of his bone and flesh of his flesh albeit he had neuer seene her before and shall we thinke that the second Adam restoreth lesse knowledge to his redeemed than they lost in the first Adam The consideration of the place shewes the greatnesse of that glory Last of all the consideration of the place vvherein wee shall be glorified will leade vs to consider the excellency of that glorie As for the place our Sauiour sometime calleth it Paradise there being no meeter place in the earth to shadow it then was that Garden of Eden the habitation of man in the state of innocencie sometime he calleth it his fathers house wherein are many mansions sometime the euerlasting habitations The Apostle calleth it the third heauens a house not made vvith hands but eternall in the heauens Wee see in this composition of the world that finest things are situate in highest places the earth as grosest is put in the lowest roome the water aboue the earth the ayre aboue the water the fire aboue the ayre the spheres of heauen purer then any of them aboue the rest but the place of our glorie is aboue them all in the heauen of heauens which doth not onely note the excellent purity therof but shewes also what excellent puritie is required in all them who are to inhabite it There are three places saith one wherein the sonnes Three places of our residence the first is our mothers wombe the second is the earth the third is the heauens of God at three sundry times makes residence according to Gods good pleasure The first is in our mothers wombe the second is this Earth the third is that pallace of glorie which is aboue from the first the Lord hath brought vs to the second and from the second wee rest in hope that the Lord â—n his owne good time vvill bring vs to the third If vvee compare these three together in time in bounds and in beautie vvee shall finde the second doth not so farre excell the first as the third excels the second The ordinarie time of our remayning in our mothers wombe is nine Compared together in time months the time of our soiourning in our second house is farre longer threescore and tenne times twelue months but in our third house neyther dayes months nor yeeres shall be reckoned vnto vs for it is the place of our euerlasting habitation If againe we compare them in bounds and largenesse of Compared in bounds place vvee shall finde that as the belly of a vvoman is but of narrow bounds in regard of this ample vniuerse so this is nothing in comparison of that high pallace wherein are innumerable mansions prepared for many thousands of elect men and Angels For if one starre be more than the vvhole earth vvhat is the firmament vvhich containes so many starres and if the firmament be so large vvhat shall we thinke of the heauen of heauens which hath no limites vvithin which it is bounded And last if wee compare them in beautie and pleasure Compared in beautie and pleasure O then what a difference shall arise when thou wast in thy mothers belly though thy body vvas indued with those same organes of senses yet what sawest thou or heardest thou there euery sense wanting the owne naturall obiect could breed thee no delight but this thy second house thou seest it replenished with varietie of all necessarie and pleasant things no sense wanting innumerable obiects that may delight thee and yet all the beautie and pleasure of this earth is as farre inferiour to that which is aboue as it is superiour to that which the infant had in the mothers belly The firmament which is the seeling of our second house The seeling of our second house is but the pauement of our third house beautified vvith the Sunne Moone and Starres set in it by the hand of God and shining more gloriously than all the precious stones in the world shal be no other thing but the neather side of the pauement of our Palace Iohn the Baptist sprung for ioy in the belly of his mother Elizabeth when Luke 1. 14. the Lord Iesus came into the house in the wombe of his mother Mary but afterward when hee saw the Lord Iesus more clearely face to face and pointed him out with the finger behold the Lambe of God when hee stood by him as Iohn 1. 36. a friend and heard the voyce of the Bridegroome he reioyced in another manner so in very truth all the reioycing that wee haue in the house of our pilgrimage is but like the springing of Iohn Baptist in the mothers vvombe in comparison of those infinite ioyes wherewith vve shall be replenished when we shall meete vvith our bridegroome in our Fathers house wherein wee shall see him face to face and abide vvith him for euer It is vvritten of Ahashuerus that he made a great banquet Ahashuerus banquet not comparable to our marriage banquet to his Princes and Nobles which lasted for the space of an hundred and fourescore dayes and when he had done with that hee made another banquet to his Commons for the space of seauen dayes the place was the outmost court of the Kings Palace the Tapestry vvas of all sorts of colours Esth 1. white greene and blew fastned with cords of fine linnen and purple through rings and pillars of siluer and marble the beds were of gold and siluer the pauement of porphire marble alablaster and blew colour the vessels wherein they dranke vvere all of Gold all this hee did that he might shew the glorie of his kingdome and the honor of his maiestie If a worm of the earth hath done so much for declaring his begged glory as rauished men into admiration thereof how I pray you shall the Lord our God the great King declare his glorie when he shall make his banquet couer his Table and gather his Princes that is his Sonnes thereunto not for a few dayes but for euer not in the outmost Court but in the inner Court of his Palace Surely no tongue can expresse it for seeing hee hath decked this If the outward court of Gods palace be so furnished as we see what is the inner vvorld vvherein vve soiourne and which I haue called the outmost Court of this Palace in so rich and glorious manner that hee hath ordained lights both by day and night to shine in it and hath prepared a store-house of Fowles in the ayre another of Beasts in the earth and the third of Fishes in the Sea for our necessitie beside innumerable pleasures for delectation what glory and varietie of pleasures may vvee looke for when hee shall separate vs fully from the children of vvrath and assemble vs all into the inner Court of his owne Palace into the chamber of his presence vvee may vvell thinke vvith the Apostle that the heart of man is not able to vnderstand those things which God hath prepared for vs and
fought against them the Fire flashed out terrible flames into their faces the soft Water gushed out of the bowels of the clouds and was turned into hard stones to strike them who in the hardnesse of their hearts rebelled against God the Ayre became pestilentious to them and corrupted their bodies with Biles and Botches the vvaters beneath vvere turned into bloud the earth was poysoned with venemous flyes which made it rot abhominable Frogs made their land stinck for the lothsomnesse of their sinnes their sensitiue creatures which serued them were horribly plagued their Flockes by land consumed with murraine their Fish in the Sea rots and dyes their vigetatiue creatures are also destroyed their Vines and Fig-trees are blasted the flaxe that should haue clothed them the Barly that should haue fed them are smitten and there is nothing belonging to them were it neuer so small but the wrath of God seased vpon it This was but a temporall and particular iudgement yet doth it make vnto vs some representation of that vniuersall iudgement wherein all the creatures of God shall concurre and lend their helps to torment the wicked when the full cup of Gods wrath shall be powred out vpon them Not of the owne will This is as wee said before figuratiuely How a will is ascribed to the creature spoken of the creature that it is said to haue a will For the will of the creature is no other thing but the naturall inclination of the creature and the meaning is that the creature of the owne nature is not subiect to this vanitie but that it is subdued vnder it by the superiour power of God for the sinne of man Where if it be asked how stands this How stands it with iustice that the creature is punished for mans sinne with iustice that the creature which sinned not should be subiected to vanitie for the sinne of man The question is easily answered if wee consider that the creatures were not made for themselues but for the vse and seruice of man and that whatsoeuer change to the worse is come vpon them is not their punishment but a part of ours If earthly Kings without violation of iustice may punish their rebels not onely in their persons but by demolition of their houses or otherwise in their goods and substance how shall we be bold to reproue the Lords doing who hauing conuinced man of a notorious treason hath not onely punished himselfe but defaced the house wherein he set him to dwell seeing hee hath violated the band of his seruice vnto God what reason is it that Gods creatures should continue in the first course of their seruice to him surely it stands vvith the righteous iudgement of God that his creatures should become comfortlesse seruants to man seeing man of his owne free will is become an vnprofitable seruant to his God yea a wicked rebell against him And againe that the Apostle sayth the change which is The fall of Angels of man of the creature compared made in the creature is against the will of the creature it serues greatly for our humiliation The fall of Apostate Angels was a fall by sinne but with their will and without a Tempter to allure them and now is without any hope that euer they shall be restored The fall of man was also a fall by sinne of his owne free-will but not without the Temptâ—r and now not without hope of recouerie and restitution But the fall of the creature was neither a fall of sinne nor of their owne will but a casting of them downe against their will from their originall state yet not without hope to be deliuered Miserable in the highest degree are Apostate Angels who of their owne free-will without an exteriour Tempter haue deserted their first habitation and cast themselues into remedilesse condemnation Miserable in the second degree are reprobate men who haue fallen of their owne free-will suppose prouoked by an exteriour Tempter and shall neuer be partaker of the restitution of the sonnes of God But herein hath the Lord magnified his mercy towards vs that where we fell with Angels and reprobate men yet we are restored without them The consideration of our fall should humble vs for in it we are worse than the creatures they haue fallen from their glory but not with their owne will we are fallen from ours and we cannot excuse our selues but it was with our will Againe the hope of our restitution should greatly comfort vs considering that the Lord hath vouchsafed that mercy vnto vs which hee hath denyed vnto others Further we are taught here so oft as wee are crossed by Wee should blame our selues when we are crossed by the creature the creature not to murmure against God nor to blame the creature but to complaine vpon our selues If the heauens aboue be as brasse and the earth as iron if the sea rage and the ayre waxe turbulent if the stones of the field be offences whereat wee stumble and fall if the beasts wee haue bought or hyred for our vse serue vs not at our pleasure let vs not foolishly murmure against them as Balaam did vpon his Asse what meruaile they keepe no couenant with vs seeing we haue not kept couenant with our God Vnder hope Herein hath the Lord wonderfully magnified Man and the creature for mans sake are restored to hope which neither Apostate Angels nor reprobate men haue his mercy toward vs that hee hath not onely giuen to our selues a liuely hope of full deliuerance but also for our greater comfort hath extended the same toward the creature for our cause The Apostate Angels are not partakers of this hope as we said before that restitution promised in the Gospell was neuer preached vnto them we read that sometime they haue giuen this confession that Iesus is the sonne of God but they neuer sent out a petition to him for mercy for they haue receiued within themselues an irreuocable sentence of condemnation and they know certainly that mercilesse iudgement abides their wilfull malicious Apostasie and reprobate men in like manner haue no hope of any good thing abiding them after this life and therefore we are so much the more to magnifie Gods mercy toward vs who by Grace hath put a difference betweene vs and them where there was none by Nature and hath not onely giuen to vs our selues a liuely hope of restitution but also for our sakes hath made the creatures that were cursed for our sinne partakers of the same deliuerance with vs. Verse 21. Because the creature also shall be deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God HEre followes the second reason wherefore the The second reason of the feruent desire of the creature taken from their better estate which is to come creature feruently desires the day of the reuelation of the sonnes of God and it is taken from that glorious estate into the which the creature
own son Sonne to distinguish him from all others who are his sonnes by adoption onely Christ is the Sonne of God by nature by that diuine inutterable generation whereof Esay saith Who can expresse it Thus is hee Gods owne sonne that is Esay coeternall and coessentiall begotten of the Father before all time by the full communication of his whole essence vnto him in a manner that cannot be expressed And in the fulnesse of time he became man God being manifested in the flesh and in regard of his humane nature which was conceiued of the holy Ghost and vnited in a personall vnion with his diuine he stands in the title of Gods owne sonne after so singular a manner that he admits no companion The last of these two the Apostle makes the first point Christs diuine generation a great mysterie 1. Tim. 3. 16. of the misterie of Godlinesse God manifested in the flesh wherein he bridles our curiositie for if his manifestation in the flesh that is his incarnation be a mysterie that goes beyond our vnderstanding what shall we say of his diuine generation a mysterie to be indeed adored not to be enquired an article proposed to be belieued not to be disputed The Arrians seeking to search out this vnsearchable mysterie with naturall reason by infinite degrees more foolish then if they had presumed to number the starres of heauen or measure with their fist all the waters in the Sea they stumbled Mans curiosity restrained from searching it and fell being neuer able to comprehend how the son that was begotten should be coeternall and coessentiall to the Father who begot him therefore the worthy Fathers of the primitiue Church to represse the presumption of these arrogant spirits drew them down from the dangerous speculation of these high mysteries farre aboue their capacitie to consideration of things which are in nature Si in Creatura genitum inueniri potest coaeuum genitori an non aequum August est concedas posse ista in creatore coaeterna inueniri if in things created that which is begotten may be found equall in time to that which begat it why should it be denyed that in the Creator the begetter and begotten are equall in eternitie When a candle saith Augustine is first lighted at once there are two things the fire the splendor or light if it be enquired whether the fire come from the light or the light from the fire all men will agree that the splendor or light comes from the fire but if againe it be demanded which of them is first or last in time it cannot be determined But wherefore shall we vse these similitudes as the Creator is aboue the creature so is that mysterie aboue all the secrets of nature no similitude can be found in nature so much as shadow that most high and supernaturall mysterie yet is the endeuor of these godly fathers commendable who haue laboured to bring downe men to the exercising of their wits in things which are below like vnto themselues leauing curious inquisition of higher secrets which as I haue said are to be receiued with faith reuerenced with Rom 11. 20. silence not searched out by curiositie O man be not high minded but feare Christ came like a sinfull man but without sinne In the similitude of sinnefull flesh We must not so vnderstand these words as if Iesus had onely the similitude of a naturall bodie no he was very man made of the seed of Dauid he hath taken our flesh indeed yet was he not a sinfull man but separated from sinners A holy One from the first moment of his conception conceiued of the holy Ghost A stone cut out of the mountaine without hands The Dan. 2. 45. Cant. Flower of the field that groweth without mans labour or industry 1. Cor. 15. The second Adam very man as was the first but not begotten of man So then the word similitude is not to be ioyned with the word Flesh but with the word sinfull He tooke on mans nature without sin yet subiect to those infirmities mortalitie and death which sin brought vpon vs he appeared like a sinfull man being indeed without sinne in the shape of a Seruant content to be made inferiour not onely to Angels but to men of the vilest sort sold for thirtie pieces of siluer not so worthie to liue as Barrabas ranked with Theeues on the Crosse and reputed as a Worme of the earth thus being voyde of all sinne yet was hee handled as a sinner and most wicked malefactor Wherein we are to consider so farre as we may though How deerely the Lord loued vs perceiue by the price he hath giuen for our ransome we cannot comprehend it that wonderfull loue which the Lord hath shewed vs in this worke of our saluation how deere and precious our life hath beene in his eyes perceiue by the greatnesse of that price which he hath giuen for vs for who will giue much for that whereof hee esteemes but little it was not with gold nor siluer nor any corruptible thing that the Lord hath redeemed vs but with the precious blood of his owne Son Iesus as of a Lambe vnblemished and vnspotted If Dauid considering the goodnesse of God towards man in the work of creation fell out into this admiration O Lord what is man that thou art mindfull of him Psalm 8. or the Son of man that thou doest visite him how much more haue we cause so to cry out considering the riches of God his wonderfull mercies shewed vs in the worke of redemption It was a great kindnesse which Abraham shewed to Lot when he hazarded his owne life and the liues of his familie to recouer Lot out of the hands of Chedarlaomer but not comparable to that kindnesse which our kinsman the Lord Iesus hath shewed vnto vs who hath giuen his life to deliuer vs out of the hand of our enemies The Lord shed abroad in our hearts more and more abundantly the sence of that loue that we may endeauour to be thankfull for it by this threefold dutie first of thanksgiuing secondly of seruice thirdly of loue toward those who are beloued of him As for the first our life should be a continuall thanksgiuing Our thankfulnes againe should be testified by this threefold dutie and worshipping before him who hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his blood When the children of Israell had passed the red sea suppose they had a vast wildernesse betweene them and Canaan yet they praised 1 Continuall thanksgiuing God with a song of thanksgiuing and the Lord appointed an yeerely remembrance of that benefit If smaller mercies are to be remembred with thanksgiuing what shall we thinke of the greater As for the second which is seruice Zacharie teacheth 2 Seruice vs that for this end God hath deliuered vs from all our enimies that all our dayes we should serue him in righteousnesse Luke 1. 74.
Abraham There is nothing colder than Ice yet saith Augustine it is melted and made warme by the help of fire A thorny ground saith Cyril being wel manured yet becomes fertile Ciril catec 2 Psal 107. and the Lord saith the Psalmist turneth a barren wildernes into a fruitfull land he rayses the dead he makes the blind to see and the lame to walke he causes the Eagle to renue Psal 103. his youth shall we then close his hands and thinke it impossible for him to make the sinner conceiued and borne in sinne to cast the ould slough of nature and become a new creature And this haue I marked to keepe vs from that presumptuous Iudge not rashly of any mans reprobation iudging as to conclude any mans reprobation because of this present rebellion thou knowest not what is in the councell of God though in regard of his conuersation for the present hee be a stranger from the life of God And againe for our selues that we may magnifie the mercie of the Lord our God who hath done that vnto vs by grace which nature could neuer haue done that is hath made our rebellious hearts subiect to his holy law and wee are sure he will also performe that good worke which he hath begunne in vs. The word which the Apostle vseth here to expresse The rebellion of the wicked against God exempts them not from his dominion mans natural rebellion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noteth such a rebellion of mans corrupt nature as is not subiect according to order we are not to thinke that any rebell were hee neuer so stubborne can exempt himselfe from subiection doe what he can he bides vnder the Lords dominion but a naturall man saith the Apostle giueth not orderly subiection vnto God Ieroboam shooke off the yoke of his lawfull Lord and Rehoboam was notable to controll him But let man repine as he will can he cast off the yoke of the Lord No no if man refuse to declare his subiection by an humble submission of his spirit to the Lords obedience the Lord for all that shall not lose his superioritie but shall declare his power vpon man by controling him he shal bruise him like an earthen pitcher with a scepter of iron that refuseth to bowe his heart vnder the scepter of his word Let the wicked cry in the pride of their nature wee will breake the bonds and cast off the yâ—ake of the Lord yet hath hee Psal 2. them fast bound in chaines goe where they will his hand is stretched ouer them and they shal not be able to eschew it O foolish and most vnhappie condition wherein man How miserable the wicked are who being subiect to God by necessitie refuse voluntary subiection Psal 18. liueth rebelling against the will of his Superiour and it profiteth him not for by no meanes can he exempt himselfe from his power surely all the vantage that the wicked reapes by repining against the Lord is that they multiply moe sorrowes vpon their owne head for with the froward the Lord will shew himselfe froward he wil walke stubbornly against them who walke stubbornly against him and adde seauen times more plagues vpon them As the Bird snared in the grin the more she struggleth to escape the more shee is fastned so the wicked the more they rebell the hardlier are they punished the faster they flie from the hand of Gods mercie the sooner they fall into the hand of his iustice It is further here to be obserued that the Apostle sayth carnall wisedome â—◠〈…〉 ties with God the word he vseth Nature vnregenerate doth not onely sin but multiply sins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in the plurall number otherwise it could not agree with the Substantiue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof we learne how our nature not renewed by grace doth not onely sinne but multiply sinnes and transgressions against the Lord. O how this should humble vs that we haue not onely sinned but also multiplyed sinnes If any one sinne be enough to condemne man in what estate doth he stand who hath gathered against himselfe such a heape of transgressions more in number then the haires of his head If Adam for one transgression Psalm 40. 12. fled away from Gods presence what meruaile if horrible feare and perturbation possesse the sonnes of Adam who haue multiplyed against the Lord so many transgressions If the earth once cursed for Adams sinne was cursed the second time for Caine his sinne how oft is it cursed Gen. Heb. 2. 2. now If iudgement grow like wormewood and euery disobedience and transgression hath it owne iust recompence of reward what a treasure of wrath hath man now stored vp against himselfe who hath multiplyed so many sins against the Lord An arme of the body once broken saith Augustine August de temp ser 58. is not restored without paine and dolour to the patient but if it be after broken it is hardlyer cured a Conscience once wounded is confounded at the light and presence of God what then shall be to them who haue wounded themselues so often to death and stabbed through their soules with innumerable transgressions Let no man therefore flatter himselfe because his sinnes Though our sins were neuer so small this should humble vs that they are many for in any thing many smales make a great are small but let him be humbled and mourne considering that they are many It may be thou art not guiltie of the grosest actuall sinnes shall this diminish thy contrition Is there any thing smaller then a pickle of sand yet many of them collected become a heauier burthen then man is able to beare and drops of water though they be small yet if they be multiplyed becomes great riuers It is not alwaies the great waues of the Sea that ouerturneth the ship but the drop that sipes in at the leake shall sinke her also if it be neglected let vs not then neglect to purge our soules because we are not stained with grosse sinnes considering that the smallest sinnes often multiplyed are waightie enough to presse downe our soules to the lowest hell if we goe not to Christ to be eased of our burden And last we learne here that the cause of inimitie between Cause of inimitie betweene God and man is in man God and man is not in God but in man who will not ranck himselfe in the roome of a subiect giue to the Lord the place of a commaunder there is no question betweene the Lord and man but this onely whose will should be done the Lord craues that man should subiect himselfe to the will of God but man aspires to make his owne will the rule of his actions In this miserable estate liues man not renewed by grace hee hath set vp within himselfe a will contrary to Gods most holy will Woe be to him that striueth Isay 45. 9. with his maker If the will of God be
Tertul. de resur carnâ—â— Lord Iesus hath carryed our flesh into heauen as an earnest and pâ—edge of the vvhole summe vvhich afterward is to be brought thither he hath not thought it inough to giue his spirit vnto vs here on earth as the earnest of our inheritance but to put vs out of all doubt he hath carried vp our flesh into heauen and possest it in the kingdome in the name of all his members Who raysed vp Iesus from the dead Then vve see that our Seeing our Lord was among the dead let vs not feare when God cals vs to lye down among them also Lord was once among the dead but now is risen from them let vs not then be afraid vvhen God shall call vs to lye down among the dead also shall the seruant be ashamed of his Masters condition or vvill the patient refuse to drink that potion vvhich the Phisition hath tasted before him No we must follow our Lord through the miseries of this life through the dolours of death through the horrours of the graue if vve looke to follow him in his resurrection in his ascension to be amongst those hundred fortie and foure thousand in mount Sion vvho hauing his fathers name vvritten in their foreheads follow the Lambe whersoeuer he goâ—th Reuel 7 singing that new song vvhich none can sing but they whom he hath bought from the earth When those women came to seeke the Lord Iesus in the What comfort Christs resurrection giues vs against death Sepulchre all the feare they had conceiued concerning Christs death the Angels remoues it by sending them to meditate on the resurrection why seeke yee him that liueth among the dead hee is not here but hee is risen Wee are not Mat. 28. 5. 6 yet laid downe among the dead but or euer we goe to the graue we haue this comfort that the Lord by his power shall raise vs out of it where the head growes through the members will follow Per angustum passionis foramâ—n transiuit Christus vt latum praeberet ingrâ—ssum sequentibus membris Our Lord is gone through the narrow passage of death that hee might make it the wider and easier to all his members who are to follow him We see by experience the body of a man drownes not though it be vnder the water as long as the head is borne aboue many of the members of Christ are here in this valley of death tost too fro in this sea of tribulation with continuall tentations yet our comfort is we cannot perish for our head is aboue and a great part of the body liuing and raigning with him in glory there is life in him to draw forth out of these miseries all his members and hee shall doe it by that same power by which he raised himselfe from the dead For we are taught here that our resurrection is a worke not to be done by man not the power of nature but by Resurrection is a work of God and nâ—â— of man the power of God we are not therefore to hearken to the deceitfull motions of our infidelitie which calles in doubt this article of our Faith we must not consider the imbecillitie and weaknesse of nature neither measure heauenly and supernaturall things with the narrow span of naturall reason but as it is Abrahams praise the father of the faithfull Rom. 4. 19. that when God promised him a sonne in his old age hee was not weake in faith hee considered not his owne body which was dead neither the deadnesse of Saraahs wombe but was strengthned in the faith and gaue glory to God being fully assured that hee who had promised was also able to doe it so should we sanctifie the Lord God in our harts looking to the word and promise of the euerliuing God to Cyr. cate 18. whom those things are possible which are impossible vnto vs for the Lord saith the Prophet hath the whole earth in Isay 40. 12. his fist and it is more easie to him to discerne one pickle of dust from another then it is to any man hauing his hand full of sundry seedes to open his hand and gather euery kind thereof into one by themselues seperate and distinct from the rest When thou hearest sayth Augustine that the dead shall be raised suppose it be a great thing yet count it no incredible thing but consider who it is that takes in hand to doe it ille suscitabit te qui creauit te the Lord who created Aug. ser 64 thee he it is that shall raise thee And for our further confirmation let vs consider how Resurrection confirmed by Scripture by types by practises of God in nature the spirit of God hath taught this article of our resurrection in sundry places of holy scripture hath shadowed it by types and figures hath cleared it by examples and last of all by the practise and working of God in nature As for Scripture both Prophets and Apostles as it were with one 1 Our resurrection is confirmed by Scripture Dan. 12. 13. Hos 13. 14. 15. mouths breathes out this veritie They that sleepe in the dust saith Daniel shall awake some to euerlasting life and some to euerlasting shame and perpetuall contempt I will redeeme thee saith the Lord by Hosea from the power of the graue I wil deliuer thee from death O death I will be thy death O graue I will be thy destrustiom Patient Iob in his greatest extremitie Iob. 19. 25. gaue out this notable confession of his faith I am sure that my redeemer liueth and he shall stand the last on the earth and though after my skinne wormes destroy this body yet shall I see God in my flesh whom I my selfe shall see mine eyes shall behold and none other for mee though my reynes are consumed within me And if we come to the new Testament most cleare is that testimonie of the Lord Iesus The houre shall Iohn 5 28. come in the which all that are in the graue shall heare his voyce and they shall come forth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation The Apostles in like manner beare witnesse to their Master If in this life onely wee had hope in Christ of all men we were most miserable but now is Iesus 1 Cor. 15. 19. 20. 21. 22. risen from the dead and was mâ—â—â— the first fruits of them that slept For since by man came death by man came also the resurrection of the dead For as in Adam all lye so in Christ all are made aliue And againe Behold I shew you a secret we shal Ibid. 51. 52. 53. not all sleepe but we shall alâ— be changed In a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet for the trumpet shal blow and the dead shall be raised vp incorruptible and we shal be changed For this corruptible must
put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortality 2 Resurrection confirmed by types figures such as The same is in like manner shadowed in holy Scripture by sundry types and figures among which in Tertulian his iudgement the restitution of Ionas out of the Whales belly is one albeit the belly of the Whale was more able to haue altered and changed the body of Ionas by reason of the Ionas body great heat that is therein then the belly of the earth could haue beene by reason of her colde yet is hee restored the third day as liuely as he was receiued The same he thinkes of that vision of dry bones shewed to Ezechiel which at Ezekiels bones Chap. 38. once â—t the word of the Lord was knit together with sinews and couered vvith flesh and skinne this was not onely a prediction of the deliuerance of Israell out of Babell but also a typical confirmation of the resurrection of our bodies Non enim figura de ossiâ—us potuisset componi nisi id ipsum essibuâ— Tertull. de resur carnis 〈…〉 rum essâ—t for that figure of the bones could not haue beene made if the truth figured thereby were not also to be accomplished vpon such bones Parabola de nullo non conuenit vvhat parable or similitude can be brought from a thing which is not We shall not reade in all the booke of God that any parable hath beene borrowed from that thing which neuer was nor neuer will be Of this sort also is the flourishing of Aarons rodde in the iudgement of Cyril Aarons rodde Numb 17. which being before a dry and withered sticke incontinent by the word of the Lord flourished hee that restored to Aarons rodde that kinde of vegitatiue life which it had before will much more raise Aaron himselfe from the dead Of these figures shadowing the resurrection many more are to be found in holy Scripture As for examples in euery age of the world the Lord Examples of the Resurrection Gen. 5. hath raised some from the dead to be witnesses of the resurrection of the rest Before the floud hee carried vp Henoch aliue intâ— heauen and hee saw no death vnder the law Elias was transported in a fierie chariot and in the last age 2 Kings 2. of the world not onely hath our Lord blessed for euer risen from the dead and ascended into heauen as the first fruits of them which rise from the dead but also by his power hee raised Lazarus out of the graue euen after that stinking rottennesse had entred into his flesh and vpon the Crosse when hee seemed to be most weake hee shewed himselfe most strong hee caused by his power many that were dead to come out of their graues and to enter into the Citie Yea his seruant Peter by the power of the Lord Iesus raised the damsell Dorcas from death and in the name of the Lord Iesus Act. 9. 40. Acts. 3. made him that was lame of his feete to arise and walke when we see such power in the seruant of Christ working in his name shall we not reserue the praise of a greater power to himselfe And lastly as for the practises of God in nature wee are 3 Gods working both in our selues and the creature confirmes the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. not to neglect them for the Apostle himselfe brings arguments from them to confirme the resurrection He first propones the question of the Atheist how are the dead raised vp and with what body come they forth and then subioynes the answere O foole that which thou sowest is not quickned except it die it is sowen in the earth bare corne and God raiseth it with another body at his pleasure seeing thou beholdest this daily working of God in nature why wilt not thou beleeue that the Lord is able to doe the like vnto thy selfe Qui illa reparat quae tibi sunt necessaria quanto mâ—gâ—s te reparabit propter Ang. de verb. Apost ser 34. quem illa reparare dignatus est Seeing the Lord for thy sake repaires those things which are necessary to maintaine thy life will he not much more restore thy selfe and raise thee vp from death vnto eternall life And to insist in these same confirmations which we may A two-fold meditation to coÌ„firme the resurrection haue from the working of God in nature both in our selues and in other creatures if eyther with Iustin Martyr wee consider of how small a beginning or then with Cyril how of nothing God hath made vp man we shall see how iustly the Apostle calleth them fooles who deny the resurrection of our bodyes The Lord saith Iustin Maâ—tyr of a little drop of mans seede which as Iob saith is powred out like 1 How of a litle drop god made vs that which now wee are water buildeth vp daily this excellent workmanship of mans body who would beleeue that of so small a beginning and without forme so well a proportionate body in all the members thereof could be brought forth nisi aspectus sidem faceret were it not that daily sight and experience confirmeth Iust Mart. apol 2. ad Senat. Rom. it why then shall it be thought a thing impossible to the Lord to reedifie the same body after that by death it hath beene dissolued into dust and ashes And againe if with 2 How God hath made vs of nothing to be that which now wee are Cyrill wee will s 〈…〉 out our beginning and consider what wee were this day hundred yeare wee shall finde that wee were not seeing the Lord of nothing hath brought out so pleasant and beautifull a creature as thou art this day shalt thou thinke it impossible to him an hundred yeares after this oâ— longer or shorter as it pleaseth him to restore thee againe and raise thee from the dead qui potuit id quod non Ciril cate 4 erat producere vt aliquid esse id quod iam est cum â—eciderit restituere non poterit he that could bring out that which was not and make it to be something shall we thinke that he cannot raise vp againe that which now is after that it hath fallen Which of these two I pray thee is the greatest and most It is easier to restore one that hath been then to make one that neuer was difficult worke in thy iudgement for vnto the Lord euery thing that hee will is alike easie whether to make one who neuer was or to restore againe one who hath beene Doubtlesse to make a man in our iudgement is a greater thing then to raise him In the worke of creation the Lord made that to bee which was not in the worke of resurrection the Lord shall make that to be which was before the one thou beleeuest because thou seest it dayly done the other thou doubtest of because it is to be done but cease to doubt any more and of that which God hath
presse thee downe to hell and confound thee for euer the creature that groned with the godly shall be restored with them and thou shalt not be restored O how shalt thou be cast downe when the earth whereupon thou treadest shall be deliuered into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God and shall as a seruant stand in the day of restitution but thou as a rebell shalt be cast into vtter darknesse and shall not be so much as partaker of the deliuerance of the creature But we also who haue receiued the first fruits of the Spirit A description of the godly In this description of the godly let vs consider these three things First that whatsoeuer grace we haue we receiued it Secondly that grace we haue receiued is not full but in part for we haue onely receiued the first fruits of the Spirit And thirdly that the first fruits which wee haue are sufficient pledges to vs of the plenitude and fulnesse which afterward we shall receiue The first of these learnes vs humilitie what hast thou O Learning vs humilitie thankfulnesse and diligence in Prayer man which thou hast not receiued The Lord dispenses grace to euery one according to his pleasure and we are but vessels filled and emptied as hee will Secondly it learnes vs thankfulnesse vvhatsoeuer Grace wee haue receiued wee should returne both the praise and the vse of it to him who gaue it as the waters by secret conduits come from the Sea returne againe openly into it through the troughes so that all men may see the returning albeit they saw not the comming so that Grace which the Lord by his Spirit secretly conuayes to the godly doth againe publikely returne vnto him by prayse and well doing And thirdly it doth teach vs diligence in prayer if we desire encrease of Grace we should seeke it from him of whom we haue the beginning and vse all the meanes such as hearing reading praying keeping of a good conscience by which Grace may grow and be entertayned in vs. The next thing we obserue is that in this life we receiue No plenitude but first fruits of the Spirit haue we now not the plenitude and fulnesse of Grace but onely the first fruits thereof The vse of this is first to comfort the children of God who are oftentimes discouraged with the sense and feeling of their owne wants It is one of Sathans stratagems to try those by the rule of perfection who are yet but in the state of proficients and we had neede to beware of it Shall I Therefore are we not to think that wee haue no grace because we haue but beginnings giue that vantage to the aduersary as to thinke I haue no faith because it is weake or I haue no loue because it is little or no satisfaction because it is but in a beginning No but I will so hunger and thirst for more grace that I will still giue thanks for the grace I haue receiued for here wee haue no fulnesse our greatest measure is as the first fruits in respect of that which is to come On the other side because euery comfort which is giuen This comfort vainly abused by prophane men to the godly is turned by prophane contemners and mockers into an occasion and nourishment of sinne they are to know this comfort belongs not vnto them It is a common thing to them to excuse the want of all Grace O it is but a small grace which in this life is communicated to the best and they think their sinnes are wel enough couered by this that all men are sinners as if there were no difference betweene sinne tyrannizing in the vvicked and captiued in the godly or as if beginnings of Grace in the regenerate did not seperate them in regard of conuersation from the vnregenerate who are void of all Grace Let them therefore know that the Spirit of God whom the godly receiue is not onely called the first fruits the earnest and the witnesse of God but also the seale and signet of the liuing God As a seale leaues in the waxe that similitude and impression of the forme which is in it selfe so the Spirit of God communicates his owne image to all those whom he seales against the day of redemption hee makes them new and holy creatures And this conuinces carnall professors of a lye vvho say they haue receiued the first fruits of the Spirit notwithstanding that their works be wicked and vncleane they may rather if they vvould tell the truth say as those who being demaunded whether they had receiued the holy Ghost or no answered we know not whether there be an holy Ghost or no so may they instead of bragging of the first fruits of the Spirit say in truth wee know not what yee call the first fruits of the Spirit And thirdly out of this description we may gather that Why the Lord giues vs not in this life the principall as well as the earnest albeit we haue no more but the first fruits of the Spirit yet are they sufficient to assure vs that hereafter we shall enioy the whole Masse In two respects it is customable to men to giue an earnest penny in buying and selling eyther when the summe is greater then they are able to pay for the present or when the thing bought is of that nature that it cannot presently be deliuered but betweene the Lord and vs there is no buying nor selling he giues freely vnto vs both the earnest and the principal but first the one and then the other not that the Lord is vnable to pay presently all that he hath promised but because the principall is of that nature that it cannot be receiued till we be prepared for it As the husbandman must sow and tarry vvith patience till the haruest come wherein hee may sheare as the warriour must fight before he obtaine the victory and the wrestler receiues not his crowne till hee haue ouercome neither doth he that runnes in a race obtaine the prise till he haue finished it so must the Christian in all these be exercised before that the Lord possesse him in the promised kingdome of his Sonne Christ Iesus And though payment of the principall for a time be What comfort wee haue now in the earnest and first fruits of the Spirit delayed yet for our comfort the earnest and first fruits are presently deliuered vnto vs the Lord so dealing with vs as he dealt with Israel in the Wildernesse when he caused the twelue spies to bring with them from the riuer of Eschol a branch of the Vine tree so full of the clusters of grapes that it vvas borne betweene two vpon a tree together with the figges and pomegranats and other fruits of that land for no other end but that Israel tasting of the first fruits of Canaan might be prouoked to a more earnest desire thereof as also to assure them that the Lord who had giuen them the beginnings