and holinesse the reason why the Israelites bound 2. Sam. 19. 9. themselues to giue subiection and obedience to Dauid was that he had deliuered them from the hand of the Philistins the same reason Ezra vsed to the Iewes returned from captiuitie to make them obedient to the Lord Seeing thou O Ezra 9. 13. Lord hath giuen vs such deliuerances shall we returne any more to breake thy Commaundements but much more should it binde vs to doe seruice to our Lord Iesus seeing hee hath made vs free by his blood shall we againe make our selues the seruants of sinne The Lord neuer shewed a greater Professors conuinced that serue him not mercie on man then this that he gaue his sonne Iesus Christ vnto the death for vs and there can be no higher contempt done to God by man then if after so great a loue shewed vs wee shall still refuse to be his seruants much will be required of him to whom much is giuen those Gentiles to whom the Lord reuealed himselfe in goodnesse onely as their Creator because they did not glorifie him the Apostle saith that the wrath of God was reuealed from heauen vpon them and what wrath then maist thou looke for to whom the Lord hath manifested himselfe in mercy also as thy Redeemer in Christ and yet thou will not glorifie him thou receiuest not him whom thy Father hath sent vnto thee neyther wilt thou liue vnto him that gaue himselfe to dye for thee but by thy wicked life thou crucifiest againe the Sonne of God and treadest vnder thy feet the blood of the new couenant certainely Sodome and Gomorrha shall be in an easier estate in the day of iudgement then the wicked of this generation For in this last age the Lord hath spoken to vs by his Son he hath none greater to send after him those labourers of the vineyard that slew the Seruants of the great King were not for that instantly punished but when the Sonne came and they had murthered him also then was their iudgement no longer delayed It was not written for the Iewes onely in whom it was first accomplished but for vs also to whom the Father in this last age hath sent his owne Sonne and by whom hee hath spoken vnto vs from himselfe if we despise him there remaines no more but a violent looking for of iudgement The third dutie is that for Christs sake we loue vnfainedly Loue to those whom he hath bidden loue for his sake those whom hee hath recommended vnto vs our goodnesse cannot extend vnto the Lord neither haue wee him walking with vs vpon earth that we may minister vnto him may wash his feete and annoint his blessed bodie with precious oyntments therefore should our delight be vpon those his excellent ones that are vpon earth When Ionathan was dead Dauid for Ionathans sake shewed kindnesse to Mephibosheth our Ionathan is not dead hee liues and raignes in heauen yet can we not declare our kindnesse to himselfe let vs seeke some Mephibosheth some of Christs little weake and impotent children of whom he hath said what ye doe to one of these little ones for my sake is done to me and let vs shew kindnesse vnto them for the great loue which the Lord Iesus hath shewed vnto vs. And that for sinne These words containe the end of Christ came to destroy sin cursed are they who nourish it Christs manifestation in the flesh which is that in our nature he might beare the punishment of our sinnes satisfie the iustice of God and so abolish sinne Sanit Iohn makes this cleare when he saith that he appeared to destroy the workes of the diuell that is sinne for sinne being remooued there is nothing in man but the workmanship of God By this it is euident how highly they offend God who abuse the death of Christ to nourish themselues in their sinne being the bolder to commit sinne because Christ dyed for them surely this is to turne the grace of God into wantonnesse The Lord came to abolish sinne not to nourish it 1. Pet. 3. 18. Christ once suffered the iust for the vniust not that we should still abide vniust but that he might bring vs to God Thou therefore who continuest vniust mayst say as thou hast heard that there is a Sauiour come into the world but can not say in truth that there is a Sauiour come to thee For where Christ comes he worketh that worke for which hee came namely he destroyes the worke of the diuell that is he enfeebles and abolishes at the last the power of sinne Condemned sinne Sin by a metaphor is said to be condemned How Christ hath condemned sinne for as thy who are condemned are depriued of all the liberty power and priuiledges they had before and haue no more any place to appeare in iudgement so hath the Lord Iesus disanulled sinne that it hath now no power to commaund and condemne vs hee hath spoyled principalities and powers and triumphed ouer them in the Crosse Colos 2. 24. and hath nayled vnto it the obligation of ordinances which was against vs and so sustulit illam quasi authoritatem peccati Ambrose in hunc locum qua homines detinebat in inferno hath taken away that power and authoritie of sinne whereby it detained men vnder damnation This hath he done most lawfully and in iudgement as we shall heare bearing our sinnes in his blessed bodie on the Crosse he hath suffered that punishment which the law required to be inflicted on man for sinne and that in the flesh that is in the same nature of man which had offended For this word of Condemnation imports a iust and lawful Two head or chiefe iustice Courts holden by God proceeding of a Iudge in iudgement which that we may the better vnderstand let vs consider that there are two generall and head iustice Courts which the Lord hath set vnto men the one is holden already the other is to be holden 1 In the first the sinnes of all Gods elect are condemned in the first the sinnes of all the elect are lawfully condemned that themselues may be absolued in the second the persons of all the reprobate shall be iustly condemned In the first by the ordinance of God the Father our sinnes were laid vpon the backe of Iesus Christ and a law imposed to him which was neuer giuen to any other neither Angell or man to wit the law of a Mediator that he should make vp peace betweene God and man loue God in such sort that he should by suffering preserue the glory of his Fathers iustice and yet make manifest the glory of his mercy that he should loue his brethren in such sort that hee should take the burden of their transgressions vpon him which as by the Father it was enioyned vnto him so did he willingly vndertake it And therefore hauing our sinnes imputed vnto him he presented himselfe for vs vpon the Crosse as vpon a
can wee but take vp a bitter lamentation for many of you whom in this time of grace wee see to be strangers from grace wee wish from our harts ye were not like the kinsmen of Lot they thought hee had but mocked when hee told them of an iminent iudgement and therefore for no request would goe out of Sodome but tarryed till the fire of the Lords indignation did consume them but that rather as Sarah followed Abraham from Caldee to Canaan so yee vvould take vs by the hand and goe with vs from hell to heauen but alas the lusts of the flesh hold you captiue or then the loue of the world doth bewitch you but all of them in the end shall deceiue you for all the labour vnder the Sunne is but vanitie and vexation of the Spirit vvhen you haue finished your taske you shall be lesse content than you were at the beginning you shall be as one vvakened out of a dreame who in his sleepe thought hee was a possessor of great riches but when hee awaketh behold he hath nothing or not vnlike that rich man who said in his securitie Now my Soule thou Luke 12. 19. hast much good for many yeares and euen vpon the next day redacted to such extreame necessitie vvith that other who despised Lazarus that he had not so much as a drop of cold water to coole his tongue vvithall then shall you lament Wisd 5. 7. and say We haue wearied our selues in the way of iniquitie and it did not profit vs. Miserable worldlings who take more paines to get and keepe any thing than Iesus Christ Alas how shall I learne you to be wise Is not this a pittifull blindnesse the Lord when hee created man made him Lord aboue all his creatures and now vnthankefull man sets euery creature in his heart aboue the Lord. O fearefull ingratitude Doe you so reward the Lord O ye foolish people and vnwise There is nothing which ye conceit to be good but when yee want it you are carefull to seeke it when you haue it you are carefull to keepe it onely you are carelesse of the Lord Iesus though hee be that incomparable iewell which bringeth light in darknesse life in death comfort in trouble and mercy against all iudgement ye should set him as a signet on your heart as an ornament on your head and put him on as that glorious attire which gets you place to stand before God But what paines doe ye take to seeke him what assurance haue yee that yee are in him or what mourning doe yee make for that yee do not possesse him can you say in truth that the tenth part of your thoughts or words haue been bestowed vpon him No no it is the shame of many that they haue taken more paynes to keepe a signet on their hand than euer they did to keepe Iesus in their heart they wander after vanitie and follow lyes they forsake the fountaine of liuing waters Oh Psal 50. 22. consider this yee that forget God least he teare you in peeces and there be none to deliuer you The last lesson wee obserue in this part of the Verse is How all things worke for the worst to the wicked this as all things workes for the best to them who loue the Lord so all things workes for the worst vnto the wicked there is nothing so cleane which they defile not nothing so excellent which they abuse not Make Saul a King and Balaam a Prophet and Iudas an Apostle their preferment shall be their destruction if they be in prosperitie they contemne God and their prosperitie becomes their ruine if they be in aduersitie they blaspheme him and like raging waues of the sea cast out their owne dirt to their shame yea what speake I of these things euen their table shal be a snare vnto them Iesus Christ is a rocke of offence vnto them the Gospell the sauour of death vnto them and their prayer is turned into sinne and vvhat more excellent things then these As a foule stomacke turnes most healthfull food into corruption so their polluted conscience turnes iudgement into gall and the fruit of righteousnesse into wormewood And all this should prouoke vs to an holy care to become good our selues or else there is nothing were it neuer so good can be profitable to vs. To them that loue God We haue heard the Apostles last The persons to whom the former comfort belongs are described to be such as loue God and are called by him argument of comfort vvhich is that the Lord so ruleth all things by his prouidence that those things which seemes to be against his children are made to worke together for the aduancement of their good Deus enim adeo bonus est vt nihil mali esse sineret nisi eâ—â—am adeo esset potens vt ex quolibet malo possit elicere bonum for God is so good that he vvould suffer no euill to be were it not hee is also so powerfull that of euery euill he is able to draw out good Now vvee proceede to the persons to vvhom this comfort belongs who are first described to be such as loue God secondly as are Three things inseperably knit 1. Gods purpose concerning vs 2. his calling to vs 3. our loue toward him called according to his purpose Here are three things conioyned together euery one depending on another First the purpose of God which is no other thing but his eternall and immutable decree concerning our saluation Secondly our calling flowing from this purpose Thirdly a loue of God wrought in our hearts by this effectuall calling These three are so inseperably conioyned together that from the lowest of these we may goe vp to the highest of that vnfained loue of God which is in thee thou mayest know that he loued thee and in his vnchangeable purpose hath ordained thee to life This is the greatest comfort that can be giuen to men vpon earth to let them see that or euer the Lord laid the foundations of the earth he first laid the foundation of thy saluation in his owne immutable purpose which being secret in it selfe and obscured from vs is most manifested vnto vs by our effectuall calling But of this we vvill speake more God willing hereafter The loue of God then is set downe here as a principall None can loue God but such as he hath chosen and called effect and token of our calling As the Lord calles none effectually but those vvhom hee hath elected so none can loue him but those who are effectually called by him yea thou thy selfe vvho now loues the Lord before thy calling louedst him not thy heart went a whooring from God and thou preferedst euery creature before him and for the smallâ—st pleasure of sinne thou caredst not to offend him It is thought among the multitude a common thing and an It is thought a common thing to loue God but noâ—e can loue him who
teipsum Learne therefore first of all to loue thy selfe and then will I commit thy neighbour to thee that thou maist loue him as thy selfe Si autem nondum nosti diligere te tâ—meo ne decipias proximum sicut te but if otherwise thou hast not learned to loue thy selfe I feare that as thou deceiuest thy selfe thou vvilt also deceiue thy neighbour louing him so that thou draw him into the snare of sin with thy selfe to both your destructions this is not loue but hatred for hee vvho loueth any thing truely hateth euery thing that would destroy it as he that loueth a garment hateth the moth that consumeth it and hee that loueth a tree hateth the worme that eateth it vp so he that loueth a man will also hate the sinne that slayes the man otherwise if thou cherish that which destroyeth him thou hatest him indeed and louest him not It is commonly thought a needles lesson to teach a man Man hath need to learne how to loue himselfe rightly Aug. ad frat in Eremo ser 30. Aug. lib. 2. offi cap. 12. how to loue himselfe but in very deed it is most needfull it being a common discase among men amare res suas magis quam seipsos to loue any thing which is theirs better than themselues quis vtilem indicet vitaealienae quem videt mutilem vitae suae and who can iudge that he can be profitable vnto other men whom he seeth vnprofitable yea hurtfull vnto himselfe Though it be principally said to Preachers yee are the light of the world and salt of the earth yet doth it also saith Chrysostome appertaine to euery Christian but he that hath not so much light as to shine to himselfe how shall he shine vnto others how shall hee guide them except it be as the blinde leades the blinde and both of them at length fals into the ditch and he that hath no salt to pouder his owne speeches nor to eate vp the corruption of his owne heart how can he effect the reformation of others Thus you see how the spirit of grace reforming Loue to our selues and our neighbour should be measured but our loue to God should be without measure our affection of loue sets it vpon God our selues and our neighbour Now as for the measure of our loue toward these vvee are to know that the loue of our selues and our neighbour is bounded and limited but the due measure of the loue of God is to loue him without measure Three conditions are required in our loue to God to wit that we loue him vvith all our heart vvith all our minde and with all our strength vve must loue him earnestly that other loue draw vs not from him but his loue may be strong in our heart as to banish out of it all other vnlawfull loue vincat dulcedo Bern. in Cant. ser 20. dulcedinem quomadmodum clauus clauum that so the sweetnesse of Christ may ouercome in vs all sweetnesse of the creature as one nayle driues out another The Apostles loued Iesus with an heartie affection wee Three conditions requisite in the loue of God Mat. 19. 27. haue said they forsaken all things to follow thee yet had they not learned to loue him with all their minde that is wisely with knowledge and vnderstanding for they loued him so that they liked not his sufferings and had no will that hee should dye the speeches giuen out before hand by our Sauiour of his death they could neither conceiue them nor approue them therefore did our Sauiour rebuke them If Iohn 14. 21. yee loued moe yee would certainely reioyce that I goe vp to my Father out of doubt their affection was toward him but they did not yet vnderstand how good it was for the glorie of God and mans saluation that Iesus should dye and therfore could not reioyce in it And the Apostle Peter when hee heard that Iesus behoued to suffer because hee loued Mat. 16. 22. 23. him said to him Maister pittie thy selfe but receiued this answere Goe behinde mee Sathan for thou vnderstandest not the things that are of God Culpans in vtroque non affectum seâ— consilium blaming in them both not their affection but their vnderstanding yet afterward when Peter vvas better informed that Iesus behoued to dye and rise the third day hee disswaded him no more but rather promised that hee would dye with him he had now learned to loue Iesus not onely with his heart but also with his minde not earnestly onely but also wisely yet vvhen it came to the point he denyed his Maister at the voice of a Dainsell because hee had not learned to loue him with strength as hee did afterward when he had receiued the holy Spirit in greater measure hee loued Iesus euen to the very death with so strong an affection that before the Counsell hee choosed rather to dye for Christ than to deny him Licet vitam tunc minime posuit deposuit tamen in so much that albeit he lost not his life yet he freely laid it downe for Iesus These are the three whereunto wee are to aspyre in all In this life wee are farre from that measure of the loue of God which should be in vs. our life to loue the Lord heartily to loue him wisely for inconsiderate zeale and temerarious precipitation doth not please him and to loue him with so strong an affection that vve chose rather to suffer death than to forsake him But alas how farre are vve from this holy disposition who can say hee hath attained to that measure of holy Loue which the law of God requireth in him and therefore should we endeuour to grow daily in loue earnestly praying the Lord that he would breath by his Spirit vpon that little sparke of heauenly life which he hath created in our hearts that it be not extinguished with the ashes of our corruption but may increase and become a great flame to burne vp our affections with such a loue of God as may carry vp all the powers of our soule toward him To this effect let vs meditate frequently vpon these foure Foure meditations helpful to encrease in vs the loue of God causes for vvhich wee should loue the Lord first for that which hee is in himselfe to vvit the fountaine of all goodnesse the greatest and supreame good if it be good that man vvould haue let him loue the Lord to vvhom there is 1 We should loue him because he himselfe is the supreame good none like in goodnes inuenito si potes aliquid pretiosius Deo dabitur tibi finde out if thou canst any thing more pretious than God and it shall be giuen thee The Platonists by the light of nature saw that all the pulchritude and beauty vvhich shineth in the creature vvas but splendor quidam summi illius boni which should transport vs in our affection toward him from whom it came Pulchrum coelum
pulchra terra sed pulchrior qui fecit illa the heauen and earth are beautifull but more beautifull is he who made them and therefore as oft as any good in the creature beginneth to steale our heart after it let vs in our affection goe vp to the Creator considering that the Lord hath not made these beautifull or profitable creatures that we should go a whooring after them but that by them as steps we should climbe vp to him that made them and rest in him The second cause that may breed the loue of God in vs if 2 Because hee hath first loued vs. we meditate vpon it is that the Lord hath first loued vs In 〈◊〉 eâ—m sâ—d non praeuentmus we haue found him but wee did not preuent him we know him now but were first known of him he sound vs first and that euen when wee were enemies vnto him dilexit non existentes into resistentes he loued Bernard vs when we were not yea when wee were rebels against him and shall we not now being reconciled by the death of his sonne endeauour to loue him againe Thirdly the Lord by his continuall gifts hath testified his 3 He hath declared his loue by innumerable gifts already giuen vs. loue to vs he hath not beene vnto vs as a wildernesse or as a land of darknesse if wee will remember and tell what the Lord hath done to our soule we shal finde we are ouercome with the multitude of his mercies there is none that hath deserued the loue of our hearts comparable to the Lord. If our loue be free let vs set it vpon him who is most worthy to be loued and if it be veniall let vs also giue it vnto him who hath giuen vs most for it And fourthly it shall waken in vs the loue of God if wee 4 Hee hath yet greater things which he hath prepared for vs to giue vs. consider in our hearts what great things the Lord hath promised to giue vnto vs euen such as the eye hath not seene and the eare hath neuer heard life without death youth without age light vvithout darknesse ioy without sadnesse a kingdome vvithout a change and in a vvord he shall then Aug. de ciuit dei l. 10. c. 18 Our loue to God must be tryed by the effects thereof giue vs a blessed life non de his quae condidit sed de seipso not of those things which he hath made but of himselfe But to returne to our former purpose that we may know whether this holy loue be created in our hearts by the spirit of grace or no wee must try it by the fruits and effects of loue whereof now it shall content vs to touch a few First 1 Property of Loue it longs to obtaine that which is beloued it is the nature of Loue that it earnestly desires and seekes to obtaine that which is beloued Hereby shalt thou know vvhether thy affection of loue be ordered by Christ or remaine as yet disordered by Sathan The affection which Christ hath sanctified vvill follow vpward seeking to be there where he is Euery thing naturally returnes to the owne original as the waters goe downe to the deepe from whence they came so carnall loue powred out like water returnes to Sathan who begat it and carries miserable man captiued with it downward to the bottomlesse pit but holy loue being as a sparke of heauenly fire kindled in our hearts by the holy Ghost ascends continually and rauishes vs vpward toward the Lord from whom it came not suffering vs to rest till we enioy him Let this then be the first tryall of our loue if we vse carefully Wee loue not God if wee vse not the exercises of the word and prayer seeing by them onely we haue familiaritie with God vpon earth Psal 110. 97. Psal 26. 8. Psal 27. 2. those holy meanes by which we keepe and entertaine familiaritie with our God it is an argument that wee loue him and what other meanes is there by which man vpon earth is familiar with God but the exercises of the word and prayer Godly Dauid who protests in some places that he loued the Lord prooues it in other by the like of these reasons O how loue I thy law it is my meditation continually and againe I haue loued the habitation of thine house and the place where thine honour dâ—â—els One thing haue I desired of the Lord that I may dwell in the house of my God all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to visit his holy temple As this doth serue for the comfort of those who delight in the exercise of the word and prayer so doth it serue for the conuiction of those to whom any other place is more amiable than the tabernacles of God an euident proofe they haue not the loue of God because they neglect the meanes euen when they are offered by which familiar accesse is gotten vnto the Lord. And againe because the sight we haue of God in this life Wee loue not God if we long not to be with him in heauen wher he shews his most familiar presence is but through a vaile and the tast wee get of his goodnesse is but in part and that in the life to come the Lord will fully embrace vs in the armes of his mercy and kisse vs for euer with the kisses of his mouth therefore is it that the soule which vnfainedly loues the Lord cannot rest content with that familiaritie vvhich by the Word and Prayer it hath with GOD in this life but doth long most earnestly to be with the Lord vvhere shee knoweth that in a more excellent manner shee shall embrace him whereof proceedeth these and such like complaints As the Hart brayeth for the Psal 42. 1. riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God O when shall I come and appeare before the presence of my God My Psal 143. Phillip 1. Soule desireth after thee as the thirstie land For I would be dissolued and be with the Lord Therefore come euen so come Reuel 22. Lord Iesus But alas here are vvee taken in our sinnes thou sayest How by this tryal it is found that many are void of the loue of God thou louest the Lord but how is it then that thou longest not to see him neyther desirest thou to be with him yea a small appearance of the day of death or mention of the day of iudgement doth terrifie and afray thee where as otherwise if thou didst loue him they would be ioyfull dayes vnto thee seeing in the one wee goe to him and in the other he commeth to vs to gather vs and take vs thether where he is Surely those men who contenting themselues vvith the gifts of God in this life thinke not long to enioy himselfe are but like an adulterous woman who if so be she possesse the goods of her husband regards not albeit shee
neuer see himselfe I confesse indeed wee may reioyce in all the gifts which God hath giuen vs as in the tokens and testimonies of his loue but wee are alwayes to vse them with this protestation that nothing giuen vs in this life be allowed vnto vs for our portion and inheritance and that no contentment euer come vnto our hearts till vvee get himselfe who gaue them If the loue of the Corinthians made the Apostleâ—â— say I seeke not yours but you how much more should the loue of God compell vs to say vnto him It is not thy gifts O Lord but thy selfe I long for thou art the portion of my soule if thou wouldest giue me all the workes of thine hands yet shall I neuer haue comfort nor contentment except thou dost giue me thy selfe Therefore O thou whom my Cant. 1. 6. Soule loueth shew me where thou feedest where thou lyest at noone and dost rest for why should I be as shee that turneth aside to the flockes of thy companions Blessed is hee that hungers and thirsts for thy righteousnesse for hee shall behold thy face and be filled with thine image for in thy presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at thy right hand are pleasures for euermore The second tryall of our loue is Obedience and an holy 2 The effect of true loue is obedience and a care to please the Lord. Iohn 21. 15. care in all our callings to serue and honour the Lord. Preachers must be tryed by this rule Peter louest thou mâ— seede my flocke Gouernours and Counsellers must be tryed by this Can yee say in truth with the Godly Gouernour Dauid I loue the Lord then will yee also say with him what shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits how shall I shew my loue toward him and vvhat shall I doe in my time for aduancement of his glory If thou dost loue the Lord then wilt thou be a nourishing Father to his Church a carefull aduancer of his kingdome a wise prouisor to remoue those stumbling blocks which hinder the course of the Gospell If yee loue the Lord then vvill yee stand vp vvith Dauid and say Doâ— not I hate them O Lord that hate thee doe not Psal 139. 21. I earnestly contend with them that rise vp against thee surely I hate them with vnfained hatred aâ— if they were mine vtter enemies If ye honour the Lord as Dauid did the Lord shall blesse What great blessing belongeth to them who in their calling seeke to honour God you as he blessed Dauid Dauid sware vnto the Lord that hee would not rest till hee found out a place for the Lord euen an habitation for the mighty God of Iacob And the Lord sweares againe vnto Dauid that of the fruit of his body he vvould set vp one to raigne after him But if otherwise there be nothing in you but a care to stablish your selues and your houses vvith the neglect of the glory of God then remember that the curse of Shebna and not the blessing of Eliakim shall be vpon you Yee shall not be fastned Esay 22. 23. as a nayle in sure place but shall be rolled and turned away like a ball the Lord shall driue thee from thy station and out of thy dwelling place shall he destroy thee For the wicked shall not haue his desire his thoughts shall not be performed neyther Psa 140. 11. Psal 52. 5. shall hee be established on the earth but euill shall hunt him to destruction The Lord shall take thee and plucke thee out of thy Tabernacle and roote thee out of the Land of the liuing And generally all of you in your callings remember that But this age in word calleth Christ their King but casts off his yoke Iohn 15. 10. the value of your Christian loue must be tryed by the same touchstone not by your words but by your workes If any loue mee saith Iesus let him keepe my commaundements but here also the hypocrisie of this age is discouered as the Iewes called Iesus their King and bowed their knees before him but spat in his face and buffetted him so the bastard Christians of this age call Christ their Lord and bowe their knees before him yet by their sinfull life they crucifie him and tread his bloud of the couenant vnder their feete they kisse and betray him vvith Iudas it is but a Scepter of reed they allow him for they giue him no commaundement ouer their affections vvherefore great is the controuersie vvhich the Lord hath this day vvith the men of this generation The third tryall of loue is Bountifulnesse the Apostle 3 The propertie of loue is bountifulnesse 1 Cor. 13. 4. saith Loue is bountifull experience proues that euery louer bestoweth bountifully on that vvhich hee loueth yee loue your bodies and therefore largely bestow vpon them to feede them and cloath them yea vvith excessiue apparrell yee loue your Children and lets them vvant no needfull thing for them yea yee loue your beasts and spares not to bestow largely vpon them onely you say you loue the Lord but wherein are yee bountifull toward him It is true that in nothing can a man be profitable to the Almightie but are there not workes commaunded vs which should so shine before men that by them our heauenly Father may be glorified though workes can be no merits yet are they your witnesses and what haue yee done to remaine when yee are dead as vvitnesses of your loue toward the Lord Though your goodnesse extend not to the Lord yet where is your delight that should be on his Saints and excellent ones vpon earth where is your compassion and loue toward the brethren are not the men of this age like vnto that fig-tree which had faire leaues but not so much as one figge to giue vnto Iesus in his hunger hauing the shew of godlinesse but haue denied the power thereof yeelding words enough but no fruits to adorne the glorious Gospell of our Lord Iesus Of these and many moe if wee might insist in them it is manifest that all haue not the loue of God in their hearts who this day pretend it The last tryall of Loue which now wee bring is readinesse 4 The last is readines to suffer for his cause to suffer affliction for the cause of God The Apostles being beaten for preaching in the name of Iesus instead of mourning departed reioyeing that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christs sake and all because they loued him For the loue of Rahel seauen yeares of hard seruitude seemed vnto Iacob but a short space For the loue of Dinah Sichem willingly sustayned the circumcision and cutting of his flesh much more to him in vvhose heart abounds the loue of the Lord will bitter things become sweet and hard things easie This Loue hath made the holy Martyres step out of their owne element into the fire with greater ioy and willingnesse then worldlings haue when
is desined by Augustine is competent to none but Christ Aug. con Epis Par. l. 2. c. 8. Three manner of wayes are things known 1. by sense 2. by report of creatures 3. by reuelation from God intercession that it can be competent to none but to Iesus Christ It is commanded saith he that euery Christian pray to God for another Pro quo autem nullus interpellat sed ipse pro omnibus hic vnus vâ—rusque mediator est but he who requests for all and for whom none requests is the onely one true Mediator And where againe they alledge that the Saints of God in heauen are not ignorant of things done vpon earth we are to know that things are knowne three manner of vvayes first by hearing and seeing Secondly by reflex as by looking in a glasse those things are made knowne to vs which are behind our backes and thirdly by report This second and third way say they there is no doubt but Saints that are in heauen know those things which are done vpon earth but both of these are false for if they say they know our estate by report of Angels or such as are departed this life how can that be seeing wee know that when Hanna prayed in the presence of Eli yet he knew not her trouble yea those Mone of these waies do saints departed know our miseries who liue in one familie are not priuy to the tentations of others that which they knew not in their life how shalt thou make them to know it when they are dead If againe they say that they haue it by reuelation from God then I pray you consider how the one errour of Papistrie dashes against another for sometime in the same controuersie they say that as in earthly courts wee must first communicate our petitions to those who must be our mediators to the King now if it be so that they haue no intelligence of our estate but such as they receiue from God vvherefore shal we pray to them to commend our cause vnto God who knowes it better than they and pitties it more than they as Augustine prettily obserues out of that Parable proponed by our Sauiour wherein hee who knocked at midnight to seeke bread from his neighbour found the vvhole family a sleepe onely the Master of the house answered opened and gaue him that which he craued Nullus Aug. detemp serm de ianâ—torâ—b â—s respondit quia omnes tenuerat somnus non Angâ—li non Archangeli non Prâ—phetâ— non Ministri None of the Poâ—ters answered because they were all asleepe neyther Angels nor Archangels nor Prophets nor Seruants made any answere but O Lord albeit so it be answere thou me for at thee I knocke thou art the doore licet puer 〈…〉 Psal 121. dormiâ—nt tu non dormis qui custodis Israel albeit thy children sleepe yet thou that keepes Israel sleepes not But leauing them let vs pray to the Lord in vvhom wee â—n exhortation to content vs with Christs mediâ—tâ—on Ioâ— 2. 1. 1 Tim. 2. 5. Zach. 4. 10. beleeue let vs vse the mediation of Christ whom S. Iohn recommends to vs an aduocate with the Father whom S. Paul calles in this place our intercessor and in that to Timothie our onely one Mediator For knowledge his eyes are like flaming fire and his seauen eyes goe through the earth for compassion hee came into the earth to seeke vs when vvee knew him not and hee gaue his life for vs that wee might liue he speaks perpetually to his Father for vs by the merit of his death and cryes to vs by himselfe in his word Mat. 11. 28. Come to me all you that are weary and laden and I will refresh you Let the Papist say what he wil to any other than Christ or any other before Christ will I neuer goe so long as hee cryes Come vnto me Verse 35. Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword WEe haue heard the Apostles particular triumph His particular triumph against the crosse no crosse can cut vs oft from the loue of God against sinne now followes his particular triumph against the crosse he glories not in this that Christians are without a Crosse yea rather he shewes it is the lot of Gods children to be exercised with all sorts of crosses but herein hee reioyces that no crosse can seperate vs from the loue of God In this quarrell the Apostle prouokes all enemies whatsoeuer corporall or spirituall present or to come and against them all he takes vp the triumph in his owne name and in the name of all the children of God Neuerthelesse in all these things we are more Verse 37. then conquerors through him that louâ—â— vs. Our loue to God cannot fully nor finally be put out by any trouble nor yet the sense of his loue to vs. By the loue of Christ we are to vnderstand here that loue wherwith God in Christ hath loued vs for so hee expounds it himselfe through him that loued vs. It is true also that the sense of our loue to God once shed abroad in our hearts by the holy ghost can neuer fully nor finally be taken from vs I say fully and finally because of those inward tentations wherewith Gods children are so exercised that the sense of that loue in them is greatly diminished but in all those spiritual desertions and oppressions Faith ouercomes at length and â—ets vs see the face of God our mercifull Father shining 2 Cor. 4. 9. toward vs in Christ we may be cast downe but wee cannot perish if Peter be ready to sincke Iesus Christ shall succour But here the Apostle vnderstands the loue of God to vs which can neuer be altred him But as I said by the Loue of God I vnderstand that loue which hee hath borne toward vs from this most constant loue it comes to passe that wee vvhe are weake and silly creatures cannot be ouercome notwithstanding the multitude of mighty enemies that are against vs. If our saluation were in our owne custodie and wee stoode by our owne strength the smallest tentation would ouercome vs our feet are ready to slide and then our feeble hands le ts go that hold of mercy which once we had gotten but howsoeuer we loose our hold the Lord holds it fast for vs wee may change but hee remaines the same because the Lord hath loued vs and whom he once loueth he loueth to the end Iohn 13. 1. therefore it is that it cannot be but well with vs hee loued vs before we were yea before the world was made If we search the beginning of Gods loue towards vs wee may runne vp in our thought to the beginning of the world but Psal 90. 2. cannot attaine to the beginning of this Loue before the mountaines were made and thou haâ—st formed the world euen from euerlasting to euerlasting thou
law to saue vs appeares in two things things first it craued that of vs which we had not to giue namely perfect obedience vnto all the Lords commandements and that vnder paine of death which albeit most 1 It craues that which now our nature cannot giue iustly it be required of vs considering that by creation we receiued from God a nature so holy that it was able to doe the law yet now by reason of the deprauation of our nature drawne on by ourselues it is impossible that wee can 2 It giues not that which our estate now craueth performe it Secondly the law could not giue that vnto vs whereof we stoode in neede namely that the infinite debt of transgressions which wee had contracted should be forgiuen vnto vs this I say the law could not doe for the law commands obedience but promises not pardon of disobedience yea rather it bindes the curse of God vpon vs for it And againe we stood in neede of a supernaturall grace to reforme deformed nature and this also the law could not doe it being a doctrine that shewes vs the way to life but ministers not grace vnto vs to walke therein but all these which the law could not doe Iesus Christ by whom commeth grace and life hath done vnto vs. Where first we haue to marke the pittifull estate of those Miserable blinde are they who seeke liâ—e in perfect obseruance of the Law who seeke life in the obseruance of the law which here the Apostle saith is impossible for the law to giue they seeke life where they shall neuer finde it The Apostle in another place calles the law the ministerie of death and condemnation and that because it instantly bindes men vnder death for euery transgression of her commandements so that he who hath eyes to see what an vniuersall rebellion of nature there is in man vnregenerate to Gods holy law yea what imperfections and discordance with the law are remanent in them who are renued by grace may easily espie the blinde presumption of those that seeke their liues in the ministrie of death Yet so vniuersall is this error that it hath Yet such are all the children of Adam by nature ouergone the whole posterity of Adam nature teaching all men who are not illuminaâ—ed by Christ to seeke saluation in their owne deedes that is to stand to the couenant of works But the supernaturall doctrine of the Euangelist teaches vs to transcend nature to goe out of our selues and to seeke saluation in the Lord Iesus and so to vse the law not that we seek life by fulfilling it which here is impossible but as a schoole-master to leade vs vnto Christ in whom we haue remission of our sinnes sanctification of our nature acceptation of our imperfect obedience benefits which the law could neuer aford vnto vs. Inasmuch as it was weake because of the flesh The Apostle doth in such sort ascribe to the law an impotencie to saue vs that hee blames not the Law but the corruption of The impotencie of the law comes not of the law which is good but of our owne corrupted nature our fleshly nature being not able to fulfill that righteousnesse which the law requireth yea as the Apostle hath taught vs before so farre is our nature peruerted by our Apostasie from God that we are not onely vnable to doe that which the good and holy law of God requires but also we become worse by the law for by the commaundements of the law sin reuiues in our nature and takes occasion by the law to become more sinfull and so like a desperate disease it conuerts that medicine which is ministred to cure it into a nourishment and confirmation of the sicknesse it selfe It is Our nature becomes worse by the law the nature of contraries that euery of them intends the selfe to expell another whereof it comes that there is greatest cold in the bosome of the earth euen then when the Sunne with greatest vehemencie shines on it to califie and heat it euen so our corrupted nature doth neuer shew it selfe more rebellious and stubborne than when the law of God beginnes to rectifie it As an vnruly and vntamed horse the more he is spurred foreward the faster he runnes backward so the peruerse nature of man nititur semper in vetitum is so farre from being reformed by the law that by the contrary sinne that was dead without the law is reuiued by the law and takes occasion to worke in vs all manner of concupiscence The Apostle is not ashamed to confesse that he found this in his owne person Augustine also examining Aug. lib. 2. confess cap. 4. his former sinful life doth hereby aggrauate his corruption that in his young yeeres hee was accustomed to steale his neighbours fruit not so much for loue of the fruit for he had better at home as for sinfull delight he had to goe with his companions to commit euill so that where the law should haue restrained his sinfull nature it was so much the more prouoked to sinne by the law Let therefore the Semipelagians of our time say to the contrary what they wil let them magnifie the arme of flesh to diminish the praise of the grace of God and dreame that mans nature vnregenerate can bring forth merits of congruitie or workes of preparation yet doth the Lord herein greatly abase man when he telleth him that not onely he cannot doe that which the law requireth but that also the more he is commaunded the more he repines vntill Grace reforme him God sending his owne Sonne The Apostle proceeds and How Christ hath done that which the law could not let vs see how the Lord by Christ hath wrought that saluation which the law could not Wherein first it is to be marked that the Apostle saith not we sought from the Lord a Sauiour but that the Lord sent him vnto vs vnrequired Surely neither man nor Angell could haue euer thought of such a way of Saluation the Lord hath found it out himselfe in his incomprehensible wisedome a way so to saue man that the glory both of his mercie and iustice shall be saued also Most properly therefore is he called Pater non iudiciorum sed misericordiarum Father not of iudgements but of mercies for both the purpose and the Why God is called father of mercie not of iudgements meanes of our saluation are from himselfe he hath found causes without him moouing to execute his iustice he hath beene prouoked thereunto by the disobedience of apostate Angels and men but a cause mouing him to shew mercie is within himselfe this praise is due to God it is the greatest glory that can be giuen vnto him Abhominable therefore is that errour of fore-seene merites by which the aduersaries doe what they can to obscure the praise of the bright shining glory of Gods mercie His owne Sonne Iesus Christ is called Gods owne How Christ is Gods
own son Sonne to distinguish him from all others who are his sonnes by adoption onely Christ is the Sonne of God by nature by that diuine inutterable generation whereof Esay saith Who can expresse it Thus is hee Gods owne sonne that is Esay coeternall and coessentiall begotten of the Father before all time by the full communication of his whole essence vnto him in a manner that cannot be expressed And in the fulnesse of time he became man God being manifested in the flesh and in regard of his humane nature which was conceiued of the holy Ghost and vnited in a personall vnion with his diuine he stands in the title of Gods owne sonne after so singular a manner that he admits no companion The last of these two the Apostle makes the first point Christs diuine generation a great mysterie 1. Tim. 3. 16. of the misterie of Godlinesse God manifested in the flesh wherein he bridles our curiositie for if his manifestation in the flesh that is his incarnation be a mysterie that goes beyond our vnderstanding what shall we say of his diuine generation a mysterie to be indeed adored not to be enquired an article proposed to be belieued not to be disputed The Arrians seeking to search out this vnsearchable mysterie with naturall reason by infinite degrees more foolish then if they had presumed to number the starres of heauen or measure with their fist all the waters in the Sea they stumbled Mans curiosity restrained from searching it and fell being neuer able to comprehend how the son that was begotten should be coeternall and coessentiall to the Father who begot him therefore the worthy Fathers of the primitiue Church to represse the presumption of these arrogant spirits drew them down from the dangerous speculation of these high mysteries farre aboue their capacitie to consideration of things which are in nature Si in Creatura genitum inueniri potest coaeuum genitori an non aequum August est concedas posse ista in creatore coaeterna inueniri if in things created that which is begotten may be found equall in time to that which begat it why should it be denyed that in the Creator the begetter and begotten are equall in eternitie When a candle saith Augustine is first lighted at once there are two things the fire the splendor or light if it be enquired whether the fire come from the light or the light from the fire all men will agree that the splendor or light comes from the fire but if againe it be demanded which of them is first or last in time it cannot be determined But wherefore shall we vse these similitudes as the Creator is aboue the creature so is that mysterie aboue all the secrets of nature no similitude can be found in nature so much as shadow that most high and supernaturall mysterie yet is the endeuor of these godly fathers commendable who haue laboured to bring downe men to the exercising of their wits in things which are below like vnto themselues leauing curious inquisition of higher secrets which as I haue said are to be receiued with faith reuerenced with Rom 11. 20. silence not searched out by curiositie O man be not high minded but feare Christ came like a sinfull man but without sinne In the similitude of sinnefull flesh We must not so vnderstand these words as if Iesus had onely the similitude of a naturall bodie no he was very man made of the seed of Dauid he hath taken our flesh indeed yet was he not a sinfull man but separated from sinners A holy One from the first moment of his conception conceiued of the holy Ghost A stone cut out of the mountaine without hands The Dan. 2. 45. Cant. Flower of the field that groweth without mans labour or industry 1. Cor. 15. The second Adam very man as was the first but not begotten of man So then the word similitude is not to be ioyned with the word Flesh but with the word sinfull He tooke on mans nature without sin yet subiect to those infirmities mortalitie and death which sin brought vpon vs he appeared like a sinfull man being indeed without sinne in the shape of a Seruant content to be made inferiour not onely to Angels but to men of the vilest sort sold for thirtie pieces of siluer not so worthie to liue as Barrabas ranked with Theeues on the Crosse and reputed as a Worme of the earth thus being voyde of all sinne yet was hee handled as a sinner and most wicked malefactor Wherein we are to consider so farre as we may though How deerely the Lord loued vs perceiue by the price he hath giuen for our ransome we cannot comprehend it that wonderfull loue which the Lord hath shewed vs in this worke of our saluation how deere and precious our life hath beene in his eyes perceiue by the greatnesse of that price which he hath giuen for vs for who will giue much for that whereof hee esteemes but little it was not with gold nor siluer nor any corruptible thing that the Lord hath redeemed vs but with the precious blood of his owne Son Iesus as of a Lambe vnblemished and vnspotted If Dauid considering the goodnesse of God towards man in the work of creation fell out into this admiration O Lord what is man that thou art mindfull of him Psalm 8. or the Son of man that thou doest visite him how much more haue we cause so to cry out considering the riches of God his wonderfull mercies shewed vs in the worke of redemption It was a great kindnesse which Abraham shewed to Lot when he hazarded his owne life and the liues of his familie to recouer Lot out of the hands of Chedarlaomer but not comparable to that kindnesse which our kinsman the Lord Iesus hath shewed vnto vs who hath giuen his life to deliuer vs out of the hand of our enemies The Lord shed abroad in our hearts more and more abundantly the sence of that loue that we may endeauour to be thankfull for it by this threefold dutie first of thanksgiuing secondly of seruice thirdly of loue toward those who are beloued of him As for the first our life should be a continuall thanksgiuing Our thankfulnes againe should be testified by this threefold dutie and worshipping before him who hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his blood When the children of Israell had passed the red sea suppose they had a vast wildernesse betweene them and Canaan yet they praised 1 Continuall thanksgiuing God with a song of thanksgiuing and the Lord appointed an yeerely remembrance of that benefit If smaller mercies are to be remembred with thanksgiuing what shall we thinke of the greater As for the second which is seruice Zacharie teacheth 2 Seruice vs that for this end God hath deliuered vs from all our enimies that all our dayes we should serue him in righteousnesse Luke 1. 74.
Gal. 5. 22. 23. 24 Peace Long suffering Gentlenesse Goodnesse Faith Meeknesse Temperance If the Spirit of Christ dwell in vs and if wee liue in the Spirit let vs walke in the Spirit this is the conuiction of carnall professors that while they say the spirit of Christ is in them they declare none of his fruites in their conuersation but to insist somewhat more in this same purpose Operations of the spirit are two-fold We are to know that the effects and operations of the Spirit are twofold the one is generall and common operation which he hath in the wicked for hee illuminates euery 1 Externall common to all men Iohn 1. 1 Cor. 12. 3. one who commeth into the world Neyther can any man say that Iesus is the Lord but by the Spirit euery spark of light and portion of truth be it in whom it will flowes out of doubt from this holy Spirit That Caiaphas and Saul can Prophecie that Iudas can Preach all is from him but of this manner of operation is not here meant for this way he worketh in the wicked not for any good to them but for Intern 2 proper all and godly to the the aduancement of his owne worke The other kinde of the holy Ghosts operation is speciall and proper to the godly by the which he doth not onely illuminate their mindes but proceeds also to their hearts and workes this threefold effect in it Sanctification Intercession and Consolation First he is vnto them a spirit of Sanctification renuing Three effects wrought by the speciall operation of the spirit in the godly their hearts by his effectuall grace he first rebukes them of sinne he wakens their conscience with some sight of their iniquities and sense of that wrath which sinne hath deserued whereof arises heauinesse in their hearts sadnesse in their countenance lamentation in their speech and such an 1 Sanctification alteration in their whole behauiour that their former pleasures become painefull vnto them and others who knew them before wonders to see such a change in them From this he proceedes and leads them to a sight of Gods mercie in Christ he inflames their hearts with a hunger and thirst for that mercie and workes in their hearts such a loue of righteousnesse and hatred of sinne that now they become more afraid of the occasions of sinne then they were before of sinne it selfe this resistance made to the temptations this care to eschew the ocasions of sinne is an vndoubted token of the spirit of Christ dwelling in thee This is the first operation of the spirit but it is not all he proceeds yet further by degrees for the kingdome of God is as if a man should cast seed into the earth which growes vp and we cannot tell how first it sends out the blade secondly the eares and then the cornes so proceeds the kingdome of God in man by degrees In the second place the holy spirit becomes to the godly a spirit of Intercession so 2 Intercession long as wee are bound with the cords of our transgressions we cannot pray but from the time he once loose vs from our sinnes he openeth our mouth vnto God he teacheth vs to pray not onely with sighes and sobs that cannot be expressed but also puts such words in our mouths as we our selues who spake them are not able to repeat againe And thirdly he becomes vnto them the spirit of Consolation 3 Consolation if he be vnto thee a sanctifier and intercessor he shall not faile at the last to be thy comforter if at the first after that thou hast sent vp supplications thou find not his consolation descending vpon thee be not discouraged but be the more humbled for alas our sinnes shortens his arme Math. 26. and the hardnesse of our hearts holds out his comforts we must fall downe with Marie and lye still washing the feet of Christ with our teares before he take vs in his armes to kisse vs with the kisses of his mouth and if we finde these effects of his presence going before humiliation of our heart and the grace of prayer we may be out of all doubt that his consolations shall follow after Of this it is yet further euident against all those who That a Christian who hath Gods spirit knowes that he hath him deny that the Christian may be sure of his saluation that he who hath the spirit of Iesus knowes that he hath him as he who hath life feeles sensiblie that he hath it and is able truely to say I liue so he who hath the spirit of Iesus knowes by feeling that he hath him and is able to say in truth Christ liueth in mee Know yee not saith the Apostle Gal. 2. 20. 2 Cor. 13. 5. And therefore may be sure of saluation is proued by three names giuen to the holy spirit that Christ Iesus is in you except ye be reprobates This shall be further confirmed by considering those three names which are giuen to the holy spirit from his operation in vs he is the Seale the Earnest the witnesse of God the vse of a Seale is to confirme and make sure One of these two therefore must the Papists say that either none are sealed by the holy Spirit or else they must confesse that 1 He is Gods Seale they who are sealed are sure If they say that none are sealed by his Spirit they speake against the manifest truth of God grieue not the holy spirit by whom ye are sealed against Ephe. 4. 30. the day of redemption And if they deny that they who are sealed by him are sure of that saluation which God hath promised he hath sealed they blaspheme calling him such a seale as makes not them sure who are sealed by him he who hath the seale of a Prince rests assured of that which by the seale is confirmed to him and shall not the seale of the liuing God the Spirit of promise confirme that man in the assurance of saluation who hath receiued him Neither is he onely the seale of God but he is also the earnest of 2 Gods earnest 1 Iohn 5. 10. our inheritance and the witnesse of God hee that beleeueth in the sonne hath a witnesse in himselfe what will the aduersarie of Christian comfort say to this if yee say that there are none to whom Gods spirit witnesses mercie from God yee speake against the Apostle the spirit beares witnesse to our spirit that we are the sonnes of God or if yee say that those Rom 8. 16. who haue this testimonie of the spirit are not sure of mercy 3 Gods witnesse ye blaspheme as before and speake yet manifestly against the Apostle who sayes that the witnessing of this spirit vnto our spirit makes vs to cry Abba father But we will speake more of this hereafter But now to conclude this verse seeing hee who hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his
Fiue sorts of feare consider that there are fiue sorts of feare mentioned in the booke of God The first is a naturall feare the second a carnall feare the third â— seruile feare the fourth a filiall feare the fist a Dâ—abolicall feare The naturall feare is one of the affections of the soule 1 A natural feare created by God Adam was endewed with it in the state of innocencie and our blessed Sauiour wanted it not of whom it is written that when hee entred into the garden he began to be afraid As for carnall feare the obiect whereof is flesh 2 A carnall feare or at least that which flesh may doe it is a great enemie to godlinesse and therefore our Sauiour forbids it feare not Mat. 10. 28. them who are able to kill the body but feare him who is able to cast both soule and body into hell fire yet are the dearest of Gods children subiect vnto it This feare made Abraham deny that Sarah was his Wife made Peter denie that Christ was his Lord this feare made Iâ—nas refuse to goe to Nâ—niuie and made that worthy Prophet â—amuâ—â— vnwilling to annoint Dauid for he feared least Saul should slay him yet are they so subiect vnto it that the feare of God at length ouercomes in them The third soâ—t is seruile feare the obiect whereof 3 A seruile feare is the iudgements of God onely and this is proper to the wicked they feare the plagues of God but so that they loue their sinnes and hates and abhorres euery one that doth snibbe or restraine them in the course of their sinnes The 4 A filiall feare fourth is filiall so called because it is proper to the sonnes of God they doe not onely feare him for his iudgements but loue him and feare him for his mercy mercy to with thee Psal 130. 4. O Lord that thou mayst be feared As for the Dâ—abolicall feare 5 A Dâ—abolicall feare Saint Iames saâ—th the Diuels know there is a God therefore they feare and tremble thâ—y haue receiued within themselues Iames. 2. 19. the sentence of damnation they know it shall neuer be recalled they seeke no mercy nor shall they obtaine it and the seruile feare of the wicked shall at the last end in this desperate feare of the damned finding themselues condemned without all further hope of mercy they shall tremble and feare continually Of this it is euident that the feare whereof here he speaks From what sort of feare we are exempted is the first part of filiall feare namely a feare of that punishment which is due to sinne and to the godly is an introduction to worke in them feare of God for his mercies conioyned with loue so then his meaning is cleare albeit in the time of your first conuersion you were striken with a feare of that wrath which is the recompense of sinne yet now the spirit of adoption hath not onely released you of that feare of damnation which you conceiued at the first through the knowledge of your sinnes but hath also made you certaine of saluation and assured that God is become your Father in Christ Iesus In the wicked the feare of Gods vvrath once begunne encreases daily till it proceede as I spake to that desperate feare of the damned but in the godly the feare of Gods In the godly feare prepareâ— a place for the perfect loue of God and then departs it selfe iudgements is but a preparation to the loue of GOD feare shall not alwayes abide in their hearts for when God shall crowne them with his mercies and his loue in them shall be perfect then perfect loue casts out feare therefore Augustine compares the feare of Gods iudgements in the godly to a Needle that goes through the â—eame and prepares in it a place for the thread which is to remaâ—â—e so doth the feare of Gods iudgements goe through the secret seames of the heart and prepares a place for the loue of God which shall abide and continue for euer in the godly when feare shall be away The Lord at the first deales hardly vvith Mat. 15. his children as our Sauiour delt with the woman of Câ—naan whom he comforted at the last and as Ioseph entreated his brethren roughly whom at the last for tender compassion hee embraced with many teares but all these terrours and feares wherewith GOD humbles his owne are but preparatiues to his consolations at the length hee shall make it knowne to them that he is their louing father as for the wicked though they haue not suffered from their youth the terrours of God it is because they are reserued for them Neither are they euen now exempted from their owne But in the wicked feare of wrath once begun encreases till it proceede to desperate feare feares for albeit there were none to reproue them their owne consciences sends out accusing thoughts to terrifie them and if at any time they shall heare the word of God faithfully and with power deliuered vnto them then doe they much more tremble feare for the word strengthens the conscience to accuse and terrifie them but feare is both the first and last effect it workes in them and therefore is it that being so oft disquieted with hearing of the word as Foelix was with the preaching of Paul they are no more desirous to heare it but rather hates it and abhors it because it testifies no good vnto them more then Micaiah did to Achab and so they neuer attaine to this other operation of the spirit they are not transchanged by hearing into the similitude of the sonnes of GOD neither receiues that comfort which comes by feeling the loue of God in Iesus Christ The spirit of Adâ—ption Adoption is eyther naturall or Adoption is eyther naturall or spirituall spirituall the spirituall Adoption is eyther of a whole Nation and so the Apostle saith that the Adoption pertained to the Israelites because the Lord chose them to be a peculiar people to â—iâ—selfe or then it is of particular men and so it is a benefit belonging to the children of GOD onely What naturall Adoption is and of it speakes the Apostle in this place Naturall Adoption the Lawyers define it to be â—ctum legâ—â—imum â—â—itantem naturam repertum ad corum sâ—latium qui liberos non habent A lawfull act imitating nature sound out for the comfort of them who haue no children of their owne but spirituall adoption differs farre from it for it is a lawful act not How the spirituall Adoption excels aboue the naturall imitating but transcending nature found out by the Lord our God not for the comfort of a Father that wants children but for the comfort of children that wants a Father We being by nature miserable orphanes hauing no Father to prouide for vs it pleased the Lord our God to become our Father in Christ and to make vs by Adoption his sons and daughters not for any
with tentations on the right hand and on the left vt quatuor angulis Gregor Moral pulsata domus aliqua ex parte ruinam saciat that the house being shaken at all the soure corners may fall downe in one part or other no rest nor quietnes for vs in this habitation terrours within fightings without Propter quod vno conâ—ilio Act. 20. 19. migrandum est Christianis for the which it is best for vs vvith one aduice to conclude that wee vvill remoue and in the meane time send vp our complaint to our Father in heauen as the Gibionites did to Ioshua shewing him how vve Ioshua 10. 6. are besieged and enuironed for his sake and praying him to come with hast and help vs. Waiting for the Adoption Now followeth the other effect The other effect the spirit works in vs iâ— a waiting for deliuerance of the Spirit for hee not onely causeth vs as we haue heard to sigh and mourne for our present miseries but also comforts vs with the hope and expectation of deliuerance though in this life vve haue trouble yet haue we no trouble vvithout comfort Blessed be God who comforts vs in all our 2 Cor. 1. 3. 4. tribulations and beside that vvhich vve presently haue it is yet much more vvhich vvee looke for The men of this vvorld haue no ioy vvithout sorrow euen in laughter their Proâ— 24. 13. heart is sorrowfull pretend what they will in their countenance there is a heauinesse in their conscience arising of the vveight of sinne but it is far otherwise vvith the godly for euen in mourning they doe reioyce and vnder greatest heauinesse they carry a liuely hope of ioyfull deliuerance Againe wee are to marke that the godly are described The day of death and day of resurrection earnestly waited for by the godly in holy Scripture to be such as doe not liue content with their present estate but waites and longs for a better and specially there are two dayes for which the Children of GOD are said to waite the first the day of death wherein they goe to the Lord the second the day of appearing wherein the Lord shall come vnto them they soiourne in the body more weary of it then Dauid was of his dwelling in the tents of Kedar they wait with patient Iob till the day of their change come and doe desire with the Apostle to be Iob. 14. 14. dissolued that they may be with Christ they pray for it so oft as they vse that petition Let thy kingdome come seeking Mat. 6. 10. Luke 11. 3. death so farre as it is a meanes to abolish sinne vtterly that Christ their King may alone raigne in them but as for the wicked the remembrance of death is terrible vnto them and in their thought they put it far from them and when it comes it comes vpon them vnlooked for As Iehu furiously Death comes on the wicked as Iehu came on Iehoram came vpon Iehoram and hee made vvith all his speed to his chariot thinking to flye away but in vaine for the arrow of Iehu ouertooke him so death comes vpon the wicked 2 King 9. 23. 24 in a day and place wherein they looked not for it and they being terrified with it runnes with all the speede they can to their chariots that is to their refuges of vanity but the dart of death surely ouer-takes them Miserable are they vvhose comfort standeth rather in an vncertaine delay of death than in any certaintie vvhich they haue of eternall life But let vs be prepared for it as the good Israelites of We should not soiourne in the body like Ionas in the sides of the sâ—â—p but like Abraham in the doore of the tabernacle Exod. 12. 11. Gen. 18. 1. 1 King 19. 9. God with our loynes girded vp and our staues in our hands ready to take our iourney from Egypt to Canaan vvhensoeuer the Lord our God shall command vs. As fowles desirous to flye stretch ouâ— their vvings so should man desirous to be with the Lord stretch out his affections toward the heauens Abraham sat in the doore of his Tabernacle when the Angell appeared vnto him Elias came out to the mouth of his Caue when the Lord appeared to him and we must also reioyce to come out of the caue and tabernacle of this vvretched body if vve would meet vvith the Lord yea euen while as wee dwell in the body if in our affection vve come not out and stand as it were in the doore of our tabernacle but like Ionas sleeping in the sides of the ship Ionas 1. 5. we lye downe in the hollow of our heart sleeping in carelesse securitie it is not possible that the Lord can be familiar with vs. The other day for which the godly are said to wait is the The day of Christs second comming longed for 1 Cor. 1. 7. Phil. 3. day of Christs second comming The Apostle giues this as a token of the rich grace of God bestowed on the Corinthians that they waited for the appearance of Christ and to the Philippians he saith our coÌ„uersation is in heauen from whence we looke for our Sauiour the Lord Iesus yea he giues it out as a marke of all those who are to be glorified when hee saith 2 Tim. 4. 8. there is laid vp for mee a crowne of righteousnes and not for me onely but for all them who loue Christs second appearing And Heb. 9. 28. againe Christ was once offered to take away the sinnes of many and vnto them that looke for him shall he appeare the second time without sinne vnto saluation These and many moe places proues that there is great As the Iewes waited for the yeere of Iubilie so should we for the day of Christ but alas few doe so Reu. 22. 20. scarcitie of Faith and spirituall grace in this generation there being so few that vnfainedly longs for the day of his appearance suppose euery man in word mumble vp that petition let thy kingdome come yet are they few who when Iesus testifieth surely I come quickly can in truth answer with the godly Amen euen so come Lord Iesus and all because we are neithe wearier of our present miserie nor certaine of that glorious deliuerance to come otherwise we would long for it and reioyce at the smallest appearance thereof The woman with child reckons her time as neere as shee can and albeit others haue no minde of it yet is it alway in her remembrance because that then she hopes for deliuerance Among the Iewes as the day of their Iubilie drawes neere Leuit. 25. 10. so the ioy of them that were in prison encreased being assured that then they were to be releeued and should not wee much more reioyce the neerer that the day of our eternall Iubilie draweth vnto vs wherein all teares shall be wiped away from our eyes and sorrow and mourning shall flye away for euer
are not beloued of him 1 Ioh. 4. 10. easie to loue the Lord and euery man abhorres in word to be counted such a monster as hath not the loue of God but they are farre deceiued for man till hee be called by grace cannot loue the Lord herein is loue not that wee loued God but that hee loued vs. If now wee doe know him and know him so that we loue him it is because wee were first knowne of him and so knowne that wee were beloued of him not that there is any equalitie betweene these loues or that vve are able to match the Lord in affection non enim pari vbertâ—te sluunt hi duo amâ—res for these two loues flowes not in a like plenty as the running of a little strand is nothing in comparison of the great Ocean so is our loue to God as nothing if it be compared with his incomprehensible loue toward vs yet it is most certaine amor Dei amorâ—m animae parit it is Gods loue to vs vvhich begets in the soule a loue to God Nemo itaque se amari dissidat qui iam amat let no man therefore who loues God distrust that hee is beloued It is very comfortable that among all the pen-men of the holy Ghost none doe speake more of loue than Iohn euen he vvho vvas Christs beloued Disciple vvhom he loued aboue the rest for it doth teach vs that whosoeuer is greatly beloued of God shall also become a carefull practiser of loue toward others That therefore wee may know the heart of God toward He that would know Gods purpose toward him let him go downe to his own heart and not vp to Gods counsell vs it shall not be needfull that wee enter into secret counsell but let vs goe and enter into our owne hearts and there wee shall finde resolution albeit the Lord send not now to you that are men an Angell to vvitnesse as hee did to Daniel that he was a man greatly beloued of God or to testfie to you that are women that which hee did to Mary that shee vvas freely beloued of the Lord yet so many of you as vpon knowledge in sinceritie can say vvith Peter Lord Ioh. 21. 15. thou knowest that I loue thee haue here a testimonie no lesse certaine to wit his owne Oracle in his word to make you sure that ye are beloued of him And that the comfort may be the more sure vnto vs Loue the first affection that Sathan peruerted seeing loue is the principall token of our calling wee will speake a little of Loue that so we may know whether wee be endued with this most excellent grace of the spirit or no. Naturally the affection of Loue in man is so inordinate that not vnproperly Nazianzen called it dulcem tyrannum a sweet tyrannie that by deceitfull allurements compels the whole man to follow it and it is not only in it selfe distemperated but altogether set vpon wrong obiects our loue being so set vpon the creature that we neglect the Creator a feareful ingratitude that where in the beginning the Lord set vp man as Prince and ruler ouer all his creatures putting all the workes of his hands in subiection vnder him that man should meet the Lord with such vnthankefulnesse as to set in his affection euery creature before the Lord Doe yee Deut. so requite the Lord O ye foolish people and vnwise But as this was the first affection which Sathan through And the first which in our regeneration is rectified by the spirit of grace infidelitie peruerted turning it from the Lord and setting it vpon the forbidden tree so it is the first affection which in the regeneration is rectified by Faith and by which faith workes in the sanctification of the rest turning it from the creature and setting it vpon God Where we are to consider of the lawfull obiects of our loue and of the due measure of loue we owe vnto euery one of them The obiects of our loue are three the first is God the second is our selfe the third is our neighbour The first and principall obiect of our loue is the Lord The first obiect of reformed loue is God our God whom wee ought so to loue that wee loue him aboue all things and that for no other thing more than for himselfe in loue the Lord will not suffer a companion neither Father nor Mother Wife nor Children nay not thy owne life should be so deere to thee as that for any of these thou shouldst offend thy God otherwise hee tels thee himselfe that thou art not worthy of him and he wil not reckon thee among those that loue him Non amat Christum qui August de temp ser 223 aliquid plus quam Christum amat he loues not Christ who loues any thing more than Christ and then doe vve loue something more than him if from him we seeke any thing more than himselfe This is a mercinarie loue when man loueth God for his gifts It was obiected by Sathan vnto Iob but falsely for euen then when he was spoiled of all the earthly comforts which God had giuen him yet the loue of God continued in him from which he blessed the Lord. As the vvoman which loueth her husband because hee is rich is rather to be called a louer of his riches than of himselfe so the Worldling who with the carnall Israelite doth vvorship GOD for his wine and his oyle and the rest of those good things which God giues men is but an hyreling and not a sincere worshipper nor a chast louer of the Lord his God The second obiect of our loue is our selues for in that The second obiect of reformed loue in our selues He cannot loue his brother who loues not himselfe the Lord requireth that I loue my neighbour as my selfe it is manifest that first of all I ought to loue my selfe Hee that loueth not God cannot loue himselfe and he vvho loueth not himselfe cannot rightly loue his neighbour without the loue of God all the selfe-loue which is in man is but selfe-hatred As the franticke man who in his furie vvounds his owne body is pittied of all men as one that hath no pittie of himselfe so the prophane man who by multiplying transgressions slayeth his owne soule is more iustly to be accounted an hater of himselfe it is the holy loue of God that first teacheth thee to take heed vnto thy selfe to preserue both soule and body from the wrath to come and that worketh in thee an holy care to conforme thy selfe to the Lord whom thou louest and vvith vvhom thou desirest to remaine for euer Thus being taught to loue our selues we shall also learne to loue our neighbour the ordered loue of our selues being as I said that patterne according to which wee should loue our neighbour Prius itaque vide si nosti diligere Augustine teipsum tunc committam tibi proximum quem diligas sicut
they sit downe to their banquetting tables to refresh them or lyes downe in their beds to rest them The Apostle who suffered all sorts of affliction for the Gospell giues this for a reason that the loue of Iesus constrayned him Thus much concerning the effects of holy loue by which wee are to make sure our calling and consequently our election for our euerlasting comfort Euen to them that are called according to his purpose Hitherto the Apostle hath summarily set downe his third principall A confirmatiō of his third and last argument of comfort argument of comfort and now in the end of this verse he shortly breakes vp the confirmation thereof which is this they who loue God are called according to his purpose therfore all things must worke for the best vnto them The necessitie of this reason shall appeare if wee consider that the Lord cannot be frustrated of his end Those whom the Lord in his immutable purpose hath ordayned to glory and whom according to that purpose he hath called in time how can it be but all things must worke vnto their good for the vvorking prouidence of God vvhich is the executer of his purpose doth so ouer-rule all incidents which fall out in the world and doth so gouerne all secondary and inferiour causes that of necessitie they are directed to that end whereunto the supreame cause of all to wit the purpose and vvill of God hath ordayned them This is shortly set downe in these vvords and more largely explaned in the two verses following It is the last reason of comfort and the highest for now the Apostle leades vs out of our selues and sets vs vpon that rocke vvhich is higher than vve hee carries vs by the hand as it vvere out of the earth vp into heauen and lets vs see how our saluation is so grounded in Gods eternall purpose that no accident in the vvorld can change it Wee haue here then three things euery one of them depending Comfort that the ground of our saluation is in God the tokens thereof in our selues vpon another the loue of God flowing from the calling of God and the calling of God comming from the purpose of God vnto vvhich the Apostle here drawes vs that we casting our anchor with the vaile and resting in the Lords immutable purpose may haue comfort in all our present tentations It is most expedient for the godly to marke this that our manifolde changes doe not interrupt our peace let vs consider that the Lord hath in such sort dispensed our saluation that the ground thereof is laid in his owne immutable purpose but the markes and tokens thereof are placed in vs after our calling the markes and tokens are changeable like as wee our selues in vvhom they are are changeable but the ground holdes fast being laid in that vnchangeable God in whom falles no shadow of alteration Esay 46. Ioh. 10. 2 Tim. 2. I am God and am not changed My sheepe none can take out of my hand The counsell of the Lord shall stand and his foundation remaines sure It is true that the tokens of election cannot be sully taken away from any that is effectually called nay not in the greatest desertion yet haue they in vs their owne intention and remission And this should comfort vs against our daily vicissitudes and changes when wee feele that our Faith doth saint our life languishes our hope houers and vvee are like to sincke in the tentation vvith Peter and our feeble hands fall downe with Moses yet let vs not dispaire no change in vs can alter Gods vnchangeable purpose he who hath begun the worke in vs will also perfect it Because I am not changed saith Mal. 3. 6. the Lord therefore is it that yee O sonnes of Iacob are not consumed This purpose of God is called otherwise the will of God Our calling conuersion flowes from Gods purpose therefore all the praise of it belongs to the Lord. and the good pleasure of his Will In that the Apostle saith our calling is according to his purpose it teacheth vs to ascribe the whole praise of our saluation to the good pleasure of his will and not to our owne foreseene merits That poyson of pride vvhich Sathan poured into our first Parents and by vvhich they aspyred to be equall with God doth yet breake forth in their posterity the corrupt heart of man euer ayming at this to seeke vnto himselfe either in part or in whole the power and praise of his owne saluation This is to start vp into the roome of God and to vsurpe that glory which belongs to the Lord and he will not giue to any other than the which no greater sacriledge can be committed against the Lord. O man content thee with that which the Lord offers thee and let that alone vvhich hee reserues vnto himselfe My peace saith the Lord I giue to you my glory I will not giue to any other The first Preachers of the Gospell were Angels they proclaymed glory and peace but glory they gaue to God which is on high and peace they cryed to the children of his good will which are vpon earth It is enough that peace and saluation is giuen to be thine but as for the glory of saluation let it remain to the Lord. Hee is for this called the Father of mercie because mercie For this cause he is called the Father of Mercie and not of Iudgement 2 Tim. 1. 9. bred in his owne bosome Hee hath found many causes vvithout himselfe mouing him to execute iustice but a cause mouing him to shew mercie hee neuer found but the good pleasure of his will therefore the Apostle saith the Lord hath called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his purpose and grace Surely except the Lord had reserued mercy for vs wee had beene like to Sodome and Gomorrha but it pleased him of his owne good will of the same lumpe of clay to make vs vessels of honour vvhereof hee made others vessels of dishonour And who is able sufficiently to ponder so great a benefit and therefore howsoeuer the blinded Pharisee sacrifice to his owne net and make his mouth to kisse his hand as if his owne hand had done it yet let the redeemed of the Lord praise the Lord let them cry out with a louder voyce than Dauid did O Lord what are wee that thou art so mindfull of vs Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but to thy name giue the glory for thy louing kindnesse and thy truth for our saluation comes from God that sits vpon the throne and from the Lambe To thee O Lord be praise and honour and glorie for euer Now as for the calling wee are to know that the calling Our calling is twofold and the inward calling is a declaration of our election of God is twofold outward and inward He speakes not here of the outward calling of which our Sauiour
Sathans buffets and against whom hee vvas permitted to vse all the stratagems of the spirituall warfare that possibly he could hee crossed him not onely in his goods in his children and in his owne bodie but also in his minde by his wife he tempted him to blasphemie by his friends to diffidence yet by none of these could he ouercom him In his outward troubles his resolution was the Lord hath Iob 1. 21. giuen the Lord hath taken blessed be the name of the Lord for euer in his inward terrours his resolution was Albeit Ioh 13. 15. the Lord would slay mee yet would I trust in him so impossible it is for Sathan by any tentation whatsoeuer to separate from the loue of God his Children chosen called and iustified The Lord is present with present with his children to keepe them sometime from trouble sometime introuble To cleare this let vs yet know that God is many manner of wayes present vvith his children in trouble first hee is with them by preuenting the danger so that hee will not suffer the intended euill of the enemie to come neere them so he brought Senacherib to see Ierusalem without but suffered him not to shoot so much as a dart against it within Somtime againe the Lord enters his children into the trouble as Daniel into the Den Ioseph into the prison the three children into the fire but deliuers them in such sort that both his glory and their comfort is greater than if they had not beene in trouble at all Sometime he suffers his children to ende their mortall liues in trouble and yet is with them strengthning them by his glorious might to all patience and long suffering filling them with such a sense of his loue that in death they rest vnder the assurance of life This also is declared by example The practise of this see in the examples of Eliah and Paul when Iezabel vowed to haue the life of Eliah yee shall see that the Lord is with him sometime to hide him that albeit Achab and Iezabel seeke him they cannot finde him sometime God lets Achabs captaines see where hee is but consumes with fire them that came proudly to take him Sometime he presents him to Achab and Iezabel but bridleth the tyrants that they haue no power to stirre him The Apostle Paul in like manner being sent prisoner to Rome the Lord assisted him in such sort that hee deliuered 2 Tlm. 4. 17. him out of the mouth of the Lyon Vero and yet the second time suffered him to fall by the sword of the same tyrant shall wee thinke that the Lord was not with the Apostle to assist him the second time as well as the first let it be farre from vs. The Lord was with him indeed to make his death a seale and confirmation of that Gospel which he had preached in his life The comfort then remaines that howeuer GOD worke with his children in trouble no aduersarie is able to take from vs that for which we striue to wit grace and glory they may be vnto vs as sharpe rasers of God to cut away our superfluities but shall neuer be able to bereaue vs of the end of our Faith which is the euerlasting saluation of our soules Verse 32. Who spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all vnto death how shall he not with him giue vnto vs all things also NOw followeth the second part of the Apostles generall triumph wherein hee gloryeth The second part of his generall triumph the Christian can want nothing that is needfull for him that the Christian can vvant nothing needfull for him for seeing the Lord hath giuen vnto him the greatest and most excellent gift to wit his owne Sonne is it possible that hee will deny him any secondarie or inferior gifts needfull for him Sathan who is a lyer from the beginning accused the Lord of two things first of an vntruth albeit the Lord hath said it yet yee shall nâ—t dye secondly of Enuy. In the first Sathan is proued false and the Lord is found true for are they not dead to whom the Lord said yee shall dye In the second Sathan is found a calumniator for what good tree will the Lord refuse to his owne who hath giuen vnto them this excellent tree of life which brings with it vnto them all things needfull for them To amplifie this great loue of God the Apostle saith The great loue which GOD hath shewed in giuing his Son for vs. not simply that hee gaue his Sonne for vs but that he spared not to giue him O vvonderfull loue â— the Naturall and onely Sonne of God is not spared that the adoptiue sonnes may be spared for our sinnes being imputed to him by the ordinance of God his Father and voluntarily accepted by himselfe so the punishment of our sinnes and chastisement Esa 53. 5. of our peace was laid vpon him that by his stripes wee might be healed The bitter cuppe due to vs was propined to him for the which albeit hee prayed to his Father that if it were his will this cuppe might passe by him yet the Father Mat. 26. 39. spared him not but held it to his head till hee dranke out the vttermost dregs thereof So straite is the Iustice of God that sinne being imputed to the Sonne of God vvho had no sinne of his owne is pursued to the vttermost The greatest example of Iustice that euer the Lord declared in the world the drowning of the originall world the burning of Sodome the plaguing of Egypt were terrible proofes of the straitnesse of diuine Iustice but nothing comparable to this Which I marke partly for a comfort to the Godly and Comfort for the Godly that the iustice of God shall not â—ay cannot strike vpon them partly for a warning to the wicked it is our great comfort that the saluation which Iesus hath purchased vnto vs hee hath obtayned it vvith a full satisfaction of his Fathers Iustice so that now vve that are in him are not any more to feare it The great Iudge of all the vvorld will not doe vnrighteously to require that againe from vs vvhich our Christ vvhom he himselfe hath giuen vnto vs hath payed for vs. Miserable are the wicked who in their owne persons beare the punishment of their sinnes And as for the vvicked vvho are not in Christ how miserable will their state and condition be for they must beare the punishment of their owne sinnes in their owne persons If the burden of that vvrath due to our sinnes caused Iesus to sweat bloud and to say that his soule was heauie vnto Mat. 26. 38. the very death O how shall the burden of this wrath presse downe the vvicked it is euen a horrour to thinke of it their faces shall be confused vvithout and spirits oppressed vvithin vvith tribulation and anguish hee that spared not in his owne Sonne sinne imputed vnto him vvill hee
the man whose wickednesse is forgiuen Psal 32. 1. whose sinne is couered and vnto whom the Lord impuâ—es not his iniquitie As hee that lay sicke sixe and thirty yeares of Luke 5. 25. the palsie arose with great ioy when Iâ—sus relieued him and he that was a creeple when he found that his feete which Acts 3. 8. had failed him so long did now serue him leaped for ioy and followed the Apostles into the Temple to praise God so that soule which findes it selfe freed from the guiltinesse and seruitude of sinne of all burthens that euer lay vpon man the heauiest to beare will with much more abundant ioy exult and triumph in that mercy of God vvhich hath made it free Secondly let the Apostle here stand vnto vs as an example Both by promises and examples doth the Lord confirme poore penitent sinners of the like mercy of God to be shewed vpon our selues how great sinners soeuer we haue beene if wee follow him in the like faith and repentance The Lord our God is not content by his word to promise mercy vnto penitent sinners but also confirmes vs by the examples of his manifold mercies shewed to others before vs when we looke vpon them let our weakenesse be strengthened let vs not thinke that the Lord will close that doore of mercy vpon vs if we knock aright which hee hath opened to so many before vs hee who hath beene found of them who sought him not vvill he hide himselfe from vs if forsaking our sinnes wee seeke him in spirit and truth Let his mercies shewed to others be vnto vs as cordes of Loue to draw vs among the rest and Hos 11. 4. like oyntments powred out the sweet smell whereof may delight vs to runne after him for that meekenesse which is in thee O Lord Iesus we will follow thee we haue heard that thou despisedst not the poore sinner thou abhorredst not the penitent theefe nor the sinfull woman that powred out teares before thee nor the Cananitish woman that made supplication to thee nor the woman deprehended in adultrie nor him that sate at the receipt of custome thou abhorredst not the Disciple that denied thee yea the persecuter of thy Disciples thou receiuedst to mercy In odore horum Cant. 1. 3. vnguentorum curremus post te In the smell of these thy sweet oyntments we will runne after thee O Lord. But vvee are to marke that before the Apostle came to The Apostle fought long before he came to triumph 1 Cor. 2. 3. this triumphing hee vvas long exercised vvith fighting he confesseth to the Corinthians that his preaching vvas among them in great feare and trembling that in his personall conuersation he was beaten and buffeted with an Angell of Sathan that hee had terrours vvithin and fightings without and what terrours are wee to thinke did trouble him out of doubt the sight of his sinnes the greatnesse of the iudgement to come did terrifie him whereof we are warned how wee must fight before wee triumph and mourne How can they triumph that haue not fought nor resisted so much as to shedding of teares farre lesse to the shedding of bloud 1 Sam. 30. 16. before the Lord comfort vs if wee cannot triumph with the Apostle it is because wee haue not foughten with the Apostle for let be that vvee haue not yet resisted vnto the bloud how many among vs can say that they haue resisted vnto the teares that is who striues with God as Iacob did with prayers and teares to obtaine a blessing Carelesse securitie hath farre ouer-gone vs and we are become like those Amalekits who returning from the spoyle of Ziglag and supposing they were past all danger cast their armour from them and spread themselues abroad in the fields to eate and drinke and to sport themselues when in the meane time the deuouring sword vnlooked for came vpon them It fareth euen so with the multitude of this generation they are become so carelesse in the spirituall warfare that as if there vvere no more battels to be â—oughten they walke vvithout the armour of God and spread themselues abroad in the fields of fleshly pleasures and not so onely makes themselues a pray to their deuouring enemie but defrauds their soules of that inward ioy arising of spirituall victory vvhich they who continue in fighting findes at the end of euery battell Now to enter into the vvords The Apostle conioynes The tongue of the wicked is a fornace of fire wherein the godly are tried these two interrogations together very conueniently Who will accuse who will condemne because howeuer there be many forward enough to accuse vs there is none who haue power to condemne vs. It is not the Apostles meaning that vve shall vvant accusations for the world Sathan and our owne conscience shall not cease to accuse vs Laban searched narrowly Iacobs stuffe to see if he could get any thing wherewith For sometime they accuse them publikely and in iudgement to charge him but more narrowly doe vvorldlings search the words and deeds of the Christian seeking whereupon to accuse them and where they can finde none yet vpon shadowes of euill they are bold to publish false reports or at least by priuate surmisings seekes to disgrace them Moses a man approued of God yet accused as an vsurper Ieremie the Prophet albeit he so loued his Country people that in secret his soule mourned for their desolation yet did they accuse him of treason alleadging that he had made defection to the King of Babell Daniel a man beloued of God accused and condemned of Darius his counsellers as a rebell to the King the Israelites who returned from captiuitie accused by Tobie and Sanballat of sedition the Christians of the primitiue Church oppressed with horrible slanders The first weapon wherewith Sathan fights against the Godly is the tongues of the vvicked for hee looseth their tongues to speake euill before he loose their hands to doe euill to them therefore said Augustine Lingua impiorum Aug. confes lib. 10. est quotidiana fornax the tongue of the wicked is a daily fornace vvherein the Godly are tryed let no man thinke to serue God in a good conscience but hee must be purged in this Ouen ye are not of the world said our Sauiour therefore it is that the world doth hate you and speake euill of you Ioh. 15. 19. As for their priuate surmisings they are of two sorts sometime they charge Gods children with euill which they haue done indeede but whereof they haue repented them and herein they are malitious that the sinnes vvhich God Sometime they speake euill of them priuately and that either maliciously charging them with sins they haue done but haue repented hath forgiuen they will not forget but this should not prouoke vs to impatience seeing they blame vs for nothing for which wee blame not our selues why shall wee be commoued let vs not thinke shame to say
art our God Likewise we are taught here that the ende which Sathan The end of all Sathans tentations is to seperate vs from the loue of God proposeth to himselfe in all tentations is to seperate vs from the loue of God which notwithstanding he shall neuer effectuate There is a couenant knit vp betweene God and man the band whereof is Iesus Christ this Couenant Sathan doth what he can to dissolue it by alluring vs to sinne and accusing vs to God on Gods part he cannot preuaile on our part he assaults continually but in vaine also because the Lord who hath made a couenant with vs keeps vs also with him so that though wee be tempted vvee cannot be ouercome This is euident in Iobs tentations it was neyther the affliction of his body the losse of his children nor goods which Sathan craued so much as to empty his heart of the loue of God and make him to blaspheme If wee remembred this it would make vs endeauour to If we remembred this it would make vs strong in all tentations possesse our soules in patience in all our troubles for so oft as those things which wee loue are seperate from vs Sathans end is to seperate vs from our God whom wee should loue aboue al things And in very deed this is a proper mark of the children of God that howeuer their outward estate change their heart is neuer changed from the loue of God they are godly in prosperitie but more godly in aduersitie the more they are troubled the neerer they draw vnto the Lord as fire is not quenched with wind but made greater so the loue of God waxeth stronger in the hearts of Gods children by tribulation whereas the wicked not rooted in Iesus Christ are like vnto chaffe and the dust of the earth Psal 1. 4. carryed away vvith euery winde there is no pleasure so small nor profit so vaine which they preferre not before God Now before the Apostle subioynes the answere hee maketh Christians are subiect to many crosses an enumeration of some particular crosses and demaunds if they will doe it these crosses do eyther concerne our bodies our goods our dwellings or our mindes for we are not to thinke here that the Apostle beates the ayre triumphing against such enemies as we haue not No we haue Our dwelling on earth is not the place of our rest as the Iews thought farre lesse the place of our glory as Nabuchadnezar thought Micah 2. 10. 1 Cor. 7. 31. 2 Tim. 3. 4. both crosses of body and of minde which wee must prepare our selues to suffer so vsing all the helpes of this our mortall life as being content for the loue of God to want them for this is the tryall of true religion we must not look to our houses as Nabuchadnezzar did to his palace of Babel as a place of his glory but remember that which Micah said to the Iewes This is not the place of your rest and whatsoeuer thing else vvee vse for maintenance of this mortall life let vs so vse them as if wee vsed them not that we be not found when it comes to the tryall louers of them more then louers of God Blessed is the man who loues nothing otherwise but in God Nam solus is nihil charum amittit cui omnia chara sunt in eo qui non amittitur Gods indulgence toward vs appeares in that he hath not laid on vs the greatest crosses Againe perceiue here in this enumeration a gradation of seauen steppes by which the Apostle ascends It is a great thing to be in trouble but to be troubled and in anguish also is yet greater and for him that is in anguish to be banished in banishment to sustaine hunger and nakednesse and with these to be in continuall perill and last of all to dye by the sword euery one of these last is greater then the former yet all of them saith the Apostle are not able to seperate vs from the loue of Christ Our warning is here that when we see vnto how many crosses Christians are subiect and how few of them God hath laid vpon vs vvee should acknowledge the Lords fatherly indulgence toward vs who regarding our weakenes hath hitherto dealt tenderly vvith vs. And againe it should prepare vs for greater afflictions so long as vvee haue not resisted to the bloud nor laide Heb. 12. 4. downe our liues for Iesus vve should remember that greater battels than any which as yet vve haue foughten are before vs vvherein we must sight if it please the Lord to enter vs into them Shall tribulation Now he commeth to the particular enumeration The first is tribulation the vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Apostle vseth signifieth a pressing out from the The afflictions of the godly and wicked differ in nature For the one in suffering communicates with the curse of Adam the other with the crosse of Christ effect vvhich it vvorketh in the godly to vvit that it presseth out and maketh manifest that grace of God vvhich before vvas latent in them like as in the wicked it presseth out their vile and filthy corruption vvhich before vvas secret for the afflictions of the godly and of the vvicked differs in nature and in effects the vvicked in suffering communicateth vvith the curse of Adam cursed is the earth for thy sake in sorrow shalt thou eate of it all the dayes of thy life but the godly in their suffering communicates vvith the Crosse of Christ They differ also in effects for the godly man being pressed They differ also in effects for trouble makes the one to blesse the other to blaspheme Greg. Moral in Iob. lib. 2. by trouble brings out the fruit of praise and thanksgiuing vvith patience Sicut aromata odorâ—m non nâ—si cum accenduntur expandunt As sweet spices spreads not abroad their smell till they be burnt or beaten or as a graine of mustard seede not stamped seemes to be soft vvhere otherwise being brayed it renders out a strong sauour so the children of God who otherwise seeme to be weake and void of spirituall strength vvhen they are beaten by affliction sends out a sweet smelling sauour of rich and manifold Affliction is Gods wine-presse graces And therefore I call affliction the wine-presse of God the great Husband-man by vvhich hee so presses the berryes of the fruitfull trees of his owne vine-yard that out of their iuice hee may glorifie himselfe and comfort others but the wicked are like vnto a vile stinking puddle which the more it is stirred the worse it smelleth for when they are troubled they send out blasphemie rayling murmuring and in their impatiencie foome out their owne shame The second is Anguish The word he vseth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 The Godly are not onely troubled but oft-times straited in trouble which properly signifieth straitnesse of place wherein a man is so pinched that he is not
his wonderfull wisedome in the harmonie of contraries 324 God rests from workes of creation not of gubernation 325. he workes by contraries 327. his purpose toward vs how it may be knowne 341. See presence God painted in a mans image by Papists and how it is idolatrie 423. 424. Gods Martyrs and Sathans different 442 Godly described 267. oft-times straited in trouble See affliction 432 Glorie to come most certaine 229. prepared to be reuealed 237. by the glorie already reuealed wee may iudge of that which is not reuealed we shal see more there then we can heare in this life 238 Glorie to come both great and certaine 249. how we should be changed for that glory 263. Meditation of the glorie to come recommended 238. our estate in heauen expressed by soure words of great importance 239. excellencie of that glorie 239. Foure things concerning the life to come 239. how fortie dayes company with God changed the face of Moses 240. Since our bodies shall be glorious how glorious shall our soules be 240. See inheritance Glorie of one shall be the glorie of another 241. Persons glorified there are all excellent and singular 241. whether or not shal we know one another there 242. The place of it shewes the greatnes thereof 242. Three places of our residence compared 243. the glorie of the outward court of Gods palace being so glorious the inward must be much more glorious 245. Eternitie and prospecuitie of it 245. Soliditie of it 246. why wee seeke it not 248. glorie of Worldlings how silly 247. let vs seeke the best 247. our highest and best estate 395 Gospel where it is preached there God hath some toward whom he hath a purpose of loue 359. the gospell neither comes nor goes by mans procurement but by God his purpose 361. how this should work in vs a reuerence of the Gospell 359 Grace commâ—nded 96. communicate to few 370 H Harmonie of contraries wonderfull in the creation 324. Harmonie of man his soule and bodie by creation now turned into discord 135 Heart knowne to God only 307. why hidden from men 310. herein appeares God his soueraigntie ouer man that hee is vpon his secrets 311 Heart only puts a difference betweene a Christian and a counterfaâ—t 310 Hardnesse of heart great in this age 272 Hope depends on sure warrants 281. 282. 283. hope described 284. compared to the Egge 286 Humilitie commended 30. 267. I Image of God our eldest glorie .. 374 Impatience in trouble 289 Inheritance heauenly and the nature of it 213. 214. Inimitie with God how foolish are they who keepe it 95 Insidelitie repressed 28 Infirmities how manifold 297. comfort in them 295. how wee should strengthen our selues where we are weakest 297 Ingrafting of a Christian into Christ explaned 24. 25. 26. how he beares fruit as soone as he is planted 31 Ioy three-fold 397. how it is not found but in the depth of a contrite heart 397 Ioy to come how tasted by Worldlings 248. Ioy of things present how vaine 340 Iudgement generall how it will proceede according to the bookes 12. how terrible it will be 13. the remembrance thereof should keepe vs from sinne 14. No mercy will be offred after the last day 15. the christian knowes before hand what will be his sentence in the last day 16. Iudgement delayed confirmes the wicked 129. how foolish they are in so doing 129. Why iudgement is executed on some not on others in this life 130. it is a great iudgement not to be iudged in this life 130 Iudgement three-fold which man may haue of man 104 Iudas punished before Caiaphas and why 40 Iustification by Faith 278. takes not away from the Christian hope and loue 281. Calumnie of the aduersaries here-against confuted 281 Iustification posterior in order to time not in calling 389. three manner of waies taken 389. opened to condemnation 390. State of the controuersie betweene vs and the Papists concerning iustification 190. Destraction of first and second iustification improued 394 Iustification sanctification distinct benefits but inseparable 395 Iustice of God cannot strike vpon vs and why 407. miserable are the wicked who must beare it for euer K Knowledge neither of naturall nor morall Philosophy could profit to Saluation 88. can not preuent an euill end 89. brings out death 88 L Laments of the godly turned into triumph Law cannot saue vs and why 63. Naturally men seeke life in it but in vaine 64. impotencie of tho law is of vs not of the law 65. how is it and shall be fulfilled in vs 75. how not fulfilled in this life 76. we are freed from the curse of the law not from the obedience thereof 80. it discouers sin and causes feare 189. Life prophane is a great dishonour to Christ 37. a false witnessing against Christ 38. full of sacriledge 39 Life of a Christian is a mixed webbe 5. a holy life a sure marke of our vnion with Christ 38. it is the first martyrdome 38. three helpes of a godly life 47. our life should be a continuall progresse in godlinesse See walking our life tels whose seruants wee are 166. they who liue in sin are in death and shall die a worse death 174 Life present a thorow way to heauen or hell 173. it is not the right recompence of godlinesse 180. 181. how it is a momentanian life 232. by what similitudes the vanity therof is figured 232. the pleasures thereof are worme-eaten 233 Life present a point betweene two eternities so to speake 363. a stage play 246. it is neither the place of our rest nor our glorie 430. our estate here is neither the last noâ— the best 135. in this life he hath fewest yeares who hath liued longest 234 Life eternall hath three degrees 396. S. Paul a strong witnesse of the pleasures thereof and why 277. See glory Libertie purchased to vs by Christ bindes vs to himselfe 160 Loue of God toward vs may be seene in the price that hee gaue for vs. 68. 407. 409. Loue of the godly 70. compared to bread 286 Loue is the first affection that God sanctifies and the first that Sathan peruerts 344. it is not an easie nor common thing to loue God 343. none can loue him but his elect effectually called 342. the obiects of our loue 344. 345. he cannot loue his brother who loues not himselfe 345. man hath need to learne how to loue himselfe 346 Loue to our selfe and others should be in measure to God without measure 346. Three conditions required in the loue of God 347. Wee are farre from the loue of God we should haue 348. Meditations to encrease this loue of God in vs. 349 Loue tryed by the effects 349. he louâ—s not God who loues not the Word and Prayer 350. and longeth not to be where he is 350. Loue tryed by obedience 352. a proofe that many are without loue 351. Loue is bountifull 353. our loue to God cannot be fully and finally bequeathed 328 Lustes of the
mention of fortie Martyrs who being striped naked were put foorth in the night to be pined with cold and afterward burnt with fire in the day Of these it is euident that nakednesse is one of those tentations whereby Sathan seekes to trouble our faith and patience but he who hath put on the Lord Iesus for a garment neither shame nor losse of naturall life procured by nakednesse can seperate him from the Loue of God Where wee may perceiue how different the dispositions The begged glory of world lings is in their apparell of the Châ—istian and the Worldlings are The men of this vvorld esteemes nakednesse their shame and places a great part of their glory in gorgeous garments and no maruell quia de proprio non habent decorem necesse est vt aliunde mendicent Bern. in cant serm 41. for hauing no glory of their owne they must borrow glory from others From the beasts of the earth they borrow skins and wool from the Fowles of heauen they borrow feathers from the Wormes they borrow silk from the Earth siluer and gold from the Waters pearles and of these doth man make vp his begged glory vvhose glorie in the beginning vvas to be clad in the image of God but what is it decor qui cum veste induitur vt cum veste deponitur Ber. ad Soph. Virg. epi. 113 vestis est non vestiti that beauty which is put on and put off with the garment is not the beauty of the person but of the garment Yet are these but licitae quodammodo insaniae if they be Vnder pretence of hiding their nakednes they shew forth their Nakednesse Cypri trac 2. de habi virg compared vvith the madnesse of others vvho alter by artifice the shape and colour of the countenance vvhich God hath giuen them Manus deo inferunt cum illud quod formauit reformare conantur for they put hands as it were into God while they prease to reforme that which GOD hath formed Nâ—scientes quia opus dei est â—mne quod nascitur diaboli quod mutatur I know they excuse their fact with the couerings of comelinesse and necessitie but praetexâ—u tâ—gâ—ndae turpitudinis Cyril catch 4. in matâ—rem turpitudinem incidunt for worldlings are neuer so naked as when they are best apparelled As for men truely godly they vvill thinke shame of wickednes but not of nakednesse imprâ—bum vocari te pudeat non pauperem Nazian sent aut ignobilem blind Egyptians may account sheepekeepers abhomination but true Israelits will thinke shame to be prophane but no man to be poore those godly ones in the wildernesse clad with sheepes skins and goates skins Hâ—b 11. 37. Acts 12. 21. were more honourable in the eyes of God than Herod in his royall robe of shining siluer glancing the more brightly by the shining of the Sun vpon it if wee will credit Iosâ—phus But what of all this our vnwillingnesse to want superfluitie of apparell argues that we are euill prepared to endure nakednesse for Christs sake Crosses should not be assumed by our selues but patiently borne when God layes them on Againe wee learne here that seeing nakednesse is one of those crosses whereby the Lord tryes the faith and patience of his children and that then it is time for vs to endure a crosse when God layes it vpon vs it cannot be good religion to impone it to our selues where God layes it not vpon vs. It is a hard thing to keepe mediocritie not to be either too remisse in religion or too superstitious Wil-worship what euer shew of godlinesse it hath in the eyes of men is but abhominable idolatry in the eyes of God and we are not to place true religion in those things which he hath not False Prophets weares rough garments to deceiue so they did of old and so they doe stil required the false Prophets ware a rough garment but it vvas to deceiue the Priests of Baal spared not to lance their owne flesh but it is reiected by God as blinde zeale to walke bare-footed or weare a garment of haire without linnen or vvool next the skinne to carry on our head a Franciscanes hood and at last to be buried in it If these things haue in them such holinesse as they pretend is it not a maruell their holy Father the Pope is not careful to make himselfe more holy by changing his triple Crowne vvith a Franciscanes hood or that his Cardinals are so inconsiderate as to redeeme by so excessiue prices a Cardinals hat the haire garment being better cheape and much more meritorious of eternall life Perils The life of a Christian is full of perils euery place 6 The Christian in euery place subiect to perils 2 Cor. 11. 16. vnto him is a palaestra in the sea in the land in the citie in the wildernes goe where he will he shall encounter with perils These are so many probations of our Faith and Patience of Gods truth and prouidence Our preseruation depends on our protector euen the Watch-man of Israel who neither slumbers nor sleepes As a Father hath compassion Comfort for the Christian in all perils on his children so hath the Lord on them who feare him and wee know that a naturall Father doth neuer looke more pittifully vpon his Child than when he sees him in greatest danger and shall we expect lesse kindnesse from our heauenly Father The men of this world when they send out their seruants in commission goes not with them themselues knowes not their danger and are not able to preserue them but the Lord our God when he sends out his seruants fore-sees the perill and goes with them to preserue them Feare not for when thou passest through the water I will be Esay 43. 2. with thee through the flouds that they doe not ouer flow thee The more perils we fall into the more experience haue we of Gods louing preseruing vs for the which wee may say perils may well make vs grow in the sense of the loue of God but cannot seperate vs from him Sword This is the last and by it the Apostle expresses 7 The Christian subiect also to violent death any kinde of violent death for vnto these also the seruants of God and his best beloued Children haue beene subiect euer from the beginning The Apostle glories that no kind of death can seperate vs from Christ yea as hee saith in another place it conioynes vs more neerely vnto him as Nebuchadnezzars Dan. 3. 25. fire loosed the bonds of the three children but hurt not their bodyes so death inflicted by man may loose our bodily bonds but cannot hurt our soules Non sunt â—mâ—nda spiritâ—i quae fiunt in carne quae extra nos est quasi vestimentum let not our spirit feare those things which are done in the flesh which is as a garment without vs. Thus we see how no kinde of crosse can seperate vs
from the loue of God Verse 36. As it is written for thy sake are wee killed all the day long wee are counted as sheepe for the slaughter THe nature of man doth greatly abhorre the That the christian is subiect to these crosses he proues by a testimonie of holy scripture crosse and therefore the Apostle here is the more aboundant in furnishing vs vvith comforts against it glorying in this that no crosse can seperate vs from Christ a comfort exceeding great indeed for seeing we know that the Lords loue towards vs is vnchangeable hauing his fauour which is better than life vvhat other losse should wee regard or make mone for Now because he hath made an enumeration of sundry sorts of crosses he proues here by a testimonie of scripture that it is the lot of Gods children to be subiect vnto them for seeing they are not exempted from the greatest which is to be slaine by the sword why shall we promise to our selues any immunitie from the smallest The testimonie is taken out of the 44. Psalme wherein Worshippers of God howsoeuer disioyned in time or place yet are of one communion Psal 44. 22. the Church of God being heauily afflicted as some thinkes vnder Antiochus complayned to God of her heauy trouble that albeit they had not fallen away from the pure worship of his name nor lifted vp their hands to a strange God yet they were counted as sheepe for the slaughter and this testimonie the Apostle applyes to the estate of the Church in his time wherein the Apostle will teach vs that howsoeuer the true worshippers of God liue in sundry times and ages yet they are of one communion maintaining all one cause therfore the Apostle vseth that which is spoken of the afflicted Church of the Iewes as competent to afflicted Christians As it is written Albeit the Apostles had their immediate A pleasant harmonie among the writers of holy Scripture calling from God and spake and wrote nothing of priuate motion but by diuine inspiration yet is it their custome to confirme their doctrine by testimonies of the Prophets This harmonie among the Writers of holy Scripture is no small confirmation of our Faith that they who neuer saw one another in the face yet all together agrees to breath out one truth As the Cherubines stretch their wings one to Ezech. 1. 11. another so the Prophets and Apostles reach their testimonies one to another and as the Mariners in Peters ship hauing Luke 5. 7. a greater draught than they were able to hale in beckned to their companions to help them so doe the Apostles call on the Prophets and require their help for confirmation of the truth of God that the more may be conuerted by them And their fact stands for a rule to teach vs that Euery Ecclesiastique teacher is bound to confirme his doctrine by Scripture what-euer calling men pretend they should confirme their doctrine by that which is written a necessary ground to be holden in these dayes wherein the name of the Church is abused to impugne the truth of the Church The Apostles after the example of their Maister confirmed their doctrine by Scripture S. Paul was content that the Beraeans should Acts 17. 11. try his doctrine by the Scripture vvhat pertnesse then is it that the Doctors of the Romish Church challenge to themselues this singular exemption as not to be iudged by the word as though they themselues and not that which is written should be the warrant of their doctrine and all men were bound to beleeue them side implicita Againe we are to marke here how that one place of holy No booke betweene Malachie and Matthew to be receiued for Canonicall Scripture Scripture doth interpret and confirme another Moses layes a ground to the Prophets the Prophets expounds them and deliuers them clearer to the Apostles the Apostles builds vpon them a plaine and perfect doctrine for the edification of Christs misticall body The two Testaments are as the two lips of the mouth of God by vvhich hee hath breathed out to vs his minde concerning his worship and our saluation And it is to be marked that out of these bookes vvhich the primitiue Church of olde and the reformed Church now hath esteemed Apocrypha neither Iesus our Lord nor any of his Apostles haue brought out any testimonie for confirmation of doctrine and therefore those Bookes interiected betweene Malachie and Matthew are to be reiected as an vncouth breath Malachie endeth the olde Testament with a promise of the comming of the Angell Mal. 3. 1. euen the new Eliah vvho should goe before the face of our Lord to prepare his way Iohn the Baptist and Matthew beginneth the New Testament with a narration of the accomplishment of that Prophecie but betweene these two the holy Ghost employed no penne-man of the holy Oracles For thy sake In the testimonie vve haue three things Three things obserued in this testimonie first the greatnesse of the affliction of a Christian when he saith we are slaine subiect not onely to smaller crosses but to the greatest Secondly the continuance of their affliction All the day long that is not in one age but in all ages of the world hath it beene our lot thirdly the cause of their suffering for thy sake It is necessary for our comfort that we marke the fountaine The causes for which GOD sends affliction should be marked and from whence affliction proceedes to the Godly for the ignorance thereof makes many to erre vvith the friends of Iob and iudge wrong of the godly as if they were stricken alway for their sinnes vvhen indeed they are not we are therefore to know that sometime affliction comes to the Godly for sinne past sometime for sinne to come sometime neither for sinne past nor sinne to come but that the works of God may be made manifest The first way afflictions to them whom the Lord loueth Afflictions laid on for sin past are medicinall restoratiues are medicinall restoratiue by which they are wakened to recouer their health by repentance for those sinnes through which they haue become spiritually diseased for howsoeuer the Lord giue loose reines to the children of wrath and deliuers them vp to their owne hearts desire yet will he hedge Psâ—l 81. 12. Hâ—s 2. 6. in with thornes the wayes of those whom he purposeth to saue and will waken them by some sharp rod or other when he seeth them sleeping in securitie so taught he Miriam by Leprosie to leaue her murmuring so wakened he Ionas out of his sleepe by casting him into the sea he cured Zachary of insidelitie by striking him with dumbnesse he diuerted Paul from his euill course by blindnesse blessed is the man whom the Lord this way correcteth Sometime againe the Lord sends affliction as preseruatiues Afflictions laid on to preuent sin to come are wholesome preseruatiues 2 Cor. 12. 7. to his children to keepe