moued vpon the waters or sate vpon the waters and vpon the whole matter of all things before created euen as a bird sitteth vpon her egs to bring the said first matter into forme and fashion and so did immediatly execute that in the first creation which God the father had decreed and which God the sonne had spoken concerning the said creation so in our second creation and adoption God the father and God the sonne work not immediatly but by God the holy ghost The same holy ghost also is he by whom the comming of Christ into the world his death and other things he suffered euen the whole price which hee gaue of his actiue and passiue obedience for vs is applied vnto vs. Our Sauiour likewise attributeth our regeneration to the spirit as well as it is elsewhere ascribed to the father Except a man be borne of water and of the spirit c. That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that that is borne of the spirit is spirit c. and againe The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it commeth nor whither it goeth so is euery man that is borne of the spirit Ioh. 3. 5. 6. 7. 8. Yea the spirit of God seemeth to be that very immortall seed of our new birth whereof Peter speaketh 1. Pet. 1. 23. I know that other doe interpret the word to be that immortall seed there spoken of because it is said not of mortall but of immortall seede by the word Notwithstanding to me it seemeth otherwise because the Apostle changeth the first preposition of vsed in the first place into another viz. into by vsed in the second place in speaking of the word And therefore I doe rather thinke the word there to be noted as the instrument onely whereby that immortall seed of our new birth before spoken of is conueied into vs. This I say I doe the rather thinke because of the change of prepositions the Apostle not saving being borne anew not of mortall but immortall seed of the word but saying in this last clause by the word Yea I am and shall be the more fully perswaded of this interpretation to be the right till I shall heare or see better reason then I haue done for the former because of the places before alleged to proue our regeneration to be of the spirit of God as well as of the father and of the sonne and because the preposition of first vsed in that place of Peter is so constantly vsed in all the former places concerning the spirit viz. Ioh. 1. 13. and 3. vers 5. 6. and 8. I acknowledge the word to be called seed in respect of the fruits of righteousnesse Luk. 8. 11. but for the reasons before alleged I cannot yet thinke it to be there vnderstood for the seed of our regeneration any otherwise then it is the instrument of conueying the spirit of God into vs. Moreouer the spirit is called the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father that is whereby we call God our father and whereby we are called the children of God Yea it is further said that the same spirit beareth witnesse to our spirits that we are the children of God Rom. 8. 15. 16. So then the holy ghost doth both immediatly beget vs to God and is also a witnesse of that our begetting again to God and of our being the children of God But I will stay no longer in this point To conclude therefore all the former arguments hitherto vsed for the dignity of Gods children sith they haue so honourable a father and sith their adoption is thus honored with the worke of all the three persons in the Deity and sith the originall cause of the said adoption is both the free loue of God the father in sending his owne and onely sonne and of the sonne in comming so willingly and submitting himselfe so cheerfully to so base a condition for the effecting of the said adoption and sith also he gaue so great a price for it it cannot be but the worke it selfe is very honorable Thus we see that they that be againe so regenerated of him and by him by whom they were at the first made haue obtained a new state and condition and are not as they were of the world worldly of the earth earthly and of flesh fleshly but of heauen heauenly of God the father of whom the whole family in heauen and in earth is named Ephes 3. 15. called his children of Christ denominated Christians Acts 19. 26. and of the spirit said to be spirituall 1. Cor. 2. 15. So they are not only humane by the humane nature but also diuine by participation of the diuine nature 2. Pet. 1. 4. not touching their substance but touching diuine qualities and operations Such therefore and only such may truly speake of nobility For only they may most truly say they are borne of God as we haue seen before chap. 2. 29. and as the Apostle speaketh afterward chap. 4. 7. And they onely may most truly also say further that they are the generation of God Acts 17. 28. and that in such maner as that thereby they are citizens of heauen and inhabitants together with the glorious Angels as afterward we shall heare more at large In respect of this nobility and without this all other nobility is nothing in Gods sight Yea that which our Sauior speaketh of the Iewes particularly may be said generally of al that are not the children of God They do the works of their father the diuell and the lusts of their father they will doe Iohn 8. 41. 44. Not much vnlike also is that description of the King that is the sonne of nobles that eat in time for strength and not for drunkennesse Eccles 10. 17. For what doth Salomon by this description teach els but that such kings are most renowned and noble which doe adorne their kingly descent with true piety and sobriety And though Salomon speake but of eating in time for strength and not for drunkennesse yet by this one vertue hee meaneth all other And of this vertue he maketh choice aboue other because it is in a manner the rarest of all other especially in kings It is hard to find any man that hath abundance to be sober and moderate in the vse of meats drinke and to eat both only in time and also for strength not for excesse and pleasure I may also apply to this purpose that which is said by the Prophet which confoundeth them that are excellent or noble in the earth with the Saints and the Saints with them Psal 16. 3. thereby teaching that the Saints onely haue the best excellency and nobility and that none may rightly be called excellent or noble but such as are Saints And indeed seeing all that are not sanctified cannot but be of the diuell as doing his works what greater basenesse vilenesse and ignobility can there be then to be such Seeing
peace for thou Lord makest me dwell in safety Psal 4. 8. this peace of the children of God is not only common to them all neither only proper to them alone neither only alwaies in them euen in all troubles and in death it selfe in manner notwithstanding and with the exceptions before expressed but it is also accompanied with great ioy of the holy ghost and such as none of the wicked doe enioy though they be kings and Princes or otherwise abounding in all prosperity Indeed commonly the state of the children of God is accounted the most lumpish dumpish heauy and solitary state of all other Yea amongst many other things that do discourage men from being the children of God this is not the least that they thinke there is no ioy no mirth no gladnesse belonging to them but that if once men will frame themselues to be the children of God then they must bid farewell to all ioy and they must prepare themselues to all sadnesse and heauinesse But this is a foule and grosse error euen proceeding from the father of lies For the truth is that as the righteous and none but the righteous are often bid be glad and reioice Psal 32. 11. and 33. 1. Phil. 4 4. and elsewhere so indeed in respect of the forgiuenesse of sinnes and of the fauour of God and of all other benefits before mentioned they haue more cause to be glad and reioice then all the world besides Yea none but they haue sound cause to be glad and reioice For ioy and peace are as well as accounted fruits of the spirit as loue patience goodnesse faith gentlenesse and temperance Gal. 5. 22. and the kingdome of heauen is as well said to be in peace and ioy in the holy ghost as in righteousnesse Rom. 14. 17. in both which places this is to be obserued that the Apostie ioines peace and ioy together as I now doe euen as the cause the effect it is therefore euident that there is no sound ioy but where there is the spirit and kingdome of God The Lord speaking of the wicked and of the godly saith thus Behold my seruants shall reioice and ye shall be astonted behold my seruants shall sing for ioy of heart and ye shall cry for sorrow of heart and shall howle for vexation of mind Isai 65. 13. 14. Before likewise the Lord had said by the same Prophet The redeemed of the Lord shall returne and come to Ston with proise and euerlasting ioy shall be vpon their head they shall obtaine ioy and gladnesse and sorrow and mourning shall flie away Isai 35. 10. Therefore the Apostle commendeth this peacero be the peace of God and to passe all vnderstanding Phil. 4. 7. first because no humane vnderstanding can sufficiently comprehend it Secondly because no humane vnderstanding can prize or value it according to the worth thereof Salomon also speaking of a good conscience which is only to be found in the children of God saith that it is a continuall feast Pro. 15. 15. because it bringeth that ioy before spoken of and maketh men alwaies as merry as if they were at a greatfeast alwaies I say and not somtimes only doth a good conscience make a man merry viz. not only in abundance of other things and in prosperity but also in want and penury vea vnder many greatand heauy afflictions For so the Apostle testifieth of them to whom he did write that being by the rich mercy of God begotten againe to a liuely hope of that excellent inheritāce wherof before wespake they didreioice although by many afflictions they were in heauinesse 1. Pet. 1. 6. yea afterward he describeth their sound ioy by two notable attributes vnspeakable and glorious vers 8. As these christians did so reioice so the Apostle Paul though continually vnder great and heauy afflictions and persecutions Acts 20. 23. 2. Cor. 11. 23. yet he testifieth that the testimony of his conscience was his reioicing 2. Cor. 1. 12. Therefore often elsewhere he professeth that he was so far from being ashamed of his crosses and manifold troubles that he did rather reioice and glory in them and so we see indeed that he and Stlas being in prison did not mourne and weep but sang Psalmes euen at midnight Acts 16. 25. The like ioy we read to haue been if not in all yet diuers of the martyrs mentioned in the book of the Acts and Monuments Yea the truth is that in respect of the premises the meanest child of God that hath faith and regeneration but as a grain of mustard seed hath more sound and true matter of reioicing euen in afflictions then the greatest the richest and the mightiest monarch in all the world that hath not receiued the spirit of adoption Yea how can they reioice that haue no communion with Christ that are dead in their sinnes that are no better then fooles and madmen that are in bondage vnto sins yea vnto satan himselfe that haue no freedome in heauen neither any trade for any merchandise therof whose sins doe all remaine in the book of Gods account and that may continually feare when God will enter into iudgement with them that haue no liberty to come to God once to aske pardon of the said sinnes because they haue not faith wherein they should offer vp their praiers and without which all their praiers are abominable vnto God that haue no benefit by the word of God either for their direction or for their comfort or for their defence against the enemies of their saluation that therefore are alwaies naked and lie open to all their assaults that much lesse haue any thing to do with the sacramēts which are seales of Gods word that haue no right or interest in any blessings of this life but shall giue an account of euery thing they haue had vsed as vsurpers as thieues against whom all things work together for their euill prosperity and aduersity friends and foes their good deeds which they seem to haue done as well as their apparant euill deeds that are excluded out of the kingdome of heauen and are in the state of condemnation euen so long as they continue without the spirit of adoption condemned already what ioy I say can any haue that are in such a case though they be neuer so great neuer so rich and neuer so mighty monarchs in the world Verily as they shall if they repent not bee throwne into vtter darknesse where shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth and where they shall be tormented for euermore with the diuell and his Angels so if they know their wofull and miserable condition they haue cause to mourne and to houle continually in this life yea more cause so to doe then the poorest man in the world good or bad because the more God doth aduance them in this world the greater shall their damnation bee in the world to come if in this life they do not glorifie God according to their said
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
be likewise said of the worke of our adoption and of the loue of God in making vs his children This is the Lords worke and it is maruellous in our eies This circumstance noted by this word is to bee ioined with the former word Behold the more to prouoke vs to long after the knowledge of the excellencie of the children of God especially after that knowledge that is by experience sense taste and feeling as it were of the excellencie thereof For no man so well knoweth this excellencie or can so well speake or write thereof as he that is partaker of it and findeth the sweetnesse of it in himselfe For this is that white stone promised to them that ouercome wherein is a new name written which no man knoweth sauing he that receiueth it Reu. 2. 17. The rather is this to bee ioined with the former word to make vs more desirous of getting this title and the more carefull to keepe it being gotten yea to carry our selues according vnto it All men doe gaze vpon the honourable titles of the world and are in great admiration of them but no man almost doth once looke after this yea euery man almost in respect of the contempt wherein this name is with the world afterward to be spoken of in handling this obiection is afraid to be called or knowen by this name As many of the chiefe Rulers that beleeued in Christ for feare notwithstanding of the Pharises durst not professe him Ioh. 12. 42. so many hearing so much as often times they do of the dignity of Gods children haue some desire and could be content to bee the children of God but fearing the world and the great men in the world especially such as to whom they doe specially belong are loth to be seene to haue any minde or affection that way But of these more afterward Thus much of the second word in this text preparing vs to thinke the more highly of the dignity of the children of God heere spoken of The third word is Loue. Behold what loue This word setteth foorth the fountaine or principall cause of making vs the children of God to be the loue of God So it is said to bee the cause why God sent or gaue his onely sonne for vs Ioh. 3. 16. and. 1. Ioh. 4. 9. wherof we shall heare more afterward If the loue of God be the fountaine of sending his sonne then also it is of our making or adopting to bee the children of God For whence is it that we are made the children of God Is it not by Iesus Christ It cannot bee denied and it shall afterward bee more plentifully prooued Heerein the Lord differeth from men for men cannot properly bee said to beget children of Note loue There may be and is in men a desire of children but there cannot properly be a loue of children till children bee begotten and borne For how can men loue them that haue no being at all in nature But God is said to loue vs and in loue of vs to make vs his children or to beget vs againe to himselfe and so his loue towards vs is before we are borne againe or begotten againe vnto him As this loue of God was before the action of our regeneration so it continueth euer after Gods loue is vnchangeable As Christ is the same yesterday to day and for euer Heb. 13. 8. so is God in his loue towards them whom he loueth yea there is not only no change in him but also with him there is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning Iames 1. 17. But being to speake of this loue againe afterward this in this place shall be sufficient thereof The fourth word heere to be obserued is the Father As the former word setteth foorth the originall cause of our being the children of God so this setteth foorth the authour thereof and the subject of that loue before spoken of and that to be not onely God barely considered in his diuine essence but as he is inuested with the title of a Father To speake more plainly The loue before spoken of whereby wee are made the children of God doth not come from God as he is God only but as he is a Father and that first of all as he is the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ And therefore when the Apostle Peter speaketh of this matter euen of our regeneration he saith not only Blessed be God but hee saith further euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which of his abundant or rich mercy hath begotten vs againe 1. Pet. 1. 3. God was alwaies the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ in the distinction of persons in the diuine essence and so Iesus Christ as the second person in the Deitie was alwaies the sonne of the Father euen before all times so that there neuer was any time when the one of these two persons was not the Father and the other the Sonne Secondly this loue heere spoken of commeth from God not only as he is the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ but also as by Iesus Christ he is our Father To speake this also a little more plainly the Apostle heere speaking of himselfe and of them to whom he did write not only as the people of God nor as the workes of God but as the children of God it was therefore the more sit that hee should describe God by such a title as was most answerable to that respect wherein he speaketh of himselfe the writer and of them to whom he did write These being as they were the children of God it was more answerable to the word children that he should say Behold what loue the Father hath giuen vnto vs then Behold what loue God hath giuen vnto vs. For the word God doth more fitly answer to the word creatures or people and the word Father is a plain correlatiue to the word children Now although euer sithence the creation and sithence the first time that there were any elect and beleeuing men God was alwares their Father yet as God was not so knowen to bee the father of our Lord Iesus Christ in the old Testament and before the mearnation and manifestation of Christ in the fleth as â—â—thence so God also Note did not so plainly open and manifest himselfe to be the father of the elect as he hath done sithence the time of the Gospell And therefore wee finde this title Father ostener attributed vnto God in respect of Christ and of the elect in the new Testament then in the old In the old Testament he is most called and made knowen by the name of The God of Abraham the God of Izaak and the God of Iaacob but in the new Testament he maketh himselfe knowen by the name of The Father of our Lord Ieâ—us Christ and of them that by faith are made members of Christ and flesh of his flesh euen one bodie with him As the grace of God which bringeth saluation vnto all men is said especially to
though this phrase of shewing loue be more apt yet the other phrase of giuing loue is more naturall and agreeable to the proper signification of the woâ—d heere vsed And it is not to be doubted but that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it of purpose first to exclude all merits and worthinesse of our selues for dâ—seruing this loue of God towards 〈◊〉 making vs his children and to shew that this loue of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aâ—d without any respect of any good in vs. So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words loue and giuing lâ—ue are as much as the word 〈◊〉 other places which is all opposed to merits in vs in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of God 〈◊〉 is called election of grace and it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 be of grace it is no more of worke or else were gâ—â—â—e no mâ—â—◠〈◊〉 but if it be of workes it is no more grace or 〈◊〉 were worke no more workes Rom 11. 5. 6. So in the same 〈◊〉 it iâ—â—aâ—d in these me epistle before that are the children were borne viz. Iaâ—cob and Esau and when they had done neither good nor â—uiâ—l that the purpose of God might remaine according to election not by â—â—â—kes but by hâ—m that calleth it was said vnto her The elder shall sâ—â—ue the younger Rom 9. 11. 12. And 〈◊〉 afterward he concludeth So then it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy vers 16 Can there be a more plaine and manifest opposition and contrariety then this is Verily it is so plaine and manifest that all the cauilling and quarrelling wit in the world cannot wash the same away Touching â—ustification it is said that God hath saued vs not by the workes of righteousnesse which wee had done but according to his mercy Tit. 3. 5. And againe By the workes of the Law no flesh shall be iustified Rom. 3. 20. and that we be iustified freely by his grace verse 24. Touching both our iustification and calling whereby wee are made the children of God the same Apostle also saith that God hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace 2. Tim. 1. 9. In all these places and touching these points who seeth not a most euident opposition of Gods grace to our worthlnesse and that Gods grace doth exclude our worthinesle I grant sometime grace mentioned and sometime mercie and that there is some distinction betwixt grace and mercie as afterward shall be shewed yet there is also such affinity betwixt them that as two brethren being very like one another are sometimes taken one for another so also these two words in this argument especially are confounded and the one vsed for another Now let it bee noted that I said grace was opposed to our Note worthlnesse â—ot to all worthinesse When we heare that God hath freely of his owne loue made vs his children this indeed excludeth al worthinesse of vs and in vs from being any cause of making vs the children of God Notwithstanding if wee looke to Christ Iesus and to that that he hath done it is certain that God hath not either saued vs freely or freely maâ—e vs his children saue in the sending or giuing his sonne freely and of his owne onely loue grace and mercy for the sauing vs and for the making vs his children that so by adoption we might be capable of saluation Otherwise if we looke to that which Christ did for vs being so freely giuen or sent in the world in our behalfe it is certaine that Christ Iesus by his passiue and actiue righteousnes that is by those things which hee suffred and by that obedience which otherwise he performed vnto God his Father for vs hath both iustified vs and also purchased this honour for vs of being the children of God Though therefore wee haue this honour freely and only of Gods free grace in respect of our selues yet it is not so free in respect of Christ his sending only of Gods free grace excepted because as we shall afterward heare more largely Christ hath most deerely bought all that wee haue and most sweetly paid for it in the satisfying the iustice of God in our behalfe Thus much for the first consideration why the Apostle vseth this phrase that God hath giuen vs this lone of calling vs his children The second consideration is for the distinguishing of vs from Christ Iesus and to teach that though wee bee the children or sonnes of God yet there is great difference betwixt Christ and vs in this behalfe Christ as hee is the second person in the Deity is the Sonne of God immediately by nature by communication of the whole essence of the Father vnto him and from all eternitie before all times so that there neuer was any time when God was not his Father c. as hath beene before said As Christ also was man he was the Sonne of God by miraculous conception of the holy Ghost and by a most wonderfull coniunction of the godhead and manhood together hypostatically in one person But we are the sonnes or children of God immediately and only by grace by gift by adâ—ption in by and through Christ Iesus being incorporated and ingrafted into him that is in himselfe the naturall the eternall the only sonne of God hauing no fellowes either amongst men or amongst Angels Therefore hee is called Gods owne Sonne Rom. 8. 32. his first be gotten Sonne Heb. 1. 6. and his only be gotten Sonne Iohn 1. 14. and 3. 16. and 1. Iohn 4. 9. Now as heere it is said that God hath giuen vs this loue to be called his children so it is also said that to as many as receiued him that is Christ hee gaue prerogatiue to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name Ioh. 1. 12. In which place the holy Ghost sheweth the meanes more plainly whereby we are the sonnes or children of God namely by receiuing Christ by faith and by being through faith ingrafted into Christ Howsoeuer therefore wee bee called the sonnes of God as well as Christ yet there is great difference betwixt Christ and vs in this behalfe and Christ is in a farre more excellent maner the Sonne of God then either we or the Angels can claime the same title and prerogatiue Let vs heere note one thing more viz. that the Apostle Note speaketh not in the present time saying doth giue but in the time past saying hath giuen This obseruation is not to bee vnderstood onely of the first actuall beginning of our adoption and regeneration but also of Gods eternall election of vs thereunto before the making of the world For so the same phrase in the same tense importeth elsewhere The Father that hath giuen them vnto me c. Iohn 10. 29. As thou hast giuen him power ouer all flesh that he should giue eternall life to all them that thou bast giuen him Iohn 17. 2. And againe I haue declared thy
hauing none by nature and to whom to leaue their inheritances or their Crownes yet for some considerations they will not haue this to be known But it is otherwise with God He hath so loued vs that he doth not only make vs his children but that also hee doth declare and publish and proclaime vs so to be 3 From the former reason ariseth another viz. that the Apostle vseth this phrase to teach vs that if he be not ashamed that such as we are should bee called his children then much lesse should we our selues be ashamed of this honourable title If a great king be not ashamed that the sonne of a poore begger should bee called his sonne is there any cause why the said sonne of such a poore begger should be ashamed to bee called the sonne of such a great King In like manner if God the king of kings be nor ashamed that we poore beggers brats should be called his children is there any reason why wee should bee ashamed of so honourable a title I could much amplify this point But for further amplification therof I do only wish that if any for feare of the disgrace of the world to be spoken of in the obiection following be ashamed to call himselfe the child of God and to carry himselfe accordingly such an one do wel remember what our Sauiour saith of them that are ashamed of him of his words before such an adulterous sinfull generation viz. as this last age of the world is where in we now liue to wit that he also will be ashamed of him when he shall come in the glory of his Father with the holy Angels Mark 8. 38. For certainely in like manner will God the Father bee ashamed of all such and wil vtterly deny them to be his children in the world to come that were ashamed to bee called his children and to liue as his children in this life Yea this is the more certaine because there is infinitely more cause why God should bee ashamed of vs then why wee should be ashamed of him Thus much of the seuenth particular word in this text The eighth word is the children of God Some read the sonnes of God but the originall is the children of God comprehending sonnes and daughters men and women and so the same word is vsed Iohn 1. 12. and 11. 52. and Rom. 8. 16. 17. and in many other places This is to be obserued for the comfort as well of women as of men and for the instruction as afterward wee shall heare of one sex as well as of the other And therefore the Apostle allegeth the words of the Prophet in the name of God himselfe speaking in this manner I will be a Father vnto you and ye shall be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord Almightie 2. Cor. 6. 18. Heere wee see expresse mention as well of daughters as of sonnes This is to be the rather noted because some in the brauery of their wit or rather in the rage of their madnesse doe not sticke to deny women to haue any part in the matters of saluation although the Scripture doe both expreslie say that there is no exception of male or female with God but that all are one in Christ Iesus Galat. 3. 28. and although it doe also record vnto vs example as well of beleeuing women as of beleeuing men But what doth the Apostle heere meane by children For the vnderstanding of this besides diuers other waies how men may be and are called the children of God let vs know that in a more strict sense this title the children of God is taken two waies First for all the members of the visible Church so long as they continue such members and that because of the outward couenant of God made with the whole body of the visible Church In this sense it is said The sonnes of God saw the daughters of men that they were faire c. Genes 6. 2. Heere the sonnes of God doe signifie such as professed themselues the sonnes of God and so were of the visible Church In the same sense also our Sauiour himselfe calleth the Iewes euen in his time generally by the name of children saying It is not meet to take the childrens bread and to cast it to â—helpes Matt. 15. 26. Secondly this title the children of God is taken for them that haue receiued the spirit of adoption and that are regenerated by the immortall seed of the spirit and by the word of God So it is taken in the place before alleged Rom. 8. 16. 17. and often elsewhere and so only not in the former sense is it taken in this place For the Apostle speaketh of them that worke righteously and are borne of God as wee haue heard in the end of the former chapter and of them that know that when Christ shall appeare they shall be like him as appeareth in the next verse But none worke righteously c. neither doe any know they shaâ—l be like vnto Christ at his appearing but onely they that are by the spirit of God regenerated and therefore the Apostle speaketh oâ—ly of such in this place To speake a little more of adoption and regeneration for Note the making thereof the plainer and more perspicuous wee must vnderstand that the adoption of God differeth much from the adoption of men For the ciuill Lawyers that write of 〈◊〉 say that adoption must be of the yoonger by the 〈◊〉 that he that adopteth a childe must bee elder then the person adopted neither doe they onely distinguiâ—h thus betwixt adoption and arrogation that arrogation is the taking of one to bee a childe which is already of age and at libertie and as we say at his owne hand and his owne man but adoption is of one vnder age and of one that is in tuition gouernment and gardianship of another the ciuill Lawyers I say doe not onely write thus of adoption but they also say that adoption properly is when one that hath no children of his owne doth adopt the childe of some other to be called by his name or at least to be brought vp by him and to bee his heire God doth not so adopt vs for hee hath a Sonne of his owne yea more properly his owne then any man can say of any childe in the world because Christ is the proper Sonne of God from euerlasting by communication as wee haue heard of the whole essence of his Father vnto him But the children of men are their children long after them and therefore they are yoonger then their fathers They are also children by taking some part of their parents nature and that of their bodily substance only for their soules are immediately from God who therefore by opposition to the fathers of our bodies is called the Father of spirits Heb. 12. 9. and is said to forme the spirit of man Zechar. 12. 1. As for the great obiection that doth most trouble men viz. if Note God
only hath begotten them againe vnto himselfe and that no other can worke the worke of our regeneration so now to set foorth the same further by the first and principall cause thereof viz. by that which first mooued God so to regenerate and adopt vs vnto himselfe let vs a little more consider of the infinit loue of his towards vs in this behalfe whereof before we haue heard euen that that loue is the principall cause of our adoption and regeneration This loue of God is here to be considered two waies First as the cause of election before the foundations of the world were layd both to adoption whereof now we speake and also to the fruition of all other mercies in this life and the life to come Secondly as it was afterward in the fulnesse of time declared by the sending specially of his sonne into the world for the effecting of that our adoption Touching the first it hath been before noted that the Apostle in this very place speaking of the loue of God as of the cause of making vs his children doth not speake in the time present but in the time past by that circumstance of time signifying the said loue of God not to be a new loue or a present loue only but an ancient loue euen from the beginning The same besides the Scriptures before alledged is expresly testified by the Apostle Paul who not only saith that God hath elected vs before the foundation of the world but also touching the cause and the end of our said election hee addeth that God hath then predestinated vs to be adopted or to bee made children through Iesus Christ vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will Ephes 1. 5. that is according to his meere and most free grace without respect of any worthinesse of them whom he hath chosen and the words following of the principall end of our election viz. the praise of the glory of his grace do further manifest his free grace to haue beene the principall cause of election to adoption and to the sonneship if I may so speake of God For if there were any other principall cause thereof then only Gods free grace then also the praise of the said cause should be the end of our election as well as the praise of the free grace of God As also it is said that God chose the children of Israel to be his speciall people because only he loued their fathers Deut. 4. 37. and as Samuel saith it had pleased the Lord to make them his people 1. Sam. 12. 22. insinuating by that phrase the meere pleasure of God to haue bin the cause of making them his people so and much more may be said touching our adoption to bee the children of God Yea so also it is said that God of his own will hath begotten vs againe c. that is of his meer loue Iam. 1. 18. As this loue of God afterward declared by the act it selfe of adopting vs to be his children was thus eternall without beginning so also it is eternall in respect it shal be without end Therefore it is called euerlasting loue Ierem. 31. 3. and Iohn saith that whom God loueth once he loueth to the end Iohn 13. 1. And indeed whatsoeuer is without beginning is also without end Many things haue beginning which shall haue no end as all Angels good and bad and the spirits of all men but nothing shall haue end that hath no beginning Therefore as before we heard that all that are regenerated haue beene beloued of God without beginning of his loue so Peter saith that such also are kept by the power of God vnto saluation c. 1. Pet. 1. 5. But of this before Chap. 2. Neither only is that loue of God towards the regenerated euerlasting and without end because it is without beginning but for the same reason also it is the more free and without all respect of any worthinesse in them that are without beginning beloued For how can they pretend any worthines in themselues to haue beene the cause of that loue that was more ancient then themselues yea then the world The cause must be before the effect and not the effect before the cause In this respect therefore the dignity of Gods children is so much the greater first because they are beloued of God secondly because they haue been so long beloued of God thirdly because they haue been and are freely beloued of God fourthly because the loue of God is euerlasting Concerning the first if the fauor of a king be as the dew vpon the grasse Pro. 19. 12. and if in the light of a Kings countenance be life and his fauour be like a cloud of the latter raine Pro. 16. 15. what shall we say of the fauor of God and of the light of his countenance that is king of kings The same is to be said of the antiquity of Gods loue For as it is the greater grace and honor for a subiect the longer he hath been in fauor with his Prince so likewise that all the children of God haue been so long in fauour with God and that God hath so long loued them it cannot but be the greater honor vnto them Thirdly the freenesse of Gods loue without respect of any desert in his children doth as much dignifie his said childreÌ„ as the free grace of a Prince without any desert or gifts whereby to procure the Princes fauor doth the more honor such a subiect as is in such free fauour with his Soueraigne Fourthly and principally the loue of God is the more honorable in respect that it is euerlasting because we see the grace and fauour of all Princes to be mutable Though Haman were in such grace with Ahashuerosh that hee procured him to write his royall letters for the destruction of all the Iewes yet we know what a change fell out afterward Yea how soone and vpon how light an occasion euen vpon the false report only of flattering Ziba was the great loue of Dauid quaâ—led towards Mephibosheth the sonne of his ancient and most faithfull friend Ionathan Sith therefore the loue of mortall Princes is so vncertaine it cannot but be the greater honor to the children of God that they are so rooted and grounded in grace and fauor with God that nothing whatsoeuer shall euer bee able to disgrace them with him so as that he shall for euer cast them off But this shall further appeare by other things afterward handled concerning their further dignity All this of the loue of God of his ancient loue and of his free loue and of his vnchangeable loue towards his children is the more honor vnto them because as it is said Iacob haue I loued and Esau haue I hated Rom. 9. 17. so it is said that the Lord hateth all the workers of iniquity Psal 5. 5. and that his face is against them that do euill to cut off their remembrance from the earth Psal 34. 16. And therefore
the wicked haue no part in the foresaid loue of God but it is proper and peculiar only to the children of God And thus we see that the foresaid loue of God towards his children is not only to be considered as the principall and first mouing cause of their regeneration but also as a singular and most honourable benefit and prerogatiue Thus much for the first consideration of the loue of God in making vs his children viz. as it was the cause of our election at the first euen before all times vnto our adoption and regeneration to be made in time Touching the second consideration of Gods loue in making vs his children namely as it hath been declared particularly in giuing his sonne for the effecting of our adoption whereunto we were predestinated and elected it is said So God loued the world that he hath giuen his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish c. Ioh. 3. 16. If God so loued the world that he sent his sonne that men might haue euerlasting life by beleeuing in him then also in his said loue he sent his sonne to adopt them vnto God For none can beleeue but such as are adopted and haue the spirit of adoption whereby to beleeue God to be their father And adoption is one necessary step to euerlasting life and without adoption and regeneration can no man enter into the kingdome of heauen as our Sauiour teacheth Nicodemus in the same chapter Neither is it only manifest thus by consequence that God so loued the world that is the elect men in the world that he sent his sonne for their adoption but the Apostle doth also teach the same expresly When the fulnesse of time saith he was come God sent his sonne made of a woman and made vnder the law that is not only borne in the time of the law but also made subiect both to the obedience and to the curse of the law that he might redeeme them that were vnder the law that they might receiue the adoption of sonnes Galat. 4. 4. 6. By these testimonies it is manifest not only that God declared his great loue towards vs in sending his own and only sonne into the world to make vs his children but that also God the sonne was a principall agent in the work of our adoption and regeneration as well as God the father and that wee could no more haue been made the children of God without the worke of God the sonne then without the worke of God the father The same is yet further manifest by the Euangelists interpretation of the propheticall words of Caiph as spoken as hee was high Priest touching the necessity of the death of one for the people and that the whole nation should not perish For this saith the Euangelist spake hee not of himselfe but being high Priest that same yeere he prophecied that Iesus should die for that nation and not for that nation only but that he should gather together the children of God that were scattered Ioh. 11. 50. By gathering together he meaneth adopting and by the children of God he meaneth not them that were already in act the children of God but that were appointed and predestinated so to be as before we heard It is also in the said place to be obserued Note that he speaketh not passiuely but actiuely He saith not that the children of God might be gathered together but he saith that he might gather together c. So he noteth that the gathering together and adopting of the children of God is a worke of Iesus Christ as well as of God the father The same our Sauiour himselfe testifieth saying Other sheepe I haue also which are not of this fold them also must I bring Ioh. 10. 16. he saith not they shall be brought but that he himselfe must bring them Peter accordeth with both the former testimonies making this to be the end of Christs suffering once for sinnes c. not that we might be brought only to God but also that he might bring vs vnto God 1. Pet. 3. 18. As therefore we could not haue been saued without Christ so neither could we haue been adopted without him Therefore also as before we heard the dignity of Gods children to be the greater by the worke of the father so it is also the greater hereby that the father worketh herein by the sonne and the sonne worketh with the father as well in this our second creation as in the first For Christ is the same in glory and excellency with the Father Whatsoeuer is spoken of the Father according to the Deity the same may also be sayd of the sonne For I saith Christ himselfe and my Father are one Ioh. 10. 30. and the Apostle saith that hee being in the forme of God thought it no robbery to be equall with God Philip. 2. 6. And he is called the heire of all things by whom God the Father made the world and the brightnesse of the glory and the ingraued forme of his fathers person Heb. 1. 2. 3. Neither was Christ only so excellent as he was God but he was also very excellent in his humanity the same being conceiued in the wombe of a virgin by the immediat operation of the holy ghost and being personally vnited to the Godhead that both natures might make one person and so vnited being also altogether without sinne vnspotted vndefiled most holy and righteous In his offices also he was most honorable being the onely King Priest and Prophet of his Church yea such a King Priest and Prophet as of whom Dauid and Salomon and all their kingly posterity with the Priests of the law and the Prophets extraordinarily raised vp and sent to the ancient people of God were but types figures and shadowes The more excellent therefore that Christ is and was before his sending into the world and afterward the more hath God dignified his children in sending him so into the world to make them his children The more honorable persons that any Prince doth imploy for the good of any other the more is he dignified and graced for whose good such honourable persons are so imployed Did not Balak King of Moab much honour Balaam by sending vnto him first some of the Elders and Princes of Moab and Midian Num. 22. 5. 7. and 13. and afterward more Princes and more honorable then the former vers 15. Was it not a great honor to the Prophet Isaiah that Hezekiah sent Eliakim the steward of his house and Shebna his Chauncellor and the elders of the Priests to aske counsell of him touching Rabsheka 2. King 19. 2. May not the like be sayd of Iosiahs sending Hiâ—kia the Priest Ahâ—kan the sonne of Shaphat Achbor the sonne of Michaiah Shaphan the Chancellor and Asahia the Kings seruant to Huldah the Propheâ—esse for counsell from the Lord touching the finding of the laweâ— 2. King 22. 12. That the Centurion sent not one of his own seruants but the
elders of the Iewes vnto our Sauiour in behalfe of his sicke seruant Luc. 7. 3. was it not to doe the more honour to our Sauiour If the sending of such honourable messengers were some honour to them to whom they were sent what shall we thinke of Gods sending his owne sonne to vs and for vs to make vs his children Doth not God thereby greatly honor vs verely it cannot be denied sith the sending of Christ was more then if he had sent all the Angels in heauen For Christ is made so much more excellent then the Angels by how much more he hath obtained a more excellent name then they Heb. 1. 4. This is so much the more because God sent not his sonne in glory and to liue here in glory but in basenesse and in forme of a seruant cloathed with our base nature yet purged from all corruption as soone as it was separated in the wombe of the Virgin to be that which afterward it was and so to liue a while in pouerty in shame and in all contempt and at the last to be put to the most shamefull death of the crosse as though he had been a worme and no man or as though he had been the vilest man that had before come into the world Were it not a very great honor to a poore yea to a trayterous subiect being somewhere in captiuity bondage and great misery if his Prince should abase his only sonne and send him disguised in base apparell and to vndergoe much pouerty and other hardnesse with shame also and contempt for a time for the redeeming the said subiect and to bring him home to the Court of the Prince there to eat meat with the Prince his sonne and to be accounted as a companion of his How great then is this honour that God hath done vnto vs in sending his own sonne and in exposing him to many yea to all indignities to redeeme vs that we might receiue the adoption of sonnes Before I proceed any further let me here insert another principall cause of our regeneration viz. the mercy of God This may seeme to be all one with the loue of God before handled And indeed it is so like thereunto that it is often confounded therewith so that the word loue is often taken for mercy and mercy is often taken for loue when there is speech of the dealing of God with men especially in the matter of election calling and saluation This may be obserued in diuers places before alledged and therefore I stand not vpon it But although there be great similitude betwixt them yet Note they are also to be distinguished For first of all both are in God towards man but both cannot be in man towards God Loue may be and must be in man towards God but it is very absurd to say that a man may shew mercy vnto God Againe the loue of God hath respect vnto vs as being only the creatures of God euen base creatures such as were altogether vnworthy so great honour of being made the children of God But the mercy of God hath respect and relation vnto vs not only as we are creatures base and vnworthy of the foresayd loue but also as we were miserable especially polluted with infinit 〈◊〉 yea dead in all sinnes and trespasses more then vnworthy of his fauour euen such as had deserued his euerlasting displeasure and indignation as hauing been traitors and rebells against him in the highest degree Furthermore the loue of God is in order before the sending or giuing of Christ being the cause both of our election and also of sending or giuing Christ Iesus as hath beene shewed touching election out of Ephes 1. 5. 6. and touching the sending of Christ out of Ioh. 3. 16. But the mercy of God is only in Christ Iesus and for Christ Iesus his sake as afterward shall appeare Whereas it is said that we are elected in Christ that is not to be vnderstood simply of election itselfe but rather of the ends whereto we are elected viz. adoption and saluation To speake simply of election itselfe it was meerly of the free loue of God and the efficient cause thereof was only in God himselfe And so God hauing eternally decreed our saluation did also at the same instant decree the meanes of our saluation namely the giuing of his only sonne to be made man for vs. We were first in order elected to be saued and then Christ was appointed and at the same instant destinated to be the person by whom we should be saued Therefore as Peter saith that the Iewes had put Christ to death by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God Acts 2. 23. so he calleth Christ alambe vnspotted c. ordained before the foundations of the world 1. Pet. 1. 20. Notwithstanding this priority of decreeing our saluation before the sending of Christ was decreed must be vnderstood of a priority in order in the nature of things not of a priority in time For both being eternall and before all times to wit the decree for sauing vs and the decree for sending Christ to worke out that saluation for vs one could not bee before an other in time For in things eternall there can be neither priority or posteriority in time Thus then we see a plaine distinction betwixt the loue of God and the mercy of God either in our election or in the worke of regeneration or in any other thing That the mercy of God was one of the principall mouing causes of our regeneration viz. which moued God to worke this worke in vs it is manifest also by the testimony of Peter For he in his first Epistle and Chapter hauing after his Apostolicall maner saluted the Christians to whom he wrote maketh this entrance into the rest of the Epistle saying Blessed be God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ who according to his abundant or rich mercy hath begotten vs againe c. 1. Pet. 1. 3. Is it not in these words plaine that the Apostle doth make the mercy of God a principall cause first mouing God to beget vs againe So the Apostle Paul in the worke of our saluation ioineth together the mercy of God and the washing of the new birth Tit. 3. 5. So also particularly speaking of his owne conuersion from blaspheming and from persecuting and oppressing of the Church to the true feare of God and loue of his Saints he attributeth the same to the mercy of God saying I was a blasphemer and a persecuter and an oppressor but I was receiued to mercy or I found mercy By the mercy of God here I vnderstand the pity and compassion that God tooke vpon vs beholding vs in our miserable state by nature being blind deafe dumb lame sicke dead c. as hath been said and so his bowels of compassion being moued towards vs and neuer ceasing to worke as it were in him till by the worke of our regeneration he had released and discharged vs from
things to come conteyned in holy Scripture for vs to beleeue neyther only the beleeuing of them historically to be true but also the particular application of them to our selues The very wicked themselues doe beleeue the truth of the Scriptures historically yea many of the reprobat yea the very Diuels themselues do so beleeue and tremble Iames 2. 19. Mar. 1. 24. But the wicked though elected before their calling do not beleeue by particular application because then their harts should be purified from their wickednes as before we heard they hauing apprehended Christ that gaue himselfe for vs not only to redeeme vs from all iniquity but also to purge vs c. Tit. 2. 14. and that he might sanctifie and clense vs c. Ephes 5. 26. The wicked also though elected are in the power of Satan as afterward we shall heare and to be accounted of the world But by faith we ouercome the world 1. Ioh. 5. 4. and the Diuell himselfe Ephes 6. 16. 1. Pet. 5. 9. The reprobat neither haue faith neither can haue it as for the reasons before vsed touching the wicked generally so also because the decree of God touching their reprobation is aswell vnreapealeable and vnchangeable as the decree of God touching election and those reasons which make also for the certainty and perpetuity of the elect make also for the most part as strongly for the immutability of Gods decree touching reprobation That which hath beene sayd of the wicked that are elected viz. before their calling and of the reprobat to bee without faith may much more be sayd of the diuels But for as much as neither reprobat men nor the Diuels can beleeue because Gods decree concerning their reprobation is vnchangeable therfore here may a question be moued whether infidelity and vnbeleefe bee a sinne or no. For sith they cannot be saued what sinne is it in them not to beleeue in him by whom saluation is purchased Nay rather it may seem to be sinne to beleeue that that is vntrue I answer to the latter first that concerning the diuels not to beleeue in Christ with application to themselues is no sinne in Note them because as Christ came not to saue any of them neither tooke their nature vpon him so there is no commandement for them to beleeue in him as their Sauiour Notwithstanding God hauing giuen his sonne for the redemption of all elect men therefore the diuels not beleeuing this or perswading any of the elect not to it do therein greatly sinne and so they shall certainly aggrauat their condemnation This then is breefely the solution of this question touching the Diuels that they sinne not in not beleeuing in Christ for themselues but that they sinne greatly in not beleeuing that Christ came to saue elect men and in perswading any of them not to beleeue it Touching reprobate men though Christ came not to saue them neither did so much as pray for them Ioh. 17 9. yet because Gods decree in this behalfe is not particularly knowen vnto them but God generally propoundeth his promises not particulary telling any by his externall word whose names are written in the booke of life whose are not but only reuealingthis by the worke of his spirit in calling them that are chosen therefore the scripture pronounceth generally of all men that doe not beleeue that they are condemned already Iohn 3. 18. Who then are they that doe or shall beleeue Only the elect For therefore it is not onely said that All men haue not faith 2. Thes 3. 2. but also that faith is the faith of Gods elect Tit. 1. 1. and that as many as were ordained to life beleeued Acts 13 48. And that if the Gospell be hid it is hid to them that are lost 2. Cor. 4. 3. If al had faith all should be saued for by faith we are saued Ephes 2. 8. and The iust shall liue by his faith Heb. 3. 4. The faith of Gods elect is called most holy Iude 20. and most pretious yea more pretious then gold that is tried in the fire because though gold be tried yet it perisheth 1. Pet. 1. 7. But they that trust in the Lord are like to mount Zion that standeth fast Note for euer c. Psalm 125. 1. All the elect that haue faith haue not the like measure of faith because God that giueth it giueth it as pleaseth him Ephes 1. 9. and 4. 7. and because all haue not the like meanes neither the like time c but where it is left euen as a grayne of mustard seede viz. not onely for quantity but also for quality quicknesse life and efficacy there it is most holy and pretious because to such as haue such faith nothing making to Gods glory and their saluation is impossible yea all such things are possible Mat. 17. 20. and 21. 21. and Mark 9. 23. If any obiect the former places to be vnderstood of that kind of faith whereby men wrought miracles and which was but for a time I answer that although our Sauiour doe indeed deliuer those speeches by occasion of some miracles which he had then wrought yet they are also more generally to be vnderstood euen of a iustifying and sauing faith as touching the obiect thereof I meane as touching matters that appertaine to saluation Otherwise that faith whereby a man is to saue his owne soule should be inferior to that and of lesse force then that whereby he is to saue or in those daies was to saue other by such working of miracles were not this absurd in diuinity Thus much shall suffice to haue spoken of faith in this place either as a speciall and internall cause of our regeneration and new birth to be the children of God by incorporating vs in to the onely naturall and first begotten sonne of God or at least as the first step and degree to our said regeneration More perhaps vpon other occasion shall be spoken of this faith afterward In the meane time the more excellent that we haue heard it to be and the more proper to the children of God the more excellent also we must needs acknowledge the state of the children of God to bee in respect thereof The next point to be considered is the matter it selfe wherin chiefly the regeneration of the children of God doth consist This is first of all their communion with Christ For Christ alone being the onely naturall and proper sonne of God as hath been said no other can be the children of God as now we speake but only by communion with him and incorporation into him whereby they may be spiritually flesh of his flesh bone of his bone and members of that body whereof himselfe alone is the head So many as haue this communion with Christ so many may truly bee called the beloued children of God Therefore they that are so regenerated are said to be begotten againe in Christ Iesus 1. Cor. 4. 15. to bee new creatures in Christ 2.
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
made knowen by the Church the manifold wisdome of God Ephes 3. 9. 10. By this place we plainly see that the Angels haue the benefit of more knowledge then before they had Of the fellowship of the foresaid mysterie and that by the Church What is the Church but the companie of Gods children This is the more manifest by that that there is said of that mysterie to haue beene before hidden in God himselfe and not so to haue beene opened to the sonnes of men in other ages as now it is vers 5. and to haue beene kept secret since the world began Rom. 16. 25. For doe not these phrases intimate that the said mysterie had beene hidden so in God himselfe from the beginning of the world that the very Angels themselues did not fully vnderstand it till it was made knowen by the Church The same is to bee thought of many mysteries contained in the Reuelation because it is said of the booke in the right hand of him that sate vpon the throne written within and on the backe side sealed with many seales whereby the Chapters in the Reuelation following seeme especially to be vnderstood because I say it is said of that booke that none in heauen nor in earth nor vnder the earth was able to open the booke or to looke thereon but only the Lion of the tribe of Iuda that is Christ Iesus Reu. 5. 2. This Lion of the tribe of Iuda doth not only vnderstand the same booke himselfe but also by his spirit maketh it knowen to the Church by whom also the Angels attending thereupon in all assemblies thereof seeme likewise to come to know it and not by any immediate reuelation thereof vnto them in heauen neither as some doe weakly imagine by contemplation of God himselfe in whom all things past present and to come are as it were ingrauen For so they should know the secrets of mens hearts and the day of iudgement which none knowes but God himselfe For are not all those things ingrauen in God as well as others I grant the Angels to know much more of their owne nature and of the nature of God himselfe then the Church knoweth yea then perhaps is reuealed in the written word yet this letteth not but that the Angels may bee ignorant of the meaning of some things contained in the word concerning Gods pleasure towards the Church till the same by the spirit of Christ be reuealed to the Church I will not so inlarge this point in this place as Isee it handled in some late printed bookes but I will content my selfe with this thus generally spoken thereof Another benefit of the Angels by the children of God is that they haue great iov of their conuersion and repentance This our Sauiour teacheth plainly by a double parable Luk. 15. 3. c. one of the lost sheepe the other of the lost groat for the finding whereof there was great ioy the application of bâ—th which parables is thus made by our Sauiour hin selfe I say vnto you that likewise ioy shall bee in heauen ouer one sinner that repenteth c. and againe I say vnto you there is ioy in the presence of the Angels of God for one sinner that conuerteth 7. and 10. And indeed there is a great reason of this their ioy for doe men reicice in earth for the birth of a sinner and shall not the Angels in heauen reioice for the regeneration of a christian Doe men reioice for the birth of one of Gods enemies and shall not the Angels reioice for the birth of one of Gods children Doe the true subjects of an earthly prince reioice and declare their ioy by some testimony at the birth of a child to such an earthly Prince how much more should the Angels in heauen Gods perfectest subjects reioice at the birth of a child to God himselfe the king of heauen and earth euen of one that shall it selfe be and is as soone as it is borne not only a Priest but also a king as before we heard Is there ioy in earth for the birth of one that shall die againe and perhaps a miserable death how then should the Angels not reioice in the birth of one that shall neuer die more but shall liue for euer a life of grace here till the time of translation from hence do come and then a life of glory with themselves yea with Christ Iesus Did the Angels reioice when Christ was borne a man vpon earth and shall they not reioice when men are borne partaker of the diuine nature from heauen and for heauen yea wherefore did the Angels so reioice at the birth of Christ was it not because by his birth in the world many should afterward be borne vnto God As soone as euer Christ had taken the book before spoken of out of the hands of his Father to open the same to the Church how did the Angels reioice and sing for ioy as wel as the 24. Elders Reu. 5. 8. 9. Did they so reioice at the taking of the book to be opened to the Church how much more cause haue they to reioice and sing when by the opening of mysteries in the same book contained men shall be enlightned with true sauing knowledge of God and of his Sonne Iesus Christ and be also new borne children vnto God As the Angels doe thus reioice in the first regeneration of the children of God that is when men first begin to be the children of God so it is not to be doubted but that their ioy is increased as such graces are increased in men whereby they are the more declared both to men and Angels to be so regenerated and new borne vnto God I might amplifie this point much more but hauing been large in other things it shall be sufficient thus briefly to haue spoken of this matter So we see what great benefits both men and other creatures the inferior creatures of this inferior world and the superior creatures euen the blessed Angels in heauen haue by the children of God Is not this therefore a great increase of their dignity Is it not an high commendation of their state and condition That the wicked are hurtfull to all and beneficiall to none doth make their estate the more base and vile abiect and contemptible Therefore that the children of God are hurtfull to none and so beneficiall and helpfull to many it must needs make their condition more honorable and noble CHAP. XXIX Of diuers similitudes and comparisons setting foorth the dignity of Gods children TO omit diuers other arguments whereby the dignity of Gods children might bee furthered enlarged and illustrated let vs now come to certaine comparisons Herein I will a little transgresse the order of Logicians as I haue not hitherto been curious therein and therefore I will begin with some similitudes whereby the holy ghost in respect of some things before handled doth set forth the excellency of the children of God From these similitudes I will
fift rib that hee shed his bowels to the ground 2. Sam. 20. 10. and as Iudas with his lippes saluted our Sauiour saying Haile Master and kissed him and yet at the same instant betraied him to the Iewes Mat. 26. 49. We must not I say thinke that the Apostles had much loue in their mouthes and none in their hearts as many now haue but that their tongues spake and their pennes did write from the abundance of loue in their hearts The more also we exhort other to loue the more must we our selues shew our loue towards them and vse such words and phrases as may be most sutable to such exhortations for the better enforcing of them But these things being common and not so proper to this present theame of the dignity of Gods children it shall be sufficient thus only to haue touched them To returne to the matter as before the Apostle had answered the former obiection touching the small account the world maketh of the children of God by their like account of God himselfe yea by their ignorance of God so now he doth further answer it by their like ignorance of the future state of the children of God As these two things are the cause why the sonnes of great men in the world in strange countries meete often times with much hard measure being perhaps disgraced â—ailed on set in the stockes and such like viz First because the parents of such great men are not knowen Secondly because it is not known what inheritances themselues shall haue nor what manner of men of how great authority and power they shall be for if they amongst whom they are strangers knew these things they would offer no indignity vnto them but would rather honor them according to their parents and according to that state that themselues should afterward be of so is it with the children of God They are the more disgraced contemned and euery way most vnworthily dealt with in the world and by the world as first because the world knoweth not God himselfe their Father as hath been shewed so secondly because they know not neither see what the children of God shall bee afterward viz. how great how honourable and how excellent with God and with his holy Angels If they did see this doubtlesse as our Sauiour saith that if the great workes that were done in Chorazin and Bethsaida had beene done in Tyrus and Sidon they had repented long agone in sackcloth and ashes Mat 12. 21. so may I say that the world would more regard the children of God then they doe Now touching this answer let vs vnderstand that the Apostle speaketh not of that state that the children of God shall haue in this life but of that which they shall haue in the life to come as appeareth by the amplification thereof in the words following from the contrary in the children of God amplified by the circumstance of time viz. at the appearing of Iesus Christ The meaning therefore is Deerely beloued now that is in this life and whiles wee are heere in this world it doth not appeare what we shall be that is in the world to come when hee shall appeare that is when God himselfe in the second person inuested with the manhood shall come in the glorie of his father to iudge the quicke and the dead True indeed sometime the children of God are the lesse regarded and the more hardly dealt withall by the world yea sometimes by them that are not of the world because it doth not appeare vnto the world and to some other not of the world what the children of God shall bee euen in this world and in this life For if it had indeed appeared to the Egyptians what the Israelites should haue beene would they haue dealt so hardly with them If Saul and his Courtiers had fully knowen that Dauid should haue beene king notwithstanding all that they could haue done to hinder him would they so haue persecuted him If the accusers of Shadrach Meshach and Abednegâ— as also of Daniel had indeed knowen how the Lord would haue deliuered the first three from the fire and Daniel from the Lions denne would they haue pursued them so eagerly as they did The like may be said of Hamans malice against Mordecai and for Mordecaies sake against all the Iewes and of diuers other So also if the brethren of Ioseph had certainly knowen that his dreames had beene diuine touching his aduancement and that he should haue beene so great a man as afterward he was would they haue done vnto him as they did Yea the like may be said of our late most noble and blessed Queene For if in Queene Maries time it had appeared indeed and beene cleerely manâ—fest that she should haue beene Queene afterward would diuers haue abused her as they did I might proceed further but I leaue that to the consideration of the wise and Christian Reader By these things wee see it euident that sometimes it doth not appeare vnto other what the children of God shall bee euen in this world and in this life and that therefore they receiue the harder measure from those other from whom their future state in this life is so hidden Notwithstanding the opposition following of Gods childrens knowledge of their similitude and likenesse vnto Christ at his appearing and last comming to iudgement doth manifestly shew that the Apostle doth not heere speake of their condition to come in this life which is for the most part but of a few but of that which shall be in the world to come which is a thing common to all the children of God whatsoeuer To proceed further when hee saith it doth not appeare hee meaneth not to the children of God themselues but to the world and to the men of the world This is also manifest by the opposition following spoken in the first person and in the person of Gods children But we know c. These things being thus opened let vs now see the reasons why it appeareth not vnto the world and why the world seeth not what the children of God shall be viz. how worthy how honourable how excellent and how glorious in the world to come These reasons are many but I will briefly and plainly lay them downe The first is this because there is the same substance by creation Reasons why it doth not appeare what the children of God shall bee of the godly that there is of the wicked Howsoeuer by regeneration there is a change made and an alteration in qualities both inward and outward yet still they remaine men as before they did and that not touching their bodies only but also touching their soules Some indeed haue dreamed that the very essence and substance of the soule in regeneration is taken away and that a new soule is created in stead thereof But this is a most grosse errour for so that soule that had at the first sinned should not be glorified and so the heretikes that