At Paules Crosse.
fo. 85. } nil.
fo. 85b.
fo. 86.
30 Jan. 1602.
One Barlowe, a beardless man of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge.
After his prayer and before he came to his text, he made a large exordium after this fashion; that yf Paule sayth of himselfe that he was amongst the Corinthians in weaknes, in feare and trembling, much more might he say the like of himselfe: whoe was weake in deliveraunce and methode, &c. Yet he entreated they would not heare, as some say they will heare, the man, but that they would regard the matter. Of all parts of Scripture the book of the Preacher may seeme most befitting a preacher, wherein is lively depainted the vanity of the world and all things therein: wherof at this time he intended to speake, but not out of the Preacher, but out of the words of St. Paule, and those were written in the viiith chapter to the Romans, the 19, 20, 21, and 22 verses. His distribution of this text, or rather context as he called it, because he said it was like Christs garment soe wouen togither that it might not be parted, was into five points: 1. That the creature is subject to vanity, v. 20. 2d. The reason of this subjection, by reason of him which hath subdued it vnder hope. 3. That the creatures shall be delivered, and hope for deliveraunce. 4. The effects of the subjection to vanity: every creature groneth with us, v. 22. 5. The effect of hope, the feruent desyre of the creature wayteth, &c. v. 19. He said this place of Scripture is accounted the hardest in all Paules Epistles. For the first, that the creature is subject to vanity, he interpreted the word by "creature" is ment, in this place, the heavens, the fo. 86b.elements, all things made of them, or conteyned in them, except men and angells. The vanity of the creature is in two points, 1. In the frustracion of their end, which is twoefold, the service of God, that made them; 2d. and the service of good men, for whom he made them. The 2d vanity, that they are subject to corruption, not of annihilacion of matter, but decaying in force and virtue.
The creatures, yf they had their owne will, would destroy the wicked and save the godly alone. As the earth would open hir mouth and swallowe them quicke, as it did Datham and Abiram. The lyons would devoure them, as it did the accusers of Daniel, but shutt their mouths against the innocent. The fier would burne them, as it did those which cast the three children into the furnace. It hath bin obserued that as well the influence of the heauens as the fertilnes of the earth is decayed, and that the whole world is the worse for wearing, the heavens themselves growing old as doth a garment.
2. God hath subdued the creature, for it is he alone that maketh the sunne shine, and powreth downe rayne as well upon the good as the bad, &c. and the reason of this subjection is the synn of man; for all these being created for mans vse, when he synned they were punished with him.
3. They shall be delivered from this bondage when there shalbe a newe heaven and a newe earth; not that the substance of these shalbe abolished, but a newe forme and perfection added, when they shall enjoy their ends and be of religion. fol. 87.
Jan. 1602.The elements shall melt with fyre, a comparison from mettall which is melted not to be consumed, but to be purified and put in forme.
The morall uses; 1. patiently to endure the afflictions of this life, for as thoughe the Apostle should laye them in a balance to weighe them, he sayth that the momentary afflictions of this lyfe are not worthy the waighte of glory that is layed vp for us in the life to come.
We may truely say that the afflictions of these tymes wherein we liue are not worthy the glory, for these are non, wee living in abundant prosperity and peace, but tymes of persecution may come, wherein these may be comfortable arguments; and, he said, that for ought he could see the crosse was the proper badge and cognisaunce of a Christian. There are soe many kindes of takinge; of takinge bribes, monie, gifts, &c. that there be fewe will take paynes with the creatures.
The creatures travayle togither with us, a metaphore taken from travayle with child: which is caused from syn, and is a desyre to be delivered.
When the sonnes of God shall be reuealed, i. e. when the number of the elect be called, for whose sake the dissolucion of the world is deferred. The Jewes must be conuerted before the world can be dissolued. He that before the dissolucion of abbies had foretold what was fo. 87b.to happen unto them for their fault and wickednes which liued in them, yf they had thereupon repented and entred into a new course of lyfe, though this could not perhaps haue stayed their dissolucion, yet it might haue saued themselves in some better state; soe when men are foretold of the dissolucion of the world, which is hastned and caused for our synnes, though our repentaunce and amendment of lyfe cannot hinder the dissolucion, yet may it be good for ourselves.