perishing things in great vvisedome and loue toward vs as hee seeth may be best for vs. Certainely vve ought so to reioyce in that great gift the Lord Iesus whom the Father hath giuen vs and in vvhom he hath blessed vs vvith all spirituall blessings that vve take no thought for any other thing vvhatsoeuer vvhich hee hath thought expedient to hold from vs. Oh that vve could giue vnto the Lord this glory as to say vvithout grudging O Lord Iesus I can vvant nothing seeing I haue thee to be my portion And further seeing all these things are dispensed and giuen by God let vs as I said in our callings aboue all things seeke his blessing Adam may make himselfe a garment but it shall not couer his nakednesse Ionas may build himselfe a booth but it shall not defend him from the heat of the Sunne Peter fiâ—hed all night and hee profited nothing till Iesus spake the word Though we rise earely and lye down late and eate the bread of sorrow yet shall we labour in vain vnlesse the Lord giue the blessing Let vs therefore so vse the meanes that with them we ioyne prayer moderating our care let vs commit the successe to the Lord. It is true that Religion allowes not carelesnesse yea by the contrary it commaunds vs to be carefull for those vvhom God hath committed vnto vs If any man care not for his household hee is worse than an infidell This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a moderate foreseeing of things which are needefull but there is an vnlawfull care the daughter of distrust whereby men are carryed either beyond lawfull meanes or else if the meanes be lawfull beyond the measure of a temperate affection as though a man had not a Father in heauen to care for him or were able to compasse things by his owne wit This care is not vnprofitable onely but full of many perturbations for which our Sauiour compares it to thornes which are most easily gouerned when they are most lightly touched where as he who gripes them hardly inuolues them and makes them more perplex and hurts himselfe also Our Sauiour correcting Martha for too much care of the worldly part ioynes these two thou art carefull about many things and art troubled telling vs that which we finde in experience that many worldly cares breedes many troubles Let vs walke therefore in the right way vsing the meanes in sobernesse let vs cast our care on the Lord. Last of all it is to be marked here that the Apostle â—aith that God with Christ giues all things vnto vs so then Iesus Christ is the maine and great gift and all other things are but pendicles annexed vnto it Other gifts without Christ haue a shew of comfort but renders no solide comfort in the end they shall be deceiued at length who glories in other things vvere they neuer so excellent vvhile as they are strangers from Christ. When God said to Abraham feare not I am thy buckler and thy exceeding great reward not considering vvhat the Lord offered to him he answered in his weaknes O Lord what canst thou giue me seeing I go childlesse Euen he vvho vvas the Father of the faithfull could not conceiue hovv great good God promised to him vvhen he promised himselfe to be his reward And therefore let vs suspecting our vveakenesse that it carry vs not into the like errour vvatch ouer our owne hearts that they be not set vpon Gods secondary gifts more than vpon himselfe Albeit the Lord should giue vs pleasant Canaan for an inheritance and multiply our posteritie as the starres of heauen yet will we say O Lord all these shall not content vs vnlesse thou dost giue vs thy selfe It doth more reioyce vs that thou hast giuen vs thy Sonne Iesus to bee our Sauiour than that thou hast subdued all the workes of thine hands vnder vs. Verse 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen it is God that iustifies THe Apostle in his generall triumph contained in the last two Verses hauing proclaimed a defiance to all the enimies of a Christian doth now begin to challenge them perticularly triumphing first against sinne Verse 33. 34. thereafter against all sort of afflictions that come vpon vs by whatsoeuer instruments visible or inuisible Wee begun first at his triumph against sinne who saith he shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen hee excepts no person neyther is any eyther in heauen in earth or in hell able to doe it hee reserues no sort of sinne seeke what they will there is nothing to be found in the Christian to accuse him and condemne him his interrogation is plaine his answere is supprest his reason is subioyned It is God that iustifies where the supreame Iudge absolues can any inferior iudge whatsoeuer condemne Where first wee haue to consider who is hee that this manner of way triumphs Is it not Paul who before his conuersion was a persecuter a blasphemer and an oppresser who confesseth himselfe to be the chiefe of all sinners and the least of all Saints yea indeed the same is hee but marke such a one hee was indeed but hath gotten mercy and therefore now like a man relieued of a heauy burthen which before oppressed him hee reioyces and triumphes Certainely no greater comfort can come to man than to feele his sins forgiuen him this onely causeth true reioycing See this in Dauid as long as the burden of his sinne lay vpon his conscience it prest out the very naturall moysture of his body hee had no rest night nor day but from the time that once Nathan proclaimed to him remission and that in his owne conscience he felt his sin forgiuen him then hee cryed out O blessed is the man whose wickednesse is forgiuen whose sinne is couered and vnto whom the Lord imputes not his iniquitie As hee that lay sicke sixe and thirty yeeres of the palsie arose with great ioy when Iesus relieved him and hee that was a creple when hee found that his feete which had failed him so long did not 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 which hath made it free Secondly let the Apostle here stand vnto vs as an example of the like mercy of God to be shewed vpon our selues how great sinners soeuer wee 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 â—inners but also confirmes vs by the examples of his manifold mercies shewed to others before vs when wee looke vpon them let our weakenesse be strengthened let vs not think that the Lord
to the aduersary as to thinke I haue no faith because it is weake or I haue no loue because it is little or no sanctification because it is but in a beginning No but I will so hunger and thirst for more grace that I will still giue thankes for the grace I haue receiued for here vve haue no fulnesse our greatest measure is as the first fruits in respect of that which is to come On the other side because euery comfort vvhich is giuen to the godly is turned by prophane contemners and mockers into an occasion and nourishment of sinne they are to know this comfort belongs not vnto them It is a common thing to them to excuse the want of all Grace O it is but a small grace vvhich in this life is communicated to the best and they thinke their sinnes are well inough couered by this that all men are sinners as if there were no difference betweene sinne tyrannizing in the wicked and captiued in the the godly or as if beginnings of Grace in the regenerate did not seperate them in regard of conuersation from the vnregenerate who are void of all Grace Let them therefore know that the Spirit of God vvhom the godly receiue is not onely called the first fruits the earnest and the witnesse of God but also the seale and signet of the liuing God As a seale leaues in the waxe that similitude and impression of the forme which is in it selfe so the Spirit of God communicates his owne image to all those whom he seales against the day of redemption hee makes them nevv and holy creatures And this conuinces carnall professors of a lye vvho say they haue receiued the first fruites of the Spirit notwithstanding that their vvorks be wicked and vncleane they may rather if they would tell the truth say as those who being demaunded vvhether they had receiued the holy Ghost or no answered we know not vvhether there be an holy Ghost or no so may they instead of bragging of the first fruits of the Spirit say in truth we knovv not vvhat yee call the first fruits of the Spirit And thirdly out of this description vve may gather that albeit we haue no more but the first fruits of the Spirit yet are they sufficient to assure vs that hereafter vve shall enioy the whole Masse In two respects it is customable to men to giue an earnest penny in buying and selling either when the summe is greater than they are able to pay for the present or when the thing bought is of that nature that it cannot presently be deliuered but betweene the Lord and vs there is no buying nor selling he giues freely vnto vs both the earnest and the principall but first the one and then the other not that the Lord is vnable to pay presently all that he hath promised but because the principall is of that nature that it cannot be receiued till we be prepared for it As the husbandman must sow and tarâ—y with patience till the haruest come wherein he may sheare as the warriour must fight before he obtaine the victory and the wrestler receiues not his crowne till hee haue ouercome neither doth he that runnes in a race obtaine the prise till he haue finished it so must the Christian in all these be exercised before that the Lord possesse him in the promised kingdome of his sonne Christ Iesus And though payment of the principall for a time be delayed yet for our comfort the earnest and first fruits are presently deliuered vnto vs the Lord so dealing with vs as he delt with Israell in the Wildernesse when he caused the twelue spies to bring with them from the riuer of Eschol a branch of the Vine tree so full of the clusters of grapes that it was borne betweene two vpon a tree together with the figges and pomegranats and other fruits of that land for no other end but that Israell tasting of the first fruits of Canaan might be prouoked to a more earnest desire thereof as also to assure them that the Lord who had giuen them the beginnings would also put them in possession of the whole according to his promise euen so the Lord Iesus who hath gone before vs to our heauenly Canaan not to view it onely but to take possession thereof in our name hath sent downe vnto vs some of the first fruites thereof that we may taste them such as peace of Conscience and ioy of the Spirit that by proofe of the small beginnings we may knovv vvhat excellent comfort is laid vp in store for vs. We sigh in our selues Here followes now the two effects of the Spirit which he vvorkes in them vvho haue receiued it The first is a sense of their present misery which causes them to sigh vnto God for deliuerance and hee sayth they sigh within themselues to teach vs that it is not an hipocriticall and counterfait but an inward and godly sorrow vvhich the Spirit workes in the children of God Which I doe not so speake as if I did condemne those sighes which breake forth without for sometime the griefe of hart is so aboundant in the godly that not onely it breakes out in sighing and mourning but in strong crying to God also but to restraine the hipocrisie of others who make a faire shew of that in the flesh which is not in the Spirit True religion striues rather to be approued of God than seene of men one sigh proceeding from the heart is a louder crying in the eares of the Lord of hosts and more forcible to moue him than the noise of all the shooting Priests of Baal when they are gathered together into one We are therefore more deepely to consider this that the Spirit of God first teacheth vs to figh and mourne for our present misery before he comfort vs with a constant hope of deliuerance If now we mourne not wee shall not reioyce hereafter it is onely mourners whom God hath marked in the fore-head to saue from the wrath to come such a continuall mourner was Dauid who protests that in the night he watered his couch with teares and in the day mingled his cuppe therewith Iob in like manner my sighing said he comes before my eating The Saints of God are not ashamed to professe that of themselues which the mockers of this age esteeme a womanly affection there is nothing to be found among them but eating drinking singing and a contracting of one sin after another with carnall reioycing but woe be vnto them that now laugh for assuredly they shall weep the end of their ioy shall be endles mourning and gnashing of teeth they shall shed teares abundantly with Esau but shall finde no place for mercy Let vs therefore goe to the house of mourning with the Godly rather than to the banquetting houses of the wicked reioycing in their sinfull pleasures At one time Simon the Pharise gaue our Sauiour a dinner and Mary who had beene a sinner
similitude of ingrafting wherein Christ is compared to the Vine and wee to the branches grafted into him Lastly by the similitude of feeding wherin Christ is compared to the foode and wee to the bodie which is nourished As for the similitude of Marriage the strongest bands of coniunction that euer was betweene two creatures was betweene Adam and Eue for Eue was his Wife his Sister and his Daughter his Wife being ioyned with him in marriage by God she became one flesh with him she was his Sister made immediately by the hand of that same Father who made Adam and that without Adams helpe shee was also his Daughter for of him shee was made bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh All these wayes are we alyed vnto Iesus Christ we are his spouse in respect of that mutuall contract and couenant which is betweene vs he hath marryed vs to himselfe in righteousnesse iudgement mercy and compassion We are his Sonnes and Daughters in respect of regeneration which is our new creation we are also his brethren and sisters in respect of the spirit of adoption by whom we acknowledge God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ to be our father also in him and his sonne Iesus to be our elder brother Yet is our allyance with Christ so neere that all these whereof we haue spoken can not expresse it and therefore ye shall finde that there is not a way by which in nature two things are made one but from it the spirit of God borrowes similitudes to declare how Christ and we are one in him as the branch in the tree we are of him as Eue was of Adam we are of him as the house is built on the foundation wee are one with him and that many manner of wayes one with him as brother with brother as husband and wife as the body and the head as meat and that which is nourished what meruaile theâ— considering all these that the Apostle with boldnes breakes out in this glorious triumph there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ seeing we are in him as branches in the tree it is not possible that we can wither or decay for want of the sap of Grace so long as he doth retaine it and that shall be for euer seeing we are built on him like an house vpon a sure foundation what storme can ouerblow vs let the winde rise and the raine fall wee shall not be ouerthrowne because wee are the building of God standing vpon a sure foundation seeing wee are his spouse who can haue action against vs our debts fall to be payd by our husband he liueth to make answere for vs seeing we are his conquered inheritance who will take vs out of his hand My sheepe can no man take out of my hand saith our blessed Sauiour Most happy then and sure is the estate of all those who are in Christ Iesus But leauing other similitudes let vs consider that this phrase to be in Christ is borrowed from planting or ingrafting Our Sauiour vses this same similitude Iohn 15. And in it we haue these things to consider First who is the stock or root secondly who are the grafts or branches ingrafted thirdly what is the manner of the ingrafting fourthly some comfors and instructions arising hereof The root or stock whereinto this ingrafting is made is Iesus Christ called by himselfe the true Vine by the Apostles the true Oliue by the Prophets the roote of Iesse and the righteous branch this roote that great husbandman the eternall God prepared to be as a stocke of life wherein he ingrafts all of Adams lost posteritie whom he hath concluded to saue to the praise of the glory of his mercie After that in the fulnes of time God hath sent him into the world clad with our nature and he hath done the work for which he came the Lord laid him in the graue and as it were set him in the graue but at once like a liuely roote hee sprang vp and rested not till his branches spred to the vttermost ends of the earth and till his top mounted vp vnto heauen for there now he sits and raignes in life who before was humbled to death The branches or graftes ingrafted in him are of two sorts first all the members of the Church visible who by externall Baptisme are entred to a profession of Christ baptised with water but not with the holy Ghost this kinde of ingrafting will suffer a cutting off if thou continue not in his bountifulnesse thou shalt also be cut off For they haue not the sap of grace ministred to them from the stocke of life but are as dead trees hauing leaues without fruit they haue a shew of Godlinesse but haue denyed the power thereof these are no better then Esau who lay in the same wombe with Iacob borne and brought vp in the same Family of Isaac which was the Church of God marked also with the same sacrament of Circumcision Naâ— sicut ille ex legittima matre natus gratiam superbe spreuit reprobatus est it a qui in vera Ecclesia baptizantur gratiam Dei non amplectuntur cum Esauo reijciuntur For as hee being borne of a lawfull Mother proudely despised Grace and was cast off so they who are baptised in the true Church of God and embrace not the grace of God shall be reiected with Esau neyther shall it auaile them that by an externall kinde of ingrafting they haue beene adioyned to the fellowship of the visible Church The other sort are they who beside the outward ingrafting whereof we haue spoken are also inwardly grafted by the holy Ghost in Iesus Christ in such sort that Christ is in them and they in Christ and can say with the Apostle Now I liue yet not I any more but Christ Iesus liueth in me these haue in them that same minde which was in Iesus the onely sure argument of our spirituall vnion with him for if any man haue not the spirit of Christ the same is not his and they who are quickned and ruled by this spirit are assuredly his As for the manner of the ingrafting it is spiritual wrought by the holy Ghost who creating faith in our heart by hearing of the Gospell makes vs to goe out of our selues tranfire in Christum so to relie vpon him that by his light we are illuminated by his spirit wee are quickned by the continuall furniture of his grace we perseuere and increase in spirituall strength in a word so we liue that in our selues we dye Euery lampe of the golden candlesticke hath his owne pipe through which these two oliues that stand with the ruler of the whole world emptie themselues into the gold that is euery member of the Church of Christ receiues grace from that fulnesse of Grace which is in him through the secret conduits of the spirit whereby he causeth
life that they who are planted in him flourish incontinent Proofe hereof we haue in Lidia and in the Theefe crucified with Christ and conuerted by him Aarons rodde was no sooner changed from a withered sticke into a flourishing tree then is hee from a barren malefactor into a fruitfull professor for see what a fruit hee beares in an instant he confesseth his owne sins he rebuketh the sinnes of his companion hee giueth a good testimonie vnto Christ and earnestly prayes that Christ would remember him concupiscence proceeds from sin â—endeth vnto sin but is not sin which he labors to expresse by this similitude he that hears saith he another man speking filthy language consents not vnto it but rather is angry at it and reproues it sinneth not but merits a greater reward euen so when our concupiscence sendâ— out any sinfull motion if we consent not vnto it we sinne not And the Fathers of that counsell of Trent which haue as many curses as Canons haue decreed in this manner this concupiscence which sometime the Apostle calleth sinne the holy Synode declares that the Catholike Church did neuer vnderstand it to be called sinne because it is truely and properly sinne in the regeuerate but because it commeth of sinne and inclineth to sinne Now because this is a mother errour which brings forth and strengthens many other errours wee will shortly disproue it by Scripture reason and antiquitie In the end of the last Chapter the Apostle condemneth the motions of concupiscence for sinne euen when consent is not giuen vnto them for he protests of himselfe that he resisted these motions of sin but was oftentimes sore against his will captiued by them he condemnes them as euill albeit he gaue no consent vnto them for the Law as I haue said doth not onely condemne sinne in the branch but also in the root there shall not bee in thee an euill thought against the Lord thy God And this is also confirmed by reason Consent in it owne nature is a thing indifferent if that whereunto I consent be good my consent is good but if it be euill my consent is euill if the first motion of sinne be not an euill thing in it selfe as they say then it is not an euill thing to consent vnto it for that which is not euill in it selfe by my consenting cannot become euill It is not then the consent following that makes the preceeding motion to bee euill but it is the preceeding euill motion that makes the subsequent consent euill Now as for Coster his similitude it makes plainely against himselfe for it is true indeed that hee who heareth euill spoken and reproues it is worthy of praise but it is also true that he who spake the euill hath sinned euen so albeit wee doe well when wee consent not to the motions of concupiscence in vs yet concupiscence is not the lesse to be condemned because it hath sent out in the eare of our soule that voyce of a filthy desire which is not agreeable to Gods most holy Law And of this same iudgement with vs are also the ancient Fathers Cum concupisco quamuis concupiscentis assensum non praebeam fit tamen in me quod nolo quod etiam non vult Lex When I lust saith Augustine albeit I consent not to my lust yet that is done in me which I will not and which also the law will not And againe desiderium tuum tali debet esse ad Deum vt omnino non sit ipsa concupiscentia cui resistere oporteat resistis enim non consentiendo vincis sed melius est hostem non habere quam vincere thy desire should in such sort be vpon God that there should not be in thee at all so much as a concupiscence which hath need of resistance for thou resists and by not consenting thou ouercommest but it were better not to haue an enemie then to ouercome him with him agrees also Bernard Genus illud peccati quod toties nos conturbat reprimi quidem potest debet per gratiam Dei concupiscentias loquor praua desideria vt non regnet in nobis nec demus membra nostra arma iniquitatis peccato sic nulla est damnatio his qui sunt in Christo sed non eijcitur niâ—i in morte That kinde of sinne saith he which so oft troubles vs Concupiscence and euill desires I meane may and should be repressed by the grace of God so that it raigne not in vs and that we giue not our members weapons of vnrighteousnesse to sinne and this way there is no damnation to them who are in Christ yet is it not cast out but in death Thus doth Bernard cleerely agree with vs in the exposition of this place Of all which is euident that the motions of concupiscence are euill and sinfull euen when they are repressed and no consent giuen vnto them But now leauing further improbation of this errour wee toler abilius enim lingua quaÌ„ vita mentâ—tur the lye saith Augustine which is made by the tongue is more tollerable then that vvhich is made by the life where the tongue professes Christ and the hart is giuen to impietie this is not professio sed abnegatio Christi a profession but a denying of Christ. It is a great sinne to beare false witnesse against our neighbour but a greater sinne to beare false witnesse against the Lord. Euery creature in their kinde giues a true testimonie vnto God the heauens declare his glory the earth and all that therein is sets foorth his goodnesse yea the little Emmet proclaimes his prouidence hee must bee a prouiuident father that hath put so great prouidence in so small a creature onely apostate Angels and men are false witnesses against the Lord. Sathan hath wyles continually against his mercy as when hee sayes to the penitent and beleeuing man God will not forgiue him vvyles against his iustice when hee beares the wicked in hand that God will not punish him wyles against his prouidence when hee would perswade the afflicted that God cannot deliuer them And as for the Apostate man hee is also a false vvitnesse against God hee calleth himselfe the childe of God and behold hee carryeth the image of Sathan as if the Lord begat children to another image and not to his owne Certainely the sinfull life of one professing Christ is a publick testimonie falsly proclayming to the vvorld as I haue said that there is no vertue in Christ and that hee is such a Sauiour as can neither sanctifie nor saue from sinne such as are his a fearefull blasphemie All Christians are not honoured with the second martiâ—dome that is to bee Christs vvitnesses by suffering of death for his truths sake yet all are bound by a godly life to bee vvitnesses of his sauing and renuing power shewing forth his meruailous vertue who hath translated vs from darknesse into
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 bloud shall wee againe make our selues the seruants of sinne The Lord neuer shewed a greater mercie on man then this that hee 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 bee his seruants much will be required of him to whom much is giuen those Gentiles to whom the Lord reuealed himselfe in goodnes 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 wilt 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 bloud 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 wee loue vnfainedly those vvhom hee hath recommended vnto vs our goodnesse cannot extend vnto the Lord neither haue vve him vvalking vvith vs vpon earth that vve may minister vnto him may wash his feete and annoynt his blessed bodie vvith precious oyntments therefore should our delight bee vpon these 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 vvhom he hath said what yee doe to one of these little ones for my sake is done to mee and let vs shew kindnesse vnto them for the great loue which the Lord Iesus hath shewed vnto vs. And that for sinne These wordes containe the end of Christs manifestation in the flesh which is that in our nature hee might beare the punishment of our sinnes satisfie the iustice of God and so abolish sinne Saint Iohn makes this cleare when he saith that hee appeared to destroy the workes of the diuell that is sinne for sinne being remoued there is nothing in man but the workmanship of God By this it is euident how highly they offend God who abuseth 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 Christ once suffered the iust for the vniust not that we should still abide vniust but that hee might bring vs to God Thou therefore who continuest vniust maist 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 hee worketh that worke for which hee came namely hee destroyes the worke of the diuell that is hee enfeebles and abolishes at the last the power of sinne Condemned sinne Sinne by a metaphor is said to be condemned for as they vvho are condemned are depriued of all the liberty power and priuiledges they had before and hath no more any place to appeare in iudgement so hath the Lord Iesus disanulled sinne that it hath now no power to command and condemne vs hee hath spoyled principalities and powers and triumphed ouer them in the Crosse and hath nayled vnto it the obligation of ordinances which was against vs and so sustulit illam quasi authoritatem peccati qua homines detinebat in inferno hath taken away that povver and authoritie of sinne whereby it detayned men vnder damnation This hath hee done most lawfully and in iudgement as vve shall heare bearing our sinnes in his blessed body on the Crosse hee hath suffered that punishment vvhich the law required to bee inflicted on man for sinne and that in the flesh that is in the same nature of man vvhich had offended For this word of Condemnation imports a iust and lawful proceeding of a Iudge in iudgement which that vve may the better vnderstand let vs consider that there are two generall and head iustice Courts vvhich the Lord hath set vnto men the one is holden already the other is to bee holden 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 bee iusty condemned In the first by the ordinance of God the Father our sinnes were laid vpon the back of Iesus Christ and a law imposed to him which was neuer giuen to any other neyther Angell or man to wit the law of a Mediator that hee should make vp peace betweene God and man loue God in such sort that hee should by suffering preserue the glory of his Fathers iustice and yet make manifest the glory of his mercy that hee should loue his brethren in such sort that hee should take the burden of their transgressions vpon him which as by the Father it vvas inioyned vnto him so did hee vvillingly vndertake it And therefore hauing our sinnes imputed vnto him hee presented himselfe for vs vpon the Crosse as vpon a pannell before the Iudge to vnderly the law which craued that our sinnes should be punished to the death The decree according to the law is executed death yea an accursed death as the punishment of sinne is laide vpon Christ wherevpon there followes of equitie an absolution of all those for whom the Lord Iesus suffered as Cautioner their sinne is condemned and made of no force to condemne them hereafter The other generall iustice court will bee holden in the last day wherein all flesh must appeare before the Lord as their superiour and in that supreame and last Court of iustice shall bee condemned the persons of all those whose sinnes were not condemned before in Christ
man doth persecute him and seekes by all meanes to oppresse him but at the last hee shall be cast out This metaphor of dwelling doth also yeelde vnto vs exceeding great comfort in all other habitations the lodging is larger than the inhabiter but this is maruailous that the lodging here is so little and the inhabiter so great that infinite maiestie vvhom the heauen of heauens cannot contain vvho hath the heauen for his throne and the earth for his footestoole hath chosen for his dwelling and place of rest the soule of him that is poore contrite and trembles at his word A wonderfull mercy that the highest maiestie should so farre dimâ—t the selfe as that passing by all his other creatures hee should make choyse of man to be his pleasant sanctuary From this it is euident that this dwelling doth designe some speciall presence of God with his own children which he shewes not vnto others it is true hee is present in euerie place bounded within no place he containes all things vncontayned of any where hee dwelleth not as a Father there hee sits as a Iudge and is a terrour which manner of way the damned are continually vexed with his presence but in the Christian hee dwels as a maister in his owne familie as a Father with his children quickning ruling and preseruing them Worldlings may match the Christian in externall gifts but cannot compare with him in this internall glory though without hee be but an earthen vessell yet hath hee within an heauenly treasure for hee is the habitation of God in whom the Lord dwels by his spirit It was Beniamin his glory that the Lord should dwell betweene his shoulders and the glory of Ierusalem that there the Lord dwelt between the Cherubins but most of all the glory of a Christian that the Lord dwelleth betweene the secrets of his soule let worldling reioyce in their outward priuiledges and in their presumptuous minds leap like the mightie mountaines esteeming themselues high as mount Basan yet this is the glory of a Christian that God delights to dwell in him Let vs therfore make much of them who feare the Lord though in regard of their outward estate they were neuer so base we should not be ashamâ—d to doe them honour for his sake who dwelleth in them Dariâ—s preferred Daniell because the spirit was excellent in him and Pharaoh honoured Ioseph because the Spirit of God was in him yea the Angels are content to be Seruants and Ministers to them who feare the Lord they honoured Shepheards for Christs sake with their presence which they did not vnto King Herod for all his glory and shall not wee delight in Gods excellent ones vpon earth surely hee shall dwell in the Tabernacle of God in whose eyes a vile person is contemned but hee honoureth them who feare the Lord. Hereby wee know that wee are translated from death to life because wee loue the brethrâ—n Not onely doth this Metaphor of dwelling import a familiar presence but also a continuance thereof for he soiourns not in vs as a stranger that lodges for some dayes or Moneths in a place but hath setled his residence to dwell in vs for euer howeuer by temporall desertions he humble vs yet shall he neuer depart from that soule which once hee hath sanctified to be his owne habitation and this comfort is confirmed to vs by most sure arguments The first is taken from the nature of God Hee is faithfull saith the Apostle by whom wee are called to the fellowship of his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord hee will confirme vs to the end that we may bee blamelesse in the day of our Lord Iesus And againe saith hee I am perswaded that hee who hath begunne this good work in you will performe it vntill the day of Christ. That word which the Lord spake to Iacob stands sure to all his posteritie I will not forsake thee till I haue performed that which I promised thee The couenant of God is perfect and euerlasting and therefore with Dauid will wee giue this glory vnto God that he will performe his promise toward vs and bring forward his owne worke in vs to perfection The second argument is taken from the nature of that life which Christ communicateth to his members it is no more subiect vnto death We know that Christ being raised from the dead dyes no more this life I say is communicated to vs for it is not we that liues but Christ that liues in vs. And the third is taken from the nature of that seede whereof we are begotten for as the seede is so is the life that comes by it now the seed saith the Apostle is immortall wee are borne of new not of mortall seed but immortall our life therefore is immortall But against this is obiected that the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and that which Dauid prayes take not thine holy Spirit from me To this I answere that the spirit is taken sometime for the common and externall gifts of the spirit such as are bestowed as well vpon the wicked as vpon the godly as the gift of Prophecie gouernement working miracles and such like and these once giuen may bee taken againe in this sense it is said that God tooke the spirit that was vpon Moses and gaue it vnto the seauentie Elders and so also it is said that the spirit of God departed from Saul there it is put for the gift of gouernement sometime againe it is taken for the speciall and internall gift of sanctification this spirit once giuen is neuer taken away for this gift and calling of God is without repentance that is they neuer fall vnder reuocation To the second when Dauid saith take not thine holy spirit from me and restore me againe to the ioy of thy saluation this impoâ—â—s not a full departure of Gods spirit from him otherwise he could not haue prayed but that his sinne had diminished the sense and feeling of that operation of the spirit in him which he was wont to feele before and so is it with others of Gods Children that eyther the neglect of the spirituall worship or the commission of some new sins doth so impayre the sense of mercy in them that to their iudgement the spirit of God hath iustly forsaken them This I confesse is a very heauie estate and more bitter to them that haue felt before the sweetenesse of Gods mercy than death it selfe yet euen in this same estate wherein no comfort is felt let patience sustaine men let them learne to put a difference betweene that which they feele and that which is and remember that this is a false conclusion to say the spirit of grace is not in thee because thou canst not feele him for as there is a substance in the Oake or Elme euen when it hath cast the leaues so is there Grace in the heart
Sunne and his clothes were white as the light Moses after fortie dayes talking with God on the Mount came downe with so bright a shining countenance that the Israelites might not behold him what then may we thinke shall be the glory of the children of God when they shall be transchanged with the light of Gods countenance shining vpon them not fortie dayes onely but for euer and euer And if euery one of their faces shal shine as the Sun in the firmament O how great light and glory shal be among them all if their bodies shal be so glorious what shal be the glory of their soule surely no hart can conceiue it no tongue is able to expresse it Fourthly our body shall bee raysed spirituall which is not so to bee vnderstood as if our bodies should loose a corporall substance and receiue a spirituall substance but then shall our bodies bee spirituall as now our Spirits by nature are carnall which are so called because they are subiect to carnall corruption pressed downe and carryed away after earthly and carnall things so shall our bodies then be spirituall because without contradiction they shall obey the motions of the spirit the body shall be no burthen no prison no impediment to the soule as now it is the soule shall carry the body where it will without resistance where now it is earthly heauie and tends downward it shall then be restored so lightsome and quick that without difficultie it shall mount from the earth to meet our Lord in the aire As our head ascended on the mount of Oliues and went through the cloudes into heauen so shall his members ascend that they may be with the Lord they shall follow the Lambe where euer he goes Let vs beleeue it and giue glory vnto God for hee who is the worker of our resurrection is also the worker of our ascension If the wit of man be able to frame a vessell of sundry mettels that our Resurrection is put betweene the Article of the remission of sinnes and that other Article of eternall life to â—each vs that then onely the Resurrection of the body is a benefite when remission of sinnes goes before it and eternall life followes after it whereof the Lord of his great mercy make vs pertakers through Iesus Christ. Verse 12. Therefore Brethren wee are debters not to the flesh to liue after the flesh AS it is true concerning vs that a necessitie lyeth vpon vs to preach and woe will be to vs if we preach not so it is true concerning you that a necessitie lyeth vpon you to heare and woe will bee to you if you heare not It is commaunded to vs that when wee speake wee should speake as the oracles of God and it is also required of you that ye receiue this word not as the word of man but as it is indeede the word of God therefore take heede how yee heare for as Moses said to the Israelites so say wee vnto you It is no vaine word concerning you it is your life Ye haue heard that maine proposition of Comfort there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ yee haue heard it confirmed explaned and applyed the miserable estate of them who walke after the flesh hath beene shewed vnto you as likewise the happy estate of them who walke after the Spirit and what comforts the godly haue both against the remanents as also against the fruits of sinnes hath beene declared vnto you Examine your selues and see how far forth these comforts belong vnto you If yee bee such as thinke with those scornefull men in Ierusalem that yee haue made a couenant with death and it shall not come neere you then goe on in your securitie and doe that which is good in your owne eyes but if yee finde by experience that death is already entred into your mortall body bee wise in time see that thou haue this onely soueraigne comfort against death the spirit of Christ dwelling in you otherwise flatter your selues in your securitie as you will miserable shall your end be Now the Consolation being ended the Apostle subioynes the Exhortation both these two consolation and exhortation are needefull for vs in the course of this life the one to keepe vs that wee faint not through the remanents of sinne left in vs and beginnings of death which already haue seased vpon vs exhortation againe to stir vs vp when wee linger in the way of godlinesse For it fareth with vs as it did with Lot in Sodome the Angels warned him of the imminent iudgement and exhorted him to escape for his life yet hee delayed and lingred hee could not bee gotten out of Sodome till they as it were violently thrust him out And allbeit the Lord admonish vs earely and late by his messengers of that wrath which is to come vpon the children of disobedience and warne vs in time to flye to the mountaine of his saluation yet alas so loath are wee to forsake our old finnes that the Lord is forced to double his exhortations vnto vs all which yet shall not auaile vs if the Lord lay not the hands of his grace vpon vs and by his holy Spirit make vs obedient to the heauenly vocation Let vs therefore take heede to the exhortations made vs by the Lord and that so much the more because it is most certaine that the sweetnesse of Gods consolation shall not bee felt of them who are not moued with his exhortation Contemplationis enim gustus non debetur nisi obedientiae mandatoruâ— the tast of Gods mercy by contemplation is onely due to them who make conscience of the obedience of his commaundements Therefore This particle is relatiue to the words preceding seeing it is so that by the Spirit of Christ dwelling in vs wee haue such excellent benefits wee are debt bond not to liue after the flesh but after the Spirit Of this wee haue first to learne that euery benefit wee receiued from God is an Obligation binding vs debters of seruice to God Debters Of this it is euident that the doctrine of grace proclaimes not liberty to men to liue as they will but rather bindes them to liue godly there can be no higher contempt done to the Lord than to turne his grace into wantonnesse Certainly the iniquities of Pagans doth not halâ—e so much offend him as the licentiousnesse of bastard Christians who will sinne the more freely because Christ hath suffered for sinne they heare that a man is not iustified by good workes and therefore being deceiued by Sathans sophistrie they cease to doe well not considering that good workes must proue wee are sanctified and sanctification must proue that wee are iustified In the second verse the Apostle said that Christ hath freed vs from the Law of sinne and here he sayth that hee hath made vs debters to righteousnesse these are not contrary they agree very well together hee hath loosed
Christians shall wee iudge by the place vvhich ye delight most to frequent are there not many among you oftner in the Tauerne then in the Temple filling your belly intemperately at that same time vvherein the Sonnes and Daughters of the liuing God are gathered together into their fathers house to be refreshed with his heuenly Manna shall we iudge you by your garments doe they not in many of you declare the vanitie of your minds if we estimate you according to your companions what shall wee thinke but that ye are such as those are with whom ye delight to resort ye sit in the seat of scorners if thou seest a theefe thou must with him and art pertaker with the adulterers If wee try you by your language yee shall be found vncircumcised Philistims and not holy Israelites for yee haue learned to speake the language of Ashdod ye speake as Micah complayned of the wicked in his time out of the corruption of your soule making your throat an open sepulchre yee send out the stinking breath of your inward abhominations by your euill and vncleane speaches ye corrupt the minds of the hearers And thus seeing euery part of your life giues sentence against you as a cloud of many vvitnesses testifieng that yee are vncleane what haue yee to speake for you to proue that yee are Christians shall your naked word be sufficient to doe it no certainely for against it the Lord Iesus hath made exception before hand Not euery one that sayth Lord Lord shall enter into my kingdome your workes must be your witnesses and your deedes must declare who it is to whom ye acknowledge your selues seruants and debters Not to the flesh Sometime the flesh signifies the body and in that sense wee are debters vnto it for the couenant sayth Bernard which the Lord hath bound vp betweene the soule and the body is not to be broke at our will but at the Lords will and in the meane time wee are bound to nourish it but the flesh here is put for the sinfull lusts of the flesh and so we are not debters vnto it Take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the sinfull lusts thereof But alas the corruption of our nature is so great that without great circumspection we cannot nourish the body vnlesse we also nourish sinne in the body many vnder pretence of doing dutie to the one failes in the other so they pamper the body that they quench the spirit ouercome with gluttony they are not able to pray Wee are with the godly to keepe a meane of a shaking sword to keepe Adam from the way of the tree of life so the Apostle stands here betweene vs and death with a sentence like a two edged sword in his mouth to keepe the sonnes of Adam as farre as hee can from the way of death the one stood as a minister of Gods iustice the other stands as a messenger of mercy The Lord hath sworne by himselfe as I liue I desire not the death of a sinner but that he should returns liue he iustifies his word by his deed in that in all ages of the world hee hath sent out messengers to warne them to goe by the way of death so that novv if any man perish it is because hee stoppes his eares at the warning of the watchman of God for thou canst not say but Moses and the Prophets Iesus Christ and his Apostles and Preachers haue met thee in the way of thy sin and warned thee many a time by the vvord of the Lord that if thou vvalke on that vvay thou shalt assuredly dye vvhere thou passing by them all rushest headlong after the lusts of thy flesh and so thou perishest and thy blood shall be vpon thine owne head As the Apostle to the preceding exhortation annexed an argument a debito from that which we are bound to doe so now hee subioynes another argument partly a damno from the losse wee incurre if we doe it not in these words if yee liue after the flesh yee shall dye and partly a commodo from the vantage we shall reape if we do it in these words if yee mortifie the deedes of the bodie by the spirit yee shall liue If wee vvere such men as wee should be the former exhortation taken from honestie and dutie were sufficient to moue vs but in that the spiâ—it of God doth also threaten vs with death is an euident argument of the froward rebellion of our nature The word of God is compared not onely to milke but also to salt we haue neede of the one because of our infancy that being nourished therewith wee may grow and because of our corruption wee haue neede to be seasoned with the other to both these ends should Preachers vse the word of GOD to some as milke for their nourishment to others as salt for their amendment But these are the times foretold by the Apostle wherein the itching eares of men cannot abide wholesome doctrine they hate him that rebukes in the gate as Achab hated Micaiah to the death because hee prophecyed no good vnto him that is hee spake not according to his phantasie but warned him faithfully of the iudgement which afterward came vpon him so the hearers of our time can abide no teachers but such as are after their owne lusts but alas they are foolish for are not my words good to him that walkes vprightly sayth the Lord. Aduersarius est nobis quamdiu sumus ipsi nobis quamdiu tu tibi inimicus es inimicum habebis sermonem Dei the word of God is an aduersarie to none but such as are aduersaries to themselues neither doth it condemne any but such as assuredly shall be condemned of the Lord vnlesse they repent Stop thine eare as thou wilt from hearing of the threatnings of the word yet shalt thou not stop that iudgement which the word hath threatned against thee There is a cry that will come at midnight and will waken the dead but blessed are they who in time are wakened out of the sleepe of their sins by the cryes of the watch-men of God for vndoubtedly a fearefull and painefull consumption shall torment them for euer who now cannot suffer that the salt of the Word should bite their sores to cure them The opposition made here by the Apostle vvarnes vs that a necessitie lyeth vpon vs to mortifie our sinfull lusts it stands vpon our liues vnlesse wee slay sinne sinne shall not faile to slay vs. It is like a Serpent in our bosome which cannot liue but by sucking out that bloud vvherby we liue here is a vvholesome preseruatiue against sinne if at euery occasion vvee vvould carry it in our minde vve would make no doubt to put sinne to the death that our selues might liue For alas what pittifull folly is this vvee hate them that pursues our bodily life vvee eschew them by all bodily
Worldlings yee are cursed with the curse of the Serpent yee creepe as it were vpon your bellyes and yee lick the dust of the earth all the dayes of your life yee haue not an eye to looke vp vnto heauen nor an heart to seeke those things which are aboue Most fearefull is our estate vve warne you of it but it is the Lord who must deliuer you from it This resolute knowledge is the mother of spirituall courage constancy and patience for why shall hee feare in the euill day yea though the earth should be remoued and the mountaines fall into the middest of the sea who sees the Lord sitting on his throne and the glassie sea of the world before him gouerning all the waltrings changes and euents of things therein to the good of them who loue him Oh that wee had profâ—â—ed so much in the schoole of Christ all our dayes that without doubting or making any exception we could beleeue this which here the Apostle layes for a most sure ground of comfort that so we might change all our thoughts and cares into one namely how to grow in the loue of God that in a good conscience we might say to the Lord with Peter Lord thou knowest I loue thee casting the burthen of all the rest of our feares griefes and tentations vpon the Lord who cares for vs and hath giuen vs this promise for praemunire all comes for the best The Souldier with courage enters into the battell vnder hope to obtaine the victory the Marriner with boldnâ—sse commits himselfe to the stormie seas vnder hope of vantage and euery man hazards in his calling yet are they all vncertaine venturers and knowes not the end but the Christian runnes not as vncertaine but as one sure to obtaine the Crowne for hee knowes that the God of peace shall shortly tâ—ead Sathan vnder his feet What then shall not hee with courage enter into the battell wherein hee is made sure of the victory before he fight knowing that all the warriours of Christ shall be more than conquerours through him if we will onely stand still wee shall see the saluation of the Lord. Gideon with his three hundred fought against the great host of Midian without feare because hee was sure of victorie Dauid made hast and ranne to encounter with Goliah because hee was perswaded that God would deliuer him into his hands The Israelits were not afraide to enter into the Riuer of Iordane because they saw the Arke of God before them deuiding the waters And shall onely the Christian stand astonished in his tentations notwithstanding that the word of God goes before him to resolue him that whatsoeuer falles out shall come for the best to him The Lord increase vs and make vs to abound more and more in the loue of our GOD for perfect loue casts out feare the Lord strengthen our faith that through these mistie cloudes of affliction which now compasse vs we may see that comfortable end which God in his word hath discouered vnto vs. And to this effect we must beware of the subtile slights of Sathan who to the end that he may spoile vs of this comfort in trouble endeauours by all meanes either to quench the light of God vtterly in our mindes or at least to darken and obscure it by precipitation of our vnbeleeuing hearts carrying vs headlong to iudge of the workes of God by their beginnings and to measure our selues in trouble by our present estate and condition not suffering vs to tarrie while we see the end whereof it comes to passe that our hearts being tossed too and fro with restlesse perâ—urbations like trees of the forrest shaken with the winde we hasten in our necessities to be our owne prouisors in our dangers we will be our owne deliuerers and euery way vve become the caruers of our owne condition Wee haue so much the more neede to beware of this precipitation because the deerest seruants of God haue fallen through it into fearefull sinnes against the Lord As wee may see in Dauid who being in extreame danger in the Wildernesse of Maon said in his feare that all men were lyers Is not this a great blasphemie to say that the promises which the Lord made to him by Samuel were but lyes and in his other extremities hee is not ashamed to confesse that he thought that God had forgot to be mercifull and had shut vp his tender mercy in displeasure but when he saw the end then he was compelled to accuse himselfe and giue glory vnto God I should haue beene dumbe not opened my mouth because thou didst it and againe I said in my feare all men are lyers for notwithstanding all Samuels promises I looked for nothing but death but now considering the deliuerance I must say pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of all his Saints Seeing this precipitation made Dauid to stumble and fall may vvee not feare least it carry vs to the like inconuenience vnlesse we learne to beware of it in time let vs not therfore iudge of the vvorks of God before they be ended If wee should looke to Lazarus on the doung-hill full of byles and sores hauing no comfort but from the dogs and compare him with the rich Glutton clothed in purple and fairing daintely euery day what can wee iudge but that Lazarus is the most miserable of the two yet if wee tarrie till the Lord haue ended his worke and Lazarus be conuayed to Abrahams bosome and the rich Glutton be gone to his place then shall the truth appeare manifestly All things worke together for the best to them that loue God Let vs therefore learne to measure the euent of things not by their present condition but by the prediction of Gods word let vs cleaue to his promise and waite on the vision which hath his owne time appointed it shall speake at the last and shall not lye though it tarry let vs wait for it it shall surely come and not stay let vs goe into the Sanctuary of God and consider the end there shall we learne that There is no peace to the wicked howsoeuer they flourish for a time that it cannot be but well with them who loue the Lord Marke the vpright man and behold the iust the end of that man is peace but the transgressours shall be destroyed together and the end of the wicked shall be cut off Thus both in the troubles of the Godly and prosperitie of the wicked wee should suspend our iudgement till wee see the end All things worke together Mark the singular priuiledge of the Christian not onely afflictions but all other things whatsoeuer worke for the best vnto him and not onely so but they worke together Many working instruments are there in the world whose couse is not one they communicate not counsels yea their intentions oftentimes are contrary yet the Lord bringeth all
stand at the right hand of Iesus and heare that fearfull condemnation of the wicked Depart from mee c. when vvee shall see the earth open and swallow them then shall wee reioyce and prayse the mercy of our God O happie time wherein the Lord sent his messengers among vs to call vs from the fellowship of the damned There is no difference by nature betweene the Elect and reprobate neyther in inward nor outward disposition till God make it by grace Paul as bloudy a persecuter as euer was Domitian or Iulian. Zacheus as vnconscionable and couetous a Worldling as was that rich Glutton damned to hell The elect and reprobate men before Grace make a difference are like two men walking in one iourney with one minde and one heart like Eliah and Elisha walking and talking together when a chariot of fire did incontinent seperate them and Eliah is taken vp into heauen Elisha left vpon the earth not vnlike is it when the vnlooked for calling of God commeth and seperateth those two who before were walking together yea running in the same excesse of ryot the one changing the course of his life returneth back againe to the Lord from whom hee had stollen whereas the other not touched with the same Calling meruailes that his former companion hath forsaken him and walketh still on stubbornely in the former course of his sinnes to his condemnation Apply this vnto your selues and see whether this effectuall Calling hath seperated you in your conuersation from the wicked or not an euident argument that ye shall be seperated from them in their condemnation Blessed is hee that walketh not in the counsell of the wicked nor stands in the way of sinners nor sits in the seat of the scornfull And if wee finde after tryall that the Lord hath called vs then should wee alway shew forth his prayses who hath translated vs from darknesse into his meruailous light The Lord shewed a great mercy to Israell when he deliuered them out of the house of bondage he set the remembrance of that benefit in the forefront of his law as a bond euer oblieging them vnto thankfulnesse but their bondage was not so horrible as ours Pharaoh oppressed their bodies and compelled them to worke in bricke and clay yet their spirits were free to sigh and cry to God for the bondage but here so long as we were the slaues of Sathan he compelled vs to worke the abhominable workes of darknesse and vncleannesse and therewithall did so captiue our spirits that we could not so much as cry and sigh vnto God for the bondage and therefore our deliuerance should neuer goe out of our remembrance and our hearts and mouthes should euer be filled with the prayses of our redeemer when we think of this yeere of Iubilie wherin he hath opened the doore of the prison and set vs at libertie as the freemen of God who were the captiued and bond slaues of Sathan The author of this calling is the Lord euen hee who calles things which are not and makes them to be Caâ—ling is a new creation and the first resurâ—ection The Lord that commanded light to shine out of darkenes is he who hath giuen to our mindes the light of the knowledge of his glory in the face of Iesus Christ. It is he who creates in vs a new hart and puts in our bowels a new spirit that we may walk in his statutes As man when hee was not could not helpe to create himselfe and Lazarus when he was dead helped not to raise himselfe so a stranger from Grace helpes not to call himselfe to the fellowship of Grace the Lord who makes the barraine wombe a mother of many children makes also the barraine hart to be fruitfull The praise of our calling belongs to the Lord onely Nemo dicat idâ—o me vocauit quia colâ—i Deum quomodo coluisses si vocatus non fuisses let no man say therefore hath God called me because I worshipped him for thou couldst not haue worshipped him vnlesse he had called thee The calling of God findes euery man either vainely or wickedly exercised When God called Paul to be a Preacher he found him a persecuter when he called Matthew he found him sitting at the receipt of custome when he called Peter and Andrew they were mending their nets no such minde had they as to be fishers of men As Saul was seeking his Fathers Asses when Samuel came to call him to the kingdome and as Rebecca had no errand to the well but to water her fathers goods when Eliezer came to seeke her in marriage vnto Isaac so if wee doe enquire at our owne consciences how we were exercised when God called vs we shall finde our harts were set vpon the trifling things of this world and that we had no minde of his kingdome let the praise therefore of our calling berâ—sâ—rued to the Lord onely As this worke of calling is the Lords onely so hee extends it to none but vnto those who are chosen it makes a perticular seperation of a few from the remanant and doth so distinguish betweene man and man in all ranckes and estates that of two brethren as Iacob and Esau of two Prophets as Moses and Balaam of two Kings as Dauid and Saul of two Apostles as Peter and Iudas of two theeues the one is taken the other is reiected The first distinction betweene man and man was in Gods eternall counsell and this is secret the last distinction will be in that last day wherein the one shall stand at the right hand of Iesus the other at the left and that shall be manifest the middle distinction is presently made by this calling of God his Gospell is the arme of his Grace being extended sometime to one corner of the world sometime to another according to his owne dispensation to seuer out his owne from among the remanent of the world Whereof it comes to passe that this sauing grace of the Gospell enters into a land but not into euery Cittie it enters into a Cittie and not into euery familie it enters into a familie but comes not on euery person of the familie Of Husband and Wife of Maisters and Seruants of Parents and Children of Brethren and Sisters the one is taken the other reiected It came to Iericho and chose out Zacheus it came to Philippi and chose out Lydia and the Iaylour it entred at Rome into the Court of Nero but lighted not vpon Nero it entred into the Familie of Narcissus but not into the heart of Narcissus As the Lord so gouernes the cloudes that he makes them raine vpon one Cittie and not vpon another so doth hee dispense the dew of his grace that he makes it drop vpon one hart not vpon another The Gospell is preached to many but the blessing that comes by the Gospell abides onely vpon the children of peace Let euery one among you see to himselfe this preaching of the Gospell
is your reward in heauen Qui volens detrahit famae meae nolens addit mercedi meae he that with his will impaires my name against his will augments my reward I haue spoken the more of this purpose partly because it is a common craft of Sathans to oppresse good men with misreports vt qui conscientiae suae luce clarescunt alienis rurâ—oribus sordidâ—ntur and partly because our weakenesse is easily ouercome with this tentation Seeing the Lord will haue vs to sustaine the strife of tongues let vs strengthen our selues let vs so walke through good report that wee be not puft vp and through euill report that we be not cast downe but that by weapons of righteousnesse on the right hand and on the left we may ouercome Now as for Sathan he is stiled the accuser of the Saints of God night and day sometime hee accuses God to man sometime man to God and sometime man to himselfe In Paradise hee began and accused God charging him with enuie and in the same trade of lying doth he still continue For sometime he lyes against the iustice of God when hee saith to the licentious liuer albeit yee sinne yee shall not dye that so he may puffe him vp to presumption sometime he lyes against the mercy of God as vvhen hee saith to the vveake in faith your sinne is greater than that God can forgiue it that so he may driue him to desperation sometime he lyes against Gods prouidence as when hee saith to them that are in necessitie the Lord hath cast you off and will no more prouide for you that so hee may prouoke them to put out their hand to wickednesse Secondly he is a restlesse accuser of man vnto God as yee may see in the example of Iob he heard the Lord commending him yet he spared not to traduce him when hee could not gainesay his actions hee gainsayd his intention and affection hee charged him to be a hireling and not a sonne a mercenarie worshipper who serued God for his gifts and not for himselfe albeit after tryall he was found a lyer And herein we are to consider how faithlesse a traytour Sathan is for those same sinnes which man doth by Sathans instigation he is the first accuser of man for them vnto God Oh that man could remember that Sathan is euer doing one of these three against him first hee is a Tempter of man to sinne secondly when sinne is committed hee is an accuser of man vnto God for those same sinnes which he tempted him to doe and thirdly hee is a tormenter of man for them vnlesse they be remoued by repentance But Iesus Christ our Lord is of a plaine contrary disposition first hee disswades vs from sinne warning vs of the danger and then if of weakenesse wee sinne hee offers himselfe an aduocate for vs if wee repent These things my babes I write to you that yee sinne not but if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the Father euen Iesus the iust These two compared lets vs see what a great difference there is betweene them that knowing the deceitfull malice of the diuell we may learne to abhorre him and the heartie vnfayned affection of Iesus Christ toward vs wee may loue and follow him Thirdly Sathan accuses man vnto himselfe he deceiues the vvicked beares them in hand that they are the sonnes of God and labours to perswade the godly that they are reprobates denying that they haue Faith or Repentance or any spiritual grace There is nothing so true but Sathan dare deny it hee that durst call it in doubt to Christ himselfe whether he were the sonne of God or no will that shameles lyar spare to doe it vnto others But let vs worke out our saluation in feare and trembling and make sure our calling by well doing that we may haue within vs the infallible tokens of our election and as for the rest let vs keepe this ground seeing the worke of our saluation is done by God in despite of Sathan Sathans testimonie in it is not to be regarded though hee would call vs as he did Paul and Sylas the seruants of the liuing of God yet are we not the better neither the worse albeit hee pronounce vs to be such as are abiect and cast away from the fauour of God And last the children of God are accused of their owne consciences these are eyther such as proceede from sufficient light or from wrong information If conscience accuse vpon light which shee hath receiued out of the word of God her sentence is diuine and wee are to regard it if otherwise shee accuse vpon wrong information it is the errour of conscience and wee are to remedie it by sending conscience to seeke the warrant of her sentence out of the word of God It is very expedient that wee put a difference betweene conscience and the errour of conscience where conscience discernes not according to the Law of the supreame Iudge it cannot but erre eyther in being ouer large and then shee pronounceth those things lawfull which are vnlawfull or ouer strait and so she declares those things vnlawfull which are lawfull for if this be not obserued wee shall be disquieted while we hearken to the errours of conscience as if they were the iust and lawfull accusations of conscience Sometime againe conscience presents to men sins which they haue done many yeeres agoe and whereof they haue repented for wee are to know that albeit the Lord after repentance forgiue the guiltinesse of sinne yet he will haue the memorie thereof to remaine in that conseruing facultie of conscience called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it may both serue to humble vs for the euill wee haue done as also to preserue vs from sinne for the time to come And sinne this manner of way retained in the memory I compare it to thornes bryers which in the middest of a garden are hurtfull and hinder the grouth of good fruit but being put in the hedge are profitable to preserue them so sinne as long as it is in the affection is very pernitious for then it chokes the seede of the word of God in them but being taken out of the affection and set in the memory is as a hedge to the soule to preserue it from wilde and raging beasts that would come in and deuoure it thus for our humiliation the Lord keepes in vs a remembrance euen of those sinnes which hee hath pardoned but so that with the remembrance of the euill which we haue done our conscience doth also excuse and comfort vs with the remembrance of our vnfained repentance toward God And if otherwise the conscience accuse vs for those euill deeds which wee haue done and whereof wee haue not repented it is of Gods great mercy toward vs who by inward trouble wakens vs to iudge our selues now that we should not be iudged of the
15. Theophilact Christs two-fold right to the inheritance and how in the second only we are annexed with him How all these great mercies should prouoke vs to walke worthy of our heauenly vocation Gen. 25. 2 Tim. 4. Phil. 3. 8. 9. For Sathans silly offers are not to be compared to these high mercies whereunto God hath called vs in Christ Ioh. 14. 15. Heb. 2. 11. Mat. 17. 5. Ioh. 20. 17. Mat. 11. 30. The mortification of a Christian consists in two things The first principal argument against the crosse is from the end of our afflictions 2. Tim. 2. 8. Bernard Different courses of the Christian worldling Mat. 10. 38. Mat. 5. Luke 6. 25. The end of the Christian is better than his beginning not so with the worldling The wicked haue crosses but not Christs Crosse. Gâ—â— 3. 19. Barn apol ad Abbat Clun The three persons of the Trinitie are said to suffer with the Godly Acts 9. 4. 1 Pet. 4. 14. Cir. â—atec 16 Cip. lib. 2. epist. 6. Three things required to make our sufferings sufferings with Christ. Comfort against inward Afflictions Comfort against outward Afflictions which wee suffer either in name Ambrose Or in our goods Iob. 1. 21. Or in our persons Heb. 12. 9. In trouble it is expedient to looke vnto the end thereof Amplification of the first principal argument He that tasted both of present sufferings and of glory to come giues his iudgement here of both The one he tasted in his iournie from Ierusalem to Illiricum the other in his iourney from earth to heauen How the certaintie of the glory to come mittigates our present trouble Ber. in Cant. ser. 61. It should make vs despise both the threatnings allurements of men Mat. 10. 28 How our life is but the life of a moment Sacred similitudes by which the holy Ghost shadowes the vanitie of our present life Iob. 7. 6. Iob. 9. Iob. 14. Psal. 90. The pleasures of this life are worme-eaten Iob. 14. 5. Iohn 16. 20. Comfort comes sometime before trouble sometime in trouble but alway after trouble to the godly Our glory is prepared but not reueled Aug. de Sanctis ser. 46. Exod. 33. 18 Exod. 40. 34. Yet by the glory reuealed we may iudge of that glory which is not reuealed Aug. de temp ser. 99. Ber. in Cant. Ser. 47. God is good to them who seeke him much more vnto theÌ„ who finde him Fortie dayes company with God changed the face of Moses how much more c Aug. ad frat in Erem If our bodyes shall shine as the Sunne what shall our soules be All the companions in that glory are firâ—â— borne all noâ—le meÌ„ of sâ—â—ength and dignitie The glorâ— of one of them augments the Glory of another Specially the sight of Iesus Lord of that familie shall encrease our ioy The seeling of our secoÌ„d house is but the pauement of our third house Luk. 1. 14 Iohn 1. 36. Ahashuerus banquet not comparable to our marriaâ—e banquet If the outward court of Gods pallace be so furnished as we see what is the inner Psal. 65. The eternitie of it The claritie perspicuity of it Col. 3. 3. 1. Iohn 3. What taste worldlings haue of the ioyes to come The onely cause why we walke slowly toward that glory is because we know it not The Apostle insists in the amplification of this glory He proues the greatnesse and certaintie of that glory by two arguments From the feruent desire which the creature hath to it by the instinct of Nature From the feruent desire which the godly haue to it by the instinct of Grace The order of his proceeding in the first argument A proposition of the feruent desire of the creature-exprest by foure phrases 1 Pet. 3. The sonnes of God now are not reueiled In regard of their persons which now are not knowne Iohn 15. 20. 21. This learnes vs not to despise other men because we know not what they are in Gods election In regard of their glory which now is obscured Col. 3. 3. The sons of God shold not iudge of themselues by their present state 1 Iohn 3. Comfortable that where the Lord calles the rest of his works his creatures he calleth vs his sonnes And as sin increases so the curse increases The other part of the vanitie is a threefold abuse of the creature Concerning God Concerning the godly Concerning the wicked whom against their will they serue The creatures being restored to the liberty shall all concur to plague the wicked How a will is ascribed to the creature How stands it with iustice that the creature is punished for mans sinne The fall of Angels of man of the creature compared We should blame our selus when we are crossâ—d by the crâ—ature Man and the creature for mans â—â—ke are restored to hope which nâ—ither Apostate Angels nor reprobate men haue The second reason of the feruent desire of the creature taken from their better estate which is to come What creatures shall be restored Iesus the restorer heales euery wound that Sathan hath inflicted vpon man Three obiects of Sathans malice first God secondly man thirdly the creature God ouershooteth Sathan in all his machinations To what vse the creaturs wil serue in the day of restitution we shall know best when we see it How the Apostle saith the creatures shall be deliuered seeing the Psalmist saith they shall perish Reu. 21. Seeing the glory of that kingdome requireth that the creature be changed how much more should we be changed 2. Pet. 3. 11. The same purpose further amplified by groning and sighing of the creature Sometime God complaines to the creature sometime the creature complaines to God vpon man miserable is man if he complaine not on himself Esay 1. Trauailing two manner of wayes ascribed to the wicked in the Scripture Psal. 7. One manner of way ascribed to the Godly Rom. 7. 24. The second argument prouing the greatnesse and certaintie of that glory is the feruent desire the godly haue to it by instinct of Grace The sonnes of God and the creature grone together and shall be restored together The wicked mourne not with them and shall not be pertakers so much as of the deliuerie of the creature A description of the godly Learning vs hum litie thankfulnesse diligence in Prayer No plenitude but first fruits of the Spirit haue we now Therefore are we not to think that we haue no grace because we haue but beginnings This comfort vainly abused by prophane men Why the Lord giues vs not in this life the principall as well as the earnest What comfort we haue now in the earnest and first fruits of the Spirit Two effects which the Spirit workes in the godly first a sense of their miserie for which they sigh Sighing and mourning goe before comfort Psal. 6. 6. Iob. 3. 24. Luke 6. 25. Mâ—t. 5. 4. Gen. 27. 38. Maries teares pleased Christ better than the Pharises delicates Luke 7. 38. verse 44.
sinnes hath condemned sinne in his blessed bodie and so disanulled it that it hath no power to condemne vs. And this benefit he amplyfies shewing that by no other meanes we could obtaine it for where without Christ there is but one way for men to come to life namely the obseruance of the law hee lets vs see it was impossible for the law to saue vs and least it should seeme that hee blamed the law hee subioynes that this impotencie of the Law to saue vs proceeds from our selues because that we through â—leshly corruption which is in vs cannot fulfill that righteousnesse which the law requires This impotencie of the law appeareth by these two 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 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 our selues it is impossible that wee can performe it Secondly the law could not giue that vnto vs whereof wee stood in neede namely that the infinit debt of transgressions which we had contracted should bee forgiuen vnto vs this I say the law could not doe for the law commaunds 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 sheweâ— 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 pittâ—full estate of those 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 hee 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 espye the blinde presumption of those that seeke their liues in the ministry of death Yet so vniuersall is this errour that it hath ouergone the whole posteritie of Adam nature teaching all men who are not illuminated by Christ to seeke saluation in their owne deeds that is to stand to the couenant of workes 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 schole-maister to leade vs vnto Christ in whom wee 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 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 vve become worse by the law for by the commandements 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 vvhich is ministred to cure it into a nourishment and confirmation of the sicknesse it selfe It is the nature of contraries that euery one 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 callifie and heat it euen so our corrupted nature doth neuer shevv it selfe more rebellious and stubborne than vvhen the lavv of God beginnes to rectifie it As an vnruly and vntamed horse the more hee is spurred forward 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 lavv is reuiued by the law and takes occasion to worke in vs all manner of concupiscence The Apostle is not ashamed to confesse that hee found this in his own person Augustine also examining his former sinfull life doth hereby aggrauate his corruption that in his young yeeres hee vvas accustomed to steale his neighbours fruit not so much for loue of the fruit for hee had better at home as for a sinfull delight he had to goe with his companions to commit euill so that where the lavv should haue restrayned his sinfull nature it was so much the more prouoked to sinne by the lavv Let therefore the Semipelagians of our time say to the contrary what they will 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 heerein greatly abase man when hee telleth him that not onely he cannot doe that which the law requireth but that also the more he is commaunded the more hee repines vntill Grace reforme him God sending his owne Sonne The Apostle proceedes and let vs see how the Lord by Christ hath wrought that saluation which the Law could not Wherein first it is to bee marked that the Apostle saith not wee 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 wisedomeâ— a way so to saue man that the glory both of his mercie and iustice shall bee saued also Most properly therefore is hee called Pater non indiciorum sed misericordiarum Father not of iudgements but of mercies for both the purpose and the meanes of our saluation are from himselfe hee hath found causes without him mouing to execute his iustice hee hath beene prouoked thereunto by the disobedience of apostate Angels and man but a cause mouing him to shew mercie is within himselfe this praise is due to God it is the greatest glory that can bee giuen vnto him Abhominable therefore is that errour of fore-seene merites by which the aduersaryes 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 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 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 bee expressed And in the fulnesse of time hee 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 hee stands in the title of Gods owne sonne after so singular a manner that hee admits no companion The last of these two the Apostle makes the first point 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 mystery indeed to bee adored not to be enquired an article proposed to be belieued not to bee 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 vvaters in the Sea they stumbled and fell being neuer able to comprehend how the son that was begotten should bee coeternall and coessentiall to the Father who begot him therefore the worthy Fathers of the primitiue Church to expresse the presumption of these arrogant spirits drew them down from the dangerous speculation of these high mysteries far aboue their capacitie to consideration of things which are in nature Si in Creatura genitum inueniri potest coaeuum genitori an non aequum est conced as 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 and 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 vvherefore shall vve vse these similitudes as the Creator is aboue the creature so is that mysterie aboue all the secrets of nature no similitude can bee found in nature so much as shadow that most high and supernaturall mysterie yet is the endeuor of these godly fathers commendable vvho haue laboured to bring downe men to the exercising of their wits in things vvhich are below like vnto themselues leauing curious inquisition of higher secrets vvhich as I haue said are to be receiued with faith reuerenced vvith silence not searched out by curiositie O man bee not high minded but feare In the similitude of sinnefull flesh Wee must not so vnderstand these words as if Iesus had onely the similitude of a naturall bodie no hee was very man made of the seed of Dauid he hath taken on 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 Flower of the field that groweth without mans labour or industry The second Adam very man as was the first but not begotten of man So then the word similitude is not to be ioyned vvith 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 worthy to liue as Barrabas ranked vvith 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 wee are to consider so farre as vve may though vve cannot comprehend it that vvonderfull loue vvhich the Lord hath shevved vs in this vvorke of our saluation how deere and precious our life hath beene in his eyes perceiue by the greatnesse of that prise which hee hath giuen for vs for vvho vvill giue much for that vvhereof he esteemes but little it was not vvith gold nor siluer nor any corruptible thing that the Lord hath redeemed vs but vvith the precious bloud of his owne Son Iesus as of a Lambe vnblemished and vnspotted If Dauid considering the goodnesse of God towards man in the vvork of creation fell out into this admiration O Lord what is man that thou art mindfull of him or the Son of man that thou doest visite him how much more haue vve cause so to crye out considering the riches of God his vvonderfull mercies shewed vs in the vvork of redemption It vvas a great kindnesse vvhich Abraham shewed to Lot vvhen 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 kindenesse which our kinsman the Lord Iesus hath shewed vnto vs who hath giuen his life to deliuer vs out of the hand of our enimies The Lord shed abroad in our hearts more and more abundantly the sence of that loue that wee 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 bee a continuall thanksgiuing and worshipping before him who hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his bloud When the children of Israell had passed the red sea suppose they had a wast wildernesse between them and Canaan yet they praised God with a song of thanksgiuing and the Lord appointed an yearely remembrance of that benefit If smaller mercies are to be remembred with thanksgiuing what shall wee think of the greater As for the second which is seruice Zacharie teacheth vs that for this end God hath deliuered vs from all our enimies that all our dayes wee should serue him in righteousnesse and holinesse the reason why the Israelites bound 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 Lord hath