example which runne on heapes to hell for their owne soules conuinceth them of their forgetfulnesse of God and then cannot he remember them in Paradise whereas we setting God alwaies at our right hand may be fure hereafter he will set vs at his and that he guiding vs by his counsell Psal 73.24 can not but in his time receiue vs to glory Therefore let vs lift vp our heads â—â—d keepe the way euen within that there may be as little rubbish in the heart as can be and since through infirmitie we fall oft let our care be it be in the right way where we are sure to meere with Christ who is the way and the life to vs and let vs make the like vse trauellers do goe the faster for our fall for our faith must goe further then to beleeue there is God the father Sonne and holy Ghost and a communion of Saints c. this being but in general whereas we must beleeue it with application to our own particular as that he is a God to me in his loue to make me and by his prouidence to keepe me a Sonne to me to redeeme me when I was lost and to feede me when I am come home a holy Ghost to me to comfort me in my distresse and to worke in me a holy life a communion of Saints to me to help me with their prayers and to strengthen me by their good example And if this treasure be in thy heart thou hast the assurance of thy saluation laid vp there for thee also Againe where it is said the spirit dwelleth in you learne that we must not serue God by sits but it must be continually for the spirit remaineth not in vs for a time but taketh vp his mansion and abiding with vs and while he is with vs he is euer working as the Sunne is euer mouing and works of his owne nature stirring vp good thoughts and affections in vs at all times and is neuer idle not in vaine in vs not but that in many things we offend all but we send forth such a peale as it were of prayers and repentance after the sinne committed as it ouertakes it and turnes it back before it can flee to the iustice of God and this is that maketh S. Iohn 1. Iohn 3.9 to set it downe as a position and rule in scripture that he that is borne of God sinneth not at all because it flies forth as shot to which the hand did neuer set fire we being ouertaken sometime in weakenes that we slip
of the life of God and such a man hath his soule and body taken vp and dressed and dedicated to entertaine the holy Ghost and the holy Ghost abideth in him and Iohn 14.23 Christ saith If any man loue me he will keepe my word and my Father will loue him and we will come vnto him and dwell with him so as the whole blessed Trinity abideth in such a man which is a most princely prerogatiue and royall dignity which the faithfull haue that the King of heauen will stoope so low as to abide in the soule of a poore Christian Further obserue in that the spirit dwels in vs that as Christ before he tooke vpon him and assumed our flesh sent his herbenger before him to seele that house and sanctifie that wombe wherein himselfe would lie Mat. 1.18 that the virgine by that meanes was full of the holy Ghost euen so he still sendeth forth his spirit to take vp his lodging for him in the heart of euery Christian and to sanctifie them in some measure 2. Cor. 13.4.5 though not in that fulnesse he did the virgine And as God in no place on the earth was said to be more then he was in the Arke so is he in no creature so much as in the elect 1. Sam. 4.7 Psal 8.1.5.6.7 yea all the creatures by this meanes are made seruiceable to the elect Now when the spirit commeth vnto vs it findeth our hearts very ruinous like an old house yet such an habitation as by some ancient monuments shewes what stately building it was at first by creation then it falles a tempering and building it vp againe by the loue of God ingrafted in our hearts and it doth sift vs and cleanse vs and whereaâ—â—t findeth nothing but bare walles that is a departure of all the graces of God and a depriuation of them it filleth vs and infuseth vnto vs all heauenly vertues And as the Lord was in the Temple and yet not shut in and inâ—â—uded there but in that he was there it was necessary it should 〈◊〉 kept cleane as appeareth 2. Chron. 23.19 that for this purpose porters were set at the gates of the house of the Lord that none that was vncleane in any thing should enter in so we that are Christians being a type of that Temple that should be built of liuing stones whereof Christ must be the chiefe and corner stone and wherein we must beleeue that God dwelleth farre more spiritually and effectually then he did in the other we I say must be kept far more cleanely then the other Temple was In this respect also that this Temple wherein the Lord now dwelleth is our soules and bodies the Priest our selues to offer vp our selues the sacrifice our selues to be sacrificed in our soules and bodies vpon the altar which is our hearts but yet so as we are still acceptable onely in the sacrifice of Christ and in his priesthood Now this spirit that thus dwelleth in vs is called the spirit of sanctification in respect of the foure properties wherin it resembleth the materiall Temple For first as the Temple might not serue for a dwelling house but was onely consecrated to abide and continue there while they serued God so the temples of our bodies must not be taken vp of the lusts of the world to dwell there but bee dedicated onely to entertaine the spirit of Christ and secondly as the holy garments were onely worne in the Temple so ought wee to looke that wee attire our selues onely as becommeth Christians that stand alwaies in the presence of God thirdly as the holy meate was onely eaten in the Temple and fourthly the vessels onely there to be drunke in so this shewes that our bodies and all the powers affections and actions both of soule and bodie as well in the heart within as in all the vse of Gods blessings without 1 Iohn 2.17 must be separated from all earthly things to be by them estranged from the worship of God and be reserued only to holy vses that God and his glory may be the chiefest end of our life for so the Hebrew word to sanctifie signifieth to be set apart and not prostitute to any profane vse Hereupon it is that if in the Temples of Christians we see idols erected we are grieued and offended and that iustly because we see a great part of Gods seruice shall bee spent in bodily adoration which ought not to be for though it be true that God requireth to be worshipped of euery bone in the body yet principally in this sacrifice of praier and other religious exercises hee looketh at the heart and sets his eye on our affections to be worshipped in spirit and in truth Now if it be vnlawfull to erect and set vp an idoll in any Christian Temple Iohn 4.24 for so much doth the Scripture in expresse words testifie in many places as Pull downe their altars breake their images and burne them in the fire Deut. 7.2 12.3 Iudg. 2.2 with many such like places and speeches how fearefull a thing then is it that wee that are Christians should set vp idols in our soules the most beautified place that God hath on earth as the idols of couetousnesse hypocrisie filthinesse pride and such like which be inuisible and therefore worse then the other and which do secretly like a theefe steale away our hearts from the loue of God and as a moth doe euen feed vpon vs and consume vs till we suddenly fall into the wrath and displeasure of God Heere let vs further consider but how we vse our owne houses wherein we dwell in the tabernacle of this life and which ought to be but as tents to be carried at our backes Gen. 18.1 to put vs in minde of our pilgrimage for if the matter of the Church cannot affect vs nor touch vs at the quicke yet shall it set foorth our wickednesse and enlarge our condemnation that we esteeme more of our owne dwelling places wherein we sleepe to night and to morrow are cast into the graue then of that place wherein the Prince of heauen and earth taketh vp his abode how curious we are in scouring of our pots in sweeping of our parlots in plaiting of our garments and tricking vp our selues nicely and garishly yea no seruants can please vs but such as weare out their knees in rubbing our houses and how fearefull and shamefull a thing it is that we make no account nor reckening of that place where the whole Trinitie should abide that our houses shall be cleane where onely our dirty feet doe treade and out selues the vncleanest part of it and that through our wretchednesse and negligence in purging of our selues and cleansing of our soules we are rather dens fit for the damned spirits then temples meet for the holy Ghost to abide in for if our hearts be once ouergrowne with the weeds of profanenesse idlenesse couetousnesse and such like we may assuredly know that
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
Saints of God and put religion on their faces as a maske to hide the foule deformitie hypocrisie of their hearts Therfore vpon the question demanded Whether more in number shall be saued or damned Christ resolueth it Luk. 13.25 shewing that some shall haue bestowed such paines and walked so farre in the course of Christianity as euen to knocke at heauen gates and to challenge the Lord to let them in and yet he shall not know them that whatsoeuer profession they haue made in the face of the world as to come before the Lord as a pâ—â—ple yet because they haue not liued as a people he will not acknowledge them So as true it is that none shall enioy the presence of the Almighty but they that haue their lampes burning at the houre of their death Mat. 25.10 none but they that haue their foundation setled vpon the rockes Mat. 7.25 as not to be shaken with the blast of any persecution none but they who like faithfull seruants by spirituall trafficke haue employed their talents to their Lords aduantage Luk. 19.24 none but they that are able to testifie by the fruites of the spirit that they haue the spirit But vpon demand how we shall be saued our answer is Onely by the blood of Christ as the cause and effectuall meanes thereof for heauen is giuen operantibus non operibus to workers not to works as 2. Cor. 5.10 The Lord shall giue to euery man according as he hath wrought not for that he hath wrought Heb. 13.21 none shall see God without a pure conuersation but not because of his pure conuersation for though we must be perfect in workes yet this working must bee wrought in vs by God as the Apostle there speaketh So likewise none but the obedient child shall be heire not because he is obedient but because he is heire and yet only the obedient child shall receiue the inheritance And euen as we adore and worship Iesus Christ man but not his humanity Hominem non humanitatem so holinesse of life speaking in the abstract quality doth not saue but holy men shall be saued so faith and workes in the person iustified must concurre but in the matter of iustification faith onely and alone hath the place If therefore it be demanded whether workes be necessary to iustification we answer yea as absolutely necessary in their place as faith for wee can not assure our selues of faith but by the visible fruite of workes so as they be not Concausae causes concurring and iumping together but they are Consectaria consectaries and consequents of faith Vers 14. For as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God This is a confirmation of the reason before going on both parts for as many as mortifie the flesh by the sprit are the sonnes of God and they that doe not so are the sonnes of the diuell So the force of the argument is they that are Gods sonnes are led to mortifie the flesh and being his sons they are inheritors of heauen and this the Apostle assumeth and taketh as granted that the sons of God must needs haue eternall life Whereupon the contrary proposition is true he that liues after the flesh is not the son of God for if he were he would liue after the spirit but hee that doth not mortifie the flesh hath not the spirit therefore he is not the son of God Hereupon followeth if they be sons and not Gods they are as Christ speaketh Iohn 8.44 the children of the diuell Wherein we learne that if we be asked by what title and interest we can challenge or lay claime to heauen it is by none but by this that we are the sonnes of God and we are his sons onely by adoption and wee are adopted to it onely in the naturall heire and son of God Christ Iesus by whose blood we are iustified and sanctified by his spirit Being then adopted to this inheritance as heires we are not borne to it for adoptioÌ„ excludeth birth being not borne to it it is purchased for vs in the obedience of Christ wee must learne then to resemble Christ in being obedient to the will of God as he was and shew foorth and expresse our obedience by keeping his commandements Mat. 26.42 and keepe them by leauing of grosse sins and walking according to his will with a full purpose of our hearts to performe it alwaies excepting our infirmities and inborne weaknesse which cleaue so fast to vs as we cannot shake them off nor be deliuered of them till we ouercome all in death Hauing then no title to heauen but by inheritance nor no title to this inheritance but by Christ there is excluded all merits to deserue it and only because we are to be saued we must do well for it is giuen vs as the inheritance of children and not as any stipendary wages of a mercenary man Herupon we must wisely vnderstand that when Christ saith Mat. 25.35 Come ye blessed c. for ye haue releeued the poore c. that this releeuing of the poore and such other workes of faith and loue there mentioned are not set downe as causes of blessednesse for these speeches for and because do not alwaies inferre and bring in a cause but they are such words and particles as sometime ioine the cause with the effect and sometime the effect with the cause as when wee say it is spring time for it blossoms not that the blossoms are the cause of the spring but an effect and euidence that the spring is come So when we say he hath a soule because he breatheth and yet the soul is the cause of breath and breathing but an effect of the soule euen so when Christ saith come and receiue a kingdome for ye haue done such and such particular works of loue it is onely a knitting of the effect with the cause for God hauing preelected or chosen vs before all worlds to this saluation giueth vs this his spirit by whose power and vertue wee worke these good things And in this kinde and phrase of speech the cause is ioyned with the effect as if it should be said Come you that haue releeued the poore that haue comforted the distressed that haue sorrowed with the afflicted receiue the kingdome for it is your inheritance So as the speech of Christ hath this meaning in it You haue done good workes to testifie my kingdome to be yours come take the inheritance prepared for you in the preelection of God for you are the inheritors of heauen because of these fruites and effects which you haue shewed in comforting the aflicted members of Christ We may not take it then that heauen which is the inheritance of the saints is giuen for any desert for when we haue attained to the highest degree of mortification and haue done all that we can we are as Christ saith but vnprofitable seruants Luk. 17.10 True say the Papists vnprofitable
to couer our nakednes with the robes of our elder brother Christ Iesus and to remedie and cure our vnrighteousnesse in the righteousnesse of the blood of Christ So as with the hearers of Peter Act. 2.37 the law â—â—ging and pricking our consciences wee shall crie out in a holy distrust of our selues What shall we do And this kind of despaire prâ—pareth vs to saluation for the spirit sheweth vs our pouerty and where to buy gold that shall cost vs nothing it sheweth vs our wretchednesse that haue nothing but rags to put on and withall the wardrobe of Christs righteousnesse where wee shall haue garments fit for the Saints of God it sheweth our Apostasie how we haue fallen and by our fall haue euen broken and cut as it were our owne throats and sendeth vs to the Physitian Christ who is onely good at such a desperate disease it sheweth our blindnesse and withall the eie-salue of the holy Ghost to cleare vs 1. Ioh. 2.20 it sheweth vs our debt and the sergeant the diuell ready to arrest vs and then sends vs to the God of heauen in whose hands is all treasure to discharge what we owe it sheweth vs how we stand vpon the scaffold ready for the hatchet and then out of this astonishment sendeth vs an absolute pardon from heauen sealed with the blood of Christ and subscribed with Gods owne hand So as it teacheth vs onely to mistrust and despaire in our selues and to seeke to be releeued and refreshed with that water of life whereof hauing once drunke wee shall neuer thirst againe Iohn 4.34 Howbeit on the contrary this same spirit bringeth the wicked into a sense and feeling of this same horror and leaueth them in the astonishment of their conscience so as Sathan continually hath their sinnes to scourge them with and their corruptions wherewithall to vpbraide them And the cause why they bee left in this hellish plight and suffered to be thus perplexed and tormented of themselues is their owne infidelity that they haue stopped their eares against that comfortable sound of the Lords mercy and so poisoned their hearts with sinne that the power of the word could not worke vpon them and so the Lord most iustly hath hardened them in their irkesome and tedious hypocrisie that the sinnes they commit should be the punishments of sinnes past and the deserts of punishments that are to come And as to that that the holy Ghost working this same feare and terror in the hearts and consciences both of the elect and of the wicked and should leaue the reprobate euen when they are brought to the depth of despaire it were blasphemy to say or thinke that he doth it for and to the same end thaâ—â—â— than doth for Sathan doth it to prooue God a liar as that being in that case it were not possible for God to saue them whereas the mercy of the Lord is aboue all his workes But the spirit of God doth this that God may be iustified in the iust hardening of that mans heart whom hee found sinfull and whom hee was not bound to saue and so his end is to take vengeance of his hypocrisie for the Lord is as iealous of his iustice as he is of his mercie Sathan promiseth saluation to whom God pronounceth damnation and lulleth them in security whom he findeth carelesse to watch ouer their steps neuer greatly troubling or mouing any of his owne till they come to such a deepe exigent and to such a narrow pinch euen to hels mouth that they cannot goe from him then they taste euen of hell fire in this life and feele a fearefull beginning of that shall neuer haue end Now God threatneth damnation to all to his elect that they may seeke and hasten to be shrouded vnder the shadow of Christs wings and to feele the vertue of the hemme of his garment to the reprobate that they may bee the more hardened Mat. 14.36 because it is in the corruption of their owne hearts that they heaue refused the acceptable time of grace and reiected the pearle which they might haue bought It will be said But why should the holy Ghost leaue them in this despaire He is not properly the author of despaire but if the reprobate being brought to this be not recouered it cometh of his owne wickednesse As for example a man sheweth vnto a triator his indignity and hauing done this with great and vehement passions hee sheweth him the detestation and vglinesse of his offence and leaueth him with some doubt and scruple of conscience as amazed at his owne wickednesse if the traitor vpon this make himselfe away by violence as Iudas did hee that thus laid the quality and nature of his offence open before him Mat. 27.5 is not the cause of this his desperate end hee was the cause and meanes of making him to bee affraid and angry with himselfe onely and that was lawfull so the holy Ghost by laying open the riches of Gods mercy at the first thine owne wilfull rebellion to forsake him Rom. 7.12.23 his giuing of thee a law to bridle thee and the hâ—â— and feruencie of thy corruption to breake through all lawes worketh this terror in thy heart that art a reprobate and sheweth as it were before thee the smart and execution of thy sinne If now thou despairest and restest there the cause is in thy selfe for thou sawest light and louedst it not and heardest the sound of retrait and yet weatest on to thine owne destruction Further this spirit of God is not the author of despaire as it is despaire for a man should neuer despaire of Gods mercy as God was not the cause of the lie in the false Prophets as it was a lie 1. Kin. 22.7 but he shewed his iudgement on them by giuing them thus ouer to this sinne So despaire in the reprobate wrought by the wickednesse of their hearts is after this sort reuenged by the spirit in giuing them ouer to the extremity of this sin so as it commeth from the spirit not as an euil author but as a iust reuenger of their former sinnes Now the instruments the spirit of God vseth to bring and perswade the conscience to feare damnation are two first the law naturall for in the nature of euery man something is ingrafted and written of euery sinne that howsoeuer it bee acted and performed with pleasure yet euen in nature it endeth and is left with remorse which doeth shew that there is a God to punish it This was that which made the heathen to haue an apprehension and vnderstanding of infernall furies as that for some sinnes they should bee so exagitated and tormented with them as they could haue no rest For this cause they tearmed them by speciall names as the fury of Nemesis that should plague the proud man Eumenides because shee was implacable and would not bee intreated Alecto because it was a torment that neuer ceased Alasto that should pursue
by the Masse that most execrable idoll and say it is sworne out of the country Can a man thinke himselfe rich that is indebted to all the world and hath nothing wherewithall to pay them And can such men that bee very beasts and without sense before God esteeme themselues vertuous and religious because they are onely highly praised of men They see not their owne estate because they haue not examined themselues according to the former rule When a man hath swept his chamber he thinkes all is cleane but when the Sunne commeth it sheweth many a mote hee could not before spie out so if the spirit would once shine into these mens consciences they should see not onely motes but most deformed and enormous sinnes in their hearts And how friuolous is it to stand vpon mans witnesse without religion which pierceth and looketh into the soule For otherwise he that thinketh himselfe in best health carieth his deaths wound in his bosome The basest gold is better then the purest led and the greatest imperfections of Gods children better then the highest vertues of the wicked and neuer shall they bee exalted that haue not before beene humbled The law is a hammer not onely to bruise the conscience but to breake it into powder which if it be not done wee shall neuer haue the spirit of adoption to seize vpon vs. The law commands but giueth no power to obey and is as if we should say to a beggar Buy such a mannor when he hath neuer a penny to helpe himselfe nor yet we giue him any money to do it euen so purchase heauen with thy works saith the law and yet knowes we are spoiled of all abilitie and doth not enable vs to doe such workes all one as if we should say to one hold vp the heauens with thy finger and yet giue him no strength to do it or as if we should say to the blind see it is comfortable and to the deafe heare it is profitable and yet giue them no meanes whereby they should doe these So the law is but a dead letter and hath but a dolefull and dreadfull sound vntill the spirit come and arme vs with power and abilitie to performe what the law requireth Lastly where it is said Luk. 15.21 Ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage againe obserue that all that are conuerted and with the lost sonne are come home againe haue beene once brought to a terrour and fright of conscience which hath beene after a diuers measure for the Lord keepes some longer in the schoole of the law then he doth others according as hee findeth their hearts and dispositions inclinable to stoope and to be humbled or else for example sake as seemeth best to the Lord. But yet euery one of Gods chidren must come to this that is Act. 2.37 being moued and pricked in conscience to say and crie out What shal I doe to be saued I see my debt where shall I get surety I perceiue my nakednesse where shall I be couered I am fallen how shall I be recouered And being touched in their hearts if they fall not into that exclamation then as it is said of Ely his sonnes 1. Sam. 2.25 they obeyed not because the Lord would slay them so for these men to be baked in their sinnes and to see their destruction and not to shunne it and by this meanes to despaire finally is the iust iudgement of God that he may be auenged of their great hypocrisie for mercy offered and refused or set light by doubleth the punishment Euen as in this nation by the blessed preaching of the Gospell Sathan is cast out in the generall profession of the Land if now he labour to creepe in againe by hypocrisie and make vs thinke religion to rest in shewes and consist in ceremonies growing more leane and ilfauoured after we haue deuoured so many yeeres of store and plentie in preaching the word we doe erre in our hearts and do arme our enemie against vs who at his reentrance will bring seuen spirits worse then he did before Luk. 11.25 and will so fortifie his habitation with hypocrisie and other great and monstrous sinnes as there shall be more profannesse in this nation then euer there was before But ye haue receiued the spirit of adoption In this the Apostle proueth that we are the Sonnes of God because we are so adopted in the euerlasting grace of his blessed Sonne And to proue we haue this spirit he doth it by the contrary thus we are deliuered from the spirit of feare and redeemed into such a Christian liberty as we now loue God not for feare but feare him for his loue In this there are two parts to be considered first what this spirit of adoption is secondly the inseparable effect that followeth it namely an assured confidence to come boldly before the Lord euen as children before their parents to craue pardon for our sinnes For the first this spirit is the holy Ghost assuring vs by the word of grace that is the Gospell that the Lord hath auowed vs for his children in that one and best beloued Sonne of his Christ Iesus so that no extremities of this life nor sorrowes of death nor sinne it selfe shall be able to ouer whelme vs. Therefore it is said in the Scriptures that the holy Ghost setteth a seale vpon the heart of his elect Ephes 1.13 and writeth a deed in their consciences which is but a draught of that originall deed which is in heauen in the booke of the Lords gouernment And this is sealed vnto vs by the finger of the spirit to free it from the forgery of Sathan and by this euidence we make our title to the kingdome of heauen â— Cor. 5.5 Also it is called an earnest penie because as in contracts by giuing a penie in earnest the partie is obliged and bound to pay the rest so this being as it were the first fruites of the spirit the Lord doth assure vs that as verily as we haue receiued thus much in hand in this vale of misery so this shall bee a pawne and pledge vnto vs that he will giue vs the rest in the fuâ—â—eâ—â—◠〈◊〉 is glory vnder which assurance we rest and lie down in hope with ioy vnspeakeable And as the first fruits in the law made the whole crop holy so this sparke of the Lords grace being kindled and set on fire in vs doth embolden vs to an expectation of the full enioying of our whole Lord Christ Iesus This testimony oft times is very weake especially when Sathan doth sift and winnow vs as he did Peter Luk. 17.5 so as we had need to pray with the disciples Lord encrease our faith Yet as a prisoner in a darke dungeon seeing but the Sunne at a little grate doth know and beleeue that the Sunne shineth vpon the whole earth so though we be shackled and imprisoned in this flesh as in a dungeon that we are not able to
behold the Sun-shine of the Lord in full measure which is the Sunne of light and of life yet we haue such a glimpse as wee cannot bee perswaded but it shineth vpon our soules And as the child in the mothers womb stirring neuer so weakly yet euen by that feeble motion she is assured that it hath life so the least light of the Sunne of righteousnesse is most sweet comfortable vnto vs. Which doctrine as it ministreth and bringeth consolation to a weake soule so must it be as a sharpe spur vnto vs that this righteousnesse may be encreased and that this spirit of God may delight to dwell in vs that we being grounded and growing daily in a perswasion of Gods loue towards vs it may enforce vs to loue him more and more and the strength and perfection of this loue may and ought to make vs resist and shunne all contrary means whereby our encrease and growth in faith may bee hindered And because this spirit of the Lords adoption is inward and can not be perceiued that many be deluded by Sathans subtilty and forgerie foisting and thrusting in another deed than euer God gaue vs especially working vpon the weake heart of man which being fraught and full of selfe-loue is easily perswaded of any good to it selfe therefore we must learne how to discerne whether it be the true euidence of Gods spirit or no which we haue within vs. And for that the Apostle here setteth down one effect and fruit of this spirit for all that is that there is a confidence of any good conscience to come boldly before the Lord as a child before his father to preferre our suites vnto him and to offer vp our praiers vpon the golden altar Reuel 8.3 that is the mediation of Christ by whose meanes and through whose obedience and suffering they shall sauour before the Lord as a sweet incense and the Lord shall put into them daily a new incense by the spirit assuring vs more and more of his louing fauor◠and we shall not hide our selues and run away when we are called Gen. 3.8 as Adam did but being disburdened of that which doth presse vs downe from the presence of God we shall come cheerefully before him and ioy our selues in that the Lord will looke so pleasingly vpon vs Other effects of this spirit and yet arising from the former are these If the spirit worke in vs the same affection towards God that nature doth produce in children toward their parents as first to loue God secondly to feare him thirdly to reuerence him fourthly to be obedient to him fiftly to be thankfull to him all which vertues be in good children who do alwaies acknowledge all they haue to proceed from their father as the speciall instrument from God and if we haue beare these affections to God our father as to loue him for his mercies to feare him for his loue to reuerence him for his goodnesse to obey him for his greatnes and to be thankfull to him for his kindnesse then may we assure our selues that we haue the spirit of adoption sealed vp in vs for our saluation In that we crie Abba Father learne that no obstinate or resolute sinner persisting deliberately in his sinne and his heart deliting in it can once open his mouth to pray nor neuer did pray The like whereof may be said of the hypocrite for though they may falsely perswade themselues that offering vp a few words in forme of a praier it is sufficient to purge the vncleannesse of their liues and that impudently and in presumption they may call God Father when their harts be impure and vncleane yet Iohn 8.44 Christ calleth them the children of their father the diuell And though Sathan may perswade an obstinate and wilfull sinner as he did Houah Gen. 3.4.5 that doing such an euill and wicked thing they shall not hang in hell alwaies threatening where God promiseth and promising where God threatneth vntill he take them in the lurch at the time of their death and then he ouerreckneth them yet it is certaine he cannot pray vnlesse he haue this spirit and this spirit none hath if they delight and sauour of sin so as though they cry Peace peace to their owne conscience and seruing the diuell will neuerthelesse vaunt themselues to bee the sonnes of God it is the Lords iustice that permitteth Sathan so to blinde them that they cannot see their sickenesse to the death for 1. Iohn 3.8 it is said He that committeth sinne is of the diuell Can the poison of Aspes and the sacrifice of praier proceed both from the same tongue No. Grapes cannot grow of thornes nor figs of thistles and Esay 66.3.5 the Lord saith that he that offereth sacrifice without trembling that is without reformation of life it is as if he killed a man which is most vnsauory to the Lord. So as lawfull things and things commanded be an abomination to the Lord when the soule and conscience is not answerable to the action and to the outward profession Howbeit things simply forbidden are sinnes both in the regenerate and vnregenerate and the prayers of these men that thus can lie on their beds and imagine mischiefe and yet can open their lippes by way of conference and speech with God are no better then those of the rebels in the North who when they had published all their mischiefe which tended to the ouerthrow of our dread Soueraigne yet ended and concluded their proclamation with God saue Queene Elizabeth Now concerning hypocrites that they cannot pray but by imitation of Christians as Parots looke vpon the rule of Dauid Psal 66.18 If I regard saith he wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare me that is if I delight in sin my praiers shall not come neare him so as make what shew thou wilt if thy heart be not vpright it auaileth not For as it is said Iohn 9.31 God heareth no sinners that is no malicious and deliberate sinners which intend and compasse mischiefe in their inward parts howsoeuer in hypocrisie they dissemble it And it is certaine it is as impossible to pray without this spirit as to vnderstand without a soule Further obserue how this spirit begets in vs such peace of conscience that makes vs confident in crauing our wants at Gods hand as from the spirit of adoption cōmeth faith so from faith issueth and streameth inuocation and calling vpon God by praier This faith grounded vpō the loue of God in Christ doth assure vs that whatsoeuer is good in heauen or in earth God wil bestow it vpon vs then steppeth in praier and according as the soule is burdned either with a desire to be deliuered from danger or with an affection to haue some wants supplied or to declare and expresse our thankefulnesse it doth take the present occasion and for sloweth no time to enter into the sanctuarie of Gods presence and there to lift vp our weak hands and to send
to reprooue vs no more which is the next steppe to damnation or else our conscience will pursue and follow vs with Hue and Crie as not to leaue vs till wee bee taken for resistance and withstanding of our conscience is a cloud not easily ouerblowen a fire not easily to be quenched and an inditement hardly to be trauersed but our sinnes shall stare vs on the face and crie for vengeance Now if our conscience bee brought asleepe by our custome in sinne either we shall die in this benummednesse and dulnesse of heart a most fearefull signe of reprobation and after death it shall weepe it fill in hell or else if the Lord do shew vs mercy after the sense and feeling of sinne so long discontinued he doth it as it were by the burning feuer of desperation for that is the cure of a Lethargy and doth so presse vs downe vnder the weight and burden of sinne as that horror shall be without and terror within yea wee shall seeme to be cast into the deepe of deepes and euery small sinne shall seeme accompanied with the huge hammer of the Lords wrath to bruise vs in peeces Further obserue as the Lords spirit alone cannot bring vs that heauenly security and blessed assurance of our eternall peace we hope for nor our owne spirits alone cannot do it so it must be the testimonie of both these concurring and meeting together For some are merely morall without religion thinking by a ciuill cariage of themselues to winne the sight of God others haue either a true zeale of a false religion as Paul had before his conuersion Rom. 7.9.10 or else they may be religious in shew hauing a counterfeit zeale of a true religion as the Laodiceans had Reuel 3.15 and yet both these thinke in their conscience they shall be saued when in truth they are as farre from the thing it selfe as they are neere to the conceit of it Another sort there is that deceiue themselues most grossely â—â—â—ken of Prouerb 30.11 There is a generation pure in their owne eies and yet they are not washed from their filthinesse that is from their open and enormous sins So as besides the opinion we must haue of our selues that we stand in Gods fauour wee must shew the seale of the Lord that is his spirit or else there is no sound ioy or any comfortable security that we shall be saued 1. Iohn 5.10 And for our actions euery of which must haue the allowance of our conscience wee must marke that a good intent will not make a good action for they that condemned Christ did it because he made himselfe equall with God Iohn 19.7 Iohn 5.18 which was expresly against the law written and therefore thought they had in this done God high and honorable seruice but Christ crieth Luk. 23.34 Father forgiue them they know not what they doe So Peter when Christ foretelleth of his death had an earnest desire to aduise his master to spare himselfe and therefore Mat. 16.22 he tooke Christ aside rebuked him but Christ vers 23. looking backe with an angry countenance bids him get him behind Sathan as being onely worldly wise and not vnderstanding the things that are of God So as we must know to the performance of a good worke the allowance of the heart and the warrant of the word of God must go together Verse 17. If we be children we are also heires euen the heires of God and heires annexed with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him This is inferred by direct consequent to that that went before as vers 13. where the Apostle exhorting to reformation of life doth it by a double contrary so as they insue and follow one another thus They that mortifie the deeds of the flesh are led by the spirit by being thus directed by the spirit they are assured that they are the sons of God by being his sons that they shall haue an inheritance therfore they that liue a holy life must needs be saued And because it might be ouestionable how this title of being Gods children is giuen vnto vs he hath resolued it befoâ—â— vers 15. by a double argument because the Lord in the Goâ—pell doth offer vs such grace as we may come freely and boldly to him as to a father and we stand not now in that terror that was in the deliuery of the Law but we are freed from that bondage The second argument was vers 16. because the spirit doth seale this euidence vnto vs that as our heart doth know what is in vs so doth the spirit also and this spirit doth witnesse that we are children and being children then we be heires which is the scope the Apostle driueth at in this 17. verse When the Apostle saith We are heiâ—â—s of God he setteth down what manner of inheritance it is that we shall haue heereafter not an earthly but a kingdome and a possession of eternity as that the Lord will neuer leaue vs till he hath lifted vs vp to that celestiall place where Christ himselfe sitteth Psal 84.10 It had been great fauor if we might haue been as Dauid speaketh but doore-keepers in the kingdome of heauen nay it might well haue satisfied vs if only our sinnes had beene pardoned or if we had been but the Lords friends or of his acquaintance so as any way hee would haue respected vs considering our rebellion but besides all this to be restored to our former honour nay to haue greater priuiledge then euer Adam had in his first integrity and to be aduanced to the Lords owne throne if all the hearts of men were one heart the full measure of this ioy and the depth of this the Lords loue could not once enter in nor be conceiued And fellow-heires with Christ This is to set forth the certaintie of the place of our inheritance God hath life for he is the fountaine of it but he dwelleth in fire Esay 33.14 and in a place not to be attained vnto therefore the Apostle setteth downe heere heâ—â— we come to it namely in Christ as it is 1. Iohn 5.11 God hath giuen vs eternall life and that life is in the Sonne and by his mediation is conueied to vs. Secondly in that we are fellow-heires with Christ note the excellency of the Lords fauour not only to giue vs life and to place vs with Angels but euen with his owne Sonne Whereby we see that his eare was open to the praier of Christ which he made â—â—ttle before his agony Iohn 17.20 I pray saith he for all that thou hast giuen me that thou wouldest Father 〈◊〉 them with the same loue thou louest me and crowne thâ—â—â— with 〈…〉 glory thou crownest me 〈◊〉 of this ariseth two comfortable priuiledges which the â—â—â—t haâ—e first if wee be heires with Christ in heauen much more are we heires of the transitory blessings of this life and being heires with him wee haue
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
them and prompt him with excellent and effectuall words of prayer Yea this must be the comfort of vs all that though wee fight to the bloud for the Lords cause not one droppe of it shall perish but as the Lord doeth keepe our teares so much more will hee keepe our bloud in a bottell Psal 116. â— that wee may bee made precious white in the bloud of the Lambe Now for the second point which is the meanes how the spirit helpeth our infirmities that is by stirring vp prayers and grones Obserue first that no man can pray of himselfe vnlesse he be taught of God secondly that the holy Ghost doth minister vnto vs that power in prayer which no man is able to bring and performe of himselfe howbeit we may not construe the words as if the holy Ghost himselfe did pray but onely that he suggesteth vnto vs fit words and matter and prompteth vs to pray For the first vnderstand that it is not postible for any man of himselfe to pray vnlesse he be helped and renewed in his spirit for prayer must be made in the mediation of Christ which flesh and bloud neuer thinketh of nay which flesh and bloud doeth but mocke at And this disabilitie in prayer and vnaptnesse to performe it is euen true of them that be enlightned and called to the faith vnlesse also they be impulsed and driuen on by the spirit Howbeit by this so excellent an instrument as the spirit the Lord doth poure into our hearts such a constant and stedfast assurance of his loue as we come and humble our selues before him boldly and beate our breast and pray from the booke of our conscience confidentlie vnfolding the whole heapes of our miscries before the Lord yea we come vnto him hauing euen a sight and contemplation of his maiestie and we stand not vpon words but a broken and contrite spirit maketh vs speake plainely the interpreter of our meaning being the holy Ghost so as wee in this exercise conferre with God and speake as it were with the mouth of Christ who maketh our supplications as sweet as incense in our and his Fathers nostrels So as it is no such slight matter nor so easie a worke to pray aright for of thy selfe thou art speechlesse and canst not vtter one word vnlesse the spirit vntie the strings of thy tongue and though happely thou speake yet is thy vnderstanding senslesse that thou knowest not what to aske vnlesse the spirit teach thee nay were thou neuer so well taught if the spirit make thee not acquainted with Christ Reuel 8.3 that he may present thy praiers to God all else is in vaine and fruitlesse Further in that the holy Ghost is said to make request for vs wee are admonished vnlesse it bee for weake Christians and babes in Christ that are not growne in the word of grace vnto whom a booke of prayer is allowed as a Catechisme that they that bee old schollers in the schoole of Christ ought to striue and indeuor to grow from praier to praier aswell as from faith to faith that as their iudgements are increased in knowledge so their hearts may increase in feruencie and affection toward God and that they may bring foorth their hidden treasure of the Lords spirit in enabling them to conceaue a praier and to pray as their present necessities shall require For this is that the Lord looketh for that as he said by the Prophet Zacharie 12.10 that he would in the last times powre out the spirit of deprecation and of prayer vpon the sons of men so men should endeuour to bee familiar in this dutie without booke and not content themselues to praie either a stinted prayer or a stinted time but as it is said Hebr. 6.1 wee must leaue the beginnings and be led forward and striue to perfection For if notwithstanding such plentie of foode these many yeeres there be still such leannesse in thy soule that thou art not able to feed thy selfe nor to expresse and vtter thy necessities in a corner before the Lord how canst thou looke for any blessing that hast beene so sluggish and hast so carelesly entertained the spirit of God in this acceptable time If any sudden calamitie hang ouer thy head or any secret sinne presse thy conscience how canst thou thinke to be releeued nay thou canst not but iudge thy selfe vnworthie to be helped if thou art vnable without a booke before thee to vtter thy griefe and to pray for helpe Thou must know thy temptations are particular and thy sinnes are particular and a generall confession is not a proper salue for any particular sore but as in this and this sinne thou hast offended God so particularly for this this sin thou must call for mercy And what if that speciall grace thou prayest for be not in thy booke then thou goest away emptie for thou art not likely to obtaine that thou dost not aske for For howsoeuer the Lord doth ofttimes preuent vs with his mercies and giueth before wee aske yet when he shall perceiue such negligence in vs that we desire but as it were a common and generall head-peece to shield vs from all assaults and doe not arme our selues in euery part especially knowing our old enemie the diuell lieth at all aduantage this maketh the Lord weary and vnwilling to helpe vs who otherwise easily inclineth his eare to the praiers of the faithfull When it is said With gronings that are vnspeakeable we are by this to comfort a distressed conscience that if afflictions doe come so fast vpon vs as the waues one in the necke of another and our spirits be so ouer whelmed and cast downe that we are not able to conceiue a praier for the anguish of our soules in this case if our hearts doe but bleed and grone though no word be vttered yet is it a praier precious and acceptable in the Lords sight We read of Ezechiah Esa 38.14 that he was not able to speake one word but did chatter like a Crane and mourne like a Doue in his sicknesse hee was so opprest with sorrow in the bitternesse of his soule yet was this a praier and a praier heard of God and himselfe deliuered and fifteene yeeres added to his life So oftentimes our praiers are so peppered with salt and fire that is our soule is so anguished and our spirits so appalled that either we speake abruptly or only knocke our selues on the breast Luk. 18.13 as did the Publican yet this soundeth in the Lords eares and commeth pleasantly before him for words in praier are but to make vs vnderstand what we aske the Lord vnderstandeth our meaning without words yea knoweth our wants better then our selues And as the mother pitieth her child when it is fallen sicke and is able to tell where the paine lieth and to aske such things as it wanteth but when the disease is growne so fore that for extremitie it cannot vtter the paine by speech but lieth
complaining by grones and cries with the eies fixed vpon the mother this doubleth the compassion maketh her verie bowels to yearne with pitie Euen so the Lord more kind then a mother lendeth his louing and tender eare to our bitter complaints but being astonished with griefe that we cannot but onely crie out in hope and expectation of some help and we lie pained not able to expresse it this doth more enlarge the bowels of his compassion and then he gathereth our reares into a bottle and wipeth our eies and putteth his hand into our side to heale vs and regardeth as preciously such maner of speechlesse vtterance as any praier vttered in feruencie and vehemencie of words Which is a most singular comfort for Gods chosen that the clouds of affliction can neuer be so thick but a heartie sigh will scatter them yea come what will no time can be so euill nor tyrant so bitter or cruell that can stay vs from groning though through weight of torment they may stop vs from speaking as Dauid saith Psal 38.9 I powre O Lord my whole desire before thee and my sighing is not hidden from thee for none can refraine the heart from sobbing Yet must wee not abuse this comfortable doctrine to our fleshlie libertie to make vs sluggish in praying to the Lord and thinke onely a mentall prayer or a desire conceiued though not vttered to be enough for this speechlesse prayer is onely permitted in the bitternes of the heart and when the venime of affliction hath seized vpon the outward man in such a case and in such a time if we cannot speake with Anna 1. Sam. 1.13 we may with her wag our lips bee wee neuer so old Otherwise wee must say with Dauid Psal 57.8 Arise my tong and then arise vp my glorie for there is no instrument so fit to set foorth our wants and it is no excuse for thee to say the Lord knowes thy heart for so doth he know thy wants also before thou aske and by that reason neither the panting of the heart nor the paines of the lips should be requisit For the third point that is for the effect and efficacie of our prayers that they comming from the spirit must needs speed haue good successe obserue when it is said The Lord knowes the meaning that there is a speciall propertie of this word to be vnderstood for knowing is taken here for approuing as Rom. 7.15 What I do I know not that is allow not nor approue that Ido so Mat. 7.23 Depart from me I know you not that is approue you not for he knew them well inough So Psal 1.6 The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous that is approueth it and in the same sense is it taken in the Prouerb 12.10 The righteous man knoweth the soule of his beast that is approueth it Why then this is the lesson that if our prayers haue an allowance and approbation with God we may be sure we shall reape the fruit of our lips and that our requests shall not returne emptie vnto vs but shall be as the doue that brought an Oliue in her mouth signifying that the flouds are ceased and that we may walke on the drie land The reason why our prayers must needs speed is because the same spirit that maketh vs pray doth make vs onely to pray for those things that stand with the Lords glorie therfore must of necessitie be granted for God cannot denie himselfe he and his glorie are inseparable 1. Ioh. 5.14 And this is witnessed by S. Iohn This is our assurance that if wee aske any thing according to his will hee heareth vs and we know that we haue the petitions we desired of him So that it is not the worthinesse of our prayers that draweth Gods bountie to vs but the bounds and compasse wherein our prayers are limited and circumscribed that is ayming at nothing else and referring all to the will and pleasure of God which wee may be sure shall come to passe Euen as Iacob said Gen. 32.11.12 Thou wilt deliuer me O Lord from my brother Esau for thou hast said thou wilt do me good and 2. Sam. 7.21 Dauid saith O Lord I know thou wilt blesse my house because of thy word for thou hast spoken it Many there bee will say I haue prayed often and cried incessantlie for the increase of faith and yet I finde it as weake and my flesh as sinfull as it was before And thus Sathan perswadeth thee thou prayest not according to Gods will for if thou hadst bene his and hadst belonged to him he would haue giuen thee faith at thy first request But thou must beate backe this temptation which is but to lull thee in securitie by this answer that thou must thinke thy lot and thy portion to be no better then Dauids who Psal 69.3.4 brake forth saying O Lord I am wearie with crying and mine eyes faile while I haue waited for my God for the Lord will haue thee to continue in prayer not to wearie thee but to trie thy patience how long thou canst wait so as if thou speakest and the Lord seemeth not to heare thee double thy prayers vpon him for he maketh himselfe deafe to make thee more quicke and feruent If he listen to thee and yet thou obtainest not perseuere and continue for at last the Lord will incline to thy petition and from his throne will he send thee a chearefull message In Saint Luke we haue an example of one that asked but three loaues Luk. 11.8 and by his importunitie got as many as he would So may the pâ—â—ore widow bee our paterne Luk. 18.5 who by her multiplying of her sure witâ— many words obtained right of the vniust Iudge and therefore much more shall we by our instancie with the Lord obtaine what in faith we shal desire for out of the very words of the Apostle here we may learne first that it is certaine we shall haue it though it be vncertaine when it shall be cast vpon vs for Christians must endeuour to striue to this to haue Iacobs spirit and resolution that though the Lord fight with vs and would faine shake vs off yet not to let him goe till we haue forced a blessing from him and haue our petitions granted And we must haue the strength of the womans faith in the Gospell Mat. 15.22 as not to feare three denials of Christ hand to hand for her constancie and perseuerance were rewarded double first with the commendation of her faith secondly with the health of her daughter which was the thing she craued And euen so at length shall our prayers bee requited with the perfect cure of all our infirmities Secondly marke and assure thy selfe that if thy prayers made now be not presently heard thou shalt be rewarded in a time thou least lookest for and when thou art vtterly out of hope of that thou didst craue as we may see Luk. 1.13 Zachary and
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
onely satisfied the wrath of God That it commeth from the loue of God appeareth by the example of Dauid to whom when the Lord had sent Nathan the Prophet to tell him his sinne was pardoned 2. Sam. 7.15 yet withall part of his message was that the sword should neuer depart from his house which fell out in his daughter Thamar that was rauished and in his sonne Absolon that was desperatly hanged and in the child begotten in adultery that presently died And this was only to awake him out of that securitie Sathan had cast him into for it is certaine where the Lord smites not there the Lord loues not and therefore 1. Sam. 2.25 it is said that because the Lord had a purpose to slay the sonnes of Eli therefore they obeyed not the mild voice of admonition vsed by their father Now for those afflictions that be sent as preuentions of sinne as pouertie ignominie restraint of libertie shutting vp the wombe and such like they also turne to the best in Gods children for many do let themselues bloud before they be sicke for feare of sicknesse and the superfluous spreads of a vine are cut off that it may bring foorth better fruite And thus doth the Lord mint and diet his children lest by riches they should grow proud by fame become insolent by libertie wax wanton and kicke against the Lord when they be full and lest by hauing children they should make idols of them to cocker them vp to damnation the Lord scanteth them in these blessings Looke vpon Dauid who confesseth he had gained much by affliction See what difference there was euen in Nabuchadnezzar before hee was pulled out of his seate and after he had fed with beasts before in his prosperitie the strength of his hand and the power of his maiestie had built Babel Dan. 3. and 4. but after he had bene cooled in the wild forrest then he lifted vp his eyes to heauen and praysed and honoured him that liueth for euer Such is the stomacke of flesh and bloud that it will breake out into many insolencies against God against his church and children vnlesse he cut as it were out teather short that we haue but litle roome to feed in and therefore in great mercie he suffereth vs oft times to want lest we should was proud with abundance and changeth our oyle of gladnesse into a countenance of heauinesse because we could not before tell how to vse our mirth Secondly consider how those afflictions turne to our good which are sent for the exercises of Gods graces in vs namely beerein to trie how farre wee loue God whether wee loue him when hee dealeth with vs roughly aswell as when hee dealeth mildly and liberally with vs and this is called the fierie triall wherein we shall not be consumed like drosse but refined like gold And this affection appeared in Iob when he cried Iob. 13.15 O Lord though thou kill me yet will I loue thee for many times the Lord sendeth his arrowes against vs and the venime of his wrath lieth for a time in our bones and hee setteth vs vp as markes to shoote at vnto whom if we willingly submit our selues the power and danger of his shafts shall be appeased before they hit vs and the poison of his indignation shall be cleansed away before it rankle in vs. Gen. 22.2 Thus fared it with Abraham whom the Lord did not simply afflict for his sinne but for the triall of his faith and feruencie of his zeale toward God to see whether hee loued Isaac the sonne of the promise better then God the Father of the promise And behold to the comfort of the children of Abraham in a resolution of three dayes iourney he fainted not to execute the Lords commaundement trusting the Lord with his owne saluation for hee knew if his sonne Isaac should haue been sacrificed himselfe should haue been damned whose obedience when it was thus thoroughly tried the Lord saith Since thou hast done this I will make thee the father of the faithfull which was a confirmation of the promise was made before But there is another speciall kind of affliction that searcheth more narrowly the corners of our hearts and trieth more fully our obedience and loue toward God namely when the Lord vouchsafeth vs that honor to suffer for the crosse of Christ In this hee exerciseth our cold prayers and varnisheth our rustie hope and stirreth vp our dull meditations to thinke how precious in the sight of God is the bloud of his Saints when they die not onely in their holinesse Psal 116.15 but are put to death euen for their holinesse And therefore Christ giueth this counsell Luk. 6.22.23 When ye are hated of men and persecuted for righteousnes then reioyce and be glad or as the Greeke word signifieth skippe at that day like fat calues because our reward is great in heauen So as these afflictions that leade to death further and hasten vs toward the life to come and euen for this life they turne to our good as Mat. 10.29 He that forsaketh father or wife or riches for my names sake I will giue him an hundred fold more in this life that is in that base estate and condition of persecution wherein he standeth for the profession of my name I will giue him an hundred times more comfort more contentation and more peace of conscience then he should haue had in an hundred wiues of such as were neuer so deare vnto him in an hundred fathers of such as were neuer so kind vnto him and more perfect ioy then he should haue had in all the treasures of the world be they neuer supleasing and precious vnto him So as obserue though the Lord promiseth not a requitall of thy losse in quantitie and in number yet he doth it in the good will and blessing of God wihch is the specâ—all qualitie that maketh such things wee enioy permanent and comfortable vnto vs. This Dauid had found in his owne experience Psal 127.1 and therefore teacheth vs to know that except the Lord doe builde the house in vaine doe the workmen bestow their labour and vnlesse hee keepe the citie as good set open the gates for the watch without him do nothing Witnesse the prison doores that flew open and the chaines wherewith Peter was fettered that flew off when the Iaylor had done the best he could Act. 12.10 And this is that Amos laboureth to perswade the people in his Prophesie that let the spring be neuer so forward Amos 4.6 nor the bread which is our food neuer so sauorie if the Lorde doe but blow vpon it it cannot nourish vs. So Paul saith 1. Tim. 4.12 that godlinesse hath euer the promises of this life that is religious prosperity the hand of blessing from aboue and it hath the promises of the life to come that is to bee translated from this dimme light of Gods fauour which we finde here into the full
fruition of Gods glorie which we shall possesse heereafter Looke vpon the poore widow of Sarepta though she had but a little oile 1. King 7.14 yet had shee more then the rest when Eliah came to her for theirs consumed and hers through the secret blessing of God serued her turne wasted not Dan. 6.17 So Daniel in prison fared better with bread and water by reason of Gods chearfull presence with him then did the king with al his sumptuous and princely diet And in our naturall iudgements we can say that hee hath more that hath but a bottle of wine that runneth by droppes then he that hath a whole cesterne full that is broken for the prouidence of God neuer leaueth those that be his and his eie is vpon their wants to supplie them And as Paul saith Colos 1.16.17 By Christ all things were created he is before all things and in him all things consist that is haue their being for his glorie for no man can complot or contriue anie secret snares for our life no man can breath out any threatnings against Gods Church as did Saul Act. 9.1 Matt. 14 1â— not execute any crueltie vpon the forerunner of Christ as did Heroâ— but Christ hath his full glory in it Let vs therefore kâ—â—â— our persecutors can doe vs no harme for as our being is for Châ—â—â—â— to must our bodies be yeelded vp to Christ wee stand in him and his power in these afflictions is seene in vs so as when they hate vs and reuile vs torment vs they are but as A potheeâ—ies to make drugges to heale our infirmities they are but as Masons to hammer and polish vs in the quarry of this world that we may be fit stones for the heauenly building yea they are but as fire to refine vs being of our selues drossie as furbushers to varnish vs being through fleshly ease rustie as scullions in the Lords kitchin to scoure the vessell of his houshold lastly they are those that haue receaued a commission from God contrarie to their owne intention to doe vs good for when they are come to the perfection of their tyranny they can but kill the bodie whereby they hasten our blessednesse in the soule Heere may be demanded if all things worke for our good whether the infirmities that be in vs do vs any good or no. The answer is Yes many waies but principally three waies First they remaine in vs to subdue the pride and presumption of our hearts that would aduance it selfe against God if it were not humbled by the sight of it owne corruption as Paul must haue a buffeter lest he grow insolent 2. Cor. 12.8 For the Lord will trust vs no more with perfection since Adam lost it in Paradise and therefore he exerciseth vs with infirmities lest wee should steppe into our mother concepit to thinke our selues Gods This is proportionablie to that spoken of Deut. 7.22 That the Lord would roote out the Canaanites from among his people by little and little Psal 59.11 not all at once lest the wild beasts should grow in vpon them These Canaanites bee our infirmities the wild beasts are self-loue pride of life and such like which would waxe strong within vs if we were throughly purged from our weaknesse And thus we see the Lord cureth poison by poison keepeth out grosse sinnes by keeping in naturall infirmities euen as the best treakle is made of poison and the skinne of a viper is the best cure against the sting of a viper Secondly these our infirmities serue to cure our ingratitude for if the Lord should bestow vpon vs all his benefites at once we would soone forget him We see how the Loâ—◠〈◊〉 vp the red sea to make passage for the Israelites Exo. 14. â—â— which one would haue thought should haue beeâ— as 〈◊〉 sighâ— on their finger alwaies in their sight and yet Psal 106.7 â—â—â—t is said 〈◊〉 the Hebrew phrase they made haste to forget it though it was so miraculous a worke For this cause Dauid praieth Psal 59.11 O Lord do not destroy the enemies of thy Church that is slay them not together lest the people forget thee but do it by little and little that the people may often come vnto thee yea Dauid himselfe in many places confesseth that the prolonging of the Lords mercies giue as it were an edge and sharpnesse to this spirit of thankfulnesse And such is the nature of man to wait no longer in humility then he hath hope of benefit The lost sonne had no sooner fingred his portion Luk. 15.13 but his fathers house was vnsauoury to him and he must needs ruffle it in another countrie For as willingly we would wait no longer on the Lord then he is giuing so when hee hath giuen vs somwhat wee would bee out of his sight while we spend it And this maketh him more scant in his blessings then otherwise he would be because he will teach vs to depend vpon him both till we haue them and while we vse them and that employing them in a spirituall kinde of trafficke to gaine credit to the Lord he may furnish vs afterward with better store Thirdly our infirmities serue to restraine our spirituall sluggishnesse and securitie of the flesh for where no feare of the enemie is there the weapon rusteth so as we are sifted and tempted by Sathan that we may finde our infirmities to be relieued by the Lords power and that wee may pray for his gracious strength to withstand him in Christ to ouercome him and that by our experience in fighting with Sathan we may become wise and watchfull for we doe not praie to bee deliuered from temptations but not to bee left in them Our infirmities indeede are the fuell that Sathan laieth and they are as it were the coals hee bloweth to consume vs. Now euery Christian when hee feeleth such a fire of enmitie within him against God and his law bestirreth himselfe and striueth by a cleane contrary blast of the spirit to quench these coales and entreth such a combaâ—◠〈◊〉 â—â—seth in death which wee would not doe if there we 〈◊〉 not soâ—â— skiâ—â— of sinne and some remnant of corruption left 〈…〉 vs but wee would fall asleepe like idle seruants and hide 〈…〉 that is the strength of Gods graces in vs. Iob Iob 13.15 though he were neuer 〈◊〉 painefull a Christian yet neuer more commended the power of God in him then by his fight hand to hand with the diuell in resisting and keeping off such blowes of blasphemie and despaire as Satan would haue had him cast at God and would haue had to sticke in himselfe Paul when he fought with bulles at Ephesus neuer obtained such a victorie as when he left Satan in the lurch and left himselfe persecuting of the Gospell nay after his conuersion there was left a sting in his flesh lest either he might wax sluggish or become proud And therefore it pleaseth God to honour
those that are ordained in the eternall purpose of God to be saued after this sort those that are sure to be conformable to the glorious image of the Sonne of God to them all things doe worke for the best but they that are called in the Lords eternall purpose are ordained to bee conformable and made like to the glorious image of his Sonne therefore to these all things worke for the best Quos praenouit whom he knew before that is Quos vt suos cognouit whom hee knew and approued to bee his owne such should resemble his Sonne in glory that is should partake and taste of the same glory though not in the same measure according to the speech of S. Iohn in his Epistle We shall be like him he doth not say equall to him for Christ must haue the preheminence of an elder brother Hence obserue the indifferencey of the loue of God that he vseth but one and the selfe same course of discipline in his house for all his children for as he trained vp his first and eldest and best beloued sonne so will he traine and bring vs vp And how Christ was vsed here on earth the Scripture is plentifull and his owne mouth testifieth that he was worse then the beasts of the earth for he had not wherein to hide his head And therefore vnlesse wee doe despise the sufferings of Christ or thinke that God loueth vs better then he did Christ and hath prouided an easier way for vs to walke in let vs know that it is our portion to abide the indignities of the world and to bee hated of men nay if whole seas of troubles fall vpon vs wee need not bee dismaled for reuilings are made vnto vs as precious balme the whip is become but as soft silke the pangs of death but as messengers of a sweet sleepe and through Christ the graue is vnto vs as a perfumed bed Secondly obserue hence the power and vertue of Gods loue towards vs who will still haue vs beare about vs some notable marke of excellencie and of immortalitie for as at the first wee were created like to the image of God himselfe so in our second birth and restitution wee are made to resemble the image of the Sonne of God and our resemblance of Christ standeth in two things which formerly haue beene touched first in walking through the sierie afflictions of this life which we may the better doe remembring that being the sonnes of Iacob there is a ladder that reacheth from heauen to earth whereon the Angels are alwaies ascending and descending Gen. 28.12 readie to minister to the necessities of the Saints Secondly in climing vp to the seate of glorie after the Dragon hath spent his malice in sending foorth of his mouth whole flouds of waters to drowne vs Reu. 12.25 which did nothing else but onely wash away our filthinesse lest otherwise wee had beene like to that old Serpent alwaies groueling vpon the ground For certaine it is we must either resemble the Sonne in obedience or the Serpent in malice and if we thinke the inheritance of a sonne inferior and of lesse value and consequent then the curse of the Serpent then let vs runne on with Pharaoh in the heardnesse of our hearts that the Lord may shew his power in vs and after hee hath forborne vs a while in patience Roâ— 9.17 cast vs to the destruction prepared for vs. Vers 30. Moreouer whom hee predestinate them also hee called and whom hee called them also hee iustified and whom hee iustified them also he glorified Here the Apostle proueth his former speech and assertion by setting downe and declaring those subordinate and second meanes or degrees whereby the Lord doth accomplish this his purpose and decree The degrees be foure whom he foreknew first them he predestinated secondly after he called thirdly then iustified fourthly and lastly them he glorified After this sort speaketh S. Iohn He that beleeueth is alreadie translated from death to life so as the whole force of the Apostles argument is this They that shall certainly be glorified to them all things worke for the best otherwise the Lords purpose should be frustrate which cannot be by reason of the degrees of executing this his purpose which neuer faile Here consider generally two parts first his fore or daining vs to glorie secondly the inferiour degrees whereby he doeth execute this his purpose to glorifie vs. In the first consider three things first what this foreknowledge of the Lord is secondly what is meant by this to be like the image of his Sonne thirdly what is meant by the first borne among brethren For this which is the first namely the foreknowledge of God it is the very same which the Apostle called before his purpose whereby the Lord meant to know vs for his owne in his euerlasting loue which is the very highest cause of our saluation For that there is no other first cause may be vnderstood in this that we are not to seeke the first cause in Christ nor the first ordaining vs to life in the mediation of Christ for the Lord had a purpose to saue some before euer Christ had a purpose to be a Mediator though not in time yet in order and that nothing but his foreknowledge made the Lord to know vs in loue and to account vs for his owne wee may see it in our paterne Christ What could induce God that mans nature should be vnited to the very nature eternall Was it possible that the humane nature of Christ could deserue it No but it onely was the Lords purpose that it should be so which being true in constituting and ordaining the head is also to be considered in the members that euen so and in the like maner the simple and onely purpose of God should shew it selfe in fore ordaining vs. Now the worthinesse of man was no cause of this for Paul saith Rom. 9.11 the Lord loued Iacob and hated Esau before they had done either good or euil and saith it is therefore a mystery to be adored rather then to be scanned by reason If wee will search after the generall cause of mans saluation or damnation it is the manifestation of the Lords iustice on some and the declaration of his mercy on others for if all should haue bin saued then had there bin no iustice with the Lord and againe if all had bin condemned then had there beene no mercy Howbeit if we descend to particulars as why the Lord ordained such a one to be saued or to be damned no reason can be giuen heereof but his eternall purpose which is onely hidden in his owne breast For we must not expostulate with the Potter why he made this vessell to honor and that to dishonor much lesse must we contend and plead with the Lord about it This learne thou the Lord hardneth the reprobate either by the substraction and drawing away of his mercy or by giuing it so and in
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
sinne proues there is a law which law being broken bringeth death for the wages of sinne is death Rom. 6.23 The second sort is of them who though they be called by the booke of heauen and earth as the Gentiles were Rom. 1.20 who do see the eternall power of God in the creation of the world and other his works and liuing to a more vnderstanding age are euen by the light of nature without all excuse yet are they not inuited by the voice of the Gospell to rise from the dead but die in their sinnes as the Canibales Barbarians and the Iewes since their Apostasie to whom there pertaineth nothing but a fearefull expectation of iudgement Heereof followeth and is to be obserued that it is contrary to the scripture to thinke that it was the will of God from eternity that all should be saued for then it was his will likewise that all should come to the knowledge of their saluation for whom he hath ordained to the end them hath hee also ordained to the meanes whereas to the reprobate the sound of the word if they doe heare it is but as the noise of bels confusedly iarring in their eares and yet many there be that neuer heard it Why but it is said 1. Tim. 2.4 that it is the will of God all should be saued True all men not euery singular particular man but of euery singular condition of men some not all of all kinds but of all kinds some according to that speech of the Euangelist Mat. 4.23 Christ healed euery disease in Iury that is euery kind of disease not euerie particular disease Now if all men come not to the knowledge of the truth of God either it is done by the wil of God or against his will to say that it is against his will were impious and blasphemous for this were to hold that something could offer violence to the will of God and as if he might not otherwise haue purposed which must be far from a Christian heart to imagine If then this be done with his will then it followeth that his will is changeable if hee once meant to saue them for wee see some euen like dogges readie to rend them in peeces that offer them the pearle of the word whom if the Lord had purposed to saue Mat. 7.6 they should not continue persecutors of the truth as Paul saith of himselfe 1. Timoth. 1.12.13 It pleased Christ Iesus to put me in his seruice being before a blasphemer a persecuter an oppressor and I was receiued to mercy And where it is said 1. Iohn 2.2 that Christ is the reconciliation for the sinnes of the whole world it is to be vnderstood for the sinnes of all sorts and degrees of men gathered out of all the parts of the world and this Christ himselfe interpreteth Ioh. 17.9 when he said Father I pray not for the world and vndoubtedly he will neuer saue them he neuer praied for for whom he excluded from his praier them he neuer meant should haue benefit by his death nay hee had beene bound in duty to haue praied for all if all had been elected to saluation Now if it be asked why men are damned the answer is easie It is for their sinne howbeit it was purposed in the Lords vncontrolable decree that they should be damned before they euer sinned and being corrupt in themselues the Lord hardneth them either by withdrawing the meanes or the power of the meanes the first by ignorance the second by denying them vnderstanding hearts So as if it be demanded why the Lord hardned any it is because he found him corrupt in Adam if why hee damneth any it is because he found him a sinner in himselfe Whom he calleth he iustifieth that is doth absolutely pardon him all his sinne and absolutely impute vnto him all his Sonnes righteousnesse that as Christ for vs was made sinne so wee in Christ might bee made righteous so as iustification is the translation and remouing of our sinne to Christ and the translation and remouing of his righteousnesse to vs. To our sinne hee opposeth his obedience to the punishment of our sinne hee opposeth his satisfaction otherwise he had not fully acquitted vs by fulfilling the law vnlesse he had satisfied his Fathers wrath for our breach of the law in our corrupt birth For if a man could now fulfill all the law of God yet should hee not bee saued because he was borne corrupt and could not possibly satisfie for that was past and in performing the law afterward he should doe nothing but his duty But this is our comfort that the Lord seeing our weaknesse hath in his loue passed by it and seeing our thoughts to bee alwaies euill taketh no account nor reckoning of vs but were sembling the image of his Sonne the Lord reckoneth with him and striketh off our debts in setting them on his score who hath paid the Lord his full due euen to the vtmost farthing being in his birth cleane in his life holy and in his death obedient Whom he iustifieth he glorifieth In this life the Lord doth onely call vs and iustifie vs so as no man need say as Rom. 10.7 Who shall ascend into heauen for that were to bring Christ from aboue or Who shall descend into the deepe for that were to raise Christ from the dead for so much vertue and power of Christ as is needfull for vs wee taste of heere but our glorifying is reserued and followeth in the life to come hauing it heere only in spe and not in re in hope but not in hand This glorifying heere spoken of is meant not that wee shall haue at the last day of our separation when the world shutteth her doores vpon vs but of that glory wee shall receiue at the day of iudgement which is plaine and euident by that went before vers 21. namely that wee waite for the restoring of the liberty of the sonnes of God and for the freedome from the bondage of corruption Howbeit in the glorie of our separation two things are to be obserued first Reu. 2â— 4â— that we shall be freed from all feares and teares and shall haue sinne abolished secondly we shall enter into our Lords rest but the glory of the last day is farre greater and resteth in three things first in the resurrection and a waking of the body when it shall be made conformable to the body of Christ when it shall not liue by the soule only nor be maintained by outward and externall instruments of bread such like but it shall liue as the body of Christ liueth and be glorious like the Sunne which shall then exceed it selfe in glory Isay 65.17 2. Pet. 3.13 Secondly there shall be a new heauen and a new earth and in this new heauen shall dwell the soules of the Saints of God and all things else shall bee restored to their first maiesty Thirdly which is the greatest of all we shall then haue
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
conscience in an vndefiled heart not stained with hypocrisie nor growing so hard as to be burned with a hot iron 1. Tim. 4.2 For the second point which is the grieuousnesse of the affliction befals Gods Saints it is to be considered two waies first their crueltie that nothing will staie their hunger nor stainch their malice but bloud for either we are killed or daily haue death before our eies the sight whereof oft â—â—mes is more bitter then death it selfe Secondly the indignitie they offer vs and the disgrace not onely to slay vs but to slay vs like beasts to set foorth and expresse their exceeding rancor and malice toward vs. Concerning the crueltie and indignitie hath beene vsed toward Gods â—aints for the old Testament let the Apostle to the Hebr. 11.36 speake who teckoneth vp twelue seue all kindes and sorts of persecutions wherewith the faithfull haue bene pursued and yet were neuer dauned nor dismared knowing they should receiue a better resurrection And how they haue beene vsed since Christ his ascension the stories of the ten persecutions in the Primitiue church do tel vs that Christians were so odious as they were out of the protection of law for not onely were lawes made against them that publikely they should be tormented but euery priuat man might be a butcher to a Christian and neuer come in danger nor question of law for shedding of bloud yea there was such exquisite torments deuised for them by Sathan as could not be greater as that some should be couered with the skin of a beast and then cast to a wolfe to be rent like a beast some smothered with a little smoake proceeding from a continual soft fire some scorched in the flame and powdred with falt and vinegar some cast downe headlong from the toppe of mountaines some hauing their flesh scrapt with shels and many such like torments so as though it may seeme Homo homini Deus man to be to man a God that is a helper and defender where there is loue yet in the difference of religion it prooueth Homo homini lupus that man becommeth a destroier of man Hereupon doth Christ foreseeing the affections of tyrants Mat. 10.16 tell the Apostles in plaine termes that he sent them as sheepe among wolues and presently expounds himselfe ver 17. Beware of men whose mouths be as open sepulchers to deuour vs and who are in nothing so wily and watchfull as in setting snares to intrap vs. We are killed all the day Wherein obserue that it is a portion ordained to euery Christian not to bee exempt from any calamitieâ— common with the wicked but to bee subiect to all these and to farre greater because iudgement must begin at the house of God and this indgement is to last not for a time or an houre but euen to continue all the day giuing no truce nor intermission but as one waue beateth vpon another and one day followeth another so must we learne Patiendo pati by suffering how to suffer and the end of the former trouble must beesteemed to be the beginner of another as Christ himselfe saith Take vp my crosse daily Neither yet must we thinke that we are called to any hand condition or that the calling of a Christian is any vncomely calling for wee haue Christ as a glusse before vs who walked as it were continually vpon the ice and was not one moment free from some subiection and basenesse in the outward man Secondly by sheepe appointed to the slaughter learne that a Christian must neuer thinke hee hath suffered enough till hee hath suffered death for it is not said appointed to the whip or to the racke or to the prison but euen to death which is the thing our flesh most abhorreth For this must be the Christian mans account not to bee cast and cassiered out of this warfare till death hath perfited our sanctification as Hebr. 10.33 the Apostle reckoning vp the afflictions of the godly as partly while they were made a gazing stocke by reproches partly while they suffered with other in compassion mourning to see them distressed partly while they did beare the losse of goods cheerefully yet as if this were but a small matter and as if yet they were farre short in their reckoning chap. 12.4 hee telleth them they haue not yet resisted vnto bloud nor suffered death as if the number of death made their account perfect and that they must still be casting till they come to death for hauing fought so many battels as went before in their sufferance of so many inferior blowes and as it were weake afflictions they must not cast away their confidence till they haue fought the last skirmish and haue ouercome death by dying Thirdly learne that by the Lords decree we are not all appointed to be offered vp in sacrifice but by the malice of the enemie we are all destinated and set forth for such a bloudy end though the Lord in prouidence do oftentimes rescue vs euen out of the iawes of the Lion howbeit God appoineth all to some I doe not say affliction but persecution for in the scripture we reade of a double martyrdome Cruentum and Incruentum a bloudy martyrdome and a martyrdome without bloud as when we suffer any shame imprisonment losse of goods c. And this appeareth in two of the first enemies of Gods Church Ismael and Esau the first scoffed at his brother Isaac the other out of the hidden malice of his heart could say Gen. 21.9 Gen. 27.41 If my Father die I will haue Iacobs life So as though we escape bloud yet wee must witnesse the trueth of Christ by bearing at least the sting of the tongue from which neuer any of vs was exempted And though Ismael said not so much as Esau yet assure thy selfe they haue both the same minde for sometime the butcher wanteth his knife and therefore settle thy heart and carry death as a seale vpon thy finger Heauen is compared to a treasure hidden Mat. 13.44 and woorth more then all thy substance meaning thereby that a man should not refuse to bestow any thing vpon the field of Grace that is the Gospell that thereby hee may enter into the kingdome of glorie And though the Lord calleth not all foorth to this sharpest combat to be slaine in the field yet must euery man carrie this Christian resolution that if he be called not to prize or esteeme any thing but to leaue all and with patience and cheerefulnesse to kisse and to embrace the sword of death We are more then conquerors c. Heere followeth the comfortable issue and as it were the gate of ioy set open vnto vs in our extreemest miseries namely that in all things we ouer come wherein obserue two points first the victorie it selfe secondly the meanes whereby we obtaine it that it is not by the naturall strength of flesh and bloud but through the power of Christ that loued vs. For the first we are more
if any fall with Dauid he may and shall rise againe with Dauid if hee pertaine to God but then hee must earnestly and soundly repent as Dauid did and to come to a true and serious confession of thy sinne indeed it shall be the hardest worke and cost thee dearer then euer any thing did Againe who would be so foolish to make of a particular and rare example a generall ground as to fall with Dauid for company to rise with him for company and because thou feest one sore wounded with a dagger to be cured to desire to be stricken with the same dagger to be healed with that man for company Nay if any hath falne from that grace he hath once receiued let him pray that he may rise againe but let him know that being falne if he had all the hearts in the world and could shed fountaines of teares he should finde them all too little and insufficient to lament soundly so as the Lord would come againe to comfort him Lastly heere may bee doubted since the spirit must not be quenched and that as hath bene taught before it must be maintained or else it will decay whether it be in vs to nourish this spirit as well as to quench it To this wee answer with Paul Philipp 2.12.13 Make an end of your saluation with feare and trembling for it is God that worketh in you both the will and the deed euen of his good pleasure so as we must feare but we must also worke And this spirit cannot be idle in vs so as wee must not stand gaping looking that the Lord should fill vs with his graces but wee must worke because the Lord worketh vpon vs. So then the Lord doth all meerely of his grace But heere is humilitie and diligence commended to vs and therefore doeth the Lord by his Ministers exhort vs to good workes to make vs more circumspect and chearefull in doing them for the holy Ghost worketh not absolutely and simply in vs but vouchsafeth meanes it selfe being the chiefe efficient to prepare the mind to receiue that grace to which wee are exhorted euen as wee all liue by Gods prouidence yet not without bread And as the safetie of a childs riding standeth in the fast holding of the father yet the words of the father to bid him hold fast maketh the childe more warie euen so exhortation maketh vs more warie in auoiding sinne for we are not dead stones but liuing instruments and therefore as we performe liuely actions of the bodie so must we haue spirituall operations of the minde the fruite and benefit whereof is discerned by the power and strength of the holy Ghost who worketh both in vs and by vs. Now for the second point which is the meanes how the commandement of not quenching the spirit may be best obeyed It is by making much of the Word and the Preachers thereof for by prophesie is meant such as haue the word of exhortation in their mouthes and of whom it is said Esa 59.21 The spirit that I put into their mouthes shall neuer depart from thee nor thy seede Whereby wee learne that as the spirit is giuen by the word preached so is it also maintained by the word preached and as there is no light without the Sunne no fructifying of the earth without the windowes of heauen be open nor no lampe burning without oile so is there no faith begun and continued without we be established in the word of grace Now if we finde sometimes no heart in the word but that it is irksome to the eare and vnpleasant to the sound let vs not therefore refuse the meanes and exclude our selues from hearing for oftentimes a stomacke is gotten by eating and though the spirit be quenched in vs in this grace yet let vs come where this grace is offered and though we heare not sometimes with such a rellish as we would and ought to doe yet let vs pray that our hearing may doe vs some good and that by hearing our stomacke may come againe And if we heare often and forget it yet let vs do that in this kinde of sicknesse which we doe in the distemper of our naturall bodies eat the oftner if wee eat much and cannot retaine it to digest it so if we cannot remember what we heare let vs heare the oftner because our memories are so weake so as if there be any preaching not neglecting our callings let vs partake of that foode and the Lord may in mercie so much blesse our diligence as we may by one Sermon learne so much as may comfort vs in the houre of death Lastly as in generall diseases of the bodie as in an ague all parts are weake but principally the stomacke yet it receiueth a medicine and the disease it selfe prouoketh vs to that so if Satan haue weakened thy stomacke so much as thou hast no list to heare the word let this dulnesse be so farre from discouraging thee as that it make thee lust and desire the more after it For as Paul said to the Centurion Act. 27.31 Except these abide in the ship yee cannot be safe when they of themselues would needs haue gone foorth and yet Paul had the absolute promise before that himselfe and his whole companie should be safe but this was conditionall if they obeyed the meanes that is if they abode in the ship Euen so they that despise the meanes of hearing refuse the mercie of reforming their liues and of mollifying their hearts whether they refuse of rashnesse as heare or heare not it is all one or of distrust as though I heare it will do me no good for assuredly except we heare as often as wee can we cannot maintaine this spirit and going out of this ship that is departing from the word preached it is not possible to be saued TITVS chap. 2. vers 11 12. verse 11 For that grace of God which bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared verse 12 And teacheth vs that wee should denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and that we should liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world THE Apostle in the 9. and 10. verses going before did exhort seruants that were professors to shew themselues obedient to their masters according to the flesh in all things without offence to God and chargeth them that though they be in a base low degree yet they should labour to adorne the doctrine of Christ Now in the 11. verse he addeth a forcible reason to his former exhortation because that grace that is the doctrine of the Gospell which c. hath appeared to all men that is to all conditions of men that it might instruct them to lay aside prophannesse concupiscence of the eies all things that sauour of the world and to liue iustly toward men and religiously toward God waiting for the glorie to be reuealed The words diuide themselues into two parts the first commendeth the excellencie of the teacher which doth instruct vs namely the
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
would haue beene glad if his purpose might haue beene confirmed by the Lords mouth And as it fareth with the sicke patient who affecting some meate hurtfull asketh the Physitian whether he may eate it or no who hauing the regiment of their bodies and knowing their disease telleth them no in no wise yet so strong is their appetite that they wil take it and onely would haue bene glad if the Physitian would haue approoued it So men will come to know the nature of sinne which being described to be vgly in it selfe yet seeming beautifull and gainefull in their affection they will stil embrace it shewing themselues to haue descended of that young man spoken of Matth. 19.16 who would needs bee questioning with Christ how he might goe to heauen and when he touched him in his wealth which he made his god as that he must fell all it is said hee went away sorrowfull for hee had great possessions Secondly obserue heere the order the spirit vseth placing iust dealing after sober liuing as if it were impossible to looke for true dealing where sobrietie went not before and therefore we hauing gone beyond the proportion of our old fathers and exceeding that sobrietie which was the auncient renowmed vertue of this age and nation iustice and iust dealing cannot haue her due course but the cloth must needs be stretched to maintaine our superfluities so as that of Ioel 1.4 fitteth for this What the Canker-worme hath left the Grashopper hath deuoured what the Grashopper hath left the Catterpiller hath deuoured c. So wee by the same proportion may saie in these daies That which purchasing which enlargeth it selfe like hel hath left that sumptuous building hath deuoured what this hath left magnificent furniture hath deuoured what this hath left pride of life hath deuoured and what this hath left ambition hath wasted for great men must be bribed and then poore men must needes be racked And therefore it is certaine if reformation beginne not at our selues that wee can pull downe whatsoeuer exalteth it selfe aboue the compasse of modestie comelinesse and sobrietie wee shall expect little trueth and iustice to others Thirdly obserue what this is commandeth vs to deale iustly it is not the law in terrour of death but the Gospell euen because the Lord doth purpose to saue vs by this grace so as it is a suite commended vnto vs by such a speciall token of the price of saluation as wee cannot chuse but performe it with great care vnlesse we will shew our selues greatly vnthankfull and prooue our hearts to be more then flintie Ieremie conuinceth Ierem. 35.14 the obstinacie of the Iewes by the example of the Rechabites who refused to drinke wine offred and set before them because their father Ionadab had so commanded them Heereupon saith the Lord Iuda I haue warned thee often but thou wouldst not incline thine eare nor obey me Of which example we must make this vse Rechah spake to his children but once the Lord hath spoken to vs often to liue religiously he was but the father of the flesh God is the father of our spirits his commandement was hard and his yoke heauy to forbeare the vse of lawfull things and necessarie as not onely to forbeare wine but they must neither sow nor plant and yet they kept it the Lords commaundement is that wee surfeit not with the cares of this life and that wee deale honestly with our brethren Rechah promised them but to liue long on earth our Father for our obedience hath promised vs eternall life so as both hee that commaundeth is higher and the reward that is giuen is greater Now followeth the third thing that is to be embraced and that is a godly life for it were absurd to be precise toward men and to deale wickedly with God and all is abominable if our religion toward God exceed not our righteousnes toward men To know what godlinesse is shall bee best discerned by the contrarie and vngodlinesse is three-fold first the worship of a false God secondly the worship of a true God falsly as the Iewes that executed the Lord Iesus and Paul that persecuted the Church of Iesus they did thinke they did God great good seruice thirdly such as worship the true God in a true seruice outwardly but with an vnzealous heart like Iudas that followed Christ and yet betraied him 2. Tim. 4.10 and like Domas that forsooke Paul and embraced the world yet did hee not returne to his idols againe and in truth there is no difference betweene these two last for it is all one to serue him fantastically as did the Pharisees as to serue him coldly as did the Laodiceans but now godlinesse is opposite to all these and is a true seruice of a true God in a true religion with a true heart And this is soone discerned by our affections for if we can tremble at the word preached and be possessed with the spirit of feare at the least offence and sinne which we can commit because we know that the maiestie of God is displeased and the spirit of God grieued and if from this feare doth spring sorow and from this sorow care of recouering our fall againe and when wee are cured can resolue and strengthen our selues in patience to goe vnder the yoke of afflictions and vnder the wheele of death for the truths sake we may assure our selues our paths are straight and that in our iourney toward God our feet be shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace not any way to be distracted with cares nor distrustfull with the troubles of this life Hence obserue that none are to be commended for their sobrietie and honestie vnlesse also they be religions which is proued thus None are honest but they that be cleane in heart no mans heart is cleane that is not purified in conscience and none are purified in conscience without faith and none haue faith that are not zealous and religious toward God for faith striueth by praier with God Thou wilt say loue is the fulfilling of the law but this loue toward our brethren implieth and of necessitie presupposeth a loue of God which constraineth vs to loue man for no more then a man can loue God and hate his brother no more can he hate God and loue his brother and if he loue God in this is euer included a loue and zeale toward his glorie Againe if we take the loue of our brethren to be that Paul speaketh of 1. Tim. 1.5 it is then agreed for then it is loue from a pure heart a good conscience and a faith vnfained which being grounded on Christ is the foundation roote and well head of all honestie and iust dealing Lastly obserue hence that the godlinesse here spoken of must haue two properties for first it must not be hidden in the heart but fruitfull and visible to the eie that the world may see it secondly we may not deferre our godlinesse but it must be
present euen as the time of our life is for Gods children most bee like the rod of the Almond tree spoken of Ierem. 1.11 which in those countries where it groweth is the first that blossometh yea we must not onely giue the first fruits as vnder the law but euen all the fruits of our liues to the Lord for God often punisheth the want of his fear in our youth with the want of wisedome in our age if our godlines be not present he oftentimes cutteth vs off before we can see the time to come Neither yet must we thinke it sufficient to cherish godlinesse in our hearts no not in our chambers but it must be as a light set vpon a hill that not onely Gods children may see it for their direction but that euen the world may see it for their condemnation as Christ saith to his disciples I haue sent you to walke in the midst of a froward and crooked generation yet must they walke still for by this open profession of godlinesse we shew whose liuerie we weare and that we are not ashamed of the crosse nor abashed at it Howbeit this course of godlinesse which we must liue in is no more nor no lesse then an absolute resignation and giuing vp of all things in respect of God which standeth in three things first in giuing vp our reason secondly in denying our affections thirdly in framing our mind to a moderation in what estate the Lord shall set vs in For the first wee must resigne vp our reason to religion in two respects first for that it is an incomprehensible mysterie which is vnsearchable secondly for that the ignominie thereof is vnsufferable in our reason as to thinke that he is blessed that is hungrie they vnhappie that bee rich and that the Lords correction is loue For the second which is the giuing vp of our affections it will teach vs so to walke and so to deale as in the presence of God it will make vs plough vp those furrowes of pride and vaine-glorie which lie so deepe in our hearts and when by the instigation of our affections we are mooued to riot or voluptuousnesse it will make vs abstaine because we haue giuen our selues to God For the third to haue a willingnesse to suffer what the Lord sendeth will make vs resigne vp those inordinate cares of getting wherewith wee are oftentimes perplexed and to content our selues with that portion the Lord hath shared out vnto vs so as by religion and a godly life we shall learne to say with Dauid O Lord thou hast done it therefore I hold my peace and not only to beare an outward contentment in worldly things but euen in all calamities to rest vpon the mercifull hand of God IAMES chap. 2. vers 20.21 verse 20 But wilt thou vnderstand O thou vaine man that the faith which is without works is dead verse 21 Was not Abraham our father instified through workes when he offered Isaac his sonne vpon the altar THe word of God hath two parts in it first it is a word of wisedome secondly it is a word of knowledge by knowledge to reforme the iudgement and to conuince the conscience by wisdome to perswade the affections to the obedience of that we haue truly learned Saint Iames here indeuoreth to perswade that none could be saued without works and he proueth it by a double example of Abraham and of Rahab Wilt thou vnderstand c. as if he should say If that set downe before cannot sufficiently take root to affect thee and to perswade thee that without the workes of a holy life thy faith is no better then a diuels faith take this example of Abraham for all thou wilt grant that Abraham was an excellent person and had true faith and that the couenant was so made with him that none should be saued vnlesse they were of his seed either according to the flesh and spirit or at least according to the spirit And since the couenant was made with him and he was saued by faith so must all we be saued by his faith that is by a faith of the same kind that his was for there is but one faith though there be diuers measures of it Now Abraham had an approued faith as it is proued by this one act and worke of his for all because it was the principallest of all in that he staied not nor demurred vpon the Lords commandement in offering vp his fonne the greatest worke that euer flesh and bloud did except his that was more then flesh and blood namely Christ And because the Iesuits as hardened enemies against the truth haue strangely peruerted this place we must vnderstand a difference betweene these speeches Faith without workes is dead and Faith that is without workes is dead for by the first speech may bee thought that works giue life to faith which is most false but the second speech is true workes being a necessarie consequent of faith and an infallible signe that faith hath gone before euen as in these speeches to say The body is dead without breathing and the body that is without breathing is dead for if wee affirme and attribute the cause of life to breathing it is false for the soule is the cause of life in the body but the other speech is true for the body that hath no breath in it is deadâ— and where breath is it is a signe there is life So to say the tree that is without fruit is dead is true but not to say the tree without fruit is dead for the tree that standeth in the ground is not fruitfull we may well say is dead at the root but when the sap lieth at the root we may well say there is life in the tree though there be no fruit on the branches Now the aduersaries argue thus No dead faith can iustifie faith without workes is dead therefore no faith can iustifie without workes as if they should say Christ Iesus neuer raised vp himselfe without his humanity therefore his humanity helped in raising vp his flesh which is most blasphemous Howbeit Christ separated from his humanity was neuer raised vp this is must true So they in their former argument referre iustification to workes which is most false but if they had concluded therfore faith that is without workes cannot iustifie they had done well for thereby had been proued that works had been inseparable from faith but not that they concurre for faith is alone euer in iustifying but neuer alone in the person iustified euen as the eye alone of all the parts of the bodie doth see but the eye that is alone separate from the other parts of the body doth not sece at all but is a dead eye Was not Abraham c. Heere consider two points first in what sense this is true secondly why this worke aboue the rest is commended and registred for a proofe of Abrahams faith The words heere set downe are directly contrary to the
words Rom. 4.2 Abraham was not iustified by workes and therefore they must be so reconciled as both places may bee true lest contrariety and variance appeare in the spirit of God which cannot be This is like those speeches vttered by Christ My Father is greater then I Ioh. 5.17 19. Iohn 10.30 and in another place I and my Father are all one and I count it no robbery to be equall with my Father which is spoken in a different respect the first in the person of a mediator the second in the person of the Godhead So Saint Paul taking the word iustifying for iustification before God said true and Saint Iames taking the word iustifying for iustification or approuing of his faith before men saieth true also but the word being taken in one and the same sense it were impossible for an Angell from heauen or for Christ himself to reconcile them And the reconciliation which the Papists make of these two places fighteth directly with Paul for they say faith and workes doe iustifie Paul saith faith onely iustifieth So as when Paul speaketh of iustifying by faith hee meaneth that whereby wee are acquitted by Christ and doe appeare perfect before God in him and Saint Iames taketh it for being iustified in the sight of men that is declared and approued to bee iustified when our holy life answereth to our holy profession And that the word Iustified is thus vsed and taken in this sense as Saint Iames doth appeareth Psalme 51.4 That thou maiest be iustified when thou art iudged that is declared to bee iust So Luke 7.29 the Publicans iustified God that is declared him to bee iust and in the same place it is said Wisedome is iustified of her children And Luk. 10.29 it is said the Lawyer was willing to iustifie himselfe that is to shew that hee was iust and it is likewise prooued out of the text it selfe Shew mee saith Saint Iames thy faith shew it to mee not to God Againe Saint Iames had falsified and abused the Scripture if he had taken the word iustifying in the sense to be made iust for the sentence that Abraham was iustified had passed the Lords mouth many yeeres before the sacrificing of his sonne for this that hee was iust was pronounced long before Ismael was conceiued as appeareth Genes 15.6 and therefore taking the word iustified to bee made iust hee could in no sort bee iustified by offering vp his sonne because he was iustified before but the meaning of Saint Iames is that it was approoued by this act and worke of Abraham that God had not saied before in vaine that hee was iustified and Rom. 4.10 it appeareth Abraham was iustified in his vncircumcision and this worke Iames speaketh of was done long after his circumcision To this the Papists reply thus Though Abraham was iustified before hee did this worke before God yet there is a degree to bee more iustified and so this place of Saint Iames may bee taken to bee a further iustification and an increase of faith before God as well as not To this wee answer that one pardon from God sufficeth for all sinnes and one droppe of blood serueth for all offences but because our faith is weake that we are not able to apply this bloud all at once therefore it is said that we must grow from faith to faith and he that is washed in the bloud of Christ is all cleane but our sanctification in this life leaueth some grudge and tang of corruption and maketh our feete impure as Christ speaketh Iohn 13.10 so as with God wee are iustified all at once and there is no proceeding by degrees in respect of him for blood pardons all but water that is our renewing groweth by degrees Now for the speeches of Saint Paul Rom. 4.4.5 and Rom. 8.30 that none are iustified by workes the Papists say It is to be taken of the workes of the law ceremoniall but not of the law mâ—â—ll But we must note that Paul speaketh there of the law written in the tables of stone of that law that manifesteth sinne to bee sinne Thou shalt not lust c. which is the law morall and so their distinction false and friuolous Besides they were both the lawes of God and therefore a man may bee iustified as soone by the one as by the other for as Paul saith 2. Corinth 3.5 All our sufficiency is of God and of our selues we can doe nothing and but that the vaile is taken away in Christ the same couering remaineth which was in the old Testament vnder Moses And where Saint Paul saith Abraham was iustified without workes and no man shall bee iustified by the workes of the law True say the Papists by none of the workes of the law that he doth in the time of his infidelity but by them that hee doth after his conuersion he may be iustified And they say that forasmuch as the Apostle saith The workes of Abraham were done in beliefe therefore by this hee excludeth onely those workes done before faith to helpe his iustification So as by this wee see the aduersaries make two iustifications the first when of an infidell a man is made a professor which they say is by congruity when there is a certaine inclination in the heart of man to performe some good workes and yet for want of grace cannot the Lord seeing his heart thus prepared to be iustified doth call him and meerely of his grace doth iustifie him The second when a man is freely iustified by the grace of God then by this grace of God and his owne free-will say they hee may increase his iustification before God For the first we answer that none can be iustified by workes before faith for this is as if a tree should bring foorth fruite without a roote or a body should liue without a soule so in vaine is it to make a question of that cannot be for before wee haue faith it is impossible to worke or to thinke of a good work Secondly where they say that speech concerning Abraham is taken and to be vnderstood of his workes done before faith and that he was iustified by his good workes in faith this doth wholly eneruate and take away the strength of the Apostle his reason for Paul saith If hee were iustified by workes then had he whereof to glory with God Rom. 4.6 which speech extendeth as well to workes after faith as before faith for hee that deserueth any way may glory Secondly the Apostle saith Not to him that worketh but to him that beleeueth is righteousnesse due for if hee worketh hee hath his wages by desert that is say they he that standeth vpon his owne workes before faith without the assistance of Gods grace this man challengeth it by desert because hee did them without faith and grace which euasion and shift is most vaine for a man is not therefore made euill because he doth euill but he doth euill because he is borne euill so a man is
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