vsed as the end of our predestination onely but also of the end whereunto wee were predestinated namely that we might be adopted or made the children of God Afterward also in the same Chapter the Apostle repeateth the same end of our election viz. that wee Which first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of his glory Not much vnlike also is that place before alledged touching the end of our deliuerance from our enemies namely that we might serue him c. Luk. 1. 74. For that of our deliuery from our enemies doth import our adoption because all not adopted are still in the hands of their enemies and all that are deliuered from their enemies are the children of God When the Lord also saith If I be a father where is mine honor Malac. 1. 6. doth he not insinuate that this was the end why he had made them his children namely that they should honor him But of all other places that of Iames is most pregnant in this behalfe Of his owne will begat he vs with the word of truth that we should be vnto him as the first fruits of the creatures Iames 1. 18. In this place the Apostle speaketh directly of our begetting againe noting God himselfe to be the author thereof his owne will to be the mouing cause of him there unto the word of truth to be the meaâ—s all which haue been obserued before and that wee might be the first fruits of his creatures to be the end What is it to be the first fruits of his creatures Euen to be set apart in speciall manner for his seruice and glory as in the time of the law the first fruits were separated from all other and set apart from all common vses whereto other fruits might be applied and dedicated only to the speciall seruice of Gods worship Exod. 34. 25. Deut. 12 17 What can be greater then to honor or glorifie God In that our Sauiour teacheth vs in the first place and before all vea before the forgiuenesse of our sinnes to pray Hallowed be thy name or Glorified be thy name doth he not thereby plainly teach vs that the hallowing or glorifying of the name of God is more then all other things Doth not the Apostle teach that this ought to be the end of all the fruits of righteousnesse which are by Iesus Christ viz. the glory and praise of God Phil. 1. 11. Doth not our Sauiour himselfe complaine of the great trouble of his soule and pray thus vnto his father Now is my soule troubled and what shall I say Father saue me from this houre but therefore came I to this houre Father glorifie thy name Ioh. 12. 27. 28. We see in this praâ—er Christ to be in such an agony that as he was man he could scarce tell what he said yea that hauing praied the father to saue him from that houre he correcteth himselfe not as acknowledging his former petition to haue beene euill but onely to make that better that was good before that I say he so correcteth himselfe by remembring that houre from which hee praied to be deliuered to be the end of his comming And by the last clause notwithstanding of the said praier Father glorifie thy name we see further that hee preserreth the glorifying of his fathers name to the deliuerance from that houre against which before he praied Doth he not thereby teach that hee regarded not himselfe but was well content still to indure that agonie so that thereby he might glorify the name of his father If Christ therefore did so highly esteeme of the glory of God is it a small matter that we are made the children of God for the glory of God Doth not the Apostle further command that whether we eate or drinke or what soeuer doe wee should doe all to the glory of God 1. Cor. 10. 31. If then this ought to be the end of all things we doe must it not be acknowledged to be more excellent then all things that we doe For who will or can deny the end of things to be more excellent then the things referred to the end Againe what can be more honourable and glorious then to serue him that is most honourable and glorious The greater that men are the more honourable it is to serue them therefore to serue a king is more honourable then to serue any other How honourable a thing then is it to serue the king of kings Yea buâ— will some man say The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake Pro. 16. 4. that is for his owne seruice and glorie Nebuchadnezer also a reprobate and a most wicked man is called for all that the seruant of the Lord euen in and for the destruction of Ierusalem Ier. 27. 6. and 43. 10. yea the diuels in some sort doe the workes of God in executing the commission which God giueth them 1. Kings 22. 22. at least in performing the decree of God Acts. 2. 23. If these things bee so as indeed they are what singular thing or what preferment or prerogatiue is it for the children of God to bee borne or made the children of God for the glory of God and to serue God For do not all things yea do not the most wicked men yea do not the diuels themselues the same I answer that this that I speake of the end of the adoption of the children of God for Gods glory and seruice is to be vnderstood of their seruing and glorifying God in a more speciall and excellent manner then other do euen so much more as they are neerer to God and more dignified and aduanced by God then other are How is this Not by force as it were and only constrained by the ouerruling hand and power of God but willingly and cheerfully with a minde to serue and glorifie God in that which they do and being guided and directed thereunto by the same gratious spirit of God whereby they are made the children of God In the greater place that any is emploied about an earthly king or for an earthly king the greater honor is such emploiment for him that is so emploied So likewise the neerer the seruice of any is to the kings own person the more honorable is the same seruice God hath no greater emploiments neither any neerer to his owne person here vpon the earth then those things are wherein he emploieth his children Then such emploiment therfore cannot but be very honorable vnto them Though all things be made to the glory of God in a generall respect and so accordingly do serue his prouidence yet the elect and children of God in a speciall manner and meaning are called vessels of honor as contrarily the reprobate are called vessels of dishonor 2. Tim. 2. 20. Though therefore thereprobate themselues do also serue God in manner aforesaid vet their seruice it is but base in respect of the seruice of his children because such seruice is altogether seruise In the time of the law all
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
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
more therefore are we forbidden the worship of dead and helplesse images Thirdly because there should be some resemblance betwixt that that putteth vs in mind of another thing and the thing it selfe whereof it putteth vs in mind But there is not so much similitude betwixt God and images as there is according to our common speech betwixt an apple and an oyster For both these are the good creatures of God they are both meat for man either of both are beyond the power of man to make But there is no agreement at all betwixt God and idols or images What fellowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse and what communion hath light with darknes c. 2. Cor. 6. 14. c. Images haue mouthes and speake not eies and see not eares and heare not hands and handle not feet and walke not as before we heard Deut. 4. 28. Psal 15. 5. c. But God hath no eies and yet seeth all things no eares and yet heareth all things no mouth and yet speaketh vnto vs by his word no hands and yet doth and ruleth all things he hath no feet and yet is euery where Last of all for images to put vs in mind of God is derogatory to the Sacraments especially to the supper of the Lord which Christ himselfe instituted chiefly in remembrance of him That which I haue said of some of the chiefe heresies of Popery I might shew of the rest so likewise of other heresies To deale in like manner with all would be too large for this place By these things but thus briefly written other may be vnderstood And thus we see what an excellent priuiledge the children of God haue by the word of God being such an armor of proofe as we haue heard it to be for defence of themselues against all sinnes both of practise and also of iudgement Yea this priuiledge is the greater because all the wicked and meer naturall men being without this word are therfore in a wofull state altogether vnarmed naked lying open to the enemy of their soules yea being indeed in his posession as before we haue often heard For although the Apostle doe describe other parts of the christian armor yet none can haue any of those other parts except he haue the word The word is the most principall of all the rest as being the meanes as before hath been shewed of all the rest Thus much for the second consideration of the word in this place viz. as it is a speciall part of our spirituall armor to defend our selues against the enemies of our saluation CHAP. XX. Of the word as it is giuen for consolation and comfort of the children of God in their afflictions and also of the Sacraments THe third consideration of the word before mentioned yet remaining is as it is the speciallest consolation and comfort of the children of God in their afflictions This I haue reserued for this last place because it ariseth from the two former For if the word of God be so perfect as before wee heard then it must needs be a word of comfort If also it be such a speciall part of our christian armor for our defence as before also we haue seen it to be then it cannot but minister likewise great comfort vnto vs. For where a man hath many and mighty enemies there cannot but be great feare where there is great feare there cannot but be great heauinesse also Yea what almost is feare but the heauinesse of heart from the expectation of some euill So far therefore as the word doth arme vs against our enemies whom we haue most cause to feare so far it cannot but be a great comfort vnto vs. This that I speake of the comfort of the children of God by the word of God Dauid testifieth Psal 19. both saying that the statutes of the Lord are right and reioice the heart verse 8. and also adding that they are sweeter then the hony and the hony combe vers 10. But we are there to obserue these commendations to bee placed after some other attributes and effects for which in the same Psalme he had before commended the word viz. after the perfection of it and the conuersion of the soule thereby after the faithfulnesse or surenesse of it and the giuing wisedome vnto the simple c. Thereby the Prophet giueth vs to vnderstand that the word of God doth reioice and comfort the heart only of those whom first it hath inwardly conuerted or restored whom first it hath made wise vnto saluation c. Therfore also he saith againe This is my comfort in my trouble that thy promise or thy word doth quicken me Psal 119. 50. that whereas by nature I am dead in sinnes and trespasses thy word hath awakened me and restored me to life and so giuen me much comfort and againe This is my comfort that I keep thy commandement verse 56. and againe Except thy lawes had been my delight or my comfort I had long sithence perished in mine afflictions verse 92 Paul also doth not obscurely signifie the word of God to be the word of comfort when he saith that whatsoeuer things are written afore time are written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might haue hope Rom. 15. 4. Do we not here plainly see true comfort to be called the comfort of the scriptures Another Apostle also setteth down the word for one of the two immutable things whereby we might haue strong consolation c. Heb. 6. 18. But what shall I need to stand long vpon this point For as afterward in the vses of this dignity of Gods children we shall heare this whole treatise is as well for comfort as for instruction And how shall we know that God hath so loued vs as to make vs his children but by the word How are we made the children of God but by the word How doe we vnderstand any thing else either before or after in this treatise concerning the dignitie of Gods children but by the word Yea and that all true comfort is to be had by the word our Sauiour seemeth to insinuate because his disciples being in great feare partly by a great tempest vpon the sea partly and more specially because seeing him come towards them walking vpon the sea they imagined him to be a spirit though our sauiour by his bodily eies seeing their trouble by the tempest and by his diuine nature vnderstanding their imagination of him could secretly by his said diuine nature and power haue taken all feare from them and comforted them yet he did rather comfort them by his word and speech Note saying vnto them Be of good comfort it is I bee not afraid Matth. 14. 27. Wherefore did hee thus rather then otherwise comfort them Euen the better to sanctifie and commend the word for the word of comfort for euer to his disciples and to all other in any feare or heauinesse that so all might alwaies seek comfort at
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
Christ pag. 467. THE DIGNITY of Gods children AND THE BASENESSE of all other CHAPTER 1. Of the speciall reason of writing this Treatise Of the Text of Scripture generally whereupon the same is grounded Of the coherence of the said Scripture with the words going before As also of the reason of them in respect of the words following Of the Logicall analysis or resolution of the said Scripture And of the first particular word therein AMongst many other sinnes of these last daies in respect whereof the Apostle hath foretold by the spirit that the times would be the more perillous this is one not the least that as men should be louers of themselues so they should not bee louers of them that are good 2. Tim. 3. 3. Now as by wofull experience we see other sinnes mentioned by the Apostle in the former place according to his said Prophecie to abound so all men whose eies are not smitten with too great blindnesse may behold the extreme hatred of the sons of men against â—he children of God and the manifold indignities that these do daily beare at their hands that know not how worthy their state and condition is For this cause I haue taken in land this present treatise of the dignitie of God children both for their better comfort against all such indignities as daily the wicked doe offer vnto them as likewise for their better instruction how to carrie themselues towards such their aduersaries and also that these their aduersaries may the better consider what they doe moâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 such indignities to them whom they ought to honor that so seeing their fault in that behalfe they may if they belong to God repent thereof I am not ignorant that some things by diuers learned godly and reuerend men haue beene written pertaining to this theame Peter de La Place a noble man as it seemeth of France at least a worthy Christian and described by the name of one of the Kings Counsell and chiefe President of his Court of Aids in Paris hath written a godly Treatise in French Of the excellencie of a Christian which is also translated into English and printed 1576. In that worthy worke also of M. Rogers published about some fiue yeeres sithence there is one treatise viz. the sixt wholly of the priuileges of a Christian which argument differeth not much from this present theame Of the dignitie of Gods children Otho Casmannus likewise a very learned and godlie man hath written more lately two bookes in Latine one intituled Hominis spiritualis anatomia meditatio c. The anatomie and meditation of a spirituall man printed Anno 1605. the other intituled Christianus nomine re c. A Christian in name and in deed c. published Anno 160â— In both which are many sweet points not impertinent to my present argument Notwithstanding because the first of these Peter de La Place hath written very briefly and so long sithence that his booke is worne almost out of date so easily doth this age neglect and forget things how good soeuer of neuer so little antiquitie and because also that booke is hardlie now to be had Againe because M. Rogers his treatise of the priuileges of a Christian being a part of his great booke neuer separated from his other six treatises therein contained is not therefore euery mans money besides because it goeth vnder another title and doth handle but some part of the matter of this treatise and lastly because the two workes of Casmannus are only in Latine and therfore not fit for common Englishmen ignorant of the Latine tongue and because they are written in such a method as euery one vnderstanding the Latine tongue cannot well conceiue the same therefore notwithstanding all those said workes I haue thought it worthy the labour to write more largely of the dignity of Gods children then either Peter de La Place or M. Rogers and that in our mother tongue or then Otho Casmannus hath written and in such a volume as that although it be of greater quantity and price then the first other treatise before mentioned yet it is lesse then either the booke of M. Rogers or the two last bookes of Câ—smannus and therefore the more easily to be purchased by any of very meane abilitie Such also as haue read the other bookes before named shall not only finde the chiefe points in this that are handled in all those but also many other not touched in any of them in respect whereof they shall not thinke their labour lost in reading of this Now forasmuch as the Scripture ought to be the only ground of all Theologicall Theames therefore for the foundation whereupon to build all my worke following I haue the rather chosen 1 Iohn 3. 1. 2. 3. because sometimes I haue preached of this Text though nothing so largely as heere I doe write thereof The words of the Apostle are these The text of all the treatise 1. IOHN 3. 1. 2. 3. Behold what loue the Father hath giuen vnto vs that we should be called the Sonnes of God for this cause the world knoweth you not because it knoweth not him Deerely beloued now are we the sonnes of God but it is not manifest what we shall be and we know that when he shall be made manifest we shal be like to him for we shal see him as he is And euery one that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe as he is pure IN these three verses two things are conteined The first is the dignitie of Gods children The second is the dutie of them Touching the former let vs obserue first the coherence of the Apostles words concerning the dignity of Gods children with that which before he had said in the end of the former Chapter as also the reason of the said words in respect of the matter following in the rest of this Epistle Secondly let vs consider the present words of the Apostle touching the foresaid dignity c. Touching the coherence of these words with the former it is this In the 28. verse of the former Chapter the Apostle had exhorted these Christians to whom he writeth vnto constancy saying And now little children abide in him meaning Christ This exhortation he had coÌ„firmed by an argument taken from the end in the very same verse viz. That when hee shall appeare they might be bold This end he illustrateth by the contrary in the next words adding and not be ashamed before him at his comming In the 29. verse he had also confirmed the same end by an argument taken from an adiunct or attribute of them that abide in Christ Which also he laieth foorth not barely or nakedly but as it were cloathed with an argument from their owne knowledge or testimonie in these words If ye know that he is righteous know yee that he that doth righteously is borne of him In which argument let vs obserue that hee doth not say as Note before he that abideth in him
hauing none by nature and to whom to leaue their inheritances or their Crownes yet for some considerations they will not haue this to be known But it is otherwise with God He hath so loued vs that he doth not only make vs his children but that also hee doth declare and publish and proclaime vs so to be 3 From the former reason ariseth another viz. that the Apostle vseth this phrase to teach vs that if he be not ashamed that such as we are should bee called his children then much lesse should we our selues be ashamed of this honourable title If a great king be not ashamed that the sonne of a poore begger should bee called his sonne is there any cause why the said sonne of such a poore begger should be ashamed to bee called the sonne of such a great King In like manner if God the king of kings be nor ashamed that we poore beggers brats should be called his children is there any reason why wee should bee ashamed of so honourable a title I could much amplify this point But for further amplification therof I do only wish that if any for feare of the disgrace of the world to be spoken of in the obiection following be ashamed to call himselfe the child of God and to carry himselfe accordingly such an one do wel remember what our Sauiour saith of them that are ashamed of him of his words before such an adulterous sinfull generation viz. as this last age of the world is where in we now liue to wit that he also will be ashamed of him when he shall come in the glory of his Father with the holy Angels Mark 8. 38. For certainely in like manner will God the Father bee ashamed of all such and wil vtterly deny them to be his children in the world to come that were ashamed to bee called his children and to liue as his children in this life Yea this is the more certaine because there is infinitely more cause why God should bee ashamed of vs then why wee should be ashamed of him Thus much of the seuenth particular word in this text The eighth word is the children of God Some read the sonnes of God but the originall is the children of God comprehending sonnes and daughters men and women and so the same word is vsed Iohn 1. 12. and 11. 52. and Rom. 8. 16. 17. and in many other places This is to be obserued for the comfort as well of women as of men and for the instruction as afterward wee shall heare of one sex as well as of the other And therefore the Apostle allegeth the words of the Prophet in the name of God himselfe speaking in this manner I will be a Father vnto you and ye shall be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord Almightie 2. Cor. 6. 18. Heere wee see expresse mention as well of daughters as of sonnes This is to be the rather noted because some in the brauery of their wit or rather in the rage of their madnesse doe not sticke to deny women to haue any part in the matters of saluation although the Scripture doe both expreslie say that there is no exception of male or female with God but that all are one in Christ Iesus Galat. 3. 28. and although it doe also record vnto vs example as well of beleeuing women as of beleeuing men But what doth the Apostle heere meane by children For the vnderstanding of this besides diuers other waies how men may be and are called the children of God let vs know that in a more strict sense this title the children of God is taken two waies First for all the members of the visible Church so long as they continue such members and that because of the outward couenant of God made with the whole body of the visible Church In this sense it is said The sonnes of God saw the daughters of men that they were faire c. Genes 6. 2. Heere the sonnes of God doe signifie such as professed themselues the sonnes of God and so were of the visible Church In the same sense also our Sauiour himselfe calleth the Iewes euen in his time generally by the name of children saying It is not meet to take the childrens bread and to cast it to â—helpes Matt. 15. 26. Secondly this title the children of God is taken for them that haue receiued the spirit of adoption and that are regenerated by the immortall seed of the spirit and by the word of God So it is taken in the place before alleged Rom. 8. 16. 17. and often elsewhere and so only not in the former sense is it taken in this place For the Apostle speaketh of them that worke righteously and are borne of God as wee haue heard in the end of the former chapter and of them that know that when Christ shall appeare they shall be like him as appeareth in the next verse But none worke righteously c. neither doe any know they shaâ—l be like vnto Christ at his appearing but onely they that are by the spirit of God regenerated and therefore the Apostle speaketh oâ—ly of such in this place To speake a little more of adoption and regeneration for Note the making thereof the plainer and more perspicuous wee must vnderstand that the adoption of God differeth much from the adoption of men For the ciuill Lawyers that write of 〈◊〉 say that adoption must be of the yoonger by the 〈◊〉 that he that adopteth a childe must bee elder then the person adopted neither doe they onely distinguiâ—h thus betwixt adoption and arrogation that arrogation is the taking of one to bee a childe which is already of age and at libertie and as we say at his owne hand and his owne man but adoption is of one vnder age and of one that is in tuition gouernment and gardianship of another the ciuill Lawyers I say doe not onely write thus of adoption but they also say that adoption properly is when one that hath no children of his owne doth adopt the childe of some other to be called by his name or at least to be brought vp by him and to bee his heire God doth not so adopt vs for hee hath a Sonne of his owne yea more properly his owne then any man can say of any childe in the world because Christ is the proper Sonne of God from euerlasting by communication as wee haue heard of the whole essence of his Father vnto him But the children of men are their children long after them and therefore they are yoonger then their fathers They are also children by taking some part of their parents nature and that of their bodily substance only for their soules are immediately from God who therefore by opposition to the fathers of our bodies is called the Father of spirits Heb. 12. 9. and is said to forme the spirit of man Zechar. 12. 1. As for the great obiection that doth most trouble men viz. if Note God
common saying that the law resteth in pectore Iudicis in the Iudges breast and so one thing is law one yeere and the cleane contrary is lawe another But the word of God being no more variable in sense then in words but alwaies is constant as God himselfe is alwaies the same is so much the more excellent Therefore also the dignity of the children of God that haue this word for their constant rule both of their faith and of their manners is so much the greater For if once they haue the true sense of any part of the word they haue it for euer I might heere speake of a third perpetuity besides the former two of the letter and of the sense viz. touching the efficacy thereof in whomsoeuer it taketh roote downward to bring foorth fruit vpward For in such it neuer dieth but abideth to the eternall life of them in whom it is so effectual and powerfull For such are said to fulfill the word of God and to abide for euer 1. Ioh. 2. 17. Their soules in death it selfe liue with God in heauen and though their bodies consume for a time yet they perish not but shall be raised vp againe at the last day and be made like vnto the glorious body of Christ as afterward we shall heare Phil 3. 21. and so God continueth their God as well in death as in life in which respect it is said that God is not the God of the dead but of the liuing Marke 12. 27. But because by many occasions in many places of this treatise I fall into mention of this point therefore heere it shall be enough thus only to haue named it Thus much for the perpetuity of Gods word and so also for the first thing touching the word in this place viz. as it is a rule of faith and manners Now followeth the second consideration of the word in this place namely as it is a part of the armor of God whereby we are to defend our selues against the enemies of our saluation Touching this it is called the sword of the Spirit Ephes 6. 17. yea we are to obserue that in that place it hath not onely a single place but a double in the christiā armor there prescribed For the Apostle doth not only generally bid them to take the sword of the spirit which is the word of God but also more particularly he doth will them in verse 15. that their feete should bee shod with the preparation of the gospell of peace Neither is the word of God one part or two parts onely of the spiritual armor wherby we are to defend our selues against our spiritual enemies but also in a manner our whole christiā armor or at least the armory and storehouse out of which all the other parts of Christiā armor are to be had yea the principall meanes also whereby they are to bee obtained For from whence or by what means are we to haue the girdle of truth the brest-plate of righteousnes the shoes of the gospel of peace the shield of faith the helmet of saluation from whence I say or by what meanes are we to haue all these but frō by the word of God Therfore it seemeth that the Apostle did of special purpose set Note that in the last place as the meanes fountaine of all the rest By the word as there the Apostle calleth it the sword of the spirit we are to vnderstand all sentēces of Scripture touching doctrine all commandements of God negatiue against euill affirmatiue for that which is good all promises of blessings and all threatnings of iudgements and all examples both of such sinnes as are forbidden with the execution of Gods iudgements vpon such as haue committed them and also of all vertues with the performance of Gods promises vnto thē We are also further to obserue that the word is called the sword of the spirit not only because the word was first giuen by inspiration of God 2. Tim. 3. 16. and holy men spake as they were moued by the holy ghost 2. Pet. 1. 21. and the Prophets searched when and at what time the fore-witnessing spirit of Christ in them should declare the things that are now shewed c. 1. Pet. 1. 11. but also because we know not how to vse this sword but by direction of the spirit neither hath this sword any sharpnes for defence of our selues and wounding of our aduersaries except it bee accompanied and as it were edged by the spirit This sword was so vsed by Steuen against his aduersaries that they were not able to resist the wisedome and the spirit by the which he spake Acts 6. 10. By this sword Peter defended himselfe and other that spake strange tongues against them that maliciously said They were full of new wine Acts 2. 14. 15. c. By this sword Apollo mightily confuted the Iewes publikely shewing by the Scriptures that Iesus was the Christ Acts 18. 28. By this sword Iesus Christ himselfe defended himselfe against the diuell himselfe and at last put him to flight repelling all his assaults with this weapon It is written Man shall not liue by bread onely c. It is written Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God c. It is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue Mat. 4. 4. c. Christ could haue repelled Satan by his secret power but he did it rather by his Note word to commend his word in like cases against all his assaults He could haue put him to flight without any answer at the first but he suffered him to assault him diuers waies and answered all by It is written to teach vs likewise by the same weapon to defend our selues not against some but against all tentations This then is the priuiledge of all the children of God that though they haue many and mighty aduersaries yet they haue alwaies armour sufficient sufficiently to defend themselues against them all If at any time they receiue any hurt it is either because they draw not forth this sword of the Spirit or because they doe not rightly vse it Neither is this word only a sword to defend them but also a salue to cure them if by neglect thereof at any time or by not vsing it rightly they receiue any wound What was the cause of the death I meane of the spirituall death of our first parents Adam and Eue Because they drew not out the sword of Gods word against the Serpent as they should haue done Whereby were they cured and restored to life againe By the voice of God calling and as it were crying after them when they fled hid themselues from him What was the cause of the grieuous wound that Peter receiued in the high Priests hall a thousand times greater then that which before he had giuen to the high Priests seruant in cutting off his eare was it not because he had forgotten the former word of Christ admonishing him
iustification of vs before God who being himselfe most perfect can accept of nothing but that which is likewise fully perfect absolute like vnto himselfe Fourthly that all men owe more to God as hath been before shewed then they are able to pay yea euen he that oweth least Luke 7. 41. 42. and that therefore no man is able by anie workes whatsoeuer to purchase any new benefits at the hands of God Fiftly that Christ hauing satisfied for all our sinnes as hath been before prooued there are none left to vs to make satisfaction for Touching the Sacraments whereas the papists proclaime matrimony to be one we defend our deniall thereof First because God hath instituted no Sacramental signe for matrimonie Secondly all Sacraments are proper to the church but mariage is as well for them that are without the church as for them that are within it Thirdly that whereas Sacraments are to be coÌ„mon to all sorts of members of the church the Papists themselues deny matrimony to belong to their most holy order of Priesthood Fourthly that Sacraments are instituted for confirmatioÌ„ of our faith in Christ but that matrimony was instituted whiles Adam was perfect not belieuing in Christ before his fall neither standing in need of Christ The like we plead against their other supposed Sacraments besides baptisme and the supper of the Lord. Touching baptism wheras we deny against them baptism to take away originall sinne we defend our selues in this behalfe by the word of God viz. by the example of Dauid in his age acknowledging his originall sinne Psal 51. 5. and of Paul complaining of his like sinne Rom. 7. 7. c. and by the testimony also of Iames Chap. 1. 13. c. Whereas we further deny against them baptism to be absolutely necessary to saluation we defend our selues in this behalfe by the word First because circumcisioÌ„ being the same in significatioÌ„ vse that baptism is was intermitted for 40. yeers in the wildernes 2. Because the children of the faithful as soon as they are born and before baptism are within the Couenant 1. Cor. 7. 14. Touching the supper of the Lord whereas they take away the cup from the people we oppose First the institution in both kinds Secondly the words of the Apostle according to the institution mentioning the cup as well as the bread 1. Cor. 11. 25. c. Thirdly the continuall practise of the Apostles Their transubstantiation feined changing of the essence of the elements in the said supper we confute First by the deliuering of them by Christ himself to his disciples he going afterward into the garden and suffering vpon the crosse which he could not haue done if he had giuen himselfe to his disciples before if they had eateÌ„ him before especially he being then not glorified SecoÌ„dly by the end of the supper viz. the remembrance of Christ Christ being preseÌ„t what need of remeÌ„brance Remembrance is of things absent Thirdly the continuance of Christ in heauen til the end of the world Acts 3. 21. Fourthly the nature of a Sacrament requiring an external signe indeed not only the accidents of a sign as well as the thing signified Fiftly that the fathers of the old testament did eat the same spirituall meat drink the same spirituall drink that we do 1. Cor. 10. 3. who could not carnally eat Christs flesh and drinke his blood he then not being made man Sixtly the fruit of eating Christs flesh drinking his blood viz. eternall life Ioh. 6. 51. which cannot be said of al that receiue that supper Lastly that as there is no alteration of the signe in baptisme so there is no cause of change in the signes of the supper of the Lord. The Popish Masse to be a propitiatory sacrifice for the quick and the dead we lay on the ground as Dauid did great Goliah by the sword of the spirit the word of God Tit. 2. 14. Heb. 9. 12. and 25. 1. Pet. 3. 18. All praier to saints we ouerthrow by the same sword First because in the day of our trouble when if euer we haue need of other friends to solicite our cause to God then especially we haue need of them such trouble testifying God to be displeased with vs because I say in the day of such trouble we are coÌ„maÌ„ded to cal vpon God Psa 50. 15. and vpon no other Secondly because from the beginning of the scriptures to the end there is neither precept nor example nor any sentence to warrant inuocation of saints Thirdly because this is derogatory and disgracefull to the onely mediation of Christ before spoken of yea it is blasphemous against the same Fourthly because although it should be granted that the Saints departed doe know our necessities yet they know not our hearts whether when we pray for our selues we pray in faith and trueth or no. All praier for the dead we wound mortally by the same weapon because the word teacheth vs that they that die and are translated out of this world they die either in the Lord and so are blessed and rest from their labor and haue their reward with God in heauen Reu. 14. 13. or els they die out of the Lord and so they goe to that rich man of whom the Gospell maketh mention euen to the diuell and his angels where they are tormented for euer and from whence there is no more passage to heauen then from heauen thither Luk. 16. 26. And this twofold distinction of men dying either in Christ or out of Christ either in the state of saluation to goe presently to God in heauen or in the state of damnation to be thrown immediatly into hell without any third sort either of men here or of state and place after this life we gather from our Sauiour himselfe saving Either make the tree good and his fruit good or the tree euill and his fruit euill Mat. 12. 33. So he maketh only two sorts of men here all to be good or euill therefore he excludeth any middle sort and so consequently denieth also all middle state or place after this life distinct from heauen and hell Secondly we wound the former heresie of praying for the dead by the forme of praier prescribed by our Sauiour wherein he teacheth vs to pray only for them that may doe the will of God vpon earth that haue need of daily bread for this life and that are in danger of tentation and other euill al which things do belong only to the liuing in this world Worshipping of images or of God in images we doe likewise wound vnto death by the same word viz. by the second commandement and by infinit other Scriptures in the old testament and by some also in the â—ewâ— Acts 17 2â— c. 1. Cor. 6. 9. and 10. 7. 14 1. Pet 4. 3. 1 Iohn 5 21 Reu 21. 8. and 22. 15. Secondly because we are forbidden the worship of the holy glorious Angels Reuel 19. 10. and 22. 8. Much
markes of them For if a little leauen sowreth the whole lumpe 1. Cor. 5. 6. and if euill words corrupt good manners 1. Cor. 15. 33. then it cannot be but that good words and the good behauiour of men must be and are of great efficacy not only to conuert at the first but also afterward to strengthen and further in all goodnesse them that are already conuerted And this is taught both by our Sauiour Mat. 5. 16. and also by the Apostle Peter 1. Pet. 2. 12. Therefore also so amiable should the society of Gods children be to all euen to the wicked that although they should not purpose to make vse of the fellowship of Gods children to their conuersion yet if at any time they should be violently depriued thereof then they should be so distempered as it were and disquicted therwith that nothing else should please satisfie and content them till they doe againe recouer the same When the enemies of Daniel by their exceeding importunity had ouercome Darius for tne casting of Daniel into the lyons denne how was the said Darius though an heathen affected therwith verily so that he went into his palace and remained fasting and forbad the instruments of musique to be brought before him and lastly that his sleepe went from him Dan. 6. 18. If Darius not only a wicked man but also a meere heathen and altogether out of the Church were so affected and so disquieted with the losse of Daniels company for a time till he recouered him againe how should all other wicked men especially liuing within the Church take their losse of the company of the godly till the same be restored againe Againe if the company of some of the godly ought to be so amiable and their absence so dolefull as it were to the wicked themselues how amiable should the communion of an whole Church be vnto them yea to all so long as they may enioy it And therefore wofull and dolefull ought the casting of them out to be from the communion of an whole Church if they shall so continue in their wickednesse as to deserue the same what then is to be said both of those that are so contumatious and obstinate as to continue in their sinnes till the Church proceed iustly and according to the rule of the word to the fearfull sentence of excommunication against them whereby they are giuen ouer vnto satan and also of those that being so proceeded against do not regard the same and lastly of those that in a kind of pride and high conceit of their owne excellency and sufficiency without iust and sufficient cause do make a wilfull separation of themselues from such whole Churches as haue the pure ministery of the word and administration of the sacraments according to the word and wherein they haue been bred and borne not only as men but as the children of God if they haue at all receiued the spirit of adoption and where also after their regeneration and according to their regeneration if they be regenerated they haue been maintained nourished and increased by the sincere milk of the word To inlarge this point of the desire of all men yea of the delight that all men euen the wicked should haue in the communion of the godly let the same be further applied to the matching of themselues in mariage with the children of God yea though themselues â—e neuer so honorable and noble in the world and the children of God for worldly things neuer so meane base and contemptible For as the Lord doth often forbid his children to match with the wicked and as such matches are testified oftentimes by many examples to haue been very dangerous for the peruerting of the children of God especially by the example of Salomon Nehâ—m 13. 26. so it cannot be denied but that the matching euen of the wicked with the godly is very effectuall and helpfull to draw them that are so matched though before wicked to be the children of God themselues also And why should any honorable and noble personages in the world being vnâ—egenerated disdaine to match with the children of God being otherwise for education qualities conuersation and behauior fit yea rather why should not the children of God disdaine to match with the wicked though themselues be neuer so meanly borne and the said wicked neuer so honorably descended in the world what is carnall nobility to nobility of the spirit what is it to come of Princes in the world in respect of being of the bloud roiall of God himselfe the king of kings yea why also in that respect should not the greatest nobles in the world not regenerated thinke it a great aduancement to match with a sonne or daughter of God fit for qualities as before I said though borne of neuer so meane and poore parents As it is honorable and no manner of disparagement at all for the wicked though neuer so nobly descended according to the flesh to match in mariage with the children of God though in worldly respects neuer so meanly borne being otherwise as I said for conditions fit to match with so honorable persons so are such matches likewise of no meane efficacy to draw such wicked ones as sometimes they match with to be themselues of the number of Gods children So saith the Apostle as before we heard what knowest thou O wife whether thou shalt saue thine husband or what knowest thou O man whether thou shalt saue thy wife 1. Cor. 7. 16. Hereof Ruth is a most pregnant and liuely example For being her selfe an heathen and hauing matched with one of the sonnes of Elimelech and Naomi she was so effectually conuerted by this match that after the death of her husband she would by no meanes part from Naomi Indeed Orpah that matched with another sonne though she seemed a while to be very earnest to goe with Naomi into the land of Iudah yet she was at the last perswaded to returne backe to her owne people but Ruth had tasted so deeply of the spirit of adoption by her foresaid match and marriage that her mother in law Naomi for the better triall of her soundnesse therein vsing many words to perswade her to returne backe as Orpha had done she answered most gratiously constantly and resolutely to the contrary saying Iâ—â—reat me not to leaue thee nor to depart from thee for whither thou goest I will goe where thou dwellest I will dwell thy people shall be my people and thy God my God where thou diest I will die and there will I be buried The Lord do so to me and more also if ought but death depart thee and me Ruth 1. 16. 17. O rare example O noble paterne O admirable president Let not men therefore only match and mate themselues with them that are the children of God but let them also so animate and hearten themselues to hold fellowship and communion with them that albeit they should be most earnestly perswaded by the children of God themselues
commeth into the world Ioh. 1. 9. Hee was in the world verse 10. And Loue not the world neither the things that are in the world 1. Ioh. 2. 15. Thirdly it is taken for the elect men of the world Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world Ioh. 1. 29. So God loued the world Ioh. 3. 16. He sent not his sonne that the world might be condemned but that the world might be saued verse 17. Fourthly it is vsed only for the wicked of the world and for all men vnregenerated and that for two reasons First because they sauor only the things of this world and do mind nothing but worldly things Secondly because they are the greatest part of the world and for the most part beare the chiefest sway and swinge in the world as though they were the only lords and kings of the world whereas indeed the least part is theirs yea they haue no right or interest to any thing in the world as hath been before shewed The word translated world naturally signifieth order or ornament and beauty because indeed all things were at the first created in most excellent order and were so beautifull that they were a great ornament to God himselfe the creator of them Now the wicked are not only the greatest part bearing the greatest sway and swinge in the world but also accordingly they are the only gallants outwardly of the world brauing it out aboue all other in such manner that if they were out of the world the world might seem to be no world and to haue no beauty in it In this signification is the word taken when it is said the world knew not Ioh. 1. 10. If the world hate you ye know that it hated me first If ye were of the world the world would loue his owne but because ye are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you Ioh. 15. 18. 19. So it is taken Ioh. 16. 8. He shall reproue the world of sinne and Ioh. 17. 9. I pray not for the world So it is taken in many other places These are the principall significations of this word world and in this fourth signification it is taken in this place The next word here is the word knoweth To omit the diuers significations of this word in other places here it signifieth as before hath been insinuated not to acknowledge not to regard or respect So it is said that our Sauiour shall say at the last day to them that shall plead their prophecying and casting out of diuels in his name I neuer knew you c. Mat. 7. 23. that is I neuer approued you liked you or regarded you Yea here as the words Despise not prophecying 1. Thes 5. 20. import not only that they should not contemne it but also that they should honorably regard it so this word not to know in this place signifieth not only not to regard or respect but also to contemne and despise yea to hate and to prosecute and to persecute with all euil So it is taken else where All these things will they doe vnto you for my names sake because they haue not knowen him that sent me Ioh. 15. 21. These things will they doe vnto you because they haue not known the father nor me Ioh. 16. 3. In both these places not to know signifieth nâ—t only to be ignorant or to neglect or not to regard but also to contemne and despise The same is the significatioÌ„ of this phrase in this place The meaning therefore of these words for this cause the world knoweth you not is this that for this cause the wicked vnregenerated of the world do not acknowledge and regard you that is they do contemne despise and persecute you so also of the words following because it knoweth not him that is because they regard not or respect not himselfe yea because they contemn and despise and what they can doe also persecute him Thus we see the obiection that might be made against the excellency of Gods children to be taken from the hatred of the world that is of all the vnregenerate in the world against them and the answer thereunto to be that this is not a thing to be maruelled at or so to be taken that we should be discouraged by it the more think the dignity of Gods children not to be so excellent as before the Apostle had commended it to be for as much as they that do thus little regard and brook Gods children yea hate and despise them do as little regard as hardly brook God himselse yea they hate and despise him And this their not knowing of God yea their hatred and despising of God is the very cause why such do not know the children of God but hate and despise them The truth of both these viz. that all the wicked do hate and despise both the children of God also God himself and that they do therfore hate and despise his children because they do first hate and despise him is sufficiently euident by the places before alledged For the said places do not only manifest the signification of the words phrases but the truth also of the things themselues And the reason why the wicked do make so little reckning of Gods children of God himselfe yea why they hate contemn both is because of the great contrariety that is betwixt them betwixt Gods children and God himselfe euen as great as is betwixt light darknes betwixt good and euil As God himself is light and hath no darknes in him 1. Ioh. 1. 5. so they that haue fellowship with him and walke in light euen all his children are called the children of light and of the day 1. Thes 5. 5. and lights themselues Philip. 2. 15. Therfore as God himselfe doth hate condemne all darknes and all works of darknes so his children do the like and cannot beare them in the wicked but do reproue them rather Ephe 5. 11. This then is the reason of the hatred of the wicked against the children of God and against God himselfe And this hatred is manifest by examples of such as being bound one to another by the bond of nature notwithstanding hate them to whom they are so bound euen because of the light that is in them wherby they shew themselues the children of the light euen of God himselfe So Cain hated Abel because his own works were euill and his brothers good 1. Ioh. 3. 12. So Ishmael hated Esau Iacob Saul both Dauid and also his own sonne Ionathan for his good loue towards Dauid The like may be said of many other yea indeed of the hatred of al that are wicked against the godly That somtimes the wicked are said to loue the children of God yea also to reuerence them to shew them much kindnes it is first of al for other causes and respects not for their godlines as for their
beauty their skill in musick or in some other such thing for their policie and for such like as before in handling the maine exhortation we haue shewed Secondly it is by the ouerruling hand and spirit of God to shew that he hath the hearts of all men in his hand and that he can as well draw loue or at least kindnesse from the heart that naturally is possessed with hatred as he can fetch water out of the rocke and make the rauenous rauens to be nursing mothers as it were to his children and as he can restraine the fire from burning so much as an haire of his children being cast into the mids thereof or the woollie nappe of their garments But howsoeuer the Lord doe this sometimes yet there is in all the wicked such a secret hatred against all the children of God and against God himselfe that except God do restraine them or force them to worke against their nature they cannot but break foorth into contempt and into all wrongs and indignities against the children of God and God himselfe And so they bewray that albeit they haue some generall and speculatiue knowledge of God himselfe by his works and word and of his children by those graces of God in them wherby they doe resemble him and shew themselues to be his children yet they haue no true knowledge either of God or of his children because they doe not persorme those duties to God and to his children which do belong vnto them And this is a common phrase amongst vs to say that a man knoweth not another when hee performeth not that dutie which belongeth to his place Many times we passe by great nobles and other of high calling without any reuerence vnto them because indeed we know them not If also wee be brought before them and yet do not respect and honor them according to their places and authority we are and may be iustly charged that we do not know them yea oft times we are and may be iustly threatned to be taught to know them before we goe And indeed if men knew Gods iustice against sinne his mercy towards them that loue feare and obey him his reckoning that he maketh of all his children his large promises before spoken of made to all that doe shew any kindnesse to any of them his contrary threatnings to them that doe the contrary vnto them his power and might to performe both all his promises and also all his threatnings and lastly his faithfulnesse in performing of them to the full if I say the wicked knew these things of God then certainly it could not be but that they would more respect his children then they doe For as much therefore as they doe not respect them but are as strange towards them as if they had neuer knowen or seen them and deale as hardly with them as if they were their enemies by whom notwithstanding they do daily enioy many great benefits as hath been before declared therefore we may well conclude with the Apostle that they know them not and that the cause why they know them not is because they know not God himselfe Though they know him so that they be able to speake of him and to preach the knowledge of him to other yet they know him not in truth truly and so as that themselues shall be any whit the better by their knowledge Yea the more they know him without honoring of him according to their knowledge with the more stripes they shall be beaten the greater shall be their condemnation and therefore indeed they were better in respect of themselues to be altogether ignorant of him then so only to know him The wicked know the children of God as they are men as they are of this or that fauor stature and complexion as they are rich or poore as they haue some place and authority in the world but yet they know them not neither regard them as they are the children of God and that because they know not God himselfe They knew them before they were the children of God they loued them and respected them whiles they were as themselues naturall men vnregenerated men wicked men but as soone as there is a change made in them and that they do receiue the spirit of adoption presently they are also changed As it is with many that whiles they were yong and in their youth liued together and were well acquainted one with another but afterward by long absence and many yeers being both changed growen to be men hauing haire on their faces yea perhaps being gray-headed they meet one another in the face and yet salute not one another neither speake one to another because indeed they haue forgotten one another and do not know one another so is it betwixt the wicked and the children of God being once taken from out of the wicked and adopted to bee the children of God In one day there is a greater change made in the heart then there is in the face and in the stature by many yeeres Greater I say because this change by grace is meerly contrary but the other change before spoken of in nature is only diuers Touching the cause of the change of the affections of the wicked towards the children of God viz. because they know not God himselfe it may be fitly illustrated by the like amongst men For as it often falleth out that the children of great persons in the world trauelling or liuing in places where their parents are not knowen do meet with the harder measure and are the more roughly vsed and receiue the more wrongs and indignities because such as do so vse them or rather abuse them do not know their parents so is it with the children of God in respect of the wicked They liue in this world as strangers and pilgrims 1. Pet. 2. 11. and so they are indeed their country being aboue in heauen and by this means they receiue much wrong and many iniuries from the wicked amongst whom they liue euen because those that doe them these wrongs and iniuries doe not know God himselfe the father of the godly It was through ignorance of Pauls being a Roman that he was bound to be scourged and therefore when he reuealed himselfe to be a Roman he escaped the whip and they that before had giuen commandement for the whipping of him began to feare and to reuoke their said commandement Acts 22. 25. In like manner therefore it is not to bee maruelled that they which know not God himselfe doe deale the more hardly with his children according to that which our Sauiour expresly saith in this case Ioh. 16. 2. 3. as before was alledged From this obiection and first answer therunto we learn two points First that whosoeuer will be the children of God must prepare and arme themselues for the hatred of the world euen to be contemned despised reproued and persecuted in the world and of the men of the world If we will be glorified with
Christ we must also suffer with Christ as his members Rom. 8. 17. Our Sauiour saith Whosoeuer will follow me viz. so that he may come to my glory let him forsake himselfe and take vp his crosse and follow me Mark 8. 34. Yea Luke saith that such an one must take vp his Crosse daily Luk. 9. 23. Thereby noting that all the wicked that will be Christs disciples must not looke for some affliction at the first entrance into that state or now and then but continually euen euery day Paul saith If we suffer we shall reigne with him 2. Tim. 2. 12. so insinuating that the way to raigne is first to suffer Yea he speaketh more plainly and more generally saying that All that will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution 2. Tim. 3. 12. Therefore out of the Prophet he speaketh in the person of all the godly and saith For thy sake are we killed all day long we are counted as sheepe for the slaughter Rom. 8. 36. This was the way by which Christ Iesus himselfe entred into his glory Luk. 24. 26. 1. Pet. 1 11. The seruant is no greater then his Master If therefore the world haue persecuted the master Christ himselfe will they not persecute vs that are his seruants Ioh. 15. 20. Shall we I say goe scotfree and looke to ascend into heauen with ease and to be translated thither as it were in our down beds Shall the Captaine only take paines and fight c. and shall the common souldier sit still eating and drinking and making merry No no It neuer hath beene so It neuer shall be so Though Christ were the Sonne yet hee learned obedience by the things which he suffered Hebr. 5. 8. Yea It became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things seeing that hee brought many children vnto glorie that hee should consecrate the Prince of their Saluation through afflictions Hebrew 2. 10. Hath our Prince gone by this way of afflictions and shall wee seeke to shift it and looke to goe another way What a shame were this for vs to be so squamish so nice so dainty especially we being so base so vile and so contemptible as wee are in respect of our Prince Away therefore with such sluggish feares and fancies Away with such softnesse and tendernesse Let vs make as full reckoning if we will be christians indeede as well as in name to suffer persecutions as we are sure of the coat of our backes Let vs daily looke for it Let vs dailie buckle our selues vnto it And so the more wee looke for it and the better we are armed to it the more easily we shall ouercome it yea we shall find more comfort and ioy in such sufferings for Christs sake then all the wicked in the world doe in all their ease in all their dainty fare in all their riches and glory in all their sports delights and pleasures Yea the truth is that we should so looke for trouble in the world and be alwaies so prepared to suffer for Christs sake that if the world laugh or smile vpon vs fauor vs we should the more feare our state doubt whether yet we be the children of God or no such as we haue been accounted by other Note and such as we haue taken our selues to be Last of all for this point let vs vnderstand that as all the children of God must make reckning not to be known in the world that is to vndergoe many troubles euen for that cause so saith the Apostle here for this cause that is because God hath so loued vs as to make vs his children the woâ—ld knoweth you not and because we haue receiued the spirit of adoption and shew the same by the fruits thereof as I say all such must make reckoning of trouble in the world so especially the more excellent that any of Gods children are and the greater measure they haue receiued of the spirit of adoption the more they must looke to be molested and troubled in the world Marke the history of the old testament from the beginning to the ending and ye shall find that alwaies the greatest afflictions did follow the best of Gods children the best Patriarks the best Prophets the most holy men of other sort The like is to be said of the new Testament As the Apostles had receiued greater gifts from God then other so they were the more persecuted by men then other The Apostle Paul speaking of himselfe and of the rest of the Apostles saith I thinke that God hath set foorth vs the last Apostles as men appointed to death for we are made a gazing stocke vnto the world and to the Angels and to men c. 1. Cor. 49. and again We are made as the filth of the world the ofscouring of all things c. verse 13. This cannot but be looked for in respect of the world For if the world know vs not that is do hate vs and enuy vs for this cause because we are Gods children then it cannot be but that the more we shew ourselues to be the children of God the more the world will hate enuy vs. Neither is any other thing to be looked for in respect of God himself For why should we think that God giueth some a greater measure of his spirit of adoptioÌ„ theÌ„ he giueth to other som There is no more in one to win Gods loue in that behalf theÌ„ in another For God hath frely giuen this loue to al his childreÌ„ alike to be so called to be indeed his children It must therefore be in respect of the end for which he doth so viz. that such may beare the more afflictions and by bearing such afflictions they may glorifie God the more that hath so honoured them not only aboue other men but also aboue other of his children It standeth also with great reason for the highest cedars and the tallest and greatest okes are the more subiect to stormes and tempests This is the first point to be obserued from this obiection The second point to be obserued from the first part of the answer to the said obiection viz. from the cause why the world taketh so little notice of Gods children c. namely because they know not God himselfe is this that although all the children of God must looke for trouble and vexation in the world euen as if the world had neuer knowen them yet they haue no cause to be offended there with or to thinke their state to be therfore the worse but that rather they haue good cause well and patiently to beare the same sith as the world knoweth not them so also it knoweth not God himselfe Heereby appeareth that more plainly which before hath beene handled more plentifully that all the world that is all the wicked and vnregenerated in the world are fooles and little better then mad men For how can they be wise yea how can they be other then fooles that know