CERTAIN GODLY AND LEARNED Sermons, Preached by that worthy servant of Christ M. Ed. Philip's in S. saviour's in Southwark: Upon the whole four first Chapters of Matthew, Luc. 11. vers. 24.25.26. Rom. 8. the whole, 1. Thess. 5.19. Tit. 2.11.12. james 2. from the 20. to the 26. and 1. joh. 3.9.10. And were taken by the pen of H. YELUERTON of Gray's Inn Gentleman.  
So 

run, that ye may obtain.  
hear, that ye may learn.  
practise, that ye may live for ever.    
LO●●ON, Printed by 〈…〉 widow and are to be sold at her sho● 〈…〉 Church yard at the sign of the 〈◊〉.   

TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL SIR CHRISTOPHER YELUERTON Knight, one of the judges of the King's Bench, and the Lady his wife: H. Y. wisheth to your present prosperities the addition of many days in the fruitful fear of the Lord jesus, etc.  
RIght Worshipful, it is inspired to man by grace, to fetch the compass of this life within the reach of a span, 
Psal. 39  and it is suggested to him by nature to spin out his web in many days, though it be with many dangers. Howbeit if the wings of pride did not transport us to the height of worldliness, and the weight of opinion did not beguile us in the taste of happiness, we might discern in variety of delights but superfluity of desires, 
Eccl. 2  in increase of riches but excess of sorrows, in length of years but strength of cares, and in the choicest footing that we take, but a changeable fleeting of our estate. For if our affections might always feed on Manna, we would loathe it; 
Num. 1  if our inheritance did stretch to the plains of jordan, we would enlarge it; and if our pre-eminence 〈…〉 to heaven, yet would we raise up our heads higher. These were the itching humours of Eva lineally descended to us, who thought not Paradise spacious enough for her habitation, nor the dainties of Eden sweet enough for her taste, nor that presence of God good enough for her company. But where the superscription of Holiness to the Lord is engraven on the head, and the persuasion of godliness to be gain is engrafted in the heart, there the lust of the world, and the dust of the world shall be shuffled together as pairs and pearls of equal account and continuance. For let the glory of a Christian be never so eminent, it is not greater than salomon's; nor yet salomon's so great as the Lilies: let the arm of the wicked be never so mighty, it is not stronger than Pharaohs; and yet Pharaohs inferior to the course of waters: let the power of his command be never so absolute, it is not larger than Nabuchadnezzars, & yet stiffened in pride, he was straightened for 7. years within the walks of wild asses; yea let the apparel he puts on be never so royal, the place where he sits never so judicial, the phrase of his speech never so plausible, and the praise of his voice never so popular, yet can he not be lifted up above Herod, nor Herod by these defended from the worms. Whether then we peruse the steps of the Saints, or the state of unrepentant sinners, we see their lives equally bound up with the cords of corruption, though unequally matched in the joy at their separation; the one falling away like a flower transplanted to a better soil: the other rushing upon the rock of God's wrath, either shamefully dejected with the terror of judgement while they live, or else fearfully entangled with the sense of torment when they die. It is not therefore amiss, since an interlude is as it were appointed to be played on this earth, we abound, covetousness creepeth in so closely, as it grudgeth the comfort of society; if we be scanted, impatiency breaketh out so fiercely, as it despiseth the law of property; if we be provoked, wrath roareth out so bitterly for revenge, as it is no manhood to sheathe up injuries; if we be pleased, flattery followeth on so shamefully for reward, as it is no mastery to obtain victories; if we be weak, we blame the work of nature, that we were not made of a firmer metal; if we be strong, 
job 6.12.  we blaze the art of nature as if we were steel, that could not turn the edge; if we be sick, 
2. Chr. 16.12.  we plant our faith in the Physician to cure us, yet being sound we shake off temperance that might preserve us; 
job 32.4.  when our leaves be green and our wits fresh, because we want the reverence of the aged, we cry that hoary hairs might quickly cover us; and being arrived at age the door of death, we wish that slipper youth might again beguile us: ever perverting the times and preventing the means that God hath prefixed, and wearying and wasting ourselves soon in possessing that we would enjoy longest. For though it be the pleasure of the Almighty, that we should cherish this lamp of life, yet ought we not to consume the oil in prising our delights at too high a rate, 
james 4.3.  nor in spending on our lusts in too large a measure. And though like wary shipmen we provide for this crazy bark, which is the body, 
Mat. 6.25.  yet must we not permit immoderate care like a merciless canker to eat through our bones. But the way to balance ourselves even, and not to stray beyond our tether, is to captivate our thoughts thus far, as to reckon the world but as a cradle, wherein we are rocked, till we aspire to some age and growth in Christ: our desires but as dreams wherewith we are deluded, till we attain to some taste of God's love in Christ: this life but as a race wherein we are wearied and perplexed till we can recover some sight of Christ; and this body but as a prison, wherein our souls lie shackled under the hope of being blessed in the death of Christ. To which affection and perfection we shall then ascend, when being taught by his word which is truth, and led by his spirit which is life, we can shake off self-will that runneth on so fast to destruction, and sway down self-love that swelleth up so high to presumption, and can walk in humility as in the sight of God, contenting ourselves with the portion assigned us as his gift; and with the affliction sent us as his trial, crucifying the flesh as an enemy to the quickening of the soul, and trampling on this earth as an insnarer of our feet in vanity, weighing sickness but as the forerunner of sleep, and welcoming death but as the sickle of the Lords harvest; beholding the grave as the faithful treasury of our bodies, and looking up to heaven as the undoubted Paradise of our souls. Now there being but two impediments to this persuasion and tranquillity of spirit, 
〈◊〉 9.35.  either the corruption that resteth within us, or the sorrows brought upon us while we breathe here: the first cleaving and clasping so close about our loins (sin being like a leprosy that hath covered the skin) as we seem to stand but on one foot from slipping into hell: the other striking so deep into the joys of this life, that feeling as it were a quotidian ague of discomforts hanging upon us, we can hardly wean our thoughts from listening to the knell of judgement founding in our ears; it is fit we provide for our inward peace, there being no outward balm able to assuage a raging conscience, nor no external Physic of force to relieve a distressed soul. We may not therefore judge ourselves safest, when we are freest from the buffet of Satan: for bearing in our bodies a divided kingdom between the flesh & the spirit, represented unto us in the wrestling of Rebeccah's twins within her womb; 
Gen. 25.22.  if we have peace with God, we shall have war with the dragon; & having forsaken Egypt, & in the way to Canaan, 
Reu. 12.9. Exod. 14.9.10.  we shall have Pharaoh & his captains fly like grasshoppers to feed upon us: yea the liberty we have in Christ, the corruption of our hearts will labour to invert to voluptuousness: the sweetness we taste in his word, 
Gal. 5.13.  the vanity of our minds will endeavour to overcast with drowsiness: 
Act. 20.9.  the faith which we ground on his promises, 
Gen. 3.4.  the subtlety of the serpent will seek to undermine by doubtfulness: the conscience we make to offend, the lusts of our flesh will contend for to cover with hypocrisy: the detestation we have of sin, the concupiscence of our eyes will strive to outreach with profaneness: & the interest we have to heaven, the pride of our lives will persuade us to exchange for trifles. 
Gen. 25.30  With which temptations we may not be dismayed, for where the siege is laid, there is watchfulness to withstand; but where no fear of the enemy is, there the weapon rusteth: and feeling a continuance of this contention between the law of the flesh and the spirit of life, we may be assured that the seed of grace given us from above, which first drew us into fight with our uncleanness, is well grown, and that imputing the first thought of our peace to the love of God, 
john 3.16.  the full accomplishment of it to the death of Christ, and the alone messenger and persuader of it to the holy Ghost; and knitting the whole power of the work, the mercy in our preservation, & the glory in our victory to the arm and action of the almighty, we shall have our corruptions as it were closed in our hands, and the pride of our resistance so abated in our lives, as sin shall but droupingly be seen in us, and mortality that cannot be privileged with perfection, shall yet be beautified with sanctification, in such measure as we shall walk here but as dispatched from heaven on our Lord's message, to give the sons of men a pattern of good life, & to forewarn them of their woes, 
〈◊〉 7. 〈◊〉 28.20.  by bounding our desires within jacobs' compass, the presence of the Lord to guide us that we do not stray, his providence to feed us that we do not starve, and his bounty to clothe us that we do not perish. On the otherside, so tender are our thoughts, and so jealous our meditations of the love of God, 
Io● 6.4.  as we are stricken with a trembling distrust, to have lost the star of our direction and comfort in Christ, when we see ourselves exposed to the shame of the world, and the winds still to beat on our rudders, where the wicked sail away proudly in a set calm; our houses to be enclosed with snares, when theirs are peaceable without fear; and our lives to be bound up in sorrow, 
job 21.24.  when their breasts (as job speaketh) are full of milk, and their bones of marrow. And when the apprehension of this fear hath taken such hold of our flesh, as we think ourselves smitten in displeasure, and the tree of our hope to be torn down in wrath, we then wrestle with sin as if the steps of our strength were restrained, and look upon death as the jailer, that commits us to the grave as a dungeon. Hobeit even in this doth the Lord reach forth a most approved cordial to remove the faintness of our hearts; for having access into his sanctuary through the union & communion we have with Christ, the uncleanues of our birth being wiped away in the sanctification of his nature, our transgression removed in his innocency, our rebellion discharged in his obedience, and the utmost farthing paid in his sufferings; and having the image of God we lost in Adam not renewed only, but a fairer and deeper stamp thereof engraven and set upon us, it being not now in our power to listen any more to the counsel of the flesh, Christ bearing our names before him as his breastplate, and our bodies with him as members whereof he is head; and having this written in the tables of our heart by the finger of no forger, but of that comforter was sent from heaven, and testified by ourselves in the piety of our religion and purity of conversation, setting salvation before us as a binding benefit, even to the loss of our souls to venture for the Lords glory: 
Rom. 8.33.  we may in a Christian resolution give challenge at the gates of hell, that nothing can be charged upon us as a debt, and therefore nothing can light upon us as a punishment. Wherefore if the Lord do cast his cloudy countenance upon us, it is that we should watch against the weakness of the flesh, 
Mat. 16.41.  which is then readiest to sleep when temptation is nearest: and yet if the stream of temptation carry us into some sin, & from thence we slip into some shame, in his compassion he cureth us, and yet in kindness doth correct us. If he mingle our bread with care, and lodge us in the bed of darkness & discomfort, it is to wean us from the flesh pots of Egypt, and to advance us in the way to Canaan; yet being driven to any straight or exigent in this wilderness, rather than we shall want it shall rain Manna, 
Exod. 26.4. & 27.6.  & rather than we shall thirst the rock shall yield us water: yea though the wicked be like the bramble, who in confidence of their shadow dare challenge to be kings over the trees of the forest, and ourselves like sheep, 
judg. 9.15.  who in simplicity grazing upon the mountains, are either fleeced of the shearer when we are grown in wool, or snatched up by the butcher when we are grown in flesh: yet when death hath made us both even with the earth, the grave shall be to us a fold till our shepherd come, and to them a shambles till the destroyer of their souls shall have received an endless commission to torment them. What cause then have we to shut our gates against the gasps of death, or like trembling leaves to entertain the gale or blast of sickness, which doth but prune our feathers, the more easily to fly toward our abiding city? For if neither the weight of corruption, though it sorely press us, nor the violence of affliction, though it sound beat us, can separat us from the love of God, 
job 5.23.  nor the league with his creatures; nay if this mass of sin, and storm of sorrow we sustain, be the most sensible motives to draw us under Christ's covering; and living here as sinning faints though sanctified, and as crucified saints though beloved, we have yet but our joys eclipsed, 
2. Cor. 13. 1●.  and that beauty of blessedness set forth unto us in a counterfeit, which shall clearly hereafter be discovered; into what profound vanity are we fallen if we would still be hedged in and enthralled in this vale of misery and mortality, and not desire to ascend on that ladder which jacob knew to be the gate of heaven, 
Gen. 28.17.  the skirts whereof but seen and felt of the Apostles, did leave them in such a slumber of delight, as they only vaunted in the cross of Christ, 
Act. 4.24.  which was their preservative against the fear and infection of being folded up with the worms, and their spur and preparative to set the houses of their hearts in order before they descended to the dust.  
Most comfortable persuasions & instructions tending to this purpose, shall be found dispersed and sprinkled in this treatise following; into which, who so shall walk for religious recreation, if he cannot furnish himself with joseph's store to serve Egypt and other countries, 
Gen. 42.6. 1. King. 17.15.  yet can be not fail of the widows store, that had to feed herself & Eliah. For from hence may be observed, that the foolishness of the Gospel doth prescribe the best directions to a blessed end; 
1. Cor. 1.27.  that the poverty of a Christian doth forerun the riches which he hath in heaven; that the love of the world is an exemption from the life of God, 
Mat. 5.3. james 4.4. Luk. 16.13. job 5.17.  and that the Lords correction is but love: and on the contrary shall be discerned, that the eloquence of the flesh is like the cry of the Lapwing, that traineth us furthest from that we seek; that the pomp of the earth is like a blazing star, that dreadeth the mind by presaging ruin; that the temptations to pleasure are like candied wormwood, that cousin the taste, and kill the stomach; and that the schedule of our days being summed up, is like a large debt set down in golden letters.  
These things to a moderate and mortified mind, seasoned with the fear, and seated in the favour of God, cannot but be welcome, though with the covetous and carnal man, that hath his desires like the Mole, scraping in the earth, they shall far as Christ did among the Cadarens, 
Mark 5.17.  who was entreated to departed from them, when he was but coming near them. Howbeit in these desperate diseased times, wherein we are all so universally drunk with our own conceits, as we despise to be reform by the word of grace (some yoking religion with policy, as if they were grapes of the same vintage: some trampling down religion with profaneness, as if she wore a weed that overgrew the corn; some disguising religion with hypocrisy, as if she were a garment of divers colours: some poisoning religion with Popery, as if the immortal seed of God could be leavened 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 level of our lives,) it is good we get as many buttresses as we can to uphold the building, and raise as many bulwarks as we can to beat back the shot, that Satan showing himself more sharp witted, and if it may be more spitefully minded then before, in laying new kinds of allurements to surprise our faith and subvert 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 unwind ourselves out of his envenomed snares, and hold fast our profession, which is a school of chastisement for a time, that in our peace at the last we may be partakers of the Lords holiness. 
Heb. 12.10.   
〈◊〉 ●●ue therefore presumed, though unable of myself to carry the least stick to the altar, and unworthy of all others (since lowest of the form) to offer either diet or direction to any, that hath touched but the hem of Christ: yet being taught a receipt, which carefully applied will purify the head from profane humours, strengthen the heart against vain terrors, and cleanse the conscience from that accursed guile of spirit, 
Psal. 32.2.3  whereby we have learned to lessen sin, I have presumed no longer to suppress the quintessence of his skill from whence it came, but shadowed with your allowance to send it forth, not so full and hearty a medicine (I confess) as it might have been from the immediate hand of him that made it. The man ye knew, and this iron and ireful age that frowneth most on them that are freest from profaneness, could not but approve him to be zealous of the truth of God, painful in his calling, faithful in his message, powerful in his speech, careful of the flock of Christ, peaceable and blameless in his life, and comfortable and constant in his death. So as if there appear any scar or blemish in the work, it came by passing thorough my fingers, that carried my pen too slowly, and attended the voice too slightly. Howbeit, putting on the armour of proof and experience of your favours, toward whom chief I have set my bias, that ye will be pleased to be no severe examiners, but mild perusers of these papers, and that affection may somewhat mediate with your judgements, to censure not as ye see, but as I mean; I have adventured the hazard to be reproved of others, upon assured confidence to be accepted of you. And though many may happily baulk the alley, and not lend their eye to behold the jars between the flesh and the spirit, upon opinion that myself have leapt beyond my last, in striving to bring this boat to land, which the owner never meant should see the shore: yet when I considered the word of God to be like the rain, 
Heb. 6.7. Mark. 11.13.  and the hearts of men like the earth, that if the tree answer not her fruit, her leaves 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 air or in the ear, it shall quicken again to question with us for our negligence; I was not ashamed to humble myself to others view, that by the mercy seen on me, who have been thus far led into the secrets of God, 
Exod. 19.13.  they may be likewise encouraged to press within the border of the mount, when the horn of salvation shall be blown.  
For it is a misery and madness to imagine the labour of a Christian to be mewed up within the wales of the ministery, or that men are so straightened in their vocations, as that they may not look aside to a sermon: or that because the these was saved on the gallows, 
Luk. 23.43.  therefore heaven may be won with a wet finger: or that since the workers for an hour, 
Mat. 20.9.  had the penny with them that bore the pain and heat of the day: therefore it shall suffice to come as Nicodemus did to Christ by night. 
joh. 3.2.  Nay, we must know, that as the promise of mercy is equal to all, so the prayer and practice for mercy must be the same in all; that we are no longer within the compass of the Lords protection, 
Psal. 91 11.  than we walk in fear within the bounds of his direction; that if religion be not the commander in our callings, scarcity or discontent will be as moths in our blessings; and that if presumption mislead us to pledge only a pang of devotion for a sacrifice when the pleasure of our days be past, judgement shall but requite us, if either death do strangle us before we speak, or the wrath of God rebound upon us when we have wept our fill. For it standeth not with the Lords honour to be shaken off so oft when he would lodge with us, 
jer. 32.33.  nor with our duties to run away so fast, when we should turn to him: but that at length justice must arise to preserve the majesty of his mercy, so much abased, and so long abused, which we have sensibly felt, the stripes being yet seen in our streets, and may fear hereafter to be more fierce, 
2. Sam. 24.14.  by how much the sword of the enemy sharpened to destruction, doth exceed the correcting hand of God tempered with compassion.  
The Lord grant this short setting of his face against us, may haste us to have peace with him, that hath the ends of the world subject to his power, and the plagues of the world restrainable at his will: so shall we be preserved from the venom, and ransomed from the violence of them that seek our souls, and either still praise him in the land of the living, 
Psal. 56.13.  or eternally dwell with him in the habitation of his Saints: which God grant may be your portions, and the inheritance of your posterity. Amen.  
Yours in all duty. H. Yeluerton.   

TO THE READER.  
Think not (gentle Reader) that the turning back from the world is any looking back from the plough; 
Luk. 9.62.  but by example judge it safer to bend thine eye toward Zoar a place of rest, then to wrest thy sight toward Sodom the city of wrath. 
Gen. 19.22.  And since the earth was cursed for thy sin in Adam, 
Gen. 3.17. Gal. 2.16. Rom. 3.22. Matt. 6 20. Phil. 3.20. 1. joh. 5 6.  and thyself art saved by thy faith in Christ, let the direction of thy thoughts to him be the messenger to thy heart that thou art in heaven: for thou art not placed that thou shouldest be planted here, but being bought from this earth by blood, cleanse thyself in this earth by water; that since some inferior affections must needs be foul, 
joh. 13.8.  the dust may only cleave to thy feet, thy head and thy hands be lift up to God. For if in the pride of thy flesh thou dost build thy nest near him, or in the profaneness of thy heart dost strive to be rich without him, 
Esay 14.15. Gen. 11.7. Luk. 12.20.  the least breath of his mouth shall batter thy seat to be seen no more, & scatter thy wealth as before the wind. Yea the Lord hath choked thy fields with thistles, 
Gen. 3.18. jam. 5.3.  & wrapped up thy treasure in rust; that seeing the ground whereon thou standest to be out of Paradise, and the staff whereon thou leanest to be but wood of the worst sort, thou mightest pray to have the sword put up that stops thee from the tree of life, 
Gen. 3.24.  and those boughs cut off that shadow thee from beholding thy sins borne in Christ's body. 
1. Pet. 2.24.  Now the humour that hindereth thy sight, is the Crystal show of brittle honour, that sets thine eyes on fire to follow after it; for if Adam may be as God, 
Gen. 3 5.  there is no commandment can hedge him: 
Gen. 33. ●●  if Esau may have a train of men at his heels, he will soon digest the loss of his birthright: 
2. Tim. 4.10.  & if Demas may but win the world, he will haste to shake hands with the Saints of God. But remember how with the fruit thy father swallowed wrath, 
jer. 31.29.  which to this day hath set thy teeth on edge, 
M●. ●. 3. Mat 4.10.  that the joy the reprobate hath in his flesh, is joined with the hatred of God upon his soul; and that if the sons of men shall take the devil at his word, as the Son of God did not, it is but a bitter recompense for the loss of the better part, 
Mat. 16.26.  when themselves are compassed with confusion.  
Take the counters into thine own hand, and see what reckoning thou canst make of life: what is passed frighteth thee with the remembrance of it, because so much of thy light is spent: what is present, burdeneth thee with the weight of it, because in sweat and sorrow thou dost waste thy time: what is to come troubleth thee with the incertainty of it, lest the grave do swallow thee before thou see it: yea make thy account as thou ought and thou shalt find it swifter than the weavers shuttle, 
job 7.6. job 9.25.  and speedier than a Post carried upon the wings of the wind; for if the Lord step not between thee and death, before thou canst lay one thy breath is gone. What booteth it then so unseasonably to ripen thy cares for the tars of this life? for if thou heap up silver as the sand, and prepare raiment as the clay, yet building thy house as the moth, not in thine own but in another's garment, when thou shalt make thy bed in the dark, 
job ●8. 13. Io● 16. ●●.  and the first borne of death shall consume thy strength, where then be the strings of thy hope, thy horn being thus abased to the dust? Of thyself thou art but a tree turned upward, having no sap from the earth; and if thou be'st not moistened with the dew from heaven, though by the sent of water thou mayest bud, yet shalt thou perish in the blade, because thou hast no spirit at the root. Therefore if thou expect in thy labour blessing, in thy peace continuance, in affliction comfort, in thy death triumph; thou must respect in thy calling honesty, in thy pleasure's judgement, 
Eccles. 11.9. Tit. 2.12.  in thy sorrows mercy, & in thy life religion. For if God be not with thee to direct thee that thou stray not, to correct thee that thou swell not, to preserve thee that thou famish not, to pardon thee that thou despair not, to curb thee that thou stumble not, to strengthen thee that thou fall not, to sanctify thee that thou sin not, and to glorify thee that thou perish not: 
Psal. 145.14. Psal. 19.12.  so many be the errors of thy life as thou canst not heal them, and so safe is thine iniquity sealed up, as thou canst not choose but have change of sorrows.  
I have therefore presumed in a Christian love of thy soul, if not to cure thy jealousy of the world, yet to prescribe thee Physic to crucify thyself. It is a field sown by the hand of another, though some fell not unfruitfully I hope into my ground; and albeit many years have now overgrown my papers since I first ploughed it, and that the seeds-man himself sleepeth in the earth, yet somewhat to awake the memory of the righteous, and to quicken and give heart to the desires of the religious, I have shot some few arrows that I had of his, which if thou peruse with diligence, and lay up with conscience, thou shalt find of greater force than the shafts of jonathan; since these forewarn thee of the fury not of Saul, 
1. Sam. 20.21.  but of Satan, who rejoiceth more in thy damnation than he sorroweth for his own. So hoping thou wilt either look upon me in love, or lay me aside without shame, I commit thee to God, who give thee and forgive thee much.  
Gray's Inn, Decemb. 24. 1604. Thy friend, H. Yeluerton.   

To the Christian Reader.  
CHRISTIAN Reader, when thou takest a view of the books already abroad, and daily increasing, as also according to thy measure of grace received, dost discern of and censure the weakness and insufficiency of too many: I speak not now of those idle and vain, oh that I might not say, tending to Atheism and profaneness; which are rather to be bewailed in a Christian commonweal, than censured: but of those, whose subject is profitable, and workmen desirous to profit. Even in too many of these thou hast cause justly to complain, there is no end of making many books, the reading of such being but wearisomeness to the flesh, and so breedeth a distaste of the necessary use of reading. But when thou shalt lift up thine eyes, and spy out as in a foggy mist, 
Eccle. 12.10.  divers also wherein is an upright writing, the words of truth, able to teach and to convince, thou art now to be encouraged, and not to be weary to exercise thyself, as thy calling and means will afford, in books that are necessary, precious and godly. Among these, if thou wilt take the pains to read, thou wilt easily condescend, that these Sermons deserve, both for their matter and penning, to be preserved for the use of God's Saints. Which will appear, if with me thou wilt a little nearer observe the frame and comeliness of this work: namely, the doctrines naturally raised, the reproof of the adversary sound concluded: and that in such a pithy phrase, and words savouring of grace, that thou canst not but with me acknowledge divers excellent graces of God shining clearly in the Author, in the Penman. By the Author the word is truly interpreted, and in a most excellent manner brought home to thy conscience, both for mortification of life, and quickening in heavenly duties, as also for settling thee against that accursed heresy of Popery, which is too much neglected of too many able teachers. In the Penman observe diligence, wisdom, godliness; he took this pains only for his own private use: for very hardly could he be drawn to communicate this to the common good: yet so carefully is it performed, that undoubtedly not a sentence, yea hardly will it appear, that a word of moment escaped him, as those who were diligent hearers with him may remember and can witness. His godly wisdom appeareth not only in attending on the Lords own ordinance, the public ministry of the word, on the Lord's day and other set times, but also in treasuring the same up by writing: knowing well, that the voice working inwardly for a time, through man's weakness and infirmity doth quickly perish: to this end, that with his ordinary sanctifying of the Sabbath, he might (and that lively) set before his own eyes this powerful means also of salvation: thereby nourishing the same faith and godliness in himself, which he saw from his infancy, and daily doth see to dwell in that reverend and truly religious judge his father, and in that virtuous Lady, always ready to refresh the bowels of the Saints, his mother: to whom I also own myself, both for encouragement in my entrance to the work of the ministry first begun in that their well ordered family, as also for many favours since, principally for that charge where I now dwell, bestowed on me by that worthy & most religious careful disposer of the Church-livings, the right honourable Sir Thomas Egerton Knight, Baron of Elsemeere, Lord Chancellor of England. Lastly, Christian Reader, with me consider of the blessing of God upon the labours of this godly and learned Gentleman in his own profession, who hath taken these pains now for thy good, evident to all those that know him: which doth clearly convince, that the keeping of the sabbath is not the loss of one year in seven, as too many of his rank, & I would they only, by their practice do discover they think. Indeed if the fourth commandment were ceremonial, and consequently abrogated, if there were no heaven, no hell, and that man were only for this life, they might have some colour. But that the care of thy calling and of holy religion may go together, yea hand in hand, here thou hast a pattern and example: benefit thyself by this his pains, and tread in the same steps of godly wisdom.  
Thine in the Lord, George Bard, Minister of the word of God at Stanes in Middlesex.   

GEntle Reader, whereas by some oversight, the 19.20.21. and 22. verses of the eight chapter to the Romans follow not in their due place, thou art to be advertised that they are handled in the end of the chapter, after the 38. and 39 verses; where thou art to look for them.   
MATH. chap. 1. vers. 1. 
verse 1 The Book of the Generation of jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham, etc. to the 18. verse.  
THE four Evangelists have been resembled by some writers to the four beasts spoken of Ezec. 1.10. and Reu. 4.7. This Evangelist Matthew being compared to a man, because he gins with the pedigree of our Saviour Christ: S. Mark to a lion, because he gins with the preaching of john Baptist, who roared like a lion in the wilderness the doctrine of Repentance: S. Luke to an Ox or Bullock, because he gins with the story of Zachary the Priest, whose office was under the Law to offer sacrifice: and S. john to an Eagle, because he flieth aloft, and beginneth with the eternal generation of the Son of God according to his Divinity. It it is true indeed their beginnings are as before, but their comparisons are too curious; for as the finger of God directed them, so did they write, and such was the Lords love to his church, as not to suffer us to be unfurnished of any thing that might further us in the course of our salvation, but from time to time to raise up instruments and penmen to set down his will, that seeing the way wherein to walk, we need not nor cannot pretend ignorance.  
The whole chapter divideth itself into two general parts: first is set down the lineal descent of Christ: secondly, the manner of his nativity, from the eighteenth verse to the end.  
In the first part note three members: first, a general comprehension of the matter in the first verse: secondly, the large narration of it, from the second to the seventeenth verse: thirdly, the conclusion, in the seventeenth verse.  
In the first of these observe two parts: first, what matter he will entreat of: secondly, of whose pedigree, namely of Christ's the great King of immortality.  
In that it is said, the book of the Generation, it is not to be taken as a title prefixed to the whole book, but it is meant according to the Hebrew phrase, that it is a Catalogue or recital of such a stock as our Saviour Christ came of.  
For the second, which is the narration, it is distributed into three members, every one by equal proportion having fourteen persons: the first, of the patriarchs: the second, of the Kings of David: the third, of the Captains and inferior Governors which had only some fragments left of the royal regiment after the transportation and carrying them away into Babylon. Now the cause why the Evangelist divideth them thus into three foureteenes, is, not only that the number and the story might the better be borne away, but principally because he is to prove that Christ came lineally from the jews, he setteth down the threefold, estate of the jews, and whereunto they were subject till Christ came, who should reign in the hearts of men: showing how at the first the Tribe of juda increased greatly till it was established and settled in the kingdom of David, than the greatest excellency thereof was in David's son Solomon, and then the abatement and greatest diminution that could be which was in their carriage away into Babylon, and that a Carpenter should be right heir to the Crown, showeth the great eclipse whereunto it was fallen: so as in the patriarchs it was like the Sun dawning, in Solomon like the Sun in his full glory, and afterward like the Sun set and gone down, leaving the right of the kingdom as in a dark place, namely in joseph a poor Carpenter, of a base trade and mean condition, nothing at all respected. Now further in the narration, the Evangelist (as we may see in the old Testament) reckoneth up some that lived before the going down into Egypt, some that were borne and died in Egypt, and some that returned out of Egypt, and were led as slaves into Babylon.  
In that it is said, judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar, observe that our Saviour Christ did not disdain to debase and disparaged himself so far as to come of the line of such as were borne of an incestuous generation, that we might be ravished and astonished with his love, who refused not to come out of the family of gross sinners that he might save the sinful souls of believers. And whereas in the blazing of Christ's arms by this Herald the Evangelist, there are but four women named every one of them hath their several blemish and reproach left behind them in the book of God. The first, Thamar incestuously abused by her father in law, Gen. 38.18.29. The second, Rahab, Josh. 2.1. by nation a Cananite, as vile as to be a dog, by profession an idolater, 
Josh. 6.17.  by city of jericho a place so cursed, as that no soul should escape thence alive, in trade a victualler, and in conversation a whore: yea the place she dwelled in so cursed, that who so should build it up again should do it in the blood of all his family: and yet this woman must be put in the royal descent of Christ. The third is Ruth, who came of that nation, that was begot in incest, and caused the children of Israel to sin in fornication. Numb. 25.1: so as it is said for the Edomites, the Lord esteemed them no more then as an old shoe, and Moab should be but as a chamber-pot; and as appeareth in her own book, 
Psal. 60.8.  Ruth 2.3. she was poor, gleaning after the reapers the ears of corn. For the fourth, which is Urias wife, she was the worst of all, of her Solomon was borne, 2. Sam. 12.24. whereby the holy Ghost doth insinuate the adultery committed before his birth, and consider Solomon borne of such an infamous woman, that he should be heir, and yet not the eldest son, it was merely of God's mercy and not of any merit; and by reason of this woman, David not only committed adultery to have made a bastard to have inherited the Crown, but to this added blood, 
2. Sam. 11.4.17.  the death of her husband and of many others, and such a death, as to die by the sword of the uncircumcised, which was most reproachful: that now the holy Ghost should direct the pen of the Evangelist to draw Christ's lineage by name from these, & not to derive him from Sara & Rebecca, that were excellently famous, and that David the type of the Messias should be such a bloody man, may be a consolation to all bleeding christians, & may teach us, that though our sins be never so heinous in respect of the quality of them, or never so many in respect of the multitude of them, yet if at any time we be weary with a full detestation of them, 
Mat. 11.28.  and a resolute purpose to amend them, Christ will refresh us, and will scatter them before him, even as the dust before the wind: and the greater is our condemnation, if having so much mercy we repent not.  
Secondly, observe in that it is said, jesse begat David, and David Solomon, whereas David only is named king, being the last of the first fourteen, that the estate of the patriarchs was now changed into kings; and though juda had some pre-eminence, before that the kingdom fell to them, yet this was the greatest glory, that it should be such a kingdom whereof the king that should be borne should be God the Son: which may teach us, that the highest honour that can befall a family, or a country, or a Christian is, to have the Lord to dwell with them: for all other titles are folded up in time that perisheth, but the presence of the Lord bringeth comfort that decayeth not. Howbeit we must note, that as this kingdom of juda was a type of the Messias, 
1. Sam. 15.28.  it was begun in David only, for Saul though he was king before, yet was he no type of the Messias. And for this second order which is all of Kings, we shall see if we peruse the book of God, that Christ came of some as wicked kings as ever were; for where from Solomon to the captivity there were 19 kings, 13. of them were most wicked, and some of them had such special blemishes & spots upon them, as it is doubted whether they be saved or no: Solomon had great enormities, but there is no doubt of his repentance, witnessed by his book of retractions called Ecclesiastes. Asa began well, but in his old age he imprisoned the Prophet that told him of his sin, and in his sickness trusted more to the Physician then to God, 2. Chr. 16.10.12. jehosaphat did the worst act that could be (2. King. 8.18.) to marry his son jehoram to Athaliah the daughter of jezabel, whereby many provocations were committed, and yet these were the best. jehoram he caused all juda to commit idolatry, so as the Lord forsook him, and (2. Chro. 21.15.) he died a miserable death, his guts falling out of his belly, not all at once, but day by day, which was more grievous. Ahazia his son was slain (2. Chro. 22.9.) by jehu in the field, and never any revenged his blood. joash his son (2. Chron. 23.3.) was mightily preserved by jehoiada the Priest from the hands of Athaliah. Yet when the Priest was dead (2. Chron. 24.78.) when the Prophets came to tell him he was abused and misled by his Princes to idolatry, he caused them to be slain in the temple, and himself (Vers. 25.) was afterward killed by his own servants. Amaziah his son fell to Idolatry after a victory obtained of the Edomites, and (2. Chro. 25.27.) was traitorously slain by his own subjects. Azariah his son, (2. Chro. 26.21.) because he usurped upon the Priest's office, was immediately smitten with the hand of God, that he came to be a Leper, but some of those last Kings are not here named by S. Matthew, because he meant to make a proportionable and even number that should consist on foureteenes. For Ahaz he made all the altars like the altars of Damascus, and (2. King. 16.3.) made his own son pass through the fire, according to the sacrifice and abomination of the Heathen. jehoiakim he contemned the threatenings of the Lord, and caused the roll to be burnt (jer. 36.23.) which Baruch had writ from the mouth of jeremy; he was therefore buried like an Ass, (as was prophesied by jeremy, 22.19.) even drawn and cast forth without the gates of jerusalem. And for Zedechiah, he imprisoned the Prophet jeremy and contemned the Lord, therefore were his eyes put out by the king of Babel, (Iere. 39.7.8.) and he bound in chains, and led like a slave into captivity. Out of which observe, that there is no privilege in the Prince's chair to keep them from sinning, neither yet that the majesty of their places can protect them from the Lords vengeance: 
Understand these words touching Christ's descent legally, as Deu. 25.5.6. and pag. 8. line 29.  but that if their hearts be lifted up against God, his hand shall fall upon them to their destruction: for the grace of the Lord must season their palaces, else do they stand but in slippery places. And though our Saviour Christ vouchsafed to come out of the loins of such wicked Kings, it was not at all to give an●e countenance to their offences, or to embolden them in their sins, but only to open the fountain of mercy to us, that we may know he is able to sanctify the vilest sinner.  
Now for the third order, which is of them who were carried away into captivity: note first the cause of the captivity: secondly, the cruelty of it: thirdly, the mercy of the Lord in their deliverance. For the first, which is the cause that Gods own children, and them of the blood royal should be carried into slavery, it is set down (2. Chro. 36.12.) to be, first, for that the king rebelled against God, and humbled not himself before jeremy the Lord's Prophet. Secondly, for that both Priest and people trespassed wonderfully, set down in two things principally. First, they polluted the house of the Lord with the abominations of the heathen. Secondly, they mocked and misused the messengers of the Lord, and despised his words, until the wrath of the Lord rose up against them, and that there was no remedy, but he was enforced to give them to the bloodthirsty Babylonians. Wherein observe, what a fearful thing it is to fall into idolatry; after our eyes have once been opened; and how nothing provokes the Lord so much, as the contempt of his embassage. For if having once seen the goodness and power of God, we decline from him, and lay hold on other helps, and contemn the face and speech of his Ministers, whom he hath made acquainted with his secrets, and that we wax strong in ourselves, we do but as Vzziah did (2. Chron. 26.16.) lift up our hearts to destruction, and force the Lord to take his cup of indignation in his hand, and to hold it as well to the mouth of the king as to the people: for where all conspire to work mischief, all shall be overwhelmed with the same madness, as jeremy speaketh, chap. 25.18. For the second, which is the misery they sustained being captives, it is to be seen, first, in their usage before they came to Babylon, set down, 2. Chr. 36.17. they took both young and old, men and women, and though they fled to the Sanctuary for succour, yet were they there stabbed with daggers; they burned the house of God, and took the precious vessels of it, to abuse in their superstition when they come to Babel. Now to see the temple on fire, and young and old slain without mercy, had been enough to have rend their hearts in pieces, to see the worship of God thus defaced, and themselves reserved but as an after pray to the enemy. But now secondly coming thither, namely, to Babel, to behold such grosie idolatry, and to hear such high reproaches, as no doubt were given against the God of Israel, as, 
Psal. 137.3.  Come sing a song to the God of juda that hath forsaken you, and, Behold, here be the people whom the Lord hath spewed out; besides the bondage wherein themselves were kept; how could they but strain forth tears of blood, and send forth deep sighs from a mournful spirit? Yea their case was so desperate and miserable, as (Ezech. 37.11.) their raising up again and restitution was made of the Lord as great a matter, and as hard as to put life into a company of dead bones: for their the Lord saith: These dry bones are the house of Israel, neither yet did this their captivity last but a while, but they were wintered and sommered there full 70. years, as was foretold by the Prophet jeremy, chap. 25.11. that they should be an astonishment, and serve the king of Babel so many years. For the third, which is the Lords mercy in their deliverance, they be the words of his own mouth. For thy sake (O Israel) I will not do it, for thou art filthy, 
Ezec. 36.22.  but for my own sake I will, that they may know I am able to do it, and for David my servants sake, I will not utterly put out the light of Israel.  
Hence learn generally, that there is no nation so free, but the Lord may captivate, and if they decline and leave their first love, the Lord may and will abandon them. For if any people might have presumed, it was this, who had the promises, and a more peculiar presence of God than any nation under heaven, yet were they vile, and did stink in his sight, for abusing his kindness, and setting at nought his Ministers. Howbeit, never were they more scorned then in these days, wherein either men make themselves deaf that they will not hear, or hear, but there is a noise of vanity higher and louder in their ears. Hear than is the same cause of captivity, why should we not fear the same judgement? We see it is ourselves can do us the greatest hurt: for when we once give ourselves over to looseness of life, and to distaste the word, the Lord than disarms us both of policy and strength, that even a weak enemy may soon surprise us. Let therefore every man amend one, albeit these times be so mischievous, as it is to be feared lest many of us be as willing to return to Babylon for religion, as ever were the Israelites to come forth.  
Secondly, observe the cursed and hard-hearted disposition of the enemies of God, that they think no torment nor cruelty too exquisite nor too sharp for his people: for Zedechia and Ahab did the King of Babel burn in the fire, jer. 29.22. and the rest were slaves to him and his sons, 2. Chro. 36.20. With which malice the devil hath poisoned and filled their hearts, because they cannot be avenged of the Lord himself, for even at him do the proud Nimrods' of the world point their fingers, 
Gen. 11.4.  and against him do they lay their siege to pluck him out of his seat: for the Babylonians were more fierce to the Israelites then to any other whom they subdued, only because they were the chosen and beloved of the Lord. Lastly, observe in their delivery the compassion of the Almighty, that he will not be angry for ever; and the truth of his promise, that he will at the length visit his people in mercy, when they think the clouds so thick, as they cannot be overblown: for now when Israel was even rend to rags, he harboured (jer. 29.11.) the thoughts of peace and not of trouble, and gave them an end of their fainting hope, even a mighty deliverance by the hand of Cyrus' king of Persia, 2. Chro. 36.22.  
Where it is said, jechonias begat Salathiel, observe, that Salathiel was not his natural son, but only succeeded him in the kingdom by legal succession as next heir, for jechonias had no sons, but the house of Solomon ended with him, as appeareth jer. 22.30. Writ this man (that is jechomas) destitute of children. So also Ezec. 21.26.27. the Lord speaking of Solomon, I will overturn (saith he, repeating it thrice) the diadem of this king, and never shall any out of his loins wear it, until he come whose right it is, (that is, the Messias) and I will give it him. To prove also that salomon's line must cease, and that Christ must not come of him lineally, appeareth by the prophesy of Isaiah: 
2. King. 20.18.  that there should not one be left of the house of jehoiakim: which could not be so, unless the line of Solomon were utterly extinguished: and for Salathiel, he came of Nathan the second brother, as Saint Luke setteth it down, chap. 3.31. which nothing disagreeth from this of Saint Matthew, for he was but to show the line of the Kings, and not naturally of whom Christ came, but whom he should succeed in the kingdom. Where note the wonderful providence of God, that Solomon who had so many wives and children, hath not now any left to sit upon the throne, to teach us that Solomon was to be punished for his many wives: so as the Lord would not have Christ to come of him naturally, but of his younger brother. Whereby all nobility may be swallowed up in the glory of the Lords progeny and generation that drowneth all nobility: that since Solomon in all his glory wanteth natural heirs, that they stand not upon these outward shows and dignities, but seek to continue their posterity, by living in a clean and holy course of life: for the Lord, will wash away the unholy seed, and serape out their names from under heaven, that seek to establish their house in filthiness, and to pollute the marriage bed.  
Further, in that Christ is said to come of joseph the poor Carpenter: herein are the ancient Prophecies fulfilled, (Esay 53.2.) that Christ should come and no man regard him, and that he should grow up as a root out of the dry ground without form or beauty, and as Esay 11.1. that the should come as a rod out of the stock of Ishai the Yeoman, 1. Sam. 16.3. whereby we observe, that when things are most desperate, than the Lord recovereth them: and now when the kingdom was come to a poor Carpenter, than Christ was borne, to teach us, that in the greatest exigents and extremities, we must never distrust, nor seek to extricate ourselves out of any sorrow the Lord hath brought us to, but still to wait upon him: for as David saith, Psalm. 32.7. The Lord is our secret place, that is, he hath many privy deliverances we know not of: and (as Psalm. 4.3.) will strengthen us upon the bed of sorrow, as he did David, who when Saul with his army was even at his heels, and he no doubt much anguished, yet the Lord had his secret deliverance for him, and turned Saul on the sudden another way, 1. Sam. 23.27. Even so here, when it had been night with the Israelites a long time, and that their enemies thought they should never recover their sight again, then ariseth Christ like they day-star, and restoreth the beauty of their kingdom to greater glory than before: let us therefore wait with Simeon for the salvation that shall come.  
Now remaineth to show the difference in the recital of Christ's pedigree by Saint Matthew, and that of Saint Luke chap. 3.23. and it standeth in three points: first, Matthew doth descend from the first to the last, from Abraham to joseph; Luke ascendeth from the last to the first, from joseph to Abraham. Secondly, Matthew was to fetch his pedigree so as he might prove him to be the Messias of the jews, and to come directly from the seed of Abraham: Luke deriveth him not only from Abraham, but from Adam, that he might show him to be the Saviour, not only of the jews, but also of the Gentiles, and to be that seed of the woman promised Gen. 3.15. Thirdly, S. Matthew showeth his royal line, and that he was rightly interessed in the kingdom: S. Luke setteh down the natural line of him, of whom he came according to the flesh: So that understand, whereas all the light of Solomon was extinguished in jechonias, all the rest that followed were not the natural posterity of Solomon, but such as succeeded him legally in the kingdom, so as Saint Matthew in following his purpose could not set down his natural descent: S. Luke brings him from Nathan, to prove he came from Adam: and howsoever there be some contrariety whether he came naturally from Solomon or no, yet it is certain he came naturally from David, which sufficeth.   
MATH. chap. 1. vers. 18, 19, 20, 21. 
verse 18 Now the birth of jesus Christ was thus. When as his mother Mary was betrothed to joseph, before they came together she was found with child of the holy Ghost.  
verse 19 Then joseph her husband being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.  
verse 20 But while he thought these things, behold the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, joseph the son of David, fear not to take Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the holy Ghost.  
verse 21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS, for he shall save his people from their sins.  
NOW followeth the manner of the birth of our Saviour Christ, wherein consider two parts: first, the matter generally propounded: secondly, the large narration of the particular circumstances to the end of the Chapter, which be three: First, what occasion was given to joseph to suspect his wife, and how he commanded his heart to think the best of it, because it might be she was with child before marriage, and then it was no adultery, so as he would not prosecute the matter too far to her infamy: Secondly, the satisfaction which joseph receiveth, and the information given him extraordinarily by an Angel of the whole matter how it was wrought: Thirdly is declared his obedience after the satisfaction received, & after his judgement was reform in these words, He took her again. In the first, consider first of this point here named, that Mary was betrothed, whereby we may understand that there be two degrees of marriage: the first, betrothing: the second, the perfecting and confirmation of it; and these two we have, commanded by the law of God, commended to us by example, and justified by the law of nature. For the first, we may see Deu. 24.5. that the man betrothed was privileged from warfare the first year, that they might know one another's conditions; and Deu. 22.23.25. he was to be stoned that should force and abuse a betrothed woman. For example we have this of Christ, which may serve for all, that he was borne of such a woman as was betrothed before marriage: for the law of nature it may suffice, in that all the heathen make mention of betrothing before marriage by way of commendation; for since marriage is such an obligation as bindeth so strongly, not to be dissolved, it is reason and convenient there should be a time between the mentioning and the perfecting of the contract, that if any occasion should happen in the mean time, the bond might not be made. The equity also concerning Christianity is great in this respect, to the end there might be a stay of immoderate lust, which men would brutishly run into, if presently upon the contract made they might company together: therefore that there may be as it were a bridle laid upon our lust, it is good we rush not suddenly into the marriage bed, but by this distance of time between betrothing and marrying, that we learn to tame and take off the edge of our inordinate desires.  
Further observe, that it is not lawful for any man to use his wife barely contracted, for joseph and Mary came not together when they were only betrothed: by which example we have the chastity of our vessels recommended to us, that we intermeddle not before the Lord hath laid open the bed unto us, that is, before she be given unto us by God's instrument the Minister, 
Gen. 2.22.  even as Eve was given by God himself to Adam: for the institution of marriage being partly to beget sons and daughters for the Lord, we must not dare to venture or break into any unsanctified course, because the Lord cannot bless what his mouth hath cursed. What shall we say then to the fleshly and brutish generation of the world, who will be kept within no limits, but like beasts do range after their own appetites, and as if there were no distinction of bodies, nor expectation of blessing, nor fear of punishment, do neither make the Lord acquainted with their match, nor rest themselves in his ordinance, but do scale as it were the walls, and cut asunder the lists wherein God hath set them, passing by their wives to other women? Surely as such men can hope for nothing else but that their posterity shall inherit the wind, as job speaketh: so may they look for nothing surer, but that themselves shall fall in their own uncleanness without great repentance.  
Further, in that Christ was conceived after espousals, but not borne till the marriage was consummate; we learn, that as God honoured this estate in Paradise with his own presence, so hath the Lord jesus sanctified it with his own birth: for howsoever a betrothed wife was not to be accompanied with, Deuter. 22.23. yet she was a wife. We must therefore correct ourselves, not to think meanly or basely of the estate of marriage, there being no such fountain of earthly comfort set open unto man as this is, whether we respect society or posterity, and therefore fitly hath the Apostle to the Hebr. chap. 13.1. termed it honourable among all, as a blessing equally distributed unto all.  
Again observe in that Marie is said to be with child, that there was just cause for joseph to suspect her, yet mark what counsel he took to make the best of the worst: he was loath to put her away because he was just, & he is said to be just in two respects; first, because he abhorred to take her to wife whom he suspected to be a whore: where we learn, that joseph's justice did not consist in a base reputation of this manner of filthiness, but in a detestation of it, for it is the basest mind that can be to marry a woman that hath been abused; and by this example it appeareth, that he that doth tolerate the unchastity of his wife, is himself herein culpable of bawdry. Secondly, his justice regardeth this, that being doubtful, before apparent proof he construeth a doubtful action at the best, namely that she was gotten with child before the espousals, and then he would not marry her, as by the law he might have done, and after have put her to death, Deu. 22.21. if she could not have showed the tokens of her virginity but he would have put her away privily, and resigned his interest to him who (as he suspected) had abused her. Wherein we learn, that just men are to take all things at the best, and not to seek occasions of others hurt, or means to wreak their malice on them that have in sort abused them: for love must cover, and religion must pass by offences. If Nabal be so churlish as to deny refreshing to our servants, 1. Sam. 25.10. we may not be so impatient as David to vow their destruction, but with the mildness of Abigael we must leave them to the Lord. A pattern of this also we have in joseph of Egypt, who though he was sold by his brethren in the depth of their malice, yet never upbraided them with their fault, but gently passed by it, & freely forgave it, accounting it as the hand of God that had sent him thither, Gen. 45.8. And this indeed aught to be the affection of all God's children, 
Gal. 6.1.  not to blaze, but as as S. Paul speaketh, to support one another in their infirmities, and not to shame them when the action committed may in some sort be well construed.  
Further observe, that this example of joseph's in making the best of his wives honesty, is no warrant for husbands to keep their wives that may publicly be convinced of adultery, but they may safely relieve themselves by the law of the Magistrate, so as their end in prosecuting the matter be not to defame them but to reform them: for the sword is a notable means, to bring us to repentance. And though joseph complaineth not, it doth not prove that others should be silent, for the cause is divers. First, joseph seeing her deflowered did abhor to accompany with her: Secondly, knowing her great piety and singular modesty, he wondered how it came: he could not accuse her for an adulteress, for it might be the act was done before they were betrothed. Now in this perplexity he stayeth his thoughts, and recommendeth it to God, and so this was of a matter altogether doubtful, therefore not like to that where she is publicly convinced of such shameless filthiness. Again, in this of joseph's the whole case was extraordinary, and the Lord had the full stroke in it, for he suffered joseph to be abused by the error of his judgement, and restrained Mary from speaking one word to her husband how all this matter was wrought; whereas he loving her to entirely, and being fully persuaded of her piety, and thereby half induced not to make suspicion of her chastity, he would have rested contented with her relation, but the Lord stopped her mouth, that as this action proceeded immediately from God, so joseph should be satisfied only by the oracle of God: and therefore this is not to be matched & resembled to that where women shamelessly break then vow which they made to God and man, as we may see 1. Cor. 6.15. & Mal. 2.14. where the Prophet bringeth in the Lord as a witness between man and wife, and urgeth this as a reason why the one should not trespass against the other, because out of the abundance of his spirit he hath made them one.  
Now for the second part, which is the satisfaction joseph received, and the means whereby his thoughts were appeased while he was musing of this event, we must consider three points: first, what messenger God dispatcheth, namely an Angel: secondly, at what time; when he was even upon the resolution to have put her away: thirdly, what message was brought while he was thus reasoning with himself, and was anguished with blind discourses; which containeth several parts: first, that which is set down in the very first words, as much as to say, as, Thou hast not done amisseto take such a moderate course in this matter, but fear not, she is a virgin: Secondly a confirmation of this; That which is in her is of the holy Ghost: Thirdly, he declareth the blessed condition of the child, fore-prophesying of this name: Fourthly, a reason of his name; He shall save his people: Fiftly, because the Angel know joseph prepossessed with preindice, and therefore yet there might rest some scruple in his mind, he allegeth an ancient record of the Prophet Esay, 6.7.14. written 800. years before, which expressed as much as the Angel now told him, & by this testimony concurring with his speech he doth absolutely resolve him: for an angel speaking according to scripture is not to be doubted.  
For the first, the messenger that is dispatched from the heavenly palace, being so excellent as an Angel, let us learn to be carried into an admiration of the Lords love, that the Angels elect shall be messengers & ministers for his chosen. Hereupon David (Psa. 8.4.) being confounded with the Lords goodness breaketh forth saying, O Lord what is man that thou shouldest be so mindful of him, and shouldest thus exalt him, for thou hast made him little lower than God: not that the Angels in themselves are base in nature & condition than we: for as it is Esa: 6, 2. as they have two wings to hide their face from the glory of God, so have they two wings to hide their feet, because we cannot behold them in their excellency: for the service they do, is not to us for our own sakes, but they do it as to Christ their head, as is prefigured by jacobs' ladder (Gen. 28.13.) whereon the Angels ascended and descended: 
joh. 1.51.  this ladder being Christ, and Christ vouchsaffing us this honour to sit with him at his table, the Angels minister to us as owing all duty to him. Now this ministery of Angels is so deputed as every particular member elect, hath not one but many continually attendant on him, as Psal. 91.11. He hath given his Angels charge to bear us in their arms, lest we should dash our feet to hurt them; not that the Lord is unable to rescue us, or insufficient to support us from any danger, but he doth it only to provide a remedy for our infidelity, who must ever be held as it were by the hand, 
Mat. 14.20.  or else we cry with Peter in the least temptation, Lord help us we perish. Even as a man desiring safe conduct out of the realm, should receive of the Prince not only his letters, but his royal guard to wait upon him: which were a matter ex abundanti, that by this means he could no way doubt of quiet passage: so lest we should distrust the Lord, or be too much confounded with his majesty, he hasteneth to help us by more familiar means, and hath given us as it were his royal name to guard us, that we may be sure, as Satan hath many ways, and layeth many snares to entrap and to hurt us, so hath the Lord pitched his tents about us, and compassed us with fenced soldiers to preserve us safe. Hereupon it is, that the Angels are called fiery in two respects: First, because they may stay us in all our weakness, and cherish us in all infirmities, to esteem him as our rock, and the truth of his word as a most stable tower that cannot totter: having this warrant from himself in this place to urge him with his word and promise of deliverance, who as he faithfully performed it to David, so will he graciously remember us, even when we are most tossed in tribulation, and in the least hope.  
Fear not to take Mary to thy wife.  
This is the first part of the message: where the jesuits observe, that Mary was joseph's true wife, yet he knew her not; so as (say they) there may be true marriage, where notwithstanding the parties vow to live in continency. We answer, it was true in this example: but this particular is not to be given in precept, because though it be commanded in this singular person of joseph, yet we find no warrant for it in any general place or commandment set down in the Scripture. We must therefore know, that the Saints of God are not to be followed in two things. First, in their infirmities, as we may not lie with Rahab, 
Josh. 2.4. Gen. 26.7. etc. Exod. 34.28. Mat. 14.29. 2. King 1.10.  nor dissemble with Rebecca. Secondly, in their personal and miraculous works, as Moses in fasting forty days, Peter in walking on the Sea, Eliah in calling fire from heaven, nor joseph here in a perpetual separation from his wife: for this example was altogether extraordinary, and what flesh and blood durst touch that vessel the Lord by his spirit had taken up for himself? Otherwise that marriage cannot be lawful, where the parties mean to separate themselves continually; for as S. Paul saith, 1. Cor. 7.5. man and wife may not defraud one another, except it be, first, by consent: secondly, but for a time, otherwise (as 1. Pet. 3.7.) they must dwell as heirs together of the grace of life.  
Secondly, the jesuits note this, that where Christ vouchsased to be borne in marriage, yet of a Virgin, that in this he honoured both, but principally Virginity. We answer, that mariagein it own nature is better than virginity: for God in the first creation (Gen. 2.18.) saw, it was not good for man to be alone, but even in his innocency, that he should have the woman as a help before him. And therefore Saint Paul (1. Cor. 7.26.) is not to be understood, as enjoining virginity to any, or as commending it before marriage, but only as persuading and praising it for the necessity of those times that were so troublesome, as the Church of God could scarce find rest in any place: and therefore such as had no families were more free & readier for the service of God: otherwise, continency is not better as a better ordinance of God: but the betterness of that came in by the disorder sin hath brought in, because marriage is clogged with so many cares, as distracteth the mind much from religious exercises, and men in their single estate be more emptied of cares, and so more vacant for prayer and other holy duties. And where they say, that virginity in marriage is better than society in marriage, it is an accursed speech, this example of joseph's only excepted: for it is a plant growing only in this garden, in respect the womb of the Virgin was the bed of the Lord jesus: and yet if their own speech be true, that virginity in marriage be better than virginity out of marriage, it were good for their Priests and Nuns to marry.  
In that it is said, Fear not, observe, that all our security from fear standeth on the Lord's word, for flesh and blood availed joseph nothing at all, neither could his own judgement lead him to any stable comfort, till the mouth of God had sent it. Howbeit, we see the blind boldness of the devil, who (Gen. 3.4.5.) would needs take upon him to rid our first parents from all fear in their breach of God's commandment: but we have found him a liar and the Lord true from the beginning; let us therefore qualify ourselves according to his prescript, to tremble when he bids us fear, and to run on rejoicing when he saith, Fear not: for he hath always the tempering of the cup. And in that there is a reason added why joseph should not fear, we may behold the tenderness of the Lords compassion towards his children, who will not only have them to stay upon the majesty of his commandment, but in relief of their infirmities will give them a reason of it, that comprehending it in their judgements, they may the more safely lay hold on it. Even as our Saviour Christ (Luk. 12.32.) comforteth his disciples, and armeth them against the troubles to come, saying: Fear not. Why? for your Father will give you a kingdom, the power and yet the comfort of the commandment resting upon the reason of it, in this sort: Those that have a kingdom prepared for them, need not to fear: but such are you, therefore away with fear.  
Out of the reason itself, namely: That which is conceived of her, is of the holy Ghost, we note, that his humanity was so sanctified, that even from the moment of Christ's conception, there was a setting apart of that nature from all uncleanness: so as Christ was borne the Son of God: for Christ-man was never adopted to be the Son of God: for adoption presupposeth wrath; but his manhood was personally even at the first united to the Godhead, and was no person of itself, as shall appear afterward.  
Now the third thing joseph was informed of by the Angel, was to name him jesus: with a reason of the name. Wherein consider two points: first, from what he shall save: from sins. Secondly, whom he shall save: his people; and these be very few, as himself saith, Luk. 12.32. Mine is a little flock. For the first, in sin consider these three things: first, the disobedience to the law: secondly, the original corruption: thirdly, the condemnation for this corruption and disobedience. The first of these is double, either in breaking the law, or not fulfilling it: the second is the original cause of this disobedience, which is the evil inclinations of our heart, and our corrupt affections: and the third is the punishment of this disobedience, namely, hell fire. These be three running sores, satisfied and cured by three running streams in Christ: for our rebellion to the law is satisfied in Christ, who not only paid for that we had broken, but actually fulfilled every point of it. For the second, which is our original corruption, we have the holiness and sanctification of his nature, who was ever separate from all uncleanness, so as in Christ we are better than Adam was in his first estate: for though he was made good, yet it was changeably good; but we in Christ are absolutely good, and as the stoutest mountains that cannot be stirred. For the third, we have Christ by his passion to deliver us from condemnation; even as in the sacrifice under the law, the blood of the innocent beast was shed for him that had sinned, to lay before his face the punishment he had deserved, 
Levit. 16.15.  that so worthily his throat might have been cut, and more justly than was the throat of the beast: so we by the shedding of Christ's most innocent blood, are purged from the guilt of our sin. And as by the beholding only of the Brazen Serpent lifted up in the wilderness, 
Numb. 21 9  as many as looked upon it, were made whole: so we having our eyes anointed with the eye-salve of the holy Ghost, that we can behold the Lord jesus exalted on the cross, shall be freed from all the fiery stings of Satan, wherewith he had stung us to damnation.  
For the second, whom he shall save: observe, not all, but his people. Therefore they deceive themselves that think Christ died for all men: for there are but two parts of his priesthood: the first, to supplicate or to pray: the second, to sacrify: Now it is certain he never sacrificed for them for whom he never supplicated: and john 17.9. he excludes the world out of his prayer, therefore for the world he never died; but he prayed only for believers, and that they might be sanctified, that is, set apart wholly for God's service, the word (sanctified) being a metaphor or borrowed speech taken form the Temple, wherein the first fruits, the flesh, the garments, the vessels and all things else were holy, so called because none might use them to worldly purposes. So as if we will be his people, we must keep ourselves only for one husband the Lord jesus, and like a jewel peerless, as if we were peculiarly laid up for him, as S. Paul speaketh Tit. 2.14. And he that cannot assure his soul of this, for him Christ never died: for if we be Temples; only to set up in them the idols of our affections, Christ never dwelleth there. Now every man will assume to himself to be a Christian. If a woman that had two children should swear she were a maid, or he that had the plague should say and face us down he were sound, or one reeling in the channel that he were sober, would they not be spectacles of shame to all that saw and heard them? And for an unseemly and filthy liver to challenge this honour to be carried in Christ's bosom, and to be remembered to his Father in his prayers, and to apportion part of Christ's death to himself, is as absurd as the other, and this his feigned repentance shall lead him but into a feigned hope against the latter day which will deceive him. For such kind of boasters be they, spoken of Proverb. 30.12. that are pure in their own eyes, and yet they be not washed from their filthiness, that is, that are as filthy in their souls as is his body that lieth in his own excrement. Can out of thorns come grapes? or can a sinful wretch be a sober liver? It is certain, there is no salvation without faith, no faith without repentance, no repentance without amendment of life; nor any amendment without forsaking of sin: the conclusion whereof is, that no evil liver hath part in Christ's passion, but the marks of God's vengeance are yet upon thee, and thou venturest thy salvation peremptorily by deferring thy repentance: for what knowest thou whether to morrow shall ever come? Dally not therefore thus with God, till the devil take thee in the lurch: for as Christ came to save us from the damnation of sin, so also to free us from the dominion of sin; and as to destroy the devil, so likewise to destroy the works of the devil. And as none shall be saved by the law, 
1. john 3.8.  without fulfilling the law, so none shall be saved by the Gospel but such, who as God hath covenanted with them to remit their sins, so have they covenanted with him to amend their lives. It is therefore an intolerable absurdity for them that being slaves to sin, do notwithstanding vaunt themselves to be the servants of God, and who being as profane as Esau, and have sold their birthright, 
Gen. 25.33. Math. 25.26.  will yet claim their birthright, when they have no more interest than the dogs in the bread of Children.   
MATH. chap. 1. vers. 22, 23, 24, 25. 
verse 22 And all this was done that it might be fulfilled, which is spoken of the Lord by his Prophet, saying:  
verse 23 Behold a Virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which is by interpretation, God with us.  
verse 24 Then joseph being raised from sleep, did as the Angel of the Lord had enjoined him, and took his wife.  
verse 25 But he knew her not till she had brought forth her first borne Son, and he called his name jesus.  
THIS is the fift thing formerly pointed at, that this testimony of the Prophet is alleged for the further confirmation of joseph, and his better encouragement in this matter; that if he should not rest in the majesty of the Angel for the truth of the message, yet that he should not think that strange which was recorded so long before. Wherein consider, first what cause the Prophet had to speak this. It may be gathered out of Esay chap. 7. where the king of juda being cast into fear of the overthrow of his kingdom, by the combination and joining together of the two armies of Syria and Israel, thinking it impossible to be rescued from their strength, the Prophet Esay was sent to offer him a sign in that consternation and trouble of his mind, either in the depth beneath or in the height above, that thereby he might be ascertained the Lord would deliver jerusalem from that army: the King measuring all by policy, refuseth to ask any particular sign; whereupon the Prophet seeing this, descended to the general sign, the covenant made Gen. 3. that the seed of the woman should break the serpent's head, that is, not only perform a temporary deliverance, but an everlasting freedom from the siege of Satan; and this covenant was especially made to Abraham. Now the Prophet speaketh to him by way of exprobration in this sort: How canst thou, O King, mistrust this small matter, and that the power of the Lord is not able to perform this, since he hath promised to do the other, which is far greater?  
Hence generally learn, how excellent and needful a thing it is to be acquainted and familiar with the Scripture, which is as the storehouse of comfort when we be distressed, and a guide to direct our thoughts when they be distracted. For if joseph had well compared the times spoken of by the Prophets, and had called to mind this speech of Esay here mentioned, it might much have stayed him in his perplexed discourse with himself, the Angel himself intimating so much in alleging the prophecy and yet concealing the Prophet's name, as a thing that joseph could not be unmindful of. And this indeed is the duty, and ought not to be the labour of every trembling Christian; to lodge as it were with the book of God in their bosom; and with the Noblemen of Beraea (Act. 17.11.) to receive the word with readiness, and to search the Scriptures daily, which is the garden of the Lord, where runneth the river of wisdom to resolve all doubts, and where is to be had the oil that softeneth all our afflictions.  
Now in the testimony itself here alleged, consider two things: first, the person that should bear, a virgin: secondly, the person that should be brought forth, Emmanuell, consubstantial with us in nature: for both these the Prophet beginneth with a word of wonder (Behold) as of a miracle never performed but once. If it be asked, how it was possible a virgin should conceive, we must believe it was so, and rest in this, nothing to be impossible with God, Mat. 19.26. For as it was possible at the first to make a woman out of a man without the help of a woman, as we may see in the first creation, Gen. 2.22. so was it possible for him in this new creation to make a man out of a woman without the help of a man. Which was done to this end, because if there should have been any corruption of the seed of man in Christ, he could not have sanctified others. Concerning the person that should be brought forth, it is Emmanuel, the same that jesus, and they both imply one thing: for he that is Emmanuel is God with us, as jesus is God saving us. Now he is God with us many ways: and albeit in the Ark under the law, the Lord was alway speaking through the Cherubins, insomuch as the very enemies of God, the Philistims (1. Sam. 4.7.) could say when the Ark came, that the God of Israel came: and therefore cried, woe unto us; yet is he far nearer with us, namely, in such a spiritual manner as the Prophet speaks here, a God not only present and favourable to us, but connatural to us, and upon which did depend all the graces of God formerly given to his Church. Therefore if Moses did say in admiration of the Lords goodness: (Deuter. 4.7.) Look if ever the like came to pass, that God from heaven should speak unto his people, and show his glory so to appear on earth: much more may we break forth into the like astonishment, to whom God is come so near, as to be of the same nature with us, and to speak unto us, not in the publication of the kill law, but in the manifestation of the quickening Gospel, whereby we may receive comfort in the deepest dangers, that gathering ourselves under his wings, and seeking rest and refreshing at his hands, he will first give us a general charter of grace for the pardon of out sins. And because pardon of our sin will not save us from hell, but our judgement shall be just, unless we yield full obedience to the law, he will secondly impute and lay all his obedience and righteousness upon us, so as in him we shall fulfil it. And yet because we are still sinners, as carrying about us the original uncleanness we brought with us, 
Ephes. 5.30.  the third rest he will give us, is so to sanctify us, as we shall be bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh; not that we are absolutely sanctified in this life, but that that which this our Christ brings us is all-sufficient to salvation. And being sure of this, we need not to be dismayed, for the waters of trouble are but a bath to cleanse and purge us from those corruptions we gather by walking in this dirty world.  
Further, let us consider here, why it was necessary, that he that should be jesus should also be Emmanuel: first, it was necessary he should be the Emmanuel, that is, the strong God: for when we were all enwrapped in sin, and shut up under death, than was there need of remedy. And what shall that be? Mercy? No, God is just, and we having smitten his Majesty by our sin, must be smitten again by his punishment. Shall it then be justice? No: for we have need of mercy. Hear so to be merciful as not to disannul his justice, and so to be just, as not to forget his mercy, and to make a way both to appease his wrath, that his justice might be satisfied, and yet so to appease it, as his mercy might be magnified in forgiving, there must needs come a mediation: and if all the world should be offered to God for satisfaction, it is nothing: for it is his own, the work of his own hands. If Angels should step in before the Lord, it were nothing, for they are engaged to him for their creation; and being but temporally good, they cannot satisfy for an infinite sin: howbeit, he that must satisfy must be infinite, to suffer infinite punishment for an infinite sin, committed against an infinite Majesty, therefore he must be God; he must be also Emmanuel with us: for how can there be satisfaction for our apostasy, but by humility? nor procurement of life, but by death? Now when God comes to obey, he must needs be humbled, and when he comes to deserve, he must needs serve, which God alone cannot do and when he comes to die, he must needs be mortal, which God cannot be. Therefore he was man to be himself bond, God to free others; man to become weak, and God to vanquish; man to become mortal, and God to triumph over death. The situation also of the Ladder spoken of, Gen. 28.12. is an evident demonstration of the two natures of this Emmanuel, for the word must be understood of the second person in the Trinity. By the foot to satisfy his Father's wrath, as being of our nature, that he might stand close to jacobs' loins and to his Church militant; and by the top to express his divinity, which toucheth the seat, and reacheth to the bosom of God, that he might in time bring thither his Church triumphant. Now every ladder is a Medium or mean, whereby weascend to some place that otherwise we could not reach unto, which this Emmanuel is to us; for we being evil debtor, and God a severe creditor, 
Colos. 2.14  Christ is the mean to cancel this debt, and to set it on his own score: and we being ignoant clients, and God a skilful judge not able to understand our tale, Christ must be our advocate, (1. joh. 2.1.) to plead our cause for us. And as between God and us, so between the devil and us he is a mediator: for he casteth fiery darts against us, which we only drive back by the shield of faith in Christ, Ephes. 6.11.  
Further, in the word Emmanuel, observe three things: first, the truth and verity of the subsistence of both these natures in Christ: secondly, the real distinction of them: thirdly, the personal union of them. And these three points wisely and soberly weighed, do confute those four main heresies risen heretofore in the Church, concerning this great mystery.  
For the first; that there be two natures in Christ, is plainly expressed by Saint Paul, Rom. 9.5. First, he was according to the flesh of the seed of the jews: secondly, he is God over all, blessed for ever. And Esa. 9.6. A child is borne, and his name shall be the mighty God. Hear then first is confuted the heresy of Martian, who said, Christ was God but not man; but had only an heavenly body of an imaginary substance, and allegeth Phil. 2.7. for his ground, where it is said, he was made like unto men, and was found in shape as a man; therefore no man indeed. By the same reason he might have concluded aswell, he had not been God: for in the same place (vers. 16.) it is said, he was in forma Dei, in the form of God. But the Apostle there fully proveth his humanity (vers. 8.) by his obedience to the death of the Cross: for if he had not taken true flesh, he could not have died, nor yet have satisfied for our sins. And Gal. 3.16. it is said, the promises were made to Abraham and to his seed, which seed is Christ: and Gal. 4.4. When the fullness of time was come, God sent his Son made of a woman: which proveth, that he was truly man. Secondly, here is confuted the heresy of Arius, who denieth the divinity of Christ, and saith, that only in his humane nature he had participated unto him some divine thing, and some heavenly virtue. For as we see here he must be jehovah, not an inferior God, or a God by participation of some divine excellency, but he must be Deus ex seipso, filius à Patre, a God of himself, a Son by reference to his Father. And so much is expressed by S. Paul, Rom. 9.5. for when he saith, he was borne of the jews according to his flesh, he implieth, he had somewhat else he had not of them, set down in the words following: Who is God, blessed for ever: which word (God) howsoever in the Scripture it be taken essentially and personally: essentially when it signifieth the whole Trinity absolutely: as Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God only, and Act. 4.19. It is better to obey God then man: yet in this place it is spoken personally of the Son, as it is also 1. Tim. 3.16: God is manifested in the flesh. Now there be four arguments, to prove Christ God equal to the Father and to be jehovah coeternal in the Godhead as the Father: first, by the property of of his person: secondly, by the property of his essence: thirdly, by the power of his divine works: and four, by the divine worship that is due unto him. For the first, he is proved to be God by his generation, for he was begotten of God: whereby is understood, that he was of the same substance with God, even as he that is begotten of a man is a man: and therefore he is called the proper Son of God, which he is not as he was conceived of the holy Ghost; for then Mary hath a part as he was borne of her. And this is proved by the Scripture, that when we call him the Son of God, we understand that he is God as his Father is, john 10.20. I and my Father are all one: and joh. 5.17. I work the same works and after the same manner that my Father doth: meaning that he was God as well as he. And so the jews understood him speaking in their language, which made them go about to kill him. For the second, it is proved he is God by the property of his essence, which standeth in these four things: first, eternity: secondly, infinity to be in all places: thirdly, by his knowledge of all things: four, by his omnipotency. For the first, that he is from all times, is proved Reu. 1.17. I am that first and that last, spoken by Christ himself: and lest this should have been understood of the further, he saith, ver. 18. and am alive, but I was dead. For the second, which is his infinity, it is said in jeremy, that God filleth all places: and Psalm. 139.7. Whither shall I fly from thy presence? If I go into heaven, thou art there, if into the deep, thou art there also. And Christ saith of himself, john 3.13. he being on the earth, No man ascendeth up to heaven but he that came down from heaven, that son of man which is in heaven: and in an other place he saith, Where two or three be gathered together in my name, I will be in the midst of them. 
Math. 18.20.  For the third, which is his knowledge of all things, Reu. 2.18. it is said that the Son of God hath eyes like a flame of fire: 
joh. 2.24.25. Math. 9.4.  and verse 23. All Churches shall know that I am the searcher of the reins and hearts: and in another place it is said, he durst not trust the jews because he knew their hearts. For the fourth, which is his omnipotency, it is proved by sundry examples in the Scripture, that he was able to raise up the dead by his own virtue: and john 5.17. he doth the same works which his Father doth: and Phil. 3.21. Christ shall raise up our bodies by the same power whereby he subdueth all things. For the third, which is the power of his divine works, as himself saith, john 5.17. I do the same works my Father doth: all which are of three sorts: the first, concerning the creation: the second, of miracles extraordinary: the third, that tend to the salvation of his church. For the first of these it is said, john 1.3. by him all things were made and nothing was made without him: and Col. 1.15.16.17. he is the invisible form of the father. for whom and by whom all things were created, and in him all things do consist And likewise for sustaining them being made, we have Heb. 1.3. He beareth up all things by his mighty word. For the second, that is for miracles, he raised up dead men, even as his Father did, without any invocation to any other, which the Apostles did not but by calling on his name, whether it were for raising the dead or dispossessing the devil, as, I command thee in the name of jesus to come forth, Act. 16.18. but Christ saith of himself. john 11.25. I am the resurrection and the life: and john 10.37. I do the works of my father: Now for the third, which are the works he did for the salvation of his church, they are principally siue: first, election, Eph. 1.4, God hath elected us in Christ; and 1. Cor. 1.5. In all things we are made rich in Christ: and joh. 3.17. through him we are saved. and in another place he saith, 
john 13.18.  I know whom I have elected. The second is vocation: now to enlighten the heart of man must needs be the work of God, 
Math. 16.17.  as it is said in Saint Mat. flesh and blood hath not revealed this to thee, but God: and in another place it is said, when his Disciples were going to Emaus, he opened their hearts▪ And for the ministry, which is a means to call men, 1. Cor. 12.6.8. it is said to be the work of God: and Eph. 4.11.12. it is said, Christ gave some to be Apostles, some Pastors, etc. for the work of the ministry, and the repairing of the Saints. Thirdly, remission of sins and justification is the work of God: as it is said, Esa. 40.29. It is that holy one that giveth strength unto him that fainteth, that is, it is God that forgiveth sins: and Mat. 9.6. the some of man as son of man hath this power to forgive sins: and Stephe● Act. 7.60. prayeth, Lord jesus lay not this sin to their charge. Fourthly, sanctification is only the work of God. john. 1.13. We are not borne of the will of man but of God: and vers. 12. As many as receive him he gives prerogative to be the sons of God: and Mat. 3.11. Christ will baptise you with the holy Ghost: and again himself saith, Without me you can do nothing; which is true only of God: and Ephes. 5.26. Christ gave himself for his Church, to sanctify it. and Heb. 10.10. We are sanctified by the offering of the body of Christ. Fiftly, to give glory, is the work of God; and this doth Christ, as appeareth by the speech of the thief upon the Cross, Luke. 23.42. Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom: and john 10.28. I do give eternal life unto my sheep. Now for the fourth, that he is known to be God by the divine worship is to be given unto him, and worship is due only to jehovah, Prov. 16.4. the Lord hath made all things for his own sake. And for this worship, first it is not lawful to serve any so much as God: now Christ is to be served only: for as himself saith, I have the keys of life and of death. Secondly, it is not lawful to believe in any but God, and job. c. 5. etc. 6. Christ saith, He that believeth in we hath eternal life. Thirdly ●im whom we ought to love above all things is God: & Christ, Mat. 16. saith, Love me better than thine own soul. Fouthly, ●hom we ought to obey in all things is God: and Mat. 17.5. 〈◊〉 is said. This is my beloved Son, hear him, speaking of Christ fiftly, it is not lawful to swear by any but by God, and S. Paul ●●m. 9.1. sweareth by Christ, and saith, I say the truth in Christ, 〈◊〉 not. Sixthly, invocation or prayer is for none but God, as Da●id saith, 
Psal. 50.15.  Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will hea● you: and Stephen, Act. 7.60. when he was stoned prayed to Christ Lord jesus receive my soul, and with prayer to Christ end most 〈◊〉 S. Paul's Epistles. Seventhly, jehovah only must be blessed forever: and S. Paul Rom. 9.5. saith, Christ God, blessed for ever: an● in the Revelation it is said, 
Revel. 19.7.  All praise and glory be to the Lamb and 2. Pet. 3.18. Grow in the grace of Christ, to whom be praise forever. Eightly, God only is to be bowed unto; and it is said 〈◊〉 Christ, 
Heb. 1.6. Phil. 2.10.  Let all the Angels in heaven adore him: and by S. Paul, H●● hath a name given him whereat every knee must bow. And thus b● these many parts of God's worship, it doth appear that Christ● God equal with the Either.  
For the second point, which is the real distinction of the●● two natures, we say they be not confounded, against the thi●● heresy of Eutiches, who held that the person eternal of the wo●● of God was turned into flesh; for by this it followeth, that ●ther there must be an abolition of the Godhead, or a permi●●●●● of both the natures, both which were blasphemous: but 〈◊〉 say according to the scripture, Phil. 2.6. that Christ became th●● he was not before, namely man, and retained that he was befo●● namely God; and he was man, not that it was transfused in●● his Deity, or any property of the Deity transfused into his humanity, but by assuming the flesh, and so by personal union become both; and albeit the humanity of Christ be much magnai●●ed by the Divinity, yet is the Divinity nothing altered by 〈◊〉 humanity.  
For the third point, which is the personal union of both the natures: from hence hath arisen that fourth heresy of Neft●●us, who said, that Filius Maria was not only Alive but Ali●● that is, that as there were two natures in Christ distinct, so 〈◊〉 there also two persons. We say, that the same person that 〈◊〉 the son of Mary, was the son of God: so as the grea● matter here, i●, whether Christ be one person; wherein let us ●●derstand these two things: first, what a personal union is: secon●ly, what is the fruit and effect of this union. For the first, 〈◊〉 is a person in Christ: Is it a thing compounded of Deity 〈◊〉 humanity? God forbidden. Nay Christ by his human nature ●●perly considered, is not a person: but the Divinity assuming his flesh, his humanity subsisteth and stayeth itself in his Divinity, for his humanity never upheld itself till it was united to the Divinity. It was a nature before, but no person; his Divinity was both a nature and a person before, so as out of them neither compounded nor confounded doth arise Christ jesus out Emanuel. And as in the Trinity there be three persons and but one nature, so in Christ there is but one person and two natures, union of nature in the unity of his Deity. For the second, which is the fruit and effect of this union, it is two fold: first, the exaltation of his human nature by being joined to his Deity: secondly, the communication of his properties. For the first, that the Deity that united the flesh did so glorify the flesh, that by unsearchable degrees it hath made it far above all Angels, is proved by three privileges which it hath: first by the dignity of his personal union, as he was the son of man he was naturally the son of God, and he that was God was borne of the woman: for Christ is one son of God in two respects: first, by generation eternal: secondly, according to his human nature, not as man nor by adoption, for he was never the son of wrath, but by personal union, for he was the son of God. The second privilege, is, that all gifts that can be in any of the creatures, 
Col. 2.9.  are powered without measure upon the flesh of Christ, namely all that can be given to any creature or to any nature, that keeps it a nature still, and doth not defy the creature: for as he is man he knoweth not the day of judgement, 
Mark. 13.32.  nor is not in every place, for these be essential to the Godhead, but his human nature was so beautified by the Godhead dwelling in it bodily, as that (Heb. 1.6.) all the Angels must worship him, and yet as man, no essential quality of the Deity rested in him. The third privilege is this, that his Divine nature hath given the participation of his office to him as man; that as God is Mediator, so is man; as God hath deserved salvation, so hath man, and that he as man shall judge the quick and dead, not that he shall judge by his manhood, but Christ-man shall judge the world. The second fruit of this union, is the communication of properties; not that the properties of the one are communicate to the other, but that one may be attributed to both: as Christ God died, Christ man is eternal; and this is either when we give that to the humanity which is proper to the divinity, or give that to the divinity which is proper to the humanity; as God by his blood redeemed his Church, yet God had no blood, but Christ God had blood: so this man Christ forgiveth sins, not that this power is in his manhood, but he doth it merely as God: for these and such like speeches be true in Concreto, not in abstracto, as they be both joined together, and not as they be separate one from the other.  
Lastly in the word God with us, observe that Christ is not only God with us in nature, but in person; for the reprobate are of the same nature with him and he with them, yet is he not God with them, but against them: but we (as the Apostle speaketh) are flesh of his flesh, 
Ephes. 5.30.  and bone of his bones, even as man and wife, which are not only one in nature as all other men and women are, but one person by special covenant: and even so are we one person with Christ by the covenant of grace, & being one with him, we are also one with the whole Trinity, as himself saith, I and my Father will come and sup with him: and according to his last prayer, john 17. Father I beseech thee that as I am one with thee and thou with me, so these (speaking of the faithful, and pointing at them) may be one with us both: which bringeth great comfort to God's children, that through Christ we have the whole Godhead reconciled to us and dwelling in us.  
And joseph did as the Angel had commanded him.  
This is the third general part spoken of before, namely the obedience of joseph, according to every thing that was prescribed: out of which gather generally, that when we are acertained it is God's pleasure we should do such a thing, that we stand not still, consulting with our own perverse natures, n●● inclining too much to tender our own frailties, but that knowing it to be the voice of God we admit of no contradictions, but we are to constrain our affections to be pacified and persuaded according as the Lord hath disposed. This was the infirmity of Sara, Genes. 18.12. who laughed when the Angels, promised to come again, according to the time of life, she r●●●●ting rather the order of nature, then believing the promise of God. And this likewise was Lot's fault, Gen. 19.16. who prolonged the time when the Angels bade him arise and be gone, for the which he might justly have been destroyed in the punishment of the City. But the contrary to this we see in Abraham, Gen. 22.3. who when he was commanded to sacrifice his son, than which what could be more contrary to nature, than for a father to be the butcher to his own son, yet being assured that it was the voice of God speaking by the Angel, he presently commended his affection, and rose up early to execute that bitter message. Wherein observe, that all the children of Abraham must be children of obedience, which must be showed by walking in every thing, according as it is written. For now seeing only the voice of the Lord is the voice of the scripture, 
Luke 16.29.  which is as certain as if Christ were to speak immediately from heaven, so far as is commanded so far is to be performed, howsoever it may cost us dear and cross us much; yea though it be with joseph to embrace her for a wife whose honesty we might justly suspect. And if joseph did this at the first word of the Angel, what shall be said to us, who have heard the voice of God so often, beating upon us, that we should forsake our sins, and yet we spread curtains over them? But that as his obedience is here recorded for his praise, so our stubbornness and disobedience be registered in our punishment, that it may be as a hissing and astonishment to other nations.  
Further observe hence, that the obedience of a Christian standeth not in a general subscribing to the truth of that is taught them, no nor yet in a verbal confession of it: but the commendation of a Christian resteth in his works of obedience, as it is said ●eere, joseph (did) as he was enjoined: 
1. joh. 3. 1●.  so that the hand and the mouth must go together, as our Saviour Christ teacheth: Not every one that (saith) Lord, Lord, 
Mat. 7. ●●.  but he that (doth) the will of the Lord shall be an heir of heaven. Whereby we must learn, that the calling of a Christian is noidle but a painful calling, wherein we must strive daily to pluck up some weeds or other that overgrow our godliness, and to live as children in the sight of our Father, always doing what he commendeth unto us. For if joseph after this time had no more suspected his wife, yet if he had not taken her again, and dwelled with her as his wife, he had failed in his obedience, and had been like Lot's wife, (Gen. 19.22.26.) who beginning well in going out of Sodom, and yet forgetting half her obedience to the commandment, in looking back behind her, is left as a monument to this day for us to take heed by.  
And he knew her not, till she had, etc.  
Though it be said, he knew her not (till) she had, etc. yet it doth not follow necessarily he knew her (after:) for the word (till) in the Hebrew tongue signifieth as well, that a thing shall not come to pass in time to come, as that it came not to pass before: as Mat. 28.20. I am with you (until) the end of the world: not that he will leave us then, but that he will by his spirit be with us then and ever after. Like to this is the phrase used, (2. Sam. 6.23.) Michol had no children (till) the day of her death: and it is certain she had none after. So in the speech following: Christ was her (first) begotten Son, it doth not therefore follow, she had any more sons, for the phrases only exclude the time before. And this we are to believe upon our salvation, that joseph knew her not till Christ was borne, and that Christ was the first borne. And it is very probable & agreeable to the best churches, that he knew her not after, nor that she had any more sons after: for what flesh durst touch that vessel that was sanctified to entertain the Lord jesus?   
MATH. chap. 2. vers. 1, 2. etc. 
verse 1 When jesus then was borne at Bethlehem in judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came Wise men from the East to jerusalem:  
verse 2 Saying, where is that King of the jews that is borne? for we have seen his star in the East, and are come to worship him.  
verse 3 When king Herod heard this he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him:  
verse 4 And gathering together all the chief Priests and Scribes of the people, he asked of them where Christ should be borne.  
verse 5 And they said unto him, At Bethlehem in judaea: for so it is written by the Prophet:  
verse 6 And thou Bethlehem in the land of juda, art not the least amongst the Princes of juda: for out of thee shall come the Governor that shall feed that my people Israel.  
verse 7 Then Herod privily called the Wisemen, and diligently inquired of them the time of the star that appeared.  
verse 8 And sent them to Bethlehem, saying: Go and search diligently for the babe, and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come also and worship him.  
verse 9 So when they had heard the king, they departed; and lo, the star which they had seen in the East, went before the●●, till it came and stood over the place where the babe was.  
verse 10 And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with an exceeding great joy.  
verse 11 And went into the house and found the babe with Mary his mother, and fell down and worshipped him, and opened their treasures, and presented unto him gifts, even gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.  
verse 12 And after they were warned of God in a dream that they should not go again to Herod, they returned into their country another way.  
THE Evangelist in the former Chapter having set down two things, first, the royal pedigree of our Saviour Christ, secondly, the manner of his conception; now he proceedeth to show his manifestation to the world, and the manner of it; beginning with a certain memorable history of certain men renowned among the heathen, who being most learned, though most superstitious, did undertake a tedious and dangerous journey, to do homage to a poor babe lying in a cratch, as if it had been to a mighty Monarch. In the words there be six circumstances set down: first, that these Wisemen came from a far country, by the direction of an extraordinary star, created of God for that purpose, and enqured where the king of the jews was. Secondly, is remembered what effect this news and inquiry had and wrought, namely, a wonderful fear in the Court of Herod, and a great perplexity in the inhabitants of jerusalem. Whereupon the King called a Parliament or a Convocation of Divines, God working withal in his conscience, knowing himself to be an usurper, to know of them, not where this King of the jews should be at that present, but where he should be borne. Thirdly, is declared the resolution that was given to this question so propounded, satisfying the matter truly, out of an ancient record of the Prophet Micah, chap. 5.2. set down in the 5. and 6. verses. Fourthly, followeth the privy and sly practice which Herod most maliciously, but most politicly attempted; his conference with the Wise men being only to be informed when the star appeared, that he might guess the birth of the child, to go about his murder, in the 7. & 8. verses. Fiftly, what befell these Sages or Wisemen in the way, having received resolution from the Council, and encouragement from the King: namely, the star appeared again, and led them directly to the place where the babe was, and how they rejoiced, in the 9.10. and 11. verses. Sixtly, is set down an Oracle from God given them, commanding them to go another way, in the 12. verse.  
For the first, which is the coming of these men to see our Saviour Christ in his baseness, the Evangelist setteth down five circumstances. First, the persons that came: they were Magis or Wise men, such as were reputed among the heathen most learned, but yet the practisers of the Art of Balaam, that is, of conjuring, and the very Chaplains of the devil. So as they were not Kings, as some have taken it, abusing the Psalm. 72.10. The Kings of Sheba shall come & offer gifts: for this standeth full West, and these men came from the East. But thus hath the Lord infatuated them that would incline to their own shallow brain, that they should speak things repugnant in themselves. Others set down the number of them to be three, because they brought three gifts, which is not so to be taken, but only that they which came, presented unto him the chiefest commodity of their country. The second circumstance noteth the time, set down doubly: first, that it was after his birth: secondly, that Herod the son of Antipater, who had got the Kingdom by force and flattery, then reigned: but for the day when they came, we know not: some take it to be the sixth of january, which is a great deal too curious; howbeit of the year and month somewhat may be gathered, and it is probable it was not long after his birth, and under two years. Thirdly, he noteth the circumstance of the place, from whence, and whither they came, from the East to jerusalem. Fourthly, the question they demand, Where is the King of the jews that is borne: not that should be borne. Fiftly, lest they might seem to be besotted with Astrological conjectures, he sets down the direction they had to come thither, namely, the star, and the end wherefore they came: to worship him.  
Out of the circumstance of the persons that came, observe, how it pleased God when the fullness of time was come, to manifest the truth of his promise to the Gentiles, and to salute them first with the comfortable news of Christ his birth, who had been so long forsaken: for these Wise men were as it were the first fruits of the Gentiles, who before this time lived without God in the world. Hereby teaching us, first, not to hasten but when the Lord doth call, and to wait his time and pleasure with patience: for though he had suffered the Gentiles by the space of four thousa●● years, to follow the greediness of their own lusts, and to be drenched in the whirl pit of their vile affections, yet these at length in his due time, doth he visit in great mercy, and showeth them the light, first, that they may come out of darkness; that though the jews had many privileges, as elder brethren above them, yet at length the Lords mercy should make them equal, as was prophesied, Ose. 2.23. and is set down by S. Peter, 1. chap. 2.10. yea and of the Gentiles, that his Church should especially be gathered, that they which in times past were not under mercy, might now be seen to have obtained mercy.  
Secondly, from hence note the riches of the Lords mercy, who to show the power and virtue that was in this Saviour, gins to draw them and to open their hearts, who had run furthest from him, and given themselves most over to the devil: for such were these Wisemen, who consulted with Satan and practised the most detestable art of conjuring and witchcraft, which by the judicial law of God was death; yet at the doors of these men doth his spirit knock. From whence every man may draw this particular comfort to himself, that whatsoever his former conversation hath been, though most irreligious towards God, and unrighteous to men, yet there may a power be given him from above to travel toward that heavenly jerusalem the City of God, where he shall not now see Christ in his baseness as these Wisemen did, but in his absolute and perfect glory. For if we have but faith to believe God's promises, and shall so far proceed in the work of repentance, as being called to the light to walk in the light, and not to think much of our pains, though we go far to worship Christ: but can walk on cheerfully after the example of these Wisemen, we shall be sure with them to have our joys more increased at our journeys end, than they were a first.  
Now where they show they were directed by a star: first, understand, that the Nativity of Christ depended not upon the star, but the star upon his Nativity. Secondly, we must not think that the Wisemen had this power to divine by the star that Christ was borne: for first the star was not natural, for it kept not a set course, but as we may see in the text, it did appear and not appear, neither could this divine light speak that such a Messias was borne, though it might portend the birth of some great Monarch: but this light was purposely created by God in heaven: for vers. 2. it is called Christ his star, and there was a secret impulsion by God's spirit in the hearts of these men on earth, otherwise they would not have told so dangerous a matter to Herod a king so cruel, and an enemy to the king of Persia whence they came: and though perhaps their Art might tell them somewhat, and that they had the prophesy of Balaam the conjuror, Num. 24.17. There shall come a star of jacob, and a sceptre shall rise of Israel. and though they had the prophesy of Daniel, (chap. 9.24.) of the 70. weeks in which this great king should come; yet by all this they gathered it not, but by Gods own opening it unto them. Out of which we learn, that when we have any thing revealed to us from God, or that we have a commandment to do a thing, that we cast off all doubts, and shake off all fear even of the greatest tyrants: for let Herod be never so much perplexed at the name of the true and new-born King of the jews, yet must the Wisemen ask the question, and not departed from his Court till they be resolved. And let Pharaoh be never so cruel, and (Exod. 10.28.) threaten Moses if he do but see him to kill him, yet must he run on in his duty, and pronounce the death of the first borne, even the first born that sitteth on the throne of Pharaoh.  
But the more special doctrine from hence is, that God in wisdom doth so strangely qualify the baseness of Christ his birth, that howsoever he might seem to the eyes of men a vile abject, as Esay prophesied, chap. 53.3. void of outward dignity, yet God beautified him always in his greatest vileness, with some certain mark of his Divinity, that it might be discerned, that he that was in that flesh was more than a man; as even at this time, that he having but an ox stall on earth for his cloth of estate, should have a star in heaven to set forth his glory: and that when there was no more thinking of Christ than of the man in the Moon among Herod's Courtiers, than he provides that some Magical practisers should humble themselves before him, when the high Priests did despise him. Thus did the Lord (Luk. 2.8.) reveal him first to shepherds, the basest of ten thousand: but to testify his majesty at the same time; an host of Angels and a multitude of heavenly soldiers sang glory to him. So was he (Mat. 4.1.11.) led into the wilderness among wild beasts, but the Angels waited on him as his pensioners, and ministered to him in his wants. So (Mat. 17.25.27.) he must pay tribute, a token of subjection, and yet the king's son ought to pay none: but as this showed him to be a man and a subject, so he told Peter his thought, saying: I will pay it, but go to the sea and take it out of the fishes mouth; so as to show his divinity, he commanded the sea to pay it. Again, he was maintained eleemozinarily, having no garment but what was given him, and the good women kept him by their contributions: yet to magnify himself again, he oftentimes fed many thousands with a little. So (Mark. 11.12.13.) he comes hungry to the figtree, wherein appeareth his baseness; but in the same action springeth forth his majesty, as when he said, Never fruit grow on thee hereafter: and it was presently dried up. So God had appointed he should die, and before his death to be whipped, Mat. 26.67. to show his humility: but see how he exalted himself again, Mark. 11.15. he whipped out the exchangers out of the temple, and none durst so much as look or make resistance against him. Again, he must be hanged between two thieves, but (Luk. 23.42.) he so qualifieth the baseness and shame of his cross, as he worketh faith in the heart of one of them, to call on him as a Saviour, and him he saveth. And though at last he died to declare his manhood, yet that he was more than a man, was expressed by the breaking of the veil of the Temple, and by the strange eclipse of the Moon, which was in plenilunio, when it was full Moon.  
For the second general circumstance, which is the effect of their inquiry, what fear it wrought. For the word, Fear, it signifieth such a troubling of the water, as that mud ariseth; showing, that this kind of fear seized on Herod and his Court: howbeit, their fear arose upon several respects. Herod feared because he was somewhat acquainted with the prophecies which foretold, that one should come to deliver his people out of servitude: and he knew that all would worship the Sun rising rather than the Sun setting. And that he was strangely afraid is noted by this, that he called unto him the Wisemen, and would have learned of them somewhat; whereas if he had been provident, he would have sent some of his Courtiers on the journey with them, in colour of doing them courtesy, that so they might have gone to the very place to have seen the child, and by them the King might have been sure to have known the truth: but it pleased the Lord he should be so besotted with this gross fear, that his wisdom was turned into foolishness, that so the poor child might as yet escape the bloody claws of this cruel tyrant. The people they were afraid and troubled, because they had been so long acquainted and made familiar with slavish servitude, that their hearts were even grown hard, and they were willing to sustain this bondage, so they might be quiet, choosing rather to abide some tolerable servitude, then to endanger themselves further, by the commutation of their state, and change of their king.  
Out of the fear of the king, observe the nature and condition of wicked and profane Princes, who if the finger of God do but come near them, and shake them in their seats, they murmur and grudge, and are smitten with fear as with the spirit of giddiness: for Herod feared lest he should lose his kingdom if Christ should reign; so as it was the loss of the Crown did so much affect him. Even so was the countenance of King Balthasar changed and his thoughts troubled, when he saw the hand writing on the wall, Dan. 5.6. which signified the division and loss of his kingdom: for it is not in the power of Princes to stay their conscience from checking and accusing them, nay it is as a butcher that will first flea and rifle them when their destruction draweth on. Therefore let the great men of the earth beware how they spurn against the government of Christ, for he is no less a King now then he was then; nay he governs now with more majesty than before, and therefore they may not be as Lions over his heritage: 
1. Pet. 5.3.  but if they will have their Sceptres blessed in their hands, they must suffer Christ to rule, and themselves though Lords over others, yet to be but subjects under him.  
In that the people were also afraid, observe the grossness and profaneness that was in these jews before these Wisemen came thither: for as soon as they heard of the birth of their Messias, they were presently astonished, as if they had never heard of any such matter before, and yet they knew that the Kingdom was now translated from the tribe of juda, and that it was to be restored, they were exercised and vexed with great calamities, as were their forefathers under Pharaoh, 
Exod. 5.7.  so as that might have made them cast up their eyes to have looked for a deliverer. The sacrifices they daily offered portending the dteah of Christ, might have put them in mind of his coming, but they were so dead in sin and licentious living, as they dreamt of no such matter; yea they sung out of the Psalms continually in their Service, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: 
Ma. 21.9. Psal. 118.26.  yet when he is come it appalleth, and like beasts void of understanding, they had rather sleep in a known slavery, then enjoy an unknown liberty, their religion being but common devotion, and a set kind of serving God without sincerity, which wrought no more in their consciences, but that now as if they were heathen they tremble to hear of the name of a Saviour. Which ought to teach us to lay religion at the heart, and to keep the fire burning, lest if we neglect this acceptable time of grace, and shuffle off the service of God as a thing of course, we grow and become as senseless and profane in ourselves as these jews did, to be troubled with Christ's coming to us in his word preached.  
Again, in that it is said, All jerusalem were afraid, it is to be understood only of the greatest part, for some waited and expected his coming in great hope, 
Luk. 2.28.37.  as Anna, Simeon and Zachary; but these were but as a spark in comparison of a mighty fire. Where we learn, not to fashion ourselves to follow multitudes, the greatest number being always enemies to the Cross of Christ, 
Luk. 12.32.  as himself testifieth, Mine is a little flock. But such is the power of the Prince of darkness, and such strength hath corruption in us, as they lead us altogether from the way of holiness, and the least occasion moveth us to be offended at Christ: howbeit let us retire ourselves into the straits of godliness, and let pirates rove upon the main Sea: it is the narrow path that leadeth, and the smaller company that entereth into Zion. For in Sodom that great city, Genes. 18.32. there shall not be found ten righteous nor religious, and the house of Noah only excepted, Genes. 6.11. the whole earth was corrupt before the Lord. It cannot therefore be safe for us to join in amity with the sons of men, lest we be wrapped in the same destruction, and overcome of the same fear we see all Jerusalem troubled with.  
Further observe hence, that if the birth of our Saviour Christ in this baseness struck such terrors into the hearts of Kings, how much more shall his second coming cause the very mountains of the earth to tremble, when he shall appear in power, accompanied with hosts of Angels, and when heaven and earth shall fly before him? That therefore his presence may bring us joy, 
Psal. 125.1.  and that we may be as mount Zion not to be shaken, let us lay aside the leaven of the flesh, and put on this our Christ, by whom we have redemption, even the forgiveness of our sins, Ephes. 1.7. for faith in him shall drive out all trembling distrust whatsoever; & where his coming worketh fear, there the conscience threateneth destruction, else would the wicked never cry to the mountains to fall on them, 
Luke. 23 30.  and to the hills to cover them.  
Observe again by this great perplexity that arose both in Prince and people, that it was always the destiny of the Gospel to bring commotion to States, and alteration to Kingdoms: for now besides the general fear that fretted their hearts, the whole company of Divines are troubled to turn their books and to seek out what shall become of the matter. This was but a beginning of that Christ himself spoke afterward, Matthew 10.34. I came not to bring peace, but a sword: not that the Gospel in itself causeth wars, but that the wrath and vengeance of God might redound upon the faces of his enemies, for it maketh peace between men and men and God and men, that the love of God boiling from him to us through his grace in the word, might again issue from us to him through our obedience to the word. Yet before the Gospel can enter to take root and work upon us, it causeth hatred, even to the effusion of blood, this proceeding from the malice of Satan, who by the growth of the Gospel loseth his jurisdiction, and from our own corruption that love darkness more than light, because the Gospel discovereth our sins as the Sun doth the motes, that otherwise lie hid. And again, it is a cause of war which the godly have with the worldlings, to show the division between the seed of the woman and the serpent, and to exercise the patience and prayers of God's servants; for these ends the Gospel breedeth commotion.  
Now for the effect of this fear, it makes the King to call a Synod of Divines, and he gathereth the learned, and all the learned, omitting none, to this end, not to satisfy the question of the wise men, Where he was that was borne, but to satiate his own bloody purpose, That he might know the place where he should be borne. Where we learn how Princes do use religion, and to what purpose they call for Divines, not for conscience but for policy: for it was the matter of the crown only troubled Herod, so as he called them not for any reverence he bore to them, for he knew them to be miserable clawbacks, but to serve his turn, and that they might relieve him in this his trouble and scruple. Thus did Balak (Numb. 22.5▪) send for Balaam, only to curse the people: and Ahab (1. Kin. 22.8.) sent for Micah only that he might concur in opinion with the four hundred false Prophets.  
For the third general circumstance; namely the resolution given by these Divines, which is right and sincere out of the Scripture: the jesuits hereupon note, that these priests though their persons were never so wicked, yet God doth force them to speak truth by virtue of their unction. 
john 11.50.  So Caiaphas only as high Priest shall say, and that truly, that one shall die for the sins of the people, though he neither know what he speaketh, not believe what he speaketh. We answer, that if the privilege of o●le did this, than could he never sentence any thing amiss: but if this unction work but by fits like saul's frenzy, 1. Sam. 16.23. then must they seek out some other cause of the upright judgement of these Divines in this place. Balaam (Num. 24.17.) prophesied true, not because he was a Priest, but he spoke even as his Ass spoke, God putting it into his heart to do so. And it is strange that the Pope's person may be an heretic, and yet the Pope himself as Pope be a Catholic; and that though his person be overflown with wickedness, yet that as some grounds will bear no poisoned beasts, so his Consistory will breed no errors. We say the seat of Moses had no such privilege, much less they: for though Caiaphas spoke true, that one should die, yet as high Priest he condemned the Lord jesus that was innocent. So we must take it here, that these Divines resolved Herod of the truth, not by enforcement, but voluntarily even as they thought, for their lips preserved so much knowledge as to be acquainted with the Prophets, even in these special and secret points of the coming of Christ.  
Note further in the prophesy of the Messias here cited, the great mercy of God, that set down particularly so many things by so many sundry instruments, and all fall out to be as true as if the Prophets had then seen them. It was first prophesied Gen. 3. he should be the seed of the woman; then to what nation he should be given, to the jews: then to what Tribe; to juda: Gen. 49.10. then to what house of this Tribe, to David: then at what time he should be borne, Dan. 9.25. & Genes. 49.10. when the Sceptre shall go from Shilo, then shall the Messias come: then the person that should bear him, a virgin: his name Emmanuel, Esa. 7.14. his office, a Saviour: the place where he should be borne, Bethlem, Micah. 5.2. the manner of his life, to be poor, Za. 99 he shall come riding on an ass: the manner of his death, Esa. 53.12. he should be condemned with sinners: the price should be given to betray him, and what should be done with it, to buy a field, Zach. 11.12. that he should be pierced, and yet that in his death not a bone should be broken, Exod. 12.46. that he should thirst, & vinegar should be given him, Psa. 69.21. that lots should be cast upon his garments, Psal. 22.18. Let us therefore, seeing this sweet harmony of the Prophets, and as persuaded of the verity of the whole scripture, labour to learn all things that are written, and so to learn them as to do them, that we may be contrary minded to these jews; rejoice at his coming who will fill us with all joy.  
Further, we are to consider by what occasion the Lord wrought that the virgin should be brought to bed at Bethlem: Luke reciteth it chap. 2.1. that Mary having purposed to be delivered at Nazareth where she had conceived, which had been contrary to the scripture, the Lord changeth this determination, and sendeth a thought into the heart of Augustus the Emperor to impose a tax upon all the world: Mary though great with child and near her travel, yet is constrained to go to Bethlem. Thus doth the Lord turn the purposes of wicked men to a blessed end, and makes all wind blow good for his children, and provokes the Emperor to be an executioner of the prophecies: not that he any whit regarded them in his heart, or did this upon any voluntary obedience, for his end was to enrich his fist, and to show the Majesty of his Empire, that by this men might testify their submission unto him. Thus did the Lord turn (Gen. 45.7.) the mischievous malice of joseph's brethren to an honourable end, that he might be a purveyor and a nurse to his Church, as joseph himself testifieth Gen. 50.20. speaking to his brethren, Ye thought evil against me, but the Lord turned it unto good, that I might preserve the lives of many.  
Note further in the resolution of these Divines, that we are to wonder how they could so sincerely & willingly answer to the question propounded, whereas afterward they pervert all the scripture, rather than they will subject themselves to this Messias: it is because as yet the Messias had not opened his mouth, to convince their sin and show their shame, nor challenged them for murdering of souls; but when he comes to discover their hypocrisy, and persecution of the truth, than he is no more the King of the jews borne at Bethlem, but he is a Nazarean, and no good thing can come out of Galilee, john 7.53. reproving also Nicodemus, verse 52. that would not have him condemne● before he was heard, granting the truth in the general, but denying it in the particular: which is the nature of all Atheists and non-resident, 
2. Tim. 4.2. Mat. 15.14.  which subscribe to the general places of Scripture, that the word must be preached in season and out of season, that if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the pit of perdition, that where the vision faileth the people perish, 
Prou. 11.14.  and that the price of souls is blood: but that he himself is in this danger, that taketh the fleece, yet feedeth not the sheep: or that he doth jeopard his own soul●, in suffering the souls of others to famish, he will instantly and shamelessly deny, their consciences condemning them in the particular. So will the Atheist and profane person confess in general, that God is just, that he hateth sin, yea and that he will be avenged for sin: but that God's hand shall ever come near him, or that the evillday shall fall upon him, though he wallow in his own filthiness, his senseless soul will never allow of. Howbeit, let every one of us beware after the example of these great Scribes, who found that to be true to their particular condemnation, which they only held to be true in their own general opinion: namely, that the Messias was borne; but that Christ was he, though he wrought with power, and taught with authority, they utterly denied it. For though in the whole book of God, most of the promises and cursings be set down in general, yet they are not effectual to comfort us, nor powerful to terrify us, if our own souls do not assume particularly to ourselves: as, generally to believe, that whosoever is weary shall be refreshed, yet shalt thou never find rest in thy soul, unless thou likewise believe, that Christ shall even be the water of life to thee.  
Lastly, in the resolution of these Divines, observe how diversely men use the Scripture, which are here set down to be of three sorts. First, the Scribes they used them for speculation only, thinking it enough if they so studied them, as they could know such a thing should be, strengthening only their judgement, and never suffering it to sink into their affections. Secondly, Herod he inquireth of the Scripture to compass mischief, that this babe might likewise have fallen within his butchery. Thirdly, the grave wise men they inquire after them with a single eye, and an honest heart, that being resolved according to the truth, they may go to the worship of the Messias. So as even of those that will be accounted professors, we see there is but one sort only that bring forth the simple fruits of righteousness. Answerable almost to these, may we say we have three sorts of congregations in this time. The first, of them that love the evil which they have, contenting and pleasing themselves with a dumb Minister, committing the cure of their souls to them that know no Physic. The second, of them that have not the good they love, they wanting a good Minister, and hearty desiring him, that he might lead them forth into the pleasant feedings of the Lord. The third, of them that love not the good they have, enjoying a good Minister and not regarding him. And all these may well be counted miserable, though the affection of the second sort be most righteous.  
The fourth general circumstance, is Herod's pretending of piety, and using of policy to destroy the babe our Saviour, set down by three circumstances. First, how after the resolution delivered, he calleth the Wisemen privily and in secret, (for this news came upon him like the pangs of death) and commands them to inquire of the (babe,) not the (King,) for this was it that gauled him to the heart. Secondly, to return what success they had. Thirdly, he pretendeth a good end, namely, that he also would go to worship as they had done.  
In the first of these note two things: first, his extreme sottishness: secondly, his extreme fury. His sottishness, that having a remedy at hand, to have been sure to have caught the child, namely, to have sent some of his Courtiers, under pretence of gratifying these Wise men, and then he could not doubt but have grasped him in his claws: howbeit, though this was a matter touched the kingdom and his crown, yet the Wisemen go alone, and he sendeth not one with them. Thus the Lord delivereth his Church out of the paws of the Lion, by striking their enemies with the spirit of giddiness and astonishment, that either they cannot see the way to revenge, or being in their hands, they become foolish. His extreme fury, impiety, and audacious hardness appeareth in this, that he knowing this babe, spoken of by the Prophets, was to be set up and advanced for King, and that heaven and earth could not depose him, whom God would have lifted up: and that considering the star appeared, that these Wisemen came so far to worship him, whereby he could not but know, that it was the ordinance of the most high, yet he goeth about to cross the Lord, and to resist his providence: yea he knew out of the Oracle cited by his own Scribes, that such an one was to be borne, yet he laboureth to dispossess him, when he might as easily lay siege against the seat of God, and seek to batter heaven, or to stay the course of the Sun, or to hold the winds in his fist, as to keep this babe from the kingdom. But thus do the wicked make God an Idol, and so lightly regard him, as they dare fight hand to hand with him, saying as it is job. 21.15. Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? 
Exod. 8. & 9  Thus did Pharaoh bear often plague's sent by the immediate hand of God, before he would let the Israelites depart, against the express charge and commandment sent unto him by the mouth of Moses. And thus did Saul follow David at the heels, to have had his life, 
1. Sam. 15.28.  though he knew he was set up of the Lo●d to succeed him. Howbeit, we must incline to the counsel of Gamaliel, (Act. 5.35.) to say, that if it be of God it will prevail: for how can the hand of the creature destroy that, which the breath of the Creator will have preserved? or how can the Lord give blessing to that course, which his hand hath cursed? Nay, his decrees shall stand unchangeable (being far more wise than the law of the Medes and Persians (Dan. 6.8.) that altereth not) how ever Herod and his brethren have made a covenant with hell, that come what can come they fear it not: for vengeance is both above from heaven to smite them, and beneath on earth to swallow them, and they can no more avoid it, than the old world could avoid the flood.  
Further observe in this speech of Herod to the Wisemen: that he also would go to worship the babe: that some man may speak that in hypocrisy to the damnation of his own soul, which another believing in simplicity may hear with comfort. For no doubt the Wisemen here were glad when they heard. Herod say, he would also worship, though himself meant nothing less. Which example, we that are Christians must still follow: for so long as men bear up their heads in the Church of God, and join with us in his service, we must leave their hearts to him that made them, and rejoice that by the leaves of their profession, they seem to be trees of the Lords planting.  
The fift general point is: what befell these Wisemen both in their journey from Herod's Court, and when they came to their journeys end, set down by five circumstances: First, that they went when they were resolved: Secondly, that the star appeareth again, and goeth before them: Thirdly, that it stands upon the particular place where the babe lay: Fourthly, their exceeding joy: Fiftly, how coming thither, they find the babe in a base place, yet they are not discouraged, but reverence him and give him gifts.  
For the first it is showed, that they went alone, not one with them, though this was the King specially borne for the salvation of the jews. Wherein we may admire their ingratitude, and the impiety of the Scribes, that pointed the way to others, and yet vouchsafed not themselves to go one foot to inquire after Christ. Thus may Preachers be as Mercuriales statui, set up a● directors of others, showing the way to heaven, and yet go themselves to hell. Perhaps they feared the cruelty of the king that if they should have been carried with an affection of seeing him, it might have cost them their lives, or at least their honours. Though it were so, yet doth it not excuse their ungodliness, to prefer the fear of a King that could but kill the body and touch the goods, 
Mark. 8.36.  before the fear of the great King of the heavens, that can destroy both body and soul. For though the disciples and Apostles (Act. 4.18.) be commanded, that they should teach no more in the name of jesus, yet if the burden of the Lord be upon them, they may not but speak (vers. 20.) the things which they have seen and heard. And though Micaia● the Prophet (1. King. 22.13.) do know what message will please the King, yet though he be smitten on the cheek and cast into prison, he must deliver the counsel of the Lord. For as Saint Paul saith, Gal. 1.10. If in these things I should please me● I were not the servant of Christ.  
In that none of the people accompanied these Wisemen, observe their dullness and Atheism, that they all stay at home, and yet they kept an outward show and devotion in serving God, and offered sacrifices, which unless they knew that they praefigured the death of Christ, what made they of their temple but a butcher's shambles? Yet by their idleness, that they would not step one foot to see him, is perceived, that of the Messias spiritually they knew nothing. Which is likewise to be feared of us in these days, that we only rest ourselves within the reach of the Gospel, for that it hath brought us peace, which peace hath purchased for us profit and promotion: but if the state might stand in quiet, though Christ were banished from us, or if we might gain more by Diana of Ephesus, (Act. 19.24.) then by the God of Israel, it is to be doubted Christ might lodge long enough at Bethlem, before we would go to visit him.  
Further observe, if these Wisemen had not left Herod to his canvasing of the matter, the Scribes to their speculation, the people to their trades, if they had respected the example of the mighty or of the learned, or considered the danger, that it was a matter of treason, if it had so been taken, they had not had this glory and honour to have seen the Messias, but they are glad to go alone though they would be desirous to have company. Whereby we learn, that to embrace religion, and to join ourselves with the congregation of the Saints, it is good in going if we can get company, for the greater blessing falls upon a multitude: howbeit we must have this resolution, to go, what danger soever may befall, and not to stay until others go: for thou shalt never see the Lord jesus if thou stay till all Jerusalem do go with thee to Bethlem. These Wisemen might have said with themselves: Wherefore should we go see him, since his own people will not? as judas asked Christ: 
joh. ●. 22.  Why dost thou show thyself to us, and not to the world? but they take no occasion of stay, but are resolute to go alone. Now if these heathen men were so earnest, as to admit of nothing which might hinder them from beholding Christ in the flesh, how much more ought we to be eager to hear Christ in his word, and to see him in the Sacrament? The Queen of Saba shall rise up in judgement against us, that came so far to hear the wisdom of Solomon, 1. Kings 10.1. and yet as Christ speaketh, Mat. 12.42. a greater than Solomon is here, yet are we negligent in attending the voice of God.  
Now for the second circumstance, namely that the star went before them: consider the wonderful wisdom of God, that he doth so qualify and moderate the trials and afflictions of his servants, that even to the greatest temptations (if they mistrust not) he giveth a most blessed issue; for it might have stricken these men with a strange astonishment, and driven them into great perplexity, that they being of special reputation in their country, and coming this tedious journey, and having such cold entertainment both in the King's court and of the meaner people, and having lost their direction, the star being vanished, these things might greatly have dismayed them not to have gone any further, yet they proceeding forward in their obedience, the light that was quenched was again of the Lord revived; and with this they were comforted greatly, seeing the resolution of the Priests concurring with the dumb message of the star. Wherein also mark, that the star guided them to the particular place where the babe lay: for if they had come to Bethlem it is likely none there knew it, Christ his birth being a thing not dreamt of, and he being a babe unregarded; and so much the more because he comes of the house of David. And if they had inquired of wicked men for such a thing, they would but have scorned them, or else sought to have entrapped them: if of good men, they had endangered themselves by descrying it. Therefore not to need any help, the Lord from heaven pointeth out the place unto them: wherein for our further instruction learn, that God in every good purpose doth go before us by his grace, to make us willing, 
Phil. 2.13.  as Saint Paul speaketh, and with the same grace doth follow us and confirm us in the first work, that we shall never wash our hands in vain, but that as we are by his direction come to jerusalem to seek after Christ, so we shall by the same direction go straight to Bethlem, where we shall see him, as David saith, Psalm 25.12. They that fear the Lord, shall know how to choose the right way.  
For their rejoicing at the sight of the star appearing again, it implieth they were strangely discomforted at the loss of it. Where note, that if the Lord do at any time quench the light of his spirit in us, or change the pleasure; and eclipse the joy of his countenance, if sometimes we cannot apply to our souls the sweet comfort of the scriptures, yet the Lord after he hath sufficiently humbled us, if we go on with a simple heart, and persevere as these Wisemen did in their journey, in a time unlooked for he will kindle in us the former light, and take away that foggy mist that obscured the Sun of righteousness, and it shall clearly shine upon us, and our joy in the holy Ghost shall be multiplied, and the Lord will ease that heart that was before trodden down with the burden of sin.  
Now in that it is said, they found the babe lying in a cratch: we may consider how strangely and strongly the Lord did exercise the faith and persuasion of these Wisemen, that after the former discouragements passed over, they find the babe lying in this base place, which had been enough to have made them repent their long travel, in the end to see no other sight then this; but such was the quick sight of the eye of faith, and the special instigation of the holy Ghost, as they were not dismayed with the baseness of this King. Hear they find neither guard to defend him, nor resort of people to see him, neither Crown on his head, nor Sceptre in his hand, but such a child, as for outward beauty they might have seen many a thousand equal and far beyond him in their own country without this great travel. Where learn, that for the believing of the promise, and to be resolved of the truth, the Lord doth so incline the heart and bend the conscience, that whatsoever doth seem contrary doth nothing offend them: for these Wisemen do believe that this base child, laid in this base manner is the King of heaven and earth. Hereupon it is that Sara must believe being a dead woman, that is, spent by nature and overgrown with years, that so many children must come from her as there be stars in the firmament, Gen. 17.19. So Abraham (Gen. 15.18.) must believe that he and his posterity shall be inheritors of the land of Canaan, though they be not to have actual possession of it four hundred years after. So David (1. Sam. 17.15.) coming from the sheep, must believe that he shall be a king, yet he seethe Saul so furious against him, (1. Sam. 19.1.) as he proclaims it, saying, Let me see if I have any that will kill David. Hear is open conspiracy, yea he is driven into caves and holes; he is as a stone that every man refuseth, yet his faith may not fail him, but he must persuade himself he shall be crowned though Saul be even at his heels to dispatch him, and it shall be performed. joseph he had a dream that the Sun and Moon and eleven stars (Gen. 37.10.) should tall down and worship him: when he was in the pit ready to be slain in the malice of some of his brethren, he believed this: yea being sold into Egypt, and after by the false accusation of his mistress (Genes. 39.20.) cast into prison, where he could see neither Sun nor Moon, yet he fainteth not, but persuadeth himself of the truth of his dream, and it fell out accordingly. So Ezechiel being brought into the field of the Lord, Ezec. 37.4. must believe, that of a company of dead bones there shall rise up armed men; for those dead bones were the house of Israel. Yea, faith must be so quick sighted as to believe that in prison there is liberty, in persecution comfort, in life death, in the Cross a Crown, and in a manger the Lord jesus.  
Hear also learn by the example of these Wisemen, not to be offended at the baseness of the Gospel: for if they had been offended at the baseness of Christ in the flesh, they had not had the blessing of seeing the Messias. Therefore howsoever the devil in Christ's time broached this argument, to with draw men from the Gospel: 
john 7.48.  see whether any of the Scribes or of the famous learned men follow Christ, only a few rascal company flock unto him; yet we must not think that the kingdom of Christ standeth in any outward pomp or glory, for so much did Simeon (Luk. 2.34) insinuate to his mother Mary, that she should not expect any glorious acceptation of her son, no not in Israel, confirmed by the Prophet Esay, chap. 8.14.28.16. but that he should be as a white set up in a but, whereat every man would shoot some bolt. Such therefore shall be blessed, who (as himself speaketh) shall not be offended at him; for we must observe, 
Math. 11.6.  that as the proceeding of his kingdom is above nature, so the persuading of us to his kingdom is most contrary to nature, and that either in a general opposition of the world, which is carried away with the affectation of honour, and an utter hatred of falling into the extremities of contempt, poverty, and persecution, or else to every man's particular heart, which is forcible to dissuade him from suffering in the flesh, or for casting the anchor of his affections upon the baseness of Christ and of his Cross. True it is, if an Orator should use an argument contrary to art, he could not prevail; but if he should frame his argument of that the people were most in hatred of, it were a fruitless labour and a vain hope to expect his purpose: so if a Physician should apply a medicine contrary to the disease, he could never hope to cure it; but if the medicine were also contrary to the complexion of the party, than were it most unlikely to have success. But such is the miraculous power of the Almighty, that as he can make something of nothing, so he can also make of a thing contrary such as he would have it: as he hath vanquished the crowns of monarchs by the Cross, whose triumphant seats are most contrary to the Cross: he hath overcome the pride of the world by poverty, and the wisdom of the flesh by the foolishness of the spirit: yea he hath wrought submission in the hearts of these heathen men, that though Christ lay in a cratch void of all dignity, yet they take no offence at it, which thing is only proper for the spirit of God to perform, who hath both the tongue, the heart, and the knee in his power.  
In that these Wisemen offered gold and other gifts unto the babe: observe how graciously the Lord provided for the poverty of jesus parents, that even now immediately before the persecution came, he sends them gold from the East for their relief and comfort. And thus doth the Lord deal with all that depend upon him, never suffering them to fall into extremity, or to be too much distressed with poverty: as David saith, 
Psal. 37.25.  he never saw the righteous begging their bread; but the Lord supported them by his power, and will make the stones to yield bread, the rocks water, the heavens Manna, rather than his children shall be unprovided. For if Eliah be forced to hide himself from the knife of jesabel, 1. King. 17.4. rather than he shall want, the Ravens shall feed him: yea he will make the wicked an instrument to provide for his chosen, as Zedekiah to command that jeremy be fed in the prison as long as there is any bread in the City, jer. 37.21. which ought to teach us not to compass any thing unlawfully, or to dig us cisterns out of the policy of the flesh, but to rely upon the Lord, who can and will send us relief from the uttermost parts of the earth, and when we least look for it, and when it shall be most welcome, as he did here to the mother of jesus.  
For the sixth general circumstance, namely for the oracle given these Wisemen to go home another way: learn first how the Lord disappoints the purposes of tyrants and wicked men, which bend their bows, whet their swords, and make their arrows keen to pierce the sides of the godly, 
Psal. 7.14.  that it falls out they are but concerned with vanity, and travel of iniquity, and bring forth a lie. For when Herod meant to have glutted his bloody mind upon the report of these Wisemen, then are they of the Lord sent another way. And when (Act. 23.12.) the jews had bound themselves with a curse, that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul; then the Lord sent into the heart of the chief Captain, so to entrench him about with soldiers as he was kept safe from their fury. So when Senaherib the King of Ashur had thought to have swallowed up jerusalem, Esay 36.33. than the Lord said and performed it, that he should not so much as shoot an arrow, nor cast a mount against it. Thus doth the Lord always prevent the dangers intended against his children, 
Psal. 91.5.6.  that neither the plague that flies by day, nor the pestilence that walks by night, nor the snare of the hunter can once entrap them, but his ears are open even to the prayers of jonas, c. 2.2. to deliver him out of the Whale's belly: and his eyes are so bend upon Daniel, c. 6.22. as the Lions have no power to hurt him: but he is as a shadow against the parching heat, and as a shield against the blustering cold, which may encourage us still to lay hands upon him as our succour, to behold him as our deliverer, to fly to him as our comforter, to wait upon him as our guide, and to commit our souls unto him as unto the best keeper.  
Secondly, here learn by the not returning of these Wisemen to Herod according as they were commanded, that an oath or a vow taken and made against the bond of charity, and tending to the hurt of our brother, is not to be performed; but being undertaken upon weakness, is to be discharged upon conscience: and therefore rash was the vow of Jephtha, judg. 11.31. to promise to the Lord without limitation a sacrifice of that he should first meet when he came home. For though the Apostle Heb. 11.32. commendeth him for his worthy enterprise in delivering the people, yet by this rash vow and wicked performance of the same, his victory was much defaced. For we must make no haste with our mouths to pronounce any thing, but set a watch before our lips, that they may hedge in our tongues from speaking evil of our brethren; and yet if we hap to slip in this, we must keep in our hands from executing what unadvisedly we uttered. For first, we are so far from being bound to direct them when their lives or bodies are sought for, as we are to counsel them to hide them, as Eliah (1. Kings 17.3.) was counseled of the Lord to hide himself. So did jonathan (1. Sam. 20.42.) make his father's fury known to David that he might hide himself, and therefore cursed be the Ziphims, 1. Sam. 23.20. that promised Saul to deliver David into his hands, and cursed be Irrijah. jer. 37.13. that stayed jeremy, and brought him to the Princes as a fugitive when he was going to the land of Benjamin. Secondly, if they cannot hide themselves, we must do it for them. So did Obadiah (1. Kin. 18.13.) in the court of Ahab hide a hundred Prophets from the cruelty of jesabel. So did Rahab, Josh. 2.1. in great zeal to God and love to his servants, hide the spies with the danger of her own life. So did the Disciples, Act. 9.21. let down Paul in a basket, when his life was sought for by the Inquisition. Thirdly, if they be apprehended we must be so far from accusing them, as we must countenance and defend them to our powers. So did Ebedmelech, jer. 38.9. when he came to the King in the gate, and told him jeremy had wrong to be imprisoned: and so did jonathan, 1. Sam, 20.32. defend David against his own father, for it is not the commandment of a King that ought to make us give up the sons of God into their hands: nay the Lord himself in this place teacheth us otherwise, that would not suffer these Wisemen to obey Herod, whereby the babe might have been exposed to his butchery.  
Lastly, in the departure of these Wisemen, observe that God both in the beginning and in the end will bless all courses and actions enterprised and done in his fear and in a holy obedience, as he did bless and prosper the journey of these Wisemen, giving them both a direction which way to come to jerusalem, and which way to go from Bethlem: which must make us if we expect any blessed success of that we undertake, not to begin but with the warrant of a good conscience, nor to proceed but with a reverent and resolute obedience as to the commandment of God, and as aiming at the advancement and promotion of his glory, and the furtherance of his service.   
MATH. chap. 2. vers. 13, 14, 15. 
verse 13 After their departure, behold the Angel of the Lord appeareth to joseph in a dream, saying, Arise and take the babe and his mother and fly into Egypt, and be there till I bring thee word, for Herod will seek the babe to kill him.  
verse 14 So he arose and took the babe and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:  
verse 15 And was there unto the death of Herod, that the might be fulfilled which is spoken of the Lord by the Prophet, saying: Out of Egypt have I called my Son.  
THE Evangelist as before he showed the glorious and blessed beginnings of our saviours birth, who though borne in baseness, had testimony given him of his majesty by the star in heaven, and in earth by the Wisemen of Persia: so now he setteth down a matter of great discomfort, that this same babe, even from his cradle, should begin to be crucified in himself and his members. Wherein generally there be three points set down: first, the commandment of the Angel: secondly, the obedience of joseph: thirdly, the fulfilling of a prophesy.  
In the commandment consider, first the circumstance of the time, that it was after the departure of the Wisemen: how long after is not certainly set down: but it is probable and likely, that it was not till Mary had recovered the weakness of her childbirth. Secondly, herein consider the substance of the message, containing these four things: first, that joseph must take the babe and his mother, he doth not say his wife, for the Angel had before satisfied him for that matter. Secondly, the place whither he must go: to Egypt, the worst of all other. Thirdly, the time he should stay there, set down indefinitely, till he was called away. Fourthly, a reason of this commandment, expressed to relieve the weakness of joseph, though the commandment itself had been sufficient, because Herod sought to destroy the child.  
Out of the first circumstance of the time: learn, that God giveth and alloweth no long time of peace and truce to his servants, whom he will make mirrors of patience, but he sendeth one trouble in the neck of another, that though the life of man be but as a tale told, yet the estate of a Christian soul hath many fractions and interruptions, before it can pass like the weavers shuttle through the web: so as the breathing time which they have had, is but to enable them to further strength for that which succeedeth. Hear being in this place set down, how the Lord mingled the sweetness of the gifts brought to this babe by the men of Persia, with the bitterness of an immediate persecution by the hand of Herod the King, to teach joseph, and in him all of us, that when we have had honour, together with the profession of the Gospel, we may not flatter and persuade ourselves of the continuance of this, but be armed to stand to the truth, and to the acknowledgement of the Lord jesus, both in honour and dishonour. For Mary as she had this comfort to see the babe her son honoured and worshipped of these Wisemen, so had she this sorrow and discomfort mixed therewithal, in the night to truss up her furniture and to fly. Thus fared it with her son at another time, who (Mat. 21.8.) coming riding on the Sabbath to Jerusalem, had acclamations and cries of the people, Hosanna to the Son of David, blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord: yea had the greatest glory that ever happened to any earthly Prince, to have garments strawed in the way for him to tread on, thereby the more royally to entertain him: yet after all this within five days he is exclaimed on, and tumultuously they cry, Crucify him, crucify him, his blood be upon us and our children. To teach us, that neither prosperity puff us up, nor adversity cast us down: knowing that it is the Lords will and pleasure, that there should be an interchangeable course of these things. As Simeon prophesied (Luk. 2.35.) that a sword should pierce Mary's soul, which even now was fulfilled, being commanded to take her heels: to teach her, that she should not expect any great state in this life, though she was the mother of the King of glory, but that even she should be fashioned after her own Son, to come to a crown by the cross. Hear than is condemned the daintiness of those professors, that will wait no longer at the Lords table, than they may be fed from his trencher, and which do love the practice of the Gospel only for the peace of the Gospel. For joseph may not be discouraged; though he be driven to fly with the Lord of life in his arms: but hereby may he be secured of safety, having his Saviour with him. And on this may we all rest, that 〈◊〉 we be driven to flight for the cause of Christ, our feet shall 〈◊〉 lead us to the wings of Christ, where we shall be cherished, even in Egypt, a place of darkness, and disdain to the truth 〈◊〉 God.  
For the second circumstance, which is the place whither they must fly: it cannot be thought, but joseph was distracted and wearied with sundry cogitations, yea and perplexed with deep sorrows, to see that this King of glory must be forced to fly from the cruelty of Herod, and to such a place as was alwares an enemy to the Church of God. Howbeit, herein we may observe, how sometimes the Lord showeth but a sparkle and portion of his power in the delivery of his servants, though at other times he openly showeth himself for their protection in great glory and majesty: as in the case of Eliah (2. King. 1.9.) when the soldiers came to him and scoffed him, saying: Man of God come down: presently the arm of God was made naked, and fire came down and consumed them. So did the Lord deal with Elisha, (2. King. 6.18.) who having discovered the secrets spoken in the King of Syriah's chamber, the King in indignation sends forth against one man; having but Gehezi to wait on him, and host of armed men to compass the place where he was, and when they came, thinking to have caught him, they were smitten with sudden blindness, and Elisha in a holy zeal of God's glory, leadeth them to a city, where but for him they had been all slain. So Daniel (chap. 6.7.22.) he is put into the Lion's den, sealed with the Kings own signet, as escape out he could not: which since it is so, the mouths of the Lions are shut that they cannot hurt him, here is majesty: but now jesus his own son he must fly, and shall not be rescued by any immediate hand of his Father, here is a diverse dispensation. The children in the fire (Dan. 3.22.) though it consumed them that cast them in, yet do not their clothes so much as smell of it: and shall we think that the hand of the Lord was now shortened, or his power abated, that he could not have wrought as mightily for the safety of his own son? God forbidden. Peter we see is cast into the jail (Act. 12.8.) but the Angel of the Lord openeth the door, and bids him preach with confidence: and ●hen he was condemned the next day to be executed, lying ●ound with two great chains, the Angel with one blow unlooseth them both, bringeth him through the soldiers, and an iron gate flieth open to give him passage. So Paul (Act. 16.26.) he is delivered by an earthquake that shakes the prison, and the governors are feign to entreat him to go forth. Thus can the prayers of God's servants obtain the ministry of Angels, to disarm the power of Satan, and to frustrate the malice of the wicked. Howbeit on the other side, how the Lord suffereth as it were his power to be blasted under a wonderful kind of infirmity, we have equal examples in the Scripture. We see Eliah (1. King. 19.3.) that before could command fire from heaven, must now fly from the face of jezabel, and is driven to such an exigent, that he cries out unto the Lord even to take away his life. So the spies that came to see jericho, (Josh. 2.4.) and were sent from joshua the Lieutenant of God, to take possession of the land of Canaan, so hardly escape they with their lives, than harlot is feign to make a lie to save them, and to cover them with the stalks of flax that they may not be found. Paul tha● had before an earthquake to unshackle him, hath at another time (Act. 9.25.) no other way to preserve himself, but by being let down in a basket. So jeremy to flesh and blood 〈◊〉 most basely delivered; for being cast into the dungeon, Ebelmelech (jer. 38.11.) obtaineth of the King to bring him ou● and then with a company of rags and old worn clouts boun● together, as with a cord he draweth him forth, and is glad 〈◊〉 send him away. So fared it with David, (1. Sam. 19.12.13.) fo● Michol perceiving he could hardly escape the fury of Saul, fir●● she lets him down at a window, and then she puts an imagery the bed, as if some sick man had been there. And thus did th●● Lord provide for his son after the basest manner, that his parents must take their heels to preserve his life: he could have se●● a kind of madness on Herod, as he did on Nabuchadnezzar, (D●● 4.29.) and have spoiled him of all his kingly royalty, and severed him from the company of men, and made him feed with beasts he could have made his Angel have struck him, as he did 〈◊〉 nephew, (Act. 12.23.) or have raised up his sons to ha●● slain him, 
Esa. 37.38.  as he did to Senaherib: or have caused him to ha●● hanged himself in a desperation of the kingdom: he coul● have astonished them when they had come to kill him, as he did (joh. 18.5.) when they came to take him, that they sho●● have killed another, as did the Madianites, judg. 7.21. 
Psal. 83.9.  But it was the will and pleasure of the Father, that he should begin his life in misery, as he should end it in ignominy, and he worketh not by miracles for the delivery of his Son. For first as yet there was no time for the manifestation of miracles, for than he might have been thought not to have been true man. Secondly, it was to fulfil a prophesy, that out of Egypt his Son might be called, intending herein a proportion between the head and the members: that as the Israelites were carried out of Egypt, (Exod. 12.31.) so also should Christ the head of his Church be. Thirdly, in this was praefigured the casting away of the jews, and the calling and carriage of the Gospel among the Gentiles. Fourthly, that another prophesy might be fulfilled, that for his sake should the children of Bethlem be slain. Fiftly, that the cruelty of Herod by this means might be the more disappointed. Sixtly, to give warrant to us, that in the time of danger and persecution, we may lawfully fly. Seventhly, that we may not think the cross too base for us, since the Lord of glory did thus bear it.  
Further, it is wonderful to see, that the Lord will have his Son thrust out of juda, and from among the jews, to whom specially he was promised, and whom principally he should save, and to be entertained in Egypt, a place of all abominations, and which hated God. But thus did the Lord advance joseph in Egypt, (Gen. 41.40.) when his brethren would have killed him in Israel, and thus did he provide for Daniel in Babylon, (Dan. 6.3.) where devils were worshipped, and advanced him to be the second person in the kingdom. Achis King of the Philistims (1. Sam. 21.10.) received David when Saul persecuted him. Eliah when he could not be fed in Israel, (1. King. 17.15.) is cherished by a poor widow of Sarepta in Sydon an heachenish country. And jeremy the Prophet (jer. 39.12.) is better entertained by Nabuchadnezzar King of Babel, then by Zedechia the Priest. Thus can the Lord stir up the hearts of the heathen, to be better to his servants then their own brethren, and that Saul shall prophesy when he intendeth to persecute, (1. Sam. 19.24.) to comfort us, that even our greatest enemies shall nourish us, if we be cast out of our country for the profession of the Lord jesus; yea Egypt shall be a resting place● for joseph if the babe be with him, though it be grievous and tedious to joseph to want the sacrifices, and to lose the comfort 〈◊〉 hearing the law of God expounded. And when Paul can have 〈◊〉 preaching place at Jerusalem the City of God, then shall he preach two years without contradiction in Rome, Act. 28.30. a place of all persecution.  
For the third circumstance, how long Christ should stay in Egypt: consider first, that joseph is hereby assured he shall no● stay ever, which doth somewhat ease and refresh his anguished soul: for when he considered the journey he was to take was tedious, the place whither he was to fly barbarous, the tenderness of the child he must take with him, that he must be absent from the public exercises of religion, that his dispatch was so sudden, as he had no time to take his leave of the godly of Jerusalem, no doubt his heart was much astonished, and his spirits of life much appalled: therefore to comfort him, the Lord bids him stay till he calleth him: implying, that there shall be a time wherein he shall be delivered. In which we learn, that affliction shall not alway last, and that the rod shall not ever rest upon the back of the godly, but we shall have beauty for ashes, the oil of gladness for the garment of heaviness, 
Psal. 104.15.  and our captivity shall be like the Summer rivers, and they that go forth with a little seed shall come home with full sheaves. Hear also note, tha● by saying: he must not come, but abide there till the Lord do call him, that it is as much as to have said: Come not of thyself no not upon any exigent or sheights whatoever, though thou be never so villainously entreated: and by setting down the time of his abode indefinitely, he doth it to try his obedience that he may with patience attend the Lords pleasure. Whereby we learn, that we must not prefix any set time unto the Lord, how long he shall exercise us under the cross: joseph must stay in Egypt till he be called forth: and let this be josphs hope, in Egypt he shall not always be, but he shall return again to Jerusalem, and the scourge of the ungodly shall not alway clasp about the loins of the righteous.  
Now for the fourth circumstance, which is the reason of the commandment. Learn first, how the Lord relieveth our weakness, and tendereth our infirmity, that though a bare commandment had been sufficient for joseph to have addressed himself for this journey: yet the Lord taketh pity upon him, and will not tempt him above the measure of his faith, but fully satisfieth him, not only commanding by authority, but even persuading by reason, that he may obey with the greater cheerfulness: For Herod (saith he) goeth about to destroy him. Otherwise did the Lord deal with Abraham, Gen. 22.2. according to his strong faith, commanding that which flesh and blood most abhorreth; and giveth no reason of it, namely, to be the butcher to his own son. But herein shall our condemnation be the more just, because the Lord hath given so many calls, and yielded so many reasons why we should fly from sin, and why we should turn to him; not for fear of any bodily destruction by the hand of Herod, but for fear of that spiritual thraldom, wherein Satan laboureth to keep our souls, the Lord having discovered unto us early and late that he is an old and a subtle enemy, armed not only with darts, but even with fiery darts to sting us unto damnation. Let us therefore with joseph embrace the sweet kindness of the Lord, who mildly exhorteth us to haste as it were out of Sodom; and let us with him resolve without any fleshly discourse with ourselves to be gone at the first call; for his word is truth, and the danger he foretelleth will follow.  
Secondly, herein observe, that the Lord knoweth the secrets of men's hearts: for Herod pretended adoring, but intended the murdering of the Lord jesus. And his crafty and concealed purpose is here named by the Angel, that we may fear to deal doubly with our own souls, and may abhor all hypocrisy, because the Lord casteth his eye not only upon our actions, but watcheth even over our very thoughts, and will in time discover them to our great shame. This is it David prayeth against, Psalm. 32.3. that the Lord would free him from guile of spirit, not to deceive himself, nor to dissemble his sin: for his dealing doubly with God and his soul, in that his sin with Barsheba, had so distempered his conscience, that until he had fully mastered his hypocrisy, he could find no rest in his bones. Yet such is the simplicity, or rather the frowardness of our hearts, that though we know all things to be naked and open before God, we still run on in hiding and cloaking of our sins, which is as ancient as our first father's fall; who after the eating of the fruit forbidden, had his eyes opened indeed: that is, he then by experience perceived, and by check of conscience saw what evil he came into, and what good he had lost; being convinced of his own misery, he takes fig-leaves to cover his shame, a small cover to hide it from the eyes of God. Beside, mark his sottishness, he covereth but his shame, whereas the principal instruments of his wickedness were his eyes, his ears, and his taste, and these were more filthy, for the other part actual had not sinned. Now when he heard the voice of God, the wind carrying to his ear such a voice as he had not heard before, than he flieth among the trees, thinking if fig-leaves would not serve, yet the shadow of trees would sufficiently hide him; always when the Lord summons us, seeking shelter, that we may not come to reprehension. And when this voice of the Lord could not bring him to a confession of his sin, nor pierce his heart enough, the Lord calls him with his own mouth: Why dost thou hide thyself? Mark now his wonderful hypocrisy crept in so soon after his fall. Adam assigneth two causes of the hiding of himself, both false; and omitteth the true cause, that is his sin: the one, because he heard God speak, which is most false; for he had heard him speak often before, and that most comfortably. The second cause, because he was naked: and yet this was no cause, for it is said in the text, they were both naked and were not ashamed. And by the malignity of his nature, in this he secretly chargeth God to be the cause of his sin, who in his original creation had made him naked, whereas he himself was the cause of the shame of his nakedness. God goeth further with him: Hast thou not eaten of the fruit which I forb●● thee? Now the Lord names the sin: and in his answer mark his hypocrisy and guile of spirit worse than before: The woma● (saith he) which thou gauest●●e, gave me of the tree, and I did eat. As if he should say, it was thine own ordinance, so as he impudently faceth out the matter, and la●es it upon his wife, whereas it was his own ambition and not her suggestion only that provoked him to the sin: and in the whole story ye shall not find one word of confession. So the woman she transfers from herself to the devil the cause of her fall; the Serpent indeed blue the coals, but the fire was in her own heart, and she would not confess that she abused herself to be seduced by the Serpent: so as both of them felt the punishment of their sin, but would not judge of the cause of it in eating the forbidden fruit. By which examples, as by the naming of Herod's sin conceived but in heart, and by the traducing forth of Adam for his sin that broke forth into his hands, we must learn to hedge in our thoughts, that they harbour not so much as an evil inclination: for sin is of a forward brood and will soon be hatched, and though as it is Psalm. 50.21. the Lord hold his peace, that is, forbear with patience for a time, whereby we think him like ourselves, that is as in the Hebrew, a good fellow like ourselves, yet (saith the Lord) I will lay thy sin before thee, that is, as it signifieth in the Hebrew, either set them in order before thee like dishes on the table, or write them in a role and make thee read them in despite.  
Thirdly, in that it is said, Herod will seek to destroy him; it showeth what hearts the wicked bear toward the godly, and what purpose they have, but that it shall be frustrate: for it is said, Herod would kill him, not, he shall kill him. Thus though we be all sheep appointed to the slaughter in the malice of the enemy, yet we are not so in the purpose of God. For the Dragon Reu. 12▪ 4. like a bloody midwife standeth ready to devour the child, whereof the Church should be delivered, but the Lord prospereth her in her travel, and assumeth the child into heaven, that he may be free from the cruelty of the beast. Whereby we are taught every day to take up our cross: for if we will live godly in Christ, there is a necessity of persecution, and we must all suffer, either the sword of Esau, or the frumping of Ishmael. 
Gen▪ 27.1 Gen. 2●. 9. Act. 23.31.  And this may be our comfort, Herod may travel with mischief but he shall never bring it forth: the jews may vow and swear the death of Paul, 
1. King. 17.5.  but they shall be prevented. jesabel may make hue and cry after Eliah, but the Lord himself shall hide him. What? did Herod think God to be an idol, or to have cast off all care of his Son? he knew by the Prophets that God had set him up to reign over his people, and yet he vainly thinks that he is able by his power to disappoint the decree of God: which is the nature of all Atheists to challenge absolute dominion upon the earth, thinking God to be shut up in heaven: but he that sitteth there laugheth them to scorn: for Herod thought to have had the life of the babe, but the babe had his when the measure of his sins were fulfilled.  
For the second general point, which is the obedience of joseph, learn how willingly he takes up his cross: he might have thought himself a miserable man to have married such a wife as he might not accompany with, and the babe which was borne to be the cause of these unseasonable troubles; for these no doubt were the suggestions of flesh and blood: but he layeth aside consulting with the old man, and fixeth his eye upon God, and casteth his care upon the highest, that as he had given the temptation, so he knew he would likewise give the issue; like Abraham, Gen. 22.8. who answered his son, saying, God will provide a sacrifice; and like this babe himself, who afterward in his conflict of death, Mark. 14.36. though most tedious and grievous to the flesh, did yet submit himself to his fathers will. So as the obedience of joseph is here commended by this, that he presently dispatcheth, not standing reasoning with the Angel, nor waiting for the comfort of the day; for cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently. He knew this babe was the Lord of glory, and that all the world could not murder him as yet, because he had a work to do for the King of heaven; yet seeing there is at this time no other door of escape but flying, he is neither negligent nor careless, but he accounteth all haste too little, and in the night trusseth up all he had: whereby we may think he was exceeding poor, and maketh no delay. Where we learn, that though we be sure the Lord will defend us, yet if we be in danger, and the Lord hath opened a window for our deliverance, that we use all possible dispatch. David was sure Saul could not surprise him, because the Lord had promsed him the kingdom; yet 1. Sam. 24.1. he hideth himself in caves, and flieth from one place to another to avoid his fury, because though he had God's oath that he should be king, yet he would not tempt God by exposing himself to danger. So joseph though he had the babe of life in his hands, yet flies; which is a matter of no distrust but of singular obedience, because he is willed so to do.  
For the third point, which is the fulfilling of the prophesy. The Prophet Osea, ch. 11.1. after he had set down the sins of the Israelites, and had brought in God threatening them with his judgements, and with this judgement as the greatest, that he would distinguish the light of Israel by taking away his son which was their glory, than he is sent from God to comfort them again after this sort, that although they had been rebellious whom the Lord had chosen in his covenant, though they had not profited by his corrections, and though it might agree with the Lords justice to deprive them utterly of his son, yet forasmuch as Israel is his child, though he hath sent his son into Egypt, that thereby they might consider their own unworthiness, yet for his mere mercy sake he will bring him forth again, and restore him unto them. Where we learn first, that though we break our covenant with God, yet he is faithful that hath promised, and will never break his covenant with us; for his thoughts be not like our thoughts, but he is the same for ever: howbeit if the Lord do bear us in his arms as he did Ephraim, Osea 11.3. and lead us with the bands of love, 
jam. 1.17.  if he take the yoke from our jaws, and yet we will not acknowledge by whom we are healed, and in whom we are eased, we shall wander in the desert of our own lusts, and languish as it were in torment of conscience before the Lord will unfold the brightness of his Sun, and discover the light of his countenance unto us. For though Christ shall be called out of Egypt at the last, yet many sorrows shall run over the hearts of the Israelites before they shall see him.  
Secondly, in this prophesy observe, that there was never any thing showed should come to Christ which was base, but it was foretold before, that when it came it might not seem strange, nor men might not be offended at it, as here is foretold his flying into Egypt; and his baseness, that no man would vouchsafe to look upon him, was foretold by Esay, chap. 53.2. So was it foretold, that not many mighty or noble should be called: for as S. Paul saith, 1. Cor. 2.8. none of the Princes of the world have known the wisdom of God, to the end we may not be offended with the base professors of the Gospel, but may be as S. Paul calleth them 1. Cor. 4.10. fools for Christ his sake. So was it foretold, that in the latter days there should be scarce faith found upon the earth, as S. Paul speaketh, 1. Tim. 4.1. that we may not be discouraged with the profaneness of the world, but that we may labour to be of the number of those fools to whom the riches of the Gospel is revealed, and in the company of those few whose lamps shall be found burning, and whose faith shall be found grounded upon the persuasion of God's love in his son.   
MATH. chap. 2. vers. 16, 17, 18, 
verse 16 Then Herod seeing that he was mocked of the Wisemen, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth and slew all the male children that were in Bethlem and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently searched out of the Wisemen.  
verse 17 Then was that fulfilled which is spoken by the Prophet jeremias, saying,  
verse 18 In Rhama was a voice heard, mourning and weeping, and great howling, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted because they were not.  
NOW followeth the persecution itself; the persuasion of the Angel being like a flash of lightning before a clap of thunder, wherein the Evangelist delivereth three general points: First, by what occasion Herod was so set on fire and exasperate to beethinke himself of these murders, namely, because he thought himself abused. Secondly, the execution of this massacre with the circumstances; first of the place, it was in Bethlem and the towns adjoining to it: secondly of the persons, they were children of two years old and under. Thirdly, the Evangelist noteth the fulfilling of a prophesy anciently foretold, that this coming to pass they might know it was no small matter, and withal, that the son of God was sent not to reign as a Monarch, but to be persecuted unto blood.  
For the first, Herod thought himself mocked, not that he was so, but only deemed himself so. Where we learn, that Princes think themselves abused, and that disparagement is done to the state royal, if men will not be executioners of their bloody complots, and even sell their souls for the effecting of their designs. Herod is mocked, because the Wisemen will not relate the certainty of Christ's birth, that he may murder him: and Saul (1. Sam. 22.17.) thinketh himself contemned, because his footmen would not slay the Priests of the Lord that had their hand with David.  
Secondly, in that he termeth it mockery: note that the wicked can father that upon others whereof themselves are most guilty; for the Wisemen they meant simply, but that they were interdicted of God, to return to the court: but Herod he mocked with the Lord: for though he knew that this new-born King was to be set up, and that he must reign in the hearts of men, yet in despite of God he though either by policy to cirumvent it, or by power to withstand the ordinance of the Lord, scorning at the Oracles of the Prophets, and complaining of cozenage, when himself would have cousined the almighty. like unto Fimbria of Rome, who having dangerously wounded one, the next day entered an action against the party grieved, because he had received but part of his blade into his body, and not all. And is it not strange, when Pharaoh shall call Moses hard hearted, when the Wolf shall accuse the Lamb, the Serpent say the Dove is too subtle, and Herod exclaim upon the Wise men for mockery, when himself nourished so foul a vice against the highest? No doubt he was wroth, but not simply because the Wise men returned not, but for his own sottishness, that he had not sent some man with them to have seen what had become of the babe. But thus when Princes make league and band themselves against the Lord, and contribute toward the affliction of his saints, he insnareth them in their own inventions, and infatuateth their devices, and destroyeth the counsel of Achitophel, 
Psal. 18.26.  2. Sam. 17.14. for as the Psalmist saith, With the froward the Lord will deal frowardly.  
For the second point, which is the execution of this butchery, we see, to the end that if it were possible he might have the blood of the babe among the multitude, he spareth none, and the stories report, in this massacre was killed his own son; whereupon Augustus the Emperor said in detestation of his cruelty, that he had rather be Herod's hog than his heir. By which we learn, that the devil possessing the heart of a tyrant, makes him execute any thing tending to the maintenance of his state, though the nature of man abhor it, as the effusion of blood, or though they be checked and amated by their own hearts: for Herod knew if Christ were borne he must reign, yet against his own conscience he endeavours by counsel (if he be able) to deceive, or by cruelty (if he be able) to supplant the decree of God. Thus did Pharaoh, Exod. 8.4. seek to cross the commandment and purpose of the Lord in the delivery of his servants, though by many immediate testimonies and wonders from heaven he saw it as it were written on the walls, that the Israelites must departed. And thus did Saul seek the life of David, though he was told by Samuel, 1. Sam. 15.28. that the Lord the strength of Israel that could not lie, had rend the kingdom from him and given it to his neighbour.  
Secondly observe hence, that when one way succeed not to these Atheists, than they strait attempt another. Pharaoh at the first doth but exact further and greater labour of the Israelites, but after he dealeth with the Midwives, Exod: 1.15. to kill them that should be borne: and after his malice, breaketh forth more fiercely into an edict or proclamation, vers. 22. that the male borne should be cast into the river. So Saul confessing that he knew the Lord would establish the kingdom in the throne of David, yet first he sought to ensnare him by his daughter, 1. Sam. 18.17. Only (saith he) fight thou the battles of the Lord: and thou shalt have my daughter: but after his hypocrisy is discovered, c. 19.1: making solemn proclamation, Who have I among all my soldiers that will do thus much for me to kill David? So as he that could spare Agag would pierce David. So Herod when he saw he was prevented of his first purpose, by the not returning of the Wise men, he still traveleth with the same mischief: and whereas before he sought but the life of the babe only, now he is so enraged, as he doubleth his cruelty, and will have the life of many innocent babes: such a fire is sin, to double and increase the heat by burning: and the deferring of their cursed attempts, which should be as water to quench them, is as oil to inflame them: this being wrought by the malice of the devil, who throweth in fresh poison into our hearts, that if we be prevented in our resolution of murdering the Lord jesus, we will be like the Dragon, 
Reu. 12.12.  to send forth whole floods of waters out of our mouths to drown and destroy his members.  
Thirdly observe, that there is no edict or proclamation so cruel or execrable against God's Saints, which some wicked men will not execute at their Prince's commandment. If jesabel would have Naboths vineyard, and cannot obtain it without his life, 1. King. 21.11. she shall have governors to serve her turn, that will so one follow her cursed counsel. When no man will fall upon the Priests at the words of Saul, 1. Sam. 22.17. then will Doeg take the sword and do it: and Herod here can no sooner mention a murder, but his servants will execute it. Where further consider, that if hell be prepared for the commander, so is it likewise for the executioner, though his act be warranted by authority. Is it in the power of the Prince to bring in a religion against God, or may they do what they will? God forbidden. If the Prince should command me to burn the Bible, I ought not to do it; for a thing is not of God because she commands it, but because it is of God therefore ought she to command it. Cambyses king of Persia inflamed with incest, consulteth with his Wisemen whether he may lawfully marry his sister: they answer, they find no such law to warrant it; but they find another law, that the King of Persia is without all law. And thus do Princes counsellors feed them in their humours, nodding at whatsoever Augustus will have done. And even so miserable are these times, that men do wait at their Prince's mouths, and perform their decrees, not scanning whether they be grounded upon the law of God, which ought to be the rule whereat Princes should level their commandments, and by which subjects should square their obedience. For it is not enough to slay Amnon (2. Sam. 13.29.) at Absoloms' commandment: neither shall Rabshaketh excuse himself (Esay 36.16.) for railing on the living God, though he had the warrant of the King of Ashur to do it; but in these and such like sins they hazard and adventure their own souls: therefore let every of us keep the ground that Balaam at first stood upon, Numb. 24.13. not for a house full of gold to pass the commandent of the Lord; yet I do not say rebel, but obey not. Let Saul himself fall upon the Priests if he will have them slain, and let not us assist him. Let jesabel herself sit in judgement upon Naboth, but let not us condemn him: we are bound to do good to the saints of God, much less to persecute them. And it is said in the Gospel, he that clotheth a poor prisoner, 
Mat. 35.36.  clotheth the Lord jesus. Now what shall we say then of him that standeth up like Tertullus against Paul, Act. 24.5. to plead against him, and to reproach him with the name of a pestilent and seditious fellow? For if they shall be condemned that have not ministered to the necessity of the saints, 
Luke 16.25.  but have been ashamed of their bands: If Dives 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 retain him in bands? Look judg. 5.23. Cursed be Meroz, because they helped not the Lord, nor stood in defence of his truth. A double curse then shall light upon them that oppose themselves against the truth. Obediah against the express edict of jezabel, (1. King. 18.4.) hideth the Prophets, and Rahab (Josh. 2.3.) ventureth her life to preserve the spies. 
Exod. 17.12. Psal. 106 23.  And what better spies can there be then Preachers, which stand in the gap between God and us, as did Moses: which watch over the souls of the people, and show us the way to heaven? jonathan being often incited by his father to kill David, (1. Sam. 20.2.) protesteth David's innocency, though Saul persuaded him that David's glory could not be without jonathans' ruin, and would not be drawn to do it. And if he would not compass such a mischief at the commandment of Saul, which had a threefold force in it: first, as proceeding from his Father: secondly, from his Sovereign: thirdly, being joined with the temptation of a kingdom: much jesse ought we to gratify the State with the affliction of God's Saints: for we must rather (Act. 4.19.) obey God then man; yet disobey not the Prince: for his commandment standeth on these two feet, either to do the thing, or to sustain the punishment for not doing it.  
Fourthly observe, that assoon as Christ is borne there is trouble and commotion, civil and foreign wars, yet is not Christ the cause of it, but the wickedness and perverseness of Herod's heart: for righteousness must not yield to iniquity, and Christ must be borne, and being borne must reign; though the devil rage, and the world swell never so much. Certain it is, no Gospel teacheth so much peace as this of Christ's: for it teacheth peace between God and man, between man and man, yea between man and his inward soul, and maketh the wolves to become lambs, and the Lion to lodge with the Bear. But Herod would have the Gospel abolished, and Christ murdered, which cannot be. Shall Dagon (1. Sam. 5.3.) yield to the Ark, or the Ark to Dagon? Shall the ten Tubes go to juda, or juda to them? Ishbosheth to David, (2. Sam. 2.16.) or David to him? Herod loves not Christ, therefore he murders the children, and David especially being king, must not yield to Saul: house, nor juda go to the ten tribes, nor Christ give place 〈◊〉 Herod: but if his Crown cannot stand with the government of Christ, well may he harbour murder in his thought against him, but judgement shall fall on his own head: for God will wate● over his own son, and fight for his own truth. So as whe●● religion hath been granted by Parliament, and suppressed by private commandment, there may the subjects stand on the part defensive to ward the blow, being smitten: but if it hath not been established by public authority, then may they not take up arms to set it up.  
Out of the murder itself gather, that though there be many slain, yet Christ escapeth: and that in the greatest persecution, yet Christ's religion shall never be abolished. For here is great bloodshed, yet Christ liveth; great persecution, yet the Gospel flourisheth. When jezabel thought she had had her hands full of blood, and that she had rooted out all the Lords Prophets, you and when visibly there was no face at all to be seen, so as Eli●● thought himself only to be left, than the Lord (1. King. 19.18.) reserved seven thousand to himself, that had not bowed the●● knees to Baal. And when by scattering the sheep and smiting the shepherd, the devil thought himself flush, and that 〈◊〉 Christ sleep in the earth, he had utterly stung him to destruction, than was his resurrection most glorious, and then did the Churches of God increase daily. For such is the nature of the Gospel, that the more it is trodden down, the higher it riseth; the more it is maligned, the broader it spreadeth; and wh●●● seemeth to be dead, then is there most life in it.  
For the third point, which is the prophesy, jeremy (chap. 13.15.) to declare the greatness of God's mercy in the delivery of the jews, showeth them, that they were like to the Be●●●mites or Israelites, that is, utterly destroyed and carried away, insomuch, that if Rahel the mother of Benjamin, could have ri●●● again to seek for her children, she might have wept 〈◊〉 want of them, but she should have found none remaining. Th●● doth the holy Ghost bring in here as a butchery foretold, 〈◊〉 the end that none might either wonder or be offended at it: for it might have been said: Is this the consolation of Israel? nay, he is the discomfort and destruction of Israel, his birth having kindled such a fire as never was the like before, leaving so many sad hearts for their lost children. And how may we hope he shall be our Saviour, when his beginning is with this blood? And the more to increase the cruelty of it, the holy Ghost speaketh excessively, bringing in Rachel dead many years before, howling and wring her hands at the rueful spectacle of this bloody tragedy, as if the calamity of the living, might seem to touch and affect the dead. That therefore this might not seem strange, the spirit of the Lord recorded it long before, that when it came to pass they might digest it, as a thing foreseen in the wisdom of God necessary to fall out.   
MATH. chap. 2. vers. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. 
verse 19 And when Herod was dead, behold, an Angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to joseph in Egypt:  
verse 20 Saying, Arise, and take the babe and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the babe's life.  
verse 21 Then he rose up and took the babe and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.  
verse 22 But when he heard that Archilaus did reign in juda in stand of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: yet after he was warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galiley,  
verse 23 And went and dwelled in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophets, which was, that he should be called a Nazarite.  
NOW followeth the return of jesus out of Egypt, after the cruelty executed by Herod upon the children, and the judgement of God manifested on Herod, striking him with death. 〈◊〉 which words there be four general points to be considered; first, the commandment of the Lord by the message of an Angel unto joseph, as the foster-father of this babe, whereby he is advertised to return, having security given him that he need not doubt, namely that Herod and the rest were dead which sought the life of Christ. Secondly, the obedience of joseph, turning neither to the right hand nor to the left; but as he stayed till he was called, so he stayed not when he was called. Thirdly, in what fear joseph stood, finding suc● troubles in judaea, and into what perturbation of mind he●● cast when he heard that Archilaus reigned, knowing him to be Cockatrice, hatched out of a Serpent's egg, and how the L●sent an Angel to relieve him in this perplexity. Fourthly, 〈◊〉 joseph minding no such matter by his turning into Galilee, th●● is an ancient Oracle fulfilled, that this babe should be call●● Nazarit.  
Out of the first learn the faithfulness of God's pro●●● that he is a God of his word: for in this is his first prom●●● complished, as appeareth now by the effect, that he wou●● his son out of Egypt, and that the same Angel that br●●● the heavy tidings unto joseph of his flight from Bethle●● Egypt, the same Angel brings him this glad tidings of 〈◊〉 turn from thence into the land of Israel. And thus m●●● consider of all the promises of God; as of his covenant Noah, Genes. 9.11. that the world shall no more be dro●● his promise to Israel, that they shall be his chosen: for ho● ever the Lord withdraws his favour from his saints for a●● yet at the last he will release them, and in compassion will 〈◊〉 upon their afflictions. And well may the mountains fall, the course of nature change, but God's promise shall 〈◊〉 fail: 
1. Thes. 5.24.  for as David saith, Psalm 32. though their relations be many, yet the Lord will deliver them out of And though this pregnant security of returning be not expressly given to every prisoner as it was here to joseph, yet all that fear God have this to comfort them, that he hath given his word he will make them blessed (Mat. 5.4.) and that as he hath drawn them to the profession of his name, so he will never leave them till he have brought them to the possession of his glory: and that whether they die in Egypt under the furnace of affliction, or come forth of Egypt, all shall work for their salvation. And this his wisdom hath not only disposed of the general end which is his glory, but of the means also how he will bring every one of us to his kingdom. And though it be thorough the rivers of waters, what skilleth it if we have the crown at last? 
job. 5.18.  The same hand that woundeth shall bind up the wound again, and the same hand that smiteth shall heal, and the same God that laid us before in the ashes shall give us oil to make our faces cheerful, 
Psal. 104.15. Act. 12.8.  & by a warrant from heaven discharge Peter of his chains, when in the eye of his enemies he stands condemned, and make joseph return out of that barbarous nation Egypt wherein God was so much dishonoured, to exercise himself in the service of God in Galilee. And though we have no certain promise of this, yet let us be affected like David, who wandering (2. Sam. 15.25.) through the mountains in great divinesse, his grief being increased because he was banished by his own son, and supplanted by the subtlety of Achitophel his ●hiefe counsellor, when he saw he could not have the Ark with ●im, bids it should be carried again into jerusalem, saying, If I ●aue found favour in God's sight he will bring me thither again, but if he have no delight in me, let him do as seemeth best to ●im: for either in the time of our trouble we shall be gathered to God in peace, 
Psal. 56.13.  or else he will let us see his goodness in the light of the living.  
Now the cause why it is safe for joseph to return, is, because Herod is dead: where we learn to our comfort, that tyrants shall ●ot live ever, and when they perish and fall away, then is the Church delivered and comforted; for this death of his was no doubt as cheerful to Anna and Simeon at jerusalem, as to joseph and Mary in Egypt; and Rachel that before was brought in weeping over the innocent blood of the poor children, as if the grave had felt such barbarous and beastly cruelty, may now be thought to break forth into exceeding joy, that such a rakehell was taken away as Herod was, that sought the life of Christ. How we ought to be affected at the fall of the wicked, appeareth Psalm. 52. where although Doeg had got great authority with Saul so as he boasted in his power, & trusted in the strength of his malice, his tongue being as the sharp razor always cutting, or as the coals of juniper, always raising contention against the Saints, yet the Lord shall destroy him: and though he thought to have built his nest in the heavens, yet shall the Lord cast him down, and the righteous (saith he) shall see it and rejoice, (the wicked being blind, never beholding the judgement of God) and they shall laugh, not in revenge, but to see God mercy in taking part with the godly. And not only the righteous shall joy at this, but as job. 20, 26. saith, The tongue of the ●●per shall slay them, that is, the very wicked shall curse them: 〈◊〉 Princes that want religion soon slip into tyranny, and want●●● conscience to moderate their desires, and affection to look upon their subjects, they will soon resemble Rehoboam, 1. King● 12.10. in making the yoke heavy, and correcting them 〈◊〉 Scorpions.  
Further from hence learn, that God doth often so disappoint the plots and purposes of cruel tyrants, that when they intent to execute others, they die first themselves, and sometime Haman (Ester 7.10.) is hanged on his own gallows th●● he prepared for Mordecai. Herod had thought to have kill●● Christ, but he is feign to take the pains to die himself. If M●ses come any more into Pharaohs sight he shall surely die, Ex●● 10.28. Well, Moses will see his face no more, but he shall be hold his destruction (Exod. 14.28.) in the red sea. How oft 〈◊〉 Saul think and how sore did he thirst for the life of David, 〈◊〉 he misseth of his purpose, and slayeth himself (1. Sam. 31.4.) 〈◊〉 make way for David to the kingdom. And such shall be the success of all that conspire against the Lord and his Christ, to fall 〈◊〉 to the pit which themselves have digged, and to make the w●●ked a ransom for the godly.  
For the manner of Herod's death, though it be silenced by the Evangelist, yet the Ecclesiastical stories make mention of it, as josephus and Eusebius, which though it command not the conscience to believe, yet the more to magnify the Lord, it is not unfit to consider it. He had a great swelling in his legs, wonderful rottenness in his whole flesh, his breath did so stink as he could not be accompanied with, he had such a disease in his parts of shame, as worms did crawl about them, he was greedy of meat, having the appetite of a dog not to be satisfied: his whole race was accursed after him, & having eight children, within an hundred years there was not any of their loins lest. Archilaus here spoken of was banished to Vienna, and there died a beggar. Antypas that beheaded john Baptist, and whom Christ called Fox Luke 13.32. was banished to Lions in France, and there died a most miserable abject. Agrippa the son of Aristobulus the son of this Herod, an insolent and proud man, was eaten up with lice most shamefully, Act. 12.23. The son of this Agrippa that would have put Peter to death, living till the destruction of jerusalem, there had his end. Thus did the wrath of God rest upon the family of this cruel persecutor of God's Church, who was blasted in himself and his posterity. And thus did the Lord (1. Kings 14.10.) sweep away the house of jeroboam as a man sweepeth away dung, till it be all gone: and (1. King. 21.21.) did cut off the posterity of Ahab, for their provocations wherewith they had provoked him; to teach us to fear and tremble before his face: and if we will be blessed in ourselves and in the fruit of our body, to look unto our paths, that we lay not our hands to wickedness.  
Note further, that we are not to fear what Princes can do unto us, for they live no longer than they have some service to do for God's glory, as it is said Col. 1.16. All things are in Christ and for Christ. And Saul could not (Acts 9.1.) breath out threatenings against the Church of God, had not the Lord some special purpose in it, either for the exercising of his Saints, or the waiting for his own repentance. Neither could Pharaoh so long ●●ie his rod upon the Israelites, were it not (as S. Paul saith, Rom. 9.17.) that the Lord stirred him up to show his power in him. For now when Herod had executed the children, whereby God is glorified in their innocent death, and his own malice fully manifested, than he dieth himself: which may teach us patience against the time of trouble, knowing that the wicked are but as the weapons of the Lord, to set an edge on our affection's, which otherwise would creep upon the earth, and make us forget our maker; whereas by this means we oft times cast our 〈◊〉 on our deliverer which is in heaven.  
Further learn, that though tyrants appoint us as sheep to the slaughter, and in the malice of their hearts do purpose to fleece us, yet sometime the butcher wanteth his knife, and the sheep in the shambles do escape; therefore we need not to be afraid of them that have not so much power as to kill the body, unless the Lord give us up into their hands, as David saith, Psal. 7.12. speaking of the wicked, he hath bend his bow and spread his net, and hath conceived mischief, but shall bring forth vanity, and the evil intended shall fall upon his own hairy scalp. For the devil that is stronger than man, yea that aimeth the malice of men, cannot stretch forth his hand upon the goods of job, job. 1.12. much less touch his body, without the permission of the Almighty. Herod shall die and Christ shall escape, if not, the worst that flesh and blood can do, is but 〈◊〉 send us with the children of Bethlem into heaven: for the Lor● is our shield, and we are as near & dear unto him as the apple of his eye, yea he is our secret place, and under his shadow we can not but be safe.  
For the second point, containing the obedience of Iosep● by his example we learn not to run before God's promises, but patiently to wait upon them: for as he is always a sure deliverer of his people, so then especially when his mouth ha●● spoken it: and upon this joseph relied, not stirring till he was called. Moses was sure to bring the people of Israel out of Egypt Exod. 3.10. yet he must stay for it forty years, as if the Lord had forgotten to what purpose he had appointed him. Noab, 〈◊〉 the Lords commandment entereth into the Ark, and comme●● not forth till by the same commandment (Gen. 8.16.) he 〈◊〉 called forth, though by the not returning of the Dove he kn●● the waters were abated from the earth. David was sure to be king after Saul, yet he waited so long, as in his haste he said: 
Psalm. 116.11.  All men are liars, thinking that Samuel had abused him, to tell him he should be King; which we must beware of: for the cause why the Lord stayeth many times, is, because his servants cry not out unto him, nor press him with importunity, as (Luk. 18.5.) the widow did the judge: or for that our cursed hears will not come down, so as he is feign to use the wicked as rods to chastise and humble us.  
Hear also learn, that as Christ cometh out of Egypt, so the Lord draweth the Gospel out of the fire, and giveth it some Sunshine out of the darkest persecution, yea and that as it is said, Act. 12.24. in the time of the most ambitious and Lordly tyrants, it shall grow and multiply exceedingly: for so it hath pleased God, that the hottest persecutors (as was S. Paul) have embraced it, and that kings have submitted their sceptres to the foolishness of preaching. Which noteth unto us, that the ignominy that lighteth upon the cross, is not nor aught to be any occasion to dissuade us from it: for the proceeding of Christ's kingdom is above nature, and the persuading to it is cleave contrary to the custom of the world. For saith Cyrus, if a Lacedaemonian will serve me, if he be a footman, I will make him an horseman; if a horseman, I will give him a Chariot; if he have a Chariot, I will give him a Castle; if a Castle, a City; and he shall receive his gold not by tale, but by wait. But now in the groweth and age of a Christian it fareth otherwise: for this is the condition of the Lords followers: to be betrayed of their own fathers, and to be entangled with sundry afflictions, to be banished into Egypt, and if thou be'st called back again, yet never to have but a step between thee and death, as David saith, 1. Sam. 20.3. But for all this, we may not be dismayed, for in all these we shall be more than conquerors through Christ.  
The third point is, in what state joseph found all things in Indaea; not quiet, but still troublesome: where we see how God exerciseth the faith and patience of this his servant, showing herein as in a glass, the state and condition of the godly, how one trouble succeed another, as if they were thorns folded one within the other. joseph long expected his delivery out of Egypt, and now in his return he is as much grieved at the reign of Archilaus, as he was comforted at the death of Herod; which the Lord doth not to press him down, but to give him the greater occasion to praise his name in the experience of his many deliverances. 
job 5.19.  As job saith: Out of six troubles the Lord will free me, and the seventh shall never come near me. And this is the use. which all God's children ought to make of the variety of their dangers, the more to strengthen and confirm their hope, that God's hands shall ever be stretched forth to send them deliverance from his tabernacle, as they were to David, Psal. 32.6. and as they be in this place to joseph, who riddeth him likewise out of this second fear.  
Hear also we learn, not to be negligent and secure, when the Lord hath taken away one enemy of his Church, (for though the principal Doeg be gone, that through flattery abused Saul) and that none is like to succeed him that shall have such grace with the king; yet still to keep us awake, after Herod's death comes Archilaus, that beareth the same heart and the same affection that Herod did, though he hath not the same power, and though this be some comfort, that he shall never be crowned. And thus did the Lord subject his people still under the hand of some succeeding Pharaoh, that they might cast up their hearts to him, and bewail their wants, and power forth their souls unto the Almighty. And thus shall the forest never be without some Boar or other that would destroy the vine: but if we be rooted into Christ, and may bear him about us as joseph did, he will teach us to watch, or at least if we sleep he will awake us, as he did his drowsy disciples (Mat. 26.40.) when danger was at hand.  
For the fourth point: how in this perplexed fear an Angel was sent unto him: we learn first, wholly to depend on God's providence, seeing that in the several extremities of joseph, the Lord sent him several comforts. For first in the suspicion and jealousy of his wife, an Angel was dispatched from the heavenly palace to resolve him: then the same messenger warned him of the imminent persecution, and now relieveth him in his distress. And thus will the Lord deal with all his servants that walk aright, if they be not either too forward through hope, or too backward through fear.  
Secondly, as this was one cause of joseph's turning into Galiley, namely, to be succoured in his fear, so in this the Lord had another end unknown to joseph, which was the fulfilling of a prophesy: that his son should be called a Nazarite, that is, one set apart unto the Lord by special sanctification of nature, which was praefigured by Samson and others under the Law. Where we learn, how the Lord executeth his will both by his servants and his enemies, when as they mean nothing less than to do it. Thus did not David's father know when he set his son to keep sheep, that he should fight with a Lion, 1. Sam. 17.34. nor saul's father know or once dream, that his son should be anointed king, when he sent him to seek his Asses, 1. Sam. 9.16. nor Mary when she went to Bethlem to be tasked, that therein the prophesy of Michah should be fulfilled: that out of Bethlem should come the governor of Israel: 
Michah. 5.2.  nor Herod in the cruel massacre, little thought of performing jeremiahs' prophesy, A voice of lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children: 
jer. 31.15.  nor the chief Priests, when with the 30. pieces of silver, which judas brought, they bought a potter's field, never dreamt of the prophesy of Zachariah, (chap. 11.13.) that for so much should Christ be valued, and therewith should such a field be brought. But such strength hath the Lord, and such power over the hearts of men, as he can secretly move them to be executioners of that himself hath appointed shall come to pass.   
MATH. chap. 3. vers. 1, 2, 3, 4, 
verse 1 And in those days john the Baptist came and preached in the wilderness of judea,  
verse 2 And said: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.  
verse 3 For this is he of whom it is spoken by the Prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, prepart ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.  
verse 4 And this john had his garment of Camel's hair, and a girdle of a skin about his loins, his meat also was Locusts and wild honey.  
NOW the Evangelist goeth forward, and passeth from the infancy of Christ unto his manifestation to the world, when he was to be invested into the office of his Priesthood, before whom as before a mighty Monarch, was to go a harbinger to the up lodging for his Lord in the hearts and consciences of men, which was this Io●● Baptist.  
In the words consider, first, the time when this fore runne● did preach, which being by this Evangelist set down indefinitely, is precisely declared by Saint Luke, chap. 3.1. Secondly, the place where he exercised his ministry, in the wilderness. Thirdly, the sum and effect of his Sermons: Repent and change your minds, and amend your lives, for the great King that shall open the door of salvation unto all, is now at hand Fourthly, by what commission he was warranted and authorized to do this, namely, by Esay, chap. 40.3. who had prophesied this long before. Fiftly, is described the wonderful preciseness and strictness of his life, by his garments and diet, whe● by all the people cast their eyes upon him, admiring his austerity.  
For the first circumstance, which is the time, we must not understand an immediate successivenesse, that john began to preach as soon as Christ was brought to Nazareth, but that it was while Christ lived there, which was some 25. years after: for this john was stirred up, that he as the day-star might go before the Son of righteousness. Saint Luke setteth it down to be in the fifteenth year of Tiberius, and Christ was borne in the fifteenth year of Augustus: so as Christ was about thirty years of age when he began to preach. Out of which learn generally, that we must be satisfied, and rest in so much as is revealed: so as we are not curiously to inquire what Christ did while he lived a private man in Nazareth: for since the holy Ghost hath not disclosed it, we must be wise according to sobriety, 
Rom. 11.3.  as Saint Paul speaketh, and not seek to learn where the Lord hath not taught, or to open where he hath shut. Only Saint Luke (chap. 2.46.) reports, that about twelve years of age, he disputed with the Doctors in the temple and confounded them, and astonished such as heard him. And this is enough to comfort us, that so much is recorded of him, as hath ransomed us from the indignation of his Father.  
Secondly, in that it is said: john came and preached, note, that the first ministry of the new Testament was a preaching ministry: so as whether we speak of men sent mediately or immediately; from God alone, or from God by men, we shall never find any ministry commanded or practised, nor any messenger sent, that was not qualified with gifts and graces from above to divide the word: and this is impregnable not to be resisted, that no man ordinarily can hope or look for the power of salvation without preaching: which is evident (Rom. 10.17.) Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word preached; and this preaching cannot be (as some would have it) bore reading: as appeareth 2. Tim. 4.2. Preach the word, be instant, improve, rebuke, exhort: which importeth some further matter then literal reading. Besides, if reading should be preaching, and sufficient to beget faith, then hath not the Lord forsaken the jews nor the Turks, but they remain still the Church of God: for they have the Bible and do read it, howbeit none will say, but these are out of the Church. Again, when Esay and the rest of the Prophets cried out against blind guides, did they mean they could not read? And Paul when he saith: woe t● me if I preach not the Gospel: 
1. Cor. 9.16.  doth he mean, that this woe shall light upon him if he read not? No: for there be many weak Christians that must be fed with milk, others with strong meat: but the word read is of the same sound to all, and as bread set before the hungry, but they want strength in their teeth to break it: for it is fruitless to read if we understand not; and the Eunuch (Act. 8.31.) could liberally and religiously confess he could not do it without a guide: whereupon, as the text saith, (vers. 35.) Philip preached unto him jesus. So as it is a most determinate truth, that there is no man lawfully and rightly called to the ministry, that is not enabled with the grace of preaching and expounding the Scripture: and every place must labour to recover if they have lost, or to obtain if they want, such a man as may go before them in this wilderness both in life and doctrine, and divide the word aright unto them, that they may be able to spy out the armour of their adversary, 
Heb. 4.12.  and to prevent his assaults: not but that the Lord extraordinarily may save by bare reading, yea and without reading, for he can knock when he list, and open when he list; he can make corn to grow without sowing, as he did in Hezechtah's time, 2. King. 19.29.  
For the second circumstance, which is the place where he preached, namely, in the wilderness, we learn, that where the holy Ghost placeth a man, there he is to abide and to content himself, not excepting against the rudeness of the people, as to be too gross and base for their excellencies to instruct, or against the place, as to be too private or too unwholesome, and that their Pulpit must only stand at Jerusalem, and their anditorie must be great men. john Baptist we see how he was content to exercise his message in a most solitary place, the Wilderness: for this was by the assignation and appointment of the Lord. True it is, Jerusalem had been more fit for state and celebrity, and this might have seemed more plausible to john, as a means whereby he might sooner have been more famous: but because the Lord had tied him to this place, he obediently keepeth it. Much more are they then to be reprehended, that purchase livings like farms, one for Summer another for Winter; and not content with this, put over their people to milchlesse nurses, (which as the Pope saith) is like a harlot that puts forth her child, that she may the sooner return to her lust. Howbeit, by the wilderness he must not understand a place not to be inhabited, but only a place not so well frequented as the fruitful valleys of judaea.  
Hear the jesuits, because (wilderness) in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, note john Baptist to be the father of the hermits, men whom they feign to be devoted to religion, to be familiar with the Gods, and to have the contemplation of heavenly things, having their souls freed from passions, and their bodies humbled in divine service. To which we answer: First, if john preached in a wilderness, and in a bare solitary place, as they imagine, how is it that their hermitages are built near great cities? Secondly, the calling of john was extraordinary, being immediate from God, and his office extraordinary, being to denounce the coming of Christ. Admit he were an Hermit, yet when he had run his race, his office did cease. Thirdly, of all lives, there is none so contrary to the society of man, and to the communion of Saints, as this of hermits: for first God in Adam's integrity, saw (Gen. 2.22.) he could not be without a companion: much less can we now. And to this is answerable that of the Preacher: Woe to him that is alone: 
Eccles. 4.10.  and amongst the Philosophers, he that abandoned company, was esteemed either a god or a beast. Secondly, if any be qualified and beautified with any special good grace and virtue, then ought he to supply the wants of others; and being such a candle as they would have him, he ought not to be hid under a bushel: and if there be defect in him, than ought his want to be supplied by the fullness of others. Thirdly, if neither he need others, nor others want him, which cannot be in this life; yet if there were nothing else then the beholding of the beauty of the house of God, and the comfort of the participation of the Sacraments: 
Psal. 84.3.  as David saith; and wished rather to be a sparrow that built her nest in the temple, then to be banished from the congregation of the Saints, saying, (Psal. 42.1.) That as the Hart brayed for water, so did he for the contemplation of the Ark wherein the Lord did sit. This were sufficiently forcible to dissuade from this unsociable life: beside, that john lived not always here, but stayed till he was called to the Court of Herod, where he lost his head for his boldness, Mat. 14.10.  
For the third point, namely, the sum of his Sermon, we must weigh and consider two parts: first, the exhortation: Repent and change your minds: Secondly, the reason persuading to embrace this exhortation: For the Kingdom of heaven is a hand. For the first, the word Repent, it signifieth an alteration both of judgement and of affection, not only by a displeasance with ones self, and a check of conscience for the evil he committeth, which cannot be stayed, no more than the panting of the heart, or the bearing of the pulse, but also an utter loathing and detestation of all manner of sin: so as all repentance though it be proper to the mind, and the fountain of it be in the heart, yet it is both inward and outward: the visible show of amendment being a declaration of the invisible thought of sorrow: for a thorn cannot grow upon a figge-leafe: and if any man will judge of his repentance, let him manifest the fruits of it. What can a cursed mouth show, but that the heart is virulent and full of poison? or garish attire, but that the mind is not humbled? for where there is no reformation of action, there is no alteration of affection. Secondly, repentance is noted to be either general for all men, for all sins, for all times: or special, for some men, for some sins, and for some times. For speciale men: that every man repent him according to his disposition and place, as Saint john showeth, Luke. 3.11. exhorting the rich men, if they have two coats to give one to the poor, the customers to require but their due, the soldiers to be counte● with their wages. For as every man hath a several calling so hath he special sins attending and waiting on his call●●● which must be repent of. Now for our infirmities wh●● hourly break forth of us, general repentance is required: but if we be stained with any peculiar sin, that must have a repentance by itself. (David Psal. 32.3.) cannot be healed of his adultery by a general confession, but he must peculiarly task his soul for that sin: and so much Paul expresseth, 2. Cor. 12.21. I fear (saith he) lest when I come I shall bewail many of them which have sinned, and have not repent of the uncleanness, fornication and wantonness which they have committed: for, for such sins it is not sufficient to find a remorse of conscience, but for adultery, profaning of the Sabbaoth, oppression of the poor, and such like, he must have a special humiliation; and may not think to obtain the comfort of God's countenance by blurting out a short prayer, that passeth out of the mouth like gun-shot, as, Lord I have sinned; which though the words be good, availeth not, because the heart is nought, fraught with hypocrisy.  
Such then as will be true repentants, must be of the number of them Christ speaketh of Mat. 11.28. that are inwardly weary of the burden of sin; which excludeth three sorts of people: first, such as be not weary of their own righteousness, but desire to apply the plaster of their own works to cure their wound: secondly, such as be not weary of the pleasure of this life, which profane-sensuall men will never be, such as Paul speaketh of Philip. 3.19. that make their belly their God, and with Esau, Gen. 25.30. will for a mess of pottage sell their birthright: thirdly, such as be only cast down with some hard exigents in the world, for many be weary of the world that are not weary of themselves, or of themselves that are not weary of their sins, wishing to be delivered from the burden of their distress, but not with Paul, Phil. 3. from the body of sin, 
Rom. 7. 2●.  for none of these sorts can thrive in the course of repentance, but such only as be ●amed from their natural rebellions by the afflictions of this life, that have their spirits broken to dust, and even brought to confusion, that will confess no good thing dwelleth in their flesh, but are cast as it were into a burning fever of desperation, and do feel in a manner hell in their souls; such will the Lord ●●●fort, such doth he call and enable to repent. For to whom is the commission given (Esay 61.1.2) to preach good tidings, but to the poor; deliverance, but to the captives? so as he openeth no prison except thou confess thyself to be chained in the irons of Satan; neither canst thou repent except thou think thou hast been a runagate from the Lord jesus: and what need he to give thee the water of life except thou feel a drought in thy soul like the drought of Summer? True it is, the Lord comforts none but the abject, seeks none but the lost, makes wise none but fools, justifies none but sinners; so as unless we find these wants in ourselves, the Gospel was never preached to our comfort, and this exhortation is vainly delivered, that we should repent. Howbeit since repentance and weariness is of such necessity for Christians, we must enter into a threefold examination of ourselves: first, of the knowledge of our sins: secondly, of the sorrow for our sins: thirdly, of the amendment of our sins. First, for the knowing of thy sin, thou must not examine it according to the law of thine own heart, that will glory in hanging up the Lord jesus, and in getting letters to Damasc●s Acts 9.2. to persecute the Church of God: for thine heart will make things lawful by thy abuse unlawful, and things unlawful by the flattering of thyself in too much liberty lawful: but it must be done according to the commandment of God, raising up his tribunal in thy soul, and setting before thee the curse that resteth on thee for thy sin. Neither must this be a general acknowledgement, that thou art sinful, but thou must walk in the steps of David, in the bitterness of the soul to say, O Lord they are so many as they run over my head, and so hea●y as they press me down: and in the 2: Sam. 24.10. I have not only sinned in numbering the people, but sinned exceedingly; O Lord take away the trespass of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly: so as for particular sins thou must keep the circumstance of time and place, and aggravate the degrees of it 〈◊〉 thy soul. And because thou art not able to remember the whol● catalogue of thy sins, and perhaps flatterest thyself in some 〈◊〉 as Naaman did, 2. King. 5.18. who protested he would serve the Lord, and yet bowed himself in the house of Rimmon: thou must crave pardon for thy secret sins, and those which thou ha●● passed over as no sins, and never rest thinking of them till they have forced thee to Christ, which is ever accompanied with a persuasion that the sin is pardonable, which is no small comfort. Then when thou art come to a sight of thy sin, the second point is sorrow for thy sin, such as is expressed Zach. 12.10. as that when we consider how we have pierced God with our sins, and that even my sins were the nails that fastened Christ to the Cross, we must weep and cry as one mourneth for his only son and first borne, and there must be such a compunction of the spirit, as to cry with the hearers of Peter, Act. 2.37. What shall we do! and with David, Psal. 6.6. to wash our bed with tears; and so to mourn as if we heard the Lord summoning us to judgement: for our sins are not lighter than David's, that our sorrow should be less than his. And when we have attained to this, to be pierced to the soul with sorrow, not for any discomforts in this life, but for that we have offended God, and have exercised ourselves in this, not as in a pang that shall perplex us for the time, but that we have daily ripped and laid our hearts naked before the Lord: then from hence springeth forth the third fruit, amendment of our sins, and repentance for them, which standeth in two parts: first, in the forsaking of the old sin secondly, in inclining to the contrary virtue; for the repentance of an ulurer is not restitution only, but with Zaccheus Luke 19.8. to restore, and to be merciful to the poor, as before he was unmerciful: for drunkards not only to leave the combat of their cups, but to forsake that company, and to observe all kind of abstinence, whereby he may be more fit for his calling, and in judgement to condemn it, and in affection to abhor it both in himself and others: so as briefly, to repent, is not to be as thou hast been, but to be in Christian duties that thou hast not been.  
For the second point, which is the reason of the exhortation: by the word Kingdom of heaven, understand the manifestation of the Messias, which as a ●●ately monarch shall rule in the hearts of men, such as shall be gathered by the Gospel with a wonderful spiritual majesty by his word and graces, first leading them by the Gospel to have their conversation in heaven while they live here: whereupon gather there is a double kingdom: first of administratory providence, which is that whereby the Lord ruleth over all, even the devils: secondly, of royal pre-eminence in his church, which is threefold: first, in their beginning by imperfect sanctification, when men translated & drawn from the power of sin are brought to the obedience of the Lord jesus: the second confirmed by perfect sanctification in the souls of the saints already departed: the third fully to be accomplished when we shall be crowned of the Lord both in soul and body with perfect and perpetual glory, when God shall reign in his Son, his Son in his Church, and his Church triumph in them both for ever. Now this spiritual majesty of Christ, settling and enthronizing himself in the hearts of men, is far more magnificent than any earthly throne, prescribing us laws, within which we are to bond ourselves; for in a kingdom there are four things requisite: first, a King to govern: secondly, subjects to obey: thirdly, laws to keep in awe: four, authority to execute them. Now in this kingdom of light, Christ is the King, the faithful be the subjects, the word of God the laws, the power of the spirit the authority to execute them: so that if by our subjection to the word the little flock of Christ be increased, the works of the devil be destroyed, the enemies of God be subverted, and sin be subdued in the strength thereof, then 〈◊〉 being gathered into this first kingdom, which consisteth in the regeneration of the spirit, may assuredly wait for the expectation of the other kingdom, which standeth in the perfection 〈◊〉 all glory. And we may the better understand this, by weighing the diversity of Kingdoms which the devil hath, these being double: first, on earth: secondly, in hell. On earth the reprobate being his subjects, their corrupt affections their laws, 〈◊〉 their being given over of God to follow those wicked ways being the power to execute them. So as in all those places, b●● they never so well polished to the eye, which have not suffici●●● power of the Gospel to save them▪ ●or which have it notation or which have it in a counterfeit manner and measure, or wh●●● having it sincerely, 
Mat. 7.6.  do fly like dogs to rend them in pieces th●● bring it; in these is the kingdom of darkness set up, and saving for the elects sake which shall be taken out of them by the manifestation of God's 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 unmerciful Dives now lieth, Luk. 16.24. and cannot have so much refreshing as to cool his tongue: and wherein after this life the wicked and impenitent shall be tormented with endless pain. The consideration whereof may drive us to the meditation of the Lords bounty, that hath prepared another place for us if we follow the counsel of john Baptist, to amend our lives and to reform our ways, even such a place wherein we shall behold and enjoy the beauty of his glory for ever.  
Further observe, though john Baptist willeth them to repent and amend, yet it proveth no ability or natural inclination in a man to do this, no more than when Christ saith, Mat. 11.28.29. Come unto me, and take up my yoke: it argueth no power of ourselves to come: for so much himself setteth down in another place, where he saith, No man can come unless my Father draw him. But the end of this is, 
john 6.44.  not that the commandment is given to meet with our power to perform it, but (as Rom. 3.20.) that thereby might come the knowledge of sin; for when we see our weakness that we cannot do it, and our wretchedness that we have done the contrary: as that where we should have repent of our sins we have rather increased them, it leads us to seek grace in Christ, pardon for the sin, and power of his spirit to forsake it. So as in the commandment know, thou oughtest to do it, in the correction of the Lord know, thou hast not done it, in not doing it know thy condemnation, in prayer and faith thou knowest where to have it, in thy conversion thou knowest where thou hast received it, and in thy perseverance know by whom thou dost retain it. And albeit all commandments are of three sorts: first, such as command our first conversion: secondly, that command our obedience to the Lord after our conversion: thirdly, that command our perseverance after we have begun obedience; yet we shall see the strength of all these cometh from the Lord. For the first, Zach. 1.3. there is a commandment given to turn to the Lord, and joel 2.12. this is more particularly set down, that it must be a turning with all the heart. But how shall this be wrought? Observe Ephraim's speech to the Lord, jer. 31.18. Convert thou me and I shall be converted: So (Deut. 10.16.) Moses commandeth that the people should circumcise the foreskin of their hearts, that is, that they should change their vile affections; but how this must be done, appeareth, Deut. 30.6. The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart: so Deut. 39.19. there is a commandment to choose life, That thou and thy seed may live: the performance whereof is, Ezech. 36.26. A new heart (saith the Lord) I will give you, and a new spirit I will put into you, and I will take away the stony heart out of thy body, and I will give you a heart of flesh: which place doth fully answer all suppositions of our own ability; for if there be any pliableness in a stone, then is there so in man. For the second, we are commanded to live well and to work, but whence this proceedeth, appeareth, Philip. 2.13. It is God that worketh in you both the will and the deed: so 2. Cor. 7.1. there is a commandment given by S. Paul, that we should cleanse ourselves; and 1. john 3.5. Every man that hath hope purgeth himself: and 2. Tim. 2.21. He that is a vessel of honour purgeth himself: but how this is done, is set down Ezech. 36.25. I (saith the Lord) will powr● clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: and as the Apostle saith, Hebr. 9.14. The blood of Christ purgeth the conscience from dead works. For the third, we are commanded to stand fast, and to hold fast our profession: so Acts 14.22. Barnabas exhorteth to continue in the faith; but from whence this cometh, Paul teacheth us Ephes. 4.30. The Lord make you strong, for it is ●ee that hath sealed you to the day of redemption: and 2. Thessal. 1.11. The Lord make you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: and 1. Thess. 5.24. Faithful is he which calleth you, which will also do it. By which we may perceive, that this exhortation to Repent, and other such like inserted in the Scripture, are but to whe● us on, and to set an edge upon our prayers and desires, that we may fetch these graces out of the closet and bosom of our Saviour Christ, who is as ready to give as we to ask.  
Further learn hence, that forasmuch as the most vehement and pithy exhortation to obedience is taken from the manifestation of Christ, that the Gospel even as it is the Gospel requireth reformation of life, howsoever it be charged either to give too much occasion to sin, as that being cleansed in the bath of Christ's blood we may abandon ourselves to uncleanness, or to make too much restraint as it were from sin, as that we must abstain from all appearance of evil: for saith the Gospel, 
2. Thess. 5. 2●.  1. john 3.8. He that doth not labour to purge himself in every thing, is of the devil. Wherein we must consider, that there is a double covenant: first, of works by the law, which being observed giveth life, but being broken but in cogitation only, doth damn a man: secondly, of grace, that all that believe shall be saved. Now in every covenant there is a restipulation or mutual agreement of both parties: ours in the law was, that we would do what was commanded; in grace, that we will believe that we may be saved: for as no man can be saved by the law but by absolute obedience, so no man shall be saved by the Gospel but by faith and repentance; for this is that God requireth of us, to believe and amend.  
Again observe, that when we preach repentance, we preach not the law but the Gospel, for the law admits of no repentance: for though we could now observe all that is written in the law, yet should we be damned, unless we could satisfy for that was broken in our first conception, we being borne in the filthiness of nature. Now there is no way of salvation for circumcised or uncircumcised, for jew nor Gentile, before the law nor after, either before our conversion in the time of our infidelity, or after our conversion in the time of repentance, but only in the blood of Christ, whom by the power of the holy Ghost by the instrument of the word, as the second cause, we do by faith apprehend unto our everlasting peace. Thus much is set forth by Saint Paul Rom. 8.1. that there is nothing but condemnation to ●hem that are without Christ, and none are in Christ but they ●hat have received the spirit of Christ, and none hath this spirit ●ut he that hath received the gift of faith, which doth engrafted us ●●to Christ, and none hath faith but he that hath repentance, and none hath repentance but he whose soul is changed, cleansed in his conscience, reform in his affections; so that howsoever he slippeth through infirmity, yet his full endeavour is always to please the Lord: and no man's soul is changed whose life is not already amended. For this must declare a purified conscience, and none hath amended his life who doth deliberately persist in any gross sin, so that whatsoever purposely grieveth the spirit, and smiteth God by his sin, he is not in Christ, but consequently in the state of condemnation, except he repent: for this that is spoken of, 1. john 5.3. He that is borne of God, keepeth his commandments, and they be not burdensome to him. For this is the new covenant (saith the Lord, jer. 31.31.) I will make with you, I will pardon your sins and write my Law in your hearts: that is, whomsoever I will pardon I will reform their hearts, both inward and outward mortification, that they shall be obedient to my Law. So that whosoever hath not received power to amend his life, he never felt the power of God to the pardoning of his sin, for he never giveth saith alone, but it is ever joined with an ability from the same spirit 〈◊〉 amend the life; so as unless outwardly thou be amended, that thy light do shine before men, both in thy conversation and in thy actions, for any peace the Gospel can preach unto thee, thou mayest fear thou art in the state of condemnation▪ And if thou hardenest thy heart against this sweet sound of the Lords voice, he will at the length scorn thee, and thou mayest cry and not be heard, for Esau may weep too late, Gen. 27.38. for we are therefore to repent because by grace we are sure to be saved, as Saint Peter saith, 1. Pet. 1.17. if ye call God Father, that is, if ye will be his children, pass your time in fear, because he hath redeemed you by his blood. 
Luke 1.75. Levit 11.44.  So saith the Gospel: It ye holy as your heavenly Father is holy, for children must be of li●● disposition to their father, and he that worketh evil is of the d●●● as Christ speaketh john 8.44. So Paul Rom. 12.1. doth besee● them by the merits of Christ (a forcible argument to persuade) that they offer up their bodies a holy sacrifice unto God, she●ing that the greatest matter to enforce us to reformation is take● from mercy. And 1. Cor. 6.15. Your bodies are the temples 〈◊〉 the holy Ghost, and ye are bought with a price, therefore do not prostitute them to uncleanness, but let the love of God constrain us to love him again. Yet may we not hereupon imagine that we make the law of God of no effect through faith, nay as S. Paul saith, Rom. 3.31. by this we rather establish the Law, and that two ways: first, in the absolute obedience of Christ inherent in himself, and imputed unto us: secondly, by the spirit of sanctification abiding in us: for the same righteousness the law commands, the very same doth faith apprehend, for we do challenge the promise of God to save us, by this, that Christ in our person hath absolutely performed it; so as there is no difference in respect of the substance, but only in the manner of conveyance, whereby we apply it unto our souls. So doth the Gospel command the same works that the law exacteth, though there be a threefold difference between them: for first, the law commands works to gain salvation by them; the Gospel, because salvation is already gained by the blood of Christ; for as S. Paul saith, 
1. Cor. 6. 2●.  we are bought with a price, therefore we are debtors: secondly, the law giveth no power to work that it commandeth, for Moses that was the giver of it, could not frame his own heart to do it, therefore it is called a dead letter, written in stones, 
2. Cor. 3. 6●.  which prefigured the hearts of men; but the Gospel in the elect never commandeth but first giveth grace and power to perform, as the Lord never pardoneth any man's sin, but he first writeth his law in his heart, as S. john saith, 1. joh. 3.8. God sent his son to destroy the works of the devil in us: and this is the argument of S. Paul, Rom. 6.14. Let not (saith he) sin reign in your mortal bodies, that is, have dominion over you, for ye are not under the law but under grace, that giveth power to amend. Thirdly, the law commands works absolutely, and admits of no repentance, but the Gospel never excludes repentance, the father ever waiting for the return of his lost son: so as it is true, no whoremonger shall be saved continuing such a one; but always understand, repentance coming between stayeth the judgement: for though our sins be of a purple or scarlet dye, yet if we turn to God, the blood of Christ hath this virtue, 
1. joh. 5.6.  that it can make them white as snow, so as the sum of all this is, blood & water, joh. 13.8. must go together, faith in jesus and the spirit of the Lord jesus, remission of sins and reformation of life must never be disjoined. Now for that the Papists say, the expectation of a reward would make us work, & that in vain should the work be, if there were no merit: We answer, that if a man freely shall gratify his bondman with liberty, and he shall after preserve his master's life: by this he hath not deserved his freedom, for if he had remained still bond, he had been bound to have done it, and all he can do after is not to recompense his freedom, but to testify his thankfulness. So whatsoever we can do or deserve, we are bound to it by a double bond: first, of our creation: secondly, and much more by our redemption: and after our salvation promised and purchased, to do well is nothing but duty, for we were bound to do it before we were saved. So as this is the order of exhortation in the Scripture: All that have hope (2. Cor. 7.1.) must cleanse themselves; not to cleanse themselves that they may hope, but they have hope, therefore they must do it. 
Mat. 25.34.  And not because we relieve the poor, therefore we shall be saved: but because in mercy a kingdom is prepared for us, therefore as members of one body we relieve the poor. And Abraham did not therefore offer up his son that he might be justified, 
Gen. 22.8.  but because he was justified before, 
Gen. 15.6.  therefore he thought nothing too dear to gratify the Lord with, though it were with the son of the promise. So here we do not therefore repent, that the kingdom of heaven may come, but we must amend our lives, and change our minds, because the Messias is already come that will save our souls.  
Again observe, he saith, it is at hand, noting a near manifestation of him, which was more than any of the Prophets could say: whereupon Christ saith, that there was never any Prophet so great as john Baptist, 
Mat. 11.11.  yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he: not comparing their persons, for there were divers of the Prophets as excellently qualified as john; nor that a Minister of the Gospel now should be greater than he, but that the ministry of john was plainer than that of the Prophets, they but foretelling indefinitely that Christ should come, john pointing at him with his finger, that he was now coming: and the ministry now being more excellent than john's, because he preached but of the Messias at hand, whereas we have seen the fingers of this hand, Christ to have come with power, to have died with triumph, and to have ascended with glory: therefore let him that hath an ear hear, and he that hath hope let him arise, for the kingdom is now come, not at hand, john 14.12.  
Again, note the excellent Harmony between john the forerunner, and Christ the after-commer: for Matt. 4.17. Christ useth the very same words to persuade to amendment of life, because the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Which showeth, the agreement ought to be among Ministers, and how we may discern whether they be of God or no: for then as they all work upon one foundation, so shall they all speak by one spirit, and the voice of the harbinger agree with Christ, and Christ with him, pressing no other doctrine then that john preached before.  
For the fourth circumstance, which is the warrant whereby john was authorized to preach, we note, that all callings in the Church of God must be warranted expressly in the book of God. For if any were to be exempted, it was this of john's being extraordinary, but he is enforced to prove it, as if he should say: Though I am not Christ, nor Elias in person, howbeit in power of spirit I am, yet look in Esay, 40.3. my authority recorded: for the place of a Minister is not like the power of the Magistrate, which though it be God's ordinance in general, yet is it not in particular, as that there should be this or that Magistrate, as an Emperor, Duke, Chancellor, and such like: for this is human, and God hath given man this freedom, by the remnant and portion of reason abiding in him, to devise what may be safest for the state. And these offices as they be by man erected, so may they be by him abolished. But for the officers of the Church and the ministery, it is not only ordained of God in general, but every particular place and every kind of office is set down, the Church being his own house, which he meant to beautify with all necessary furniture, and none of this can be put down, neither may others be added, 1. Cor. 12.28. and Ephes. 4.11. For the Pastor may be put down by the Prince, but not the Pastorship without maiming the body of Christ: for than were it an human constitution as is the other of Magistrates: And therefore most gross is it, that women should be licensed to baptise, which pertaineth only to the office of a Minister; and it is an idle answer to say: Quod fieri non debet, factum valet: that which should not be done, is yet effectual when it is done: for this is a seal put into a wrong hand. And if Vzziah (2. Sam. 6.7) being no Levite, was stricken with sudden death for but touching the Ark of God which was ready to fall, though his intent was good: and if Vzziah (2. Chro. 26.20.) was smitten with leprosy, which he could never claw off to his death, for burning incense to the Lord, which only pertained to the Priests to do, then may these intruders upon the Lords possessions, fear some plague to light on them for intermeddling with these holy things: and as well may they administer the Supper, as Baptism; for they be seals of equal dignity. Howbeit, if thou wilt be john Baptist, show me these two things: first, a commission of thy calling: secondly, besides that thou must prove thy calling warranted, show me that thou comest rightly by it, and that thou canst lawfully convey it unto thyself, as (Luk. 3.1.) the spirit of the Lord came upon john. For to have this security is good in two respects: first, for the sasety of thine own conscience in the day of affliction: for thou knowest the judgement of Christ, concerning such as creep in at the window, they have neither love nor care of the flock. 
joh. 10.1.  Therefore jeremy (chap. 1.6.) cried: O Lord, I never thrust myself into this unthankful office, but thou sentest me, and thy wordwas as afire shut up in my bones. Secondly, it is good to retain the people in obedience, when they shall see the Patent of thy calling, whereas otherwise they will esteem thee but as offering thyself uncalled, and then thou mayest labour among them unthanked.  
For that Esay spoke, saying, The voice of a crier: in these words is set down the execution of his office. Where we learn, that there are no names given to Ministers, but they are words of employment 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 silver Trumpet of the Lords word, that it may sound and ring in the ears of the people. Criers, 
Esa. 4.11. Ezec. 34.10. 1. Pet. 5.4.  so as they must be no tongue-tied fellows, for they are no fit for this office, then is a blind man to be a Pilot. They must be shepherds, which in juda were feign to watch all night to preserve their flocks from Wolves: Watchmen, who must take heed, lest through their sloth the fort be surprised: Ambassadors, having a great message to deliver from the king of heaven: Angels, as Christ is called the Angel of the great covenant: and Revel. 3. Writ unto the Augell: that is, 
2. Tim. 2. 1●. 1. Cor. 3. 1●.  the Minister of such a Church: Workmen, because they be builders of men's consciences: Stewards, to provide meat for the Lords inheritance. And as john was to cry in his time, so is there as great necessity laid upon us to cry in this time, according to the proportion of that grace we have received. In Paul's time, 
1. Cor. 9.16.  it was a curse of damnation not to preach: which cannot be appropriated to Paul himself, it being a duty specially required of all that labour in this vineyard. And (2. Tim. 4.2.) he adinreth Timothy to preach instantly: so that as john as the forerunner, and Timothy as an Evangelist, were to preach with vehemency, so are we as Pastors, to cry the same cry: for it never yet pierced deep enough, nor entered far enough to make men watchful over their lives. Now some are unworthy the name of celers, being scarce able to speak; others are able, but not willing to be criers, bringing others a sleep with their sloth, upon whom without repentance resteth a woe into lerable to bear, and impossible to avoid.  
Secondly, observe here the agreement between the Prophet Esay and john Baptist: john making that plain was spoken obscurely by the Prophet: Prepare ye the ways: What is that? Repent: Let the high mountains be brought low. that is, let pride of life be abated. Let the low velleiss be filled, that is, let despair be rejected: Let crocked things be made strait: that is, let the judgement be rectified: Let the rough ways be made smooth that is, let thy swelling affections be changed. Now this Allegory used by the Prophet, is borrowed from entertaining of Princes at their first coronation: at which time all ordures be cleansed, bridges repaired, the streets pau●●l, harbingers go before to take up lodging, the trumpets sound, the volley of shot goeth off, and every man is arrayed in his best robes: not that the Lord of glory expecteth such a transitory triumph: for he requireth but this, amend thy life, and a clean heart is his best harbour, a spiritual entertainment being fittest for a spiritual king.  
Lastly, in this cry of john's, observe his faithfulness: he prepareth a way for the Lord, not for himself: he might have lived far better in respect of the world, then in this base office, and in this base place: for his priestly birth being the son of Zachary, (Luk. 1.13.) would have afforded him a richer portion; yea he was offered to be Christ, 
joh. 3.28.  but he would none of it, contenting himself with that share the Lord had allotted him, and attending on that duty the Lord had enjoined him. And thus ought all the Ministers of the word to do, not to preach for reward, nor to cry for ambition, though the harbinger must not lie without doors: but they must look for a recompense from the highest, for the world is unthankful. And it is not enough to preach, but they must preach to the consciences of men, that the Lord jesus may enter in; and not to gratify the affections of men with the eloquence of the flesh, and in swelling words, that themselves may enter in. For if they cry to get a name or renown, or preach in contention, they may cry long enough, they have all they shall have, having that they sought for, to be carried in the mouths, and to be had in admitation of the people.  
For the fift circumstance, which is, his extraordinary austerity: his attire and girdle was such as Eliah did wear, 2. King. 1.8. the wild honey was such as jonathan found in the wood, 1. Sam. 14.25. The meaning whereof is, that his apparel was very base, and his diet such as grew of themselves. Where observe, that this was no fancy of self-conceit in john, to bind and banish himself from the comforts of this life, but it was the appointment of the Lord, that he might be conformable to Eliah, whom as he was to succeed in his spirit, so likewise in his apparel. Again, he did it by the Lords will formerly revealed: for it was prophesied, 
Num. 6.2.  (Luk. 1.15.) that he should be a Nazacite, & foretold his parents he should drink no strong drink wherein was implied, that his fare should be of the meanest; so as this must not be tied and prescribed to the Ministers of these days, as if their cup might never overflow, but that their houses and provision must b●as the heath and barren ground: for (1. Tim. 5.23.) Timothy may drink wine for his stomachs sake, as Paul bids him. And if after the example of the Apostles the world will have men preach for nothing, then must they do as it was then, call such as never studied; and then must they likewise have both assurance of God's providence to sustain, and of his graces to enable them, as the Apostles had. Look how the Levites were provided for, (Numb. 18.21.) the tenth in Israel was given them for an inheritance, yea even john Baptists father had liberally whereon to live: for they that serve at the altar must live of the altar; not as of alms, but of duty: 
1. Cor. 9.11.  as Gal. 6.5. them that teach you in the word, make them partakers of all your goods: and Rom. 15.27. if the Gentiles be made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things: and 1. Tim. 5.17. The Elder that rules well, is worthy of double honour: but now they give them double reverence & but single maintenance, which showeth how lightly men esteem of the gain of godliness, when the Ephod seemeth so vile and base in their eyes. For Balaam shall never be called, unless the King (Numb. 22.6.) have some special work for him to do, and if he follow not his humour when he comes, he may go home again without his charges. And few there be can boast at this day of the benevolence of their people, as Paul did of the Corinth's, 2. Cor. 9.2. who according to their power abounded in rich liberality towards him, and would even have pulled out their eyes to have done him good. Howbeit as Ministers may not go in sackcloth like beggarly Friars, so must they not be arrayed in silks and fine linen, like pompous prelate's as many be, which win more credit for their garments, then for their graces: but there must be a moderation and so briety observed, and Baruch must be humbled more in his persecution, than otherwise, jer. 45.3.  
Lastly, by this apparel and diet of john learn, that the meaning of the Lord was not, only to drive and send john to austerity and strictness by this kind of life, but his special end was to convince the jews of their malice and frowardness of their hearts. For john he is precise and austere, there is no pleasure in his looks, but he shakes as it were the rod continually. Christ he cometh after a clean contrary man●, he eats and drinks with them, and is glad and willing to come to any, even as the Physician to the patiented. Whereupon the jews are tried, whether by any usage they might be reclaimed and drawn to repentance: but they take exceptions against both; john for his ansteritie is a devil, (for the world ever hated preciseness:) Christ for his familiarity is a drunkard and too good a fellow: 
Matt. 11.16. Luk. 7.31.  so as though john wept the solemn and dampish note of repentance, they would not mourn: and though Christ preached and piped the melody of mercy, they would not dance. What more than could the Lord do to this vineyard which he did not, laying soil as it were to the root to keep the sap warm, and pruning and cropping the branches, that they might have spread to have been as it were the Lords shadow and his delight? But they stopped their ears, and prospered not by their labour, bringing forth bloody and unsavoury fruit, killing the Prophets, and at length crucifying the heir of the vineyard the Lord jesus: for which the Lord did meet them in judgement, so as to this day they remain rooted out of his garden. And how c● we think the like judgement should leap over and escape us, that have continued so long so untamed, and as if we had ne●● seen the yoke, do start and hang back from humbling out selves before the king of Israel, who hath come to us by strong winds, and strange earthquakes, by the fire of many plagues, which have burnt up whole families, and by his still and soft voice of the Gospel entreating us, while we have time to be at peace, and to agree with him, and yet we will not.   
MATH. chap. 3. vers. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. 
verse 5 Then went out to him jerusalem and all judaea, and all the region round about jordan.  
verse 6 And they were baptized of him in jordan, confessing their sins.  
verse 7 Now when he saw many of the pharisees and of the Sadduces come to his baptism, he said unto them: O generation of vipers, who hath forewarned you to fly from the anger to come!  
verse 8 Bring forth therefore fruit worthy amendment of life:  
verse 9 And think not to say with yourselves: We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able even of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.  
verse 10 And now also is the axe put to the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down and cast into the fire.  
HERE followeth a sixth circumstance, wherein is set down the frequent concourse of the auditory and people that came to hear this extraordinary Priest john Baptist, who was of the tribe of Aaron: and how he entertained them, first, receiving so many as would subscribe in judgement, to believe their salvation in the blood of the Messias. Secondly, for them that came as led with emulation, hearing his fame, and were induced to come by reason of the strange report went of him, and not for zeal and conscience to profit by his ministry, the spirit revealing to john their hypocrisy, swelling with their own righteousness, and bragging that they were of the natural seed of Abraham, as men not yet fit to be baptised, he takes them up roughly as evil eggs of evil birds, coming of them that persecuted the Gospel, that he might the deeper pierce into their consciences, so as they might see their own vileness: as if he should say, is it possible that you can come to hear the word of God with a right heart, when there lurketh so much poison in your breasts, when all your devotion standeth in open ostentation? Even as Peter challenged Simon Magus Acts 8.23.24. saying, Thou art in the gall of bitterness, repent if it be possible, and pray, that the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. john denouncing also their fearful estate, as that the axe was now laid to the root of the tree, that faith in Christ and not the glory of coming of Abraham's race, should save them from hell fire.  
In the words observe two parts: first, how great the auditory was: Secondly, how he applied himself diversly according to the divers sorts of hearers which he had, baptizing some confessing their sins; and for the other, first he sets down a bitter reprehension, calling them a brood of Serpents, full of poison against the truth, and frameth his speech as wondering how they durst come: the Sadduces believing no wrath to come, the pharisees thinking by their merits to avoid it. Secondly followeth, a grave exhortation, removing away many blocks and hindrances wherewith they were blinded that they could not see the truth in Christ. Thirdly, he concludeth with a commination and threatening, that they were to be cut down: first, because they were wicked in themselves: secondly, that there should double damnation fall upon them if they refused Christ, as the Prophet Malachy had foretold.  
For the first, observe three causes of their concourse and frequent coming to john's ministry: first, because there had been a long surceasing of prophesy, Malachy being the last that spoke by that extraordinary spirit; and hearing this great news and fame of john, they thought some great Prophet had been raised up, and so were desirous to hear him. Secondly, they were moved to frequent him by the strangeness of his teaching, not teaching coldly and without power, as the pharisees did, but in vehemency of spirit, and great fervency and earnestness to persuade to amendment of life. Thirdly, they resorted the rather unto him as pricked forward by the extraordinary austerity of his life and diet. Where learn, that when God furnisheth a man with a commission, and sealeth him a warrant of his calling, and giveth him a book, as he did to Ezechiel, 
Ezech. 3.2.3.  which he must eat: when the word of the Lord is as fire in the heart of jeremy, and when the purpose of the Lord is that it shall prevail, it cannot be crossed by any wit or policy of man. For great exceptions might have been taken against john: first, preaching there was a Kingdom at hand, it might have come near to treason, sounding in the ears of Herod to the dispossessing of him: and Princes are easily jealous of their greatness, and will not have any of their privileges called into question. Secondly, the pharisees knew they should be controlled and called into question for misleading and abusing the people, so as no doubt they suggested to the King, that it was dangerous for the State and touched the Crown, that he should whisper into the people's ears of the coming of a new King, labouring hereby to have their flocking stayed by Proclamation or other sharp commandment; as that also, if this man were tolerated and winked at, the great Fathers of the Church might be exposed to great shame and obloquy, 
Math. 23.13.  as keeping the keys of heaven, and neither entering themselves nor suffering others to enter. And again, it might be thought fantastical, that the people would leave their trades to go so far to hear john. And for the pharisees themselves, they (as Luke 7.30.) despised the counsel of God, and were not baptised of him: and Mat. 21.27. Christ telleth them, they would never believe that john came from heaven, but laboured by all means to supplant him; yet observe, that before he had executed and finished his message, neither the power of Herod, nor the craft of the pharisees could suppress him. Howbeit as we hear in this place of great flocking so joh. 5.35. it is said that he was at first as a burning lamp, ●nd the people for a season rejoiced in this light, but after they grew secure and careless. Where further note, that in deposing idolatry and in the restitution of the Gospel how earnest men ●aue been; and the kingdom of God hath even suffered violence for a time, the people running in great multitudes to welcome it; but after it is once established, they grow to a Laodicean lukewarmth, Revel. 3. neither hot nor cold, as if it were honey that could cloy the stomach: therefore we must suspect the pregnancy and eager fits of them that run so speedily at first to the Gospel, for john soon loseth many of his hearers, some coming only to behold him, some to entrap him, some to see what was in him that was so much renowned, and some to shake off the yoke of the law, thinking to get greater liberty by the Gospel, and few (as Christ saith) came of a good purpose and with honest hearts.  
Further learn, that this baptizing here spoken of, was of such as were of age; for they were not received before they confessed their sins. For this Sacrament being a seal of sins pardoned, there must first be a confession of sins committed, here being a double covenant: first, God sealing us a Charter of forgiveness in the blood of Christ through the sanctification of his spirit: secondly, God requiring of us, first a confession, for who hath hope to have his debt released before it be acknowledged, or to be enfranchised before he thinks himself bond, or to be washed before he seethe himself unclean? secondly, a belee●● that the blood of Christ is of force and able to purge us of all 〈◊〉 sins: and thirdly, a dedication of ourselves to serve the Lor● in newness of life, as testifying our thankfulness for so g●●ous a pardon.  
Hear the jesuits like Spiders that suck up poison, gather upon this confession of the people, a confession of shrift, that every one should whisper his sins into the ears of the Priest before he can be pardoned, which is most absurd: for first, the wo●● here used bears not any secret confession, being answerable 〈◊〉 that, Leu. 16.21: where the Priest was to confess all the people sins, and to put them upon the escape Goat, which praefigu●● Christ: secondly, this of john's was a public action, and so 〈◊〉 place for private whispering: thirdly, the sacrament of Bap●●●● which he ministered required this confession: for the profess●●● of faith is requisite in them that are of years and baptised, 〈◊〉 we are not then first engrafted into Christ when we are bapti●●●● but being already engrafted we are then confirmed, and therefore Act. 8.37. the Eunuch first confessed is faith, and then was baptised by Philip. And Mar. 16.16. He that shall believe and be baptised shall be saved: So as it was john's duty as the minister of God, that such as received this seal, should give testimony of their faith. Fourthly, john's giving of general plasters argueth, that they confessed not each one their particular private slips and infirmities, for than he would have given them special remedies: whereas (Luk. 3.13.14.) he laboureth to prevent only the abuses in their general calling; as for soldiers to ask no more than their due, and to offer no violence, nor to accuse any falsely, & such like as followeth in that place. Fifthly, if john should have troubled himself with such a particular confession as they dream of, seven years would not have sufficed him.  
Now when he saw the pharisees, etc.  
Hear learn first, that it is in the wisdom of the Minister to discern of the auditory, and there is nothing more unsavoury than always to use one kind of teaching: for according to the inordinate walking of some, they may and aught to be charged and reproved openly: for Herod though he be a king, (Mat. 14.4.) must be told openly of his incest: and though Bethel be the king's chapel, Amos must tell jeroboam that he shall die by the sword, Amos 7.11. Yea the Lord hath so clothed his Ministers with wisdom and with righteousness, as they are able to appropriate the judgements of God to particular sins, as to say, that the men of Bershemi (1. Sam. 6.19. were slain for looking into the Ark: that the Corinth's were some sick and some dead, (1. Cor. 11.30.) for abusing the Sacrament: that Vzzah (2. Sam. 6.7.) was stricken with death, for laying but his hand to the Ark to sustain it: and in this place, that the Pharisees are but vipers, that would ear up and devour their mother: this being a particular reprehension to them, wherewith the multitude were not blemished, for the hypocrisy of the Pharisees touched not them. Secondly, observe here, as john's wisdom ●●de to discern between the chaff and the corn, so his godly resolution whereby he durst challenge these great men which were reputed most holy, and the special leaders and governors of the people: for this he was enjoined to do of the Lord, as 〈◊〉 was said to jeremy: Spare them not: and to Ezechiel: I will make thy face as brass, that thou shalt not be afraid. And as it is said 〈◊〉 Esay: Speak what ever it cost thee, be not ashamed to tell them, the be shameless of their faults. Whereupon Esay 50.6. saith: I h●●● given my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to the nippers, and have not hid my face as being afraid of theirs. And this appeareth by john in this place by his sharp reproof, not mildly peswading them, but eagerly and bitterly rebuking them, giving them their most just titles, as, brood of vipers, not fathers of the Church, or leaders of the people; knowing Elihu his speech 〈◊〉 job to be most true, 
job 32.22.  that man could man give to titles, that is, ought not to call a fool a wiseman, nor a Sadduce other than a Serpent. Thirdly note, he reproveth them, because it was provable for the people, to understand what gross abusers they were of Moses chair, carrying a great and goodly show of external sanctimony and holiness among the people: so as it was good and necessary to discover their pestilent hypocrisy. Hereupon Christ was enforced to do the like, (Mat. 23.) calling then painted tombs, fair to sight, but their hearts were full of extortion: so that unless they were disgraced among the people, the people could not turne-their hearts and affections from them; therefore that they might not any longer blear their eyes, he 〈◊〉 feign to use these words of disgrace and disparagement of them.  
Again, in that he calleth them generation of vipers, obse●●●● that he excepteth not only against these that came to he●●● him, but against the whole order of them: and of those two orders here named, though they disagree in judgement, the Pharisees holding that there is a resurrection; the Sadduces, that after this life there is an utter extinguishment of the soul: 
Math. 22.23. Acts 23.8.  yet both agree in this, to be viperously minded against the Gospel, eu●●● as the Atheists and Papists in these days have the same pois●● of their hearts common against the true professors, howsoever they be diversly distracted in factions. And such hath always been the condition of the Gospel, that even the Princes of th● earth, though otherwise divided among themselves, will y●●● join hands against the Lord. Which may not discourage us both because the Lord (as he did here) will by his wisdom discover their poison before they cast it: and likewise as Asa saith, (2. Chron. 14.11.) It is nothing with the Lord to help with many or with no power, if we rest on him, for his truth shall prevail.  
Again, in that john Baptist so sharply takes them up, learn, that there is nothing so senseless as hypocrisy: for it was hard to persuade a Pharisee he was not as good a man as lived, for thus they lied to their own souls: They made fair monuments of the Patriarches, as pretending to reverence their remembrance: but Christ (Matth. 23.33.) tells them they were only monuments of their father's cruelty, in putting them to death. So fearful a thing is it to accustom ourselves to an outward show of religion without sincerity, thinking that God's thoughts be like ours, as to be pleased with that possesseth and dazzleth the bodily eye: whereas he pondereth the steps of the heart, that only maketh the actions pure or unclean. Therefore Saint john knowing it to be so difficult to sound the vast bottom of their filthy fowls, they were so hardened and overgrown in hypocrisy, he breaketh out into admiration, that their hearts being fraught with such uncleanness, they should think it possible to fly from the vengeance that would at the last pursue them. Let us therefore keep the conscience tender, and apply our hearts to entertain the service and worship of God in purity and simplicity, assuring ourselves it is not our outward pretence of holiness, nor cutting of the flesh with the Priests of Baal, 
1. Kin 18.28.  that shall go for currant with the Lord, and protect us from the wrath to come: but it is the plainness of the heart, and the singleness of the eye in the true service of that one God, 
joh. 4.24.  that shall be accepted.  
Further learn hence, what an abominable thing sin is, and among the rest hypocrisy, that it is able to transform men into beasts, as resembling them in their qualities. And thus Da●id (Ps. 32.) to make the sin of rebellion more odious, he compareth men to horses and mules: the mule if he be not well watched, will take his rider in his teeth and lay him in the manger: and the horse if he can cast his rider, will give him a kind farewell with his heel. And if ever there might be just complaint of this it is now, when men be so full of jadish qualities that hardly can the Minister sit in his saddle. Sometimes men are compared to Lions, as the proud enemies of the Church: sometimes (as Psal. 22.16.) to dogs, 
Psal. 58.6.  and Psal. 59.6. So Paul calleth false teachers dogs, snarling against the preaching of the truth: sometime they are called swine, to disgrace the filthiness of man's nature: sometime for their cruelty to Bears rob of their whelps: sometimes for their boldness to Wolves, as (Mat. 10.) Christ saith: I send you as sheep among Wolves, which (vers. 16.) he expounds to be among men: sometime to Bulls, Psalm. 22. The fat Bulls of Basan seek to devour me: sometime to wild Boars, as David prayeth: O Lord set a hedge before thy vineyard for fear of wild Boars, 
Psal. 80.13.  they are so full of rage: sometime for the subtlety they are termed Foxes, as Christ saith: Gored that Fox (speaking of Herod) that I will preach to day and to morrow: 
Luk. 13.32.  sometime to horseleeches, (Prou. 30.15.) which have two daughters that cry bring, bring, they are so full of cruelty: so Psal. 22. those that persecute and afflict the Church are called Unicorns: and here the Pharisees are named Vipers, that would eat and devour the Church, and yet they would come to hear; which made their sin so much the heavier, that they would come to so holy a place with so unholy hearts. Thus do●● sin strangely change us, and thus are men when the Lord h●●● given them over, that they have not the property of one beak, but of all beasts: for they are as malicious as Apes, as envious as Serpents, and as venomous as Adders, and yet they dare come and state the Lord in the face in his congregation, having never communed with their hearts before. This is that the Lord complaineth of, jer. 7.9. Will you steal, and commit adultery, auburne incense unto Baal, and come and stand before me in this house where my name is called upon? Nay, the Lord abhorreth all such manner of worship and sacrifice, as himself protesteth, Esa. 66. The sacrifice of a sheep in this sort I esteem as the blood of a m●● For though the means to avoid the wrath to come, be by conming to God's ordinance of preaching; yet to come with a pharisaical heart, doth but increase the vengeance, and hasten thy destruction.  
Now for the instruction: Bring forth therefore fruits, etc. Mark how plainly and precisely john doth stand upon an open declaration of repentance by amendment of life: for every one may say he meaneth well, which if he do, he will not be ashamed to bring it forth. So as if we will be trees of righteousness engrafted into Christ, we must show forth the fruits and not the leaves of righteousness by the operation of his spirit: for thou canst not be one flesh with a harlot, and one spirit with the Lord jesus, 1. Cor. 6. and charity ought not to make me believe him to be Christ's sheep that heareth not his voice. So as mark that the Lord measureth the flower of our hearts by the fruit of our lips; for Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh, and men may see our hearts through our hands. Since then the Lord requireth, that we should approve our faith to men, and manifest our reconciliation with God in heaven by the works of love showed to men on earth, let us weigh our steps that they may be strait, watch over our words that they may be gracious, pass nothing through our fingers that shall be entangled with the hurt of our neighbour, but measure out our actions by the rule and square of religious love.  
And say not with yourselves, etc.  
This is the second point before delivered, namely, the godly and grave exhortation john made unto these false hearted Pharisees and Sadduces, containing two parts: first, what they should do, Amend their lives: Secondly, what they should not do; that they should not presume upon the external privilege they had, of being circumcised as the children of Abraham. For this was the error of their judgement, that the whole seed of Abraham by generation of the flesh, were within the covenant of grace to be saved. And this is the objection implied and answered by S. Paul, Rom. 9.6.7. namely, that if the jews were cast away, than the word of the Lord was fallen away, because it is said; I will be thy God, and the God of thy seed for ever, which is confuted there by the Apostle, by a distinction of a double seed: There is an Israel in the covenant, and an Israel out of the covenant. So as there is a double election in the house of Israel, first general, that all that came of the loins of Abraham should have this dignity, to be accounted within the covenant, to partake of the word and seal of circumcision. The second is a special election out of the former, that out of the seed of Abraham, one seed only should be saved: as it is Malach. 1.2. Is not Esau jacobs' brother? yet have I hated Esau and loved jacob. Whereby appeareth there is a special election out of the general, so as the grace of the covenant was offered to all Israel, and all Israel differed from the uncircumcised nations, yet the promise was effectual only in the elect. Whereupon gather, that if these Pharisees had not been blinded and bereaved of the spirit of truth, they would never have stood upon any external privilege: for the promise being made indefinitely, had been fulfilled if ten only had been saved: for the Scripture goeth only thus far: I will be the God of thy seed, not of all thy seed. And this the Apostle proveth in the place before, thus: If all the jews were within the compass of the promise, and the covenant of grace by virtue of the outward seal of cutting the foreskin of the flesh, than it was necessary the first borne should be, and that he might challenge this assoon as any, to be saved. But this was not so: for in Ishmael the eldest was not the promise, but in Isaac shall thy seed be called: so as God declared his purpose by distinguishing them at first, when the covenant was but new made, while Abraham himself lived, and when he had but two sons. And lest this particular example might be excepted against, by reason of the disparagement in their birth, Israel being borne of the bondwoman: Take (saith the Apostle) Esau borne of the same womb, begot of the same father, yea borne at the same time almost, and if there were any prerogative it was Esau's, for he was eldest, both of them circumcised, yet did not the promise pertain to Esau, as is proved by two testimonies of Scripture, Gen. 25, 23. The elder shall serve the younger: and Mal. 1.2. I have loved jacob and hated Esau, his servitude in the flesh being joined with the hatred of God upon his soul. So as the difference between the children of Abraham according to the flesh only, and according to the flesh and spirit also, standeth in these two things: first, in God's secret purpose, whom to glorify and whom to reject: secondly, in the effects of faith and sanctification, for he is a true child of Abraham, that walketh in the faith and steps of Abraham, Roman. 4.12. and they that do otherwise, (as Christ saith, joh. 8.44.) are the children of their father. To which the Pharisees in great indignation excepting, What (say they) dost thou account us bastards? Abraham is our father: No, saith Christ, so as truth and meekness itself spoke it, ye are the children of the devil. For under this pretence of issuing from Abraham's loins, they would despise that son, and abandon that Messias in whom Abraham and the rest of the fathers looked and trusted to be saved. Howbeit, if we come to this, why doth Ishmael persecute the profession of Isaac, and Esau sell his birthright, and jacob embrace it as a pledge of the inheritance of heaven? This cometh from the election of God, who had purposed to give this grace to the one, and to deny it to the other, the cause of his infidelity resting in his own soul. And it was not an universal promise plight to Abraham, that he would be the God of every particular singular man that should come from his line, but it was given indefinitely without limitation (to thy seed) as of one: which is that Paul proveth, Gal. 3.16. namely, that there could be no reconciliation between the jews and the Gentiles, but by that one seed which was Christ.  
Now the cause Saint john giveth: and the reason he allegeth why they should not thus flatter and deceive themselves in the name of Abraham's seed, is, because God is able even of stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And at the first Abraham indeed was dead in respect of that strength of nature to beget a child, Gen. 18.12. and it was as easy to make a stone a man, as to make a dead man get a man. Out of which we learn, that God is omnipotent, not only to do what he will, but also to do more than ever yet he hath purposed to do: as here he is able of stones to raise up men, but he never did it. Answerable to that speech of Christ in the Gospel: If I would I could command (Mat. 26.53.) twelve legions of Angels to rescue me, yet he did it not. Now three things there be which God cannot do, and yet showeth no impotency, nor derogateth any thing from his omnipotency: as first, he cannot do contrary to the property of his person, as God cannot be begotten, nor the Son of God cannot beget: secondly, that is contrary to the essential properties of his Godhead, 
jer. 1.17.  as he cannot repent, nor change, nor lie, nor be finite, for all these are signs of weakness and imperfection: thirdly, he cannot do that which implies a contradiction, as that a stone being a stone should be a man; but of a stone he can make a man, and of a man a stone: as Lot's wife was turned (Gen. 19.26.) into a pillar of salt, but when she ceased to be a woman. So against the Lutherans, that hold, they eat the very flesh of Christ in the Sacrament, we acknowledge that God is able to turn bread into flesh, but then he must change the substance: for I will never believe, that that which I see and taste, and touch as bread, can being bread be flesh also. So for the humanity of Christ, as it is his body it cannot be every where, for a body must have his dimensities, as height, breadth, and length, and must be limited and circumscribed in a place certain. And it abridgeth nothing from his all-sufficiency: for it is contrary to the nature of a substance to be every where, remaining a substance. True it is, the Lord can make the sea to stand up as walls, (Exod. 14.21.) on both sides, for the passage of the Israelites, but it was a sea still: so he can make the Sun against the course of nature (Josh. 10.12) to stand still and stay his course, but it was the Sun still; but he cannot make a body to be every where, for that doth abolish the nature of it.  
Now is the Axelaied to the root, etc.  
This is the third point was delivered, namely, the commination which john used, mixing and interlacing his sermon with the judgements of God, wherein he threateneth them with eternal damnation, except they repent and become new men. The whole speech is allegorical and a continued borrowed speech, which may be thus resolved: God is compared to a husbandman, for he had planted a vineyard in juda, namely, his church: the people are compared to trees, the ministery of john to an axe, that will cut quickly, either to hasten to damnation or to salvation. As elsewhere it is compared to a Fan that separates the chaff from the wheat, and in jeremy to a hammer, either to bruise a broken heart, or to beat it down to hell. The roots of the trees are compared to the souls of men, the form of the speech prefigureth the final sentence that shall be given at the latter day, the hewing down signifieth the separation of the bastardly jews from the communion and fellowship of the true Israelites; and casting into the fire setteth forth their eternal damnation in hell: so as it is thus much in effect: You Pharisees presume not any longer upon God's patience, for ye cannot now pretend ignorance as ye might have done; and for that time (as Acts 17.30.) God will not call you to any heavy reckoning, he hath been careful to dress his garden, he hath suffered you to abuse the people by your government in the Church, but now look unto yourselves, for now shall my ministery cut into your souls, and shall show whether ye be bastards or no, and now shall it appear who is the child of Abraham by receiving Christ that cometh.  
In that it is said now, and that the axe is laid not to lop but to cut down: learn, that when the Gospel is preached, than the Lord comes to make a separation between the elect and the reprobate, which could not before be discerned, as it is in the Gospel; there shall be two in one bed, one shall be received and the other rejected: for when this rain falleth, than the Lord meaneth to try who is truly planted and hath taken root in his son, 
Luk. 17.34.  and if (as Heb. 6.7.) it bringeth forth herbs meet for the dresser, then receiveth it a blessing; but if the heart bring forth thorns, then is mere unto cursing: so as if any obstinately persist in the earth, drinking in the moisture and yet increaseth not, his damnation shall be the more just, because there is now no place for excuse left. And to apply this more nearly to ourselves, if the Sodomites (Gen. 19.28.) were wasted with fire for abusing but one Lot: If the Ninivites had been destroyed (jonah 4.11.) for not repenting at the preaching of one jonah: If they were put to death that despised but one Moses, and the old world (Gen. 6.13.) swept away for contemning the preaching of one Noah: If they were given up (Rom. 1.24.) to serve their own lusts, that profited not by that one light of nature, whereby they were constrained to acknowledge a superior power, that made that excellent frame of heaven and earth. If the Pharisees were thus sharply charged and reproved for not amending their lives at these few sermons of one john Baptist, much more may we fear lest we be swallowed up of present destruction, that have had so many sounds of the Lords trumpets and yet have not retired from our own ways, that after so much dressing, and pruning, and lopping, have brought forth nothing but briars, that have devoured so many full years of peace and years of preaching and plenty, and yet continue lean and ill-favoured in the course of our lives; for now at the time of the Gospel (as we see here) beginneth judgement.  
Secondly, learn how faithfully john executed and performed his ministry, which stood in two parts, as was foretold by Malachy, chap. 4. to preach mercy and judgement, both which he performed in this one sermon. Hear the jesuits take occasion to say, that we should dehort men from evil for fear of hell, and exhort them to do well in hope of heaven. We say with Paul, who is our pattern and forerunner, that we have weapons for all those that shall despair after the obedience of God's Saints fulfilled, but we preach not only to work well in hope of heaven, for as we are servants we deserve nothing, but as children we are received to an inheritance bought for us before we were: so we strive not that men should keep themselves from sin only for fear of hell; for the Lord will never account of such a soul as will do nothing but for fear of the whip, for he loveth a free giver, and hateth constrained subjection: and it is not the horror of damnation but the commemoration of the Lords mercy showed toward us in giving his own Son to so ignominious a death, to ransom us from that curse we had incurred. This is that contains us within the bounds of obedience: for if the heart blood of the Lord jesus will not make thy heart to relent, and thy hands to tremble to put them forth to wickedness, than art thou in a desperate case. Shall the fear of the gibber, or the ghastly show of death, make one that was a traitor, and now pardoned and advanced unto high place by the mere mercy of his Sovereign, shall this make him afraid to commit treason again, and nothing else? nay the grace of his Prince shall rest always before his eyes, and shall most forcibly persuade him to persevere in his loyalty. For this is the most effectual of all others, to move us in the bowels of the mercies of Christ, to keep ourselves clean and washed, because we are already purified in his blood, and not for fear of falling into the pit again.  
Thirdly note, that if any man will escape and avoid damnation, he must of necessity live well, for he must be a tree bringing forth good fruit. Where first consider what is good fruit, which is implied in the text; it cannot be good except the tree be good: as Christ saith, If the casting out of a devil be a good work, why am not I a good man? 
Matt. 12.28. joh. 7.21.  So as first the person must be accepted before the work be accepted, and no person can please without faith that purifieth the heart, and there is no such heart where religion dependeth not upon the true worship of the law of God; and by consequent there is no good faith where the heart is not cleansed by the spirit of God. Since then a man must first be good before he can do good, it is impossible that any man erroneous in religion should produce a good work. external righteousness and the moral virtues of the Papists is a vizard that blears many men's eyes, and we say that they are honest; as well may we say it of them that hanged up the Lord jesus, thinking he had spoken blasphemy, because being but a poor wretch to see to, he challenged himself to be the Son of God, and in this doing they thought they had done God an excellent piece of service. And for Paul before his conversion who could except against his life? nay as he testifieth of himself, 
Philip. 3. ●.  he walked according to all the ordinances the law prescribed; yet after he was called, he accounted all his moral righteousness but as the excrement of a dog. And if religion do not distinguish between men, the heathen shall condemn both us and them, who by the mere instinct of nature lived in the hatred of gross sins, and walked soberly without exception, and yet are they already damned. For first, we must be good by grace, and being adopted into Christ than we do good: and of all the trees of the forest (as Ezec. 15.3.) there is none but is better than the vine if it bear not grapes, for the oak is good for timber, and every tree may serve for some good use, but the farments of the vine if it be not clustered is fit for nothing but for the fire. The Papists are good as oaks to build monasteries and to set up houses and places of religion; but an unfaithful and unfruitful Protestant and Professor is good for nothing, (being but a rotten bough or branch of a fruitless and barren vine) but to be burned. So that to judge a work to be good, it must be good both quo ad fontem & quo ad finem, proceeding from an honest heart, and driving to a right end, the glory of God, to whom I own honour. Further, to come to the true knowledge of good fruit, let us know what bad fruit is, which is double, first, sins in substance, such as are contrary to the express commandment of God, as adultery is absolutely a sin in David as well as in any other: secondly, sins by circumstance, as giving of alms, 
Matt. 23.5.  only when the trumpet sounds, to be seen of men; or to come into the sanctuary with a purpose to pray, and presently to return to his vomit again: for the Lord abhorreth what himself commandeth (Esay 66.) if it be not do●● with that heart he commandeth. The sacrifice of a sheep is 〈◊〉 his sight as the blood of a man, not that he hateth the action, but the hypocrisy in the action which staineth the whole: a Hagg. 2.13. if an unclean person touch the holy flesh, the flesh itself is unclean; but holy flesh maketh not other flesh holy which was not so before.  
Further observe, where it is said, Every tree that bringeth 〈◊〉 forth good fruit shall be hewn down: that it is not enough not to do evil, but it is damnable not to do good; for he doth not say, the tree that brings forth no fruit, but that brings not forth good fruit. For it is not enough for Zacheus (Luk. 19) after his conversion to be no poller or robber of the poor, but his conscience cannot be assured of his pardon before he hath satisfied the poor for that he had got amiss: secondly, he must bring forth another fruit of repentance, not only to restore, but to give liberally, and to be compassionate toward the afflicted Saints; not by this to satisfy the Lord, but to assure his own soul that the Lord is satisfied in the death of Christ. And it is not said, Come ye blessed, because ye have not persecuted the truth, 
Matt. 15.34.  nor scorned the professors thereof; for not the 〈◊〉 they have not done, but the good they have done, as relieving the poor, visiting the sick, and such like, shall come to judgement. And for the damned, it is not said to them, Go and departed, for ye have put to death, & by all unjust ways vexed and abused my children; for these are so gross as their own souls cry out against them: but the form of the sentence is, Ye have despised me, and would not be of my livery, but disdamed to be found in the company of professors: for cursed be Meroz, judg. 5.23. that helped not in the day of battle, not that ever she sought against the Lord's cause, or once drew weapon against Christ, but because she came not forth armed to assist the Lords cause. So this must be the fruit of Peter's repentance, not only not to deny his master any more, but (Math. 26.35.) to stand to him to the death: neither is it enough for persecutors of the Gospel to leave off to persecute, but they must with Paul learn to be persecuted for the Gospel: and so for parents to take heed to their children not to be garish in their youth, lest by this their hearts may be adjudged to be proud in their age.  
Now if that tree be near unto burning that brings not forth good fruit, what shall we say of those trees that from the root of a filthy and fleshly heart bring forth unsavoury and stinking fruit? If Dives be damned Luk. 16.22. that gave not bread and refreshing to Lazarus, what shall become of them that take away bread, and do grind the faces of the poor? If he were bound hand and foot (Mat. 18.33.) that prosecuted his right so extremely against his fellow servant, whither shall they be cast that labour the unjust vexation of men, pretending title to that coat they never bought? If Obadiah shall hardly answer it, 1. Kin. 18.4. before God that hide the Prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water, because he durst not profess his religious heart openly, being in the time of jezabel a Queen and a quean; how shall they be able to excuse themselves which in the time of this gracious and good hearted Prince libel against them by false suggestions, and labour the utter undoing of them, themselves professing nothing for fear of succession? And if they that did but build, and plant, and mary, and give in marriage, all which in themselves were lawful, were swept and carried away (Gen. 7.) with the universal flood, whither shall the tempest of the Lords fury carry them that blaspheme against his name, snarl against his messengers, and like swine do wallow in their own filthiness, all which are simply abominable in themselves? If the Pharisees that were careful to hear john with some good mind, were so sharply reproved as to be termed vipers, what title may be given to them that refuse altogether to come? If they that hear not the voice of Christ be not his sheep, 
john 10.3. Mat. 7.6.  what be they that turn against him to rend him? Or that come to the Temple to no other end then to entrap him? If of three sorts of seeds and hearers, whereof the one takes the seed, the second receives it with some good heart, 
Mark. 4.4.  the third cherisheth it so well as it grow to a blade, and yet all of them be damned: where shall they rest that never vouchsafed with any religious ears to hear the message of salvation brought them? If many be shut out that preached the Gospel, and many that strive to enter in shall not, what place shall be prepared for them that think themselves too fine to bind up the wounds of the broken hearted, and that have every step since their first birth directly sailed toward hell, disanowing all means whereby they might be reduced to the right way? If the figtree was accursed because it had no fruit, though (Mark 11.13.) it was full of leaves, what curse shall light upon those trees that are full of poisoned and corrupt fruit▪ Note also Saint john saith every tree, not excepting any, but what ever he be, jew or Gentile, from the Prince to the basest of the people, they must be fruitful: for being all equally corrupted, we ought all equally to be cleansed, and the Prince's soul needs as much washing as the subjects.  
Again, observe a consequence of great comfort, that every tree that brings forth good fruit must needs be saved, and this is a wonderful consolation to all God's children; for all that are in Christ, Rom. 8.1. are out of condemnation, and he hath Christ that hath his spirit; he hath his spirit that striveth against his corruptions, he doth this that crucifieth his flesh, and he crucifieth his flesh that ceaseth from sin, and he doth this, that amendeth his life and repenteth.  
Lastly, learn hence that the tree and the fruit must go together; for though faith alone doth justify, yet faith that is alone doth never justify, but is dead without works: like that charity james 2.16. which only bids a man warm him, but doth not give him wherewithal to refresh him. The eye alone of all the parts of the body doth see, but the eye that is alone separate from the body doth not see; so the feet alone do carry the body, but if they be cut off and severed from the body they do not stir. True it is, no tree shall escape the cutting unless it be good, but none shall therefore escape it because it is good: for none shall be saved without mortification, but none for their mortification shall be saved: therefore let us beware lest we disjoin that in our lives which is always conjoined in doctrine, the faith of Paul and the works of james.   
MATH. chap. 3. vers. 11. 
verse 11 Indeed I baptise you with water to amendment of life, but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear, he will baptise you with the holy Ghost and with fire.  
NOW because among the multitude, as more plainly appeareth Luke 3.15. they strongly held and esteemed john to be Christ and the Messias that should come, he knowing this by revelation, or otherwise by the speech of some particular person among them, laboureth to resolve them, and to pluck up this opinion by the shoes, making protestation, that there was great disparagement and inequality between him and Christ, his baptism and Christ's, his person being but the harbinger, and the person of Christ, whose coming he proclaimed; yea so great, as he was not worthy to do him the basest service, so much as to pull off his shoes, this being a prover be taken from those countries, where travellers going in the heat all day, did accustom at their journeys end to have a servant attendant, to pluck off their shoes and to wash their feet.  
In the speech there are two parts to be observed: first, the abasing of himself and his office: secondly, the magnifying of the ministry of the Messias.  
Here first note, that john doth not compare the baptism he administered, with that the Apostles should afterward minister, nor his outward sign of water with theirs, as being any difference between them; but he compareth his own person with the person of Christ, and that which he worketh visibly with water, with that which Christ worketh supernaturally cleansing the conscience. They therefore are deceived, that think 〈◊〉 baptism less effectual than this of ours drawn from the 〈◊〉 postles, for in the substance there is no difference, but only the manifestation and perspicuity of it, that as john was pla●● then the Prophets, so were the Apostles and after Minister more plain than he: which was signified by that speech a Christ, 
Mat. 11.11.  He that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than john Baptist: this being meant of their ministries; for the Sun is the same both in the morning in his weakness, and at noo●● day in his strength: and there is the same human nature is a child as in a man, and no other baptism in substance now then this of john's, being both instituted by the same Lord. But the jesuits challenge the Caluinists for making john's baptism comparable with the Apostles; for johns (say they) did not remit sins, but he only baptised them unto amendment of life. We answer, first, in neither of their baptisms there is any remission of sins, this only being in the power of Christ the institutor: as in circumcision, the cutting of the flesh in itself a●●led: nothing; but the effieacy was in sealing to the conscience the belief in the Messias to come, for many had outwardly that sign whom the Lord abhorred: and if that did but secure the soul upon an inward belief, much more is baptism now but a seal of righteousness unto us. Again, if their baptism under the cloud was the same with john's, so was that of the Apostles: and could any of them give any more than the external ministery? But john (say they) baptised only to amendment of life. We answer, as it is Mark 4. john baptised to repentance and remission of sins; and can there be any repentance without remission? No: for being promised both together, they are received of the person both together. Again, if this baptism of ours and that of john's be not the same in substance, than did not Christ sanctify our baptism in his flesh; which is false: for man can give but the outward element, and Christ alone doth purge the soul.  
Secondly, learn what power there is in the outward ministery of men, and in the outward seals: for howsoever the Scripture doth magnify outward means, and the men as instruments; as that Paul is said to save souls, and to have begot Onesimus in the faith, Philemon, 
2. Cor. 3.6.  chap. 1. and our ministery is called the ministery of the spirit: yet when the scripture will show what either the men or the means separately and apart can do in their own nature, and that all is the work of God only, then either the means are not at all mentioned, or else they are wonderfully debased: as, Paul can but plant, Apollo can but water, but it is God that giveth the increase. Hear Paul is nothing, 
1. Cor. 3.6.  for the blessing is only from the Lord, the internal being opposed to the external: for whensoever these be either opposed by comparing, or compared by opposing, than all is in God; for God dealeth otherwise in disposing of things that nourish to eternal life, then of those that help to the conservation of this present life. As there is some power and as it were an inherent virtue in bread to nourish in it own nature, and there is power of generation in man to beget; but to awake the conscience and to cleanse the heart, there is no power that remains in the Minister's person, or in the seals of Baptism and the Lords Supper: the Minister separately he speaks, and it is but a perishable breath, as the voice of another man, though they be the words of God: 
Act. 16.14.  for otherwise, why should lydia's heart be opened more than any of the rest of the hearers? there was the same voice of man sounding into the same ears of men by nature, And in Baptism for himself the Minister can do nothing but powreon water, and the water is but natural, which can but wet the body, and there is no power appropriate to it that of itself it is able to convey any security to the conscience. But do not the words of institution work something, and be they not operatorious to work some change? As the words be pronounced with the organ and instrument of the mouth, it cannot make the bread to alter the substance; but the words have this power to declare what the Lord will work, first for ourselves that we must break bread; for the people that they must eat it: This is my body, showing what the Lord will do, that we must not be amazed in beholding the signs, but lift up our eyes unto the Lord that giveth Christ's blood to the heart of every believer: for there is no flesh in the bread, nor under the bread, nor with the bread. These therefore have no power to coney any grace to the soul, for if they had, than were all regenerate that receive them: and sometime regeneration precedes and goeth before baptism, as in Cornelius, Acts 10. sometime it followeth baptism, as in children. And again if there were any power in water of itself, or by the words of institution, then after the sacrament the water should ever remain sanctified, which we see contrary, for it doth putrefy like common water. And no more doth the Sacrament depend upon the intention of the giver and consecratour, than it doth upon the intention of the receiver: for it was as true a sacrament and as effectually offered to Simon Magus and to judas as to the other of the Disciples: for the same Sun shneth to all, though some do shut their eyes.  
Further, observe and beware that we do not make duos totos baptismos, two whole baptisms, one of john's another of Christ's, but only of one whole baptism two parts, as of one whole man we make two parts, body and soul: one is as in the law, a circumcision with the hand cutting the flesh, the other cleansing the conscience by faith in Christ. Neither do we make them two th● God separates, for it is the same word of life in itself, but not to them that eat it not: to the elect it is effectually conveyed; to the reprobate it is truly offered by God, but separate by their unbelief. Therefore let us consider the analogy and natural relation in baptism: the external thing is water, such as is common: the thing inward is the very blood of Christ answered by the sign. The application of water to the cleansing of the body, is answered by the applying of the holy Ghost: the effect of water is to purify from filth, so is it of the blood of Christ to purge from sin: and this two ways, by killing and renewing, by nortifying and quickening: by the dipping in the water is represented the death of Christ, and his resurrection signified by pulling out of the water, that as we are buried with him in Baptism, so we shall rise with him by his spirit.  
Why, but hath john no power but to put on water? every man may do so: and how is it then that (2. Cor. 3.6.) Paul saith, God hath made us ministers of the spirit and not of the letter; for there he compareth the Law to the Gospel, Moses to the Apostles? Moses gave unto the people the two tables, which was only a commandment external, for he could not change his own heart, nor apply his own soul to the performance of the law; but it was only as if a man should write to a blind man to bid him read, or to a deaf man to bid him hear. And can Paul do any more to convert the Corinth's? No: but this is the difference; the preaching of the Gospel which is the ministry of the spirit, doth not only require faith, but giveth faith to be saved: for of itself it is as easy to keep the law as to believe. Why, but Paul saith to Timothy, 1. Tim. 4.6. Attend on the work of preaching to save thyself and others: and Paul of himself saith, I begat you: and Mal. 4.6. it was prophesied of this john, that he should convert the hearts of men. This is most true when the external and internal do join and jump together and when they are not compared by opposition, but are comprehensively taken together, than we can bind and loose sins: and as Leuit. 16.16. than the Priest shall make thy soul clean. But as it was said that there was in paradise (Genes. 3.22.) the tree of life, not that it had any life in it, but that they that should eat of it should live for ever; and so of the tree of knowledge, which was so called by the effect it wrought, making us to know what good we lost, and what nakedness we fell into: so it is said, that we forgive sins, john 20.23. because the word of reconciliation is put into our mouths, not that we do it by any absolute authority, but necessarily, because our commission extendeth to it by God. And so all moral matters under the law were but a mere pageant, saving that they sealed to them the inward, which was the blood of Christ: and where such efficacy was given to the sacrifices, there the inward thing was attributed to the outward, so as we must still hold that all power and sufficiency is of God, 2. Cor. 3.5.  
Further observe, that john of necessity must give water, or else Christ can give no blood; and except there be planting and watering nothing can grow. So as we must learn to submit ourselves to the ministry, else can we not ordinarily expect for any grace at God's hands, for he gives but increase and blessing to his workmen's labour, and though the voice of the Preacher be but a vanishing voice, wanting power to affect the conscience, and virtue to illuminate the eyes, for the voice cannot pierce the soul, yet we must humble ourselves to john's ministry: for by this voice doth the Lord give life, and as he cannot hope for fruit that never sowed, nor expect for wine that never planted, no more can he look for life that never heard, for faith cometh by hearing, Rom. 10.17. and without faith there is no salvation. So as unless we do embrace this ordinance of God, to follow them whom he hath made his arms to reach forth unto us the bread of life we can never believe; and except we desire to be sealed with the great seal of heaven committed unto them, we shall never be saved: for as it is said Gen. 17.14. every soul contemptuously refusing circumcision shall be cut off: and he that despiseth the bread, doth betray and crucify the Lord jesus as the jews did, that bade away with him. john must be regarded because he puts on water, for who is not glad to receive his pardon by the person of any? and why should their feet be contemptible that bring us such news from the mouth of God? And if we dare not in pain of damnation but think reverently of the seals, that is, of water and bread in the Sacraments, how much more must we reverence the doctrine, that is of far greater majesty? for the Sacraments are but blanks without the word.  
Further consider here in john's baptizing to amendment of life: that as all Sacraments are covenants, and in covenants there is alway something agreed on between both parties: so in Baptism God promiseth to receive, Christ to redeem, the holy Ghost to sanctify: and on the other side, we promise to believe this, and to repent us of our transgressions. For as Baptism sealeth unto us remission of sin, so also doth it seal as it were from us amendment of life: and to whom soever the Lord sealeth this assurance that he will save him, to him also he sealeth regeneration and newness of life. And as Paul saith, Rom. 2.26. if uncircumcision believe well, it shall be saved rather than circumcision: that is, if the outward sign be separated from the inward, and not accompanied with cleanness of heart, and obedience to the commandment, he that wants the outward seal, and yet is circumcised in heart, is more to be accounted of then the other. Therefore let us look and take heed we perform the vow we made before God and his Angels in our baptism, namely, as to believe the promises, so to repent and reform our lives: for he that will assure himself of the benefit of Baptism, must see what power he hath to subdue his corruptions.  
He will baptise you with the holy Ghost and with fire.  
That is, by the holy Ghost Christ will seal the pardon of their sins, who hath the same power that fire hath, as first, to burn up all trash and stubble: secondly, to purify things that are to be purged: thirdly, to give light in darkness: four, to quicken things that are benumbed and stiff with cold. So as let us examine ourselves whether we have felt these effects of this spirit: for if he filthiness and fr●●●dnesse of our nature be burnt up and consumed: if our hearts be swept and cleansed from vile and lose affections: if our understandings be illuminated and lightened with the lamp of the Gospel: if we be inflamed and set on fire with the zeal of God's glory, and well hearted toward his children, then may we hope to have been baptised truly: for the holy Ghost worketh these things in believers. But he that is drossy or lukewarm 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 baptised with the holy Ghost. In joh. 3.5. this spirit is compared to water cleansing the soul inwardly, which hath three properties: first, to wash away filthiness: secondly, to moisten that which is dry, and to quench thirst, and allay the scorching heat: thirdly, to fructify: as Psalm. 1. willows are said to be fruitful planted by the water side: even so the holy Ghost doth purify and wash the soul, refresheth the conscience scorched with the fear of God's vengeance, and giveth power to make our dry and barren hearts to prosper in every good work.   
MATH. chap. 3. vers. 12. 
verse 12 Which hath his fan in his hand, and will make clean his floor, and gather his wheat into his garner, but will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.  
BEcause it falleth out in great auditories and assemblies, that there be many wilful and perverse persons, which do not esteem of the Lords rich bounty, but do scorn and tread under foot t●● mercy offered: john Baptis● doth here denounce peremptory vengeance and intolerable torment against all ●●ose that shall not submit themselves to the ministry of the Messias, and that they which will not be baptised with the fire of the holy Ghost and of Christ, that is, with his blood and with his spirit, shall be baptised with the fire of hell.  
The words do contain an Allegory or continued borrowed speech, which may be thus resolved. First, by the Fan understand the ministery of the Gospel, which should begin at the preaching of jesus, and should winnow the people to make a separation between the bastardly brood of Abraham, and the true Nathaniels, joh. 1. chap. 47. Israelites in whom is no guile, between them that had only the mark of circumcision in the flesh, and them whose hearts and vile affections were inwardly circumcised. By that it is said, In his hand, is meant, that it is presently to be manifested. By floor, understand all places where a Church may be gathered, or more specially for a visible Church already gathered, john addressing his speech here to the jews, which were at this time the Church of God. By wheat, is meant all that should believe, either jews or Gentiles. By the Garner, is meant the kingdom of heaven. By chaff, is meant hypocrites and unbelievers, mis-livers, or the children of perdition, that refuse to be fanned by the Lord's voice. By cleansing, is meant that separation the Gospel should make between the apostate jew, and the believing Iew. By unquenchable fire, is meant the torment of hell provided for unbelievers.  
Out of this first generally observe, that where the Gospel comes and is preached with power, and with a good conscience, and not huckstered nor merchandized as men do their wares: but that they so labour as not to be ashamed of that they do, preaching their doctrine not to the ear, but to the door of the conscience, that there it makes a manifest difference between 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 Abraham's seed, yet saith john, afterward shall come the venting of the Gospel, which with the powerful blast thereof, shall scatter the hypocrites, and make known the faithfulness of them that with honest hearts embrace and cherish it. After this manner is the word in the Epistle to the Hebrews, 
Heb. 4.12.  compared to a sword with two edges, that cutteth two ways, either to conversion if it be believed, or to confusion if it be despised. Hereupon it is, that Simeon did prophesy to Mary (Luk. 2.34.) to prevent any conceit might rise in her mind of her dignity and glory, being the mother of the eternal Lord, hereby thinking that all the world should applaud her for her Son, telling her, that this child should be set up for the rising and ruin of many; a mark that every man should shoot at, and by his coming should the hearts of many be discovered: For the sound of his mouth (Heb. 4.12.) divides between the joints and the sinews, 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 be all one, shall when the fan comes differ: then the poison that before lurked, shall be laid forth, and the hidden gall shall be displayed. Hereupon also the word is compared to fire, which hath a double effect, to waste stubble and dross, and to purify that is refinable, as silver and gold. For the Gospel hath this virtue, to inflame some men's hearts with a zealous love of God and his glory: setting others on fire to persecute it, to quench and to impugn it. This effect had it in john's 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 plainly, that he was a devil, all before being as they thought well circumcised and the children of Abraham. So when Christ spoke in his own person, the chaff flew away, and then was easily known who was an hypocrite, he coming to some place where they had rather have their hogs (Mark. 5.17.) than their souls saved; 
Luk. 4.29.  and to others where they brought him to the side of a hill of purpose to have thrown him down: and to jairus house, where some (Mark. 5.40.) laugh him to scorn for his speech. This fan by Christ was committed to his Apostles, that they likewise should make a separation where they came. Paul Preaching at Antioch, the jews railed against him, when the Gentiles desired him to preach the same sermon the next Sabbath. And by the power of this Fan (Act. 22.23.) the jews cast up dust in the air, and cry, that Paul is unworthy to live. And Act. 23.12. certain do bind themselves by oath not to eat nor drink till they had killed him: when as others in judaea did submit themselves and became the true disciples of Christ. Yea (Luk. 12.53.) it appeareth that there is no bond so straight nor so well knit, but religion will violate, and cause the father with the son, the mother with the daughter, to impugn the Gospel with hostility: not that it is the property of the Gospel to breed dissension, but it is the malice of Satan to enrage men's hearts, that they should not receive it, that his barns might be full. And then must Ahab (1. King. 21.19.) yield to Eliah, and not Eliah to Ahab. There is execrable cruelty committed on the infants of Bethlem: who is the cause of it? not Christ, but Herod; and Christ may not give place to Herod, though it cost never so much blood.  
Secondly, observe where it is said, he will make his floor clean, that all that refuse the Gospel, whatsoever they pretend, they are but chaff. For the Pharisees here which had the chiefest places in the Church, they pretend to have the Oracles and the temple, to be descended from the patriarchs, and to live after the law of Moses,: yet they are but chaff which fill the floor, being only puffed up with pride, and having no sound grain in them: for when Christ is offered they persecute him, and cry: Hang him, as an enemy to the law of Moses, 
Mat. 27.22.  so as their intention was good, yet was that no excuse: for than they that persecuted the Prophets, and crucified the Lord of glory should be blameless; for they had a zeal, but not according to knowledge. Now if they that stand only in defence of that God himself ordained, and like not that any of that should be abrogated by the Gospel, are but chaff, what shall they be that seek to maintain their own traditions against both law and Gospel, and stand in defence of many corruptions in the Church of God, and yet persuade the Prince that all is well, what can they be but chaff of the worst sort?  
And will purge his floor, etc.  
Here may be demanded, what the cause is, why there is so much chaff in our Church, and so little good grain: for it is strange to see with what belli-gods it is stuffed, how disguised men be in pride, and how excessive in usury: which be not as S. Peter calleth them spots, 
2. Pet. 2.13.  but as the biles and ulcers of Egypt: yea so much biting gain reigneth among us, as hath made no more friendship between man and man, then between Cain and Abel: such whoredom as the Sun cannot hide it, nor the earth bear it, but doth cry for vengeance, and their children baptised that are worse than Sodomites, which (as Saint Jude saith) be now in hell. To this we answer, that the cause is, first, the want of fanning in many places of the land, the people having only a man set over them, that can give no one word to separate, but only read bare Service and stinted prayer, which can make no manifest separation, but of open recusants: so as the people may well be quiet, because the word never blows among them; and till the wind come, the chaff and the wheat are mixed together: for can the wild ass bray if he hath grass? or the ox low if he hath fodder? or an hypocrite show himself till his heart be discovered, 
job 6.5.  and his vizard taken off? All the plagues of Egypt which made Pharaohs heart to relent somewhat, and yet in the end so hardened it as he utterly contemned the Lords hand, are not like to this fan of the word, which searcheth every part of a man, and bloweth him away, unless he be substantially rooted in religion. A second cause of this is, that where there is fanning, yet it hath no power, they huckstering and tempering of it for their own fame and for Balac●s offer of preferment, and not preaching to the conscience the crucified word of the Lord: they preach of contention to add affliction to others, and not in sincerity and meekness to bring consolation to others: and also when they speak it is but verbal, for their lives do really confute the words of their mouth. A third cause why there is such a mixture in this floor, is, because although it be truly preached, yet men may do what they list, and the majesty of the word is not hedged in with discipline: for if men live wickedly, unless the law of man take them by the heel and restrain them, the word of God cannot determine: so as except there be some special good inclination in some few, for the multitude preaching doth no good. For he must be a good scholar that will learn without discipling, & he a sound christian that will refrain from sin by bare preaching. The Word indeed is the special farm for this floor, but then is it most powerful, if it have discipline to strengthen it, and authority to countenance it. What? do you mean the floor must be purged in this life, and that there must be nothing but wheat in the Church of God? Why this cannot be till that great day of separation, when every thing shall be put in his peculiar place: To this we answer, that there is a double purging, the one in this life, the other after this life; the one particular, the other universal. That purging that may and aught to be, is, first the separating of all such as do not offer themselves. Secondly, of them that offer themselves, but are unworthy; as if a man can make no conscience to profit by the word, or can render no found account of his faith, when he hath been long taught, but like an idle and slothful professor, is still to be trained up in the rudiments of religion, it is no reason to let him be in this floor without feeling some smart for his negligence: neither is it fit to give the holy things of the Lords Supper unto him, for he deserves not the crumbs that fall from his table. If a man be obstinate and will not promise reformation, his child ought not to be received to Baptism, unless he confess his sin, or give witness to the Church by others which must do it: and then they ought to take the child from his father, and not to return him to his parents again, where his education shall be corrupt. For others that do profess, if after they break out into any enormous sin, such chaff must be separate: for no unclean liver must be in the Church, but either he must submit himself, and then he is none such; or he must be cut off, if he continue senseless in his sin: for it is the house of God which harboureth none but such as hear his voice. And such as these ought not to be admitted to the Sacrament, though they present and offer themselves never so much: for he that permits them sinneth three ways, first, in respect of Gods, giving the bread of children unto dogs, and making the house of God as a common Inn, where he may buy any thing for money: but he must do as jehoiada the Priest did, 2. Chron. 23.19. not suffer any unclean man to enter, or to set his foot within the Temple. Secondly, as he must not do it in respect of God and his own conscience, so neither in respect of the party himself: for seeing himself debarred and disfranchised from the city of God, he would be ashamed, and this his abdication would bring him to humility, 
1. Cor. 5.2. 2. Thess. 3.14.  whereby his soul might be saved: and he would stand abashed, that he that should be a Christian should be separate from Christians, and thrust out of the Church, out of which there is no salvation: whereas now seeing that his sin doth not separate him from the communion of the Saints, it brings him a sleep in it, and hardly he comes to repentance. Thirdly, he sinneth against the Church in admitting such a one, for who would suffer a leprous man to lie with a child? and this animateth and emboldeneth others to sin by the sight of his impunity, and many are infected by the scab of such a one. Did God in the law abhor lepers, and must no man that touched a dead carcase partake of the Passeover a month after? and shall not whoredom and such like uncleanness, be a cause to bar men from the Supper of the Lord? Paul said plainly, (1. Cor. 5.7.) Purge out the old leaven, speaking of him that had committed incest, comparing the Paschall lamb to the Gospel; the seven days wherein it was eaten, to the whole course of our lives: the house where it was eaten, to the Church; the lump, to the multitude; the leaven, to maliciousness and filthiness; the unleavened, to the children of God: so as they must separate all that are leavened in malice or wickedness, that not only every peculiar man may be blameless, but all the Church may be clean coming to so holy a place. For since we are all partakers of that immaculate Lamb that is slain Christ jesus, we must cast both out of ourselves, and out of our houses and congregations all impurity. Wherefore let not thy hand be in sacrilege to permit such a one: it is in thy power to give, and answer the church at thy peril thou must: (whatsoever the law of the Magistrate is) for no man may command thee to sin, but according to the rule given to Timothy, speaking of unable men to go before the people in life and doctrine, 1. Tim. 5.22. Lay not thou (saith Paul) thy hands on him.  
It will be said, this was an easy matter in the Apostles time, when they had the keys of the Church, and the power in their hands, to cut off the incestuous person, and when the Gospel was but newly entered, and but stepped as it were within the threshold: but now men are not so easily corrigible as they were then, being now more grown and sturdy in sin then before. We answer, that if the censures of the church were so duly executed when there was no Christian magistrate to countenance and protect them, much more might they be so now when they might have the sword also to assist them. And if they had fewer offences when they had less means to purge them, for they could but separate from the congregation only, and then if they would they might have returned again to the infidels, far greater beauty might be looked for now, if the governors of the church had not some great mist before them. And if the churches of judaea and Galilee (as we may see Acts 2. & 3.) did multiply exceedingly, having the magistrate not against them, though not with them; much more might they flourish now, having the Christian law of the Magistrate binding their bodies whose consciences should be bound by the censures of the Church. But is it no true Church where this exact cleansing is not? And is it not the table of the Lord because some strangers besides children are received? and is the whole lump infected by a little leaven? God forbidden: only we say the leaven ought to be separate, and the incestuous man ought to be cast out; for they tha● eat the Passeover must have none come to it that hath eaten leaven: and if we ought not to eat with him, that is, have no familiatity with him, much less ought he to be admitted by the Minister; but if he be, yet to thy conscience that art a worthy receiver it is a sacrament. If Saul be in the Tabernacle, I little doubt but David will with all his heart wish to pray with him. And was Zacharie any whit polluted by praying and scrificing with the filthy pharisees: or anna's prayers less available, because many swine entered into the Temple? The church (saith Paul) hath no such custom to be contentious, 1. Cor. 11.16. but if it be, yet it remains a Church still. And to resolve this point, to whom spoke john in this place but to the Church of God, for as yet there was no separation of the wheat from the chaff, but afterward they proved sworn enemies to Christ, and it was Moses chair though they sat in it, and the people were commanded to hear them. Was not the church of juda the floor of the Lord, though the pharisees taught false and corrupt doctrine, that God's name was not taken in vain unless men were openly forsworn, 
Mat. 5.33.  and though the high Priests were advanced by simony? Christ himself saith it was, and laboureth only to remove these errors, and to reduce every thing to the purity of his Father's institution. But now with us since this long venting of the word of God hath been with so little profit, and that the pharisees stand so close about the Prince's mouth, as that she can hardly breathe in the wholesome air of the truth, what hope is there of a better separation but the fan of fiery trial, that if wind will not do it, persecution may do it: for the dross that cannot be scattered by blasts, must be consumed with burning.  
Now when the floor is clean and swept within the Church, then is there another cleansing out of the Church, which is either particular or universal: particular, when good or bad men die, and such as they die such they shall continue, for the tree that is fallen there it lieth. Universal at the last day, when all things shall be complete and perfect; when not only the chaff shall be blown away, but even the tars, that is, secret hypocrites shallbe cut up by the Angels; for open offenders should be cut off here by the word and discipline.  
Further, in that it is said, Some shall be gathered into the Lord's garner: observe, that it is a most detestable opinion, to think that all shall be saved, and that damnation is preached but for fashion to contain men in some obedience. For let the scripture be burnt if this be true, and let Belzebub be saved if all shall be saved, and let judas come forth of hell if none shall go thither. Nay our own consciences do adjourn and summon us to think of a general judgement, and judas own heart condemning him caused him to hang himself, Mat. 27.5. The Lord's house must be fully furnished, and in all such houses (as S. Paul speaketh) there must be vessels of honour and dishonour, 
2. Tim. 2.20.  some prepared to glory, some to destruction: for in that he is willing to show his wrath, Rom. 9.23. appeareth that it is his will some should be damned. 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 justice; and what greater or better justice can there be, then to be glorified in the condemnation of some that have deserved it? and he must be no more unwillingly just then unwillingly merciful.  
Further learn, that even in this life the godly are gathered to heaven: and so of the wicked, that though they live yet they are in hell. So S. john saith, he that believeth is already passed to life: 
john 5.24.  and Heb. 12.22. we are gathered already to the patriarchs and to the souls of just and perfect men through hope, and we are as sure to have that we hope for, as we are of this we have already, namely the pledge of God's spirit: and Ephes. 2. us he hath gathered to the celestical places under hope, speaking as if it were already done, though the real gathering shallbe at the latter day. On the other side, of the wicked it is said by the same spirit, He that believeth not is already damned: the words are fearful, but it is so set down to express the certainty of it: not but that he that is not beloved (Ose. 2.23.) may be beloved: and he that is not under mercy (1. Pet. 2.10.) may obtain mercy. But look in what state a man is in the Church, in the same shall he be after this life: for whatsoever is bound on earth, is bound in heaven, and they that be not bound here being privy hypocrites, are notwithstanding bound in heaven, and shall be so in hell also.  
For the last, which is unquenchable fire; thereby is meant the condemnation prepared for the reprobate, not that we must imagine there is any natural fire there: for first this fire can not pierce the souls of men nor the spirits of devils, and the pain must extend both to soul and body. Secondly, it is no more natural fire than it is a bodily worm spoken of in the Gospel, 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 think there is any wood there; and a river of brimstone burning by the breath of the Lord, which is not to be intended of material brimstone, but it is set out by such terms to express the unspeakable torment of it, not to be comprehended, much less to be endured; for the torment of fire and brimstone, even to flesh and blood are strange and terrible, therefore these speeches are used to convey to our understanding what we could not before conceive. So it is said in the Gospel, that they shall be bound hand and foot, not that there be any bonds or chains there; 
Mat. 22.13.  but the meaning only is, that they are the prisoners of the Lord for ever, never to be released, but to be restrained from all liberty, whereby they might in any sort be eased. Again, hell fire is called Gehenna or Topheth, which was a little place where the Israelites did sacrifice their children in fire to the Devils; this being taken for the torment of the reprobate.  
Now this torment is expressed two ways: first, in the extremity of it: secondly, in the permanency of it. The first two ways. First, by that they shall feel both in soul 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 chains in everlasting darkness. The greatness of this torment is expressed two ways: first it shall be universal, in all parts; and it is most fearful in this life, to be pained in every part of the body at one time. Secondly, the particular torment th● every one in hell shall feel, as that Princes shall be tormented like Princes, every one according to the sins that he wrought in his body, 
Mat. 10.15.  as it is said in the Gospel, It shall be easier for Sodom 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 have so much as a drop of water to cool their toongues, but they shall continually be blaspheming of God, for the which they shall continually be tormented. And though this shall be great and grievous, such as they cannot yet they must abide, yet shall it be a far greater hell unto them, to think they have lost heaven, seeing Gods children to rejoice that their persecutors be now plagued, and that God is so avenged of them for their sakes For the second, which is the endlessness of this torment, it is a fire that shall never go out, nor the flames whereof can never be●bated. If there were but as many years to endure it as there be grass piles on earth or stars in heaven, the conscience might somewhat through hope be eased, because at length it should cease; but the end thereof cannot be imagined, and this word never is fearful. Let this therefore teach us rightly to embrace the Gospel, that we may be wheat in this earthly floor of the Lord, to the end we may be gathered into his heavenly garner.   
MATH. Chap. 3. vers. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. 
verse 13 Then came jesus from Galilee to jordan unto john to he baptised of him.  
verse 14 But john earnestly put him back, saying: I have need to be baptised of thee, and comest thou to me?  
verse 15 Then jesus answering, said to him: Let be now, for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness: so he suffered him.  
verse 16 And jesus when he was baptised, came strait out of the water, and lo, the heavens were opened unto him: and john saw the Spirit of God descending like a Dive and lighting on him.  
verse 17 And lo, a voice came from heaven, saying, This is my beloloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.  
NOW the Evangelist proceedeth to show now john exercised part of his Ministry even toward the Messias himself, and setteth down how after Christ had lived long in Nazareth containing himself in joseph's house, till his heavenly father should consecrate him and call him forth to the great work of the Ministry and of majesty, he being now of thirty years of age cometh to john, and requireth to be baptised, in as much as he appearing in the flesh of man was to join himself to them that confessed their sins. john by revelation perceiving that he was the Lord, for they never met before, (this being in wise doom provided of the Lord, lest it might have seemed a compact between them two to cozen the world) refuseth to do it, and put him back earnestly acknowledging Christ's excellency and his own unworthiness. In this, bewraying the error of his judgement, that he knew not all that pertained to his calling and ministry, yet addeth a reason why he did this; I can give but water, but thou canst give the spirit to purge the conscience. Christ seeing his modesty, bids him leave off to entreat of his excellency and his own baseness; that he was as the Son, and john but as the day star: Let this go, saith Christ, for thou and I both must labour to do that God hath appointed, it is thy calling to baptise, and mine to require it, professing himself to be in the number of repentants. john seeing that Christ showed this action to be a part of that righteousness should be fulfilled, did receive him: whereupon after Christ had been● drenched in the water, a miracle was seen, the heavens to open, the holy Ghost to descend, a voice from his Father, that this Son was principally beloved, and for his sake all others should be beloved. So as the Saviour of the world was first baptised, and then miraculously consecrated to be that great monarch of heaven and earth.  
In the words there are two general parts to be considered: first, that Christ was baptised, from vers. 13. to the latter end of vers. 15. secondly, what-testimony was given from heaven for his consecration to the Mediatorship. In the first there be these circumstances set down: first, that Christ took pains himself to come: secondly, that john at first refused him, giving a reason why he did so: thirdly, Christ replying upon him with a reason added why he required it, and why john may not deny it. For the first of these consider two circumstances: first, at what time Christ came: secondly, whence he came, (then) the word shows a continuance of the story, (then) when john had prepared a people by his ministry to receive Christ, and when the fullness of time was come, and the time of his present private life expired.  
Hear generally consider, that God determineth the times and seasons of men's private and public callings. Moses was forty years of age before God told him he should be the delinerer of his people, and after he had discontinued and walked privately forty years more, than he was called of God to that office, Act. 7.23. Exo. 3.10. So john was thirty years old before he began to execute his ministry. So for Christ it might seem tedious to his parents, that he should so long contain himself in their private house; and albeit he was destinated and ordained from the womb to this great office and work, yet he must expect his father's pleasure before he offer himself to go forth of Galilee. It is true of all men which jeremy speaks of himself, ch. 1.5. God called me (saith he) and sanctified me to be a Prophet from the womb, yea before I was fashoined: So Paul Gal. 1.15. saith, he was separate from his mother's womb to preach the gospel; yet they must both wait and attend for a real calling. The use that is hence to be gathered, is, that as Christ contented and satisfied himself with a private life, when by coming abroad he might have come to great renown in the world, so much more are we to satisfy ourselves with that place we have, and leave it to God's wisdom, who in fullness of time will call if he have any employment for us: so as no man may beg or buy a calling, or think all his graces buried if he enter not presently into the broad way of worldly fame; for God will in time if he have set him apart for his husbandry, provide him a place and means for his lawful entrance, and such an admittance as may secure his conscience.  
For the second, whence he came, from Galilee: where may be demanded, why john went not to him, he being but the seruant● the reason is, first because john's ministry was appointed to be exercised in the wilderness: secondly, it was to set forth the majesty, and to preserve the dignity and worthiness of the ministry: for in as much as Christ was to be baptised, he was to come thither as one that was to partake of some fruit of his office. Which example and prefident shows, that no man ought to think himself too good to come to john, that is, to the Minister of God, in whose mouths heehath put the words of reconciliation, and in whose hands are the distribution of his seals. And this condemneth all those that seek to bring the Temple into their house, or wait that the Ark should come to them. David we see, though a King of high glory and renown, Psal. 84, 2.3. complaineth and mourneth that he could not have access to the church of God, and thought the birds happier the● he that sat and sung within the Temple. And if the King of heaven the Lord jesus did humble himself to go to john, much more ought flesh and blood to strive to join themselves to the public place where the ministry is exercised.  
The second circumstance, is john's forbidding of Christ to come to his baptism. Out of which place appeareth, that john acknowledged him to be the Messias, though he was clothed with sinful flesh; for he saith, he had need to receive the holy Ghost of him, which none can give but Christ. Now how knew he this? for by the wisdom of God it was wrought, that they never saw nor met before, therefore he must needs know it miraculously; even as miraculously (Luke 1.41.) he leapt in his mother's womb when she first heard of Christ's conception. And if the sign to know him be the Dove, as some would have it, how knew he him before? It must be answered, that God gave him a secret revelation to himself, to discern that this was the person in whom dwelled the Godhead bodily; 
Coloss. 2.9.  and after for further confirmation, which was a sign a posteriori, there was this exhibition of that token, a Dove descending on him. According as (Exod. 3.12.) Moses was told he should be a deliverer of the people of Israel; and this was his sign, that when he had done it he should sacrifice to God in the mount, that is, it should further confirm him, for he knew it before when he went forth of Egypt with the people. Where we may learn, that if we walk simply as in the sight of God, and make a conscience of our calling, we shall have (if need require) an extraordinary presence and help of God to instruct us, and we shall be taught of him the secrets and wonders of the Lord.  
Further learn in this refusal of john to baptize Christ, that although a man may be an excellent Minister, yet he may err concerning some chief point of his office, and this to be no disparagement to him, even as john failed in this duty. So as we draw out of this particular example this general instruction, against such as except against Ministers being of another judgement than others be: for if he be faithful in the greatest duty of his calling, and his end be to serve the people, not for ambition, but of conscience, if he be sound in the principal, and hold the foundation, though perhaps he be in some error otherwise, yet it is no reason to call his ministry into question. For we must qualify and correct ourselves, from judging hardly of them that differ from other Ministers in some points, using the moderation of S. Paul to the Philippians, like brethren supporting their infirmities. Not but that Paul may withstand Peter to his face, 
Phil. 2.3.  (Gal. 2.11.) in that wherein he is justly to be condemned: as if for a few jews sakes he will separate himself from the Gentiles, with whom he had before conversed: for this was offensive to the Church of God; otherwise Paul and Barnabas ought not (Act. 15.39.) to part asunder and break company about small matters, but one should appease the other in meekness of spirit.  
Now for the answer of Christ, it standeth on two parts: first, requiring him to do it: secondly, a reason. Let alone for this time. Where learn, there is a kind of modesty unseasonable, (though all are to think humbly of themselves) which is that that hindereth a man from the execution of his calling: and it is as if Christ should say: Whatsoever I be, stand thou upon thy commission from God. And if john by this his calling was thought worthy to baptise the natural Son of God, much more may we think ourselves meet to preach to flesh and blood what ever they be▪ for though they have not all vestem communem, yet they have cutem communem; they differ not in birth, though there be some difference in apparel. Neither are we to abase ourselves too much in the apprehension of our own wants: for as Paul saith, who is worthy or sufficient to be the Lords Ambassador, to have the keys of heaven to shut it, that not repenting men are damned; and to have, 
Mat. 16. ●9.  that they bid on earth to be sealed in heaven? Who is sufficient to be the Chancellor of that great king the Lord jehova, or to save a soul? Who is worthy to be received as God himself, as Christ saith: He that receiveth you, receiveth me; and he that heareth you, heareth me? Of himself no man. But when the Lord hath once sanctified out polluted lips, and that we have a book given us to eat, and that our lips be touched with the coal from the altar, whereby we may not be worthy, but vouchsafed to be worthy; then though we be subject to the same infirmities others be, we must notstand amazed or abashed at them, so as we be hindered in our duties. For if God will have Moses go to Egypt, (Exod. 3.12.) he may not say: Who am I, that I should stand before Pharaoh? Neither must jeremy say: (jer. 1.7.) I am a child, when the Lord hath once touched his mouth: for be he never so slow of speech, the Lord (Exod. 4.12.) will teach him what to say. And john must not be so nice, but he must baptize Christ, since God hath given him that honour.  
Further here learn, that if it so fall out, a man in some congregation be more learned, better exercised in the Scriptures, then are those lips which ordinarily do preserve more knowledge, though he have profited more in mortification than his teacher, as David had in his time by his continual study in the Law of God; yet he is not to despise the ministry, wherein ordinarily there is that sufficiency, that it is able to instruct the best learned, and to guide the most circumspect: and what ever he be, he must range himself in the common order of professors. For Christ though he have in him the riches of all wisdom, and the fullness of all grace, must and doth himself urge to receive baptism at john's hands, because it is God's appointment: for here run the silver streams that can quench our spiritual thirst; why then should others make themselves better than Christ, who had need of john's ministry? David had most heavenly meditations, and was wonderful conversant in the Scripture; and as himself saith, the law of God had made him wiser than his teachers, yet he vouchsafed to submit himself to the hearing of them, and thought his life forlorn, when he was exiled from the Temple: Psalm. 84.1. and that the birds that bred there were happier than he. Much more are they faulty now, that being far short of that measure of religious knowledge was in David, do exempt and banish themselves from the public congregation. And if it be intolerable to despise the sacramental bread, though thou hast as good at home, much more punishable is it to despise the administration of the doctrine, thinking thou canst profit as much at home: for the greater blessing is knit to the public ordinance and institution of God, where every man may buy wisdom without money.  
For the second, which is Christ's reason: it is because we are to fulfil all righteousness. Then must john baptise, that is his righteousness; and Christ be baptised, for that is his righteousness And thus was Christ baptised, a sign of remission of sin, yet had he no sin in him; he was circumcised, (Luk. 2.21.22.) yet had he no unclean flesh, his mother was purified, yet was she not polluted by his birth: but the reason is, I have (saith Christ) taken upon me the form of a servant, and they (speaking of the elect) must be made righteous in me.  
In the general learn this, that what God hath commanded must be done, and it is convenient to accomplish all righteousness. So as no exception must be taken to any thing God prescribeth: if Christ were bound to it in the office of a Mediator, much more are we to strive to come to this mark, to perform every task that God setteth down. If thou sayest, or sufficeth to embrace those things that are necessary for salvation, I ask then what that is? If thou dost account it that without which none can be saved, then put away the Word and Sacraments, for many are saved without these. Indeed some things are more necessary than others, as the Word begets and gins faith, the Sacraments do but confirm it, 
3●●●. 〈◊〉. M  and these are more necessary than the censures of the Church. Some points destroy the foundation, as to deny Christ to be the Son of God, others are not fundamental, about which there may be great errors in judgement: but yet let us consider as near as we can, that we fulfil whatsoever is commanded, and the least being commanded with singular wisdom of the Lord must be obeyed. So Timothy is commanded by Paul (1. Tim. 5.21.) to keep all things, not preferring one before another. 
8. ●1. d●●  We must not make a conscience of the least and neglect the greatest, of stand amazed with the excellency of the highest, so as we look not down to things inferior commanded by the same God. It is the commission (Mat. 28.19.) to preach and baptize, as that the word in the ordinance of God should go before the seal; and in this respect it is necessary: yet is it a Sacrament, though there be no preaching, and the want of the word doth not abolish the nature of the action. So we must labour, that all thing that savour of corruption, may be removed; yet not to sever ourselves from the Church by reason of some abuses. And here those are confuted, that will submit themselves to some commandments, and not to others. We think no man can be saved without Baptism if he contemn it, and why dost th●● not aswell labour to have thy child nurtured up in faith and religion? No man will come to the Sacrament without examination; for if he do we account it damnable: or who is he that taking the bread in the Supper, would be found asleep? yet we thrust ourselves into the temple to hear the Lord speak unto us, not communing with our hearts before we come, and suffering o●● selves to be caught with sleep when we are come. And whence proceedeth this, but that we do not esteem it as righteous as ordinance of God to come to the doctrine with preparation, as to the Sacrament? Certain it is, many may be saved without Bptisme: but being baptised and despising preaching if he may have it, he is sure to be damned: for what is the seal unless there be a grant precedent? But we are almost like unto the Pharisees, that thought it no sin to swear by the altar, but to swear by the oblation on the altar was an heinous matter: so to swear by the Temple it was nothing, 
Math. 23.18  but otherwise to swear by the gold in the Temple: which is most strange, since the gold is nothing unless it be sanctified by the Temple. So the Word doth separate and sanctify the water and the bread, and not they the Word; for it hath life without them, and who taught them to distinguish thus? For if we will all go to john to be baptised of him, so must we also to hear him preach. Let us beware therefore how we leap at a Gnat and swallow a Camel. 
joh. 13.8.  Peter would as feign be cleansed as the rest of the Apostles, then must he not be so nice as to deny this mercy to himself, to have Christ wash his feet. But as we must measure every thing by the commandment, so must we likewise esteem them according to the dignity and order that God hath commanded, for this shall be the best fulfilling of righteousness.  
And jesus when he was baptized, etc.  
Hear the Evangelist setteth down what followed immediately after Christ's baptizing, namely, the ordaining of him by an heavenly Oracle, to be the great Doctor of the Church. There were many glorious sights and apparitions, whereby was testified to john and the people, that this was an extraordinary man. By opening the heavens must be understood, that they were as it were cut asunder: that thereby they might know, that this man was not to be considered as in the infirmity of man, but as one come from heaven. Further, john and the people saw with their bodily eyes the bodily shape of a dove, by which was represented Sacramentally an extraordinary presence of the holy Ghost; which though it be every where, and so cannot be limited any where, yet was it never so much present any where as in this place: whereby was signified the perfusing and pouring of all gifts and graces upon the human nature of the Lord jesus. And after their sight had been thus confirmed, yet was there a more excellent sign; a voice from the living God, that this man and this person that stood before them, aggrevating and gathering himself among the company of sinners, this poor man appearing but in the baseness of this flesh, was the very natural Son of God, begot by an incomprehensible generation, in whom his soul delighted. So as the sum is this: There are testimonies given from heaven to john and the people, by sight and by hearing, that this man that was but newly baptised was the only and alone peacemaker of the Church. The testimonies be three: first, the opening of the heavens: secondly, the descending of the dove: thirdly, the voice from heaven, and the matter of the voice.  
For the first understand, that albeit Christ had the heavens opened, in part for the confirmation of his own soul, that he was appointed to be the great ruler of the Church, who in his humanity had need of such a confirmation, and that in part they were opened to give him security to undergo this great office: yet it was done especially for the confirming of john and the people, as joh. 12. A voice came from heaven saying, I have glorified him, which came (saith Christ vers. 30.) not for me, but for your sakes. So as hereby generally observe, in that the heavens are opened to authorize him to be the great Teacher, that our duty is to hear him, and the greater shall our condemnation be, if we do it not. For though others speak by commission from God, as john and the Prophets, yet this is true spoken of in the Hebrews: that if they went not unpunished that despised them that spoke from the earth, that is, being but men, much less shall they escape that despise him who speaketh from heaven. And since the Prophets, (Luk. 16.29.) are to be heard, and john speaking in the authority of God, much more are we to take heed, that we neglect not the words of this great Teacher, that speaks from heaven, being God in flesh.  
For the second testimony: first, may be demanded whether jesus was destitute of this spirit before? And if not, why it is said (now) to light on him? 
Colos. 2 9  It is certain, (as the Apostle teacheth) that the God head dwelled bodily in his flesh, and never any creature had so much as he, from the first moment of his conception. And in that it seems now to descend upon him, understand, that before he led a private life, and the time of his manifestation was not come, at this time he abstained from showing any work of his mediatorship, and in this private course of life he had such a portion of the spirit as was meet: but now when he was to exercise his office, he hath his soul endued with a more excellent measure of grace. Hereupon it is said, Esa. 61.1. The spirit of the Lord came upon me to preach good tidings, etc. coming then in a special manner upon him: where we learn, that as Christ in the lineaments and proportion of his body grew and increased, so did he also in the graces of his soul and inward virtues, as (Luk. 2.52.) he increased in wisdom, and in stature, and in favour both with God and men. And howsoever he had by right appertaining to him all grace, yet it was powered down by degrees: and the greatest measure of all, was at the time of his ascension. The grace he hath received is far above that of Angels, even that which he had in his human soul, yet were they created and finite: and it is no vicious or blameworthy ignorance, not to know that as a man, which cometh not within the compass of his humanity, as the certainty of the latter day is not revealed (as himself saith) to the son of man. 
Mark. 13.32.   
Further, in that the spirit doth now anoint him, learn, that whosoever shall challenge any calling from God, must show himself to be qualified in some sort more than he was in his private life: for that which is true in Christ as the head, is also in the inferior members. And as it is intolerable in a man to usurp any place in the Church without authority from men, so is i● high presumption to take it upon him, except with the outward calling he can show the inward seal of the holy Ghost: for without this, the approbation of men is but as a seal set upon water; and if he pretend the allowance of the holy Ghost, let him show some competent sufficiency to discharge it. Secondly, is to be considered, why he descended in the shape of a dove. Where note first, that we understand not the shape spoken of as if the done appeared but as in a shape: for it had a real and a bodily being and substance, and the word (shape) is to be referred to the holy Ghost, which is in all places as God, and so not visible in himself; but truly represented in the dove, all signs being (as they must be) proportionable to the representing of that is to be signified. In Acts 2.2. the spirit appeareth like the rushing wind, to show the power and fervency of the Gospel: secondly, like a cloven tongue, which should speak, and be as it were divided to all: thirdly, like a fiery tongue, to purge us, and to waste men's filthiness. And here like a dove, to testify Christ's kingdom to be in all lowliness and harmlessness, to be a preacher of peace, of such a dove like simplicity, 
Esa. 42.2. Mat. 12.20.  that as is spoken by the Prophet, he should not lift up his voice in the streets, and of so compassionate a heart, as not to break the bruised reed.  
Hear further consider the difference between the manifestation of the Law and of the Gospel: in the delivery of the Law blows the sound of a trumpet, appears fearful lightning a●● dreadful thundering, Exod. 19.16. so as the people could not abide to hear it, and Moses himself being astonished, and said: I fear and quake, Heb. 12.21. But when the Gospel is given, there is nothing cometh forth that is fearful, to testify that Christ would not terrify with thundering threats, but by a mild, and a still, and a familiar voice would call men, how long soever they have continued in their sins, and how many soever they be: yea if they be distressed in their hearts, and anguished in their souls, as a mild dove he allureth them, and promiseth to save them. Whereupon if any man do bleed, that he hath wounded the Lord by his offences, and do groan with sighs unspeakable, and be confounded with his own sin, and ashamed of himself, let him not fear to go to Christ, who is yet even to this day a dove. The least groan of a repentant heart the Lord will not refuse: for it is his nature to be merciful, and his glory and joy to save, and if there be but a little work begun in us, the Lord jesus will quicken and cherish it; which may comfort us to power forth our souls before him: for he lieth in wait for our return with the lost Son, Luk. 15.20. and hath not deposed not laid aside his compassion. Now if neither the voice of Moses 〈◊〉 terrify, 
Luk. 1.32.  nor the voice of Christ allure us, if piping will not make us dance, nor weeping will make us repent, than this is our condemnation, that this meek dove is not embraced, and that we believe not the Gospel, whereby we may have access to Christ, and so be saved.  
Thirdly, here is to be considered, how john could call the dove the holy Ghost, since the essence of this spirit is not discernible, nor the power infused into Christ to be seen. Again, he that is every where, and in no place circumscribed, cannot be discerned: how is it said then, that john saw him? We most understand they are both figurative and borrowed speeches, he saw not the Essence of the holy Ghost, nor the power infused into Christ is not to be discerned: for this was to be seen only with the eye of the soul: but the sight of the dove persuaded him the spirit was there after a special manner, singualr and extraordinary. Again, he saw not the spirit descend, but the dove, which did really signify, that as verily and truly the spirit was light upon him. But is the holy Ghost that Dove, as joh. 1.32. I beheld that spirit come down from heaven like a Dove, and it abode on him. This is to be understood, not that the holy Ghost was enclosed in the Dove, or personally united to the Dove, but it is a sacramental speech, whereby that which is proper to the sign is given 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 Dove, than so is the body of Christ in the Supper. Not like: for the holy Ghost is every where, because he is a spirit, but the body of Christ is circumscribed and bounded in a place certain, and so they be not of the same nature. Again, we do not say the Dove was a type of the substantial presence of the holy Ghost, for it was then every where; and it was not there present as in essence, but it was a type to signify that he was so there as in no place so much: and it must be intended of a sacramental and of no essential presence, as if he were no where else, but of the presence of his essence in a special manner.  
Again, it is absurd to ask how there can be a true giving of the thing unless the thing be there; as that Christ cannot be given by the bread, unless he be in, or with, or under the bread: for it is not the local presence or absence that makes the truth of giving it, but if the verity of the thing be there, it is enough: for God can give man leave to eat his flesh being in heaven. The fathers did eat it, otherwise they could not have been saved, john 6.31. and then Christ was not only not present, but not at all as touching his humanity: so as Christ began not only to be flesh when he was manifested, but they did eat Manna, and in that by faith they did eat Christ. So in the water the conscience is washed, and yet is there no blood transfused with the water, but it is as truly there, as this Dove did testify Christ to be filled with all graces: and so truly is it sealed unto our souls that we eat Christ, though not corporally. By the word we eat the flesh of Christ continually by faith, and in the Sacrament it is only more plain that we eat it, because two senses are satisfied by it; the ear hearing the word, and the eye seeing the bread.  
For the third testimony, There comes a voice from heaume: by the former miracles the Lord only provided for the witness of the eye, but now he provides for the ear also. Where we learn, the wonderful wisdom and love of God to exercise all our senses, that thereby we might be brought to a certain persuasion of these mysteries. Among the Philosophers is a great question, whether the sense of sight or of hearing be better in itself. True it is, that sight in nature is more excellent, as for celerity and quickness, so for perspicuity and sharpness: but if the doubt be made of the profit of these two, then hearing excelleth; for we can see nothing but that is visible, but many more things are to be heard of, which thereby may be conveyed to the heart to judge of: so the largeness of hearing is greater in the profit. Besides, no man profiteth by sight, unless he understand it by hearing; for which cause it pleased God to apply both in the mystery of salvation, that thereby we might be sure of it, we never doubting of that we both see and hear. Faith cometh by hearing, Rom. 10.17. and the holy Ghost boreas the care, Psal. 40. and leads the eye to satisfy it, setting before it in Baptism water, and in the Supper bread and wine, so as it is provided that the hearing might have the word, and the eye the sacraments.  
Now in the voice consider what it doth express, namely th● that flesh which stood there before them was the natural son of God; and this he is two ways: first, as he is the son of God by nature, of the eternal substance of his Father; howbeit let no man think fleshly of the matter, for he departed with no substance, nor had any manner of change: secondly, as he was the son of Mary, not by nature or adoption, for then there had been a time when he was not the Son of God, but by personal union, the man Christ being never a person by itself until it was personally united to the Godhead; so as he was borne the son of God not by nature, for he was of the nature of his mother: & so Mary is said to be the mother of God, not that she brought forth God, but brought forth that man that was God, and this in respect only of the personal union.  
In that it is said, my well-beloved Son; understand that all lo●● comes from him that comes to us, and we are beloved only for Christ's sake: as Ch●●● 〈…〉 prayeth, john 17. I beseech thee good Father, that as 〈…〉 ●●●d me, so thou wilt love them, and give them the same glory thou guessed me. This is God required to do by his own Son, who can a●ke nothing shall be denied him: With the same love love thou them: as I am in them, so are they in me. And this ministereth singular consolation, that when we consider Christ to be beloved; we may withal remember, that with the same love the Lord loveth his natural son, with the same doth he love us that are adopted: so as when he beholds the beauty of his son, in whose forehead as in a golden plate are written all our names, he turneth from our filthiness, and embraceth us as his own son, and the Father and son are all one in desire? The Lord grant we may be able to comprehend it, and be willing to entertain it, that this love may constrain us to love him again, otherwise it brings forth no effectual fruit in us.  
Again, since the Father took all delight in this Son Christ jesus, and that the whole Trinity was here at his baptizing, and that the father saith in another place, Son I will glorify thee still: 
john 12.28.  let us learn to magnify the Lord jesus, let him be our joy, for who is there in heaven or earth in whom we can set our delight, better than on him which thus pleaseth the father? Let us love him that God loveth, he is the only Priest to sacrifice for us, the only Advocate to plead for us, the only Prophet to instruct us, the only King to govern us, the only shield to defend us: we shall be made rich through his grace only, righteous through his obedience only, safe through his protection only, and saved through his mediation only. He that glorifies the Son glorifies God, and he that resteth under the wings of the Son, shroudeth himself under the shadow of the most high: then accursed be that man, or that religion, that holds Christ but as the chief Saviour, and would have other helps joined to him: for we must only have Christ, and wholly Christ, and assure ourselves to be saved only in him, our prayers to be heard only through him, and our wounds to be healed only by the sight of him; and to what end should we join others with him, since all are beloved only for him?  
That there is a Trinity, appe●● 〈…〉 ●●er in this place; a● namely the father's voice, 〈…〉 ●esence in the Done, and Christ manifested and 〈…〉 flesh: and these be several, yet but on●●e ho●●●, and all and every of them is le●●●uah. It is a mystery only to be adored, yet in some measure i● to be known, that they should be three persons yet but one God: as for example, take three men, Paul, james and john, here be three persons and three men, but it is not so in God: for in things that be created, we must consider they are only limited, therefore the same nature in john is not the same natu●●● singular and in specie that is in Paul, because they be not only two persons, but divided in quantity; and that particular nature in particular that is in john cannot be in Paul. So for Angels, take Raphael, Gabriel, and Michael, supposing him to be a created Angel, the same particular angelical nature that is 〈◊〉 one is not in another; for they be not only two persons of Angels, but two natures, not distinct but separate. Now in God 〈◊〉 make a common essence, which is jehovah, wherein doth cons●●● three Elohims, yet are they not three jehovahs', because his nature is simple, and the self same is in them all, and the same being is in God the Father that is in the Son, and is tota to 〈◊〉 in every one and the same in Unity. And if we will have th●● Gods, then must we make a substance divided, which cannot be but there is only a distinction. Angels are separate one from another, and are one without another, but in the Trinity it is otherwise. The Son is in the Father, the holy Ghost in the●● both, and they are all one. The Sun begets beams, from th●● Sun and the beams proceeds light: the beams cannot be●● without the Sun, nor the light without them both. So fro● the spring riseth the well head, yet is not the spring without th●● well head, and the stream proceeds from them both. These 〈◊〉 steps and traces as it were to conceive somewhat of this mystery of mysteries.  
Lastly observe, as the whole Trinity was present at C●●●● baptism, the Father to justify his Son, the Spirit to sa●● him, and Christ to be sanctified: so are they also present 〈◊〉 baptism, God the Father to receive us, Christ to purcha●en for us, & the holy Ghost to purge our consciences, yea and the heavens are open, that is, we are as sure to come thither as we are sure Christ is there. Therefore is the whole congregation bound to stay the setting on of this seal, and to see the child received into the church, since there is such a glorious presence at it, and it ought to be meditated upon, when it is applied to others.   
MATH. chap. 4. vers. 1, 2, 3, 4. etc. 
verse 1 Then was jesus led aside of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.  
verse 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward hungry.  
verse 3 Then came to him the Tempter and said: If thou be the Son of God command that these stones be made bread.  
verse 4 But he answering, said: It is written, man shall not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.  
verse 5 Then the devil took him up into the holy City, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple,  
verse 6 And said unto him: If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, that he will give his Angels charge over thee, and with their hands they shall lift thee up, lest at any time thou shouldest dash thy foot against a stone.  
verse 7 jesus said unto him, It is written again: Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.  
verse 8 Again, the devil took him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them,  
verse 9 And said unto him: All these will I give th●● if thou wilt fall down and worship me.  
verse 10 Then jesus said unto him, avoid Satan: for it is written: Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, & him only shalt thou ser●●▪  
verse 11 Then the Devil left him, and behold the Angels came and ministered unto him.  
NOW the Evangelist further showeth, that because the time was near when our Saviour Christ was to enter into his office, to which he was before consecrated, that it was ordained by God and the holy Ghost immediately before, that he should submit himself to be exercised in a hot conflict, challenging Satan hand to hand: that overcoming in this first and great combat, he himself might be consumed, and others might know, that he came to destroy the works of the devil. And to the end that Satan might have the greater power and fuller blow at him, he was led into a solitary and desert place, where the devil might be in his ruff; and to such a place wherein men possessed were specially tormented, and there Christ lived among wild beasts, as Mark saith chap. 1.13. that Satan might do his uttermost. And forasmuch as Moses in the delivery of the Law, (Exod. 34.28.) was taken up into a mount to God, and was taken from men, where he abstained from meat forty days and forty nights, that the excellency of his doctrine might receive the greater grace, and might further be authorized: and forasmuch as Eliah (1. King. 19.8.) in the restoring of the Law defaced in the idolatrous reign of Ahab, did go in the strength of one cake and a pot of water forty days and forty nights: So here before the doctrine of the Gospel was to be published, it was meet that Christ should do no less, lest there might be thought some disparagement done, and less glory to have been in the Gospel, that the law being written but in stone, and to endure but a time, should be adorned and beautified with a greater miracle than the Gospel, which should be written in the living stones of men's hearts. Howbeit in this, Christ giveth us no example of abstinence: for he fasted because he had no manner of stomach all that while; which was to confirm us, that he was a man merely supernatural, being able to forbear without a●● appetite forty days. During which time, the Devil set upon him, and he was not free from this encounter any while, but after beginning to be hungry, than the devil more furiously assaulteth him, hoping to work and prevail somewhat upon this occasion of his infirmity: whereupon follow three several temptations, which in their place shall be spoken of.  
In the words are set down three points: first, Saint Matthew diligently delivereth all such circumstances as went before his temptation: secondly, what these temptations were, both in number and in kind after he grew hungry, from the third to the end of the tenth verse: thirdly, the event and issue of this assault, that when he had repulsed the rage, and driven back the darts of his enemy, the Angels came to do him homage, as to a great and mighty conqueror.  
For the circumstances before the combat, they be five: first, is noted the time (then:) that is, immediately after he had received testimony from heaven, that he was the great Doctor of the church: secondly, the place where this was, in the wilderness, a place most for the advantage of Satan: thirdly, by what motion he was carried thither; by the direction of that spirit which before descended on him: four, to what end he went, namely, to be tempted: fifthly, the occasion Satan took more specially ta assault him, which was his fasting and hunger.  
For the first: when he was solemnly pronounced to be the Son of God, and that he was full of the holy Ghost, than the devil setteth upon him. While he lived a private life, and kept himself close and within his compass, he assayed not to assault him: but when he is to execute a matter and work of his office concerning the salvation of mankind, and that this is now to be accomplished by the preaching of the Gospel and by miracles, and that the power of the devil is to be extinguished, and that he is to be cast out of men's consciences, now he gins to challenge him. Where learn, that the same which befell to the head, the members be not exempted from, especially such as be ordained to be instruments for the setting up of the Gospel. When Moses lived private and showed not himself to the world there was no cause of quarrel: but when he saw one of his brethren suffer wrong, and defended him, and avenged his quarrel that had the harm done to him, and smote the Egyptian: Act. 7.25. than they began to disgrace him, and he was feign to fly to preserve his life, Exod. 2.15. So Paul when he was a Pharisee, 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 Satan, nor more exposed to contumelies, nor in greater peril of his life than he; so as once he was feign to be privily conveyed away, by being let down in a basker, Act. 9, 25. and a second time to be rescued from the jews malice by a Centurion, Act. 23.23. And this policy and stratagem of the Devil is confirmed to us by our own experience: for when a Minister beginneth to make a conscience, and to stand sound in the doctrine of Christ, and the holy life of his Apostles, than Satan stirreth up instruments to bring his name in question, and kindleth such coals, as in the end he is either removed, or by the multitude of disgraces made weary of well doing. The cause of this in Satan is two fold: first, his malice against the Majesty of God: secondly, his envy against the salvation of man. For being adjudged to torment, he laboureth to be avenged on God his justice, and sinneth against the holy Ghost of purpose to despite God, and seeks to disglorifie him by seeking to destroy the seed of the woman. Hereupon it is noted, that Angels sinning were never restored, because they sinned without temptation merely of malice, being created excellent and pure spirits. But yet howsoever Satan bestirreth him to heap up the displeasure of the world upon us, and is ever at our heels with some flood of waters or other, let us not be discouraged, but proceed on in that sanctified course we have begun: for the Lord will either stir up the earth to drink up 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 perform his work.  
For the second, which is the place: he went into the wilderness, partly to imitate that Eliah had done, (1. King. 19.8.) being in the mount of Horeb in the wilderness, and fasting there forty days: but especially to provoke Satan the more, and to give him all advantage that might be, that in the end be might show himself the stouter champion. And for this cause they that were possessed with devils were cast into solitary places, that the spirits might have the greater power over them. Now, herein Christ showeth his greater courage, giving Satan as it were leave to appoint the field, and to set down his weapon: like them that being determined and resolute to fight, and to try their manhoods, go apart by themselves, where they may have no company to part them. Even so Christ, as a victorious Captain, dealeth where sathan himself will choose, that he overcoming as it were at uneven weapons, it might be an encouragement and confirmation to us, that this was he who was sent of God to break the Serpent's head, and that hath the power to disarm him. Where notwithstanding observe, that though Christ who was indeed the stronger, did lay himself thus open to his enemy, yet that this is no example for us to imagine that we can follow, who are lighter than vanity, but that we must avoid solitariness as much as can be, except we will provoke the devil: for this is the humour that lieth fittest for his temptation, when we are destitute of the comfort of company, to work the more violently upon our affections. Hereupon the Philosophers are wont to say, and that truly, that he which lived alone, was either a God or a devil.  
For the third, the guide by which he was directed thither, was the holy Ghost: where we learn this comfort, that seeing the devil could not have tempted Christ, but that God by the wisdom of his spirit had so appointed both the time, the place, and the occasion, we may hereby have good security given unto us, that since Satan's power is limited, and he deals but by commission, and all temptations outward and inward are so sent from God, that he intermeddleth but as an instrument for the hardening of the reprobate, and for the trial of the elect; and since he hath no absolute power to exercise his tyranny, but runneth like a dog that is chained by the arm of the Lord, we may return this joy to our souls, that though we be compassed with clouds of calamities, yet we shall never be temped above our measure, for he cannot do it but by permission. And since God is the master of the prize, to judge who fighteth most valiantly, if we fear and tremble before him, and walk according to the direction of his spirit (provided always that we tempt him not to try his goodness) we may assure ourselves, that as he hath begun a good work in us, so he will end it to the praise of his glory: and as Esay 49.24. the just captivity shall be delivered, and the pray shall be taken from the tyrant: for the Lord is stronger than he, and therefore is able, and hath better title than he, both in creating us when we were not, and in redeeming us being lost; and therefore we shall be victors in this strong man Christ.  
For the fourth, the end why he was tempted: which was to sustain the uttermost assaults Satan could make by suggestion to seduce him. Hear it may seem strange at first, that our Saviour Christ should be so far abased, to be subject to the temptations of the devil, and to be directed to it by the spirit of God. True it is, there was no matter in Christ to work upon, his nature being fully sanctified from his conception, free from all corruption, yet he was apt and capable to be tempted: that is, it might glance as a thought through him, but it was presently repulsed. For such was the state of Adam at first, that though he had no inward concupiscence, yet he was such a one as might be tempted to hear and to see, if he would: but this is the difference, it clasped about Adam's understanding, but it could not possibly lodge with Christ: and it is no more disparagement to him thus to be tempted, than it was for him to take and assume our flesh. Hereupon consider, that there be three kinds of motions in the mind of man. The first, which glanceth and passeth through the mind without any troubling of it at all. The second more permanent, when somewhat assaults the mind, and yet without any consent of the mind. The third, is that kind of motion to which the heart consenteth. The first of these is against no commandment, the second is against the tenth commandment, the third against the other nine commandments. And this is singular comfort and consolation to us, that Christ was tempted; for now we may be bold to assure ourselves, that we may power forth our souls unto him, and may approach to him in all our agonies, not doubting but he will compassionately respect us, because he in this flesh of ours, knew and felt the hard encounter; according to that is said often in the old Law to the Israelites: Remember thou wert once a servant in Egypt: experience of afflictions making men more merciful: and as it is said, Heb. 5.2. he is meet to have compassion on us that are out of the way, because that he also was compassed with infirmity: and Heb. 12.3. the Apostle draweth his argument thus: that the consideration of the sufferings of Christ should persuade us not to be wearied nor to faint in our minds, both because he by his sufferings learned obedience, and also because he in our sufferings will be a bearer of the weight lest it overpress us, that we also might be consecrated through afflictions. And this also is a second comfort to us, that as Christ overcame by flesh, so shall we also victoriously conquer through him, if with patience we persevere: for herein hath Christ recovered what Adam lost, who received concupiscence by Satan's temptations; but Christ hath overcome the devil in as great temptations as ever Adam was overcome.  
Further, in that Christ is led by the spirit, and the devil tempteth him: consider what the purpose of them both are, since being opposite one to the other, they both join in this one action. We must learn, that temptations are diversly spoken of in the Scripture: first, the devil tempteth; therefore when we are moved to anger, give not place (saith the Apostle) to the devil; 
Ephes. 4.27.  for he bloweth the coals to kindle thy wrath, which is murder two ways: first, either in the unjust matter of it: secondly, or in the immoderate measure of it, and in all things he as an external instrument worketh upon the corruption of our hearts. Secondly, one wicked man tempteth another, as it is said in the proverbs: Come, lay thy lot with us, and we will take a purse; 
Prou. 1.14.  alluring others by their example to the participation of the same sin: and these are two causes of temptations without our hearts. But Saint james (chap. 1.14.) goeth to a third cause: Every one (saith he) is tempted of his own concupiscence, as speaking of the inward cause that another provoketh us by and Satan worketh upon, namely, our own pronenesie and pregnancy to sin, and the fire that burneth in our breasts, so as ever we must charge and challenge ourselves for our sins, and every temptation is either from an outward provocation, or inward instigation, or both. Fourthly, God tempteth not only to try what strength we have to use prosperity with sobriety, and adversity with patience: for this is not enough, though by this he doth manifest what is hidden in the inward mind: but these other inward solicitations come not without God, yet doth he not tempt (james 1.13.) as it is evil, but useth the ministery of Satan two ways: first, toward the elect: then toward the reprobate: toward these, to give them up into an evil mind, that sins past may be the punishments of sins to come, and the deserts of punishments that are to come; which the Lord doth, as a just revenger, and not as any evil author: for to punish sin by sin, is but justice with God. As God willeth, that Absalon shall plague his father by committing incest, 
2. Sam. 16.22.  to bring David to repentance for his adultery; not that he willeth it as adultery, but as a just plague to him that did it, and to convert his servant David. Now for the elect, the Lord letteth the rains lose, that thereby he may manifest their strength, and his own power in their weakness. And by this was made known what excellent graces job had received, 
job 2.10.  when by his extremities and anguishs he was not consumed, but refined, which otherwise had been hid; even as the Pilot cannot show his cunning but in a storm, nor a man his valour but in a combat. So David was by affliction brought low, 
Psal. 32.3.  that the Lord might show the richer mercy in his recovery: that all his children might be assured to find the same mercy, though they fall into the same sin, if they follow his steps of repentance. So as temptations are sent of the Lord to discover his graces in them, or their own wants if they relent, partly to heal their pride, partly to teach them to repent of some sins which before were not thought of: and that the Church of God might be comforted, knowing that in the extremity of a bleeding heart the Lord sendeth compassion. Satan tempteth Adam to prove God a liar, and to bring him to dishonour, and to be the instrument of man's damnation: Adam tempted himself to taste of that which as he thought should make him God: God tries him by this means to make a way for his justice in thereprobate, and for his mercy on the elect: for if there had been no fall, God had been neither just in condemning some, nor merciful in saving others. So here Christ is carried to be tempted. The purpose of God in this is to confirm it unto Christ, that he should be of power to destroy and extinguish the power of the devil, but Satan fully intended to have destroyed the head, by this means to have hindered the salvation of the members.  
For the fift circumstance, which is the advantage sathan took by Christ's fasting: understand first, that it was not the purpose of God nor of Christ himself to commend unto us his abstinence: for it is no commendation to forbear when he hath no appetite to eat, but it was to commend his miraculous power, for he was qualified with such divine virtue, as he was for the time like an Angel, not subject to human desires.  
The Papists from hence do draw the institution of Lent, saying, that all things are written for our instruction: therefore as Christ fasted forty days, so must we. It is true, that all things are written for our instruction, but not for our imitation: for he was borne of a Virgin, conceived of the holy Ghost, 
Mat. 17.2.  transfigured in the mount, he had a confirmation of his doctrine by divers miracles, came into the house the doors being shut, 
john 20.26. Mark. 6.51.  commanded the winds, walked on the waters; and must we be like him in these things? No: for all these taste of his Divinity. But his obedience, his patience, his love to give his life for his enemies, his meekness, not to break a bruised reed, his willingness to suffer all kind of affliction: these things let us imitate, for these be fruits of the spirit only but to fast forty days and forty nights is no more imitable for us than it is to be borne of a Virgin. Yea but, say they, it is good by this to take occasion to exhort to abstinence. We answer, it is no reason that because Christ fasted having no stomach, therefore we should abstain having stomach. Again, in all this time Christ taketh nothing, but they pamper themselves with wines and junkets, which be as irritable to lust as flesh; therefore theirs is but a mock-fast: for Christ fasted not sparingly only, but abstained altogether. Again, if they will imitate Christ, they must do it in the wilderness: and if it be a commandment because Christ did it, why did they it not in Eliah and Moses time? If never any jew proposed to himself this imitation of him that fasted not but by the power of God, much less should we in this follow Christ that fasted by his own power. Again, Christ fasted that Satan might take him in his infirmity; but must we do so, to expose ourselves the more to the opportunity of his temptation? God forbidden. Yet if we will know what fasting is, we say it is a necessary exercise which our own calamities do require, and the desolations of other churches do exact: and he that taketh in more than will well fit him to the duties of his calling, hath surfeited.  
Now in the fasting of the Papists we note four faults: first, they destroy the work of fasting in the bodily exercise; which they do two ways: first, by fullness: secondly, by delicacy. Secondly, there is a mere deceit and cosinge in their fasting; for with fasting should be joined prayer extraordinary, both for fervency and continuance: which by humbling ourselves in this sort doth set an edge upon them, which otherwise would crawl upon the ground, and were not able to pierce the heavens: for if fasting had not this use, but that the action would be complete by outward abstinenc only, then were it a brutish fast; for the beasts of Niniveh (jonah. 2.) fasted in this son. But they do notjoine prayer extraordinary, that the body may be crucified and the mind humbled, that thus it might be 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 preventing of some danger: but they have enjoined and appointed set days to fast on: as if the Physician should say, such a day he would let blood, not regarding the present state of the patiented, wherein he should rather show himself a Prophet the●● a Physician: even so do the Papists deal in their fasts, either very ignorantly or prophetically. Fourthly, where fasting is appointed to humble us, and to confess our vileness by feeling our wants, and to power forth our souls unto God: they think that having pleased him by the bare action of abstinence, they may do what they list, or else puffed up with a Pharisaical pride of merit, thinking they have deserved at God's hand, they will match their alms with the very blood 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 meats, speaking in hypocrisy, etc. Yea (say they) this is meant of gross heretics, which should condemn marriage and meats altogether, as the Marcionists, that said, men and women were coupled for generation of the devil. This is absurd, for these men speak it not in hypocrisy but in open blasphemy. Yea (say they) but we do not hold that meats are unclean in themselves. And yet they forbidden it to all men at some times, and to some men at all times. Again, a Doctor of theirs in approbation of their Lent, saith, that flesh was accursed in the flood of Noah, but so was not fish. Yea but God forbade the tree in Paradise and certain meats under the Law, yet were they not unlceane. We answer, that which God hath made lawful what man can interdict? And as it is Antichristian to command what God forbids, so is it to forbid what God commands. The meats in the Law were forbidden for significations, and they cease: so for meats offered to Idols, for they are abolished: and a man may now eat meat offered to the devil, for he cannot pollute it; for every creature of God is good, and nothing aught to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving, (1. Tim. 44.) Again, if they speak of the quantity and quality it were somewhat, but they do not so, but all fish and no flesh is lawful.  
Then came to him the tempter, etc. This is the first special temptation wherewith Christ was assaulted: as if Satan should have said, there hath been a voice heard from the air, that thou art the son of God, and there hath been a visible cutting asunder of the heavens by a miracle, and by this thou persuadest thyself that thou art so; and thou hast fasted here forty days which makes thee highly conceited of thyself, yet is it not possible thou shouldst be God's Son, for thou wantest not only the host of heaven to wait upon thee, which were worthy the glory of the Son of God, but thou art so distressed as thou wantest a piece of bread for the strength of thy body, therefore it is unlike thou shouldest be God's child, for than he would more respect thee then now he doth, to leave thee thus destitute of comfort. Well I know thine infirmity to be such as bread thou must have, and being here where is none but wild beasts, and where no present supply can be made, bestir thyself and be thine own puruetor; and because without bread thou canst not live be thou God's Son or no, look how thou canst furnish thyself, whether by miracle or without miracle. Now here in this desert there is nothing but stones, which if thou be'st such a one as thou wouldest be thought to be, thou canst change their natural hardness and make them fit for nourishment. Therefore to satisfy me, and for thine own good, let me see at thy commandment their nature to be altered and transubstantiate. Our Saviour Christ being well furnished and appointed, not only with the graces of the spirit but with the word of God, doth not answer whether he be God's Son or no, or whether he can turn those stones into bread or no, but he overthroweth the ground of his reason, that it is not impossible man should live without bread: as if he should say, Thou givest the power of sustenance to a piece of bread, but my Father is able by his power and providence to fustaine me though I have no bread: and not only myself an thus persuaded being God's son, but even flesh and blood may be able to live without food if so be it be God's pleasure; therefore there is no cause why I should work a miracle, since not only I but many other may be relieved without these ordinary means. And that thou mayest know I have truth on my side, I speak nothing but scripture, for Deut. 8.3. it is said, Therefore he humbled thee and made thee hungry, that he might teach th●● that man liveth not by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth a man live. And as for thee, thou goest about to tempt me to have me use my liberty in this place; but I discern thy subtlety, and to do this thou requirest should be no glory to my Father, nor any confirmation of doctrine hereafter, therefore I will not cast pearls before Satan.  
The words contain two parts; first, the suggestion or temptation: secondly, the beating back of the temptation. In the first consider, first the occasion sathan took to tempt him, namely his hunger: secondly, the matter wherewith he was tempted▪ For the first, he tempts him in a matter of food, being hungry. Where learn, that Satan espieth all advantages where and when he may find us best; and he useth our present infirmities or conditions of life as the fittest coals to set us on fire withal. For the rich man is never assaulted with the temptation to steal, because he hath enough; nor beggars to purchase, because they want; nor private men to pervert justice, because they sit not in place: but there be some temptations on the right hand and some on the left, some are tempted by sickness to impatience, by health to forget God, by youth to embrace liberty, and by age to love riches, by fullness to lift up their heel against God; some by penury to distrust him, as if he had cast off all care of them: some are moved to revenge by being disgraced, and some to work mischief by being flattered; therefore we must correct such imperfections whereunto by nature we are most inclined, and not to give the least advantage unto Satan, lest upon our unwatchfulnesse we be surprised, for every one shall find, that in something he is not left untempted; and since temptations come on both sides, we must arm ourselves with weapons on each side.  
For the second, which is the matter of the temptation: we observe a double drift in Satan: first, to drive Christ to doubt that he is not God's child because of his present exigent and want: secondly, upon this to drive him to use a preposterous miracle against God's glory, and whereby he should have granted the devil that he could not have lived without bread, and by this means to have lost the glory of the triumph.  
For the first of these, leaving the particular of Christ the head, let us see whether the members be not afflicted with the same temptations. 
Psal. 73.13.14.15.  The greatest man the Prophet David was mightily shaken with this, when he saw God's children live so miserably, and the wicked so prosperously. The Prophet jeremy (ch. 12.1.) desireth to reason with the Lord about this matter, and bursteth forth with wonder; Why doth the way of the wicked so prosper, why are all they in wealth that rebelliously transgress? They are planted and they grow, where as the godly lead a life fraught and full of sorrow. And this was the argument of all jobs friends, that being so strangely afflicted he must needs be God's enemy, job. 8.20. Indeed if the Lords love should be measured by outward blessings, the ungodly had far greater cause to boast, for they wear pride about their necks as a chain, and are covered with extortions as with a garment: their faces shine (saith jeremy) and their plants are safely rooted; yea not only their persons, but their children are like flocks of sheep in the pleasant field, and like olive branches at a furnished table: they see their houses established before their faces, and are comforted with the sight of their children's children: Nay all things fareth well with them, their Cow calveth and casteth not, their hear●● come in and out with daily plenty, so as with them every thing prospereth by a proportionable kind of happiness. And as they are happy in their lives, so they have a great privilege in the time of death, for they die like lambs, and pass away far men comfortably to the eye than God's children; for they die not languishingly, or as the prisoners of death, but they go to the grave suddenly: yet their wickedness is such, and their hearts so full of poison, as job describing their cogitations, saith, they regard not (chap. 21.15.) the Almighty, but say, what is the Lord that they should serve him? And David (Psal. 7.5.) she●●● that their mouths speak blasphemy against the heavens, and their tongues walk freely through the earth, not fearing m●●▪ Whereas on the other side, 
1. Pet. 4.17.  the judgement of God beginner a● his own house, and they drink the dregs of the cup of sorrow, they are but worms scarce worthy to creep in respect of the magnificence of the wicked: they eat the bread of care, and quench their thirst with the water of affliction: they are for their bodies poor, for their credit despised, and for their consciences they have many combats: the terrors of death do oft so fight against them, as they are shaken in the foundation of their faith, so as they doubt beside these miseries they sustain here, they shall be adjudged to death in the life to come: yea they are hated of those by their name, that never saw them by their face. And besides this, amid these waves of their miseries they are tempted yet by Satan, as that they are but grasshoppers, abjected of the world, overwhelmed with sin, which woundeth their soul to death, and yet they take themselves to be heirs of heaven, and fellow-heirs with Christ. These seas of miseries should never overflow thee which sting thy conscience, nor these disgraces outward should never overthrow thee which touch thy body, if thou wert God's child, for than should his eye watch over thee to ease thee. Such is the portion allotted to God's Saints, so as David was carried so far in perturbation of spirit, that had he not entered into the sanctuary of the Lord, he had utterly condemned the generation of the godly. Howbeit when we are assaulted on this sort, let us not be dismayed, but let us know, that herein is wrought our conformity with the Lord jesus, let us & learn the same defence that he used, not to seek to wind out ourselves by our own power or policy, but to rely wholly upon the Lord, for the hath many secret ways to rescue us if it please him to show the power of his providence: and by this trouble and depth of sorrows we are plunged into, we may the rather assure ourselves that there shall be a general restoration of all things, because they are now so out of frame; whereas if the wicked should here be punished and the godly prosper, we might more call in doubt the coming of the Lord to glory. But now seeing things in such a lamentable confusion, even this nay▪ persuade us with Saint Paul, that there shall come a day of vengeance for them that live wickedly; 
2. Thess. 1.7.8.  and for them that are now distressed a day of comfort: for if every thing should be carried with an even hand, we might well doubt of an immortality.  
For the second drift of Satan, which was to urge Christ upon this his distress to work a miracle, it shall more conveniently be spoken of in Christ's reply.  
Now for the second general point, which is the beating ●●ke of the temptation, we must consider two parts: first, that ●●●ulseth him by alleging Scripture: secondly, the place alle●●● what sense it is to be applied.  
For the first, understand that out Saviour Christ might many ways have overcome him, yea by the power of his Godhead he could have confounded him without an answer, but it leased him to fight with the weapons of flesh and blood, that we by his exampl might learn out of the word as our of a school of defence to beat back Satan. Where observe, that Christ alleging Scripture as an instrument to repulse the devil, that there is no sword of the spirit to drive away temptations so sure as the Word of God, being most necessary for this purpose. Where two sorts of men are justly reproved: first they that wring this weapon out of the people's hands: secondly, they that cast it from them, that are content themselves to abide the blows, but another must wear the sword.  
For the first, they are the prelate's of Rome, who in the time that heaven was made a haircloth, and Antichrist set foot on the Lord's throne, shut up the book of God into the rusty scabbard of Bishop's houses, where it was kept under the bondage of the Clergy upon pain of excommunication, charging the lay people not to meddle with it: as if it had been the readiest weapon to have cut their throats. But since the Son of righteousness appeared, the Gospel shining in men's hearts, they being ashamed of this, and being persuaded in common equity that men were not to be kept from it, they have published one part of the word the new Testament, not (say they) upon any absolute necessity, but to avoid corruptions that may g●●● by reading other translations, they knowing the people 〈◊〉 would not be made such fools and babes as they were 〈◊〉 there was a general mistover the whole world. But we do stand upon the absolute necessity of having the word common, because the danger is common that thereby is to be avoided: and this for two causes: first, it is necessary that every one should try the spirits; so as he must understand more than he is taught by the mouth of that spirit which should be tried: therefore they must have the book of God, according as the men of Beroea had, Act. 17.11. giving no further credit to Paul's Sermons than they were consonant to the written word.  
Secondly, every Christian is a soldier, and in his baptism hath taken press money of Christ, to serve him in this field of the world, against the Devil our sworn enemy, who worketh outwardly by the glittering shows of the earth, inwardly by the desires of flesh and blood, adding his own suggestions to both these. Now the weapons to encounter him are the word as the sword, and faith as the shield. And every one being tempted in his own person, the more to offend the enemy and the better to defend himself (and since our own sins shall be required at our own hands) we must every one take his sword out of the Lords armoury, that we may resist in person as we are stricken in person. And it was a fearful thing for them to put out the kandle, while the people were smitten; and a shameful thing to put out their right eye, that they might not discern their evil wares they uttered them for their good money. Oh (say they) it is good they should have them, to keep them from the infection of other impressions: as if the reading of the Scriptures by the people, were Physic when men are sick and not meat when they be whole; Treacle to drive out poison, and not preservatives to keep from it; as if it had strength to put the enemy to flight, and none to hinder his approach: the contrary whereof is rather true. For if it be meet to give light to the simple, when the heavens are overcast with the mist and clouds of heresy, it is much more forcible to show the way when they are not so clouded. Oh but there be many hard matters in the Scripture, past the common reach. So there be many easy within their reach: for the Lord hath so tempered them, as some be easy to provide against penurious stomachs, and some difficult to prevent fastidious loathsomeness. Yea, as in the most champion and plain ground of the book of the Scripture there be some mysteries, as hillocks higher than the rest, so in the greatest and steepest hill thereof there is footing whereby with labour and travel we may come to that height of it, where we may see and discover so much of the land of Canaan and the kingdom of heaven, as our places do require. Therefore it is well said, that the Scriptures are like a flood, wherein the lamb 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 prayer. Therefore saith Christ: 
Mat. 23.14.  Let him that readeth consider, etc. Oh but this taketh away the glory of the Church, when every one may control his master, and breedeth heresies, when every one may maintain by this his own opinion. Yea but it is good that every one should know the truth, that they may follow the steps of their teachers but in the way of truth: and if because some have been seduced, all should be deprived of this blessing, then away with preaching, for it is the savour of death to many; 
2. Cor. 2.16.  and with the Sacraments, for many feed of Christ's flesh, but to choke them to damnation: and then away also with Christ himself, for to many (Luk. 2.34.) he is a rock of offence, to rush their bones to perdition. And if Heretics have abused the Scripture, this is a reason to restore it, that they may be again convinced by Scripture. And if it be sufficient to say, the devil alleged Scripture, therefore hide it from the people: we say to this, Christ used nothing but Scripture, therefore let them have it: for it is no reason to take away the thing for the abuse of the thing, no more than that a lamb should cast off his fleece, because the Lion sometime weareth it: or that because one abuseth is sword, therefore none should wear any weapon. For howsoever some mad-men-or quarrelers in the campemay abuse them to their own and others destruction, yet the Law of not bearing sword in the field will never be just. And to meet with such an evil by taking away the good, is ●●e unto those unskilful Physicians, that rid their Patients of no disease, unless they take their lives from them. Yea, but it is dangerous meddling. Why then put out the candle, lest it burn the house. Oh, but put not knives into children's hands. But there is no such comparison in the Scripture: it is indeed compared with a sword in the hand of a soldier: 
Ephes. 6.17.  and this is that we urge, that every man may bear his own sword, since every one is to fight: and in the justice of the Law of Arms it should be so, since we know not how soon we shall be assaulted: and except they will discharge us of the Lords service, and say that we are no Soldiers to combat against the corruptions of the flesh, and suggestions of the devil, it is a wrong not to be suffered, thus to have the weapon wrested out of our hands. Yet I cannot but commend the wit of the Clergy, for they had not sold their wares, unless they had folded the people's eyes; wherein they have done like thieves that put out the candle, that they may rifle more safely in the dark: so they wisely have sought their vantage, that their vile filthy merchandise of Masses and such like might be vented abroad, which would lie rotting at home upon their hand, if men might be suffered to bring any light with them into their pack-houses. Oh but, they say, they have kept it but from hogs and dogs. Yea, and from sheep and lambs too; besides that many are unclean in their lives, which yet are not hogs. But in this they bewray a clean contrary spirit to that wherewith our Saviour Christ was conducted: for he oft preached in the hearing of known hogs and dogs, the Scribes and Pharisees, lest for their sakes the children should be defrauded of their bread: whereas on the contrary, they deprive the children of their appointed portion, lest the dogs should happily snatch at it: which is no reason that it should be kept from the just owners, because there be some usurpers by. Yea but (saith Stapleton) by searching the Scripture diligently, they have erred shamefully. This is as if one that were to train up a child to be an archer, should give him this precept: that by a●ming at the mark most surely, he should miss most foully. Whereas men have erred only because they sought it not diligently enough: and though many have miss, yet herein have they been brought to a conscience to crave the Lords help in guiding their hands, that they may come as near to the price of Christ's glory as may be. Well forsooth, to gratify the people, they have now given them (as they term it) the Rhemish Testament: but as the cursings of the people have hitherto pierced their souls, and run them through, for engrossing into their hands the grain of life: so now they will be as sore and sharp against them, for selling them such musty, mildewd, and blassed grain: neither is their impiety less now in poisoning them, than it was before in starving them.  
The second sort of men that wring this sword 〈◊〉 the people, are they that dare not but allow some instruments for tillage, yet they content themselves with bare reading; as if they would have a soldier but half armed, like unto the subtle practice of the Philistims, who to keep (1. Sam. 13.19.) the Lord's people alway in slavery, permitted no use of weapon unto them (a few excepted,) whereby they would show grace unto them. Hereupon men are to be exhorted not to except against them that come to feed at a Sermon, having none at home. For we ought to learn in this school of defence how to handle our weapon: and Service is commanded by the law, not to exclude Preaching, but to go with it: so, as if they come for conscience to hear, and not for contempt to their own Pastor at home, they are to be permitted without complaint. Hear also are they to be charged, that having gifts, and being Christ's Lieutenants, yet neglect to train up those soldiers that are to serve under their band. And by this means many of them are strongly assaulted in their absence, taking the fleece and not looking to the sheep, and sitting to guide the stern, and yet suffering the vessel to be blown about with every tempest. For it comes to pass oft times, that some of the flock are taken with the trembling of the heart, and dismayed by the terror of conscience Satan hath driven them unto, wanting a teacher to bridle his rage and to answer his so phistry, and to salve the wound of the distressed: so that their faith is so dangerously assailed, as sometimes they are strangled with despair: whereas for any thing such a teacher knoweth, his disease might have been cured by prayer, and for any thing he knoweth, also he may pay the price of his blood. Again, though the judgement doth not pursue them thus far, yet sometimes through these hot conflicts they grow senseless leading a long life in fear, and leaving an ill example of a miserable end: whereas if their want of knowledge and experience had been supplied by the lips of their guides, there had been great hope they might have prevailed.  
Now for them that deprive themselves of this jewel, and fling this weapon from them, saying, that they believe as the Church believeth, and so hang their faith upon the hooks of another's belief, and being miserably abused refuse to read the word, saying, God keep them from the new and old Testament: for if there be such books they are books of controversy: but think if they come to a Mass, it is enough though they believe they know not what. It is to be lamented to see, that they have thus put forth their eyes, to abuse them after as they list. And thus have they all the secrets of the people brought unto them by their auricular confessions, keeping their own juggling and playing fast and lose from the people's sight, because they hide away the glass of the word, wherein they might view their own deformities, and the scabs of their instructors. Which is all one, as if a man being ready to go a dangerous journey, wherein he were sure to meet with riflers, and being well appointed for the purpose, should be persuaded to go, but in no case to carry his weapon with him. Wherefore let us not hang our swords upon other men's backs, for we shall be judged according to our own works: but let us still hold the sword in one hand and the shield in the other: for we are beset on every side, our sleep is a thing to tempt us, single life and marriage are things to tempt us, yea there is no minute wherein we are not assaulted. Let us therefore since the Lord hath furnished us with all things fit for the warfare, and since Christ hath sanctified by example this weapon of the word unto us in the like conflict, let us apply our hearts to read it, and strive to have this light both in our lives and in our mouths: for it is necessary for the king to read and lay up, that he may command not through the pride of his heart things that are unlawful: and for the people, lest in too great baseness of mind, they should obey man rather than God, Act. 4.20. Now for them that think Satan such a babe as he will be outfaced with a word of defiance, scorning at reproof, saying: They will shield themselves from Satan aswell as they that admonish them, the foul fiend shall have no power of them, and yet continue in the obstinacy of their hearts, labouring to extinguish the feeling of conscience that they may live more licentiously, they shall prove that Satan can bear a few words so he be sure of the soul, for they be but feathers: and it is a lamentable way to defy a Lion, and yet to come within his clutches: thy soul he will account gain enough.  But he answering, said: It is written, etc. 
Hear followeth the resistance Christ made by the sword of the spirit, to the temptation of the devil. Wherein are to be observed two parts: first, that he useth the word to beat back his fiery dart: secondly, what text he chose and the sense thereof, in which there are two parts set down: the first, negative: Man liveth not by bread only: the second, affirmative: but by the word and promise of God, if the means fail.  
For the first of these consider, he doth not gratify Satan so much, as to tell him whether he be God's Son or no, neither doth he work any miracle as he could have done, as well as pay the tribute out of the fishes mouth, Mat. 17. vers. 27. but he tells him plainly his speech is untrue; for a mere natural man may live without bread, much more I, that have a privilege above men by my heavenly generation. Where we learn to have this resolution, that using lawful means how ever things sueceed or prosper, that we stand upon the promise of God, that we shall never want; a thing which shall continue firm, when the mines of the Indies shall fail: and a promise that no earthly Prince can make, because he cannot assure himself of his own estate. For he that did rain down Angel's food (Exod. 16.15.) not which they made, but which they did minister: he that could make the shoes of the Israelites not to wear, cause water (Num. 20.8) to issue out of a hard rock, command the winds to bring quails in such a multitude, sustain Eliah (1. King. 17.4.) by the ministry of Ravens, that hath at sometime (Mat. 15.36.) fed so many thousands with a few fishes, the same God hath given us his word, that his providence shall be as watchful over us; not that we should look to be fed by miracles, or not to use the means to feed ourselves, but think that come should grow without sowing, as it did (2. King. 19.29.) in Hezechiah's time: but that we may be assured his hand is not now shortened; for we do not look to be rapt up to heaven as Enach was (Gen. 5.24.) before the Law, or as Eliah was (2. King. 2.12.) after the law, yet do we expect that our souls shall go thither as did Lazarus, Luk. 16.22. So though we are not to expect to be enabled forty days to fast, yet he that did it this once, did it to confirm us, that the same power of his Father doth still continue. And among all Christ's sermons, he ever took most persuasive reasons to make an impression of this in his disciples minds, and to root out that humour of worldly pensiveness, and carking carefulness, that they might come to a meditation of the Lords providence. As Luk. 12.22. Be not immoderately careful to heap up unto yourselves riches, for no man's life standeth in his goods: which albeit in judgement we discern of, yet in affection we are overtaken. And to persuade this, he bringeth the Parable of the rich man, (vers. 17.) who when he had spent his care to fill his barns, and had thought to have blest his soul in his substance, the same night was deprived of his life. Christ in that place showing all care to be double: first, for the back what we shall put on: secondly, for the belly what we shall eat, and persuadeth us not to distrust the Lord in either: the life is more than meat, therefore he that gave thee the one being greater, will also give thee the other being less. Consider the ravens, the Lord feeeds them, and can he have less regard of his children? Insinuating unto us, that we should not fear the persecution which is accompanied with scarcity, not stirring up men to desperate courses to entangle themselves in needles troubles: but having the cross laid upon them by others, not brought upon them by themselves, then in a holy resolution of the cause not to fear: for five sparrows shall be bought for two farthings, and yet not a feather of these, much less shall a hair of thy head, fall without God's providence. Secondly, he persuades us by this, that our care can do us no good without God's blessing. For apparel, we see the Lilies garnished with such beauty, as exceedeth Solomon in his glory: and if he thus doatheth the grass of the field, much more will he provide for us. O that our hearts could conceive the comfortable security, that Christ giveth us in resting under the wings of his Father: for he is the same God now, no less careful than he was then, if the fault were not in our infidelity that we distrust him. But seek (saith Christ) the means whereby ye may come to salvation, and all outward things shall be cast upon you: fear not little flock, for he that will give us a heavenly kingdom, wherein we may contemplate the glory of God for ever, and he that hath given us his Son out of his own bosom, when we were his enemies, and had no grace to ask pardon, how can he now deny us any thing he knoweth to be convenient for us? Yet for our comfort let us know, that none have 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 never be forsaken. Many had more oil than the widow of Sarepta, (1. King. 17.16.) yet she by reason of the promise of God wasted not, but lasted longer than theirs: so as not so much for the quantity as for the quality of having it in some competent certainty, the children of the most high shall never want. Where further we learn to forbear the using of unlawful means: for we must make that reckoning Abraham did, (Gen. 22.8.) when Isaac told him, there was wood, but where was the sacrifice: God (saith he) will provide the Scrifice: so we must say, God will provide to relieve our necessities. Let us therefore own nothing but love, not borrow where we cannot pay; 
Rom. 13.8.  and if the lawful sweat of our brows will not afford it, let us use no shifts to disgrace our profession: for what God hath cursed with his mouth, he cannot bless in the use; therefore it is better to want with his favour, then to abound without it; and better it is to be the Almighty's beggar, than the devils belly. Whereas we so look to the means on earth, as if there came no blessing from heaven: when as we should in duty first lift up our eyes to the Highest, that he would add his favour to our labour: for he can make us aswell want in abundance as abound in scarcity; the dearest things a man can have either for possession, as lands; or for affection, as wife in the midst of persecution, if the cross be sanctified unto us by the hand of God, in the want of both these we shall have an hundred fold more, that is, more peace of conscience, more contentation of mind, and more sweet taste of the Lords love, than we should have had avoiding this persecution, in an hundred wives, or an hundred times more living. We being now assured of God's favour, and being but pilgrims on earth, we shall see Christ in the heavens with his arms displayed to embrace us, a joy surpassing all that worldly men can conceive in all their superstuities; this but tickling the sense, and nothing contenting the mind, the other wrapping up the soul in assurance of full and perfect blessedness.  
For the second point, which is the affirmative, that is, for the blessing of God, and the way he hath deemed to be most fit to maintain ourselves, that is his word: we are to learn a double use: the first, special: the second, general. Special in the matter here expressed for sustenance, that it is the Lord who doth maintain us, so as his blessing must be upon the bread, else it can afford no nourishment. Whereby are to be reproved those inordinate men, that go unto their meats like horses to provender, and like hogs gathering the mast and never looking up to the tree whence it falleth. They should consider first, that the bread unless it be sanctified (1. Tim. 4.4.5.) by God, is none of theirs, for we lost all the benefit of God's creatures in the fall of Adam and can no way challenge them but by restitution in Christ, and this must be by prayer. Secondly, if we would think that God could take away the strength from bread, we would feed more religiously: let us know that he may rot the grain in the clods, or blast it in the ear, he may restrain the latter rain that it may not yield, in the barn vermin may consume it, if it pass the flail, the mill, the oven, yet in thy mouth it may be ratsbane and turn to poison, or in thy stomach it may become the gall of Asps: for why shouldest thou feed on God's creatures not acknowledging them whence they come? Set before thee the example registered in the Scripture, Numb. 11.33. quarles came lothsomely out of their nostrils, and they died with meat in their mouths, having fat bodies and lean souls. Therefore let us pray, that the food we take may do us good, otherwise we have no more right to use them then the Israelites had to the quails. And as God can turn stones into bread, so can he also turn bread into stones, for it is not the nature of the thing itself simply to nourish without a blessing: but wine which doth comfort the weak, the Lord can make it to the wicked a cup only to infatuate them, that their account may be the greater for usurping the Lords creatures. And this is the reason why we are taught in the Lord's prayer, to pray that our daily bread may be given us, thereby acknowledging first God to be the giver: secondly, that we have trust that through our prayers only it shall be given us: thirdly, that not only the creatures themselves but the blessing upon them comes from God; for though our garments were as costly as the Ephod of Aron, yet without his blessing they were nothing. For so miserable is our condition, that we are not able to li●● one moment without the special providence of God. For the second use, which is general: as it is true in bread so is it in all other things, that without the blessing of God they can avail us nothing: when we are sick we seek like Asa (2. Chron. 16.12.) to the Physician, fixing our eyes and fastening our hope only upon this outward means: whereas if the Lord hath called for a plague upon us, what man can cure it unless the Lord do revoke it? So is it for wars, men may provide money, munition and horses for the day of battle, but victory cometh of the Lord: for it is he that amazeth the rider, 
Prou. 2●. 31.  and assuageth the fury of the enemy, and blindeth the wisdom of the Princes of the world, that they shall fail in policy. And how cometh it to pass (saith the Prophet hag 1.6.) that ye sow much and reap little, wear much apparel and it doth not warm you, drink and your thirst is not quenched, but only that the Lord hath blown upon it, hath blassed and not blessed it? Therefore let us learn to remove this fault, that by the secret infidelity of our hearts we do not attribute too much to the means; for the Lord can feed without bread, but bread cannot nourish without his blessing. The use then of this doctrine is double: first, for our judgements: secondly, for our affections. For the first, first we are hereby warranted to pray for things necessary for this life; as Math. 7. it is said, Ask and it shall be given you: secondly, that the expectation of these things from God, and not to have them without him, is an outward profession that he is only the distributer of them, and therefore will give to every one his appointed portion. We may not therefore simply pray for these outward and earthly things but with limitation: first, that they be subject to the pleasure of God: secondly, that they be desired not for themselves, but to glorify God and to profit our neighbour. Thirdly, here is confuted the error of the heathen, that worshipped Ceres as the God of corn, and Bacchus as the God of wine; which howsoever they were the first inventors of grinding the one and pressing the other, yet both the Corn and the Grape come from God. For the second, which concerneth our affections: here is first reproved covetousness in getting, the venom of all virtue, and is contrary to the keeping of a good conscience before God, and desiring of a good name before men, making us deaf to the noise of infamy. For if the hand of God containeth all, and the blessing of God continueth all, to what end shall we tempt him, or bury ourselves as it were in the graves of lust? Secondly is reprehended our unthankfulness in using Gods blessings, pasting by them with our eyes shut, and glorifying the means above the matter. Thirdly, our diffidence, lest we should lose or want them, for the fountain of all riches streaming from the Lord, he can convey unto us whole rivers of them, and measure them unto us without stint if we depend upon his providence.  
Then the Devil took him up into the holy City, etc. This is the second temptation, wherewith our Saviour Christ during the infirmity of his body for want of food was aslaulted, where it pleased God to give Satan leave to carry him in the air after a strange manner, and to set him on a pinnacle of the Temple, where he reasoneth thus with him; Thou sayst man liveth not by bread only, but by the blessing of thy Father, who can maintain thee without bread, and herein thou dost well: now because thou art assured, and dost promise thyself that God will never destitute the nor forsake thee, show me thy power in casting thyself down and not hurting thee: the power of thy father is able to do this, thou art here at jerusalem the famous city, show them what thou art able to do, that they may all give thee the applause and it will be a notable means to make them swarm after thee. And because thou mayst know, I go about nothing prejudicial to God's glory, or dangerous to thine own person, it is written that especially thou shalt be protected by Angels, and they shall wait upon thee to keep thee from hurt, therefore thou needst not despair. Now Christ tells him not, that he was not able to do this, for he would not gratify him so much, but lets him know that he wronged the words, and wrested the sense of the place alleged: for it is not said generally, the Angels shall support him in all things, but they shall defend him in all his ways, that is, such as my Father hath appointed me to walk in: so that if I or any other Christian will lay claim to this promse, I must keep me in my wates, and so must they: that is, from this pinnacle I must come down by the stairs, and not throw myself headlong, for my father hath appointed me no such way, but this should be an unlawful means: and to that thou hast brought corrupted, I oppose another plain place, that I must not tempt God, but keep myself within my compass, and then I am sure to have safeguard.  
Hence we may gather two parts: first, the temptation: secondly, the repulse. The temptation hath two parts: first, whereto Christ is tempted: secondly, a reason persuading him to yield to the temptation.  
For the first, generally observe, that Satan dealeth by contraries, both with the head and with the members; for when he saw he could not overcome Christ in the case of famine, to make him despair of God's providence, now he laboureth to overreach him in a matter of presumption, that he should try his providence, that since he could not doubt but to be fed without bread, he might make him presume to be upheld without means. Even so dealeth he with us, either to make us distrustful through penury, or proud through plenty; in the time of ignorance seeking to make us proud through works, and to be in love with them without faith, and now to stand upon faith without works; before labouring in zeal without knowledge, and now hunting after knowledge without zeal.  
For the second, which is the reason, he allegeth scripture, namely Psal. 91.1. wherein observe two things: first, that though scripture here be opposed to scripture, yet not to withdraw the determination of matters from the book of God, and to post them off to Rabbins and Counsels, for none can better try the truth then the spirit of truth. Secondly, that it detracteth nothing from the glory of the Scripture, to come forth of Satan's mouth, nay nothing graceth it so much as this: the reason whereof is, that Satan knew what bait Christ and all the faithful would best and soon bite at, and in his subtlety if any stratagem could have prevailed more than other he would have used it, but he knew Christ relied upon nothing so much as the voice of his Father, and therefore he useth the greatest weapon against the greatest enemy, that he might show in pretence to have as much truth on his side as Christ.  
If thou be the Son of God, etc. This is the temptation itself, wherein consider three points: first, that the devil transformeth himself so far into an Angel of light, as he brings scripture. secondly, to examine how rightly and truly he doth apply it: thirdly, how falsely he doth abuse it.  
For the first, It is written, saith the devil, dealing with the sharp, and blading it out with the Scripture: sometimes he dealeth plainly, and showeth his horns as it were by apertly opposing himself with violence against the truth: sometimes more privily, and shroudeth himself under pretence of truth, and this two ways: first, by heretical doctrine and gross superstition: secondly, by persuading men that he is a lover of the truth, as in this place that he would persuade Christ to nothing but that he had scripture for. Thus dealt he Act. 16▪ 17. where a woman possessed with a devil having the power of spiritual divination, having seen Paul after he had there preached, the spirit in that maid giveth an honourable testimony by a subtle stratagem of Satan, of Paul and Silas, saying, These be the servants of the most high God, which show unto you the way of salvation: a strange testimony to be given from the devil, and far degenerating from his nature, to give witness of the truth, himself being the father of lies; and knowing Paul to be a sworn enemy, should yet yield voluntarily, and proclaim audience, and ring the bell as it were to gather the people about him, is worth the wonder. But what was his drift and subtlety in this, saving that by the maids often repeating it and clamorous noising of it, it might persuade the poor disciples and weak followers of the Gospel, that Paul and the devil had both combined and compacted together, as if thereby the Gospel might be brought into suspicion to be but the illusion of Satan, and light to be mingled with darkness: therefore it is said vers. 18. that Paul was grieved till he had cast him out: even so here to bring the people to suspicion that the scripture serveth him as well as Christ, thereby to make us forsake our hold, and suggesting this, that nothing hath brought more disparagement to the Scripture them this, that all men of all opinions do allege it. Hereupon some take occasion to dispense with their conscience for any profession: so many places one against another, the Devil allegeth it, Christ allegeth it, what shall we do? if we go in either way we may go a miss, and if we turn on the right hand, for any thing we know it leadeth to hell. This is most profane: for whereas they pretend to be abused by this incertainty, they are so civil to displease no part, as they are content to take any kind of tergiversation or flinching to extricate and shift themselves of the inquiry of the truth: whereas they might fear as well to eat lest they should be choked, and open the gates and leave watching because the enemy hath so many subtleties as it will be hard to keep him out. Whereas God doth this to exercise his servants in prayer, and to make them more diligent in searching, and not that we should turn it to a matter of security and idleness: these men not being so devout as they that worship the Sun and Moon, 
Reu. 12.4.  for they have some conscience. We must know that Satan is able to pull stars from heaven, as it is in the Revelation, and he doth not always speak with the mouth of a Dragon: therefore in these perplexities we must approach to God, 
Mat. 7.8.  whose promise we have, Seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened: and john 7.17. if any man have an honest heart and good inclination to live well, I will show him, saith Christ, from whence my doctrine is. And the Lord hath promised to be a Schoolmaster to the humble, they being not prepossessed with prejudice, and he will give plentifully and never upbraid. O most bountiful invitation of our gracious God. whereby we may be assured that ask the truth he will not give error, 
Luke 11.12.  and desiring to be conducted in the right way, he will not lead us into bypaths, no more than ask bread he will give us a Scorpion, but he will uphold us in the most dangerous temptations, whereas others having no desire at least in a single affection, for their malice and prejudice may be justly damned. 1. Thess. 2.16.  
But what shall we do? shall we make them like wax, flexible to every impression? or like bells tunable to the ears of the hearer? What resolution is there for the conscience, the text cannot speak: It is written, saith Christ, It is written, saith the devil: if they be written they are both true, and must needs be contrary being cited by enemies. We answer it is true, the letter printed cannot speak, and they that writ it are in heaven. The Church therefore hath provided certain means whereby a man not prejudicate may know the truth, which be six: first, prayer with David, that the Lord would open our understandings, and show us the light of his statutes, 
Psal. 25.12.  and the way that we may choose whereby our steps may be assured. Secondly, we must understand the words of the place in the original tongue, of the old Testament in the Hebrew, of the new in the Greek, for this was the instrument sanctified to that purpose. Thirdly, we must consider the words, what they be by themselves, and what they be together joined with others, whether they be to be taken properly or figuratively, which shall be known if either they be not proportionable to the analogy and rule of faith, or not agreeing with the circumstance of the place. Fourthly, to examine the drift of the place, what went before and what followeth: as Christ to one ask him how he should get eternal life, answered, by keeping the commandments; 
Luk. 18. 2●.  not meaning thereby that we must come to it by our works, as the Papists gather, 
Luke 10.26.29.  but he speaking to one that justified himself by keeping the Law, spoke after that sort to show him his wound, namely that that was not the way unless he fulfilled all. Fiftly, by comparing and conferring of places one with another, the true sense of the Scripture against the Scripture abused, as Christ in this place doth; and as elsewhere, Love covereth the multitude of ●●nes, 1. Pet. 4.8. confer with this, Prou. 10.12. Hatred stirreth ●peontention, but love covereth all trespasses: love being taken ●or the love of men, whereby things are qualified, and the best made of the worst, and not for covering of sins before God, ●s the Papists would have it, but inding it before men. So A●raham was justified by faith, faith Paul Rom. 4.3. by works saith ●ames, chapped 2.21. Saint james, dealing with them that denied ●orks altogether, S. Paul with them that stood too much upon ●●em; the one speaking how aman might approve himself before men to be justified, the other how men are justified before God. Sixthly, approve of no interpretation, nor accept of any scripture which is not proportionable to the analogy and agreeable to the rule of faith, which is threefold: first, the ten commandments: secondly, the Lord's prayer: thirdly, the Creed of the Apostles. As when it is said, This bread is my body, I must not take it for the very substantial body of Christ as it was on earth, because it is against my Creed, which teacheth me to believe he is in heaven. Again, if we eat him in the bread flesh and bone, it crosseth a commandment, Thou shalt not kill, for it is cruelty so to rend his flesh between our teeth. Oh but how shall unlearned men do this? Let us know that God is the teacher of the unlearned, and he will not give a stone if we ask food, but he will instruct the humble, and in compassion will bring them forth of darkness, if they will confer with the learned, as the Eunuch did with Philip, Act. 8.31. and if they will frequent the word preached with the same hearts that the men of Beroea did hear Paul's sermons, Act. 17.10. comparing then with the verity of the word written.  
For the second, how truly Satan applied the Scripture he brought: the place is taken out of Psal. 91.11. and though his purpose was to abuse Christ having no promise of protection going out of his ways, yet in this he saith truly, that he applied the pomise especially to Christ the natural Son of God, though it extend to all the faithful: for Christ is that ladder of jacob, Gen. 28.12. whereupon the Angels ascended and descended: and so much did he himself tell Nathaniel of (1. john 51.) that he should see the Angels ascend and descend upon the son of man, for they are serviceable properly to him as the son of God, and of him it is principally true, that the Angels do attende● for though they serve us it is but for his sake, not that they are inferior to us in themselves, but God having for his sons sake made us heirs of glory, and Christ vouchsafing us to be companions with him in his kingdom, they minister unto us, and by that ladder do descend unto us, having of ourselves nothing.  
Further note, that the devil doth know that Christ and 〈◊〉 Gods children must have sufficient security from God, th●● walking in their calling, and in the ways prescribed them, they shall be guided by the providence of the most high: which is our comfort, that neither the pestilence that walketh by night, 
Psal. 91.5.6.  nor the arrows that fly by day; neither the dragon, nor the asp, the open furious, nor the secret malicious tyrant shall once hurt us: for Satan knows and doth here testify, that we dwell in the secret of the Highest, and under his shadow that shall shelter us from stormy blasts and boiling heat: and no more shall we need to fear, 
Gen. 11.4.  than did the heavens when the Tower of Babel should have been erected to them: and as easy it is to pull God out of his throne, as to disgrace us further than he permits: for our salvation is as sure as his own seat, and as steadfast as if ourselves had been in heaven and seen it written with Gods own singer. Yea we shall stand like mount Zion, 
Psal. 125.1.  and not a feather of a bird, much more not the hair of our head, nor the hem of our garment shall be touched or fall without his appointment. Wherefore Satan sinneth against the holy Ghost in labouring to seduce the faithful, whom he knoweth he cannot stir, and when he knoweth we cannot fall finally, since the Angels have charge over us, and cannot but be faithful keepers of that is committed to them. And herein may we embrace the riches of the Lords mercy, who when his own providence might be sufficient to secure us of our safety, yet to relieve our infirmity, and to support our weakness, hath given us the guard of heaven to wait upon us: as if one that were to pass the seas, should not only have the letters of the Prince for his safe conduct, but should be guarded with his royal Nany, to assure us, that doing that we do by the warrant of his word, we shall neither be persecuted nor molested, but so far as he may have glory by it, and we reap comfort.  
For the third, wherein he doth falsify the text alleged: and this he doth two ways: first, by wronging the words: secondly, by wresting the sense: for the Psalm. 91.11. is: He hath given his Angels charge to keep thee in thy ways, so as the promise is made with a limitation: that he keep him in his ways. Now from the pinnacle of the temple to fall down is not the way, but he leaveth out the demonstration of the truth, (thy ways) that is, those ways that be prescribed, as from the Temple to come down by the stairs: by this means dealing fraudulently, leaving out the principal. Secondly, consider the wresting of the sense: for where this was spoken, that Christ should depend upon his Father's providence walking in his ways, he laboureth to secure him generally of the same providence, though he were out of the way, hereby to overthrow him.  
Now as he dealt with the head, so he doth with the members: for pretending God's protection, he laboureth to bring men to destruction. For predestination, he will tell a man Esau was hated and jacob beloved before they had done either good or evil; 
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 he doth only to make us rest in the providence of God's predestination, without having regard to our conversation; whereas hereby we ought the more to be induced to get as many testimonies as we can to prove, that this election pertaineth to us, and not to wait till grace should distill by divine influence, or to make the decree of God a means of our security to live as we list; as that being elected we cannot perish, and being appointed to be damned, we cannot avoid it. So for justification he will suggest: We are saved by the blood of Christ only, and when we have done all, we are unprofitable servants; the more we sin the more grace aboundeth, 
Rom. 6.1.  and God hath most glory in pardoning most offences: Whereas being elected we work well, not to recompense the goodness of God, but to show our thankfulness. And there is no promise where the commandment is not kept: for this is to be performed on our part, else God is discharged on his part: for being out of our ways the devil may take us as vagabonds, the protection of the Lord not extending to us in this course. And thus doth Satan almost labour to pervert all the Scripture, that he may find us straying out of our Father's house: as to suggest, that the Sabbath is made for man, therefore he will labour to make us work on this day. 
Mark. 2.27.  But let us not give ear 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 than an infidel, if he abuse any of us by this, to covet after riches, away with it: for it is said in another place: Covetousness is the root of all evil, and the desire of riches is simply unlawful, (1. Tim. 6.9.) for by this he falleth into many snares.  
It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt, etc.  
This is the second general part: namely, the repulse of the temptation: wherein consider two parts: first, that Christ answereth again by Scripture: secondly, in what sense the place is alleged.  
For the first, we may observe and see, it is no disgrace nor disparagement to the Scripture to proceed from Satan, nor any occasion to make us leave our hold: for Christ answereth again, and striketh with the same weapon wherewith he was stricken, showing us, that it is lawful to use a text well against them that do abuse a text: and if Christ's example be our precedent, than we may allege Scripture against depraved Scripture. For the Bee may gather honey on the same stalk that the spider doth poison. And though a swashbuckler kill a man with his weapon, yet a soldier may lawfully knit a sword to his side: and though there be many piracies committed on the sea, yet may the merchant's traffic; or though some surfeit by gluttony, yet may others use their temperate diet. And if the devil change himself into an Angel of light, shall therefore the Angels lose their light? Or shall Paul therefore deny himself to be a preacher of salvation, because the Pythonite (Act. 16.17.) spoke it? Or because Caiphas by the spirit of the devil (joh. 11.50.) said, one should die for the sins of the people, must we not therefore believe it? And though (Numb. 22.) an enchanter wished that his soul might die the death of the righteous, yet is it a prayer fit to be used of all Christians, though he sold his soul for gold: For (saith he Numb. 24.17.) a star shall come out of juda, a true speech of a false spirit. And here the devils own mouth protesteth, that God's providence reacheth over his children, which we may believe with comfort, though it proceed from his lying lips.  
For the second, which is the sense of the words: herein Christ doth plainly show, that he abused the place before alleged, because he enforced the promise contrary to the commandment, mandement, making it absolute, where it was but conditional: that the Lord would protect him if he kept him in his ways; and for him to expect the promise if he went astray, were merely to tempt God: so as the devil by concealing that part, did poison and adulterate the Scripture.  
Now we must observe, that God is tempted by man two ways: first, when we doubt of his power, using lawful means, and yet we do not think God can relieve us: as Exod. 17. and Numb. 20 both the Israelites and Moses himself doubted there would come no water out of the rock though it were stricken, whereupon the place was called Massah and Meribah, Strife and Temptation: for the Lord had told them by that means they should gain water. Secondly, he is tempted, when we neglect the means, and yet presume upon his power, which is most proper to this place. For if Christ here would have come down from the pinnacle head long and not by degrees, he had neglected the means, and so had been out of the compass of the promise. And thus do we try whether. God can keep us when we are gone out of the way; which is as if we would cut off a man's leg, and send him then on our errand; and clip the wings of a bird to try whether it can fly: for our presumption can tie up God's arms that he cannot help us, and make him brass, that he cannot rain mercy upon us. We know there is a peremptory decree of election and reprobation: 
Phil. 2.12.  what of this? yet we must strive to obtain the price set before us, and work our salvation forth with fear and trembling: for there are none predestinate to life, but they are predestinate to the means, faith and repentance, and he shall believe and repent that shall be saved, and he that doth not, was never elect; and yet we try whether God can save us contrary to the means he hath appointed, by walking in profaneness, and in the works of darkness. But let us know, that the promise is upon condition that we believe, and that the means standeth with the decree, and cannot be separate. Oh, but it is said, 
Ezec. 18.32. Rom. 2.4.  At what time soever a sinner doth repent he shall live. True: but it is said again: Abuse not the bountifulness of the Lord unto thine own damnation: For the door is not alway open, but thou mayst knock too late, and weep when thou canst get no blessing: for if the sun once set upon our sins, or the inheritance be once given, than we come too short to expect any share.  
Hear we are to consider two extremities we are fallen into: first, that we distrust most where we ought not to doubt: secondly, that wherein we should be most fearful, we are too bold: Care not (saith Christ) for food and apparel, (Mat. 6.25.) they shall be cast upon you: and yet in these things we dare not trust the Lord without a pawn, for unless we have bread, we think strait way we shall starve: but concerning heavenly things we are more careless, as for the preaching of the word, which is as necessary to keep life in the soul, as is food to maintain life in the body. Without bread a man will confidently say he 〈…〉 live, and yet despising the bread of life, and never tasting of it, he will not doubt but he hath a sound soul, and can retire to the song of mercy; as that he trusteth God will spare him: when as in truth we have no promise of mercy, but through obedience to the Gospel, embracing it by faith, and expressing it in our conversation. And this is our misery, that we are grown so sluggish, that we dare trust God with our souls without means, which is the more precious part, but not with our bodies unless we see the means present, these being of no value save in respect of the soul which maketh the whole immortal. Christ here refused to fall down, because there was another way: so let us cease to tempt the Lord by our wicked lives, upon hope of his patience, or presuming that in compassion he will not fall out with us, nor take vengeance on our offences: for we cannot turst or rely upon mercy without obedience to his commandment. Example hereof we have, Act. 27.24. where Paul had a promise of the Lord, that not a hair of their head should perish that went with him in the ship: yet when upon violence of the tempest they would have committed themselves to the sea, Paul telleth them they could not be safe unless they stated in the ship: for God having set down the means of their safety, meant to have their hearts inclined to it; even so he that doth not amend his life, can no more be secure from the shipwreck of his soul, than these from the danger of their bodies if they had forsaken the ship: or Christ to have had his Father's Angels to have upheld him if he had cast himself down.  
Again the Devil took him up into an exceeding high mountain, etc. This is the third battery or assault was laid against our Saviour Christ; wherein are two general parts: first, the temptation: secondly, the resistance of the temptation. In the first, there are three parts to be considered: first, what was the glorious and glittering sight he showed Christ: secondly, what was the bountiful offer he made him: thirdly, what was the condition he required in recompense of his royal liberality. The sight he showed him is set down by these circumstances: first, he lifteth him up into an exceeding high mountain that he might have the advantage of the place to take the better view: secondly, he shows him not some but all the kingdoms of the earth, not in some but in all the glory of them all; and as Saint Luke saith, chap. 4.5. in the twinkling of an eye, that the sudden sight might have ravished him.  
Out of which learn, that before the devil would propound his purpose and manifest his drift, he useth an insinuation to prepare Christ, by making an impression in his mind, to have that moved by the apprehension of the sense, that if it were possible his mind might be ensnared. But Christ though he had the natural faculties of man, yet was he not subject to man's infirmities. But it is strange to see how forcible this temptation is to the sons of men that are but flesh, to show them but the sight of things, for not only the mind poisoned with concupiscence corrupteth the sense, but the sense likewise poisoneth the mind, and oft times the Devil gins with thoughts and fancies represented to the senses. In incontinency thus he wrought with David, 2. Sa. 11.2. by casting his eye from the turret to lust after Vriahs' wife: and Gen 39.7. Putyphars wife fair the young man joseph to be fair, and she said, Lie with me: and joshua 7.22. Achan saw a stately garment of a Babylonian, and then coveted, and then took it. For sensuality and voluptuousness, the eye worketh much upon men, and therefore in the Proverbs we are forbidden to look upon the colour of wine lest the sight inflame the appetite: 
Prou. 13.31.  and in Ahab 1. King. 21.2. it is to be thought he often saw Naboths vineyard, whereby he was brought so greedily to desire it: yea in most of the sins registered in the scripture, this speech (They saw it) cometh ever between the heart and the sin; for thus Satan poureth in poison into the heart by the outward sense, and our looks are as windows whereat lust is let in, and concupiscence inflamed. Hereupon it is that the Saints of God have made their prayers, that the Lord would turn away their eyes from beholding vanity: 
job 31.1.  and job made And if these that were so full of the holy Ghost, so painful in crucifying their members, so fervent in prayer, and so awful of God did this, much more ought we that are far behind them in religious exercises, and far before them in fleshly desires, have a steady hand over ourselves and our senses, that they be not caught and ensnared. Therefore let us yield nothing to the course of waters, nor seek to quench the fire with oil, or abate our lust by dalliance. Some have the eyes of the Cockatrice of Egypt, that sendeth forth poison to infect others, and rebounding back again poisoneth itself. For him that can scarce stand of himself, it is not safe sliding on the ice: nor for a weak brain to come near an ivy bush: for in this he betrayeth his own soul.  
For the second, which is the promise he made him, All these (faith he) I will give thee: and lest he might seem to promise that was none of his own, it appeareth by S. Luk. 4.6. that he doth not challenge this as his of himself, but as given him: as if he should say, They are all given me, and I will give them all to thee; wherein partly he saith true, and in part lieth most shamefully. His truth is in this, that he acknowledgeth it to be bestowed by a higher Lord; but hereby he would insinuate, that they are so given, as the Lord hath utterly renounced and abdicated his care of the world, and hath left the earth to be disposed by Satan, or the wheel of fortune, contenting himself with the government in the heavens. Where learn, that though Satan doth rule against God's will, and that he never allowed his power, whee ruleth not without his will. Hereupon we must understand a double power; the first given, the second only permitted: All power thou hast (saith Christ to Pilate) is given this of my Father. 
john 19.11.  But the devils power is so permitted as it was never ordained of God: therefore it is not so lawful as that of Magistrates, be they never so wicked; for this is so given, as though it be abused yet the authority in it own nature cometh from God. Revel. 13. The beast, that was the Emperor of Rome, came tumultuously, and advanced by wars had his authority given him from the Dragon. Where we must distinguish two things: first, the ordinance of God commanding such magistracy so far as it is pre-eminence: secondly, their Apostasy, their tyranny, persecution of the Saints, and their unjust coming to that seat, was from the devil. But the devils power he executeth is no way lawful as from God, for he never commanded it; so as he is a mere usurper: and according to this is the lieutenancy of Satan, which God doth suffer but not ordiane, namely that princely imperious popish Priest of Rome, neither Magistrate nor Minister, and hath no power but from sathan, and is absolutely as unlawful as the Devils. Where further consider, that there is nothing so evil but it is by God's decree, though not allowed, and it is good there should be evil. And though the devil as he is the Devil ruleth not well, yet it is to God's glory, for the exercising of his children by the buffet of Satan to humble them, lest they should wax proud, and for the condemnation of the reprobate by the suggestions of Satan to ntangle them, that they might not escape the justice of God.  
The second thing Satan assumeth to himself is most false, namely, that they were his to dispose; for since they were never given him, he cannot assign them over, for he hath gained no interest by usurpation. And this is true that Nabuchadnezzar Dan. 4. learned by living among beasts: Now (saith he vers. 31.) I see by experience which I could not before judge of, that the Lord of Lords disposeth of kingdoms. But it may be thought a strange impudence in the devil, to go about to persuade the Son of God that he could give these things, for scarce any of us would think his sovereignty so great. It is true, Christ could no●●● this proffer be seduced; but a great part of the world doth think, that he can dispose of the comforts of this life, which is proved by the means they use to come to these blessings, using lewd practices and unlawful means, not for a kingdom but for a trifle; which they would never do, if they were not persuaded the disposition of these inferior things were turned over to the Devil, for God giveth nothing as a blessing, but by a lawful course: so as using Satan's means how can we think it cometh from God? And that such is our judgement also, appeareth by the proverb, He that liveth an honest man shall die a beggar; and what is this but to give over the government to the Devil of these earthly things? And though they ask their daisy bread of God, yet they testify that this their God is Satan. For note the means they use. For kingdoms, can a man persuade himself that God setteth up Princes, and that promotion cometh neither from the East not from the West, and shall he aspire to it by treason? For authority; can a man think that to come to a place is in the disposition of the highest, when he is advanced by bribery and corruption? He that thinks to win somewhat from a Prince by flattery, persuadeth not himself that God can dispose of Prince's hearts. And he that comes to a living by simony, thinks not that the holy Ghost hath appointed him there, nor he that increaseth his wealth by usury, holds not that riches come from the Lord; for all these means hath his mouth cursed.  
Further, for the promise, he will give him all if he will give him but a knee, a small matter; and if he would acknowledge him a benefactor, he would gratify him as a person worthy, with all he showed him. Now how ever Christ was not overcome with this, yet it mightily prevails with the sons of men. Look into all particular places, and we shall find he hath many to crouch to him for a great deal less than this was: judas will betray his master for thirty pieces of silver, Mat. 26.15. Doeg will flatter Saul 1. Sa. 22.10. and speak all evil of David, in hope of preferment. Absalon will seek his father's life, to step into his throne, 2. Sa. 15.2. joab will kill Amasa (2. Sam. 10.) to get but the chief captainship of the guard. And Abimelech will slay threescore and ten men (judges 9.2.) to make himself way to the Crown. This made Balaam (Numbers 24.) that he would feign have cursed; that he might have been advanced: and Diotrephes (3. john 1.9.) to hinder preaching that he might be chief: and the Disciples to fall out (Luke 9.46.) among themselves who shall be chiefest, one desiring to sit on the right hand, the other on the left, that they might be jolly fellows. But never any took the Devil so much at his word as the Hierarchy of Rome, who from God had nothing given them but the Word and Sacraments, but from Satan hath had his stairs and degrees to ascend into the mountain, first God having provided men should be Pastors over the people, it was appointed by man that there should be superintendents over the superintendents, that is, Bishops, over Pastors, which was thought good to appease the ●●●ention of the church, and to advance men for the excellency of their gifts. After was devised that some should be over the Bishops, as Archbishops, devised at first by singular policy, that as Bishops in their Diocese were over the Pastors, so these should be over them, to deal with them as they did with the Pastors. After was invented that some should be over them, and then was the Church given to four patriarchs which were to have as ample authority over them as they had over the Bishops, and these were placed in every corner of the Church, namely at Alexandria, Antioch, Constantinople and Rome. Hereupon by reason of the multitude of matters brought to these four, Satan withdrew them from their studies, being so instantly importuned as they were. From hence they being in such eminent places, and bearing the name of great professors, the emperors growing to be Christians endowed them with great substance, called them to be of their Council, and gave them much worldly wealth, as to great men of the earth; and when they began thus to negotiate in the world they despised preaching. After when they were enriched and brought thus far add gloriam mundi, to behold the glory of the earth, than Satan wanted no more than to see which of these would fall down first and have all: at the end the strife grew between Constantinople and Rome, as patriarchs of the East and West Churches, and after some buckling Rome prevailed, partly by the absence of the Emperor, partly by the division of the Empire in the East, partly in that it sought it more ambitiously than the other, and partly for the fulfilling of the prophesy, that the seat of the Beast should be built upon the seven hills. And how was this done but by Phocas that killed his Master Mauritius? whereupon afterward partly by worldly power, disposing of Emperors, and the yoke of conscience thinking them Peter successors, he was stupor mundi, the wonder of the world, having power in the people's understanding, both in hell, heaven, earth, and purgatory; and when he came to rule in all these, them was this fulfilled here spoken of, Fall down and worship me. And this hath also infected the Churches of the Protestants, as one Bishop Bennet hath written, namely the Devil hath showed them the 〈◊〉 Bishoprics, Deaneries, and Parsonages of the land, and having once gotten them at this lift, hath brought them to disclaim and renounce the simplicity of the truth, and leaving their calling to betake themselves to the glittering show of the world, and to be said and fatted with ambition.  
For the third, which is the condition he requireth for his liberality: he will not give it for nothing. Where note, that the devils promises are fair, but there is some cursed condition tied and annexed to them. He will give Absalon a kingdom, but he must ravish his father's concubines: 
2. Sam ●● 22. 1. Sa. 22.9.18 Luk. 23.2. joh. 19.12.  he will get Doeg a place in the Court, but he must persecute the Church: Caiphas shall be chief Priest, so he will betray Christ: Pilate shall be a judge, if he will be Caesar's friend: Balaam shall be highly promoted, if he will but curse the people: and Christ shall have the whole world if he will but bend his knee to him. He will promise, 
Num. 23.11.  a merchant shall be made an Alderman, if he will but continue his usury: a Lawyer shall be made a judge, if he will not stick at a little bribery: a scholar shall have great preferment, if he but follow his counsel: at first to preach pleasingly, not to do it often, for than he shall be stolen, to come up only in famous places, especially at Bethel the King's Chapel: so as the country must not content him, he must preach like a Clerk in his Greek, Hebrew, and Latin, that the people may rather admire him, than understand him: think he hath knowledge, rather than get any for themselves: for Satan cannot abide to have them learned, he must defend all things not only to be well established but well executed; to beware lest he gall men in authority; and howsoever in the pulpit he may generally glance at abuses, yet after to show himself plausible, and to make himself deaf when he heareth an oath. Thus doth the devil indent with men, and thus is wine given to the Nazarites, 
Amos 2.12.  as Amos speaketh, and unless thou wilt suffer God to be dishonoured, and thy soul hazarded, he will give thee nothing.  
But it may be said, It is a shameful thing to demand this of Christ, so may it seem of us; for no man will profess to worship the devil. But this cannot be denied in action, however it be in wo●ds: for if a man worship him whom he serveth, and serveth him whom he obeyeth, as S. Paul saith Rom. 6.14. And if we may measure the worship by the fruits of worship, he that by p●●ier expecteth not a blessing, by looseness of life giveth himself to uncleanness, and from the poison of his heart profaneth the Sabbath, doth worship the devil greatly, though he cry never so much against it: for none will sooner defend her honesty then a strumpet, nor give bigger words than a coward. Yea some are so fully possessed with him as they do not know it; and those diseases are most dangerous that are not felt. Now the devil is worshipped two ways: either by idolatry in judgement, as in gross superstition: or by idolatry in affection, as they that make their belly their God: for the covetous man is an Idolater, Ephes. 5. and so is the voluptuous man, Phil. 3. yea if we plant our hearts any where but in heaven, we commit Idolatry.  
Now for the resistance of the temptation, it hath two parts: the first, general: the second particular. Fist, answering by the detestation of the person, Avoid Satan: for because he had dealt more shamefully in this temptation then in the others, he giveth him a more sharp answer then before. Secondly, he descendeth for the instruction of the godly, into a more particular answer: I must worship God.  
Out of the first, learn the wisdom of our Saviour Christ, who dealing with a most malicious enemy, would not multiply words or argument with him, but answereth him with one only word of detestation, Avoid Satan: For the blasphemous may not be reasoned with, if they should, it would make them but burst forth into greater outrage against the peerless and matchless wisdom of God, giving us likewise by this answer secretly to understand, that whosoever goeth about to withdraw us from God, is of the devil: so likewise are they that seek by reason to dissuade us from the shame of the cross: Therefore (Mat. 16.23.) when Christ endeavoured to prevent the ignominy should come upon the cross, and to make his disciples and the rest unvanquishable when it should come, it is said there, Peter took him aside, and used reasons to dissuade him from such 〈◊〉 comfortable speeches; whereupon Christ not mildly but sharply, being displeased with this carnal excoption of his, bids him 〈◊〉 Satan: that is, as a great enemy to him and others. And so whensover flesh and blood shall take exception against the mystery of godliness, it is thus sharply to be reproved. Hereupon (Rom. 3.31.) exceptions being taken, that the law served to no use, because Christ's obedience had absolutely purchased our pardon, the Apostle in like wisdom of the spirit of God, answereth not only by a simple denial, but by a denial with a detestatio●●. God forbidden: 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 only saith, their damnation is just, rather setting before them their cursed end, than convincing them by reason: for as Solomon saith, A fool may not be answered in his folly.  
Out of the second answer which Christ maketh, for our instruction and satisfaction, observe, that God must have both all outward and inward worship, so as it is impious to think a man can keep his soul for God, when he humbleth his body to strange gods: and in this he doth withdraw his reverence from his own religion, either through fear or profaneness reaching forth part of the worship to another. But we must know God will have both, and in creating both he challengeth both, besides that of them both he hath made but one man which cannot be divided, but goeth together. For we are not baptized in our bodies only, but in our souls: out souls only were not redeemed, neither shall they only be sa●ed, but the whole man. If the body then be the Lords both by creation and by redemption, let us give testimony of his worship in both, otherwise it is as if a woman should protest she loved her husband at the heart and in her soul, and yet should prostitute her body to uncleanness: but we are espoused and married to the Lord, therefore let us keep both for him unspotted.  
Lastly, out of the devils argument, let us learn to fear and serve the Lord: for if gifts may draw on worship, as he pretendeth by his proffer to Christ, then hath the Lord offered far more largely for us: I will give thee (saith he) eternal life, and it is no advantage to win the world and to take the devils offer, and after to lose our souls. But let us set God on our right hand, in him we live, in him we have our being, it is he that feedeth us with natural and supernatural things and blessings, godliness having the promises of this life and of the life to come: 
1. Tim. 4.8.  he will make us heirs of the earth, the world standing for our sakes, we shall be heirs of heaven, 
joh. 1●. 2.  Christ having prepared places for us in his father's house, yea fellow heirs with his own Son, tasting of no other love, 
joh. 17.24.  nor feeling any other glory then his Son hath; and therefore in the judgement of the devil he shall worthily be damned that refuseth so large an offer at God's hand, who giveth and never upbraideth, pardoneth and never reperteth.  
Then the devil left him, etc.  
This is the third part, namely, the issue and event of the temptations had and sustained by Christ, set down in two things: first, that when the devil could not overcome him, he left him: secondly, that the Angels attended and ministered.  
For the first, by this understand that as Christ was tempted for us, and in our flesh overcame for us in his person, so we have good and comfortable security, that using the same means he did, according as we shall be enabled, and through the grace of the same spirit, we also shall overcome the Prince of darkness: for we must not think ourselves freed from these assaults, the life of a Christian being a warfare, the world the camp, the first registering and enrolling of us being in baptism, where we took a vow to be true to the Lord jesus: Christ is our victorious Captain: our enemies are, the world without us, the flesh within us as accessaries, and the devil as principal, besides temptations on both hands. Now the power we have to repel these, is the sword of the spirit, the word of God: the school where we learn this defence, is the Church of God, where we find weapons both offensive and defensive, a shield of faith to defend ourselves, and a sword of the word to offend the enemy. And this may be our comfort, his rage will have an end, and his malice shall not prevail: but as Saint james saith: If we resist him, 
james 4.7.  he will fly from us: that is, he will hasten as fast away, as he came fiercely toward us, for here is promised victory to all that strive infeare.  
For the second generally we note, how it pleased God by wisdom and dispensation to dispose of the exinanition, (as I may so term it) or the impairing and abasing of Christ, while he was in the flesh: that in the midst of the greatest ignominy and reproach, yet he bore some mark and badge of his notable and divine power, whereby by the eyes of faith he might be discerned to be the Son of God. His baseness appeareth in this: that he lived in the wilderness, he was assaulted of the devil, he had no company but beasts, he was hungry and had no food but stones, Satan was busy with him to make him tempt his Father; and in all this there was nothing but ignominy and extreme baseness. But after all this there breaketh forth like the Sun through the clouds, a matter which maketh him known and discerned to be more than a man, that the Angels come to do him service. And thus did it ever fall our, that he was never brought so low nor so near the ground, but there did at last shine forth an impregnable work of his divinity: he was borne in a stable, his Cradle was a Manger, there was lodging in the Inn, but none for Mary, 
Mat. 22.  yet was there then a star in the heavens, to signify to the Wisemen the birth of this noble parsonage: he was baptized by john his servant, 
Mat 3.15.16.  but a voice was heard from heaven, and the holy Ghost was there by his sole●●● presence. He had no possessions of his own, but was maintained by the alms of devout women, but out of them had he cast Devils. He must pay tribute, 
Mat. 17.27.  but he will fetch it out of the fishes mouth: in the end he was taken with a band of men, but when he spoke (joh. 18.6.) they reeled backward and none durst lay hold on him: he was whipped and ill entreated, but twice before had he whipped the money changers out of the Temple, and none durst open their mouth against him: 
Mark. 11.15. Mat. 27.19.24.  he was condemned to die, but the judges wife dreamt and was troubled, being persuaded of his innocency, and Pilate himself acquitted him. When he was going to the cross he was so worn as he was not able to bear it, but he was able to bear the wrath of his Father. He was hanged between two thieves, 
Mat. 27.32. Luk. 23.43.  but he saveth one of them. And howsoever sometimes he was called Belzebub, yet Belzebub confesseth him often to be the Son of God: thus was ever his humility qualified with some testimony of his divinity.  
In that it is said, The Angels came and ministered unto him: note, that howsoever they be ministering spirits, to give us security of the Lords protection, though his promise were sufficient, yet by special prerogative they are attending on Christ, to whom alone they own and do their homage. And beside learn here the time when we are to expect this ministry of Angels, not until we have fought the battles of the Lord, then to secure our faint spirits, and to relieve our distressed hearts they are sent as comforters unto us. 
Gen. 22.11.  And thus when Abraham held in his body an anguished soul, and in his hand a bloody knife to have fetched the life of Isaac from him, than was the window of comfort opened, and then had God provided another sacrifice. When jacch was wearied and benighted, (Gen. 28.) having for his bed the earth, and for his pillow an heap of stones, then standeth the Lord about him and blesseth him: and when Eliah is forced to fly to preserve his life, and yet ready to die for want of food, then doth the Lord awake him by his Angel, and bid him eat, 1. King. 19.5. And when Christ had finished the combat and won the field, than the Angels come to wait upon him: so as we may not think to bear away the victory without blows, nor to be comforted without sorrows, not to be refreshed without 〈◊〉.   
MATH. 4. vers. 12, 13.14.15.16. 
verse 12 And when jesus heard that john was committed to prison, he turned into Galilee:  
verse 13 And leaving Nazareth, went and dwelled in Capernaum, which is near the sea in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalins.  
verse 14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet Esaias, saying,  
verse 15 The land of Zabulon and the land of Nephthalins by the way of the sea, beyond jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles:  
verse 16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light, and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death, light as risen up:  
Here followeth the real execution of Christ's office, and what he did after john was in prison: For now was the time that the daystar going away, the Sun of righteousness might appear. In the words there are three things to be considered: first, the cause why Christ returned into Galilee, the very place where that Herod dwelled that committed john for reproving him of his adultery. Secondly, that he leaveth Nazareth his own place: the reason whereof is given by Saint Luke, chap. 4.29. because they sought to break his neck. Thirdly, the cause of his going to Capernaum, to fulfil Esay his prophesy, that those quarters should first be made famous through Christ's doctrine and miracles, being the first that were carried away into captivity.  
Now first it shall not be amiss, since we see john in prison, to seek out the cause of his commitment, which though it be not here expressed, yet it is in the 14. chapter of this Evangelist set down upon another occasion; that Herod thought the soul of john Baptist to be gone into Christ: howbeit S. Luk. chap. 3.19. upon this very occasion, showeth the cause to be for reproving Herod for taking his brother Philip's wife. Where note, & behold as in a mirror, the wonderful resolution of a Christian servant of God, that durst tell a king to his face of so enormous a crime. And if john lived now, however many might have commended his zeal, yet most would have condemned his discretion, that durst adventure himself so far: for he was grown into high favour with the king, as appeareth Mark. 6.20. Herod would hear him often, acknowledged him to be godly, reform many things, and granted many things at his request: so that herein men now adays would call in question his discretion, that having such interest in the king, he would not spare him in this one vice, but must needs launce this sore; whereas if he had but stopped his mouth in this one, he might have continued still and done much good. But john Baptist durst not conceal any part of his embassage. The imitation of which precedent will be thought to be prejudicial to the serpentine wisdom of these times: for now it is thought good advice, not to wake a sleeping Lion, nor to put our hands into the hive, lest we be stung: but to beware of vae nobis lest we come coram vobis; not at all to reprove, lest we be stricken. Which is contrary to the wisdom of john: for though there were none left but Christ, yet he spareth not his message, nor is ashamed to tell Herod of that sin he ought to be ashamed to commit: and away with this idol discretion, which marreth all, even as the image in Daniel, chap. 3.1. which was set up in Dura. Nathan (2. Sam. 12.1.) must tell David of his adultery to his face: and Paul adviseth (1. Tim. 5.20.) those that sin to rebuke openly, that the rest may fear: which being sealed by the canon of the Apostle proveth, that men must not only rebuke in general, but in particular. And if Paul had need of the prayer of the Ephesians, chap. 6.19. that he might speak boldly, much more have we that stand in such fear to be bound for our speech: for by this courage and boldness shall we establish our doctrine in men's consciences.  
Secondly, in this example of john, note, as his constancy to speak boldly, so his persecution to suffer extremely: and this is the portion allotted to all God's Ministers. If Eliah speak the truth in reproving Ahab 1. King. 19.8. he must fly to the mount Horeb to save himself. If Amos preach at Bethel the destruction of jeroboams house, Amos 7.12. he must go to his tar-box again. And if Michaiah (1. Kings 22.17.) tell the king truly he may not go to battle, he shall be sure to eat the bread of affliction. If Hanani tell Asah (2. Chronic. 16.9.) thou hast done foolishly not to rest upon the Lord; to prison with him. If Zachariah (2. Chron. 24.20.) tell joash he shall not prosper if he forsake the Lord, and that he doth ill to put down religion, he shall be slain even in the court of the Lords house. jeremy must to the dungeon, Esay to the saw, john Baptist to the axe, if they be so quick sighted and so hot spirited as they cannot wink at sin. And Revel. 11.3. of two Preachers, out of whose mouths shall proceed fire, though in the eyes of the Lord they be as olives dropping down most comfortable mice, yet at last the Beast shall get them and overcome them, they being stronger in the spirit, but he in the flesh, and he shall kill them, and they shall not be buried, and the people shall send gifts one to another, saying the Prophets are gone, now making merry, as that they might sin without controlment, and giving applause to that beastly tyranny was showed on them.  
Let us further consider the indignity offered to this man, borne a Prophet, whose father was stricken dumb by a miracle, the bridegrooms friend, yet was he not condemned by public sentence, not at the desire of the people, but by the request of a harlot's daughter, executed in a private place. Can the Sun shine upon such a King as could break forth into this impieties▪ And how could the Lord spare his wrath and not power it forth, that such a famous servant of his should be taken away by such an infamous death? But howsoever we may after a sort co●● fesie that our bodies are in the Prince's power, yet this may comfort us, that not the life, no nor the have of a Minister shall perish without the pleasure and permission of God. To day, to morrow and the third day Christ shall preach, let the Fox do bis worst, 
Luk. 13.32.  & when his time is come their malice shall put him to death also. Thirdly, note God's providence, that both john and Christ may not be clapped up together, but God ever will have some left to carry his message. When the three children (Dan. 5.) were in the fire, Daniel was at liberty in the Court: and when Daviel was in the Lion's den, the three children were in credit in the Court. When john is fallen, Christ riseth. When Herod (Act. 1●.) had imbrued his hands in blood, putting james to death, he thought to have done the like to Peter, but the Lord sent his Angel to unshackle him, for they must not both go to the pot together. And when the Temple of God by the invasion of Antichrist is become a slaughter-house of the Saints, yet the Lord (R●● 11.3.) had a number left, namely two witnesses at the least, one to comfort another, for the propagation and publishing of the truth: so as we may be assured, though the Lions of the field roar and ravine never so much, it is not possible all the true preachers of the Gospel shall be abolished: but as their blood is precious in his eyes, 
Psal. 116.15.  so out of their ashes will he raise up others that shall hold the cup of his indignation even to the mouths of Princes.  
Further observe, how the Lord esteemeth the tyranny and cruelty of men in this kind toward his Ministers: for Luk. 3.20. it is said that of the evils which Herod had done, he added this above all, to imprison john: so heinous a thing is the persecution of the Gospel in the sight of God, and much more of them that are his Ambassadors; and therefore this is noted 2. Chron. 16 12. to be the captain sin of Asah, that he put Hanani in prison; so beautiful be they in the opinion of the Almighty, for he prizeth the death of these Saints at a high rate: as may be seen first in their often redemption from death, as Paul escaped Act. 23. when the people had sworn to stay him; and Peter was loosed from his chains when the governors had conspired against him. Secondly, it may be discerned in the precious reward of it, Blessed be they that die in the Lord. and Stephen Act. 7.60, is said but to sleep when he had been stoned of the jews, his spirit being received of the Lord jesus. And thirdly it is manifested in the severe revenge of their death, the Lord first having they stay in the sea still: so if we do but nibble at the Gospel, we shall continue in the sea of the world still, and so shall never be blessed.  
Secondly, observe in the speech of Christ, he doth not say; I do make you, but I will make you fishers of men: that is, I will train you up to be competently fit for that work I call you for. Where they are convinced that place men in the Church before they be sufficient; for he must have no hand laid on him till he be qualified, saith Paul, 1. Tim. 5.22. and he must be able to bring forth of his store new and old, saith the Gospel, 
Mat. 13.52.  and he must not be placed in hope he will prove sufficient; for while the grass groweth the horse starveth, and while he is furnishing himself the people perish. Saul (1. Sam. 9.16.) being but a shepherd, was suddenly by God's spirit qualified for the civil government. For the Lord never commanded any, but he enabled him first; neither hath he less provided for them that should have the administration and custody of souls. Moses (Exod. 4.11.) had a tongue made him before he went; 
Esa. 6.6.  Esay had a coal from the altar before be spoke; Christ had his grace increased (Luk. 2.52.) when he began to preach; for it is said, he grew in wisdom, and was corroborated in spirit; and when he elected his Apostles, he prayed to his Father a whole night, that he would direct his choice; and (john 20.22.) when he had breathed on them the holy Ghost, yet he charged them to stay at jerusalem till they had received more grace, and then (Act. 2.3.) the holy Ghost came down upon them in cloven tongues to speak to all nations; and fiery, that they might be zealous, 
Luk. 24.45.  and then they were fit. In the old Testament the Priests were first anointed, that God might testify by that oil their invisible grace; and in the new Testament hands were laid on them to signify, that that hand which had called them to this great office, would always be ready to protect them. Who would choose a Captain that never saw the enemy in the face? or send him of an embassage, that knew not how to deliver his message? And yet is the Lords embassage committed to them that have no language; whereas the shepherds of God's sheep must be watchful to defend their charge from wolves, careful to bring them home that stray, and skilful to heal them that are wounded. Make no young plant (1. Tim. 3.6.) a Minister, saith Paul: and though Paul himself (Act. 22.13.) was suddenly called to preach, and Amos from his sheephook, (Amos 7.15.) to prophesy, let us know that the Lord that called them, had power to give them gifts in a moment: for he hath the fullness of the holy Ghost to dispose at his pleasure: but men that want this power must try the gifts first, and the Church must allow of none, unless they be persuaded he be such a one, that if Christ were on the earth, he would give his consent.  
Thirdly, learn by the word Fishermen, that the ministry is no easy, nor idle, but a laborious office: wherein they must always be either casting their nets, or mending their nets, or sorting the fish, traveling sore both night and day. As Peter could answer Christ (Luk. 5.5.) We have traveled sore all night, and caught nothing: so as they that think much to take this pains, are not fit for this calling.  
For the fourth, which is their obedience: it showeth that it was more than the voice of a man, that thus wrought upon their conscience: for he secretly and invisibly spoke unto their hearts by his spirit, and he might as easily have drawn Caiaphas as Cephas, if it had been his pleasure: for he mollifieth the soul on the sudden, and can open the doors of death with the least breath of his mouth.  
Secondly learn, that no affection or delight aught to make us to forsake, or drive us from following Christ in our calling. These men we see left their father whom they loved, and their nets by which they lived: 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 have done his duty to have buried his father, and was not permitted. Howbeit here men must beware of two extremities: first, that they frame not excuses, but willingly leave their nets when they are called. Secondly, that they leave them not till they be called, and leave into the Ministry of themselves; being as fit for it as a blind man to be a painter.  
For the last point which is the effect that came of Christ's teaching: it is said, The multitude followed him, where learn, that when the Gospel is fresh and green, and first flourisheth, men are very greedy to taste of it: but if it continue long among them, even Manna proveth horsebread, and men are soon weary of it. For so it fell out with this people, against whom Mat. 11.23. Christ denounceth a fearful judgement for their unbelief, 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 love of the truth, and to suspect them that in a preposterous zeal will seem to run after Christ, bragging with the young man in the Gospel, that they have kept the commandments, and yet know not the least point of charity, how to distribute to the poor.   
LUKE. 11. vers. 24, 25, 26. 
verse 24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places seeking rest: and when he findeth none, he saith, I will return to my house whence I came out:  
verse 25 And when he cometh, he suddeth it swept and garnished:  
verse 26 Then goeth he and taketh seven other spirits worse than himself, and they enter in and dwell there, so the last state of that man is worse than the first.  
IN this text there be five points to be observed: first, what is meant by the going out of the spirit: secondly, his behaviour after his departure, namely, that there is a restless desire in Satan to re-enter into his former habitation: thirdly, the fit opportunities he observeth for the regaining of his possession: there be two set down in this place, he stayeth till he finds it swept and garnished, and a third is expressed Mat. 12.44. he findeth it empty: that is, devoid of all cares, quiet, and swept of the grace of God, and yet notably garnished with hypocrisy: four, the vehement invasion he maketh at his re-entry, that he will so garrison and lay such munition about the house, as he will never be dispossessed again, for he bringeth seven spirits worse than himself, the Lord doth so darken the heart of that man, that was for a while, enlightened: fifthly, the lamentable and damnable estate of such a man: his end is worse than his beginning.  
For the first, how Satan is said to be cast out, we must understand: so cast out, as he still continueth in: for if he were once utterly dispossessed, then could he never return again. And this kind of casting out here meant, is matched with divers other places of the Scripture; as Heb. 6.5. It is impossible, that they which have tasted of the good word of God, if they fall away should be renewed again. And Heb. 10.25. If we sin willingly after we have received the knowledge of truth, there remains no more satisfaction or sacrifice for sin: and 2. Pet. 2.21. It had been better never to have known the way of truth, than after they have known it to turn from it. If a man then may know the truth and yet forsake it; be enlightened, and yet fall away; be sanctified, and yet crucify Christ again: by the same reason may Satan be cast out of a man, and yet continue in that man. For when these terms be thus used, either of casting out Satan, or of letting in the truth: and yet by the sequel of the words used by the spirit, we see the ruin of such men set down, we must never take it for any effectual working of the spirit of God, but only of the greatness of the Lords mercy offered them in the outward means of their salvation, namely, in the word and Sacraments to cast out Satan: according as it is said, Luk. 10.11. The kingdom of God was come near them, but not at them: or as (Luk. 17.21.) Christ speaking to the pharisees, saith: The kingdom of God is within you, as if he should have said, Ye look about for a Messias, as if he were absent, but he is even among you, and in the midst of you, though not by spiritual operation. So that observe hence, that as often as we partake of any of the Lords graces, it is to cast out Satan, and to root out his kingdom in us, though we receive it not with that effect it should have: and therefore though that for a time Satan seemeth to have lost his dominion in us, yet by the unright receiving of God's blessings, and the unreverent using of them, he doth still continue in us.  
Again, so far Satan may be said to be cast out of a man, and yet he a reprobate, as the spirit may be said to be 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 believe it. David may well persuade us, 
Psal. 32.4.  who found such leanness and emptiness of grace in him, as if he had been but newly entered into the school of Christ: when after his long profession of God, & yet after a tedious hypocrisy had overgrown his soul, he cried out, (Psal. 51.) Lord create a new spirit in me, as if he had not had it before: even so may the unclean and evil spirit be like the snow hidden in the thick clouds, and as fire raked up in the ashes that the heat when it breaketh forth may be the greater: for even in the powers of thy body and soul, there may be an interruption of the sovereignty of sin for a season, leaving notwithstanding some gross sins of a wicked conversation behind him, that when he wandereth abroad, he may make thee know he hath a home in thy heart, and that this abatement of his power in thee for a time, may make thy sin at length more ugly and enormous than before.  
Again, Satan may be cast out in the judgement of the man himself, the Lord giving him the spirit of slumber, that he persuadeth himself so: or in the judgement of the Church Satan may seem to be cast out, when in all outward exercises of religion he conformeth himself like a Christian: for who would have thought otherwise of judas, being a disciple and one of Christ his scholars, till the Lord discovered his hypocrisy? Yea Satan may seem both to the man himself, and to the Church to be cast out, and yet not to be so indeed: as appeareth Luk. 8.18. where it is said: Even that shall be taken away which he seemeth to have:  
Lastly, as the unclean spirit may be said to come into a man when he was in him before, because in coming in, there cometh in a more forcible and stronger illusion of Satan than there was before: as (Luk. 22.3.) it is said, that Satan entered into judas before the Passeover, and we cannot think that the spirit of God was in him before: for he was a thief, and carried the bag, and paid himself for the carriage: and yet (john 13.27.) it is said precisely, that Satan entered into judas after the sop, meaning, by entering in a greater power than there was before. Even so he may be said to go out, and to be cast out, when he is not let in for a time, that after he may be given up into a reprobate sense: for it was but a weak kind of Sunshine that ever appeared in his life.  
Hence observe, that so much is Satan cast out of us, as sin 〈◊〉 cast out of us: for Satan fighteth against us with two weapons: first, with that he found within us, which is flesh and blood: secondly, by that he brought upon us, which is death. Why then the special weapon wherewith he striketh us being our corruptions, they must be cut off and east away, or else Satan himself is not vanquished. If thou therefore wilt say he be cast out of thee, show what alteration there is in thy life, and what change in thy affections; if the greatest part be not piety in religion, and purity in conversation, be sure Satan hath more weapons in thee than God: for as Christ saith, joh. 8.44. Ye are of the devil, for ye do his works. And therefore every one must make this examination with himself, that if of a despiser and unreverent speaker of the word of God, he do not now show his words to be such as may give grace to the hearers. Satan's weapon still remaineth in him: for this is the argument Saint Paul useth, Rom. 6.19. As when we were servants to uncleanness we did commit iniquity; so now being servants unto righteousness, we must have our fruit in holiness of life, that our end may be salvation:  
Secondly, observe since Satan may be cast out of thee in thine own judgement, and in the opinion of those with whom thou livest, and yet be besieging thy soul with hypocrisy; that thou must labour to get good evidence of the spirit of God, that thou art Christ's: which especially thou shalt perform by winning the spirit of humility to dwell within thee. For if thou dost publicly vaunt and brag how fruitful thou art in thy profession, and how far thou hast run in a short time in Christianity, when thou art not called thereunto by God, but thrust forward in the pride and vanity of thine own heart, then mayst thou with the Pharisee (Luk. 18.14.) depart home puffed up in thyself, and seeming to others like a painted sepulchre, when as within thou art nothing but rottenness, and far from being justified before God. This did Solomon in his wisdom find in his time, which made him leave it as an example for us to learn by, Proverb. 30.12. that there was a generation pure in their own eyes, and yet they were not washed from their filthiness; such as would carry a glorious show that they had tasted of the tree of life, and such as in presumption of their own strength, will knock at heaven gates as due to them by desert, when (alas) the Lord never knew them. Howsoever therefore every Christian is in duty to sit in judgement upon himself, yet let him know, that he must solemnly keep this Court in his own conscience, and there let him survey and examine his manners and his members, his wit and his senses, how he hath used them: and in this trial let him make the law of God his judge, for that shall cut him to the quick: and by this shall he truly see, whether Satan be truly cast out of him or no. For Satan will teach thee to hide thy sin, but the law will discover it to thy face: if thy sin be seen, he will double it with this temptation, that thou shalt dissemble it: but the law will set thy sins in order and in a rank before thee. If he cannot teach thee thus to beguile thyself and God, yet will he move thee to excuse and lessen it: but the law shall show it thee in such a glass, as shall truly set forth the ugly shape of it. And if when thou hast made this perfect law of God to be thy judge, thou canst likewise make Christ the answerer of this judge, and canst walk clothed with his garments of innocency, humility, and obedience, as with the garments of our elder brother, and out of a clean and pure heart and affection, canst send forth the fruits & actions of thy life, then mayst thou assure thyself Satan is so cast out, as he shall never have power to return to thee again.  
Thirdly observe, since Satan may seem to be cast out for a time by an interruption of the power and strength of sin in a man, which at length breaketh in upon him like whole floods of waters: that therefore if we will have Satan effectually cast out of us, we must learn not to discontinue some sins, and to retain others; not to take up some in the embers, while we suffer others to rack our souls; for one sin nourished and maintained is sufficient to keep possession for Satan. But we must loathe and detest all manner of sin with an absolute and perfect hatred, or else his weapon is not taken away: for what praise is it for a rich man not to fall to theft, a sin whereto he is not tempted; or for a beggar not to slip into bribery, a sin that is kept far from him; or what is it to keep thy body clean from filthiness, if thou defile thy tongue with evil speeches? It was nothing for Herod to hear john Baptist gladly, 
Mar. 6.20.  since he kept his bed polluted with incest, for the sweetness of this sin did so possess him, Matth. 14.3. that for Herodias the strumpet's sake john was bound and beheaded. A lively example we have of this (2. King. 5.18.) in Naamun the Syrian, who vowed unto the Prophet to worship none but the Lord: here was Satan cast out of him in good measure: Yet when I go (saith he) with my master into the house of Rimmon, and he leaneth on my hand, and I likewise bow there, the Lord be merciful unto me in this point. So he will continue still an example of idolatry in the service of a superstitious master, which is a sufficient hold for Satan to get into his soul again, and even in this did he carry a weapon to kill himself, for Christ died not that we should die to some sins, but to all sins, and if we make exception of any one, we are guilty of all: as S. james saith chap. 2.10. if we fail in any one point we are guilty of all: and therefore (Ezech. 18.21.) the wicked are admonished to return from all their sins, and to walk in all the ways of the Lord: In omnibus sine exceptions, quamuis non in omnibus cum impletione, in all without exception, though in all we cannot with perfection; for repentance must not be to some dead works but to all, with a full purpose of our heart to renounce all sins. I speak not of infirmities, but of presumptuous and crying sins, that we do not bless our souls in any such sin, for if we do, it is Satan's ladder to climb up again, though for a time he be cast down, that is, neither so forcibly felt, nor so visibly seen in thee.  
Fourthly observe, that Satan in policy will be content not to show himself always in thee as he is, but sometime even to transform himself into an Angel of light, and he will not grudge at thee though thou remit somewhat of thine enormities and gross sins, so he may retain somewhat to himself: he cares not to be cast out of thee in idolatry, as that thou shalt not bow thy knee to Baal, so he may be kept in thee by Atheism, to say with the wicked in thy heart, There is no God. He was well pleased that judas should become a Disciple of Christ, learn of Christ, follow Christ, so covetousness might so possess him as to sell his master for money. 
Mat. 26.15.  He cared not though Abimelech entertained Abraham the servant of God (Gen. 20.14.) with the best of his land, when he had once drawn him to consent to adultery with Sara his wife. A most lively example of this we have in the bodily Pharaoh of Egypt, Exo. 8. Moses had a commission from God that he should go three days journey with the children of Israel, to celebrate a feast unto the Lord. Go (saith Pharaoh) vers. 25. but first do sacrifice unto the Lord in this land: vers. 26. No, faith Moses, that were abomination to sacrifice beasts to them that worship beasts. vers. 28. Go, saith Pharaoh, but not far: vers. 27. No, saith Moses, I must go three days journey. Chap. 10.11. Go (saith Pharaoh) ye and the men, but leave the children: No, saith Moses vers. 8. young and old must go. vers. 24. Go all, but leave your cattle and your sheep behind you: somewhat 〈◊〉 will cross the commandment of the Lord: vers. 25. No, we must have all, for we know not what need we shall have of sacrifice. Thus we see how Satan deals in sin by conditions and limitations; for he will suffer himself to be dislodged of ignorance by a general knowledge of the truth, and if he cannot send forth error to corrupt our knowledge, if he can but work by worldliness to profane it, he will not greatly care, for this shall be as a cable rope to pull him in again. We must therefore learn to encounter this spiritual Pharaoh if we have a desire to go out of Egypt, that is, to be delivered from eternal darkness, with Moses his courage● and if we gain by our courage as Moses did, let us follow on stoutly to keep the ground and commandment which is set before us. Satan will if he can retain some sin, and make thee relish some iniquity; but if thou preserve any works of the flesh for him, thou carriest a most fearful weapon to destroy thyself.  
Again, since so much of the unclean spirit may be said to be gone out of a man as admitteth any participation of the spirit of God, and since even the reprobate may partake of all the graces of God, Heb. 6.5. saving one grace, to be made new creatures, lest this doctrine not rightly understood, might shake the foundation of some weak Christians, we will set down certain marks to distinguish between Satan's going out of Christians and out of the reprobate, since the holy Ghost may be and is communicated even to them. The difference than standeth in two points, for the graces of God in these be different: first, in the measure of grace, being greater in the elect than in the reprobate: secondly, in the obedience and working, whereby the elect show themselves conformable to the grace, and so do not the reprobate. Now there be two kind of graces, wherein the measure is greater in the children of God than in the reprobate; and yet the first of these is really communicated to the wicked, that is, the enlightening of the mind; for the reprobate are indeed enlightened in the knowledge of God, & (as Heb. 6.5.) do taste of the good word of God, but not effectually as the elect do. And though the Lord doth not regard the quantity but the substance of this enlightening, so as sometimes there may be more light in a reprobate than in the child of God, yet for the most part the elect have received a greater measure of this grace. For the reprobate (as Mark. 8.24.) be like the blind man, who at the first putting on of Christ his hands, saw men like trees, that is, a shape advanced upright: but the elect, as vers. 25. are like unto him when the Lord had laid his hands the second time upon him, for than he saw clearly a far off. So as the hypocrite may go thus far, having not a vain but a vanishing light, No● enim gratia vana est sed evanescem: to walk for a time in the light: as john 12.35. Yet a little while the light is with you: and as john 5.35 for a season to rejoice in this light: but that is only spoken of the elect, which is (Malac. 4.2.) that unto them that fear the name of God shall the Sun of righteousness arise, and health shall be under his wings. And as it is in the Prophet Esay, The Sun shall never go down, 
Esay 66.23.  nor the Moon be darkened, that is, their light shall never be put out. Again, the reprobate may conceive and retain a knowledge of reconciliation, but it is a confused knowledge; but the elect hath a more particular knowledge, that he can receive it to apply it to the reforming of his life, whereas the other have it only to make them unexcusable, or to make them burst forth into some confession of their sin without repentance: Examples here of we have: Esau (Gen. 27.38.) losing the blessing wept: and Peter (Luke. 22.62.) losing Christ by his denials, wept bitterly. Hear are tears alike, but not in truth alike. So (Math. 27.3.) judas betraying Christ, saith, I have sinned: and (2. Sam. 24.10.) David numbering the people against God's commandment, said, I have sinned: here is repentance in both, the work alike, but the faith unlike. So as the reprobate have a common beginning with the children of God, under the veil and covering of hypocrisy; but they can never come to that height wherein the elect do stand, as (2. Cor. 3.17.) to behold the Lord with open face, or to be transformed to his image: or as Reu. 1.7. to have received that true cie-salue, as to see Christ coming in the clouds with comfort: or as it is said in the Prophet jeremy, that true anointing of the Lords grace, which neither wasteth with time, nor decayeth in virtue.  
The second grace which is divers in substance, is adoption, which no hypocrite can persuade himself to have in such measure as the elect may: for indeed this spirit of adoption is always denied them. And this may be known by two parts that are to be performed: first, by prayer to GOD: secondly, by affections towards God. For the first, it is impossible for an hypocrite to pray aright; he may babble, or use the external gesture in prayer, as the Pharisee did in the open streets, yea Satan may suffer him to utter some words without feeling, sometime so far as to condemn his own sin, 
Mat. 27.4.5.  as judas did his selling of Christ, but yet his conscience never disalloweth it: for this is an inseparable mark set upon the prayers of the elect: Rom. 8.26. Neither have any this sanctified spirit to pray as they ought, but they which are of God. And as Galath. 4.6. For that assurance in prayer whereby we cry Abba Father, the reprobate cannot possibly have, nor feel that force in prayer: for as the Apostle there saith, it is proper only for the sons of God. The reason is, because the reprobate want the second grace, which accompanieth and waiteth upon the spirit of adoption, that is, good affections toward God: for he doth but dissemble his love of God, that he might still continue as a bay●rec ever flourishing; the reverence that he yields him is but in hypocrisy; 
james. 2.19.  and the obedience that he giveth him, is but constrained as is the devils. Howbeit with the elect it fareth far otherwise, for their prayers are available, because they are taught of God, and their affections are good, because they are changed by his spi●●e: and they can come to God as children to a father, only looking to speed in the name of father: for this showeth reconcilement after our first enmity, and setteth forth more sound love than nature can afford. And this his love draweth our fear to offend, and our care to please: and we do lift up our voice with an assurance we shall be heard, 
joh. 5.15.  because we humble ourselves in a detestation of our sins, and with a resolution to be obedient to his commandments, which the reprobates cannot do: for though the Lord do often even show mercy to them in their prayers and other Christian exercises, so as they may think they have their sins forgiven, as he did to Ahab, (1. King. 21.27.29.) who having sold himself to work wickedness in the sight of God, upon the judgement pronounced against him, sitting but within the shadow of prayer and fasting, was spared that the evil should not fall in his days; yet can they not possibly love the Lord of heaven but in a confused sort, nor come before him but with a slavish fear.  
But it may be said: If the Lord showeth mercy to hypocrites and yet their prayers nor available, it may be thought the Lord is deceitful. No: for the hypocrite is taken with the sweetness of the Lords mercy, but he not apprehending it as he should in obedience, it proveth to him but a decaying sweetness. Neither yet doth this any whit prove the will of God to be changeable, though after his mercy disclosed he doth withdraw it from them: for they rely only and stay themselves upon the present mercy not seeking further: even as Esau, 
Gen. 25 34.  who so he might presently have to fill his belly, cared not for his birthright: whereas the elect ground themselves upon God's mercy in all manner of tempests, and do gather together as many remembrances of it as they can, in any of their afflictions: after the example of David, who (1. Sam. 17.37.) armeth himself against Goliath, upon the remembrance of the Lords mercy formerly showed him, in delivering him out of the paw of the Lion, and of the Beat. Neither yet doth the spirit of God at all deceive the reprobate: for the Lord did not so extend his mercy as to take them to be his, and keep them as his; but did cast that seed into them to make them without excuse, and to double their damnation, 
Mark. 4.5.6.  in that they loved darkness more than light, so as for their ingratitude it was taken away.  
Now for the second difference, which is between the elect and the reprobate, which is discerned by the working of this spirit: it is to be observed, that it worketh more effectually in the elect than in the reprobate: for the grace offered them doth but puff them up with a dexterie of wit, and volubility of speech, that they can conceive and speak something of the Lord, as the Pharisees could in Christ his time: but this grace worketh far otherwise in the elect, and by no comparison: for the Lord doth not only enlighten the judgement of his chosen to make them know his Gospel, but changeth also their affections, to make them work forth their salvation with fear and trembling. And as it is Ezechiel 18.31. they shall have a new heart given them, to walk in the commandments of the Lord: and as Danià speaketh, Psal. 40.6.7.8. they have a new song put into their mouths, and the Lord hath so prepared their ears as they can say: Here I am O Lord, I desire to do thy will, for thy law is written in my heart. And they be such of whom Esay 50.5. saith, the Lord hath opened their ears, therefore they are not rebellious. But otherwise it is with the hypocrites: for though their ears be opened, yet they are rebellious; and though the word of God be in their stomachs, yet like dogs they cast it up again, and do not show themselves pliable to the grace of God.  
He walketh thorough dry places. This is the second part spoken of at first, namely, that when Satan is gone out of a man he hath a restless kind of desire, & every place is to him as a wilderness, unless he may return whence he came, for he walketh through dry places, that is, his operation and power being interrupted in that man, all other places are as irksome and unpleasant.  
Out of this generally observe, that whether Satan be really cast out, or only so dispossessed as the power of his subtle illusion is made less, that is, whether the judgement be only enlightened, or with the light of judgement the affections be also changed, which is the effectual casting out, it doth so provoke Satan, & distemper him, as he will assault that man more fiercely than he did before in his time of ignorance. And if he be cast out by a true enlightening, than he is more busy than with hypoc●i●● for being Satan, that is an enemy, he is an enemy to God, because he disthronized and threw him out of heaven, and he doth therefore most oppose himself against God's children, because he cannot assault the person of God: and yet we see how he assayed it to God in the flesh, Luk. 4.2. Again, as he is an enemy to God, so he is said to be the Prince of the world, and therefore would draw all to be under his sceptre: 
joh. 16.11.  and he can find no rest in a Papist nor in an Atheist, for he knoweth there is a canker already grown upon their consciences, which only must be seared by the hot iron of the Lords wrath, 
1. Tim. 4.2.  for they are already so hardened in profaneness, and so rooted in the obstinacy of their error, that he is sure enough of them. But his labour and rage is to assault professors, such as have a true knowledge of the true God, and especially such as bear true affections toward God, and whom he seethe to yield obedience to the Gospel of Christ. A lively example and figure of this we have in Pharaoh, who while the children of Israel (Exod. 5.7.) continued in Egypt, only oppressed them with heavy burdens, but then most fiercely and deadly pursued them when they were gone out of Egypt. Even so let every of us assure ourselves, that the further we be from the regiment and dominion of Satan, and the more excellent servants of God we be, the more will Satan buffet us and vex us. This is that Christ forewarned Peter of, saying, that Satan desired to winnow him like Wheat. 
Luk. 22.31.  And why him above the rest of the Disciples? First, because he was one whom jesus loved: secondly, on the confession of whose faith he said he would build his Church. And this is the condition of all true Christians, that when Satan is effectually to be cast out and distodged, it cannot be but by violence, for he will not only winnow us that we shall feel the fan to grate us, but even the flail to bruise us. Example whereof we have in the dumb man in the Gospel, 
Mark. 9.18.  who before Satan would lean his fort and habitation, was so tormented, that he foamed, raged, and was even rend in pieces: so as he is not to be encountered with a false alarm, or with one hand; but in this combat between us and him we must prepare ourselves to great temptations, and carry job before us as our pattern, 
job 1.7.  in the subversion of whose faith and constancy in the love of God the devil took more delight, than in compassing the whole earth; yet was he faithful to the end, whereby he obtained the crown of life.  
Further, observe hence the wisdom and policy of Satan, that his purpose is always to be some where, yea and he foreseeth his future place before he will leave his former habitation: as Math. 8.32. he would not go out of the men whom he possessed before he had liberty to go into the swine, and would be in them rather than no where. For Satan being by nature a destroyer, seeketh oftentimes by the loss of goods and substance to draw men's faith and fear from God, as he assayed in job, chapter. 1. vers. 15.16.17. by his oxen taken by the Shabeans, by his sheep devoured with fire, and by his Camels led away by the Chaldeans, to drive him to impatiency against God. But yet because the shaking of a man's estate in substance pierceth not the soul so deeply, not withdraweth not the heart so swiftly from God, as the sin and corruption seated in himself, therefore his travel is to keep the cup foul within, and to have still some foul blood lurking in our veins which in time may break forth to some distemper: not but that thou must expect when thou art called to feel thy sins, and hast withal this grace to see some comfort of God's mercy, to be so haled and pulled between these two, as thou shalt have many perplexed fears, many troublesome garboils, and infinite great temptations when sin is to be cast out of thee: and seeing so many difficulties thou shalt stand appalled to be restrained from the lose custom of thy former sins. But as the siege is great which is against thee, so must thy encounter and resistance be fierce against him, and not done percunctorily or slowly as the sluggard riseth in the morning, Proverb. 6.10. with a little raising of his head, and folding of his hands to sleep again; thinking that if thou be'st not so evil in thy life, nor so malicious in thy heart against God as others, that then thou art good enough, and hast sufficiently profited in the school of Christ: for thy lukewarmth in religion is loathsome to the Lord, Reu. 3.14. and a strong stirrup for Satan to get up to thy soul again. And therefore consider, and thou shalt find whether he be truly or hypocritically cast out of thee, consider whether thou feel not foul and gross temptations to beset thee: for if Satan labour not mightily in this, thou art not called: for if thou be a despiser of the word, or nourishest any such enormous fault as seemeth sweet to thy taste, Satan hath thee at commandment; what needeth he tempt thee when thou temptest thyself? Not that he that falleth into temptations and fulfilleth them is the best Christian, but he that hath no tub set in his way to stumble at, and findeth every thing plain and easy, may know he liveth in the broad way that leadeth not to heaven: 
Math. 7.13.  for he that is most vexed, and hath felt most suggestions, and yet hath resisted them, may assure himself that Satan is cast out: for flesh and blood cannot be cured but by temptations, as Paul witnesseth of the Churches of Macedon, 2. Corinthians 8.2. whose joy abounded in their great trial of affliction. And as the same Apostle testifieth of himself, 2. Corinthians 12.7. lest he should be exalted above measure, the messenger of Satan was sent to buffet him: which though Satan doth it of malice, yet the Lord doth it to humble us: for if he should at once cast Satan out of us, than the wild beasts of pride and of not feeling the infirmities of our brethren, would devour us: even 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 have increased upon them.  
I will return, etc. and when he cometh he findeth, etc. This is the third point, set down in this parable that setteth forth the enlightening of hypocrites to their most just condemnation, namely the means and the fit occasion Satan espieth to surprise again 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 fit to receive Satan after his enlightening then he was before. It is a metaphor or translated speech taken from travelers or guests, that desire to be entertained with cleanliness. For so it is with Satan, that when thou art filled with all bitterness, gall of heart and hypocrisy, than art thou a clean habitation for him, and the fuller of sins the fairer and fit; not that Satan doth delight in cleanliness, but that thou art to him most neat and handsome when there is in thee the superfluity of all wickedness, and when thou art become a most excellent and perfect hypocrite, as th●● thou canst pray at Church & cousin at home, pretend kindness to thy brother, and yet eat him thorough with usury, the sweeter dwelling is there for Satan in thee.  
Hence let us observe for our comfort, that this cannot be meant of the true children of God: for it is impossible that Satan can find the soul of a Christian empty, that is, deprived and void of the whole grace of God. For an abatement of the spirit of God must not be taken for an emptiness, as Ephes. 4.30. it is said the spirit may be grieved: 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 be no feeling of them for a time: but the chosen of God cannot clean fall away, not the image of God be clean defaced in them, for than could they not be brought home again, unless Christ should suffer again, which cannot be, Heb. 10.10. Again, in the greatest sins when men have deserved the greatest punishments, yet we presume they have 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 showeth the Apostle had some hope, he had the spirit: for if all in him had been flesh, then should he not have been excommunicate by the censures of the Church, but wholly cut off from the Church, and accursed. David, Psal. 51. prayeth to have a clean heart created in him, vers. 10.11. not to have it taken away, which shows he felt it, therefore he prayeth not there for the holy Ghost simply, but for some graces of the holy Ghost, as for a stable spirit that he fall not again, for that grace he had not before; and after he prayeth, Lord give me peace, so as he had not the peace of conscience before: and when he saith, Take not thy spirit from me, that is, though his sin had deserved it: even as we pray, Lord be not far from us, not that the Lord is at any time absent from his Saints, but that we feel it not at that time so comfortably as we desire: so David prayeth, Lord give me a free spirit, that is, that he might pray more servantly than he did before; for except he had had indeed the heat of the spirit, it is impossible he should have yielded obedience to the chastisement of God: or for Peter to have wept in his heart at the rebuke of Christ, except he had some seeds of the spirit of God in him. 
Mat. 26.75.  Howbeit we may not be drawn by this to presumption, to think it maketh no matter how we live; for as the children of God have the invisible mark of the earnest of the spirit, so must they also bear the visible mark of zealous profession and honest conversation. For if we do not cherish the spirit of God by good employment and spiritual gain, that we grow from faith to faith, it is a sign that the spirit of truth is not in us: so that we must not flatter ourselves because there cannot be indeed an emptiness, but with Saint Peter (2. Peter 1.5.) we must join virtue with faith, and with virtue knowledge, and with knowledge temperance, etc. For if we stay at the first stair we shall never be able to ascend to the Saints of God; and if growth and increase be not in us, we are but idle and unfruitful in the acknowledging of Christ. The reason is, because being elect when we receive grace of God, we receive withal grace to employ and use it, that it may abound (always excepted the storm and tempest of an afflicted conscience) for that time, for the Lord if he see us prosper with one grace, he will give us more: and if we thrive not with a grain of faith, 
Mat. 25 16.  he will take all from us; so as though thou canst pray, yet unless thou canst pray better, with more fervent zeal, and power out thy soul more fully before the Lord than before, it is nothing: for the first grace to pray only was but given thee as an hypocrite to make thee unexcusable.  
Further observe hence, that Satan's fittest garniture and best entertainment is hypocrisy, to make thee pretend holiness when thou intendest nothing but wickedness; and this hypocrisy 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 showest thyself rebellious: if thou slip into the second, thou discoverest thy thyself against the law of the Eternal? If he tell thee thou shalt not eat of the forbidden tree, thou oughtest not so much as to look on it, lest the lust of thine eye betray thy heart, and the desire of thy heart do beguile thy taste. If he prescribe thee a rule and a course wherein thou shalt walk, thou must not (as Numb. 22.18.) for a house full of gold go beyond the word of the Lord, to do more or less. And therefore if we will not be hypocrites we must array ourselves with a contrary garnishment, casting down (as 2. Cor. 10.5.) every thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. For as Satan delighteth to have his house garnished, and the fuller of sins thou art the fit for him: as that if the cup be full of extortion, if it be fair without Mat. 23.25. he makes thee think thyself a great Scribe. So also there is a furniture the Lord delights in, namely sanctification: and (as 2. Cor. 7.1.) to keep our souls clean: for since Satan 〈◊〉 needs be doing, and willingly contenteth not himself to get the borders, but he will assay to take the arch city, we that are the children of God must keep him occupied in some outhouse or outward member at the most, and above all strive to shut him out of the bedchamber, and from ruling in the heart, bearing a religious care to follow the ways of God, and to be garnished in humility to receive the riches of the Lords graces, not excepting against any thing the Lord willeth, but showing ourselves reformable to all.  
He taketh seven other spirits worse, etc.  
As Satan at his return findeth the field well grown, and the heart of that man fuller of sins than before, so the fourth thing followeth, namely, what means he useth not to be turned out again, he bringeth seven spirits worse than himself: by this means so to rampire this his fortress, as to make it his continual mansion; 
Mat. 23.15.  not to make him two fold worse as Proselytes, but seven times worse like Devils. Wherein observe, that God in justice is provoked to revenge himself upon ingratitude for his graces, according to the proportion of the grace that was offered; so as Satan upon the contempt of the grace given, shall prevail more than before: which the Lord doth as a just revenger of sin: for Satan 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 prevent thy sin, or by revenge to punish it: and therefore thou that hast spurned at the riches of the Lords mercy, that hast thought Manna to be loathsome, and sincerity in religion to be burdensome, the Lord shall so punish thee, that the sins past shall be the punishments of sins to come, and the deserts of punishments that are to come. For if we think not the hearing of the word and receiving of the Sacraments to be special means to bring in Satan, look Luk. 13.26. and it will make us take heed, whether we come to them of conscience or of custom: for Christ may teach in our streets, and we may eat and drink in his presence, and yet not know us to be his: for it is said. To him that hath profited shall more grace be given; but if thou hast only heard, that grace 〈…〉 hast shalt thou be spoiled of. 
Heb. 6.7.  And it fareth with the 〈◊〉 as with the rain, that never falls upon the ground, but if maketh the earth more barren or more fruitful: so the word of God never returneth in vain, but every man is made thereby either to savour damnation or salvation, 
2. Cor. ●. 26.  as Saint Paul speaketh. Even so it is also of the Sacrament: for though Christ was kind in giving the sop to a traitor, yet we see (john 13.2.) that after the sop given, Satan entered into judas. For the more familiar and the better acquainted we are with the best of God's graces, the more shall our pain and torment be for our profane use of them.  
Secondly, in that it is said, Seven spirits worse, we must understand a very forcible seducing and great power of Satan: for here is put a certain number of an incertain, seven spirits, that is, an infinite number of enormous sins, expressed in divers places of the Scripture, as Acts 5.3. it is said, Satan had filled Ananias heart, that he should lie unto the holy Ghost: and Act. 8.23. of Simon Magus, that he was in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity: and Act. 13.8. of Elymas the sorcerer, such an enemy of righteousness, as the least occasion will move him to sin: and having (as Eph. 4.19.) their hearts past feeling, have given themselves to all wantonness: and such as (Revel. 22.11.) being filthy, will be more filthy. Now if any should expostulate and question, why the Lord will suffer this, where he once bestowed his graces: we answer, 
Mat. 2.  if the Lord do gather where he sowed not; if he take away the talon for not using it to gain, by a spiritual traffic, then what shall his case be, that casteth the pearls of his graces to swine? Again, as Rom. 1.20. the Lord did justly condemn them, that only had the law written in their hearts, and had no other spectacle than the book of heaven and earth, and thereby did see his power and justice in administering these inferior things which he had created: if I say, (as vers. 24.) he gave them up into a reprobate sense, what shall become of those that have the book of the Gospel, and have acknowledged the Lord, and yet have trodden him under foot, but that they be given up into a triple reprobate sense, since the Gentiles were cast away only for despising him in his creatures, and yet we despise him in his Christ?  
Further, in that it is said, Seven spirits worse: observe, th● there is a difference of sins, sinners, and punishments: for it is said, they be worse, yet the first was said to be unclean: which we note, not that we should learn to extenuate any sin: for thought idle words be but an unclean spirit in respect of whoredom which is worse, yet shalt thou be judged for them aswell as for this. In Mat. 5.22. there is a difference of sins and punishments set down, whosoever is angry with his brother unadvisedly shall be culpable of judgement: but he that saith Raca, shall be worthy to be punished by a Council: but who so shall say, Fool, shall be worthy to be punished with hell fire. So as we see, though some sins be more sharply punished than others, yet the least is culpable of judgement. So David, (Psal. 1.1.) pronounceth blessedness to him, that, first, hath not walked: secondly, that stands not: thirdly, that sits not in the sea● of the scornful, 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 Jude v. 7. harder for them than for Sodom, and yet they be in hell. For as all have not the same spirit of grace in like measure: so is it of the unclean spirit which reigneth more in some than in others. Withal observe the speech of S. Paul, Eph. 4.30. who after warning given not to grieve the spirit, setteth down how one sin increaseth another: as first, let there be no bitterness: secondly, a degree further, a heating of the blood by anger: thirdly, wrath, more than anger, that is, into a further distemper: four, loud speaking, that is, crabbedness or brawling: fifthly, blasphemy, standering, backbiting, and open reviling: sixtly, malice, when a man will keep it in his heart. And all these by degrees do grieve the spirit, let us not therefore yield a little to the course of the waters, lest some stream carry us away.  
Lastly, since we see what is in an hypocrite, that is, seven spirits worse, an infinite number of enormous and notorious sins: examine thy heart whether thou hast contrary affections to an hypocrite, or is assure thyself thou art one too. For the Lord setteth down their sins for us to take heed by: and their punishments for our example. As they then have seven worse spirits, so must thou labour to have seven better spirits: for if thou do not increase in zeal, in thankfulness, and in humility, nor haste greater grace now, than thou hadst when thou first began to believe, thou art not the Lords: for if thou wert, he would have multiplied his mercy upon thee, as he doth his justice in sending seven worse spirits to them that despised him. And this is proved, Matth. 25.28. the talon that was taken away, was not given to him that had five, but to him that had ten talents; so as to him that hath shall more be given, and the more we have, the more delight will the Lord take to load us: as vers. 29. To him that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance. Wherefore commend me to thy conscience by this token, if the grace of God be not increased, in the end it will be taken away: which is proved Revel. 22.11. He that is righteous must be more righteous: the reason is rendered by Saint joh. 1.4 4. Because he that is in us, is stronger than he that is in the world. Why then as they grow daily more wicked, so must we grow more godly, the rather because he that hath the seven candlesticks, that is, Christ, that hath the fullness, and is the distributer of all the graces of God, will give liberally to us, whom he hath vouchsafed the name of brethren.  
So the last state of that man, etc.  
This is the fift point spoken of at the first: how Satan whom he first trained on in hypocrisy, never leaveth till he hath brought him to confusion. Answerabale to that, 2. Peter 2.20. If they be tangled again, and overcome of the filthiness from which they were at first escaped, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. And this is true, whether we respect this life or the life to come: for first, while they carried a face and countenance of religion, they were wrapped up in the general prayers of the Church: but when the mask of hypocrisy is taken from them, and their leprosy appeareth, they are singled out as the enemies of God, and his judgements hastened upon them at the entreaty of his servants. Secondly while they lived in their hypocrisy, they were quiet within themselves, and they had good hope the night would never have come: but when they depart in the open contempt and hardness of heart, than they find their consciences open to condemn them, and hell gates open to let them in. Thirdly, their end shall be worst at the last judgement, when the least part of the Lords wrath shall be bigger than all the torments they felt before, when his iron rod shall bruise them, and they shall be beaten with worse than Scorpions. But now with the godly shall it far otherwise, whose end shall be better than their beginning, whether we measure the blessings they have here, or which shall be revealed to them hereafter, as Ioh 42.10.12. when the Lord had turned away the captivity of job, he blessed his last days more than the first, and gave him (as the text speaketh) twice so much as he had in outward things, and when he died full of years, he gave him joys without comparison, without measure, and without end.   
ROM. chap. 8. vers. 1. 
verse 1 Now then there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ jesus, which walk not after the flesh but after the spirit.  
THe Apostle beginneth this chapter with a conclusion full of all comfort, depending upon his former treatise and disputation: for before he showed what our estate was in the marriage with our first husband, which was the (flesh,) namely that while we live at the beck and commandment of our corruption, and can no sooner have a motion to sin, beating as it were in our pulse, but we bend our desires and consent to encourage it to the fruit of actual sin; that all this while so long as we give wine, as it were, to strengthen sin in the conception, we are no better then in the state of damnation. But when being divorced from the flesh, we are by the power of the spirit united unto Christ; which not only keepeth us from that bondage of sinning whereto we were at first enthralled, and under which we were so forcibly held as we were constrained to sin by violence, but also so killeth that muenomed flesh of ours, that there is as it were a new creation in us, the strength of Christ dispossessing and disarming the strength of sinful flesh, and we are so changed both in the outward and inward man as all is become fresh and new, our thoughts, our wills, our affections, our endeavours serving and performig their duties to God in the newness of the spirit, not in the oldness of the letter: then when Christ hath thus sanctified us, and we live sanctifiedly in him; when his spirit hath rifled the corrupted corners of our hearts, and planted the flowers of grace where before grew the weeds of concupiscence; then neither is there any hell to swallow us, nor any fear of condemnation to torment us, nor any sin so to press us down, but with the wound we receive the cure, nay before we are smitten we have our Saviour Christ our most approved Physician and salve, who when we are left more than half dead by the sting of sin, like the merciful Samaritan doth lay us in his own breast & bosom, 
Luk. 10.34.  poureth the oil of his own blood into our wounds, and delivereth us over to be cherished, preserved and guided by his own spirit.  
This verse standeth on three parts: first a description of the persons that are and shallbe preserved from damnation, set down indefinitely, yet restrained to a particular: all those, and those only and alone that are in Christ, and no other. Secondly, by what means this preservation from hell is wrought; namely by our being in Christ, not by our being near Christ. Thirdly, to take away the strife which commonly is in the world, because (forsooth) all will be Christ's, he setteth down a visible badge whereby to discern whether we be truly married to Christ or no. For if we rather desire the flesh pots of Egypt, than the Manna in the wilderness, and being drawn a little from the custom of sin by the impulsion of the spirit, we make more haste to return back to our vomit, then to follow hard toward the mark, for the price of the high calling of God in Christ, then is not Christ in us nor we in him, and being out of him there is nothing but condemnation, 
Phil. 3.14.  and we are already in the jaws of the Lion.  
Out of the first, observe, that salvation is not appointed for all men; for all pertain not unto Christ, as himself saith, Luk. 12.32. mine is a little flock, and john 10.26. those that believe not, are not of Christ's sheep, but those that be his, hear his voice; putting a difference between believers and those that are in truth no better than Infidels; which is more lively expressed by the reward, verse 28. I give them (that is, my sheep) eternal life, and they perish not. What becometh then of the other? They are, as Jude 6. reserved under darkness unto the judgement of the great day, and the cup of vengeance and condemnation cannot pass by them, because the wrath of God was never satisfied for them: so much also is signified by Christ, Mat. 7.13.14. There be two ways in the world fitting with the two fold condition of men, the one straight and narrow, the other wide and broad, those that in this life love not to be pinched and crowded, but to have their walks easy and their rooms large, their feet leadeth them to destruction; and of this kind (saith he) there be many. Let us not therefore vainly nozzle ourselves in this opinion, that heaven shall hold us all, for Christ, as john 10.9. is that strait door by which we must enter; and though goats may here feed with sheep, and tars may grow up with corn, yet when we come to the fold and to the harnessed, our shepherd knoweth who are his, and gives them only entrance, and our Lord who is the husbandman gathereth only the grain, and scattereth the chaff as before the wind; for condemnation is the inheritance of all such as have not Christ for their head, and he is head to none that have not their life from him, and none live in him but they that are ruled by him, and he ruleth none but by the sceptre of his word, within the reach whereof few desire to be drawn, but all almost do seek how to slip the collar, as if the patient should only dislike that medicine which would rid him of his disease; yet such are most in the world that hate to see Christ in the glass of his word wherein he is most perfectly to be beholden, and therefore no marnell though condemnation as a cloud do cover so many.  
Secondly, let us observe, and as it were with tears of thankfulness acknowledge and reverence the special and spiritual love of God, 
Mal. 1.5.  that hath so magnified himself upon the borders of us Christians, that when wrath had overspread the earth, and the curse of God for disobedience had run through the end of the world, and that we were besmeared and misshapen with sin as ugly as the Ethiopian, and condemnation as due to us as to them that already hang in hell, yet hath the Lord preserved us, not from a bodily death, as Exod. 1.17. the midwines did the young Israelites, but from the spiritual fire of hell which should have tormented our souls, and this merely through Christ that lo●eth us; for though the first and original cause of our salvation he the love of God, yet this is conveyed to us through his son, the Lord being as tender to us as a father is to his child, only through the obedience of that child and Son of his, the Lord jesus: and therefore most fitly hath the Apostle delivered here this bridge of condemnation to be broken down, that we have now no passage to hell, through the form and virtue of our living and being in Christ: for there being but two impediments to our salvation, first, the destroying of Satan's power in us through sin, secondly, the appeasing of God's anger towards us for sin, Christ hath removed both these: First, in breaking the Serpent's head, Gen. 3.15. and himself possessing the hold which Satan kept, namely the Temples of our bodies: And secondly, in treading the winepress of the wrath of God, reve. 14.19. that what possibly could in justice be exacted of us, that himself paid in his own body and person, suffering for the time the pains and pangs of hell: therefore there can no condemnation remain for us, our debt being already paid to the utmost farthing; which ought to stir up our hearts to the praise and thankfulness of so good a God, that passing by thousands that lay polluted in their blood no worse than we, hath thus graciously visited and received us to mercy.  
For the second, which is the means whereby we are fenced and freed from this condemnation, namely through Christ, we are to note two things: First, how we are said to be in Christ, and Christ in us: Secondly, what profit we receive by this conjunction. For the first, it is such a mystery as man's imperfect wisdom and shallow reach cannot sound the bottom nor come to the depth of it, but shall hereafter better be known by our fruition of it, than now it can be by the description of it? howbeit so far as this secret of God is opened unto us in the book of God, so far may we seek, and no further. Now this union between Christ and us is expressed in the Scripture two ways: first, plainly: secondly, by way of comparison: the first is set forth by Christ himself the master of all truth: First as a thing to be felt and discerned even in this life, as joh. 14.20. At that day (saith he) shall ye know that I am in my father, and you in me, and I in you; that is, though ye shall lose the comfort of my presence bodily, yet I will leave you such a spiritual pledge of our conjunction, namely my spirit, as you shall know and perceive I am only absent from you in the flesh, but am still with you to aid and secure you: secondly, it is plainly set forth as a thing to be perfectly enjoyed in the life to come, as joh. 17.23. where Christ maketh it part of his prayer for all believers, That as thou, O father, art in me and I in thee, so they may be also one in us, I in them and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; which places prove the undoubted truth of this point, that Christ and we are joined together, for otherwise it had not stood with God's justice to have punished Christ in our flesh, nor to have accepted our obedience in Christ's person, if we had not been in him and he in us; for it was not possible for the flesh of man so wilfully sinnig against the express commandment of his maker, to have approached unto God, without the suffering and crucifying of the flesh of man in Christ jesus; neither had this punishment sufficed, had not Christ in our flesh by his obedience recompensed our breach of this law of God. And yet because this is the anchor of our hope, the ground of our faith, and the security of our happiness hereafter, the spirit doth more nearly bond itself to our capacity, teaching us this heavenly mystery by seven earthly comparisons: First, Rom. 13.14. It is Saint Paul's precept to put on the Lord jesus Christ; wherein he compareth Christ to garment; which hath two properties, first to cover our nakedness, secondly to keep us warm; thus as we put on our apparel to cover the shame and to hide the nakedness of our bodies, so we should put on the robes of Christ's righteousness to cover the deformity of our sinful souls: and as by our garments our heat is kept within the body, whereby our life is preserved; so by our putting on of Christ we that otherwise should be frozen in our dregs receive a spiritual warmth, whereby the life of our souls is kept in and maintained: and as while our garments are on us we are said to be in our clothes, but being cast from us we are even ashamed of ourselves and unquiet till we have got some other covering of place to hide us in; so while we are covered with Christ we are said to be in Christ; but if we lay him aside, then are we laid open to the shame of the world, to the age of Satan, to the tyranny of sin, and to the wrath of God. Hence arise many fruitful meditations for our particular instruction. First, that we think it a matter of more necessity to be clothed with Christ then with our earthly garments, and that we are never fully appareled till we have put him on. For by how much the soul is of more value than the body, so much aught our care to be increased rather for the furnishing of the one then of the other, in this respect also that the soul is the defence of the body, that if we be sound and sincere within and have spiritual heat at the heart, there are no outward discomforts of poverty, reproach or persecution that can at all dismay us. This David hath taught us out of his own experience, 1. Sam. 17.38.45. who went against Goliath, not in the king's raiment, though that was offered him, but clothed himself with armour of better proof, the name of the Lord of Hosts, who closed his enemy in his hand of far greater strength than himself. Nay to persuade and provoke us unto this, we have example even in the time of Christ, Matt. 14.36. that as many as touched but the hem of his garment were made whole of bodily diseases; and if there were such virtue in his apparel, how much more strength and power is there in himself to cure all spiritual diseases of the soul, and to keep the body from sickness also, unless by sickness and infirmity we shall thrive and prosper toward God? Secondly, when thou puttest on Christ be sure thou wearest him as thine uppermost garment both on thy body and on thy mind; for that that is above the rest, is best seen, and let the world think of thee as it will, it shall be thy true glory to have Christ seen in thy attire, that thou goest comely and not vainly and garishly; to have him seen in thy speech, that it be not wanton and blasphemous, but such as may give grace to the hearers and tend to edifying; to have him seen in thy behaviour and in all the actions of thy life, that others by thy light may be drawn out of darkness, & that glory may be given to thy father which is in heaven; for if thou shalt think to wear Christ, as we say next the skin, and shalt put any garments over him, thou deceivest thine own soul, and coverest thyself but with the lusts of the flesh and the pride of life which will lead thee to destruction, for as Paul saith Col. 3.9.10. we must put off the old man with his works, and put on the new which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him. Thirdly, when thou puttest on Christ thou must take heed thou puttest him not upon thy head, or upon thy hands, or upon any one part of thy body, but he must be so put on as he cover thy whole body from the head to the foot, for if the devil find any part uncovered he will possess that, therefore S. Paul Ephes. 6.11. bids us put on the whole armour of God, that we may be complete soldiers, for if we be unarmed in any part we may receive a wound in that part, which may be dangerous to the whole body; so as if we wear Christ only in our mouths that we can talk religiously, and have him not in our feet to keep us from running astray to wickedness, or have him only in our thoughts and not in our actions, or in some of our actions and not in all, then are we not covered with Christ at all, for saith the Apostle Ephes. 4.15. we must in all things (not in some) grow up into him which is the head, that is Christ. Fourthly, when thou hast once put on Christ thou must never lay him aside nor put him off again, for he is a garment that never weareth, he is yesterday, to day, and the same for ever, and his years shall not fail, Hebr. 1.12. thou hast the same need of him and use of him in the night as in the day, in thy rest as in thy labour, in thy health to prosper thee, as in thy sickness to comfort thee, in temptations to strengthen thee, as in peace of conscience to secure thee, for there being no time free wherein we are not subject to fall, we can at no time want his grace which must be our stay and sufficiency: 
2. Cor. 12.9.  Peter may well teach us the use of this lesson by the danger himself was in, Matt. 26.70. by shaking off this garment in the high priests hall, for he would needs before them all deny, & double it by an oath, that he knew not Christ: so as if Christ in mercy had not stuck close to him, and kept himself on, Luk. 22.61. by turning back and looking on him, we see how even in a chase and when there was no eminent persecution over him, Peter had cast him aside as if he had never received any former good by him; which must make us fear and tremble to give such a guest no better entertainment, and such a garment no safer keeping, since only in the robes of Christ we receive our blessing, and for his sake alone are beloved.  
The second comparison is, 2. Cor. 13.5. Know ye not that Christ is in you, or dwelleth in you, except ye be reprobates? Where Christ is compared to our dwelling houses, that as we dwell and abide in them, so doth Christ by his spirit dwell and abide in us. And 1. Cor. 6.19. Your body is the Temple of the holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have 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 living God, as God hath said, I will dwell among you and walk there. And john 14.23. If any man love me, he will keep my word; and my father will love him, and we will come unto 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 we are said to be in Christ by putting him on us, so by this Christ is said to be in us by his dwelling and abiding with us. Out of which we must learn, first, to keep ourselves unspotted of the world, because we are to entertain so great a Prince as the Lord jesus: for if we think all our labour too little to cleanse & beautify that room wherein the Kings of the earth shall sit, 
1. Cor. 6.20.  who are taken out of the same lump ourselves are; how much more must we strive to have all our members kept chaste and sanctified, which are as it were so many several rooms for him who by his heavenly generation is the Son of God, 
Esay 9.6.  the father's Counsellor, and the Prince of peace? Secondly, by this dwelling of Christ with us we are assured that we are his, for no man will willingly dwell in a house whereof he is not owner, especially the heir of the whole world whom the heaven of heavens is not able to contain, would not set up his throne and seat in our souls if he did not delight in us, neither could he take any pleasure to lodge with us if we were not his; which may be our undoubted comfort, that Christ possessing the fort and castle of our bodies, it is not possible for Satan either by deceitful policy to surprise us, or by his fiery darts to sti●●●●s, or by his subtle illusions to ensnare us, or by his bitter and cruel invasions to vanquish us; for, as joh. 10.28. we are the sheep of his pasture, and none can pluck us 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 firm and sure except it be built upon a strong foundation, no more can we stand one minute, if we be not built upon Christ: and as the foundation and the rest of the work make but one building, so is it betwixt Christ and us, he being the chief corner stone elect and precious, & we being lively stones whereby we are made a spiritual house unto God by Christ. Hence learn first: That all our strength and sufficiency is from God; for if we will be a building of ourselves, and lay our foundation in our own righteousness, a little sprinkling of persecution will wash us away, as it did, Mat. 7.26. wash away the house that was so foolishly built upon the sands: but in Christ alone we live, move, and have our being; it is he that can command the Sea to be as a pavement for Peter to walk on, Matt. 14.29. who at the sight of a wind arising, through weakness in himself is forced to cry, Master save me; yea when as his disciples stricken with the fear and force of a storm, challenged him as if he cared not though they perished, 
Luk 8.22. Mark. 4.39.  he then being through their prayers awaked, rebuked the winds, 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 upon his confession, and the rest of the Disciples that were so continually taught of Christ, felt no power in themselves to resist the fears of the flesh without the hand of God, much less are we able to set one foot forward toward the way of heaven, or to draw one foot backward from the way to sin unless we lay the foundation on our rock Christ jesus, who hath measured the heavens with a span, holdeth the winds in his fist, and hath sounded the deeps of the earth, that whatsoever falleth on him shall be broken, and whosoever resisteth him shall be dashed into pieces. Secondly, observe that we are no further the house of God than we do build upon Christ, and that since the foundation and the building make but one work, our prayers and all our other service of God must be offered up upon the golden altar, which is Christ: 
Reu. 8.3.  ●●at as Paul's rejoicing, Galat. 6.14. was only in Christ crucified, so may ours be, resting ourselves wholly upon him, and placing our whole contentment in him, for as he is the strength of the building, 〈◊〉 is he also the honour of the building, we being without him a sinful nation and a people laden with iniquity, but through him, 1. Pet. 2.9. a chosen generation, an holy nation, and a people set at liberty, to show forth the virtues of him that called us. Let us therefore beware we daw be not ourselves with untempered mortar bringing in the stubble of man's merit or invention to make up this frame, no not so much as to have any corner in this house, that is, not the least member of our body nor the least power of the soul, to leave upon the arm of flesh, or to be supported by the wisdom of vain man, for this were to settle part of the building upon a rock, and the rest upon the sands, which will overthrow all, for the whole man must be built upon Christ, and he must be the corner stone, to join both the body and soul, the flesh and the spirit unto God. For as the gold is never said to be purified till all the dross be severed from it, so is it not sufficient to have as it were some of our affections refined and the rest to remain drossy and polluted, but if we will be wedges of gold for the Lords use, and vessels of honour for his house. Christ must be in every part of us to join us to himself that we may be holy even as he is holy.  
The fourth comparison is, Ephes. 1.22.23. where God is said to have given Christ to be 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 united to the body, so are all we as members engrafted and incorporate into the body of Christ; and as the members being thus united are said to be part of the body, so we being joined unto Christ are said to be Christ's: and as the heat and life which is in the body, is dispersed and diffused into every member, even so the life & the graces which are in Christ are through this conjunction made proper and communicated even to us; & as the life in the body cannot be maintained without food, no more can the life in the soul be held and kept in without her feeding on Christ; and as the body hath natural instrument, as the hands and the mouth to receive her sustenance, even so the soul hath her members and instruments, as prater, faith and hearing the word, whereby she receiveth her spiritual nourishment to eternal life. Hence let us raise this use. First, that since our bodies are the members of Christ let us not make them the members of an harlot, 1. Cor. 6.15. but as in the time of our ignorance we used them to uncleanness and to profaneness, so now being free from sin through Christ let us make them servants unto righteousness in holiness, Rom. 6.19. For, as it were an unnatural part in the hand to strive to pull out the heart, or in the teeth by tearing the flesh to make the rest of the body deformed; even so much more uncivil and beastly is it in us, to fly upon the Lord jesus, and to rend his name in sunder by out oaths and blasphemy, and to lend as it were our forces to his enemies that do invade his Church, ourselves being not only faint-hearted, but falsehearted, to fight for him who fought so many cumbats for us with Satan, and wrestled so strongly with the wrath of his father: which otherwise had fallen upon us, whereas now in recompense of his grace and favour towards us, we should sift as it were our armoury to find out the best weapons of perfection for the defence of him, and of his truth, and should keep such a continual harmony in our life, as if our eyes were only given us to behold him wounded for our sins, and now advanced for our sakes, our tongues only lent us to set forth his praise, our cares to hear of his goodness, what he hath wrought for the sons of men, our feet to carry us into his sanctuary, where we may more nearly approach to him in his word. Finally, all the parts of our thoughts, of our affections, of our actions, to be employed and taken up wholly to his advantage. Secondly, let us learn hence that as the life is conveyed into the inferior members from the head, even so our life is hid in Christ, and we hold it only from him: for as the Apostle saith, Ephes. 1.12. without Christ, we are aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise, and without God in the world: which must teach us, not to avoid, but rather to embrace those means wherein the life of Christ is made manifest in us, which principally is by our inward worship of God, which is performed four ways: First, by our obedience to his laws: Secondly, by our patience in afflictions: Thirdly, by our humility in our gifts: Fourthly, by our affiance in the Lord's assistance. All which were performed by our head Christ: for he submitted himself to his father's will, even to the death of the cross, he was reviled, yet answered not again, as a sheep before the shearer, so opened he not his mouth, he taught humility to others, and often humbled himself before his father; he could by prayer have obtained twelve leagions of Angels to rescue him, such confidence he had both in his father's love and power; but he knew there was a greater work to be done, his testament to be sealed with blood for our redemption; for we were before but rotten and corrupted members of sinful Adam, till by being made one with him we were brought into his marvelous light: therefore as the head hath the government of the members, so let Christ have the rule and dominion over us, that we may run when he calleth, stoop when he smiteth, stop our mouths when he afflicteth, debase ourselves till he exalteth, and not at all to distrust in his deliverance.  
Fiftly, this union of Christ with us, is set forth under the estate of marriage, Ephe. 5.30. For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. That as there is an inseparable bond in marriage between a man and his wife, so is there between Christ and the Church his spouse; and as the woman was taken out of the side of man while he was a sleep, so was the Church taken, as it were, out of the side of Christ while he fell a sleep upon the Cross; and as the woman is not married to the goods of the man, nor to his lands, nor to her dowry, but to the man himself, and so hath power and interest in his body; so are not we married and joined to the gifts and benefits of Christ, but to Christ himself; for it is improper to say we are in the graces of Christ, but by our being in Christ we are partakers, and are interessed in all the benefits of Christ; even as the woman by her marriage is in her husband's goods. Hence observe, first, that all that are elect are only flesh of Christ's flesh, and none other; for though Adam was in the flesh four thousand years before him, yet was Christ the lamb, slain from the beginning; so as by their faith in the virtue of the promised seed, which is Christ; were the patriarchs and the rest saved, that were before him, as john 8.56. it is said by Christ, Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it. And though Christ was made of our flesh, as Phil. 2.7. He was found in shape as a man, and not we of his, yet this must be understood spiritually and mystically, and not grossly and carnally; for than will the reprobates step in and say, that they are of Christ's flesh and so challenge salvation: but note, though all men and women are of one flesh, yet between man and wife there is a nearer bond, not that the woman is of her husband's flesh only, as she is of all other men's, but that she is also in her husband's flesh by reason of the sanctified ordinance of God, and so is she not in the flesh of other men: so fareth it between Christ and man; all men are of Christ's flesh, because he took upon him the true substance & nature of man, but yet none are in the flesh of Christ, but those that by his spirit are engrafted into him. This then being a special prerogative to us that are elect, let us labour in our lives to show forth the fruits of Christ's flesh, that we may show we are bought from men, by following the lamb whithersoever he goeth, by having no guile found in our mouths, nor pollution in our bodies, 
Revel. 14.4.  but keeping ourselves pure virgins, and unspotted, as being the first fruits unto God. Secondly, observe that if we will be flesh of Christ's flesh, and will be engrafted into his body that we may die unto sin, then must we first consider where Christ is: secondly where our affections are; if they be here upon earth, then do we seek Christ on earth, when we know he is gone into heaven. But from whence hath he delivered us? From hell. Then must we take heed we do not the works of hell and of darkness. And then whither hath he brought us? Where he is, that is in heaven. Then if we will say we are married to him, 
joh. 14.2.  and that he was crucified for our sins, and hath crucified sin in us, and freed us from sin, Satan, and condemnation, let our conversation be where his body is, for where the dead corpse is, thither will the eagles resort, and where the husband is, thither will the wise haste to see him, and to live with him; so that as Christ died in body, so must we die in spirit, that his spirit may have his full work in us to raise us up to heavenly meditations. Thirdly, we must learn, that betwixt the corporal and spiritual marriage there is great difference, for the woman for certain causes may be divorced from her husband, and he being dead she may as lawfully keep herself a widow as marry again: but in this our spiritual marriage there is neither divorce nor widowhood, for as soon as we are divorced from the flesh and the lusts thereof, we must not stay and remain a widow, but we must presently marry with the spirit of God and the fruits thereof, and he shall remain our husband for ever. Howbeit we must know we have no liberty to marry with our second husband the Lord jesus, until we be delivered from the whole body of sin and the powers thereof, as lust, sensuality, and such like; and the means of this our freedom and deliverance is in the body of Christ; so as unless the body of Christ hath destroyed sin in our natural bodies we are not conjoined unto him. We must then consider what there is in this body of ours, which is a body of sin, 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 delivered from these three, and how they be taken from us. The first, which is our condemnation, is taken away by the satisfaction of Christ for our sin: the second, which is our disobedience, is taken away by the righteousness of Christ, free from sin; and these things are without us: but the third, which is, the corruption of our nature, is taken away by the powerful working of God's spirit within us; so that except we have this third thing, the spirit to abolish sin in us, we are not yet flesh of his flesh, and so none of his spouse: For, as for Christ's satisfaction for condemnation, and his obedience for our rebellion, the very Turks may hope for their salvation as well as we; therefore it must be the slaying of sin by the spirit that must assure us of our conjunction and marriage with Christ: for if corruption remaineth whence springeth disobedience, than there remaineth for this disobedience condemnation, for every sin committed by them that are regenerate is as it were the bringing forth of a bastard unto God, which we know how much he abhorreth.  
Sixtly, this our conjunction with Christ is set forth joh. 15.5. under the parable of the vine to which Christ is compared, and we to the branches; for as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it grow up with the stock, no more can we except we grow up in Christ; and as the branches receive sap from the root whereby they fructify, so we being engrafted into Christ receive life from him whereby we are fruitful in good works; and as the branches severed from the body of the tree do fall away and perish, so if we once whither away and the graces of God decay and wax cold in us, drinking in the rain and yet not bringing forth herbs meet for the dresser, then are we near unto cursing and our end is to be burned. Out of which learn, that if thou carriest in thy life only leaves as it were of thy profession, 
Heb. 6.8.  as the fig tree did, that seemed green a far off and goodly, and art not fruitful in thy conversation to walk as one redeemed out of darkness, thou art but as a branch broken off, and as a blade that withereth before the time of harvest, for, as Rom. 11.16. If the root be holy, so are the branches, and if the ground of thy heart be seasoned with the graces of God, it will spring forth into all thy members.  
The Seventh comparison, is joh. 6.56. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him. Where Christ is compared to flesh and blood, which we must not understand of material but of spiritual eating, which is comprehended by faith, wrought in us by the spirit, revealed to us by the Son of God, delivered to us by the word of God, and sealed unto us by the Sacraments: Since than our feeding on Christ doth draw such fruit after it, & bring such efficacy with it, let us labour to meet him in those means himself hath ordained, namely, in his word and sacraments, the one being the storehouse of his promises, the other as it were a patent of confirming them to us under the seals left us by the King of heaven, that as these infirm bodies of ours cannot be supported without the staffs of bread and drink, the one to kill the hunger, the other to staunch the thirst, wherewith our natures are assaulted; so we may persuade ourselves that our souls for their cherishing and refreshing, do require the like necessity to be said with the flesh and blood of Christ, that we may grow up perfect men in him, and be freed from the scorching heat of desperation, whereinto we may easily fall through that stream and current of sin wherewith we are carried in the whole course of our lives, and from which we cannot be saved but through the sprinkling of that blood which was shed for us upon the Cross.  
Now for the second point, which is, the profit and benefit we receive by this Conjunction, it is twofold: first, that Christ hath taken our sins, and the punishment of our sins upon him; for he being without sin, was made sinful for us, was wounded for our transgressions, and, as 1. Pet. 2.24. bore our sins 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, eternal life, and of his graces, and the glory for his graces, which is eternal glory. Touching the first profit, it is double: First, he took our sins upon him: Secondly, the satisfaction of our sins, 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, subject to the everlasting curse of God, for so are we all by nature, in which nature of ours he representing us, became vile before his father in respect of us. But now for the punishment of sin upon him, that was not imaginary, but true and sensible both in soul and body, so extreme as in anguish of spirit he was driven to cry, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me, yea: the death he endured was in it own kind accursed, as it is written, Deut. 21.23. Cursed is every one that hangeth on the tree, yea: look what miseries, what wants, what dangers he did undergo and taste of, from his birth to his ascension into heaven, the same he suffered and slept in only for us, which cleareth the justice of God that a righteous man should smart for us sinners, because we are in him and he in us: which I urge the more, that we may see the great price the son of God paid for our redemption, to stir us up to a better and deeper consideration of it, he being the only shepherd that ever gave his life for his sheep, the only lamb which being unspotted in himself did ever take upon him the scabs and ulcers of the whole flock, the only man full of sorrows and experience of infirmities, whom the world judged as plagued & smitten of God and humbled, yet was it only for our iniquities that the chastisement of our peace might be upon him. Therefore as Esay 53.11. let him see the travel of his soul, that is, the fruit of his labour, and the efficacy of his death, in the salvation of us his people. For the other profit it is also double: as first we are made partakers of his graces: secondly, of the glory for his graces. And this standeth also with the justice of God, that he being in us and we in him, God must needs with him give us all things also. Now the graces we taste of by this conjunction are twofold, first by imputation, which is his satisfaction for our sins, we being stark bankrupts able to pay nothing; and the benefit of his obedience, we being rebellious bastards able to fulfil nothing: secondly, in ourselves, but drawn and derived from Christ the fountain, as the change of our affections, reforming of our judgements, renewing of our minds, mortification & a sanctified life; and these graces did far more abound in Christ then ever they did in Adam in his integrity, for he was flesh made ●●t after the image of God, whereas this flesh Christ had the God head dwelling in him bodily, & as Col. 1.18. had in all things the pre-eminence that we might taste of the fullness of his graces as far as is fit. And for the second much is the glory for his graces, namely eternal life, of this he hath also made us partakers, ye as if he had no other errand to heaven, he saith, Io. 14.32. I go to prepare a place for you in my father's house. Therefore let us not say in our hearts, that is, let us not doubt but assure ourselves that as Christ is ascended, so shall we, and it is no presumption to believe that the Lord for his sons sake will save thee: for he hath first given thee his word and promise, He that believeth and repenteth shall be saved, so as if thou canst apply repentance to thyself thou mayest challenge him on his word; and secondly, thou hast his oath he swore to Abraham, that his seed through his faith should be blessed, and this hath Christ sworn again; A men, Amen, he that believeth, is already translated from death to life; showing the certainty of it by the manner of speech, as if it were already done: and if thou wilt rely upon neither of the former, he hath thirdly left thee a pawn, that is, his spirit to guide and conduct thee in the right way, that though thyself cannot be in heaven as yet, yet thy affections may be in the bosom of Christ, and that thy faith in his resurrection may assure thee of thy incorruption, and thy comfort in his sitting at the right hand of God, may rebound back upon thy own soul in being an undoubted testimony of thy exaltation and advancement hereafter, for where Christ is, there, by reason of this conjunction between thee and him, thou must needs be also.  
Hence ariseth a most comfortable instruction for an afflicted conscience, for Satan will lay a whole scroll of particular sins before thee, charge thee that there be many omitted wherein thou hast offended, that corruption is so worn into thy bones, and lieth so low at the heart, as it cannot be taken forth but must needs rankle to damnation, and that thy sins are in their number so many, and in their weight so heavy, as there can be no case nor satisfaction for them. Thou must confess thou art indeed in thyself a worm unworthy to creep upon the earth, but in Christ, as bold and strong as a lion, yea if thou canst appropriate the sufferings of Christ to thyself in particular, as the Gospel propounds them generally, thou mayest answer that by the ●●rity of his birth, the obedience of his life, and the bitterness of his death, he hath cleansed thee from thy sin wherein thou wert conceived, made up the breach of thy rebellion, and ransomed thee from the cruelty of that second death, whereinto thou wert plunged by thine actual pollution; & this thou knowest because thou art one with him, and he with thee. True indeed, sathan will confess that Christ took our flesh upon him, as himself said in the Gospel, that he was come before his time to torment him; but yet he will suggest that Christ being but one, his satisfaction can be but for one, and he will tell thee in this truly, that the sins of all men are infinite, and the wrath of God for them is infinite, for which the satisfaction of Christ must be as infinite, which (saith he) cannot be. To which answer, that as by the first Adam all men are made sinners, so by the second Adam, which is Christ, all that believe are made righteous; and as Adam can damn all that shall be damned, for all in him did eat of the forbidden fruit, so Christ can save all that shall be saved, for all in him are brought again into the Paradise of God. 
Reu. 2.7.  In Rom. 5.14. and 1. Cor. 15.22. Adam is said to be a figure of Christ, wherein they agree in this: that as Adam gave as much as he had to his posterity, so doth Christ proportionably give that he hath to those that be his; Adam gave sin and death, Christ giveth life and grace. And they disagree in three respects: first, we receive sin from Adam by nature, but we receive not the graces of Christ and life eternal by nature, but by imputation and by grace only, and not by imitation, for we cannot imitate Christ in every thing: secondly, by Adam came only original sin, not actual; but Christ hath satisfied for both these, for all that were before him, and shall come after him, being true believers: thirdly, the graces of Christ do far exceed the sin of Adam, else would Sa●●● in persuade thee thou art half saved, and half damned, for if the virtue thou hast by Christ were but equal with the corruption thou hast by Adam, it could not produce so incomprehensible a work as thy salvation is, and therefore Rom. 5.17. it is said: If by the offence of one death reigned through one, much more shall they which receive that superfluity or superabundance of grace reign in life through one, that is, Christ: thereby showing that the righteousness of Christ, made ours by grace, is of greater power to bring life then was the sin of Adam, to bring death to his posterity. Therefore seeing through faith God revealeth to thee these riches laid up for thee in Christ, bend thine eye toward him, and he will so supply thee with spiritual wisdom, as thou shalt answer with ease and comfort the sophistry and deceits of Satan who willingly would plunge thee into terror and trouble of conscience.  
Which walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. Unto such as thus walk there is no condemnation: and this is the third thing spoken of at first: namely, that a sanctified life must be the sure evidence of our engrafting into Christ, for howsoever the spirit which is within us testifieth thus much, that we are Christ's and Christ is ours, as 1. Cor. 2.10. The things which God hath prepared for them that love him, he hath revealed to us by his spirit; and vers. 12. We heave not received the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; yet because through self love no man will say but he hath the spirit, therefore steps in the other testimony of holiness of life, and this is visible, real, undeceivable and true, as 1. joh. 3.6.8. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not, and he that committeth sin is of the devil, which place we must not understand simply of sinners, for all of us are so, but of such as favour themselves in their sins, bless their souls in them, make a trade of sinning, and persist in it; so as we that are made mystical members of Christ, must labour to extinguish the life of any gross sin, and not to make them the members of an harlot, of an usurer, of an Idolater, of a flatterer and such like, for being engrafted into Christ, it is as odious in God's sight for us to commit these sins as if Christ should commit them, and by them without repentance we do rend ourselves from Christ, for the Sons of God are led by his spirit, Rom. 8.14. And they are led by it that live in it, Gal. 3.25. And this life is known by the effects, that is, by walking in the spirit. And they walk in it, that fulfil not the lusts of the flesh, Gal. 5.16. And they fulfil them not that have crucified the flesh; vers. 14. And they only have done this that cease from sin, 1. Pet. 4.2. with a full purpose of heart to live better; for as the dead body hath no breath, so must sin have no strength in us: and he that doth not this is a reprobate. I speak not of a final reprobate, but of a reprobate for the time, for such stand in the state of condemnation. But if we labour to live godly as near as we can after the example of Christ, and make holiness of life as the load star, whereby we may be seen to direct our journey toward heaven, than this doth knit us in the persawsion of our union with Christ, provided always that there be special repentance for special sins, extraordinary repentance for extraordinary sins, great repentance for gross sins, and daily repentance for daily sins. therefore let every of us examine ourselves what sins remain in us unrepented, and what unsubdued, what be blushing and shamefast, and what be crying and insolent sins; and let us take the same course with them all, cast them from us and purge ourselves clean of the leaven of Satan, for a sin suppressed and not destroyed, will at length break forth to the hindrance of our walk in the spirit, and if we be stopped in this course, then so long do we stagger in the assurance of our being one with Christ, which is the only helmet of our salvation.  
Secondly, observe hence the order the scripture setteth down, namely that first we must be in Christ, which is the cause, and then we shall walk after the spirit, which is the effect, even as justification goeth before sanctification, our engrafting into Christ being our justification, and being so, it causeth holiness of life, so as both must go together, making no difference between faith and a godly life in the person, but only in the properties and manner: and therefore if it be asked; who shall be saved? Such as lead a sanctified life. But if how we shall be saved, the answer is, by the merits of Christ apprehended by faith; so as by faith we are saved, for the fruit maketh not the root good, but the root the fruit, the streams are not the cause of the fountain, but the fountain of them, and the streams are but the effects, even as breathing is the effect of life; so we are not saved because of our works and walking in the spirit, but because of our faith, for works are the fruits of faith, yet we shall receive according to our works, 2. Cor. 5.10. and shallbe recompensed for them, not for the dignity of the work, but in the benignity of the Lord, who hath accepted our persons in Christ: and therefore Tit. 2.11.12. the Apostle doth not say, Because we deny ungodliness therefore the grace of God hath brought salvation, but salvation being offered in the Gospel, we must thereby learn to be profitable scholars in holiness of life. So Mat. 11.28. Christ doth not call us to ease us of our sins because we live godly after his example, but faith being wrought in us by the power of his calling us, we then live godly; even as the thief upon the cross, Luke. 23.40. was no sooner called but he brought forth fruit, his confession being a token of his faith. So we must first be within the covenant of God, and then we shall walk in the covenant, as Gen. 17.1. God said to Abraham, I am sufficient, therefore walk before me, so that he made not his covenant with him to be his God because he walked before him, but first he made his covenant with him, that being assured of his protection he might more cheerfully walk before him; even so fareth it with us, we are first made members of Christ, and then being united to his body we must show forth the life of Christ in our conversation. And here we must further learn to answer two objections: First, the carnal man will say: Christ hath satisfied for his breach of the law and supplied the imperfection of his obedience, therefore now he may take his swinge in sin, as Pro. 7.18. the harlot enticed the young man to take his fill of love. But we must know, Christ hath not satisfied for us to live as we list, nor redeemed us from darkness to light that we should run to darkness again: for a pardon is not given to a traitor that he should offend again, neither doth that pardon serve for offences to be committed after, but so oft as he offendeth so oft shall he be punished, or else he must have so many pardons; so Christ hath satisfied once, and that hath taken away the guilt of all that went before; but if we 〈◊〉 sum upon this to sin again, either we must look for 〈◊〉 satisfactions, which cannot be, for there is but one sealed 〈◊〉 blood, or else we must suffer so many punishments as w●●●●mit sins. Secondly, it will be said: since there can be 〈◊〉 satisfaction for sin, therefore we have now liberty given 〈◊〉 sin. It is true indeed, that the wrath of God could not ●●●ppeased for sin nor satisfied without the blood of the So●●● 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 between God and us,) but that we might live according to his will in newness of life; howbeit there is a satisfaction God requireth at our hands, but that is only obedience in our affections, holiness in our actions, humility in our hearts, and thankfulness in our persons, that we may be as pretions stones in the breast plate of Christ to be represented to his father. And therefore let us abhor such presumptuous and reckless impiety, as either to live as we list, or to think we have time enough to repent before we die, for who can tell when the cock will crow, or when death as a thief will steal upon us? nay let us remember it is said, Revel. 22.11. He that is filthy let him be filthy still, and in our age we shall possess the iniquities of our youth, and therefore our life being but a span long, the day is short enough by repentance to make our accounts with God even and easy.  
Thirdly, observe hence, that we cannot serve God and riches, Christ and belial, the flesh and the spirit, for their walks and courses are opposite and contrary one to the other, as may appear by the Apostles putting of it negatively, that we must not walk at all after the flesh; 
Mal. 1.6.  for if God be a father he will have all the honour, if a master all the fear, neither will he suffer himself to be divided, or his worship to be performed by halves, for this is, as Eliah calleth it 1. King. 18.21. the halting between two opinions: but as before our conversion the affections of sins do force us to bring forth fruit unto death; so being called, the strength of grace must thrust us forward to bring forth fruits to God, and not to ourselves: and therefore it is said, Gal. 6.8. He that soweth to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption, but he that soweth to the spirit, shall of the spirit reap life everlasting: so as though thou dost that which is lawful, yet if thou dost it more unto men then unto God, thou sowest to the flesh, and shalt receive damnation; but if thou seekest in thy whole life to please God, more than men, yea, to please him though thou displeasest men, then shalt thou of the spirit reap salvation: for the end why God hath created and saved us, is to glorify him in this life, and were it not he respected and received glory by thy life, what need he suffer thee to stay here on earth, but have taken thee presently from the womb to heaven: but he suffereth thee to live, partly that by thy fruitfulness 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 day, when thou shalt be blessed and that worthily, even in the judgement and acknowledgement of the damned, for the fruits thou hast brought forth to God. So as it standeth us upon to have the eyes of our thoughts, & the bend of actions, wholly upon God, to hazerd, yea to prefer his glory before the glory and comfort of our own salvation: for if we be not rich in God and good works, then are we still dead in sin, then is not Satan at all cast our of us, then are we so far from needing but to wash our feet, 
john 13.9.  as we are wholly polluted hands, head, and all. Howbeit because every one will say: he brings forth fruit to God, and walketh in the spirit, being inwardly grieved for his sins, and resorting unto public prayer and preaching, which are indeed good steps to trace a Christian by, yet we must know this is not sufficient, for the inward sorrow is invisible, and the coming to prayer and to the word, is deceivable and communicable even to hypocrites, therefore we must bring forth visible fruit to be seen of men, in performing towards them, the duties of the second table by love, patience compassion, and such like; else is it as a light ●id under a bushel, if it be not sensibly felt of men for their comfort, and seen of men for their example, that they which are without may be won, and the rest which are of the same fold with us, may be stirred up to glorify God in heaven for the fruitfulness of his Saints on earth. To which duties we may be the better encouraged because the whole fruit both in the practice of them, and in the reward of them, shall redound to ourselves, producing joy and peace of conscience in this life, and the crown of glory in the life to come, Rom. 6.22.  
Fourthly, for thine own comfort learn to make a difference between walking after the flesh, and walking through the flesh, the one being a following and pursuing of thy sinful desires, with greediness 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 weakness and infirmity, by reason of that remnant of flesh which will be in thee till 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 even in thy own judgement thou thinkest thine actions evil, be not discouraged; for albeit thou hast in truth cause to pray to have not only thy evil actions, but even thy best actions to be forgiven, 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 have naturally concupiscence in them, which causeth these three things: first either it maketh us always think evil thoughts; secondly, or else it hindereth us from good thoughts: thirdly, or else it maketh us to mingle with our good thoughts, evil thoughts. And herein we must first know what we are by nature, and before our conversion, namely, we are bound both hand and foot as it were with the chains and irons of sin, that we cannot move to any good, and so long we are the slaves of Satan, who whips us with our own corruption, and so hardeneth our hearts through use and custom of sin, that we are led into the wrath of God before we see it; but when the Lord doth strike us on the sides as he did Peter, and open our hearts as he did the heart of Lydia, that we do see the riches of his mercy, 
Act. 12.7.16.14.  and do feel our irons somewhat unloosed, that is, our corruption abated, whereby we get some liberty to do that is good, though it be not done with that perfection that is required, yet let us assure ourselves that our purpose and desire to walk with God and to do good is accepted of him, for he regardeth the heart, and dispenseth with the imperfection of the outward man. To which purpose Saint Paul saith: Phil. 3.13.14. I forget that which is behind and endeavour to that is before, and follow hard toward the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ. In which observe three things: First, we must know our mark at which we must 〈◊〉, that is, Christ, and unto the coming of this mark we must be absolutely resolved: Secondly, we must not look behind us (not forbidding us to look back unto our former estate) but nothing must hinder us from going to this work, as whoredom, usury, flattery, deceit, idolatry, and such like gross sins: Thirdly, we must so strive, as in the end we may attain this mark, which is Christ; and so we come thither, it skilleth not whether we creep or go by steps and degrees; answerable to that 1. Cor. 9.24. So run that ye obtain, that though we have many stops in the flesh, yet if our eyes be still upon God it sufficeth.  
Lastly, that we may be abashed at the shaking of sin, and may grow into perfect hatred and detestation of it, we see here the miserable estate of them that are subject to the prince of the world, and are at league with hell, that howsoever their life is varnished over with a little temporal prosperity, yet they feed themselves but for their slaughter, for being out of Christ, and disclaiming holiness of life, their glory shall be their shame, and their end is but damnation, it being impossible as Solomon saith Prover. 12.3. for a man to be established by wickedness. If therefore thou seest his barns full let not thy soul envy it, for in the revenues of the wicked there is trouble, because they tend to sin, and the Lord casteth away his substance. If thou seest him tall and proud, as the Cedar, bless thou thyself in thy humility, for the curse of the Lord being in his house, though his excellency mount up to heaven, and his head reach up to the clouds, yet shall he perish for ever like his dung, his roots shall be dried up beneath, and above his branch shall be cut down. If thou seest him seated and waxing old in his outward happiness; let it nothing trouble thee, for his bones are full of the sins of his youth, and it shall lie down with him in the dust, at length his eyes shall fail, and then shall his candle be put out, his refuge shall perish, and then fearfulness shall drive him to his feet. If thou seest him eat and drink and rise up to play, desire not thou to taste of his joy, for his rejoicing is short and but a moment, and though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, yet God shall draw 〈◊〉 out of his belly, yea affliction followeth sinners, and fear shall be for the workers of iniquity, such a one consumeth like a r●●● thing, God shall run upon him and his arm shall be broken, 〈◊〉 shall destroy him, as the vine her sour grape, and cast him off 〈◊〉 the olive doth her flower, for he that is not planted in Christ his branch cannot be green, but brimstone shall be scattered in 〈◊〉 habitation, and his hope shallbe indignation and sorrow of mi●●.   
ROM. chap. 8. vers. 2. 
verse 2 For the law of the spirit of life which is in Christ jesus, hath freed me from the law of sin and of death.  
IN this verse the Apostle insisteth to prove, that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ, which he doth by two arguments: First, because we are freed from the law and dominion of sin: Secondly because we are freed from the law and domination of death. Against these t●●o the conscience opposeth two things. First, how are we freed from the law and power of sin, since we have so many unclean thoughts, so many raging affections, and so many vile and naughty actions that pass from us in the course of our lives? secondly, how are we freed from the law and sting of death, since we die daily and suffer so many afflictions and miseries in this life which are the merits and deserts of sin? These two objections that might scare and trouble ●●e tender conscience and inward peace of a Christian, he answereth to the end of this chapter. In this verse to the end of the 〈◊〉, he showeth how far we are delivered from the law of sin, 〈◊〉 from the 19 verse to the 17. how far we are freed from the law of death, which was the first punishment for sin, as appears, Gen. 2.17. In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die 〈◊〉 death: and from the 17. verse to the end of the Chapter, he treweth how far we are freed from the miseries and calamities of 〈◊〉 life.  
Now in this verse as it divideth itself we are to consider two ●●●ing: First, how and by what means we obtain this freedom, ●●●ly by the spirit of life which is in Christ: Secondly, ●●things from which we are freed, which be two, first from the ●●●son of sin, secondly, from the power of death.  
For the first, we must learn to make a difference between the spirit of life which is in Christ jesus; and the spirit of life of Christ which is in us; the one being absolute and inherent in Christ, the virtue whereof imputed unto us brings perefect absolution from the tyranny of sin, and bitterness of death, the other being but poured into us through the grace of Christ's spirit abiding in us, doth but qualify and temper the heat of sin and the violence of death, which otherwise would rage's over us. And therefore if we speak of the spirit of life which is in us we may well cry out with Saint Paul Rom. 7.24. O wretched men that we be, who shall deliver us from the body of this death. But if we speak of the spirit of life which is in Christ, then may we boldly say we are already delivered from it. That this may be made more plain●; Paul Rom. 7.18. said; he knew no good thing dwelling in his flesh; and here he saith: he is freed from the law of sin and of death, so as it may be thought these two places and speeches do not agree. The answer is, Paul was carnal, sold under sin, and thereby made a slave to Satan, even as a slave that is sold in the market is to his master; but this was only in respect of the spirit of life which was in himself; but now he speaketh of the spirit of life which is in Christ, and applied unto him by the union between Christ and him, and so may boldly say, he is now no flesh but all spirit, and doth the good he would. To make it plainer, 1. joh. 5.6. it is said, that Christ came by blood and water, signifying thereby that as his blood washeth away the guiltiness of our sins, so his water washeth away the filthiness of our sins; and that as his blood doth justify us in heaven, so his water doth sanctify us here on earth; with which water of his, because it answereth to the spirit of life which is in us, we had need daily to be washed; for as the skin cleaveth fast to the flesh, and the flesh to the bones, so doth sin to our corrupt nature, that we have need continually to be cleansed by the holy Ghost, which is the spirit of life of Christ in us. And this is that water spoken of, joh. 3.5. Except a man be borne of water and of the spirit he cannot be saved; meaning thereby our regeneration: and so joh. 13.10. where Christ alluding to them, that coming out of Baths had need wash their lower parts because the filthiness descendeth to the feet, persuadeth us thereby to a daily increase in a sanctified course, because some corruption will hang at least at our singer's end, according to that, job 9.30.31. If I wash myself with snow water and make my hands most clean, yet my own clothes shall make me filthy; so as though we have the spirit of God in us, yet our best actions are sinful; for as it is said Esa. 64.6. our righteousness is as filthy clouts, the original signifieth, such clouts as come from children newly borne, or such as Surgians use to make clean ulcers, or such as beggars find upon dung hills to patch their ragged cloaks withal, or such as are not once to be named, as the Ancient writers of the jews do make mention; to whom this was chiefly spoken, the Prophet in that place alluding to the manner of purifying in the ceremonial law. For we read Leuit. 15.19. that unclean things were separated both from the service of God, and from the use of man, which being then but ceremonial, both in body and soul; and thereby unfit for God's service, and is really and morally in us▪ for we are vile and polluted not worthy the society one of another, for fear of infecting each other, and yet these are our best actions, as Esay speaketh, meaning thereby both the greatness of the number of them, and the greatness of the excellency of them, for they are all accursed before God, I mean in respect of the spirit of Christ, which is in us, not that the spirit causeth this uncleanness, but through the lust, sensuality, and corruption of our natures, even as fair water from a clear fountain is made filthy by running thorough unclean channels, the cause whereof is that concupiscence which through the serpent's temptation entered into our first parents when they transgressed, this being the first sin that liveth, and the last sin that dieth, even as the heart is in the body of a man, and this lust causeth and forceth us to commit the evil we would not, and to omit the good we would; and if it cannot prevail this way with us, than it will entice us partly to commit the evil, and partly to omit the good by the consent of the heart only; and if it ●●●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 deserveth death, because we are commanded to love God with all our thoughts, which if any one be ranging we do not. This is urged the more that we may see and acknowledge how far our best actions which are in highest price and estimation with us, and which run from the clearest part of the wel-head, are from deserving any thing; which we may yet see as in a glass more plainly, Gen. 6.5. where it is said concerning the natural man; that the mould of the desires of the thoughts of a man's heart are evil, only evil, and evil every day, and for ever, 〈◊〉 may be spoken of the best child of God, leaning out but this word (only). For the spirit of Christ which is in us begetteth some good thoughts, and bringeth forth some good fruits that they are not (only) evil, though in respect of our corruption and that they taste of the unsavoury saltness of our nature they may be said to be nothing but evil, for in the choicest child of God there is the seed of the sin against the holy Ghost, & of apostasy & of all sins, but that by the working of the spirit they are so choked and weakened, as they are not able to break forth, hobeit by the remainder of sin abiding in us, all our actions are so infected & poisoned as they are loathsome in the sight of God; which must teach us to humble ourselves before him, & to crave pardon even for our prayers which are polluted with many by-thoughts, & then will he, as Mal. 3.17. spare us as a man spareth his son that serveth him, for the Lord regardeth rather the good affection, than the good action, the holy fountain from whence it proceedeth, rather than the effects of the fountain that it runneth thorough, some corrupt vein of this earth and flesh of ours, and this is in respect the spirit of life of Christ is in us. But now if we speak of the spirit of life, which is in Christ himself, than we may boldly say we are all spirit and not flesh; that Christ by his satisfaction hath taken away the accusation can come against us for any sin, and the imperfection can be laid against us for any action, for all we do is accepted of God in him, and we can be charged with nothing, for Christ maketh intercession for us, and as Eph. 2.1. God in Christ hath quickened us that were dead in sins, 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 Christ's person we may well conclude we are freed from the law of sin and of death.  
Secondly, observe 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 only in general, but even of every particular sin in them, as the Apostle saith here, he was freed from the law of sin: for Christ's body was not only crucified for our sins (our sins being the very cause of his crucifying) but he was also crucified to sin, that is, to crucify and kill sin in us which are his members, so that except we find the spirit of God daily working and striking at the root of sin to weaken it, and at the branch of sin to cut it off at the first blossom, we cannot conclude he was crucified for sin, because he is not crucified to sin in us, so as we must measure the life of Christ in himself no further to pertain to us than we find the power of sin abated in us. And therefore if we walk after the Prince that ruleth in the air, and that worketh in the children of disobedience, and have our conversation in the lusts of the flesh, then hath not the life of Christ freed us from the law of sin, and then are we in the state of condemnation, if God be not rich in mercy to us hereafter. For howsoever the Lord is contented so far to dispense with the rigour of his justice, as to suffer ●●e Sun to shine both upon the just and unjust, yet doth the So●●e of righteousness never arise upon any that is holden with ●●e cords of his own sin, making as Solomon saith, Prouerbes●●. 12.13. a sign with his eyes, signifying with his feet, and instructing with his fingers, to have those lewd things which lurk in his heart, countenanced and performed both by himself and others by his enticement. Let us therefore labour to have our spirits raised up from the dead in the body of Christ, or through the life of Christ, till when we are not freed from the law of death; for so long as we remain natural men, we are dead both in the punishment of sin, and also in the pollution of sin; of the latter we 〈◊〉 in this life, as 2. Cor. 5.15. If one be dead for all, then were we all dead. The other is reserved for the life to come, and is called, reve. 20.14. the second death, when carnal and fleshly minded men shall be cast into the lake of fire. We must know then, that until the spirit hath raised us from the dead, we are but dead men though we seem to live; and so long as we are thus dead, we are separated from the grace of God, that is, the grace of God is dead in us, and we are living unto all sin, and so not freed neither from the law of sin, nor of death. Our spirits then are said to be raised from the dead two ways: First, when it reviveth and reneweth that which is dead in us: And secondly, when it slayeth and mortifieth that which is quick in us; that which is dead in us is the grace and favour of God; that which is quick in us is sin, as concupiscence, lust, sensuality, and such like: so that till this spring-time come that the grace of God be seen to flower and bud forth in us, our estate is no better than that of the damned souls; for as they at the last day shall be separated for ever from the presence of God, so as long as we remain carnal and unsanctified men, we are at this day separated from the favour of God, and as the damned in their separation do live in torments for ever, being dead in the punishment of sin so are we carnal men inwardly tormented in conscience for being dead in the pollution of sin, that is, we commit those sins, for which the damned are tormented; and in some respects the damned are better than carnal men, for they can sin no more, though the●●gnash their teeth and s●et at the justice of God; whereas the wicked and unjust do still commit sin, adding sin to sin, whereby heaping the more dishonour upon God, they draw the heavier condemnation upon themselves.  
Further where the Apostle saith, He was freed from the law of sin, we must not understand it, as if there was any law or commandment to sin; but, as Rom. 7.11. that sin took an occasion by the commandment to deceive us, and to slay us, there being accompulsary, and an unchangeable necessity in us to sin, as long as we are holden of the flesh, that will we nill we, we cannot but sin, we being by sin deceived five ways: First, by concupiscence and lust, as was Eva: Secondly, through infidelity: Thirdly, by blindness of judgement: Fourthly, by particular ignorance: And lastly, by the malice of the heart, and if the heart come once to be little worth, as Salomon ●●●●●eth, Pro. 10.20. and as it is in all carnal men, then is the ●●●●●antiall law of God, which otherwise in itself is holy, just, and righteous, to such men, but a law of sin, that is, sinning the more because the law forbiddeth it, and a kill letter, as 2. Cor. 3.6. First, in respect natural men are but flesh sold under sin: Secondly, in respect he reading it readeth his own damnation; and a seducing letter enticing them therefore to sin because they are restrained from sin; yea to them, as Rom. 3.20. it is the power of sin; and as Rom. 4.15. it is the law of wrath; and as 2. Cor. 3.15. it is as a vail laid over their hearts to blind them; and as 1. Tim. 1.9. it is said not to be given to the righteous, but to the disobedient; and as Peter calleth it, Act. 15.10. a yoke which neither they nor their forefathers were able to bear: meaning thereby what it is to the carnal man, and what it was then made by the Scribes and Pharisees, who preferred the law before Christ, which being but a schoolmaster to bring us to him, was by them made a master above him & to teach him. 〈◊〉 it is no marvel though to such as would live by the law without the life which is in Christ, that it prove to them a law of sin and of death, for by the law shall never any be justified, but through faith in the life of Christ must we attain salvation.   
ROM. chap. 8. verse. ● 
verse 3 For (that that was impossible to the law in as much a● it was weak because of the flesh) God sending his own son, in the similitude of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.  
Here the Apostle proceedeth to make the matter formerly delivered more plain and easy, wherein observe two material points: First, that he taketh away all the power of the law to save: Secondly that this power is given only to Christ, who took upon him not the similitude of flesh, but of sinful flesh, to condemn sin in the flesh, by whose grace we are only saved, without the works of the law. For the first observe two things: first, that it is impossible for any to be saved by fulfilling the Law, because none can exactly and perfectly do it: secondly, from whence this disability proceedeth, not from any defects in the law, but from our corrupt nature.  
For the first of these, the Papists say it is meant that none can be saved by the works of the ceremonial Law, & that it is not to be understood of the moral law. Which is most false, as is proved Rom. 3.20. By the works of the law shall no flesh be justified, for by the law cometh the knowledge of sin. He doth not say by the knowledge of the ceremonial law: and 2. Cor. 3.7. where he calleth the law the ministration of death written with letters and engraven in stones, we all knowing there was no law written with the finger of God, and engraven in stones but the law of the ten commandments; and Gal. 3.21.22. the Apostle maketh an opposition between the law and the promise; that if life should be given by the law, and by that means should justify, than should it abolish that justification promised to Abraham and ●o his seed by faith, which cannot be understood but of the m●●all law, and Rom. 7.7: He had not known sin but by the la●●, for he had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou sha●● not lust; and this is the law of the ten commandments.  
Howbeit the question between the Papists and us, is not whether we performing the precise rule of the law, may challenge eternal life as merit; for there is no question but we may, the commandment being, as Rom. 7.10. ordained unto life, as appeareth, Deut. 5.33. If you walk in all the commandments of God ye shall live; and Mark. 10.17.18. upon the question asked how he should possess eternal life, answer was made by Christ, by keeping the commandments: but the question is, whether any child of God, even in the highest degree of regeneration, can do it in that manner and measure as he ought. And this can he not do, and that for two reasons: First, because of the singular purity of the law: Secondly, because of the extreme impurity of our nature. For the first, consider that the law is proportionable to the lawgiver, which bindeth not only the hands from petty larce, the tongue from ribaldry, and the life from incontinency, but commandeth the eye, and speaketh to the heart: And in the nine first commandments, wheresoever there is an affirmative expressed, there is the negative implied, and where the negative is expressed, there is the affirmative implied, that is, where any duty is commanded, there the contrary vice is forbidden, and where the sin is inhibited, there the contrary duty is required; for if we must not kill our brother, then must we by all means seek to preserve his life; and if his life must be precious to us, then must we not hate him, for this is a sin that will beget murder. But the tenth commandment is the key that is able to discover the cabinet of the heart, this entereth between the marrow and the bones, and howsoever we may refrain in action, and may be stayed in affection, yet this striketh dead extending but to the motion, though the heart impugn it; and this is the sharpest corrosive to eat forth our proud flesh, when we shall see ourselves arraigned but for a thought, which we would have withstood: and if any man will look himself in this glass, he shall see as foul & filthy an Ad●●● as can be. And this was that awakened Paul out of that dead ●●eepe wherinto he was cast by nature, namely, the knowledge of concupiscence to be sin, for he knew the action and the resolution of the heart to uncleanness to be sin aswell by the law of nature as by the law written; but that the thoughts should be hedged in and enclosed so precisely, he did not conceive before the excellency of the tenth commandment had revealed it to him; howbeit, though not to extenuate and lessen any sin, whereby the majesty of God is violated & so offended, we must not imagine the thoughts conceived by a sudden motion or sight, and quickly suppressed again to be so sinful, for the thoughts meant here are those of the heart, which have an inclination and proneness to sin proceeding from corruption of nature, suffering them to rest with us for a time, though they be after pressed down by the special work of God; and if we could but register the thoughts of this kind do pass from us in one day, we should find them abominable in God's sight and only pardonable in Christ. For though they be hid from men; yet do they appear before God the searcher of the heart, and shall receive their reward, which is death, if they be not passed over in Christ. And though some have thought that thoughts without the consent of the heart, are not sinful, yet it is certain they be so; for Solomon, Pro. 24.9. saith; The wicked thought of a fool is sin: and so may it likewise be proved by three special arguments; First whatsoever hindereth the absolute and perfect conformity of the power of the soul to the lively image of God wherein we were at first created, is sin: but thoughts without consent of the heart do hinder this our conformity to the image of God, because the thoughts being admitted in▪ there must needs be excluded therefore they are sinful: Secondly, Adam in his innocency could never have any such by-thoughts being created to the absolute image of God. Since then we have lost this perfect image by his fall, and have such thoughts arise in us, they must needs hinder us from coming to that perfection again, wherein he stood at first, while he walked with God in paradise; and therefore they are sinful. Thirdly, God hath redeemed all the parts both of our body and soul, and therefore we ought to honour him with all parts, and the thoughts are some parts which he hath redeemed; therefore we must honour him with them: but many one thought be wandering and ranging out of the way, there ●ants the honour of that thought to God; therefore they are sinful: for where it is said in the law, we must honour God with all our heart, with all our mind, with all our soul, Christ Luk. 10.27. expounds it, we must also love him with all our thoughts▪ then so many thoughts as tend not to love God, must needs be sinful. Now as concerning (thoughts) ther●●● four degrees, one more sinful than another, but the least damnable in the reprobate, pardonable in the elect. The first are, when a man thinketh on some childish toy, or on a thing that is not, which oft cometh into a man's mind by some occasion or other offered to the sense, and represented to the fancy, but soon vanisheth away; although the thing offered to the imagination be not sinful, yet the very thought of it is sinful, because it possesseth us for the time, and being idle and unprofitable; for that time, be it never so short, so much of God's image was thrust out of us, & the whole man was not taken up for him as it ought; and therefore, Genes. 6.5. it is said, all the thoughts of a man's heart are sinful, and not sinful, but only sinful, and not only and altogether sinful, but sinful every day, and continually: in which place Moses speaketh of the natural man, therefore the former being the thoughts of nature are in themselves sinful, & damnable. The second degree are those when a man by a certain proneness and readiness to sin hath some corrupt thought in his heart, but it is presently suppressed: and this is more sinful than the other. The third degree is when the heart hath hatched some sinful thought and suffereth it to rest with him for a time, pausing upon it, and pleading with himself on both fides whether he should call his heart to consent; and yet at length by the special work of God it perisheth: and these are more sinful than the other. But the fourth degree are worst of all, when a man not only casteth forth a wicked thought but dandleth it in his breast, and not soliciteth the heart alone, but upon advice presseth & importuneth the soul to join hand in hand, that they may with greater strength break forth in●● the members: and this is the high way to bring us to actual ●●nne.  
Now notwithstanding all this, some of the Schoolmen hold these thoughts to be no sin except the heart ste●●s to consent; defining sin to be a voluntary thing, done wit● consent of the ●eart, and with a resolute purpose to bring it in●● action against the law and commandment of God; alleging for proof of their opinion, james 1.15. where it is said: But every man is tempted when he is drawn away by his own concupiscence, and is enticed, then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin, and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death. But that these thoughts are sin of themselves without the addition of the heart, is proved by the definition of sin in the scripture, for it is said, 1. john 3.4. that the transgression of the law is sin, than the law commanding continual purity, and thou having a thought whereby God is not honoured, dost therein transgress the law, and therefore in that thou sinnest. And for the place cited out of Saint james, the Apostle there speaketh not of the sin in the heart between God and man, but of the actual sin between man and man, because one man knoweth not the heart of another, as God doth, who searcheth the reins. Howbeit to answer them with their own place, the Apostle verse 14. speaketh of the original sin, from whence this actual sin, which is the monster, doth proceed, he speaking there first of the concupiscence of the heart, for from hence, which is foetus peccati, the first birth of sin, proceedeth foams peccati, the nourishing of all sin, and out of which lust doth conceive, and when it is conceived it must needs bring forth sin, and then sin when it is finished draweth on death: not meaning hereby that no sin deserveth death but actual sin, for all sins besides deserve the same, as Rom. 6.23. The wages of sin is death. So then to clear the former place, let us go by degrees backward: What bringeth forth death? Sin when it is finished. What is the cause of sin which is finished? The lust that conceiveth. And what is the cause that lust conceiveth? The concupiscence of the heart. So as all proceedeth from original sin; and the rest that branch from this root are sins of sin; for as a woman enter●ining a thought of her desire to strange flesh, sinneth so longis it receiveth entertainment; even so is it with the thoughts of men, serve they never so little from the service of God. Since ●hen the law overwhelmeth us with the full rigour of God's wrath by the excellency and purity of it, which bindeth us his creatures ●o be like our maker, exacting herein of us no more than to be answerable for that we first received, not seeking advantage herein by increase, but yielding him only the same talon of hol●●esse, honour and obedience wherewith all we were trusted in ou● creation, and we have exceeded the impiety of that unfaithful servant condemned in the Gospel, not only not hiding i● where we might have it again, as he did, but corrupting and wasting it, that the Lord cannot now know us to be his come we have so defaced his stamp and superscription which he set upon us, sending forth in few hours so many legions of unclean cogitations and polluted actions; what harbour think we can we find under this covert of the Lords law to rescue us from damnation? Nay if we appeal to it for secure in this strictness, preciseness and purity of it, it will be the first to arrest and draw us before the seat of justice, and so much the sooner and the sharper by reason of the second points which hinder us from this perfection in obedience, which is the extreme impurity of our nature: for such is the frailty of flesh and blood, and we are so far from being able to perform the law as it is rather a provocation unto us to greater sin, doing it the more eagerly because the law forbiddeth it, even as the prescript of the Physician is to the impatient patient who more greedily desireth that would breed him most danger; which appeareth 1. Cor. 15.56. The law is the strength of sin; and Rom. 7.8. Sin did turn the law to an occasion to sin. To persuade this by natural reason of contraries, active and passive; we see the fire environed by the cold air in the winter, so that the operation of the fire cannot pass out by the resistance of the cold, hereupon there is made a reflection of the heat which is beaten back by the cold that it will not suffer it to come forth, whereby the heat is doubled by the opposition of the contrary, as experience teacheth us, the fire scalding more in winter then in summer; even so is it between the law and the heart of man, which is a fire of lust, and the law of God beating it back into the breast which would feign come forth in action, it goeth into the heart again and is there more forcibly inflamed then before, whereupon there grows such an enmity as what Gods loves, man hates, and what is highest in estimation with him, is basest in opinion with us, and our nature taketh occasion to be more sinful by the restraint of the Commandment: and as in diseases men seek what most hurteth them, as in a pleurisy, wine, in a frenzy, to watch, in a lethargy to sleep, so falleth it out with us, that what is most wholesome to cure our corruption we refuse, and the oil that will soon set it on fire we embrace, which experience can teach us better than the voice of an Angel, every man's conscience being privy to their several and special infirmities. And to illustrate this by the example of the diamond and best Saints of God, job. 39.37. maketh protestation, O Lord I am vile, once, yea twice, have I spoken, but I will speak no more, for I cannot answer one for a thousand; and Chap. 9.15.20. If I were righteous, yet would I not plead with thee, but make supplication to my judge, for if I would be perfect he shall judge me wicked; and David often confesseth his unworthiness by entering into the meditation of the law of God, and Easay 64.6. saith our best actions are but as a menstruous cloth, the Hebrew word signifieth a filthy clout used by the Surgians to take up the rottenness of the flesh; and Paul Rom. 7.23. by his own confession was a captive to sin, which showeth it impossible to challenge eternal life by the observation of the law, and to this end is the song of the Angels in the Revel. 19.1. which giveth all glory to God and none to men, for our best works sway nothing in the balance of desert, nay the grace of Christ maketh not the work perfect▪ because it is defective by concupiscence, and is accepted only in mercy; for justice can accept of nothing as merito●●●● which is not as perfect as Christ himself.  
Hear then may be demanded why God gave the law, since there is no manner of proportion betwixt our abilities to perform, and the straightness of the law to command, and he that layeth a condition of impossibility commandeth unprofitably. This we answer four ways: First, by our creation we had power to have done it, and we are only by our own disobedience disabled, for Adam in his integrity might have fulfilled it, and therefore it is no injustice with God to give us this law which we had strength to bear, and have now made burdensome to ourselves being weakened through corruption: for when he that can see perfectly pulleth out his own eyes, who is to be charged with his blindness but himself? or if he that is rich wasteth his goods with the prodigal son, none can be blamed for his poverty but himself. Or if he that knoweth by climbing he must fall, will yet climb so high till he fall and hurt himself, he can cry out of none for his hurt but himself; or if he that is comely become misshapen by lewd company and diet, is any to be found fault with for this deformity but himself? So who can charge this law to be become impossible, but out selves? and how came it thus to be, but through our sin in Adam? and if we had been in his stead we had done as he did, so as we are the cause of our own blindness, nakedness, weakness & deformity in climbing to the fruit of the forbidden tree, whereby we lost the power and comeliness of God's image after which we were made: And shall a Prince therefore lose his just right and power to command, because a company of wicked rebels will not be drawn to obey? God forbidden. Secondly, this law thus delivered, is not simply impossible, because all the elect have fulfilled it in the person of Christ. Thirdly, it shall not be always impossible in our persons, partly by our obedience to it in this life, and when sin shall be abolished and our sanctification finished by our absolute performance of it in the life to come. Fourthly, if God had proposed no other end in giving it, but the observing of 〈◊〉 in our corruption, than had it indeed been impossible, but it was given of the Lord for four ends: first, to be convinced of our shame and filthiness by looking into the law as into a mirror which showeth us our infirmity and deformity: secondly, that when hereby we were all shut up under damnation and the conscience convinced of our Apostasy we might then be stirred up to seek remedy in Christ: thirdly, that being brought to Chrst we might in deep meditation behold the excellency of the Lords righteousness, that this might be a great provocation to make us strive to come as near the perfection required as may be, the first being before our conversion, the last after our conversion to keep down the rebellion of our flesh, & to shake off the sluggishness of our nature which is most unapt to enterprise any thing might please God: four, it was given for the reprobate that they should absolutely fulfil it or else be damned, for it layeth open their sins and the torments of hell ready to seize upon them, with a despair of all grace, the Lord justly leaving them in their blood, so as the fire that burneth by the breath of the Lord, beginneth in them in this life, and though they seem to men to have quiet consciences, because they sleep as it were in the top of the mast, yet they have the flames of God's wrath, scorching them within; whereas to us that be elect it layeth before us our hurt, our debt, our leprosy, our poverty and our nakedness that we may run to Christ to have our wounds healed, our debt released, our leprosy cleansed, our nakedness covered with his fine linen, Reu. 3.18. and our poverty enriched with his refined gold and graces: so as we see it was not given in vain, though it be vain for us to seek life in it.  
Now for the second point, namely from whence this disability in the law to save us doth proceed, and that appeareth in the text to be, through the weakness that is in our flesh, and not through any imperfection in the law. Oh, say the Papists, but there is no man so weak but hath some strength, neither is there such weakness in the law, but it hath some strength to save. We answer by Scripture, 1. Cor. 15.43. The body is sown in weakness; where the Apostle speaketh of a dead man in whom is no strength, no more is there in the law: besides the word signifieth such a weakness as is utterly deprived of all strength, so as the reason why the law is thus disabled, is through the deadness that is in the flesh of man, whether we speak of a mere natural man, or of a regenerate man, as long as there is flesh in him. And in this respect the world is said to be dead three manner of ways though they know the law: for first, some do know their sins by the knowledge of the law, and yet are they dead because they know only the law and not the true use of it: secondly, some by the law, do know only their sins, which bringeth them to despair and they be miserable dead men: Thirdly, some by the knowledge of the law do know their sins and also grace for them in Christ, and yet said to be dead, as Paul Rom. 7.13. confesseth himself to be in respect of the greatness of his sin which wrought death in him by that which was good, meaning the law. Make it plainer by similitudes: when the sun shineth the blind cannot behold it, the fault is not in the sun, but for want of sight in the party; so when it thundereth, the man that is dease cannot hear it, which is no defect in the thunder, but through his defect of hearing; so if the rain fall on the rock it moisteneth it nothing at all, neither softeneth it, and this is only through the hardness of the rock: even so fareth it betwixt the law and us, for that the law is deprived of the power to save, is not for any defect in itself, for it is holy, perfect, righteous, just, heavenly, spiritual, eternal, but the fault is in our flesh, for we are all weak, blind, deaf, stony-hearted, not able to receive any impression of obedience at all. Again the scripture speaketh of the law two manner of ways: First, either as given by the hand of God, wrote with his finger in tables of stone which is the ten commandments. Secondly, or else it speaketh of that is proper to the law, that is of the effects of the law. The first, which is the ten commandments, it is double: For it commandeth the good and forbiddeth the evil; for the second the effects are also double, for it rewadeth for the good, and condemneth for the evil. So as the law hath these four things, it commandeth, and forbiddeth, it rewardeth, and condemneth: he than that is not able to fulfil the law is a dead man: I speak in respect of the law only, and not of Christ, for Christ himself said, speaking to one that sought life by his works, If thou wilt have life everlasting keep the commandments, which is not possible for man to do, no more is it possible for the law to save, yea it is not only unable to do this, but by reason of the law we are made more sinful; for as Rom. 3.20. By the law cometh the knowledge of sin; and chap. 4.15. The law causeth wrath: and 1. Cor. 15.56. The strength of sin is the law. So as first it convinceth us of the good we do, our hearts being of themselves rotten, and the root being unsound, so must the tree be; the body being corrupt, so must the members be; and the fountain being unclean, so must the streams be. Secondly, it convinceth us for not doing good; & in one thing is straighter than all the laws of nations, condemning our straying thoughts, and chargeth us not simply of sin and transgression, but of voluntary treason and rebellion against our God. And thirdly, it dischargeth upon us not only all the curses of this life from our conception to our death, but also of damnation in the life to come, so as in respect of the law only we have already the sentence of death pronounced against us, and do eat, talk, buy, sell and such like but as prisoners reprieved and stayed a while from execution. And this is the quality and condition of the ten commandments, inse, & pierce, in itself, and by itself, separate from all other things; for I speak not of the whole doctrine of the law, as it was taught by Moses, for that as David saith, Psal. 119. is perfect and converteth the soul and giveth wisdom to the simple, and teacheth us faith to lay hold on Christ, when we are ready to sink in ourselves, and draweth us to repentance by commanding the good and forbidding the evil, by rewarding the good, and threatening the evil. But the law as it is a bare letter bidding us do such a thing, and giving us no strength to perform it, losing it strength by the strength of our corruption, showeth in what a desperate case they stand that depend upon the Law for their salvation, for weighing ourselves in this balance we shall be lighter than the shickles of the sanctuary; if we look in this glass we shallbe wretched and deformed; and trying ourselves by this touch stone, we shall be no gold but dross.  
To make this plainer, and that our blood may be upon our own and's and the law remain unblamable, we must 〈◊〉 stand there are two sorts of laws. The one is the substantial and natural law, the other is an accidental or occasional law, mentioned by this Apostle, Rom. 7.8.9. where we must observe, that sin received no occasion from the law, for then occasion had been given, but took an occasion not of the law, but by the law, that is, because the law forbiddeth, therefore we will do it. Now between a cause and occasion there is great difference: The substantial law of God, which is the moral law of the ten commandments, hath two parts, it forbiddeth impiety and uncleanness, and commandeth sanctification and holiness; but the law occasional, proceedeth out of the first, which is substantial; for if the law had not said, Thou shalt not lust, thou wouldst not do it; but being by the law restrained, thou art in thine own corruption provoked unto that sin: so that here are two flat contrarieties met together, the law and our nature, the one commanding, the other rebelling, the one forbidding, the otherser that cause embracing; so as but for the law our sin would not so much appear: for example, we are able to eat more in winter then in summer, by reason in winter there meeteth two contraries, the outward cold, and inward beat, which being driven into the body increaseth the appetite; which is not so in summer, for then rather heat meeteth with heat, which abateth the stomach: even so the Lord hath set his law as a bulwark to keep in sin that it break not forth of the breast: Now, when sin findeth such resistance as it cannot rush through this law, than it reboundeth back again into our bosom, and there kindleth a greater fire of concupiscence than it did before; yet is the law holy, pure, righteous, heavenly and spiritual, the rule of obedience and of a sanctified life; but out nature is impure, unrighteous, corrupt, and from the earth earthly, the law proceeding from God, and our nature from the devil, who poureth this poison into our hearts; for even the law of nature, which was the book for all men, and whereby the eternal power of the Godhead was discerned that he might be glorified, we see how, Rom. 1.20. he was thereby dishonoured, they turning the glory of the incorruptible God, to the similitude of a corruptible man, which proceeded only from their vain thoughts and foolish hearts full of darkness; but their end was reprobation: so for the law written; where it pareth off the dead flesh, that we may see how sorely we are smitten by sin, that by this means we might run to Christ, who is a ready Physician skilful and pitiful in healing all wounds, we still keep at home and run back into ourselves, as if thereby we could be cured, where in truth our disease by this negligence is the more increased, nothing being able to heal but the blood of the son of God: so for the Gospel, whose end is to make peace between God and man, and between man and man, showing there is but one God, one spirit & one faith, thereby we but one man's children, even Gods, which should be the power of salvation to us, and the bond of love among us, through the malice of sathan and the profaneness of our minds we make a savour of death, and as it were a trumpet of debate and sedition to consume each other; yea joh. 6.66. we see how divers of Christ's disciples went back from him when he preached a long sermon touching the sacrament of the supper which is a badge of our friendship with God & with our brethren, which proceeded not from the sacrament, but from their rebellion, that their sin might be made more sinful; yea such contagion is there in our nature, as we make Christ himself the author and finisher of our hope, to be our condemnation, a stone to stumble at, and a rock of offence, 1. Pe. 2.8. the cause not being in him who is the light of the world, but in ourselves, making him an occasion of our darkness, john 3.19. which by this light shall be made in the end far more sinful and damnable. Since then the power of our corruption is so forcible, as it is able to pervert all the means ordained for our salvation, as to make the commandment of God in his law, the promises of God in the Gospel, the seals of God in his sacraments, and the love of God in his son, to be vain and of no value, this must teach us to humble ourselves in the lowest degree, in a hatred and detestation of our flesh and sinful faculties of our soul, which are as the poisoned soil, that either casts us, or corrupts all the seeds of fruitfulness or wholsomenes, that we thrown into it; whereas our sin being disclosed both by the law and Gospel, it is the more to be hated and abhorred, because it turneth the edge and benefit of both these to our destruction. For what could the Lord do more to preserve our first parents in their innocency than to set as it were a double fence about his commandment, forbidding not only the eating of the fruit, but the touching of it, binding the hands that they should not convey it to the mouth? and yet more hath he done for us, taking us out of the fire by casting as it were his Son in the fire; though as if we had never been scorched, or else being past sense we carry still the coals in our bosom, and will not have them quenched with the water of the spirit, to newness of life: But let us not be so wilful & perverse, so strong headed and stiff-necked as not to be turned into the way by the rod of the law; but having spent the portion of the flesh, and wasted the lusts thereof, let us grow in love with our father's house; for what fruit can we have in those things whereof we shall be ashamed, or which at length shall bring shame on us? Let us therefore shake off the sins we have delighted in, and then have we suffered in the flesh, and then hath Christ suffered in the flesh for us; which if he have, then is our flesh destroyed in us; which if it be, then shall we cease from sin; which if we do, then shall we live after the will of God, though not in perfection, yet reformable to the perfection of his will; and then to us that are sanctified shall not the law be grievous nor burdensome as Saint john saith, 1. john 5.3. but it shall rejoice the heart, giving light to the eyes, and sweetness to the taste, as David saith, Psal 119.7.8.9.10.  
God sending his Son, etc. This is the second general p●n spoken of at first, namely, that what was impossible to the law is made possible in Christ; wherein observe four things: First, the person which sendeth: Secondly, the person which is sent: Thirdly, the manner how he is sent: Fourthly, the end of his sending: For the first, which is God, consider the cause moved him to this mercy, not any thing in us, but his own love and compassion towards us, as it is expressed, joh. 3.16. God so loved the world that he sent his son: and Ezek. 16.3.4. It is said concerning the Church of God, that at the beginning she was born and begotten of the heathen, her father an Amorite, her mother an Hittite, at the day of her birth she had no midwife, neither was she washed but remained filthy, she had not so much as a swaddling clout to cover her, neither did any that passed by pity her, but she was cast out in the open field, lay polluted in her blood & ready every hour to perish. In which words the meaning of the holy Ghost is to set forth our unworthiness, our shame, and our nakedness. If now an honourable person shall pass by, and open his compassion on her, and bring her home, and spread his own skirts over her, feed her at his own table, make her beautiful, and advance her to great honour, whereby she that was despised comes to be beloved of all nations, and yet she should again fall to her pollution and become a common strumpet; if notwithstanding this unthankfulness and apostasy, he should draw her home again, and renew his former favours towards her, no reason could be given of this but the free mercy of him that did it: even so hath God like an honourable person full of all power and riches, strength and majesty, mercy & compassion seen us polluted in our blood before our birth, borne of corrupt parents, brought forth into a more corrupted place, which is this world; yet hath he said, we shall live, he hath caused us to bud as the flower of the field, yea our time hath been as the time of love, he hath spread the skirts of his protection over us, entered a covenant with us, and we are become his: now for us to inquire the cause of this, we can find none, but his willing love to have it so; but let us strive by the fruits of our lives to honour him, and with the calves of our lips to praise him that hath thus advanced his mercy on us, and let us not do the work of a presumptuous whore either in giving rewards to the flesh, or taking rewards of the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof, lest the Lord diminish our ordinary, as Ezek 16.27. and feed us with the blood of wrath and lealousie.  
Again here note, that the Lord never worketh but when it is impossible and the cure desperate in the eyes of men; for when the Law could not save us, then rather than he would want a people and lose the glory of his mercy he sent his son to save us. The woman, Mar. 5.25. that had her issue of blood twelve years, and had spent all her substance among Physicians and availed not: when man could not heal her then Christ did it; when he that had been diseased 38. years and had line long at the pool of Bethesda, joh. 5.6. and could get none to help him in when the water was troubled, then did Christ bid him take up his bed and walk: when, joh. 11.39.42. Lazarus had been in the grave four days, that it was impossible for man to restore life, yea scarce possible to abide his smell, than Christ by the speaking of a word could do it: when, Luk. 15.20. the prodigal son had wasted all and was rejected of all, than the father receiveth him home again: when jonas was, jonah 2.2. in the whales belly, and, as the text saith, in the belly of hell, that he thought himself cast out of God's sight, than did the Lord bring up his life from the pit and delivered him: when Daniel was put into the Lion's den, Dan. 6.22. to be made a prey for beasts, than the Lord showed his power by stopping of the Lion's mouths that they hurt him not: when the three children, Dan. 3.23. were cast into the furnace seven times hotter than it was wont to be, because they would not consent to idolatry, than did the Lord restrain the nature of the flames, that it rather cooled then scorched them: when David, 1. Sam. 23.26. was compassed on every side by Saul and his company that he had no way to escape, than God sent a messenger to the King to tell him of a power coming against himself, whereby they left pursuing him: when the Isralites had the red Sea before them, the mountains on each side them, and the Egyptians behind them, Exod. 14.21. then did the Lord by a means, to man impossible, provide for their safety. The use whereof is to our exceeding comfort, that if we be closely imprisoned the Angel can unloose us, when all do forsake us than will the Lord gather us up, Psal. 27.10. If we be ready with Peter to sink into the sea, if we cry but Lord save us, we shall be safe: if we be as dead as the dry bones, Ezek. 37.4. the Lord can and will put life into us: the slavery that the Pharaohs of the world can put us to, nor the bondage they can hold us in, is nothing to the Lord, with whom nothing is impossible; which if we could but once believe we would be lifted up in what misery soever; for the Lord 〈…〉 ●s from ●ell itself: so as we are the cause of our ●●ne miseries, and of our discomforts in our miseries, because we are so incredulous; therefore let us pray to the Lord to increase our faith that we may never distrust in his power: for that he worketh not till it be impossible, he is moved thereto by our pride, lest if he should do it by means, we might attribute it to the second causes, and not to his providence, and so rob him of his glory: and on the other side, if we have no means, than we distrust his providence, and so despair as men without God in the world, whereas our affiance in him should drive out all trembling distrust whatsoever, for he that hath thus provided for our souls when they were mouldering away in our sins, how can we fear, but our bodies, which with the soul make the whole man, shall be as dear and precious to him also?  
For the second, which is the person sent, it is the son of God, wherein our unworthiness appeareth the more, that unless Christ had been sent, we had not been saved; and this will the more appear by considering what we are without Christ, even heirs of condemnation, subject to everlasting curse: and if we would have a description of ourselves without Christ; before we were borne we deserved that the midwives should tear us and rend us out of our mother's womb, and cast us not into water, as Pharaohs midwives should have done to the Israelites, Exod. 1.17. but into the fire which might in some sort prefigure the heat in hell; and that the first swathing-band should have been the chains of darkness to bind us fast to the devil; and that the first fire to warm us at should have been that that burneth by the breath of the Lord● and that the first milk to cherish us should have been poison to choke us; and that the first garment to  us with, should have been the wrath and vengeance of God; for we are so deformed in our conception as the Lord cannot discern that ever any part of our image came from heaven, so polluted in our lives, as if the Devil were let lose among us, yea for our sakes all the creatures both in heaven and earth are accursed (except the Angels elect; and the devil who was accursed from the beginning) and that ceremonial leprosy in the law, Leuit. 15. prefigureth, and 〈…〉 moral uncleanness and leprosy of our souls; for in the law the chair he sat on, the bed he lay on, the basin he washed in was unclean, the meat he eat, yea the company he kept was so also: now in regard hereof God sent his son to make that possible, which was in us impossible, to make his worth answer our unworthiness, that since his eye could not endure the sight of our uncleanness, it might delight in the beholding of his holiness; and that the hand that could not be stayed from being avenged on us, might through the obedience of his son be tied and fast bound from striking us; and that the viols of vengeance which were opened to be powered forth on us, might through the pleasure he took in his son be stopped and diverted from us. Secondly, it was necessary Christ should be sent, for our sins being against the majesty of an infinite God, deserve justice of the same nature, which justice must have either infinite satisfaction, or infinite punishment; therefore God being both infinitely just, and infinitely merciful, there must be presented to him one of the same nature, who by being infinite, may reconcile both these; if we should present ourselves, besides that we are but finite, we must needs taste of justice, for what have we but figge-leaves to cover our shame? If we could offer the Angels for our attonemet, it were too low a price, for they are in themselves finite, being at the first created, and for this their creation they stand indebted to the Lord; and the satisfaction they can give is but their obedience, which is their duty; therefore the price of reconciliation must be the Son of God, who is infinite aswell as God himself, equal with him in majesty, in power, and in purity, and he hath infinitely satisfied his infinite justice, and joined him in infinite mercy to us, that as David saith, Psal. 32.10. we are now compassed about with mercy, and we know whatsoever compasseth a man, there is nothing can come unto him, but it must first come through that doth so compass him; so as we being through Christ compassed about with the Lords mercy there can no sorrows come near us, but either mercy will keep them out, or if they come in, they must come through mercy, and proceed from mercy, and not from justice nor displeasure.  
〈…〉 ●●●rd, in what manner he was sent: In the similitude of ●●●●full flesh. Out of which learn, that God could not be satisfied for sinful flesh but by flesh; not by the similitude of flesh, but of sinful flesh: wherein we are to believe, that Christ is the natural son of God, and the son of David, but not natural, for he was not begotten of man, his seed being unclean, but he was conceived of the holy ghost, and so became man like unto us, sin excepted; therefore it is here said, in the similitude of sinful flesh, not in sinful flesh; and in this similitude he was both in the sight of men, and of God: in the sight of men, for all the while he was on earth, he was seen to be subject to the miseries of sinful flesh, both in his life and death; to hunger, for he was oft so; to poverty, for he had not whereon to lay his head; to persecution, for he fled and withdrew himself from much violence intended against him; to grief, for he wept and sighed for the death of Lazarus, and the destruction of Jerusalem; to slanders, for they upbraided him that he wrought by the power of the devil; to temptations, for he was carried by the Spirit into the desert for that purpose; to accusation by false witnesses to colour the sentence of death against him; to scourge, to scoffings, to revilings, to the cross, to death itself; all which was seen to men, by some that grieved at it, by most that jested and rejoiced at it. He was also seen in this similitude by God himself, for though he was delivered and tossed as it were from pillar to post, from Annas to Caiaphas, from Caiaphas to Pilate, from Pilate to the Soldiers, from the Soldiers to the City, from the city to the judgement seat, from thence to the inferior officers to be beaten with reeds, & from thence to the gibbet; & though all cried by the persuasion of the high priests, Crucify him, doubling it in the air with a most damnable echo; yet was all this done as Peter saith, Act. 2.23. by the determinate counsel of God, the heavens having decreed that the earth should open as it were to swallow him, because he represented our persons more lively than jacob did the person of Efau, Gen. 27.21. so as for the time he was heavily crushed with the weight of God's indignation, which appeared by the conflict he had with the wrath of God, sweeting drops of blood, & by the baseness & dejection he felt in himself, crying out that he was forsaken, an 〈…〉 doth prove he was in the similitude of sinful flesh in the sight of his father, and that it was necessary it should be so, being man to satisfy for man, and God to get the conquest of death, hell and condemnation.  
For the fourth, which is the purpose he was sent for: It was to abolish sin, and to condemn sin in the flesh, speaking metaphorically or in a borrowed speech; meaning hereby that there was great pleading in heaven before the seat of God between Christ and the devil, the seed of the woman and the serpent, the devil challenging of us to be his: first because in our first parents we gave more faith & credit to him then to God; for when God had wrapped up condemnation in the forbidden fruit, we thought it to be the hidden treasure of divine knowledge; when he had sweetened his inhibition of this one tree, with the free use and liberty of all the rest, as if we should starve for meat, our appetite must be inflamed to this above the rest; and when he had enjoined a law upon our fingers, as not to touch it, then do we through the strength of suggestion prefix our eyes on no other mark then to gaze on it, thereby to ensnare our hands to snatch at it: Secondly, whereas Adam had his birth and creation in innocency, which was but a particular allegation for him, yet we that are his posterity have our beginning from corruption, as if in our generation we vowed a course of uncleanness, and do perform this vow by plunging the whole man into the lake as it were of impiety, and therefore in our lives resembling his likeness by walking in the works of darkness he impudently would have faced out the matter as if heaven had been but the hall of justice, fit for the majesty of God to sit there, and not for us to abide there longer than while sentence is in giving: But when Christ against this had truly alleged the eternity of his generation in respect of his Godhead, the cleanness of his conception in respect of his manhood, how in this person of ours he was ever sanctified, in this flesh of ours had vanquished the fierce temptations of the devil; and how we in our own persons by the water of the holy ghost are daily washed; when by this hard pleading of Christ on our side, we were by the sentence of God unshakled, as prisoners unjustly detained, and had our absolution written in our foreheads that the damned might see it to their discomfort; then the son of God having by this his travel o●ened the insearchable riches of his father's mercy toward us, he condemned sin in this flesh, and purged as it were every vein of the hidden filthiness lay in it, and made us members of his body. So as from hence learn to measure the benefit thou hast by Christ, that he is no further sent to thee then he hath destroyed sin in thee; for if thou settest up a seat for profaneness in thy heart, sowing thy fruit to the flesh and living to thyself, then, as 2. Cor. 5.15. Christ died not for thee, and he was sent to die that by his death thou mightest live to him; beware therefore thou dost not examine thyself too slightly in this matter, for it was easier for the Lord to create a new heaven and a new earth, then to raise thee from the dead, and to abolish sin in thee, which kept thee under the dominion of death, he having no resistance in the one, and in the other having the rebellion of thy nature to hinder him; so as thou must not measure the death of sin in thee by the avoiding of gross sins, which the sun hates to shine upon, but even by thy practice and delight in smaller sins, for if these do keep their course in running privately through thy life, as the blood doth in running secretly through thy veins, it keeps out the spirit which should raise thee from the old Adam to the new, from rebellion to obedience, from darkness to light, from hell to heaven. Strive therefore as in thy ignorance to please the flesh, so by thy knowledge to content the spirit, that as pride pleased the flesh, so humbleness of heart may please the spirit, and that for the assurance of Christ to be thine, thou mayst do every thing contrary to that thou diddest before, after the example of Domitian the Emperor, who was answered if he would govern uprightly, he must do contrary to that the governors had done before who ruled with cruelty and tyranny.   
ROM. chap. 8. vers. 4. 
verse 4 That that righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, which walk not after the flesh but after the spirit.  
THis verse hath reference to that which went before, amplifying the reason why God sent his son in the similitude of sinful flesh; that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us; and standeth on two parts: First, by whom: Secondly, for whom this righteousness was fulfilled.  
From hence observe that there be two kinds of righteousness: first, a righteousness whereby God doth justify: secondly, a righteousness whereby man would justify himself: The first is so called in two respects: First, because it proceedeth from God: Secondly, because it is in God, and not in us; and this appeareth by opposition of the contrary, 2. Cor. 5.21. Christ was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him; where that sin, and this righteousness are opposed, that as there dwelled no uncleanness in his flesh, but our corruption was imputed unto him because he appeared in our likeness, so is there no righteousness in us, but that of Christ is imputed unto us, we being made one flesh and one spirit with him. Therefore erroneous is that of the Papists, that say, this justifying righteousness is not absolutely of God, but partly of nature and the faculty of free will, and partly of grace concurring with free will. Again, the second, they deny that it is only in God, for God's righteousness, say they, is that wherewith he endueth them that shall be saved at the moment of their regeneration, but after is abiding in them, called (his) because at first he doth justify the wicked, but after it is man's, put and infused into him as a quality by God, which is mere contrary to this place that we must seek to be righteous in Christ only, because he only hath fulfilled the righteousness of the law; and this was the end why Christ was sent, namely to supply our wants, and was performed by him only by the spirit of life which was in himself: for by the spirit of life of Christ which is in us, it cannot be: For first, unless we be able to do it as exactly as Adam in his integrity before concupiscence entered into his heart, we cannot do it as we should; and this none can do but Christ; therefore in our own persons we are damned: Secondly if we could attain to the perfection of Adam, yet is out case in ourselves desperare, because it sufficeth not that we now fulfil it, but we must make up that breach, and cure up that wound was made at first by the sin of Adam, else is the law in the strictness of it unsatisfied; and this no flesh can do, but the flesh of the son of God; howbeit he by the spirit of sanctification hath made us a holy people set at liberty in him, and as highly in God's favour as ever Adam was: For first he hath absolutely performed it: Secondly, he hath infinitely satisfied for our breach of it: And thirdly he hath mercifully washed away the filth of our sins by the water come forth of his side, which is his spirit.  
We must therefore beware our judgements be not corrupted with this error of the Papists, to think we are justified partly by works, and partly by grace; for we are saded by grace only, and without works, for who can tell when he hath wrought well that he deserveth salvation? nay look Mark. 10.17. and we shall see one through the hypocrisy of his heart brag he had from his youth observed the whole law, and yet asked what he should do more to obtain eternal life; so as no man can tell when he hath done enough: besides that, when all is done to the uttermost, even then are we but unprofitable servants; for the most righteous in his works doth either sin in the matter, or in the measure and manner, or in the end, or in all three, and therefore he that laboureth to build a tower with his works to climb to heaven, buildeth Babel to his own confusion. And if thy salvation should be thus divided between the works of thy hands, and the works of Christ's flesh, than makest thou Christ but in part merciful, and in part a Saviour, who is altogether merciful, and a perfect saviour, there being no name under heaven but his by which we can be saved, as the scripture speaketh, he being the escape goat mentioned Levit 16. that carried our sins into the wilderness, for which otherwise we had been slain, if the wrath of God by that means had not been stayed; for there is not so much as a weak disposition in us to do good which may be made sufficient by grace as the Papists would persuade us, but our natural will is not only weak to do good, but willing to commit all kind of sin, needing not only furtherance but alteration and change, not in substance, but in qualities and corruption; for as jeremy saith cap. 10.23. The way of man is not in himself, neither is it in man to walk and to direct his steps; and Ezek. 36.26. A new heart (saith the Lord) will I give you etc. the old heart in a man being no more able to receive goodness then a stone is to receive softness. Nay we say first that God offereth not grace generally to all men, but to such only as shall be saved: and whereas they leave this grace in a suspension, in saying it lieth in our wills to receive it or not; we say, naturally we have no such free-will to choose good or evil. True it is our will hath this freedom, of two sins to choose the less, as some choose to be covetous, some to be idolaters, some to be usurers, some to be flatterers, some to be Atheists: but to have the choice of good or evil is not in our wills, for that liberty was only in man's integrity, and taken from us when Eva took of the fruit of the forbidden tree: so that all the power of all the creatures of heaven & earth is not able to cause the will to like of that which is good, nor keep it from that sin whereto it resolutely inclineth. But now if we regard the will as it is changed, and partly renewed to the will of Christ, yet for all that it hath not any such freedom as to choose betwixt good & evil; for this belongs not to the nature of the will, otherwise the Angels in heaven should hang in the same suspense with us, whereas we know they do absolutely the will of God in heaven, as we pray we may on earth; & so with as much of our wills as is renewed we do the will of God willing lie without any such free election; & this is wholly wrought by God, as Phil. 2.13. It is he that worketh both the will & the deed, and joh. 6.37. All that the father giveth me shall come unto me: he doth not say, shall come if they will: & Ezek. 36.26. the Lord doth not say, this will I do if ye will, but speaketh absolutely & powerfully, A new heart will I give you, & I will take away the stony heart: For howsoever it is meet Adam should have this free election being made a perfect resemblance of the image of God, yet is it not meet for us in this second creation, lest hereby we should make the death of Christ of no effect, neither his grace nor spirit; for if we had it, than should we fall from Christ, because of that flesh & infirmity that is in us; & therefore as the Lord doth begin with us by his spirit to convert us, without any thing in us to further it, but altogether to withstand it, so doth he proceed with us by his spirit, and end with us by his spirit, that he may be all in all in our well-doing and in the work of our salvation. And yet notwithstanding this, we have need of exhortations, threatenings, prayer, and such like, to strengthen and stir up our dull and senseless wills; for the inward working of the spirit, which frameth our wills to will good, doth not abolish the instrumental causes, but we have need of these means: first, because they are sanctified of the Lord and ordained to make us lay hold on the spirit: secondly, because without these the spirit and graces of God would soon perish; which counsel is given, Heb. 3.13. to exhort one another daily lest we be hardened through the deceit of sin: for though God could do this only by his spirit, yet he will have these means used, that we be neither high minded nor idle, for since we cannot do good, why should we be proud, and since we so hardly keep good we must not be idle, but, as Phil. 2.12.13. end and work forth our salvation with trembling; for as one holdeth a great mass of lead or other unremovable weight, not to remove it, for he knows he cannot, but only to try his strength, so though we cannot, nor need not perform the law, (because Christ hath done it) yet must we make it the rule of our obedience and of a sanctified life, that herein we may resemble Christ who alone hath sanctified us.  
We are then to consider how Christ hath fulfilled the righteousness of this Law; and that he hath done two ways, partly by abrogating it, and partly by establishing it; he hath abrogated the law in two things. First in the power of separation between man and man, which was the law of ceremonies, so as what was enmity between jew and Gentile, that hath Christ abolished, and therefore as it is said, Ephes. 2.14. Christ is our peace which made of both one, and hath broken the stop of the partition wall through his flesh in abrogating the hatred, that is, the law of commandments, which standeth in ordinances, for to make of two one new man in himself: Secondly, in the power of malediction between God and man, whereupon it is said, Gal. 5.23. There is no law against us, that is, the curse of the law for sin is not due to us, because Christ hath taken it away, and therefore it is said, 1. Tim. 1.9. The law is not given unto a righteous man, that is, against a righteous man there is no law, the curse of the law belonging only to the reprobate, and not to the elect; howbeit we must not think we are so delivered from the condemnation of it as that we are freed from the obedience of it; Christ therefore hath likewise established the law, and this two ways: First, in the doctrine: Secondly, in the obedience to the doctrine. For the first, that not any thing of the doctrine is abrogated but perfectly taught by Christ, as appeareth, Mat. 5.22 2●. That the least evil thought is damnation, That anger in heart is flat murder. That he that lusteth but in heart after a woman committeth adultery: and Saint Paul saith Rom. 7.7. he knew not what lust was, till he knew the righteousness of Christ. Again, as was touched before, Christ came but for these two ends: first, to make peace between man and man: secondly, between God and man; now the moral law made no enmity between jew and Gentile, but the ceremonial law, for that was the wall parted us and them, and that only is broken down by the coming of Christ; and for the other, the curse of the law made all the war between God and us, & the rigour of it Christ hath satisfied; but the doctrine of the law made none; for we yet in the precise keeping of it challenge life, Christ having fulfilled it in us and for us, so as Christ giveth us no new righteousness but that we ourselves could not perform, & yet we claim it as done in our person by the righteousness of the law, that Christ in our flesh performed: for the second, he doth also establish it in the obedience to the law, and this two ways▪ Fi●●t, b●●●he person of Christ, for by his inherent holiness was fulfilled all the law, which is imputed to us: Secondly, as by righteousness inherent in him, so by his spirit of sanctification dwelling in us, having the whole man in part changed, that we are able to do what God will, and in judgement to allow, in affection to embrace, and in action to execute what he commandeth; so as if we consider our filthiness we have the blood of Christ to bathe in; if our nakedness, we have the robes of his righteousness; if our beggary, we have his riches filled with all graces; yet must we always join blood and water, faith and works, in the person justified, for they are notes of our religion, signs of our conversion, seals of our election, fruits of our justification, testimonies of a good conscience, in their end they are referred to the Lords glory, they are causes to stir up others to the serving of the same God, & they are of the Lord accepted and recompensed in the mercy of the rewarder, and not at the merit of the worker, for he can accept of none by desert but that which is according to the precise covenant of the law; but water is to be stood upon as a sign that blood hath gone before, and the writing of his law in our hearts by sanctification of life is a proof that our sins are purged in the blood of Christ, and pardoned through the mercy of God. And in respect of these several operations and works of Christ in aboli●●●● the law in the curse, and establishing the law in the obedien●● 〈◊〉 it, we that are elect are said to be dead to the law, Rom. 7.4. and also living to the law; we are dead to the law in three respects: First to the condemnation of it, because being justified by Christ we cannot be condemned by the law, for the wrath of God is taken away through the imputation of his righteousness: Secondly, to the constraint of the law, for it doth not constrain us which are Gods elect, as it doth the reprobate, because Christ by the work of his spirit doth bend our wills to the obedience of the law in some measure, and stir up our affections to a delight in it: Thirdly, we are dead to the power of provocation which was in the law to urge us to sin, because our sins being taken away in the passion of Christ, the law bringing us as it were upon the scaffold and showing us hell gates, and heaven a far off, not able of ourselves to make passage to it, teacheth us to avoid all sinful occasions whereby our feet might be found slipping, and to lay the better hold upon the bridge the Lord jesus, by whom the conscience is so pacified, as we are ever directed in the right way; so as we are dead to it in the curse of it, and alive to it, as it is the rule of our direction; we are dead to it in the bondage of it, and alive to it in the obedience of it, God's spirit directing our hearts to do that willingly which the law requireth. Since than there is this necessity laid upon us, to be dead unto sin, for which sin the curse of the law is due, and to be living to newness of life, though we see this rich benefit of having the righteousness of the law fulfilled, to be performed by Christ only, and that for us, we must beware we fall not either into profane security, or else into presumptuous hypocrisy; the one thinking the favour of God not greatly requisite, the other that it is easily obtained; the one running on still to sin, the other covering their nakedness with fig-leaves, which are not broad enough to cover all, nor thick enough to hide them from his eyes, that pierceth into the deepest darkness; for these may have a knowledge of the law and subscribe unto it, a glimmering sight of Christ in the Gospel and rejoice at it, and yet not have sin condemned in their flesh, but their flesh damned for their sin, whereas if we straightly try ourselves by the law, and see our sins as sores running full of corruption, and damnation to be awaiting upon the least sin, then is the commandment come unto us, and then sin being revived we know to what Physician to go, and what eye salve to crave, for we cannot look into the bottom of our hearts, unless we look into the bottom of the law, and if we fail in this we shall know no sins, and so consequently no Saviour for sins: for God being a fearful judge, and a consuming fire, we cannot stand before him without peace of conscience; nor have this peace without grace from Christ; nor partake of this grace without acknowledgement of misery; nor come to this acknowledgement without a through sight of our sins; nor attain to this sight without a sight of damnation due for them; nor see this damnation without a trial of ourselves by the commandment; so as Christ hath not by his virtue abated, but advanced the power and excellency of the law in the right use of it, for which it was ordained, namely, to set our hearts on God, and our ways in the trade of his commandments; and therefore let us by all means shun two extremities: First, a restless desire to perform the law so precisely as to seek life in it, which is harder for us to do then to remove mountains, or to climb up to heaven to see the seat of God: Secondly, reckless impiety to live profanely because we cannot live so precisely as we ought, for the law is the goal we must time at, and the perfection we must strive to, and though in our best works we are unprofitable, yet must we work, lest we be abominable.  
Now for the second part, namely for whom Christ took this pains to establish and fulfil the righteousness of the law; it was for such as walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit, which teacheth us to know a child of God from a reprobate, the life of the one being like the darkness of Egypt, gross and palpable, the other like the Sunshine, clear and comfortable. And this life in the elect may be discerned by two marks: First, by a spiritual, invisible, internal testimony: secondly, by a real, external, and visible. The first is discovered two ways; first by the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry in confidence to the Lord as to a father; secondly, by the spirit of sanctification, whereby we live in obedience and subjection as to a Lord. The outward evidence of a Christian is likewise known two ways: first, by an outward profession: secondly, by walking in that profession. Now lest we be deceived in the inward signs; first, through pride in ourselves, and the policy of sathan, to make us think we have them when we want them, as Matth. 7.23. Many by doing great things in the name of Christ, will entitle themselves to heaven which is a purchase for the elect only, but he will profess he never knew them: secondly, through the secrecy of them, they being known only to God, as 1. Cor. 2.10. The spirit searcheth all things, and no man knows the heart but he that made it; therefore an invisible faith must be discerned by visible fruits, and who can tell that the powers of his soul be reform, if it break not forth into his life, for which cause the badge of a renewed Christian is; first, a proclamation as it were, whose he is and under whom he serves: secondly, a blameless course in conversation: the first of these is communicable to hypocrites, who will seem to carry a weapon for the Lord, but with weak hands, and false hearts, making a flourish as if he would defy the devil, yet secretly and covertly feeding on him, and defending him in his desires; and therefore he that is truly elect must be measured by his life, and we must not look into the spirit which is in him, but into the fruits of the spirit which hang about him; not to his invisible faith, but to his visible works of faith; not to his outward profession, but to his walking according to his profession, as Gal. 5.25. If we live in the spirit, we must also walk in the spirit: so as men are not to be judged by their tongues, but by their steps; and since we must judge them this way, if we see one live inordinately, swear outrageously, blaspheme mightily, oppress cruelly, haunt wicked company, and such like, we may well say he is wicked: and if he reply, judge not, thou mayest answer; thou mayest safely judge the root by the tree, and the tree by the fruit, a fountain by the streams, and the streams by their clearness, a sick man by his weakness, and the danger of his weakness by the nature of the disease, and what is in the heart by that cometh out of the heart, Mat. 15.19. for how could such a sea of sins swell over their banks if thou wert stable minded? those haughty looks could never so transform thy countenance, if pride did not possess thee; nor thy usury and oppression, so rage and some out in thy purchasing and possessions if covetousness did not delight thee; nor profaneness and cursed speaking so please thine ears, if ignorance and contempt of God did not so seal up thy conscience as thou canst not see thine own deformity. Hobeit in this thy judgement of others, observe 3. rules: First, judge thyself first, lest while thou reprovest others, thyself may be condemned: Secondly, give thou no final judgement, for that pertains to God alone, before whose eyes all things are open: Thirdly, judge not according to the inner man, but by the outward, that every man may see as much as thyself, though they want that heavenly wisdom to mislike, for what sow did ever find fault with other for wallowing in the mire: secondly, consider the phrase or metaphor used by the Apostle, borrowed from travelers or those that undertake dangerous journeys; for as one is subject to fall if he walk in slippery places, or to be hindered in his walk if blocks do lie in his way; so fareth it with the child of God, he walketh through slippery places, and gets many falls, but riseth immediately because he meets with Christ in the way, he travaileth over mountains as it were in the wilderness, and is much wearied, but refreshed by Christ, who is unto him the water of life; yea he hath many stones laid on purpose to stumble at, but through the strength of Christ he creeps over them and comes at length to his journeys end, which is his rest in heaven. Thirdly, mark the difference between the way of the elect, and of the reprobate, the first, as Mat. 7.14. is straight and narrow, the other broad and wide; now though the labour be greater to crowd into the narrow way, yet herein is the benefit greater also, that being narrow when thou art once in thou canst not lose it; and being straight, thou mayest go on as by a line and cannot miss it, yea if thou fall, as needs thou must through frailty, being in the way that God prescribes thee, thou hast, Psal. 91.11. the Angels to protect thee, so far as thy fall shall not hurt thee; whereas now the wicked that take such elbow room in their walks, they may and do easily wander, and being once out of the way, the further they go, the further they are off the end they desire, nay they have such windings and turnings in the lusts of the flesh wherein they live, as it carrieth them at length among the wolves of their souls, that will devour them; and though as job speaketh, cap. 15.20. The wicked man is continually as one that traveleth of child, being ever conceived with some mischief, as Esa. 59.4. yet God so disappointeth them as it were of their midwives as they bring forth but a lie, as David saith Psal. 7.14. And therefore it fareth with the children of God, and the wicked, as with two setting forth together, the one going straight toward the place appointed, the other turning backward from it, the first will come to his journeys end at the time appointed, the other never; even so will God in his due time bring us whom he findeth watchful and vigilant, to that place that Christ hath prepared for us in his house, and shut the doors upon them that wandered all their life as in the dark, that since with darkness they were delighted, in darkness they shall be tormented. Fourthly, observe the manner of the hypocrites walk. For as the Hare when she is started by the hounds, by reason of that natural instinct & sagacity God hath given her, runneth toward the market way, not for any desire she hath to the way itself, but that the hounds might lose her tract by the continual passage of the people; even so do the hypocrites walk in the tract of God's children, as, come to sermons, join in prayer, reprove swearing, lisp out something for reformation, and such like; but why do they this? only because we should not trace them like foxes into their form whither their carriage for the flesh is gone before, so as they are but cloaks to cover their filth withal, that looking into their profession they will deceive us; but if we cast our eye but upon their feet, we shall find their steps tend to death. And whereas policy hath divided the state into three branches, the King, the Clergy, and the laity, the scripture affordeth us examples of hypocrisy in every one of these: Herod for a King, Mark. 6.20. will grace the doctrine of john Baptist so far as he will hear him gladly, and favour his person so much, as he will yield to many things at his request; but yet he had a swing in the flesh he could not be turned from, for you might have traced him home to his brother Philip's house and have seen a most filthy nest he had there made for his walk in the flesh. Look upon judas a Disciple, a follower and preacher of Christ, he pretends a work of mercy and a religious care of the poor, joh. 12.5. there is too much ointment wasted on Christ, that might better have been spent and bestowed in money upon the poor; here are good words and fair shows, but the Lord uneaseth his hypocrisy and discovereth his privy way to be but for the filling of the purse which he c●●ied, that he might spend it on his lusts, for faith the text, vers. 6. He was a thief. Lastly steps in Ananias and Sapphira, the foundation of a family, being man and wife, they, Act. 5.1.2. will be such hot followers of the Apostles as none shall go beyond them for the relief of persecuted Christians, they will sell a possession & pretend to bring the whole price of it and lay it at the Apostles feet; but mark, they have a secret chest they thought no man should see, one corner of covetousness in their heart must be filled, by keeping part of the money to themselves: which dissembling of theirs was suddenly and severely avenged, that we may beware by their destruction. After this sort doth the Lord in all ages discover the skirts of hypocrites, that if they be but watched over in a holy wisdom they have ever some backedore which we shall at length espy, whereat the lusts of the flesh do enter, which heapeth but heavier desolation at the last, because they thought to have mocked God, who in truth will not be mocked. Now some will say, if they walk in the right way at any time it sufficeth, alleging for their example the thief upon the Cross, Luk. 23.40.41. who made but a short confession, for that long happiness he hath in heaven, and therefore think thy need not take so long a journey as Abraham and the rest of the saints of God have done. But how can he that setteth forth in the evening finish the same journey he doth that went out in the morning? It is true, God calleth at all hours, yet must we not look for such miracles at the moment of death as the conversion of the thief was, for if we defer the time we may fail of his promotion, there being but one particular flower of that kind in the whole garden of God; beside he had no such means of faith offered him till he was upon the gallows, whereas we have had and do still enjoy great store, both for our present use and for to lay up against a dearth hereafter: & again, by this our deferring and shuffling off the time of salvation we sin three ways: against God, against the saints of God, and against our own souls; against God, because we dally with him and abuse his patience, putting that day far off which may come at the least to thee in an instant, if the Lord withdraw thy breath but a while from thee: against the Saints of God, because thou deprivest them of that company, comfort, and profit thou mightest have each of other, for herein standeth the communion of Saints in a fellow-feeling one of another's miseries, comforting them in their griefs, strengthening them in their infirmities, supplying them in their wants, and encouraging them in the faith and power of grace which they have received: lastly, against themselves in thus hazarding their souls; for it is not enough to say, Lord have mercy on thee when thou art on thy death bed, when rather sense of thy pain then feeling of thy sin doth drive thee to that extremity, but thou must seek for mercy before thou art thrust into those straits, else may thy conscience then fly in thy face, and the remembrance of thy former negligence stop thy mouth as a just revenge for thy sin of delay, which was before committed. Again, here all litherness and laziness is removed from them that are ready to find excuse for not walking so cheerfully, boldly, and constantly, in the right way as they should; for assure thyself there is no cross can fall upon thee of that force as to cross the working of God's spirit in thee, if thou thyself be not a means to quench it, for if thou wilt hide thy talon, it is true it can turn thee to no advantage, and if thou dost not stir up the graces in thee and varnish them as it were with a continual use of them, no marvel though they decay and thou too, for the kingdom of heaven is taken only by the violent that strive and sweat, and labour even as he that is famished doth for meat, so that if thou entertain the spirit with diligence in prayer, in hearing, in meditation and such like holy duties it will awake thee from thy sleep, and remove all impediments that may either turn back thine eyes from beholding thine anointed Christ jesus, or with draw thy heart from buying that hidden treasure that is sealed up for thee in the book of the promises of God.  
Lastly observe the manner of the Apostles speech: beginning with the negative: We must not walk after the flesh, as a matter of greatest weight, before he cometh to the affirmative, to walk after the spirit; for where there is the absence of good, there must needs be evil; but where there is the absence of evil, it followeth not that there is good: therefore we must not only not do evil, but we must do good, as David saith, Cease from evil, and do good; so as the flesh must first be shaken off, before we can shape our actions or affections after the spirit: and to this purpose Esay saith, cap. 1.16.17. Cease to do evil, learn to do well: and Paul Rom. 13.12. Cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armour of light: and Ephe. 4.22.23. Cast off the old man which is corrupt, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind: and, as Tit. 2.12. we must not only deny ungodliness, but we must live religiously: and 1. Pet. 4.1. There must be in us a sign not only of Christ's suffering, but also of his resurrection, to live not after the lusts of men, but after the will of God: and as Rom. 7.4. We must not only be divorced from our first husband the flesh, but we must be married to our second husband, which is the spirit: so as for thesound cure of our corruption, the rotten flesh must first be pared away that the right plaster may be applied, and when thou art healed thou must sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee; but as having the sore running on thee, the Lord dispensed with thy untowardness for that time; so now having the wound stopped, and thine eyes opened, by a second laying of Christ's hands upon thee, thou must perform such actions of life only as are derived from the spirit of God working in thee. The usurer therefore must not only leave his usury, but he must lend freely; the oppressor must not only cease from grinding the faces of the poor, but he must relieve them liberally; the proud man must not only forget to wrinkle his face by looking austerely, but with meekness and humility he must embrace his brethren; the profane man must not only forsake his jesting and scoffing at religion, but he must set himself in the same rank to be railed at for the name of Christ, knowing that by this means, as 1. Pet. 4.14. The spirit on his part is glorified. And this may serve to stop their mouths, that think him an honest man that doth no harm, whereas the not doing hurt is but as a tingling and pricking in the flesh after a great benumnednesse, but it must be the action of good that must show the life of Christ to be in thee; else mayest thou as well think it a causeless curse upon the figtree, that having but leaves wherewith she did no harm, was yet dried up because she bore no fruit.   
ROM. chap. 8. vers. 5.6. 
verse 5 For they that are after the flesh, savour the things of the flesh, but they that are after the spirit, the things of the spirit.  
verse 6 For the wisdom of the flesh is death, but the wisdom of the spirit is life and peace.  
HEnce the Apostle proceedeth to prove who those be who are engrafted into Christ, and who are not but continue in the wrath of God, and this he doth by following the opposition first made between the flesh and the spirit, showing in these verses what the several natures and dispositions of them both are: And secondly what are their several ends; they that are after the flesh think nothing savoury but what comes from the flesh, but their fruit and end is death, that is, damnation: but they that are guided by the spirit taste nothing but what is spiritual, and the fruit and end of them tendeth to a double comfort for their souls, first, bringing peace of conscience, which is a continual feast in this life; secondly, eternal felicity in the life to come; so as in sum his meaning is to show, that as many as are not in Christ shall be damned, and as many as build upon Christ shall be saved.  
Then we must first know, what is meant by flesh, and what is meant by spirit: for the first, what is meant by flesh Christ tells us, john 3.5. in his answer to Nicodemus, saying, That except a man be borne again of water and of the spirit, he cannot see heaven; meaning thereby, that before a man be regenerate he is nothing but flesh, soul and body and all, for that is borne of flesh is flesh, and a clean thing cannot be drawn out of corruption: so Paul 1. Cor. 15.50. saith, that flesh and blood cannot inherit heaven, not meaning thereby that flesh wherein we are enclosed, for the very substance of it shall see God, but the old man the corruption of nature which is our mother wit and will; howbeit what this flesh is, is more amply set down, Gen. 6.5. where it is said in the original, that all the very mould of the devising thoughts of a man's heart are, not inclined to evil, but simply evil; and not evil, but only evil; and not only evil, but evil in all things; and not only evil in all things, but evil in all things every day: and Saint Paul, Rom. 3.10. maketh a full description of a fleshly man, showing what every 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 apostates; and by this their apostasy are become unprofitable; and being thus of no value their throat is an open sepulchre; and being thus enlarged like hell, they use them either to deceit in that poison is under their lips, or else their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness, which are two contrary sins; their feet are swift to shed blood, and destruction and calamity are in all their ways, and the way of peace they have not known: and last of all, they have not the fear of God before their eyes, which is the true cause of that cursed brood and chain of sins that hang together. Now for the second, what is meant by Spirit, and that is a divine, heavenly, invisible, and supernatural working of the holy Ghost in the hearts of God's children, in begetting them anew into the glorious image of Christ, by changing into another quality and condition all the powers of their souls 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 said even in this prison of theirs to be spiritual.  
From hence observe first, that the world is divided but into two kinds of people, fleshly and spiritual, for there is no mean between them, & howsoever the enemies of God are distracted into several and sundry factions; some denying the power of godliness through porfanenesse, some dividing the power of it through opinion of merit, some thinking there is no God at all, and some imagining he sits idle in heaven without having any stern to guide and direct the frame of the earth; yet do they all err alike in their hearts, and being all out of the way they shall find the same reward of their worldly wisdom and their end to be damnation: now these two sorts and conditions of men are easily discerned, for by their fruits you shall know them, the one savouring the flesh pots of Aegyt, the other the sweetness of the land of Canaan; the one being taken up and possessed by the pleasures of the flesh, the other striving and labouring in the works of the spirit; the one having sin as it were always under his nose savouring nothing else, the other having the spirit ever in his eye to divert 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 showeth our great infidelity in not believing what the holy Ghost sets down, giving it here in precise commandment that we should not be directed by the flesh, and binding this commandment 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 wrestle ourselves from his wrath, our taste, our smell and all our senses are busied only in the works of the flesh as if we would cast away ourselves willingly, whereas even in natural reason we should abhor it; for who would be conducted by such a one as cuts the throats of all he guideth? or who is he that traveling toward the desert will pick out such a guide as should lead him to be devoured of wild beasts? or who that hath his journey by sea will make choice of such a Pilot as hath cast away as many as he conducted? or who would entertain a known thief and a waster to be the steward of his house? or who would take such a husband to be the guide of her youth as spends and wastes himself in licentiousness? or what Prince will admit him to be his chief counsellor that is a known traitor to his person? or such a one to be captain over soldiers as is a known and proclaimed rebel? 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 captain, his arm & his guide (a known and unreconcilable enemy to the soul) shall by the conduct of his own corruption not only lose his body but his soul also; for if the blind lead the blind both shall fall into the pit of perdition. Therefore let the world love her own, and the flesh pamper itself: let Cain build him a city, Gen. 4.17. to hide him from the presence of the Lord: let Esau follow his hunting, Gen. 26.30. to satisfy his pleasure in the death of venison: let Nimrod, Gen. 11.4. build him a tower to get him a name upon the earth: let the rich man, Luk. 12.17. heap up his fruits till his barns will hold no more: let Dives, Luk. 16: 19.20. be costly in his apparel, and delicate in his fare every day; yet observe thou but their ends and thou wilt not join hands with them, for Cain was branded of the Lord as a castaway, Nimrod confounded for his pride, Esau rejected for his profaneness, the rich man snatched suddenly from his substance, and Dives thrown down to hell where he lies panting and criing for a drop of water and cannot have it.  
Again in that it is said, they savour the things of the flesh, observe, that all that is in a natural and carnal man and cometh from him, is but flesh, that is, sin, yea and the most excellent parts that are in him, that is, his wisdom, deserveth death, and is but as a worm in the shell to consume him, for he wanting the spirit, which is the life of the soul, as the foul is the life of the body, his soul, his body, his mind, his will, and his understanding are but members, as Paul calleth them, Rom. 7.5. that is, but flesh and blood, and therefore the perturbations of sins do work inwardly in the members of a natural man: wherein we must make a difference between perturbations and affections, we having affections in us by nature, for when we were in our integrity, we had the understanding and knowledge of God and of his will, yea and we had affections to perform his will; but after the fall, these affections were perverted, for where before they were fixed on God, now they are settled on sin: but for perturbations, they arise and proceed from the corrupted root of nature, it being a sin derived from original sin, so that if a man die in the womb the Lord hath enough to condemn him; but if he liveth after his birth, then upon this original sin there worketh the perturbations of sins which heapeth greater condemnation upon his head. And this is the condition of the unregenerate, that all they do is sin, it being but the some and fruit of the sin that lieth within: for if a natural man will bring forth fruit, he must either do that which is commanded or forbidden, or else that is neither commanded nor forbidden, as things indifferent, to marry, to eat, to wash the hands, and such like; and even in these he sinneth, for as to the clean all things are clean, so to him that is polluted, all that comes from him is defiled; yea that which of itself is no sin but a duty commanded, as prayer, alms, hearing the word, and such like, proceeding from him is sin, because they rise not from a good root, the heart being defiled, nor tend not to a good end, the glory of God not being respected: so as we may truly say of them; they do the good they would not willingly do, and they do not the evil thy would do, for what was all Paul's moral righteousness, Phil. 3.6. wherein he was unblamable, but as the excrement of a dog, because it came merely from a natural man, for they are not done for any love to God or of his glory, nor for any care of their brethren, but only for ostentation to reap praise and commendation of men, that if a brother hap to receive comfort by it, it is beyond the intention of the doer, and therefore all is fleshly and sinful. Nay though the reprobate have their repugnancy & conflict in them both before the sin committed and repentance for it after, yet doth this nothing lessen nor extenuate the malice of their hearts, nor make their sin less sinful, for though their be a contradiction between the sins they commit, and the light of nature, and the judgement of reason which they enjoy, yet is this but between the heart and the conscience, the conscience checking, controlling, and pricking the heart for the sin, wherein they do not one whit exceed or go beyond Medea the heathen, that could say; she saw better things, but she could not follow them: for as one sick of a loathsome disease, doth languish and pine away, which maketh all his friends weary of him, by means whereof he bewaileth his own case, not for his sin, but for his disease, and not for the cause of his misery, but for the misery itself; so the reprobate are said after they have sinned, not for their sin, but because their conscience accuseth them of their sin, not for hatred to the sin, but for fear of punishment for the sin, which appeareth by this, that having liberty and opportunity anew, they fall a fresh to sinning and wallowing in the mire. Therefore be not thou high minded if thou be'st a great Rabbin learned in the school-points of Divinity, if thou canst decide controversies, resolve doubts, discourse of difficult matters, for all this mayst thou do and yet savour of the flesh and of death, if thou konwest only the letter of the Law and Gospel, and do not know the true use both of Law and Gospel; neither be thou puffed up, what ever thou art, because thou resorts to sermons, readest over the bible, art able to cite many places in the scripture, for these may be the fruits of a dead man to know the Gospel, and to be ignorant of the use of the Gospel, that is, how the Gospel teacheth thee to humble thyself in an astonishment of thy misery, to mortify thyself in hatred of thy sinful flesh, to deny thyself in an acknowledgement of thy corruption, and to lay fast hold upon Christ, who is the light of thy salvation; for look in jer. 8.8. the carnal and unbelieving jews could say, they were wise, and the law of the Lord was with them; but the Prophet answereth, that the law unto them was in vain, and the pen of the scribes was in vain; and Esa. 29.11.12. it is said, that the vision was become unto them as the words of a book that is ●●●led up, which none can read because it is sealed; which place teacheth us, that they which know the Law, and which know it not, it is as a book shut up to them, though their iniquities be sealed up in it, because they truly understand not the use of it, their smell is so stopped with the savour of the flesh that they pervert the use of every thing which God hath ordained for their conversion.  
Now if we would take but a little view and look into the world, we shall see many thousands savour the things of the flesh both in things unlawful, and in things lawful unlawfully used. The covetous man, job. 20.13.14 hideth wickedness under his tongue, and keepeth it close in his mouth; the adulterers neigh after their neighbour's wives, like horses; the usurer is always devising how to deceive; the hypocrite cometh to the house of God to make it a cloak for his free passage to the house of an harlot; many will seem to live after the rule of the second table, but not of the first, bragging if they have done any good to their neighbour, but never considering how many others they have injured, nor how they have provoked God by the breach of the first table, as profaning his Sabbaths, blaspheming his name, and raising up other gods to themselves in their hearts, preferring the second table before the first, not weighing that the first is the ground and foundation of the second, and the second to be but the fruits of the first, and yet if they outwardly observe the second, it is but to a false end to satisfy their private and fleshly humour, or to get open and public praise of fleshly men like themselves, so as if by chance they profit men, yet are they abominable to God, because they aim at a wrong mark, making all the veins and current of their actions to end and run into the main Sea of the flesh, they being such as of whom Christ speaketh, Luk. 16.15. Ye justify yourselves before men, but God knoweth your hearts. And if divers be drowned in the filth of the flesh that hear the word of God, joh. 5.25. then how many are there among us worse than they that never hear it, but think that which is in truth the only food to preserve them, the only poison to destroy them? And if she be dead that savoureth so much of the flesh, as to live in pleasure, 1. Tim. 5.6. then how many are there in the world as evil as she, that would never have the Sun to set upon their delights, but would have their life without limitation, that they might follow their sports? And if he be dead that falls asleep in his sins, Eph. 5.14. then how many of this kind are with us, that never took but one nap since their birth, making the end of one sin the beginning of another? And if they be dead that walk according to the course of the world, Eph. 2.1.2. then (alas!) how few are living among us, many great stars falling from heaven to the earth daily, that is, many great professors being either ashamed or wearied of their preciseness in religion, falling away daily, renouncing that their faith wherewith they were once comforted, & embracing the world like Demas, who shook off Paul as if he had been as pestilent as the viper that Paul himself shook 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 us that either through idleness neglect, or through fraud and deceit pervert those means that God hath appointed for their increase? And if he be dead which strengtheneth not himself in the things which remain in him, Revel. 3.1.2. then how do we abound with such as want this zeal of supporting their faith, suffering it daily to decrease, and smothering and pressing it down with the scent & savour of fleshly ease and preferment? And if they be dead that have not part in the first resurrection, reve. 20.5. then how many of this brood have we that have not yet received Christin true faith at all, nor are awaked to any better life than they brought from their mother's womb, thinking too well of themselves, and for want of knowing themselves, being not able to know Christ aright, & wanting this knowledge of him, they are ignorant what benefit they may receive 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 sweetness in them then there is savour in the whit of an egg, as job saith, cap. 6.6▪ Therefore let wickedness come form the wicked, and let it be a bird only of their hatching, let them fill themselves with the bitter morsels of the flesh, which turn to gall in their stomachs, for God at length shall draw it out of their bellies, job. 20.15. and shall cause his wrath to rain upon them: burier●● that call upon the name of the Lord depart from iniquity, and being borne of the spirit let us distaste every thing that is not spiritual; for in this opposition of contraries, of the flesh and of the spirit, we must cleave as close to the blood of Christ and the water of a holy life, as the fleshly men do to the devil, and to the course of their corruption.  
This rule then which the Apostle here giveth, to be guided and conducted by the spirit, condemneth and convinceth all them that have such froth in their words, and some out of their months, that men are too full of the spirit, and too vehement in the spirit, taking upon them like Schoolmasters to reach the holy Ghost how to speak: but since the spirit taketh it up as a phrase fit for him, let not us be ashamed to use it as a garment fit for us; for the world hath been full of scoffing from the beginning; and though it engendered in the flesh of Abraham, yet came it from the bastard brood of Hagar, Ishmael 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 judgement hall, and upon the Cross? Mat. 26.41. Or Paul the worse for being called by Tertullus that flattering orator, Act. 24.5. a pestilent fellow and a mover of sedition? Hath not this been the lot of the righteous since the beginning, and the true badge of a Christian since Christ's ascension? For Isaac had the blessing both upon his soul and upon his seed, notwithstanding the curse of his brother; the Prophets went on in their calling, & giving, as Esay speaketh, their back to the smiters, and their face to the nippers, they were not dismayed: and Paul continued worshipping the God of his fathers after the way which was called Heresy, Act. 24.14. notwithstanding the rage & malice of the unbelieving jews. And therefore shrink not thou in thy head a whit, nor let not thy zeal be cooled for the quips and taunts of perverse persons; for either thou must be a sheep or a goat; and better be laughed at of men for thy sheepish simplicity, then destroyed by God for thy goat-like qualities; & since there are but two orders & ranks of men in the world, the one fleshly, the other spiritual, we know he that was borne after the flesh ever persecuted him that was borne after the spirit, & even so is it now, which can nothing hurt thee, because the spirit doth defend thee, nay it toucheth not thee at all; for they scoff at God which dwelleth in thee, and he at length will laugh at their destruction. Besides, it is but the reviling of Satan which possesseth their flesh, and who will esteem of the devils frumps, since he doth it only in envy at thy salvation, and in malice against the God of heaven?  
Hear again are convinced all such who of their own drowsiness 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 always grinding, an● moving thee forward to some good duty, for when the stronger entereth he driveth him out that was there before: therefore examine thyself whether thou be as earnest in prayer as at thy pleasure; whether as diligent in counting thy sins, as casting thy accounts at home; as desirous to hear the word as a stage-play; as earnest in repenting, as in committing of offences; as hungering after the food of thy soul, as after the nourishment of thy body; for if thou be not, thou art so far from favouring spiritual things, as the spirit hath set no footing in thee at all; for we read of David in the whole volume of his Psalms, how greatly he delighted in the law of God, how he longed after it, as the Hart after the river brooks; how he valued it better than thousands of gold or silver; how in his estimation, one day was better in the courts of God, than a thousand in the king's palace: and if this spirit was in him in the time of the law, than ought there to be a double spirit in us that live in this golden time of the Gospel. But I would it might not be said of us, that the children of this world are wiser in their generation then the children of light; for they lie stretching themselves upon their beds, straining their wits how to please the flesh with choice and variety of delightful sins; whereas we through the smoke of that corruption that flieth up to our eyes are so blinded as we think ourselves encumbered with the comeliness of the spirit, straightening the times wherein the graces of God should be blown up and cherished in us, and giving too large an allowance to the portion we share out for the flesh; therefore if we will be spiritual men indeed, we must lay up the word of God in our hearts, binding it as a sign upon our hands, wearing it as a frontlet before our eyes, and writing it upon the posts of our houses, that it may be as a master to instruct us, and as a line to direct us, that as near 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 work 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 observe the fruits the wisdom of the spirit bringeth, which be two, peace and life: even the two special benefits that the carnal man seeketh for, yet misseth of; for the flesh never giveth peace but is continually perplexed, eating and being never satisfied, flying and chasing themselves when none pursueth them; neither can it bring forth life, the wicked being ever groping as in the dark: so as we see what worldly men most seek 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 blessedness consisteth, there is great difference. The Philosophers speaking of happiness, were distracted into two hundred eighty eight opinions, every one intending some thing, and yet resolving nothing, some pointing to the right hand, some to the left, some to the valley, some to the plain, and yet all of them out of the way; yea and the enlightened Christian that hath a true contemplation of right happiness doth notwithstanding by the halting of his conscience confute that in practise which he in heart alloweth, confessing it to be ascribed to the spirit, and yet seeketh it in the flesh, placing it in heaven, and yet looking for it in hell, whereas it is better go to heaven a beggar, then to hell an Emperor; and, as Mat. 8. better go to heaven lame then to hell sound; and yet such is our spiritual blindness that we had rather put it on the hazard of our souls then to lose any present comfort in the body: But how canst thou think to find honey in a wasps nest, or to make a good garment of a spider's web, or to receive wholesome food of a cockatrice egg, or to persuade thyself of peace and life in following the flesh, which the Lord hath cursed? The only happiness of a Christian resteth in his wisdom in the spirit, for by this he hath peace about him, and peace above him; though judgement smiteth on every side, yet it spareth him, for his conscience being upright, he hath ever his pardon in his hand to plead; though he be compassed with all the crosses in the world, yet having the first peace in the forgiveness of his sins, he is assured of his last peace also, that is, his lasting peace in life eternal. That king was miserable that under his cloth of estate had a sword hanging over his head by a little thread, 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 have the sword of the Lords vengeance shaking over them for studying only the wisdom of the flesh, which is so far from peace as it would hide itself under the hills, and so far short of life as it is the undoubted messenger of a most desperate death. But these be only fruits of such a tree as the fear of God hath made wisely old betimes, being planted by the spirit, and growing up in the spirit, showing by their conversation upon what stock they are grafted, and by what sap they are nourished, tasting nothing but the true service of God, whereby they are able to stand before him with a clear conscience which is walled about in every corner with the peace and favour of God, and reserved in his due time for the perfection of glory in the life to come.   
ROM. chap. 8. vers. 7. 
verse 7 Because the wisdom of the flesh is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.  
THe drift of the Apostle in this verse as in the former, is to show that our sanctification is the only security we have of our salvation, for to them that are in Christ there is life and peace, and this our union with him is discerned by our walking in his spirit; and this shall we know when the things we do savour of the spirit; and this savour is seen by performing the fruits of the spirit in the course of a godly life. And that this is so, he hath proved by opposing two contraries, as namely by the godly life of a spiritual man, and the godless life of a carnal man: Now here he showeth a reason why the wisdom of the flesh is damnation, because it is enmity against God. So this verse standeth on two parts: First, he showeth what the wisdom of the flesh is, at plain hatred with God: Secondly, patience that coals of fire may be heaped upon their heads, and whether these three meet together in any one man, or any of them alone possess him the wisdom of the flesh ever rebelleth against the wisdom of God; and this I speak not of the folly of man, but of the very best actions that flesh and blood can do, for the very best wisdom of the flesh, was that of Peter's toward Christ, Master pity thyself, Mat. 16.22.22. and yet for this he was called Satan: so that to consult with flesh and blood is but to take advice how to damn ourselves, for if we be at enmity with God, it must needs follow we are at friendship with the devil.  
Now for the second part, which is the reason of this enmity between God and the flesh: observe, that if we will know how to please God, it is taught us in his law, for if we would yield ourselves subject to it, it being given and pronounced at first by the mouth of God, written with his singer, and sent by his Angel, delivered to Moses to be read to the people, and to be left for us their posterity, it would teach us how to be the friends of God as Abraham was, for therein is both life and death set before us, Deut. 5.33. it is as a line and plummet to square our lives by, and to measure our steps to heaven; in it is the revealed will of God for us, and the secret for himself, Deut. 29.29. in it are contained promises for obedience, and a whole volume of cursings for breaking it: so that if we will be saved we must please God, and how we shall do this is set forth unto us in his law: and if we separate ourselves from the use of this law, then shall it become a kill letter to us, that is, as oft as we read it we shall read our own damnation, as appeareth, 2. Kin. 22.11. But if we study it to make it the rule of our obedience, and as a light to direct us through the darkness of this life, then doth it convert the soul, condemning sin in the flesh, and freeing the flesh from sin, that if we fall, we fall but in the arms of Christ, for he is the way we are directed to walk in by the law. So as in a word learn, that the Apostle will measure thy love of God, by thy love of the law of God, even as an earthly Prince will discern thy affection of him, by thy subjection to his sceptre.  
Secondly, observe hence, that of all the creatures of God the rebellion of man is greatest, nay he only swerveth from the course of his first creation, for here we see how far he is degenerate; that being made after the image of God to glorify him in his subjection to his law, now he turneth the heel against him, and hath framed a law to himself which he doth follow, namely the lusts of the flesh, denying any obedience to the law of his maker, and not only disarming himself of all possibility of subjection, but putting on the armour of God's enemy, flatly opposing himself, and standing in contradiction with the law of God. But now the rest of the creatures of God, they keep the end of their creation, the Sun giving her light for which she was made, the Sea keeping her bounds wherein she was set, the water yielding her power to cleanse for which she was ordained, the earth bringing forth her fruit, as she was commanded, every beast of the field living in the ignorance of his strength, and in his acknowledgement of man to be his head as he was at first enjoined; whereas if they should alter their natural course, as the sun to bring darkness, the wat●● to defile, the earth to miscarry, and cast all her fruit out of her womb before it were ripe, and the rest to pervert their ends for which they were given us, we would count it as monstrous as for a man to go upon his head with his feet upward; and yet is the case of man more monstrous, for where God made him a living soul he hath made himself a dead carcase and a damned creature; and where he had his reason sanctified to all good, and knew no evil, he hath now all the powers of his understanding polluted, that nothing but weeds and sins do grow up in him; and where he had a law given him to bridle and keep him in from ranging; he hath taken the bridle in the teeth, and wrung himself by his concupiscence out of the hands and protection of God, nothing being able to curb or keep him in till he had cast himself out of the saddle, namely the paradise of God; and not resting thus foiled with his fall, he stands now in arms against the Lord as if he threw him down; whereas (alas) the Lord took pleasure in the work of his hands, seeing it was very good; and he overthrew himself in pride and infidelity which still increaseth as his age increaseth, and maketh him so rebellious as he is; The consideration whereof (this being the condition of the best of us, as we lie in the womb) ought exceedingly to humble us and wound us at the heart, that what we would condemn in the insensible creatures, that we senselessly run into, and yet the obedience we see performed by them cannot draw us to the subjection whereto we are tied, which shows us to be far more brutish than they; and therefore what recompense of reward can we expect (if we continue thus untamed) but as Solomon saith, Prou. 1.31. to be filled with our own devices, and cap. 5.22. to be holden with the cords of our own sin, till destruction come like a whirl wind, and carry us away without recovery?  
Again, learn hence who they be that love, and who they be that hate God, such as keep, or keep not his commandments, according to the saying of Christ, If ye love me, keep my commandments; and as is comprised in the end of the second commandment, that mercy shall be showed to them that love him and keep his commandments; but those that hate him, and will not have Christ reign over them, but cast his yoke far from them, he will pursue them with his wrath to the fourth generation. And here we are to judge of two sorts of men, the one that sin of too much presumption, the other that sin of good intention: the first are blasphemers, profaners of the labbath, drunkards, adulterers, usurers & such like, that think all time lost which is not spent upon their lusts, & dare brave the heavens, as if there were no vengeance reserved for them; these men chasing and hunting up and down to get new occasions of sinning, not masking or dissembling, but openly proclaiming the poison in their hearts by the scabs and vicers in their lives, do show from what head they spring, for making no conscience of sin they are the brood of the serpent, joh. 8.44. & joh. 3.8. For he that is borne of God sinneth not, that is, he that laboureth to mortify his flesh daily, and to purge himself by repentance; but he that will set fire to his affections that are already enraged, and study how to invent mischief, he is of the devil. For the other sort they are such as will serve God after their fancies, but this will not suffice, for though they mean no hurt, or that their conscience be persuaded that they do is right, yet here we see we must not frame the law of God according to our conscience, but bend our conscience according to the law of God, to worship him as he hath prescribed in his word; for if good purposes or good intentions would have served, then had the jews as great cause to be accepted of God as any, for though they went about to establish their own righteousness through works, yet herein they did no more than they were taught by the Scribes & Pharisees which were their leaders; yea and they lived strictly as was commanded by the law of Moses, and had a zeal, but not according to knowledge, and therefore miss of their salvation. They that persecuted the Prophets, and rose up against Paul, Act. 22. had a good intention; and Paul himself in the state of a Pharisee thought he had done God good service, when Act. 9.2. he had got a commission to persecute the church: and what could be better then for Peter in mere love to his master Christ, to dissuade him from going up to jerusalem, where he knew he should be hardly entreated? yet was he called sathan for his labour; or what could be better in zeal of conscience, then for Vzzah to relieve and support the Ark from falling, yet because it was contrary to the commandment he was stricken with sudden death. So as our meaning is not that which can excuse us; for we must square out our crabbed and knotty timber by the line and plumber, measuring crooked things by that which is strait, that both may be strait; and we must go to the plain rule, the law & word of God, & not to that leaden rule whereby we are abused in the error of our judgement, for we must in every thing submit our wills to Gods will, that they may be pure and holy as his law is; therefore let this his law be our glass to see whether we be deformed or beautiful; our touchstone to try whether our devotion be gold or dross; our balance that it may appear whether we be weight or refuse; & our diet to feed on that we suffet not with the sinful pleasures of this life: and let us walk with strait feet in an even path, that we neither decline to the right hand to sin of presumption, not to the left to sin of good intention, but without looking back (except it be to correct that which is amiss) let us ever be going forward in that way the Lord hath set us in, and then to us that walk according to this rule peace shall light and rest upon us, Gal. 6.16. and mercy shall compass us on every side.  
Further, in that the Apostle saith, that the wisdom of man neither is nor can be subject to the law of God, we gather against the opinion of the Papists, that it is no way in our power or free-will to take or to refuse the grace of God, whereby at first we should be converted; for as there is no power in a bow to bend itself further than it is drawn by the strength of man, no more is there any liberty in us to incline our wills to goodness, further than it is pressed and forced by grace; for first we say the infusion of grace is from above, and the power to retain it and apply it is from above also, it being a special prerogative given to Gods elect only, as Christ himself saith, None can come to me except my father draw him; the word signifieth a violent forcing and urging of a man when with all his strength he withstands it; and the heart of a man is as a stone that cannot be softened, except it be by the blood of Christ, no more than the diamond can except it be by the blood of a Goat, but when it hath once been washed with the blood of the Son of God, than our wills work like wax in the singers of the Lord, Phil. 2.3. Besides, if it should be arbitrary with us to refuse or receive the grace of our conversion, then should we still continue in our blood, for as we have no light in ourselves at all, so being enlightened we can no longer keep it then the hands of Christ are laid upon us; and therefore the Lord saith, Exo. 33.19. I will have mercy on whom I will, and whom I will I harden; it being wholly and merely in him for the magnifying of his mercy on some, and the manifestation of his justice on others, to save and to condemn: and this is set forth unto us, Luk. 15.5. in the parable of the lost sheep, for such are we all by nature, straying from God in the breach of his commandment, in the fruit of the forbidden tree. Now they will all grant it is mercy at first in the Lord to seek us, and when he hath spied us our in the desert of our sins, do we of ourselves set any one foot forward to hasten or help our return home? No, but our shepherd is feign to take us on his shoulders and carry us all the way home to his father's house, for if we were not haled, and pulled, and borne, and drawn to God by violence, we would be like the starting bow, that would recoil back again. Neither doth this take away the freedom we had in our creation, for in Adam there was a double or twofold free will, answerable to the twofold estate wherein he stood, the first while he was in his innocency, & that was like the will of the Angels in heaven, in that of his own nature he was wholly & freely inclined to do that which was good; The second, after his fall, & that was like the will of the devil, who was a liar from the beginning, and hath no liberty but in doing evil, for he can not but sin, and even such is ours, that come out of the corrupted loins of Adam, for we have election only to commit this sin, or that sin, as may serve our turns best, and as natural reason doth lead us to: so as in that we are said to be free, it is to make us inexcusable; and in that we are bound, it is to make us miserable; for so long as we are holden of the flesh, there is a kind of servile and slavish necessity to sin naturally, there being nothing but sin and filth in our conception, and all the tortures and contradictions that are, cannot change our wills to good, when they are inclined to sin; howbeit this necessity shall not excuse the will, nor the will excuse the necessity; neither yet by holding this necessity of sinning in the unregenerate man do we charge God with any injustice at all, as the papists charge us with; because this necessity proceedeth not from God but from Adam in whom we stood, and in whom we fell, in whom we were blessed, and in whom we were cursed. And yet have we great need to be stirred up by exhortations, and terrified by threats: for the reprobate in three respects; First, to keep them from outrageous sins, for God hath given that grace and power to the voice of a man, that it strikes the heart as a thunderbolt, and by this awe they are kept in by denouncing of judgement: it doth appear that God hath some church among them, which they like wild Boars of the forest would otherwise willingly root out: Secondly, that by this means their consciences being a little opened, might sometime accuse them to their greater confusion; for hearing of the wrath of God and the nature of it, of the mercy of God and the comfort in it, they do ofttimes taste of hell even in this life: Thirdly, to make them the more inexcusable at the last day, when they cannot say but the light was showed them, and they shut their eyes; and that grace was offered, but they spurned against it in their hearts. This preaching and exhorting and reproving is also necessary for the elect, as an instrument to convey unto us that grace whereby we are converted, as Lydia by hearing, Act. 16.14. had her heart opened; for though we might live by God's providence without our appointed food of bread, Deut. 8.3. yet if we should reject bread, thinking to live by bare providence, we should tempt God: even so, though the grace of Christ doth only save us, yet is his word as the golden vessel wherein it is reached forth unto us.  
Out of this than that hath been spoken generally observe: that the best, choicest, and chiefest actions of a natural man, are enmity against God, that is, do directly sight and offend the majesty of God: the reason is, because we are in this estate, so far from yielding subjection to his law, that therefore we sin the more, because the law forbids us; for as there is great contrariety betwixt cold and heat, so is there greater betwixt the spiritual law of God, and the corrupt law of our flesh; and as the fire compassed about with the force of the wind, hath the heat that struggleth to come forth, beaten back by the power of the wind, whereby it increaseth the rage of the fire, as experirience teacheth us, in scalding more in winter than in summer; even so is it with us, for sin that would come forth, and is driven back by the power of the commandment, proveth the more fierce and enraged sin. Since than it is our nature to sin the more because we are forbidden to sin, and that the success and fruit of sin is so dangerous, as to keep us at enmity with God, with whom if we make no peace, but continue at war, we shall have the worse, being to him but as the dry stubble before the fire: let us beware how in this lethargy of sin we fall asleep, since watchfulness is the cure prescribed by our Physician Christ; but let us tremble at the first motion of sin, shake off the least occasion that may provoke us to it; check it when it gins first to start out, and cut it off while it is yet tender, lest growing strong headed, it makes us grow stiff necked, and stubborn hearted; for it is not the way to amend, barely to wish thou could leave it, and yet to excuse thy sin, because it is thy nature, for aswell mayest thou acquit the thief that robbeth thee, for he will pray thee to bear with him, and tell thee it is so old and sweet a sin to steal, as he cannot choose but follow it: But thou must submit thyself to be reproved for thy sin, range thyself equally to the obedience of every Commandment, not excluding covetousness as thy enemy, and yet suffering thyself to be surprised by flattery, as a friend to thy promotion; rejecting hatred, and yet harbouring deceit; gainsaying pride, and yet abounding in oppression; defying popery, and yet embracing blasphemy; for they end all alike in destruction of body and sorrow of mind: let us not therefore go near the stews, if our eyes be bend to lust; nor affect pre-eminence if our hearts be bend to pride; nor handle treasure if our affection incline to covetousness; nor haunt the tavern lest our appetites be inflamed with wine; for this were to quench the fire with oil, which is as fuel to maintain it: But let us so moderate ourselves in these inferior blessings, as we avoid provocations to sin, because of our proneness to sin, and suffer not our weak nature to be too sharply assaulted by these deceivable delights, which are in themselves but as sugared sins, the more easily to ensnare us in the nets of the devil.   
ROM. chap. 8. vers. 8.9. 
verse 8 So then they that are in the flesh can not please God.  
verse 9 Now ye 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 between the flesh and the spirit, both ways proceeding as it were by steps and degrees in this sort: They that walk after the course of the world, savour the things of the flesh, and relishing nothing else they savour of damnation, their consciences being already scorched with the fire of hell: and this is all the excellency of man's wisdom, because it is not at slight variance, but at utter defiance with God, and it continueth in this enmity, because it is not in subjection to his law, and it is not, because it can not; and since it cannot but rebel, it is impossible it should please God. On the other side; they that make a conscience of their ways, savour the things of the spirit, and by this their taste and delight in heavenly things, they purchase to themselves life and peace, for such is the wisdom of the spirit; and not being in the flesh, they can not but please God: which is partly expressed, & partly implied upon direct consequent of the former words in the end of vers. 8. For since they that are given over as reprobates to the flesh cannot please God, they that have but flesh and infirmities only in them, having the greatest part of their soul and body seasoned with the graces of God, they cannot but please God; and such are ye, 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 controversy, that they were not in the flesh, but were in part sanctified: Secondly, the reason that moved him so to take it, because the spirit wrought in them holiness of life; for God and an unclean liver cannot lodge under one roof. Thirdly, a reason of that, or a confirmation of the reason by the contrary, they that want Christ's spirit are none of Christ's: but ye are elect and chosen, and engrafted into Christ; and therefore ye have his spirit, and having his spirit, he hath so crucified your corruptions as you are no longer in the flesh; and then being dead unto sin ye are alive unto God.  
Hence observe 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 us, for this maketh us more fleshly; the first being true only of the reprobate and castaways, the other only of the elect; even as it is a greater disgrace to say that a man is in his wine, whereby is meant drunkenness, than that wine is in a man, for the best may take it to comfort their hearts; so to say that a man is choleric, is more than to say choler is in a man, the one being spoken as it is an offensive passion, the other but as it is an element or quality or part of a man's constitution; so to say a man is in his heat, is more than to say heat is in a man; so to say that a man is covetous, is a sharper speech, then to say conerousnesse is in him, the one showing him to be overcome of the sin of covetousness, the other but that the seed only of the sin is in him, which is true of us all, we remaining in some part unregenerate. And this is answerable to the speech of David, Psa. 51.5. I was borne in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me, it being more to be conceived in sin, then for sin to be conceived in us; as it was more for Simon Magus, Act. 8.23. to be in the gall of bitterness, then for the gall of bitterness to be in him, the holy Ghost showing by the phrase there used now he was overwhelmed and drowned in malice of heart against God. And this kind of aggravating of sinfulness in a man by this kind and manner of speech was well understood, and used by the Pharisees, joh. 9.34. where they said to him that had received his sight of Christ that he was altogether borne in sins. But now flesh and sin may be in a man, and yet he may have an inclination to goodness: which serveth greatly for the curing of an afflicted conscience, that if we can assure ourselves without guile of spirit, that we strive to the uttermost to mortify the rebellious lusts of the flesh, and that we delight more in doing of good then of evil, then are we not in the flesh, and then can we not but please God because we are united to his son in whom his soul delighteth; for flesh, that is weakness & imperfection; is in the best that ever came from the loins of man; but none are in the flesh but they that give themselves over, and lay themselves naked to the lusts of it; even as pride is in all men, but they are only in pride that think they have learned enough when they have learned nothing of Christ truly, not caring how lean and beggarly their souls be, and yet think they have never enough to pamper up their bodies to their best show: so there is some coverous desire in all men, but they only are in coue●●●nesse that make riches their God and are not rich in God.  
Secondly, we must understand that the Scripture speaketh of (flesh) in two sorts: first, as it is part of that flesh which is in man: secondly, as it is the whole flesh of man. Of the first the scripture speaketh of it as it is subject to weakness, frailty, and mortality, as Psa. 78.39. He remembered that they were flesh, yea a wind that passeth and cometh not again: and Esa. 40.6. All flesh is grass, and all the grace thereof as the flower of the field. Sometime the word (flesh) is taken for the ceremonies of the law, as Gal. 3.3. Are ye so foolish, that after ye have begun in the spirit ye would be made perfect by the flesh? Sometime for the baseness of man, as 2. Cor. 10.3. Though we walk in the flesh, yet we do not war after the flesh. Sometime for the estimation and credit of a man: and sometime for the common course of nature, as Gal. 4.29. He that was borne after the flesh, persecuted him was borne after the spirit. Of the second, that is, of the whole flesh of man, the scripture speaketh as it is subject to the wrath of God, and this is that Paul meaneth here, and which is mentioned, joh. 3.6. That that is borne of flesh is flesh, that is, unclean: which may be thus described; It is that natural corruption which is in us being absolutely deprived of all heavenly grace, and positively full of all sin, of all manner of sins, of all the vilest sins, by sin meaning original sin, which is called, pri●●● foetus peccati, the first birth of sin; or else sin proceeding from it, and out of it, called perpetuus fomes peccati, the continual nonrishment and feeding of sin: for example, water may be made hot when it is cold, or cold when it is hot, or may be congealed into ice, & yet it remaineth water; but snow cannot properly be termed snow when it is melted and turned into water, for than it can be no more snow; so is it with the flesh, for it may be altered and changed and transformed into the image of Christ, so that good things may dwell in it; but than it is no more flesh: But so long as flesh remaineth flesh, that is, unwashed in the powers of the soul, & polluted by the actions of the body, so long it is impossible that any goodness should spring from it, and so impossible to please God. From whence learn, that so much flesh as we have is deprived of all grace, and full of all sin: and withal to confess, that every one of us hath so much flesh in him as deserveth wrath: which ought to humble us in prayer before ●●mercy seat of God, that this remnant of corruption may be changed, abated, and diminished, that the greatest part in us may be regenerate: and not to post over our sins; as for the usurer to say, it is not he that sinneth but his usury; or for the carnal man to say, it is not he that offendeth but his flesh; and so to go through all sins, and yet think he is corrupted by no sin, for this were but to take Adam's figleaves which were too light to cover our hypocrisy: so as for him that is fleshly, to recreate himself with unsanctified solaces, is but to make him more fleshly; and for thee to sin the more because thou art flesh, is to carry fire in thy bosom, Pro. 6.27. and to put it to the dry stubble; whereas thou oughtest to be taught the contrary lesson by thy infirmity, that since thou art weak thou wilt labour to strengthen thyself in the grace of Christ; and since thou art so apt to sin, thou wilt lay faster hold upon the word of promise, which shall keep thee from it; for sin must not be dead in thee in this sense, as that thou art past feeling it, but as by the perfect obedience of Christ it was absolutely slain for thee, so likewise by thy regeneration must it daily die in thee, till by thy natural death it do wholly die with thee. On the other side let us beware, for if we sow to the flesh, that is, if we be transported with a more eager desire for the duties to man, then for the service of God, or perform love to them for the flesh, that is, for worldly respects and not for conscience, then do we remain still in the flesh, that is, in the state of damnation. For if we have not the spirit of God to season our hearts, though we abound in knowledge both of matters concerning this life for direction, and of the commandments of God for instruction, yea & do taste in some measure of the sweetness of grace for our enlightening; yet if we suffer our soul to be the fountain of all uncleanness, and do make the members of our body as so many pipes or conduits, to convey that uncleanness into our lives, the most part of our thoughts, of our words and deeds, of our affections and desires, tending more to the dishonouring of God, & the satisfying of our delights in the flesh, then to the furthering of our salvation, making riches our hope, the wedge of gold our confidence, and trusting in the strength of our malice, as David saith, Psal. 52.7. Then are we in the damnable state of flesh, these being iniquities to be condemned, and as job saith, chap. 31.28. A plain denying of God, which must of necessity displease him in the highest degree.  
Further observe hence, that none but sanctified men can please God, and that all the works of carnal men and reprobates, with what face soever they be done are hateful to him; the reason is because none of them consent to the law of God in any other sort, then to make them inexcusable; for the understanding whereof we must know that there is a two sold writing of the law in the hearts of men, the one by the singer of God, the other by the spirit of God, and that which is written by the spirit, is only in God's children, the other is in all men and in all nations being the law of nature, which is the light of reason, and by this they do know and see their sins, and so far they consent to the law: but not in this, to loathe their sin or to be grieved at it, having a striving with the sin, but not against the sin, against the sense and feeling of it, that they may more eagerly follow it; for having this law written in his conscience which accuseth him for sin, he laboureth to raze it out that he may sin without controlment, for pride, self-love, cruelty, hatred and such like are passions always working inwardly upon their members, that is, upon their wills, understandings & affections, which sometime lie hid like a toad under a stone; this proceeding from the goodness of God, for the love he beareth to his Church; 〈◊〉 if the Lions of the field should ever roar, what should bec●●●e of the poor lambs? And if they should hatch all the sins they have conceived, they would live worse than wild beasts, & we should have no peace nor face of a Church among us: and therefore what the Lord cureth in his elect, he restraineth only in the wicked by ●n inferior working of his grace, that they burst not forth into outrageous sins; he being likewise hindered from the height of his impiety, partly for fear of punishment, and partly for fear of shame and discredit, the world ever liking it well, that men should live civilly, lest a ruin of the whole might ensue. And yet herein we may see the exceeding bounty of God, that even for living morally and aiming but at earthly praise and commendation, without any respect of the love of God, these being fruits not of the worst sort, he rewardeth them in this life with his outward blessings, for their civil obedience and outward carriage, & in the life to come, though not with heaven, yet with mitigation of their punishment in hell. jehu we know was but a carnal man, for he departed not from the sins of Ierobeam, that made Israel to sin, 2. Kin. 10.30.31. yet because he did diligently execute that was right in God's eyes, he rewarded him in this life with the promise of posterity to the fourth generation, to sit upon the throne: notwithstanding all that the wicked do, tend to death; because they perform only the letter, & not the sense of the commandment in their best works. Now in that the wicked are recompensed in this life, it is in two respects: first, to encourage us to perform the like duties outwardly which they do: secondly, to comfort us in this; that if the Lord carrieth his eye of bounty toward them that are without and strangers from his fold; much more will he reward us which are his elect and sheep of his own pasture. And yet in that their best fruits bring death upon their souls, and cannot please God, it is to meet with the bold presumption of them that think they shall be saved, what profession soever they be of, and that they be greatly in God's favour if their actions be a little varnished over with hypocrisy; which is as much as if they should think to go to heaven backward, which will deceive them; for if a thief going to the gallows should think himself in as good case as a true man, would we not judge it madness, since the one escapeth, and the other is hanged; yet fareth it thus with worldlings and profane men, who sleeping in the midst of the sea, think to escape drowning; and living in the lusts of the flesh, imagine to escape damning, which cannot be, no more than they that sleep in the top mast without any hold, can think to escape falling.  
Now in that the Apostle saith, Ye are not in the flesh: we must understand he speaketh generally to all the jews, who at this time were the house and garden of God; for than none were admitted into the church, but only such as were outwardly reform and seemed to be regenerate by their submitting themselves to the public ordinance of God in the word and prater; and as for outrageous and shameless sinners, as adulterers, blasphemers, profaners of the Sabbath, and such like, they were not to be received without repentance, that as they signified their disobedience by their sin, so should they testify their sorrow by their confession, and then they ceased to be such: for as it is treason in the Chancellor to pass any thing from the Prince, without the Prince his seal; so they accounted it in those time's treason against God, to set the seal of Baptism on that child that had neither of the parents a believer: where we may learn that we must esteem hypocrites as regenerate, and to be in the spirit of Christ, because they are outwardly reform in their lives, and in profession do resemble the children of God; but if they be open and notorious offenders in any gross sin, committed with a high hand, then ought they to be excluded for a time, till shame and separation from their brethren may work their humility to amendment: but if they continue obstinate, not to be reclaimed, then are they to be cut off as putrefied and rotten members, that may infect others; otherwise dissembling hypocrites must be wrapped up in the prayers of the Church, and the tars must be suffered to grow up with the wheat, and the goat may give as much milk as the sheep, and for the goodness of it it must be left to the secrets of God, till he thrust his sickle into the harvest. Howbeit this order of proceeding against known and infamous sinners, as to thrust snarling dogs out of the Church; & to cast the acorns among swine, is not to be done by every private man, but by the church and congregation; and if they admit any such, the fault lieth in them, & not in those that join with them; for the children may take their appointed food, though some snarling and snatching curs and bastards stand by: And where it is said in another place by this Apostle; Eat not with him: it is not meant of the Communion at the Lords table, but that we must have no familiarity with him, not take delight in his company.  
Further out of the reason given, 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 salvation: and this is the whole drift of S. Paul in this Chapter, to secure the elect of the everlasting love of God in his Son, sensibly felt in themselves; for he beginneth with this general ground of their comfort, That there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ; then must they needs be saved. But now all the question is, who they be that are engrafted into Christ; & for proof hereof, he descendeth to examine the particular course of their life, which is visibly seen to all, but particularly and best known to one's self, & this is, if they walk in the spirit by a religious kind of conversation; and their way in this is discerned by their life in the spirit, that is, by their joy and comfort in godliness; and this spiritual life is seen by not gratifying the flesh in the lusts and desires thereof; and this crossing and correcting of the flesh in the pride of her lusts, is seen by crucifying and killing of it with the affections thereof, that is, not only beating and pressing it down, but stifling and braining of it altogether; and this violence to the flesh is performed by them that have suffered with Christ in the flesh, that is, that have not listened or given ear to the pleasures of sin, but have, Heb. 12.1. cast away that presseth down, and the corruption that hangeth so fast on: and this is done by them, 1. Pet. 4.1. that cease from sin, that is, that slip into it unawares, as a bird into a snare; and such be they as bestow the rest of their time after the will of God; and his will being our work, we cannot but please him, & pleasing him, it is his pleasure, Lu. 12: 32. to give us a kingdom. Besides, we may know whether we have the spirit of God in us or no, as appeareth, 1. Cor. 2.11.12. No man knoweth the things of man, save the spirit of a man; even so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God, which we have received, that we might know the things are given to us of God: which proveth that as we know our own thoughts or words; so the spirit of God in us maketh known the will of God to us, as far as is needful to be revealed: if we then know the will of God, we may assure ourselves we know his spirit to be in us, for his will is not known without his spirit, this spirit teaching truth; but the spirit of the world broaching error. And 1. Io. 4.13. hereby know we that we dwell in Christ, and he in us, because he hath given us of his spirit: which proveth that though we know not what manner of thing the spirit is, because it is invisible and secret, yet we may know we have it by the fruits of a sanctified life: after this manner speaketh Paul, 2. Corint. 13.5. Know ye not that Christ is in you except you be reprobates? And yet the Papists would have all reprobates, counting it presumption to say we have the spirit. It is true, if any presume he hath it, when his life is not answerable to it, he is deceived, and abused by presumption; but if we walk and trade in the spirit by a holy conversation, we may be sure we have it, for that is the argument of the Apostle, that our sanctification is an undoubted testimony and an assured certainty that Christ dwelleth in us; 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 profane as others, and our carriage run after the flesh aswell as theirs, if the mightier and stronger, that is, the spirit of Christ did not possess our souls? Yet say they; No man can secure himself he shall be saved. But as we may be sure of the spirit, so may we likewise be of the riches that it bringeth, which is salvation, for it cannot hide so great a treasure from us, it being as an earnest penny given us, that perfecteth the purchase of our inheritance in heaven; for as we may trace a Hare in the snow by her footeing, and come to the form where she sits; even so by those holy steps that we tread, and by those spiritual bounds wherein we keep our thoughts and our affections, we may well and certainly perceive that the spirit leads us to the seat of God. Besides, this spirit of God within us keepeth not his fruit and comfort secret to himself, but discovereth it to us, and beareth witness to our spirits, that we are the chosen of God; and the spirit of man knows what is in man, whether his heart be filled with hypocrisy or with sincerity; with humility or with pride; with true zeal or with counterfeit; that howsoever we may blear the sight of men by our dissembling, yet we carry our own eyes down to our heart, that see by what false weights we measure our fruits to God, that is, our religion and our righteousness to men, that is, our conversation: so as we have a double evidence of our salvation, the one backing and strengthening the other, which is set forth, 1. joh. 5.8. There be three which bear record in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood; and these three agree in one, and where water is, there hath blood gone before, for these two go together, as they came forth of Christ's side together, joh. 19.34. repentance being the leader, and remission of sins following after; blood washing away our guiltiness, and water the uncleanness of our lives, and the spirit of Christ sealing up these things in our hearts, that as by the sealing of the conveyance the purchase in law is made perfect: so by the settling of our consciences in an upright course toward God, our salvation in Christ is made perfect and sure, even to us. Yet say they, we cannot assure ourselves we shall thus continue; for we have examples of many that have begun in the spirit, and have ended in the flesh, that have seemed fruitful for a while, and have been barren ever after, that have given john Baptist good countenance, and yet have chopped off his head, for reproving justly. It is true, there is none standeth but he may fall if he lean to his own wisdom, nay he must whither if he grow up among stones, because he was never well rooted; and whensoever the Lord pulleth away the vizard from any that masked under the cloak of religion, he doth it to make them that stand strengthen themselves in Christ, Philip. 4.13. and to make them that be hollow hearted tremble; for they that thus fall, their heart telleth them before hand of it, their coming to Christ being but in the Sunshine when there are no clouds of persecution hanging over; and their following after him, being like a thief after his prey, that will let it go unless he may gain by it, their hearts ever misgiving them in their own profession, and they having a secret corner in the flesh which they alway feed, what show soever they make to the contrary. But now the strait and upright minded Christian hath his heart as adamant, and his face as brass, that arms him with resolution for the Lords cause, he hath no confidence in the flesh, Phil. 3.3. but his whole rejoicing is in Christ; he feeleth such sap of the spirit at the root, that he thinketh it (with Christ) to be his meat to do the will of God, yea he can truly and boldly say with this Apostle, that neither anguish of mind, nor torment of body, vers. 39 can sever him, or make him so much as lose the sight of his master Christ, but he will ever be just 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 enjoy the presence of him for evermore: all this heart and assurance they have, having their foundation from the words of Christ, john 10.28. None shall pluck my sheep out of my hands. And whether thou be'st a sheep or no thou canst tell by thy feeding, for howsoever thou mayst come to graze in the outward assembly with the congregation; yet if thine ear be only feeding at Church, and thy thoughts and thy affections at home in the flesh, thyself canst tell thou art but a wolf in sheep's clothing: so that as the persuasion of our salvation is certain and undoubted, so is it also constant and perpetual. Howbeit, the power and pride of prosperity wherewith the wicked are puffed up, and the strength and sting of adversity wherewith the godly are humbled and abased, the one trampling upon the earth as if it were too base to bear them, the other creeping like worms and grasshoppers upon the ground, hath made many to stagger in the opinion of their profession, and in the persuasion of their salvation, because he seemed thus to pass by them as in a whirlwind, and by the wicked with a mild and still voice, meeting them as it were in the success of every thing: and this was that made David, Psal. 73.13. think his labour in mortification to be but lost, because he tasted of correction every morning; whereas they that set their mouths against heaven were lusty & strong, and had the waters of a full cup of prosperity wrung out to them: but when he had been in the Sanctuary of God ask counsel of him, by whom he understood their end to be but as a dream when one awaked, they increasing their sins by their fullness, whereby they make the sword sharper for their slaughter; then he found his own footing to be safe, and theirs to be slippery, the one to begin his journey with sorrow, and to end it with peace, the other to set forth in jollity but to come home as we say by weeping cross: 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 upon him and not spare him, though he would feign flee out of his hand. Even so let us not make this comfort of our assured blessedness uncomfortable to us by our doubting, for if we waver in this, whether God love us and we him, the chastisement of a father will prove the scourge of a revenger, and we shall think he smites us because he hates us, and lifts us up to cast us down; or else we shall imagine our store to come from our own hands, and measure our lives after the crooked line of men's example, which run on heaps to hell, for their own souls convinceth them of their forgetfulness of God, and then cannot he remember them in Paradise; whereas we setting God always at our right hand, may be sure hereafter he will set us at his, and that he guiding us by his counsel, Psal. 73.24. can not but in his time receive us to glory. Therefore let us lift up our heads ●●d keep the way even within, that there may be as little rubbish in the heart as can be: and since through infirmity we fall oft, let our care be it be in the right way, where we are sure to mere with Christ, who is the way and the life to us; and let us make the like use travelers do, go the faster for our fall, for our faith must go further than to believe there is God the father, Son, and holy Ghost, and a communion of Saints, etc. this being but in general; whereas we must believe it with application to our own particular, as that he is a God to me, in his love to make me, and by his providence to keep me; a Son to me, to redeem me when I was lost, and to feed me when I am come home; a holy Ghost to me, to comfort me in my distress, and to work 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 salvation laid up there for thee also.  
Again, where it is said, the spirit dwelleth in you, learn, that we must not serve God by sits, but it must be continually, for the spirit remaineth not in us for a time, but taketh up his mansion and abiding with us, and while he is with us he is ever working, as the Sun is ever moving, and works of his own nature, stirring up good thoughts and affections in us at all times, and is never idle not in vain in us; not but that in many things we offend all, but we send forth such a peal as it were of prayers and repentance after the sin committed, as it overtakes it and turns it back before it can flee to the justice of God; and this is that maketh S. john, 1. john 3.9. to set it down 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 never set fire, we being overtaken sometime in weakness that we slip, which we no sooner feel, but being warned by this spirit, we gather our feet the more close together to stand fast. Since then this spirit of God hath set up his rest in our souls, let us as lively stones in this spiritual building cleanse & polish ourselves from all corruptions, that it may take delight to continue with us; for if he come to survey thy heart, to see what room thou hast for him, and he find every chamber there full of some sin, and seethe that as fast as he emptieth it with one hand thou fillest it up with another, re●sting the power of him as if he came to torment thee, he will take his flight from thee, and thy sins shall break out as the plague-sore upon thee to thy utter confusion: but if thou submit thyself to his work, suffering him to mine and undermine every vein in thy body, and to cleanse every corner in thy soul, and being emptied of thy corruption, wilt labour in sanctification to keep thyself clean, so beating down thy fleshly thoughts and carnal desires, as they shall not so much as sleep with thee, and if they chance to creep into thy bed thou wilt spurn them out as a chaste lover will a harlot; then shall the spirit take up thy body as his house, and thou entertaining him, he will keep out all thine enemies that may disturb thy peace with Christ.  
Lastly, where he saith, But he that hath not the spirit of Christ is not his, observe, that by an argument drawn from a natural man he proveth, that as many as have the spirit of Christ are sure of their salvation; for as a natural man who hath not the spirit is not Christ's so long as he remaineth a natural man; so consequently it followeth, that they that have the spirit are Christ's, and being his, it were an absurd thing if they should not be saved; for the conscience being pacified that God will accept us in Christ, we are not now perplexively to doubt of our salvation, or how to avoid damnation; for if we should doubt of our   
ROM. chap. 8. vers. 10. 
Verse 10 And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life for righteousness sake.  
IN this verse the Apostle maketh the preuen●●●● of a doubt which might have risen out of the former doctrine: for he having before proved that the spirit of God, the spirit of Christ, and Christ himself are in us that are elect, we might make question of the truth of this, seeing we have a large remnant of sin and of the corruption of nature abiding in us: To this the Apostle answereth in this verse, and those that follow; First granting that so long as we carry about us this body, so long shall we carry about us sin in our body, part whereof is already mortified in this life, the rest can not be but by mortality: But then in the second place that we might not be too much dejected with this clog of sin we draw after us, he would have us with this occasion we have to humble us, to join withal the consideration of the spirit of Christ which is in us, to raise us up again: assuring us that if our faith by her visible fruits can appear in our lives, that though we have a portion of sin which can not die but by death, yet we have the spirit of God, the spirit of Christ, and Christ himselfe-dwelling in us, the fruit whereof is everlasting life in glory, obtained by the righteousness of Christ for us; applying himself in the latter part of the verse to comfort the weakness, and to cheer up the faint hearts of the faithful, labouring to relieve them with some spiritual consolation, that notwithstanding they cannot shake off the sluggishness of the flesh, but are taken as it were with a palsy half dead on the one side, being compassed about with many infirmities in this life, and having many grudge and resistances of this earthly lump, which is the body, against the work of our sanctification: yet for all this the faithful and elect may know and be assured, that they are not trained forth to fight and have the foil, nor that they are called to any doubtful combat, but to such a field where our hands shall be held up if we faint, 
Exod. 17.12.  as were the hands of Moses, and where we shall prevail, not only against the Amalekites as did joshua, which are enemies without us, but even against the hidden enemies of our heart, the rebellion of the flesh, and the corrup●●●● of nature, which is contained in these words; But the spirit is life: so as the verse standeth on two parts; First he granteth part of the objection, namely, that sin cannot fully be shaken off: Secondly, to the full satisfaction of our consciences he answereth the other part of the objection: namely, that notwithstanding this remainder of sin in us we need not be perplexed or doubt of our salvation.  
Hear first we are to consider of the three special kinds and phrases of speech the Apostle useth in the former verses, and in this; concerning the spirit of God which is in us, the spirit of Christ which is in us, and Christ himself which is in us. Whereby we are taught to believe that the whole Godhead and Trinity dwelleth in every Christian. Howbeit concerning the spirit of God, we must know we cannot attain unto it, but by the spirit of Christ: for as the waters that boil in the earth cannot be conveyed unto us but by wells and pipes by which we receive of the fountain itself; so the spirit of God is the fountain of life, but a Well too deep, and the place too high for us to reach to, he dwelling in a place unaccessible and not to be approached unto; and for this cause the spirit of Christ is the wellspring and pipe which passeth this life to us, and by this we are made partakers of that life in glory, so that in this respect the spirit of God is said to be in us, and also the spirit of Christ, which spirit could not be conveyed unto to us but by the flesh of Christ God and man to reconcile us to his Father; and yet all this is but one God and one spirit, as 1. joh. 5.7. which proveth these two things: first that Christ is God: secondly, that the holy Ghost proceedeth both from God and Christ, because they both are but one, and the self-same spirit is but one. And in that Christ is also said to be in us, it is but the same in effect that the spirit of Christ is in us; yet are we verily to believe, that very Christ is really in us indeed, yet invisibly, and this must be understood supernaturally: and therefore they that hold they are only partakers of the graces and benefits of Christ, but not of Christ himself, cannot believe that Christ shall save them; for Christ's benefits are so inseparably united to his person; as if we have his invisible spirit, we have himself, and may equally assure ourselves of both, and that we are flesh of his flesh, expressed in the Scripture, as hath been before declared, by natural proportions and supernatural, as, first by the conjunction of the head and the members of a man's body: secondly, by the vine and the branches: thirdly, by the husband and wife: four, by meats and drinks, that as they being eaten really do nourish the body; so we eating the flesh and drinking the blood of Christ spiritually, he nourisheth and feedeth our souls to life eternal. This union is also set down unto us supernaturally, john 14.20. Ye shall know I am in the Father, and you in me, and I in you; howbeit we are not in the same measure in Christ, and he in us as he is in the Father, but according to that proportion of faith which is in us, and in that abundance that shall make us blessed for ever.  
Again, learn hence, that we are not to look for any perfection in this life, but so long as we bear about us this mass and lump of flesh which is the body, there will remain certain relics of corruption which can not be extinguished but by death, nor wholly removed but by mortality, and this is the case of God's best children: Paul speaking of himself as in the part unregenerate, and as but in part spiritual, Romans 7.14. said he was sold under sin and carnal, 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 God's image, and so much he rebelled against the law of God, and served the law of sin. And Peter that chosen vessel of God, john 13.10. by the wisdom and instruction of Christ himself hath need of water to wash his feet: and 1. john 5.8. Christ came not only by blood, but also by water, that by daily regeneration we may purge and cleanse ourselves. And to this may be referred that speech of Christ, john 13.33. Wither I go ye cannot yet come; which proveth we have still some corruption, that maketh us yet unfit for the kingdom of heaven, until we have washed our feet cleaner, and mortified ourselves better, for we know yet but in part. But than it may be said: since we have these imperfections how shall we be known from the reprobate? Very well: for there is great difference between our imperfections and their sins, our scars and their ulcers, our limping and their halting down right, for as 1. john 3.9. He that is borne of God sinneth not, that is, as the world sinneth, the one sinning of ignorance, the other of knowledge; one of infirmity, the other of presumption; the one with grief, the other with greediness; one through weakness, the other through obstinacy and malice; the one striking and checking his heart for the evil thought it produced, the other feeding and encouraging his heart not to stay at the thought till it break forth into the hands; yea God doth bring us up that are his children thus imperfectly for two ends: for first he will not suffer us to have our perfection here, for fear we lose it as Adam did: secondly, he doth exercise us with these imperfections to humble us lest we should wax proud and so care not for him; and this is his great mercy that he doth try us with infirmities, but not destroy us; vex us, but not v●nquish us, giving us power in the end through the sufficiency of his grace to overcome them.  
Now for the second part, which is his satisfaction given to the faithful, that they must not so sink under the burden of their infirmity as to mistrust their salvation; observe when it is said, the spirit is life, we must understand no natural life, but such a life as Paul speaketh of, Ephes. 4.18. where he saith, the Gentiles that walked in the vanity of their minds were strangers from the life of God, that life whereby God dwelleth in us; and to be strangers from this life, is to be strangers from holiness of life: for God and an unclean conversation cannot company together. And this life of the spirit is that, whereby (as Peter saith, 2. Peter 1.4.) we are made partakers of the divine nature, not really, but by renovation, having obtained this mercy to be borne a new of immortal seed by the word of God. For as the soul infused into the body, quickeneth a massy piece of flesh which had no motion before: so the soul to make it a lively and good soul, must have a soul powered into it, that is, the spirit of God; and if this spirit be absent we are as dead from holy motions, as the body natural is from outward actions by the priuati●● of the soul. So as we learn hence, that a man may live ●●fe in the flesh, and yet be dead in respect of the life of God, which ought to move us to work out our sanctification in fear, knowing that if we be all flesh, we shall never see the face of God.  
Now as to live a natural life, there must be a generation according to the flesh, so if we will attain to this life in the spirit, we must be brought to a second birth; not to be turned into our mother's wombs again, as Nicodemus thought, john 3.4. but as Christ saith, we must be borne of the will of his Father, that is, of the seed of the holy Ghost. Hear it followeth, as a man naturally borne hath his life maintained by being nourished with meat and drink: so when we be borne again of the seed of the spirit, we must be maintained and fed by the flesh and blood of Christ spiritually: and as we are borne of the holy Ghost by the word, so we must be nourished by the holy Ghost in the word, or else we shall never be saved. In the desire therefore of our salvation, we ought to thirst and part after the rivers of life, which do plentifully flow in the book of God.  
Again, as men in this natural life have their degrees to proceed in, which do never change, as that first they be children, then after grow to a more understanding age: which was even true of Christ in this flesh, who (Luk. 2.52.) is said to have increased in wisdom and in stature: even so we must know, that our spiritual birth is not perfect at the first day; but it hath as it were a childhood, and we are babes to be fed with milk, 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 herein they differ, that in our spiritual life in this world, we cannot come to any perfection, sin hangeth so fast about our heels: but in our natural life we attain to a fullness and ripeness of strength. And in this also they differ, that the natural powers of this life decrease by age and by infirmities: but so it must not be in our spiritual life, for in this we must never neither stand still, nor go backward, nor grow downward, but still be steadfast in faith, and walking on in love, like men always running a race, till we have attained the prize, which prize is glory.  
Again, consider for this spiritual life, that as the body whi●● it hath the soul, is but a natural body, spending like oil in the lamp, and cannot but in the end die, yet after this life shall be called a spiritual body, not in substance, but because in the resurrection it shall be quickened by the spiritual power of the holy Ghost; so a man that hath but a soul, if he have not the soul of the soul, that is, the spirit of God to quicken it, he is but a natural man, and must needs be damned. Again, as a body raised up, and quickened by another power can never die, so the soul being a spiritual soul, and having once received the earnest of the spirit, and the power of sanctification: from the holy Ghost, can never die. And in this respect we are exalted to a greater privilege than Adam had in his creation; and it fareth better with us than it did with him: for it was a●btrarie with him, and rested in his will to die or not to die: whereas we having once drunk of the water of life, and once tasted of this spiritual life, we may never thirst: and as S. john saith, 1. john. 3.6. we cannot sin, 
joh. 6.54.  that is, not to sin, but that we purge ourselves upon reproose, and recover ourselves when we fall.  
Further observe hence, that there is a double death and a double life▪ first, there is a death in the present corruption of sin, whereby in this life we deserve damnation. Now that there is a death in this life, is proved, 1. Tim. 5.6. the widow that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth: and Ephes. 5.14. Awake thou that sleepest, and stand up from the dead: and Revel. 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 perpetual condemnation for sin, which is first inflicted upon the soul at the separation from the body, and at the last day shall be laid both upon the soul and body in a fearful and full measure. Answerable to this is life, the first kind whereof, is the grace of God vouchsafed us in this our pilgrimage: the second is the glory of God, given us 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 feel a change of mind within us: secondly, at the separation of the soul from the body, when being as in were released out of the setters of this life, she takes her flight to heaven, for than doth the soul live more excellently than it did before, being freed from the bufferings of Satan and the allurements of the flesh. Thirdly, at the general resurrection, when the world with the Iustes thereof shall pass away like a cloud, and be wrapped up like a clout, for then both soul and body shall enjoy the presence, yea more than that, shall live the life of God for ever. Even so death in the reprobate hath three degrees: first, in the contagion of sin: secondly, in the separation at the door of death as it were, when the soul alone goeth to the devil: thirdly, at the resurrection when the body is reunited to the soul, to receive the fullness of their endless torment.  
Again, the reprobate in this life and in the life to come have a double misery coupled to their double death: for first in this life they want the grace and favour of God, and be even like Cain, Genes. 4.14. afraid lest every man should kill them. Secondly, they have resident in them the devil, who being the God of this world, hath and doth carry them away daily in the power of darkness. Then in the life to come, 
john 16.11.  they have first a privation or loss of the presence of God: secondly, a suffering and enduring of all torments, 
2. Thes. 1.8.9.  where there cries shall never be pitied, nor their pains ever be eased. Proportionable to these have the children of God double comforts, which may be gathered from the contrary of the former. For first they have the countenance of the Lord always smiling on them, and the strength of the Lord always supporting them in this life. Secondly, which is more, they have the true spirit of comfort dwelling in them, and the Father, the Son and the holy Ghost doth continually feast with them while they live here. And when we fall a sleep (for nothing else is death to the Saints, as we may see in Stephen, 
2. Cor. 3.17.18.  Act. 7.60.) then do we first stand always in the sight of God, and behold him face to face; neither doth his glory then any whit amaze us as it did when the veil was before our eyes, but it doth rejoice us, and we glory in it. Secondly we are filled with joys unspeakable, and have the full access and fruition of all that the heart can desire or seek for.  
Now the way to know that this life of God is in us, must be by the amendment of our lives and by the leaving of our sins: for regeneration beginneth at repentance, and repentance at leaving of sin, in which point every man must examine himself wisely: for if thou hast not bridled thy tongue from bitter and blasphemous speech, if thou hast not taught thy hands to work truly without deceit, and hast not brought thy heart to pray fervently without hypocrisy, than hast thou no part in this regeneration, and by consequent no fellowship in the life of God.  
For righteousness sake: That is as much as if the Apostle had said, reformation of life and religion is the badge and evidence of the spiritual life we lead here. The cause of this is the righteousness of Christ, which resteth in these two things: first, in satisfying the justice of his Father for our sins, as the Prophet Esay speaketh, 
Esay 53.5.  He was wounded for our transgressions, and by his stripes are we healed: secondly, in fulfilling the law, which he performed four ways: first, by teaching it precisely: secondly, by obeying it exactly: thirdly, by suffering for our breach thereof meritoriously: four, by sanctifying us to do it effectually. But this kind of righteousness is only resident and inherent in the person of Christ, howbeit the righteousness here spoken of by the Apostle, is a sign only and a token that we are sanctified by the flesh of Christ, and that Christ hath purchased salvation for us, and that we sighing under the burden of sin, 
Rom. 7.25.  walking in a reformed life, and waiting for the glory that shall be seen, we shallbe as the Saints of God, beloved of the Lord, having our long robes in sign of stateliness as Senators, & palms in our hands in sign of victory as conquerors, 
Reu. 7.9.  for we in Christ have over come Satan.  
Further we must observe and know, though this spirit of life dwell in us, yet so long as we are enclosed in this earthly tabernacle, and have the corruption of nature clasping about the soul as Ivy to the Oak, 
joh. 13.8.  we cannot be free from infirmities and sins, nor washed so clean but that some filth will cleave to our hands or our feet. Yet there is great difference between the slips and sins of him that hath, and of him that hath not the spirit of God, as great difference as there is between him that is drenched and plunged over head and ears in a puddle, and him that hath only fouled his foot: according to the speech of Christ to Peter, joh. 13.10. He that is washed needed not save only to wash his feet: as if he should have said, Peter thy head and thy hands are clean, only thy feet need washing 〈◊〉 that is, always in this life some inferior affection is unclean, and there will be a little boiling against the working of the spirit; but the principal 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 holy Ghost, 
2. Cor. 10. ●●  wherein notwithstanding there rests some taste and tang of their former filthiness: but the wicked are as vessels full of the poison of the devil, wherein the spirit of God never set footing. Again, sin in the regenerate hath a wound, and is like the Sun faintly appearing through some thick cloud, but in the wicked it hath it full stroke. Again, the wicked are so chained that they cannot stir one foot to heaven; and being cast from God, they so little care for it, as they will with Cain (Gen. 4.17.) fall a building of cities, and having lost the harmony of a good conscience they will get some jubal or other, (Genes. 4.21.) to play on the organs to make them merry: but the godly though they be loosed from the chains of the devil, yet while they sojourn here they must draw some irons after them. Again, the wicked from their birth have turned their backs to God, and their face to the devil: but the godly though they be hindered in their course, and stayed in their profession of godliness and of sanctification by some infirmities inseparable from the flesh, yet do they strive in their running to recover their fall, and wrestle for a prize that shall never fade. And yet no doubt there is a contradiction in the wicked even in finning, as it is said, Gen. 4.7. sin lieth at the door of Cain, that is, the blood of his brother Abel should torment his conscience. Howbeit this combat and contradiction is but between his conscience that condemneth his sin, and his heart that loveth it, but in them there is never any strife between affections and affections: whereas the godly have this fight between affections and affections, as the flesh desireth to do such a thing, but the spirit that dwelleth in the flesh doth always abhor it, and striveth against it. So as if God hath sealed thee up to salvation, and hath given thee the stone of absolution and pardon for thy sins, though thou art now discouraged at that remnant of sin that rests in thee, and fearest lest God should frown at thee and turn his face from thee for thy weak service of him, yet lift up thy head, thou shall be sure hereafter through the power of this spirit to cast down that great Goliath, 
2. Cor. 3.18.  and thou shalt have the full fruition of that hope thou yet dost apprehend and see as in a glass: 
Eph. 1.14.  and if thou hast received but the earnest penny of the spirit in this life, thou shalt be sure to receive thy full wages and hire in the life to come. Neither need we be dismayed that we limp like jacob, 
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 be as proud as the devil, whereas now they make us to express our thankfulness to God, that he so mercifully restraineth them, and so fatherly passeth by them, they serve to multiply our groans in the spirit to God, 
Phil. 1.23. Rom. 7.24. Heb. 13.3.  that we might be delivered from this body of death and bondage of sin: yea they stir us up to the love of others, to sorrow for the afflictions of joseph and of our brethren: whereas if we ourselves were not infirm and weak, we would never be touched with compassion.  
Vers. 11. But if the spirit of him that raised up jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you.  
Howsoever we have advantage and comfort by the former doctrine, that by the extinguishment of this light which we have here beneath, and by the separation of our bodies from our souls, sin must die, and cannot otherwise be mortified than by mortality: yet in this verse the Apostle stirreth us up to greater joy and to the top of all Christian comfort, showing that the time shall come, when our vile bodies shall be made like to the glorious body of Christ jesus. The verse standeth on two parts: first, of the raising up of jesus Christ: secondly, of the raising up of our bodies to be made conformable to Christ our head.  
First observe the manner of the Apostle his speech, If the spirit etc. consider wisely this speech propounded by Paul as it were conditionally, which doth not argue any suspended doubt fullness of the matter, or make it any whit subject to exception, but carrieth with it a peremptory necessity that it is so, the Apostle taking that for granted which cannot be denied without falling into gross absurdities. For if he should have doubted whether Christ had been risen again, then in vain had he gone about to prove that we should rise again: and therefore by this manner of phrase the Apostle calls 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 usually to say, If there be a day of judgement, 
2. Pet. 3.11.  and if it be so that this book of God's word shall be w●●●●●●● our hearts, then is there a fearful reckoning to be ex●●●● for: which they do not as doubting of these things, but taking them as granted of all men, they be so certain 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 only to them that be called sanctified; but (saith he) the spirit is in you, for if they should deny that, they run into this, that they must needs be reprobates and wrapped up in condemnation.  
Secondly, observe in the raising up of Christ two parts: first, that he was raised up: secondly, by what power he was raised up, namely by the spirit of his Father. That Christ was raised up, the Apostle doth not demonstrate it, but assumeth it: for if Christ were not risen, than all Paul's reasons (1. Cor. 15.) to prove our resurrection may easily be eluded, for that is the first argument he there useth to prove a resurrection, because Christ is risen, and all his arguments there following are linked to that, and depend on that: reasoning from absurdities: if Christ be not risen our preaching is in vain, and your faith is in vain, for Christ crucified and his resurrection is the sum of the Gospel and the end of our faith. But the matter is, by what power Christ was raised up. As he was flesh it profited nothing to raise up itself, for 1. Pet. 3.18. it is said, he was put to death according to the flesh, that is, according to his human nature, and was quickened in the spirit, which the Apostle there showeth to be by that spirit wherein he preached in Noah's time. And Rom. 1.3. the Apostle speaking of Christ, saith he was of the seed of David according to the flesh, but declared to be the son of God by the resurrection from the dead: which showeth that it was the power of God that raised him up.  
He that raised up Christ, etc. Hear consider three parts: first, what shall be raised up, our bodies: secondly, by what power they shall rise, by the same power by which Christ was raised up: thirdly, after what manner; the same spirit that quickened Christ is now communicated to us, and by Christ's righteousness we are made righteous, and so are become fit temples for his spirit to inhabit in us.  
The Scripture proposeth two arguments to prove the resurrection: first, the conformity of the body with the head, that as Christ our head is risen, so we his body shall rise again. The secondly is the consideration of God's omnipotency, and out saith in his power: that is, to believe that he can do all things, and therefore can raise up our putrefied bodies. The first reason holdeth both ways: if Christ be raised up, then shall we be raised up: Christ is not risen, therefore we shall not rise. We are raised up, therefore Christ is raised up; we are not raised up, therefore Christ is not risen. And this doth minister unto us great comfort, and may even astonish our hearts with joy: for it is impossible, that we who are the body can be drowned, as long as Christ our head is above the water. So then since our head Christ is lifted up above all gulfs, hath tasted of all sorrows, and hath overcome all dangers, we need not to fear that we shall be stifled or swallowed up of the wanes of torments and afflictions, though we seem never so much cast down in the outward man; for let the wild beasts of the forest roar never so fiercely, or let the rain fall, and the waves beat, and the winds blow never so strongly, 
Mat. 7.27.  yet shall their mouths be shut that they shall not hurt us, and our house is built upon a rock that cannot move: for our Redeemer liveth, and our head is safe, and we at the last when he hath sufficiently exercised his graces in us by the trial of our faith, and the experience of our love of him, 
joh. 19.25.  shall through him overcome all troubles and sorrows.  
For the second reason to prove the resurrection: which is the consideration of God's omnipotency, the Apostle (Philipp. 3.21.) joineth the raising up of our bodies to the consideration of that power whereby God is able to subdue all things. This also is evident Ezech. 37.5. where the Lord by his power giveth life to a company of dead bones. And Christ (joh. 5.25.) saith his Gospel was able to raise up dead souls: that is, such as be dead in profaneness, but by the power of his word shall: be revived and quickened in the spirit, which is the first resurrection: and vers. 28. The day shall come (saith he) when ye shall find that to be true in the second resurrection to your damnation, which ye will not now believe in the first resurrection ●●●our salvation, when by the very voice of God the dead shall be raised up. Among many places to prove the resurrection of the body that is most excellent, (Mat. 22.32.) upon the demand of the Sadduces, whose wife she that had had seven husbands should be in the resurrection? I am (saith he) the God of Abraham, etc. I am not the God of the dead but of the living. No place at the first sight may seem to carry less proof of the matter Christ then had in hand, but being duly weighed, it is most substantial to prove it. It may be said: True it is, thou art the God of Abraham, that is, of so much of Abraham as now liveth; so as thou art the God of Abraham's soul: but it is convinced out of the place itself, that thou art not the God of the dead, and therefore thou art not the God of Abraham's body, for his body is dead. But note, he doth not say, he is the God of part of Abraham, but he is the God of Abraham's person; which person of his standeth upon soul and body. Secondly, some say this place proveth the immortality of the soul only. Nay it is certain, if the body be not immortal, the soul cannot be immortal: for if Abraham liveth in any part now, he must at the last live in all; and if immortality were only given to one part, than all the reasons of Paul (1. Cor. 15.) to prove the resurrection of the body might be easily evaded. For the Apostle there (vers. 18.) to prove the resurrection of the body, saith: Unless Christ be risen and we rise, we that are a sleep 〈◊〉 Christ are perished. But it may be objected: Nay, there may be an immortality if the blessed souls do live, and therefore they cannot be said to be perished. And vers. 19 If our hope (saith Paul) be in this life only, we are of all the most miserable. Nay it may be said, we are happy in the life to come in the soul: so vers. 29. he proveth the resurrection of the body from our baptism. Yea, but it may be said: That is not so Paul, for though our bodies rise not, yet baptism may profit us in the spirit; and though thy body (Paul) do not rise, yet thou hast not fought with beasts at Ephesus in vain: for thou shalt be crowned with glory in thy soul, for that thou hast sustained these combats. And thus if we stand only upon the immortality of the soul, all Paul's arguments in that place may be soon rejected.  
It is true, that the souls are now blessed, as it is in the Revel. 7.9. where the Saints are said to have their white robes in token ●●nnocency; long, in sign of stateliness; and palms in their hands, in sign of victory: but it is as true, that the soul is not happy, saving in the constant expectation of the last day, when it shall be joined to the body: and it hath not now that fullness of happiness it then shall have. For it standeth with the law of retribution in God, that as he received most glory from them both when they were united, so should he return them most joy and fullness of glory, when by his power they are brought together again. And even so fareth it now with the reprobate that are departed, who feel only torment in their souls at this time: but when their bodies shall be raked out of the dust, then shall their pains be increased. So as this is the doctrine we must hold, that the souls of the Saints are blessed ante resurrectionem, before the resurrection; but fine resurrectione, without the resurrection they are not blessed. Rom. 14.9. God is said to be the Lord of the dead, and Mat. 22.32. Christ saith, he is not the God of the dead. In which places there is no contrariety: for Christ meaneth, that he is not the God of the dead according to the supposition of the Sadduces: for no man is a King without subjects, nor a Captain without soldiers, nor God the God of Abraham, unless Abraham be: but he is the God of the dead, because they by him shall be raised up.  
Now followeth the first part: what shall be raised up, namely, this very body which we now carry about us shall be raised up▪ Which is proved, first from the proportion and resemblance with the head: for the same body of Christ that was buried, was raised up: which is signified unto us by himself, (Luk. 24.39.) who to remove all doubts of the truth of his resurrection out of his disciples minds, said: Behold my hands and my feet: and john 20.25. it is said, that Thomas put his finger into jesus side after his resurrection. And so much did Christ forete●●●●re his death (joh. 2.19.) Destroy this temple, (meaning his body) and I will build the same (not another) up again: Secondly, it is proved from the proportion of God's justice toward the elect and the reprobate also: for it standeth with his justice, that those lips which in this life offered up the calves of thanksgiving unto him, that that body that hath been baptised into Christ's death, that mouth that hath feed upon Christ by faith, that that body which hath been exercised under the cross, and sanctified through afflictions, which hath testified to the blood the profession of his truth, it standeth, I say, with the justice of God, that that body and no other should be raised up to glory. And Paul noteth forth so much in himself a member, (1. Cor. 15.53.) when he saith, This mortal shall put on immortality: as if (saith a learned Father) he had taken it up in his hands to have expressed his meaning. Again, the proportion of God's justice toward the reprobate is, that that knee that hath bowed to the Mass, shall also bow to the devil in hell torment, and that that body which hath imbrued itself with the blood of God's saints, that hath rend as it were the Lord in pieces by their blasphemy, and that have shut up their compassion from the poor, that that body should be punished eternally in hell fire; and even denied so much as a drop of cold water to cool their tongues. 
Luk. 16.24.  For what justice were it in God to frame them new bodies, and so to punish them in that flesh wherein they never sinned? Nay, it were mere injustice to punish them in any other parts than those wherein they have offended. Now this body of the faithful that shall be raised up, shall have three special graces given unto it which it had not before to show the riches of God's mercy toward them: as first, it shall be immortal, and shall never putrefy: secondly, 〈◊〉 shall be maintained by no natural power: and thirdly, it shall have glory. Answerable to these, in another kind shall the bodies of the reprobate be: for first, they shall wish they might rot, but cannot: secondly, they were happy if they might pine away, but the worm shall be continually gnawing, yet never satisfied, nor they weakened: 
Mark. 9.48.  thirdly, they shall have horror and shame, and howling and gnashing of teeth continually.  
For the second point, which is, by what power our bodies are raised up, namely, by the same spirit that Christ was raised up. Now than it may be asked, how the reprobate shall rise, for they partake not of this spirit, nor have any part in this resurrection. It is true, that the power of Christ as a Saviour, and the fruit and benefit of his death are inseparable from the elect, and belong only to them. The reprobate therefore shall be raised up by the same power by which they were at first created: and as at the first they were made by the power of God in his Son, the Father consulting with his wisdom, which is Christ: even so shall they be raised up again by the power of God in his Son, not as a redeemer, but by the absolute power of jesus Christ their judge. 
Gen 3.23.  And as when Adam fell he was not only deprived of the tree of life, but of all the other fruits of the garden, and in the loss of that lost all the rest, and was driven out by violence, and kept out by the sword from any more fight of God in Paradise: even so the reprobate deserve not only to be secluded from the possession of heavenly glory, where grows that life that ever flourisheth, but even utterly to be extinguished and abolished, for they are but usurpers upon the Lord's heritage, and even the air which they breath in shall be their damnation, for they deserve not so much as their being. Yet such is the great bounty of God, that he raineth as well upon the unjust as upon the just, yea and oftentimes obscureth his goodness toward his Saints, and hideth as it were his face from them, when the wicked flourish as t●● palm-tree, and abound in all earthly prosperity: but yet this is our comfort, that they pass away as a shaft in the air, and as a ship on the sea, so is their place no more seen, and indeed they shall find it were better for them they were not: whereas the godly know, that in 〈◊〉 earth they have no abiding city, but that their treasure is in ●●●uen, where their hearts always be, and their bodies hereafter shall be.  
Because that his spirit dwelleth in you. This is the third part was noted out unto us, namely, how this power of the spirit is in this life communicated unto us. Wherein observe, that whosoever is regenerate is made partaker of the life of God, and such a man hath his soul and body taken up and dressed, and dedicated to entertain the holy Ghost, and the holy Ghost abideth in him: and john 14.23. Christ saith, If any man love me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and dwell with him: so as the whole blessed Trinity abideth in such a man; which is a most princely prerogative and royal dignity which the faithful have, that the King of heaven will stoop so low as to abide in the soul of a poor Christian.  
Further observe, in that the spirit dwells in us, that as Christ before he took upon him and assumed our flesh, sent his herbenger before him to seel that house, and sanctify that womb wherein himself would lie, 
Mat. 1.18.  that the virgin by that means was full of the holy Ghost: even so he still sendeth forth his spirit to take up his lodging for him in the heart of every Christian, and to sanctify them in some measure, 
2. Cor. 13.4.5.  though not in that fullness he did the virgin. And as God in no place on the earth was said to be more than he was in the Ark, 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 means are made serviceable to the elect.  
Now when the spirit cometh unto us, it findeth our hearts very ruinous like an old house, yet such an habitation as by some ancient monuments shows what stately building it was at first by creation; than it falls a tempering and building it up again by the love of God engrafted in our hearts, and it doth sift us and cleanse us: and wherea●●t findeth nothing but bare walls, that is, a departure of all the graces of God, and a deprivation of them, it filleth us and infuseth unto us all heavenly virtues. And as the Lord was in the Temple, and yet not shut in and in●●uded there; but in that he was there, it was necessary it should 〈◊〉 kept clean, 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 unclean in any thing should enter in: so we that are Christians being a type of that Temple that should be built of living stones, whereof Christ must be the chief and corner stone, and wherein we must believe that God dwelleth far more spiritually and effectually than he did in the other; we (I say) must be kept far more cleanly than the other Temple was. In this respect also, that this Temple wherein the Lord now dwelleth is our souls and bodies, the Priest ourselves to offer up ourselves, the sacrifice ourselves to be sacrificed in our souls and bodies upon the altar, which is our hearts; but yet so, as we are still acceptable only in the sacrifice of Christ and in his priesthood. Now this spirit that thus dwelleth in us, is called the spirit of sanctification, in respect of the four properties wherein it resembleth the material Temple. For first, as the Temple might not serve for a dwelling house, but was only consecrated to abide and continue there while they served God: so the temples of our bodies must not be taken up of the lusts of the world to dwell there, but be dedicated only to entertain the spirit of Christ: and secondly, as the holy garments were only worn in the Temple, so ought we to look that we attire ourselves only as becometh Christians that stand always in the presence of God: thirdly, as the holy meat was only eaten in the Temple: and four, the vessels only there to be drunk in: so this shows that our bodies and all the powers, affections and actions both of soul and body, as well in the heart within, as in all the use of God's blessings without, 
1 john. 2.17.  must be separated from all earthly things to be by them estranged from the worship of God, and be reserved only to holy uses, that God and his glory may be the chiefest end of our life, for so the Hebrew word to sanctify, signifieth to be set apart, and not prostitute to any profane use.  
Hereupon it is, that if in the Temples of Christians we see idols erected, we are grieved and offended, and that justly, because we see a great part of God's service shall be spent in bodily adoration, which ought not to be: for though it be true that God requireth to be worshipped of every bone in the body, yet principally in this sacrifice of prayer and other religious exercises he looketh at the heart, and sets his eye on our affections to be worshipped in spirit and in truth.  
Now if it be unlawful to erect and set up an idol in any Christian Temple, 
john 4.24.  for so much doth the Scripture in express words testify in many places, as, Pull down their altars, break their images and burn them in the fire, 
Deut. 7.2. &. 12.3. judg. 2.2.  with many such like places and speeches: how fearful a thing than is it, that we that are Christians should set up idols in our souls, the most beautified place that God hath on earth, as the idols of covetousness, hypocrisy, filthiness, pride, and such like, which be invisible, and therefore worse than the other, and which do secretly like a thief steal away our hearts from the love of God, and as a moth do even feed upon us and consume us, till we suddenly fall into the wrath and displeasure of God.  
Hear let us further consider but how we use our own houses, wherein we dwell in the tabernacle of this life, and which ought to be but as tents to be carried at our backs, 
Gen. 18.1.  to put us in mind of our pilgrimage: for if the matter of the Church cannot affect us nor touch us at the quick, yet shall it set forth our wickedness and enlarge our condemnation, that we esteem more of our own dwelling places, wherein we sleep to night, and to morrow are cast into the grave, then of that place wherein the Prince of heaven and earth taketh up his abode: how curious we are in scouring of our pots, in sweeping of our parlots, in plaiting of our garments, and tricking up ourselves nicely and garishly! yea no servants can please us, but such as wear out their knees in rubbing our houses; and how fearful and shameful a thing it is, that we make no account nor reckoning of that place where the whole Trinity should abide; that our houses shall be clean where only our dirty feet do tread, and out selves the uncleanest part of it; and that through our wretchedness and negligence in purging of ourselves, and cleansing of our souls, we are rather dens fit for the damned spirits, than temples meet for the holy Ghost to abide in? for if our hearts be once overgrown with the weeds of profaneness, idleness, covetousness, and such like, we may assuredly know, that God can have no room to dwell in such a soul.  
Further, from the Metaphor or borrowed speech (dwelleth,) note that there is a residence of the holy Ghost in all those that be his: so as it must not be a so iourning of the Lord with us, to come like a stranger for a night or for a meal, and away again, but he must be a household guest, to go in and out with us: so that we must know it is not every pang of conscience, or fit of prayer, or hanging down our heads for a day, whereby we are sometime perplexed and wringed with sorrow, that is the dwelling of the spirit in us, no more than was that fit of Balaam, (Numb. 23.10.) when he prayed that his soul might die the death of the righteous, and that his last end might be like his. Neither is this spirit known to be in thee by doing many good things: for Herod (Mark. 6.20.) did many things at the persuasion of john Baptist, yet was he a most cruel incestuous bloody tyrant: nor yet by leaving many evil things undone, for the very Heathen had many moral virtues which made them decline from many vi●●●. ●ut by this shalt thou know that thou hast this spirit, if a●●● 〈◊〉 ●●osseth and repugneth thy affections, if thy affections ●●e ●●t against it, but that in the meditation and purpose of sin thou please thyself, and take part with thy affections against God to fulfil it, as Balaam did, when by the proffer of riches (Num. 24.13.) he would feign have cursed where the Lord had blessed; it is certain this spirit of God abideth not there, but the devil.  
Lastly observe, since there is no hope of the resurrection, but so far as we are sealed in this life to that glory we shall have hereafter, by the earnest of God's spirit given unto us: we may truly say of the wicked, whom the Son never kissed, 
Psal. 2.12.  that when they die they go to the damned: for he that hath not his part of this spirit in this life, unless the Apostle be a liar, which were blasphemy to think, that man shall never have the glory of the life to come. And therefore such as do scorn and scoff at the servants of God, as Ishmael did at Isaac, 
Gen. 21.9.  calling them Men of the spirit, they do commit most sacrilegious scurrility, and in this state wherein they stand, they are as surely the devils as the devil is not Gods; yea, in this they do with their own mouths pronounce and subscribe to their own damnation: for the Apostle saith, we must have this spirit, else it is impossible to be saved.  
Hear it may be said: Since there is only joy and peace in the spirit, how is it that the wicked run on in the course of their life prosperously, and in the end of their days go away quietly: whereas the godly walk through many snares, and are in their life scratched as it were with many thorns, and in their death oft times are much troubled, and departed in great agonies. True it is, the wicked may perhaps die quietly, and to the sight of man comfortably, having (as job speaketh) no bands in their death: 
job. 21.13. Psal. 73.4.  but look thou judge him no more by his death than by his birth: for many women have had more easy travel of a reprobate, than an elected child of God: especially the cause of their quiet being, because hypocrisy hath put their consciences to silence here, that they may soon after roar out in hell: and there is such a crust grown upon their hearts, 
1. Tim. 42.  that they rot and fester within and feel it not: whereas in the elect the 〈…〉 is kept always open, and we cannot feel the least b●● 〈…〉 Lords displeasure but we are anguished, neither can we 〈◊〉 that we ever fear enough: which tender heart of a Christi●● is like the Adamant, to draw the oil of comfort into his soul, and to hasten and quicken the life of the spirit in him. Let us all therefore earnestly pray for this spirit; having obtained it, let us cherish and welcome it, so as it may take delight in us: for we all know it must one day come to this, In manas tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum, Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit: and it is now at this, In manas tuas (homo) commendo spiritum meum, Into thy hands (O man) I commit my spirit. And therefore as we will have the Lord gracious to our spirits at the latter day, so let us well use and entertain his spirit in this acceptable time, which vouchsafeth to dwell with us.   
ROM. chap. 8. vers. 12. 
verse 12 Therefore we are debtor, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.  
Upon that which went before, the Apostle inferreth a most vehement exhortation to this effect: that seeing Christ hath saved them, and freed them, not only from the condemnation of sin, but also from the power of sin, therefore the Lord doth indent with them, and in them with us all, not to merit salvation: but because salvation is already merited for us, to be engaged and obliged to the Lord; and that since he hath taken the hand writing away from Satan, 
Coloss. 2.14.  and hath canceled it in Christ, that therefore we should be debtor not to the flesh, but to the spirit.  
H●●reupon observe, that the greatest argument to per●● 〈◊〉 rather to enforce us to good works, is taken from 〈…〉 of our redemption: as appeareth by Saint Paul, who 〈◊〉 ●●●t argument (Rom. 12.1.) I beseech you by the mercies of God, that you give up your bodies a living Sacrifice unto the Lord: that since the Lord hath been so merciful unto you, as not to look upon your nakedness, but as you are clothed in Christ, you would therefore return unto him conformity of obedience, in sacrificing yourselves unto him. After the same manner doth Saint ●eter persuade (1. Pet. 2.11.) I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts. As if he should say: Since you are now a chosen generation, and a people set at liberty by the death of Christ, and by this means made Citizens of heaven, walk according to the laws of that heavenly city.  
Hear are they condemned, that say: If by doing good works we can deserve nothing, what heart can we have to do them? And since we are bought already, why should the Lord be twice satisfied? Whereto we answer, that though we can deserve nothing, 
Luk. 17.10.  yet by this means we show our thankfulness, in doing as much as we can; and though in all things we are unprofitable servants, yet must we be thankful for that which Christ hath done for us. And since Christ hath fully satisfied for us, it is not further required that we keep the law to satisfy it, but to testify our obedience and thanks, that we are made partakers of such grace, and have received so great a pardon. And so by this our working we declare our grateful minds to God the Son by whom we are redeemed, and to God the Father, to whom we are redeemed: for none of us can satisfy for that he hath broken: only Christ hath made up the breach, and broken down the wall that parted God and us: and therefore when we shall hereafter keep all the laws of God in heaven, it shall not be to satisfy for that we kept not in this life: for by doing but that we ought then to do, we cannot free ourselves from that pain we deserved for that we did not before.  
Here ariseth the difference between the law and the Gospel. The Law commands works to merit salvation: the Gospel because salvation is already merited, that therefore b●● 〈◊〉 good works we should testify that we are bound and 〈…〉 to the Lord.  
Hereupon note, that there is in the Gospel a double covenant: the first, of mercy: the second, of mortification. The covenant of mercy going first, which is, I will save thee, I will write my law in thine heart, 
jer. 31.31.  My soul shall delight in thee, Thou shalt be beloved, and such like gracious words and promises. Then followeth the covenant of mortification; Thou art saved, therefore live well, Thou art pardoned, therefore ●●fend no more: so as first we must be forgiven, 
john 5.14.  and then we become debtors. We are not then saved because we do good works, but we are saved, therefore this mercy of salvation maketh us fruitful in good works: as john 5.14. the sick man was not healed because he should sin no more: but thou art healed, therefore remember this mercy of the Lord, that thou do sin no more. So Luke 14.23. who be they that come to the wedding▪ Call (saith the King) the halt, the lame and the blind. So as such as are emptied of all opinion of all worthiness in themselves, and be stark beggars, must come; yet when they are come they must have the wedding garment: so as we are bid to come, not because we have the wedding garment, but because we are bid to come in the mercy of Christ, being beggars, we must strive to get that garment, that is, a good conversation. So Luk. 19.4. Zaccheus was not saved because he gave half of his goods to the poor: but Christ first spoke invisibly to his soul, to make him climb up to the tree, & being converted than he giveth, as testifying a fruit of mercy to others for the mercy himself received. So Lu. 7.41. in the speech of Christ of the two debtors, they were both forgiven, but who loved most? Peter could say, he that had most forgiven; and what made the debt forgiven, but the mere mercy and good will of the creditor? So as in that place of Luke, not because the woman loved much, 
Luke 7.47.  therefore was much forgiven her; but much was forgiven her, therefore she loved much: for where the mercy is great, there must our labour in mortification be great also. According to this it is said, Mat. 11.28. Come unto me all ye that are weary and laden, and I will ease you. But mark th●●stipulation and indenting of Christ with them again, ver. 29 ●ake up my yoke, and learn of me to be meek and lowly: that is, after this great mercy obtained, of disburdening you of that yoke which pressed your souls with discomfort even down to hell, return this fruit of thankfulness to God again: deny yourselves and your affections, and be you yoked to the obedience of the Gospel.  
Verse 13. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye mortify the deeds of the body by the spirit, ye shall live.  
Before the Apostle persuaded us by the benefit of our redemption which is wrought in Christ, to be humbled, and to acknowledge ourselves indepted unto Christ, that as by him we are saved f●●m Satan's tyranny, and freed from his slavish service: in acceptation of this liberty, we should show ourselves to serve God in righteousness and holiness of life. Now because this would not sufficiently subdue the rebellious disposition of hypocrites, and to stir up the dullness of God's weak children, he doth in this verse add a reason to make the former persuasion more forcible: first by a denunciation and peremptory speech to the hypocrites, that besides the plague of God inflicted upon them in this life, at the separation of the soul from the body, their souls shall be carried to the damned ghosts there to be reserved to the judgement of the great day: 
Jude 1.6.  secondly, by a provocation to the faithful, wherein he proposeth to them the hope of immortality.  
Understand generally, as all Scripture is earnest in persuading these two things, first, remission of our sins: secondly, repentance from our sins, according to the speech of S. john of blood and water, that is, the grace that pardoneth, and the grace that reneweth: so S. Paul is more precise in those two than any other, in urging grace and mere mercy, and nothing but faith in the point of our justification before God, and doth also urge pre●se mortification in ourselves, to show by our sanctified lives that we are sealed up to the day of redemption; that as Christ our Passeover was sacrificed for us, 
1. Cor. 5.7.  so we should keep a continual feast unto the Lord in the unleavened bread of a ●●●cere and sanctified life.  
Now with these two hath the wisdom of the world been greatly offended, and hath devised against them two errors: first, against mere mercy, Satan in his subtlety and enmity to man, hath stirred up the heresy of Pharisaical righteousness, joining merit with mercy: and secondly, against the strictness of mortification, he raised up the heresy of Libertines, that is, of them that maintain worldly profaneness and licentious looseness: so as one cries out, if there be nothing but mercy, than there need no repentance: and the other crieth out, since it is done by mercy, what need such strictness and preciseness in life? But howsoever these be laid as blocks to stumble at, 
Mat. 11.19.  wisdom will be justified of her children, and the latter ●●i●e shall not fall in vain upon the hearts of God's chos●●●. Yet whether the Gospel preach either of these, or both of them together, the hypocrites and profane worldlings will take occasion of offence: as john Baptist is too precise preaching repentance so earnestly. 
Mat. 11.18.19.  And if Christ be affable, gracious, and to be conversed with, then is he a friend of unrighteous persons. At john Baptist the Libertines, at Christ the pharisees be offended: so as whether john weep sorrow for sin, or Christ pipe deliverance from sin, neither of these can please the itching humours of wavering minded persons.  
In the words are comprehended first a commination or threatening to the wicked: secondly, a provocation or encouragement to the godly, by proposing a reward; and both being set down conditional in the word if, they compare contrary courses of life to contrary ends whereto they tend: the contrary courses are a bad or a good life: the contrary ends, a bad or a blessed end, expressed in these two words, they shall live, they shall die.  
What it is to walk after the flesh, appeareth Ephes. 2.3. to be, to follow the course of the world in fulfilling the lusts of the flesh, as to be as scoffing as Ishmael, as profane as Esau, 
Gen. 25.34. Exod. 4.21. 2. Tim. 4.10.  as hard hearted as Ph●●ach, and as covetous as Demas, that shook off Paul to embrace the world. And what it is to mortify the deeds of the flesh, is set down Galath. 5.24. to crucify the affections and lusts thereof, not utterly to abolish the very life of sin, and to strike it dead at the root, for that is the pattern of perfection we follow after, the goal we run at, and the victory we strive for: but he that ceaseth from performing and gratifiing his flesh in the desires thereof, though there remains some tang of corruption, that man may truly be said to mortify his flesh. And therefore understand a difference between sin in the reprobate and in the elect, by a natural proportion: as there is great difference between him that hath a strong body impotent in no part, but lively to perform all the actions of this life, and him that liveth, but hath received his death's wound, or is sick of a pi●●●●●onsumption: so in the wicked sin liveth a full life, and hath his full swinge to seek after all manner of evil, and increaseth daily without any declination at all, rising early and resting late, to fulfil the pleasures of the flesh: but in the godly sin liveth droupingly and languishingly, always holding down the head; for howsoever the elect do fall by infirmity, yet the principal purpose of their heart is to follow Christ, even in his afflictions, and so it is in them only a benumbed sin.  
For the contrary ends, which are set down in two words, they shall die, they shall live; it is not to be understood of any natural separation which is common to all in death, but of an utter separation after death from God's presence to be tormented in hell: and so of life, for to live in this place is meant to be saved, and to enter into the rest of God. Whereupon observe, that speaking properly the wicked never live, nor the godly never die, that is, die the death of deaths, as Christ speaketh, john 8.51. They shall never see death; for when, our breath shall leave our bodies, and we fall asleep, we shall behold the Lords arms stretched forth to embrace us and the heavens open to receive us, so as this kind of death is but an enlargement after a long imprisonment, and a landing at our own country after our tedious travel and troublesome pilgrimage in the sea of this world; which life in the godly is begun here by our enjoying of Christ, enlarged in death, when our souls shall live a more blessed life, and perfected at the last day, when we shall have absolute joy without diminution in eternity. Even so is the death of the wicked, begun here in their impenitency in sin, increased when they are in part tormented after this life, and then made a living death, when at the last they are thrown from God for ever.  
If ye live after the flesh, etc. In these words the Apostle is precise for works: and why? because it cannot be otherwise, but that we walking as ordinary men, and after the custom of the world, must needs be damned. First, take for a ground, that (which is vers. 8. of this chapter) They that are in the flesh cannot please God; which he proveth by matching of contraries: for they that are in the flesh savour the things of the ●●●as they that be in the spirit savour the things of the spirit: and that savour of the flesh is death. He yieldeth a reason: why? because the wisdom of the flesh is enmity to God; not an enemy to God, for then there might be a reconciliation: but the Apostle speaketh in the abstract quality (enmity) as a vicious man may become virtuous, and we of enemies are made friends with God, but vice can never become virtue, nor enmity amity. The like speech is used of God himself in his curse of the Serpent, Genes. 3.15. I will set enmity between thee and the woman, that is, such hatred and debate as shall never be appeased. Now why this flesh is enmity with God, he giveth a reason, because it is not subject to the law of God as the spirit is, neither can be, as the spirit cannot but be: for we must walk in all the commandments of the Lord without exception, though not with perfection: even as it is said, 1. john 3.6. They that are of God cannot sin: that is, deliberately continue in any sin. Now who they be that are in the flesh, we must learn by the contrary, that is, they that are not in the spirit: as vers. 9 of this chapter: Ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit: and who is not in the spirit? he that is not led by the spirit of Christ. And who is he? He that walketh not according to that spirit: that is, if he live in the spirit a life invisible, he must show it by the effect of visible motions; and he that walketh according to the conversation of the flesh doth it not. And this appeareth, Gal. 5.24. All that are Christ's have crucified the affections of the flesh: and who are said to do this? 1. Pet. 4.1.2. they that suffer in the flesh; and who so suffereth in the flesh ceaseth from sin: so as to come back again the same way we went; if thou hast not ceased from sin, thou hast not suffered in the flesh; if thou hast not suffered in the flesh, thou hast not crucified the flesh; if thou hast not crucified the flesh, thou hast walked in the flesh; if thou hast walked in the flesh, thou hast not been led by the spirit; if thou hast not been led by the spirit, thou hast not the spirit; if thou hast not the spirit, thou art in the flesh, that is, drenched and drowned in the flesh: for it is one thing to have flesh in thee, and another thing for thee to be in the flesh; for all have flesh in them, that i●, infirmities; but to be in the flesh, is to be in Simon Magus case, in the gall of bitterness, Act. 8.23. and in the bond of iniquity: and in Eylmas case, Act. 13.10. full of subtlety and mischief, the child of the devil, and an enemy of all righteousness; and if thou art in the flesh, thou art already in condemnation. Now I little doubt, but every wicked man desireth to be saved: but they endeavour it not, no otherwise than Balaam did, (Nu. 23.10.) who could wish to die the death of the righteous, but never endeavoured to live their life.  
Further to prove the precise necessity of mortification, look 1. john 3.7. Let no man deceive you: he beginneth with a preoccupation to possess their minds before hand: He that doth righteousness (saith he) is righteous, not he that can discourse and talk of righteousness: and therefore one saith truly, Tace lingua, loquerevita, talk not of a good life, but let thy life speak. This the Apostle there proveth by the contrary: for he that committeth sin is of the devil: that is, he that committeth f●●●● the world doth, and doth not purge himself: for the Apostle opposeth sinning to purging; and he that is of the devil cannot please God. For therefore was Christ sent to destroy the works of the devil: so as if these works be not destroyed in thee, and his building pulled down, Christ was never sent unto thee. Again he proveth it by the contrary: He that is borne of God doth not sin, for he hath the seed of the spirit: therefore it is as if he should say: when such wicked men shall be saved, the devil shall be saved. This is further proved by the words which Christ himself spoke in the flesh, joh. 8.34. He that so sinneth as to make a trade of it, he is the servant of the devil, vers. 44. and if no chastisements nor benefits can reclaim you, ye are the devils: for the lusts of your father ye will do. Lastly, add to this, that of the new covenant made with Israel, and so with us: jer. 31.31. I will write my law in their hearts, verse. 33. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. So as if God pardoneth any, he doth promise him grace to amend his life; and if that grace be denied him, he never covenanted to save him. The covenant than implieth thus much: If thou hast not grace to abstain from gross sins thou shalt be damned; and if thou hast the grace of sanctification given thee, thou shalt be saved.  
But if ye mortify the deeds of the flesh by the spirit, etc.  
This is the second proposition which the Apostle layeth down, 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 fulfil the lusts of the flesh: for 2. Tim. 2.20.21. Paul showing, how that in a great house there be vessels some for honour and some for dishonour, some for base and some for higher services, which house he meaneth to be the Church of God, saith, that if any man purge himself, he shall be a fit vessel for God's house: and 1. joh. 5.18. He that is begotten of God, keepeth himself from that wicked one, (which is the devil) that he touch him not. Which places may seem to attribute the purifying and cleansing of ourselves to ourselves, by our own inclinations and wills: but it must be understood, that the Scripture in these and such like places, setteth not down 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 give you a new heart and a new spirit: so as there it must be had, even of God; but it must be in us, otherwise we pertain not to the Lords election. Hereupon the Scripture vouchsafeth us that honour to say we do it, because notwithstanding the reforming of our judgements, and the changing of our affections is wrought by the supernatural power of the holy Ghost working in us, yet this holy Ghost doth work in us as the subjects, and by us 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 whatsoever is written in our hearts is ours. To make this more plain by a natural proportion: As a man that rectifieth and guideth the hand of a child to write, the writing is said to be the work of the child, and not of him that directed him, though without such direction the child could not have done it: even so the Lord doth guide us in all things we do well; and what doth he guide but our wills? so as the work proceeding from our wills is ours, yet without the guide of the spirit we could not do it. And in this working there is not a double effect, one of the holy Ghost, and another of ourselves, but we do; it even as before there were not two writers, though the child was directed, but the child only writ it.  
Secondly, where it is said, If ye mortify, etc. ye shall live, it may be demanded, whether by the same reason we deserve salvation by this mortifying of our fleshy as by walking in the flesh we deserve damnation. It is certain, unless we do well we can not be saved; yet the holy Ghost showeth, that there is not the same perfection to do well in our natures, as there is in us agility and dexterity to follow wickedness. For by our fall we are thoroughly 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 never perfectly be renewed. It sufficeth we have obtained the blessing of jacob, Gen. 32.28.29. to have such power from God as to be lame in sin all our life long. So Paul (Rom. 6.23.) saith: The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ: whereby appeareth that the contraries themselves are not perfect: for sin of itself deserveth death, but being good of itself deserveth not life, for it is the gift of God, and so the consequents of these two cannot be perfect and agree together.  
Again, it is one question to ask, who shall be saved; and another to ask, how we shall be saved: for true it is, that none shall be saved but they that mortify themselves if they live: and for children, they are changed in a moment by a supernatural power of the Lord. As it is said Esa. 33.14. Who shall dwell with the devouring fire? He that walketh in justice and speaketh righteous things, refusing the gain of oppression, shaking his hands from taking of gifts, stopping his ears from hearing of blood, and shutting his eyes from seeing of evil. And David (Psal: 15.1.) asketh the question, and bringeth in the Lord to answer it: Who shall dwell in thy tabernacles He that walketh uprightly, 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 have an exclusive nature.) So if it be asked, who they be that shall be set at the right hand of God in heaven? 
Mat. 25.34.41.  it must be answered: They that visit the members of Christ in affliction, and lead their lives answerable to their religious profession. And if, Who they be that shall be set on the left hand? the answer is: They that refuse to relieve the Saints of God, and put religion on their faces as a mask to hide the foul deformity & hypocrisy of their hearts. Therefore upon the question demanded, Whether more in number shall be saved or damned, Christ resolveth it Luk. 13.25. showing that some shall have bestowed such pains, and walked so far in the course of Christianity, as even to knock at heaven gates, and to challenge the Lord to let them in, and yet he shall not know them: that whatsoever profession they have made in the face of the world, as to come before the Lord as a p●●ple, yet because they have not lived as a people, he will not acknowledge them. So as true it is, that none shall enjoy the presence of the Almighty, but they that have their lamps burning at the hour of their death: 
Mat. 25.10.  none but they that have their foundation settled upon the rocks, 
Mat. 7.25.  as not to be shaken with the blast of any persecution: none but they who like faithful servants by spiritual traffic have employed their talents to their Lord's advantage: 
Luk. 19.24.  none but they that are able to testify by the fruits of the spirit, that they have the spirit. But upon demand how we shall be saved, our answer is: Only by the blood of Christ, as the cause and effectual means thereof: for heaven is given operantibus, non operibus, to workers, not to works: as 2. Cor. 5.10. The Lord shall give to every man according as he hath wrought; not for that he hath wrought: & Heb. 13.21. none shall see God without a pure conversation, but not because of his pure conversation; for though we must be perfect in works, yet this working must be wrought in us by God, as the Apostle there speaketh. So likewise none but the obedient child shall be heir, not because he is obedient, but because he is heir, and yet only the obedient child shall receive the inheritance. And even as we adore and worship jesus Christ man, but not his humanity, Hominem non humanitatem: so holiness of life, speaking in the abstract quality, doth not save, but holy men shall be saved: so faith and works in the person justified must concur; but in the matter of justification, faith only and alone hath the place. If therefore it be demanded whether works be necessary to justification: we answer, yea, as absolutely necessary in their place as faith: for we can not assure ourselves of faith, but by the visible fruit of works; so as they be not Concausae, causes concurring and jumping together, but they are Consectaria, consectaries and consequents of faith.  
Vers. 14. For as many as are led by the spirit of God, they are the sons of God.  
This is a confirmation of the reason before going, on both parts: for, as many as mortify the flesh by the spirit, are the sons of God, and they that do not so are the sons of the devil. So the force of the argument is, they that are Gods sons are led to mortify the flesh, and being his sons, they are inheritors of heaven: and this the Apostle assumeth and taketh as granted, that the sons of God must needs have eternal life. Whereupon the contrary proposition is true; he that lives after the flesh, is not the son of God, for if he were he would live after the spirit: but he that doth not mortify the flesh hath not the spirit, therefore he is not the son of God. Hereupon followeth, if they be sons and not Gods, they are as Christ speaketh john 8.44. the children of the devil. Wherein we learn, that if we be asked by what title and interest we can challenge or lay claim to heaven, it is by none but by this, that we are the sons of God, and we are his sons only by adoption, and we are adopted to it only in the natural heir and son of God Christ jesus, by whose blood we are justified, and sanctified by his spirit. Being then adopted to this inheritance as heirs, we are not borne to it, for adoption excludeth birth, being not borne to it, it is purchased for us in the obedience of Christ: we must learn then to resemble Christ in being obedient to the will of God as he was, and show forth and express our obedience by keeping his commandments, 
Mat. 26.42.  and keep them by leaving of gross sins, and walking according to his will, with a full purpose of our hearts to perform it, always excepting our infirmities and inborn weakness, which cleave so fast to us as we cannot shake them off, nor be delivered of them till we overcome all in death. Having then no title to heaven but by inheritance, nor no title to this inheritance but by Christ, there is excluded all merits to deserve it: and only because we are to be saved we must do well; for it is given us as the inheritance of children, and not as any stipendiary wages of a mercenary man. hereupon we must wisely understand, that when Christ saith, Mat. 25.35. Come ye blessed, etc. for ye have relieved the poor, etc. that this relieving of the poor, and such other works of faith and love there mentioned, are not set down as causes of blessedness, for these speeches (for) and (because) do not always infer and bring in a cause, but they are such words and particles as sometime join the cause with the effect, and sometime the effect with the cause: as when we say, it is spring time, for it blossoms; not that the blossoms are the cause of the spring, but an effect and evidence that the spring is come. So when we say, he hath a soul because he breatheth, and yet the soul is the cause of breath, and breathing but an effect of the soul: even so when Christ saith, come and receive a kingdom, for ye have done such and such particular works of love, it is only a knitting of the effect with the cause: for God having preelected or chosen us before all worlds to this salvation, giveth us this his spirit, by whose power and virtue we work these good things. And in this kind and phrase of speech the cause is joined with the effect, as if it should be said, Come you that have relieved the poor, that have comforted the distressed, that have sorrowed with the afflicted, receive the kingdom, for it is your inheritance. So as the speech of Christ hath this meaning in it, You have done good works to testify my kingdom to be yours, come take the inheritance prepared for you in the preelection of God, for you are the inheritors of heaven, because of these fruits and effects which you have showed in comforting the afflicted members of Christ. We may not take it then that heaven which is the inheritance of the saints, is given for any desert; for when we have attained to the highest degree of mortification, and have done all that we can, we are as Christ saith, but unprofitable servants. 
Luk. 17.10.  True (say the Papists) unprofitable to God, but not to ourselves. A miserable evasion of a sottish distinctio●●● for the scope of Christ is in that place to prove from the less to the greater negatively, that if such servants whose life and death were in their master's hands, (as bondmen were in those times) doing their duties and service never so well, cannot deserve so much as thanks at their master's hands, much less that they should emancipate and set themselves free, and much less to be their master's heirs: then much less (since there is no comparison between God in heaven and man on earth) can we deserve at the hands of God, lying in the uncleanness of our first birth, and overgrown with sins as we have grown in years, to be sanctified by his spirit in this life, and glorified by himself in the life to come, for there is no bondman so enthralled to his master as we are to God, even in respect of our first creation, when we carried the glory of his image in our face, and had as it were the crown of innocency set upon our heads, and yet we wilfully ran from him to our shame, till he returned us again in his love: so as now all that we do is duty and not desert: and why should he receive thanks that doth but what we ought? Yea (say the Papists) but yet we deserve something, because we are not unprofitable to ourselves. Absurd: for what master will think himself beholden to that servant, who by his service only enricheth himself and bringeth no commodity to his master? And yet by the meaning of the Papists, because we get something under God and by his service, God must be indebted to us. But hereupon we say, that true it is, we are not unprofitable to ourselves: for in Christ, not only the person but the work also is accepted, and the person only in respect he is adopted, and this adoption is only in Christ; but yet so, as we never have God beholden to us. Therefore when he saith, Come good servant and faithful, 
Mat. 25.21.  enter into thy master's joy: it is true, that the Lord doth recompense the using of our talents well; but this is so far as we are justified and are his sons: so as first he loveth the person, and then the work; and if he did not accept the justification of the person, he would disavow the work: but being his chldrens, though we are far from doing that we ought, yet as a kind and loving father he accepteth it pleasingly.   
ROM. chap. 8. vers. 15. 
verse 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage to fear again, but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Father.  
IN this verse, and that which followeth, the Apostle doth confirm that he set down before, namely, that we are entitled to eternal life by inheritance; and to confirm and ratify that unto us, we have this privilege to be God's sons, and so heirs of heaven. The arguments he useth be two: first, ye have received that spirit whereby God doth witness that he doth accept you as his children in his natural Son Christ jesus. And to prove we have this spirit of a doption, he doth it by the contrary: for, saith he, like bondslaves ye do not now fear the ghastly looks of the tormenter, nor ye have not now that hellish horror and fearful apprehension of God's judgements, whereby Satan useth to whip men's consciences, nor ye have not that loud alarm of the kill law sounding in your ears, and seizing upon your souls to affright you. Secondly, in the verse following, he proveth it by a double testimony: first, of God's spirit which witnesseth this unto us, and which were blasphemy to think it could suggest false things: and secondly, by our own spirit, which may assure ourselves of it, by our godly and holy conversation.  
By the spirit of bondage, in this place is meant the holy Ghost, who by the instrument of the kill letter, that is, the law, doth propose and set down such a condition of obedience, to which we are obliged and bound by our creation, and yet are now utterly disabled by our corruption to perform it: so as it is impossible to be kept, and yet aught to be kept, and layeth such a burden upon us, as neither we nor our first parents were ever able to bear, since they declined from the estate wherein they were at first created. Whereupon this spirit of God by this means setting the law before us as a glass, wherein we may behold ourselves, conumceth the conscience, of the good not done, and of the evil that is done: thereby showing, that no flesh can by this be justified before God; and showeth and setteth before our eyes not only the sin, but the vengeance which the sin draws after it: so as our conscience can not be but grievously wounded with that hellish horror we have voluntarily made ourselves subject unto. Now on the contrary, the spirit of adoption is that work of the holy Ghost, whereby the incomprehensible love of God in his Son is powered into our hearts, that he doth avow and know us for his children, so far as we are not now bondmen to fear the performance of that impossible condition proposed by the law: but we are hereby assured, that what the law commandeth, this spirit will either enable us to perform, or dispense and bear with our imperfections in not doing it with that perfection it requireth, and so by consequent we ascertain ourselves that we are the sons of God.  
The parts herein to be observed are two: there being set down an opposing of a double spirit of contrary natures, working contrary effects according to their natures. The effect of the first being a dreadful and fearful expectation of endless and hellish torments: the effect of the other being a comfortable security, and breeding a heavenly hope, that we shall be blessed of the Lord; out of which as out of a root springeth and ariseth cheerful obedience to God our Father, the other enforcing us only through fear to love God as bondslaves.  
Herein is questionable, whether by this spirit of bondage here spoken of, is meant the spirit of Satan, or the holy Ghost, that should thus terrify and affright us. But note, it must be understood of God's spirit, which is the author of working holy despair, and by consequent of terror, and is an occasion of despair in the wicked: and this is as proper for the spirit of God, as to offer the sweet comfort of Christ's bitter passion unto us. For by this means and manner of terrifying, it bringeth both the elect and the reprobate to despair, but to a divers end. For the elect in this sort: that showing it impossible and past our power to perform the law, even as impossible as to build a tower to the heavens, or to remove a promontory with our finger, it bringeth us to a holy despair in our selves in respect of our own deserts: thereby driving us to seek to cover our nakedness with the robes of our elder brother Christ jesus, and to remedy and cure our unrighteousness in the righteousness of the blood of Christ. So as with the hearers of Peter, (Act. 2.37.) the law ●●ging and pricking our consciences, we shall cry out in a holy distrust of ourselves: What shall we do? And this kind of despair pr●pareth us to salvation: for the spirit showeth us our poverty, and where to buy gold that shall cost us nothing: it showeth us our wretchedness, that have nothing but rags to put on, and withal the wardrobe of Christ's righteousness, where we shall have garments fit for the Saints of God: it showeth our Apostasy, how we have fallen, and by our fall have even broken and cut as it were our own throats, and sendeth us to the Physician Christ, who is only good at such a desperate disease: it showeth our blindness, and withal the eye-salve of the holy Ghost to clear us: 
1. joh. 2.20.  it showeth us our debt and the sergeant the devil ready to arrest us, and then sends us to the God of heaven, in whose hands is all treasure to discharge what we own: it showeth us how we stand upon the scaffold ready for the hatchet, and then out of this astonishment sendeth us an absolute pardon from heaven sealed with the blood of Christ, and subscribed with Gods own hand. So as it teacheth us only to mistrust and despair in ourselves, and to seek to be relieved and refreshed with that water of life, whereof having once drunk, we shall never thirst again. 
john 4.34.   
Howbeit on the contrary, this same spirit bringeth the wicked into a sense and feeling of this same horror, and leaveth them in the astonishment of their conscience, so as Satan continually hath their sins to scourge them with, and their corruptions wherewithal to upbraid them. And the cause why they be left in this hellish plight, and suffered to be thus perplexed and tormented of themselves, is their own infidelity, that they have stopped their ears against that comfortable sound of the Lords mercy, and so poisoned their hearts with sin, that the power of the word could not work upon them: and so the Lord most justly hath hardened them in their irksome and tedious hypocrisy, that the sins they commit should be the punishments of sins past, and the deserts of punishments that are to come. And as to that, that the holy Ghost working this same fear and terror in the hearts and consciences both of the elect and of the wicked, and should leave the reprobate even when they are brought to the depth of despair, it were blasphemy to say or think, that he doth it for and to the same end tha●●● than doth: for Satan doth it to prove God a liar, as that being in that case it were not possible for God to save them; whereas the mercy of the Lord is above all his works. But the spirit of God doth this, that God may be justified in the just hardening of that man's heart whom he found sinful, and whom he was not bound to save; and so his end is to take vengeance of his hypocrisy: for the Lord is as jealous of his justice, as he is of his mercy. Satan promiseth salvation to whom God pronounceth damnation, and lulleth them in security whom he findeth careless to watch over their steps, never greatly troubling or moving any of his own, till they come to such a deep exigent, and to such a narrow pinch even to hell's mouth, that they cannot go from him, & then they taste even of hell fire in this life, and feel a fearful beginning of that shall never have end. Now God threateneth damnation to all; to his elect, that they may seek and hasten to be shrouded under the shadow of Christ's wings, and to feel the virtue of the hem of his garment: to the reprobate, that they may be the more hardened, 
Mat. 14.36.  because it is in the corruption of their own hearts, that they heave refused the acceptable time of grace, and rejected the pearl which they might have bought.  
It will be said: But why should the holy Ghost leave them in this despair? He is not properly the author of despair, but if the reprobate being brought to this be not recovered, it cometh of his own wickedness. As for example, a man showeth unto a triator his indignity, and having done this, with great and vehement passions he showeth him the detestation and ugliness of his offence, and leaveth him with some doubt and scruple of conscience as amazed at his own wickedness: if the traitor upon this make himself away by violence as judas did, he 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: he was the cause and means of making him to be afraid and angry with himself only, and that was lawful: so the holy Ghost by laying open the riches of God's mercy at the first, thine own wilful rebellion to forsake him, 
Rom. 7.12.23.  his giving of thee a law to bridle thee, and the h●● and fervency of thy corruption to break through all laws, worketh this terror in thy heart that art a reprobate, and showeth as it were before thee the smart and execution of thy sin. If now thou despairest and restest there, the cause is in thyself, for thou sawest light and lovedst it not, and heardest the sound of retreat, and yet weatest on to thine own destruction. Further, this spirit of God is not the author of despair as it is despair, for a man should never despair of God's 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 showed his judgement on them by giving them thus over to this sin. So despair in the reprobate, wrought by the wickedness of their hearts, is after this sort revenged by the spirit, in giving them over to the extremity of this sin; so as it cometh from the spirit not as an evil author, but as a just revenger of their former sins.  
Now the instruments the spirit of God useth to bring and persuade the conscience to fear damnation, are two: first, the law natural, for in the nature of every man something is engrafted and written of every sin▪ that howsoever it be acted and performed with pleasure, yet even in nature it endeth and is left with remorse, which doth show that there is a God to punish it. This was that which made the heathen to have an apprehension and understanding of infernal furies, as that for some sins they should be so exagitated and tormented with them as they could have no rest. For this cause they termed them by special names, as the fury of Nemesis, that should plague the proud man: Eumenides, because she was implacable and would not be entreated: Allecto, because it was a torment that never ceased: Alasto, that should pursue the vengeance as never to be forgotten: Tisiphone, that took vengeance upon murderers yea almost for every sin committed they had a several fury, which was thought to punish it. Yea by this very light of nature they likewise imagined some of these furies to burn the of fendours with torches, some to sting with Adders. And what be these furies, saith the Philosopher? Nothing else but Suae quemque exagitant furiae, that is, Every man is tormented with his own fury, which is his conscience: the property whereof, is to present thy sin before thy f●ce, that out of thine own mouth thou mayest ●ee judged: yea the heathen had such a deep impression of these tortures, as committing some foul and heinous fact, without some expiation or sacrifice they thought they should never be in quiet.  
But the greatest instrument, which is the second that the spirit useth to strike fear into the soul and conscience, is the law written, which is a dead letter, and such a sentence that for desert pronounceth damnation as oft as we read it: which we must needs conceive to be so, if we consider that the least bad thought is damnation, though it be not coupled with consent to bring forth an actual fruit of sin. What then? Is the preaching of the law the worker of this terror? And are some by the book of nature so exagitate and troubled with furies, as they cannot rest when they have slipped into some sin: and yet shall there be some in these days that are so frozen in Atheism, and so overgrown in the weeds of Popery▪ and so possessed with the power of the devil, that they are not once touched or pricked in their hearts for their horrible sins, but that living as devils, they hope to be saved as Saints? Indeed it is not be doubted, but that now there is greater Atheism in some, and less sorrow and remorse for sin in others, than was in the heathen, and yet it was the just judgement of God then (as Paul saith) to give up the heathen into a reprobate sense, 
Rom. 1.28.  that they might receive in themselves such recompense of their error as was meet; and therefore much more in vengeance doth the Lord deliver up these men to be beguiled of their own fancies, and to become senssesse in their own sins since they profit not by this book of the written law, pronounced by the Lords own mouth, and delivered by the Lords own hand, the truth whereof ought not to be called in question, though these men really confute it by their lives, thinking there is no Christ to save, nor God to punish, nor conscience to accuse, nor devil to torment, but with scurrility do scorn at the wholesome disease of tenderness and terror of conscience, which they themselves at their separation shall find so great, as neither themselves can still, neither in truth can it be stilled. And howsoever many peradventure have commanded their conscience to be silent, and put away the evil day far from them, and think themselves safe enough if they may be let alone till the last day, yet we have seen some of the eldest sons of Satan, after a long and tedious hypocrisy wherein they were fallen asleep, to have been so fearfully astonished in the end, and plunged and cast down into so deep despair, as they even seemed to hear the very echo of the damned spirits, which is a most hideous and terrible sound in the ears of the most carnal man that is, and could by no means be comforted or any whit eased, but have either hanged themselves as judas did, or otherwise died in a sense of hellish torment in this life. For as in a seared piece of flesh there is always left in the top some crust, but under that there is ever some pregnant sense: so if the Lord once pair away from the soul that is cauterized and crusted, then is the fear and terror of those men greater, for they feel the flame of the Lords indignation, which the elect never do, having by a sanctified wisdom prevented this extremity, by seeking remedy in Christ, who giveth and never upbraideth:  
Now to prove that the Law is such a dead letter, as being rightly understood it is impossible to keep thyself from despair, in respect of any thing which in thine own person thou canst deserve: observe, that this law of God teacheth, that lust in thy heart is absolute adultery, 
Mat. 5.22.28.  and that anger in heart is flat murder; wherein it goeth beyond and surpasseth all the laws of any earthly Prince, which free the heart and extend only to the act: whereas this law bindeth both the outward man from working, and the inward man from compassing mischief. Now if thou come to weigh and examine thyself in this balance, and take this law for a touchstone, to try whether thou be'st gold or dross, thou shalt find thyself too light & but refuse: for who can say, I have not offended? who can say, I am not crazed? nay whatever thou art, thou canst not clear thy heart of these & such like passions of heat betokening wrath, and of corrupt thoughts bewraying thy unclean heart. But if thou enter into this consideration, that though thou think of such things, and thy heart reproves thee, yet that in the strict construction of this law, if thou hast but a wandering or wanton thought, in the preciseness thereof thou shalt be damned, for all and every particular power both of body and soul ought to be taken up for Christ, and wholly used to his glory, so as if thou callest in doubt the truth of the Scripture, though thy heart abhorreth it, it is damnation. If thou examine thyself according to this rule, and yet escapest from the sight of despair, it is hard, nay it is impossible, for this is the sharpest edge of the law, and the most fretting corrosive that eats out the dead flesh of our sinful hearts, that sounds the bottom of man's vast soul, and toucheth the sins that lie between the skin and the bones. Since for our very thoughts alone by the tenth commandment without consent we are culpable of judgement, which S. Paul (Rom. 7.7.) expresseth by speaking in his own person, I had not known lust, that is, the fountain and seat whence lust doth spring, except the Law had said, Thou shalt not lust.  
Hear than we must needs confess, since this aught to be every man's examination, that if we do not examine ourselves after this sort formerly set down, it is a sign we have not this spirit of adoption, because we have not had the spirit of bondage. Now this is no examination of ourselves to live morally, as to receive the testimony of men that we are honest, in giving perhaps a groat to the poor, and pardoning the forfeiture of an obligation, and such like, and yet not stick to profane God's sabbath, to contemn his messengers, to pour out oaths, by Faith, which includeth the whole blessed Trinity, and say it is nothing: by the Mass, that most execrable idol, and say it is sworn out of the country. Can a man think himself rich that is indebted to all the world, and hath nothing wherewithal to pay them? And can such men that be very beasts and without sense before God, esteem themselves virtuous and religious because they are only highly praised of men? They see not their own estate, because they have not examined themselves according to the former rule. When a man hath swept his chamber he thinks all is clean, but when the Sun cometh it showeth many a mote he could not before spy out: so if the spirit would once shine into these men's consciences, they should see not only motes, but most deformed and enormous sins in their hearts. And how frivolous is it to stand upon man's witness without religion, which pierceth and looketh into the soul? For otherwise, he that thinketh himself in best health carrieth his death's wound in his bosom. The basest gold is better than the purest led; and the greatest imperfections of God's children, better than the highest virtues of the wicked, and never shall they be exalted that have not before been humbled. The law is a hammer not only to bruise the conscience, but to break it into powder; which if it be not done, we shall never have the spirit of adoption to seize upon us. The law commands, but giveth no power to obey; and is as if we should say to a beggar: Buy such a manor, when he hath never a penny to help himself, nor yet we give him any money to do it: even so, purchase heaven with thy works, saith the law, and yet knows we are spoiled of all ability, and doth not enable us to do such works: all one, as if we should say to one, hold up the heavens with thy finger, and yet give him no strength to do it: or as if we should say to the blind, see, it is comfortable; and to the deaf, hear, it is profitable; and yet give them no means whereby they should do these. So the law is but a dead letter, and hath but a doleful and dreadful sound, until the spirit come and arm us with power and ability to perform what the law requireth.  
Lastly, where it is said, 
Luk. 15.21.  Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again, observe, that all that are converted, and with the lost son are come home again, have been once brought to a terror and fright of conscience: which hath been after a divers measure: for the Lord keeps some longer in the school of the law then he doth others, according as he findeth their hearts and dispositions inclinable to stoop and to be humbled, or else for example sake, as seemeth best to the Lord. But yet every one of God's childs must come to this: that is, (Act. 2.37.) being moved and pricked in conscience, to say and cry out, What shall I do to be saved? I see my debt, where shall I get surety? I perceive my nakedness, where shall I be covered? I am fallen, how shall I be recovered? And being touched in their hearts, if they fall not into that exclamation, then as it is said of Ely his sons, (1. Sam. 2.25.) they obeyed not because the Lord would slay them: so for these men to be baked in their sins, and to see their destruction and not to shun it, and by this means to despair finally, is the just judgement of God, that he may be avenged of their great hypocrisy, for mercy offered and refused or set light by, doubleth the punishment. Even as in this nation by the blessed preaching of the Gospel, Satan is cast out in the general profession of the Land: if now he labour to creep in again by hypocrisy, and make us think religion to rest in shows, and consist in ceremonies, growing more lean and ill-favoured after we have devoured so many years of store and plenty in preaching the word, we do err in our hearts, and do arm our enemy against us, who at his reentrance will bring seven spirits worse than he did before, 
Luk. 11.25.  and will so fortify his habitation with hypocrisy, and other great and monstrous sins, as there shall be more profaneness in this nation then ever there was before.  
But ye have received the spirit of adoption. In this the Apostle proveth that we are the Sons of God, because we are so adopted in the everlasting grace of his blessed Son. And to prove we have this spirit, he doth it by the contrary, thus: we are delivered from the spirit of fear, and redeemed into such a Christian liberty, as we now love God not for fear, but fear him for his love. 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, even as children before their parents, to crave pardon for our sins.  
For the first: this spirit is the holy Ghost, assuring us by the word of grace, that is, the Gospel, that the Lord hath avowed us for his children in that one and best beloved Son of his Christ jesus; so that no extremities of this life, nor sorrows of death, nor sin itself shall be able to over whelm us. Therefore it is said in the Scriptures, that the holy Ghost setteth a seal upon the heart of his elect, 
Ephes. 1.13.  and writeth a deed in their consciences, which is but a draft of that original deed, which is in heaven in the book of the Lords government. And this is sealed unto us by the finger of the spirit, to free it from the forgery of Satan, and by this evidence we make our title to the kingdom of heaven. 
●. Cor. 5.5.  Also it is called an earnest penny, because as in contracts by giving a penny in earnest the party is obliged and bound to pay the rest: so this being as it were the first fruits of the spirit, the Lord doth assure us, that as verily as we have received thus much in hand in this vale of misery, so this shall be a pawn and pledge unto us, that he will give us the rest in the fu●●e●●● 〈◊〉 is glory, under which assurance we rest and lie down in hope with joy unspeakable. And as the first fruits in the law made the whole crop holy, so this spark of the Lords grace, being kindled and set on fire in us, doth embolden us to an expectation of the full enjoying of our whole Lord Christ jesus.  
This testimony oft times is very weak, especially when Satan doth sift and winnow us as he did Peter, 
Luk. 17.5.  so as we had need to pray with the disciples, Lord increase our faith. Yet as a prisoner in a dark dungeon seeing but the Sun at a little grate, doth know and believe that the Sun shineth upon the whole earth: so though we be shackled and imprisoned in this flesh as in a dungeon, that we are not able to behold the Sunshine of the Lord in full measure, which is the Sun of light and of life, yet we have such a glimpse as we cannot be persuaded but it shineth upon our souls. And as the child in the mother's womb stirring never so weakly, yet even by that feeble motion she is assured that it hath life; so the least light of the Sun of righteousness is most sweet & comfortable unto us. Which doctrine as it ministereth and bringeth consolation to a weak soul, so must it be as a sharp spur unto us, that this righteousness may be increased, and that this spirit of God may delight to dwell in us, that we being grounded, and growing daily in a persuasion of God's love towards us, it may enforce us to love him more and more: and the strength and perfection of this love, may and aught to make us resist and shun all contrary means, whereby our increase and growth in faith may be hindered. And because this spirit of the Lords adoption is inward and can not be perceived; & that many be deluded by Satan's subtlety, and forgery, foisting and thrusting in another deed than ever God gave us, especially working upon the weak heart of man, which being fraught and full of self-love, is easily persuaded of any good to itself: therefore we must learn how to discern whether it be the true evidence of God's spirit or no which we have within us. And for that the Apostle here setteth down one effect and fruit of this spirit for all: that is, that there is a confidence of any good conscience to come boldly before the Lord, as a child before his father, to prefer our suits unto him, and to offer up our prayers upon the golden altar, 
Revel. 8.3.  that is the mediation of Christ, by whose means and through whose obedience and suffering they shall savour before the Lord as a sweet incense, and the Lord shall put into them daily a new incense by the spirit, assuring us more and more of his loving fauor● and we shall not hide ourselves and run away when we are called, 
Gen. 3.8.  as Adam did, but being disburdened of that which doth press us down from the presence of God, we shall come cheerfully before him, and joy ourselves, in that the Lord will look so pleasingly upon us, Other effects of this spirit, and yet arising from the former, are these: If the spirit work in us the same affection towards God, that nature doth produce in children toward their parents: as first to love God: secondly, to fear him: thirdly, to reverence him: four, to be obedient to him: fifthly, to be thankful to him; all which virtues be in good children, who do always acknowledge all they have to proceed from their father, as the special instrument from God: and if we have & bear these affections to God our father, as to love him for his mercies, to fear him for his love, to reverence him for his goodness, to obey him for his greatness, and to be thankful to him for his kindness, then may we assure ourselves, that we have the spirit of adoption, sealed up in us for our salvation.  
In that we cry Abba Father, learn, that no obstinate or resolute sinner persisting deliberately in his sin, and his heart delighting in it, can once open his mouth to pray, nor never did pray. The like whereof may be said of the hypocrite: for though they may falsely persuade themselves, that offering up a few words in form of a prayer, it is sufficient to purge the uncleanness of their lives, and that impudently and in presumption they may call God, Father, when their hearts be impure and unclean: yet (john 8.44.) Christ calleth them the children of their father the devil. And though Satan may persuade an obstinate and wilful sinner as he did Hovah, 
Gen. 3.4.5.  that doing such an evil and wicked thing, they shall not hang in hell (always threatening where God promiseth, and promising where God threateneth, until he take them in the lurch at the time of their death, and then he overreckneth them) yet it is certain he cannot pray unless he have this spirit, and this spirit none hath if they delight and savour of sin: so as though they cry, Peace, peace, to their own conscience, and serving the devil will nevertheless vaunt themselves to be the sons of God, it is the Lords justice that permitteth Satan so to blind them that they cannot see their sickness to the death: for 1. john 3.8. it is said, He that committeth sin is of the devil. Can the poison of Asps and the sacrifice of prayer proceed both from the same tongue? No. Grapes cannot grow of thorns, nor figs of thistles: and Esay 66.3.5. the Lord saith, that he that offereth sacrifice without trembling, that is, without reformation of life, it is as if he killed a man, which is most unsavoury to the Lord. So as lawful things and things commanded be an abomination to the Lord, when the soul and conscience is not answerable to the action and to the outward profession. Howbeit things simply forbidden are sins both in the regenerate and unregenerate, and the prayers of these men that thus can lie on their beds and imagine mischief, and yet can open their lips by way of conference and speech with God, are no better than those of the rebels in the North, who when they had published all their mischief, which tended to the overthrow of our dread Sovereign, yet ended and concluded their proclamation with, God save Queen Elizabeth.  
Now concerning hypocrites, that they cannot pray but by imitation of Christians, as Parrots, look upon the rule of David, Psal. 66.18. If I regard (saith he) wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: that is, if I delight in sin, my prayers shall not come near him: so as make what show thou wilt, if thy heart be not upright, it availeth not. For as it is said, john 9.31. God heareth no sinners, that is, no malicious and deliberate sinners, which intent and compass mischief in their inward parts, howsoever in hypocrisy they dissemble it. And it is certain, it is as impossible to pray without this spirit, as to understand without a soul.  
Further observe how this spirit begets in us such peace of conscience, that makes us confident in craving our wants at God's hand: as from the spirit of adoption cometh faith, so from faith issueth and streameth invocation and calling upon God by prayer. This faith grounded upon the love of God in Christ, doth assure us that whatsoever is good in heaven or in earth, God will bestow it upon us: then steppeth in prayer, and according as the soul is burdened either with a desire to be delivered from danger, or with an affection to have some wants supplied, or to declare and express our thankfulness, it doth take the present occasion, and for sloweth no time to enter into the sanctuary of God's presence, and there to lift up our weak hands, and to send forth our cold petitions; and that which was generally believed by faith before, is now particularly challenged of God by prayer, that we may find and ●●ele the former promise to be true by this particular instance of reaching forth our requests to God by prayer. And the more to hearten and encourage us in this exercise and Christian task, God giveth and granteth our requests, differing in three respects from the gifts and benefits of worldly men. For first he can give all things, in his power: secondly, in his wisdom he giveth and never repenteth: thirdly, in his goodness he giveth and never upbraideth. This is the persuasion of faith, and therefore now if we spare to speak, we may well spare to speed: whereupon the Prophet David saith, I believed, therefore I spoke: having his faith for most to prepare his lips to prayer. And surely the cause why we call not upon God so often, or so boldly as we ought is, either because our faith fails us that we think not to speed, or else because we have but weak and faint hope to speed. For as the Philosopher saith, Qui timide rogat, docet negare, He that craveth fearfully, draweth on a denial: for that faith that openeth the eyes to see such treasures, openeth the mouth to supplicate and to pray for them: so as by this learn in one word, that the Apostle will measure thy faith by thy prayers.  
Whereby we cry. In this word cry, is implied three things: first, a confident boldness: secondly, a great earnestness: thirdly, an importunacy with perseverance. Boldness, in that we speak not softly as in fear, but loud as in assurance: even as a favourite of an earthly Prince, that hath a promise to have and obtain what he can spy out; having special security to speed, cometh boldly to his Prince, and craveth the performance of that was pledged unto him by promise before. Earnestness, not to take a nay or denial at the first at our father's hands, but to go on with I pray you Father, Good Father, I beseech you Father, and such like speeches of vehemency and fervency, which is here expressed by the geminating and doubling of the word Father, Father. Then with these must there be an importunacy in prayer, which Paul expresseth Rom. 15.30. by stri●ing or wrestling in prayer, showing thereby the fervency of the mind and of the voice, even as jacob did, 
Gen. 32.26.  that would not let the Angel go before he had blessed him: and according to the example set down Luk. 18. ●. of the widow, who by her importunity (which in the Greek word signifieth impudence) so troubled and wearied with her cries as it were with blows the unrighteous judge, as she wrested her suit from him. Christ in that parable teaching us that we ought to use a holy kind of impudence in our petitions unto God, and never to give him rest till he hath yielded to our requests, which we make in faith, and present in hope. Hereupon it is that the soul is very earnest with God, as either being laden with some sin which it desireth to be eased of, or privy to some wants which it feign would have supplied, or in some apprehension of God's judgement for sin which it seeketh to escape, or the love of God constraining it to be thankful for the rich mercies formerly received, or else being assaulted with some danger and temptation, craveth to be ●●liuered: so as always the soul hath occasion to be quick and earnest in prayer; for causes to move us even in our own particular persons unto this duty (besides the general cause of the Church) do daily occur and fall out.  
In that it is said, We cry, Father: here is questionable whether only God the first person in the Trinity be to be prayed unto, and not the Son nor the holy Ghost. To this we answer that the word (Father) and (God) is taken essentially for the whole essence of the Godhead which includeth them all, as it is in the Lord's prayer, or else it is taken personally: for that the Son must be prayed unto, the place is plain, Act. 7.59. And they stoned Stephen who called on God, and said, Lord jesus receive my spirit. And that the holy Ghost must be prayed unto, appeareth by Saint Paul, who endeth his Epistle (2. Corinthians 13.13.) with this prayer, The communion of the holy 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 be understood of them all, the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost; for as they be all offended with us for our sins, so must they all be reconciled to us by our prayers. And hereupon is it that Saint Augustine saith, that the whole Trinity is Father in respect of the creature; and he is only named here, because the Father is the fountain of the Godhead, and the first in order, but not in time: howbeit being understood in respect of their divers subsistences, they are several. Whereupon it is true that the word Father or God is sometime taken personally, as john 3.16. where it is said, God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that w●●●euer believeth in him should not perish. And 1. Corinthians 8.6. Unto us 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 Greed, when we say, I believe in God the Father. But the whole Trinity is called Father in two respects, first, because he is the fountain of the Godhead, and the fountain of all love, election and salvation, the will of the Father going before the will of the Son in order not in time. Secondly, because howe●●● we pray to Christ and to the holy Ghost as we do to God, and however all the works of the Trinity be undivided, that they do all save, and not the Father only, yet they do it by degrees: Christ saveth us insubmitting his will to his Father's will: the holy Ghost saveth us in persuading and leading us to go to Christ, and fro● Christ to the Father; so as our prayers are made unto God in the name of Christ his Son, by the direction of the holy Ghost.  
Again, in that we name him Father: learn, that all our security and assurance that our prayers shall be effectual, and that we shall speed in our suits and requests, lieth in this: that we are his children, and so all that we do and perform pleaseth him no further than the person pleaseth him. And therefore David, Psal. 7. & 17. & 26. making a commemoration of his virtues, as that there was no wickedness in his hands, that he had purposed his mouth should not offend, that he had not haunted nor sorted himself with dissemblers, doth it not the rather to move God to hear him, and to incline his ear to his petition; but by these testimonies of a good conversation and a holy life, which in those places he bringeth in, he proveth himself to be adopted. So as to assure us we are Gods children, we are to get as many testimonies of the spirit of regeneration as we can, whereby to comfort and secure our souls, that we shall be heard, because we are beloved.  
Abba. Some think this was understood, that God would be served only of the jews who spoke this language: but the Apostle by geminating and doubling the word both in Hebrew and in Greek wherein he spoke, doth teach us, that as God was once only served in the Hebrew nation of th●●●●●●s, who had this special privilege above other people: so the time should come, and now is, that all the world should be as Canaan to serve him in their several and special language, and that all tongues should be pleasing and acceptable to God.   
Rom. chap. 8. vers. 16. 
verse 16 The same spirit beareth witness to our spirit, that we are the children of God.  
WHereby is meant, that we are so sure of our salvation, that except the holy Ghost can lie, we cannot be damned. Where observe: first, that a man may be certain of his salvation: for this witness and testimony given by the spirit to out spirits, is that which every elect child of God doth and must feel even in this life. Secondly, they are here confuted, that persuade themselves by a vain and false hope, that they shall be saved as well as others. For the first: carry abou● 〈◊〉 the speech of Saint Paul 2. Cor. 13.5. Know ye not your o●●e selves, how jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? And 1. Cor. 2.12. We have received the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are given to us of God; not hope for them, but know them: and 1. john 4.13. Hereby know we, that we dwell in him, because he hath given us of his spirit: and chap. 5.19. We know we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. Now he that hath the true knowledge that he hath this spirit, he may know he is the son 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 son of God is sure of life, that is, salvation: but all the doubt is, how we may be sure we have this spirit, which will and may easily be discerned by walking in the spirit, and by savouring the things of the spirit. For if we sit in the seat of the scorner, and walk in the ways of the wicked, suffering our thoughts to range after that the flesh desireth, and not relishing the foolishness of the Gospel, to bring our affections in captivity to the obedience of Christ, we may well dream of the spirit, but the spirit as yet hath not lodged within us: for where the spirit is, there it worketh, and works of a contrary nature than those, which the wisdom of the world produceth. Where those men are confuted, that stand upon their own spirits, to assure them that they are Gods children, their spirits being no sufficient witness, the heart of man being always evil, and oft-times deceitful, as was the heart of the Pharisee, 
Luk. 18.11.12.  who might have a good work in hand, but took no fit time to perform it, nor propounded no good end to fulfil it, praying in the marketplace, and giving his alms to be seen of men. But it is the testimony of the spirit of God which must secure us, and by which we stand: and this must thou show me by the visible fruits of the spirit in the reformation of thy life: for thine own conscience will no more serve thee, than it did the jews, who thought they did God good service when they crucified Christ: 
joh. 19.7.  nor no more than it did Paul, who being a Pharisee, and before he was stricken to the ground in his journey to Damascus, 
Phil. 3.6.  Act. 9.21. made havoc of the Church of God, and took a pride in persecuting of the Gospel of Christ: whereby we●●●●y see, 
1. joh. 3.19.  that every man's heart is enough to condemn him, but not to justify him.  
But yet must we needs have the testimony and witness of our consciences, to fasten us and ground us in this persuasion, that we are Gods children: for as it is said, 1. joh. 3.20.21.29. If our own hearts condemn us, what boldness can we have with God? And Paul speaking of his ministery, saith: 
1. Cor. 4.4.  I am guilty of myself in nothing, yet am I not thereby justified. So as the best conscience of itself is not able to warrant us of God's favour to eternal life, but it is soon able to assure us of his displeasure to damnation. For if the conscience be wounded, the heart cannot be cheered: and a grieved spirit who can bear? Now as our conscience must generally signify unto us our election, so particularly it must avow every action that we perform. The conscience by excusing cannot justify, because there may be error of judgement, and therefore must have a seal and warrant to it: that is, it must be ratified and confirmed by the word: and though it cannot excuse, yet can it and doth it easily and often accuse: for whatsoever is done against the conscience is sin, be it never so lawful of itself, or never so much commanded: yea, though it be the sacrifice of prayer, wherein we are most familiar with God, yet if it receive not an edge and sharpness from thy own spirit, but that thy conscience doth check thee, and pull in as it were thy words again, it maketh that thy prayer can never ascend to God; nay, it so smothers it in thy heart, as it not only returneth empty, but bringeth a plague with it, which otherwise had been of force to have driven away any present vengeance; wherein the conscience doth amiss, and doth rather wound us than cure us. So as observe, that to the performance and accomplishment of every good action, there must these two concur: the spirit of God, and the conscience of the party. But yet let us be well advised where the conscience doth accuse us of such things as may justly be reproved, as of adultery, bribery, usury and such like: for if we do directly resist this forewarning of our souls, or do whet ourselves on, when our consciences do call us back, then have we this our conscience to testify 〈◊〉 us, which doth countervail a thousand witnesses, having always these two properties: first, not to conceal any truth: secondly, not to open any more than truth; for what the conscience speaketh, ourselves shall subscribe to. And therefore if we shall fear this check of conscience, and yet not fear to perform the sin, it will come to pass that either we shall prevail for a time to bring our consciences to a dead sleep and Lethargy, 
1. Tim. 4.2.  to reprove us no more, which is the next step to damnation, or else our conscience will pursue and follow us with Hue and Cry, as not to leave us till we be taken: for resistance and withstanding of our conscience is a cloud not easily overblown, a fire not easily to be quenched, and an indictment hardly to be traversed: but our sins shall stare us on the face, and cry for vengeance. Now if our conscience be brought asleep by our custom in sin, either we shall die in this benumbedness and dullness of heart, a most fearful sign of reprobation, and after death it shall weep it fill in hell, or else if the Lord do show us mercy after the sense and feeling of sin so long discontinued, he doth it as it were by the burning fever of desperation, for that is the cure of a Lethargy, and doth so press us down under the weight and burden of sin, as that horror shall be without, and terror within, yea we shall seem to be cast into the deep of deeps, and every small sin shall seem accompanied with the huge hammer of the Lords wrath to bruise us in pieces.  
Further observe, as the Lords spirit alone cannot bring us that heavenly security and blessed assurance of our eternal peace we hope for, nor our own spirits alone cannot do it, so it must be the testimony of both these concurring and meeting together. For some are merely moral without religion, thinking by a civil carriage of themselves to win the sight of God: others have either a true zeal of a false religion, as Paul had before his conversion, Rom. 7.9.10. or else they may be religious in show, having a counterfeit zeal of a true religion, as the Laodiceans had, Revel. 3.15. and yet both these think in their conscience they shall be saved, when in truth they are as far from the thing itself, as they are near to the conceit of it. Another sort there is that deceive themselves most grossly, ●●●ken of Proverb. 30.11. There is a generation pure in their own eyes, and yet they are not washed from their filthiness, that is, from their open and enormous sins. So as besides the opinion we must have of ourselves that we stand in God's favour, we must show the seal of the Lord, that is, his spirit, or else there is no sound joy or any comfortable security that we shall be saved. 
1. john 5.10.  And for our actions, every of which must have the allowance of our conscience; we must mark, that a good intent will not make a good action: for they that condemned Christ, did it because he made himself equal with God, 
john 19.7. john 5.18.  which was expressly against the law written, and therefore thought they had in this done God high and honourable service: but Christ crieth, Luk. 23.34. Father forgive them, they know not what they do. So Peter, when Christ foretelleth of his death, had an earnest desire to advise his master to spare himself; and therefore, Mat. 16.22. he took Christ aside & rebuked him: but Christ (vers. 23.) looking back with an angry countenance, bids him get him behind Satan, as being only worldly wise, and not understanding the things that are of God. So as we must know, to the performance of a good work, the allowance of the heart and the warrant of the word of God must go together.  Verse 17. 
If we be children, we are also heirs, even the heirs of God, and heirs annexed with Christ, if so be that we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him.  
This is inferred by direct consequent to that that went before: as vers. 13. where the Apostle exhorting to reformation of life, doth it by a double contrary, so as they ensue and follow one another thus; They that mortify the deeds of the flesh are led by the spirit; by being thus directed by the spirit, they are assured that they are the sons of God; by being his sons, that they shall have an inheritance: therefore they that live a holy life must needs be saved. And because it might be ovestionable how this title of being God's children is given unto us, he hath resolved it befo●● vers. 15.) by a double argument, because the Lord in the Gospel's doth offer us such grace as we may come freely and boldly to him as to a father, and we stand not now in that terror that was in the delivery of the Law, but we are freed from that bondage.  
The second argument, was vers. 16. because the spirit doth seal this evidence unto us, that as our heart doth know what is in us, so doth the spirit also: and this spirit doth witness that we are children, and being children than we be heirs, which is the scope the Apostle driveth at in this 17. verse.  
When the Apostle saith, We are hei●●s of God, he setteth down what manner of inheritance it is that we shall have hereafter, not an earthly, but a kingdom and a possession of eternity, as that the Lord will never leave us till he hath lifted us up to that celestial place where Christ himself sitteth. 
Psal. 84.10.  It had been great favour if we might have been as David speaketh, but doorkeepers in the kingdom of heaven; nay it might well have satisfied us if only our sins had been pardoned, or if we had been but the Lords friends or of his acquaintance, so as any way he would have respected us considering our rebellion: but besides all this, to be restored to our former honour, nay to have greater privilege than ever Adam had in his first integrity, and to be advanced to the Lords own throne; if all the hearts of men were one heart, the full measure of this joy and the depth of this the Lords love could not once enter in nor be conceived.  
And fellow-heirs with Christ. This is to set forth the certainty of the place of our inheritance. God hath life, for he is the fountain of it, but he dwelleth in fire, 
Esay 33.14.  and in a place not to be attained unto: therefore the Apostle setteth down here he●● we come to it; namely in Christ: as it is 1. john 5.11. God hath given us eternal life, and that life is in the Son, and by his mediation is conveyed to us. Secondly, in that we are fellow-heirs with Christ, note the excellency of the Lords favour, not only to give us life and to place us with Angels, but even with his own Son. Whereby we see that his ear was open to the prayer of Christ which he made ●●ttle before his agony: john 17.20. I pray (saith he) for all that thou hast given me, that thou wouldst (Father) 〈◊〉 them with the same love thou lovest me, and crown th●●● with 〈…〉 glory thou crownest me.  
〈◊〉 of this ariseth two comfortable privileges, which the ●●●t ha●e: first, if we be heirs with Christ in heaven, much more are we heirs of the transitory blessings of this life; and being heirs with him, we have recovered the use of all the creatures we lost in Adam's fall, so as we have interest in them all, how ever the Lord in wisdom hath severed and distinguished them in a property: yea we have such interest in them, as the world should not stand, not the Sun shine but for the elects sake. And all the wicked in the last day shall answer for every crumb of bread that they have eaten, for they do but usurp upon the Lords creatures, in as much as being excluded from the tree of life, they are thereby excluded from all things that should maintain life: and though now the Lord permit them to abound in these earthly treasures, yet they shall have double torment for their single joy; for they are never in their own house but when they are in hell: as it was said of judas, Mat. 27. 5. Act. 1.25. when he hanged himself, that he went to his own place.  
The second privilege we have is this, that being heirs with Christ, these is nothing but shall be made by God to further our salvation: even as Saint Paul being ravished as it were with the constant hope of this inheritance in the conclusion of this chapter, giving the challenge in this spiritual conflict, to see if there be any thing can be able to separate him from the love of God: for we are Lords of all the creatures, saving of Angels, and our fellow heir Christ jesus is head of Angels, and they ●●e but ministers for our good. As for the wicked, they shall be as well able to save themselves without God, as to hurt us having God, and the worst they can do, is but to send us to God. And as for Satan his darts he casteth at us, they are turned aside in the armour of Christ; and the floods he casteth forth to devour us shall never come near us, 
Reu. 12.15. 2. Cor. 12.8.  and his buffetings are preservatives against presumption, as Paul witnesseth of himself.  
If we suffer with him. This is a transition or passing over of the Apostle to persuade us to affliction, for we would have the head crowned with thorns, and the members clad with veluer, but it may not be so, for there must be a conformity and resemblance with the head and the members. Now this is the second reason the Apostle useth, to make us sure of this heavenly ●●keritance, namely, that we must first be afflicted. The cause why this is brought in, is this, Paul (vers. 1.) had given the greatest comfort to a Christian that could be, when he said, There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ jesus. Now there are two things that make the very elect to demur and stay upon this, whether there be any condemnation to them or no: first, the apprehension of their many sinful infirmities, as if they should say, Is it possible the life of God should be in me, that I should be shapen after God's image, that Christ should be my sanctification, and yet that I should be subject to so many grievous infirmities? To this the Apostle answereth; True it is, there be in them many things graciously qualified by the presence of the Lords spirit, yet during this our seafare and pilgrimage in this life, there must be a combat and a strife between the deceit of sin and the strength of grace: howbeit by patience and perseverance we shall overcome, not some part of the world but even the whole world, and our own concupiscence, 
1. joh. 5.4.  which is stronger than death; not but that there shall be left some fragments and relics of corruption in us: for Paul here doth not say: There is no matter of condemnation left within us, but that uncleanness is so washed away in Christ, and we are so sanctified by his spirit, as there remaineth for us no condemnation, God being satisfied in his Son, Saith an being vanquished, and the powers of our sinful flesh being tamed and subdued. The se●● 〈◊〉 thing that maketh us to doubt whether condemnation 〈◊〉 not due to us, is the apprehension of our many afflictions, wherewith we are tossed and encumbered in this life: as when we shall consider that we are made blessed by Christ's curse, and healed by his stripes, than we break forth into this: And is it possible, that I am one of these, and yet am so miserably entreated in this life? Hath Christ ●●●●e through the sorrows and agonies of this life? Hath he book in sunder the bands of death, and all to make me way to that glory wherein he now sitteth, and shall l●et be so burdened and so sore oppressed with anguish of spirit and grief of body? This cogitation and thought worketh and engendereth a fear in the weak soul lest God should be angry and much displeased with them, because he feedeth them with the water of sorrow and bread of affliction, and maketh them (as the spirit speaketh) pass through fire and water, that is, through many miseries, divers in kind and extreme in measure. But thus the holy Ghost to prove the first verse of this chapter true, showeth this to be the high and beaten way to heaven, and that there is no way but that which Christ hath gone before us: for somewhat for godliness we must be persecuted, 
joh. 5.17. Heb. 12.6.  and being chastised of the Lord, it is certain we are no bastards. So as the bearing of this cross must and aught to be another seal to assure us of the inheritance which we shall have, and not to be dismayed though it go hard with us in this life: for we must think it no disgrace nor disparagement to be of the honour of the same order our elder brother Christ was of: that is, appointed and set forth daily for the slaughter, & laid open to the viperous tongues of many glorious and proud Pharisees: but as Christ had his cross as it were his ladder to lift him and carry him up above the heavens, as the Greek translation is: so must we look by the same rounds to ascend to the same place. Out of this therefore ariseth to all the godly double comfort: first, that we shall be no otherwise used of the Lord then Christ his natural son was, upon whom the very sea of his fierce wrath did fall: secondly, that as we have Christ a fellow and companion in our sufferings, so Christ hath us companions and partakers of his glory.  
If we suffer with him.  
Hear are two things to be considered: first, the precise necessity, and as it were a fatal kind of destiny, whereunto God hath made all those subject that shall be saved: namely, that they must taste of the cup of affliction, and drink of the dregs thereof: expressly set down in these words: We are heirs if we suffer. The second is the double fruit and benefit we reap by this affliction: first, that Christ hath tasted more deeply of tribulation than we shall: secondly, that in recompe●●ce of our sufferings we shall hereafter be partners with him in ●●●●state of blessedness.  
For the first understand, that in the words, If so be and etc. there is not contained a cause of our being heirs of God, but a condition, set down by S. Paul. 2. Tim. 3.12. All that will live godly in Christ jesus must suffer persecution: for we are not to be saved because we are afflicted; but we are afflicted, therefore we shall be saved. Neither are we heirs of God because we are chastifed; but we are chastised and corrected, because we are not bastards. 
Heb. 12.8.  And this is the way sanded out unto us, whereby we must come to heaven, and march like soldiers toward that glorious city, namely, under the standard of affliction, and bearing the colours of our victorious captain Christ. This was the lesson that Christ first taught, that whosoever would be his scholar, should be well whipped, he must go and walk, but under a cross; 
Math. 10 38.  wherein mark, that that which of itself is simply to men a dissuasion, is with God the principal motive of the conscience of man.  
Further observe, that every heir must suffer; not that every one of God's children must be called to martyrdom, or that all must suffer in the same measure: but this is it, that whosoever sound and substantially professeth the Gospel, must make this teckoning with himself, and so cast his account, that if it be needful, and God may have glory by it, he must not fear to lay down his life, and to spend his blood for the truths sake. We see by experience daily, that many there be that fight many battles, and run through many skirmishes, and yet have neither scar nor maim; neither yet is he the less valiant, or in any thing to be esteemed a fainthearted soldier, because his courage and resolution was to adventure his life: and this he taketh as advantage, that he hath tried his manhood and yet received as wound: howbeit though he have escaped thus, yet was there never any soldier but tasted some of the straits and exigents of var, if he have served there any time, as either watching by night, marchings by day, hunger, cold, or such like. Even so fareth it with us in this continual spiritual warfare and combat: for if the world cannot persecute us as Esau meant to have done to jacob after his father's death, that is, take away our lives, 
Gen. 27.41. Gen. 21.9.  yet at the least will it do as Ishmael did to Isaac, mock us and speak virulently and slanderously of us for the Gospel's sake; which kind of affliction never any yet of God's children, no not Christ himself could escape. And therefore Christ when he marketh them with the coal of unworthiness, 
Luk. 14.26.  that will not forsake father and all to follow him, meaneth, that for his sake we must not only cast away unlawful things, but even lay aside things lawful, that ●●ther temptations on the right hand, that is, prosperitien; no●●●●ptations on the left hand, that is, adversity, must make us shrink, as asharmed to bear the cross of Christ, or to maintain his truth: but we must alway keep the corn so clear from thistles, as we must love the Gospel for itself, and not regard ourselves in respect of it.  
Further understand, that we must be so far from calling the Lords love in doubt, for nurturing us in chastisement, and for reaning us from the world by the rod, as that by this his usage of us we are to have an infallible certainty grounded in our hearts, and an heavenly security that we are heirs: for it was truly foretold, 
john. 17.14.  that the world would love none but his own, and if a man find himself free from the hatred of the world, he may justly fear he hath no interest in heaven. When Christ was borne (Mat. 2.3.) it was foretold the shepherds, that they should find the babe in a stable laid in a cratch: 
Luk. 2.12.  now if they had found him in a royal palace, and the child in a sumptuous cradle, they might well have suspected the Angel had deceived them, and that that child had not been Christ. So if a man were directed by him that knew it, that the way he was to go were craggy, and he should find it smooth, he might well fear he were out of the way. If therefore thinking we are in the way to heaven, we find it easy and delightsome, we may doubt it is not that way the Lord hath chalked out unto us: for the right way is the strait way, through which we must pass, full of thorns that we cannot escape scratching: 
Luk. 13.24.  and the way to Canaan is cumbersome, over hills and mountains, and lieth through the wilderness, where we shall find many wants; yet may we not be discouraged, but the rather assured, that we are going to the promised land. To prove the verity and truth of the Gospel, there is no other way (as Christ teacheth) then by offences, because it is hated, 
Mat. 18.7.  reviled and maligned: for if it were beloved, and embraced, and entertained of Princes, if the world did love it, it could not be the Gospel, the Lords own mouth hath spoken it. Since than we may secure ourselves in the truth of the Gospel by the hatred of the world; so we being hated and accounted the of scour of the world for the Gospel's sake, may assure ourselves we are Gods children. Now as there is a●●ecise necessity of suffering, so this is our comfort, and our rest whereon to stay, that we are entangled with no other conditions, neither is there any other burden laid upon us, than was before borne by our head Christ. So that as we desire to be baptised with the same baptism that he was, so must we willingly drink of his cup, and partake of his shame, if we will have part in his glory. Of this order of Christ, which is, imprisonment, buffet, and such like, was Paul, when in a christian courage he vaunted that he carried about him the marks of the Lord jesus: & this livery did all the Apostles and Disciples of Christ wear, 
Act. 5.11.  who presently after his ascension, for their open profession of his truth, were cast some into prison, and some put to one death, and some to another. 
Act. 12.2.  And shall we think there be other steps for us to tread in, and that we may take our ease in the flesh, and yet be quickened in the spirit? No: for as it is all our desires to go to heaven, so must it be our affections to go the same way that Christ went, otherwise it were a great disparagement to him, if we be persuaded that the Lord loved his Son, and so loved him, as he would advance him by the nearer and most proper way; nay, if God should testify his love any other way to us than he did to Christ, as it were a strange love, so should it make us strangers from Christ; for to this place of royalty we must ascend by the same rounds that he did.  
If we suffer with him. Not if we suffer with the world: whereby understand and learn, that all that are afflicted shall not be saved: but on the contrary, none shall be saved unless they be afflicted: for a man may suffer all the plagues to be devised on the earth, and yet after go to hell to suffer more. Some suffer with the world, such as Peter speaketh of, 1. Pet. 2.20. that are buffeted for their demerits and misdeeds, on whom the Lord doth satisfy part of his justice in this life. These are poor in the flesh, but proud in the spirit: for the misery they sustain can nothing humble them, unless perhaps sometime they will weep for cursed heart, as Esau did when he lost the blessing: 
Gen. 27.38.  but they are so hardened in obstinacy, as they are passed fearing the heaviness and weight of the Lords displeasure: so as there is a worldly affliction that leadeth to death, as well as a godly suffering that prepareth the way to life.  
Now again, some suffer with Christ, and such be they as suffer either to profit by the Lords afflictions, as that they be sent as chastisements to reclaim them from some sin past, and so they amend or, else as preservatives against some sin to come, and so they are made more watchful: or else if we suffer for the Gospel, because we will not communicate with the world. Now though all afflictions ought to be esteemed just in respect of our infirmities, yet sometimes the Lord regardeth not this alone, but maketh it more honourable: as when we are troubled for the Gospel, that we being but vile worms, and but dust and ashes, should either with loss of goods, which are but lent us, or with our lives which are the Lords, do the Lord of heaven some honour to maintain his truth against such as do malign it, that the wicked may see we strive for a more precious reward than is set before the eyes of mortal men.  
We shall be glorified with him. We would think it a small honour for flesh and blood to suffer with Christ for company, and to stay there: therefore observe hence by the Apostles speech, that we are not to look and to fix our eyes on the beginnings of affliction, but to regard the end, that patience may have her full perfection. Look not upon Lazarus begging at Dives door, but lying in Abraham's bosom. Look not to the beginning of joseph, 
Luk. 16.22.  who was so far from his dream, Genes. 37.9. that the Sun and Moon should reverence him, that for two years he was cast where he could see neither Sun nor Moon; but behold him at the last, made ruler over all Egypt. 
1. Sam. 24.1.  Look not upon David as there was but a step between him and death, his life was so thirsted after, nor as he was abused by saul's flatterers; 
1. King. 2.2.10.  but behold him seated in his royal throne, and dying in his bed of honour with his son Solomon about him. Look not upon Christ borne basely, after persecuted from jerusalem, when he came to teach encountered and resisted by the proud Pharisees, a little before his death in such an agony as an Angel from heaven was feign to comfort him, 
Luk. 22.43.  his doctrine esteemed false, his life notoriously sinful, betrayed by his own Disciple, led as a sheep to the slaughter; a man without blemish, and yet as the Prophet Esay speaketh, 
Esay 53.2. Luk. 23.26.  a branch arising from a dead stock; carrying a Cross, under which he was so distressed as another was feign to ease him; going up to the cross, nailed hand and foot, scoffed and reviled as he was upon it, crying as if the sea of the Lords wrath had burst forth upon him: beholding him in this estate, and there was never any creature so miserable: at last carried as a dead man, laid in a grave, not only dead, but three days under the dominion of death, so as his Apostles fled, and the devil thought all had been quiet. But afterward behold him raised up again, ascending to the heavens, 
Mark. 16.19. Luk. 24.51.  than he became head of Angels, than a dead man by a few fishermen conquered all the world; so as Emperors submitted their ●●ownes, and sought their salvation in 〈◊〉 Cross of Christ, So we must look upon the Martyrs, who died in their holiness, and were put to death for their holiness, not as having reeds in their hands in sign of baseness, and bolts on their feet, and stripes on their backs, as evil doers, but as Renelat. 7.9. standing before the throne and before the Lamb, with palms in their hands in token of victory, arrayed in white robes in sign of innocency, and in long robes in sign of stateliness; for these are they (saith the spirit of God) that came out of tribulation, and therefore he that sitteth on the throne will dwell among them. We must therefore always bend our thoughts, and set our eyes not upon the present affliction, which is tedious to the flesh, but upon the end and success, which shall bring spiritual consolation; not upon the cross which is wearisome, but upon the crown which is delightsome; not upon the race which is long and crooked, but upon the prize which is weighty and precious; not upon the combat, which may be to the blood, but upon the conquest which shall be certain and glorious. And if we can subdue our affections truly to this meditation, all our troubles in the greatest extremity shall seem light, and we shall go from the whip as the Apostles did with more rejoicing than we had before, 
Act. 5.41.  because we may be sure our end shall be blessed; for if we suffer with him, we shall be glorified with him.  
Now for the glory here spoken of, it is not comparable with the sorrow we sustain here; for this glory is eternal, whereas afflictions are but temporal; not possible to be conceived in heart, nor uttered by speech; it is in show beautiful, in sense wonderful, in weight excessive, in measure without bounds, in dignity without comparison, and in continuance without end ●●●●ea it is such and so great, that as one torment in hell shall make a reprobate forget his worldly pleasure, so the least taste, ye one drop of this glory, shall make the heirs of God forget all their miseries; and for their single and temporary afflictions here, they shall have double and infinite joys in heaven.   
ROM. chap. 8. vers. 18. 
verse 18 For I count that the afflictions of this present time are not worthy of the glory which shall be showed unto us.  
IN this verse the Apostle proceedeth to prove that he set down before; namely, that being companions in Christ his sufferings, we shall also be copartners with him in the blessed light. He proveth it can be no small glory we shall partake of, since it is the very same that Christ himself enjoyeth (always keeping the correspondency and proportion between the head and the members:) for we shall be carried up into the highest heavens, and we shall stand before the throne, viewing the glorious face of God, and having the fruition of his blessed presence. The greatness of this glory, howbeit it needeth rather meditation than explication, yet something shall be spoken of it, that the vail may be taken from our eyes, that we may sound and fathom in some sort the bottom of Christ his ●ole in his glory, which of ourselves we cannot do, no more than the jews could into the ministry of Moses.  
This place fitteth with that 2. Cor. 4.17. Our light affliction which is but for a moment, bringeth unto us an everlasting excellent weight of glory. Where consider two things: first, that between these afflictions and that glory, there is no comparison in the greatness: it shall be a weight, excellently excellent, as the word signifieth, whereas afflictions are but for a an hour. Secondly, the glory shall be more durable in respect of eternity, whereas the other are but in this life only.  
For the first, consider it in two degrees: first, the particular joy every child and man of God shall have in his death and dissolution; secondly, the exceeding glory he shall be filled with when all things shall be perfect, and God shall be all in all. The first of these hath two parts: first, it containeth an absolute immunity and freedom from all infirmities of body and soul, according as it is said: All tears shall be wiped away: for the body shall be free from labour, care and such like; and the soul shall be free from the suggestions of Satan, by covetousness and other corruptions, wherewith the best and choicest of God's servants in this life are wonderfully assaulted. Secondly, the body sleeping in the earth, the soul shall be absolutely sanctified from sin, and live in the favour of God; so as there shall be added unto us a present entrance into the Lord's joy, which none can comprehend but they that feel it. 
Luk. 23.43.  This in the Scripture is called the entrance into the Paradise of the Lord: and Paul (2. Cor. 5.8.) desireth to remove out of the body, that in his soul he might be with the Lord jesus, who resteth in such a place, as hath in it whatsoever may move either admiration, or may give contentation; and is described (Revel. 21.4.) to be destitute of sorrow, crying and pain, and to have the foundation of the walls thereof garnished with all manner of precious stones, and to be lightened only with the glory of God, needing neither Sun nor Moon. It is also called Abraham's bosom, 
Luk. 16.22. joh. 14.2. Revel. 19.9.  the presence with the Lamb, the gathering of us into the company of innumerable Angels, and the mansion house of our Father.  
The second degree of this glory, is at the restitution of all things, which the Apostle here speaking of, verf. 21. calleth the glorious liberty of the sons of God. This standeth in two parts: first, in the resurrection of our bodies, when they shall be made incorruptible and glorious, and shall need no natural provision nor maintenance: for they shall shine as the Sun, and the Sun shall then be seaventimes brighter than it is. The second is, that God shall be all in all, that is, the whole Godhead shall immediately reign, and the humanity of Christ shall more manifestly be subjecteth, which is to the greater glory of it, that his god head shall be so great: for then there shall be no more office of Christ jesus to procure any more good to his children, but the benefit of the former shall continue for ever: for then his enemies shall be all put down, and then the Sonshell resign up his kingdom to his Father: that is, all enemies being vanquished, and that one enemy Death being abolished, he shall reign no more: not that God reigneth not now, for he reigneth in the person of his Son as Mediator, but then his office shall end, and he shall reign only as God. For these are but the days that the Lord jesus doth woe us, and maketh love to us: 
Reu. 19.7.  but then shall the marriage be solemnized: and for the better setting forth of this with all magnificence and greatest state, all creatures shall be restored, that they may serve and attend at the celebrating of this feast.  
Now for the second part, that is, the comparison of the glory and afflictions in respect of continuance; we see that no affliction lasteth but for the present, but this glory is eternal; Gods love toward us eternal before the world to predestinate us, eternal after the world to glorify us, that as the first had no beginning, so the last shall have no end. So as we may consider of two eternities, though to speak properly there is but one: the first before the creation: thesecond after the world's dissolution. Now between these two, there is a certain time for the world, and a thousand years in respect of eternity is but as one day: nay, as Moses saith, (Psal. 90.4.) A thousand years are but as yesterday that is past. 
2. Pet. 3.8.  So as counting the world five thousand years, it is but as the length of five days past; and of these five thousand years what are fourscore, which is a great age for any man to live to, and a far greater time than ever any man was afflicted in? It is not much more than a moment, no way an hour: and therefore these afflictions are no way comparable to the eternity of that glory we shall have hereafter, not so much as a drop of water to the whole Sea, or one grain to all the sand. And yet we speak now as if a man should never but be afflicted even from his cradle to his death, living the full age of a man, which never befell any. In Esay 54.8. is showed, what seventy years be, and by the account of the spirit of God himself, they be but as the least minute, for the Lord there saith: For a moment in mine anger I hid my face from thee, but with everlasting mercy have I had compassion on thee: and this moment was seventy years, for so long were the jews in captivity. 
I●●. 25.12.  So as affliction by this reckoning during the whole years and life of man is but a moment, and a great part of this moment is past before we can be said to suffer affliction: for it is but a confused kind of pain that children sustain: and again there was never any affliction so great, but there was some either intermission or remission, either the tormenter was wearied, or the whip was wasted, or they that were tormented died.  
Now if the glory after our enduring of these afflictions should last but so many millions of years, as there be stars in the heavens, there might yet be some more, and easier, and equal comparison between them, because at the last this glory should have an end; but it far exceedeth all number, and it is not possible for our thoughts to reach or to conceive any end of it. For this glory is like God the giver of it, that must be embraced for the excellency of it, and thirsted after for the eternity of it.  
Now as the Apostle here persuadeth the necessity, and yieldeth the reason for patience in our afflictions, 
Heb. 10.35.  by the eternity of the glory which waiteth upon us as the just recompense of our reward: so must we learn to dissuade from the pleasures of sin, by the greatness and continuance of the sense of torment that waiteth on them. And this standch in two points: the first, is called sensus poenae: the feeling and smart of punishment which is aggravated and made heavier in three respects: first, in the universality of it, that no part shall be free from torment: but every joint in thy body, and every power of thy soul shall be pained and vexed, which is not so in this life, save only in a fellow-feeling of one member with another, for never any man was tormented in all the singular parts of his body at one instant. Secondly, in the extremity of it, that as they shall be tormented in all parts at one time, and that continually: so one damned spirit shall be vexed more than another, for as there be here degrees of sins, so shall there be hereafter degrees of smart and punishments: as Christ speaking of Jerusalem, said: It shall be easier for Sodme then for this city, and yet Sodom was in hell. Thirdly, in the necessity of it, 
Mat. 11.23.  the greatness of this their torment being much increased, in that they shall have no means to ease and lift up or relieve themselves, for they shall be bound hand and foot that they cannot stir, as we may see by the usage of him that came to the Lords feast without his wedding garment. And for the eternity of their torment, 
Mat. 22.13.  if they should suffer no more years than there be creatures on earth, it were some comfort, because they might espy some light of deliverance; but when there shall be no more heavens, and when God shall leave to be God, and to lose his glory, than the damned ghosts shall be eased. The second aggravation of their punishment is in this: damno loci, in the loss of heaven: for it shall not so much vex them that they be tormented, as that they have lost those joys they see the Saints of God enjoy. This shall make them murmur and gnash their teeth: and upon their apprehension and conceiving of that they have lost, shall follow the remorse and sting of conscience, that in their life time they despised to labour in mortification and newness of life: for there are none damned, 
Revel. 20.12.  but their own hearts shall tell them they are justly damned.  Vers. 23. 
And not only the creature, but we also which have the first fruits of the spirit, even we do sigh in ourselves, waiting for the adoption, even the redemption of our body, etc. to the 26. verse.  
The Apostle still enlargeth the weight of glory spoken of before, proving it to be so great, that the very frame of heaven and earth and all other creatures do wait for the restitution and deliverance of mankind, at which time they shall receive their original excellency. Now Paul useth an argument from the less to the greater, that if the beasts and other insensible things which be accursed and subject to this corruption, by reason of the bondage whereinto man by his fall was enthralled and cast into, do labour as it were in travel till men be glorified, and themselves for our sakes restored: then how much more should we wait for the revelation of this glory, we that are sealed with the first fruits of the spirit, and which in the Gospel may behold as it were in a glass a great glimce and show of this glory? sigh after and wait for this great and glorious day; not that we should wish simply to be unclothed, but as the Apostle speaketh, 2. Cor. 5.2.3. to be clothed upon with our house from heaven, and not so much that ourselves might die, as that sin might be extinguished and our sanctification perfected.  
Howbeit in this affection of ours there must be two things: the first, sighing and groaning: the second, a patiented waiting for that we hope for. Where consider what that is we wait for and sigh for: the Apostle here calleth it adoption, that is, the accomplishment of that glory whereto we are in Christ adopted: or as himself expounds it, the redemption of mankind: even as David was King when he was anointed, but he stayed long for the real possession of it: and as Abraham had the land of Canaan given him, which was performed 400. years after.  
In waiting and expecting for this redemption, observe and hold it as a principle and ground, that howsoever the Philosophers have dreamt of a simple immortality of the soul alone, yet that we know and learn, that except the body which we bear about us be restored also, the immortality of the soul is abolished, otherwise it were a lame and imperfect restitution, and otherwise in vain had job said, chap. 19.26. Though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet shall I see God in my flesh, that is, body and soul at the last day: which is also plainly expressed here by the Apostle in these words, Redemption of the body.  
Further, observe hence the dullness & blockishness of man, that is to take example and to be taught his duty even of the insensible creatures, who in their kind by the very instinct of nature can groan for the day of man's redemption, and yet man himself though spurred on and provoked can hardly be drawn to that duty: which may teach every one of us to be more watchful in our Christian exercises, that we may learn to know, and desire to approach near the day of our redemption, lest the creatures that want the use of reason rise up against us to condemn us, for they fail nothing so much in their duties as man doth; 
Pro. 30.25.  nay Solomon sendeth the sluggard to the Ant and Pismire, who by his sommer-labour provideth for a hard and stormy winter. Christ will have us learn innocency of the Dove, and wisdom and providence of the Serpent: and the Apostle here will not have a Christian man short of the creatures, who tramell in pain to be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God; and therefore much more must we sigh for this redemption of our body, wherein we ourselves have the greatest interest.  
Further, in that the Apostle saith, We do sigh in ourselves: we learn, that it is the duty of every Christian to be touched at the heart, and to be pricked in his conscience, as generally for the wickedness of the whole world, so particularly and more narrowly for his own sins: for these be they whereby God is dishonoured: and therefore thou must not slightly wish or earnestly pray for (though this be well done) a change of this corruption, and a restitution both of the creatures and of man their head into the state of blessedness and incorruption; but thou must even in a corner by thyself break forth as it were into a passion of affection, with sighs and groans, even such as may fill the heavens, to wait after and to thirst for that day wherein God shall triumph in the fullness and perfection of all glory, and wherein man shall stand and continue in an incomprehensible degree of happiness. But alas we are so entangled with the baits and nets of this vain world, that our affections sway us to a clean contrary course, thinking our feet are never sure enough, nor have hold enough on the earth; so pleasant do we esteem our habitation here, that we would think ourselves most happy (though heaven were never our inheritance) if we might alway live here compassed about and environed with these false delights. Which doth too much bewray our want and defect in meditation on heaven and heavenly things, and showeth what a scantling we keep in Christianity, outwardly only to profess it, and never to enter into the chamber of our hearts, to see whether it be furnished with such holy, Christian, and religious sighs and groans, as set forth & commend the affection of such a Christian, as upon the comparison of these short troubles with that eternal weight of glory which shall come, hath already planted his heart in heaven.  
Lastly observe hence, that it is not possible for the reprobate, but it is proper and peculiar to the elect only, to lift up their heads in hope and expectation of this redemption: which is signified by the Apostle in two phrases and speeches here used, namely, that such sigh as first have received the first fruits of the spirit; secondly such as wait for adoption; neither of which do ever befall the reprobate, for they may spring up and flourish for a time, but they have no root, nor take no sap from the spirit: and happily they may be weary of the world, 
Gen. 4.13.  as Cain was of his punishment, by they have no anchor of any other hope, unless they joy to go to hell: which ought to move us with all heedfulness to look to our ways, and to labour our engrafting into Christ, for the world passeth, 
Heb. 1.11.  and both it and we are folded up as a garment, and to dust we must, and yet out of dust we must arise. And if while we be in the body, we can be burdened and sigh, that mortality might be swallowed up of life, then are we most happy, and happy in that alone: but if thou findest thyself empty of such affections, that thou canst not sigh for thy redemption, which showeth thou dost not hope for thy salvation, than art thou of all men the most miserable, and the estate of the beasts is better than thine, for they sigh for the liberty of God's sons, and they shall have part in this blessedness, and thou shalt see it, and then shalt moon thyself thou wantest it; 
job 10.18.19.  for if the earth might be thy grave, and thou mightest perish in the dust, thou mightst yet conceive happiness in senselessness after this life ended.  
For we are saved by hope. In this the Apostle proceedeth to prove that as it is necessary for a Christian to groan, so is it also to wait for the day of redemption; which he doth after this sort: We are saved by hope, that is, all our salvation standeth and consisteth in hope, for hope apprehendeth and layeth hold on things absent and invisible, 
Heb. 11.1. Ephe. 3.9. Pro. 13.12.  according to that speech, Our life is hid in Christ, that is, so hid as it will be found, though as yet it be not seen: now hope that is deferred, must needs (as Solomon saith) be the fainting of the heart: and therefore for fear of this fainting, the Apostle relieveth our hope with patience.  
Where we learn, that it is the duty of every Minister to salve up all breaches, and to resolve all doubts that any way may perplex the heart and soul of a weak Christian: after the example of the Apostle here, who to relieve the infirmities of the faithful against the storm of affliction, setteth before them the crown of glory which they have won in the field by their fight. And because this glory was not present, but followeth the battle; and when the combat is ended then cometh in victory; he showeth, though this glory and reward be not subject to the sight, yet Christians have an affection in them, which is hope, that nourisheth and stayeth their expectation for a time, the heart in the mean time leaping, and being established through hope that it will come: and yet that they may not be discouraged in their hope, though this glory come not so soon as it is looked for, he giveth them the plaster of patience, which shall sustain and support their hope, for he is certain that hath promised, but not to be prescribed a time by us, but he must take his own time, and our patience must prevent all distrust. Even so must the feeders of the flock deal with their people in all cases of doubt and wanering in matters of faith and religion, so to compass and beset the soul with reasons and arguments, as it may rest secure, and have the food of comfort ministered unto them against all doubts and perils that may arise. For such ought Ministers to be, 
Mat. 13 52.  as are able to bring forth of their treasure both new and old, cures and remedies, both against the ancient wiliness, and the fresh and new subtleties and temptations of that old serpent.  
Further observe, we must not understand this speech, We are saved by hope, as we do this, We are saved by faith. For nothing doth concur in the matter of justification with God above but faith: so as the meaning and sense here is: that our salvation consists in those things that we hope for; and it were better tranflated, We are saved in hope, than, we are saved by hope: 
Heb. 11.1.  for faith is the ground and foundation of hope: for what can we hope for, unless we believe it? As the ground of faith is the word and promise: for why should we believe but in respect of God his promise? Faith telleth us, we beat not the air: hope biddeth us, hold on our race, finish the course, fight the combat, and then expect the crown of glory. Yea faith is sustained by hope, that it do not waver, and contained by hope, that it do not hasten, but wait the time, and it is confirmed by hope, that we may hold on the faith. 
Mat. 15.22.  Example of this we see and have in the Canaanitish woman, who suffered three denials at Christ his hands, each of them doubled with several reproaches, and yet fainted not, neither was her importunity fruitless, but she reaped the benefit of it, namely the health of her daughter, which grew by her faith; which faith of hers was relieved by her hope. The like may be said of jacob, who wrestled with God by faith, 
Gen. 32.26  and in a Christian hope told him flatly to his face, he would not let him go till he had blessed him.  Hope that is seen, etc. 
That is, we hope not for that we have already, but for that we expect to have hereafter: and yet we may not think but by the eye of faith we have seen him that is invisible, as the Apostle speaketh, 2. Cor. 3.18. We do behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lordwith open face: whereby is meant, that though we have seen a great part in respect of the beginnings; and although we know we are called and elect of God, yet this is but in part as in a glass: for we have but the witness and testimony of the spirit, and do not here see him face to face perfectly and clearly.  
Further understand, that there is a difference between sight and faith, as it is said 2. Cor. 5.7. We walk by faith and not by sight: that is, though we have not God presently in the view, yet by faith we hope to see him. Whereby we gather, that faith and hope shall after this life be abolished, as the Apostle speaketh, 1. Cor. 13.13. Now (as speaking of the present time) abideth faith, hope, and love; but the chiefest of these is love: as if he should say: Among these three Christian virtues, Love in respect of the continuance is chiefest, because it ceaseth not in the life to come, as faith and hope do cease: for since these tend to such things as are promised and are to come, when they are come, to what purpose should we have faith and hope? for the presence of that we hoped for excludeth hope; but yet shall we always perfectly love God, and love one another.  
Learn moreover, to beware and take heed Satan steal not away our hearts, and rob us of this hope of glory, to think we may be happy enough in these visible things, as in the enjoying of possessions, and heaping up of goods, and climbing up to earthly honour. If we did consider the things hoped for to be far more excellent, and more permanent than these vanishing delights, we would have other thoughts and better affections toward our heavenly City. But we are so besotted in the present sweetness of the pleasures of this life, that if the Lord would still settle and establish our mansion here; that the gourd might still grow over our heads, 
jonah. 4.6.  as it did over jonas head to keep us from heat, and that we might still flourish as the bay tree: we would resign and give up all our interest, and cease to claim any title to heaven, or to make any haste to the throne of God: which cometh to pass, because we only walk in the admiration of these outward things: as the Cardinal of Bourbon said: He would not give his part in Paris for his part in Paradise. Whereas if we would weigh it truly, they ever deceived him soonest that most trusted in them: 
Luk. 12.20.  as the rich man, that promised to his life ease for many years, because he had multitude of riches, was the same night by sudden death deprived of all. And if we would enter into true comparison between the joys of heaven, and these prison-ioyes we have on earth, we should find far greater difference, than there was between the Manna in the wilderness, and the flesh pots of Egypt; 
Num. 11.5.6.  and the bread the lost son eat in his father's house, 
Luk. 15.16.23.  and the husks he eat abroad with swine.  
Further learn, that hope is not only of that it seethe not, but it hopes clean contrary to that it seethe. As Abraham hoped for fruit of Sara's body, 
Gen. 18.13.  when he knew her womb was as a dry stock, and that it fared not with her as with other women. Even so fell it out in David: Samuel comes and anointeth him king: here he hopes for that he hath not, nay, 
1. Sam. 16.13.  clean contrary to that he saw before his eyes: for snares were laid for him, the builders refuse him as a fir stone, both Prince and people hated him: 
1 Sam. 22.1.  nay, the fat Bulls of Basan did rage upon him: amongst the basest he was in derision, and a table talk as himself saith, Psal. 35.15.16. Doeg and other of his familiars that went into the house of God with him, lift up their heel against him: yea, God himself was against him, as he crieth, Psal. 22.1. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? The very pangs of hell did compass him so, as he said in his haste; All men are liars, Samuel hath abused me: and yet he hoped against hope, and against these fears, 
Psal 116.11  that the Lord would advance him; and so in the time appointed it came to pass. Even so must the godly do, they must ground and build upon God, and though they can espy out of the waterish and dim humour of their hearts no light of deliverance, yet must they still cleave to him in hope; and though we be never free, but either Ishmael persecuteth us with his tongue, or Esau hateth us in his heart, yet we must not be dismayed, nor any whit repine at the prosperity of the wicked: but even this must cause us to raise up our hopes, that because things be brought to this confusion, and religion is so lightly set by, therefore there must needs be a restitution, and an inversion and change of this order.  We do with patience abide for it. 
Where observe, though we must wait with patience, yet we must sigh and groan: for this agreeth well enough with the other that went before, in respect these things we see are nothing comparable with that we shall have. And in respect of this steadfast hope of the expectation of this blessed day, Moses refused to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, 
Heb. 11.24. Dan. 5.11.  and Daniel refused to bow down to that beast that was set up to dishonour God. Yea by reason of this patiented hope we may see how the martyrs from time to time have submitted themselves to many torments not only in patience, but even in triumph: as one of the faithful servants of God, who for his profession was cast to a Lion, said: I am the grain of Christ jesus, here I am ready to be ground with the teeth of this beast, that I may be a fit loaf for the Lords table. And whence came this Christian courage and resolution, but only because he saw God which was invisible. So may we say of all the rest of God's children, who have refused the honour of the world, as to be the sons of Pharaohs daughter, and to sit with Princes, and have chosen rather to suffer persecution with God's saints; 
Heb. 10.35.  that they have done it in this respect, as having regard to the recompense of reward set before them, in a hope that cannot fail. Let us therefore not scrape so greedily in the earth as the blind moles do, nor wallow ourselves in the mire of this world like swine, nor root our affections in the things of this life▪ but let us sigh with desire, and wait with patience the general redemption of the sons of God, and restitution of the creatures to their first perfection: at least let us look to our own particular departure out of this life, for there is no privilege nor protection can come from the court of heaven, but depart we must, and how soon we know not: the Devil would feign take us in the lurch, and the world will entice us to defer the buying of oil for the keeping of our lamps burning, till the Lord do knock: 
Mat. 25.10.  but let us ever be furnished for the way, let our faith hold us, and our hope contain us within the compass and assurance of our salvation. These be the days of our pangs and pilgrimage; happy shall that day be, when we shall be delivered, and when our journey shall be ended. Hear we have to walk a most tedious and craggy course; happy shall that day be, when we shall come to our heavenly country. Hear we sight a troublesome, though no doubtful com● happy shall that day be when we shall be crowned as conqueror's: here we sow with sorrow, happy shall ●hat day be w●●● we shall reap a plentiful and perpetual harvest with much ●●y here we are full of wounds, and our eyes stand full of tears, happy shall that day be when our wounds shall be healed, and our tears wiped away.   
ROM. chap. 8. vers. 26.27. 
verse 26 Likewise also the spirit helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what to pray as we ought: but the spirit itself maketh request for us with sighs 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 pass thorough, and showeth that there is no cause we should shrink or faint, since we are maintained and supported by a heavenly power, against which the gates of hell cannot prevail; for the Lord doth assist us by the holy Ghost, which doth excite and stir up in us groanings, that is, heavenly prayers, which do reach and pierce the very throne of God, & which being made according to his will, we must needs obtain whatsoever we shall request.  
In the words observe three things: first, generally that the ●●●ly Ghost doth relieve us in our infirmities and weakness: se●●ndly, by what means he doth it, namely, when we are low brought, by stirring up in us such vehement and fervent prayers as cannot proceed from any natural man, nor the power of man, but from a power far above man: thirdly, the powerful working of these prayers, namely, that being made according to God's meaning, the Lord must needs show himself exorable and to be entreated, and it is not possible they can return empty from the throne of grace.  
For the first, consider that it were impossible for us to stand one minute, if no other power did sustain us but flesh and blood; for even in the choicest of God's children faith is very weak, and our hope very weary, and flesh and blood through self love desireth ease, and doth moon itself, and is fearful to see or to suffer the cross: yea Satan doth buffet us by our inward infirmities, for sin lieth heavy within us, and this maketh us to groan, outward afflictions make the flesh to smart, the world tempteth us on both hands, one way with the peace of the wicked, another way with the troubles of the godly, alluring us to the vain glistering shows of the one, and terrifying us from the ghastfull and hideous sight of the other. So as having sin within us, Satan without us, and the world about us, all enemies to the peace and rest of our souls, every hour should we perish, were we not supported by the mighty hand of this invisible spirit: and therefore flesh and blood hath no cause to be proud, but aught in truth to glory in it own weakness, because it hath such an helper, and so strong an helper, and so certain a helper as is this spirit, which is nothing else then the very power of God himself, as it was said to Paul, My grace is sufficient for thee.  
Further, in that it is said, He helpeth our infirmities: observe that he doth not free us fully from them, or remove them fully from us, but he doth only help and relieve us in them. And this is that Christ prayed for in his bitter agony, john 17.15. I pray unto thee Father, saith he, not that thou wouldst give them an exemption and freedom from trials, but that they may be so kept from evil, as ever they may find some comfortable deliverance. So in another place Christ saith unto his Apostles, 
Mat. 9.15.  that when the Bridegroom was with them they could not mourn, he sparing them for that time: but afterward he saith, Hitherto have ye lived in peace, have 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 rejoice, but ye shall mourn; mourn though ye have a comforter, but not mourn until ye have a comforter: which setteth forth the riches of the Lords mercy, that provideth a remedy before we receive the wound, and layeth himself as it were in our bosom before he sendeth us cause of sorrow. To this purpose is that Paul speaketh, 2. Corinth. 4 8, 9 we are afflicted on every side, yet not in distress; in doubt, but we despair not; persecuted but not forsaken; cast down 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 himself received from God being sore buffeted by Satan, 
2. Cor. 12.9.  Content thyself (saith the Lord) my grace is with thee, therefore strive thou and I will help thee. This also is prefigured in the combat between the Angel and jacob, 
Gen. 32.25.  who had his bone in his thigh shrunk, but yet would not forsake his hold till he had a blessing. So as by this combat we are sure to receive such a blow as we shall halt all our lives after, to this end, that we may seek for jacobs' staff, the blessing of the Lord to strengthen us. And this was Moses comfort when his hands were faint and weary in holding of them up in prayer, so that they fell down, 
Exod. 17.12.  then did the spirit of the Lord support them, and prompt him with excellent and effectual words of prayer. Yea this must be the comfort of us all, that though we fight to the blood for the Lords cause, not one drop of it shall perish; but as the Lord doth keep our tears, so much more will he keep our blood in a bottle, 
Psal. 116. ●.  that we may be made precious white in the blood of the Lamb.  
Now for the second point, which is the means how the spirit helpeth our infirmities, that is, by stirring up prayers and groans. Observe first, that no man can pray of himself unless he be taught of God: secondly, that the holy Ghost doth minister unto us that power in prayer which no man is able to bring and perform of himself; howbeit we may not construe the words as if the holy Ghost himself did pray, but only that he suggesteth unto us fit words and matter, and prompteth us to pray.  
For the first, understand that it is not postible for any man of himself to pray, unless he be helped and renewed in his spirit, for prayer must be made in the mediation of Christ, which flesh and blood never thinketh of, nay, which flesh and blood doth but mock at. And this disability in prayer, and unaptness to perform it, is even true of them that be enlightened and called to the faith, unless also they be impulsed and driven on by the spirit. Howbeit, by this so excellent an instrument as the spirit, the Lord doth pour into our hearts such a constant and steadfast assurance of his love, as we come and humble ourselves before him boldly, and beat our breast, and pray from the book of our conscience, confidently unfolding the whole heaps of our miscries before the Lord: yea, we come unto him having even a sight and contemplation of his majesty, and we stand not upon words, but a broken and contrite spirit maketh us speak plainly, the interpreter of our meaning being the holy Ghost: so as we in this exercise confer with God, and speak as it were with the mouth of Christ, who maketh our supplications as sweet as incense in our and his Father's nostrils. So as it is no such slight matter, nor so easy a work to pray aright, for of thyself thou art speechless, and canst not utter one word, unless the spirit untie the strings of thy tongue; and though happily thou speak, yet is thy understanding senseless, that thou knowest not what to ask unless the spirit teach thee: nay were thou never so well taught, if the spirit make thee not acquainted with Christ, 
Revel. 8.3.  that he may present thy prayers to God, all else is in vain and fruitless.  
Further, in that the holy Ghost is said to make request for us: we are admonished (unless it be for weak Christians and babes in Christ, that are not grown in the word of grace, unto whom a book of prayer is allowed as a Catechism) that they that be old scholars in the school of Christ, aught to strive and endeavour to grow from prayer to prayer, aswell as from faith to faith, that as their judgements are increased in knowledge, so their hearts may increase in fervency and affection toward God, and that they may bring forth their hidden treasure of the Lords spirit, in enabling them to conceive a prayer, 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 power out the spirit of deprecation and of prayer upon the sons of men: so men should endeavour to be familiar in this duty without book, and not content themselves to pray either a stinted prayer, or a stinted time: but as it is said, Hebr. 6.1. we must leave the beginnings, and be led forward and strive to perfection. For if notwithstanding such plenty of food these many years, there be still such leanness in thy soul, that thou art not able to feed thyself, nor to express and utter thy necessities in a corner before the Lord, how canst thou look for any blessing, that hast been so sluggish, and hast so carelessly entertained the spirit of God in this acceptable time? If any sudden calamity hang over thy head, or any secret sin press thy conscience, how canst thou think to be relieved? nay thou canst not but judge thyself unworthy to be helped, if thou art unable without a book before thee to utter thy grief and to pray for help. Thou must know thy temptations are particular, and thy sins are particular, and a general confession is not a proper salve for any particular sore: but as in this and this sin thou hast offended God, so particularly for this & this sin thou must call for mercy. And what if that special grace thou prayest for be not in thy book, than thou goest away empty, for thou art not likely to obtain that thou dost not ask for. For howsoever the Lord doth ofttimes prevent us with his mercies, and giveth before we ask, yet when he shall perceive such negligence in us, that we desire but as it were a common and general headpiece to shield us from all assaults, and do not arm ourselves in every part, especially knowing our old enemy the devil lieth at all advantage, this maketh the Lord weary and unwilling to help us, who otherwise easily inclineth his ear to the prayers of the faithful.  
When it is said: With groanings that are unspeakable: we are by this to comfort a distressed conscience: that if afflictions do come so fast upon us, as the waves, one in the neck of another, and our spirits be so over whelmed and cast down, that we are not able to conceive a prayer for the anguish of our souls; in this case if our hearts do but bleed and groan, though no word be uttered, yet is it a prayer precious and acceptable in the Lord's sight. We read of Ezechiah, (Esa. 38.14.) that he was not able to speak one word, but did chatter like a Crane, and mourn like a Dove in his sickness, he was so oppressed with sorrow in the bitterness of his soul; yet was this a prayer, and a prayer heard of God, and himself delivered, and fifteen years added to his life. So oftentimes our prayers are so peppered with salt and fire, that is, our soul is so anguished, and our spirits so appalled, that either we speak abruptly, or only knock ourselves on the breast, 
Luk. 18.13.  as did the Publican; yet this soundeth in the Lords ears, and cometh pleasantly before him: for words in prayer are but to make us understand what we ask, the Lord understandeth our meaning without words, yea knoweth our wants better than ourselves. And as the mother pitieth her child when it is fallen sick, and is able to tell where the pain lieth, and to ask such things as it wanteth; but when the disease is grown so sore, that for extremity it cannot utter the pain by speech, but lieth complaining by groans and cries, with the eyes fixed upon the mother, this doubleth the compassion, & maketh her very bowels to yearn with pity: Even so the Lord, more kind than a mother, dareth his loving and tender ear to our bitter complaints; but being astonished with grief; that we cannot but only cry out in hope and expectation of some help, and we lie pained not able to express it, this doth more enlarge the bowels of his compassion, and then he gathereth our rears into a bottle, and wipeth our eyes, and putteth his hand into our side to heal us, and regardeth as preciously such manner of speechless utterance, as any prayer uttered in fervency and vehemency of words. Which is a most singular comfort for Gods chosen, that the clouds of affliction can never be so thick, but a hearty sigh will scatter them: yea, come what will, no time can be so evil, nor tyrant so bitter or cruel, that can stay us from groaning, though through weight of torment they may stop us from speaking: as David saith, Psal. 38.9. I power (O Lord) my whole desire before thee, and my sighing is not hidden from thee: for none can refrain the heart from sobbing. Yet must we not abuse this comfortable doctrine to our fleshly liberty, to make us sluggish in praying to the Lord, and think only a mental prayer, or a desire conceived though not uttered, to be enough: for this speechless prayer is only permitted in the bitterness of the heart, and when the venom of affliction hath seized upon the outward man, in such a case, and in such a time, if we cannot speak with Anna, (1. Sam. 1.13.) we may with her wag our lips be we never so old. Otherwise we must say with David: 
Psal. 57.8.  Arise my tongue, and then arise up my glory: for there is no instrument so fit to set forth our wants, and it is no excuse for thee to say: the Lord knows thy heart, for so doth he know thy wants also before thou ask, and by that reason, neither the panting of the heart, nor the pains of the lips should be requisite:  
For the third point, that is, for the effect and efficacy of our prayers, that they coming from the spirit must needs speed & have good success, observe when it is said: The Lord knows the meaning: that there is a special property of this word to be understood: for (knowing) is taken here for (approving:) as Rom. 7.15. What I do I know not, that is, allow not, nor approve that Ido: so Mat. 7.23. Depart from me, I know you not, that is, approve you not, for he knew them well enough. So Psal. 1.6. The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: that is, approveth it: and in the same sense is it taken in the Proverb. 12.10. The righteous man knoweth the soul of his beast, that is, approveth it. Why then this is the lesson: that if our prayers have an allowance and approbation with God, we may be sure we shall reap the fruit of our lips, and that our requests shall not return empty unto us, but shall be as the dove, that brought an Olive in her mouth, signifying that the floods are ceased, and that we may walk on the dry land.  
The reason why our prayers must needs speed, is, because the same spirit that maketh us pray, doth make us only to pray for those things that stand with the Lords glory, & therefore must of necessity be granted, for God cannot deny himself, & he and his glory are inseparable. 
1. joh. 5.14.  And this is witnessed by S. john: This is our assurance, that if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: and we know that we have the petitions we desired of him. So that it is not the worthiness of our prayers that draweth God's bounty to us, but the bounds and compass wherein our prayers are limited and circumscribed, that is, aiming at nothing else, and referring all to the will and pleasure of God, which we may be sure shall come to pass. Even as jacob said, Gen. 32.11.12. Thou wilt deliver me, O Lord, from my brother Esau, for thou hast said, thou wilt do me good: and (2. Sam. 7.21.) David saith: O Lord, I know thou wilt bless my house, because of thy word, for thou hast spoken it. Many there be will say: I have prayed often, and cried incessantly for the increase of faith, and yet I find it as weak, and my flesh as sinful as it was before. And thus Satan persuadeth thee thou prayest not according to Gods will: for if thou hadst been his, and hadst belonged to him, he would have given thee faith at thy first request. But thou must beat back this temptation, which is but to lull thee in security, by this answer: that thou must think thy lot and thy portion to be no better than David's, who (Psal. 69.3.4.) broke forth, saying: O Lord, I am weary with crying, and mine eyes fail while I have waited for my God: for the Lord will have thee to continue in prayer; not to weary thee, but to try thy patience how long thou canst wait: so as if thou speakest and the Lord seemeth not to hear thee, double thy prayers upon him, for he maketh himself deaf to make thee more quick and fervent. If he listen to thee, and yet thou obtainest not, persevere and continue, for at last the Lord will incline to thy petition, and from his throne will he send thee a cheerful message. In Saint Luke we have an example of one that asked but three loaves, 
Luk. 11.8.  and by his importunity got as many as he would. So may the p●●ore widow be our pattern, 
Luk. 18.5.  who by her multiplying of her sure wit● many words, obtained right of the unjust judge: and therefore much more shall we by our instancy with the Lord obtain what in faith we shall desire: for out of the very words of the Apostle here we may learn, first that it is certain we shall have it, though it be uncertain when it shall be cast upon us; for Christians must endeavour to strive to this, to have jacobs' spirit and resolution, that though the Lord fight with us, and would feign shake us off, yet not to let him go till we have forced a blessing from him, and have our petitions granted. And we must have the strength of the woman's faith in the Gospel, 
Mat. 15.22.  as not to fear three denials of Christ hand to hand, for her constancy and perseverance were rewarded double, first with the commendation of her faith: secondly, with the health of her daughter, which was the thing she craved. And even so at length shall our prayers be requited with the perfect cure of all our infirmities.  
Secondly, mark and assure thyself, 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 utterly out of hope of that thou didst crave: as we may see Luk. 1.13. Zachary and Elizabet no doubt prayed in their youth for the fruit of their body, but they were not then heard, for the Lords time was not yet: but when Zachary as priest was exercising the public ministery of the Church, and both he and his wise stricken in age, than the Angel comes and tells him, the Lord had heard his prayers, and that his wife should have a child. Which may be a great encouragement to us to grow perfect in this exercise, and that the work of prayer may be easy to us, because there is not a word falls to the ground, but either it rebounds presently upon us again with a blessing, or that blessing is reserved for a better time when it trebles the joy in receiving an unexpected benefit. No doubt jacob had fetched many a sigh for the loss of his son joseph; 
Gen. 37.34.  but if joseph had presently returned to his father before he obtained the honour in Egypt, it had nothing so much cheered jacobs heart, 
Gen. 45.27.  as it did when he saw the chariots sent to fetch him, that he might see him in his state and dignity. So for the Lord to carry in his remembrance and to keep as it were a book of our prayers always open before his eyes, and either to heal us when we are past cure, as he did David, when he heard him out of the deep of deeps: or in his good time to put us in mind of our own prayers by the fruit doubled in our bosom when we thought our harvest past, can not but exceedingly stir us up to magnify his goodness, and to employ all the powers of our soul to please him.  
Thirdly, we pray for many things which we cannot obtain, and yet we must pray for them, for if we cannot have our desire here, it shall be fulfilled in the life to come: as when we pray that God's kingdom may come, that we may be delivered from temptation, and that we may not sin, which only shall be performed in the life to come: for God according to his own disposition of times hath ordained that we his creatures should apply ourselves unto, and therefore hath taught us by his spirit as well to pray for the end as for the means. Faith in this life being the foundation of our hope, and our hope being perfected in the life to come through the love of Christ: so that as here we pray to have our faith strengthened, our infirmities cured, our sins pardoned, and Gods graces renewed in us daily, which be apples of such a tree as we taste of in this life: so here we pray also that sin may be abolished, the number of Gods elect gathered, and the work of our sanctification perfected, which is the end and perfection of the former, and which is reserved for a better life, when both our own prayers and the intercession of Christ for us also shall cease.  
Fourthly observe, that God so heareth thy prayers, that though he do not grant formam the form, yet he granteth finem the end of thy prayers. Even as Christ when he prayed in the garden, Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me: now shall we say that Christ ever prayed and was not heard? 
Mat. 26.39.  God forbidden: and yet the cup did not pass from him, yet was he heard, as the Apostle to the Hebrews saith, in that he feared; for though he was not delivered from death, 
Heb. 5.7.  yet was he freed from the horror of death, for an Angel was sent to comfort him. 
2. Cor. 12.8.  So Paul when he prayed to be delivered from the buffet of Satan, he had his desire thus far, the Lord granteth the end of his prayer, that is, strength to abide it: exempted he could not be, but this was it, the power of the Lord should be in him so much the greater as his temptations and afflictions were increased: so that none must be discouraged nor grow cold though their first or second voice in prayer be not heard: for by this we learn first to continue in prayer, and in this doth the Lord secretly hear us that we break not off. secondly, the Lord doth for a time withdraw his ears from the words of our mouth, that we may know the deliverance prayed for coming from God, we are not to appoint him the hour. Thirdly, we stay a time before our hands be filled with our requests to exercise our patience, that our desire be not like the longing and fainting of a woman. fourthly, that by this small absence of the Lord in not hearing our prayers at the first, we may learn to depend upon his providence. fiftly, that we may use them the better when we have them, and receive them with the greater thankfulness, because things wished for, as they are gratefully received, so are they carefully preserved.   
ROM. chap. 8. vers. 28. 
verse 28 Also we know that all things work together for the best unto them that love God, even to them that are called of his purpose.  
Here the Apostle proceedeth to open another fountain of exceeding comfort to the faithful, which is, all things work for the best to those that love God: but every faithful man is assured he loves the Lord: therefore to him all things work for the best: and if all things, than afflictions. He proves it by this reason; to those that be predestinate all things turn to the best: but they that love the Lord are predestinate; therefore to them all things turn to the best. And to prove this he setteth down a reason, vers. 29. Those that be called in the eternal purpose of God, them hath he predestinate to be like the image of his Son, 
Heb. 2.9.  that as he passed by the cross, and from the cross to glory, so shall we, being children of the same Father, and who are borne and bound to resemble Christ our elder brother in this point chief.  
To declare how afflictions work for the best in Gods children: we must understand that afflictions be of two sorts, either remedies to correct our corruptions and heal our infirmities, or else exercises of God's graces in his children, that he may try them how much they will suffer for his sake. For the first kind of afflictions, we cannot doubt but they do work for the best, whether we consider them as chastisements for sins past, or as preventions of sins to come. For sins that are committed, the rod is necessary (for he is a bastard that is not corrected) that we may see and loathe the cause of our affliction, that is, our corruption: as it is said 1. Cor. 11.32. We are chastised of the Lord, because we should not be condemned with the world: And to David the Lord saith, Thy sons I will correct for their sins, but my loving kindness shall never departed from thee: for the punishments of these our sins are pardoned in the sacrifice of Christ, but so is not the chastisement; for this proceedeth from the love of God, and Christ only satisfied the wrath of God. That it cometh from the love of God, appeareth by the example of David, to whom when the Lord had sent Nathan the Prophet to tell him his sin was pardoned; 
2. Sam. 7.15.  yet withal, part of his message was, that the sword should never departed from his house, which fell out in his daughter Thamar that was ravished, and in his son Absalon that was desperately hanged, and in the child begotten in adultery that presently died. And this was only to awake him out of that security Satan had cast him into; for it is certain, where the Lord smites not, there the Lord loves not: and therefore 1. Sam. 2.25. it is said, that because the Lord had a purpose to slay the sons of Eli, therefore they obeyed not the mild voice of admonition used by their father.  
Now for those afflictions that be sent as preventions of sin, as poverty, ignominy, restraint of liberty, shutting up the womb and such like, they also turn to the best in Gods children: for many do let themselves blood before they be sick for fear of sickness, and the superfluous spreads of a vine are cut off, that it may bring forth better fruit. And thus doth the Lord mint and diet his children, lest by riches they should grow proud, by fame become insolent, by liberty wax wanton, and kick against the Lord when they be full; and lest by having children they should make idols of them, to cocker them up to damnation, the Lord scanteth them in these blessings. Look upon David, who confesseth he had gained much by affliction. See what difference there was even in Nabuchadnezzar, before he was pulled out of his seat, and after he had fed with beasts: before in his prosperity, the strength of his hand, and the power of his majesty had built Babel, Dan. 3. and 4. but after he had been cooled in the wild forest, than he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and praised and honoured him that liveth for ever. Such is the stomach of flesh and blood, that it will break out into many insolencies against God, against his church and children, unless he cut as it were out teather short, that we have but little room to feed in: and therefore in great mercy he suffereth us oft times to want, lest we should was proud with abundance, and changeth our oil of gladness into a countenance of heaviness, because we could not before tell how to use our mirth.  
Secondly, consider how those afflictions turn to our good, which are sent for the exercises of God's graces in us: namely, beerein to try how far we love God, whether we love him when he dealeth with us roughly, aswell as when he dealeth mildly and liberally with us: and this is called the fiery trial, wherein we shall not be consumed like dross, but refined like gold. And this affection appeared in job when he cried, 
job. 13.15.  O Lord though thou kill me, yet will I love thee: for many times the Lord sendeth his arrows against us, and the venom of his wrath lieth for a time in our bones, and he setteth us up as marks to shoot at; unto whom if we willingly submit ourselves, the power and danger of his shafts shall be appeased, before they hit us, and the poison of his indignation shall be cleansed away before it rankle in us. 
Gen. 22.2.  Thus fared it with Abraham, whom the Lord did not simply afflict for his sin, but for the trial of his faith and fervency of his zeal toward God, to see whether he loved Isaac the son of the promise, better than God the Father of the promise. And behold, to the comfort of the children of Abraham, in a resolution of three days journey, he fainted not to execute the Lords commandment, trusting the Lord with his own salvation: for he knew if his son Isaac should have been sacrificed, himself should have been damned: whose obedience when it was thus thoroughly tried, the Lord saith, Since thou hast done this, I will make thee the father of the faithful, which was a confirmation of the promise was made before.  
But there is another special kind of affliction that searcheth more narrowly the corners of our hearts, and trieth more fully our obedience and love toward God: namely, when the Lord vouchsafeth us that honour to suffer for the cross of Christ. In this he exerciseth our cold prayers, and varnisheth our rusty hope, and stirreth up our dull meditations, to think how precious in the sight of God is the blood of his Saints, when they die not only in their holiness, 
Psal. 116.15.  but are put to death even for their holiness. And therefore Christ giveth this counsel, Luk. 6.22.23. When ye are hated of men and persecuted for righteousness, then rejoice and be glad; or as the Greek word signifieth, skip at that day like fat calves, because our reward is great in heaven. So as these afflictions that lead to death, further and hasten us toward the life to come: and even for this life they turn to our good, as Mat. 10.29. He that forsaketh father or wife, or riches for my name's sake, I will give him an hundred fold more in this life, that is, in that base estate and condition of persecution, wherein he standeth for the profession of my name, I will give him an hundred times more comfort, more contentation, and more peace of conscience, than he should have had in an hundred wives of such as were never so dear unto him, in an hundred fathers of such as were never so kind unto him; and more perfect joy, than he should have had in all the treasures of the world, be they never supleasing and precious unto him. So as observe, though the Lord promiseth not a requital of thy loss in quantity and in number, yet he doth it in the good will and blessing of God, wihch is the special quality, that maketh such things we enjoy permanent and comfortable unto us. This David had found in his own experience, Psal. 127.1. and therefore teacheth us to know, that except the Lord do build the house, in vain do the workmen bestow their labour, and unless he keep the city, as good set open the gates; for the watch without him do nothing. Witness the prison doors that flew open, and the chains wherewith Peter was fettered, that flew off, when the jailor had done the best he could, Act. 12.10. And this is that Amos laboureth to persuade the people in his prophesy, that let the spring be never so forward, 
Amos 4.6.  nor the bread which is our food never so savoury, if the Lord do but blow upon it, it cannot nourish us. So Paul saith: 
1. Tim. 4.12.  that godliness hath ever the promises of this life, that is, religious prosperity, & the hand of blessing from above: and it hath the promises of the life to come, that is, to be translated from this dim light of God's favour which we find here, into the full fruition of God's glory which we shall possess hereafter. Look upon the poor widow of Sarepta, though she had but a little oil, 
1. King 7.14.  yet had she more than the rest when Eliah came to her: for theirs consumed, and hers through the secret blessing of God, served her turn & wasted not. 
Dan. 6.17.  So Daniel in prison fared better with bread and water, by reason of God's cheerful presence with him, than did the king with all his sumptuous and princely diet. And in our natural judgements we can say, that he hath more, that hath but a bottle of wine that runneth by drops, than he that hath a whole cistern full, that is broken: for the providence of God never leaveth those that be his, and his eye is upon their wants to supply them. And as Paul saith, Colos. 1.16.17. By Christ all things were created, he is before all things, and in him all things consist, that is, have their being for his glory: for no man can complot or contrive any secret snares for our life, no man can breathe out any threatenings against God's Church as did Saul, 
Act. 9.1. Matt. 14. 1●.  not execute any cruelty upon the forerunner of Christ, as did Hero● but Christ hath his full glory in it. Let us therefore k●●● our persecutors can do us no harm: for as our being is for Ch●●●● to must our bodies be yielded up to Christ, we stand in him, and his power in these afflictions is seen in us, so as when they hate us and revile us, & torment us, they are but as A pothee●ies to make drugs to heal our infirmities: they are but as Masons to hammer and polish us in the quarry of this world, that we may be fit stones for the heavenly building: yea they are but as fire to refine us, being of ourselves drossy; as furbushers to varnish us, being through fleshly ease rusty; as scullions in the Lord's kitchen, to scour the vessel of his household: lastly, they are those, that have received a commission from God, contrary to their own intention, to do us good, for when they are come to the perfection of their tyranny, they can but kill the body, whereby they hasten our blessedness in the soul.  
Hear may be demanded: if all things work for our good, whether the infirmities that be in us do us any good or no. The answer is: Yes, many ways, but principally three ways. First, they remain in us to subdue the pride and presumption of our hearts, that would advance itself against God, if it were not humbled by the sight of it own corruption: as Paul must have a buffeter, lest he grow insolent, 2. Cor. 12.8. For the Lord will trust us no more with perfection, since Adam lost it in Paradise, and therefore he exerciseth us with infirmities, lest we should step into our mother concepit, to think ourselves Gods. This is proportionably to that spoken of Deut. 7.22. That the Lord would root out the Canaanites from among his people by little and little, 
Psal. 59.11.  not all at once, lest the wild beasts should grow in upon them. These Canaanites be our infirmities, the wild beasts are self-love, pride of life, and such like, which would wax strong within us, if we were thoroughly purged from our weakness. And thus we see the Lord cureth poison by poison, keepeth out gross sins, by keeping in natural infirmities, even as the best treacle is made of poison, and the skin of a viper, is the best cure against the sting of a viper.  
Secondly, these our infirmities serve to cure our ingratitude; for if the Lord should bestow upon us all his benefits at once, we would soon forget him. We see how the Lo●● 〈◊〉 up the red sea to make passage for the Israelites, Exo. 14. ●●. which one would have thought should have bee● as 〈◊〉 sigh● on their finger always in their sight; and yet Psal. 106.7. ●●●t is said 〈◊〉 the Hebrew phrase, they made haste to forget it, though it was so miraculous a work. For this cause David prayeth, Psal. 59.11. O Lord do not destroy the enemies of thy Church, that is, slay them not together, lest the people forget thee, but do it by little and little, that the people may often come unto thee: yea David himself in many places confesseth, that the prolonging of the Lords mercies give as it were an edge and sharpness to this spirit of thankfulness. And such is the nature of man, to wait no longer in humility then he hath hope of benefit. The lost son had no sooner fingered his portion, 
Luk. 15.13.  but his father's house was unsavoury to him, and he must needs ruffle it in another country. For as willingly we would wait no longer on the Lord than he is giving: so when he hath given us somewhat, we would be out of his sight while we spend it. And this maketh him more scant in his blessings then otherwise he would be, because he will teach us to depend upon him, both till we have them, and while we use them, and that employing them in a spiritual kind of traffic to gain credit to the Lord, he may furnish us afterward with better store.  
Thirdly, our infirmities serve to restrain our spiritual sluggishness, and security of the flesh; for where no fear of the enemy is, there the weapon rusteth: so as we are sifted and tempted by Satan that we may find our infirmities to be relieved by the Lord's power, and that we may pray for his gracious strength to withstand him, & in Christ to overcome him; and that by our experience in fight with Satan we may become wise and watchful, for we do not pray to be delivered from temptations, but not to be left in them. Our infirmities indeed are the fuel that Satan layeth, and they are as it were the coals he bloweth to consume us. Now every Christian when he feeleth such a fire of enmity within him against God and his law, bestirreth himself, and striveth by a clean contrary blast of the spirit to quench these coals, and entereth such a comba●● 〈◊〉 ●●seth in death, which we would not do if there we 〈◊〉 not so●● ski●● of sin and some remnant of corruption left 〈…〉 us, but we would fall asleep like idle servants, and hide 〈…〉, that is, the strength of God's graces in us. job, 
job 13.15.  though he were never 〈◊〉 painful a Christian, yet never more commended the power of God in him then by his fight hand to hand with the devil, in resisting and keeping off such blows of blasphemy and despair as Satan would have had him cast at God, and would have had to stick in himself. Paul when he fought with bulls at Ephesus, never obtained such a victory as when he left Satan in the lurch, and left himself persecuting of the Gospel: nay after his conversion there was left a sting in his flesh, lest either he might wax sluggish or become proud. And therefore it pleaseth God to honour our infirmities with the courage of fight, and by them to keep us waking, that we may discern the storm when it cometh, and cast our ank or on Christ where it shall never be unloosed.  
Here the craft and wiliness of flesh and blood will so one take occasion of licentiousness: as to say, if our infirmities serve to do us good, and turn to God's glory, because by this means we see our weakness, than it is good to make much of them: even as Porphyrius commendeth the treason of judas against Christ, because by Christ his death salvation is brought to many. But miserable and blasphemous is this opinion: for this were to turn the grace of God into wantonness, for though our infirmities do further us many ways to salvation, yet in it own nature sin is alway sinful. God can make Satan a Physician to cure Paul; yet is he ever Satan, that is, an enemy. God can make the tyranny of Pharaoh as a trumpet, to stir up the Israelites to cry to him for help; 
Exod. 2.23.  yet doth this nothing diminish from his malice to God's people. 
Luk. 22.47. john 17.12.  God can make judas by a kiss the executioner of his decree; yet doth he continue the child of perdition. So as we must strive against our infirmities, because they be in themselves simply evil, though qualified and tempered with the Lords hand they turn to our good. Adultery, it was a horrible sin in David, though it was made profitable for his soul, in bringing him to such a low degree of humiliation as is set down Psal. 32.6. For the heavens to be brass as not good in it own nature, but it is a vengeance of we want the first and latter rain, whereby to ripen the fruits of the earth; yet at the prayer of Eliah, 1. King. 17. and james 5.16. it reigned not on the earth for three years and six months, that the Lords mercy and power might the more be seen: yea the Lord can create light out of darkness, yet darkness is alway darkness. Adam's fall it was good in that end God had ordained it, namely, 
Gen. 3.14.  to prepare the way to raise us up a Saviour of the seed of the woman, but it was a most damnable sin as Satan and Adam meant it, for they did it in rebellion against God.  
Further, we must consider how the persons be qualified to whom all things turn to the best; it is to them that love God; which is the most excellent and Christian commendation that can be, this our love issuing and streaming from that fountain of the love of God. Even as all waters come from the sea as from the wellhead, and return thither again, boiling out of the veins of the earth: so God sending forth the streams of his love into our hearts, it must even from the very bottom of our hearts return to him again, for we have nothing but what we have received. Now there was never any Senacherib nor jesabel, but said they loved God; therefore this true Christian love of God, that it may be seen not to be counterfeit, is accompanied with six properties: first, with a care to keep his commandments, for such is the rule of Christ, If ye love me keep my commandments; which we must do, so much the rather because the Lord hath given and forgiven us much, having made us of enemies friends, as Abraham was termed to be the friend of God, having brought us home when we wandered in the wilderness of sin, 
Luk. 1●. 2●  as he did the lost son: having fed us when we wanted and had no means to secure us, as he did Eliah: 
1. King. 17.6.  having clearly set off the debt which we did owe, and canceled the hand-writing which was against us. If we should not perform obedience to such a God, and wear his commandments as a frontlet before our eyes, our condemnation could never be too heavy, nor our stripes too many. Howbeit every blasphemer sith against his own soul, that dare say even in the height of his wickedness he soveth God: for can a woman prostitute her body to a varlet, and mingle her flesh with his strange flesh, and yet truly say she loves her husband? it is not possible: no more can any man truly call himself the child of Abraham, if he do and perform the works of the Devil. secondly, 
john 8.44.  this love of God must breed in us a base estimation and account, nay rather a contempt of these earthly things, in respect of God's love. To such a pass had Paul brought his judgement and his affections to, Philipp. 3.8. when he esteemed all things but as dung in comparison of the treasure of the life to come, and that he might win Christ. So Moses refused the pleasures of sin in Egypt, in respect of the assurance of Gods love manifested in his afflicted servants: 
Exod. 2.11.  and Peter and other of the Disciples were so ravished with joy at the call of Christ, 
Math. 4.20.  that they left their nets, and forsook the world to follow him. And this is that indeed which we shall all find at the last to be the truest comfort, for riches are transitory and will beguile us, honour is slippery and will deceive us, the world is motheaten and wears away, at least we ourselves are but clay and soon perish; but the love of God in Christ endureth for ever. thirdly, this our love of God is accompanied with a fervent zeal of his glory, and more delight we take herein then in the enjoying the wives of our youth. This was the commendation of the Church of Thy atira, Revelat. 2.18. and by this was their love of God discerned, by their increase in the works of charity, faith and patience, and by their zeal of God's glory, that they profited and went forward in religion more at last then at first. This kind of love is described Cantic. 8.5.6. to be stronger than death, the coals thereof to be fiery, to express the zeal and vehemency of it; whole floods of affliction cannot drown it, neither can any treasure buy it. Such was the love of Paul and of Moses, that wished themselves accursed to save their brethren, 
Rom. 9.3. Exod. 32.32.  because they thought it more glory for God to save many, then to save one Fourthly, this our love of God must make us presently hate all things whereby God is openly dishonoured. This was it that so fiercely inflamed the wrath of Moses, Exod. 32.19. that when he saw idolatry set up by the people's dancing before the calf, he broke the Tables of the Law, and burned the calf, and strewed the powder of it on the waters, and in detestation of their superstition, made the children of Israel to drink thereof. Hereof cometh that, Ezech. 9.4. that they that have the mark in their foreheads, that is, such as are sealed up to salvation, do mourn and cry for the iniquity of the times. And such was the affection of David, when he said: Mine eyes gush out tears, because men dishonour thee O Lord: and in another place he protesteth, that he doth hate them with a perfect hatred that love not the Lord: and again, that no notorious and incorrigible sinner should dwell with him: Now fifthly, as we must hate God's enemies, so must we love his friends: as 1. joh. 3.14. it is said, We are translated from death to life, because we love the brethren: 
Mat. 25.34.  and Christ setteth down a plentiful reward for a cup of cold water given to a distressed brother. Now who these brethren be, Christ setteth down to be such as do the will of his father: so as it is not the affinity in the flesh, but the bond of the spirit that must unite us. And on the other side, we must hate none in respect of his creation, but in respect he perverteth the use of his creation: for they bear the image of God which is lovely, but they deface and scratch it out to their own damnation. So as we must hate not virum, sed vitium, the wickedness of the man, and not the wicked as he is a man. Sixtly, our love of God must draw us into the field for defence of his Majesty: for by this shall the master know his servant loveth him, if he cannot digest to hear him evil spoken of: yea by this shall it be known, whether our way be to Canaan or no, if we ask where it lieth in the wilderness, and if our blood rise to hear jerusalem evil spoken of, and to hear the Lord (who is the keeper of that city) reviled and blasphemed. Such were the spirits of Eliakim, Shebnah, and joan, 2. King. 18.37. that they rend their clothes, when they heard Rabshakeh rail upon the living God: and Ezechiah when he heard it, was grieved at it, and spread himself before the Lord, to call for a holy revenge of that fury. And so must every true hearted Christian esteem the name and credit of God far more tender than his own, and learn of Moses to be mild in overlooking an injury done to ourselves, 
Num. 12.3. Exod. 32.19.  but to be jealous and zealous in recompensing seven fold to them that tear in pieces the glorious name of the Lord jesus.  
Now we of that hath gone before must infer the contrary: that is, as all things work for salvation to them that love God, so all things work for damnation to them that hate him. All which may be drawn and reduced into these two things: first, those that concern this life: secondly, those that concern the life to come: and these may be reduced into these four. First, the graces of God's spirit, so much as they receive of it is only to make them unexcusable: for they shall surely perish, though they be in the blade near to ripeness: the reason is, because when the holy Ghost hath given them as it were a purge, to work upon them, setting before them good and evil, they not as weak stomached, but as cursed hearted; do cast it up again like beastly dogs. Secondly, the doctrine of salvation, which hath this singular virtue to bruise and mollify the flinty heart, only hardeneth theirs, and maketh them rage like the dragon: for Christ jesus is but a rock of offence unto them; preaching is but foolishness, and the word a favour of death unto them; and in the Sacraments they do but crucify Christ again. Thirdly, the benefits of this life do make them drunk, that they can not see their misery: for in their fullness they do neigh like horses, and in their hearts they say, there is no God; they eat and drink, and rise up to play, making their life but as a May-game. Fourthly, the miseries of this life, though therewith they be sometime mollified, as Esau was when be lost the blessing, yet this is but like the iron put into the fire, and so softened for a time, but being taken out, is made by that more hard than before.  
Now for the reason, why afflictions turn to the best to such as love God, it is, because by his eternal purpose they are called to be saved: so as the cause why God ordained some to the inheritance of his glory, was only his purpose and pleasure that it should be so: for Christ as Mediator is not the first cause of salvation. For the Scripture saith: So God loved the world, 
joh. 3.16.  that he gave his Son, whereby is evident and apparent, that he first loved it before he gave his Son: for first, God's purpose was to save some; this in time he executeth by creating man and woman in such estate as they might fall by their own will, he nothing enforcing it, nor compelling them thereunto. Now when they were fallen, then was there need of a reconciliation, and now God bethinks him of a Mediator: so as in the order of causes, the atonement which is in Christ, must be after the fall: for the foresight of the good or evil in a man, is no cause for God either to save or to damn any, so as no man can determine the cause why God loved jacob and hated Esau, to be because of the goodness of the one and the wickedness of the other; and yet it is true that Esau was damned because he was evil: but why he was appointed to damnation rather than jacob, no cause can be given, but the Lords eternal and inviolable purpose. For otherwise Paul would never have cried out (Rom. 9.20.) against the reason of man, that he should not plead with God, who hath the power to form the vessel after what fashion he pleaseth: for if the foresight of good or evil had been the cause, it had been easily sounded, and the Apostle would soon have set it down. Hereupon we must gather an argument, that salvation is merely of mercy: for whatsoever is the cause of the cause, is the cause of the thing caused: as the Sun is the cause of the fruitfulness of the earth, and God is the cause of the Sun, therefore God is the cause of the fruitfulness of the earth: so through the righteousness of Christ we are all saved; but Christ is made righteous merely of the Lord: therefore of the Lord we are all saved. But this is to be understood, of God as of the first cause, not as of the nearest cause. So that to conclude this point: every man may give a reason of his salvation, namely, because he is beloved in Christ, but why he was apappointed to be beloved in Christ, no man is able to assign or set down a reason, but we must all bow in humility, and resort only to the purpose of God here spoken of by the Apostle.   
ROM. chap. 8. vers. 29. 
verse 29 For those which he knew before, he also predestinate to be made like to the image of his Son, that he might be the first borne among many brethren.  
THe Apostle here proceedeth to prove, that all things, even afflictions, work for the best to those that are ordained in the eternal purpose of God to be saved, after this sort: those that are sure to be conformable to the glorious image of the Son of God, to them all things do work for the best: but they that are called in the Lords eternal purpose are ordained to be conformable and made like to the glorious image of his Son: therefore to these all things work for the best.  
Quos praenovit, whom he knew before: that is, Quos ut suos cognovit, whom he knew and approved to be his own, such should resemble his Son in glory, that is, should partake and taste of the same glory, though not in the same measure: according to the speech of S. john in his Epistle: We shall be like him: he doth not say, equal to him: for Christ must have the pre-eminence of an elder brother.  
Hence observe the indifferencey of the love of God, that he useth but one and the self same course of discipline in his house for all his children: for as he trained up his first, and eldest, and best beloved son, so will he train and bring us up. And how Christ was used here on earth the Scripture is plentiful; and his own mouth testifieth, that he was worse than the beasts of the earth, for he had not wherein to hide his head. And therefore unless we do despise the sufferings of Christ, or think that God loveth us better than he did Christ, and hath provided an easier way for us to walk in: let us know that it is our portion to abide the indignities of the world, and to be hated of men; nay, if whole seas of troubles fall upon us we need not be dismaled, for revilings are made unto us as precious balm, the whip is become but as soft silk, the pangs of death but as messengers of a sweet sleep, and through Christ the grave is unto us as a perfumed bed.  
Secondly, observe hence the power and virtue of God's love towards us, who will still have us bear about us some notable mark of excellency and of immortality: for as at the first we were created like to the image of God himself, so in our second birth and restitution we are made to resemble the image of the Son of God: and our resemblance of Christ standeth in two things, which formerly have been touched: first in walking through the sierie afflictions of this life, which we may the better do, remembering that being the sons of jacob, there is a ladder that reacheth from heaven to earth, whereon the Angels are always ascending and descending, 
Gen. 28.12.  ready to minister to the necessities of the Saints. Secondly, in climbing up to the seat of glory, after the Dragon hath spent his malice in sending forth of his mouth whole floods of waters to drown us, 
Reu. 12.25.  which did nothing else but only wash away our filthiness, lest otherwise we had been like to that old Serpent always groveling upon the ground. For certain it is, we must either resemble the Son in obedience, or the Serpent in malice: and if we think the inheritance of a son inferior and of less value and consequent than the curse of the Serpent, then let us run on with Pharaoh in the hardness of our hearts, that the Lord may show his power in us, and after he hath forborn us a while in patience, 
Ro● 9.17.  cast us to the destruction prepared for us.  Vers. 30. 
Moreover whom he predestinate, them also he called: and whom he called, them also he justified: and whom he justified, them also he glorified.  
Here the Apostle proveth his former speech and assertion, by setting down and declaring those subordinate and second means or degrees whereby the Lord doth accomplish this his purpose and decree. The degrees be four: whom he foreknew, first, them he predestinated: secondly, after he called: thirdly, then justified: four and lastly, them he glorified. After this sort speaketh S. john, He that believeth, is already translated from death to life: so as the whole force of the Apostles argument is this, They that shall certainly be glorified, to them all things work for the best, otherwise the Lords purpose should be frustrate, which cannot be, by reason of the degrees of executing this his purpose, which never fail.  
Here consider generally two parts: first, his fore or daining us to glory: secondly, the inferior degrees whereby he doth execute this his purpose to glorify us. In the first consider three things: first, what this foreknowledge of the Lord is: secondly, what is meant by this, to be like the image of his Son: thirdly, what is meant by the first borne among brethren.  
For this which is the first, namely the foreknowledge of God, it is the very same which the Apostle called before (his purpose) whereby the Lord meant to know us for his own in his everlasting love, which is the very highest cause of our salvation. For that there is no other first cause, may be understood in this, that we are not to seek the first cause in Christ, nor the first ordaining us to life in the mediation of Christ; for the Lord had a purpose to save some before ever Christ had a purpose to be a Mediator, though not in time yet in order: and that nothing but his foreknowledge made the Lord to know us in love, and to account us for his own, we may see it in our pattern Christ. What could induce God that man's nature should be united to the very nature eternal? Was it possible that the human nature of Christ could deserve it? No: but it only was the Lords purpose that it should be so; which being true in constituting and ordaining the head, is also to be considered in the members, that even so and in the like manner the simple and only purpose of God should show itself in fore ordaining us. Now the worthiness of man was no cause of this: for Paul saith, Rom. 9.11. the Lord loved jacob and hated Esau, before they had done either good or evil; and saith, it is therefore a mystery to be adored rather than to be scanned by reason. If we will search after the general cause of man's salvation or damnation, it is the manifestation of the Lords justice on some, and the declaration of his mercy on others; for if all should have been saved, then had there been no justice with the Lord: and again, if all had been condemned, then had there been no mercy. Howbeit, if we descend to particulars, as, why the Lord ordained such a one to be saved or to be damned; no reason can be given hereof, but his eternal purpose, which is only hidden in his own breast. For we must not expostulate with the Potter, why he made this vessel to honour and that to dishonour; much less must we contend and plead with the Lord about it. This learn thou, the Lord hardeneth the reprobate, either by the substraction and drawing away of his mercy, or by giving it so and in such a manner as they do not profit by it, but only maketh them the more without excuse, because they have seen the light, and yet have loved darkness more than light. And if it be asked, why this mercy of the Lord hardeneth them and not mollifieth them, and why the Lord doth not pull them out of the fire, it is because he found them corrupt in Adam. But if it be asked why they are appointed to damnation, here we stop our mouths, and have refuge to no other cause, but to the Lords eternal purpose. After the same sort do we say of salvation, for to such as shall be saved he giveth mercy, and maketh this mercy to work upon their hearts, and finding them fallen in Adam he raiseth them up in Christ but why he doth this is not known to any but to himself. Howbeit in this his purpose to save us, he hath ordained we should find mercy in Christ by the degrees here set down, by calling, by iusufying, by glorifying us; and yet to speak properly, this fore knowledge 〈◊〉 God is not the cause of any thing, for Adam did not fall because God foresaw i●; but Adam fell, therefore God foresaw it.  
For the second point, what is meant by this, Like to the i●age of his son some expound it that shall be made like and conformable to his cross, which is very comfortable, though not 〈◊〉 apt and fit for the place itself. 
Heb. 2.10.  For if the Prince of the Gentiles was consecrated through afflictions, if by this means the Son himself learned obedience, as it is Heb. 5.8. much more must we; not that we shall be afflicted in the same measure, or for the same cause that Christ was, for he suffered for our souls, and felt the smart for our sins, yea and sustained the very wrath of God to his extreme anguish and horror: 
Reu. 19.15. 2. Tim. 3.12.  but thus far we must resemble him, that if we will live godly we must suffer persecution. Howbeit this likeness & conformity to Christ his image here spoken of, must be understood of his glory, because of the words that follow, mentioning the steps and degrees that lead to this glory; he calleth, he justifieth, he glorifieth, even as he did his Son, for we are ordained to the same glory, joh. 17.22. signified by the prayer of Christ for his Apostles and all that should believe, that his father would love them with the same love, and crown them with the same glory he crowned him; which is the most joyful message that can come to the ear of a Christian heart, to be assured we shall hereafter be lifted up and advanced far above the third heaven.  
For the third point, namely that he is the first begotten among brethren, consider three things: first, how he is our brother: secondly, what privilege he hath being eldest: thirdly, what privilege we have above all other creatures by this brotherhood. For the first, he became our brother by this, that the eternal word of God did assume & take upon himself our flesh, joh. 1.1.2. that we might be his brethren. For as to be a Mediator to God for us he must have a divine humanity, and an human divinity: so to make us brethren that we might have his spirit, could not be but by taking our flesh. Between God and man ever since our first fall there hath been enmity, such and so great as none can see him and live: for Exod. 24.17. it is said, that the sight of the glory of the Lord, even in the mountain of Sinai, was like a consuming fire: 
Esa. 33.14.  and as the Prophet Esay speaketh, Who shall dwell with everlasting fire? This fire therefore must be quenched, and an entrance must be made for us to the mount of God, which is only in Christ our elder brother: howbeit we are become his brethren, not by incarnation, nor by his human nature, for then the reprobate should be his brethren as well as we, for he partaketh of their flesh as well as of ours. But as this brotherhood cometh by the flesh in some respect, so principally by being mystically engrafted naturally into his body, so as we are one flesh with him, even like man and wife, 
Ephes. 5.30.  who are so termed and called in respect of a special and sanctified union and fellowship that is between them, otherwise all men and all women are one flesh. So then our brotherhood with Christ cometh not by any gross coalition or mixture of our natures, but by spiritual regeneration: as the Apostle to the Hebrews said: He that sanctifieth, and they that are sanctified, 
Heb. 2.11.  are all one: so that we are his brethren, not by his flesh simply, but because we are sanctified by his flesh. Whereby we learn to reverence and adore the infinite and everlasting love of God toward us, that he would thrust as it were his Son out of heaven, that he might descend to draw us thither, & that he must come down in such baseness to be clothed with our nakedness, and to put on our infirmities.  
For the second point, which is the privilege he hath being eldest: observe, that the first begotten under the law had two privileges: first, he was the worthiest person: secondly, he had a double portion. As Reuben (Gen. 49.3.) the eldest of jacobs' sons should have had, but that the dignity of his person was translated to juda, and the privilege of his portion to Ephraim and Manasses. This likewise appeareth Deut. 21.17. where it is commanded, that the first borne of a man's strength shall have a double portion, for it is his right. This than we must allow to Christ, who hath two titles given him: first, he is called the first begotten of all creatures, Col. 1.15. because he was before any cerature, being from eternity according to his divinity. secondly, he is called the first begotten among the brethren, because he was the first in man's nature that God loved, after the fall of Adam. Hear know, that Christ as he is the Sonneman, is the natural Son of God, not according to his humanity, but as he is Christ-man: for though his human nature was not taken from God, yet as one person being man, licèt non ratione humanitatis, he is the Son of God, even as Mary is said in the Scripture to be the mother of God, in respect of the union of his person. Another privilege further Christ hath, that he as son of man hath received all power from God to judge the world, joh. 5.22. The father hath committed all judgement unto the Son, not that his manhood alone shall judge, but Christ God and man shall give the judgement: even so we pray and list up our hands to the man Christ jesus, not to his manhood, non humanitati sed homini: for the humanity separated from the divine person of Christ is but a creature. Again, Christ as our elder brother is the head of Angels, not as God only, but as man. Hereupon also it is, that he hath a name at which all knees shall bow, and this name is given him, so as he hath it not as God, for being God nothing could be given him, 
Phil. 2.13.  so as he hath it not as God, for being God nothing could be given him, but he hath it as man and God, for his bare humanity could not deserve this, neither yet to be governor of all the world.  
Now for the third, which is, the privilege we have by being his brethren, they are chiefly three. First, we are by this heirs and fellow heirs with him of all things in this life and in the life to come, as appeareth vers. 16.17. of this chapter. secondly, by this followeth, and from this cometh the sovereignty we have overall creatures: as 1. Cor. 3.22. Whether it be the world, or life, or death, all things are ours, for we are Christ's, and Christ is Gods; and being under God's wings, no man neither dareth, and though his stomach be never so good, yet he hath not the strength to hurt us, for the Lord will keep us as the apple of his cie. thirdly, by this, though the Angels be far above us in nature, yet we have one of our nature better than they, that is, Christ; and through him they do all become our ministers, Heb. 1.4.7. Christ is made more excellent than the Angels, and he maketh them but his messengers.  
Now for the degrees whereby the Lord doth execute this his eternal purpose: for the first of them, which is calling, it is wrought by the holy Ghost as the principal cause, and by a double instrument the holy Ghost useth: first, the preaching of the law, whereby we are brought to a holy despair of ourselves by the sight of our own corruption, that we may seek for remedy in the profound sea of the Lords unsearchable mercy. The second the preaching of the Gospel, whereby he anointeth our eyes with the eye salve of the holy Ghost, 
Col. 2.13.  that being dead in sin, and not so much as dreaming of salvation, the sound of the Gospel doth awake us that we may hear, that hearing we may live. Hereupon it is said, that the Lord doth draw men and pull them unto him, as Christ saith, 
john 6.44.  No man can come unto me unless the father draw him, that is, doth separate them from the cursed generation of the world, and sets his inward seal upon them, that is, his spirit, and brandeth them in the forehead with a visible mark of holiness of life, that every man may know them to be the Lords. Hereupon also it is said, that the Lord doth open the heart with the key of the Gospel, as Act. 16.14. he is said to open the heart of Lydia: and as Psal. 40.6. he boareth the ear, and softeneth the heart, and moisteneth it with his grace, that above all things a man shall esteem of the pearl of the Gospel, and be brought cheerfully to sell all he hath to buy such a jewel as shall bring him righteousness to save his soul: so as this calling of the Lord is to this end, to manifest and to secure a man in his soul, that the Lord hath given him to Christ out of all the world.  
Here may be objected: are not all universally called by grace? We answer; No: for first, all men are not called effectually: secondly, some are not called at all. Some are called externally by the Preachers mouth, and salvation is offered them by the ministery of the word and sacraments, and the kingdom of God is come to their doors, and peace is showed them, and the glory of jerusalem is set before them: 
Math. 22.3.  but yet we see of them that were bidden to the marriage, there were three sorts not effectually called: first, they that being called carelessly refused to come, being possessed with the cares of this world, and with voluptuous living: secondly, they that cruelly persecuted the inviters & messengers of the Bridegroom, not only refusing to come, being called, but disdaining to come, as scorning such cheer, and faring every day better themselves at home: thirdly, they that came hand over head, never looking to their feet before they entered into the Lord's house, nor never changed their attire, but came without the wedding garment of a holy life. So we read that of the four sorts of ground that receive the word and the seed thereof, 
Mark. 4.4.  one sort only shall be saved; not that we must understand it as if of four hearers there should be but one saved; for the Lord may have mercy upon a whole congregation to save them: but three sorts of them filled with several affections that vouchsafed to come and to stand before the Lord as hearers, were reprobate, that is, such as did not beautify the profession of the Gospel with a holy life. And truly of them that come and feed upon the word and yet be reprobates, it is wonderful to see how far they go even in the right course; for first they may be enlightened generally in the knowledge of the truth, and may taste of the heavenly gift, yea and be partakers of the holy Ghost, Heb. 6.4.6. and yet may fall away, never to be renewe● by repentance. Secondly, they may have faith (Luk. 8.13.) for a time not counterfeit, yet not truly sincere, for in the day of trial they fall away like fruit from the tree with a blast of wind; yea they may take joy in the word as Herod did, 
Mark. 6.20.  who was glad to hear john Baptist: and with Herod they may for a time do many things at the request of God's Ministers, Mark. 16.20. And for outward reformation, swine we know may be washed: so may they leave off and discontinue some gross sins for a time, when Satan being for a season cast out of them, doth not work so forcibly in them: as Math. 12.34. the pharisees and Sadduces may for novelties sake come to john's baptism, and for a time speak good things when they are evil, and yet be but a generation of vipers; yea they may wish with Balaam to die the death of the righteous, 
Num. 23.10.  justifying in their own conscience the course of holiness; and which is more, they may partake of all the graces of God saving that one grace of sanctification, and yet they may seem to be sanctified, as Hebrews 10.29. they tread under foot the Son of God, and count the blood of the new Testament an unholy thing were with they were so sanctified.  
Now others there be that are not called at all, and these be of two sorts: either those to whom the Lord hath denied the very contemplation of the book of nature, as children that die as soon as they be borne, who if they be elect, it is by a supernatural power of the holy Ghost; if they be reprobate, it is just in respect of their natural filth and corruption that did cleave so fast unto their bones, for in that they die it proves they had finned, and sin proves there is a law, which law being broken bringeth death, for the wages of sin is death. 
Rom. 6.23.  The second sort is of them, who though they be called by the book of heaven and earth, as the Gentiles were, Rom. 1.20. who do see the eternal power of God in the creation of the world and other his works, and living to a more understanding age, are even by the light of nature without all excuse; yet are they not invited by the voice of the Gospel to rise from the dead, but die in their sins as the Cannibals, Barbarians, and the jews since their Apostasy, to whom there pertaineth nothing but a fearful expectation of judgement.  
Hereof followeth and is to be observed, that it is contrary to the scripture to think that it was the will of God from eternity that all should be saved, for than it was his will likewise that all should come to the knowledge of their salvation; for whom he hath ordained to the end, them hath he also ordained to the means: whereas to the reprobate, the sound of the word if they do hear it, is but as the noise of bells confusedly jarring in their ears, and yet many there be that never heard it. Why, but it is said, 1. Tim. 2.4. that it is the will of God all should be saved. True, all men, not every singular particular man, but of every singular condition of men some, not all of all kinds, but of all kinds some: according to that speech of the Evangelist, 
Mat. 4.23.  Christ healed every disease in jury, that is, every kind of disease, not every particular disease. Now if all men come not to the knowledge of the truth of God, either it is done by the will of God, or against his will: to say that it is against his will were impious and blasphemous, for this were to hold that something could offer violence to the will of God, and as if he might not otherwise have purposed, which must be far from a Christian heart to imagine. If then this be done with his will, than it followeth that his will is changeable if he once meant to save them, for we see some even like dogs ready to rend them in pieces that offer them the pearl of the word, whom if the Lord had purposed to save, 
Mat. 7.6.  they should not continue persecutors of the truth, as Paul saith of himself, 1. Timoth. 1.12.13. It pleased Christ jesus to put me in his service, being before a blasphemer, a persecuter, an oppressor, and I was received to mercy. And where it is said, 1. john 2.2. that Christ is the reconciliation for the sins of the whole world, it is to be understood for the sins of all sorts and degrees of men gathered out of all the parts of the world: and this Christ himself interpreteth joh. 17.9. when he said, Father I pray not for the world: and undoubtedly he will never save them he never prayed for; for whom he excluded from his prayer, them he never meant should have benefit by his death: nay he had been bound in duty to have prayed for all, if all had been elected to salvation. Now if it be asked why men are damned, the answer is easy; It is for their sin: howbeit it was purposed in the Lords uncontrollable decree, that they should be damned before they ever sinned; and being corrupt in themselves, the Lord hardeneth them, either by withdrawing the means, or the power of the means: the first by ignorance: the second, by denying them understanding hearts. So as if it be demanded why the Lord hardened any; it is because he found him corrupt in Adam: if why he damneth any, it is because he found him a sinner in himself.  
Whom he calleth he justifieth: that is, doth absolutely pardon him all his sin, and absolutely impute unto him all his sons righteousness, that as Christ for us was made sin, so we in Christ might be made righteous: so as justification is the translation and removing of our sin to Christ, and the translation and removing of his righteousness to us. To our sin he opposeth his obedience, to the punishment of our sin he opposeth his satisfaction, otherwise he had not fully acquitted us by fulfilling the law, unless he had satisfied his Father's wrath for our breach of the law in our corrupt birth. For if a man could now fulfil all the law of God, yet should he not be saved, because he was borne corrupt, and could not possibly satisfy for that was passed; and in performing the law afterward, he should do nothing but his duty. But this is our comfort, that the Lord seeing our weakness hath in his love passed by it, and seeing our thoughts to be always evil, taketh no account nor reckoning of us; but were sembling the image of his Son, the Lord reckoneth with him, and striketh off our debts in setting them on his score, who hath paid the Lord his full due, even to the utmost farthing, being in his birth clean, in his life holy, and in his death obedient.  Whom he justifieth he glorifieth. 
In this life the Lord doth only call us and justify us, so as no man need say, as Rom. 10.7. Who shall ascend into heaven? for that were to bring Christ from above; or, Who shall descend into the deep? for that were to raise Christ from the dead: for so much virtue and power of Christ as is needful for us, we taste of here: but our glorifying is reserved and followeth in the life to come, having it here only in spe and not in re, in hope but not in hand. This glorifying here spoken of is meant, not that we shall have at the last day of our separation, when the world shutteth her doors upon us, but of that glory we shall receive at the day of judgement; which is plain and evident by that went before, vers. 21. namely that we wait for the restoring of the liberty of the sons of God, and for the freedom from the bondage of corruption. Howbeit in the glory of our separation, two things are to be observed: first, 
Reu. 2●. 4●.  that we shall be freed from all fears and tears, and shall have sin abolished: secondly, we shall enter into our Lord's rest: but the glory of the last day is far greater, and resteth in three things: first, in the resurrection and a waking of the body, when it shall be made conformable to the body of Christ, when it shall not live by the soul only, nor be maintained by outward and external instruments of bread & such like, but it shall live as the body of Christ liveth, and be glorious like the Sun, which shall then exceed itself in glory. 
Isay 65.17. 2. Pet. 3.13.  Secondly, there shall be a new heaven and a new earth, and in this new heaven shall dwell the souls of the Saints of God, and all things else shall be restored to their first majesty. Thirdly, which is the greatest of all, we shall then have the beholding of the very face of God, and there shall be no marks set to keep us from the mount where the Lord dweleth, 
Reu. 21.12.  as there was Exod. 19.12. but as Paul speaketh 1. Corinth. ●3. 12. we shall then see him face to face, and know him as we ●re known of him, and see him as God all in all; that is, ●ee shall behold the glory of God not standing upon the veil of the flesh of Christ, for then all mediation and intercession shall cease: and this is part of that Christ prayed for a little before his death, john 17.24. that we might see that glory he had before the world was made, for than we shall see Christ-God and the whole Godhead immediately reigning, yet in Christ the Son of man and in us, but so, as we shall no more lean and rely upon the prayers of Christ, for than he shall reign no more as the Son of man in the midst of his enemies, for this government shall cease, death which is the last enemy being then abolished, and he then shall reign over them vanquished as God. Howbeit the fruit and benefit of this his mediation shall endure for ever, and the subjection of his human nature shall then more appear, because of the glory of his Godhead which shall then be seen fully, even such and the same as he had before eternity: yet shall this salvation more increase the glory of his humanity, when we shall understand and see it to be personally united to the son of God, who with God the Father and the holy Ghost shall be all in all.  
Now the fruition and possession of this glory shall work three effects in us: first, it shall breed in us an infinite love toward God: secondly, an infinite joy in God: thirdly, an infinite praise to God. Infinitely shall we love him that hath advanced as to such honour as is endless, and to such fellowship as is matchless; our hearts shall be filled with joy, & yet not able to comprehend or express it, 
Mat. 25.23.  therefore it is said, Enter thou into thy master's joy, for this joy is too great to enter into thee: and besides the joy we shall have in our own salvation, we shall conceive as great joy for the salvation of others, which is called joy celestial: and we shall have yet more joy than before, to see the Godhead so glorious, the Lamb advanced in our flesh, and to be one person with God. And this is above all joys, because we shall love Christ far above ourselves, for the zeal of God's glory shall even eat us up, and it shall be so great in us, as it cannot be so great for our own salvation: and then out of this love and joy, as out of two fountains joined in one, shall spring and arise such continual praise to God for this glory, that we shall uncessantly sing to God in the Temple, which is God himself, so as we shall praise God in God, and this shall be as the Prophet Esay saith, from new Moon to new Moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, that is, for ever: for this love of God is from eternity in respect of our predestination, and to eternity in respect of our glorification: and this is that we sigh and groan for, and for which while we are in the flesh absent from God, we 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 us?  
verse 32 Who spared not his own son, but gave him for us all to death, how shall he not with him give us all things also?  
THe Apostle before set down, that God the Father by his eternal purpose hath foreacknowledged us, and foreloved us with an everlasting love in his Son, and not us only, but all those that to the end of the world shall love him; and manifest and show forth this their love by a sincere worship and religious care to keep his commandments: and how that the Lord as he hath ordained us and them to the same glory, so at the fullness of time by the dispensation of his wisdom, by his spirit he doth call them by the instrument of his word, by the same love doth justify us in his Son, and will glorify us with himself. Now he being overcome with the thought and meditation of these things, breaketh forth into a wonder and admiration: that seeing it is thus, that the Lord hath taken it upon him never to leave us, till he hath advanced us to heavenly places, even the seat of the Lord jesus, what shall we say? The answer is given with the question: this we must say, that since he is our God, as appeareth by that which went before, then is it impossible, (we being thus backed, and having the Lord our bulwark) that any creature can be of that force, or be so against us, no not the devil in hell with all his power can hinder us from the fruition of this glory. In the other words; who spared not his Son, etc. there is a further consolation set down unto us, to make the heap of comfort greater: that since the Lord gave as it were judgement against his own Son, and set him forth to a shameful death for us, and this when we were his enemies, and strangers from the life of God, how can it be he should now deny us any thing to further our salvation, being made friends with him, and reconciled to him thorough his Son?  
This doctrine needeth rather deep meditation, then large explication: for who doth not assume to himself sufficiently to understand it, being but thus much in effect: that since God in his everlasting purpose hath thus manifested his glory and mercy, and hath ordained the end, which is his glory in our salvation: and to bring it that it may come to this end, hath subordinated and set down certain causes, as calling and justifying, it is impossible any thing should hinder our salvation?  
If God he on our side. Hereupon we must not think, that if God be on our side we shall have no enemies: for because God loveth us therefore we have the more enemies, and therefore we are persecuted and subject to the hatred of the world: as Christ himself expresseth, joh. 17.14. The world hateth them, because (saith he) they are like me. So as in this place the Apostle doth not mean, that we should expect any immunity and exemption on from the enmity and malice of men, but that we having this heavenly security and assured certainty of the Lords protection, neither Angel, nor man, nor devil, nor torment shall be able to over come us. 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 preserved through 〈◊〉▪ & maintained for his glory: so that our salvation being always joined with his glory, neither shall men breathe, nor the devil rage, but to glorify Christ; which glory of his is greatest in our salvation. We therefore in a spiritual confidence of the Lords love, do challenge all men, and all things that ever were created, that what violence soever they offer us, or what punishment soever they inflict upon us, it is so far from presting us down, as it maketh us spread higher, and furthereth our salvation: for God is with us, and while the bridegroom is with us, we cannot mourn. The evil they can do, is but with the dragon to fight with us; and as the enemies of God to persecute us, and though they be led to do this by the malice of their hearts, yet they serve but as the Lords rods to chastise us, and as Apothecaries to make drugs to cure our infirmities; but so, as they cannot put in one dram more than the Lord knoweth of, for he hath the tempering of the cup, as it is said of Solomon, The Lord weigheth the enterprises of men, and their actions are in his hands; and the worst they can do us, is but this, to shorten our days, by that means to hasten our joys. Hereupon we are to gather, and to lay up this comfort, that if the course of nature should be altered, yet even in this confusion of nature, if we call upon the Lord, his ear is ready to hear, and his hand to help us; nay, if there be any special judgement and vengeance determined against a city or a people, the presence of the Lords children doth even bind his hands, that he can do nothing while they be there: as Genes. 19.16. till Lot was snatched out of Sodom the fire could not fall from heaven to destroy it. So that if heaven and earth conspire against us, if sea and sand should imagine us mischief, if the Princes of the world should set their armies against us, and like grasshoppers in multitude should lie waiting for our lives, if the sorrows of death, and the pangs of hell should compass us, yet this is our shade and comfort, that we live under the wings of the Almighty; and that we are to the Lord as precious as the tenderest part of his eye: and he that cometh so near him, the breath of his mouth shall consume him: and in the midst of all these calamities, we shall stand like mount Zion, and shall fear no more than the heavens were afraid, 
Psal. 125.1. Psal. 91.11.  (Gen. 11.4.) when Nimrod and his company would have built up a tower unto them. For the Lord hath given his Angels charge over us, and not a hair of our head shall fall without his providence; but as the wicked have many ways to hurt us, so hath the Lord far more means to help us.  
Who spared not his own Son.  
This is another consolation ministered unto us, to stay us from fainting in afflictions; that if God hath given us his Son when we were his enemies, then much more now being reconciled unto him, will he give us with his Son all things else.  
In this consider two parts: first, what it is that is said here: God delivered up his Son to death: secondly, that if he give him, he will give all things else. In the first consider two parts: first, the person of him that was given up: it was his own Son: secondly, who the persons be for whom he is given up: namely, for all the faithful.  
In the first, which is the person of him was given up to death, doth appear the wonderful love of God, that would vouchsafe to bestow upon us rebels and runagates, no worse thing than his own Son. Great was the love of Abraham toward God, 
Gen. 22.8.  that so commanded his natural affections, as to offer up his son Isaac at the Lords commandment unto death, having but one son, and he given him by a special favour to comfort his age, and him whom he loved, being virtuous and religious, when he had no hope to have any more sons, and this being the son of the promise, in whom both himself and the whole world should be saved; that this child should not be banished from him, but put to death and killed, not before his face, but with his own hand, this was a great love for flesh and blood to fall into. But yet far greater is the love of God toward us, who loving Christ a thousand times more than Abraham could love Isaac, 
joh. 3.15.  because between heavenly and earthly things there is no comparison, that God should deliver him up, not to the whip, but to the gibber; not by commandment as Abraham did, but of his mere and voluntary love and motion; not into the hands of them that sorrowed to see him afflicted, but into the hands of butchers, that cared not how cruelly they dealt with him; and this not for his friends as Abraham did, for he was called the friend of God; but for traitors that would have pulled the Lord forth of his own seat; and not to death only, as Abraham did his son, who by the loss of his life should presently have gained heaven, but to a most cursed death and detestable; and this to be performed not in a mountain or secret place, where there should be sew beholders, as abraham's was to have been done, but even before the face of all the jews, to hang as a most odious and notorious sinner, to suffer his accusation to be no less then for blasphemy, to have him so debased as to have Barrabas, who for an insurrection and murder was cast into prison, 
Lu. 23.18.19. Mat. 27.22.  in the choice of the people preferred before him, who not only was condemned by Pilate, prosecuted by the malice of the jews, convinced by false testimonies, scorned at by them that bade him help himself when he was in such extremity as he could scarce speak, but that even God his Father should arraign him in heaven, having all the sins of the world cast upon him, that pressed him at one time to the highest and lowest part of hell. Whereupon consider, that for the sins in our person all the horrors of hell did compass him, and all the torments of the damned did seize upon him, 
Reu. 19.15.  and God for the time accounted him his enemy, and brought him to that exigent and extremity, as he was forced to cry, Father, why hast thou forsaken me? for if he had not been the Son of God, it had been impossible to have sustained or endured it; and yet being the Son of God, he was driven so low, as an Angel was feign to be dispatched from heaven to comfort him; and all this to befall him, who in himself was not in any one particular sinful, being clean by birth, and holy by conversation. True it is, the high Priest was angry with him because he took him as an offender in his own person, but God was angry with him, as esteeming him a sinner in our person, that he which had not deserved being smitten, we that had deserved might escape. And this doth set forth the love of God, the fullness of it and the depth of it being not to be comprehended of all the hearts of men joined in one, though every one of them were wiser than Solomon, but is only to be reverenced and adored of all.  
Further, in this delivering up of the Son of God to death, we may observe a reconciliation of two extremes; infinite justice, and infinite mercy, both which the Lord performed in this action. Infinite justice, in that the Lord will be paid all his debt; for rather than he will be unsatisfied, the blood of Christ shall pay all: for what dishonour had it been for the King of heaven to have suffered the Serpent to have so insulted upon his Majesty, and wretched man to have so rebelliously defaced his image, and so presumptuously charged him with malice and envy, & yet to have set him scotfree? If the Lord had borne these indignities at our hands, it had too much blemished the power of his justice; and therefore he could take no less satisfaction than a sacrifice of blood: and that this blood must issue & stream out of the veins of the heart of Christ, hath showed him to have set an infinite price & valuation upon his justice; yet hath the Lord withal herein set forth his most perfect, infinite, and endless mercy, that though he would not forgive the debt, yet he paid himself, for God did suffer: and this is such a thing, as no mortal man in the same action is able to show forth. We read of one Zaledicus king of the Locrenses, that went about such a matter; who making a law, that who so deflowered a woman should lose both his eyes, it fell out his own son was the first that broke it: whereupon the king would have had the law executed upon him, preferring the love of justice before the love of nature; but what by the obtestation and entreaty of his nobles instant upon him, and what through fear of tumult and insurrection threatened if he would not dispense with the law in this young Prince, who was of great expectation for his towardliness, and in great favour with the people for his virtue: at last the king resolved to satisfy the law, and yet to show mercy to his son; and therefore whereas the law was, that such an offender should lose both his eyes, he caused one of his sons to be put out and one of his own, showing mercy in putting out one of his own, and justice in putting out one of his sons; but this was not perfect, for then in mercy he should have put out both his own eyes, or in justice both his sons. And no marvel, for how can flesh and blood imagine to reach the wisdom of God, when our understandings are but as the stubble carried to and fro with the wind, and we ourselves but as dust & ashes, that cannot reach the depth and dignity of so glorious a Prince?  
Now for the second point, for whom this Son of God was given up: it is said, for all, that is, for all believers, for so Christ expounds himself, joh. 17.20. And therefore execrable is the opinion of Andrea's a Lutheran, who holds that God delivered up his Son for an universal salvation, meaning thereby to save all, if all will be saved; for they that will not believe (saith he) condemn themselves. But we say, the purpose of God was not that Christ should die effectually for all: for first, he never died for those he never prayed for: and john 17.9. he prayed not for the world. Secondly, if God's purpose had been to have given him to death for all without exception, then how is it that some are already damned, & others have no faith and shall be damned here after? either his purpose being to save them is frustrate and void, or else God cannot do it, and so something should resist the power of God, which is blasphemy to think. If God had such a purpose, and after seeing the incredulity of man, he should change his mind, than the execution of his will should depend upon the incertainty and instability of the even, which doth derogate much from the all sufficiency of God; and therefore we say that he was crucified for none but for such as have their garments dipped in the blood of the Lamb, but for such as have their faith burning like a lamp, but for such whose works proceed from an undefiled heart, and whose prayers through Christ his help ascend to the everliving God.  
Further, consider in these words, He delivered him up to death: that this very phrase and manner of speech is attributed to judas, who is called Traditor, a deliverer up, or a traitor. How shall we then determine of this? Shall we challenge God to be evil because he delivered him up? or excuse judas because he executeth that which God had purposed? God forbidden; for neither is God to be accused that judas wrought with him in the same action, nor judas to be excused for delivering him up according to God's purpose. Your wicked hands (saith Peter, Act. 2.23.) have crucified him whom God in his determinate counsel had delivered up. Why then shall judas be blamed being but the instrument: Because as judas did it, it was most wicked, he doing it by the instigation of the devil, his heart being possessed with covetousness and blinded with infidelity, yet was it good in respect of the end whereto God had ordain it, though as it proceeded from his poisoned heart, it was most execrable: for always the action of the instrument beareth the name, or is denominated from the affection of the instrument: and therefore judas betraying his Master for thirty pieces of silver, it was a most damnable sin in him, and the turning of it to the salvation of the faithful was only the work of God. It may be said, God did appoint judas to do it, for nothing is done but by his appointment, how then can judas be blamed? We answer this by a double comparison or similitude; the soul giveth power to a lame limb or member of the body, to move and to stir, yet may not the power of the soul be blamed for the lameness of the limb; for the lameness thereof doth not enter into the soul, neither proceedeth from the soul, but from the body, though the soul be the cause of the motion. Even so the Lord moved judas to the action, but the imperfection and sin in the action proceeded not from the Lord, but from the devil that had corrupted his heart. And no more than the brightness and heat of the Sun can be said to be the cause of the stench of the carcase, or the corruption thereof can reach to defile the Sun: no more can the holiness of God excuse in any action the wickedness of man, or the wickedness of man defile his holiness. The incestuous wickedness of Absalon, the mischievous purpose of Achitophel, 
1. Sa. 16.21.22. Gen. 37.27.  the hatred of joseph's brethren, and the malice of the jews in the apprehension and death of Christ, were wicked and evil in themselves, though God turned their ends contrary to that they were intended.  
For the last point, If he give him, he will with him give all things: observe that no man can partake of the benefits of Christ, but first he must partake of Christ himself; and therefore they that hold we do in the Sacrament of the Supper only partake of the benefits of Christ his death, and not of Christ himself, do grossly offend: for we do eat spiritually the very body, and do drink the very blood of Christ, and by this we are made partakers of his soul, and by consequent of his humanity, and by this of his divinity, for they are never separated, and by this of Christ God and man, and by consequent of all his benefits: for these benefits be like an etc. in the end of a sentence, that implieth a necessary addition of many things not expressed, and yet must needs be understood as depending upon the former. So that if we have Christ, he cometh not naked nor alone, but he bringeth all he hath with him; his purity, his obedience, his sacrifice, his power and whatsoever else may make a Christian man perfect.  
Secondly, observe hence, that no man can partake of Christ, but with him he must likewise partake of all his benefits: answerable to that speech of the Evangelist: 
Mat. 6.33.  When we have the kingdom of God, other things shall be added: for salvation never cometh alone. And therefore damnable is that opinion: that a man may eat Christ really and indeed, and yet not partake of his benefits, because he doth not eat him effectually: for this should argue there is no life in the flesh of Christ: contrary to that joh. 6.54. He that eateth of the flesh of the son of man, must needs have life.  
Thirdly, observe hence, that all is gift and no merit, and a gift purposed of God to be bestowed before ever we deserved any thing: for though we in duty must labour in the course of mortification, yet in vain do we wash ourselves, thinking to be accepted for our cleanliness: for it is God that giveth the beginning in his jove, and the increase in his spirit, and the end and perfection in his Son. And therefore he that leaneth to himself shall surely fall: for if flesh be thy arm, and thine own works the ladder whereby thou thinkest to climb to heaven, when thou art passed the ground, then shall the rounds break, and thy fall shall be to thy confusion: for in the gift of Christ alone we are beloved.   
Vers. 33. 
Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen? It is God that justifieth.  
verse 34 Who shall condemn? It is Christ which is d●●d, yea or rather which is risen again, who is also at the right hand of God, and maketh request also for us.  
The Apostle hath before proved, that if any thing should make us tremble and stand in fear of damnation, it should be one of these two: first, either the sinful imperfection of our nature: or secondly, the inevitable necessity of affliction. Now that we being in Christ, the remainder and relics of that corruption which we shall only shake off in death, cannot make us subject to the curse of God, he hath proved from the first to the seventeenth verse going before. Secondly, that the rod of affliction resting on our backs, is no argument of the wrathful face of God, but only the chastisement of a Father, he proved from the 17. to the end of the 32. vers. Having proved these two points, he now maketh a most comfortable conclusion, demanding a question by way of a challenge, and doth most confidently himself answer it. Who can lay any thing to our charge? If Satan shall accuse the brethren, 
Zach. 3.2.  whom the Lord notwithstanding will reprove, yet who dare condemn and give sentence against us, since Christ for our sakes is dead? secondly, is risen: thirdly, sitteth at the right hand of the Father: four, and maketh intercession for us.  
First, for his death, how this saveth us from damnation: it is two ways: first, in respect of the grievousness of his death: secondly, in respect of the worthiness of his person, that did sustain and endure it. The grievousness of it resteth in these two: first, that visibly he was nailed to the cross, and there was a separation of soul and body: secondly, that invisibly the marks of the wrath of God were upon his soul, he suffering for a time so may torments of hell, as ever all the damned shall do. The worthiness of his person appeareth in this, that he was the Son of God by eternal generation, who for his obedience and humbling of himself in the shape of a servant to so cursed a death, might worthily have merited the salvation of a thousand worlds. So that as death came in by sin, which stingeth a man to damnation, and whereby the devil reigned over all: so by the death of the son of God was death overcome, sin abolished and the devil vanquished; and as by sin came in death, so by death went out sin. Hereupon we beholding Christ crucified by a lively faith, 
1. Cor. 15.21.  we shall be freed from the empoisoned bitings of the old serpent, even as the Israelites were healed of their wounds and stings, 
joh. 3.14. Num. 21.9.  by looking on the brazen serpent in the wilderness.  
For the second, which is Christ his resurrection: we have this comfort, that no sin is unsatisfied or unexpiated, since he is delivered from the power of darkness and of death under which he was kept, and still should have been kept until all our debts had been paid to the utmost farthing. Heeeupon we believe, that Christ carried all our sins with him into the grave: but what became of them afterward, we know not, nor need not to inquire, for he rose without them. And this was represented in the scapegoat, (Levit. 16.21.) who having all the sins of the people laid upon him, was sent into an uninhabitable place, where he was never heard of again, set down to be in the wilderness, by the hand of a man appointed.  
For the third consider two things: first, what is meant by his sitting at the right hand of his Father: secondly, what benefits we reap by his sitting there. For the first, understand it is a translated or borrowed speech: for can we think that God hath a hand, whose power is diffused through all creatures? and being an infinite spirit hath no definite place. And as here Christ is said to be sitting, so else where he is said to be standing: as Act. 7.56. Stephen saw the Son of man standing at the right hand of God. In which there is also a borrowed speech: for we must not think he either fitteth or standeth at a certain place: but the phrase is fetched from the custom of great Princes, who use to set them on their right hand, whom they mean to make their equals, as Gen. 41.40. joseph was set at the right hand of Pharaoh being made ruler over all Egypt: and 1. King. 2.19. Salosom set Bathsheba his mother on the right hand: so is it said by David in the Psalms, the Queen fitteth on the right hand of the King. So as the meaning is, 
Psal. 45. ●.  that Christ jesus hath received from God the copartnership of sovereign authority over all natures whatsoever, and as he is man, being also the Son of ●●d and our elder brother, is advanced over all, and hath received a name above all: so as now the Father ruleth nothing but 〈◊〉 the person of his Son. Secondly understand, that this sitting at God's right hand, though it was due to his human nature and flesh from the moment of his conception and uniting the flesh to his divine nature, yet it is properly assigned to him after his resurrection, or rather after his ascension. For having in the form of a servant performed all obedience, than did the Father crown his obedience with this excellent glory, and then was this sovereignty bestowed on him. Which must teach us much more patiently to wait upon the Lord, and not to expect our reward before we set forth, or while we be running: but when our race is finished, and that we have borne the heat of the day, and have fought a good fight in the Lord. Thirdly, for this his sitting, that is, the receiving of his absolute authority, though Christ as God never received it being equal to God, much less after his ascension, yet after his ascension he was in some sort advanced in his divine nature: for as the Scripture saith: The Son of God descended: meaning thereby, abased himself, 
Rom. 10.7.  and his glory did not so fully appear, being hidden in the cloud of his infirm flesh; yet as the Apostle saith, by his rising and ascending was he mightily declared to be the son of God; and by that was more manifested to be so, 
Rom. 1.4.  than he was upon the earth. This also he showeth himself, job. 17.24. when he prayed to be glorified with the same glory he had with his Father from the beginning; not that it should then be bestowed upon him, but then miraculoussy declared to have had it from eternity. Howbeit this his sitting here spoken of, is properly meant to be exalted in his flesh, because this authority is given him as Mediator. And in this respect Christ may be said to be greater than himself, and less than himself; because his flesh is beneath his divinity, and his Godhead far above his humanity. And by this power given him he is glorified in the Godhead, in the manifestation of it in the flesh, by abolishing all his infirmities, and replenishing his flesh with all manner of graces, 
Colos. 2.8.  as it is said, l●● him dwelled the fullness of the Godhead.  
Concerning the second point: namely, what fruits come t●● us by this his sitting at God's right hand, they are principally three: first, we learn by this, that he doth enrich his Church generally, and every member particularly, with so many grace's 〈◊〉 the holy Ghost as shall be necessary to the glory of the head, the edification of the whole body, and the salvation of every particular member, according as it is set down Eph. 5.26.27. that this Church might be without spot or wrinkle, and without blame. Secondly, by this his presence with God he doth defend and protect his Church from all enemies whatsoever, so as the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And this is our comfort, that since all power is given him, he that hath felt our infirmities hath the tempering of the cup of our afflictions, which we may boldly drink of, and not refuse it no more than he did the bitter cup his Father gave to him; and assure ourselves that no tyrant's hand can touch us further than he permits him, which shall never be above our strength, for Christ hath power enough to perform it, and God hath will enough to do it. And since while he was in his humanity on earth the devil could not enter into a heard of swine without his licence and permission, Math. 8.32. and that as it is said in the Reu. 5.3. he doth so seal the door as none can enter in unless he open it: what shall we think he will do now, being in his glory and at his Father's elbow? And while he was in the flesh, being able by the word of his mouth to stay the raging of the sea, Mat. 8.26. much more now can he and will he repress the rage and fury of our persecutors when it please him. Thirdly, he shall sit at the right hand of the father until all his children be fully glorified and his enemies destroyed, which are of two sorts: first, such as are to be abolished, as death: secondly, or such as perfectly are to be vanquished, and yet perpetually to be tormented, as the devil and the damned spirits, for to them shall it be a day of horror and of howling.  
Now for the fourth, which is his intercession or his making request for us, consider two things: first, what is meant in that he is said to make petition for us: secondly, what benefits redound and arise to us by these his requests for us. For the first, that he is said to pray for us, it is the exaltation and advancement of Christ jesus in the office of his eternal priesthood, whereof there were two parts: the one to expiate or offer sacrifice for sin: the other to pray for the people. Now Christ was such a Priest, as the power of his sacrifice continueth for ever, and no more sacrifice is to be offered up, as it is said Heb. 10.12. this man (meaning Christ) after he had once offered one sacrifice for sin, sitteth for ever at the right hand of God. Howbeit the second duty of his Priesthood, which is to pray for us, remaineth still, but after an other manner; not as he did upon the earth, when he prostrated himself to the ground, and lifted up his eyes to heaven with trembling of heart and anguish of mind, offering up prayers, as Heb. 5.7. with strong cries and tears unto God, being himself then but as a servant to his Father: but he exerciseth this office now not by any submission of gesture, but by representing and setting before the eyes of his Father his sacrifice fresh and bleeding, which turneth his Father's countenance from our indignities and misdeeds to look upon himself, as Heb. 9.24. He is entered into heaven to appear now in the sight of God for us, standing there to be beholden.  
For the second, namely what benefits we have by this his intercession; and they are three: first, by this he fulfilleth all the types and figures of the law, that hereby he might fully declare unto us that he is the everlasting Priest, prefigured by them that were under the law, as Heb. 10.19. he is said to enter into the sanctuary of heavenly places: that as (Exod. 39.7.) Aron had precious stones, in which the names of the children of Israel were written, six in every stone, and twelne in his breast, in every one of them a tribe, that he might remember them to God in his prayers; so Christ bearing in his breast ourselves as precious stones, is thereby put in mind to remember us to his Father; & though our father's having the veil before them, were forbidden to enter into the holiest; yet we through the veil of the flesh of Christ (Heb. 10.20.) are permitted to come boldly to the face of the most high and holy God. The second benefit is, that all our prayers be sanctified, and do ascend to the seat of God through his petitions, that is, through his appearing before his Father they shall be heard of his Father. Hereupon Paul faith, Rom. 5.2. By him we have access to the throne of grace to offer up the sweet sacrifices of ourselves by Christ, who hath made the way for us; let us therefore approach unto him with confidence: and this is that spoken of in the Reu. 8.3. the Saints pour forth their incense, that is, their prayers, which is given to Christ having a golden censor, that he should put a new incense upon them upon the golden altar, which is himself, that they might have a gracious savour, and a sweet smell in the nostrils of his Father. The third benefit of this his intercession, is that which we shall never fully feel nor perceive till his last prayer be granted he made joh. 17.21. that we might be one in God and himself, that is, when we shall have a full contemplation of the majesty of God.  
Lastly observe, that Christ shall make this intercession for the Saints till all his enemies be overcome, and all his children arrayed in stately and royal garments, and then shall his prayers cease: for why should he pray any longer when his prayer is granted? but by this we may see, that salvation of souls is no such easy matter as the world imagineth, since it requireth this continual exercise of the Son of God to make request for us: and if Christ in love and compassion do it for us, much more ought we to do it for ourselves.   
ROM. chap. 8. vers. 35, 36, 37. 
verse 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  
verse 36 As it is written, for thy sake are we killed all the day long, we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.  
verse 37 Nevertheless in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.  
THE Apostle upon the heavenly and Christian security set down in the premises, inferreth and brings in a most constant and comfortable resolution upon a stout magnanimity and spiritual courage by him conceived, that is, that it is impossible any thing should make us fall from the favour of God which is in Christ. The reason is this; in those things wherein we are more than conquerors, we cannot be removed from God's favour; but in these seven things here reckoned up, tribulation, etc. all which are as needles in the flesh, and wherein he comprehendeth all other, these being the worst, we are more than conquerors: therefore neither anguish, famine, etc. can separate us from the love of God. As if he should say, however it be that men call not in question God's love while they live in peace and enjoy the pleasures of this life, yet let us see how far adversity may throw and deject a man from this comfortable security; that since Christ sits at the right hand of his father, and there shall sit till all his children be fully glorified, let us take the greatest extremities that can light upon the flesh: Tribulations, that is, any kind of outward trouble: or anguish, that is, such inward perplexity or distress in soul that we are at our wit's end, like Lot, Gen. 19.8. that must either give forth his daughters or the Angels to the filthy Sodomites: or persecution by famine, that is able to break a brazen wall, it breeds such rage in the bones: or nakedness, that is, that we be so impoverished or beggared for the truth's sake, as we have nothing to cover, nor wherein to hide us: or the sword, which is most ghastly for the quick dispatch it will make: all which joined together, may be reckoned up for the continual portion of the church of God, both before Christ and after: 
1. Pet. 4.17.  for we need not suppose or imagine that this may come, since it is so written Psal. 44.22. that men do nothing but offer up the godly every day; and the wicked make no more account of them but even as sheep to the slaughter. And since the coming of Christ the trial must be the greater, as Saint Peter speaketh, because the spirit is greater: so as now judgement must begin at the house of God. But what is the issue and end of all this? we are in these extreme calamities more than conquerors, so far are we from fainting or falling: and the Lord in the midst of these shall either send us miraculous deliverance, as he did to Daniel, Da. 6.22. when he stopped the mouth of the lion, that he could not hurt him: or else he will so qualify the miseries that shall bear upon us, with such extraordinary comfort, that we would not exchange our adversity to ensnare our consciences with conditions in serving of God, and if the worst come that we be given up to death, the heavens shall be open to receive us, and the Angels shall be ready to carry us into the bosom of God, 
Luk. 16.22.  and our enemies shall stand astonished to see the courage of our christian soul so willingly embracing death in which is life, and out of our blood shall rise an hundred professors more: for the blood of Martyrs is the seed of the church, when we ourselves shall triumphantly ascend to the seat of the Almighty.  
For the parts of the text, they be these: first, the Apostle setteth down a demand by way of challenge, and therefore implieth a person in these words: Who shall, etc. as if he should say, I give the challenge to the stoutest champion what ever he be, whether he be the devil that liveth in hell, or his eldest son, or all his sons that be on earth: otherwise if the person that should accept this challenge were not understood, he should more properly have said: What shall separate us, etc. Secondly, he interposeth and bringeth in a testimony out of the 44. Psalm, to show that he doth not put it by supposition, that these troubles may come, or may not come: but that of all other the church of God is not likely, but sure to sustain them in the inevitable necessity of God's decree, as if we that be heirs of the covenant were created for nothing else. Thirdly, having described the necessity of these miseries that shall befall the elect, the demand or question is most triumphantly answered, when he saith; In all these we are more them conquerors.  
For the first, which is the demand itself, it cannot be made plainer: only in the words, To be separate from the love of Christ, we must not understand it actively but passively, not of the love wherewith we love Christ, but of that love wherewith we are beloved of God in Christ. For though our love to Christ is so substantially rooted in our hearts, as that it is (Cant. 8.6.) strong as death which overcometh all things, hard as the grave that swalloweth up all things, like the flame of God, that whole floods of water cannot quench; yea such as we will not departed with for any money, and such and so great, as it is true, that nothing thing can separate us from the love of Christ: yet this is to be taken and understood of the love of Christ to us, as appeareth by the end of the 37. 
Luk. 22.60. 2. Tim. 4.10. 2. Tim. 2.13.  and 39 verses. So as if it were possible we should forget Christ, or renounce him as Peter did, or forsake him as Demas did, yet he cannot forget us: for he is faithful that hath promised.  
For the second, which is the testimony out of Psal. 44.22. that we that are Christians do as verily look for these miseries, as we do for the rising of the Sun, the Prophet setting it down as an absolute purpose of God not to be prevented nor avorded, and not only permitting it as a thing which may and may not come. In which words consider two points: first, what is the cause in God's sight, why the world afflicteth the Church: secondly, in what grievous sort it is afflicted.  
For the first, the cause is set down in these words: for they names sake: that is, because thou opposest thyself against Anrichrist, and dost not fall down nor bow to Baal, nor dost not fashion thyself after the world, in swallowing up their jollities and delights. Wherein observe, that true Christians are not only subject to common miseries, as those that bear the face of fleshly Adam, but to some peculiar calamities that never disquiet the wicked: and this only as they bear the image of that heavenly Adam Christ jesus, from which the world is exempted; even as the chaff and the wheat, they both feel the flail, but the chaff is free from the millstone, from the fan, and from the oven: for of these only doth the wheat taste: and happy is he that is ground fit for the Lords table; for though the chaff feel not the bitterness of the mill, nor the hear of the oven: yet mark what becometh of it, 
Hark. 9.50.  it is like unsavoury salt, good for nothing but to be cast forth, and is either trodden under feet, or carried away with the wind, and so vanisheth in the air. Such is the case and estate of the wicked, for when they are separated as tars from the corn, either the Lord treads upon them in his wrath, or burneth them in his displeasure, or bloweth them from his presence like the stubble.  
Secondly observe, where it is said, We are killed for thy name's sake: that though God doth never chastise any man unjustly, because he may have occasion enough to afflict him for his own corruption, whereby he may be humbled: yet herein appeareth his infinite wisdom, that he maketh the cause of our sufferings to be more honourable, bearing this title and superscription, for the name of God, the purity of religion, and because we will not communicate with the world in their superstitious devotions. So as the Lord changeth the nature of the chastisement, and imputeth it as borne for none of our wickedness, but for the glorious profession of the Gospel, the wicked not punishing in us our sins, but God's graces: for if we would partake with them in their lusts we might go free: For if Balaam would curse the people, he might soon rise to promotion, Numb. 22.37. and if Michaiah would please the king in his prophesy he need not befed with the bread of affliction, 1. King. 22.27. and if the three children would worship Nabuchadnezzars Image, they might easily escape the furnace: Dan. 3.12. but we must keep our standing, and not shrink a foor● from the foolishness of the Gospel, what storms soever may arise: for it is no more than as if Christ should borrow our lines for a time to do him credit withal, which shall be mightily rewarded.  
Thirdly, in that it is said, killed for thy name's sake, there ariseth this consolation: that forasmuch as our sufferings are joined with God's glory, and are brought upon us for God's glory, we may be sure they shall have a good issue, and shall end well: for as he tendereth his own glory, so will he also tender us. We think it strange, that the wicked have such a swinge in their delights, and that we hang down our heads. Yea Danid complaineth, that seeing the prosperity of the wicked he had almost in his haste accused God of partiality: but Paul (2. Thes. 
Psal. 73.13.  1.5.6.) proveth, that it is impossible (since we that are thus tossed and vexed as it were in the whirlpool of sorrows, are better than the world, and in higher account with God) but that there shall come a day, when rest shall be given to our souls, and vengeance powered into the bosoms of persecutors. For there cannot be a truth more certainly to be believed then this: that since we do suffer at their hands who are worse than our selves, it is a sure token that there shall come a revelation of God's judgement, wherein the iron rod of the Lords wrath shall bruise them soul and body, when we shall be carried up, with S. Paul into the third heaven, and with Lazarus into Abraham's bosom, 
2. Cor. 12.4. Luk. 16.23.  and when the vengeance of the Lord shall pursue our enemies, driving them from his presence and from the glory of his power, 2. Thes. 1.9.  
Fourthly, in that it is said: for thy name's sake: observe, that it is not the suffering of every fanatical or fantastical spirit, that shall be taken for the Lords truth: for there may be such forcible illusions, as men may give their bodies to the fire, or necks to the halter for the supposed truth of Popery, & then their suffering is as a seal set to a wrong instrument: but it must be in a true zeal of a true cause; for the death doth not justify the cause to be good, but the cause justifieth the death to be holy and religious. For Paul (1. Tim. 1.13.) was a zealous persecutor when he was a blasphemer, and yet though the did God good service: but when God received him to mercy, than he forsook and disclaimed the righteousness of works. So that if our sufferings be for God, we must lay our foundation only in Christ crucified, harbouring and maintaining a pure conscience in an undefiled heart, not stained with hypocrisy, nor growing so hard as to be burned with a hot iron, 1. Tim. 4.2.  
For the second point, which is the grievousness of the affliction befalls Gods Saints, it is to be considered two ways: first, their cruelty, that nothing will stay their hunger, nor stainch their malice, but blood: for either we are killed; or daily have death before our eyes, the sight whereof oft ●●mes is more bitter than death itself. Secondly, the indignity they offer us, and the disgrace, not only to slay us, but to slay us like beasts, to set forth and express their exceeding rancour and malice toward us.  
Concerning the cruelty and indignity hath been used toward God's ●aints for the old Testament, let the Apostle to the Hebr. 11.36 speak, who teckoneth up twelve seve all kinds and sorts of persecutions, wherewith the faithful have been pursued, and yet were never dauned nor dismared, knowing they should receive a better resurrection. And how they have been used since Christ his ascension, the stories of the ten persecutions in the Primitive church do tell us, that Christians were so odious as they were out of the protection of law, for not only were laws made against them, that publicly they should be tormented, but every private man might be a butcher to a Christian, and never come in danger nor question of law for shedding of blood: yea there was such exquisite torments devised for them by Satan as could not be greater, as that some should be covered with the skin of a beast, and then cast to a wolf to be rend like a beast: some smothered with a little smoke proceeding from a continual soft fire: some scorched in the flame and powdered with fault and vinegar: some cast down headlong from the top of mountains: some having their flesh scrapped with shells, and many such like torments; so as though it may seem Homo homini Deus, man to be to man a God, that is, a helper and defender where there is love, yet in the difference of religion it proveth Homo homini lupus, that man becometh a destroyer of man. Hereupon doth Christ (foreseeing the affections of tyrants, Mat. 10.16.) tell the Apostles in plain terms, that he sent them as sheep among wolves; and presently expounds himself, ver. 17. Beware of men, whose mouths be as open sepulchres to devour us, and who are in nothing so wily and watchful, as in setting snares to entrap us.  
We are killed all the day Wherein observe, that it is a portion ordained to every Christian, not to be exempt from any calamities common with the wicked, but to be subject to all these and to far greater, because judgement must begin at the house of God; and this judgement is to last not for a time or an hour, but even to continue all the day, giving no truce nor intermission: but as one wave beateth upon another, and one day followeth another, so must we learn Patiendo pati, by suffering how to suffer; and the end of the former trouble must beesteemed to be the beginner of another, as Christ himself saith, Take up my cross daily. Neither yet must we think that we are called to any hand condition, or that the calling of a Christian is any uncomely calling, for we have Christ as a glusse before us, who walked as it were continually upon the ice, and was not one moment free from some subjection and baseness in the outward man.  
Secondly, by sheep appointed to the slaughter, learn that a Christian must never think he hath suffered enough, till he hath suffered death: for it is not said, appointed to the whip, or to the rack, or to the prison, but even to death, which is the thing our flesh most abhorreth. For this must be the Christian man's account, not to be cast and cassiered out of this warfare till death hath perfected our sanctification: as Hebr. 10.33. the Apostle reckoning up the afflictions of the godly, as partly while they were made a gazing stock by reproaches, partly while they suffered with other in compassion, mourning to see them distressed, partly while they did bear the loss of goods cheerfully, yet as if this were but a small matter, and as if yet they were far short in their reckoning, chap. 12.4. he telleth them they have not yet resisted unto blood, nor suffered death; as if the number of death made their account perfect, and that they must still be casting till they come to death, for having fought so many battles as went before in their sufferance of so many inferior blows, and as it were weak afflictions, they must not cast away their confidence till they have fought the last skirmish, and have overcome death by dying.  
Thirdly learn, that by the Lords decree we are not all appointed to be offered up in sacrifice, but by the malice of the enemy we are all destinated and set forth for such a bloody end, though the Lord in providence do oftentimes rescue us even out of the jaws of the Lion: howbeit God appoineth all to some, I do not say affliction, but persecution, for in the scripture we read of a double martyrdom, Cruentum and Incruentum, a bloody martyrdom, and a martyrdom without blood, as when we suffer any shame, imprisonment, loss of goods, etc. And this appeareth in two of the first enemies of God's Church, Ishmael and Esau; the first scoffed at his brother Isaac, the other out of the hidden malice of his heart could say, 
Gen. 21.9. Gen. 27.41.  If my Father die, I will have jacobs' life. So as though we escape blood, yet we must witness the truth of Christ by bearing at least the sting of the tongue, from which never any of us was exempted. And though Ishmael said not so much as Esau, yet assure thyself they have both the same mind, for sometime the butcher wanteth his knife; and therefore settle thy heart, and carry death as a seal upon thy finger. Heaven is compared to a treasure hidden, Mat. 13.44. and worth more than all thy substance; meaning thereby, that a man should not refuse to bestow any thing upon the field of Grace, that is, the Gospel, that thereby he may enter into the kingdom of glory. And though the Lord calleth not all forth to this sharpest combat, to be slain in the field, yet must every man carry this Christian resolution, that if he be called, not to prise or esteem any thing, but to leave all, and with patience and cheerfulness to kiss and to embrace the sword of death.  
We are more than conquerors, etc. Hear followeth the comfortable issue, and as it were the gate of joy set open unto us in our extreemest miseries, namely, that in all things we over come: wherein observe two points: first, the victory itself: secondly, the means whereby we obtain it, that it is not by the natural strength of flesh and blood, but through the power of Christ that loved us.  
For the first, we are more than conquerors two ways: first, in respect of ourselves: secondly, in respect of others. We are conquerors in respect of ourselves three ways: first, in the afflictions that go before death: secondly, in the very suffering of death: thirdly, that sometimes there comes a special deliverance, and the wicked are made a ransom for the godly. 
Prou. 21. 1●.  The first of these appeareth, in that we choose to suffer rather than to admit any ill condition in serving God: as, rather than the three children would stoop to the worship of the beast, they embraced the fire, Daniel, 3.22.23. And though through the sharpness of the trouble oftentimes the outward man trembleth and decayeth, yet are we strengthened and renewed in our souls and consciences, that we are not careful to answer the greatest tyrant upon the earth, that that God whom we serve is able and will deliver us from the sting and poison of any torment; yea though sometimes the Lord strangely handleth them that suffer for the Gospel, so, as their soul is troubled and cannot apprehend any comfort, but even feel the justice of God upon them for their sins, and in the instant of their dissolution they seem to be void of inward heavenly power to strengthen them, and do find a heavy unaptness and unapt heaviness to sustain the trial; and that though they have poured forth their soul with tears unto the Lord, yet they cannot find that resolution in any comfort to take the cup, but as it is held to their mouths; yet at the last being for the cause of Christ, they may be sure he will send his spirit to quicken them, and dispatch such a comforter from heaven, as they shall find even in the flames such alacrity and delight, as if they had rather received a pardon from death then any power to be thrust on to death: for the Lord will comfort the abject, bring light out of darkness, and as 2. Cor. 4.11. make the life of jesus manifest in our flesh, by our being delivered up to death for his sake.  
For the second, that we are more than conquerors in death, we have many examples in the book of Martyrs and elsewhere, how some have protested they have sat in the flame as easily as in a down bed: some have lifted up their hands when they were half consumed, verifying this speech in Esay 43.2. Neither shall the waters drown thee, nor the fire burn thee, nor the flame kindle upon thee: meaning thereby, that the Lord shall make the most bitter drink pleasant to them whom he hath called by his name:  
Thirdly, we are more than conquerors in our own person, by the Lords sending of some strange deliverance, and by seeing our enemies consumed in our stead; and this is twofold, either extraordinarily immediate, or extraordinarily mediate. The first appeareth Act. 5.19. Peter cast into prison had the door opened by the Lord's messenger, & was brought forth in despite of his enemies the same Peter was whipped, and being (Act. 12.6.) a sheep appointed to the slaughter, lying fast bound between two soldiers, & the prison doors being watched, the Angel of God smote him on the side, and his chames fell off, & he was brought through the first and second watch, and the prayers of the church did disappoint the purpose of the tyrant, whose hands were not yet washed from the blood of james, whom he had killed with the sword. So vehement also were the prayers of Paul and Silas, (Act. 16.25.) that an earthquake shaked the foundation of the prison, and loosed the bands of all the prisoners, and the Lord put it into the hearts of authority, to send Paul forth in peace; and when he would not, standing upon the law of the Romans, (Act. 22.25.) that no man should be scourged before he was condemned, his enemies were glad to entreat him to go. Of which examples we must make this use, that if the Lord saw it good for his glory, he could do as much now: for neither is his power abated, nor his love diminished. 
Exod. 16.15. Deut. 8.3.  For in that he fed the Israelites with Manna, he showed that he can make a man live without bread: in that he blessed the small quantity of meal which the widow of Sarepta had, he showeth that our life standeth not in abundance: 
1. Kin. 17.16.  and he that made the three children dance in the fiery furnace, 
Dan. 3.22.  when they that put them in were killed with the heat of the ovens mouth, he can and will cheer us, and make glad our hearts in the vale of death. For it is he that strengtheneth David to overthrow Goliath, and his power shall support us to over come death. 
1. Sam. 17.45.  Now for the deliverance which is extraordinary mediate, we have example in Saul, Act. 9.25. who by the Disciples was put thorough the wall, and let down by a rope in a basket, when the jews watched the gates to kill him. We have likewise our own Prince Queen Elizabeth, on whom many waters did beat, and over whose head many floods have run; and when even in her sister's time she was as a lamb to be led forth to the shambles, it pleased the Lord to snatch her out of the mouths of the mighty, and to set her seat far above their reach, and then were they sorry, they had cur down the branches and suffered the stock to stand.  
Secondly, we are more than conquerors in these afflictions in respect of other: and that two ways, either in the conversion of others, in seeing the Lords power in the midst of our perplecities: or else in the confirmation of others, they being emboldened by the Lord's hand on us, to assure themselves he will not leave them destitute in the like extremity. Examples of the first we have, Act. 4.32. and 5.14. how in the heat of the disciples afflictions, and when it was counted little better than insurrection to flock to sermons, the people sold their possessions to buy a good conscience, and to know the fruit of Christ his death: and how the number of them that believed grew more and more; and how out of the blood of that constant Martyr Stephen there sprung up daily fresh and new Christians. Examples of the latter we may see in the testimony of Paul, who said his bonds were famous in the Court of the Emperor, 
Phillip. 1.13.  and by that others were taught to preach more boldly: and 2. Tim. 2.10. I suffer as an evil doer, even unto bonds, but the word of God is not bound, therefore I suffer for the elects sake: meaning thereby, that his example of captivity and patience did sundry ways confirm the Church in the hope of a better life. For this is the property of the Gospel, to grow highest where it is trodden down, and to spring fastest where it is killed. For when Ahab and jezabel thought they had not left a Prophet of the Lord, but had destroyed all but Eliah, and him had they sought for as with a candle: then had Obadiah hid an hundred of the Lords Prophets in a cave, (1. King. 18.4.) that never bowed their knees to Baal. 
job. 5.22.  For the Lord doth but laugh at the policies of the wicked, and he in his time will discover their shame to their faces, and lift up the heads of his servants above all the tyrants of the world.  
Now for the means whereby we obtain this victory, observe, that it is by a spiritual power of the holy Ghost enabling us to so great a work: for such is our ambition to be great men, as if Demas find no preferment by the Gospel, (2. Tim. 4.10.) he will nothing esteem of Paul's company. Such is our desire to be rich, as if we gain by our servants that work with the Devil, we had rather they should be possessed still, than we would lose our gain: which we may see, Act. 16.19. where Paul and Silas were haled before the Magistrates, only for casting out the spirit of divination in the maid that got her masters great advantage by divining. Yea such and so vehement are our natural and earthly affections, and so great our greediness to enjoy the pleasures of our life, that the marriage of a wife, or the trial of a yoke of oxen shall keep us from Christ, Mat. 22.5. Luk. 14.19.20. So that it must be a greater power than the faculty or ability of a man: for if naturally we are not able to abide the snuff of a candle, much less to burn in the fire. Why then so many examples as we see patiently enduring death for the testimony of the truth of God, so many testimonies have we of the Lords power to enable weak vessels to hold such scalding liquer. For many through presumption of their own strength have apostated; and Peter was well near it, notwithstanding his brag, that he would not leave his master to the death, if Christ his eye had not pierced his soul to repentance for his former denials, Luk. 22.61. David (1. Sam. 17.45.46.) confesseth, that it was not in his strength to contend with Goliath, neither did he come to him with sword or with spear, but in the name of the God of Israel, who would close him into his hands. And this in truth must be our pattern, and our praise in these temptations and afflictions, to fly out of ourselves, and to run to the wings of the Lord jesus, whose grace only is sufficient for us, and whose power is made perfect in our weakness: for where the flesh carrieth a confidence in itself, there is no room for the spirit; for the spirit helpeth only those that be infirm, and Christ is only a Physician for a sick sinner. 
Mark. 2.17.  Now as we are conquerors through him that loveth us, so let us labour that Christ may think his love well bestowed, his blood well spent, and his victory for us well gained, by our love of him again, that it may be as hot as the flame, that whole floods of waters may not quench it; and so strong, as neither terrors in persecution, nor pleasures in life, nor the anguish of death may make us forsake our anchor Christ jesus, but that we may hold our confidence in a hope sure and steadfast, which shall at the last give us entrance into the veil, whither Christ our forerunner is for us entered in. Heb. 6.29.   
ROM. chap. 8. vers. 38, 39 
verse 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor Augels, nor Principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come.  
verse 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ jesus our Lord.  
Here the Apostle setteth down a conclusion full of all consolation, proceeding from a divine and heavenly resolution, and christian magnan unity, extended and offered by the Apostle in the person of all the faithful: wherein he doth courageously challenge, and exultantly triumph overall creatures, being assured that nothing that ever was created could finally separate him from that love wherewith the Lord had loved him in Christ. This conclusion standeth on two parts: first, in the enumeration or reckoning up of some particulars, which if any thing could sever us from the Lord, it were likely to be some of these he named. Secondly, because the Apostle could not insist in the induction or bringing in of particulars, he useth a general comprehension of all things, that nothing might be excepted; in these words, (nor any other creature:) the things reckoned up are nine, which be either one contrary to another, or else divers from other.  
For death, that cannot separate us from God: for though it be most terrible to the flesh to see his prefixed end, yet this is so far unable to sever us, as nothing hath greater power to join us to God, through the death of him that overcame death: which appeareth likewise by this, that even the wicked though they love not to live the life of the righteous, because it is tedious through afflictions, yet they can wish with Balaam, Num. 23. vers. 10. that their last end may be like theirs, who always resign up their souls in rest unto the Lord. And though some wicked may make a peaceable end, whereby Satan hardeneth others to think they are beloved of the Lord, because they depart like the light of a candle, and some of the elect die troublesomely, whereby Satan maketh his instruments to condemn the generation of the godly: yet in their inward man, they do not only patiently expect, but deeply sigh for the day of their dissolution, that being unclothed of this corruption, they may be crowned with the Lords glory: for they that have received the earnest of the spirit, the pledge of their inheritance, and the first fruits of the Lords love, and unto whom he hath sealed and assured pardon of their sin, they do know they have cause to expect the revelation and show of their happiness, being here tossed with sundry waves of perplexed miseries, and being sure there to arrive from a tempestuous voyage to a most blessed haven. And it is joyful to a Christian to be delivered from this careful life, wherein every day is the messenger of fresh sorrows, and wherein he findeth his corruption so burdensome: so as though Paul was taken up into the third heaven, 
2. Cor. 12.4.  yet he cried, Who shall deliver me from this body of sin? For here we know ourselves to be scarce worth the ground we go on, we are so worn with care, and so ground with affliction: but then we shall enter into the presence of God, and dwell with him perpetually. To be short, many have been so ravished with this joy, which we see but as in a mist, as they have not only given up themselves to natural death, but even suffered violent death, embracing it as cheerfully as the soldier that comes (after his valour showed) to be made a knight, or as the King that goeth to his Coronation: for than shall we have not Reeds but Palms in our hands to show our triumph, and be crowned not with Thorns, but with Glory, even the glory that Christ had from the beginning.  
Now for life, that cannot do it; for there is no temptation in this life, neither excessive pleasure, nor abundant profit, not magnificent state that a righteous soul will not forego, rather than forsake the righteousness of C●●●●, or their own peace of conscience; yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Moses, ●●●●her than to lose the least light of the Lords countenance, we will refuse to be made glorious by our birth, and choose to suffer affliction with the children of God: Heb. 11.24. and with Paul (Phil. 3.8.) to esteem all things but as the excrement of a dog in comparison of the security and confidence we have of the Lords love towards us, so as we are Christ's in our life also. And though we do desire to see the face and glory of the Lord, yet as Saint Paul speaketh, whether we be in our body at home absent, 
Phil. 1.20.  or abroad in our separation, our souls still wait upon the Lord: for, for this cause, as Rom. 14.8.9. Christ died, that whether we live or die we might be the Lords.  
Now for Angels, Powers, or Principalities: by the names themselves may be understood as well the good Angels as the bad: whereof Paul speaketh 1. Cor. 6.3. Know ye not that we shall judge the Angels? that is, the reprobate spirits, for these be executioners of the Lords will, though not by willing and loyal obedience, as well as the other: and though both these being several, have in the scripture the same titles given them: as the good are called (Eph. 1.21.) Powers and Principalities, and so are the bad called by the same name, Colos. 2.15. where Christ is said to spoil and to traduce Principalities & Powers to open shame: and Eph. 6.12. We must fight against Principalities and Powers: yet in this place by Angels are to be taken the good; and by Powers and Principalities the devils. The reason is, because here the Apostle maketh an opposition between contraries; and also because in other places of the scripture where these same words are used to express the good Angels, there is always more added to their style, as Eph. 1.20. Thrones and Dominations are mentioned besides the other. But it may be said, will the Angels that are the messengers of God attempt any such thing as to part God and us? No, it is impossible, howsoever the Apostle speaketh excessively from the exultation & joy of his spirit; for he reasons ab impossibili, as if he should say, if Angels, which be the most excellent and most powerful creatures, could attempt to separate us from the love of God, yet they could not; for Christ which is the head of Angels hath joined us to his Father; and therefore much less any inferior thing can do it. After this manner this Apostle speaketh Galat. 1.8. If an Angel from heaven should preach any other doctrine (which is impossible) let him be accursed. So Rom. 9.3. Paul wisheth himself accursed to redeem the jews: and Moses prayed to be razed out of the book of life rather than the Israelites should perish: which was not possible that the decree of God should be frustrate. But such was the vehemency of their affection if the Lord would be entreated at their prayers. And it was necessary for the Apostle here to name Angels, because they be the mightiest creatures: and if they cannot part the Lord and us, much less can devils; for the worst they can do is but to buffet us, whereby our infirmities shall be healed: and as Christ said to Peter, Satan desireth to winnow thee like wheat, 
Mat. 22.31.  but I have prayed that thy faith may not fail. This also appeareth by that in the Revelation 12.4. that the red Dragon cannot do it, though with his tail he can draw stars from heaven, that is, discover the hypocrisy of some great professors: for first, he waited upon the woman as she was with child: secondly, in her delivery: thirdly, when the child was brought forth; to see first if he could have destroyed the Church of the jews; and if not, the Church of the Gentiles; and if not, the head of the Church the Lord jesus; or if not, the whole body of the faithful; or if not, some one of the faithful: but he was cast down (saith the text) that is, he was abased in his pride, and sought to advance and lift up himself again to heaven by destroying the woman and her seed, that is, by withstanding the salvation of the elect. This Dragon hath especially two instruments: first, the great Beast, that is, the Roman Empire, where was a name of blasphemy written in his forehead, which though it could with Eliah call fire from heaven, yet could it never consume the faith of Gods chosen, 
2. King. 1.10.  nor ever draw one soul from Christ. The second is the Roman Hierarchy, raised out of the ruins of the former, which though it could make the heavens brass that it should not rain, or the earth iron that it should yield no fruit, yet could it never touch any that was written in the book of the Lamb: 
Revel. 5.3.  for where he sealeth none can open, and where he openeth none can shut: and as it is said in the former place, They which are bought from the earth sing in great troops a new song with the Lord jesus.  
For the other, Neither things present, that may be known, nor things to come, which may seem to be doubtful, can make any separation of God from us; for the elect are sure the Lords grace shall assist them to the end: neither height of heaven, as Paul that was carried up on high did not yet presume; nor the depth of hell, 
2. Cor. 12.5. jonah. 2.1.  as jonas being in the belly of the Whale did not yet despair, but had his prayers passing to heaven thorough the fishes mouth: 
job. 13.15.  & job in the patience & resolution of his spirit could say, O Lord though thou kill me yet will I love thee: for hope, which is the sure anchor of the soul, maketh us to enter with confidence within the lists of the Lords presence, and there stayeth us, for the Lord doth know us for his own in his beloved Son.  
Hence learn, that a man may be assured he shall be saved; for this place is without exception. Yet some say, this was a special revelation Paul had of his own salvation; which is most injurious to the whole text: for though he saith, I am persuaded, as speaking of himself, yet in the matter of the persuasion he joineth all the faithful, as that nothing can separate us, speaking generally of all, which is proved also by many things and speeches before, as verse 23. We groan for the redemption of our body. Did Paul only groan? And verse 35. Who shall separate us from the love of God? Was Paul only beloved? And verse 36. We are killed all the day, and we are more than conquerors; including all the faithful.  
Now that a man may know he shall be saved, it is proved thus: A man may know certainly whether he be a Christian, and truly engrafted into Christ, proved by the first of john 4.13. By this we may know we are ●n Christ, because we have his spirit. And to prove this (2. Cor. 13.5.) Paul speaketh plainly: Do yet not know unless ye have the spirit of Christ, ye be reprobates? Again, a man may know whether he be led by this spirit by the fruits of this life; and being led by the spirit he is sure he is the son of God; and being his son, undoubtedly an heir of his kingdom. Some will say, he may know it for the present, but no man can tell what he shall be, 
1. Cor. 10.12.  for let him that standeth take heed he fall not. But know this, it is no persuasion unless it reach & extend to that that is to come: as Paul saith here, he was persuaded, neither things present, nor things to come could remove him from his hold he had in Christ: and we may assure ourselves, that he that hath begun this work in us, if we walk before him in fear and trembling, will finish it to his glory and our comfort.  
Secondly, observe, that all have not the same measure of this resolution: for there is a divers measure of this, according to the divers degrees of faith and age of a Christian: for some are such of whom the Church doth as yet travel of and are not delivered: some are new borne to be fed with milk, others are grown more in faith, and come unto a riper age of Christ: as the holy Ghost saith; The righteousness of the Gospel is revealed from faith to faith; alluding to the Sun, that riseth not in his excellency, but sendeth forth a dawning before it appeareth; and then a mean light before it cometh to the height of his brightness: even so there is a measure in the feeling of this persuasion; but yet so, as being but a grain, a sparkle, or a drop of true faith, it doth lay hold upon the Lord jesus, and assure us that we shall have eternal life through Christ: 
Num. 2.19.  even as none were healed, but they that beheld the Serpent, though some saw it more clearly than others. And it is not our faith properly that saveth us, no more than it is the hand that nourisheth: but as by the hand though it be weak we receive nourishment, so by faith, as by an instrument not always of like strength, we feed upon Christ and all his benefits. Why, but this resolution here spoken of, not only the weak, but they that be strong feel not: for we see by experience, that none have such security, but they sometimes despair through their own feeling and privity of their sins, which present themselves, so many and so deformed; and therefore it is so terrible, as they sometimes doubt of God's love and kindness: and so vehement is the perturbation of their spirits rising from their own unworthiness, as they seem forsaken of the Lord, and much disquieted in themselves: therefore though Paul had this persuasion, yet every man cannot have it. To this answer; It is not said, there must be any such security, as that there must be no doubting; or such tranquillity, as there must be no trouble: for David seemed to doubt whether there was a God or no, 
Psal. 73.13.  because he saw the wicked flourish so proudly. And it is no commendation of faith to be free from doubting of God's mercy in some measure; for sometimes there are thrown against us such fiery darts to the dismaying of our poor consciences, as hardly can our buckler of faith drive them back, yea the soul of a man may even be astonished under the Lords heavy hand, and yet there may be true faith: for though it be shaken, it cannot be overthrown; though it be oppressed, it cannot be left in distress: and though our faith may be strongly assaulted, and foiled, and wounded with the terrors of the Lord, so as his arrows shall even pierce our souls, and the venom thereof drink up our blood, and that we shall think the Lord hath shut his compassion from us, yet shall we at the last be raised up to behold the Sunbeams of the Lords love: for the praise of faith is to overcome by fight, that the power of the Lord may be made strong by our infirmity and weakness.   
ROM. chap. 8. vers. 19.20.21.22. 
verse 19 For the fervent desire of the creature waiteth when the sons of God shall be revealed.  
verse 20 Because the creature is subject to vanity, not of it own will, but by reason of him which hath subdued it under hope:  
verse 21 Because the creature also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God.  
verse 22 For we know that every creature groaneth with us also, and traveleth in pain together unto this present.  
 
 
 
 
THe Apostle having formerly taught us what way the Lord had allotted for us to walk to heaven, to wit, by the same line that Christ his natural Son ascended, that is through a crown of thorns, and a sea of afflictions, from the ladder to the cross, and from the fold to the shambles, and that herewith we ought not to be dismayed, but rather inwardly comforted: First, because hereby Christ and we draw together in one yoke: Secondly, because by this subjection in infirmity there is wrought in us a conformity with him in glory: Thirdly, because this glory is of that kind that the least taste of it doth far surmount the extremity of all our miseries in this life. Yet as if he would strike the nail deeper, anvil the cup of comfort fuller, he showeth in these verses; First, that a change and confusion shall be scraped off. Secondly, that we that are the selected of God, shall be freed & exempted from the fear and sense of this horrible deformation of the world. Thirdly, that it is certain this spoil and consumption of the earth with the works therein shall come, for we are might so much by the insensible creatures that wait for it themselves, nature informing them that their subjection to vanity shall have an end: for as they were at first created good, and became accursed for the sin of man, so shall they at length be restored with us that are elect through the removing of that curse for sin, in the seed of the woman, which is Christ.  
First, in that it is said, there is a fervent desire in the dumb and senseless creatures; we are not to understand that there is herein a will and an affection, or a desire, or a hope, or any sense or understanding in the bruit beasts, or other Insensible creature, as the Heaven, Earth, Sun, Moon, etc. for that which they have is only through the instruction and instinct of nature; but this is only spoken in way of comparison, by a figurative or borrowed speech, speaking that of the dumb creature, which is only to be applied to us of understanding: for if there be such a fervent desire, a longing, a sighing, and a mourning in these senseless creatures for our deliverance from this bondage of corruption, under which we are now held: how much greater than should our desires, wills, and affections, our sigh and mournings be, who are sensibly and feelingly to be made partakers of this heavenly glory? and to this end is their fervency brought in, to stir us up to the like or greater, as a thing more nearly concerning us. The like phrase of Scripture attributing life, sense, desire and affections to dumb creatures is used in many places; as Psal. 114.3.4. When Israel went out of Egypt, the sea saw it and fled, jordan was driven back, the mountains leapt like rams, and the hills like lambs: and vers. 7. The earth trembled at the presence of the Lord: the Prophet bringing in the creatures magnifying and rejoicing at the majesty of God in the destruction of his enemies, and at his mercy in the delivery of his Saints: that since these sensilesse creatures in their obedience in their kind seemed to see this glory and triumph at it, much more should the people themselves that visibly saw it, and sensibly felt it, be ravished as it were with joy at the so powerful presence of the Lord, in making the sea as the dry land for their escape and rescue from the sword of their enemies. After the like manner doth David, Psa. 148.2.5. bring in the creatures in course, as they were created, praising the Lord in their kind, not in any form or phrase of speech, but the beauty of the Lord appearing in them by their obedience in observing that course wherein they are set, hereby inviting and stirring us up that have sense, feeling, reason and understanding to be more mindful in our praise and thanksgiving to God, who are filled with greater plenty, and have a more spiritual and divine beauty shining in us than they have. So Esay the Prophet, chap. 14.7.8.9. in derision of the tyranny of the king of Babel, bringeth in the whole world, singing for joy, the fir trees and the Cedars of Lebanon rejoicing, and hell itself moved at the death of so gold-thirsty an oppressor as he was, as if it feared lest he would trouble the dead as he did the living; teaching us by this, that if the insensible creatures do seem to spread their boughs, and bud forth 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 cruelty, and are kept but as a spoil and pray to satiate their bloody and butcherly desires. So jonah 3.7. sackcloth must be put upon the beasts, and they must be kept from feeding, as if they sorrowed for the affliction hung over their land; not that they had sinned or could have any affection of grief in them, but by this that the people might the more acknowledge their unworthiness, as deserving justly not only to be plagued of God in their persons, but even to be deprived of the use and beenfit of the creatures whereby their present life was maintained. And thus are the creatures brought in here by the Apostle, as inwardly smitten with sorrow for the sin of man, and for his pollutions on the earth, and longing after the advancement of the sons of God to glory, to set the sharper edge on us, who are to taste as it were the full cup of the Lords bounty and glory in the highest heavens, who will thus exalt the horn of his Saints.  
Further understand, that by Creature in this place is meant all the creatures in the world, as appeareth, vers. 22. where it is said; that every creature, comprehending all, doth groan with us; howbeit there are two sorts of creatures here exempted, namely Angels and men, both elect and reprobate: for the Angels elect, they wait not, as groaning under vanity, (otherwise they desire it) for the revelation or triumph of God's Saints in heaven, because they always stand before the Lord & behold his glory, Mat. 18.10. It is true indeed as Lu. 15.10. That the Angels of God rejoice at the conversion of a sinner, because more glory is brought to God by his salvation; but they need not this affection of groaning or sighing here 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 devil; for first they wait not for us, unless it be, as Ren. 12.4. the dragon waited for the delivery of the woman to destroy us; neither do they wait upon us, unless it be, as Matth. 4.1. the tempter waited upon Christ in the wilderness. Secondly, they wait not for themselves, for they fear 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, lame 2.19. the devil ever thinking that Christ hasteneth too fast and cometh before his time to torture him. Now for men, it is not meant, in this verse, of the elect, as appeareth by the words themselves, for the waiting is not by them but by the creatures for them, till they shall be restored to their liberty in glory; and so much is plainly set forth vers. 23. And not only the creature, but we also that have the first fruits of the spirit do sigh, etc. bringing the elect, & their waiting, in by themselves, & not folding them up 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 walk after their lusts, and say, where is the promise of his coming? thinking because the Lord hath been patiented so long, therefore the day of judgement is but a tale to keep men in awe: So as these men cannot wait for Christ's coming since they deny it, and deride it: the other are such as know there shall be a day of reckoning, but fear it and put it far off, as loath to see it as their father the devil, because than they shall receive according to that they have wrought the flesh, which at that time shall turn to their sighing and groaning, because they denied to themselves sorrow and grief in the flesh. So as (all) creatures (but men and Angels) are meant here; where we see the concordance and agreement as it were of the whole frame of heaven and earth, not ●arring but joining in one, that they might be at the end of their labour and vanity by their dissolution and change of their subjection into immortality.  
Where it is said, When the sons of God shall be revealed: we may understand it five ways: First, that it is spoken in this sense; that all the sons of God are not yet revealed; for part are in heaven, part in earth, and part of them not yet borne. Secondly, touching the sons of God on earth, they are not all yet revealed, in regard that the Lord calleth daily, and maketh as it were a fresh addition to his church by the power of his word, as he did in the Apostles time; Peter by one sermon Act. 2.41. converting three thousand souls to Christ. Thirdly, they are not all yet revealed on earth, because the wicked cannot discern them, for as Christ was visible here with us, yet was not known to the Scribes and Pharisees, their eyes through ignorance and malice being so shut, as they could not see him; even so, though the members of Christ are visible in themselves, yet to the malicious and ungodly they are invisible, because they have not the eyes of faith to spy them out. Fourthly, the sons of God here on earth, are not yet revealed to the children of God; for Elias 1. King. 19.14.18. thought there had been none left but himself to serve God, when the Lord unknown to him had reserved seven thousand that had not bowed their knees to Baal. Fiftly, there are many hypocrites among us, in which respect the sons of God on earth are not yet revealed, but at the latter day, when the Angel shall come to make a separation, then shall the fish be known from the frogs; the sheep from the goats: and the sincere professor from the dissembler; for then there shall be two in one bed, the one received, the other refused, who before were so linked in fellowship, as it was undiscernible that in their deaths they should have such several ends. Howbeit the better sense for these words, When the sons of God shall be revealed; is this: When the sons of God shall be received up to glory; for than shall they know as they be known, and then shall the restitution come when the sea and the grave shall yield up all their dead, and all the creatures receive as it were their first robes of purity and goodness wherein they were created.  
Now vers. 20. the Apostle setteth down the reason why these insensible creatures do thus wait for man's glorious liberty: because they themselves are subject to vanity; wherein we are to consider two things: First, to what they are subject: Secondly, by whom they are made subject. That the creature is subject, it is not to be stood upon, because it is granted of all men; but this is no willing nor voluntary subjection, but by force and constraint: for the horse must have his rough rider, or else the snaffle will not hold him in; and the ox must have his yoke on his neck, and his goad in his side, or else he will not draw well; and the mule as David saith, Psal. 32.9. must have his mouth bound with the bit and bridle lest he come near thee with his heel. Now that which the creature is subject to, is here said to be, to vanity, and vers. 21. to the bondage of corruption, that is, to a vanishing and fleeting estate, and they are said to be so in three respects: First, in respect they have lost their first comeliness and order, their first beauty and their first perfection in which they were created; for as there is great difference between that gold that hath been tried seven times in the fire, and that which is taken out of the veins of the earth mixed with other metals; between that sword that is newly varnished, and that which hath line so long by as it is eaten through with rust; between the shining of the sun in his brightness, & when it is eclipsed, or shineth in a gloomy day: so is there as great or greater difference betwixt the heaven and earth, & all the host therein which then were made for the furnishing of God's house toward the entertainment of Adam his son in paradise, and the heaven and the earth which now are left unto us poisoned by the curse of God for Adam's sin with thorns and thistles, barrenness, and unwholesome smells, that the very corruption in the air killeth both them & us. Secondly, they are subject to vanity in regard the wicked do enjoy them, and the godly oftentimes abuse them; for the rust of the money which the usurer hoardeth up crieth in the ears of God because it is detained by the unjust owner; the gay apparel of the proud and ambitious do fret as it were themselves that they should hide the shame of them that are so shameless to snatch at the majesty of God, & to shake his seat by their sin; the wine which is swilled in by the drunkards doth boil as it were in wrath that it was pressed out of the grape to heat their stomachs that deserve only to be inflamed by the fire of hell; yea and every morsel that falleth into the mouths of gluttons and wicked persons, the Sun that shineth on the unjust, and the rain that lighteth upon the fields of the oppressors, and all creatures else that come within their fingering are grieved, and do wait with fervency for the end of all flesh that they may no longer be forced to serve and sustain the enemies of their maker; for the sins of the wicked are so heavy and burdensome, and their abuse of the creatures so intolerable, that the earth groaneth that it cannot swallow them up as it did Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, Numb. 16.32. or otherwise be disburdened of them, though to her own desolation, as it was in the universal flood, Gen. 7.21. And again if we that are sanctified use them otherwise than they are ordained of God, as that the Sun should give us light to wander out of the way of holiness, that we should otherwise be clothed then as becometh Christians, or any further refreshed by recreation then to make us the fit for the ranging of ourselves within the compass of our callings, herein do we also make them subject to vanity, because we should use the world as if we used it not, with such moderation and comeliness, as not to snatch at any of them, or to profane them; for it is against the law of truce when we are at league with any either to surprise them, or abuse them; and we through Christ are at league and peace with all the creatures, as job saith Chap 5.23. Thirdly, they are subject to vanity in regard those shall die which have life in them, and the rest shall be clean melted and dissolved; for this heaven and earth we now see shall hereafter be abolished as it is said, Esay 65.17. I will create new heavens and a new earth, and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind: and Psal. 102.25.26. The foundation of the earth and the heavens are the works of thy hands (saith David to the Lord) they shall perish, but thou shalt endure, they shall wax old as doth a garment: and Revel. 21.1. I saw (saith john) a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; which agreeth with that 2. Pet. 3.10. The heavens shall pass away with a noise, and the elements shall melt with heat, and the earth with the works therein shall be burnt up: and howsoeure to our dim and unstable sight the heaven with the furniture thereof seemeth very glorious and beautiful, yet every day they decay and diminish by little and little, and are already as an old worn and rotten garment ready to be cast off, and folded up by the Lord.  
Having thus seen the threefold subjection of the creatures, first, unto diminution of their first estate, secondly, unto profanation and pollution, thirdly, unto dissolution, it now followeth to speak of the second thing pointed at before, namely, by whom the creatures are made thus subject, and this is set down in the end of Vers. 20. Not of their own will, but by reason of him (that is God) which hath subdued it under hope, that they might herein obey the Creator's commandment, who was pleased to signify by their wavering and transitory estate what the weight of his displeasure was for the sin of man; yet was his mercy such as he would not subdue the world ever lastingly under his curse, but gave it hope that it should be restored. Where learn the great severity of God's justice and vengeance for the rebellion of our first parents, which bounded not itself within the body of man who was the sole offender, but extended itself as a cloud over all the inferior works of God which were made for man as his servants. And this showeth the offence to be very high that it drew so heinous a plague after it: for we must not in our vain and perverse thoughts against the wisdom of God lessen the sin of Adam, as being but the eating of an apple, which was a small matter, since he eat so temperately as but to ●●ste of it, and did neither spoil nor dig up any of the trees of the garden, making God as a hard and niggardly master, that will take so exact an account and strict reckoning of his Steward for every particular fruit committed to his charge; and hereupon will dare challenge God, as if his hand had been too heavy upon him. O beware of these damnable and hellish conceits. For first know thou, it is the mark of a reprobate to think with Cain, Gen. 4.13. thy punishment greater than thy offence; for herein though it be but in secret, doth he secretly charge God with cruelty, who as Abraham saith, Gen. 18.25. being judge of all the world, cannot but do right. Again, the liberty that Adam had to fill himself of all the other trees, this one excepted, showeth the admirable bounty of the Lord, that of all sorts of fruit he kept but one for himself, as of all the days of the week he hath reserved but one in a special sort for his own use, being herein more sparing to himself then to Adam or to us, yet do we profane that most because it is none of ours, as Adam did thirst after that tree most, because by special commandment it was forbidden by God, wherein his rebellion was much increased, that could not be thankful for the store he had, but as if he should starve if he wanted this that was forbidden, must set the edge of his appetite upon this, which was so forbidden; therefore hath God measured forth an even plague of perfection equal with his sin of presumption, being punished not only in himself, but in his whole posterity, with sorrow not only upon his body, but with anguish and horror upon his soul also, and not only with trouble and vexation in the beginning and entrance into this life, being naked, and not able to cloth himself; hungry, and wanting strength to feed himself; weak, and not of power to arm himself, but also being followed and pursued of this vexation both in the continuance and in the end of his life, feeding sourly upon his labour, and dying loathsomely (if the curse were not removed in Christ) and languishinglie upon his bed, his pains here being but the forerunners and remembrancers of weightier that are to come in the life to come. Nay, the Lord hath made his justice like a hook to run through the nostrils of all his creatures, they being all accursed for our sakes; for as job saith, Chap. 5.6. Misery cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth affliction spring out of the earth; meaning originally of itself, but by reason of the sin of man: this being prefigured out unto us Levit. 15. under the law: for when one had the Leprosy, the bed he lay on, the stool he sat on, the basin he washed in was unclean, the company he kept, yea, he that laid his fingers on that the leper had touched was unclean also: which setteth forth the spiritual leprosy of our souls through sin, and that all the creatures whereon man laid his hand, or where on he slept, yea, or whereon he looked, were polluted and defiled through his uncleanness; so as whether we look above us or about us, to heaven or to earth, on the right hand or on the left, before us, or behind us, or round about us, we can not but behold Gods great but yet his just severity and vengeance for our transgression in Adam, who would not exempt the poor creatures from his stroke, which as we may say were in themselves harmless and innocent: and this well weighed, should make us sigh and groan and mourn, and cry for our sins, that caused then so heavy a curse as hath ever since caused the world to wear as it were her mourning apparel, the earth even for the sins committed in our flesh, having oft times her fruit ready ripened in her womb, and yet wanteth strength to be delivered, being ei●●●r blasted in the blade, or not full eared for lack of the latter rain: so that if our meditations were sanctified as they ought, as oft as we see a sheep led to the slaughter, so oft should we think and acknowledge that we have deserved death better than the silly beast, we being only in the sin, and the creature subject to this vanity but through our corruption. And this must make us take heed how we give the rains to our affections, which will soon overrun and corrupt our religion; for if God was so deeply displeased with sin when it came alone into the world, how do we urge and provoke him to wrath in these days, that bring forth so many new invented sins, that the dragon draweth not now with his tail the third part as he did Revel. 12.4. but even all the stars of heaven after him, there scarce being any sound professor to be found that either poisoneth not his religion with an opinion of indifferency, or mingleth it not with so much fear of man, as he is far short of that zeal that the Lord requireth of them that be worshippers of him in spirit and in truth.  
Now if any be so audacious and bold, to ask why God was so sharp in smiting his creatures for the sin of man? Answer 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 ways past finding our: Secondly, if the creatures had not been punished with man, and that he by his particular sin had not procured a general curse, than could not man in his weakness have made any use of the creatures in their innocency, unless they had fallen with him, for they had not been subject to vanity to have been slain and devoured of men if in themselves they had not been accursed. Thirdly, God did not punish them in respect of themselves, but in respect of us, 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 have so highly transgressed the Prince's laws; for by this he hath forfeited to the King what should have descended to his children, and this we think no hard part in an earthly Prince unless it be in the case of Ahab who took the escheat of Naboths vineyard by a false plotted accusation of a supposed blasphemy against God and the King, 1. Kings 21.13. then must we needs think that the King of heaven who cannot but give righteous judgement, hath not dealt hardly in punishing and subduing the creatures to this subjection, Adam having in his creation the rule given unto him over them as a father hath over his child; howbeit the Lord in this gave no principal or set blow to them, but only struck them as it were through the sides of man, that after that fall we might be punished even oft times in the use of them. If any ask again why God should thus proceed in making our wound the wider by punishing us in his creatures, since before the curse pronounced on them Gen. 3.15. the Lord had pardoned the guiltiness of the sin by the promised seed of the woman? Answer. This was the wisdom 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 sin, the blood of the woman's feed having by virtue of Gods promise washed away the guilt of it; but because there is yet a remnant of corruption there being much filth, john 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 ourselves clean by repentance and a holy life; but now to the reprobate they are tokens and forerunners of God's justice, and of the sword of vengeance which they shall feel hereafter among the damned: so that when we see the heavens made brass above us, and the earth iron beneath us, the one withholding the rain, the other not yielding her fruits but suffering it to die in her womb, this is to us but a chastisement for some passions unsubdued, or for some sins unrepented of; but it is a scourge and revenge upon the reprobate, mingling his rejoicing with repining, and his store with grudging, that the want of that he seeks may be as a fretting canker in his soul to fill up the greater measure of his sin, verifying those speeches of job, 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 love the Lord he useth four special remedies to make them fit for heaven; first, his spirit to guide them; secondly, his word to instruct them; thirdly, his chastisements to reclaim them, four, death itself to end them, and therefore when he correcteth us in his creatures, it is to see whether he can recover us as it were by the sight of another beaten before us, making them unfruitful that we might remember the want of our own works, mustering oft times the clouds together as if rain should fall, yet staying it in the breast of the air, to put us in mind of the hardness of our hearts, and of the dryness of our eyes, that do not weep sufficiently for our own sins, nor abundantly for the sins and abominations of the land, it being as we read, Ezech. 9.4. an undoubted mark of election, set by the finger of God in the fore heads of his Saints to mourn and cry for the corruption and cruelty that is in a city.  
Again, we having formerly noted the severity of God's justice against sin that we might avoid it: so on the contrary, we are to observe his exceeding rich mercy both to the elect and to the reprobate, that hereby we may be provoked to follow him 〈◊〉 to what straits soever he shall cast us: his mercy to his chosen 〈◊〉 ●●eth in this, that though he hath laid such a curse upon his 〈◊〉 nature's, whereas they may lay the curse on us as the cause, and 〈◊〉 they knew their own strength would devour us, the Lord in ●oue to us, and in power to them, hiding it from them, yet doth he force them to serve us; the use of them all being sanctified and restored to us 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 means that might maintain life, so Christ having by our union with him brought us again into the paradise of God where that rree groweth, we are thereby endowed and enriched with all the creatures both in heaven and earth, these being for his sake waiters and artendants on us, yea the very little ones that be elect as Christ saith, Matth. 18.10. have their Angels in heaven to defend them: and as David faith, Psal. 34.8. The Angel of the Lord pitcheth round about them that fear him. Now his mercy to the reprobate is manifested in this, that he by his especial hand and Commandment, doth bind and restrain the creatures from rebelling against them; for the heavens would fall upon the whoremonger if God by his power did not chain them up: the Sun that shineth would scorch and burn the Usurer, if his force were not bridled by the finger of God; the waters from above would fall like a sea upon 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 air, swallowed by the earth, devoured by the beasts, choked by their bread, and every creature would be avenged on them for the subjection brought upon them; if God by his providence did not restrain them, for if they might have their own will, they would surely do it. Who is it saith God, joh. 38.8. that hath shut up the sea with doors, that her proud waves cannot pass over, but I? It is the Lord job. 39.12. that bindeth the Unicorn with his band to labour in the furrow, else would he not serve us nor tarry by the crib: The strong horse whose neighing is fearful, and swalloweth the ground for fierceness, would quickly turn his heel upon the reprobate, if the Lord held him not by the hoof: for we see how even the smallest creatures are armed to annoy them when God letteth the rains lose but a little; Pharaoh that entrenched himself and waged battle against God, braving it as if he had the host of heaven to command, was, Exod. 8.17. and 24. by lice and fleas, the most weak and contemptible creatures, so confounded, the earth being corrupt by their swarms, that he calls for sacrifice to that God whom before he despised. Korah and his company, Num. 16.32. for their rebellion against Moses the lieutenant of God, we see went down quick into the pit, the earth taking upon her the revenge of the Lords cause, and cleaving a sunder, did swallow them up. The waters seeing the earth filled with cruelty, and all flesh to have corrupted his way, ceased not till her waves, Genes. 7.18. waxed so strong, as it bore down all but the family of Noah into the universal flood. The fire seeing the sin of Sodom to be exceeding grievous, and the inhabitants thereof to be puffed up with fullness of bread and idleness, could not stay itself, but fell from the clouds like rain, till it had overthrown and burnt up both the men and all that grew upon the earth, Genes. 19.25. Lot, his wife & two daughters, vers. 15.17. only excepted. The lions Dan. 6.22.24. that were so reconciled to Daniel through his faith in God, that he had no hurt found upon him, being left to themselves, and not having their mouths shut by the Angel, were so enraged against his accusers, that they broke all their bones in pieces before they came to the ground of the den. The Bears 2. King. 2.24. when they heard but children (that might excuse themselves by ignorance, or otherwise, by speaking as they were taught) mocking Elisha, the Lords Prophet, could hold no longer within the wood, but rushing forth of the forest, tore in pieces two and forty of them; hereby to teach even babes to use their tongues better. The worms that otherwise are the weakest and basest, and most scorned of men; yet clustered themselves together, and flew upon the face of a vain glorious king, and eat up Herod in all his bravery, Acts 12.23. as disdaining to hear a wretch take that glory to him, which was proper only to God; after this sort would all the creatures rise up against the ungodly, and spit their poison on them, for bringing such a curse upon them, if the Lord did not bridle and restrain their wills, wherein he magnifieth his mercy greatly, that he will suffer the Sun to shine upon the unjust, and maketh his patience famous through the earth, that he will suffer them so long that provoke him so much, all which is done to bring them if it were possible to repentance.  
Another thing we note here is, how long these creatures shall be in this subjection; and that is, until the sons of God shall be revealed or taken up to heaven, which vers. 21. is called a glorious liberty. Out of which observe, that all these inferior creatures shall be restored to their first perfection wherein they were made, at the end and consummation of all things, when God shall be all in all; for as we, 1 joh. 3.3; when Christ shall be made manifest, shall be like him, and see him as he is, which now we behold but as in a glass, 1. Corinth. 13.12. so is it certain there shall be a new heaven, and a new earth after us, and a restitution of the creatures to their auncie testate, as is said, Revel. 2.1.5. I make all things new; and 2. Pet, 3.10. The earth with the works that are therein shall be burnt up: out of which some gather, that this is not meant of material fire, but spoken figuratively, and in a borrowed phrase, of a consumption by fire, that is not blown as job calleth it, that is by the immediate breath and power of God. But I take it, it is meant of material fire, because the Apostle spoke before of the drowning of the old world, which was by material water. However it be, this is the meaning of the holy Ghost in that place, that as the gold is cast into the fire not to be consumed and burnt, but to be purified and refined, so as the substance remains, and nothing lost but the dross: even so shall it be with the heaven, the earth, and the creatures, they shall not utterly be consumed and wasted with fire, but made the finer, because all corruption which was wrapped about them by the curse, shall be burnt out; for as the substance of our bodies shall remain, and the change shall be only to fire out the sin that hangeth on us, these base bodies being then to be made glorious; so the substance of all the creatures shall continue, only this they shall be changed and turned into incorruption and liberty: and after they are thus refined, there is no question, but they shall endure; for as their presence is requisite for the more glorious triumph at the marriage of the lamb, Revel. 21.9. so shall it be likewise, for the continual praise and thanksgiving that is to made and had for the advancement of the bride, through the love of that Lamb Christ jesus. But now if any will ask in the pride of his conceit, why all these creatures shall then remain, and how long, and to what use; we say, these are endless questions, which breed strife and contentions rather then, as S. Paul saith, 1. Timot. 1.4. godly edifying, which is by faith; such as that wherewith the Epicure troubled himself; to know what God did before he made the earth: which one well answereth; That he made hell for them that are so inquisitive and curious: for, as Peter saith, 2. Pet. 3.16. these are places of Scripture, which they that are unstable and unlearned, pervert to their own destruction. Let it suffice the Lord hath opened the fountain so wide to us, that we know, joh. 6.51. we feeding on Christ, shall live for ever. Therefore leaving these speculations and school points, let us resort to the use and profit S. Peter maketh of this general dissolution; that since these things must perish, what manner persons ought we to be in holy conversation and godliness? for what other treasure soever we take to, it shall be consumed with ourselves, holiness and the fear of God having only the wings to fly thorough all fires, and to carry us to that heaven where dwelleth righteousness; which Revel. 21. is described to be of that beauty and stateliness, and of that worth and comeliness, as if the prince of the air, Ephes. 2.2. had not too much blinded the eyes of worldlings that they esteem of faith but as of a fable, it were not possible but they should be ravished with expectation after it, there being at every gate an Angel standing to let in God's children, and to keep out the fearful and unbelievers, adulterers, and ungodly persons.  
Again here learn, that the creatures waiting with us, and having as it were the same affection we have to be unchained of corruption, and at the liberty of the sons of God, they belong only to us that are his children, and are sanctified for our use through prayer and thanksgiving; for as through us they fell, so through us they shall be restored, and therefore wait both with us and on us in the mean time; and the wicked are but usurpers over them, snatching them against their wills, and abusing of them to their lusts, as the voluptuous jews did, who feeding upon that was none of theirs, while the meat, Psal. 78.31. was yet in their mouths, the wrath of the Lord, Numb. 11.33. was kindled and consumed them: and even so at length shall the wicked be chased out of the world, job. 18.18. and for his theft in ravening upon that is none of his, as God himself saith, job 39.13: he shall be shaken out of the corners of the earth; for that they enjoy is none of theirs, but belongeth as truly to us as a man accounteth that his own which he getteth by his honest labour: and in that they abound more with them here then God's children to whom of right they appertain, it is certain the glory of Gods elect shall be the greater in heaven for the want of the creatures here on earth, and the more the wicked enjoy here the greater shall their torments be in hell; for that, is Luk. 16.25. the objection of Abraham to stop the course of Dives 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 upon the wicked, but suffereth him to have his seeking, that he may be satiate with his own way, and that desiring, Proverb. 12: 12. the net of evils, he may be hereafter tied and ensnared with the cords of his own sin.  
Again, observe hence for the conclusion of this point, that all the creatures in heaven and earth do serve for the furthering of our salvation, and are ready and willing to do us good, except the devil, and those that shall be damned: for we know the red sea ran back 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 staunch their thirst. The river jordan returned backward, Psal. 114.3. till the people of God were passed over. Water came forth of the stony rock Exod. 17.6. that the Israelites might drink according as they desired. The Sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down for a whole day, Josh. 10.13. at the prayer of joshua. At the prayer of Hezekiah, Esay 38.8: the Sun went 10. degrees backward contrary to the course of nature. The small quantity of meal & oil which the widow of Zareptah had, through the word spoken by Eliah 1. Kings 17.16. wasted not till the Lord sent rain upon the earth. The waters being twice smitten with the cloak of Eliah 2. Kings 2.8.14. divided themselves twice this way and that way for the passage over both of Eliah and Elisha. The waters of jericho 2. Kings 2.21. by the sprinkling of a little salt at the spring head were healed of the Lord for the good of his servants that death come no more thereof. The furnace Dan. 3.23. though it was heat seven times more than it was wont to be, had no power so much as to scorch the garments of the three children that would not obey the king's commandment in a matter of Idolatry: neither had the Lions, Dan. 6.12. though ravenous in themselves, any mouths to open against Daniel, that made his prayers to God, notwithstanding it was against the decree of Darius the king, and so much solicited by his malicious and idolatrous nobles. Since then the creatures of God are thus ready to hide and smother their strength where they may hurt us, to open and enlarge their power when they may defend us; and since the Angels of God Psal. 91.11. watch over us in our ways, let nothing make us so foolish since we run well, but to hold on, for the tyrant's rage can not last, but the wrath of God is a soft consuming fire: and let us venture our bodies which are but dust for the salvation of our souls, which are the Lords.   
1. THESS. chap. 5. vers. 19.20. 
verse 19 Quench not the spirit:  
verse 20 Despise not prophesying.  
THe words themselves yield two points to be considered: first, a commandment or an exhortation equal to a commandment: secondly, the means how this commandment may be best obeyed, and the exhortation most fruitfully received. The commandment is, Quench not the spirit: the means to perform this, is: Despise not prophesying: that is, the wise and found interpretation of the Scriptures, by them whose lips preserve knowledge, and whose feet are shod with the Gospel of peace: for so prophesying is to be taken for an application of the word, and a teaching to edification.  
In the first, observe: forasmuch as nothing can be quenched but fire, why this Metaphor or borrowed speech is used of the Apostle, to express the Spirit by fire. The like phrase and speech is used, Mat. 3.11. when the servant baptizing his master, lest it should seem a disparagement and debasing of him, doth protest in great humility, that he did it but with water; but there came one after him, that should baptise them with the holy Ghost and with fire: that is, with the supernatural power of the holy Ghost, as it were fire. And in john 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 saved.  
Now the spirit is compared to fire in respect of the four properties that be in fire: first, the nature of ●●re is to consume any matter that is combustible or may be burned: even so the holy Ghost is sent into us to waste and consume all the lusts of our flesh, as self-love, pride of life, and whatsoever else exalteth itself above the purity and simplicity of the Gospel. Secondly, fire doth refine every thing that can be purified: even so the holy Ghost doth change and refine our affections, and purgeth us from that dross and filth of the earth, that cleaveth so near to us, and hangeth so fast upon us, and keepeth us still in the furnace of affliction, till we come to that perfection of eternal blessedness, that the flesh dying, the spirit may live in the day of the Lord. Thirdly, fire doth relieve by warmth all those subjects that be capable of life, and those that be benumbed it comforteth, and reviveth them that be half dead through cold: even so the holy Ghost not only warmeth him that is benumbed in his soul, but quickeneth him that is stark dead in pleasures and other corruptions of the world, and doth kindle in him a holy zeal to the Lords truth, and raiseth him up to the hope of eternal life, being before (though he seemed to live through the dullness and obstupefaction of his flesh) drooping or rather dead in sin. Fourthly, fire giveth light to them that before sat in darkness, and showeth them the way how to walk: so the holy Ghost doth enlighten our judgements and understandings, that we may be able to discern and desire to thirst after that acceptable will of the Lord unto salvation.  
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 aught to be the general judgement of all men, so long as a people conform themselves to the outward obedience and sound of the Gospel, to presume and hope the best of all. For no doubt many in this Church were accounted Saints, which were detestable hypocrites, yet in respect of this mingling of the seed and tars together, the Apostle meddleth not with them, leaving that to the last judgement: but signeth them all with this excellent badge of having the spirit: for so ought it to be, unless their sins be enormous and notorious, and that they sin and offend with so high a hand, as that they refuse the censure of the Church, and to be thereby reform; for than they are utterly to be 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 general style dissuadeth and dehorteth all from that which can be verified in the wicked only; as when he saith, Heb. 3.12. Take heed none of you be so unfaithful as to fall from the grace of the living God; which is true only in the hypocrite: and so doth he sometimes generally exhort to that which is true only in the elect: as when he saith to the Philippians, Work fourth your salvation with fear and trembling: 
Phil. 2.12.  for all the Ministers of God must know that there will always be one judas among the Disciples, 
Mat. 26.22.  whom Christ only could discover: but for them that cannot see the heart, they must offer the cup of grace to all; for the tars cannot be severed from the wheat till that great day of separation come, when then the Lord by his Angels shall cut us all down, and shall bind the tars in bundles by themselves, to be cast from the Lords floor into perpetual tormenting flaming fire.  
Again learn, since the spirit must not be quenched, that it followeth of necessity every one of God's children must have it, and think it so far from shame, as they must esteem it to be their only victory and crown that they do enjoy it. For first, by this spirit there is made a distinction and differnce between us and the reprobate: and it is like the blood (Exod. 12.22.) that was stricken upon the door tops, which shall make the Lord to pass over us, and not to suffer the destroyer to come near us, when he goeth to smite the Egyptians: and as Paul saith, 2. Cor. 13.5. The spirit of God is in us all except we be reprobates. Secondly, from this spirit we receive direction, whereby to guide the steps and actions of our life, that we snarl not at the Ministers like dogs, nor run after the world like Demas. 
2. Tim. 4.10.  Thirdly, in this spirit we reap such comfort as all the lightsome pleasures of this life are but as shadows, and all the burdensome profit of this life of no value in respect of that joy we take to be transformed into the image of the son of God, whereby the slanderous speeches, and impious and sacrilegious scurrility of some is notably condemned, who in scorn and derision do call such as are fearful to offend, and do tremble and quake at the name of sin, (men of the spirit, Puritans, precise, and such like) they themselves shrinking up sin in a narrow scantling, as if none offended but they that lie in the goal. But what is he, that having a wasp about him will stay till he be stung, and not avoid it at the first buzzing? What is he when he hath room enough, that will ride upon the edge of a pit, and venture his falling? Nay, 
1. Thes. 5.22.  it must be the wisdom of the Saints of God to fly as far from sin as can be, and (as the Apostle saith) to shun all appearance of evil: and we must not be freighted from the rule of conscience, nor from walking in a straight course of religion by any such profane and ungodly mouths, which carry the poison of Asps upon their tongues, and the gall of bitterness within their hearts: and let them know, that in this state wherein they stand, they are as surely the devils as the devil is not Gods; for in whomsoever 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 fearful declinations of some that have begun in the spirit and have ended in the flesh; that haec saluted Christ in the market place, and yet never entertained him in their houses. For that the spirit may be quenched, 
Mat. 25.3. Mark. 4.4.  is proved by the five virgins that had their lamps but wanted oil; and by the parable of the four sorts of grain, whereof only one shall be saved: for thereby is manifest, that the Gospel may be received with joy, yea it may take root to grow up to a stalk, and from a stalk to a blade, yea from a blade to an ear, and yet shall never ripen: but when it is gone so far, shall either be burned up by the heat of persecution, or choked by the thorns of this life, and shall never come to perfection.  
Again that parable which carrieth with it a real truth, of the spirit which being cast out of a man walketh in dry places: for so much is Satan cast out as we are enlightened in our judgements; 
Luk. 11.24.  but when he returns he finds it more garnished then before: that is, after he hath once refused and trodden under foot that light of knowledge which he had, he is possessed with such darkness, as he is wholly left a prey for Satan. It is also proved, that the spirit may be quenched by plain places of Scripture, as that of Ezechiel 18.24. the man that liveth in righteousness a long time, after falling away, shall be judged in his unrighteousness: and 2. Peter 2.22. the dog 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 be quenched in 〈◊〉 hypocrite, but never in the elect: as 1. john 3.9. He that is borne of God, sinneth not. And whom God loved once he loveth always. This is true; but then look that thou stand upon good and sound evidence when Satan troubles thee: for thou knowest how the burning lamps went out, how the seed in the blade came to nothing; and it is certain that a man illuminate may sin against the holy Ghost; and therefore see that thou hast good title, and groundest upon good interest when thou shalt be vexed with temptations: For Rom. 8.13. if we live after the flesh we shall die; and as many as are led by the spirit of God, they are the sons of God: and who hath this spirit, look 1. john 3.14. We are translated from death to life because we love the brethren: for he that hath a soul must needs breathe, and he that hath the spirit must needs fulfil the fruits of the spirit.  
Secondly, albeit the elect have received an everlasting spirit, whereof the Lord can never repent, and which can never utterly be quenched; yet let us fear and tremble; for in the elect it may so be obscured and overwhelmed, that some of the graces of God's spirit, nay most of the graces, yea the chiefest of the most, nay all almost of God's graces, may in them be quenched, as David prayeth 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 ●●●rit, hath a double fruit; in the hypocrite, to make him unexcusable; in the elect, to make them more circumspect and careful in their conversation: for we must not be secure, in as much as albeit the spirit of God in those that be his, cannot be absolutely quenched and wholly put out, yet there may be a great abatement of the spirit, as not to be recovered without great touch and terror of conscience.  
For first, while a man feels the presence of this spirit, there is given him such joy, and with that a singular peace in the inward man, and such security of his salvation, that he feels the love of God spiritually to do him as much good as his meat; and upon this assurance he doth as it were behold the heavens open for the Lord to embrace him living or dying, and he knoweth himself to be sealed up in the blood of Christ unto eternal life. Now if this spirit be gone, & absenteth itself in spiritual operation, together with this is our former joy abated, and the foundation of our hope gins to be shaken, and being weak of ourselves, we are surprised with many fears; and suspecting ourselves to be cast from the fear of God, and our sins arising and flying up like smoke in our eyes, we almost are brought to the case of Cain, Gen. 4.12. to think that whosoever meeteth us will slay us.  
Secondly, as upon the enjoying & presence of the Lords spirit, there springs an unspeakable joy and comfort in our hearts, and we find that the Lords love breedeth in us an heavenly assurance of eternal peace, and filleth our hearts with a mutual and reciprocal love of God, our love streaming and flowing from the well head of the Lords love: than it followeth, that the less we feel the Lords love toward us, the less we love him again; and then we droop and languish in ourselves, our prayers be faint; our meditations cold; and when we should watch, we with the Disciples fall asleep: and we feeling not the life of the spirit, 
Mat. 26.43.  we are greatly abated in our love of holy and Christian exercises; and we then only keep a general course in our profession, and perform every good thing as it were tedious unto us, like Eutychus, Act. 20.9.10. who came to here Paul's sermon, but was overcome with sleep.  
Thirdly, when the spirit is abated by the diminishing of the Lords love towards us, and the withdrawing of our love from him, then because we have grieved the spirit, the Lord suffereth us to fall into fearful and presumptuous sin: as he did suffer David to fall into the sin of whoredom with Bathsheba, aggravated with the murder of Vriah, wherein he lay frozen by Satan's subtlety nine months 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 howsoever no doubt he could no more escape the prick of conscience, than 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 never any of God's children sinned more grievously than 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 soul: for first, he lied, in that he said, he knew not Christ: secondly, burst forth into swearing: and thirdly, gave himself to the devil if it were he that was with Christ: which the Lord most justly suffered to befall him as a great chastisement since he neglected the loving forewarning of his master: and though he was never so much elect, yet would the spirit never comfort him, till he had with drawn himself to bewail his sin bitte●●. All which is lively expressed Cant. 3.1. In my bed by night (saith the church) I sought him that my soul loved, I sought h●●●●●t I found him not, I went and rose, and walked about the city, and by the streets, and by open places I sought him but found him not: thereby to declare, that when the Lord once withdraweth his face from us, how hardly we shall win his favour again.  
Fourthly, when the Lord hath suffered us to fall thus far, as we shall even seem to be swallowed up of hell already; though in the end he will restore thee, yet first he will suffer thee to bear the shame of thy sin in this life: 
Gen. 9.23. 1. Sam. 15.14.  as Noah for his drunkenness to be a scorn to his own children: and David for his adultery, to be thrust out of his kingdom by his own son, which was such a grief to him, as all the joy of his sons life did not so much comfort him, as the sorrow of his death did wound him, he mourning for Absalon, (2. Sam. 19.33.) as if he had doubted of his salvation. But happy is he, that hath the thorns in his sides in this life, and that is afflicted here: for though the Lord will neever take his loving kindness from thee, yet he will scourge thee, not for any satisfaction of his justice, for Christ hath paid all, but only 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 mind, as thou wert better be almost in hell, then feel this great want, and sustain this great torment of recovering it again. For first, when thou considerest the loss of thy former pains, 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 even rending thee in pieces, as appeareth by the dumb man in the Gospel. Thirdly, that if thou die at this time, (as Ezech. 18.24.) all thy former righteousness shall not be remembered, but thou shalt die in thy present sin: and four, that as a man dangerously sick and somewhat recovered, and after by misgovernment falling into a relapse, it doth exasperate and increase the disease: and as a wound half healed to come to a new incision, cannot be without greater pain than before: and for a man half in his journey, to return back again, when he must needs go thorough, cannot be but a great discontentment: So when thou remember'st the great conflicts thou hadst at first, when thou didst enter thy name into the school of Christ, and considerest that now thou must abide greater, it shall be half a hell to thee, to be brought seriously without guile of spirit, from the detestation of thy sin: as we may see Psal. 32.4. before David could be brought to confess his sin of filthiness and of murder, he saith, that very care had eaten his bones, not but that in his private chamber he had confessed it to the Lord: but before he could come to task his conscience, and to set it as it were upon the rack to be rend in pieces by his confession of it before men, and to abide patiently the shame of the world for it, he seemed to be plunged into the deep of deeps, as himself saith: Out of the deeps, O Lord, have I cried unto thee. Even so when the spirit of the Lord is abated in thee, thou shalt find it will not be regained by some sleight work, and ssubbring up a short prayer: as, Lord have mercy upon me: but thou must come to the case of David, even to pine and waste away, and to have the moisture dried up within thee: yea, consider his tedious travel before he could repent suddenly. And if he was beaten thus far of the Lord with Scorpions, of whom the Lord had protested, that he was a man after his own heart, shalt thou think by a pang of devotion and superficial prayer, to recover that sweet comfort thou hast lost in the Lord's spirit? Nay know, that if thou temptest the Lord so far as to withdraw his spirit from thee, it shall cost the dear before thou canst enjoy it again: and if thou break forth into sighs and groans which fill the heavens, even in this doth the Lord's mercy greatly appear▪ for he might give thee up into hardness of heart, and never trouble himself to restore his spirit again unto thee. But thy sorrow must be so great, thy prayers so fervent, and thy sighs so many, as to cry out with David, Psal. 51.8. heal the bones, O Lord, which thou hast broken. Let us beware then how we distemper ourselves spiritually, for fear the arrow-head of the Lords wrath should rankle in our sides; and let us take heed with the Apostle, how we grieve this spirit: for if Adam might have had the whole spirit taken from him in respect of his Apostasy, who was perfect in his creation, how much more may we, that have received but the earnest of the spirit, and the first fruits thereof in Christ jesus? Howbeit as the evil spirit in an hypocrite may be cast out, and yet he may return to his vomit again, (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 clean be taken away.  
Again consider, where it is said, Quench not the spirit: that all Scripture commandeth always the contrary to that it forbiddeth: as 2. Tim. 1.6. the contrary virtue to this here spoken of, is commanded: I charge thee (saith Paul to Timothy) that thou stir up the graces of God which be in thee: the word in Greek signifieth. To keep the fire burning: giving us to understand, 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 careful therefore must we be, to foster it and maintain it, that it never go out. Hear then must be considered the sleights of Satan-to blow it out, and always by the clean contrary we must labour to keep it in: for as the flesh lusteth against the spirit, so must the spirit likewise against the flesh.  
The first motion therefore Satan stirreth up in us to quench the spirit, is to lust after evil, not to lust after nothing: which temptation he threw into the eyes of David, as he walked upon the roof of the King's palace, (2. Sam. 11.2.3.) to lust after Bathsheba, Vriabs' wife. As earnestly then as the flesh lusteth after evil, so earnestly and more must the spirit lust after good things, as to say with the Prophet David: I am ready upon every occasion to do thy will, O God: neither yet must we not deceive ourselves, for every lusting after good things is not of the spirit: for it is easy to do many good things, wherein thy affections are not strained, and to abstain from many evil 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 oppugn the affections of the flesh, if thou take part with the spirit, and cross thy affections in this, thou maintainest and dost cherish the spirit. As David (1. Sam. 25.13.) upon a churlish answer given by Nabal, in a passion of anger was resolved to kill him, but upon the entreaty of Abigail nabal's wife, he was pacified, and entered into consideration of the greatness of the sin of murder, and blessed the God of Israel, and the counsel of Abigail, that had kept him from shedding of blood.  
Secondly, if Satan cannot get us lust for evil, he will strive to get us either do nothing, or else to spend our time in trifles and in pastimes, to drive away dumps with vain delights: which may sometimes be used for recreations to make us more fit to walk in our callings: but if we play to play, that is, suffer our hearts to be stolen away, and snared in the pleasures of this life, than the Lord will judge us as unthrifty servants, that have not gained by our talents. Our labour therefore must be on the contrary, since every man hath his task set him, and God is our overseer, though presently not our revenger, that we fall not asleep with new wine: but according to the Apostles rule, 
Ephe. 5.16.18.  that we redeem the time from vanity, and walk worthy of that calling wherein God hath set us.  
Thirdly, if Satan cannot blow out the fire of the Lords spirit in us by this, but that we resolve in our hearts to do some good; if we will needs do it, he persuades no to do it by and by, but to pause upon the matter, and to procrastinate and defer it by this reason; We may as well do it another time as now. But we must labour the contrary, unless we will suppress the power and soundness of the spirit; for if we be not apt to day, we shall be less apt to morrow: and it is good to take the time while it is offered, for we know not whether our life shall pass this present occasion. Christ cometh not to thee at all times, and therefore if he knock now and we let him not in, though hereafter we pine away with the desire of having him, we shall not get him; according to that speech of the Prophet Esay 55.6. Seek the Lord while he may be found, and call upon 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 having earnest business, as soon as they wake in the morning, start out of their beds to avoid and shake off their sluggishness, and say not as the stothfull do, Prou. 6.10. Yet a little sleep, yet a little slumber, etc. for when we are moved and resolved to perform any good thing, we may not grieve 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 look upon the clouds if we will sow, nor gather the winds, if we will reap, nor defer good motions and actions if we will receive comfort by them.  
Fourthly, the spirit is quenched by this, If Sa●han cannot make thee lust against good, nor spend thy time 〈◊〉 trifles and to no good purpose, nor to defer the good thou hast resolved to do, by some by-thought that he shall suggest; if thou wilt needs do it, than he striveth to make thee do it languishingly, droopingly and coldly, and thereupon perhaps thou makest a few prayers: but when thou findest the comfort not so great as thou wouldst, or as thou hast felt at other times, than thou breakest off, and every good exercise though 〈◊〉 be short seemeth tedious unto thee. But the spirit must labour the clean contrary, as to do good things, so to do them seriously, for the work of the Lord must not be done negligently. Though therefore thou findest thyself undisposed to holy exercises, yet strive by continuance in them if it be possible to make the spirit easy; and though at first thou feelest great difficulty in praying, yet resolve to continue in it some long time in ripping up thy sins by prayer: and if at the last by often strife thou canst come to pray with ease, and to feel the sweetness of the Lords mercy comforting thee in thy perplexed thoughts, and in thy weak petitions, it is a notable sign of thine election.  
Lastly, Satan would quench the spirit by this; if we will not be worse, he would make us not to be better, nor to go forward in religion. We will all grant, that we must profess the Gospel: now since Satan cannot wean us from this opinion, he laboureth to keep us at a scantling in this porfession: but it is certain, he that goeth not forward in the porfession of the truth, goeth backward. Hast thou not more zeal now then thou hadst when the Gospel was first brought thee? then fear lest the spirit be much quenched. wouldst thou have a man stand at a stay till he come to his full stature? or one half cured to send away the Physician? or eat and not be nourished? or spend of thy stock, and not increase it? And why shouldest thou not be as wise in the spirit as in these things? wouldst thou have the Israelites make league with the Canaanites? 
Deut. 7.16.  No: they must not cease till they have cast them all out of the land. And so if thou be at league with any sin, it hindereth thy growth in religion: and if thou come not to a full and perfect age in Christ, thou canst not be saved. Thou must know though thou hast thy lamp burning, yet the oil wasteth with flaming: and if thou have not oil to supply thy want, thy light will go out, and thyself shalt sit in darkness. Yet so far hath this policy of Satan prevailed, that many who in King Edward and Queen Mary's days were zealous for the Lord, are now frozen in their dregs; and they that before heard the joyful message of salvation with singular comfort, and could not have their thirst staled but by the waters of wisdom, are now by this long peace grown secure, and waxed neither hot nor cold. Of these men to say no worse, they are right Laodiceans, against whom the wisdom of the holy Ghost long since pronounced a fearful doom, that the Lord would spew them out of his mouth: for shall Christ, who is his Father's counsellor, while he was in the flesh increase in wisdom, Luk. 2.52. and shall we who are as blind as Beetles, think it enough for us to retain the rudiments and first principles of religion, and not to wax strong and able in the truth of God? Nay, certain it is, if we continue children in understanding, and do not grow from love to patience, 
1. Cor. 14.20. 2. Pet. 1.5 6.  from patience to temperance, from one grace of God to another; if we increase not, I do not mean in peevish and preposterous zeal, but in sound substantial zeal; and from being fed with milk, to desire strong meat, it shall be as loathsome for the Lord to take us that be thus decayed in our souls, and which from good substantial Christians are fallen to be most miserable beggarly bankerupts, as for a man to receive again into his stomach that he hath once gorged up. As Satan therefore laboureth to quench this spirit by our coldness in religion, and by standing at a stay in Christianity: so let the spirit of God in us strive for the contrary, 
Reu. 22.11.  that he that is righteous may be more righteous, and that we may increase in faith, and be daily set on fire with the zeal of God's truth; for we may not be worse than the ground, which by the rain is made more fruitful; not than the herbs, which by the Sun are made more flourishing.  
Hear some will say, he that is once faithful, and whom the Lord hath once sealed, that man cannot have the spirit taken from him: therefore though the operation and working of the spirit be for a time hindered and interrupted, yet it shall be restored again, because the Lord hath promised, that whom he loveth he will always love. It is true, that if any fall with David he may and shall rise again with David, if he pertain to God, but then he must earnestly and sound repent as David did: and to come to a true and serious confession of thy sin indeed, it shall be the hardest work, and cost thee dearer than ever any thing did. Again, who would be so foolish to make of a particular and rare example a general ground, as to fall with David for company, to rise with him for company: and because thou feast 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 fallen from that grace he hath once received, let him pray that he may rise again; but let him know, that being fallen, if he had all the hearts in the world, and could shed fountains of tears, he should find them all too little and insufficient to lament sound, so as the Lord would come again to comfort him.  
Lastly, here may be doubted, since the spirit must not be quenched, and that as hath been taught before, it must be maintained, or else it will decay: whether it be in us to nourish this spirit as well as to quench it. To this we answer with Paul, Philipp. 2.12.13. Make an end of your salvation with fear and trembling: for it is God that worketh in you both the will and the deed, even of his good pleasure: so as we must fear, but we must also work. And this spirit cannot be idle in us, so as we must not stand gaping, looking that the Lord should fill us with his graces; but we must work, because the Lord worketh upon us. So then the Lord doth all merely of his grace. But here is humility and diligence commended to us; and therefore doth the Lord by his Ministers exhort us to good works, to make us more circumspect and cheerful in doing them: for the holy Ghost worketh not absolutely and simply in us, but vouchsafeth means, itself being the chief efficient to prepare the mind to receive that grace to which we are exhorted; even as we all live by God's providence, yet not without bread. And as the safety of a child's riding standeth in the fast holding of the father: yet the words of the father, to bid him hold fast, maketh the child more wary: even so exhortation maketh us more wary in avoiding sin, for we are not dead stones, but living instruments: and therefore as we perform lively actions of the body, so must we have spiritual operations of the mind; the fruit and benefit whereof, is discerned by the power and strength of the holy Ghost, who worketh both in us and by us.  
Now for the second point, which is the means how the commandment of not quenching the spirit may be best obeyed? It is by making much of the Word and the Preachers thereof: for by prophesy, is meant such as have the word of exhortation in their mouths, and of whom it is said, Esa. 59.21. The spirit that I put into their mouths, shall never departed from thee nor thy seed. Whereby we learn, that as the spirit is given by the word preached, so is it also maintained by the word preached; and as there is no light without the Sun, no fructifying of the earth without the windows of heaven be open, nor no lamp burning without oil: so is there no faith begun and continued without we be established in the word of grace. Now if we find sometimes no heart in the word, but that it is irksome to the ear and unpleasant to the sound, let us not therefore refuse the means, and exclude ourselves from hearing: for oftentimes a stomach is gotten by eating, and though the spirit be quenched in us in this grace, yet let us come where this grace is offered: and though we hear not sometimes with such a relish as we would and ought to do, yet let us pray that our hearing may do us some good; and that by hearing our stomach may come again. And if we hear often and forget it, yet let us do that in this kind of sickness, which we do in the distemper of our natural bodies, eat the oftener, if we eat much and cannot retain it to digest it: so if we cannot remember what we hear, let us hear the oftener, because our memories are so weak: so as if there be any preaching, (not neglecting our callings) let us partake of that food, and the Lord may in mercy so much bless our diligence, as we may by one Sermon learn so much, as may comfort us in the hour of death.  
Lastly, as in general diseases of the body, (as in an ague) all parts are weak, but principally the stomach, yet it receiveth a medicine, and the disease itself provoketh us to that: so if Satan have weakened thy stomach so much, as thou hast no list to hear the word, let this dullness be so far 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 ye cannot be safe, when they of themselves would needs have gone forth: and yet Paul had the absolute promise before, that himself and his whole company should be safe: but this was conditional, if they obeyed the means, that is, if they abode in the ship. Even so, they that despise the means of hearing, refuse the mercy of reforming their lives, and of mollifying their hearts; whether they refuse of rashness; as hear or hear not it is all one: or of distrust; as, though I hear it will do me no good: for assuredly except we hear as often as we can, we cannot maintain this spirit: and going out of this ship, that is, departing from the word preached, it is not possible to be saved.   
TITUS chap. 2. vers. 11, 12. 
verse 11 For that grace of God which bringeth salvation unto all men, hath appeared:  
verse 12 And teacheth us, that we should deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and that we should live soberly, and righteously, and godly in this present world.  
THE Apostle in the 9 and 10. verses going before did exhort servants that were professors, to show themselves 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 adorn 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 Gospel, which, etc. hath appeared to all men, that is, to all conditions of men, that it might instruct them to lay aside profaneness, concupiscence of the eyes, & all things that savour of the world, and to live justly toward men, and religiously toward God, waiting for the glory to be revealed.  
The words divide themselves into two parts: the first commendeth the excellency of the teacher, which doth instruct us: namely the grace of God: the second is the matter of instruction: and this is to be considered two ways: first, by showing what things we are to forbear, which is twofold: first ungodliness in respect of religion: secondly, worldly lusts as furtherers to profaneness. Secondly, by showing what things we must incline unto, which be three: first, sobriety of life: secondly, to live righteously toward men, for the duties of the second table: thirdly, to live religiously in respect of the worship of God. Last in verse 13: there is propounded an effectual means whereby we may be the better affected, and more earnestly provoked 〈◊〉 follow this counsel, which is, an expectation or hoping for of a more excellent glory, which shall be given at the appearing of the Lord jesus: for hardly can a man thoroughly mortify himself, unless he propound to himself 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 here, may be judged and resolved to be the Gospel, or the doctrine of the Gospel, by the end of the tenth verse, that ye may (saith the Apostle) adorn the doctrine of the Gospel, which is called grace, by the effect it worketh in the hearts of men, namely, because it bringeth us to the grace of Christ through the remission of our sins in his precious blood. And therefore Paul (Rom. 1.16.) calleth the Gospel, the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth, whatsoever he be jew or Grecian: and Eph. 1.13. showeth how that by trusting and believing in the word of truth the Gospel of our salvation, we are sealed with the holy spirit of promise. And 2. Thes. 2.10. the reason is given, why men are rejected and cast from Christ, because they receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. For as S. Peter saith, (1. Pet. 4.17.18.) Where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? and what shall be the and of them that obey not the Gospel?  
Secondly, this grace of God doth persuade us thus to live as is here prescribed, by this token, that it bringeth salvation: so as observe, he doth not say simply: The grace of God hath appeared and teacheth us, etc. but that grace which bringeth salvation, doth beseech and teach us to reform our lives, because salvation is already purchased. Even so Christ and his forerunner john Baptist, (Matt. 3.2.) preached amendment of life for remission of sins, because the kingdom of God was at hand: that is, the Gospel, so called, because none shall enter into that kingdom, that hath not first entered into the kingdom of grace. So Paul when he had folded and enwrapped all under sin, 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 jesus, to be renewed in their minds, and reform in their lives. And Rom. 6.12. he exhorteth them, that sin may not reign nor have dominion over them, because they are called to the grace of the Gospel to be justified in the blood of Christ. So Peter (1. Pet. 1.17.) from our redemption draweth an exhortation to new life. If (saith he) ye call God father, pass your time in fear: and Paul (1. Cor. 6.20.) exhorteth to glorify God in our members, because we are his, and not our own, being bought with a great price. So as this is the most effectual persawsion that can be, 
●. Cor. 7. ●.  because we are already washed, to keep ourselves clean.  
Further observe, that the Gospel being brought in here not simply, persuading us to purity & cleanness of life, but as bringing salvation with it: that as all benefits may persuade, so there be three sorts of benefits especially that may persuade most, of which salvation is the greatest. The first kind of benefit to persuade by, is deliverance from some great extremity: the second, is an advancement from a base estate to some high dignity: the third is a benefit that joineth both these together, and this is most forcible. How far the first of these may prevail, David showeth 1. King. 1.29. who when he would assure Barsheba his wife, that Solomon should succeed him in his kingdom, to give the best security he could, he protested: As the Lord liveth, that hath delivered my soul from adversity, thy son Solomon shall reign after me: as if he should say, as he was to be thankful and obedient to the Lord for these his deliverances: so he would pledge and gauge this to her, upon the certainty of salomon's succession. For the second sort, when from a base condition a man is advanced to some special preferment; and how this prevaileth appeareth in joseph, Gen. 39.8.9. who by the force of this argument beateth back the assaults of his Lady and Mistress: for he bearing in mind the special benefits of his master towards him, reasoneth thus; I joseph by my master's favour am now the greatest in all his house, being at first a bondman, there is nothing but he hath committed to my charge, only thee hath he reserved to himself: how is it possible than I should commit such a villainy to so kind and bountiful a master? making his own advancement as a bulwark to drive back the siege of his mistress incontinency, thereby even to stop her mouth by appealing to her own conscience, that weighing how his master had dealt with him, there could be no excuse for him if he should commit such a villainy. For the third, wherein both these concur: what heart can be so ungrateful as not to be persuaded to yield obedience to him that hath performed both these? If a man committing some criminal offence, and when the stroke was even ready to be given, in that very instant of his anguished mind, as for death itself, so for so shameful a death, the King should send him a pardon, and after advance him to some honourable office, thereby to grace him for his former indignity, and to clear him of his former blemish: if this man should have any suit recommended to him from his King, which suit should carry with it some remembrance of his deliverance; were it possible for that man but to execute this commandment, and to further this suit with great loyalty? Surely he could not but do it. Let us see then how far the Gospel may prevail with us since it hath brought salvation; which implieth and presupposeth that there was damnation before: for we were the heirs of Satan, without Christ, without light, wrapped in the chains of darkness, ordained not to the execution of the gibbet, but to be judged after the passing of a few da●es in trouble and vanity, to be tormented eternally with the damned: from this hath the Gospel brought us: therefore when we are tempted to sin, we should say unto ourselves, As the Lord liveth that hath delivered my soul from death, I will not do it: and have this suit commended unto thee, not to wallow in the mire, by this token, that the Gospel hath saved thee from hell. For the second benefit, it was singular favour to be freed from the former misery; but the Lord together with that hath advanced and raised us to special dignity, that of the bondslaves of the devil, we are made heirs, not of this world only, but of the world to come, fellow heirs with the Lord jesus, to be beloved with the same love, and to taste of the same glory: 
john 17.22.  so as we may say with joseph, Thus and thus bountiful hath the Lord been unto me, how can I then commit such wickedness against the majesty, and in the presence of so good a God?  
Hence learn, since the Gospel exhorteth us by this saving argument to reformation of life, whensoever we are assaulted inwardly by our own lusts, by the instrument which is the devils, to use the benefit of this salvation to stay us from that sin we are tempted to, let it be it were to wantonness, then let every of us argue thus with himself: And what? shall I use the members of Christ, bought with such a price as the blood of the Son of God, and shall I make them the members of an harlot? 
1. Cor. 6.15.  shall I thus requited the Lords kindness, and so lightly esteem the riches of his mercy? Why now he doth not command to perform the law, and so be saved; but because I am already saved he doth beseech me to amend my life; and shall I set no more by all his benefits bestowed, both upon my soul for instruction, and upon my body for health and comeliness? shall I not remember the manifold temptations he hath freed me from, and the multitude of his compassions extended towards me? shall I make no more reckoning of his favour that hath bestowed on me so many graces, and pardoned so many sins? Far be it from me, that advisedly and deliberately I should so despite the Lord as to grieve his spirit, and dishonour that God that hath given me Christ out of his own bosom, and with Christ all things else, and through him salvation.  
Now for the instruction, and first for the things we are to forbear: the first is ungodliness, that is, not only the superstition of the heathen and palpable Atheism, but all careless serving of God, when men regard nothing less than the purity of a good conscience in the service of God, and when they little respect the true worship of God, but only make a show and a semblance to serve him: so as the word (ungodliness) doth signify all despising of him openly, or serving of him negligently. Now all ungodliness, profaneness and urreligiousnesse doth touch first the exercises God hath appointed to testify our sincerity: secondly, it toucheth God himself. For the first, when we come to hear the word or to pray, if we do not persuade ourselves that he that despiseth the teacher despiseth God, as we may see Luk. 16.29. by the answer of Abraham to the rich man, They have Moses and the Prophets, let them hear them. And further, if we do not believe that what so is preached out of the Bible, shall as fully be executed as if it were now performed, as we may see Revel. 22.19. this is open ungodliness: and for this diminution of the truth of God's word, his part shall be taken out of the book of life; for a man must judge of ungodliness by the effects of ungodliness, as to say, a man's good meaning is good belief: for than was Vzziah unjustly punished and smitten with the Leprosy for burning incense unto the Lord, 2. Chron. 26.19. for his intention was good, but his action was accursed, because it was not for the King to deal in the Priest's office. So when we hear men say, It were no matter if there were no more going to Sermons, since there is no more following of them: these and the like are speeches of open ungodliness; for did ever any man grow colder for sitting by the fire, or leaner for eating of bread?  
The second thing to be eschewed, is worldly lusts, which be two fold: first, to lust after unlawful things, which be either the fleshly desires of a carnal man in himself, or which may hurt our neighbour, either in name, goods, or body. Secondly, when we lust after worldly lawful things unlawfully and immoderately; both which are set down in three general points by Saint john, 1. joh. 2.16. first the lust of the flesh, that is, that the flesh would live at ease: as we may see by she reasoning of the rich man with himself, Luk. 12.19. after great store gotten, Now soul (saith he) live at ease, eat, drink and take thy pastime. Secondly, the lust of the eye, to live wanton, and to have an adulterous eye as Eva had, that could not see the fruit, but she must eat it, Genes. 3.6. and as Achan had, joshua 7.21. that could not see the Babylonish garment, but he must have it: and as Shechem had, that could not see Dinah, but he must ravish her. Thirdly, the pride of life, that is, the desire of honour, and thirsting for preferments in this life; for it is impossible for that soul that is surfeited with these things, to carry any true love toward God, or any burning zeal toward his truth. And these be they that wrought so forcibly with our first mother, in yielding to the first temptation that ever was in our flesh: for first the apple seemed fair to the eye: 
Gen. 3.6.  secondly, it was good for meat: thirdly, it was good for knowledge, which implied pride of life, she thinking thereby to be as wise as God. These three the Gospel denieth us of, when we savour so of them, as our greatest care is to enjoy them, and we affect them more than the righteousness of God's kingdom. And as the Gospel teacheth us to forbear these things, so also doth our Baptism: for who so is dipped in the water, which representeth the blood of Christ, he is thereby instructed to deny himself, and to hate the works of the devil: this being a Sacrament, which not only sealeth to us remission of sins in the blood of Christ, but also sanctification by the spirit of Christ; which consisteth in mortifying the old man, and quickening the new. The first standing on these two: first, death: secondly, burial: that as we believe Christ to be dead to obtain pardon for all our sins; so we believe that he by his obedience obtained the spirit of God to mortify all our corruptions: and when he went into the grave, our old man was buried with him, that we might be raised up with him to newness of life: and this is set down 1. Peter 1.2. where he saith, We must suffer in the flesh, that is, die in corruption and in sin daily▪ even as Christ did in his body. And he that doth not crucify his affections, performeth not his vow in Baptism, nor cannot challenge any part in Christ his death: for he is said to die once to sin: Non ut peecatum desineret, sed ut peccatum destrueret: not to shake off sin, for he had none, but to destroy sin which was in us; so as he is sure to have part in the condemnation of the world, that hath not begun to rest in the corruption of his flesh.  
Now for the things which are to be embraced, they are three: first, sobriety: out of which words learn generally in setting these things that are to be followed last; That the least corruption is the best perfection in a man: and therefore first we are here instructed in the negative, not to live ungodly and wanton, before he cometh to the affirmative, to follow sobriety: and for this end hath the Lord given eight of his commandments hegatively, that is, thou shalt not do this, nor thou shalt not do that; and but two affirmatively, thereby showing that our nature ever inclineth to the worst. And that these negatives, Thou shalt not live irreligiously, Thou shalt not live filthily, must first be given in precept before there can be planted any holiness in us: and our perfection and victory standeth in this, to master as many infirmities as we can, and to run as near as we can to the prize of Christ his glory. The word sobriety is especially taken in human learning and common phrase for the virtue of temperance and continency in our diet, that we surfeit not; but though it have this strict signification, yet more generally in the Scripture it is taken for that virtue whereby we so contain ourselves in the outward blessings of this life, and in the applying of the inward graces of the mind, that we neither surfeit too much in pleasure, nor presume not too much on knowledge, to be drunken with holiness. For sobriety in outward blessings Christ giveth a caveat, Luke 21.34. Take heed your hearts be not oppressed with drunkenness and surfeiting: and presently expoundeth this to be with the cares of this life, taking his proportion, that a man may be as drunk with worldly cares, as with beastly quaffing. For the other, that is, for containing ourselves within some just compass in using Gods graces, Paul (Rom. 12.3.) saith: Let no man presume to know above that is given him to understand, lest by taking too much upon him, and not knowing his own proportion, he become drunk. And this could Festus see, that too much learning might make a man proud, though (Act. 26.24.) he applied it wrongfully to Paul. Now that we must be temperate in the blessings of this life, is showed by the parable of them that were invited to the King's supper, 
Luk. 14.18.  and excused their absence, some by marriage, some by buying of farms and oxen: all which were in themselves lawful, but yet made unlawful by permitting their hearts to be stolen away with the riches of iniquity, as Christ termeth them. And to this end also is the parable of four sorts of seeds cast into the ground, 
Mark. 4.8.  whereof one only prospereth: meaning thereby, that many being earnest professors, and receiving the seed of the word, so as it rooted, and wanted nothing but ripening, whereby they themselves knocked as it were at heaven gate, and yet went cross to hell, because the seed even when it was in the blade, was blasted and choked with the thorny cares of this life. This Paul had learned by experience, which caused him (1. Tim. 6.6.) to charge men to be moderately minded, because many have fallen from the faith by riches; as if he should say: he that carrieth this resolution to be rich come of it what will, will never content himself with the poverty of the Gospel, nor the portion of God's childen, the bread of affliction: for the Apostle set not down there extortioners, or chafferers, or such like, but only speaks of men filled with the desire of riches, as of the abuse of lawful things. And if this will not make us wary enough, let us learn of Christ, (Luk. 21.34.) to take heed lest at the day of judgement the Lord find us heavy with the cares and fetches of this life. This judgement is general, at the consummation of all things; or particular, at thy own departure: for as the tree falleth so it resteth. And if this will not serve, then let us fear the examples Christ propoundeth, Luk. 17.26.28. in the days of Noah and of Lot; he doth not say, they were unmerciful, or idolatrous, taxing them with any such gross sin, but reciteth the general corruption, they eat, they drank, they married: and what was the end? the flood came and swallowed them up, and fire from heaven came and consumed them. And in these examples he setteth down three sorts of men: the first followed their pleasures only: they eat and drank. The second followed their profit only, they bought and sold. The third, that followed both their pleasure and their profit, the worst of all; they build for their pleasure, and plant for their profit. So that if the caveat or warning will not move us in the doctrine, 
Luk. 16.9.  let the example fear us in the sequel. Hereof is it, that they be called uncertain riches, and deceitful riches, because they so ensnare and entangle our hearts, that we neglect the means of our eternal peace. And certain it is, that more go to hell for abusing lawful things, then for using things simply unlawful: for these are so deformed in their face, as men are ashamed to use them, the other are so disguised with the outward appearance of some delightful show, that we embrace them as our friends, that strike the first stroke to wound us at the heart.  
Now to come more nearly to the bounds of sobriety, we must learn, that sobriety in pleasures standeth in three things: first; in a moderation in meats and drinks: secondly, in recreation: thirdly, in apparel. For the first, he that doth so intoxicate himself with feasting, and so stuff his belly, as he is made unapt for his calling, such a man doth surfeit as well as he that hath so inflamed himself with wine, as he breaketh forth into some open distemper; or so filled his paunch, as he is constrained to regorge it up again. Yet I do not say, but the cup may sometime overflow, and we may at one time be more cheerful and liberal then at another: for Timothy may drink wine for his stomachs sake, (1. Tim. 5.23.) for it cheereth the heart, judg. 9.13. And we see Christ at a marriage approved more liberal diet then at other times: for (john 2.9.) when wine failed, he himself turned water into wine. But yet we must walk so soberly in all things, that by fullness of bread which was the sin of Sodom, we neither benumb our senses, nor disable the members of our body from their special duties, always observing this rule: that wine is to be given to the heavy heart, and not to the merry. For the second, which is recreation: even in this have the best surfeited, but we must look that they be first of honest report, which giveth small warrant for cards or dice; and if they were lawful, yet ought not the children of God so much to use them: because in that they embolden others that do abuse them. For that is the Apostles rule, Phil. 4.8. Whatsoever are honest and of good report, think on such things. Secondly, we must look we use them as recreations. ●●t so long as they may make us unfit to discharge our vocatio●●: for the end of our play must be labour, and not to be brought asleep with it: for than doth it neither comfort the strength of the body, nor relieve the powers of the mind, for which recreation was ordained. For the third, that is, apparel, the holy Ghost giveth us a glass to see when we are seemly arrayed: wherein we must observe two rules: first, that it be not costly: secondly, that it be not garish: costly for the price, nor garish for the fashion. Paul (1. Tim. 2.9.) comprehendeth both these by name, forbidding costly apparel, which is that that is either above a man's ability, or above those, whom in degree, profession, s●xe and age the Lord hath matched with us. For we must always in attire strive to match ourselves with the gravest Christians of our profession. Garish is opposite to comeliness, and is that which followeth the cut, which by the outward vanity of the body, showeth the instability of the mind: for the visible attire hath these inconveniences with it: first, it describeth the invisible pride of the mind: and say and pretend what thou wilt, that thou hast no such end: when the leaf is green on the top of the tree, how can I believe that the sap is gone down to the root? and when I see these streams of pride about thee, how can I think but they flow from the well head, which boileth in the heart? Secondly, as it expresseth pride, so it exciteth and stirreth up lust, and very oft the occasion maketh the sin. Neither is it good for a light brain to drink much, nor to put flax to the fire, nor oil to the flame, nor to lay open a costly garment before a glancing eye. Thirdly, it doth abridge us in the performance of many christian exercises, as contribution to the poor, hospitality in the house, and such like: for as the French man saith, Where there is a velvet coat, there is a belly of rust, and when we are grown so high in pride, as we cannot look down upon the low estate of our brethren, but behold them as Grasshoppers upon the earth: we may well curse that garment that withdraws that blessing pronounced by Christ to them that visit the needy and relieve the naked. 
Mat. 25.36.  True it is the Gospel prescribeth no set fashion: but look what the most godly do of our profession, by the grace of this Gospel we ought to follow that, and we shall find peace for our souls; for the Lord dwelleth but in two places, either in the high heavens, or in an humble heart. And as a Philosopher said of concupiscence, some was natural and necessary, some natural but not necessary, some neither natural nor necessary: so may we say of apparel, some is comely and necessary, some comely but not necessary, and some neither comely nor necessary.  
The second thing that is to be followed, is righteousness in life, and just dealing between man and man; and this is either general and universal, or particular and peculiar. The first is the ground of nature, That all men deal as they would be dealt with: the second is this, that every man in his several calling should deal with a good conscience, & give every man his due. john Baptist having preached a sermon of repentance, Luke 3.8. first generally exhorts them to newness of life, and then descendeth to special duties to be recommended to special men; as particularly for the Publicans, vers. 13. you must receive tribute according as it is taxed, and not enhance it for your own gain. For soldiers, vers. 14. Do no man any violence, neither rob ye under this pretence, but be content with your wages. For rich men, vers. 11. that as the Lord had dealt bountifully with them, so they should extend their compassion to others. Wherein observe, that as every calling hath his special sins waiting on it, so the Baptist setteth down special and particular remedies that every man must labour to furnish himself withal. So here to speak of one kind of righteous living, as that which is most abused, though the thing itself be most common, namely of bargaining: first observe that Paul setteth down a rule (1. Thessalon. 4.6.) that no professor in his trade should go beyond a man, that is, that every seller should set such a price as there may be a just proportion between the value and the thing bought. Now this value must be rated according to the general rule of nature, 
Luk. 6.31.  Do as thou wouldst be done unto: and it is not enough to say Caveat emptor, Let the buyer look to it; but thou oughtest to have care that he may have equal advantage of the thing he buyeth, with the benefit thou receivest. Proverbs 20.14. is set down the general corruption of both these: It is nought saith the buyer, abasing it, that he may have it the cheaper: which implieth, It is good, saith the seller, praising it too much, that he may price it the higher. Howbeit we must consider, that the same God that commandeth thee not to assault his person, but to preserve it from violence, the same God enjoineth thee to have care over his goods, that if his money do pass thorough thy hands, thou do use it with the same affection thou dost thine own, alway remembering (Proverbs 20.23.) that divers weights are abomination to the Lord, and that (1. Corinth. 6.9.) no unrighteous or unjust dealer shall ever see God. Many will come and make such a show of holiness, that their endeavour is to deal justly toward all, as they will needs be resolved what are false weights, what is usury, and what is circumvention or cozenage, that they may avoid it; and when it shall be told them truly out of God's word what they are, and it falleth out to be such as they expected not, than they return either with heavy or with angry hearts, and will resolve themselves what was spoken was false. Even as (jeremy 42.5.) johanan cometh to jeremy to know whether he and the rest might go down into Egypt to dwell there, where they should see no war, and promiseth whether his message from the Lord was good or bad he would obey it: jeremy went and asked counsel of the Lord, who answered, they should not in any case go down to Egypt. When johanan heard this, he burst forth into outrage, saying▪ It is not the Lord hath told thee this, (jer. 43.2.3.) It is Baruch that maketh thee thus precise against us: so he was resolved before what to do, only he would have been glad if his purpose might have been confirmed by the Lord's mouth. And as it fareth with the sick patient, who affecting some meat hurtful, asketh the Physician whether he may eat it or no; who having the regiment of their bodies, and knowing their disease, telleth them, no, in no wise: yet so strong is their appetite that they will take it, and only would have been glad if the Physician would have approved it. So men will come to know the nature of sin, which being described to be ugly in itself, yet seeming beautiful and gainful in their affection, they will still embrace it; showing themselves to have descended of that young man spoken of Matth. 19.16. who would needs be questioning with Christ how he might go to heaven, and when he touched him in his wealth which he made his god, as that he must fallen all, it is said he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.  
Secondly, observe here the order the spirit useth, placing just dealing after sober living, as if it were impossible to look for true dealing where sobriety went not before; and therefore we having gone beyond the proportion of our old fathers, and exceeding that sobriety which was the ancient renowned virtue of this age and nation, justice and just dealing cannot have her due course, but the cloth must needs be stretched to maintain our superfluities, so as that of joel 1.4 fitteth for this, What the canker-worm hath left the Grasshopper hath devoured, what the Grasshopper hath left the Caterpillar hath devoured, etc. So we by the same proportion may say in these days, That which purchasing (which enlargeth itself like hell) hath left, that sumptuous building hath devoured; what this hath left, magnificent furniture hath devoured; what this hath left, pride of life hath devoured; and what this hath left, ambition hath wasted: for great men must be bribed, and then poor men must needs be racked. And therefore it is certain, if reformation begin not at ourselves, that we can pull down whatsoever exalteth itself above the compass of modesty, comeliness, and sobriety, we shall expect little truth and justice to others.  
Thirdly observe what this is commandeth us to deal justly; it is not the law in terror of death, but the Gospel, even because the Lord doth purpose to save us by this grace: so as it is a suit commended unto us by such a special token of the price of salvation, as we cannot choose but perform it with great care, unless we will show ourselves greatly unthankful, and prove our hearts to be more than flinty. jeremy convinceth (jerem. 35.14.) the obstinacy of the jews by the example of the Rechabites, who refused to drink wine offered and set before them, because their father jonadab had so commanded them. Hereupon (saith the Lord) juda I have warned thee often, but thou wouldst not incline thine ear nor obey me. Of which example we must make this use; Rechah spoke to his children but once, the Lord hath spoken to us often to live religiously; he was but the father of the flesh, God is the father of our spirits; his commandment was hard, and his yoke heavy, to forbear the use of lawful things and necessary, as not only to forbear wine, but they must neither sow nor plant, and yet they kept it: the Lords commandment is, that we surfeit not with the cares. of this life, and that we deal honestly with our brethren: Rechah promised them but to live long on earth; our Father for our obedience hath promised us eternal life: so as both he that commandeth is higher, and the reward that is given is greater.  
Now followeth the third thing that is to be embraced, and that is a godly life; for it were absurd to be precise toward men, and to deal wickedly with God: and all is abominable if our religion toward God exceed not our righteousness toward men. To know what godliness is, shall be best discerned by the contrary: and ungodliness is threefold; first the worship of a false God: secondly, the worship of a true God falsely, as the jews that executed the Lord jesus, and Paul that persecuted the Church of jesus, they did think they did God great good service: thirdly, such as worship the true God in a true service outwardly, but with an unzealous heart, like judas that followed Christ and yet betrayed him: 
2. Tim. 4.10.  and like Domas that forsook Paul and embraced the world, yet did he not return to his idols again: and in truth there is no difference between these two last: for it is all one to serve him fantastically, as did the Pharisees; as to serve him coldly, as did the Laodiceans: but now godliness is opposite to all these, and is a true service of a true God, in a true religion, with a true heart. And this is soon discerned by our affections: for if we can tremble at the word preached, and be possessed with the spirit of fear at the least offence and sin which we can commit, because we know that the majesty of God is displeased, and the spirit of God grieved; and if from this fear doth spring sorrow, and from this sorrow, care of recovering our fall again, and when we are cured can resolve and strengthen ourselves in patience to go under the yoke of afflictions, and under the wheel of death for the truth's sake, we may assure ourselves our paths are strait, and that in our journey toward God our feet be shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace, not any way to be distracted with cares, nor distrustful with the troubles of this life.  
Hence observe, that none are to be commended for their sobriety and honesty, unless also they be religions; which is proved thus: None are honest, but they that be clean in heart; no man's heart is clean, that is not purified in conscience; and none are purified in conscience without faith; and none have faith, that are not zealous and religious toward God; for faith striveth by prayer with God. Thou wilt say, love is the fulfilling of the law: but this love toward our brethren implieth, and of necessity presupposeth a love of God, which constraineth us to love man: for no more than a man can love God and hate his brother, no more can he hate God and love his brother; and if he love God, in this is ever included a love and zeal toward his glory. Again, if we take the love of our brethren, to be that Paul speaketh of, (1. Tim. 1.5:) it is then agreed: for than it is love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a faith unfeigned, which being grounded on Christ is the foundation, root, and well head of all honesty and just dealing.  
Lastly observe hence, that the godliness here spoken of must have two properties: for first, it must not be hidden in the heart, but fruitful and visible to the eye, that the world may see it: secondly, we may not defer our godliness, but it must be present even as the time of our life is: for God's children most be like the rod of the Almond three spoken of jerem. 1.11. which in those countries where it groweth, is the first that blossometh: yea we must not only give the first fruits as under the law, but even all the fruits of our lives to the Lord: for God often punisheth the want of his fear in our youth, with the want of wisdom in our age: & if our godliness be not present he oftentimes cutteth us off before we can see the time to come. Neither yet must we think it sufficient to cherish godliness in our hearts, no not in our chambers, but it must be as a light set upon a hill, that not only God's children may see it for their direction, but that even the world may see it for their condemnation: as Christ saith to his disciples, I have sent you to walk in the midst of a froward and crooked generation, yet must they walk still: for by this open profession of godliness, we show whose livery we wear, and that we are not ashamed of the cross, nor abashed at it. Howbeit, this course of godliness which we must live in, is no more nor no less than an absolute resignation and giving up of all things in respect of God; which standeth in three things: first, in giving up our reason: secondly, in denying our affections: thirdly, in framing our mind to a moderation in what estate the Lord shall set us in. For the first, we must resign up our reason to religion in two respects: first, for that it is an incomprehensible mystery which is unsearchable: secondly, for that the ignominy thereof is unsufferable in our reason, as to think that he is blessed that is hungry, they unhappy that be rich, and that the Lords correction is love. For the second, which is the giving up of our affections, it will teach us so to walk, and so to deal as in the presence of God; it will make us plough up those furrows of pride and vainglory, which lie so deep in our hearts: and when by the instigation of our affections we are moved to riot or voluptuousness, it will make us abstain, because we have given ourselves to God. For the third, to have a willingness to suffer what the Lord sendeth, will make us resign up those inordinate cares of getting, wherewith we are oftentimes perplexed, and to content ourselves with that portion the Lord hath shared out unto us: so as by religion and a godly life, we shall learn to say with David: O Lord thou hast done it, therefore I hold my peace: and not only to bear an outward contentment in worldly things, but even in all calamities, to rest upon the merciful hand of God.   
JAMES chap. 2. vers. 20.21. 
verse 20 But wilt thou understand, O thou vain man, that the faith which is without works is dead?  
verse 21 Was not Abraham our father justified through works, when he offered Isaac his son upon the altar?  
THe word of God hath two parts in it: first, it is a word of wisdom: secondly, it is a word of knowledge, by knowledge to reform the judgement, and to convince the conscience; by wisdom to persuade the affections to the obedience of that we have truly learned. Saint james here endeavoureth to persuade that none could be saved without works, and he proveth it by a double example of Abraham and of Rahab: Wilt thou understand, etc. as if he should say: If that set down before cannot sufficiently take root to affect thee and to persuade thee, that without the works of a holy life thy faith is no better than a devils faith, take this example of Abraham for all; thou wilt grant that Abraham was an excellent person, and had true faith, and that the covenant was so made with him, that none should be saved, unless they were of his seed, either according to the flesh and spirit, or at least according to the spirit. And since the covenant was made with him, and he was saved by faith, so must all we be saved by his faith, that is, by a faith of the same kind that his was; for there is but one faith, though there be divers measures of it. Now Abraham had an approved faith; as it is proved by this one act and work of his for all, because it was the principallest of all, in that he stayed not, nor demurred upon the Lord's commandment in offering up his son, the greatest work that ever flesh and blood did, except his that was more than flesh and blood, namely Christ.  
And because the jesuits, as hardened enemies against the truth, have strangely perverted this place, we must understand a difference between these speeches: Faith without works is dead, and, Faith that is without works is dead: for by the first speech may be thought, that works give life to faith; which is most false: but the second speech is true, works being a necessary consequent of faith, and an infallible sign, that faith hath gone before: even as in these speeches, to say: The body is dead without breathing; and the body that is without breathing is dead: for if we affirm and attribute the cause of life to breathing, it is false; for the soul is the cause of life in the body: but the other speech is true, for the body that hath no breath in it is dead● and where breath is, it is a sign there is life. So to say: the tree that is without fruit is dead, is true; but not to say, the tree without fruit is dead, for the tree that standeth in the ground & is not fruitful, we may well say is dead at the root; but when the sap lieth at the root, we may well say there is life in the tree, though there be no fruit on the branches.  
Now the adversaries argue thus: No dead faith can justify: faith without works is dead; therefore no faith can justify without works: as if they should say; Christ jesus never raised up himself without his humanity, therefore his humanity helped in raising up his flesh; which is most blasphemous. Howbeit, Christ separated from his humanity was never raised up, this is must true. So they in their former argument refer justification to works, which is most false: but if they had concluded, therefore faith that is without works cannot justify, they had done well; for thereby had been proved, that works had been inseparable from faith, but not that they concur: for faith is alone ever in justifying, but never alone in the person justified: even as the eye alone of all the parts of the body doth see, but the eye that is alone, separate from the other parts of the body, doth not sense at all, but is a dead eye.  
Was not Abraham, etc. Hear consider two points: first, in what sense this is true: secondly, why this work above the rest is commended and registered for a proof of Abraham's faith.  
The words here set down are directly contrary to the words Rom. 4.2. Abraham was not justified by works; and therefore they must be so reconciled as both places may be true, lest contrariety and variance appear in the spirit of God, which cannot be. This is like those speeches uttered by Christ, My Father is greater than I: 
joh. 5.17 19 john 10.30.  and in another place, I and my Father are all one: and I count it no robbery to be equal with my Father; which is spoken in a different respect: the first, in the person of a mediator: the second, in the person of the Godhead. So Saint Paul taking the word justifying for justification before God, said true: and Saint james taking the word justifying for justification, or approving of his faith before men, saith true also: but the word being taken in one and the same sense, it were impossible for an Angel from heaven or for Christ himself to reconcile them. And the reconciliation which the Papists make of these two places, fighteth directly with Paul: for they say, faith and works do justify: Paul saith, faith only justifieth. So as when Paul speaketh of justifying by faith; he meaneth that whereby we are acquitted by Christ, and do appear perfect before God in him: and Saint james taketh it for being justified in the sight of men, that is, declared and approved to be justified when our holy life answereth to our holy profession. And that the word justified is thus used, and taken in this sense, as Saint james doth, appeareth Psalm 51.4. That thou mayest be justified when thou art judged, that is, declared to be just. So Luke 7.29. the Publicans justified God, that is, declared him to be just: and in the same place it is said, Wisdom is justified of her children. And Luk. 10.29. it is said, the Lawyer was willing to justify himself, that is, to show that he was just: and it is likewise proved out of the text itself; Show me (saith Saint james) thy faith, show it to me, not to God.  
Again, Saint james had falsified and abused the Scripture, if he had taken the word (justifying) in the sense to be made just; for the sentence that Abraham was justified, had passed the Lords mouth many years before the sacrificing of his son: for this, that he was just, was pronounced long before Ishmael was conceived, as appeareth Genes. 15.6. and therefore taking the word (justified) to be made just, he could in no sort be justified by offering up his son, because he was justified before: but the meaning of Saint james is, that it was approved by this act and work of Abraham, that God had not said before in vain that he was justified: and Rom. 4.10. it appeareth Abraham was justified in his uncircumcision; and this work james speaketh of was done long after his circumcision.  
To this the Papists reply thus, Though Abraham was justified before he did this work before God, yet there is a degree to be more justified, and so this place of Saint james may be taken to be a further justification and an increase of faith before God as well as not. To this we answer, that one pardon from God sufficeth for all sins, and one drop of blood serveth for all offences: but because our faith is weak, that we are not able to apply this blood all at once, therefore it is said, that we must grow from faith to faith: and he that is washed in the blood of Christ is all clean: but our sanctification in this life leaveth some grudge and tang of corruption, and maketh our feet impure, as Christ speaketh, john 13.10. so as with God we are justified all at once; and there is no proceeding by degrees in respect of him, for blood pardons all, but water, that is, our renewing groweth by degrees.  
Now for the speeches of Saint Paul, Rom. 4.4.5. and Rom. 8.30. that none are justified by works: the Papists say, It is to be taken of the works of the law ceremonial, but not of the law m●●ll. But we must note, that Paul speaketh there of the law written in the tables of stone, of that law that manifesteth sin to be sin, Thou shalt not lust, etc. which is the law moral, and so their distinction false and frivolous. Besides they were both the laws of God, and therefore a man may be justified as soon by the one as by the other: for as Paul saith, 2. Corinth. 3.5. All our sufficiency is of God, and of ourselves we can do nothing, and but that the vail is taken away in Christ, the same covering remaineth which was in the old Testament under Moses.  
And where Saint Paul saith, Abraham was justified without works, and no man shall be justified by the works of the law: True, say the Papists, by none of the works of the law that he doth in the time of his infidelity, but by them that he doth after his conversion he may be justified. And they say, that forasmuch as the Apostle saith, The works of Abraham were done in belief; therefore by this he excludeth only those works done before faith to help his justification. So as by this we see the adversaries make two justifications: the first, when of an infidel a man is made a professor, which they say is by congruity, when there is a certain inclination in the heart of man to perform some good works, and yet for want of grace cannot, the Lord seeing his heart thus prepared to be justified, doth call him, and merely of his grace doth justify him. The second, when a man is freely justified by the grace of God, then by this grace of God and his own free-will (say they) he may increase his justification before God.  
For the first, we answer that none can be justified by works before faith; for this is as if a tree should bring forth fruit without a root, or a body should live without a soul: so in vain is it to make a question of that cannot be; for before we have faith it is impossible to work, or to think of a good work. Secondly, where they say, that speech concerning Abraham is taken and to be understood of his works done before faith, and that he was justified by his good works in faith: this doth wholly enervate and take away the strength of the Apostle his reason: for Paul saith, If he were justified by works than had he whereof to glory with God, Rom. 4.6. which speech extendeth as well to works after faith, as before faith; for he that deserveth any way may glory. Secondly, the Apostle saith, Not to him that worketh, but to him that believeth is righteousness due, for if he worketh he hath his wages by desert: that is (say they) he that standeth upon his own works before faith, without the assistance of God's grace, this man challengeth it by desert, because he did them without faith and grace: which evasion and shift is most vain; for a man is not therefore made evil because he doth evil, but he doth evil because he is borne evil: so a man is not justified because he worketh not, but therefore he worketh not because he is not justified. And it is most blasphemous to say, justification is wrought partly by grace and partly by free-will, and to thank God that thy free-will with his grace can justify, for hereby shalt thou never be justified: for if any thing of thine either prevent the grace of God, or assist it in thy justification, then is it not as Paul saith, Ex gratia sedex debito, not of grace but of duty. And where they speak of two justifications, we never heard but of one, mentioned by Paul Rom. 4.3. that is, justification by faith. And for the second justification, that is, that being justified men may deserve something by their works, this is but a fruit and effect of the first, that is, a daily proceeding to wash our feet, john 13.10. and an earnest endeavour by good works to make our election sure, and to have our faith approved, according to that in the Revelation, 22.11. that he that is righteous may be more righteous, that is, may still bring forth better fruit: for the works of the justified please God, not of themselves, but because they are justified, for the person must first be accepted before his work can be accepted. And though none shall go to heaven but they that be washed where blood hath gone before, yet none because he is washed shall be saved.  
Now in this example of Abraham which is set down here, observe four parts: first, a brief narration of it: secondly, the special work of Abraham, which is above all other his works registered and exemplified: thirdly, the amplification of the work in the 22. and 23. verses: four, the determinate conlusion that a man cannot be saved nor justified by faith only.  
Of the example itself was spoken before; now followeth to entreat of the second part, that is, of the exc●●plifying and enlarging of this work of Abraham in sacrificing his son: Hear may be demanded, why the Apostle allegeth this work of his more than any of the rest; as if there were some disparagement between this and other his works and excellent virtues: he was peaceable to all, harbourous to the poor, resolute in afflictions, wise in the government of his house, not afraid in the sight of Kings to set up and erect an altar, as a testimony that he served the true God, even in the midst of their idolatry: yet is this work preferred above all, that is here set down, because though he was declared to be just in all his other works, yet chief and above all in this of sacrificing his son.  
The circumstances to exaggerate and make this work seem great, are these: If Abraham had been commanded to have disherited this son, or to have banished him, or to have seen him no more, it might much have tried his patience; if he had had more sons than this, yet because he loved this son specially well, in the affection of a parent it had been much to have endured: but this, that Isaac was borne of the free woman, and though borne of flesh, yet merely supernatural, in as much as there was no more life in Sarahs' womb in respect of her age then in a dead stock; 
Heb. 11.12.  that he was his only son, his beloved son, the son of the promise, when Abraham knew that if Isaac were taken away, both himself and all the world should be damned, because in this son alone was the promise: if he had had more children, though the covenant only was tied to this son, or if there had been any more hope of children, if he might only have heard of the sacrificing of his son, and not have seen it; or seen it, and not have done it with his own hands; or done it suddenly, and not have gone three days in strife between the law of nature, and the law of obedience: or if Isaac had offended any thing, or if this commandment had come from the tyranny of any Prince and not from God, or if it might have been closely done, and not in a mountain, where the Sun might abhor to see such cruelty of a father toward an innocent child, it had been much less even in the affection of a natural father, and yet a most grievous trial and assault. But that this commandment must come from God, who first had bid him hope for this son, and now bids him kill him, as if he had before but mocked him: that an Angel must be the ambassador and carrier of this message, whom the weak eyes of man cannot behold for glory: that this news must come in the night when his eyes by other objects could not draw his mind from bethinking of this bitter message: and that this must seize upon him in his sweet sleep to awake him; though in respect of the former he might be much anguished, yet by this so much the greater was his trouble: and yet far less had it been, if he might not have gone so long perplexed in his thoughts. But now not to demur nor stay upon it, but to rise up early in the morning, and in three days journey, wherein no doubt he had many and divers agitations and combats of spirit, not to utter a repining word or grudging speech, this was a further and greater trial. For many are wont to be good at a brunt, who are altered by after cogitations. Then the words of the sweet child; Father here is wood, but where is the sacrifice? had been enough to have rend his heart, to see he should be butcher to that son could ask so wise a question. All which must argue and show such a strong and mighty faith in Abraham, that he could never so silently and cheerfully have performed this, had he not believed, that if his son should have gone to hell, the Lord could have taken him out again: for faith admits of no contradiction when it hath a promise. And so we see Abraham forgets not only 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 believeth, that out of his ashes the Lord would raise him up, not another, but the very same Isaac.  
From hence learn, that though the Lord examine not us so straightly as he did Abraham, yet he trieth every one of us according to his measure: for the practice of religion and mortification concerneth all from the Prince to the tankerd-beater; and though we cannot all be swallowed up so deeply with the zeal of God's glory, as were Moses and Paul, 
Exod. 32.32. Rom. 9.3.  who to win souls to God; wished themselves not to see God, yet must we learn, when we have a commandment, to exclude and lay aside all discourse of flesh and blood, and to follow Christ, even to the hazard of our own lives, not a far off as Peter did follow him to his suffering, 
Mat. 26.58.  but just behind him, as near as can be, according to the rule prescribed, and with that alacrity and resolution that we ought, even as Abraham did here to the sacrificing of his son.  
Secondly, in this example observe: that if Abraham could for bear to command his natural love of a father to a child at the Lords commandment, how much more shall we be unexcusable, that cannot command ourselves from uncleanness of the flesh, and such like sins, but will keep our sins as tenderly and as long as we keep our lives, and yet will be counted the children of Abraham? But we must answer ourselves as Christ did the Pharisees, joh. 8.44. and as Saint john did answer those to whom he wrote, 1. john 3.7. that we do but flatter ourselves with the name, when we are in truth the children of the devil: for he that doth righteousness is righteous; and if Abraham resigned up the lawfulness of the tender affection of a father at the Lords commandment, much more must we resign up our affections and discourses in unlawful matters.  
Further observe, that it is not enough for us to deny our unlawful pleasures and appetites, but we must even forbear things lawful if the Lord command it. If he call us forth to trial for the Gospel's sake, 
Mat. 4.20.  we must with Peter and Andrew leave our nets, that is, our calling; and forsake our wives, that is, our comforts, 
Mark. 9.47.  and ourselves, even to pull out our right eyes, if they be any impediments to us in the progression of faith and a good conscience; and if there be any repugnancy that we cannot enjoy our wives and glorify God, we must not regard them in respect of God: for if we do, the Lords mouth hath spoken it, we shall never be saved. Let us therefore take heed how we build, for if our foundation be of stubble, the day of affliction will soon consume it, and we shall be as blown bladders emptied with the least prick of any trial, and as brass that yieldeth an hideous sound under the hammer: but if we ground upon that golden foundation of faith, then in our afflictions shall we be as gold which is more agreeable in the sound, and more pliable in the stroke; and we lying between the anvil of death and the hammer of the Lords hand, shall show ourselves in patience to possess our souls, even like Abraham, who without grudging did execute the Lord's embassage, though most repugnant to nature, and to the promise made.  
Again observe, as this matter of trial in Abraham turned in the end to a comfortable issue: even so shall it far with us in our afflictions and temptations; and if we will sacrifice up our honour, our affections, our Isaac, that is, our laughter, the ram only shall die for it, that is, our cares, our troubles, our afflictions, and our vexations shall be wiped away. This is agreeable to that Mat. 10. Ye shall for my name's sake forsake what you honour most, and love best: and then followeth; If any man do this, I will give him in this life an hundred fold more, that is, more joy, more resolution and peace of conscience, and more comfort in this base and low estate, than he should have had in an hundred fathers, or an hundred wives, not regarding the quantity, but the blessing of God in the comfortable enjoying of them. This offereth singular consolation to those that suffer for the cross of Christ, that the thrones of this life shall only be sacrificed, and our souls and consciences shall rest secure, filled with greater joy in the end and issue of our troubles then ever we were before. And as the world saith; that he is rich that is contented; even so we say, that he is safe that resteth in the Lords hands: And if we stretch forth all our powers to embrace Christ, then is he gone as a harbinger to provide a place for us in heaven, 
joh. 14.3.  and he that saveth our souls, we may well trust him with our bodies.  
Further observe, that he offered up his son, and yet he did it not: wherein we learn, that the purpose of a man's heart being fully resolved to do a thing, it is in the Lords eyes as if he did it, though he do it not: for therefore is Isaac said to be offered up, because he was so in the purpose of Abraham's heart, which the Lord accepted as an execution of the thing itself. And this holdeth both in virtues and in vices: for if a man be called before the judgement seat as an heretic in any time whatsoever; and being called thus to trial, offereth to seal his opinion with his blood, and matters going further doth not relent: what is this man in the light of God (if his religion be true) but a Martyr, though his life be after pardoned? Not that every resolution is taken of God as if it were performed; for Peter was carried with a vehement precipitation and presumptuous conceit of his own strength, when he said, Master though all men forsake thee, yet will not I, (john 13.37.) but I will lay down my life for thy sake: and yet afterward upon a small occasion he denied him. But if a man stand in the day of his examination and trial, and shrink not, but is ready to sacrifice his life for the defence of God his truth, as Abraham was ready to have sacrificed his son; then because in the trial he did not relent, but even in this time did purpose it, it shall be taken of God even as this work of Abraham, done though not done, and his life lost though he escaped with his life. In like manner falleth it out in sins, for if thy heart be full of a dultery, and yet because she that should be thy harlot dallied too long with thee, or else occasion did not fit thee, whereby thou art kept from the act itself, yet art thou a whoremonger in the sight of God. 
Mat. 5.28.  The like may be said of other sins, for though Saul threw not a stone at Stephen, but only kept the clothes of them that did it, yet is he (Act. 8.1.) enrolled in the book of God as one that consented to his death.  
Vers. 22. Seest thou not, that the faith wrought with his works, and through the works was the faith made perfect?  
23. And the Scripture was fulfilled, which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness, and he was called the friend of God.  
24. Ye see then how that of works a man is justified, and not of faith only.  
This is the third part, namely the amplifying of this example in the 22. and 23. verses, together with the conclusion in the 24. verse.  
Hereupon the Papists take occasion to say, that not faith alone, but faith together with works worketh our justification. Whereunto we answer, that there be some things wherein faith worketh alone, and some things wherein it worketh together with works. Faith worketh alone with God, it hath wings and flies to heaven, it dealeth only between God and Christ, and prostrateth itself before God in Christ, upon confession that the soul is Satan's due, and deserveth to be bound hand and foot and to be cast into prison as unable to pay the debt; it entreateth that this obligation may be taken from Satan, it wrestleth with death and damnation, and terror of conscience, 
Coloss. 2.14.  and craveth a pardon, bringing nothing but the very heart blood of Christ. And even as the very looking upon the Serpent healed them in the wilderness: 
Num. 21.9.  and nothing else could appease the tempest, (Ion●h 1.15.) but the very casting of jonah into the sea: and the sins of the people (Levit. 16.22.) were laid only upon the Goat: so faith in this petition of forgiveness, brings nothing, but cometh empty, and layeth all upon the shoulders of Christ. But now between men and men on earth, faith worketh by love; so as if we bring nothing to men but faith, it is certain we never brought faith from God: for since thy heart is not discernible, and the spirit and piety of the heart is unsearchable in respect of men, and good to God we cannot do, our faith upon earth must be as busy before men in works, as it is before God in the blood of Christ. And as Martha and Mary (Luk. 10.39.) dwelled in one house, one only to hear Christ, the other working and labouring to entertain Christ; even so our faith with Mary must only kneel at God's feet, to hear that comfortable voice of the pardon and absolution of our sins in the blood of Christ: but our faith on earth must labour with Martha, by love and good works to entertain and help our brethren.  
Besides, we must consider that things may work together, but not together in the same work. Even as Christ in the work of mediation must have two natures, a divine humanity, and an human divinity: and we say not, that Christ as God only, nor as man only is Mediator: but by these two concurring together: and as we say, that Christ is not Mediator without flesh: and as truly we say, that he raised not up his flesh by his humanity, but suffered in the flesh, and was raised up by the power of his divinity only; and that his divinity died not, but his flesh only: and in this they worked severally; in the flesh to be overcome of death, and in the spirit only to overcome death; yet these two in the work of our salvation do work together. Even so faith worketh with love, in bringing forth sanctification and a holy life: but in the very apprehending of Christ his blood, this power to justify is of faith only. Like as the root of itself gives life, but the root with the branches bring forth fruit. And as the fire maketh warm by heat and light, and yet the heat of the fire warmeth alone, but light is inseparable from it: so no faith can work well without works; but yet there are none justified by the power of works, but by faith only.  
Now where it it said, Faith wrought with his works, and through the works the faith made perfect: observe that this is meant only of a declaration to men; for we are perfectly justified in the sight of God by the blood of Christ. And though the hand be leprous, yet it can receive sound meat: so though our faith be imperfect, yet our justification is perfect. For there is but one pardon in heaven, through that one death and passion of Christ; and before a man be perfectly justified, he cannot do a good work: for we must first be in Christ before we have faith, and must have faith before we can work, for these are fruits of faith. And as a Toad is not therefore a Toad because it poisons, but therefore poisons because it is a Toad: nor a Serpent is not therefore a Serpent because it stings, but stings because it is a Serpent: so we are not engrafted into Christ because we are good, but being engrafted into Christ we are made good.  
Lastly observe in the words, that we are not justified because we work, but because we shall be saved therefore we work. Zaccheus (Luke 19.8.) had not salvation because he restored fourfold, and gave half his goods to the poor; but because the Lord was come into his house, and had taken possession of his heart, therefore he wrought these works of faith. Neither was the poor man in the Gospel healed because he should sin no more: 
john 5.14.  but Christ faith, Thou art healed; therefore in sign of thankfulness for thy health look to thy life that thou sin no more: for heaven shall not be given to works, but to workers; and promise of eternal life is made to the works of the just, as they are justified, 
Gal. 3.11.12.  and they are justified only in Christ, for in every work there is imperfection; not but that the spirit could work perfectly, but that every thing is received according to the measure of that that doth receive it: and we in this life are able only to receive the first fruits, and not the fullness of the spirit: for the spirit is like the Sea that is able to fill any vessel, but no vessel is able to contain it.  
Now in the 23. verse, two parts are to be considered: first, the purpose of the Apostle in alleging this Scripture: secondly, the sense of the matter delivered.  
For the first, if Saint james cited this place to prove that Abraham was imputed righteous in the sight of God by this work of sacrificing his son, he must needs have wrested this Scripture, which were blasphemy to say, being written by the singer of God: for Abraham had this imputation of righteousness through his belief given him and pronounced by God himself, Genes. 15.6. before either Ishmael or Isaak were borne: so as then the meaning of the Apostle in alleging this scripture, is only to show that that testimony which God gave Abraham of the excellency of his faith, was declared and approved to be true by the performance and execution of this special work.  
Now for the second point, concerning the sense of the place cited, namely that Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness: here we see that it is agreeable to the scripture, that the obedience of the son which stood in two parts, first in fulfilling the law, secondly in satisfying for our sins, is only inherent in the son, and was in him even from the moment of his conception to the moment of his ascension: and that we have only his obedience allowed unto us, and through the imputation thereof we are made just, not that it abideth in ourselves, for we are no better than Abraham: but we have it by imputation as Abraham had. And this is a doctrine of great comfort and necessity to be believed, that we have it by imputation and not of ourselves: for now we are sure it shall never fail us, nor we shall never lose it, as Adam at first lost his innocency wherein he was created: and therefore now since the Lord recovered us being lost, he hath more care of us then to trust us with the carriage of our own righteousness, and therefore hath committed it to him whose love faileth us not, and of whose abundance every of us are filled.  
Now this the jesuits do greatly scorn, and call it a new no righteousness, if we be not just in our own persons; and they say, that God cannot be just, if he make a man just through the righteousness of another, and not in himself: Take heed (say they) of the gloss of the Caluinists, who hold, that our righteousness is a thing only inherent in Christ, which is a fantastical, imputative, new, no righteousness, whereby we conceive that to be in us which cannot be found in us: and they (say the jesuits) count it more to God's honour to take him to be just, that is not so, then for God to make him just through his grace that was wicked. Further the jesuits say, that God at first justifieth merely by grace; but after so qualifieth a man, as after his conversion he hath righteousness inherent in him, and so not imputed, and this is man's righteousness, because it is in man, but God's righteousness because it cometh from God.  
To this we answer: and agree that God justifieth the wicked, but it is blasphemy to say, that he justifieth the wicked continuing wicked; and we hold that we are made just through the obedienceof Christ communicated to us; and as Christ for us was made sin, who of himself had no sin; so we in Christ are made righteous being of ourselves unjust. And whereas they say, that God after a man's conversion doth qualify him with some habitual matter whereby he is in himself just before God, we say, that he justifieth no man but after his calling, when he giveth him the spirit of regeneration, whereby he is changed in his affections, and reform in his life, which is as water where blood hath gone before; by blood to clear him from the guiltiness, and by water to cleanse him from the filthiness of his sin: so as we say he is not wicked after his calling, 
1. joh. 5.6.  but God then maketh him partaker of the first fruits of the spirit, (witness his conversation) and by this effect he is declared to be justified in the blood of Christ.  
Yea but (say the jesuits) your opinion cannot be sound, since righteousness giveth a denomination that such a man is righteous before God, and it is such a quality as a man cannot be said to be just in the justice of another, no more then to live by another man's health. Now this is true of formal qualities, but not of judicial imputation: for as a payment made by another, dischargeth the obligation, and maketh the principal party no debtor, so the justice of God being satisfied in the death of Christ, we are freed from that penalty we had incurred, and acquitted of that debt we did owe, which we should have paid had not Christ done it. Hereupon the righteousness of Christ is called a garment, which we have not by birth, but as a thing that cometh from without: so as the righteousness of Christ consisting in the covering of our nakedness as a garment, proveth that that whereby we are imputed righteous, is not a thing abiding in us, but a thing laid upon us in the love of Christ. Yea but (say the jesuits) what justice is this in God to account a man righteous in another's righteousness, or to account him a sinner that had no sin? True it is, it is another man's righteousness if we speak of the inherency, but yet our righteousness and not his only, as he is our person, our Christ, and our Saviour; 
joh. 17.23.  and it is ours, since we have him whose it is: and this maintaineth God's justice to punish Christ in our person, and to justify us in his, in respect that he is in us and we in him: and so doth he neither punish the innocent, nor justify the wicked. And for this cause it is said, that we are flesh of his flesh, 
Ephes. 5.30.  and bone of his bone, which must not be understood of any incarnation & gross natural coalition and mixture of his flesh and ours, for then the reprobate should have this righteousness aswell as the elect. But as it is said in marriage, man and wife are but one flesh, not meaning thereby any conjunction of natures, but still they remain several, but only because by covenant and promise they are to separate their bodies one for another: so is it to be understood, not that we with Christ are conjoined in substance, but yet more nearly conjoined then any natural or artificial union, and more truly (but yet spiritually) than the husband is to the wife, the members to the body, the branch to the tree, or the meat to the body that it nourisheth, which must always be taken mystically. And in this respect when we know that Christ is truly ours, that God giveth life, and this life is in the Son, and this Son is in us, it followeth, that we are not saved by his righteousness but by our own, his person being made one person with us, not really in substance, but spiritually; and yet not subject to fantasy only, for we are indeed in Christ, and not partakers of his spirit only, but of his flesh also; according to that of Christ, john 6.50. Unless ye eat my flesh and drink my blood, ye have no life in you: not that we eat the very flesh of Christ with our mouth, but leaving the grossness of substance, we do truly feed on him by faith spiritually, and we are made not only partakers of his benefits, but of Christ himself: as it is said: He that hath the Son hath life, not the benefits of his life, but life itself: so as we are engrafted not into Christ his death, but into Christ himself, and Christ dwelleth in us, as himself speaketh, john 6.56. And we are made not one soul with Christ in desire, nor called spiritual because we are joined to him in spirit: for we are joined to him in body also: yet is it called spiritual, because it is wrought by the power of the holy Ghost by faith in this life, and in the life to come by the very aspect and beholding of God, and the irradiation of the blessed Trinity. And although we are not able to conceive and understand this, it is no marvel: for it is a great mystery, a mystery of all mysteries, surpassing the excellency of an Angel's conceit, only adore it and believe it, and labour not to compass it by the weakness of thine understanding, which shall never be truly understood, till we see God face to face.  
Hear may be demanded, how Abraham could be one flesh with Christ, seeing that he died long before Christ was borne. Notwithstanding this be so, yet Abraham and all the rest of the Fathers through their faith were spiritually conjoined to Christ who is the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world, and they were not saved by their regeneration and works of faith: for these were but effects of their first uniting to Christ spiritually; which speech of our conjunction with Christ, is like that of the true Catholic Church, who are said to be members of another, though they be several persons, in respect of the mystical reference which they have to Christ their head.  
Further they object, Rom. 5.19. As by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one many are made righteous. Whereupon they infer, that it must be proportionable every way: and that as corruption is naturally derived from Adam to us, and his very corruption really abideth in us, so Christ must really derive his righteousness from himself to us, or else (say they) the example holdeth not. To this we say, as in Adam we are truly sinners by his sin, and that not by imitation, but by imputation; for that one sin of Adam which condemned all the world, was only committed in the person of Adam: so the justice of Christ is no more in us, than was that sin only of Adam which made us all to be damned, and the punishment of that sin brought original sin, and the general corruption. And (say they) though all are saved through the obedience of Christ, yet as after the sin of Adam, original sin was derived to us, so must Christ his righteousness needs be in us. We answer, true it is they agree in this: Adam giveth us that be hath by the participation of his flesh, Christ giveth us that he hath only by the communication of the holy Ghost. Again we say, as every man dieth of his own disease, and yet it may be he had that contagion from another, so for Adam's sin, as it was imputed unto us we die, and yet not for Adam's sin alone, but for our own, for in us there is the very matter of corruption: but Christ's righteousness is not in the flesh but in the spirit: for though we may have perfect sin, yet we cannot have perfect righteousness: Again, there be three degrees in Adam's sin: first, by imputation: secondly, by propagation and drawing the filthiness of Adam's sin really into the soul and flesh of man. Thirdly, we are condemned justly by the imitation of Adam's sin, in as much as when we come to discretion we sin as Adam did: but righteousness is spiritual, and hath but one degree, only by imputation and not by imitation, for who would go to hell to suffer as Christ did? And yet there is somewhat in Christ, not imputed to us, but derived to us, yet no matter to justify us; that is, the sanctification of his nature, which is the renewing of ours: and this holiness we must have actually in us, but all this is after our conversion wrought merely in the obedience of Christ his blood.   
JAMES chap. 2. vers. 25.26. 
verse 25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified through works, when she had received the messengers and sent them out another way?  
verse 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, even so faith without works is dead.  
Unto the example of Abraham, the Apostle matcheth this of Rahab, to show how by this excellent work she did prove herself a convert Israelite from a cursed Cananite: wherein first is questionable, why the holy Ghost should vouchsafe to sort Abraham that most reverend father of the faithful and of the patriarchs, with a woman who was for her condition base, because a victualler; for her country cursed, because a Cananite; for her conversation infamous, because a strumpet, and leave other excellent examples of worthy men, which might seem to have been a less disparagement to Abraham: whereto is answered, that there is a special cause why saint james setteth this example down above the rest, because to the example of Abraham it might have been replied, that he was a singular and rare man, so 〈◊〉 might be compared with him, none did ever exceed him, and many were inferior to him and yet have been saved: and therefore that the Apostle should not too much insist upon the example of Abraham, for this cause he hath chosen such a one, as there is so many degrees between Abraham and her, as if it be above our reach to match Abraham, yet we may be ashamed not to onermatch a whore. And if we can neither imitate the highest, nor be equal with the lowest, let us boast never so long of good works and faith, it is certain we are monstrous hypocrites, and cannot be saved.  
Secondly, in this example we must wisely consider what worthy things there are in this work of Rahab taken out of Josh. 2.1. that it should receive this honour to be matched with the noble acts of the patriarchs, both by this Apostle and in Hebr. 11.31. Wherein we must examine the lawfulness of her act, not only to conceal them that came as spies, but to abet, comfort and convey them away, since they came to espy the land, which tended to the desolation of the whole country, and subversion of the state. Which maketh nothing for them that send Emissaries and jesuits into this our land, to steal away the hearts of the people from their lawful Sovereign. For in that Rabab did thus aid, comfort, and abet them, she did it not because they came to usurp and assault the country, (for if they had had no right, but only had come to have made a larger extent of their Prince's territories, it had been in them a felonious purpose, and as much as roving upon the sea and robbing by the highway; and if she had suspected they had come to this end without having any better right, upon pain of her soul she should have descried it, otherwise she had been disloyal to her Prince and State:) but in that she did conceal it, she knew shee had her security from heaven, that cursed should all those be that resisted the seed and race of Abraham; she knew that by the mandate of the almighty the land was given unto them, and that they that dwelled therein were but usurpers, and therefore were bound to yield it up as from God▪ And if upon this knowledge she had not protected them as 〈◊〉 did the Angels, Genes. 19.8. she had been guilty of their blood: she might have been used like Tarpeia among the Romans, who when she had engaged them to deliver up their bracelers upon recompense of yielding up the City and Tower, the fouldiers overwhelmed her in stead of giving her the bracelets: but all conditions made by Rahab were performed by the spies, to show that the whole work proceeded from the Lord. Now for the letting them out by night, though it be not lawful by the laws of such defenced cities and places, to scale the walls in the night time, yet upon the equity of the cause, and in the case of necessity it may be excused; for she set them out at a window, a thing done without mutiny or any fraudulent purpose to escape, and therefore justifiable, even as the letting down of Paul in a basket was, Acts 9.25. And in this whole work she sinned nothing but in making of a lie, which though some excuse and extenuate because it was Mendacium officiosum; an officious and dutiful lie, yet it is no way excusable, for no lie to save a soul is lawful. Wherein we observe, that even the Saints of God in their best purposes have in some things followed their mother wit, and their own corruption. Withal note the loving kindness of the Lord, that this particular blemish in the work doth nothing derogate from the excellency of her obedience, no more than Rebecca, Genes. 27.8. who notwithstanding she subscribed to the oracle of God that jacob should overcome Esau, yet she by indirect means sought to prevent this work of God, which the Lord in mercy did wink at in respect of her general resolution to be obedient. The like may be said of Abraham, who because he thought the fear of God was not in the house of Abimelek, and that they would have slain him for his wives fake, Genesis 20.2. dissembled Sarah to be his wife, and carried her under the name of his sister; which infirmity the Lord passed by, because in other his actions he was faithful.  
Hear some to debase this work of Rahab may say: Why, was this such a matter to ha●● 〈◊〉 few messengers of the Lord? and why should this commend her faith, since she never came to trial to avouch this work? We answer, that the resolution she admitted was very great, since it might have cost her the greatest torment that could be; and she might so have stunk in the sight of the people by thus betraying them and their country, as either the people in a mutiny, or the King in justice might severely and cruelly have executed her: so as by this it argueth that she was persuaded that the God of Israel was only to be worshipped, and the seed of Abraham only in the world to be esteemed: and hereupon she did practise the rule of our Saviuor Christ, even to hate her own nation, 
Mat. 11.20.  and took her life as it were into her hands to save theirs that were the servants of God. So as though in the former example the Ram only was sactificed and not Isaak: and in this example Rahab safely delivered, and her parentage reseve; yet the resolution of them both was nothing less: and so the speech of Christ true, that they that for his sake forsake all, 
Mat. 10.37.  shall have more comfort in that little that is left, having peace of conscience, then of all the former store: nay, that they that suffer for his sake shall be free when their persecutors shall be fettered, as appeareth jeremy 39.11.15. jeremy that was in desolation and in prison was safe, when the King himself had his eyes put out: and Ebedmelech the King's counsellor was promised not to perish, when the rest should fall by the sword, because he had made the Lord his arm.  
Further, this example of Rahab to stand so resolutely for the deliverance of the Lords messengers, convinceth all those that howsoever religion twang upon their tongue that they can prate of it, yet prove that they have nothing in them but the Laodicean lukewarmth, Revel. 3. in that they so profess it as they shrink in the day of trial, and dare not adventure to harbour the Lords Ambassadors, and to succour them as Rahab did. Yea and this example condemneth others, who are so far from forsaking lawful things, as wife, possessions, life, etc. for the Gospel's sake, as they will not forbear unlawful things, no not to leave off the least show 〈◊〉 pride, or the least profit in biting gain. Whereas by this example we are taught to take up our cross, and not to look backe-like Lot's wife, Genes. 19.26. for there is no tarrying in Idolatry or other profaneness, to fetch any thing from the house top, 
Mat. 24.17.  or to run back into the fields to take our garments, though they be necessary for this life, as our Saviour speaketh in the Gospel. But more justly the example convinceth them that row with the tide, and profess with the parliament: for he that doth therefore profess religion because he hath his protection from the Prince and State, would with the State serve the devil. Nay, in matters of religion we must not ground upon examples, but upon the truth of the religion: for as we must not follow a multitude to do evil, so neither must we follow a multitude to do good only because they do it, Exod. 23.2. For it is not the religion of God which we enjoy because the parliament enjoineth it: but therefore it is by parliament commanded, because it is the religion of God: and fearful it is to think, that a Prince can prescribe a law to the eternal God, which is far more disparagement, then for a subject to make a law how he will obey his Prince, which notwithstanding is not sufferable. But as Rahab was persuaded that the God of Israel, that sent those men, was the only God, and that the loins of Abraham for whom this land was to be gained, were the true owners by the special promise of God: and in this respect she regarded not her Prince, nor her country, nor her own father's house, but that by special mercy they were exempted; but she did most faithfully and in great obedience, and in a most Christian resolution willingly resign up the country to them, to whom the Lord had given the title: Even so must we in matters of the Lords service always prefer and stand for the will of God to be observed, rather than either to have our country preserved, or our Prince obeyed. For as Peter saith, Act. 4.19. It is better to obey God then man; yet still so, as we submit ourselves to the power and authority of the higher powers, under whose sword are our bodies, though our souls be under the shadow of the Almighty.  
Again, where it is said: She received the messengers: observe the cause why she did it, be●●●se she was persuaded the God of Israel sent them, so that it was not to gratify the men respecting the men, saving that religio●● did constrain her, and her love to them arose in respect of her love to God that had converted her. Whereupon we no●●●●at the world determineth wrongfully of good works; 〈…〉 man may be an honest man, and live well, and do good 〈◊〉 neighbour, though he be not greatly religious: for all actions wherein the glory of God, the love of God in Christ, the comfort of our consciences, and the desire of the salvation of our brethren do not concur, those are not good: so as a good action without religion can no more be good than a house without a foundation, a tree without a root; water without a wel-head, or to be good without God: for where there is no zeal, there is no faith; where no faith, no conscience; where no conscience, no love; and showing our love not for conscience, we may for our charity go to the devil: for a man must first be good before he can do good; and good he cannot be without God. 
1. Sam. 6.17.  The works such a man doth may be perhaps like the Emeralds of the Philistims, varnished over with gold, that is, make a fair show in the sight of men: but if they proceed no further, that is, to have the testimony of the spirit, that they be wrought by his hand, they are most abominable before the face of God. Wilt thou set a face as if thou wroughtest well, because thou wilt not take the penalty of an obligation, and yet thou wilt prosecute a matter against a preacher, for a superstitious, ceremonious, beggarly element? What good work is this, to speak well of all men, and yet at every word to wound, to blood, to heart the holy one of Israel? What is it, not to hurt thy neighbour, to be a friend to thy friend, and yet to be an enemy to the friend of God? What great work is it, not to beat false witness, and yet privily to suggest against him thou darest not reprove to his face? So as unless our doing of good arise from religion, we may easily strain at a gnat and swallow a Camel; hear john Baptist gladly for a time, 
Mat. 6.20.  and chop off his head afterward as Herod did, Matth. 14.10. Now as for moralists, and such as transform themselves according to the times, they are as Jude 13. termeth them, the raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own ●●me as the wind serveth, and like the wandering stars of the ●●●ament, unconstant and unsteady, void of faith (for sides must be firma, non ambulatoria, we must have a standing not a walking faith) and as without faith they cannot please God, so except they please God they shall not be saved.  
She took them and sent them away.  
Where learn, it is not enough for us not to hurt a man that professeth religion, but we must do him good: even as this harlot wrought not enough in receiving the spies, and then to have left them to their own hazard, but as in obedience she did receive them, so in faith she must safely send them away. Yea we are bound by prayer, by purse, by person, by credit, by countenance to relieve them, not only to think well of them and to like them, so far must we be from vexing them. For if Obadiah (1. King. 18.4.) had only hid the Prophets of God, and had not fed them, it bade been but half a good work. Hereupon is it, that in the last day, in the sentence of the reprobate shall never be mentioned what evil they have done, as that they have bitten by this usury, or polluted their bodies by that whoredom: but there shall be recited only the good they did not, as, 
Mat. 25.41.  for not clothing the naked, for not visiting the sick, for not relieving the poor brethren: for Rahab must not only conceal and hide the spies, but she must send them away safe. And if the sentence of judgement drawn in this form cannot affect us, let us further know, that though evil is the absence of good, yet good is not the absence of evil: for Rahabs' work is but lame if she do but harbour them; and if she do not finish it by letting them forth, it shall never be registered as a work of faith. For look judg. 5.23. Cursed be Meroz, that came not to help the Lord against be mighty, not because he did persecute the Lord, or did him any hurt, but because he helped him not. And we see Rahab upon this least knowledge of God centred her life to save them. Besides; we shall read in the Gospel, that the greatest torment of the glutton is, 
Luk. 16.25.  that he gave La●aru● no water, not that he was an extortioner, or that he spurned the poor man from his door. By all which examples we are taught, that where religion is opp●●sted, by all means and in all things we can, to relieve the Gospel. for the good we have omitted; and the evil we have committed, shall come to judgement.  
Lastly, mark the words: Rahab the harlot, which reproachful speech must not be referred to the present state of her conversion, but to her former conversation: as if he should say: Rahab that once had been a whore: for none truly converted can remain in their former sin, but if he do after his conversion fall into some gross sin, as David did in killing Vriah, 
2. Sam. 11.17.  the Lord will scourge him as he did David. And to be raised up of the Lord after such a relapse, must not be by slubbering up our repentance, but we must so be humbled, as to feel dryness in our bones with grief as David did, Psal. 32.4. And we shall never receive comfort until we have sound and seriously repent. Whereupon we gather, that the Lord regardeth not what sins we have committed before our regeneration, so that after our conversion we walk worthy of our calling; for many that were whores and wicked were converted. As Luk. 7.37. she that washed jesus feet with the tears of her eyes and heart, and wiped them with the hair of her head, had been a whore: but we read not that after that she was any more so. So Zaccheus (Luk) 19.5.) was an extortioner before Christ called him from the tree, but we read not that he ever took penny usury after. And Mat. 20.20. such be invited to the supper as be patched and lame, to express our spiritual beggary: but after we are come thither; we must have the wedding garment of a good conscience. For Saul was a persecutor of the Church before he was called, 
Act. 9.2.  but we nearer read that he was so after his conversion. For if we continue in a sin, look what followeth even in this life, 1. Cor. 5.11. If any that is a professor be a whoremonger eat not with him, that is, forbear thy private familiarity with him: so then being converted, we must show our repentance from those sins wherein before we were fallen: as the repentance from usury is liberality; the repentance from pride is bumility; from whoredom chastity; for repentance is the leaving of thy sin, and the cleaving to the contrary virtue, and it is no repentance to leave thy sin when it must or hath left thee: as upon thy death bed to re●e●● thee of thy usury, when thou canst take no more; or in thy age to repent thee of thy lechery, when thou canst satisfy it no more; but to repent from thy sin is, as 1. Peter 4.1. to suffer in the flesh; to suffer in the flesh is to cease from sin; and to cease from sin, is not only to leave thy sin, but to spend the rest of thy time in a holy conversation.  
Hear will be objected, since works are so precisely urged, what say we to the faith of the thief upon the cross, what works did he? and by this example many betray their souls in presuming of the like grace. We answer, that this was a particular privilege given to that thief, even as a pardon may be given to a man upon the gallows: and if any embolden himself hereupon, perhaps the rope will be his hire: and it is not good to put it upon the Psalm of Miserere and the neck-verse, for sometime he proveth no Clerk. And for this thief, the Lord never did it but to one, that none might presume; and yet he did it to one, and did save one in the exigent of his life, that none might despair. Secondly, this was a work reserved for the manifestation of the power of the Son of God, that he should believe in his fellow sufferer, and desire him to save him; that when the Pharisees denied him to be the Son of God, yet a poor wretch and a thief should confess it. Thirdly, we must not regard the shortness of his confession, but consider the time and circumstance when and before whom this confession was made; even then when no man durst defend the innocency of the Son of God, when the Pharisees left him, when all his Disciples were scattered, and when Marie his mother that stood a far off and knew him to be the Son of God, and yet spoke nothing in his defence, whereby she finned against the first table. She was his mother, and saw him put to death unjustly, and yet would not testify of his innocency, whereby she bore false witness against him, & so sinned against the ninth commandment: being her son, she did not comfort him upon the cross, and so sinned against the fift commandment: yet when all these either doubted of his divinity, or despaired, the poor thief did confess him to be that Christ the Son of God, who ●●d Paradise to dispose. Lastly know, that he was such a wretch, that he never knew God before, and therefore was it no marvel though he committed felony: but as soon as the Lord knocked at his heart, first he confesseth Christ to be God and to die an innocent, Luk. 23.41. We suffer righteously, but this man hath done nothing amiss: wherein he wrought a work of the first table: secondly, he reproved his fellow who raned on Christ, wherein he wrought a work of the second table. So as this example of the thief is no warrant to defer or trifle off our repentance till the last hour, for he wrought as soon as he was called. If therefore the Lord hath offered unto us the riches of his mercy, let us in the acceptable time embrace it, and not abuse his long suffering by growing more lean and ill-favoured by these many years we have had of religious peace and plenty, but let us return unto him while he is in the way, before darkness too fast overgrow our souls, and before death snatch us away into the grave.  
For the similitude, which is vers. 26. observe only that it agreeth not in all points, for the soul is the cause of the life of the body, but so are not good works the cause of faith, but only an effect and fruit of it; for faith giveth life to good works, and faith worketh by love in the person instified: for we must (as hath been said) first be good before we can do good, and we are made good spiritually by our regeneration in Christ, and we being engrafted into him than we do good: so as the meaning only of the Apostle, is, by this similitude to show, that when a dead man being dead can speak, which is impossible, than faith which hath no works, and so is but a dead faith, shall justify and save us.   
1. JOHN chap. 3. vers. 9.10. 
verse 9 Whosoever is borne of God, sinneth not; for his seed remaineth in him: neither can he sin, because he is borne of God.  
verse 10 In this are the children of God known, and the children of the devil: who so doth not righteousness, is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.  
THE Apostle in the beginning of this chapter first setteth down that God the Father by his everlasting love in his Son hath bestowed upon the faithful this privilege, to be called the sons of God in the son of God Christ jesus. Secondly, that this dignity to be the son of God, and so to be called, is not to be discerned by the men of the world, because they have not known the Son, having not his spirit; for spiritual things cannot be discerned by them that have nothing but fleshly policy. Thirdly, as this cannot be discerned of the world, so it is impossible ourselves should sufficiently conceive of it while we remain in the tabernacle of this life, because there is another glory we expect, vers. 2. Fourthly, he setteth down an effect inseparable from this adoption, As many as are the sons of God, and have this hope of future glory, they strive to reformation of life, not to be equally pure, but to be like pure to the Lord jesus. This he proveth, first from the institution of the law; God never ordained the law neither after our creation nor after our redemption but to be kept, and the reason is thus; The breach of the law is a disparagement swinge, and sin it perfect strength. Thirdly, the godly e●e said not to sin, be 〈◊〉 he laboureth to walk in all the commandments of the Lord. Now he that walketh in the right way may sometime fall: but if he do, he● striveth to regain it by greater carefulness and speedier passage●: but the wicked go clean out of the way, as if heaven stood at hell gate. Lastly, because in the godly there is a combat; for there is two men in them; in the inward man they would feign please God, and by the outward, (as Saint Paul saith) they are made captive to sin: 
Rom. 7.23.  but in a mere natural man there is nothing but flesh, and so no combat: for where all is one there is no division; and if there be any strife in him, it is between his conscience and himself, in judgement convincing him that it is sin, and not between his conscience and his affection, misliking it as it is sin: for this is easily seen by his often relapse into the same sin.  
Now for the reason: he doth not sin, because the holy Ghost which is the seed of our second birth remaineth in him, neither can he sin: and this is proved by two places of scripture: first, Rom. 8.1. where the Apostle proveth these two graces inseparable: justification from sin, and sanctification from sin, thus: There is no condemnation to him that liveth a spiritual man: this is proved (vers. 5.) by contraries, They that live after the flesh, savour the things of the flesh, but he that is borne of God cannot do so; for than he must savour of death, which cannot be; proved by this: The wisdom of the flesh is enmity to God; but he that is borne of God cannot be God's enemy: on the other side, he that walketh in the wisdom of the flesh, obeyeth not the law of God, and by consequent (saith the Apostle) cannot but sin. Whereupon it followeth, that they that live after the inclination of the heart of man, cannot please God, and so cannot be saved: now he that is in Christ cannot but please God, because he cannot but perform his will. Another reason, that being a true Christian, a man cannot but amend his life, is taken out of Rom. 6.5. Whosoever is made partaker of Christ, is made partaker of the death of Christ, then is he dead to sin, proved thus: Christ by his death deserved not only remission of our sins, but also to have the holy Ghost in those that be his to mortify their sin: and this spirit cannot be idle, but worketh, and his work is to destroy, o●●●nemie, that is, sin. Lastly, it is proved thus, Whosoever is in Christ, hath the spirit of Christ; he that hath this spirit, liveth in the spirit: for the life of the spiritual man is the Lord jesus, even as the life of the body is the soul, and he that hath a soul must needs breathe: and walking (Galat. 5.24.) in the spirit, he cannot fulfil the lusts of the flesh, for the flesh and the spirit be contrary. And vers. 24. it is said, They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections thereof; and who these be, appeareth 1. Peter 4.2. such as suffer in the flesh, and these be they that cease from sin. Now then for thee to say thou art flesh and blood, is not a shelter pleadable when thou art reprehended for sin; for he that is a good Christian cannot but forbear it: and if thou art all flesh and blood, than hast thou not the spirit of God, which is proved 1. Corinth. 6.16. Do you not know how he that coupleth himself with a harlot is one flesh with her, and he that is one flesh with a harlot cannot be one spirit with Christ jesus? Even so for wrath toward thy brother; thou sayest thou canst not love him. Consider that if the Lord should judge thee out of thine own mouth, thou couldst not be saved. Thou wilt say, the injury is so great as no man can put it up: but he that is more than a man can do it: and if thou be'st all man, Christ jesus will never put up thy name among the Saints. Look 1. joh. 5.3. He that is borne again counteth all the commandments of God light: so as if thou be of God, it is an easy matter to forgive the brother. If he repent not of the wrong done unto thee, leave the vengeance to God, 
Rom. 12.20.  and heap thou coals of fire on his head: and if he do repent and seek 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 ourselves to be the sons of God: we must learn, that there is no so certain a mark to discern a man to be of God, as holiness of life; not but that God's children may fall most grievously, and blemish their profession most foully, but that if Satan hap to blindfold them that they go astray, yet with the lost son they will return with double sorrow, and unfold to their shame their own sin. Example w●●ere ●f we have in David, who though he was engaged to the Lord by his many benefits, that took him from the sheephook and g●●e him a Sceptre; 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 uncleanness, even the sin of adultery, 
2. Sam. 11.4.5.6.7.  which by the law of God deserved deprivation of this human life. When he had done this, he glavered and flattered with the woman's husband, and bade him go home to refresh himself with his wife, seeking thereby to father the bastard on him. When this succeeded not, he thought to make him drunk that he might thereby be more irritable to lust, and so to have gone to his wife. And though Vriah answered he could not do it, because the Ark of the Lord was in the field: which had not David been desperately sick in his soul, how could he have been so forgetful of the Lord, as to have dealt so with him that was no jew, but a convert to religion, hereby to make the name of the Lord evil spoken of? Yet when this prevailed not, he went further, and unto adultery he added murder, that he might make his sin known, and his unholy life to appear both to God and man, and carry as the grief of it in his heart, so the shame of it in his forehead. And in this he wrought worse than jesabel, for he made Vriah the instrument and messenger of the letters for his own execution; yea he sent them to joab who had himself been a murderer; which might harden his heart in that sin, seeing David that was the King, not only a favourer but the cause of such bloody actions. And after what manner should this be done? namely, that he should fall by the sword of the uncircumcised, a most ignominious, and shameful, and grievous death for so Christian a Gentleman; and that he should so murder him, as to colour the grievousness of his fault, not he alone but many other should die innocent; and that he should continue senseless in this sinful course by the space of a year; yet when it pleased God to cure his disease of hypocrisy, and to clear his eyes that he saw not his sin. but his chain of sins be●●●●●im, than he calleth himself not a man of blood but of blo●●●; ●nd then ●is conscience is open to grieve for it, and then with his tears he washeth away his uncleanness, and wall●●●●●s a man cleansed and purged from his filthiness. So as if a●y be a whore, let her remember the tears of Mary M●g●alene: if a persecuter of the Saints, let him repent with Pa●●: 
Luk. 7.38. Gal. 1.15. Mat. 26.75.  if a murderer, let him sound confess his sin with David: and if he be Apostasied, weep with Peter; for these be the works of righteousness whereby they are known to be of God. And seeing others delivered from the pit, we must learn (as David saith Psal. 56.3.) to fear and to trust: so as we must always fear to fall into the sin, before being fallen we can trust to be delivered, for this is one part of the righteousness of God's children, to tremble at the sight of sin, and then shall we never swallow it without remorse.  
Secondly, from hence learn, 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 poor, and an unclean liver, what shall I believe thee to be, but the child of the devil? for this may I know by thy fruits. Why, but love biddeth you hope the best, 
1. Cor. 13.7.  and believe the best. True it is, love biddeth me believe all things; but not a sow to be clean wallowing in the mire, or a dog not to be filthy that is regorging up his stomach, 
Mar. 6.44.  or that grapes can grow upon brambles, or that mercy can be found in the heart of an usurer, or that thorns may be touched and will not prick. For as love bids me not to determine too soon, so not to be abused too late: and God bids me look upon the tree to judge of the fruit. I may say, thou art in the state of damnation: for by thy snarling I know thee to be a dog, 
Mat. 7.6.  and I see thy heart through thy hands; but whether thou shalt be finally damned, I leave thee there: for the Lord may have mercy on thee upon thy repentance. I may come to the tree and say, here is no fruit, or here is small fruit, or here is bad fruit; but I cannot say, Never fruit grow on thee hereafter, as Christ did Mark. 11.13. And it is not the comers to Sermons, but the doers of Sermons