it is said that Nothing wanteth to them that feare God that the Lions do lacke and suffer hunger but that they which seeke the Lord shall want nothing that is good Many sweet promises for this life are likewise dispersed throughout Psal 37. See also Deut. 32. 9. c. Psal 81. 13. c. Psal 112. 2. c. Prou. 24. 4 and many other places For indeed the scripture is very rich in these promises for the children of God but no where are the blessings of this life promised to the wicked yea contrariwise in the former two first places Leuit. 26. 14. c. and Deut. 28. 14. c. there is a world of miseries and outward calamities for this life threatned vnto them The scripture likewise is full of such threatnings elsewhere Eliphaz thus describeth the state and portion of the wicked He wandreth saith he to and fro for bread and knoweth that the day of darknesse is prepared at hand or rather when he knoweth it to be prepared the day of darknesse is at hand affliction and anguish shall make him afraid they shall preuaile against him as a king ready to battell For he hath stretched forth his hand against God and made himselfe strong against the Almighty Therefore God shall run vpon him euen vpon his necke and against the most thicke part of his shield c Though he dwell in desolate places such as worldly men affect to auoid resort and expences by resort and in houses which no man inhabiteth but are become heapes such also doe miserable men delight in that no man may haue any heart to come vnto them he shall not be rich neither shall his substance continue neither shall he prolong his perfection thereof in the earth He shall neuer depart out of darknesse The flame shall drie vp his branches and he shall goe away with the breath of his mouth Iob 15. 23. c. There are many other the like places containing the like threatnings Iob 18. 5. c. 27. 13. c. So then many euils of this life are threatned to the wicked no good thing is promised vnto them as they are wicked Indeed as Iehu though a wicked man and one that departed not from the sinnes of Ieroboam that made Israel to sinne 2. Kings Note 10. 31 as Iehu I say had in some things carried himselfe like to the children of God and had diligently executed that which was right in the Lords eies against the house of Ahab the Lord promised him in the place alledged vers 30. that his sonnes to the fourth generation should sit vpon his throne which we see to haue been performed Chap. 15 8. The like may bee said of other wicked men touching the blessings of this life that the Lord suffereth them to enioy them and to haue the occupying of them for a time as in some other respects afterward to be spoken of so also in regard of some things done outwardly by them whereby they doe somewhat resemble his children that so they may haue no cause to complaine of him as of an hard Lord and master but that all the world may see that hee rewardeth euerie man according to his worke 1. Pet. 1. 17. For as much then as God threatneth all euill to the wicked and promiseth nothing that good is vnto them as they are wicked therefore also it followeth that the promises of good things doe belong only to Gods children And thus much for the first right of the children of God vnto the blessings of this life viz. by promise Touching their second right by communion with Christ for as much as he is the only heire of all things Heb. 1. 2. as hath been before noted and that as he is not only God but God and man For euery heire is heire to another but as Christ is Note God all things are his owne and he hath equall right with the Father vnto all things so that properly in that respect he is no heire therefore it followeth that none can haue any interest to any thing but only such as are in Christ and be members of his body They that are Christs and whose Christ himselfe is may well claime and challenge all other things yea they may assure themselues that they shall haue all other things Hee that spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all how shall hee not with him that is it is not possible as hath been before obserued but that with him he should giue vs all other things also Rom. 8. 32. Thus much briefly of the right that the children of God haue to all the blessings of this life neither only of their right but also of their property in them But yet I may not thus let this matter passe without further speech thereof for the better satisfying of all men touching the same To proceed therefore further therein it may be demanded and will no doubt be demanded that if this be by promise and by participation of Christ the right and property of the children of God why some of them yea many of them are oft times in great want and necessity So was Bartimeus that sate by the high way begging Mark 10. 46. So was Lazarus that lay at the rich mans gate c. Luk. 16. 20. So Dauid himselfe after that he was anointed to be king of Israel was in such necessity that he came to Ahimelech the Priest to craue some releefe for himselfe and his company and was glad to take the shew bread of the Lord because Ahimelech though Priest had then no other prouision ready 1. Sam. 21. 3. Afterward also in the like necessity he sent for some reliefe no Nabal Chap. 25. 5. The like is the state of many other yea of most other the children of God Their part oft times is but small of these earthly blessings It may therefore I say be demanded why this is so or how this standeth with the righteousnesse of God to giue so little to them to whom he hath promised so much yea who likewise by communion with Christ haue right to all To this I answer that it is to be remembred which before I said viz. that these blessings of this life are not absolutely promised to the children of God but conditionally if they may be good for them and no hinderances of them touching a better life So only they are promised and no otherwise So only they may be praied for and no otherwise So only they may be looked for and no otherwise If they be otherwise praied for or expected our praier and expectation are wrong and it skilleth not though we be not heard in our praier and though our expectation be frustrated Yea it is better we should not be heard and that our hope should be frustrated then otherwise The wholsomest the daintiest and most exquisitly drest meat that is may be hurtfull to a sick and weake stomack and though such a sick person doe craue such meat or
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
argueth that hee was very forward to haue smitter them Elisha answered Thou shalt not smiâ—e them Doest thou not smite them that thou hast taken with thy sword and with thy bow Set bread and water before them that they may eat and drinke and goe to their mâ—ster Aâ—d so that King though a wicked man did not reason the cause with the Prophet or any whit cotradict his couÌ„sel but most willingly made great great preparation for theÌ„ 2. King 6. 21. By al these things we see what great benefits other of all sorts superiours inferiors equals good bud foes as wel as friends the liuing the dead receiue by the children of God If any that professe theÌ„selues the children of God be not thus beneficiall to other or be hurtful to any it is either because they are hypocrites and bee not that in deed which they professe themselues to be or because the old man yet remaining in them in some particulars preuaileth against their new man and the flesh against the spirit of adoption wherby they are regenerated do cry cal God their father Let vs yet proceed a little further coÌ„sider that the childreÌ„ of God are not only beneficial to men both of their own sort others but that likewise other creatures fare the better for theÌ„ As al things at the first were made for the vse of man very good when he should be made in the image of God in that respect were made no doubt the more excellent that they might bee the better to serue him that should bee made more excelleÌ„t then they to haue the dominion ouer theÌ„ so it is not to be doubted but that man falling away froÌ„ his excellencie the rest of the creatures also lost a great part of their excelleÌ„cy beauty wherin before they were created that so stil there might be the fitter proportion betwixt theÌ„ man who was to haue the vse of them Therefore it is expresly said that they grone as it were sigh with an earnest desire of release from that vanity wheâ—unto by the sin of man at the first coÌ„mitted daily increased they are made subiect As it is so with theÌ„ by the sin of man so it seemeth probable for in this case I am not pereÌ„ptory that as the nuÌ„ber of Gods elect do daily increase the image of God in mankind is generally more more repaired so the rest of the cretures of God find some release froÌ„ or at least some mitigatioÌ„ of their former seruitude boÌ„dage by the vanity whereto they were are yet subiect Moreouer as the childreÌ„ of God are fuller theÌ„ any other meÌ„ of the works of iustice mercy goodnes vnto men so are they vnto other creatures whether they be such as are coÌ„mon wherin none hath any propriety or such as particularly belong either to or others Touching the first viz. such as no man can challenge any proprietie of or any speciall right and interest as the Lord hath commanded that if a man doe finde a birds nest in the way in a tree or on the ground whether they be yoong or egges and the damme sitting vpon the yoong or egges that he that sindeth such a nest should not take the damme with her yoong but that be should oâ—ely take the yoong and let the damme goe Deut. 22. 5. 6. as I say the Lord commandeth this so the children of God that know this Commandement are ready to shew mercy in that behalfe according to the said Commandement Touching such creatures as whereof some haue a propritie it is said to him that hath such creatures Thou shalt not muzzell the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne Deut. 25. 4. which particular rule for the care of oxen that doe any thing for vs is likewise to be vnderstood generally of euery other creature the labour whereof we vse in our businesse According to this precept Salomon speaketh of the practise of Gods children and of other in that behalfe A righteous man regards the life of his beast but the mercies of the wicked are cruell Prou. 12. 10. Daily experience also teacheth that the godly haue great respect to their beasts both for their worke taking no more of them then they are able to do neither laying greater burdens vpon them then they are able to beare and also keeping them and giuing them meat accordingly Whereas on thâ— contrary we daily see the great crueltie of the wicked towards their working cattle making them to worke as long as they can goe on their legges yea sometime till they fall and sinke downe vnder their work laying extreme burdens vpon them keeping them so short for meat that they haue nothing but skinne and bone and most cruelly beating them as though themselues had made them and were able either to restore them to life or to make others new in their stead when they had by such hard dealing killed them The Lord sheweth how odious this is by opening Balaams assâ—s mouth to reprooue Balaam for smiting him for that wherein hee did better then hee Numbers 22. 28. Touching such creatures as belong to other the Lord commandeth thus If thou meet thine enemies Oxe or his Asse going astray thou shalt bring him to him againe If thou seest thine enemies Asse lying vnder his burden wilt thou cease to helpe him as if he should haue said wilt thou be so hard hearted and vnmercifull thou shalt helpe him vp againe Exod. 23. 4. As this is commanded so the children of God are ready to performe it In respect of this benefit that other creatures thus haue by the children of God as also in respect of the bondage wherein they are by the sinne of man vnto vanitie whereunto they are subiect we may very well thinke that if such creatures had knowledge vnderstanding and iudgement to discerne twixt the children of God and the wicked they would vtterly renounce all seruice of the wicked and wholly and only with all willingnesse and cheerefulnesse submit themselues vnto the children of God Thus much for the benefits that inferiour creatures I meane the creatures of this nether world doe receiue by them that are sealed with the spirit of adoption and therefore are regenerated and borne againe to be sonnes and daughters of God But is this all Not so wee may yet take one steppe further And as before we descended from man to other base creatures heere below so we may now from both those kinds ascend vnto the very heauens that is to principalities and powers in the heauenly places Touching these therefore it is first said by the Apostle that this was one speciall end of his ministerie and of the ministerie of the Gospell of others viz. to make cleere vnto all men what the fellowship of the mysterie is which from the beginning of the world had beene hid in God Wherefore vnto all men That so vnto principalities and powers in heauenly places might be
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
mouth is full of eursing and deceit and fraude Vnder his tongue is mischiefe and iniquity he heth in wait in the villages in the secret places hee doth murther the innocent his eies are bent against the poore He lieth in wait secretly euen as a lion in denne Hee lieth in wait to spotle the poore when he draweth him into his net Psal 10 56. 7. 8. 9. c. Yea he had said before in the same Psalme verse 2. The wicked doth persecnte the poore c. he hath made boast of his owne hearts desire and contemneth the Lord. No maruell then though such contemne men especially their inferious And thus indeed wee daylie see how the wicked abuse all the mercies of God either by all in temperancy as if they were absolute Lords of all that they haue and were not to giue any account to any or by extreme pride and cruelty carrying themselues like Lords and Kings ouer other scorning them contemning them and oppressing them at their pleasure But the children of God on the contrary knowing that they are but for a time the Lords ftewards of all that they haue vse this world and all things they haue in this world honors riches authority friends c as though they had them not that is they so possesse them and so dispose them that they be no hinderances vnto them but rather furtherances of them concerning the life to come Therefore if they be rich in this world they put not their trust in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God and they be rich in good workes distributing and communicating vnto other according to need and so laying vp a sure foundation to themselues against the time to come towards eternall life 1. Tim. 6. 18. c. They eat not their bread alone but the fatherlesse eat thereofwith them They see not any to perish for want of clothing nor the poore to goe without a couering but doe cause their loines to blesse them They lift not vp their hand against the fatherlesse when they see they may helpe them in the gate c. Iob 31. 17. c. They make not their gold their hope neither say they to the wedge of gold thou art my confidence vers 24. Thus did Iob. Thus did other that haue receiued the same spirit of adoption that Iob had Is not this excellent wisedome so to prouide towards eternall life as before we heard and so to make themselues friends with the riches of iniquity that when they shall want they may be receiued into euer lasting habitations Luk. 16. 9. Let the world account of this as they will All they that vse it shall find it a principall part of wisedome The like may be said of their vsing authority and honours not to the vexing or oppressing of any but to the good and comfort of all They open their mouth for the dumbe in the cause of the children of destruction they open their mouth and iudge righteously and iudge the afflicted and the poore Pro. 31. 8. 9. They deliuer the poore that crâ—e and the father lesse and him that hath none to helpe him The blessing of them that are ready to perish are vpon them and they cause the widdowes heart to reioice They put on iustice and couer themselues Their iudgement is as a robe and a crowne They are eyes to the blind and seet to the lame They are fathers to the poore and when they know not their cause they seeke it out diligently They breake the iawes of vnrighteous men and plucke the prey out of their teeth Iob 29. 12 c. Thus the children of God goe vpright in their prosperity they reele not neither stagger either to the right hand or to the left hand as drunke with their riches and honours but walke on right in the way that God hath laid out before them towalke in But what doe they in aduersity The braines as I may so speake of their mindes are no more distempered neither are the affections of their hearts any more disordered therewith then before with prosperity For they carry not themselues as men without hope but cheerfully and comfortably they looke to the cause in themselues to the hand from heauen that sendeth the same to the loue from which it doth proceed to the end why it is sent they remember what a blessed end other haue had of the like afflictions and they forget not what comfort themselues haue had in former times in the like perhaps also in greater dangers According to these things they make such vse of all their afflictions that they shall be able truly to say It is good for vs that we haue been afflicted that we may learne thy statutes Psal 119. 71. So they neither be too much cast down with that which the righteous Lord laieth vpon theÌ„ neither do they make too light account thereof If they lose all that euer they had wealth and honor and friends in one day they murmur not against God but humble themselues and say Naked came we out of our mothers wombes naked shall we returne thither The Lord hath giuen The Lord hath taken Blessed be the name of the Lord. Iob 1. 21. This sober cheerful cariage of themselues in such a state is the greater point of wisedom if we shal cosider how the wicked are either hardned like brawne that they make no reckoning of it yea that they scarce feele it as Belshazaer in the midst of his cups hearing that he was found too light and that the Medes and Persians should come and take from him his kingdome and his life was not a whit moued with it but in a brauery for all that commanded Daniel to be clothed with purple and to haue a chaiue of gold put about his necke c. Dan. 5. 29 or else they are moued with it only for a time as Ahab 1. Kings 21. 27. returning afterward to their former sinnes that procured it or els they fret and rage like mad men as they are not only being most impatient towards all about them but also blaspheming the God of heauen himselfe But I will not stand vpon these things being especially more particularly handled by M. Rogers in his sixt treatise viz. of the priuiledges of Christians and hauing my selfe some occasion to speake of them afterward in this treatise In the meane time we see the wicked in euery condition of life to reele and stagger like drunken men in either of both conditions falling most dangerously and as Salomon speaketh of drunkards Pro. 23. 29. euery where meeting with woe with sorrow with strife c. with wounds without cause The like may be said of the children of God touching the moderation and sobriety of all their affections anger ioy greefe loue feare c. in other matters as also of the distemper of the affections of the wicked As the children of God are sober according to that before spoken so likewise they are alwaies in such sort watchfull that
serue him 1. Sam. 12 24. or to serue the Lord in feare and to reioyce in trembling Psal 2 11. and to make an end of our salution with feare trembling Phil. 2 12. and lastly in consideration as well of his seuere iustice in rewarding euery man according to his works as of his fatherly goodnesse towards vs to passe the time of our dwelling here in feare 1. Pet. 1. 17. Thus I say the children of God must feare and doe feare If men be without this feare they are secure and without the spirit of adoption that is they are not the children of God as afterward vpon an other occasion we shall heare againe But as for slauish feare such as is forbidden such as ariseth only froÌ„ regard of Gods power iustice without respect to his mercy and goodnesse and such as is repugnant to faith which is the assurance of Gods fauour Heb. 10. 22. this is also contrary to the peace of Gods children and of this it is to be vnderstood that they are deliuered out of the hands of their enemies that they may serue God without feare Luk. 1. 74. But are the children of God indeed alwaies without this kind of feare so that they neuer haue any brunts thereof I answer that the children of God are not only spirit but flesh there is none of the children of God so regenerate but that his regeneration or rather his sanctification which is as I said the slature of a man regenerate is here imperfect although therefore so far forth as they are sanctified or regenerate for I will not striue about words nor be too curious or precise for phrases they be freed from feare as hauing receiued the spirit of adoption which is contrary to the spirit of bondage and of feare and whereby they may be bold to call God their Father and assure themselues of his fatherly loue towards them â—et so far forth as they haue some reliques still of the old man so far they cannot but sometime feare euen so feare as feare is forbidden Yea so much the more doe they often feare otherwise then they should both Gods iustice and also the rage and cruelty of their enemies because the vnsanctified part doth so oppresse and sometime and for a time ouerwhel me the sanctified part and the spirit of adoption in them that they thinke themselues not to be regenerate at all neither euer to haue receiued the spirit of adoption but to be meer naturall men and as wicked as any other But although they doe thus feare looking only to Gods iustice and not to his mercy and respecting only the corruption of nature remaining in them not the beginnings of grace wherby they are assured of an inheritance reserued in heauen for them as also of their own preseruation here by the power of God yet euen then haue they cause not to feare but to be of good cheare in respect of those arguments against feare before handled As the wicked do sometimes taste the powers of the world to come Heb. 6. 5. that is of the ioies of heauen so the Lord will haue his children to haue a little marke of the feares that are proper only to the wicked that they may pray the more earnestly for recouery of their former peace of conscience as Dauid did Psal 51. 8. and 12. and the 〈◊〉 to esteem of it when they find it againe as also that after the recouery of their former peace of conscience they may be more carefull to keep it themselues and the more diligent in teaching other to keep it likewise for euery benefit is the sweeter by tast of the contrary Againe the Lord will haue such feare of his children to be as a glasse to the wicked wherein they may the better see their own fearfull state and condition in not being the children of God as gathering by such feares of the godly that they themselues are in much more fearfull condition and haue much more cause to feare Moreouer such feare in the children of God doth often arise from the mistaking of things and from their imagination of that that is not So we did see before that the dâ—sciples of Christ feared vpon imagination that they had seen a spirit when they saw him So many of the children of God haue in all ages feared and now doe often feare because they iudge not aright of the graces of God in themselues but thinke they haue no faith at all no loue at all c. and therefore no assurance at all of Gods fauor and of their owne saluation because their faith loue and other graces of God are weake and come short of that they ought to be because they are able to distinguish between a nullity and an imperfection of Gods gifts accompanying saluation in them therefore they thinke that to be a nullity that is only an imperfection It is also with the godly in this case as sometime with a company of rebellious subiects where notwithstanding the king hath pardoned and sent his pardon vnto them signed with his owne hand and sealed with his own seale For as such hauing no skill to read their pardons doe therefore doubt of them and feare the kings displeasure so many of Gods children being pardoned of all their sins and hauing their pardon written in their hearts by Gods own finger and sealed with the spirit of adoption do notwithstanding doubt and feare because they cannot well read the said pardon But why can they not read it either because it is written in small letters which their sight being but in part cannot see or because they haue not gone long enough to schoole for the learning to read Gods hand perfectly and readily or because they themselues haue forgotten that which they had learned in that behalfe or because they haue kept their pardon so rechlesly and carelesly that the same being blotted and obscured with many sinnes through their negligence and carelesnesse committed cannot well be read by themselues or any others for a time viz. so long as they liue so carelesly and till they haue purged themselues of such sinnes as whereby not only the writing of their pardon is blurred and made vnlegible but also their own sight is dimmed so as they neither can read their pardons nor see any thing els touching their salution as they ought So had Dauid blotted and obscured the pardon of all his sins and dimmed his own sight by his sinne with Bethsheba and against Vriah that he was troubled with many feares which made him to complaine of his state as if it had been as bad as any mans and that he praieth the Lord to create in him a new heart as if he had neuer been regenerate before Psal 51. 10. The afflictions also of this life befalling the children of God being especially compared with the prosperity of the wicked do so blind their eies that they cannot behold the goodnesse of God to the peace of their consciences as
the citie and stoned him Act. 7. 56. c. I might to the former adde the daily most wonderfull workes of Gods gracious prouidence for the true professors of the Gospell in these last daies as the vpholding of Luther many yeeres in despight of all his most mighty aduersaries the often and most miraculous preseruation of our late most blessed Queene and of this whole kingdome both from many most dangerous and secret conspiracies of Popish Traitors at home and also from the great intended inuasion of the Spaniards abroad together with the like deliuerance of our present dread Soueraigne as from many former treasons in SCOTLAND so also from many other sithence his aduancement heere and especially that more then wonderfull preseruation of his Maiestie and of all his royall seede and of the whole state of the Land from the most diuellish plot of the powder treason heere at home I might further remember the great preseruation of little Geneua being so often assaulted by many most mightie aduersaries and the gratious prouision that God did make for Rochel in the great distresse thereof by a long and tedious and no lesse lamentable siege I might with these things ioine many fearefull iudgements of God not onely vpon many particular Papists that haue beene most malicious against the truth and professours thereof but also against their Lord and master Antichrist himselfe I meane the Pope in confounding all his deuices from time to time and in turning all his curses into blessings and blessing vs so much the more the more that hee hath cursed vs and likewise the mighty ouerthrow of his mightie nauie sent against vs I might I say very fitly heere remember all these things and many other the like as very pertinent to our present purpose For were not the Papists by Gods most righteous iudgement exceedingly blinded in their mindes and as extremely hardened in their hearts and fully possessed with infidelitie and vnbeleefe they could not but see the truth of our religion and the future glory and happinesse of all them that doe truly embrace and professe the same But because of their said blindnesse hardnesse and infidelitie it is that how manifest soeuer these things are in themselues and to any that haue any sight and the least measure of faith yet they are hidden from them and to them it doth not appeare either what our religion is or what all the true-hearted professours thereof shall be But howsoeuer I might adde largely handle these things yet hauing beene so plentifull in the premises and somewhat yet remaining it shall be sufficient thus onely to haue named them And this shall be enough for the reasons why notwithstanding we be now already the children of God yet it doth not appeare especially to the world what heereafter wee shall be And this is the second reason also why the world taketh so little knowledge of vs and doth so little respect vs yea why they doe so much hate and despise vs. As the like is often the cause as before I said why great persons are not regarded by some because these some doe not see that future greatnesse of such persons for then they would honour them and seeke their fauour in hope of some benefit by them so is it touching the children of God The vse of this point briefly and in one word is that wee iudge not either persons or things according to the outward appearance but that we iudge righteous iudgement This our Sauiour expresly commandeth Ioh. 7. 24. And to iudge according to outward appearance is reprooued by God himselfe in Samuel for when Samuel was sent to anoint one of Ishai his sonnes for King of Israel after Saul and when he saw Eliab the sonne of Ishai before him hee iudging according to the talnesse of his person and goodlinesse of his countenance it may bee because Saul the first King of Israel whom by the commandement of the Lord he had anointed was higher then any of the people from the shoulders vpward 1. Sam. 10. 23. Samuel I say iudging Eliab according to his goodly person and countenance said Surely the Lords anointed is before mee But what said the Lord Looke not on his countenance nor on the height of his stature because I haue refused him for God seeth not as man seeth for man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord beholdeth the heart 1. Sam. 16. 7. Wee iudge not our coines nor many other things according to their outward appearance nor according to that that for the present they are esteemed by some ignorant persons but we trie them by the touch stone and we esteeme of them according to that which afterward they will bee Therefore when there is any base money in any kingdome allowed and proclaimed for currant money no man laieth or hoordeth it vp but euery man laieth it out as fast as he receiueth it Why Because he daily feareth a fall He esteemeth it not according to that that it is but according to that that it may be The like wee doe with cloth both linnen and woollen For wee esteeme not of the one or of the other according to the present glosse and appearance for many times by the slick-stone or pressing iron or by other cunning meanes they appeare better then they are but we iudge and esteeme of them and giue for them according to their future proofe and as neere as wee can according to that which afterward they will bee The same we doe with many other things Shall wee then bee so foolish in our iudgement of the children of God as to account of them only according to that which presently they appeare to be Thus much of this second answer briefly propounded touching the former obiection or of the second answer why the world knoweth not the children of God viz. because that although they bee not only in name called but are also indeed the children of God yet it doth not appeare especially to the world and to men vnregenerate what they shall be CHAP. XXXIIII Of that which the children of God shall be viz. of their future similitude and likenesse vnto Christ and of the certaintie thereof IT followeth in the text But we know that when he shall appeare we shall be like him c. The first word here in most of our English Bibles is ill translated and because thereby the opposition of these words to the former is much obscured It is in the originall but which plainly noteth the opposition and teacheth the iudgement and knowledge of Gods children to be contrary to the iudgement and knowledge of the world This might be amplified but that it is not a thing very pertinent to the maine point in hand of the dignity of Gods children In all the words following let vs obserue first the proposition of our future state or of the future state of the children of God which is that they shall be like to Christ himselfe secondly the further handling thereof
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