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
spoken of Such was the great sinne of Dauid with Bathsheba and against her husband Vrija such was the sinne of Peter in denying his Lord and master with swearing and cursing and such offenses there are daily in the Church yea sometimes the children of God doe lie and continue long in many sinnes almost in all sinnes euen after their regeneration as Salomon did By these things their owne future state is obscured eclipsed and hidden from themselues It doth not appeare to themselues what they shall be God hideth his face from them and they are sore troubled as if they were reprobates and thinking themselues to be reprobates yea so by such things are their good mindes tormented that they cannot endure their said torments but seeke in their weaknesse and in the vehemencie of their tentation to make themselues away and to shorten their owne daies Forasmuch therefore as by this meanes it doth not for the present appeare to the children of God themselues what they shall bee wee may well conclude that much lesse it doth appeare to the wicked Fifthly many that haue seemed to haue beene new borne as well as any other and to haue receiued as plentifull a portion of the spirit of adoption as any other or at the least as many other that were indeed the children of God many such I say haue wholly and finally fallen away from the grace of God and that hath been vtterly taken away from them which they seemed to haue had yea those common graces also of Gods spirit which indeed they had When Saul was amongst the Prophets who would not haue thought him to haue beene one of Gods children When Iehu was so forward and zealous for God and did so great things commanded him by the Lord who would not haue thought him to haue beene one of Gods children When Iudas was amongst the Apostles and receiued the same commission and power to preach and to worke miracles that the rest did who would not haue thought him to haue beene one of Gods children The like may be said of those of whom wee haue heard before out of Ioh. 6. 66. Heb. 10. 25. and of diuers other Now although such indeed were neuer of vs for if they had beene of vs they would not neither could haue gone from vs but would haue continued with vs 1. Ioh. 2. 19. yet the wicked seeing such doe presently say that all are alike there is no barrell better herring and therfore they peremptorily conclude that the end of all shall be like Salomon himselfe iudging according only to naturall reason so iudged and said All things come alike to all and the same condition is to the iust and to the wicked to the good and to the pure and to the polluted and to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not as is the good so is the sinner he that sweareth and he that feareth an oath Eccles 9. 2. Yea according to the same naturall iudgement hee had said before I considered in mine heart the state of the children of men that God had purged them yet to see to they are in themselues as beasts for the condition of the children of men and the condition of beasts are euen as one condition vnto them As the one dieth so dieth the other for they haue all one breath and there is no excellencie of man aboue the beasts for all is vanitie c. Eccles 3. 18. 19. If Salomon according to mans reason so iudged is it any maruell that they that neuer had that spirit that Salomon had doe iudge in like manner and that vnto them it doth not appeare what the children of God shall be All these things together make a thicke cloud of reasons such as doe so hoodwinke and blindfold the wicked that euen at noone day they cannot see what the children of God shall bee And all these are externall causes to the wicked of the not appearance vnto them of the future state of Gods children such causes I say as are rather in the children of God then in the wicked Now besides these there are also other lets and impediments of the foresaid not appearance of the future condition of Gods children euen in the wicked themselues and these are three one without them yet theirs and inuested as it were in them and the other two within them The first of these and the sixth in the whole number is their owne great prosperitie and flourishing state in outward things For by this meanes the wicked blesseth himselfe that he thinketh there is no God and therefore as the iudgements of God against himselfe are high aboue his sight Psal 10. 3. 4. c. so hee saith It is in vaine to serue God and what profit is it that wee haue kept his Commandements and that wee walked humbly before the Lord of hosts c. Malac. 3. 14. Iob 21. 15. As they doe thus speake of their owne hypocriticall seruing of God that there is no reward of it as in truth there is not so they iudge the like of the children of God How therfore can they see what heereafter they shall be Secondly I meane for this second sort of reasons but seuenthly for the whole the generall spirituall blindnesse that is in all the wicked doth also hinder them that they cannot see what the children of God shall bee For without true knowledge there can bee no iudgement in them to discerne things that differ belonging to their owne saluation Philip. 1. 9. 10. How then can they see the things that belong to the saluation of other Much lesse therefore can they see the saluation it selfe of other As the Apostle speaketh in generall of all the things of the spirit of God that the naturall man perceiueth them not neither can know them because they are spiritually discerned 1. Cor. 2. 14. so it may bee said of this particular that it cannot bee discerned by naturall men For it is a spirituall thing as well as other Hee that hath not eies to see any thing for himselfe how shall hee see any thing for another man Hee that cannot see things present how shall hee see things to come Last of all and most principally it doth not appeare vnto the wicked what the children of God shall bee not onely because of their spirituall blindnesse but also beecause of the spirituall hardnesse of their hearts and of that great infidelitie and vnbeleefe that is in them For these goe together and are therefore ioined together the cogitation darkened ignorance and hardnesse of heart Ephes 4. 18. Our Sauiour saith to Martha Said I not vnto thee that if thou didst beleeue thou shouldest see the glorie of God Ioh. 11. 40. If this might bee said to Martha her selfe that beleeued the generall resurrection of all flesh as shee had acknowledged in verse 24. because her faith was weake in that particular of raising vp her brother presently how much more may it it bee said to them and of them
but that changing the words he saith he that doth righteously is borne of him Wherefore is this change of words To teach that when he had before exhorted them to abide in him his meaning was not that they should be constant only touching their sound iudgement not embracing any errours contrary to the wholsome doctrine of Christ before heard and learned by them but also that they should be constant in all holy and righteous liuing agreeable to such constancie in sound iudgement So Paul ioineth constancie in iudgement and in godlinesse of life together 1. Cor. 15. 58. Therefore my beloued brethren be stedfast and vnremooueable see heere the constancie of iudgement or minde abounding alwaies in the workes of the Lord. See heere also constancie in practise and true godlinesse Secondly let vs obserue in the former argument and in that 29. ver that the Apostle doth not say euery one that doth righteous things is borne of God but unto euery one that doth righteously For the wicked and reprobate as Saul Iudas and Horod c. doe many righteous things but the children of God and the elect doe onely righteously Thridly let vs obserue in the said verse that the Apostle saith not euery one that doth righteously is the child of God but euery one that doth righteously is borne of God Hereby he teacheth that he speaketh not of them that are the children of God by creation of their substances but of them that are the children of God by regeneration and by that new birth where of our Sauiour speaketh to Nicodemus Iohn 3. 3. Except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdome of God and againe Except a man bee borne of water of the spirit hee cannot enter into the kingdome of God vers 5. By creation of substance the wicked and reprobate yea the diuels themselues are the children of God but the â—lect onely are the children of God by regeneration Fourthly in that he simply saith not Euery one that doth righteously is borne of God but fortifieth the same by their 〈◊〉 testimony and knowledge hee thereby teacheth that the worke of regeneration is not a matter of doubtfull coniecture but of certaine knowledge â—ea fiftly in that hee strengthneth all this by an argument called by the Logicians a coniugatis or from the like attribute in God to that wherof he speaketh touching them that are borne of God saying If yee know that he is righteous know ye that he that doth righteously is borne of God Thereby he further teacheth the foresaid certainty of their regeneration viz. that as certainly as they know God himselfe to be righteous so certainly they might assure themselues that Euery one without exception of any that doth righteously is borne of God He teacheth moreouer that there is no other way wherby to declare our selues the children of God then by doing righteously as he himselfe is righteous No naturall child of man doth more declare himselfe to be the child of him whose child indeed he is by any similitude of person or of behauiour then they that doe righteously doe shew themselues to be children of God One man may be like another in person and in behauiour that is of no kindred to him to whom he is like But it is impossible that any should doe righteously but he that is the childe of the righteous God or that any should be the child of the righteous God but hee that doth righteously If God were your Father saith our Sauiour to the Iewes then would ye loue me Iohn 8. 48. And If yee loue me then saith he againe keepe my Commandements Iohn 14. 15. What is the keeping of his Commandements but to doe righteously From these things hitherto noted of the certaine knowledge Note of regeneration and of being borne of God followeth also another point viz. of the certaintie of the appearing of such as are so borne of God with boldnesse without all feare of any shame before him at his appearing Doe not all these things make much for that dignitie of the children of God for the writing whereof wee haue intended this present treatise But of these things more afterward In the meane time by all hitherto said wee see how the Apostle in the former Chapter hath come to the mention of our being the children of God and that this is the very last point handled in the former chapter Now because it is a point of great moment and yet for the most part too lightly regarded yea searcely so much as once looked vpon therefore in the beginning of this chapter hee insisteth vpon it and commendeth it to their further consideration as a matter very excellent and admirable and in no case to be too slenderly passed ouer but worthy all diligent obseruation and making Therefore the Apostle saith Behold what loue the Father hath giuen vnto vs that we should be called his children This is the plaine coherence of these words with the end of the former Chapter Touching the reason of them in respect of the chiefe matter following in the rest of this Epistle especially in this Chapter and in the next that is likewise plaine and euident For the Apostle being afterward to exhort these Christians to mutuall brotherly loue that is to the loue of the children of God what better foundation could hee lay for the said exhortation then a graue admonition seriously to consider the dignity of Gods children and the vnspeakable yea the admirable loue of God towards them in aduancing them to the said dignitie For so the Apostle in this preface and graue exhortation to the consideration of Gods loue in making men his children laieth two maine arguments for the better prouoking of men to the loue of Gods children one from the example of Gods loue towards them in making them his children this being farre more then all other can doe for them the other from the excellencie of them that are so made his children For ought not all to loue them whom God loueth especially whom he so loueth as to make them his children The more excellent also that any bee are they not the more worthy of the loue of all other Thus much for the coherence of these words with the former as also for the reason of them in respect of the matter following Now to come to the present words of the Apostle they are as partly we haue seene a graue exhortation to the serious consideration of the loue of God in making men his children by the worke of regeneration touched in the last verse of the former chapter For how excellent soeuer this loue of God be yet the Apostle seeing the same to bee made a matter of nothing in the world neither the children of God to be esteemed according to their excellency but rather to be despised and contemned doth therefore commend that which before he had touched to their further consideration preuenting also an obiection touching their contempt in the world and
said metaphors Secondly they are further taught by their owne proper words euen the words before mentioned Touching the foresaid metaphors the Apostle saith first of the two first couple light and darknesse The night is past and the day is at hand let vs therefore cast away the workes of darknesse and let vs put on the armor of light Rom. 13. 12. And again Ye were once darknesse but are now light walke as the children of the light Ephes 5. 8. And haue no fellowship with the vnfruitfull works of darknesse verse 11. And againe Who hath deliuered vs from the power of darknesse and translated vs into the kingdome of his deare sonne Coloss 1. 13. So he teacheth that there is no participation of the kingdome of Christ except first we be deliuered from the power of darknesse And againe But ye brethren are not in darknesse that that day should come on you as it were a theefe ye are all the children of the light and the children of the day wee are not of the night neither of darknesse 1. The. 5. 4. 5. Peter saith Ye are a chosen generation a royall priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that ye should shew foorth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darknesse into his maruellous light 1. Pet. 2. 9. Iohn saith The darknesse is past and the true light now shineth 1. Ioh. 2. 8. Zachariah the father of Iohn Baptist saith that the day spring from on-high had visited them to giue light to them that sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death Luk. 1. 78. 79. By darknesse in all the places before alleged is meant that extreme ignorance without any knowledge of God wherewith the minds of all men naturally are ouerwhelmed before such time as they be regenerated The same is likewise signified by the word blindnesse in diuers other places The Lord giueth light to the blind Psa 146. 8. that is the Lord giueth knowledge to them that are ignorant The Prophet also setting forth the glory of Christs kingdome saith Then shall the eyes of the blind be lightned Isai 55. 5. that is then they shall beenlightned with the true knowledge of God that before were altogether ignorant of him and knew no more for their saluation then a stone-blind man doth see colours The same Prophet speaking of the office of Christ saith that the Lord had called him c. that he might open the eyes of the blind and bring out the prisoners from the prison and them that sit in darknesse out of the prison house Isai 42. 7. The Apostle Paul also speaketh the very like of his Apostleship noting the end therof to haue been to open the eyes of the Gentiles here he signifieth that before they were spiritually blind that they might turne from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan vnto God Acts 26. 18. Our Sauiour saith of euery plant whom the father had not planted that they were blind leaders of the blind and if the blinde lead the blind they shall both fall into the ditch Matth. 15. 14. Vpon the opening also of his eies that had beene borne bodily blind our Sauiour saith I am come vnto iudgement into this world that they which see not that is which are blind and ignorant of God and of the things pertaining to their euerlasting peace might see and that they which did see that is that thought they knew much might be made blind that is might haue that taken from them which they seemed to haue Luk. 8. 18. Vpon which words of our Sauiour the Pharisies replying Are we also blind our Sauiour answereth further If yee were blind yee should not haue sinne c. Iohn 9. 39. 40. 41. that is if ye were ignorant indeed your sinne should be so much the lesse I might heape vp many other the like testimonies touching the said metaphors of darknesse and blindnesse so applied But these alleged shall be sufficient They are both vsed in the former and in other places to signifie the same thing viz. the darknesse blindnesse and extreme ignorance of our minds concerning God and our saluation because indeed they are both of like nature For he that is in darknesse can see nothing though he haue neuer so good eyes and he that is blind can likewise see nothing though the sunne or moon or starres or candles or fire be neuer so cleere or bright By these metaphors doth the holy ghost so often expresse our ignorance because they doe best agree with that which before we heard of our being by nature the children of the diuell who is called the prince of darknesse Ephes 6. 12. and whose kingdome is said to be the place of vtter darknesse Mat. 8. 12. and 22. 13. and 25. 30. as also because they doe well agree with the maine thing before spoken of the spirituall death of all naturall and vnregenerated men for they that are dead are also depriued of all sight and therefore they be in continuall darknesse In which respect death is described to bee the land of darknesse Iob 10. 21. and the Psalmist saith Wilt thou shew a miracle to the dead or shall the dead rise and praise thee Shall thy louing kindnesse be declared in the graue or thy faithfulnesse in destruction then he addeth Shall thy wondrous workes be knowen in the darke c. Psal 88. 10. 11. 12. And finally that so we might the better see the vncomfortable wofull and most miserable estate and condition of all men naturally to make them the more thankfull for their comfortable ioyfull and most blessed change by grace and regeneration For is not darknesse one of the great iudgements inflicted by the Lord vpon the sonnes of men for their most hainous sinnes was it not one of Gods fearefull iudgements in Egypt Exod. 10. 22. When our Sauiour was most wickedly and vnrighteously put to death the greatest sinne that euer was before committed was there no darknesse in all the land from the sixt houre to the ninth Mat. 27. 45. The like may be said of blindnesse When the Sodomites came vpon Lot to haue abused the Angels entertained by him did not the said Angels smite them with blindnesse Gen. 19. 11. Amongst the rest of the iudgemēts also which the Lord threatneth to the Israelites if they should not obey him c doth he not threaten to smite them with madnesse and blindnesse Deut. 28. 28. Where let it bee obserued that hee conioineth madnesse and blindnesse let this I say bee obserued for the better manifestation of that which afterward I shall say touching the madnesse of all men naturally When Elymas also the Sorcerer resisted Paul was he not stricken with blindnesse for certaine daies Acts 13. 8. Againe who knoweth not by his owne experience how fearefull a thing darknesse and blindnesse is when the mist and darknesse before signified fel vpon Elymas did not he go about seeking one to lead him doth not any man that is blind or
in darknesse groap here and there Is he not euery minute in danger at least doth he not and may he not continually feare Is it not more vncomfortable to walke or ride one mile in the night then six in the day time If outward darknesse and bodily blindnesse be so vncomfortable what alasse is to be said of inward darknesse and of the spirituall blindnesse of the mind If it be an heauy thing to be depriued of all light of Sunne Moone Starres candle and other fire how heauy is it to be vtterly destitute of the light of the Sunne of righteousnesse As darknesse and blindnesse bee most vncomfortable so who knoweth not how sweet and comfortable the contrary light and sight are And if the outward light and bodily sight be so sweet and comfortable how much more sweet and comfortable are spirituall light and the sight of the inward man These things I might amplifie by many arguments the more to set foorth the dignity of Gods children that doe only enioy the said spirituall light and whose mindes doe behold and vnderstand the high things of God pertaining to their saluation but because it followeth to speake of them in the next place therefore this shall be sufficient to haue spoken here Thus to leaue the former metaphors I come to the things signified by them Touching therefore the ignorance of God in all naturall and vnregenerate men we heard before that the Apostle speaking of the Gentiles as they were such had ioined these together hauing their vnderstanding darkned and being strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that was in them Ephes 4. 18. To the same purpose speaking againe of the state of himselfe and other before regeneration he saith We were in times past vnwise c. Tit. 3. 3. That which before we alleged out of the third to the Romanes as by other things to describe the naturall state of all men so by this that none whatsoeuer doth vnderstand any thing shall not need here to be repeated Yea so farre are all men naturally from all true knowledge of God that they are vtterly vncapeable thereof For the naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can hee know them for they are spiritually discerned 1. Cor. 2. 14. Yea the more naturall wit and vnderstanding men haue which is called naturall wisedome or the wisedome of the flesh the further off they are from all true knowledge and wisedome of God For the wisedome of â—he flesh is death enmity against God not subiect to the law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8. 6. 7. Therefore elsewhere the Apostle saith that God hath not chosen many wise men after the flesh but the foolish things of the woâ—ld and things that are despised to bring to nought things that are c. 1. Cor. 1. 26. 27. By the neuter gender here hee meaneth the masculine and by things hee vnderstandeth persons as also wee haue the like phrase Iohn 6. 37. Colossians 1. 20. Ephesians 1. 10. This is a point of great moment and the more worthy a little more to be insisted vpon because many naturall men are men of great humane learning in the tongues in the arts in all philosophie in the lawes and statutes of kingdomes in martiall and ciuill affaires for warre and for peace And for such learning they are oft times in great reputation in great honor and authority euen aduanced to bee great states men to stand before the mighty Princes of the world to giue counsell vnto them and accounted the only men for policy and gouernment of kingdomes Such were Achitophel and Ioab and such no doubt are many in these daies in many kingdomes and such haue been many in all ages which notwithstanding are so far from all true knowledge of God that they doe vtterly distast the same and oppose themselues with tooth and naile with might and maine thereunto Some also meer naturall men haue such knowledge in the mysteries of God that they can teach other and being called to the ministery doe conuert others themselues being castawaies For Iudas receiued gifts and a commission to preach as well as other and it is not to be doubted but that he did some good by the exercise of his gifts and execution of his commission as well as other For there is no commandement or commission from God without a promise of a blessing and there is no promise of a blessing but that God some way or other and in some measure or other doth performe the same because he that hath promised is faithfull Heb. 10. 23. Therefore our Sauiour saith that in the last day many should plead that they had prophecied euen in his name and that in his name they had cast out diuels whom notwithstanding he would reiect as meer naturall and wicked men saying vnto them I neuer knew you depart from me ye workers of iniquity Mat. 7. 22. 23. what shal we say of such men so highly accounted of in the world so greatly aduanced so deeply learned euen in diuinity and doing so great things Are they all vnwise Are they all without vnderstanding Are they all fooles yea verily the Scripture and God himselfe that is only wise and knoweth best what men are hath so pronounced of them Man therefore neede not feare to giue the like sentence and iudgement of such so long as they continue naturall and wicked men themselues though they conuert and make neuer so many other wise and righteous Such sentence and iudgement is not the sentence and iudgement of man but of God This appeareth by the description of true wisedome in the word of God For Paul by opposing the word vnwise to the vnderstanding of the will of the Lord and saying Be not vnwise but vnderstand what the will of the Lord is Ephes 5. 17. doth plainly teach true wisedome to be vnderstanding the will of the Lord and that all that doe not vnderstand what the will of the Lord is are vnwise But what will of the Lord doth the Apostle meane Only that that is reuealed in his word Therefore it is said that the testimony of the Lord giueth wisedome vnto the simple Psal 19. 7. and that the scriptures that is the word written are able to make men wise to saluation 2. Tim. 3. 15. Therefore also the feare of the Lord which is the keeping of Gods commandements Eccles 12. 13. is often called the beginning of wisedome or the chiefe and most principall wisedome Iob 28. 28. Psal 111. 10. Pro. 1. 7. Yea the truth is that there is no good and sound policy for the gouernment of kingdomes and common wealths but by the word of God Therefore in this very case the Prophet speaketh thus to the Priests and Prophets and Doctors of the Law that tooke vpon them to be politicians and states men without the word of God They haue reiected the word of the Lord and what wisedome
beasts and fowles Psal 50. 10. c. and all siluer and gold Hag. 2. 9. were the Lords as wel as now yet who knoweth not but that any beast or fowle or siluer or gold consecrated to the seruice of the Lord either first in the Tabernacle or afterward in the Temple was the Lords in a more speciall and a more holy and a more honorable manner The like then might be said and still may bee said of the six common daies and of the seuenth The six were and are the Lords as well as the seuenth in a generall respect yet the seuenth was and is consecrated to the Lord in a more speciall manner in respect whereof it is to be accounted more holy For these causes there was more seuere punishment commanded to be inflicted vpon any common person and was often inflicted by the Lord himselfe vpon any person whatsoeuer that should apply such things as were specially consecrated to Gods seruice to any common vse then vpon any that should abuse any other thing not so consecrated to God though otherwise it were of the same kind and nature God spared Belshazzar all the while he did eat and drinke in his own vessels though it be not to be doubted but that hee did abuse the meat and drinke to exeede and therefore also the vessels themselues wherein he did so eat and drinke to Gods dishonor but when besides â—â—s owne vessels he must also haue the vessels of the Lord which had been taken out of the temple of the Lordâ— house at Ierusalem when these I say were brought out 〈…〉 and when hee and his Princes his 〈…〉 in them oh what a fearefull hand of God in 〈…〉 of a man appeared presently vpon the waâ— before him and how fearfull contents were written therby vpon the wall against him For was not the kings countenance preâ—ently chanâ—â—d Did not his thoughts trouble him Were not the ioynts of his lâ—ynes loosed Did not his knees smite one against another Did he not in a great extremity and agony crie aloud for the astrologians Chaldeans and soothsaiers Dan. 5. 3. c. Though he were a king and a mighty king yet he had been better to haue gone a thousand miles on his bare feet vpon an errand from God yea he had been better to haue eaten his fingers to the bones yea the very flesh from his armes Touching the seuenth day now called the Lords day though many disgrace it as being now but an ordinance of the Church not commanded of God himselfe to be sanctified yet by how many iudgements of God vpon the prophaners thereof hath the Lord commended it to be inspeciall maner holy aboue all other daies So though the wicked themselues do serue the Lord genegenerally yet the children of God are set apart and consecrated as it were the first fruits or speciall vessels of honor as we haue heard to the seruice of God in speciall manner yea to returne againe to that similitude that hath been before closely insinuated as the counsellors to a king for matters of state are subiects as well as other and as they be subiects generally differ not from other and yet being made choice of by the king in some speciall manner to serue him by consulting one with another and conferring their wisedomes and counsels together for the more good of the king and of the whole kingdome and being thereunto also sworne in a speciall manner as I say such in these respects differ from other and are more honorable then other euen then other of the same quality sort and degree So is it with men adopted and selected from the common sort of men to be the children of God For though they be men as well as other and sinne as well as other yet the Lord by making them his children hauing aduanced them aboue other to be as it were of his priuy counsell not to giue counsell to him that is the mighty counsellor but to take his counsels from him that is such as to whom be may reueale his secrets Psal 25. 14. and as the Lord saith of Abraham Shall I hide from him the thing which I doe Genes 18. 17. therefore and in this respect they are certainly more honorable then other men If it be no small honor to be a priuy counsellor to a mortall king how great should we thinke that honor to be of being one of those to whom the king of glory doth reueale his secretsâ— Verily this honor is so much the greater because our Lord Iesus Christ himselfe doth giue thanks to his father in this behalfe yea because in his said giuing thanks he testifieth the said dignity to be the greater in as much as the Lord his father had hid them from the wise and men of vnderstanding and had reuealed them vnto babes babes and that only of his meere good will and pleasure Mat. 11. â—5 26. So likewise afterward as he saith to his disciples to you it is giuen to know the secrets of the kingdome of heauen so he saith of other that were not his disciples much more that were not the children of God but to them it is not giuen Mat. 13. 11. But of this before Chap. 10. Thus much briefly of the forme and of the end of the children of God CHAP. XVI More largely laying forth the Communion of the children of God with Christ Iesus and of some special benefits they haue therby IT may be now expected that I should in the next place speake of the effects of the children of God but I will not bee curious in distinguishing effects from benefits or commodities belonging vnto them I grant that by the exact rules of art benefits properly are to be accounted adiuncts or appurtenances and things belonging to another But herein I will not be curious but rather endeauor to be plaine and therefore to write for the vnderstanding of the simplest then for the pleasing of such as respect method more then matter That which is plaine and perspicuous may be vnderstood of all but that which is curious exact altogether according to the rules of art is most for the capacitie onely of them that are acquainted with artes Some effects of a thing are not to be denied to be also benefits thereof or at least beneficiall thereunto albeit that all benefits cannot aptly be called effects as afterward we shall see in this matter of our adoption For euery benefit belonging thereunto neither aptly or truely can bee called an effect thereof Iustification is a benefit belonging to adoption yet adoption is rather and effect or thereof then that a fruit or effect of adoption Peace of conscience also another benefit of adoption is both a benefit and also a fruit arising from adoption as afterward shall appeare The like may be said of other things For this cause I will be bold to confound fruits or effects with benefits and commodities of the children of God Now because all both effects and fruits
thereof verily it was and therefore the remembrance of it afterward was that whereby he was healed of that wound Mat. 26. 75. What was the cause why the angell of the Church of Sardi was so wounded that though he had a name to be aliue yet hee was dead that is ready to die and at the point of death Euen because he had let go his hold of the sword of the spirit Therfore for curing of his said wound our Sauiour biddeth him to remember how he had receiued and heard to hold fast c. Reuel 3. 2. 3. the like may be said of all wounds of any other of the children of God at any time Thus the children of God must vse the word of God viz. not as a thing to play or sport with or whereof to make iests Note for the mirth of other but as a weapon and as a sword to fight with yea thus they will vse it that are indeede the children of God If at any time they be prouoked by other or by their owne hearts to distrust Gods prouidence they will defend themselues by many precepts for trusting in the Lord Psal 37. 3. and 62. 8. and for casting their care vpon God Psal 37. 5. and 52. 22. and 1. Pet. 5. 6. and by such sentences of scripture as pronounce him blessed that trusteth in the Lord Psalm 40. 4. and 84. 5. and 12. by many promises to them that so do annexed expresly for the most part to the former commādements by the iudgements of God vpon such as haue murmured against God Num. 11. 1. vpon such as haue doubted of Gods promises as vpon the noble man of Samaria that would not beleeue the Prophet in the name of the Lord prophecying of great plenty the next day 2. Kings 7. 2. and 20. yea vpon Moses himselfe for his distrust Num. 20. 12. and 27. 14. and Deut. 32. 50. 51. and lastly by the prouidence of God towards the widow of Zarepta and the Prophet Elijah 1 Kings 17. 6. and 8. c. and towards a widdowe of one of the sonnes of the prophets 2. Kings 4 1. c. and towards many thousands that following our Sauiour for foode of their soules were fed likewise abundantly and miraculously with corporall foode Mark. 6. 36. and 8. 2. c. If they be prouoked to security they can draw out this sword and plead Blessed is the man that feareth alway c. Pro. 28. 14. and that they are commanded to spend the time of their welling here in feare 1. Pet. 1. 17. and the iudgement of God threatned to them that were at ease in Zion c. Amos 6. 1. c. and the fearefull fall of Dauid by security 2. Sam. 11. 2. c. If they be prouoked to idolatry they can draw out the second commandement and many other scriptures as commentaries vpon the said commandement so also that that is written of the wrath of God against Israel for their golden Calfe Exod. 32. and for their other idolatry Iudg. 10. and often els where The like is to be said of tentations against the third and fourth commandement When they are moued to pride they can call to mind the manifold precepts and sentences against it Deut. 8. 14. Psal 75. 4. Pro. 6. 17. and 16. 5. Iames 4. 6. 1. Pet. 5. 5. so also the examples of Haman and Nebuchadnezer with Sancherib and the iudgements of God not onely vpon them but also vpon Vzzia King of Iuda for presuming to meddle with the Priests office in offering of sacrifice 2. Chron. 26. 20. and vpon Dauid for numbring the people in a kind of pride 2. Sam. 24. and vpon Hezekiah for hauing his heart lifted vp after the recouery of his health 2. Chron. 32. 25. c. Being tempted to dishonor of parents they can repell such tentations by the fift commandement and by many other Scriptures against the same sinne as also by Agars curse against the eye that mocketh his father and despiseth the instruction of his mother viz. that the rauens of the valley shall pluck it out and that the yong Eagles shall eat it Pro. 30. 17. as also they can remember the examples of Absalom and of Adonijah and the iudgements of God vpon them Being enticed by Papists or other to rebellion treason or lifting vp their hand against Princes and the Lords annointed they can oppose the contrary commandements for obedience and subiection in the Lord of euery soule to the higher powers Rom. 13. 1. 1. Pet. 2. 13. and the fearefull iudgements of God vpon Corah Dathan and Abiram with their complices yea the deposing also of Abiathar the high Priest from the priesthood by Salomon because he had ioyned with Adonija for preuenting Salomon of the Crowne before he was King 1. Kings 1. 7. and 2. 35. If either their owne hearts or any other perswade them to contempt of the ministers of the Gospell either for plaine rebuking them for their sinnes or for any other causes they can obiect that the Lord hath commanded such to be had in singular loue for their works sake 1. Thes 5. 12. 13. that our Sauiour hath said He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Luk 10. 16. and that It shall be easier for them of the land of Sodome and Gomorrha in the day of iudgement then for that City and consequently for that family and for those persons that shall not receiue such nor heare their words Mat. 10. 13. 14. and that likewise the Lord did not only not prosper good king Asa after that he had put Hanani the Seer into prison for rebuking him for resting vpon the king of Aram c. 2. Chro. 16. 10. but that also he did send two beares out of the forrest that tare in pieces 42. of those wanton children that had reuiled mocked the Prophet Elisha and said vnto him Come vp thou bald-head Com vp thou bald-head 2. King 2. 23. 24. and that yet the least minister of the gospell is greater then Iohn Baptist who notwithstanding was greater then any Prophet Mat. 11. 11. Being moued to murder or to any other cruelty they can hold out the sixt commandement Luk. 6. 36. the commendation of mercy aboue sacrifice Hose 6. 6. and that Iames saith there shall be iudgement or condemnation mercilesse to him that sheweth no mercy Iam. 2. 13. the iudgement of God vpon Cain for the murder of Abel Gen. 4. and vpon the Egyptiās for their cruelty towards the Israelites and vpon all Israel by a great famine towards the latter end of the raign of Dauid for the cruelty of Saul against the Gibeonites 2. Sam. 21. 1. c. and after that vpon Iuda long after the death of Manasses as for other sinnes of Manasses so also for the innocent blood that he had shed 2. Kings 24. 4. Against temptations to adultery fornication and other vncleannesse
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
in making vs his children For how doth it stand with any reason or iustice that such as God loueth and hath made his children shall be condemned Againe if by faith we are saued as hath been shewed how can we be condemned The like may be said hereof in respect of our incorporation into Christ For the Apostle saith that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Rom 8. 1. so also in respect of other points of that matter wherein we shewed the being of the children of God to consist therefore in the former place they that are in Christ Iesus are described immediatly in this manner according to those things before spoken of the matter as it were of Gods children viz that they walke not after the flesh but after the spirit So Iohn saith of them that loue the brethren one principall point of the said matter of the children of God Hereby we know that we are translated from death to life if we loue the brethren 1. Ioh. 3. 14. The same is also manifest by the ende of Christs comming before spoken of For therefore did he come into the world that whosoeuer doth belieue in him should not perish c. Ioh. 3. 16. and that he might deliuer all them which for feare of death were all their life time subiect to bondage Heb. 2. 15. This also followeth from the forgiuenesse of sinnes before likewise handled For sinnes being that whereby we deserue condemnation it must needs follow that they being taken away condemnation is also taken away Being discharged of the offence wee cannot but be released of the punishment Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christ which is dead c. Rom. 8. 33. 34. So these three are ioined together No man to accuse where God iustifieth no condemnation to them for whom Christ died The Papists indeed doe boldly affirme that the fault remitted the punishment is often retained But as this is contrary to the former and to diuers other scriptures so in common reason it is foolish absurd and grosse For what a thing is this to say that a man hath his treason pardoned but yet he shall be hanged drawn and quartered Were not a man as good haue no pardon of his treason as haue such a pardon If the Papists haue no better pardon of their sinnes as indeed they shall not without great repentance and renouncing of their damnable errours they shall be in a wofull case Touching the truth of this point that the children of God are freed from condemnation I shall not need to say any more Neither shall I need largely to prooue that this freedome from condemnation is onely proper to the children of God sith they onely are elect to saluation they onely are beloued of God they only beleeue in Christ and by faith are made his members they onely may say they haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare they onely walke according to the spirit they onely haue forgiuenesse of sinnes c. The chiefe thing that I doe here propound to my selfe to shewe is how great a benefit and priuiledge this is That wee may therefore see this let vs consider a little as wee may what condemnation is Briefly and in one word Condemnation is the whole curse of God in the world to come first vpon the soule onely till the day of iudgement then vpon soule and body after the resurrection for euer and euer But let vs yet see the degrees of it more particularly The first degree therefore is the angry wrathfull and fearfull countenance rebuke sentence of the Lord Iesus Christ the Iudge of all the world against them that are before appointed or ordained to condemnation viz. against all the vngodly which before had turned the grace of God into wantonnesse and denied God the onely Lord and our Lord Iesus Christ Iude 4. when they shall be all gathered before him For then shall the Lord Iesus Christ that great Iudge of all the world speake vnto such in this manner Depart from mee ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the deuill and his angels Matthew 25. 32. and 41. The wrath of a King saith Salomon is like the roaring of a lyon he that prouoketh him to anger sinneth against his owne soule Pro. 19. 12. and 20. 2. Is the wrath of a mortall king whose breath is in his nostrels so fearefull How fearefull alas then is the wrath of the immortall King of Kings that setteth vp and casteth down 1. Sam. 2. 8. and by whom all Kings reigne and Princes decree iustice c. Pro. 8. 15. The rebuke of a King is the more heauy the more publike it is How heauy then shall that rebuke of the King of kings be which shall be giuen in the presence of all the world not only before all men but also before all the Angels both good and bad The second degree of condemnation is in the former sentence viz. the separation from the gratious and comfortable presence of God For our Sauiour saith depart from me ye cursed c. When he saith depart from me he meaneth the banishment of them not only from himself the second person in the Deity but also from the father and holy ghost For as they that haue communion with Christ haue also communion with the Father and the holy ghost as before hath been shewed so they that are depriued of Christs company are likewise depriued of the company of the Father and of the holy Ghost To be without God in this world as we haue heard before is one principal point of our misery by nature before our calling Yet there they that are so without God haue often times many friends great friends which for a while seem much to allay their misery as it were to still them like little children in their absence from God If it be such a thing to be heere without God where we haue many other friends with whom a little to while away the time what alasse will it be to be without God in the world to come where we shall haue no friends at all with whom to passe away the time or by whom to haue any comfort Amongst men when subiects begin to be suspected of treason or otherwise to be in disgrace with their soueraigns this is no small degree to further punishment afterward viz. to be banished from the court of such princes or to be commanded to keep out of their presence After that Absalom for the murder of his brother Amnon had fled from Dauid as fearing his displeasure had bin absent as a banished mā for three yeers together yet after that was so reconciled to his father that he might returne into the kingdome but notwithstanding was commanded to goe to his owne house and not to see the kings face 2. Sam. 14. 24. in which state he continued for two yeers more how
peace can there be vnto them when so many sinnes as they haue committed in great number remaine vncancelled and vnpardoned in heauen and vnrepented of in the earth This that I speake of the wicked is not only to be vnderstood of the meaner sort of the wicked that are bare poore without friends and worldly delights but also of Princes and other in great place that haue great friends that abound in wealth that flow in delights of the world that are mighty in authority and want nothing which might seeme helpfull to them against feare or to make for their peace and good security And this is manifest by the deadly feare of Nabal Saul Belshazzar and Felix before spoken of If therefore the greatest sort of the wicked be subiect to such feares who notwithstanding haue many meanes in the iudgement of men to secure them against feare what shall be said of other True indeed the wicked do not alwaies feare thus because through the extreme hardnesse of their hearts whereunto God in great iustice doth giue them ouer which is the greatest iudgement of all other in this life they are without feeling of the cause of this feare Sometimes also when they feele this feare comming vpon them they labour by the pleasures of this life or by company or by some such meanes to shift and shake it off But alas poore men they striue against the streame yea they haue wind and tide against them in that behalfe The more they put off feare for a time the stronger it will returne in the end As a man troubled with the tooth-ake for the mitigation thereof for the present taketh cold water which maketh the paine more violent afterward and as one that hath scald his leg rhrusteth the same presently into cold water and thereby findeth ease of the heat for a while but afterward feeleth the greater and longer paine so they that by pastimes and pleasures and worldly businesse and good fellowship put away their feares for a time doe finde them more extreame in the end It is with such men as with many an ill debter that being arrested by some bay liffe or sergeant at the suit of some one of his creditors to auoid imprisonment doth either violently resist or smiteth the bailiffe or the sergeant on the head that he laieth him for dead or else gerteth him into a tauerne or Alehouse and there maketh him so drunk that himselfe escapeth for the present But what doth he helpe himselfe by this meanes nothing at all yea he plungeth himselfe into further danger For in the end the creditor at whose suit he was arrested dealeth the moreseuerely with him Euen so the wicked that by any sleights passe ouer their feares not by humbling themselues to God the great creditor to whom all men owe more then they are able to pay as hath beene before said but by striuing and strugling and by making their feares drunke as it were for the present doe thereby in the end increase their feares and make them stronger and more violent then before Great especially shall the feares of the wicked bee and farre greater then they shal be able to beare when God shall come in speciall Iudgement against them The Prophet Isay threatneth the Iewes with such a day of vergeance as wherin the wicked should goe into holes and caues of the earth from before the feare of the Lord and the glorie of his Maiesty when hee should arise to destory the earth Isay 2. 19. So the Prophet Osea denouncing the iudgements of God against the Israelites saith that they should say to the Mountaines couer vs and to the hilles fall vpon vs. Hosea 10. 8. According there unto also our Sauiour seeing some women to follow him weeping as he went to suffer vpon the Crosse for vs biddeth them not to weepe for him but for themselues and for their Children and why because such daies of Gods wrath were comming as wherein they that is the wicked and such as had persecuted him yea their posterity should begin to say to the Mountaines fall vpon vs and to the hills couer vs Luke 23. 30. Most of all shall the feare of the wicked bee in the great daie of the Lord. The feare I say of Kings of the earth of great men of rich men and of the chiefe Captaines and of the mighty men who most bragge of their courage and thinke scorne to bee told that they will be afraide of any thing and of every bond man c. the feare I say of all these shal be so great that when the sunne shal be blacke and the moone turned into bloud then they shall hide themselues in dennes and among the rockes of the Mountaines saying to the Mountaines and the Rockes fall on vs and hide vs from the presence of him that sâ—â—tcth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. Reuâ—lati 6. 15. But euen in this great and fearefull day such shal be the peace of the Children of GOD that they shal be bold and not ashamed before CHRIST Iesus as this Apostle hath said in the former Chapter verse 28. Oh vnspeakable happinesse Is not therefore the dignity of Gods Children in this respect exceeding great This peace of the Children of God shall abide with them so that they may alwaies lift vp their face and bee stable without feare c. and that they may be bold c. and lie down safely taking their rest Iob. 11. 15. For the Lord hath promised that the Mountaines shall remoue and the hilles fall dâ—wn but that his mercy shal not depart nor his couenaÌ„t of peace fal away Isa 54. 10 but shal be an euerlasting couenant Ez. 37. 26. Hither also belongeth that of Isay 9. 7. and that before alledged Isay 32 17. This also the Apostle teacheth in the place before alledged Rom. 8. v. 15. For in that the Apostle saith they haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe he plainely noteth that they that are now freed from the spirit of feare shall neuer feare againe What then shall the children of God haue no feare at any time yes they shall feare God more then before in a child-like maner and so as that in such feare of God they depart from euil Iob. 1. 8. and as feare is commended to be the beginning of wisdome Psal 111 10. and to be a wel pring of life to keepe from the snares of death Pro. 14 17. and as the feare of God testifieth vs to be blessed is ioyned with great delight in his Commandements Psal 112 2. and as this feare of God working the keeping of his Commandements is said to be the whole duty of man Eecl 12 13. and as we are further exhorted euen in respect of the promise of God to clense our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and of the spirit and to grow vp to full holinesse in the feare of God 2. Cor. 7 1. and to feare the Lord and
in comparison of all other men with that generall sentence of Salomon before spoken in the title page that the righteous is more excellent then his neighbour Prou. 12. 26. From those comparisons of the children of God with other men I may now ascend into heauen it selfe and compare them with the holy and blessed and glorious Angels and that first in some sort as equall fellowes and companions secondly being in some respect more excellent and honorable then such Angels The first is acknowledged by the Angels themselues for when Iohn falling downe before the Angell which had bidden him to write Blessed are they which are called to the Lambes Supper would haue worshipped him he forbade him so to doe saying See thou doe it not I am thy fellow seruant and one of thy brethren Reu. 19. 10. and 22. 9. Touching the second the Angels are not onely fellow seruants vnto God with the children of God but they are also themselues seruants vnto the children of God for it is expresly said that they are ministring spirits sent out for their sakes which shall bee heires of saluation Heb. 1. 14. Who are such heires of saluation but only the children of God Rom. 8. 17. It is also written in the Psalme The Angell of the Lord pitcheth round about them that feare him and deliuereth them Psalm 34. 7. The same is curdent by examples of the Angels in scripture attending vpon diuers particular persons vpon Abraham Iacob Moses Ioshua Gedeon Dauid Daniel Mary Ioseph Peter Cornelius Paul c yea not only attending vpon them but also deliuering them out of their dangers in flicting the iudgements of God vpon their aduersaries and otherwise helping and comforting them according to their necessities This is the more because it is neuer said that the children of God are seruants to the Angels Yea when the children of God haue offered their seruice to the Angels at least to worship them they haue refused and forbidden it as before we heard Neither doe the Angels attend vpon the children of God whiles they liue only but also when they die viz. to carry their soules into heauen Luk. 16. 22. But this perhaps may seem no good argument for the prerogatiues of the children of God aboue the Angels because sometime a Prince may honor an inferior subiect with the attendance of a more honorable person and with some seruice to be done vnto him by such a more honorable person then himselfe and because also the Angels being mightier may seem therather to gard and otherwise to attend vpon the children vpon earth in respect of their manifold infirmities and weaknesses as also because of their great aduersaries not for any such dignity of the children of God vpō earth as we haue spoken of Though I should grāt all this and not contend of the preferment of Gods children aboue the Angels in that respect yet this I may boldly I thinke vtter that there seemeth to be a great preheminence of the children of God in respect that there is a more neere coniunction betwixt Christ and them then there is betwixt Christ and the Angels I meane in nature not in place In place the Angels for the present are neerer to Christ then the children of God in earth but in nature the children of God are neerer to Christ then the Angels For it is expresly said that Christ tooke not the nature of Angels vnto him and it is plaintly affirmed that he tooke on him the seed of Abraham Heb. 2 16. and that he was made of the seed of Dauid Rom. 1. 3. as also it is said that he took our nature vpon him in respect of his conception in the womb of the virgin so by contracting and marrying himselfe vnto vs and and vs vnto himselfe he hath made as we heard a further vnion with vs whereby it is said of vs in respect of him that we are flesh of his flesh So then by conception and incarnation he is made one with vs and by the former contract of marriage we are made one with him First he is flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone and secondly we Note are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone this latter speech cannot be spoken properly but by vertue of his marriage and contract with vs for otherwise he is rather flesh of our flesh touching his humanity then we flesh of his flesh Because we in that respect were before him The former cannot truly be said to be of the latter but the latter may well be said to be of the former According also to that before spoken by vertue of the said marriage contract of Christ with vs we are said to be members of Christ or of the body of Christ with vs we are said to be members of Christ or of the body of Christ To apply all this is the like euer said of the Angels that they are members of Christ yea how can they be said to be his members being altogither of a diuers nature from him for must not the head and the members be both of one nature or will not the whole that hath a head of one nature and the body of another be a kind of monster I grant that Christ improperly and by a kind of metaphor may be called the head of the angels in respect that euen as mediator the angels and powers and mights are subiect vnto him 1. Pet. 3. 22. but that he is the head of the angels in such sort as he is the head of elect men adopted to be the children of God it cannot be because they cannot be his members as we are In respect therefore that we are more neerly vnited vnto Christ then the angels first by nature in his conception secondly by his mariage contract with vs why may I not say that we haue a kind of preheminence aboue the angels for as euery thing is more vile the further off it is from that which is most excellent so euery thing cannot but be the more excellent the neerer it is to the most excellent Moreouer we haue before heard that the great names and titles of Christ are communicated to the children of God Can the like be shewed of the Angels As therefore because God had in Scripture said of Christ thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee and neuer so said of the Angels the Apostle maketh this conclusion that Christ was made so much more excellent then the Angels by how much hee had obtained a more excellent name then they Hebr. 1. 4. so why may not I make the like conciulion from the premises that the children of God are made so much more excellent then the Angels by how much they haue obtained more excellent names then they The names of Seraphims principalities powers and mights c. are great names but are they like to the names before mentioned especially may they be compared to the name Christ Againe for as much as wee haue
that doe not beleeue at all As the want of faith hindreth vs from seeing the glory of God so also it hindreth from seeing the glory of his children and any speciall worke of God towards them for which hee may be glorified by them As our Sauiour signifieth that the weaknesse of her faith might hinder her from seeing the present resurrection of her brother Lazarus and so consequently from the sight of the glorie of God which therein should bee shewed so it cannot bee but that the nullitie of faith in the wicked must much more hinder them from seeing the glorie of the Saints at the last day and in the kingdome of Heauen The vnbeleefe of men did sometimes hinder Christ himselfe from doing those workes which otherwise hee would haue done and whereby hee would haue shewed his owne glorie and the glorie of his father Matth. 13. 58. Yea it is said that in some places hee could doe no great workes because of the maruellous vnbeleefe of them that dwelt in such places Marke 6. 5. 6. If vnbeleefe did so hinder Christ that hee did not neither could doe any great workes for the bodily good of men doth not vnbeleefe much more hinder men from the sight of the euerlasting saluation of his elect for which they shall giue glory vnto God and vnto the Lambe for euermore By this vnbeleefe it hath come to passe that mens eies haue beene shut vp in such sort that they haue not seene the saluation of the children of God from many dangers of this life how apparant and manifest soeuer the same haue beene Consider the vniuersall flood and behold the manifold manifest tokens both thereof and also of the preseruation of all that beleeuing the same should either haue repaired to Noah to goe with him into the Arke which hee had made or by true repentance haue preuented it Noah with many other busied themselues for the space of one hundred and twenty yeeres in building the Arke When the time of the flood it selfe approched he prouided all things fit for preseruation of himselfe and of his companie and of all other creatures that should resort vnto him to bee preserued by him Who would not by these things haue thought that there had beene some great worke of God towards Who would not haue seene the purpose of God for the glorious preseruation of all those that should beleeue the preaching of Noah and doe accordingly Yet behold more When the time of the flood approched neerer all creatures as well wilde as tame as well fierce as gentle as well flying fowles as foure footed beasts came to Noah and offred themselues to bee put into the Arke Wolues Beares Tigres Elephants Lions Hawkes of all sorts Eagles and such like All these I say came by the secret commandement of God for their so comming No man did fetch them No man did call them No man did driue them No man vsed any art to gather them together Who would not haue wondred at this Who would not haue thought all the former preaching of Noah touching the destruction of the world by the flood to haue beene true Who would not haue beleeued it Who would not haue beene perswaded of it Who would not haue seene the future saluation of Noah and his familie in the Arke Notwithstanding though they had seene what Noah had beene yet it did not appeare vnto them what hee and his should bee as touching their safetie from that great iudgement which hee so long had preached This is the more admirable because those creatures which then came so willinglie neither before could nor sithence can either without much force or without great art and skill be brought into subiection The like may bee said of the deliuerance of the people of Israel out of the Land of Egypt Who would not haue thought and seene by all the miracles that the Lord did in the Land of Egypt euen before the Egyptians by the turning of Moses his rodde into a serpent by the changing of all the waters in Egypt into blood so that all the fish that was in the same water died and stanke Exâ—d 7. by the frogges by the lice by the noisome flies Chap. 8. by the rot of all sorts of beasts all the beasts of Israel being in that time safely preserued by the like scabbe and blister vpon all the people of Egypt themselues by the most fearefull haile thunder and lightning Chap. 9. by the innumerable number of grasse-hoppers by the dreadfull darknesse Chap. 10. and by the remooue from time to time of all these iudgements at the praier of Moses lastlie by the death of all the first borne of Egypt euery house of the Israelites being passed ouer Chap. 12. Who I say by these things would not haue thought and seene what the Israelites should bee and how great saluation the Lord had prepared for them Come wee a little further to the comming of the Israelites to the red sea when the Lord made the waters to stand vpon heapes and to be as a wall of each side of them what could bee more euident then that the Lord would both saue Israel and also destroy the Egyptians A man would thinke that these two things the saluation I say of the Israelites and the ouerthrow of the Egyptians by all the former things had beene as plaine as the nose as men vse to speake of a mans face Yet for all this so were the Egyptians blinded so were their hearts through infidelitie and vnbeleefe hardened that it did not appeare vnto them how either the Israelites should be saued or themselues destroied The like may be said of the great miracles that our Sauiour wrought heere vpon the earth as also of the great signes that were done at the putting of him to death viz. of the renting of the veile of the Temple of the generall darknesse vpon the whole Land from the sixth houre to thâ— ninth and the rising and appearing of many of the Saints that slept For who would not haue thought but that by all these things it should haue appeared what Christ was and what hee should bee Yet such was their extreme infidelitie and vnbeleefe that for all that they could not see those things which were so euident viz. neither what Christ was nor especially what Christ should be The same is to bee said of those things whereby God manifested plainly what Steuen should bee especially that the whole Councell did behold his face as the face of an Angell of God Act. 6. 15. Who would not haue thought but that they should haue seene thereby in what grace and fauour hee was with God and what glorie hee should haue likewise before God Yet when hee said Behold I see the heauens open and the sonne of man standing at the right hand of God they were so farre from seeing any such thing that they shouted with a loud voice and stopped their eares and ran vpon him all at once and cast him out of
the citie and stoned him Act. 7. 56. c. I might to the former adde the daily most wonderfull workes of Gods gracious prouidence for the true professors of the Gospell in these last daies as the vpholding of Luther many yeeres in despight of all his most mighty aduersaries the often and most miraculous preseruation of our late most blessed Queene and of this whole kingdome both from many most dangerous and secret conspiracies of Popish Traitors at home and also from the great intended inuasion of the Spaniards abroad together with the like deliuerance of our present dread Soueraigne as from many former treasons in SCOTLAND so also from many other sithence his aduancement heere and especially that more then wonderfull preseruation of his Maiestie and of all his royall seede and of the whole state of the Land from the most diuellish plot of the powder treason heere at home I might further remember the great preseruation of little Geneua being so often assaulted by many most mightie aduersaries and the gratious prouision that God did make for Rochel in the great distresse thereof by a long and tedious and no lesse lamentable siege I might with these things ioine many fearefull iudgements of God not onely vpon many particular Papists that haue beene most malicious against the truth and professours thereof but also against their Lord and master Antichrist himselfe I meane the Pope in confounding all his deuices from time to time and in turning all his curses into blessings and blessing vs so much the more the more that hee hath cursed vs and likewise the mighty ouerthrow of his mightie nauie sent against vs I might I say very fitly heere remember all these things and many other the like as very pertinent to our present purpose For were not the Papists by Gods most righteous iudgement exceedingly blinded in their mindes and as extremely hardened in their hearts and fully possessed with infidelitie and vnbeleefe they could not but see the truth of our religion and the future glory and happinesse of all them that doe truly embrace and professe the same But because of their said blindnesse hardnesse and infidelitie it is that how manifest soeuer these things are in themselues and to any that haue any sight and the least measure of faith yet they are hidden from them and to them it doth not appeare either what our religion is or what all the true-hearted professours thereof shall be But howsoeuer I might adde largely handle these things yet hauing beene so plentifull in the premises and somewhat yet remaining it shall be sufficient thus onely to haue named them And this shall be enough for the reasons why notwithstanding we be now already the children of God yet it doth not appeare especially to the world what heereafter wee shall be And this is the second reason also why the world taketh so little knowledge of vs and doth so little respect vs yea why they doe so much hate and despise vs. As the like is often the cause as before I said why great persons are not regarded by some because these some doe not see that future greatnesse of such persons for then they would honour them and seeke their fauour in hope of some benefit by them so is it touching the children of God The vse of this point briefly and in one word is that wee iudge not either persons or things according to the outward appearance but that we iudge righteous iudgement This our Sauiour expresly commandeth Ioh. 7. 24. And to iudge according to outward appearance is reprooued by God himselfe in Samuel for when Samuel was sent to anoint one of Ishai his sonnes for King of Israel after Saul and when he saw Eliab the sonne of Ishai before him hee iudging according to the talnesse of his person and goodlinesse of his countenance it may bee because Saul the first King of Israel whom by the commandement of the Lord he had anointed was higher then any of the people from the shoulders vpward 1. Sam. 10. 23. Samuel I say iudging Eliab according to his goodly person and countenance said Surely the Lords anointed is before mee But what said the Lord Looke not on his countenance nor on the height of his stature because I haue refused him for God seeth not as man seeth for man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord beholdeth the heart 1. Sam. 16. 7. Wee iudge not our coines nor many other things according to their outward appearance nor according to that that for the present they are esteemed by some ignorant persons but we trie them by the touch stone and we esteeme of them according to that which afterward they will bee Therefore when there is any base money in any kingdome allowed and proclaimed for currant money no man laieth or hoordeth it vp but euery man laieth it out as fast as he receiueth it Why Because he daily feareth a fall He esteemeth it not according to that that it is but according to that that it may be The like wee doe with cloth both linnen and woollen For wee esteeme not of the one or of the other according to the present glosse and appearance for many times by the slick-stone or pressing iron or by other cunning meanes they appeare better then they are but we iudge and esteeme of them and giue for them according to their future proofe and as neere as wee can according to that which afterward they will bee The same we doe with many other things Shall wee then bee so foolish in our iudgement of the children of God as to account of them only according to that which presently they appeare to be Thus much of this second answer briefly propounded touching the former obiection or of the second answer why the world knoweth not the children of God viz. because that although they bee not only in name called but are also indeed the children of God yet it doth not appeare especially to the world and to men vnregenerate what they shall be CHAP. XXXIIII Of that which the children of God shall be viz. of their future similitude and likenesse vnto Christ and of the certaintie thereof IT followeth in the text But we know that when he shall appeare we shall be like him c. The first word here in most of our English Bibles is ill translated and because thereby the opposition of these words to the former is much obscured It is in the originall but which plainly noteth the opposition and teacheth the iudgement and knowledge of Gods children to be contrary to the iudgement and knowledge of the world This might be amplified but that it is not a thing very pertinent to the maine point in hand of the dignity of Gods children In all the words following let vs obserue first the proposition of our future state or of the future state of the children of God which is that they shall be like to Christ himselfe secondly the further handling thereof
the place where the said wife dwelleth The wife therefore goeth not her selfe to take possession of the said lands but the husband goeth maketh it manifest to the Lord to whom such lands are customary that he is the lawfull husband of such a woman and therfore craueth to be admitted and to take vp the land in her name and to her vse He is so admitted Is not the woman from that time forward in as good and reall possession by her husbands admission as if she her selfe had been there present though she still remaine in the place where she dwelleth and neuer come foot neerer It cannot be denied The like is to be said touching the present possession of heauen by all the children of God who then shall dispossesse them thereof If none can dispossesse them why should they doubt where is the vncertainty The obiections against this doctrine are of no moment It is no doctrine of pride nor presumption because I shewed before that the consideration of the great dignitie of the children of God whereof this is one speciall point should make men the more to decke themselues inwardly with all lowlinesse of minde and outwardly with all behauiour sutable to such inward lowlinesse It is no doctrine of securitie because the Apostle Paul exhorteth the Corinthians touching their iudgement to be stedfast and vnmoueable and touching their practise to be abundant alwaies in the worke of the Lord for asmuch not as they hoped or vncertainly expected but as they knew their labour of their worke was not in vaine in the Lord 1. Cor. 15. 58. In this Chapter also this our Apostle afterward prouoketh to brotherly loue euen to loue not onely in word and tongue but also in deed and in truth from their knowledge of being translated from death vnto life and of being of the truth and of assuring their hearts before God verse 14. and 18. and 19. Yea in this very place it followeth as we shall heare Euery one that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe as he is pure How then can this doctrine of our certainty of saluation and of our likenesse vnto Christ bee called by the Papists a doctrine of securitie being so often laid for a foundation of good workes and vsed for a spurre to good workes The great place to the Hebrewes Chap 6. 4 the chiefe bulwarke of the Papists for defense of their doubting and vncertaintie as if they that are regenerated might vtterly and finallie fall away from the grace of God and as if consequently none could heere bee sure of this future likenesse vnto Christ is of no force at all the walles thereof are but paper walles yea the truth is it maketh mainly against them and plainly and vnanswerably prooueth that none that once haue true faith c. can possibly altogether and finally fall away For in the ninth verse following the Apostle fearing that some of them to whome hee did write might take hold of his former doctrine and applying it to themselues might thinke themselues in that fearefull state of relapse which before hee had spoken of preuenteth this obiection and saith Notwithstanding we are perswaded better things of you and such as accompanie saluation So he sheweth that there were better things then so to be once inlightned so to haue tasted of the heauenly gift so to haue beene made partaker of the holy Ghost so to haue tasted of the good word of God and of the power of the world to come as before he had spoken So also hee teacheth that those better things only which he meaneth in the ninth verse did accompanie saluation and that therefore he had not before meant a true liuely and iustifying faith and that vnfained and pure Christian loue whereby faith worketh for what better things can there be then this faith and loue If yet any replie that that ninth verse is not to bee vnderstood in respect of the things mentioned in the 4. 5. and 6. verses but onely of that which is said in the 7. and 8. verses I answer that this is but an heartlesse pithlesse and strengthlesse obiection yea indeed foolish and ridiculous For the 7. and 8. verses being the confirmation of that which was said in the 4. 5. and 6. verses how can the 9. verse be referred onely to the 7. and 8. verses and not also to the 4. 5. and 6 In this point of the certainty of our future likenesse vnto Christ let vs obserue the first person Wee know and that wee shall be like Thereby he teacheth that only they and all they shall be like vnto Christ which before hee had said were the children of God All they indeed haue not alwaies the like knowledge or the like feeling of this knowledge of their likenesse to Christ because of some afflictions and because of too much liberty giuen to their sinnes which by the said libertie doe grow vp to bee a thicke groue to stand before their windowes and to eclipse obscure and hide the light of the sunne of righteousnesse from shining into the house of their inner man so cleerely as in former time it hath done As men also though neuer so learned in their sleepe haue no more vse of their learning then men altogether vnlearned and yet for all that they still haue that learning which they had waking so is it with the children of God touching this their knowledge of their likenesse vnto Christ Being sometime ouertaken with the sleepe of some or of many sinnes for a time they are depriued of the vse of the former knowledge viz. so long as their said sleepe in sinne continueth Notwithstanding they still haue their former knowledge and shall recouer the vse of it againe when they shall be awakened out of their sleepe of sinne But to this point many things may be referred that haue been spoken in the former part of this treatise therefore I shall not need to speake any more thereof in this place The more excellent that the subiect of this knowledge is viz. our likenesse vnto Christ the more let all both Scholars and other be prouoked to study this knowledge yea let all other studies and all other learning giue place to this and be referred to this Neither let any other knowledge and learning be in any account but for this and as it may helpe and further vs vnto this Thus much for the knowledge and certainty of our future likenesse vnto Christ CHAP. XXXV Of the time when the children of God shall be so like vnto Christ as before we heard and of the reason of the said likenesse by an effect thereof IT followeth now to speake of the time when the children of God shall be like to Christ This is said to be at his appearing This time is also noted Coloss 3. 4. Tit. 2. 13. 1. Pet. 1. 5. and 7. I doe but name the places not expressing the words because I hasten By his appearing he meaneth his second comming in glorie and
in the description of the resurrection 1. Cor. 15. 52. there is no other sort mentioned but the dead to bee raised and the liuing at that time vpon the earth to be changed The trumpet shall blow and the dead shall be raised vp incorruptible and we viz all which at that day shall be liuing shal be changed The like is 1. Thess 4. 15. 16. 17. This say we vnto you by the word of the Lord that we which liue and are remaining in the comming of the Lord shall not preuent them which sleepe for the Lord himselfe shall descend downe from heauen with a shout and with the voice of an Archangell and with the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Then shall wee which liue and remaine be caught vp with them also in the clouds c. In neither of both these places is there any mention of any but of the dead and of the liuing and remaining here vpon the earth Enoch therfore and Elias must be reckned with the dead accounted as dead though they died in an extraordinary maner neither violent or painfull to themselues or discerned by other Fifthly all the elect being compared to a body and it being contrary to the nature of a body that any one member should bee perfected till the body haue all the members belonging thereunto how can it bee that one or two of the members of Christs body should be perfected and wholly glorified in heauen Christ wanting many members and not being compleat in his said body till the very last age of the world and till the last point of the said age For who can deny but that there are many of the elect yet vnborne When also they shall bee all borne who can deny but that they shall be called one after another Till all be borne and all be called Christs body is not perfect Sixthly who can deny the Ministers of the Gospell to bee more excellent especially the Apostles and Euangelists who first planted the Churches among the Gentiles who I say can deny these to bee more honorable then any Ministers vnder the Law Much more then any before the Law This hath beene shewed before therefore I doe not now stand vpon it This only I adde that it is said of the Apostles as an honourable thing and as a dignity and prerogatiue of them aboue all other namely that they should sit vpon twelue seats or thrones and iudge the twelue tribes of Israel Matth. 19. 28. It is likewise to be acknowledged that as the calling was more honourable then the calling of any of the Prophets so also they had more excellent graces not only speciall for discharge of their speciall places but also generally of sanctification Is this so How vnlikely then is it that any especially vnder the Law or before the Law should haue any degree of glory and be perfectly glorified before them Seuenthly there were some as wicked in their time before their time and after their time and daily are as they now in question were godly yea former times and these last times doe affoord many much more wicked then they then were or any other are godly Such was Ieroboam that made Israel to sinne Ahab and many other of the kings of Israel So Iudas that betraied our Sauiour the Pharisees that sinned against the holy Ghost the man of sinne called likewise the sonne of perdition the aduersarie that exalteth himselfe against all that is called God c. and many other contemners of the Gospell Yet none of these doe goe bodily into the place of all the damned till the day of iudgement Why then should wee thinke that they before named Enoch and Elias went bodily into heauen the place of the blessed This that I haue hitherto written of Enoch and Elias is the iudgement of diuers other that must bee acknowledged to haue beene glorious lights and worthy of much praise in the Churches Caluin indeed writeth heerein somewhat obseurely and I confesse somewhat aboue my reach and capacitie for first thus hee writeth vpon Genes 5. 24. euen word for word the Latine turned into English In summe saith hee speaking of Enochs taking away such a rapture or taking away was but a gentle and ioifull passage out of this world Yet he was not receiued into the heauens to glorie but was onely released of the miseries of this present life vntill Christ the first fruits of them that rise again sâ—ould come And sith bee was one of the members of the Church it was necessarie that hee should wait till all the members together should come foorth to meet Christ that the whole body might bee vnited to the head Notwithstanding in the very next words he doth much obscure that which before hee had written adding If any shall obiect that of the Apostle It is appointed all men to die once the solution is easie namely that death doth not alwaies make a diuorce of the soule and body but they are said to die which put off the corruptible nature in which manner they shall die whom the last day shall finde remaining These last words I confesse I cannot conceiue namely how any may be said to die whose soules and bodies are not separated and how they that shall be liuing at the last day may be said to die whom the Apostle expresly saith shall not die but only be changed Peter Martyr according to his manner writeth very largelie and somewhat I confesse different from something before written by me namely in his Commentarie vpon 2. King 2. 11. Notwithstanding in another place he commeth neerer vnto me and agreeth more with me In the former place first he writeth that it is not probable or Consentâ—â—eum like that these two Enoch and Elias should be taken to the places of blessednesse before Christ himselfe which is the first fruits of all had aduanced himselfe thither The words also of our Lord may seeme to perswade this who in Iohn saith No man hath ascended into heauen but the sonne of man that descended from heauen He therefore denieth any man to haue ascended into heauen before himselfe c. Yet afterward hee saith that they went bodie and soule into Abrahams bosome and he maketh Abrahams bosome a place aboue yet distinct from the glorious place where Christ and all his Saints departed this life are How sound this is I leaue to other of sound iudgement For my part I know no such distinction as he there maketh After this he proceedeth further denying them to haue died opposing himselfe to them that said as I haue written viz. that they died but yet an extraordinary kinde of death neither by any defect or decay of nature nor by any force and violence but after some other sort with ease and delight c. Notwithstanding in the other place before insinuated he differeth from that which himselfe had before written and agreeth with me For writing of the Eucharist against Steuen Gardiner
would haue the yonger women to be chast Tit. 2. 5. Notwithstanding by the figure synecdoche that putteth the speciall for the general this word is vsed for all vertues and in this very place here is not only the verbe but also the primitiue whereof it is deriued in the words following as he is pure which being spoken of Christ noteth all the vertues that were in him euen his perfect holinesse and righteousnesse without any sinne at all This verbe in the generall signification thereof is borrowed as now it is vsed from the manner of the law for purifying themselues according to the ceremonies of the law either after they had any waies defiled themselues or before they were to come to the passeouer or to be imploied in any other holy worke So it is vsed Iohn 11. 55. Acts 21. 24. and 24. 18. The law being abrogated when the Apostle wrote this it cannot be taken for any ceremoniall purging but for a morall purging from sinne So also it is taken Iames 48. Clense your hands ye sinners and purge your hearts ye wauering minded men So also 1. Pet. 1. 22. Seeing your soules are purified in obeying the truth This word therefore in this signification of it noteth all sinne to be a filthy thing and not only adultery fornication and other such bodily vncleannes which euery man accounteth filthy to be filthy but euery other sinne also The wicked do account of some sinnes as speciall ornaments Pride is vnto them as a cbaine and cruelty as a garment Psal 73. 6. So we see that many in these daies thinke themselues the trimmer and the gaier for going in strange apparell fet from other countries and contrary to their sexe the man wearing womans apparell especially the woman wearing mans apparrell and contrary to their kind men and women conforming themselues rather to beasts then to any sobrietie and the men wearing long haire euen long locks behind contrary to nature and not only like to women but also like to some vnreasonable creatures and women wearing such kindes of periwigs that if a man should come out of the land of the liuing where he had not seene any such thing hee would hardly know what kind of creatures they bee but would take them to be some strange monsters only bred in this country These things haue beene proued before to be condemned in the word and to be greeuous sinnes yet in these things diuers take a great pride esteeming of them as of goodly ornaments yea so farre are some gone in impiety that they thinke it a great ornament â—o sweare great and fearefull othes and that they doe not account of him for a gentleman but rather for a clowne and a foole that cannot and doth not ordinarily in his common speech most wickedly and prophanely rap out all manner of othes The like doe some account of that foule and more then beastly sinne of drunkennesse But howsoeuer these and other the like sinnes be accounted as ornaments yet the holy Ghost doth account them as foule things and doth often call all sinne by the name of filthinesse 2. Cor. 7. 1. Iames 1. 21. or of uncleannesse Rom 1. 24. and 6. 19. 2. pet 2. 10. And it is not to be neglected that in cuery one of these places there is in the originall a seuerall word though they be all interpreted either filthinesse or vncleannesse For 2. Cor. 7. 1. is one word Ianâ—es 1. 21. another the primatiue whereof signifieth most properly such filthinesse as is gathered in the top of the fingers betwixt the nailes and the flesh Rom. 1. 24. and 6. 19. is another word and another in 2 Pet. 2. 10. what doth all this variety of words teach vs Truly this that such is the foulnesse and filthinesse of all sinne that no one word is sufficient to expresse or set forth the same Let men therefore please themselues as much as they will in it it is but a foule and filthy thing yea so foule filthy and lothsome that they that hauing been deliuered from it do returne againe vnto it are compared to the dog that returneth to his vemit and to the sow that being washed doth also returne to her mire againe wherin before she had wallowed 2. Pet. 2. 22. Can any thing be more lothsome then such mire and then the vomit of a dog Let no man blame me for writing so homely I vse the words and phrase of the Apostle yea it is the cloquence of most wise King Salemon Pro. 26. 11. and in both places of the holy ghost himselfe to make all sinne the more odious vnto all men But alas is it not a strange thing that many base persons should be so squaimish nice and dainty that they should condemnâ— that for rudenesse and thinke much to heare it spoken which that great and mighty King Salomen and God himselfe haue vsed for eloquence Is it not much more strange that men euen of the greatest sort should daily defile themselues with that and tumble and wallow in it ouer head and cares soule and body which is a thousand times more filthy and beastly then either the mire of a sow or the vomit of a dog and reproue those that set forth such filthinesse by the words of King Salomen of the Apostle and of the holy ghost Thus much touching the first respect of my obseruation of this word viz. concerning the signification thereof Touching the tence the Apostle speaketh not in the time past or in the time to come saying either he hath purged himselfe or he will purge himselfe but in the time present saying purgeth or doth purge This teacheth that this is and must be a continuall worke because sinne whereof this purging is doth alwaies remaine touching the blot stame and blemish thereof Though they that once be regenerated to be the children of God be iustisied and discharged from the guilt of all their sinnes as also freed from the bondage of them yet touching the staine of sinne that doth and shall alwaies remaine as along as we be clothed with corruption For who can say I haue made my heart cleane I am cleane from my sinne Pro. 20. 9. There is no man that sinneth not 1. Kings 8. 46. In many things we sinne all Iames 3. 2. And who needeth not daily to pray for forgiuenesse of trespasses What man also lineth and shall not see death There are certaine times of the yeere fitter for purging of the body for bodily health then other as the spring is best of all and the fall of the lease next to that So also in those times that are sit there are some daies fitter to purge either with pilles or with potions or by vomits or by clysters or by letting of bloud But for this spirituall purging of our selues from sinne all times are like all daies ahke none better then other except only when there is fitter opportunity in respect of fitter meanes as also in respect of some iudgement and
calamity either generall or speciall whereby the Lord calleth vs to search and try our waies and to turne vnto him Lam. 3. 40. Ioel 2. 12. that is to purge our selues of such things as wherewith we haue before defiled our selues and prouoked the Lords wrath against vs. This obseruation in one word plainly condemneth the superstition of the Papists that are very precise in purging themselues in the time of Lent and in abstaining then from such things as they foolishly thinke will defile themselues yea from the state of mariage which God himselfe hath pronounced honorable without any exceotion of time to the contrary as also at some other times of the yeare which they as vnwisely imagine to be more holy then other whereas at other times they are altogether secure carelesse and licentious in hope at the returne of the foresaid holy time and times to purge and clense themselues once for all Thus much touching the fourth obseruation of the word purgeth in respect both of the signification and also of the present tense thereof Fiftly let vs obserue the next word himselfe This teacheth that he that hath this hope in him is not onely curious in purging other and in teaching and admonishing other how they should be purged but that especially he laboreth vpon himselfe and with himselfe for the purging of himselfe So Paul exhorteth the Colossians to teach and admonish their owne selues Coloss 3. 16. and Iude them to whom hee did write to edisie themselues in their most holy faith and to keepe themselues in the loue of God Iude 21. So Paul saith to Timothâ—e Study to shew thy selfe approued vnto God 2. Tim. 2. 15. He would not haue him to studie onely for the good of other but also and in the first place for his owne good that so hee might bee the fitter and more able to doe good vnto other This is a necessary point because many are very curious about other that doe altogether neglect themselues They reprooae other they censure other they teach other c. but touching themselues they are altogether carelesse by which meanes they doe thelesse good vnto other For who will not be ready to say vnto such Physitian heale thy selfe Luk 423. and Thou which teachest another teachest thou not thy selfe c. Rom. 2. 21. Truly there is nothing that in all ages hath more hindred and now doth more hinder the publike ministery of the word and the priuat profession and exhortations c. of others then the practise that hath been and is contrary to such publike teaching and to such priuat profession and exhortations But what doth the Apostle meane by this kind of speech Euery one that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe doth hee teach freewill and that euery one that hopeth at the appearing of Christ to be like vnto Christ hath power to purge himselfe Nothing lesse The Rhemists indeed and other Papists vpon this place gather and inferre that doctrine But they gather that which is not sowen and they inferre conclusions without premises The holy Ghost teacheth no such thing either here or any where els yea he teacheth the cleane contrary For we haue plentifully heard before that our whole regeneration is the worke of GOD. To purge our selues is an effect of our regeneration therefore to purge our selues is likewise the worke of God To purge our selues and to sanctifie our selues is all one but sanctification is the worke of God onely as before also hath beene shewed and as appeareth by the prayer of Christ generallie for the Church Iohn 17. 17. and of the Apostle particularlie for the Thessalonians 1. Thessalonians 5. 23. Our Sauiour also expresselie ascribeth this word of purging to his Father saying Euerie plant that bringeth foorth fruit hee that is God the Father purgeth that it may bring foorth more fruit Iohn 15. 2. Where it is to be obserued that he speaketh not of purging men at the first which are not engraffed into Christ that they may bring foorth the first fruits of righteousnesse but that he speaketh of them that alreadie are ingraffed into Christ and saith that his Father purgeth them that they may bring foorth more fruit In the same place also hee saith that without himselfe as hee was the mediator God and man euen such so ingraffed into him can doe nothing without mee saith hee yee can doe nothing verse 5. If such as the disciples of Christ were so long ingraffed into him so long instructed by him and so well acquainted with all his doctrine miracles and whole conuersation could doe nothing without Christ how much lesse can any other doe any thing But what then is the meaning of the Apostle Euen this first as I said before that euerie one that hath that hope already spoken of doth most of all busie himselfe in this worke of purging about himselfe and not altogether imploie his time about other It is true in deed that euery one that hath that hope doth regard also other vnder his gouernment especially and according to his place doth labor the purging of other that are so committed to his charge And certainly hee that doth not so regard other hath neuer been purged himselfe For indeed so to doe is in some sort to purge himselfe because euery gouernour being in some sort the head of those to whom he is gouenor they also that are vnder his gouernment cannot but in like sort be his members at least members of that body whereof he is the head Euery gouernor of a family being as he is the gouernor the head also of the family all the rest of the same famâ—ly are as it were his members Especially as the husband is called the head of the wife 1. Cor. 11. 3. so the wife is said to be bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh Genes 2. 23. The children likewise are branches and so in like manner members of the parents as being taken out of their loines So in like manner the King or any other hauing kingly and supreme and soueraigne authority is in that respect the head of his people and his people are in the same respect his members Therefore if such doe not labour to purge those that doe so belong vnto them euen as Iob is said to haue sanctified his children Iob 1. 5. and as Abraham is commended by God himselfe that he would command his sonnes and his houshold after him to keepe the waie of the Lord c. Genes 18. 19 if I say such as are in any authority ouer other doe not labour so to purge them that are vnder their gouernment they may in some sort be said not to purge themselues Notwithstanding all such doe first of all and must first of all looke to themselues euen to their owne persons because otherwise their care for other shall either be altogether in vaine or els it shall bee with little successe Secondly for further answer touching the meaning of these words the Apostle