which runneth into it so he that vvould proceed from Election to Glorification let him follow this Calling vvhich is so to call it a riuer flowing out of the brasen mountaines of Gods eternall Election running perpetually vpward till it enter into the heauen of heauens vvhich doe altogether ouerflow vvith that great and vnbounded Ocean of diuine Glory but vvee are still to remember that vvee speake now of the inward Calling for the lincke◠of this Chaine are so comely framed by that most skilfull Artificer that they are all of a like compasse none of them larger nor narrower than another so that this Calling doth extend to no more nor fewer than those vvhom God hath chosen This inward calling is the donation of Faith by the What the inward calling is preaching of the Gospell or communication of the sauing grace of Iesus by vvhich vvee are moued to answere the Lord and follow the heauenly vocation for as the Lord by the preaching of the Gospell offers vnto all that are in the Church visible righteousnesse and life by Christ if they vvill repent and beleeue vvherein consists the outward Calling so by his holy Spirit hee giueth to his Elect children iustifying Faith by vvhich he openeth their hearts as hee did the heart of Lidia to receiue the grace offered by the Gospell and herein consists the inward Calling The vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvhereby the Apostle expresseth it In this Calling there is a taking of some leauing of others signifieth to euocate and choose out some from among others this shall make the greatnesse of Gods mercy toward vs appeare the more clearely if wee doe consider that vve and the reprobate were alike by nature borne blinderebels and transgressors from the wombe and did vvalke on vvith them in the same course of disobedience vvhich leadeth to damnation but it pleased God to call vs out of their fellowship and enter vs in a better course that vve might be saued A notable example whereof vve haue in the calling of Lot out of Sodome the Lord hauing concluded to consume Sodome with fire for her abhominable filthinesse he first of all sent two Angels to call Lot out of it but Lot not knowing the danger lingred and delayed to follow their calling till at the length they put hands vnto him and forced him to goe out but when he was set vpon the mountaine and knew the fearefull destruction of Sodome then no doubt he acknowledged the wonderfull mercy which God had shewed vpon him it is euen so with vs we are here soiourning in a Sodome God hath taken vs out from amōg the children of wrath as he tooke Lot out of Sodome vvhich God will destroy and wee haue our conuersation among those vvhose portion shall be in the lake that burnes with fire and brimstone from which the Lord being purposed to saue vs hath sent his Angels to vs not two but manie Ministers of the Gospell of Grace exhorting vs to flye from the wrath which is to come but alas because we know not the danger we flye slowly and delay to follow the heauenly vocation but in that day wherein we shall be set vpon the mountaine of Gods saluation and shall stand at the right hand of Iesus and heare that fearefull condemnation of the wicked Depart from me c. when we shal see the earth open and swallow them then shall we reioyce and prayse the mercie of our God O happy time vvherein the Lord sent his messengers among vs to call vs from the fellowship of the damned There is no difference by nature betweene the Elect and No difference by nature betweene elect men reprobate till our calling make it reprobate neyther in inward nor outward disposition till God make it by grace Paul as bloudy a persecuter as euer vvas Domitian or Iulian. Zacheus as vnconscionable and couetous a Worldling as was that rich Glutton damned to hell The elect and reprobate men before Grace make a difference are like two men vvalking in one iourney vvith one minde and one heart like Eliah and Elisha walking and talking together when a chariot of fire did incontinent seperate them and Eliah is taken vp into heauen Elisha left vpon the earth not vnlike is it when the vnlooked for calling of God commeth and seperateth those two who before were walking together yea running in the same excesse of ryot the one changing the course of his life returneth back again to the Lord from whom he had fallen whereas the other not touched with the same Calling meruailes that his former companion hath forsaken him and walketh stil on stubbornly in the former course of his sinnes to his condemnation Apply this vnto your selues and see whether this effectuall Calling hath seperated you in your conuersation from the wicked or not an euident argument that ye shall be seperated from them in their condemnation Blessed is he that Psal 1. walketh not in the counsell of the wicked nor stands in the way of sinners nor sits in the seat of the scornefull And if wee finde after tryall that the Lord hath called The time of our calling is to vs as the deliuerance from Egipt or the yeare of Iubily to Israel vs then should vvee alway shew forth his prayses vvho hath translated vs from darknesse into his meruailous light The Lord shewed a great mercie to Israell vvhen hee deliuered them out of the house of bondage he set the remembrance of that benefit in the forefront of his law as a bond euer oblieging them vnto thankfulnesse but their bondage was not so horrible as ours Pharaoh oppressed their bodies and compelled them to worke in bricke and clay yet their spirits were free to sigh and crie to GOD for the bondage but here so long as wee were the slaues of Sathan hee compelled vs to vvorke the abhominable vvorkes of darknesse and vncleannesse and therewithall did so captiue our spirits that wee could not so much as cry and sigh vnto God for the bondage and therefore our deliuerance should neuer goe out of our remembrance and our hearts and mouthes should euer be filled with the prayses of our Redeemer when we think of this yeare of Iubilie wherin he hath opened the doore of the prison and set vs at libertie as the freemen of God who were the captiued and bond-slaues of Sathan The Author of this calling is the Lord euen hee who Calling being a new creation is onely wrought by God calles things which are not and makes them to be Calling is a new creation and the first resurrection The Lord that commanded light to shine out of darknesse is he who hath giuen to our mindes the light of the knowledge of his glory in the face of Iesus Christ It is he who creates in vs a new heart and puts in our bowels a new spirit that we may walke in his statutes As man when hee was not could not helpe to create himselfe
Gal. 5. 22. 23. 24 Peace Long suffering Gentlenesse Goodnesse Faith Meeknesse Temperance If the Spirit of Christ dwell in vs and if wee liue in the Spirit let vs walke in the Spirit this is the conuiction of carnall professors that while they say the spirit of Christ is in them they declare none of his fruites in their conuersation but to insist somewhat more in this same purpose Operations of the spirit are two-fold We are to know that the effects and operations of the Spirit are twofold the one is generall and common operation which he hath in the wicked for hee illuminates euery 1 Externall common to all men Iohn 1. 1 Cor. 12. 3. one who commeth into the world Neyther can any man say that Iesus is the Lord but by the Spirit euery spark of light and portion of truth be it in whom it will flowes out of doubt from this holy Spirit That Caiaphas and Saul can Prophecie that Iudas can Preach all is from him but of this manner of operation is not here meant for this way he worketh in the wicked not for any good to them but for Intern 2 proper all and godly to the the aduancement of his owne worke The other kinde of the holy Ghosts operation is speciall and proper to the godly by the which he doth not onely illuminate their mindes but proceeds also to their hearts and workes this threefold effect in it Sanctification Intercession and Consolation First he is vnto them a spirit of Sanctification renuing Three effects wrought by the speciall operation of the spirit in the godly their hearts by his effectuall grace he first rebukes them of sinne he wakens their conscience with some sight of their iniquities and sense of that wrath which sinne hath deserued whereof arises heauinesse in their hearts sadnesse in their countenance lamentation in their speech and such an 1 Sanctification alteration in their whole behauiour that their former pleasures become painefull vnto them and others who knew them before wonders to see such a change in them From this he proceedes and leads them to a sight of Gods mercie in Christ he inflames their hearts with a hunger and thirst for that mercie and workes in their hearts such a loue of righteousnesse and hatred of sinne that now they become more afraid of the occasions of sinne then they were before of sinne it selfe this resistance made to the temptations this care to eschew the ocasions of sinne is an vndoubted token of the spirit of Christ dwelling in thee This is the first operation of the spirit but it is not all he proceeds yet further by degrees for the kingdome of God is as if a man should cast seed into the earth which growes vp and we cannot tell how first it sends out the blade secondly the eares and then the cornes so proceeds the kingdome of God in man by degrees In the second place the holy spirit becomes to the godly a spirit of Intercession so 2 Intercession long as wee are bound with the cords of our transgressions we cannot pray but from the time he once loose vs from our sinnes he openeth our mouth vnto God he teacheth vs to pray not onely with sighes and sobs that cannot be expressed but also puts such words in our mouths as we our selues who spake them are not able to repeat againe And thirdly he becomes vnto them the spirit of Consolation 3 Consolation if he be vnto thee a sanctifier and intercessor he shall not faile at the last to be thy comforter if at the first after that thou hast sent vp supplications thou find not his consolation descending vpon thee be not discouraged but be the more humbled for alas our sinnes shortens his arme Math. 26. and the hardnesse of our hearts holds out his comforts we must fall downe with Marie and lye still washing the feet of Christ with our teares before he take vs in his armes to kisse vs with the kisses of his mouth and if we finde these effects of his presence going before humiliation of our heart and the grace of prayer we may be out of all doubt that his consolations shall follow after Of this it is yet further euident against all those who That a Christian who hath Gods spirit knowes that he hath him deny that the Christian may be sure of his saluation that he who hath the spirit of Iesus knowes that he hath him as he who hath life feeles sensiblie that he hath it and is able truely to say I liue so he who hath the spirit of Iesus knowes by feeling that he hath him and is able to say in truth Christ liueth in mee Know yee not saith the Apostle Gal. 2. 20. 2 Cor. 13. 5. And therefore may be sure of saluation is proued by three names giuen to the holy spirit that Christ Iesus is in you except ye be reprobates This shall be further confirmed by considering those three names which are giuen to the holy spirit from his operation in vs he is the Seale the Earnest the witnesse of God the vse of a Seale is to confirme and make sure One of these two therefore must the Papists say that either none are sealed by the holy Spirit or else they must confesse that 1 He is Gods Seale they who are sealed are sure If they say that none are sealed by his Spirit they speake against the manifest truth of God grieue not the holy spirit by whom ye are sealed against Ephe. 4. 30. the day of redemption And if they deny that they who are sealed by him are sure of that saluation which God hath promised he hath sealed they blaspheme calling him such a seale as makes not them sure who are sealed by him he who hath the seale of a Prince rests assured of that which by the seale is confirmed to him and shall not the seale of the liuing God the Spirit of promise confirme that man in the assurance of saluation who hath receiued him Neither is he onely the seale of God but he is also the earnest of 2 Gods earnest 1 Iohn 5. 10. our inheritance and the witnesse of God hee that beleeueth in the sonne hath a witnesse in himselfe what will the aduersarie of Christian comfort say to this if yee say that there are none to whom Gods spirit witnesses mercie from God yee speake against the Apostle the spirit beares witnesse to our spirit that we are the sonnes of God or if yee say that those Rom 8. 16. who haue this testimonie of the spirit are not sure of mercy 3 Gods witnesse ye blaspheme as before and speake yet manifestly against the Apostle who sayes that the witnessing of this spirit vnto our spirit makes vs to cry Abba father But we will speake more of this hereafter But now to conclude this verse seeing hee who hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his
ordered as was the life of We ought to follow our guide as Israel did the Lord in the wildernes Israel in the wildernesse the Lord vvent before them by day in a cloud by night in a pillar of fire when the cloud remoued they remoued what way so euer it vvent they followed vvhere the cloud stood they camped thus the Lord led them by two and fortie stations fortie yeeres in the wildernesse though Canaan vvas not farre from them yet they entred not into it till the Lord directed them The Lord hath in like manner praysed be his name for it brought vs out of the land of our bondage he might if he had pleased long ere now haue entred vs into our Canaan but it pleaseth him for a time to exercise vs and to haue vs vvalking vp and downe this Wildernesse Let vs possesse our hearts with patience and reuerence the Lords dispensation in the meane time take heed that the Lord goe before vs that his word shine vnto vs as a lanthorne to our feet and that his holy spirit be our guide to lead vs in this righteousnesse then shall we be sure of a happy end of our iourney when we liue not as vve list but vnder the gouernment of the holy Spirit vvhen our rising and lying downe our resting and remouing and all the actions of our liues are gouerned by his direction As many as are led by the spirit If all were led with the All that professe Christ are not led by his spirit spirit of God the Apostle would not vse this distinction so many and no more are the sonnes of God as are led by the spirit of God The name and dignitie of the sonnes of God doth not belong to all men who are the Lords by creation nay not to all those who are his by profession As in the Arke of Noah there was a cursed Cham and a blessed Sem as in the schoole of Christ a traiterous Iudas and a beloued Iohn so are there many in this mixed fellowship of the visible Church who by outward profession pretends the stiles and priuiledges of the sonnes of God but are not of the Israel of God belongs not to the adoption Thinke it not therefore sufficient that yee are gathered to the fellowship of the visible Church but consider what place yee doe possesse in it I wish from my heart that none among vs all vvere in this barne-floore of Christ like vnto chaffe for it will be cast out and burnt with vnquenchable fire but that wee may all be found to be that good Wheat vvhich shall Math. 3. 12. bâ— gathered into the Lords garner it is indeede a great benefit that vvee are brought to the fellowship of the visible church which is so to cal it the outâ—ermost chamber of the house of God but onely blessed are they who are led by the spirit farther in to that secret chamber where God shewes his familiar presence and vnto which none are admitted but they who are of the communion of Saints And as for them who are not led by this spirit of grace What spirit leads the wicked Esay 29. 10. Hos 4. 10. it is certaine they are miscarried by another Spirit Concerning their minde the spirit of slumber couers their eyes that they cannot see and concerning their hart it is misruled by the spirit of fornication which causes them to erre and goe a whooring from God thus are they led not as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 brought to the Lord in a peaceable manner whereof I haue spoken but as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 driuen violently and carried away from the Lord ouerhaled with the furie of their affections snared of the Diuell and taken of him at his will Acts 7. 51. Esay 63. Ezech. 13. 3. resisting the holy Ghost yea vexing the holy spirit of the Lord. O miserable and vnhappy condition fearefull is the vvoe that lyes vpon those who follow their owne spirit let vs therefore take heed to our selues our wayes vvill declare vvhat spirit is our gouernour What made Caleb and Ioshua trust in the Lord and rest on his word vvhen all Israel murmured against him prouoked him to anger and compelled him to sweare that they should neuer enter into his rest what made them constant in so great a desertion the Lord declares it himselfe but there was another spirit in Numb 14. 24. my seruant Caleb saith the Lord. Certainely they who are led by the spirit of the Lord will wait vpon him and follow him albeit all the vvorld should forsake him but as for those who wanders from the Lord in the way of iniquitie their deeds makes it manifest they are led by the spirit of errour Last of all we learne here that all the sonnes of God are All the sonnes of God are partakers of his spirit pertakers of his spirit there is but one song among all those thousands triumphant in heauen that followes the Lambe and there is but one spirit in all these militant vpon earth that followes the Lord. Earthly fathers were they neuer so wise and holy doe not alway beget wise and holy children regenerate Adam hath wicked Caine for his eldest sonne faithfull Abraham hath faithlesse Ismael godly Isaac brings out prophane Esau religious Ezekiah begets idolatrous Manasses but the Lord our God whom so euer he begets he communicates vnto them his owne spirit and transformes them into his owne Image and therefore they are conuinced to be shamelesse lyers who in their deedes shew forth the image of Sathan and yet glories in vvord that they are the Children of God they are bastards and not the sonnes of God for it cannot be that the Lord should beget children to any other image but vnto his owne Verse 15. For yee haue not receiued the Spirit of bondage to feare againe but the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father THe Apostle to strengthen this former argument A three-fold operation of the Spirit in the Sons of God sets downe a short description in this and the subsequent verse of a threefold operation which the spirit maketh in them whom he leadeth for first he is vnto them a spirit of bondage working feare secondly hee is a Spirit of Adoption working loue through the sense of Gods mercie for he not onely makes them whom he leades the Sonnes of God but intimates vnto their spirits Gods loue towards them which otherwise was vnknowne vnto them and thirdly hee is a Spirit of intercession making vs to goe with boldnes to the throne of grace and call vpon God as vpon our Father Of the which the first part of his argument is made cleare that they vvho are led by the spirit of GOD are the Sonnes of God yea by the testimonie of the Spirit they themselues know that it is so and therefore in most homely and humble manner acknowledge him for their Father This the Apostle propones in such a manner that he
Simeon when he saw that promised saluation and embraced the Lord Iesus in hâ—s armes Hereof ariseth to vs first a lesson of comfort if the beginnings By the ioyfull first fruits of eternall life we may iudge of the fulnesse thereof Bern. in cap. ieiun Ser. 2. of this glorie be so great that as S. Peter saith they bring vs to ioy vnspeakeable and glorious what shal the fulnesse thereof be let this waken in vs a loathing of these vaine perishing pleasures and a longing for that better and more enduring substance Certe non sunt tibi nota futura gaudâ—â— si non renuit consâ—lari anima tua donec veniant thou knowest not those ioyes which are to come if thy soule doe not refuse all comfort till they come vnto thee Certe si sempiterna Basil ser in Gord. Mart. essent haec terrena tamen prae coelestibus essent commntanda Certainely albeit these earthly things were eternall yet were they to be exchanged with those that are heauenly And therefore let the little tast of that ioy which wee haue now worke in vs a greater hunger and thirst after the fulnes thereof And againe we are here to be remembred that as pearles This ioy is not found but in the depth of a contrite heart are found in the bottome of the water and gold is not gotten in the superfice but bosome of the earth so this ioy is not to be found but in the inward parts of a broken contrite spirit many speake of this ioy who neuer felt it Righteousnesse is the mother of Peace and Peace the mother of Ioy they who haue not learned to doe well and cannot mourne for the euill which they haue done how shall they taste of the ioyes of God we must pierce by the hammer of contrition into the very inward of our hearts or euer wee can finde the refreshing springs of Gods sweet consolations arising vnto vs. It deceiues many that they think eternall life is not begunne but after death but assuredly except now thou get the beginnings thou shalt neuer hereafter attaine to the perfections thereof and therefore looke to it in time As for the second degree of this glory which is a neerer Of the second and third degree of eternal Life vnion of our soules vvith Iesus Christ after our dissolution by death it is not my purpose now to insist in it As for the third degree which consists in the glorification both of our soules and bodies wee haue spoken of it before specially in the 18. verse Now the Tabernacle of God is vvith men but then shall our securitie be without feare and our glory consummated when we shall dwell in the Tabernacle of God vnto the which the Lord bring vs all for Iesus Christs sake Amen TO THE MOST EXCELLENT VERTVOVS AND GRACIOVS PRINCE HENRY by the Grace of God Prince of Wales and Heyre Apparent vnto the most famous Kingdomes of England Scotland France and Ireland All happinesse in this life and eternall Glory in the life to come THat which the Apostle hath seuerally deliuered in the two former Discourses dedicated to your most Royall Parents hee now in this last Treatise collects and conioynes in one which therfore of right can appertaine to none more then to you Sir who being by them both the happy fruit of heauenly prouidence and deerest pledge of their mutuall loue and ioy may iustly challenge interest in the smallest good ouer which their names are named Sir here is the way to that Crowne of Triumph which the more you know the more I hope shall you place your glory in it Crownes of earthly Kingdomes are indeede the gifts of God but such as bring not so much Honour as they breed vnquietnesse O nobilem magis quam foelicem pannum said Antigonus If the cares which dwell in the Diadem were knowne no man would stoope to the ground to take it vp said Seleucus And albeit it be not giuen to all to know this in their entrie to Honour yet are they all compelled to acknowledge it in the end Seuerus Monarch of the world found his Crownes but comfortlesse to him in death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I haue said he beene all things and it profiteth me nothing Not onely the teares of Xerxes but the laments of Salomon may witnesse to all the world that the end of the worme-eaten pleasures of this life is heauie displeasure yea the golden head of Babell had at length worms spread ouer him worms to couer him Esa 14. For all flesh is grasse and the glory thereof as the flowre of the field Onely the word of the Lord endures for euer By which that same God who hath called you to be an apparant Heyre of the most famous Kingdomes on earth doth also call your Grace to a more certaine inheritance of a better Kingdome in heauen which cannot be shaken whereby aboue other Princes and Rulers of the earth yee are blessed if so be yee answere your Calling endeauouring to be no lesse than you are named Principem te agnosce ne seruias affectibus It is vnseemely in any but most of all in a Prince to become a seruant eyther to the corrupt humours of men without him who creeping in into the Courts of Kings like wormes into the bosome of excellent trees doe nothing but consume them whom godly Constantine properly called Tineas Sorices palatij subtile peruerters of the good inclination of Princes in manners and Religion where they can preuaile or yet to the disordered affections of his owne heart which if they be not restrained doe quickly turne the glory of a man into shame What did it profit Cham that hee was the Sonne of Noah the Monarch of the world and Patriarch of the Church in his time or that hee was the Heyre of the third part Chrysost of the world vitia siquidem voluntatis vicerunt priuilegia naturae his owne vndantoned will bursting out in contempt of his Father brought vpon him that curse and shamefull name A seruant of Seruants which was neuer taken from him Seeing God as saith the Apostle is the glory of man what honour can make that man glorious who carries not the image of God consisting in righteousnesse and true holinesse but especially a King whom the very Ethnicks called Animata Dei imago in terris should carefully keep that Image which keepes his glory Naturally facilius alijs quam nobis imperamus but in very deede he shall neuer be a skilfull Ruler of others who is not first taught of God to rule himselfe decet eum qui alijs praefectus est interiora sua decenter Basil adornare The best remedy against both these euils is to embrace that wholesome counsell giuen by God to the Gouernors of his people Let not the booke of the Law depart from thee but meditate in it day and night that thou maist do according to all that is written therein turne not
away from it to the right hand nor to the left so shalt thou make thy way prosperous and shalt haue good successe Beware of those Lucifugae haters of the light because it discouers the darknesse of their errours Qui cum a Scripturis redarguuntur in accusationem Tertull. Scripturarum se conuertunt As the wise men following the Starre were at length led by it to Christ so if according to Peters counsell ye take heede to the light that shineth in darknesse not onely shall the day-starre arise in your heart but that cleare shining Sunne of Righteousnesse so named by Malachie euer rising and neuer going downe shall illuminate you with his brightnesse And herewithal take to you the domestique example of your Royall Father who stands before you as a paterne of pietie viuum omnis virtutis examplar it shall be no small proofe of your progresse in vertue and greatest praise among your godly Subiects that yee be a follower of him And so praying Almighty God that your happy deedes may exceed all that great hope which is conceiued of you I humbly take my leaue Your Maiesties most humble Subiect and dayly Oratour William Cowper Minister at Perth HEAVEN OPENED HERE FOLLOVVES BY VVAY OF conclusion the third part of the Chapter contayning the Christians triumph against all sorts of enemies Verse 31. What shall wee then say to these things If God be on our side who can be against vs NOw followes the conclusion The conclusion of the whole Chapter consisting first of a generall secondly of a particular triumph of the whole Chapter wherein the Apostle breaking off the course of his former speech gathers vp all that he hath spoken into a short summe he began at the first and lowest benefit vvhich GOD in Christ hath bestowed vpon vs to wit deliuerance from condemnation this is indeede the least of his mercies yet so great that if we had receiued no more we are neuer able to yeeld vnto the Lord that praise which is due for it Yet as I said it is but little in respect of that which God hath done vnto vs and therefore the Apostle beginning at it ascends continually till he comes to the last and highest which is our estate of glorification and so hauing runne so high in the enumeration of gods mercies towards vs that he can go no higher he bursts out into an exclamation as if he did say more cannot be spoken further comfort cannot be giuen but content◠himselfe to make a briefe recapitulation of all that he had said wherein first he triumphs generally ver 31. 32. thereafter particularly and that first against sinne Who sh 〈…〉 accuse who shall condemne verse 33. 34. Secondly against affliction who shall seperate vs from the loue of God outward visible enemies cannot doe it by no sort of trouble verse 35. 36. 37. Inward and inuisible enemies are not able to doe it verse 38 39. Thus like a valiant man stablished on Christ in his owne name and in the name of the rest of Gods children hee proclaimes a defiance to all his enemies visible and inuisible whatsoeuer The generall triumph contained in these two verses consists The first part of his generall triumph nothing can be against the Christian to hurt him in these two In the first he glories that nothing can be against the Christian to hurt him the reason is because God is with him In the second he glories that the Christian can want nothing that is needfull for him the reason is seeing the Lord hath giuen vnto vs his owne Sonne which is the greatest gift that can be giuen he will not let vs vvant any of his inferiour gifts If God be on our side His meaning is if God be with vs Worldlings euill iudges of Gods presence who measure it by externall prosperitie electing calling and iustifying vs that he may glorifie vs as hath beene said then we may be sure that nothing can be against vs. This I marke because worldlings iudge of Gods presence with men by the wrong rules to wit as Abimilech and Phicol iudged of Abraham we see say they that God is with thee because thou prosperest in all that thou doest That Gen. 21. 22. which they iudged was true for GOD was present vvith Abraham indeed but the rule by which they so iudged was not sure for if this rule were sure how often might the wicked be iudged to be blessed who prosper in all they put their hand vnto the rich glutton might be thought more Not by inward Grace happy than poore Lazarus but the presence whereof the Apostle speakes is to be tryed by grace which grace flowing from the effectuall calling is a surer argument to proue that God is with thee then if he should giue thee as he did Esau the fatnesse of the earth for thy portion and multiply vpon thee in neuer so great aboundance the things of this world And that we should not be deceiued to iudge otherwise The presence of God exempts not his children from trouble both inward and outward our blessed Sauiour hath forewarned vs both by his word and example how that great troubles outward and inward are to follow them which follow him In the world saith he yee shall haue trouble in mee yee shall haue peace So soone as our Sauiour was borne Herod raged against him seeking his life to warne vs saith Chrysostome that so soone as wee are borne Christians wee should looke for trouble Iacob gat no sooner the blessing but incontinent Esau persecutes him Sosthenes before he was a Christian was a ruler of a Synagogue but after that he embraced the Faith of Christ they depriued him of his office and scourged him Paul a persecuter is in great worldly honour commissioner of the high Priest and Elders of Ierusalem but when he becomes a Preacher his former friends becomes his enemies The same is also true in inward tentations vvhen our Sauiour began to discharge the publicke office of the Messiah Sathan began to tempt him of his two most excellent Apostles the one was winnowed by Sathan the other buffeted by the Angell of Sathan and all to tell vs that notwithstanding the Lord be present with vs yet wee may be tempted as our Sauiour was winnowed as Peter was buffeted as Paul was and therefore let vs despise the iudgement of worldlings and lying conclusions of Sathan who vvould make vs to esteeme our inward and outward tentations to be tokens and arguments of Gods departure from vs. The whole world consists of two contrary factions Againe perceiue here how in the world are two contrarie factions the one alway militant against the other This inimitie was proclaimed by God in Paradise and hath continued since like as it shall for euer without reconciliation onely let vs take heed vpon what side we stand if we stand vpon that wherein God is Captaine and all the Saints of Christ are Souldiers we