Heauen opened VVherein the counsaile of God concerning mans saluation is yet more cleerely manifested, so that they that haue eyes may come and se the Christian possessed and crowned in his heauenly kingdome: which is the greatest and last benefit we haue by Christ Iesus our Lord. Come and see. First, written, and now newly amended and enlarged, by Mr. William Cowper, minister of Gods word.

Verse 19

For the feruent desire of the creature way∣teth when the sonnes of God shall be reuealed.

WE haue heard hitherto the Apostles first princi∣pall* 1.1 argument of comfort against the Crosse, taken from the end of our afflictions, set down in the end of the 17. verse. If wee suffer with Christ, we shall raigne with Christ. This argument hee hath* 1.2 amplified in the 18. verse. We shall be glorified with such a glory as for waight and eternitie shall farre exceed our pre∣sent sufferings. Now hee insists still in the same amplificati∣on, and he proues that glory must be both a great and a cer∣taine [ 1] glory. First, because the creature by that instinct of na∣ture* 1.3 which God hath put into it, waites for the reuelation of that glory. Secondly, because the sonnes of God who haue receiued the first fruits of the spirit, by instinct of grace, wait also for it. Now it can neither be a small thing nor yet vn∣certaine, which God hath taught his creatures both by in∣stinct [ 2] of Nature and of Grace to long for: but it must be* 1.4 some excellent and most certaine good, whereupon God hath set the instinct and desire of his creature.

This being the Apostles purpose, the order of his pro∣ceeding is shortly this, verse 19. he sets down a proposition of the creatures feruent desire, to see that glory reuealed:* 1.5 thereafter he assignes two reasons why they are so desirous of it. The first is verse 20. taken from the present hard estate of the creature. The next is verse 21. taken from their future better estate, vnto the vvhich they shall be restored, vvhen the sons of God shall be reuealed: and then hee concludes this argument verse 22. And this purpose he handle•• at the greater length, because in all the booke of God this subiect is not handled saue in this place onely.* 1.6

For the feruent. Here as I haue said, he sets downe a pro∣position of that feruent desire, whereby the creature waites for the reuelation of the sonnes of God: and his earnest

expectation of the creature he expresseth by foure very sig∣nificant phrases: the first word signifieth such an earnest de∣sire, as we vse to testifie by the lifting vp of our head, and at∣tentiue looking for the comming of one, vvhom we would faine haue; with this hee ascribes to the creature a hoping, and thirdly, a sighing and groning, such as is vsed of them, vvho lye vnder a heauy burden, whereof they would faine be eased, and last, hee saith, they trauaile in paine with vs: thereby declaring the vehemencie of their desire, that it is like the earnest desire of a woman trauailing vvith Child, who most earnestly wisheth to be deliuered.

All these by a figure and improperly ascribed to the* 1.7 creature▪ signifie vnto vs, that forcible inclination and in∣stinct of nature, whereby the creature bendeth it selfe to practise that good in the highest degree, for which it vvas made, to the glory of God and good of man; which because it is not permitted to doe, being restrained by a superiour power for the sinne of man, therefore it is described vnto vs sighing and groning, wearie of the present estate, and vvai∣ting for a better. As wee see that the needle of the Mariners compasse, touched vvith the Adamant▪ hath in it this natu∣rall inclination that it seekes continually toward the North, from vvhich if it be restrained by any violent motion, it shakes and trembles continually, as a malecontent, but if it obtaine the owne end, and be once directly set toward the North, then doth it rest: it is euen so with the creature, the heauens and the earth being subdued vnder the bondage of vanitie, and their naturall inclination to good restrained▪ for our sinnes cannot rest, but in their owne kinde sigh and grone, waiting for the day of their deliuerance, and this in∣stinct of nature in the creature, is vnto the Lord as a cer∣taine voyce or desire, which hee vnderstands no lesse, than hee doth the voyce of the mouth, or desire of the heart in those creatures, whom hee hath indued with reason & sense. This being spoken for the exposition of the vvords, vvee come to the doctrine.

We finde in the holy Scriptures a three-fold vse of Gods* 1.8 creatures toward vs: their first vse is to serue vs, if wee vvill serue the Lord; yea, vpon this condition, the Angels are not ashamed to be called our ministers and seruants. Their se∣cond vse is to crosse vs when we offend God, then they serue eyther to punish vs in our persons, or to hurt vs in our goods; for when wee will not vvillingly honour God with the first fruits of our riches, but abuse them to the fulfilling of our owne lusts, it is a righteous thing with God to taxe vs against our will, by sending forth his officers and exact∣ers, such as the Caterpiller, and the Palmer-worme, to eate vp that tribute which we owe vnto God, but haue refused to pay him. And thirdly, they serue to teach vs; for there is no creature in heauen or earth vvhich doth not teach vs some lesson: the Emmet learnes vs prouidence, the Fowles of the ayre, and Lillies of the field, teach vs to cast our con∣fidence on GOD: and here the creature is brought in tea∣ching vs to become weary of our present seruitude of sinne, and to long for our promised deliuerance.

This is that miserable estate whereunto man is brought* 1.9 by his apostacie from God. In the beginning man was made Lord and gouernour of all the creatures; in one day he cal∣led them all before him, and gaue them names according to their kindes as one who knew them better in their nature and vertue, then they did themselues, and they all by com∣ming at his call to his Court, acknowledged him vnder God their superiour and Lord: this was a part of mans glo∣ry in the beginning, but now falling away from God▪ hee hath also so farre degenerated from his owne kind, that he is become inferiour to the beasts, as Balaam▪ Asse was wiser then his maister; so the creatures in their kind reprooue the foolishnes of man, who was their Lord.

Waiteth. The word import a continuall act of expecta∣tion▪* 1.10 their expectation expecteth: this earnest vvaiting of the creature may make vs ashamed of our blockish dulnes, that haue not our mindes and hearts set continually vpon

that day of our redemption, notwithstanding that exhor∣tation belongs vnto vs, that wee should looke for that day and hast vnto it. As the creatures were not made for them∣selues* 1.11 but for vs, so they shal not be restored for themselues but for vs, for the greater augmentation of our Glory, and if they who shall haue but the second roome, long for that day, how should we long for it, for whom that glory chiefly is prepared?

When the sonnes of God shall be reuealed. The sonnes of* 1.12 God are now said, not to be reuealed in two respects: first, because their persons are not reuealed▪ secondly, because [ 1] the glory and dignity is not yet reuealed. As for the persons* 1.13 of elect men, it is true the Lord knoweth who are his, and makes themselues also after their effectuall calling, to know that they are his, his Spirit bearing testimonie vnto their spirits, that they are the sonnes of God, he giues vnto them that new Name, vvhich none knowes, but they vvho haue it; but now they are not so reuealed, that they are knowne of the world: For this cause the world knowes you not, because* 1.14 it knowes not him. The good wheate of the Lord is now so couered with chaffe, and his excellent pearles are locked vp in earthen vessels, the vessel is seene and contemned for the basenesse thereof, the pearle is not seene, and therefore not esteemed according to the excellencie thereof: beside this, there are many of the sonnes of God not yet come into the world, and many already gone out of it, whom vvee know not, but in that generall assembly all the Saints of GOD shall be gathered together into one, at the right hand of the Lord Iesus, and shall be clearely manifested, that the wicked their enemies shall know them, and be confounded to be∣hold them.

And of this ariseth a warning to vs all, that none of vs* 1.15 despise another, but that euen those who for the present are euill, and contrary minded, wee waite vpon them patiently, proouing, if at any time God vvill giue them repentance, that they may come out of the snare of the Diuell. The sons

of God are not yet reuealed, he that presently is an enemie in regard of his rebellious conuersation, what knowest thou whether in the counsell of GOD hee be one of Gods cho∣sen children or not? and if hee be so, thou maist be sure, that ere hee dye, the Lord shall conuert him, if not of a persecuter to make him a Preacher, as hee did Paul, yet at least a Professour of that same truth which thou hast em∣braced.

Secondly, not onely are the persons of Gods sonnes vn∣knowne, [ 2] but their glory also now is obscured, and their life* 1.16 is hid with Christ, they are accounted the off-scowrings of the earth, and intreated in the world, as if they were the one∣ly men to whom shame and ignominie did appertaine: yea, their glory is not knowne vnto themselues, euen those who haue receiued the new Name, and the testimonie of the Spi∣rit recording to them that they are the Sonnes of God; when they looke to their contemptible bodies, and abundant cor∣ruption in their soules, they seeme vnto themselues to be nothing lesse than the sonnes of God. I marke it, that wee* 1.17 may learne to beware of Sathans pollicie, whereby he carri∣eth vs to iudge of our selues by our present estate, which can∣not but breed in vs horrible feare and doubtings. To this craft let vs oppone that comfort of the Apostle, dearely be∣loued,* 1.18 now are we the Sonnes of God, yet doth it not appeare what we shall be, it is but the beginnings, and not the perfection of grace and glory which we haue in this life: by the begin∣nings let vs know that we are the sonnes of God, and where we finde no perfection▪ let vs not be discouraged, remem∣bring this is the time wherein the glory of the sonnes of God is not yet reuealed.

We are here againe further to consider, that vvhere the* 1.19 Lord giues vnto the rest of his workes, the name of a crea∣ture, hee vouchsafes vpon vs the names of sonnes, shewing vs, that albeit in regard of creation we are his creatures, and come vnder that same name with the rest of his works, yet now in regard of his grace communicated vnto vs, wee are

much more than that which wee were by creation, and in that respect more esteemed of by him, then all the rest of his workes beside. As a Father counteth much more of his sonne, whom hee hath begotten, than he doth of all other things he hath whatsoeuer: so the Lord our God esteemes more pretious vnto him, one of these his excellent ones, whom he hath begotten in his beloued Sonne the Lord Ie∣sus, than he doth of all others besides. For their sakes hee reprooues Kings, hee alters the course of nature, and tur∣neth vp-side downe the state of things in the world, yea, he shall declare at length that they are his onely treasure: from the time that once he gets them all gathered vnto him, the administration of this world, as now it is, shall cease and take an end.

Oh that we could stirre vp our hearts to a thankfulnesse* 1.20 toward our God: shall wee not honour him as our Father, who hath called vs his Sonnes? shall wee any more set any of his creatures in our affection before him, who hath set vs in his heart aboue all his creatures? Alas, how pittifull is the folly of man, who being ignorant of God, goeth doting after the creature, as though the workes of his hands were more to be loued than himselfe? or as if there were more beautie or vertue in the creature than in him who made it? true indeede, they haue their owne beautie, Pulchrum coe∣lum, pulchra terra, sed pulchrior quifecit illa, the heauen is beautifull, the earth is beautifull, but more beautifull is he that made them: the greatest goodnesse of the creature is but the smallest sparke of that goodnesse which is in the Creator.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Apostle insists in the amplification of this glory.
• * 1.2

  He proues the greatnesse and certaintie of that glorie, by two arguments
• * 1.3

  From the fer∣uent desire which the crea∣ture hath to it by the instinct of Nature.
• * 1.4

  From the fer∣uent desire which the god∣ly haue to it by the instinct of Grace.
• * 1.5

  The order of his proceeding in the first argument.
• * 1.6

  A proposition of the feruent desire of the creature ex∣prest by foure phrases.
• * 1.7

  Waiting, ho∣ping, sighing, groning, ascri∣bed to the crea∣ture, to signifie their naturall inclination and instinct.
• * 1.8

  A threefold vse of the creature toward man.
• * 1.9

  How farre man by apostacie hath degenera∣ted from his originall glory
• * 1.10

  The waiting of the creature may make man ashamed, that waites not for that glorie.
• * 1.11

  1 Pet. 3.
• * 1.12

  The sonnes of God now are not reuealed.
• * 1.13

  In regard of their persons, which now are not knowne.
• * 1.14

  Ioh. 15. 20. 22.
• * 1.15

  This learnes vs not to despise other men, be∣cause we know not what they are in Gods election.
• * 1.16

  In regard of their glorie which now is obscured. Col 3. 3.
• * 1.17

  The sonnes of God shold not iudge of them∣selues by their present state.
• * 1.18

  1 Iohn. 3.
• * 1.19

  Comfortable, that where the Lord cals the rest of his works his crea∣tures, he calleth vs his sonnes.
• * 1.20

  Our duty a∣gaine craues that in our heart wee should prefer the Lord a∣boue all his creatures.