A CHRISTIAN AND LEARNED EXPOSITION vpon certaine verses of that eight chapter of the Episile of that blessed Apostle PAVLE to the Romanes and namely vpon verse 18.19.20.21.22.23 ¶ VVRITTEN LONG AGOE BY T.W. FOR a most deare frend of his in CHRIST and now lately published in print for the benefite and good of GODS people wheresoeuer GOD IS MY HELPER AT LONDON ¶ Printed by Robert Walde-graue for Thomas Man 1587. ¶ TO HIS VERIE deere friends and good brethren in Christ master Ed. Benlois master Ri. Walter master Ralfe Manning and others of common christian acquaintance vvithin the citie of London euen as vvell as though they were named Th. VV. wisheth aboundance of al goodnes both bodily and spiritual in this life and the eternal saluation of their soules in the life that is to come thorow Christ IF men nay if vve our selues brethren that profes godlines had any either harts to conceiue or eies to see or mouths to speake vve can not choose but beleue behold and confesse the vvonderfull goodnes of Almighty GOD tovvards this last and yet vvorst age of the vvorld vvherin vve liue he hauing plentifully poured forth vpon it so many excellent and great graces specially spirituall as no time heretofore hath bin indued vvith better VVherof had vve nothing els to bear vvitnes but that huge heap of light and religion that GOD hath made to break forth amongst vs it vvere sufficient not only to iustify approue this truth but to condemne the vvorld of horrible ingratitude in not thankefully receiuing and of cursed carelesnes either in abusing or not profiting by such singular fauour some as vve see notvvithstanding the sun-shine of GODS blessed vvord vveltring and vvallovving in the blindnes and ignorance of their ovvn harts not knovving vvhat a pretious ievvell it is others in prophanenes and atheisme horribly scoffing and scorning at the same notvvithstanding the excellency therof others talking of it for vaine iangling but vvithout care of obedience polluting by a levvd life that vvhich is most holy of it selfe othersome making that vvhich is indeed spiritual and as a man may say heauenly a stepping-stone of preferment and vvorldly glory vvherunto being once lifted vp they fall to fostring of pride in themselues and disdainfull carping at others som as sathans seruants and instruments vsing or abusing it rather for the maintainance of erronious and hereticall opinions c. So that a man may safly and certainly conclude that though the light of GOD be come into the vvorld and hath indeed gloriously appeared amongst vs yet men haue loued and daily doo affect darknes rather than light But hovvsoeuer the strength of this impietie doo most plainely and plentifully appeare in the desperate vvicked of the vvorld the poison of this infection hauing spread it self abroad from the very heart of the vngodly into all their veines and sinnevvs so that all the partes of their bodies and povvers of their soules are polluted therevvith yet shall vvesee that by reason of the remainders of originall iniquitie some stinch of the same hath burst foorth euen in the sonnes and seruants of God though not to defile them vvith such fearefull transgressions as the vvicked of the vvorlde are ouertaken vvithall yet to hinder them from the doing of such holie duties as vvherevnto in pietie tovvards GOD and in charity tovvards men they are if my iudgement faile me not straitly bound vvhilest some of them considering mens setlednes in sin and hovv hard they are frozen in the dregs of their iniquity and hauing fevv or no arguments of doing good labor little or nothing at all othersome againe vveighing the vvorthines of gods graces and being loth to offer the glorious mysteries of the Lord to open despite and so thereby to increase the condemnation of the vvicked doe leaue off all means almost to reclaime men from vvickednes and to vvinne them to GOD. VVhat I vvrite novv the godly of the land vvil vvitnes vvith me I thinke and the small labors publike or priuat of men othervvise vvell qualified and the little fruit flovving from the same vvil yeeld sufficient proofe yea as I knovv by practise and experience in some so I feele the same by assaults and suggestions in my selfe to vvhich though mine ovvn naturall corruption and the vvorld of vvickednes that is vvithin me do bid me gladly consent yet that poore portion of grace I account it so not as it commeth from GOD but as it is tainted through my sin that God hath bin pleased to bestovv vpon me vvil hardly suffer me to yeeld bicause I see no reason in truth vvhy other mens sins or the imperfections of GODS children should vtterly discourage them from doing the duties that GOD hath laid vpon them for if vve should so doo vve should neuer perform any seruice to GOD men or our selues bicause ther vvill be alvvays vvickednes in the vvorld and manifold vveaknesses and vvants euen in the dearst saints and seruants of GOD. The thing that I rather vvish vvith all my hart is that euery one of vs and my selfe especially in due examination of our ovvne souls might through Gods great goodnes tovvards vs in Christ find our selues fit not only in affection good vvil but in al heuenly strength spiritual knovvledge also our manifold transgressions being remoued and doone avvay according to our measure of graces receiued in this behalfe to do good vnto many For mine ovvn part I vvillingly acknovvledge my selfe the meanest and the basest of many my good brethren in the ministery of GOD yea so far off am I from presuming any thing as of my selfe that I do asvvell in the sight of my sins before GOD and feeling vvithal of his hand of iustice and iudgement vpon me for the same as in the acquaintance that I haue vvith mine insufficiency ye ignorance before men both vvhich no doubt may iustly cause me to be dull and heauy in euery good duty think and so do vnfainedly confes my selfe vnfit and vnmeet for such vvorthy vvorks And yet I cannot but lay foorth this much that relying vppon the goodnes of the cause and hoping though it seeme almost against hope that GOD vvill giue a greater blessing to the carefull and christian labours of his seruants than vve can see vvith the eie of flesh and bloud I haue bin bold to publish this litle treaty vvherby if the mouths of such enimies of GOD as bark against his holy truth may in som sort be stopped and the comfort and instruction of his people prouided for I shall haue vvherin to reioice as for the common good so on your behalfe my very deare friends of vvhom I am asvvell persuaded as of my selfe and to some of vvhom I freely confes it I ovve in Christ more than my selfe if I could tell hovv to pay it But not being able to perform that and vvithall vnvvilling to continue still in my vnthankefulnes I must confes it tovvards you I haue thought
meet novv at the length to offer vnto you in print that vvhich I once vvrote for the best and dearest priuate friend next vnto my naturall parents that euer I had in this vvorld that as GOD hath stirred you vp to succeed him in kindnes tovvards me so I might make you as those vvhom I loue much in Christ partakers of those poore labors and loue that I performed tovvards him In vvhich respect also I am vvillingly content to let it come abroad to behold the light not only desiring you and euery of you to accept it as a small token of my vnfained goodvvill vvhich vvhen it can offer no better presentments that it hath but also praying the Lord to make it povverfull to aduance his ovvne vvorke of saluation in his seruants and of iudgement and confusion in all his and their obstinate enimies The 30. of October 1587. Your poore friend and wel-willer yet assured alwayes in Christ Iesus to his vttermost Th. VV. the Lordes most vnworthie seruant ¶ AN EXPOSITION VPon certaine verses of Roman 8. AMongst many euidences that the LORDE hath giuen vs for the proōfe of the certaintie and credite of hys holy word written against all the Atheists and Papistes in the world who for sundry respectes seeke to debase and deface the same namely the one sort that they might bring in all brutishnesse and sensualitie and the other that they might establishe and make equal wyth the word if not preferre before it mens traditions and vnwritten verities as they cal them those as I thinke are most excellent and substantial that are fetcht from the very worde it selfe and the vntainted testimonies of the same For though it be true that amongst earthly men in worldly matters no mans testimonie is to be allowed or receiued as sufficient proofe or witnes in his owne cause by reason of that partialitie that cleaueth vnto vs alwayes fauoring our selues in our owne affaires yet in heauenly and spirituall things the like course in deede hath no place bicause that the author and giuer of the word is free from all humane affections and therefore the word also proceeding from him must of necessitie be cleare from all parcialitie Neither is there any cause or reason why that if the credite of humane constitutions depending partly vppon the authoritie of the law-makers and partly vppon the goodnes certaintie and necessitie of the lawes themselues hauing not approbation from elsewhere the same may not yea ought not in all equity and truth to be much more forcible as in regard of the commaundements and statutes of almightie God who both in himselfe and in his laws also is altogither voide of those corruptions that sticke fast to earthly lawe-makers and their ciuill constitutions Nowe amongst the manifold testimonies which are taken euen from the worde it selfe this in my mind is not of the least importance that whether it speake of it selfe or others it alwayes proceedeth with an vpright foote free from all parcialitie and all worldly respects whatsoeuer The truth whereof that it might the better appeare euen then when it speaketh of the dearest saints seruants of God it spareth not to lay out and that without mitigation or minsing of their transgressions their seuerall sins committed against God and men both before their calling and after their calling also as Moses his murmuring Aaron his idolatrie Dauid his adultry and murther Peters denial and dissimulation Pauls persecution an infinit number of such like And when it speaketh of it selfe yet euen then also it spareth not to deliuer things touching it self that in the iudgement of flesh and bloud seeme not only to differ one of them from an other but to bee quite and cleane contrary Of this sort is it that in some places the holy scripture affirmeth Gods word to be plaine and easie Psal 19.7 8. Giuing vvisedome to the simple and light to the eies and in other places againe it plainly saith that they be obscure and darke and hard to be vnderstoode as also the Apostle Peter in the last chapter of his second epistle dooth particularly affirme the same of some things 2. Pet. 3.16 In the vvritings of saint Paule These things verily God himselfe the very author of the word affirmeth touching the same But what is his minde therein Certainly not to cast any discredit vpon it by some contradiction that seemeth to be in it sith he hath euery where giuen such excellent and large commendations of it neyther yet to discourage men in the darknes of it from drawing nigh therevnto sith he doth so often and so earnestly prouoke all sorts of men to the continual hearing reading and meditation thereof neyther yet againe on the other side in the perspicuitie plainnes of it to let men growe into contempt or carelesnes thereof sith he himselfe in many places telleth vs that we must haue better eies Matt. 16.17 than the eies of flesh and bloud or the light of reason to see into the holie mysteries contained therein nay rather God hath an other purpose therein to wit in the outward shewe of contradiction in the worde to teach vs first to take heede that wee yeelde not therein to the subtill suggestions of Sathan and his seruants who labour thereby to cause vs to cast it vtterly from vs Iohn 15.26 and then sith we know and beleeue that it was written by one spirite who is The spirit of vnitie and veritie that wee shoulde according to the measure of the grace of the spirite receiued stirre vppe our selues to reconcile and make to agree those places that seeme to iarre and yet not staie there but endeuour to conuey that light ouer vnto others also that God hath bestowed vppon vs because that the giftes of the spirite of God shoulde not be smothered or quenched in our selues or others but ought to breake forth rather to the greatest glorie of God the giuer and the greatest comfort and instruction of our selues and others that possibly may be in this life And in the obscuritie and hardnesse of holy scripture the Lorde mindeth euen mightily to meete wythall yea to humble and throwe downe to their amendment if it may be or else to breake in peeces to their vtter confusion a certaine sorte of prowde conceited men who in an ouerweening that they haue of their own wits and graces receiued suppose that they may easily and as we say wyth smal adoe perce into the wonderfull secrets of Gods holy law he meaning also thereby not onely to remoue from men that carelesnesse of heart that clingeth and cleaueth fast vnto them in the handling and hearing therof but withall to stirre them vp that be his with more reuerence attention and heede to heare and speake such things as GOD hath propounded there vnto them least otherwise they loose their labour as in respect of themselues and become vnprofitable to others as in regard of their negligent trauailes and so both the
it were and beating againe and that al to peeces the sweete perfumes that so we may haue all our senses seized and wholie taken vp not only with the wholesome but with the most pleasant and delightfull smell thereof I meane spiritually that is to say that so wee may come at the length to the full meaning thereof and to the fitte obseruation of such profitable doctrines as do arise and may rightly be gathered out of the same Vers 18 For I count c. The very word wherewith the apostle beginneth this verse being a particle causall as wee vse to say doth sufficiently proue that it is a reason of the premisses or things before going of which bicause we haue spoken sufficient already wee shall not nowe neede to stand much vpon it here And when the Apostle saith I hee meaneth it not of himselfe onely for it is the common iudgement and beleefe of all the faithfull and the whole church of God also who being inlightned by the same spirite either be of that minde togither wyth him or should so be bicause in this point he speaketh not by his own light but according to the truth and power of the spirit Neither yet doth he speake it of himselfe as of a natural man for the thing that he vttreth is far beyond nature yea altogither contrary to the same for what worldly wise naturall minded man can either see in afflictions the glory that the sons and seruants of God behold and fal in the same or else can oppose the incomprehensible ioys of eternall life against those exceeding hardnesses and great distresses They rather suppose all thinges to be directed by secondarie causes or to speake as they themselues say by the course of nature or direction of fortune who indeede are so far off from perceiuing these heauenly ioys and comforts that they are carried away with conceits eyther to vse vnlawfull meanes to free them from afflictions or else fearfully fall into all muttering and repining against God or to all impaciencie before men the reason is bicause they are not acquainted with the comforts of Gods children nor haue no feeling of the ioys of the life that is to come Alas alas they knowe not indeede what either the one or the other meaneth 1. Cor. 2.14 for these things are spirituall but they themselues are carnall sold vnder sin and therefore vnmeete to discerne of the same Rom. 7.14 bicause they must be spiritually iudged Out of all which laide togither wee may learne sundry good lessons as first that howsoeuer we do either for the expressing of our own feelings or the better fructifieng of the word in the hearts of those to whom it is directed speake particularlie of our selues or as it might seeme in our owne names yet that we neuer swarue from that trueth of doctrine that is commended vnro vs in the word written is sealed vp in our harts by the pledge of the spirit and is approoued by the common consent of the church of God The neglect of this specially whilest men go about to magnifie their owne persons and opinions hath beene the meane heretofore of many heresies sects and errors in the church of God and may bring foorth the same bitter fruits hereafter except it pleased God to giue men better grace to looke vnto themselues Secondly it teacheth vs that so soone as God beginneth to lay vpon vs his rods and crosses of trial that then we should learne not only in the spirit of patience comfort to submit our selues vnder his mighty hand but with alferuency of praier to craue the clearing of our vnderstanding Iames 1.5 and all holy vvisdome also as S. Iames calleth it that we may both see his ways in his works learne to espie out and feel the consolations and comforts that he hath prouided for vs that so wee sincke not downe vnder the burthen of our calamities but be raised vp rather to al feeling hope A point that we had neede to striue vnto by al holy meanes possible aswell by reason of the blindnes blockishnes of our own nature and the diffidence and distrust of our own hearts as also bicause of Satans continuall malice who laboureth at all times but specially in the days of our greatest heauinesse our most fearefull destruction And whereas the apostle saith I count he meaneth that he commeth with an vpright iudgement in an euen pair of balance scales as it wer hauing rightly religiosly examined resons on both sides and gathering all into a iust summe to weigh the troubles of this worlde and the ioies of heauen togither not dealing therein as either the worldlie man doth who regardeth nothing but his miseries and afflictions by meanes whereof he becommeth not onely impacient and waiward but past all hope of admitting comfort and consolation nor playing the part of the prophane and insensible Stoiks who againe on the other side by reason of their beastlie blockishnes that they get vnto themselues hauing both their soules and bodies benummed as it were are no whit at all touched with the sense of the same nor yet being so rapt and rauished with these eternall ioyes that they vtterly forget or feele not at all the miseries and afflictions of this life a matter that the contemplatiue persons in their traunces dreames and reuelations make the height and top of all perfection in this world but as wise physitions yea as good christians intermingling sweet things and sowre things togither and comparing one of them so with an other that as they see in their afflictions an euident patterne of the miserie mortalitie of their own liues and a plaine proofe of the iustice and iudgement of God against sinne so they make the same a profitable meane to themselues not onely in a christian and comfortable death but in an holy life also so long as GOD will haue them to liue vppon the face of the earth to meete wyth the Lorde and to glorify his most blessed name And this doth teach vs vprightly to weigh and to examine as all things generally so specially and particularly spirituall points Which indeede by reason that they be more excellent than bodilie matters and in that respect also in their owne nature more remooued from our comprehension than the rest had therefore neede most deepelie to be looked into for though by the line and light of our reason we may be somewhat holpen to wade into worldly things yet in matters of faith and religion we cannot not only not perse any thing at all by the light sight of our owne vnderstanding but shall be much hurt and hindered thereby from the same if wee yeelde to followe it yea many times euen in the things of this life wee are so blockish deuoide of iudgement that what by reason of colours cast vppon worldlie thinges and what by the blindnesse and ignorance of our owne heart on the one side and the parcialitie that
my soule in the graue neither vvilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption Which place the apostle Peter doth notably expound in the Acts in plaine and euident termes Acts 2.24 telling vs that it vvas impossible that hee shoulde be held dovvne of the sorrovves of death this impossibilitie arising not from the strength of his merits but from the power of God raising him vp mightily againe from the dead And the like may be saide for the impassibilitie of his soule As for they that affirme that our Sauiour merited heauen and eternall glorie by his sufferings we feare not to tell them and that to their faces that either in the pride or ignorance of their hearts they speake they wot not what and in the lightnes of their braine and idlenesse of their head they babble out things directly contrary to the worde and to the iudgement also of some of the best of their sides Can a manne in time deserue that which hee had from before all times Our Sauiour I am sure in their iudgements if hee merited anie waie merited as man And dooth not hee himselfe praie the Father Iohn 17.5 To glorifie him vvith himselfe and that vvith that glorie vvhich hee had vvith him before the vvorlde vvas They are not so past shame or grace I hope that they will make our Sauiour vvho is the vvaie the life Iohn 14.6 and the trueth a liar Dooth not Melchios Canus one of the doubtiest diuines being conuicted with the euidence of this truth confesse the same Will they go against the plaine wordes of Christ And will they thwarte the iudgement of their best friendes It is fearefull but speciallie in matters of falshoode and vntrueth to doe either the one or the other for to crosse their acquaintance is to weaken and discredite their owne cause and dealing and to oppose themselues against Christ is to pull iudgement and condemnation vppon themselues bicause he is the stone Mat. 21.44 vvhich vvhosoeuer shall fall on shall be broken and on vvhomsoeuer it shall fall it shall grinde him to povvder But both these mischiefes and inconueniences they must of necessitie fall into that will vphold and defend such falshoodes and vncertainties And if their errors had staied here and gone no further than to magnifie Christ and his merites though indeede they haue done it beyond al truth and reason it had bin lesse euill for themselues and more profitable for vs who might by that meanes haue spared a great deale both of labour and time that we must of necessitie now bestowe least their poison shoulde infect the soules of men But as one iniquitie is readie to bring foorth another so they haue proceeded to tell vs that men also by their sufferings may merit eternall life But who seeth not how infinitly absurd in reason this is to argue from Christ Mat. 3.17 2. Cor. 5.19 free from sin and the person in vvhom alone God vvas vvell pleased and reconciled the vvorld vnto himselfe and had in him full absolute iustice yea such abundance of it that hee hath communicated holinesse innocencie and righteousnesse vnto all beleeuers to men tainted with all manner of iniquitie who neither cā please god for themselues nor others who also when they haue doone all that can be doone in this life are yet notwithstanding clogged with defects and wants by meanes whereof they cannot not onely procure vnto themselues any good things but purchase eternall confusion and euerlasting death as hath bin alreadie plainlie enough and sufficiently proued And as absurd and vnreasonable certainly is that their marginall note wherein they affirme that all suffrings in this life is nothing in comparison of the heauenly glory and yet that it is meritorious and worthie of the same For doe not all men euen by the very light of reason see and know that there is and must of necessitie be a certaine analogie and proportion betweene the thing deseruing and the thing deserued or else the party deseruing cannot claime as of dutie but of beneuolence vnles they will extort and wring foorth more than they haue merited Cā nothing deserue any thing or a matter of small industry labor merit a kingdom or earthly crowne Of a trueth no much lesse then can that which they themselues call nothing and woulde to God they thought it nothing indeede then would they let the cause and question about nothing fall to the ground deserue so excellent a thing as the incorruptible crowne and the heauenly kingdome of eternall life is No that as the apostle teacheth vs is the free gift of God And if it be free Rom. 6.23 it must be in all parts and in all respects free or else not at all as on the other side merits must be altogither merits or else no merits at all bicause if there be the least part of the thing deserued exceeding our deserts then are they so dashed and defaced that they cannot in any vpright iudgement stand vp before God or man to merit any thing For euen as the Apostle reasoneth and that rightlie of workes and grace affirming that if Gods election be of grace Rom. 11.6 it is no more of vvorkes or else vvere grace no more grace or if it be of vvorkes it is no more of grace or else vvere vvorkes no more vvorkes so may we safely affirme of Gods goodnes and mans merits namely that if eternall life in the whole and euery part of it be a free gift grace and goodnesse of God bestowed vpon vs in Christ then it is not of desert or merite for then Gods grace gift and goodnes shall be no more grace gift and goodnes and if it be of merit and desert then it can not be of grace and goodnes bicause then merit and desert can be no more merit and desert Sure I am of this and I hope euery good man that is acquainted with the trueth of the worde and hath particular experience of his owne corruption will with me confesse this to be true that there is no more contrarietie in the matter and question of free iustification before God in Christ betweene the grace of God and the workes of the lawe than there is betwixt Gods free goodnes in the matter of eternall life and the supposed merits that man must bring with him to the obtaining thereof And therefore if the argument be of force in the one it must also of necessitie conclude and that rightlie in the other As for that which they obiect touching the Greek phrase it wil no whit at al vphold their weake cause and rotten building it being indeede a childish logomachie or contention about wordes and that not onely besides the Apostles purpose and meaning but also contrarie to their own note the speech it selfe being not a comparatiue speech as they fondly imagine but a plaine and flat deniall yea a deniall after a sort as a man woulde say by diuination rather than by comparison
more they also shal be deliuered in as much as God careth much more for them and much more tenderlye loueth them by how much he hath giuen vnto them more infinyte and euident testimonies of his fauour and more excellent promises for the life present and that that is to come Verse 21. Because the creature also Here is the second cause why the creatures doe earnestlie waite for the time of the reueiling of the sons of God namely because they haue hope that then and not till then they shal be fullie freed from all that corruption that lieth vpon them by meanes of mans sin and transgression thorowe the appointment of God The word creature is vsed here in the same sense that it is in the other two verses before going shal be deliuered that is freed quite clean discharged to wit also in that great daie of the Lord and not before for till then it is the lords ordinance apointment vvho maketh his sun to shine Mat. 5.45 his rain to raine vpon the iust and vniust that both good bad shal be pertakers of his rich mercie though it bee true that the one sort shall haue it to comfort and consolation both of bodie and soule in this world in the worlde to come and the other to terror and iudgement both outward and inward both here there also And the woorde of deliuering that the Apostle vseth would be marked as by which he noteth the free estate that they shal be brought vnto which also the greek word it self doth very elegantly import containing in it selfe expressing in the vse of it this much that they shal be deliuered from the wretched estate of bond-slaues or bond-men into the glorious and comfortable condition of free seruants as you woulde say being excepted from that vniust tyrannie or gouernement that the wicked exercised ouer them and freed also from that fearefull estate to which they were constrainedly subiect from the bondage of corruption that is from that same corruptible flitting and vanishing estate wherevnto they are nowe subiect and which lieth vpon them as a most heauie burthen or yoke of bondage which they are still constrained dailie to drawe in and beare as bondslaues do their state till it shall please GOD to giue them a better and more free condition Into the glorious libertie of the sons of God Hee meaneth not that they shall be partakers of the same eternall glorie with Gods children for if that were true then what difference shoulde there be betwixt Gods faithfull seruants bruit beasts Besides wee all knowe and beleeue that without faith there is as no purifieng of hearts so no entrance into heauen and that gift of beleefe vnreasonable creatures shall neuer attaine vnto neither yet all men bicause as the Apostle saith Faith is not of all men 2. Thess 3.2 it being a peculiar grace bestowed onlie vpon Gods elect and chosen children If any would say that this might serue mightilie for the manifestation of Gods mercie I answe are first that God knoweth best when where and vpon whom also to disclose his goodnes without light or instruction from vs next that they shoulde more plainely appeare in sauing reasonable creatures euen the very reprobate and wicked than in sauing these dumbe and insensible things And if Gods mercie were to be reuealed that way why not in sauing that that was furthest from saluation I meane the diuell and damned spirits who both by reason of their sinne and in that they are past hope of a better condition are further sundred from eternall life than the senslesse and brutish creatures that I may say nothing of the excellencie of their nature as it was by creation being farre more fit in that respect for eternall life than the carnall and grose nature and constitution of beasts and other things But that is impossible both as in regarde of God who hath reuealed the contrarie in his worde and also as in respect of vs to whome we knowe and beleeue that all things are impossible that God hath declared by his truth shall not be done and therefore also the other but a fond conceit of mens idle heads This rather as I take it he meaneth that in their kind and manner they shal be made pertakers of a far better estate then they had while the world indured because that God shall fullie and wholye restore the world being fallen into corruption thorow the transgression and sinne of mankinde which yet as seemeth to me maie more plainely appeare in that amplifieng by the contraries hee opposeth subsequent libertie against former bondage which that hee might the more inlarge hee calleth it not simplie freedome or libertie but libertie of glorie as it is in the greeke text meaning thereby according to the phrase and proprietie of the Hebrue toong glorious libertie or liberty that bringeth glory with it vnder which terme of glorie he compriseth the excellent estate that they shal be in after their deliuery frō their former basenes seruitude As for the words following namly of the sonnes of God to which wee must referre glorious libertie before mentioned they must bee vnderstoode as it were by a certaine proportion or similitude thus that as in that great daie and not before gods children shal be graciously freed from all dangers and distresses of this life whatsoeuer either in bodie or soule and on the other side made perfect pertakers of eternall blessednes so the creatures then and not before shal be deliuered from the vanitie of man their owne corruption and restored to a far better estate then presently they inioy which also maye appeare by the words that the Apostle vseth setting glorious libertie deliuerance and freedome against seruile bondage and slauerie Verse 22. For vve knovve If anie man would demaund how this could bee prooued Paule and the faithful together with him runne to the holie testimonie of their owne conscience the assured persuasion that they haue there of the matter speaking as if it were thus Our own hearts tell vs that we sigh and groane they tell vs also that for asmuch as the creatures by meanes of sin suffer as we suffer that therefore vnder that burthen they do in their kinde sigh and groane togither with vs. I say in their kinde bicause that all these things are attributed vnto them by that figure or kinde of speeche whiche is before rehearsed Neither dooth the Apostle meane hereby to giue any warrantize or strength to the od speculations dreames dotages reuelations of fanatical spirits as of the Montanists Euthrusiasts Mahometists others heretofore or of the Anabaptists familie of loue and Papists and amongst them their monkes in these our daies For first and formost he declareth nothing here but that which he had receiued as truth in the certaintie of the spirit and that also grounded and setled vppon the vnmoueable rocke of the worde and vpon that same particular feeling
of our nature and the great defects of our hearts as he dooth of the fruits of the earth Gene. 3.17 notvvithstanding the same be accursed for mans sinne a point that may comfort vs greatly in those assaults that the children of God feele in themselnes by reason of the corruptions and imperfections that cling and cleaue vnto the best thinges they doe Whereof also this is the reason not that GOD delighteth in imperfections for that is contrarie to his nature which is most absolute and perfect in it selfe but bicause if men not onely in holy but worldlie wisedome also haue learned nowe and then to putte a difference betweene good and euill yea betweene their owne good thinges that other men haue of theirs and those men ill liking notwithstanding their owne good though other mens corruptions be intermingled therewith much more shall and will God performe this not only in as much as hee is better able to discerne than they betweene good and euil but more yea most staide in his iudgement not varieng or turning as they to which also this may be added euen as in respect of the graces themfelues that though mens good things may be marred by other mens euill and not only the qualities but the natures of them changed yet Gods graces cannot be so peruerted And therefore good reason why we shoulde comfort our selues Thirdly it is as seemeth vnto me verie comfortable in an other respect namely that as that of the first fruits that was dedicated to the Lorde was a pledge of the sanctification of that that remained behinde though it were imploied but to ordinarie and common vses yea was a continuall seale of sanctification to the people of God that both they themselues and all theirs vvere vessels vnto honour sanctified and meete for the Lord and prepared vnto euery good vvoorke I vse now the Apostles wordes 2. Tim. 2.21 so euen the beginning of Gods graces in his children shoulde assure them of continuance and groweth in the same notwithstanding their weakenesse and wants the reason is bicause God dealeth not as man putting his hand to an excellent worke and by leauing off but accomplishing and making perfect Phil. 1.6 and that vntill the daye of Christe Iesus the good things that he hath begone in them Wherein though wee bee much wounded bicause we feele not so muche as we woulde yet shoulde this comfort vs greatlie againe that we deale with God who is alwaies like himselfe and hath all both goodnes and power in his owne hands to dispense vnto vs so manie or so much of his graces as to his owne wisdome which knoweth what is best seemeth good for his owne glorie our comfort and the profit of his church All this wee haue spoken by occasion of these termes first fruits the Apostle naming them yet further for the more excellency of them the first fruits of the spirite both bicause they are indeede of their owne nature spirituall graces and also bicause that they flow and proceede from the spirit of God and are wrought in vs by his powerfull working in our hearts Which teacheth vs not onlie the more reuerentlie to regarde them as comming from so sanctified and holie a fountaine but the more carefullie 2. Cor. 7.1 to purge our selues from all filthinesse of the fleshe and the spirite and to grovve vppe into full holines in the feare of God that so the spirite of GOD maie take pleasure to abide in vs 1. Thes 5.19 vvhich delyghteth not to dvvell in an vnpure soule alwaies taking heede that we neither quench the graces of the spirit in our selues or in others nor in carelesnesse and contempt driue the same awaie from vs but that we foster it and make much of it that so Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith thorow his spirite hee maie make vs fruitfull to euerie good worke It followeth euen vve doe sigh in our selues He had spoken this before verse 22. sauing that heere hee doth somwhat more largely affirme the same there beeing this difference further that whereas there hee sayed the creatures together groaned with vs heere he affirmeth that the faithfull doe it among them selues shewing thereby that neither the doctrine of Gods worde nor the instructions that God will haue vs fetch from his workes are vnprofitable to his children to whome they are directed but serue to much good stand in great vse as to many good purposes generallye so particularlye to bring them out of loue and liking with the pleasurs and profits of this present euil world and to make them earnestlie to hunger and thirst after eternall blessednesse and euerlasting life thorowe Christ Euerie worde that the Apostle vseth heere carrieth with it also some weyght and force and offereth vnto vs occasion of some necessary doctrine or other for first that manner of speech euen vve he repeating againe or eftsoones naming the persons doth teach vs not onely howe necessarie it is and meete to speake plaine that so we may be the better vnderstoode of those that wee are to deale with but also that we should not neglect any good meane or way that may cause the parties to whom our speech is directed to conceiue and vnderstand the things that are propounded to them wherein though after repeating of one and the selfe-same point may seeme either to them or to vs our selues needelesse and superfluous yet if wee will weigh with an vpright iudgement either the hardnes and excellencie of the things that the word deliuereth or the manifold difficulties and lets that are in men to imbrace the same or the punishment of God vpon the sins of them that speake them wee shall well perceiue that it ought not to be grieuous vnto vs Philip. 3.1 to vvrite or speake the same things vnto the people of GOD specially also sith it is a sure and profitable thing for them neither that vve our selues should be negligent to put them alvvayes in remembrance of such things 2. Pet. 1.12 though they haue knovvledge and be established in the present trueth For besides that wee forget the thinges that wee haue learned we had neede to be stirred vp in the things that we know And whereas the Apostle addeth that we do sigh we are to know that he reherseth this againe more fully to declare this feruent desire that the godlye haue yea the very sens and feeling that is in them not only of the miseries and calamities of this life but of the ioyes of heauen and the hope of eternall saluation which doth not onely cause him to saye a desire but a sighing for where there is either a sense of miserie or a feeling of mercie there cannot but be both sighes and groanes to bee freed from the one and to bee filled with the other Me thinketh that that which the apostle writeth in another place is fitte for the exposition of this point he telleth vs that if our earthlie house of this tabernacle