by creation c. according to the diuersitie of their groundes so is the dispensation of God to men diuers The first is the ground of his dispensation to the reprobates yea to all his other creatures The second is the ground of his dispensation to his elect And because the first ground concerneth this life therefore is it that God bestoweth on the reprobates aboundance of earthly things as riches honour kingdomes and Empires and yet al in his wrath because they receyue them not in Christ the only cause of his loue to man so it shall come to passe that many who haue most of this wordly wealth ritches and pleasures from God shall neuertheles be cast by him in hell fire therefore we must not iudge of Gods favour to men by the outward blessings of this life whereof all are partakers for God maketh his sunne to arise on the evill and the good and sendeth raine on the iust and vniust Math. 5.45 The second ground of Gods dispensation concerneth speciallie the life to come albeit the children of God haue the promise both of this life and the life to come therfore is it that the Lord bestoweth his love his mercie his grace and all his spirituall blessings to none but such as are liuely members of Iesus Christ his Sonne who doe worship him in Christ his Sonne made man who do come to him by Christ who doe call vpon him in the name of Christ who doe acknowledge Christ to be their wisedome their righteousnes 1. Cor. 1.30 their sanctification and redemption Therfore we should studie to haue part in Christ if wee desire to receiue from God eternall life but more of this in the next point to wit that it behoueth Christ to be our Lord before we receyue the blessings from God which now followeth In this point wee have to consider First how many wayes Christ is the Lord of Mankinde and next in what sense hee is called our Lord by the Apostles As for the first we finde him in the scriptures three maner of wayes Lord. First How many wayes Christ is Lord. as wee haue God the Creatour of all things in which respect he is also Lord of all things seeing all things receyued their being from him and are sustayned by the power of his worde Concerning the first in Psalme 102. Heb. 1.3 Hee is called Lord Thou O Lord from the beginning laydest the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the workes of thy handes Further it is said concerning his authoritie Thy Throne O God is from euerlasting to euerlasting And touching the same and the second also in the first to the Hebrues it is said that by him God made the world therafter that he sustaines all things by the mightie power of his worde Secondly he is called Lord as he is the sonne of man Mat. 28.18 for euen as he is man he hath receiued all power both in heauen and in earth Colos 2.10 and is made the head of all principality power Psal 8. and is crowned with glory and honour and is sett aboue all the workes of Gods handes Heb. 2.7.8 and hath all things put in subiection vnder his feete Phil. 2.4 and 10.11 and hath a name giuen him aboue all names that at the name of Iesus Ephe. 1.21 should every knee bowe both of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth Iohn 17.2 And that every tongue should confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord vnto the glorie of God the Father And this dominion is generall ouer all flesh and aboue all principalitie and power and might and domination and every name that is named So that hereby he is Lord of the very Diuels and of the reprobates no lesse then of the godly and elect Iohn 17.1 But the end wherefore hee receiued this power is not one to both for to the elect it is that he may giue to them eternal life but to the other it is that he may crush them with a scepter of yron Psal 2.9 Reuel 2.27 and breake them in pieces like a potters vessell Which is a great consolation to all that are his members 2. Thes 7.8 9.10 knowing that all their â—enemâ—â—ts both bodily and spirituall are ruled by their Lord and Saviour and that the heauens are his and all that therein is and the earth is his and that therein is So that nothing can be wanting to them that feare him Lastly he is Lord speciallie and only of his Saints and Church of God Ephe. 5.25.26.27 which he hath purchased to him selfe by his own blood 1. Pet. 2.24 Colos 1.14 Luc 1.71.72 and 73 74.75 Psal 2.6 Luc. 1.32 Ephes 1.22 Ioh. 10.19 Iohn 17.2 and 6 and 9.11.24 1. Pet. 2.4 Heb. 2.5 And therefore besyde this generall Dominion which is giuen him ouer all creatures he is speciallie anoynted and set king vpon Sion the Lordes holy Mountaine and hath receiued the throne of his father Dauid to raigne ouer the house of Iacob for ever and is made aboue all things the head of the Church in which respect the elect are said only to be giuen to him of the Father whereas in respect of his general Dominion all things are given him of the Father This Dominion and Lordship consisteth in the Right that Christ hath to vs by his owne purchase in the spirituall gouernement of his Saints by his spirit and word Ruling thereby in their hearts not suffering any more Sathan nor sin to beare rule in their mindes but making them as a chosen generation a Royall Priesthood an holy Nation a people set at libertie to shewe foorth the vertues of him that hath called them out of darknes into his marvelous light And this is the kingdome of Christ which is not of this world but is called the kingdome of the world to come because it concerneth not the things of the world belonging to this earthlie and corruptible life but the things that belong to the spirituall life of God in vs in creating vs over againe to his Image 1. Cor. 7.31 and making vs partakers of all the spirituall blessings that are in the heauenlie places in Christ Iesus him selfe And secondly it is so called because it shall not be perfyted in this world but in the world to come when the shape and forme of this world shall be abolished and passed away These are the three wayes that Christ is to be considered Lord in the scriptures In the first respect he is Lord with the Father and with the Spirit and he is the very life of the world in whom al things haue their naturall being and moouing and so are bound for this very life to serue him In the seconde respect hee is made Lord by the Father who hath giuen him the preeminence in all things aboue all creatures Iohn 5.2.7 that hee should rule the world and execute
it So first because the Apostle did knowe howe hard and difficill a thing it is to perswade man to forsake this present world the life the glory the riches the reast pleasures of it except hee have esperance of an other world life glory riches pleasure Therfore doth hee first set downe the exceeding mercie and goodnes of God in begetting vs to the hope of life in the heavens Secondly in respect the naked hope of an other life is not sufficient to perswade vs to forsake this life nor to minister solide ioy in suffering for it except we know that this life for which we hope be much more excellent and precious Therefore in the second place the Apostle describeth the excellencie of this life hoped for Thirdly seeing for the solide consolation of the Saints it is required that not only they have hope of life and knowe the excellencie of it but also that they bee sure not to be frustrat nor disappointed of their hope Therefore in the third place hee declareth the certaintie infalliblenes of this hope In these three points consists the substance of the worde which wee have read whereof wee are now to speake as the Lord shal assist by his grace But first of all before we enter to speake of these three Gods benefits never to be remembred without thankfulnes we must consider the maner which the Apostle vseth in propounding of them which is by way of thanksgiving To teach vs in what maner wee should speak of the blessings of God whose goodnes to vs should never be remēbred without out thankesgiuing to him Hee chooseth vs he predestinateth vs he calleth vs Ephes 1.6 saith the Apostle to the praise of the glory of his grace Therefore when ever it pleaseth him to bestow vpō vs the fruits of his love and free grace in Iesus Christ wee should alwaies receiue them thinke and speake of them so as our God receive of vs the thing for which hee giveth them that is the prayse of his glorious grace wherwith he doth abound towards vs in all spirituall blessings in Iesus Christ There is a great difference betwixt the maner of speech of those who speake vpon a bare and naked knowledge of the blessings of God and of those who speake from the sense feeling of them as having tasted themselves of the goodnes and bountifulnes of God in these blessings towards thē in Christ The speech of the one as it is without feeling so is it fectles and without force they can speake of his goodnes and not give him glorie whereas the other are forced by their feeling to glorifie God because he is good his love in their hearts constrayning them as saith the Apostle 2. Cor. 5.14 This is the cause why the Saints in Gods word have made so many songs of praise and thanksgiuing to God so sweete is the sense of his mercie and so deepe was the insight they had of it towards thēselves that they have provoked all the creatures to praise him because hee is good and his mercie endureth for ever as though themselves alone were not sufficient to speake of the praise of his grace towards them yea the helpe of al creatures being too too small in their iudgement to make thē worthely to render him the glorie of his goodnes to them alone knowing that their tongues and lips were not able condignely to thanke him they haue called on their soules and all that is within them to prayse his holy name This serveth for a tryal to vs to examine ourselues in what sort wee possesse the knowledge of the grace of God towardes man in Christ Surely it is to be feared that there is small sense lively feeling of it within vs when thankfulnes doth not outwardly abound in our speeches and actions And hereby may we iustly esteeme this age although it abound in knowledge yet to haue small feeling of the things knowen seing the affections of men are so slenderly touched with the loue of God and his goodnes neither heart nor tongue being prepared to proclayme his prayse The Prophet saith and so doth the Apostle I beleeved and therefore I spoke 2. Cor. 4.13 surely where faith is there wil be speech The Apostle therefore writing to the Colossians bids them abounde in faith with thanksgiuing Colos 2.7 The same Apostle willing to make vs vnderstand what is the nature of true knowledge after hee hath exhorted vs to know the will of the Lord to be filled with the Spirit he subioynes an exhortation to practise the effects of this knowledge and amongst the rest hee desireth vs alwayes to giue thanks for al things to God the Father in the name of Iesus Christ our Lord ioyning these two things together and teaching vs that no blessing yea nothing should happen to vs for the which we should not giue thankes to God For that is the nature of true grace truly ingraffed in the heart for all things even for Afflictions to prayse the Lord. Let vs looke on the example of Iob when God did permit Satā to spoyle him of his substance Iob. 1.21 his speech is The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken it blessed be the name of the Lord. Beholde hee acknowledgeth that it was the Lord that did giue it was the Lord that did take and hee blessed the Lord both in giuing him and in taking from him If then the very Afflictions chastisements wherby the Lord exerciseth the faith and tryeth the patience of his Saints bee iust matter both of reioycing as Iames saith Iam. 1.2 and also of thanksgiuing how much more should we render thanks to God for our Election our Calling our Iustification and all the rest of his blessings both spirituall and bodilie Let vs learne then with the Apostle and according to the former exhortation of Paul to give thanks alwayes for al things to God the Father in the Name of Iesus Christ our Lord. So much concerning the maner of the Apostles speaking and propounding this blessing Now wee come to the matter it selfe which wee diuided in three wherof the first concerneth the blessing of God bestowed vpon vs. In declaring of this blessing wee haue these points set downe by the Apostle in order 1. The Authour and giuer of it to wit the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ 2. The cause mouing him to call vs to so excellent a blessing to wit his aboundant mercie 3. The preparatiue fitting mindes wherby he both makes vs able for the benefite and brings vs to it to wit The begetting of vs againe 4. The blessing it selfe to wit a liuing hope or the hope of life 5. And last the ground and foundation of this hope to wit the Resurrection of Christ from the dead Now concerning the first it is the Father who is the Authour of this blessing as he is the God Father of our Lord Iesus Christ
iudgement as hee is the Sonne of Man In which respect all knees must bow to him and euery mouth shal be compelled to confesse him the Lord when all his enemies shal be made his footestoole In the third respect hee is Lord by Conquesting of vs out of the handes of Sathan and all our spirituall enemies and satisfactiō of the Fathers iustice for our sinnes appointed by the Father and sett ouer the house of God as the only Lord thereof the only High Priest and Prophete So that in this respect it is said by the Apostle that vnto vs there is but one God 1. Cor. 5. 1 which is that Father of whome are all things and wee in him And one Lord Iesus Christ by whom are all things and wee by him So that wee are to acknowledge no other Lord ouer vs as wee are the house of God and members of the body of Christ but Christ alone since none but Christ alone hath bene crucified for vs. Heb. 3.4 and 6. Therefore doth the Apostle shewe plainelie that Moses who had the greatest authority in the house of God of any mortall man before the Apostle and who was faithfull in all the house of God that yet he was not Lord of the house but in it was as a seruant and that Christ only as the Sonne is ouer his owne house 2. Cor. 4.5 And the Apostle Paul speaking of himselfe and the other Apostles All creaturs obliged to acknowledge Christ their Lord declared that they never preached themselues to bee the Lords of the Saintes but the Lord Iesus to bee the Lord and themselues seruants to the Church for Christes sake Nowe Christ being our Lord in all the three respectes we haue to consider the vse hereof and in which of the three he is here in this place called our Lord By this doctrine it is manifested that whether we be of the number of these that haue no minde of any lise but of this present life whether we be such as regard the course of this world and governement of all the affaires of this life or whether we be such as haue our mindes lifted vp to the heauens in respect of the life to come we must alway at least ought alwayes to reuerence Christ as our Lord nevertheles if in the first degree we only honor him that is as he is the Authour of this mortall life wee are no better then the beastes and most in sensible creatures who in that respect in their owne kinde doe glorifie him Rom. 8.19 yea we are more senceles then the senceles creatures who with groning waite for the manifestation of the sonnes of God If in the second respect wee only acknowledge Christ our Lord then are we in no better case then the reprobates and Deuills themselves who haue confessed Christ the Lord Act. 19.15 and acknowledged his authoritie in begging libertie to enter in swyne before they durst doe it Mat. 8.29 and 31. and in the end shall all bee compelled to confesse it The ground and comfort and cause of all true happinesse is to haue Christ our Lord in the third respect and this is when his spiritual kingdom is erected in our hearts which standeth not in meate nor drinke nor any thing whereby this mortall life is maintayned but in righteousnes peace and ioye in the holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 arising vpon the assurance of the remission of our sinns and iustification by faith in the blood of Iesus and this blessed hope of eternall life in the heauens In this last sense is it that here Christ is called our Lord in respect of this Lordship and Dominion of Christ ouer vs and in vs is it that wee receyue from the Father this blessed hope The sence whereof maketh vs to render glorie and honour and thankes and praise to him in Christ as the Apostle here doth In respect of which kingdome it is that in the 97.98 and 99. Psalmes the sea the yles the floods Mountaines are commaunded to reioyce to sing to clap their hands to praise him to tremble and be moued at his presence and glorie of his power and to exalt and worship him The vse of this doctrine is twoofolde First it warneth vs to examine our hearts if Christ haue come in to dwell in them in righteousnes in peace and ioy of the holy Ghost and so haue made vs partakers of his death and life and giuen vs the earnest of our inheritance even the holy Spirit of promise then may we reioyce trulie and then shall we haue iust reason to glorie in the hope of the glorie of God Rom. 5.1.2 hauing peace with God through Iesus Christ our Lord Where by the contrarie they that haue not Christ raigning in them or will not haue him to raigne over them after the last respect haue to looke for nothing but according to that which of the Psalmist is saide That the Lord shall speake to them in his wrath and vexe them in his sore displeasure Psal 2.5 And according as it is saide by Iesus himselfe that they shal be brought and slaine before him Luc. 14.27 Therfore blessed are they that doe submit themselves to the Gospell of Iesus which is the scepter and sword of his kingdome and woe shal be to all them that repine against it The second vse of this point is to teach vs to know if our thankesgiuing to God be rightlie giuen and if it proceed of the right ground The Apostle to the Ephesians biddeth vs that we giue thankes at all times and for all things 8. phe 5.20 But to whom To him sayeth the Apostle who is God Father And after what maner that doth he also declare saying In the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ. Whatsoeuer blessing then it be which we receiue from God be it bodily or spirituall concerning either this life or the life to come we must acknowledge the giuer both God and Father thanke him as God and Father and that in the Name of Iesus our Lord. Therfore they doe not glorifie God aright by their thankesgiuing who do not acknowledge him to bestowe these benefites vpon them as their God and Father in Christ according to this covenant and who in thankesgiuing doe not glorifie God in the name of Iesus as their Lord. For this cause the Apostle to the Colossians commaundeth vs Colos 3 1◠that whatsoeuer wee doe in word or deed wee doe it all in the name of the Lord Iesus and thereto more particularly hee addeth concerning thankesgiuing giving thankes to God the Father through him To teach vs after what manner we should thanke God aright for all things And herevnto agreeth that which the Apostle to the Hebrues teacheth vs when hee biddeth vs that wee should haue grace in our heartes Heb. 12.28 by the which wee may serue God so as hee bee pleased For where Grace is not and so by consequence where the
For which cause the kingdome of heauen is likened to a sower that went foorth to sowe his seed Hither should we resort for God is in the middes of her But let vs remember that it is Ierusalem that is aboue and which is free which is the mother of vs all as sayeth the Apostle For Ismael who was borne of the bound woman Hagar who was the type of earthlie Ierusalem was not the heire but Isaac who was borne of Sara the free woman who was the type of the heauenly Ierusalem the mother of all the children of God He was the heire that is they who are the children of the Law and doe remaine in the bondage thereof are not truely borne of God to the hope of lyfe but they who are begotten by the Gospell in the bosome of the Church set at libertie and walking in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made vs free Gal. 5.1 they are truly begotten of God to this blessed hope because they are after the maner of Isaac children of the promise Gal. 42.3 whereas the other are borne after the flesh The third poynt touching the Lord who begetteth vs to this hope doth teach vs what sort of generation it is that maketh vs to haue this hope to wit a spirituall and no fleshlie birth For as Christ sayeth to Nicodemus in the third of Iohn That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the spirit is spirit And it is playne by the Apostle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 15. â—0 That flesh and blood can not inherite the kingdome ef God Therefore is it necessary that we be borne as sayeth our Sauiour in the third of Iohn by water and of the spirit that is of the spirit of God who is of the same force and nature spirituall toward the soule touching the spirituall filth of sinne that water is toward the body in bodily filth in washing and purging of it Therefore also is the same spirit in the 4. of Esay called the spirit of burning because as fire to gold so the spirit to vs doeth effectually purge the drosse of sinne For this cause is it also that Iohn the Baptist sayeth Mat. 3.11 That Christ shall baptize vs with the holy spirit and fire for we must be the children of God Rom. 8.17 before we can be his heirs as withnesseth the Apostle both to the Romanes and Galathians Therefore doth the Apostle here giue thanks to God Gal. 4 7. euen for this that he hath begetten vs and so hath made vs his children that we may haue hope to inherite his kingdome The vse hereof is to learne that it is the greatest dignitie and highest prerogatiue that maÌ„ caÌ„ attaine too to be made the children of God Therfore doth Iohn call this a gift of power in the first of his Gospell saying to those that receyved him he gaue theÌ„ this power to be the sonnes of God And in the third Chapter of his first Epistle he esteemeth it the testimony of Gods greatest love to man saying Beholde brethren howe great a love the Father hath given vs that we should bee called the sonnes of God We haue next to consider that this birth must bee after a former birth because it is said that God hath begotten vs againe And Christ to Nicodemus saith plainelie that he that is not borne againe can not see the kingdome of God For our first birth neither maketh vs the children of God neither putteth vs in hope of eternall life Wee may well be the children of Kings of great Lords and Princes and so haue hope of their inheritance by our first birth but though an Emperour haue begotten thee it maketh thee not the sonne of God nor heire of his kingdome And though a begger have begotten thee thou art no farther from the kingdom of God then he that is borne of a king seeing the first birth helpeth nothing to this prerogatiue but it is the second birth that giveth it The estate of man be he what hee will Iewe or Gentile great or small poore or riche noble or ignoble in his first birth which is declared by the Apostle to the Ephesians to wit Ephe. 2.3 that he is the child of wrath by nature therefore can haue no hope but of wrath For as David confesseth of himselfe it is true of all flesh Beholde I was borne in iniquitie Psal 51.5 Rom. 6.23 and in sinne hath my mother conceyved me and the wages of sinne sayeth the Apostle is death this is the inheritance that cometh to vs by our earthly and naturall Parentes of what degree dignity or estate soeuer they be in this world The vse hereof of is twofolde First it serveth to beate downe the pride of al flesh to teach men not to glorie in their bloud nor kinred seeing it is not by bloud nor by the will of man nor by the will of flesh that we are borne the children of God For though a maÌ„ might reckon to Abraham as did the Scribes Pharisees in the 8. of Iohn as to their Father in the flesh yet may hee be still the childe of the Devill as witnesseth Christ of them selves in that same place For as the Apostle sayeth They are not all Israell that are of Israell neyther are they all children that are of the seed of Abraham Yea though a man might reckon his kinred to Adam yet hath he not wherin to glorie seeing as sayeth the Apostle to the Romanes by that one Man sinne entred into the world and by sinne death and not only entted but by his only sinne all are made sinners death went over all men Therfore let vs learne the lesson which Iohn the Baptist teacheth the Pharisees and Sadducees in the Gospell according to Matthew Let vs not thinke to say with our selves Mat. 3.9 We haue Abraham to our Father For God is able of stones to raise vp children to Abraham but rather with the Apostle Paul to the Philippians Phil. 3.3 Let vs glorie in Christ Iesus and put no confidence in the flesh although we had all matter of glorying in the flesh that ever man had Let vs learn with the Apostle in that place To esteeme all fleshly prerogative to bee losse yea to be dunge for Chrisles sake that we may gaine him The second vse hereof is to teach vs that there can be no hope of life in a man who is not Regenerate by God and begotten of him againe seeing this is the meane by which the the Lord bringeth vs to this hope and therefore the boasting of the wicked that they hope to goe to heauen is nothing but vanitie and all the confidence they haue is nothing els but a vaine and deceitfull thought of a blinde foolish braine thinking they shall goe to heaven because Christ dyed for sinners not remembring that all who are partakers of his death must needes be renewed in the spirit of
were made we can neuer hope that we can rise againe vnto life but looking to Christ our Sauiour ◠Cor. 1.20 in whom all the promises of God are Yea and Amen as saith the Apostle to the Corinth we finde sufficient reason and grounde to beleeve the Resurrection from the dead Seeing he who was made man like to his brethren in all things except sinne albeit walking in the similitude of sinfull fleshe being put to death did loose the sorrowes of death and was declared mightilie to be the sonne of God touching the spirit of sanctification by the resutrection from the dead 2 Cor 4.14 Therefore doe we with the Apostle to the Corinths know That he which hath raised vp the Lorde Iesus shall rayse vs vp also by Iesus for therefore is it that we are baptised for dead as saieth the Apostle to the Corinthes For wee that are baptised into Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 2.15 29. Rom. 6.3 haue bene baptised into his death saieth the Apostle to the Romanes And therefore if we bee dead with him we beleeve also that wee shall live with him For if we be planted with him to the similitude of his death even so shall we be to the similitude of his resurrection saith the same Apostle in the same place For he that is Christes hath the spirit of God dwelling in him as is plaine by the Apostle to the Romanes Rom. 6.5 Rom. 8.8 1 Iohn 3.24 And Iohn in his first Epistle saieth That hereby we know that he abydeth in vs even by that spirit which he hath given vs And if the spirit of him that raised vp Iesus Christ from the dead dwell in vs hee that raised vp Christ from the death shall also quicken our mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in vs. Rom. 8 1◠So doeth the Apostle from the presence of the same spirit prove the like effect in raysing vs frō the death 2 Cor. 4.13 and therfore as he saith to the Corinth because we have the same spirite of faith as it is written I beleeved and therfore I haue spoken wee also beleeve and therefore speake knowing that he which hath raised vp the Lord Iesus shall raise vs vp also by Iesus and set vs with him So it is evident that the Resurrection of Iesus from the death is the ground and foundation of the hope of Resurrection from the dead to all that have the same spirit of life that is in Christ Iesus dwelling in them for the law of that spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus doth free all those in whom he dwelleth from the law both of sinne and death Rom. 8.2 as testifieth the Apostle to the Romanes Hereby are wee taught two profitable lessons the first is Al the promises of God are first fulfilled in Christ himselfe to carefully marke how farre God accomplished his promises in Christ his sonne For so farre may all that beleeve be assured that he shall accomplishe them in them through Christ Therefore have we hope of sanctification from sinne Resurrection from the dead and glorification in the heavens because these promises are fulfilled in Christ whom we see crowned with glorie and honour as sayeth the Apostle to the Hebrewes Heb. 2.9 which was made a little inferior to the Angels through the suffering of death For God hee predestinateth all those whom he hath foreknowen to be made like to the Image of his Sonne Rom. 8.29 that he might be the first born among manie brethrē And therfor the knowledge of Christ should be to vs most pretious since we can know no more nor hope for no more blessing frō God then we first knew to have been bestowed on Iesus Christ our head 1. Cor. 30. who is made to vs of God wisedome sanctification iustification and Redemptiō Phil. 3.8 c Therfore did the Apostle Paul esteeme all things losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Iesus Christ our Lord and did iudge all things but dung that hee might gaine Christ and know him And the vertue of his Resurrection that he also thereby might attaine to the resurrection from the dead The second lesson is to pray to God day and night to send vs that blessed spirit of promise seeing the things which are wrought in Christ shall not bee accomplished in any but those who have the same spirit of lyfe that is in Christ Iesus dwelling in them And therefore they can not hope for renovation to the Image of God and restauration of their dead bodies to the lyfe of God and glorification with the glorie of God wherwith Christ is glorified who have not the spirit of Christ This is the first vse of this poynt whereby wee are taught to discerne true hope from the groūd and foundation whereon only it is builded and that is Iesus Christ alone The second vse is to teach vs A distinct knowledge of Christ requisite not only cōfusedlie to learne Christ but even perticularlie to consider all the degrees and seuerall partes of that great worke of our redemption by him for the more solide and stedfast fixing of our hartes in him For albeit it be most true that he who is pertaker of the death of the Sonne of God is also pertaker of his life of his glory c. yet neither can the faith and hope bee so stable nor the comfort so great as when in Christ our Lord we see a perticular groūd and warrant for every article of our faith Therefore in this place doth the Apostle lead vs to the resurrection of Christ from the dead for establishing our hearts in the hope of our life with God in the heavens For as wee goe forward in consideration of the partes of Christes working and severall actions done by him for our full redēption so doeth our faith increase our hope by degree to degree whē we looke to Christ dying for vs we learne to beleeve remissiō of sinnes in his blood whē we goe on to his refurrectiō we imbrace the hope of lyfe frō the dead when we looke to his ascention we apprehend our ascending to the heavens and in his glorification wee are comforted by the hope of that same glorie Thus doeth it serve much for our comfort to know all the perticularities of Christes humiliation exaltation according as the Lord our God hath revealed them in his word beginning at his Incarnation going on to his birth in great basenes expressing therafter the troubles of his youth laying out next the sorrowes of his life whyle hee caried our infirmities walking in the similitude of sinfull fleshe and subiect to all the infirmities thereof except sinne proceeding to his death and kinde thereof being most accursed Gal. 3.13 as witnesseth the Apostle to the Galathians In all which the spirit of God letteth vs see our infirmities our sinnes and our sorrowes layed vpon him and vs acquitted of them in him Thereafter are we led
even coheires annexed with Christ Iesus who only is the righteous heire of all things as saith the Apostle Paul to the Hebrues because hee is the onely Sonne of God Now wee are made the heires of God Rom. 8.14 by being first made his children as saith the Apostle to the Romanes If saith he we be children we are also heires even the heires of God heires annexed with Christ Gal. 4.5 And againe to the Galathians If thou be a sonne thou art also the heire of God through Christ For it is manifest even among men that the sonne either by nature or by adoption is counted for the heire Now by nature we are not the sonns of God Ephe. 2.3 but as saith the Apostle to the Ephesians by nature we are the children of wrath and by the redemption made by Iesus Christ wee receive the adoption of the sonnes as witnesseth the same Apostle to the Galathians Gol. 4.5 God sending the spirit of his Sonne in our heartes which cryeth Abba Father Thus by Iesus the only sonne of God so consequentlie his only heire by nature we are first made the sonnes of God and so also the heires of this in heritance of God The vse of this point is to instruct vs that we must not think to enioy eternall life as the reward of our service but as the right of heires being made the childrē of God Christ in the eight of Iohn saith that the servaunt abideth not in the house for ever but the sonne abideth for ever Thereby informing vs that hee who thinketh to dwell with God in his house eternallie must needes be his son so doeth the Apostle here teach vs when he sayth that God begetteth vs againe to the hope of lyfe declaring that wee must be borne of God and so made the Sonnes of God before wee can hope to inherite eternall lyfe For whosoever doth remaine in the house of God noe other wayes but as a servaunt he shall at length be cast out and shal be deprived of eternall lyfe which is the inheritance of the sonnes Christ himselfe sheweth that al our service is vnprofitable even when wee have done all that wee can doe if wee respect the merit of it And the Saints themselves confesse that even their righteousnes is polluted Isa 69.6 like a menstruous cloth How wōderfully therfore do they deceive their own soules who build the hope of their life vpon merit of their workes The Lord in Hagar the servant Ismaell his sonne doth livelie represent the lot and portion of all the children of the lawe that is of all who by service think to inherite heauen having no other hope of eternall life then that which is ingendred by the covenant of workes Cast out sayeth the scripture the servaunt with her sonne for the sonne of the seruant shall not be heire with the sonne of the free womā Gal. 4.30 By this doth the Apostle to the Galathians shew that which Christ saith to be true to wit that the servaunt shall not abide in the house for ever Because as the Lord cōmaunded to cast out Hagar the servaunt with her sonne out of the house of Abraham which was the house of God so shall he cast out of his house and deprive of the inheritaunce of eternal life all those who are not his sonnes but craue eternall life as debt for reward of their workes Now we come to the properties of this inheritance The blessed estate of the Saints glorified which are three It is called immortal vndefiled which withereth not These are the speciall things which make a life happie and blessed and the three contraries do make it miserable and cursed The three which make it happie are eternitie purirte and vnchangeablenes The three contraries which make it miserable are mortalitie or death sinne or vneleannes and chaungeablenes or instabilstie The spirit of God therefore by attributing those three properties to our inheritance life which we hope for doeth shew vs the excellencie blessednes of our life wherevnto the Lord doth begett vs againe thereby to teach vs that we lose nothing albeit wee loose all things if so be we gaine this life and inheritance Let vs therefore consider those properties severallie The first is immortalitie vnto an inheritance immortall that is The blessed estate of the Saintes in heaven immortall an inheritance or life which is no wayes subiect to corruption but which indureth for ever and therefore in the scriptures it is called eternall life to distinguish it not only frō the life of beastes and other creatures but even from the life of man himself which he hath by nature in this world We shall the more clearlie perceive the comfort of this poynt if we consider two things which the scriptures lay before our eyes The first is concerning that which is in greatest price with man for which hee laboureth chieflie as the principall end of all his travels The second is the vanitie of his labor as touching that end vnprofitablenes of al his paines so cōsequently the vnspeakeable grief and sorrow wherewith his soule is pearched whē he findeth himself frustrat of his end As for the first The thing in the worlde most deare to a man is his life which gladly he would preserve with the losse of al that ever he hath Sathan did know this whē to provoke the Lord against Iob he vseth this argument skinne for skinne and all that ever a man hath Iob. 2.4 will he giue for his life And Christ our Saviour knowing that the love of this life doeth most of all sway our actions perceyving this foolish solicitude in Peter even towards him he sheweth his Apost that who soever will saue his life shall lose it Mat. 16.25 How glad the worldly man would be if he could live in this world eternally this in deed is the foolishnes of men they thinke their houses and habitations shall continue for ever so rooted is the vanitie in mans heart that albeit the Fathers that have thought so doe die like the beastes yet their posteritie is not made the wiser but goe on in the foolish way of their fathers and delight in their talke as saith the spirit of God in the 49. Psal 49.6.7 Psalme mortall mā stryving vainlie to eternise him selfe in this perishing world Which vanitie the Lord expresseth when he sheweth first that albeit a man by his labours obtaineth aboudance of all things Luc 12.15 yet his life standeth not in his riches Which he cleareth by that parable of the rich man who said to his soule soule thou hast much goods laied vp for manie yeares live at ease eate drinke and take thy pastime but God saide vnto him O foole this night will they fetch away thy soule from thee then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided The second argument of mans vanitie is that as his life stādeth not in