affections if our vnderstandings be illuminated and lightened with the lampe of the Gospell if we be inflamed and set on fire with the zeale of Gods glory and well hearted toward his children then may wee hope to haue beene baptized truely for the holy Ghost worketh these things in beleeuers But he that is drossie or luke-warme in his profession that is hard hearted to the Saints that followeth the sent of his affections and that is weary of the candle of truth hath cause to suspect that he is not yet baptized with the holy Ghost In Ioh. 3.5 this spirit is compared to water cleansing the soule inwardly which hath three properties first to wash away filthinesse secondly to moisten that which is drie and to quench thirst and allay the scorching heate thirdly to fructifie as Psalm 1. willowes are said to bee fruitfull planted by the water side euen so the holy Ghost doth purifie and wash the soule refresheth the conscience scorched with the feare of Gods vengeance and giueth power to make our drie and barren hearts to prosper in euery good worke MATH chap. 3. vers 12. verse 12 Which hath his fan in his hand and will make cleane his floore and gather his wheat into his garner but will burne vp the chaffe with vnquenchable fire BEcause it falleth out in great auditories and assemblies that there bee many wilfull and peruerse persons which doe not esteeme of the Lords rich bounty but doe scorne and tread vnder foote tâ—â— mercy offered Iohn Baptisâ— doth heere denounce peremptory vengeance and intollerable torment against all â—â—ose that shall not submit themselues to the ministery of the Messias and that they which will not bee baptized with the fire of the holy Ghost and of Christ that is with his bloud and with his spirit shall be baptized with the fire of hell The words doe containe an Allegorie or continued borrowed speech which may be thus resolued First by the Fanne vnderstand the ministerie of the Gospell which should begin at the preaching of Iesus and should winnow the people to make a separation betweene the bastardly brood of Abraham and the true Nathaniels Ioh. 1. chap. 47. Israelites in whom is no guile betweene them that had onely the marke of circumcision in the flesh and them whose hearts and vile affections were inwardly circumcised By that it is said In his hand is ment that it is presently to be manifested By floore vnderstand all places where a Church may be gathered or more specially for a visible Church alreadie gathered Iohn addressing his speech heere to the Iewes which were at this time the Church of God By wheate is ment all that should beleeue either Iewes or Gentiles By the Garner is ment the kingdome of heauen By chaffe is ment hypocrites and vnbeleeuers mis-liuers or the children of perdition that refuse to bee fanned by the Lords voice By cleansing is ment that separation the Gospell should make betweene the apostate Iew and the beleeuing Iew. By vnquenchable fire is ment the torment of hell prouided for vnbeleeuers Out of this first generally obserue that where the Gospell comes and is preached with power and with a good conscience and not huckstered nor merchandized as men doe their wares but that they so labour as not to be ashamed of that they doe preaching their doctrine not to the eare but to the doore of the conscience that there it makes a manifest difference betweene true and false children whereas before all was shuffled together for though before this time the Pharisees and all others were as one bearing the same title of Abrahams seed yet saith Iohn afterward shall come the venting of the Gospell which with the powerfull blast thereof shall scatter the hypocrites and make knowne the faithfulnesse of them that with honest hearts embrace and cherish it After this maner is the word in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Heb. 4.12 compared to a sword with two edges that cutteth two waies either to conuersion if it be beleeued or to confusion if it be despised Hereupon it is that Simeon did prophesie to Mary Luk. 2.34 to preuent any conceit might rise in her minde of her dignitie and glory being the mother of the eternall Lord heereby thinking that all the world should applaud her for her Sonne telling her that this child should be set vp for the rising and ruine of many a marke that euery man should shoot at and by his comming should the hearts of many be discouered For the sound of his mouth Heb. 4.12 deuides betweene the ioynts and the sinewes and the marrow and the bones anatomizing the hearts of men to see whether they be sound or rotten And they that before seemed to bee all one shall when the fan comes differ then the poison that before lurked shall bee layed foorth and the hidden gall shall be displaied Heereupon also the word is compared to fire which hath a double effect to wast stubble and drosse and to purifie that is refinable as siluer and gold For the Gospell hath this vertue to inflame some mens hearts with a zealous loue of God and his glory setting others on fire to persecute it to quench and to impugne it This effect had it in Iohns time some saying that he was an honest man some that he was Christ others that he was a Galilean Luk. 3.16 Mat. 11.16 whence could come no good thing and others more plainely that hee was a diuell all before being as they thought well circumcised and the children of Abraham So when Christ spake in his owne person the chaffe flew away and then was easily knowen who was an hypocrite hee comming to some place where they had rather haue their hogges Mark 5.17 then their soules saued Luk. 4.29 and to others where they brought him to the side of a hill of purpose to haue throwne him downe and to Iairus house where some Mark. 5.40 laugh him to scorne for his speech This fanne by Christ was committed to his Apostles that they likewise should make a separation where they came Paul Preaching at Antioch the Iewes railed against him when the Gentiles desired him to preach the same sermon the next Sabbath And by the power of this Fanne Act. 22.23 the Iewes cast vp dust in the aire and crie that Paul is vnworthy to liue And Act. 23.12 certaine doe bind themselues by oath not to eate nor drinke till they had killed him when as others in Iudaea did submit themselues and became the true disciples of Christ Yea Luk. 12.53 it appeareth that there is no bond so streight nor so well knit but religion will violate and cause the father with the sonne the mother with the daughter to impugne the Gospell with hostility not that it is the property of the Gospell to breed dissention but it is the malice of Sathan to enrage mens hearts that they should not receiue it that his barnes might be full And then must Ahab 1. King 21.19
houses that as wee dwell and abide in them so doth Christ by his spirit dwell and abide in vs. And 1. Cor. 6.19 Your body is the Temple of the holy Ghost which is in you which ye haue of God And 1. Cor. 3.16 ye are the Temple of God and the spirit of God dwelleth in you And 2. Cor. 6.16 Ye are the Temple of the liuing God as God hath said I will dwell among you and walke there And Iohn 14.23 If any man loue me he will keepe my word and my father will loue him and we will come vnto him and dwell with him By which places appeareth how these earthen vessels of our bodies are honoured by being the habitation of God and of Christ Ephe. 2.22 that as by the former comparison wee are said to bee in Christ by putting him on vs so by this Christ is said to bee in vs by his dwelling and abiding with vs. Out of which wee must learne first to keepe our selues vnspotted of the world because we are to entertaine so great a Prince as the Lord Iesus for if we thinke all our labour too little to cleanse beautifie that roome wherein the Kings of the earth shall sit 1. Cor. 6.20 who are taken out of the same lumpe our selues are how much more must wee striue to haue all our members kept chast and sanctified which are as it were so many seueral roomes for him who by his heauenly generation is the Sonne of God Esay 9.6 the fathers Counseller and the Prince of peace Secondly by this dwelling of Christ with vs we are assured that wee are his for no man will willingly dwell in a house whereof he is not owner especially the heire of the whole world whom the heauen of heauens is not able to contain would not set vp his throne and seat in our soules if he did not delight in vs neither could hee take any pleasure to lodge with vs if wee were not his which may be our vndoubted comfort that Christ possessing the fort and castle of our bodies it is not possible for Satan either by deceitfull policy to surprise vs or by his fiery darts to stiâ—â—â—â—s or by his subtile illusions to ensnare vs or by his bitter and cruell inuasions to vanquish vs for as Ioh. 10.28 we are the sheepe of his pasture and none can plucke vs out of his hands The third comparison is in 1. Peter 2.4 where Christ and his members are resembled to a building for as a building cannot be firme and sure except it be built vpon a strong foundation no more can we stand one minute if we be not built vpon Christ and as the foundation and the rest of the worke make but one building so is it betwixt Christ and vs he being the chiefe corner stone elect and pretious we being liuely stones whereby wee are made a spirituall house vnto God by Christ Hence learne first That all our strength and sufficiency is from God for if we will be a building of our selues and lay our foundation in our owne righteousnesse a little sprinkling of persecution will wash vs away as it did Mat. 7.26 wash away the house that was so foolishly built vpon the sands but in Christ alone we liue mooue and haue our being it is he that can command the Sea to be as a pauement for Peter to walke on Matt. 14.29 who at the sight of a winde arising through weakenesse in himselfe is forced to crie Master saue me yea when as his disciples stricken with the feare and force of a storme challenged him as if he cared not though they perished Luk 8.22 Mark 4.39 he then being through their praiers awaked rebuked the windes and commanded the sea to be still and it was so Now if Peter that had such strength of faith as that the Church should be built vpon his confession and the rest of the Disciples that were so continually taught of Christ felt no power in themselues to resist the feares of the flesh without the hand of God much lesse are we able to set one foote forward toward the way of heauen or to draw one foote backward from the way to sin vnlesse wee lay the foundation on our rocke Christ Iesus who hath measured the heauens with a span holdeth the windes in his fist and hath sounded the deepes of the earth that whatsoeuer falleth on him shall be broken and whosoeuer resisteth him shall be dasht into peeces Secondly obserue that we are no further the house of God then we doe build vpon Christ and that since the foundation and the building make but one worke our praiers and all our other seruice of God must be offered vp vpon the golden altar which is Christ Reu. 8.3 â—â—at as Pauls reioicing Galat. 6.14 was onely in Christ crucified so may ours be resting our selues wholly vpon him and placing our whole contentment in him for as he is the strength of the building 〈◊〉 is hee also the honour of the building wee being without him a sinfull nation and a people laden with iniquitie but through him 1. Pet. 2.9 a chosen generation an holy nation and a people set at libertie to shew foorth the vertues of him that called vs. Let vs therefore beware we daw be not our selues with vntempered mortar bringing in the stubble of mans merit or inuention to make vp this frame no not so much as to haue any corner in this house that is not the least member of our body nor the least power of the soule to leaue vpon the arme of flesh or to be supported by the wisedome of vaine man for this were to settle part of the building vpon a rocke and the rest vpon the sands which will ouerthrow all for the whole man must be built vpon Christ and he must be the corner stone to ioine both the bodie and soule the flesh and the spirit vnto God For as the gold is neuer said to be purified till all the drosse be seuered from it so is it not sufficient to haue as it were some of our affections refined and the rest to remaine drossie and polluted but if we will be wedges of gold for the Lords vse and vessels of honour for his house Christ must be in euery part of vs to ioine vs to himselfe that we may be holy euen as he is holy The fourth comparison is Ephes 1.22.23 where God is said to haue giuen Christ to bee the head to the Church which is his body In which place Christ is compared to a body that as the members are knit and vnited to the body so are all wee as members ingrafted and incorporate into the body of Christ and as the members being thus vnited are said to be part of the body so we being ioined vnto Christ are said to be Christs and as the heat and life which is in the body is dispersed and diffused into euery member euen so the life the graces which
if we haue his inuisible spirit wee haue himselfe and may equally assure our selues of both and that wee are flesh of his flesh expressed in the Scripture as hath beene before declared by naturall proportions and supernaturall as first by the coniunction of the head and the members of a mans bodie secondly by the vine and the branches thirdly by the husband and wife fourthly by meates and drinkes that as they being eaten really doe nourish the bodie so wee eating the flesh and drinking the bloud of Christ spiritually he nourisheth and feedeth our soules to life eternall This vnion is also set downe vnto vs supernaturally Iohn 14.20 Yee shall know I am in the Father and you in mee and I in you howbeit wee are not in the same measure in Christ and hee in vs as he is in the Father but according to that proportion of faith which is in vs and in that abundance that shall make vs blessed for euer Againe learne hence that wee are not to looke for any perfection in this life but so long as wee beare about vs this masse and lumpe of flesh which is the bodie there will remaine certaine reliques of corruption which can not be extinguished but by death nor wholly remooued but by mortalitie and this is the case of Gods best children Paul speaking of himselfe as in the part vnregenerate and as but in part spirituall Romans 7.14 said he was sold vnder sinne and carnall meaning thereby that so much as he had of the spirit so much was the image of God restored in him and so much he delighted in the law of God but so much as was wanting of the spirit so much was wanting of Gods image and so much he rebelled against the law of God and serued the law of sinne And Peter that chosen vessell of God Iohn 13.10 by the wisedome and instruction of Christ himselfe hath neede of water to wash his feete and 1. Iohn 5.8 Christ came not onely by bloud but also by water that by daily regeneration we may purge and cleanse our selues And to this may be referred that speech of Christ Iohn 13.33 Whither I goe yee cannot yet come which prooueth wee haue still some corruption that maketh vs yet vnfit for the kingdome of heauen vntill wee haue washed our feete cleaner and mortified our selues better for wee know yet but in part But then it may be said since wee haue these imperfections how shall we be knowen from the reprobate Verie well for there is great difference betweene our imperfections and their sinnes our scarres and their vlcers our limping and their halting downe right for as 1. Iohn 3.9 Hee that is borne of God sinneth not that is as the world sinneth the one sinning of ignorance the other of knowledge one of infirmitie the other of presumption the one with griefe the other with greedinesse one through weakenesse the other through obstinacie and malice the one striking and checking his heart for the euill thought it produced the other feeding and encouraging his heart not to staie at the thought till it breake foorth into the hands yea God doth bring vs vp that are his children thus imperfectly for two ends for first hee will not suffer vs to haue our perfection heere for feare wee lose it as Adam did secondly hee doth exercise vs with these imperfections to humble vs lest wee should waxe proud and so care not for him and this is his great mercie that hee doth trie vs with infirmities but not destroy vs vex vs but not vâ—nquish vs giuing vs power in the end through the sufficiencie of his grace to ouercome them Now for the second part which is his satisfaction giuen to the faithfull that they must not so sinke vnder the burden of their infirmitie as to mistrust their saluation obserue when it is said the spirit is life we must vnderstand no naturall life but such a life as Paul speaketh of Ephes 4.18 where hee saith the Gentiles that walked in the vanitie of their mindes were strangers from the life of God that life whereby God dwelleth in vs and to be strangers from this life is to be strangers from holinesse of life for God and an vncleane conuersation cannot companie together And this life of the spirit is that whereby as Peter saith 2. Peter 1.4 wee are made partakers of the diuine nature not really but by renouation hauing obtained this mercie to bee borne a new of immortall seed by the word of God For as the soule infused into the bodie quickeneth a massie peece of flesh which had no motion before so the soule to make it a liuely and good soule must haue a soule powred into it that is the spirit of God and if this spirit be absent we are as dead from holy motions as the bodie naturall is from outward actions by the priuatiâ—â— of the soule So as wee learne hence that a man may liue â—â—fe in the flesh and yet be dead in respect of the life of God which ought to mooue vs to worke out our sanctification in feare knowing that if wee be all flesh wee shall neuer see the face of God Now as to liue a naturall life there must bee a generation according to the flesh so if wee will attaine to this life in the spirit we must be brought to a second birth not to bee turned into our mothers wombes againe as Nicodemus thought Iohn 3.4 but as Christ saith wee must be borne of the will of his Father that is of the seed of the holy Ghost Heere it followeth as a man naturally borne hath his life maintained by being nourished with meat and drinke so when we be borne againe of the seed of the spirit we must be maintained and fed by the flesh and bloud of Christ spiritually and as we are borne of the holie Ghost by the word so wee must be nourished by the holie Ghost in the word or else we shall neuer be saued In the desire therefore of our saluation we ought to thirst and part after the riuers of life which doe plentifully flow in the booke of God Againe as men in this naturall life haue their degrees to proceed in which doe neuer change as that first they bee children then after grow to a more vnderstanding age which was euen true of Christ in this flesh who Luk. 2.52 is said to haue increased in wisdome and in stature euen so we must know that our spirituall birth is not perfect at the first day but it hath as it were a childhood and wee are babes to be fed with milke as S. Peter saith 1. Pet. 2.2 and then afterward we grow from faith to faith and from one degree of grace to another yet heerein they differ that in our spirituall life in this world we cannot come to any perfection sinne hangeth so fast about our heeles but in our naturall life we attaine to a fulnesse and ripenesse of strength And in this also they differ that
of the life of God and such a man hath his soule and body taken vp and dressed and dedicated to entertaine the holy Ghost and the holy Ghost abideth in him and Iohn 14.23 Christ saith If any man loue me he will keepe my word and my Father will loue him and we will come vnto him and dwell with him so as the whole blessed Trinity abideth in such a man which is a most princely prerogatiue and royall dignity which the faithfull haue that the King of heauen will stoope so low as to abide in the soule of a poore Christian Further obserue in that the spirit dwels in vs that as Christ before he tooke vpon him and assumed our flesh sent his herbenger before him to seele that house and sanctifie that wombe wherein himselfe would lie Mat. 1.18 that the virgine by that meanes was full of the holy Ghost euen so he still sendeth forth his spirit to take vp his lodging for him in the heart of euery Christian and to sanctifie them in some measure 2. Cor. 13.4.5 though not in that fulnesse he did the virgine And as God in no place on the earth was said to be more then he was in the Arke so is he in no creature so much as in the elect 1. Sam. 4.7 Psal 8.1.5.6.7 yea all the creatures by this meanes are made seruiceable to the elect Now when the spirit commeth vnto vs it findeth our hearts very ruinous like an old house yet such an habitation as by some ancient monuments shewes what stately building it was at first by creation then it falles a tempering and building it vp againe by the loue of God ingrafted in our hearts and it doth sift vs and cleanse vs and whereaâ—â—t findeth nothing but bare walles that is a departure of all the graces of God and a depriuation of them it filleth vs and infuseth vnto vs all heauenly vertues And as the Lord was in the Temple and yet not shut in and inâ—â—uded there but in that he was there it was necessary it should 〈◊〉 kept cleane as appeareth 2. Chron. 23.19 that for this purpose porters were set at the gates of the house of the Lord that none that was vncleane in any thing should enter in so we that are Christians being a type of that Temple that should be built of liuing stones whereof Christ must be the chiefe and corner stone and wherein we must beleeue that God dwelleth farre more spiritually and effectually then he did in the other we I say must be kept far more cleanely then the other Temple was In this respect also that this Temple wherein the Lord now dwelleth is our soules and bodies the Priest our selues to offer vp our selues the sacrifice our selues to be sacrificed in our soules and bodies vpon the altar which is our hearts but yet so as we are still acceptable onely in the sacrifice of Christ and in his priesthood Now this spirit that thus dwelleth in vs is called the spirit of sanctification in respect of the foure properties wherin it resembleth the materiall Temple For first as the Temple might not serue for a dwelling house but was onely consecrated to abide and continue there while they serued God so the temples of our bodies must not be taken vp of the lusts of the world to dwell there but bee dedicated onely to entertaine the spirit of Christ and secondly as the holy garments were onely worne in the Temple so ought wee to looke that wee attire our selues onely as becommeth Christians that stand alwaies in the presence of God thirdly as the holy meate was onely eaten in the Temple and fourthly the vessels onely there to be drunke in so this shewes that our bodies and all the powers affections and actions both of soule and bodie as well in the heart within as in all the vse of Gods blessings without 1 Iohn 2.17 must be separated from all earthly things to be by them estranged from the worship of God and be reserued only to holy vses that God and his glory may be the chiefest end of our life for so the Hebrew word to sanctifie signifieth to be set apart and not prostitute to any profane vse Hereupon it is that if in the Temples of Christians we see idols erected we are grieued and offended and that iustly because we see a great part of Gods seruice shall bee spent in bodily adoration which ought not to be for though it be true that God requireth to be worshipped of euery bone in the body yet principally in this sacrifice of praier and other religious exercises hee looketh at the heart and sets his eye on our affections to be worshipped in spirit and in truth Now if it be vnlawfull to erect and set vp an idoll in any Christian Temple Iohn 4.24 for so much doth the Scripture in expresse words testifie in many places as Pull downe their altars breake their images and burne them in the fire Deut. 7.2 12.3 Iudg. 2.2 with many such like places and speeches how fearefull a thing then is it that wee that are Christians should set vp idols in our soules the most beautified place that God hath on earth as the idols of couetousnesse hypocrisie filthinesse pride and such like which be inuisible and therefore worse then the other and which do secretly like a theefe steale away our hearts from the loue of God and as a moth doe euen feed vpon vs and consume vs till we suddenly fall into the wrath and displeasure of God Heere let vs further consider but how we vse our owne houses wherein we dwell in the tabernacle of this life and which ought to be but as tents to be carried at our backes Gen. 18.1 to put vs in minde of our pilgrimage for if the matter of the Church cannot affect vs nor touch vs at the quicke yet shall it set foorth our wickednesse and enlarge our condemnation that we esteeme more of our owne dwelling places wherein we sleepe to night and to morrow are cast into the graue then of that place wherein the Prince of heauen and earth taketh vp his abode how curious we are in scouring of our pots in sweeping of our parlots in plaiting of our garments and tricking vp our selues nicely and garishly yea no seruants can please vs but such as weare out their knees in rubbing our houses and how fearefull and shamefull a thing it is that we make no account nor reckening of that place where the whole Trinitie should abide that our houses shall be cleane where onely our dirty feet doe treade and out selues the vncleanest part of it and that through our wretchednesse and negligence in purging of our selues and cleansing of our soules we are rather dens fit for the damned spirits then temples meet for the holy Ghost to abide in for if our hearts be once ouergrowne with the weeds of profanenesse idlenesse couetousnesse and such like we may assuredly know that
it were not possible but they should be rauished with expectation after it there being at euery gate an Angell standing to let in Gods children and to keepe out the fearefull and vnbeleeuers adulterers and vngodly persons Againe heere learne that the creatures waiting with vs and hauing as it were the same affection we haue to be vnchained of corruption and at the libertie of the sonnes of God they belong only to vs that are his children and are sanctified for our vse through prayer and thanksgiuing for as through vs they fell so through vs they shall be restored and therefore wait both with vs and on vs in the meane time and the wicked are but vsurpers ouer them snatching them against their willes and abusing of them to their lusts as the voluptuous Iewes did who feeding vpon that was none of theirs while the meate Psal 78.31 was yet in their mouths the wrath of the Lord Numb 11.33 was kindled and consumed them and euen so at length shall the wicked be chased out of the world Iob. 18.18 and for his theft in rauening vpon that is none of his as God himselfe saith Iob 39.13 he shall be shaken out of the corners of the earth for that they enioy is none of theirs but belongeth as truly to vs as a man accounteth that his owne which he getteth by his honest labour and in that they abound more with them heere then Gods children to whom of right they appertaine it is certaine the glory of Gods elect shall be the greater in heauen for the want of the creatures heere on earth and the more the wicked enioy heere the greater shall their torments be in hell for that is Luk. 16.25 the obiection of Abraham to stop the course of Diues his petition who was in torment Remember saith he thou hadst thy pleasure in thy life and therefore for thy pleasure thou art tormented in thy death for God sendeth not all his plagues at once vpon the wicked but suffereth him to haue his seeking that he may be satiate with his owne way and that desiring Prouerb 12 12. the net of euils he may be heereafter tied and ensnared with the cords of his owne sinne Againe obserue hence for the conclusion of this point that all the creatures in heauen and earth do serue for the furthering of our saluation and are readie and willing to do vs good except the diuell and those that shall be damned for we know the red sea ranne backe and became dry land for the passage of the Israelites Exod. 14.21 The bitter waters Exod. 15.25 were made sweet by the casting in of a tree to stanch their thirst The riuer Iordan returned backward Psal 114.3 till the people of God were passed ouer Water came foorth of the stonie rocke Exod. 17.6 that the Israelites might drinke according as they desired The Sunne stood still in the middest of heauen and hasted not to goe downe for a whole day Iosh 10.13 at the prayer of Ioshua At the prayer of Hezekiah Esay 38.8 the Sunne went 10. degrees backward contrary to the course of nature The small quaÌ„titie of meale oyle which the widow of Zareptah had through the word spoken by Eliah 1. Kings 17.16 wasted not till the Lord sent raine vpon the earth The waters being twice smitten with the cloke of Eliah 2. Kings 2.8.14 diuided themselues twice this way and that way for the passage ouer both of Eliah and Elisha The waters of Iericho 2. Kings 2.21 by the sprinckling of a little salt at the spring head were healed of the Lord for the good of his seruants that death come no more thereof The furnace Dan. 3.23 though it was heat seuen times more then it was wont to be had no power so much as to scortch the garments of the three children that would not obey the kings commaundement in a matter of Idolatry neither had the Lions Dan. 6.12 though rauenous in themselues any mouthes to open against Daniel that made his prayers to God notwithstanding it was against the decree of Darius the king and so much sollicited by his malitious and idolatrous nobles Since then the creatures of God are thus readie to hide and smother their strength where they may hurt vs to open and enlarge their power when they may defend vs and since the Angels of God Psal 91.11 watch ouer vs in our wayes let nothing make vs so foolish since we runne well but to hold on for the tyrants rage can not last but the wrath of God is a soft consuming fire and let vs venter our bodies which are but dust for the saluation of our soules which are the Lords 1. THESS chap. 5. vers 19.20 verse 19 Quench not the spirit verse 20 Despise not prophesying THe words themselues yeeld two points to be considered first a commandement or an exhortation equall to a commaundement secondly the meanes how this commandement may be best obeyed and the exhortation most fruitfully receiued The commaundement is Quench not the spirit the meanes to performe this is Despise not prophesying that is the wise and found interpretation of the Scriptures by them whose lippes preserue knowledge and whose feet are shod with the Gospell of peace for so prophesying is to be taken for an application of the word and a teaching to edification In the first obserue forasmuch as nothing can be quenched but fire why this Metaphor or borrowed speech is vsed of the Apostle to expresse the Spirit by fire The like phrase and speech is vsed Mat. 3.11 when the seruant baptizing his master lest it should seeme a disparagement and debasing of him doth protest in great humilitie that he did it but with water but there came one after him that should baptize them with the holy Ghost and with fire that is with the supernaturall power of the holy Ghost as it were fire And in Iohn 7.38 the spirit is resembled to water meaning thereby that who so is not cleansed of the holy Ghost as with water cannot be saued Now the spirit is compared to fire in respect of the foure properties that bee in fire first the nature of â—â—re is to consume any matter that is combustible or may be burned euen so the holy Ghost is sent into vs to wast and consume all the lusts of our flesh as selfe-loue pride of life and whatsoeuer else exalteth it selfe aboue the purity and simplicity of the Gospell Secondly fire doth refine euery thing that can be purified euen so the holy Ghost doth change and refine our affections and purgeth vs from that drosse and filth of the earth that cleaueth so neare to vs and hangeth so fast vpon vs and keepeth vs still in the fornace of affliction till we come to that perfection of eternall blessednesse that the flesh dying the spirit may liue in the day of the Lord. Thirdly fire doth relieue by warmth all those subiects that be capable of life and those that be benummed it comforteth and reuiueth
for the officers of the Church and the ministerie it is not onely ordained of God in generall but euery particular place and euery kind of office is set downe the Church being his owne house which he meant to beautifie with all necessarie furniture and none of this can be put downe neither may others be added 1. Cor. 12.28 and Ephes 4.11 For the Pastor may bee put downe by the Prince but not the Pastorship without maiming the bodie of Christ for then were it an humane constitution as is the other of Magistrates And therefore most grosse is it that women should be licenced to baptize which pertaineth onely to the office of a Minister and it is an idle answer to saie Quod fieri non debet factum valet that which should not be done is yet effectuall when it is done for this is a seale put into a wrong hand And if Vzziah 2. Sam. 6.7 being no Leuite was striken with sudden death for but touching the Arke of God which was readie to fall though his intent was good and if Vzziah 2. Chro. 26.20 was smitten with leprosie which he could neuer claw off to his death for burning incense to the Lord which onely pertained to the Priests to doe then may these intruders vpon the Lords possessions feare some plague to light on them for intermedling with these holy things and as well may they administer the Supper as Baptisme for they be seales of equall dignitie Howbeit if thou wilt be Iohn Baptist shew me these two things first a commission of thy calling secondly besides that thou must proue thy calling warranted shew me that thou commest rightly by it and that thou canst lawfully conuey it vnto thy selfe as Luk. 3.1 the spirit of the Lord came vpon Iohn For to haue this securitie is good in two respects first for the sasety of thine owne conscience in the day of affliction for thou knowest the iudgement of Christ concerning such as creepe in at the window they haue neither loue nor care of the flocke Ioh. 10.1 Therefore Ieremie chap. 1.6 cried O Lord I neuer thrust my selfe into this vnthankefull office but thou sentest me and thy wordwas as afire shut vp in my bones Secondly it is good to retaine the people in obedience when they shall see the Patent of thy calling whereas otherwise they will esteeme thee but as offering thy selfe vncalled and then thou maiest labour among them vnthanked For that Esay spake saying The voice of a crier in these words is set downe the execution of his office Where we learne that there are no names giuen to Ministers but they are words of emploiment and of labour For Preaching comes of Praeco to be a proclaimer in the market place so are they called trumpeters for that they must blow the siluer Trumpet of the Lords word that it may sound and ring in the eares of the people Criers Esa 4.11 Ezec. 34.10 1. Pet. 5.4 so as they must be no toong-tied fellowes for they are no fitter for this office then is a blinde man to be a Pilot. They must be shepheards which in Iuda were faine to watch all night to preserue their flockes from Wolues Watchmen who must take heed lest through their sloth the fort be surprized Embassadors hauing a great message to deliuer from the king of heauen Angels as Christ is called the Angell of the great couenant and Reuel 3. Write vnto the Augell that is 2. Tim. 2 1â— 1. Cor. 3 1â— the Minister of such a Church Workmen because they be builders of mens consciences Stewards to prouide meat for the Lords inheritance And as Iohn was to crie in his time so is there as great necessitie laid vpon vs to crie in this time according to the proportion of that grace we haue receiued In Pauls time 1. Cor. 9.16 it was a curse of damnation not to preach which cannot be appropriated to Paul himselfe it being a dutie specially required of all that labour in this vineyard And 2. Tim. 4.2 he adinreth Timothie to preach instantly so that as Iohn as the fore-runner and Timothie as an Euangelist were to preach with vehemencie so are wee as Pastors to crie the same crie for it neuer yet pierced deepe enough nor entred far enough to make men watchfull ouer their liues Now some are vnwoorthie the name of celers being scarce able to speake others are able but not willing to be criers bringing others a sleepe with their sloth vpon whom without repentance resteth a woe into lerable to beare and impossible to auoid Secondly obserue heere the agreement betweene the Prophet Esay and Iohn Baptist Iohn making that plaine was spoken obscurely by the Prophet Prepare yee the waies What is that Repent Let the high mountaines be brought low that is let pride of life be abated Let the low velleis be filled that is let despaire be reiected Let crocked things be made straight that is let the iudgement be rectified Let the rough waies be made smooth that is let thy swelling affections be changed Now this Allegorie vsed by the Prophet is borrowed from entertaining of Princes at their first coronation at which time all ordures bee clensed bridges repaired the streets pauâ—â—l herbingers goe before to take vp lodging the trumpets sound the volley of shot goeth off and euery man is arraied in his best robes not that the Lord of glorie expecteth such a transitorie triumph for hee requireth but this amend thy life and a cleane heart is his best harbour a spirituall entertainment being fittest for a spirituall king Lastly in this crie of Iohns obserue his faithfulnesse he prepareth a way for the Lord not for himselfe he might haue liued farre better in respect of the world then in this base office and in this base place for his priestly birth being the sonne of Zachary Luk. 1.13 would haue affoorded him a richer portion yea he was offered to be Christ Ioh. 3.28 but he would none of it contenting himselfe with that share the Lord had allotted him and attending on that dutie the Lord had enioined him And thus ought all the Ministers of the word to doe not to preach for reward nor to crie for ambition though the herbinger must not lie without doores but they must looke for a recompence from the highest for the world is vnthankfull And it is not enough to preach but they must preach to the consciences of men that the Lord Iesus may enter in and not to gratifie the affections of men with the eloquence of the flesh and in swelling words that themselues may enter in For if they crie to get a name or renowne or preach in contention they may crie long enough they haue all they shall haue hauing that they sought for to bee caried in the mouthes and to bee had in admitation of the people For the fift circumstance which is his extraordinarie austeritie his attire and girdle was such as Eliah did weare 2. King
that of Angels euen that which hee had in his humane soule yet were they created and finite and it is no vitious or blame-worthy ignorance not to know that as a man which commeth not within the compasse of his humanity as the certainty of the latter day is not reuealed as himselfe saith to the sonne of man Mark 13.32 Further in that the spirit doth now annoint him learne that whosoeuer shall challenge any calling from God must shew himselfe to be qualified in some sort more then he was in his priuate life for that which is true in Christ as the head is also in the inferiour members And as it is intolerable in a man to vsurpe any place in the Church without authority from men so is iâ— high presumption to take it vpon him except with the outward calling he can shew the inward seale of the holy Ghost for without this the approbation of men is but as a seale set vpon water and if he pretend the allowance of the holy Ghost let him shew some competent sufficiency to discharge it Secondly is to bee considered why he descended in the shape of a doue Where note first that wee vnderstand not the shape spoken of as if the done appeared but as in a shape for it had a reall and a bodily being and substance and the word shape is to bee referred to the holy Ghost which is in all places as God and so not visible in himselfe but truely represented in the doue all signes being as they must bee proportionable to the representing of that is to bee signified In Acts 2.2 the spirit appeareth like the rushing winde to shew the power and feruency of the Gospell secondly like a clouen tongue which should speake and be as it were diuided to all thirdly like a fiery tongue to purge vs and to wast mens filthinesse And heere like a doue to testifie Christs kingdome to be in all lowlinesse and harmlesnesse to be a preacher of peace of such a doue like simplicity Esa 42.2 Mat. 12.20 that as is spoken by the Prophet he should not lift vp his voice in the streets and of so compassionate a heart as not to breake the bruised reede Heere further consider the difference between the manifestation of the Law and of the Gospell in the deliuery of the Law blowes the sound of a trumper appeares fearefull lightning aâ—â— dreadfull thundring Exod. 19.16 so as the people could not abide to heare it and Moses himselfe being astonished and said I feare and quake Heb. 12.21 But when the Gospell is giuen there is nothing commeth foorth that is fearefull to testifie that Christ would not terrifie with thundring threates but by a mild and a still and a familiar voice would call men how long soeuer they haue continued in their sinnes and how many soeuer they be yea if they be distressed in their hearts and anguished in their soules as a milde doue he allureth them and promiseth to saue them Whereupon if any man doe bleed that he hath wounded the Lord by his offences and do grone with sighes vnspekeable and be confounded with his owne sin and ashamed of himselfe let him not feare to goe to Christ who is yet euen to this day a doue The least grone of a repentant heart the Lord will not refuse for it is his nature to be mercifull and his glory and ioy to saue and if there be but a litle worke begun in vs the Lord Iesus will quicken and cherish it which may comfort vs to powre foorth our soules before him for hee lieth in waite for our returne with the lost Sonne Luk. 15.20 and hath not deposed not laid aside his compassion Now if neither the voice of Moses 〈◊〉 terrifie Luk. 1.32 nor the voice of Christ allure vs if piping will not make vs dance nor weeping will make vs repent then this is our condemnation that this meeke doue is not embraced and that wee beleeue not the Gospell whereby we may haue accesse to Christ and so be saued Thirdly heere is to be considered how Iohn could call the doue the holy Ghost since the essence of this spirit is not discernable nor the power infused into Christ to be seene Againe he that is euery where and in no place circumscribed cannot be discerned how is it said then that Iohn saw him Wee most vnderstand they are both figuratiue and borrowed speeches hee saw not the Essence of the holy Ghost nor the power infused into Christ is not to be discerned for this was to be seene onely with the eye of the soule but the sight of the doue perswaded him the spirit was there after a speciall manner singualr and extraordinary Againe hee saw not the spirit descend but the doue which did really signifie that as verily and truly the spirit was light vpon him But is the holy Ghost that Doue as Ioh. 1.32 I beheld that spirit come downe from heauen like a Doue and it abode on him This is to be vnderstood not that the holy Ghost was inclosed in the Doue or personally vnited to the Doue but it is a sacramentall speech whereby that which is proper to the signe is giuen and attributed to the thing signified as we say the bread is the body of Christ but if substantially the holy Ghost be present in the Doue then so is the body of Christ in the Supper Not like for the holy Ghost is euery where because he is a spirit but the body of Christ is circumscribed and bounded in a place certaine and so they be not of the same nature Againe we do not say the Doue was a type of the substantiall presence of the holy Ghost for it was then euery where and it was not there present as in essence but it was a type to signifie that he was so there as in no place so much and it must be intended of a sacramentall and of no essentiall presence as if he were no where else but of the presence of his essence in a speciall maner Againe it is absurd to aske how there can be a true giuing of the thing vnlesse the thing be there as that Christ cannot be giuen by the bread vnlesse he be in or with or vnder the bread for it is not the locall presence or absence that makes the truth of giuing it but if the verity of the thing be there it is enough for God can giue man leaue to eate his flesh being in heauen The fathers did eate it otherwise they could not haue beene saued Iohn 6.31 and then Christ was not onely not present but not at all as touching his humanity so as Christ began not onely to be flesh when he was manifested but they did eate Manna and in that by faith they did eate Christ So in the water the conscience is washed and yet is there no bloud transfused with the water but it is as truly there as this Doue did testifie Christ to be filled with
5.25 then how many are there among vs worse then they that neuer heare it but thinke that which is in truth the onely food to preserue them the only poison to destroy them And if shee be dead that sauoureth so much of the flesh as to liue in pleasure 1. Tim. 5.6 then how many are there in the world as euill as shee that would neuer haue the Sunne to set vpon their delights but would haue their life without limitation that they might follow their sports And if he be dead that fals asleepe in his sins Eph. 5.14 then how many of this kinde are with vs that neuer tooke but one nap since their birth making the end of one sinne the beginning of another And if they be dead that walke according to the course of the world Eph. 2.1.2 then alas how few are liuing among vs many great starres falling from heauen to the earth daily that is many great professors being either ashamed or wearied of their precisenesse in religion falling away daiely renouncing that their faith wherwith they were once comforted embracing the world like Demas who shooke off Paul as if he had beene as pestilent as the viper that Paul himselfe shooke off Act. 28.5 And if he be dead that followeth not his calling faithfully Mat. 8.22 then how many such are there among vs that either through idlenesse neglect or through fraud and deceit peruert those means that God hath appointed for their increase And if he be dead which strengtheneth not himself in the things which remaine in him Reuel 3.1.2 then how doe we abound with such as want this zeale of supporting their faith suffering it daily to decrease and smothering and pressing it downe with the sent sauor of fleshly ease and preferment And if they be dead that haue not part in the first resurrection Reue. 20.5 then how many of this brood haue we that haue not yet receiued Christin true faith at all nor are awaked to any better life then they brought from their mothers wombe thinking too wel of themselues and for want of knowing themselues being not able to know Christ aright wanting this knowledge of him they are ignorant what benefit they may receiue by Christ and being ignorant of this it is impossible for them to partake of any benefits Christ bringeth they finding no better taste nor sweetnesse in them then there is sauour in the whit of an egge as Iob saith cap. 6.6 Therefore let wickednesse come form the wicked and let it be a bird onely of their hatching let them fill themselues with the bitter morsels of the flesh which turne to gall in their stomackes for God at length shall draw it out of their bellies Iob. 20.15 and shall cause his wrath to raine vpon them burierâ—â— that call vpon the name of the Lord depart from iniquity and being borne of the spirit let vs distast euery thing that is not spirituall for in this opposition of contraries of the flesh and of the spirit we must cleaue as close to the blood of Christ and the water of a holy life as the fleshly men doe to the diuell and to the course of their corruption This rule then which the Apostle heere giueth to be guided and conducted by the spirit condemneth and conuinceth all them that haue such froth in their words and some out of their monthes that men are too full of the spirit and too vehement in the spirit taking vpon them like Schoole-masters to reach the holy Ghost how to speake but since the spirit taketh it vp as a phrase fit for him let not vs be ashamed to vse it as a garment fit for vs for the world hath beene full of scoffing from the beginning and though it ingendred in the flesh of Abraham yet came it from the bastard brood of Hagar Ismael being the first Gen. 21.9 that mocked Isaac And what was Elisha the worse 2. Kin. 2.23 for being mocked of the children or the Prophets the worse for being mocked of the people or Christ the worse for being railed on in the open Synagogue and mocked at in the iudgement hall and vpon the Crosse Mat. 26.41 Or Paul the worse for being called by Tertullus that flattering oratour Act. 24.5 a pestilent fellow and a mouer of sedition Hath not this beene the lot of the righteous since the beginning and the true badge of a Christian since Christs ascension For Isaack had the blessing both vpon his soule and vpon his seed notwithstanding the curse of his brother the Prophets went on in their calling giuing as Esay speaketh their backe to the smiters and their face to the nippers they were not dismaied and Paul continued worshipping the God of his fathers after the way which was called Heresie Act. 24.14 notwithstanding the rage malice of the vnbeleeuing Iewes And therefore shrinke not thou in thy head a whit nor let not thy zeale be cooled for the quips and tants of peruerse persons for either thou must be a sheepe or a goate and better be laughed at of men for thy sheepish simplicitie then destroied by God for thy goat-like qualities since there are but two orders rankes of men in the world the one fleshly the other spiritual we know he that was borne after the flesh euer persecuted him that was borne after the spirit euen so is it now which can nothing hurt thee because the spirit doth defend thee nay it toucheth not thee at all for they scoffe at God which dwelleth in thee and he at length will laugh at their destruction Besides it is but the reuiling of Sathan which possesseth their flesh and who will esteeme of the diuels frumps since he doth it onely in enuy at thy saluation and in malice against the God of heauen Heere againe are conuinced all such who of their owne drowsinesse frame and pretend excuses for not doing as they say they should but this is but one of the deceits of sin to wind thee further into her snares for the spirit cannot be idle but is like the miller alwaies grinding anâ— mouing thee forward to some good duty for when the stronger entreth he driueth him out that was there before therefore examine thy selfe whether thou be as earnest in praier as at thy pleasure whether as diligent in counting thy sinnes as casting thy accounts at home as desirous to heare the word as a stage-play as earnest in repenting as in coÌ„mitting of offences as hungring after the foode of thy soule as after the nourishment of thy body for if thou be not thou art so far from fauouring spiritual things as the spirit hath set no footing in thee at all for we read of Dauid in the whole volume of his Psalmes how greatly he delighted in the law of God how he longed after it as the Hart after the riuer brookes how he valued it better then thousands of gold or siluer how in his estimation one day was better in the
he thrust his sickle into the haruest Howbeit this order of proceeding against knowne and infamous sinners as to thrust snarling dogs out of the Church to cast the acornes among swine is not to be done by euery priuate man but by the church and congregation and if they admit any such the fault lieth in them not in those that ioyne with them for the children may take their appointed foode though some snarling and snatching curres and bastards stand by And where it is said in another place by this Apostle Eate not with him it is not meant of the Communion at the Lords table but that wee must haue no familiaritie with him not take delight in his companie Further out of the reason giuen why they were not in the flesh namely because the spirit of God was in them we gather that a man may be sure of his saluation and this is the whole drift of S. Paul in this Chapter to secure the elect of the euerlasting loue of God in his Sonne sensiblie felt in themselues for hee beginneth with this generall ground of their comfort That there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ then must they needs be saued But now all the question is who they be that are ingrafted into Christ for proofe hereof he descendeth to examine the particular course of their life which is visibly seene to all but particularly and best knowne to ones selfe this is if they walke in the spirit by a religious kinde of conuersation and their way in this is discerned by their life in the spirit that is by their ioy and comfort in godlinesse and this spirituall life is seene by not gratifying the flesh in the lustes and desires thereof and this crossing and correcting of the flesh in the pride of her lusts is seene by crucifying and killing of it with the affections thereof that is not onely beating and pressing it downe but stifling and braining of it altogether and this violence to the flesh is performed by them that haue suffered with Christ in the flesh that is that haue not listened or giuen eare to the pleasures of sinne but haue Heb. 12.1 cast away that presseth downe and the corruption that hangeth so fast on and this is done by them 1. Pet. 4.1 that cease from sinne that is that slip into it vnawares as a bird into a snare and such bee they as bestow the rest of their time after the will of God and his will being our worke we cannot but please him pleasing him it is his pleasure Lu. 12 32. to giue vs a kingdome Besides we may know whether we haue the spirit of God in vs or no as appeareth 1. Cor. 2.11.12 No man knoweth the things of man saue the spirit of a man euen so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God which we haue receaued that we might know the things are giuen to vs of God which proueth that as we know our owne thoughts or words so the spirit of God in vs maketh knowen the wil of God to vs as far as is needful to be reuealed if we then know the will of God we may assure our selues we know his spirit to be in vs for his wil is not known without his spirit this spirit teaching truth but the spirit of the world broching error And 1. Io. 4.13 hereby know we that we dwel in Christ and he in vs because he hath giuen vs of his spirit which prooueth that though we know not what maner of thing the spirit is because it is inuisible and secret yet we may know we haue it by the fruits of a sanctified life after this maner speaketh Paul 2. Corint 13.5 Know yee not that Christ is in you except you be reprobates And yet the Papists would haue all reprobates counting it presumption to say we haue the spirit It is true if any presume he hath it when his life is not answerable to it he is deceaued and abused by presumption but if wee walke and trade in the spirit by a holy conuersation we may be sure we haue it for that is the argument of the Apostle that our sanctification is an vndoubted testimonie and an assured certaintie that Christ dwelleth in vs for there being but two spirits that rule in the hearts of all men the one the spirit of the world the other the spirit of God why should not our course be as prophane as others and our carriage runne after the flesh aswell as theirs if the mightier and stronger that is the spirit of Christ did not possesse our soules Yet say they No man can secure himselfe he shall be saued But as we may be sure of the spirit so may we likewise be of the riches that it bringeth which is saluation for it cannot hide so great a treasure from vs it being as an earnest pennie giuen vs that perfecteth the purchase of our inheritance in heauen for as we may trace a Hare in the snow by her footeing and come to the forme where shee sits euen so by those holy steppes that wee tread and by those spirituall bounds wherein we keepe our thoughts and our affections we may well and certainely perceaue that the spirit leades vs to the seate of God Besides this spirit of God within vs keepeth not his fruit and comfort secret to himselfe but discouereth it to vs and beareth witnesse to our spirits that we are the chosen of God and the spirit of man knowes what is in man whether his heart be filled with hypocrisie or with sinceritie with humilitie or with pride with true zeale or with counterfait that howsoeuer wee may bleare the sight of men by our dissembling yet we carrie our owne eies downe to our heart that see by what false waights we measure our fruits to God that is our religion and our righteousnesse to men that is our conuersation so as we haue a double euidence of our saluation the one backing and strengthening the other which is set foorth 1. Ioh. 5.8 There be three which beare record in earth the spirit and the water and the bloud and these three agree in one and where water is there hath bloud gone before for these two goe together as they came foorth of Christs side together Ioh. 19.34 repentance being the leader and remission of sinnes following after bloud washing away our guiltinesse and water the vncleannesse of our liues and the spirit of Christ sealing vp these things in our hearts that as by the sealing of the conueiance the purchase in law is made perfect so by the setling of our consciences in an vpright course toward God our saluation in Christ is made perfect and sure euen to vs. Yet say they wee cannot assure our selues wee shall thus continue for we haue examples of many that haue begun in the spirit and haue ended in the flesh that haue seemed fruitfull for a while and haue beene barren euer after that
man deceiue you he beginneth with a preoccupation to possesse their minds before hand He that doth righteousnesse saith he is righteous not he that can discourse and talke of righteousnesse and therefore one saith truely Tace lingua loquerevita talke not of a good life but let thy life speake This the Apostle there proueth by the contrary for he that committeth sin is of the diuell that is he that committeth fâ—â—â—â— the world doth and doth not purge himselfe for the Apostle opposeth sinning to purging and he that is of the diuell cannot please God For therefore was Christ sent to destroy the workes of the diuell so as if these workes be not destroyed in thee and his building pulled downe Christ was neuer sent vnto thee Againe he proueth it by the contrary He that is borne of God doth not sinne for he hath the seed of the spirit therefore it is as if he should say when such wicked men shall bee saued the diuell shall be saued This is further proued by the words which Christ himselfe spake in the flesh Ioh. 8.34 He that so sinneth as to make a trade of it he is the seruant of the diuell vers 44. and if no chastisements nor benefites can reclaime you ye are the diuels for the lusts of your father ye will doe Lastly adde to this that of the new couenant made with Israel and so with vs Ier. 31.31 I will write my law in their hearts vers 33. And I will be their God and they shall bee my people So as if God pardoneth any hee doth promise him grace to amend his life and if that grace be denied him he neuer couenanted to saue him The couenant then implieth thus much If thou hast not grace to abstaine from grosse sinnes thou shalt be damned and if thou hast the grace of sanctification giuen thee thou shalt be saued But if ye mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit c. This is the second proposition which the Apostle layeth downe namely that a good course of life leadeth to a good end Wherein first is questionable whether it standeth in the power of the heart of man to subdue the corrupt desires and affections of his nature as well as it doth to fulfill the lusts of the flesh for 2. Tim. 2.20.21 Paul shewing how that in a great house there be vessels some for honour and some for dishonour some for base and some for higher seruices which house he meaneth to be the Church of God saith that if any man purge himselfe hee shall be a fit vessell for Gods house and 1. Ioh. 5.18 He that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe from that wicked one which is the diuell that he touch him not Which places may seeme to attribute the purifying and cleansing of our selues to our selues by our owne inclinations and wils but it must be vnderstood that the Scripture in these and such like places setteth not downe the cause of this cleansing but the execution of it For the cause of this our mortification appeareth Ezech. 36.26 I saith the Lord will giue you a new heart and a new spirit so as there it must be had euen of God but it must be in vs otherwise we pertaine not to the Lords election Hereupon the Scripture vouchsafeth vs that honour to say we do it because notwithstanding the reforming of our iudgements and the changing of our affections is wrought by the supernaturall power of the holy Ghost working in vs yet this holy Ghost doth worke in vs as the subiects and by vs as the instruments as when it is said I will write my law in your hearts the spirit writes but the heart is the place and whatsoeuer is written in our hearts is ours To make this more plaine by a naturall proportion As a man that rectifieth and guideth the hand of a child to write the writing is said to be the worke of the child and not of him that directed him though without such direction the child could not haue done it euen so the Lord doth guide vs in all things we doe well and what doth hee guide but our wils so as the worke proceeding from our wils is ours yet without the guide of the spirit we could not doe it And in this working there is not a double effect one of the holy Ghost and another of our selues but we doe it euen as before there were not two writers though the child was directed but the child onely writ it Secondly where it is said If ye mortifie c. ye shall liue it may be demanded whether by the same reason we deserue saluation by this mortifying of our fleshâ— as by walking in the flesh we deserue damnation It is certaine vnlesse we doe well we can not be saued yet the holy Ghost sheweth that there is not the same perfection to doe well in our natures as there is in vs agilitie and dexterity to follow wickednesse For by our fall we are throughly corrupted as the Prophet Esay speaketh chap. 1.6 From the sole of the foot to the top of the head there is nothing but wounds and swelling but by our regeneration in this life we can neuer perfectly bee renued It sufficeth we haue obtained the blessing of Iacob Gen. 32.28.29 to haue such power from God as to be lame in sinne all our life long So Paul Rom. 6.23 saith The wages of sinne is death but the gift of God is eternall life through Christ whereby appeareth that the contraries themselues are not perfect for sinne of it selfe deserueth death but being good of it selfe deserueth not life for it is the gift of God and so the consequents of these two cannot be perfect and agree together Againe it is one question to aske who shall be saued and another to aske how we shall be saued for true it is that none shall be saued but they that mortifie themselues if they liue and for children they are changed in a moment by a supernaturall power of the Lord. As it is said Esa 33.14 Who shall dwell with the deuouring fire He that walketh in iustice and speaketh righteous things refusing the gaine of oppression shaking his hands from taking of gifts stopping his eares from hearing of blood and shutting his eies from seeing of euill And Dauid Psal 15.1 asketh the question and bringeth in the Lord to answer it Who shall dwell in thy tabernacles He that walketh vprightly he that taketh no reward against the innocent and such like as it followeth there as if the Lord should say Such and none else for the words haue an exclusiue nature So if it be asked who they be that shall be set at the right hand of God in heauen Mat. 25.34.41 it must be answered They that visite the members of Christ in affliction and leade their liues answerable to their religious profession And if Who they be that shall be set on the left hand the answere is They that refuse to releeue the
by the Masse that most execrable idoll and say it is sworne out of the country Can a man thinke himselfe rich that is indebted to all the world and hath nothing wherewithall to pay them And can such men that bee very beasts and without sense before God esteeme themselues vertuous and religious because they are onely highly praised of men They see not their owne estate because they haue not examined themselues according to the former rule When a man hath swept his chamber he thinkes all is cleane but when the Sunne commeth it sheweth many a mote hee could not before spie out so if the spirit would once shine into these mens consciences they should see not onely motes but most deformed and enormous sinnes in their hearts And how friuolous is it to stand vpon mans witnesse without religion which pierceth and looketh into the soule For otherwise he that thinketh himselfe in best health carieth his deaths wound in his bosome The basest gold is better then the purest led and the greatest imperfections of Gods children better then the highest vertues of the wicked and neuer shall they bee exalted that haue not before beene humbled The law is a hammer not onely to bruise the conscience but to breake it into powder which if it be not done wee shall neuer haue the spirit of adoption to seize vpon vs. The law commands but giueth no power to obey and is as if we should say to a beggar Buy such a mannor when he hath neuer a penny to helpe himselfe nor yet we giue him any money to do it euen so purchase heauen with thy works saith the law and yet knowes we are spoiled of all abilitie and doth not enable vs to doe such workes all one as if we should say to one hold vp the heauens with thy finger and yet giue him no strength to do it or as if we should say to the blind see it is comfortable and to the deafe heare it is profitable and yet giue them no meanes whereby they should doe these So the law is but a dead letter and hath but a dolefull and dreadfull sound vntill the spirit come and arme vs with power and abilitie to performe what the law requireth Lastly where it is said Luk. 15.21 Ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage againe obserue that all that are conuerted and with the lost sonne are come home againe haue beene once brought to a terrour and fright of conscience which hath beene after a diuers measure for the Lord keepes some longer in the schoole of the law then he doth others according as hee findeth their hearts and dispositions inclinable to stoope and to be humbled or else for example sake as seemeth best to the Lord. But yet euery one of Gods chidren must come to this that is Act. 2.37 being moued and pricked in conscience to say and crie out What shal I doe to be saued I see my debt where shall I get surety I perceiue my nakednesse where shall I be couered I am fallen how shall I be recouered And being touched in their hearts if they fall not into that exclamation then as it is said of Ely his sonnes 1. Sam. 2.25 they obeyed not because the Lord would slay them so for these men to be baked in their sinnes and to see their destruction and not to shunne it and by this meanes to despaire finally is the iust iudgement of God that he may be auenged of their great hypocrisie for mercy offered and refused or set light by doubleth the punishment Euen as in this nation by the blessed preaching of the Gospell Sathan is cast out in the generall profession of the Land if now he labour to creepe in againe by hypocrisie and make vs thinke religion to rest in shewes and consist in ceremonies growing more leane and ilfauoured after we haue deuoured so many yeeres of store and plentie in preaching the word we doe erre in our hearts and do arme our enemie against vs who at his reentrance will bring seuen spirits worse then he did before Luk. 11.25 and will so fortifie his habitation with hypocrisie and other great and monstrous sinnes as there shall be more profannesse in this nation then euer there was before But ye haue receiued the spirit of adoption In this the Apostle proueth that we are the Sonnes of God because we are so adopted in the euerlasting grace of his blessed Sonne And to proue we haue this spirit he doth it by the contrary thus we are deliuered from the spirit of feare and redeemed into such a Christian liberty as we now loue God not for feare but feare him for his loue In this there are two parts to be considered first what this spirit of adoption is secondly the inseparable effect that followeth it namely an assured confidence to come boldly before the Lord euen as children before their parents to craue pardon for our sinnes For the first this spirit is the holy Ghost assuring vs by the word of grace that is the Gospell that the Lord hath auowed vs for his children in that one and best beloued Sonne of his Christ Iesus so that no extremities of this life nor sorrowes of death nor sinne it selfe shall be able to ouer whelme vs. Therefore it is said in the Scriptures that the holy Ghost setteth a seale vpon the heart of his elect Ephes 1.13 and writeth a deed in their consciences which is but a draught of that originall deed which is in heauen in the booke of the Lords gouernment And this is sealed vnto vs by the finger of the spirit to free it from the forgery of Sathan and by this euidence we make our title to the kingdome of heauen â— Cor. 5.5 Also it is called an earnest penie because as in contracts by giuing a penie in earnest the partie is obliged and bound to pay the rest so this being as it were the first fruites of the spirit the Lord doth assure vs that as verily as we haue receiued thus much in hand in this vale of misery so this shall bee a pawne and pledge vnto vs that he will giue vs the rest in the fuâ—â—eâ—â—◠〈◊〉 is glory vnder which assurance we rest and lie down in hope with ioy vnspeakeable And as the first fruits in the law made the whole crop holy so this sparke of the Lords grace being kindled and set on fire in vs doth embolden vs to an expectation of the full enioying of our whole Lord Christ Iesus This testimony oft times is very weake especially when Sathan doth sift and winnow vs as he did Peter Luk. 17.5 so as we had need to pray with the disciples Lord encrease our faith Yet as a prisoner in a darke dungeon seeing but the Sunne at a little grate doth know and beleeue that the Sunne shineth vpon the whole earth so though we be shackled and imprisoned in this flesh as in a dungeon that we are not able to
and a holy life which in those places he bringeth in he proueth himselfe to be adopted So as to assure vs we are Gods children we are to get as many testimonies of the spirit of regeneration as wee can whereby to comfort and secure our soules that we shal be heard because we are beloued Abba Some thinke this was vnderstood that God would be serued onely of the Iewes who spake this language but the Apostle by geminating and doubling the word both in Hebrew and in Greeke wherein he spake doth teach vs that as God was once onely serued in the Hebrew nation of thâ—â—â—â—â—â—s who had this speciall priuiledge aboue other peopâ—â— so the time should come and now is that all the world should bee as Canaan to serue him in their seuerall and special language and that all tongues should bee pleasing and acceptable to God Rom. chap. 8. vers 16. verse 16 The same spirit beareth witnesse to our spirit that we are the children of God WHereby is meant that we are so fure of our saluation that except the holy Ghost can lie we cannot be damned Where obserue first that a man may be certaine of his saluation for this witnesse and testimony giuen by the spirit to out spirits is that which euery elect child of God doth and must feele euen in this life Secondly they are heere confuted that perswade themselues by a vaine and false hope that they shall be saued as well as others For the first carie abou◠〈◊〉 the speech of Saint Paul 2. Cor. 13.5 Know yee not your oâ—â—e selues how Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates And 1. Cor. 2.12 We haue receiued the spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are giuen to vs of God not hope for them but know them and 1. Iohn 4.13 Heereby know we that we dwell in him because he hath giuen vs of his spirit and chap. 5.19 We know we are of God and the whole world lieth in wickednesse Now he that hath the true knowledge that hee hath this spirit hee may know he is the sonne of God and so in Christ and so out of condemnation as the Apostle saith in the first verse of this chapter There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ So as then he that is the sonne of God is sure of life that is saluation but all the doubâ— is how we may be sure we haue this spirit which will and may easily be discerned by walking in the spirit and by sauouring the things of the spirit For if we sit in the seat of the scorner and walke in the waies of the wicked suffering our thoughts to range after that the flesh desireth and not relishing the foolishnesse of the Gospell to bring our affections in captiuity to the obedience of Christ we may well dreame of the spirit but the spirit as yet hath not lodged within vs for where the spirit is there it worketh and workes of a contrary nature then those which the wisdome of the world produceth Where those men are confuted that stand vpon their owne spirits to assure them that they are Gods children their spirits being no sufficient witnesse the heart of man being alwaies euill and oft-times deceitfull as was the heart of the Pharisie Luk. 18.11.12 who might haue a good worke in hand but tooke no fit time to performe it nor propounded no good end to fulfill it praying in the market-place and giuing his almes to be seene of men But it is the testimony of the spirit of God which must secure vs and by which we stand and this must thou shew me by the visible fruits of the spirit in the reformation of thy life for thine owne conscience will no more serue thee then it did the Iewes who thought they did God good seruice when they crucified Christ Ioh. 19.7 nor no more then it did Paul who being a Pharisee and before he was stricken to the ground in his iourney to Damascus Phil. 3.6 Act. 9.21 made hauocke of the Church of God and tooke a pride in persecuting of the Gospell of Christ whereby weâ—â—â—â—y see 1. Ioh. 3.19 that euery mans heart is enough to condemne him but not to iustifie him But yet must we needes haue the testimony and witnesse of our consciences to fasten vs and ground vs in this perswasion that we are Gods children for as it is said 1. Ioh. 3.20.21.29 If our owne hearts condemne vs what boldnesse can we haue with God And Paul speaking of his ministerie saith 1. Cor. 4.4 I am guilty of my selfe in nothing yet am I not thereby iustified So as the best conscience of it selfe is not able to warrant vs of Gods fauour to eternall life but it is soone able to assure vs of his displeasure to damnation For if the conscience be wounded the heart cannot be cheared and a grieued spirit who can beare Now as our conscience must generally signifie vnto vs our election so particularly it must auow euery action that we performe The conscience by excusing cannot iustifie because there may be error of iudgement and therefore must haue a seale and warrant to it that is it must bee ratified and confirmed by the word and though it cannot excuse yet can it and doth it easily and often accuse for whatsoeuer is done against the conscience is sinne be it neuer so lawfull of it selfe or neuer so much commanded yea though it be the sacrifice of prayer wherein we are most familiar with God yet if it receiue not an edge and sharpnesse from thy owne spirit but that thy conscience doth checke thee and pull in as it were thy words againe it maketh that thy prayer can neuer ascend to God nay it so smothers it in thy heart as it not onely returneth empty but bringeth a plague with it which otherwise had beene of force to haue driuen away any present vengeance wherein the conscience doth amisse and doth rather wound vs than cure vs. So as obserue that to the performance and accomplishment of euery good action there must these two concurre the spirit of God and the conscience of the party But yet let vs bee well aduised where the conscience doth accuse vs of such things as may iustly be reprooued as of adultery bribery vsury and such like for if wee doe directly resist this forewarning of our soules or do whet our selues on when our consciences do call vs backe then haue we this our conscience to testifie 〈◊〉 vs which doth counteruaile a thousand witnesses hauing alwaies these two properties first not to conceale any truth secondly not to open any more than truth for what the conscience speaketh our selues shall subscribe to And therfore if wee shall feare this checke of conscience and yet not feare to performe the sinne it will come to passe that either wee shall preuaile for a time to bring our consciences to a dead sleepe and Lethargie 1. Tim. 4.2
them and prompt him with excellent and effectuall words of prayer Yea this must be the comfort of vs all that though wee fight to the bloud for the Lords cause not one droppe of it shall perish but as the Lord doeth keepe our teares so much more will hee keepe our bloud in a bottell Psal 116. â— that wee may bee made precious white in the bloud of the Lambe Now for the second point which is the meanes how the spirit helpeth our infirmities that is by stirring vp prayers and grones Obserue first that no man can pray of himselfe vnlesse he be taught of God secondly that the holy Ghost doth minister vnto vs that power in prayer which no man is able to bring and performe of himselfe howbeit we may not construe the words as if the holy Ghost himselfe did pray but onely that he suggesteth vnto vs fit words and matter and prompteth vs to pray For the first vnderstand that it is not postible for any man of himselfe to pray vnlesse he be helped and renewed in his spirit for prayer must be made in the mediation of Christ which flesh and bloud neuer thinketh of nay which flesh and bloud doeth but mocke at And this disabilitie in prayer and vnaptnesse to performe it is euen true of them that be enlightned and called to the faith vnlesse also they be impulsed and driuen on by the spirit Howbeit by this so excellent an instrument as the spirit the Lord doth poure into our hearts such a constant and stedfast assurance of his loue as we come and humble our selues before him boldly and beate our breast and pray from the booke of our conscience confidentlie vnfolding the whole heapes of our miscries before the Lord yea we come vnto him hauing euen a sight and contemplation of his maiestie and we stand not vpon words but a broken and contrite spirit maketh vs speake plainely the interpreter of our meaning being the holy Ghost so as wee in this exercise conferre with God and speake as it were with the mouth of Christ who maketh our supplications as sweet as incense in our and his Fathers nostrels So as it is no such slight matter nor so easie a worke to pray aright for of thy selfe thou art speechlesse and canst not vtter one word vnlesse the spirit vntie the strings of thy tongue and though happely thou speake yet is thy vnderstanding senslesse that thou knowest not what to aske vnlesse the spirit teach thee nay were thou neuer so well taught if the spirit make thee not acquainted with Christ Reuel 8.3 that he may present thy praiers to God all else is in vaine and fruitlesse Further in that the holy Ghost is said to make request for vs wee are admonished vnlesse it bee for weake Christians and babes in Christ that are not growne in the word of grace vnto whom a booke of prayer is allowed as a Catechisme that they that bee old schollers in the schoole of Christ ought to striue and indeuor to grow from praier to praier aswell as from faith to faith that as their iudgements are increased in knowledge so their hearts may increase in feruencie and affection toward God and that they may bring foorth their hidden treasure of the Lords spirit in enabling them to conceaue a praier and to pray as their present necessities shall require For this is that the Lord looketh for that as he said by the Prophet Zacharie 12.10 that he would in the last times powre out the spirit of deprecation and of prayer vpon the sons of men so men should endeuour to bee familiar in this dutie without booke and not content themselues to praie either a stinted prayer or a stinted time but as it is said Hebr. 6.1 wee must leaue the beginnings and be led forward and striue to perfection For if notwithstanding such plentie of foode these many yeeres there be still such leannesse in thy soule that thou art not able to feed thy selfe nor to expresse and vtter thy necessities in a corner before the Lord how canst thou looke for any blessing that hast beene so sluggish and hast so carelesly entertained the spirit of God in this acceptable time If any sudden calamitie hang ouer thy head or any secret sinne presse thy conscience how canst thou thinke to be releeued nay thou canst not but iudge thy selfe vnworthie to be helped if thou art vnable without a booke before thee to vtter thy griefe and to pray for helpe Thou must know thy temptations are particular and thy sinnes are particular and a generall confession is not a proper salue for any particular sore but as in this and this sinne thou hast offended God so particularly for this this sin thou must call for mercy And what if that speciall grace thou prayest for be not in thy booke then thou goest away emptie for thou art not likely to obtaine that thou dost not aske for For howsoeuer the Lord doth ofttimes preuent vs with his mercies and giueth before wee aske yet when he shall perceiue such negligence in vs that we desire but as it were a common and generall head-peece to shield vs from all assaults and doe not arme our selues in euery part especially knowing our old enemie the diuell lieth at all aduantage this maketh the Lord weary and vnwilling to helpe vs who otherwise easily inclineth his eare to the praiers of the faithfull When it is said With gronings that are vnspeakeable we are by this to comfort a distressed conscience that if afflictions doe come so fast vpon vs as the waues one in the necke of another and our spirits be so ouer whelmed and cast downe that we are not able to conceiue a praier for the anguish of our soules in this case if our hearts doe but bleed and grone though no word be vttered yet is it a praier precious and acceptable in the Lords sight We read of Ezechiah Esa 38.14 that he was not able to speake one word but did chatter like a Crane and mourne like a Doue in his sicknesse hee was so opprest with sorrow in the bitternesse of his soule yet was this a praier and a praier heard of God and himselfe deliuered and fifteene yeeres added to his life So oftentimes our praiers are so peppered with salt and fire that is our soule is so anguished and our spirits so appalled that either we speake abruptly or only knocke our selues on the breast Luk. 18.13 as did the Publican yet this soundeth in the Lords eares and commeth pleasantly before him for words in praier are but to make vs vnderstand what we aske the Lord vnderstandeth our meaning without words yea knoweth our wants better then our selues And as the mother pitieth her child when it is fallen sicke and is able to tell where the paine lieth and to aske such things as it wanteth but when the disease is growne so fore that for extremitie it cannot vtter the paine by speech but lieth
if any fall with Dauid he may and shall rise againe with Dauid if hee pertaine to God but then hee must earnestly and soundly repent as Dauid did and to come to a true and serious confession of thy sinne indeed it shall be the hardest worke and cost thee dearer then euer any thing did Againe who would be so foolish to make of a particular and rare example a generall ground as to fall with Dauid for company to rise with him for company and because thou feest one sore wounded with a dagger to be cured to desire to be stricken with the same dagger to be healed with that man for company Nay if any hath falne from that grace he hath once receiued let him pray that he may rise againe but let him know that being falne if he had all the hearts in the world and could shed fountaines of teares he should finde them all too little and insufficient to lament soundly so as the Lord would come againe to comfort him Lastly heere may bee doubted since the spirit must not be quenched and that as hath bene taught before it must be maintained or else it will decay whether it be in vs to nourish this spirit as well as to quench it To this wee answer with Paul Philipp 2.12.13 Make an end of your saluation with feare and trembling for it is God that worketh in you both the will and the deed euen of his good pleasure so as we must feare but we must also worke And this spirit cannot be idle in vs so as wee must not stand gaping looking that the Lord should fill vs with his graces but wee must worke because the Lord worketh vpon vs. So then the Lord doth all meerely of his grace But heere is humilitie and diligence commended to vs and therefore doeth the Lord by his Ministers exhort vs to good workes to make vs more circumspect and chearefull in doing them for the holy Ghost worketh not absolutely and simply in vs but vouchsafeth meanes it selfe being the chiefe efficient to prepare the mind to receiue that grace to which wee are exhorted euen as wee all liue by Gods prouidence yet not without bread And as the safetie of a childs riding standeth in the fast holding of the father yet the words of the father to bid him hold fast maketh the childe more warie euen so exhortation maketh vs more warie in auoiding sinne for we are not dead stones but liuing instruments and therefore as we performe liuely actions of the bodie so must we haue spirituall operations of the minde the fruite and benefit whereof is discerned by the power and strength of the holy Ghost who worketh both in vs and by vs. Now for the second point which is the meanes how the commandement of not quenching the spirit may be best obeyed It is by making much of the Word and the Preachers thereof for by prophesie is meant such as haue the word of exhortation in their mouthes and of whom it is said Esa 59.21 The spirit that I put into their mouthes shall neuer depart from thee nor thy seede Whereby wee learne that as the spirit is giuen by the word preached so is it also maintained by the word preached and as there is no light without the Sunne no fructifying of the earth without the windowes of heauen be open nor no lampe burning without oile so is there no faith begun and continued without we be established in the word of grace Now if we finde sometimes no heart in the word but that it is irksome to the eare and vnpleasant to the sound let vs not therefore refuse the meanes and exclude our selues from hearing for oftentimes a stomacke is gotten by eating and though the spirit be quenched in vs in this grace yet let vs come where this grace is offered and though we heare not sometimes with such a rellish as we would and ought to doe yet let vs pray that our hearing may doe vs some good and that by hearing our stomacke may come againe And if we heare often and forget it yet let vs do that in this kinde of sicknesse which we doe in the distemper of our naturall bodies eat the oftner if wee eat much and cannot retaine it to digest it so if we cannot remember what we heare let vs heare the oftner because our memories are so weake so as if there be any preaching not neglecting our callings let vs partake of that foode and the Lord may in mercie so much blesse our diligence as we may by one Sermon learne so much as may comfort vs in the houre of death Lastly as in generall diseases of the bodie as in an ague all parts are weake but principally the stomacke yet it receiueth a medicine and the disease it selfe prouoketh vs to that so if Satan haue weakened thy stomacke so much as thou hast no list to heare the word let this dulnesse be so farre from discouraging thee as that it make thee lust and desire the more after it For as Paul said to the Centurion Act. 27.31 Except these abide in the ship yee cannot be safe when they of themselues would needs haue gone foorth and yet Paul had the absolute promise before that himselfe and his whole companie should be safe but this was conditionall if they obeyed the meanes that is if they abode in the ship Euen so they that despise the meanes of hearing refuse the mercie of reforming their liues and of mollifying their hearts whether they refuse of rashnesse as heare or heare not it is all one or of distrust as though I heare it will do me no good for assuredly except we heare as often as wee can we cannot maintaine this spirit and going out of this ship that is departing from the word preached it is not possible to be saued TITVS chap. 2. vers 11 12. verse 11 For that grace of God which bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared verse 12 And teacheth vs that wee should denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and that we should liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world THE Apostle in the 9. and 10. verses going before did exhort seruants that were professors to shew themselues obedient to their masters according to the flesh in all things without offence to God and chargeth them that though they be in a base low degree yet they should labour to adorne the doctrine of Christ Now in the 11. verse he addeth a forcible reason to his former exhortation because that grace that is the doctrine of the Gospell which c. hath appeared to all men that is to all conditions of men that it might instruct them to lay aside prophannesse concupiscence of the eies all things that sauour of the world and to liue iustly toward men and religiously toward God waiting for the glorie to be reuealed The words diuide themselues into two parts the first commendeth the excellencie of the teacher which doth instruct vs namely the
but prune our fethers the more easily to flie toward our abiding citie For if neither the weight of corruption though it sorely presse vs nor the violence of affliction though it soundly beat vs can separat vs from the loue of God Iob 5.23 nor the league with his creatures nay if this masse of sin and storme of sorrow we sustaine be the most sensible motiues to draw vs vnder Christs couering and liuing heere as sinning faints though sanctified and as crucified saints though beloued we haue yet but our ioies eclipsed 2. Cor. 13 1â— and that beauty of blessednesse set foorth vnto vs in a counterfet which shall clearely heereafter be discouered into what profound vanity are we falne if we wold still be hedged in and inthralled in this vale of misery and mortality and not desire to ascend on that ladder which Iacob knew to bee the gate of heauen Gen. 28.17 the skirts whereof but seene and felt of the Apostles did leaue them in such a slumber of delight as they onely vanted in the crosse of Christ Act. 4.24 which was their preseruatiue against the feare and infection of being folded vp with the wormes and their spur and preparatiue to set the houses of their harts in order before they descended to the dust Most comfortable perswasions instructions tending to this purpose shall be found dispersed and sprinkled in this treatise following into which who so shall walke for religious recreation if he cannot furnish himselfe with Iosephs store to serue Egypt and other countries Gen. 42.6 1. King 17.15 yet can be not faile of the widowes store that had to feed her selfe Eliah For from hence may be obserued that the foolishnes of the Gospell doth prescribe the best directions to a blessed end 1. Cor. 1.27 that the pouerty of a Christian doth forerun the riches which he hath in heauen that the loue of the world is an exemption from the life of God Mat. 5.3 Iames 4.4 Luk. 16.13 Iob 5.17 and that the Lords correction is but loue and on the contrary shall be discerned that the eloquence of the flesh is like the cry of the Lapwing that traineth vs furthest from that we seeke that the pompe of the earth is like a blazing starre that dreadeth the minde by presaging ruine that the temptations to pleasure are like canded wormewood that cozen the tast and kill the stomacke and that the schedule of our daies being summed vp is like a large debt set downe in golden letters These things to a moderate and mortified minde seasoned with the feare and seated in the fauour of God cannot but bee welcome though with the couetous and carnall man that hath his desires like the Mole scraping in the earth they shall fare as Christ did among the Cadarens Marke 5.17 who was intreated to depart from them when he was but comming neare them Howbeit in these desperate diseased times wherein wee are all so vniuersallie drunke with our owne conceits as we despise to be reformed by the word of grace some yoking religion with policy as if they were grapes of the same vintage some trampling downe religion with profanenesse as if she wore a weed that ouergrew the corne some disguising religion with hypocrisie as if she were a garment of diuers colors some poysoning religion with Popery as if the immortall seed of God could bee leauened with the traditions of men and few laying religion to the heart which simply embraced and sincerely followed would and ought to be the square and leuell of our liues it is good we get as many buttresses as we can to vphold the building and raise as many bulwarkes as we can to beat backe the shot that Satan shewing himselfe more sharpe witted and if it may be more spitefully minded then before in laying new kinds of allurements to surprize our faith and subuert our hope that we should not so much as grope after our life which is hid in Christ we may if it be possible with fresh and new supply of skill and cunning vnwind our selues out of his enuenimed snares and hold fast our profession which is a schole of chastisement for a time that in our peace at the last we may be partakers of the Lords holinesse Heb. 12.10 〈◊〉 â—â—ue therefore presumed though vnable of my selfe to carie the least sticke to the altar and vnworthy of all others since lowest of the forme to offer either diet or direction to any that hath touched but the hemme of Christ yet being taught a receipt which carefully applied will purifie the head from profane humors strengthen the heart against vaine terrors and cleanse the conscience from that accursed guile of spirit Psal 32.2.3 whereby wee haue learned to lessen sinne I haue presumed no longer to suppresse the quintessence of his skill from whence it came but shadowed with your allowance to send it foorth not so full and hearty a medicine I confesse as it might haue beene from the immediate hand of him that made it The man ye knew and this iron and irefull age that frowneth most on them that are freest from profanenesse could not but approue him to bee zealous of the truth of God painfull in his calling faithfull in his message powerfull in his speech carefull of the flocke of Christ peaceable and blamelesse in his life and comfortable and constant in his death So as if there appeare any skarre or blemish in the worke it came by passing thorow my fingers that carried my pen too slowly and attended the voice too slightly Howbeit putting on the armour of proofe and experience of your fauors toward whom chiefly I haue set my byas that ye will be pleased to be no seuere examiners but mild perusers of these papers and that affection may somewhat mediate with your iudgements to censure not as ye see but as I meane I haue aduentured the hazard to be reproued of others vpon assured confidence to bee accepted of you And though many may happely balke the alley and not lend their eye to behold the iarres betweene the flesh and the spirit vpon opinion that my selfe haue leaped beyond my last in striuing to bring this boat to land which the owner neuer meant should see the shore yet when I considered the word of God to be like the raine Heb. 6.7 Mark 11.13 and the hearts of men like the earth that if the tree answer not her fruite her leaues will not protect her from the fire that he shall come short in his account of faith Rom. 10.14 that maketh no conscience of hearing and that if the voice of the Preacher perish in the ayre or in the eare it shall quicken againe to question with vs for our negligence I was not ashamed to humble my selfe to others view that by the mercy seene on me who haue beene thus farre led into the secrets of God Exod. 19.13 they may be likewise
the liuing God though he had the warrant of the King of Ashur to doe it but in these and such like sinnes they hazard and aduenture their owne soules therefore let euery of vs keepe the ground that Balaam at first stood vpon Numb 24.13 not for a house full of gold to passe the commandent of the Lord yet I doe not say rebell but obey not Let Saul himselfe fall vpon the Priests if he will haue them slaine and let not vs assist him Let Iesabel her selfe sit in iudgement vpon Naboth but let not vs condemne him we are bound to do good to the saints of God much lesse to persecute them And it is said in the Gospell hee that clotheth a poore prisoner Mat. 35.36 clotheth the Lord Iesus Now what shall we say then of him that standeth vp like Tertullus against Paul Act. 24.5 to plead against him and to reproch him with the name of a pestilent and seditious fellow For if they shall bee condemned that haue not ministred to the necessity of the saints Luke 16.25 but haue been ashamed of their bands If Diues shall hang in hell for not refreshing Lazarus at his gate what shall become of them that take the bread from Lazarus and put Paul into bands or else enforce crimes against him to retaine him in bands Looke Iudg. 5.23 Cursed be Meroz because they helped not the Lord nor stood in defence of his truth A double curse then shall light vpon them that oppose themselues against the truth Obediah against the expresse edict of Iezabel 1. King 18.4 hideth the Prophets and Rahab Iosh 2.3 ventureth her life to preserue the spies Exod. 17.12 Psal 106 23. And what better spies can there bee then Preachers which stand in the gap betweene God and vs as did Moses which watch ouer the soules of the people and shew vs the way to heauen Ionathan being often incited by his father to kill Dauid 1. Sam. 20.2 protesteth Dauids innocencie though Saul perswaded him that Dauids glorie could not bee without Ionathans ruine and would not be drawne to doe it And if hee would not compasse such a mischiefe at the commandement of Saul which had a threefold force in it first as proceeding from his Father secondly from his Soueraigne thirdly being ioyned with the temptation of a kingdome much Iesse ought we to gratifie the State with the affliction of Gods Saints for we must rather Act. 4.19 obey God then man yet disobey not the Prince for his commandement standeth on these two feet either to doe the thing or to sustaine the punishment for not doing it Fourthly obserue that assoone as Christ is borne there is trouble and commotion ciuill and forren warres yet is not Christ the cause of it but the wickednesse and peruersenesse of Herods heart for righteousnesse must not yeeld to iniquity and Christ must be borne and being borne must raigne though the diuell rage and the world swell neuer so much Certaine it is no Gospell teacheth so much peace as this of Christs for it teacheth peace betweene God and man betweene man and man yea betweene man and his inward soule and maketh the wolues to become lambes and the Lyon to lodge with the Beare But Herod would haue the Gospell abolished and Christ murthered which cannot be Shall Dagon 1. Sam. 5.3 yeeld to the Arke or the Arke to Dagon Shall the ten Tubes go to Iuda or Iuda to them Ishbosheth to Dauid 2. Sam. 2.16 or Dauid to him Herod loues not Christ therefore hee murthers the children and Dauid especially being king must not yeeld to Saul house nor Iuda goe to the ten tribes nor Christ giue place 〈◊〉 Herod but if his Crowne cannot stand with the gouernment of Christ well may he harbour murther in his thought against him but iudgement shall fall on his owne head for God will wateâ— ouer his owne sonne and fight for his owne truth So as wheâ—â— religion hath beene granted by Parliament and suppressed by priuate commandement there may the subiects stand on the part defensiue to ward the blow being smitten but if it hath not beene established by publike authority then may they not take vp armes to set it vp Out of the murther it selfe gather that though there be many flaine yet Christ escapeth and that in the greatest persecution yet Christs religion shall neuer bee abolished For heere is great bloudshed yet Christ liueth great persecution yet the Gospell flourisheth When Iezabel thought she had had her hands full of bloud and that she had rooted out all the Lords Prophets you and when visibly there was no face at all to be seene so as Eliâ—â— thought himselfe onely to be left then the Lord 1. King 19.18 reserued seuen thousand to himselfe that had not bowed theâ—â— knees to Baal And when by scattering the sheepe and smitiâ—â— the shepheard the diuell thought himselfe flush and that 〈◊〉 Christ sleepe in the earth he had vtterly stung him to destruction then was his resurrection most glorious and then did the Churches of God increase daily For such is the nature of the Gospell that the more it is troden downe the higher it riseth the more it is maligned the broader it spreadeth and whâ—â—â— seemeth to be dead then is there most life in it For the third point which is the prophesie Ieremy chap. 13.15 to declare the greatnesse of Gods mercy in the deliuery of the Iewes sheweth them that they were like to the Beâ—â—â—mites or Israelites that is vtterly destroyed and caried away insomuch that if Rahel the mother of Beniamin could haue riâ—â—â— againe to seeke for her children shee might haue wept 〈◊〉 want of them but she should haue found none remaining Thâ—â— doth the holy Ghost bring in heere as a butchery foretold 〈◊〉 the end that none might either wonder or be offended at it for it might haue beene said Is this the consolation of Israel nay he is the discomfort and destruction of Israel his birth hauing kindled such a fire as neuer was the like before leauing so many sad hearts for their lost children And how may we hope he shall be our Sauiour when his beginning is with this bloud And the more to increase the cruelty of it the holy Ghost speaketh excessiuely bringing in Rachel dead many yeares before howling and wringing her hands at the rufull spectacle of this bloudy tragedy as if the calamitie of the liuing might seeme to touch and affect the dead That therefore this might not seeme strange the spirit of the Lord recorded it long before that when it came to passe they might digest it as a thing foreseene in the wisedome of God necessary to fall out MATH chap. 2. vers 19 20 21 22 23. verse 19 And when Herod was dead behold an Angell of the Lord appeareth in a dreame to Ioseph in Egypt verse 20 Saying Arise and take the babe and his mother and goe into the land of Israel for they are dead which sought
were the nailes that fastned Christ to the Crosse wee must weepe and cry as one mourneth for his onely sonne and first borne and there must be such a compunction of the spirit as to crie with the hearers of Peter Act. 2.37 What shall we doe and with Dauid Psal 6.6 to wash our bed with teares and so to mourne as if we heard the Lord summoning vs to iudgement for our sinnes are not lighter then Dauids that our sorrow should be lesse then his And when we haue attained to this to be pierced to the soule with sorrow not for any discomforts in this life but for that we haue offended God and haue exercised our selues in this not as in a pang that shall perplex vs for the time but that wee haue daily ripped and laied our hearts naked before the Lord then from hence springeth forth the third fruit amendment of our sinnes and repentance for them which standeth in two parts first in the forsaking of the old sinne secondly in inclining to the contrary vertue for the repentance of an vlurer is not restitution only but with Zaccheus Luke 19.8 to restore and to be mercifull to the poore as before he was vnmercifull for drunkards not onely to leaue the combat of their cups but to forsake that company and to obserue all kind of abstinence whereby he may be more fit for his calling and in iudgement to condemne it and in affection to abhor it both in himselfe and others so as briefly to repent is not to be as thou hast bene but to be in Christian duties that thou hast not beene For the second point which is the reason of the exhortation by the word Kingdome of heauen vnderstand the manifestation of the Messias which as a â—â—ately monarch shall rule in the hearts of men such as shall bee gathered by the Gospell with a wonderfull spirituall maiesty by his word and graces first leading them by the Gospell to haue their conuersation in heauen while they liue heere whereupon gather there is a double kingdome first of administratory prouidence which is that wherby the Lord ruleth ouer all euen the diuels secondly of royall preheminence in his church which is threefold first in their beginning by imperfect sanctification when men translated drawen from the power of sin are brought to the obedience of the Lord Iesus the second confirmed by perfect sanctification in the soules of the saints already departed the third fully to be accomplished when wee shall bee crowned of the Lord both in soule and body with perfect and perpetuall glory when God shall raigne in his Sonne his Sonne in his Church and his Church triumph in them both for euer Now this spirituall maiesty of Christ setling and inthronizing himselfe in the hearts of men is far more magnificent then any earthly throne prescribing vs lawes within which we are to bound our selues for in a kingdome there are foure things requisite first a King to gouerne secondly subiects to obey thirdly lawes to keepe in awe fourthly authority to execute them Now in this kingdome of light Christ is the King the faithfull be the subiects the word of God the lawes the power of the spirit the authority to execute them so that if by our subiection to the word the little flocke of Christ be increased the workes of the diuell bee destroied the enemies of God be subuerted and sinne bee subdued in the strength thereof then 〈◊〉 being gathered into this first kingdome which consisteth in the regeneration of the spirit may assuredly waite for the expectation of the other kingdome which standeth in the perfection 〈◊〉 all glory And we may the better vnderstand this by weighing the diuersity of Kingdomes which the diuell hath these being double first on earth secondly in hell On earth the reprobate being his subiects their corrupt affections their lawes 〈◊〉 their being giuen ouer of God to follow those wicked waies being the power to execute them So as in all those places bâ—â— they neuer so well polished to the eye which haue not sufficiâ—â—â— power of the Gospell to saue them â—or which haue it notatâ—â—â— or which haue it in a counterfet manner and measure or whâ—â—â— hauing it sincerely Mat. 7.6 doe flie like dogs to rend them in peeces thâ—â— bring it in these is the kingdome of darknesse set vp and sauing for the elects sake which shall bee taken out of them by the manifestation of Gods grace it were but a cage of filthy birds and the Synagogue of Satan For the second which is in hell it is that wherein vnmercifull Diues now lieth Luk. 16.24 and cannot haue so much refreshing as to coole his tongue and wherein after this life the wicked and impenitent shall bee tormented with endlesse paine The consideration whereof may driue vs to the meditation of the Lords bounty that hath prepared another place for vs if we follow the counsell of Iohn Baptist to amend our liues and to reforme our waies euen such a place wherein we shall behold and enioy the beauty of his glorie for euer Further obserue though Iohn Baptist willeth them to repent and amend yet it proueth no ability or naturall inclination in a man to doe this no more then when Christ saith Mat. 11.28.29 Come vnto me and take vp my yoake it argueth no power of our selues to come for so much himselfe setteth downe in another place where hee saith No man can come vnlesse my Father drawe him But the end of this is Iohn 6.44 not that the commandement is giuen to meet with our power to performe it but as Rom. 3.20 that thereby might come the knowledge of sinne for when wee see our weakenesse that we cannot doe it and our wretchednesse that we haue done the contrary as that where we should haue repented of our sins we haue rather increased them it leads vs to seeke grace in Christ pardon for the sinne and power of his spirit to forsake it So as in the commandement know thou oughtest to doe it in the correction of the Lord know thou hast not done it in not doing it know thy condemnation in praier and faith thou knowest where to haue it in thy conuersion thou knowest where thou hast receiued it and in thy perseuerance know by whom thou doest retaine it And albeit all commandements are of three sorts first such as command our first conuersion secondly that command our obedience to the Lord after our conuersion thirdly that command our perseuerance after wee haue begun obedience yet we shall see the strength of all these commeth from the Lord. For the first Zach. 1.3 there is a commandement giuen to turne to the Lord and Ioel 2.12 this is more particularly set downe that it must be a turning with all the heart But how shall this be wrought Obserue Ephraims speech to the Lord Ier. 31.18 Conuert thou me and I shall be conuerted So Deut. 10.16 Moses commandeth that the people should circumcise the
Neither is this contrary to that God willeth not the death of a sinner for the difference is this God willeth not the confusion simply of any man as a thing wherein he delighteth but he willeth it as it is his iustice and what greater or better iustice can there be then to bee glorified in the condemnation of some that haue deserued it and he must be no more vnwillingly iust then vnwillingly mercifull Further learne that euen in this life the godly are gathered to heauen and so of the wicked that though they liue yet they are in hell So S. Iohn saith he that beleeueth is already passed to life Iohn 5.24 and Heb. 12.22 we are gathered already to the Patriarks and to the soules of iust and perfect men through hope and wee are as sure to haue that we hope for as we are of this we haue already namely the pledge of Gods spirit and Ephes 2. vs he hath gathered to the celesticall places vnder hope speaking as if it were already done though the reall gathering shal be at the latter day On the other side of the wicked it is said by the same spirit He that beleueth not is already damned the words are fearefull but it is so set downe to expresse the certainty of it not but that hee that is not beloued Ose 2.23 may be beloued and he that is not vnder mercy 1. Pet. 2.10 may obtaine mercy But looke in what state a man is in the Church in the same shall hee be after this life for whatsoeuer is bound on earth is bound in heauen and they that bee not bound heere being priuy hypocrites are notwithstanding bound in heauen and shall be so in hell also For the last which is vnquenchable fire thereby is meant the condemnation prepared for the reprobate not that wee must imagine there is any naturall fire there for first this fire can not pierce the soules of men nor the spirits of diuels and the paine must extend both to soule and body Secondly it is no more naturall fire then it is a bodily worme spoken of in the Gospell which shall gnaw the hearts and consciences of the damned Mark 9.44 Thirdly in Esay 30.33 it is said there was a great lake prepared for Kings with fire of much wood and it is absurd to thinke there is any wood there and a riuer of brimstone burning by the breath of the Lord which is not to bee intended of materiall brimstone but it is set out by such termes to expresse the vnspeakable torment of it not to be comprehended much lesse to be endured for the torment of fire and brimstone euen to flesh and bloud are strange and terrible therefore these speeches are vsed to conuey to our vnderstanding what we could not before conceiue So it is said in the Gospell that they shall bee bound hand and foot not that there be any bonds or chaines there Mat. 22.13 but the meaning only is that they are the prisoners of the Lord for euer neuer to be released but to be restrained from all libertie wherby they might in any sort be eased Againe hell fire is called Gehenna or Topheth which was a litle place where the Israelites did sacrifice their children in fire to the Diuels this being taken for the torment of the reprobate Now this torment is expressed two waies first in the extremitie of it secondly in the permanencie of it The first two waies First by that they shall feele both in soule and body secondly by that they shall lose both of them expressed 2. Thess 1.9 they shall be separated from the power of his presence and bound in chaines in euerlasting darknesse The greatnesse of this torment is expressed two waies first it shall be vniuersall in all parts and it is most fearfull in this life to be pained in euery part of the body at one time Secondly the particular torment thâ— euery one in hell shall feele as that Princes shall be tormented like Princes euery one according to the sinnes that he wrought in his body Mat. 10.15 as it is said in the Gospell It shall bee easier for Sodome then for them and yet they be in hell already for the damnation of Belzebub shall be the greatest and then of them that sinned against the holy Ghost and none of these shall haue so much as a drop of water to coole their toongues but they shall continually bee blaspheming of God for the which they shall continually be tormented And though this shall be great and grieuous such as they cannot yet they must abide yet shall it be a farre greater hell vnto them to thinke they haue lost heauen seeing Gods children to reioice that their persecutors be now plagued and that God is so auenged of them for their sakes For the second which is the endlesnesse of this torment it is a fire that shall neuer go out nor the flames wherof can neuer beâ—bated If there were but as many yeeres to endure it as there be grasse piles on earth or starres in heauen the conscience might somewhat through hope bee eased because at length it should cease but the end thereof cannot be imagined and this word neuer is fearefull Let this therefore teach vs rightly to embrace the Gospell that we may be wheate in this earthly floore of the Lord to the end we may be gathered into his heauenly garner MATH Chap. 3. vers 13 14 15 16 17. verse 13 Then cam Iesus from Galile to Iordan vnto Iohn to he baptized of him verse 14 But Iohn earnestly put him backe saying I haue neede to be baptized of thee and comest thou to me verse 15 Then Iesus answering said to him Let be now for thus it becommeth vs to fulfill all righteousnesse so hee suffered him verse 16 And Iesus when he was baptized came straite out of the water and lo the heauens were opened vnto him and Iohn saw the Spirit of God descending like a Diue and lighting on him verse 17 And lo a voice came from heauen saying This is my beloloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased NOW the Euangelist proceedeth to shew now Iohn exercised part of his Ministery euen toward the Messias himselfe and setteth downe how after Christ had liued long in Nazareth containing himselfe in Iosephs house till his heauenly father should consecrate him and call him forth to the great worke of the Ministery and of maiestie hee being now of thirty yeeres of age commeth to Iohn and requireth to be baptized in as much as he appearing in the flesh of man was to ioyne himselfe to them that confessed their sinnes Iohn by reuelation perceiuing that he was the Lord for they neuer met before this being in wise dome prouided of the Lord lest it might haue seemed a compact betweene them two to cosen the world refuseth to do it and put him backe earnestly acknowledging Christs excellency and his owne vnworthinesse In this bewraying the error of his
faine to flie to preserue his life Exod. 2.15 So Paul when he was a Pharisie no man in greater credit nor more commended for being zealous in their religion but when he began to preach Christ crucified then was there none more buffeted by Sathan nor more exposed to contumelies nor in greater perill of his life then he so as once he was faine to bee priuily conueied away by being let downe in a basker Act. 9 25. and a second time to be rescued from the Iewes malice by a Centurion Act. 23.23 And this policy and stratageme of the Diuell is confirmed to vs by our owne experience for when a Minister beginneth to make a conscience and to stand soundly in the doctrine of Christ and the holy life of his Apostles then Sathan stirreth vp instruments to bring his name in question and kindleth such coales as in the end he is either remoued or by the multitude of disgraces made weary of well doing The cause of this in Sathan is two fold first his malice against the Maiesty of God secondly his enuie against the saluation of man For being adiudged to torment he laboureth to be auenged on God his iustice and sinneth against the holy Ghost of purpose to despite God and seekes to disglorifie him by seeking to destroy the seed of the woman Hereupon it is noted that Angels sinning were neuer restored because they sinned without temptation meerely of malice being created excellent and pure spirits But yet howsoeuer Sathan bestirreth him to heape vp the displeasure of the world vpon vs and is euer at our heeles with some floud of waters or other let vs not be discouraged but proceed on in that sanctified course we haue begun for the Lord will either stirre vp the earth to drinke vp our affliction or else our faces shall shine notwithstanding his temptations For Christ till he began to exercise his office was quiet and though he was thus troubled yet ceased he not to performe his worke For the second which is the place he went into the wildernesse partly to imitate that Eliah had done 1. King 19.8 being in the mount of Horeb in the wildernesse and fasting there forty daies but especially to prouoke Sathan the more and to giue him all aduantage that might be that in the end be might shew himselfe the stouter champion And for this cause they that were possessed with diuels were cast into solitary places that the spirits might haue the greater power ouer them Now heerein Christ sheweth his greater courage giuing Sathan as it were leaue to appoint the field and to set downe his weapon like them that being determined and resolute to fight and to trie their manhoods go apart by themselues where they may haue no companie to part them Euen so Christ as a victorious Captaine dealeth where sathan himselfe will chuse that he ouercomming as it were at vneuen weapons it might be an incouragement and confirmation to vs that this was hee who was sent of God to breake the Serpents head and that hath the power to disarme him Where notwithstanding obserue that though Christ who was indeed the stronger did lay himselfe thus open to his enemy yet that this is no example for vs to imagine that we can follow who are lighter then vanity but that we must auoid solitarinesse as much as can be except we will prouoke the diuell for this is the humor that lieth fittest for his temptation when we are destitute of the comfort of company to worke the more violently vpon our affections Heereupon the Philosophers are wont to say and that truly that he which liued alone was either a God or a diuell For the third the guide by which hee was directed thither was the holy Ghost where we learne this comfort that seeing the diuell could not haue tempted Christ but that God by the wisedome of his spirit had so appointed both the time the place and the occasion wee may heereby haue good security giuen vnto vs that since Sathans power is limited and he deales but by commission and all temptations outward and inward are so sent from God that he intermedleth but as an instrument for the hardening of the reprobate and for the triall of the elect and since he hath no absolute power to exercise his tyranny but runneth like a dogge that is chained by the arme of the Lord we may returne this ioy to our soules that though we be compassed with clouds of calamities yet wee shall neuer be temped aboue our measure for hee cannot do it but by permission And since God is the maister of the prize to iudge who fighteth most valiantly if wee feare and tremble before him and walke according to the direction of his spirit prouided alwaies that we tempt him not to trie his goodnesse wee may assure our selues that as hee hath begunne a good worke in vs so hee will end it to the praise of his glory and as Esay 49.24 the iust captiuity shall be deliuered and the pray shall be taken from the tyrant for the Lord is stronger then he and therefore is able and hath better title then he both in creating vs when we were not and in redeeming vs being lost and therefore we shall be victors in this strong man Christ For the fourth the end why hee was tempted which was to sustaine the vttermost assaults Sathan could make by suggestion to seduce him Heere it may seeme strange at first that our Sauiour Christ should bee so farre abased to bee subiect to the temptations of the diuell and to bee directed to it by the spirit of God True it is there was no matter in Christ to worke vpon his nature being fully sanctified from his conception free from all corruption yet hee was apt and capable to be tempted that is it might glaunce as a thought thorough him but it was presently repulsed For such was the state of Adam at first that though he had no inward concupiscence yet hee was such a one as might be tempted to heare and to see if he would but this is the difference it clasped about Adams vnderstanding but it could not possibly lodge with Christ and it is no more disparagement to him thus to be tempted then it was for him to take and assume our flesh Heereupon consider that there be three kinds of motions in the minde of man The first which glaunceth and passeth thorough the minde without any troubling of it at all The second more permanent when somewhat assaults the minde and yet without any consent of the minde The third is that kinde of motion to which the heart consenteth The first of these is against no commandement the second is against the tenth commandement the third against the other nine commandements And this is singular comfort and consolation to vs that Christ was tempted for now we may bee bold to assure our selues that we may powre foorth our soules vnto him and may approach to him in all our
Christ taketh nothing but they pamper themselues with wines and iunkets which be as irritable to lust as flesh therefore theirs is but a mock-fast for Christ fasted not sparingly only but abstained altogether Againe if they will imitate Christ they must doe it in the wildernes and if it be a commandement because Christ did it why did they it not in Eliah and Moses time If neuer any Iew proposed to himselfe this imitation of him that fasted not but by the power of God much lesse should we in this follow Christ that fasted by his owne power Againe Christ fasted that Satan might take him in his infirmity but must we doe so to expose our selues the more to the opportunity of his temptation God forbid Yet if we will know what fasting is we say it is a necessary exercise which our owne calamities doe require and the desolations of other churches doe exact and hee that taketh in more then will well fit him to the duties of his calling hath surfeited Now in the fasting of the Papists we note foure faults first they destroy the worke of fasting in the bodily exercise which they doe two waies first by fulnesse secondly by delicacy Secondly there is a meere deceit and cosinge in their fasting for with fasting should bee ioyned praier extraordinary both for feruency and continuance which by humbling our selues in this sort doth set an edge vpon them which otherwise would crawle vpon the ground and were not able to pierce the heauens for if fasting had not this vse but that the action would be complete by outward abstinenc onely then were it a brutish fast for the beasts of Niniueh Ionah 2. fasted in this son But they doe notioyne praier extraordinary that the body may be crucified and the minde humbled that thus it might bee as grindstone to set an edge on their supplications therefore theirs is no fast Thirdly all fasting is for the obtaining of some grace or preuenting of some danger but they haue inioyned and appointed set daies to fast on as if the Physition should say such a day he would let bloud not regarding the present state of the patient wherein hee should rather shew himselfe a Prophet theâ—â— a Physition euen so doe the Papists deale in their fasts either verie ignorantly or prophetically Fourthly where fasting is appointed to humble vs and to confesse our vilenesse by feeling our wants and to powre foorth our soules vnto God they thinke that hauing pleased him by the bare action of abstinence they may doe what they list or else puffed vp with a Pharisaicall pride of merit thinking they haue deserued at Gods hand they will match their almes with the very bloud of Christ which is most sacrilegious Of these the Apostle speaketh 1. Tim. 4.3 that In the latter times there shall come men which shall forbid marriage and meates speaking in hypocrisie c. Yea say they this is meant of grosse heretikes which should condemne mariage and meates altogether as the Marcionists that said men and women were coupled for generation of the diuell This is absurd for these men speake it not in hypocrisie but in open blasphemy Yea say they but we doe not hold that meates are vncleane in themselues And yet they forbid it to all men at some times and to some men at all times Againe a Doctor of theirs in approbation of their Lent saith that flesh was accursed in the floud of Noah but so was not fish Yea but God forbad the tree in Paradise and certaine meates vnder the Law yet were they not vnlceane We answer that which God hath made lawfull what man can interdict And as it is Antichristian to command what God forbids so is it to forbid what God commands The meates in the Law were forbidden for significations and they cease so for meates offered to Idols for they are abolished and a man may now eate meate offered to the diuell for hee cannot pollute it for euery creature of God is good and nothing ought to be refused if it be receiued with thanksgiuing 1. Tim. 44. Againe if they speake of the quantitie and qualitie it were somewhat but they doe not so but all fish and no flesh is lawfull Then came to him the tempter c. This is the first speciall temptation wherewith Christ was assaulted as if Satan should haue said there hath been a voice heard from the aire that thou art the son of God and there hath beene a visible cutting asunder of the heauens by a miracle and by this thou perswadest thy selfe that thou art so and thou hast fasted heere forty daies which makes thee highly conceited of thy self yet is it not possible thou shouldst be Gods Sonne for thou wantest not onely the hoast of heauen to wait vpon thee which were worthy the glory of the Sonne of God but thou art so distressed as thou wantest a peece of bread for the strength of thy body therefore it is vnlike thou shouldest be Gods child for then hee would more respect thee then now he doth to leaue thee thus destitute of comfort Well I know thine infirmity to bee such as bread thou must haue and being heere where is none but wild beasts and where no present supply can be made bestirre thy selfe and be thine owne puruetor and because without bread thou canst not liue bee thou Gods Sonne or no looke how thou canst furnish thy selfe whether by miracle or without miracle Now heere in this desert there is nothing but stones which if thou beest such a one as thou woldest be thought to be thou canst change their naturall hardnesse and make them fit for nourishment Therefore to satisfie me and for thine owne good let me see at thy commandement their nature to bee altered and transubstantiate Our Sauiour Christ being well furnished and appointed not onely with the graces of the spirit but with the word of God doth not answer whether he be Gods Sonne or no or whether he can turne those stones into bread or no but hee ouerthroweth the ground of his reason that it is not impossible man should liue without bread as if he should say Thou giuest the power of sustenance to a peece of bread but my Father is able by his power and prouidence to fustaine me though I haue no bread and not onely my selfe an thus perswaded being Gods sonne but euen flesh and bloud may be able to liue without food if so be it be Gods pleasure therefore there is no cause why I should worke a miracle since not only I but many other may bee relieued without these ordinary meanes And that thou maiest know I haue truth on my side I speake nothing but scripture for Deut. 8.3 it is said Therefore hee humbled thee and made thee hungry that hee might teach thâ—â— that man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doeth a man liue And as for thee thou goest about to tempt
a miracle it shall more conueniently be spoken of in Christs reply Now for the second generall point which is the beating â—â—ke of the temptation we must consider two parts first that â—â—â—ulseth him by alleaging Scripture secondly the place alleâ—â—â— what sense it is to be applied For the first vnderstand that out Sauiour Christ might many waies haue ouercome him yea by the power of his Godâ—ead he could haue confounded him without an answer but it leased him to fight with the weapons of flesh and bloud that we by his exampl might learn out of the word as our of a school of defence to beate backe Sathan Where obserue that Christ alleaging Scripture as an instrument to repulse the diuell that there is no sword of the spirit to driue away temptations so sure as the Word of God being most necessary for this purpose Where two sorts of men are iustly reproued first they that wring this weapon out of the peoples hands secondly they that cast it from them that are content themselues to abide the blowes but another must weare the sword For the first they are the prelates of Rome who in the time that heauen was made a haire-cloth and Antichrist set foot on the Lords throne shut vp the booke of God into the rusty scabberd of Bishops houses where it was kept vnder the bondage of the Clergy vpon paine of excommunication charging the lay people not to meddle with it as if it had beene the readiest weapon to haue cut their throats But since the Sonne of righteousnesse appeared the Gospell shining in mens hearts they being ashamed of this and being perswaded in common equitie that men were not to bee kept from it they haue published one part of the word the new Testament not say they vpon any absolute necessitie but to auoid corruptions that may gâ—â—â— by reading other translations they knowing the people 〈◊〉 would not bee made such fooles and babes as they were 〈◊〉 there was a generall mistouer the whole world But wee doe stand vpon the absolute necessity of hauing the word common because the danger is common that thereby is to bee auoided and this for two causes first it is necessary that euery one should trie the spirits so as he must vnderstand more then hee is taught by the mouth of that spirit which should bee tried therefore they must haue the booke of God according as the men of Beroea had Act. 17.11 giuing no further credite to Pauls Sermons then they were consonant to the written word Secondly euery Christian is a souldier and in his baptisme hath taken presse money of Christ to serue him in this field of the world against the Diuell our sworne enemy who worketh outwardly by the glittering shewes of the earth inwardly by the desires of flesh and bloud adding his owne suggestions to both these Now the weapons to encounter him are the word as the sword and faith as the shield And euery one being tempted in his owne person the more to offend the enemy and the better to defend himselfe and since our owne sinnes shall be required at our owne hands we must euery one take his sword out of the Lords armory that we may resist in person as we are striken in person And it was a fearefull thing for them to put out the kandle while the people were smitten and a shamefull thing to put out their right eye that they might not discerne their euill wares they vttered them for their good money Oh say they it is good they should haue them to keepe them from the infection of other impressions as if the reading of the Scriptures by the people were Physicke when men are sicke and not meate when they bee whole Treacle to driue out poison and not preseruatiues to keepe from it as if it had strength to put the enemy to flight and none to hinder his approach the contrarie whereof is rather true For if it bee meete to giue light to the simple when the heauens are ouercast with the mist and cloudes of heresie it is much more forcible to shew the way when they are not so clouded Oh but there be many hard matters in the Scripture past the common reach So there bee many easie within their reach for the Lord hath so tempered them as some be easie to prouide against penurious stomackes and some difficult to preuent fastidious lothsomnesse Yea as in the most champion and plaine ground of the booke of the Scripture there be some mysteries as hillockes higher then the rest so in the greatest and steepest hill thereof there is footing whereby with labour and trauell we may come to that height of it where wee may see and discouer so much of the land of Canaan and the kingdome of heauen as our places doe require Therefore it is well said that the Scriptures are like a floud wherein the lambe may wade and the Elephant swim for the plainer places are to be digested with comfort and the hidden treasure to be digged out by praier Therefore saith Christ Mat. 23.14 Let him that readeth consider c. Oh but this taketh away the glorie of the Church when euery one may controule his master and breedeth heresies when euery one may maintaine by this his owne opinion Yea but it is good that euery one shold know the truth that they may follow the steppes of their teachers but in the way of truth and if because some haue beene seduced all should be depriued of this blessing then away with preaching for it is the sauour of death to many 2. Cor. 2.16 and with the Sacraments for many feede of Christs flesh but to choke them to damnation and then away also with Christ himselfe for to many Luk. 2.34 he is a rocke of offence to rush their bones to perdition And if Heretikes haue abused the Scripture this is a reason to restore it that they may be againe conuinced by Scripture And if it be sufficient to say the diuell alleaged Scripture therefore hide it from the people we say to this Christ vsed nothing but Scripture therefore let them haue it for it is no reason to take away the thing for the abuse of the thing no more then that a lambe should cast off his fleece because the Lion sometime weareth it or that because one abuseth is sword therefore none should weare any weapon For howsoeuer some mad-men-or quarrellers in the campemay abuse them to their owne and others destruction yet the Law of not bearing sword in the field will neuer bee iust And to meet with such an euill by taking away the good is â—â—e vnto those vnskilfull Physitians that rid their Patients of no disease vnlesse they take their liues from them Yea but it is dangerous medling Why then put out the candle lest it burne the house Oh but put not kniues into childrens hands But there is no such comparison in the Scripture it is indeed compared with a sword in the
Sathan such a babe as he will bee out-faced with a word of defyance scorning at reproofe saying They will shield themselues from Sathan aswell as they that admonish them the foule feend shall haue no power of them and yet continue in the obstinacie of their harts labouring to extinguish the feeling of conscience that they may liue more licentiously they shall proue that Sathan can beare a few words so he be sure of the soule for they be but feathers and it is a lamentable way to defie a Lion and yet to come within his clutches thy soule hee will account gaine enough But he answering said It is written c. Heere followeth the resistance Christ made by the sword of the spirit to the temptation of the diuell Wherein are to bee obserued two parts first that he vseth the word to beate backe his fiery dart secondly what text he chose and the sense thereof in which there are two parts set downe the first negatiue Man liueth not by bread onely the second affirmatiue but by the word and promise of God if the meanes faile For the first of these consider hee doth not gratifie Sathan so much as to tell him whether he bee Gods Sonne or no neither doth hee worke any miracle as hee could haue done as well as pay the tribute out of the fishes mouth Mat. 17. vers 27. but he tels him plainely his speech is vntrue for a meere naturall man may liue without bread much more I that haue a priuiledge aboue men by my heauenly generation Where we learne to haue this resolution that vsing lawfull meanes how euer things sueceed or prosper that wee stand vpon the promise of God that wee shall neuer want a thing which shall continue firme when the mines of the Indies shall faile and a promise that no earthly Prince can make because hee cannot assure himselfe of his owne estate For he that did raine downe Angels food Exod. 16.15 not which they made but which they did minister he that could make the shooes of the Israelites not to weare cause water Num. 20.8 to issue out of a hard rocke command the winds to bring quailes in such a multitude sustaine Eliah 1. King 17.4 by the ministery of Rauens that hath at sometime Mat. 15.36 fed so many thousands with a few fishes the same God hath giuen vs his word that his prouidence shall bee as watchfull ouer vs not that we should looke to be fed by miracles or not to vse the meanes to feed our selues but thinke that come should grow without sowing as it did 2. King 19.29 in Hezechiahs time but that we may bee assured his hand is not now shortned for we doe not looke to be rapt vp to heauen as Enach was Gen. 5.24 before the Law or as Eliah was 2. King 2.12 after the law yet doe we expect that our soules shall go thither as did Lazarus Luk. 16.22 So though wee are not to expect to bee enabled forty daies to fast yet hee that did it this once did it to confirme vs that the same power of his Father doth still continue And among all Christs sermons hee euer tooke most perswasible reasons to make an impression of this in his disciples minds and to roote out that humour of worldlie pensiuenesse and carking carefulnesse that they might come to a meditation of the Lords prouidence As Luk. 12.22 Be not immoderatly carefull to heape vp vnto your selues riches for no mans life standeth in his goods which albeit in iudgement we discerne of yet in affection we are ouertaken And to perswade this he bringeth the Parable of the rich man vers 17. who when he had spent his care to fill his barnes and had thought to haue blest his soule in his substance the same night was depriued of his life Christ in that place shewing all care to be double first for the backe what we shall put on secondly for the belly what wee shall eate and perswadeth vs not to distrust the Lord in either the life is more then meate therefore he that gaue thee the one being greater will also giue thee the other being lesse Consider the rauens the Lord feeeds them and can he haue lesse regard of his children Insinuating vnto vs that wee should not feare the persecution which is accompanied with scarcity not stirring vp men to desperate courses to entangle themselues in needles troubles but hauing the crosse laid vpon them by others not brought vpon them by themselues then in a holy resolution of the cause not to feare for fiue sparrowes shall be bought for two farthings and yet not a feather of these much lesse shall a haire of thy head fall without Gods prouidence Secondly he perswades vs by this that our care can doe vs no good without Gods blessing For apparell wee see the Lillies garnished with such beauty as exceedeth Salomon in his glorie and if hee thus doatheth the grasse of the field much more will he prouide for vs. O that our hearts could conceiue the comfortable security that Christ giueth vs in resting vnder the wings of his Father for he is the same God now no lesse carefull then he was then if the fault were not in our infidelity that wee distrust him But seeke saith Christ the meanes whereby ye may come to saluation and all outward things shall be cast vpon you feare not litle flocke for he that will giue vs a heauenly kingdome wherein we may contemplate the glory of God for euer and hee that hath giuen vs his Sonne out of his owne bosome when wee were his enemies and had no grace to aske pardon how can he now deny vs any thing hee knoweth to be conuenient for vs Yet for our comfort let vs know that none haue this promise but the godly for the Lions that is the tyrants of the Church they shall want and be hungerbit Psal 34.10 but the righteous shall neuer be forsaken Many had more oyle then the widow of Sarepta 1. King 17.16 yet hers by reason of the promise of God wasted not but lasted longer then theirs so as not so much for the quantity as for the qualitie of hauing it in some competent certainety the children of the most high shall neuer want Where further we learne to forbeare the vsing of vnlawfull meanes for wee must make that reckening Abraham did Gen. 22.8 when Isaac told him there was wood but where was the sacrifice God saith he will prouide the Scrifice so wee must say God will prouide to releeue our necessities Let vs therefore owe nothing but loue not borrow where we cannot pay Rom. 13.8 and if the lawfull sweat of our browes will not affoord it let vs vse no shifts to disgrace our profession for what God hath cursed with his mouth hee cannot blesse in the vse therefore it is better to want with his fauour then to abound without it and better it is to be the Almighties begger then the Diuels belly
the Tower of Babell should haue beene erected to them and as easie it is to pull God out of his throne as to disgrace vs further then he permits for our saluation is as sure as his owne seate and as stedfast as if our selues had beene in heauen and seene it written with Gods owne singer Yea we shall stand like mount Sion Psal 125.1 and not a feather of a bird much more not the haire of our head nor the hem of our garment shall bee touched or fall without his appointment Wherefore Sathan sinneth against the holy Ghost in labouring to seduce the faithfull whom he knoweth he cannot stirre and when he knoweth wee cannot fall finally since the Angels haue charge ouer vs and cannot but be faithful keepers of that is committed to them And heerein may we embrace the riches of the Lords mercy who when his owne prouidence might be sufficient to secure vs of our safety yet to releeue our infirmity and to support our weaknesse hath giuen vs the gard of heauen to wait vpon vs as if one that were to passe the seas should not onely haue the letters of the Prince for his safe conduct but should be guarded with his royall Nany to assure vs that doing that we doe by the warrant of his word we shall neither be persecuted nor molested but so far as he may haue glory by it and we reape comfort For the third wherein he doth falsifie the text alleaged and this he doth two waies first by wronging the words secondly by wresting the sense for the Psalm 91.11 is He hath giuen his Angels charge to keepe thee in thy waies so as the promise is made with a limitation that hee keepe him in his waies Now from the pinnacle of the temple to fall downe is not the way but hee leaueth out the demonstration of the truth thy waies that is those waies that bee prescribed as from the Temple to come downe by the staires by this meanes dealing fraudulently leauing out the principall Secondly consider the wresting of the sense for where this was spoken that Christ should depend vpon his Fathers prouidence walking in his waies hee laboureth to secure him generally of the same prouidence though he were out of the way heereby to ouerthrow him Now as hee dealt with the head so hee doth with the members for pretending Gods protection hee laboureth to bring men to destruction For predestination hee will tell a man Esau was hated and Iacob beloued before they had done either good or euill Mal. 1.3 that it is not in the willer nor in the runner neither in the affection Phil. 2.13 nor in the action which hee doth onely to make vs rest in the prouidence of Gods predestination without hauing regard to our conuersation whereas heereby we ought the more to bee induced to get as many testimonies as wee can to prooue that this election pertaineth to vs and not to waite till grace should distill by diuine influence or to make the decree of God a meanes of our security to liue as we list as that being elected we cannot perish and being appointed to be damned we cannot auoid it So for Iustification hee will suggest Wee are saued by the bloud of Christ onely and when wee haue done all we are vnprofitable seruants the more we sinne the more grace aboundeth Rom. 6.1 and God hath most glory in pardoning most offences Whereas being elected we worke well not to recompence the goodnesse of God but to shew our thankfulnesse And there is no promise where the commandement is not kept for this is to be performed on our part else God is discharged on his part for being out of our waies the diuell may take vs as vagabonds the protection of the Lord not extending to vs in this course And thus doth Sathan almost labour to peruert all the Scripture that he may finde vs straying out of our Fathers house as to suggest that the Sabbath is made for man therefore hee will labour to make vs worke on this day Mark 2.27 But let vs not giue eare to him for this leadeth out of the way So when it is said He that laboureth not for his house 2. Tim. 5.8 is worse then an infidell if hee abuse any of vs by this to couet after riches away with it for it is said in another place Couetousnesse is the root of all euill and the desire of riches is simply vnlawfull 1. Tim. 6.9 for by this he falleth into many snares It is written againe Thou shalt not tempt c. This is the second generall part namely the repulse of the temptation wherein consider two parts first that Christ answereth againe by Scripture secondly in what sense the place is alleaged For the first we may obserue and see it is no disgrace nor disparagement to the Scripture to proceed from Sathan nor any occasion to make vs leaue our hold for Christ answereth againe and striketh with the same weapon wherewith he was stricken shewing vs that it is lawfull to vse a text well against them that doe abuse a text and if Christs example be our president then wee may alleage Scripture against depraued Scripture For the Bee may gather hony on the same stalke that the spider doth poison And though a swashbuckler kill a man with his weapon yet a souldier may lawfully knit a sword to his side and though there be many piracies committed on the sea yet may the merchants trafficke or though some surfet by gluttony yet may others vse their temperate diet And if the diuell change himselfe into an Angell of light shall therefore the Angels lose their light Or shall Paul therfore deny himselfe to be a preacher of saluation because the Pythonite Act. 16.17 spake it Or because Caiphas by the spirit of the diuell Ioh. 11.50 said one should die for the sinnes of the people must we not therfore beleeue it And though Numb 22. an inchanter wished that his soule might die the death of the righteous yet is it a praier fit to be vsed of all Christians though hee sold his soule for gold For saith hee Numb 24.17 a starre shall come out of Iuda a true speech of a false spirit And heere the diuels owne mouth protesteth that Gods prouidence reacheth ouer his children which we may beleeue with comfort though it proceed from his lying lippes For the second which is the sense of the words heerein Christ doth plainely shew that hee abused the place before alleaged because he inforced the promise contrary to the commandement mandement making it absolute where it was but conditionall that the Lord would protect him if he kept him in his waies and for him to expect the promise if he went astray were meerely to tempt God so as the diuell by concealing that part did poison and adulterate the Scripture Now wee must obserue that God is tempted by man two waies first when we doubt of his power vsing
him but answereth him with one onelie word of detestation Auoid Sathan For the blasphemous may not bee reasoned with if they should it would make them but burst foorth into greater outrage against the peareles and matchlesse wisedome of God giuing vs likewise by this answer secretly to vnderstand that whosoeuer goeth about to withdraw vs from God is of the diuell so likewise are they that seeke by reason to disswade vs from the shame of the crosse Therefore Mat. 16.23 when Christ indeuoured to preuent the ignominy should come vpon the crosse and to make his disciples and the rest vnuanquishable when it should come it is said there Peter tooke him aside and vsed reasons to disswade him from such 〈◊〉 comfortable speeches whereupon Christ not mildly but sharply being displeased with this carnall excoption of his bids him 〈◊〉 Sathan that is as a great enemy to him and others And so whensouer flesh and bloud shal take exception against the mystery of godlinesse it is thus sharply to bee reproued Heereupon Rom. 3.31 exceptions being taken that the law serued to no vse because Christs obedience had absolutely purchased our pardon the Apostle in like wisdome of the spirit of God answereth not onely by a simple deniall but by a deniall with a detestatioâ—â— God forbid as that it is blasphemy to be of such opinion And sometime to this phrase the Apostle addeth more as Rom. 3.8 not replying one word but onely saith their damnation is iust rather setting before them their cursed end then conuincing them by reason for as Salomon saith A foole may not bee answered in his folly Out of the second answer which Christ maketh for our instruction and satisfaction obserue that God must haue both all outward and inward worship so as it is impious to thinke a man can keepe his soule for God when hee humbleth his bodie to strange gods and in this hee doth withdraw his reuerencâ— from his owne religion either through feare or profanenâ—â—â—â— reaching foorth part of the worship to another But wee must know God will haue both and in creating both hee challengeth both besides that of them both hee hath made but one man which cannot be diuided but goeth together For we are not baptised in our bodies onely but in our soules out soules only were not redeemed neither shall they onely bee saâ—ed but the whole man If the bodie then be the Lords both by creation and by redemption let vs giue testimony of his worship in both otherwise it is as if a woman should protest she loued her husband at the heart and in her soule and yet should prostitute her bodie to vncleannesse but wee are espoused and maried to the Lord therefore let vs keepe both for him vnspotted Lastly out of the diuels argument let vs learne to feare and serue the Lord for if gifts may draw on worship as he pretendeth by his proffer to Christ then hath the Lord offered farre more largely for vs I will giue thee saith he eternall life and it is no aduantage to winne the world and to take the diuels offer and after to lose our soules But let vs set God on our right hand in him we liue in him wee haue our being it is hee that feedeth vs with naturall and supernaturall things and blessings godlinesse hauing the promises of this life and of the life to come 1. Tim. 4.8 hee will make vs heires of the earth the world standing for our sakes we shall be heires of heauen Ioh. 1â— 2 Christ hauing prepared places for vs in his fathers house yea fellow heires with his owne Sonne tasting of no other loue Ioh. 17.24 nor feeling any other glory then his Sonne hath and therefore in the iudgement of the diuell hee shall worthily bee damned that refuseth so large an offer at Gods hand who giueth and neuer vpbraideth pardoneth and neuer reperteth Then the diuell left him c. This is the third part namely the issue and euent of the temptations had and sustained by Christ set downe in two things first that when the diuell could not ouercome him he left him secondly that the Angels attended and ministred For the first by this vnderstand that as Christ was tempted for vs and in our flesh ouercame for vs in his person so wee haue good and comfortable security that vsing the same meanes hee did according as we shall be enabled and through the grace of the same spirit wee also shall ouercome the Prince of darknesse for wee must not thinke our selues freed from these assaults the life of a Christian being a warfare the world the campe the first registring and inrolling of vs being in baptisme where we tooke a vow to be true to the Lord Iesus Christ is our victorious Captaine our enemies are the world without vs the flesh within vs as accessaries and the diuell as principall besides temptations on both hands Now the power we haue to repell these is the sword of the spirit the word of God the schoole where we learne this defence is the Church of God where we finde weapons both offensiue and defensiue a shield of faith to defend our selues and a sword of the word to offend the enemy And this may bee our comfort his rage will haue an end and his malice shall not preuaile but as Saint Iames saith If we resist him Iames 4.7 he will flie from vs that is he will hasten as fast away as he came fiercely toward vs for heere is promised victory to all that striue infeare For the second generally we note how it pleased God by wisdome and dispensation to dispose of the exinanition as I may so tearme it or the impairing and abasing of Christ while he was in the flesh that in the midst of the greatest ignominy and reproch yet he bore some marke and badge of his notable and diuine power whereby by the eies of faith hee might bee discerned to be the Sonne of God His basenesse appeareth in this that he liued in the wildernesse he was assaulted of the diuell he had no company but beasts hee was hungry and had no food but stones Sathan was busie with him to make him tempt his Father and in all this there was nothing but ignominy and extreame basenesse But after all this there breaketh foorth like the Sunne through the clouds a matter which maketh him knowen and discerned to be more then a man that the Angels come to doe him seruice And thus did it euer fall our that hee was neuer brought so low nor so neare the ground but there did at last shine forth an impregnable worke of his diuinity hee was borne in a stable his Cradle was a Manger there was lodging in the Inne but none for Mary Mat. 22. yet was there then a starre in the heauens to signifie to the Wise-men the birth of this noble personage hee was baptised by Iohn his seruant Mat 3.15.16 but a voice was heard from
Act. 22.13 was suddenly called to preach and Amos from his sheephooke Amos 7.15 to prophesie let vs know that the Lord that called them had power to giue them gifts in a moment for he hath the fulnesse of the holy Ghost to dispose at his pleasure but men that want this power must trie the gifts first and the Church must allow of none vnlesse they be perswaded he be such a one that if Christ were on the earth he would giue his consent Thirdly learne by the word Fishermen that the ministery is no easie nor idle but a laborious office wherein they must alwaies be either casting their nets or mending their nets or sorting the fish trauelling sore both night and day As Peter could answer Christ Luk. 5.5 We haue trauelled sore all night and caught nothing so as they that thinke much to take this paines are not fit for this calling For the fourth which is their obedience it sheweth that it was more than the voice of a man that thus wrought vpon their conscience for he secretly and inuisibly spake vnto their hearts by his spirit and he might as easily haue drawen Caiaphas as Cephas if it had beene his pleasure for he mollifieth the soule on the sudden and can open the doores of death with the least breath of his mouth Secondly learne that no affection or delight ought to make vs to forsake or driue vs from following Christ in our calling These men we see left their father whom they loued and their nets by which they liued and 1. King 19.19 Elizeus left his oxen and made haste after Eliah had cast his mantle on him And Mat. 8.21 one whom Christ called would but haue done his duty to haue buried his father and was not permitted Howbeit heere men must beware of two extremities first that they frame not excuses but willingly leaue their nets when they are called Secondly that they leaue them not till they be called and leaue into the Ministery of themselues being as fit for it as a blind man to be a painter For the last point which is the effect that came of Christs teaching it is said The multitude followed him where learne that when the Gospell is fresh and greene and first flourisheth men are very greedy to taste of it but if it continue long among them euen Manna proueth horsebread and men are soone weary of it For so it fell out with this people against whom Mat. 11.23 Christ denounceth a fearefull iudgement for their vnbeliefe making them worse than Tyrus and Sydon which were before condemned Whereby we may see how dangerous it is to grow cold in our first loue of the truth and to suspect them that in a preposterous zeale will seeme to run after Christ bragging with the yoong man in the Gospell that they haue kept the commandements and yet know not the least point of charity how to distribute to the poore LVKE 11. vers 24 25 26. verse 24 When the vncleane spirit is gone out of a man hee walketh through dry places seeking rest and when he findeth none he saith I will returne to my house whence I came out verse 25 And when he commeth he sâ—â—deth it swept and garnished verse 26 Then goeth he and taketh seuen other spirits worse than himselfe and they enter in and dwell there so the last state of that man is worse than the first IN this text there bee fiue points to bee obserued first what is meant by the going out of the spirit secondly his behauiour after his departure namely that there is a restlesse desire in Sathan to reenter into his former habitation thirdly the fit opportunities hee obserueth for the regaining of his possession there be two set downe in this place hee staieth till he finds it swept and garnished and a third is expressed Mat. 12.44 he findeth it empty that is deuoid of all cares quiet and swept of the grace of God and yet notably garnished with hypocrisie fourthly the vehement inuasion he maketh at his re-entry that hee will so garrison and lay such munition about the house as he will neuer be dispossessed againe for he bringeth seuen spirits worse than himselfe the Lord doth so darken the hart of that man that was for a while enlightned fiftly the lamentable and damnable estate of such a man his end is worse than his beginning For the first how Sathan is said to be cast out wee must vnderstand so cast out as he still continueth in for if he were once vtterly dispossessed then could he neuer returne againe And this kind of casting out heere meant is matched with diuers other places of the Scripture as Heb. 6.5 It is impossible that they which haue tasted of the good word of God if they fall away should be renued againe And Heb. 10.25 If wee sinne willingly after we haue receiued the knowledge of truth there remaines no more satisfaction or sacrifice for sinne and 2. Pet. 2.21 It had beene better neuer to haue knowen the way of truth than after they haue knowen it to turne from it If a man then may know the truth and yet forsake it bee enlightned and yet fall away be sanctified and yet crucifie Christ againe by the same reason may Sathan be cast out of a man and yet continue in that man For when these tearmes be thus vsed either of casting out Sathan or of letting in the truth and yet by the sequel of the words vsed by the spirit we see the ruine of such men set downe wee must neuer take it for any effectuall working of the spirit of God but onely of the greatnesse of the Lords mercy offered them in the outward meanes of their saluation namely in the word and Sacraments to cast out Sathan according as it is said Luk. 10.11 The kingdome of God was come neere them but not at them or as Luk. 17.21 Christ speaking to the Pharisies saith The kingdome of God is within you as if he should haue said Ye looke about for a Messias as if hee were absent but he is euen among you and in the middest of you though not by spirituall operation So that obserue hence that as often as we partake of any of the Lords graces it is to cast out Sathan and to root out his kingdome in vs though we receiue it not with that effect it should haue and therfore though that for a time Sathan seemeth to haue lost his dominion in vs yet by the vnright receiuing of Gods blessings and the vnreuerent vsing of them he doth still continue in vs. Againe so far Sathan may be said to be cast out of a man and yet he a reprobate as the spirit may be said to bee quenched in a man and yet he a Christian and that the comfort of a Christian may be much abated and sore eclipsed if we will not beleeue it Dauid may wel perswade vs Psal 32.4 who found such leannesse and emptinesse of grace in him as if
felt most suggestions and yet hath resisted them may assure himselfe that Sathan is cast out for flesh and bloud cannot bee cured but by temptations as Paul witnesseth of the Churches of Macedon 2. Corinthians 8.2 whose ioy abounded in their great triall of affliction And as the same Apostle testifieth of himselfe 2. Corinthians 12.7 lest he should be exalted aboue measure the messenger of Satan was sent to buffet him which though Satan doth it of malice yet the Lord doth it to humble vs for if he should at once cast Satan out of vs then the wild beasts of pride and of not feeling the infirmities of our brethren would deuoure vs euen as Deut. 7.22 the Canaanites were rooted out but by little and little from among the Israelites lest the beasts of the field should haue increased vpon them I will returne c. and when he commeth he findeth c. This is the third point set downe in this parable that setteth foorth the enlightning of hypocrites to their most iust condemnation namely the meanes and the fit occasion Sathan espieth to surprise againe that man out of whom he was cast There be two set down here the first swept the second garnished and the third is supplied Mat. 12.44 He findeth him empty that is void of the graces of God and fitter to receiue Sathan after his enlightning then he was before It is a metaphor or translated speech taken from trauellers or guests that desire to be entertained with clenlinesse For so it is with Satan that when thou art filled with all bitternesse gall of heart and hypocrisie then art thou a clean habitation for him and the fuller of sinnes the fairer and fitter not that Sathan doth delight in cleanlinesse but that thou art to him most neate and handsome when there is in thee the superfluitie of all wickednesse and when thou art become a most excellent and perfect hypocrite as thâ—â— thou canst pray at Church cousin at home pretend kindnesse to thy brother and yet eat him thorow with vsury the sweeter dwelling is there for Sathan in thee Hence let vs obserue for our comfort that this cannot bee meant of the true children of God for it is impossible that Sathan can find the soule of a Christian empty that is depriued and void of the whole grace of God For an abatement of the spirit of God must not be taken for an emptinesse as Ephes 4.30 it is said the spirit may be grieued and 1. Thess 5.19 it is said it may be quenched and many of the graces of God in his children may be empty that is there may bee no feeling of them for a time but the chosen of God cannot cleane fall away not the image of God be cleane defaced in them for then could they not be brought home againe vnlesse Christ should suffer againe which cannot be Heb. 10.10 Againe in the greatest sins when men haue deserued the greatest punishments yet we presume they haue some of the good spirit in them as Paul did of the incestuous person 1. Cor. 5.5 whom he willed to be separated for a time that his flesh might be tamed which sheweth the Apostle had some hope he had the spirit for if all in him had beene flesh then should he not haue beene excommunicate by the censures of the Church but wholly cut off from the Church and accursed Dauid Psal 51. praieth to haue a cleane heart created in him vers 10.11 not to haue it taken away which shewes he felt it therefore hee praieth not there for the holy Ghost simply but for some graces of the holy Ghost as for a stable spirit that he fall not againe for that grace he had not before and after he praieth Lord giue me peace so as hee had not the peace of conscience before and when he saith Take not thy spirit from me that is though his sinne had deserued it euen as wee praie Lord be not farre from vs not that the Lord is at any time absent from his Saints but that wee feele it not at that time so comfortablie as wee desire so Dauid praieth Lord giue me a free spirit that is that hee might praie more seruently then he did before for except he had had indeed the heat of the spirit it is impossible hee should haue yeelded obedience to the chastiâ—â—ment of God or for Peter to haue wept in his heart at the rebuke of Christ except hee had some seedes of the spirit of God in him Mat. 26.75 Howbeit we may not be drawne by this to presumption to thinke it maketh no matter how wee liue for as the children of God haue the inuisible marke of the earnest of the spirit so must they also beare the visible marke of zealous profession and honest conuersation For if wee doe not cherish the spirit of God by good emploiment and spirituall gaine that wee grow from faith to faith it is a signe that the spirit of trueth is not in vs so that we must not flatter our selues because there cannot bee indeed an emptinesse but with Saint Peter 2. Peter 1.5 we must ioine vertue with faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance c. For if we stay at the first staire we shall neuer be able to ascend to the Saints of God and if growth and increase be not in vs we are but idle and vnfruitfull in the acknowledging of Christ The reason is because being elect when wee receiue grace of God wee receiue withall grace to employ and vse it that it may abound alwaies excepted the storme and tempest of an afflicted conscience for that time for the Lord if he see vs prosper with one grace hee will giue vs more and if we thriue not with a graine of faith Mat. 25 16. he will take all from vs so as though thou canst praie yet vnlesse thou canst praie better with more feruent zeale and powre out thy soule more fully before the Lord than before it is nothing for the first grace to pray onely was but giuen thee as an hypocrite to make thee vnexcusable Further obserue hence that Sathans fittest garniture and best entertainment is hypocrisie to make thee pretend holinesse when thou intendest nothing but wickednesse and this hypocrisie standeth in two things first in not doing that which God hath commanded secondly in doing it otherwise than God hath commanded If thou fallest into the first thou shewest thy selfe rebellious if thou slip into the second thou discouerest thy thy selfe against the law of the Eternall If he tell thee thou shalt not eate of the forbidden tree thou oughtest not so much as to looke on it lest the lust of thine eie betray thy heart and the desire of thy heart doe beguile thy taste If he prescribe thee a rule and a course wherein thou shalt walke thou must not as Numb 22.18 for a house full of gold go beyond the word of the Lord to do more or lesse And therefore
if wee will not be hypocrites we must arraie our selues with a contrarie garnishment casting downe as 2. Cor. 10.5 euery thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ For as Satan delighteth to haue his house garnished and the fuller of sinnes thou art the fitter for him as that if the cup be full of extortion if it be faire without Mat. 23.25 he makes thee thinke thy selfe a great Scribe So also there is a furniture the Lord delights in namely sanctification and as 2. Cor. 7.1 to keep our soules clean for since Sathan 〈◊〉 needs be doing and willingly contenteth not himselfe to get the borders but hee will assay to take the arch city wee that are the children of God must keepe him occupied in some out-house or outward member at the most and aboue all striue to shut him out of the bed-chamber and from ruling in the heart bearing a religious care to follow the waies of God and to be garnished in humility to receiue the riches of the Lords graces not excepting against any thing the Lord willeth but shewing our selues reformable to all He taketh seuen other spirits worse c. As Sathan at his returne findeth the field well growen and the heart of that man fuller of sinnes than before so the fourth thing followeth namely what meanes he vseth not to be turned out againe hee bringeth seuen spirits worse than himselfe by this meanes so to rampire this his fortresse as to make it his continuall mansion Mat. 23.15 not to make him two fold worse as Proselites but seuen times worse like Diuels Wherein obserue that God in iustice is prouoked to reuenge himselfe vpon ingratitude for his graces according to the proportion of the grace that was offered so as Sathan vpon the contempt of the grace giuen shal preuaile more than before which the Lord doth as a iust reuenger of sinne for Sathan is chained that without his permission he can do nothing and the Lord is alway present vel per gratiam vel per vindictam either by grace to preuent thy sinne or by reuenge to punish it and therefore thou that hast spurned at the riches of the Lords mercy that hast thought Manna to be lothsome and syncerity in religion to be burdensome the Lord shall so punish thee that the sinnes past shall be the punishments of sinnes to come and the deserts of punishments that are to come For if wee thinke not the hearing of the word and receiuing of the Sacraments to be speciall meanes to bring in Sathan looke Luk. 13.26 and it will make vs take heed whether we come to them of conscience or of custome for Christ may teach in our streets and wee may eat and drinke in his presence and yet not know vs to bee his for it is said To him that hath profited shall more grace bee giuen but if thou hast onely heard that grace 〈…〉 hast shalt thou be spoiled of Heb. 6.7 And it fareth with the 〈◊〉 as with the raine that neuer falles vpon the ground but if maketh the earth more barren or more fruitfull so the word of God neuer returneth in vaine but euery man is made thereby either to sauour damnation or saluation 2. Cor. ◠26 as Saint Paul speaketh Euen so it is also of the Sacrament for though Christ was kinde in giuing the soppe to a traitor yet wee see Iohn 13.2 that after the soppe giuen Sathan entred into Iudas For the more familiar and the better acquainted wee are with the best of Gods graces the more shall our paine and torment bee for our prophane vse of them Secondly in that it is said Seuen spirits woorse wee must vnderstand a verie forcible seducing and great power of Sathan for heere is put a certaine number of an incertaine seuen spirits that is an infinite number of enormous sins expressed in diuers places of the Scripture as Acts 5.3 it is said Sathan had filled Ananias heart that he should lie vnto the holy Ghost and Act. 8.23 of Simon Magus that he was in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquitie and Act. 13.8 of Elymas the sorcerer such an enemie of righteousnesse as the least occasion will moue him to sinne and hauing as Eph. 4.19 their hearts past feeling haue giuen themselues to all wantonnesse and such as Reuel 22.11 being filthie will be more filthie Now if any should expostulate and question why the Lord will suffer this where hee once bestowed his graces wee answer Mat. 2. if the Lord do gather where he sowed not if he take away the talent for not vsing it to gaine by a spirituall trafficke then what shall his case bee that casteth the pearles of his graces to swine Againe as Rom. 1.20 the Lord did iustly condemne them that onely had the law written in their hearts and had no other spectacle than the booke of heauen and earth and thereby did see his power and iustice in administring these inferior things which hee had created if I say as vers 24. he gaue them vp into a reprobate sense what shall become of those that haue the booke of the Gospell and haue acknowledged the Lord and yet haue troden him vnder foot but that they be giuen vp into a triple reprobate sense since the Gentiles were cast away onely for despising him in his creatures and yet we despise him in his Christ Further in that it is said Seuen spirits woorse obserue th◠there is a difference of sinnes sinners and punishments for it is said they be woorse yet the first was said to be vncleane which we note not that wee should learne to extenuate any sinne for thought idle words be but an vncleane spirit in respect of whoordome which is worse yet shalt thou be iudged for them aswell as for this In Mat. 5.22 there is a difference of sinnes and punishments set downe whosoeuer is angry with his brother vnaduisedly shall be culpable of iudgement but he that saith Raca shall be woorthy to bee punished by a Councell but who so shall say Foole shall be worthy to be punished with hell fire So as we see though some sinnes be more sharply punished than others yet the least is culpable of iudgement So Dauid Psal 1.1 pronounceth blessednesse to him that first hath not walked secondly that stands not thirdly that sits not in the sea◠of the scornefull that is hath a resolute purpose to despise the spirit of grace harder shall it be for him than for the other and as the Apostle Saint Iude v. 7. harder for them than for Sodome and yet they be in hell For as all haue not the same spirit of grace in like measure so is it of the vncleane spirit which raigneth more in some than in others Withall obserue the speech of S. Paul Eph. 4.30 who after warning giuen not to grieue the spirit setteth downe how one sinne increaseth another as
vpon earth then doe we seeke Christ on earth when we know hee is gone into heauen But from whence hath he deliuered vs From hell Then must we take heed we doe not the workes of hell and of darknesse And then whither hath he brought vs Where he is that is in heauen Then if we will say we are married to him Ioh. 14.2 and that he was crucified for our sinnes and hath crucified sinne in vs and freed vs from sinne Sathan and condemnation let our conuersation be where his body is for where the dead corse is thither will the Egles resort and where the husband is thither will the wise haste to see him and to liue with him so that as Christ died in body so must we die in spirit that his spirit may haue his full worke in vs to raise vs vp to heauenly meditations Thirdly we must learne that betwixt the corporall and spirituall marriage there is great difference for the woman for certain causes may be diuorced from her husband and he being dead she may as lawfully keepe herselfe a widow as marry againe but in this our spirituall marriage there is neither diuorce nor widowhood for as soone as we are diuorced from the flesh and the lusts thereof we must not stay and remaine a widow but we must presently marry with the spirit of God and the fruites thereof and he shall remaine our husband for euer Howbeit we must know we haue no liberty to marry with our second husband the Lord Iesus vntill we be deliuerd from the whole body of sinne and the powers thereof as lust sensuality and such like and the meanes of this our freedome and deliuerance is in the body of Christ so as vnlesse the body of Christ hath destroied sinne in our naturall bodies we are not conioined vnto him We must then consider what there is in this bodie of ours which is a body of sinne Rom. 6.6 And in this body of ours there are three things First condemnation for sin Secondly disobedience by sinning Thirdly the corruption of nature which causeth this disobedience In the second place we must consider how we are deliuered from these three and how they be taken from vs. The first which is our condemnation is taken away by the satisfaction of Christ for our sinne the second which is our disobedience is taken away by the righteousnesse of Christ free from sinne and these things are without vs but the third which is the corruption of our nature is taken away by the powerfull working of Gods spirit within vs so that except we haue this third thing the spirit to abolish sinne in vs we are not yet flesh of his flesh and so none of his spouse For as for Christs satisfaction for condemnation and his obedience for our rebellion the very Turkes may hope for their saluation as well as we therefore it must be the slaying of sinne by the spirit that must assure vs of our coniunction and marriage with Christ for if corruption remaineth whence springeth disobedience then there remaineth for this disobedience condemnation for euery sinne committed by them that are regenerate is as it were the bringing foorth of a bastard vnto God which we know how much he abhorreth Sixtly this our coniunction with Christ is set foorth Ioh. 15.5 vnder the parable of the vine to which Christ is compared and we to the branches for as the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe vnlesse it grow vp with the stocke no more can we except we grow vp in Christ and as the branches receiue sap from the root whereby they fructifie so we being ingrasted into Christ receiue life from him whereby we are fruitfull in good workes and as the branches seuered from the body of the tree doe fall away and perish so if we once wither away and the graces of God decay and wax cold in vs drinking in the raine and yet not bringing foorth herbes meet for the dresser then are we neere vnto cursing and our end is to be burned Out of which learne that if thou cariest in thy life onely leaues as it were of thy profession Heb. 6.8 as the figge tree did that seemed greene a farre off and goodly and art not fruitfull in thy conuersation to walke as one redeemed out of darknesse thou art but as a branch broken off and as a blade that withereth before the time of haruest for as Rom. 11.16 If the roote be holy so are the branches and if the ground of thy heart be seasoned with the graces of God it will spring foorth into all thy members The Seuenth comparison is Ioh. 6.56 He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud dwelleth in me and I in him Where Christ is compared to flesh and bloud which we must not vnderstand of materiall but of spirituall eating which is comprehended by faith wrought in vs by the spirit reuealed to vs by the Sonne of God deliuered to vs by the word of God and sealed vnto vs by the Sacraments Since then our feeding on Christ doth draw such fruit after it bring such efficacy with it let vs labour to meet him in those meanes himselfe hath ordained namely in his word and sacraments the one being the store-house of his promises the other as it were a patent of confirming them to vs vnder the seales left vs by the King of heauen that as these infirme bodies of ours cannot be supported without the stafes of bread and drinke the one to kill the hunger the other to stanch the thirst wherewith our natures are assaulted so we may perswade our selues that our soules for their cherishing and refreshing doe require the like necessity to be sed with the flesh and bloud of Christ that we may grow vp perfect men in him and be freed from the scorching heat of desperation whereinto we may easily fall through that streame and current of sin wherewith we are carried in the whole course of our liues and from which wee cannot be saued but through the sprinkling of that blood which was shed for vs vpon the Crosse Now for the second point which is the profit and benefit we receiue by this Coniunction it is twofold first that Christ hath taken our sinnes and the punishment of our sinnes vpon him for he being without sinne was made sinfull for vs was wounded for our transgressions and as 1. Pet. 2.24 bare our sinnes in his body on the tree that by his stripes we might be healed secondly that by his death we are made partakers of his obedience and the reward of his obedience which is eternall life and of his graces and the glory for his graces which is eternall glory Touching the first profit it is double First he tooke our sinnes vpon him Secondly the satisfaction of our sinnes which is death the first by imputation the second really and sensibly for being clothed with our flesh and appearing in our persons he became the child of wrath subiect to
obedience therefore now he may take his swinge in sin as Pro. 7.18 the harlot entised the yong man to take his fill of loue But we must know Christ hath not satisfied for vs to liue as we list nor redeemed vs from darknesse to light that we should runne to darknesse againe for a pardon is not giuen to a traitour that he should offend againe neither doth that pardon serue for offences to be committed after but so oft as he offendeth so oft shall he be punished or else he must haue so many pardons so Christ hath satisfied once and that hath taken away the guilt of al that went before but if we 〈◊〉 sume vpon this to sinne againe either we must looke for 〈◊〉 satisfactions which cannot be for there is but one sealed 〈◊〉 blood or else we must suffer so many punishments as wâ—â—â—â—mit sinnes Secondly it will be said since there can be 〈◊〉 satisfaction for sinne therefore we haue now liberty giuen 〈◊〉 sinne It is true indeed that the wrath of God could not â—â—â—ppeased for sinne nor satisfied without the bloud of the Soâ—â—â— of God and this was by him performed that being reconciled to his father we might no more fall at enmity for sin alone makes the separation betweene God and vs but that we might liue according to his will in newnesse of life howbeit there is a satisfaction God requireth at our hands but that is onely obedience in our affections holinesse in our actions humility in our hearts and thankefulnesse in our persons that we may bee as pretions stones in the brest plate of Christ to be represented to his father And therefore let vs abhorre such presumptuous and rechlesse impiety as either to liue as we list or to thinke wee haue time enough to repent before we die for who can tell when the cocke will crow or when death as a thiefe will steale vpon vs nay let vs remember it is said Reuel 22.11 He that is filthy let him be filthy still and in our age wee shall possesse the iniquities of our youth and therefore our life being but a span long the day is short enough by repentance to make our accompts with God euen and easie Thirdly obserue hence that we cannot serue God and riches Christ and Beliall the flesh and the spirit for their walkes and courses are opposite and contrary one to the other as may appeare by the Apostles putting of it negatiuely that we must not walke at all after the flesh Mal. 1.6 for if God be a father he will haue all the honour if a master all the feare neither will he suffer himselfe to be diuided or his worship to bee performed by halfes for this is as Eliah calleth it 1. King 18.21 the halting between two opinions but as before our conuersion the affections of sins doe force vs to bring foorth fruit vnto death so being called the strength of grace must thrust vs forward to bring forth fruits to God and not to our selues and therefore it is said Gal. 6.8 He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reape life euerlasting so as though thou doest that which is lawfull yet if thou doest it more vnto men then vnto God thou sowest to the flesh and shalt receiue damnation but if thou seekest in thy whole life to please God more then men yea to please him though thou displeasest men then shalt thou of the spirit reape saluation for the end why God hath created and saued vs is to glorifie him in this life and were it not he respected and receiued glory by thy life what need he suffer thee to stay heere on earth but haue taken thee presently from the wombe to heauen but he suffereth thee to liue partly that by thy fruitfulnesse to God the corruption that is hid within thee may in part be abolished partly to distinguish between thee and the reprobate at the last daie when thou shalt be blessed and that worthily euen in the iudgement and acknowledgment of the damned for the fruites thou hast brought forth to God So as it standeth vs vpon to haue the eies of our thoughts the bent of actions wholy vpon God to hazerd yea to prefer his glory before the glory and comfort of our owne saluation for if we be not rich in God and good works then are we still dead in sinne then is not Sathan at all cast our of vs then are we so far from needing but to wash our feet Iohn 13.9 as we are wholly polluted hands head and all Howbeit because euerie one will say he brings foorth fruit to God and walketh in the spirit being inwardly greiued for his sinnes and resorting vnto publike praier and preaching which are indeed good steppes to trace a Christian by yet we must know this is not sufficient for the inward sorrow is inuisible and the comming to praier and to the word is deceiuable and communicable euen to hypocrites therefore we must bring forth visible fruit to be seene of men in performing towards them the duties of the second table by loue patience compassion and such like else is it as a light â—id vnder a bushell if it be not sensibly felt of men for their comfort and seene of men for their example that they which are without may be wonne and the rest which are of the same fold with vs may be stirred vp to glorifie God in heauen for the fruitfulnesse of his Saints on earth To which duties we may be the better encouraged because the whole fruit both in the practise of them and in the reward of them shall redound to our selues producing ioy and peace of conscience in this life and the crowne of glory in the life to come Rom. 6.22 Fourthly for thine owne comfort learne to make a difference betweene walking after the flesh and walking through the flesh the one being a following and pursuing of thy sinfull desires with greedinesse and with delight through that rage of corruption which rests within thee the other being a performing of thy duties to God and a walking with him though with weakenesse and infirmity by reason of that remnant of flesh which will be in thee til death so as though the good thou dost be not done so cheerfully so exactly so perfectly as it ought but is mingled with many imperfections that euen in thy own iudgement thou thinkest thine actions euill be not discouraged for albeit thou hast in truth cause to pray to haue not only thy euill actions but euen thy best actions to be forgiuen because they are a little tempered with the flesh yet know that this is the case of all the children of God which are effectually sanctified to haue naturally concupiscence in them which causeth these three things first either it maketh vs alwaies think euill thoughts secondly or else it hindereth vs from good thoughts thirdly or else it maketh
made more plainâ— Paul Rom. 7.18 said hee knew no good thing dwelling in his flesh and heere he saith he is freed from the law of sinne and of death so as it may be thought these two places and speeches doe not agree The answer is Paul was carnall sold vnder sinne and thereby made a slaue to Sathan euen as a slaue that is sold in the market is to his master but this was onely in respect of the spirit of life which was in himselfe but now he speaketh of the spirit of life which is in Christ and applied vnto him by the vnion betwene Christ and him and so may boldly say hee is now no flesh but all spirit and doth the good he would To make it plainer 1. Ioh. 5.6 it is said that Christ came by bloud and water signifying thereby that as his bloud washeth away the guiltinesse of our sinnes so his water washeth away the filthinesse of our sinnes and that as his bloud doth iustifie vs in heauen so his water doth sanctifie vs heere on earth with which water of his because it answereth to the spirit of life which is in vs we had neede daily to be washed for as the skinne cleaueth fast to the flesh and the flesh to the bones so doth sin to our corrupt nature that we haue need continually to be cleansed by the holy Ghost which is the spirit of life of Christ in vs. And this is that water spoken of Ioh. 3.5 Except a man be borne of water and of the spirit he cannot be saued meaning thereby our regeneration and so Ioh. 13.10 where Christ alluding to them that comming out of Bathes had neede wash their lower parts because the filthinesse descendeth to the feet perswadeth vs thereby to a daily increase in a sanctified course because some corruption will hang at least at our singers end according to that Iob 9.30.31 If I wash my selfe with snow water and make my hands most cleane yet my owne clothes shall make me filthy so as though wee haue the spirit of God in vs yet our best actions are sinfull for as it is said Esa 64.6 our righteousnes is as filthy clouts the originall signifieth such clouts as come from children newly borne or such as Surgians vse to make cleane vlcers or such as beggers finde vpon dung hils to patch their ragged cloakes withall or such as are not once to be named as the Ancient writers of the Iewes doe make mention to whom this was chiefely spoken the Prophet in that place alluding to the manner of purifying in the ceremoniall law For we reade Leuit. 15.19 that vncleane things were separated both from the seruice of God and from the vse of man which being then but ceremoniall both in bodie and soule and thereby vnfit for Gods seruice and is really and morally in vs for we are vile and polluted not worthy the society one of another for feare of infecting each other and yet these are our best actions as Esay speaketh meaning thereby both the greatnesse of the number of them and the greatnesse of the excellency of them for they are all accursed before God I meane in respect of the spirit of Christ which is in vs not that the spirit causeth this vncleanenesse but through the lust sensuality and corruption of our natures euen as faire water from a cleere fountain is made filthy by running thorow vnclean channels the cause wherof is that concupiscence which through the serpents temptation entred into our first parents when they transgressed this being the first sinne that liueth and the last sinne that dieth euen as the heart is in the body of a man and this lust causeth and forceth vs to commit the euil we would not and to omit the good wee would and if it cannot preuaile this way with vs then it will entice vs partly to commit the euill and partly to omit the good by the consent of the heart onely and if it â—â—â—le in this it will cause such a crossing and corrupt thought to come in the way to poison the good we do that though we do it yet it deserueth death because wee are commanded to loue God with all our thoughts which if any one be ranging we doe not This is vrged the more that we may see and acknowledge how far our best actions which are in highest price and estimation with vs and which runne from the cleerest part of the wel-head are from deseruing any thing which we may yet see as in a glasse more plainely Gen. 6.5 where it is said concerning the naturall man that the mould of the desires of the thoughts of a mans heart are euill only euill and euill euery day and for euer 〈◊〉 may bee spoken of the best childe of God leaning out but this word onely For the spirit of Christ which is in vs begetteth some good thoughts and bringeth forth some good fruits that they are not onely euill though in respect of our corruption and that they taste of the vnsauory saltnes of our nature they may be said to be nothing but euill for in the choisest child of God there is the seed of the sin against the holy Ghost of apostasie of all sins but that by the working of the spirit they are so choked and weakened as they are not able to breake foorth hobeit by the remainder of sin abiding in vs all our actions are so infected poisoned as they are lothsome in the sight of God which must teach vs to humble our selues before him to craue pardon euen for our praiers which are polluted with many by-thoughts then wil he as Mal. 3.17 spare vs as a man spareth his sonne that serueth him for the Lord regardeth rather the good affection than the good action the holy fountaine from whence it procedeth rather then the effects of the fountain that it runneth thorow some corrupt veine of this earth and flesh of ours and this is in respect the spirit of life of Christ is in vs. But now if we speake of the spirit of life which is in Christ himselfe then we may boldly say we are all spirit and not flesh that Christ by his satisfaction hath taken away the accusation can come against vs for any sinne and the imperfection can be laide against vs for any action for all we doe is accepted of God in him and we can be charged with nothing for Christ maketh intercession for vs and as Eph. 2.1 God in Christ hath quickned vs that were dead in sinnes and as Heb. 2.9 Christ hath tasted death for all men So as if we speak of the spirit of life which is in Christs person we may well conclude wee are freed from the law of sin and of death Secondly obserue hence that they that will take comfort by the life of Christ must be able to apply the power of his death to the crucifying not onely in generall but euen of euery particular sinne in them as the
meant by spirit for the first what is meant by flesh Christ tels vs Iohn 3.5 in his answer to Nicodemus saying That except a man be borne againe of water and of the spirit he cannot see heauen meaning thereby that before a man be regenerate he is nothing but flesh soule and body and all for that is borne of flesh is flesh and a cleane thing cannot be drawen out of corruption so Paul 1. Cor. 15.50 saith that flesh and blood cannot inherit heauen not meaning thereby that flesh wherein we are inclosed for the very substance of it shall see God but the old man the corruption of nature which is our mother wit and wil howbeit what this flesh is is more amply set downe Gen. 6.5 where it is said in the originall that all the very mould of the deuising thoughts of a mans heart are not inclined to euill but simply euill and not euill but onely euill and not onely euill but euill in all things and not onely euill in all things but euill in all things euery day and Saint Paul Rom. 3.10 maketh a full description of a fleshly man shewing what euery one is by nature There is none righteous no not one the reason is because there is none that seeketh God and for not seeking him they are all become apostats and by this their apostasie are become vnprofitable and being thus of no value their throate is an open sepulchre and being thus enlarged like hell they vse them either to deceit in that poison is vnder their lips or else their mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse which are two contrarie sinnes their feete are swift to shed bloud and destruction and calamitie are in all their waies and the way of peace they haue not knowen and last of all they haue not the feare of God before their eies which is the true cause of that cursed brood and chaine of sinnes that hang together Now for the second what is meant by Spirit and that is a diuine heauenly inuisible and supernaturall working of the holy Ghost in the hearts of Gods children in begetting them anew into the glorious image of Christ by changing into another quality and condition all the powers of their soules and affections of the heart which is done by faith in the outward man and by peace of conscience in the inner man by reason whereof the elect are saied euen in this prison of theirs to bee spirituall From hence obserue first that the world is diuided but into two kinds of people fleshly and spirituall for there is no meane betweene them howsoeuer the enemies of God are distracted into seuerall and sundry factions some denying the power of godlinesse through porfanenesse some diuiding the power of it through opinion of merit some thinking there is no God at all and some imagining he sits idle in heauen without hauing any sterne to guide and direct the frame of the earth yet doe they all erre alike in their hearts and being all out of the way they shall finde the same reward of their worldly wisdome and their end to bee damnation now these two sorts and conditions of men are easily discerned for by their fruits you shall know them the one sauoring the flesh pots of Aegyt the other the sweetnesse of the land of Canaan the one being taken vp and possessed by the pleasures of the flesh the other striuing and laboring in the workes of the spirit the one hauing sinne as it were alwaies vnder his nose sauoring nothing else the other hauing the spirit euer in his eie to diuert his feet from the snares and pleasures of concupiscence for by this word after which is in the text is signified in the original tongue to be guided and conducted and led by the flesh which sheweth our great infidelity in not beleeuing what the holy Ghost sets downe giuing it heere in precise commandement that we should not be directed by the flesh and binding this commandement in the breach of it with a peremptory curse of damnation for being guided by it and yet as if God could not make his word good or that we could wrastle our selues from his wrath our taste our smell and all our senses are busied onely in the workes of the flesh as if we would cast away our selues willingly whereas euen in naturall reason wee should abhor it for who would be conducted by such a one as cuts the throats of al he guideth or who is he that trauelling toward the desert will picke out such a guide as should lead him to be deuoured of wild beasts or who that hath his iourney by sea will make choice of such a Pilot as hath cast away as many as he conducted or who would entertaine a knowen theefe and a waster to be the steward of his house or who would take such a husband to be the guid of her youth as spends and wasts himselfe in licentiousnesse or what Prince will admit him to bee his cheefe counsellor that is a knowen traitor to his person or such a one to be captaine ouer souldiers as is a knowen and proclaimed rebell There is none so simple nor so profane but will dislike and detest the choice of any such guides and leaders and yet he that taketh his flesh to be his captaine his arme his guide a knowen and vnreconciliable enemy to the soule shall by the conduct of his owne corruption not onely lose his body but his soule also for if the blind lead the blind both shall fall into the pit of perdition Therefore let the world loue her owne and the flesh pamper it selfe let Cain build him a citie Gen. 4.17 to hide him from the presence of the Lord let Esau follow his hunting Gen. 26.30 to satisfie his pleasure in the death of venison let Nimrod Gen. 11.4 build him a tower to get him a name vpon the earth let the rich man Luk. 12.17 heape vp his fruits till his barnes will hold no more let Diues Luk. 16 19.20 be costly in his apparrell and delicate in his fare euery day yet obserue thou but their ends and thou wilt not ioyne hands with them for Cain was branded of the Lord as a castaway Nimrod confounded for his pride Esau reiected for his profanenes the rich man snatched suddainly from his substance and Diues throwne downe to hell where he lies panting and criing for a drop of water and cannot haue it Againe in that it is said they sauour the things of the flesh obserue that all that is in a naturall and carnall man and commeth from him is but flesh that is sinne yea and the most excellent parts that are in him that is his wisdome deserueth death and is but as a worme in the shell to consume him for he wanting the spirit which is the life of the soule as the foule is the life of the body his soule his body his minde his will and his vnderstanding are but members as Paul
courts of God then a thousand in the kings palace and if this spirit was in him in the time of the law then ought there to bee a double spirit in vs that liue in this golden time of the Gospell But I would it might not be said of vs that the children of this world are wiser in their generation then the children of light for they lie stretching themselues vpon their beds straining their wits how to please the flesh with choice and variety of delightfull sinnes whereas wee through the smoke of that corruption that flieth vp to our eies are so blinded as wee thinke our selues incumbred with the comlinesse of the spirit straitning the times wherein the graces of God should be blowen vp and cherished in vs and giuing too large an allowance to the portion we share out for the flesh therefore if we will be spirituall men indeed we must lay vp the word of God in our hearts binding it as a signe vpon our hands wearing it as a frontlet before our eies and writing it vpon the posts of our houses that it may be as a master to instruct vs and as a line to direct vs that as neere as we can our thoughts may be hedged in that they range not after the concupiscence of the flesh our affections restrained that they rise not against the worke of the spirit our actions so squared as they may be fit timber for the building of such Temples wherein the Lord shall dwell by his spirit Lastly obserue the fruits the wisdome of the spirit bringeth which be two peace and life euen the two speciall benefits that the carnall man seeketh for yet misseth of for the flesh neuer giueth peace but is continually perplexed eating and being neuer satisfied flying and chacing themselues when none pursueth them neither can it bring foorth life the wicked being euer groping as in the darke so as we see what worldly men most seeke for that they are most destitute of for we all agree in the end of our desire that we would be blessed but in the substance wherein true blessednesse consisteth there is great difference The Philosophers speaking of happines were distracted into two hundred eighty eight opinions euery one intending some thing and yet resoluing nothing some pointing to the right hand some to the left some to the vally some to the plaine and yet all of them out of the way yea and the inlightened Christian that hath a true contemplation of right happinesse doth notwithstanding by the halting of his conscience confute that in practise which hee in heart alloweth confessing it to be ascribed to the spirit and yet seeketh it in the flesh placing it in heauen and yet looking for it in hell whereas it is better goe to heauen a begger then to hell an Emperour and as Mat. 8. better goe to heauen lame then to hell sound and yet such is our spirituall blindnesse that we had rather put it on the hazard of our soules then to lose any present comfort in the body But how canst thou thinke to finde hony in a waspes nest or to make a good garment of a spiders webbe or to receaue holesome food of a cockatrice egge or to perswade thy selfe of peace and life in following the flesh which the Lord hath cursed The onely happinesse of a Christian resteth in his wisedome in the spirit for by this he hath peace about him and peace aboue him though iudgement smiteth on euery side yet it spareth him for his conscience being vpright hee hath euer his pardon in his hand to plead though he be compassed with all the crosses in the world yet hauing the first peace in the forgiuenesse of his sinnes he is assured of his last peace also that is his lasting peace in life eternall That king was miserable that vnder his cloath of estate had a sword hanging ouer his head by a little threed and in this suspensed felicity he was so perplexed that he wished to be out of his rich misery much more may they wish it that haue the sword of the Lords vengeance shaking ouer them for studying onely the wisedome of the flesh which is so far from peace as it would hide it selfe vnder the hils and so farre short of life as it is the vndoubted messenger of a most desperate death But these be onely fruits of such a tree as the feare of God hath made wisely old betimes being planted by the spirit and growing vp in the spirit shewing by their conuersation vpon what stocke they are grafted and by what sap they are nourished tasting nothing but the true seruice of God wherby they are able to stand before him with a cleere conscience which is walled about in euery corner with the peace and fauour of God and reserued in his due time for the perfection of glory in the life to come ROM chap. 8. vers 7. verse 7 Because the wisedome of the flesh is enimity against God for it is not subiect to the law of God neither indeed can be THe drift of the Apostle in this verse as in the former is to shew that our sanctification is the onely security we haue of our saluation for to them that are in Christ there is life and peace and this our vnion with him is discerned by our walking in his spirit and this shall wee know when the things wee doe sauour of the spirit and this sauour is seene by performing the fruits of the spirit in the course of a godly life And that this is so he hath proued by opposing two contraries as namely by the godly life of a spirituall man and the godles life of a carnall man Now heere he sheweth a reason why the wisedome of the flesh is damnation because it is enimity against God So this verse standeth on two parts First he sheweth what the wisedome of the flesh is at plaine hatred with God Secondly patience that coles of fire may be heaped vpon their heads and whether these three meete together in any one man or any of them alone possesse him the wisdome of the flesh euer rebelleth against the wisdome of God and this I speake not of the folly of man but of the very best actions that flesh and blood can doe for the very best wisdome of the flesh was that of Peters toward Christ Master pitty thy selfe Mat. 16.22.22 and yet for this he was called Sathan so that to consult with flesh and blood is but to take aduice how to damne our selues for if we be at enmity with God it must needes follow wee are at friendship with the diuell Now for the second part which is the reason of this enimitie betweene God and the flesh obserue that if we will know how to please God it is taught vs in his law for if we would yeeld our selues subiect to it it being giuen and pronounced at first by the mouth of God written with his singer and sent by his Angell deliuered
this life Thirdly to make them the more inexcusable at the last day when they cannot say but the light was shewed them and they shut their eies and that grace was offered but they spurned against it in their hearts This preaching and exhorting and reproouing is also necessary for the elect as an instrument to conueie vnto vs that grace whereby we are conuerted as Lydia by hearing Act. 16.14 had her heart opened for though wee might liue by Gods prouidence without our appointed foode of bread Deut. 8.3 yet if we should reiect bread thinking to liue by bare prouidence wee should tempt God euen so though the grace of Christ doth onely saue vs yet is his word as the golden vessell wherein it is reached foorth vnto vs. Out of this then that hath beene spoken generally obserue that the best choisest and chiefest actions of a naturall man are enimitie against God that is doe directly sight and offend the maiestie of God the reason is because we are in this estate so farre from yeelding subiection to his law that therefore we sinne the more because the law forbids vs for as there is great contrarietie betwixt cold and heat so is there greater betwixt the spirituall law of God and the corrupt law of our flesh and as the fire compassed about with the force of the winde hath the heat that struggleth to come foorth beaten backe by the power of the winde whereby it increaseth the rage of the fire as experirience teacheth vs in scalding more in winter than in summer euen so is it with vs for sinne that would come foorth and is driuen backe by the power of the commandement prooueth the more fierce and enraged sinne Since then it is our nature to sinne the more because we are forbidden to sinne and that the successe and fruite of sinne is so dangerous as to keepe vs at enimitie with God with whom if we make no peace but continue at warre we shall haue the woorse being to him but as the drie stubble bfore the fire let vs beware how in this lethargie of sinne we fall asleepe since watchfulnesse is the cure prescribed by our Physician Christ but let vs tremble at the first motion of sinne shake off the least occasion that may prouoke vs to it checke it when it begins first to start out and cut it off while it is yet tender lest growing strong headed it makes vs grow stiffe necked and stubburne hearted for it is not the way to amend barely to wish thou could leaue it and yet to excuse thy sinne because it is thy nature for aswell maiest thou acquit the theefe that robbeth thee for he will pray thee to beare with him and tell thee it is so old and sweet a sinne to steale as he cannot chuse but follow it But thou must submit thy selfe to be reprooued for thy sinne range thy selfe equally to the obedience of euerie Commandement not excluding couetousnesse as thy enemy and yet suffring thy selfe to be surprised by flatterie as a friend to thy promotion reiecting hatred and yet harboring deceit gaine-saying pride and yet abounding in oppression defying poperie and yet embracing blasphemie for they end all alike in destruction of body and sorrow of minde let vs not therefore go neere the stewes if our eies bee bent to lust nor affect preheminence if our hearts be bent to pride nor handle treasure if our affection encline to couetousnesse nor haunt the tauerne lest our appetites bee enflamed with wine for this were to quench the fire with oile which is as fuell to maintaine it But let vs so moderate our selues in these inferior blessings as we auoid prouocations to sin because of our pronenesse to sinne and suffer not our weake nature to be too sharpely assaulted by these deceiueable delights which are in themselues but as sugred sinnes the more easily to ensnare vs in the nets of the diuell ROM chap. 8. vers 8.9 verse 8 So then they that are in the flesh can not please God verse 9 Now yee are not in the flesh but in the spirit because the spirit of God dwelleth in you but if any man hath not the spirit of Christ the same is not his IN these verses the Apostle concludeth his former argument of the opposition betweene the flesh and the spirit both waies proceeding as it were by steppes and degrees in this sort They that walke after the course of the world sauour the things of the flesh and relishing nothing else they sauour of damnation their consciences being alreadie scorched with the fire of hell and this is all the excellencie of mans wisdome because it is not at slight variance but at vtter defiance with God and it continueth in this enimitie because it is not in subiection to his law and it is not because it can not and since it cannot but rebell it is impossible it should please God On the other side they that make a conscience of their waies sauour the things of the spirit and by this their taste and delight in heauenly things they purchase to themselues life and peace for such is the wisedome of the spirit and not being in the flesh they can not but please God which is partly expressed partly implied vpon direct consequent of the former words in the end of vers 8. For since they that are giuen ouer as reprobates to the flesh cannot please God they that haue but flesh and infirmities onely in them hauing the greatest part of their soule and body seasoned with the graces of God they cannot but please God and such are yee vers 9. the Apostle speaking of the elect which containeth three parts in it First a proposition assumed S. Paul taking it as granted and as a matter without controuer sie that they were not in the flesh but were in part sanctified Secondly the reason that mooued him so to take it because the spirit wrought in them holinesse of life for God and an vncleane liuer cannot lodge vnder one roose Thirdly a reason of that or a confirmation of the reason by the contrarie they that want Christs spirit are none of Christs but yee are elect and chosen and ingrafted into Christ and therefore yee haue his spirit and hauing his spirit he hath so crucified your corruptions as you are no longer in the flesh and then being dead vnto sinne yee are aliue vnto God Hence obserue first the great force and efficacy of those words They that are in the flesh for it is a greater matter to be in the flesh then for flesh to be in vs for this maketh vs more fleshly the first being true onely of the reprobate and castawaies the other onely of the elect euen as it is a greater disgrace to say that a man is in his wine whereby is meant drunkennesse then that wine is in a man for the best may take it to comfort their hearts so to say that a man is cholericke is more then to say
haue giuen Iohn Baptist good countenance and yet haue chopt off his head for reproouing iustly It is true there is none standeth but he may fall if he leane to his owne wisedome nay he must wither if he grow vp among stones because he was neuer well rooted and whensoeuer the Lord pulleth away the vizard from any that masked vnder the cloake of religion he doth it to make them that stand strengthen themselues in Christ Philip. 4.13 and to make them that be hollow harted tremble for they that thus fall their heart telleth them before hand of it their comming to Christ being but in the Sunne-shine when there are no clouds of persecution hanging ouer and their following after him being like a theefe after his pray that will let it goe vnlesse hee may gaine by it their hearts euer misgiuing them in their owne profession and they hauing a secret corner in the flesh which they alway feede what shew soeuer they make to the contrarie But now the straight and vpright minded Christian hath his heart as adamant and his face as brasse that armes him with resolution for the Lords cause he hath no confidence in the flesh Phil. 3.3 but his whole reioycing is in Christ he feeleth such sap of the spirit at the roote that he thinketh it with Christ to be his meate to do the will of God yea he can truly and boldly say with this Apostle that neither anguish of minde nor torment of body vers 39. can seuer him or make him so much as lose the sight of his master Christ but he will euer be iust behind him for by his life he hath comfort in him by his afflictions he hath fellowship with him and by his death he shall enioy the presence of him for euermore all this heart and assurance they haue hauing their foundation from the words of Christ Iohn 10.28 None shall plucke my sheepe out of my hands And whether thou beest a sheepe or no thou canst tell by thy feeding for howsoeuer thou mayst come to graze in the outward assemblie with the congregation yet if thine eare be only feeding at Church and thy thoughts and thy affections at home in the flesh thy selfe canst tell thou art but a wolfe in sheeps clothing so that as the perswasion of our saluation is certaine and vndoubted so is it also constant and perpetuall Howbeit the power and pride of prosperitie wherewith the wicked are puffed vp and the strength and sting of aduersitie wherewith the godly are humbled and abased the one trampling vpon the earth as if it were too base to beare them the other creeping like wormes and grashoppers vpon the ground hath made many to stagger in the opinion of their profession and in the perswasion of their saluation because he seemed thus to passe by them as in a whirlewind and by the wicked with a mild and still voyce meeting them as it were in the successe of euery thing and this was that made Dauid Psal 73.13 thinke his labour in mortification to be but lost because he tasted of correction euery morning whereas they that set their mouths against heauen were lusty strong and had the waters of a full cup of prosperity wrung out to them but when he had beene in the Sanctuary of God asking counsell of him by whom he vnderstood their end to be but as a dream when one awaked they increasing their sins by their fulnesse wherby they make the sword sharper for their slaughter then he found his owne footing to be safe and theirs to be slipperie the one to begin his iourney with sorrow and to end it with peace the other to set foorth in iollitie but to come home as we say by weeping crosse for as Ioh saith Chap. 20.22 Terrors shall take the wicked as waters and the east wind shall hutle him out of his place and God shall cast vpon him and not spare him though hee would faine flee out of his hand Euen so let vs not make this comfort of our assured blessednes vncomfortable to vs by our doubting for if we wauer in this whether God loue vs and we him the chastisement of a father will prooue the scourge of a reuenger and we shall thinke he smites vs because he hates vs and lifts vs vp to cast vs downe or else wee shall imagine our store to come from our owne hands and measure our liues after the crooked line of mens example which runne on heapes to hell for their owne soules conuinceth them of their forgetfulnesse of God and then cannot he remember them in Paradise whereas we setting God alwaies at our right hand may be fure hereafter he will set vs at his and that he guiding vs by his counsell Psal 73.24 can not but in his time receiue vs to glory Therefore let vs lift vp our heads â—â—d keepe the way euen within that there may be as little rubbish in the heart as can be and since through infirmitie we fall oft let our care be it be in the right way where we are sure to meere with Christ who is the way and the life to vs and let vs make the like vse trauellers do goe the faster for our fall for our faith must goe further then to beleeue there is God the father Sonne and holy Ghost and a communion of Saints c. this being but in general whereas we must beleeue it with application to our own particular as that he is a God to me in his loue to make me and by his prouidence to keepe me a Sonne to me to redeeme me when I was lost and to feede me when I am come home a holy Ghost to me to comfort me in my distresse and to worke in me a holy life a communion of Saints to me to help me with their prayers and to strengthen me by their good example And if this treasure be in thy heart thou hast the assurance of thy saluation laid vp there for thee also Againe where it is said the spirit dwelleth in you learne that we must not serue God by sits but it must be continually for the spirit remaineth not in vs for a time but taketh vp his mansion and abiding with vs and while he is with vs he is euer working as the Sunne is euer mouing and works of his owne nature stirring vp good thoughts and affections in vs at all times and is neuer idle not in vaine in vs not but that in many things we offend all but we send forth such a peale as it were of prayers and repentance after the sinne committed as it ouertakes it and turnes it back before it can flee to the iustice of God and this is that maketh S. Iohn 1. Iohn 3.9 to set it downe as a position and rule in scripture that he that is borne of God sinneth not at all because it flies forth as shot to which the hand did neuer set fire we being ouertaken sometime in weakenes that we slip
which we no sooner feele but being warned by this spirit we gather our feete the more close together to stand fast Since then this spirit of God hath set vp his rest in our soules let vs as liuely stones in this spirituall building cleanse polish our selues from all corruptions that it may take delight to continue with vs for if he come to suruey thy heart to see what roome thou hast for him and he finde euery chamber there full of some sinne and seeth that as fast as he emptieth it with one hand thou fillest it vp with another reâ—sting the power of him as if he came to torment thee he will take his flight from thee and thy sinnes shall breake out as the plague-sore vpon thee to thy vtter confusion but if thou submit thy selfe to his worke suffering him to mine and vndermine euery veine in thy body and to cleanse euery corner in thy soule and being emptied of thy corruption wilt labour in sanctification to keepe thy selfe cleane so beating downe thy fleshly thoughts and carnall desires as they shall not so much as sleepe with thee and if they chance to creepe into thy bed thou wilt spurne them out as a chaste louer wil a harlot then shal the spirit take vp thy body as his house and thou entertaining him he will keepe out all thine enemies that may disturbe thy peace with Christ Lastly where he saith But he that hath not the spirit of Christ is not his obserue that by an argument drawne from a naturall man he prooueth that as many as haue the spirit of Christ are sure of their saluation for as a naturall man who hath not the spirit is not Christs so long as hee remaineth a naturall man so consequentlie it followeth that they that haue the spirit are Christs and being his it were an absurd thing if they should not be saued for the conscience being pacified that God will accept vs in Christ we are not now perplexiuely to doubt of our saluation or how to auoid damnation for if we should doubt of our ROM chap. 8. vers 10. Vers 10 And if Christ be in you the bodie is dead because of sinne but the spirit is life for righteousnesse sake IN this verse the Apostle maketh the preuenâ—â—â—â— of a doubt which might haue risen out of the former doctrine for hee hauing before prooued that the spirit of God the spirit of Christ and Christ himselfe are in vs that are elect wee might make question of the trueth of this seeing we haue a large remnant of sinne and of the corruption of nature abiding in vs To this the Apostle answereth in this verse and those that follow First granting that so long as wee carrie about vs this bodie so long shall we carrie about vs sinne in our bodie part whereof is alreadie mortified in this life the rest can not be but by mortalitie But then in the second place that wee might not be too much deiected with this clogge of sinne we draw after vs he would haue vs with this occasion we haue to humble vs to ioyne withall the consideration of the spirit of Christ which is in vs to raise vs vp againe assuring vs that if our faith by her visible fruites can appeare in our liues that though we haue a portion of sinne which can not die but by death yet we haue the spirit of God the spirit of Christ and Christ himselfe-dwelling in vs the fruite whereof is euerlasting life in glorie obtained by the righteousnesse of Christ for vs applying himselfe in the latter part of the verse to comfort the weakenesse and to cheere vp the faint hearts of the faithfull labouring to relieue them with some spirituall consolation that notwithstanding they cannot shake off the sluggishnesse of the flesh but are taken as it were with a palsey halfe dead on the one side being compassed about with many infirmities in this life and hauing many grudgings and resistances of this earthly lumpe which is the bodie against the worke of our sanctification yet for all this the faithfull and elect may know and be assured that they are not trained foorth to fight and haue the foile nor that they are called to any doubtfull combate but to such a field where our hands shall be held vp if wee faint Exod. 17.12 as were the hands of Moses and where wee shall preuaile not onely against the Amalekites as did Ioshua which are enemies without vs but euen against the hidden enemies of our heart the rebellion of the flesh and the corrupâ—â—â—â— of nature which is contained in these words But the spirit is life so as the verse standeth on two parts First hee granteth part of the obiection namely that sinne cannot fully be shaken off Secondly to the full satisfaction of our consciences he answereth the other part of the obiection namely that notwithstanding this remainder of sinne in vs we need not be perplexed or doubt of our saluation Heere first wee are to consider of the three speciall kindes and phrases of speech the Apostle vseth in the former verses and in this concerning the spirit of God which is in vs the spirit of Christ which is in vs and Christ himselfe which is in vs. Whereby we are taught to beleeue that the whole Godhead and Trinitie dwelleth in euery Christian Howbeit concerning the spirit of God wee must know we cannot attaine vnto it but by the spirit of Christ for as the waters that boile in the earth cannot be conueied vnto vs but by wels and pipes by which we receiue of the fountaine it selfe so the spirit of God is the fountaine of life but a Well too deepe and the place too high for vs to reach to hee dwelling in a place vnaccessible and not to be approched vnto and for this cause the spirit of Christ is the well-spring and pipe which passeth this life to vs and by this we are made partakers of that life in glory so that in this respect the spirit of God is said to bee in vs and also the spirit of Christ which spirit could not be conueied vnto to vs but by the flesh of Christ God and man to reconcile vs to his Father and yet all this is but one God and one spirit as 1. Ioh. 5.7 which prooueth these two things first that Christ is God secondly that the holie Ghost proceedeth both from God and Christ because they both are but one and the selfe-same spirit is but one And in that Christ is also said to be in vs it is but the same in effect that the spirit of Christ is in vs yet are wee verily to beleeue that verie Christ is really in vs indeed yet inuisiblie and this must bee vnderstood supernaturally and therefore they that hold they are onely partakers of the graces and benefits of Christ but not of Christ himselfe cannot beleeue that Christ shall saue them for Christs benefits are so inseparablie vnited to his person as
the naturall powers of this life decrease by age and by infirmities but so it must not bee in our spirituall life for in this we must neuer neither stand still nor goe backward nor grow downward but still be stedfast in faith and walking on in loue like men alwaies running a race till wee haue attained the prize which prize is glorie Againe consider for this spirituall life that as the body whiâ—â— it hath the soule is but a naturall bodie spending like oile in the lampe and cannot but in the end die yet after this life shall be called a spirituall bodie not in substance but because in the resurrection it shall be quickned by the spirituall power of the holy Ghost so a man that hath but a soule if hee haue not the soule of the soule that is the spirit of God to quicken it he is but a naturall man and must needs be damned Againe as a bodie raised vp and quickned by another power can neuer die so the soule being a spirituall soule and hauing once receiued the earnest of the spirit and the power of sanctification from the holy Ghost can neuer die And in this respect we are exalted to a greater priuiledge than Adam had in his creation and it fareth better with vs than it did with him for it was aâ—btrarie with him and rested in his will to die or not to die whereas we hauing once drunke of the water of life and once tasted of this spirituall life we may neuer thirst and as S. Iohn saith 1. Iohn 3.6 we cannot sinne Ioh. 6.54 that is not to sinne but that we purge our selues vpon reproose and recouer our selues when we fall Further obserue hence that there is a double death and a double life first there is a death in the present corruption of sinne whereby in this life we deserue damnation Now that there is a death in this life is prooued 1. Tim. 5.6 the widdow that liueth in pleasure is dead while she liueth and Ephes 5.14 Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead and Reuel 3.1 it is said of the Church of Sardis Thou hast a name that thou linest but thou art dead Secondly there is a death in the perpetuall condemnation for sinne which is first inflicted vpon the soule at the separation from the body and at the last day shal be laid both vpon the soule and body in a fearefull and full measure Answerable to this is life the first kind whereof is the grace of God vouchsafed vs in this our pilgrimage the second is the glory of God giuen vs in the life to come Now the life of the spirit hath three degrees first at the regeneration when we are renewed in our affections and do feele a change of mind within vs secondlie at the separation of the soule from the body when being as in were released out of the setters of this life she takes her flight to heauen for then doth the soule liue more excellently than it did before being freed from the bufferings of Sathan and the allurements of the flesh Thirdly at the generall resurrection when the world with the Iustes thereof shall passe away like a cloud and be wrapped vp like a clout for then both soule and body shall enioy the presence yea more than that shall liue the life of God for euer Euen so death in the reprobate hath three degrees first in the contagion of sinne secondly in the separation at the doore of death as it were when the soule alone goeth to the diuell thirdly at the resurrection when the body is reunited to the soule to receiue the fulnesse of their endlesse torment Againe the reprobate in this life and in the life to come haue a double misery coupled to their double death for first in this life they want the grace and fauour of God and bee euen like Cain Genes 4.14 afraid lest euery man should kill them Secondly they haue resident in them the diuell who being the God of this world hath and doth carrie them away daily in the power of darknesse Then in the life to come Iohn 16.11 they haue first a priuation or losse of the presence of God secondly a suffering and enduring of all torments 2. Thes 1.8.9 where there cries shall neuer bee pitied nor their paines euer bee eased Proportionable to these haue the children of God double comforts which may bee gathered from the contrarie of the former For first they haue the countenance of the Lord alwaies smiling on them and the strength of the Lord alwais supporting them in this life Secondly which is more they haue the true spirit of comfort dwelling in them and the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost doth continually feast with them while they liue heere And when we fall a sleepe for nothing else is death to the Saints as we may see in Stephen 2. Cor. 3.17.18 Act. 7.60 then doe we first stand alwaies in the sight of God and behold him face to face neither doth his glory then any whit amaze vs as it did when the veile was before our eies but it doth reioice vs and we glory in it Secondly we are filled with ioies vnspeakable and haue the full accesse and fruition of all that the heart can desire or seeke for Now the way to know that this life of God is in vs must be by the amendment of our liues and by the leauing of our sinnes for regeneration beginneth at repentance and repentance at leauing of sinne in which point euerie man must examine himselfe wisely for if thou hast not brideled thy tongue from bitter and blasphemous speech if thou hast not taught thy hands to worke truely without deceit and hast not brought thy heart to pray feruently without hypocrisie then hast thou no part in this regeneration and by consequent no fellowship in the life of God For righteousnesse sake That is as much as if the Apostle had said reformation of life and religion is the badge and euidence of the spirituall life we leade heere The cause of this is the righteousnesse of Christ which resteth in these two things first in satisfying the iustice of his Father for our sinnes as the Prophet Esay speaketh Esay 53.5 Hee was wounded for our transgressions and by his stripes are we healed secondly in fulfilling the law which he performed foure waies first by teaching it precisely secondly by obeying it exactly thirdly by suffering for our breach thereof meritoriously fourthly by sanctifying vs to doe it effectually But this kinde of righteousnesse is onely resident and inherent in the person of Christ howbeit the righteousnesse heere spoken of by the Apostle is a signe onely and a token that we are sanctified by the flesh of Christ and that Christ hath purchased saluation for vs and that we sighing vnder the burden of sinne Rom. 7.25 walking in a reformed life and waiting for the glorie that shall bee seene we shal be as
the Saints of God beloued of the Lord hauing our long robes in signe of statelinesse as Senators palmes in our hands in signe of victorie as conquerours Reu. 7.9 for we in Christ haue ouer come Satan Further wee must obserue and know though this spirit of life dwell in vs yet so long as wee are inclosed in this earthly tabernacle and haue the corruption of nature clasping about the soule as Ivie to the Oke Ioh. 13.8 we cannot be free from infirmities and sinnes nor washed so cleane but that some filth will cleaue to our hands or our feet Yet there is great difference betweene the slips and sins of him that hath and of him that hath not the spirit of God as great difference as there is betweene him that is drenched and plunged ouer head and eares in a puddle and him that hath onely fouled his foote according to the speech of Christ to Peter Ioh. 13.10 He that is washed needed not saue onely to wash his feete as if he should haue said Peter thy head and thy hands are cleane onely thy feet need washing 〈◊〉 that is alwaies in this life some inferior affection is vncleane and there will be a litle boiling against the working of the spirit but the principall purpose of our hearts shall be to please God and to loath the world For the children of God are as poisoned vessels washed by the holie Ghost 2. Cor. 10. â—â— wherein notwithstanding there rests some taste and tang of their former filthinesse but the wicked are as vessels full of the poison of the diuell wherein the spirit of God neuer set footing Againe sinne in the regenerate hath a wound and is like the Sun faintly appearing through some thicke cloud but in the wicked it hath it full stroke Againe the wicked are so chained that they cannot stirre one foote to heauen and being cast from God they so little care for it as they wil with Cain Gen. 4.17 fall a building of cities and hauing lost the harmonie of a good conscience they will get some Iubal or other Genes 4.21 to plaie on the organs to make them merry but the godly though they be loosed from the chaines of the diuel yet while they soiourne heere they must draw some irons after them Againe the wicked from their birth haue turned their backs to God and their face to the diuell but the godly though they be hindred in their course and staied in their profession of godlinesse and of sanctification by some infirmities inseparable from the flesh yet doe they striue in their running to recouer their fall and wrastle for a prize that shall neuer fade And yet no doubt there is a contradiction in the wicked euen in finning as it is said Gen. 4.7 sinne lieth at the dore of Caine that is the blood of his brother Abel should torment his conscience Howbeit this combat and contradiction is but betweene his conscience that condemneth his sinne and his heart that loueth it but in them there is neuer any strife betweene affections and affections whereas the godly haue this fight betweene affections and affections as the flesh desireth to doe such a thing but the spirit that dwelleth in the flesh doth alwaies abhorre it and striueth against it So as if God hath sealed thee vp to saluation and hath giuen thee the stone of absolution and pardon for thy sinnes though thou art now discouraged at that remnant of sinne that rests in thee and fearest lest God should frowne at thee and turne his face from thee for thy weake seruice of him yet lift vp thy head thou shall bee sure heereafter through the power of this spirit to cast downe that great Goliah 2. Cor. 3.18 and thou shalt haue the full fruition of that hope thou yet doest apprehend and see as in a glasse Eph. 1.14 and if thou hast receiued but the earnest penny of the spirit in this life thou shalt be sure to receiue thy full wages and hire in the life to come Neither need we be dismaied that we limpe like Iacob 2. Cor. 5.5 2. Cor. 12.8 Genes 32.25 and be imperfect in this life for if we had not infirmities we would bee as proud as the diuell whereas now they make vs to expresse our thankefulnesse to God that hee so mercifully restraineth them and so fatherly passeth by them they serue to multiply our grones in the spirit to God Phil. 1.23 Rom. 7.24 Heb. 13.3 that we might be deliuered from this body of death and bondage of sinne yea they stirre vs vp to the loue of others to sorrow for the afflictions of Ioseph and of our brethren whereas if wee our selues were not infirme and weake we would neuer be touched with compassion Vers 11. But if the spirit of him that raised vp Iesus from the dead dwell in you hee that raised vp Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you Howsoeuer wee haue aduantage and comfort by the former doctrine that by the extinguishment of this light which wee haue heere beneath and by the separation of our bodies from our soules sin must die and cannot otherwise be mortified than by mortalitie yet in this verse the Apostle stirreth vs vp to greater ioy and to the top of all Christian comfort shewing that the time shall come when our vile bodies shall bee made like to the glorious bodie of Christ Iesus The verse standeth on two parts first of the raising vp of Iesus Christ secondly of the raising vp of our bodies to bee made conformable to Christ our head First obserue the maner of the Apostle his speech If the spirit c. consider wisely this speech propounded by Paul as it were conditionally which doth not argue any suspended doubt fulnesse of the matter or make it any whit subject to exception but carieth with it a peremptorie necessitie that it is so the Apostle taking that for granted which cannot be denied without falling into grosse absurdities For if he should haue doubted whether Christ had beene risen againe then in vaine had he gone about to prooue that we should rise againe and therefore by this maner of phrase the Apostle cals not the matter in question as a doubt but doth boldly assume it to all Christians that Christ is risen And this is the common course of the Scripture and of the Ministers of God in all times vsually to say If there be a day of iudgement 2. Pet. 3.11 and if it be so that this booke of Gods word shall be wâ—â—â—â—â—â—â— our hearts then is there a fearefull reckoning to bee exâ—â—â—â— for which they do not as doubting of these things but taking them as granted of all men they be so certaine without contradiction So the Apostle before in this chapter vers 9. If the spirit be in you speaking to the elect for all that is spoken in this chapter belongeth onely to them that
to God but not to our selues A miserable euasion of a sottish distinctioâ—â—â— for the scope of Christ is in that place to proue from the lesse to the greater negatiuely that if such seruants whose life and death were in their masters hands as bond-men were in those times doing their duties and seruice neuer so well cannot deserue so much as thankes at their masters hands much lesse that they should emancipate and set themselues free and much lesse to be their masters heires then much lesse since there is no comparison betweene God in heauen and man on earth can we deserue at the hands of God lying in the vncleannesse of our first birth and ouergrowne with sinnes as we haue growne in yeeres to be sanctified by his spirit in this life and glorified by himselfe in the life to come for there is no bond-man so inthralled to his master as we are to God euen in respect of our first creation when we caried the glory of his image in our face and had as it were the crowne of innocency set vpon our heads and yet we wilfully ran from him to our shame till he returned vs againe in his loue so as now all that we doe is duty and not desert and why should he receiue thanks that doth but what we ought Yea say the Papists but yet we deserue something because we are not vnprofitable to our selues Absurd for what master will thinke himselfe beholden to that seruant who by his seruice only inricheth himselfe and bringeth no commodity to his master And yet by the meaning of the Papists because we get something vnder God and by his seruice God must be indebted to vs. But heereupon we say that true it is we are not vnprofitable to our selues for in Christ not onely the person but the worke also is accepted and the person onely in respect he is adopted and this adoption is onely in Christ but yet so as we neuer haue God beholden to vs. Therefore when he saith Come good seruant and faithfull Mat. 25.21 enter into thy masters ioy it is true that the Lord doth recompence the vsing of our talents well but this is so farre as we are iustified and are his sons so as first he loueth the person and then the worke and if he did not accept the iustification of the person he would disauow the worke but being his chldren though we are farre from doing that we ought yet as a kind and louing father he accepteth it pleasingly ROM chap. 8. vers 15. verse 15 For ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but ye haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we crie Abba Father IN this verse and that which followeth the Apostle doth confirme that hee set downe before namely that wee are intitled to eternall life by inheritance and to confirme and ratifie that vnto vs wee haue this priuiledge to bee Gods sonnes and so heires of heauen The arguments he vseth be two first ye haue receiued that spirit whereby God doth witnesse that he doth accept you as his children in his naturall Sonne Christ Iesus And to proue we haue this spirit of a doption he doth it by the contrary for saith he like bond-slaues ye do not now feare the ghastly looks of the tormenter nor yee haue not now that hellish horrour and fearefull apprehension of Gods iudgements wherby Sathan vseth to whip mens consciences nor ye haue not that loud alarme of the killing law sounding in your eares and seizing vpon your soules to affright you Secondly in the verse following he proueth it by a double testimony first of Gods spirit which witnesseth this vnto vs and which were blasphemy to thinke it could suggest false things and secondly by our owne spirit which may assure our selues of it by our godly and holy conuersation By the spirit of bondage in this place is meant the holy Ghost who by the instrument of the killing letter that is the law doth propose and set downe such a condition of obedience to which we are obliged and bound by our creation and yet are now vtterly disabled by our corruption to performe it so as it is impossible to be kept and yet ought to be kept and laieth such a burthen vpon vs as neither wee nor our first parents were euer able to beare since they declined from the estate wherein they were at first created Whereupon this spirit of God by this meanes setting the law before vs as a glasse wherein wee may behold our selues conumceth the conscience of the good not done and of the euill that is done thereby shewing that no flesh can by this be iustified before God and sheweth and setteth before our eies not only the sinne but the vengeance which the sinne drawes after it so as our conscience can not bee but grieuously wounded with that hellish horrour wee haue voluntarily made our selues subiect vnto Now on the contrary the spirit of adoption is that worke of the holy Ghost whereby the incomprehensible loue of God in his Sonne is powred into our hearts that hee doth auow and know vs for his children so farre as we are not now bond-men to feare the performance of that impossible condition proposed by the law but we are heereby assured that what the law commandeth this spirit will either enable vs to performe or dispence and beare with our imperfections in not doing it with that perfection it requireth and so by consequent we ascertaine our selues that wee are the sonnes of God The parts heerein to be obserued are two there being set downe an opposing of a double spirit of contrarie natures working contrarie effects according to their natures The effect of the first being a dreadfull and fearefull expectation of endlesse and hellish torments the effect of the other being a comfortable securitie and breeding a heauenly hope that wee shall bee blessed of the Lord out of which as out of a root springeth and ariseth chearefull obedience to God our Father the other inforcing vs only through feare to loue God as bondslaues Herein is questionable whether by this spirit of bondage here spoken of is meant the spirit of Sathan or the holy Ghost that should thus terrify and affright vs. But note it must be vnderstood of Gods spirit which is the author of working holy despaire and by consequent of terror and is an occasion of despaire in the wicked and this is as proper for the spirit of God as to offer the sweet comfort of Christs bitter passion vnto vs. For by this meanes and maner of terrifying it bringeth both the elect and the reprobate to despaire but to a diuers end For the elect in this sort that shewing it impossible and past our power to performe the law euen as impossible as to build a tower to the heauens or to remooue a promontorie with our finger it bringeth vs to a holy despaire in our selus in respect of our own deserts thereby driuing vs to seeke
to couer our nakednes with the robes of our elder brother Christ Iesus and to remedie and cure our vnrighteousnesse in the righteousnesse of the blood of Christ So as with the hearers of Peter Act. 2.37 the law â—â—ging and pricking our consciences wee shall crie out in a holy distrust of our selues What shall we do And this kind of despaire prâ—pareth vs to saluation for the spirit sheweth vs our pouerty and where to buy gold that shall cost vs nothing it sheweth vs our wretchednesse that haue nothing but rags to put on and withall the wardrobe of Christs righteousnesse where wee shall haue garments fit for the Saints of God it sheweth our Apostasie how we haue fallen and by our fall haue euen broken and cut as it were our owne throats and sendeth vs to the Physitian Christ who is onely good at such a desperate disease it sheweth our blindnesse and withall the eie-salue of the holy Ghost to cleare vs 1. Ioh. 2.20 it sheweth vs our debt and the sergeant the diuell ready to arrest vs and then sends vs to the God of heauen in whose hands is all treasure to discharge what we owe it sheweth vs how we stand vpon the scaffold ready for the hatchet and then out of this astonishment sendeth vs an absolute pardon from heauen sealed with the blood of Christ and subscribed with Gods owne hand So as it teacheth vs onely to mistrust and despaire in our selues and to seeke to be releeued and refreshed with that water of life whereof hauing once drunke wee shall neuer thirst againe Iohn 4.34 Howbeit on the contrary this same spirit bringeth the wicked into a sense and feeling of this same horror and leaueth them in the astonishment of their conscience so as Sathan continually hath their sinnes to scourge them with and their corruptions wherewithall to vpbraide them And the cause why they bee left in this hellish plight and suffered to be thus perplexed and tormented of themselues is their owne infidelity that they haue stopped their eares against that comfortable sound of the Lords mercy and so poisoned their hearts with sinne that the power of the word could not worke vpon them and so the Lord most iustly hath hardened them in their irkesome and tedious hypocrisie that the sinnes they commit should be the punishments of sinnes past and the deserts of punishments that are to come And as to that that the holy Ghost working this same feare and terror in the hearts and consciences both of the elect and of the wicked and should leaue the reprobate euen when they are brought to the depth of despaire it were blasphemy to say or thinke that he doth it for and to the same end thaâ—â—â— than doth for Sathan doth it to prooue God a liar as that being in that case it were not possible for God to saue them whereas the mercy of the Lord is aboue all his workes But the spirit of God doth this that God may be iustified in the iust hardening of that mans heart whom hee found sinfull and whom hee was not bound to saue and so his end is to take vengeance of his hypocrisie for the Lord is as iealous of his iustice as he is of his mercie Sathan promiseth saluation to whom God pronounceth damnation and lulleth them in security whom he findeth carelesse to watch ouer their steps neuer greatly troubling or mouing any of his owne till they come to such a deepe exigent and to such a narrow pinch euen to hels mouth that they cannot goe from him then they taste euen of hell fire in this life and feele a fearefull beginning of that shall neuer haue end Now God threatneth damnation to all to his elect that they may seeke and hasten to be shrouded vnder the shadow of Christs wings and to feele the vertue of the hemme of his garment to the reprobate that they may bee the more hardened Mat. 14.36 because it is in the corruption of their owne hearts that they heaue refused the acceptable time of grace and reiected the pearle which they might haue bought It will be said But why should the holy Ghost leaue them in this despaire He is not properly the author of despaire but if the reprobate being brought to this be not recouered it cometh of his owne wickednesse As for example a man sheweth vnto a triator his indignity and hauing done this with great and vehement passions hee sheweth him the detestation and vglinesse of his offence and leaueth him with some doubt and scruple of conscience as amazed at his owne wickednesse if the traitor vpon this make himselfe away by violence as Iudas did hee that thus laid the quality and nature of his offence open before him Mat. 27.5 is not the cause of this his desperate end hee was the cause and meanes of making him to bee affraid and angry with himselfe onely and that was lawfull so the holy Ghost by laying open the riches of Gods mercy at the first thine owne wilfull rebellion to forsake him Rom. 7.12.23 his giuing of thee a law to bridle thee and the hâ—â— and feruencie of thy corruption to breake through all lawes worketh this terror in thy heart that art a reprobate and sheweth as it were before thee the smart and execution of thy sinne If now thou despairest and restest there the cause is in thy selfe for thou sawest light and louedst it not and heardest the sound of retrait and yet weatest on to thine owne destruction Further this spirit of God is not the author of despaire as it is despaire for a man should neuer despaire of Gods mercy as God was not the cause of the lie in the false Prophets as it was a lie 1. Kin. 22.7 but he shewed his iudgement on them by giuing them thus ouer to this sinne So despaire in the reprobate wrought by the wickednesse of their hearts is after this sort reuenged by the spirit in giuing them ouer to the extremity of this sin so as it commeth from the spirit not as an euil author but as a iust reuenger of their former sinnes Now the instruments the spirit of God vseth to bring and perswade the conscience to feare damnation are two first the law naturall for in the nature of euery man something is ingrafted and written of euery sinne that howsoeuer it bee acted and performed with pleasure yet euen in nature it endeth and is left with remorse which doeth shew that there is a God to punish it This was that which made the heathen to haue an apprehension and vnderstanding of infernall furies as that for some sinnes they should bee so exagitated and tormented with them as they could haue no rest For this cause they tearmed them by speciall names as the fury of Nemesis that should plague the proud man Eumenides because shee was implacable and would not bee intreated Alecto because it was a torment that neuer ceased Alasto that should pursue
forth our cold petitions and that which was generally beleeued by faith before is now particularly chalenged of God by praier that wee may finde and â—â—ele the former promise to be true by this particular instance of reaching foorth our requests to God by praier And the more to hearten and encourage vs in this exercise and Christian taske God giueth and graunteth our requests differing in three respects from the gifts and benefits of worldly men For first he can giue all things in his power secondly in his wisedome he giueth and neuer repenteth thirdly in his goodnes he giueth and neuer vpbraideth This is the perswasion of faith and therefore now if wee spare to speake wee may well spare to speed whereupon the Prophet Dauid saith I beleeued therefore I spake hauing his faith for most to prepare his lips to praier And surely the cause why wee call not vpon God so often or so boldly as we ought is either because our faith failâ—s vs that wee thinke not to speede or else because wee haue but weake and faint hope to speede For as the Philosopher saith Qui timide rogat docet negare He that craueth fearfully draweth on a deniall for that faith that openeth the eies to see such treasures openeth the mouth to supplicate and to pray for them so as by this learne in one word that the Apostle will measure thy faith by thy praiers Whereby we crie In this word crie is implied three things first a confident boldnesse secondly a great earnestnesse thirdly an importunacy with perseuerance Boldnesse in that wee speake not softly as in feare but loud as in assurance euen as a fauorite of an earthly Prince that hath a promise to haue and obtaine what he can spie out hauing speciall security to speed commeth boldly to his Prince and craueth the performance of that was pledged vnto him by promise before Earnestnesse not to take a nay or deniall at the first at our fathers hands but to goe on with I pray you Father Good Father I beseech you Father and such like speeches of vehemency and feruency which is heere expressed by the geminating and doubling of the word Father Father Then with these must there be an importâ—nacy in praier which Paul expresseth Rom. 15.30 by striâ—ing or wrestling in praier shewing thereby the feruency of the minde and of the voice euen as Iacob did Gen. 32.26 that would not let the Angell goe before hee had blessed him and according to the example set downe Luk. 18. â— of the widow who by her importunity which in the Greeke word signifieth impudency so troubled and wearied with her cries as it were with blowes the vnrighteous Iudge as she wrested her sute from him Christ in that parable teaching vs that wee ought to vse a holy kind of impudency in our petitions vnto God and neuer to giue him rest till hee hath yeelded to our requests which wee make in faith and present in hope Heereupon it is that the soule is very earnest with God as either being laden with some sinne which it desireth to be eased of or priuy to some wants which it faine would haue supplied or in some apprehension of Gods iudgement for sinne which it seeketh to escape or the loue of God constraining it to be thankfull for the rich mercies formerly receiued or else being assaulted with some danger and temptation craueth to bee â—â—liuered so as alwaies the soule hath occasion to bee quicke and earnest in praier for causes to moue vs euen in our owne particular persons vnto this duty besides the generall cause of the Church doe daily occurre and fall out In that it is said We crie Father heere is questionable whether onely God the first person in the Trinity be to be praied vnto and not the Sonne nor the holy Ghost To this we answer that the word Father and God is taken essentially for the whole essence of the God-head which includeth them all as it is in the Lords praier or else it is taken personally for that the Sonne must be praied vnto the place is plaine Act. 7.59 And they stoned Stephen who called on God and said Lord Iesus receiue my spirit And that the holy Ghost must be praied vnto appeareth by Saint Paul who endeth his Epistle 2. Corinthians 13.13 with this praier The communion of the holie Ghost be with you So as the word Father in this place is not meant of any one distinct person subsisting in the name of Father but it is to bee vnderstood of them all the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost for as they be all offended with vs for our sinnes so must they all bee reconciled to vs by our praiers And heereupon is it that Saint Augustine saith that the whole Trinity is Father in respect of the creature and hee is onely named heere because the Father is the fountaine of the God-head and the first in order but not in time howbeit being vnderstood in respect of their diuers subsistences they are seuerall Whereupon it is true that the word Father or God is sometime taken personally as Iohn 3.16 where it is said God so loued the world that hee gaue his onely begotten Sonne that wâ—â—â—euer beleeueth in him should not perish And 1. Corinthians 8.6 Vnto vs there is but one God which is the Father of whom are all things in which places the word God is taken personally as it is also in the Greede when wee say I beleeue in God the Father But the whole Trinitie is called Father in two respects first because hee is the fountaine of the God-head and the fountaine of all loue election and saluation the will of the Father going before the will of the Sonne in order not in time Secondly because howeâ—â—â— wee pray to Christ and to the holy Ghost as we doe to God and howeuer all the workes of the Trinity be vndiuided that they doe all saue and not the Father only yet they doe it by degrees Christ saueth vs insubmitting his will to his Fathers will the holy Ghost saueth vs in perswading and leading vs to goe to Christ and froâ— Christ to the Father so as our praiers are made vnto God in the name of Christ his Sonne by the direction of the holie Ghost Againe in that we name him Father learne that all our security and assurance that our praiers shall be effectuall and that we shall speede in our sutes and requests lieth in this that we are his children and so all that wee doe and performe pleaseth him no further then the person pleaseth him And therefore Dauid Psal 7. 17. 26. making a commemoration of his vertues as that there was no wickednesse in his hands that he had purposed his mouth should not offend that he had not hanted nor sorted himselfe with dissemblers doth it not the rather to moue God to heare him and to incline his eare to his petition but by these testimonies of a good conuersation
complaining by grones and cries with the eies fixed vpon the mother this doubleth the compassion maketh her verie bowels to yearne with pitie Euen so the Lord more kind then a mother lendeth his louing and tender eare to our bitter complaints but being astonished with griefe that we cannot but onely crie out in hope and expectation of some help and we lie pained not able to expresse it this doth more enlarge the bowels of his compassion and then he gathereth our reares into a bottle and wipeth our eies and putteth his hand into our side to heale vs and regardeth as preciously such maner of speechlesse vtterance as any praier vttered in feruencie and vehemencie of words Which is a most singular comfort for Gods chosen that the clouds of affliction can neuer be so thick but a heartie sigh will scatter them yea come what will no time can be so euill nor tyrant so bitter or cruell that can stay vs from groning though through weight of torment they may stop vs from speaking as Dauid saith Psal 38.9 I powre O Lord my whole desire before thee and my sighing is not hidden from thee for none can refraine the heart from sobbing Yet must wee not abuse this comfortable doctrine to our fleshlie libertie to make vs sluggish in praying to the Lord and thinke onely a mentall prayer or a desire conceiued though not vttered to be enough for this speechlesse prayer is onely permitted in the bitternes of the heart and when the venime of affliction hath seized vpon the outward man in such a case and in such a time if we cannot speake with Anna 1. Sam. 1.13 we may with her wag our lips bee wee neuer so old Otherwise wee must say with Dauid Psal 57.8 Arise my tong and then arise vp my glorie for there is no instrument so fit to set foorth our wants and it is no excuse for thee to say the Lord knowes thy heart for so doth he know thy wants also before thou aske and by that reason neither the panting of the heart nor the paines of the lips should be requisit For the third point that is for the effect and efficacie of our prayers that they comming from the spirit must needs speed haue good successe obserue when it is said The Lord knowes the meaning that there is a speciall propertie of this word to be vnderstood for knowing is taken here for approuing as Rom. 7.15 What I do I know not that is allow not nor approue that Ido so Mat. 7.23 Depart from me I know you not that is approue you not for he knew them well inough So Psal 1.6 The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous that is approueth it and in the same sense is it taken in the Prouerb 12.10 The righteous man knoweth the soule of his beast that is approueth it Why then this is the lesson that if our prayers haue an allowance and approbation with God we may be sure we shall reape the fruit of our lips and that our requests shall not returne emptie vnto vs but shall be as the doue that brought an Oliue in her mouth signifying that the flouds are ceased and that we may walke on the drie land The reason why our prayers must needs speed is because the same spirit that maketh vs pray doth make vs onely to pray for those things that stand with the Lords glorie therfore must of necessitie be granted for God cannot denie himselfe he and his glorie are inseparable 1. Ioh. 5.14 And this is witnessed by S. Iohn This is our assurance that if wee aske any thing according to his will hee heareth vs and we know that we haue the petitions we desired of him So that it is not the worthinesse of our prayers that draweth Gods bountie to vs but the bounds and compasse wherein our prayers are limited and circumscribed that is ayming at nothing else and referring all to the will and pleasure of God which wee may be sure shall come to passe Euen as Iacob said Gen. 32.11.12 Thou wilt deliuer me O Lord from my brother Esau for thou hast said thou wilt do me good and 2. Sam. 7.21 Dauid saith O Lord I know thou wilt blesse my house because of thy word for thou hast spoken it Many there bee will say I haue prayed often and cried incessantlie for the increase of faith and yet I finde it as weake and my flesh as sinfull as it was before And thus Sathan perswadeth thee thou prayest not according to Gods will for if thou hadst bene his and hadst belonged to him he would haue giuen thee faith at thy first request But thou must beate backe this temptation which is but to lull thee in securitie by this answer that thou must thinke thy lot and thy portion to be no better then Dauids who Psal 69.3.4 brake forth saying O Lord I am wearie with crying and mine eyes faile while I haue waited for my God for the Lord will haue thee to continue in prayer not to wearie thee but to trie thy patience how long thou canst wait so as if thou speakest and the Lord seemeth not to heare thee double thy prayers vpon him for he maketh himselfe deafe to make thee more quicke and feruent If he listen to thee and yet thou obtainest not perseuere and continue for at last the Lord will incline to thy petition and from his throne will he send thee a chearefull message In Saint Luke we haue an example of one that asked but three loaues Luk. 11.8 and by his importunitie got as many as he would So may the pâ—â—ore widow bee our paterne Luk. 18.5 who by her multiplying of her sure witâ— many words obtained right of the vniust Iudge and therefore much more shall we by our instancie with the Lord obtaine what in faith we shal desire for out of the very words of the Apostle here we may learne first that it is certaine we shall haue it though it be vncertaine when it shall be cast vpon vs for Christians must endeuour to striue to this to haue Iacobs spirit and resolution that though the Lord fight with vs and would faine shake vs off yet not to let him goe till we haue forced a blessing from him and haue our petitions granted And we must haue the strength of the womans faith in the Gospell Mat. 15.22 as not to feare three denials of Christ hand to hand for her constancie and perseuerance were rewarded double first with the commendation of her faith secondly with the health of her daughter which was the thing she craued And euen so at length shall our prayers bee requited with the perfect cure of all our infirmities Secondly marke and assure thy selfe that if thy prayers made now be not presently heard thou shalt be rewarded in a time thou least lookest for and when thou art vtterly out of hope of that thou didst craue as we may see Luk. 1.13 Zachary and
the beholding of the very face of God and there shall bee no markes set to keepe vs from the mount where the Lord dweleth Reu. 21.12 as there was Exod. 19.12 but as Paul speaketh 1. Corinth â—3 12 we shall then see him face to face and know him as wee â—re knowen of him and see him as God all in all that is â—ee shall behold the glory of God not standing vpon the veile of the flesh of Christ for then all mediation and intercession shall cease and this is part of that Christ praied for a litle before his death Iohn 17.24 that we might see that glory he had before the world was made for then we shall see Christ-God and the whole Godhead immediately raigning yet in Christ the Sonne of man and in vs but so as we shall no more leane and relie vpon the praiers of Christ for then he shall raigne no more as the Sonne of man in the midst of his enemies for this gouernement shall cease death which is the last enemy being then abolished and he then shall raigne ouer them vanquished as God Howbeit the fruit and benefit of this his mediation shall indure for euer and the subiection of his humane nature shall then more appeare because of the glory of his Godhead which shall then be seene fully euen such and the same as he had before eternitie yet shall this saluation more increase the glory of his humanity when we shall vnderstand and see it to bee personally vnited to the sonne of God who with God the Father and the holy Ghost shall be all in all Now the fruition and possession of this glory shal worke three effects in vs first it shall breed in vs an infinite loue toward God secondly an infinite ioy in God thirdly an infinite praise to God Infinitely shall we loue him that hath aduanced as to such honour as is endles and to such fellowship as is matchlesse our hearts shall be filled with ioy yet not able to comprehend or expresse it Mat. 25.23 therefore it is said Enter thou into thy masters ioy for this ioy is too great to enter into thee and besides the ioy we shall haue in our owne saluation we shall conceiue as great ioie for the saluation of others which is called ioy celestiall and we shall haue yet more ioy then before to see the Godhead so glorious the Lambe aduanced in our flesh and to be one person with God And this is aboue all ioies because we shal loue Christ far aboue our selues for the zeale of Gods glory shall euen eat vs vp and it shall be so great in vs as it cannot be so great for our owne saluation and then out of this loue and ioy as out of two fountaines ioyned in one shall spring and arise such continuall praise to God for this glory that we shal vncessantly sing to God in the Temple which is God himselfe so as we shall praise God in God and this shall be as the Prophet Esay saith from new Moone to new Moone and from Sabbath to Sabbath that is for euer for this loue of God is from eternitie in respect of our predestination and to eternitie in respect of our glorification and this is that we sigh and grone for and for which while wee are in the flesh absent from God wee continually pray for ROM chap. 8. vers 31.32 verse 31 What shall we say then to these things If God be on our side who can be against vs verse 32 Who spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all to death how shall he not with him giue vs all things also THe Apostle before set downe that God the Father by his eternall purpose hath foreacknowledged vs and foreloued vs with an euerlasting loue in his Sonne and not vs onely but all those that to the end of the world shall loue him and manifest and shew foorth this their loue by a sincere worship and religious care to keepe his commandements and how that the Lord as he hath ordained vs and them to the same glory so at the fulnesse of time by the dispensation of his wisdome by his spirit he doth call them by the instrument of his word by the same loue doth iustifie vs in his Sonne and will glorisie vs with himselfe Now he being ouercome with the thought and meditation of these things breaketh foorth into a woonder and admiration that seeing it is thus that the Lord hath taken it vpon him neuer to leaue vs till he hath aduanced vs to heauenly places euen the seat of the Lord Iesus what shall we say The answer is giuen with the question this we must say that since he is our God as appeareth by that which went before then is it impossible wee being thus backed and hauing the Lord our bulwarke that any creature can bee of that force or be so against vs no not the diuell in hell with all his power can hinder vs from the fruition of this glorie In the other words who spared not his Sonne c. there is a further consolation set downe vnto vs to make the heape of comfort greater that since the Lord gaue as it were iudgement against his owne Son and set him foorth to a shamefull death for vs and this when we were his enemies and strangers from the life of God how can it bee he should now denie vs any thing to further our saluation being made friends with him and reconciled to him thorow his Sonne This doctrine needeth rather deepe meditation then large explication for who doth not assume to himselfe sufficiently to vnderstand it being but thus much in effect that since God in his euerlasting purpose hath thus manifested his glorie and mercie and hath ordained the end which is his glorie in our saluation and to bring it that it may come to this end hath subordinated and set downe certaine causes as calling and iustifying it is impossible any thing should hinder our saluation If God he on our side Heereupon wee must not thinke that if God be on our side we shall haue no enemies for because God loueth vs therefore we haue the more enemies and therefore wee are persecuted and subiect to the hatred of the world as Christ himselfe expresseth Ioh. 17.14 The world hateth them because saith he they are like me So as in this place the Apostle doth not meane that we should expect any immunitie and exemption on from the eâ—mitie and malice of men but that wee hauing this heauenly securitie and assured certaintie of the Lords protection neither Angell nor man nor diuell nor torment shall be able to ouer come vs. For this is that Paul speaketh of All things are by Christ Col. 1.16 through Christ and for Christ that is all things are created by him all things are preserued through 〈◊〉 maintained for his glorie so that our saluation being alwaies ioyned with his glorie neither shall men breath nor the diuell
nature but this is onely spoken in way of comparison by a figuratiue or borrowed speech speaking that of the dumbe creature which is onely to be applied to vs of vnderstanding for if there be such a feruent desire a longing a sighing and a mourning in these senselesse creatures for our deliuerance from this bondage of corruption vnder which wee are now held how much greater then should our desires willes and affections our sighings and mournings be who are sensibly and feelingly to be made partakers of this heauenly glorie and to this end is their feruencie brought in to stirre vs vp to the like or greater as a thing more neerely concerning vs. The like phrase of Scripture attributing life sense desire and affections to dumbe creatures is vsed in many places as Psal 114.3.4 When Israel went out of Egypt the sea saw it and fled Iordan was driuen backe the mountains leaped like rams and the hilles like lambes and vers 7. The earth trembled at the presence of the Lord the Prophet bringing in the creatures magnifying and reioicing at the maiestie of God in the destruction of his enemies and at his mercy in the deliuerie of his Saints that since these sensilesse creatures in their obedience in their kinde seemed to see this glorie and triumph at it much more should the people themselues that visibly saw it and sensibly felt it be rauished as it were with ioy at the so powerful presence of the Lord in making the sea as the drie land for their escape and rescue from the sword of their enemies After the like maner doth Dauid Psa 148.2.5 bring in the creatures in course as they were created praising the Lord in their kinde not in any forme or phrase of speech but the beautie of the Lord appearing in them by their obedience in obseruing that course wherein they are set heereby inuiting and stirring vs vp that haue sense feeling reason and vnderstanding to be more mindfull in our praise and thankesgiuing to God who are filled with greater plenty and haue a more spirituall and diuine beautie shining in vs than they haue So Esay the Prophet chap. 14.7.8.9 in derision of the tyrannie of the king of Babel bringeth in the whole world singing for ioy the firre trees and the Cedars of Lebanon reioicing and hell it selfe mooued at the death of so gold-thirsty an oppressor as he was as if it feared lest hee would trouble the dead as he did the liuing teaching vs by this that if the insensible creatures doe seeme to spread their boughes and bud foorth their flower at the destruction of tyrants as bringing rest and quiet to them how much more should we be affected at it that taste the smart of their crueltie and are kept but as a spoile and pray to saciate their bloudie and butcherly desires So Ionah 3.7 sackcloth must be put vpon the beasts and they must be kept from feeding as if they sorrowed for the affliction hung ouer their land not that they had sinned or could haue any affection of griefe in them but by this that the people might the more acknowledge their vnwoorthinesse as deseruing iustly not onely to be plagued of God in their persons but euen to be depriued of the vse and beenfit of the creatures whereby their present life was maintained And thus are the creatures brought in heere by the Apostle as inwardly smitten with sorrow for the sin of man and for his pollutions on the earth and longing after the aduancement of the sonnes of God to glory to set the sharper edge on vs who are to taste as it were the full cup of the Lords bountie and glorie in the highest heauens who will thus exalt the horne of his Saints Further vnderstand that by Creature in this place is meant all the creatures in the world as appeareth vers 22. where it is said that euery creature comprehending all doth grone with vs howbeit there are two sorts of creatures heere exempted namely Angels and men both elect and reprobate for the Angels elect they wait not as groning vnder vanity otherwise they desire it for the reuelation or triumph of Gods Saints in heauen because they alwaies stand before the Lord behold his glory Mat. 18.10 It is true indeed as Lu. 15.10 That the Angels of God reioice at the conuersion of a sinner because more glory is brought to God by his saluation but they need not this affection of groning or sighing heere spoken of because they are in paradise before the throne of God already Neither can it be meant of the reprobate Angels the brood of the diuell for first they wait not for vs vnlesse it be as Ren. 12.4 the dragon waited for the deliuerie of the woman to destroy vs neither doe they waite vpon vs vnlesse it be as Matth. 4.1 the tempter waited vpon Christ in the wildernesse Secondly they waite not for themselues for they feare nothing so much as the perfecting of Gods elect in number because that is the time of the perfefection of then torment at which they tremble Lames 2.19 the diuell euer thinking that Christ hasteneth too fast and commeth before his time to torture him Now for men it is not ment in this verse of the elect as appeareth by the words themselues for the waiting is not by them but by the creatures for them till they shall be restored to their libertie in glorie and so much is plainly set foorth vers 23. And not onely the creature but wee also that haue the first fruits of the spirit do sigh c. bringing the elect their waiting in by themselues not folding them vp in the general word creature Concerning the reprobate it is not meant of them for they are but of two sorts the one such as Peter speaketh of 2. Pet. 3.3.4 There shall come mockers which shall walke after their lusts and say where is the promise of his comming thinking because the Lord hath beene patient so long therefore the day of iudgement is but a tale to keepe men in awe So as these men cannot waite for Christs comming since they denie it and deride it the other are such as know there shall be a day of reckoning but feare it and put it farre off as loth to see it as their father the diuell because then they shall receaue according to that they haue wroughâ—â— the flesh which at that time shall turne to their sighing and groaning because they denied to themselues sorrow and griefe in the flesh So as all creatures but men and Angels are meant heere where we see the concordance and agreement as it were of the whole frame of heauen and earth not â—arring but ioining in one that they might be at the end of their labour and vanitie by their dissolution and change of their subiection into immortalitie Where it is said When the sonnes of God shall be reuealed we may vnderstand it fiue waies First that it is spoken in this
him in spirit and in truth Now if any be so audacious and bold to aske why God was so sharp in smiting his creatures for the sinne of man Answere first with S. Paul Rom. 9.20 O man who art thou darest plead with God and call him to an account for his doings his secrets are too high for thee and his wayes past finding our Secondly if the creatures had not been punished with man and that he by his particular sin had not procured a generall curse then could not man in his weaknesse haue made any vse of the creatures in their innocencie vnlesse they had fallen with him for they had not been subiect to vanitie to haue been slaine and deuoured of men if in themselues they had not been accursed Thirdly God did not punish them in respect of themselues but in respect of vs for we know the children are punished for the reason of their parents not for any fault committed in their persons but for that the parents haue so highly transgressed the Princes lawes for by this he hath forfeited to the King what should haue descended to his children and this we thinke no hard part in an earthly Prince vnlesse it be in the case of Ahab who tooke the eschete of Naboths vineyard by a false plotted accusation of a supposed blasphemie against God and the King 1. Kings 21.13 then must we needs thinke that the King of heauen who cannot but giue righteous iudgement hath not dealt hardly in punishing and subduing the creatures to this subiection Adam hauing in his creation the rule giuen vnto him ouer them as a father hath ouer his child howbeit the Lord in this gaue no principall or set blow to them but only stroke them as it were through the sides of man that after that fall we might be punished euen oft times in the vse of them If any aske againe why God should thus proceed in making our wound the wider by punishing vs in his creatures since before the curse pronounced on them Gen. 3.15 the Lord had pardoned the guiltinesse of the sinne by the promised seed of the woman Answere This was the wisedome of the Lord in two respects first in respect of his elect secondly in respect of the reprobate for in regard of the elect they are not punishments for sinne the bloud of the womans feed hauing by vertue of Gods promise washed away the guilt of it but because there is yet a remnant of corruption there being much filth Iohn 13.10 hanging on our feet therefore they are as chastisements to increase the measure of our sanctification and the labour in purging and keeping our selues cleane by repentance and a holy life but now to the reprobate they are tokens and forerunners of Gods iustice and of the sword of vengeance which they shall feele heereafter among the damned so that when wee see the heauens made brasse aboue vs and the earth yron beneath vs the one withholding the raine the other not yeelding her fruits but suffring it to die in her wombe this is to vs but a chastisement for some passions vnsubdued or for some sinnes vnrepented of but it is a scourge and reuenge vpon the reprobate mingling his reioycing with repining and his store with grudging that the want of that he seekes may be as a fretting canker in his soule to fill vp the greater measure of his sinne verifying those speeches of Iob Chap. 8.14 His trust shall be as the house of the spider and Chap. 11.20 his hope shall be sorrow of mind For as for them that loue the Lord he vseth foure speciall remedies to make them fit for heauen first his spirit to guide them secondly his word to instruct them thirdly his chastisements to reclaime them fourthly death it selfe to end them and therefore when he correcteth vs in his creatures it is to see whether he can recouer vs as it were by the sight of another beaten before vs making them vnfruitfull that we might remember the want of our owne works mustering oft times the clouds together as if raine should fall yet staying it in the brest of the aire to put vs in mind of the hardnesse of our hearts and of the drinesse of our eyes that doe not weepe sufficientlie for our owne sinnes nor abundantly for the sinnes and abominations of the land it being as wee read Ezech. 9.4 an vndoubted marke of election set by the finger of God in the fore heads of his Saints to mourne and crie for the corruption and crueltie that is in a citie Againe we hauing formerly noted the seueritie of Gods iustice against sinne that we might auoid it so on the contrary we are to obserue his exceeding rich mercy both to the elect and to the reprobate that heereby we may be prouoked to follow him 〈◊〉 to what straites soeuer he shall cast vs his mercy to his chosen 〈◊〉 â—â—eth in this that though he hath laid such a curse vpon his 〈◊〉 â—atures whereas they may lay the curse on vs as the cause and 〈◊〉 they knew their owne strength would deuour vs the Lord in â—oue to vs and in power to them hiding it from them yet doth he force them to serue vs the vse of them all being sanctified and restored to vs in Christ and we being through him made owners and possessors of them for as Adam after his fall being secluded from the tree of life was thereby excluded from all the meanes that might maintaine life so Christ hauing by our vnion with him brought vs againe into the paradise of God where that rree groweth we are thereby endowed and inriched with all the creatures both in heauen and earth these being for his sake waiters and artendants on vs yea the very little ones that be elect as Christ saith Matth. 18.10 haue their Angels in heauen to defend them and as Dauid faith Psal 34.8 The Angell of the Lord pitcheth round about them that feare him Now his mercy to the reprobate is manifested in this that hee by his especiall hand and Commandement doth binde and restraine the creatures from rebelling against them for the heauens would fall vpon the whoremonger if God by his power did not chaine them vp the Sunne that shineth would scorch and burne the Vsurer if his force were not bridled by the finger of God the waters from aboue would fall like a sea vpon the blasphemer if they were not shut in by the patience of God yea all lewd profane and wicked persons should be melted by the heat stifled by the aire swallowed by the earth deuoured by the beasts choaked by their bread and euery creature would be auenged on them for the subiection brought vpon them if God by his prouidence did not restraine them for if they might haue their own wil they would surely do it Who is it saith God Ioh. 38.8 that hath shut vp the sea with doores that her proud waues cannot passe oner but I It is the Lord Iob. 39.12
them that be halfe dead through cold euen so the holy Ghost not onely warmeth him that is benummed in his soule but quickeneth him that is starke dead in pleasures and other corruptions of the world and doth kindle in him a holy zeale to the Lords truth and raiseth him vp to the hope of eternall life being before though hee seemed to liue through the dulnesse and obstupefaction of his flesh drouping or rather dead in sinne Fourthly fire giueth light to them that before sat in darknesse and sheweth them the way how to walke so the holy Gost doth enlighten our iudgments and vnderstandings that we may be able to discerne and desire to thirst after that acceptable will of the Lord vnto saluation Secondly consider since the holy Ghost cannot be quenched but where he is how the Apostle writing to the whole Church of Thessalonica assumeth and taketh it as granted that they all had this spirit and this ought to be the generall iudgement of all men so long as a people conforme themselues to the outward obedience and sound of the Gospell to presume and hope the best of all For no doubt many in this Church were accompted Saints which were detestable hypocrites yet in respect of this mingling of the seede and tares together the Apostle medleth not with them leauing that to the last iudgement but signeth them all with this excellent badge of hauing the spirit for so ought it to be vnlesse their sinnes be enormous and notorious and that they sinne and offend with so high a hand as that they refuse the censure of the Church and to be thereby reformed for then they are vtterly to bee cut off and separate from the rest of the Saints And this intermingling of hypocrites and the elect together in the visible church maketh that oftentimes the Apostle in a generall stile disswadeth and dehorteth all from that which can be verified in the wicked onely as when he saith Heb. 3.12 Take heed none of you be so vnfaithfull as to fall from the grace of the liuing God which is true onely in the hypocrite and so doth hee sometimes generally exhort to that which is true onely in the elect as when he saith to the Philippians Worke fourth your saluation with feare and trembling Phil. 2.12 for all the Ministers of God must know that there will alwaies be one Iudas among the Disciples Mat. 26.22 whom Christ onely could discouer but for them that cannot see the heart they must offer the cup of grace to all for the tares cannot be seuered from the wheat till that great day of separation come when then the Lord by his Angels shall cut vs all downe and shall binde the tares in bundles by themselues to be cast from the Lords floore into perpetuall tormenting flaming fire Againe learne since the spirit must not be quenched that it followeth of necessity euery one of Gods children must haue it and think it so far from shame as they must esteeme it to be their onely victory and crowne that they do enioy it For first by this spirit there is made a distinction and differnce betweene vs and the reprobate and it is like the bloud Exod. 12.22 that was stricken vpon the doore tops which shall make the Lord to passe ouer vs and not to suffer the destroier to come neare vs when he goeth to smite the Egyptians and as Paul saith 2. Cor. 13.5 The spirit of God is in vs all except we be reprobates Secondly from this spirit we receiue direction whereby to guide the steps and actions of our life that we snarle not at the Ministers like dogs nor runne after the world like Demas 2. Tim. 4.10 Thirdly in this spirit we reape such comfort as all the lightsome pleasures of this life are but as shadowes and all the burdensome profit of this life of no value in respect of that ioy wee take to be transformed into the image of the sonne of God wherby the slanderous speeches and impious and sacrilegious scurrility of some is notably condemned who in scorne and derision doe call such as are fearefull to offend and doe tremble and quake at the name of sinne men of the spirit Puritanes precise and such like they themselues shrinking vp sinne in a narrow scantling as if none offended but they that lie in the goale But what is he that hauing a waspe about him will stay till he be stung and not auoide it at the first buzzing What is he when he hath roome inough that will ride vpon the edge of a pit and venture his falling Nay 1. Thes 5.22 it must be the wisedome of the Saints of God to flie as far from sinne as can be and as the Apostle saith to shun all apparence of euill and we must not be fraighted from the rule of conscience nor from walking in a strait course of religion by any such prophane and vngodly mouthes which carry the poison of Aspes vpon their tongues and the gall of bitternesse within their hearts and let them know that in this state wherein they stand they are as surelie the diuels as the diuell is not Gods for in whomsoeuer this spirit of God dwelleth not and worketh not that man shall assuredly be damned Now this exhortation not to quench the spirit is very weighty for by this the Apostle teacheth insinuateth of the feareful declinations of some that haue begun in the spirit and haue ended in the flesh that haee saluted Christ in the market place and yet neuer entertained him in their houses For that the spirit may be quenched Mat. 25.3 Mark 4.4 is proued by the fiue virgines that had their lamps but wanted oile and by the parable of the foure sorts of graine whereof only one shall be saued for therby is manifest that the Gospell may be receiued with ioy yea it may take root to grow vp to a stalke and from a stalke to a blade yea from a blade to an eare and yet shall neuer ripen but when it is gone so farre shall either be burned vp by the heat of persecution or choked by the thornes of this life and shall neuer come to perfection Againe that parable which carieth with it a reall truth of the spirit which being cast out of a man walketh in dry places for so much is Sathan cast out as wee are enlightned in our iudgements Luk. 11.24 but when he returnes he finds it more garnished then before that is after he hath once refused and troden vnder foote that light of knowledge which he had hee is possessed with such darknesse as hee is wholly left a prey for Sathan It is also proued that the spirit may be quenched by plaine places of Scripture as that of Ezechiel 18.24 the man that liueth in righteousnesse a long time after falling away shall bee iudged in his vnrighteousnesse and 2. Peter 2.22 the dogge is returned to his vomire and the sow that was washed
to her wallowing in the ruire Some will say True it is the spirit may bee quenched in 〈◊〉 hypocrite but neuer in the elect as 1. Iohn 3.9 Hee that is borne of God sinneth not And whom God loued once hee loueth alwaies This is true but then looke that thou stand vpon good and sound euidence when Sathan troubles thee for thou knowest how the burning lampes went out how the seed in the blade came to nothing and it is certaine that a man illuminate may sinne against the holy Ghost and therefore see that thou hast good title and groundest vpon good interest when thou shalt bee vexed with temptations For Rom. 8.13 if wee liue after the flesh wee shall die and as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God and who hath this spirit looke 1. Iohn 3.14 We are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren for hee that hath a soule must needes breath and he that hath the spirit must needs fulfill the fruits of the spirit Secondly albeit the elect haue receiued an euerlasting spirit whereof the Lord can neuer repent and which can neuer vtterly be quenched yet let vs feare and tremble for in the elect it may so bee obscured and ouerwhelmed that some of the graces of Gods spirit nay most of the graces yea the chiefest of the most nay all almost of Gods graces may in them be quenched as Dauid praieth Psal 51. Lord create in me a new spirit and yet he had it in him for in the same place he saith Lord take not thy spirit from me So as this exhortation not to quench the â—â—â—rit hath a double fruit in the hypocrite to make him vnexcusable in the elect to make them more circumspect and carefull in their conuersation for we must not be secure in as much as albeit the spirit of God in those that be his cannot bee absolutely quenched and wholly put out yet there may bee a great abatement of the spirit as not to be recouered without great touch and terror of conscience For first while a man feeles the presence of this spirit there is giuen him such ioy and with that a singular peace in the inward man and such securitie of his saluation that he feeles the loue of God spiritually to do him as much good as his meat and vpon this assurance he doth as it were behold the heauens open for the Lord to embrace him liuing or dying and he knoweth himselfe to be sealed vp in the blood of Christ vnto eternall life Now if this spirit be gone absenteth it selfe in spirituall operation together with this is our former ioy abated and the foundation of our hope begins to be shaken and being weake of our selues we are surprised with many feares and suspecting our selues to bee cast from the feare of God and our sinnes arising and flying vp like smoake in our eies we almost are brought to the case of Cain Gen. 4.12 to thinke that whosoeuer meeteth vs will slay vs. Secondly as vpon the enioying presence of the Lords spirit there springs an vnspeakable ioy and comfort in our hearts and we find that the Lords loue breedeth in vs an heauenly assurance of eternall peace and filleth our hearts with a mutuall and reciprocall loue of God our loue streaming and flowing from the well head of the Lords loue then it followeth that the lesse we feele the Lords loue toward vs the lesse we loue him againe and then we droope and languish in our selues our praiers be faint our meditations cold and when we should watch we with the Disciples fall asleepe and we feeling not the life of the spirit Mat. 26.43 we are greatly abated in our loue of holy and Christian exercises and we then only keepe a generall course in our profession and performe euery good thing as it were tedious vnto vs like Eutychus Act. 20.9.10 who came to heere Pauls sermon but was ouercome with sleepe Thirdly when the spirit is abated by the diminishing of the Lords loue towards vs and the withdrawing of our loue from him then because we haue grieued the spirit the Lord suffereth vs to fall into fearefull and presumptuous sinne as hee did suffer Dauid to fall into the sinne of whoredome with Bathsheba aggrauated with the murder of Vriah wherein hee lay frozen by Satans subtilty nine monthes at the least before he confessed it to God for it appeareth 2. Sam. 11.27 that the child was borne before Nathan the Prophet came to him and howsoeuer no doubt he could no more escape the pricke of conscience then he could stay the panting of his heart yet before that time not a word to God of any serious humiliation for his adultery So as neuer any of Gods children sinned more grieuously then he Mat. 26.70 except Peter who was not so much kindled at the fire of the high Priest as he was cold in his soule for first he lied in that he said hee knew not Christ secondly burst foorth into swearing and thirdly gaue himselfe to the diuell if it were he that was with Christ which the Lord most iustly suffered to befall him as a great chastisement since he neglected the louing forewarning of his master and though hee was neuer so much elect yet would the spirit neuer comfort him till he had with drawne himselfe to bewaile his sinne bitteâ—â— All which is liuely expressed Cant. 3.1 In my bed by night saith the church I sought him that my soule loued I sought hâ—â—â—â—â—t I found him not I went and rose and walked about the citie and by the streeâ—s and by open places I sought him but found him not thereby to declare that when the Lord once withdraweth his face from vs how hardly we shall win his fauour againe Fourthly when the Lord hath suffered vs to fall thus farre as we shall euen seeme to be swallowed vp of hell already though in the end he will restore thee yet first he will suffer thee to beare the shame of thy sinne in this life Gen. 9.23 1. Sam. 15.14 as Noah for his drunkennesse to be a scorne to his owne children and Dauid for his adultery to bee thrust out of his kingdome by his owne sonne which was such a griefe to him as all the ioy of his sonnes life did not so much comfort him as the sorrow of his death did wound him he mourning for Absolon 2. Sam. 19.33 as if he had doubted of his saluation But happy is hee that hath the thornes in his sides in this life and that is afflicted heere for though the Lord will neeuer take his louing kindnes from thee yet he will scourge thee not for any satisfaction of his iustice for Christ hath paied all but onely for a chastisement Lastly besides all this when the spirit is gone and abated it shall be such a terror to thy conscience such smart and vexation to thy whole minde as thou wert better bee almost
in hell then feele this great want and sustaine this great torment of recouering it againe For first when thou considerest the losse of thy former paines which thou spentest in the mortifying of thy flesh that secondly when the spirit is abated Mark 9.18 the power of Satan is increased and that he cannot be dispossessed without great violence and euen rending thee in peeces as appeareth by the dumbe man in the Gospell Thirdly that if thou die at this time as Ezech. 18.24 all thy former righteousnesse shall not be remembred but thou shalt die in thy present sinne and fourthly that as a man dangerously sicke and somewhat recouered and after by misgouernment falling into a relapse it doth exasperate and increase the disease and as a wound halfe healed to come to a new incision cannot be without greater paine then before and for a man halfe in his iourney to returne backe againe when hee must needes goe thorow cannot bee but a great discontentment So when thou remembrest the great conflicts thou hadst at first when thou didst enter thy name into the schoole of Christ and considerest that now thou must abide greater it shall be halfe a hell to thee to be brought seriously without guile of spirit from the detestation of thy sinne as we may see Psal 32.4 before Dauid could be brought to confesse his sinne of filthinesse and of murther hee saith that very care had eaten his bones not but that in his priuate chamber hee had confessed it to the Lord but before he could come to taske his conscience and to set it as it were vpon the racke to bee rent in peeces by his confession of it before men and to abide patiently the shame of the world for it hee seemed to bee plunged into the deepe of deepes as himselfe saith Out of the deepes O Lord haue I cried vnto thee Euen so when the spirit of the Lord is abated in thee thou shalt finde it will not bee regained by some sleight worke and ssubbring vp a short praier as Lord haue mercy vpon me but thou must come to the case of Dauid euen to pine and wast away and to haue the moisture dried vp within thee yea consider his tedious trauell before he could repent suddenly And if he was beaten thus farre of the Lord with Scorpions of whom the Lord had protested that he was a man after his owne heart shalt thou thinke by a pang of deuotion and superficiall praier to recouer that sweet comfort thou hast lost in the Lords spirit Nay know that if thou temptest the Lord so farre as to withdraw his spirit from thee it shall cost the deere before thou canst inioy it againe and if thou breake foorth into sighes and grones which fill the heauens euen in this doth the Lords mercy greatly appeere for hee might giue thee vp into hardnesse of heart and neuer trouble himselfe to restore his spirit againe vnto thee But thy sorrow must be so great thy praiers so feruent and thy sighes so many as to crie out with Dauid Psal 51.8 Heale the bones O Lord which thou hast broken Let vs beware then how we distemper our selues spiritually for feare the arrow-head of the Lords wrath should rankle in our sides and let vs take heed with the Apostle how we greeue this spirit for if Adam might haue had the whole spirit taken from him in respect of his Apostasie who was perfect in his creation how much more may wee that haue receiued but the earnest of the spirit and the first fruits thereof in Christ Iesus Howbeit as the euill spirit in an hypocrite may be cast out and yet hee may returne to his vomite againe 2. Pet. 2.22 and his casting out was but in regard of his enlightening for the time and he was not gone out indeed so in the elect the spirit and the working of the spirit may be interrupted for a season but it cannot cleane be taken away Againe consider where it is said Quench not the spirit that all Scripture commandeth alwaies the contrary to that it forbiddeth as 2. Tim. 1.6 the contrary vertue to this heere spoken of is commanded I charge thee saith Paul to Timothy that thou stirre vp the graces of God which bee in thee the word in Greeke signifieth To keepe the fire burning giuing vs to vnderstand that this spirit is a flame kindled by the holy Ghost which Satan the flesh and the world labour to blow out so much the more carefull therefore must wee bee to foster it and maintaine it that it neuer go out Heere then must be considered the sleights of Satan-to blow it out and alwaies by the cleane contrary wee must labour to keepe it in for as the flesh lusteth against the spirit so must the spirit likewise against the flesh The first motion therefore Satan stirreth vp in vs to quench the spirit is to lust after euill not to lust after nothing which temptation he threw into the eies of Dauid as hee walked vpon the roofe of the Kings palace 2. Sam. 11.2.3 to lust after Bathsheba Vriabs wife As earnestly then as the flesh lusteth after euill so earnestly and more must the spirit lust after good things as to say with the Prophet Dauid I am ready vpon euery occasion to do thy will O God neither yet must we not deceiue our selues for euery lusting after good things is not of the spirit for it is easie to doe many good things wherein thy affections are not strained and to abstaine from many euill things to which thou art not tempted but thou shalt know whether the spirit do fight against the lusts of the flesh by this if any thing do directly oppugne the affections of the flesh if thou take part with the spirit and crosse thy affections in this thou maintainest and dost cherish the spirit As Dauid 1. Sam. 25.13 vpon a churlish answer giuen by Nabal in a passion of anger was resolued to kill him but vpon the intreatie of Abigail Nabals wife hee was pacified and entred into consideration of the greatnesse of the sinne of murther and blessed the God of Israel and the counsell of Abigail that had kept him from shed ding of blood Secondly if Satan cannot get vs lust for euill he will striue to get vs either doe nothing or else to spend our time in trifles and in pastimes to driue away dumps with vaine delights which may sometimes bee vsed for recreations to make vs more fit to walke in our callings but if we play to play that is suffer our hearts to be stollen away and snared in the pleasures of this life then the Lord will iudge vs as vnthrifty seruants that haue not gained by our talents Our labour therefore must be on the contrary since euery man hath his taske set him and God is our ouerseer though presently not our reuenger that wee fall not asleepe with new wine but according to the Apostles rule Ephe. 5.16.18 that we redeeme
the time from vanitie and walke worthy of that calling wherein God hath set vs. Thirdly if Satan cannot blow out the fire of the Lords spirit in vs by this but that wee resolue in our hearts to doe some good if we will needes doe it he perswades no to doe it by and by but to pawse vpon the matter and to procrastinate and defer it by this reason We may as well do it another time as now But wee must labour the contrary vnlesse wee will suppresse the power and soundnesse of the spirit for if we be not apt to day we shall be lesse apt to morrow and it is good to take the time while it is offered for we know not whether our life shall passe this present occasion Christ commeth not to thee at all times and therfore if he knocke now and we let him not in though hereafter we pine away with the desire of hauing him wee shall not get him according to that speech of the Prophet Esay 55.6 Seeke the Lord while he may be found and call vpon him while he is nigh for though he suffereth long yet will he not be mocked Therefore in doing good we must resemble and be like those that hauing earnest businesse as soone as they wake in the morning start out of their beds to auoide and shake off their sluggishnesse and say not as the stothfull doe Prou. 6.10 Yet a little sleepe yet a little slumber c. for when we are mooued and resolued to performe any good thing we may not grieue the spirit by deferring it but we must do it presently like Abraham Genes 18.6 who made haste and ran in to prepare meat and entertainment for the Angels for we must not looke vpon the clouds if we will sow nor gather the winds if we will reape nor defer good motions and actions if we will receiue comfort by them Fourthly the spirit is quenched by this If Saâ—han cannot make thee lust against good nor spend thy time 〈◊〉 trifles and to no good purpose nor to deferre the good thou hast resolued to doe by some by-thought that hee shall suggest if thou wilt needes do it then he striueth to make thee doe it languishingly droopingly and coldly and thereupon perhaps thou makest a few praiers but when thou findest the comfort not so great as thou wouldest or as thou hast felt at other times then thou breakest off and euery good exercise though 〈◊〉 bee short seemeth tedious vnto thee But the spirit must labour the cleane contrary as to do good things so to doe them seriously for the worke of the Lord must not bee done negligently Though therefore thou findest thy selfe vndisposed to holy exercises yet striue by continuance in them if it be possible to make the spirit easie and though at first thou feelest great difficultie in praying yet resolue to continue in it some long time in ripping vp thy sinnes by praier and if at the last by often strife thou canst come to pray with ease and to feele the sweetnesse of the Lords mercy comforting thee in thy perplexed thoughts and in thy weake petitions it is a notable signe of thine election Lastly Sathan would quench the spirit by this if we will not bee worse he would make vs not to be better nor to goe forward in religion We will all graunt that we must professe the Gospell now since Sathan cannot weane vs from this opinion hee laboureth to keepe vs at a scantling in this porfession but it is certaine hee that goeth not forward in the porfession of the truth goeth backeward Hast thou not more zeale now then thou haddest when the Gospell was first brought thee then feare lest the spirit bee much quenched Wouldest thou haue a man stand at a stay till he come to his full stature or one halfe cured to send away the Physition or eat and not be nourished or spend of thy stocke and not increase it And why shouldest thou not bee as wise in the spirit as in these things Wouldest thou haue the Israelites make league with the Canaanites Deut. 7.16 No they must not cease till they haue cast them all out of the land And so if thou bee at league with any sinne it hindereth thy growth in religion and if thou come not to a full and perfect age in Christ thou canst not bee saued Thou must know though thou hast thy lampe burning yet the oile wasteth with flaming and if thou haue not oile to supply thy want thy light will goe out and thy selfe shalt sit in darkenesse Yet so farre hath this policy of Sathan preuailed that many who in King Edward and Queene Maries daies were zealous for the Lord are now frozen in their dregges and they that before heard the ioyfull message of saluation with singular comfort and could not haue their thirst staled but by the waters of wisedome are now by this long peace growne secure and waxen neither hot nor cold Of these men to say no worse they are right Laodiceans against whom the wisedome of the holy Ghost long since pronounced a fearefull doome that the Lord would spue them out of his mouth for shall Christ who is his Fathers counseller while he was in the flesh increase in wisdome Luk. 2.52 and shall we who are as blind as Beetles thinke it enough for vs to retaine the rudiments and first principles of religion and not to wax strong and able in the truth of God Nay certaine it is if we continue children in vnderstanding and do not grow from loue to patience 1. Cor. 14.20 2. Pet. 1.5 6. from patience to temperance from one grace of God to another if wee increase not I do not meane in peeuish and preposterous zeale but in sound substantiall zeale and from being fed with milke to desire strong meat it shall be as lothsome for the Lord to take vs that be thus decayed in our soules and which from good substantiall Christians are falne to bee most miserable beggerly banke-rupts as for a man to receiue againe into his stomacke that he hath once gorged vp As Satan therefore laboureth to quench this spirit by our coldnesse in religion and by standing at a stay in Christianity so let the spirit of God in vs striue for the contrary Reu. 22.11 that he that is righteous may bee more righteous and that wee may increase in faith and bee daily set on fire with the zeale of Gods truth for we may not bee worse than the ground which by the raine is made more fruitefull not then the herbes which by the Sunne are made more flourishing Heere some will say he that is once faithfull and whom the Lord hath once sealed that man cannot haue the spirit taken from him therefore though the operation and working of the spirit be for a time hindered and interrupted yet it shall bee restored againe because the Lord hath promised that whom hee loueth he will alwaies loue It is true that
grace of God the second is the matter of instruction and this is to be considered two waies first by shewing what things we are to forbeare which is twofold first vngodlinesse in respect of religion secondly worldly lusts as furtherers to prophannesse Secondly by shewing what things we must incline vnto which be three first sobrietie of life secondly to liue righteously toward men for the duties of the second table thirdly to liue religeouslie in respect of the worship of God Last in verse 13 there is propounded an effectuall meanes whereby we may be the better affected and more earnestly prouoked 〈◊〉 follow this counsell which is an expectation or hoping for of a more excellent glorie which shall be giuen at the appearing of the Lord Iesus for hardly can a man throughly mortifie himselfe vnlesse he propound to himselfe a more excellent reward in the life to come For the first that is the grace of God which is the teacher this that is so called heere may be iudged and resolued to be the Gospell or the doctrine of the Gospell by the end of the tenth verse that yee may saith the Apostle adorne the doctrine of the Gospell which is called grace by the effect it worketh in the hearts of men namely because it bringeth vs to the grace of Christ through the remission of our sinnes in his precious bloud And therefore Paul Rom. 1.16 calleth the Gospell the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth whatsoeuer he bee Iew or Grecian and Eph. 1.13 sheweth how that by trusting and beleeuing in the word of truth the Gospel of our saluation we are sealed with the holie spirit of promise And 2. Thes 2.10 the reason is giuen why men are reiected and cast from Christ because they receiue not the loue of the truth that they might be saued For as S. Peter saith 1. Pet. 4.17.18 Where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeare and what shall be the and of them that obey not the Gospell Secondly this grace of God doth perswade vs thus to liue as is heere prescribed by this token that it bringeth saluation so as obserue he doth not say simply The grace of God hath appeared and teacheth vs c. but that grace which bringeth saluation doth beseech and teach vs to reforme our liues because saluation is already purchased Euen so Christ and his forerunner Iohn Baptist Matt. 3.2 preached amendement of life for remission of sinnes because the kingdome of God was at hand that is the Gospell so called because none shall enter into that kingdome that hath not first entered into the kingdome of grace So Paul when he had folded and enwrapped all vnder sinne and had taught the points of our predestination Rom. 9.10 in the 12. chapter and 1. verse he beseecheth them by the bowels of the Lord Iesus to be renewed in their mindes and reformed in their liues And Rom. 6.12 he exhorteth them that sinne may not raigne nor haue dominion ouer them because they are called to the grace of the Gospell to bee iustified in the blood of Christ So Peter 1. Pet. 1.17 from our redemption draweth an exhortation to new life If saith he yee call God father passe your time in feare and Paul 1. Cor. 6.20 exhorteth to glorifie God in our members because we are his and not our owne being bought with a great price So as this is the most effectuall persawsion that can bee â— Cor. 7. â— because we are alreadie washed to keepe ourselues cleane Further obserue that the Gospell being brought in heere not simply perswading vs to purity cleannesse of life but as bringing saluation with it that as all benefites may perswade so there bee three sorts of benefites especially that may perswade most of which saluation is the greatest The first kind of benefite to perswade by is deliuerance from some great extremity the second is an aduancement from a base estate to some high dignity the third is a benefite that ioyneth both these together and this is most forcible How farre the first of these may preuaile Dauid sheweth 1. King 1.29 who when hee would assure Barsheba his wife that Salomon should succeed him in his kingdome to giue the best security he could he protested As the Lord liueth that hath deliuered my soule from aduersity thy sonne Salomon shall raigne after me as if he should say as hee was to bee thankfull and obedient to the Lord for these his deliuerances so he would pledge and gage this to her vpon the certainety of Salomons succession For the second sort when from a base condition a man is aduanced to some speciall preferment and how this preuaileth appeareth in Ioseph Gen. 39.8.9 who by the force of this argument beateth backe the assaults of his Ladie and Mistresse for he bearing in minde the speciall benefites of his master towards him reasoneth thus I Ioseph by my masters fauour am now the greatest in all his house being at first a bond-man there is nothing but he hath committed to my charge onely thee hath he reserued to him selfe how is it possible then I should commit such a villany to so kinde and bountifull a master making his owne aduancement as a bulwarke to driue backe the siege of his mistresse incontinency thereby euen to stoppe her mouth by appealing to her owne conscience that weighing how his master had dealt with him there could bee no excuse for him if hee should commit such a villany For the third wherein both these concurre what heart can bee so vngratefull as not to bee perswaded to yeeld obedience to him that hath performed both these If a man committing some criminall offence and when the stroke was euen ready to be giuen in that very instant of his anguished minde as for death it selfe so for so shamefull a death the King should send him a pardon and after aduance him to some honorable office therby to grace him for his former indignitie and to cleare him of his former blemish if this man should haue any suite recommended to him from his King which sute should carry with it some remembrance of his deliuerance were it possible for that man but to execute this commandement and to further this suite with great loyaltie Surely hee could not but doe it Let vs see then how farre the Gospell may preuaile with vs since it hath brought saluation which implieth and presupposeth that there was damnation before for wee were the heires of Sathan without Christ without light wrapped in the chaines of darknesse ordained not to the execution of the gibbet but to bee iudged after the passing of a few daâ—es in trouble and vanity to be tormented eternally with the damned from this hath the Gospell brought vs therefore when we are tempted to sinne we should say vnto our selues As the Lord liueth that hath deliuered my soule from death I will not doe it and haue this suite commended vnto thee not to wallow in the
not iustified because hee worketh not but therefore hee worketh not because hee is not iustified And it is most blasphemous to say iustification is wrought partlie by grace and partly by free-will and to thanke God that thy free-will with his grace can iustifie for heereby shalt thou neuer be iustified for if any thing of thine either preuent the grace of God or assist it in thy iustification then is it not as Paul saith Ex gratia sedex debito not of grace but of dutie And where they speake of two iustifications we neuer heard but of one mentioned by Paul Rom. 4.3 that is iustification by faith And for the second iustification that is that being iustified men may deserue something by their workes this is but a fruite and effect of the first that is a daily proceeding to wash our feete Iohn 13.10 and an earnest endeuour by good workes to make our election sure and to haue our faith approued according to that in the Reuelation 22.11 that hee that is righteous may be more righteous that is may still bring foorth better fruit for the workes of the iustified please God not of themselues but because they are iustified for the person must first bee accepted before his worke can bee accepted And though none shall goe to heauen but they that bee washed where blood hath gone before yet none because hee is washed shall bee saued Now in this example of Abraham which is set downe heere obserue foure parts first a briefe narration of it secondly the speciall worke of Abraham which is aboue all other his workes registred and exemplified thirdly the amplification of the worke in the 22. and 23. verses fourthly the determinate conlusion that a man cannot be saued nor iustified by faith onely Of the example it selfe was spoken before now followeth to intreate of the second part that is of the excâ—â—plifying and enlarging of this worke of Abraham in sacrificing his sonne Heere may be demanded why the Apostle alleageth this worke of his more then any of the rest as if there were some disparagement betweene this and other his workes and excellent vertues hee was peaceable to all harborous to the poore resolute in afflictions wise in the gouernment of his house not affraid in the sight of Kings to set vp and erect an altar as a testimony that he serued the true God euen in the middest of their idolatry yet is this worke preferred aboue all that is heere set downe because though hee was declared to bee iust in all his other workes yet chiefly and aboue all in this of sacrificing his sonne The circumstances to exaggerate and make this worke seeme great are these If Abraham had beene commanded to haue disherited this sonne or to haue banished him or to haue seene him no more it might much haue tried his patience if he had had more sonnes then this yet because he loued this sonne specially well in the affection of a parent it had beene much to haue endured but this that Isaac was borne of the free woman and though borne of flesh yet meerely supernaturall in as much as there was no more life in Sarahs wombe in respect of her age then in a dead stocke Heb. 11.12 that he was his onely sonne his beloued sonne the sonne of the promise when Abraham knew that if Isaac were taken away both himselfe and all the world should bee damned because in this sonne alone was the promise if he had had more children though the couenant onely was tied to this sonne or if there had beene any more hope of children if hee might onely haue heard of the sacrificing of his sonne and not haue seene it or seene it and not haue done it with his owne hands or done it sodainely and not haue gone three daies in strife betweene the law of nature and the law of obedience or if Isaac had offended any thing or if this commandement had come from the tyranny of any Prince and not from God or if it might haue beene closely done and not in a mountaine where the Sunne might abhorre to see such cruelty of a father toward an innocent child it had beene much lesse euen in the affection of a naturall father and yet a most grieuous triall and assault But that this commandement must come from God who first had bid him hope for this sonne and now bids him kill him as if he had before but mocked him that an Angell must be the ambassadour and carier of this message whom the weake eies of man cannot behold for glory that this newes must come in the night when his eies by other obiects could not draw his minde from bethinking of this bitter message and that this must seize vpon him in his sweet sleepe to awake him though in respect of the former he might bee much anguished yet by this so much the greater was his trouble and yet far lesse had it been if he might not haue gone so long perplexed in his thoughts But now not to demurre nor stay vpon it but to rise vp earely in the morning and in three daies iourney wherein no doubt he had many and diuers agitations and combats of spirit not to vtter a repining word or grudging speech this was a further and greater triall For many are wont to be good at a brunt who are altered by after cogitations Then the words of the sweet child Father heere is wood but where is the sacrifice had beene enough to haue rent his heart to see he should be butcher to that sonne could aske so wise a question All which must argue and shew such a strong and mighty faith in Abraham that he could neuer so silently and chearefully haue performed this had hee not beleeued that if his sonne should haue gone to hell the Lord could haue taken him out againe for faith admits of no contradiction when it hath a promise And so we see Abraham forgets not onely to be a father but the matter is so qualified by faith that he forbeareth not only the affection of a parent but in faith beleeueth that out of his ashes the Lord would raise him vp not another but the very same Isaac From hence learne that though the Lord examine not vs so streitly as hee did Abraham yet hee trieth euery one of vs according to his measure for the practise of religion and mortification concerneth all from the Prince to the tankerd-beater and though wee cannot all be swallowed vp so deepely with the zeale of Gods glorie as were Moses and Paul Exod. 32.32 Rom. 9.3 who to win soules to God wished themselues not to see God yet must wee learne when we haue a commandement to exclude and lay aside all discourse of flesh and blood and to follow Christ euen to the hazard of our owne liues not a farre off as Peter did follow him to his suffering Mat. 26.58 but iust behind him as neere as can be according to the rule
he must sauour of death which cannot be proued by this The wisedome of the flesh is enmitie to God but he that is borne of God cannot be Gods enemy on the other side hee that walketh in the wisedome of the flesh obeieth not the law of God and by consequent saith the Apostle cannot but sinne Whereupon it followeth that they that liue after the inclination of the heart of man cannot please God and so cannot bee saued now hee that is in Christ cannot but please God because he cannot but performe his will Another reason that being a true Christian a man cannot but amend his life is taken out of Rom. 6.5 Whosoeuer is made partaker of Christ is made partaker of the death of Christ then is he dead to sinne proued thus Christ by his death deserued not onely remission of our sinnes but also to haue the holy Ghost in those that bee his to mortifie their sinne and this spirit cannot bee idle but worketh and his worke is to dâ—â—troy oâ—â—â—nemie that is sinne Lastly it is proued thus Whosoeuer is in Christ hath the spirit of Christ he that hath this spirit liueth in the spirit for the life of the spirituall man is the Lord Iesus euen as the life of the bodie is the soule and hee that hath a soule must needs breath and walking Galat. 5.24 in the spirit hee cannot fulfill the lustes of the flesh for the flesh and the spirit bee contrary And vers 24. it is said They that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections thereof and who these bee appeareth 1. Peter 4.2 such as suffer in the flesh and these be they that cease from sinne Now then for thee to say thou art flesh and blood is not a shelter pleadable when thou art reprehended for sinne for he that is a good Christian cannot but forbeare it and if thou art all flesh and blood then hast thou not the spirit of God which is proued 1. Corinth 6.16 Do you not know how he that coupleth himselfe with a harlot is one flesh with her and hee that is one flesh with a harlot cannot bee one spirit with Christ Iesus Euen so for wrath toward thy brother thou saiest thou canst not loue him Consider that if the Lord should iudge thee out of thine owne mouth thou couldest not bee saued Thou wilt say the iniury is so great as no man can put it vp but hee that is more then a man can doe it and if thou beest all man Christ Iesus will neuer put vp thy name among the Saints Looke 1. Ioh. 5.3 Hee that is borne againe counteth all the commandements of God light so as if thou be of God it is an easie matter to forgiue the brother If he repent not of the wrong done vnto thee leaue the vengeance to God Rom. 12.20 and heape thou coles of fire on his head and if he do repent and seeke reconcilement it is the easier to forget it and flesh and blood doth pity the case of the suppliant For the third point which is the way how to assure our selues to be the sons of God wee must learne that there is no so certaine a marke to discerne a man to be of God as holinesse of life not but that Gods children may fall most grieuously and blemish their profession most foully but that if Sathan happe to blindfold them that they goe astray yet with the lost sonne they will returne with double sorrow and vnfold to their shame their owne sinne Example wâ—â—ere â—f wee haue in Dauid who though he was ingaged to the Lord by his many benefites that tooke him from the sheepe-hooke and gâ—â—e him a Scepter that by his protection had made him escape the snares of his enemies and by his mercy had freed him from many tribulations yet did he fall into great vncleannesse euen the sinne of adulterie 2. Sam. 11.4.5.6.7 which by the law of God deserued depriuation of this humane life When he had done this hee glauered and flattered with the womans husband and bad him goe home to refresh himselfe with his wife seeking thereby to father the bastard on him When this succeeded not he thought to make him drunke that he might thereby bee more irritable to lust and so to haue gone to his wife And though Vriah answered hee could not doe it because the Arke of the Lord was in the field which had not Dauid beene desperatly sicke in his soule how could he haue beene so forgetfull of the Lord as to haue dealt so with him that was no Iew but a conuert to religion heereby to make the name of the Lord euill spoken of Yet when this preuailed not hee went further and vnto adultery hee added murther that hee might make his sinne knowen and his vnholy life to appeare both to God and man and carry as the greefe of it in his heart so the shame of it in his fore-head And in this hee wrought worse then Iesabel for hee made Vriah the instrument and messenger of the letters for his owne execution yea hee sent them to Ioab who had himselfe beene a murtherer which might harden his heart in that sinne seeing Dauid that was the King not onely a fauourer but the cause of such bloody actions And after what manner should this be done namely that hee should fall by the sword of the vncircumcised a most ignominious and shamefull and grieuous death for so Christian a Gentleman and that hee should so murder him as to colour the grieuousnesse of his fault not hee alone but many other should die innocent and that hee should continue senslesse in this sinnefull course by the space of a yeere yet when it pleased God to cure his disease of hypocrisie and to cleare his eyes that hee saw not his sinne but his chaine of sinnes beâ—â—â—â—â—im then he calleth himselfe not a man of blood but of bloâ—â—â— â—nd then â—is conscience is open to grieue for it and then with his teares he washeth away his vncleannesse and wallâ—â—â—â—â—s a man cleansed and purged from his filthinesse So as if aâ—y bee a whoore let her remember the teares of Mary Mâ—gâ—alene if a persecuter of the Saints let him repent with Paâ—â— Luk. 7.38 Gal. 1.15 Mat. 26.75 if a murtherer let him soundly confesse his sinne with Dauid and if he be Apostasied weepe with Peter for these be the workes of righteousnesse whereby they are knowen to be of God And seeing others deliuered from the pit wee must learne as Dauid saith Psal 56.3 to feare and to trust so as wee must alwaies feare to fall into the sinne before being fallen we can trust to bee deliuered for this is one part of the righteousnesse of Gods children to tremble at the sight of sinne and then shall wee neuer swallow it without remorse Secondly from hence learne that a man may know in what state another man is If I see thee a despiser of religion a profaner of the Sabbath a butcher to the poore and an vncleane liuer what shall I beleeue thee to be but the child of the diuell for this may I know by thy fruites Why but loue biddeth you hope the best 1. Cor. 13.7 and beleeue the best True it is loue biddeth me beleeue all things but not a sow to bee cleane wallowing in the mire or a dogge not to bee filthy that is regorging vp his stomacke Mar. 6.44 or that grapes can grow vpon brambles or that mercy can bee found in the heart of an vsurer or that thornes may bee touched and will not pricke For as loue bids mee not to determine too soone so not to bee abused too late and God bids me looke vpon the tree to iudge of the fruite I may say thou art in the state of damnation for by thy snarling I know thee to bee a dogge Mat. 7.6 and I see thy heart through thy hands but whether thou shalt be finally damned I leaue thee there for the Lord may haue mercy on thee vpon thy repentance I may come to the tree and say heere is no fruite or here is small fruit or heere is bad fruit but I cannot say Neuer fruit grow on thee heereafter as Christ did Mark. 11.13 And it is not the commers to Sermons but the doers of Sermons
with Gods saints Heb. 10.35 that they haue done it in this respect as hauing regard to the recompence of reward set before them in a hope that cannot faile Let vs therfore not scrape so greedilie in the earth as the blind moles doe nor wallow our selues in the mire of this world like swine nor root our affections in the things of this life but let vs sigh with desire and wait with patience the generall redemption of the sonnes of God and restitution of the creatures to their first perfection at least let vs look to our owne particular departure out of this life for there is no priuiledge nor protection can come from the court of heauen but depart we must and how soone we know not the Diuell would faine take vs in the lurch and the world will intice vs to deferre the buying of oyle for the keeping of our lampes burning till the Lord do knocke Mat. 25.10 but let vs euer be furnished for the way let our faith hold vs and our hope containe vs within the compasse and assurance of our saluation These be the daies of our pangs and pilgrimage happy shall that day be when we shall be deliuered and when our iourney shall be ended Heere we haue to walke a most tedious and craggy course happy shall that day be when we shall come to our heauenly country Heere wee sight a troublesome though no doubtfull comâ— happy shall that day be when wee shall be crowned as conqâ—â—rors heere we sow with sorrow happy shall â—hat day bee wâ—â—â— we shall reape a plentifull and perpetuall haruest with much â—â—y heere wee are full of wounds and our eies stand full of teares happy shall that day be when our wounds shall be healed and our teares wiped away ROM chap. 8. vers 26.27 verse 26 Likewise also the spirit helpeth our infirmities for wee know not what to pray as we ought but the spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed verse 27 But he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the meaning of the spirit for he maketh request for the Saints according to the will of God THE Apostle proceedeth to minister consolation in all those afflictions we must passe thorow and sheweth that there is no cause wee should shrinke or faint since we are maintained and supported by a heauenly power against which the gates of hell cannot preuaile for the Lord doth assist vs by the holie Ghost which doth excite and stirre vp in vs gronings that is heauenly praiers which doe reach and pierce the very throne of God which being made according to his will we must needs obtaine whatsoeuer we shall request In the words obserue three things first generally that the â—â—â—ly Ghost doth relieue vs in our infirmities and weaknesse seâ—â—ndly by what meanes he doth it namely when we are low brought by stirring vp in vs such vehement and feruent praiers as cannot proceed from any naturall man nor the power of man but from a power farre aboue man thirdly the powerfull working of these praiers namely that being made according to Gods meaning the Lord must needs shew himselfe exorable and to be intreated and it is not possible they can returne emptie from the throne of grace For the first consider that it were impossible for vs to stand one minute if no other power did sustaine vs but flesh and bloud for euen in the choisest of Gods children faith is verie weake and our hope verie wearie and flesh and bloud through selfe loue desireth ease and doth mone it selfe and is fearefull to see or to suffer the crosse yea Sathan doth buffet vs by our inward infirmities for sinne lieth heauie within vs and this maketh vs to grone outward afflictions make the flesh to smart the world tempteth vs on both hands one way with the peace of the wicked another way with the troubles of the godly alluring vs to the vaine glistering shewes of the one and terrifying vs from the ghastfull and hideous sight of the other So as hauing sinne within vs Sathan without vs and the world about vs all enemies to the peace and rest of our soules euerie houre should we perish were we not supported by the mightie hand of this inuisible spirit and therefore flesh and bloud hath no cause to be proud but ought in trueth to glory in it owne weaknesse because it hath such an helper and so strong an helper and so certaine a helper as is this spirit which is nothing else then the very power of God himselfe as it was said to Paul My grace is sufficient for thee Further in that it is said He helpeth our infirmities obserue that hee doth not free vs fully from them or remooue them fully from vs but hee doeth onely helpe and releeue vs in them And this is that Christ praied for in his bitter agonie Iohn 17.15 I praie vnto thee Father saith hee not that thou wouldest giue them an exemption and freedome from trials but that they may bee so kept from euill as euer they may finde some comfortable deliuerance So in another place Christ saith vnto his Apostles Mat. 9.15 that when the Bridegroome was with them they could not mourne hee sparing them for that time but afterward he saith Hitherto haue yee liued in peace haue ye a sword if not buy one for tribulation shall come and then he said A little while I will be from you that is during the time of my death but I will send a better comforter and then followeth The world shall reioyce but ye shall mourne mourne though ye haue a comforter but not mourne vntill ye haue a comforter which setteth forth the riches of the Lords mercie that prouideth a remedie before we receiue the wound and layeth himselfe as it were in our bosome before he sendeth vs cause of sorrow To this purpose is that Paul speaketh 2. Corinth 4 8 9. we are afflicted on euery side yet not in distresse in doubt but we despaire not persecuted but not forsaken cast downe but perish not because by the same spirit that was in Christ the inward man is renewed daily And this was the answer which Paul himselfe receiued from God being sore buffeted by Sathan 2. Cor. 12.9 Content thy selfe saith the Lord my grace is with thee therefore striue thou and I will helpe thee This also is prefigured in the combat betweene the Angell and Iacob Gen. 32.25 who had his bone in his thigh shrunke but yet would not forsake his hold till he had a blessing So as by this combat we are sure to receiue such a blow as we shall halt all our liues after to this end that we may seeke for Iacobs staffe the blessing of the Lord to strengthen vs. And this was Moses comfort when his hands were faint and wearie in holding of them vp in prayer so that they fell downe Exod. 17.12 then did the spirit of the Lord support