only hath begotten them againe vnto himselfe and that no other can worke the worke of our regeneration so now to set foorth the same further by the first and principall cause thereof viz. by that which first mooued God so to regenerate and adopt vs vnto himselfe let vs a little more consider of the infinit loue of his towards vs in this behalfe whereof before we haue heard euen that that loue is the principall cause of our adoption and regeneration This loue of God is here to be considered two waies First as the cause of election before the foundations of the world were layd both to adoption whereof now we speake and also to the fruition of all other mercies in this life and the life to come Secondly as it was afterward in the fulnesse of time declared by the sending specially of his sonne into the world for the effecting of that our adoption Touching the first it hath been before noted that the Apostle in this very place speaking of the loue of God as of the cause of making vs his children doth not speake in the time present but in the time past by that circumstance of time signifying the said loue of God not to be a new loue or a present loue only but an ancient loue euen from the beginning The same besides the Scriptures before alledged is expresly testified by the Apostle Paul who not only saith that God hath elected vs before the foundation of the world but also touching the cause and the end of our said election hee addeth that God hath then predestinated vs to be adopted or to bee made children through Iesus Christ vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will Ephes 1. 5. that is according to his meere and most free grace without respect of any worthinesse of them whom he hath chosen and the words following of the principall end of our election viz. the praise of the glory of his grace do further manifest his free grace to haue beene the principall cause of election to adoption and to the sonneship if I may so speake of God For if there were any other principall cause thereof then only Gods free grace then also the praise of the said cause should be the end of our election as well as the praise of the free grace of God As also it is said that God chose the children of Israel to be his speciall people because only he loued their fathers Deut. 4. 37. and as Samuel saith it had pleased the Lord to make them his people 1. Sam. 12. 22. insinuating by that phrase the meere pleasure of God to haue bin the cause of making them his people so and much more may be said touching our adoption to bee the children of God Yea so also it is said that God of his own will hath begotten vs againe c. that is of his meer loue Iam. 1. 18. As this loue of God afterward declared by the act it selfe of adopting vs to be his children was thus eternall without beginning so also it is eternall in respect it shal be without end Therefore it is called euerlasting loue Ierem. 31. 3. and Iohn saith that whom God loueth once he loueth to the end Iohn 13. 1. And indeed whatsoeuer is without beginning is also without end Many things haue beginning which shall haue no end as all Angels good and bad and the spirits of all men but nothing shall haue end that hath no beginning Therefore as before we heard that all that are regenerated haue beene beloued of God without beginning of his loue so Peter saith that such also are kept by the power of God vnto saluation c. 1. Pet. 1. 5. But of this before Chap. 2. Neither only is that loue of God towards the regenerated euerlasting and without end because it is without beginning but for the same reason also it is the more free and without all respect of any worthinesse in them that are without beginning beloued For how can they pretend any worthines in themselues to haue beene the cause of that loue that was more ancient then themselues yea then the world The cause must be before the effect and not the effect before the cause In this respect therefore the dignity of Gods children is so much the greater first because they are beloued of God secondly because they haue been so long beloued of God thirdly because they haue been and are freely beloued of God fourthly because the loue of God is euerlasting Concerning the first if the fauor of a king be as the dew vpon the grasse Pro. 19. 12. and if in the light of a Kings countenance be life and his fauour be like a cloud of the latter raine Pro. 16. 15. what shall we say of the fauor of God and of the light of his countenance that is king of kings The same is to be said of the antiquity of Gods loue For as it is the greater grace and honor for a subiect the longer he hath been in fauor with his Prince so likewise that all the children of God haue been so long in fauour with God and that God hath so long loued them it cannot but be the greater honor vnto them Thirdly the freenesse of Gods loue without respect of any desert in his children doth as much dignifie his said childreÌ„ as the free grace of a Prince without any desert or gifts whereby to procure the Princes fauor doth the more honor such a subiect as is in such free fauour with his Soueraigne Fourthly and principally the loue of God is the more honorable in respect that it is euerlasting because we see the grace and fauour of all Princes to be mutable Though Haman were in such grace with Ahashuerosh that hee procured him to write his royall letters for the destruction of all the Iewes yet we know what a change fell out afterward Yea how soone and vpon how light an occasion euen vpon the false report only of flattering Ziba was the great loue of Dauid quaâ—led towards Mephibosheth the sonne of his ancient and most faithfull friend Ionathan Sith therefore the loue of mortall Princes is so vncertaine it cannot but be the greater honor to the children of God that they are so rooted and grounded in grace and fauor with God that nothing whatsoeuer shall euer bee able to disgrace them with him so as that he shall for euer cast them off But this shall further appeare by other things afterward handled concerning their further dignity All this of the loue of God of his ancient loue and of his free loue and of his vnchangeable loue towards his children is the more honor vnto them because as it is said Iacob haue I loued and Esau haue I hated Rom. 9. 17. so it is said that the Lord hateth all the workers of iniquity Psal 5. 5. and that his face is against them that do euill to cut off their remembrance from the earth Psal 34. 16. And therefore the wicked haue no part in the foresaid loue of
sinne as likewise their actuall testimonies and very deeds of kindnesse shewed by them for the better incouragement of other to such euill as themselues doe approoue Of such loue Salomon saith that it is but as the cracking or ratling of thornes vnder a pot though vehement hot and feruent for a time yet by and by euen vpon nothing or at least vpon trifling reasons though sometime also vpon good ground quailed cooled and brought to nothing sometime also turned into extreme hatred Hereof there are many examples At Iakobs first comming to Padan Aram to his vnkle Laban how kindly and louingly was he entertained by Laban what great signes did he shew and what great profession did he make of loue As soone as he heard he was come he tarried not till he came to his house but he ran out to meet him What more he embraced him What more he kissed him What more he brought him to his house What more he said vnto him Thou art my bone and my flesh What more he abode with him the space of a moneth What more He said further vnto him Though thou be my brother shouldst thou serue me for nothing Tell me what shall be thy wages What more At his first asking he gaue him his daughter yea but not the right but Leah for Rahel Yea but presently he gaue him Rahel also Gen. 29. 13 c. Here were great matters who would not haue thought there had been great loue and such as much water would not haue quenched Notwithstanding how his heart was afterward changed how his countenance was estranged and how many waies he delt hardly with him and worse would haue dealt if God had not appeared vnto him and commanded him to doe nothing but good to Iakob we know Saul at the first is said to haue loued Dauid exceedingly 1. Sam. 16. 22. yet afterward when Dauid had much more deserued his loue he hated him as extreamly yea his own sonne Ionathan also for his sake 1. Sam. 20. 30. Yea he so hated all the Lords priests for his sake that for the supposed fault of one he commanded them all to be slaine 1. Sam. 22. 18. yea though he did afterward with teares relent vnto Dauid acknowledging him more righteous then himselfe 1. Sam. 24. 17. and so making a great shew of renuing his first loue yet presently againe he persecuted him as eagerly as before The like may be said of the loue of the said Saul towards his owne Sonne Ionathan to whom he was bound by nature but of this before Iehoram King of Israel one while could call Elisha the Prophet by the name of his father 2. Kings 6. 21. against whom notwithstanding such immediatly almost was his indignation and fury that he said God doe so and more also to me If the head of Elisha the sonne of Shephat shall stand on him this day vers 31. To day Herod could so reuerence Iohn Baptist that he heard him gladly and did many things c. yet the next day he beheaded him vpon the request of an whorish and wanton damsell Mark 6. 20. c Demas one while was the familiar friend of Paul Colos 4. 14. Philem. 24. but not long after he forsooke him and made more account of this present world that is both of the things and also of men of this world 2. Tim. 4. 10. What also may be said of the great fauour of Ahashuerosh towards Haman to whom he did not only command that all his seruants should bow their knees Ester 3. 2. but who also was all in all with him so that he obtained of him letters written in his own name and sealed with his own seale for the destroying of all the Iewes in one day Notwithstanding this great grace did not only die suddenly and with speaking of one word but it was turned also into such vnreconciliable indignation that Haman was hanged in a moment vpon the same gallowes which he had prepared for Mordecas Ester 7. 9. 10. So may all Hamans euen such enemies of the Lord and of the Lords people be disgraced and perish in the end that do not as Paul did before his calling belong vnto the Lord. The like we see by daily experience For be the loue of the wicked either towards the children of God or towards them of their own crue and sort neuer so great neuer so hot neuer so burning yet euery trifle putteth all cleane out and for euery toy they are ready to fall out with their ancientest and the best friends they haue and oft times they become as bitter enemies as euer before they were feruent friends Sometimes they fall out in play somtimes vpon the false reports of tale-bearers somtimes for a matter of profit though perhaps not of a penny value somtimes for an vnkind word somtimes vpon meer suspition somtimes vpon mistaking either of some speeches or some actions and somtimes vpon other occasions But why is the loue of the wicked so variable so mutable and so easily alienated from them towards whom it is Euen because it is not wel rooted grounded neither are they wel rooted grounded in it Ephes 3. 18. They loue for profit or for pleasure or for some other carnall respect Their loue is of the flesh not of the spirit The knot thereof is not made by theeternall spirit of God therfore it is easily dissolued As a stake stuck into the earth not rooted is easily plucked vp As an house without groundâ—ill and good vnderpinning especially standing bleakly subiect to the winds hauing no defence of trees of other buildings or of hills is quickly ouerthrown so is the loue of the wicked straight quailed and with euery little blast quite blown ouer This especially may be said of the loue of the wicked towards the children of God For although such loue on Gods part be not without his speciall prouidence yea and oft times wrought by his speciall power of his speciall goodnesse yet on the wickeds part it is for the most part not grounded vpon the godlinesse or goodnesse of such as they loue but vpon some speciall respect vnto themselues So Potiphar loued Ioseph because he was a good steward for him and the Lord blessed him in that which he took in hand yea all things that Potiphar had for his sake So Pharaoh did afterward loue grace the same Ioseph because he had well interpreted his dreames and had giuen good counsell against the time of dearth signified by one part of the said dreames So Saul loued Dauid for his skill vpon the harpe the same may be said of other Thus then we see what the loue of the wicked and of meer naturall men is and thereby how vile and base their state and condition is For what a dogged nature is it to loue no longer then they see benefit towards them and so to loue one while that presently they hate and oft times do hate more then they did loue as Ammons
commeth into the world Ioh. 1. 9. Hee was in the world verse 10. And Loue not the world neither the things that are in the world 1. Ioh. 2. 15. Thirdly it is taken for the elect men of the world Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world Ioh. 1. 29. So God loued the world Ioh. 3. 16. He sent not his sonne that the world might be condemned but that the world might be saued verse 17. Fourthly it is vsed only for the wicked of the world and for all men vnregenerated and that for two reasons First because they sauor only the things of this world and do mind nothing but worldly things Secondly because they are the greatest part of the world and for the most part beare the chiefest sway and swinge in the world as though they were the only lords and kings of the world whereas indeed the least part is theirs yea they haue no right or interest to any thing in the world as hath been before shewed The word translated world naturally signifieth order or ornament and beauty because indeed all things were at the first created in most excellent order and were so beautifull that they were a great ornament to God himselfe the creator of them Now the wicked are not only the greatest part bearing the greatest sway and swinge in the world but also accordingly they are the only gallants outwardly of the world brauing it out aboue all other in such manner that if they were out of the world the world might seem to be no world and to haue no beauty in it In this signification is the word taken when it is said the world knew not Ioh. 1. 10. If the world hate you ye know that it hated me first If ye were of the world the world would loue his owne but because ye are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you Ioh. 15. 18. 19. So it is taken Ioh. 16. 8. He shall reproue the world of sinne and Ioh. 17. 9. I pray not for the world So it is taken in many other places These are the principall significations of this word world and in this fourth signification it is taken in this place The next word here is the word knoweth To omit the diuers significations of this word in other places here it signifieth as before hath been insinuated not to acknowledge not to regard or respect So it is said that our Sauiour shall say at the last day to them that shall plead their prophecying and casting out of diuels in his name I neuer knew you c. Mat. 7. 23. that is I neuer approued you liked you or regarded you Yea here as the words Despise not prophecying 1. Thes 5. 20. import not only that they should not contemne it but also that they should honorably regard it so this word not to know in this place signifieth not only not to regard or respect but also to contemne and despise yea to hate and to prosecute and to persecute with all euil So it is taken else where All these things will they doe vnto you for my names sake because they haue not knowen him that sent me Ioh. 15. 21. These things will they doe vnto you because they haue not known the father nor me Ioh. 16. 3. In both these places not to know signifieth nâ—t only to be ignorant or to neglect or not to regard but also to contemne and despise The same is the significatioÌ„ of this phrase in this place The meaning therefore of these words for this cause the world knoweth you not is this that for this cause the wicked vnregenerated of the world do not acknowledge and regard you that is they do contemne despise and persecute you so also of the words following because it knoweth not him that is because they regard not or respect not himselfe yea because they contemn and despise and what they can doe also persecute him Thus we see the obiection that might be made against the excellency of Gods children to be taken from the hatred of the world that is of all the vnregenerate in the world against them and the answer thereunto to be that this is not a thing to be maruelled at or so to be taken that we should be discouraged by it the more think the dignity of Gods children not to be so excellent as before the Apostle had commended it to be for as much as they that do thus little regard and brook Gods children yea hate and despise them do as little regard as hardly brook God himselse yea they hate and despise him And this their not knowing of God yea their hatred and despising of God is the very cause why such do not know the children of God but hate and despise them The truth of both these viz. that all the wicked do hate and despise both the children of God also God himself and that they do therfore hate and despise his children because they do first hate and despise him is sufficiently euident by the places before alledged For the said places do not only manifest the signification of the words phrases but the truth also of the things themselues And the reason why the wicked do make so little reckning of Gods children of God himselfe yea why they hate contemn both is because of the great contrariety that is betwixt them betwixt Gods children and God himselfe euen as great as is betwixt light darknes betwixt good and euil As God himself is light and hath no darknes in him 1. Ioh. 1. 5. so they that haue fellowship with him and walke in light euen all his children are called the children of light and of the day 1. Thes 5. 5. and lights themselues Philip. 2. 15. Therfore as God himselfe doth hate condemne all darknes and all works of darknes so his children do the like and cannot beare them in the wicked but do reproue them rather Ephe 5. 11. This then is the reason of the hatred of the wicked against the children of God and against God himselfe And this hatred is manifest by examples of such as being bound one to another by the bond of nature notwithstanding hate them to whom they are so bound euen because of the light that is in them wherby they shew themselues the children of the light euen of God himselfe So Cain hated Abel because his own works were euill and his brothers good 1. Ioh. 3. 12. So Ishmael hated Esau Iacob Saul both Dauid and also his own sonne Ionathan for his good loue towards Dauid The like may be said of many other yea indeed of the hatred of al that are wicked against the godly That somtimes the wicked are said to loue the children of God yea also to reuerence them to shew them much kindnes it is first of al for other causes and respects not for their godlines as for their
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
shewing the reason thereof to be partly because the world knoweth not God himselfe and partly because the future state and condition of Gods children is not so apparent to the world as it is to themselues From hence he taketh occasion to set foorth their future excellencie and happinesse whatsoeuer their present basenesse and miserie seeme to bee and last of all sheweth what vse they are to make in the meane time of their hope of the said future excellencie and happinesse This briefly is the summe of all these three first verses of this Chapter viz. that in them is contained as first I said both the excellencie of the children of God and also their duty according to their said excellencie To speake more particularly of these words concerning the former of these two points let vs obserue these two things viz. 1. The exhortation it selfe to the serious consideration of the excellencie of Gods children 2. The preuenting of an obiection that might haue beene made against the same The exhortation is in these words Behold what loue the Father hath giuen vnto vs that wee should be called the sonnes of God The preuenting of the obiection is in the words following both in that verse and also in the second Then in the third verse followeth the dutie of the children of God by occasion of the second part of his answer to the former obiection To returne to the exhortation let vs first of all note and Note but note this one thing namely that as in other places of Scripture the holy Ghost commendeth the loue of God toward vs in making his owne Sonne to bee the sonne of man for vs so heere hee commendeth his loue towards vs in making vs that are but men to be the sonnes of God As in other places we are taught that the sonne of God was made also the sonne of man so heere we are taught that the sonnes of men are also made the sonnes of God and this he doth the better as was before noted to prouoke them afterward to the loue of them whom God so loueth as to make them his children for it cannot be but that the more men doe consider of the loue of God towards themselues and other in making them his children the more they should be prouoked to loue them whom God hath loued and made his children as well as themselues To returne againe to the present exhortation let vs first briefly consider the words thereof particularly and then more largely lay foorth the thing it selfe that is the dignitie of Gods children heere specially commended to our beholding The words vsed by the Apostle are euery one very emphaticall and significant and such as doe import the dignitie of Gods children to be very great Behold The first word Behold is a note of attention or of exhortation to the most diligent marking and obseruing of that which followeth It is often vsed in the Scripture and prefixed before matters of great moment and importance that by the hearers or readers they may the better bee noted and obserued Psal 77. 5. Come and behold the workes of God c. Psal 133. 1. Behold how good and how comely a thing it is brethren to dwell euen together Psal 134. 1. Behold praise ye the Lord all ye seruants of the Lord c. Ioh. 1. 29. Behold the Lambe of God c. Luc. 19. 8. And Zacheus stood foorth and said vnto the Lord Behold Lord the halfe of my goods I giue to the poore c. Rom. 11. 22. Behold therefore the bountifulnesse and seuerity of God c. In all these and diuers other the like places the word Behold is vsed to prouoke men diligently to note and marke and not to looke as it were asquint or glauncingly to cast one eie aside at a thing but with both eies to take a view of that which is commended vnto vs yea not only to marke with the eies of our body but also to note with the eies of our minde For it is all one with the word Consider 1. Sam. 12. 24. Consider how great things the Lord hath done for you c. Oh consider this ye that forget God c. Psal 50. 22. Therefore in some places the holy Ghost is not content with the word Behold alone but he ioineth another therewith of like signification euen the word see to excite and awaken men to the more serious consideration of the matter spoken of as Lament 1. 12. to mooue all men the more diligently to marke the wofull state of Ierusalem the Prophet speaking in the person of Ierusalem saith Behold and see if there bee any sorrow like vnto my sorrow It is also a vsuall thing with vs when we thinke men do not well consider any ware or other benefit offred vnto them to say thus I pray see it I pray you behold it c. This then is it that the Apostle signifieth and requireth by this word in the first place that men should diligently note marke obserue and consider the loue of God towards other men towards themselues in making them his children and that as a matter of great worth and excellencie Yea the Apostle insinuateth by this word that although the dignitie and honourable state of Gods children be very great yet men are too secure and negligent in beholding the same except they bee roused vp and awakened and in a manner cried vnto as men in a dead sleepe yea as Christ cried with a loud voice to Lazarus in the graue to behold it If it were not so the Apostle would haue rested contented himselfe in that mention which he had made of our being the children of God in the end of the former chapter But because hee saw that men for the most part were heerein asleepe therefore concerning this matter hee speaketh vnto them as another Apostle speaketh in another matter Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead Ephes 5. 14. and saith heere Behold what loue the Father hath giuen vnto vs that wee should be called his children Touching earthly dignities and prerogatiues we are wakefull enough Our eies are alwaies both broad open and euer poring into them so that wee need not be bidden to behold for wee see and behold too much Or if at any time wee fall asleepe touching this matter yet wee are halfe awake and the least whispering that is of any worldly preferment will make vs start vp and stand vpon both our legges and looke round about vs and ouer euery mans head though taller then our selues by the head not only to looke vpon it but also to looke after it and if possibly we can by hooke or crooke to get it euen from them that are ten times more worthy of it then our selues Yea so much doe wee looke vpon and after such matters that either we haue neuer an eie to behold this dignity of Gods children or any such spirituall matter or else we see but weaklie and dimlie
be likewise said of the worke of our adoption and of the loue of God in making vs his children This is the Lords worke and it is maruellous in our eies This circumstance noted by this word is to bee ioined with the former word Behold the more to prouoke vs to long after the knowledge of the excellencie of the children of God especially after that knowledge that is by experience sense taste and feeling as it were of the excellencie thereof For no man so well knoweth this excellencie or can so well speake or write thereof as he that is partaker of it and findeth the sweetnesse of it in himselfe For this is that white stone promised to them that ouercome wherein is a new name written which no man knoweth sauing he that receiueth it Reu. 2. 17. The rather is this to bee ioined with the former word to make vs more desirous of getting this title and the more carefull to keepe it being gotten yea to carry our selues according vnto it All men doe gaze vpon the honourable titles of the world and are in great admiration of them but no man almost doth once looke after this yea euery man almost in respect of the contempt wherein this name is with the world afterward to be spoken of in handling this obiection is afraid to be called or knowen by this name As many of the chiefe Rulers that beleeued in Christ for feare notwithstanding of the Pharises durst not professe him Ioh. 12. 42. so many hearing so much as often times they do of the dignity of Gods children haue some desire and could be content to bee the children of God but fearing the world and the great men in the world especially such as to whom they doe specially belong are loth to be seene to haue any minde or affection that way But of these more afterward Thus much of the second word in this text preparing vs to thinke the more highly of the dignity of the children of God heere spoken of The third word is Loue. Behold what loue This word setteth foorth the fountaine or principall cause of making vs the children of God to be the loue of God So it is said to bee the cause why God sent or gaue his onely sonne for vs Ioh. 3. 16. and. 1. Ioh. 4. 9. wherof we shall heare more afterward If the loue of God be the fountaine of sending his sonne then also it is of our making or adopting to bee the children of God For whence is it that we are made the children of God Is it not by Iesus Christ It cannot bee denied and it shall afterward bee more plentifully prooued Heerein the Lord differeth from men for men cannot properly bee said to beget children of Note loue There may be and is in men a desire of children but there cannot properly be a loue of children till children bee begotten and borne For how can men loue them that haue no being at all in nature But God is said to loue vs and in loue of vs to make vs his children or to beget vs againe to himselfe and so his loue towards vs is before we are borne againe or begotten againe vnto him As this loue of God was before the action of our regeneration so it continueth euer after Gods loue is vnchangeable As Christ is the same yesterday to day and for euer Heb. 13. 8. so is God in his loue towards them whom he loueth yea there is not only no change in him but also with him there is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning Iames 1. 17. But being to speake of this loue againe afterward this in this place shall be sufficient thereof The fourth word heere to be obserued is the Father As the former word setteth foorth the originall cause of our being the children of God so this setteth foorth the authour thereof and the subject of that loue before spoken of and that to be not onely God barely considered in his diuine essence but as he is inuested with the title of a Father To speake more plainly The loue before spoken of whereby wee are made the children of God doth not come from God as he is God only but as he is a Father and that first of all as he is the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ And therefore when the Apostle Peter speaketh of this matter euen of our regeneration he saith not only Blessed be God but hee saith further euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which of his abundant or rich mercy hath begotten vs againe 1. Pet. 1. 3. God was alwaies the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ in the distinction of persons in the diuine essence and so Iesus Christ as the second person in the Deitie was alwaies the sonne of the Father euen before all times so that there neuer was any time when the one of these two persons was not the Father and the other the Sonne Secondly this loue heere spoken of commeth from God not only as he is the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ but also as by Iesus Christ he is our Father To speake this also a little more plainly the Apostle heere speaking of himselfe and of them to whom he did write not only as the people of God nor as the workes of God but as the children of God it was therefore the more sit that hee should describe God by such a title as was most answerable to that respect wherein he speaketh of himselfe the writer and of them to whom he did write These being as they were the children of God it was more answerable to the word children that he should say Behold what loue the Father hath giuen vnto vs then Behold what loue God hath giuen vnto vs. For the word God doth more fitly answer to the word creatures or people and the word Father is a plain correlatiue to the word children Now although euer sithence the creation and sithence the first time that there were any elect and beleeuing men God was alwares their Father yet as God was not so knowen to bee the father of our Lord Iesus Christ in the old Testament and before the mearnation and manifestation of Christ in the fleth as â—â—thence so God also Note did not so plainly open and manifest himselfe to be the father of the elect as he hath done sithence the time of the Gospell And therefore wee finde this title Father ostener attributed vnto God in respect of Christ and of the elect in the new Testament then in the old In the old Testament he is most called and made knowen by the name of The God of Abraham the God of Izaak and the God of Iaacob but in the new Testament he maketh himselfe knowen by the name of The Father of our Lord Ieâ—us Christ and of them that by faith are made members of Christ and flesh of his flesh euen one bodie with him As the grace of God which bringeth saluation vnto all men is said especially to
name to the men which thou gauest me out of the world thine they were and thou gauest them mee verse 6. In this one verse is the same word and tense twice The same phrase and tense is often vsed afterward in the same chapter to the same purpose viz. verse 7. verse 9. and verse 12. So before he had said This is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath giuen me I should lose nothing c. Iohn 6. 39. But this shall bee sufficient for this obseruation touching the tense heere vsed by the Apostle And thus much also for the fifth particular word in this text CHAP III. Of the foure next particular words in this text viz. of the word to vs of the word that we should be called of the word the children and lastly of the word of God THE sixt particular word to bee considered is to vs. This setteth forth the persons of whom the Apostle speaketh and to whom God hath giuen this loue to bee called the children of God Whom therefore hath God thus aduanced and to whom hath hee giuen this great and admirable loue to be called his children Euen to elect men to miserable and wretched men before blind lame deafe dumme leprous dead in sinnes and trespasses sitting in darknes and in the shadow of death seruants of sin and bondmen of the Deuill yea bound with such chaynes of Satan as were ten thousand times worse then all iron chaines in the world Euen as men I say that were before in this wofull lamentable and most fearefull plight and condition hath hee thus aduanced to the honour of his children Is not this loue of God admirable Is it not incomprehensible Who is able to comprehend the bredth and length and depth and height thereof Ephes 3. 18. Truly this loue is such that as the Apostle cryeth out touching the reiection of the Iewes for a time and touching the calling of the Gentils O the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God! How vnsearchable are his iudgements and his waies past finding out Rom. 11. 33. So wee likewise touching this loue of God may with admiration cry out O the depth of the riches thereof Yea if we should measure Gods doing herein by carnall reason wee should condemne Gods wisdome for foolishnes for louing vs beeing euery way so vile so base and so vnworthy of any loue of any other of his creatures much more of his Yea so much the more may we cry out with such admiratioÌ„ as before of this loue of God because herein God hath passed ouer the Angels that fel as we had fallen and hath not vouchsafed them the like loue for restoring them and making them his children that he hath vouchsafed vnto vs. But of this more afterward In the meane time this briefly shall suffice for this sixt word The seuenth is that we should be called What meaneth the Apostle by this phrase That we should only haue the name That we should be called and title of Gods children and not be indeede the children of God Not so for our Sauiour reproueth the Angell of the Church of Sardi For hauing a name to be aliue who yet was dead Reuel 3. 1. In the world indeed so it is oftentimes that men haue bare names and titles not the thing or benefit signified by such names or belonging to such names and titles Absolon was saluted by this name of King God saue the King God saue the King 2 Sam. 16. 16. And that not onely by Hushai the Archit in policy but also by many other yet hee was not the King The like title was for a time giuen also to Adonija 1. King 1. 18. Yet he was not the King So we haue known the name of the king of Portugal giuen to one that had no priuileges or royalties belonging to that name So some noble men being condemned for high treason and thereby tainted in their bloud and hauing lost all then honours are notwithstanding by many whiles they liue in courtesy called by such honorable names as before they had though they haue no other priuiledges belonging to such honorable names the cutting off only of their heads excepted whereas meaner persons for the like trespasses are hanged drawen and quartered Thus I say it is in the world and with men of the world But this is not the meaning of the Apostle in this place but that indeed we be as well as called the children of God For he speaketh not of our being so called by men only â—ut also by God himselfe who knoweth how to call euery thing by the right name and calleth nothing amisse This is manifest by the very next verse where the Apostle saith not Dearely beloued now are we called the sonnes of God but now we be the sonnes of God So also the word called is taken in some other places The Angell sayth of Christ to the virgine Mary Thou shalt call his name Iesus Luc. 1. 31. And againe he shall be called the Son of the most high verse 32. Doth the Angel meane Christ should be called Iesus or Sauiour and not bee a Iesus or Sauiour indeed or that he should only be called the sonne of the most high and not be so indeed verily he had no such meaning When Christ sayth of the temple Mine house shall be called the house of praier c. Marke 11. 17. his meaning is that it should be so indeed So therfore is the meaning of the same phrase in this place But why doth the Apostle rather vse this phrase then plainly Note say that wee should bee his children It may bee hee would heerby insinuate the meanes whereby we come to this honor to be the outward calling by the ministry of the word As when our Sauiour sayth I came not to call the rigâ—teous but sinners to repentance Mat. 9. 13. hee insinuateth his calling by the word to bee the meanes of repentance so the Apostle by this phrase that we should be called the children of God may insinuate the outward calling by the preaching of the word to bee the meanes whereby God bringeth vs to this honour of his children Secondly not to stand vpon this reason by this phrase that we should be called he meaneth not only that we should bee indeed his children but also that we should be so known and declared yea publikely proclaimed to all the world to bee the children of God As an other Apostile sayth that God was not ashamed to bee called the God of his ancient people Hebr. 11. 16. Where also note the phrase to be called to signify so to bee indeed so heere this Apostle telleth vs that God is not ashamed that wee should professe our selues to bee and that wee should be called by other his children Herein therefore God differeth from many men especially from some princes who though they purpose secretly with themselues whom by adoption to make their children
God but it is proper and peculiar only to the children of God And thus we see that the foresaid loue of God towards his children is not only to be considered as the principall and first mouing cause of their regeneration but also as a singular and most honourable benefit and prerogatiue Thus much for the first consideration of the loue of God in making vs his children viz. as it was the cause of our election at the first euen before all times vnto our adoption and regeneration to be made in time Touching the second consideration of Gods loue in making vs his children namely as it hath been declared particularly in giuing his sonne for the effecting of our adoption whereunto we were predestinated and elected it is said So God loued the world that he hath giuen his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish c. Ioh. 3. 16. If God so loued the world that he sent his sonne that men might haue euerlasting life by beleeuing in him then also in his said loue he sent his sonne to adopt them vnto God For none can beleeue but such as are adopted and haue the spirit of adoption whereby to beleeue God to be their father And adoption is one necessary step to euerlasting life and without adoption and regeneration can no man enter into the kingdome of heauen as our Sauiour teacheth Nicodemus in the same chapter Neither is it only manifest thus by consequence that God so loued the world that is the elect men in the world that he sent his sonne for their adoption but the Apostle doth also teach the same expresly When the fulnesse of time saith he was come God sent his sonne made of a woman and made vnder the law that is not only borne in the time of the law but also made subiect both to the obedience and to the curse of the law that he might redeeme them that were vnder the law that they might receiue the adoption of sonnes Galat. 4. 4. 6. By these testimonies it is manifest not only that God declared his great loue towards vs in sending his own and only sonne into the world to make vs his children but that also God the sonne was a principall agent in the work of our adoption and regeneration as well as God the father and that wee could no more haue been made the children of God without the worke of God the sonne then without the worke of God the father The same is yet further manifest by the Euangelists interpretation of the propheticall words of Caiph as spoken as hee was high Priest touching the necessity of the death of one for the people and that the whole nation should not perish For this saith the Euangelist spake hee not of himselfe but being high Priest that same yeere he prophecied that Iesus should die for that nation and not for that nation only but that he should gather together the children of God that were scattered Ioh. 11. 50. By gathering together he meaneth adopting and by the children of God he meaneth not them that were already in act the children of God but that were appointed and predestinated so to be as before we heard It is also in the said place to be obserued Note that he speaketh not passiuely but actiuely He saith not that the children of God might be gathered together but he saith that he might gather together c. So he noteth that the gathering together and adopting of the children of God is a worke of Iesus Christ as well as of God the father The same our Sauiour himselfe testifieth saying Other sheepe I haue also which are not of this fold them also must I bring Ioh. 10. 16. he saith not they shall be brought but that he himselfe must bring them Peter accordeth with both the former testimonies making this to be the end of Christs suffering once for sinnes c. not that we might be brought only to God but also that he might bring vs vnto God 1. Pet. 3. 18. As therefore we could not haue been saued without Christ so neither could we haue been adopted without him Therefore also as before we heard the dignity of Gods children to be the greater by the worke of the father so it is also the greater hereby that the father worketh herein by the sonne and the sonne worketh with the father as well in this our second creation as in the first For Christ is the same in glory and excellency with the Father Whatsoeuer is spoken of the Father according to the Deity the same may also be sayd of the sonne For I saith Christ himselfe and my Father are one Ioh. 10. 30. and the Apostle saith that hee being in the forme of God thought it no robbery to be equall with God Philip. 2. 6. And he is called the heire of all things by whom God the Father made the world and the brightnesse of the glory and the ingraued forme of his fathers person Heb. 1. 2. 3. Neither was Christ only so excellent as he was God but he was also very excellent in his humanity the same being conceiued in the wombe of a virgin by the immediat operation of the holy ghost and being personally vnited to the Godhead that both natures might make one person and so vnited being also altogether without sinne vnspotted vndefiled most holy and righteous In his offices also he was most honorable being the onely King Priest and Prophet of his Church yea such a King Priest and Prophet as of whom Dauid and Salomon and all their kingly posterity with the Priests of the law and the Prophets extraordinarily raised vp and sent to the ancient people of God were but types figures and shadowes The more excellent therefore that Christ is and was before his sending into the world and afterward the more hath God dignified his children in sending him so into the world to make them his children The more honorable persons that any Prince doth imploy for the good of any other the more is he dignified and graced for whose good such honourable persons are so imployed Did not Balak King of Moab much honour Balaam by sending vnto him first some of the Elders and Princes of Moab and Midian Num. 22. 5. 7. and 13. and afterward more Princes and more honorable then the former vers 15. Was it not a great honor to the Prophet Isaiah that Hezekiah sent Eliakim the steward of his house and Shebna his Chauncellor and the elders of the Priests to aske counsell of him touching Rabsheka 2. King 19. 2. May not the like be sayd of Iosiahs sending Hiâ—kia the Priest Ahâ—kan the sonne of Shaphat Achbor the sonne of Michaiah Shaphan the Chancellor and Asahia the Kings seruant to Huldah the Propheâ—esse for counsell from the Lord touching the finding of the laweâ— 2. King 22. 12. That the Centurion sent not one of his own seruants but the
our foresaid miserable state and condition I might speake in this place of the mercy of God in forgiuing our sinnes but because I shall speake afterward of the forgiuenesse of sinnes amongst the benefits belonging to the children of God by their communion with God therefore I will spare all speech thereof here In the meane time that God hath shewed such mercy vnto men as to make them his children it cannot but adde somthing to their dignity For as it is a great preferment to be beloued of God he being the King of kings so it is no lesse matter for such miserable yea rebellious and traiterous creatures as we were to find such mercy with God as not only to be pardoned of all our sinnes but also to be made his children yea this is the greater matter because it is a speciall testimony of the loue of God before handled For if he had not loued vs full dearely he would neuer haue shewed such compassion vpon vs. CHAP. VI. Of Christ Iesus being one of the principall causes of and agent in our adoption of the great price hee hath giuen for it of the worke also of the holy ghost therein and of the true nobility of all Gods children by the ioynt working of all the three persons in their adoption TO returne a little backe and to consider a little more of Christ Iesus as one of the principallest agents in our regeneration all before spoken of the fathers sending of him is so much the more because himselfe also came voluntarily and of his owne accord euen freely offering himselfe to be so sent because he saw that no burnt offrings or other sacrifices would be sufficient for our saluation or adoption and regeneration Psalm 40. 5. 6. 7. When Christ also was come in the flesh and saw and felt what it was that the Father had sent him for and he was come for did he any waies shrinke or shew that hee repented of his former forwardnes Nothing so but he did most willingly proceed and go through with that which the Father had decreed he should performe and which himselfe had taken vpon him to doe in our behalfe viz. not only to accomplish and fulfill all righteousnesse Mat. 3. 15. which actiuely was to be accomplished and fulfilled by him but also to suffer both pouerty reproch contempt and all other indignities wrongs and iniuries with men and euen the wrath of God his father the torments of hell and the sorrowes of the life to come in his soule as well as in his body and in his body as well as in soule we hauing deserued all these things euen such paines and pangs as would haue broken the backe and very heart strings of all the Angels in heauen Notwithstanding all that he suffered onely whiles he liued in the earth long before his last passion Ioh. 12. â—7 and the very night before his said passion in the garden when he praied thrice that if it were possible that cup might passe from him and when his sweat was like drops of blood trickling downe to the ground Luk 22. 41. c. and in his last passion it selfe crying with a strong cry and bitter as it is said of Mordecai Ester 4. 1. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Matth. 27. 46. Yea so willing did Christ suffer all before spoken and ten times more then can be spoken that albeit till his time appointed was come he did sometime auoid the rage and fury of his enemies yet for all that he did often sharply reprooue his very friends that either gaue him any counsell to the contrarie Mar. 8. 33. Ioh. 11. 8. 9. or that did any thing for to haue rescued him against his enemies that put him to death Mat. 26. 53. His threefold praier before mentioned in shew to the contrary was not so indeed because it was but conditionall and shewed the greater extremity of his passion For after the said Note praier he did not only rebuke Peter for going about to rescue him as was said by smiting off the high Priests seruants eare neither did he onely heale him whom Peter had so maimed the better to shew that he neither had pleasure in Peters rashnesse neither had any spleen against the said high Priests seruant that had come out with other to apprehend him but he did further also tell him that if he would he could by his prayer to his father haue obtained more then twelue legions of Angels to take him from them Who then had laid their hands vpon him Mat. 26. 53. Doth not this most plainly testifie that he did all most willingly Doubtlesse it doth For otherwise he could as easily haue auoided yea and confounded all the company though comming foorth with swords and stanes to take him as by telling them that he was the man they sought for he made them to goe backward and to fall to the ground Ioh. 18. 6. By these things therfore that God so loued vs that to make vs his children he sent his owne sonne and that in forme of a seruant yea and worse then a seruant vnto wretched men not for doing any thing as Paul for biddeth vs to be the seruants of men 1 Cor. 7. 23. but for suffering any thing at their hands And that the sonne himselfe did also this most willingly and cheerfully without any constraint doth it not manifestly appeare that the adoption of the children is much graced and honored Yea certainly the more is that their adoption to be the children of God graced and honored by all things before spoken of because as Christ was therefore sent and did therefore come and being come did also willingly vndergoe and suffer all so also he did effect that which was so the end of his sending comming and suffering For so it is said of him not of the father that as many as receiued him to them he gaue prerogatiue to be the sonnes of God or to be the children of God euen to them that beleeued in his name Ioh. 1. 12. And so although it be said in one respect that he is not ashamed to call vs brethren Heb. 2. 11. yet both in the same place vers 10. in another respect he is insinuated also to be our father in that it is said that he brought many children vnto glory and also he is expresly intituled by the name of Euerlasting father Isaâ— 9. 6. Moreouer by these things thus written it is most apparant that Christ hath not onely made vs the children of God but also that he hath paid full deerely for our said adoption Therefore it is said that we are bought with a price 1. Cor. 6. 20. and 7. 23. and this price was not any corruptible thing as siluer or goâ—d but his owne most pretious blood 1. Pet. 1. 18. 19. and by the blood of Christ are ment all those his dreadfull sufferings before mentioned If God had sent all the Angels of heauen and they had taken our nature vpon
vpon him that he though he were God and man was in such an agony that his sweat was like drops of bloud yet doe all men remaining in their naturall state and not being born againe go vnder their own inherent sinnes originall and actuall how long so euer they haue continued in them and howsoeuer they haue multiplied and aggrauated them they goe vnder them I say as lightly without any sense or feeling of the waight and burden of them as though indeed they had none at all Is not this an euident argument of extreme deadnesse For what do they that are once dead feele whatsoeuer is laid vpon them To speake all in a word and not to stand any longer vpon particulars the Apostle from other scriptures doth not only say that we are dead vnto all goodnesse but also that in euery part member of our whole man we are aliue vnto all euill For thus he describeth the naturall state of all men There is none righteous no not one There is none that doth vnderstand there is none that seeketh God They haue all gone out of the way they haue been made altogether vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one their throat is an open sepulchre they haue vsed their tongues to deceit the poison of Aspes is vnder their lips Their mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse Their feet are swift to shed bloud c. Rom. 3. 10. By these things we see that though naturall men do liue yet as it is said of the widdow that liueth in pleasures that she is dead whiles she liueth 1. Tim. 5. 6. so it may be said of all naturall men liuing in the pleasures of sinne that they are dead whiles they so liue This our liuing vnto sinne and in sinne being dead to all goodnesse may in some sort be called a spirituall life not as spirituall is opposed to carnall but in two other respects first because it is from that vncleane spirit Mark 1. 23. 7. 25. 26 who is not only the father of lies Ioh. 8. 44. but also of all other euill secondly because all the workes of a sinfull life are performed to the same vncleane spirit Therefore the Apostle saith not only that we are naturally dead in trespasses but also that wee walked in them after the Prince that ruleth in the aire that is according to his commaundement and prescription Ephes 2. 2 Our Sauiour also saith that such sinnes are the workes and lusts of the diuell Ioh. 8. 41. 44. And as Idolaters are said to sacrifice to diuels 1. Cor. 10. 20. so all wicked men may be said to do all that they doe vnto diuels Thus we see in part the miserable and wofull state of all naturall men For what is more fearefull then death when Saul did but heare only by the father of lyes in the likenesse of Samuel and therefore the rather speaking the truth that he might the more confirme Saul in his error touching the raising of Samuel when I say Saul did but heare that the next day hee should be deliuered into the hands of the Philistines and bee slaine how did it affect him How did it strike him with feare verily so that he fell straightway all along vpon the earth and there was no strength in him yea so that neither the woman the witch that had raised vp the diuell in the likenesse of Samuel nor any of his own seruants with him could scarce fasten any comfort vpon him 1. Sam. 28. 20. c. If the very tidings of this naturall death be so fearefull how much more fearefull is that spirituall death before spoken of Hauing thus in part shewed our naturall misery by these things spoken of our spirituall deadnesse let vs now see the change that is made in vs by our incorporation into Christ in our adoption and regeneration Let vs therefore vnderstand that in our said regeneration and new birth by Iesus Christ we are deliuered from that our foresaid miserable state As before we did beare the image of the earthly man so now we beare the image of him that is from heauen heauenly that is of the Lord Christ As Christ in his diuine essence is the brightnesse of the glory of the father and the ingraued forme of his person Heb. 1. 3. so we in quality being made partaker of the diuine nature and being in Christ made new creatures and being also the workmanship of God in Christ Iesus created vnto good workes that wee should walke in them as hath been before shewed by seuerall scriptures we are by this meanes made like to Christ Iesus and consequently also to God himselfe As therefore the Apostle saith that naturally we are dead in sinnes and trespasses so hee saith in the same place that God which is rich in mercy through his great loue wherewith he loued vs euen when we were so dead by sinnes or in sinnes hath quickned vs or made vs aliue in Christ Ephe. 2. 4. 5. Where let it be obserued that the word quickned is only expressed originally in that Note fift verse and that although it be interposed by translators in the first verse for perspicuities sake as they thought yet it is rather there to be omitted and that that first verse is rather to be read with the last verse of the first chapter of Christs filling all things in all things or with all things that is with all gifts fit for euery one so that the verb filled is rather to be vnderstood in the first verse then the verb quickned and that first verse to be vnderstood as an amplification of the generall handled in the end of the former Chapter by the particular instance of the Ephesians as if he should haue said As Christ hath generally filled all things giuen vnto him by the father with all gifts fit for them so particularly he hath filled you that were by nature dead in your trespasses and sinnes and so he describeth by that occasion their naturall state vers 1. 2. 3. and then he describeth our new and spirituall state in the 4. and 5. verses by Iesus Christ But to leaue this place and to returne to the former point of Christs freeing vs from spirituall death and quickning vs and making vs aliue againe Paul saith further that Christ hath abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospell 2. Tim. 1. 10. which Gospell is therefore called the word of life Ioh. 6. 68. Philip. 2. 16. Our Sauiour likewise saith Verely verely I say vnto you the houre shall come and now is when the dead shall heare the voice of the sonne of God and they that heare it shall liue For as the father hath life in himselfe so likewise hath he giuen to the sonne to haue life in himselfe Ioh. 5. 25. 26. viz. to bestow life vpon all that the father hath giuen vnto him Ioh. 10. 28. 29. Euery where saith Paul againe we beare about in our bodies the
know God Can they loue him whom they know not The same is to be said of their loue towards men For how can they loue men when they loue not God How can they loue the lesse when they loue â—ot the greater If they loue not God of whom they receiue all that they haue and who receiueth noâ—◠〈◊〉 them â—â—ther is any waies chargeable vnto them how can they loue them from whom they receiue nothing or very little and that only as from the instruments of God and vpon whom they are forced to bestow somthing of their owne and so to be at charge with them For these reasons and the like when the Apostle in the place before alledged had described vs in our naturall state and being vnregenerated to be vnwise disobedient deceiued he addeth further that we were hatefull and hating one another Tit. 3. 3. So the wicked are both hated of other and doe also hate other and nothing but hatred is to be looked for amongst them This hatred of the wicked against God and men is a notable testimony of that extreme foolishnesse and madnesse beforespoken of which is in the heart of the wicked For what extreme madnesse is it for mortall men that are but as the pot in the hand of the potter to hate the immortall God who being of all might and power is able when he will to breake them all in pieces like a potters vessell What folly also is it to hate all other whereby to make themselues likewise hatefull and odious to all other Doe not such both waies as we say much worse then bring an old house vpon their owne heads They that make themselues odious to God and men shall certainly smart full deeply and wofully in the end If it be obiected touching the loue of God that Paul being but a naturall man before he knew Christ so loued God that he speaketh much of his zeale and that in his said zeale his righteousnesse of the law was such that he was vnrebukeable Phil. 3. 6. and that that seemeth to haue been in truth and not in shew If any I say obiect this I answer that though the aforesaid zeale and feruent loue of Paul were indeed true as this word Note true may be an attribute of the affections and is opposed to hypocrisie or to that which is but counterfet and feined and as it signifieth vnfeined and without hypocrisie yet as the same is an attribute of the obiects of the mind and is opposed to erroneous and signifieth right so it cannot be said that the zeale or seruent loue of Paul was true Though he loued God vnfeinedly and in the truth of his affections from the heart and so was very strict touching the outward righteousnesse of the law yet it cannot be said that he loued God truly that is rightly because his mind being not rightly informed his iudgement therefore touching the principall causes why and the manner how God was to be loued could not but be erroneous For so long as he knew not Christ but persecuted him and the doctrine and professors of him and so much lesse beleeued in him he wanted that which should haue giuen life to his loue For as we haue heard Faith worketh by loue Gal. 5. 6. and loue must come from faith vnfeined 1. Tim. 1. 5. The like is to be said of the zeale of God in the Israelites whereof Paul beareth them witnesse and yet saith that it was not according to knowledge Rom. 10. 1. 2. So also of the zeale of many other ignorant men Howsoeuer their loue and their zeale may be said to be true that is vnfeined and without hypocrisie euen in simplicity yet because it is without knowledge and much more without faith therefore it cannot be right and therefore also not at all acceptable vnto God For without knowledge the mind or heart is not good Pro. 19. 2. and without faith it is not possible to please God Heb. 11. 6. Yea Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14. 23. That which I haue said of this loue towards God in meere naturall men may be said of the like loue in the like towards men For that which condemneth the loue of such towards God how vnfeined soeuer condemneth also the loue of such towards men how earnest and feruent soeuer the same bee The loue therefore that is betwixt man and wife betwixt parents and children betwixt kindred and betwixt friends c. the parties that doe so loue being not regenerate but meerly naturall cannot be right as not comming from sound knowledge and faith vnfeined neither being directed by the word which is the only rule both of affections and also of actions Againe the loue of such towards God and men is most vncertaine and altogether vnconstant so that to day a friend and to morrow a mortall enemy I will not stand vpon the examples either of ancient or of later times of such as haue seemed at the first to haue been very zealous of God and for God and yet afterward reuolted such in old time were Ioash 2. Chro. 24. and Vzzta 2. Chro. 26. and Demas and many other Heb. 10. 25. and in late times euen here in England Bonner Harding a brother of Doctor Reinolds that is reported first to haue conuerted him to the truth and yet afterward fell away from it and by writing persecuted it I will not stand vpon these examples but I will chiefly insist vpon the vncertainty and inconstancy of the loue of natural men towards other Touching this therefore as Salomons words may be by way of similitude applied to other things euen to the vncertainty and shortnesse of the prosperity of the wicked as afterward also we shall see so they seeme chiefly and most properly to be vnderstood of the loue of the wicked either towards God or towards men but in that place chiefly towards men viz. Note that it is like the cracking of thornes vnder a pot Eccles 7. 8. that is though very great for a time yet suddenly vanished away This I say seemeth to be the most proper and naturall sense and meaning of that place because Salomon hauing said in the verse next before It is better to heare the rebuke of a wise man then that a man should heare the song of fooles that is it is better to heare some sharpe words wisely by wise men spoken in the iust reproofe of sinne then the soothing and faire words of foolish men what protestation soeuer they make of their loue and whatsoeuer their loue be for the present Salomon I say hauing so said immediatly inferreth the former words as a reason and confirmation of these and saith For like the noise of the thornes vnder the pot so is the laughter of a foole meaning by laughter that which before he had meant by the word song and by the word song vnderstanding the sweet and pleasant words whereby the wicked doe flatter and sooth vp other in any
hatred is said to haue been more against Tamar then his loue had been towards her 2. Sam. 13. 15. Dogs loue in this manner for let their masters that doe alwaies feed them but vnawares tread a little vpon their foot and they will be ready to bite them by the leg if not to slie in their face It is far otherwise with the children of God For so many as are new borne not of mortall but of immortall seede by the word of God hauing purified their soules in obeying the truth to loue brotherly without feining doe accordingly loue with a pure heart feruently 1. Pe. 1. 23. Now although that place be vnderstood specially of brotherly loue yet he that loueth them that are begotten will much more loue him that hath begotten And indeed how can the children of God but loue him whom they know by his word to be so mighty so infinit so wise so iust and euery way so good in himselfe and so gracious so louing and so mercifull towards them whom he hath so loued as to make them his children in such manner as hitherto we haue heard and shall further heare As touching the loue of the children of God towards men especially towards such as are the children of God with themselues how can they but loue them that are his creatures and the workmanship of his hands yea and which doe resemble their heauenly father and their eldest brother and that are stamped with the same spirit wherewith themselues are stamped that are heires likewise of the same inheritance and for the loue of whom there be so many precepts to command it so many sentences to commend it so many promises to prouoke it so many examples to encourage vnto it In all these respects the said loue is very excellent and precious the more because it doth not only come from God alone but also because that thereby we know that wee are translated from death to life and that we are of the truth and shall before him assure our hearts 1. Ioh. 3. 14. The Apostle saith not that Note thereby we are translated and that thereby we are assured but only that we know our selues so to be So then this loue is a speciall part of the euidence of our saluation and of our comfortable appearance before him both in this life and also in the life to come euen in the great day when all flesh shall be gathered together and when the books of all mens actions known and secret shall be opened before him That which the Apostle in the former Chapter vers 29. had ascribed to the whole worke of regeneration is in the places before alledged ascribed to this one point thereof viz. our vnfeined loue towards other the children of God because indeed all other things are nothing without it 1. Cor. 13. 1. 2. and where that is there are all other graces either as causes working it and by it or as effects and fruits thereof comming from it and therefore as before we haue heard it is called the fulfilling of the law and the bond of perfection Our Sauiour also saith that vpon these two commandements Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy soule with all thy strength and with all thy minde and thy neighbour as thy selfe hangeth the whole law and the Prophets Mat. 22. 40 So that these two points either as they are to be performed by vs or as they Note be performed for vs by our Sauiour Christ Iesus are the text as it were of all the rest of the word of God which is so excellent that when Dauid had learned much thereof yet he praieth the Lord to open his eyes that he might see the wonders of his law Psal 119. 18. thereby nothing that the wonders of the law of God which he did see he accounted in a manner as nothing in respect of those which he did desire further to behold So also in further commendation of the excellency of the said law he saith againe Thy testimonies are wonderfull therefore doth my soule keepe them vers 129. If therefore the word of God be so excellent is not that also excellent that is the chiefe subiect matter thereof and whereunto all that is contained in the word some way or other may well be referred Notwithstanding although this loue be so excellent yet it is not as the papists blurt it out and stoutly defend it the forme of faith For then should it be a part of faith yea the chiefe part of faith and that part without which faith should haue no being at all because the forme doth giue being to that which is formed and so it should be no otherwise distinguished from faith then as a part of faith it selfe which is directly repugnant to that place which they especially plead for the magnifying of loue And now abideth faith hope and loue these three 1. Cor. 13. 13. For in this place we see the Apostle as plainly to distinguish loue from faith as he doth distinguish hope and to make these to be three How could this be if loue were a part of faith and if faith were no faith without loue Indeed there is no faith without loue but if therefore we should make loue to be the principall part of faith we should make many a mad conclusion Againe loue by the doctrine of the Papists vpon the former place is better then faith Can a part be better then the whole Then it should be better then it selfe with addition of another good thereunto Loue also is an effect of faith as before we heard out of 1. Tim. 1. 5. therefore it cannot be the forme of faith Last of al by faith we meane faith in Iesus Christ and euery mans beleeuing of the particular forgiuenesse of his own sinnes and of his own particular saluation by Iesus Christ The loue that is required of vs was in Adam before his fall in whom there was no such faith But to returne to the excellency of the loue before spoken of as we haue heard the loue of the wicked to be very variable and soone quenched yea turned oft times into extreme hatred so the loue of the children of God is most constant and abideth to the end Loue doth neuer fall away though that prophecying be abolished or the tongues cease or knowledge vanish away 1. Cor. 13. 8. The loue of the children of God being sincere without dissimulation Rom. 12. 9. well rooted and grounded Ephes 3. 18. vpon the word and in Christ Iesus it is constant without wearinesse either in affection or in action Gal. 6 9. As God loueth to the end whomsoeuer he loueth Ioh. 13. 1. so his children walke in the steps of the same loue Ephes 5. 1. 2. To conclude this point the more excellent this loue is a speciall point wherein consisteth the matter of our regeneration the more excellent also is the estate and condition of all the children of God so regenerated in whom alone it
were as well now if wee had no word written at all but that all were deliuered vnto vs only by tradition yet it is certain both that God himselfe commanded the word from time to time to be written and also that it was so written to very great purpose and for very great vse of the children of God That the word was written by Gods expresse commandement many places doe testifie Ier. 30. 2. and 36. 2. Reuel 2. 1. c. The speciall purposes of so writing the word of God are two First that the Church might the lesse erre touching the word for if all should haue beene by tradition men might haue deuised what they would and pretended a tradition who almost could haue controlled them That therefore the Church might haue a certain rule both of faith also of manners against which no exception might be taken it pleased God to command his word to bee written for the better examining of all other writings and preachings thereby Secondly it was so written that all men might the better haue the benefit thereof as well priuately to read as publikly to heare the same preached The rather because sometimes by persecution sometimes by sicknesse sometimes by extremitie of weather sometimes by imprisonment sometimes by some other meanes they be kept from the publike ministrie thereof Touching the preaching of it the Lord tooke order also in that behalfe for the better instruction of all by sound interpretation and by wise application of it according to persons and times and places For the preaching of the word is the right diuiding thereof as euerie one needeth the same in respect of age of sexe of calling of state and condition any manner of way 2. Tim. 2. 15. What a singular benefit is this that all men poore as well as rich base as well as honourable may haue the word and ought to haue the word as their seuerall necessitie requireth And truely though a man know neuer so much yea though a man be neuer so rich in faith and godlines yet the preaching of the word is necessary partly to increase his knowledge which is alwaies imperfect 1. Cor. 13. 9. and partly to helpe his memory in those things he knoweth yea to strengthen the same and as it were to stop the holes thereof for the time to come that the things which they shall heare may not at any time runne out Heb. 2. 1. and partly to quicken him both to obedience according to his knowledge and also to make vse of the word for his comfort for his humbling for his strengthning that he may not fall for his raising if hee shall fall and many other waies For alasse what is the best and most godly man that is but drousie and dull needing both to be awakened daily and also with the spurre as it were of the word to bee quickned yea what is the greatest measure of faith of loue of zeale of meeknesse of patience and of any piety in any man here vpon the earth but as a little fire a coale or two kindled vnder and in a great deale of greenewood which will easily bee quenched and goe out without continuall puffing and blowing for nourishing maintaining and encreasing thereof Neither is the word of God in this manner onely a great benefit for the children of GOD in respect of the writing and preaching thereof that so they may both heare it and read it but also because they may at all times both conferre thereof with other and also priuately meditate thereof by themselues yea this conference and meditation must goe with hearing and reading Otherwise all hearing and reading will bee to little purpose yea whatsoeuer wee learne by hearing and reading it will quickly vanish and come to nothing As the two disciples that were going to Emmaus did talke and conferre together of those things that had fallen out at Ierusalem concerning Christ Luk 24. 14. and as the men of Berea did not content themselues with hearing but conferred together of the things they had heard and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things viz. which they had heard were so or no Acts 17. 11. so may and must and will all the children of God do touching the things they heare The like is to be said of meditation Therefore as Ioshua is commanded to meditate in the law of God day and night Iosh 1. 8. and as it is commended to be the continuall exercise of the man that is blessed Psal 1. 2. to teach that he is none of the blessed company that doth not so meditate on the law so it was practised by Dauid himselfe who proueth his exceeding loue vnto the word of God euen such as wherof he was in a manner sick and the which he could not wel expresse by this argument saying Oh how loue I thy law it is my meditation continually Psal 119. 97. This is such a worke as wherin the children of God may euen in the night as they ly in their bed when they haue no light whereby they may read in the way as they walke or ride in their sicknesse lamenesse and in imprisonment when all other comforts doe faile them yea in their old age and when their eie-sight is either dim and weake not able to endure reading or none at all and when they shall be deafe not hearing any thing or at the least not able to endure the speech of any finally when all other things will be loathsome vnto them Euen then I say may the children of God exercise themselues to their great comfort and to a sweet passing away of the time in meditation of the word This is the more because the wicked not hauing this priuiledge do either spend their time in eating drinking swilling carding dicing dancing chambering wantonnesse and in all vanity or else they find all things more tedious vnto them then they can beare Aboue all things great is the benefit of the word for the former vses because it may be and must be locked vp in the chest of our hearts Iob. 22. 22. Pro. 2. 2. and 10. 3. 3. 4. so that when we fall into the hands of theeues that rob vs of al other things yet that cannot be taken away from vs yea though men take away our liues yet the benefit of the word shall continue with vs For this is that good part that Mary did chuse which our Sauiour saith should not be taken away from her Luk. 10. 42. This especially is proper to the children of God Many of the wicked heare the word read the word confer of the word no doubt also but do oft meditate of the word though somtimes rather for euil then for good as al Papists heretiks do study the word the more to maintaine their heresies contrary to the word but only the children of God doe lay and lock it vp in their hearts to their euerlasting good To conclude therefore this point If it were one of the greatest
vs all things also yea this phrase how shall he not noteth it to be impossible not to giue vs all things All things I say not only for the life to come but also for this For the generall all things comprehendeth both the particular sorts of things And if we may assure our selues the more of all things for the life to come how can we doubt of any thing for this life Feare not little flocke saith our Sauiour speaking in this very argument for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome Luk. 12. 32. Is it our fathers pleasure for Iesus Christs sake to giue vs a kingdome and shall he stick at giuing vs the trifles of this life The supper of the Lord therefore assuring vs that the Father hath giuen vs Christ and that by Christ and with Christ and for Christs sake he will giue vs a kingdome doth likewise much more assure vs that he will giue vs all other things which in respect of Christ himselfe and of that kingdome are but trifles As the supper of the Lord doth thus make for confirmation of our faith so doth it also for our instruction in godlinesse and for our prouocation to the loue of him that hath so loued vs. For did he so loue vs altogether voide of goodnesse and therefore vnworthy to be loued and shall not we much more loue him that is free from all euill the fountaine of all goodnesse and most worthy of our loue Verily though he had neuer so loued vs yet he was and is worthy of our loue because of his perfect and infinit goodnesse How much more then is he worthy of our loue that hath so loued vs and that in such exceeding manner that as Dauid speaketh of the loue of Ionathan Thy loue to mee was wonderfull passing the loue of women 2. Sam. 1. 26. so euery child of God may much more say of the loue of Christ Thy loue to me was wonderfull passing the loue of women yea of any mother towards her child or of any woman towards her husband yea of any Virgin or new married yong woman towards the husband of her youth So likewise the supper of the Lord doth serue to prouoke vs to the loue one of another First by representing so vnto vs the loue of Christ as we haue heard Secondly by teaching vs that we are all of the same family yea members of the same body by sitting at the same table by eating all of the same bread and drinking all of the same wine For hath Christ so high and excellent and so far aboue vs so loued vs his seruants and shall not we loue one another Hath he so loued vs that neuer deserued any loue at his hands and who neuer can be any waies beneficiall vnto him and shall not wee much more loue one another that either are beholding one to another or that may bee beneficiall one towards another if not any other way yet at least by praying one for another Shall wee also by sitting by eating and drinking together in one house euen in the house of the Lord and at one table euen at the Table of the Lord testifie ourselues to bee seruants to the same Lord children of the same Father and members of the same body and shall we not prouoke one another thereby to the mutuall loue one of another I might applie to this purpose the exhortation of the Apostle in that behalfe Ephes 5. 1. 2. and 1. Ioh 4 11. and other the like But in a case so plaine such labour may well be spared Let vs only remember that here by loue towards God and men we must not only vnderstand the affection of loue but all such duties and works of loue as whereby we may the better declare our loue to God to Christ Iesus and one to another and so shew our selues the more thankfull for his vnspeakable and incomprehensible loue towards vs Heb. 6. 10. and 10. 24. To conclude therefore this point and this Chapter by these things thus written of the two Sacraments who seeth not the great prerogatiue of all the children of God If a man be weake and sicke not able to goe without a staffe and yet hauing no staffe to goe with doth not he a great pleasure vnto him that shall giue him a staffe the better to stay him in his walking Is it not especially both a great helpe and also a great grace if a Prince shall giue a staffe to some poore man that is sicke and weake yea not onely one staffe but two for each hand as it were one and both according to the magnificence of a Prince of beaten gold All the children of God are sicke they are weake they cannot walke without staues they are so poore that they haue not a staffe of their owne neither can they buy one neither can they make one Christ Iesus therefore the Prince of Princes of his Princely grace and magnificence hath giuen two for each hand one both of beaten gold yea much more precious then the finest gold for such as the word is such are the Sacraments These two golden staues more pretious then gold hath Christ Iesus giuen to the children of God first the one and then as they grow better able to guide two another to walke with in this slippery and stumbling world the better to stay and support them Great therefore and very great is the dignity of the children of God by the two Sacraments as it were by two most pretious staues giuen vnto them by Iesus Christ the Lord of heauen and earth Thus much of the word and also of the Sacraments CHAP. XXI Of the prerogatiue of Gods children by their liberty and free accesse to the throne of Gods grace to aske any thing euery one for himselfe and also for other with much assurance of obtaining that which they aske THe next benefit of the children of God by their communion with Christ Iesus seemeth to be that thereby they haue boldnesse and liberty to come freely without any interruption let or disturbance to the throne of Gods grace there without doubting euen confidently and in full assurance of speeding to aske what they will This the Apostle expresly testifieth saying In whom that is in Christ we haue boldnesse and entrance with confidence or full assurance by faith in him Eph. 3. 12. To this another Apostle exhorteth Let vs draw neere with a true heart in assurance of faith Heb. 10. 22. This assurance our Sauiour himselfe also maketh vnto vs saying Aske and ye shall haue seeke and yee shall finde knocke and it shall bee opened vnto you Matth. 7. 7. Yea hee addeth that If wee that are euill can giue good things to our children when they aske vs much more shall our heauenlie father giue good things to vs that aske them verse 11. so he maketh God much more ready to giue any good thing to his children by grace asking the same then any earthly father is to
better manifestation of the glorie of God by his miraculous raising againe after buriall and after death and buriall diuers daies So our Sauiour saith to his disciples before hee was dead This sicknesse is not vnto death viz. to lie or continue in death till the generall resurrection but for the glory of God that the sonne of God might be glorified thereby Ioh. 11. 4. So he said after he was dead and buried vnto Martha who obiected that he had been dead foure daies Said I not vnto thee that if thou didst beleeue thou shouldst see the glory of God vers 40. Fourthly the godly are sometimes taken away by an extraordinary kind of death not onlie to teach other the more to take heede of all such sinnes as for which they are so taken away but also to admonish men not alwaies to iudge other by their end except their life haue also been wicked but rather to hope well of them if their former life haue been godly albeit their end be somewhat vncomfortable Finally to make an end of my answer to the former obiection touching the afflictions of the children of God sith all afflictions are threatned only to the wicked as all blessings are promised only to the godly though the troubles of the righteous be great yet the Lord deliuereth him out of all Yea though they continue long yet the Lord keepeth all his bones not one of them shall be broken whereas the afflictions of the wicked shall slaie them and they that hate the righteous shall perish Psal 34. 19. 20. 21. Therefore Salomon admonisheth the wicked not to lay waite at the house of the righteous because though the iust man fall seuen times yet he riseth again that is though he haue many afflictions be now vp now presently down yet at the last the Lord deliuereth him out of all but the wicked doe fall into mischiefe or do perish and be vtterly at the last ouerthrowne in their misery Pro. 24. 15. 16. Yea though they crie yet there shall be none to saue yea though they cry vnto the Lord yet he shall not answer them Psal 18. 41. Of both these viz. of the deliuerance of the children of God out of their troubles and of the perishing of the wicked in theirs wee haue mentioned diuers examples before not needfull now to be repeated Though also the Lord do suffer the afflictions of his children to continue yet in the end he will most gratiously deliuer them by death and translate them to himselfe where they shall rest from their labor and where they shall reap the fruit of all their workes Reuel 14 13. of the which rest and other reward of their workes all the afflictions of this life are not to be accounted worthy Rom 8. 18. Yea in respect of which most excellent and eternall weight of glorie all affliction here is but exceeding light and momentany 2. Cor. 4. 17. But of this more afterward In the meane time the Lord will either mitigate the said afflictions of his children or shew his power in their weaknesse not laying more vpon them then he giueth strength to beare neither suffering them to be tempted aboue their strength 1. Cor. 10. 13. The Lord knoweth to deliuer the godly out of tentation and to reserue the vniust vnto the day of iudgment vnder punishment or to be punished 2. Pet. 2. 9. Are not these things singular priuileges Are they not excellent dignities To haue the right of all the blessings of this life and to haue the very afflictions of this life made so many waies beneficiall so that the children of God may not only say that light is sowen for the righteous and ioy for the vpright in heart Psal 97. 11. but also that vnto the righteous ariseth light in darknesse it selfe Psal 112. 4. But is this all that may be said touching the blessings of this life and the afflictions thereof in respect of the children of God No we may further adde both of such blessings and of such afflictions and also of all other things that we that are the children of God do not vncertainly hope but fully and most certainly know that all things work together for the good of them that loue God Rom. 8. 28. What all things yea all things youth as well as age weaknesse as well as strength trouble as well as peace sicknesse as well as health pouerty as well as wealth the single state as well as the married disgrace as well as credit contempt as well as honor low degree as well as high imprisonment as well as walking at large bondage as well as freedome losses as well as gaine barrennesse of the body as well as fruitfulnesse a troublesome wife as well as a comfortable wife wicked and rebellious children as well as good and dutifull death of father mother brother sister husband wife children and other friends as well as the life and long continuance of them trauelling abroad as well as keeping at home banishment as well as abiding in our owne country the hatred and displeasure of men euen of the mighty men of the world as well as their loue and friendship dangers as well as safety foule or cold weather as well as faire and hot weather to conclude death as well as life and any one thing els as well as another All this is so to be vnderstood that wee may admire the wisedome of God in turning all things to good to them that loue Note him and that we acknowledge the state and condition of such to be the more honorable and happy not that therefore we make choice of one thing as well as of another but that we direct our choice according to his reuealed will and yet to be content with whatsoeuer the Lord shall doe and to possesse our soules in patience as knowing that howsoeuer things fall out a while yet at the last the end will be good for vs. But this being a matter of good moment it shall not be lost labor to insist somewhat more vpon it and to make it more plaine that all men may the better see that all things worke indeed to the good of them that loue God that is of his children because we haue heard before that they only do loue him and that all the wicked are often said to be enemies and haters of him This therefore is manifest first because God is with al them that loue him as hath been before declared If God bee with them who can be against them Rom. 8. 31. or what skilleth it who or what is against them They may then say as Elisha said 2. Kings 6. 16. and as Hezekiah did 2. Chron. 32. 7. They that be with vs are more then they that be against vs. God is greater then all Ioh. 10. 29. viz. not only in power but also in wisedome and goodnesse as before also hath been shewed Whatsoeuer he will in heauen or in earth that he doth Psal 135. 6. He will not
Christ we must also suffer with Christ as his members Rom. 8. 17. Our Sauiour saith Whosoeuer will follow me viz. so that he may come to my glory let him forsake himselfe and take vp his crosse and follow me Mark 8. 34. Yea Luke saith that such an one must take vp his Crosse daily Luk. 9. 23. Thereby noting that all the wicked that will be Christs disciples must not looke for some affliction at the first entrance into that state or now and then but continually euen euery day Paul saith If we suffer we shall reigne with him 2. Tim. 2. 12. so insinuating that the way to raigne is first to suffer Yea he speaketh more plainly and more generally saying that All that will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution 2. Tim. 3. 12. Therefore out of the Prophet he speaketh in the person of all the godly and saith For thy sake are we killed all day long we are counted as sheepe for the slaughter Rom. 8. 36. This was the way by which Christ Iesus himselfe entred into his glory Luk. 24. 26. 1. Pet. 1 11. The seruant is no greater then his Master If therefore the world haue persecuted the master Christ himselfe will they not persecute vs that are his seruants Ioh. 15. 20. Shall we I say goe scotfree and looke to ascend into heauen with ease and to be translated thither as it were in our down beds Shall the Captaine only take paines and fight c. and shall the common souldier sit still eating and drinking and making merry No no It neuer hath beene so It neuer shall be so Though Christ were the Sonne yet hee learned obedience by the things which he suffered Hebr. 5. 8. Yea It became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things seeing that hee brought many children vnto glorie that hee should consecrate the Prince of their Saluation through afflictions Hebrew 2. 10. Hath our Prince gone by this way of afflictions and shall wee seeke to shift it and looke to goe another way What a shame were this for vs to be so squamish so nice so dainty especially we being so base so vile and so contemptible as wee are in respect of our Prince Away therefore with such sluggish feares and fancies Away with such softnesse and tendernesse Let vs make as full reckoning if we will be christians indeede as well as in name to suffer persecutions as we are sure of the coat of our backes Let vs daily looke for it Let vs dailie buckle our selues vnto it And so the more wee looke for it and the better we are armed to it the more easily we shall ouercome it yea we shall find more comfort and ioy in such sufferings for Christs sake then all the wicked in the world doe in all their ease in all their dainty fare in all their riches and glory in all their sports delights and pleasures Yea the truth is that we should so looke for trouble in the world and be alwaies so prepared to suffer for Christs sake that if the world laugh or smile vpon vs fauor vs we should the more feare our state doubt whether yet we be the children of God or no such as we haue been accounted by other Note and such as we haue taken our selues to be Last of all for this point let vs vnderstand that as all the children of God must make reckning not to be known in the world that is to vndergoe many troubles euen for that cause so saith the Apostle here for this cause that is because God hath so loued vs as to make vs his children the woâ—ld knoweth you not and because we haue receiued the spirit of adoption and shew the same by the fruits thereof as I say all such must make reckoning of trouble in the world so especially the more excellent that any of Gods children are and the greater measure they haue receiued of the spirit of adoption the more they must looke to be molested and troubled in the world Marke the history of the old testament from the beginning to the ending and ye shall find that alwaies the greatest afflictions did follow the best of Gods children the best Patriarks the best Prophets the most holy men of other sort The like is to be said of the new Testament As the Apostles had receiued greater gifts from God then other so they were the more persecuted by men then other The Apostle Paul speaking of himselfe and of the rest of the Apostles saith I thinke that God hath set foorth vs the last Apostles as men appointed to death for we are made a gazing stocke vnto the world and to the Angels and to men c. 1. Cor. 49. and again We are made as the filth of the world the ofscouring of all things c. verse 13. This cannot but be looked for in respect of the world For if the world know vs not that is do hate vs and enuy vs for this cause because we are Gods children then it cannot be but that the more we shew ourselues to be the children of God the more the world will hate enuy vs. Neither is any other thing to be looked for in respect of God himself For why should we think that God giueth some a greater measure of his spirit of adoptioÌ„ theÌ„ he giueth to other som There is no more in one to win Gods loue in that behalf theÌ„ in another For God hath frely giuen this loue to al his childreÌ„ alike to be so called to be indeed his children It must therefore be in respect of the end for which he doth so viz. that such may beare the more afflictions and by bearing such afflictions they may glorifie God the more that hath so honoured them not only aboue other men but also aboue other of his children It standeth also with great reason for the highest cedars and the tallest and greatest okes are the more subiect to stormes and tempests This is the first point to be obserued from this obiection The second point to be obserued from the first part of the answer to the said obiection viz. from the cause why the world taketh so little notice of Gods children c. namely because they know not God himselfe is this that although all the children of God must looke for trouble and vexation in the world euen as if the world had neuer knowen them yet they haue no cause to be offended there with or to thinke their state to be therfore the worse but that rather they haue good cause well and patiently to beare the same sith as the world knoweth not them so also it knoweth not God himselfe Heereby appeareth that more plainly which before hath beene handled more plentifully that all the world that is all the wicked and vnregenerated in the world are fooles and little better then mad men For how can they be wise yea how can they be other then fooles that know
to blesse him according to his former promise For this patriarke Isaack hauing so blessed Iaacob when his sonne Esaâ— returned from hunting and brought Venison ready dressed vnto him and craued his blessing this Izhaack I say told his sonne Esau what had fallen out in his absence and saith plainly I haue blessed him therefore he shall be blessed Genes 27. 33. As if he should haue said My blessing is past already Thou comest now too late I haue giuen my blessing to him to whom by the appointment of God at the first it did belong therfore whatsoeuer thou hast done at my commandement and howsoeuer I promised indeed to blesse thee yet hauing now spoken the word for the blessing him that came before thee I neither will nor can reuoke it Dauid seeming to allude to the former words of Isaack in his praier for the blessing of God vpon his house vseth the very same words almost if not altogether speaking thus Now it hath pleased thee to blesse the house of thy seruant that it may bee before thee for euer for thou O Lord hast blessed it and it shall be blessed for euer 1 Chron. 17. 27. The like constancy we read of that heathen and wicked man Pilate For when hee had written this title vpon the head of Christ on the Crosse Iesus of Nazaret the King of the Iewes and when the high Priests of the Iewes being offended with the said title perswaded him to alter it and said Write not The king of the Iewes but that he said I am the king of the Iewes what answered Pilate Was he content to alter his former writing Not so but he answered What I haue written I haue written Iohn 19. 19. 21. 22. Did these men the one an elect of God and a good man the other a reprobate and most wicked did these I say thus hold themselues to their own notwithstanding earnest requests to the contrary Shall we think that God will shrinke go back of his word for the casheering of any whom once he hath enrolled and written in the book of life No no though all the world should solicit him to the contrary yea though it were possible that the Angels of heauen shold so do yet wil not God goe one inch back of his word touching any of his children whom he hath determined to make like vnto his owne sonne He will not flinch a whit or start aside an heires bredth but to all such as shall plead for the cutting of the names of any of his out of the table or book of life he will answer as Isaack did to Esau I haue blessed them therfore they shall be blessed and as Pilat answered the high priests of the Iewes whom I haue written I haue written To leaue this argument and to proceed vnto other If they be blessed that walke not in the counsell of the wicked c. that trust in the Lord c. that feare the Lord c. then are they certaine of their future likenesse vnto Christ For where there is no certainty therof there caÌ„ be no blessednes But such are pronounced blessed in the Psalms in the other scriptures therfore they are certaine of this their future likenes to Christ The like may be said of the commandement of the Apostle giuen to all that are in Christ for reioicing in the Lord yea for reioicing alwaies Philip. 44. For what ioy can there be where there is continuall doubting of â—his future likenes vnto Christ Againe by so many arguments as whereby before we haue laid forth the dignity of Gods children we may also be assured of this our future likenes vnto Christ viz. by Gods loue in making vs his children because whom he loueth he loueth to the end by the difficulty and greatnesse of that worke For would he do so difficult so great and so admirable a worke and not bring it to perfection or what perfection hath it without this likenes to Christ by the meanes whereby he worketh it viz. by the immortall seed For how is that seed immortall if they perish that are begotten again by it I meane touching the spirituall life whereby they are so begotten againe Or how doe they continue if they neuer attaine vnto but come short of this likenes vnto Christ by their vnion with Christ and communion with the Father and the holy ghost which we heard to be indissoluble once made and neuer dissolued by their liberty and free accesse to God in praier with assurance to be heard as in other things so also in asking of this their future likenes vnto Christ by the forgiuenesse of their sins the only let of their likenes vnto him Gods couenant therein being a couenant of salt euen an euerlasting couenant by the working of all things together for their good by their freedome from condemnation by the blessed inheritance before spoken of and almost by all the other arguments Last of all all that are in heauen may be sure without doubting of their future likenes vnto Christ But all the children of God that are regenerated by the word of truth are in heauen Therfore they may be sure without doubting of their future likenes in grace and in glory vnto Christ The first part of this reason that all in heauen may bee sure without doubting of their future likenes to Christ c. is so euident that no man will deny the same sith there is no fetching any thing from thence That which our Sauiour saith as a reason to prouoke men to lay vp treasures in heauen viz. that There neither the moth nor canker doth corrupt nor thieues digge through and steale Mat. 6. 30. may be said of all persons in heauen that they are out of all danger c. The second part of the former reason that the children of God regenerated and new borne by the holy ghost are already from the first houre of their regeneration in heauen is expresly affirmed by the Apostle Ephes 2. 6. Most men vnderstanding those words as spoken only of the children of God in respect of their certainty of heauen not in respect of their present possession do notwithstanding iustifie my present purpose Notwithstanding I doe vnderstand with some other much more euen the present possession it selfe of heauen present I say not full possession and that because Christ Iesus hauing taken possession of heauen not as one alone but as the head of many euen of all his members not to his own vsealone but to theirs not in his own name alone but in theirs it must needs be granted that all they also are in present possession whose head Christ is to whose vse and in whose name Christ hath taken possession of heauen I will illustrate this by a law case common amongst vs. A mans wife of Kent or Essex hath coppy hold land purchased by her or giuen vnto her by some friends in Yorkshire in Cumberland in Westmoâ—land or some other country two hundred miles from
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
God murmurers prophane persons and otherwise wicked doth prouoke the children of God the more to take heed of such sinnes and the more to abound in the contrary vertues 1 Cor. 10. 6. 7 c. Heb. 12. 16 17. Iude 3. and 4. and 20. This is necessary first in respect of God that the more he is dishonored by other the more glory he may haue by his children Secondly in respect of such wicked men themselues for their better conuersion Mat. 5. 16. 1 Pet. 2 12. The like is to bee said of purging our selues according to the care that we see of other for purging themselues The more we see other to purge themselues the more also must we purge our selues Therefore doth God let vs see and heare of good examples that we should imitate them Heb. 13. 8. Iames 5. 16. 17. 3. Iohn 11. 1. Cor. 11. 1. 2. Cor. 8. 1. c. Philip. 3 17. Last of all the more vncleane and polluted that wee our selues haue been the more we haue giuen our members as seruants vnto vncleannesse and to iniquity before we had this hope in vs. the more the Lord doth require that we should giue our mâ—mbers seruants vnto righteousnesse when we come to haue this hope in vs. This the Apostle Paul expresly commandeth in the very words before set downe Rom. 6 19. And this is plaine by the doctrine of our Sauiour himselfe For from the particular experience of the abundant loue of the woman towards him that had found abundant mercy in the forgiuenesse of her abundant sinnes from I say his particular experience of her abundant loue for his abundant mercy in forgiuing her abundant sinnes testified by abundant fruits thereof viz. first by her bringing a box of pretious ointment Secondly by her washing Christs feet with her teares Thirdly by her wiping them with the hair of her head Fourthly by her kissing of them Fiftly by her anointing them with the foresaid ointment that so they might not bee cleane with her washing but also sweete with her ointment by all these things our Sauiour pronounceth that many sinnes were forgiuen her and from all these things in her particular example he insinuateth this generall doctrine that to whom much is forgiuen he loueth much as contrarily to whom a little is forgiuen he loueth a little Luk. 7. 47. This we haue seene by the example of Peter before The more he had fallen and defiled himselfe by denying and forswearing of Christ the more Christ afterward chargeth him to loue him and to declare his loue by feeding his sheepe the more diligently Ioh. 21. 15. yea before this charge the more we haue heard Peter to haue testified his loue towards Christ himselfe by casting himselfe into the sea as soone as euer he heard Christ to be on the shore and by swimming vnto Christ when the rest of the disciples euen Iohn himselfe not excepted who was the disciple whom Christ had specially loued made no more hast then to come by ship vnto him The more that Paul before his calling had blasphemed and persecuted Christ the more being called he purged himselfe and shewed himselfe zealous of the glory of God according to his former blasphemy as also by more abundant labour for the Church 1. Cor. 15. 10. and 2. Cor. 11. 23. He shewed himselfe the more louing to the Church according to his former persecution thereof As the Scripture recordeth Bathsheba the wife of Vriah to haue been a greater sinner by yeelding to the adulterous lust of Dauid then Abigail so when they were both the wiues of Dauid it appeareth that she went further in purging of her selfe then Abigail This I say appeareth as by many other testimonies of her greater godlines so especially by those golden precepts of pietie and vertue giuen to her sonne Salomon Pro. 31. 1. c. and often else where Thus much of this effect of our hope viz. of purging our selues The patterne according to which we are to purge our selues is Christ himself as he is pure This word as is not a note of equality or parity but only of similitude or likenes As at the appearing of Christ we shall not be equall vnto him in glory but only like him so much lesse in this life can we be equal in lines but onely like him This patterne is the most perfect patterne of all other we are indeede sometimes exhorted to imitate and to resemble men but they are no otherwise to be imitated and resembled then only as they doe imitate and resemble Christ 1. Cor. 11. 1. Therefore Iohn saith not follow Note them which are good For euen the best haue their faults wherein they are not to be followed but he saith follow that which is good 3. Iohn 11. That all that haue the former hope must purge themselues as he is pure it is manifest because we haue heard before that he is our King Now wee know and see by daily experience that subiects for the most part doe compose and frame themselues according to the example of their Princes Wee haue likewise heard that Christ is the head we the members Christ is the husband we the wife Christ is the vine wee the branches Must we not therefore purge our selues as hee is pure Are not the members of like nature with the head Must not the wife frame her selfe as neere as can bee to her husband And haue not the branches the same vertue and qualities that the vine This condemneth the folly and madnes of the Papists that haue so many patternes of imitation as they haue orders amongst them Some are Dominicans some are Franciscans some are Benedictines some are Augustines Some are black Fryars some white some gray I meruaile also they had not some tawnie some russet some greene some yellow some blew some of all other colours If Paul condemned the Corinthians for holding some of Paul some of Apollos some of Cephas some of Christ 1. Cor. 1. 12. c. would he iustify the folly and madnesse of the Papists in their foresaid multiplying of orders and in propounding to themselues so many patternes of imitation so different and diuers euery one from another Christ is not to be imitated in those things that hee did as God onely viz. in his miracles whereby he declared himselfe to be God nor in those things which were proper and peculiar to the office of his Mediation but in those things which he did in the common forme of a seruant Therefore the Papists are as foolish and mad for imitation of Christ in their lent fast as they should be if because he walked on the sea therefore also they should take vpon them to doe the like This patterne is not speciall for some but generall for all the children of God For the Apostle saith that euery one that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe as he is pure As therefore not some but euery one that hath this hope in him of being like vnto Christ
in glorie at his appearing and of seeing him as he is must purge himselfe so also not some but euery one that hath the said hope must purge himselfe according to this patterne This therefore especially condemneth that strict sect of the Papists called Iesuites which in a kinde of extreame pride in name and in a more precise kinde of imitation of Christ as they pretend do both single themselues from all other and also aduance themselues aboue all other For doth not the Apostle in the place before alledged reprooue the Corinthians as well for holding some of Christ in a speciall maner as for holding some of Paul some of Apollos some of Cephas And doth he not also thereby teach that as albaptized into Christ are Christians alike so all if any must be also Iesuites alike Though in Cambridge Christ Colledge and Iesus Colledge be two distinct colledges yet in profession the names Christ and Iesus are not so to be distinguished To conclude this point touching this patterne according to which we are to purge our selues Let vs remember what Iacob did to haue blacke and white spotted lambs yea what he did in that behalfe not of his owne head but by direction of God himselfe as also let vs consider the successe thereof CoÌ„cerâ—ing this it is said that Iacob took rods of greene poplar of hasell and of the chesnut tree and pilled white strokes in them and made the white appeare in the rods and then put the rods which hee had pilled into the gutters and wairing troughs when the sheepe came to drinke before the sheepe because they were then in heat when they came to drinke Wherefore did he all this Because before he had made a couenant with Laban to haue no other wages then the party coloured sheepe with great and little spots all that were so spotted before beeing first taken out of the flocks and committed to the other sonnes of Laban to bee kept by themselues three daies iourney from those that remained in the keeping of Iacob What was the successe of this practise It is further saide that the sheepe beeing then in heat because it was then ramming time and seeing those reds so pilled with white strokes lying before them by the impression of them but chieflie by the speciall prouidence of God brought foorth yong of partie colour and with small and great spots Genes 30. 37. c. To apply this to our present purpose as those sheepe by beholding those rods so pilled with white strokes amongst the naturall greene that was left on them through the speciall prouidence of God did bring forth yong partie coloured like to those said pilled rods in that maner laid before them so if euery one that hath that former hope in him of being at the appearing of Christ like vnto him in glorie and of seeing him as hee is for the purging of himselfe would alwaies lay before his eies this excellent patterne of Christ himselfe heere commended vnto vs and seriously marke and obserue the same it could not bee but that through the gracious working of God the sight of this pattern would make so deepe an impression in the heart of such a man that hee should purge himselfe as Christ is pure and bee made like vnto him in holinesse and righteousnesse for his better assurance of his future likenesse vnto him in glory But therefore indeede doe men continue the longer in their spirituall filthinesse and bee not transformed into the likenesse of Christ in the foresaide holinesse and righteousnesse because they doe not so behold and consider this excellent patterne as they should doe And this is a manifest argument that whatsoeuer some men speake of their knowing Christ and of seeing Christ as also of their hope of beeing made like vnto Christ at his appearing as well as any other yet indeede all these are but words because they doe not purge themselues as he is pure For if they had that hope they speake of if they did so know Christ and behold Christ as they boast they do then doubtlesse they would purge themselues as he is pure This must bee applied to particular vertues wherein Christs puritie doth speciallie consist as to walking in loue as hee hath loued vs Ephesians 5. 2. To running with patience the race that is set before vs looking vnto Iesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the ioie that was set before him endured the Crosse and despised the shame Hebrewes 12. 1. 2. and suffered for vs leauing vs an example that wee should follow his steppes c. 1. Pet. 2. 21. so likewise to humilitie that in meekenesse of minde euerie man esteeme other better then himselfe not looking onlie on his owne things that is on his owne gifts that himselfe hath receiued but also on the things of other men as hauing the same mind that was euen in Christ Iesus who being in the forme of God and thinking it no robberie to be equall to God made himselfe of no reputation but tooke on him the forme of a seruant and was made like vnto man and was found in the shape of a man and humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the Crosse c. Phil. 2. 3. c. The like may be said of other speciall vertues and particular branches of that puritie that was in Christ Iesus All these things that I haue now written of the dignitie of the children of GOD God himselfe write in the hearts of all that shall read them thus written in paper And hee that hath loued them with such admirable and incomprehensible loue as to aduance them to this vnspeakable dignitie continue this his loue in them vnto the end and so purge and transforme them into the holinesse of Christ Iesus in this world that as heereby they doe alreadie know that howsoeuer they bee heere of the world contemned and made the off-scouring and as it were the skumme of the world yet at the appearing of Christ they shall bee made like vnto him and see him as hee is so indeede they may bee so made like vnto him and so see him and his glorie and enioie the same for euer and euer Amen FINIS Faults escaped partly at the Presse partly by the default of him that copied out part of the Booke PAg. 5. l. 25. put out vnto p. 18. l. 5. after not r. only and after but r. also p. 19. l. 32. r. all p. 20. l. 21. r. alwaies p. 22. l. 19. r. mediatly p. 24. l. 3. r. euen vs. p. 29. l. 2. r. taking only p. 41 l 15. r. alone p. 64. l. 30. r. cleare p. 69. l. 6. r. to beleeue it p. 76. l. 30. r. 1. Cor. 12. 3. p. 108. l 32. r. gesture p. 129. l. 21. after abiding r. or p. 167. l. 23. r from p. 169. l. 13. r. from some p. 187. l. 3. r. Gad. p. 194. l. 4. r. giue p. 198. l. 14. r. as p. 208. l. 28. r. Ps 19. 7 p. 221. l. 14. r. inueh reading p. 223. l 5. r. Rom. 6. 3. 4 p. 236. l. 22. r. other p. 238. l. 33. r. Iames 1. 18. p. 260. l. 11. r. high Priest p. 271. l. 8. r. Psal 94. p. 306. l. 34. r. euen p. 308. l. 17. 18. r. vnspeakable p. 312. l. 10. r. meanes p. 324. l. 36. r. smack p. 325. l. 2. r. whom p. 326. l. 21. r. beheld p. 328. l. 1. r. we heard l. 10. r. oppresse l. 28. r. collowed p. 335. l. 7. r. viz p. 339. l 32. r. Ps 102. 2. p. 348. l. 33. r. Melas 34. Rhinocurura p. 368. l. 21. r. children of God p. 387. l. 29. put out one p. 408. l. 25. r. and therfore p. 412. l. 35. put out the wicked p. 436. l. 24. r. great p. 467. l. 3. read comming p. 469. l. 32. r. Now. p. 475. l. 15. r. worke p. 488. l. 30. r. so likewise
Daniel that he being thrown into their den amongst them continuing there an whole night and the dens mouth being couered with a great stone none of them did him any hurt Dan 6. 22. And yet the same lions caught Daniels accusers with their wiues and children being by the commandement of the king cast into their den and brake all their bones in pieces ere they came at the ground of the denne vers 24. That lion also that had commission from God to kill the Prophet that had behaued himselfe vnlike a child in transgressing the word of God by vertue of the same commission was not only restrained from doing any hurt to the dead body of the said Prophet or to his Asse whereon he rode but also attended thereupon that no other wild beast might teare in peeces either the said dead body of the Prophet or his Asse but that the said dead body might be kept safe to be buried When also the other Prophet that had deceiued that Prophet came to fetch the said body to bury the same the lion suffered him quietly to take it to lay it on his Asse and to cary it away 1. Kings 13. 24. The caterpillers grashoppers flies lice and frogs were sent to plague the Egyptians for the good of the Israelites and to procure their more speedy deliuerance out of the land of Egypt Touching senselesse creatures when God commanded the fire not to hurt Shadrach Meshach and Abednego it did not so much as burne any haire of their head or scorch their garments neither was there any smell of fire about them Dan. 3. 27. yet so hote was the fornace made that the flame that came out of the mouth thereof deuoured those men that brought foorth Shadrach Meshach and Abednego verse 22. not being put into the fire but only comming neere it to cast in Shadrach Meshach and Abednego The fire that came downe from heauen and consumed the two captaines and their fifties sent to fetch Elija did not sease vpon the third captaine and his fifty that by humbling himselfe to Elija and crauing his fauor shewed himselfe to be one of the children of God 2. Kings 1. 14. The fire that consumed Sodom and Gomorrha had no power ouer Lot and them that went out with him Though the aire be neuer so dangerously infected yet such as dwell in the secret of the most high and abide in the shdow of the Almighty that is the children of God that trust in him God will preserue from the noisome pestilence that killeth in the darknesse and from the plague that destroieth at noone day so that although a thousand fall on their left side and ten thousand on their right hand yet it shall not come neere them Psal 91. 1 3 5 6 7. Yet this and other things touching outward preseruations must still be remembred to be with condition if it shall be good for them to liue and not better by death to be deliuered from euils to come Isai 57. 1. Did not the liquid waters of the red sea and of Iordan contrary to their nature stand vpon heapes and become like a wall for the good of the Israelites Did not the hard rocke a part of the earth giue water likewise vnto them This that I haue spoken of these creatures is to bee vnderstood of all other because God hath promised to make such a league with all creatures for his children that the wolfe shall dwell with the lambe and the leopard with the kidde and the calfe with the lyon and the sucking child shall play vpon the hole of the aspe and the weined child shall put his hand vpon the cockatrice hole and that nons shall hurt or destroy in all the mountaines of his holinesse c. Isai 11. 6. c. and 65. 25. The like almost is that his promise of such a couenant with his people that hee will cause the euill beasts to cease out of their land that so they may dwell safely euen in the wildernesse and sleepe in the woods Ezek. 34. 25. that is in the places of greatest danger If the Lord haue made such a couenant for his children with all creatures what creature dare to transgresse it When Abimelech king of Gerar commanded all his people that none should hurt Izaak nor his wife did not Izaak then liue in the more peace so that hee sowed in the land c. which before he had not done Gen. 26. 11. Was the word of an heathen king to his heathen people that were worse than vnreasonable creatures of that authoritie and shall not the word of God be as authenticall with all his creatures The very couenant of God with his children bindeth all other creatures to the peace good behauiour towards them If once it be knowen that a king haue made a league with another people betwixt whom and his people there was before hostilitie and open warres doe not all such a kings subiects lay downe all their weapons of warre and frame themselues to liue in peace with the other with whom they before had had mortall war Is the league of a mortall king of that force with his subiects for their former enemies and shall not the league of the immortall God with his children be of much greater force to bind all his creatures to the good behauiour towards his said children albeit by their sinne they haue brought the rest of the creatures to be subiect to vanity Rom. 8. 20 21. Verily no king is of that soueraignty ouer his subiects either by right or by tyranny and violence that God is ouer all his creatures Is not euery creature to God as the pot to the potter Rom. 9. 21. This that hath been spoken of the working together of all things to the good of them that loue God is the greater priuiledge for such as do so loue God and who by such loue doe the better shew themselues to be the children of God because it followeth on the contrary that all things worke together to the hurt of them that doe not loue God and so do shew themselues not to be the children of God This point is so plaine by the contrary point before largely handled that it shall not need any further confirmation Thus much for the benefits concerning this present life belonging to the children of God CHAP. XXV Of the benefits of the children of God in the life to come and first of their freedome from condemnation HItherto we haue heard of the benefits of the children of God in this life both for this life and also for the life to come Now it followeth to speake of those which they shall enioy in the life to come These are two First that they are freed from euerlasting condemnation secondly that they are heires yea heires annexed with Christ Both these follow vpon those things before spoken concerning the dignity of Gods children And first concerning the former it followeth vpon that which hath been said of Gods loue
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