as men halfe asleepe and halfe awake yea as men halfe blind and halfe seeing and as the blinde man whose eies our Sauiour had begunne to open and who said I see men walking like trees Marc. 8. 24. In this respect therefore the Apostle doth the rather heere say Behold what loue c. And because this heere spoken of is of another nature then the things of this world and of this life and because of our selues naturally we are all blinde sitting in darknesse and in the shadow of death Luc. 1. 79. Act. 26. 18. and because such of vs as haue the eies of our vnderstanding lightned haue them not so lightned but that we see only in part and as it were with spectacles thorow a glasse 1. Cor. 13. 12. so that still we had need to pray our selues and to bee praied for by other that the eies of our vnderstanding may bee further lightned Ephes 1. 18. and this weaknesse of sight in our inward man is partly by the reliques of sinne in vs and partly by the obiects of this world heere spoken of therefore wee haue the more need to be called vpon by other and also to prouoke our selues to behold what loue the Father hath giuen vnto vs to be called his children We haue hawkes eies and eagles eies to behold the glory of the world and the worldly dignities of the sonnes of men and that euen in the twilight yea in the darke night we need not be carried vp to the top of an high mountaine as our Sauiour was by the diuell Matth. 4. 8. Where note that if the Diuell Note had power ouer the outward man of Christ himselfe so without sinne to carrie him from place to place we may not think much if he haue power to vex our bodies Such things I say we can see easily enough in the lowest valley we need not be called vpon by other to behold them wee doe too much behold them of our selues But as touching this obiect of sight heere spoken of as Hagar saw not the Well of water that was hard by her till God opened her eies Genes 21. 19. and as the two Disciples that were going from Ierusalem to Emmaus walked and talked with our Sauiour Luc. 24. 16. and Mary did the like Iohn 20. 24. and yet discerned him not because their eies were holden so trulie is it not only with naturall and vnregenerated men but euen sometimes with them that are the children of God Though they be so yet for many causes heereafter to bee spoken of they doe not alwaies discerne themselues to bee so and therefore they haue need to bee spoken vnto as heere the Apostle speaketh Behold what great loue c. Yea the more necessarie is it that all men generally and euen the children of God be so spoken vnto in this behalfe because the word is the means whereby our eies should bee opened at the first to behold this and more and more afterward to behold it more cleerely For the Commandement of the Lord is pure and giueth light to the eies Psal 19. 8. as in other things so also in this Therefore our Sauiour in opening the eies of the bodily blinded men did Note not onely touch them and handle them but also spake vnto them thereby teaching that as himselfe is the Sonne of righteousnesse and the light of the world so his word is the meanes whereby the eies of our minde are to be opened Otherwise he could haue opened the bodily eies of men without any speech at all vnto them Therefore also the Apostle testifieth this to haue beene the end of his ministerie with the Gentiles euen to open their eies that they might turne from darknesse to light Act. 26. 18. But this being a part of regeneration it selfe it shall bee further manifest afterward by proofe of the whole worke of our regeneration to be by the word As it is necessary that at all times wee should be thus called vpon to consider of Gods loue in making vs his children so especially the same is most necessarie in the time of trouble and aduersitie For when haue wee more need of the comfort thereof then at such times For what greater comfort can there be then in considering the loue of God in this behalfe But because this is one speciall drift of this whole Treatise therefore I shall not need in this place particularly to enlarge it Thus much for obseruation of the first particular word in this Scripture CHAP. II. Containing obseruations of the foure next particular words in this Text the ground of the whole treatise viz. Of the word What. Of the word Loue. Of the word Father And of the word hath giuen THe second word to be considered is What or what manner Hee doth not say Behold the loue but Behold what loue or what maner of loue or how great loue This is a word commonly vsed in matters of admiration When our Sauiour by his word had pacified the windes and the seas it is said that the men that saw the said miracle maruelled saying What man is this or what manner of man is this that both the windes and the sea obey him Mat. 8. 27. In which place is the same word that is heere vsed by the Apostle So when the Angell was sent to the Virgin Mary to tell her that she should conceiue the Sonne of God in her wombe and when he had saluted her in this sort Haile Mary or Reioice Mary freely beloued c. it is said that she was troubled or maruelled at this speech and thought what manner of salutation that should be Luc. 1. 29. where also is the same word that is in this place This word therefore is an amplification of the loue of God in making vs his children heere spoken of by an adiunct or attribute that signifieth the same to be very great yea exceeding great yea so great that it is rather to be admired and wondered at then any waies fully to be expressed It signifieth as much as the word how in other places as O Lord of Hosts how amiable are thy Tabernacles Psal 84. 1. that is so amiable that they are also admirable O how loue I thy Law Psal 119. 97. that is I loue thy Law with a loue that cannot bee expressed I am euen sicke of loue towards thy Law as the Church speaketh of her loue towards Christ Cant. 2. 5. How beautifull are the feet of them that bring gladtidings of peace Rom. 10. 15. As if he should haue said so beautifull that no tongue of man can expresse the beautie of them no heart can well comprehend it And indeed we shall see by the handling of this dignitie of the children of God that it is such that as it is said of making Christ the stone which was reiected of the builders to bee the head stone of the corner This was the Lords worke and it is maruellous in our eies Psal 118. 23. so it may
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
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
reade them and hauing read them themselues then also to lend them to other that cannot buy them Let all that reade them make vse also of them as their seuerall occasions shall require What more my beloued brethren shall I say vnto you Euen this that because ye haue beene long hearers of the word the preaching whereof is the meanes both to beginne your regeneration and also to increase your sanctification therefore remember how yee haue receiued and heard and that also ye do hold fast Reuel 3. 3. Yea that with all your might ye keepe that which ye haue that no man take away your crowne verse 11. Are not these the latter times wherein the spirit long since did speake euidently that some should depart from the faith and giue heede to the spirits of errours and to doctrines of diuels 1. Tim. 4. 1. Are they not the last daies perillous times wherin men should be louers of themselues couetous boasters proud cursed speakers c. fierce also no louers at all of them which are good traitors or treacherous heady high minded louers of pleasures more then louers of God hauing a shew of godlines but in truth denying the power thereof 2. Tim. 3. 1. c. Haue ye not therefore the more neede diligently to take heede to the things which ye haue heard lest at any time ye run out Heb. 2. 1. and leake as riuen vessels vse to doe and lest also at any time there be in any of you an euil and an vnbeleeuing heart to depart away from the liuing God and further to exhort one another daily whiles it is called to day and whiles ye enioy the light of the gospell that none of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Heb. 3. 12. c. Yea that also ye watch one ouer another euen as euery Pastor ought to do ouer his flocke that no man fall away from the grace of God c. Heb. 12. 15. Verily beloued ye ought thus to doe and the times do require it at your hands Take heede therefore that in these daies wherein the loue of many waxeth cold and all iniquity is increased no man deceiue you Mat. 24. 4. 12. Looke to your selues that wee lose not the things which we haue done but that we may all receiue a full reward 2. Iohn 8. Be stedfast and vnremoueable not decaying but abounding alwaies in the worke of the Lord knowing that your labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord 1. Cor. 15. 58. And because yee haue not onely beene hearers of the word neither such onely as haue learned somewhat out of the same but haue also made profession of the hope belonging to adoption therefore against all forces and perswasions to the contrary keepe the said profession of your hope without wauering considering one another and whetting one another as yron whetteth yron Pro. 27. 17. to loue and to good workes Heb. 10. 23. 24. both towards God and also towards men that so ye may flourish as palme trees and grow like Cedars in Lebanon and being planted in the house of the Lord ye may flourish in the Courts of our God and still bring forth fruit in your age and be fatte and flourishing Psal 92. 12. Yea that your loue and seruices and faith and patience and workes may be more at the last then at the first Reuel 2. 19. Shall I here conclude my speech vnto you Not so my good brethren but suffer a little further the words of exhortation Heb. 13. 22. Because therefore all the children of God are as it were bound vp in the bundle of life as Abigail speaketh to Dauid 1. Sam. 25. 29. and stickes that are bound continuing so bound cannot be easily broken but the bond whereby they are bound being cut in sunder a child may breake them one by one Because also they be as it were burning coales euen coales of the Lords altar and coales lying together doe keepe their heat but being raked out and scattered vpon the hearth they are soone quenched and doe dye therefore the more excellent by this Treatise ye shall see the state and condition of the children of God to be the more siriue I beseech you to keepe communion with them and forsake not the fellowship that ye haue with them as the maner of some was euen in the golden age and flourishing time of the Apostles Heb. 10. 25. Let no man dare to account that ministery Antichristian which God the father hath vsed and Iesus Christ hath graced with the holy Ghost to the begetting of such Children as cannot be begotten but by the word of truth I ames 1. 18. As therefore ye cannot deny God to haue begotten againe your selues and other and dailie so to doe by the ministrie of the Church of England so ye must acknowledge the meanes to haue beene and daily to bec no other then the word of truth It is no more possible for any to be begotten againe by any word of errour then it is to haue any father of regeneration but God Was it the word of truth and is it not still Or is it to some and ought not all so to account of it Or is it the word of truth to make men new borne babes in Christ 1. Pet. 1. 23. and is it not also that sincere pure milk which such as are so made new borne babes ought still to desire that they may grow thereby 1. Pet. 2. 2. Or can this sincere milke of that word of truth be sucked out of the breasts and pappes of an harlot Or can the same word of truth be publikely preached and maintained with as publike a disclaiming and renouncing of all things contrarie thereunto in a false and an adulterous Church As the Church of God is the piller of truth 1. Tim. 3. 15. so whatsoeuer company is the piller of truth and doth publikely preach and maintaine and vphold the truth that also is to be acknowledged the Church of God If some one man or diuers particular persons do preach some errours in such a Church yea and be suffered so to doe either by the negligence or by want of knowledge of them yet this doth no more nullifie such a Church and make it to be no Church then the suffering of the woman Iezebel which called her selfe a Prophetesse to deceiue Christs seruants to make them commit fornication and to eate meate sacrificed to Idols Reuel 2. 20. did nullâ—fie the Church of Thyatira and make it to be no Church But to returne to that from which I haue a little digressed as it cannot be denied to be the word of truth whereby men haue beene and daily are begotten againe amongst vs neither that can be denied to be the Church of God where the said word is preached and publikely euen by publike authoritie maintained with as publike a renouâ—cing of all errours and forraine Canons contrarie to the said word of truth as these things cannot be denied so also
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
elders of the Iewes vnto our Sauiour in behalfe of his sicke seruant Luc. 7. 3. was it not to doe the more honour to our Sauiour If the sending of such honourable messengers were some honour to them to whom they were sent what shall we thinke of Gods sending his owne sonne to vs and for vs to make vs his children Doth not God thereby greatly honor vs verely it cannot be denied sith the sending of Christ was more then if he had sent all the Angels in heauen For Christ is made so much more excellent then the Angels by how much more he hath obtained a more excellent name then they Heb. 1. 4. This is so much the more because God sent not his sonne in glory and to liue here in glory but in basenesse and in forme of a seruant cloathed with our base nature yet purged from all corruption as soone as it was separated in the wombe of the Virgin to be that which afterward it was and so to liue a while in pouerty in shame and in all contempt and at the last to be put to the most shamefull death of the crosse as though he had been a worme and no man or as though he had been the vilest man that had before come into the world Were it not a very great honor to a poore yea to a trayterous subiect being somewhere in captiuity bondage and great misery if his Prince should abase his only sonne and send him disguised in base apparell and to vndergoe much pouerty and other hardnesse with shame also and contempt for a time for the redeeming the said subiect and to bring him home to the Court of the Prince there to eat meat with the Prince his sonne and to be accounted as a companion of his How great then is this honour that God hath done vnto vs in sending his own sonne and in exposing him to many yea to all indignities to redeeme vs that we might receiue the adoption of sonnes Before I proceed any further let me here insert another principall cause of our regeneration viz. the mercy of God This may seeme to be all one with the loue of God before handled And indeed it is so like thereunto that it is often confounded therewith so that the word loue is often taken for mercy and mercy is often taken for loue when there is speech of the dealing of God with men especially in the matter of election calling and saluation This may be obserued in diuers places before alledged and therefore I stand not vpon it But although there be great similitude betwixt them yet Note they are also to be distinguished For first of all both are in God towards man but both cannot be in man towards God Loue may be and must be in man towards God but it is very absurd to say that a man may shew mercy vnto God Againe the loue of God hath respect vnto vs as being only the creatures of God euen base creatures such as were altogether vnworthy so great honour of being made the children of God But the mercy of God hath respect and relation vnto vs not only as we are creatures base and vnworthy of the foresayd loue but also as we were miserable especially polluted with infinit 〈◊〉 yea dead in all sinnes and trespasses more then vnworthy of his fauour euen such as had deserued his euerlasting displeasure and indignation as hauing been traitors and rebells against him in the highest degree Furthermore the loue of God is in order before the sending or giuing of Christ being the cause both of our election and also of sending or giuing Christ Iesus as hath beene shewed touching election out of Ephes 1. 5. 6. and touching the sending of Christ out of Ioh. 3. 16. But the mercy of God is only in Christ Iesus and for Christ Iesus his sake as afterward shall appeare Whereas it is said that we are elected in Christ that is not to be vnderstood simply of election itselfe but rather of the ends whereto we are elected viz. adoption and saluation To speake simply of election itselfe it was meerly of the free loue of God and the efficient cause thereof was only in God himselfe And so God hauing eternally decreed our saluation did also at the same instant decree the meanes of our saluation namely the giuing of his only sonne to be made man for vs. We were first in order elected to be saued and then Christ was appointed and at the same instant destinated to be the person by whom we should be saued Therefore as Peter saith that the Iewes had put Christ to death by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God Acts 2. 23. so he calleth Christ alambe vnspotted c. ordained before the foundations of the world 1. Pet. 1. 20. Notwithstanding this priority of decreeing our saluation before the sending of Christ was decreed must be vnderstood of a priority in order in the nature of things not of a priority in time For both being eternall and before all times to wit the decree for sauing vs and the decree for sending Christ to worke out that saluation for vs one could not bee before an other in time For in things eternall there can be neither priority or posteriority in time Thus then we see a plaine distinction betwixt the loue of God and the mercy of God either in our election or in the worke of regeneration or in any other thing That the mercy of God was one of the principall mouing causes of our regeneration viz. which moued God to worke this worke in vs it is manifest also by the testimony of Peter For he in his first Epistle and Chapter hauing after his Apostolicall maner saluted the Christians to whom he wrote maketh this entrance into the rest of the Epistle saying Blessed be God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ who according to his abundant or rich mercy hath begotten vs againe c. 1. Pet. 1. 3. Is it not in these words plaine that the Apostle doth make the mercy of God a principall cause first mouing God to beget vs againe So the Apostle Paul in the worke of our saluation ioineth together the mercy of God and the washing of the new birth Tit. 3. 5. So also particularly speaking of his owne conuersion from blaspheming and from persecuting and oppressing of the Church to the true feare of God and loue of his Saints he attributeth the same to the mercy of God saying I was a blasphemer and a persecuter and an oppressor but I was receiued to mercy or I found mercy By the mercy of God here I vnderstand the pity and compassion that God tooke vpon vs beholding vs in our miserable state by nature being blind deafe dumb lame sicke dead c. as hath been said and so his bowels of compassion being moued towards vs and neuer ceasing to worke as it were in him till by the worke of our regeneration he had released and discharged vs from
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
thereof verily it was and therefore the remembrance of it afterward was that whereby he was healed of that wound Mat. 26. 75. What was the cause why the angell of the Church of Sardi was so wounded that though he had a name to be aliue yet hee was dead that is ready to die and at the point of death Euen because he had let go his hold of the sword of the spirit Therfore for curing of his said wound our Sauiour biddeth him to remember how he had receiued and heard to hold fast c. Reuel 3. 2. 3. the like may be said of all wounds of any other of the children of God at any time Thus the children of God must vse the word of God viz. not as a thing to play or sport with or whereof to make iests Note for the mirth of other but as a weapon and as a sword to fight with yea thus they will vse it that are indeede the children of God If at any time they be prouoked by other or by their owne hearts to distrust Gods prouidence they will defend themselues by many precepts for trusting in the Lord Psal 37. 3. and 62. 8. and for casting their care vpon God Psal 37. 5. and 52. 22. and 1. Pet. 5. 6. and by such sentences of scripture as pronounce him blessed that trusteth in the Lord Psalm 40. 4. and 84. 5. and 12. by many promises to them that so do annexed expresly for the most part to the former commādements by the iudgements of God vpon such as haue murmured against God Num. 11. 1. vpon such as haue doubted of Gods promises as vpon the noble man of Samaria that would not beleeue the Prophet in the name of the Lord prophecying of great plenty the next day 2. Kings 7. 2. and 20. yea vpon Moses himselfe for his distrust Num. 20. 12. and 27. 14. and Deut. 32. 50. 51. and lastly by the prouidence of God towards the widow of Zarepta and the Prophet Elijah 1 Kings 17. 6. and 8. c. and towards a widdowe of one of the sonnes of the prophets 2. Kings 4 1. c. and towards many thousands that following our Sauiour for foode of their soules were fed likewise abundantly and miraculously with corporall foode Mark. 6. 36. and 8. 2. c. If they be prouoked to security they can draw out this sword and plead Blessed is the man that feareth alway c. Pro. 28. 14. and that they are commanded to spend the time of their welling here in feare 1. Pet. 1. 17. and the iudgement of God threatned to them that were at ease in Zion c. Amos 6. 1. c. and the fearefull fall of Dauid by security 2. Sam. 11. 2. c. If they be prouoked to idolatry they can draw out the second commandement and many other scriptures as commentaries vpon the said commandement so also that that is written of the wrath of God against Israel for their golden Calfe Exod. 32. and for their other idolatry Iudg. 10. and often els where The like is to be said of tentations against the third and fourth commandement When they are moued to pride they can call to mind the manifold precepts and sentences against it Deut. 8. 14. Psal 75. 4. Pro. 6. 17. and 16. 5. Iames 4. 6. 1. Pet. 5. 5. so also the examples of Haman and Nebuchadnezer with Sancherib and the iudgements of God not onely vpon them but also vpon Vzzia King of Iuda for presuming to meddle with the Priests office in offering of sacrifice 2. Chron. 26. 20. and vpon Dauid for numbring the people in a kind of pride 2. Sam. 24. and vpon Hezekiah for hauing his heart lifted vp after the recouery of his health 2. Chron. 32. 25. c. Being tempted to dishonor of parents they can repell such tentations by the fift commandement and by many other Scriptures against the same sinne as also by Agars curse against the eye that mocketh his father and despiseth the instruction of his mother viz. that the rauens of the valley shall pluck it out and that the yong Eagles shall eat it Pro. 30. 17. as also they can remember the examples of Absalom and of Adonijah and the iudgements of God vpon them Being enticed by Papists or other to rebellion treason or lifting vp their hand against Princes and the Lords annointed they can oppose the contrary commandements for obedience and subiection in the Lord of euery soule to the higher powers Rom. 13. 1. 1. Pet. 2. 13. and the fearefull iudgements of God vpon Corah Dathan and Abiram with their complices yea the deposing also of Abiathar the high Priest from the priesthood by Salomon because he had ioyned with Adonija for preuenting Salomon of the Crowne before he was King 1. Kings 1. 7. and 2. 35. If either their owne hearts or any other perswade them to contempt of the ministers of the Gospell either for plaine rebuking them for their sinnes or for any other causes they can obiect that the Lord hath commanded such to be had in singular loue for their works sake 1. Thes 5. 12. 13. that our Sauiour hath said He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Luk 10. 16. and that It shall be easier for them of the land of Sodome and Gomorrha in the day of iudgement then for that City and consequently for that family and for those persons that shall not receiue such nor heare their words Mat. 10. 13. 14. and that likewise the Lord did not only not prosper good king Asa after that he had put Hanani the Seer into prison for rebuking him for resting vpon the king of Aram c. 2. Chro. 16. 10. but that also he did send two beares out of the forrest that tare in pieces 42. of those wanton children that had reuiled mocked the Prophet Elisha and said vnto him Come vp thou bald-head Com vp thou bald-head 2. King 2. 23. 24. and that yet the least minister of the gospell is greater then Iohn Baptist who notwithstanding was greater then any Prophet Mat. 11. 11. Being moued to murder or to any other cruelty they can hold out the sixt commandement Luk. 6. 36. the commendation of mercy aboue sacrifice Hose 6. 6. and that Iames saith there shall be iudgement or condemnation mercilesse to him that sheweth no mercy Iam. 2. 13. the iudgement of God vpon Cain for the murder of Abel Gen. 4. and vpon the Egyptiās for their cruelty towards the Israelites and vpon all Israel by a great famine towards the latter end of the raign of Dauid for the cruelty of Saul against the Gibeonites 2. Sam. 21. 1. c. and after that vpon Iuda long after the death of Manasses as for other sinnes of Manasses so also for the innocent blood that he had shed 2. Kings 24. 4. Against temptations to adultery fornication and other vncleannesse
to vertuous Queene Ester was not the ring which himselfe did weare euen when hee came with the King to the royall banquet of Ester giuen to godly Mordecai whom Haman had hated with a perfect hatred Ester 8. 1. 2. Truely this is a great prerogatiue of the children of God that the wicked and their enemies that scorned and contemned them should be their seruants to gather riches for them Thus we see that although the blessings of this life belong only to the godly yet sometimes the wicked get a share but with so small comfort that they were a great deale better be without it This shall be sufficient for the reason both why and how the children of God hauing onely right to all the blessings of this life yet sometimes are in want and oft times haue but a small portion of them as also why and how the wicked hauing no interest at al vnto them yet for a time haue them in great abundance CHAP. XXIIII Shewing why the children of God do sometimes meet with the afflictions of this life threatned against and most properly belonging to the wicked and how beneficiall such afflictions are vnto them and that all things worke to their good IT remaineth now to shew further why as the wicked doe thus often partake of the blessings of this life promised due and proper only to the godly so sometime the godly meete also with afflictions threatned to the wicked and most properly and rightly belonging vnto them and that without any impeachment of their dignity and of the priuiledges and prerogatiues pertaining to them Touching this therefore the first reason why it so falleth out is like to that which before we heard of the wicked For as the wicked sometimes doing the outward works of the children of God doe therefore receiue the outward rewards of the children of God that as I said they may haue nothing wherewith to blame the iustice of God albeit where there is any sin there neuer can be any merit or desert before God so the children of God when they behaue themselues as the wicked doe somtimes tast of the iudgements of the wicked in this life that they may the better be freed from them and from the feare of them in the life to come This is manifest by the manifold afflictions that befell Dauid after his sinne both with Bathsheba against her husband Vrija and also in numbring the people Notwithstanding as the Lord doth giue the wicked his blessings of this life rather in wrath then in fauor as hath been before said so hee doth afflict his children not in wrath but in loue to make them the more partaker of his holinesse that they may the better liue Heb 12. 5. 6. 7. Reu. 3. 19. and to teach them his lawe that they may haue the more rest in the dates of euill whiles the pit is digged for the wicked Psal 92. 12. Such vse did Dauid make of his afflictions both after the former sinnes and also at other times as himselfe testifieth saying It is good â—or mee that I haue been afflicted that I may learne thy statutes Pâ—al 119. 71. And this kind of affliction is called the triall of our faith much more pretious then gold that perisheth though it be tried in the fire 1. Pet. 1. 7. Because as fire purgeth the gold from drosse and as sope maketh the linnen cleane so this affliction is a meane to purge vs of our corruption As plowing also of the ground killeth the weeds and maketh the ground the fitter to bring foorth corne as harrowing likewise breaketh the hard clods and so furthereth the former worke of the plough whereby the ground so ploughed and harrowed may be the more fruitfull so afflictions seem to kill the weeds of sinne remaining in the children of God and to mollifie the hard clods of their harts that they may beare the more fruits of righteousnesse Is it any harme to be so afflicted no more then for gold to be tried in the fire then for foule linnen to be washed with sope then for ground to be ploughed and harrowed Therefore the man whom the Lord doth so correct and chastice is pronounced blessed Psal 94. 12. before alledged and Iob 5. 17. Therefore also the Apostle Iames willeth them to whom he did write to account it exceeding ioy when they did fall into many temptations or afflictions Iames 1. 2. yea he maketh that the first precept or exhortation of all the Epistle that it might be the more regarded To shew more particularly how by afflictions we are taught the law of God purged of such corruptions as do stil remain in the best let vs vnderstand that the said best of Gods children being ready by prosperity to be puffed vp as before we heard by the examples of Dauid Salomon and Hezekiah therefore afflictions serue for the repressing of such pride and to make vs the more humble Dauid did no sooner heare the afflictions threatned which afterward were inflicted vpon him but presently he humbled himselfe saying I haue sinned against the Lord 2. Sam. 12. 13. and in further testimonie of that his humiliation hee did afterward write the whole most dolefull and heauenly one and fifty Psalme When also the Angell of the Lord for his numbring the people smote Israel with the plague how did he and the elders of Israel humble themselues againe 2. Sam. 24. 17. and 1. Chro. 21. 16. as before hath been shewed in Chap. 18. The like hath been before said of Hezekiah out of 2. Chron. 32. 26. Secondly the children of God by experiences of afflictions in themselues are taught the more to pity other in the like affliction Yea this was one end of our chastisement vpon Christ himselfe Heb. 2. 17. 18. Thirdly because by much and long prosperity the children of God are ready to be glued to this world too highly to regard the glory of it and too little to respect the world and life to come therefore sometimes they are afflicted the more to weane their hearts from the world and by the bitter fruits thereof to make them the more weary thereof and the more earnestly desirous of being dissolued and being with Christ Philip 1. 23. Fourthly by afflictions they are taught to bee the more thankfull for the contrary blessings when they shall enioy them as by pouerty to be the more thankfull for wealth by sicknesse to be the more thankfull for health by trouble to be the more thankfull for peace c. Fiftly by afflictions especially by those that come vnto them by the hatred of the world against them they haue the better assurance both that themselues are not of the world but of God For if they were of the world the world would loue them Ioh. 15. 19. and also of their future similitude to Christ in glory Rom. 8. 17. 2. Tim. 2. 12. whereof we shall speake more afterward And the same is it that the Apostle teacheth the Philippians bidding
obtaine mercy Matt. 5. 7. then much more blessed and much more may they hope for mercy that iudge wisely of the godly and that shew mercy to the children of God Againe the Prophet praieth or exhorteth to pray that they may prosper that loue Ierusalem Psal 122. 6. by Ierusalem there meaning not only the publike state of the Church but euery particular member thereof because it cannot goe well with the whole except it goe also well with euery member Now although that bee a praier or exhortation to praier yet the matter thereof insinuateth a promise for neither the Church nor any part thereof may pray for any thing in their owne behalfe or in behalfe of any other whereof they haue no promise Forasmuch therefore as the Church praieth or exhorteth to pray for them that loue Ierusalem viz. that such may prosper it followeth that there was and is a promise of the prosperitie of all those that loue Ierusalem that is of the Church and whole compaine of Gods children and euerie part thereof that is of euery one of Gods children therein or thereunto belonging Our Sauiour speaketh yet more plainly and expresly saying that he that receiueth arighteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receiue thereward of a righteous man and that whosoeuer shall giue vnto one of his little ones that is to one of the smallest and meanest children of God a cup of coldwater only in the name of a disciple verily he should not lose his reward Matt. 10. 41. Thus much briefly for the promises of God to all that shall shew any kindnesse to any of his children Touching the threatnings against all that shall deale vnkindly with them first all that our Sauiour speaketh of offending generally any one of his little ones Match 18. 6. Mark 9. 42. Luk 17. 2. may particularly be applied to this purpose If the Angell of the Lord also as Dâ—borah reporteth said Curse yee Meroz Curse yee the inhabitants thereof because they came not to helpe the Lord to helpe the Lord against the mightie Iudg. 5. 23. so condemning them not to haue helped the Lord that did not helpe his people how much more doth the curse of God belong to them that go out to hurt the children of God or that doe any thing for the damnifying of them When the Prophet Ieremiah had said that Israel was as a thing hallowed vnto the Lord and his first fruits presently hee addeth All they that eat it shall offend euill shall come vpon them saith the Lord Ier 2. 3. By eating there the Prophet meaneth the offring of any indignity vnto them For in the time of the Law when things according to the Law were consecrated vnto God what common person soeuer not of the stocke of the Priests did eat of them they did greatly sinne against the Lord and prouoked his heauy indignation against themselues When the Prophet Zecbariah had said He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his ete immediately he addeth this commination against such persons saving For behold I will life vp mine hand vpon them and they shall be a spoile to those that serued them c. Zech. 2. 8. The Prophet Amos saith against the rich men of Israel that dealt hardly with the poore buying them for siluer and for old shoes selling vnto them the refuse of the wheat c. as many rich men doe in these daies the Prophet Amos I say speaketh thus against such The Lord hath sworne by the excellencie of Iaacob Surely I will neuer forget any of their workes Amos 8. 6. Did the Lord with an oath so threaten them that dealt hardly with the poore of Israel who long before were fallen away from God What then doe we thinke threatneth he against all those that any waies deale hardly with them whom in his abundant mercy he hath begotten againe vnto himselfe and whom so begotten he loueth with an euerlasting loue and wil neuer cast them off When Amalek came out to fight against the children of Israel as they came out of the land of Egypt and were trauelling by the wildernesse towards the land of Canaan the Lord spake thus vnto Moses Write this saith hee for a remembrance in the booke and rehearse it vnto Ioshua who was to succeed Moses and in his stead to fight the Lords battles against the enemies of Israel for I will vtterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from vnder heauen Also hee said The Lord hath sworne that hee will haue warre with Amalek from generation to generation Exod 17. 14. and 16. Though this were spoken and threatned particularly against the Amalckits yet it insinuateth a generall commination against all the like enemies of the children of God To conclude this point of Gods promises to them that shew kindnesse to his children and of his threatnings against those that doe shew them any vnkindnesse to conclude I say this point as I beganne the same viz. with a sentence comprehending both so let vs remember that our Sauiour applieth the parable of the vnrighteous Iudge and of the poore widow in this manner Heare what the vnrighteous Iudge saith Now shall not God auenge his elect which cry day and night vnto him yea though hee suffer long for them I tell you hee will auenge them quickly Luke 18. 6. 7. This word to auenge seemeth to import not onely a promise of deliuering the elect from all their wrongs but also a threatning of a iudgement against them that had wronged them All this of Gods promises to the friends of his children and Note of his threatnings against their enemies is much more to bee vnderstood of all good towards them that are any furtherers of their saluation and of all euill against them that doe any wates oppugne and hinder their said saluation Therefore as such loue to the Saints is reckoned vp as a thing accompanying saluation Heb 6 9. 10. so also to hate and persecute the children of God is set downe as a token of perdition Phil. 1. 28. The more excellent also the person of the children of God is to whom any kindnesse is shewed the greater promise is made vnto him that sheweth such kindnesse Therefore in the place before alleged Matt. 10. 41 it is said that He that recesueth a Prophet in the name of a Prothet shall receiue a Prophess reward The same is to bee vnderstood of threatnings The more excellent the person is that receiueth any wrong the more is threatned to him that doth the wrong Thus much of these promises and threatnings Touching the performance of them the Scripture affoordeth vs many examples to witnesse the same As Ebedmelech a stranger none of the people of Israel but a Black-moore had made request to the king of Iuda for Ieremiah being in prison and so had deliuered him Ier. 38 8. c. so when the city of Ierusâ—lem was taken by the Babylonians according to the word of the Lord before spoken by Ieremiah in
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
commend them to be and for further testifying of their rarenesse and excellency were honoured with so rare and extraordinary a translation out of this world and yet are not in their bodies glorified neither shall be till all the rest of Gods children shall bee glorified and made like vnto Christ at his second comming in all pomp and maiesty doth not the Lord thereby testify vnto all the world that all his children are in so high regard account with him that he will not haue the first and the greatest as it were to be aduanced to the perfection of happines till the whole number be accomplished and till the last and the meanest be borne and made fit for the like perfection and happines that all and euery one may receiue their crownes together If a King or some other great person make a great feast and inuite many thereunto and some come betimes some that dwell further of tary somewhat longer and the master of the feast will not haue them that first come to sit downe till all the rest be come is it not a great gracing and countenancing of all the guests so to prolong the time of sitting downe till the rest be come Though some may thinke that the first are somewhat disgraced and wronged by staying for the last yet the matter well weighed they may consider that euen so the Lord of the feast would haue stayed the rest for them if the rest had come first and the first had tarried to be last Yea all men may well see the said Lord of the feast to be well perswaded of their loue and patience in staying them for the comming of them that remaine It is the chiefe honour of any guest inuited by one much greater then himselfe to be openly graced with testimony of the good opinion of the Lord of such a feast For so all men may see that the Lord of such a feast hath good regard as well of them that come late as of them that came first and of them that came first as of them that come after By all hitherto spoken of this time when we shall be made like vnto Christ let vs learne first to be patient till that time come Secondly the longer it is ere it do come the more earnestly to pray for that day of Christs comming the oftner in all zeale to say Come Lord Iesus come quickly I doe but briefly note or rather name things leauing the larger discourse of them to other and euer to the meditation of the godly reader Thus much of our similitude and likenes vnto Christ of our certaintie thereof and of the time when we shall enioy it The confirmation of our said similitude or likenesse vnto Christ followeth which is that we shall see him as he is Heere let vs first obserue the causall coniunction whereby this reason is â—oined with the former proposition This is commonly translated for but it is in the originall because It is the same word that is vsed Luk. 7. 47. I say vnto thee Many sinnes are forgiuen her for say our English translations but because saith the originall she loued much This I doe the rather note because the Rhemists and other Papists in that place of Luke doe vrge the originall word signifying because as there noting the loue of the woman to haue beene the cause of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes whereas our Sauiour reasoneth not from the cause to the effect but from the effect to the cause assuring her and other then and there present not for that loue which before shee had shewed but by that loue which then she did shew so abundantly towards him that many sinnes were forgiuen her As the same viz. that much loue of man towards God and Christ are not the cause but an effect of the forgiuenesse of many sinnes and doe not goe before but follow the forgiuenesse of sinnes As this I say is plaine by the parable of two debtors before in that Chapter mentioned to one of which were forgiuen but 50. pence and to the other 500. and concerning whom our Sauiour had asked the Pharisee with whom he then dined not which had loued but which would loue the Creditor most so it is the more plaine by this place where the same coniunction is taken for a note of an effect not of a cause of our former similitude and likenes vnto Christ It is so also taken Ioh. 8. 44. where our Sauiour saith of the diuell He abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him Heere the same word because is a note of an effect For Christ prooueth the diuell not to haue abidden in the truth not because before his fall there had beene no truth in him for hee was created an Angell of light as well as other but because now there is no truth in him So Ioh. 15. 15. I haue called you my friends for or because all things that I haue heard of my father I haue made knowen vnto you Heere the same word also noteth an effect not a cause Thus then the Apostle prooueth that wee shall bee made like vnto Christ at his appearing by an effect of this likenesse that is because wee shall see him as hee is This to see Christ as hee is is not the cause of our being like vnto him but our being like vnto him shall bee the cause of our seeing him as he is For wee cannot see him as he is except first wee be made like vnto him The effect is not before the cause but the cause before the effect By seeing here he meaneth seeing with our bodily eies and by seeing him as he is the seeing of him plainely not obscurely fully not in part face to face not on his back parts as Moses is said to haue seene God Exod. 33. 23. not as a mightie God alone but also as a Sauiour and therefore not in his diuine nature alone but vnder the veile as it were of this humanity and yet also in so great glory as no flesh liuing did euer see the like This seeing of him in this maner is opposed to seeing him through a glasse darkely and to knowing of him in part 1. Cor. 13. 12. Where these two words seeing and knowing seeme to import that there we shall both see him more plainely with our bodily eies and also know him more perfectly in our vnderstanding then here we do or can doe For here wee see him but by pictures and images I meane not by dead pictures images made by men but by the liuing pictures and images of our selues and of other Gods children representing him in holinesse and righteousnesse and made onely as before wee heard by God himselfe as also we see him by outward signes and elements with the actions belonging vnto them that is the sacraments ordeined by him selfe And here wee know him by his word euen by hearing such things of him as therin hee hath reuealed but then wee shall see
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 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
although the diuell their aduersary compasse the earth to and fro and walke about neuer so often Iob 1. 7. and neuer so diligently like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may deuoare 1. Pet. 5. 8. yet he doth not take them so napping that he doth so preuaile against them as he doth against other neither doth any euill so ouertake them but that before hand they be in some measure prepared for it This watchfulnesse is an effect of the said sobriety as sleepinesse drousinesse and security is an effect of the contrary For as it is in that sobriety which consisteth in abstaining from wine and strong drinke and in the contrary thereof namely being drunken with wine wherein is excesse Ephes 5. 18. viz. that the more sober and abstemious any man is the more vigilant and watchfull also he is yea the apter for vigilancy and watchfulnesse and on the contrary the more any man is ouercome with wine or other strong drinke the more apt he is to sleepe yea the more heauy and drowsie so the more sober any man is touching the former moderation of himselfe in euery state and condition of life the more vigilant and watchfull he will be to take heed of all spirituall danger and on the contrary the more liberty men doe giue to their affections and the more they are drunken and ouercome either with riches honours and pleasures on the one side or with cares feares and sorrowes on the other side the more sleepy also they are in their minds and the sooner ouertaken with danger This watchfulnesse is according to the former sobriety viz chiefly of the inward man As the former sobriety is of the affections so this watchfulnesse is of the mind namely when that is alway forecasting of dangers and seriously studying and meditating how to shun and auoid the same In which respect it is said that the wise mans eyes are in his head but the foole walketh in darknesse Eccles 2. 14. that is a wise man is neuer secure but alwaies carefull and looking about him for the preuenting and auoiding of dangers but a foole is alwaies in danger and continually ouertaken with some euill or other as one that walketh in darknesse falleth into this hole or that or at least stumblethat at this and that That like is in another place A prudent man seeth the plague and hideth himselfe but the foolish goe on still and are punished Pro. 22. 3. and 27. 12. In these places it is to be obserued that this watching whereof now I speake is commended as a speciall point of wisedome and that therefore as it concurreth with the sobriety of the inward man before spoken of so also it is not vnfitly here handled with that before said of wisedome Doth not this therefore much also increase the foresaid dignity of Gods children verily it doth this being considered that wicked and naturall men doe daily fall into infinit dangers as euen now was shewed by want of this watchfulnesse CHAP. XII Of the true loue of God and of men only found in the children of God and so of the further dignity of the children of God in respect thereof AS I haue before spoken of some particular branches of the life of God and wisedome and holinesse before generally handled so I might likewise speake of the rest For the very least is of great price and doth not a little amplifie the dignity of Gods children But so to particularize in this place would be too tedious I shall also by other occasions speake of some of them afterward and such as I shall not at all speake of may be esteemed by that which I write of the rest Notwithstanding that such as I haue not handled or shall not speake of may be the better considered let me adde something touching the loue of the children of God towards God and men as that indeed which comprehendeth all that shall be omitted which is also the fountaine of all the other particulars of the former life of God c. it being the fulfilling of the law and bond of perfection as before we haue heard But of this loue of the children of God towards God and men I will only speake very briefly leauing the rest to the consideration of the reader Some perhaps may looke that I should haue spoken thereof before but seeing our freedome from sinne to serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse doth so depend as wee haue heard vpon wisedome such as be fooles being commonly accounted seruants by nature and seeing the sobriety before handled is of so neere kindred as it were to the said wisedome that it is called as we haue likewise heard by the same name and seeing the foresaid watchfulnesse doth also so depend as hath been shewed vpon the said sobriety therefore I thought it not amisse to handle all the said particulars together as I haue done To come now to the loue of God and of men let vs only obserue this one point namely that it is as proper to the children of God only as the life of God wisedome freedom from the bondage of sinne with liberty to serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse the sobriety and watchfulnesse before handled All that are not the children of God but be wicked and meere naturall men are as far from all right loue of God and men as they are destitute of the former life of God of the former wisedome and of the other things before spoken of As none haue the life of God neither are wise neither are freed from sinne neither can serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse of life neither are sober in the manner before described neither can be watchfull for the auoiding of dangers but only the children of God so none can rightly loue God or men but only they Touching the loue of God this is manifest because if we be the friends of Christ if we doe what soeuer be commandeth vs Ioh. 15. 14. then it must needs follow that they are the enemies of Christ and consequently of God that do not that which is commanded them If the wicked be Gods enemies how can they loue him Againe these words are often confounded in the Psalmes viz. the wicked and the enemies of the Lord. The wicked shall perish and the enemies of the Lord shall be consumed as the fat of lambes Psal 37. 20. Psal 68. 1. the wicked are said to be enemies to the Lord and hate him and againe God will wound the bead of his enemies and the harry pate of him that walketh in his sinnes vers 21. So the wicked according to that spoken before of wisedome are said to be foolish ones and the Lords enemies Psal 74. 18. and 23. So the wicked especially that are enemies to the Church are called haters of the Lord Psal 81. 14. 15. The like is in many other places Psal 83. 2. Psal 89. 10. Psal 92. 10 and often elsewhere Last of all we haue heard before that the wicked doe not