knowledge of God in Christ is not and the kingdome of Christ is not erected in the heart in righteousnes peace and ioy of the holy Ghost there is no thanksgiuing proceeding from that heart that can bee acceptable to God No nothing that is done for his seruice can be acceptable vnto him Psal 116 1â— For as wee haue alreadie said before out of the Psalmist and other Apostles I beleeved therefore did I speake 2. Cor. Cap. 4. vers 13. the speach to God or of God That which proceedeth not from faith shall neuer bee accepted of him Therefore is it that the Apostle biddeth vs that wee should abound in faith with thankesgiuing to informe vs that all true thankesgiuing must be accompanied with faith and flowe therefrom Thus much concerning this first point that is the Authour of this benefite of a lively hope Nowe followeth the second point touching the cause moouing God the Father in Christ to begett vs to his hope and that is his aboundant mercie In this point Mercie the only cause moouing God to cal vs. we haue twoo things to be marked The first is the cause it selfe moouing God to bring vs to his blessing which is his MERCIE The second is the qualitie of his mercie which mooveth him to graunt this blessing which standeth in the measure of it in that it is called his aboundant mercie As touching the first it plainly layeth downe before vs our owne miseries First in that we were such as had need to be pitied vpon whom the Lord should haue compassion as being in miserable cace and vnable to deliuer our selues from our miserie For where there is no helpe left but that which standeth in the mercie of our Iudge he also being our partie the case must needes be most miserable Nowe it is playne by the Apostle that if God had not had pittie and compassion on vs wee had neuer attained not so much as to any hope or esperance of eternall life seeing nothing els but his owne mercie and pitie did mooue him to call vs to this blessed hope which is most plainly set downe by the Apostle to the Ephesians Ephe. 2.3.4 in that hee maketh all men both Iewe and Gentile by nature to be the children of wrath and the cause of our calling regeneration and safetie from that wrath to bee the riches of Gods pitie and compassion and the aboundance of his love Secondly this setteth before vs the nature of our God that it is such as he himselfe proclaimed when hee made all his goods goe before Moyses and proclaimed the Name of the Lord before him saying The Lord the Lord stronge Exo. 34.6.7 mercifull and gracious slowe to anger and aboundant in goodnes and trueth reseruing mercie for thousandes forgiuing iniquitie and transgression and sinne c. Psal 116.5 Therefore it is that Dauid hauing tasted of the mercie and kindnes of the Lord doeth shewe foorth to the world the same Psal 3â— 5 saying The Lord is mercifull and righteous and our God is full of compassion And againe Psal 34.8 He indureth but a whyle in his anger but in his favour is lyfe Weeping may abyde at euening but ioy commeth in the morning Also he inviteth the world to prooue how good the Lord is Saying Taste ye and see how gratious the Lord is And for this cause doth Dauid take occasion to praise the Lord and to resolve with him selfe to prayse him in the said 34. Psalme Psal 34. â— I will alway giue thankes vnto the Lord his prayse shal be in my mouth continuallie and doth inuite and wil all others to praise the Lord with him saying Prayse the Lord with mee Psal 3.4.3 and let vs magnifie his Name together And further hee doth resolue to reioyce and glory in the Lord in his mercie saying I wil be glad and reioyce in his mercie And againe My soule shall glory in the Lord. And also exhorteth the righteous and Saints to loue the Lord to reioyce in him because of his mercie saying in the 31. Psalme Loue the Lord all yee Saintes c. And the 32. Psalme and 11. verse Bee gladde yee righteous and reioyce in the Lord and bee ioyfull all yee that are vpright in heart And so in the beginning of the 33. Psalme and many other Psalmes The vse of this poynt is First to humble vs all before the Lord our God as beeing such who haue forfaited all felicitie that there is no hope of blessednes Gal. 3.22 nor lyfe left vs but in the mercie of God against whom wee haue sinned for all are included vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them that beleeue Rom. 11.32 And God hath shut vp all in vnbeleefe that hee might haue mercie on all So that wee must all confesse with the Prophete Ier. lament 3. and 22. That it is the Lords mercie that we are not consumed And againe Isai 1.9 Except the Lord of Hoastes had reserued to him a small remnaunt wee should haue bene as Sodome and should haue bene like to Gomora For as the Apostle sayeth Rom. 3.9 and 23.24 All both Iewe and Gentile are vnder sinne there is none righteous no not one c. For all haue sinned and are deprived of the glorie of God and are iustified freelie by his grace Therefore let vs all learne to obey the exhortation and instruction given by God to vs by the mouth of his Prophete that is Micah 6.8 to humble our selues to walke with our God Iem 4.6.7.10 And as the Apostle saith Let vs submit our selues to God for hee resisteth the proude and giueth grace to the humble Let vs cast downe our selves before him and hee will lift vs vp Herevpon doth follow the seconde vse which is to conuince all them that put the cause of their saluation or hope of saluation either in the power of their free will or in the merite of their workes or any other thing whatsoeuer except in the mercy of God only For God witnessed of himselfe in the Prophete Esaie I euen I am hee that putteth away thine iniquities for mine owne sake Esa cap. 43. vers 25. And the Apostle plainly testifieth that by grace wee are saued through faith Ephes cap. 2. vers 8. And least that any man should thinke that to beleeue were in his owne power and did proceed from himselfe therefore that his safetie were of himselfe the Apostle addeth and that not of our selues it is the gift of God And yet further to make it more cleare hee subioyneth that it is not of workes that we are saued And he giueth the reason twoofold First least any man should boast himselfe For as the Apostle in an other Epistle affirmeth All reioycing all gloriation of man in himselfe is excluded and that by the law of faith and not of workes Rom. 3.27 and 4.2 for if our
we are hopeles and so without happines being borne againe Wee may have faith and hope in God according as saith this same Apostle in this same Chapter 1 Pet. 2.21.22 when hee declareth who they are for whom Christ was both ordayned before the foundation of the world and also declared in the last times For your sake saith the Apostle which by his meanes doe beleeve in God that raysed him from the dead and gave him glorie that your faith and hope might bee in God having purified your soules in obeying the trueth through the spirit further being borne a new not of mortall seed but of immortall by the word of God Whereby it is plaine that as Christ is send into the world for none but such as doe beleeve in God by his meanes so none can have any faith or hope but they who have their soules purified borne a new The propertie of this hope is The nature of true hope that it is livelie or living and it is so called for three respectes First because of the livelie working that is in it For all the spirituall gifts of God which he bestoweth in Christ are livelie as hee himselfe is lyfe And this the Saints do finde in themselves that the faith of Iesus is a livelie faith their love is a livelie love their hope a livelie hope For these graces doe not lye dead in the soule where they are but by their livelie operation and working doe make themselves manifest Therefore the Apostle to the Thessalonians speaking of their graces describeth them from their lively and effectuall properties Remembring saith he your effectuall faith your diligent love and your patient hope in the Lord Iesus 1 Thes 1.2 Therefore that faith that hope that love that lyeth dead in them who professe them are no faith no hope no love at all And so iustly doeth S. Iames dispute against that faith that hath no workes as a dead faith whereas the faith the hope the love that God created in the heart are all livelie as proceeding from him who is life it selfe The second respect whereof it is called livelie is because as it hath life in it selfe so giveth it lyfe to the soule in which it is and maketh the soule which was dead in sinne trespasse before now to live in Christ and in him to bring forth the fruits of life Therfore sayeth Iohn in the third Chapter of his 1 epistle 3. and 5. That whosoever hath this hope purgeth himselfe as he is pure For this is the nature of their spirituall blessings that they themselves have lyfe in them and doth quicken the soule in which they are For God exerciseth his saving power by them in the hearts of his Saintes Therfore saith the Apostle hereafter 1 Pet. 1.5 That we are kept by the power of God through faith And the Apostle Paul to the Colossians doth say Colos 2.12 That we are raised againe from the dead in Christ by the effectuall working of God or by the faith of God which worketh mightilie so that we may iustly saye that as the faith is dead which hath no working so hee also is yet without faith who albeit hee professeth faith yet is not quickned to the lyfe of God thereby for even in this life by faith and hope wee beganne to live that life which shal be made perfite in vs in the world to come The third respect is because that eternall life and glory which as yet is not manifested but is referved in the heavens to the appearing of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ is nowe possessed by hope so that we lay hold vpon it and are made pertakers of it albeit as yet not manifested Therefore is it that the Apostle to the Romans saith Rom. 8.24 That by hope we are saved for no mā hopeth for the thing which he seeth Hereby teaching vs that albeit our lyfe be hidd with Christ in God Colos 3.3 as saieth the Apostle to the Colossians yet by hope we possesse it According as the Apostle to the Ephesians declareth the estate of the Saints in Christ by the mightie power of God which is in them to wit that they are lifted vp with him and sett with him at the right hande of the maiestie in the highest places As like wise the same Apostle Peter in this same chapter declaring the cause why they that beleeue in Christ albeit they see him not doe reioyce with a ioy vnspeakable and glorious sayth It is because that they receyue the end of their faith 1. Pet. 1.9 that is the salvation of their soules To these three we may add the 4. respect why this hope is called livelie and that is because in all the tribulations and sorrowes of this life it is the onely thing that sustaineth vs and maketh vs in death it selfe to live and reioyce knowing what is layed vp for vs in the heavens For the only thing that maketh the Saints indure patientlie vea and ioyfully this troubles which swallow vp the wicked is the blessed hope The Apostle to the Hebrues cōfirmeth this Heb. 10.34 shewing that the cause why the Hebrues did sustaine all affliction and among the rest the spoiling of their goods with ioy and gladnes was because they knew they had a better and an induring substance or ritches layde vp for them in the heavens Therefore doeth the same Apostle call this hope the Ancor of the soule and deelareth that they who have their refuge to lay holde vpon this hope have strong consolation Heb. 6.10 For by this hope wee attayne to the resurrection from the dead so that death it selfe can not spoyle them of life who are renewed to this blessed hope The vse of al this is to make vs obey that lesson which the Apostle giveth vs to the Hebru which is to holde fast the profession of our hope without wavering seeing therin cōsisteth both our life and consolation and constantlie to awaite for the appearing of it 2. Tit. 2.13 as the Apostle Paul to Titus exhorteth vs That we may in patience possesse our soules and ioyfullie indure all afflictions of this life since hauing hope we can not be spoyled of lyfe Now followeth the last point to be cōsidered in this first part touching the benefite whervnto we are begotten againe by God The ground whervpon our hope is builded which is the ground and foundation of this hope wherevpon it is builded which is the Resurrection of Christ from the dead For as saith the Apostle to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 15.17 If Christ bee not raysed from the dead our faith is vaine we are yet in our sinnes For we must vnderstand first that the cōfort of hope cōsisteth in the resurrection from the dead which being taken from vs wee are of all men the most miserable Seeing as saith the Apostle to the Corinthians ◠Cor. 15 No hope without knowledge of the
were made we can neuer hope that we can rise againe vnto life but looking to Christ our Sauiour ◠Cor. 1.20 in whom all the promises of God are Yea and Amen as saith the Apostle to the Corinth we finde sufficient reason and grounde to beleeve the Resurrection from the dead Seeing he who was made man like to his brethren in all things except sinne albeit walking in the similitude of sinfull fleshe being put to death did loose the sorrowes of death and was declared mightilie to be the sonne of God touching the spirit of sanctification by the resutrection from the dead 2 Cor 4.14 Therefore doe we with the Apostle to the Corinths know That he which hath raised vp the Lorde Iesus shall rayse vs vp also by Iesus for therefore is it that we are baptised for dead as saieth the Apostle to the Corinthes For wee that are baptised into Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 2.15 29. Rom. 6.3 haue bene baptised into his death saieth the Apostle to the Romanes And therefore if we bee dead with him we beleeve also that wee shall live with him For if we be planted with him to the similitude of his death even so shall we be to the similitude of his resurrection saith the same Apostle in the same place For he that is Christes hath the spirit of God dwelling in him as is plaine by the Apostle to the Romanes Rom. 6.5 Rom. 8.8 1 Iohn 3.24 And Iohn in his first Epistle saieth That hereby we know that he abydeth in vs even by that spirit which he hath given vs And if the spirit of him that raised vp Iesus Christ from the dead dwell in vs hee that raised vp Christ from the death shall also quicken our mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in vs. Rom. 8 1◠So doeth the Apostle from the presence of the same spirit prove the like effect in raysing vs frō the death 2 Cor. 4.13 and therfore as he saith to the Corinth because we have the same spirite of faith as it is written I beleeved and therfore I haue spoken wee also beleeve and therefore speake knowing that he which hath raised vp the Lord Iesus shall raise vs vp also by Iesus and set vs with him So it is evident that the Resurrection of Iesus from the death is the ground and foundation of the hope of Resurrection from the dead to all that have the same spirit of life that is in Christ Iesus dwelling in them for the law of that spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus doth free all those in whom he dwelleth from the law both of sinne and death Rom. 8.2 as testifieth the Apostle to the Romanes Hereby are wee taught two profitable lessons the first is Al the promises of God are first fulfilled in Christ himselfe to carefully marke how farre God accomplished his promises in Christ his sonne For so farre may all that beleeve be assured that he shall accomplishe them in them through Christ Therefore have we hope of sanctification from sinne Resurrection from the dead and glorification in the heavens because these promises are fulfilled in Christ whom we see crowned with glorie and honour as sayeth the Apostle to the Hebrewes Heb. 2.9 which was made a little inferior to the Angels through the suffering of death For God hee predestinateth all those whom he hath foreknowen to be made like to the Image of his Sonne Rom. 8.29 that he might be the first born among manie brethrē And therfor the knowledge of Christ should be to vs most pretious since we can know no more nor hope for no more blessing frō God then we first knew to have been bestowed on Iesus Christ our head 1. Cor. 30. who is made to vs of God wisedome sanctification iustification and Redemptiō Phil. 3.8 c Therfore did the Apostle Paul esteeme all things losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Iesus Christ our Lord and did iudge all things but dung that hee might gaine Christ and know him And the vertue of his Resurrection that he also thereby might attaine to the resurrection from the dead The second lesson is to pray to God day and night to send vs that blessed spirit of promise seeing the things which are wrought in Christ shall not bee accomplished in any but those who have the same spirit of lyfe that is in Christ Iesus dwelling in them And therefore they can not hope for renovation to the Image of God and restauration of their dead bodies to the lyfe of God and glorification with the glorie of God wherwith Christ is glorified who have not the spirit of Christ This is the first vse of this poynt whereby wee are taught to discerne true hope from the groūd and foundation whereon only it is builded and that is Iesus Christ alone The second vse is to teach vs A distinct knowledge of Christ requisite not only cōfusedlie to learne Christ but even perticularlie to consider all the degrees and seuerall partes of that great worke of our redemption by him for the more solide and stedfast fixing of our hartes in him For albeit it be most true that he who is pertaker of the death of the Sonne of God is also pertaker of his life of his glory c. yet neither can the faith and hope bee so stable nor the comfort so great as when in Christ our Lord we see a perticular groūd and warrant for every article of our faith Therefore in this place doth the Apostle lead vs to the resurrection of Christ from the dead for establishing our hearts in the hope of our life with God in the heavens For as wee goe forward in consideration of the partes of Christes working and severall actions done by him for our full redēption so doeth our faith increase our hope by degree to degree whē we looke to Christ dying for vs we learne to beleeve remissiō of sinnes in his blood whē we goe on to his refurrectiō we imbrace the hope of lyfe frō the dead when we looke to his ascention we apprehend our ascending to the heavens and in his glorification wee are comforted by the hope of that same glorie Thus doeth it serve much for our comfort to know all the perticularities of Christes humiliation exaltation according as the Lord our God hath revealed them in his word beginning at his Incarnation going on to his birth in great basenes expressing therafter the troubles of his youth laying out next the sorrowes of his life whyle hee caried our infirmities walking in the similitude of sinfull fleshe and subiect to all the infirmities thereof except sinne proceeding to his death and kinde thereof being most accursed Gal. 3.13 as witnesseth the Apostle to the Galathians In all which the spirit of God letteth vs see our infirmities our sinnes and our sorrowes layed vpon him and vs acquitted of them in him Thereafter are we led
iudgement as hee is the Sonne of Man In which respect all knees must bow to him and euery mouth shal be compelled to confesse him the Lord when all his enemies shal be made his footestoole In the third respect hee is Lord by Conquesting of vs out of the handes of Sathan and all our spirituall enemies and satisfactiō of the Fathers iustice for our sinnes appointed by the Father and sett ouer the house of God as the only Lord thereof the only High Priest and Prophete So that in this respect it is said by the Apostle that vnto vs there is but one God 1. Cor. 5. 1 which is that Father of whome are all things and wee in him And one Lord Iesus Christ by whom are all things and wee by him So that wee are to acknowledge no other Lord ouer vs as wee are the house of God and members of the body of Christ but Christ alone since none but Christ alone hath bene crucified for vs. Heb. 3.4 and 6. Therefore doth the Apostle shewe plainelie that Moses who had the greatest authority in the house of God of any mortall man before the Apostle and who was faithfull in all the house of God that yet he was not Lord of the house but in it was as a seruant and that Christ only as the Sonne is ouer his owne house 2. Cor. 4.5 And the Apostle Paul speaking of himselfe and the other Apostles All creaturs obliged to acknowledge Christ their Lord declared that they never preached themselues to bee the Lords of the Saintes but the Lord Iesus to bee the Lord and themselues seruants to the Church for Christes sake Nowe Christ being our Lord in all the three respectes we haue to consider the vse hereof and in which of the three he is here in this place called our Lord By this doctrine it is manifested that whether we be of the number of these that haue no minde of any lise but of this present life whether we be such as regard the course of this world and governement of all the affaires of this life or whether we be such as haue our mindes lifted vp to the heauens in respect of the life to come we must alway at least ought alwayes to reuerence Christ as our Lord nevertheles if in the first degree we only honor him that is as he is the Authour of this mortall life wee are no better then the beastes and most in sensible creatures who in that respect in their owne kinde doe glorifie him Rom. 8.19 yea we are more senceles then the senceles creatures who with groning waite for the manifestation of the sonnes of God If in the second respect wee only acknowledge Christ our Lord then are we in no better case then the reprobates and Deuills themselves who haue confessed Christ the Lord Act. 19.15 and acknowledged his authoritie in begging libertie to enter in swyne before they durst doe it Mat. 8.29 and 31. and in the end shall all bee compelled to confesse it The ground and comfort and cause of all true happinesse is to haue Christ our Lord in the third respect and this is when his spiritual kingdom is erected in our hearts which standeth not in meate nor drinke nor any thing whereby this mortall life is maintayned but in righteousnes peace and ioye in the holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 arising vpon the assurance of the remission of our sinns and iustification by faith in the blood of Iesus and this blessed hope of eternall life in the heauens In this last sense is it that here Christ is called our Lord in respect of this Lordship and Dominion of Christ ouer vs and in vs is it that wee receyue from the Father this blessed hope The sence whereof maketh vs to render glorie and honour and thankes and praise to him in Christ as the Apostle here doth In respect of which kingdome it is that in the 97.98 and 99. Psalmes the sea the yles the floods Mountaines are commaunded to reioyce to sing to clap their hands to praise him to tremble and be moued at his presence and glorie of his power and to exalt and worship him The vse of this doctrine is twoofolde First it warneth vs to examine our hearts if Christ haue come in to dwell in them in righteousnes in peace and ioy of the holy Ghost and so haue made vs partakers of his death and life and giuen vs the earnest of our inheritance even the holy Spirit of promise then may we reioyce trulie and then shall we haue iust reason to glorie in the hope of the glorie of God Rom. 5.1.2 hauing peace with God through Iesus Christ our Lord Where by the contrarie they that haue not Christ raigning in them or will not haue him to raigne over them after the last respect haue to looke for nothing but according to that which of the Psalmist is saide That the Lord shall speake to them in his wrath and vexe them in his sore displeasure Psal 2.5 And according as it is saide by Iesus himselfe that they shal be brought and slaine before him Luc. 14.27 Therfore blessed are they that doe submit themselves to the Gospell of Iesus which is the scepter and sword of his kingdome and woe shal be to all them that repine against it The second vse of this point is to teach vs to know if our thankesgiuing to God be rightlie giuen and if it proceed of the right ground The Apostle to the Ephesians biddeth vs that we giue thankes at all times and for all things 8. phe 5.20 But to whom To him sayeth the Apostle who is God Father And after what maner that doth he also declare saying In the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ. Whatsoeuer blessing then it be which we receiue from God be it bodily or spirituall concerning either this life or the life to come we must acknowledge the giuer both God and Father thanke him as God and Father and that in the Name of Iesus our Lord. Therfore they doe not glorifie God aright by their thankesgiuing who do not acknowledge him to bestowe these benefites vpon them as their God and Father in Christ according to this covenant and who in thankesgiuing doe not glorifie God in the name of Iesus as their Lord. For this cause the Apostle to the Colossians commaundeth vs Colos 3 1◠that whatsoeuer wee doe in word or deed wee doe it all in the name of the Lord Iesus and thereto more particularly hee addeth concerning thankesgiuing giving thankes to God the Father through him To teach vs after what manner we should thanke God aright for all things And herevnto agreeth that which the Apostle to the Hebrues teacheth vs when hee biddeth vs that wee should haue grace in our heartes Heb. 12.28 by the which wee may serue God so as hee bee pleased For where Grace is not and so by consequence where the
promised to Abraham when hee prayed that Ismaell might live in his sight Gene. 17 1◠that hee would blesse him and make him fruitfull and multiplie him exceedingly that hee should begett 12. Princes and bee made a great Nation but his couenant would hee not establish with him but with Isaac Therfore ought we to beware of this common error of the wordlie who do esteeme so little of sinne that when they so licentiouslie doe commit all vncleanes yet doe they thinke thimselues in no perill at all there is and hath bene euer in the world sinne prophane persons who haue deceiued others with vaine wordes as though the wrath of God should not come vpon men for whoredom couetousnes c. Therfore doth the Apostle to the Ephesians warne vs That we let no man deceyue vs with vaine words For for such things sayeth the Apostle cometh the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience Let vs therefore learne not to extenuate sinne nor securelie to giue our selves to sinne since no common mercie but an superabundant mercie can obtaine remission of sinne at the hands of our God This poynt serueth next for consolation to all penitent sinners how wearie and loaden soeuer they be since sinne can not abound in so great measure but the mercie of God aboundeth much more yea this is the very custome of God that where he maketh the sence and sight of sinne to abound there he maketh also the sence of his mercie and grace to abound much more Let vs not therfore with Cain esteeme our sinne greater then we can beare and distrust in the mercies of God seeing the Lord himselfe made vs this promise by the Prophet Esai Esai 1.18 Though your sinnes were as crimsin they shal be made white as the snow Though they were redd as scarlet they shal be white as wooll Therefore is it that God hath shewed mercie to the chiefest sinners that we should not dispair in Gods mercies though our iniquities were never so great This doeth the Apostle Paule plainely teach vs by his owne example in the first cha to Tim. 1. Tim. 1.16 shewing that albeit he was chief of sinners albeit he was a persecutour yet was he receyved to mercie by the exceeding aboundance of the grace of God towards him in Christ Iesus And that for this cause that Christ Iesus should first shew on him all long suffering to the example of all them which in time to come should beleeue in him vnto eternall lyfe And therefore declareth that this is a saying both true and by all meanes worthie to be receyued to wit that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners Let not then the haynousnes of our iniquities dryue vs away from God who is able to remooue our sinnes from vs as farre as is the East from the West Psal 103.12 Seeing Christ doth call vpon al that are wearie and loaden and doth promise them relaxation and case Mat. 11.29 witnesseth That hee did come into the world not to call the righteous Psal 106.4.6 and 45. but sinners to repentance but let vs rather with the Psalmist praye that the Lord will remember vs with the fauour of his people and visit vs with his saluation that wee may see the felicitie of his chosen and reioyce in the ioy of his people and glorie with his inheritance For although we haue sinned with our Fathers haue committed iniquitie and done wickedlie yet shall hee remember his couenant and call backe his wrath according to the multitude of his mercies Thirdly this poynt serueth for conuiction of all who doe esteeme that it behooueth that their merites bee added to Gods mercies for obtayning of eternall lyfe as though the mercy of God were not sufficient alone to mooue God to graunt vs this benefite For if grace doth abound much more there where sin hath abounded then needeth there nothing to be added to grace since the measure of Gods mercy givē vs in Christ doth alwayes exceed the measure of our sinne Therfore doth the Apostle reason to the Romanes frō this aboūdance of the grace of God Rom. 5.15.16 17. proveth the certaintie of eternall life by comparison in this similitude betwixt the grace or gift of God in Christ the offēce of Adam in three respects First in respect of Adams sin Christes righteousnes or obedience For the Apostle sayeth that the gift is not so as is the offence he sheweth the reason for sayeth he If through the offence of that one many bee dead Much more the grace of God the gift by grace which is by one man Iesus Christ hath aboūded vnto many Hereby declaring that the righteousnes of Christ givē vs by grace is more aboundantly bestowed vpon vs to life then Adams offence was of power vnto death Secōdly inrespect of that which followeth there are two causes to witt guiltines that cometh throgh that one offence of Adā iustificatiō that cometh of Christs onely righteousnes Neither sayeth hee is the gift so as that which entred by one that sinned And he addeth the reason For sayeth he the fault came of one offence to condēnatiō but the gift is of many offences to iustification shewing that iustificatiō by Christ is farre more large then the cause of cōdemnation in Adā Seeing that not only that one sinne which alone hath brought cōdemnation on all men but al other our sinnes are forgiuē in Christ so the gift of grace aboūdeth much more is of greater measure thē the guiltnes of the sin that was the cause of all mens cōdēnation Thirdlie the Apostle reasoneth from the difference of power betwixt the death that followeth vpon the guiltines of Adams sinne the lyfe that is given to them that are iustified by the righteousnes or obedience of Christ Iesus For sayeth he If by one offence death raigned through one much more shall they which receyue that aboundance of grace and of that gift of it Righteousnes raigne in life through one that is Iesus Christ The reason is implyed in this sentence takē from the aboundance of grace and of the gift of that righteousnes By al which the Apostle will assure our heartes that we who are partakers of the grace mercie of God in Christ shal be saued that in respect Neither is Adams sin so powerfull to make guiltie vnto death as the righteousnes of Christes to iustifie vnto lyfe neither is the guiltines coming from Adams only sinne so aboundant as the iustification which is by Christ only Obedience seeing our guiltines cometh from one finne but our iustification is not only from that sinne and guiltines comming from that sinne but from all sinnes and guiltines of them all Neither is death which followed vpon the guiltines of that one sinne of Adams vpon all men of such force to raigne as the lyfe that commeth to all them that are iustified by that one obedience
their minde to the Image of God and must finde themselves cast in a new moulde and fashioned to another shape and borne over againe Therefore we should diligently trye our selves and consider if God at any time hath bin effectuall in vs to the alteration of the spirit of our minde renovation of our soules and if his spirit doth possesse and lead vs so that our conversation be after the spirit and not after the flesh And as the Apostle Peter in his second epistle exhorteth vs 2. Pet 1.10 Wee should studie to make our calling and election sure by adding to our faith vertue and so foorth For they can haue no certaintie of their calling that are not sanctified and therefore no assured hope For when God maketh vs his sonnes Gal. 4.6 he sendeth the spirit of his son in our heartes which cryeth Rom. 3.14 Abba Father For if any have not the spirit of Christ he is not his sayeth the Apostle to the Romanes Rom. 8.10 And if the spirit of Christ be in vs sayeth the same Apostle the same body is dead because of sinne the spirit is lyfe because of Righteousnes Therefore we may iustly conclude with the Apostle Pieter in the first chapter aforsaid of his second epistle after hee hath exhorted vs to ioyne vertue to our faith and to vertue knowledge to knowledge temperance 2. Pet. 1.9 and so foorth that whosoever hath not these things hee is blinde and seeth not farr off and hath forgotten that he was washed from his olde sinnes and so consequently that their hope is but a blinde hope their confidence a blinde confidence their boasting a blinde boasting 2 Co. 5.17 For if any man be in Christ Iesus he is a new creature sayeth the Apostle to the Corinthes So to conclude this point it were better to a man never to have bene borne in this worlde then after he is borne not to bee borne over againe by God And woe is the man who before the laying downe of this naturall life hath not obtayned another which is spirituall Now followeth the fourth point Hope followeth Regeneration which is the benefite it selfe vnto the which God of his mercie doth beget vs againe that is a living or lively hope or hope of lyfe This sheweth vs the purpose of God in begetting vs which is to cause vs hope For as we have said before First wee must bee made the children of God before we can hope to enioy his inheritance Therefore our Regeneration is a warning to vs that wee are the heires of God and coheires with Christ and obligeth vs to hope for the glorie of God seeing God hath begotten vs Because as saith the Apostle here he begetteth vs to hope therefore where hope is not there is no new birth for the Lord can not bee frustrate of the ende of his worke for hee that renewes vs vnto hope with renovation gives hope Therefore the sanctified man in Christ may be sure of glorie and lyfe everlasting according as the Apostle sheweth vs Whom he calleth Rom. 8.30 hee iustifienh and whom hee iustifieth him hee glorifieth In this benefite wee have two things to consider First what is the blessing tot wit hope Next what is meant by the propertie of this hope in that it is called a lively hope Concerning the firist the Apostle describing our estate before the Lord doe beget vs and make vs partakers of the adoption doth declare that among the rest of our miseries this was one that we had no hope For whē he hath expoūded to vs the mercy of God in our salvation and regeneration shewing that we are his workmāship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God had ordayned that we should walke in them being iustified by faith he willeth vs to remember what we were before saying Remember that ye beeing in time past Gentiles in the flesh called vncircumcision of them which are called circumcision in the flesh made with handes that yee were I say at that time without Christ were aliaunts from the common wealth of Israel and were strangers from the couenants of promise and had no hope and were without God in the world This is the miserable estate of vs all before wee be called of God to the adoption of his sonnes and be begotten of him againe wee are all without Christ without hope and without God in the world What greater miserie can there be Act. 17.28 then have a being and yet without him in whom wee have our being our lyfe our moving and all things as the Apostle sayeth in the Actes And knowing that we must depart from this life to have no hope of lyfe thereafter Miserable indeed is our estate by nature how much soever we glorie in it so much the more miserable that wee have neither sense nor sorrow of this our miserie Who is he that can reioyce in any thing while hee abydeth without him in whom are all things And howe can the heart sufficiently praise love and magnifie the Lord when it tasted of this his goodnes in begetting vs againe And so consequently taking from vs all our miseries making vs blessed in giving vs hope and himselfe to bee our God and Father in Christ through whom sayeth the Apostle to the Ephesians we both Ephe. 2.18.19 and 22 that is Iewe and Gentill haue one entrance vnto the Father by one spirit and are no more strāgers forreners but citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God and in whom wee are build together to bee the habitation of God by the spirit It is not without good reason that the Apostle here in this place can not speake of this mercie without blessing him who hath brought vs to this blessed estate of hope And great matter have we of reioycing who have tasted of the like mercie If wee consider that which the Apostle saith to the Romanes That wee are saved by hope Rom. 8.24 For as he saith in another Epistle We walke here by faith 2. Cor. 5.7 and not by sight and therfore taking from vs hope our salvation and lyfe is taken from vs which wee doe possesse by hope for this is the difference of faith and hope that by faith we beleeue the promises of salvation in Christ which hope waiteth for so that faith hath respect to lyfe and salvation as it is embraced by vs here in this world Hope hath relation to them as wee shall possesse them in the world to come so that hope doeth alwayes follow faith hangeth vpon it although they be often times takē in the scripture the one for the other indifferently The one looketh to lyfe apprehendeth it promised in the world the other wayteth for the revelation of it from heaven as it is possessed by Christ at the right hande of the Father This is now the blessing vnto the which the Lord begetteth vs againe so that without Regeneration
resurrection If in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men the most miserable for besides the crosses and calamities wherevnto we are subiect in this life death cometh in betwixt vs our hope in Christ and it seemeth to cutt vs vtterlie from him all fruition of his blisse For if death had dominion over vs so that the sorrowes thereof could not be loosed but that we should be holden of it what avayled it vs to be in ieopardie everie houre 1 Cor. 19.18 and wherefore should we suffer affliction for the name of Iesus for all that sleepe in him were perished as saith the Apostle in the same place to the Corinthians If there were no Resurrection Therefore to comfort vs not only againstal the afflictions of this present life but chieflie against that last and most fearfull tentation of death the Lord doth instruct vs in the resurrection from the dead This was the comfort that Iob had in all his miseries as he saieth himself That although after his skinne wormes destroy his bodie yet shall I see God in my flesh whom I my selfe shall see and my eyes beholde and none other for me though my reynes are consumed within me This also saith the Apostle to the Corinthi was the cause which made him not onely to faint ◠Cor 5.1 but also to sighe Desiring to be dissolved even because he did know If this earthly house of this tabernacle were destroyed he had a building given vs of God an house not made with handes but eternall in the heavens So that death was no terrour at all to him who did know that he which raised the Lord Iesus should raise him vp also and give him a glorious bodie And for this cause is it that Christ Iesus in the sixt chap. of Iohn willing to confirme his assertion and saying That of all which the Father had given him he should loose nothing so oft bringeth in this promise And I will raise him vp at the last day And with this he comforted Martha Iohn 11.2 mourning for the death of her brother Lazarus saying Thy brother shal rise againe And the Apostle Paul writing to the Thessalonians willing to comfort them to stay their excessiue mourning for the dead doth bring in this same reason That they which are a sleepe 1 Thes 4.13 shal rise at the cōming of the Lord. This point therefore must we carefullie hold since without it we can haue no comfort And to this effect we haue next to consider what it is that doth assure vs and certifie our soules that we shall rise againe For it is a matter harde to be beleeved The assurance of our resurrection dependeth vpō the resurrectiō of Christ that the body which is once dead turned into dust shal raise againe The thing that giveth certaine hope to vs of out resurrection is the Resurrection of Iesus Christ our Sauiour If he had not risen frō the dead we could never have had any hope that ever our bodies shuld haue received life after death For this is a sure grounde which we must stedfastlie hold that our God mindeth to doe nothing to vs which hee hath not first done to Iesus Christ our head and Prince of our salvation for our cause For he is as the first fruits in all things Col. 1.18 for in all things he hath the preheminence as saith the Apostle to the Colossians therefore also is hee the beginning and first begottē among the dead And againe to the Corinthians the Apostle sheweth vs that he is made the first frutes of them that sleepe 1. Cor. 19.20 Seeing then that in the first frutes the whole is sanctified no otherwayes It must needs follow that Christ behooved to 〈◊〉 so from the dead before wee could be raised our resurrection depending vpon his flowing from his For as saieth the Apostle in that same place to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 15.21 As by man came death so also by man cometh the resurrection from the dead For as in Adam all dye so in Christ shall all be made aliue but euerie one saith he in his owne order the first fruites is Christ thereafter they that are Christes at his appearing Therefore doeth he call him selfe in the 11. Iohn 11.25 chapter of Iohn speaking to Martha The Resurrection and Lyfe Herof it followeth that he who knoweth not Christ to be risen from the dead and beleeveth not that he is risen can no wayes beleeve that ever he shall rise againe to life 1. Pet. 1.21 For this same Apostle Peter in this same Chapter hereafter plainlie witnesseth that God hath raised Christ from the dead and hath giuen him glorie that our faith hope should be in God Wherby he teacheth vs two things concerning our hope First that it must bee in God Secondlie that it can not bee in God but through Christ and therefore that wee could not hope in God that he would raise vs from the dead if he had not first raised Christ our head seeing wee must beleeve in God through him The vse of this point is twofolde First it learneth vs to discerne the trueth and veritie of our hope from the right ground and foundation of it Colos 1.21 For every mans hope must have a foundation to vpholde it even as our faith and hope is the foundation whereby we are vpholden as saith the Apostle to the Colossians Frō the which if we fall we fall from God and from life so our hope hath the same foundation whereby it is vpholden in vs that wee doe not cast away our confidence and reioycing of our hope albeit assailed with innumerable and grievous tentations this foūdation is Christ himself And therfore whyle the Apostle doth exhort vs to constancy in our hope and patient running of the race that is layed before vs vnto the end he willeth vs to looke still vpon Iesus Christ the authour finisher of our faith For if our sight be cast vpon any thing besides him Rom. 4.18 so that we drawe our eyes from be holding him then must our hope faile vs. It is said of Abraham the Father of the faithfull who aboue hope beleeved vnder hope that he should bee the Father of many nations according to the promise that hee considered not his owne body which nowe was dead beeing almost an hundreth yeares old neither the deadnes of Saraes wombe neither did he doubt of the promise but did looke to him who did promise being fullie assured that he was able to performe herein this promise made to Abraham If Abraham had not cast his sight on him that promised that is the Sonne of God but had looked to him selfe or Sara he could haue had no hope of the promise So in the promise of our Resurrection frō the dead to eternall life if we cast our eyes vpon our selues our bodies dying and cōsuming and turning into dust whereof they
salvation yea it were better for the wicked never to have known there were a God yea that there were not a God at all then to be banished from the presence of that God for ever as they shall be The vse hereof is to comfort vs against the present longinge and earnest desire wee have of the sight of God and of our Saviour and of that glory 2 Cor. 5.2 whyle wee sighe Desiring to bee clothed with our house which is from heaven even that we know that our life which is now hid with Christ in God shall once bee manifested For during this life neither are we seene to the world the children of God neither is our salvation seene of vs. Iohn 3.2 For as Iohn saith Though now we bee the children of God yet it is not made manifest what wee shal be Colos 3.4 but when Christ which is our life shal appeare thē shal we also appeare with him in glorie And therefore is it that the fervent desire of the creature wayteth whē the sonnes of God shal be revealed Rom. 8.19 And we our selves are said to be saved by hope and that for this cause wee doe sighe and groane in our selves waiting for the adoption even the redemption of our bodie Now the time when our salvation shal be shewed Salvation shal be revealed at the comming of Christ is the last time For so long as Christ is hid so long must our salvation be hid for without him it can never be seen for he is our salvation and therefore seeing Christ is not to be seene againe vntill the last time our life cā not be seene vntill that time This is the cause that the Saints doe crie with a most earnest desire Come Lord Iesus come and that that day which is the last of al days may come because they know their life cā not be revealed till that day This day of all dayes is the most longed for by the godlie and of all dayes least desired or wished of the worlde The reason is evident The godlie doe know that that bringeth to them the end of all miserie and everlasting ioye whereas to the wicked it bringeth an end of al their flesh lie pleasures and worldlie delites wherein they did put their felicitie and doth begin their endles damnation Therefore would they wish it never came So cōtrarie is the desire of Gods children to the desire of the wicked For ther shal be two things in that day revealed that never were seen before that is the salvation of the elect and the vengeance prepared for the wicked It is true in deed that God sheweth his salvation even in this world in all the deliverances of his children like as hee sheweth his vengeance in al plagues powred vpon the wicked but we must distinguish betwixt al salvatiō enioyed in this life that salvation which is to be manifested in the cōming of Christ and betwixt all iudgements in this life that iudgement that shal be revealed in the appearing of the Lord in flaming fire For neither is the first that full fruit of Gods mercie purchased by Christ neither is the other the iust recōpence of Gods Iustice to the wicked And therefore is it in the script that the life of the Saints is said to be hid vntill the last time and the wrath of God and his Iustice to be hid vnto the day of wrath and manifestation of the iust iudgement of God Rom. 2.5 For that day is the day both of the manifestation of Gods iust iudgement and of this riches of his mercie This teacheth vs to have patience in this present life although our cōdition in Christ be not knowen of the world nor we accompted of as the children of God although here we be esteemed the offscourings of the worlde and the contempt of men for our estate is not yet manifested As likewise it teacheth vs to reioyce the more neare the day of Gods iudgement be because our redemption is the nearer Yea this maketh that the godlie do more gladlie depart out of this life then to remaine in it Whereas the wicked esteemeth it a hell to speak to them either of death or of Christes comming againe to iudge the world Happie is the man that is begotten to this livelie hope for he findeth what comfort is in both while as the wicked shall wishe that the mountaynes might fall vpon them and the earth open and swallow them rather then they should see the day of Christes appearing But let vs who beleeve and knowes that our life and salvation commeth with Christ Let vs I say with all our hearts pray Lord Iesus come come Lord Iesus come even so bee it AMEN FINIS
THE SAINTS HOPE AND INFALLIBLENES THEREOF or Two Sermons preached before the English Companie at Middelb about the moneth of October 1608. Written by Mr. Iohne Forbes at the earnest request of the hearers and now published by them for the generall instruction and comfort of all Gods children Printed at Middelborough by Richard Schilders 1610. To his deare and welbeloved in the Lord the faithfull English Companie at Middelburrough increase of wisdome and grace from God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ be multiplied YOur earnest request in the Lord most heartely beloued in him was that I would put in writte to you those first Sermons which at the will of God I preached amongst you J confesse that I am obliged to you all in all duties of love because of the abundance of your love to me or rather to the Lord Iesus Therfore although the cōsciēce of my weaknes infirmitie did ever till this houre hold me back frō writing or presēting in writte any of my weake labours to the vse of any yet I could not resist your lawful earnest desire in this particular praying God to direct it to his glorie your comfort Receive thē the first two conceaved in substance as I deliuered them but in larged according to the speciall consolatiōs which it pleased the Lord to minister vnto my owne heart out of this Scripture in time of my most heavie sickenes when J was dayly in hope to goe out of this body to dwell with the Lord. If yee finde any comfort in them give all the glory to him who is able by the mouth of Babes and Sucklings to make perfect his prayse And not staying as Babes vpon the vse of this milke goe on in strength by the solide comfort of that strong meate which yee have abundantly in the Lords great mercie dayly ministred vnto you by the painfull labours and faithfull watchfulnes of your louing and learned Pastour whom the Lord hath taught to be a Scribe in his kingdome a faithfull and wise steward to give his children their portion of meate in season at whose mouth receiving that sincere milke of the word ye shall doubtles grow vp to be a spirituall house an holy Priesthood to God by Iesus Christ our Lord whose special blessing J pray for to his worke amongst you that you to your Pastour and he to you may be a ioy a glorie and a crowne of reioysing in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ at his comming whose grace mercie and peace be with you all Amen Yours in the Lord M. I. F. 1. Epist of Peter Cap. 1. verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who according to his abundant mercie hath begotten vs againe vnto a lively hope by the resurrection of Iesus from the dead IT is most true which the Apostle saith to the Corinths 1. Cor. 15 19. that if in this life only wee haue hope in Christ wee are of all men the most miserable For in al outward things concerning this present life the wicked for the most part are in much better case then the godly who dayly bearing the crosse through many tribulations and afflictions do enter in the kingdome of heaven This being a thing necessarie Rom. 8.17 2. Tim. 2.12 that whosoeuer shall reigne with Christ must first suffer with him For there is no other way whereby the members can enter into glorie but the same by which the Prince of saluation was consecrate Herefore it is that the Apostle in this Epistle being to exhort the Saints to constancie in holines patient bearing of all afflictions doth lay the foundation of his doctrine and prepare the way to this Exhortation by setting before their eyes the hope of eternall life in Heauen with God * The fight of things invisible sustaine the Saints in this life Knowing that in this life there is nothing no not the very inward beginnings of grace and sense of the goodnes and bountifulnes of God of the peace ioy spirituall that is able to vpholde the Saints in suffering for Christ if they had no esperance of greater and more excellent things after this life in the world to come Therefore it is that in the Scriptures the spirit leadeth the Saints alwayes to the sight of the glory that is to be manifested to the Price of their high calling in Iesus and to the recompence of reward laid vp for thē in the heauens 2. Cor. 4.10 c. knowing that the dayly bearing about of the dying of our Lord in our bodies and in the dayly decay of the outward man wee were not able to endure without fainting if we did not cast our eyes vpon things invisible and eternall Act. 7.55 and not vpon things visible which perish It was the sight of the glory of God and of Iesus at the right hand of God that made Stephan to endure stoning to death It was the sight of him who is invisible and of the recompence of reward which made Moses to despise the wrath of Pharao Heb. 11.24 to esteeme the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Aegipt The thing which did susteine Iob in his greatest miseries Iob. 19.26 was the hope and assurance he had that he should see God in his flesh although that after his skin wormes should destroy his body even that he himselfe should see him that his eyes should beholde him none other for him Heb. 12.2 Christ Iesus our Lord himselfe endured the crosse and despised the shame for the ioy which was laid before him According to which examples we must also indevour to holde the eyes of our minde fixed vpon Iesus the authour and finisher of our faith where he sitteth at the right hande of the Father crowned with glory and honour waiting stil for our blessed hope which also the very Creature waiteth for Rom. 8.19 and in waiting groneth and laboureth in paine because it also is subdued vnder hope that it also shal be delivered from the bondage of corruption in that day This is the cause wherefore the Apostle Peter in this place doth speake so much of this hope even that as he himselfe exhorteth vs wee may gird vp the loynes of our mindes and bee sober and trust perfectly or to the ende in the grace which is brought to vs in the revelation of Iesus Christ putting on as the Apostle Paul exhorteth vs 1. Thes 5.8 the hope of salvation for our helmet In setting downe this hope the Spirit of God for our further comfort and the more strong inforcing of the exhortation builded thereupon doth meete the chiefe tentations which may assault our weakenes in the troubles which accompanie the profession of the truth of which three are touched in the word which we haue read The one concerneth Life it selfe the other the Qualitie and Condition of that life the last the Certaintie and Assurance of
it So first because the Apostle did knowe howe hard and difficill a thing it is to perswade man to forsake this present world the life the glory the riches the reast pleasures of it except hee have esperance of an other world life glory riches pleasure Therfore doth hee first set downe the exceeding mercie and goodnes of God in begetting vs to the hope of life in the heavens Secondly in respect the naked hope of an other life is not sufficient to perswade vs to forsake this life nor to minister solide ioy in suffering for it except we know that this life for which we hope be much more excellent and precious Therefore in the second place the Apostle describeth the excellencie of this life hoped for Thirdly seeing for the solide consolation of the Saints it is required that not only they have hope of life and knowe the excellencie of it but also that they bee sure not to be frustrat nor disappointed of their hope Therefore in the third place hee declareth the certaintie infalliblenes of this hope In these three points consists the substance of the worde which wee have read whereof wee are now to speake as the Lord shal assist by his grace But first of all before we enter to speake of these three Gods benefits never to be remembred without thankfulnes we must consider the maner which the Apostle vseth in propounding of them which is by way of thanksgiving To teach vs in what maner wee should speak of the blessings of God whose goodnes to vs should never be remēbred without out thankesgiuing to him Hee chooseth vs he predestinateth vs he calleth vs Ephes 1.6 saith the Apostle to the praise of the glory of his grace Therefore when ever it pleaseth him to bestow vpō vs the fruits of his love and free grace in Iesus Christ wee should alwaies receiue them thinke and speake of them so as our God receive of vs the thing for which hee giveth them that is the prayse of his glorious grace wherwith he doth abound towards vs in all spirituall blessings in Iesus Christ There is a great difference betwixt the maner of speech of those who speake vpon a bare and naked knowledge of the blessings of God and of those who speake from the sense feeling of them as having tasted themselves of the goodnes and bountifulnes of God in these blessings towards thē in Christ The speech of the one as it is without feeling so is it fectles and without force they can speake of his goodnes and not give him glorie whereas the other are forced by their feeling to glorifie God because he is good his love in their hearts constrayning them as saith the Apostle 2. Cor. 5.14 This is the cause why the Saints in Gods word have made so many songs of praise and thanksgiuing to God so sweete is the sense of his mercie and so deepe was the insight they had of it towards thēselves that they have provoked all the creatures to praise him because hee is good and his mercie endureth for ever as though themselves alone were not sufficient to speake of the praise of his grace towards them yea the helpe of al creatures being too too small in their iudgement to make thē worthely to render him the glorie of his goodnes to them alone knowing that their tongues and lips were not able condignely to thanke him they haue called on their soules and all that is within them to prayse his holy name This serveth for a tryal to vs to examine ourselues in what sort wee possesse the knowledge of the grace of God towardes man in Christ Surely it is to be feared that there is small sense lively feeling of it within vs when thankfulnes doth not outwardly abound in our speeches and actions And hereby may we iustly esteeme this age although it abound in knowledge yet to haue small feeling of the things knowen seing the affections of men are so slenderly touched with the loue of God and his goodnes neither heart nor tongue being prepared to proclayme his prayse The Prophet saith and so doth the Apostle I beleeved and therefore I spoke 2. Cor. 4.13 surely where faith is there wil be speech The Apostle therefore writing to the Colossians bids them abounde in faith with thanksgiuing Colos 2.7 The same Apostle willing to make vs vnderstand what is the nature of true knowledge after hee hath exhorted vs to know the will of the Lord to be filled with the Spirit he subioynes an exhortation to practise the effects of this knowledge and amongst the rest hee desireth vs alwayes to giue thanks for al things to God the Father in the name of Iesus Christ our Lord ioyning these two things together and teaching vs that no blessing yea nothing should happen to vs for the which we should not giue thankes to God For that is the nature of true grace truly ingraffed in the heart for all things even for Afflictions to prayse the Lord. Let vs looke on the example of Iob when God did permit Satā to spoyle him of his substance Iob. 1.21 his speech is The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken it blessed be the name of the Lord. Beholde hee acknowledgeth that it was the Lord that did giue it was the Lord that did take and hee blessed the Lord both in giuing him and in taking from him If then the very Afflictions chastisements wherby the Lord exerciseth the faith and tryeth the patience of his Saints bee iust matter both of reioycing as Iames saith Iam. 1.2 and also of thanksgiuing how much more should we render thanks to God for our Election our Calling our Iustification and all the rest of his blessings both spirituall and bodilie Let vs learne then with the Apostle and according to the former exhortation of Paul to give thanks alwayes for al things to God the Father in the Name of Iesus Christ our Lord. So much concerning the maner of the Apostles speaking and propounding this blessing Now wee come to the matter it selfe which wee diuided in three wherof the first concerneth the blessing of God bestowed vpon vs. In declaring of this blessing wee haue these points set downe by the Apostle in order 1. The Authour and giuer of it to wit the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ 2. The cause mouing him to call vs to so excellent a blessing to wit his aboundant mercie 3. The preparatiue fitting mindes wherby he both makes vs able for the benefite and brings vs to it to wit The begetting of vs againe 4. The blessing it selfe to wit a liuing hope or the hope of life 5. And last the ground and foundation of this hope to wit the Resurrection of Christ from the dead Now concerning the first it is the Father who is the Authour of this blessing as he is the God Father of our Lord Iesus Christ
by creation c. according to the diuersitie of their groundes so is the dispensation of God to men diuers The first is the ground of his dispensation to the reprobates yea to all his other creatures The second is the ground of his dispensation to his elect And because the first ground concerneth this life therefore is it that God bestoweth on the reprobates aboundance of earthly things as riches honour kingdomes and Empires and yet al in his wrath because they receyue them not in Christ the only cause of his loue to man so it shall come to passe that many who haue most of this wordly wealth ritches and pleasures from God shall neuertheles be cast by him in hell fire therefore we must not iudge of Gods favour to men by the outward blessings of this life whereof all are partakers for God maketh his sunne to arise on the evill and the good and sendeth raine on the iust and vniust Math. 5.45 The second ground of Gods dispensation concerneth speciallie the life to come albeit the children of God haue the promise both of this life and the life to come therfore is it that the Lord bestoweth his love his mercie his grace and all his spirituall blessings to none but such as are liuely members of Iesus Christ his Sonne who doe worship him in Christ his Sonne made man who do come to him by Christ who doe call vpon him in the name of Christ who doe acknowledge Christ to be their wisedome their righteousnes 1. Cor. 1.30 their sanctification and redemption Therfore we should studie to haue part in Christ if wee desire to receiue from God eternall life but more of this in the next point to wit that it behoueth Christ to be our Lord before we receyue the blessings from God which now followeth In this point wee have to consider First how many wayes Christ is the Lord of Mankinde and next in what sense hee is called our Lord by the Apostles As for the first we finde him in the scriptures three maner of wayes Lord. First How many wayes Christ is Lord. as wee haue God the Creatour of all things in which respect he is also Lord of all things seeing all things receyued their being from him and are sustayned by the power of his worde Concerning the first in Psalme 102. Heb. 1.3 Hee is called Lord Thou O Lord from the beginning laydest the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the workes of thy handes Further it is said concerning his authoritie Thy Throne O God is from euerlasting to euerlasting And touching the same and the second also in the first to the Hebrues it is said that by him God made the world therafter that he sustaines all things by the mightie power of his worde Secondly he is called Lord as he is the sonne of man Mat. 28.18 for euen as he is man he hath receiued all power both in heauen and in earth Colos 2.10 and is made the head of all principality power Psal 8. and is crowned with glory and honour and is sett aboue all the workes of Gods handes Heb. 2.7.8 and hath all things put in subiection vnder his feete Phil. 2.4 and 10.11 and hath a name giuen him aboue all names that at the name of Iesus Ephe. 1.21 should every knee bowe both of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth Iohn 17.2 And that every tongue should confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord vnto the glorie of God the Father And this dominion is generall ouer all flesh and aboue all principalitie and power and might and domination and every name that is named So that hereby he is Lord of the very Diuels and of the reprobates no lesse then of the godly and elect Iohn 17.1 But the end wherefore hee receiued this power is not one to both for to the elect it is that he may giue to them eternal life but to the other it is that he may crush them with a scepter of yron Psal 2.9 Reuel 2.27 and breake them in pieces like a potters vessell Which is a great consolation to all that are his members 2. Thes 7.8 9.10 knowing that all their â—enemâ—â—ts both bodily and spirituall are ruled by their Lord and Saviour and that the heauens are his and all that therein is and the earth is his and that therein is So that nothing can be wanting to them that feare him Lastly he is Lord speciallie and only of his Saints and Church of God Ephe. 5.25.26.27 which he hath purchased to him selfe by his own blood 1. Pet. 2.24 Colos 1.14 Luc 1.71.72 and 73 74.75 Psal 2.6 Luc. 1.32 Ephes 1.22 Ioh. 10.19 Iohn 17.2 and 6 and 9.11.24 1. Pet. 2.4 Heb. 2.5 And therefore besyde this generall Dominion which is giuen him ouer all creatures he is speciallie anoynted and set king vpon Sion the Lordes holy Mountaine and hath receiued the throne of his father Dauid to raigne ouer the house of Iacob for ever and is made aboue all things the head of the Church in which respect the elect are said only to be giuen to him of the Father whereas in respect of his general Dominion all things are given him of the Father This Dominion and Lordship consisteth in the Right that Christ hath to vs by his owne purchase in the spirituall gouernement of his Saints by his spirit and word Ruling thereby in their hearts not suffering any more Sathan nor sin to beare rule in their mindes but making them as a chosen generation a Royall Priesthood an holy Nation a people set at libertie to shewe foorth the vertues of him that hath called them out of darknes into his marvelous light And this is the kingdome of Christ which is not of this world but is called the kingdome of the world to come because it concerneth not the things of the world belonging to this earthlie and corruptible life but the things that belong to the spirituall life of God in vs in creating vs over againe to his Image 1. Cor. 7.31 and making vs partakers of all the spirituall blessings that are in the heauenlie places in Christ Iesus him selfe And secondly it is so called because it shall not be perfyted in this world but in the world to come when the shape and forme of this world shall be abolished and passed away These are the three wayes that Christ is to be considered Lord in the scriptures In the first respect he is Lord with the Father and with the Spirit and he is the very life of the world in whom al things haue their naturall being and moouing and so are bound for this very life to serue him In the seconde respect hee is made Lord by the Father who hath giuen him the preeminence in all things aboue all creatures Iohn 5.2.7 that hee should rule the world and execute
Iustice did come by our workes then had we wherein to reioyce and glorie And for this cause also is it that God doth choose the vyle things of this worlde the foolish and the weake 1. Cor. 27. to the end euen that no flesh should reioyce or glory in his presence for wee are that which wee are of him in Christ Iesus and not of our selves nor in our selves saith the Apostle be it Wiesdom iustificatioÌ„ sactification or redemption That according as it is written Hee that reioyceth let him reioyce in the Lord. The second reason of the Apostle to the Ephesians Phil. 2.13 is Because the power of doing good is not of our selues nor in our selues because we are the workmanship of God created to good workes And this CreatioÌ„ saith the Apostle is in Christ Iesus therefore not in our selues Therfore it is not of our selues that we do good but of God who worketh in vs both the will and the deed and that of his good pleasure Neither haue we the vertues in our selues of working good but in Christ Iesus that we iustly say with the Apostle to the Galathians Gall. 2.10 It is not we that liue any more but Christ that liueth in vs. And therefore with the same Apostle to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 12.2 and 3. Our reioycing should be not in our selues but in the man which is Christ And we ought to acknowledge with him that what we are we are it by the grace of God And when we labour in well doing it is not we but the grace of God which is with vs. This serveth to vs for two things to instruct vs not with Papist or other whatsoeuer to asscribe merites to our workes or to esteeme the cause of our election calling iustification or glorification to be in our selues or our workes but in the free grace of God Therfore doth the Apostle to the Romans declare Rom. 11.5 that the remnant which are saved are reserued according to the election of grace and thervpon concludeth that if election bee of grace it is no more of workes else were grace no more grace And if it be of works then it is no more of grace or els workes were no more works So may we conclude here of our calling to the hope of life since the Apostle saith It is of Gods aboundaÌ„t mercy than it is not of merit els were mercy no more mercy and if it be of merite it is no more mercy or els merite were no more merite The cause therefore moouing God to call and elect vs is no wayes in vs but in God himselfe Therefore doth the Apostle say to the Ephesians Ephe. 1.5 that God hath predestinated vs to be adopted through Christ in himselfe And what was the cause in himselfe moouing him the Apostle likewise declareth it According to the good pleasure of his wil. And moreouer in the next verse he maketh it more plaine saying That it is his grace wherewith hee hath made vs freely accepted in his beloved yet more amplie hee cleareth this adding in the 7. verse That the redemption which we haue by the bloud of Iesus Christ is also according to his rich grace Declaring that whither wee look to God in giuing Christ to dye for vs or whither wee consider God iustifying vs in Christ and accepting of vs in him for the merite of his death applying or imputing the same to vs There was nor is nothing that mooueth him to doe so but his owne grace For as it is written Exod. 33.19 I will haue mercy vpon him to whom I will shew mercie wil haue compassion vpon him on whom I will haue compassion So that it is not in him that willeth Rom. 9.15 16. 18 nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie And therefore hee hath mercy on whom hee will and whom hee will hardeneth The second thing that hereby we learne is that comfortable lesson which the spirit of God teacheth vs by the Apostle to the Romanes reasoning from this mercie and loue of God towardes vs in Christ who when wee were yet of no strength at his time Rom 5.6.7 8.9.10 dyed for the vngodly God setting foorth his merueillous loue to vs that whyle we were yet sinners Christ dyed for vs. Whereupon he concludeth that nowe being iustified by his bloud we shall much more bee saued from wrath through him For as the the Apostle sayeth If when we were enemies wee were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne Ephe. 2.3.4 and 5. much more being reâ—ciled we shal be saved by his life For that mercy that mooued God when we were dead in sinne and trespasse being by nature the children of wrath Ier. lament 3.22 to quicken vs in Christ Seeing it remained for euer and his compassions fayle not but are renewed every morning Ephe. 2.3.4 must needes much more mooue him to accomplish the good pleasure of his will in vs Psal 106.1 who nowe are made the children of his loue in Christ Therefore neede we not to feare what man Rom. 8.38 and 39. yea what Deuills can doe to vs For neither death nor life nor Angells nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shal be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus For our God is full of compassion and mercie Psal 103.8 c. slow to anger and of great kindnes Therefore he will not alwayes chyde Psal 103.6 nor keepe his anger for euer neither will hee deale with vs after our sinnes nor reward vs according to our iniquities seeing he pitied vs and had mercie on vs when we were his enemies For that mercie that mooued God to beget vs to the hope of lyfe when we were straungers from him without hope and without God much more shall it mooue him to bring vs now being made his children to the enioying of that blessed hope Herevpon it followeth That Gods mercie is the only ground of solide and perfect comfort to man and only sure stay to the soule of him that is in trouble that contrariwise they can haue no stedfast hope nor perfect ioy through their hope who build their hope of lyfe not vpon the mercie of God but on their owne merite or merite of any other creature Therefore is it that in the scripture the most lamentable and sorrowfull cace of the godly is described to bee when as the sence of Gods mercie faileth them For then doe they crie out Will God shewe noe more fauour Psal 77.8 Is his Mercie cleane gone for euer Doth his promise faile for euermore Hath God forgotten to be mercifull Hath he shutt vp his tender mercies in displeasure This is my death sayeth the seruant of God Hereby declaring that mercie is their only comfort and cause of their lyfe And where mercie appeareth
to be shutt vp in displeasure there is no assurance of lyfe Psal 116.3 but the snares of death doe coÌ„passe them then the greeues of the graue doeth gripe them and they finde trouble and sorrowe And then doth their soule returne to rest when they haue tasted of Gods mercie and therefore in all their troubles the ground of their confidence and drawing neare to God is and euer hath bene 〈◊〉 â— 16 his mercy Therfore doeth the Apostle to the Hebrues will vs to goe bodly to the throne of grace that we may receaue mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of neede Now come we to the qualitie of this mercy that mooueth God to cal vs to the hope of lyfe The Apostle calleth it his aboundant mercie It is most certaine that all the creatures of God doe taste of his mercie towards them yea the very reprobates and the very Deuils themselues For it is a great mercie that they are referued so long vnto the iudgement of the great day and that they and the wicked are so long spared vncast in hell fyre â—ud 6. Many a time doth both the word of God and daylie experience teach vs that God doth giue many blessings and deliuerances to the wicked Achab being a man as witnessed the booke of God who had not his like who did sell himselfe to worke wickednes in the sight of the Lord hauing heard the threatning of the Prophete against him for the killing of Naboth c. and humbling himselfe albeit without true repentance the Lord did delay his iudgement all his dayes and did not execute the euill denunced against him till his sonnes dayes for the Lords mercie is aboue all his workes Therefore as wee haue said before hee maketh the Sunne to arise on the wicked the good and sendeth raine to the iust and vniust Moreouer he giueth to the wicked kingdomes Empires Dominions yet doeth not this mercy that obtaines so many blessings procure to the wicked that they should be renewed to the hope of Eternall lyfe and receiue remission of sinnes For it is not a small mercie that mooveth God to doe so that is to iustifie a sinner to call his enemies to the dignitie of the sonnes of God to giue theÌ„ the hope of eternal life it must be a mercie running ouer superaboundant that must mooue the Lord to bestow these blessings which are of greater value then all the kingdomes of the world Therefore doth the Apostle to the Ephesians call this grace a ritch grace Whereby the Lord hath bene aboundant towards vs in all wisedome and vnderstanding Ephe. 1.7 â— And this aboundance of Gods mercy and grace is most clearly manifested by that which the Apostle speaketh to the Romanes in declaring both the end of the giuing of the Lawe and effectes of the Lawe giuen the end of it sayeth he was that the offence should abound whereby it might seeme that thereby wee should bee put further from the hope of grace then before but hee addeth for our comfort that where sinne abounded there did grace abound much more the grace might raigne through righteousnes vnto life eternal through Iesus Christ our Lord even there wher sinne had raigned vnto death Before sin hauing taken occasioÌ„ by the Law to worke in vs al maner of concupiscence that sinne might appeare sinne to be out of measure sinfull in working death in vs by that which is good And all this for no other thing but for the praise of the glory of his rich grace whereby hee doeth abound towardes vs aboue all aboundaÌ„ce of sinne in vs that his mercie may be knowen to be greater then our iniquities yea to be greater then al his workes For it is saide in the 108 Psalm His mercie is great aboue the heauens And again As high as the heaueÌ„ is aboue the earth so great is his mercie towards them that feare him For it is not that common goodnes and general mercie of God to all his Creatures whereby he giveth life and being and moouing to all whereby he giveth riches and honours and Kingdomes that mooveth the Lord to bestow this blessing of remission of sinnes hope of eternal life This teacheth vs neuer to content our selues with that sence of Gods mercie which ariseth only vpon the enioying of teÌ„porall blessings be they neuer so great though he should giue vs the whole world For this errour doth deceyve many who thinke the man to bee beloued of God with whoÌ„ he dealeth mercifully in things belonging to this lyfe Albeit it bee true that a man may be made Monarch of the whole world and yet bee voyde of the sauing grace and mercie of God The true reioycing in Gods mercy ariseth vpon the hope of the glory of God builded vpon the peace which we haue toward God through Iesus Christ Rom. 5.1.2 and 11. arising vpon the remission of sinns in his bloud or iustification by faith and the attonement which we haue receyved by Iesus Christ our Lord. Therefore 1. Pet. 1.6 and 8. gett what we will get from God wee never shall be satisfied with all the tokens of his love and mercy vntill wee gett that gift of God whereof Christ speaketh in the 4. of Iohn to the woman of Samaria when shee did denye him a cup of water Iohn 4.10 If sayeth he thou knewest that gift of God meaning himself shewing vs that he knoweth nothing of the sauing mercie of God nor of the grouÌ„d or warraÌ„t of eternall lyfe though he know al the giftes that euer God did giue to man who yet knoweth not the Lord Iesus and hath not bene a feeling partaker of the mercy of God which is in him through him This serueth to moove vs to esteeme more of the spirituall blessings of God then of all earthly things Psal 4.6.7 And with Dauid to desire the Lord to lift vp the light of his couÌ„tecance on vs and not with the world to seeke for earthly things for therby shall we haue more ioy of heart then they haue when their wheate and their wine doeth abound The vses of the aboundance of Gods mercie The vse of this poynt is threefolde It serveth for Instruction for consolation for conviction For instruction in teaching vs seeing it is an aboundaÌ„t mercy wherby the Lord doth call vs to the hope of lyfe and to this effect begetteth vs to bee his children that sinne iniquitie is a thing most detestable before God since that generall goodnes of God that mooueth him to giue all earthly things to man maketh him not to giue remission of sinnes to man Therfore should wee aboue all things abhorre sinne by all meanes indeuour to eschew sinne as the thing most daungerous and pernitious to man For although thou be a sinner God will blesse thee with honour and riches of this lyfe yet will giue thee no portion of his inheritance in the heavens He
to his buriall wherein is set before vs the hope of the everlasting abolishing of sinne Then come we to his Resurrection the ground of our hope once to see death that last enemie abolished and destroyed and so we are guided on with him to the heavens in his ascension and at length to his glorie at the right hand of the Father This distinct faith rising vpon the distinct consideration and knowledgd of the distinct operation of the power of God through Christ in them that beleeve is lively set foorth to vs by the Apostle to the Ephesians Ephe. 1.17 c. 2.1 Praying for them that they might receive the spirit of wisedome and revelation to that same effect that they might know distinctly the parts of his working in them that beleeve and shewing them perticularly certaine of the said effectes of his power First their quickning with Christ Secondly the raysing of them vp together with Christ and thirdly the making of them to sitt together with him in the heavenly places in Christ Iesus And the same Apostle writing to the Colossians and shewing that we are accomplished and perfited in him alone doth manifest the same by perticular induction in these wordes In whom sayeth hee yee are etrcumcised with circumcision made without handes Colos 2. 11. c. by putting off the sinfull bodie of the flesh through the circumcision of Christ which hee expoundeth thereafter more perticularlie in the partes of this circumcision and severall groundes of everie part saying in that ye are buried with him through baptisme Secondlie in whō yee are also raised vp together through the faith of the operatiō of God which raised him frō the dead Thirdlie and you which were dead in sinne and in the vncircumcision of the fleshe hath he quickened togither with him forgiving you al your sinns Fourthlie and putting out the hand-writing that was against vs which was contrarie to vs he even tooke it out of the way and fastened it on the Crosse And fiftlie he spoiled the Principalities and Powers hath made a shewe of them openly and hath triumphed over them in the same Crosse Thus doeth the Apostle leade vs to the sight of our death and buriall spirituall to sinne of our rising from the dead of our spiritual quickening with the life of God of the abolishing of our debt and dittay in abrogation of the Law which was contrarie to vs and of the vtter overthrow of our spirituall enemies and our glorious triumph over them all in Christ Iesus our Lord which at length our God shall fullie accomplishe in everie one of vs in the glorious appearing of Iesus Christ our Saviour whose Name be blessed for ever AMEN The second Sermon 1. Epist of Pet. Cap. 1. verses 4. To an inheritance immortall and vndefiled and that withereth not reserveth in heaven for vs 5. Which are kept by the power of God thorow faith vnto salvation which is prepared to be shewed in the last time WE must remember the trueth of that which the Apostle speaketh to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 2.9 touching the thinges which God hath prepared for those that love him that they are such as neither eye hath seene neither eare hath heard nor hath come into the heart of man Therefore did none of the Princes of this worlde knowe them as saieth the same Apostle in the same place For no naturall man perceyveth the things of the Spirit of God neither can he know them because they are spirituallie discerned for the wisedome of God is a hidd wisedome closed in a mysterie which is not given to every mā to vnderstand yea the very children of God to whom God hath given his spirit which searcheth all things even the deepe things of God although God doe reveile to them his secret yet doe they see here but through a glasse 1. Cor. 13.12 darklie as saith the Apostle For our life as witnesseth the same Apostle to the Colossians is hidd with Christ in God Col. 3.3 And as saith Ioh. in his first Epistle 1. Iohn 3.2 Now are we the sonns of God but yet it is not made manifest what wee shal be For this cause we must content our selves in this life with the sight which faith giveth vs which is of that na ture force as testifieth the Apostle to the Hebrewes that it maketh things invisible Heb. 11.1 to be evident and as it were visible For clearing of which sight and so consequently the further establishing of our faith and further increase of our spirituall ioy the Lord our God in his blessed worde doth set foorth those invisible things vnder earthlie similitudes of things knowen to vs Thereby to leade our soules to the more livelie consideration and clearer knowledge what the hope of his calling is and what the ritches of his glorious inheritance is in the Saints that thereby we may be encouraged with greater patience and constancie to runne the race that is laid before vs and to holde fast the confession of our hope without wavering vnto the ende waiting still for the manifestation of our blessed hope in the glorious appearing of Iesus Christ our Sauiour Therefore is it that the Apostle in this place having spoken of the aboundant mercie of God in begetting vs againe to the hope of lyfe in the next place expoūdeth the excellencie of this life hoped for that thereby we may vnderstande that all things in this world are but vanitie and in comparison thereof nothing but dirt and dung and so to be accounted losse that we may gaine it Afterwards he declareth to vs the suertie certaintie which the Saintes have of enioying this lyfe hoped for both in regard of the life also of themselves So that here we have the other two points of consolation touching our hope to bee cōsidered wherof we did speake in our last Sermon to wit the excellencie of the lyfe which wee looke for and the certaintie of our attaining to it The first is expressed in these wordes to an inheritance immortall and vndefiled and that withered not The other in the rest of the words which we have read In the first point we have two things to cōsider one is the title or name which the Apostle giveth to our hope or life the other is the properties which he attributeth to it by which he setteth before vs the preciousnes excellēcy of it The title which he giveth it is That it is an inheritance The properties are three eternitie puritie and vnchangeablenes To speake then of the first The Apostle calleth eternall life Eternall life is an inheritance belonging to the sonnes not to servaunts an inheritance to informe vs by what title we attaine vnto it and by what right wee enioy it to wit by the right of heires For seeing God only doth inherite immortalitie and life as his proper possession we can never attaine to it till first we be made the heires of God
God is dishonored with as earnest diligēce to preasse forward to that other lyfe which they see to be freed from all vncleannes so from all occasion of offending or dishonoring their God And yet further to weigh the cōfort of this point we must remēber that which is cōtained in the former which instructeth vs that this inheritāce is immortall These two so still accompanie one another that the one that is immortality can not be without this other property of vndefilednes For death is the rewarde of sinne Rom. 6.23 so that were sinne is not there is no death Hereby appeareth that excellēcy of this lyfe in that it is exempt from sinne and so consequently from death so that this propertie may very well be called the cause of the other whiche precedeth that is Immortalitie Like as Immortalitie may be compted the cause of the last property that is vnchangeablenes for sinne is the sting of death 1 Cor. 15.56 saith the Apostle And therefore take away sinne which is the thing that defileth both vs and our lyfe yea the heavens the earth and al creatures death shal have nothing wherewith to annoy vs the strength of death which is sinne being taken away Now to come to the vse of this point it serveth for a threefolde comfort to man when either hee looketh to his estate evē vnder grace in this presēt world or to the estate of man in his first creation or yet to the estate of Angels in their first creation In his estate vnder grace albeit he have begun to live the life of God yet still as wee have said he findeth a rebellion of sinn in his flesh resisting the will of God in his minde which wee have sheweth to be a matter of continuall grief to the godlie now to the heart oppressed with this godlie sorrow for sinne that daylie defileth him what can bee more comfortable then that hope of that lyfe in the which he shall cease from sinne and bee wholy freed from all the bondes cordes of iniquitie in the ful freedome and libertie of holines Herewith did the Apostle take vp him selfe from his griefe in his exclamation wherein he lamented his owne miserie in the seventh Chap. to the Rom. After hee had saide Rom. 7.24 O miserable man that I am who shal deliver me from the body of this death Looking to that blessed estate of perfect holines vnto the which we were called by God in Christ he addeth these wordes of consolation to recreate his owne soule I thanke my God through Iesus Christ my Lorde This maketh the heart to reioyce which never could otherwayes have perfite pleasure nor ioy in the beginnings of grace righteousnes and holines graunted in this lyfe no not in the greatest measure that ever was given by Christ Iesus to any creature but this hope of victorie maketh vs not to faint nor wearie in our mindes striving against sinne but patiently to fight vnto the end wayting for that blessed hope Now if man looke further vnto that case wherein Adam was in Paradise albeit in the estate of perfection without sinne yet sinne did prevayle over him and did both defile him and all other things to him Furthermore the Angels that were created in perfection yet did not stand in their first estate but were overcome by sinn So strong a thing is sin that neither man in his integritie nor Angells in their glorie were able to resist it Here now appeareth vpon the consideration of this propertie of our inheritance how exceeding more happie is our estate in Christ then was the estate of Adam by creation yea the estate of Angells in glorie Their estate was subiect to falling as doleful experience in both did prove but in this estate wherevnto wee are renewed in Christ there is no possibilitie of sinning any more after we are possest with our life in the heavens and so the feare of the like miserie which might arise in our heartes vpon their fall is quite taken away for our life and inheritance is vndefiled For when we shal enioy the fruite of our high Priestes oblation and recōciliation Heb. 7.26 as he is holy harmeles vndefiled seperate from sinners and made higher thē the heavens so shall wee also be holy harmeles vndefiled seperate from sinners and made higher then the heavens So then when our God shal be al in vs all sinne shall haue no more place in our minde in will in affection nor any parte of our flesh And wheras now to those that are defiled nothing is pure Tit. 1.15 but even their mindes and consciences are defiled So then when wee shal be vndefiled all things shall be cleane to vs the heavens the earth and all things because wee our selves our mindes and consciences shal be cleane and therefore is it that wee waite for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnes For in that kingdome wherin no vncleane thing shall enter all things shal be cleane so established in cleannes that nothing shal be able to defile them for ever Here is the comfort for them that mourne in this life for their owne sinnes and the sinnes and abominations that are committed in the middes of the house of God even that they them selves and the whole house of God Ezech. 9.24 shal be delivered frō filthines of sinn being possest with that everlasting righteousnes which is brought in by the sōne of God The Saints in heaven not subiect to change Now followeth the third propertie of our inheritāce which is that it withereth not This maketh vp the perfectiō of our estate in heaven for nothing can make a man happie which is not constant and stable without change The rich man is not made happie by his vncertaine riches because as Iob he may be turned to povertie and his habitation made desolate So is it of all things earthlie for there is nothing constant vnder the sunne therfore all is but vanitie It is true that not only the wicked but even sometimes the children of God being in prosperite wil be brought to say Iob. 29.18.19 Psal 10.6 Psal 30.6 That they shall dye in their Nest that their roote is spread out by the water and therefore they shall never be mooved nor suffer any changes but they finde when the Lord shall hide his face that they are troubled and their estate changed Moreover albeit all other things should continew after one yet mans owne frayeltie maketh his life miserable for albeit he grew vp in strength and activenes yet age cometh changeth him So that the moysture of his life being dried vp they wither as grasse even as the herbe and grasse of the field trees of the forrest albeit they florish in summer yet in winter they wither and loose all their beautie of their life 1 Pet. 1.24 Therefore doeth de spirit of God compare all flesh to grasse Iam. 1.10 and the glorie of
flesh to the floure of the grasse because as the grasse withereth and the floure falleth away Esai 40.6 so doeth also all flesh and all the glorie of flesh wither and fall away and so by time is worne out The consideration of this poynt made Moses the man of God to lament the miserie of mans life laying it out before the Lord saying Man in the morning he groweth like the grasse inde the morning it florisheth and groweth but in the evening it is cut downe and withereth the time of our life is threescore yeares and tenne Psal 90.5 and if they be of strength foure score yeares yet the strength is but labour and sorrow for it is cut of quicklie and we flie away Now although a life were everlasting and exempt from sinne yet could it not bring perfect contentement to man except it were such as could suffer no alteration If the strong man could continew eternallie in his strength and not become weake he might have ioy in his estate and so also the beautifull man the rich man the honorable man c. but let a man be in never so good estate in this life and as contented with his estae as flesh can be yet all his contentement is taken from him by the necessitie of Change whereto all things vnder the sunne are subiect Therefore for fulfilling of our ioye our God hath prepared a life and inheritance for vs in Christ which withereth not but looke what glorie strength power and maiestie wee shal be indewed with at the comming of Christ in that same glorie strentgh power and beautie of life and in that same measure wee shall continew for ever without changes our life and inheritance suffering neither diminution nor alteration of strength nor beautie nor glorie but still florishing in the perfection of strength beautie glorie and riches and honour This sheweth and teacheth vs what is the difference betwixt this present life and the life to come This life is not perfited at the first but receyved increase and grouth till we come to the perfite stature and strength of a man Therefore it continueth not so but admitteth decrease daylie diminution till at length after long withering it bee all consumed but in heavē at the first we are exalted to the accōplished perfectiō of felicite in that perfectiō we shal continew etenallie our glorie never becōming lesse our ioye never diminishing our beautie never fading our strength never impairing What would not a man suffer for such a life and what would he not forsake to the end he might enioy this life The world must either bee blinde or beastlie without measure that doth not long to be out of this world that they may enioye this blessed estate that never changeth This serveth to comfort vs in the changes of this present lyfe because we know that our estate in heaven shal be exempt from all changes and to incourage vs against al feare that can come vpon the change that came vpon Adam his life in Paradise who being without shame yet was turned to a shamefull state But to cōclude this point the Apostle to the Corinthes setteth forth most livelie these three properties of our estate in heaven in the description of our Resurrection from the dead opponing the present condition of our bodies to the future qualities in heaven and comprehendeth the difference in these three speciallie 1 Cor. 15.42 That our bodies are sowen in corruption are raised in incorruption they are sowen in dishonour are raised in glorie they are sowen in weaknes raysed in power And he concludeth by the fourth point which is as it were the cause of the other three to wit that they are sowen naturall bodies are raised spirituall bodyes Hereby incorruption is expressed the first propertie of our inheritance here mentioned which is immortalitie in the second is comprehended vndefilednes and in the third this vnchangeablenes For our lyfe shal be immortall because we shal be raised in incorruption and our vile bodies dishonorable for sinne and frutes thereof shal be raised in glorie and therefore free from being defiled any more the cause why our life shall not wither is because that our bodyes that are here weake shal be raised in power the cause of all these three consisteth in the different manner of living that we have here and shall have in the heavens because our bodies here are naturall bodies or animate bodies after the life of Adam who was created a living soule therfore is our lyfe subiect to mortalitie dishonour and changes for a soule can not give immortalitie puritie nor vnchangeablenes to a body but in the heavens our bodyes shal be spirituall bodyes after the life of Christ who was made a quickening spirit for by the spirit of life that is in Christ Iesus shall wee live altogither in heaven God being all in all The principall vse of this poynt besides these before spoken is to comfort vs in tentations of this present life when we finde our spirituall changes evē of our life in Christ for the spirituall man is not at all tymes alike his faith being sometimes so strong that he dareth boast with David that although he walked throw the Galley of the shadow of death yet would he feare none evill Psal 23.4 and though an hoast pitcheth against him Psal 27.3 yet his hart should not be afraid At other times his faith becommeth so weake being sore assaulted that his heart fayleth him yea even at small occasions Peter that even now did boast though all the world should forsake his Lord yet would he never forsake him At the voyce of a maide is brought to forsweare him The spirituall man sustayning the same changes that doth the naturall man The naturall life which now doth florish in strength and beautie doth suffer changes by sicknes by age and by affliction that sometimes it weakneth sometimes it seemeth to be quite away when it is oppressed so that the body lyeth as dead in a tranuce even so the spirituall lyfe hath the same fits sometimes the Christian having great difficultie to hold his hope and sometimes being forced to mourne as one alreadie among the dead and one casteth cleane away from the presence of God all sence of the life of God being removed by some extraordinarie tentation or to great securitie in spirituall exercises This doth even the spirituall man finde that in his spirituall life although it never be taken away yet doth it many wayes seeme to decay and sometymes vtterlie to be gone against this griefe have we to comfort our selves with the hope of this estate in the which our life shall never any more be subiect to changes Psal 77. Psal 98. neither shall our soules be vexed with such tentations as now doe bring the strongest Christian oftentimes to a most pitifull weaknes so that their soule refuseth comfort and become so astonished that they can
not speake and so filled with evill that they seeme to be cut off doubting of their life And that which I speake of faith I speake also of the remayning partes of our life of our love to God and his Sanits our sanctification our zeale our ioy our peace which all sometimes florish sometimes fade and wither Which all in the life to come shall remaine eternallie and still florish in their ful perfectiō Thus much touching the excellencie of our inheritance Now followeth the third poynt The certaintie of salvation which is cōcerning the suretie of this inheritance which is the third thing that worketh the fulnes of our ioy when we know that ther is a life after this life to be hoped for and that this life is most excellent And lastlie that it is impossible to frustrate vs of this life The other two doe provoke a thirst and earnest desire of this life but the third bringeth peace and consolation to the man that longeth for it when hee knoweth assuredlie that hee shall have it Whereas the contrarie is a verie hell to the conscience For when it is given to a man to know there is a life prepared for a man in heavē and that this life is so excellent that there is nothing worthie of it in this world What grief and vnspeakeable sorrowe must it breed to him to be deprived of that estate wherein he seeth such felicitie Esau Gen. 27. when he heard that he was deprived of the blessing following the birthright he cryed out with a great crie and bitter out of measure sayeth the spirit of God for hee would haue inherited the blessing and therefore sought it with teares but hee was reiected saith the Apostle to the Hebrewes Heb. 12. found no place to repentance in his Father This is the iust iudgement of God against all prophane persons who preferre in their worldlie necessities the pleasures of this life to the inheirtance of the life to come to make their vaine and fruitles desires of that life to torment their mindes 2 Pet. 2.1 Iud. 11. The same mooved Balaam that prophane prophete which loved the wages of vnrighteousnes seeing the blessed end of the righteous but no wayes assured to enioy it to crie out Num. 23. O let me dye the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his So deadlie a wound doth pearce the soule that findeth no assurance of that life wherein consisteth all felicitie Therefore to make vs pertakers of that solide consolation which is proper to the godlie our God doeth let vs see how sure certaine this life is to al that are begotten to the hope of it For it is this certaine assurance of the enioying of it that worketh strong consolation in the Saints as is manifest by the wordes of the Apostle to the Hebrewes Heb. 5.17.18 c. God sayeth hee willing more aboundantlie to shew vnto the hetres of promise the stablenes of his counsell bound him selfe by an eath that by two immutable things wherein it is impossible that God should lie we might have strong consolation who haue our refuge to lay holde vpon that hope that is set before vs. Declaring hereby that the strength of our ioye dependeth vpon the infalliblenes of our hope Therfore is it that David doeth pray to God in the hundreth and sixt Psalme Psal 106.4 c. That he would remember him with the favour of his people that hee would visitie him with his salvation To that end he subioyneh himselfe that sayth That I may see the felicitie of thy chosen so reioyce in the ioy of thy people and glorie with thine inheritance Shewing that without sight of this felicitie and certaine assurance of it no heart can ioy nor glorie as doe the children of God We come therefore to consider this poynt which is set downe to vs in two partes according to the two folde daunger which may seeme to be in the attayning to this life The first is in the life it selfe to know that it be sure The second is in vs to know that wee be sure to that life For if either that life might be taken away from vs or yet that we could be taken away from enioying that life there could bee no certaintie of it to our soules Therefore first the Apostle declareth how this life is kept for vs. Next he sheweth how we are kept for it that neither it can be taken away from vs nor wee from it The keeping of it is set downe in these wordes Reserved in the heavens for vs and the keeping of vs to it in the wordes following who are kept by the power of God through faith vnto salvatiō And lastlie the time of the manifestation of it is set downe to vs by the Apostle saying Which is prepared to be shewed in the last time As touching the first parte of the suretie of our life it consisteth first in the keeping of it God the keeper of our life Secondlie in the place where it is kept And third lie in the end wherefore it is kept in the heavens It is kept sayeth the Apostle in the heaven and that for vs. First then we will speake of the keeping of it which bringeth great consolation to the beleeving soule Angells lost their life because the Lord did not keepe it to them And Adam lost his life likewise because it was cōmitted to his owne keeping But now the Lord doth no more commit the keeping of our life in Christ to our selves because we should doubtlesse loose it againe For if man in his integritie was not able to keepe his life how much lesse is he able to doe it in his corruption and infirmitie yea the verie Angels that yet doe continew in the life of God were not able to indure if God did not preserve them in that life Blessed therfor be God who hath taken in his owne hande the custodie of our life The Apostle doeth herein cōfort him selfe against the shame of the Crosse which he did suffer for preaching the gospell saying For which cause I also suffer these things 2 Timoth. 1.20 But I am not ashamed for I know whom I haue beleeved c. This made Paul reioyce that God was able to keep his life to whom he had committed it And this is the great mercie of our God towards vs that he doth take the care of keeping our life him self Sathan is most carefull sometimes against 〈◊〉 selves sometimes against our life for when he can not prevaile against the person to entise him to sinne and so to death then doth he assaile his life putting at his faith to see if he can wrest from him his confidence in God knowing that the destructiō of our persons followeth the losse of our spirituall life in Christ But thankes be to God that it is not in our hande to loose our life since it is not committed to our keeping And
therefore in our greatest tentations when it seemeth according to our sense and feeling that Sathan hath taken from vs our peace our ioy our righteousnes our confidence our light and communion with our God so that it appeareth to vs that we are vtterlie forgotten of God all hope of life taken from vs yet we may boldlie answere that our life is not lost although all sense be taken from vs of it for our life is not in our keeping but in his who is stronger then all therefore no tentation is able so to overcome vs that we bee compelled to cast away our confidence in God who is faithfull vnto whom in all our sufferings according to his will we cōmit our soules in wel doing as to a faithfull Creator according to the exhortatiō of the Apost Pet. in his 1. Epi. cha 4. 19. verse For he doth not expone our life to hazard as he did the life of Angels of Adā in paradise The gates of hel are not able to prevail against the elect of God in Christ since God him selfe is the keeper of their life The second part is Our life is in the heavens concerning the place where it is kept and that is saith the Apostle Heaven Doubtles it is much more sure which is layd vp in heaven thē that which is kept in earth for there Sathan hath no such accesse nor power to execute his craft and malice Iob. 1.7 as he hath in the earth For his labour is in compassing the earth to fro as he sayeth himselfe in the booke of Iob. Therefore whatsoever is taken out of the earth and put in the heavens is exempt from all daunger of the Divilles malice Therefore is it that our God willing to assure vs that our lyfe is in no daunger doth shew vs that it is in the heavens For that which wee enioy here in this worlde is an earnest of our lyfe but not the life it selfe For it is true which the Apo. Col. 3.3 sayth to the Colossians That we are dead and that our lyse is hid with Christ in God The vse of this point is to make vs lift vp our mind to those things which are aboue as the Apostle in that same place exhorteth vs and to set our affections on these things which are aboue because our lyfe is above with Christ and therefore it becōmeth vs to have our conversation Phil. 3 20. as Citizens of the heaven From whence we look for the Saviour even the Lord lesus so cōsequently for our lyfe for our lyfe is with him Col. 3.4 and when he shall appeare from heaven then shall our life also appeare with him Therefore ought we to mortifie our members which are on the earth For where shall a mans heart be but where his treasure is what cā be our treasure more then our lyfe Therefore heavie is the iudgement that the Apostle teacheth against them that minde earthlie things writing to the Philippians Philip. 3.18 19. There is nothing can moove a man more to seek for heaven then this to know that his life is there and nothing can serve to moderate our love of this world of all things in this world more thē this to know they belong not to our life which consisteth not in them nor in any thing vnder the sūne seing that it is in the heavens Moreover this warneth the godlie with the Apostle Paul to thinke that they have not yet attayned to the Resurrection from the dead or that they are already perfect Philip. 3.12 c. so long as they are in this world seeing their life is not in this world And therefore that they ought to forget that which is behynde indevour thēselves to that which is before and follow harde toward the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus Further it is a singuler comfort against the fall of Adam For hee had his life in Paradise but not in the heavens therefore was his lyfe subiect to spoyle whereas ours is in the heavens and therefore not subiect to spoile And yet to augment our ioy in this point wee have to consider that which the Apostle sayeth to the Colossians concerning our lyfe It is saith he hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 First it is hidd Secondlie it is hid with Christ Thridlie it is hidd with Christ in God Wee our selves who have further sight of things that are above thē Sathan hath do not see our lyfe it is yet hid frō vs for never eye did see 2 Cor. 2.9 nor eare hath heard neither came in mans heart thethings which God hath prepared for them that love him much more then is it hid from Sathan that he can not see it Secōdly it is hid with Christ even with him who hath given his life for it and purchased it to vs by his owne death It can bee with none to whom we can more securely credit it or who cā have more care to preserve it Iohan. 17.12 He was faithfull in all that the Father did commit to him for none of them that the Father gave him Iohn 17.2 did he lose And this is the Fathers will that he should give eternall life to all thē that the Father hath given him this life that he should give vs is with him who should give it Therefore it must be in sure keeping yea more it is hid with him because he is our life it selfe and now hee being taken out of our sight and hid in the heavens our life can not be seene til he be seene againe this is the suretie of our lyfe that it is with our Savior Who in purchasing of it did spoyle the principalities Colos 2.17 Ephe 1.22 Colos 2.10 and powers and made a shew of them openlie and triumphed over them in the Crosse to whom all things are subdued who is the head of all principality and power Thirdly it is in God O what a comfort is this that the Lord himselfe is the place even the Coffer or Christ in the which our life is kept so that Sathā must spoyle God himselfe before he be able to spoyle our life The damned Angels had their life in the heavens but kept in thēselves therfore lost they it And therfore as the keeping of our life in heavē assureth vs against the feare of the lyke losse that befell to Adam who had his life in earthlie Paradise vnto the which Sathan found accesse So this keeping of it with Christ in God assureth vs against the terrour of the Angells fall This now concerning the place where our life is kept Now followeth the end wherfore it is kept Life is kept for vs. and that is for vs saith the Apostle It were no comfort to vs how surely soever this inheritāce so excellēt were kept by God if God did keepe it for Angells or if he did keepe it for any
other creature or for himself only For no happines of any other creature could cōfort me I being my self depriued of it but here is our cōfort that we know this life which is kept by God in heaven is kept for vs for none other Therfore the wicked who have no assurance to gert this life have no cōfort in the sure keeping of it The very speech of the Apostle leadeth vs to cōsider That blessed is the man who is in the fellowship of the clect for whom this life is ordained that he may say as the Apostle doth here That hee is one of the nūber for whō that life is kept This is the maner of the Saintes speach because they see that it is in the communion of Saintes that they enioy all the blessings of God in Christ Therefore to speake of their enioying of them in this fellowship as being of that number This is the third thing that sheweth the suretie of this life to vs even because it is for vs that God keepeth it It was doubtles a great tentation to the poore Cananitish woman of Sarophenica when she heard Christ say that hee was not sent but to the lost sheepe of the house of Israell and yet more heavie when she heard him say to hir That it was not good to take the childrens bread and to cast it to dogges as though he had neither ben sent to her nor yet had gottē the dispēsation of grace to bestow ought on her therof if her faith had not overcome this assault it had bene better for her never to have knowen that he was the Lord of life sent into the world for the life thereof but her consolation could not be taken from her nor her confidence drawē out of her heart because shee did see through faith in him that even the dogges of the Gentiles were to eate of the crummes of the childrens table This also made the Gentiles to reioyce in their hearts be glad when they heard of the Apostle Paul Act. 13.48 that God had ordained Christ a Saviour a light to the Gentiles when before they heard of the promise made to the Iewes and fulfilling thereof in Christ in whom forgivenes of sinnes was preached desired besought the Apostles Paul and Barnabas that they would preach these wordes to them the next Sabbath day Doubtles they would haue given all the world to haue ben sure that that consolation which was preached to the Iewes might also haue belonged to them And therefore when the next Sabbath day they had it out of the Apostles mouth confirmed by the scripture that God had made Christ the light of the Gentiles that he should be the salvation vnto the end of the world It is said that they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. For what avayleth it a man to heare that there is salvation for men in Christ that there is an vnspeakable felicitie layed vp in the heavens except that he know that he is one of the men for whom it is prepared those mens religion that consisteth only in the certaine knowledge that there is a Saviour and that there is remission of sinnes in his blood and eternall life to all that beleeue in him and yet never labored to know if he was given to them a Saviour in perticular vnto the remission of their sinnes and giving of eternall life to them in particular is nothing but a fantasie without fruits or comfort Here is then the chief poynt that this life is surelie kept that for vs. Neither can ever the soule of a poore sinner receiue cōfort vntill it be said to his soule to thee belongeth remission of sinnes and to thee is reserved salvation in the heavens Then is his heart established in hope Thus much now for the suertie of our inheritance Now followeth the sure keeping of vs to it and this is brought by way of a description of the Saintes For when the Apostle had said that this inheritance is kept in the heaven for vs then he expoundeth whom hee doth vnderstand by that word vs even those saith he who are kept by the power of God through faith vnto salvatiō which is prepared to be shewed in the last time So that these words doe both containe a description of the children of God and in their description a declareation of their suretie vnto life The first point of this description standeth in their keeping the second in the power whereby they are kept The third in the meane whereby this power doth keep them And lastlie the end wherefore they are kept As concerning their keeping it is a matter of great moment to the child of God for although he knoweth that his life be sure enough because it is in heaven and there kept with Christ in God for him yet herein is his peace and ioy troubled because he himselfe is yet in the earth subiect and exponed to the tentations of Sathan of the world and of the flesh and daylie in daunger to bee overcome and so to bee spoyled from that life that is sure in the heavens Being therefore in this daunger and by experience trying oftimes his own weaknes and the strength of his enemies in his manifest slydings and fallings never can he have solide comfort till his minde be assured that the gates of hell shall not bee able to prevaile against him 1 Cor. 4.8 c. finding the power of God magnified in his mortall bodie in that though hee bee afflicted on everie side yet hee is not in distres though hee be in doubt yet hee dispaireth not though hee bee persecuted yet hee is never forsaken and although hee bee oft cast downe yet hee perisheth not They that trust in the Lord being as Mount Sion which can not bee removed but remaineth for ever So that they may sing in that song of the Saintes in the hundreth and twentie nyne Psalme Psal 129.1 They have oftentymes afflicted mee from my youth May Israell now say They have oftentimes asslicted mee from my youth but they could not prevaile against me For the same God who hath taken the keeping of ourlyfe hath also taken the keeping of vs to that lyfe Therefore the Apostle Paul who reioyceth in this 2 Timoth. 1.12 2 Timoth. 4.18 that God to whom hee had committed his lyfe was able to keepe it vnto that day doth also boldlie glorie in this assurance That the Lord will deliver him from everie evill worke and will preserve him vnto his heavenlie kingdome Our Saviour willing to comfort vs against the griefe of his bodilie departure out of this worlde before his death Ioh. 17.11.15 did recommend vs all who are in this worlde to his Fathers keeping least wee should thinke our selves left withou a keeper when hee who whyle hee was in the world did keepe vs was no more in the worlde It is impossible that the Father should deney the Sonn any thing that
he shall aske Ioh. 11.42 for the Father heareth the Sonne alwayes Christ Iesus likewise in the tenth of Iohn speaking of the sure felicity of his sheepe that they should never perish he giveth the reason from the sure keeping of them in the hande of the Father My Father saith he which gave them mee is greater then all and none is able to take them out of my Fathers hande Neither sayeth he shal one plucke them out of my handes And he addeth likewyse the reason For I saith he and my Father who is stronger then all are one The Saints are kept by the power of God The second point of our consolation is from the power whereby God doeth keepe vs even the power of God himselfe The reason why the knowledge of this is requisite may well bee gathered out of the sixt to the Ephesians where the Apostle exhorting vs to arme our selves with this power of the Lords might doeth give vs a reason why wee should doe so because saith he we wrestle not against fleshe and blood but against Principalities against Powers against worldly Governours the princes of darknes of this world against spirituall wickednesses which are in the high places Therefore he biddeth vs To take the whole armour of God If wee had only to doe with flesh and blood it might be that the power of flesh blood might be sufficient for vs to defend vs for ther is not nor hath bene any power of man so great but there hath bene and shal be a power of man able to withstande it So if a Prince did ryse against vs we might flie vnder the shadow of another Princes winges for our securitie but no man in the world how great so ever he be is abls to defend him selfe much lesse others from the assaultes of Sathan sinne and death These three are stronger then any creature for sinne hath overcome both Man and Angell and death by sinne and Sathan prevailed against man in his integritie Therefore it is most needfull that wee bee guarded by another power stronger then the power of man yea stronger then the power of Angells and yet stronger then the power of sinne and death which haue gotten dominion over all men and over a great many Angells Now a greater power then these is not except only the power of God who is able only to subdue all things to himselfe by the power of his might This serveth first to cōfort vs against all terrour of the Divells power and malice 1 Pet. 5.8 who as saith the Apostle Goeth about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devoure knowing that we are kept by that stronger one who is able to binde that strong one that is Heb 2.14 Sathan and spoyle him of his goods even by that mightie Sampson who by his owne death did destroy him that had the power of death that is the Divell and by that strong Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda 2 Cor. 12.5.9.10 Secondlie it teacheth vs that lesson of the Apostle to the Corinthes not to reioyce of our selves except it bee of our infirmities in the which we gladlie ought to reioyce that the power of Christ may dwell in vs. Moreover even in our infirmities in reproches in necessities in persecutions in anguish for Christes sake we should take pleasure because when we are weak then are we estronge for the power of God is made perfite through weaknes as sheweth the same Apostle in the same place Thirdly this sheweth the vanitie of all those men who doe esteeme them selues sure ynough guarded against the power of the Devill by Crossings by holy water by ringing of Belles c. and such like vanities It is evident that these men did never yet sufficientlie know either their own weaknes or the Devills power against the which by the Apostle in the place aforesaid to the Ephesians it is manifest that no man is able to stand fast who is not armed and made strong by the power of Gods might It is most certaine that Angells are not able to keepe vs If God did withdraw his strength from vs. And therefore doth David shew vs that only the man who dwelleth in the secret of the most high abideth in the shadow of the Almightie is in a secure estate that he needeth not to be affrayd Psal 91. neither of the feare of the night nor of the arrow that flyeth by day nor of the pestilence that walketh in the darknes nor of the plague that destroyeth at noone day He shall walke vpon the Lyon and Aspe the yong Lyon and the Dragon shall he tread vnderfoote because the Lord will deliver him from the snare of the hunter and from the noysome pestilence and will suffer none evill to come neare him for he is with him in trouble to deliver him and to glorifie him Therefore may all the children of God boldly boast with the Apostle of their securitie Rom. 8.31 c. that no Devill nor other accuser dare lay anie thing to their charge seeing God doth iustifie them no creature nor Prince nor power shal be able to condemne them for whom Christ hath died for whom he is risen and for whom at the right hande of the Father hee maketh intercession None shal be able to separate them from the love of Christ no not tribulation nor anguish nor persecution nor famine nor nakednes nor perill nor sword in all which things saieth the Apostle we are more then conquerors But how not by our owne might not by the might of Angells or any other creatures but thorough him that loved vs and therefore in the gloriation of faith doeth he defie all Principalities and powers and Angells life and death thinges present thinges to come highnes deepnes and all creatures because he is persuadeth that none of thē is able to seperate him from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. For if God bee on our side who can be against vs the power of God keepeth vs against which no power is able to stande The last vse of this is to make vs afraid of sinne of the power of it since no power of the world is able to keepe vs from the power of sinne and tentations of the Devill of the flesh and of the world except only the power of God him self and therfore they are wonderfullie deceyved that thinke it standeth in mans owne power and in the strength of his owne will to preserve him selfe from sinne and to keepe him selfe in well doing Let vs learne to flie vnto God as our onely keeper who by his owne power defendeth vs from all our enemies Nowe followeth the meane or middes whereby this power of God is exercised practised in keeping of vs Gods power is practised by faith and that is faith saith the Apostle Who are kept saith he by the power of God through faith So it is faith in and throw which the power
of Christ Iesus seeing the causes of that lyfe are more aboundant then the causes of that death therefore th' effect that is the lyfe must be more aboundant or powerful in raigning Hereby is it euident that they haue never truely tasted of the sauing mercie of God in Christ who doe so thinke of it as if it were not alone without adding something of our merite sufficient to bring vs to lyfe Let vs therefore magnifie the mercie of God which is so aboundant plentifull and running ouer that it giueth full contentement to the heart perfite peace to the soule of man and let vs pray for our selves as the Apostle prayeth for the Ephesians Ephe 3.18 and 19. that being rooted and grounded in loue wee may be able to comprehende with all Saintes what is the bredth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Iesus Christ which passeth knowledge that we may be filled with all fulnes of God and so haue our soules satisfied with his goodnes Now followeth the third poynt The meanes whereby wee are brought to hope which is concerning the meane or fitting midds whereby the Lord bringeth vs to this blessed hope and that is our Regeneration or newe birth For as Christ sayeth to Nicodemus Except a man bee borne againe Ioh. 3.3 he can not see the kingdome of God and consequentlie can haue no hope of it therefore sayeth the Apostle here that God hath begotten vs againe to hope Here haue we to consider two things First what this begetting is And secondly why it is called our begetting againe or second birth Which wordes haue a manifest relatiō to a former begetting and birth As touching the birth it is fully described to vs in the word of God The Apostle in this same chapter of this epistle and 23. verse doth shew vs the sence of this conception and birth both what kinde it is of and which it is As for the kinde he telleth vs it is not mortall and so perishing as all flesh is but immortall which liueth and endureth for ever And that he declareth to bee the word of God which was preached by the Apostle to the world Secondly touching the mother who must beare vs in whose wombe this seed is sowen and out of whose bowelles we must proceed the Apostle to the Galathians speaketh plainlie Galat. 4.26 saying It is Ierusalem which is aboue or heauenlie Ierusalem that is the true Church of God whose propertie is That she is free and shee sayeth the Apostle is the Mother of vs all and was figured by Sara the free woman the mother of Isaac the heire and childe of promise Thirdly the Euangelist Iohn telleth vs who is the Father by whom wee must be begotten Ioh. 1.13 borne againe not of blood nor the will of flesh nor the will of man but God only The first teacheth vs to esteeme much of the blessed worde of God since without it there is no Regeneration and so no hope of lyfe That there is no Renovation but by the word it is plaine by the speach of Christ him selfe in the 17. chapter of Iohn verse 17. Sanctifie them with the trueth thy word is trueth And that without Regeneration there is no hope it is manifest both by the Apostle by the speach aforsaid of Christ to Nicodemus Heb. 12 4◠And by the Apostle to the Hebrues where he sayeth that without holines no man shall see God Therefore should we al indeuour to haue the word of God abyding in vs and dwelling in vs plenteouslie according to the exhortation of the Apostle to the Colossians And as the Apostle sayth in the next chap. We should as newe borne babes Colos 3 1◠desire that sincere milke of the worde that we may growe thereby For as witnesseth the Apostle to the Hebrues we can not escape if wee neglect so great a saluation which at the first began to be preached by the Lord and afterwards was confirmed to vs by them that heard him Hebr. 2.3 seeing the word spokē by Angells was stedfast euery transgression disobedience receiued a iust recōpence or reward And the Apostle in the 2. epis 2. Thes 1.8 to the Thessalon teacheth vs that Iesus Christ at his appearing shal rēder vēgeāce to al that obey not the Gospel The second point teacheth vs not to forsake nor neglect as sayeth the Apostle to the Hebr. our mutuall gatherings together Heb. 10.25 or the fellowship that wee have among our selves But with Dauid Let vs desire require euen this one thing of the Lord That we may dwell in the house of the Lord al the dayes of our life Psal 27.4 to behold the beautie of the Lord and to visite his Temple Psal 36.8 and that we may be satisfied with the fatnes of his house receyve drinke out of the Riuers of his pleasures Psal 46.4 For ther is a Riuer which maketh glad the city of God evē the Sanctuary of the Tabernacles of the High For this heauēly Ierusalem is faire in situation Psal 48.1.2 and 3. the ioy of the whole earth and Cittie of the great King In the Palaces whereof God is knowne for a refuge Psal 53. and 6. and out of Zion commeth saluation Therfore doe the Tribes of the Lord goe vp to Ierusalem according to the testimonie of Israell to prayse the Name of the Lord. For there are Thrones set for Iudgement Psal 122. euen the Thrones of the house of Dauid And therfore seing this is the place of safetie and saluation where the beautie of the Lord is to be seene where the voyce of the Lord is to be heard from his holy Oracle we should reioyce with Dauid when we heare the people say Psal 84. We will goe vp into the house of the Lord. Our feet shall stand in the gates of Ierusalem For as witnesseth Dauid Blessed are they that dwell in the house of the Lord Psal 42. for they shall euer praise him Therfore did his soule long and fainte for the Courtes of the Lordes house yea his soule panted after the Lord as the hart after the waters being banished from the publicke worship of God by the persecution of Saul and his heart was poured out when he remembred that he had gone with the multitude and led them in the house of God with the voyce of singing and prayse as a multitude that keepeth a feast Psal 84.11 Because a day in the Courtes of the Lord is better then a thousand other where and better is it to be a doore keeper in the house of the Lord then to dwell in the tabernacles of wickednes Psal 87. for glorious things are spoken of the Citie of our God For of Ziō it is said that many are borne in her Seeing therefore that our spirituall birth is in heauenly Ierusalem where the seed of Gods worde is continually sowen Mat. 13.
even coheires annexed with Christ Iesus who only is the righteous heire of all things as saith the Apostle Paul to the Hebrues because hee is the onely Sonne of God Now wee are made the heires of God Rom. 8.14 by being first made his children as saith the Apostle to the Romanes If saith he we be children we are also heires even the heires of God heires annexed with Christ Gal. 4.5 And againe to the Galathians If thou be a sonne thou art also the heire of God through Christ For it is manifest even among men that the sonne either by nature or by adoption is counted for the heire Now by nature we are not the sonns of God Ephe. 2.3 but as saith the Apostle to the Ephesians by nature we are the children of wrath and by the redemption made by Iesus Christ wee receive the adoption of the sonnes as witnesseth the same Apostle to the Galathians Gol. 4.5 God sending the spirit of his Sonne in our heartes which cryeth Abba Father Thus by Iesus the only sonne of God so consequentlie his only heire by nature we are first made the sonnes of God and so also the heires of this in heritance of God The vse of this point is to instruct vs that we must not think to enioy eternall life as the reward of our service but as the right of heires being made the childrē of God Christ in the eight of Iohn saith that the servaunt abideth not in the house for ever but the sonne abideth for ever Thereby informing vs that hee who thinketh to dwell with God in his house eternallie must needes be his son so doeth the Apostle here teach vs when he sayth that God begetteth vs againe to the hope of lyfe declaring that wee must be borne of God and so made the Sonnes of God before wee can hope to inherite eternall lyfe For whosoever doth remaine in the house of God noe other wayes but as a servaunt he shall at length be cast out and shal be deprived of eternall lyfe which is the inheritance of the sonnes Christ himselfe sheweth that al our service is vnprofitable even when wee have done all that wee can doe if wee respect the merit of it And the Saints themselves confesse that even their righteousnes is polluted Isa 69.6 like a menstruous cloth How wōderfully therfore do they deceive their own soules who build the hope of their life vpon merit of their workes The Lord in Hagar the servant Ismaell his sonne doth livelie represent the lot and portion of all the children of the lawe that is of all who by service think to inherite heauen having no other hope of eternall life then that which is ingendred by the covenant of workes Cast out sayeth the scripture the servaunt with her sonne for the sonne of the seruant shall not be heire with the sonne of the free womā Gal. 4.30 By this doth the Apostle to the Galathians shew that which Christ saith to be true to wit that the servaunt shall not abide in the house for ever Because as the Lord cōmaunded to cast out Hagar the servaunt with her sonne out of the house of Abraham which was the house of God so shall he cast out of his house and deprive of the inheritaunce of eternal life all those who are not his sonnes but craue eternall life as debt for reward of their workes Now we come to the properties of this inheritance The blessed estate of the Saints glorified which are three It is called immortal vndefiled which withereth not These are the speciall things which make a life happie and blessed and the three contraries do make it miserable and cursed The three which make it happie are eternitie purirte and vnchangeablenes The three contraries which make it miserable are mortalitie or death sinne or vneleannes and chaungeablenes or instabilstie The spirit of God therefore by attributing those three properties to our inheritance life which we hope for doeth shew vs the excellencie blessednes of our life wherevnto the Lord doth begett vs againe thereby to teach vs that we lose nothing albeit wee loose all things if so be we gaine this life and inheritance Let vs therefore consider those properties severallie The first is immortalitie vnto an inheritance immortall that is The blessed estate of the Saintes in heaven immortall an inheritance or life which is no wayes subiect to corruption but which indureth for ever and therefore in the scriptures it is called eternall life to distinguish it not only frō the life of beastes and other creatures but even from the life of man himself which he hath by nature in this world We shall the more clearlie perceive the comfort of this poynt if we consider two things which the scriptures lay before our eyes The first is concerning that which is in greatest price with man for which hee laboureth chieflie as the principall end of all his travels The second is the vanitie of his labor as touching that end vnprofitablenes of al his paines so cōsequently the vnspeakeable grief and sorrow wherewith his soule is pearched whē he findeth himself frustrat of his end As for the first The thing in the worlde most deare to a man is his life which gladly he would preserve with the losse of al that ever he hath Sathan did know this whē to provoke the Lord against Iob he vseth this argument skinne for skinne and all that ever a man hath Iob. 2.4 will he giue for his life And Christ our Saviour knowing that the love of this life doeth most of all sway our actions perceyving this foolish solicitude in Peter even towards him he sheweth his Apost that who soever will saue his life shall lose it Mat. 16.25 How glad the worldly man would be if he could live in this world eternally this in deed is the foolishnes of men they thinke their houses and habitations shall continue for ever so rooted is the vanitie in mans heart that albeit the Fathers that have thought so doe die like the beastes yet their posteritie is not made the wiser but goe on in the foolish way of their fathers and delight in their talke as saith the spirit of God in the 49. Psal 49.6.7 Psalme mortall mā stryving vainlie to eternise him selfe in this perishing world Which vanitie the Lord expresseth when he sheweth first that albeit a man by his labours obtaineth aboudance of all things Luc 12.15 yet his life standeth not in his riches Which he cleareth by that parable of the rich man who said to his soule soule thou hast much goods laied vp for manie yeares live at ease eate drinke and take thy pastime but God saide vnto him O foole this night will they fetch away thy soule from thee then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided The second argument of mans vanitie is that as his life stādeth not in