thereby ye haue attained to that true and vnfeined loue of the brethreÌ„ whereby ye know your selues to bee translated from death to life and that already ye are of the truth and hereafter shall before him assure your hearts 1. Ioh. 3. 14. and 18. and 19. by which things also ye haue felt vnspeakable and incomprehensible ioy and comfort then minse not the matter neither clippe ye the Lords goodnesse towards you by saying that indeede ye haue by our ministerie atteined vnto some knowledge euen to a verball knowledge so to my griefe I heare some to haue scoffingly said but whether yee haue receiued also the spirit of adoption that ye cannot tell yea some of you do vtterly deny But alas if ye haue euer felt the things before spoken of how ingratefull impietie and how impious ingratitude is this against God For what is this but for the excuse of your wauering mind to lie of the holy ghost And how much lesse sinne is this lying of the holy Ghost then that of Ananias and Sapphira of lying to the holie ghost Acts. 5. 3. I may amplifie this point by that which is written in the law against him that sinned against the Lord in denying vnto his neighbour that which was taken him to keepe or that which was put to him of trust Leuit. 6. 2. For if it be so great a sinne against the Lord for a man to deny vnto his neighbour that which was taken him to keepe or that which was put to him of trust to be restored againe to the owner without any benefit to the keeper oh then how heinous a sinne is it against the Lord to deny the free gift of God himselfe bestowed vpon wretched man neuer to be restored but to continue to euerlasting life Concerning such as are already separated from amongst you and do so continue if they haue made separation onely in zeale which is not according to knowledge without pride disdaine and contempt against all other such I wish well and seriously to consider the words and counsell of the angell which found out Hagar being fled from her mistris Sara for her hard dealing with her For as the Angell first asked her whence she came and whither she would goe and secondly vpon her answere that she fled from her dame Sara commanded her to returne to her dame and to humble her selfe vnder her hands Genes 16. 7. so and much more let the separatists among you consider the more whence they came and whither they are going as also to make the more hast of returning and humbling themselues to them whom without sufficient cause they haue for saken because their regeneration if they be regenerated receiued amongst them and wrought by some of them whom they haue for saken is a farre greater benefit then all that euer Hagar had had at the hands of her mistris Sara Touching both the that are separated and also that are not I do iointly intreat them with iudgement to consider first the speedy growth of them that decline that way like to the gourd of Iona Iona. 4. 6. not like to the graine of mustard seede whereunto the kingdome of heauen is compared Mat. 13. 31. which at the first being the least of all seedes afterward groweth not of the sudden but by degrees to be a great tree For may not this make them to suspect their course to be rather according to nature then according to grace Is it not more easie to goe downe the hill then vp the hill The rather may this sudden growth be suspected because it is more without meanes in one day or at least by small and simple meanes onely by priuate talking c. then before they did grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ in many moneths Great indeede was the suddaine successe of the sermon of Peter Acts. 2. 41. and of the preaching of Paul to the keeper of the prison Acts. 16. 33. But alas the extraordinary and strange meanes before mentioned in either place doe shew not onely the said suddaine and great successe to haue beene extraordinary but also that the like extraordinary successe requireth more extra ordinary means then in these dais we haue warrant to expect Secondly let both sorts before mentioned further consider the scoffing gibing and contemptuous spirit I speake this with griefe of most of them that are separated against all other especially not inclining towards them most of all against them that haue done them most good if euer they haue at all tasted in truth how good the Lord is 1. Pet. 2. 2. Is the spirit of God the spirit of scoffing gibing and contempt No but of sobrietie of grauitie of meekenesse and of reuerence teaching them in whom it is not to be high minded but to make themselues though of high place equall to them of the lower sort Rom. 12. 16. and in meekenes of minde to esteem other better then themselues Philip. 2. 3. Lastly let both sorts before spoken vnto further yet obserue the ignorance of many that are most prone to separation in the things of greatest moment and of most necessity and also what little conscience they make of sactifying the Lords day not only not spending the time of their absence from our asseblies in priuate exercises of religion at home but also in walking vp and downe idlely in the fields woods c and finally how they neglect their callings and misspend their time in running vp and down to talke one with another of separation and so wast that little stocke which before through the good blessing of God they had gotten whiles they did diligently follow their calling In the largenes of my loue towards you I could write much more largely of these points But beeing loth to trouble other readers and too long to deâ—cine them from the treatise following I do forbeare The Father of our Lord Iesus Christ of whom is named the whole familie in heauen and in earth graunt to all you to whom now I do write that ye may be strength ned by his spirit in the inner man Ephes 3. 14. c. and that none of you may euer fall away vtterly from the grace of God The same God also so print all good things in all your harts both which are in this whole booke printed in paper and also which ye do daily read in other good bookes which ye heare or may heare in the publike preaching of the word that neither the loue of the world nor any other power of hell may euer be able to race them out that so God may haue the glory of them and your selues may inioy the fruit euen righteousnes peace ioy and comfort in this life and euerlasting glory in the life to come From Much Totham Aprill 20. 1610. Your most vnfained and faithfull in the Lord Thomas Stoughton THE CONTENTS OF THE SEVERALL CHAPTERS OF THIS TREAtise of the Dignity of Gods children with a note of
for them Touching the first of these thus it is written who so dwelleth in the secret of the most high shall abide in the shaddow of the Almighty Psal 91. 1. Surely hee will deliuer thee from the snare of the hunter and from the noisome pestilence Hee will couer thee vnder his wings and thou shalt bee sure vnder his feathers his truth shall bee thy shield and buckler Thou shalt not bee afraid of the feare of the night nor of the arrow that flyeth by day verse 3. c. For indeede that whole Psalme is specially occupied in the argument of the safety of Gods children as touching the euils of this life and in declaring the contrary dangers of the wicked The like promise for the children of God is in Psalme 97. Yee that loue the Lord hate euill hee preserueth the soules of his Saints hee will deliuer them from the hand of the wicked verse 10. The whole 121. Psalme is also of this argument For there the Prophet assureth all the children of God that the Lord will not suffer their foot to slip that hee will so keepe them that the Sunne shall not smite them by day nor the Moone by night Yea hee saith verse 7. that the Lord shall preserue them from all euill c. Yea that he shall preserue their going out and their comming in The same is likewise euident by the couenant that God maketh with all creatures euen the fiercest and cruellest for his childrens sake But of this more afterward The Prophet Isaiah also saith of the same point But now thus saith the Lord that created thee and hee that formed thee O Israel feare not for I haue redeemed thee I haue called thee by thy name thou art mine When thou passest through the waters I will bee with thee and through the floods that they doe not ouerflow thee When thou walkest through the very fire thou shalt not bee burnt neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee Isai 43. 1. 2. What meaneth the Lord by these words but that his children should haue no hurt by those things that doe most deuoure and consume other I might adde many other Scriptures to the same purpose but these shall be sufficient Besides those and the like Scriptures and promises the same is manifest by great reason For sith all the afflictions of this life are part of the curse and punishment that is due to our sinnes and sith Christ Iesus tooke vpon him and came into the world to suffer the whole curse of God both of this life and of the life to come that wee had deserued and hauing accordingly indeed borne our infirmities and caried our sorrowes and was wounded for our transgressions and broken for our infirmities and had the chastisement of our peace vpon him Isai 53. 4. 5. and did himselfe beare our sinnes that is the full punishment of our sinnes in his body on the tree 1. Pet. 2. 24. therefore it standeth no more with the iustice of God to cast such afflictions vpon vs as punishments of our sinnes then it agreeth with the iustice of man to receiue his debt of the surety and yet after to require the same of the principall debter or to punish him for not paying the same yea forasmuch as the higher and greater any Iudge is the more it behoueth him to doe iustice and iudgement and sith God is the Iudge of all the world Genes 18. 25. therefore if it agree not with the iustice of man to demand that debt of one that is paied by another much lesse doth the like stand with the iustice of God The former point is likewise manifest by many examples Noah and a few of his were kept in the great floud that drowned all the world besides Lot with some of his were preserued in Sodom and Gomorra whereall other inhabitants of those cities were consumed by fire from heauen The widdow of Sarephta with the Prophet Elija was fed in that great dearth and famine when many other were in great extremity Ieremiah and Ebedmelech were well prouided for and had great liberty when the great nobles and Princes of Ierusalem with many other of the common people which before had reiected the word of the Lord were either cruelly put to the sword or slauishly carried away captiue Iehoshaphat was preserued from the Aramites though in great danger of them when Ahab was wounded to death by them The red sea gaue way to the Israelites and stood vpon heapes like a wall for their safe passage through it when Pharao and all his host were ouerwhelmed in it Againe to some speciall sinnes there are some speciall afflictions belonging To drunkennesse belongeth woe sorrowes strife murmuring or much talke wounds without cause or wounds without punishment rednesse of eies Pro. 23. 29. So likewise to it and to all other intemperancy there belong many noisome diseases as the dropsie the gout apoplexies and such like yea not only diseases but deformity also of body blockishnesse of wit and dulnesse of vnderstanding of how sharpe wit and quick capacity soeuer they were before with hardnesse of heart like to brawne so that hauing many sorrowes yet they shall feele none Adultery likewise and all incontinency is accompanied with some foule diseases and many other euils Boldnesse and rashnesse is not without many great dangers To those also and to diuers other sinnes belong pouerty great shame disgrace reproch and contempt with men The like may be said of many other sinnes as hauing many speciall calamities attenâ—ing vpon them For as much then as before we haue heard that the children of God are freed from such sins it followeth likewise that they are the more safe from those euils that they doe specially meet with that fall into such sinnes Thus much briefly for the immunity of the children of God from the euils of this life Touching the second sort of benefits for this life belonging to the children of God they are as before I said all the blessings of this life far foorth as they are good for them and may be accounted benefits not only in their own nature but also to the children of God These are length of daies health peace safety liberty riches credit honors authority friends and such like All these do belong only to the children of God and that by a double right First by promise Secondly by participation of Christ and that communion with him before handled in whom all the promises of God belong vnto men and are said to be yea and Amen that is begun and accomplished 2. Cor. 1. 10. Touching the right of those blessings by promise the Apostle saith that godlinesse hath the promise not only of the life that is to come but also of the life present 1. Tim. 4. 8. If ye require where they are promised looke these places specially Leuit. 26. 3. to vers 14. Deut. 28. 3. to verse also 14. Iob. 11. 13. c. and 22. 23. c. Psal also 34. 9.
it is said that Nothing wanteth to them that feare God that the Lions do lacke and suffer hunger but that they which seeke the Lord shall want nothing that is good Many sweet promises for this life are likewise dispersed throughout Psal 37. See also Deut. 32. 9. c. Psal 81. 13. c. Psal 112. 2. c. Prou. 24. 4 and many other places For indeed the scripture is very rich in these promises for the children of God but no where are the blessings of this life promised to the wicked yea contrariwise in the former two first places Leuit. 26. 14. c. and Deut. 28. 14. c. there is a world of miseries and outward calamities for this life threatned vnto them The scripture likewise is full of such threatnings elsewhere Eliphaz thus describeth the state and portion of the wicked He wandreth saith he to and fro for bread and knoweth that the day of darknesse is prepared at hand or rather when he knoweth it to be prepared the day of darknesse is at hand affliction and anguish shall make him afraid they shall preuaile against him as a king ready to battell For he hath stretched forth his hand against God and made himselfe strong against the Almighty Therefore God shall run vpon him euen vpon his necke and against the most thicke part of his shield c Though he dwell in desolate places such as worldly men affect to auoid resort and expences by resort and in houses which no man inhabiteth but are become heapes such also doe miserable men delight in that no man may haue any heart to come vnto them he shall not be rich neither shall his substance continue neither shall he prolong his perfection thereof in the earth He shall neuer depart out of darknesse The flame shall drie vp his branches and he shall goe away with the breath of his mouth Iob 15. 23. c. There are many other the like places containing the like threatnings Iob 18. 5. c. 27. 13. c. So then many euils of this life are threatned to the wicked no good thing is promised vnto them as they are wicked Indeed as Iehu though a wicked man and one that departed not from the sinnes of Ieroboam that made Israel to sinne 2. Kings Note 10. 31 as Iehu I say had in some things carried himselfe like to the children of God and had diligently executed that which was right in the Lords eies against the house of Ahab the Lord promised him in the place alledged vers 30. that his sonnes to the fourth generation should sit vpon his throne which we see to haue been performed Chap. 15 8. The like may bee said of other wicked men touching the blessings of this life that the Lord suffereth them to enioy them and to haue the occupying of them for a time as in some other respects afterward to be spoken of so also in regard of some things done outwardly by them whereby they doe somewhat resemble his children that so they may haue no cause to complaine of him as of an hard Lord and master but that all the world may see that hee rewardeth euerie man according to his worke 1. Pet. 1. 17. For as much then as God threatneth all euill to the wicked and promiseth nothing that good is vnto them as they are wicked therefore also it followeth that the promises of good things doe belong only to Gods children And thus much for the first right of the children of God vnto the blessings of this life viz. by promise Touching their second right by communion with Christ for as much as he is the only heire of all things Heb. 1. 2. as hath been before noted and that as he is not only God but God and man For euery heire is heire to another but as Christ is Note God all things are his owne and he hath equall right with the Father vnto all things so that properly in that respect he is no heire therefore it followeth that none can haue any interest to any thing but only such as are in Christ and be members of his body They that are Christs and whose Christ himselfe is may well claime and challenge all other things yea they may assure themselues that they shall haue all other things Hee that spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all how shall hee not with him that is it is not possible as hath been before obserued but that with him he should giue vs all other things also Rom. 8. 32. Thus much briefly of the right that the children of God haue to all the blessings of this life neither only of their right but also of their property in them But yet I may not thus let this matter passe without further speech thereof for the better satisfying of all men touching the same To proceed therefore further therein it may be demanded and will no doubt be demanded that if this be by promise and by participation of Christ the right and property of the children of God why some of them yea many of them are oft times in great want and necessity So was Bartimeus that sate by the high way begging Mark 10. 46. So was Lazarus that lay at the rich mans gate c. Luk. 16. 20. So Dauid himselfe after that he was anointed to be king of Israel was in such necessity that he came to Ahimelech the Priest to craue some releefe for himselfe and his company and was glad to take the shew bread of the Lord because Ahimelech though Priest had then no other prouision ready 1. Sam. 21. 3. Afterward also in the like necessity he sent for some reliefe no Nabal Chap. 25. 5. The like is the state of many other yea of most other the children of God Their part oft times is but small of these earthly blessings It may therefore I say be demanded why this is so or how this standeth with the righteousnesse of God to giue so little to them to whom he hath promised so much yea who likewise by communion with Christ haue right to all To this I answer that it is to be remembred which before I said viz. that these blessings of this life are not absolutely promised to the children of God but conditionally if they may be good for them and no hinderances of them touching a better life So only they are promised and no otherwise So only they may be praied for and no otherwise So only they may be looked for and no otherwise If they be otherwise praied for or expected our praier and expectation are wrong and it skilleth not though we be not heard in our praier and though our expectation be frustrated Yea it is better we should not be heard and that our hope should be frustrated then otherwise The wholsomest the daintiest and most exquisitly drest meat that is may be hurtfull to a sick and weake stomack and though such a sick person doe craue such meat or
any other that is good in it selfe but not good for one sicke of that disease it is better not to giue it then to giue it and it is better for such a sicke person to want such meat then to haue it As kniues likewise and swords are good in themselues yea the better the sharper they bee and yet not for children or some other that know not how to vse them yea the sharper and better the more dangerous for such persons so is it touching the blessings of God for this life in respect of some of the children of God to whom in respect either of some sicknesse and weaknesse or of want of knowledge and discretion how to vse them they may be more dangerous many waies then profitable any waies Yea the very best of Gods children may sometime take hurt by many blessings of this life Dauid himselfe in his prosperity said he should neuer be moued Psal 30. 6. As soone as the holy ghost had recorded the great riches power and magnificence of Salomon 1. Kings 10. in the beginning of the next Chapter he adioineth that he loued strange women and that his said strange wiues turned his heart after strange Gods c. When Iehoshaphat had riches and honey then he ioined himselfe in affinity with Ahab 2. Chron. 18. No sooner was Hezekiah recouered of his sicknesse vnto death but presently his heart was lift vp within him 2. Chron. 32. 25. Moreouer as children may more easily hurt or breake a glasse then be any thing the better if they haue it although they take no hurt themselues thereby so some of the children of God by their childishnesse in the grace and knowledge of God may abuse the blessings of this life albeit themselues perhaps take no apparant hurt by them Againe as it is not meet that euery naturall child of man should haue the like quantity of meat or meat of the same sort or garments of the same measure or of the same stuffe Note or of the same colour because there is difference of age of strength and of stature so is it with the children of God touching the blessings of this life A little is as sufficient for some as a great deale for other some A little is as much for a meane man as a great deale for a king or a noble man If the Lord also giue a contented mind with a little this is greater riches to one of Gods children then a great deale with discontent and a mind still greedy of more to the wicked Therefore godlinesse is said to be great gaine if a man be content with that he hath or rather with a contented mind to note an effect of godlinesse that it worketh a contented mind or an adiunct of godlinesse that it is accompanied with a contented mind 1. Tim. 6. 6. But why is a little with a contented mind so great riches Not onely because whatsoeuer they haue they haue right thereunto as before hath been said and because that that they haue is pure vnto them as themselues are pure Tit. 1. 15. but also because they haue it with the fauour of God He that findeth a wife findeth a good thing and receiueth fauour of the Lord Pro. 18. 20. That which is said of finding a wife may be said of all other blessings of this life to the children of God They come from the fauour of the Lord and are accompanied with the fauour of the Lord. Whether therefore they be few or many small or great the godly may haue great comfort in them Hence it is said that A small thing to the iust man is better then great riches to the wicked and mighty Psal 37. 16. Many the like sentences there are in the Prouerbs as Chap. 15. 16. 17. and 16. 8. and 19. 8. As a little gift from a man with loue and good will is more then a great deale by constraint of lawe or of feare or with grudging and murmuring so certainly is it touching the blessings of God for this life bestowed vpon the godly with the fauour of God Therefore we doe often see that a godly man that hath but small wealth fareth more merrily and liueth more at hearts ease quietly and comfortably yea and that he spendeth more vpon good vses then many wicked men that haue ten times yea twenty times as much as they and yet lesse charge also then they As God giueth them all that they haue to enioy 1. Tim. 6. 17. so they do enioy it to the comfort of themselues of their wiues and children of their other friends and of the other Saints of God standing in need of comfort from them And this mind thus to vse the blessings of this life is much more then the blessings themselues Sith therefore God doth giue a greater grace pertaining to the life to come vnto his children to whom he giueth but a little for this life which greater grace for the life to come is much more worth then all the abundance which they haue not for this life God cannot be said to be vnfaithfull touching his promise as not performing the same neither can he be charged with any wrong done vnto the children of God in giuing thē so little for this life because he accōpanieth that litle with so rich grace otherwise He that promiseth much of one kind that is of small value and giueth not the same but a little of an other kind of far greate◠worth then much of the meaner kind doth he any wrong Hee that promiseth his sonne twenty or thirty sheepe and giueth but ten with fiue or sixe good kine or oxen of more price then 40. sheepe doth he his son any wrong or hath such a sonne any cause to complaine of his Father The former grace of a contented mind is the more because many a wicked man that hath great abundance and no child or kinsman to inherit it is neuer content his eie is neuer satisfied with riches neither is there any end of his trauel but his hart is alwaies troubled with cares and thoughts of the world scarse taking any quiet nights rest or eating his meat quietly but alwaies eating the bread of sorrow Psal 127. 2. Yea thinking still that himselfe eateth too much and still crying out with the Horsleeches two daughters Gine Giue and neuer saying It is enough and being of the nature of the graue and barren wombe that are nener satisfied Prou. 30. 15. 16. As such men are neuer quiet or satisfied in their minds so in their bodies they are euer toiling and moiling raking scraping and grubbing in the earth and about earthly matters and for earthly earthen goods himselfe being more earthly and earthen then they as if they had nothing at all and as if whē they haue gotten that which they desire either they should neuer lose that or that should neuer lose them Such men hauing much in possession haue nothing in vse hauing all they are as poore as he that
hath nothing Of such men speaketh Salomon Eccle. 4. 8. and 5. 9. and 6. 2. But as it is demanded and now answered why the godly haue often times so small a portion of these earthly blessings sith they haue right vnto all so it may likewise be demanded why the wicked haue so much that haue no right to any thing To which that may serue for part of an answer that was said last before that although they haue much in possession yet they haue nothing in vse c. as also that before said that sometimes the wicked haue these outward blessings for some outward seruice wherein they resemble the children of God But for further answer to both the former comparatiue demands touching the small portion of the godly and the great portion of the wicked in these blessings of this life we must vnderstand another reason to bee this that the Lord casteth these mercies of this life and disperseth and scattereth them all abroad as a man or woman doth sometime throw downe amongst their children and seruants a lap full or basketfull of crabs or some other base fruit where he that is strongest and whose minde doth most affect such base things getteth the greatest part and they that are weake and whose stomacks care not for such raw stuffe get nothing at all or very little So I say the wicked being strong in body and minding altogether earthly things by scambling and struggling and scraping get much earthly muck whereas the godly being for the most part of small power and little minding such base things but hauing their hearts set vpon better euen vpon things that are aboue where Christ Iesus sitteth at the right hand of God Colos 3. 1. and being also in that respect oft times very shiftlesse for things of this life they get but a little and are content with a little so that they haue enough for present necessity and so that they grow rich in heauenly blessings Againe the great blessings of God for this life bestowed vpon the wicked are but as great pasture knee deepe for oxen fatted for the slaughter Furthermore all the right of the blessings of this life being only in the children of God especially in respect of God and from God whatsoeuer the wicked doe possesse yet are they neuer the richer thereby Nay their state is the worse not only because thereby they are as I said fatted and made the fitter for Gods iudgements but also because in the end they shall giue account as vsurpers of that which was not theirs In the meane time they are no better then bankrupts that haue great shops vse great dealings and make many returnes bearing great shewes building goodly houses furnishing them richly keeping great hospitality maintaining themselues and theirs in costly apparrell in all companies spending with the best c. but all of other mens goods nothing of their owne These may flourish and bluster for a time and oftentimes so doe as well as the wealthiest but when it is once known that they are worth nothing but that they owe ten times more then all that they haue will discharge euery man then commeth vpon them thick and three fold action followeth action one arrest after another and execution vpon execution And then alas what are they the better for all their former shewes and flourishing brauery yea are they not in ten times more miserable condition then the poore man that was not worth so much in all the world as they sometimes spent vainly in one weeke For such a man sitteth still is quiet and without interruption followeth his calling when those gallant fellowes are either in prison or lurking here and there full of feare and not daring to shew their faces and when all that they had is seazed to satisfie their creditors So is it with the wicked Whatsoeuer they possesse howsoeuer they swagger and ruffle it out with their wealth and other prosperity bearing all downe before them yet when God shall call them to account then they shall find that they had no interest vnto any thing they possessed because they were without God and without Christ in the world and therefore that hauing much they had nothing And then shall it be ten times worse with them then if they had had neuer a groat yea then shall they wish that they had had nothing because they shal be forced to giue an heauy reckoning of that which without any interest they inioied vsed or rather abused at their pleasure as if it had been their own yea then shall they find to their great woe that the poorest and sickest and most despicable child of God which liued alwaies in thraldome bondage and all other outward misery was euen in the greatest extremity of that his misery in far more happy state and condition then the greatest the richest and the mightiest noble man or King in all the world was that was none of Gods children Moreouer as before wee heard that the children of God haue that which they haue whether little or much with the fauour of God so whatsoeuer the wicked haue it is with the displeasure of God As it is said of Saul that God gaue Israel a King in his anger Hose 13. 11. so it may be said of all the prosperity of the wicked that God doth giue it them in his anger And how can it be otherwise sith they will not Kisse his sonne whom he hath commanded them yea all Kings and Iudges of the earth to kisse vnder paine of his anger and heauy displeasure Psal 2. 12. If any man also take any thing from a man especially from a Prince will not he from whom it is taken be angry will not a king especially be most highly displeased with such rapine especially when he hath promised it and appointed it for his children The earth is the Lords and all that therein is Psal 24. 1. All the beasts of the forrest are his the beasts of a thousand mountaines c. Psal 50. 10. The siluer is mine and the gold is mine saith the Lord of hosts Hag. 2. 9. The Lord hath giuen all these things to his sonne and in him to them that are his children by him how then can he not be angry with them that seaze vpon them not being his adopted children in Christ his only naturall sonne yea that being his enemies do notwithstanding as boldly take them into their possession and vse them as freely as if they were his children and so had interest vnto them Doth not the Lord straightly forbid theft of man against man and hath he not been angry and is he not daily angry with them that commit any theft against man will he not then much more bee offended with theft against himselfe and against his sonne Christ Iesus That which is but theft against man is sacriledge against God and Christ Iesus Againe though the wicked be in neuer so great prosperity yet all is most vncertaine and in a
to vertuous Queene Ester was not the ring which himselfe did weare euen when hee came with the King to the royall banquet of Ester giuen to godly Mordecai whom Haman had hated with a perfect hatred Ester 8. 1. 2. Truely this is a great prerogatiue of the children of God that the wicked and their enemies that scorned and contemned them should be their seruants to gather riches for them Thus we see that although the blessings of this life belong only to the godly yet sometimes the wicked get a share but with so small comfort that they were a great deale better be without it This shall be sufficient for the reason both why and how the children of God hauing onely right to all the blessings of this life yet sometimes are in want and oft times haue but a small portion of them as also why and how the wicked hauing no interest at al vnto them yet for a time haue them in great abundance CHAP. XXIIII Shewing why the children of God do sometimes meet with the afflictions of this life threatned against and most properly belonging to the wicked and how beneficiall such afflictions are vnto them and that all things worke to their good IT remaineth now to shew further why as the wicked doe thus often partake of the blessings of this life promised due and proper only to the godly so sometime the godly meete also with afflictions threatned to the wicked and most properly and rightly belonging vnto them and that without any impeachment of their dignity and of the priuiledges and prerogatiues pertaining to them Touching this therefore the first reason why it so falleth out is like to that which before we heard of the wicked For as the wicked sometimes doing the outward works of the children of God doe therefore receiue the outward rewards of the children of God that as I said they may haue nothing wherewith to blame the iustice of God albeit where there is any sin there neuer can be any merit or desert before God so the children of God when they behaue themselues as the wicked doe somtimes tast of the iudgements of the wicked in this life that they may the better be freed from them and from the feare of them in the life to come This is manifest by the manifold afflictions that befell Dauid after his sinne both with Bathsheba against her husband Vrija and also in numbring the people Notwithstanding as the Lord doth giue the wicked his blessings of this life rather in wrath then in fauor as hath been before said so hee doth afflict his children not in wrath but in loue to make them the more partaker of his holinesse that they may the better liue Heb 12. 5. 6. 7. Reu. 3. 19. and to teach them his lawe that they may haue the more rest in the dates of euill whiles the pit is digged for the wicked Psal 92. 12. Such vse did Dauid make of his afflictions both after the former sinnes and also at other times as himselfe testifieth saying It is good â—or mee that I haue been afflicted that I may learne thy statutes Pâ—al 119. 71. And this kind of affliction is called the triall of our faith much more pretious then gold that perisheth though it be tried in the fire 1. Pet. 1. 7. Because as fire purgeth the gold from drosse and as sope maketh the linnen cleane so this affliction is a meane to purge vs of our corruption As plowing also of the ground killeth the weeds and maketh the ground the fitter to bring foorth corne as harrowing likewise breaketh the hard clods and so furthereth the former worke of the plough whereby the ground so ploughed and harrowed may be the more fruitfull so afflictions seem to kill the weeds of sinne remaining in the children of God and to mollifie the hard clods of their harts that they may beare the more fruits of righteousnesse Is it any harme to be so afflicted no more then for gold to be tried in the fire then for foule linnen to be washed with sope then for ground to be ploughed and harrowed Therefore the man whom the Lord doth so correct and chastice is pronounced blessed Psal 94. 12. before alledged and Iob 5. 17. Therefore also the Apostle Iames willeth them to whom he did write to account it exceeding ioy when they did fall into many temptations or afflictions Iames 1. 2. yea he maketh that the first precept or exhortation of all the Epistle that it might be the more regarded To shew more particularly how by afflictions we are taught the law of God purged of such corruptions as do stil remain in the best let vs vnderstand that the said best of Gods children being ready by prosperity to be puffed vp as before we heard by the examples of Dauid Salomon and Hezekiah therefore afflictions serue for the repressing of such pride and to make vs the more humble Dauid did no sooner heare the afflictions threatned which afterward were inflicted vpon him but presently he humbled himselfe saying I haue sinned against the Lord 2. Sam. 12. 13. and in further testimonie of that his humiliation hee did afterward write the whole most dolefull and heauenly one and fifty Psalme When also the Angell of the Lord for his numbring the people smote Israel with the plague how did he and the elders of Israel humble themselues againe 2. Sam. 24. 17. and 1. Chro. 21. 16. as before hath been shewed in Chap. 18. The like hath been before said of Hezekiah out of 2. Chron. 32. 26. Secondly the children of God by experiences of afflictions in themselues are taught the more to pity other in the like affliction Yea this was one end of our chastisement vpon Christ himselfe Heb. 2. 17. 18. Thirdly because by much and long prosperity the children of God are ready to be glued to this world too highly to regard the glory of it and too little to respect the world and life to come therefore sometimes they are afflicted the more to weane their hearts from the world and by the bitter fruits thereof to make them the more weary thereof and the more earnestly desirous of being dissolued and being with Christ Philip 1. 23. Fourthly by afflictions they are taught to bee the more thankfull for the contrary blessings when they shall enioy them as by pouerty to be the more thankfull for wealth by sicknesse to be the more thankfull for health by trouble to be the more thankfull for peace c. Fiftly by afflictions especially by those that come vnto them by the hatred of the world against them they haue the better assurance both that themselues are not of the world but of God For if they were of the world the world would loue them Ioh. 15. 19. and also of their future similitude to Christ in glory Rom. 8. 17. 2. Tim. 2. 12. whereof we shall speake more afterward And the same is it that the Apostle teacheth the Philippians bidding
better manifestation of the glorie of God by his miraculous raising againe after buriall and after death and buriall diuers daies So our Sauiour saith to his disciples before hee was dead This sicknesse is not vnto death viz. to lie or continue in death till the generall resurrection but for the glory of God that the sonne of God might be glorified thereby Ioh. 11. 4. So he said after he was dead and buried vnto Martha who obiected that he had been dead foure daies Said I not vnto thee that if thou didst beleeue thou shouldst see the glory of God vers 40. Fourthly the godly are sometimes taken away by an extraordinary kind of death not onlie to teach other the more to take heede of all such sinnes as for which they are so taken away but also to admonish men not alwaies to iudge other by their end except their life haue also been wicked but rather to hope well of them if their former life haue been godly albeit their end be somewhat vncomfortable Finally to make an end of my answer to the former obiection touching the afflictions of the children of God sith all afflictions are threatned only to the wicked as all blessings are promised only to the godly though the troubles of the righteous be great yet the Lord deliuereth him out of all Yea though they continue long yet the Lord keepeth all his bones not one of them shall be broken whereas the afflictions of the wicked shall slaie them and they that hate the righteous shall perish Psal 34. 19. 20. 21. Therefore Salomon admonisheth the wicked not to lay waite at the house of the righteous because though the iust man fall seuen times yet he riseth again that is though he haue many afflictions be now vp now presently down yet at the last the Lord deliuereth him out of all but the wicked doe fall into mischiefe or do perish and be vtterly at the last ouerthrowne in their misery Pro. 24. 15. 16. Yea though they crie yet there shall be none to saue yea though they cry vnto the Lord yet he shall not answer them Psal 18. 41. Of both these viz. of the deliuerance of the children of God out of their troubles and of the perishing of the wicked in theirs wee haue mentioned diuers examples before not needfull now to be repeated Though also the Lord do suffer the afflictions of his children to continue yet in the end he will most gratiously deliuer them by death and translate them to himselfe where they shall rest from their labor and where they shall reap the fruit of all their workes Reuel 14 13. of the which rest and other reward of their workes all the afflictions of this life are not to be accounted worthy Rom 8. 18. Yea in respect of which most excellent and eternall weight of glorie all affliction here is but exceeding light and momentany 2. Cor. 4. 17. But of this more afterward In the meane time the Lord will either mitigate the said afflictions of his children or shew his power in their weaknesse not laying more vpon them then he giueth strength to beare neither suffering them to be tempted aboue their strength 1. Cor. 10. 13. The Lord knoweth to deliuer the godly out of tentation and to reserue the vniust vnto the day of iudgment vnder punishment or to be punished 2. Pet. 2. 9. Are not these things singular priuileges Are they not excellent dignities To haue the right of all the blessings of this life and to haue the very afflictions of this life made so many waies beneficiall so that the children of God may not only say that light is sowen for the righteous and ioy for the vpright in heart Psal 97. 11. but also that vnto the righteous ariseth light in darknesse it selfe Psal 112. 4. But is this all that may be said touching the blessings of this life and the afflictions thereof in respect of the children of God No we may further adde both of such blessings and of such afflictions and also of all other things that we that are the children of God do not vncertainly hope but fully and most certainly know that all things work together for the good of them that loue God Rom. 8. 28. What all things yea all things youth as well as age weaknesse as well as strength trouble as well as peace sicknesse as well as health pouerty as well as wealth the single state as well as the married disgrace as well as credit contempt as well as honor low degree as well as high imprisonment as well as walking at large bondage as well as freedome losses as well as gaine barrennesse of the body as well as fruitfulnesse a troublesome wife as well as a comfortable wife wicked and rebellious children as well as good and dutifull death of father mother brother sister husband wife children and other friends as well as the life and long continuance of them trauelling abroad as well as keeping at home banishment as well as abiding in our owne country the hatred and displeasure of men euen of the mighty men of the world as well as their loue and friendship dangers as well as safety foule or cold weather as well as faire and hot weather to conclude death as well as life and any one thing els as well as another All this is so to be vnderstood that wee may admire the wisedome of God in turning all things to good to them that loue Note him and that we acknowledge the state and condition of such to be the more honorable and happy not that therefore we make choice of one thing as well as of another but that we direct our choice according to his reuealed will and yet to be content with whatsoeuer the Lord shall doe and to possesse our soules in patience as knowing that howsoeuer things fall out a while yet at the last the end will be good for vs. But this being a matter of good moment it shall not be lost labor to insist somewhat more vpon it and to make it more plaine that all men may the better see that all things worke indeed to the good of them that loue God that is of his children because we haue heard before that they only do loue him and that all the wicked are often said to be enemies and haters of him This therefore is manifest first because God is with al them that loue him as hath been before declared If God bee with them who can be against them Rom. 8. 31. or what skilleth it who or what is against them They may then say as Elisha said 2. Kings 6. 16. and as Hezekiah did 2. Chron. 32. 7. They that be with vs are more then they that be against vs. God is greater then all Ioh. 10. 29. viz. not only in power but also in wisedome and goodnesse as before also hath been shewed Whatsoeuer he will in heauen or in earth that he doth Psal 135. 6. He will not
serue him 1. Sam. 12 24. or to serue the Lord in feare and to reioyce in trembling Psal 2 11. and to make an end of our salution with feare trembling Phil. 2 12. and lastly in consideration as well of his seuere iustice in rewarding euery man according to his works as of his fatherly goodnesse towards vs to passe the time of our dwelling here in feare 1. Pet. 1. 17. Thus I say the children of God must feare and doe feare If men be without this feare they are secure and without the spirit of adoption that is they are not the children of God as afterward vpon an other occasion we shall heare againe But as for slauish feare such as is forbidden such as ariseth only froÌ„ regard of Gods power iustice without respect to his mercy and goodnesse and such as is repugnant to faith which is the assurance of Gods fauour Heb. 10. 22. this is also contrary to the peace of Gods children and of this it is to be vnderstood that they are deliuered out of the hands of their enemies that they may serue God without feare Luk. 1. 74. But are the children of God indeed alwaies without this kind of feare so that they neuer haue any brunts thereof I answer that the children of God are not only spirit but flesh there is none of the children of God so regenerate but that his regeneration or rather his sanctification which is as I said the slature of a man regenerate is here imperfect although therefore so far forth as they are sanctified or regenerate for I will not striue about words nor be too curious or precise for phrases they be freed from feare as hauing receiued the spirit of adoption which is contrary to the spirit of bondage and of feare and whereby they may be bold to call God their Father and assure themselues of his fatherly loue towards them â—et so far forth as they haue some reliques still of the old man so far they cannot but sometime feare euen so feare as feare is forbidden Yea so much the more doe they often feare otherwise then they should both Gods iustice and also the rage and cruelty of their enemies because the vnsanctified part doth so oppresse and sometime and for a time ouerwhel me the sanctified part and the spirit of adoption in them that they thinke themselues not to be regenerate at all neither euer to haue receiued the spirit of adoption but to be meer naturall men and as wicked as any other But although they doe thus feare looking only to Gods iustice and not to his mercy and respecting only the corruption of nature remaining in them not the beginnings of grace wherby they are assured of an inheritance reserued in heauen for them as also of their own preseruation here by the power of God yet euen then haue they cause not to feare but to be of good cheare in respect of those arguments against feare before handled As the wicked do sometimes taste the powers of the world to come Heb. 6. 5. that is of the ioies of heauen so the Lord will haue his children to haue a little marke of the feares that are proper only to the wicked that they may pray the more earnestly for recouery of their former peace of conscience as Dauid did Psal 51. 8. and 12. and the 〈◊〉 to esteem of it when they find it againe as also that after the recouery of their former peace of conscience they may be more carefull to keep it themselues and the more diligent in teaching other to keep it likewise for euery benefit is the sweeter by tast of the contrary Againe the Lord will haue such feare of his children to be as a glasse to the wicked wherein they may the better see their own fearfull state and condition in not being the children of God as gathering by such feares of the godly that they themselues are in much more fearfull condition and haue much more cause to feare Moreouer such feare in the children of God doth often arise from the mistaking of things and from their imagination of that that is not So we did see before that the dâ—sciples of Christ feared vpon imagination that they had seen a spirit when they saw him So many of the children of God haue in all ages feared and now doe often feare because they iudge not aright of the graces of God in themselues but thinke they haue no faith at all no loue at all c. and therefore no assurance at all of Gods fauor and of their owne saluation because their faith loue and other graces of God are weake and come short of that they ought to be because they are able to distinguish between a nullity and an imperfection of Gods gifts accompanying saluation in them therefore they thinke that to be a nullity that is only an imperfection It is also with the godly in this case as sometime with a company of rebellious subiects where notwithstanding the king hath pardoned and sent his pardon vnto them signed with his owne hand and sealed with his own seale For as such hauing no skill to read their pardons doe therefore doubt of them and feare the kings displeasure so many of Gods children being pardoned of all their sins and hauing their pardon written in their hearts by Gods own finger and sealed with the spirit of adoption do notwithstanding doubt and feare because they cannot well read the said pardon But why can they not read it either because it is written in small letters which their sight being but in part cannot see or because they haue not gone long enough to schoole for the learning to read Gods hand perfectly and readily or because they themselues haue forgotten that which they had learned in that behalfe or because they haue kept their pardon so rechlesly and carelesly that the same being blotted and obscured with many sinnes through their negligence and carelesnesse committed cannot well be read by themselues or any others for a time viz. so long as they liue so carelesly and till they haue purged themselues of such sinnes as whereby not only the writing of their pardon is blurred and made vnlegible but also their own sight is dimmed so as they neither can read their pardons nor see any thing els touching their salution as they ought So had Dauid blotted and obscured the pardon of all his sins and dimmed his own sight by his sinne with Bethsheba and against Vriah that he was troubled with many feares which made him to complaine of his state as if it had been as bad as any mans and that he praieth the Lord to create in him a new heart as if he had neuer been regenerate before Psal 51. 10. The afflictions also of this life befalling the children of God being especially compared with the prosperity of the wicked do so blind their eies that they cannot behold the goodnesse of God to the peace of their consciences as
they should and as sometime they behold the same This made the Prophet to say I haue clensed my heart in vaine Psal 73. 13 â—nd to thinke the state and condition of himselfe to be no better then the state and condition of the wicked yea to iudge theirs better then his Yea Dauid being banished from the Arke of God and in danger of many enemies had such trouble of mind and feares of heart that he was faine to rebuke himselfe in that behalfe and to say to his soule as before we heard why art thou cast down O my soule and why art thou disquieted within me Ps 42. 5. 11. 43. 5. Finally somtime such seares of the children of God the error of their iudgement touching them arise from some bodily cause eueÌ„ from a melancholik coÌ„stitutio wherby the iudgemeÌ„t is so crazed that it doth not erre only in matters of God which coÌ„cern saluation but also in things of this world which coÌ„cern this preseÌ„t life For the abundaÌ„ce of melancholy oftentimes taketh away from men the knowlege of their best friends makes them to think that they are vtter enemies to feare theÌ„ accordingly No maruel then though the said humor doe somtime obscure the fauor of God and darken the peace of conscience euen in the best of Gods children These that are thus occupied with feares doe measure their condition more by feeling then by faith and other arguments of greater certainty then feeling But howsoeuer the children of God in these and the like respects be troubled with such feares for a time yet as before we said of other troubles of this life so I may also say of those feares that the Lord doth at the last deliuer them our of all and turne them likewise to their great good yea for the most part the Lord giueth his children most inward peace when they haue most outward calamities at least when they haue Note most need of such inward peace then also haue the godly most peace yea most comfort When the wicked are most dismaied namely in the times of greatest stormes and tempests euen of most mighty and fearfull thundrings lightnings at such times the wicked quake and tremble as fearing some greater euill towards them and so indeed oftentimes it falls out but contrariwise the childreÌ„ of God looking not so much to the lightnings nor hearkning so much to the thundrings as considering therin the great power of God how able he is to saue them how soon he can subdue their enemies do in this respect both follow their callings the more quietly and also hold vp their heads the more cheerfully The like may be said of them in the howre of their death Mark saith Dauid the vpright man and behold the iust for the end of that man is peace Psal 37 37. and why so the sonne answereth the father I meane Salomon answereth Dauid saying the day of death is better then the day that one is borne that is to the child of God Ecâ—l 7 3. and why is this because the day of death to the children of God is the day of deliuerance from all their misery The children of God themselues die not but their misery then dieth yea then also their sinne the cause of their misery and chiefe misery it selfe maketh an end Secondly death to the godlie is but a short bridge and a speedie passage to eternall life they take not onely their leaue of all calamities but they enter also into their Masters ioie and take now more full possession then euer before they had of that moste blessed inheritance whereof before they heard and which they had a long time most earnestly longed for On the contrary howsoeuer the wicked for a time especially in prosperity seem to be at peace and so liue securely fearing nothing yet if aduersity once come then they rage and storme then they fret and chafe then they raile and raue then they curse and sweare then they speake not only against men but also against God himselfe especially the day of their death is most fearfull vnto them as being the end of all their happinesse and the beginnings of their greatest woe and misery and so they finish their daies most heauily most fearfully yea sometime they are so discontent with some things befallen vnto them or so tormented in their minds with feare of Gods iudgements against themselues that they play the bloody butchers vpon themselues So Achitophel in malcontent mind hanged himselfe 2. Sam. 17. 23. so Iudas as before we heard in great desperation of Gods mercy did make the like fearfull end of himselfe Mat. 27. 5. That sometime the children of God die vnquietly in outward appearance it is to admonish other the better to prepare themselues for their end and to labour the more to treasure vp for themselues comfort by keeping a good conscience for the day of their death That the wicked die sometime peaceably and in shew comfortably either it is to admonish all men not rashly to iudge sith God can in a moment secretly worke repentance or else howsoeuer some will say of such that they went away like a bird or died like a lamb yet rather if they shewed no repentance especially if they did not indeed repent they are to be thought to haue died like beasts that for the most part dying naturally of some disease and not being killed violently doe only pant and grone and make no other noise As it is said of Nabal that when Abigail had related what Dauid had purposed against him and what she had done to saue Nabal from the execution thereof that his heart died wit hin him and he became like a stone and so about ten daies after he died 1. Sam. 25. 22. 28. so the wicked dying in their sins and yet not dying raging nor rauing c. doe die like stocks or stones that is neither shewing any more repentance neither any whit more regarding any goodnesse then stocks or stones But to returne to the children of God such is their peace vpon the grounds before mentioned that as they are freed from the seruile feare of Gods wrath and iustice so they are likewise freed from all such feare of other creatures as whereby they should be dismaied or disabled from such duties as belong vnto them For what need they feare any thing sith God hath made a league with all creatures in their behalfe and sith they know that all things doe worke together for their good as before we haue heard we may therefore Note conclude they need not to feare any euill tydings Psal 112. 7. yea though they walke through the vale of the shadow of death Psal 23. 4. but that euery one of them may say the Lord is my light and saluation whom shall I feare the Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid Psal 27. 1. and againe I will lay me downe and also sleep in
peace for thou Lord makest me dwell in safety Psal 4. 8. this peace of the children of God is not only common to them all neither only proper to them alone neither only alwaies in them euen in all troubles and in death it selfe in manner notwithstanding and with the exceptions before expressed but it is also accompanied with great ioy of the holy ghost and such as none of the wicked doe enioy though they be kings and Princes or otherwise abounding in all prosperity Indeed commonly the state of the children of God is accounted the most lumpish dumpish heauy and solitary state of all other Yea amongst many other things that do discourage men from being the children of God this is not the least that they thinke there is no ioy no mirth no gladnesse belonging to them but that if once men will frame themselues to be the children of God then they must bid farewell to all ioy and they must prepare themselues to all sadnesse and heauinesse But this is a foule and grosse error euen proceeding from the father of lies For the truth is that as the righteous and none but the righteous are often bid be glad and reioice Psal 32. 11. and 33. 1. Phil. 4 4. and elsewhere so indeed in respect of the forgiuenesse of sinnes and of the fauour of God and of all other benefits before mentioned they haue more cause to be glad and reioice then all the world besides Yea none but they haue sound cause to be glad and reioice For ioy and peace are as well as accounted fruits of the spirit as loue patience goodnesse faith gentlenesse and temperance Gal. 5. 22. and the kingdome of heauen is as well said to be in peace and ioy in the holy ghost as in righteousnesse Rom. 14. 17. in both which places this is to be obserued that the Apostie ioines peace and ioy together as I now doe euen as the cause the effect it is therefore euident that there is no sound ioy but where there is the spirit and kingdome of God The Lord speaking of the wicked and of the godly saith thus Behold my seruants shall reioice and ye shall be astonted behold my seruants shall sing for ioy of heart and ye shall cry for sorrow of heart and shall howle for vexation of mind Isai 65. 13. 14. Before likewise the Lord had said by the same Prophet The redeemed of the Lord shall returne and come to Ston with proise and euerlasting ioy shall be vpon their head they shall obtaine ioy and gladnesse and sorrow and mourning shall flie away Isai 35. 10. Therefore the Apostle commendeth this peacero be the peace of God and to passe all vnderstanding Phil. 4. 7. first because no humane vnderstanding can sufficiently comprehend it Secondly because no humane vnderstanding can prize or value it according to the worth thereof Salomon also speaking of a good conscience which is only to be found in the children of God saith that it is a continuall feast Pro. 15. 15. because it bringeth that ioy before spoken of and maketh men alwaies as merry as if they were at a greatfeast alwaies I say and not somtimes only doth a good conscience make a man merry viz. not only in abundance of other things and in prosperity but also in want and penury vea vnder many greatand heauy afflictions For so the Apostle testifieth of them to whom he did write that being by the rich mercy of God begotten againe to a liuely hope of that excellent inheritāce wherof before wespake they didreioice although by many afflictions they were in heauinesse 1. Pet. 1. 6. yea afterward he describeth their sound ioy by two notable attributes vnspeakable and glorious vers 8. As these christians did so reioice so the Apostle Paul though continually vnder great and heauy afflictions and persecutions Acts 20. 23. 2. Cor. 11. 23. yet he testifieth that the testimony of his conscience was his reioicing 2. Cor. 1. 12. Therefore often elsewhere he professeth that he was so far from being ashamed of his crosses and manifold troubles that he did rather reioice and glory in them and so we see indeed that he and Stlas being in prison did not mourne and weep but sang Psalmes euen at midnight Acts 16. 25. The like ioy we read to haue been if not in all yet diuers of the martyrs mentioned in the book of the Acts and Monuments Yea the truth is that in respect of the premises the meanest child of God that hath faith and regeneration but as a grain of mustard seed hath more sound and true matter of reioicing euen in afflictions then the greatest the richest and the mightiest monarch in all the world that hath not receiued the spirit of adoption Yea how can they reioice that haue no communion with Christ that are dead in their sinnes that are no better then fooles and madmen that are in bondage vnto sins yea vnto satan himselfe that haue no freedome in heauen neither any trade for any merchandise therof whose sins doe all remaine in the book of Gods account and that may continually feare when God will enter into iudgement with them that haue no liberty to come to God once to aske pardon of the said sinnes because they haue not faith wherein they should offer vp their praiers and without which all their praiers are abominable vnto God that haue no benefit by the word of God either for their direction or for their comfort or for their defence against the enemies of their saluation that therefore are alwaies naked and lie open to all their assaults that much lesse haue any thing to do with the sacramēts which are seales of Gods word that haue no right or interest in any blessings of this life but shall giue an account of euery thing they haue had vsed as vsurpers as thieues against whom all things work together for their euill prosperity and aduersity friends and foes their good deeds which they seem to haue done as well as their apparant euill deeds that are excluded out of the kingdome of heauen and are in the state of condemnation euen so long as they continue without the spirit of adoption condemned already what ioy I say can any haue that are in such a case though they be neuer so great neuer so rich and neuer so mighty monarchs in the world Verily as they shall if they repent not bee throwne into vtter darknesse where shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth and where they shall be tormented for euermore with the diuell and his Angels so if they know their wofull and miserable condition they haue cause to mourne and to houle continually in this life yea more cause so to doe then the poorest man in the world good or bad because the more God doth aduance them in this world the greater shall their damnation bee in the world to come if in this life they do not glorifie God according to their said
reade them and hauing read them themselues then also to lend them to other that cannot buy them Let all that reade them make vse also of them as their seuerall occasions shall require What more my beloued brethren shall I say vnto you Euen this that because ye haue beene long hearers of the word the preaching whereof is the meanes both to beginne your regeneration and also to increase your sanctification therefore remember how yee haue receiued and heard and that also ye do hold fast Reuel 3. 3. Yea that with all your might ye keepe that which ye haue that no man take away your crowne verse 11. Are not these the latter times wherein the spirit long since did speake euidently that some should depart from the faith and giue heede to the spirits of errours and to doctrines of diuels 1. Tim. 4. 1. Are they not the last daies perillous times wherin men should be louers of themselues couetous boasters proud cursed speakers c. fierce also no louers at all of them which are good traitors or treacherous heady high minded louers of pleasures more then louers of God hauing a shew of godlines but in truth denying the power thereof 2. Tim. 3. 1. c. Haue ye not therefore the more neede diligently to take heede to the things which ye haue heard lest at any time ye run out Heb. 2. 1. and leake as riuen vessels vse to doe and lest also at any time there be in any of you an euil and an vnbeleeuing heart to depart away from the liuing God and further to exhort one another daily whiles it is called to day and whiles ye enioy the light of the gospell that none of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Heb. 3. 12. c. Yea that also ye watch one ouer another euen as euery Pastor ought to do ouer his flocke that no man fall away from the grace of God c. Heb. 12. 15. Verily beloued ye ought thus to doe and the times do require it at your hands Take heede therefore that in these daies wherein the loue of many waxeth cold and all iniquity is increased no man deceiue you Mat. 24. 4. 12. Looke to your selues that wee lose not the things which we haue done but that we may all receiue a full reward 2. Iohn 8. Be stedfast and vnremoueable not decaying but abounding alwaies in the worke of the Lord knowing that your labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord 1. Cor. 15. 58. And because yee haue not onely beene hearers of the word neither such onely as haue learned somewhat out of the same but haue also made profession of the hope belonging to adoption therefore against all forces and perswasions to the contrary keepe the said profession of your hope without wauering considering one another and whetting one another as yron whetteth yron Pro. 27. 17. to loue and to good workes Heb. 10. 23. 24. both towards God and also towards men that so ye may flourish as palme trees and grow like Cedars in Lebanon and being planted in the house of the Lord ye may flourish in the Courts of our God and still bring forth fruit in your age and be fatte and flourishing Psal 92. 12. Yea that your loue and seruices and faith and patience and workes may be more at the last then at the first Reuel 2. 19. Shall I here conclude my speech vnto you Not so my good brethren but suffer a little further the words of exhortation Heb. 13. 22. Because therefore all the children of God are as it were bound vp in the bundle of life as Abigail speaketh to Dauid 1. Sam. 25. 29. and stickes that are bound continuing so bound cannot be easily broken but the bond whereby they are bound being cut in sunder a child may breake them one by one Because also they be as it were burning coales euen coales of the Lords altar and coales lying together doe keepe their heat but being raked out and scattered vpon the hearth they are soone quenched and doe dye therefore the more excellent by this Treatise ye shall see the state and condition of the children of God to be the more siriue I beseech you to keepe communion with them and forsake not the fellowship that ye haue with them as the maner of some was euen in the golden age and flourishing time of the Apostles Heb. 10. 25. Let no man dare to account that ministery Antichristian which God the father hath vsed and Iesus Christ hath graced with the holy Ghost to the begetting of such Children as cannot be begotten but by the word of truth I ames 1. 18. As therefore ye cannot deny God to haue begotten againe your selues and other and dailie so to doe by the ministrie of the Church of England so ye must acknowledge the meanes to haue beene and daily to bec no other then the word of truth It is no more possible for any to be begotten againe by any word of errour then it is to haue any father of regeneration but God Was it the word of truth and is it not still Or is it to some and ought not all so to account of it Or is it the word of truth to make men new borne babes in Christ 1. Pet. 1. 23. and is it not also that sincere pure milk which such as are so made new borne babes ought still to desire that they may grow thereby 1. Pet. 2. 2. Or can this sincere milke of that word of truth be sucked out of the breasts and pappes of an harlot Or can the same word of truth be publikely preached and maintained with as publike a disclaiming and renouncing of all things contrarie thereunto in a false and an adulterous Church As the Church of God is the piller of truth 1. Tim. 3. 15. so whatsoeuer company is the piller of truth and doth publikely preach and maintaine and vphold the truth that also is to be acknowledged the Church of God If some one man or diuers particular persons do preach some errours in such a Church yea and be suffered so to doe either by the negligence or by want of knowledge of them yet this doth no more nullifie such a Church and make it to be no Church then the suffering of the woman Iezebel which called her selfe a Prophetesse to deceiue Christs seruants to make them commit fornication and to eate meate sacrificed to Idols Reuel 2. 20. did nullâ—fie the Church of Thyatira and make it to be no Church But to returne to that from which I haue a little digressed as it cannot be denied to be the word of truth whereby men haue beene and daily are begotten againe amongst vs neither that can be denied to be the Church of God where the said word is preached and publikely euen by publike authoritie maintained with as publike a renouâ—cing of all errours and forraine Canons contrarie to the said word of truth as these things cannot be denied so also
must such ministers as doe so preach that word of truth that thereby men are begotten againe vnto God be acknowledged to be the ministers of God and sent by God For doth not the Apostle ioine all these together calling vpon God beleeuing hearing preaching and sending them that did preach Rom. 10. 14. 15. And doth he not thereby plainly teach that they do go all together and that none can truely call vpon God which doth not beleeue none can beleeue which doth not heare none can heare which haue no preachers none can preach except they be sent and that consequently whosoeuer do so preach that men therby are brought truely to call vpon God and truely to beleeue in God they are sent of God so to preach Is not the same point further manifest by that argument whereby the same Apostle instifieth his Apostleship and ministery to the Corinthians euen by the successe and efficacie of his preaching amongst them against such as denied his Apostleship as many in these daies doe altogether deny all the ministerie of the Church of England Am I not saith he an Apostle c. Are not ye my worke in the Lord If I be not an Apostle vnto other doubtles I am vnto you for ye are the seale of my Apostleship in the Lord. 1. Cor. 9. 1. 2. And againe Neede we as some other epistles of recommendations vnto you or of recommendation from you yee are our epistle written in our hearts which is vnderstood and read of all men in that ye are manifest to be the epistle of Christ ministred by vs and written not with inke but with the spirit of the liuing God not in tables of stone but in fleshly tables of the heart 2. Cor. 3. 1. 2. 3. What meane all these words Euen this that such had beene the successe of the ministerie of the Apostle amongst the Corinthians that both himselfe had good assurance in his owne heart of his calling vnto them and that other also might thereby euidently perceiue and vnderstand as much Doth not our Sauiour proue his sending as a Messias and to be a Messias by the workes which he did The workes that I do beare witnes of me that the father hath sent me Iohn 5. 39. As his workes beseeming a Messias and in the power of none but of the Messias proued him to bee the Messias so do not also the workes of ministers of the gospell and proper onely to such as are sent from God proue men to be such ministers Doubtlesse saith hee that being borne blinde had his sight giuen him by Christ this is a maruellous thing that ye know not whence he is and yet hee hath opened mine eies Iohn 9. 30. And againe If this man were not of God hee could haue done nothing verse 33. May it not in like maner and much more be said of the ministers of the Church of England to all them that make question of their calling Doubtles this is a maruellous thing that ye know not whence they be or deny them from whence they are and yet they open the eies of the mindes of many Yea euen of them that doe make such question of their calling and doe peremptorily deny them to be of God as those wicked Iewes to whom that poore man so spake denied Christ to be of God If such ministers were not of God they could haue done nothing in the lightning mens eies of their vnderstanding to know what the hope is of his calling and what bee the riches of his glorious inheritance in the Saints c. Ephes 1. 18. No man can make opposition to these things but hee must also oppose himselfe to the former scriptures And if the former scriptures be for the iustifying of the ministery of the Church of England as thereby the word of truth is preached to the effectuall begetting againe of men vnto God no other Scriptures can be against it for the nullifying therof because the scriptures do all most sweetely agree together without any contradiction of any one to any other As therefore when our Sauiour seeing many of his disciples to go back and to walke no more with him that is vtterly to leaue him said vnto the twelue will ye also go away Peter answered him Master to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternall life Iohn 6. 66. 67. 68. so my good brethren though ye doe see many to withdraw themselues from them that haue preached the words of eternall life and still do preach the same and though ye also be earnestly sollicited to doe the like yet determine in your hearts and answer accordingly To whom shall wee go these haue the words of eternall life The comparison obiected by some of children begotten to men as well by adulterie and fornication as by lawfull marriage thereby to insinuate that as such children do not iustify either adulterie or fornication so in like maner such Children as before we haue said to be begotten againe vnto God by the ministery of the Church of England do not iustify the said ministery this comparison I say is so odious so beastly so detestable and abominable that a man would wonder it should come from such men as they would seeme to be that obiect the same For in an adulterous generation as there is a common worke of God so who seeth not also a plaine worke of nature Yea such a worke of nature as is in the very beasts themselues in the procreation of other of their owne kinde But the regeneration of Children vnto God is a worke aboue all nature onely and wholly of God yea of the free grace and abundant mercy of God as afterward shall further appeare Furthermore touching this comparison it might as well haue beene obiected against the former argument of the Apostle from the successe of his preaching amongst the Corinthians as it is now obiected against vs reasoning in like maner from the efficacie and fruit of our ministery Againe all children either in adulterie or infornication begotten and borne in time of the Law were forbidden to enter into the congregation of the Lord that is to bee admitted to any publike office to the tenth generation Deut. 2 3. 2. Dare any man say the like of such as are begotten againe vnto God by the present ministerie of the Church of England Yea dare any man deny any so begotten to haue right and interest into all the promises and blessings of God for this life and for the life to come as well as any other begotten vnto God by the ministery of any other Herein beloued deceiue not your selues Halt not with God neither shew your selues vnthankfull vnto him by denying his rich mercie towards you in your regeneration If ye haue good testimony thereof to your owne soules If by the ministerie of the Church of England ye haue euer felt any true vertue of Christs death to the mortifying of sinne in you and of his resurrection to the life of righteousnes If
the Pages where they beginne CHAPTER I. OF the speciall reason of writing this treatise of the text of Scripture generally whereupon the same is grounded of the coherence of the said Scripture with the words going before as also of the reason of them in respect of the words following Of the logicall analysis or resolution of the said Scripture and of the first particular word therein in pag. 1. c. CHAPTER II. Conteining obseruations of the soure next particular words in this text the ground of the whole treatise viz. of the word what of the word loue of the word Father and of the word hath giuen pag. 13. c. CHAPTER III. Of the foure next particular words in this text viz. of the word to VE of the word that we shold be called of the word the children and lastly of the word of God p. 23. CHAPTER IIII. Of the Dignitie of Gods children from the excellencie of God himselfe who is their father the rather because it is further prooued by the difficulty and greatnesse of the worke of regeneration that the said worke is altogether and only the worke of God pag. 31. CHAPTER V. Of the first mouing cause of our regeneration viz. which first moued God to regenerate vâ—â—â—ag 42. CHAPTER VI. Of Christ Iesus being one of tâ—â— principall causes of and agent in our adoption of the great price he hath giuen for it of the worke also of the holy Ghost therein and of the true nobility of all Gods children by the ioint working of all the three persons in theâ—r adoption pag. 50. CHAPTER VII Of the excellent instrumâ—nts that God vseth in the worke of our regeneration viz. the ministers of the word and the word it selfe pag. 59. CHAPTER VIII Of faith a chiefe internall cause of regeneration or the first degree and step thereunto and of Christ againe as hee is the chiefe matter of regeneration as before we heard him to be one of the principall efficient causes likewise thereof pag. 66. CHAPTER IX More largely shewing other things concerning the matter of regeneration especially the renewing of this life of God in vs all that are new borne which before were vtterly void of the said list pag. 72. CHAPTER X. Of some other things further concerning the matter of the regeneration of the children of God and of their very being the children of God viz. of their knowledge of God and of their true wisedome declared by the opposition thereunto of the ignorance foolishnesse and madnesse of all meere naturall wicked and vnregenerate men pag. 84. CHAPTER XI Of some other branches of the former life of God in all new borne viz. of holinesse and righteousnesse both generally and also in some particulars pag. 101. CHAPTER XII Of the true loue of God and of men only found in the children of God and so of the further dignity of the children of God in respect thereof pag. 114. CHAPTER XIII Of a further degree of the freedome of Gods children pag. 125. CHAPTER XIIII Of true hope proper only to the children of God and therefore much making for their further dignity and of some other speciall points belonging to all before said of their life wisedome c. pag. 130. CHAPTER XV. Of the finall cause of the regeneration and new birth of the children of God pag. 139. CHAPTER XVI More largely laying foorth the communion of the children of God with Christ Iesus and of some speciall benefits they haue thereby pag. 145. CHAPTER XVII Of other benefits of the children of God by their foresaid communion with Christ and with the whole Deitie and first of the forgiuenesse of sinnes pag. 159. CHAPTER XVIII Of the dying more and more of the children of God vnto sinne and of their preseruation from many great sinnes which the wicked doe daily commit and of their liuing more and more vnto righteousnesse pag. 171. CHAPTER XIX Of the dignity of Gods children by the word as it is a rule of saith and life and a speciall part of our Christian armor pag. 192. CHAPTER XX. Of the word as it is giuen for consolation and comfort of the children of God in their afflictions and also of the sacraments pag. 214. CHAPTER XXI Of the prerogatiue of Gods children by their libertie and free accesse to the throne of Gods grace to aske any thing euery one for himselfe and also for other with much assurance of obtaining that which they aske pag. 227. CHAPTER XXII Of the communicating of many titles of Christ to the children of God pag. 237. CHAPTER XXIII Of the benefits of the children of God for this life viz. of their immunity from euill and of good things of this life belonging vnto them pag. 254. CHAPTER XXIIII Shewing why the children of God doe sometime meete with the afflictions of this life threatned against and most properly belonging to the wicked and how beneficiall such afflictions are vnto them and that all things worke to their good pag. 270. CHAPTER XXV Of the benefits of the children of God in the life to come and first of their freedome from condemnation pag. 284. CHAPTER XXVI Of the inheritance of the children of God in the life to come pag. 297. CHAPTER XXVII Of the peace of conscience in the children of God pag. 317. CHAPTER XXVIII Of the benefits that other doe enioy by the children of God not only which other men both the liuing and dead do inioy but also which other creatures yea also the Angels in heauen doe inioy by them pag. 336. CHAPTER XXIX Of diuers similitudes and other comparisons setting soorth the dignity of Gods children wherein also is handled whether they haue preheminence aboue the blessed Angels pag. 355. CHAPTER XXX Of the promises of God to them that shall shew kindnesse to any of the children of God and of the threatnings to the contrary pag. 372. CHAPTER XXXI Of the vses of the former doctrine concerning Gods children pag. 383. CHAPTER XXXII Of the obiection that might be made against all generally before written of the dignity of Gods children and of the first part of the Apostles answer thereunto pag. 405. CHAPTER XXXIII Of the second answer to the former obiection or of the second reason why the world knoweth not the children of God In this Chapter are shewed many good reasons why it appeareth not what the children of God hereafter shall be pag. 417. CHAPTER XXXIIII Of that which the children of God shall be viz. of their future similitude and likenesse vnto Christ and of the certainty thereof pag. 434. CHAPTER XXXV Of the time when the children of God shall be so like vnto Christ as before wee heard and of the reason of the said likenesse by an effect thereof In this Chapter this question is largely handled whether the bodies of Enoch and Elias be already in heauen and made like vnto Christ pag. 452. CHAPTER XXXVI Of euery mans purging himselfe in whom there is the former hope of being like vnto
hauing none by nature and to whom to leaue their inheritances or their Crownes yet for some considerations they will not haue this to be known But it is otherwise with God He hath so loued vs that he doth not only make vs his children but that also hee doth declare and publish and proclaime vs so to be 3 From the former reason ariseth another viz. that the Apostle vseth this phrase to teach vs that if he be not ashamed that such as we are should bee called his children then much lesse should we our selues be ashamed of this honourable title If a great king be not ashamed that the sonne of a poore begger should bee called his sonne is there any cause why the said sonne of such a poore begger should be ashamed to bee called the sonne of such a great King In like manner if God the king of kings be nor ashamed that we poore beggers brats should be called his children is there any reason why wee should bee ashamed of so honourable a title I could much amplify this point But for further amplification therof I do only wish that if any for feare of the disgrace of the world to be spoken of in the obiection following be ashamed to call himselfe the child of God and to carry himselfe accordingly such an one do wel remember what our Sauiour saith of them that are ashamed of him of his words before such an adulterous sinfull generation viz. as this last age of the world is where in we now liue to wit that he also will be ashamed of him when he shall come in the glory of his Father with the holy Angels Mark 8. 38. For certainely in like manner will God the Father bee ashamed of all such and wil vtterly deny them to be his children in the world to come that were ashamed to bee called his children and to liue as his children in this life Yea this is the more certaine because there is infinitely more cause why God should bee ashamed of vs then why wee should be ashamed of him Thus much of the seuenth particular word in this text The eighth word is the children of God Some read the sonnes of God but the originall is the children of God comprehending sonnes and daughters men and women and so the same word is vsed Iohn 1. 12. and 11. 52. and Rom. 8. 16. 17. and in many other places This is to be obserued for the comfort as well of women as of men and for the instruction as afterward wee shall heare of one sex as well as of the other And therefore the Apostle allegeth the words of the Prophet in the name of God himselfe speaking in this manner I will be a Father vnto you and ye shall be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord Almightie 2. Cor. 6. 18. Heere wee see expresse mention as well of daughters as of sonnes This is to be the rather noted because some in the brauery of their wit or rather in the rage of their madnesse doe not sticke to deny women to haue any part in the matters of saluation although the Scripture doe both expreslie say that there is no exception of male or female with God but that all are one in Christ Iesus Galat. 3. 28. and although it doe also record vnto vs example as well of beleeuing women as of beleeuing men But what doth the Apostle heere meane by children For the vnderstanding of this besides diuers other waies how men may be and are called the children of God let vs know that in a more strict sense this title the children of God is taken two waies First for all the members of the visible Church so long as they continue such members and that because of the outward couenant of God made with the whole body of the visible Church In this sense it is said The sonnes of God saw the daughters of men that they were faire c. Genes 6. 2. Heere the sonnes of God doe signifie such as professed themselues the sonnes of God and so were of the visible Church In the same sense also our Sauiour himselfe calleth the Iewes euen in his time generally by the name of children saying It is not meet to take the childrens bread and to cast it to â—helpes Matt. 15. 26. Secondly this title the children of God is taken for them that haue receiued the spirit of adoption and that are regenerated by the immortall seed of the spirit and by the word of God So it is taken in the place before alleged Rom. 8. 16. 17. and often elsewhere and so only not in the former sense is it taken in this place For the Apostle speaketh of them that worke righteously and are borne of God as wee haue heard in the end of the former chapter and of them that know that when Christ shall appeare they shall be like him as appeareth in the next verse But none worke righteously c. neither doe any know they shaâ—l be like vnto Christ at his appearing but onely they that are by the spirit of God regenerated and therefore the Apostle speaketh oâ—ly of such in this place To speake a little more of adoption and regeneration for Note the making thereof the plainer and more perspicuous wee must vnderstand that the adoption of God differeth much from the adoption of men For the ciuill Lawyers that write of 〈◊〉 say that adoption must be of the yoonger by the 〈◊〉 that he that adopteth a childe must bee elder then the person adopted neither doe they onely distinguiâ—h thus betwixt adoption and arrogation that arrogation is the taking of one to bee a childe which is already of age and at libertie and as we say at his owne hand and his owne man but adoption is of one vnder age and of one that is in tuition gouernment and gardianship of another the ciuill Lawyers I say doe not onely write thus of adoption but they also say that adoption properly is when one that hath no children of his owne doth adopt the childe of some other to be called by his name or at least to be brought vp by him and to bee his heire God doth not so adopt vs for hee hath a Sonne of his owne yea more properly his owne then any man can say of any childe in the world because Christ is the proper Sonne of God from euerlasting by communication as wee haue heard of the whole essence of his Father vnto him But the children of men are their children long after them and therefore they are yoonger then their fathers They are also children by taking some part of their parents nature and that of their bodily substance only for their soules are immediately from God who therefore by opposition to the fathers of our bodies is called the Father of spirits Heb. 12. 9. and is said to forme the spirit of man Zechar. 12. 1. As for the great obiection that doth most trouble men viz. if Note God
Cor. 5. 17. Galat. 6. 5. and to be created in Christ Iesus Ephes 2. 10. and 4. 24. So farforth therefore as we are in Christ we are the children of God And so many as are not thus incorporated into Christ are not in truth neither ought to be called the children of God Such perhaps may be so accounted by other yea peraduenture they may so account themselues But as those that are begotten in adultery by an adulterer may be reputed the children of the lawfull husband to the adulteresse and yet are indeed bastards and for the most part may be discerned so to be by their bastardly conditions so is it with them that liuing in the Church of God doe professe them selues to be the children of God and be so reputed by other and yet haue no communion with Christ Though they be reputed to be the children of God yet they are no better then bastards and bastards they bewray themselues to be by their bastardly minds and conuersation Although therefore in one respect we reckoned Christ before amongst the efficient causes of our regeneration and that therfore in respect of his excellēcy our regeneration also is to be accounted the more excellent yet in another respect he may also be accounted the materiall cause of our regeneration euen as naturall parents are both the efficient causes of our naturall birth and doe likewise communicate the matter of their bodies vnto ours And so the more excellent that before we heard Christ to be the more we may againe conclude the dignity of Gods children to be by his being the chiefe materiall cause as well as the efficient cause of their regeneration For as that that is made of siluer or gold or any other such like pretious matter is it selfe more pretious then other things made of brasse tinne lead yron Copper or any other such vile and base matter the quantity of things being alike otherwise a great vessell of copper may be better then a very small cup of siluer so the more excellent that Christ himselfe is who is the chiefe matter of Gods children and of whom they be called Christians as that that is made of gold is called golden and the children of God the more excellent needs must be their state and condition CHAP. IX More largely shewing other things concerning the matter of regeneration especially the renewing of the life of God in vs all that are new borne which before were vtterly void of the said life BVT leauing that point till afterward let vs in the next place looke into the excellent gifts and graces which by the former incorporation into Christ the children of God doe receiue and in respect whereof we are said to be partaker of the diuine nature and the which likewise may be esteemed as parts as it were of that matter whereof they do consist These things let vs consider by opposition of that vnto them that men are since the fall of Adam as naturally descending from Adam and being as it were boughs and branches of him In Adam and by Adam since his fall all men Christ himselfe onely excepted haue vtterly lost that excellent and glorious image wherein Adam and Eue at the first were both created Genes 1. 26. 27. This losse of that excellent and glorious image is described by this phrase of dying the death Genes 2. 17. This death was not a naturall death but it was a spirituall death It was not the separation of the soule and the body but it was the separation of God and man as touching that gratious familiarity which before had beene betwixt them As the soule is the life of the body so is God the spirituall life of the whole man For man is not said to be aliue vnto God any longer then he is in grace and fauour with God so that to die the death in that place was to be vtterly depriued of the inherent grace and fauour of God which before they were created in From that time therefore that our first parents had eaten of the forbidden fruit and thereby had defaced the image of God in them they were drowned ouer head and eares in all sinne and so now also in the state of condemnation and were no more able of themselues to haue gotten out of the same then a man drowned and dead in the bottom of a great riuer or pond is able of himselfe to get out And this is that dying the death before spoken of euen a spirituall death ten thousand times worse then any naturall death I meane then any separation of the soule and body though the same be by neuer so violent meanes For it is the beginning and first step vnto that euerlasting death of body and soule whereof afterward we shall speake more at large and from the which neither wee could haue freed our selues neither could any other creatures or all creatures if God himselfe had not sent his owne sonne as before hath been shewed And that spirituall life which is contrary to the said death and which is also the first effect of Christ in vs after that once wee are ingrafted and incorporated into him is the next point of the matter of our regeneration and being the children of God That we may the better see what this life of God is in vs let vs first more largely consider what the former death is and how all men are by nature wholly possessed thereof That therefore which the Apostle saith of the Ephesians is to be vnderstood of all men by nature viz. that they are dead in sinnes and trespasses Ephes 2. 1. without God and without Christ in the world verse 12. as not beleeuing in God or Christ and therefore being condemned already as before we heard our Sauiour to say Ioh. 3. 18. and the rather were they so indeed dead in their sinnes because they were the children of him that had the power of death that is of the diuell Heb. 2. 14. compared with Ioh. 8. 44. For Sathan hauing once put out the light and the life of God in Adam whereby he was the child of God like vnto God did make him a sonne to himselfe so that as before hee did beare the image of God so for euer afterward hee and all his Christ onely excepted did beare the image of the diuell in which respect it is saide generally that hee that committeth sinne is of the diuell 1. Iohn 3. 8. Thus we see that our naturall state is not as the Papists plead it to be by allegorizing vpon him that our Sauiour saith did fall into the hands of theeues and was by them wounded and left halfe dead Luk 10. 30. but farre worse not halfe miserable but altogether miserable not wounded and yet aliue though halfe dead but so wounded that we are altogether dead We haue a vegetatiue and an animall life as all liuing and brutish creatures haue we haue a reasonable life to talke and reason and discourse and determine and conclude of
naturall things and of things pertaining to this life whereby we differ from beasts but as touching the spirituall life whereby to thinke of any thing to affect any thing to approue of any thing to speake of any thing or to doe any thing towards eternall saluation of body and soule and as touching that life of God that is that life that is acceptable to God as the worke of God Ioh. 6. 29. and the workes of the Lord 1. Cor 15. 5. 8. are such as are acceptable to God as touching this life I say which is the first degree and the very beginning of eternal life to be afterward enioyed with God and his holy Angels in heauen all the whole posterity of Adam Christ only still excepted is altogether void of For as the root and stocke of a tree being altogether dead without any sparke of naturall life therin it is not possible that any of the boughs or branches can be aliue and as it is not possible for those men and women that are altogether naturally dead their soules and bodies being separated one from another to bring forth liuing children so it is not possible that our first parents beeing altogether dead vnto God and without the life of God before spoken of we or any other of their posterity should be aliue vnto God They may seeme to haue this spirituall life and this life of God because after a naturall manner they can conceiue and doe conceiue some things thereof yea sometimes the greatest mysteries thereof either after a meere carnall sort or by the speciall wisedom of God reuealing the same vnto them for the furthering of the saluation of other and for the making of themselues the more inexcusable and so for the increasing of their own condemnation but in truth and deed they are altogether destitute of it In this case it is with them as it is with many a woman that hauing a Tympany by the abundance of water or of some other matter of the said Tympany or other such like disease feeling some little stirring in her body like the mouing of a yong infant doth therefore thinke her selfe with child and yet in the end she is deceiued being not with child with any other thing then of a disease vnto death so I say many naturall and wicked men hauing some similitude and like actions of the life of God in them and feeling as it were some little motions of such life as it were little flashes suddenly wrought and suddenly vanishing like lightning do therfore thinke themselues with child of Christ and to haue conceiued him in the womb of their hearts but in the end they are deceiued and find themselues only with child of a spirituall sicknesse vnto death that is of hypocrisie and of a bare resemblance of the life of God in them and not to haue that life it selfe This is not only euident by the former testimony of the Apostle but also by another afterward in the same Epistle where he describeth our naturall state and condition to be that we had our vnderstanding darkned and were strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that was in vs because of the hardnesse of our hearts Ephes 4. 18. Thus I say in that place the Apostle describeth the state of all men naturally The same namely that we are all void of that life of God is manifest by other reasons To omit that before insinuated viz. that as the body is dead without the communion of the soule so man cannot be aliue vnto God that hath lost his communion with God and that indeed naturally men are without God in the world and that because they are without Christ Ephes 2. 12. by whom alone there is communion betwixt God and man and in whom alone is that life so that he that hath the sonne hath life and he that hath not the sonne hath not that life 1. Ioh. 5. 11. 12. although after a common manner effectiuely we all liue moue and haue our being in God Acts 17. 18. To omit I say this reason the same is further manifest because all meer naturall men are also without the immortall seed of God in them whereby they should be borne againe the children of God This immortall seed is the spirit of God as before we haue heard Meer naturall men therfore being without this seed how can they haue the life of God in them Againe if naturally we haue this life of God in vs it must be in our soules or in our bodies It is neither in our soules nor in our bodies therefore not at all Touching our soules what life of God can be in them when as we cannot so much as thinke a good thought of our selues 2. Cor. 3. 5. but al the imaginations of our heart are continually euill Genes 6. 5. and when as we cannot so much as will any thing that is good of our selues but it is God that worketh the will as well as the worke Philip. 2. 13. Where there is any life there will be some hunger and thirst after meat and drinke for preseruing of life or at least some desire of other meanes of life But alasse so farre are we from all hunger and thirst after either bread or water of life that we do vtterly refuse them and reiect them offered vnto vs. Yea that which is more we lay foorth our siluer for that which is not bread and we labour and take great paines for that which will not satisfie vs Isai 55. 2. Those things therfore being as it were the very breath of the life of God if we haue them not how can we haue that life of God it selfe For what life can there be without breath If our soules be thus dead what life of God can be in our bodies As our Sauiour saith If the light that is in vs be darknesse how great is that darknesse Matth. 6. 23. so may I say If the life that is in vs be deadnesse how great is that deadnesse Our eares cannot attend to the word of God therefore also not to any other goodnesse except God open our hearts Acts 16. 14. we cannot so much as turne our eyes from any vanity except the Lord do turn them Ps 119. 36. we cannot open our lips that our mouth may shew forth the praise of God except God do open them Psal 51. 15. neither can we so much as say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy ghost 1. Cor. 12. 5. Moreouer this our spirituall death doth appeare by our bearing all spirituall burthens though neuer so heauy without any sense and feeling of them What is heauier then sand yet all the sand â—n the whole world yea the whole earth with all the minerals of siluer gold lead yron tynne and pewter with all the quarries of stones with all the buildings and all other creatures thereupon is not so heauy as sinne Did not the imputation only of other mens sinnes vnto Christ lie so heauy
on the contrary hunger as much after the bread of God that lasteth to eternall life and thirst after the water of life which whosoeuer drinketh of he shall neuer thirst againe and if we shall as new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that we may grow thereby 1. Pet. 2. 2. this shall be a further assurance to our own hearts that we our selues are borne of God The like is to be said of other spirituall actions so also of our spirituall growth and increase For as the naturall child new borne doth daily wax and increase in stature and in strength till it be able to goe and to doe other things answerable to the growth thereof as digesting of stronger meats bearing of burdens speaking like a man c so is it with all that are new borne not of mortall but of immortall seed by the word of God They will be able to digest high points of doctrine and not say of some things as some said of Christs doctrine touching his flesh to bee meat in deed and his bloud to be drinke indeed This is an hard saying who can heare it and so take occasion to leaue Christ and to walke no more with him Ioh. 6. 60. and 66. They will be able to walke strongly vp and downe not stumbling at euery straw They will bee able to beare Gods chastisements without murmuring wrongs at the hands of men without seeking reuenge c. They will be able to do the works of God both belonging to all Christians and also which are more sutable to their speciall callings These things I say and such like will all borne againe grow to doe and by these things they shall discerne their spirituall birth and the life of God to be in them Notwithstanding these things are not alike in all that are new borne no not in all of the same spirituall age For as it is amongst naturall men touching naturall strength some are of a low stature some of a taller some are strong men some are weaklings yea sometimes the yonger are taller and stronger then their elders by many yeeres so is it amongst spirituall men touching this spirituall life and this spirituall birth wherof now we speake But these things shall be more manifest by other things after to be spoken This life of God is the more excellent because it is euerlasting Being once begun it shall neuer haue end being once giuen it shall neuer be taken away Our naturall life shall haue an end I meane the life of the body and soule together begun and continued by naturall meanes and no man knoweth how soone But the life of God shall continue as God himselfe abideth for euer and as the seed whereby men are begotten to this life is not mortall but immortall But of this also more afterward In the meane time by that which hath been said it may appeare that this benefit of our spirituall life is a matter well worthy of all good account and reckoning This present life which our bodies doe liue in this world by their communion with the soule is greatly to be esteemed yea more then all other things appertaining thereunto Satan himselfe could say vnto God Skin for skinne and all that euer a man hath will he giue for his life Iob 2. 4. Amongst the benefits for which wisedome is commended about siluer and gold and pearles and all things that can be desired length of daies is not only one but also the first and placed in the right hand of wisedome whereas riches and glory are in the second place and said to be in the left hand Pro. 3. 16. Our Sauiour saith Is not the life more worth then meat Mat. 6. 25. What then is to be compared vnto it what benefit shall a man haue by any other thing yea by all other things if he haue not meat The Prophet saith that none of those that trust in their goods and beast themselues in the multitude of their riches can redeeme his brother viz. appointed by God to dye or giue a ransome for him that is no man can by any mony prolong the daies of his friend or buy out his death so precious is the redemption of their soules c. that he may liue for euer Psal 49. 6. 7. 8. 9. Is this naturall life so precious which yet as I said shall haue an end and no man knoweth either how soon or in what place or in what manner How excellent then is that spirituall life the life of God and the life that is eternall The more excellent therefore that this life is being a part of that matter wherein consisteth our new birth next to Christ himselfe and comming by Christ the more excellent also is the new birth it selfe of the children of God and their state and condition thereby Thus much for the life of God which all the children of God haue in their regeneration by Iesus Christ CHAP. X. Of some other things further concerning the matter of the regeneration of the children of God and of their very being the children of God viz. of their knowledge of God and of their true wisedome declared by the opposition thereunto of the ignorance foolishnesse and madnesse of all meere naturall wicked and vnregenerate men TO proceed further in declaration of other things concerning the very matter and being of the children of God the next point to be considered is the true knowledge vnderstanding and wisedome wherewith all the children of God are indued and enlightned And these things are to bee taken as some particular degrees of the life of God generally before spoken of as also as parts of the new man and of the image of God repaired and restored in our regeneration yea finally as parts also of our said regeneration it selfe Of these things I will speake as before I haue done generally of the life of God viz. by opposing vnto them the naturall ignorance foolishnesse and madnesse of all naturall men not regenerated that so by this opposition of their contraries the said true knowledge vnderstanding and wisedome may be made manifest to be the more excellent things and the more to set foorth the dignity of our regeneration Now as these things I meane this our naturall ignorance foolishnesse and madnesse be contrary to true knowledge vnderstanding and wisedome so the contrary may be said of these euils that hath been said of those vertues viz. that as those vertues are degrees and parts of the life of God of the new man and of the image of God newly created in all that are regenerated so these euils are also to be accounted as degrees and parts of that death of that old man and of that image of Satan in all the vnregenerate before generally touched Touching both these contraries they are expressed first by certaine metaphors the better to set forth their nature These metaphors are light and darknesse sight and blindnesse and such other phrases as are sutable to the
they should rather vse such examples as glasses wherein to behold the iudgement of God vpon such that may perhaps more iustly fall vpon themselues Therefore euery time they looke vpon such they should feare and tremble lest God smite them with the like yea they should be thankfull to God and consider of his goodnesse in sparing them so long whereas hee might haue made them such as those are and those as witty naturally as themselues In which respect also they should be the more carefull to vse their naturall wit and vnderstanding the more to Gods glory Achish king of Gath though a naturall man a wicked man and an heathen man when Dauid was brought into his presence and fained himselfe mad before him scrabling vpon the dores of the gate and letting his spittle fall down vpon his beard in driueling sort said vnto his seruants lo the man is beside himselfe wherefore haue ye brought him vnto me Haue I need of mad men that ye haue brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence Shall he come into mine house 1. Sam 21. 13. 14. 15. So little pleasure did Achish take in such so far was he from making himselfe merry with such and from laughter at their behauiour that hee was highly offended with them that had brought him before him Hereby then we see how odious a thing madnesse is And indeed though some foolishly take pleasure in the foolishnesse and madnesse of other yet touching themselues who abhorreth not the name of a foole and who feareth not the state of madnesse And who I say againe not altogether void of reason himselfe especially hauing any sparke of grace doth not pitty both them that are voide of naturall vnderstanding and also them that hauing had reason for some secret cause are depriued thereof with Nabuchadnezar and possessed with the spirit of phrensie Oh then what can be said of spirituall simplicity and of spirituall madnesse The more wofull therefore and fearfull these things are the greater is the dignity of the children of God who onely are enlightned and haue the eies of their mindes opened to behold the excellent wisedome of God yea who also are partakers thereof For as Christ is before generally shewed to be their life so particularly he is their light their vnderstanding and wisedome For therefore is he called as we haue heard the sunne of righteousnesse Malac. 4. 2. and the light of the world Ioh. 8. 12. and 9. 5. yea that it may the better appeare that life and light goe together he is in one place called both life and light Ioh. 1. 4. As therefore the children of God being partaker of Christ cannot but be partaker also of life so they must be also partaker of light If they be in the light and the light in them how can they be in darknesse The like is to be said of knowledge and wisedome For Christ being the wisedome of his father hauing all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge in him and hauing the spirit of wisedome knowledge and vnderstanding yea hauing all the seuen spirits of God as hath been shewed it must needs be that they that haue him haue also true knowledge and true wisedome If they that haue him not neither haue life nor light nor knowledge and that because they haue not him then it must needs follow that they that haue him haue also all those and that because they haue him and so far as they haue him Therefore Christ is said to be made vnto them not only righteousnesse but also wisedome 1. Cor. 1. 30. So then as all new borne being incorporated into Christ are also partaker of his wisedome so also all that are out of Christ are also without wisedome Therefore our Sauiour speaking of his children saith that to them onely it is giuen to know the secrets of the kingdome of God Mat. 13. 11. Which are hid from the wise and from men of vnderstanding Mat. 11. 25. viz. from them that are worldly wise and who being after the flesh doe sauor the things only of the flesh Rom. 8. 5. If also the feare of the Lord be as we haue heard the beginning of wisedome and that wisedome doe consist in keeping Gods commandements then all that are new borne and so clensed from their sinnes and sanctified to the feare of God cannot but in that respect also be wise the rather because it is expresly said that whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not neither can sinne c. Ioh. 3. 8. Dauid testifieth that by keeping Gods commandements c. God had made him wiser then his enemies of more vnderstanding then all his teachers and then the ancient Psal 119. 98. 100. Though euery one of the children of God cannot thus compare for wisedome with their teachers and ancients yet they may with their aduersaries yea why not also with their ancients and teachers if such be not regenerated For they that know the will of God and doe it are more learned Doctors though otherwise they be but simple men yea not booke learned viz. not able to read then all other great doctors in the world yea then al doctors in diuinity that are able to teach other and doe teach other and yet doe not themselues the things which they teach other For hereby as we haue heard are we sure that we know him viz. truly and rightly if we keepe his commandements He that saith he knoweth him and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him 1. Ioh. 2. 3. Such great Doctors therefore as haue knowledge without obedience according to their knowledge doe indeed know nothing as they should For what are they the better by the knowledge of any thing if they know not him rightly that knoweth all things and in the right knowledge of whom and of Iesus Christ his sonne whom he hath sent is eternall life Ioh. 17. 3. Now touching the excellency of knowledge and wisedome and thereby also of the state and condition of Gods children as it appeareth by the metaphors before vsed so the same is further manifest by many testimonies of Scripture Iob magnifieth wisedome aboue gold and siluer and the wedge of gold aboue crystall and the plate of fine gold aboue the corall and the pretious pearles aboue the topaz of Ethiopia and the wedge againe of pure gold c. Iob. 28. 15. c. Salomon extolletn it aboue the merchandise of siluer the gaine of gold and aboue pearles yea he saith that all things that a man can desire are not to bee compared vnto her c. Pro. 13. 14. 15. c. Where also it is commended by diuers excellent fruits as by the length of daies riches glorie pleasures eternall life and blessednesse It is in like manner commended Pro. 8. 10. 11. and 16. 16. In another place he preferreth it before strength and weapons of warre Eccles 9. 16. 18. where in the latter comparison the opposition he maketh of wisedome
might by their good works which they should see glorifie God in the day of their visitation 1. Pet 2. 11. 12. Iames biddeth not only to purge our hearts but also to clense our hands Iames 4. 8. The Apostle to the Hebrewes teacheth that none can draw neere to God in full assurance of faith but only such as whose bodies are as well washed with pure water as their hearts are purged from an euill conscience Heb. 10. 22. that is such as are sanctified as well in their outward behauiour as touching their vnderstanding iudgement thoughts memory and affections This well agreeth with all before said of our faith of our life of our knowledge and wisedome The faith which is without workes is dead Iames 2. 17. and 20. and againe betwixt both viz. vers 18. Shew me thy faith by thy workes With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth man confesseth to saluation Rom. 10. 10. by confession of the mouth he meaneth the acknowledgement and profession of Christ in all our outward behauiour To the same purpose the Apostle also applieth that of the Psalmist I beleeued therfore I spake and saith We also beleeued and therefore speake Psal 116. 10. 2. Corinth 4. 13. The life of God before handled hath been shewed not onely to be inward but also to shew it selfe outwardly The knowledge also and wisedome of God renewed in the regeneration of the children of God hath been declared to consist in the feare of God and keeping of Gods commandements which concerne as well the good cariage of all the parts and members of our bodie as the disposition of our mindes and hearts This holinesse therefore and righteousnesse must be shewed by the gouernment of euery member of the eie of the eare of the mouth of the hands of the feet and of the whole body according to the rules prescribed in the word for direction of euery such member I forbeare the particular confirmation of these things by shewing the particular scriptures for direction of euery particular member because the labor were too great for me the writer and for any reader For indeed it would require a whole volume by it selfe Yea and Otho Casmannus in the beginning of this treatise mentioned hath learnedly and religiously performed this For his book intituled Hominis Spiritualis anatomia c. The anatomie of a spirituall man is altogether of this argument Whereunto the learned desirous to see the former point more particularly and largely handled may repaire That this holinesse and righteousnesse whereof now wee speake both inward and outward is not alike in all that are regenerated yea that are of the same age in regeneration I shall not need here to speake sith that which hath been said before in that behalfe of the life of God doth also belong to this holinesse and righteousnesse which are but effects or fruits of our said life Now let vs further vnderstand that as all other vertues are comprehended vnder the former life liberty wisedome holinesse and righteousnesse so specially that sobriety that is so commended in the scripture is a principall branch as of all the former generally so particularly of that wisedome The rather because the word translated soberly Tit. 2. 12. signifieth wisely and the like word translated Be sober 1. Pet. 4. 7. signifieth to be wise as also the word translated modesty or sobriety Note 1. Tim. 2. 9. and 15. signifieth wisedome and the same word translated sobernesse or sobriety is opposed to the word that signifieth being mad Acts 26. 25. and 2. Cor. 5. 13. By all these places wherein the holy ghost speaking of sobriety vseth a word that signifieth also wisedome we are taught that sobriety is a speciall point of true wisedome This sobriety notwithstanding that now we speake of is not only the moderation of our selues for drinke which is apposed to that foule sinne of drunkennesse in these daies too too common neither that only which is in apparrell contrary to the disguised attiring of men and women whereby the people of one country conforme themselues to other countries directly against Gods word Zeph. 1. 8. yea like monsters to other creatures at least one sex to another the women especially wearing mens apparell and men suffering their haire to grow like to women both directly also against the word that Deut. 22. 5. and this as contrary to nature it selfe 1. Cor. 11. 14. and whereby likewise the professors of sincerity conforme themselues to the world and to the vanity vsed by the world which is to be vnderstood as well forbidden by the Apostle in apparell as in other things Rom. 12. 2. Neither also is this sobriety now spoken of only that which is repugnant to other lightnesse either in countenance or in gesture condemned with the former of apparell Isai 3. 16. and by it selfe alone generally in all persons by opposition thereunto of the contrary sober and wise gestured Pro. 17 24. and more specially in women as a tricke of harlots Pro. 7. 13. This sobriety I say doth not consist only in these things but it consisteth in moderation of our selues and of all our affections in any slate of life in prosperity and in aduersity that in the one we be not drunken with delights and pleasures with wealth and riches with honors and preferments of this world and that in the other we be neither surfetted with cares and feares nor ouercome with sorrowes and griefes whereby as drunken men wee should be vnfit for other dueties belonging vnto vs. He that is sober in this manner is a wise man indeed And this sobriety is the spring of all other holinesse and righteousnesse or that which comprehendeth them both All the other kinds of sobriety before rehearsed are no other but such as may be and oft times are euen in meere naturall men Many naturall men are as abstemious from wine and all strong drinke and as far from all drunkennesse that way I meane in their outward behauiour as any other men Many are as sober in their apparell and as graue and modest in their countenance gesture speech and all other behauiour as any other so that these kinds of sobriety are not proper and peculiar only to the children of God but common also to other But this sobriety that consisteth in moderation of our selues and of our affections in euery state of life in prosperity and in aduersity especially in such sort as the Scripture commendeth the same is only in them that are new borne of the spirit of God and by incorporation into Iesus Christ are made the sonnes and daughters of God They that are not new borne in their prosperity pride is vnto them as a chaine and cruelty couereth them as agarment Psal 73. 6. The wicked is so proud c. that be thinketh there is no God His waies prosper c. therefore he desieth all his enemies He saith in his heart he shall neuer be moued c. His
mouth is full of eursing and deceit and fraude Vnder his tongue is mischiefe and iniquity he heth in wait in the villages in the secret places hee doth murther the innocent his eies are bent against the poore He lieth in wait secretly euen as a lion in denne Hee lieth in wait to spotle the poore when he draweth him into his net Psal 10 56. 7. 8. 9. c. Yea he had said before in the same Psalme verse 2. The wicked doth persecnte the poore c. he hath made boast of his owne hearts desire and contemneth the Lord. No maruell then though such contemne men especially their inferious And thus indeed wee daylie see how the wicked abuse all the mercies of God either by all in temperancy as if they were absolute Lords of all that they haue and were not to giue any account to any or by extreme pride and cruelty carrying themselues like Lords and Kings ouer other scorning them contemning them and oppressing them at their pleasure But the children of God on the contrary knowing that they are but for a time the Lords ftewards of all that they haue vse this world and all things they haue in this world honors riches authority friends c as though they had them not that is they so possesse them and so dispose them that they be no hinderances vnto them but rather furtherances of them concerning the life to come Therefore if they be rich in this world they put not their trust in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God and they be rich in good workes distributing and communicating vnto other according to need and so laying vp a sure foundation to themselues against the time to come towards eternall life 1. Tim. 6. 18. c. They eat not their bread alone but the fatherlesse eat thereofwith them They see not any to perish for want of clothing nor the poore to goe without a couering but doe cause their loines to blesse them They lift not vp their hand against the fatherlesse when they see they may helpe them in the gate c. Iob 31. 17. c. They make not their gold their hope neither say they to the wedge of gold thou art my confidence vers 24. Thus did Iob. Thus did other that haue receiued the same spirit of adoption that Iob had Is not this excellent wisedome so to prouide towards eternall life as before we heard and so to make themselues friends with the riches of iniquity that when they shall want they may be receiued into euer lasting habitations Luk. 16. 9. Let the world account of this as they will All they that vse it shall find it a principall part of wisedome The like may be said of their vsing authority and honours not to the vexing or oppressing of any but to the good and comfort of all They open their mouth for the dumbe in the cause of the children of destruction they open their mouth and iudge righteously and iudge the afflicted and the poore Pro. 31. 8. 9. They deliuer the poore that crâ—e and the father lesse and him that hath none to helpe him The blessing of them that are ready to perish are vpon them and they cause the widdowes heart to reioice They put on iustice and couer themselues Their iudgement is as a robe and a crowne They are eyes to the blind and seet to the lame They are fathers to the poore and when they know not their cause they seeke it out diligently They breake the iawes of vnrighteous men and plucke the prey out of their teeth Iob 29. 12 c. Thus the children of God goe vpright in their prosperity they reele not neither stagger either to the right hand or to the left hand as drunke with their riches and honours but walke on right in the way that God hath laid out before them towalke in But what doe they in aduersity The braines as I may so speake of their mindes are no more distempered neither are the affections of their hearts any more disordered therewith then before with prosperity For they carry not themselues as men without hope but cheerfully and comfortably they looke to the cause in themselues to the hand from heauen that sendeth the same to the loue from which it doth proceed to the end why it is sent they remember what a blessed end other haue had of the like afflictions and they forget not what comfort themselues haue had in former times in the like perhaps also in greater dangers According to these things they make such vse of all their afflictions that they shall be able truly to say It is good for vs that we haue been afflicted that we may learne thy statutes Psal 119. 71. So they neither be too much cast down with that which the righteous Lord laieth vpon theÌ„ neither do they make too light account thereof If they lose all that euer they had wealth and honor and friends in one day they murmur not against God but humble themselues and say Naked came we out of our mothers wombes naked shall we returne thither The Lord hath giuen The Lord hath taken Blessed be the name of the Lord. Iob 1. 21. This sober cheerful cariage of themselues in such a state is the greater point of wisedom if we shal cosider how the wicked are either hardned like brawne that they make no reckoning of it yea that they scarce feele it as Belshazaer in the midst of his cups hearing that he was found too light and that the Medes and Persians should come and take from him his kingdome and his life was not a whit moued with it but in a brauery for all that commanded Daniel to be clothed with purple and to haue a chaiue of gold put about his necke c. Dan. 5. 29 or else they are moued with it only for a time as Ahab 1. Kings 21. 27. returning afterward to their former sinnes that procured it or els they fret and rage like mad men as they are not only being most impatient towards all about them but also blaspheming the God of heauen himselfe But I will not stand vpon these things being especially more particularly handled by M. Rogers in his sixt treatise viz. of the priuiledges of Christians and hauing my selfe some occasion to speake of them afterward in this treatise In the meane time we see the wicked in euery condition of life to reele and stagger like drunken men in either of both conditions falling most dangerously and as Salomon speaketh of drunkards Pro. 23. 29. euery where meeting with woe with sorrow with strife c. with wounds without cause The like may be said of the children of God touching the moderation and sobriety of all their affections anger ioy greefe loue feare c. in other matters as also of the distemper of the affections of the wicked As the children of God are sober according to that before spoken so likewise they are alwaies in such sort watchfull that
although the diuell their aduersary compasse the earth to and fro and walke about neuer so often Iob 1. 7. and neuer so diligently like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may deuoare 1. Pet. 5. 8. yet he doth not take them so napping that he doth so preuaile against them as he doth against other neither doth any euill so ouertake them but that before hand they be in some measure prepared for it This watchfulnesse is an effect of the said sobriety as sleepinesse drousinesse and security is an effect of the contrary For as it is in that sobriety which consisteth in abstaining from wine and strong drinke and in the contrary thereof namely being drunken with wine wherein is excesse Ephes 5. 18. viz. that the more sober and abstemious any man is the more vigilant and watchfull also he is yea the apter for vigilancy and watchfulnesse and on the contrary the more any man is ouercome with wine or other strong drinke the more apt he is to sleepe yea the more heauy and drowsie so the more sober any man is touching the former moderation of himselfe in euery state and condition of life the more vigilant and watchfull he will be to take heed of all spirituall danger and on the contrary the more liberty men doe giue to their affections and the more they are drunken and ouercome either with riches honours and pleasures on the one side or with cares feares and sorrowes on the other side the more sleepy also they are in their minds and the sooner ouertaken with danger This watchfulnesse is according to the former sobriety viz chiefly of the inward man As the former sobriety is of the affections so this watchfulnesse is of the mind namely when that is alway forecasting of dangers and seriously studying and meditating how to shun and auoid the same In which respect it is said that the wise mans eyes are in his head but the foole walketh in darknesse Eccles 2. 14. that is a wise man is neuer secure but alwaies carefull and looking about him for the preuenting and auoiding of dangers but a foole is alwaies in danger and continually ouertaken with some euill or other as one that walketh in darknesse falleth into this hole or that or at least stumblethat at this and that That like is in another place A prudent man seeth the plague and hideth himselfe but the foolish goe on still and are punished Pro. 22. 3. and 27. 12. In these places it is to be obserued that this watching whereof now I speake is commended as a speciall point of wisedome and that therefore as it concurreth with the sobriety of the inward man before spoken of so also it is not vnfitly here handled with that before said of wisedome Doth not this therefore much also increase the foresaid dignity of Gods children verily it doth this being considered that wicked and naturall men doe daily fall into infinit dangers as euen now was shewed by want of this watchfulnesse CHAP. XII Of the true loue of God and of men only found in the children of God and so of the further dignity of the children of God in respect thereof AS I haue before spoken of some particular branches of the life of God and wisedome and holinesse before generally handled so I might likewise speake of the rest For the very least is of great price and doth not a little amplifie the dignity of Gods children But so to particularize in this place would be too tedious I shall also by other occasions speake of some of them afterward and such as I shall not at all speake of may be esteemed by that which I write of the rest Notwithstanding that such as I haue not handled or shall not speake of may be the better considered let me adde something touching the loue of the children of God towards God and men as that indeed which comprehendeth all that shall be omitted which is also the fountaine of all the other particulars of the former life of God c. it being the fulfilling of the law and bond of perfection as before we haue heard But of this loue of the children of God towards God and men I will only speake very briefly leauing the rest to the consideration of the reader Some perhaps may looke that I should haue spoken thereof before but seeing our freedome from sinne to serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse doth so depend as wee haue heard vpon wisedome such as be fooles being commonly accounted seruants by nature and seeing the sobriety before handled is of so neere kindred as it were to the said wisedome that it is called as we haue likewise heard by the same name and seeing the foresaid watchfulnesse doth also so depend as hath been shewed vpon the said sobriety therefore I thought it not amisse to handle all the said particulars together as I haue done To come now to the loue of God and of men let vs only obserue this one point namely that it is as proper to the children of God only as the life of God wisedome freedom from the bondage of sinne with liberty to serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse the sobriety and watchfulnesse before handled All that are not the children of God but be wicked and meere naturall men are as far from all right loue of God and men as they are destitute of the former life of God of the former wisedome and of the other things before spoken of As none haue the life of God neither are wise neither are freed from sinne neither can serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse of life neither are sober in the manner before described neither can be watchfull for the auoiding of dangers but only the children of God so none can rightly loue God or men but only they Touching the loue of God this is manifest because if we be the friends of Christ if we doe what soeuer be commandeth vs Ioh. 15. 14. then it must needs follow that they are the enemies of Christ and consequently of God that do not that which is commanded them If the wicked be Gods enemies how can they loue him Againe these words are often confounded in the Psalmes viz. the wicked and the enemies of the Lord. The wicked shall perish and the enemies of the Lord shall be consumed as the fat of lambes Psal 37. 20. Psal 68. 1. the wicked are said to be enemies to the Lord and hate him and againe God will wound the bead of his enemies and the harry pate of him that walketh in his sinnes vers 21. So the wicked according to that spoken before of wisedome are said to be foolish ones and the Lords enemies Psal 74. 18. and 23. So the wicked especially that are enemies to the Church are called haters of the Lord Psal 81. 14. 15. The like is in many other places Psal 83. 2. Psal 89. 10. Psal 92. 10 and often elsewhere Last of all we haue heard before that the wicked doe not
also to trade for heauenly wares yea necessity lieth vpon vs and we are bound and as it were by our baptisme the seale of Gods couenant sworne so to doe at our enrolment yea daily wee may and we ought to trade euen for heauen it selfe As many free of London by vertue of their said freedome do trade in other countries for such commodities as will be most vendible in London and for the most benefit either of Londoners themselues or of such as resort to London so is it with all the children of God that being released from their seruice of sinne are made free men of heauen For by this their freedome they may trade and do trade for heauen and for the daily increase of that heauenly stock which in their regeneration their heauenly father doth giue them to occupy withall and wherwith as it were to begin the new world euen the world to come whiles they liue as strangers in this present world From heauen and from the father of lights in heauen commeth euery good and perfect gift Iames 1. 17. And this father of lights being sole and absolute gouernour of heauen and earth will not admit any to trade for any merchandise of his chiefe city heauen but only such as can as it were shew by their Indentures that they are freed from their seruice and that they had their names also enrolled in heauen book If they can shew this they shall be suffered to trade for any merchandise of the city yea they shall be sure neuer to be bankrupts but that they shall gaine well for themselues and their Ioh. 7. 37. but of this afterward This freedome is such that there is none so poore but may occupy frankly for he may haue the best commodities of the city freely and for nothing Isai 55. 1. This freedome is the greater because the commodities of that city are better then all other and no where else to be had According to the worth of any commodities of any country so is the freedome for trading to such countries esteemed especially if such commodities be not to be found in other countries This freedome is such that as free men of London haue certaine priuileges as well out of London as in London euen wheresoeuer they dwell so likewise haue all that are free of heauen whatsoeuer part of the earth they do inhabit By this freedome all partaker thereof haue this singular benefit be they neuer so poore that if any man how mighty soeuer do them any wrong especially by infringing their liberties any way they may haue their action against him in the Court of heauen where they shall haue a good aduocate Christ Iesus the righteous 1. Ioh 2. 1. where they shall be at no costs of suit and where they shall be sure to haue so good audience so vpright iustice and so large dammages against the defendant that hath wronged them yea against any aduersary that he shall neuer be able to satisfie the same but shall be forced to lie by it for euer except the submit himselfe and be reconciled Mat. 5. 24. 25. For shall not God auenge his elect which crie day and night vnto him yea though he suffer long for them I teâ—l you saith Christ he will auenge them quickly Luk. 18. 7. 8. Is not this a great priuilege for poore men to haue such iustice against their mighty aduersaries and to haue it speedily without such delaies as are often too vsuall in the courts of earthly Iudges vpon earth Lastly this freedome is such that it can neuer be lost it can neuer be forfeited No man can euer put vs by it No man yea no pâ—weâ—â—â—â— all the power of hell As the sonne himselfe that maketh vs free â—oh 8. â—6 〈◊〉 for euer Hob. 1â— 8. As the truth whereby he maketh vs free Ioh. 8. â—2 abideth for euer Psal 19. 9. As the spirit by whom our names are enrolled in the book of heauen and we are sealed to be made free Ephâ—s 4. 3â— is an eternall spirit Heb. 9. 14. As the city whereof we are made free is not as earthly cities subiect to conquests to fire to mundations of seas or other waters or to any desolation but is an abiding continuing city Heb. 13. 14. and an euerlasting habitation Luk. 16. 9. so whosoeuer is once free of this city shal be free for euer this freedome is an euerlasting freedom Heb. 9. 12. But touching all earthly freedomes they may be lost either by too long absence or by not paiment of some yeerly summe of mony or by not obseruing some other rites and customes of the cities whereof such freedoms are or else they that haue such earthly freedoms may be so imprisoned in their own country or so captiued abroad or so by sicknesse deteined in their own house or otherwise in such condition that although they haue their freedome yet they shall not be the better thereby yea neither the children of any Princes nor any Princes themselues are so free but that they may come iâ—to captiuity and bondage But the children of God once made free are free for euer in all countries in all conditions in prosperity in aduersity in wealth in pouerty in prison out of prison in health in sicknesse yong or old vnder the tuition of other or at their own hands in life and in the houre of death Yea they alwaies haue the benefit of this freedome and liberty and may as well trade for the commodities of heauen in one condition as in another Oh who would not haue such a freedome How sweet how pretious and how honorable ought the name of this freedome to be And how great how ample and how excellent is the dignity of Gods children in respect of this freedome CHAP. XIIII Of true hope proper onely to the children of God and therefore much making for their further dignity and of some speciall points belonging to all before said of their life wisedome c. ONe thing yet remaineth concerning the matter of being the children of God This is true hope of all things promised either for this life or for the life to come And although this hope be the daughter and companion of faith yet I haue reserued my speech therof till this place because it ariseth from all the former points of the matter of our new birth and because it doth support and nourish them by the obiect thereof as the oile maintaineth and nourisheth the fire in the lampe Although also Peter saith that we are regenerated or begotten againe to this hope 1. Pet. 1. 3. and so doth seem to make this hope the end of our regeneration yet because it is wrought in vs as soone as the former things therefore I may without any absurdity here speake of it also as one of those things wherein our being the children of God doth consist This hope agreeth with faith in that it hath the same author is wrought and increased by the same meanes is in the same
subiect and continueth the same time but herein it differeth that the obiect of faith is the whole word of God but the obiect of hope is only the promises in the word By faith we beleeue all things written in the word of things past present and to come as hath been said in chap. 8. But by hope we â—â—e expect and looke for onely those things that are in the word promised to be performed her easter either generally concerning the Church or particularly concerning our selues So all the good promised hereafter to be performed is beleeued by faith and expected or looked for by hope Euery truth therfore of God reuealed in his word written is the obiect of faith For by faith we beleeue the word touching the creation of the world by the word Heb. 11. 3. but hope hath only relation to the promises of God Therefore the Apostle exhorting the Hebrews to keepe the profession of their hope without wauering confirmeth the same by the faithfulnesse of him that hath promised Heb. 10. 23. So he restraineth hope only to the promises of God As by faith we beleeue as well the promises of this life as of the life to come and therefore the iust man doth liue by his faith as well touching this life as touching the life to come so by hope we doe expect or looke for the performance as well of the promises of this life as of the life to come Notwithstanding as the things of the life to come are the principallest obiect of faith so also be they of hope This hope is as proper to the children of God as faith it selfe because it is an handmaid only of faith looking only for the performance of those things which faith beleeueth shall be performed Therefore it is ioined with faith 1. Cor. 13. 13. T it 1. 1. 2. 1. Pet 1. 21. and Iude 20. and 21. Therefore also these words Faith and hope to beleeue and hope are often confounded and are vsed one for another This faith and hope are immortall they shall neuer perish The seed of saith is immortall Christ Iesus the obiect of faith is the sâ—me yesterday to day and for cuer By faith we ouercome all things and all things are possible vnto vs. How then can faith decav By faith â—e are also kept vnto saluation 1. Pet. 1. 5. How then can faith itselfe perish It faith perish whereby we are kept vnto saluation where is our safety Peter proueth faith o be better then gold because gold perisheth though it be neuer so well tried and refined in the fire 1. Pet. 1. 7. How is this argument good if faith may perish as well as gold If faith do thus continue then also doth hope for these are twinnes borne together liuing together and lasting one as long as the other The hope therefore of Gods children shall neuer be frustrated it shall not be confounded Those things that proue the perpetuity of faith proue also the perpetuity of hope The same is also euident by the attribute liuing wherby Peter deseribeth the hope of them that be begotten againe 1. Pet. 1. 3. Paul saith it maketh not ashamed Rom. 5. 5. Salomon saith The patient abiding that is the hope of the righteous shall be gladnesse Pro. 10. 28 In this place and in that of Peter let it be obserued that hope is limited only to them that are begotten againe and to the righteous This is the more because we are as often taught that the hope of the wicked shall perish When Salomon had said in that place before alleged The hope of the righteous shall be gladnesse presently he addeth but the hope of the wicked shall perish Bildad saith that As the rush cannot grow without mire or moisture so the hypocrites hope shall perish Iob 8. 13. Zophar saith The eye of the wicked shall faile and their refuge shall perish and their hope shall be sorrow of mind Iob 11. 20. The Psalmist saith The desire of the wicked shall perish Psal 112. 10. If their desire shall perish can their hope continue Who doth not desire that which he hopeth for Salomon saith againe when a wicked man dieâ—h his hope perisheth and the hope of the vniust shall perish Pro 11. 7. Examples hereof are many How vaine was the hope of the mother of Sisera and of her wise laâ—â—es touching the safe returne of Sisera with great so â—ile Iudg 5. 28. How was the great boasting hope of great Goliah decerued 1. Sam. 17. 44. The like may be said of Ahâ—b touching good successe against Ramoâ—h Gilead 1. Kings 22. 6. and of the hope of Saneherib touching the like successe against Ierusalem 2. Kings 18 28. So also of the hope generally of all Papists and particularly both of the Spaniards in the yeer 15 88 and also of many of our own Papists here at home here to fore and of late in the powder treason and of many other What an excellent priuilege then is this of the children of God that their hope grounded vpon God word for things either of this life or of the life to come shall not be frustrated but certainly accomplished yea that we may be the better assured that our hope shall not deceiue vs it is called the helmet of saluation 1. â— hes 5. 8. whereby we are taught that as the helmet or an head peace defeÌ„deth the head from all wounds so likewise hope is a principall part of the spirituall armor for the defence of a spirituall man from spirituall dangers and for keeping him from despaire of saluation If hope bee a speciall preseruatiue against despaire of saluation then also must it be against despaire of things promised for the comfort of this life Feare not little flocke saith our Sauiour it is your Fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome Luk. 12. 32. By the assurance therefore of a kingdome hee strengthneth them against all feare of want of things for this life Can we rightly hope that God will giue the greater and doubt or feare that he will not giue the lesse viz. the things of this life yea therefore hope is compared to a sure and sted fast ancre of the soule fastened to that which is with in the vaile Heb. 6. 19. This is a sweete and most comfortable comparison viz. of hope not to an ancre only but to a sure ancre to a stedfast ancre not fastened in the bottome of the sea in sand or in any earth but in heauen euen in God himselfe or in Christ Iesus more firm then any rocke How soeuer therefore the children of God be here as it were vpon the midst of the seas tossed with mighty stormes and tempests yet as a ship by a strong ancre with a cable sutable well fastened is the more safe in great stormes and tempests so according to the words of the same Apostle in the same place verse 18. the children of God by their hope well fixed and fastened vpon the things especially within the
vaile that is in heauen haue such strong consolation as that no storms or tempests of all the power of hell it selfe shall be able to remoue the same or at least so to remoue it as that they shall suffer shipwracke To the same purpose the Apostle Paul â—oineth these two together euerlasting consolation and good hope through grace 2. I hes 2. 16. The faith euen of the best and the best faith may sometime be so wounded that it may for a time fall into a kind of swoone as the faith of Peter did for a while and of Salomon for a long time In like manner their hope may be much quailed and shaken and obseured For faith being wounded hope cannot be found because it dependeth vpon faith But neither faith nor hope can be altogether and vtterly ouerwhelmed This then is a most singular priuiledge and comfort And hereby the children of God in great afflictions of this life in common death and famine in speciall want and penurie in sicknes in prison in banishment in the hatred and malice of many and mightie aduersaries in crosses abroad and in crosses at home as also in great assaults of Satan in great accusation of their owne conscience in remembrance of their great and manifold sinnes set before them by Satan in all their colours and amplified and aggrauated by all the circumstances that may be by this hope I say the children of God in all these are most cheerefull and comfortable as Paul was 2. Cor. 4. 8. c. when the wicked hang downe their heads are oppressed with cares feares and griefes and doe vtterly despaire and be also vncapable of all comfort But of these things somwhat hath beene said before and more shall be afterward Now all before said of our life knowledge wisedome holines and righteousnes generally as also more particularly of our sobrietie watchfulnes loue and hope is not so to be vnderstoode as if the said things were in like measure in all the children of God For all haue not the like outward meanes whereby to atteine vnto them neither the like time c. Besides as the hand of a man is greater then the hand of a child and as the hand of one man is larger then the hand of another and the larger the hand of any is the more it will comprehend of whatsoeuer it doth apprehend so there is difference both in the measure of faith which is the hand of our heart whereby we lay hold of Christ and also in the measure of Christ himselfe laid hold of by faith For although euery one that layeth hold of Christ layeth not hold of a peece of Christ but of whole Christ spiritually touching his essence yet it is not so touching his efficacy So then the more faith any man hath the more he layeth hold of Christ in maner aforesaid and consequently he receiueth the more life the more wisedom the more sanctification generally and particularly the more sobriety loue and hope In the matter notwith standing of iustification this holdeth Note not For he that hath the least faith is as perfectly iustified as he that hath the greatest Our life knowledge wisedom c. doe admit plus minus more and lesse But our iustification doth not so No man is iustified in part before God except he be iustified perfectly and altogether If a man could be iustified and discharged of all his sinnes but only of one and that one the least of all otehr yet that one were sufficient to the eternall coÌ„demnation of that party notwithstanding his iustification and discharge from all the rest The worke also of our iustification is but one worke wrought all at once not by degrees But though our regeneration be so likewise I meane of the whole man together not first of one part then of another though also in our regeneration our sanctification be likewise begun yet our sanctification is not perfected all at once but by degrees it is more more encreased To shew this more Note plainly for I desire to be rather indeed perspicuous for the edification of the simplest theÌ„ by obscurity to seem profound for the affecting of the learned or rather of some that are more curious then truly desirous of good knowledge to whoÌ„ plainnes seemeth basenes To shew this I say more plainely as our regeneration is nothing elst ut our new birth so our sanctification may be compared to our starure As therefore a man is but once naturally borne not by degrees but all together and the new borne babe as soone as eure he is out of the mothers wombe is as perfectly borne as he that is 20. or 40. yeeres old but being new borne he is not presently of his perfect stature but commeth groweth to that by degrees in time by meate drinke and other meanes fit for the same so is it touching our regeneration saÌ„ctification we are new borne all at once euen the first day we receiue by the word the spirit of adoptioÌ„ but though the also we begin to be saÌ„ctified yet we grow more more therin afterward as the new born babe doth in stature Last of all the matter of our iustification is altogether without vs euen wholly in Christ as he did actiuely passiuely obey his father performing his whole wil for doing suffering that which he required but our spiritual life and other things before spoken of are things within vs. As Christ first apprehended by faith aloft as it were doth iustify vs in heauen hauing before notwithstanding here in earth fully satisfied his fathers will in our behalfe so after ward and from the very moment of our iustification hee dwelling likewise in our hearts by the said faith spiritually doth sanctifie vs here in earth Within this excâ—ption likewise of our iustification to be without differing degrees of more or lesse as are in other things before mentioned I comprehend the freedome of the children of God before noted as one point of their being the children of God esâ—ecially touching the latter branch thereof that is not their freedome from the bondage of sinne and satan but their freedome of the new heauenly Ierusalem for trading and traffiquing for the merchandises thereof as also for enioying other priuiledges belonging to the said freedome For to grant that the freedom of the children of God from the bondage of sinne is not all alike though in some respects it must be acknowledged to be like yet this is most certaine that the other branch of their freedome is alike in all For one as well as another of them that are regenerated and borne againe to God haue the like freedome of heauen and all may in like manner trade for the commodities thereof Notwithstanding as they that are alike free of a city neither haue all the like stock at the first to begin with neither all the like dexterity Note to vse their freedome and stock to the most
head of Angels Therefore in this respect also the condition of Gods children is so much the more excellent Touching the seuenth and last former metaphor what heart of man can conceiue the depth the height the bredth and the length of this loue of Christ in matching and ioining himselfe to vs and vs to him that hee I say that was the heire of all things by whom the worlds were made and who was the brightnes of the glory and the engrauen forme of the person of God the father Hebrewes 1. 1. 2. and beeing in the forme of God thought it no robbery to bee equall to God Philippians 2. 6. 7. that hee I say should so cast his loue and liking vpon vs as to take vs to be his spouse and wife and that way also to make vs the daughters as it were in lawe and by marriage to God the father euen vs that not onely had no portion and were euery mothers childe of vs beggers brattes but that also were base horne creatures and had an Ammonite to our Father and an Hittite to our mother and that therefore as most base children are were in such misery as a new borne childe whose nauell is not cut neither is washed with water to soften him neither is salted with salt for the better hardning the nauell and the whole skinne for the better strengthning of all the inward parts and for the better decocting and consuming of all corrupt humors neither was swadled with clouts and whom being borne in misery there was no eie to pitie or to shew compassion so that hee lay in the open field to all contempt and altogether polluted with blood Ezekiel 16. 3. 4. 5. 6. yea who were altogether deformed and misshapen euen a crocked generation hauing neither good face nor good heart nor good eie nor any member well proportioned yea being altogether also without witte and vnderstanding of heauenly things as wee haue heard euen pure naturals as wee speake and no more able to conceiue the things of God and pertaining to our owne good then very ideots Is not this wonderfull that such an one as Christ was and is should so vnequally in many respects match himselfe with such as wee were and that by matching himselfe so with vs should make such a change in vs of crooked to make vs straight of deformed to make vs beautifull of beggerly to make vs rich of fooles to make vs wise of prophane to make vs holy of earthly to make vs heauenly and of children of the diuell to make vs the children of God his father What a preferment therefore is this Were it not a great aduancement and a matter of exceeding honor for a mighty Prince to take some vagabond woman poore naked deformed miserable c. and to marry her to himselfe and to put her presently into all costly and princely robes yea it was an honor for Abâ—gaâ—l though the wife of a rich but a miserable yeoman such as this time hath too many like and also a wise and a vertuous woman to be taken to wife vnto Dauid was it not also an high preferment for Ester a poore maiden of another nation to be made wife and Queen to that mighty Monarch and Emperor Ahashuerosh that raigned ouer an hundred seuen and twenty Prouinces How honorable then is it for vs more poore base miserable then any rogue to bee married to the naturall and only sonne of God heiâ—e and Lord of all things Verily this match is so much greater preferment of vs then the former matches were either of Abigail with Dauid or of Ester with Ahashuerosh because both Dauid and Ahashuerosh had many other wiues besides those but Christ Iesus hath so matched himselfe with vs that as he had no other before vs so he desireth no other besides vs but contenteth himselfe wholly with vs and taketh as great delight in vs as if we had been his equals when he first made choice of vs and as though we had been as wise rich beautifull vertuous and euery way as glorious as either he doth make vs after his marying of vs in this life or as hee will make vs hereafter in the life to come To leaue these metaphors and similitudes whereby hitherto the communion of the children of God is so described and their dignity in such sort amplified let vs further vnderstand that our said communion is the more admirable in it selfe and honorable to vs in as much as thereby we cannot but haue communion also with the Father because Christ and the father are one Ioh. 10. 30 And the father is in the Sonne and the Sonne in the Father Ioh. 14. 10. 11. In which last place our Sauiour praieth that as he and the father are one in another so also the children of God whom God had giuen to Christ Ioh. 6. 37. and 17. 6. might be one not only amongst themselues but also in them that is in the father and in the Sonne Therefore our Sauiour likewise saith before If any man loue me he will keepe my word and my father will loue him and we will come vnto him and will dwell with him Ioh. 14. 23. Yea therefore Christ came into the world and was made one with vs that we might haue communion with the Father and be made one with him and as he was made one with vs to make vs one with the father so also he did effect that for which he did come Therefore the Apostle hauing set forth our miserable state in the world by nature viz. that amongst other things we were without God in the world Ephes 2. 12. he doth presently by way of opposition adde our contrary state in Christ and by Christ saying But in Christ Iesus ye which once were farre of are made neerer by the bloud of Christ c. vers 13. Hauing that communion with the Father and with the sonne we haue also the like with the holy ghost and therefore it is not onely said that they that are led by the spirit of God are the sonnes of God but also that they that are the sonnes of God haue receiued the spirit of God whereby they â—rie Abba father Rom. 8. 14 c. and againe that because they are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into their hearts which crieth Abba father Therefore also our Sauiour Ioh. 14. where he promiseth the communion of himselfe and of his father vnto his disciples promiseth also to send the holy ghost which should abide with them Therefore also the holy ghost is said to bee shed on vs abundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour Tit. 3. 5. Finally as by the sonne we haue communion with the father so the holy ghost is the bond of our communion with the father and with the sonne Through him saith Paul wee haue an entrance to the father by one spirit Ephes 2. 18. and by one spirit we are all baptized into one body c. 1. Cor. 12. 13. Is
not this then a great dignity For this is one of the specialest promises that God hath made vnto his people namely that he will set his tabernacle among them and that his soule shall not loath them that also he will walke among them c. Leuit. 26. 11. 12. So then they with whom God hath such communion as to set his tabernacle among them and dwell with them may assure themselues that God will neuer loath them nor leaue them Yea we doe thereby further see that he promiseth not only his presence but also his gratious presence by his power to vphold them by his grace to direct them and by his goodnesse to giue them euery good thing For hee is greater then all Ioh. 10. 29. both in power and wisedome Who therefore can destroy or hurt them whom he will preserue In a strange country and in places of danger oh how great a comfort is it to haue some companie In such a place the truth of that is most apparant that Two are better then one because if they fall the one will lift vp his fellow Eccles 4. 9. 10. But alas what is all the company of man in respect of the society of God They that haue God so with them may truly say If God be with vs who can be or what skilleth it who be against vs God is light and in him is no darknesse 1. Ioh. 1. 5. If therefore we haue him alwaies with vs we shall be sure of light whereby so to see our waies that we may not erre Yea God is the father of lights from whom commeth euery good and perfect gift Iames 1. 17. Therefore they that haue him their shepheard may assure themselues they shall want nothing but that he will make them to rest in green pastures and lead them by the still waters of life restoring their soules and guiding them into the paths of righteousnesse Psal 23. 1. c. Yea they that haue thus God their shepheard shall be sure not only of green pastures and water but also that he will giue them that wine and milke and bread c. whereby their soules may liue and be made fat to eternall life Isai 55. 1. 2. What a priuiledge is this It is a great prerogatiue of the children of God to be garded by an Angel as afterward wee shall heare But alas smal cōfort is there in the presence of an Angel if God himselfe be not with vs. When the Israelites had so offended God and prouoked his wrath against them by making a molten calfe that he denied to go himselfe with them vnto the land which he had promised them and yet at the praier of Moses was content to send an Angell before them to cast out the Canaanites the Amerites the Hittites c. How I pray you did they take this It is said that when they heard this tidings they sorrowed and no man put on his best raiment Exod. 33. 1. c. There is therefore no comfort in the presence of any creature whatsoeuer if God himselfe be not graciously present with the eies of his fauour to behold them and their slate with the eares of his grace to heare their crie Psal 34. 15. and with the right hand of his power to support them Psal 144. 7. and to fill them with good things Psal 104. 28. and 145 16. Therefore Moses himselfe in the three and thirtith of Exodus before alledged vpon Gods deniall of his going in person with the Israelites offering notwithstanding to send an Angell before them Moses himselfe I say reasoneth the case with God in these words saying Wherein shall it be knowen that I and thy people haue found fauour in thy sight Shall it not be when thou goest with vs So I and thy people shall haue preheminence before all the people that are vpon the earth vers 16. As the former sorrowing of the people in the beginning of the Chapter sheweth how heauy a thing it is to want Gods companie though we haue the company of Angels so what can be more plainly spoken then these words of Moses to shew how great preheminence there is in that gratious presence of God wherof now we speake This priuiledge is the more because as all the points before handled so this is both common to all the children of God and also peculiar to them only For it is apropriated to them that are elected called instified and which shall be glorified Rom. 8. 31. and therefore before our calling as wee haue heard we are said to be without God in the world Ephes 2. 12. and it is before obserued that the promise of Gods dwelling with men and making them his tabernacles and temple is ioined with another of making them also his sonnes and his daughters 2. Cor. 6. 18. as noting that it is both common to them all and also proper to them only Therefore the wicked haue no more part in this priuiledge then in the former As the children of God may say that when they are alone they are not alone because God euen the fafather sonne and holy ghost is alwaies with them so whatsoeuer company else the wicked haue yet they may truly say they are alone because God euen the father Sonne and holy Ghost is absent from them As God is infinit and filleth all places so he cannot but be wheresoeuer the wicked are But cold is the comfort of this his presence only For if their eies were opened to see him they should see him no otherwise then Dauid saw the Angell of the Lord between the earth and the heauen with his sword drawen in his hand and stretched out toward Ierusalem 1. Chron. 21. 16. What to do had the Angell of the Lord his hand so stretched out toward Ierusalem euen to destroy it 2. Sam. 24. 16. Neither any otherwise should the wicked see the Lord to be present if their eies were opened then Balaams Asse saw also the same or another Angell of the Lord stand in the way and a sword drawn in his hand at the sight whereof the Asse being stricken with feare flung the first time out of the way into the field and the second time dasnt her masters foot against the wall and the third time lay down vnder him not daring to go in the way Numb 22. 23. Thus I say and no otherwise should the wicked see the Lord present with them not to do them any good but to be reuenged of them for all their wickednesse Thereby they should be so filled and possessed with feare that they should be ready to fly if it were possible and to run away from his presence But whither should they flie from his presence If they should ascend into heauen be is there If they should goe down into hell or make their bed in the graue hee is there If they should take the wings of the morning and dwell in the vttermost parts of the sea yet thither should his hand follow them and
It is also to be obserued that he saith not that we are redeemed by him but that wee haue redemption in him For therby he the better noteth that wee are not onely redeemed by Christ that is that Christ hath not onely bought and paide for the forgiuenes of our sinnes which one day we shall haue but that all already borne againe alreadie also are in possession of the sayd redemption and already haue the forgiuenes of sinnes and that so our sayd forgiuenesse of sinnes is the more certaine vnto vs. Last of al this phrase in him is very significant as nothing our redemption and iustification there spoken of not onelie to be by Christ but also in Christ nothing at all in vs but wholly without vs and altogether in Christ as the sinnes for which Christ was put to death in our behalfe were altogether without him and in vs nothing at all in himselfe This redemption the forgiuenesse of sinnes is to be accounted as the fountaine of all other benefits following the same and belongeth onely to the children of God Touching the first that forgiuenes of sins is the fountain of all other benefits following the same the Lord promising to make a couenant with his people for putting his lawes into their inward parts and writing them in their hearts and for himselfe to be their God and them to be his people he addeth this as the reason and fountaine of all the former articles of his sayd newe couenant that he would forgiue their iniquity and remember their sinnes no more Ierem. 31. 33. 34. The Prophet Dauid also prouoking his owne soule to praise the Lord and all that was within him to praise his holy name and not to forget his benefits setteth the forgiuenes of all his sinnes in the first place before the healing of all his infirmittes the redeeming his life from the graue and diuers other benefits following Psal 103. 3. c. thereby noting the forgiuenes of sins to be the first the cause of al the other That this forgiuenes of sins is proper onely to the children of God as it doth appeare by the place of Ieremie before mentioned where it is ioyned with writing his lawes in their hearts and Gods being their God and their being his people which to be all one with his being their Father and their beeing his children hath beene shewed before 2. Cor. 6. 18. and as the same is also apparent by other scriptures before produced wherein the forgiuenes of sins is ioyned with our purging or clensing froÌ„ sin a thing peculiar onely to Gods children so the sayd point is further euident because Dauid also ioyneth the forgiuenesse of sinnes with an heart without guile Psal 32. 1. 2. The mercy of God likewise which chiefly consisteth in the fâ—rgiuenesse of sinnes is restrained in Psal 103. 11. 12. to them only that truely feare God The children of God doe onely feare God truly therefore the children of God haue only interest in the forgiuenes of sinnes and in remoouing them as farre from them as the East is from the West Therefore also all these three the grace faith the title sonne and the forgiuenesse of sins are ioined all together When Iesus saw their faith viz. the faith of them that brought the palsie man and the faith of the palsie man himselfe hee said vnto him Sonne thy sinnes are forgiuen Mat. 9. 2. Mark 2. 5. Yea the same point is further manifest by Ephe. 1. 7. before alledged because these words we haue must be vnderstood onely of himselfe and other whom before he had said to be elected to the adoption of sonnes Naturally the children of God are as well the children of wrath as any other Ephes 2. 3. viz. before their actuall adoption yea sometimes before their said actuall adoption and conuersion they are greater sinners then other Is not this manifest by the example of Manasses of Mary Magdalen of Paul of the theese vpon the Crosse of Onesimus that ran away from his master and carried also with him some of his goods and that for some other such like thing seemeth to haue been committed to the prison where Paul was and where Paul in his bonds conuerted him And this the Lord doth the more to magnifie the riches of his grace towards such for the better encouragement of other to seeke for the like mercy 1. Tim. 1. 16. as also to teach them that haue such experience of his mercy in forgiuing them their so great sinnes both to loue him much according to that much that is forgiuen them Luk. 7. 47. and also to loue their brethren the more and to be the more tender towards them and the more ready to forgiue them wherein soeuer they shall trespasse against them Mat. 18. 32. 33. Ephes 4. 32. Hauing thus shewed the forgiuenesse of sinnes to be onely in Christ and by our communion with him c. as also to be the fountaine of all other benefits and proper and peculiar only to the children of God let vs now also see the greatnesse of this benefit This therefore is manifest because Dauid pronounceth him blessed whose wickednesse is forgiuen whose sinne is couered and to whom the Lord imputeth not his iniquity Psal 32. 1. 2. What can be more then to be blessed The same likewise appeareth by diuers comparisons of sinne in the Scripture For it is compared to sicknesse The whole need not the phisitian but the sicke Mat. 9. 12. And the reasons of this comparison seem to be these As sicknesse taketh away our stomacks from bodily meat so doth sinne from the food of our soules and from the meat that abideth to eternall life Yea it maketh such spirituall food to be much more loathsom vnto vs then all or any bodily meat is to any sicke of any bodily disease As sicknesse taketh away our taste and rellish of all bodily nourishment both meat and drinke making that which sometime we thought very pleasant and which is so in it selfe to be bitter and most vnsauory so sinne maketh the very word of God in itselfe sweeter then hony and the hony combe Psal 19. 10. to be as gall or wormwood vnto vs. As sicknesse taketh away the strength of the yongest and lustiest and maketh them not able to goe vp and downe the house much lesse to beare any burdens or to defend themselues against their enemies c. so sinne disableth a man from going about the works of God and of his own saluation from bearing any crosses either from God or from men and from resisting the enemies that fight against his soule As sicknesse taketh away a mans knowledge and memory euen of his best friends and maketh him to speake idely with his tongue and with his hand to reach and to ketch he cannot tell at what so by sinne we are bereaued of all good knowledge and memory yea and speake idly and wickedly and doe occupie our hands and other members with matters altogether vnprofitable
state O singular priuiledge O honorable condition The wicked indeed make great mirth They laugh and shout in the midst of their wickednesse that all the place where they are rings of them But alas miserable men this is but painted ioy It is but like the cracking of thornes c. But of this more afterward And againe as touching ioy in any good thing they are so far from it that to heare any thing that way is a death vnto them yea when they are vrged by christian authority to do any thing that good is they do it so against the haire so murmuringly so grudgingly with such griefe moiling and fretting that their said worke is altogether abominable in the sight of God For if God loueth a cheerefull giuer or doer of any thing 2. Cor. 9. 7. then he must needs hate and abhor him that giueth or doeth any thing vnwillingly and grudgingly Thus much for this matter CHAP. XIX Of the dignity of Gods children by the word as it is a rule of faith and life and a speciall part of our christian armor IN the next place let vs consider the benefit of the children of God by the word and Sacraments The word indeed seemeth to be common to the wicked and to Gods children Notwithstanding it is effectuall to saluation only in the children of God If our Gospell be hid saith the Apostle it is hid to them that perish 2. Cor. 4. 3. As whatsoeuer euill we haue we haue it by Adam so whatsoeuer good we haue we haue it by Christ Therefore by Christ we enioy the benefit of the word which is likewise the more euident because by Adam and in Adam we were without the word Ephes 2. 12. They therefore that haue not Christ cannot claime any benefit by the word or any interest into the word Now although the word be the meanes of dying more and more vnto sinne as also of growing more and more in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ 2. Pet. 3. 18. yet because I haue spoken of the word before as of that mighty instrument whereby God beginneth our regeneration at the first and because that before spoken in that behalfe may be vnderstood of the word as a meanes of the things handled in the last former Chapter therefore I will not so speake of it here but in other considerations viz. first as it is a perfect rule of faith and manners containing all things necessary to saluation either to be known and beleeued or to be done and practised Secondly as it is a principall part of that christian armor whereby the children of God are to defend themselues against the enemies of their saluation Thirdly as it is their speciallest consolation and comfort in any affliction Concerning the word as it is a rule of faith and of life or manners two things are to be noted first the perfection of it secondly the perpetuity of it The perfection thereof is expresly commended and prooued by diuers effects viz. the conuersion of the soule the giuing wisedome to the simple c. The law of the Lord is perfect conuerting or restoring the soule c. Psal 19. 7. c. We are also forbidden either to adde any thing thereunto or to detract any thing therefrom Deut. 4. 2 â—â— 12. 32. Pro. 30. 6. Reuel 22. 18 19. It is said to be the power of God to saluation Rom. 1. 16. to be able to saue the soule Iames 1. 21. And lest these things should be mistaken as spoken partly of the word written and partly of a word vnwritten deliuered by tradition from hand to hand as the Papists vrge and that the word only written were not so perfect or powerfull therefore the very Scriptures that is the word only written are said to be able to make a man wise to saluation and to make the man of God perfect vnto euery good worke 2. Tim. 3. 15. 16. 17. If the man of God that is the minister of the word so often times called for excellencies sake then euery child of God els For no child of God is bound to know to beleeue or practise more towards saluation then the minister of God is bound to teach Yea whatsoeuer is vrged more for saluation is abomination It is further said that those things that are before written are written that we might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the sonne of God and that beleeuing they might haue life through his name Ioh. 20. 31. God giueth vs this faith and life by the scriptures and let the Papists take any thing els by their vnwritten verities and traditions Paul repeateth this twice If wee or an Angell from heauen should preach vnto you otherwise then that which we haue preached vnto you let him be accursed Galat. 1. 8. 9. But Paul preached or said no other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come Acts. 26. 22. and he preached no other Gospell then that which God had promised before by his Prophets in the holy Scriptures Rom. 1. 1. 2. So perfect is the word of God that when the learnedst man in the world by long study of any one sentence hath spoken all that he can yet another may come after and adde somewhat which the former neuer spake nor vnderstood concerning that place It is like a bottomlesse well that will neuer be drawn drie yea like the sea it selfe that will neuer be emptied As the Prophet speaketh of the righteousnesse and iudgements of God Thy righteousnesse is like the mighty mountaines and thy iudgements like a great deep Psal 36. 6. so may it be said of the scriptures for the height and depth of them The Apostle by exclamation speaketh thus of the wisdome knowledge iudgement and the way of God O the deepnesse of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God! How vnsearchable are his iudgements and his waies past finding out Rom. 11. 33. May not this be spoken of the word of God Where is that wisedome and knowledge of God Where are those his iudgements and waies declared but in the word All the writings of all men in the world are but shallow in respect of the word of God All the books in the world not handling the word of God and doctrine thereof do not containe so much and deep matter as is in one of the least canonicall Epistles An heathen man meeting with the Gospell written by Iohn and reading but the first verse thereof could say that that rude fellow so rudely he termed the Apostle had comprehended more matter in that one sentence then was in all the bookes of all Philosophers How much matter then is contained in that whole Gospell Especially in all the Scriptures All other books whatsoeuer are so much more excellent the more they agree with and the neerer they come to the word of God contained in holy scriptures How excellent then is the said word of God it selfe When all the chiefe wise men
no other fountaine then at the word of God By the same meanes from time to time hath the Lord comforted his children Abraham Isack Iacob Dauid Hezekiah Paul and other in their afflictions euen by his word and by speaking vnto them When Iohn also wept much because no man was found worthy to open to read and to looke on the booke which before he had seen in the right hand of him that sate vpon the throne c. how was he comforted Not inwardly only by Gods spirit but outwardly also by one of the elders speaking vnto him and saying Weep not behold that Lyon which is of the tribe of Iuda that roote of Dauid hath obtained to open the booke and to open the seuen seales thereof Reuel 5. 5. Here is a double argument to proue the word of God to be the word of comfort First because Iohn in his heauinesse is comforted by the speech of one of the elders vnto him Secondly in respect of the matter of the said speech viz. that there was one found to open the booke and the seuen seales thereof For thereby the holy ghost signifieth that without opening of the book before shewed to Iohn there was nothing to haue comforted him Whatsoeuer benefits therfore whatsoeuer friends whatsoeuer outward delights whatsoeuer learning or other thing men haue yet nothing will soundly comfort them that are heauy hearted or exercised with feares but the word The woman in the Gospell healed of her bloudy issue for healing whereof she had spent all that she had vpon the physitians and was nothing the better doth sufficiently iustifie this For when our Sauiour hauing so healed her for nothing euen so perfectly healed her that she sensibly felt her selfe to be healed when I say our Sauiour hauing thus healed her did but aske who had touched him because he had felt vertue to goe from him she had no more comfort then before but for all the benefit Note of health so miraculously wrought in her she was possessed with great feare and trembling till she came to our Sauiour and till he spake vnto her saying Daughter be of good comfort thy faith hath saued thee Luk 8. 47. 48. So then the former benefit did not comfort her though she had long desired it yea it seemeth she had more feare then before but the word that our sauiour spake was it that tooke away the feare and which did comfort her I might here also speake of Belshazar in what case he was Dan. 5. hauing no comfort in the word but of him and other like more afterward In the meane time let vs vnderstand that the word hath comforts of all sorts and for all afflictions of this life and of the life to come for body and for soule Is any of Gods children poore he can comfort himselfe with the word saying Feare the Lord yee his Saints for no good thing wanteth to them that feare him c. Psal 34. 9. So with those manifold comforts Mat. 6. 25. c. Luk. 12. 32. c. So also with the examples of Iacob Gen. 32. 10. of Elija of the widow of Zarepta and of the other widdow of one of the sonnes of the Prophets before mentioned and with Gods mighty prouidence towards the Israelites in the wildernesse in feeding them with Manna and quailes and in giuing them water out of the rocke Is any child of God in disgrace or in base condition he can comfort himselfe with 1. Pet. 5. 5. and 6. and with the examples of Ioseph Dauid Ester and Mordecai whom the Lord raised vp from the dust and made to sit with Princes yea and some of them to be Princes Is any of them in prison He can comfort himselfe with the examples of Ioseph Ieremiah Peter and Paul who were not only in prison but whom also the Lord most mightily deliuered out of prison Hath any many and great aduersaries He can consider that If God be with him he need not feare who is against him Rom. 8. 29. and that The Lord is alwaies at hand Philip. 4. 6. And how the Lord deliuered Iacob from Esau and from the Sechemites and Dauid from many mighty enemies Is any sicke and sicke vnto death He can call to mind how Hezekiah being so and told also by the word of God that he should die was vpon his praier miraculously restored to health and had his life drawn out for fifteen yeeres more 2. Chron. 32. 24. c. He can also remember that Dauids soule was deliuered from the graue Psal 103. 4. and that Epaphroditus being sicke and neere vnto death God had mercy on him Phil. 2. 27. Hath any man lost all his goods in one day yea children also c. He can comfort himselfe with Psal 24. 1. and with the example of Iob who hauing lost goods and children did not only say The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken Blessed be the name of the Lord Iob. 1. 21. but who also had all and more then all restored vnto him at the last Iob. 42. 10. Is any man heauy loaden with his sinnes doth he feare the wrath of God and euerlasting condemnation and doth he not find or feele any comfort yea doth he feele the terrors of death Oh how may he comfort himselfe with the doctrine of Gods mercy Psal 103. 9. c. before handled with the end of Christs comming to heale them that are sicke not the whole to call sinners not the righteous to repentance Mat. 9. 12. 13. to seeke and to saue that which was lost Luk. 19. 10. that euery one that beleeueth in him might not perish but haue euerlasting life Iohn 3. 6. with the words also of the Prophet Ho euery one that thirsteth c. Isai 5. 5. 1. with the words of our Sauiour Come vnto me all ye that are weary and laden and I will refresh you Mat. 11. 28. And lastly with the examples of such as haue found comfort in such an heauy condition and against great and many sins viz. of Dauid of Salomon of Manasses of Peter of Mary Magdalen of Zacheus of Paul and of diuers other Seing then the word of God hath such excellent and such sweet comforts for euery malady for euery affliction for euery heauinesse who can sufficiently expresse the dignity and prerogatiue of the children of God thereby For they only can receiue comfort by it The childrens bread doth not belong to whelpes Mat. 15. 26. Neither do the holy things of God belong to dogs neither doe such pearles become swine Mat. 7. 6. All this hitherto said of the word is the more both in respect of the writing thereof and also of the preaching thereof In both these respects I say the prerogatiue of the children of God by the word is the greater For as touching the writing thereof howsoeuer the Papists would perswade that it was written onely by the voluntary accord of man not by any expresse commandement of God 〈◊〉 and that therefore it
were as well now if wee had no word written at all but that all were deliuered vnto vs only by tradition yet it is certain both that God himselfe commanded the word from time to time to be written and also that it was so written to very great purpose and for very great vse of the children of God That the word was written by Gods expresse commandement many places doe testifie Ier. 30. 2. and 36. 2. Reuel 2. 1. c. The speciall purposes of so writing the word of God are two First that the Church might the lesse erre touching the word for if all should haue beene by tradition men might haue deuised what they would and pretended a tradition who almost could haue controlled them That therefore the Church might haue a certain rule both of faith also of manners against which no exception might be taken it pleased God to command his word to bee written for the better examining of all other writings and preachings thereby Secondly it was so written that all men might the better haue the benefit thereof as well priuately to read as publikly to heare the same preached The rather because sometimes by persecution sometimes by sicknesse sometimes by extremitie of weather sometimes by imprisonment sometimes by some other meanes they be kept from the publike ministrie thereof Touching the preaching of it the Lord tooke order also in that behalfe for the better instruction of all by sound interpretation and by wise application of it according to persons and times and places For the preaching of the word is the right diuiding thereof as euerie one needeth the same in respect of age of sexe of calling of state and condition any manner of way 2. Tim. 2. 15. What a singular benefit is this that all men poore as well as rich base as well as honourable may haue the word and ought to haue the word as their seuerall necessitie requireth And truely though a man know neuer so much yea though a man be neuer so rich in faith and godlines yet the preaching of the word is necessary partly to increase his knowledge which is alwaies imperfect 1. Cor. 13. 9. and partly to helpe his memory in those things he knoweth yea to strengthen the same and as it were to stop the holes thereof for the time to come that the things which they shall heare may not at any time runne out Heb. 2. 1. and partly to quicken him both to obedience according to his knowledge and also to make vse of the word for his comfort for his humbling for his strengthning that he may not fall for his raising if hee shall fall and many other waies For alasse what is the best and most godly man that is but drousie and dull needing both to be awakened daily and also with the spurre as it were of the word to bee quickned yea what is the greatest measure of faith of loue of zeale of meeknesse of patience and of any piety in any man here vpon the earth but as a little fire a coale or two kindled vnder and in a great deale of greenewood which will easily bee quenched and goe out without continuall puffing and blowing for nourishing maintaining and encreasing thereof Neither is the word of God in this manner onely a great benefit for the children of GOD in respect of the writing and preaching thereof that so they may both heare it and read it but also because they may at all times both conferre thereof with other and also priuately meditate thereof by themselues yea this conference and meditation must goe with hearing and reading Otherwise all hearing and reading will bee to little purpose yea whatsoeuer wee learne by hearing and reading it will quickly vanish and come to nothing As the two disciples that were going to Emmaus did talke and conferre together of those things that had fallen out at Ierusalem concerning Christ Luk 24. 14. and as the men of Berea did not content themselues with hearing but conferred together of the things they had heard and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things viz. which they had heard were so or no Acts 17. 11. so may and must and will all the children of God do touching the things they heare The like is to be said of meditation Therefore as Ioshua is commanded to meditate in the law of God day and night Iosh 1. 8. and as it is commended to be the continuall exercise of the man that is blessed Psal 1. 2. to teach that he is none of the blessed company that doth not so meditate on the law so it was practised by Dauid himselfe who proueth his exceeding loue vnto the word of God euen such as wherof he was in a manner sick and the which he could not wel expresse by this argument saying Oh how loue I thy law it is my meditation continually Psal 119. 97. This is such a worke as wherin the children of God may euen in the night as they ly in their bed when they haue no light whereby they may read in the way as they walke or ride in their sicknesse lamenesse and in imprisonment when all other comforts doe faile them yea in their old age and when their eie-sight is either dim and weake not able to endure reading or none at all and when they shall be deafe not hearing any thing or at the least not able to endure the speech of any finally when all other things will be loathsome vnto them Euen then I say may the children of God exercise themselues to their great comfort and to a sweet passing away of the time in meditation of the word This is the more because the wicked not hauing this priuiledge do either spend their time in eating drinking swilling carding dicing dancing chambering wantonnesse and in all vanity or else they find all things more tedious vnto them then they can beare Aboue all things great is the benefit of the word for the former vses because it may be and must be locked vp in the chest of our hearts Iob. 22. 22. Pro. 2. 2. and 10. 3. 3. 4. so that when we fall into the hands of theeues that rob vs of al other things yet that cannot be taken away from vs yea though men take away our liues yet the benefit of the word shall continue with vs For this is that good part that Mary did chuse which our Sauiour saith should not be taken away from her Luk. 10. 42. This especially is proper to the children of God Many of the wicked heare the word read the word confer of the word no doubt also but do oft meditate of the word though somtimes rather for euil then for good as al Papists heretiks do study the word the more to maintaine their heresies contrary to the word but only the children of God doe lay and lock it vp in their hearts to their euerlasting good To conclude therefore this point If it were one of the greatest
abiect persons much more may they be no more esteemed then boies or children The suffering also the losse of all that they haue in the world and of the world and the submitting themselues to the most shamefull death that is for Christs sake that died the cursed death of the crosse for them what doth it declare but that they haue that noble mind for the contemning of the world and all that is therein that was in Christ Iesus himselfe Who for the ioy that was set before him is said to haue endured the Crosse and despised the shame Heb. 12. 2. What is more princely and kingly then this If it be also accounted fortitude for the common souldier to follow his captaine and to aduenture any danger though it be with losse of life wherein he hath seene his Captaine goe before him shall wee not account it fortitude likewise for the children of God to endanger and to lose their liues in such things as wherein Christ Iesus their chiefe Captaine hath gone before them To proceed yet further in the consideration of the Kingly dignity of Gods childreÌ„ let this be our fourth meditation in that behalfe that whereas by nature through our foresaid bondage to sinne and Satan and to euery wordly vanity wee were also captiues vnto death it selfe and prisoners of hell and in the state of condemnation now being made the children of God and members of Christ Iesus God hath giuen vs such victory through our said Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 7. â—5 that we may victoriously triumph ouer death hell and condemnation saying Death is swallowed vp in victory O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victory 1. Cor. 15. 55. and againe Now there is no condemnation to vs that are in Christ Iesus Rom. 8. 1. Fiftly as Kings that haue power and courage doe protect and defend their subiects from forraine powers so also the children of God doe valiantly protect and defend those that are committed to their charge against all the enemies of their saluation except themselues doe cowardly and slauishly run vnto them or will not be released from that bondage wherein by nature they are Sixtly as when God the father set Christ Iesus his King vpon Sion his holy mountaine that is ouer his Church he gaue him vpon his asking the heathen for his inheritance and the ends of the earth for his possession euen to crush them with a scepter of iron and to breake them in peeces like a potters vessell Psal 2. 8. so also the children of God hauing Christ Iesus the heire of all things Heb. 1. 2. all other things likewise are said to be theirs 1. Cor. 3. 21. and they shall inherit all things Reu. 21. 7. Yea Christ hath promised to giue them and will giue them power ouer nations to rule them with a rod of iron and to breake them in peeces like a potters vessell Reu. 2. 26. 27. Heereby therefore it is that onely the children of God hauing by Iesus Christ recouered that right vnto al the creaturs of God which was lost by Adam and hauing likewise liberty now in the time of the gospell to vse al those things which for the time of the law were restrained that such restraint of some things might be to the Church then and to the Church also in these daies a testimony and a witnesse of the former losse of all things Hereby I say it is that only the children of God haue power with sobriety and without offence according to their ability and beseeming their calling and with obseruation of some other rules in the word to vse all the creatures of God freely to Gods glory and to their comfort not only for necessity but also for their honest delight For vnto the pure only are all such things pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing that is vnto all that are not the children of God nothing is pure but euen their minds and consciences are defiled Tit. 2. 15. But of this right of the children of God vnto all things more afterward Moreouer thereby also howsoeuer the children of God are here for a time by their enemies and the enemies of Christ Iesus molested and vexed yet the time shall come when all such enemies shall bee fully subdued vnto them euen as a pot broken in peeces by the potter yea they shall bee indeed broken in peeces by Christ Iesus the head of all the children of God and that which is done by him being their head shall bee accounted as done by them yea euen as the head doth vse the hands and other parts of the body for executing what it selfe shall thinke good against all the aduersaries thereof and of the whole body so shall Christ Iesus vse the members of his Church not onely by the Ecclesiasticall and spirituall power and censures thereof to correct them that shall be of heathenish conditions and behauiour amongst them and to binde their Kings with chaines and their Nobles with fetters of yron that is by excommunication and such other like seuere courses to make such as were as Kings and captaines in all euill to stoope and bend as if they were bound with chaines and fetters of yron Psalme 149. 7. 8. not onely I say shall Christ thus vse the members of his Church to bridle and subdue the wicked but also hee shall vse Christian Kings and Princes by little and little euen by the sword to vanquish all the great enemies of the Church till there be scarce a man left that shall professe himselfe an enemie thereof Especially Christ Iesus shall vse such christian Kings and Princes and some other also to ioine with them though perhaps in worldly respects and in desire of the spoile in hatred of the whore of Babylon euen of Antichrist the Pope and of all that shall take his part Princes as well as other euen to make them desolate and naked and as it were to eat their flesh and to burne them with fire Reuel 17. 16. Seuenthly touching other princely vertues as kings are to be amiable and courteous to the good and austere and seuere to the wicked so the children of God are indued with this kingly grace A vile person is contemptible in their eies but they honor them that feare the Lord Psal 15 4. All their delight is in the Saints and in them that are excellent vpon the earth Psal 16. 3. but they haunt not with vaine persons neither keepe company with the dissemblers but hate the assembly of the wicked Psal 26. 4. 5. Yea they may call God himselfe tâ— witnesse that such as hate him they also doe hate and they doe earnestly contend with them that rise vp against him yea that they hate them with an vnfained hatred as if they were their owne enemies Psal 139. 21. 22. Yea though the children of God bee aduanced to kingly dignities in the earth as well as they are kings spiritually by Christ Iesus together with other yet
their eies will be to the faithfull in their lands that they may dwell with them and such as walke in a perfect way shall serue them but deceitfull persons shall not dwell in their houses neither shall such as tell lies remaine in their sight Yea betimes and wiâ—h all speed for feare of further dishonor to God by further infection of their people they will destroy all the wicked of their lands as nigh as they can not leauing one and cut off al the workers of iniquity from the city of the Lord Psal 101. 6. 7. 8. As their heauenly Father also the King of Kings is mercifull so are they after a kingly manner They doe good to them that cannot recompence the same nor doe the like to them and from whom they looke for nothing againe Luk 6. 34. c. And although according to Gods lawes for kings their care is not so much to gather much siluer and gold as to occupy themselues all the daies of their life in reading and meditating of the law of God and to learne thereby the feare of the Lord their God c. Deut. 1â— 17. 18. 19. and so likewise to lay vp treasure for themselues in heauen Matth. 6. 20. yet as the Lord doth therefore of his princely bounty cast outward things the more plentifully vpon them Mat. 6. 33. making them according to the necessity of their places and callings to lay vp gold like dust and the gold of Ophir as the flints of the riuer Iob 22. 24. so they accordingly to the example of Salomon who gaue siluer in Ierusalem as stones c. 1. King 10. 27. are merciful and lend they distribute or disperse and giue to the poore and their righteousnesse doth endure that is they are still by the continuall blessing of God vpon them able to giue Psal 112. 5. and so being rich in good works and ready to communicate they lay a sure fonudatien for themselues to eternall life 1. Tim. 6. 18. 19. Eightly the children of God are said by Christ Iesus to be kings because howsoeuer here they are subiect to the iudgement of other and are often iudged and condemned most vniustly and vnrighteously at the pleasure of men yet as Christ Iesus himselfe is said to be the iudge of the quicke and the dead so it is also said that at his comming to the last iudgement they shall iudge the world yea the Angels viz. the wicked Angels that were the authors of all the vnrighteous iudgement that by the world had been before giuen against them 1. Cor. 6. 3. Yea this they shall doe not only because they being members of Christ and Christ being their head therefore the sentence of Christ shall be their sentence but also because as they haue been before accused by the world to the Iudges of the world so at that time euen at the great iudgement day they shall be accusers of their wrongfull accusers and of their vnrighteous Iudges to the most Iust iudge of all who shall proceed to iudgement and sentence against their former accusers and Iudges according to their accusation of them presented vnto him And lastly the iudgement and sentence so giuen by Christ Iesus himselfe shall bee ratified by all the saints the children of God Ninthly finally all the children of God are by Christ Iesus said to be made kings because as they in kingly manner are richly and sumptuously apparrelled hauing put on Christ Iesus himselfe with his princely robe of righteousnesse and with the whole new man being both glorious within by their faith loue hope patience humility c. and beautifull also outwardly by those fruits of righteousnesse before spoken of and as they fare roially euery day hauing the dainty diet that hath been before also mentioned so also at the last they shall as kings be crowned with crownes of gold Reuel 4. 4. yea with better then gold euen with the crowne of righteousnesse 2. Tim. 4. 8. with the crowne of life Iames 1. 12. with the crowne of glorie 1. Pet. 5. 4 In respect of this crowne belonging to the least of Gods children all the crownes of all the Princes in the world yea put in also the triple crowne of the man of sinne the Pope of Rome though he be more fit to be reckoned among the sonnes of fooles and of villaines and bee not worthy to sit with the dogs of the flockes of other Princes much lesse is he worthy to be named among them In respect I say of this crowne thus belonging to the poorest sonne and daughter of God all the crownes of all the Princes in the world are no better then the crowne of thornes which the souldiers in derision put vpon the head of Christ Iesus Mat. 27. 29. and the which Christ Iesus did patiently weare the better to purchase the foresaid crowne of righteousnesse life and glory for euery one of the children of God To conclude this point because it is not decorum and fit for Princes that in their minority are clothed and fed so roially and afterward crowned so gloriously to stand therefore also they shall haue a throne far more stately then euer was the throne of Salomon though it were made of yuory and couered with the best gold hauing six steps and the similitude of twelue lyons vpon the said steps so that there was not the like throne in any kingdome 1. Kings 10. 18. c. This throne is the throne of Christ Iesus himselfe For so himselfe saith that He will giue vnto them to sit with him in his throne as himselfe sitteth in the throne of his father Reu. 3. 21. By these things before spoken especially by some of them it appeareth what great difference there is betwixt this kingly dignity of Gods children and the kingly dignity of all earthly Kings and Princes For whereas all earthly kings haue their kingdomes without them the children of God haue theirs as well within them as without them Whereas earthly Kings haue earthly iewels and earthly apparrell and earthly crownes made of earthen matter such as come from the earth the children of God haue their robes their iewels and their crownes from heauenly places and of an heauenly matter Whereas earthly kings are robed and decked with iewels as also crowned by their subiects that are base in respect of themselues the children of God are robed decked and crowned by him that is himselfe the Lord of Lords the King of kings the God of Gods and the King of glorie Whereas earthly kingdomes are peculiar but to one of the kings children and that to a sonne though there bee but one and none of the daughters so long as there are heires male aliue haue any part though they bee many the children of GOD both sonnes and daughters are partaker of this kingdome by Christ Iesus whereof now wee treat Whereas earthly kingdomes are not enioied presently vpon the birth of the heires vnto them but for the most part after the death of
former Kings this kingdome the children of God enioy and are in actuall possession of it as soone as they are begotten againe and new borne children to God and they haue the present possession of their kinglie dignitie euen heere on eath Reuelat. 5. 10. according to that before said in that behalfe Whereas earthlie Kings and kingdomes are all momentanie and but for a time both the children of God and also their kingdome are euerlasting and continue for euer as he and his kingdome be in whom they are Kings and from whom they receiue their kingly dignity Sith therefore the children of God are such Kings and haue such kingdomes how great is their dignity in this behalfe Amongst other great things that the Lord promiseth vnto Abraham in making his couenant with him this is one that euen Kings should proceed of him Genes 17. 6. The like promise is renewed to Iaakob afterward Genes 35. 11. And what Kings were they which God promiseth should come out of their loines Surely earthly Kings For though Abraham were the Father of the faithfull yet that promise is rather an earthly then an heauenly promise If God himselfe then promised this as a great matter to Abraham and Iaakob that Kings euen earthly kings should proceed of them how great a thing is this that now wee speake of concerning all the children of God viz. that not some of them as God is to be vnderstood before to speake not of all but only of some of the posterity of Abraham and Iaakob to be Kings but all are Kings and such Kings as before we haue spoken of Verily so great and glorious is this their kingly dignity that in respect thereof all the kingly dignitie of the world is of no value Yea in respect of the kingdome of the children of God all the kingdomes of the world separated from it though put together are but as a little mole-hill or a filthie dunghill In that respect also much better is the condition of the poorest child of God though he be as poore as Lazarus that sate at the rich mans gate desiring only to bee refreshed with the crums or scraps that should fall from his table Luke 16. 21. then of the greatest potentate in the world that is not partaker of this kingly dignity Yea if the greatest Monarch in the world not being one of the children of God by regeneration knew the kingly dignity of them and his owne wofull state hee would change states with them if hee might and though he had a thousand kingdomes besides he would giue them all for the one kingdome of the children of God and giue also to boote whatsoeuer hee had besides not to his shirt alone but euen to his skinne This shall suffice for Christs kingly title communicated to all the children of God and for their great and honourable condition thereby To proceed to other titles of Christ communicated to the children of God as Christ is called the chiefe corner stone Psal 18. 22. Mark 12. 10. Ephe. 20. so also the children of God particularly and seuerally considered are called liuing stones 1. Pet. 2. 5. as also Pillers in the Temple of God Reuel 3. 12. according to which phrase also Dauid praieth that the daughters of Israel might be as the corner stones grauen or carued after the similitude of a palace that is fitted for the making of a Palace viz. for God himselfe to dwell in Psal 144. 12. Iointly also considered they are called in the former place of Peter a Spirituall house yea the Temple of God euen of the liuing God wherein God dwelleth and walketh 1. Cor. 3. 16. 2. Cor. 6. 16. and of the holy Ghost 1. Cor. 6. 19. and therefore also of Christ himselfe who dwelleth by faith in their hearts Ephes 3. 17. How great this honor is hath been shewed before Chap. 16. yea that it is the greater because the wicked are habitations and houses of diuels and of all vncleane spirits Mat. 12. 44. Was it not a fearefull iudgement and a most dishonorable thing that the Lord threatneth the countries of the Assyrians and of other enemies of the Church should be forsaken and be left to the fowles of the mountaines and to the beasts of the field c. Isai 18. 6. and that Babel it selfe the glorie of kingdomes the beautie and pride of the Chaldeans should bee a lodging for Ziim Ohim and Iim and that Ostriches should dwell there and Satyres should dance there and Dragons should dwell in the Palaces thereof Isai 13. 21. 22. and Ieremy 51. 37. How much more dishonorable then is it that men at the first created according to Gods image should be habitations for diuels Is this dishonourable and shall it not then be honorable for men beeing new borne the children of GOD to bee also the houses and Temples of GOD As Christ is called a graft growing out of the root of Dauid Isai 11. 1. and a righteous branch Ierem. 25. 5. and 33 15. So all that are incorporated into Christ are called branches and grafts c. Rom. 11. 17. c. As Christ is called the light of men and the true light that lightneth euerie man that commeth into the world Iohn 1. 4. 5. 7. 8. 9. and the light of the world Iohn 8. 12. and 9. 5. so it is said first of the Apostles and other Ministers of the Gospell that they are the light of the world Mat. 5. 14. and secondly of all other the children of God in respect of their holding forth the word of life in their profession and practise or conuersation that they shine as lights in the world Philip. 2. 15. As therefore it is a great honor for a subiect to be dignified by a King with some of the Kings owne kingly titles so is it much more honor for the children of God to bee dignified with so many titles of Christ Iesus Thus much for the titles of Christ communicated vnto the children of God and their great dignity thereby CHAP. XXIII Of the benefits of the children of God for this life viz. of their immunity from euill and of good things of this life belonging vnto them HAuing in the former Chapter by occasion of the kingly dignity of Gods children briefly mentioned the right of the children of God vnto all things of this life viz. in the sixt respect why they are called Kings but that place being not fit to handle the same any thing largely it notwithstanding being a matter of good importance and worthy of further consideration for the further setting forth of the dignity of Gods children I will now returne thereunto and speake somewhat more plentifully thereof Concerning therefore this life let vs vnderstand that the children of God haue a double prerogatiue aboue the wicked First immunity from all afflictions of this life as they are euill and hurtfull Secondly right and interest into all the blessings of this life so farre foorth as they are any waies good
moment either all is taken from them or they be taken from all That which is said of riches that they take themselues to their wings and as an Eagle doe flie into the heauen Pro. 23. 5 that is they are quickly out of sight and out of reach as also oftentimes that they be vncertaine 1. Tim. 6. 17. may likewise be said of all prosperity especially in the possession of the wicked The same further is manifest as by diuers other testimonies so especially by that which before was alledged out of Iob 15. 29. c. Touching the taking away of the wicked from their wealth and other prosperity doth not our Sauiour teach it by the parable of the rich man that like many rich men in these daies was altogether carefull for enlarging his barnes to keepe the great abundance of corne that his land had brought foorth and to eat and drinke and take his pleasure for many yeeres as thinking he had enough and that he should liue long neuer thinking of any thankfulnesse to God neither taking any care how to imploy and bestow it well to Gods glory and the comfort of other that were in want Doth not I say our Sauiour by this parable teach that the wicked are oft times taken away from their wealth and other prosperity in as much as when the said rich man was occupied in those former thoughts of enlarging his barnes and taking his ease c. our Sauiour telleth vs that it was presently said vnto him by the Lord O foole this night will they fetch away thy soule from thee and then whose shall all those things be which thou hast prouided Luk 12 20. To the same purpose Zophar saith The reioicing of the wicked is short and the ioy of the hypocrite is but a moment Though his excellency mount vp to the heauens his head reach vnto the clouds yet he shall perish for euer like his dung and they which haue seene him shall say where is he He shall flie away as a dreame and they shall not find him and shall passe away as a vision of the night So that the eie which had seene him shall see him no more and his place shall see him no more Iob 20. 5. Dauid testifieth the very same I haue seene saith hee the wicked strong and spreading himselfe like a Bay tree yet he passed away and loe he was gone and I sought him but he could not be found Psal 37. 35. 36. Doth any man require examples of these two points For the first let him consider his owne experience of many daily that are left great portions and yet liuing wickedly come to extreme beggery For the second that many of the wicked hauing great states are themselues taken from all how soone were Nabal 1. Samuel 25. 38. Ahab 1. Kings 22. 37. Saneherib 2. Kings 19. 37. Nebuchadnezer Dan. 4. 28. and Herod Acts 12. 23. how soone I say were all these taken from all their wealth from all their honor from all their worldly prosperity Touching both the former points iointly how soone did Haman and Belshazzer lose both riches and honors withall their other earthly prosperity and life it selfe Neither only is the prosperity of the wicked taken from them or they from it but sometime also themselues are so burthened therewith that howsouer they got it with great paine and yet perhaps also with some pleasure yet they are neuer well till they be disburdened of it againe It is with them as it is with drunkards and gluttons who drinke largely and eat greedily but hauing ouer much charged their stomacks they are sicke and very sicke till they haue vngorged themselues Let no man bee offended with this similitude as thinking the same too rude and homely for so diuine an argument as now I am occupied in It is the same that Zophar vseth in the same case and whereby he doth most elegantly and excellently set foorth the condition of the wicked in this behalfe For thus he writeth He hath deuoured substance and he shall vomit it for God shall draw it out of his belly Iob 20. 15. and againe he shall restore the labor that is that which he got with much labor and shall deuoure no more c. vers 18. and againe Surely he shall feele no quietnesse in his body as it is with drunkards and gluttons that being more then cropfull are also cropsick and tormented in their bodies till they haue emptied themselues neither shall he reserue of that which hee desired There shall none of his meat be left Therefore none shall hope for his goods When he shall be filled with abundance he shall be in pain c. vers 20. 21. 22. This is somwhat manifest by the example of Achan who contrary to the commandement of God hauing taken a goodly Babylonish garment two hundred shekels of siluer and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels waight in the sacking of Iericho was forced himselfe to bring all forth and so he with all his family were burnt with fire Iosh 7. 20. It is more manifest by the example of Iudas who hauing greedily taken thirthy pieces of siluer for the betraying of his Lord and Master made as much hast to be rid of it as euer he did to get it and he came vnsent for and brought it with his own hands to the Priests and threw it downe c. and then went and hanged himselfe c. Mat. 27. 5. 2. If the wicked do not thus with their wealth and other prosperity for there is the same reason of all their prosperity that there is of their wealth yet they meet with such other calamities that they were better to be in aduersity with the children of God then in their prosperity to inoy the pleasures of sinne for a season For what gained Gehezi by the two talents of siluer and the two changes of garments which by lying and falshood he got of Naaman the Syrian Did not the leprosie of Naaman cleaue vnto him and to his seede for euer 2. Kings 5. 27. Whether then had he been better to haue beene without the wealth or without Naamans leprosie If it were so with him that perhaps was not altogether to be accounted wicked though in that particular he were very faulty what is to be thought of them that cannot be denied to be wicked Last of all the wicked in gathering the blessings of this life together are sometimes the instruments of God for the future good of his children that they may enioy that with ease which the wicked haue scraped and raked together with much paine So saith Salomon The riches of the sinner is laid vp for the iust Pro. 13. 22. So also saith Iob Though he should heape vp siluer as the dust and prepare raiment as the clay he may prepare it but the iust shall put it on and the innocent shall diuide his siluer Iob 27. 16. Hereof Haman is a most pregnant example For was not his house giuen
them in nothing to feare their aduersaries Why so Because saith he this is to them a token of perdition but to you of saluation Philip. 1. 28. So he sheweth by an argument taken from comparison of equals that euen as to be an aduersary to the children of God and to persecute them is a token and manifest testimony to such so long as they continue such that they shall perish so to be hated of them and persecuted by them is a great assurance of saluation Only this is the difference that they that by hatred and persecution of the children of God haue a great signe of perdition may for all that by faith working repentance be saued but they that once by any good testimony be assured of saluation shall neuer perish Sixtly by suffering a little smart of the fruit of sinne heere they doe the better learne both what all is that they haue deserued in the life to come and also what Christ hath suffered for them in bearing the whole punishment of all their sinnes and therefore how they ought to loue him in that behalfe and how thankfull they ought to bee to God for their deliuerance from euerlasting torments in respect whereof these light and momentany afflictions of this life are but as fillips and fleabites and consequently also they learne how they are to pity them that are going towards the place of such torments and how in pity they are to labor their reclaiming and conuerting These are the principall particular points of the lawe of God which the children of God doe learne by the afflictions of this life the least whereof is more worth then all outward prosperity and all which might be much more enlarged but finding this treatise to arise to a far greater volume then at the first I made account of I am thereby forced in many things to write the more briefly By this that I haue thus briefly set downe in that behalfe it may sufficiently appeare that the exchange sometimes of momentany afflictions for temporary blessings is no detriment to the children of God but rather an exceeding gaine and benefit If it be obiected that some of Gods children are subiect also to extraordinary deaths as Eli brake his neck falling backwardâ— 1. Sam. 4. 18. The Prophet that had done contrary to the word of God was killed by a lyon 1. Kings 13. 24. Noble Iosiah died of the wound that he had taken by the sword of the vncircumcised Egyptians 2. King 23. 29. and that for going somewhat obstinately as it seemeth against Pharo Neco 2. Chron. 35. 2. Many of the Corinthians are said to haue slept that is to haue died somwhat extraordinarily by an vntimely death for abuse and disorder in the supper of the Lord 1. Cor. 11. 30. If I say this be obiected and so confirmed by these former and other the like examples and vpon those grounds it be further demanded how such things can be for the good of the children of God and for the learning any thing out of the word of God sith the dead praise not God neither is there any remembrance of God in death Psal 6. 5. and 30. 9. To this I answer briefly that although after death there be no learning any thing except only either of torments to the wicked or of ioy and happinesse to the godly and that by sense and feeling as the rich man and Lazarus did Luk. 16. 23. yet in such sicknes vnto death there may be before death and no doubt is repentance in al the children of God of such particular sinnes as whereby they see they haue procured such particular chastisements vpon themselues and so by iudging of themselues for the said sins they haue the better assurance that they shall not be iudged of the Lord. Therefore the Apostle saith in the place before alledged after mention of sicknesse and death when we are iudged we are chastned of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world 1. Cor. 11. 32. which is all one with the generall end of afflictions before mentioned viz. that we may liue Heb. 12. 9. Againe both further to amplifie that answer to the former obiection and also now to shew some other vses of the afflictions of Gods children in respect of other they are so afflicted especially for particular sins that other as well as themselues liuing after their said vntimely death seeing how he whom they call father iudgeth euerie man as well his own children as other according to their worke in this world without respect of persons may afterward passe the time of their dwelling here in the more feare 1. Pet. 1. 17. and make an end of their saluation with the more trembling Philip. 2. 12. Secondly in respect of other they are afflicted and loaden with affliction for the manifestation of their faith patience and other graces to such as did before doubt thereof as thinking all that they did in the worship of God to be in hypocrisie and rather because God had so compassed and walled them about with his mercies then in a simple and a pure loue towards God himselfe Is not this euident by the answer of satan vnto God when God had asked him if he had not considered Iob and all his vprightnesse c. Doth Iob saith satan feare God for nought Hast thou not made an hedge about him and about all that he hath on euery side Thou hast blessed the worke of his hands and his substance is encreased in the land But stretch out now thine hand and touch all that he hath to see if hee will not blaspheme thee to thy face Iob 1. 8. 9. 10. Doth not satan in these words plainly accuse Iob to haue done all that he had done only in hypocrisie c Therefore the Lord gaue him leaue to try Iob to exercise him with many afflictions one after another one in the neck of another for the confutation of that slanderous accusation of Iob by satan for declaration of his integrity to al the world Yea by this occasion to insert here another benefit by afflictions to the children of God concerning themselues as by wrastling a man somtimes knoweth his own strength better then before he did so oftentimes by afflictions a man better knoweth his owne faith and other graces of God in himself for his further comfort then before he did Thirdly in respect of other sometimes the children of God are so afflicted that the workes of God may be shewed on them Our Sauiour being asked by his disciples of the man that was borne blind whether he or his parents had sinned that he was borne blind answered Neither hath this man sinned nor his parents but that the worke of God might be shewed on him Ioh. 9. 2. 3. So it seemeth that Lazarus was therefore sick died of his sicknesse sooner then by the course of nature he should haue died not for any speciall sinne of his owne but for the
Daniel that he being thrown into their den amongst them continuing there an whole night and the dens mouth being couered with a great stone none of them did him any hurt Dan 6. 22. And yet the same lions caught Daniels accusers with their wiues and children being by the commandement of the king cast into their den and brake all their bones in pieces ere they came at the ground of the denne vers 24. That lion also that had commission from God to kill the Prophet that had behaued himselfe vnlike a child in transgressing the word of God by vertue of the same commission was not only restrained from doing any hurt to the dead body of the said Prophet or to his Asse whereon he rode but also attended thereupon that no other wild beast might teare in peeces either the said dead body of the Prophet or his Asse but that the said dead body might be kept safe to be buried When also the other Prophet that had deceiued that Prophet came to fetch the said body to bury the same the lion suffered him quietly to take it to lay it on his Asse and to cary it away 1. Kings 13. 24. The caterpillers grashoppers flies lice and frogs were sent to plague the Egyptians for the good of the Israelites and to procure their more speedy deliuerance out of the land of Egypt Touching senselesse creatures when God commanded the fire not to hurt Shadrach Meshach and Abednego it did not so much as burne any haire of their head or scorch their garments neither was there any smell of fire about them Dan. 3. 27. yet so hote was the fornace made that the flame that came out of the mouth thereof deuoured those men that brought foorth Shadrach Meshach and Abednego verse 22. not being put into the fire but only comming neere it to cast in Shadrach Meshach and Abednego The fire that came downe from heauen and consumed the two captaines and their fifties sent to fetch Elija did not sease vpon the third captaine and his fifty that by humbling himselfe to Elija and crauing his fauor shewed himselfe to be one of the children of God 2. Kings 1. 14. The fire that consumed Sodom and Gomorrha had no power ouer Lot and them that went out with him Though the aire be neuer so dangerously infected yet such as dwell in the secret of the most high and abide in the shdow of the Almighty that is the children of God that trust in him God will preserue from the noisome pestilence that killeth in the darknesse and from the plague that destroieth at noone day so that although a thousand fall on their left side and ten thousand on their right hand yet it shall not come neere them Psal 91. 1 3 5 6 7. Yet this and other things touching outward preseruations must still be remembred to be with condition if it shall be good for them to liue and not better by death to be deliuered from euils to come Isai 57. 1. Did not the liquid waters of the red sea and of Iordan contrary to their nature stand vpon heapes and become like a wall for the good of the Israelites Did not the hard rocke a part of the earth giue water likewise vnto them This that I haue spoken of these creatures is to bee vnderstood of all other because God hath promised to make such a league with all creatures for his children that the wolfe shall dwell with the lambe and the leopard with the kidde and the calfe with the lyon and the sucking child shall play vpon the hole of the aspe and the weined child shall put his hand vpon the cockatrice hole and that nons shall hurt or destroy in all the mountaines of his holinesse c. Isai 11. 6. c. and 65. 25. The like almost is that his promise of such a couenant with his people that hee will cause the euill beasts to cease out of their land that so they may dwell safely euen in the wildernesse and sleepe in the woods Ezek. 34. 25. that is in the places of greatest danger If the Lord haue made such a couenant for his children with all creatures what creature dare to transgresse it When Abimelech king of Gerar commanded all his people that none should hurt Izaak nor his wife did not Izaak then liue in the more peace so that hee sowed in the land c. which before he had not done Gen. 26. 11. Was the word of an heathen king to his heathen people that were worse than vnreasonable creatures of that authoritie and shall not the word of God be as authenticall with all his creatures The very couenant of God with his children bindeth all other creatures to the peace good behauiour towards them If once it be knowen that a king haue made a league with another people betwixt whom and his people there was before hostilitie and open warres doe not all such a kings subiects lay downe all their weapons of warre and frame themselues to liue in peace with the other with whom they before had had mortall war Is the league of a mortall king of that force with his subiects for their former enemies and shall not the league of the immortall God with his children be of much greater force to bind all his creatures to the good behauiour towards his said children albeit by their sinne they haue brought the rest of the creatures to be subiect to vanity Rom. 8. 20 21. Verily no king is of that soueraignty ouer his subiects either by right or by tyranny and violence that God is ouer all his creatures Is not euery creature to God as the pot to the potter Rom. 9. 21. This that hath been spoken of the working together of all things to the good of them that loue God is the greater priuiledge for such as do so loue God and who by such loue doe the better shew themselues to be the children of God because it followeth on the contrary that all things worke together to the hurt of them that doe not loue God and so do shew themselues not to be the children of God This point is so plaine by the contrary point before largely handled that it shall not need any further confirmation Thus much for the benefits concerning this present life belonging to the children of God CHAP. XXV Of the benefits of the children of God in the life to come and first of their freedome from condemnation HItherto we haue heard of the benefits of the children of God in this life both for this life and also for the life to come Now it followeth to speake of those which they shall enioy in the life to come These are two First that they are freed from euerlasting condemnation secondly that they are heires yea heires annexed with Christ Both these follow vpon those things before spoken concerning the dignity of Gods children And first concerning the former it followeth vpon that which hath been said of Gods loue
spoken of condemnation especially of the extreme punishment of the wicked with the perpetuity thereof by the extremity of diuers bodily paines here in this life euen in some one member and but for a time as of extreme tooth-ache of the strangullion of the stone in the bladder or in the kidneys of the gout of the collick and such like For if these things but in one part of the body and but for a time be so intollerable what alas shall we thinke of the euerlasting torments of euery member of the body and soule and the whole man for euer and euer But it shall be sufficient thus only to haue pointed at these things Thus much for the first benefit of the children of God in the life to come viz. for their freedome from condemnation CHAP. XXVI Of the inheritance of the children of God in the life to come THe second benefit of the children of God in the life to come is that they shall be all heires and haue a great inheritance So saith the Apostle If we be children wee are also heires euen heires of God and heires annexed with Christ Rom. 8. 17. and againe If thou be a sonne thou art also an heire of God through Christ Galat. 4. 7. So Peter ioineth together the worke of our regeneration and the hope of an inheritance 1. Pet. 1. 4. Touching this inheritance as before we noted certaine degrees of that condemnation from which wee heard the children of God to be freed the better to set forth their dignity in that their deliuerance so let vs now also obserue certaine circumstances pertaining to this inheritance for the better illustration of the dignity of the children of God in respect of the said inheritance Although therefore we did not before note the placing of the reprobate at the left hand of Christ as any degree of their condemnation because it is not alwaies a dishonor to be placed at the left hand of Princes in which respect Iames and Iohn desired to be placed the one at the right hand the other at the left hand of Christ yet to be placed at the right hand of Christ Iesus when he shall come to iudge the quick and the dead may well be accounted for a principall honor of them that shall be so placed So great an honor is it to be placed at the right hand of mortal Princes that by a metaphor taken from the same the whole exaltation and glorification of Christ Iesus is often described and expressed by sitting at the right hand of his Father Is it not then a great honour for all the elect at the day of iudgement to be placed at the right hand of Iesus Christ when hee shall come in the glory of his Father with the holy Angels The second circumstance of the inheritance of Gods children is contrary to the first degree before mentioned of the condemnation of the wicked viz. that Christ Iesus shall grace them with a most amiable countenance and most gratiously speake vnto them Come ye blessed of my Father c. The fauour of a King is like the dewe vpon the grasse Prou. 19. 12. How great then is the fauour of God Dauid opposeth the light of Gods countenance to all worldly prosperitie desired by the greatest sort of men and professeth that he had or should haue more ioy of heart thereby than the men of the world haue in the day of their haruest and when their corne and wine doe encrease Psal 4. 6 7. Both these circumstances are the more because Christ himselfe shall so place them at his right hand and so speake vnto them publikely in the presence of his Father and before all men and angels good and bad euen before all their aduersaries The more publikely and in the greater company that the Lord Cromwell did grace his old benefactor Francis Frescobald the Italian merchant first in the open street in London dismounting from his horse embracing him most familiarly speaking most kindly vnto him and inuiting him the same day to dinner before all the Lords and other attendants vpon him and afterward at his comming to dine with him embracing him againe and speaking also most kindly as before and declaring to the Lord Admirall and other nobles with him what the said Frescobald had done for him and at dinner placing him next to himselfe The more publikely I say and before the more company that the said Lord Cromwell did so grace that poore decaied merchant the greater honour it was to the said merchant to be so graced How great then shall the honour of all Gods children bee to be placed at the right hand of Iesus Christ and to bee so gratiously spoken vnto by Iesus Christ himselfe in the presence of all the world before all kings and princes as well as before all other the meaner sort of men as likewise before his owne Father before all his holy angels and before the diuels themselues the whole army of hell The third circumstance concerning the inheritance of the children of God is that they shall haue a more neere communion with God and with Christ Iesus himselfe than euer before they had viz. not only spirituall but also locall beeing there where himselfe is in all glory and maiestie This is signified by the words of our Sauiour before alleadged Come yee blessed of my father c. The same is likewise plaine by the praier of our Sauiour for all Gods children Father I will that they which thou hast giuen me bee with mee euen where I am that they may behold my glory c. Ioh. 17. 24. It is a great honour for a subiect to be imployed in any seruice of his prince but it is much more to be alwaies neere vnto him in his chamber of Presence and in his Priuie chamber Who therfore can expresse the honor of Gods children to be in heauen it selfe Gods Priuie chamber and alwaies to behold his glory and excellency But of this further communion of Gods children with God and Christ Iesus and so consequently also with the holy angels more shall be spoken afterward In the meane time this shall suffice to haue beene spoken of these circumstances of the inheritance of Gods children Now to speake more largely of the said inheritance it selfe and so to come euen to the more ample declaration of their foresaid communion with God let vs vnderstand the said inheritance to be the greater honour because it is called the inheritance of God and men therby in the two first places before alleadged are called the heires of God The greater that any man is in the world the greater thing it is to bee heire vnto him how great a thing then is it to be the heire of God Herein the children of God differ from the children of men and of great men in the world euen from the sonnes of the mightie as they are called Psal 29. 1. For there is no man so great or mightie but that hauing many
of apparell to couer his nakednesse as of meat to nourish him so â—n the resurrection the children of God shall liue without either of both without meat and without apparell As concerning mariage it is said that In the resurrection they neither marry wiues nor wiues are bestowed in mariage but that they shal be as the Angels of God in heauen Mat. 22. 30. so shall it be for meat and apparell The children of God shall liue foreuer without both There shall be neither cold nor hunger nor thirst Their bodies that are sowen naturall bodies shal be raised spirituall bodies They shall stil be bodies the same bodies in substance that they were before otherwise how could it be said that they are raised againe but touching their qualities as they shall be changed many other waies so also this way that they shall be spirituall bodies that is such as shall not liue by naturall meats as vpon the earth they did but altogether by the immediat vertue of the spirit euen as the Angels do now liue in heauen This then in the life to come shall be the perfection of the children of God that they shall need no outward meanes for their euerlasting maintenance and preseruation as here they did for their maintenance and preseruation for a time yea for a short time which for the shortnesse thereof is not worthy to be called halfe a time So hauing nothing they shall be ten thousand times more happy then they were here hauing many things Men are not so happy here by hauing many things as they shall be in the world to come by needing nothing I meane no such outward things as without which before they could not liue To illustrate this by a familiar similitude As a man being in poore state and in a meane calling here in this world as a shoemaker a tailer a husbandman or such like caÌ„not liue without such things as appertain to such trades as the shoemaker cannot liue without his last cutting-knife awle the tailer without his sheers and pressing yron the husbandman without his spade mattock flaile plough hedging bill c. but yet the same man being aduanced to welth higher calling amongst men hath none of the former things and yet is not the worse but the better because he needeth no such things now as without which before he could not liue so the children of God in the life to come being in full possession of their inheritance shall be neuer a whit the worse because they shall haue no meat nor apparell nor any other such outward thing for maintenance and preseruation of their state as here they had but they shall be so much the more happy and blessed because they shall need no such thing Besides all hitherto spoken of the happy and blessed inheritance of the children of God in the world and life to come whereas here they had the company of men yea oft times of wretched wicked men such as of whom they might cry out as we heare Dauid did Woe is to vs that we haue them in our company Our soules haue too long dwelt with them in the life to come in stead of such company they shall haue the society fellowship of the blessed Angels the least wherof is more glorious then euer was Salomon in al his roialty or then are al the kings Princes in the world when they shew themselues most in al their kingly and princely robes glory yea then as before we heard they shall haue perfect communion with God himselfe Father Son and holy ghost and they shall see Christ Iesus God and man in all his glory be also themselues in their own persons partaker therof as we shal hear more at large vpon the second verse following they shal I say see Christ Iesus in al his glory be themselues partaker therof according to the praier of Christ himself for them in that behalfe Ioh. 17. 22. 23 24. How sweet happy comfortable a thing is this when Peter Iames and Iohn saw Christ but a little transfigured in the mountain and Moses Elias in some glory talking with him how were they affected how were they rauished How did Peter say in the name of the rest Master it is good for vs to be here If thou wilt let vs make here three tabernacles c Mat. 17. 4. were they thus affected were they so rauished did they so desire stil to dwell in the mountain and to enioy the sight only of Christ and of two of his Saints themselues being yet clogged with their sins and cloathed with corruption mortality Oh how happy then shall that day be when the children of God shall see Christ Iesus in his perfect glory accompanied and attended vpon with millions and many millions of most glorious Angels and when themselues also shall haue put on incorruption and immortality and according to their degree and measure be also crowned with a crowne of the same glory The Prophet amongst diuers other arguments wherby he prouoketh all the seruants of the Lord to praise the name of the Lord setteth downe this for one that The Lord raiseth the needy out of the dust and lifteth vp the poore out of the dung that hee may set him with the Princes euen with the princes of the people Psal 113. 1. c. Was it and is it so great a dignity so great an honour so great an aduancement to make poore men to sit with Princes in this world What then is the dignity honor and aduancement of the children of God to sit with God and with Christ Iesus and with all the holy Angels in the heauens It is here also to be considered that this inheritance is so ample and so excellent that how few soeuer shall enioy the same they shall haue neuer a whit the more and how many soeuer Note shall be admitted thereunto none shall haue any whit the lesse In all earthly inheritances it is far otherwise yea cleane contrary The fewer they are amongst whom any inheritance is diuided the greater is the portion of euery one And the more the heires of any inheritance are how ample soeuer the same be the lesse is the portion of euery one All hitherto said or which can be said yea more then any tongue can speake or then any heart can conceiue is the more in respect of the certainty thereof Nothing in this world though it be in present possession is so certaine as all spoken before of this inheritance For the certainty of faith is much greater then the certainty of sense and humane reason This certainty of this inheritance and of the things before spoken thereof doth not only depend vpon that before written of the safety both of the inheritance it selfe and of the children of God to whom the same inheritance belongeth but also vpon diuers expresse scriptures and vpon diuers other reasons Touching scriptures consider these that follow and many other the
like which the mention of these and diligent reading will bring to thy vnderstanding He that doth these things viz. which walketh vprightly worketh righteousnesse speaketh the truth in his heart slandereth not with his tongue neither doth euill to his neighbor nor receiueth a falsereport that contemneth a vile person but honoureth them that feare God and keepeth his couenant though it be to his owne hinderance and giueth not his money vnto vsury nor taketh reward against the innocent euen this man shall dwell in the Lords tabernacle and rest in his holy mountaine and shall neuer be remoued Psal 15. 1 c. and 24 3. c. They that trust in the Lord shall be or are as mount Zion which cannot bee remooued but remaineth for euer Psalm 125. 1. Whosoeuer heareth of mee saith our Sauiour himselfe these words and doeth the same viz. not perfectly for that is not possible in this life but vprightly which therfore is placed before Note all the particulars following in Psal 15. 2. I will liken him to awise man which hath built his house vpon a rocke and the raine fell and the flouds came and the windes blew and beat vpon that house and it fell not for it was grounded on a rocke Mat. 7. 24. 25. I say vnto thee thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not ouercome it Mat. 16. 18. All that the Father hath giuen vnto me shall come vnto me and he that commeth I cast not away Ioh. 6. 37. This is the Fathers will that sent me that of all that the Father hath giuen vnto me I should lose nothing but should raise it vp againe at the last day vers 39. Marie hath chosen the good part which shall not be taken away from her Luk 0 42. If ye do these things ye shall neuer fall 2. Pet. 1 10. This world passeth away and the lusts thereof but he that fulfilleth the will of God that is which endeauoureth sincerely to do it as before was shewed abideth euer 1. Ioh. 2. 17. This shall suffice for expresse scriptures Many other the like there are but I leaue them to the obseruation of the diligent reader Touching other arguments First the immutable constancy of God confirmeth the certainty of the inheritance of Gods children God is not as man that he shold lie neither as the Sonne of man that he should repent hath he said and shall he not doe it and hath he spoken and shall he not accomplish it Num. 23. 19. 1. Sam. 15. 29. My counsell shall stand and I will doe whatsoeuer I will c. I haue purposed and I will doe it Isai 46. 10. 11. Whom he loueth he loueth to the end Ioh. 13. 1. The gifts and callings of God are without repentance Rom. 11. 29. God is faithfull 2. Thes 3. 3. With God is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning Iames 1. 17. He is faithfull that hath promised Heb. 10. 23. Secondly in respect of Gods promise in respect of Gods â—ath in respect of the earnest and pledge of Gods spirit giuen vnto vs to seale vs to the day of redemption in respect of the great price that Christ hath giuen and God the father hath receiued for this inheritance for vs all that are Gods children in respect of Christs former prayer for it Ioh. 17. 20. which God the father alwaies heareth Ioh. 11. 22. and 42. and in respect also of his daily intercession in the behalfe for vs at the right hand of God Rom. 8. 34. it standeth not onely vpon the mercie of God to make this their inheritance certaine but also vpon his righteousnesse 2. Thes 1. 7. Heb. 6. 10. Thirdly the children of God all and euery one are the members of Christs body as before hath beene shewed As therefore it is impossible for any power to take away any member of Christs glorified body in heauen so is it impossible for any power to take away any member of his mysticall body in earth The souldiers that brake the bones of the two theeues that were crucified with Christ could not for their liues break the bones of Christ because it was written Not a bone of him shall bee broken Iohn 19. 33. 36. Could not a bone of his naturall body be broken by the malice and violence of all his aduersaries armed with the power of hell it selfe and that because the Scriptures had said in one place that a bone of him should not bee broken How then shall it bee possible for any member of his mysticall body coupled together by the eternall and all powerfull spirit to be altogether taken away and depriued of that inheritance which God hath prepared for it especially sith the Scripture hath not in one place but in many places said that not one of them shall perish I might adde many other arguments for further confirmation of this certainty but because the next verse of my text offereth fit occasion to speake againe thereof therefore in the meane time I will content my selfe with these This notwithstanding I may further adde for the better amplification of the dignity of Gods children by this certainty of their inheritance viz. that thereby in pouerty they are made content in abundance they are sober and wary in the enmity of other against them they are couragious and magnanimous and in afflictions they are cheerfull and comfortable By all hitherto said of this inheritance who seeth not the exceeding dignity and most honorable condition of the children of God On the contrary as the state of the children of God is the better by their freedome from the condemnation beforespoken of although they should neuer come to this great inheritance so the state of all naturall and wicked men is the more base the more vile the more wofull and the more fearefull because though it were possible they should not be so condemned as before we heard they shall be yet they shall haue no part of this inheritance but shall be vtterly cast out and excluded Genes 21. 10. Reuel 22. 15. to whom it shall be said whatsoeuer they shall plead for themselues from their great workes of prophecying in Christs name and casting out diuels in his name c. I neuer knew you Depart from me ye that worke iniquity Mat. 7. 22. 23. and 25. 12. Thus much of this inheritance and of the benefits of the children of God in the life to come CHAP. XXVII Of the peace of conscience in the children of God ALthough I haue heretofore spoken of diuers singular benefits of the children of God both for this life and the life to come yet there remaineth one more of great price and excellency without which all the former spoken of for this life or for the life to come enjoyed in this life are of lesse reckoning This is peace of conscience accompanied with exceeding ioy of this the Apostle speaketh as of a fruit of forgiuenesse of sinnes and iustification
before handled Being iustified faith saith he we haue peace towards God Rom. 5. 11. yet it is not only a fruit of iustification but also of all or of most of all at least of the knowledge of all or of most of all the benefits before declared For not only being iustified by faith haue we this peace of conscience but also by faith being made one with Christ and in Christ being quickned and freed from sinne made wise holy and righteous and hauing freedom to trade for heauen and heauenly things being made the children of God in speciall manner to glorifie God being so incorporated into Christ that we haue also communion with the father and the holy ghost such a communion with all the three persons as shall continue for euer such also as is represented vnto vs by many excellent similitudes wherby our dignity is made more manifest in respect wereof many of Christs names and honorable titles are communicated vnto vs as also whereby we haue liberty with boldnesse to aske at all times any thing for vs at the hand of God with better assurance of obtaining it the greater the thing is we aske yea whereby we are freed from all the euills of this life as they are euills and haue right to all the blessings of this life and lastly whereby we are freed from euerlasting condemnation and are made heires of the kingdome of heauen Hauing I say this manner of communion with Christ and all other benefits and prerogatiues of the children of God hither to spoken of we haue this peace of conscience and ioy of heart whereof we are now to speake So this peace and ioy being fruits of all the former things I haue therefore reserued the handling thereof for this place after all before written From hence that this peace and ioy are fruits of all the former benefits it followeth that as we haue heard all the former to be proper to the children of God so these are in none other to be found but only in them Where there is not nor euer was the cause there cannot be the effect Secondly this the Apostle expresly teacheth opposing these two one to the other the spirit of bondage and the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father Rom. 8. 15. so nothing first that the spirit of bondage vnto sinne is the spirit offeare Secondly that they that are freed from that spirit of bondage and haue receiued the spirit of adeption whereby they cry Abbâ— father are freed from the former spirit of feare There being therefore such an opposition betwixt these two there can bee no agreement As therfore all the children of God are freed from the spirit of feare so they onelie are freed from the spirit of feare Hence also it followeth that all the children of God and they only haue this peace whereof wee speake For they that are freed from feare must needs haue peace and they that are possessed with the spirit of feare cannot possibly bee at peace To speake yet further of this peace let vs consider that the children of God hauing as hath beene shewed Christ himselfe they can no more bee without this peace then without the life the light the knowledge the wisedome the holinesse the righteousnesse the liberty and other things before spoken of This is euident because Christ is called the Prince of peace Isat 9 6 can any haue the Prince of peace and bee without peace Is it not expected that where there is in any companie a Iustice of peace there all should bee at peace and none should breake the peace how then can wee doubt of peace to be there where there is and dwelleth the Prince of peace himselfe When Christ was new borne into the world and laie in his swadling clouts hauing done nothing in his owne person to wards our reconciliation and saluation his in carnation and comming into the world only excepted is not this a part of the song that the Angels with the multitude of heauenly souldiers did sing in the hearing of the shepheards Peace on earth as well as glory to God in high Luk. 2. 14. Hauing now by the bloud of his Crosse made that peace which was then proclaimed Eph. 1. 15. Coloss 1. 20. how much more may men and Angels sing and say not only peace in earth but also peace in the heart of euery child of God Verely all the children of God may the better bee at peace in their hearts because the Prince of peace Christ Iesus in his owne person hath said to his diseiples and in them to all that belong vnto him peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you not as the world giueth giue I vnto you let not your hearts bee troubled nor greeued Iohn 14. 27. It is much that hee had said before by his Prophet The worke of instice shall be peace euen the worke of iustice quietnesse and assurance for euer and my people shall dwell in the tabernacles of peace c. Isai 32. 17. 18. But this that he speaketh in his owne person is much more As this peace is thus manifest to belong to all the children of God so that it is proper only to them and that the wicked haue no part in it doth further appeare because the Lord saith that there is no peace to the wicked Isai 48. 22. yea in the same respect viz. that there is no peace to the wicked after much peace promised to the godly he compareth the wicked to the raging sea which cannot rest and whose waters doe cast vp as it were continually mire and dirt Isai 57. 20. Salomon likewise speaking of the wicked and the righteous that is of them that are not and of them that are the children of God saith the wicked fleeth when no man pursueth but the righteous are bold as a lyon Prou. 28. 1. Eliphaz saith that the sound of feare is euer in the eares of the wicked and that euen in the daies of his prosperity the destroier shall come vpon him Iob 15. 20. Iob himselfe likewise speaketh thus of the wicked terrors shall ouertake him as waters c. Iob 27. 20. The wicked indeed cry to other and to their own hearts especially peace peace as it is often in the Prophets Ier. 6. 14. and 8. 11. but yet the Lord saith as before we heard that there is no peace to the wicked Yea how can they haue peace that know not the way of Peace Isat 59. 9. and which reiect the Gospell of peace Ephes 6. 15. yea the Prince of peace Christ Iesus himselfe and which alwaies are in contention wounding one another and sowing the seeds of discord and contention amongst men As when Iehoram said to Iehu is it peace Iehu Iehu answered what peace whiles the whoredomes of thy mother Iezabel and her witchcrafts are yet in great number 2. Kings 9. 22. so to the wicked that shall speake of peace or enquire after peace it may be answered what
aduaÌ„cement Sith that the children of God haue such ioy and peace as that no afflictions doe or can expresse the same how great is their dignity in that behalfe Their ioy I grant may be and sometime is eclipsed and obscured for a time by the same meanes whereby it is so with their peace for such as any mans peace is such is his ioy but as the sunne being somtime eclipsed by the interposition of the moone betwixt vs and it and more often darkned by thicke and blacke clouds doth notwithstanding break out againe and shine as bright as before so it is with the children of God Their ioy is sometime obscured and hidden not onely from others but also from themselues But though they weep for a time yet their sorrow shall bee turned into ioy and their heart shall reioice for the most part in this and most certainly in the life to come and their ioy shal no man take from them Ioh. 16. 20. 21. As the wicked shall mourne and no man shall be able to comfort them as before we haue seen by the examples of Saul and Indas so shall the children of God reioice and no man shall take their ioy from them Though sometime they lie among pots or stones and by many afflictions be as it were coloured yet they shall bee as the wings of a Doue that is couered with siluer and whose fethers are like yellow gold Psal 68. 13. they shall haue beauty for ashes the oyle of ioy of mourning the garment of gladnesse for the spirit of heauinesse Isai 61. 3. yea euen in their heauinesse their ioy from aboue is greater then their mourning here below As Sampson found hony and the hony combe in the carkasse of a deuouring lyon so the children of God find most sweet comfort euen in the very belly and bowels of those afflictions which deuoure the wicked The riddle of Sampson touching the foresaid hony out of the eater came meat and out of the strong came sweetnesse was inexplicable to the Philistims till they had ploughed with Sampsons heyfer Iudg. 14. 14. so indeed that the children of God are cheerfull and comfortable euen full of ioy and gladnesse in their pouerty reproch sicknesse and such other like aduersity seemeth a thing very strange to the vngodly and no man can explicat or expound the same but only the children of God and they that haue ploughed with their heyfer that is with the same spirit of vnderstanding wherewith they and they only are indued For they only haue that white stone spoken of before wherein is a new name written which no man knoweth but he that receiueth it Reu. 2. 17. And how great the peace and the ioy of the children of God is and how truly it may be said to passe al vnderstanding and to be vnspeakable and glorious as before we heard it to be called doth not only appeare by the feare and griefe of the wicked but also by the like afflictions trouble and heauinesse of mind sometimes in the godly when God for the reasons before spoken of hideth his face from them For that which is said generally of all creatures may particularly be said of them if thou hide thy face they are troubled Psal 104. 29. By this trouble I say of the godly themselues when sometimes for a time they haue lost their former ioy and peace it appeareth how great their said peace and ioy is and how worthie of that commendation which before we haue heard to be giuen vnto it For aske one of them that haue for a season lost their former peace and ioy and that troubled in that behalfe yea aske the very wicked themselues which feele the terrors of an euill conscience and feares of Gods wrath aske I say either the one or the other what they would giue for a release from their troubles and feares and for comfort and they will crie out with teares that if they had a thousand worlds they would giue all for true peace and ioy Consider how the Church mourneth for neglect of her beloueds voice yea how her heart fainted in that behalfe and how she charged the daughters of Ierusalem that if they did find her welbeloued they should tell him that she was sicke of loue for him Cantic 5. 6. how Dauid also was troubled when he wanted that peace and ioy which before he had we haue already shewed Touching the ioy of the wicked which seemeth to be very great first the truth is that it is a painted and pictured ioy without any ground yea without any substance it is only in face and countenance and as wesay from the teeth it is not from the heart it is but as the laughter of phrensie and madnesse in the pangs of death Secondly it is therefore very short and vncertain as it is said of the laughter of a fools that it is like the cracking of thornes vnder a pot Eccl. 7. 8. though it make a great blaze a loud noise for a time yet on a sudden it vanisheth and commeth to nothing Thirdly which is more then the former the more the wicked laugh and are merry here the more they shall weep and mourne and houle in the world to come As the strongest wine makes the sharpest vineger euen such as will fetch off the skin from the rough of ones mouth so the greater shall be their calamity and their greater ioy shal be turned into the greater heauinesse But because many things before written of the prosperity of the wicked may likewise bee referred to that point of their ioy which ariseth from no other cause then from their prosperity therfore I will here cease to write any more thereof To conclude this point of the ioy and peace of the children of God as they haue better cause of peace and ioy then all the wicked in the world though kings and Princes so their peace and ioy cannot but be much greater how poore base and miserable soeuer they seem to be in the world and are indeed touching their outward state They may reioice when the wicked euen Princes may mourn they may laugh when such may weep they may sing when the others for all their wealth pleasures friends power and authority and glory may cry and houle As the Virgin Mary was saluted in this manner baile Mary or reioice Mary thou art freely beloned the Lord is with thee c. and againe feare not for thou hast found fauour with God for thou shalt conceiue in thy womb beare a son and call his name Iesus Luk. 1. 28. 29. 30. and as the Angell said to the shepheards bee not afraide behold I bring yon glad tidings of great ioy which shall bee to all people that vnto you is borne this day in the City of Dauid a Sauiour which is called Christ the Lord Luk 2. 10. So no man will denie but that Marie and the shepheards had cause ro cast away feare and to bee giâ—â— and to reioice
Hathaliah that immediatly after Ahaziah vsurped the kingdome All these seuen kings I say were euill and vngodly though some of them at their entrance into their kingdomes made great shewes of godlinesse Neither had any of these seuen any good child for ought that we know but only Ahaz whom Ezekiâ—h his sonne succeeded Yet in the daies of Hezekiah the Lord comforteth him against Zenaherib and promiseth to saue Ierusalem for his owne sake and for Dauid his seruants sake 2. Kings 19. 34. So he noteth that all the former succession of euill kings so long togither euen for the space of about 155 yeers at least not much lesse had not disanulled and made voide the former couenant of God made with Dauid Yea we may say more that sometime the promise of the Lord made to the wicked though indeed as they in some things resemble the children of God is kept with their posterity and they also haue the benefit of it This hath been shewed before by the performance of Gods promise made to Iehu euen to his sonnes afterward though all wicked to the fourth generation What a gratious priuiledge then is it to them that are the children of God indeed that euen their children are by their parents within the couenant of God Although also wicked children of good parents doe depriue themselues of all benefits of Gods couenant touching the life to come yet they do receiue many by the same couenant touching this present life Ismael had not only the seale of the couenant circumcision but for the couenants sake made with Abraham God heard him praying for Ismael that he might liue in his sight and answered him most gratiously saying As concerning Ismael I haue heard thee lo◠〈◊〉 blessed him and will make him fruitfull and will multiply him exceedingly twelue Princes shall he beget and I wiâ—â— make a great nation of him Gen. 17. 18. By the said example of Ismael and by the benefit he had by the praiers of Abraham praying for him wee see the posterity of the children of God to haue great benefit by the praiers of their parents If the praier of the righteous auaileth much for any if it bâ— feâ—â—ent Iames 5. 17. much more may wee assure our selues that the praiers of the righteous parents for their children doe auaile much because they will pray most feruently for them If God heard Abraham praying for wicked Ismael he will also doubtlesse heare other parents praying for their children in the saith of Abraham especially for such children as doe themselues also beleeue Therefore the Gospell testifieth how many children were sometime restored from death to life and somtime were released from a bodily possession of satan by the suit of their godly parents to our sauiour in their behalfe Mat. 9. 18. Mat. 15. 22. Mat. 17. 14. Mark 9. 17. Great likewise is the benefit of Gods childrens children by better education better precepts better exercises of religion better chastisements and corrections and better example of life and conuersation then the children of the wicked for the most part haue As the children of such parents as are themselues the children of God haue these benefits by their such parents so likewise great is the benefit and comfort that such parents haue by their children that walke in the couenant of God viz. by their feare of God by their obedience to them and their praiers for them and by their good behauiours towards all other in which respect Salomon doth often commend such children in the book of the Prouerbs A wise sonne maketh a glad father Prou. 10. 1. and 15. 20. My sonne if thou be wise mine heart shall reioice and I also Pro. 23. 15. and againe the father of the righteous shall reioice he that begetteth a wise sonne shall haue ioy of heart thy father and thy mother shall be glad and she that bare thee shall reioice verse 24 25. My sonne be wise and reioice mine heart that I may answer him that reprooueth me Pro. 27. 11. and 29. 3. sometime also it commeth to passe that good children become parents to their parents by releeuing them in their necessities and helping them in their outward state so Ioseph is said to haue nourished his father Iacob and all the rest of his sonnes and their families Gen. 45. 18. and 47. 12. so likewise Ruth was a great helpe for maintenance to her mother in law Naomi and much other comfort had Naomi by her in her old age The contrary is manifest of wicked children both by many sentences in the Prouerbs before alleged and also by many examples of Ismael Esau the sonnes of Eli Hophni and Phine as Amnon and Absolon the sonnes of Dauid and of many other As it is thus betweene the husband and the wife and parents and children that are themselues the children of God so the master and seruant that are the children of God haue much greater benefit one by another then wicked masters and seruants haue for how great was the mutuall comfort both that Abraham had by the faithfull seruice that his seruant performed whom he imploied about a wife for his sonne Isaac and also that the same seruant had by the former instruction and example of Abraham whereby no doubt he was brought to make such conscience of faithfull seruice vnto Abraham For doth not the Lord himselfe say of Abraham I know him that he will command his seruants and his house after him that they keepe the way of the Lord to doe righteousnesse and iudgement Gen. 18. 19. Yea wicked masters haue great benefit by such seruants as are the children of God Laban an Idolater could say of Iacobs seruice I haue perceiued that the Lord hath blessed mee for thy sake Gen. 30. 27. Potiphar Iosephs master saw that the Lord was with Ioseph and that the Lord made all to prosper that was in his hand and so Ioseph found fauour in his sight and serued him and he made him Ruler ouer his house and put all that he had in his hand and from that time that hee made him Ruler ouer his house and ouer all that hee had the Lord blessed the Egyptians house for Iosephs sake and the blessing of the Lord was vpon all that he had in his house and in the field Gen. 39. 2. Yea Potiphar had a further benefit by Ioseph because when his wife most impudently inticed him to filthinesse with her Ioseph most gratiouslie denied it and said Behold my master knoweth not what he hath in the house with me but hath committed all that he hath to mine hand There is no man greater in this house then I neither hath he kept any thing from mee but only thee because thou art his wife how then can I doe this great wickednesse and so sinne against God And albeit she spake to Ioseph day by day yet hee hearkned not vntâ— her to lie with her nor to be in her companie Ge. 39. 8. 9. 10. Was not this a great
Christ himselfe his friend and the friend of his Apostles Iohn 11 11 and for the disciples of Christ to be called his friends Iohn 15 15. how great then is this dignity to be taken into so neere a familiarity with God as by God himselfe to be called and to be made indeed his children yea such children as are made one with his owne and only naturall sonne To proceed yet further although the state of Adam and Eue in their first creation being made in the likenesse of God himselfe hauing the soueraignty ouer all other inferior creatures and being placed in the garden of Eden were verie excellent yet the state of the meanest of Gods children by adoption in Christ is farre more excellent more honourable For the first state of Adam was not so excellent but that it was mutable and was indeed changed in as much as hee lost that excellent state wherein a the first hee was created But touching the state of Gods children by adoption in Christ wee heard before that it is so certaine that it cannot be altered euery name written in the booke of life shall so remaine written and shall neuer bee blotted out Whom God hath once blessed as to makethem his children they shall bee blessed for euer Adam had the grace of persisting in the fauour of God and in his first state if hee would But euery child of God by adoption hath the grace of willing to persist and the most constant promise of God with many other assurances before mentioned that hee shall persist and neuer wholly and finallie fall away The first honour and prerogatiue of Adam was that hee had power not to sinne The honour and prerogatiue of Gods children now by adoption is much more viz. that they haue not power to sinne whosoeuer is thus borne of God sinneth not neitheâ— can sinne 1. Iohn 3. 9 Christ himselfe as he was man was and is more excellent then Adam before his fall because the manhood of Christ was personally vnited to the Godhead There was no such communion betwixt God and Adam As Christ was thus more excellent then Adam so his obedience could not but bee more excellent then the obedience of Adam in his integrity therefore also it followeth that the reward of Christs obedience was likewise more excellent This reward being not for himselfe but for them whom the Father giueth him and who were predestinated to be adopted â—â— him for Christ merited not for himselfe as the Prâ—â—sts teach thâ—refore it followeth that the reward of all that are adopted in Christ Iesus is and shall bee better then the reward of Adam should haue been if he had stood in his first perfection because the righteousnesse of Christ is made theirs The present estate indeed of Adam was better then the present state of Gods children here But the future state of Gods children by adoption is far greater for the reason before mentioned then the future state of Adam should haue beene though hee had neuer fallen Yea touching the present state also of the one and of the other because Adams stare should alwaies haue been vncertaine and the hope of Gods children by adoption is most certaine so that whosoeuer is once by adoption made the child of God shall neuer bee deiected from the same state therefore also in respect of this certaintie the prerogatiue of adoption is greater to euerie one adopted then the prerogatiue of Creation was at the first vnto Adam It is one thing to haue an helpe without which a thing is not done and another thing to haue helpe wherby a thing is done Vnto the first man being made so right that he had power not to haue sinned not to haue died not to haue lost his excellency there was giuen an helpe of perseuerance not whereby he did perseuere but without which by his free will he would not haue perseuered but now to the children of God by adoption there is not onely giuen such an helpe of perseuerance that they may perseuere if they will but also such as whereby they haue perseuerance it selfe that is not only that without this gift they cannot perseuere but also such as whereby they cannot but perseuere For Christ hath not only said without mee â—e can doe nothing but also yee haue not chosen mee but I haue chosen you and ordained you that ye goe and bring forth fruits and that your fruit remaine Iob. 15. 5. and 16. Many other the like places there are to the same purpose as before we haue heard Adams immortality wherein he was first created was conditionall viz. if he should not sinne but in the resurrection the children of God shall be absolutelie immortall without any condition To leaue this comparison as we haue seen before the state of the poore children of God to be more honorable and excellent then the state of the richest men in the world and of the mightiest Princes vpon earth which are not the children of God so also is it better then to be a Prophet or an Apostle indued with the greatest gifts that can be for the working of the greatest miracles For what will our Sauiour say to them that at the last day shall plead for theâ—â—â—lues that they had prophecied by his name and by his name cast out diuels and done many great workes himselfe saith that he will professe vnto them they hauing not been the children of God I neuer knew you depart from mee ye workers of iniquity Mat. 7 23. To the seuenty also that returning reported vnto him that the diuels also had been subdued vnto them through his name he saith in this reioice not that diuels are subdued vnto you but rather reâ—oice that your names are written in beauen Luk. 10. 17 20. Is it not therby euident that to be written in heauen is more then to be an Apostle or at least then to haue the authority of prophecying and the power of casting out diuels in the name of Christ Is not the same also manifest by examples Was not Balaam a Prophet at least did he not prophecie most excellently of the Israelites prosperitie of the destruction of their enemies euen of the Moabites whose King had hired him to haue cursed Israel As also of the comming and of the kingdome of Christ Num. 24. 15. Did not Caiphas himselfe prophecie of the necessity of Christs death for the people Ioh. 11. 50. Was not Iudas an Apostle Had not he as well as the other eleuen power to cast out diuels and to heale euery sicknesse and euery disease Matth. 10. 1. To proceed yet further doth not our Sauiour himselfe preferre them that doe his Fathers will which is in heauen who are they but the children of God by adoption in Christ before his mother and his brethren according to the flesh Matth. Matth. 12. 48 49. Luk. 11. 27. What shall I say more or what other comparison shall I make Truly I may generally conclude this point of Gods children
before heard that the regeneration or new birth or second creation of the children of God is a greater and more excellent worke then the first creation of all things and sith the Angels haue their part onely in the first creation why may not this also bee thought to bee some prerogatiue of the children of God aboue the Angels Last of all Christ promiseth that the children of God shall sit with him in his throne as himselfe sitteth in the throne of his Father and that by them hee will iudge the world yea the Angels that are fallen Hath hee promised any such thing to the Angels that doe stand or hath hee saide anie such thing of them they are indeed said to stand before him and about his throne c. but they are neuer said to sit in his throne To stand before him and round about his throne importeth onely seruice But to sit and that in his throne importeth authoritie and maiesty But some man against all before spoken of the preeminence of the children of GOD in earth aboue the Angels in heauen may perhaps obiect that our Sauiour speaking of the state of Gods children in the world to come doth set it foorth by their similitude to the Angels in heauen saying when they shall rise againe from the dead they are as the Angels of God in heauen Matth. 22. 30. If in the resurrection they shall bee but like to the Angels how can they here be said to haue any preeminence aboue them To this I answer that it is but a sleight and weake obiection for our Sauiour doth not simply say that in the resurrection the children of God shall be like the Angels but onely that as touching mariage where of the question was propounded by the Sadduces they shall be like and therefore he saith In the resurrection they neither marrie wiues nor wines are bestowed in marriage but they are as the Angels of God in heauen So then this comparison of likes is not in all things but only as touching marriage and this is more manifest by that which followeth in the second verse of this present text where we read and shall afterward by Gods grace heare that at the appearing of Christ we shall not only bee like to the Angels but also to Christ himselfe which is likewise more then euer we read of the Angels Now though I haue hither to thus written of their preeminence of the children of God aboue the Angels in respect of their communion with Christ and by vertue thereof yet we must neuer forget that as there is that preeminence so also in some other respects the Angels for the present time especially haue great prerogatiue aboue the children of God Namely first that they dwell in heauen the children of GOD in earth Secondly that they are altogether spirit the children of God flesh and spirit Thirdly they are free from all sinne and consequentlie from all miserie the fruit of sinne the children of God whiles they are clothed with corruption are subiect to sinne and doe sinne daily and by sinne they are also subiect as to many other calamities so at last to death it selfe So in these respâ—cts they are inferior to Angels but in the former they haue a great prerogatiue What a dignitie is this what an honour what a glorie to all the children of God to be so aduanced was it not a great honor for Daniel to be one of the three rulers that were by Daniel to be one of the three rulers that were by Darius set ouer all the one hundred and twenty gouernors whom hee had before set ouer all his whole kingdome How greate then is the honour of all the children of GOD in that they haue a preeininence aboue Angels who in respect of other creatures vnder GOD are principalities powers mights and dominions What was Darius himselfe yea what was great King Salomon in all his earthlie pompe in all his honor in all his roialtie and glory in respect of the least Angell If any man notwithstanding all before written of this point touching the preeminence of the children of God aboue Angels shal differ in iudgement let him vnanswerably and plainlie without cauilling answer my former reasons and shew better for his iudgement and I will easily change my former opinion I affect not any noueltie I am not delighted with singularitie neither am I so peremptorie in any thing that I hold differing from other the true seruants of God but that I am ready in al humilitie to submit my spirit to the Prophets which shall speake according to the ancient holy Prophets and Apostles In the meane time let not this point be thought a curious or vnnecessarie paradox but let it rather be regarded as a point of great vse to prouoke vs to more thankfulnesse vnto God and to be so much more zealous of his glorie by how much the more he hath aduanced vs and finally the more to comfort vs and the better to assure vs of the continuance of Gods fauour towards vs the more highly he hath exalted vs. CHAP. XXX Of the promises of God to them that shall shew kindnesse to any of the children of God and of the threatnings to the contrary c. HAuing hitherto beene thus large and plentifull in laying foorth the dignity of Gods children I will now inlarge the same but by one argument more viz. by the promises of God to them that shall doe any thing for his children by his threatnings against those that doe them any hurt and by the performance from time to time of the said promises threatnings For heereby it doth the more manifestly appeare in what price and reckoning they are with God Touching the promises and threatnings of God in behalfe of his children they are first of all ioined together For when God first made a speciall couenant with Abraham and his seed this is one speciall article as before vpon other occasion wee haue heard of the said couenant that God would blesse them that should blesse him and curse them that should curse him Gen. 12. 3. Was this promise made to Abraham as one man Not so but as he was the root and father of the faithfull Therefore all the faithfull children of God haue right to the said promise and it doth belong to euery one of them as well as it did to Abraham himselfe so that whosoeuer shall blesse or doe any good to any of Abrahams children by faith hee may as well looke for a blessing from God as any that blessed Abraham or did any good to Abraham himselfe and whosoeuer shall curse or doe any hurt to any of Abrahams children by faith he may as well feare a curse from God as any that euer did curse or doe any hurt to Abraham himselfe Touching promises in particular If hee bee blessed that is vnder many blessings which generally iudgeth wisely of the poore Psal 41. 1. and that generally likewise is mercifull because he shall
their liues Though these viz. that disgrace otherwise wrong the children of God escape a while vnpunished seeme to laugh in their sleeues and to shew their faces in all companies plesantly with Agag to say in their harts as he spake with his tongue Truly the bitternes of death is past 1. Sa. 15. 32. yetwofull without repentance shall their reward be at the last when they shal find that they had beene better the greatest the proudest and mightiest of them all to haue bitten their fingers ends to the bones to haue eaten the flesh from their armes or to haue gone a thousand miles of an errand that on their bare feet all the while vpon thornes then to haue done any hurt to the least to the poorest and to the meanest of Gods children Last of all the more any king rewardeth any kindnesse done to any of his children or punisheth any indignitie offred vnto them the more hee sheweth himselfe to regard such as haue receiued such kindnesse or met with such indignity and the more hee doth grace and honour them before his people that see his rewards vpon such as haue shewed that kindnesse or that heare of his seuerity against such as haue offred that indignitie I conclude therefore the like of the dignity and honourable state of the children of God in respect of his gracious promises made and performed to any that shew but the least kindnesse towards the least of his children as likewise in respect of his indignation threatned and executed vpon all that doe any of them any wrong Thus much for this point and thus much also for all the arguments whereby I thought good to lay foorth the doctrine of the dignitie of Gods children CHAP. XXXI Of the vses of the former doctrine concerning the dignity of Gods children IT remaineth now according to my order before insinuated in the beginning of the fourth Chapt. that I shew the vse of all the doctrine hitherto handled concerning the dignity of Gods children These I will only touch and as it were but point at with the finger leauing the further inlarging of them to the better consideration of the reader as also of such as shall haue occasion more to apply and presse them then it is fit for me to doe in this Treatise Thesevses are generally of two sorts viz. either common to all euen to the wicked as well as to the children of God or speciall either to the wicked alone or to the godly alone Touching common vses this doctrine first of all serueth to correct the base opinion that most men haue conceiued of the children of God and to teach vs to thinke and esteeme of them according to those things before spoken All men for the most part regard men more according to their state in the world that is according to their riches to their honour and credit with great men in the world to their power and authority for doing of worldly matters All men I say for the most part doe more regard men according to these things then according to their adoption according to their graces whereby they shew foorth their adoption and according to that estimation in which the said graces accompanying adoption doe declare them to be with God himselfe Neither is this the fault onely of naturall men such as are not the children of God themselues but euen sometimes of them that are themselues regenerated and sealed with the spirit of adoption euen they I say doe not so regard one another as they ought to doe in respect of their adoption yea the children of God doe often times thinke the more basely of themselues and are the more deiected in their owne hearts because they are so little regarded by other But sith wee haue heard before how honourable their state and condition is and how God hath most highly dignified and aduanced them why should they not be so regarded of other Why should they not so esteeme of themselues Not any whit to puffe themselues vp and to make themselues to set vp their bristles as it were with contempt against any other but rather to comfort themselues the more against such contempt disgrace and indignity as they meet with in the world at the hands of other This vse the Apostle Iames commendeth when hee exhorteth not to haue the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons or to esteeme of men according to their ccstly apparell or outward countenance which they did beare in the world but according to their riches of faith and according to their in heritance in the kingdome which God hath promised to them that loue him Iames 2. 1. c. Vnder this opinion I comprehend also loue of the heart and honour of the outward man agreeable to the said opinion For so much Iames signifieth in the placâ— before alleged by hauing the faith of Christ inrespect of persons which appeareth plainly by his words immediately following viz. For if there come into your company saith hee a man with a gold ring and in good apparell and there come in also a poore man in vile raiment and ye haue respect vnto â—im that weareth gay clothing and ye say vnto him Sit thou heere in a good place and sâ—y vnto the poore Stand thou heere or Sit heere vnder my footstoole These words I say of the Apostle doe plainly shew that hee reprooueth not only a base opinion inwardly of the children of God but also the outward abasing and disgracing of them by preferring men before them according to their riches and costly apparell c. And this Iames wrote not to heathen men nor to meere naturals but to them whom God of his owne will had begotten with the word of truth to bee as the first fruits of his creatures chap. 1. 18. thereby shewing that it is a fault not onely amongst the men of the world too lightly both in their iudgments and in their affections and also in their outward carriage to regard the children of God but also in them that are of the same father and haue the same in hert ance And this indeed in these daies is a fault not onely amongst prophane men that contemne all goodnesse nor amongst Papists and professed Atheists but also amongst professors themselues euen of the best sort viz. too much to esteeme the gay men of the world and such as are gentlemen borne and haue good estates in the world though they bee neuer so wicked and vngodly and despisers of all grace and too basely to esteeme and too little to regard the most apparant children of God knowen to bee vertuous and shewing many tokens that they are turned from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan vnto God and haue receiued â—orgiuenesse of sinnes and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith in Christ Acts 26. 18. Whom a king will honour all his subiects also honour much more Therefore it is said that when Ahashuerosh promoted Haman
a Iew and say Wee will goe with you for wee haue heard that God is with you Zecbar 8. 23. Other Prophets also before had written to the same purpose thus It shall bee in the last daies that the mountainâ— of the house of the Lord shall bee prepared in the top of the mountaines and shall bee exalted aboue the hilles and all nations shall flow vnto it And many people shall goe and say Come and let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iaakob and be will teach vs his waies and we will walke in his pathes c. Isa 2. 2. Mich 4 1. Many other the like promises there are for the incouragement of all how wicked soeuer to change their state and to make haste in that behalfe before they perish in their wicked condition The examples likewise of those Act. 2. 37. of the gaoler Act. 16. 27. of Paul him-selfe of Mary Magdalen of all the heathen conuerted by the Apostles and infinit other may further encourage men vnto this hast for entring into the way of adoption If once they enter let them proceed and goe forward not halfe way but throughout and to the end Agrippa was halfe yea almost perswaded to bee a Christian Act. 26. 28. but wee read not that hee was altogether perswaded so to bee a Christian Though wee may not absolutely say that hee neuer afterward fully and wholly became a Christian yet that but almost mentioned in the Scripture and no more either there or in any other place being testified of his perfect conuersion may iustly make vs all the more to doubt of him Many in the daies of Christ were his Disciples for a time who at the last tooke such offence at his Doctrine that they went backe and walked no more with him Iohn 6. 66. After that many were followers of the Apostles who afterward forsooke them 2. Tim 4 6. Heb. 10. 25. 1. Ioh. 2. 19. It is a dangerous thing thus to enter and not to go forward No man that putteth his hand to the plough and looketh backe is apt to the Kingdome of God Luk. 9. 62. As this is true in the particular calling to the ministery so much more in the generall to Christianity If any after they haue escaped from the filthinesse of the world that is after they made profession of renouncing the filthinesse of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and of the Sauiour Iesus Christ are yet intangled therein againe and ouercome the latter end is worse with them then the beginning c. 2. Pet. 2. 20. The meanes whereby they that are wicked may be released of the bondage of their sinne and made the children of God is as wee haue heard principally the ministerie of the word So likewise the societie and fellowship of them that are the children of God already as before wee heard If notwithstanding all hitherto said they that are wicked will not forsake their wickednesse but will still remaine such as they are yet let them take heed of all wrongs and iniuries against them that are the children of God lest in the end it be to their cost and they repent as Iudas did when it is too late But of this point also before Thus much for the vses of the doctrine of the dignitie of Gods children which are proper and speciall to the wicked Touching them that are the children of God indeed let them especially first of all take heed that they fall not from their excellent state It is true indeed that they that are once truly the children of God shall euer so continue and cannot fall away Howbeit we are exhorted often to take heed to our selues in this behalfe Heb. 3. 12. and 10. 23. and 12 15. and elswhere because exhortations are the speciallest meanes for our vpholding Wee condemne all that being but base and beggarly and yet taken into some noble mans or gentlemans house and seruice where they are in the way to preferment cannot keepe themselues well whiles they are well Especially wee condemne them that hauing found such fauour with Princes as that from a low degree they are aduanced to some honourable condition as the Earle of TERONE and other cannot containe themselues but breake their lists and so bring themselues to their former basenesse How much more then may they be condemned that being translated from death to life from darkenesse to light from bondage to libertie from seruants and slaues of the Diuell to bee the sonnes and daughters of God from Hell to Heauen doe what in themlieth to returne againe to their former miserie Although indeed the true children of God can neuer bee altogether vnchilded as it were and vtterly degraded yet they in particular things so fall yea generally for a time so decline that they may seeme and often times seeme to other and to themselues neuer to haue beene the children of God All this is by negligence and securitie For as Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies Prou. 28. 14. so it is wofull euen a thing that bringeth much woe often times to the children of God to bee at any time but a little sleepie drowsie secure and watchlesse A second speciall vse for the children of God is that hauing found this loue before spoken of with God to be made his children they trust in him and depend on him not fearing but that hee that hath made them his children and will giue them a kingdome fit for such children wil also and much more giue them all things for this life Luk 12. 32. Our little children when they rise in the morning yea our seruants also take no care what they shall eat or what they shall drinke but they leaue all such care to vs their fathers and their masters and it is indeed our duty to prouide all such things for them For he that prouideth not for his owne and namely for them of his houshold denieth the faith and is worse then an infiâ—ell 1. Tim. 5. 8. Hitherto belongeth the speech of Moses vnto God Num. 11. 12. 13. and the practise of Bathshebaes huswife Prou. 31. 15. Why then should not we much more that professe our selues the children of God cast all our care vpon our heauenlie father that careth for vs 1. Pet. 5. 7. Vnder this vse I comprehend infinite comfort of the children of God The grounds of this comfort being handled before and some of them to be touched againe in the next verse I shall not need to stand vpon them now Yea with this trust in God and comfort from God we may ioine patience both towards God and also towards men Towards God because we haue heard before that he correcteth vr onely in loue and for our great good that wee may not bee condemned with the world 1. Cor. 11. 12. Towards man because hee is but Gods hand to chastise vs and cannot goe beyond his commission and last of all shall himselfe be called
fift rib that hee shed his bowels to the ground 2. Sam. 20. 10. and as Iudas with his lippes saluted our Sauiour saying Haile Master and kissed him and yet at the same instant betraied him to the Iewes Mat. 26. 49. We must not I say thinke that the Apostles had much loue in their mouthes and none in their hearts as many now haue but that their tongues spake and their pennes did write from the abundance of loue in their hearts The more also we exhort other to loue the more must we our selues shew our loue towards them and vse such words and phrases as may be most sutable to such exhortations for the better enforcing of them But these things being common and not so proper to this present theame of the dignity of Gods children it shall be sufficient thus only to haue touched them To returne to the matter as before the Apostle had answered the former obiection touching the small account the world maketh of the children of God by their like account of God himselfe yea by their ignorance of God so now he doth further answer it by their like ignorance of the future state of the children of God As these two things are the cause why the sonnes of great men in the world in strange countries meete often times with much hard measure being perhaps disgraced â—ailed on set in the stockes and such like viz First because the parents of such great men are not knowen Secondly because it is not known what inheritances themselues shall haue nor what manner of men of how great authority and power they shall be for if they amongst whom they are strangers knew these things they would offer no indignity vnto them but would rather honor them according to their parents and according to that state that themselues should afterward be of so is it with the children of God They are the more disgraced contemned and euery way most vnworthily dealt with in the world and by the world as first because the world knoweth not God himselfe their Father as hath been shewed so secondly because they know not neither see what the children of God shall bee afterward viz. how great how honourable and how excellent with God and with his holy Angels If they did see this doubtlesse as our Sauiour saith that if the great workes that were done in Chorazin and Bethsaida had beene done in Tyrus and Sidon they had repented long agone in sackcloth and ashes Mat 12. 21. so may I say that the world would more regard the children of God then they doe Now touching this answer let vs vnderstand that the Apostle speaketh not of that state that the children of God shall haue in this life but of that which they shall haue in the life to come as appeareth by the amplification thereof in the words following from the contrary in the children of God amplified by the circumstance of time viz. at the appearing of Iesus Christ The meaning therefore is Deerely beloued now that is in this life and whiles wee are heere in this world it doth not appeare what we shall be that is in the world to come when hee shall appeare that is when God himselfe in the second person inuested with the manhood shall come in the glorie of his father to iudge the quicke and the dead True indeed sometime the children of God are the lesse regarded and the more hardly dealt withall by the world yea sometimes by them that are not of the world because it doth not appeare vnto the world and to some other not of the world what the children of God shall bee euen in this world and in this life For if it had indeed appeared to the Egyptians what the Israelites should haue beene would they haue dealt so hardly with them If Saul and his Courtiers had fully knowen that Dauid should haue beene king notwithstanding all that they could haue done to hinder him would they so haue persecuted him If the accusers of Shadrach Meshach and Abednegâ— as also of Daniel had indeed knowen how the Lord would haue deliuered the first three from the fire and Daniel from the Lions denne would they haue pursued them so eagerly as they did The like may be said of Hamans malice against Mordecai and for Mordecaies sake against all the Iewes and of diuers other So also if the brethren of Ioseph had certainly knowen that his dreames had beene diuine touching his aduancement and that he should haue beene so great a man as afterward he was would they haue done vnto him as they did Yea the like may be said of our late most noble and blessed Queene For if in Queene Maries time it had appeared indeed and beene cleerely manâ—fest that she should haue beene Queene afterward would diuers haue abused her as they did I might proceed further but I leaue that to the consideration of the wise and Christian Reader By these things wee see it euident that sometimes it doth not appeare vnto other what the children of God shall bee euen in this world and in this life and that therefore they receiue the harder measure from those other from whom their future state in this life is so hidden Notwithstanding the opposition following of Gods childrens knowledge of their similitude and likenesse vnto Christ at his appearing and last comming to iudgement doth manifestly shew that the Apostle doth not heere speake of their condition to come in this life which is for the most part but of a few but of that which shall be in the world to come which is a thing common to all the children of God whatsoeuer To proceed further when hee saith it doth not appeare hee meaneth not to the children of God themselues but to the world and to the men of the world This is also manifest by the opposition following spoken in the first person and in the person of Gods children But we know c. These things being thus opened let vs now see the reasons why it appeareth not vnto the world and why the world seeth not what the children of God shall be viz. how worthy how honourable how excellent and how glorious in the world to come These reasons are many but I will briefly and plainly lay them downe The first is this because there is the same substance by creation Reasons why it doth not appeare what the children of God shall bee of the godly that there is of the wicked Howsoeuer by regeneration there is a change made and an alteration in qualities both inward and outward yet still they remaine men as before they did and that not touching their bodies only but also touching their soules Some indeed haue dreamed that the very essence and substance of the soule in regeneration is taken away and that a new soule is created in stead thereof But this is a most grosse errour for so that soule that had at the first sinned should not be glorified and so the heretikes that
denie the resurrection and say that we shall not haue the same bodies in the resurrection that heere we haue but other newly created in their stead may bee thought to speake also reason It is therfore as certain that the same soules do remaine in the children of God after regeneration as well as the same bodies Yea the wicked doe also see the godly to retaine the same shape the same fashion the same outward forme and the same countenance that they had before regeneration and whiles they were vngodly as well as others It may bee indeed that after regeneration of the heart there is also some change in the countenance and outward behauiour and so verily it ought to be in men and in women For Wisdome is in the face of him that hath vnderstanding but the eies of a foole are in the corners of the world Prou. 17. 24. And those men that before regeneration had light countenances wanton and adulterous eies and did either weare long haire contrary to the decencie of nature 1. Cor. 11. 14. or that otherwise did disfigure themselues by setting vp a foretop starching their beards and such like after regeneration doe frame countenance haire and all things to manly and Christian modesty and grauity So likewise women that before did paint their faces as lezabel or that did lay foorth or set vp their haire top and top gallant or wreath it in most vncomely sort that did likewise lay forth their naked brests in most lasciuious manner that did weare mans apparell doublets and ierkins as mine owne eies haue lately seene directly contrary to the word of God as hath beene before shewed and that did euery way conforme themselues to those wanton wenches who are by the Prophet described to walke with streched out necks and with wandring eies walking and mineing as they went and making a tinkling with their feet and whose ornaments the Lord doth threaten to take away c. Isa 3. 16. c. Such women I say being new borne and made daughters to God doe change their countenance attire and gate coâ—tenting themselues with that natural beautie which God hath giuen them and which will not fall off with the steame of hot broth yea which need not daily bee renued and arraying themselues in comely apparell with shamefastnesse and modestiâ— and with good workes 1. Tim. 2. 9 10 But howsoeuer there bee a change in these things yet the wicked seeing the godly still to be of the same complexion and naturall countenance that they were of they are therfore the blinder in seeing that great and glorious change that afterward shall be in them and whereof afterward we are to speake Secondly forasmuch as they see the godly to be subiect to the same sicknesses and to the same other outward calamities that themselues are subiect vnto yea that many times the afflictions of the righteous are greater then of other men Ioâ— 21. 6. Psal 34. 19. as before wee haue declared with the differences notwithstanding betwixt the afflictions of the wicked and of the children of God therefore also they can the lesse see and they are the more hardly perswaded that there is any difference betwixt the future state of them and of other men Yea this maketh the children of God themselues many times to doubt of their future state and to say yea in a maner to conclude with themselues in their owne hearts for a time till they goe into the Sanctuarie of God and consult with God himselfe and with his word that certainly they haue cleansed their hearts in vaine and washed their hands in innocencie sith they are daily punished and chastened euery morning Dauid himselfe had these thoughts Psalm 73. 13. 14. long after his regeneration No maruell therefore though the wicked bee so blinded that it doth not appeare vnto them what the children of God shall be in the life to come Thirdly they doe not onely see the children of God for a time to bee thus subiect to the same outward afflictions that other are subiect vnto but also sometime that such afflictions doe continue all the daies that the children of God doe liue heere yea that at the last also they die oft times the common death of men yea that they are taken away also in the same manner and doe perish in the same sort that the wicked themselues doe perish viz. touching their outward man and touching outward appearance yea that sometimes as touching still their outward man they perish somwhat extraordinarily and are taken away somewhat suddenly and strangely as well as the wicked As rebellious Hophni and Phinebas were slaine in one day by the Philistins according to the word of the Lord in that behalfe 1. Sam. 2. 34. so their good father Elâ— himselfe also when he heard thereof and of the taking of the Arke of God fell backward from his seat and brake his neckâ— 1 Sam. 4. 18. As wicked Saul was hit and sore wounded by the Archers of the said vncircumcised Philistins and therefore fell vpon his owne sword and thereby hastned his owne death so good and vertuous Ionathan also was slaine in the same battle 1. Sam. 31. 2. c. The Prophet that being deceiued by another old Prophet did contrary to the word of God before spoken vnto him in his returne homeward was killed by a Lion 1. King 13. 24. That most worthy King Iosiah who hath this high commendation by the spirit of God that cannot lie Like vnto him there was no King before him that turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soule and with all his might according to all the Law of Moses neither after him arose there any like him 2. King 23. 25. euen this most worthy King was slaine by Pharao Necho King of Egypt verse 29. that is he was so wounded that hee was carried away sicke out of the battle and died of that wound 2. Chron. 35. 23. c. and that because hee would fight against the said Pharao Necho though by him hee were aduised to the contrarie So for some abuse in the Supper of the Lord it is said not only that many in the Church of Corinth were weake and sicke but that also many were asleepe 1. Cor. 11. 30. that is that the Lord had taken many of them away by death These things being so as well with the children of God as with the wicked is it any maruell though it doe not appeare vnto the wicked what the children of God shall be heereafter Fourthly the children of God are neuer freed heere from sinne Sinne indeed doth not raigne in them They are freed from the bondage of it yet still they are subiect to sinne of infirmitie as before we haue heard yea they sometimes fall into one and the same sinne often yea they doe sometimes commit very great sins euen such as whereby they doe greatlie scandalize and offend other and cause the glorious name of God to be euill
The proposition is this We knew that when hee shall appeare we shall be like him The further handling thereof is in the words following In the proposition let vs obserue first the future state itselfe of Gods children Secondly the arguments wherby in the very proposition it is set forth The future state it selfe of Gods children is that they shall be like to Christ himselfe The arguments wherby this is set forth in the very proposition or which are folded vp and included within the proposition are two The first is from their owne testimony noting the certainty of their similitude vnto Christ we know The second is from the circumstance of time when they shall be like him when he shall appeare So in these words but we know that when he shall appeare wee shall be like him to speake plainly without any words of logick and to the capacity of euery reader there are three things offered to our consideration first not in the order of the text but in the nature of the things our future similitude and likenes to Christ in these words we shall be like him Secondly the certainty of our said future similitude and likenesse to Christ in this word we know thirdly the time when we shall be like vnto Christ in these words when he shall appeare Touching the further handling of the said proposition first the latter part thereof namely both their similitude or likenesse to Christ and the time thereof is proued by an argument from the effect in this verse and in these words For or because we shall see him as he is secondly the first part of the said proposition touching their owne testimony and their knowledge and certaintie of their similitude and likenesse vnto Christ at his comming is amplified by an effect also thereof in the third verse and in these words Euerie one that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe which is further amplified by the patterne according to which he purgeth himselfe in these words as he is pure Thus much for the logicall resolution and plaine laying foorth of all the words now remaining To returne now to our similitude and likenesse vnto Christ let this be first obserued that the Apostle saith not we shall be equall but only like vnto Christ The words equall and like do much differ The first is vsed Mat. 20. 12. These last haue labored but one houre thou hast made them equall vnto vs that haue borne the weight and the heat of the day But the word like in this place is far otherwise and is vsed Mat. 11. 16. Whereunto shall I liken this generation It is like to little children c. and so in many other places Equality is not only a word of quantity for the most part but also when it is a note of quality it is a comparison of all things wherein the things compared doe fully match one another but similitude is only a comparison of some things wherein the things compared do but in part resemble one another There is no reason why the children of God should be equall to Christ because Christ is the head and they are but the members Christ is the eldest brother they but the second brethren Christ is the proper and naturall sonne of God by communication of the whole diuine essence vnto him as he is God and by the personall vnion of the Godhead to the manhood and the miraculous and immediat conception of him by the holy Ghost as he is man as before hath beene shewed but we of whom here the Apostle speaketh are but the children of God by grace by adoption and by incorporation into Christ c. Christ is annointed with the oyle of gladnesse with the spirit of wisedome knowledge fortitude c. without measure so that in him are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge and the Godhead also dwelleth in him bodily that is substantially but we haue euery one receiued the spirit of God in our seuerall measure according to our seuerall places and Gods spirit dwelleth in vs by the effects therof euen such graces whereby we doe here represent God and are said to be framed according to the likenesse and similitude of God in holinesse and righteousnesse Christ is the King of his Church and the lord of all things we are but his subiects though in an higher degree of honor then the rest Christ is the chief corner stone we the rest of the building c. As by these things and other the like we see that there is no reason why we should be equall to Christ so by many other things we may see greater reason yea diuers reasons why we should be partaker of this similitude and likenesse vnto Christ whereof the Apostle here speaketh Moreouer let vs well consider why the Apostle here speaketh in the future tence and saith that we shall be like vnto him For some man may stumble at this phrase as gathering thereby that in this life the children of God are not like vnto Christ But to remoue this stumbling block we must vnderstand first that there is a double likenes vnto Christ one in grace an other in glory Secondly that our likenesse vnto Christ in grace is also two fold one in part another in perfection complete and absolute In grace we are in part like vnto Christ in this life But our likenesse vnto Christ both perfectly in grace and also in glory is only in the life to come He that is not in grace like vnto Christ here in part in this life that is he that is not begun heere to bee made like vnto Christ in grace shall neuer be like him in the world to come either perfectly in grace or in glory Of this our likenesse therefore vnto Christ both in perfection of grace and also in glory is it that here the Apostle vseth the future tence saying that we shall be like vnto him And this phrase of our future likenesse vnto Christ in perfection of grace and in glory is so far from excluding or denying our present likenesse vnto him in grace begun and in part that it doth rather necessarily import the same as both more largely before we haue already shewed and shall againe further shew in the next verse Now to returne to this our future similitude and likenesse vnto Christ euen some of those things before mentioned to proue the inequality betwixt Christ and vs do also require this similitude and likenes vnto him For as it is not meet that the members should be equall to the head in al things so it is very meet that they should be like in many things both of the same substance with the head otherwise if the head be of one substance and nature and the members of another like to the image that Nebuchadnezar saw in his dreame Dan. 2. 32. it were a monster and also in qualities that they may be somewhat sutable and answerable to their head The like may be said of the
to blesse him according to his former promise For this patriarke Isaack hauing so blessed Iaacob when his sonne Esaâ— returned from hunting and brought Venison ready dressed vnto him and craued his blessing this Izhaack I say told his sonne Esau what had fallen out in his absence and saith plainly I haue blessed him therefore he shall be blessed Genes 27. 33. As if he should haue said My blessing is past already Thou comest now too late I haue giuen my blessing to him to whom by the appointment of God at the first it did belong therfore whatsoeuer thou hast done at my commandement and howsoeuer I promised indeed to blesse thee yet hauing now spoken the word for the blessing him that came before thee I neither will nor can reuoke it Dauid seeming to allude to the former words of Isaack in his praier for the blessing of God vpon his house vseth the very same words almost if not altogether speaking thus Now it hath pleased thee to blesse the house of thy seruant that it may bee before thee for euer for thou O Lord hast blessed it and it shall be blessed for euer 1 Chron. 17. 27. The like constancy we read of that heathen and wicked man Pilate For when hee had written this title vpon the head of Christ on the Crosse Iesus of Nazaret the King of the Iewes and when the high Priests of the Iewes being offended with the said title perswaded him to alter it and said Write not The king of the Iewes but that he said I am the king of the Iewes what answered Pilate Was he content to alter his former writing Not so but he answered What I haue written I haue written Iohn 19. 19. 21. 22. Did these men the one an elect of God and a good man the other a reprobate and most wicked did these I say thus hold themselues to their own notwithstanding earnest requests to the contrary Shall we think that God will shrinke go back of his word for the casheering of any whom once he hath enrolled and written in the book of life No no though all the world should solicit him to the contrary yea though it were possible that the Angels of heauen shold so do yet wil not God goe one inch back of his word touching any of his children whom he hath determined to make like vnto his owne sonne He will not flinch a whit or start aside an heires bredth but to all such as shall plead for the cutting of the names of any of his out of the table or book of life he will answer as Isaack did to Esau I haue blessed them therfore they shall be blessed and as Pilat answered the high priests of the Iewes whom I haue written I haue written To leaue this argument and to proceed vnto other If they be blessed that walke not in the counsell of the wicked c. that trust in the Lord c. that feare the Lord c. then are they certaine of their future likenesse vnto Christ For where there is no certainty therof there caÌ„ be no blessednes But such are pronounced blessed in the Psalms in the other scriptures therfore they are certaine of this their future likenes to Christ The like may be said of the commandement of the Apostle giuen to all that are in Christ for reioicing in the Lord yea for reioicing alwaies Philip. 44. For what ioy can there be where there is continuall doubting of â—his future likenes vnto Christ Againe by so many arguments as whereby before we haue laid forth the dignity of Gods children we may also be assured of this our future likenes vnto Christ viz. by Gods loue in making vs his children because whom he loueth he loueth to the end by the difficulty and greatnesse of that worke For would he do so difficult so great and so admirable a worke and not bring it to perfection or what perfection hath it without this likenes to Christ by the meanes whereby he worketh it viz. by the immortall seed For how is that seed immortall if they perish that are begotten again by it I meane touching the spirituall life whereby they are so begotten againe Or how doe they continue if they neuer attaine vnto but come short of this likenes vnto Christ by their vnion with Christ and communion with the Father and the holy ghost which we heard to be indissoluble once made and neuer dissolued by their liberty and free accesse to God in praier with assurance to be heard as in other things so also in asking of this their future likenes vnto Christ by the forgiuenesse of their sins the only let of their likenes vnto him Gods couenant therein being a couenant of salt euen an euerlasting couenant by the working of all things together for their good by their freedome from condemnation by the blessed inheritance before spoken of and almost by all the other arguments Last of all all that are in heauen may be sure without doubting of their future likenes vnto Christ But all the children of God that are regenerated by the word of truth are in heauen Therfore they may be sure without doubting of their future likenes in grace and in glory vnto Christ The first part of this reason that all in heauen may bee sure without doubting of their future likenes to Christ c. is so euident that no man will deny the same sith there is no fetching any thing from thence That which our Sauiour saith as a reason to prouoke men to lay vp treasures in heauen viz. that There neither the moth nor canker doth corrupt nor thieues digge through and steale Mat. 6. 30. may be said of all persons in heauen that they are out of all danger c. The second part of the former reason that the children of God regenerated and new borne by the holy ghost are already from the first houre of their regeneration in heauen is expresly affirmed by the Apostle Ephes 2. 6. Most men vnderstanding those words as spoken only of the children of God in respect of their certainty of heauen not in respect of their present possession do notwithstanding iustifie my present purpose Notwithstanding I doe vnderstand with some other much more euen the present possession it selfe of heauen present I say not full possession and that because Christ Iesus hauing taken possession of heauen not as one alone but as the head of many euen of all his members not to his own vsealone but to theirs not in his own name alone but in theirs it must needs be granted that all they also are in present possession whose head Christ is to whose vse and in whose name Christ hath taken possession of heauen I will illustrate this by a law case common amongst vs. A mans wife of Kent or Essex hath coppy hold land purchased by her or giuen vnto her by some friends in Yorkshire in Cumberland in Westmoâ—land or some other country two hundred miles from
said hope doth purge himselfe Tonching this effect let this be the first obseruation that the Apostle changeth the former word of knowing into an other viz. into hope what teacheth he thereby that the former knowledge is but an vncertaine hope Not so but that this hope is a certaine knowledge and that therefore it far differeth from the hope of worldly men of their worldly commodities as of the merchant of the returne of his stock with gaine of the husbandman of the recouery of his seed with increase c. For all such hope is but vncertaine depending vpon many vncertainties The merchants goods come often hard to the hauens mouth most safely and yet euen there ship and all are cast away The husbandman hath often goodly corne in the blade and yet by haile or by cattell or by some other meanes it is smitten and cleane destroied before it come to earing oftentimes it eareth well and yet at the time of blowing it is blasted that it neuer setteth well oftentimes it setteth well at the first and yet afterward it is smitten with mildew and so pinked that it is little worth Many times also it setteth well at the first thriueth well afterward continueth well till the very haruest and yet then either by fire from heauen or by fire through the malice of men as Absolon fired Iâ—abs corne 2. Sam. 14. 30. or by some other meanes it is altogether spoiled The like may bee said of the hope of other things of this life All is vncertaine and nothing but vncertaine As Salomon saith Vanitie of vanities vanity of vanities and all is vanity Eccles 1. 2. so may I say â—ncertainty of vncertainties vncertainty of vncertainties and all is vncertaintie But this hope of the children of God is ioined with certain knowledge and is the expectation of those things which we know most certainly and for which we haue Gods promise confirmed with an oath and many other assurances But of this we haue spoken so largely before in Chap. 14 that we shal not need to speake any more in this place Let the Papists therfore goe with their vncertainty and let their life still be miserable by vncertainty altogether disquieted and full of feares but let vs hold our certainty and labor daily more and more to increase the same by purging euery man himselfe as it now followeth to be further considered Thus much for our first obseruation vpon these words The second is the vniuersality of this sentence Euery one saith the Apostle that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe He speaketh generally He exempteth and excepteth none neither yong nor old neither poore nor rich neither vnlearned nor learned neither base nor noble neither woman nor man neither him that is in aduersity nor him that is in most prosperity neither subiect nor King Whosoeuer he be that hath this hope purgeth himselfe whosoeuer he be that hath not this hope doth not purge himselfe neither can purge himselfe The grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men saith the Apostle hath appeared and teacheth vs to deny all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts c. and so to looke for the blessed hope c. Tit. 2. 11. 12. 13. Marke here first he saith that the Gospell described to be the grace of God because it commeth from the free grace and fauor of God teacheth the free grace and fauor of God and is the meanes whereby we both know the free grace and fauor of God and are also partaker thereof or be brought thereinto doth bring saluation to all men that is to all sorts of men yong and old masters and seruants c. mentioned in the former part of the Chapter and that then hee saith the said Gospell or free grace of God doth teach vs to deny all vngodlines and worldly lusts c. and so to looke for the blessed hope c. who then are to deny all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to looke for the blessed hope Euen all sorts of men because the Gospell bringeth saluation vnto all men and teacheth as many to deny all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts c. and to look for the blessed hope c. as it bringeth saluation vnto And indeed so to deny all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts c. is a part and the first degree of saluation without which it is not possible to haue the other degrees of saluation A man may be master in the arts in the Vniuersity that was neuer bacheler in the arts yea a man may be bacheler in diuinity that neuer had any of the former degrees but no man can haue saluation in the world to come that is not commenced and hath not taken the first degree of saluation in this world for the denying of all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts c. yea no man can look for that blessed hope which hath not first denied all vngodlines No no what is that to deny all godlinesse and worldlie lusts c. but to purge himselfe as here the Apostle speaketh And what is that to looke for the blessed hope c. but to haue that hope in him wherof the Apostle here also speaketh I conclude therfore from the former place the same which here the Apostle setteth down viz. that as all must deny all vngodlines and worldly lust that looke for saluation by the grace of God so all must looke for saluation and for that blessed hope there spoken of that doe deny all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and conuersiuely that all that doe looke for that blessed hope must also deny all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts that is that euery one that hath this hope in him as this Apostle speaketh must purge himselfe This is the second obseruation The third is that he speaketh of that hope that is in a man He saith not Euery one that maketh profession of this hope or that hath this hope in his mouth or in his tongue but he saith Euery one that hath this hope in him that is within him in his heart Many that make profession of this hope and that say they hope and looke to be saued and to be made like vnto Christ at his appearing as well as the best doe notwithstanding liue in their sinnes and not purge themselues yea many doe declare Gods ordinance to other and doe talke of the couenant of God which yet hate to be reformed and cast his words behind them whereby they should be reformed and purged Psal 50 16. 17. The Apostle speaketh not of such but of them that indeed haue this hope in them which is a vertue of the inner man as well as the other two faith and loue wherewith it is ioined 1 Cor. 13. 13. Fourthly let vs obserue the word purgeth and that in a double respect first as touching the signification thereof secondly as touching the tence whereof it is viz. of the present tence Touching the first this word is deriued of a word that most properly signifieth chaste as the Apostle
is in them Ierem. 8. 9. So when Saul had made more haste then good speed in offering sacrifice before Samuels comming and that contrary to Samuels direction in that behalfe Samuel feared not to tell him that he had done foolishly because hee had not kept the commandement of God and that the Lord would haue stablished his kingdome for euer but that now his kingdome should not continue c. 1. Sam. 13. 13. 14. Because also Asa though otherwise a worthy king had made a couenant with Benbadad king of Syria to aide him against Baasha King of Israel Hanani the Seer did rebuke him in the very same termes telling him that hee had done foolishly c. as Samuel had reproued Saul 2. Chro. 16. 9. If therefore they were iustly charged to haue done foolishly because they had done that which they did against the commandement of God then by the same reason all naturall men be no better then fooles for asmuch as they doe all neglect and contemne the commandements of God The same is further manifest because Moses exhorteth the Israelites to the keeping of Gods commandements by this argument that they should be their wisedome and their vnderstanding in the sight of the people which hearing all those ordinances should say Onely this people is wise and of vnderstanding Deut. 4. 6. Moreouer Christ Iesus is called the wisedome of his father Luk. 11. 49. he is said to haue all the treasures of wisedome and of knowledge hid in him Coloss 2. 3. Vpon him the spirit of wisedome and vnderstanding the spirit of counsell and strength the spirit of knowledge and of the feare of the Lord doth rest Isai 11. 2. Where the vniting the spirit of wisedome vnderstanding Note counsell and knowledge with the spirit of feare doth teach that where there is not the spirit of feare but the spirit of boldnesse security presumption and other impiety there is not the spirit of wisedome of vnderstanding of counsell or of any true knowledge according to that before said in that behalfe He hath the seuen spirits of God in his hand Reuel â— 2. that is all the gifts of the spirit of God which though he be but one in his essence 1. Cor. 12. 11. Eph. 4. 4. yet is called seuen in respect of the diuersity of his gifts and more specially because of the seuen Churches to which he writeth those seuen Epistles and yet all that variety of gifts is called by the name of spirits because one and the selfe same spirit worketh them all or distributeth them all as the former place to the Corinthians witnesseth As therefore none could haue any corne in Egypt but by the hands of Ioseph so Christ Iesus is the high Lord Treasurer of heauen for the dispensing of all the gifts of the spirit in respect where of none can haue any but such only as come to his gates and giue attendance at the posts of his dores Pro. 8. 33. To comprehend all the arguments hitherto vsed in one thus I argue against all naturall and wicked men They that haue not the vnderstanding of Gods will reuealed in his written word They that feare not the Lord in keeping his commandements They that are without Christ Iesus are vtterly voide of true wisedome and therefore be starke fooles All naturall and wicked men are without vnderstanding of Gods will reuealed in his written word They feare not God in keeping his commandements and they are without Christ Therfore they are vtterly void of true wisedom and be stark fooles If any shall reply and ask how it can be that all before mentioned naturall and wicked men may be said to be without knowledge or vnderstanding I answer as before with addition notwithstanding of Iohns words He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him 1. Ioh. 2. 4. For indeed how can any man say that hee knoweth God to be most iust almighty and able to be reuenged of euery sinne against him and yet dareth to breake his commandements And how can any man say that he knoweth God to be most wise most gratious most kind most mercifull and long suffering and yet doth not loue him Or how can he say he loueth him and keepeth not his commandements Ioh. 14. 15. It is therefore most certaine that no man doth truly know God that doth not loue and obey him But let vs shew the former point all naturall men to be vnwise and foolish by some other reasons Thus therefore I proceed True wisedome maketh them that haue it the better All naturall and wicked men are no whit the better for all the learning and other knowledge they haue They lose all that they do according to such learning and knowledge They get nothing thereby but onely heape vp the more iudgement and condemnation to themselues Luk. 12. 47. Therefore consequently they are vnwise and fooles Doe we not so account of men in the world viz. that they are very simple men and of no vnderstanding yea starke fooles that shall altogether busie themselues and spend their time their strength and their wits and their mony about matters of no profit or that shall toile and moile early and late for trifles and neglect matters of moment great worth The best we say of such is that they are penny wise and pound foolish Why then may we not so iudge and speak of naturall men of all continuing in their natural condition which as was said before by Isaiah lay out siluer and not for bread and labor and be not satisfied Isai 55. 2. and which follow altogether vaine things as Samuel speaketh which shall not profit them 1. Sa. 12. 21. For certainly when they haue done al that they can yet it may be said to them as Paul speaketh to the Romanes What fruit haue you in those things Rom. 621. Yea though they should get neuer so much honour and wealth in the world yea though they should winne the whole world yet what profit shall they haue if they lose their owne soules Mark 8 36. May not God say vnto such for all their reputation for wisedome c. as he said to the rich man that hauing great increase of corne took care only for building his barnes greater and liuing after in pleasures and neuer thought of any thankfulnesse to God or of doing any good with his abundance vnto men O foole c. Luk. 12. 20. Moreouer as the word before translated vnwise Eph. 5. 17. Tit. 3. 3. and foolish Galat. 3. 1. signifieth mad men so in truth naturall men are no better then those whom for distraction or losse of their naturall wits we account mad men yea many distracted in their wits or bereaued of their vnderstanding either by abundance of melancholy or by feares or by some accident or by age c. are in a far better state for the life to come then meere naturall men so long as they doe
so continue For I doubt not but that the very deere children of God regenerated by the spirit and beleeuing in Iesus Christ are subiect to that outward calamity as well as other and as well as themselues are subiect to other diseases arising of naturall causes and yet The foundation of God remaineth firme touching them The Lord knoweth who are his 2. Tim. 2. 19. That it is so that is that naturall men whiles they be such are no better in their said naturall state then mad men yea and that they are possest with a spirituall phrensie or that at least they are no better then such as we call idiots or naturals I make plaine by these furtherreasons 1. When the prodigall child began to consider of his waies and to bethinke himselfe of returning to his father then he is said to haue come to himselfe Luk. 15. 17. The prodigall sonne therefore representing the state of all vnregenerate men therby is signified that as before his returne and submission to his Father he was no better then as a man beside himselfe and out of his wits so all are the like before regeneration 2. All that make more account of bels and bables of counters and rattles and of such other triffles then they doe of siluer and gold c. are no better then mad men or at least then naturall fooles 3. All that refuse meat drinke and apparell especially of the best sort for their bodies and for this life are no better then mad men or at least then naturall fooles 4. All that do continually hurt and wound themselues and that seeke by all meanes to destroy themselues are no better then mad men or at least then naturall fooles 5. All that put no difference betwixt any men but account all alike and that especially regard the meanest more then the greatest and their enemies more then their friends and that will be aduised rather by fooles then by wise men are no better themselues then mad men or at least then naturall fooles 6. All that wilfully transgresse the lawfull commandements of Kings and so sinne against their owne soules are no better then mad men or at least then naturall fooles 7. All that will not be kept within any bounds but breake off all bonds are no better then mad men at least then naturall fooles Such are all naturall and wicked men so long as they continue in that state and condition 2. They make more account of the riches honours delights and pleasures of this world then they doe of the most pretious word of God and of the things that belong to the life to come in respect whereof all things in this world are no better then trash and dung 3. They refuse Christ Iesus and all other things pertaining to their saluation in him offered vnto them in the word as meat and drinke and apparell for their soules of farre more worth then all meat and drinke and apparell for their bodies 4. They doe daily hurt and wound their owne soules and seeke by all meanes euerlastingly to destroy themselues euen by so many sinnes as they doe daily commit 5. They account no better of one man then of another at least they account best of them that are the most vile They doe more regard and feare simple silly weake and mortall men then they doe the most wise mighty fearefull and immortall God and haue the enemies of their saluation which sooth them vp in sinne and prouoke them daily thereunto by words and by example in more estimation and they are rather aduised by flattering worldlings such as sauor only the things of the world not the things of God then they doe regard their most true hearted friends that vnfeinedly wish and by all meanes admonition counsell reprehension conference and praier doe seeke and endeauour their saluation or then they will be aduised by such as are wise in the Lord. 6. They doe euery day wilfully transgresse the most holy and iust commandements of the most holy and righteous God and so doe more and more prouoke his indignation against themselues that is the king of kings 7. They will not be kept within any compasse they will not be directed in the way that leadeth to eternall life but breake ouer hedge and ditch out of that way and they speake as the heathen did of whom the Prophet writeth saying Let vs breake their bonds and cast their cords from vs. Psal 2. 3. Therfore I may well conclude them all to be no better then mad men or at least then naturall fooles They indeed doe so account of the most excellent seruants of God For so was the Prophet termed that annointed Iehu to be king of Israel 2. Kings 9. 11. So did Festus call Paul when he spake most excellently of heauenly things Acts 26. 24. and so naturall and worldly men doe daily cast this reprochfull name vpon the best children of God esteeming them no better then a company of fooles and mad men but the truth is that this belongeth to themselues and they specially are the fooles and mad men of the world as the former arguments do demonstrate Let no man so wrest my words as to vnderstand me to condemne naturall wit and vnderstanding or policy and learning c. I doe not condemne them but acknowledge them in themselues to be the good gifts of God Notwithstanding such is the corruption of nature before and without regeneration that meere naturall men not knowing how to vse them doe therefore abuse them the more to the dishonour of God and to the encrease of their own condemnation euen as men reaued of their naturall wits hauing a sword put into their hands or any other thing good in it selfe committed vnto them do rather abuse all to the hurt of themselues and other then do any good at all therewith In respect of all these things hitherto handled as it is said of images that they are laid ouer with gold and siluer and there is no breath in them Hab. 2. 19. so it may besaid of meer naturall men touching the life of God that how trim and gay soeuer they be in the world and how great and glorious soeuer they appeare by their wit or learning or policie c. yet indeed they haue no breath at all of that life in them neither any sparke of true wisedome How base therefore is their state and condition yea how fearfull and lamentable For who doth not pity the state of mad men and of such as by any meanes haue lost their wits Many carnall men I grant doe carnally make a sport of mad men and naturall fooles they make themselues merry with such as the Philistims abused the blindnesse of Sampson and vsed him therefore to play before them and to make them pastime in their great meeting and in their sacrifice to Dagon their God Iudg. 16. 25 Many I say doe euen so abuse the simplicity and lamentable madnesse of other to make themselues merry but