obedience therefore now he may take his swinge in sin as Pro. 7.18 the harlot entised the yong man to take his fill of loue But we must know Christ hath not satisfied for vs to liue as we list nor redeemed vs from darknesse to light that we should runne to darknesse againe for a pardon is not giuen to a traitour that he should offend againe neither doth that pardon serue for offences to be committed after but so oft as he offendeth so oft shall he be punished or else he must haue so many pardons so Christ hath satisfied once and that hath taken away the guilt of al that went before but if we 〈◊〉 sume vpon this to sinne againe either we must looke for 〈◊〉 satisfactions which cannot be for there is but one sealed 〈◊〉 blood or else we must suffer so many punishments as wâ—â—â—â—mit sinnes Secondly it will be said since there can be 〈◊〉 satisfaction for sinne therefore we haue now liberty giuen 〈◊〉 sinne It is true indeed that the wrath of God could not â—â—â—ppeased for sinne nor satisfied without the bloud of the Soâ—â—â— of God and this was by him performed that being reconciled to his father we might no more fall at enmity for sin alone makes the separation betweene God and vs but that we might liue according to his will in newnesse of life howbeit there is a satisfaction God requireth at our hands but that is onely obedience in our affections holinesse in our actions humility in our hearts and thankefulnesse in our persons that we may bee as pretions stones in the brest plate of Christ to be represented to his father And therefore let vs abhorre such presumptuous and rechlesse impiety as either to liue as we list or to thinke wee haue time enough to repent before we die for who can tell when the cocke will crow or when death as a thiefe will steale vpon vs nay let vs remember it is said Reuel 22.11 He that is filthy let him be filthy still and in our age wee shall possesse the iniquities of our youth and therefore our life being but a span long the day is short enough by repentance to make our accompts with God euen and easie Thirdly obserue hence that we cannot serue God and riches Christ and Beliall the flesh and the spirit for their walkes and courses are opposite and contrary one to the other as may appeare by the Apostles putting of it negatiuely that we must not walke at all after the flesh Mal. 1.6 for if God be a father he will haue all the honour if a master all the feare neither will he suffer himselfe to be diuided or his worship to bee performed by halfes for this is as Eliah calleth it 1. King 18.21 the halting between two opinions but as before our conuersion the affections of sins doe force vs to bring foorth fruit vnto death so being called the strength of grace must thrust vs forward to bring forth fruits to God and not to our selues and therefore it is said Gal. 6.8 He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reape life euerlasting so as though thou doest that which is lawfull yet if thou doest it more vnto men then vnto God thou sowest to the flesh and shalt receiue damnation but if thou seekest in thy whole life to please God more then men yea to please him though thou displeasest men then shalt thou of the spirit reape saluation for the end why God hath created and saued vs is to glorifie him in this life and were it not he respected and receiued glory by thy life what need he suffer thee to stay heere on earth but haue taken thee presently from the wombe to heauen but he suffereth thee to liue partly that by thy fruitfulnesse to God the corruption that is hid within thee may in part be abolished partly to distinguish between thee and the reprobate at the last daie when thou shalt be blessed and that worthily euen in the iudgement and acknowledgment of the damned for the fruites thou hast brought forth to God So as it standeth vs vpon to haue the eies of our thoughts the bent of actions wholy vpon God to hazerd yea to prefer his glory before the glory and comfort of our owne saluation for if we be not rich in God and good works then are we still dead in sinne then is not Sathan at all cast our of vs then are we so far from needing but to wash our feet Iohn 13.9 as we are wholly polluted hands head and all Howbeit because euerie one will say he brings foorth fruit to God and walketh in the spirit being inwardly greiued for his sinnes and resorting vnto publike praier and preaching which are indeed good steppes to trace a Christian by yet we must know this is not sufficient for the inward sorrow is inuisible and the comming to praier and to the word is deceiuable and communicable euen to hypocrites therefore we must bring forth visible fruit to be seene of men in performing towards them the duties of the second table by loue patience compassion and such like else is it as a light â—id vnder a bushell if it be not sensibly felt of men for their comfort and seene of men for their example that they which are without may be wonne and the rest which are of the same fold with vs may be stirred vp to glorifie God in heauen for the fruitfulnesse of his Saints on earth To which duties we may be the better encouraged because the whole fruit both in the practise of them and in the reward of them shall redound to our selues producing ioy and peace of conscience in this life and the crowne of glory in the life to come Rom. 6.22 Fourthly for thine owne comfort learne to make a difference betweene walking after the flesh and walking through the flesh the one being a following and pursuing of thy sinfull desires with greedinesse and with delight through that rage of corruption which rests within thee the other being a performing of thy duties to God and a walking with him though with weakenesse and infirmity by reason of that remnant of flesh which will be in thee til death so as though the good thou dost be not done so cheerfully so exactly so perfectly as it ought but is mingled with many imperfections that euen in thy own iudgement thou thinkest thine actions euill be not discouraged for albeit thou hast in truth cause to pray to haue not only thy euill actions but euen thy best actions to be forgiuen because they are a little tempered with the flesh yet know that this is the case of all the children of God which are effectually sanctified to haue naturally concupiscence in them which causeth these three things first either it maketh vs alwaies think euill thoughts secondly or else it hindereth vs from good thoughts thirdly or else it maketh
he must sauour of death which cannot be proued by this The wisedome of the flesh is enmitie to God but he that is borne of God cannot be Gods enemy on the other side hee that walketh in the wisedome of the flesh obeieth not the law of God and by consequent saith the Apostle cannot but sinne Whereupon it followeth that they that liue after the inclination of the heart of man cannot please God and so cannot bee saued now hee that is in Christ cannot but please God because he cannot but performe his will Another reason that being a true Christian a man cannot but amend his life is taken out of Rom. 6.5 Whosoeuer is made partaker of Christ is made partaker of the death of Christ then is he dead to sinne proued thus Christ by his death deserued not onely remission of our sinnes but also to haue the holy Ghost in those that bee his to mortifie their sinne and this spirit cannot bee idle but worketh and his worke is to dâ—â—troy oâ—â—â—nemie that is sinne Lastly it is proued thus Whosoeuer is in Christ hath the spirit of Christ he that hath this spirit liueth in the spirit for the life of the spirituall man is the Lord Iesus euen as the life of the bodie is the soule and hee that hath a soule must needs breath and walking Galat. 5.24 in the spirit hee cannot fulfill the lustes of the flesh for the flesh and the spirit bee contrary And vers 24. it is said They that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections thereof and who these bee appeareth 1. Peter 4.2 such as suffer in the flesh and these be they that cease from sinne Now then for thee to say thou art flesh and blood is not a shelter pleadable when thou art reprehended for sinne for he that is a good Christian cannot but forbeare it and if thou art all flesh and blood then hast thou not the spirit of God which is proued 1. Corinth 6.16 Do you not know how he that coupleth himselfe with a harlot is one flesh with her and hee that is one flesh with a harlot cannot bee one spirit with Christ Iesus Euen so for wrath toward thy brother thou saiest thou canst not loue him Consider that if the Lord should iudge thee out of thine owne mouth thou couldest not bee saued Thou wilt say the iniury is so great as no man can put it vp but hee that is more then a man can doe it and if thou beest all man Christ Iesus will neuer put vp thy name among the Saints Looke 1. Ioh. 5.3 Hee that is borne againe counteth all the commandements of God light so as if thou be of God it is an easie matter to forgiue the brother If he repent not of the wrong done vnto thee leaue the vengeance to God Rom. 12.20 and heape thou coles of fire on his head and if he do repent and seeke reconcilement it is the easier to forget it and flesh and blood doth pity the case of the suppliant For the third point which is the way how to assure our selues to be the sons of God wee must learne that there is no so certaine a marke to discerne a man to be of God as holinesse of life not but that Gods children may fall most grieuously and blemish their profession most foully but that if Sathan happe to blindfold them that they goe astray yet with the lost sonne they will returne with double sorrow and vnfold to their shame their owne sinne Example wâ—â—ere â—f wee haue in Dauid who though he was ingaged to the Lord by his many benefites that tooke him from the sheepe-hooke and gâ—â—e him a Scepter that by his protection had made him escape the snares of his enemies and by his mercy had freed him from many tribulations yet did he fall into great vncleannesse euen the sinne of adulterie 2. Sam. 11.4.5.6.7 which by the law of God deserued depriuation of this humane life When he had done this hee glauered and flattered with the womans husband and bad him goe home to refresh himselfe with his wife seeking thereby to father the bastard on him When this succeeded not he thought to make him drunke that he might thereby bee more irritable to lust and so to haue gone to his wife And though Vriah answered hee could not doe it because the Arke of the Lord was in the field which had not Dauid beene desperatly sicke in his soule how could he haue beene so forgetfull of the Lord as to haue dealt so with him that was no Iew but a conuert to religion heereby to make the name of the Lord euill spoken of Yet when this preuailed not hee went further and vnto adultery hee added murther that hee might make his sinne knowen and his vnholy life to appeare both to God and man and carry as the greefe of it in his heart so the shame of it in his fore-head And in this hee wrought worse then Iesabel for hee made Vriah the instrument and messenger of the letters for his owne execution yea hee sent them to Ioab who had himselfe beene a murtherer which might harden his heart in that sinne seeing Dauid that was the King not onely a fauourer but the cause of such bloody actions And after what manner should this be done namely that hee should fall by the sword of the vncircumcised a most ignominious and shamefull and grieuous death for so Christian a Gentleman and that hee should so murder him as to colour the grieuousnesse of his fault not hee alone but many other should die innocent and that hee should continue senslesse in this sinnefull course by the space of a yeere yet when it pleased God to cure his disease of hypocrisie and to cleare his eyes that hee saw not his sinne but his chaine of sinnes beâ—â—â—â—â—im then he calleth himselfe not a man of blood but of bloâ—â—â— â—nd then â—is conscience is open to grieue for it and then with his teares he washeth away his vncleannesse and wallâ—â—â—â—â—s a man cleansed and purged from his filthinesse So as if aâ—y bee a whoore let her remember the teares of Mary Mâ—gâ—alene if a persecuter of the Saints let him repent with Paâ—â— Luk. 7.38 Gal. 1.15 Mat. 26.75 if a murtherer let him soundly confesse his sinne with Dauid and if he be Apostasied weepe with Peter for these be the workes of righteousnesse whereby they are knowen to be of God And seeing others deliuered from the pit wee must learne as Dauid saith Psal 56.3 to feare and to trust so as wee must alwaies feare to fall into the sinne before being fallen we can trust to bee deliuered for this is one part of the righteousnesse of Gods children to tremble at the sight of sinne and then shall wee neuer swallow it without remorse Secondly from hence learne that a man may know in what state another man is If I see thee a despiser of religion a profaner of the Sabbath a butcher to the poore and an vncleane liuer what shall I beleeue thee to be but the child of the diuell for this may I know by thy fruites Why but loue biddeth you hope the best 1. Cor. 13.7 and beleeue the best True it is loue biddeth me beleeue all things but not a sow to bee cleane wallowing in the mire or a dogge not to bee filthy that is regorging vp his stomacke Mar. 6.44 or that grapes can grow vpon brambles or that mercy can bee found in the heart of an vsurer or that thornes may bee touched and will not pricke For as loue bids mee not to determine too soone so not to bee abused too late and God bids me looke vpon the tree to iudge of the fruite I may say thou art in the state of damnation for by thy snarling I know thee to bee a dogge Mat. 7.6 and I see thy heart through thy hands but whether thou shalt be finally damned I leaue thee there for the Lord may haue mercy on thee vpon thy repentance I may come to the tree and say heere is no fruite or here is small fruit or heere is bad fruit but I cannot say Neuer fruit grow on thee heereafter as Christ did Mark. 11.13 And it is not the commers to Sermons but the doers of Sermons
they should be an astonishment and serue the king of Babel so many yeeres For the third which is the Lords mercy in their deliuerance they be the words of his owne mouth For thy sake O Israel I will not doe it for thou art filthy Ezec. 36.22 but for my owne sake I will that they may know I am able to doe it and for Dauid my seruants sake I will not vtterly put out the light of Israel Hence learne generally that there is no nation so free but the Lord may captiuate and if they decline and leaue their first loue the Lord may and will abandon them For if any people might haue presumed it was this who had the promises and a more peculiar presence of God then any nation vnder heauen yet were they vile and did stincke in his sight for abusing his kindenesse and setting at nought his Ministers Howbeit neuer were they more scorned then in these daies wherein either men make themselues deafe that they will not heare or heare but there is a noise of vanity higher and louder in their eares Heere then is the same cause of captiuity why should wee not feare the same iudgement We see it is our selues can doe vs the greatest hurt for when wee once giue our selues ouer to loosenesse of life and to distaste the word the Lord then disarmes vs both of policie and strength that euen a weake enemy may soone surprize vs. Let therefore euery man amend one albeit these times bee so mischieuous as it is to be feared lest many of vs be as willing to returne to Babylon for religion as euer were the Israelites to come foorth Secondly obserue the cursed and hard-harted disposition of the enemies of God that they thinke no torment nor cruelty too exquisite nor too sharpe for his people for Zedechia and Ahab did the King of Babel burne in the fire Ier. 29.22 and the rest were slaues to him and his sonnes 2. Chro. 36.20 With which malice the diuell hath poisoned and filled their hearts because they cannot be auenged of the Lord himselfe for euen at him doe the proud Nimrods of the world point their fingers Gen. 11.4 and against him doe they lay their siege to plucke him out of his seate for the Babylonians were more fierce to the Israelites then to any other whom they subdued onely because they were the chosen and beloued of the Lord. Lastly obserue in their deliuery the compassion of the Almighty that he will not be angry for euer and the truth of his promise that he will at the length visite his people in mercy when they thinke the clouds so thicke as they cannot be ouerblowne for now when Israel was euen rent to ragges he harboured Ier. 29.11 the thoughts of peace and not of trouble and gaue them an end of their fainting hope euen a mighty deliuerance by the hand of Cyrus king of Persia 2. Chro. 36.22 Where it is said Iechonias begat Salathiel obserue that Salathiel was not his naturall sonne but ouely succeeded him in the kingdome by legall succession as next heire for Iechonias had no sonnes but the house of Salomon ended with him as appeareth Ier. 22.30 Write this man that is Iechomas destitute of children So also Ezec. 21.26.27 the Lord speaking of Salomon I will ouerturne saith he repeating it thrice the diademe of this king and neuer shall any out of his loines weare it vntill he come whose right it is that is the Messias and I will giue it him To prooue also that Salomons line must cease and that Christ must not come of him lineally appeareth by the prophesie of Isaiah 2. King 20.18 that there should not one bee left of the house of Iehoiakim which could not be so vnlesse the line of Salomon were vtterly extinguished and for Salathiel he came of Nathan the second brother as Saint Luke setteth it downe chap. 3.31 which nothing disagreeth from this of Saint Matthew for he was but to shew the line of the Kings and not naturally of whom Christ came but whom hee should succeed in the kingdome Where note the wonderfull prouidence of God that Salomon who had so many wiues and children hath not now any left to sit vpon the throne to teach vs that Salomon was to bee punished for his many wiues so as the Lord would not haue Christ to come of him naturally but of his yonger brother Whereby all nobility may bee swallowed vp in the glory of the Lords progeny and generation that drowneth all nobility that since Salomon in all his glory wanteth naturall heires that they stand not vpon these outward shewes and dignities but seeke to continue their posterity by liuing in a cleane and holy course of life for the Lord will wash away the vnholy seede and serape out their names from vnder heauen that seeke to establish their house in filthinesse and to pollute the mariage bed Further in that Christ is said to come of Ioseph the poore Carpenter heerein are the ancient Prophecies fulfilled Esay 53.2 that Christ should come and no man regard him and that he should grow vp as a roote out of the drie ground without forme or beauty and as Esay 11.1 that the should come as a rod out of the stocke of Ishai the Yeoman 1. Sam. 16.3 whereby we obserue that when things are most desperate then the Lord recouereth them and now when the kingdome was come to a poore Carpenter then Christ was borne to teach vs that in the greatest exigents and extremities we must neuer distrust nor seeke to extricate our selues out of any sorrow the Lord hath brought vs to but still to waite vpon him for as Dauid saith Psalm 32.7 The Lord is our secret place that is he hath many priuie deliuerances wee know not of and as Psalm 4.3 will strengthen vs vpon the bed of sorrow as he did Dauid who when Saul with his armie was euen at his heeles and hee no doubt much anguished yet the Lord had his secret deliuerance for him and turned Saul on the sudden another way 1. Sam. 23.27 Euen so heere when it had beene night with the Israelites a long time and that their enimies thought they should neuer recouer their sight againe then ariseth Christ like they day-starre and restoreth the beauty of their kingdome to greater glory then before let vs therefore waite with Simeon for the saluation that shall come Now remaineth to shew the difference in the recital of Christs pedegree by Saint Matthew and that of Saint Luke chap. 3.23 and it standeth in three points first Mathew doeth descend from the first to the last from Abraham to Ioseph Luke ascendeth from the last to the first from Ioseph to Abraham Secondly Mathew was to fetch his pedegree so as he might proue him to be the Messias of the Iewes and to come directly from the feed of Abraham Luke deriueth him not onely from Abraham but from Adam that he might shew him to be
for the officers of the Church and the ministerie it is not onely ordained of God in generall but euery particular place and euery kind of office is set downe the Church being his owne house which he meant to beautifie with all necessarie furniture and none of this can be put downe neither may others be added 1. Cor. 12.28 and Ephes 4.11 For the Pastor may bee put downe by the Prince but not the Pastorship without maiming the bodie of Christ for then were it an humane constitution as is the other of Magistrates And therefore most grosse is it that women should be licenced to baptize which pertaineth onely to the office of a Minister and it is an idle answer to saie Quod fieri non debet factum valet that which should not be done is yet effectuall when it is done for this is a seale put into a wrong hand And if Vzziah 2. Sam. 6.7 being no Leuite was striken with sudden death for but touching the Arke of God which was readie to fall though his intent was good and if Vzziah 2. Chro. 26.20 was smitten with leprosie which he could neuer claw off to his death for burning incense to the Lord which onely pertained to the Priests to doe then may these intruders vpon the Lords possessions feare some plague to light on them for intermedling with these holy things and as well may they administer the Supper as Baptisme for they be seales of equall dignitie Howbeit if thou wilt be Iohn Baptist shew me these two things first a commission of thy calling secondly besides that thou must proue thy calling warranted shew me that thou commest rightly by it and that thou canst lawfully conuey it vnto thy selfe as Luk. 3.1 the spirit of the Lord came vpon Iohn For to haue this securitie is good in two respects first for the sasety of thine owne conscience in the day of affliction for thou knowest the iudgement of Christ concerning such as creepe in at the window they haue neither loue nor care of the flocke Ioh. 10.1 Therefore Ieremie chap. 1.6 cried O Lord I neuer thrust my selfe into this vnthankefull office but thou sentest me and thy wordwas as afire shut vp in my bones Secondly it is good to retaine the people in obedience when they shall see the Patent of thy calling whereas otherwise they will esteeme thee but as offering thy selfe vncalled and then thou maiest labour among them vnthanked For that Esay spake saying The voice of a crier in these words is set downe the execution of his office Where we learne that there are no names giuen to Ministers but they are words of emploiment and of labour For Preaching comes of Praeco to be a proclaimer in the market place so are they called trumpeters for that they must blow the siluer Trumpet of the Lords word that it may sound and ring in the eares of the people Criers Esa 4.11 Ezec. 34.10 1. Pet. 5.4 so as they must be no toong-tied fellowes for they are no fitter for this office then is a blinde man to be a Pilot. They must be shepheards which in Iuda were faine to watch all night to preserue their flockes from Wolues Watchmen who must take heed lest through their sloth the fort be surprized Embassadors hauing a great message to deliuer from the king of heauen Angels as Christ is called the Angell of the great couenant and Reuel 3. Write vnto the Augell that is 2. Tim. 2 1â— 1. Cor. 3 1â— the Minister of such a Church Workmen because they be builders of mens consciences Stewards to prouide meat for the Lords inheritance And as Iohn was to crie in his time so is there as great necessitie laid vpon vs to crie in this time according to the proportion of that grace we haue receiued In Pauls time 1. Cor. 9.16 it was a curse of damnation not to preach which cannot be appropriated to Paul himselfe it being a dutie specially required of all that labour in this vineyard And 2. Tim. 4.2 he adinreth Timothie to preach instantly so that as Iohn as the fore-runner and Timothie as an Euangelist were to preach with vehemencie so are wee as Pastors to crie the same crie for it neuer yet pierced deepe enough nor entred far enough to make men watchfull ouer their liues Now some are vnwoorthie the name of celers being scarce able to speake others are able but not willing to be criers bringing others a sleepe with their sloth vpon whom without repentance resteth a woe into lerable to beare and impossible to auoid Secondly obserue heere the agreement betweene the Prophet Esay and Iohn Baptist Iohn making that plaine was spoken obscurely by the Prophet Prepare yee the waies What is that Repent Let the high mountaines be brought low that is let pride of life be abated Let the low velleis be filled that is let despaire be reiected Let crocked things be made straight that is let the iudgement be rectified Let the rough waies be made smooth that is let thy swelling affections be changed Now this Allegorie vsed by the Prophet is borrowed from entertaining of Princes at their first coronation at which time all ordures bee clensed bridges repaired the streets pauâ—â—l herbingers goe before to take vp lodging the trumpets sound the volley of shot goeth off and euery man is arraied in his best robes not that the Lord of glorie expecteth such a transitorie triumph for hee requireth but this amend thy life and a cleane heart is his best harbour a spirituall entertainment being fittest for a spirituall king Lastly in this crie of Iohns obserue his faithfulnesse he prepareth a way for the Lord not for himselfe he might haue liued farre better in respect of the world then in this base office and in this base place for his priestly birth being the sonne of Zachary Luk. 1.13 would haue affoorded him a richer portion yea he was offered to be Christ Ioh. 3.28 but he would none of it contenting himselfe with that share the Lord had allotted him and attending on that dutie the Lord had enioined him And thus ought all the Ministers of the word to doe not to preach for reward nor to crie for ambition though the herbinger must not lie without doores but they must looke for a recompence from the highest for the world is vnthankfull And it is not enough to preach but they must preach to the consciences of men that the Lord Iesus may enter in and not to gratifie the affections of men with the eloquence of the flesh and in swelling words that themselues may enter in For if they crie to get a name or renowne or preach in contention they may crie long enough they haue all they shall haue hauing that they sought for to bee caried in the mouthes and to bee had in admitation of the people For the fift circumstance which is his extraordinarie austeritie his attire and girdle was such as Eliah did weare 2. King
For the first of these the Papists say it is meant that none can be saued by the works of the ceremoniall Law that it is not to be vnderstood of the morall law Which is most false as is proued Rom. 3.20 By the works of the law shall no flesh be iustified for by the law commeth the knowledge of sin He doth not say by the knowledge of the ceremoniall law and 2. Cor. 3.7 where he calleth the law the ministration of death written with letters and ingrauen in stones we all knowing there was no law written with the finger of God and ingrauen in stones but the law of the tenne commandements and Gal. 3.21.22 the Apostle maketh an opposition between the law and the promise that if life should bee giuen by the law and by that meanes should iustifie then should it abolish that iustification promised to Abraham and â—o his seed by faith which cannot bee vnderstood but of the mâ—â—all law and Rom. 7.7 He had not knowen sinne but by the laâ—â— for he had not knowen lust except the law had said Thou shaâ—â— not lust and this is the law of the ten commandements Howbeit the â—uestion between the Papists and vs is not whether we performing the precise rule of the law may challenge eternall life as merit for there is no question but wee may the commandement being as Rom. 7.10 ordained vnto life as appeareth Deut. 5.33 If you walke in all the commandements of God ye shall liue and Mark. 10.17.18 vpon the question asked how he should possesse eternall life answer was made by Christ by keeping the commandements but the question is whether any child of God euen in the highest degree of regeneration can doe it in that maner and measure as he ought And this can he not doe and that for two reasons First because of the singular purity of the law Secondly because of the extreme impurity of our nature For the first consider that the law is proportionable to the law-giuer which bindeth not onely the hands from petie larce the tongue from ribauldry and the life from incontinency but commandeth the eie and speaketh to the heart And in the nine first commandements whersoeuer there is an affirmatiue expressed there is the negatiue implied and where the negatiue is expressed there is the affirmatiue implied that is where any duty is commanded there the contrary vice is forbidden and where the sinne is inhibited there the contrary duty is required for if we must not kill our brother then must we by all meanes seeke to preserue his life and if his life must be pretious to vs then must we not hate him for this is a sinne that will beget murther But the tenth commandement is the key that is able to discouer the cabinet of the heart this entreth betweene the marrow and the bones and howsoeuer wee may refraine in action and may bee staied in affection yet this striketh dead extending but to the motion though the heart impugne it and this is the sharpest corasiue to eate forth our proud flesh when we shall see our selues arraigned but for a thought which we would haue withstood and if any man will looke himselfe in this glasse he shal see as foule filthy an Adâ—â—â— as can be And this was that awakened Paul out of that dead â—â—eepe wherinto he was cast by nature namely the knowledgâ— of concupiscence to be sinne for he knew the action and the resolution of the heart to vncleannesse to be sinne aswell by the law of nature as by the law written but that the thoughts should be hedged in and inclosed so precisely he did not conceaue before the excellency of the tenth commandement had reuealed it to him howbeit though not to extenuate and lessen any sinne whereby the maiesty of God is violated so offended we must not imagine the thoughts conceaued by a suddaine motion or sight and quickly suppressed againe to be so sinfull for the thoughts meant here are those of the heart which haue an inclination and pronenesse to sinne proceeding from corruption of nature suffering them to rest with vs for a time though they bee after pressed downe by the speciall worke of God and if we could but register the thoughts of this kinde doe passe from vs in one day wee should finde them abominable in Gods sight and onely pardonable in Christ For though they be hid from men yet do they appeare before God the searcher of the heart and shall receaue their reward which is death if they be not passed ouer in Christ And though some haue thought that thoughts without the consent of the heart are not sinfull yet it is certaine they be so for Salomon Pro. 24.9 saith The wicked thought of a foole is sinne and so may it likewise bee proued by three speciall arguments First whatsoeuer hindreth the absolute and perfect conformity of the power of the soule to the liuely image of God wherein we were at first created is sin but thoughts without consent of the heart doe hinder this our conformity to the image of God because the thoughts being admitted in there must needs be excluded therefore they are sinfull Secondly Adam in his innocency could neuer haue any such by-thoughts being created to the absolute image of God Since then we haue lost this perfect image by his fall and haue such thoughts arise in vs they must needs hinder vs from comming to that perfection againe wherin he stood at first while he walked with God in paradise and therefore they are sinfull Thirdly God hath redeemed all the parts both of our body and soule and therfore we ought to honour him with all parts and the thoughts are some parts which he hath redeemed therefore wee must honour him with them but many one thought be wandering and ranging out of the way there â—ants the honour of that thought to God therefore they are sinfull for where it is said in the law we must honor God with all our heart with all our minde with all our soule Christ Luk. 10.27 expounds it we must also loue him with all our thoughts then so many thoughts as tend not to loue God must needes be sinfull Now as concerning thoughts therâ—â—â— foure degrees one more sinfull then another but the least damnable in the reprobate pardonable in the elect The first are when a man thinketh on some childish toie or on a thing that is not which oft commeth into a mans minde by some occasion or other offâ—ed to the sense and represented to the fancie but soone vanisheth away although the thing offered to the imagination be not sinfull yet the very thought of it is sinfull because it possesseth vs for the time and being idle and vnprofitable for that time be it neuer so short so much of Gods image was thrust out of vs the whole man was not takeÌ„ vp for him as it ought and therefore Genes 6.5 it is said all the thoughts of a
to God but not to our selues A miserable euasion of a sottish distinctioâ—â—â— for the scope of Christ is in that place to proue from the lesse to the greater negatiuely that if such seruants whose life and death were in their masters hands as bond-men were in those times doing their duties and seruice neuer so well cannot deserue so much as thankes at their masters hands much lesse that they should emancipate and set themselues free and much lesse to be their masters heires then much lesse since there is no comparison betweene God in heauen and man on earth can we deserue at the hands of God lying in the vncleannesse of our first birth and ouergrowne with sinnes as we haue growne in yeeres to be sanctified by his spirit in this life and glorified by himselfe in the life to come for there is no bond-man so inthralled to his master as we are to God euen in respect of our first creation when we caried the glory of his image in our face and had as it were the crowne of innocency set vpon our heads and yet we wilfully ran from him to our shame till he returned vs againe in his loue so as now all that we doe is duty and not desert and why should he receiue thanks that doth but what we ought Yea say the Papists but yet we deserue something because we are not vnprofitable to our selues Absurd for what master will thinke himselfe beholden to that seruant who by his seruice only inricheth himselfe and bringeth no commodity to his master And yet by the meaning of the Papists because we get something vnder God and by his seruice God must be indebted to vs. But heereupon we say that true it is we are not vnprofitable to our selues for in Christ not onely the person but the worke also is accepted and the person onely in respect he is adopted and this adoption is onely in Christ but yet so as we neuer haue God beholden to vs. Therefore when he saith Come good seruant and faithfull Mat. 25.21 enter into thy masters ioy it is true that the Lord doth recompence the vsing of our talents well but this is so farre as we are iustified and are his sons so as first he loueth the person and then the worke and if he did not accept the iustification of the person he would disauow the worke but being his chldren though we are farre from doing that we ought yet as a kind and louing father he accepteth it pleasingly ROM chap. 8. vers 15. verse 15 For ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but ye haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we crie Abba Father IN this verse and that which followeth the Apostle doth confirme that hee set downe before namely that wee are intitled to eternall life by inheritance and to confirme and ratifie that vnto vs wee haue this priuiledge to bee Gods sonnes and so heires of heauen The arguments he vseth be two first ye haue receiued that spirit whereby God doth witnesse that he doth accept you as his children in his naturall Sonne Christ Iesus And to proue we haue this spirit of a doption he doth it by the contrary for saith he like bond-slaues ye do not now feare the ghastly looks of the tormenter nor yee haue not now that hellish horrour and fearefull apprehension of Gods iudgements wherby Sathan vseth to whip mens consciences nor ye haue not that loud alarme of the killing law sounding in your eares and seizing vpon your soules to affright you Secondly in the verse following he proueth it by a double testimony first of Gods spirit which witnesseth this vnto vs and which were blasphemy to thinke it could suggest false things and secondly by our owne spirit which may assure our selues of it by our godly and holy conuersation By the spirit of bondage in this place is meant the holy Ghost who by the instrument of the killing letter that is the law doth propose and set downe such a condition of obedience to which we are obliged and bound by our creation and yet are now vtterly disabled by our corruption to performe it so as it is impossible to be kept and yet ought to be kept and laieth such a burthen vpon vs as neither wee nor our first parents were euer able to beare since they declined from the estate wherein they were at first created Whereupon this spirit of God by this meanes setting the law before vs as a glasse wherein wee may behold our selues conumceth the conscience of the good not done and of the euill that is done thereby shewing that no flesh can by this be iustified before God and sheweth and setteth before our eies not only the sinne but the vengeance which the sinne drawes after it so as our conscience can not bee but grieuously wounded with that hellish horrour wee haue voluntarily made our selues subiect vnto Now on the contrary the spirit of adoption is that worke of the holy Ghost whereby the incomprehensible loue of God in his Sonne is powred into our hearts that hee doth auow and know vs for his children so farre as we are not now bond-men to feare the performance of that impossible condition proposed by the law but we are heereby assured that what the law commandeth this spirit will either enable vs to performe or dispence and beare with our imperfections in not doing it with that perfection it requireth and so by consequent we ascertaine our selues that wee are the sonnes of God The parts heerein to be obserued are two there being set downe an opposing of a double spirit of contrarie natures working contrarie effects according to their natures The effect of the first being a dreadfull and fearefull expectation of endlesse and hellish torments the effect of the other being a comfortable securitie and breeding a heauenly hope that wee shall bee blessed of the Lord out of which as out of a root springeth and ariseth chearefull obedience to God our Father the other inforcing vs only through feare to loue God as bondslaues Herein is questionable whether by this spirit of bondage here spoken of is meant the spirit of Sathan or the holy Ghost that should thus terrify and affright vs. But note it must be vnderstood of Gods spirit which is the author of working holy despaire and by consequent of terror and is an occasion of despaire in the wicked and this is as proper for the spirit of God as to offer the sweet comfort of Christs bitter passion vnto vs. For by this meanes and maner of terrifying it bringeth both the elect and the reprobate to despaire but to a diuers end For the elect in this sort that shewing it impossible and past our power to performe the law euen as impossible as to build a tower to the heauens or to remooue a promontorie with our finger it bringeth vs to a holy despaire in our selus in respect of our own deserts thereby driuing vs to seeke
Elizabet no doubt prayed in their youth for the fruite of their bodie but they were not then heard for the Lords time was not yet but when Zachary as priest was exercising the publike ministerie of the Church and both he and his wise striken in age then the Angell comes and tels him the Lord had heard his prayers and that his wife should haue a child Which may be a great encouragement to vs to grow perfect in this exercise and that the worke of praier may bee easie to vs because there is not a word falls to the ground but either it rebounds presently vpon vs againe with a blessing or that blessing is reserued for a better time when it trebles the ioy in receiuing an vnexpected benefit No doubt Iacob had fetched many a sigh for the losse of his sonne Ioseph Gen. 37.34 but if Ioseph had presently returned to his father before he obtained the honour in Egypt it had nothing so much cheared Iacobs heart Gen. 45.27 as it did when he saw the chariots sent to fetch him that he might see him in his state and dignitie So for the Lord to cary in his remembrance and to keepe as it were a booke of our prayers alwayes open before his eyes and either to heale vs when we are past cure as he did Dauid when he heard him out of the deepe of deeps or in his good time to put vs in mind of our owne prayers by the fruit doubled in our bosome when we thought our haruest past can not but exceedinglie stirre vs vp to magnifie his goodnes and to employ all the powers of our soule to please him Thirdly we pray for many things which we cannot obtaine and yet we must pray for them for if we cannot haue our desire here it shall be fulfilled in the life to come as when wee pray that Gods kingdome may come that we may be deliuered from temptation and that wee may not sinne which onely shall be performed in the life to come for God according to his owne disposition of times hath ordained that we his creatures should apply our selues vnto and therefore hath taught vs by his spirit as well to pray for the end as for the meanes Faith in this life being the foundation of our hope and our hope being perfited in the life to come through the loue of Christ so that as here we pray to haue our faith strengthened our infirmities cured our sins pardoned and Gods graces renewed in vs daily which be apples of such a tree as we taste of in this life so here we pray also that sinne may be abolished the number of Gods elect gathered and the worke of our sanctification perfited which is the end and perfection of the former and which is reserued for a better life when both our owne prayers and the intercession of Christ for vs also shall cease Fourthly obserue that God so heareth thy prayers that though he do not graunt formam the forme yet he graunteth finem the end of thy prayers Euen as Christ when he prayed in the garden Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me now shall wee say that Christ euer prayed and was not heard Mat. 26.39 God forbid and yet the cuppe did not passe from him yet was hee heard as the Apostle to the Hebrewes saith in that he feared for though hee was not deliuered from death Heb. 5.7 yet was hee freed from the horrour of death for an Angell was sent to comfort him 2. Cor. 12.8 So Paul when he prayed to be deliuered from the buffetings of Satan he had his desire thus farre the Lord graunteth the end of his prayer that is strength to abide it exempted he could not be but this was it the power of the Lord should be in him so much the greater as his temptations and afflictions were increased so that none must be discouraged nor grow cold though their first or second voice in praier be not heard for by this we learne first to continue in praier and in this doth the Lord secretly heare vs that wee breake not off Secondlie the Lord doth for a time withdraw his eares from the words of our mouth that we may know the deliuerance praied for comming from God we are not to appoint him the houre Thirdly we stay a time before our hands be filled with our requests to exercise our patience that our desire be not like the longing and fainting of a woman Fourthlie that by this small absence of the Lord in not hearing our praiers at the first we may learne to depend vpon his prouidence Fiftlie that we may vse them the better when we haue them and receiue them with the greater thankfulnesse because things wished for as they are gratefully receiued so are they carefully preserued ROM chap. 8. vers 28. verse 28 Also we know that all things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God euen to them that are called of his purpose HEere the Apostle proceedeth to open another fountaine of exceeding comfort to the faithfull which is all things worke for the best to those that loue God but euery faithfull man is assured he loues the Lord therefore to him all things worke for the best and if all things then afflictions He proues it by this reason to those that be predestinate all things turne to the best but they that loue the Lord are predestinate therefore to them all things turne to the best And to proue this he setteth downe a reason vers 29. Those that be called in the eternall purpose of God them hath he predestinate to be like the image of his Sonne Heb. 2.9 that as he passed by the crosse and from the crosse to glory so shall wee being children of the same Father and who are borne and bound to resemble Christ our elder brother in this point chiefly To declare how afflictions worke for the best in Gods children we must vnderstand that afflictions be of two sorts either remedies to correct our corruptions and heale our infirmities or els exercises of Gods graces in his children that he may try them how much they will suffer for his sake For the first kind of afflictions we cannot doubt but they do worke for the best whether we consider them as chastisements for sins past or as preuentions of sins to come For sins that are committed the rod is necessary for he is a bastard that is not corrected that wee may see and loath the cause of our affliction that is our corruption as it is said 1. Cor. 11.32 We are chastised of the Lord because we should not be condemned with the world And to Dauid the Lord saith Thy sonnes I will correct for their sinnes but my louing kindnesse shall neuer depart from thee for the punishments of these our sinnes are pardoned in the sacrifice of Christ but so is not the chastisement for this proceedeth from the loue of God and Christ
onely satisfied the wrath of God That it commeth from the loue of God appeareth by the example of Dauid to whom when the Lord had sent Nathan the Prophet to tell him his sinne was pardoned 2. Sam. 7.15 yet withall part of his message was that the sword should neuer depart from his house which fell out in his daughter Thamar that was rauished and in his sonne Absolon that was desperatly hanged and in the child begotten in adultery that presently died And this was only to awake him out of that securitie Sathan had cast him into for it is certaine where the Lord smites not there the Lord loues not and therefore 1. Sam. 2.25 it is said that because the Lord had a purpose to slay the sonnes of Eli therefore they obeyed not the mild voice of admonition vsed by their father Now for those afflictions that be sent as preuentions of sinne as pouertie ignominie restraint of libertie shutting vp the wombe and such like they also turne to the best in Gods children for many do let themselues bloud before they be sicke for feare of sicknesse and the superfluous spreads of a vine are cut off that it may bring foorth better fruite And thus doth the Lord mint and diet his children lest by riches they should grow proud by fame become insolent by libertie wax wanton and kicke against the Lord when they be full and lest by hauing children they should make idols of them to cocker them vp to damnation the Lord scanteth them in these blessings Looke vpon Dauid who confesseth he had gained much by affliction See what difference there was euen in Nabuchadnezzar before hee was pulled out of his seate and after he had fed with beasts before in his prosperitie the strength of his hand and the power of his maiestie had built Babel Dan. 3. and 4. but after he had bene cooled in the wild forrest then he lifted vp his eyes to heauen and praysed and honoured him that liueth for euer Such is the stomacke of flesh and bloud that it will breake out into many insolencies against God against his church and children vnlesse he cut as it were out teather short that we haue but litle roome to feed in and therefore in great mercie he suffereth vs oft times to want lest we should was proud with abundance and changeth our oyle of gladnesse into a countenance of heauinesse because we could not before tell how to vse our mirth Secondly consider how those afflictions turne to our good which are sent for the exercises of Gods graces in vs namely beerein to trie how farre wee loue God whether wee loue him when hee dealeth with vs roughly aswell as when hee dealeth mildly and liberally with vs and this is called the fierie triall wherein we shall not be consumed like drosse but refined like gold And this affection appeared in Iob when he cried Iob. 13.15 O Lord though thou kill me yet will I loue thee for many times the Lord sendeth his arrowes against vs and the venime of his wrath lieth for a time in our bones and hee setteth vs vp as markes to shoote at vnto whom if we willingly submit our selues the power and danger of his shafts shall be appeased before they hit vs and the poison of his indignation shall be cleansed away before it rankle in vs. Gen. 22.2 Thus fared it with Abraham whom the Lord did not simply afflict for his sinne but for the triall of his faith and feruencie of his zeale toward God to see whether hee loued Isaac the sonne of the promise better then God the Father of the promise And behold to the comfort of the children of Abraham in a resolution of three dayes iourney he fainted not to execute the Lords commaundement trusting the Lord with his owne saluation for hee knew if his sonne Isaac should haue been sacrificed himselfe should haue been damned whose obedience when it was thus thoroughly tried the Lord saith Since thou hast done this I will make thee the father of the faithfull which was a confirmation of the promise was made before But there is another speciall kind of affliction that searcheth more narrowly the corners of our hearts and trieth more fully our obedience and loue toward God namely when the Lord vouchsafeth vs that honor to suffer for the crosse of Christ In this hee exerciseth our cold prayers and varnisheth our rustie hope and stirreth vp our dull meditations to thinke how precious in the sight of God is the bloud of his Saints when they die not onely in their holinesse Psal 116.15 but are put to death euen for their holinesse And therefore Christ giueth this counsell Luk. 6.22.23 When ye are hated of men and persecuted for righteousnes then reioyce and be glad or as the Greeke word signifieth skippe at that day like fat calues because our reward is great in heauen So as these afflictions that leade to death further and hasten vs toward the life to come and euen for this life they turne to our good as Mat. 10.29 He that forsaketh father or wife or riches for my names sake I will giue him an hundred fold more in this life that is in that base estate and condition of persecution wherein he standeth for the profession of my name I will giue him an hundred times more comfort more contentation and more peace of conscience then he should haue had in an hundred wiues of such as were neuer so deare vnto him in an hundred fathers of such as were neuer so kind vnto him and more perfect ioy then he should haue had in all the treasures of the world be they neuer supleasing and precious vnto him So as obserue though the Lord promiseth not a requitall of thy losse in quantitie and in number yet he doth it in the good will and blessing of God wihch is the specâ—all qualitie that maketh such things wee enioy permanent and comfortable vnto vs. This Dauid had found in his owne experience Psal 127.1 and therefore teacheth vs to know that except the Lord doe builde the house in vaine doe the workmen bestow their labour and vnlesse hee keepe the citie as good set open the gates for the watch without him do nothing Witnesse the prison doores that flew open and the chaines wherewith Peter was fettered that flew off when the Iaylor had done the best he could Act. 12.10 And this is that Amos laboureth to perswade the people in his Prophesie that let the spring be neuer so forward Amos 4.6 nor the bread which is our food neuer so sauorie if the Lorde doe but blow vpon it it cannot nourish vs. So Paul saith 1. Tim. 4.12 that godlinesse hath euer the promises of this life that is religious prosperity the hand of blessing from aboue and it hath the promises of the life to come that is to bee translated from this dimme light of Gods fauour which we finde here into the full
our infirmities with the courage of fighting and by them to keepe vs waking that we may discerne the storme when it commeth and cast our ank or on Christ where it shall neuer be vnloosed Here the craft and wilinesse of flesh and bloud will so one take occasion of licenciousnesse as to say if our infirmities serue to do vs good and turne to Gods glory because by this meanes we see our weaknesse then it is good to make much of them euen as Porphyrius commendeth the treason of Iudas against Christ because by Christ his death saluation is brought to many But miserable and blasphemous is this opinion for this were to turne the grace of God into wantonnes for though our infirmities doe further vs many waies to saluation yet in it owne nature sinne is alway sinfull God can make Satan a Physitian to cure Paul yet is he euer Satan that is an enemie God can make the tyrannie of Pharaoh as a trumpet to stir vp the Israelites to crie to him for helpe Exod. 2.23 yet doth this nothing diminish from his malice to Gods people Luk. 22.47 Iohn 17.12 God can make Iudas by a kisse the executioner of his decree yet doth he continue the child of perdition So as we must striue against our infirmities because they be in themselues simplie euill though qualified and tempered with the Lords hand they turne to our good Adulterie it was a horrible sinne in Dauid though it was made profitable for his soule in bringing him to such a low degree of humiliation as is set downe Psal 32.6 For the heauens to be brasse as not good in it owne nature but it is a vengeance of we want the first and latter raine whereby to ripen the fruits of the earth yet at the praier of Eliah 1. King 17. and Iames 5.16 it rained not on the earth for three yeeres and six monthes that the Lords mercie and power might the more be seene yea the Lord can create light out of darknesse yet darknesse is alwaie darknesse Adams fall it was good in that end God had ordained it namely Gen. 3.14 to prepare the waie to raise vs vp a Sauiour of the seed of the woman but it was a most damnable sinne as Satan and Adam meant it for they did it in rebellion against God Further we must consider how the persons be qualified to whom all things turne to the best it is to them that loue God which is the most excellent and Christian commendation that can be this our loue issuing and streaming from that fountaine of the loue of God Euen as all waters come from the sea as from the well-head and returne thither againe boiling out of the veines of the earth so God sending forth the streames of his loue into our hearts it must euen from the very bottome of our hearts returne to him againe for wee haue nothing but what wee haue receiued Now there was neuer any Senacherib nor Iesabel but said they loued God therefore this true Christian loue of God that it may bee seene not to be counterfeit is accompanied with six properties first with a care to keepe his commandements for such is the rule of Christ If yee loue mee keepe my commandements which wee must doe so much the rather because the Lord hath giuen and forgiuen vs much hauing made vs of enemies friends as Abraham was tearmed to bee the friend of God hauing brought vs home when we wandred in the wildernesse of sinne Luk. 1â— 2â— as he did the lost sonne hauing fed vs when wee wanted and had no meanes to succour vs as hee did Eliah 1. King 17.6 hauing clearelie set off the debt which we did owe and cancelled the hand-writing which was against vs. If wee should not performe obedience to such a God and weare his commandements as a frontlet before our eies our condemnation could neuer be too heauy nor our stripes too many Howbeit euerie blasphemer sieth against his owne soule that dare say euen in the height of his wickednesse he soueth God for can a woman prostitute her bodie to a varlet and mingle her flesh with his strange flesh and yet trulie say she loues her husband it is not possible no more can anie man trulie call himselfe the child of Abraham if hee doe and performe the workes of the Diuell Secondlie Iohn 8.44 this loue of God must breed in vs a base estimation and account nay rather a contempt of these earthlie things in respect of Gods loue To such a passe had Paul brought his iudgement and his affections to Philipp 3.8 when he esteemed all things but as dung in comparison of the treasure of the life to come and that he might win Christ So Moses refused the pleasures of sinne in Egypt in respect of the assurance of Gods loue manifested in his afflicted seruants Exod. 2.11 and Peter and other of the Disciples were so rauished with ioie at the call of Christ Math. 4.20 that they left their nets and forsooke the world to follow him And this is that indeede which wee shall all finde at the last to bee the truest comfort for riches are transitorie and will beguile vs honour is slipperie and will deceiue vs the world is moth-eaten and weares awaie at least wee our selues are but claie and soone perish but the loue of God in Christ endureth for euer Thirdlie this our loue of God is accompanied with a feruent zeale of his glorie and more delight wee take heerein then in the enioying the wiues of our youth This was the commendation of the Church of Thy atira Reuelat. 2.18 and by this was their loue of God discerned by their increase in the workes of charitie faith and patience and by their zeale of Gods glorie that they profited and went forward in religion more at last then at first This kinde of loue is described Cantic 8.5.6 to bee stronger then death the coales thereof to bee fierie to expresse the zeale and vehemencie of it whole flouds of affliction cannot drowne it neither can anie treasure buie it Such was the loue of Paul and of Moses that wished themselues accursed to saue their brethren Rom. 9.3 Exod. 32.32 because they thought it more glorie for God to saue many then to saue one Fourthly this our loue of God must make vs presently hate all things whereby God is openly dishonored This was it that so fiercely inflamed the wrath of Moses Exod. 32.19 that when he saw idolatrie set vp by the peoples dauncing before the calfe he broke the Tables of the Law and burned the calfe and strewed the powder of it on the waters and in detestation of their superstition made the children of Israel to drinke thereof Hereof commeth that Ezech. 9.4 that they that haue the marke in their foreheads that is such as are sealed vp to saluation doe mourne and crie for the iniquitie of the times And such was the affection of Dauid
those that are ordained in the eternall purpose of God to be saued after this sort those that are sure to be conformable to the glorious image of the Sonne of God to them all things doe worke for the best but they that are called in the Lords eternall purpose are ordained to bee conformable and made like to the glorious image of his Sonne therefore to these all things worke for the best Quos praenouit whom he knew before that is Quos vt suos cognouit whom hee knew and approued to bee his owne such should resemble his Sonne in glory that is should partake and taste of the same glory though not in the same measure according to the speech of S. Iohn in his Epistle We shall be like him he doth not say equall to him for Christ must haue the preheminence of an elder brother Hence obserue the indifferencey of the loue of God that he vseth but one and the selfe same course of discipline in his house for all his children for as he trained vp his first and eldest and best beloued sonne so will he traine and bring vs vp And how Christ was vsed here on earth the Scripture is plentifull and his owne mouth testifieth that he was worse then the beasts of the earth for he had not wherein to hide his head And therefore vnlesse wee doe despise the sufferings of Christ or thinke that God loueth vs better then he did Christ and hath prouided an easier way for vs to walke in let vs know that it is our portion to abide the indignities of the world and to bee hated of men nay if whole seas of troubles fall vpon vs wee need not bee dismaled for reuilings are made vnto vs as precious balme the whip is become but as soft silke the pangs of death but as messengers of a sweet sleepe and through Christ the graue is vnto vs as a perfumed bed Secondly obserue hence the power and vertue of Gods loue towards vs who will still haue vs beare about vs some notable marke of excellencie and of immortalitie for as at the first wee were created like to the image of God himselfe so in our second birth and restitution wee are made to resemble the image of the Sonne of God and our resemblance of Christ standeth in two things which formerly haue beene touched first in walking through the sierie afflictions of this life which we may the better doe remembring that being the sonnes of Iacob there is a ladder that reacheth from heauen to earth whereon the Angels are alwaies ascending and descending Gen. 28.12 readie to minister to the necessities of the Saints Secondly in climing vp to the seate of glorie after the Dragon hath spent his malice in sending foorth of his mouth whole flouds of waters to drowne vs Reu. 12.25 which did nothing else but onely wash away our filthinesse lest otherwise wee had beene like to that old Serpent alwaies groueling vpon the ground For certaine it is we must either resemble the Sonne in obedience or the Serpent in malice and if we thinke the inheritance of a sonne inferior and of lesse value and consequent then the curse of the Serpent then let vs runne on with Pharaoh in the heardnesse of our hearts that the Lord may shew his power in vs and after hee hath forborne vs a while in patience Roâ— 9.17 cast vs to the destruction prepared for vs. Vers 30. Moreouer whom hee predestinate them also hee called and whom hee called them also hee iustified and whom hee iustified them also he glorified Here the Apostle proueth his former speech and assertion by setting downe and declaring those subordinate and second meanes or degrees whereby the Lord doth accomplish this his purpose and decree The degrees be foure whom he foreknew first them he predestinated secondly after he called thirdly then iustified fourthly and lastly them he glorified After this sort speaketh S. Iohn He that beleeueth is alreadie translated from death to life so as the whole force of the Apostles argument is this They that shall certainly be glorified to them all things worke for the best otherwise the Lords purpose should be frustrate which cannot be by reason of the degrees of executing this his purpose which neuer faile Here consider generally two parts first his fore or daining vs to glorie secondly the inferiour degrees whereby he doeth execute this his purpose to glorifie vs. In the first consider three things first what this foreknowledge of the Lord is secondly what is meant by this to be like the image of his Sonne thirdly what is meant by the first borne among brethren For this which is the first namely the foreknowledge of God it is the very same which the Apostle called before his purpose whereby the Lord meant to know vs for his owne in his euerlasting loue which is the very highest cause of our saluation For that there is no other first cause may be vnderstood in this that we are not to seeke the first cause in Christ nor the first ordaining vs to life in the mediation of Christ for the Lord had a purpose to saue some before euer Christ had a purpose to be a Mediator though not in time yet in order and that nothing but his foreknowledge made the Lord to know vs in loue and to account vs for his owne wee may see it in our paterne Christ What could induce God that mans nature should be vnited to the very nature eternall Was it possible that the humane nature of Christ could deserue it No but it onely was the Lords purpose that it should be so which being true in constituting and ordaining the head is also to be considered in the members that euen so and in the like maner the simple and onely purpose of God should shew it selfe in fore ordaining vs. Now the worthinesse of man was no cause of this for Paul saith Rom. 9.11 the Lord loued Iacob and hated Esau before they had done either good or euil and saith it is therefore a mystery to be adored rather then to be scanned by reason If wee will search after the generall cause of mans saluation or damnation it is the manifestation of the Lords iustice on some and the declaration of his mercy on others for if all should haue bin saued then had there bin no iustice with the Lord and againe if all had bin condemned then had there beene no mercy Howbeit if we descend to particulars as why the Lord ordained such a one to be saued or to be damned no reason can be giuen heereof but his eternall purpose which is onely hidden in his owne breast For we must not expostulate with the Potter why he made this vessell to honor and that to dishonor much lesse must we contend and plead with the Lord about it This learne thou the Lord hardneth the reprobate either by the substraction and drawing away of his mercy or by giuing it so and in
in a holy conuersation Heere will be obiected since workes are so precisely vrged what say wee to the faith of the theefe vpon the crosse what workes did he and by this example many betray their soules in presuming of the like grace Wee answer that this was a particular priuiledge giuen to that theefe euen as a pardon may bee giuen to a man vpon the gallowes and if any embolden himselfe heereupon perhaps the rope will be his hire and it is not good to put it vpon the Psalme of Miserere and the necke-verse for sometime he proueth no Clarke And for this theefe the Lord neuer did it but to one that none might presume and yet hee did it to one and did saue one in the exigent of his life that none might despaire Secondly this was a worke reserued for the manifestation of the power of the Sonne of God that he should beleeue in his fellow sufferer and desire him to saue him that when the Pharisees denied him to be the Sonne of God yet a poore wretch and a theefe should confesse it Thirdly we must not regard the shortnesse of his confession but consider the time and circumstance when and before whom this confession was made euen then when no man durst defend the innocencie of the Sonne of God when the Pharisees left him when all his Disciples were scattered and when Marie his mother that stood a farre off and knew him to be the Sonne of God and yet spake nothing in his defence whereby she finned against the first table She was his mother and saw him put to death vniustly and yet would not testifie of his innocencie whereby she bore false witnesse against him so sinned against the ninth commaundement being her sonne she did not comfort him vpon the crosse and so sinned against the fift commaundement yet when all these either doubted of his diuinity or despaired the poore theefe did confesse him to be that Christ the Sonne of God who â—â—d Paradise to dispose Lastly know that he was such a wretch that he neuer knew God before and therefore was it no maruell though he committed felonie but as soone as the Lord knockt at his heart first he confesseth Christ to be God and to die an innocent Luk. 23.41 We suffer righteously but this man hath done nothing amisse wherein he wrought a worke of the first table secondly he reprooued his fellow who raned on Christ wherein he wrought a worke of the second table So as this example of the theefe is no warrant to deferre or trifle off our repentance till the last houre for hee wrought as soone as hee was called If therefore the Lord hath offered vnto vs the riches of his mercie let vs in the acceptable time embrace it and not abuse his long suffering by growing more leane and ill-fauoured by these many yeeres wee haue had of religious peace and plentie but let vs returne vnto him while he is in the way before darknesse too fast ouer-grow our soules and before death snatch vs away into the graue For the similitude which is vers 26. obserue onely that it agreeth not in all points for the soule is the cause of the life of the body but so are not good works the cause of faith but only an effect and fruit of it for faith giueth life to good works and faith worketh by loue in the person instified for we must as hath bene said first be good before we can do good and we are made good spiritually by our regeneration in Christ and we being ingrafted into him then we do good so as the meaning only of the Apostle is by this similitude to shew that when a dead man being dead can speake which is impossible then faith which hath no workes and so is but a dead faith shall iustifie and saue vs. 1. IOHN chap. 3. vers 9.10 verse 9 Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not for his seed remaineth in him neither can he sinne because he is borne of God verse 10 In this are the children of God knowen and the children of the diuell who so doth not righteousnesse is not of God neither he that loueth not his brother THE Apostle in the beginning of this chapter first setteth downe that God the Father by his euerlasting loue in his Sonne hath bestowed vpon the faithfull this priuiledge to be called the sonnes of God in the sonne of God Christ Iesus Secondly that this dignity to bee the sonne of God and so to be called is not to be discerned by the men of the world because they haue not knowen the Sonne hauing not his spirit for spirituall things cannot be discerned by them that haue nothing but fleshly policy Thirdly as this cannot be discerned of the world so it is impossible our selues should sufficiently conceiue of it while we remaine in the tabernacle of this life because there is another glory we expect vers 2. Fourthly he setteth downe an effect inseparable from this adoption As many as are the sonnes of God and haue this hope of future glory they striue to reformation of life not to be equally pure but to bee like pure to the Lord Iesus This hee prooueth first from the institution of the law God neuer ordained the law neither after our creation nor after our redemption but to bee kept and the reason is thus The breach of the law is a disparagement swinge and sinne it perfect strength Thirdly the godly eâ—e said not to sinne be 〈◊〉 he laboureth to walke in all the commandements of the Lord. Now he that walketh in the right way may somtime fall but if hee doe heâ— striueth to regaine it by greater carefulnesse and speedier passageâ— but the wicked goe cleane out of the way as if heauen stood at hell gate Lastly because in the godly there is a combat for there is two men in them in the inward man they would faine please God and by the outward as Saint Paul saith they are made captiue to sinne Rom. 7.23 but in a meere naturall man there is nothing but flesh and so no combat for where all is one there is no diuision and if there be any strife in him it is betweene his conscience and himselfe in iudgement conuincing him that it is sinne and not betweene his conscience and his affection misliking it as it is sinne for this is easily seene by his often relapse into the same sinne Now for the reason hee doth not sinne because the holy Ghost which is the seed of our second birth remaineth in him neither can he sin and this is proued by two places of scripture first Rom. 8.1 where the Apostle proueth these two graces inseparable iustification from sinne and sanctification from sinne thus There is no condemnation to him that liueth a spirituall man this is proued vers 5. by contraries They that liue after the flesh sauour the things of the flesh but he that is borne of God cannot doe so for then