of Christ Iesus seeing the causes of that lyfe are more aboundant then the causes of that death therefore th' effect that is the lyfe must be more aboundant or powerful in raigning Hereby is it euident that they haue never truely tasted of the sauing mercie of God in Christ who doe so thinke of it as if it were not alone without adding something of our merite sufficient to bring vs to lyfe Let vs therefore magnifie the mercie of God which is so aboundant plentifull and running ouer that it giueth full contentement to the heart perfite peace to the soule of man and let vs pray for our selves as the Apostle prayeth for the Ephesians Ephe 3.18 and 19. that being rooted and grounded in loue wee may be able to comprehende with all Saintes what is the bredth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Iesus Christ which passeth knowledge that we may be filled with all fulnes of God and so haue our soules satisfied with his goodnes Now followeth the third poynt The meanes whereby wee are brought to hope which is concerning the meane or fitting midds whereby the Lord bringeth vs to this blessed hope and that is our Regeneration or newe birth For as Christ sayeth to Nicodemus Except a man bee borne againe Ioh. 3.3 he can not see the kingdome of God and consequentlie can haue no hope of it therefore sayeth the Apostle here that God hath begotten vs againe to hope Here haue we to consider two things First what this begetting is And secondly why it is called our begetting againe or second birth Which wordes haue a manifest relatiō to a former begetting and birth As touching the birth it is fully described to vs in the word of God The Apostle in this same chapter of this epistle and 23. verse doth shew vs the sence of this conception and birth both what kinde it is of and which it is As for the kinde he telleth vs it is not mortall and so perishing as all flesh is but immortall which liueth and endureth for ever And that he declareth to bee the word of God which was preached by the Apostle to the world Secondly touching the mother who must beare vs in whose wombe this seed is sowen and out of whose bowelles we must proceed the Apostle to the Galathians speaketh plainlie Galat. 4.26 saying It is Ierusalem which is aboue or heauenlie Ierusalem that is the true Church of God whose propertie is That she is free and shee sayeth the Apostle is the Mother of vs all and was figured by Sara the free woman the mother of Isaac the heire and childe of promise Thirdly the Euangelist Iohn telleth vs who is the Father by whom wee must be begotten Ioh. 1.13 borne againe not of blood nor the will of flesh nor the will of man but God only The first teacheth vs to esteeme much of the blessed worde of God since without it there is no Regeneration and so no hope of lyfe That there is no Renovation but by the word it is plaine by the speach of Christ him selfe in the 17. chapter of Iohn verse 17. Sanctifie them with the trueth thy word is trueth And that without Regeneration there is no hope it is manifest both by the Apostle by the speach aforsaid of Christ to Nicodemus Heb. 12 4◠And by the Apostle to the Hebrues where he sayeth that without holines no man shall see God Therefore should we al indeuour to haue the word of God abyding in vs and dwelling in vs plenteouslie according to the exhortation of the Apostle to the Colossians And as the Apostle sayth in the next chap. We should as newe borne babes Colos 3 1◠desire that sincere milke of the worde that we may growe thereby For as witnesseth the Apostle to the Hebrues we can not escape if wee neglect so great a saluation which at the first began to be preached by the Lord and afterwards was confirmed to vs by them that heard him Hebr. 2.3 seeing the word spokē by Angells was stedfast euery transgression disobedience receiued a iust recōpence or reward And the Apostle in the 2. epis 2. Thes 1.8 to the Thessalon teacheth vs that Iesus Christ at his appearing shal rēder vēgeāce to al that obey not the Gospel The second point teacheth vs not to forsake nor neglect as sayeth the Apostle to the Hebr. our mutuall gatherings together Heb. 10.25 or the fellowship that wee have among our selves But with Dauid Let vs desire require euen this one thing of the Lord That we may dwell in the house of the Lord al the dayes of our life Psal 27.4 to behold the beautie of the Lord and to visite his Temple Psal 36.8 and that we may be satisfied with the fatnes of his house receyve drinke out of the Riuers of his pleasures Psal 46.4 For ther is a Riuer which maketh glad the city of God evē the Sanctuary of the Tabernacles of the High For this heauēly Ierusalem is faire in situation Psal 48.1.2 and 3. the ioy of the whole earth and Cittie of the great King In the Palaces whereof God is knowne for a refuge Psal 53. and 6. and out of Zion commeth saluation Therfore doe the Tribes of the Lord goe vp to Ierusalem according to the testimonie of Israell to prayse the Name of the Lord. For there are Thrones set for Iudgement Psal 122. euen the Thrones of the house of Dauid And therfore seing this is the place of safetie and saluation where the beautie of the Lord is to be seene where the voyce of the Lord is to be heard from his holy Oracle we should reioyce with Dauid when we heare the people say Psal 84. We will goe vp into the house of the Lord. Our feet shall stand in the gates of Ierusalem For as witnesseth Dauid Blessed are they that dwell in the house of the Lord Psal 42. for they shall euer praise him Therfore did his soule long and fainte for the Courtes of the Lordes house yea his soule panted after the Lord as the hart after the waters being banished from the publicke worship of God by the persecution of Saul and his heart was poured out when he remembred that he had gone with the multitude and led them in the house of God with the voyce of singing and prayse as a multitude that keepeth a feast Psal 84.11 Because a day in the Courtes of the Lord is better then a thousand other where and better is it to be a doore keeper in the house of the Lord then to dwell in the tabernacles of wickednes Psal 87. for glorious things are spoken of the Citie of our God For of Ziō it is said that many are borne in her Seeing therefore that our spirituall birth is in heauenly Ierusalem where the seed of Gods worde is continually sowen Mat. 13.
we are hopeles and so without happines being borne againe Wee may have faith and hope in God according as saith this same Apostle in this same Chapter 1 Pet. 2.21.22 when hee declareth who they are for whom Christ was both ordayned before the foundation of the world and also declared in the last times For your sake saith the Apostle which by his meanes doe beleeve in God that raysed him from the dead and gave him glorie that your faith and hope might bee in God having purified your soules in obeying the trueth through the spirit further being borne a new not of mortall seed but of immortall by the word of God Whereby it is plaine that as Christ is send into the world for none but such as doe beleeve in God by his meanes so none can have any faith or hope but they who have their soules purified borne a new The propertie of this hope is The nature of true hope that it is livelie or living and it is so called for three respectes First because of the livelie working that is in it For all the spirituall gifts of God which he bestoweth in Christ are livelie as hee himselfe is lyfe And this the Saints do finde in themselves that the faith of Iesus is a livelie faith their love is a livelie love their hope a livelie hope For these graces doe not lye dead in the soule where they are but by their livelie operation and working doe make themselves manifest Therefore the Apostle to the Thessalonians speaking of their graces describeth them from their lively and effectuall properties Remembring saith he your effectuall faith your diligent love and your patient hope in the Lord Iesus 1 Thes 1.2 Therefore that faith that hope that love that lyeth dead in them who professe them are no faith no hope no love at all And so iustly doeth S. Iames dispute against that faith that hath no workes as a dead faith whereas the faith the hope the love that God created in the heart are all livelie as proceeding from him who is life it selfe The second respect whereof it is called livelie is because as it hath life in it selfe so giveth it lyfe to the soule in which it is and maketh the soule which was dead in sinne trespasse before now to live in Christ and in him to bring forth the fruits of life Therfore sayeth Iohn in the third Chapter of his 1 epistle 3. and 5. That whosoever hath this hope purgeth himselfe as he is pure For this is the nature of their spirituall blessings that they themselves have lyfe in them and doth quicken the soule in which they are For God exerciseth his saving power by them in the hearts of his Saintes Therfore saith the Apostle hereafter 1 Pet. 1.5 That we are kept by the power of God through faith And the Apostle Paul to the Colossians doth say Colos 2.12 That we are raised againe from the dead in Christ by the effectuall working of God or by the faith of God which worketh mightilie so that we may iustly saye that as the faith is dead which hath no working so hee also is yet without faith who albeit hee professeth faith yet is not quickned to the lyfe of God thereby for even in this life by faith and hope wee beganne to live that life which shal be made perfite in vs in the world to come The third respect is because that eternall life and glory which as yet is not manifested but is referved in the heavens to the appearing of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ is nowe possessed by hope so that we lay hold vpon it and are made pertakers of it albeit as yet not manifested Therefore is it that the Apostle to the Romans saith Rom. 8.24 That by hope we are saved for no mā hopeth for the thing which he seeth Hereby teaching vs that albeit our lyfe be hidd with Christ in God Colos 3.3 as saieth the Apostle to the Colossians yet by hope we possesse it According as the Apostle to the Ephesians declareth the estate of the Saints in Christ by the mightie power of God which is in them to wit that they are lifted vp with him and sett with him at the right hande of the maiestie in the highest places As like wise the same Apostle Peter in this same chapter declaring the cause why they that beleeue in Christ albeit they see him not doe reioyce with a ioy vnspeakable and glorious sayth It is because that they receyue the end of their faith 1. Pet. 1.9 that is the salvation of their soules To these three we may add the 4. respect why this hope is called livelie and that is because in all the tribulations and sorrowes of this life it is the onely thing that sustaineth vs and maketh vs in death it selfe to live and reioyce knowing what is layed vp for vs in the heavens For the only thing that maketh the Saints indure patientlie vea and ioyfully this troubles which swallow vp the wicked is the blessed hope The Apostle to the Hebrues cōfirmeth this Heb. 10.34 shewing that the cause why the Hebrues did sustaine all affliction and among the rest the spoiling of their goods with ioy and gladnes was because they knew they had a better and an induring substance or ritches layde vp for them in the heavens Therefore doeth the same Apostle call this hope the Ancor of the soule and deelareth that they who have their refuge to lay holde vpon this hope have strong consolation Heb. 6.10 For by this hope wee attayne to the resurrection from the dead so that death it selfe can not spoyle them of life who are renewed to this blessed hope The vse of al this is to make vs obey that lesson which the Apostle giveth vs to the Hebru which is to holde fast the profession of our hope without wavering seeing therin cōsisteth both our life and consolation and constantlie to awaite for the appearing of it 2. Tit. 2.13 as the Apostle Paul to Titus exhorteth vs That we may in patience possesse our soules and ioyfullie indure all afflictions of this life since hauing hope we can not be spoyled of lyfe Now followeth the last point to be cōsidered in this first part touching the benefite whervnto we are begotten againe by God The ground whervpon our hope is builded which is the ground and foundation of this hope wherevpon it is builded which is the Resurrection of Christ from the dead For as saith the Apostle to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 15.17 If Christ bee not raysed from the dead our faith is vaine we are yet in our sinnes For we must vnderstand first that the cōfort of hope cōsisteth in the resurrection from the dead which being taken from vs wee are of all men the most miserable Seeing as saith the Apostle to the Corinthians ◠Cor. 15 No hope without knowledge of the
his aboundance so can not all his aboundance preserve a man from death nor yet procure the restoring of one dead to life againe as the Lord declareth in the 49. Psalme Ps 49.6.7 neither can any redeeme his brother nor give his raunsome to God so precious is the redemption of their soules and the cōtinuance for ever that he may live still for euer Eccl. 6.7 and not see the grave Thirdlie Salomon sheweth that all the labour of man is for the mouth yet the soule is not filled and therefore man paineth him selfe in vaine in traveling for the winde seeing he never can fill his soule nor satisfie his heart with all his labours Lastlie sayeth the Lord in the foresaid Psalme Psal 49.17 Man shall take nothing away when he dieth neither shall his pompe descend after him When vaine man seeth this that all his labour is in vaine seeing he can not thereby preserve his life but he must die Eccl. 2. c. and lye like a sheepe in the grave then doeth his soule abhorre all comfort nothing is there in the world that can be able to make him reioyce Eccl. 3.18.19 c. feeing he must lose that for which all other things are desired and without the which al things do serve for nothing Eccl. 2.15.16 Salomon doth teach this who seeing that he must die and leave all his labours to the mā that should be after him Eccl. 2.17.18 cōsidering that mē in them selves were as beasts the condition of both being one seeing as the one dieth so dieth the other all go to one place and all was of the dust and al shall returne to dust and perceyving that wisedome nor riches nor strength c. made no difference but that it did befall to the wise as it did to the foole then began he to hate all his labour yea even the life it selfe because it was to end A most evident proove that albeit a man doe enioye all pleasures riches and honors yea all whatsoever he traveleth for vnder the sunne or whatsoever his hart can wishe in this world yet is there no peace to the hart of him nor ioye to the soule of him nor happines in the estate of him so long as he seeth he must die and his life must end then doeth he with Salomon conclude al not onely to be vanitie but also vexation of spirit yea the more he doth possesse of these earthlie blessings the greater is his miserie and more greevous are his sorrowes when death cometh to plucke him from his house to the grave Thus even the verie life of man wherein is the chiefest comfort of man by mortalitie becometh a grief to man and a vexation to the spirit of man For all the ioyes of this world and all the comfortes of this life are eclipsed by death This being rightlie weyghed and well considered wee shall then apprehend what infinite consolation this firste propertie of the life vnto the hope whereof our God hath begotten vs againe doth minister vnto vs. for therein we see that taken away which alone is sufficient to make our life miserable cursed even mortalitie and death which is the curse of God vpon mā for sinne Surelie let a man looke to his life albeit in the eyes of mā never so happie yet if he looke to it as it is in deed that is to saye mortall and deadlie although it be busked with all the beauties of this world and fortified with all the strength of this worlde and crowned with all the glorie of this world yet shall he never haue comfort in it and it is most certaine that they see not what this life is who glorie in it and it is the verie blindnes of their eyes which do not let them see their end that maketh the wretches of this world to reioyce in any thing vnder the sunne seeing all shal perish and come to nought No No they see not life to reioyce in that seeth not this life of the children of God vnto the hope whereof the Lord begetteth them This is the ground of the reioycing and gloriation of the Saintes saith the Apostle to the Romanes even the hope of this inheritance which is immortall And this same sight of this immortalitie of that lyfe was the thing that mooved the Apostle himselfe to desire with sighes to change this earthlie tabernacle with that which is not made with handes but is of God For hee did knowe that it was eternall therefore desired hee to be clothed with it even to this end that mortalitie might be swallowed vp of lyfe This then is the comfort of this first propertie that death shall have noe dominion over our lyfe in heaven but it shall remaine for evermore And herein standeth one of the chief pointes of the happines and felicitie of the Saints in the world to come that their inheritance is immortal All whatsoever a mā inheriteth in this worlde is mortall his life here endeth but in the world to come it endureth eternallie The honour ritches and pleasures of this world perish but in heaven there is prepared for vs an induring substance Heb. 10.34 saith the Apostle to the Hebrewes And the pleasures which are at the right hand of God are for evermore saith David Psal 16.11 These heavens shall passe away and the elements shall melt with heate and this earth with the workes that are therein shal be burnt vp sayeth Peter 2. Pet. 3.10 13. but we hope for new heavens and a newe earth according to the promise of God wherein dwelleth rigeteousnes So whatsoever we vnderstand by this inheritance all is eternall in the world to come the life eternal the heavens the earth the glory the riches the pleasures the reast theioy that we shal enioy eternal The first vse of this point is to make vs who doe finde nothing perfectly happie nor comfortable which is subiect to mortalitie to take our hearts and affections of this perishing life and world and to cast away the love of corruptible things and to beholde and affect the lyfe blessings that are permanent and everlasting The second vse is to comfort vs against two tentatiōs wherwith we have to fight the one is touching our present estate and feeling the other is touching the feare that might enter in our mindes of that might befall vs in the possession of this life of God in heaven In this present lyfe wee have not onely to looke for an ende of our lyfe and of all creatures but the Saintes they have a feeling of the dayly decay of the outwarde man themselves hasting to an end now this death that cometh in betwixt vs and our hope for lyfe can not but sometimes trouble and grievouslie torment the mind that hath no sight of that immortall state to come Therefore the wicked are weary in beating of affliction and are altogether vnable to digest the dolours and paynes which they
therefore in our greatest tentations when it seemeth according to our sense and feeling that Sathan hath taken from vs our peace our ioy our righteousnes our confidence our light and communion with our God so that it appeareth to vs that we are vtterlie forgotten of God all hope of life taken from vs yet we may boldlie answere that our life is not lost although all sense be taken from vs of it for our life is not in our keeping but in his who is stronger then all therefore no tentation is able so to overcome vs that we bee compelled to cast away our confidence in God who is faithfull vnto whom in all our sufferings according to his will we cōmit our soules in wel doing as to a faithfull Creator according to the exhortatiō of the Apost Pet. in his 1. Epi. cha 4. 19. verse For he doth not expone our life to hazard as he did the life of Angels of Adā in paradise The gates of hel are not able to prevail against the elect of God in Christ since God him selfe is the keeper of their life The second part is Our life is in the heavens concerning the place where it is kept and that is saith the Apostle Heaven Doubtles it is much more sure which is layd vp in heaven thē that which is kept in earth for there Sathan hath no such accesse nor power to execute his craft and malice Iob. 1.7 as he hath in the earth For his labour is in compassing the earth to fro as he sayeth himselfe in the booke of Iob. Therefore whatsoever is taken out of the earth and put in the heavens is exempt from all daunger of the Divilles malice Therefore is it that our God willing to assure vs that our lyfe is in no daunger doth shew vs that it is in the heavens For that which wee enioy here in this worlde is an earnest of our lyfe but not the life it selfe For it is true which the Apo. Col. 3.3 sayth to the Colossians That we are dead and that our lyse is hid with Christ in God The vse of this point is to make vs lift vp our mind to those things which are aboue as the Apostle in that same place exhorteth vs and to set our affections on these things which are aboue because our lyfe is above with Christ and therefore it becōmeth vs to have our conversation Phil. 3 20. as Citizens of the heaven From whence we look for the Saviour even the Lord lesus so cōsequently for our lyfe for our lyfe is with him Col. 3.4 and when he shall appeare from heaven then shall our life also appeare with him Therefore ought we to mortifie our members which are on the earth For where shall a mans heart be but where his treasure is what cā be our treasure more then our lyfe Therefore heavie is the iudgement that the Apostle teacheth against them that minde earthlie things writing to the Philippians Philip. 3.18 19. There is nothing can moove a man more to seek for heaven then this to know that his life is there and nothing can serve to moderate our love of this world of all things in this world more thē this to know they belong not to our life which consisteth not in them nor in any thing vnder the sūne seing that it is in the heavens Moreover this warneth the godlie with the Apostle Paul to thinke that they have not yet attayned to the Resurrection from the dead or that they are already perfect Philip. 3.12 c. so long as they are in this world seeing their life is not in this world And therefore that they ought to forget that which is behynde indevour thēselves to that which is before and follow harde toward the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus Further it is a singuler comfort against the fall of Adam For hee had his life in Paradise but not in the heavens therefore was his lyfe subiect to spoyle whereas ours is in the heavens and therefore not subiect to spoile And yet to augment our ioy in this point wee have to consider that which the Apostle sayeth to the Colossians concerning our lyfe It is saith he hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 First it is hidd Secondlie it is hid with Christ Thridlie it is hidd with Christ in God Wee our selves who have further sight of things that are above thē Sathan hath do not see our lyfe it is yet hid frō vs for never eye did see 2 Cor. 2.9 nor eare hath heard neither came in mans heart thethings which God hath prepared for them that love him much more then is it hid from Sathan that he can not see it Secōdly it is hid with Christ even with him who hath given his life for it and purchased it to vs by his owne death It can bee with none to whom we can more securely credit it or who cā have more care to preserve it Iohan. 17.12 He was faithfull in all that the Father did commit to him for none of them that the Father gave him Iohn 17.2 did he lose And this is the Fathers will that he should give eternall life to all thē that the Father hath given him this life that he should give vs is with him who should give it Therefore it must be in sure keeping yea more it is hid with him because he is our life it selfe and now hee being taken out of our sight and hid in the heavens our life can not be seene til he be seene againe this is the suretie of our lyfe that it is with our Savior Who in purchasing of it did spoyle the principalities Colos 2.17 Ephe 1.22 Colos 2.10 and powers and made a shew of them openlie and triumphed over them in the Crosse to whom all things are subdued who is the head of all principality and power Thirdly it is in God O what a comfort is this that the Lord himselfe is the place even the Coffer or Christ in the which our life is kept so that Sathā must spoyle God himselfe before he be able to spoyle our life The damned Angels had their life in the heavens but kept in thēselves therfore lost they it And therfore as the keeping of our life in heavē assureth vs against the feare of the lyke losse that befell to Adam who had his life in earthlie Paradise vnto the which Sathan found accesse So this keeping of it with Christ in God assureth vs against the terrour of the Angells fall This now concerning the place where our life is kept Now followeth the end wherfore it is kept Life is kept for vs. and that is for vs saith the Apostle It were no comfort to vs how surely soever this inheritāce so excellēt were kept by God if God did keepe it for Angells or if he did keepe it for any
their minde to the Image of God and must finde themselves cast in a new moulde and fashioned to another shape and borne over againe Therefore we should diligently trye our selves and consider if God at any time hath bin effectuall in vs to the alteration of the spirit of our minde renovation of our soules and if his spirit doth possesse and lead vs so that our conversation be after the spirit and not after the flesh And as the Apostle Peter in his second epistle exhorteth vs 2. Pet 1.10 Wee should studie to make our calling and election sure by adding to our faith vertue and so foorth For they can haue no certaintie of their calling that are not sanctified and therefore no assured hope For when God maketh vs his sonnes Gal. 4.6 he sendeth the spirit of his son in our heartes which cryeth Rom. 3.14 Abba Father For if any have not the spirit of Christ he is not his sayeth the Apostle to the Romanes Rom. 8.10 And if the spirit of Christ be in vs sayeth the same Apostle the same body is dead because of sinne the spirit is lyfe because of Righteousnes Therefore we may iustly conclude with the Apostle Pieter in the first chapter aforsaid of his second epistle after hee hath exhorted vs to ioyne vertue to our faith and to vertue knowledge to knowledge temperance 2. Pet. 1.9 and so foorth that whosoever hath not these things hee is blinde and seeth not farr off and hath forgotten that he was washed from his olde sinnes and so consequently that their hope is but a blinde hope their confidence a blinde confidence their boasting a blinde boasting 2 Co. 5.17 For if any man be in Christ Iesus he is a new creature sayeth the Apostle to the Corinthes So to conclude this point it were better to a man never to have bene borne in this worlde then after he is borne not to bee borne over againe by God And woe is the man who before the laying downe of this naturall life hath not obtayned another which is spirituall Now followeth the fourth point Hope followeth Regeneration which is the benefite it selfe vnto the which God of his mercie doth beget vs againe that is a living or lively hope or hope of lyfe This sheweth vs the purpose of God in begetting vs which is to cause vs hope For as we have said before First wee must bee made the children of God before we can hope to enioy his inheritance Therefore our Regeneration is a warning to vs that wee are the heires of God and coheires with Christ and obligeth vs to hope for the glorie of God seeing God hath begotten vs Because as saith the Apostle here he begetteth vs to hope therefore where hope is not there is no new birth for the Lord can not bee frustrate of the ende of his worke for hee that renewes vs vnto hope with renovation gives hope Therefore the sanctified man in Christ may be sure of glorie and lyfe everlasting according as the Apostle sheweth vs Whom he calleth Rom. 8.30 hee iustifienh and whom hee iustifieth him hee glorifieth In this benefite wee have two things to consider First what is the blessing tot wit hope Next what is meant by the propertie of this hope in that it is called a lively hope Concerning the firist the Apostle describing our estate before the Lord doe beget vs and make vs partakers of the adoption doth declare that among the rest of our miseries this was one that we had no hope For whē he hath expoūded to vs the mercy of God in our salvation and regeneration shewing that we are his workmāship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God had ordayned that we should walke in them being iustified by faith he willeth vs to remember what we were before saying Remember that ye beeing in time past Gentiles in the flesh called vncircumcision of them which are called circumcision in the flesh made with handes that yee were I say at that time without Christ were aliaunts from the common wealth of Israel and were strangers from the couenants of promise and had no hope and were without God in the world This is the miserable estate of vs all before wee be called of God to the adoption of his sonnes and be begotten of him againe wee are all without Christ without hope and without God in the world What greater miserie can there be Act. 17.28 then have a being and yet without him in whom wee have our being our lyfe our moving and all things as the Apostle sayeth in the Actes And knowing that we must depart from this life to have no hope of lyfe thereafter Miserable indeed is our estate by nature how much soever we glorie in it so much the more miserable that wee have neither sense nor sorrow of this our miserie Who is he that can reioyce in any thing while hee abydeth without him in whom are all things And howe can the heart sufficiently praise love and magnifie the Lord when it tasted of this his goodnes in begetting vs againe And so consequently taking from vs all our miseries making vs blessed in giving vs hope and himselfe to bee our God and Father in Christ through whom sayeth the Apostle to the Ephesians we both Ephe. 2.18.19 and 22 that is Iewe and Gentill haue one entrance vnto the Father by one spirit and are no more strāgers forreners but citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God and in whom wee are build together to bee the habitation of God by the spirit It is not without good reason that the Apostle here in this place can not speake of this mercie without blessing him who hath brought vs to this blessed estate of hope And great matter have we of reioycing who have tasted of the like mercie If wee consider that which the Apostle saith to the Romanes That wee are saved by hope Rom. 8.24 For as he saith in another Epistle We walke here by faith 2. Cor. 5.7 and not by sight and therfore taking from vs hope our salvation and lyfe is taken from vs which wee doe possesse by hope for this is the difference of faith and hope that by faith we beleeue the promises of salvation in Christ which hope waiteth for so that faith hath respect to lyfe and salvation as it is embraced by vs here in this world Hope hath relation to them as wee shall possesse them in the world to come so that hope doeth alwayes follow faith hangeth vpon it although they be often times takē in the scripture the one for the other indifferently The one looketh to lyfe apprehendeth it promised in the world the other wayteth for the revelation of it from heaven as it is possessed by Christ at the right hande of the Father This is now the blessing vnto the which the Lord begetteth vs againe so that without Regeneration