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
the first creation was as it were but one worke namely to make that which was not made before But in this worke of regeneration there is a double worke first to take away our naturall corruption secondly in stead thereof to create and forme Gods owne image 2. In the first creation there was no opposition no enemies no let no hinderance to God But in our regeneration there are many and mighty enemies and many great lets and hinderances and as it were blocks layd in Gods way Satan himselfe with all his angels and the whole power of hell do labor what they can to hinder tâ—â—s worke So also doth the whole world with all the power thereof Our hearts likewise with all the thoughts lusts and affections thereof and our whole man doe striue and struggle with God by all meanes resisting him and opposing themselues vnto this worke Yea sometimes the children of God themselues euen being regenerated doe interpose and oppose themselues to the regeneration of other For did not Iohn say to our Sauiour Master wee saw one casting out diuels by thy name which followeth not vs and we forbad him because he followed vs not Mark 9. 38. Could Iohn and the other disciples with him forbid another casting out of diuels in the name of Christ and not hinder the worke of regeneration Peter aduised Christ not to goe to Ierusalem there to suffer those things which he was to suffer Marke 8. 32. The like did all the Apostles Ioh. 11. 8. Peter also seeing Christs glory in the mountaine where Christ transfigured himselfe being rauished therewith would haue had Christ to haue continued there still and to haue built three Tabernacles one for him another for Moses a third for Elias Mark 9. 5. Could Christ by the foresaid counsell haue auoided death and not haue hindered the whole worke of mans redemption and therefore also of his adoption and regeneration yea had not the hinderance of Christs death been the way to haue fet all the saints from heauen that in their soules had been there before by vertue of Christs death after their translation into heauen to be suffered for them in earth The taking away of the cause must needs be the nullifying of the effects depending vpon that cause If any in great place doe bestow an office vpon an other as pretending the bestowing thereof to belong vnto his place shall not the receiuer of that office though hauing for sometime enioied the same be dispossessed thereof afterward by another that shall find the right of collating the same to be in him and neuer to haue been in the other that before had bestowed it The like might besayd euen of the dispossessing of the soules of the righteous of heauen it selfe if they had been admitted thereunto by virtue of his death that had not died Thirdly touching the difficulty of our second creation aboue the first in our sayd first creation God did no more for vs in our kind then for all other creatures in their kind He made vs perfect and so he made euery other creature perfect in his kind But in our second creation God doth not only more for vs then for the Angels that had fallen but also then for the Angels that stand as afterward we shall heare Fourthly in the first creation God wrought as God alone but in our second creation regeneration and adoption it was needfull that God should be made man and that God and man made one person should worke the said worke of our second creation regeneration and adoption as afterward also we shall heare more largely Fiftly our first creation and the first creation of all things was made as of nothing so also for nothing But our second creation was not only wrought of nothing and of lesse or at least worse then nothing for the new man is formed in vs but not of vs but it was also wrought at a price or by a price Note For Christ gaue himselfe for vs and we are said to be bought with a price as likewise shall be shewed anon Sixtly the first creation of all things was perfected and consummated in six daies but albeit our regeneration be begun in a moment yet it groweth by small degrees yea if one of the children of God be inclined to some speciall sinne as who is not how hard a thing is it in long time and by many mâ—â—â—es to represse and reforme the same And though a man doe liue many yeeres after his regeneration begun yet it is neuer perfected in this life neither shall be till our corruptible bodies haue put on incorruption and till that that is mortall be made immortall Seuenthly to illustrate this by similitude as it is more easie for the potter or glasse man to make an whole house full of pots or glasses then to set one together and make it as sound as it was being broken all to peeces so was it more easie for God at the first to make an whole world of creatures then now only to restore and build man vp againe and as it were to set him together againe being touching the image of God in him destroied and as it were broken in peeces All this of the difficulty of our second creation in comparison Note of the first creation is to be vnderstood but only in respect of mans iudgement touching the difficulty of things not simply in consideration of Gods power For to speake simply of Gods power all things are alike thereunto There is nothing harder or easier then another with God It is as easie for him to make an whole world yea many worlds as to make the least creature By this greatnesse of this worke the worke it selfe is the more manifest to be the worke only of God For if to make a man or to make an whole world be not the worke of any but of God himselfe as the whole Scripture teacheth vs how much lesse may we say that any but God alone can regenerate a man and make a man the child of God this worke being as hath beene shewed greater then the work of creation The more proper therefore that this worke of regeneration is only to God the more excellent needs must be the condition of them that by this worke are made the children of God According to the rarenesse of the workeman so is the worke it selfe esteemed If but one man in a country or in a kingdome can doe some speciall worke in what estimation is the worke it selfe what then shall wee say of this worke of regeneration and of making the sonnes of men the sonnes of God which none can doe in the world but only one euen God himselfe How honorable therefore is their stateâ— CHAP. V. Of the first moouing cause of our regeneration viz. which first mooued God to regenerate vs. AS in the former Chapter the dignity of Gods children hath been declared by the excellency of God who is their Father as also by this that God
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
aduantage of themselues wherby some thâ—iue and prosper more then other so is it with the children of God Though they be all alike free of the heauenly Ierusalem euen of the Câ—ty of God which is called the kingdome of God yet the Lord giueth not the like stocke and portion of his graces to all where with as it were to set vp and to begin and so they do not all alike thrâ—ue and prosper In all these things hitherto handled from the eight Chapter to this place doth consist the matter of our being the children of God and that excellent and glorious image of God which being before regeneration altogether defaced in vs is now by regeneration through the great grace and mercy of God againe renued in vs. It is I say only renued in vs that are regenerated It remaineth still in all the wicked and meere naturall men altogether defaced Yea as this image of God so before described iâ— daily more and more increased in all that are new borne so likewise the image of the Diuell which all naturall men haue by nature and by propagation from their parents is the more increased in such the longer they continue in their said naturall state As naturall children borne in fauour like their father the more they grow in stature doe the more resemble their naturall Father so all naturall men being as we haue heard the children of the diuell and fashioned in qualities like vnto him do the more resemble him the longer that they coÌ„tinue in their naturall state the more they heape sinne vpon sin By this image of God so renewed and daily increased in all the new borne children of God the poorest and meanest of the said children of God how deformed soeuer they be in body bleare-eied or squint-eyed crook-necked crook-backed or crook-handed or legged or hauing any other bodily deformity are notwithstanding more truly beautifull then euer was Absolom though In all Israel there was none so much to be praised for beauty as Absalom because that froÌ„ the sole of the foot euen to the top of his head there was no blemish in him 2. SaÌ„ 14. 25. This beauty of the body may decay by age by sicknesse and by diuers other meanes There be many sinnes also the continuance wherein doth take away the most excellent bodily beauty that is Doth not whoredome this oftentimes For doth not that foule disease not fit almost to be named which for the most part accompanieth that sinne eat vp a man within and without doth not drunkennesse cause rednesse of eyes Pro. 23. 29. bloughtinesse of face and tunne-like growth of the whole body yea doth it not as it were transubstantiate them into monsters that were before acquaintance with that sinne comely and goodly persons As therefore Bathsheba speaketh euen to Salomon her sonne whom she knew should be king for the better directing of him in choice of a wife that he might not respect beauty of the body so much as inward graces and vertuâ—s and yet who should respect beauty if kings may not As I say Bathsheba speaketh to Salomon touching this matter so say I Fauour is deceitfull and beauty is vanity Pro. 31. 30. But the image of God renued in the new birth of the children of God and the spirituall beauty therof shall continue for euer in all sicknesse and in death it selfe yea it shall euery day increase more and more as afterward we shal heare yea at the last in the resurrection also it shall be crowned with such a glorious beauty euen of the body as in handling of the second verse and of our future similitude to Christ himselfe shall be shewed as in respect wherof the goodliest beauty of any man or woman that euer was in the world shall be seen to haue been deformity Doth not this also amplifie the dignity of Gods children To conclude all hitherto spoken of the things wherein the being and matter of the children of God as they are the children of God doth consist whatsoeuer other things meer naturall men haue or whatsoeuer resemblances be in some hypocrites either of all the things before handled or of some of them yet in truth all such are vtterly void of them As before touching the life of God we compared meer naturall men to images applying that vnto them that Habbakuk speaketh of images that although they were laid ouer with gold and siluer yet they had no breath in them so now also all those things whereby images be described Psal 115. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. may likewise be spoken of meer natural men and of all wicked men whatsoeuer They haue a mouth and speake not they haue eyes and see not they haue eares and heare not they haue noses and smell not they haue hands and handle not they haue feet and walke not neither make they a sound with their throat These things I say wherby images are thus described may also be applied to all meer naturall men For though such haue all such parts of men yet they performe no office of such parts either towards God or men which do belong vnto them Thus much touching the image of God renued in the new borne children of God and touching all things wherein the same consisteth as also touching the increase of the dignity of the children of God thereby CHAP. XV. Of the finall cause of the regeneration and new birth of the children of God AFter the efficient causes both principall and instrumentall and after the materiall causes of our regeneration so considered as we haue done it followeth now that we should enter into consideration of the forme and of the end of our said regeneration Touching the forme it is very hard in so spirituall a thing to distinguish it from the matter For what is this forme but our similitude and likenesse to the spirit of God and therfore also to God himselfe For is it not said that we that are adopted to be the children of God are sealed by the spirit of God to the day of redemption Ephes 4. 30. and 1. 13. And what is to be sealed by the spirit of God but to haue the stampe and similitude of the spirit set vpon vs Is not the sealing of letters or of other writings the imprinting of the similitude of the seale it selfe vpon the wax affixed to the said letters and other writings that is the impression of the forme that is engrauen vpon the said seale And what is all this but that which we heard before of the knowledge wisedom holinesse righteousnes c. wherein consisteth the matter or being of the children of God To passe therfore from the form and not to be curious in distinguishing therof from the matter let vs come to the end why God hath so loued vs as to make or to call or to declare vs to be his children This is noted and expressed to be the praise and glorie of his grace Ephes 1. 6. For these words are not there
his right hand bold them from escaping If they should say the darknes shall hide vs the night should be light round about them Psal 139. 1. c. Therefore if God he thus from them touching his grace and only present in his wrath power iustice against them what alas shall it boote them to haue any of his creatures with them Truly nothing at all They were as good be alone If Salomon say Wo vnto him that is alone for hee falleth and there is no asecond to to helpe himvp Eccles 4. 10. how much more wocfull is the state of the wicked that are altogether destitute of the gracious presence of God For if he withdraw himselfe from them who dareth accompany them for any good By these things we see how great the prerogatiue of the children of God is by their communion with God But this is not all For this communion with Christ Iesus and so consequently with the other two persons in the deity is the more excellent not onely in respect of the excellency of the persons with whom our base nature is vnited neither in other respects before spoken but also because being once made it is indissoluble and vnteparable All the vnions before mentioned whereunto this vnion metaphorically and by way of similitude is resembled may be dissolued For the garment put on is also put off The most of our meat and drinke touching the matter thereof is eiected and cast out The vine and the branches as also any other tree and the boughs may be diuided by the axe or some other toole So may the corner stone and the rest of the building therewith coupled The inhabitant or tenant is oft times turned out of his house yea sometime the lawfull owner is cast out of his owne free-hold The naturall head and the naturall body yea the body and the soule of man are for a time separated by death Finally by the same meanes there is a separation betwixt the man and the wife But nothing whatsoeuer can euer dissolue the vnion betwixt the children of God and God himselfe Father Sonne and holy Ghost As the personall vnion betwixt the two natures in Christ the Godhead and the manhood could not be dissolued euen when the humanity it selfe touching the parts thereof was by death for a time dissolued the soule being in heauen with the father and the body lying in the graue but the knot once knit did continue in death it selfe and shall continue for euer so also is the vnion betwixt God and the children of God an euerlasting vnion As therefore the misery of man is in the separation of man from God who is blessed for euer and blessednesse it selfe so the happinesse of man is in his vnion and communion with God especially in the continuance thereof for euer As all the wicked and vngodly are most miserable by their being without God in the world as before wee haue heard euen so long as they so continue because all that while they are as farre from heauen as earth yea as hell it selfe and remaine in darknesse and in the power of satan Acts 26. 18. oh wofull condition so all the children of God hauing in their adoption this communion with God are happy and ten times happy because the benefit and comfort thereof hath no end CHAP. XVII Of the benefits of the children of God by their fore said communion with Christ and with the whole Deity and first of the forgiuenesse of sinnes TO proceed a little further into the foresaid communion of the children of God with Christ Iesus and by Christ Jesus with the father and with the holy ghost let vs somewhat more behold the excellency thereof by such benefits as the children of God doe thereby enioy wherein all wicked and naturall men so continuing haue no part or portion Here let vs first consider the great benefit of forgiuenesse of sinnes It is indeed a principall point as hath been before obserued of that mercy of God which was one of the principall motiues of God to worke the worke of our regeneration And of that mercy of God I haue spoken a little generally before Notwith standing this particular point thereof touching the forgiuenesse of sinnes is a little more largely here to be handled because this place in some respects is fitter for that purpose then the former the rather because it is not onely to be considered as a cause of regeneration but also as an effect and fruit of our foresaid communion with God Touching this benefit therefore that it is by our communion with Christ Iesus it is manifest because he is said to be the reconciliation for our sinnes and not only for our sinnes but also for the sinnes of the whole world 1. Ioh. 2. 2. By reconciliation for our sinnes and for the sinnes of the whole world the Apostle meaneth the sinnes both of all already regenerated and new borne and also of other the elect of God in the world remaining yet in their naturall and vnregenerate state Paul also saith that Christ gaue himselfe for vs that he might redeeme vs from all iniquity c. Tit. 2. 19. What is it to redeem vs from all iniquity but to purchase a free and absolute pardon for vs of all our sinnes Moreouer he saith that in Christ we haue redemption through his bloud the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to his rich grace Ephes 1. 7. Coloss 1. 14. In both which places let this be obserued Note that the Apostle interpreteth the redemption of the elect to be the forgiuenesse of sinnes Why shall we so obserue this interpretation of the word redemption Because thereby the Apostle insinuateth a twofold or double redemption wrought by Iesus Christ one proper onely to the elect consisting in the forgiuenesse of sinnes and other things depending thereupon the other common to all as well to the reprobate as to the elect But what is this so common a redemption viz. It is a release from the bondage and obedience of the ancient ceremoniall law touching the going diuers times of the yeere to Ierusalem and performing there diuers rites and ceremonies in the worship of God namely the paiment of tithes and of first fruits the bringing of diuers oblations and sacrifices as also touching diuers kinds of washings and clensing men of the leprosie of pollution by handling the dead by any issue c. and concerning likewise abstinence from diuers kinds both of fish and flesh and many other the like things The redemption I say of men from obedience of these things is common to the reprobate and not peculiar to the elect For Christ Iesus hath so nailed the whole law of ceremonies and ordinances to his crosse that although Christ were taken down from the said crosse that although Christ were taken down from the said crosse yet they shall as it were so remaine fast fixed thereunto that they shall neuer come downe or be in force with men by anv authoritv from
It is also to be obserued that he saith not that we are redeemed by him but that wee haue redemption in him For therby he the better noteth that wee are not onely redeemed by Christ that is that Christ hath not onely bought and paide for the forgiuenes of our sinnes which one day we shall haue but that all already borne againe alreadie also are in possession of the sayd redemption and already haue the forgiuenes of sinnes and that so our sayd forgiuenesse of sinnes is the more certaine vnto vs. Last of al this phrase in him is very significant as nothing our redemption and iustification there spoken of not onelie to be by Christ but also in Christ nothing at all in vs but wholly without vs and altogether in Christ as the sinnes for which Christ was put to death in our behalfe were altogether without him and in vs nothing at all in himselfe This redemption the forgiuenesse of sinnes is to be accounted as the fountaine of all other benefits following the same and belongeth onely to the children of God Touching the first that forgiuenes of sins is the fountain of all other benefits following the same the Lord promising to make a couenant with his people for putting his lawes into their inward parts and writing them in their hearts and for himselfe to be their God and them to be his people he addeth this as the reason and fountaine of all the former articles of his sayd newe couenant that he would forgiue their iniquity and remember their sinnes no more Ierem. 31. 33. 34. The Prophet Dauid also prouoking his owne soule to praise the Lord and all that was within him to praise his holy name and not to forget his benefits setteth the forgiuenes of all his sinnes in the first place before the healing of all his infirmittes the redeeming his life from the graue and diuers other benefits following Psal 103. 3. c. thereby noting the forgiuenes of sins to be the first the cause of al the other That this forgiuenes of sins is proper onely to the children of God as it doth appeare by the place of Ieremie before mentioned where it is ioyned with writing his lawes in their hearts and Gods being their God and their being his people which to be all one with his being their Father and their beeing his children hath beene shewed before 2. Cor. 6. 18. and as the same is also apparent by other scriptures before produced wherein the forgiuenes of sins is ioyned with our purging or clensing froÌ„ sin a thing peculiar onely to Gods children so the sayd point is further euident because Dauid also ioyneth the forgiuenesse of sinnes with an heart without guile Psal 32. 1. 2. The mercy of God likewise which chiefly consisteth in the fâ—rgiuenesse of sinnes is restrained in Psal 103. 11. 12. to them only that truely feare God The children of God doe onely feare God truly therefore the children of God haue only interest in the forgiuenes of sinnes and in remoouing them as farre from them as the East is from the West Therefore also all these three the grace faith the title sonne and the forgiuenesse of sins are ioined all together When Iesus saw their faith viz. the faith of them that brought the palsie man and the faith of the palsie man himselfe hee said vnto him Sonne thy sinnes are forgiuen Mat. 9. 2. Mark 2. 5. Yea the same point is further manifest by Ephe. 1. 7. before alledged because these words we haue must be vnderstood onely of himselfe and other whom before he had said to be elected to the adoption of sonnes Naturally the children of God are as well the children of wrath as any other Ephes 2. 3. viz. before their actuall adoption yea sometimes before their said actuall adoption and conuersion they are greater sinners then other Is not this manifest by the example of Manasses of Mary Magdalen of Paul of the theese vpon the Crosse of Onesimus that ran away from his master and carried also with him some of his goods and that for some other such like thing seemeth to haue been committed to the prison where Paul was and where Paul in his bonds conuerted him And this the Lord doth the more to magnifie the riches of his grace towards such for the better encouragement of other to seeke for the like mercy 1. Tim. 1. 16. as also to teach them that haue such experience of his mercy in forgiuing them their so great sinnes both to loue him much according to that much that is forgiuen them Luk. 7. 47. and also to loue their brethren the more and to be the more tender towards them and the more ready to forgiue them wherein soeuer they shall trespasse against them Mat. 18. 32. 33. Ephes 4. 32. Hauing thus shewed the forgiuenesse of sinnes to be onely in Christ and by our communion with him c. as also to be the fountaine of all other benefits and proper and peculiar only to the children of God let vs now also see the greatnesse of this benefit This therefore is manifest because Dauid pronounceth him blessed whose wickednesse is forgiuen whose sinne is couered and to whom the Lord imputeth not his iniquity Psal 32. 1. 2. What can be more then to be blessed The same likewise appeareth by diuers comparisons of sinne in the Scripture For it is compared to sicknesse The whole need not the phisitian but the sicke Mat. 9. 12. And the reasons of this comparison seem to be these As sicknesse taketh away our stomacks from bodily meat so doth sinne from the food of our soules and from the meat that abideth to eternall life Yea it maketh such spirituall food to be much more loathsom vnto vs then all or any bodily meat is to any sicke of any bodily disease As sicknesse taketh away our taste and rellish of all bodily nourishment both meat and drinke making that which sometime we thought very pleasant and which is so in it selfe to be bitter and most vnsauory so sinne maketh the very word of God in itselfe sweeter then hony and the hony combe Psal 19. 10. to be as gall or wormwood vnto vs. As sicknesse taketh away the strength of the yongest and lustiest and maketh them not able to goe vp and downe the house much lesse to beare any burdens or to defend themselues against their enemies c. so sinne disableth a man from going about the works of God and of his own saluation from bearing any crosses either from God or from men and from resisting the enemies that fight against his soule As sicknesse taketh away a mans knowledge and memory euen of his best friends and maketh him to speake idely with his tongue and with his hand to reach and to ketch he cannot tell at what so by sinne we are bereaued of all good knowledge and memory yea and speake idly and wickedly and doe occupie our hands and other members with matters altogether vnprofitable
that any thing shall hurt vs therefore nothing can hurt vs. He will euery thing shall doe vs good therefore euery thing shall doe vs good The prouidence of the Lord is so ouer all that neither a sparrow lighteth vpon the house top nor an haire falleth from our head without his said prouidence Mat. 10. 29. 30. If we that are euill be ready to doe any good that is in our power to our children shall not God much more be willing to doe any good to his children Mat. 7. 11. If then God will do his children good who can hurt For who can resist his will His counsell shall stand and he will do whatsoeuer he will Isai 46. 10. Againe if any thing will hurt vs is it not to be feared from our enemies yet our most deadly enemies can God restraine from doing vs any hurt yea he can force them to do vs good If satan himselfe euen with a great army an whole legion of his angels could not enter into the heard of the faithlesse Gadarens swine without leaue from Christ shall we thinke that he can doe any hurt to them either touching their persons or touching their goods that beleeuing in Christ are members of his body without leaue from him It is manifest that he cannot by the history of Iob yea by that history it is euident that albeit satans malice be vnchangeable so that he cannot but in affection bee an enemy to all the children of God yet by the wise and gratious prouidence of God he worketh the good of Gods children and in that respect his malice may be said to be turned into friendship For was not Iob so much the more blessed in the end euen in his outward state by how much the more satan had as it were cursed him before The like may be truly said of all other enemies of flesh For all such enemies are but satans souldiers which doe nothing but by his appointment and therefore that which they are by Gods prouidence forced to do for Gods children may be said to be done by satan himselfe The same is also manifest by the curses of satans eldest son against vs here in England For as all the while we had the Popes blessing we fared the worse in soule and in body for this life and for the life to come so haue we not seen by experience that the more he hath cursed vs the more God hath blessed vs with peace with honour in the eies of all nations with increase of people and abundance of all blessings Touching such enemies therefore of flesh God can either make them friends to his children Pro. 16. 7. yea though they continue still vassals vnto satan as he did Esau vnto Iaakob and the Egyptians to the Israelites for the lending vnto them their iewels c. or he can confound them as he did the Egyptians afterward returning againe to their former hatred against the Israelites And as he did Sanaherib and his army or he can so restrain them that though their hatred with all the practises therof do continue yet all shall be in vaine touching any hurt to the children of God and in the end for their good The more maliciously that the Egyptians pursued the Israelites being departed out of Egypt the more glorious deliuerance did the Lord giue to the Israelites The persecution of Dauid by Saul made the more to Dauids aduancement All that satan did by Haman against Mordecai and the rest of the Iewes wrought together for the further good of Mordecai and the other Iewes For thereby they had a greater liberty and a greater hand against all their enemies then euer before they had Yea when satan also getteth some of the children of God to be his instruments and factors as it were to worke some mischiefe against some of the better children of God God doth no more fauor this proceeding then if it were altogether by satan himselfe by such as do belong vnto him yea though such things be begun by some of the children of God themselues and afterward seconded by some other altogether wicked yet this shal not procure the hurt of those better children of God but rather the further good both of them and also of those whom satan draweth to practise mischiefe against them whom he especially hateth Is not al this manifest by the history of Ioseph For did not satan first prouoke Iosephs brethren against him euen to sell him out of the country to certaine Ishmaelite merchants Did not these second the former practise of Iosephs brethren by selling him further off namely to Potiphar in Egypt Was not all that seconded againe by Potiphars wife first most wickedly tempting Ioseph to adultery and secondly when that way she could do nothing by false accusing him to her husband of a rape offered by him vnto her was not that also seconded by the vniust dealing of Potiphar in committing Ioseph to the kings prison without any examination of the complaint of his wife When Ioseph had lien long there and at last interpreted the dreames of Pharaohs butler baker might not all the former hard dealing against him seem to be yet furthered by the butlers long forgetfulnesse of him yet al these things wrought together at the last both for the great aduancement of Ioseph according to his former dreames the cause of all the former hatred of his brethren against him and also for the good of his brethren themselues and of all their houses So we see that God that fetcheth light out of darknes can make the sins of his children somtime to worke for their outward good not to incourage any to sinne but to comfort all belonging vnto him against too much feare of the iudgements deserued by sinne and to shew the exceeding priuilege of his children in this behalfe Thus much of the working together of the practises of satan of his instruments for the good of the children of God whereby the said children of God may the better assure themselues that much more wil other creatures worke for their good I shall not need to speak any thing in this behalfe of the Angels in heauen For no man will make any question of their working together for the good of Gods childrē euen for their good in this life and of this life which is the point now principally in hand sith they pitch their tents round about them to preserue them from dangers do otherwise attend vpon them for their good both aliue and dead as afterward we shall heare Touching vnreasonable creatures we read how the rich mans dog in the Gospell came and licked the sores of poore Lazarus Luk. 16. 21. Balaams Asses mouth was opened to reproue Balaam for going to curse the Israelites Numb 22. 28. The greedy rauens that are ready to take meat from men brought bread flesh to Elija morning euening 1. Ki◠7. 6. Th Lord did so bind the fierce roring lions to the peace towards
before handled Being iustified faith saith he we haue peace towards God Rom. 5. 11. yet it is not only a fruit of iustification but also of all or of most of all at least of the knowledge of all or of most of all the benefits before declared For not only being iustified by faith haue we this peace of conscience but also by faith being made one with Christ and in Christ being quickned and freed from sinne made wise holy and righteous and hauing freedom to trade for heauen and heauenly things being made the children of God in speciall manner to glorifie God being so incorporated into Christ that we haue also communion with the father and the holy ghost such a communion with all the three persons as shall continue for euer such also as is represented vnto vs by many excellent similitudes wherby our dignity is made more manifest in respect wereof many of Christs names and honorable titles are communicated vnto vs as also whereby we haue liberty with boldnesse to aske at all times any thing for vs at the hand of God with better assurance of obtaining it the greater the thing is we aske yea whereby we are freed from all the euills of this life as they are euills and haue right to all the blessings of this life and lastly whereby we are freed from euerlasting condemnation and are made heires of the kingdome of heauen Hauing I say this manner of communion with Christ and all other benefits and prerogatiues of the children of God hither to spoken of we haue this peace of conscience and ioy of heart whereof we are now to speake So this peace and ioy being fruits of all the former things I haue therefore reserued the handling thereof for this place after all before written From hence that this peace and ioy are fruits of all the former benefits it followeth that as we haue heard all the former to be proper to the children of God so these are in none other to be found but only in them Where there is not nor euer was the cause there cannot be the effect Secondly this the Apostle expresly teacheth opposing these two one to the other the spirit of bondage and the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father Rom. 8. 15. so nothing first that the spirit of bondage vnto sinne is the spirit offeare Secondly that they that are freed from that spirit of bondage and haue receiued the spirit of adeption whereby they cry Abbâ— father are freed from the former spirit of feare There being therefore such an opposition betwixt these two there can bee no agreement As therfore all the children of God are freed from the spirit of feare so they onelie are freed from the spirit of feare Hence also it followeth that all the children of God and they only haue this peace whereof wee speake For they that are freed from feare must needs haue peace and they that are possessed with the spirit of feare cannot possibly bee at peace To speake yet further of this peace let vs consider that the children of God hauing as hath beene shewed Christ himselfe they can no more bee without this peace then without the life the light the knowledge the wisedome the holinesse the righteousnesse the liberty and other things before spoken of This is euident because Christ is called the Prince of peace Isat 9 6 can any haue the Prince of peace and bee without peace Is it not expected that where there is in any companie a Iustice of peace there all should bee at peace and none should breake the peace how then can wee doubt of peace to be there where there is and dwelleth the Prince of peace himselfe When Christ was new borne into the world and laie in his swadling clouts hauing done nothing in his owne person to wards our reconciliation and saluation his in carnation and comming into the world only excepted is not this a part of the song that the Angels with the multitude of heauenly souldiers did sing in the hearing of the shepheards Peace on earth as well as glory to God in high Luk. 2. 14. Hauing now by the bloud of his Crosse made that peace which was then proclaimed Eph. 1. 15. Coloss 1. 20. how much more may men and Angels sing and say not only peace in earth but also peace in the heart of euery child of God Verely all the children of God may the better bee at peace in their hearts because the Prince of peace Christ Iesus in his owne person hath said to his diseiples and in them to all that belong vnto him peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you not as the world giueth giue I vnto you let not your hearts bee troubled nor greeued Iohn 14. 27. It is much that hee had said before by his Prophet The worke of instice shall be peace euen the worke of iustice quietnesse and assurance for euer and my people shall dwell in the tabernacles of peace c. Isai 32. 17. 18. But this that he speaketh in his owne person is much more As this peace is thus manifest to belong to all the children of God so that it is proper only to them and that the wicked haue no part in it doth further appeare because the Lord saith that there is no peace to the wicked Isai 48. 22. yea in the same respect viz. that there is no peace to the wicked after much peace promised to the godly he compareth the wicked to the raging sea which cannot rest and whose waters doe cast vp as it were continually mire and dirt Isai 57. 20. Salomon likewise speaking of the wicked and the righteous that is of them that are not and of them that are the children of God saith the wicked fleeth when no man pursueth but the righteous are bold as a lyon Prou. 28. 1. Eliphaz saith that the sound of feare is euer in the eares of the wicked and that euen in the daies of his prosperity the destroier shall come vpon him Iob 15. 20. Iob himselfe likewise speaketh thus of the wicked terrors shall ouertake him as waters c. Iob 27. 20. The wicked indeed cry to other and to their own hearts especially peace peace as it is often in the Prophets Ier. 6. 14. and 8. 11. but yet the Lord saith as before we heard that there is no peace to the wicked Yea how can they haue peace that know not the way of Peace Isat 59. 9. and which reiect the Gospell of peace Ephes 6. 15. yea the Prince of peace Christ Iesus himselfe and which alwaies are in contention wounding one another and sowing the seeds of discord and contention amongst men As when Iehoram said to Iehu is it peace Iehu Iehu answered what peace whiles the whoredomes of thy mother Iezabel and her witchcrafts are yet in great number 2. Kings 9. 22. so to the wicked that shall speake of peace or enquire after peace it may be answered what