liuely and quicke to vs and therefore let our thankefulnesse be so to him Thirdly hence we learne this Dutie to take comfort Dutie 3 in this loue of God It may comfort thee in afflictions in sicknesse in pouerty at the houre of death Many times God brings vs to the gates of death yet let vs know that God loues vs and then our state is happy we shall haue a sweet and comfortable passage through death to life So it may comfort vs against all the disgraces and scornes of the world the world accounts vs as of-scourings yet here is our comfort that howsoeuer the world accounts of vs yet God loues vs and then it is no matter though the whole world hate vs. Againe this may comfort vs in our prayers which we make to God If wee can come to God and pray Lord remember mee in thy loue can the Lord choose but heare vs If we can come to God with a sound perswasion in our hearts that God loues vs then our prayers shall ascend as a sweet perfume to God and God will surely heare them and that quickly The fourth Dutie we learne hence is to keepe our Dutie 4 selues in this loue of God Iude 21. It is the richest Iewell that euer we can haue and hee that changeth this state of Gods loue for any other hee changeth heauen for hell Therefore doe not prouoke God to breake off his loue from thee displease him not breake not his Lawes resist not his Spirit of grace grieue not his Children neglect not Prayer the Word nor the Sacraments nor other meanes of grace but obserue him duely and be ruled by him and so thou shalt keepe in his loue aboue all things turne not backe to thy olde Sinnes and if thou dost sinne as who doth not presently humble thy selfe make thy peace with him by vnfained Repentance and prayer and faith in the Mediator Iesus Christ renew thy Couenant in him and thus doing thou shalt be sure to keepe in his loue for this is the mercy and goodnesse of God to vs he remembers whereof wee be made and that we cannot but fall yet such is his mercy that if we returne vnto him hee will loue vs still Dutie 5 Fiftly here wee must learne this Duty to recompence our God with loue againe If a man of any fashion loue vs we were very hard-hearted if we would not loue him againe If God loue vs therefore wee must much more loue him againe In many things we cannot recompence God againe God is mercifull to vs we cannot be mercifull to him againe and so in other things But God is louing to vs and wee may recompence him and loue him againe for his loue to vs Our loue to him indeed comes farre short of his loue to vs yet it is that which God requires and which hee will accept and that loue which wee cannot shew to God let vs peece it vp with our loue to his Children and to his Gospell and to his Ministers and thus we may in some sort recompence Gods loue which he shewes to vs. Vse 3 The third Vse It teacheth vs how to esteeme of this great loue of God Ephes 2.4 which passeth knowledge Ephes 3.19 How Why thus As the originall and procuring Cause of all the good that euer we receiue at the hands of God 1 Ioh. 3.1 Wee are the Sonnes of God saith the Apostle What doth he rest there No Behold saith he What loue the Father hath giuen to vs that wee should be called the Sonnes of God Gods loue is the cause of our adoption If you aske why God chooseth vs iustifies vs sanctifies and glorifies vs the answere is because he loues vs But if you aske why hee loues vs There can be no reason giuen of it but because he loues vs. This is the Bond of all it comprehends all the rest of the good that God doth for vs but is not comprehended of any of them This Loue is God and God is Loue. Lastly this shewes vnto vs the Excellency of that Vse 4 Communion which true Beleeuers haue with God The excellency of a true Beleeuers communion with God manifested in foure things 1 Neerenesse because it is bound vp and tyed fast within the vnbounded limits of Gods loue Psal 144.15 Blessed are the people that be so yea blessed be the people whose God is the Lord Consider the Excellency of it in these particulars First the neerenesse of this Communion it is of loue and therefore it is most neere Loue doth transanimate vs as it were and makes of two one as it is betwixt man and wife or as the Heathen man said of two friends that they had one soule and two bodies and so Gods loue makes vs one with God not as if God hereby were become man or man God in proper and precise tearmes but as in a Communion betwixt a man and his wife they are not one man or one wife but one flesh so the loue of God to vs in this Communion makes vs not one God or one man but one Spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 2. Freenesse Secondly consider the Freenesse of this Communion Hosea 14.5 I will loue them freely saith God Luke 1.28 freely beloued God loues vs freely as when a father adopts a Childe for his owne freely As if one of you should see a Childe goe vp and downe the streetes and you should take him into your House and freely adopt him and make him your Childe so doth God he loues vs freely and out of his free loue takes vs into his House and adopts vs to be his Children 3. Surenesse Thirdly consider the Surenesse of this Communion the Bond of it is Gods loue and his loue is euerlasting Ier. 31.3 no time can weare it out and Can. 8.6.7 Loue is strong as Death much water cannot quench Loue It is so betwixt man and woman much more betwixt God and vs It is not our sinnes can quench his loue no loue couers a multitude of sinnes 4. Sweetnesse Lastly consider the Sweetnesse of this Communion betwixt God and vs if it be from the loue of God then it is most sweet Cant. 1.1 Thy loue is better then Wine If a man haue but a sparkle of this loue in him it cannot but quicken him yea it will rauish him Psal 63.3 thy loue is better then life All the blessings that we inioy whether they be spirituall or temporall are no blessings to vs except they be sweetened with this loue of God our meate our drinke our life yea Heauen it selfe is no blessing vnlesse it be sweetned to vs by this Loue of God what good did heauen to the Angels that fell wanting this loue of God Oh the loue of God to a Sinner What is it It is the heart of our hearts the life of our liues and happinesse of our Soules Worldly men let them haue what the world can affoord them wealth and honours and the like they can
many respects I haue beene mooued to Dedicate to you Mr. Doctor and to you the rest of my louing friends for three reasons First because I conceiue that it doth more properly belong vnto you then to any other for to whom should it belong if not to you Mr. Doctor who succeed the Author of it in his pastorall charge whereby you may see how with what kinde of nourishment he fed his now your people And to what people doth it more properly belong then to you my louing friends for whom it was first conceiued studyed penned and preached Secondly that I might manifest my intire loue and hearty wel-wishing to you all amongst whom I haue exercised my Ministery for the space of nine yeares last past and still doe by the mercy of God Thirdly that I might bee a meanes of further knitting and continuing you in vnfained loue one towards another by ioyning you together in this Dedication of this worke whom God hath by his speciall prouidence ioyned together in that neere band of relation of Pastor and people That this may be and that you and all others to whom this Treatise shall come may gaine as much spirituall good as the Author in studying penning and preaching and I in publishing desire I doe and will pray to him that is the God of loue and the giuer of all good things and that through him who is the Sonne of his loue and the meanes and way of all good things to vs euen the Lord Iesus In whom I am yours in the seruice of the Lord William Holbrooke To the Christian Reader VNderstand Christian Reader that these following Sermons were giuen by the Author as they were written by his owne hand to his louing friend Mr. Edward Misselden Merchant who most Christianly and willingly vpon the first motion deliuered them vnto me and condiscended to the publishing of them knowing that bonum quo communius eo melius a good thing the more common it is the better it is for which thou art much beholding to him for by this meanes thou hast these Sermons as they were penned and preached by the Author without addition or detraction Reade and meditate throughly vpon them thou shalt not I assure thee repent thee of thy labour for thou shalt finde therein much deepe and necessary heauenly doctrine and through Gods blessing be furnished with armour of proofe against all dangers and troubles whatsoeuer that are vpon thee or may befall thee in this life Be thankefull to God for this and all meanes of thy spirituall good which he affordeth thee and forget not to pray for him who forgetteth not to pray for thee and the whole Church of God and who will euer bee thine in the seruice of the Lord William Holbrooke SAINT PAVLS TRIVMPHES OR The SAINTS Coniunction with GOD and support in TROVBLES In the 116. Psalme verse 10. the Prophet Dauid speakes thus of himselfe I beleeued and therefore did I speake In imitation of the practise of the Prophet the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 4.13 takes vp the very same speech We also beleeue saith hee and therefore wee speake And in imitation of that practise both of the Prophet and of the Apostle I am now come here to speake as God shall enable me that which God hath enabled me to beleeue I beleeue that which I speake and I speake that which I beleeue and because I beleeue it therefore I speake it And what is that which I beleeue and speake Euen the very same matter and words which the Apostle Paul beleeued and spake in the depth of his Afflictions THE FIRST SERMON ROMANS Chap. 8. Vers 38.39 For I am perswaded or I am sure that neither Death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. FOr I am perswaded or I am sure c. It being the ordinary portion of all Gods children to suffer many afflictions in this life It was therefore the ordinary practise of the Apostles to minister comfort and consolation to all Gods children against all their sufferings Thus the Apostle here in this place to comfort himselfe and the faithfull against all afflictions propounds two considerations First what the afflictions are that may befall Gods children Secondly what harme they can doe them And this he doth from the 35. verse First what the afflictions are that Gods children are subiect to in this life and they are of all sorts sore and heauy Tribulation Distresse Persecution Famine Nakednesse Perill Sword c. Secondly what harme can they doe to Gods children He doth not exempt vs from any bodily dangers for therein wee are as other men but they cannot endanger our spirituall estate to depriue vs of that they cannot seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord for so the question intends verse 35. Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ shal Tribulation or Distresse As who should say nothing can No they are so farre from doing vs harme in our spirituall estate as that contrariwise we are much the better for them in that kinde In all these things wee are conquerors and more then conquerors through him that loued vs verse 37. And hereupon the Apostle growes to a peremptory resolution and determines the matter clearely both on his owne part and on the part of all the faithfull That neither life nor death nor Angels nor Principalities c. shall euer seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord verse 38.39 The parts of this Scripture are two First the Apostles resolution that neither life nor death c. shall euer seperate him from the loue of God Secondly his protestation of this his resolution I am perswaded or I am sure of it First the Apostles resolution that nothing shall seperate him c. The substance and effect whereof is this that true beleeuers can neuer fall away vtterly from grace which he expresseth in these termes that nothing can seperate vs c. So long as God loues vs we can neuer vtterly fall away from grace But God loues vs alwayes nothing can seperate vs from his loue Therefore we can neuer vtterly fall away from grace And that he might not seeme to speake vnaduisedly or rashly he knowes not what therefore he casts vp his reckoning before-hand as the wise King doth before he vndertakes War Luke 14.31 So doth the Apostle foresee and set before his eies all the causes dangers of falling away that may be thought of then heartens himselfe against them all against death against life against Angels c. and against all commers neuer shall any thing seperate vs from the loue of God neither death nor life saith the Apostle What danger soeuer befals vs it befals vs either in our life or in our death but
neither in death nor in life shall any thing seperate vs saith the Apostle therefore nothing can Yea but yet wee may be ouermatched with mighty enemies which are too strong for vs as Angels Principalities Powers the Apostle continues his resolution that God is infinitely more strong and mighty to saue vs then all our enemies are to destroy vs and therefore saith nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers shall euer preuaile against vs Yea but though our present state be good enough yet things to come are vncertaine We know not yet how hardly we may be bestead hereafter vpon our death-beds c. But saith the Apostle all shall be well then too our God is not a God a farre off but at hand too our louing God is not onely for the time present but for the time to come euen for all eternity his loue neuer changeth And therefore as our state is good for the present so it is for the time to come God hath secured vs for that too neither things present nor things to come Yea but there is a great height aboue vs we may bee snatched vp of that and a great depth below vs wee may be swallowed vp of that No saith the Apostle our God that loues vs rules in all things both in the highest heights and in the lowest depths that are and therefore it is neither the height of Heauen nor the depth of Hell that can separate vs Yea but there are infinite Creatures in the world and wee know not what mischiefe they may doe vs but saith the Apostle they are but Creatures and therefore in the hands and disposing of God their Creator who is our louing Father in Christ Iesus and therefore not any one of them can nor all of them together shall be able to separate vs c. Now secondly of his protestation I am perswaded or I am sure of it It is not a bare conceit but a full perswasion in me I doe not goe by thinkings and guessings but vpon a sure ground I am sure of it and here I make it knowne to all the world bee it knowne to the faithfull for their comfort and reioycing be it knowne to the wicked for their terrour and astonishment be it knowne to the Angels in heauen and be it knowne to the Diuels in hell that I am perswaded that I am confident in it that neither death nor life c. Oh Paul great was thy faith Oh thou beleeuing Man or Woman whatsoeuer thou art labour and striue thou to get this perswasion into thy heart and if thou canst not get this full perswasion which was in the Apostle yet labour to be a true Beleeuer make sure worke for that and then Paul doth here assure thee as himselfe that neither death nor life c shall euer be able to separate thee from the loue of God in Christ Iesus for Paul doth not speake this onely in particular of himselfe but of vs putting it the case of euery beleeuing Man and Woman He saith not nothing can separate mee but vs that is all the faithfull and surely hee had the Spirit and could not be deceiued and therefore what was his case is ours I am sure not any thing can seperate me and I am sure not any thing shall seperate them whosoeuer they be that haue sauing faith For I am perswaded saith the Apostle that neither death nor life nor Angels c. shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Now for my more orderly proceeding and your better vnderstanding I will cast this Scripture into this mould The whole substance of the Text doth spend and empty it selfe into these seauen particulars First is a matter of Implication and that is that there is a Communion or Coniunction betwixt God and the faithfull Separation presupposeth Coniunction when the Apostle saith nothing can separate vs from God it is necessarily implyed that there is a Coniunction betwixt God and vs for things that were neuer ioyned together cannot be said to be separated one from the other Then secondly he expresseth the Bond of this Coniunction and that is the loue of God Thirdly he shewes the ground and foundation of this Bond and Coniunction and that is Christ Iesus our Lord. Fourthly he declares a speciall Interest that the faithfull haue in Christ Iesus by a note of neere and speciall reference betwixt Christ and the faithfull our Lord. Fiftly the Apostle auoucheth the certainty of the safety of Gods Children amidst all dangers nothing can separate vs and this hee enlargeth in many particular dangers euen the greatest that can be imagined Death life c. Sixtly he protests his Confidence which hee hath concerning this their safety as being the vndoubted truth of God I am perswaded or I am sure c. Seauenthly he beares vp himselfe boldly vpon this assurance against all afflictions and dangers that euer did or euer could befall him for this is the maine drift of this whole discourse being propounded by way of a Reason for I am sure Why doth he insult ouer all these Because hee is sure and bold against them all Now to the particulars Doct. and first for the matter of Implication The Doctrine is this All true beleeuers are ioyned to God in Christ and haue a gracious and an holy and spirituall Communion and fellowship with him The point is but implyed here and therefore I must not be very large in it but yet because it is so implyed as being one speciall meanes of our standing fast in the state of Grace it must not be left vntoucht nor yet too sparingly handled It is a Doctrine hard to be vnderstood and I dare say it passeth the capacity of man to vnderstand it in the perfection of it I say it is hard to be vnderstood but it is harder to be beleeued but hardest of all to be practised we will speake somewhat of it therefore first by way of Explication that so we may the better vnderstand it secondly somewhat by way of Confirmation that we may the better beleeue it thirdly somewhat by way of Application that wee may the better practise it First for Explication Explication there is a twofold Communion with God one generall the other speciall the generall is common to all the Creatures all haue communion with God they in him and he in them they in him as their Creator he in them as his Creatures And this communion they haue with God in Christ too who is the first begotten of euery Creature and in him all things consist Colos 1.15.17 as if he should say Christ hath Communion with God for hee is the Image of the inuisible God the Creatures haue communion with Christ for hee is the first begotten of euery Creature and in him all consist and so consequently all the Creatures haue some kinde of Communion with God The speciall Communion is twofold either that Communion which the Angels haue
new 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man haue beene a Drunkard let him now learne to liue soberly If any man haue beene a Sabboath breaker or a swearer or a lewd liuer now that he is in Christ he must be a new Creature Away with all thy olde sinnes and see that all be new within thee Decke thy selfe with all spirituall graces Faith and Repentance and Loue c. keepe them alwayes in exercise that so thou maist be alwaies gracious in Gods eyes euer hauing your Lamps burning thus we shall walke worthy of this blessed Communion Vse 2 Foure things to be practised for the increase of this Communion Secondly this teacheth vs to maintaine this Communion and to encrease it in our selues and grow vp in it First by Prayer Psal 86.11 Knit or vnite my heart vnto thee saith the Prophet or make my heart one with thee and Iohn 17.20 Our Sauiour prayes for his Disciples that they might haue this Communion Now Dauid and the Disciples had this Communion before but yet they pray for the increase of it and if we aske we shall receiue Secondly wee must seeke to maintaine and increase this Communion by the Ministery of the Word 1 Pet. 2.2.3 Hast thou tasted how bountifull the Lord hath beene to thee in working this blessed Communion betwixt him and thee by his Word then labour to bee further confirmed in it by that Word Thirdly the Sacraments are forcible meanes to maintaine this Communion especially the Lords Supper for there God admits vs to his owne Table feedes vs with the pretious Body and Blood of his owne Sonne What Communion can be greater then this Besides heere in this Sacrament the meanes of this our Communion the Body and Bloud of Christ are tendred sensibly vnto vs to our our hands and to our mouthes Then as the hand takes hold and the mouth receiues the outward Elements so let the heart take hold on Christ crucified for our further Communion with him wee neuer sauingly meditate on Christ but we eate Christ but when we come to the Lords Supper there we doe more sensibly feede vpon him We haue the Signes the Bread and Wine and the Ministers speciall Application This is my Body which was broken for thee my bloud which was shed for thee c. this is a great helpe to vs And whosoeuer receiues this Sacrament beleeuingly as the Minister giues him the Bread and Wine so God conuaies Christ into his heart by his Spirit Lastly euery of vs that comes to this Sacrament must renew his Couenant with God and binde himselfe to be a truer seruant to God then euer before else he can haue no Communion with Christ in this Sacrament Fourthly that wee may maintaine and grow vp in this happy Communion wee must make much of the smallest portion thereof the least relish of Gods fauour the least motions of this Spirit the least degree of Sanctification the least measure of true grace make much of that little thou hast and vse it well and be sure thou shalt haue more Math. 23.21.23 the Seruant that doth imploy his little well shall be made Ruler ouer much Vse 3 The third Vse is to teach vs Thankefulnesse We must acknowledge admire and be rauished with the thought of the infinite goodnesse of God in assuming thee and ioyning thee to himselfe This our blessed Communion in Christ is infinitely more then if the greatest Potentate of the earth should take the meanest man that is to be his Fauourite or the basest woman that is to be his Spouse for here the great God of heauen and earth the King of Kings makes vs his Fauourites and his Spouse his owne associates both in grace and glory Let vs therefore consider this aright and poure forth our soules in thankefulnesse to God for this infinite mercy To prouoke vs the more to thankefulnesse let vs solace our selues in this Garden of Eden for this is the Paradice of God Let vs behold and admire the particular passages betwixt God and vs in this blessed Communion God knowes vs and we know God he walkes and talkes with vs and we with him he couenants with vs and we with him Hosea 2.23 he loues and honours vs and we loue and honour him he liues and dwels and delights in vs and we liue and dwell and delight in him In admiration of this great mercy of God let euery one of vs breake forth and say Oh glorious God how infinitely good art thou to my poore Soule Oh my poore Soule how infinitely thankefull oughtest thou to be to thy glorious God! The last Vse is for Comfort and for singular consolation Vse 4 to all true beleeuers It is a great comfort to vs that God is with vs and wee with him But that God should be in vs and we in God that he should be one with vs and wee one with him this is the comfort of all comforts For being thus with vs then if afflictions temptations persecutions death men or Diuels can preuaile against God and Christ then may they preuaile against vs But if God and Christ be stronger then all the aduersary powers that are or can be against vs then surely they shall neuer preuaile against vs that are one with God in Christ Iesus FINIS THE SECOND SERMON Vpon ROMANS 8. two last Verses For I am perswaded or I am sure that neither Death nor life c. I Haue shewed the Dependance and Connexion of those words with the former from the 35. Verse Also I haue shewed you that they containe two parts First the Apostles Resolution neither Death nor life nor Angels c. should separate him c. Secondly his Protestation I am perswaded or I am sure of it I also opened the meaning of the words as you may remember which I will not now stand to repeate onely remember that I cast this Scripture into this mould and shewed you that it spent it selfe into these particulars First that which the Apostle implyes namely that there is a Coniunction betwixt God and true Beleeuers implyed in the word separate Secondly the Bond of this Communion and that is the loue of God Thirdly the Apostle shewes the ground both of this Bond and of this Communion and that is Iesus Christ Fourthly hee declares that there is a neere Interest betwixt Christ and the Faithfull our Lord. Fiftly he auoucheth the safety of Gods children in the middest of all dangers nothing shall separate them c. and inlargeth it in many particulars neither death nor life Sixtly hee protests the confidence he hath concerning this his safety I am perswaded or I am sure Lastly he beares himself boldly vpon this assurance that neither any thing that hath or shall befall him shall seperate him from the loue of God We haue begun with the first particular the matter of Implication and the point was this namely That all true Beleeuers are ioyned to God in Christ and haue a holy and spirituall and gracious
his lone It is the loue of God to his that gathers all true beleeuers together vnto Iesus Christ he being their Captaine and they his Souldiers to serue vnder his Colours Oh this is a sweet seruice to serue and to fight vnder the Colours and Banner of the loue of God in Iesus Christ Iohn 3.16 God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life God hath giuen vs his Sonne Iesus Christ that by faith wee might beleeue in him and haue Communion with him and hee that doth beleeue in him shall neuer perish but haue eternall life And whence is all this from his loue there is no bond to tye God to doe this for vs but onely his loue to vs God so loued the world c. Iohn 17.23 I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loued them as thou hast loued mee That Christ is in vs and God in Christ and that all the faithfull haue a perfect Communion with God in Christ These are plaine Euidences to the eye of the world that God hath sent his Sonne to vs and that he hath loued vs in some measure as he loues Christ himselfe and that this loue was the cause why he did all this for vs So much for proofes of Scripture to confirme this point Secondly by Reasons The Reasons of the Doctrine are these First all Reason 1 the good that euer God doth to all or any of his creatures it is meerely of his owne loue and good will towards them therefore this Communion which God affords the faithfull to haue with him is much more from his loue That all the good that euer God doth to any of his creatures comes from his loue we may see Psal 145.16 Thou openest thy hand and fillest all things liuing of thy good pleasure then much more this Communion I say much more for the Reason ariseth vpon many aduantages First if all the good he doth to the other creatures comes from his loue much more the good hee doth to man must come from his loue Man being the choise and prime of the creatures Secondly if to men in generall of loue then much more to true beleeuers being the prime and choise of men in Gods estimation Thirdly if all the good God doth to true beleeuers comes from his loue then much more this blessed Communion which is the Prime and Choise and indeed the very Summe of all the good wee receiue from God so that the reason stands very strong Reason 2 The second Reason is drawne from the nature or kinde of this Communion What is that It is such a Communion as is betwixt the Father and the Child 2 Cor. 6.18 I will be your Father and you shall be my Sonnes and Daughters saith the Lord Almighty Now betwixt the Father and the Childe the case stands thus so long as the Father loues his Child so long he doth well by him and delights to do him good when his loue failes then the good he doth him failes too that which binds the Father to doe his Childe good is his loue towards him Now Isay 49.15 can a Mother forget her childe and not haue compassion on the Sonne of her wombe though shee should yet will not the Lord forget his Children The loue of a father to his child is changeable but Gods loue to his children is vnchangeable that bond may be broken and so all flies in sunder but this cannot be broken and therefore we cannot be sundred from God Againe it is such a Communion as is betwixt the head and the members Ephe. 4.15.16 and wee know that it is from a louing respect that the head carries to the members of the Body whereby the members receiue life and sense and motion from the head they are knit together in loue as in the 16. verse as that being the knitter of the members amongst themselues and to their head and therefore consequently of the head to the members as the Apostle makes the matter very cleare in that place Againe it is such a Communion as is betwixt the husband and the wife Hosea 2.19 and loue is all in all in that Communion First it brings them together then it knits them together and it holds them fast together to the death so it is betwixt God and vs looke into the booke of Canticles with a spirituall eye and there we shall see this Communion of the beleeuing soule with Christ compared to the Communion that is betwixt man and wife and we shall finde that there is neuer a stitch nor passage in it but is from loue Ephesians chap. 5. verse 25. Husbands loue your wiues as Christ loued his Church All that euer is done betwixt man and wife must be in loue and so it is betwixt CHRIST and his Church Reason 3 The third Reason there is no moouing cause in vs why the Lord should thus ioyne vs and tye vs vnto himselfe therefore it is of his meere loue there is no moouing cause on our part for what did or could the Lord see in vs whereby he might be induced to doe this for vs Is it our multitude that should moue God Oh no saith Moses Deut. 7.7.8 The Lord did not set his loue vpon you or chuse you because you were more in number then any people for you were the fewest of all people but because the Lord loued you c. What is it then our Beauty that should moue God to draw vs and bind vs in Communion with himselfe No we were in our blood when God set his loue vpon vs and entred into Couenant with vs Ezek. 16.7.8 What then was it our Righteousnesse No neither Titus 3.5 Not by the workes of Righteousnesse which we had done but according to his mercy he hath saued vs What was it because we loued him first No saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.10 Heerein is loue not that we loued him but that he loued vs and sent his Sonne c. No I will adde this further for the strengthening of this Reason that we are so farre from hauing any thing in vs of our selues to induce God to this to make vs one with his blessed Maiesty as that all that is in vs of our selues is vtterly against this Communion all of vs are sinners so farre are we off from hauing Righteousnes we were sometimes enemies to God so far are we from louing God we haue deserued to be ioyned in Communion with the Diuels in hell so farre off are we in our selues from deseruing to be ioyned with God Wee are vgly and deformed in our selues by our wickednesse so farre off are we from hauing any beauty whereby God should set his loue vpon vs We are running away from God as the lost child so farre off are we from drawing neere vnto God All these are
be content without the loue of God but this is but as grauell in their mouthes wanting the other they stand in slippery places and suddenly they goe downe to Hell Therefore let vs relish all things wee inioy as being sweetned with this loue of God our Wiues Children Friends Goods yea our owne liues and then when these are gone yet the loue of God whereby they were made sweet vnto vs will still remaine Let vs labour therefore for some relish of Gods loue in Iesus Christ it is hard to get it Faith onely workes it FINIS THE THIRD SERMON Vpon ROMANS 8. the two last Verses For I am perswaded or I am sure that neither Death c. THe dependence of these words with the former and the meaning of them in themselues I haue already shewed Also I cast this Scripture into this moulde shewing that the substance thereof emptied it selfe into these seauen particulars First the things implyed and that was that there is a Communion betwixt God and the faithfull in the word seperate which necessarily implyes a Coniunction with God things cannot be seperate that are not first ioyned together Secondly there is shewed the Bond of this Communion the loue of God Thirdly the Apostle shewes the ground of this loue and Communion Iesus Christ Fourthly he declares the Interest which the Faithfull haue in Christ Iesus by a tearme of neere reference our Lord. Fiftly he doth here auouch the safety of all Gods Children in the middest of all dangers and inlargeth himselfe in many particulars neither death nor life nor Angels c. Sixtly he professeth his owne confident perswasion that hee hath of this I am sure Seauenthly hee beares himselfe boldly vpon this confidence against all Commers Death life Angels c. Of the first and second points we haue spoken Now in the strength of God we are to procceede to speake of the third point and that is the ground and foundation of this loue which God beares to his Children and that is Iesus Christ Nothing is able to seperate mee from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus The Doctrine for our Instruction is this Doctrine The ground or foundation of all Gods loue which hee beares or shewes to true Beleeuers is Christ Iesus The Doctrine is contained within the Text fully and deliuered almost in so many words for marke the words the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus As if he should say the loue that God beares to true Beleeuers in Christ Iesus is setled in him erected in him and made good vnto vs in him as hee being the ground and foundation of it The Doctrine may seeme plaine enough at the first sight and so it is yet that we may rightly and soundly comprehend it or rather be comprehended by it Explication it needes some Explication First of the names Christ Iesus Christ signifies the annointed Iesus signifies a Sauiour and wheras he is called in Scripture sometimes by the name of Christ onely and sometime by the name of Iesus onely the Apostle here ioynes them both together Christ Iesus thereby to set forth the perfection and fulnesse of Gods loue to vs in his Sonne Iesus is the name of his Person Christ the name of his Office he is called Christ respectiuely to God by whom he is annointed he is the Lords annointed and hee is called Iesus in respect of vs whom he comes to saue he is our Iesus our Sauiour Behold how compleat and perfect Gods loue to vs in Christ is Hee loues vs in his person he loues vs in his office he loues vs in his Christ and in our Iesus in his annointed and in our Sauiour How could he deuise to loue vs more then is meant and contained in these words that God loues vs in Christ Iesus Secondly we are to speake somewhat of the phrase in Christ Iesus which is to be receiued vnder a distinction for there is a difference in the actions of Gods loue to vs in his Sonne I say a difference in respect of our Sense and in respect of Gods loue it selfe Some actions of Gods loue to vs are so in Christ that they are wholly suspended on Christ and his merits are the onely procuring cause of them As for example forgiuenesse of sinnes is an action of Gods loue to vs and yet this wholly depends on Christ and his merits that his precious bloud must procure this mercy for vs from God else they will neuer be forgiuen and this and the like loue of God is both in Christ and for Christ There are some other actions of Gods loue which arise meerely and onely out of the absolute will of God without any concurrance of Christs merits As the eternall purpose of God whereby hee hath determined to chuse some men to saluation this is an action of Gods loue meerely rising out of his absolute will without Christs merits for Christ is a Mediator and all his merits are the effects of his loue not the cause of it and yet this loue though it be not for Christ yet is it in Christ too Ephes 3.11 according to the eternall purpose which hee wrought in Christ Iesus that is in regard of the execution of it for euen this eternall purpose and all the actions of Gods loue which arise from his absolute will are effected and brought to passe in and through Christ This distinction wee must here vndergoe that so God may haue his right and Christ may haue his right that we may honor the Father so as that we may also honour the Sonne and the Sonne so as that the Father may not loose his honour that so the absolutenesse of the loue of God and the Mediation of Christ may not impeach one another Thirdly we must obserue that Gods loue in this verse is called the loue of Christ in the 35. verse shewing that God not onely loues vs in Christ but that Christ loues vs too We must conceiue it thus God loues his Sonne Christ Iesus and in him all true beleeuers Christ Iesus loues God the Father and in him he loues all true beleeuers and this is the right straine of Gods loue to vs in Christ Iesus So much for explication For proofe of this point Proofes looke into these places of Scripture Mat. 3.17 This is my beloued Sonne c. Here is a Proclamation from heauen published by Gods owne mouth God the Father speakes it of his own Sonne This is my beloued Sonne c. The words intend two things First the loue of God to Christ Iesus This is my beloued Sonne that is my most dearely beloued Sonne for so it is in the originall Secondly the loue of God in his Sonne to all those that he is well pleased withall in whom I am well pleased He doth not say with whom I am well pleased as my loue staying vpon him only but in whom as my loue extending it selfe to all that are in him This loue that God beares
in our Adoption Ephes 1.5 Who hath predestinated vs to be adopted through Iesus Christ in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will Fourthly if we be in Christ wee are intitled vnto the continuance of his loue to vs for euer in our Sanctification 1 Cor. 1.2 Sanctified in Christ Iesus and Ephes 5 14. Christ is our sanctification hee is full of grace and truth Ioh. 1.14 Be thou in him and thou shalt receiue fulnesse of grace Eternall life is in him 1 Iohn 5.11 Be thou in him and thou shalt haue this life All the promises of God are yea and Amen in him 2 Cor. 1.20 they are his and in him they are ours they are made vnto vs in him and they are performed and made good vnto vs in him Againe if wee be in Christ all Gods blessings are ours Ephes 1.3 Blessed be God who hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in Christ Therefore if we be in Christ wee are happy whatsoeuer our state be in the world if we be in afflictions being in Christ he will helpe vs to beare them if in temptations hee will strengthen vs against them if wee be fallen from God by our sinnes if wee be in Christ he will raise vs vp againe and renew our peace with God If wee be in Christ hee will be all in all vnto vs hee will pacifie Gods wrath for vs he will procure his fauour abolish sinne bring righteousnesse deliuer vs from hell and bring vs to heauen Blessed men are we if wee can rest on Christ Iesus as our al-sufficient Redeemer and Sauiour Vse 3 The third Vse teacheth vs therefore to labour to be in Christ But how shall I get to be in him why by faith beleeue in him as thy Sauiour and Redeemer and then thou hast gotten to be in him as euer thou lookest to haue any fauour or any loue at the hands of God get to be in Christ by faith Yea but is it in my power to get faith I doe not say it is in thy power but yet thou must get it it is thy duty to labour for it and certainely if the Lord would not assist thee with his power and inable thee to beleeue he would neuer command thee so often to beleeue in Christ Not that all men generally shall or can beleeue for this is against the reuealed will of God for all men haue not faith but that euery particular man and woman may comfortably and particularly conclude for him and her selfe that certainly God will giue grace and power to beleeue vpon the vse of the meanes for this agrees with Gods reuealed will the Commandements and promises of God being tendred generally to all and no exception can be found in the word against any one in particular This the Diuell puts into the hearts of men that when the Minister exhorts them to beleeue and to get Christ they reply They know not whether they can beleeue or no or whether they were euer ordained to beleeue or no and thus the Diuell keepes them at a bay all their life that they neuer beleeue nor indeauour to beleeue But make thou no question whether thou canst beleeue or no but vse the meanes and indeauour to beleeue for if thou dost not beleeue thou shalt surely be damned put it to the tryall it may be thine endeauours may take effect and then thou shalt surely be saued What madnesse were it in thee not to put thy selfe to the tryall by vsing the meanes Many men haue beleeued vpon the vse of them and why not thou But thou wilt say I cannot vse the meanes at all thou maist at least in outward conformity But I cannot vse them as I should I answere doe it as thou canst doe thy best and so put thy selfe and thine indeauours vpon Gods mercy and humble thy selfe before the Lord for thy weakenesse vntowardnesse and hardnesse to beleeue Vse 4 The fourth Vse teacheth vs the plentifulnesse infinitenesse and abundance of Gods loue to Christ that had loue enough in him for all the beleeuing world beside In him all the nations of the earth the chosen and beleeuers are blessed in his loue they are loued in his righteousnesse all the beleeuers in the world are accounted righteous in his worthinesse they are accounted and made worthy of life and saluation This was infinite loue that God poured on his head as the Oyle on the head of Aron that runs downe to the skirts of his cloathing so Gods loue in Christ descends and runs downe on all the faithfull that now are or euer shall be to the worlds end And therefore first let vs consider of it and blesse God for it that hath poured out such infinite loue for the vse and benefit of the Church Thus the Apostle doth Ephes 1.3 Blessed be God who hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in Christ secondly let vs consider it and magnifie and honour the Lord Iesus Christ that is capable worthy and that is the store-house of such an infinite treasure so doth the Church in the Can. 1.2 Thy name is as an oyntment poured out c. Thirdly consider it and reioyce in it for thy selfe that thou art a true Beleeuer and that thou hast thy part and portion in this ouer-flowing loue of God for thy acceptance and saluation Ephes 2.3.4.5 God that is rich in mercy through his great loue wherewith hee loued vs euen when wee were dead by sinnes hath quickned vs together in Christ by whose grace yee are saued The Apostle would haue vs to reioyce in this that God so loued Christ that in him hee hath raised vs vp from the state of sinne to the state of grace and saluation Fiftly is Christ the ground of Gods loue to vs Vse 5 then this commends vnto vs the wonderfull loue that God beares to his Church in Christ Iesus First it is a most tender and affectionate loue Secondly it is most holy Thirdly it is most perfect Fourthly it is vnchangeable Lastly it is most comfortable First it is a most tender loue and affection that God beares to vs in Christ the bowels of our Lord Iesus Christ are marueilous deare tender and pretious to God and therefore the loue that God beares to vs in the tender bowels of his owne blessed Sonne must needes be marueilous deare tender and affectionate Zach. 2.8 Hee that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye Why are wee so tender to God Why because hee tenders vs in the tender bowels of Iesus Christ Secondly it is a most holy loue our most holy God loues vs in his most holy Sonne Iesus Christ that holy one of God God doth not loue vs as many a wicked Father loues his Childe in his euill and wanton courses no that is prophane and carnall loue but hee loues vs with a holy loue in Christ so farre as we are washed from our sinnes in the bloud of Christ and as we be made conformable vnto Christ so farre as we
sinne therefore resolue deliberately rather to be drawne in pieces then to be drawne to sinne againe Fourthly wee must make our resolutions in confidence of Gods promises and empty our selues of all power to doe any thing as of our selues Lastly wee must goe to God by prayer for his Spirit that he may frame thy resolutions within thee Say Lord thou hast giuen mee these good resolutions let thy Spirit worke and confirme them in my heart and then they shall stand sure and if we can preuaile with God by prayer to frame these resolutions in our hearts they shall be sure to stand Thirdly that we may be established in grace and perseuere therein wee must daily rippe vp our hearts and our reines before God wee must discouer our sinnes and corruptions and infirmities and wants to God Psal 16.8 I haue set the Lord euer before me because he is at my right hand I shall neuer be moued The way to keepe vs from falling is to walke openly and nakedly before the Lord without dissembling reseruations circumloquutions neuer bee either afraid or ashamed to tell GOD what thou wantest for so much as thou failest in making thy selfe throughly knowne to GOD so much thou euer giuest thy selfe to fall away from grace Fourthly to preserue vs from falling from grace we must watch continually ouer our owne hearts that we doe not fall Matth. 26.41 Our Sauiour prescribes it of purpose as a preseruation from falling Thy heart is deceitfull aboue all things watch thy heart therefore at euery turne lest it fall away But alasse what will our watchfulnesse doe Yes it is very effectuall when it is ioyned with prayer Watch to keepe thy selfe and pray to God to keepe thee and thou shalt be well kept Bring God vnto thy watch by thy prayer and then though thou be heauy and sleepy yet hee neuer slumbers nor sleepes he will surely keepe thee Fiftly if thou beest fallen rise vp againe without delay sleepe not till thou recouer thy selfe Reu. 2.5 Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent Hast thou sinned oh what hast thou done Get thee to God humble thy selfe before him confesse and bewaile thy sinnes with a broken heart take hold on the promise of grace in Christ renew thy vow and promise to God and see thou performe it to be more careful for euer after and this do speedily It is a great aduantage that sinne gets of vs by resting in vs like a sore that is let alone it festers and is harder to be cured Sixtly if we will hold out in the estate of grace we must labour to be constant in all duties of Relâ—gion in hearing the Word meditating conferring practising it in receiuing the Sacraments in companying with the godly and this we must do not in formality and for fashion or custome that is the very moath that eates out the life of all godlines when we think if the duty be done all is well no matter how but this makes a foule bracke in the estate of grace but let vs not do these things for custome or formality sake but let vs see that the life and power of godlinesse be in vs in the performance of them Lastly let vs be sure we be alwaies going forward for surely our not going forward is some degree or beginning of going backward Phil. 3.13 We must forget those things which are behinde and reach forward to those things which are before Labour to weaken thy sinnes and to strengthen thy graces and to be more frequent in good duties and so shall we goe forwards and not fall away And now we come to the Lords Supper let vs not be content to receiue it in the Elements but let vs see that the life and power of it be in our hearts and then they shall be a powerfull meanes to keepe and helpe forward the beleeuing Soule in the state of grace Here the promise of God is sealed vnto vs for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and here we binde our selues to God for new obedience and here we eate Christs flesh and drinke his bloud after a spirituall manner and so shall neuer dye saith our Sauiour but liue for euer And so this Sacrament is a powerfull meanes to confirme vs in this Doctrine that the hould that the faithfull haue in the loue of God through Iesus Christ is a sure hould c. FINIS THE SIXTH SERMON Vpon ROMANS 8. the two last Verses For I am perswaded that neither Death nor life c. AS God hath beene pleased to giue strength and opportunity we haue proceeded in the handling of this Scripture to these fiue points the first is contained in the Text by way of Intimation namely that there is a neere Communion betwixt God and all the faithfull in Iesus Christ intended in the word seperation Secondly we haue spoken of the Bond of this Communion which is the loue of God Thirdly we haue shewed both the ground of this Communion and of the Bond of it and that is Iesus Christ Fourthly we haue shewed the neere reference that is betwixt Christ and the faithfull hee is our Lord and we are his Subiects and Seruants Fiftly we haue shewed the safety of all the faithfull in the midst of all dangers which the Apostle auoucheth here That neither death nor life c. shall seperate vs from the loue of God the Children of God are and shall be in the loue of God let their enemies doe what they can Now we come to speake of the sixt point and that is the confident perswasion which the Apostle hath concerning this heauenly truth I am sure hee is sure of it First I will propound the Doctrine in that the Apostle saith I am perswaded or I am sure that all the faithfull shall continue in the loue of God without seperation the obseruation is this Doctrine Gods Children all true Beleeuers may and ought to haue a confident perswasion in themselues of their owne certainty and continuance in the state of grace and saluation for howsoeuer the perswasion here spoken of is a personall and a particular perswasion of Paul I am perswaded yet the matter which he is peswaded of is generall to all beleeuers I am perswaded saith he that nothing shall seperate vs and therefore the estate of all true beleeuers being in it selfe as firme and sure as Pauls was then their assurance must be in some measure answerable to his To set the Doctrine right that we may receiue it in the truth of the Apostles intendment and apply it to our selues rightly against despaire and yet without presumption Doctrine cleared for such exceptions as seeme to lye in the Text. we are first to cleare it of some exceptions and then to bound it within certaine bounds or limmits First of the exceptions I doe not meane such exceptions as are made against the Doctrine it selfe for of them we shall speake in the vses but of such as are made against this Scripture
as God enabled vs in this present seruice to reduce the whole Summe of these two Verses to these seauen heads First that there is a Communion betwixt God and the faithfull so the word seperation doth presuppose secondly wee shewed the Bond of this Communion the loue of God thirdly we shewed the ground both of this Communion of the Bond of it and that is Iesus Christ Fourthly we shewed the neere relation that there is betwixt Christ and those that beleeue in him He is our Lord saith the Apostle Fiftly we shewed the certainty of the State of the faithfull in it selfe that neuer any thing should seperate them from the loue of God The sixt point which we handled the last time was the certainty of it in our owne hearts The seauenth and last point which now we are come to is That the Apostle beares vp himselfe boldly vpon this assurance against all dangers and troubles that euer did or could befall him And this is the maine reach of the Apostles whole discourse propounded here by way of reason for I am sure As if hee should say I may boldly and safely insult ouer all those dangers mentioned in the 35. Verse But why Paul art thou so bold for I am sure saith hee that not onely those dangers there spoken of shall euer seperate me from the loue of God no nor greater then they nor the instruments of them nor Abettors nor Authors of them shall euer doe it Be it life be it death be it Angels or Principalities or Powers c. Not any of all these shall be euer able to seperate me from the loue of God so farre off is it that Tribulations or Persecutions c. shall seperate me that none of these that are greater shall euer do it This is the iust connexion of these verses with the former and in this consist the full waight and power of the Apostles Reason Now concerning this seauenth and last point here are two things to be considered First we are here to consider of the dangers that the children of God are subiect vnto Secondly of the support and comfort they haue against these dangers And both these we are to consider of God willing first in generall then in particuler First we will speake of the dangers and that in generall that Gods children are subiect to and then we will come to the support they haue in them For first we must know what the dangers are before wee can know the support and helpe we haue in them we must first know the disease before we can know the remedy and concerning the dangers in generall take notice of these foure things First the variety of them they are not one but many of diuers kinds some dangers of life some of death dangers wrought by diuers meanes and instruments some by Angels some by Principalities and Powers dangers at diuers times some present some to come dangers from diuers places some from the height aboue some from the deph beneath here is the variety of them for the Apostle speakes not idlely in any of these words Secondly we must take notice of the compleatnesse and fulnesse of these dangers they are not onely many and diuers but euen all the dangers that may be for here is a sufficient and perfect reckoning vp of all sorts of dangers to the full there is not one danger that can euer be named or imagined but it may fitly be reduced to one of these heads that the Apostle here names either to life or to death or to Angels c. And that the Apostle may be sure to comprehend all dangers hee doth not onely name actuall dangers such as doe ordinarily befall vs both of life death but possible dangers to come as well as present nay such dangers as in our ordinary apprehension are impossible from good Angels which is hard to be conceiued how that may be Thirdly we are to consider the crossenes thwartnes of these dangers propounded here in opposition one to another and also in opposition each of them to our owne state and mind the Apostle makes our case herein to be like vnto Iudahs Isa 9.21 Manasses against Ephraim and Ephraim against Manasses and both of them against Iudah So it is with Gods children in their tryals here is Death opposed to life and life opposed to death and both opposite to Gods children so here is good Angels opposed to bad and bad Angels opposed to good things present opposed to things to come and things to come opposed to things present height opposed to depth depth to height Gods children subiect to all these And this is the sting of our Crosses that we are thus crossed thwarted in our affliction as when we be pinched with pain on the right hand we turne to the left to find ease presently on the left hand we are pinched as much as before on the right yet such is the present portion of Gods children The 4 last point is that the Apostle propounds these dangers to himself to the faithful not as feares or shadowes or imaginations I fight not as one that beateth the aire saith the Apostle but as true reall dangers such as he doth acknowledge himselfe all the faithfull exposed vnto lookes to be encountred first or last with such things indeede The Doctrine that flowes naturally from this Scripture thus opened is this Doctrine That Gods children must make their account and set downe their rest vpon it that they shall be assaulted here in this world with all trials and dangers and distresses that euer possibly can befal them This Doctrine is easie enough to be vnderstood for Gods children see the truth of it daily in others and feele it in their owne selues but it is hardly digested It is a hard saying who can beare it Therefore that we may the better brooke it Foure preparations for the brooking of afflictions let vs receiue it vpon these preparations First wee must not think that all these dangers shall be heaped vpon euery one of Gods children in seuerall but they shall be distributed and parted amongst them all in common All the afflictions of the faithfull are but one cup and that Christ cals his Cup Matth. 20.23 Yee shall drinke indeed of my Cuppe It is Christs Cup and all the faithfull must drinke of it Yee shall drinke saith our Sauiour Euery one must haue his share and so amongst them they must drinke it all vp Now because none of vs knowes whether he shall drinke of the top of this Cup or of the middle or of the bottome till his turne come therefore euery one of vs must Arme himselfe to drinke of any part of it euery one is to make account that he is lyable to euery affliction The second preparation is this we must not thinke that these afflictions shall befall all Gods children alike No some must drinke deeper of it then others God hath
sweet thing for thee to be ranged with Christ and with thy brethren the children of God Is it not a comfort to thee to dye with thy Captaine Christ with thy fellow-Soldiers the children of God Dauid Iob Paul and others therefore when thou saist thy case is worse then any others thou speakest thou knowest not what thou knowest what thy selfe feelest but not what another man feeles thine are greater happily then thy brothers to day happily to morrow his will be greater then thine a little affliction may be greater to him then a greater to thee hee that hath least hath as much for his strength as thou hast for thine Thou must suffer afflictions therefore take vp thine owne Crosse suffer thine owne afflictions beare thine own burthen that is thy thou art appointed and called vnto The Lord hath appointed them to vs 1 Tim. 3. and therefore we must willingly beare them in obedience to Gods ordinance in our fellowship with Christ and all the rest of Gods Children and then God that hath brought vs into the tryals will surely bring vs through them all with comfort safety and deliuerance euen vnto a Crowne of life Iam. 1.12 Blessed is the man that indureth temptations for when he is tryed hee shall receiue the Crowne of life But see thou be the Childe of God for afflictions are common to all but the comfort and benefit of them is proper to Beleeuers onely Dost thou suffer as a Christian then reioyce in it for then blessed and happy are we 1 Pet. 4.13 to the 16. Verse if we suffer for Christs sake for righteteousnesse sake for a godly life for obedience to God in crucifying the flesh then blessed are we if we thus indure temptations for after we are thus tryed we shall receiue this Crowne of life FINIS THE EIGHT SERMON Vpon ROMANS 8. the two last Verses For I am sure that neither Death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities c. THe seauenth and last head that we reduced this Scripture vnto was the comfort and support that the Apostle hath in the loue of God through Iesus Christ against all feares and terrours whatsoeuer Wherein I obserued two things First the dangers of Gods children Secondly the comfort whereby they are sustayned in them Of both these I propounded to speake first in generall and then in perticular I began with the dangers in generall and shewed That the dangers which Gods children are subiect vnto are not onely such as they are subiect to with the rest of the world but also such as they alone are subiect vnto as persecution for Christs sake c. Now in the next place wee are to speake in generall of the comfort which Gods children are supported withall against all dangers and that is the true and holy assurance which they haue of the loue of God to them in Christ Iesus Now this comfort the Apostle doth extend and stretch out here vpon a double straine first by way of supposition secondly by way of insultation and triumph First by way of supposition for so his speech is to be taken as if he should say suppose or put the case that death or life or Angels c. should set themselues against vs to ouerthrow vs yet in the strength of my assurance which I haue of the loue of God in Christ Iesus I am comforted supported against them all Secondly the Apostle speaks by way of insultation or triumph for that the Apostle so intends it appeares partly by his manner of speech in the 35. Verse Who shall seperate vs as if he spake these things sleighting them and insulting ouer them and more plainely in the 37. Vers in all these things wee are more then Conquerours c. and thence be infers his protestation for I am sure that neither death nor life c. so that he speakes these words as a Conquerour by way of Triumph so that this comfort which he hath in this assurance is not a weake comfort but a marueilous strong comfort such a comfort that in the strength thereof hee may and doth insult and triumph ouer all dangers whatsoeuer These circumstances considered the Doctrine ariseth naturally thus namely Let vs propound to our selues what dangers soeuer may befall vs Doctrine yet notwithstanding the true and holy assurance that we haue of the loue of God towards vs in Christ Iesus shall be able to comfort and support our hearts against them all euen to a holy insultation and triumph ouer them There are two Questions to be considered of in the practise of the Apostle and so in this Doctrine The first question is Whether it be lawfull or fit for Gods Children to propound feares and dangers to themselues in their owne meditations Secondly how it can stand with distressed Beleeuers that they should triumph insult ouer their afflictions For the first question some will say haue we not sensible feares dangers enough vpon vs daily euen as much as we can stand vnder shal we increase our burthen propound more and greater feares and dangers to our selues I answere yes they may do it they ought to doe it it is no increasing but a lightning of our burthen If a man haue a grim and sterne aduersary to fight withall is it not wisedome for that man first to take a view of that aduersary to looke him in the face to see how he can brooke him before he vndertake to fight with him Oh beloued Gods children haue many grim sterne enemies to fight withal Persecution is a grim sterne aduersary and all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution Temptation is a grim and sterne enemy Gods children must be tried with many hideous feareful temptations Death is a grim sterne enemy we must passe through the terrors and sorrowes bars of death to the ioyes of life Hell is a grim stern enemy we must make account to touch at the gates of hell when we saile to heauen The Diuel is a grim stern aduersary Gods children must fight with Diuels If wee will be the good Souldiers of Iesus Christ we must wrestle fight not with flesh bloud only but against principalities powers euen against the Diuel himselfe And therfore hauing so many so grim sterne enemies that we must fight against haue we not iust cause then to propound such things to our selues in our meditations to see how we can brook them to hearten our selues against the feare euill of them Yet herein we must obserue two cautions wee must not propound to our selues vaine and friuolous matters without reason or ground that were to fight with our owne shadow but serious thoughts and grounded meditations of true dangers such as may or will befall vs more or lesse first or last Secondly we must not propound to our selues any thoughts of sinne for sin is a defiler and the least thought or
fall FINIS THE NINTH SERMON Vpon ROMANS 8. the two last Verses For I am sure that neither Death nor life nor Angels c. WE haue proceeded in handling this Scripture as the Lord hath beene pleased to giue strength so far as that now we are come to speake of those particular dangers which the Apostle propounds to himselfe and to all the faithfull and the particular comforts which they haue to sustain themselues in them we haue spoken before in the generall of both Now we are to proceed to the particulars for so the Apostle makes mention of some principall and particular dangers here as Death life Angels c. wherin we must not thinke that our Apostle speaks rashly or at aduenture but vpon mature deliberation of set purpose he makes special choise of these particulars here mentioned as being the most materiall things whereby any danger may acrue to Gods children and secures himselfe and them of safety and preseruation against all these dangers Our Apostle vnderstood himselfe well for he spake as hee was moued by the spirit and the spirit neuer speakes idlely he spake it in the height of his faith and therefore in the height of his spirit and therefore he spake most seriously and aduisedly and not rashly and he spake it in the depth of his afflictions verse 36. and the words of the afflicted are not winde as Iob speakes that is a bare and empty sound but vsually they are full of matter and substance and surely that which the Apostle here mentions is so full of matter and substance that I could neuer find by my poore reading meditation prayers any full content touching the full sence and reach of the Apostle But a man may passe in a shallow boat ouer a deepe riuer and so farre as our lyne and plummet will reach wee will endeauour God willing to sound the depth of these mysteries Neither death nor life nor Angells c. shall separate vs. First of the first two particulars death and life By life and by death we are to vnderstand not onely the things themselues life and death but all occurrences and passages Our whole estate in life and death we are then to take it thus as if the Apostle had said I am sure that neuer any thing that doth befall Gods Children either in life or in death shall be able to separate them from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. The Doctrine is this All true Beleeuers are in good safetie vnder Gods assured protection against all dangers in life death Doctrine That the Doctrine may be the better vnderstood and beleeued take these two points for explication First Explication consider the dangers that are offered vnto vs in life and death Secondly let vs consider how farre all true beleeuers are in safety against them And first we will beginne with the dangers of life Two dangers of life Life indangers vs two wayes either on the right hand when we are too much in loue with it Or on the left hand when we are too much out of loue with it On the right hand life is in it selfe very sweet and much desired and delighted in but especially when it is seconded with outward comforts as health friends ease goods honours c. then it is much more sweet and desired Yea but Gods children must know that they must deny themselues forsake their own wills they must be crucified to the whole world the world must be crucified to them yea and happily they must bee called out to loose their liues for Christ and for his Gospell Now here is the danger whether they will loose their sweet liues or their sweet soules many of Gods deare children haue bin put to great plunges in this kind Peter himselfe though hee loued his Master dearely and profest that hee would neuer forsake him but resolued to dye with him yet when it came to the triall for the brunt of the proofe that either hee must forsake his Master or his life Peter had rather forsake his best Master then his sweet life When such tall Cedars shrinke in such a storme alas poore soules what shal become of vs the low shrubs Againe life indangers on the left hand by crosses whereby wee are too much out of loue with it After a time of well fare comes losses wants discontentments sicknesses paines infirmities temptations persecutions terrours of conscience they come What are wee to doe in this case Here are great dangers towards vs our hearts droope our spirits are dying wee are a burthen to our selues wee are weary of our liues heere is our danger Now whether are wee content patiently to endure this dying life or desperately to desire an vntimely death This was a danger of Ionas 4.3 It is better for mee saith hee to dye then to liue A fearefull speech of a Prophet of the Lord And so it was a danger of Iob chap. 7.15 My soule chuseth rather to be strangled and to dye Yea many of Gods deare children haue beene so hardly put to it in this kinde that they haue beene tempted to make away themselues and to put an end to a wearisome life by a desperate death I say they haue beene tempted to it but through Gods mercifull protection they haue beene kept from it Here are the dangers of life Secondly Death endangers vs another way How death indangers man The very name of death is terrible to vs and sometime the time of our death doth dismay vs and sometime the manner of our death troubles vs but the matter of death that scarres vs most of all when wee thinke with our selues that now wee must die and giue vp the Ghost and leaue all the world and forsake this present light that shines about vs when the body and soule must part that haue been all this while louing friends together the body to returne to the dust as it was and the soule to God that gaue it when wee thinke with our selues of the bitternesse and sowrenesse and pangs of death and of our particular Iudgement in death and the generall iudgement that shall come after death and begin to feele these things come vpon vs here is our danger Many of the children of God haue beene ready vpon their consideration hereof to let goe their hold in God and to say that God doth not loue them because he deales so rigorouslly and extreamely with them herein Adde herevnto that we may saue our liues and escape all these feares for the time if wee will our selues as in the case of persecution if we will forsake our Religion and deny our faith wee may saue our liues then the sweetnesse of life alluring vs on the one side the feare terror of death affrighting vs on the other side makes this a great danger oh what danger is vpon vs now in this case of our vtter seperation from the loue of God in Christ Iesus This
whether wee die that is for our state in death we die vnto the Lord that is we consecrate and offer vp our soules and bodies a holy Sacrifice to God Then secondly Gods protection ouer them in the end of the verse Whether we liue or dye we are the Lords whether wee liue that is for our estate in life we are the Lords that is the Lord protects vs. keepes vs and preserues vs in all dangers or whether we die that is for our state in death the Lord comforts vs saues vs and deliuers vs out of all dangers and euils that by death are threatned vnto vs so thou be a true beleeuer and labour to liue and die in obedience to God and then surely whether thou liuest or dyest thou art the Lords he will protect preserue and saue thee in all dangers of life and death which is as much to say that all true beleeuers are in good safety c. As in the Doctrine In Psal 73.23.24 The Prophet makes it his owne particular speaking to the Lord in the sweet meditation of his soule I was alway with thee thou hast holden me by my right hand thou wilt guide me by thy Councell and afterward receiue me to glory I was alwayes with thee saith the Prophet then he was euer in true safety Thou hast holden mee by my right hand therefore alwayes protected by God in all dangers here is intire safety yea but that is for the time past but what shall be for the time to come All safety too for his whole life thou will guide mee with thy Councell thy counsell shall free me from all dangers preserue me in dangers carry me safely through all my dangers that is for the state of my life but what shall become of vs at death All safety too euen to death in death and after death yea more then safety euen safety in glory and afterward receiue me to glory Phil. 1.20 I am confident saith the Apostle that the Lord Iesus Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death Paul applies it to his particular he is confident of his safety whatsoeuer comes that Christ shall be magnified in his body c. And how shall Christ be magnified in his body in life and death why in life by his manifold deliuerances from the manifold dangers of life and in death by his full deliuerance from all euils and dangers of life and death Consider life and death asunder first in life Gods children are in full safety vnder Gods protection all their life Psal 66.9 Our feete are subiect to many slippings and slidings whilest we walke here in this world euen all our lifetime yea but saith the Prophet God holdeth our soules in life and suffereth not our feete to slip that is God holds vs so as that wee shall not fall away from his loue in Christ Secondly in death they are in safety too vnder Gods protection Psal 116.15 Pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints A poore childe of God lies vpon his death-bed and bemoanes himselfe his friends also greeue for him in the sight of the world he is in a greeuous and miserable state yea but in the sight and estimation of God his death is very pretious and deare the Lord loues him the Lord comforts him and at his death the Lord receiues his soule as a pretious Iewell into his owne bosome his death is pretious to the Lord it seperates the vile from the holy death seperates him from his foule sinnes and from his filthy corruptions and from his vncleane flesh and from the wicked world a pretious seperation but it neuer seperates him from the loue of God in Christ Iesus our Lord no it is so farre from that as God esteemes his children more pretious in their death then in their life Reason 1 The reasons why all Gods children are in such safety vnder Gods protection are especially these First because God is the Lord of life and death Deu. 32.39 I kill and give life and God is not onely the Lord of life and death it selfe but of the state of life and death he giues life and he disposeth of vs and of our whole estate in life and he inflicts death and disposeth our state in death we liue of the Lord and in the Lord and to the Lord and we die of the Lord and in the Lord to the Lord. I say he is the Lord of life and death and they are his seruants and they can doe nothing but what God will haue them to doe and therefore except God himselfe will hurt vs these can neuer hurt vs nor put vs out of his safty yea further seeing the Lord himselfe loues vs and protects vs life and death being his seruants shall be applyed and disposed of for the seruice of our safety and protection God is not gouerned by our state condition either in life or death but our state both in life death is altogether ouer-ruled by God framed according to his owne will so that his will being to doe vs good life and death therfore and our whole state in them must be answerable therunto Secondly the Ministry of Gods Angells that is Reason 2 another reason of it for both in life and in death we are vnder the custody of the Angells and that by Gods appointment as hee being the Prince of Angells God giues his Angels charge ouer vs to keepe vs in safety both in life and death and that is the true reason of our safety Psal 91.10 11. The Angels keepe vs and that vniuersally in all our wayes they keepe vs and that very charily and tenderly they beare vs in their hands and they keepe vs very safely and surely so that we dash not our foot against a stone Now the protection of the Angels is Gods own protection because it is by his appointment and therfore ascribe it not to the Creature it is due to the Creator blesse God for it The Angels doe many good offices for vs they waite on vs they destroy our enemies they comfort vs in our distresses and troubles but aboue al they guard our persons in the time of our life Psa 34.7 The Angel of the Lord pitcheth his Tents round about them that feare him deliuereth them And they guard our soules at the time of our death and carry them into Abrahams bosome as they did the soule of Lazarus Luk. 16.22 Here is the safety of Gods children vnder Gods protection both in life and death Thirdly Life and death are ours our friends and Reason 3 on our side and at our seruice 1 Cor. 3.21 All things are yours Life is ours and therefore all the passages of life are for vs and not against vs Death is ours and therefore all the passages of death are for vs not against vs Gods children haue a speciall title to life death to claime them for their owne they haue
communion and fellowship with him of this wee spake the last time as time did permit Now we are to come to the second point 2 Doct. the Bond of this holy Communion betwixt God and vs and that is the loue of God The Doctrine is this that the Bond of that holy Communion which is betwixt God and true Beleeuers is Gods loue to them The Bond of that holy Communion which true Beleeuers haue with God in Christ is the loue of God The Doctrine ariseth thus the Apostle speaking of the Impossibilitie of seperating vs from God or from our Communion with God expresseth it thus nothing can seperate vs from the loue of God thereby giuing vs plainely to vnderstand that the Bond whereby we are so fast ioyned to God in Christ so as nothing can seperate vs is this the loue of God towards vs. Explication consisting in three questions and answeres I will speake somewhat by way of Explication and certaine questions there are to be propounded and answered therein The first question is whether this loue of God here spoken or may not be meant of our loue to God as well as of his loue to vs for so some expound it and it agrees well with the phrase for so sometimes in Scripture the loue of God is taken for Gods loue to vs and sometime for our loue to God And also it agrees well with the drift of this place which is to shew the certainty of the faithfull in the state of grace not onely that nothing can remoue God from vs that he should cease to loue vs but also that nothing shall remoue vs from God that wee should cease to loue him And it agrees well with the Nature of our Communion with God for this being a mutuall Communion as well on our part with God as on his part with vs for as he saith to vs thou art my People so we say to him thou art my God Hosea 2.23 therefore there is necessary vse as well of our loue to him as of his to vs for the vpholding of this Communion I answere the loue of God here spoken of is meant directly properly of Gods loue to vs not of our loue to God for it must be vnderstood of such a loue that neuer failes but alas our loue to God doth faile many times but Gods loue to vs neuer failes therefore it must be meant of Gods loue to vs not of our loue to God there is indeed a great vse an absolute necessity of our loue to God so it is true that God will neuer suffer our loue to fall vtterly from him and so consequently it is true that nothing shall vtterly seperate vs from our loue to him Yea but that is not the drift of the place for the force and power of our vnseperable Coniunction with God doth not stand vpon the weake hold of our loue to God but vpon the strong vnmoueable hold of Gods loue to vs. The second Question is that seeing it is meant of Gods loue to vs then what kinde of Gods loue to the faithfull is here spoken of I answere there is a threefold loue which God beares to all true Beleeuers First God loues his children with a generall loue as they are his Creatures the worke of his owne hands and so he hates nothing that hee hath made and this is a prouiding loue for their maintenance and preseruation and this hee shewes in our daily Foode and Rayment and necessaries for this life Secondly he loues them with a speciall loue as men or as they are of the Nature of mankinde for the Nature of man is a louely thing in the eyes of God and this is a countenancing loue for the aduancement and honour of mankinde and this loue God shewed specially in the Incarnation of Christ when the nature of man was assumed into the person of the Sonne of God The third is a particular loue which he beares to them as they are his Children and true Beleeuers for a true beleeuing Saul is a most pretious Iewell before the Lord and this is a sauing loue for their grace and glory and this hee shewes in making vs one with himselfe inseperably and for euer and this loue it is that is here spoken of Nothing shall seperate vs from the sauing loue of God for grace and glory The third Question is why it is called a Bond The answere is because it performes such Offices in this case as a Bond doth for first a Bond serues to ioyne and tye things together into one Bundle and secondly being so tyed it keepes them fast together so that till the Bond be broken or taken off as wee see in a faggot or a sheafe they are neuer sundred so is Gods loue in this blessed vnion it ioynes together and till it selfe faile which can neuer be it holds vs fast to God for euer These things rightly vnderstood and well digested the Doctrine stands cleare in euery mans vnderstanding and iudgement against all difficultie and exception namely that the Bond of that holy Communion which is betwixt God and true Beleeuers is Gods loue to them in Christ The proofes of the Doctrine are these Proofes or confirmation 1. by Scripture Ier. 31.3 the end of the Verse I haue loued thee with an euerlasting loue therefore with mercy haue I drawne thee It is Gods owne speech to his owne people wherein first he professeth his loue I haue loued thee c. And then he shewes the fruits of his loue therefore with mercy haue I drawne thee c. The Lord shewes mercy vnto vs and in mercy drawes vs vnto himselfe into a blessed Communion with his owne Maiesty but what is the Bond whereby he drawes vs It is his loue to vs I haue loued thee therefore c. Hosea 11.1.4 When Israel was a Childe then I loued him and called my Sonne out of Egypt God cals vs out of the Egyptian darkenesse of Sinne and Death and Hell and takes vs to be his owne Children his Sonnes and Daughters but whence comes it that he enters into this league with vs It is from his loue I haue loued him c. then in the fourth Verse I leade them with Cords of man euen with Bonds of Loue where the Holy Ghost speakes expresly to the point in hand that the Bonds whereby God leades along in the wayes of saluation are the Bonds of Loue Cant. 2 4. He brought mee into the Wine-Cellar and Loue was his Banner ouer me He brought me into his Wine-Cellar there the Spouse euery true beleeuing Soule speakes of the sweet intercourse betwixt Christ and her brought me into his Wine-Cellar that is made me partaker of his spirituall sweet and heauenly comforts for that is meant by wine and loue was his Banner what is the vse of a Banner It is to gather together the Souldiers to the Company and Captaine to whom they doe belong Gods Banner ouer his people is
to Christ extends it selfe to all men and Angels All the loue they finde of God it is in his beloued Sonne Christ Iesus Iohn 17.23 and 26. verses In the 23. our Sauiour saith Thou hast loued them as thou hast loued me speaking of the faithfull Heere wee see that the loue of God to Christ is the sample or patterne of that loue which he beares to vs Now is not the sampler or patterne the ground of that draught which is drawne by it then the loue of God to Christ must needes be the ground of his loue to vs In the 26. verse That the loue where with thou hast loued me may be in them With the same loue wherewith God hath loued Christ he loues vs Here he speakes more directly to the point then before in the 23. verse there was but a likenesse thou louest them as thou louest me Here is a samenesse or onenesse of each The same loue wherewith thou hast loued me may be in them It is not two sorts of loue or two seuerall loues that God beares to Christ and to vs but as God is most simple and but one so is his loue the same hee beares to Christ the same he beares to vs rooted and grounded in Christ and in and through him extended and communicated to vs 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe Here the Apostle speakes of the wonderfull loue of God to the true beleeuing world in Christ and hee comprehends all this loue of God in these words God reconciled vs to himselfe in Christ and withall shewes the manner how he hath reconciled vs to himselfe by not imputing our sinnes vnto vs. Here must needes be infinite loue and mercy in God to forgiue so many thousand sinners as there are beleeuers and so many thousand sinnes as euery beleeuer is guilty of from the beginning to the end of the world Here is infinite loue And what is the ground of all this that the Lord doth vouchsafe all this loue and mercy to beleeuers why it is altogether in Christ and this the Apostle sets out most significantly in the first words God was in Christ personally there was the seat of his loue and in Christ he loued vs and in him he reconciled vs to himselfe not imputing our sinnes vnto vs so that all Gods loue which he beares to vs is in Christ Iesus Ephesians 1. verse 6. To the praise of the glory of his grace wherewith hee hath made vs freely accepted in his beloued The Lord is very gracious vnto his children he takes vs into his fauour and sets his loue vpon vs vouchsafeth many kindnesses vnto vs and this is a glorious grace that hee vouchsafeth vs the glory of his grace God magnifies and glorifies his grace exceedingly on vs In what In that he doth accept vs saith the Apostle It is a glorious and an admirable grace that the Lord God being so great so holy and so glorious as he is should yet freely accept vs such poore sinfull and base creatures as wee are But what is the rule or ground of this of all this glorious grace It is Christ Iesus it is in his beloued saith the Apostle for so it followes in his Beloued that is in Christ Iesus Hee is the beloued Sonne of God So that wee see from proofes out of the Scripture that the point is cleere that all the loue grace and acceptance that euer God shewes to true Beleâ—uers it is in Christ Iesus it is rooted and grounded and founded in the beloued Sonne of God Christ Iesus The Reasons are drawne from the Scripture too Reasons and they are of two sorts some from our selues and our owne estate others from Christ First from our selues our Nature being corrupted God cannot loue this Nature of ours except he finde it in such a person that is free and pure from this corruption and that is Christ Iesus alone and therefore in him alone God loues vs Our Nature is corrupted with sinne Rom. 3.23 All haue sinned and are depriued of the glory of God And God cannot loue but hate sinne and corruption Psal 5.4.5 Thou hatest all them that worke iniquitie thou shalt destroy them that speake lies God hates not onely the worke but the workers of iniquity Wee are so farre from being beloued of God that wee are hatefull to him of our selues and therefore God cannot loue our Nature except he finde it in such a person as is free from sinne and that is Christ alone He tooke our nature vpon him Iohn 1.14 The word was made flesh and he alone was free and pure from sin Isa 53.9 He had done no wickednesse neither was there any deceit in his mouth And therefore in him alone GOD loues vs. Reason 2 The second Reason is from Christ himselfe and that in many respects Take him any way in his Nature person office workes doings sufferings Christ Iesus yeelds vs not onely a cause but an euident demonstration thereof I will giue you some taste hereof For to speake of all is infinite and impossible First consider Christ in his relation to God and so he his the Sonne of God the onely begotten Sonne of God Iohn 1.14 Therefore he is the seate of Gods loue It is so betwixt the Earthly Father and his onely Sonne but if it should faile in man yet it cannot faile in God for Christ is called the Sonne of Gods loue Col. 1.13 Therefore hee is the very loue of his Father Therefore all they that are beloued of God are beloued in him or else they are not beloued Secondly consider him in relation to vs He is our head we his body Col. 1.18 and is not the sense and motion of naturall life originally seated in the head and deriued from the head to all the parts of the Body and so it is betwixt Christ and vs in the sense and motion of Gods loue in our spirituall life He is our head and all our spirituall life is in him and comes from him He is the Vine and we are the branches Iohn 15.5 and what iuyce or nourishment soeuer is in the branches for naturall growth it is first in the stocke or roote so it is betwixt Christ and vs what iuyce soeuer we haue to grow in Grace it is from this stocke euen from Christ himselfe Hee is the foundation we the building 1 Cor. 3.9.11 And doth not the whole frame waight and cost of the building rest on the foundation so the whole frame of Gods Church and that grace and worth of euery beleeuing member it rests wholly on Christ the foundation Thirdly consider Christ in the Common relation he beares to God and vs and so he is our mediator and that not onely to God for vs but from God to vs 1 Tim. 2.4 A mediator generally receiues of the one party and conueyes it to the other and so Christ receiues the loue of God and conueyes it to vs But this may be where the parties
are equall but here God and man must be mediated betweene the parties are very vnequall and therefore here is a further matter to be pressed If the King be displeased with the subiect he that must mediate betwixt them and makes the peace must be such an one as the King loues that so dearely as that for his sake he can be content to forgiue loue the party that hath offended him in this case the loue shewed to the offender is granted in his loue to the Mediator So it is betwixt God vs we haue displeased him therefore Christ our Mediator he must be so dearely beloued of God that for his sake God wil be reconciled to vs so that the ground of all Gods loue to vs is in Christ Iesus Yea here is yet a further matter much more enforcing this Reason Here is such a mediation as the like is not found in the world againe The Mediator is in both the parties betwixt whom he mediates and both they are in him that is God in Christ and Christ in God Christ in the faithfull and the faithfull in him and therefore there can be no loue of God to vs but it must be grounded on Christ Lastly in respect of his absolute State in himselfe for what saith the Apostle All the treasures of the wisdome and knowledge of God are hid in Christ Col. 2.2.3 If all Gods Treasure be in him then the riches and treasure of Gods loue is in him too In him dwels the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily verse 9. If the fulnesse of the Godhead then the fulnesse of Gods loue dwels in him there is the ground seate and Residence of it And therefore the ground of all the loue that God beares to vs is in Christ Iesus Vse 1 The first Vse of this point for matter of Confutation of two popish Errours at once namely concerning the mediation of Saints and the merits of man Vnderstand this one point well that Christ Iesus is the ground of all Gods loue to vs and the multitude of mediators and mans merits will fall to the ground euen as Dagon did before the Arke Christ is the ground of Gods loue to vs What neede we any other mediators he onely brings vs into Gods loue and fauour and none else can doe it so for mans merits they cannot procure Gods loue Christ merits all at Gods hand If we can merit any thing it is either grace or glory and this wee cannot merit vnlesse wee can merit Gods loue and that wee cannot doe vnlesse we can merit Christ Iesus who is the infinite treasure of God for he is the seate of it and if we will say that we can merit Christ then wee may say that we can merit Gods loue else we can neuer do it and if we cannot merit Gods loue then we can neither merit grace nor glory I do not hereby dis-hearten men from good workes but from the pride of them Doe not thinke to merit any thing at the hands of God by them all our merit is in Christ for God loues vs onely in him The second vse serues to shew vs the wofull and Vse 2 miserable estate of those that are out of Christ First shewing the wofull estate of those that are out of Christ and the blessed and happy estate of those that are in Christ First the wofull and miserable estate of those that are out of Christ all that are without Christ that is that are not regarded of God in Christ they are in a fearefull taking God loues them not they may loue themselues and the world may loue and applaud them but God doth not loue them When these prophane wretches shall come to fawne on God in their priuate houses by reading praying singing of Psalmes c. What wil God say vnto them Away get you from me you are not in Christ I loue you not If they come to Gods House to heare the word to receiue the Sacraments to call vpon God with the Assembly or the like what will God say to them Get you hence you are not in Christ I loue you not But when they shall come before Gods iudgement seate and there make profession of their almes deuotion profession formality in Religion and the like what will God say to them Depart from mee yee accursed yee are not in Christ I loue you not In that day they shall feele and finde what it is to be destitute of Gods loue and to be out of Châ—ist for the euerlasting wrath and hatred and curse of God shall be shewed vpon them to the vttermost Ioh. 3.36 Hee that beleeues in the Sonne hath euerlasting life and on the contrary hee that obeyeth not the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him They that doe not beleeue and obey Christ they are exposed to the wrath and hatred of God it shall be their portion for euer The Apostle Eph. 2.12 speakes of the Ephesians before their calling and saith that they were without hope and without God in the world Hee that hath not his part in Christ hath no part nor portion in God but onely as the Beasts or the Diuels haue the maintaining hand of God for life and maintenance yea but there is no sauing loue of God to them that are without Christ but they are exposed to the curse and wrath of God And let vs take hold vpon one particular in that place for the present occasion It is said there That they were strangers from the Couenant c. You come heereto receiue the Sacrament the Seale of Gods Couenant see therefore that ye haue faith in Christ and be in Christ and that you be reconciled to God in him else you are strangers from this Couenant you haue nothing to doe with this Seale it concernes you not therefore if you be without Christ get you hence you are but Dogges and Swine in Gods estimation these precious pâ—arlâ—s these holy things of God are not to be communicated vnto you ye haue no part in these things Secondly Secondly shewing the blessed estate of those that be in Christ truely this shewes the happy blessed estate of all true Beleeuers that are truely in Chrâ—st and that desire to be â—â—ke vnto him They haue a happy state they haue true right and title to that loue which God beares to his dearely beloued Sonne and to all the pledges and fruits of it If we be in Christ wee are intitled to the beginning of Gods loue his Election for in Christ we haue our Election Ephes 1.4 He hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue Secondly in Christ we are intitled to the renewing of Gods loue to vs in our Redemption for in him we haue our Redemption Col. 1.14 In whom you haue redemption by his bloud c. Thirdly in Christ we are intitled to the application of his loue
denie our selues and dye to sinne and rise againe to newnesse of life Thou that goest on in thy sinne neuer dreame that God loues thee in Christ except thou hast crucified the flesh with the lusts they that haue their part of Gods loue in Christ they crucifie the flesh Thirdly then this loue of God to vs in Christ is a most perfect loue Ioh. 17.23 God loues vs with the same loue wherewith he loues Christ and therefore it cannot but be a most perfect loue If God should loue vs in our selues it would be a very imperfect loue not worthy God because all the louely graces in the best of vs are stained with many imperfections and therefore God takes vs and sets vs into Christ forgiues all our sinnes in his death and couers all our vnrighteousnesse with his righteousnesse and so beholds vs and loues vs in him with a perfect loue and if we haue not this perswasion we shall neuer come to haue any true peace in our consciences Fourthly if God loue vs in Christ then his loue to vs is most vnchangeable and vnmoueable it is grounded and built on a Rocke and the Rocke is Christ Iesus and therefore can neuer be moued but stands fast for euer If any thing can alienate Gods loue from Christ Iesus then it may alienate his loue from vs If nothing can remoue his loue from Christ then nothing can remoue it from vs and let sinne and Sathan and all our enemies bodily and spirituall stand vp and say what they can doe against vs Can you draw vs from the loue of God wee will put you hard to it well doe your worst Can you draw the loue of God from Christ if you cannot as wee are sure you cannot then you cannot draw it from vs for it is grounded in Christ Iesus Lastly if God loue vs in Christ then this loue of God to vs is a most sweet and comfortable loue and that in all the former respects because it is a tender loue a holy loue a perfect loue and an vnchangeable loue yea but especially in this respect because it is in Christ Iesus the very name of Gods loue is very sweet and comfortable vnto vs but when the nature of it is tendred vnto vs in the name and person of Iesus Christ it is much more sweet and comfortable vnto vs To be sorted with Christ in any state whatsoeuer is very comfortable to the beleeuing soule to be in afflictions and reproaches with him yea to dye with him this is a comfortable thing to Gods Children Who would not thinke themselues happy to be ioyned with Christ in any of these Yea but to be sorted with Christ in the bosome of God in the loue of God that God should loue vs in Christ Iesus yea and with the same loue wherewith hee loued Christ Iesus Here is the comfort of all comforts and the fulnesse of our Consolation The last Vse teacheth vs that as God loues in Vse 6 Christ Iesus and measures forth all his proceedings to vs in him so must wee doe to God againe If wee doe any thing to God doe it in Christ If we beleeue in God let vs beleeue in him through Christ If wee pray to God let vs pray to him in Christ If we loue God let vs loue him in Christ If we obey God let vs obey him in Christ If wee worship God let vs worship him in Christ Whatsoeuer we doe in word or deed let all be done in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ Colos 3.17 else it is abhominable to God our spirituall sacrifices are acceptable to God onely in Iesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 Againe is Iesus Christ the ground of all Gods loue to vs then let the ground of all our loue to God to the faithfull and to the Creatures be setled in Christ Doth God loue thee onely in Christ and canst thou not loue where thou seest Christ Or darest thou loue where thou dost not see him Seeing God loues where he sees Christ and loues not where he sees not Christ learne his example and frame loue to his loue Let vs loue the Creatures of God in Christ the Children of God in Christ let vs loue the ordinances of God in Christ let vs loue God himselfe in Christ and whatsoeuer we doe in the seruice of God let it be done in Christ whatsouer we doe in word or deed let all be done in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ Yee come now to receiue the Sacrament of the Lords Supper then walke by this Rule in receiuing Let vs doe all that we doe herein in the name faith loue power and mediation of Christ Let vs receiue it in Christ as God giues it to vs for the loue hee beares to vs in Christ so let vs receiue it for the loue of Christ with a true purpose to serue God all our life and let vs bewaile our sinnes and know that all our worthinesse is in Christ and therefore let vs receiue it in the worthinesse of Christ beleeuing that God will make it effectuall to our soules in him And so receiuing it and doing all we doe in it in the name of Christ we shall receiue it with glory to God and comfort to our owne Soules FINIS THE FOVRTH SERMON Vpon ROMANS â—… the two last Verses For I am perswaded or I am sure that neither Death nor life nor Angels c. AS the Lord hath beene pleased to enable vs we haue entred into the handling of these verses and shewed the dependance of them with the former and the meaning of the seuerall tearmes of words that the Apostle declares himselfe vpon then I laide you downe seauen heads whereunto the whole force of the Apostles speech might be reduced the first was implyed and that was that there is a Communion betwixt God all true beleeuers Secondly the Apostle shewes the Bond of this Communion that is the loue of God Thirdly he shewes the ground of this Communion and of the bond of it and that is Iesus Christ Fourthly the Apostle declares the neere interest that the faithfull haue to Christ by a note of speciall reference our Lord. And this is the point we are now come vnto and if God shew vs strength in weakenesse it shall be our meditation at this time Christ Iesus our Lord The Doctrine hence is this Doctrine That there is a very neere and speciall reference betwixt Christ Iesus and all the faithfull whereby hee is interressed in them they in him He is our Lord saith the Apostle and consequently wee are his subiects and seruants for this is a terme of mutuall relation intending his right in vs and ours in him his superiority ouer vs and our subiection vnto him hee is our Lord and we are his subiects and seruants According to our manner we will speake somewhat of this by way of Explication Explication And therein wee are to consider of two things First of the Title Lord.
feele in our selues in some measure else wee were neuer in the state of grace To open the point more fully and familiarly the estate of the loue of God and the estate of grace consists in certaine mutuall passages betwixt God and man On Gods part to man there are two chiefe passages Gods loue the perswasion of Gods loue and on mans part there are also two chiefe passages Faith and Loue All those that God will saue he loues them from all eternity in Iesus Christ there is Gods loue and in due time he acquaints them with it and perswades them by his Spirit to beleeue it and to accept of it and to returne loue and obedience for it there is his perswasion On mans part man being ouercome with the sence of this loue and the force of his perswasion he yeelds to God and imbraceth this loue and beleeues the promise of grace and applies it to himselfe here is our faith and withall is carryed after that good God with the whole bent of his Nature and streame of his affections that so dearely loued vs here is our loue Take it thus those whom God in mercy doth purpose to saue he will come vnto commonly vpon the hearing of the Word or else in some speciall affliction at the least in some good imployment and takes vs aside and drawes vs into some serious meditation of our estate and he breakes with vs to this effect as if he should say Ah poore sinfull soule thou art in a miserable a fearefull and a damnable case led away euery day into sinne in a fearefull manner and euery houre of the day thou hast deserued my wrath and fearefull curse to fall vpon thee if thou go on in these sinfull courses hell and damnation is thy portion for euer but I haue pitty vpon thee and would haue thee to haue pitty vpon thy selfe I doe not desire thy death but that thou doe repent and liue and out of my infinite loue to mankinde I haue giuen my owne deare Sonne Christ Iesus to die for such poore wretched sinners as thou art and now I come to tell thee and doe tell thee by my Spirit that thou poore sinfull soule art one of these sinners that CHRIST hath purchased by his most pretious bloud therefore my Sonne hearken vnto my voyce Oh my Sonne giue me thy heart turne thy loue and thy affections wholly vpon me beleeue thou in me and beleeue in my Sonne Christ Iesus beleeue his Spirit his truth his promises cast away all thy sinnes neuer let them enter into thy heart againe and giue thy selfe to promise and performe a holy life be perswaded by my aduise hold fast by me and I will hold fast by thee doe thus and I will be thy Father and thou shalt be my childe for euer Thus God wooes and thus hee winnes euery sinfull soule And this perswasion of his is not only a bare tender of grace as if God should say thou shalt be saued if thou wilt but it is Gods operatiue work of grace which he perswades vs and makes vs able willing to do he bids vs beleeue and withall he giues vs his Spirit and causeth vs to beleeue in Christ he perswades vs to set our loue vpon him and withall hee sheds forth his loue into our hearts by his holy Spirit and makes vs able and willing to loue him This is the right state of sauing grace or of the loue of God and when this knot of grace is knit betwixt God and the beleeuing Soule it can neuer be dissolued by all the powers of hell So we see the Doctrine explained that the hould which the faithfull haue in the loue of God through Iesus Christ it is a sure hould the estate of grace that they are in is an vndefeasible estate nothing can voide them nothing can depriue them of it The proofes of this Doctrine are these Proofes Psal 125.1 They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion that cannot be remoued but remaineth for euer The persons there spoken of are the same that we spake of in the Doctrine they that trust in the Lord the faithfull say wee that by faith and confidence haue gotten sure hould of God in Christ secondly the estate there spoken of is the same we speake of a sure and firme estate by way of comparison is set downe to be as mount Sion the surety whereof is set downe by negation it cannot be moued and by affirmation but remaineth for euer The substance of the speech is this mount Sion is so firmely setled as it can neuer be remoued But all they that trust in the Lord are in such a state therefore all they can neuer be remoued but stand fast for euer Some obiect and say it is true that the faithfull so long as they trust in the Lord are vnmoueable but they may cease to trust in the Lord and so may be remoued I answere this is a meere illusion of the place and this Scripture cannot be so deluded for if they that trust in the Lord may cease quite from trusting in him then they may loose their hold in him but the place saith they can neuer loose their hold in God for then Mount Sion may be remoued but saith the Text Mount Sion can neuer be remoued therefore they can neuer quite cease to trust in God the Prophet concludes as well the surenesse of their trust that it shall neuer faile as the surenesse of Mount Sion that it should neuer faile he affirmes as well the surenesse of their faith as the firmenesse of the hold they haue in God Matth. 7.24.25 whosoeuer heareth of mee these words and doth the same I will liken him to a wise man that builded his house vpon a Rocke This wise builder is euery true beleeuer and the house there built is the Rest that he sets himselfe vpon how hee lookes to be saued the grounding of this house vpon a Rocke is the relying of the Beleeuer truely and wholly vpon Christ Iesus by a true and liuely faith in his bloud the raine fell and the flouds came and the windes blew c. These are his tryals by afflictions temptations persecutions c. The best beleeuer is sure to haue tryals enough euen to the vttermost as much as he can stand vnder and not more but here is his comfort his house shall neuer fall because it is built vpon a Rocke the true beleeuer hath gotten sure hold on God by faith in Christ and therfore he can neuer fall Ioh. 3.36 He that beleeues in the Sonne hath euerlasting life c. These are the words of Iohn Baptist and are confirmed by our Sauiour and that by tearmes of asseueration Ioh 6.47 Verily verily I say to you hee that beleeueth in mee hath euerlasting life Here is a true Beleeuer and what is his portion euerlasting life and he saith not he shall haue but he hath it hee is sure of it hee is possessed of
accompany a Christian life as Christ himself the Author of thy saluation But here some will pleade their priuiledges that they are exempted from this hard portion for they are loth to come vnder affliction as the child is to come vnder the rod First say they God loues vs therefore he will not afflict vs I say he loues thee therfore he will afflict thee Reu. 3.19 As many as I loue saith God I rebuke chasten Againe they say God is our Father and we are his children therfore he will not correct vs Nay therfore he wil correct vs Heb. 12.6 Whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth and scourgeth euery Sonne that he receiueth Again say they Christ hath suffered all for vs therfore we must not suffer any such things Nay therefore we must suffer Mat. 16.24 If any man will follow Christ he must take vp his Crosse and follow him vnlesse we doe thus we cannot be Christs disciples Iohn 15.20 It is true that these are sweet heauenly priuiledges and such as exempt vs from the euill of all afflictions but not from any one kind of them The second Vse is for Exhortation first to teach Vse 2 euery man to make account of afflictions to look for them continually Make account as duly of thy portion in the Cup of afflictions as of any part of thy daily bread which thou liuest vpon when we are in health and prosperity let vs looke for sicknes aduersitie But will some say what shall I look for these before-hand this is to vexe and trouble our selues without need for if the distresses we looke for do not come then we trouble our selues in vaine If they do come then they bring harme trouble enough with them Why should we sorrow before-hand I answere yet we must looke for them before-hand for if we do so then if they do not come as haply thy godly feare hath preuented them we haue cause to blesse God for it If they doe come then if wee haue made account of them before the smart of them wil be much easier vnto vs temptations troubles and losses when they come vnawares they do commonly lie very hard and heauy vpon vs but when we haue made account of them before-hand they are much lighter to vs. I will not deny but that we must vse all possible meanes to auoid afflictions we must pray against them preuent them what we can as our Sauiour prayed If it be possible let this cup passe from me Luk. 22. yet wee must make account of them before-hand These times wee liue in are such as call vpon vs to looke for afflictions they are the last dayes of the world and they are the worst and most dangerous times present troubles and miseries and imminent dangers and feares there were neuer more The Lord is abroad in Iudgement and carries his cup in his hand the Germans drinke of it first the French soone after the Polonians soone after them and haue not the English iust cause to feare that wee shall pledge them and that ere long we know not how soone Secondly againe this teacheth vs not onely to account of afflictions before-hand but also to prepare for them and to furnish our selues accordingly there is much good to be had by them and therefore we are to prepare for them and therefore doth God warne vs of dangers before-hand that we might be armed to beare them when they doe come Things to be laboured for that we may beare afflictions And that we may prepare for them we must labour for these things First wee must labour to get a resolution in vs to beare them and to stand it out to the death we must resolue with the Apostle Act. 21.13 not onely to suffer but to die with Christ Secondly we must season our hearts with the comforts of Gods promises before-hand to counteruaile our afflictions when they come as that he will neuer faile vs nor forsake vs that he loues vs and that the issue shall be good Thirdly esteeme basely and vildely of thy selfe deny thy selfe and so take vp thy Crosse and follow Christ Matth. 16.24 If we be choise and leaning to our selues we will neuer endure the Crosse compare Matth. 16.20 with Phil. 2.7 And fourthly we must labour to be well acquainted with the death of Christ this is Armour of proofe against all afflictions to know Iesus Christ and him crucified by sensible experience in our selues If I finde the life of Gods Spirit in me applying the death of Christ to mee and thereby subduing and crucifying my sinnes if we can finde this we shall be well armed against all afflictions We come here to receiue the Lords Supper in remembrance of Christs death then let vs desire to be made conformable to his death and then afflictions will be sweet vnto vs. Againe let vs labour for the assurance of Gods loue and fauour for that is it that makes the Apostle thus boldly to beare vp himselfe against all afflictions The last Vse teacheth vs Pacification euen in our Vse 3 greatest distresses let vs sit downe and say this is my portion and therefore will I beare it Many are ready to complaine and cry out and to say when they are afflicted especially when Gods hand lies heauy vpon them Oh my affliction is great and strange my case is not like vnto other mens no man is so hardly handled as I am as the Church Lam. 1.12 but this is the frowardnesse of our corrupt hearts Whatsoeuer it is it is thy portion and therefore be pacified and contented It is no otherwise with thee then it is with all Gods children euery one hath his portion of them 1 Pet. 4.12 It is no strange thing 1 Pet. 5.9 It is the same afflictions that are accomplished in our Brethren 1 Cor. 10.13 No temptation doth befall vs but such as appertaine to man and therfore let vs be content and pacifie our selues looke not so much on thy afflictions but looke vp to God It is his Ordinance that euery one of vs should beare his portion of affliction whatsoeuer thou dost endure it is but thy portion thy draught Shall I not drinke of the Cup which my Father giues me to drinke of saith our Sauiour Ioh. 18.11 This is it our Sauiour comforts himselfe and his Disciples withall and let this comfort thee It is thy Fathers Cup and therefore thou must drinke of it And secondly let vs looke vpon others of Gods children some of them are equall with thee in afflictions others come short but many goe beyond thee and thy afflictions are but little to some of theirs and those that are at more ease now may be in great distresses hereafter and wilt not thou be content to beare that which all Gods children beare and must beare more or lesse first or last All of vs haue sinned Christ onely excepted but none are exempted from the rodde not Christ himselfe And is it not a
once they haue seized they will tug hard before they will let goe Thirdly They are very malicious and therefore the Diuell is fitly set out vnto vs by the name of a great red Dragon Reuel 12.3 The Dragon of all Creatures is the most fierce spightfull and malicious Sathans malice is greater then the Dragons for he is a great Dragon and more fierce then the malice of the Dragon for he is a great red Dragon saith the Apostle as who should say that he burnes fiery red in malice alwaies against Gods Church Fourthly They are very subtle and therfore they are compared to a Serpent Reuel 12.9 That olde Serpent called the Diuell and Sathan was cast out which deceiueth all the world and the Serpent is very subtle Gen. 3.1 Now the Serpent was more subtle c. The Diuell is an olde subtle Serpent so subtle that saith the Apostle he deceiues all the world this hee hath done and this he doth daily Fiftly They are very actiue and nimble they are spirits by nature and therefore by reason of the spiritualnesse and agility of their natures they can and doe passe from place to place quickely and sodainly to and fro as the lightning When Iob was to be tried see how nimbly Sathan bestirred himselfe first to his Oxen in one place then to his Sheep in another place then to his Cammels in another place and then to his children in another place and all this in a trice in the turning of a hand as it were Iob 1. And when our Sauiour Christ was to be tempted how quickely did Sathan get him vp to the top of the pinacle of the temple to the top of a high mountaine in the twinckling of an eye saith the Text Luke 4.5.6 Sixtly he is very busie hee compasseth the world to and fro Iob 1.7 And walketh about seeking whom he may deuoure 1 Pet. 5.8 When we sit still he walkes about vs when we are most at leasure he is most busie to doe vs mischiefe when we sleepe hee wakes when our sences are bound vp as they are in our sleepe and the inmost powers of our soules are in some sort lockt vp from him yet then he leaues vs not but euen in our sleepe hee deludes our sences with many idle and vaine imaginations and polutes our thoughts with much filthines and vncleannesse Seauenthly they are very well appointed therefore are compared to a strong man armed Lu. 11.21 and if one be too weake of himselfe he can goe presently and take seauen spirits more to him worse then himselfe Luke 11.26 and then he will be hard enough for vs. The Diuell hath all the world to his friend as he carryeth the matter like a Spider that hath his Cop-web in euery corner of the house to catch the poore silly Flyes so the Diuell hath his snares and Cop-webs in euery corner of the world to catch our poore sinfull soules withall Eightly they are very well experienced and therefore the Diuell is called the old Serpent Reuel 12 9. A mans experience is a great aduantage to him though it be but of some few yeares what wonderfull aduantage then is the Diuels experience against vs which hee hath had since the beginning of the world Lastly they are very dangerous there is no more but a word and a blow with them first a temptation then presently an inclination and then presently a sinne and then hell and damnation short worke This is alwayes Sathans intention in all his assaults and this he euer brings to passe where he hath his reach and where he is not bridled by the ouer-ruling hand of God and therefore hee is called a deuourer a destroyer and a murtherer Thirdly we must know how they seeke to annoy vs Fiue particulars how the diuell annoyes vs. surely they seeke to annoy vs euery way at all times and in all places and in all states and conditions and vpon all occasions and by all meanes and instruments what is it that hee will not make an instrument to fight against vs withall First hee bends all his owne power malice and subtilty against vs and all the forces that the kingdome of darkenesse can afford flattering threatning deluding buffetting tempting vexing and tormenting vs euen spending themselues to doe vs a mischiefe Secondly not content with this he sets the creatures against vs the sea the winde and stormes and tempests all to annoy vs afflict vs crosse vs and disquiet vs yea euen our meat and our drinke and our bed those deare creatures of God which wee cannot liue without he makes them to be a snare vnto vs. Thirdly he increaseth men against vs to persecute vs to afflict vs to tempt vs yea sometime our owne dearest friends our owne wiues and children Fourthly not content with all this hee sets our selues against our selues our appetite against our reason the flesh against the spirit our practise against our iudgement and our owne wils against our owne soules and this is a most dangerous assault for now they are our enemies that are of our owne household and till Sathan can come to this to make our selues against our selues all his assaults can neuer hurt vs. Lastly as he seekes to set the whole world against vs so he proceedes further and seekes to set God against vs too Let vs assure our selues that Sathan is with God euery day accusing vs and pleading against vs and suing out a Commission from God against vs as he did against Iob that hee may haue vs in his owne power to doe his owne will vpon vs and to hurt vs. Fourthly we must know how farre they may endanger vs surely they may endanger vs so farre as God shall be pleased at any time to giue them commission and no further as God hath set a bound to the raging Sea that thus farre his proud waues shall come and no further so God hath done to Sathan and all the powers of darkenesse thus farre they shall goe and no further They may endanger vs to the spoyling of our goods and to the hurt of our bodies and to the distemper of our spirits and sometimes to the losse of our liues but neuer to the losse of our soules God giues way vnto them that they may seperate vs from all worldly things but hee neuer giues way vnto them to seperate vs from the loue of God in Christ Iesus which being the chiefe end of all their endeauours for whatsoeuer meanes they vse this is the principall end they ayme at to seperate vs from the loue of God in Christ Iesus being not able to attaine vnto it here they are foyled and this is their torment and a speciall portion of their hell in this world Proofes Now let vs come to the proofes Gen. 3.15 I will put enmity betwixt thee and the woman and betwixt thy seed and her seede he shall breake thine head and thou shalt bruise his heele God himselfe speakes this to Sathans face for his
greater dis-couragement And the speech containes two things first the enmity that should be betwixt the woman the Serpent betwixt their seeds that is betwixt Sathan mankind secondly the issue euent of it the enmity in the former part of the verse I will put enmity c. where we see first that this is a mutuall enmity that is of Sathan against vs and of vs against him he should exercise continuall enmity against vs and we must exercise a continuall enmity against him secondly it is a deadly enmity a deadly feude as we say not onely against the persons themselues but against their seed too it is a deadly enmity neuer like to be reconciled he and his seed against vs and our seede and we and our seed against him and his seed Thirdly this emnity is of Gods own ordinance I will put it saith God therefore neuer thinke it strange that Sathan is such a deadly enemy against vs God hath so ordained it neither must we thinke it much that wee are continually put to this fight against Sathan for it is God that hath imposed this condition vpon vs. Then the issue followes in the latter part of the verse It shall breake thine head and thou shalt bruise his heele Sathan shall but bruise her heele hee may tempt and trouble and disquiet Gods children and persecute them and take away their goods and happily their liues too but this is nothing it is but a little nibling at the heele it is nothing in respect of our soule It is but the heele that he can hurt some outward part but he can neuer touch vs in our head that is in the hold that we haue in the loue of God through Iesus Christ But on the other side the seed of the woman shall breake thine head saith God Sathan shall part with the greatest losse his head shall be broke and his power destroyed his purposes disappointed and at last himselfe vtterly vanquished and confounded Here is strong comfort for Gods children Yea but this is spoken of Christ himselfe he is the seed meant there I answere It is spoken of Christ indeed but withall vnderstand that in the case of Christ is set forth the case of euery beleeuing soule as Christ being the head and wee the members and therfore that which is done by Christ against Sathan is done for vs on our behalfe and to our benefit Matth. 16.18 Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it In the 16. verse Peter had made a glorious confession of sauing faith Thou art that Christ the Sonne of the liuing God In this 18. verse our Sauiour quits him and saith Thou art Peter c. as if he should say Is it so Peter that thou hast this faith in thine heart to make this confession of me Then I say vnto thee Thou art Peter and vp on this Rocke that is not vpon Peters person nor vpon Peters confession but vpon the matter of his confession Christ Iesus the Sonne of the liuing GOD vpon this Rocke will I build my Church that is all true beleeuers and that so firmely and surely that all the gates that is all the powers of hell shall neuer preuaile against it to ouerthrow it Hell hath many gates the gates of sinne death and the Diuell yet all these gates of hell and all these powers of darkenesse shall neuer be able to shake off this building from this foundation this Church from this Rocke to seperate any one true beleeuing soule from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord many other promises there are in the Scripture of this nature yea but these are but promises If these promises doe not sufficiently confirme our distrustfull hearts in the perswasion of this heauenly truth see it by experience and let that confirme vs. In Reuel 12.7 to 11. verse where the holy Ghost sets it downe as a thing already done there is set downe a battaile and the successe the battaile in the 7. verse Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon and the Dragon and his Angels fought Here must needs be a great Battaile when all the world is deuided into two parts to fight one against another What is the successe first on the Dragons part he preuailed not verse 8. hee was disappointed of his purpose all his labour against Gods children was lost and spent in vaine and in the 9. verse hee was cast out of Heauen and his Angels with him hee had a shamefull ouerthrow The successe in respect of the beleeuers what was that first great ioy and triumph in heauen verse 10. and secondly a glorious conquest verse 11. they ouercame him how by that blood of that Lambe c. This is the common estate of Gods Church and children and this euery true beleeuing soule shall surely finde in particular in his greatest fight against sinne and Sathan from time to time to the end of the world The Reasons of this point Reasons There are no reasons on our part why Sathan doth not preuaile against vs for we are ready to lye downe as beasts and to betray our owne soules and to be taken of him at his pleasure no all our stay and safety is meerely through God in Christ The first Reason is this God by his power restrains and limits the power of Sathan as we may see in Iob 1. and 2. Chapters when hee lets him loose vpon Iob it is with restraint still all that he hath is in thy power onely vpon himselfe put not forth thy hand Iob 1.12 And in the 2. Chapter and 6. Verse Behold he is in thine hand but saue his life Now the power of God is more mighty to helpe vs then the power of Sathan is to hurt vs 1 Iohn 4.4 Hee is greater that is in vs then he that is in the world and except the Lord should thus limit and binde the power of Sathan no man liuing could euer stand against him God restraines him and keepes him as a Lyon within barres and grates Secondly he restraines their rage and malice as he did Luke 8.33 where he turned the rage of the Diuels from the man that was possest with them vnto the swine Gods goodnesse is more able and ready to preserue vs then Sathans malice is to destroy vs. Thirdly God defeats the plots and purposes of these euill spirits Zach. 3.1.2 his wisedome ouer-reaches all their subtilties and watches ouer vs more effectually to saue then they with all their subtilties can doe to cast vs away Fourthly God endues vs with grace and strength from aboue to resist and stand fast that they may not preuaile against vs for it is not our owne strength we stand by but it is the power of God 1 Cor. 12.9 His grace and his power is all-sufficient to preserue vs. The last maine Reason is from Christ himselfe for he is Sathans vanquisher and he is