ioyned his word and his spirit togither by which as by a true tuchstone all false loue is discerned from true loue and all false peace and false ioy is tried from true peace and true ioy and so of the rest and therfore is the word called the sword of the spirite because it doth not try nothing nor worke any thing ordinarily but by the word of God And last of al least Sathan should abuse delude the children of God with the manifold corruptions imperfections and rebellious thoughtes of their heartes and make them conclude thereupon that they haue not the spirit of God They are to know that the spirite of God in the elect is not alwaies felt in themselues nor perceiued in them by others in a like measure but it is in them as the sunne which sometime shineth and sendeth foorth her light dispersing the clouds and somtimes againe is hidden vnder the cloudes It is in them as the ebbing and flowing of the sea It is in them as the waxing and waning of the Moone It is in them as the fire when it is kindled and when it is raked vp in the ashes And it is within them as the sap of the tree is in Winter and Sommer sometime in all the branches and sometime gone to the roote And as the elect are like Trees planted by the waters side which doe bring forth fruite in due season so the same trees haue both a summering and a wintering a spring time and a fall of the leafe when winter come they seeme as though they were dead but in summer they shall waxe fresh and greene againe The fruits of the spirite in the elect children of God are likewise like the fruit of the tree which is first in the sap only then it commeth into buds and then into blossomes whereof some are smitten with blasting some are nipped with frost cold some are eaten with worms but if they escape al these then from blossoms they come to be appls and at the first they are green and louely and many doe lust to eate of them but they are still hard and harshe but in time they come to their full growth And when they are ripe then are they eyther shaken downe with the winde and swine deuour them or beaten downe with cudgels and theeues do steale them or if they be fairely gathered yet are they pluckt from the tree that hath borne them then are they bought and sold whereof some perish and are cast out of dores the fairest and the sweetest is brought either to fire to be rosted or to the boord to be pared and cut in peeces and so to be eaten then the tree is naked and seemeth to be dead but the next spring doth fetch all againe So are the fruites of the spirite in the adopted children of God first in the sap of faith only which is hidden in the heart then it commeth into good thoughtes then into good wordes then into good workes by degrees but many times they are nipped and smitten in the bud or in the blossome that is either in thoughts or wordes that they neuer come into workes The workes likewise of the godly are at the first faire and freshe but yet hard and harsh and when they are come to any perfectiō they are either wind-shaken and deuoured by beasts or smitten with persecution then are they bought and solde and euerie man handleth them as they list In a worde the fairest the pleasantest and the best of our workes must be pared and picked for dainty mouths and queasie stomackes and in the end consumed of all and then are our labours come to their perfection wherher they be of Church or common-wealth and then doe many of Gods children thinke themselues naked and dead but there is no cause why they should for as all that fruit when it is so and so handled doe prooue that sap is in the tree so all the fruites of the elect whether they perishin the bud or in the blossome or in the ripening or howsoeuer they be handled yet they proue that the sap of Gods spirite is in them and the next spring of Gods grace will fetch all againe But then they doubt of themselues because perhappes they haue not so much fruit as they had or so much as others haue but there is no cause why they shold doubt of thēselues for though they haue not so much as they had yet it is as good and sound as that which they had it is not counterfait and fained but it is in trueth that which it seemeth to be and so long they may care but they neede not to feare the want of Gods spirite in them for it is not so materiall how much faith or howe much zeale or how much loue or how much patience a man hath but how good faith howe good zeale how good loue how good patience a man hath whether the faith loue zeale c. be true or counterfeit from the heart or in hypocrisie must be the question That as men say of fruit this is but little but it is good heere be not many of them but those that are of them are verie daintie they are right of such and such a kind So the children of God may say My faith is but little and weake my loue is not so much as I would it were my zeale is but litle and my patience is but small but it is true faith and true loue and true zeale and true patience euen from the verie heart root without dissembling O Lord increase it and strengthen it And thus much for the difference betweene the children of God by creation only and the children of God both by creation and adoption And thus much of the spirit of God both in the one and in the other Now let vs come to the matter in hand We haue heard who be called the sonnes of God how this title is giuen to the Lord Iesus how to Angels and how to men hath been also declared but to imagine that in this place it were spokē to the Lord Iesus were no lesse than blasphemy because he was euer without sinne and to enquire whether it were spoken to the Angels or no were vaine curiositie Now if it be man to whom the Lord saith My son as it is indeede O Lord what is man that thou doost speak so kindly to him or the sonne of man that thou doest so regarde him Againe if it be spoken to man how art thou O Man gotten into such fauour with God which sometimes thou hadst lost How happy and honourable are those men which are the sonnes of God But is it spoken to me in deede what to sinfull and miserable man and are the sonnes of Adam among the sons of God as Saul was amongst the prophets is the prodigall son come home againe is it for him that such costly robes are brought forth and is it he that his father went out to meete
stand in the presence of God and for their strength incomparable or else aske Senacharibs host The pleasures of the sons of men are such as the worlde doth affoord carnall securitie worldly prosperitie fleshly delightes beastly sensualitie with pride ease fulnesse of bread and such like the pleasures of the childrē of God is such as the world can neither giue nor take as the louc of righteousnesse delight in the law of God patience in affliction loue of the saints which excell in vertue and such like The riches and treasures of the sonnes of men are golde and siluer houses and landes lordships and manners rents and reuenewes and such like which theeues may steale or mothes may eat or rust may fret or fire may consume or water may ouerflowe or time may weare or death may end but the riches and treasures of Gods children are the word of God Gods fauour forgiuenesse of sinnes freedome from hell and the diuel liberty with the saints the spirite of contentation peace of conscience continual ioy in the holy Ghost and a kingdome of glory in heauen such like which no theefe can steal no rust can fret no fire can consume no water can drowne no plague can infect no time cā weare nor death can ende The ornamēts which the children of men haue to commend them vnto the worlde they are of the worlde and such as the word doth like of as gold and siluer silkes and veluets iewels and precious stones sumptious and rich attyre beautifull faces comely bodies ripe wittes smooth toonges c. These are also bestowed vpon many of Gods children but they haue better ornaments than these Their liues are adorned with holinesse and righteousnesse with vertue and religion their bodies are attyred with chastitie and sobriety their frontlets are modestie and shamefastnesse their robes are grauitie and wisedome their bracelets are mercie and compassion their wordes are the wordes of grace their lippes are the dores of knowledge and their hearts are the store-houses of vnderstanding Before the world in themselues they are blacke as though they had lodged among the pots but before the lord in Christ they are white as the Lillie and comely as the curtaines of Solomon Behold saith Solomon the beloued of Christ is faire yea behold shee is faire indeed her eyes are like the doues her haire is like the flock of goates which looke downe from the mountaines of Gilead her teeth are like a flock of sheepe in good order which go vp from the washing her lippes are like a threed of Scarlet her talke is comely her temples are within her lockes as a piece of Pomegranate her necke is as the tower of Dauid built for defence her breasts are as two young Roes which are twinnes feeding amongst the lillies She is all faire and there is no spot in her The loue of Christ hath threescore queens and of damseles without number to wait vpon her the doue of Christ is alone and vndefiled she is the only daughter of her mother and she is deere to her that bare her the daughters haue seene and coumpted her blessed yea euen the queenes and concubines haue seene her and they haue praised her shee looketh foorth as the morning faire as the moon pure as the sunne and terrible as an armie with banners The rich Iewels of Gods children are sweete fruites of the holyghost as loue ioy peace long suffering meekenesse patience temperance c. for the spirit of God is in them which is a spirit of knowledge and vnderstanding a spirit of councell and courage and a spirit of the feare of the Lord by which they are led as by the hand of God by it they stand as by the staffe of God by it they are instructed as by the mouth of God and by it they are corrected as by the rod of God For want wherof the sonnes of men are most miserable when they seem to be most happy their aboundance seemeth nothing their libertie is bondage their peace is warre their rest is sorrowe their health is sicknes and their life is death Their laughter is but from the teeth outward Their feasts are like the feasts of Balthasar and their honour is like the honour of Haman They feare any thing but not sinne they loue any thing sauing God they ioye in euery thing so it be not goodnesse like the swine which had rather wallow in the stinking puddles of mire than in a sweete bed of Roses They sleep as a drunken man in the top of ship mast in a mightie storme in the midst of the sea their head is fraught with aboundance of care and their hearte with continuall feare Their foes they hate their friendes they suspect they trust no body they haue no ioy of any thing they possesse they are a burden to thēselues their whole life is vanitie and vexation of spirit when sicknes cōmeth they lye like blocks they rore like Bulles and they die like beastes and as they serued the Deuill all their life time so they looke euery houre when they shall goe to hell But the children of God are most happie when they seeme to be most miserable Their peny seemeth a pound their pound seemeth a 100 pound In want they haue aboundance in prison they find libertie in sicknes they haue health in warre peace in labour rest in sorrow ioy in death life and after death they possesse the kingdome of heauen The reason is this where the spirite of God is there is perfect libertie where a good conscience is there is a continuall feast and where the light of Gods countenaunce doth shine there is more ioye of heart than when corne and wine and oyle is encreased Can the children of the wedding fast while the Bride-grome is with them And can the children of God miscarrie while God their father is by them The loue of earthly fathers is transitorie and vncertaine like the loue of Saul to Dauid but whom the Lord loueth he loueth for euer Worldly fathers do many times repent them of that which they bestow vpon their children but the gifts and calling of the Lord are without repentance But what do I goe about to set forth the hid honours the excellent state and the great priuiledges of the children of God which are giuen and bestowed not according to the basenes of our heartes and affections but according to the worthinesse and honour of his maiesty that adopteth Verely all that can be said of them is but a tast of them and when we haue done we are to beginne againe if we had the time of another world and the tongues of men and Angels to helpe vs. For who can measure the sea with aspoone who can put the cloudes into a bottell who can gather the windes in his fist who can number the sandes by the sea shore or who can reach the depth of the
kings paie without his fauour and what good shall the goodes of his subiectes doe him without their heartes and good will This knew the old counsellers of Salomon well inough and therefore when Rehoboam who succeeded Salomon asked them what course he should take to winne the heartes of the people they gaue him counsell to speak kindly vnto them at the first and they would be his seruantes for euer meaning that some token of loue or shewe of a kind affection towardes them would more preuaile with them than any thing els Shall the hope of Rehoboams loue make his subiects serue him for euer and shall not the assurance of Gods loue make vs serue him for euer Shall the kind words of Rehoboam the king of Ifrael win the heartes of his people for euer and shal not the kind wordes of Iehouah the king of heauen and earth win the hearts of his people for euer and for euer vnto himselfe besides that Rehoboam had neede to speake kindly to his subiects or els it is the worse for himselfe Iehouah needeth not to speake so for if we neuer loue him it is not the worse for him but for our selues yea if we be righteous we are righteous for our selues and if we all perish God wil not loose a whit of his glory shall we not then listen vnto the Lord when he speaketh so kindly vnto vs and hath displayed the flagge of Truce with My sonne the badge of loue vpon it When God commaunded Abraham to sacrifice his sonne Isaac he was ready to do it So deare was the loue of God vnto him but if all the world besides had persuaded him therevnto he would neuer haue yeelded God doth not commaund vs to sacrifice our sonnes but our sinnes least they sacrifice vs now if we thinke our selues as much beholding to God as Abraham was we wil not spare them though they be as necessarie for vs as our right hand or as profitable vnto vs as our right eye If Iudas had been the child of God as he was the child of perdition would he haue sold the loue of Christ for 30 pieces of siluer no nor yet for 30 thousande worldes but so it is with all Hipocrites and reprobate persons which are best knowne to the searcher of hearts They cannot be persuaded that God is their father in Christ their spirites are not assured by Gods spirit that God doth loue them They conceiue of the Lord as of their enemie and therefore as they could neuer feele the sweetenesse of Gods loue in their soules so they can neuer afford him their loue in their liues Whervpon it commeth to passe that the least temptation in the world the least feare of mans displeasure and the least shew of pleasure and profit doe easily persuade them to doe any thing against god against his glory against his word and against his feruantes as Baalam did who serued for the wages of iniquitie But the faithfull indeed hearing God calling them his sonnes and his daughters hauing the spirit of sanctification to assure them of their adoption they I say do fall into the reckoning of Gods vnspeakable loue in Christ vnto them howbeit not all at one time nor alwaies alike he that is not now may be hereafter but when they consider of it indeed they do therewithall resolue with themselues in token of thankfullnesse to serue the Lord in righteousnesse and true holines all the daies of their life yet still depēding vpon God by prayer and herein through Gods grace they are resolute whatsoeuer dislike of men or hinderance in the world or daunger to their owne liues they might purchase for their labor And thus wee see what an Orator the loue of God is Therfore when the Lord saith My son let vs looke for no more eloquēce to entice vs nor reasons to persuade vs for heare is eloquence inough reasons inow and learning inough and fathers inow to persuade any man that hath the spirit of God in him and whosoeuer doth not find the cords of Gods loue and authoritie strong inough to knit his hearte vnto the statutes of the Lord he hath good cause to suspect himselfe as yet that he is not the child of God Why My sonne in the singular number and not my sonnes NOw we will see why the Lord saith not My sonnes in the plurall number seeing as he speaketh to all his childrē but My sonne as if it concerned but onely one body This is partly for the particular encouragement and confirmation of euery one in his duety and partly for the particular comfort of euery one of Gods children when he shall be troubled for doing of his duety for when the Lord in particular shall giue euery one his charge then if any man be offended at him he may shew his warrant and say thus Sir the Lord did not speake generally to all least one should post it off to another but he speaketh particularly to me aswell as to another and therefore I am discharged for when the Lord speaketh indefinitly meaning none he excepteth none But in this particular kind of speaking the Lord doth binde euery one of his children in particular wholy to serue him and none els so therewithall he giueth vs to vnderstand that he hath a speciall eye and fatherly care ouer euery one in particular that is his childe and will surely protect and defend him as his childe against all annoiances watsoeuer than the which there can be no greater comfort whensoeuer the crosse shall come But we will first see how they doe binde vs wholy to God and afterwarde we will see how God hath bound himselfe to vs and euery one of vs if we be all his children as I hope we be Some thinke it lawfull to serue God and the worlde too to be of this Reiiglon and of that Religion too to goe to Bethell the house of God and to Bethauen the house of Idolitrie To goe with Barnabas and Barrabas and to ioyne with Simon Magus as with Simon Peter thinking themselues sufficiently discharged if they serue God a little now and then or if they keepe their consciences to themselues and giue God their heartes like Protestantes at large which thinke they need not heare a sermon because they heard seruice or they need not come in the after noone because they came in the forenoone or like the most which think when they haue heard a sermon they are then at libertie to do what they will or like those men which will heare a Masse and worshippe the crosse at the least in other countries that they may get commodities thereby but they will keep their consciences to themselues as our church Papists doe here amongst vs but all these men are deceiued for no man can serue ij maisters Therefore my good brother when any such temptations do beginne to fawne vpon thee Remember that God doth here call euerie particular member of the church
thine for there is no sonne without a father My sonne if thou doest a sonnes duetie to mee I will haue a fathers care ouer thee whatsoeuer is past shal be forgotten feare nothing for thou shalt want nothing that I see good for thee Goe through my businesse boldly and couragiously I wil stand by thee to the end If thou wantest any thing tell me and I wil supply thy wantes If anie bodie do abuse thee in word and deede complaine to me and I will see it redressed If thou wantest wisedome aske it of me and I will make thee wiser than thy ancients If thou wantest wealth I my selfe will be thy portion If thou be weake I will bee thy strength If thou fall sicke I will be thy phisition and if thou die I will restore thee to life againe euen to life euerlasting Therefore cast thy whole care vpon me for I will care for thee and thy whole prouision will I take vpon my selfe only keep thou thy standing bee faithfull in thy calling relie vpon me my son and feare nothing And further My sonne doe not thinke that my prouidence is onely in generall ouer all my children but know that my proâ—idence reacheth in particular to euerie one of my children in what place of the world soeuer they be In the mountains vallies by sea and by land by night and by day All thinges are open in my sight at one instant And this is the cause why the Lord saith My sonne as though he spake but to one when he speaks to all that are his children that all may knowe what a speciall care he hath of euerie one yea such a care indeede hath the Lord ouer all his children in particular that hee hath numbred all the haires of their head he putteth all their teares into a bottell hee counteth all their goings and he regardeth all their sighs and grones Insomuch as a stone doth not lie in their waie but hee knoweth of it knowing it he doth so preserue them as that they shall not hurt their foot against a stone This indeed is sweet comfortable but yet for all that wee see by daily experieÌ„ce that the children of God doe still go by the worst in the world and the troubles of the righteous are manie and great but the wicked doe prosper as Iob saith neither doe they come into trouble as other men yea they haue whatsoeuer their heart can wish and more too as Dauid saith they are not mocked nor flowted at nor had in derision as the Godly are c. Stay thy selfe All this is true and a great deale more thaÌ„ this but what then Yet God is good to Israell for all this and careth for the affliction of poore Ioseph yea what wilt thou say if Ioseph be afflicted that the Lord might shew what care he hath of his affliction but what Can the Lord forget his litle worme Iacob which he hath writen in the palmes of his handes Or is there no profite in seruing of the almightie Let the reprobate make the conclusion Thou thy selfe arta father and if thy child doe thy will thou wilt giue him good thinges If he doth transgresse thy will thou wilt also correct him because he is thy childe And shall not the Lord which excelleth all fathers in loue much more giue his children good things when they obay him Verely he wil cause his people to mount vpon the high places of the earth and Israell shal be fed with the heritage of Iaakob his father for the mouth of the Lord of hostes hath spoken it But what if his children do offeÌ„d him shall it not be lawfull for him to correct them Surely whom he loueth he correcteth euen as a father doth the child in whom he delighteth and therfore he correcteth them because he loueth them If his child do sinne against him as who doth not he will chasten him with the rods of men and will visite their sinnes with the plagues of the children of men So did he deale with Salomon and he told his father Dauid how he would vse him but yet saith he I wil be his father and he shal be my sonne and my mercy wil I not take froÌ„ him as I tooke it from Saul whom I put awaie before thee So his mercie he will not take awaie from his children as he doth froÌ„ the wicked whom hee hath purposed to cast off in the end But thou doest aske me why the wicked do florish in this world I ask thee again why doest thou set vp thy Oxen a fatting is it not against the daie of slaughter So doth God likewise set vp the vngodly and proud men a fatting euen vntill their eies stand out with fatnesse but is it not against the day of iudgment Therfore be content and fret not thy self at the prosperitie of irreligious and prophane men whose life is but a warre with God They haue their heauen heere that they may haue their hell hereafter And what if Capernaum be lifted vp to the heaueÌ„s hee shal be cast downe to the lowest hell and howe should hee be cast downe if he were not first lifted vp Againe The Lord will raise his people out of the dust and set them vp amongst Princes how should they be raised vp if they were not first cast downe But why doth the Lord suffer the vngodly so to vexe his Children surely because they are his rods to whip them withall but when hee hath wel corrected his children and worne his rod to the stumps the rod shal be cast into the fire and as scullions of the kitchen to scoure his vessels of honour so doth the Lord vse all the wicked ennemies of his Church euen the greatest Tirantes that euer were But why doth our heauenly father keepe his children so bare and so poore as they be manie times Neuer maruell at that for thou thy selfe being a father keepest thy child bare and giuest him neuer a pennie in his purse thou puttest him to schoole thou doest keep him vnder and giuest him but from hand to mouth vntill he come to yeares of discretion and then thou doest giue him more large allowance and when his time is come he possesseth also thy inheritance and not before For if he should possesse the inheritance when hee is a childe or a youth hee would waxe proud and perhappes spend it awaie riotouslie and wastfullie So God our heauenlie father seeth that if wee should haue our handes full and want nothing we would waxe proud and wanton and forget God as manie doe or we would spend it vainly or maliciously or as S. Iames saith vpon our pleasures and lustes and therefore our heauenly father doth in singular wisdome keepe vs vnder manie times giuing vs but froÌ„ hand to mouth yet doth he loue vs neuer the worse for all that but the better and when the time
CONCLVSIONS of peace betweene God and man Containing comfortable meditations for the children of God By W. Burton LONDON Printed for Iohn Hardie dwelling in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Tygers head 1594. TO THE RIGHT HOnourable Sir Richard Martin Knight nowe the second time L. Maior of the honourable Cittie of London and maister of her maiesties Mint T. C. All increase of honor in this life and in the world to come euerlasting happinesse RIght Honourable hauing heeretofore receiued at your honours hands many fauours altogither vndeserued of my part I haue bin studious along time how to shew some part of my thankefull mind for the same But no occasion was offered me til now that this booke comming to my handes to be printed without anie dedication and the authour dwelling farre off I was bold without his consent to present it to your good lordship aswell to shewe my dutie and thankeful heart towards you as also knowing what fauour your honour hath alwaies borne to such men and their workes The Authour is well knowen and the treatise is sweet and comfortable as your lordship shall find if your great affaires will allow you time to peruse it It resteth that I humbly craue pardon for my boldnesse which I hope I shall the easilier obtain if mine intēt herein be rightly considered Which is only to testifie that I am not vnmindful nor vnthankeful in heart for any benefit receiued Humbly beseeching your lordship to accept it Your Honors most hearty and humble affectionat to command Tobie Cooke Prou. 7. 1. 2. My sonne keepe my words and hide my commandements with thee Keepe my commandements and thou shalt liue THis text containeth an exhortation to the faithful and diligent keeping of Gods commandementes with a promise of life annexed thervnto And the doctrine that is to be gathered from the same ariseth partly from the maner of speaking that is there vsed and partly from the exhortation The manner of speaking is to be considered in the two first wordes My sonne Wherein is to be obserued that whosoeuer is the partie that speaketh he speaketh not like an Emperour nor like a king nor like a Iudge nor like a maister of his absolute power I will and command c. But he persuadeth like a father most louingly and tenderly Hee doth not say My slaue nor my ennemy nor my seruaunt nor my subiect nor my friend nor my brother which is much but he saith My sonne which is more a name of loue and a title of the greatest loue that can be The loue of a Prince is great the loue of a friend is great the loue of a brother is great the loue of husbands and wiues is great but the loue of father and mother to their children is like the loue of Ionathan to Dauid It is wonderfull passing the loue of Princes the loue of brethren the loue of neighbours the loue of husbandes and wiues and passing the loue of women and all loues For saith Esay can a woman forget her child As if he should say it is impossible Therefore hee that here speaketh in the person of a Father and saith My sonne perswadeth by all loues and sheweth that whatsoeuer hee counselleth or reprooueth it is not of mallice or enuy to hurt vs but of singular loue and care to doe vs good We are further to consider of two principall circumstances one is of the person that spake these words the other is of the partie to whom they were spoken Now the question is not of his fatherly affection vnto his children for of that we are persuaded nor of his fatherly authoritie ouer his children for that is graunted nor of his childrens duetie towardes him for that is acknowledged but now the question of his person and who it is that heere saith My sonne that hee might be reuerenced and who they are to whom this title of Sonnes doth belong that they might not neglect to doe their dutie If thou knewest saith the Lord Iesus to the woman of Samaria who it is that saith vnto thee giue mee drinke thou wouldest haue asked of him and hee would haue giuen thee water of life So if wee knewe who it is that heere saith My sonne and giueth counsell like a father in matters of this life we would aske of him and he would giue vs counsell to eternal life Let vs know then who it is that saith My sonne whose voice is it what is it the voice of God or of man is it from heauen or from earth or from whence is it For the better finding out of this point wee are to consider that as these names of Father and Sonne be often vsed in this booke of Prouerbs so they are not alwaies the words of one and the selfe same partie They are somtimes to be vnderstood of God and of his Church as in the 1. chapter verse 8. They are sometimes to be vnderstood of Salomon and the members of Gods Church as chap. 4. ver 1. They are somtime to be vnderstood onely of Dauid the father of Salomon the sonne of Dauid as in cha 4. verse 3. 4. Sometime they are the wordes of Bethsheba Salomons mother vnto Salomon her sonne as in chap. 30. ver 1. But most commonly they are the wordes of God and Salomon togither and are spoken to the members of the Church in generall and so they are to be vnderstoode when there is no manifest difference as there is in the places before mentioned In this exhortation these words My sonne are to be takē as the words of God the common father of all his creatures but especially of his Church in generall and they are also the wordes of Salomon a notable instrument in the Church of God My sonne saith God my son saith Salomon for this is Gods worde though Salomons writing because Salomon writeth as the holy Ghost inditeth My sonne saith God by the ministery of Salomon naming no body because he speakes to euery one that will follow his counsell of what nation or of what countrie or of what language or of what yeares of what estate and conditition soeuer he be My sonne saith Salomon in the person of God naming no body yet speaking to all that shal either heare or read his writings that at the verie entrance the dores being of loue they may be in loue with the whole frame of his counsell haue a delight to dwell therein My sonne saith God by the ministerie of Salomon that wee might perceiue what loue hee beareth to vs and knowe what dutie we beare to him My son saith Salomon in the person of God to teach all teachers with what affection to teach the Lords people and to shewe all hearers what accompt they must make of their teachers My sonne saith God to teach vs that all his care is to doe vs good and if we follow his counsell it is the better for our selues hee is neuer the better for
sea with his arme let him that can do these things come forth and describe the honours the priuiledges the riches the pleasures and the felicities of Gods children which are such as no eye hath seene no eare hath heard no tongue can vtter and no heart is able to conceiue What accompt we must make of Gods children BVt by this small tast we may learn in what accompt to haue the children of God because God hath thē in so high accompt himselfe for shall not wee honour those whom God doth honour shall anie man hate those whom God doth loue or despise those in whom the Lord doth take delight doe not we loue them which loue our children and doe not our heartes and hands too arise against them which misuse our children And shall not God who exceedeth all fathers in loue much more loue those which loue his children and shall not his heart and hand too arise in his heauie wrath and displeasure against such as misuse his childrē either in word or deede If we loue anie man wee loue his children also and for his sake we make much of them If wee loued him which begat saith S. Ioh. wee would also loue him that is begotten That is if we loue God we will loue the children of God be they neuer so poore and base in the eies of the world Therefore if wee loue not Gods children wee loue not God himself and if we loue not God we hate him and if wee hate him how shall he loue vs Alas to let passe the murtherers and persecuters of the saints of God in other countries how do we thinke to answere our rashe iudging and hastie condemning our vnchristian mocking and taunting our priuie nipping or bitter iesting our vncharitable censuring and our hard dealing which we vse one against another and yet all professing one God one father one sauiour one religion and all looking for one kingdome Are we not all the sonnes of God and children of the most high How is then that one doth hate and hunt another as though we were beastes or rather fiends of hell When Iosephs brethren sold their brother Ioseph they thought neuer to see him more much lesse did they looke to be told of their crueltie from his owne mouth but least of all did they dreame of any such matter when they should go to Aegypt for vittaile so many yeares after but yet so it fell out contrarie to all their expectations And when they heard him say which was a ruler in Aegypt I am Ioseph your brother whom you sold they looked one vpon another as men amazed but could not tell what to say for themselues such shame and cōfusion did couer their faces such feare and dread was on euerie side and their owne consciences within them were a thousand witnesses against them And is it not so with vs when we do euill intreat our brethren do we not thinke that we shall neuer see Ioseph more but we are deceiued for Ioseph our brother shal appeare not in Aegypt but in heauen to our shame and confusion if we repent not Steuens persecuters shall see the face of Steuen as the face of an Angell The rich glutton shall see Lazarus in Abrahams bosome when hee himselfe shall lie languishing in hell tormentes The Iewes which crucified the Lord of glorie shall one day look vpon him and see him in glorie whom they pierced And they which now set Gods children at nought because they are young men or poore men or more zealous or more religious or are not so prophane as themselues or will not run with them to the same excesse of riot shall one day see them set vpon thrones to iudge the nations and them which hated them Then shall the righteous stand in great boldnesse before the face of such as haue tormented him and taken away his labors When they see him they shal be vexed with horrible feare and shal be amazed for his wonderfull deliuerance Then they shall change their mindes and sigh for griefe of minde and say within themselues This is hee whom wee sometime had in derision and in a parable of reproch These are they whom we called fooles and asses puritane knaues beggerly rascals This is he whom we hated whom we molested whom we slandered On the other side also This is he shall some say whom we in the top of our owne conceit condemned for a time-seruer and a formalist This is the Church whom we schismatickes tooke for no church at all but in the pride of our heartes and in the furious spirite of a preposterous zeale wee counted no better than Sodom than Aegypt than Babilon than Baalamites not worthy the name of a church Then shal many prophane men say We fooles thoght his life madnesse his end without honor How is he counted amongst the children of God and his portion among the saints Full litle do many thinke of this alteration and howe soone it may come who knoweth Last of all whosoeuer looketh for heauē after this life must while hee liue make much of such as feare God saith the prophet he doth not say if they be rich or if they be in authoritie or if they may pleasure thee or if they be merrie companions c. But if they feare God we must make much of them whether they be poore or rich whether they go in veluet or in sackecloth whatsoeuer they be by occupation or profession or whatsoeuer we be our selues for the poore receiue the gospell saith our sauiour that is the poore are rich if they be godly And so much briefly for the excellencie of Gods children The duetie of Gods Children NOw let vs see what God requireth of his children whereby they may in some poore measure shewe themselues thankefull to his Maiestie for this excellent estate whereunto he hath called them As their dignitie is great so their duetie must needs be great because much is required where much is bestowed Therefore looke howe many titles so many dueties howe much honour so much obedience and looke how much the Lord hath abased himselfe to aduance vs so much are we againe bound to abase our selues that wee may aduaunce his glorie like Abraham who the more familiarly the Lord did talke with him the more humbly hee did cast downe himselfe in the feeling and acknowledging of his own vnworthinesse But what doth God require or what shall we doe If I be your father saith the Lord where is my honour Then honour is required and God looketh to be honoured of his children Honour thy father and thy mother saith the commandement that is heare them and regard them reuerence and obey thē feare them and loue them mantaine them and their credit to the vtmost defend their persons and their honest quarrels and take their part against all that rise vp against them If such honour be due to our earthly parents which
yea he taketh vpon him the person of a father and speaketh like a father most louingly kindly and alluringly saying My sonne partly to persuade vs to heare our duetie partly to encourage and confirme vs in the discharge of our duetie partly to comfort vs when we be in troble for doing our duetie but principally to teach vs that whatsoeuer obedience we yeeld vnto God wee must performe it with a sonne-like affection and whatsoeuer fauour God sheweth vnto vs it commeth from a fatherly compassion And lastly that al our obedience is accepted of him and all his loue is bestowed vppon vs onely because wee are his children in Christ but for no cause of worthinesse that is in our selues So that these wordes My sonne proceeding from God to men are words of persuasion they are words of encouragement they are wordes of comfort and they are wordes of instruction They are in a word like the tree of life in the Reuelation that beareth twelue manner of fruit euerie moneth whose very leaues do serue to cure the Nations If any shall say Can all this come out of these two wordes I say to them as Philp saide in another case to Nathaniel Come and see But are they not of power sufficient to persuade Surely where the spirite of grace is they are sufficient for when nothing can preuaile with a childe the loue and authoritie of his father shall preuaile with him especially if the thing be honest and lawfull which is commanded One word of his fathers mouth shall persuade more than 1000. of another How these wordes My sonne do serue to persuade and to moue affection NOw our heauenly father commandeth vs nothing but things honest lawfull neither can he cōmand any thing els for it is against his nature but our rebellious hearts naturally doe go against the hearing of them therefore wee had need of some oratour to persuade vs and that might vse some good argumentes and strong reasons to moue our affections The Lord doth therfore become that Oratour himselfe but all the fine eloquence and al the strong argumentes by which hee would mooue affection are in these wordes My sonne as if he should say If thou wilt heare no bodie O thou rebellious person yet thou wilt harken to the voyce of thy father if thou wilt not regard thy Father which begat thee and brought thee vp whom wilt thou regarde Thy father speaketh heare him I loue thee with a fathers loue therefore heare I haue a fathers aucthoritie ouer thee therefore heare mee I haue a fathers interest in thee therefore regard what I say I haue a fathers care ouer thee therefore giue eare vnto me If thou be my sonne heare me and if thou louest me as I loue thee heare mee If thou hast felt the power of my loue if thou haue tasted the sweetnesse of my loue If thou haue known the greatnesse of my loue which I haue shed abundantly vpon thee when I gaue Iesus Christ for thee I know thou wilt not stoppe thy eares but wilt both regard me and obey me whatsouer reasons or persuasions thou hast receiued or maiest receiue of the worlde or the deuill or thy owne false heart to the contrarie Nowe when the Lorde woulde speake all this in one worde hee sayth My sonne Therefore let vs remember that GOD calleth vs sonnes and wee call him father for wee say Our father c. and it sufficeth Nay more saith the Lord Remember that I call thee not onely a sonne but my sonne and remember that thou haue not onely a father but that I am thy father no man nor Angell nor anie person of meane estate but the almightie God of heauen and earth the King of kinges and Lord of lords euen the King of glorie and the Lord of hostes mightie in battaile whose glorie is infinite and his Maiestie is incomprehensible who filleth the earth with the riches of his mercie whose wisedome power and goodnesse doth shine in euery part of the worlde who telleth the Starres and calleth them all by their names whose dwelling is in the Heauens and the Earth is his footstoole at whose presence the Heauens and the Earth are mooued and melted euen such a one is thy Father and if thou wilt not be mooued when suche a one speaketh and calleth thee his Sonne then it goeth hard Remember againe that I am thy father and such a one doth call thee his sonne as might haue forsaken thee for euer but hee did not he could haue destroyed thee in thy sinnes but he did not hee could haue made thee a prey to the deuill but hee did not hee coulde haue plagued thee with infinite plagues but hee did not he coulde haue shut vp thy bodie and soule in the chaines of darkenesse in Hell fire for euer but hee did not Againe hee was not bound to make thee his son and heire yet he did it he was not compelled to spare thee yet he did it he sawe no reason why he should blesse thee so many ways yet he hath blessed thee manie waies thou couldst not persuade him yet hee was persuaded thou hadst nothing to say for thy selfe yet hee was satisfied thou wert his ennemie yet hee became thy friend in a worde thou wert the childe of the Diuell and the heire of endlesse perdition yet hee made thee the childe of God and an heire of euerlasting saluation such a one is thy father therefore if thou contemnest the wordes of such a Father remember whom thou contemnest I coulde presse thee with my power but I doe woo thee by my loue I might haue displaied my flagge of defiance against thee and haue saide my rebell but loe I haue put out a flagge of truce and displaied my colours of loue when I call thee My sonne Remember this My sonne and be persuaded Thus wee see howe the Lord doth as it were adiure vs by the loue and authoritie of a father and by the loue and duetie of a sonne to heare his word and obey his commandementes Therefore doe these two words My sonne runne from one to another so often in this booke of Prouerbs whatsoeuer matter almost he hath in hand Father and Sonne must go before as common Oratours to get attention and to mooue affection to shew vs that if anie thing will draw a man to God it is the feeling and consideration of his loue in Christ and hee that will not yeeld when hee is thus charmed will hee euer be wonne And hee that shall runne from God when hee seeth the white auncient with the colours of mercie and fauour displaied when wil he come and humble himselfe to God Therefore Salomon saith That louing fauor is aboue gold and siluer meaning that it is not onely more worth but that it is of greater force and will bring greater matters to passe and yet we know that money will doe much but is not the kings fauour without his paie better than the
the publisher God is our father indeede Salomon is but Gods minister and speaks like a father to all that of all he might win some Salomon was a king yet he giueth counsell like a Preacher and teacheth men how to order their liues according to the word of god and therefore he calleth himselfe a Preacher So should rulers and men in authoritie giue their inferiours counsell like Preachers and though they be not Preachers by office yet by their graue counsell and holy aduise they may and ought to be Preachers and so should all men be But now if men speake like Polititians and can giue craftie counsell to serue all mens turnes they are the men but if any speake like a holy Christian or like a diuine or like a Preacher he is acconted a Puritane a foole and called a Preacher in derision well Salomon though he be a king and no Preacher yet he giueth the charge on the Iudgment seat like a diuine and he counselleth like a Preacher indeed but he speaketh like a father and from a fathers affection with desire not to shew himselfe but to profit his auditors and his readers therefore see how he tempereth his counsels and his doctrine with wordes of loue saying My sonne as if that were the onely way to win men to God So when the Apostle would make the Galathians in loue with his doctrine he calleth them his children yea his litle children this is to teach al teachers how to make their doctrine most profitable vnto their auditors they haue put vpon them the persons of fathers therefore with a fatherly affection they must teach the Lords people and humble them as children especially weake ones which are but comming on But those that are falling away and sinne of mallice and wilfullnesse are to be handled after another maner and therefore it is that Salomon in this booke hath so much adoe with fooles and scorners though he speake to some as to babes and children And that kind of teaching is of loue too and from the spirite of God yea when Paule ratled vp Elymas the sorserer calling him a man full of subtiltie and mischeife a child of the deuill an enemie of all righteousnesse and a peruerter of the straight waies of the Lord it is said of him that he was full of the holy ghost As this doth not patronise bitternesse of spirite or vnseemely rayling in any so it serueth to proue that a minister of GOD may sometime as occasion serueth deale roundly in laying open of sin and seuerely thunder the iudgment of God neither can we without sinne charge him with railing or malice or choller as the manner of some is to charge the preachers of the word of God My sonne saith Salomon to teach vs that wee must speake with a louing and kinde affection but not with a couetous and vainglorious affection if euer wee will winne men to God My sonne saith Salomon to teach vs that whether we teach doctrine or correct maners or reprooue sinne or denounce iudgements we should first see that there be that kinde affection in vs towardes the parties with whō we haue to deale which is in fathers towards their children and that fatherly loue will sweeten all our reprehensions and all our admonitions make them in time go down into the stomack if they were as bitter as any pils if men be not whollie giuen ouer of God My brethren saith S. Paul in all his Epistles as if he made as much reckoning of them as of himselfe and to shewe them that he wished them to do nothing but that hee himselfe woulde helpe them in it and doe it with them You haue manie instructors and teachers saith the Apostle but not many fathers but in Christ Iesus I haue begotten you through the Gospell wherefore I pray you be followers of me to teach vs how to make the people become our followers Oh the loue the patience the faithfulnesse and the wisedome of a father how great is it or ought it to be towards his children so great should be the loue the patience the faithfulnesse and the wisedome of the minister of God As S. Paul teacheth Timothie for want whereof much learning and eloquence is shewed many argumentes and aucthorities are spent many admonitions and doctrines are deliuered both publiquely and priuately by Ministers and Magistrates and of all sorts and little or no fruite come vp after because the affection is not first sanctified by the spirite of loue This is also a lesson for vs if we be housholders or maisters of families for they must be preachers too in their families after a sort if wee woulde haue our counsell and correction doe good with those that are vnder our gouernment let them see our tender affection and a fathers loue both in our words and deedes In the 7. of Luke it is said of the Centurion that hee had many seruauntes vnder his aucthoritie and they were all at his becke most readie to obey him in anie thing that he set them about but how did hee bring them to any such good order surely it is said that his seruants were deere vnto him that is hee made a speciall reckoning of them and was a father vnto them So let all maisters make a reckoning of their seruants for if thy seruant can perceiue that he is deere vnto thee thou shalt in time worke him like wax to thine owne minde except hee hath solde himselfe to worke wickednesse If thou be a husband and wouldst win thy wife to God or if thou be a wife and wouldest winne thy husband to God draw you on one another with the sweet words of loue speaking kindly one to another because gentle wordes doe pacifie anger as water quencheth fire Remember what counsell the auncient counsellors of Salomon gaue vnto Rehoboam king of Israel that hee might winne the heartes of the people speake kindly vnto them saide they and they will serue thee for euer after So speake one to another in kinde wordes and you will loue one another for euer after Wordes spoken in season saith Salomon are like apples of gold with pictures of siluer what wordes more seasonable than wordes of loue and kindenesse but wordes of despight and reproch are alwaies out of season and shall neuer do good Sometime one worde of kindenesse may giue grace vnto all the rest of the speech and one worde of reproch and despight may spill all thy counsell if it be neuer so graue and godly otherwise for a little leauen sowreth the whole lumpe This we see by daily experience if a man say but thou to some one he cannot beare it doest thou me will hee say againe An other againe will take some one worde more to heart than all the rest oh that same one word will hee say went to my verie heart The Iewes which hated the Lord Iesus woulde not vouchsafe to giue him his name when they
it and therefore that all our care and studie must be to aduance him and to direct all our actions to his glorie as he hath directed his glorie to our good So that these wordes My sonne are to be considered after a double manner of speaking First as spoken by God the first authour of them next as proceeding from Salomon the minister of God and so much briefly for the persons by whom they were spokē The persons which are called sonnes NOw we are to consider of the persons that are called by the title of sonnes and because God is first in order we will first see of whom hee speaketh in this place when hee saith My sonne for many be called the sonnes of God in the scripture and they are of three sorts some are by nature the sons of God some are by adoption the sonnes of God and some for their exellencie are called the children of God By nature none is the sonne of God but Iesus Christ onely who was begotten from all eternitie of his fathers nature and substance By adoption all the faithfull are his children whom God hath elected before all worldes that he might call them in his time appointed by the liuely preaching of the Gospell and the effectuall working of his spirite in their hartes vnto the blessed and certaine hope of eternall glorie in the kingdome of heauen being first iustified by the righteousnesse of the Lord Iesus christ the naturall sonne of God These are called sonnes by adoption or made sonnes which before were no sonnes at all As if a king should take in a begger nay a traitor and make him his heire euen so did God with vs and such fauour did he freely shew to so many of the sonnes of Adam as it pleased him to adopte and to make his children wherein appeared the wonderfull loue of God to vs ward of which S. Iohn speaketh by way of administration Behold saith he what loue the father hath giuen to vs that we should be called the sonnes of God as if it were to be wondred at and not to be expressed The Angels are called the children of God Iob 1. 6. Iob 2. chap. and 1 verse When the children of God stood before the Lord Sathan came also and stood amongst them c. And they are so called partly for their excellēt state and condition but principally for their willingnesse and readines to doo the will of God Sometime also the Lord is called our father in respect of our creation onely as in Mat. 2. 10. Haue we not all one father hath not one God made vs and in Esa. 64. 8. But now thou O Lord art our father we are the clay thou art our potter we are the worke of thy handes So Adam is called the sonne of God by immediate creation in the 3 of S. Luke the last verse In this respect God is a common father not onely to all his creatures in generall but to the very reprobate also for he created them also and he made them good saith Salomon but they found out many inuentions but we shal neuer find that God vouchsafed to call any reprobat in the scripture by the name of his sonne Non tam praestanti reprobos dignatur honore He did neuer honour them with so excellent a title Many are so called and so accoumpted amongst men which doe iudge onely by the outwarde appearance but when they come before the Lord whose waies are not our waies and whose thoughts are not our thoughts the case is altered If any shall obiect and say that there is neuer a father without a childe and that they be relatiues and therefore seing as God is called a father of the reprobate in respect of creation the reprobate may at the least be called the sonnes of God though they be not the sonnes of God as the elect are they are to know that some are called fathers in the scriptures Metaphorically which were but the first inuenters of thinges and in that respect they are called fathers as Iaball the sonne of Adah the wife of Lamech is called the father of such as dwell in tents for he was the first inuenter of tents And Iuball his brother is called in the next verse the father of such as play vpon the Harpe and vpon Organes or pipes shall we therefore call the tentes Iabals children or must the organs and pipes be called the sonnes of Iuball So God is called the father of the reprobate because he first created them but yet they can no more be called the children of God than the tentes might be called the children of Iabal or the harps and organs the children of his brother Iubal But when the scriptures do speak of God as he is a father not onely by creation but also by adoption then is the title of sonnes also therewithal bestowed vpon those whom he hath created because he hath also adopted them to be haires of his kingdome through Christ but it is limited onely to the elect which do receiue him by faith as in Iohn 1. 12. As many as receiued him to thē he gaue prerogatiue to be called the sons of God So doth the Apostle Paul also restraine the title of Gods children onely to the godly As manie as are led by the spirite of God saith he are the sonnes of God And because the reprobate and all hypocrites wil boast of the spirite as well as the children of God as Zidkijah said hee had the spirit of God as wel as Michaiah therfore the scripture hath put a difference betweene the giftes of the spirite and the spirite of sanctification for Saul may haue the spirite of God that is some giftes and graces of Gods spirit as knowledge iudgement courage strength pollicy wisdome wealth c. as the wicked and thereprobate may haue to their condemnation but the spirite of sanctification or holinesse which worketh newnesse of life and changeth both the affections within and all the actions without that is proper onely to the elect children of God indeed And least anie shoulde deceiue themselues The Lord Iesus hath laid downe an euerlasting rule By their fruits you shall know them And the fruits of the spirite saith S. Paul are these Loue Ioy Peace Long-suffring Patience Goodnesse Gentlenesse Faith Meekenesse Temperance c. Against which there is no law that is to condemne them for they that are Christs haue crucified the fleshe with the affections and Iustes But there is a kinde loue and ioy and peace and suffering c. amongst the children of darkenesse because Sathan in his members can counterfeit whatsoeuer God doth commaund and there is amongst the members of the Church malignant in shew whatsoeuer the church of God militant haue in trueth whē Sathan doth change himselfe into the likenesse of an angel of light it is a hard thing to discerne the one from the other therefore hath the Lord
and so louingly embraced is this he whom he saluted with such sweete kisses and teares of ioy was it for him that the fat calfe was killed and is all this feasting and reioycing for his returne as though he had neuer offended surely so it should seeme But what shall man now giue vnto God for so greate loue and fauour or how shall we shew our selues thankfull for such kindnesse vndeserued Surely this is the Lordes doing and it is wonderfull in our eyes but that our profit may encrease to the further instruction of our iudgmente and comfort of our faith we will by the grace of God set downe certain pointes to consider of and by this text to be examined First we will consider how or by what meanes we are come into this fauour with God and how we are come by the knowledge thereof Secondly we will see the exellencie of the children of God aboue other men Thirdly we will enquire what duety the children-of God do owe vnto God their heauenly father wherby they may shew themselues thankful for such fauour restored Fourthly we will consider why the Lord both here and els where vseth these wordes My sonne Last of all we will see what may bee gathered frō them as they bee the words of Solomon How we are made the sonnes of God NOw touching the First point if we be the sonnes of God then God is our father the church of god is our mother the members of the church be our bretheren and the kingdome of heauen is our inheritance This purchase the father hath bestowed vpon vs the sonne hath bought it for vs and the holy ghost hath sealed vnto vs. Of this couenant God is the author the sonne of God is the purchaser and the spirite of God is the certifier It is freely graunted it is fully discharged it is certainely assured and shall be for euer possessed This prerogatiue as it is great so the first cause thereof was the infinite loue of God in his son Iesus Christ. It is the free gift of the father so saith the sonne Feare not litle flocke it is youre fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome It is the free gift of the sonne so saith the Lord Iesus My sheepe heare my voice and follow me and I giue vnto them eternall life It is also the gift of the Holy Ghost so saith the prophet Dauid Lord let thy good spirite lead me into the land of righteousnesse and therefore it is no way merited or purchased by our selues while we liue nor gotten by any friendes for vs when we are deade as Papists teach for nothing can be more contrary than these To haue it of our selues and to be freely giuen of God The euidence or assurance which we haue to shew for this priuiledge is Gods promise which is surely ratified in heauen by the eternall decree of the holy Trinitie as it were by an euerlasting Act of Parlement neuer to be repealed wherunto the father the word and the spirite do beare sufficient witnesse If therefore we receiue the witnesse of men the witnesse of God is greater The recordes of this charter promise are left among vs here vpon earth in the written word of God contained in the bookes of the old and new testament whereupon all the faithfull must rely as vpon their fathers last will and testament and these we are al cōmaunded to search because they beare witnesse of the loue of God in Christ to our eternal saluation Therefore if any forsake this foundation to build vpon reuellations and dreames as Anabaptistes do or vpon mens traditions as the Papists do or vpon the persuasions of their owne hearts as Atheists do what do they els but builde vppon the sands The proclaimers and publishers of high prerogatiue are pastors and teachers which are appointed to be ministers of the Gospell truly sent of God and lawfully called of Gods church whose badges are knowledge and holines whose feete are beawtifull because they bring the glad tidings of peace The seales of this charter are either outward or inward The outward seales are the Saeraments of Baptisme and the Lordes Supper duely administred according vnto Christs holy institution The inward seales are two one is the spirite of adoption which beareth witnesse to our spirits that we are the sonnes of God and sealeth vp our heartes to the day of redemption The other is a good cōscience in all thinges desiring to liue honestly whereby we know that the spirit of God is in vs. The hand by which we receiue it is faith the closet wherin we keep it is the heart and till the soule may fully possesse it she must lye at the anchor of hope and so much for the first point The excellencie pleasures and beautie of Gods Children NOw let vs take a little viewe of the commodities and benefits which belong vnto this charter and priuiledge of beeing the sonnes of God and then shall we see the excellencie and dignitie of Gods children aboue all other which be not the children of God Their excellent estate and condition doth partly appeare in the very names and titles that be giuen them in the word of God where they be called the citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem a royall priesthood a kingly generatiō the beloued of God the spowse of the lambe Christ the signet of the Lords right hand the apple of his eye the annointed of God the friendes of God the brethrenand sisters of the Lord Iesus his loue his doue and his vndefiled the bodie of Christ the Lordes vineyard his holy ones the saintes of God the seruauntes of the most high and that which passeth all the rest the sons and daughters of God Now as Dauid said when he should haue married Saules daughter Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a kinges sonne seeing that I am a poore man and of small reputation So seemeth it to any a light thing to be sonnes and daughters of God the king of all kinges seeing wee are sinfull men and of no reputation but deserued rather eternall confusion It is a great matter as it seemeth by Dauids words to be a kings son but hee that is sonne and heire to a 1000. kingdomes or 1000. worlds if it were possible cannot compare with the sons of God if they were as naked as euer Iob was or as poore as euer was Lazarus The sonnes of Princes are in great accompt with men but the children of God are in accompt with God and man The children of princes are attended vpon by noble men and garded with strong men yet both but mē whose breth is in their nostrels and their handes cannot accomplish the deuise of their heart The children of God are attended vppon by God himselfe whose eye is alwaies ouer the righteous and they are garded by the angels of God who for their swiftnesse are said to haue wings for their readinesse they are said to
are but instrumentes of our good vnder God what honour is due to our heauenly father in whom our Parentes and we doe liue and moue and haue our being Euerie one will say that God is their father and they are Gods children God forbid els they say and yet many of them care not how litle they heare his worde except they may heare when they list or from whom they list Some say vrge doctrine let application alone some say teach maners but let doctrine alone and some care for neither of both some say preach mercie not iudgement we will heare the Gospel but not the lawe and some are indifferent what they heare so that it doth not touch them And most men are like Ezechiels auditors that do heare as the people vse to do but with their mouthes they iest it out and as much reckoning doe they make of the preacher his sermon as they doe of a fidler and his song and not so much for they will giue him the hearing but they meane to doe stil as they did say God what he wil. What do these men say in effect but thus much O Lord we are content to be children and thou shalt be our father so that we may haue what we will and say what we will and do what we will like Naash the Ammonite who would make a couenant with the men of Iabesh Gilead vpon conditiō that he might put out all their right eies and bring all that shame vpon Israel But what saith the Lord If I be your father where is mine honour to shewe that they cannot be the children of God which would so dishonor him and bring such a shame vpon him therefore where is my honour saith God if you be my children In effect it is as much as if he should say Why doe you not listen to my commandements and obey them Why do you not receiue my instructions and beare my reprehensions But as though I had no authority ouer you will you cast off the yoke of my gouernment as though you were wiser than I will you cast behinde you all my counsels As though I knew not what I did will you censure and controll me and my waies will you appoint me how I shal be worshipped must all be as you will Hiccene honos qui debetur mihi doe my children thus honour me or am I a father vnto such children No saith the Lord I am no father to such except you wil regard all my counsels and obey all my lawes and that continually at all times and faithfully in all places and constantly before all persons and wisely according to all circumstances you do not yeeld me that honor which is due vnto me therefore striue vnto this or els call me no more your father Now if wee could remember alwaies with what titles of honor the Lord hath honoured vs it would make vs ashamed to serue the world or the deuill or our selues in anie thing When some went about to persuade Nehemiah to flie hee because he was a Magistrate answered and said Should such a man as I flie So when Gods children are tempted by the world or by the deuill or by their owne heartes to commit anie sinne or to go against their owne consciences in any thing Let them say as Nehemiah saide Shall such a man as I yeeld shall the sonnes and daughters of the most high be so base minded or so beastly affected No be ye holy for I am holy saith the Lord to shew that vnholinesse doth no more become the Children of God than God himselfe how doth it then become the professors of the Gospell to be blasphemers of their fathers sacred name or to bee common swearers or liers or drunkards or whormongers or vsurers or prophaners of the Lordes Sabboths Then say thus with thy self Should I be couetous or malitious or enuious or proud or disdainfull as though my father were such a one and loued such things Should I be familiar with Athists or Papists or Belly-gods or scoffers at religion as though they wer my fathers frends when they bee his deadly foes Shoulde I carry two faces in one hood Should I ioyne handes with the enemies of God against his seruants and ministers Should I stop my eares when God speaketh shall I disobey when God cōmandeth shall I venture when God forbiddeth shall I presume when God threatneth and shal I distrust when God promiseth Is this a life for the seruauntes of God if not for his seruauntes much lesse for his children If the children of God doe thus lead their liues how doe the diuels children liue A heathen man being asked why he did weare such a long bushie beard he aunswered that so often as he beheld it he might commit nothinn vnworthie the grauitie of the same he would not be like a Tauerne with a bushe at the dore and no wine within So now if any man aske vs why God hath giuen vs the titles of Gods children and why we are called christians the church of Christ the spouse of Christ Citizens of heauen and by such like names of loue and honour let vs aunswere as he did that so often as we remember our names and our titles we might cōmit nothing vnworthie the grauity and maiesty of the same And that is one speciall reason why euery man hath his name giuen him in his baptisme that so often as we are called by our names we might cal to mind our baptisme and what we promised there It shuld seem that the papists some Protestants too which be popishly affected do not remember what titles they haue nor by what names they are called and therefore they must haue puppits and images in their churches and houses to put them in mind of their duety to God so some mens relion and holinesse is all in their titles of Gods children and in the names of Christians which onely they retaine when all Christianitie is banished and is not this a shame for the sonnes of God It is counted a shame for a citizen to go like a courtier or for a courtier to go like a carter but if a man put on womans apparrell or a woman put on mans apparrell that is an abomination And shall it not be a greater shame for the Citixens of heauen to go after the fashion of the Courtiers of hell And if it be an abomination for a man to go in womans apparrell what an abomination is it before the Lord for the children of light to put vpon them the workes of darkenesse and to couer thēselues with iniquitie as with a garment and for the sons of God to go in that apparrell which doth belong vnto the childrē of the deuil When the Lord of life was put to death there was darknesse vpon the face of the earth the vaile of the Temple rent the graues opened and the dead arose and went forth with other things which were seene
dore of my lips tell them they are be spoken alreadie and trueth must haue the vse of both What if vncleane thoughtes come a wooing to thy minde tell them that thy minde is for holie meditations and therefore there is no place for them What if vncleannesse her selfe desire but a nightes lodging in thy bodie and seate in thy heart for loue or for money Tell her that thy body is the Temple of the holie Ghost and thy heart is the Lords chaire of state and therefore let her loue and her money perishe togither with her selfe What if couetousnesse or vsurie or vaine-glorie come Whosoeuer come shape them all the same answere though they bring their friendes with them to persuade thee or aucthoritie to commaund thee euerie one may not come into the kinges Courts euery one may not presume into the presence Chamber much lesse into the priuie-Chamber but none may sit in the Princes chaire of estate but the Prince only Neither may the kings officers be at euery bodies cōmandement Our bodies and our soules be the kinges courtes all the members of our bodies and al the powers of our soules are the kinges officers wheresoeuer thou art thou art in his presence chāber but thy conscience is his priuy chamber thy hearte is his throne of state Therefore let not euerie one in but let the feare of God stand in euery corner and at euery entry like the kinges guard and if any offer to come in which haue nothing to doe there let the guard tell them that there is no place for them all is taken vp to the kinges vse If that will not serue the turne thrust them out by the head and shoulders and if they turne againe vpon thee hew them in pieces with the sword of the spirite yea if thou find Iezabell in the kinges chamber cast her out at the windowes and let the dogges eate her If Haman himselfe be there couer his face and hang him vp for what shall such doe where the Lord of hostes should sit and raigne All this is in generall but now more particularly suppose I bee a man of wealth and countenance likely to beare office in the church of God or in the common wealth what if I be called to the place of a chiefe Maiestrat amongst the people may I not refuse it Thou art not thy owne man but the Lords the calling is not mans but Gods therefore thou maist not refuse it But what if ease and selfeloue would persuade me to buy it for euer Tell thy ease and thy selfeloue that thou art not at their appointment but at the disposing of thy heauenly father If this be not sufficient tell them that Esau sinned in selling his birthright and if thou shouldst sell away the gouernement from thy shoulders thou sellest not thy own right but Gods right the churches right the common wealths right the Princes right the poore mans right with the right of the widowes fatherles and Orphans for when God doth set a man in that place all these haue interest in him therefore let no man buy it off but rest vpon God least he become more prophane than Esau but what if trouble and daunger be like to follow then say as Mordecay saide vnto Hester what canst thou tell whether God hath aduaunced thee for the deliuerance of his people what if thou say as Hester said to her selfe I will take it vpon me pray you for me and if I perish I perish I am not at my owne appointment but at the appointment of my heauenly father But suppose that I be a minister of God and set ouer Gods people to teach them the waies of the Lord maie I not turne them ouer to another if ease or profite doe call me surely no for if thou bee at Gods appointment thou must keep thy stāding looke to that flock ouer which the holy ghost hath made thee an ouerseer What if mens traditions would borrow a roome in my study turne them out and tell them that thy study is onely for the law of God but what if popular praise and vain-glory would persuade me to make a shew of painted eloquence and humane learning tell them that thou art not set there to seek thy selfe but Gods people not thy owne glory but the glorie of him that sent thee But imagine that I am a priuat man and haue a trade to liue vpon and a family to looke vnto then follow that but what if I see thinges out of order in the church may I not helpe to put them in order againe or may I not leaue my trade and become a minister Surely by praier and supplication thou maiest help but keepe thy standing for thou art not thy owne man to forgoe thy place at thy pleasure As for the ministery it is to be born by such as haue gifts and calling for it as the Arke was to be carried by Leuites and not by Oxen. But what if the Arke be readie to fall may not I step to and hold it vp Thou art not thereunto appoynted Therefore take heed Vzzah least thou fall thy selfe before the Arke Therefore let euerie one keepe his place and standing that God hath set him in And if anie body doe claime anie interest in vs more than our heauenly father hath graunted him let vs answere him as our Sauiour Christ did the deuill Auoide for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serue And thus we see how these wordes doe binde vs particularly and wholly to our heauenly father and our discharge when we haue done our duetie to God How these wordes My sonne doe serue for our consolation NOw we will see for the comforting and strengthening of our faith how the Lord in these wordes My sonne doth binde himselfe to his children which thing being duely considered will cause vs through the grace of God to beare with patience whatsoeuer crosse shall fall vpon vs in the discharging of those dueties which our heauenly father hath laid vpon vs in our seuerall callinges yea if we fall into the reckoning of it wee will not onely goe cheerefully away without fainting vnder the burthen but euen despise and set at naught all reproches and slaunders all mockes and iestes all losses and hinderances and death it selfe for the excellent glorie and glorious libertie of the sonnes of God for as this white flagge doth shewe vs that we are not our owne men but the Lordes so in the same we may also perceiue that the Lord hath a speciall care ouer euery one of his children in particular If wee be wholly his then is hee wholly ours if wee be not sonnes for our selues but for him then he is a father not for himselfe but for vs. Therefore saith the Lord My sonne which is all one as if hee had said I am thy father as thou art my son thou art mine and I am