state O singular priuiledge O honorable condition The wicked indeed make great mirth They laugh and shout in the midst of their wickednesse that all the place where they are rings of them But alas miserable men this is but painted ioy It is but like the cracking of thornes c. But of this more afterward And againe as touching ioy in any good thing they are so far from it that to heare any thing that way is a death vnto them yea when they are vrged by christian authority to do any thing that good is they do it so against the haire so murmuringly so grudgingly with such griefe moiling and fretting that their said worke is altogether abominable in the sight of God For if God loueth a cheerefull giuer or doer of any thing 2. Cor. 9. 7. then he must needs hate and abhor him that giueth or doeth any thing vnwillingly and grudgingly Thus much for this matter CHAP. XIX Of the dignity of Gods children by the word as it is a rule of faith and life and a speciall part of our christian armor IN the next place let vs consider the benefit of the children of God by the word and Sacraments The word indeed seemeth to be common to the wicked and to Gods children Notwithstanding it is effectuall to saluation only in the children of God If our Gospell be hid saith the Apostle it is hid to them that perish 2. Cor. 4. 3. As whatsoeuer euill we haue we haue it by Adam so whatsoeuer good we haue we haue it by Christ Therefore by Christ we enioy the benefit of the word which is likewise the more euident because by Adam and in Adam we were without the word Ephes 2. 12. They therefore that haue not Christ cannot claime any benefit by the word or any interest into the word Now although the word be the meanes of dying more and more vnto sinne as also of growing more and more in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ 2. Pet. 3. 18. yet because I haue spoken of the word before as of that mighty instrument whereby God beginneth our regeneration at the first and because that before spoken in that behalfe may be vnderstood of the word as a meanes of the things handled in the last former Chapter therefore I will not so speake of it here but in other considerations viz. first as it is a perfect rule of faith and manners containing all things necessary to saluation either to be known and beleeued or to be done and practised Secondly as it is a principall part of that christian armor whereby the children of God are to defend themselues against the enemies of their saluation Thirdly as it is their speciallest consolation and comfort in any affliction Concerning the word as it is a rule of faith and of life or manners two things are to be noted first the perfection of it secondly the perpetuity of it The perfection thereof is expresly commended and prooued by diuers effects viz. the conuersion of the soule the giuing wisedome to the simple c. The law of the Lord is perfect conuerting or restoring the soule c. Psal 19. 7. c. We are also forbidden either to adde any thing thereunto or to detract any thing therefrom Deut. 4. 2 â—â— 12. 32. Pro. 30. 6. Reuel 22. 18 19. It is said to be the power of God to saluation Rom. 1. 16. to be able to saue the soule Iames 1. 21. And lest these things should be mistaken as spoken partly of the word written and partly of a word vnwritten deliuered by tradition from hand to hand as the Papists vrge and that the word only written were not so perfect or powerfull therefore the very Scriptures that is the word only written are said to be able to make a man wise to saluation and to make the man of God perfect vnto euery good worke 2. Tim. 3. 15. 16. 17. If the man of God that is the minister of the word so often times called for excellencies sake then euery child of God els For no child of God is bound to know to beleeue or practise more towards saluation then the minister of God is bound to teach Yea whatsoeuer is vrged more for saluation is abomination It is further said that those things that are before written are written that we might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the sonne of God and that beleeuing they might haue life through his name Ioh. 20. 31. God giueth vs this faith and life by the scriptures and let the Papists take any thing els by their vnwritten verities and traditions Paul repeateth this twice If wee or an Angell from heauen should preach vnto you otherwise then that which we haue preached vnto you let him be accursed Galat. 1. 8. 9. But Paul preached or said no other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come Acts. 26. 22. and he preached no other Gospell then that which God had promised before by his Prophets in the holy Scriptures Rom. 1. 1. 2. So perfect is the word of God that when the learnedst man in the world by long study of any one sentence hath spoken all that he can yet another may come after and adde somewhat which the former neuer spake nor vnderstood concerning that place It is like a bottomlesse well that will neuer be drawn drie yea like the sea it selfe that will neuer be emptied As the Prophet speaketh of the righteousnesse and iudgements of God Thy righteousnesse is like the mighty mountaines and thy iudgements like a great deep Psal 36. 6. so may it be said of the scriptures for the height and depth of them The Apostle by exclamation speaketh thus of the wisdome knowledge iudgement and the way of God O the deepnesse of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God! How vnsearchable are his iudgements and his waies past finding out Rom. 11. 33. May not this be spoken of the word of God Where is that wisedome and knowledge of God Where are those his iudgements and waies declared but in the word All the writings of all men in the world are but shallow in respect of the word of God All the books in the world not handling the word of God and doctrine thereof do not containe so much and deep matter as is in one of the least canonicall Epistles An heathen man meeting with the Gospell written by Iohn and reading but the first verse thereof could say that that rude fellow so rudely he termed the Apostle had comprehended more matter in that one sentence then was in all the bookes of all Philosophers How much matter then is contained in that whole Gospell Especially in all the Scriptures All other books whatsoeuer are so much more excellent the more they agree with and the neerer they come to the word of God contained in holy scriptures How excellent then is the said word of God it selfe When all the chiefe wise men
of a kingdom furnished with the knowledge of all former lawes of the same kingdom and well instructed likewise in the word of God doe meet together to make new lawes for that kingdome yet after consultation one with another and after many daies conferring their readings and iudgements one with another the lawes that they make will not be so perfect but that either something might haue been added or something might haue been left out But the word of God is so absolute and complete that as nothing therein is superfluous so nothing is wanting vnto it What a singular priuledge then haue the children of God that haue the benefit of this law To lay forth the perfection of Gods word yet a little more fully and to make the same somwhat more euideut let vs vnderstand it to be so perfect for matters of faith and knowledge vnto saluation that whatsoeuer is not agreeable thereunto is to be held as erroneous Touching manners life and conuersation it teacheth all duties to God and men euen to all sorts of men superiors inferiors equals friends and foes and in euery state and condition viz. what to doe for them or to them in sicknesse or health in pouerty or wealth in liberty or in prison being ioyfull or mourning dwelling far off or nigh vnto vs being of the same nation or of another kinsfolk or strangers friends or aduersaries within our family or without widowes or fatherlesse or in any other state whatsoeuer As it directeth vs how to carry ourselues towards al of what condition soeuer and in what state soeuer they be so it prescribeth our behauiour at all times and in all places in the day and in the night when we eat when we drink when we labour when we rest when we walke when we lye when wee sleepe in the winter and in the summer publikely and priuately at home and abroad in our secret chambers and when wee are with company in the time of peace and in the time of warre It hath rules likewise for our selues in respect of our selues what to do in prosperity in aduersitie when wee are children when we are men and when we are old touching meate drinke apparell sleepe and the vse of all other things indifferent or not indifferent for this life and for the life to come Whereas also the lawes of men reach only to the outward man to restrain the same from euill and to bind it to the performance of good the lawes of God are giuen for the gouernment not onely of the outward man but also of the inward not onely of the body but also of the soule euen of our mind vnderstanding memorie thoughts and all affections There is likewise no member of the body but that in the word of God there is direction for it for the eye to see for the eare to heare for the nostrell to smell c. But of these things before in Chap. 11. where for further sight of these things I referred the learned reader to the Treatise of Otho Casmannus in his anatomy of a spirituall man By these things thus pointed at touching the perfection of the word of God we may the better see the priuiledge of the children of God to bee such by the word of God that they need neuer to bee to seeke further for direction in anything concerning saluation then only to the word This briefly shall suffice for the perfection of the word of God Touching the perpetuity of the word it is testified in many places of the Scripture The feare of the Lord that is the word which teacheth and worketh the feare of the Lord is cleane and endureth for euer Psal 19. 9. and againe O Lord thy word endureth for euer in the heauens Psal 119. 89. Another prophet saith The grasse withereth and the flower fadeth but the word of God shall stand for euer Isai 40. 8. Our Sauiour saith Heauen and earth shall passe away but my words shall not passe Mat. 24. 35. Luk. 16. 17. Luk 21. 33. This is manifest by experience For whereas the word of God hath continually had both more aduersaries in number as also greater for power as some Emperors and for malice as the hereticks especially the Papists then all other bookes whatsoeuer the one sort of such enimies seeking vtterly to extinguish the word and the other endeauouring to corrupt the very text it selfe yet al other writings haue beene mangled and some bookes haue vtterly perished but the Lord hath alwaies preserued the Scriptures from destruction on the one side and from corruption on the other side As the souldiers that brake the bones of the two theeues that were crucified with our Sauiour had no power for all that to breake any bones of our Sauiour himselfe so they that haue either consumed or corrupted other bookes haue neuer had the power either to destroy or corrupt the scripture touching the originall text thereof The Lord hath alwaies most mightily preserued some copies both inuiolate and also vndefiled Yea the papists that at their pleasure haue mangled clipt defaced and corrupted all the writings and bookes of the ancient fathers taking out of them what they haue thought in them preiudiciall to their damnable heresies as appeareth in Index expurgatorius their dealing in that behalfe may be called Ignis expurgatorius haue notwithstanding neuer had power to laye such violent hand vpon the originall text of the Scripture This perpetuity of the Scripture is not onely to be vnderstood of the very letter and word thereof but also of the sense and meaning Euery sentence of the scripture is not onely the same in letters and words that was at the first but also in sense Note and meaning No scripture no sentence of scripture hath any other meaning now then it had at the first giuing thereof by inspiration from God As God himselfe is immutable so likewise the will of God reuealed in his word is vnchangeable Therefore the word is one of the two immutable things wherby we may haue strong consolation Heb. 6. 16. As no man may adde any thing to the words themselues nor take ought from them so no man may alter or change any thing touching the sense meaning of them The letters and words of the scriptures are but as the bodie thereof the sense and meaning are as the life and soule of it If therefore no man may encrease or diminish any thing of the former much lesse may any alter or change any thing in the latter The Lord that hath forbidden the maiming of a man in any limme hath much more forbidden the hurt of him in his life The like is to be sayd of the word of God This then is a great difference of the word of God from the lawes of men For though the lawes of men doe remaine the same touching the letter of them yet oft times the sense and meaning of them is changed as times and Iudges are chāged And therefore it is a
and praise with all that is inheauen and earth that his is the kingdome and that he excelleth as head ouer althâ—â— both riches and honour come from him and that he reigneth ouer all hath power and strength in his hand and is able to make great and to giue strength vnto all c. 1. Chron. 29. 11. 12. Againe who is the King of glory The Lord strong and mighty euen the Lord mighty in battel Psal 24. 8. And againe The Lord raigneth c. Clouds and darknesse are rounnd about his Righteousnes and iudgement are the foundation of his throne c. Psal 97. 1. c. But why do I thus discourse of his excellency whom the heauen and the heauen of heauens are not able to contain 1 King 8. 27. It is hard to set forth the excellency of the children of God now in hand as it is worthy how impossible then is it to set forth the excellency of God himselfe For is he not so excellent that those creatures which next to himselfe are by creation most excellent I meane the Angels for their excellency called princip lâ—â—es powers and mights c cannot behold his excellency without hiding their faces with their wings from the sight thereof Isa 6. 2. Is he not so excellent that Moses one of the most excellent seruants of God that euer were amongst men hearing his title of mercy The God of Abraham Isaak and Iaakob hid his face being afraid to looke vpon him Exod. 3. 6. Is hee not so excellent that when hee gaue his Law there were thunders and lightnings and a thicke cloud vpon the mount and the sound of a trumpet exceeding loud so that all the people that was in the camp was afraid and that all mount Sinai was on a smoake because the Lord came downe vpon it in fire and the smoake thereof ascended as the smoake of a furnace and all the mount it selfe trembled exceedingly Exod. 19. 16. 18. Is he not so excellent that when hee had so giuen the law and when the people sawe the thunders and the lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountaine smoaking they fled and stood a farre off and said vnto Moses Talke thou with God and we will heare but let not God talke with vs lest we die Exod. 20. 18. 19. Is he not so excellent that when he passed by before that great Prophet Eliiah a mighty strong wind rent the mountaines and that after the wind came an earthquake and after the earthquake came fire and after the fire came a still and soft voice which notwithstanding when Eliia heard he couered his face with his mantell 1 Kings 19. 11. 12. 13. If any desire to behold more of the excellency of this God besides the booke of his excellent creatures and besides those things before alleadged out of the booke of his word let him further looke in the said booke of his word vpon the places following Deut. 7. 9. 10. and 32. 4. 2. Chron. 20. 6. c. Nâ—hem 9. 17. and 32. Iob 9. 3. c. and vers 14. and chap. 12. from 13. to the end Psal 47. 3. c. 84. 8. to 16. Isai 40. 9. to 18. and verses 22. 23. 24. Isai 42. 5. and 48. 12. Ierem. 10. 10. c. and 51. 15. c. and 31. 35. c. and 32. 17. c. Dan. 6. 27. Amos 4 13. and 5. 8. c. Reuel 4. 3. c. and vpon many other the like places Let him also consider his most wise powerfull righteous gratious and euery way most admirable administration and gouernment of all things in heauen in earth in the waters and vnder earth and water For as God made all things at the first most excellently so he still gouerneth all things according to his first creation of them If God himselfe be thus excellent how can his children be but excellent For all the children of God are in some measure made like vnto him euen in power wisedome holinesse and righteousnesse as afterward we shall heare And they are not his children by adoption and regeneration that do not in the former things somewhat resemble him Many men indeed haue children nothing like them either in fauour or in conditions But certainly there are none of the children of God but are in part like vnto himselfe yea this is a most certaine note of a child of God to haue the Character and similitude and image of God vpon him and in him As Adam who was the sonne of God by creation Luk. 2. 38. was at the first male and female made and formed in the image and similitude of God so likewise are all these children of God by regeneration of whom now I speake How great therefore is this their dignity The dignity of the sonnes of men is measured according to the dignity of their fathers as also according to their resemblance of them Therefore the dignity of Kings being the greatest dignity of the sonnes of men their children are accounted most honorable and most noble yea to be but sonne in law to a king by mariage onely of a kings daughter is accounted is indeed a very great aduancement especially for a poore and meane man When Saul the first king of Israel and a wicked King giuen in the Lords anger offered his daughter Merab vnto Dauid what answered Dauid Who am I or what is my life or the family of my father in Israel that I should be sonne in law to the King When againe Sauls seruants set a worke by Saul himselfe spake with Dauid secretly to perswade him to take Michael an other of Sauls daughters Merab being giuen to Adriel and said Behold the King hath a fauour vnto thee and all his seruants loue thee Be now therefore the Kings sonne in lawe He answered againe to the same effect that before he had done Seemeth it to you alight thing to be a Kings sonne in lawe seeing I am a poore man and of small reputation 1. Sam. 18 18. 22. 23. So Dauid that could tell how to iudge of things as being then a Prophet and hauing before that written the 9. Psalme vpon the ouerthrow of Goliah accounted it a very great dignity yea too great for him being a meane person to be but sonne in law to a King to the first king of Israel and therefore the least for as naturall things are least at their first birth or springing vp so the dignities of men of Kings and other are least at the first and in time doe increase and grow to a greater state and stature yea also to a wicked King For Saul before that had shewed his wickednesse both in offering sacrifice before Samuels comming contrary to his direction 1. Sam. 13. and also in sparing of Agag and the best of the Amalekites sheepe and Oxen. 1. Sam. 15. Who then can sufficiently expresse the dignity of them that are the children of the most high God King of kings c. by mariage
things to come conteyned in holy Scripture for vs to beleeue neyther only the beleeuing of them historically to be true but also the particular application of them to our selues The very wicked themselues doe beleeue the truth of the Scriptures historically yea many of the reprobat yea the very Diuels themselues do so beleeue and tremble Iames 2. 19. Mar. 1. 24. But the wicked though elected before their calling do not beleeue by particular application because then their harts should be purified from their wickednes as before we heard they hauing apprehended Christ that gaue himselfe for vs not only to redeeme vs from all iniquity but also to purge vs c. Tit. 2. 14. and that he might sanctifie and clense vs c. Ephes 5. 26. The wicked also though elected are in the power of Satan as afterward we shall heare and to be accounted of the world But by faith we ouercome the world 1. Ioh. 5. 4. and the Diuell himselfe Ephes 6. 16. 1. Pet. 5. 9. The reprobat neither haue faith neither can haue it as for the reasons before vsed touching the wicked generally so also because the decree of God touching their reprobation is aswell vnreapealeable and vnchangeable as the decree of God touching election and those reasons which make also for the certainty and perpetuity of the elect make also for the most part as strongly for the immutability of Gods decree touching reprobation That which hath beene sayd of the wicked that are elected viz. before their calling and of the reprobat to bee without faith may much more be sayd of the diuels But for as much as neither reprobat men nor the Diuels can beleeue because Gods decree concerning their reprobation is vnchangeable therfore here may a question be moued whether infidelity and vnbeleefe bee a sinne or no. For sith they cannot be saued what sinne is it in them not to beleeue in him by whom saluation is purchased Nay rather it may seem to be sinne to beleeue that that is vntrue I answer to the latter first that concerning the diuels not to beleeue in Christ with application to themselues is no sinne in Note them because as Christ came not to saue any of them neither tooke their nature vpon him so there is no commandement for them to beleeue in him as their Sauiour Notwithstanding God hauing giuen his sonne for the redemption of all elect men therefore the diuels not beleeuing this or perswading any of the elect not to it do therein greatly sinne and so they shall certainly aggrauat their condemnation This then is breefely the solution of this question touching the Diuels that they sinne not in not beleeuing in Christ for themselues but that they sinne greatly in not beleeuing that Christ came to saue elect men and in perswading any of them not to beleeue it Touching reprobate men though Christ came not to saue them neither did so much as pray for them Ioh. 17 9. yet because Gods decree in this behalfe is not particularly knowen vnto them but God generally propoundeth his promises not particulary telling any by his externall word whose names are written in the booke of life whose are not but only reuealingthis by the worke of his spirit in calling them that are chosen therefore the scripture pronounceth generally of all men that doe not beleeue that they are condemned already Iohn 3. 18. Who then are they that doe or shall beleeue Only the elect For therefore it is not onely said that All men haue not faith 2. Thes 3. 2. but also that faith is the faith of Gods elect Tit. 1. 1. and that as many as were ordained to life beleeued Acts 13 48. And that if the Gospell be hid it is hid to them that are lost 2. Cor. 4. 3. If al had faith all should be saued for by faith we are saued Ephes 2. 8. and The iust shall liue by his faith Heb. 3. 4. The faith of Gods elect is called most holy Iude 20. and most pretious yea more pretious then gold that is tried in the fire because though gold be tried yet it perisheth 1. Pet. 1. 7. But they that trust in the Lord are like to mount Zion that standeth fast Note for euer c. Psalm 125. 1. All the elect that haue faith haue not the like measure of faith because God that giueth it giueth it as pleaseth him Ephes 1. 9. and 4. 7. and because all haue not the like meanes neither the like time c but where it is left euen as a grayne of mustard seede viz. not onely for quantity but also for quality quicknesse life and efficacy there it is most holy and pretious because to such as haue such faith nothing making to Gods glory and their saluation is impossible yea all such things are possible Mat. 17. 20. and 21. 21. and Mark 9. 23. If any obiect the former places to be vnderstood of that kind of faith whereby men wrought miracles and which was but for a time I answer that although our Sauiour doe indeed deliuer those speeches by occasion of some miracles which he had then wrought yet they are also more generally to be vnderstood euen of a iustifying and sauing faith as touching the obiect thereof I meane as touching matters that appertaine to saluation Otherwise that faith whereby a man is to saue his owne soule should be inferior to that and of lesse force then that whereby he is to saue or in those daies was to saue other by such working of miracles were not this absurd in diuinity Thus much shall suffice to haue spoken of faith in this place either as a speciall and internall cause of our regeneration and new birth to be the children of God by incorporating vs in to the onely naturall and first begotten sonne of God or at least as the first step and degree to our said regeneration More perhaps vpon other occasion shall be spoken of this faith afterward In the meane time the more excellent that we haue heard it to be and the more proper to the children of God the more excellent also we must needs acknowledge the state of the children of God to bee in respect thereof The next point to be considered is the matter it selfe wherin chiefly the regeneration of the children of God doth consist This is first of all their communion with Christ For Christ alone being the onely naturall and proper sonne of God as hath been said no other can be the children of God as now we speake but only by communion with him and incorporation into him whereby they may be spiritually flesh of his flesh bone of his bone and members of that body whereof himselfe alone is the head So many as haue this communion with Christ so many may truly bee called the beloued children of God Therefore they that are so regenerated are said to be begotten againe in Christ Iesus 1. Cor. 4. 15. to bee new creatures in Christ 2.
thereof in the hearts both of the elect and also of some reprobates it is the more euident to come from the mighty God In Iosiah 2. Kings 22. 11. in the people that heard our Sauiour Mat. 7. 28. euen in the messengers of the Priests and Pharisies sent to apprehend him Ioh. 7. 46. in the great multitude that heard Peter preach Acts 2. 37. in Felix hearing Paul Acts 24. 25. and in the daily hearers of the word sincerely preached either as a sauor of life vnto life or as the sauour of death vnto death 2. Cor. 2. 16. Eightly by the perpetuity of the scriptures before spoken of in despight of all the enemies thereof Ninthly by the old and new iudgements of God vpon all the contemners thereof and by the old and new mercies of God vpon the professors of it If such Romish frogs and serpents before mentioned vrge the Apocrypha books to be canonicall and diuine scripture the children of God may draw out the sword of the word against that error Luke 1 70. and 16. 39 and 24. 27. where it is euident that all the old Testament is written by Prophets and that therefore the Apocrypha books being no part of the new testament are not also any part of the old as not hauing been written by any Prophets Secondly they may obiect against the former error that the whole old testament was giuen to the Iewes Psal 147. 19. Rom. 3. 1. 2. and that therefore the Apocrypha books are no part thereof as the which were neuer giuen to the Iewes because they were neuer written in the Iewes language Thirdly they may wound the former error by the attribute truth often giuen to the word of God Psal 19. 10. and 119. 142. Iohn 17. 17. 2. Tim. 2. 15. Ephes 1. 13. Coloss 1. 5. Iames 1. 18. sith that in euery Apocrypha booke there is some repugnance to the Scripture and some of them doe disagree with themselues If any do demand why the new testament was not written in the Iewes language as well as the old testament the children of God may easily answer the reason to haue been double First because the time of the Iewes casting off and cutting off from beeing a people for a time being at hand when the new testament beganne to be written there was no cause why it should be written in their tongue Secondly the time being also come of translating the kingdome of God from them to other nations yea to all nations there was the greater reason why the Scriptures of the new Testament shold be written in that tongue that was most common especially that was the tongue of that nation where the Lord purposed first to plant his Church after the reiection of the Iewes The Greeks being that people it was therefore most fit that is should be written in that tongue If any doe further reply that I take that for granted which may well be doubted of viz. that the apocrypha books are no part of the newe testament I do answer that this cannot bee so much as doubted but to affirme it must be held a great absurditie for as much as there is no mention at all in any of them of Christ manifested in the flesh either conceiued or borne or put to death c. Against the defect and insufficiency of the Scriptures pretended by the Papists for the iustifying and stablishing of their traditions both all before spoken of the perfection of the word may be opposed also our Sauiours owne sentence against humane traditions though not altogether repugnant to the Scriptures but rather hauing some affinitie with them Mat. 15. and Mark 7. To the imagined difficulty of the scriptures the children of God may oppose First that the word is the word of him that is light it selfe 1. Iohn 1. 5. Secondly that the law is sayd to giue wisedome to the simple light to the eyes Psal 119. 7. and that the word is a lanthorne to our feet and a light vnto our paths Psal 119. 105. and Prou. 6. 23. Thirdly that wisedome saith that all her words are plaine to them that will vnderstand and straight to them that would finde knowledge Pro. 8. 9. and that knowledge is easie to him that will vnderstand Pro. 14. 6. and Fourthly that if the Scripture be sufficient or profitable to teach to conuince to correct and to instruct in righteonsnesse 2. Tim. 3. 16. then they be not obscure for no obscure writings are profitable for such ends The same place also last before mentioned prooueth that the Scriptures ought to be interpreted by themselues and are sufficient for interpretation of themselues by the help of the Spirit whereby they were giuen For if they be able to make men wise to saluation and if they be able to make the man of God absolute to euery good worke then are they sufficient for interpretation of themselues and for bringing of men to the vnderstanding of them For how shall men be wise that vnderstand not what the will of the Lord is as before we heard Eph. 5. 17. And how shall the man of God bee absolute to euerie good worke if he be not able to interpret the Scripture Is not interpretation of the Scripture one good worke of the man of God Yea is it not the most principall what other worke can be performed without it The doctrine of particular election of some vnto saluation being denied by the Papists the children of God may defend it by the word of God First by the particular election of Iaakob and of the Lady to whom Iohn did write his second Epistle Secondly by the words of Christ I know whom I haue chosen Iohn 13. 18. Thirdly by the like phrase of the Apostle The Lord knoweth who are his 2. Tim. 2. 19. Fourthly by the phrase of writing names in heauen Luk. 10. 20 Election by the free grace of God without any respect of our works may be defended by the word of God as before vpon other occasion it hath beene shewed That the election of God cannot be nullified or frustrated as the Papists doe teach the children of God may iustifie against them by the word of God Iohn 6. 37. Rom. 8. 30. Mat. 24. 24. and by many other things alledged in this treatise That there is but one Mediator against the plurality of mediators blasphemously taught by the Papists is to bee defended by the word of God 1. Tim. 2. 6. Rom. 8 â—4 1 Iohn 2. 1. Against iustification by works wholly or in part mainteined by the papists the children of God haue the word of God Rom 3 28 Gala. 3. 2. c Philip. â— 9. Secondly that as Christ was condemned without any euill of his own only by impuâ—ation of our sinne vnto him so we are iustified without any righteousnes of our own only by imputatioÌ„ of his righteousnesse actiue and passiue vnto vs. Thirdly that all our works being condemned in scripture as vnperfect are therefore excluded from
no other fountaine then at the word of God By the same meanes from time to time hath the Lord comforted his children Abraham Isack Iacob Dauid Hezekiah Paul and other in their afflictions euen by his word and by speaking vnto them When Iohn also wept much because no man was found worthy to open to read and to looke on the booke which before he had seen in the right hand of him that sate vpon the throne c. how was he comforted Not inwardly only by Gods spirit but outwardly also by one of the elders speaking vnto him and saying Weep not behold that Lyon which is of the tribe of Iuda that roote of Dauid hath obtained to open the booke and to open the seuen seales thereof Reuel 5. 5. Here is a double argument to proue the word of God to be the word of comfort First because Iohn in his heauinesse is comforted by the speech of one of the elders vnto him Secondly in respect of the matter of the said speech viz. that there was one found to open the booke and the seuen seales thereof For thereby the holy ghost signifieth that without opening of the book before shewed to Iohn there was nothing to haue comforted him Whatsoeuer benefits therfore whatsoeuer friends whatsoeuer outward delights whatsoeuer learning or other thing men haue yet nothing will soundly comfort them that are heauy hearted or exercised with feares but the word The woman in the Gospell healed of her bloudy issue for healing whereof she had spent all that she had vpon the physitians and was nothing the better doth sufficiently iustifie this For when our Sauiour hauing so healed her for nothing euen so perfectly healed her that she sensibly felt her selfe to be healed when I say our Sauiour hauing thus healed her did but aske who had touched him because he had felt vertue to goe from him she had no more comfort then before but for all the benefit Note of health so miraculously wrought in her she was possessed with great feare and trembling till she came to our Sauiour and till he spake vnto her saying Daughter be of good comfort thy faith hath saued thee Luk 8. 47. 48. So then the former benefit did not comfort her though she had long desired it yea it seemeth she had more feare then before but the word that our sauiour spake was it that tooke away the feare and which did comfort her I might here also speake of Belshazar in what case he was Dan. 5. hauing no comfort in the word but of him and other like more afterward In the meane time let vs vnderstand that the word hath comforts of all sorts and for all afflictions of this life and of the life to come for body and for soule Is any of Gods children poore he can comfort himselfe with the word saying Feare the Lord yee his Saints for no good thing wanteth to them that feare him c. Psal 34. 9. So with those manifold comforts Mat. 6. 25. c. Luk. 12. 32. c. So also with the examples of Iacob Gen. 32. 10. of Elija of the widow of Zarepta and of the other widdow of one of the sonnes of the Prophets before mentioned and with Gods mighty prouidence towards the Israelites in the wildernesse in feeding them with Manna and quailes and in giuing them water out of the rocke Is any child of God in disgrace or in base condition he can comfort himselfe with 1. Pet. 5. 5. and 6. and with the examples of Ioseph Dauid Ester and Mordecai whom the Lord raised vp from the dust and made to sit with Princes yea and some of them to be Princes Is any of them in prison He can comfort himselfe with the examples of Ioseph Ieremiah Peter and Paul who were not only in prison but whom also the Lord most mightily deliuered out of prison Hath any many and great aduersaries He can consider that If God be with him he need not feare who is against him Rom. 8. 29. and that The Lord is alwaies at hand Philip. 4. 6. And how the Lord deliuered Iacob from Esau and from the Sechemites and Dauid from many mighty enemies Is any sicke and sicke vnto death He can call to mind how Hezekiah being so and told also by the word of God that he should die was vpon his praier miraculously restored to health and had his life drawn out for fifteen yeeres more 2. Chron. 32. 24. c. He can also remember that Dauids soule was deliuered from the graue Psal 103. 4. and that Epaphroditus being sicke and neere vnto death God had mercy on him Phil. 2. 27. Hath any man lost all his goods in one day yea children also c. He can comfort himselfe with Psal 24. 1. and with the example of Iob who hauing lost goods and children did not only say The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken Blessed be the name of the Lord Iob. 1. 21. but who also had all and more then all restored vnto him at the last Iob. 42. 10. Is any man heauy loaden with his sinnes doth he feare the wrath of God and euerlasting condemnation and doth he not find or feele any comfort yea doth he feele the terrors of death Oh how may he comfort himselfe with the doctrine of Gods mercy Psal 103. 9. c. before handled with the end of Christs comming to heale them that are sicke not the whole to call sinners not the righteous to repentance Mat. 9. 12. 13. to seeke and to saue that which was lost Luk. 19. 10. that euery one that beleeueth in him might not perish but haue euerlasting life Iohn 3. 6. with the words also of the Prophet Ho euery one that thirsteth c. Isai 5. 5. 1. with the words of our Sauiour Come vnto me all ye that are weary and laden and I will refresh you Mat. 11. 28. And lastly with the examples of such as haue found comfort in such an heauy condition and against great and many sins viz. of Dauid of Salomon of Manasses of Peter of Mary Magdalen of Zacheus of Paul and of diuers other Seing then the word of God hath such excellent and such sweet comforts for euery malady for euery affliction for euery heauinesse who can sufficiently expresse the dignity and prerogatiue of the children of God thereby For they only can receiue comfort by it The childrens bread doth not belong to whelpes Mat. 15. 26. Neither do the holy things of God belong to dogs neither doe such pearles become swine Mat. 7. 6. All this hitherto said of the word is the more both in respect of the writing thereof and also of the preaching thereof In both these respects I say the prerogatiue of the children of God by the word is the greater For as touching the writing thereof howsoeuer the Papists would perswade that it was written onely by the voluntary accord of man not by any expresse commandement of God 〈◊〉 and that therefore it
made knowen by the Church the manifold wisdome of God Ephes 3. 9. 10. By this place we plainly see that the Angels haue the benefit of more knowledge then before they had Of the fellowship of the foresaid mysterie and that by the Church What is the Church but the companie of Gods children This is the more manifest by that that there is said of that mysterie to haue beene before hidden in God himselfe and not so to haue beene opened to the sonnes of men in other ages as now it is vers 5. and to haue beene kept secret since the world began Rom. 16. 25. For doe not these phrases intimate that the said mysterie had beene hidden so in God himselfe from the beginning of the world that the very Angels themselues did not fully vnderstand it till it was made knowen by the Church The same is to bee thought of many mysteries contained in the Reuelation because it is said of the booke in the right hand of him that sate vpon the throne written within and on the backe side sealed with many seales whereby the Chapters in the Reuelation following seeme especially to be vnderstood because I say it is said of that booke that none in heauen nor in earth nor vnder the earth was able to open the booke or to looke thereon but only the Lion of the tribe of Iuda that is Christ Iesus Reu. 5. 2. This Lion of the tribe of Iuda doth not only vnderstand the same booke himselfe but also by his spirit maketh it knowen to the Church by whom also the Angels attending thereupon in all assemblies thereof seeme likewise to come to know it and not by any immediate reuelation thereof vnto them in heauen neither as some doe weakly imagine by contemplation of God himselfe in whom all things past present and to come are as it were ingrauen For so they should know the secrets of mens hearts and the day of iudgement which none knowes but God himselfe For are not all those things ingrauen in God as well as others I grant the Angels to know much more of their owne nature and of the nature of God himselfe then the Church knoweth yea then perhaps is reuealed in the written word yet this letteth not but that the Angels may bee ignorant of the meaning of some things contained in the word concerning Gods pleasure towards the Church till the same by the spirit of Christ be reuealed to the Church I will not so inlarge this point in this place as Isee it handled in some late printed bookes but I will content my selfe with this thus generally spoken thereof Another benefit of the Angels by the children of God is that they haue great iov of their conuersion and repentance This our Sauiour teacheth plainly by a double parable Luk. 15. 3. c. one of the lost sheepe the other of the lost groat for the finding whereof there was great ioy the application of bâ—th which parables is thus made by our Sauiour hin selfe I say vnto you that likewise ioy shall bee in heauen ouer one sinner that repenteth c. and againe I say vnto you there is ioy in the presence of the Angels of God for one sinner that conuerteth 7. and 10. And indeed there is a great reason of this their ioy for doe men reicice in earth for the birth of a sinner and shall not the Angels in heauen reioice for the regeneration of a christian Doe men reioice for the birth of one of Gods enemies and shall not the Angels reioice for the birth of one of Gods children Doe the true subjects of an earthly prince reioice and declare their ioy by some testimony at the birth of a child to such an earthly Prince how much more should the Angels in heauen Gods perfectest subjects reioice at the birth of a child to God himselfe the king of heauen and earth euen of one that shall it selfe be and is as soone as it is borne not only a Priest but also a king as before we heard Is there ioy in earth for the birth of one that shall die againe and perhaps a miserable death how then should the Angels not reioice in the birth of one that shall neuer die more but shall liue for euer a life of grace here till the time of translation from hence do come and then a life of glory with themselves yea with Christ Iesus Did the Angels reioice when Christ was borne a man vpon earth and shall they not reioice when men are borne partaker of the diuine nature from heauen and for heauen yea wherefore did the Angels so reioice at the birth of Christ was it not because by his birth in the world many should afterward be borne vnto God As soone as euer Christ had taken the book before spoken of out of the hands of his Father to open the same to the Church how did the Angels reioice and sing for ioy as wel as the 24. Elders Reu. 5. 8. 9. Did they so reioice at the taking of the book to be opened to the Church how much more cause haue they to reioice and sing when by the opening of mysteries in the same book contained men shall be enlightned with true sauing knowledge of God and of his Sonne Iesus Christ and be also new borne children vnto God As the Angels doe thus reioice in the first regeneration of the children of God that is when men first begin to be the children of God so it is not to be doubted but that their ioy is increased as such graces are increased in men whereby they are the more declared both to men and Angels to be so regenerated and new borne vnto God I might amplifie this point much more but hauing been large in other things it shall be sufficient thus briefly to haue spoken of this matter So we see what great benefits both men and other creatures the inferior creatures of this inferior world and the superior creatures euen the blessed Angels in heauen haue by the children of God Is not this therefore a great increase of their dignity Is it not an high commendation of their state and condition That the wicked are hurtfull to all and beneficiall to none doth make their estate the more base and vile abiect and contemptible Therefore that the children of God are hurtfull to none and so beneficiall and helpfull to many it must needs make their condition more honorable and noble CHAP. XXIX Of diuers similitudes and comparisons setting foorth the dignity of Gods children TO omit diuers other arguments whereby the dignity of Gods children might bee furthered enlarged and illustrated let vs now come to certaine comparisons Herein I will a little transgresse the order of Logicians as I haue not hitherto been curious therein and therefore I will begin with some similitudes whereby the holy ghost in respect of some things before handled doth set forth the excellency of the children of God From these similitudes I will
to blesse him according to his former promise For this patriarke Isaack hauing so blessed Iaacob when his sonne Esaâ— returned from hunting and brought Venison ready dressed vnto him and craued his blessing this Izhaack I say told his sonne Esau what had fallen out in his absence and saith plainly I haue blessed him therefore he shall be blessed Genes 27. 33. As if he should haue said My blessing is past already Thou comest now too late I haue giuen my blessing to him to whom by the appointment of God at the first it did belong therfore whatsoeuer thou hast done at my commandement and howsoeuer I promised indeed to blesse thee yet hauing now spoken the word for the blessing him that came before thee I neither will nor can reuoke it Dauid seeming to allude to the former words of Isaack in his praier for the blessing of God vpon his house vseth the very same words almost if not altogether speaking thus Now it hath pleased thee to blesse the house of thy seruant that it may bee before thee for euer for thou O Lord hast blessed it and it shall be blessed for euer 1 Chron. 17. 27. The like constancy we read of that heathen and wicked man Pilate For when hee had written this title vpon the head of Christ on the Crosse Iesus of Nazaret the King of the Iewes and when the high Priests of the Iewes being offended with the said title perswaded him to alter it and said Write not The king of the Iewes but that he said I am the king of the Iewes what answered Pilate Was he content to alter his former writing Not so but he answered What I haue written I haue written Iohn 19. 19. 21. 22. Did these men the one an elect of God and a good man the other a reprobate and most wicked did these I say thus hold themselues to their own notwithstanding earnest requests to the contrary Shall we think that God will shrinke go back of his word for the casheering of any whom once he hath enrolled and written in the book of life No no though all the world should solicit him to the contrary yea though it were possible that the Angels of heauen shold so do yet wil not God goe one inch back of his word touching any of his children whom he hath determined to make like vnto his owne sonne He will not flinch a whit or start aside an heires bredth but to all such as shall plead for the cutting of the names of any of his out of the table or book of life he will answer as Isaack did to Esau I haue blessed them therfore they shall be blessed and as Pilat answered the high priests of the Iewes whom I haue written I haue written To leaue this argument and to proceed vnto other If they be blessed that walke not in the counsell of the wicked c. that trust in the Lord c. that feare the Lord c. then are they certaine of their future likenesse vnto Christ For where there is no certainty therof there caÌ„ be no blessednes But such are pronounced blessed in the Psalms in the other scriptures therfore they are certaine of this their future likenes to Christ The like may be said of the commandement of the Apostle giuen to all that are in Christ for reioicing in the Lord yea for reioicing alwaies Philip. 44. For what ioy can there be where there is continuall doubting of â—his future likenes vnto Christ Againe by so many arguments as whereby before we haue laid forth the dignity of Gods children we may also be assured of this our future likenes vnto Christ viz. by Gods loue in making vs his children because whom he loueth he loueth to the end by the difficulty and greatnesse of that worke For would he do so difficult so great and so admirable a worke and not bring it to perfection or what perfection hath it without this likenes to Christ by the meanes whereby he worketh it viz. by the immortall seed For how is that seed immortall if they perish that are begotten again by it I meane touching the spirituall life whereby they are so begotten againe Or how doe they continue if they neuer attaine vnto but come short of this likenes vnto Christ by their vnion with Christ and communion with the Father and the holy ghost which we heard to be indissoluble once made and neuer dissolued by their liberty and free accesse to God in praier with assurance to be heard as in other things so also in asking of this their future likenes vnto Christ by the forgiuenesse of their sins the only let of their likenes vnto him Gods couenant therein being a couenant of salt euen an euerlasting couenant by the working of all things together for their good by their freedome from condemnation by the blessed inheritance before spoken of and almost by all the other arguments Last of all all that are in heauen may be sure without doubting of their future likenes vnto Christ But all the children of God that are regenerated by the word of truth are in heauen Therfore they may be sure without doubting of their future likenes in grace and in glory vnto Christ The first part of this reason that all in heauen may bee sure without doubting of their future likenes to Christ c. is so euident that no man will deny the same sith there is no fetching any thing from thence That which our Sauiour saith as a reason to prouoke men to lay vp treasures in heauen viz. that There neither the moth nor canker doth corrupt nor thieues digge through and steale Mat. 6. 30. may be said of all persons in heauen that they are out of all danger c. The second part of the former reason that the children of God regenerated and new borne by the holy ghost are already from the first houre of their regeneration in heauen is expresly affirmed by the Apostle Ephes 2. 6. Most men vnderstanding those words as spoken only of the children of God in respect of their certainty of heauen not in respect of their present possession do notwithstanding iustifie my present purpose Notwithstanding I doe vnderstand with some other much more euen the present possession it selfe of heauen present I say not full possession and that because Christ Iesus hauing taken possession of heauen not as one alone but as the head of many euen of all his members not to his own vsealone but to theirs not in his own name alone but in theirs it must needs be granted that all they also are in present possession whose head Christ is to whose vse and in whose name Christ hath taken possession of heauen I will illustrate this by a law case common amongst vs. A mans wife of Kent or Essex hath coppy hold land purchased by her or giuen vnto her by some friends in Yorkshire in Cumberland in Westmoâ—land or some other country two hundred miles from