AMongst many euiden­ces that the LORDE hath giuen vs, for the proōfe of the certain­tie and credite of hys holy word, written a­gainst all the Atheists and Papistes in the world, who for sundry respectes, seeke to de­base and deface the same; namely, the one sort, that they might bring in all brutishnesse and sensualitie, and the other, that they might establishe and make equal wyth the word (if not preferre before it) mens traditions and vnwritten verities (as they cal them) those, as I thinke, are most excellent and substantial, that are fetcht from the very worde it selfe, and the vntainted testimonies of the same. For though it be true, that amongst earthly men in worldly matters, no mans testimonie is to be allowed or receiued, as sufficient proofe or witnes in his owne cause, by rea­son of that partialitie that cleaueth vnto vs, alwayes fauoring our selues in our owne affaires, yet in hea­uenly [Page 2]and spirituall things, the like course in deede hath no place, bicause that the author and giuer of the word, is free from all humane affections, and therefore the word also proceeding from him, must of necessitie be cleare from all parcialitie. Neither is there any cause or reason why that, if the credite of humane constitutions, depending partly vppon the authoritie of the law-makers, and partly vppon the goodnes, certaintie, and necessitie of the lawes themselues, hauing not approbation from else­where, the same may not, yea ought not, in all e­quity and truth, to be much more forcible, as in re­gard of the commaundements and statutes of al­mightie God, who both in himselfe and in his laws also, is altogither voide of those corruptions, that sticke fast to earthly lawe-makers, and their ciuill constitutions.

Nowe amongst the manifold testimonies, which are taken euen from the worde it selfe, this in my mind, is not of the least importance, that whether it speake of it selfe, or others, it alwayes proceedeth with an vpright foote, free from all parcialitie, and all worldly respects whatsoeuer. The truth where­of, that it might the better appeare, euen then when it speaketh of the dearest saints & seruants of God, it spareth not to lay out, and that without mitigati­on or minsing of their transgressions, their seuerall sins committed against God and men, both before their calling and after their calling also, as Moses his murmuring, Aaron his idolatrie, Dauid his ad­ultry and murther, Peters denial and dissimulation, Pauls persecution, & an infinit number of such like. And when it speaketh of it selfe, yet euen then also [Page 3]it spareth not to deliuer, things touching it self, that in the iudgement of flesh and bloud, seeme not on­ly to differ, one of them from an other, but to bee quite and cleane contrary. Of this sort is it, that in some places the holy scripture affirmeth, Gods word to be plaine and easie,Psal. 19.7, 8. Giuing vvisedome to the simple, and light to the eies, and in other places againe it plainly saith, that they be obscure and darke, and hard to be vnderstoode, as also the Apostle Peter in the last chapter of his second epistle, dooth particu­larly affirme the same, of some things,2. Pet. 3.16. In the vvri­tings of saint Paule.

These things verily God himselfe, the very au­thor of the word affirmeth touching the same. But what is his minde therein? Certainly not to cast a­ny discredit vpon it, by some contradiction that see­meth to be in it, sith he hath euery where giuen such excellent and large commendations of it: neyther yet to discourage men in the darknes of it, from drawing nigh therevnto, sith he doth so often and so earnestly prouoke all sorts of men, to the continual hearing, reading, and meditation thereof: neyther yet againe, on the other side, in the perspicuitie & plainnes of it, to let men growe into contempt, or carelesnes thereof, sith he himselfe in many places telleth vs, that we must haue better eies,Matt. 16.17 than the eies of flesh and bloud, or the light of reason, to see into the holie mysteries contained therein: nay rather God hath an other purpose therein; to wit, in the outward shewe of contradiction in the worde, to teach vs, first to take heede, that wee yeelde not therein to the subtill suggestions of Sathan and his seruants, who labour thereby to cause vs, to cast it [Page 4]vtterly from vs:Iohn 15.26. and then, sith we know and beleeue, that it was written by one spirite (who is The spirit of vnitie and veritie) that wee shoulde according to the measure of the grace of the spirite receiued, stirre vppe our selues to reconcile and make to agree, those places that seeme to iarre, and yet not staie there, but endeuour to conuey that light ouer vn­to others also, that God hath bestowed vppon vs, because that the giftes of the spirite of God shoulde not be smothered or quenched in our selues or o­thers, but ought to breake forth rather, to the grea­test glorie of God the giuer, and the greatest com­fort and instruction of our selues and others, that possibly may be in this life.

And in the obscuritie and hardnesse of holy scrip­ture, the Lorde mindeth euen mightily to meete wythall, yea to humble and throwe downe, to their amendment if it may be, or else to breake in peeces to their vtter confusion, a certaine sorte of prowde conceited men, who in an ouerweening that they haue of their own wits and graces receiued, suppose that they may easily, and (as we say) wyth smal adoe, perce into the wonderfull secrets of Gods holy law; he meaning also thereby not onely to remoue from men, that carelesnesse of heart, that clingeth and cleaueth fast vnto them, in the handling and hea­ring therof, but withall to stirre them vp that be his, with more reuerence, attention and heede, to heare and speake such things, as GOD hath propounded there vnto them, least otherwise they loose their la­bour, as in respect of themselues, and become vn­profitable to others, as in regard of their negligent trauailes, and so both the one and the other, to be [Page 5]made vtterly void of excuse before God.

Againe, in the perspicuitie and plainenesse of the scripture, the Lorde hath by a strong confutation, not only incountred with, but ouerthrown, those his enimies, & the enimies also of mans saluation, that in the spirit of error and doctrine of diuelles, 1. Tim. 4.1. haue ouer­saucely forbidden his people, to searche into that, wherewithall God, in the largenesse of hys loue to­wards them, and carefulnes of their saluation, would haue them most familiarly acquainted. Yea GOD hath thereby mercifully prouided for the good of his owne children, who though they be many times, either in the sight of their owne weaknes and wants, or in the beholding of the incomprehensible myste­ries therein contained, greatly dismayed, and after a sort, quite discouraged, from drawyng nigh to so high and holie things, are yet notwithstanding, a­gaine lifted vppe in this, that God in many thinges, abacing himselfe to their capacities, doth as a nurse at the first, stut and stammer as a man would say, for their instruction and learning, they also vpon good grounds and hope perswading themselues of this, that in processe of time, that which at their first en­trance, by reason of their owne blindenesse is darke and hard, shall when they haue receiued more light from God, become very easie and familiar to them.

All which well considered, and deepely weighed indeede, should not onely make vs thankefull to al­mighty GOD, who in the riches of his mercie, hath beene pleased, to stoupe downe to our weaknes, and by deliuering his truth in such sort, to preuent the poisoning of our soules, by no way more subtilly and dangerously attempted, of his and our deadly enni­mies, [Page 6]than by debarring vs the light of his truth, but also shoulde drawe vs to a religious accep­tation of his graces, by his word offered vnto vs, Preferring the same before all things, Psal. 119.72 and to a reue­rent and right vse of the same trueth, referryng it alwayes to the selfe-same endes and purposes, wherevnto hee himselfe hath ordayned it, that is, to the banishyng of the cloudes and mists of darke­nesse and ignoraunce, from our vnderstanding, and to the stopping of the floudes and course of our owne corruption, that swell, and roare, and ouerflowe, all the parts and peeces of our natu­rall life, that so wee might be made before hym a reformed people, not onely in the knowledge, but much more in the beleefe and obedience of e­uery good worke and way, that hee hymselfe hath prepared for vs to walke in, and to that ende hath manifested them in his worde: wee neuer v­sing our knowledge to vayne iangling, or ostenta­tion of mans eloquence and learning, making it a stepping stone to promotion, and a very firebrand to the stirring vppe and maintainaunce of curious and friuolous questions, as many vayne people in the worlde doe, nor abusing our holy fayth and stedfast perswasion, to licenciousnesse and securi­tie, a vice that the carelesse age wherein wee liue, dooth too too much practise: neyther yet making that small portion of obedience, that GOD ma­keth vs to yeelde, a meane either of merit before hym (for what is more blasphemous?) or of hypo­criticall vauntyng before men (for what is more beastly and shamelesse?) but referring all that wee haue receyued, how little or howe much soeuer it [Page 7]be, to the glory of him, that hath giuen vs the same (as there is good reason in godlinesse wee shoulde) and to the good of those, euen his faith­full people I meane, (as in christian charitie wee are bounde) euen for whose sakes also, as well as for our owne, wee our selues were made, and GOD hath vouchsafed to bestowe vppon vs, the graces that wee haue; which things as they must be watchfully regarded, and carefully obserued, in all scripture generally, so it behoueth vs to haue an especiall eie, to the practise and performance of them, in those places principally, which be of the greatest difficultie, bicause in them, by reason of our owne blindnesse and ignoraunce, we may soo­nest be deceiued, and by Satans malice, be most easly driuen and drawen (without some singular grace and assistance from GOD) into all manner of extremitie, either of discouragement to inter­meddle wyth them, by reason of the deapth and difficultie therein; to which if we adde, the world, not of weakenesse and wants onely, but of wic­kednesse also that we find in our selues, it will be much increased in vs; or else of pride and presump­tion, wee being carried headlong as it were wyth a violent tempest or whirle-winde, by an ouer weening perswasion, that we haue of some small graces in our selues, in all curious and triflyng sort, to deale wyth matters of most waight, and greatest importaunce, whereby we shall not one­ly offer dishonour to GOD, in the contempt or neglect of those most excellent things, that hee mindeth to deliuer to vs, but the same shal redound also, to our owne hurt and harme, both in bodie [Page 8]and soule, a matter that woulde be well thought of before hand, for feare of after-claps as wee say, yea we shall be instruments, either by carelesnesse to corrupt, or by curiousnesse and pride to peruert o­thers, and that vnto their eternall condemnation, wythout exceeding great grace from God, a fearful point doubtles, and a matter that woulde bee well weighed, as being most against the holy loue of gods saints, amongst all the sinnes that in this life we can commit one of vs against an other.

All hitherto propounded, hath beene deliuered, partly to confute our aduersaries, blasphemouslie doubtlesse impugning the truth and certainty of the written word, and partly also to adde an edge vnto our owne care and reuerence, in hearing and hand­ling of the holy scripture [...] of God. Yea particularlie to make vs, and that in both respects attentiue and watchfull ouer our s [...]es in the place that we are nowe to intreat [...]; which is taken out of the eight chapter of the epistle that the apostle Paule wrote vnto the Romanes, beginning at the eighteenth verse of the said chapter, and so on forwarde vnto the ende of the three and twentith verse, in these words: ‘Vers. 18. For I count that the afflictions of this pre­sent time, are not vvorthy of the glory vvhich shal be shevved vnto vs.’ ‘Vers. 19 For the feruent desire of the creature, vvaiteth vvhen the sonnes of God shal be reuealed.’ ‘Vers. 20 Because the creature is subiect to vanitie, not of it ovvne vvill, but by reason of him, vvhich hath subdued it vnder hope.’ [Page 9] ‘Vers. 21 Because the creature also shall be deliuered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God.’ ‘Vers. 22 For vvee knovve that euery creature groa­neth vvith vs also, & trauelleth in paine togither vnto this present.’ ‘Vers. 23 And not onely the creature, but vvee also vvhich haue the first fruits of the spirit, euen vve do sigh in our selues, vvaiting for the adoption, e­uen the redemption of our bodie.’

As mens minds are diuersly affected (brethren) so there are concerning this one place diuers iudge­ments, and that not onely as in regard of seuerall senses of the same, but also touching the very words themselues, some supposing them to be maruellous easie and plaine, othersome taking them to be won­derfull intricat, darke, and hard. Of a truth, freely to speake my mind in this behalfe what I thinke; there is not to me any place, specially in the bookes of the new testament (I except alwayes many things in the Reuelation of S. Iohn) more darke and difficult, and that not so much by reason of it selfe, either as in re­gard of the words, wherin it is expressed, or the mat­ter therein contained (though I denye not, but that both those waies it is very hard) as partly by those corrupt gloses that some haue made vppon it, and partly also by such curious questions, as othersome haue moued out of it, and lastly by such vnresolute resolute conclusions, as many fantasticall men, haue laboured to raise and gather out of the same. All which, or any of which almost, if a man should stand, either to rehearse, answere, or confute, it woulde be [Page 10]both tedious and vnprofitable also.

Neyther vtter I this wyth a dispitefull heart, to twite men for their corruption and sins, or with the iust dispraise of some, to purchase an vniust com­mendation to my selfe, or in declaring the hardnes of the word, to hunt after worldly praise, in the curi­ous handling thereof (vices & foule faults, that are too rife and common in the world nowadayes) but rather dutifully to stir vp my selfe, and all the faith­ful of God, not only in this, but in al such like places whatsoeuer, to attaine, and that with vnwearied la­bour and studie, to the sound and sincere meaning thereof. Wherevnto, bicause we are altogither vn­fit, aswel by reason of the natural blindnes that is in vs before regeneration, as of the remainders of our corruption, euen after some measure of light and knowledge receiued, & we know, that without some special grace from God, we can neuer reach there­to, that therfore we should be earnest with the Lord by prayer, not onely, by the bright beames of his blessed spirit, to chase away, the darknes and dulnes of our owne vnderstandings, but euen to induce vs after a sort, as it were, with extraordinary iudgment and wisedome of heart, and vtterance of mouth and words, in as much as the places which we deal with are more than ordinarily or commonly heard. The want or neglect of which duty, maketh many of vs (the Lord be mercifull vnto vs in the forgiuenes of all our sins) to haue the worde, when it is read and taught vnto vs,Isai. 29.11. to be as it were the wordes of a booke that is sealed vp, and when we come to handle it, wee deale with it vnreuerently, as in regard of God, and vnrightly as in regard of it self, and coldly and care­lesly, [Page 11]as in respect of our selues, & vnfruitfully alto­gither and vnprofitably, as in consideration of the people: so that a man may safly say, & that without offence either of god or good men, I assure you (the more is the pity) that there is little difference be­tweene some of our sermons, and the bare reading of the ignorant ministers.

But to the matter it selfe, in the diducting & lay­ing out wherof, we wil keep this course, as first, pro­pound the Apostle his general drift, & purpose, as it were, & then afterwards come more particularly to handle the very words in order as they lie, deliuer­ing the sense, & obseruing such doctrines out of the same, as it shal please god to make manifest vnto vs.

The apostle Rom. 8. doth most fruitfully intreat of many notable points, & namely amongst the rest of such assured testimonies, both outward & inward as god hath bin plesed to giue to his faithful people, for the certainty of their election & that eternal life of theyrs, that God hath in Christ laid vp for them with himselfe, before the foundations of the worlde were laid. The outward witnes therof, are the infal­lible fruits of sanctificatiō, that god frameth vs vnto by his word outwardly, & the powerfull working of his holy spirit inwardly. The inward witnes, is that same vndeceuable record of the spirit, 2. Cor. 1.22 Ephes. 4.30. that God hath gi­uen into our harts, by vvhich vve are sealed vp to euerla­sting life, against the day of our redemption, he declaring yet further, that through Gods meere grace to­wardes vs in Christ onelie, wee are become,Rom. 8. not Gods seruaunts alone, but his sonnes, and not his sonnes onelie, but heires also, and not onelie his heires, but euen fellovv-heirs togither vvith our sauiour Christ, so that [Page 12]we are sure we shall enioye, the selfe-same eternall blessednes in heauen,Iohn 4.2, 3. that he now doth, VVhither he is gone before hand to prepare a place for vs, and to take possession of it, to our vse and behalfe, that where he is, as the head, we might also be as the members. Great graces certainly, if either wee consider our owne wretchednes on the one side, or the person of the giuer on the other side, or the excellencie of the things, bestowed vpon vs in the third place, wee the most miserable and wretched of all his creatures (excepting alwayes the diuels and damned spirites) not so much as in regard of our creation, for that way foorth we are the chefest of all his workes, but as in respect of transgression and sinne, which hath pulled all manner of iudgement, both vppon our selues, and the rest of the creatures for our sinnes sake.

Neither doth this circumstance of our own base­nesse and vnworthinesse, extoll the excellencie and worthinesse of the gift, but his person also, that hath bestowed the same vpon vs,Psalm. 50.1 1. Tim 6.15 who being God of gods, and King of kings, hauing all power in his own hand, with the least blast of his mouth to ouerwhelme vs wyth all manner of iudgements, hath beene pleased notwithstanding rather to manifest in vs, the riches of his infinite grace, in the sauing of our soules, than otherwise to declare against vs, the testimonies and tokens of his wrath to eternall condemnation. Yea the very excellencie of that life it selfe, dooth serue to the woonderfull commendation of that his vn­speakable goodnes towards vs, it being so farre pas­sing all the things of this life, though otherwise ne­uer so glorious and glittering, that they are not in [Page 13]deede and trueth so much as a shadowe of the good things to come. Nay which is more, man,Psalm. 8.5, 6 the lorde of all, though the thoughts of his hart may be exten­ded very far: nay I wil say more, godly men, though in the meditations of their minde, they comprise great and excellent thinges, yet can they neuer at­taine in this life, to the exquisitnes and excellencie thereof, God hauing reserued that rather, for the dayes and times of a better state and condition.

And all these things before recited, are plainely affirmed and prooued also, euen from the very be­ginning of this eight chapter, vntill you come to these wordes of the seuenteenth verse, if so be that we suffer with him, &c. Where he beginneth to shew and declare, by what wayes and steppes as it were, Gods children must come to the enioying of that e­uerlasting felicitie, to witte, by treading the same path, and running the same race,Hebr. 12.2. that Christ The au­thor and finisher of our faith, himselfe didde, that is, by manifold crosses, and grieuous afflictions, in this life, for so it pleased God to Consecrate, both to himselfe, Hebr. 2.10. and to vs, the prince of our saluation euen through afflicti­ons, we also thereby thus far-foorth making our pro­fit, that if It haue beene doone thus in a greene tree, Luke 23.31. wee should not much maruell, if it be so In dried braun­ches, neither be dismayed, that if after the wicked and vngodly haue reuiled the maister of the hous­hold, and done to him whatsoeuer they listed, they practise the same against his seruaunts and friends. Now, forasmuch as for The present time, Hebr. 12.11 no chastising seemeth to be ioyous, but greuous rather, as the Apostle saith, wherof this may be one reason amongst many, bicause that is laid vppon men which they like not, [Page 14]but abhorre and would gladly flee from: and foras­much also as, that not onely men, but euen godlie men likewise, aswel by the reliques and remainders of sinne in themselues, as also by the greatnes and greeuousnes of the afflictions, that they ate subiect vnto (this being their common case in the worlde, that the more godlie they are, the more they are molested and troubled) cannot wythout some spe­cial comforts vndergo the burthen of the crosse, be­ing so heauy and waighty, as indeede it is, the Apo­stle therfore for the sweetning of that bitter cup of the crosse, intermingleth with that that semeth vn­to vs, as bitter as gall or wormewood, that which is in it selfe, and of it selfe, a thousand fold more swee­ter than the hony or hony combe, that is the moste pleasant promises of eternall life.

Neither is he spare or pinching in propounding comforts, but dealeth in that respect very liberallie and plentifullie with vs, that so in the multitude of our consolations, we might both with patience for the time beare, and through faith and constancie, at the last for euer ouercome that great swarme as it were of our sorrowes and griefes.

And first he telleth vs, that wee are not alone in that case and conflict, but haue Christ our head and captaine not onely a common companion, as you would say with vs in those afflictions, but one that hath gone before vs in that path and straight way, as hauing broken as you woulde saye, the ice for vs, and before vs, that so wee might go on for­warde with the lesse daunger and the [...] bolde­nes.

In worldly warfare doubtlesse it addeth no small [Page 15]corage vnto the cōmon souldior, that he hath other with him to sustain the hard assaults of the enimie: yet if he haue a valiant & couragious captaine, he is much more cheered and hartned, bicause souldiors look not so much one of thē vpon another, as haue all their eies bent vpon the ringleader to the rest: & if they be perswaded, that hee is such a one that can as it were, with a worde or countenance confounde their aduersaries, how valiantly do they not onelie giue the first onset, but mightily hold on to the end of the field, that so euery one of thē may at the ende of the skirmish or pight battel, cary away with them some notable ensigne, or token of the victorie. Oh how much more ought this, to cōfort vs, in spiritual combats and conflicts, that we come not alone to the field, but haue with vs, besides the rest of Gods saints, and infinit number of holy angels, God and all his graces, to be as it were a brasen wall vnto vs; yea Christ Iesus himselfe, the head of men and an­gels, who hath not onely all creatures at comman­dement, to vse for our good, and the hurt of his and our ennimies,Ioh. 18.4.6 but with the least breath of his mouth, is able to ouerthrowe them, as hee did those that came to take him, and with the meanest sparke of his maiestie, to confound and abolish them,2. Thess. 2.8 as hee shall do Antichrist vvith the brightnesse of his comming.

Against which though our naturall corruption, may seeme to say somewhat, when it obiecteth this fleshly reason, how can we suffer with Christ, seeing he is in heauen, and we in earth, or howe can we be partakers of his spirituall graces and infinit power, seeing we our selues are earthly, and tied to a place; yet if wee weigh eyther that spirituall vnion, [Page 16]that is betwixt him, as the head, and vs as the mem­bers, the effectuall feeling whereof is to be percei­ued, onely by a true, a liuely, and a stedfast faith, grounded generally vpon the canonical scriptures, but more particularly, vpon the sweet and gratious promises therein contained, specially such as con­cerne, the free pardon and ful forgiuenes of all our sinnes through Christ, and in him also the assured hope of eternall saluation: or regarde those plaine places of the word, vttered not by men onely indu­ed with Gods spirit, but by Iesus Christ himselfe, the eternall sonne of the eternal father, and that for the comfort of the godly, and the terror of the wicked, wherein this is aduouched,Iuke 10.16. Matt. 10.40 that Iniurie offered to his, is accounted as if it vvere done to his ovvne blessed person, and kindnes shewed to them, is esteemed as if it had beene practised vnto himselfe, though indeede hee standeth not in neede of any such thing: or respect the nature and strength of holie faith, that maketh things, past, present, and things to come, as if wee had them in possession, yea that most effectually ioyneth things togither, though they be as farre a­sunder as heauen and earth, otherwise howe could we be partakers of Christs death, to the forgiuenes of our sinnes, or of his righteousnes, to the possessi­on of the eternall inheritance, or of euerlasting life, all of them being matters that wee must of necessi­ty, be familiarly acquainted withall? We shal cleer­ly see with ease enough, to answeare this argument, that the blindenesse of flesh and bloud would seeme to make agaynst the trueth it selfe.

Me thinketh rather, that sith in this reason of the Apostle, the holie ghost alludeth to the common [Page 17]custome of men, and after a sort, as a man woulde say, stoupeth downe to their weakenesse, who if they haue companions wyth them in their afflic­tions, doe more comfortably for the most part, and paciently carry the same, perswading themselues, that a burthen diuided, is more easy and light, than when the whole weight of it, lieth al vpon one mans shoulders, that therfore we shold much more com­fort our selues, not onely that we haue one to beare some part with vs, but ra her that beareth al for vs; & who, if we suffer or indure any thing, specially for his sake, and the profession of his truth, will giue vs as it were hys strength, making vs thereby not one­ly able to continue and hold out, but to ouercome, & be conquerors, yea more than earthly conquerors, Rom. 8.37. as the apostle himself speaketh in the later end of this eight chapter, there being alwayes this one speciall difference betwixt vs and them, that though they ouercome to day, yet they may, through the sudden alteration, change, and inconstancie of the thinges of this life, be subdued to morrow, or the next daie, as you would say, whereas those that are made par­takers of the eternall victorie that Christ hath got­ten against al his and our enimies, both bodilie and spirituall, shal neuer be vanquished and ouercome againe. And though that our aduersaries in their continuall malice, may attempt many matters a­gainst vs, and perhappes now and then also giue vs some blowes and woundes, yet here is the glorie and comfort of christians, that euen in the mid­dest of fierie flames, and all other greuous trialles whatsoeuer, that the wicked according to the vvill of God, lay vppon vs,1. Pet. 4.16. wee are still more than con­querors, [Page 18]euen then when we seem to be ouercome, which no worldly honour can attaine vnto, no not then, when it is, at the top and height as you would say, of the prosperitie and flourishing thereof.

An other reason that the apostle vseth, to cōfort the saints & seruaunts of God withal, in the daies of their distres & greuous afflictions, is taken fi ō that glory, that we suffring with him, shall haue perfectly togither with him, when hee shall appeare in great power and glory, to iudge the quicke and the dead. And the force of this argumēt is contained in these words, that vve may also be glorified vvith him: wherof there is likewise very good reason; namely, that for­asmuch as the crosse and christian profession are companions, that seldome or neuer are found asun­der, in this life amongst the children of God, the truth whereof appeareth, by the manifolde testimo­nies of Gods holy vvorde, 2. Tim 3.12 Acts 14.22 and the infinite examples of his sons and seruants, who in the days of their flesh haue in this behalfe bin made excellent mirrors, or looking-glasses, for the rest to beholde themselues in: and forasmuch also, as the cup of afflictions, that the Lord maketh his seruants to drink of here, is, though not alwaies, as in regard of it selfe, it be­ing many times a iust deserued punishment, laide vpon vs in Gods iudgement, as a correction for our sinnes, yet aswell in respect of God, who by his al­mightie power commaunding the light to shine out of darkenesse, 2. Cor. 4.6 hath sanctified the same to that ende, as also in respect of the fruits and effects, that it bring­eth foorth in Gods children, as pacience, constan­cie, mortification, and many such excellent things, is, as I was about to say, a most certaine pledge, of a [Page 19]farre better estate in an other life,2. Tim. 2.12 that therefore also wee shoulde euen assure our selues in our suf­ferings for Christ, that vvee shall likevvise be glorified with him; for if mightie men of the earth, as prin­ces and others, forget not to satisfie such as haue beene partakers with them of their trialles and troubles, and attended vppon them in their sicke­nesses, griefes, and such like, but thinke it greate dishonour to their states and dignities, if they doe not recompence them according to their trauelles onelie, but euen in a franke and liberall mind, that they haue many times beyond the same, much lesse will or can Christ Iesus our sauiour, be either vn­mindfull of, or leaue vnrewarded: those men, or those sufferings, that they or we haue indured, as for his sake, and the holy profession of his blessed trueth: and the rather bicause he is not as a man, or as the sons of men that make, yea that are ouerta­ken with the sin of pride or disdaine towards other, when he himselfe is exalted, or of forgetfulnesse of penurie, in the dayes of peace and plentie, or of hardnes of heart, when the bowelles of compassi­on are to be displaied, or of a wauering and an vn­constant minde, louing now, and hating anone, but always continueth like vnto himself, in euery thing becomming familiar, and as you woulde say, deba­sing himselfe vnto his owne, hauing them in con­tinuall remembrance for their good, manifesting all kindenesse and tendernesse of heart towardes them, and that in most bountifull manner in all graces both bodilie and spirituall, temporall and e­ternall,Iohn 13.1. louing them also euen vnto the end) as the scrip­ture saith.

And this kinde of argument is vsed, not onelie here, but in many other places of holy scripture, the Apostle affirming elsewhere,1. Cor. 11.32. that vvee are therefore chastned of the Lord, that vve should not be condemned vvith the vvorld; the selfe-same Apostle telling vs in an other place,2. Tim 2.12 that if vvee suffer vvith him, vvee shall also reigne vvith him. Wherevnto no doubt our sauiour Christ hymselfe likewise hath a speciall re­spect, in these words of that excellent praier, which he maketh in the seuenteenth chapter of the gospel according to Saint Iohn,Iohn 17.24. Father, I vvill that they vvhich thou hast giuen me, be vvith me euen vvhere I am, that they may beholde my glorie vvhich thou hast giuen mee. And this also is the more vrged euerie where almost, not onely for the declaration, of the excellencie and certainty of the thing it felfe, that so we might be brought to be in continual loue and liking of the same,Phillip. 3 8. counting all things losse and dung, as in regard thereof, but also bicause that vvee that are dull of hart and slovve to beleeue, Luke 24.25. specially the things that be so farre beyond the reach of our reason and wit, and remaine so high and glorious, as eternall life and blessednes is, might euery day more than o­ther be thereby strengthned, in the assured appre­hension and application of the same, vnto our own soules, that so wee might in the middest of all our troubles and trials, either outward or inward, both spend & end the days of the poore pilgrimage, that we haue in this life, in the peace of a good hart, tho­row the liuely feeling of the incorruptible crown of euerlasting glorie. Oh a thousand, yea ten thousand times blessed & happy are they, on whom god hath bestowed that grace and mercie: and infinitly mise­rably [Page 21]on the other side, and wretched are they that are not made partakers of so excellent goodnes.

I will say but this onelie, touching this point; men shall neuer indure with christian comfort, and true patience indeede, any affliction of the flesh, or any assaults of the minde (much lesse shall they be able to combat and fight wyth hope of a conquest against eyther the one or the other) wythout the sweet tasting of this, at the least in some measure, or except they haue some goodnesse and grace in this behalfe powred foorth vppon them from GOD: Yea sunder this (if it could be) which is the accom­plishment of all, from all other the mercies of God towards vs in Christ, and his merits, and then what good as a man would say, can they do vs? For if wee respect worldly things, as meate, drinke, health, and such like, what are they without this, though other­wise they seeme neuer so delightful and plesant vn­to vs, but so many instruments and meanes to fatte vs, as stall-feede oxen against the day of our slaugh­ter? And though it be true,Rom. 4.25. that we might haue tho­row Christ his death, the forgiuenes of our sins, tho­rowe his resurrection, the imputation of his righte­ousnes, and be inabled so, to stand before God, as pure and cleane, being clothed with his holinesse and innocencie, yet if we should not come to that eternall inheritance, through the strength and po­wer of his glorious ascension, but liue heere vppon the earth, subiect to so many infirmities of our own, both in bodie and mind, as we continually carrie a­bout with vs, and lie open to the buffetings of Sa­tan, and the blowes of the wicked as his seruaunts (who in the rage of their spirites, are ready euerie [Page 22]minute of an houre, with violence, death, and de­struction, to rush in and fal vpon vs) what were it els but after a sort, to be as it were, euen in the pains & torments of hel it selfe? Let vs therfore sticke fast to this, thinke vpon it often, and make much of it, as a notable bulwark or buttresse to our faith, pacience, and all other the particular fruits thereof whatsoe­uer.

There followeth a third argument, for comforte in afflictions and troubles, euen in the very begin­ning of this text, that wee haue now taken in hand to interprete, namely in the eighteenth verse and these wordes, For I account that the afflictions of this present time, &c. Which as it is drawn from the great oddes as you would say, that is betweene the pains that we indure in this world, and the eternall ioyes that are prepared for vs in the life to come, the one sort being in it owne nature finite) as all things in this life are) though perhaps innumerable as in re­gard of vs: the other both as in respect of God the creator, as also in respect of it selfe being infinit and vnmeasurable: so doth it not onely wel, but necessa­rily also depend euen vpon both the former resons, and may fitly be fastned vnto them in this sort; that whereas he had in the former made mention part­ly of manifold afflictions, and partly of heauenlie glorie, now in this he laboreth to shew, that though our troubles and trialles bee neuer so great or ma­ny, that yet it should not any whit at all discourage vs, in as much as there is, a farre more excellent glorie, by infinite degrees laid vp for vs in heauen than al our sufferings can amount vnto, whatsoeuer they be or can be, and so deliuereth vnto vs a singu­lar [Page 23]commendation of the woonderfull excellencie and infinitenesse of the said glorie.

Men we see by daily experience, wil force them­selues far for worldly preferment, for from whence commeth it, that in games, yea and those of no va­lue to speake of, men take such extraordinary pains,Psal. 127. [...] and in ordinarie trades trauell, rising vp earlie, lying dovvne late, cating the bread of sorrovve, and running thorow fire and water, as you would say, but for som hope that they haue, either of gaine or of glorie, the markes commonly that men set before them, to aime at and hit? Yea the more excellent the price is that is prefixed before thē, or the reward that they promise vnto themselues, or is promised them by o­thers, as thend of their trauels, the more they striue and straine themselues: & why should not that adde sharpening as it were, and giue a notable edge vnto our corage and constancie, in the time of our con­flicts and distresses, whether they be of bodie or of soule, there being as no comparison at all, betweene our earthly afflictions, and heauenly ioies, so much lesse (if lesse may be) between earthly & heuenly re­wards.1. Cor. 9.25 Euery man (saith thapostle in an other place) that prooueth masteries abstaineth from all things, & they do it to obtain a corruptible crovvne, but vve for an incor­ruptible. Wherevnto, that hee might the better excite and stirre vp the people to whome he wrote, he doth in the same place set before them his owne example, vvho did so runne, but not as vncertainely, and did fight, but yet not as one that beateth the aire, but did take dovvne his bodie and bring it into subiection to the spirit, that so hee might be the more fitte for the performaunce of those his spirituall exercises.

In all this doubtles we may plainely see and be­hold, two speciall points well woorth the weighing: as first our owne backewardnes, dulnes, vnaptnes, and inabilitie to good things: which also appeareth by this, that we haue neede of so many spurs to pro­uoke vs thereto, as admonitions, exhortations, re­prehensions, consolations, godlie mens examples, and many such like, and yet all of them little or nothing preuaile with vs; a matter which beeing rightly looked into, should make vs so far off, from the prowd thoughts of any desire in our willes, or abilitie in our power, to wish or to doe anie thing good, that if wee were truelie humbled before the lord & our brethren, as we ought to be, would make vs go continually with moornful harts, and counte­nances cast down, til such time, as God had both re­formed our wils & giuen vs power also, for it is he a­lone that vvorketh in vs both the vvil and the deed of e­uery good thing, [...]p. 2.13. & that according to his ovvne good plea­sure.

Secondly, we may here after a sort feele the grea­test loue and singular kindnes of our God towards vs, who though he might by his soueraigne autho­ritie ouer vs, command vs, and if we did not yeelde obedience, might not onelie threaten vs, but punish vs also, and that with al maner of plagues both tem­poral and eternal, as who hath the fulnes and seue­rall sorts of them prest and ready in his owne pow­er, to poure them foorth, when it pleaseth him, is yet notwithstanding pleased, by gentle words to in­treat vs, and by promises of al sorts to allure vs, yea by the very example of his sonnes and seruaunts to draw vs on to that, which indeed, doth most direct­lie [Page 25]tend to our owne good, and wherevnto, though indeede wee had none of all these things to mooue vs, yet if we were but led by the light of reason, wee should carefully and earnestly stryue and labor.

Neither doth this great and vnspeakable boun­tifulnes of God, once onelie and no more deale af­ter this sort with vs, but standeth continually knoc­king as it were at the doore of our conscience, and waiting when by the comforts of his promises, hee may haue a free entrance and ioyfull passage into our seuerall soules. For proofe of this, we may see the self-same argument touching the great and in­comprehensible ioy of the kingdome of heauen, al­leaged and handled by the selfe-same apostle, in an other place, but yet to the same end, that hee dooth here, to wit, for comfort in trouble, affirming, that our light affliction vvhich is but for a moment, 1. Cor. 4.17 causeth vnto vs a farre most excellent and eternall vvaight of glo­rie: Yea the like shall we finde in many other pla­ces of holy scripture, all tending to teach vs, that that excellent estate of euerlasting life, is described vnto vs in the word, in such sort as we may compre­hend somewhat of it (though in trueth as in respect of it selfe, it doth far exceede al earthly, yea spiritual resemblances whatsoeuer) aswel to comfort vs ouer our heauinesses, a matter that wee stand much in neede of, specially if we be once truely and indeed humbled, as also to make vs with earnestnesse and feruencie, to hunger and thirst after the same, spe­cially considering howe much euery one of vs is ti­ed, and as a man would say, glewed to the pleasures and profits, of this present euill worlde.

By al which also we may see that they are too too [Page 26]iniurious to the children of God, that restraine the comfortable feeling of the ioies of heauen, onely to the world that is to come. True it is, that both the excellent perfection, & reall possession of the same is reserued for that life, but yet that hindereth not, but that by faith and hope, wee may haue euen in this life, some effectuall taste therof. And whosoeuer thinketh otherwise, is not onely as much as in hym lieth, discomfortable to others (for what better ar­gument haue we of ioy than that?) but hurtful and iniurious to himselfe also, while he depriueth him­selfe of that, which of al other things, is most delite­ful and pleasant; yea he after a sort condemneth the sufferings of the saints and seruants of God in time heretofore, either of folly or senslesnes, who though they haue bin somewhat in couraged, by the good­nes of the causes that they sealed with their bloud, in faith and pacience to vndergo the same, yet haue they no doubt bin greatly furthered also in their af­flictions, by the true taste and feeling of those vn­speakable ioies, which haue made them, in the mid­dest of fierie flames, and the most cruell torments, that the aduersaries could deuise, to be much more pacient and ioyful, than euer they were in the days of their greatest health and prosperitie.

And yet bicause euery delay of a thing, specially, if the thing it selfe, be of it selfe excellent, and in regard thereof much desired to, is tedious and gre­uous to the flesh, as the apostle no doubt did by ac­quaintance that he had, of the common corrupti­on of our nature, & the particular experience that he had in himself, well felt in himselfe, he doth ther­fore in these verses following, namely, 19, 20, 21, 22, [Page 27]23. adde another argument for comforte in afflicti­ons, taken frō the example of all, euen the very vn­reasonable & insensible creatures: of whom in these verses hee affirmeth two speciall things; first, that they trauel in paine, and groane after a fort, vnder the burthen of their miseries, as men do; the other is, that they do with a singular pacience, as a man would say, wait for a time of ioyfull deliuerance. By which the apostle certainly would haue vs to know and learne, not only that in respect of our miseries, we haue a common lot & portion, with the rest of the creatures, but also that euen by their example we should paciently tarry the time, that God hath set with himselfe (and is not in our owne power) for our full deliuerance out of those anguishes & trou­bles. Which yet that we may the better vnderstand it shall not be amisse in my minde, in a few wordes, to lay out the apostles reason, who as I'take it argu­eth thus.

All the creatures do very wel perceiue, that they are subiect to vanitie and corruption, and yet not­withstandiug hope as it were, that in good time and conuenient season they shall be receiued and restored; therefore we also, though wee feele our selues greatly beaten downe with diuerse calami­ties, yea and as it were oppressed and ouerwhel­med with the same, ought notwithstanding sted­fastly to beleeue, that thorow Gods godnesse to­wardes vs in Christ, we shall not miscarrie in this life, the Apostle bearing recorde vnto vs,2. Cor 4.8, 9 That though vvee are afflicted on euerie side, yet vvee are not in distresse, and though vvee be cast dovvne, yet vve perish not, but that we shal haue and inioy at the [Page 28]length, when the wearisome days of our pilgrimage shall be finished, most excellent glorie and blessed­nesse for euermore. And no doubt, but of this the Apostles reason, there is very great & good reason also, yea euen declared by the Apostle himselfe, in his owne wordes: for if the creatures subiect to this corruption, not by their owne accord, but by Gods appointment, as a punishment vppon them for the sinne of mankind, do yet notwithstanding, that they be void of reason, in their kinde, and after their ma­ner, as you woulde saye, both patiently beare that burthen, and earnestly expect a deliueraunce from the same, when God will, how much more shoulde the faithfull doe both the one and the other, the Lorde hauing indued them not onely with reason, a common gift bestowed vppon all men, but filled them after a sort with faith also,Phil. 1.29. 2. Thes. 3.2. a proper and pecu­liar grace vnto his elected ones onely, from which as from a cleare and pure fountaine, they must of necessitie flowe, in some measure, both christian pa­cience, and many other good vertues likewise, whereof also there is euen this reason amongst ma­ny other, that looke vpon whomsoeuer GOD hath bestowed store of anie of his graces, either bodilie or spirituall, that euen at their handes hee looketh for a more liberal and plentiful yeeld, than of those, with whome he hath not dealt, in so great a larges of his mercie, the varietie of graces also, that God hath bestowed vpon men, specially good men, cra­uing the same at their handes. For to what end else hath God giuen the same, but that in the lawful and liberall vse of them, the giuer principallie might re­ceiue more glorie, and the vser more comfort and [Page 29]profite, and others also reape great good by them, not onelie in this life, but in the life to come.

Hitherto, as you see, wee haue beene occupied principally, and I hope not vprofitably also, in pro­pounding the Apostles generall drift: out of which thogh we may indeed, in some measure vnderstand, the true and naturall sense of these wordes, and so perhaps may thinke, that we neede not any further trauell; yet to the end wee may more cleerely per­ceiue his mind and meaning herein, and so receiue more spirituall sweetnes from him, I will not spare particularly to examine the very verses and words as they lie, braying as it were, and beating againe, and that al to peeces, the sweete perfumes, that so we may haue all our senses seized, and wholie taken vp, not only with the wholesome, but with the most pleasant and delightfull smell thereof (I meane spi­ritually) that is to say, that so wee may come at the length, to the full meaning thereof, and to the fitte obseruation of such profitable doctrines as do arise, and may rightly be gathered out of the same.

The very word wherewith the apostle beginneth this verse, being a particle causall, as wee vse to say, doth sufficiently proue, that it is a reason of the pre­misses, or things before going, of which, bicause we haue spoken sufficient already, wee shall not nowe neede to stand much vpon it here.

And when the Apostle saith (I) hee meaneth it not of himselfe onely; for it is the common iudge­ment and beleefe of all the faithfull, and the whole church of God also, who being inlightned by the same spirite, either be of that minde togither wyth [Page 30]him, or should so be, bicause in this point, he speak­eth not by his own light, but according to the truth and power of the spirit. Neither yet doth he speake it of himselfe, as of a natural man, for the thing that he vttreth is far beyond nature, yea altogither con­trary to the same; for what worldly wise naturall minded man, can either see in afflictions, the glory that the sons and seruants of God behold and fal in the same, or else can oppose the incomprehensible ioys of eternall life, against those exceeding hard­nesses and great distresses? They rather suppose all thinges to be directed by secondarie causes, or to speake as they themselues say, by the course of na­ture, or direction of fortune, who indeede are so far off, from perceiuing these heauenly ioys and com­forts, that they are carried away with conceits, ey­ther to vse vnlawfull meanes, to free them from af­flictions, or else fearfully fall into all muttering and repining against God, or to all impaciencie before men, the reason is, bicause they are not acquainted with the comforts of Gods children, nor haue no feeling of the ioys of the life that is to come. Alas, alas, they knowe not indeede, what either the one or the other meaneth:1. Cor. 2.14. for these things are spirituall, but they themselues are carnall, sold vnder sin, and there­fore vnmeete to discerne of the same,Rom. 7.14. bicause they must be spiritually iudged.

Out of all which laide togither, wee may learne sundry good lessons; as first, that howsoeuer we do either for the expressing of our own feelings, or the better fructifieng of the word in the hearts of those to whom it is directed, speake particularlie of our selues, or as it might seeme in our owne names, yet [Page 31]that we neuer swarue from that trueth of doctrine, that is commended vnro vs in the word written, & is sealed vp in our harts, by the pledge of the spirit, and is approoued by the common consent of the church of God. The neglect of this, specially whilest men go about to magnifie their owne persons, and opinions, hath beene the meane heretofore of ma­ny heresies, sects, and errors in the church of God, and may bring foorth the same bitter fruits hereaf­ter, except it pleased God to giue men better grace to looke vnto themselues.

Secondly, it teacheth vs, that so soone as God be­ginneth to lay vpon vs, his rods and crosses of trial, that then we should learne, not only in the spirit of patience & comfort to submit our selues vnder his mighty hand, but with alferuency of praier, to craue the clearing of our vnderstanding,Iames 1.5. and all holy vvis­dome also, as S. Iames calleth it, that we may both see his ways in his works, & learne to espie out and feel the consolations and comforts, that he hath proui­ded for vs, that so wee sincke not downe vnder the burthen of our calamities, but be raised vp rather to al feeling hope. A point that we had neede to striue vnto, by al holy meanes possible, aswell by reason of the blindnes & blockishnes of our own nature, and the diffidence and distrust of our own hearts, as also bicause of Satans continuall malice, who laboureth at all times, but specially in the days of our greatest heauinesse, our most fearefull destruction.

And whereas the apostle saith (I count) he mea­neth, that he commeth with an vpright iudgement, in an euen pair of balance & scales, as it wer, hauing rightly & religiosly examined resons on both sides, [Page 32]and gathering all into a iust summe, to weigh the troubles of this worlde, and the ioies of heauen to­gither, not dealing therein as either the worldlie man doth, who regardeth nothing but his miseries and afflictions, by meanes whereof he becommeth not onely impacient and waiward, but past all hope of admitting comfort and consolation, nor playing the part of the prophane and insensible Stoiks, who againe on the other side, by reason of their beastlie blockishnes, that they get vnto themselues, hauing both their soules and bodies benummed as it were, are no whit at all touched with the sense of the same; nor yet being so rapt and rauished with these eternall ioyes, that they vtterly forget, or feele not at all the miseries and afflictions of this life, a mat­ter that the contemplatiue persons, in their traun­ces, dreames, and reuelations, make the height and top of all perfection in this world, but as wise physi­tions, yea as good christians, intermingling sweet things and sowre things togither, and comparing one of them so with an other, that as they see in their afflictions, an euident patterne of the miserie & mortalitie of their own liues, and a plaine proofe of the iustice and iudgement of God against sinne, so they make the same a profitable meane to them­selues, not onely in a christian and comfortable death, but in an holy life also, so long as GOD will haue them to liue vppon the face of the earth, to meete wyth the Lorde, and to glorify his most bles­sed name.

And this doth teach vs, vprightly to weigh and to examine, as all things generally, so specially and particularly spirituall points. Which indeede, by [Page 33]reason that they be more excellent, than bodilie matters, and in that respect also, in their owne na­ture, more remooued from our comprehension than the rest, had therefore neede most deepelie to be looked into, for though by the line and light of our reason, we may be somewhat holpen to wade into worldly things, yet in matters of faith and reli­gion, we cannot, not only not perse any thing at all, by the light & sight of our owne vnderstanding, but shall be much hurt and hindered thereby from the same, if wee yeelde to followe it; yea many times, euen in the things of this life, wee are so blockish & deuoide of iudgement, that what by reason of co­lours cast vppon worldlie thinges, and what by the blindnesse and ignorance of our owne heart on the one side, and the parcialitie that is in vs on the o­ther side; yea after that we see the truth manifested, specially if it concerne our selues, or others, that we affect as our selues, vve call good euill and euill good, Isai. 5.20. Piou. 17.15. & so pull a fearefull woe vpon our selues, and iustifie the vvicked and condemne the righteous, a sin that the holy ghost hath long ago forbidden, and noted with a brand as abhomination in his sight. Howe much more easly then may we be ouertaken, in blind, cor­rupted, and partiall iudgement, as in respect of spiri­tuall causes. The consideration whereof, shoulde not onelie make vs wary and watchefull ouer our selues, suspecting continually our slipperinesse into this sinne, but should prouoke vs also to labour to attaine, by al pains possible, the true light and hea­uenlie iudgement; which indeede is not else-where to be had or found, but in the onelie will of God re­uealed in his word, as wherein alone consisteth,Ierem 5.9, Deut 4.6. all [Page 34]our true wisdome and vnderstanding whatsouer.

It followeth, That the afflictions of this present time] The word afflictions importeth, al the troubles and calamities that Gods children do suffer in this life, whether they be outward in body, as sickenes, po­uertie, nakednes, banishment, persecution, and such like, or whether they be inward in the mind, as tēp­tations from our corrupted nature, assaults from Satans malice, griefe of hart for sin, feare of iudge­ment in this life, or in that that is to come, & al the rest of that sort whatsoeuer. And yet he restraineth as it wer, that generall terme, by these words folow­ing when he calleth them, the afflictions of this present time, mening, that longer than this life they last not, neither indeed can last in the children of God, bi­cause that by our death, God doth not only wipe al teares from our eies, endeth our miseries, & vtterly killeth the strength and body of sin, but not leauing there,2. Tim. 4.8. beginneth and perfecteth our blessednesse, where there are vnspeakable ioies, and crovvnes of in­comprehensible glorie laid vp for vs, and for all those that do vnfamedly loue him and looke for his comming. And yet not affirming neither for al that, that they al­ways indure and continue so long; for though it be true, that this is the common cord and portion, of al Gods seruants in this life,Acts 14.22 by manifoid tribulations to enter into the kingdome of God, yet as we see, both by former and present expecience, the Lord somtimes hauing regard, to the weaknes of those that are his, doth for the manifestation of his loue toward them giue them a breathing time, as it were, & somtimes aga [...]ne, for the declaration of his power & iustice a­gainst the wicked, beateth them downe, and raiseth [Page 35]vp his owne children; all this being doone, [...]al. 225. [...] That the rodde of the vvicked might not rest on the lot of the righteous, least either the righteous themselues, shoulde put foorth their hande vnto vvickednesse, or the vn­godlie waxe intollerablie insolent, and prowde a­boue measure.

This rather is the Apostles minde, to oppose, as wee may plainelie perceiue, the afflictions of this worlde, against the ioys of the other life, and that in a double antithesis or comparison as it were. First setting afflictions against glorie, the one being ve­rie base and bitter,Hebr. 12. [...] as no affliction for the time present is ioyous, but greuous rather, the other being very ex­cellent and sweete, which though it be delaied for a while, is yet sufficient to comfort Gods children, for the time present, and to confirme them in the hope that is to come. Secondly, opposing this time pre­sent with that that is to come, meaning by both those times, the seuerall states and condicions, that then the children of God shal be partakers of, pro­posing this also euen to comfort such as fuffer in Si­on, in that their afflictions shal last no longer, at the furthest, than their naturall life, but their ioys and glorie, shall be beyond and wythout all time, euen for euer and euer.

And euen out of these wordes wee may gather a singular comfort against afflictions, to wit, that though they be many times great and greeuous, yet they are not alwayes long and continuall. Which consolation is not vrged here onelie, but in diuerse other places of the holie Scriptures. Take one or twoo most plaine for the proofe of this point, in steade of an infinite number. [Page 36]In the thirtie p [...]alme,Psal. 30.5 the prophet telleth vs, that the Lord indureth a small season in his anger, but in his fauor is life for eu rmore: and vveeping may abide at euening, but ioy commeth in the morning. And the Apostle agre­able therevnto telleth vs,2. Cor 4.17. in the fourth chapter of his second epistle to the Corinthians, That our light affliction, vvhich is but for a moment, or most sharpe sea­son, causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent, and eternall vvaight of glorie. In the often repetition whereof, the Lorde doubtles did not onelie regarde the ex­cellencie and necessitie of this doctrine in it selfe, but also prouided notablie for our good, who besids that vve are dull of heart, Luke 24.25. and slovv to learne, and ther­fore had neede to haue the promises pressed vppon vs againe and againe, wax also not onelie wearie of afflictions, if they lie long of heauy vpon vs, but e­uen pleasures themselues, specially in the continu­ance of them with vs, doe many times by reason of our new-fangled and inconstant nature, growe te­dious and lothsome. Good reason therfore is there, that we shoulde set this vnto our hearts, and make our speciall profit by it, against the times of our tri­all.

The Apostle addeth, are not vvorthie of the glorie, his meaning in this place, and in these wordes, is in my minde plaine and simple, who doth not heere compare the dignitie and woorthinesse eyther of our sufferings, or of eternall glorie togither, as some haue phantasticallie conceiued, and more wickedly propounded, but laboureth to mitigate the greatnesse of our afflictions, by opposing and setting against the same the greatnesse, yea the in­finitenesse of that ioy and glorie, that is laide vp for [Page 37]vs in the life to come, wee knowing and confes­sing, that there is no proportion betweene finite and infinite. And though this be most true, yet notwithstanding Sathan, in seuerall sortes of hys seruants, as in the schoole-men heeretofore, hath out of this place gone about to maintaine that di­uellish distinction, of meritum congrui & condigni, as they call it, and in our Romish Rhemists also, in their late annotations vppon the newe Testament, and namely vpon this very place, woulde make the sufferings of the saints in this life, meritorious and worthie of eternall saluation. But in one word ge­nerally, to answeare them both togither first, and then afterwardes more particularly, to deale with either of them by themselues. We feare not to af­firme, that these beastly opinions spring frō a foule and filthy fountaine, and bring foorth most bitter fruits and effects. For the first of these two wee say, that it floweth from following of a wrong translati­on in this place, I meane that that they call, their olde vulgar Latin text, which rendreth the Greeke worde [...], being a simple worde, by the com­pound Latine word, condignae, worthie, togither, as you woulde say; which whether it be not contrary to the fidelitie and vpright dealing of a good tran­slator, let euen all the worlde iudge, that haue at­tained to a crumme either of sounde learning or godlie wisedome. And if this course may be kept, that compounde wordes may be vsed for sinople wordes, wee shall quickly turne vpside downe all certaintie of the written worde, all trueth of reli­gion, and all honest and faithful dealing amongst [Page 38]men. All the Greeke copies that euer I coulde see, reade it in the simple, and so doeth Saint Ignatius himselfe alleage it, in his epistle to Marie; and it is the first epistle in his booke of epistles, yea and their owne Arrius Montanus, a man of lesse corruption (I had almost said, more vprightnes) in translating the worde than they all, though otherwise popish, conuicted by the euidence and trueth of this point, rendreth it rightly in his interlineall text, howso­euer for fashion sake he set the vulgar reading in the margine. Saint Augustine, in his booke of eightie and three quekions, quest. 67. readeth not condignae, as these men doe, but indignae, that is, vn­worthie. And in his fift booke of the citie of God, chap. 18. where he doth of purpose shewe, how farre off christians ought to be from boasting, if they had doone any thing for loue of the eternall countrie, hee alleadgeth euen this very text of the Apostle thus: Ind gnae sunt passiones huius temporis, &c. The sufferings of this time are vnworthie the glorie which shall be reuealed in vs. And so doth some o­ther of the ancient fathers translate it, as if I deli­ted in multitude of allegations, I could easly shew. By whith we may not onely see, the true and natu­rall meaning of the Apostle in this text, that is to debase our sinterings, and to magnifie eternal life, but also that that vulgar translation, is not either so olde as they pretende, or else was not in those dayes of sitche credite, as they woulde haue it nowe, in as much as we see the auncient fathers, either vsing some other, or swaruing greatly from that.

And no doubt but as the spring is puddlelie and [Page 39]corrupted from whence this poisonfull doctrine proceedeth: so the second thing aboue mentioned, to wit, the fruits that flowe from it, be much more euil and dangerous, whether wee respect the eter­nall God himselfe, or Christ Iesus his sonne our sauiour, or our selues and other men whatsoeuer. For as for God, his mercie is greatly obscured (if not vtterly euacuated and disanulled) by this, in as much as mans supposed merits and deserts (which indeede are nothing but death and damnation) are not onely matched wyth the same, to the great dis­grace and discontinuance thereof, there being as great oddes betweene them, as betweene the most glorious thing of the worlde, and the filthiest durt or dung that can be, but after a sort preferred be­fore it, and that not only in the eies of men (a mat­ter that should make vs all to blush, and hang down our heads for shame) but (if it might be accepted for currant coine and lawfull paiment) tendred at the exchequor of the most high king, yea brought foorth into the verie sight and presence, and plea­ded and alleadged at no woorse barre, than at the very throne and iudgement seat of almightie God himselfe.

And concerning Christ our Sauiour, his merites generallie, and particularly those of his death, re­surrection, and ascension, are quite and cleane de­defaced, yea vtterlie abolished, when [...]es workes are magnified, and our deedes are ex­alted, who hath not appeared vnto anie other ende, than to destroie the vvorkes of Sathan, 1. Iohn 3 2 nor giuen vppe hymselfe, to the death, yea euen to the death of the crosse, for anie other purpose,Phillip. 2.8. than [Page 40]to satisfie for all our sinnes whatsoeuer, neither is risen from the dead and ascended vp into heauen, for any other effect than to bring life, and morta­litie to light, to communicate vnto vs his owne righteousnesse, and fullie and wholie to reconcile vs vnto God, which things he hath not exactly per­formed if we by any or al of our works, haue in part or in whole promerited Gods fauour, bicause either all the glorie of that most excellent worke must be attributed vnto him alone, or else no peece of it, for Christ mindeth not to part stakes with vs, as we say.

Lastly, if wee would consider either our selues or others, of whome this is affirmed, and to whome this doctrine is propounded and deliuered, we shall well perceiue that by meanes hereof, we haue not onely our grosse humors fed, and our itching eares tickled, we delighting alwayes to haue some thing wherein to glorie, both before men and God also, whereas in trueth wee shoulde couer our faces for shame, in the sight both of the one and of the o­ther, but also that we are puffed vppe thereby in al maner of intollerable pride, disdaine, and emulati­on amongst men, euerie man thinking better of himselfe and his owne workes, than of all mans els, and set vppon the pinacle of most daungerous pre­sumption before GOD, we clayming at his handes, not with christian boldnes, but with whorish impu­dencie, all good thinges both of this life, and of that that is to come, not of free fauour and mercie, tho­row Christs obedience onely, but of due debt, as a man would say, being readie if God should denie vs the same (as generally for all our sinnes, and espe­cially [Page 41]for this, he hath good occasion offered him) to reuile him to his face, and to accuse him of in­iustice and wrong.

But to come more particularly to the points themselues indeede. And concerning the first, it shall not be amisse to knowe, both their distincti­on of meritum congrui & condigni, and also what they meane by the seuerall braunches therof, that so we may put downe a more plaine and certaine confu­tation.

By meritum congrui, or desert of congruence, as you would say, they vnderstand such workes, as doe not of their owne nature, truly and indeed deserue saluation, otherwise than as it hath pleased God of some certaine goodnes in himselfe, to promise the same thereto: and of this sort they will haue all morall actions to be, specially such as are done be­fore regeneration and iustification.

And by meritum condigni, that is, desert of woor­thines, they meane such works, as to which there is wholy and altogither a reward due, not so much by reason of the gracious promises of god, as in respect of the acts or deedes doone; and of this sort they make the workes of the godly after regeneration.

But for answere, both to the tearmes and matter we say, that neither the wordes of this distinction, nor the distinction it selfe, nor the matter meant vnder the distinction, is contained in the canonicall scriptures, but rather all is ouerthrowne thereby, as shal hereafter plainely appeare.

True it is, that their vulgar Latine hath in diuers places thrust in a Latin worde that signifieth to me­rit or deserue, but without any warrant of the origi­nall [Page 42]text, either of the Hebrew in the old, or of the Greeke in the new Testament, as Genesis 4.13. in the speech that Caine had to God touching his sinne, or the punishement laid vppon him for the same, they turne it thus; My iniquitie is greater than that I can deserue pardon, where howsoeuer the He­brew word, that they turne deserue pardon, be of diuers significations (as if anie in that toong be, no doubt that is one) being put for to be are, to lift vp, to spare, to sweare, and such like very many, yet not one or all of the best Hebricians amongst them is able to alleadge one place throughout all the old Testament, where it is vsed for to merit or deserue.

In the new Testament they deale as corruptlie, and namely, Hebr. 13. vers. 16. not onely darkly tur­ning the place thus; And beneficence and communica­tion do not forget, for vvith such hostes God is promeri­ted, but swaruing, as from the Greeke, which im­porteth that with such sacrifices God is wel plesed, so from men of their owne side, as Arias Montanus by name, the flower of their garland for learning, who turneth the Greeke worde [...], bene placet sibi, that is, well delighted himselfe, and not promeretur, that is, is promerited or deserued.

And the like treachery may wee perceiue in the other terme, condignum, not onelie in this eight of the Romans, as before, but also Esther 6. verse 11. where the foresaid vulgar Latine text, hath foisted in again, this terme of condignus; but altogither not onely without, but whollie against the Hebrew veritie, as euen their owne man Arias Montanus before named in his interlineall translation, by tur­ning it according to the Hebrew hath wel declared.

And as for the members and matter of this Po­pish distinction, drawen from the dirt and puddle of the schoole-men, we haue learned long since, and that out of the worde of God, first, that all morall duties performed, before it hath pleased the Lorde to purifie our harts by faith, Acts 15 9. and to make vs in some acceptable measure partakers of the fruits and ef­fects of Christ his sonne, are so farre off from deser­uing any thing at his hand, that they are most great and greuous transgressions in his sight, bicause the scripture it selfe telleth vs,Hebr. 11.6. that vvithout faith it is impossible to please God. And againe,Rom. 14.2 [...]. vvhatsoeuer is not of faith, that selfe-same is sinne. The euil of these works flowing, not so much from the deedes themselues, for good thinges of themselues are alwayes good, howsoeuer they be euillie done, & so become hurt­full to the doers therof: neither yet from the good­nes or profit, that others by such meanes may re­ceiue from them, bicause so euen euill many times (and therefore much more good) may thorow gods secret and merciful direction (vvho bringeth light out of darkenesse, 2. Cor. 4.6 [...] and maketh the rage of men to turne to his praise) tend to good also; by which also we may see,Psal. 76.10. that workes well weighed, and simplie considered in themselues, and referred to others, may after a sort be counted lawful and good: as rising from that generall taint & corruption of our nature, through the stinch of originall sin, that we haue drawn from our first parents Adam and Heuah, by meanes whereof it falleth out, to be altogither impossible, as in regarde of man, that such rot [...]en, barren, and sruitlesse trees as we are, should bring foorth anie thing that good is, and more speciallie from that [Page 44]palpable blindenesse, and grosse ignorance of God and godlines, that is in vs, by meanes whereof al­so, the actions themselues, wanting a good ground and sure foundation for the performaunce of them (which indeede we can neuer haue, till wee knowe and beleeue, the will of God, as it is reuealed in his worde) are become euen in that respect also, euill and displeasing in his sight. Wherewith also Augu­stine that ancient doctor of the church, euen allea­ged by Thomas of Aquine himselfe, Quest. lib. 2. De gratia Christi. artic. 6. in conclus. very well agreeth, who proueth against the Pelagians, that grace can not fall vnder merit, because that before grace, there are no deserts, but such as are euill, bicause a man before grace receiued is wicked, & to wicked mens merits, not grace, but punishment is due. And quoa­ting the place in the margine, hee saieth it is lib. De bono perseuer. cap. 2. and many other such like tom. 7. By which also we may see that it was the vniforme iudgement of this holy doctor.

And if this doctrine of merit of congruence may be admitted for true, I see no reason why wee may not with Origen holde, that al men at the least shal be saued, sith there haue none liued so beastly or prophanely, but they haue had not care alone to performe, but haue indeede performed morall du­ties: for which, though not as in regarde of them­selues, yet as in respect of GODS promises, they might claime eternall life by this popish assertion.

But it may be, that they will except against this, the poore infidelles and idolatrous people of the world, bicause they were neuer yet well acquainted with the promises of God. Be it so, bicause I suppose [Page 45]they dare not holde, that mens morall deedes may merit without relation had to Gods gratious and great promises. But put the case of those, that be­ing outwardly gathered into the bosome or lap of the church, or made partakers at the least in out­ward hearing of the graces and mercies of God be­queathed vnto the same: tell vs, whether they may be, in any better state and condition by this your doctrine. If you will affirme it, the euidence of truth exclaimeth against you, bicause it is most vn­reasonable to hold, that the promises of themselues without application of them to mens harts & con­sciences, shoulde effect that worke for them. You might before men aswell maintaine, that maimes and woundes might be cured wythout medicine and salue, or a naturall life vpheld wythout meate, drinke, sleepe, and such like, as defend that the pro­mises of God, wythout application of them to our soules, may become effectuall vnto men, bicause they indeede be, the only plaisters of our soules, & the only spirituall foode vnto our soules. Neither is this vttered to weaken the excellencie and pow­er of Gods promises, either as in regarde of God the promise-maker, or as in regarde of the thinges promised, for so they be alwayes good, holie, excel­lent, powerfull, and what not? Neither were it re­quisit, that the worthines thereof shoulde depende vpon our apprehension & application of the same, for that were to subiect GOD and most excellent things, to vs that be most base and vile, but spoken as in consideration of men, to whome they ought to be applied, for want whereof also it falleth out, that they are become a dead letter or vnprofitable [Page 46]word to them, tending almost to no other ende, but to magnifie and manifest, the riches of Gods good­nes, with greater griefe vnto our owne soules, in as much as we see most excellent things offered vs, & yet cannot finde or feele, that wee haue anie parte or portion therein.

Secondlie, as touching workes done after rege­neration, wee freelie confesse, that though at the first blush they may seeme very glorious, yea, and be indeede and trueth good, specially as they come from GOD, and be wrought in vs by the spirite of Christ that dwelleth in our harts: yet as they come from vs, and be tainted with the remainders of our corruption, they are so farre off from meriting or deseruing before God, that if he do indeed examine and weigh them, in the most notable exactnes and vprightnes of his iustice, he shall always finde mat­ter enough in them, not onelie to reiect the things themselues, though otherwise well doone, but also to condemne vs the workers thereof, and that not onelie for the imperfections and wants, that clea­ueth vnto them, we assuring our selues by the truth of christian religion, that no imperfect thing can of it selfe please him, that is most perfect, but euen for our natural filthines and corruption, that clingeth and sticketh as fast thereto, as the skin to the flesh, or the flesh to the bones.

And for the proofe of this point, wee haue two plaine places of holie Scripture amongst manie o­ther, the one taken out of the olde Testament, the other out of the newe, that so also in alleadging them, and comparing one of them with an other, wee may see the most comelie conformitie and a­greement [Page 47]that is in those most excellent writings of the spirite of God.

The prophet Isaiah, in the three score and fourth chapter of the booke of his visions, and in the sixt verse of the same chapter, speaking to the Lord in his owne name, and in the name of the rest of the people of God, siath,Isai. 64.6. that vvee haue all beene as an vncleane thing, and all our righteousnes as filthie clovvts. In which sentence certainly, there is neuer a word wanting weight, for the proofe of the particular point for which it is brought foorth, speciallie if we looke vppon it, as it is in the originall text; for first he saith not all men generallie, which yet per­haps to some might seeme strange, bicause of that fond conceit. that hath crept into mens mindes, that all men are not alike tainted in Adam, but all we, me aning all the faithfull and elect people, in­cluding also himselfe (though otherwise a very holy & godlie man) in the number: which yet is more strong, if we consider that this that the prophet de­liuereth, is not onely the common case of all the faithfull, but euen of the best sort of them (if any a­mongst them be better than other) so that if there were any to be excepted, they most chefly, & rather than others, and yet notwithstanding, God by the prophet wrappeth and foldeth them vppe togither (not excepting any one, of, or amongst, them all) as filthy and vncleane, by meanes wherof also, they deserued separation from God & men, filthy & vn­cleane things not being vsed, as we see by the truth of the word, either for gods seruice, or about cōmon affaires till such time as they were purified, yea we knowing further by the lawe, that they did not only [Page 48]carry the note of pollution,Leoit. 11.39. and vncleannesse in themselues, but tainted such others therewyth al­so (if they came nigh thereto) as touched the same: our state and condition, being wholie and altogi­ther like vnto the same, by reason of the worlde of wickednesse that resteth in vs, wee hauing defiled by meanes of our sins not our selues onely, but the rest of the creatures,Zeph. 1.3. Iob 15.15. Yea the very heauens thereby are after a sort become impure and vncleane in Gods sight.

And yet the Prophet staieth not there, but as though he could finde neither wordes nor matter, sufficient inough to describe our naughtinesse by, he addeth further, all our righteousnes, or as it is in the Hebrew text, righteousnesses, it being a worde of the plurall number, he meaning also thereby, and that according to the proprietie of that toong, which v­seth such wordes both to note number and excel­lencie, that all and euery grace, howe many and howe notable soeuer they be, or can be in this life, are not (though not as of themselues, nor as they come from God, for so they are alwaies, and must needes continually be good) yet as they are tainted with the corruption of our nature, and by reason of our imperfection and defects, such as may come into accounts before God, in the exactnesse of his righteousnesse. By which also we may well perceiue and learne, that neither the glorie and glittering, nor the number of our good workes, are, or can be such (specially as they proceede from vs) as may commend vs to GOD, much lesse merite at his handes of themselues & for themselues, but as they are accepted before him, in and for an others sake [Page 49]onely: without the which indeede, they are rather matters of abhomination before God.

And that the truth of this, might yet more plain­ly appeare, the prophet compareth them, not to things meanely, base, filthy, and vile, but either to the defiled clowts of a monstrous woman, as their owne vulgate turneth it; or to the clowts occupied about them that be sicke and diseased, which Sym­machus calleth patientium, according to the physi­tians phrase, but it shoulde be, as I thinke, parienti­um rather, that is, of them that bring foorth chil­dren into the worlde: or as Aquila turneth it, the clowts [...]tnesses,Deue, 22.15 meaning thereby such signes & tokens as were giuen of virginitie, in the first per­formance of the marriage bed; or like vnto a pat­ched garment made of peeces and shreads of verie olde and ouer-worne cloths, as Dauid, Kmichi, and some other of the Iewish rabbins will haue it: or as Ionathan in his Thargum expoundeth it, as an ab­iect garment, or a garment that for the filthines of it, is fit to be floong from vs; all and euery one of these, noting such things, as both eie and heart ab­horreth. And in truth, if herein a man should stand to alleadge, the seuerall interpretations, that men haue giuen of that word, we might quickly grow te­dious: a matter that I for mine own part like not of, neither indeed would I therein haue bin so large at this present, but that al men might see, both Iewish and christian expositors, concurring as it were, and consenting togither, to resemble our best things, to most base and vile matters, yea to such things as are lothsome to be looked on, and greuous many times to be thought of, so far off haue they bin from euer [Page 50]approuing or allowing the merit of mans workes before God, and speciallie as in respect of eternall life and saluation.

And least any man should thinke, that this were but the voice of a mortall man obscurely and darkly vttered in the olde Testament, touching this point, let vs heare what the eternal son of the eter­nall father (who neither deceiueth nor is deceiued) hath vnder the gospell in a most audible voice spo­ken concerning this matter, that so wee may the more readily receiue the trueth, and detest al con­trary falshoode whatsoeuer.

In the seuenth of Luke hee teacheth vs, both by similitude and plaine doctrine,Luke 17.10. to confes, that vvee are vnprofitable seruants, euen then vvhen vve haue done the things that are commaunded vs to doe, vve hauing performed no more but that vvhich vve ought: not that Christ meaneth thereby, that it is possible for vs poore and miserable men that wee are, to fulfill the lawe of God, and to obey all and euery one of his holie commaundements, as some woulde corrupt­ly conclude therevpon, for that doctrine is altogi­ther contrary to the trueth of the written worde, as appeareth Acts 15.10. and Rom. 8.3. and tendeth maruellously to puffe vp flesh and blood. Neither yet that hee woulde teach vs in a certaine kinde of monkish humility, to conceiue or speake more mo­destly of our dooings, than they of themselues de­serue, for that were dalliance, hypocrisie, and false witnes-bearing: besides that, it were a robbing of God of his glory, who is then defaced, when his gra­ces & good works are debased beyond measure and trueth. And what a fearefull thing were it also, to [Page 51]make our sauiour a teacher of such vanitie and cor­ruption, we therby subiecting himselfe to sinne, who was altogither free from sin, & by that means like­wise spoiling our selues of al grace, goodnes, and cō ­fort, that otherwise we might fetch from him, who could not be the price and ransome of our sinne, if he were any maner of way tainted with any, yea the least sin whatsoeuer, a matter that might wound vs, and euery one of vs, vnto eternall death. But rather to teach vs, that though we had exactly and in eue­rie point, kept the whole law of God (which indeed no man as man hath euer performed or can per­forme, I alwaies except Christ Iesus God & man in one person) that yet we should be so farre off, from thinking or dreaming of desertes, specially at Gods hands that we should not, as our sauior Christ she­weth, by the similitude and plain words of the same, so much as looke for thanks, much lesse for merit.

And that we may yet more plainly perceiue this point, let vs a little weigh euen our sauiour Christs owne words. He telleth vs, that though earthlie ser­uants performe to their earthly maisters al the du­ties that they lay vpon them, that yet their maisters wil not for all that, so much as in wordes giue them thankes for the thinges doone? Which matter beeing expressed in suche a manner as our Saui­our deliuereth it wythall, doth yet serue more to explane and prooue the point, hee not simplie affirming, that the maister in the accomplishe­ment of seruices prescribed, dooth not yeelde the seruaunt thankes, but interrogatiuely spea­king it saieth: Dooth hee giue that seruaunt thankes, for dooing the thing vvhich hee commaunded him? as [Page 52]though hee shoulde saye, no certainely, for suche a force hath that interrogation or demaunde. And yet our Sauior adding an answere to that question, and in these words, I trovve not, vehemently affirm­ing that no maister vseth it, doeth more and more therby confirme and strengthen the matter he had in hand, which is the vtter abolishing of all opini­on of merit; for if earthlie seruaunts doe not then deserue, at their earthlie maisters handes, so much as thankes, much lesse a reward (which all men will confesse, to be greater and more, in as much as workes excell wordes, the one also being more eas­lie and with lesse cost perfourmed, than the other) when they haue accomplished the things that their lords and maisters inioyed them, how can we hope or looke for, either thanks or merit, at the hands of our heauenlie father, in the performance of spiritu­al seruices, the thinking, knowing, and doing wher­of, is not onelie much more difficult and hard, than the doing of worldlie duties (by how much spiritu­all things be more excellent than worldlie) but also bicause the things themselues, though they be per­formed, do by reson of defects cleauing vnto them, throgh our corruptiōs (we failing either in the matter, maner, end, or some such other point) become as it were displeasing in the sight of almightie God.

Is there any man so sottish, that will denie the truth of this point? If they be, I doubt not to ad­uouch, that in the blindnes of their owne heartes, they regarde not the great oddes, that both in na­ture and authoritie, is betwene our heanenly Lord, and our earthly maisters, nor weigh the wonderful difference, that is betwene their seuerall comman­dements, [Page 53]neither yet consider their owne weakenes and wants. For first God as the creator of al things is infinit, & man as his creature is infinit & circum­scriptible. God againe is spirituall & heuenlie, man on the other side is corporal and earthly. There be­ing then no proportion betweene finite and infinit, spirituall and corporall, earthly and heauenly, how can men exactly & absolutely performe the infinite and spirituall duties, that such an infinite and spiri­tuall maiestie prescribeth? And if they cannot per­forme all, but faile in the most, or any one, how can they claime of duty? Much more maruellous is it, that they dare chalenge of desert. On the other side, if we compare man to man, we shal then easlie perceiue, that howsoeuer they differ somewhat, as in respect of their seuerall places and callings: yet one God hath made all of that kinde of one bloud, Acts 17.26. euen to dvvell vpon the face of the earth: and therefore there being by that meanes, not onelie a certaine simili­tude or likenes betweene them, but equalitie after a sort, they may, yea doe many times, more readilie yeelde to the things or duties that one of them ex­acteth of an other, or the chiefest of them all, at the handes of all the rest.

And if wee looke vppon the difference of either of their lawes, we shall yet more plainely beholde, & as a man would say, haue all our senses satisfied in the truth of this point. For as touching the lawes we knowe by experience, and beleeue in faith, that they are such, as the law-makers themselues are: GOD therefore being spirituall, his also are spi­rituall, requiring inward and most excellent things, whereas man being bodilie and outward, demaun­deth [Page 54]by his law, but outward and bodily obedience. To this latter, we are and may be much holpen, by the ripenes of our wits, the actiuitie and nimblenes of our bodies, the light of nature, continuall cu­stome, daily exercise, and many such like. But to the former, nothing neither without vs, nei­ther within vs (till GOD hath quite and cleane al­tered vs) can any manner of way further vs, but hinder vs rather,1. Cor. 2.14 bicause the naturall man (as the A­postle telleth vs) perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God. Rom. 8.7. And againe in an other place, That the vvisedome of the flesh (meaning thereby whatsoeuer is most excellent in it, as of it selfe) is enmitie a­gainst God, for it is not subiect to the lavve of God, nei­ther indeede can be. And therefore good reason haue we why we should refuse these dotages & conceits.

Now then to conclude this controuersie; if nei­ther our workes before regeneration nor after re­generation, are able to purchase any good thing from God, as wee haue alreadie sufficiently pro­ued the same: and wee haue no workes at all, but they must of necessitie be comprised, vnder the one or the other number of this diuision; then it plainely and truely followeth heerevpon, that no deedes of ours whatsoeuer, doe or can merite or deserue any good thing at Gods handes, much lesse eternall life, the chiefest good of all; and by con­sequent also, that these popish distinctions are both blinde and blasphemous.

Nether are these things spoken, as to cracke the credit of the good workes, that God inableth his children to do (for what are we miserable wretches, that we should debase or deface his graces, in our [Page 55]selues or others) or to discorage men from the per­formance of the same (whom we ought and that by the warrāt of the word & christian charitie,Hebr. 3.13. to draw on by al means possible to the dooing of them) but rather to teach vs willingly, to take shame and con­fusion of face vpon our selues, by reason of the im­perfectiō & defects that cleueth to our good deeds, that so God in our debasing may receiue all glorie of goodnes, to whom indeed & alone it belongeth: yea and so to profit by these our wants & weaknes­ses, that it may appeare both to our selues and o­thers, that we haue not receiued, the truth of this doctrine in vaine, but referred it to the right endes, the Lorde vsing it not onely as a notable meane to humble vs before him, in whose sight all flesh must stoupe and be abased, how righteous & innocent so­euer they seeme to be before men, but also to cause vs with more speede and earnestnes to looke vp to Christ, and to repaire to him that is the only meane to cure our transgressions, & to couer al our imper­fections whatsoeuer, which of a truth none perform that any maner of way (how little or much soeuer it be) will plead merit or desert, in Gods sight, setting vp notwithstanding before vs,Hebr. 6.1. Perfection as a butte or marke to aime at, though we cannot hit it, or at­taine to it in this life, making notwithstanding our care and conscience to appeare, in a lawful striuing toward it, as much as we may, alwayes assuring our selues of this, that God continually accepteth those that are his, in his welbeloued son, & their onely sa­uior Christ, According to that they haue, 2. Cor. 8.12. and not accor­ding to that they haue not. And let this suffice for a iust confutation of their conceit, or dotage of deserts.

Nowe we come to our Rhemists, and their asser­tions; al that they say being of trueth, scarse worth the answering, neither indeed neede we to trauell in it, were it not, least they should waxe insolent, in the fond imaginations of their hearts, or should thorow their owne corruption cary men headlong thorow the blindnesse of their vnderstandings, to error and heresie.

They tell vs in their notes here, that we dare not much aduouch, that Christs passiōs be not merito­rious of his glorie. To which we answere, that what we dare aduouch concerning Christs passions, they doe not well knowe, bicause they will not, or dare not be acquainted with our doctrine and writings, absenting themselues from our publike assemblies, and forbidding all of their faction (some fewe onlie excepted) to read our works. If wee dare not much aduouch Christs sufferings not to be meritorious, is there anie maruell, sith it is a doctrine neuer pro­pounded in the word, nor deliuered by the fathers of right faith and religion? Papistes thinke that all assertions are to be reiected, that are not war­ranted either by the scriptures, or by the consent and authoritie of reuerend antiquitie. And why may not we then vppon the same groundes, refuse this conclusion, sith it hath not for it such proppes and foundations? And if wee dare not aduouch much, against the merites of Christs sufferings, as they say, why do they here, and else-where in ma­ny places labour largely to confute that, that is so fearfully affirmed, and namely Philip. 2. where they say, that we wickedly and vnlearnedly deny Christ, to haue deserued for himselfe. Belike our doctrine [Page 57]hath bitten them by the heart, or else they woulde not make so long and often Apologies, in so bad & desparate causes. Surely, one of these two must of necessitie follow, either, that in vaine imaginati­ons, they doe fight against their owne shadowes, a point of extreame follie, specially if wee dare not, or do not affirme that which they say we holde: or else vtter grosse contradictions in themselues, who in other places as before, charge vs wickedly & vn­learnedly to defend the same that they impugne.

But to the point, we for our parts feare not plain­ly to expresse, and that to the eies and eares of all the godlie (yea to the wicked themselues, that so they may be either conuerted or confounded by the glorie of truth) what wee holde and maintaine herein; first, that this point of doctrine propoun­ded by them, is not crowned with the glorious gar­land of holie truth, and reuerend antiquitie. For proofe whereof we bid them shew vs, if they can, a­ny plaine text of scripture, or formall place out of the vncounterfeited writings of the sound fathers. Those that haue bin produced we haue looked vp­on, and finde them very vnsauerly alleadged at the least: and if they haue none more pregnant and pi­thie than they, we tell them they are ouerfeeble for vs to fasten our faith vpon. And if they send vs to Peter Lombard, Thomas of Aquine, and the rest of the schoole doctors, that doe more curiously than christianly wade into these points, we frankely and freely confesse, that we dare not giue them the au­thoritie, to be stampers & coiners of new doctrine in the church, bicause wee haue learned out of the word, that there is but one only lavv-giuer, God, Iames 4.12. vvhich [Page 58]is able to saue and to destroy, nor may not any maner of way, stay and settle our conscience vppon them, nor vpon those that be much better than they, bi­cause Gods worde alone, and not mans imagina­tions, is the only ground and obiect therof.

Secondly, though wee shoulde graunt, that they speake heerein no false or erronious matter, yet we affirme, that this idle and vnprofitable thought, of our owne harts and heads, ought to be abolished, not only in as much as it hath no good foundation, to stand vpon, but also bicause it doth wonderfullie darken, if not vtterly euacuate and take away, both the loue of God, and Christes grace and fauour also towardes vs; for we knowe and haue learned out of the scriptures, and therefore doe beleeue it too, that God so loued the vvorlde, Iohn 3 16. Rom. 8.32. that he gaue his onely be­gotten sonne vnto the death for vs all, to the ende that e­uery one of those vvhich beleeue in him, should not perish but haue euerlasting life: which rich loue of his to­wards vs, could not haue so plentifully and plainly appeared, if he had therein as wel prouided for his sons profit, as for our good. And Christs grace can not but be greatly obscured thereby, while we fan­tastically imagine, that he came into the world, & suffred al maner of villanie at the hands of the wic­ked, for some other cause good for himselfe, rather than for the worke of our saluation. Whereas we are sure, that when the Scripture will magnifie his loue towards vs,Rom. 5, 6.10 it telleth vs, that he died for vs vvhen vve vvere his vtter enimies, giuing vs thereby to vn­derstand, that he had no regarde or consideration of himselfe at all, but onely of vs, yea hee himselfe saith,Iohn 17.19 in the gospell after Iohn, that for our sakes he [Page 59]sanctified himselfe, &c. by which hee plainely decla­reth, that he did not onlie sanctifie himselfe for our sakes alone, but also that he deriued, the fruit and benefit of his owne holinesse ouer vnto vs, purcha­sing nothing thereby vnto himselfe. And no doubt but this is the meaning, as of the whole Scripture generally, so specially of the Prophets and Apostles when they say, Vnto vs a childe is borne, Isai. 9.6. and vnto vs a son is giuen. And againe, that hee died for our sins, Rom. 4.25 and rose for our righteousnes; these words (vs) and (ours) being so emphaticall and forcible, yea after a sort so particularizing the matter and persons that they shew, that for vs and our sakes onely, and for no­thing to himselfe, he became man, and tooke vpon him the shape of a seruant, which had it not beene wholie and altogither true, it had beene as easie a matter for the holie ghost, or holie men inspired by the spirite of God, to haue saide, that hee did it, aswel for himselfe as for vs: but no such phrase can be found, and therefore hee mindeth to restraine Christes humbling, and the fruites and effectes of it (which indeede are all his merits) wholy and al­togither to vs.

Thirdly, it may seeme straunge in reason to all men, if it be not erroneous in religion amongest Christians, that the merites of Christes suffe­rings, shoulde haue a larger reach, and be ex­tended further than his passions and sufferings themselues, especially sith that they themselues make his sufferings the causes of his merits, and his merits the effects of those causes. In common sense we know, that as a cause is before the effect, for an effect can not be before there be a cause working [Page 60]the same effect: so it is, and must of necessitie also be, as large at the least, as the effect it selfe, if not more large, in as much as it must not only giue life and being to the things for the present time produ­ced, but also preserue a continuall life in it self, for the bringing out of the like effectes still. And they themselues haue a rule in philosophie; that whatso­euer worketh or bringeth foorth such a thing as the thing it self is, that worketh or bringeth foorth, that thing that bringeth forth is in the same kind; much more such a thing, than that which is broght forth. Shall Christ then by his death merite for himselfe? and shall hee not in his death die for himselfe? But that Christ suffered for himselfe they dare not ad­uouch, for the scripture affirmeth the contrarie, saying,1 Pet. 3.18. that the iust suffered for the vniust, and that were to make also Christ a transgressor, wheras the word telleth vs, that he did no sinne, neither vvas there any guile found in his mouth, 1. Pet 2 22. Isaiah. 53.9 yea it were to leaue our selues in our sins, bicause a sinner though he should suffer neuer so much, cannot cleare himselfe, much lesse others from sin, or the punishment due vnto the same. And therfore also there is no reason, why they shoulde holde that Christ merited for him­selfe.

Certainly, touching this point, this is my persua­sion, and I rest resolued, that all good men wil easly consent with me in the same, to wit, that this forge­rie (that Christ suffered on the crosse, that so by the merite of his worke hee might get vnto himselfe, some thing which before he had not, came without all doubt euen from Sathan himselfe, who labored by this (as by many other the like corruptions) to [Page 61]cast a thicke mist or fogge before the most excel­lent glorie and grace of our Sauiour, that so the same being dimmed at the first, though not in the whole, yet in some small part of it, he might in the ende by a little taint, and discredite the whole. And whosoeuer they are that see Sathans subtilties indeede, do not onely perceiue this to be most true, but haue their hearts also thorowe Gods goodnesse inlightned to knowe, to what ende Sathan doth it, namely, to bring them, by doubting of some part of Christes great glorie, at the least to distrust the whole, and so by consequence to suffer him, yea and that willinglie also to hold vs captiues in vnbeleefe, at his pleasure. We had neede therefore, not onlie to looke well about vs, least we be ignorantlie, or at vnwares supprised of him in his grinnes, but also to hearken and that attentiuely and carefully, to the voice of the holie ghost, speaking vnto vs in the written worde, which oftentimes telleth vs, that in Christs death and suffering, we shoulde not la­bour to see, taste, thinke, feele, or knowe any thing else, but Gods meere grace and goodnes onely, and such great and inestimable loue of our Sauiour Christ, to vs-ward, that hee (as a man woulde say) quite and cleane forgetting himselfe, and looking at nothing but our good, was contented to take his life in his hands, and vvillingly to lay it dovvne for vs all: Ioh. 10.17, 18 yea we shall see, that whensoeuer the scripture speaketh of the sufferings of our sauiour in plaine wordes and termes, it determineth that the fruit and benefit thereof redoundeth wholie and onely vnto vs, affirming, that by it, eternall life is purcha­sed vnto vs, and heauen gates set open for vs, wee [Page 62]being thereby not onely purged from our filthines, but wholy reconciled to God, and restored to righ­teousnes: for which purpose amongst many other, see one plaine place Hebrewes 10. vers. 14, 15, 16, &c.

But if they wil needs haue and hold, that our sa­uiour Christ did merit for himselfe, then let them tel vs we pray them, first at what time he did it, bi­cause workes of such excellencie, had a time also wherein they were performed.

Secondly, let them declare, whether in his whole person, or in either of his natures distinctly and by it selfe, he purchased that, which they say he meri­ted; for if we know not that, we can not tell what to beleeue, bicause that whatsoeuer Christ hath done, either for himselfe or for vs, hee hath performed it, either in his whole person, or in one of his na­tures.

Thirdly, let them certainly shew vs, what it was, that he merited, for it is not meete that a worke of so great excellencie to him, and of such singular profit to vs, as these men would beare the world in hande, this point bringeth with it, shoulde be buried vnder some generall knowledge of the same.

Touching the first wee say, that the men, that so much vrge this point, haue not yet among them­selues certainly concluded, what time Christ meri­ted, for as for them that tie this, to the time of his passion onely, or to the very act and deed of his suf­ferings (of which minde our Rhemists seeme to be, both in their annotations vpon this place, & in sun­dry other of their notes vpon the new Testament) [Page 63]wee say, that they are not well aduised what they speake: not only bicause they contradict and gaine-say their owne master of the sentences, Peter Lom­bard I meane, who lib. 3. Dist. 18. affirmeth in plaine and euident termes, that Christ euen from the ve­ry time of his conception, did by his conception deserue that, which he did by his passion, but thwart also their angelicall doctor Thomas Aquinas, who lib. quest. de gratia Christi act. 8. & in conclus. though he recite two opinions concerning this point, some holding, that he did not deserue in the first instant of his conception, but anone after, and othersome that he did deserue in the very first moment therof (so wel do Papists agree in the materiall pointes of their religion) doth yet notwithstanding approoue of the latter, as more reasonable. Yea they crosse the very truth and reason it selfe, bicause our Saui­our did many notable things besides his sufferings & before his death, which also might as his death, iustly merit before God, both for himselfe and o­thers, euen as his death did: for example his ear­nest and continuall praiers, his dayly and paineful preachings, his maruellous and infinit miracles, and many other good deedes: whereof also this is a verie good & strong reason, that if the good workes of men do after regeneration, ex condigno, as they say, merit both for themselues & others, thē much more Christs good deedes must haue that power, in as much as in all innocencie, holinesse, and per­fection, his workes did and doe farre exceede, not onely the good deedes of some good men, but all the good deedes of all the good men that haue bin, are, or shall be.

And as for those that maintaine, that in his con­ception, and by the same hee merited as much at the first, as he did afterwardes by induring martir­dome (of which minde is the maister of the senten­ces, in the place aboue alleadged and some others) we affirme, that besides that they agree not with those that tie or binde his sufferings to the time of his passion onelie, (of whome you haue heard be­fore) they swarue also euen as the former, from truth of religion and humane reason; for first merit presupposeth a good action or holie affection, that hath in it selfe power and abilitie to deserue, alrea­die past, for I suppose they will not holde, that with­out either the one or the other, or both, there can be any desert. But we feare not to affirme, that our Sauiour had not (and yet wee speake without anie preiudice at all, to his blessed person or natures) a­ny such thing in the very moment of his concepti­on, no, nor long time after, for anie thing wee can perceiue. If he had, let them shewe vs what it was, and then they shall heare our minds further in that behalfe.

And as it is more absurd by much to ascribe his meriting, to the action of his conception, bicause that that was not his proper and peculiar deed, but the worke, partlie of the holie ghost, and partly of the virgine Marye, these two onely being im­ployed in the conception, incarnation, and birth of our Sauiour, and not Christ himselfe being the thing conceiued, incarnate, and borne, vnles they will say, either that one person of the godhead can purchase grace & fauour for another, and so make God like vnto man, as they do by their [Page 65]doltish distinction before confuted, which is most horrible blasphemie, bicause of the three seuerall and distinct persons of the godhead, none is better, more great, or worthie than an other, or else, that earthlie mothers may merit for their sonnes, and that in the act of generation and conception, which besides that it is too grosse and carnall, standeth vp against the mercie of God, which must be in all re­spects free, or else it is no mercie at all, and is di­rectly against the scripture, and namely,Ezech. 18.4 10 Ezech. 18. where it is affirmed, that a good fathers holines or iustice shall no manner of way stand his vngracious childe in stead.

Touching the second we say, that they dare not aduouch that his whole person merited, bicause there is no such thing warranted by the authoritie of Gods word, nor by the iudgement of right belee­uing fathers. Nay their owne doctors are against that, as for example Peter Lombard in the place before alleadged, where he affirmeth out of Augu­stine vpon the second chapter of Paules epistles to the Philippians, that all this was done, in the forme of a seruant: and Thomas of Aquine also, Quest. part. 2. quest. de gratia Christi, art. 7. & in conclus. is of the very same minde, saying, that Christ merited not, but in respect that he was man, though in that respect he was more worthie than other men.

If they will maintaine, that in his godhead hee merited, then one of these two absurdities must of necessitie insue vpon the dangerous assertiō, name­ly, either that the godhead hath merited more than it had, which is to make it subiect to imperfections and defects, and by consequent God himselfe like­wise, [Page 66]to become subiect to more and lesse, and so to alteration and change, than the which nothing is or can be more blasphemous, wee knowing and be­leeuing that God is most perfect, and remaineth alwayes like vnto himselfe; or else that the godhead is passible (for the question is here now of meriting by suffering) which is also as false and hereticall, as possibly can be, we hauing learned both by the war­rant of the word, and the whole trueth of christian religion, that the godhead is altogither impassible and can suffer nothing, bicause it hath bin alwaies of it selfe, is, and shall be for euer and euer, a spiritu­al and eternall substance vtterly freed from al such affections and passions.

If they holde that in his other nature, to wit, his manhoode, he hath merited, as indeede it is their common assertion, then yet we say, that that is ab­surd and erroneous likewise, bicause his manhoode is a creature, euen as wee our selues are (though he be freed from sinne) and hard is it, yea it was yet neuer heard of, that creatures could indeed de­serue at the hands of the creator, who hath indued them with breath and being, and filled them of his owne free fauor, with the fulnes and riches of al his mercies. For what can the creator, by his infinit li­beralitie, goodnes, wisedome, and whatsoeuer else is excellent and high in him, purchase at the handes of his creatures, more than by wel-doing towardes them, to deserue their loue and obedience againe towards him, and so they with an vnfained affecti­on, imbrace, loue, and honour him? Dauid a man according to Gods owne hart, was content to con­fesse,Psal. 16.2. O Lorde, my voel-dooing extendeth not to thee. [Page 67]And in an other place,Psal. 116.12 VVhat shall I render to the Lorde for all his benefits to me, as if he shoulde say, I cannot tell what. Of a trueth I haue nothing that will answere the least of them, much lesse deserue the best.

And if they wil say, that he had the fulnes of good­nes in himselfe, wee answeare that that will nothing helpe them. For though that be true, yet hee had it not as from his manhoode, though it were in his manhoode, but from the fulnes of the sanctifieng spirit, and the excellencie of his eternall godhead, which did so plentifully, replenish his humane na­ture, with all manner of grace and goodnes,Iohn 1.16. that of his fulnes vve haue all receiued euen grace for grace, and yet notwithstanding he hath neuer a whit the lesse in himselfe, no more than God by induing vs with immortall soules, or giuing vs wisdome, righteous­nes, and such like, hath either spoiled himselfe of, or diminished his owne immortalitie, iustice, wisdome, and other essentiall properties in him.

Now then if Christ haue not merited, neither in his person, nor in his seuerall and distinct natures, as we haue already sufficiently proued I hope: and we know not, neither beleeue any more in Christ, than his person and natures to work by, either they must of necessity let this curious dotage, of Christs meriting for himself passe & vanish away like smoke in the aire, and so imbrace the contrarie truth togi­ther with vs, or else shewe something besids in him, which hath performed this so high and excellent work, that they wil haue euery man, & that not only for auoiding suspition of heresie, but vppon paine of condemnation of their souls vnfainedly to beleeue.

In the third point, namely concerning the mat­ter hee merited to himselfe, they are as hardely di­stressed, and as much at their wits ende: yea and at as great iarres and contentions also amongst them selues, touching the same, as they were in the for­mer; some affirming that he merited immortalitie to his bodie, and impassibilitie as they call it to his soule; and of this minde is the maister of the sen­tences, in the place aboue quoated; othersome that he merited life euerlasting, and the glorie of hea­uen, as our Rhemists vpon Rom. 8. and othersome againe, that hee merited all and euerie one of these matters togither. For answere wherevnto, and to take no aduantage of this, that they can not agree nor resolue, what it is certainely that hee merited to himselfe (sauing that by this wee may perceiue, that we haue little hope that they will consent with vs in truth, that be at daggers drawing among them selues in falshoode, bicause he verily will hardlie a­gree with any, that diffenteth from himselfe) we tell them, that hee merited, neither any one of these things seuerally, nor all these things iointly, and that therefore whatsoeuer they holde herein, is but some swimming imaginations of their owne heads.

For first, touching the immortalitie of his bodie, and the impassibilitie of his soule: if they say he de­serued these before his sufferings, why had he not then his due deserts giuen him, & that in due time. For the thing deseruing being once performed, the merit presently groweth due, and if there be anie delay made, there is iniurie and iniustice offered, to the party deseruing, by the party that shoulde re­compence, in as much as hee deteineth and vseth [Page 69]that which is proper to another. And so by this do­ctrine, the Lorde is found both greately in debt to man, and iniust to all those, whose wel-dooings hee rewardeth not, euen presently after the worke is performed. But to vs, ouer and besides the reason before alleadged, it seemeth impossible, that hee could deserue either the one or the other of them, specially sith the articles of our religion teach vs to beleeue, that he was dead and buried, and the scrip­ture assureth vs, that hee sustained most greeuous pangs and passions in his soule, specially when he affirmed, that his soule vvas heauie euen vnto death: Mat. 26.38. and againe when hee cried out vppon the crosse, in the anguish and bitternesse of his spirit, My God, Mar. 15.34. my God, vvhy hast thou forsaken me? What, was not God of power to performe that which Christ had deser­ued? Or was he not willing to satisfie and pay that which his onely sonne had merited? Doe you not see that these absurdities, errours, yea blasphemies, must of necessitie follow vpon these lewse and lewd conclusions.

What, will you say he had these graces bestowed vpon him after his death and resurrection, by the power of his passion? I answere, that then you say as much, as if indeede you had said nothing at all: first, bicause that the withholding of his deserts be­fore touched remaineth notwithstanding still vn­satisfied, and not taken away. Secondly, bicause that if he merited those things, by his conception (as the master holdeth) it is vnseasonable to ascribe these merits or things deserued to an other matter. Thirdly, bicause that in that meriting, what had Christ, that we haue not, I meane the faithfull? For [Page 70]after naturall death they haue as in respect of their soules,Reuel. 7.17. all teares vviped avvay from their eies, and be freed from the sufferings of this present world, and the torments of that that is to come; and at the re­surrection, their base and vile bodies (though other­wise dissolued into dust and powder) shall according to the mightie povver, Philip. 3.21. vvhereby Christ is able euen to sub­due all things vnto himselfe; be raised againe, and be made mortall and glorious, as the scripture plain­ly teacheth in many places, and namely, 1. Cor. 15. Wherevpon also it will follow directly, that as men in their doctrine may merit, so they may merite as muche to themselues as Christ didde for him­selfe. But of a truth, the mortalitie of Christs bo­dy standeth not, as they suppose, vppon Christs meriting of it, but vpon the trueth and certaine­tie of the promises passed long before hee was clad with our flesh.Psal. 16.10. The prophet saying, Thou vvilt not leaue my soule in the graue, neither vvilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption. Which place the apostle Peter doth notably expound in the Acts, in plaine and euident termes,Acts 2.24. telling vs, that it vvas impos­sible that hee shoulde be held dovvne of the sorrovves of death: this impossibilitie arising, not from the strength of his merits, but from the power of God, raising him vp mightily againe from the dead. And the like may be saide for the impassibilitie of his soule.

As for they that affirme, that our Sauiour meri­ted heauen and eternall glorie by his sufferings, we feare not to tell them, and that to their faces, that (either in the pride or ignorance of their hearts) they speake they wot not what, and in the lightnes [Page 71]of their braine, and idlenesse of their head, they babble out things directly contrary to the worde, and to the iudgement also of some of the best of their sides. Can a manne in time deserue that which hee had from before all times? Our Saui­our I am sure in their iudgements (if hee merited anie waie) merited as man. And dooth not hee himselfe praie the Father,Iohn 17.5. To glorifie him vvith him­selfe, and that vvith that glorie vvhich hee had vvith him before the vvorlde vvas? They are not so past shame or grace I hope, that they will make our Sauiour (vvho is the vvaie, the life, Iohn 14.6. and the trueth) a liar. Dooth not Melchios Canus one of the doubtiest diuines, being conuicted with the eui­dence of this truth confesse the same? Will they go against the plaine wordes of Christ? And will they thwarte the iudgement of their best friendes? It is fearefull, but speciallie in matters of falshoode and vntrueth, to doe either the one or the other: for to crosse their acquaintance, is to weaken and discredite their owne cause and dealing: and to oppose themselues against Christ, is to pull iudgement and condemnation vppon themselues, bicause he is the stone, Mat. 21.44. vvhich vvhosoe­uer shall fall on shall be broken, and on vvhomsoeuer it shall fall, it shall grinde him to povvder. But both these mischiefes and inconueniences, they must of ne­cessitie fall into, that will vphold and defend such falshoodes and vncertainties.

And if their errors had staied here and gone no further, than to magnifie Christ and his merites (though indeede they haue done it beyond al truth and reason) it had bin lesse euill for themselues, and [Page 72]more profitable for vs, who might by that meanes haue spared a great deale both of labour and time, that we must of necessitie now bestowe, least their poison shoulde infect the soules of men. But as one iniquitie is readie to bring foorth another, so they haue proceeded to tell vs, that men also by their sufferings may merit eternall life. But who seeth not how infinitly absurd in reason this is, to argue from Christ,Mat. 3.17. 2. Cor. 5.19. free from sin, and the person in vvhom alone God vvas vvell pleased, and reconciled the vvorld vnto himselfe, and had in him full & absolute iustice, yea such abundance of it, that hee hath communi­cated, holinesse, innocencie, and righteousnesse, vn­to all beleeuers, to men, tainted with all manner of iniquitie, who neither cā please god for themselues, nor others; who also when they haue doone all that can be doone in this life, are yet notwithstanding clogged with defects and wants, by meanes where­of they cannot, not onely procure vnto themselues any good things, but purchase eternall confusion and euerlasting death, as hath bin alreadie plainlie enough and sufficiently proued.

And as absurd and vnreasonable certainly is that their marginall note, wherein they affirme, that all suffrings in this life is nothing in comparison of the heauenly glory, and yet that it is meritorious and worthie of the same. For doe not all men, euen by the very light of reason see and know, that there is, and must of necessitie be, a certaine analogie and proportion betweene the thing deseruing, and the thing deserued, or else the party deseruing cannot claime as of dutie, but of beneuolence, vnles they will extort and wring foorth more than they haue [Page 73]merited. Cā nothing deserue any thing, or a matter of small industry & labor merit a kingdom or earth­ly crowne? Of a trueth no: much lesse then can that which they themselues call nothing (and woulde to God they thought it nothing indeede, then would they let the cause and question about nothing fall to the ground) deserue so excellent a thing, as the incorruptible crowne, and the heauenly kingdome of eternall life is. No, that (as the apostle teacheth vs) is the free gift of God. And if it be free,Rom. 6.23. it must be in all parts, and in all respects free, or else not at all, as on the other side, merits must be altogither merits, or else no merits at all, bicause if there be the least part of the thing deserued, exceeding our deserts, then are they so dashed and defaced that they cannot in any vpright iudgement stand vp be­fore God or man to merit any thing. For euen as the Apostle reasoneth, and that rightlie of workes and grace, affirming, that if Gods election be of grace, Rom. 11.6. it is no more of vvorkes, or else vvere grace no more grace: or if it be of vvorkes, it is no more of grace, or else vvere vvorkes no more vvorkes: so may we safely affirme of Gods goodnes, and mans merits, namely, that if eternall life in the whole, and euery part of it, be a free gift, grace, and goodnesse of God bestowed vp­on vs in Christ, then it is not of desert or merite, for then Gods grace, gift, and goodnes, shall be no more grace, gift, and goodnes; and if it be of merit and desert, then it can not be of grace and good­nes, bicause then merit and desert can be no more merit and desert.

Sure I am of this, and I hope euery good man, that is acquainted with the trueth of the worde, and [Page 74]hath particular experience of his owne corruption, will with me confesse this to be true, that there is no more contrarietie in the matter and question of free iustification before God in Christ, betweene the grace of God and the workes of the lawe, than there is betwixt Gods free goodnes, in the matter of eternall life, and the supposed merits that man must bring with him to the obtaining thereof. And therefore if the argument be of force in the one, it must also of necessitie conclude, and that rightlie in the other.

As for that which they obiect touching the Greek phrase, it wil no whit at al vphold their weake cause and rotten building, it being indeede a childish lo­gomachie or contention about wordes; and that not onely besides the Apostles purpose and mean­ing, but also contrarie to their own note, the speech it selfe, being not a comparatiue speech, as they fondly imagine, but a plaine and flat deniall, yea a deniall after a sort, as a man woulde say, by diui­nation, rather than by comparison; as if he should say, they are in no case machable or comparable, this also being the Apostles speciall purpose, not to reason of the value or price of such afflictions, as the faithfull indure or suffer for Christs sake in this life, but to shew rather, that whether wee respect the qualitie or quantitie of them (as a man woulde say) and compare the same with eternall life and saluation, we may easily yet gather therevpon, that we shal be infinitly more blessed with Christ, when we shal in the kingdome of heauen, be gathered vn­to him, and vnited with him, as our true and onely head, than euer we were miserable, while wee liued [Page 75]here vppon the face of the earth. And the truth of this may appeare not onelie by the plaine wordes, and very drift and purpose of the apostle as before, but also by his maner of speech, hee speaking not cōparatiuely, specially in extolling of our sufferings (which he greatly debaseth, by affirming them no maner of way worthy of eternall glorie) but rather in magnifieng of euerlasting lise. Yea the worde it selfe [...], being vsed in his right and proper sig­nification (which as the grammarians doe wel wit­nes, is affirmed of those things, that being weighed one with another, are found to be of equall poise or weight) with a negatiue particle put before it, to abolish the credit that wee woulde carry with our selues and before others, in & about our sufferings and to extoll the wonderful excellencie of the hea­uenlie kingdome, can not choose but euince and gaine this point at their handes.

Touching other allegations, as namely, that out of Prouerbes 3. and 2. Corinthians 4. (for we mind not to stand vppon places alleadged out of the bookes called Apocrypha, as Ecclesiasticus, To­bie, and such like) in as much as they are but produced onely for the phrase, and yet prooue not the matter, for which they are brought forth, we shall (God willing) answere the same in some more conuenient place, specially sith we haue bene long already in this confutation, this being suffi­cient for this present, to let the worlde vnderstand, that they are brought foorth very impertinently, and onelie to no purpose, but contrarie to truth also.

There remaineth only one reason, that seemeth to haue some pith in it, to wit, that wee may as well affirme, that the workes of sin demerit not damna­tion, as that the sufferings of Gods saints, deserue not eternall saluatiō) but this indeed as the former, hath neither bones, nor marrowe, nor sinnows, nor flesh, nor any thing else, that may giue it force or strength. For howsoeuer arguments taken from contraries, may be strong in humane reason (and yet there they be not so vniuersall, but that some­thing may be iustly obiected against the same) yet in matters of religion, faith, and the seruice of God, they haue not any such sure footing, as these men fantasie. That righteousnes and sinne be con­traries, as also saluation and damnation, no man in his right wits I thinke will deny, but that the one should arise from man, as wel as the other, no man vnlesse he be starke madde and insensible, yea pee­uishly hereticall,Mat. 7.16. will euer affirme. Doe men gather grapes of thornes, Iames 3.11. or figs of thistles. Doeth a fountayne send forth at one place svveet vvater and bitter. Can not on­ly the barren, but the brierie heart of man yeelde such good fruit, as the oliues and figges of Gods righteousnesse? Or can that florishing tree of eter­nall goodnes in the Lorde bring foorth briers and brambles? Their owne vulgate translation in a place of the prophet Hosea affirmeth the contrarie saying,Hosea. 13 9. Destruction is thyne O Israell, onely in me is thy helpe. As though he should say, men by meanes of their sinne pull iudgements and destruction vpon themselues, but if they attaine to health and sal­uation, they can no where finde it, but in the Lord onely: by which exclusiue terme also wee may see, [Page 77]that saluatiō is not to be looked for, or to be found, either in our selues or in others, but in the Lorde alone, who iustifieth the vvicked, Rom. 4.5. and shevveth mercie to vvhome it pleaseth him. Rom. 9.15. And doth not the Lorde himselfe most plainely propound this trueth, say­ing in the prophet, I, euen I am the Lord, Isai. 43.11. and beside me there is no sauiour. Cast away from you for shame, these grosse conceits of your owne, and in time humble your selues to the trueth of the Lord (O ye his aduersaries) which in many places of the same confuteth you, and iustifieth our assertion. Out of an infinit number take one place, which is so plaine and euident, that though you your selues labour to darken it, by an obscure translation, and would wring your selues out of the snares that it hath cast vpon you, by your corrupt gloses, yet can you ne­uer shift it, I meane that last verse of the sixt of the Romans, where he telleth vs in the first place, that the vvages of sinne is death: Rom. 6.13. not onely naturall (for that all must taste of,Hebr. 9.27. God hauing appointed that all men shall once die, and after that commeth the iudge­ment) but eternall proper and peculiar to the con­demned onely; and consequently sheweth vs, that eternall life (which hee opposeth against eternall death and damnation) is the gift of God, through Ie­sus Christ our Lord, setting there-against mans sinne and corruption, not mans imagined righteousnes, as they would haue it, but Gods great gift & good­nes bestowed vpon vs, in, and for Christ Iesus sake onely, wythout which of a trueth, not onely no one man could euer be saued, but all flesh must of necessitie perish.

In logike there is a rule, which also they them­selues [Page 78]approoue of, namely, that as we haue great scarcitie of true differences for many things, so the reason of that want is not in the naturall thinges themselues (for no doubt but euerie seuerall kinde hath his right difference) but in that lacke of light, iudgement, and experience, which lieth lurking in euery one of our selues. The like wee can not pre­tend here, both bicause God is more perfect than nature, as who is Lord thereof, and also bicause he hath inlarged himselfe so, that we may plainly per­ceiue and see the truth of this point. And if naturall things may by their seuerall differences be certain­ly deserued, one of them from an other, how much more truly & surely may we distinguish God from men, and the workes of his holinesse and grace, from the deeds of our cursed corruption? Why do we not deale herein as we do in worldly affaires? If wee will rightly discerne of them, wee will oppose things that be contrary indeed one of them against another, as blacke against white, war against peace, &c. Bicause wee rest persuaded, that so they may be best discerned, no man in this case dealing so fond­ly, as to compare yellow and blacke togither, or to resemble a colour, with a thing that is not in the or­der of nature, which our aduersaries doe, in oppo­sing mans supposed righteousnes (which indeede is not at all, and therefore their dealings more absurd in that behalfe) against mans sinne, the euidence whereof is so notorions, that it is most liuely pain­ted out vnto vs, by the light of the worde, by the stinging testimony of our owne hearts, and by that great floud of all manner of wickednesse, which as heeretofore, so presently ouerfloweth all. Where­fore [Page 79]if euer men manifested ignora unce in discer­ning, or else faulted foulie, in matter of opposing contraries one of them to an other, our aduersa­ries in this behalfe be most shamefully ouertaken, who though they do set life against death, and sal­uation against damnation, haue not yet in the working and performance of these things, learned to set God against man, and his grace and good­nesse, against mans peruersenesse and euill, where­by also these inconueniences fall out, not onelie that men are puffed vppe in pride aboue measure, and that in their owne eies, before GOD and their brethren, but the infinite riches of GODS grace and goodnesse also, is as much (as they may) vtterlie obscured and darkened, which doth not in anie, nor in all thinges whatsoeuer, more plentifully and plainely shewe foorth it selfe, than in the forgiuenesse of the sins of his seruants, tho­row the death and obedience of his sonne Christ, & the bringing of them to euerlasting life and bles­sednesse, thorowe his powerfull resurrection, and glorious ascension, notwithstanding that by the meanes of their iniquities, they haue deserued the contrarie, to wit, euerlasting condemnation both of bodie and soule, with the diuell and his angelles, in that lake of fire & brimstone that burneth for euer.

One thing more there is in their notes vppon this place, which I cannot wel let passe, bicause it is a branch of their corrupted doctrine, & sauoreth as much of error and heresie as the former points, to wit, that they affirme, that the value of Christs acti­ons, riseth out of the length or greatnesse of them in themselues, but of the worthines of the person. [Page 80]What if wee yeelde to this, as to a trueth? What shall you gaine thereby? or what will you inferre therevpon? Forsooth, that so the value of our ac­tions riseth of the grace of our adoption. But wee tell you it is a non sequitur, as they say in schooles. Wil you always plovve vvith an oxe and an asse? Deut. 22 10 11 And wil you continually vveare a garment of linsey vvolsey? And will you neuer learne for all that hath beene said, to compare and resemble, either quite contra­rie things, or right equall and like things togither? Why do you not infer (for so you shold haue done, if you would haue dealt plainely) that the price of our works riseth from the worthines of our per­sons also? But this you knew was blasphemous, and contrarie to the written word of God, which in ma­ny places reiecteth both vs, & our good deeds, spe­cially when they are done, with an opinion or mind to merit, and that before God, as hath beene alrea­dy plainely prooued, and therefore you wil smooth it ouer with the grace of adoption. To which we tell you in fewe wordes, that we our selues do in truth and sinceritie attribute more to the grace of Gods adoption, than you that babble so much of it, and vnder such colours go about to deceiue the hearts of the simple. And yet notwithstanding all this, af­terwards you blush not to saye, that good workes which be meritorious proceede from the childe of God.

But deale plainely with vs and the worlde we be­seech you, and tel vs, but yet in no darke speeches, whether the merite of mans workes proceede from the grace of adoption onely, yea or no? Or else whether the merit of them floweth frō men alone, [Page 81]as they are Gods adopted children? Or else whe­ther from God and man togither, as working cau­ses of merit? For our owne parts wee feare not to affirme, that whatsoeuer you will put downe in this case, is, and must be accounted in the iudgement of truth meerely absurde and erronious. For to as­cribe it vnto the grace of adoption by it selfe, sun­dred from man and his merits, that you dare not, bicause it is flatly opposite to the whole doctrine of poperie, and to your owne assertions in many pla­ces agreeable therewith: Besides the grace of a­doption, is a free gift of God, and not a merit; for of whome (I pray you) should God deserue it for our sakes? And to cast it vpon men alone, without the grace and fauour of God, is not onelie presumptu­ous, as in regarde of man,Iohn 25.5. vvho vvithout him can do nothing; and yet against him wil haue heauen, whe­ther he will or no, if that be once yeelded vnto, but is bla phemous to God, whose grace and goodnes must needs be vtterlie euacuated, if that assertion be established. And if you will say it proceedeth from both togither, that also is as vnreasonable and false, bicause one and the selfe-same streame alone, as for example your matter of merits here, which is but one thing, can not proceede from two seuerall heads, specially so opposite one of them to another, as god & man are, yea and it hath bin hardly heard of, that euen in naturall things, there should be two principall efficient causes, concurring to the con­stitution of one and the selfe same subiect.

Of a truth wee can not but tell you in all plaine­nesse and simplicitie, that if you will holde, that the merit of mans workes commeth from man, as [Page 82]of, and from himselfe alone, or as coupled with an other, that then the whole worde written, the certaintie of religion yeelded to in all ages, and testimonie of trueth in former time declared, wil crie out against you, blasphemie, and intollerable presumptiō: yea al the world that is of sound iudge­ment cannot but condemne you, for matching vn­equall thinges togither, yea for mingling most cleane, and most filthie thinges one of them wyth another. For though wee might grant, that the grace of adoption, as it proceedeth from God, be­ing also a perfect worke (as nothing comming from him can be vnperfect) might as in respect of it selfe (if it were not defiled with our corruptions and im­perfections) merit something before God, yet there is no cause at all why we shoulde yeelde to it, when our workes be ioined therewith, considering how much we taint and deface euen the best graces of God in vs, or bestowed vppon vs.

To conclude this point of confutation (wherein we confesse we haue bin very long, but our aduer­saries importunitie and tediousnes hath drawen vs thereto) with a notable testimonie or two of some one of the docto is of the church in stead of manie, (though I doe not greatly delight I confesse, in the allegation of them, bicause the trueth of the worde without them is strong enough, as which hath not his credite and authoritie from men, but from the Lorde himselfe) that so it may appeere how much they haue, both in sense and doctrine, peruerted this place, and swarued from the godlie iudgement of former times. Ierome I meane and Augustine, whose wordes are most plaine and pithie. Ierome [Page 83]euen vpon this place that wee haue nowe in hand, saieth thus. Hic vult futuram gloriam commendare, vt praesentes pressuras facilius tolleremus. Et reuera nihil possit homo condignum pati gloria coelesti, etiamsi talis es­set illa, qualis modo est vita. Quicquid enim passi [...]s fuerit a morte. plus non est, quam etiam peccatis suis antea moe­rebatur. Nunc autem & peccata donantur: & tunc vi­ta aeterna praestabitur, consortium angelorum splendor solis, &c. quae sanctis legimus repromissa, that is to saie; ‘The apostle mindeth in this place to commend the glory that is to come, that so wee might the more easily beare the present troubles and afflictions. And certainely, man is able to suffer nothing, that is worthie of, or in worthines answerable to the he­uenlie glorie; yea though that that were but such, as this life nowe is, for whatsoeuer hee shall suffer by death, or at deaths hand, it is no more than that which hee had euen before deserued thorowe his sinnes. But nowe both our sinnes are forgiuen vs, & then eternal life shalbe bestowed vpon vs, the com­pany of the Angels, the brightnes of the sunne, &c. which wee read are againe promised to the saints.’

And Augustine De verbis Apostoli, sermo. 15. Pro nihilo (inquit) saluos facies illos, &c. ‘For nothing (saith one) thou shalt saue them; what is meant by these words for nothing thou shalt saue them? This is the meaning; thou findest nothing in them wherefore thou shouldest saue them, and yet thou sauest them. Thou giuest freelie; thou sauest freelie; yea thou giuest altogither freely, and sauest freely; euen thou I say dost this, which findest nothing wherfore thou shouldest saue men, but findest much, wherefore thou shouldest condemne them.’

And thus farre for this point; now it followeth in the Apostle (vvhich shall be shevved vnto vs.) Eue­ry word here carrieth with it force to perswade the trueth propounded, to wit, the excellencie of the ioyes of that life that is laid vp, for the sonnes and seruants of God: and serueth also to teach all the faithfull in all manner of holie patience to attende and looke for that, that shall in good time bee made manifest vnto them, yea the full fruition and possession whereof, they themselues shall haue. That worde (shal be) instructeth all of vs, with faith and patience to expect the manifestation thereof, not doubting, but stedfastly beleeuing, that though there be some delay of the accomplishment of this, yea and though our present afflictions be neuer so many, great, and greeuous, that yet notwithstan­ding a time will come, when they shall be vtterly remooued, and taken away from vs, and we our selues put into actuall and reall possession, of eter­nall ioyes promised, the faithfull performaunce whereof, we did and yet do, in some measure of a sound hope looke after.

Neither doubt I, but euen in this behalfe, name­ly, touching the delay of the things promised, there do and wil arise by meanes of their natural corrup­tion many temptations in the mindes of Gods chil­dren, and those also increased, not onely by Satans malice, who laboureth to make vs beleeue, that either GOD can not or will not be as good as his word, but fostred and fed, by texts of scripture also not wel vnderstoode or rightly applied, as when the holy ghost shal say,Prou. 13.12. The hope that is deferred is the fain­ting of the hart, &c. But against these we must learne, [Page 85]in al blessed wisdome of the spirit, and mightie pow­er of the word, to set such comforts, as it shal please God out of the holie scriptures, to manifest vnto vs. Amongst which these folowing, are in my poore iudgement, though not of the greatest force, as some may perhaps thinke, yet of some good effect doubtles, to represse such assaults of diffidence. In worldly matters, when men deale with men, yet are they not dismaied with delayes, but rather raise vp their hope herein, that the deferring of the things promised, is not a taking away of the same, or else persuade themselues, that the length of time shall be recompenced, either with the excellencie & ful­nes of the things themselues, or with som one con­sideration or other an other waie. How much more should we be cōforted, not only in this that we deal not with man, who is euen as the wind and weather wauering & vncertaine, but with God, who alwayes continueth like vnto himselfe, and haue from him the assured promises, as of al benefits generally, so of such blessings in the life to come particularly, as with the least wherof, al the delights and pleasures of this worlde whatsoeuer, no though they were al laid togither, & bestowed vpon one man, were anie maner of way matchable, specially, sith that GOD knowing our harts and state, better than we do our selues, doth therfore many times put off the perfor­maunce of such excellent things, that so hee might make vs the more reuerently to esteeme of them, when we receiue them, and the more earnestly to desire them, when we want them, that are so excee­dingly cōfortable & profitable for euerie one of vs.

Neither doth god dally with vs herein as men do [Page 86]who wil either giue fair words, & do no good deeds or else many times shew vs good things a farre off, that so they might seeme more faire and beautifull, and by that meanes, as a man woulde saye, set our teeth on edge vppon them, and yet notwithstan­ding, not bestowe them vpon vs neither, when they haue done, or giue vs any other good thing in stead thereof, that so in some testimonies of fauour, we might haue our hope vpheld, in obtaining of mat­ters of greater importance in time to come, but dealeth farre otherwise with vs, not onely giuing vs a sight, but a sensible feeling sometimes, as of many outward benefits and blessings pertaining to this life, so of sundrie and singular spirituall graces, but specially of those incomprehensible ioyes, that in heauen are hidden for vs in Christ, before the foundations of the worlde were laid. Whereof that we might be the better persuaded, yea euen then when he letteth vs for a little while, want our for­mer comforts, hee doth yet vouchsafe vs innume­rable tokens and pledges of his most constant loue, and that not onelie in bodily benefits, as health, wealth, libertie, &c. but, as was said before, in spiri­tuall blessings also, as in his worde, sacraments, praier, and a great number suche like effectuall meanes, to bring vs in good time, to that quiet hauen of heauen and eternall rest, that wee in the midst of the manifolde tossings and turmoils of this wretched life, haue often and earnestlie wished for.

And yet this faith, may be fostered and fedde in vs, by an other worde in the text, namely, when he saith, that it shall be shevved, declaring thereby the certainty and assurednesse of those ioyes, and the [Page 87]great good will of God, in satisfieng, as it were, our senses, with the same, putting one of them, to wit, our sight, (for that is said to be shewed vs, that wee see and beholde) and the same, one of the most sure senses, for the rest, this also being comfortable, euen in worldly things, that wee do with more pa­tience abide the delaies of our hope, when we per­swade our selues, that our senses shall be satisfied, & that yet at the length, we shall not be frustrate, but obtaine; which ought much more to comfort and incourage vs in spirituall things, in as much as of their owne nature, they are not onely farre more excellent than the other, but more sure also, as which the moath cannot eate, nor the canker corrnpt, Matth. 6.19 nor theeues take avvay, as our Sauiour saith, nor we be depriued of them by any meanes or matter what­soeuer. In which respect also euen that Scripture that followeth immediately vppon that which was before alleadged out of the Prouerbs, ought great­ly to comfort vs, namely, that vvhen the desire com­meth, Prou. 13.12 it is as a tree of life.

Yea and to the same purpose also serueth it, in that the apostle dooth after a sort specifie the per­sons, that shall be partakers of those great ioyes, saying,Ephes. 1.4. To vs (meaning thereby the faithfull and e­lect people of God) vvhome God in Christ hath ordai­ned before the foundations of the vvorlde vvere laide, 1 Pet. 1.4 to an inheritance, mortall, and vndefiled, and that fadeth not avvay, reserued in heauen for vs. Whereby hee would giue vs also to vnderstand, that euen as the decree of Gods election is immutable, and his gra­ces and gifts vvithout repentance, Rom. 11.29 so it is most certaine that the persons whome hee hath appointed there­to, [Page 88]to, shall in time be made perfect partakers thereof; which yet is more comfortable, if wee do but well weigh this, that if wee knewe there were all ioy in the kingdome of God, and that the same is most certaine and sure, and that it shoulde be reucaled and sette before vs, yet that wee shoulde not bee heires of it, that it would rather greeue vs, to for­go or want so excellent a grace, than adde comfort, consolation or corage vnto vs in our distresses. But now sith we know, that it can not be sundred from vs, nor we from it, (bicause as that is the thing, so wee are the persons that must partake it) there is good cause why we should reioice in the Lord alvvays, [...]hilip. 4.4. and continually to stir vp one an other to reioice a­gaine and againe. Concerning all which points togi­ther, S. Iohn me thinketh speaketh most excellently saying; [...]. Iohn 3.2. Derely b [...]loued, novv are vve the sons of God in­deede, but yet it dooth not appeare vvhat vvee shall be, hovvbeit vve knovv, that vvhen he shal appeare, vve shal b like him for vve shal see him as he is. And this much for this matter. Now let vs proceed in the rest of the apostles words following, & in order as they be.

That word (For) doth suffic [...]ently shewe, that it is an other reason of comfort in affliction annexed to the former, taken (as we haue heard before) euen from the example of the creatures themselues, who notwithstanding the miserable estate and conditi­on, that by the meanes of mans sinne, and his pro­phane abusing of them they are subiect vnto, doe yet still in their kinde, though with groning, yet with patience also, wait for a time, wherein they shall be freed from that vanitie. And if they that [Page 89]want wit and reason, doe yet notwithstanding per­forme this, how much more should men, yea god­ly men do it? who besides that they are indued with a reasonable soule (in which also they differ from brute beasts & insensible creatures) haue the great gift of of christian knowledge and holy faith besto­wed vppon them, by which they are distinguished from themselues, as in regard of the naturall blind­nes of their heart, and from al other men also, that as yet through Gods iudgement in a punishement vpon them for their sinnes, doe remaine still in the filth and puddle of their owne corruption.

Now whereas hee attributeth feruent desire vnto the creatures, and that may seeme strange to vs, who knowe by common sense and dailie expe­rience, that they haue no such reasonable affecti­ons, we are to vnderstande that the Apostle dooth it by that figure, which the rhetoricians call proso­popoeia, that is when there is ascribed vnto dumbe, vnreasonable, or senslesse thinges, such a person, speech, or action, as indeed & properly doth belong vnto men, & such other creatures as haue sens and life in thē; which kind of deliuery and propounding matters, is cōmon in al writers prophane & diuine. So do Virgil & Homer attribute a person to Fame; Tully likewise brings in the coūtry or cōmonwelth, debating the matter with Catiline the conspirator: & the self-same is vsed, as in this place of scripture (wherin resonable affections for exāple, desire, vvai­ting, groning, trauelling in paine, &c. are attributed to vnreasonable creatures. Chrysostome also an anci­ent doctor of the Greek church affirming the same here) so in many other of the old & new testament.

The prophet Dauid in one of his psalmes saith, that at the comming of Israell out of Egypt, Psal. 114.1.4 the moun­taines leaped like rammes, and the hilles as lambes. The prophet Ieremiah attributeh vveeping & moorning to Rahell one of Iacobs wiues,Iere 31.15. who was dead manie hundred yeares before his time. Yea our Sauiour himselfe saith to the sea,Mar. 4.39. Peace and be still, wheras we know that the sea hath no eares, vnderstanding, or sense, but did it rather to shewe, that his power pierced euen to the dumbe and deafe elementes. And this selfe-same apostle vseth the same likewise, when after a sort he attributeth speech, to the foot, and to the eare, saying;1. Cor. 12.15 16 If the foote vvould say, bicause I am not the head, I am not of the bodie, is it therefore not of the bodie? And if the eare vvoulde say, bicause I am not the eie, I am not of the bodie, is it not therefore of the bodie?

Wherein wee are to note, that the holie ghost doth not vse this manner of dealing, as in a vaine affectation or imitation of humane eloquence, for besides that he delighteth not in such courses, hee hath no neede to vse them,Hebr. 4.13. but rather knowing (as indeede all things are naked in his sight) that such ma­ner of speeches are not onely delightfull, as in re­gard of varietie, but profitable also mightily to stir vp the mindes of the hearers (a matter that wee haue neede to respect, specially where there is such wearisomnesse and backwardnesse to good things, as there is in mans heart) hee vseth therefore the same, to cause his truth more deepely to sincke in­to their soules and hearts, for whose sake it is pro­pounded and deliuered, the case notwithstanding going hard on our sides, as in respect of our cor­ruption, [Page 91]who must (as it were) go to schoole, to bruit breasts and insensible creatures, to Iearne euen of them our dutie, and obedience towards God: and yet being well with vs in another respect, that ra­ther than wee shoulde lacke learning, as you would say, the Lorde will giue vs all meanes whereby wee might attaine to the sound knowledge, stedfast be­leefe, and holy obedience of his blessed will.

Neither can I let passe, the very forcible and ex­cellent signification of that Greeke worde that the Apostle vseth to deliuer this matter withall, which though it be in some sense reasonably well rendred by these wordes of feruent desire, yet bicause they do not altogither expresse the nature of the same, nor come so fully and wholie to the drift and pur­pose of the Apostle in this place, it shall not be a­misse euen heere also a little, to inlarge our selues in this behalfe; the worde importeth a most ear­nest and greedie desire, to haue the thing that is looked for, it being a double compound worde, in the Greeke toong, to wit, of the preposition [...], which in that language signifieth, of, from, or a far off, and of [...], an olde worde in vse amongest them, which betokeneth the head, and sometimes the whole face and countenaunce, and the verbe [...], which signifieth to see, appeare, obserue, or wait for; as though the Apostle shoulde say, that though the deliuerance that the creature longeth after, be somewhat farre off, yet do they with a cer­taine kinde of egernesse and greedinesse, as it were, wait and looke for the accomplishment thereof, e­uen as a man that would faine haue a thing or per­son, [Page 92]that he desireth, lifteth vp his head, and his eies to see, whether he can behold the man or the mat­ter, that he desireth or wisheth, comming towardes him, though it be as a man would say, farre off, hee hoping notwithstanding, that though there be som large distance of place, betwene him and them, yea and great likelihoode also, that through length of time their meeting shall be a little delayed, that yet for all that, he shall in the ende comfortably enioy the same, sith they are, as we say, within the compas of a kenning. All which tendeth not only to mani­fest the Apostles meaning, as in regarde of the wordes, in the exposition also whereof, we haue the iudgement and consent of the best learned in that language, both old and new, as Sindas, and others, but withall to teach vs, both howe earnestly wee should looke for the end of our hope, and how care­fully we should labour to sustaine and vpholde the same in vs, though there be many difficulties and dangers between vs and the possession therof, assu­ring our selues, that herein shal gods strength most plainly appeere in our weaknes, and the power of our faith, be most manifested, if we can with Abra­ham the father of the faithful,Rom. 4.18 in hope beleeue against hope.

It followeth, (of the creature) that is to say, euery creature, as appereth by the 22 verse folowing: And yet here he speaks of thē al, as if they were but one, not only by reson of that notable harmoni & cōsent that was amongst thē by creation, & so should haue continued, had not our sin hindred the same, but bicause they do al, as it were with one breath desire one thing, to wit, deliuerance from that vain estate, [Page 93]to which they are now constrained to be subiect: the Apostle meaning also by the name creature, euery thing that was created, which we call by the name of the world, and the whole frame and workman­ship thereof, consisting (as the philosophers vse to speake) of these two parts, namely, the ecclesiasti­call or vpper region, and the terrestiall or inferior;Genes. 2.1 or as the scripture saith, of heauen and earth and all the host of them. Both which, howsoeuer they were at the first created in a most glorious estate, and that to serue mans holie vses (who was created for gods glories sake) yet nowe by reason of mans sinne, they are so debased, that whether we regarde the one or the other, we shall finde them maruellously alte­red and changed. For if we looke vppon the vpper region, which they call celestiall, and the notable bodies that be therein contained, as the sunne, moone, starres, &c. though they be indeede as a man would say, incredibly beautifull, yet notwith­standing we shall well perceiue, that they are not freed from vanitie. For besides that the Scripture affirmeth, that euen the heauens, Iob 15.15. are not cleare in gods sight, we see by daily and continual experience, that many times they haue a more pleasant aspect, & cast a more fauorable countenance (by a maner of speech) vpon the wicked of the world (who are e­nimies to God & al good men) & serue their turnes farre better than they do, the children of God. And if we regard and consider wel the inferiour region, with the woonderfull varietie of creatures therein contained, as beasts, birds, fishes, trees, &c. and of them againe almost infinit and innumerable seue­rall sorts, we shall finde both by proofe and practise, [Page 94]and by the truth of the word also, That the earth is accursed vnto vs for our sinnes sake, Genes. 3.17 18 and that not one­ly, in that it is become barren by the meanes ther­of, but also bringeth forth many hurtfull and noy­some things, besides that many of the creatures that liue vpon the same, are not onely become re­bellious and disobedient against vs, but readie with open mouth, and piercing teeth, to breake vs al in peeces, and to deuoure vs quite, flesh, bloud and bone. And yet if these things were not so, neither in the heauens, nor the earth, nor in the creatures therein contained, but that whereas nowe euerie thing that we can cast our eie vpon, is a sensible do­cument vnto vs, of the wonderfull taint and cor­ruption of our sinne, and Gods iudgement against vs for the same, the selfe-same things might preach vnto vs notwithstanding, righteousnes, peace, and loue from God, yet forasmuch as the word it selfe, doth in sundry places affirme, that euen all those things, in that great & last day of the Lords iudge­ment shall be destroyed, we can not also but euen therin behold and see that present estate of theirs, in which they are now, and from which they hope then to be freed.Psai. 102.25 26 Dauid telleth vs, that God in the beginning laide the soundations of the earth, and the hea­vens vvere the vvorkes of his handes, hovvbeit that they should perish, and that they shoulde all vvaxe olde as doth a garment, and that as a vesture God should change them, and they should be changed. According where­vnto saint Peter also in the new Testament, vsing it as an argument to perswade vs,1. Pet. 3.10, 11 12 in all holie conuersa­tion and godlines, to looke for the comming of the Lorde, declareth, that the heauens being on fire shall be dissol­ued, [Page 95]and the elements shall melt vvith heat, and the earth vvith the vvorkes that are therein shall be burnt vp.

And though this be most true, that the Apostle vnderstandeth by that worde creature, heauen and earth with all creatures therein contained, yet wee must notwithstanding except from that generall, and that for the causes and reasons following also, these particulars insuing, namely, the holie and elect angelles, the faithfull and godlie people of the worlde, the diuelles and damned spirits, as also the wicked and vngodlie of the earth spirits, as also the wicked and vngodlie of the earth. For as for the angelles, they haue already the full fruition of the thing it selfe, our Sauiour himselfe affirming, that they alvvayes beholde the face of God in heauen. Mar 18.10. And they can not be wel saide to wish for that, that they haue in continuall and most assured possession.

If anie man will obiect against this trueth,1. Pet. 1.12. that that Saint Peter saith, to wit, that the very Angelles desire to beholde the publishing of the gospell in this life, and the inioyeng that vvhich the gospell promiseth in the life to come. I answere that that is not spoken, nei­ther must or can be vnderstoode, of their owne wants, as though they wished that for themselues, for as was said before, they haue all fulnesse, but as in regard of their zeale to the glory of GOD (which shall then be perfected, when the wicked shall be troden downe for euer, and the godly con­tinually exalted) and as in respect of vnfained loue to vs and our saluation, which is so deare and preti­ous vnto them, that as they are alwayes readie according to the appointment and good will of God, what they can to aduaunce and further the same, so doubtlesse they doe much reioice therein, [Page 96]of which our Sauiour himselfe beareth witnesse in an other place saying, [...]uke 15 10. that there is ioy in the presence of the angelles of God for one sinner that conuerteth.

And as for the elect and faithfull people, seeing they are of two sorts, and yet al making but one bo­die, that is to say, some whome the Lorde hath ta­ken to himselfe, and finished the dayes of their pil­grimage heere, and othersome that doe and must tarrie the Lordes good leasure, for the time of their dissolution and departure hence, wee feare not to affirme, that either of these may iustly, in a true and holie meaning, and vppon very good reasons and causes also be excepted from being comprised vn­der this generall terme creature; for as for the first sort, they being in that state and condition that the Angelles are, that is, alwaies beholding the face of God in heauen, they can not nor doe not any more wish the same than they. And if at anie time they seeme as the Angelles before are saide to doe the same, and for, and in regarde of the same conside­rations and causes, they finding also now that they are in heauen, that to beleeue in themselues, which while they were on the earth, they did as in regard of the forefathers of their faith beleeue to be true, bicause the holy ghost hath spoken it, That they vvithout vs can not bee perfect. Hebr. 11.40 And the latter must needes be excepted likewise, as who are by the spirite of God, in the mouth and penne of the A­postle excepted, in the 22. and 23. verses follow­ing,Philip. 1.23. who daily desire, euen in this life, to be loosed from hence, and to be vvith Christ, vvhich is best of all, and continually sigh and grone,2. Cor. 5.2 that they may be clo­thed vvith their house vvhich is from heauen.

As for the diuels and damned spirites which are the third in number, that are excepted from this, we haue also good reason to except them, both bi­cause that in their peruersenesse against God and man, they do not onelie not carry that loue toward the adauncement of Gods glorie, or the accom­plishment of the number of Gods elect and their saluation, that the Angelles and faithful people do, but rather would if they could tel how, to the vtter­most of their power, continually deface both the one and the other, and also bicause that they know, that when that time commeth, then there shall fall vpon them, in most dreadfull maner, the fulnesse and perpetuitie indeede of their endles condemna­tion, they themselues after a sort confessing the truth of this, when they saide to our Sauior Christ, Art thou come to torment vs before the time. Mat. 8.29

Lastly, that the wicked themselues should be ex­cepted, there is a double reason likewise; one is, bi­cause they are so far off from desiring that day, that they do rather prophanely scoffe & scorne at, as al truth vniuersally, so particularly that which is deli­uered, touching the generall iudgement, and the day of the restauration of all things. Of whome S. Peter speaketh notably, calling them mockers, 2. Pet. 3.3, 4. and men that vvill vvalke after their ovvne lusts, vvhich say, vvhere is the promise of his comming, for since the fathers died, all thinges continue alike from the beginning of the creation; the other, bicause they labor as much as in them lieth, partlie by the manifolde pleasures, that they possesse in this life, and partly by benum­mednesse of heart, and growing into forgetfulnes, to put far from them the euil day, wishing, that ei­ther [Page 98]it might neuer come, or els, that it might be de ferred, as long as possibly might be. That wee may say nothing of this, that euen they thēselues, as the diuels likewise (whose slaues and seruants they are) do in the sight of their sin, & the fear of the punish­ment that they know they haue deserued for it, trē ­ble & quake, we knowing this also to be true, by cō ­mon experience, that no malefactor wisheth the day of his arraignement, much lesse the time of his execution; for if he might be left to his libertie, or put to his choise, he woulde be glad rather to liue, though it were in all miserie: and that therfore nei­ther the diuelles nor the wicked, can, or will desire that time that shall be vnto them, not so dreadful as death only, but so fearful & terrible, both for bodies & soules, and that for euer and euer world without end, as cannot be either thought or expressed.

In these exceptions, I haue freelie according to my poore measure deliuered my minde, not mean­ing yet therein, either to attribute perfection to my owne words, or to barre or stop vp the way to other (who in these deep points may certainly see & say more than I do) from adding hervnto. Only in this behalfe as in all other, let vs looke to vtter that we do, vpon good grounds and warrants of the word onelie.

It followeth (vvaiteth) to wit, as it were with a cer­taine kind of patience and quietnes; for howsoeuer the burthen be greeuous vnto them, yet notwith­standing they beare it still, in hope of that time that shall vtterly free them from the same. And surely in that the holie ghost vseth, in this place, and so in the verses following, so manie and suche significant [Page 99]wordes, attributed to the creatures, we may be bold to say, that he hath not done it in vaine, but rather, that he would thereby giue vs to vnderstande, that though they wait not, or hope not, as we do, yet that there is in them some certaine instinct giuen them from God, by which they are caried, euen as it were by a certaine earnest desire, to looke for their re­stauration. If any man thinke this strange, let him but consider, the nature of the magnes or lodestone (as we call it) we see by experience, that if we touch with the same stone the pinne or point of a diall or compasse, and set the needle or compasse vpon it, it wil not ceas, til it cause it to stād directly South. And this is generally obserued in al places of the known or habitable world, whether a man be at sea, or vp­on the land, or in places vnder the earth; and yet the magnes hath not any reason, neither the point of a diall or compasse any sense. Now then, if this be true, that the needle or compasse, by reason that the pinne or point therof is touched with the mag­nes, is (as a man would say) by a certaine affection & willingly, as it were carried, so that it staieth not till it point directlie to the South, shal wee thinke it strange, that creatures though voide of reason (ha­uing yet a secret instinct giuen them from GOD) should be carried forward to desire their owne re­stitution, as the holie ghost affirmeth in this place? Nay which is more, doth not the Lorde himselfe in many places of his word declare, that there is tho­rowe his almighty working, not onlie a wonderfull difference of creatures, and seuerall sorts of them, but sundrie and seuerall instincts also putte into them, by his owne holie order and appointment. [Page 100]Otherwise if all creatures were of like constitution and qualities (which we knowe to be false, by natu­rall reason and experience) why doth not the Lord send the sluggards as well to other creatures, as to the small emmet, Prou. 6.6 or the blockish and brutish Israe­lites,Isaiah 1.3 as well to other beasts as to the oxe and the asse, or the ignorant and careles people of Gods iudge­ments,Ierem. 8.7 as well to other foules, as to the storke, turtle, crane, and svvallovv.

The apostle addeth (vvhen the sonnes of God shall be reuealed) that is the time wherein they that are indeede Gods children, shall not only be manifest and knowne, but also the blessednesse of their estate shall then appeare, when hauing put off corruption and mortalitie, they shal be clothed with heauenlie glorie and eternall life: So that hee speaketh this, not of this life present, as we may well perceiue, in that he speaketh of the time to come, as also bicause that here, partly by reason of the infinite swarmes, & innumerable multitudes of the wicked, the god­ly cannot easily be perceiued, partly also bicause of the manifolde persecutions and troubles, that they do, and must sustaine, they are ouer-couered with darknes and blacknesse, and driuen into holes and dennes, and therefore not easily, neither to be de­scried, but cheefly by reason of a huge heape of hy­pocrites, that are shuffled in the church of God, togither with the good (who in outward duties ma­ny times are matchable with the best, if not ex­ceede them) Gods children can hardlie, if at all, be discerned, but of that most blessed life to come, of both which togither S. Iohn saieth euidently, that vvee are novve the sonnes of GOD indeede, 1. Iohn 3.2 but yet it is [Page 101]not made manifest vvhat vve shall be, but vve knovve, that vvhen our head and Sauior shall be manifested, vve shall be like him, for vve shall see him as he is.

And this (no doubt) serueth euery manner of way, for the setting foorth of Gods great mercie, and the strengthening also of our weake faith and hope: his mercie appeering in a double respect, not only in that he hath in this life giuen into our harts the pledge of the spirite of adoption, Rom. 8.15 by vvhich vve crie Abba, O father, but also bicause he hath reserued a crown of incorruptible glorie for vs, in the life that is to come: for though certainely it is, and must be accounted a great comfort to feele God our father, and that we may with christian and holy boldnesse haue acces to the throne of grace, during the time of our pilgrimage here, and be heard also, through the name and mediation of Christ, in the thinges that we stand in neede of, and pray for according to faith. Yet doubtles it is a greater grace, and a matter of more singular consolation, to make vs heires of eternall life, yea fellow-heires with our sauiour himselfe. And as for our faith, that like­wise is confirmed, not onely in the truth & strength of the promise it selfe (a principall proppe vnto our persuasion) but also by the excellencie and worthi­nesse of the thing promised, to wit, eternall life through Christ: in the delay whereof, though wee be greatly greeued (as what good man either wea­rie of sinne heere, or desirous of euerlasting perfe­ction in that life, will not mone and waile in the want thereof) yet this shoulde againe comforte vs, that it shall at the length be recompenced with the fulnes of all ioy for euermore.

The Apostle addeth in the next verse following, that is to say,

In this, and the verse following, the Apostle she­weth two causes, why the creatures wait, for the time of the reuealing of the sonnes of God. That which is contained in this vers, respecteth the pains and troubles that they are subiect to, heere in this worlde. That which is comprehended in the other verse, toucheth the hope that they haue, of freedom from this fearefull bondage, they paciently sustai­ning the one, and earnestly looking for the other, bicause that vntill then, they are, and must of ne­cessitie, by Gods ordinance, and the ende of their creation also, be subiect to death and corruption; which thing being once performed & finished, they shall be no more subiect to that wretched and pain­full estate, but vtterly & altogither freed from the same. The word creature heere, is taken in the same sense that it was before, ver. 19. of this chapter, whereof also, there is great reason, sith the Apostle continueth his speech of the selfe-same matter.

He addeth (is subiect to vanitie) that is, not onely vnto man vvho is vanitie, Psalm. 62.9. yea lighter than vanitie it selfe, laid vpon the ballance vvith it (as the prophet in plaine termes affirmeth) and his vaine delights, but to vanishing, flitting, weake, and vnsound estate. Of both which points we need no great or long proof, bicause our owne daily and continuall experience, doth againe & againe, sufficiently declare the same vnto vs. For what do the murrens, sicknesses, and infinite diseases, and at the last death also, attending vpon the creatures preach else vnto vs? And what [Page 103]can we see else in the excessiue abuse of the crea­tures, throughout the whole course of mens liues, some in apparell abusing them to pride and newe­fanglednes, othersome in eating and drinking, tur­ning them to lust, wantonnes, glutonie, and drun­kennes, othersome by a hoarding of them vp, and hauing no vse of them, subiecting them to moaths, wormes, rust, and rottennes, depriuing, as thēselues so others, and specially the church and common­wealth of the free & christian vse of them, no man almost among ten thousand striuing, or caring, re­ligiously and in sanctification to vse them. (Not of it ovvne vvill.) The reason is, bicause if the creature could choose, it would not be subiect to that poor e­state. By which we may see, that he meaneth then, that it is vnwillingly in respect of it self, brought vn­der this condition, and yet notwithstanding by the meanes of mans sin subdued to this thraldome and slauery. And seing we know that such creaturs haue no sens or wit, thogh for our rudenes sake such thin­ges are ascribed to them, let vs therfore vnderstand that (vvil) in this place, must be taken for som natu­rall inclination in the creatures, against which they are subiect, as before, & not otherwise. And the ra­ther let vs yeelde to this, bicause we see by the light of humane reson, that eueri thing doth by a natural instinct aime at the preseruation of it selfe, what it can: & if it can not effect it, it is not for want of care or loue in themselues, for themselues, but by reason of som more strong working cause, either inward or outward, to which thei are cōstrained to giue place.

(But by reason of him) that is to saye, by reson of god & his holy ordināce, who hath mercifully apointed, [Page 104]that notwithstanding mans great sin (which indeed was the first cause of tainting of the creaturs, for by creation they vvere exceeding good, Genes. 1.31 Genes. 3.17. & when sin once entred, the Lorde cursed the earth and all things there­in for mans sinne sake) and the contrarie inclination of the creature, that still they shoulde be subiect vnto vs, though not in so large a measure and plen­tifull sorte, as before the fall of man, yet in suche aboundance as might serue for the manifesting of Gods great mercie towards vs poore and miserable men that we are, & might tend to the maintenance and vpholding of our naturall life, not onelie with things of necessitie or profit, but of pleasure and de­light also. All which should teach vs to be humblie thankefull vnto him (that hath dealte with vs in so large a hand) and that not onelie in the wordes of our mouthes, but also in the reuerent soules and sanctified vse of his creatures, and that the rather, bicause, whereas he might for our sinnes haue iust­ly depriued vs, not of some one of them alone, but of all of them, and by consequent of our naturall life also, he hath been pleased to leaue to vs a most large and liberall portion, as before hath beene saide.

VVhich] to wit God alone, for none other can do it but he, and such as he shall appoint, and furnishe with gifts for the dooing of the same. For besides that we see many of the mightie creatures vntame­able, and euery one of them in their rage readie to fall vppon men, to their vtter ruine, as we may see in lions, beares, woolues, tygers, and an infinit num­ber such like, specially such as be at libertie in the wilde woodes and wildernesses, wee knowe by the [Page 105]light of the worde, and triall of our times, that if God will furnish, but the least of his armie or crea­tures with power, that not men onelie, but that not all the men in the world can withstand, much lesse subdue the same. Why coulde not Pharao hinder the cralling of frogges in his ovvne chamber, Psal. 105.30 31 nor let the svvarmes of flies and lice that vvere in all the quar­ters of his land? Why be not we our selues able to a­uoide the dartes of death, the griefe of the graue? Nay what speake I of such great things? Why do we not shunne, if we could, the stinging of bees and waspes, the bitings of gnats, flies, and sundrie such like. We see then, that this must needes be vnder­stoode of God alone, bicause it is as a man woulde say, a certain description of him: For in whose hand and power is it else, to cause the creatures to trem­ble and quake at his presence, and to walke in o­bedience vnto his good pleasure, but in the Lords alone.

Let vs proceede, (hath subdued) to wit, by his al­mightie power, & by the force of his eternall word, ordinance, and decree; which, as it was strong in the beginning, to make all things of nothing, and hath beene powerful euer since the creation, in the strength of that blessing that the Lord did giue vn­to the workes of his owne handes, to multiply, in­crease, preserue, and vpholde all that he created, so no doubt, it is, and shall be, mightie and effectuall (notwithstanding that man, by the meanes of his sinne did what he coulde to hinder it) to cause all the creatures to stoupe and bend, to that vse of man that the Lord woulde haue them subiect vnto. O­therwise certainely neither could the creatures be [Page 106]brought vnder, nor continue in that their subiecti­on.

He addeth (it) that is to saye, the creature or all creatures, calling them al as it were by the name of one, both for the excellencie of him, that is the one, and the onely creator, and also for the singuler har­monie and consent, which is amongst all the crea­tures them selues, howsoeuer that nowe and then thorow the corruption that cleaueth vnto them by mans sinne, they seeme to iarre one of them with an other, and to be hurtfull and noisome one to an other, but of this somewhat hath bene said before, & therefore wee staye not vppon it now, but go for­ward.

To wit, of restitution, to that excellent e­state, which they had by creation, and of deliuerie from that miserable and slauish estate, wherin they presently are, and not vnder hope, either of perpe­tuity or vse, as some dote and dreame; of both which points, and some others also, wee will speake hereaf­ter God willing, but yet no otherwise by gods grace, then as we haue learned out of gods worde. In the meane while let vs marke, that in these wordes, the Apostle mindeth to giue vs to vnderstand, that God neuer purposed, for mans sinne, to subiect his crea­tures, to a continuall course, or such a punishment, as should neuer be done away, but hath giuen them some hope, that they shall bee freed from the same. Which thing ought notablie in my minde, to glade the heart, & strengthen the perswasions of the sons of God, that in as much as the creatutes shall bee freed from the course of sinne, much more they al­so [Page 107]shalbe deliuered, in as much as God careth much more for them, and much more tenderlye loueth them, by how much he hath giuen vnto them more infinyte and euident testimonies of his fauour and more excellent promises, for the life present and that that is to come,

Here is the second cause, why the creatures doe earnestlie waite, for the time of the reueiling of the sons of God, namely, because they haue hope, that then and not till then, they shalbe fullie freed from all that corruption that lieth vpon them, by meanes of mans sin and transgression, thorowe the appoint­ment of God. The word creature, is vsed here in the same sense, that it is in the other two verses before going (shalbe deliuered) that is, freed & quite & clean discharged, to wit, also in that great daie of the Lord, and not before, for till then it is the lords ordinance & apointment, (vvho maketh his sun to shine, Mat. 5.45. & his rain to raine vpon the iust and vniust) that both good & bad shalbe pertakers of his rich mercie, though it bee true, that the one sort shall haue it to comfort and consolation both of bodie and soule in this world, & in the worlde to come, and the other to terror and iudgement, both outward and inward, both here & there also. And the woorde of deliuering that the Apostle vseth, would be marked, as by which he no­teth the free estate, that they shalbe brought vnto, which also the greek word it self doth very elegant­ly import, containing in it selfe, & expressing in the vse of it this much, that they shalbe deliuered from the wretched estate of bond-slaues or bond-men, into the glorious and comfortable condition [Page 108]of free seruants, as you woulde say, being excepted from that vniust tyrannie or gouernement, that the wicked exercised ouer them, and freed also from that fearefull estate, to which they were constrai­nedly subiect [from the bondage of corruption] that is, from that same corruptible, flitting, and vanishing estate, wherevnto they are nowe subiect, and which lieth vpon them, as a most heauie burthen, or yoke of bondage, which they are still constrained dailie to drawe in and beare (as bondslaues do their state) till it shall please GOD to giue them a better and more free condition.

Hee meaneth not, that they shall be partakers of the same eternall glorie with Gods children; for if that were true, then what difference shoulde there be, betwixt Gods faithfull seruants, & bruit beasts? Besides, wee all knowe and beleeue, that without faith there is, as no purifieng of hearts, so no en­trance into heauen: and that gift of beleefe vnrea­sonable creatures, shall neuer attaine vnto: neither yet all men, bicause as the Apostle saith, Faith is not of all men, 2. Thess. 3.2 it being a peculiar grace bestowed on­lie vpon Gods elect and chosen children.

If any would say, that this might serue mightilie for the manifestation of Gods mercie, I answe are, first, that God knoweth best, when, where, and vpon whom also to disclose his goodnes without light or instruction from vs: next, that they shoulde more plainely appeare, in sauing reasonable creatures, euen the very reprobate and wicked, than in sauing these dumbe and insensible things. And if Gods mercie were to be reuealed that way, why not in sa­uing [Page 109]that that was furthest from saluation, I meane the diuell and damned spirits, who both by reason of their sinne, and in that they are past hope of a better condition, are further sundred from eternall life, than the senslesse and brutish creatures: that I may say nothing of the excellencie of their nature, as it was by creation, being farre more fit in that respect, for eternall life, than the carnall and grose nature and constitution of beasts and other things. But that is impossible, both as in regarde of God, who hath reuealed the contrarie in his worde, and also as in respect of vs, to whome we knowe and be­leeue, that all things are impossible, that God hath declared by his truth shall not be done, and there­fore also the other but a fond conceit of mens idle heads. This rather as I take it, he meaneth, that in their kind and manner, they shalbe made pertakers of a far better estate, then they had, while the world indured, because that God shall fullie and wholye restore the world, being fallen into corruption, tho­row the transgression and sinne of mankinde, which yet as seemeth to me maie more plainely appeare, in that amplifieng by the contraries, hee opposeth subsequent libertie, against former bondage, which that hee might the more inlarge, hee calleth it not simplie freedome or libertie, but libertie of glorie, as it is in the greeke text, meaning thereby accor­ding to the phrase and proprietie of the Hebrue toong, glorious libertie or liberty that bringeth glo­ry with it, vnder which terme of glorie he compri­seth, the excellent estate, that they shalbe in, after their deliuery frō their former basenes & seruitude.

As for the words following, namly, of the sonnes [Page 110]of God, to which wee must referre glorious libertie before mentioned, they must bee vnderstoode as it were by a certaine proportion or similitude thus: that as in that great daie and not before, gods chil­dren shalbe graciously freed, from all dangers and distresses of this life whatsoeuer, either in bodie or soule, and on the other side made perfect pertakers of eternall blessednes: so the creatures then and not before, shalbe deliuered from the vanitie of man, & their owne corruption, and restored to a far better estate, then presently they inioy: which also maye appeare by the words that the Apostle vseth, setting glorious libertie, deliuerance, and freedome, against seruile bondage and slauerie.

If anie man would demaund how this could bee prooued, Paule and the faithful together with him, runne to the holie testimonie of their owne consci­ence, & the assured persuasion that they haue there of the matter, speaking as if it were thus: Our own hearts tell vs, that we sigh and groane; they tell vs also, that for asmuch as the creatures, by meanes of sin, suffer as we suffer, that therefore vnder that burthen, they do in their kinde sigh and groane to­gither with vs. I say in their kinde, bicause that all these things, are attributed vnto them, by that fi­gure or kinde of speeche whiche is before rehear­sed.

Neither dooth the Apostle meane hereby to giue any warrantize or strength to the od speculations, dreames, dotages, & reuelations of fanatical spirits, as of the Montanists, Euthrusiasts, Mahometists, & others heretofore, or of the Anabaptists, familie of [Page 111]loue, and Papists, and amongst them their monkes in these our daies. For first and formost, he decla­reth nothing here but that which he had receiued, as truth, in the certaintie of the spirit, and that also grounded and setled vppon the vnmoueable rocke of the worde, and vpon that same particular feeling experience, that in the holie vse of the creatures, hee himselfe and other faithfull together with him, had religiously obserued, and so commended the same vnto all ages of the worlde in writing, by au­thority of the holy spirite of God to serue for their instruction and comfort, as all other scripture doth, vpon vvhome the endes of the vvorlde shoulde come. And what serueth this then, for the vpholding or esta­blishing of such doctrines, as neither haue the seale of the spirite, nor the warrant of the worde into the triall of truth? Nay, which is more, be­sides that they are without anie suche ground or foundation as before, wee shall finde them as directlye contrarie to the wholsome doctrine of the spirite and woorde, as darkenesse is to light, and hell is to heauen, of whiche sorte, indeede are those thinges whiche the heretikes aboue­named, and particularlie the Papistes, woulde vnder the pretext of traditions, and vnwritten verities, thrust vpon the vnthankefull and ignorant world.

Againe, wee say, that for as much as wee be­leeue, that there is most absolute perfection, both for the duties of pietie to God-ward, and of cha­ritie also towards men, as well for knowledge as be­leefe and obedience, contained in that blessed book that we call the Bible, or holie scriptures of Gods [Page 112]and that Christ our Sauiour himselfe hath therfore appeered and come into the worlde, as for manie other causes, so particularly for this, that he might actually performe, that that God had after a sorte, and in shadowes signified and set out, by the lawe and the prophets, and fully opened his fathers will, vnto the worlde, putting an ende nowe vnto al re­uelations and visions whatsoeuer, as the Apostle plainelie prooueth in the first chapter to the He­brews: and sith that Paule also in the holie spirit of truth telleth vs,Gall. 1.8 that though he or his fellovv-ministers, or an angell from heauen shoulde preach othervvise, or a­ny other doctrine vnto the church, than that vvhich they had preached alreadie, that they might then safely holde all such accursed, that therefore we are sure, it was neuer the Apostles meaning or purpose, either to propound, or to establish any thing, that might at any hand (no not in the least shew) seeme to vphold the dotages of mens idle heads and hearts.

He addeth (that euery creature) I take the word to be as large, as of it selfe it seemeth to import, to wit, that it shoulde comprehend, beasts, fishes, foules, trees, plants, hearbes, and all other thinges, which the Lord hath made for mans vse, excepting, and that for the reasons before alleadged, in the expli­cation of vers. 19. those thinges which are there al­readie excepted; not that they are not creatures, for if they were not creatures, they should be God, bicause there is no meane thing betwixt these two, a creator and a creature, the name creator apper­taining properly and onelie to God, and creature, to all other things beside whatsoeuer, how excel­lent soeuer they are, or may seem to be, but bicause [Page 113]they are iustly, and vpon very good reason excep­ted, as may well appeare by those thinges which are aboue specified.

It followeth [groaneth vvith vs also] that is to say, that as wee sighe and groane vnder the burthen of our miseries, and woulde gladly be deliuered from them: so doe they vnder theirs: which what it is, hath bin declared before, as in the verse following shall be shewed (God willing) what the sighes and groanes of the faythfull are? (and trauaile in paine to­gither) to wit, with vs, or as well as we. He vseth a me­taphore, taken as it should seeme, from women with childe, written by S. Luke, is verie plaine and preg­nant,Act 3.21. whē the day of iudgment is called the time vvher­in all things shalbe restored. Which little could not tru­ly be attributed vnto it, vnles that there should be a restauration of them. To the same purpose also ap­pertayneth that, which in the third chapter of the 2. Epistle of S. Peter, and in other passages mo,2. Pet. 3.13. Reue. 21.1. is mentioned, touching the renevving of the heauens & the earth. Prouided alwayes that we be wise accor­ding to sobrietie, and in the sobernes of our mindes staye our selues onely vpon the trueth of the word, and the euidence thereof, standing onely generally vpon the renouation and restauration of the world, and entringe not either curiouslie to searche what parts of the world shalbe restored, what place shall containe them, what actions they shall haue, what proprieties they shall be iudued with, and such like. The neglect whereof hath in time past, and at this present also, because men haue not bene soberlie minded, cast them into beastlie errors, and made men fowlie to ouershoote themselues, as in manie [Page 114]vncertaine and dangerous points, so principallie in two respectes: first that they dare affirme, that after this great restitution, the creatures shalbe durable, and remaine as it were immortall. The other is, that at that time also there shalbe vse of them; Neither were the olde heretickes, I meane Cerinthus and the Chiliastae ouertaken onelie, which these beastlie do­tages and conceits, but euen some of the fathers of greatest antiquity, yea & other of late daies, though otherwise in manie pointes, of verie sound iudge­ment, haue inclined to much that way, though not in iumping altogither with them. Concerning which points, in truth I could say nothing, had they with the length of time, and continuance of ages, worne awaie, and perished to rottennesse, as one that thinketh it better not to stire such filthe, least the stincke of it, might not onelye breede trouble, but infect and defile manie also, sauing that euen in this last age of the worlde; Sathan hath stirred vp manie lewd instruments, afreshe, to set abroach these corruptions, and amongst the rest one R. E. I spare to put downe his name wholie as yet, for it maye bee, that God at some one time or other, maye pull him out of that great puddle of corrupti­on, into which, thorow manie errors, if not heresies, he is deepely suncke, and bring him againe into the waie of trueth and saluation, from which hee hath straied. But leauing the persons, let vs come to the pointes.

Concerning the first to witte, that the creatures after their restitution and reuocation, at the ge­nerall resurrection, shall continue and remayne for euer, mee thincketh this reason should carrie [Page 115]some force and waight with it, againste the same: namelie, that for as much as all men, some few on­lye excepted, doe confidenthe and groundedlie af­firme, that after the generall resurrection, there shalbe no vse of the creatures, that therefore also there should bee no eternall durablenesse or conti­nuaunce of them; For if in the first creation when GOD in his almightie and euerlasting knowledge, fore-sawe that confusion thorowe sinne, should en­ter into the worlde, hee did yet notwithstanding create nothing, but verie good, and that to excel­lent vse and purpose it should seeme, not onelye probable, but certaine, that sith nowe as then hee doth in his eternall wisedome fore-see, that singular perfection, that by his most mightie power in their restitution, they shalbe restored to, that either they must of necessitie bee subiected to some holye and necessarie vses, or else that their immortalitie, shal­be bestowed vpon them in vaine: which were to ac­cuse God, ether of lesse care, or lesse power, or both, in this notable worke of the restauration of his cre­atures, he drawing them as it were out of that, into which they haue bene dissolued, than he had at the first creation of them, when hee made them all of nothing, as christian religion and the woorde doe plainlie propound vnto vs. But if against this, they will obiect, that gods glorye shall thereby bee won­derfullye manifested, I answere, that his power and glory, shal be greatly prouided for and exceeding­lie declared in that great, generall, yea and so­daine restauration of them, though they indure but a smale whyle, or no whitte all, I call it greate and generall, beecause that in the ende [Page 116]of the world it shalbe as great and vniuersall a work, as the worke of creation at the beginning (if not more large) in as much as not onelye the seuerall sortes and kindes of thinges created, but all that haue bene, are, or shalbe vnto the end, shall then stand foorth in a most excellent estate and conditi­on, euen as glorious and good, as they were at the first before sinne entred, in as much as at that daie, euen sinne it selfe shall cease, and be as it were de­stroyed. And I name the same sodaine also, because as the Lordes comming and the resurrection of the dead, shall be in a moment and pinch of time, or in the turning of a hand, as you would saye, or the tvvinckling of an eie, 1. Cor. 15. as the scripture speaketh: so shal also this great worke of the restitutition, the Lorde not taking manie daies, as at the beginning of crea­tion, for the performaunce of this noble deede, but doing it quickly, and vppon the sodaine, for the fur­ther manifestation of his almightie power & glory.

But because wee are fallen into speache of gods glorie, and the glorifieng of his name: I would faine know this of them, that now so much vrge it, to wit, who they are, that the creatures restored shal stirre vp, to glorifie GOD in the sight and beholding of them. Of god himself, they dare not affirme it, I sup­pose, because as in respect of his owne most excel­lent essence and beeing, he hath no neede by suche meanes to bee prouoked, to seeke his owne glory, which also hath from all eternitie bene, is, and e­uer shall bee so greate, that not they alone, but not all the creatures, either heauenlye or earthlie, shalbe able to adde therto, so much as a shadow or most small sparke. If they wil maintaine it of the an­gels, [Page 117]either elect or reprobate, that is as vnsounde also, for as for the elect Angels, they in the inte­gritie of their nature, promooting alreadie Gods glorie, and that in all perfection, though not of it, yet of them selues, can not then haue that desire anie whit encreased in them, the perfection wher­of, they haue alreadie thorowe Gods goodnesse at­tained vnto, and vnto perfection wee knowe that nothing can bee added; Besides that beeing simply and onelye of spirituall natures, it maye bee cal­led into question, whether that by such outwarde thinges, they may be furthered in such holy duties; And as for the reprobated Angelles, and damned spirites, because they are continuallie carried a­waye, thorowe the corruption of their nature, as with malice towardes man, whose saluation they would hinder, to the vttermost, so with enuie and disdaine towardes GOD, the encrease of whose glorie is an addition to their torments, they cannot (though there might bee some suche force in the creatures restored, which yet is not prooued) or at the least wise they will not bee prouoked there­by to giue glorie to GOD, because that the more that he is glorified, the more greeuously & greatly, are they them selues tormented, that I maye saye nothing of that impossibilitie that is in them to per­form this dutie, aswel by reason of the deprauation of their nature, as that irreuocable and most cer­tayne sentence of condemnation for euer, that the LORD the most iust iudge hath alreadie de­termined, and after a sort pronounced vpon them all: There resteth none nowe but men, which are of two sortes, good and bad, damned, and saued, [Page 118]concerning either of which to affirme it, is absurde and vnreasonable as the former. For as for the wic­ked, is there anie likelihoode, that they that in this life,Psalme 17. had their bellies filled vvith the hidden treasures of God, and inioyed both sea and land, and had infinit occasions giuen them to glorifie his name, in the li­beral allowance and continual vse of his creatures, and yet for all this were blind to see gods glory, and dumbe or tongue-tyed, to speake vnto his praise, shall in the life to come, where they shall not onely haue no vse of those blessinges, but a full measure of condemnation lying vpon them, as for all their sinnes generallie, so particularlie for the abuse of so manie excellent graces, that they shoulde then and there glorifie his name? Naie wee feare not to affirme on the other side, that they shalbe so farre off, from seeing or confessing gods glory in them at that time, that beeing in the state of eternall con­demnation, far seperated also from the place, where the creatures restored shalbe, that they shall haue their hearts, bodies, soules, and all continuallie sei­zed, with the feeling of their owne torments, and their mouthes alwaies replenished, partlye with all manner of lamentation and mourning, by reason of the most miserable and euerlasting paines they en­dure, and partlie with all kinde of blasphemie, cur­sing and contempt of Gods eternall Maiestie and themselues. And as for the faithfull, and god­lye, beeing then in the kingdome of heauen, (a place marueilouslie muche distant, from that place that the restored creatures shalbe in) and beeing filled also with the fulnesse of the ioyes of GOD, they shall bee so farre off from fixing their eies, vp­on [Page 119]anie of the creatures, from whome they shal­bee sundered further by many degrees, then mans eyes can well descrie, in as muche as the space betweene heauen which they shall possesse, and the earth, that the restored creatures shall occu­pie, is exceedingly great, that they shall not haue neyther sight nor senses mooued, muche lesse busied in beholding suche things, but rather shall haue all the thoughtes of their heartes, all the woordes of their mouthes, and all the actions and partes of their bodies, and affections and powers of their soules continuallie taken vppe and occupied, in the contemplation of GOD, the fountayne of all goodnesse, alvvayes praysing of hym also, that sitteth vppon the throvvne, Reue. 7.23. and in ser­uing of him for euermore.

Nowe then if that neither GOD, nor An­gelles, nor damned spyrites, nor elected men, nor the wicked condemned, shall haue vse of the creatures, this waye foorth, to stirre them vppe to glorifie GOD, and Gods glorie can not bee, but as in respecte either of all these, or some one of these, it must directlie followe, in my mind, that this is but a dotage or dreame, that these men pro­pound, concerning the continuaunce of the crea­tures, after the restitution, specially as they will haue it, for the manifestation and inlarging of the glorie of God.

That was indeede wee must acknowledge it,Psal. 19.1. the ende wherefore God created them at the first, and the Lorde himselfe had appointed them, to serue vnto that vse in this life, and so long as the worlde lasteth, that thereby the very wicked [Page 120]might be vvithout excuse, Rom. 1.20. and the godly prouo­ked more and more to praise him; but for as much as this naturall life shall cease,2. Pet. 3.10. And the vvorlde vvith all that is therein shall be purged and consumed by fire, there is no likelihoode, that then they shall stande vs in stead that waye at all. Be­sides all this, if it be true, that the creatures shall be eternall and mortall, by meanes of their resti­tution, I woulde faine knowe then what priui­lege man shall haue, aboue the creatures, by that most reuerend, noble, yea miraculous worke of his rising againe, and what difference there shall be, betweene him in his resurrection, and them in their restauration? Surelie I can see ve­ry small or none at all. For if they will affirme, that the creature, haue for a time (as a man would say) forborne their immortalitie: hath not man as in respect of his bodie also, committed to the ground and dissolued into dust, and to which al­so the resurrection dooth properly belong, borne that aswel as they, and had a common lot and por­tion that way forth, togither with them? The truth of this is so plaine, that besides religion, reason it selfe wil easily persuade it.

In all that hitherto I haue deliuered touching this first point, I woulde willingly bee taken as I meane, I hauing putte downe the same, not as though I were of this minde, that the creatures after their restitution should quicklie vanish away, though in my persuasion, there be greater like­lihoode of presumption, in all shew of reason and truth, for this, than for that other, but thus ra­ther standeth my iudgemēt, that forasmuch as god [Page 121]hath not reucaled in his word, for aught that I ei­ther knowe or haue read in the same, what shall be the state of his creatures, either durable or flitting, I will rather in all holy vnderstanding according to sobrietie, leaue the matter in his owne handes, to dispose of them according to his owne good plea­sure, than in presuming to knovve aboue that vvhich is meete to knovve and vnderstand, Rom. 12.3. determine either on the one side or on the other. And if this holie measure had beene faithfully obserued in the days of our fathers, there had not so many subtil points entred into mens hearts and heads, as haue beene disputed vppon, with, and against, as they say, speci­ally amongest the popish scholasticall diuines, as they call them: or were it yet at this daie put in pra­ctise as it ought to be, wee shoulde not haue so ma­ny, not onelie curious and vaine, but wicked and vngodly questions also, irreuerently tossed too and fro, in the mouthes of prophane people, and that not onelie amongst the vnlearned, but the lear­ned ones also, the more is the pittie, and the grea­ter I feare me is our sinne.

Thus hauing, touching the first point shortely, yet soundly, I trust, deliuered my minde, and iustly censured it, if not condemned it, of the crime of curiositie at the least, as pronouncing and conclu­ding more, than by the warrant of the worde men are able, I come to the second matter, and giue a newe charge, or a fresh onset vppon the same, as­saulting it, yea battering it, and beating it downe to the ground as it were with a most righteous ac­cusation of manifest falshoode and vntruth. For to affirme, that we shall haue the vse of the creatures, [Page 122]after their restitution, and our most glorious re­surrection standeth vppe directlie against the truth of Gods worde, which plainely aduoucheth, that in,Mat. 22.30. and after the resurrection vvee shall be as the An­gelles of GOD in heauen, neither marrying vviues, nor hauing vviues bestovved in marriage vppon vs, nor do­ing suche actions of a naturall life, or vsing suche meanes for the vpholding of the same, as wee did while wee liued vppon the face of the earth, wee knowe, belceue, and confesse, that the Angelles are nowe of their owne nature, by that creation which they had from GOD, inuisible, spirituall, and immortall substances: and this wee feare not to acknowledge, bicause wee haue learned it out of the written worde. Wee knowe againe on the other side, that visible, corruptible, and bodilie su­stenance, can not bee fitte foode, for suche hea­uenlie and excellent creatures; reason it selfe, be­sides religion or without it, hauing taught vs this, that there must be a certaine proportion, likelihode and consent betweene the nature and disposition of the foode, and the thing that is to be fedde or no­rished thereby. Very notable, as seemeth to mee, for this purpose, and the proofe of this point, is the speech of the Angell that appeered to Mano­ach and his wife, Sampsons parents, when they woulde haue staied him, till they had made readie a kidde for him,Indg. 13.16 the Angell answering thus: Though thou shouldest detaine me, yet vvoulde I not eate of thy meate: if thou vvilt prepare a burnt offring, thou shalt offer it vnto to he Lorde. As though hee should say; there are but two endes of preparing and setting forth meate: the one, that it may bee eaten vp [Page 123]after the manner of menne, the other, that it may bee dedicated vnto GOD, and vnto his ser­uice.

In the first consideration, there is no neede to present it to mee, bicause I liue not by such foode, this being rather my meate to nourishe mee, in all readie and holie obedience, to perfourme the thinges, that the Lorde himselfe inioineth mee to doe, either for the good of his children, or the pu­nishment of the wicked. If thou offer it in the o­ther respect, knowe that thou must offer it vppe vnto the Lorde onelie, bicause vnto him alone, and none other in heauen or earth, belong these solemne seruices and sacrifices, as may appeere by prescribing and commaunding the same in his lawe, there being not anie mention at all, of offe­ring sacrifices of any sort whatsoeuer, to Angell, or other creatures.

If anie will obiect against this truth, that great example in Genesis the eighteenth chapter, where it is saide, that the Angels vvhome Abraham staied, Gene 18.8. did eate, I answere, that though in outward shewe and wordes, it seemeth to make against my assertion, that yet in the true and naturall meaning of it, it dooth no whit at all thwart it, but confirme it ra­ther.

All the Scripture of GOD, which in the bare letter of it, containeth either an absurditie in rea­son, or an error in religion, must of necessitie haue an other sense than the wordes seeme to import, or else we should make god the author of al wisdome, yea the only vvise God, and wisdome it selfe,1. Tim. 1. the father of follie, & the word which is a most pure fountaine [Page 124]of all truth and sinceritie, a filthie puddle of error, corruption, and lies. And if for the saluing vp of mens slippes and sliddes, in the words of their lips and mouthes, we wil admit so many goodly glo­ses, as they themselues or others for them can de­uise or bring, and yet perhappes fewe or none of them to purpose or effect, if they might be well scanned and weighed; why may wee not? naie whie shoulde wee not take those assured groundes of christian religion, that God hath reuealed in his worde (against which no exception can anie man­ner of way be put) and vse them as meanes, not to free God from forgerie or deceit, for he is always iust and holy, though we be corrupt, nor to cleare his worde from error, which indeede in it selfe, is al plainenesse and truth, but as very good helpers and aiders, to cause vs in an vnderstanding heart, to beholde, conceiue, and beleeue such thinges as to the sound knowledge wherof otherwise we could no manner of way attaine or reach? I say then, that for as muche as the place in the bare wordes of it, crosseth the principles of christian faith: and that for as much also as the doctrine of the worde tea­cheth vs, that such celestiall substances, and al­togither spirituall creatures, as Angelles can doe, no such earthlie dutie, as is heere mentioned, nor performe the actions of a naturall bodie, that ther­fore the meaning of this place, must of necessitie be this, that for our weaknes sake that is attributed to them, or spoken of them, which in deede and truth, and as in respect of their owne excellent na­tures cannot be verified in them. For the strength­ning whereof also me thinketh this may somewhat [Page 125]serue, namely, that as they seemed for the time, to haue the shape of men, and to take vppon them the proportion of their bodies, and yet were not men indeede, but alwayes verye Angelles, and heauenlie spirites; so they did sometimes seeme to vse the actions of humane life, and yet vsed them not at all.

Indeede I both knowe and confesse, that not on­ly Scotus, and the popish schoole-men, are against me in this point, but Augustine, Peter Martyr, and other men also of singular iudgement, both newe and olde. Howbeit I rest perswaded that euen they themselues, if they were liuing, and the godlie rea­der whosoeuer he be, will beare with me dissenting from them vppon good reason, yea euen vppon their owne reason. For if they may say, and that vppon iuste cause, that Angelles tooke vppon them the shape of mens bodies for a time, (not by any power in themselues for that worke, but by Gods appointment thereto) and yet were not men, but Angelles continually, I hope that other men may say, and that vppon as good groundes, that they might seeme sometimes to performe the acti­ons of men, and yet not doe them indeed. Where­vnto also I doe the more willingly incline, bicause I am sure of this, that nothing here is to be feared as erroneous, or doubted as daungerous, vnlesse some light-headed fellowe shoulde obiect and say, that this faining to do a thing, and not dooing of it, were euill. To whome for answere I say this much, that I hartily desire all of that mind, to beware and take heed what they speake in that behalfe, bicause thereby they shall not onlie accuse those creatures [Page 126]of sinne, whom the Lord hath freed from that cor­ruption, and the taint thereof, I meane the holie, blessed, and elect Angelles, but euen Iesus Christ the sonne of God himselfe, of whome wee reade in the gospell after Luke, that trauelling after his re­surrection toward Emaus with two of his disciples, he made as though hee vvoulde haue gone further, Luke 24.28. and yet offended not therein, bicause hee neuer com­mitted sinne,1. Pet. 2.22. neither vvas there euer guile found in his mouth.

In a worde to deliuer what I thinke; for anie man to conclude that euery fiction either in worde or deede were euill, should be not onelie very hard and peremptorie, but vtterly false and vntrue. The parables that the prophets of God haue vsed, and particularly that of Nathan in the first of Samu. & twelfe chap. vers. 1, 2, 3, &c. and of Hos. 1. vers. 2, 3, &c. and of others, should so be prooued falshoode and lying, which we cannot rightly or safly affirme, for as much as they vsed them, by authoritie and war­rant from the Lorde. And yet I minde not to tol­lerate, much lesse to allowe, of that wicked license and diuellish libertie, that the praters and ianglers of our dayes take vnto themselues in this behalfe, both by worde and writing. For I haue learned to put a difference betweene suche as Angelles and holy men haue by authoritie from GOD, with some glorie vnto his name, and good of his peo­ple, and voide of ostentation or of affection as in respect of themselues vsed, and those that prophane persons doe printe and coine, some­times for to manifest their wittes, and sometimes for to obtaine credite thereby, but alwayes with [Page 127]dishonour vnto GOD, and hurte vnto them­selues, and hinderaunces vnto others, as in some particulars, and that by rearefull effectes, I could well shewe, were I so disposed.

But to the point indeede. Let this stande as a resolued truth; that for as much as Angels eate not bodilie or earthlie foode, and we after the resurre­ction, shal in that & many other such like respects, bee as the Angelles of GOD, that therefore wee shall haue no vse of the restored creatures, as for meate and sustenaunce: and that therefore againe, they fight directlie against the worde of GOD, that dare bolt out such bolde and beastlie conclusi­ons: besides also, that they doe vtterlie euert and destroie the nature and condition of a glorifi­ed bodie: for if this be right,1. Cor. 15.44 53 that our naturall bo­dies shall become spirituall bodies, (not that the bodie shall be altered in respect of substaunce, but as in regarde of earthlie qualities onclie) And that vvhich is mortall must putte on immortalitie; and this bee true also and sound,Phil. 3 21. that our base and vile bodies shall be fashioned like vnto the glorious bodie of our Sauiour Christ, it must of necessitie followe, that if they haue foode to vse or to feede vppon, it must be other foode than earthlie or corruptible meate, such as our Sauiour himselfe speaketh of, saying; My meate is that I may doe the vvill of him that sent mee, and finish his vvorke; Iohn 4.32. for which also hee ex­horteth vs to traueil, saying;Iohn 6.27. Labour not for the meate vvhich perisheth, but for the meate that indu­reth to euerlasting life, or else they must confesse, that our Sauiour CHRIST, since his ascenti­on into heauen, and glorification, hath hadde [Page 128]in respect of his humanitie or manhoode, the vse of earthlie and corruptible thinges, than the which what can be almost a more grose or intollerable blasphemie?

But letting these vaine speculations, and odde conceits passe, let vs see what profitable doctrines, either for instructions or comfort, wee may learne out of this discourse that the Apostle maketh, tou­ching the creatures and their restitution. First, in that God here sendeth vs vnto the creatures, for our better instruction to learne of them, he would thereby set out vnto vs, our blockishenesse, vnapt­nesse, and inabilitie to good things. Neither doth the Lorde heere onely obserue this order, but in many other places of his worde, giuing vs thereby to vnderstand, both how hard a thing it is, as in respect of our corruption, and howe necessarie for our good, to represse and beate downe in vs, that great ouer-weening which wee haue of our selues; as for example wee see it vsed in Deuteronomie,Deut. 31.1. Isaiah 1 2.3 Ierem. 2.12. Micah. 6.2. and in the bookes of the Prophets oftentimes, as in Isaiah, Ieremiah, Micah, and sundrie others, and yet for al this, we wil not be humbled, but many of vs in the height of our imaginations suppose, that wee of our selues are apte and able to great mat­ters, whereas the Scripture sheweth the cleane contrarie affirming,2. Cor. 3.5 that vve are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues, but our suffici­encie is of God: And againe, that it is God that vvor­keth in vs both the vvill and the deede, phil. 2.13. and that of his good pleasure onclie, assuring vs in an other place, that the naturall man, perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God, 1. Cor. 2.14. and in this very chapter telling vs in plaine [Page 129]termes,Rom. 8.7. that the vvisedome of the fleshe is enimitie a­gainst GOD, for it is not subiect to the lavve of GOD, neither indeede can be. All which may teache vs, to hate and condemne, and that from the bottome of our hearts, the dotages of Pelagians and Semi­pelagians, as Papists, and suche others, who ei­ther in whole or in parte stande so stifelie for the maintenaunce of mans free-will, and that in this mere naturalles, as they call it, and may instruct vs againe to walke in the simplicity and humblenes of our hearts before GOD, as men that see no­thing but botches and biles, and all maner of cor­ruption and weakenesse and wantes in our selues, that so wee may be cured of him, that onelie can heale vs, and be strengthned and supplied from him, that is the GOD of all might and power, and hath all power in his owne hands, to bestovve plenti­fully vppon them that in fayth, Iames 1. and lovvlinesse of minde dravve nigh vnto him, and yet neuer vpbrayd them vvith it neither.

Secondly, in as muche as the creatures, are be­come subiect to the vaine vse of man, and to a flit­ting & vanishing estate, as in respect of themselues, and al this is brought to passe, by the means of sin, we may learne, not onely what stincke and corrup­tion hangeth vpon iniquity, as which tainteth both the parties committing the same, and infecteth as it were al the rest of the whole order of nature, but also, that for as much as transgression brings forth these pestilent fruits & effects, and namely, that be­sides other manifold inconueniences (as gods dis­honor, slander of his truth, offence of his children, griefe of our owne soules, &c.) it maketh the verie [Page 130]creatures vncleane and vnprofitable vnto vs, that therefore we should learne to flie from sin, as from the face of a serpent, & neuer to vse Gods creaturs, but in all humble and vnfained confession of our sins on the one side, and in reuerent reading, hea­ring, and meditation of his vvord, 1. Tim 4. and in hartie prai­er vnto his maiestie, for the sanctifieng of them vnto vs, on the other side, that so the pollution of sin, be­ing taken away, & holines from God being communicated vnto vs, his creatures may be profitable to nourish our outward man, not onelye in some out­ward duties of this life, but in all obedience of his blessed truth through Christ.

Thirdly, me thinketh we may here very plainely beholde and see Gods great and vnspeakable mer­cie towards vs poore and miserable men, that wee are,Psal. 8 for wheras by the meanes of transgression, we had iustly depriued our selues, bothe of that soue­raigntie ouer all the creatures mentioned manie times in the worde, and of the vse of them also, ma­king them what wee could thereby altogither vn­proficable vnto vs, it was, & is yet notwithstanding his good pleasure (who hath prepared the hope of a better life for vs, to allow vs, and let vs haue euen in this life, not only a sober and reuerend, but e­uen a most large & liberall vse of thē, that so we be­ing by them for a while fostered & fedde here, wee might in the ende come to the full fruition of that glory which he hath laide vp for vs in the heauens, which rich and abundant kindnes of his, bestowed euen then vpon vs, vvhen vvee vvere his deadly enni­mies, shold prouoke vs, not onely to humble thank­fulnes towards his maiestie, both in word and deed [Page 131]for his infinit mercie, but should instruct vs to striue with care and conscience to walke euen in the days of this our flitting and transitorie life, woorthy so great grace bestowed vppon vs. Yea it should fur­ther teach vs, in a frantike and free heart, not only to vse, as in respect of our selues, but to communi­cate to al others, & particularly to our enimies, ac­cording to the measure of mercie that GOD hath dealt with vs, & as their necessity shal require, anie of the blessings that the Lord hath powred vppon vs, according to that holy commandement;Rom. 12.20. Prou. 25.21. If thine enimie hunger feed him, if he thirst giue him drinke.

Lastly, wee may heere plainely see, to the won­derful ioy and peace of our bodies and of our souls, into what great excellencie of glorie, GODS children at the resurrection shall be aduanced, for the illustrating and inlarging whereof all the crea­tures shall then be renewed and restored, euen as they were at the beginning made also for them. And this shoulde teache vs all to spend the dayes of our pilgrimage here in feare and trembling, that at the length wee may, thorough the goodnesse of GOD in his Christ, be gathered home into our eternall tabernacles, there to raigne with him for euer.

He that will giue and gather any other, either sense or doctrine, out of this place, than as before, may shew himselfe to be drunken with vaine specu­lations, yea drowned in them, but shal neuer attain to that edification vvhich is of God, and wherevnto in­deed they that are of God should striue, setting a­side all vaine iangling, and curious questions what­soeuer, not determinable by the rule of the worde.

Hitherto for this matter, which being conclu­ded as before, let vs come to that verse which re­maineth of this text, wherein the Apostle affirm­eth that which he had doone before, touching the groanings of the creatures, and the sighs and sobs (as it were) of the children of God. And yet this is no vaine tantologie or idle repetition, but a more vehement affirmation of that whiche went before, which may appeere in that the Apostle vseth this terme (not onely) and a more plaine and particular declaration of that which he had somewhat darke­ly expressed before, namely, in the 22. verse, affir­ming, that the creatures vvith vs did groane and trauell in payne togither, not onelie shewing heere, what he meant by that terme (vs) which hee expoundeth in these words, vve vvhich haue receiued the first fruits of the spirite, but also what it is, that vvee both sighe and vvayte for, to wit, our adoption, that is the full ma­nifestation and declaration of it, which shall then indeede (and not before) bee perfectly accompli­shed. When that our bodies shall be raised againe out of the dust of death, and vntied to their owne soules, and so wee both in bodie and soule made perfect partakers of eternall life and blessednesse But let vs more particularly examine the wordes, and obserue some doctrines out of the same, that so also we may come to the end of this treatie.

Vers. 23. (And not only the creature)

To wit, groaneth and trauelleth in paine, as be­fore, verse 23. vnderstanding the worde Creature here as there. True it is, that the word (creature) is not in the Greeke text, but yet it is wel supplied, both by reson he hadde made mention of it before [Page 133]twice or thrice, and minding also by amplification to inlarge the point, by that terme (not onelie) hee sheweth that that affection is not proper to them alone, but that the sons and seruaunts of God haue it, in greater excellencie by much, than the crea­tures themselues. If any man therfore should not thinke well of laying that word to the rest, he hath his answere before; and yet may the better beare it also, bicause it is doone for euidence and expla­nation sake. Neither should any man thinke this short kinde of speaking strange; sith it is vsuall in our owne toong, and very rife and common with the Apostle, as in other his writings, so in this his epistle to the Romans, for proofe whereof the lear­ned reader may look vpon Rom. 5.3.11. Rom. 9.10.

But vve also I take it to be as much as if he shold say, euen we our selues do perform the self-same duty that the rest of the creatures do, although (as was said before) in a more excellent sort and maner, & that this should be the Apostles meaning, we haue not onelie this reason for it, bicause they do it not by others, neither indeede can others besides them performe it for them, but also bicause the Apostle himselfe doth afterwards emphatically as wee saie repeate the same againe in this verse, saying; euen we doe sigh in our selues. By which also the Apo­stle woulde teache vs, both how necessary this du­ty is, and how carefull we our selues shoulde be to do the same. But alas wee are so farre off from the practise of it, that our thoughts are not busied a­bout it or anie such other good matter, but rather as the Prophet saieth; Our hearts goeth after our co­uetousnesse.

(VVhich haue the first fruites of the spirit)

He meaneth by that worde haue, Ezec. 33.31 not onely the receiuing of those graces, but euen the very actu­al and present possession of them, yea the perpetual possession of them, which may appeere by this, that he vseth a participle of the present tense, noting as it were thereby, not onely the beginning, but euen as it were the continuāce of them. The knowledge whereof is not onely profitable to confute suche as suppose that the spirite it selfe and the graces of it, go and come, according to the seueral state of goodnes and euill wherein menne are, by rea­son of their sinnes, and their disposition to better thinges, as they imagine, but also comfortable for suche as through the erroneous opinions of other men, and the want of feeling in their owne soules, are greatly distressed and beate downe, as in that respect.

Now whereas hee addeth the first fruits of the spi­rite, wee are to knowe, that it is a metaphor bor­rowed from the ceremoniall lawe. The Lorde ap­pointing, that the first fruits of all their increase, should be dedicated as a holie thing vnto his maie­stie, and serue for these two endes specially, the one was the maintenaunce of the priests, and the other to be a pledge, that the remainder that was left in the handes of the owners for their lawfull vse, was nowe sanctified vnto them, in as much as God the author of holinesse hadde vouchsafed to receiue a portion of it, for his owne seruice and other holy vses: all which is plainely putte downe in manie places of the bookes of the lawe, and namely in Leuiticus and Deuteronomie. From which wee [Page 135]may learne, many good and profitable instructi­ons, as first in that the first fruits of euerie thing were consecrated to the Lorde, that therefore in the seruice of our GOD wee shoulde imploie, not onelie the meanest thinges that wee haue (a fault, as heeretofore, so nowe,Mal. 1.8.9. &c too common in this vnthankefull worlde, either in contempt will yeelde GOD nothing, or in carelesnesse offer him the woorst of all the flocke) but euen the best wee possesse and inioye, if wee haue any thing better than an other, either within vs or without. Neither was this obscurely onely figured in the lawe by this ceremonie, but plainelie and expresly putte downe in these termes;Deut. 6.5. Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God vvith all thyne hearte, vvith all thy soule and vvith all thy minde, wee knowing and confessing, that wee haue nothing more excellent than our inward partes, as wherein consisteth all our affection, reason, yea, and naturall life it selfe.

Secondly, in that the Lorde in this behalfe de­manded nothing of them, that was in their owne power to performe, but that which hee had com­maunded the earth to yeelde them, euen as his owne speciall blessing vppon the earth and them also (for though their labour might seeme some­what, and the earth naturallie to giue her increase, yet wee knowe on the one side, that it is in vayne for men to rise early, and to lie dovvne late, Psal. 1 [...]. [...] [...]. and to eate the breade of affliction or sorrovv, and on the o­ther side, that it is the Lords blessing that maketh men rich and prosperous, [...] 10. [...]. with which also hee addeth no sorrovves, as the Holie-ghost telleth vs) he would [Page 136]hereby teach vs, not onely howe vnapte and vna­ble wee are to the performance of good and holie duties before him, a matter which ought to hum­ble vs greatly in our owne eies, but also that hee will not refuse, but accept rather, the best good grace that he himselfe hath giuen vs, though some­times it sauor of the naughtinesse of our nature and the great defects of our hearts, as he dooth of the fruits of the earth,Gene. 3.17 notvvithstanding the same be accur­sed for mans sinne: a point that may comfort vs great­ly in those assaults, that the children of God feele in themselnes, by reason of the corruptions and imperfections that cling and cleaue vnto the best thinges they doe. Whereof also this is the reason, not that GOD delighteth in imperfections, for that is contrarie to his nature, which is most abso­lute and perfect in it selfe: but bicause if men, not onely in holy, but worldlie wisedome also haue learned, nowe and then to putte a difference be­tweene good and euill, yea betweene their owne good thinges that other men haue of theirs, and those men ill, liking notwithstanding their owne good, though other mens corruptions be inter­mingled therewith, much more shall and will God performe this, not only in as much as hee is better able to discerne than they betweene good and euil, but more, yea most staide in his iudgement, not varieng or turning as they: to which also this may be added, euen as in respect of the graces them­felues, that though mens good things may be mar­red by other mens euill, and not only the qualities, but the natures of them changed, yet Gods graces cannot be so peruerted. And therefore good reason [Page 137]why we shoulde comfort our selues.

Thirdly, it is as seemeth vnto me verie comfor­table in an other respect, namely, that as that of the first fruits that was dedicated to the Lorde, was a pledge of the sanctification of that that remained behinde, though it were imploied but to ordinarie and common vses, yea was a continuall seale of sanctification to the people of God, that both they themselues and all theirs, vvere vessels vnto honour sanctified and meete for the Lord and prepared vnto eue­ry good vvoorke, I vse now the Apostles wordes:2. Tim. 2.21 so e­uen the beginning of Gods graces in his children shoulde assure them, of continuance and groweth in the same, notwithstanding their weakenesse and wants: the reason is, bicause God dealeth not as man putting his hand to an excellent worke, and by leauing off, but accomplishing and making perfect, Phil. 1.6. and that vntill the daye of Christe Iesus the good things that he hath begone in them. Wherein though wee bee much wounded, bicause we feele not so muche as we woulde, yet shoulde this comfort vs greatlie a­gaine, that we deale with God, who is alwaies like himselfe, and hath all, both goodnes and power in his owne hands, to dispense vnto vs, so manie, or so much of his graces, as to his owne wisdome (which knoweth what is best) seemeth good for his owne glorie, our comfort, and the profit of his church.

All this wee haue spoken by occasion of these termes first fruits, the Apostle naming them yet fur­ther for the more excellency of them, the first fruits of the spirite, both bicause they are indeede of their owne nature spirituall graces, and also bicause that they flow and proceede from the spirit of God, and [Page 138]are wrought in vs, by his powerfull working in our hearts. Which teacheth vs not onlie the more re­uerentlie to regarde them, as comming from so sanctified and holie a fountaine, but the more care­fullie,2. Cor. 7.1. to purge our selues from all filthinesse of the fleshe and the spirite, and to grovve vppe into full holines in the feare of God, that so the spirite of GOD maie take pleasure to abide in vs,1. Thes. 5.19 vvhich delyghteth not to dvvell in an vnpure soule: alwaies taking heede, that we nei­ther quench the graces of the spirit in our selues or in others, nor in carelesnesse and contempt driue the same awaie from vs, but that we foster it, and make much of it, that so Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith, thorow his spirite, hee maie make vs fruitfull to euerie good worke.

It followeth (euen vve doe sigh in our selues.) He had spoken this before verse. 22. sauing that heere hee doth somwhat more largely affirme the same, there beeing this difference, further, that whereas there hee sayed, the creatures together groaned with vs, heere he affirmeth, that the faithfull doe it among them selues, shewing thereby, that neither the doc­trine of Gods worde, nor the instructions that God will haue vs fetch from his workes, are vnprofitable to his children, to whome they are directed, but serue to much good, & stand in great vse, as to ma­ny good purposes generallye, so particularlye to bring them out of loue and liking with the pleasurs and profits of this present euil world, and to make them earnestlie to hunger and thirst after eter­nall blessednesse and euerlasting life thorowe Christ.

Euerie worde that the Apostle vseth heere, car­rieth [Page 139]with it also some weyght and force, and of­fereth vnto vs occasion of some necessary doctrine or other; for first, that manner of speech, euen vve, he repeating againe or eftsoones naming the per­sons, doth teach vs, not onely howe necessarie it is and meete to speake plaine, that so we may be the better vnderstoode of those that wee are to deale with, but also that we should not neglect any good meane or way that may cause the parties, to whom our speech is directed, to conceiue and vnderstand the things that are propounded to them, wherein, though after repeating of one and the selfe-same point, may seeme either to them, or to vs our selues needelesse and superfluous: yet if wee will weigh with an vpright iudgement, either the hardnes and excellencie of the things that the word deliuereth, or the manifold difficulties and lets that are in men to imbrace the same, or the punishment of God vp­on the sins of them that speake them, wee shall well perceiue, that it ought not to be grieuous vnto vs, Philip. 3.1. to vvrite or speake the same things vnto the people of GOD, specially also sith it is a sure and profitable thing for them: neither that vve our selues should be negligent to put them alvvayes in remembrance of such things, 2. Pet. 1.12. though they haue knovvledge, and be established in the present trueth. For besides that wee forget the thinges that wee haue learned, we had neede to be stirred vp, in the things that we know,

And whereas the Apostle addeth, that we do sigh, we are to know, that he reherseth this againe more fully to declare this feruent desire that the godlye haue, yea the very sens and feeling that is in them, not only of the miseries and calamities of this life, [Page 140]but of the ioyes of heauen, and the hope of eternall saluation, which doth not onely cause him, to saye a desire, but a sighing, for where there is either a sense of miserie, or a feeling of mercie, there cannot but be both sighes and groanes, to bee freed from the one, and to bee filled with the other. Me thinketh that that which the apostle writeth in another place is fitte for the exposition of this point, he telleth vs, that if our earthlie house of this tabernacle, 2. Cor. 5.1.2. &c. vvere once de­stroyed, vvee haue a building giuen vs of God, that is an house, not made vvith handes, but eternall in the heauens: for vvhich also vvee sigh, desiring to be cloathed vvith our house vvhich is from heauen, because that if vve be cloa­thed vve shall not be found naked. For in deede vvee that are in this tabernacle sigh, and are burdened, because vvee vvould not be vncloathed, but vvould be cloathed vppon, that immortalitie might be svvallovved vp of life. What can be more plaine? doth he not in euident tearms affirme, that the faithful are so far off, from sticking fast to this earthlie tabernacle, that they doe not onely wish to bee remooued from it, but euen as a man would saye, with sighes and sobs desire rather that heauenlie tabernacle. Certainely he vseth the verie selfe-same woords in both places, and entrea­teth of the selfe-same matter, and therefore good reason, that one of them should serue for the fayth­full exposition of the other. The Apostle yet not­withstandinge treating of this doctrine in seuerall places of his Epistles, to seuerall people, teaching vs, that it is and ought to be a common doctrine for the whole Church, and for euerie member of it, and accordinglie to bee propounded,1. Cor. 15.19. as most fitte and comfortable for them, for if heere bee our hope onelye, [Page 141]vvee are of all men the most miserable: as who besides the common calamities of our naturall life, are tho­row the malice of the wicked, for gods sake, Psal 44 22. Rom. 8.36. and the profession of truth, and vvell doing, are killed all day long, and counted as sheepe for the slaughter. But vve looke for a continuing cittie, Heb 13.14. and seeke for one that is to come euen eternall in the heauens.

The Apostle sayth further that the faythfull doe after this sorte, sighe and sobbe in them selues, not meaning therby only that these sighinges are secret and inwarde alone, though that no doubte be some parte of his meaning, and the experience that the godly finde in them selues, sheweth this to be most true, but also that they are owtwarde, yet so as they doe proceede from the bottome of theyr hearts, and as a man would saye, from the verie bowelles of their soules. By which the Apostle would teach vs, what earnest longing as it were there ought to bee in all of gods children, for the manifestation of that time, wherein they shall not onelie bee freed from all miseries, but made pertakers of all felicitie, and eternall blessednesse. Yea, the Appostle woulde in­struct vs, that wee should not onelie striue to haue this effectuall feeling within, a matter whiche no doubt maie giue much peace to our hearts, because the inward comfort and ioy of the spirite is most ef­fectuall, and full of heauenly delight, as which hath euen so rapt and rauished manie of the saintes and seruaunts of GOD, in this life, that it hath made them, to forget as a man woulde saie, them-selues, and all the pleasures and profits of this world what­soeuer, yea and willinglie to forgo them all, but al­so that we should according to the measure of grace [Page 142]receiued, labor to laie it out, and to expresse it so in our wordes, countenaunces, deedes, and behaui­ours, that other men by our examples, may be stir­red vp to the like felowlike feeling, & to the expres­sing and declaring of the same towardes others, as they haue found and seene in others ouer and be­sides them selues. Prouided alwaies that yet not­withstanding we do both the one and the other in some measure of a sounde minde not making vaine shewes, as the maner of hipocrites is, of such things as we haue not within vs in deed, for that is nothing else, but daliance with the Lorde, and deceitfulnes towardes our selues and others, but hauing that in truth and effect, namelie, that we pretend outward­lie, which also is a notable meane, to approoue the feeling of our soules to be from God, that so also we our selues maie therein be comforted, and other men, according to the good will and pleasure of God bee greatlie profited. And all these doctrines, and particulerlie this last, doeth rightlie arise out of these wordes of the Apostle, doe sigh in our selues, that is to saie, inwardlie and outwardlie, earnestlie also, and from the bottome of good heartes, wee per­fourme this duetie, and therefore others by our examples should labour to doe the like.

It followeth, (vvayting for the adoption) vnder that tearme of waiting, hee expresseth the patient aby­ding, that the faithfull haue, noting thereby that they doe not earnestlie, wishe for it, which was expressed before, in the tearmes of sighing and grooning but that in patience possessing their ovvne soules, according to the commaundement of Christ, they doe with quietnesse of [...]pirite, and comfort of [Page 143]heart, expect not onely the thing it selfe, but the time also wherin that shalbe disclosed, not murmu­ring against GOD, though it please him to delaye the fruition of that, whiche they moste delight in and long after.

And this should teach vs in all things generally, and particularlie in this, that the Apostle speaketh of heere, to be so consourmed vnto the obedience of Gods will, that wee can with earnestnesse and an vnfeigned minde, saie, as our Sauiour teacheth vs; Thy vvill be done, in earth as it is in heauen, vphol­ding our hope in this, that if GOD yeeld not at the first, yet we will in christian patience attend his lea­sure and good pleasure also, perswading our selues heereof, that they whensoeuer his graces come, they shall come in a time most acceptable, and best euen for vs, (though perhaps wee our selues thinke not so) because he that knoweth what is better for vs then wee our selues, knoweth also what tyme they are moste fitte for vs, from whence also wee shoulde learne, to shake and cast from vs, these cursed corruptions that clyng vnto vs, and doe dyrectlie fight againste the trueth of this doctrine: sometimes wee setting GOD a tyme, which in deede sauoureth of intollerable presumption, prescribing to him that is LORDE ouer all: and sometymes againe not so reuerentlye esteeming his benefites as wee shoulde, because wee haue them not, when wee our selues woulde, which also bewrayeth wonderfull waiewardnesse and per­uersenesse in vs, wee practising and approouing that against our father and Lorde, which wee will tollerate, in our children and seruantes towards vs. [Page 144]Let vs learne rather to be so conformed vnto the o­bedience of gods wil, that whether we haue his bles­singes presentlie powred forth vpon vs, ot that they be for a while wiih holden from vs, yet notwithstan­ding we wil both with the one and the other be har­tilie well content.

Now whereas the Apostle vseth the worde Adop­tion, we are to see what hee meaneth by that. It is a woorde of the ciuill lawe, and whereof they haue a little in the institutes, by which they note, that choise that a man maketh of some one (who is him­selfe before the choise made destitute and in some miserie) to be vnto him as a sonne or childe, if hee haue none of his owne, or else if he haue of his own (for euen such also might addopt) to adde him vnto that number, and to prouide for him, though per­haps not in so high a degree, as for a naturall sonne, yet verie plentifullie and liberallie, not onely as in respect of that poore estate wherein the partie ad­dopted was before, but to preferre him before all his seruaunts, how tenderlie so euer he loued them, or prouided carefullie for them: so that the adopted children, seemed to be in a meane estate betweene the naturall sonnes and daughters, and these that were in the condition of seruaunts. This tearme the Apostle taketh and applieth to Christian religi­on, and namelie to note out, the free choise of god, adopting and taking vs vnto him selfe then, when we were in most extreame miserie, a large and no­table discourse whereof we may read Ezechi, 16-3.4.5. &c. He not onely choosing vs vnto him selfe as seruaunts, but as sonnes, whose sonnes (though we be not by nature and substance, for so Iesus Christ [Page 145] is the onelie sonne of God, begotten of the substance of the father before all vvorldes, whereas we are contrarie­wise, (by nature the children of vvrath.) Yet are wee so by the grace of adoption, by which also wee haue such priuiledge that we are not aduaunced into the honour of sonnes onely, but of heires also, yea heires of God, and fellovve heires annexed vvith our Sauiour Christ as this our Apostle declareth in this eight Chapter to the Romans. All which should teache vs as on the one side, to see our owne miserie and wretchednes, that so it may be a profitable meane continually to humble vs before our God, so on the other side, also to looke vpon the great loue and singuler fauour of God, in this free choise of vs vnto himselfe, that so it maie effectuallie stirre vs vp, to walke worthie of so great grace, making our election sure in our selues, and to others also by good workes.

He addeth (euen the redemption of our bodies) shew­ing as it were more plainelie what hee ment by the true adoption, to witte, not onelie that free grace of God in choosing vs to be his sonnes and seruaunts, but euen the full manifestation and perfection of it, yea euen the enioying of the fruit of it that is the sa­uing of our soules in the daie of Christ, yea the sa­uing of our whole man in that same great daie. But perhaps some will saie here is no mention made of the soule. What then? the certaintie of that was so plaine and euident that the Apostle needed not to labour in the proofe of it: that that seemed more di­ficulte and hard to beleeue, as the restauration of the bodies of the faithfull (of which some had bene deuoured by wild beastes, other some consumed in the fire, other some swallowed vppe of the sea &c, [Page 146]which how they should be brought againe, seemeth verie hard, if not impossible, speciallie to fleshe and bloud) was most of all to be traueiled in; He putting therefore one part for the whole, dealeth most spe­cially with the part, that seemed to haue most diffi­cultie in it, specially for the restauration of it.

But some man will thinke againe, that this spech is preiudiciall to the death of Christ, who by that sa­crifice of his body offred once for al vpō the crosse, hath perfectly performed the worke of the redemp­tion, both of our soules and bodies. We answere, that though that be most true that is put down, that yet for all that, wee enioye not the full benefite thereof in this life, neither in deed shall, vntill that the Lord hauing deliuered vs, from this base and contempti­ble estate wherein we are, haue by the rising againe from the dead, made vs perfect pertakers of his e­ternall glorie. This perfection of our blessednes the scripture calleth in manie places by sundrie names, as sometimes our quickning, our inheritance, our glorie,Philip. 5.21. sometimes our changing, as Phillippians 5.21. where the Apostle telleth vs, that Christ shall change the bodies of our basenes, 1. Cor. 15.53. and make them like vnto his glo­rious bodie: and in the Corinthians also, where hee nameth it, changing from a fleshlie and earthlie conditi­on, to a spirituall and heauenly state, that that vvas be­fore mortall, being cloathed vvith immortalitie. By all which you may see, that wee doe not onelie vnder­stand it, as some do, if the sundring of the soule from the bodie onelie (which wee confesse to bee in part the Apostles meaning, but yet not his whole mea­ning) but also of the glorious restitution of our bo­dies, as which doth not onelye best agree, with the [Page 147]groundes of christian religion, but most aptlie ser­ueth for the Apostles purpose in this place, as who dealeth here not so much with the dissolution of bo­dies, as with the restitution of them to that eternall immortalitie, that shall free them from dust and powder, and set them in estate of eternall incorrup­tion.

In a word to conclude this holie treatie; wee see what the Apostles purpose is, namely, to teache the people of God to long and sigh after their life, that is prepared and laid vppe for them in heauen. The creatures in their kinde do it, therefore ought wee much more that professe faith and godlines doe it; who besides their example haue many other means set before vs to effect this worke in vs; as the earnest and often admonition of the worde, teaching vs, to vse this vvorld, as though vve vsed it not, the manifold afflictions, that both in bodie and soule we are sub­iect vnto in this life, the great and greeuous perse­cutions that we sustaine for our holie profession at the handes of the wicked, the Lord at that time and not before fullie manifesting his righteous iudge­ment in recompensing to them that trouble vs, 2. Thes. 1.6.7.8. tribulation and to vs that are troubled, rest vvith the faithfull, vvhen the Lord Iesus shall shevv him selfe from heauen vvith his mightie Angels, in flaming fire, rendring vengeance vnto them that do not knovv God.