vpon him that he though he were God and man was in such an agony that his sweat was like drops of bloud yet doe all men remaining in their naturall state and not being born againe go vnder their own inherent sinnes originall and actuall how long so euer they haue continued in them and howsoeuer they haue multiplied and aggrauated them they goe vnder them I say as lightly without any sense or feeling of the waight and burden of them as though indeed they had none at all Is not this an euident argument of extreme deadnesse For what do they that are once dead feele whatsoeuer is laid vpon them To speake all in a word and not to stand any longer vpon particulars the Apostle from other scriptures doth not only say that we are dead vnto all goodnesse but also that in euery part member of our whole man we are aliue vnto all euill For thus he describeth the naturall state of all men There is none righteous no not one There is none that doth vnderstand there is none that seeketh God They haue all gone out of the way they haue been made altogether vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one their throat is an open sepulchre they haue vsed their tongues to deceit the poison of Aspes is vnder their lips Their mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse Their feet are swift to shed bloud c. Rom. 3. 10. By these things we see that though naturall men do liue yet as it is said of the widdow that liueth in pleasures that she is dead whiles she liueth 1. Tim. 5. 6. so it may be said of all naturall men liuing in the pleasures of sinne that they are dead whiles they so liue This our liuing vnto sinne and in sinne being dead to all goodnesse may in some sort be called a spirituall life not as spirituall is opposed to carnall but in two other respects first because it is from that vncleane spirit Mark 1. 23. 7. 25. 26 who is not only the father of lies Ioh. 8. 44. but also of all other euill secondly because all the workes of a sinfull life are performed to the same vncleane spirit Therefore the Apostle saith not only that we are naturally dead in trespasses but also that wee walked in them after the Prince that ruleth in the aire that is according to his commaundement and prescription Ephes 2. 2 Our Sauiour also saith that such sinnes are the workes and lusts of the diuell Ioh. 8. 41. 44. And as Idolaters are said to sacrifice to diuels 1. Cor. 10. 20. so all wicked men may be said to do all that they doe vnto diuels Thus we see in part the miserable and wofull state of all naturall men For what is more fearefull then death when Saul did but heare only by the father of lyes in the likenesse of Samuel and therefore the rather speaking the truth that he might the more confirme Saul in his error touching the raising of Samuel when I say Saul did but heare that the next day hee should be deliuered into the hands of the Philistines and bee slaine how did it affect him How did it strike him with feare verily so that he fell straightway all along vpon the earth and there was no strength in him yea so that neither the woman the witch that had raised vp the diuell in the likenesse of Samuel nor any of his own seruants with him could scarce fasten any comfort vpon him 1. Sam. 28. 20. c. If the very tidings of this naturall death be so fearefull how much more fearefull is that spirituall death before spoken of Hauing thus in part shewed our naturall misery by these things spoken of our spirituall deadnesse let vs now see the change that is made in vs by our incorporation into Christ in our adoption and regeneration Let vs therefore vnderstand that in our said regeneration and new birth by Iesus Christ we are deliuered from that our foresaid miserable state As before we did beare the image of the earthly man so now we beare the image of him that is from heauen heauenly that is of the Lord Christ As Christ in his diuine essence is the brightnesse of the glory of the father and the ingraued forme of his person Heb. 1. 3. so we in quality being made partaker of the diuine nature and being in Christ made new creatures and being also the workmanship of God in Christ Iesus created vnto good workes that wee should walke in them as hath been before shewed by seuerall scriptures we are by this meanes made like to Christ Iesus and consequently also to God himselfe As therefore the Apostle saith that naturally we are dead in sinnes and trespasses so hee saith in the same place that God which is rich in mercy through his great loue wherewith he loued vs euen when we were so dead by sinnes or in sinnes hath quickned vs or made vs aliue in Christ Ephe. 2. 4. 5. Where let it be obserued that the word quickned is only expressed originally in that Note fift verse and that although it be interposed by translators in the first verse for perspicuities sake as they thought yet it is rather there to be omitted and that that first verse is rather to be read with the last verse of the first chapter of Christs filling all things in all things or with all things that is with all gifts fit for euery one so that the verb filled is rather to be vnderstood in the first verse then the verb quickned and that first verse to be vnderstood as an amplification of the generall handled in the end of the former Chapter by the particular instance of the Ephesians as if he should haue said As Christ hath generally filled all things giuen vnto him by the father with all gifts fit for them so particularly he hath filled you that were by nature dead in your trespasses and sinnes and so he describeth by that occasion their naturall state vers 1. 2. 3. and then he describeth our new and spirituall state in the 4. and 5. verses by Iesus Christ But to leaue this place and to returne to the former point of Christs freeing vs from spirituall death and quickning vs and making vs aliue againe Paul saith further that Christ hath abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospell 2. Tim. 1. 10. which Gospell is therefore called the word of life Ioh. 6. 68. Philip. 2. 16. Our Sauiour likewise saith Verely verely I say vnto you the houre shall come and now is when the dead shall heare the voice of the sonne of God and they that heare it shall liue For as the father hath life in himselfe so likewise hath he giuen to the sonne to haue life in himselfe Ioh. 5. 25. 26. viz. to bestow life vpon all that the father hath giuen vnto him Ioh. 10. 28. 29. Euery where saith Paul againe we beare about in our bodies the
dying of our Lord Iesus that is euery where we doe in a manner die daily for Iesus his sake 1. Cor. 15. 38. But wherefore That the life of Iesus might also be made manifest in our bodies 2. Cor. 4. 10. But what meaneth he by making manifest the life of Iesus in our bodies Nothing but this that by their constant patient and cheerfull sufferings of so many things as it were so many deaths for Christs sake all men might the better see how Christ had quickned them and what great measure of spirituall life he had wrought in them So the Apostle telleth the Romanes that they were dead to sinne but aliue to God in Iesus Christ our Lord. Rom. 6. 11. Of himselfe he saith I am crucified with Christ but I liue yet not I any more but Christ liueth in me and in that that now I liue in the flesh that is in this fraile and mortall condition as the word flesh is taken Heb. 5. 7. I liue by faith in the sonne of God c Gal. 2. 20. Many other the like places to the same purpose I doe willingly for beare that I may not be too tedious By these we doe sufficiently see that being borne anew vnto God in Christ we are not still-borne as men vse to speake of children dead before birth but that we haue a spirituall life in him and by him Yet let vs vnderstand this by the way that our spirituall life by Christ Iesus is not altogether the Note same that our former spirituall death was by Adam and by our sinnes traduced from Adam For as we haue heard we were perfectly dead not halfe dead in our sinnes by Adam euen so dead that wee were altogether void of the life of God and without any remnants of the former image of God in vs. But our life renewed by Iesus Christ is not in this world perfect and without some remnant of the old Adam in vs. Therefore we are willed euery day to put off the old man Ephes 4. 2. and that we cast away all filthinesse and superfluity of malitiousnesse I am 1. 21. 1. Pet. 2. 1. as also that we put on Christ Rom. 13. 14. and the new man which after God or according to God is created vnto righteousnesse in true holinesse Ephes 4. 24. c. No man therfore hath so put off or cast off the old man but that there be still some ragges and patches remaining of him No man hath so put on the new man but that he may put him on somewhat more As no man putteth on all his apparell at once but first one thing then another so is it with putting on of Christ Iesus All our life here is but as it were the morning of the life to come to dresse vs for our mariage vnto Christ as Paul saith that he had prepared the Corinthians that is he had laboured to dresse them for one husband and to present them a pure virgin vnto Christ 2. Cor. 11. 2. Notwithstanding that which remaineth of the old man is but as I said peeces and patches For there is such a rent made in him by Christ that all remaining is but as ragges torne one from another and not sowen together and therefore such as in the end will be the more easily shaken off Though all our former sinnes doe remaine in substance in vs yet Christ hath so taken away their life from them that they are but as wounds in a dead body As Christ in his resurrection Note had some scarres remaining in his body of the wounds which he had receiued before his death and that the better to assure weake and vnbeleeuing Thomas and all other therein like to Thomas that he was the same that had been before put to death so in our regeneration to be the children of God whereby we are buried with Christ vnto his death Rom. 6. 4. Colos 2. 12. and raised vp likewise with him by his resurrection to newnesse of life Coloss 3. 1. there remaine some scarres of our old man and of those things whereby and wherein before we were dead to put vs the better in mind what we were by nature before Christ quickned vs and restored vs to life The said sinnes also so remaining touching their bodies as it were are so without life by Christs quickning of vs that they are but as dead carcases to shew what a mighty victory Christ hath gotten in vs. Furthermore the most that can be said of the sinnes remaining in the regenerated is this that being wounded to death they are mortified as quicksiluer is mortified in oyntments For as the quicksiluer in the bodily substance of it remaineth but is killed touching the life and all hurtfull power that before it had and so is made soueraigne to some healthfull vses by mixture of other things with it which also may be said of the conuerting of any other things of a venemous nature in themselues to be antidots and preseruatiues against poison by art and mixture of other things with them so the sinnes of the regenerate remaining touching their carcases are spoiled of their life and of all hurtfull power before in them and being mixt as it were with the grace of God infused in vs and communicated vnto vs by Christ in some respects partly before and partly afterward to be more spoken of are turned to our good Finally touching the life of our sinnes remaining in vs after regeneration it is no other then the life that remaineth in the body of a serpent the head whereof is crushed in pieces For though the body of such a serpent may perhaps moue a little yet it is but for a time and it can doe no harme at all This spirituall life thus hitherto spoken of is to be discerned by our spirituall breathing and by other spirituall effects thereof As the naturall life is to be discerned by naturall breathing and by other naturall effects sutable thereunto so is our spirituall life by spirituall breathing and by other spirituall effects By spirituall breathing I meane spirituall thoughts and meditations of the mind and the like motions and affections of the heart If therefore whereas naturally our minds are set altogether vpon earthly things there shall be such a change wrought in vs that they shall be as much set vpon the things that are aboue where Christ Iesus sitteth at the right hand of God Coloss 3. 1. as before they were set vpon the things here below and if we shall couet and desire and euery way affect heauenly things as much as euer we haue done earthly then shall we haue good testimony to our selues that we are borne from aboue and are the children of him that is the father of lights and of euery good and perfect gift whereas before also we loathed the Manna that came down from heauen as much as the people of Israel euen loathed that Manna that God gaue them in the wildernesse for feeding of their bodies we shall
immediately make our soules how then câ—me we stained with originall sinne it may receiue a double answer First that they come by sinne at their entrance into the body as in old time men might get the leprosie by entring into an house only infected with the leprosie and as men may now get the plague by going to the house lately visited therewith though no man dwell in the said house as also by putting on a garment comming from one that had the plague For the body is an house or garment of the soule comming from our polluted and defiled parents Secondly touching the said great obiection it is altogether curious to inquire of the manner when the thing is manifest For a man may as well inquire of Note them that were raised from death to life by the Prophets and by our Sauiour and his Apostles especially of the faithfull so raised Lazarus Dorcas c. how after their said restoring to life againe they became sinners againe and so subiect to death againe For being dead and their soules and bodies in death separated it cannot be denied but that during that time they were free from sinne both in body and in soule If therefore this bee a curious question how they became againe defâ—led with sinne and to need to pray for forgiuenesse of their trespasses then also is the former For there is the like reason of the one and of the other To returne to our former speech of adoption although God haue such a Sonne of his owne in whom he is well pleased yea many other sonnes likewise by creation keeping still that glorious image wherein they were created viz. al the blessed Angels yet because Adam had transgressed and that through his fal he had no children amongst the sons of men therefore it pleased him also to adopt vs vnto himselfe This then is one difference betwixt the adoption of God and the adoption of men that men only adopt children when they haue none of their owne but God adopteth vs though he haue one of his owne by nature and many by creation like vnto himselfe Another difference is that when men doe adopt there is Note not neither can be any second generation of him that is adopted whereby to make him like to him that doth adopt him being before vnlike vnto him For to make one like to another passeth the worke of any man But in our adoption to God there is not onely an acceptation of vs for his children but there is also an actuall regeneration and second birth wrought in vs by Gods spirit therefore called the spirit of adoption whereby we are made like to our Father that doth adopt vs. Secondly men hauing no children of their owne cannot adopt other in any or by any but God hauing a Sonne of his owne as we said doth in him and by him and through him as it were by marying of vs vnto him and incorporating vs into him adopt vs for his children Moreouer touching adoption the whole number of children adopted to God considered iointly together are accounted as one viz. as a daughter so made by marriage to the only Sonne of God Psal 45. 10. Hos 2. 9. in which respect the whole Catholike Church comprehending all the elect and children of God and no other is often called by the name of a Spouse and of one spouse vnto Christ Cantic 4. 8. 9. 10. and 5. 1. Iohn 3. 29. Reu 21. 2. and 9. and as of one wife Ierem. 3. 1. c. and the Church is said to be but one euen one alone and the only daughter of her mother Cantic 6. 8. and one body in Christ Rom. 12. 5. 1. Cor. 12. 12. Ephes 4. 4. But the children of God being seuerally considered according to the seuerall sex of euery one they are called the sonnes and daughters of God as before we heard Thus much of the eighth particular word in this text In the last place the Apostle doth rather repeat the name of 〈◊〉 God God then vse the relatiue his saying that we should be called the children of God rather then his children the more to keepe them to whom he wrote in a serious consideration of this their dignity whereof he speaketh and to make them the more to lift vp their eies and their minds and whole hearts to him whose children they are Thus much as breefly as I well could for the consideration of the particular words of this exhortation to the beholding of the great loue of God in making vs his children CHAP. IIII. Of the dignity of Gods children from the excellency of God himselfe who is their Father the rather because it is further prooued by the difficulty and greatnesse of the worke of regeneration that the sayd worke is altogether and only the worke of God NOW according to my method and order first propounded to my selfe I will more amply lay forth the mayne point of the dignity of Gods childreÌ„ viz. How great how admirable how incomprehensible this loue of God is in making declaring vs to be the childreÌ„ of God in such fort as hath been before touched For it cannot be but of very great excellency sith the Apostle hath made such a graue exhortatioÌ„ to the beholding thereof cuery word wherof is so emphatical significant as we haue heard And indeed so excelleÌ„t is it that as M. Rogers saith Chap. 3. of his sixt treatise so I may also say that when I haue said what I can of their state I must confesse that I haue said but a little NOtwithstanding I hope that this little shall be somwhat for the helping of them that considered not so much before and for the prouoking like wise of other to enter into further meditation of this argument and perhaps to write more largely there of then I haue done or could do For it is well worthy of the best meditation and largest writing that may be for the better comfort of such weake ones as whose hearts are almost broken with the manifold indiguities that dayly they meete with in the world and for the prouoking of all aduanced thereunto to more thankful â—es to him that hath so aduanced them and to make such other vses as after the point it selfe more largely handled shall be breefely noted To come therefore to the matter touching this dignity of the children of God let vs first of all consider the same by the excellency of him whose children they are hâ—â—e sayd to bee For he is described to be high and excellent to inhabite the eternity to be called by the name of The holy one and to dwelin the high and holy place Isai 57. 15. He is called The God of Gods and Lord of Lords A great God mighty and terrible Deut. 10. 17. Hensâ—d to haue 〈◊〉 his hands the deep places of the earth the height of the mountains the sea c. Psalm 95. 5. and to haue greatnesse and power and glâ—ry and victory
Cor. 5. 17. Galat. 6. 5. and to be created in Christ Iesus Ephes 2. 10. and 4. 24. So farforth therefore as we are in Christ we are the children of God And so many as are not thus incorporated into Christ are not in truth neither ought to be called the children of God Such perhaps may be so accounted by other yea peraduenture they may so account themselues But as those that are begotten in adultery by an adulterer may be reputed the children of the lawfull husband to the adulteresse and yet are indeed bastards and for the most part may be discerned so to be by their bastardly conditions so is it with them that liuing in the Church of God doe professe them selues to be the children of God and be so reputed by other and yet haue no communion with Christ Though they be reputed to be the children of God yet they are no better then bastards and bastards they bewray themselues to be by their bastardly minds and conuersation Although therefore in one respect we reckoned Christ before amongst the efficient causes of our regeneration and that therfore in respect of his excellēcy our regeneration also is to be accounted the more excellent yet in another respect he may also be accounted the materiall cause of our regeneration euen as naturall parents are both the efficient causes of our naturall birth and doe likewise communicate the matter of their bodies vnto ours And so the more excellent that before we heard Christ to be the more we may againe conclude the dignity of Gods children to be by his being the chiefe materiall cause as well as the efficient cause of their regeneration For as that that is made of siluer or gold or any other such like pretious matter is it selfe more pretious then other things made of brasse tinne lead yron Copper or any other such vile and base matter the quantity of things being alike otherwise a great vessell of copper may be better then a very small cup of siluer so the more excellent that Christ himselfe is who is the chiefe matter of Gods children and of whom they be called Christians as that that is made of gold is called golden and the children of God the more excellent needs must be their state and condition CHAP. IX More largely shewing other things concerning the matter of regeneration especially the renewing of the life of God in vs all that are new borne which before were vtterly void of the said life BVT leauing that point till afterward let vs in the next place looke into the excellent gifts and graces which by the former incorporation into Christ the children of God doe receiue and in respect whereof we are said to be partaker of the diuine nature and the which likewise may be esteemed as parts as it were of that matter whereof they do consist These things let vs consider by opposition of that vnto them that men are since the fall of Adam as naturally descending from Adam and being as it were boughs and branches of him In Adam and by Adam since his fall all men Christ himselfe onely excepted haue vtterly lost that excellent and glorious image wherein Adam and Eue at the first were both created Genes 1. 26. 27. This losse of that excellent and glorious image is described by this phrase of dying the death Genes 2. 17. This death was not a naturall death but it was a spirituall death It was not the separation of the soule and the body but it was the separation of God and man as touching that gratious familiarity which before had beene betwixt them As the soule is the life of the body so is God the spirituall life of the whole man For man is not said to be aliue vnto God any longer then he is in grace and fauour with God so that to die the death in that place was to be vtterly depriued of the inherent grace and fauour of God which before they were created in From that time therefore that our first parents had eaten of the forbidden fruit and thereby had defaced the image of God in them they were drowned ouer head and eares in all sinne and so now also in the state of condemnation and were no more able of themselues to haue gotten out of the same then a man drowned and dead in the bottom of a great riuer or pond is able of himselfe to get out And this is that dying the death before spoken of euen a spirituall death ten thousand times worse then any naturall death I meane then any separation of the soule and body though the same be by neuer so violent meanes For it is the beginning and first step vnto that euerlasting death of body and soule whereof afterward we shall speake more at large and from the which neither wee could haue freed our selues neither could any other creatures or all creatures if God himselfe had not sent his owne sonne as before hath been shewed And that spirituall life which is contrary to the said death and which is also the first effect of Christ in vs after that once wee are ingrafted and incorporated into him is the next point of the matter of our regeneration and being the children of God That we may the better see what this life of God is in vs let vs first more largely consider what the former death is and how all men are by nature wholly possessed thereof That therefore which the Apostle saith of the Ephesians is to be vnderstood of all men by nature viz. that they are dead in sinnes and trespasses Ephes 2. 1. without God and without Christ in the world verse 12. as not beleeuing in God or Christ and therefore being condemned already as before we heard our Sauiour to say Ioh. 3. 18. and the rather were they so indeed dead in their sinnes because they were the children of him that had the power of death that is of the diuell Heb. 2. 14. compared with Ioh. 8. 44. For Sathan hauing once put out the light and the life of God in Adam whereby he was the child of God like vnto God did make him a sonne to himselfe so that as before hee did beare the image of God so for euer afterward hee and all his Christ onely excepted did beare the image of the diuell in which respect it is saide generally that hee that committeth sinne is of the diuell 1. Iohn 3. 8. Thus we see that our naturall state is not as the Papists plead it to be by allegorizing vpon him that our Sauiour saith did fall into the hands of theeues and was by them wounded and left halfe dead Luk 10. 30. but farre worse not halfe miserable but altogether miserable not wounded and yet aliue though halfe dead but so wounded that we are altogether dead We haue a vegetatiue and an animall life as all liuing and brutish creatures haue we haue a reasonable life to talke and reason and discourse and determine and conclude of
common saying that the law resteth in pectore Iudicis in the Iudges breast and so one thing is law one yeere and the cleane contrary is lawe another But the word of God being no more variable in sense then in words but alwaies is constant as God himselfe is alwaies the same is so much the more excellent Therefore also the dignity of the children of God that haue this word for their constant rule both of their faith and of their manners is so much the greater For if once they haue the true sense of any part of the word they haue it for euer I might heere speake of a third perpetuity besides the former two of the letter and of the sense viz. touching the efficacy thereof in whomsoeuer it taketh roote downward to bring foorth fruit vpward For in such it neuer dieth but abideth to the eternall life of them in whom it is so effectual and powerfull For such are said to fulfill the word of God and to abide for euer 1. Ioh. 2. 17. Their soules in death it selfe liue with God in heauen and though their bodies consume for a time yet they perish not but shall be raised vp againe at the last day and be made like vnto the glorious body of Christ as afterward we shall heare Phil 3. 21. and so God continueth their God as well in death as in life in which respect it is said that God is not the God of the dead but of the liuing Marke 12. 27. But because by many occasions in many places of this treatise I fall into mention of this point therefore heere it shall be enough thus only to haue named it Thus much for the perpetuity of Gods word and so also for the first thing touching the word in this place viz. as it is a rule of faith and manners Now followeth the second consideration of the word in this place namely as it is a part of the armor of God whereby we are to defend our selues against the enemies of our saluation Touching this it is called the sword of the Spirit Ephes 6. 17. yea we are to obserue that in that place it hath not onely a single place but a double in the christiā armor there prescribed For the Apostle doth not only generally bid them to take the sword of the spirit which is the word of God but also more particularly he doth will them in verse 15. that their feete should bee shod with the preparation of the gospell of peace Neither is the word of God one part or two parts onely of the spiritual armor wherby we are to defend our selues against our spiritual enemies but also in a manner our whole christiā armor or at least the armory and storehouse out of which all the other parts of Christiā armor are to be had yea the principall meanes also whereby they are to bee obtained For from whence or by what means are we to haue the girdle of truth the brest-plate of righteousnes the shoes of the gospel of peace the shield of faith the helmet of saluation from whence I say or by what meanes are we to haue all these but frō by the word of God Therfore it seemeth that the Apostle did of special purpose set Note that in the last place as the meanes fountaine of all the rest By the word as there the Apostle calleth it the sword of the spirit we are to vnderstand all sentēces of Scripture touching doctrine all commandements of God negatiue against euill affirmatiue for that which is good all promises of blessings and all threatnings of iudgements and all examples both of such sinnes as are forbidden with the execution of Gods iudgements vpon such as haue committed them and also of all vertues with the performance of Gods promises vnto thē We are also further to obserue that the word is called the sword of the spirit not only because the word was first giuen by inspiration of God 2. Tim. 3. 16. and holy men spake as they were moued by the holy ghost 2. Pet. 1. 21. and the Prophets searched when and at what time the fore-witnessing spirit of Christ in them should declare the things that are now shewed c. 1. Pet. 1. 11. but also because we know not how to vse this sword but by direction of the spirit neither hath this sword any sharpnes for defence of our selues and wounding of our aduersaries except it bee accompanied and as it were edged by the spirit This sword was so vsed by Steuen against his aduersaries that they were not able to resist the wisedome and the spirit by the which he spake Acts 6. 10. By this sword Peter defended himselfe and other that spake strange tongues against them that maliciously said They were full of new wine Acts 2. 14. 15. c. By this sword Apollo mightily confuted the Iewes publikely shewing by the Scriptures that Iesus was the Christ Acts 18. 28. By this sword Iesus Christ himselfe defended himselfe against the diuell himselfe and at last put him to flight repelling all his assaults with this weapon It is written Man shall not liue by bread onely c. It is written Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God c. It is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue Mat. 4. 4. c. Christ could haue repelled Satan by his secret power but he did it rather by his Note word to commend his word in like cases against all his assaults He could haue put him to flight without any answer at the first but he suffered him to assault him diuers waies and answered all by It is written to teach vs likewise by the same weapon to defend our selues not against some but against all tentations This then is the priuiledge of all the children of God that though they haue many and mighty aduersaries yet they haue alwaies armour sufficient sufficiently to defend themselues against them all If at any time they receiue any hurt it is either because they draw not forth this sword of the Spirit or because they doe not rightly vse it Neither is this word only a sword to defend them but also a salue to cure them if by neglect thereof at any time or by not vsing it rightly they receiue any wound What was the cause of the death I meane of the spirituall death of our first parents Adam and Eue Because they drew not out the sword of Gods word against the Serpent as they should haue done Whereby were they cured and restored to life againe By the voice of God calling and as it were crying after them when they fled hid themselues from him What was the cause of the grieuous wound that Peter receiued in the high Priests hall a thousand times greater then that which before he had giuen to the high Priests seruant in cutting off his eare was it not because he had forgotten the former word of Christ admonishing him
thereof verily it was and therefore the remembrance of it afterward was that whereby he was healed of that wound Mat. 26. 75. What was the cause why the angell of the Church of Sardi was so wounded that though he had a name to be aliue yet hee was dead that is ready to die and at the point of death Euen because he had let go his hold of the sword of the spirit Therfore for curing of his said wound our Sauiour biddeth him to remember how he had receiued and heard to hold fast c. Reuel 3. 2. 3. the like may be said of all wounds of any other of the children of God at any time Thus the children of God must vse the word of God viz. not as a thing to play or sport with or whereof to make iests Note for the mirth of other but as a weapon and as a sword to fight with yea thus they will vse it that are indeede the children of God If at any time they be prouoked by other or by their owne hearts to distrust Gods prouidence they will defend themselues by many precepts for trusting in the Lord Psal 37. 3. and 62. 8. and for casting their care vpon God Psal 37. 5. and 52. 22. and 1. Pet. 5. 6. and by such sentences of scripture as pronounce him blessed that trusteth in the Lord Psalm 40. 4. and 84. 5. and 12. by many promises to them that so do annexed expresly for the most part to the former commādements by the iudgements of God vpon such as haue murmured against God Num. 11. 1. vpon such as haue doubted of Gods promises as vpon the noble man of Samaria that would not beleeue the Prophet in the name of the Lord prophecying of great plenty the next day 2. Kings 7. 2. and 20. yea vpon Moses himselfe for his distrust Num. 20. 12. and 27. 14. and Deut. 32. 50. 51. and lastly by the prouidence of God towards the widow of Zarepta and the Prophet Elijah 1 Kings 17. 6. and 8. c. and towards a widdowe of one of the sonnes of the prophets 2. Kings 4 1. c. and towards many thousands that following our Sauiour for foode of their soules were fed likewise abundantly and miraculously with corporall foode Mark. 6. 36. and 8. 2. c. If they be prouoked to security they can draw out this sword and plead Blessed is the man that feareth alway c. Pro. 28. 14. and that they are commanded to spend the time of their welling here in feare 1. Pet. 1. 17. and the iudgement of God threatned to them that were at ease in Zion c. Amos 6. 1. c. and the fearefull fall of Dauid by security 2. Sam. 11. 2. c. If they be prouoked to idolatry they can draw out the second commandement and many other scriptures as commentaries vpon the said commandement so also that that is written of the wrath of God against Israel for their golden Calfe Exod. 32. and for their other idolatry Iudg. 10. and often els where The like is to be said of tentations against the third and fourth commandement When they are moued to pride they can call to mind the manifold precepts and sentences against it Deut. 8. 14. Psal 75. 4. Pro. 6. 17. and 16. 5. Iames 4. 6. 1. Pet. 5. 5. so also the examples of Haman and Nebuchadnezer with Sancherib and the iudgements of God not onely vpon them but also vpon Vzzia King of Iuda for presuming to meddle with the Priests office in offering of sacrifice 2. Chron. 26. 20. and vpon Dauid for numbring the people in a kind of pride 2. Sam. 24. and vpon Hezekiah for hauing his heart lifted vp after the recouery of his health 2. Chron. 32. 25. c. Being tempted to dishonor of parents they can repell such tentations by the fift commandement and by many other Scriptures against the same sinne as also by Agars curse against the eye that mocketh his father and despiseth the instruction of his mother viz. that the rauens of the valley shall pluck it out and that the yong Eagles shall eat it Pro. 30. 17. as also they can remember the examples of Absalom and of Adonijah and the iudgements of God vpon them Being enticed by Papists or other to rebellion treason or lifting vp their hand against Princes and the Lords annointed they can oppose the contrary commandements for obedience and subiection in the Lord of euery soule to the higher powers Rom. 13. 1. 1. Pet. 2. 13. and the fearefull iudgements of God vpon Corah Dathan and Abiram with their complices yea the deposing also of Abiathar the high Priest from the priesthood by Salomon because he had ioyned with Adonija for preuenting Salomon of the Crowne before he was King 1. Kings 1. 7. and 2. 35. If either their owne hearts or any other perswade them to contempt of the ministers of the Gospell either for plaine rebuking them for their sinnes or for any other causes they can obiect that the Lord hath commanded such to be had in singular loue for their works sake 1. Thes 5. 12. 13. that our Sauiour hath said He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Luk 10. 16. and that It shall be easier for them of the land of Sodome and Gomorrha in the day of iudgement then for that City and consequently for that family and for those persons that shall not receiue such nor heare their words Mat. 10. 13. 14. and that likewise the Lord did not only not prosper good king Asa after that he had put Hanani the Seer into prison for rebuking him for resting vpon the king of Aram c. 2. Chro. 16. 10. but that also he did send two beares out of the forrest that tare in pieces 42. of those wanton children that had reuiled mocked the Prophet Elisha and said vnto him Come vp thou bald-head Com vp thou bald-head 2. King 2. 23. 24. and that yet the least minister of the gospell is greater then Iohn Baptist who notwithstanding was greater then any Prophet Mat. 11. 11. Being moued to murder or to any other cruelty they can hold out the sixt commandement Luk. 6. 36. the commendation of mercy aboue sacrifice Hose 6. 6. and that Iames saith there shall be iudgement or condemnation mercilesse to him that sheweth no mercy Iam. 2. 13. the iudgement of God vpon Cain for the murder of Abel Gen. 4. and vpon the Egyptiās for their cruelty towards the Israelites and vpon all Israel by a great famine towards the latter end of the raign of Dauid for the cruelty of Saul against the Gibeonites 2. Sam. 21. 1. c. and after that vpon Iuda long after the death of Manasses as for other sinnes of Manasses so also for the innocent blood that he had shed 2. Kings 24. 4. Against temptations to adultery fornication and other vncleannesse
must such ministers as doe so preach that word of truth that thereby men are begotten againe vnto God be acknowledged to be the ministers of God and sent by God For doth not the Apostle ioine all these together calling vpon God beleeuing hearing preaching and sending them that did preach Rom. 10. 14. 15. And doth he not thereby plainly teach that they do go all together and that none can truely call vpon God which doth not beleeue none can beleeue which doth not heare none can heare which haue no preachers none can preach except they be sent and that consequently whosoeuer do so preach that men therby are brought truely to call vpon God and truely to beleeue in God they are sent of God so to preach Is not the same point further manifest by that argument whereby the same Apostle instifieth his Apostleship and ministery to the Corinthians euen by the successe and efficacie of his preaching amongst them against such as denied his Apostleship as many in these daies doe altogether deny all the ministerie of the Church of England Am I not saith he an Apostle c. Are not ye my worke in the Lord If I be not an Apostle vnto other doubtles I am vnto you for ye are the seale of my Apostleship in the Lord. 1. Cor. 9. 1. 2. And againe Neede we as some other epistles of recommendations vnto you or of recommendation from you yee are our epistle written in our hearts which is vnderstood and read of all men in that ye are manifest to be the epistle of Christ ministred by vs and written not with inke but with the spirit of the liuing God not in tables of stone but in fleshly tables of the heart 2. Cor. 3. 1. 2. 3. What meane all these words Euen this that such had beene the successe of the ministerie of the Apostle amongst the Corinthians that both himselfe had good assurance in his owne heart of his calling vnto them and that other also might thereby euidently perceiue and vnderstand as much Doth not our Sauiour proue his sending as a Messias and to be a Messias by the workes which he did The workes that I do beare witnes of me that the father hath sent me Iohn 5. 39. As his workes beseeming a Messias and in the power of none but of the Messias proued him to bee the Messias so do not also the workes of ministers of the gospell and proper onely to such as are sent from God proue men to be such ministers Doubtlesse saith hee that being borne blinde had his sight giuen him by Christ this is a maruellous thing that ye know not whence he is and yet hee hath opened mine eies Iohn 9. 30. And againe If this man were not of God hee could haue done nothing verse 33. May it not in like maner and much more be said of the ministers of the Church of England to all them that make question of their calling Doubtles this is a maruellous thing that ye know not whence they be or deny them from whence they are and yet they open the eies of the mindes of many Yea euen of them that doe make such question of their calling and doe peremptorily deny them to be of God as those wicked Iewes to whom that poore man so spake denied Christ to be of God If such ministers were not of God they could haue done nothing in the lightning mens eies of their vnderstanding to know what the hope is of his calling and what bee the riches of his glorious inheritance in the Saints c. Ephes 1. 18. No man can make opposition to these things but hee must also oppose himselfe to the former scriptures And if the former scriptures be for the iustifying of the ministery of the Church of England as thereby the word of truth is preached to the effectuall begetting againe of men vnto God no other Scriptures can be against it for the nullifying therof because the scriptures do all most sweetely agree together without any contradiction of any one to any other As therefore when our Sauiour seeing many of his disciples to go back and to walke no more with him that is vtterly to leaue him said vnto the twelue will ye also go away Peter answered him Master to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternall life Iohn 6. 66. 67. 68. so my good brethren though ye doe see many to withdraw themselues from them that haue preached the words of eternall life and still do preach the same and though ye also be earnestly sollicited to doe the like yet determine in your hearts and answer accordingly To whom shall wee go these haue the words of eternall life The comparison obiected by some of children begotten to men as well by adulterie and fornication as by lawfull marriage thereby to insinuate that as such children do not iustify either adulterie or fornication so in like maner such Children as before we haue said to be begotten againe vnto God by the ministery of the Church of England do not iustify the said ministery this comparison I say is so odious so beastly so detestable and abominable that a man would wonder it should come from such men as they would seeme to be that obiect the same For in an adulterous generation as there is a common worke of God so who seeth not also a plaine worke of nature Yea such a worke of nature as is in the very beasts themselues in the procreation of other of their owne kinde But the regeneration of Children vnto God is a worke aboue all nature onely and wholly of God yea of the free grace and abundant mercy of God as afterward shall further appeare Furthermore touching this comparison it might as well haue beene obiected against the former argument of the Apostle from the successe of his preaching amongst the Corinthians as it is now obiected against vs reasoning in like maner from the efficacie and fruit of our ministery Againe all children either in adulterie or infornication begotten and borne in time of the Law were forbidden to enter into the congregation of the Lord that is to bee admitted to any publike office to the tenth generation Deut. 2 3. 2. Dare any man say the like of such as are begotten againe vnto God by the present ministerie of the Church of England Yea dare any man deny any so begotten to haue right and interest into all the promises and blessings of God for this life and for the life to come as well as any other begotten vnto God by the ministery of any other Herein beloued deceiue not your selues Halt not with God neither shew your selues vnthankfull vnto him by denying his rich mercie towards you in your regeneration If ye haue good testimony thereof to your owne soules If by the ministerie of the Church of England ye haue euer felt any true vertue of Christs death to the mortifying of sinne in you and of his resurrection to the life of righteousnes If
thereby ye haue attained to that true and vnfeined loue of the brethreÌ„ whereby ye know your selues to bee translated from death to life and that already ye are of the truth and hereafter shall before him assure your hearts 1. Ioh. 3. 14. and 18. and 19. by which things also ye haue felt vnspeakable and incomprehensible ioy and comfort then minse not the matter neither clippe ye the Lords goodnesse towards you by saying that indeede ye haue by our ministerie atteined vnto some knowledge euen to a verball knowledge so to my griefe I heare some to haue scoffingly said but whether yee haue receiued also the spirit of adoption that ye cannot tell yea some of you do vtterly deny But alas if ye haue euer felt the things before spoken of how ingratefull impietie and how impious ingratitude is this against God For what is this but for the excuse of your wauering mind to lie of the holy ghost And how much lesse sinne is this lying of the holy Ghost then that of Ananias and Sapphira of lying to the holie ghost Acts. 5. 3. I may amplifie this point by that which is written in the law against him that sinned against the Lord in denying vnto his neighbour that which was taken him to keepe or that which was put to him of trust Leuit. 6. 2. For if it be so great a sinne against the Lord for a man to deny vnto his neighbour that which was taken him to keepe or that which was put to him of trust to be restored againe to the owner without any benefit to the keeper oh then how heinous a sinne is it against the Lord to deny the free gift of God himselfe bestowed vpon wretched man neuer to be restored but to continue to euerlasting life Concerning such as are already separated from amongst you and do so continue if they haue made separation onely in zeale which is not according to knowledge without pride disdaine and contempt against all other such I wish well and seriously to consider the words and counsell of the angell which found out Hagar being fled from her mistris Sara for her hard dealing with her For as the Angell first asked her whence she came and whither she would goe and secondly vpon her answere that she fled from her dame Sara commanded her to returne to her dame and to humble her selfe vnder her hands Genes 16. 7. so and much more let the separatists among you consider the more whence they came and whither they are going as also to make the more hast of returning and humbling themselues to them whom without sufficient cause they haue for saken because their regeneration if they be regenerated receiued amongst them and wrought by some of them whom they haue for saken is a farre greater benefit then all that euer Hagar had had at the hands of her mistris Sara Touching both the that are separated and also that are not I do iointly intreat them with iudgement to consider first the speedy growth of them that decline that way like to the gourd of Iona Iona. 4. 6. not like to the graine of mustard seede whereunto the kingdome of heauen is compared Mat. 13. 31. which at the first being the least of all seedes afterward groweth not of the sudden but by degrees to be a great tree For may not this make them to suspect their course to be rather according to nature then according to grace Is it not more easie to goe downe the hill then vp the hill The rather may this sudden growth be suspected because it is more without meanes in one day or at least by small and simple meanes onely by priuate talking c. then before they did grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ in many moneths Great indeede was the suddaine successe of the sermon of Peter Acts. 2. 41. and of the preaching of Paul to the keeper of the prison Acts. 16. 33. But alas the extraordinary and strange meanes before mentioned in either place doe shew not onely the said suddaine and great successe to haue beene extraordinary but also that the like extraordinary successe requireth more extra ordinary means then in these dais we haue warrant to expect Secondly let both sorts before mentioned further consider the scoffing gibing and contemptuous spirit I speake this with griefe of most of them that are separated against all other especially not inclining towards them most of all against them that haue done them most good if euer they haue at all tasted in truth how good the Lord is 1. Pet. 2. 2. Is the spirit of God the spirit of scoffing gibing and contempt No but of sobrietie of grauitie of meekenesse and of reuerence teaching them in whom it is not to be high minded but to make themselues though of high place equall to them of the lower sort Rom. 12. 16. and in meekenes of minde to esteem other better then themselues Philip. 2. 3. Lastly let both sorts before spoken vnto further yet obserue the ignorance of many that are most prone to separation in the things of greatest moment and of most necessity and also what little conscience they make of sactifying the Lords day not only not spending the time of their absence from our asseblies in priuate exercises of religion at home but also in walking vp and downe idlely in the fields woods c and finally how they neglect their callings and misspend their time in running vp and down to talke one with another of separation and so wast that little stocke which before through the good blessing of God they had gotten whiles they did diligently follow their calling In the largenes of my loue towards you I could write much more largely of these points But beeing loth to trouble other readers and too long to deâ—cine them from the treatise following I do forbeare The Father of our Lord Iesus Christ of whom is named the whole familie in heauen and in earth graunt to all you to whom now I do write that ye may be strength ned by his spirit in the inner man Ephes 3. 14. c. and that none of you may euer fall away vtterly from the grace of God The same God also so print all good things in all your harts both which are in this whole booke printed in paper and also which ye do daily read in other good bookes which ye heare or may heare in the publike preaching of the word that neither the loue of the world nor any other power of hell may euer be able to race them out that so God may haue the glory of them and your selues may inioy the fruit euen righteousnes peace ioy and comfort in this life and euerlasting glory in the life to come From Much Totham Aprill 20. 1610. Your most vnfained and faithfull in the Lord Thomas Stoughton THE CONTENTS OF THE SEVERALL CHAPTERS OF THIS TREAtise of the Dignity of Gods children with a note of
them and therein had shed their bloud for vs it had been nothing to the blood of Christ because Christ was the Lord of the Angels and all the Angels were to worship him Heb. 1. 6. But to leaue that which was not and to returne to that which was it is much and exceeding much that God hath honored mankind especially his children by giuing vnto them all liuing creatures to be killed for preseruation of their present life Much more then is this honor and ten times greater then the heart of man can conceiue that God hath not spared his owne sonne but giuen him to the death Rom. 8. 32. yea to such a death as he suffered euen the cursed death of the Crosse that being dead in sinnes we might be made aliue Ephes 2. 5. and so receiue the promise of the spirit Gal. 3. 14. where by to call God our father and to be called the children of God This were a worthy meditation euery time we see sheepe or lamb or pigeon or chicken or any thing els by butcher or by any other body to be killed for vs it were I say a worthy meditation if then we could thinke and say This is a great honor of God towards vs that this innocent and harmelesse creature must die to preserue vs aliue But O Lord how hast thou honored vs by giuing thy sonne thy only sonne thy sonne whom thou louedst most deerely euen as thy owne soule thy sonne Iesus to be slaine and to suffer more then a thousand bodily deaths to make vs thy children that so we might liue in thy sight Did not Abraham greatly honor God when he was so willing to take now without delay or any stay for issue of him his sonne his only sonne his sonne Isaack in whom the promise was made of blessing for all nations his sonne whom he loued most tenderly not only for natures sake but also for the promise sake and to goe to the land of Moriah an vnknown country and to offer him that is to kill him with his own hands not to giue him to another to be offered and killed for a burnt offring an honourable but an hard and wofull kind of death for the naturall father to put his own naturall sonne vnto vpon one of the mountaines which God should shew him Genes 22. 2. he could not tell where did not Abraham I say greatly honor God by being willing and ready to doe it and by going so farre in the doing of it that the knife was in his hand to haue killed his owne sonne vpon Gods commandement in that behalfe and that therefore he had done it indeed if God himselfe had not countermanded him and forbidden it Doubtlesse Abraham did so thereby honour God that Abrahams faith in that behalfe hath beene the more renowned and honorable euer sithence and shall be renowned and honorable to the end of the world How then hath God honored vs by giuing his sonne for vs and how hath Christ Iesus honoured vs by giuing and offring vp himselfe a sweet smelling sauour and sacrifice to God for vs that did by our sinnes stinke most noy somely in the nostrills of God Abraham had receiued his sonne from God God had not receiued his sonne from vs. Abraham might haue had an other sonne from God as well as he had Isaak God could not haue an other besides Christ Abraham did owe his sonne and all that he had yea himselfe also to God God oweth nothing to vs. Abraham had a commandement to offer his sonne Isaak vnto God Had God any commandement or could any command God to giue his sonne vnto vs and for vs. Abraham and his sonne both were to dy at the last The sonne of God was as immortall and free from death as God himselfe because he was God with his father Abraham had had his sonne but a while but God had had his sonne from all eternity Abrahams sonne was like to himselfe but in part Gods sonne was perfectly and fully like vnto him In all these respects and in diuers other we plainly see how much more God hath honored vs by giuing his sonne as also how much more Christ hath honoured vs by giuing himselfe for vs then Abraham honored God by giuing his sonne vnto God that had first giuen him to Abraham Againe were it not a great honour to any poore and base subiect c. being in miserable bondage and captiuity as before I said for his Prince being wise and knowing what he doth or for such a sonne of such a Prince to giue a very great price for his ransome who then can expresse the honor that Christ Iesus hath done to vs in that being the sonne of his father tender and deere vnto him as Salomon speaketh of himselfe in respect both of his father and mother Pro. 4. 3. and being euen the sonne of his fathers desires as Bethsheba spake of Salomon and to Salomon Pro. 31. 2. and being full of wisedome and grace Luk 2. 40. and being the wisedome of his father Luk. 11. 44. And hauing all treasures of wisedome and knowledge hid in him Coloss 2. 3. who I say can expresse the honor that Christ Iesus being such as he is and alwaies was hath done vnto vs in giuing a greater price for our ransome and adoption to his father then all the kingdomes of the world ten thousand times told are worth For do we not account of all things according to the price that wise men doe giue for them Is then the adoption of Gods children lightly to be accounted for which Christ gaue as great a price as for our saluation This of the price which Christ hath giuen to make vs the children of God is the more because he gaue not the same price or any other for to redeeme the Angels that kept not their standing that they might with vs receiue the adoption of sonnes Before their fall they were so much more glorious then man before his fall by how much more their habitation and employment in heauen was more glorious then Adams in earth yet hath Christ Iesus in making in vs his children altogether passed them ouer and they are still reserued in euerlasting chaines vnder darknesse vnto the iudgement of the great day Iude 6. How greatly therefore hath Christ honoured vs by giuing such a price to make vs the children of God who dwell in houses of clay and who touching part of vs are but wormes meat whereas he hath giuen none at all for them that before their fall were most glorious spirits dwelling with God himselfe in heauen Because also the holy ghost is of the same glory and excellency with God the father and God the sonne therefore the worke of the holy ghost in our adoption is likewise to be considered with the worke of the father and of the sonne For the father and the sonne worke not without the holy ghost As in the first creation it is said that the spirit of God
naturall things and of things pertaining to this life whereby we differ from beasts but as touching the spirituall life whereby to thinke of any thing to affect any thing to approue of any thing to speake of any thing or to doe any thing towards eternall saluation of body and soule and as touching that life of God that is that life that is acceptable to God as the worke of God Ioh. 6. 29. and the workes of the Lord 1. Cor 15. 5. 8. are such as are acceptable to God as touching this life I say which is the first degree and the very beginning of eternal life to be afterward enioyed with God and his holy Angels in heauen all the whole posterity of Adam Christ only still excepted is altogether void of For as the root and stocke of a tree being altogether dead without any sparke of naturall life therin it is not possible that any of the boughs or branches can be aliue and as it is not possible for those men and women that are altogether naturally dead their soules and bodies being separated one from another to bring forth liuing children so it is not possible that our first parents beeing altogether dead vnto God and without the life of God before spoken of we or any other of their posterity should be aliue vnto God They may seeme to haue this spirituall life and this life of God because after a naturall manner they can conceiue and doe conceiue some things thereof yea sometimes the greatest mysteries thereof either after a meere carnall sort or by the speciall wisedom of God reuealing the same vnto them for the furthering of the saluation of other and for the making of themselues the more inexcusable and so for the increasing of their own condemnation but in truth and deed they are altogether destitute of it In this case it is with them as it is with many a woman that hauing a Tympany by the abundance of water or of some other matter of the said Tympany or other such like disease feeling some little stirring in her body like the mouing of a yong infant doth therefore thinke her selfe with child and yet in the end she is deceiued being not with child with any other thing then of a disease vnto death so I say many naturall and wicked men hauing some similitude and like actions of the life of God in them and feeling as it were some little motions of such life as it were little flashes suddenly wrought and suddenly vanishing like lightning do therfore thinke themselues with child of Christ and to haue conceiued him in the womb of their hearts but in the end they are deceiued and find themselues only with child of a spirituall sicknesse vnto death that is of hypocrisie and of a bare resemblance of the life of God in them and not to haue that life it selfe This is not only euident by the former testimony of the Apostle but also by another afterward in the same Epistle where he describeth our naturall state and condition to be that we had our vnderstanding darkned and were strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that was in vs because of the hardnesse of our hearts Ephes 4. 18. Thus I say in that place the Apostle describeth the state of all men naturally The same namely that we are all void of that life of God is manifest by other reasons To omit that before insinuated viz. that as the body is dead without the communion of the soule so man cannot be aliue vnto God that hath lost his communion with God and that indeed naturally men are without God in the world and that because they are without Christ Ephes 2. 12. by whom alone there is communion betwixt God and man and in whom alone is that life so that he that hath the sonne hath life and he that hath not the sonne hath not that life 1. Ioh. 5. 11. 12. although after a common manner effectiuely we all liue moue and haue our being in God Acts 17. 18. To omit I say this reason the same is further manifest because all meer naturall men are also without the immortall seed of God in them whereby they should be borne againe the children of God This immortall seed is the spirit of God as before we haue heard Meer naturall men therfore being without this seed how can they haue the life of God in them Againe if naturally we haue this life of God in vs it must be in our soules or in our bodies It is neither in our soules nor in our bodies therefore not at all Touching our soules what life of God can be in them when as we cannot so much as thinke a good thought of our selues 2. Cor. 3. 5. but al the imaginations of our heart are continually euill Genes 6. 5. and when as we cannot so much as will any thing that is good of our selues but it is God that worketh the will as well as the worke Philip. 2. 13. Where there is any life there will be some hunger and thirst after meat and drinke for preseruing of life or at least some desire of other meanes of life But alasse so farre are we from all hunger and thirst after either bread or water of life that we do vtterly refuse them and reiect them offered vnto vs. Yea that which is more we lay foorth our siluer for that which is not bread and we labour and take great paines for that which will not satisfie vs Isai 55. 2. Those things therfore being as it were the very breath of the life of God if we haue them not how can we haue that life of God it selfe For what life can there be without breath If our soules be thus dead what life of God can be in our bodies As our Sauiour saith If the light that is in vs be darknesse how great is that darknesse Matth. 6. 23. so may I say If the life that is in vs be deadnesse how great is that deadnesse Our eares cannot attend to the word of God therefore also not to any other goodnesse except God open our hearts Acts 16. 14. we cannot so much as turne our eyes from any vanity except the Lord do turn them Ps 119. 36. we cannot open our lips that our mouth may shew forth the praise of God except God do open them Psal 51. 15. neither can we so much as say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy ghost 1. Cor. 12. 5. Moreouer this our spirituall death doth appeare by our bearing all spirituall burthens though neuer so heauy without any sense and feeling of them What is heauier then sand yet all the sand â—n the whole world yea the whole earth with all the minerals of siluer gold lead yron tynne and pewter with all the quarries of stones with all the buildings and all other creatures thereupon is not so heauy as sinne Did not the imputation only of other mens sinnes vnto Christ lie so heauy
on the contrary hunger as much after the bread of God that lasteth to eternall life and thirst after the water of life which whosoeuer drinketh of he shall neuer thirst againe and if we shall as new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that we may grow thereby 1. Pet. 2. 2. this shall be a further assurance to our own hearts that we our selues are borne of God The like is to be said of other spirituall actions so also of our spirituall growth and increase For as the naturall child new borne doth daily wax and increase in stature and in strength till it be able to goe and to doe other things answerable to the growth thereof as digesting of stronger meats bearing of burdens speaking like a man c so is it with all that are new borne not of mortall but of immortall seed by the word of God They will be able to digest high points of doctrine and not say of some things as some said of Christs doctrine touching his flesh to bee meat in deed and his bloud to be drinke indeed This is an hard saying who can heare it and so take occasion to leaue Christ and to walke no more with him Ioh. 6. 60. and 66. They will be able to walke strongly vp and downe not stumbling at euery straw They will bee able to beare Gods chastisements without murmuring wrongs at the hands of men without seeking reuenge c. They will be able to do the works of God both belonging to all Christians and also which are more sutable to their speciall callings These things I say and such like will all borne againe grow to doe and by these things they shall discerne their spirituall birth and the life of God to be in them Notwithstanding these things are not alike in all that are new borne no not in all of the same spirituall age For as it is amongst naturall men touching naturall strength some are of a low stature some of a taller some are strong men some are weaklings yea sometimes the yonger are taller and stronger then their elders by many yeeres so is it amongst spirituall men touching this spirituall life and this spirituall birth wherof now we speake But these things shall be more manifest by other things after to be spoken This life of God is the more excellent because it is euerlasting Being once begun it shall neuer haue end being once giuen it shall neuer be taken away Our naturall life shall haue an end I meane the life of the body and soule together begun and continued by naturall meanes and no man knoweth how soone But the life of God shall continue as God himselfe abideth for euer and as the seed whereby men are begotten to this life is not mortall but immortall But of this also more afterward In the meane time by that which hath been said it may appeare that this benefit of our spirituall life is a matter well worthy of all good account and reckoning This present life which our bodies doe liue in this world by their communion with the soule is greatly to be esteemed yea more then all other things appertaining thereunto Satan himselfe could say vnto God Skin for skinne and all that euer a man hath will he giue for his life Iob 2. 4. Amongst the benefits for which wisedome is commended about siluer and gold and pearles and all things that can be desired length of daies is not only one but also the first and placed in the right hand of wisedome whereas riches and glory are in the second place and said to be in the left hand Pro. 3. 16. Our Sauiour saith Is not the life more worth then meat Mat. 6. 25. What then is to be compared vnto it what benefit shall a man haue by any other thing yea by all other things if he haue not meat The Prophet saith that none of those that trust in their goods and beast themselues in the multitude of their riches can redeeme his brother viz. appointed by God to dye or giue a ransome for him that is no man can by any mony prolong the daies of his friend or buy out his death so precious is the redemption of their soules c. that he may liue for euer Psal 49. 6. 7. 8. 9. Is this naturall life so precious which yet as I said shall haue an end and no man knoweth either how soon or in what place or in what manner How excellent then is that spirituall life the life of God and the life that is eternall The more excellent therefore that this life is being a part of that matter wherein consisteth our new birth next to Christ himselfe and comming by Christ the more excellent also is the new birth it selfe of the children of God and their state and condition thereby Thus much for the life of God which all the children of God haue in their regeneration by Iesus Christ CHAP. X. Of some other things further concerning the matter of the regeneration of the children of God and of their very being the children of God viz. of their knowledge of God and of their true wisedome declared by the opposition thereunto of the ignorance foolishnesse and madnesse of all meere naturall wicked and vnregenerate men TO proceed further in declaration of other things concerning the very matter and being of the children of God the next point to be considered is the true knowledge vnderstanding and wisedome wherewith all the children of God are indued and enlightned And these things are to bee taken as some particular degrees of the life of God generally before spoken of as also as parts of the new man and of the image of God repaired and restored in our regeneration yea finally as parts also of our said regeneration it selfe Of these things I will speake as before I haue done generally of the life of God viz. by opposing vnto them the naturall ignorance foolishnesse and madnesse of all naturall men not regenerated that so by this opposition of their contraries the said true knowledge vnderstanding and wisedome may be made manifest to be the more excellent things and the more to set foorth the dignity of our regeneration Now as these things I meane this our naturall ignorance foolishnesse and madnesse be contrary to true knowledge vnderstanding and wisedome so the contrary may be said of these euils that hath been said of those vertues viz. that as those vertues are degrees and parts of the life of God of the new man and of the image of God newly created in all that are regenerated so these euils are also to be accounted as degrees and parts of that death of that old man and of that image of Satan in all the vnregenerate before generally touched Touching both these contraries they are expressed first by certaine metaphors the better to set forth their nature These metaphors are light and darknesse sight and blindnesse and such other phrases as are sutable to the
him suffered by God himselfe to preuaile in some things as for some reasons before mentioned so also for some afterward to be spoken of By denying also the new borne of God to sinne the Apostle insinuateth that seruing of God in holinesse and righteousnesse which was before touched and so the word not to sinne is taken by our Sauiour when he saith to the man restored to his limbs Sinne no more lest a worse thing happen vnto thee Ioh. 5. 14. He meaneth not onely that he should abstaine from the euils forbidden but that also he should performe the things required in the law of God For the law of God saying not only Eschew euill but also Doe good Psal 34. 14. he must be a transgressor of the law not only that doth commit the euill forbidden but also that neglecteth or omitteth the good commanded So the distinction of sinnes of commission and of sinnes of omission is as sound and true as it is ancient and common As God himselfe is not only free from all euill but infinit also in all goodnesse so his law is like himselfe and doth as well command that which is holy and iust as it forbiddeth all vnholinesse and vnrighteousnesse According to this law men shall be condemned and that most iustly as well for leauing vndone good duties as for perpetrating acting of those things that are euill It is not said That euery tree that bringeth forth euill fruit but which bringeth not forth good fruit shal be bewen down or stubbed vp by the roots and cast into the fire Mat. 3. 10. And our Sauiour pronounceth sentence of condemnation for not visiting the sicke entertaining the strangers feeding the hungry clothing the naked c. Mat. 25. 41 c. By condemning notwithstanding them that haue not done good he teacheth that much more they shal be condemned that do commit that which is euill Mat. 12. 36. 37. 1. Cor. 6. 9. Reuel 21. 8. and 22. 15. So then this freedome of Gods children is not only a release from the most grieuous seruitude of sinne but also a participation of holinesse and righteousnesse Without this holinesse and righteousnesse our life before spoken of were no life neither were our freedome any freedome at least not worth the hauing The soule of man may be as well without motion in the body as the life of God without the fruits of righteousnesse That which is spoken of faith Iames 2. 20. is true also of the life of God What freedome also of any city is without commodities belonging thereunto But of this anon This also touching the fruits of righteousnesse is to be vnderstood in respect of the knowledge and wisedome before handled For how can a man be accounted a man of knowledge and wisedome that sheweth not the same by his workes of knowledge and wisedome And indeed we haue heard before that our knowledge and wisedome consisteth in the feare of God and keeping of his commandements And the Apostle Paul describeth that excellent knowledge of Christ before spoken of to be not the knowledge of his natures and person onely as they are things in Christ himselfe but as they are effectuall in other both to iustification and also to sanctification by the power of his death and the vertue of his resurrection of the one to our release from that bondage of sinne before handled and of the other to the quickning of vs to newnesse of life Philip. 3. 8. 9. 10. Therefore also Christ in the place before diuers times alledged is said to be made vnto vs not only wisedome righteousnesse and redemption but also sanctification 1. Cor. 1. 30. Therefore without Christ no more sanctification then wisedome righteousnesse or redemption In this respect Christ is not only said to haue giuen himselfe for vs that we might be pure or purged and holy or sanctified these things I say are not spoken in the nowne or in the verbe passiue as if either we or some other might purge and sanctifie vs but in the actiue verb that he might purge vs c. Note Tit. 2. 14. and that he might sanctifie his Church c. Epo 5. 26. to teach that the purging and sanctifying of vs is the worke only of Christ as well as the redeeming sauing and iustifying of vs. The same is yet further taught by our Sauiour himselfe As the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe except it abide in the vine no more can ye except ye abide in me and againe without me ye can doe nothing viz. that good is Iohn 15. 3. 4. 5. and Paul accordingly saith that the fruits of righteousnesse are by Iesus Christ Phil. 1. 11. All this is to be vnderstood of Christ not as God only but as God and man the mediator betwixt God and man and as in that respect he is the head of the Church and so communicateth his vertue to all in regeneration incorporated into him and in whom he dwelleth by faith euen as the naturall head of a naturall body communicateth the vertue thereof to all the members of all the said naturall body So that also is to bee vnderstood that of his fulnesse we doe all receiue grace for grace or grace vpon grace or grace after grace Iohn 1. 16. All hitherto spoken of our life of our knowledge and wisedome of our redemption freedome and liberty and of our sanctification and holinesse and righteousnesse as the matter of our regeneration and things wherein the Note same doth consist must be vnderstood to be by Iesus Christ in a double respect first in that he hath purchased them for vs by the same price which hee gaue for our selues and for our saluation Secondly by working them in vs himselfe being apprehended by a true and liuely faith as hath been shewed before by the similitude of the vine and the branches and of the head and the members Moreouer touching this holinesse and righteousnesse now in hand we must vnderstand that it must not only be inward but also outward not in heart alone but also in our outward man and in our outward behauiour For Let your light so shine before men saith our Sauiour that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen Mat. 5. 16. Clense your selues saith the Apostle from all filthinesse of the flesh and of the spirit that ye may grow vp to full holinesse 2. Cor. 7. 1. he speaketh not only of filthinesse of the flesh but also of the spirit and therefore the holinesse there commended and opposed to the former filthinesse must be answerable thereuno viz. of the flesh that is of the body as well as of the spirit and heart Peter exhorteth them to whom he did write not only as strangers and pilgrims to abstaine from fleshly lusts because they fight against their soules but also to haue their conuersation namely their outward conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they which did speake euill of them as of euill doers
hatred is said to haue been more against Tamar then his loue had been towards her 2. Sam. 13. 15. Dogs loue in this manner for let their masters that doe alwaies feed them but vnawares tread a little vpon their foot and they will be ready to bite them by the leg if not to slie in their face It is far otherwise with the children of God For so many as are new borne not of mortall but of immortall seede by the word of God hauing purified their soules in obeying the truth to loue brotherly without feining doe accordingly loue with a pure heart feruently 1. Pe. 1. 23. Now although that place be vnderstood specially of brotherly loue yet he that loueth them that are begotten will much more loue him that hath begotten And indeed how can the children of God but loue him whom they know by his word to be so mighty so infinit so wise so iust and euery way so good in himselfe and so gracious so louing and so mercifull towards them whom he hath so loued as to make them his children in such manner as hitherto we haue heard and shall further heare As touching the loue of the children of God towards men especially towards such as are the children of God with themselues how can they but loue them that are his creatures and the workmanship of his hands yea and which doe resemble their heauenly father and their eldest brother and that are stamped with the same spirit wherewith themselues are stamped that are heires likewise of the same inheritance and for the loue of whom there be so many precepts to command it so many sentences to commend it so many promises to prouoke it so many examples to encourage vnto it In all these respects the said loue is very excellent and precious the more because it doth not only come from God alone but also because that thereby we know that wee are translated from death to life and that we are of the truth and shall before him assure our hearts 1. Ioh. 3. 14. The Apostle saith not that Note thereby we are translated and that thereby we are assured but only that we know our selues so to be So then this loue is a speciall part of the euidence of our saluation and of our comfortable appearance before him both in this life and also in the life to come euen in the great day when all flesh shall be gathered together and when the books of all mens actions known and secret shall be opened before him That which the Apostle in the former Chapter vers 29. had ascribed to the whole worke of regeneration is in the places before alledged ascribed to this one point thereof viz. our vnfeined loue towards other the children of God because indeed all other things are nothing without it 1. Cor. 13. 1. 2. and where that is there are all other graces either as causes working it and by it or as effects and fruits thereof comming from it and therefore as before we haue heard it is called the fulfilling of the law and the bond of perfection Our Sauiour also saith that vpon these two commandements Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy soule with all thy strength and with all thy minde and thy neighbour as thy selfe hangeth the whole law and the Prophets Mat. 22. 40 So that these two points either as they are to be performed by vs or as they Note be performed for vs by our Sauiour Christ Iesus are the text as it were of all the rest of the word of God which is so excellent that when Dauid had learned much thereof yet he praieth the Lord to open his eyes that he might see the wonders of his law Psal 119. 18. thereby nothing that the wonders of the law of God which he did see he accounted in a manner as nothing in respect of those which he did desire further to behold So also in further commendation of the excellency of the said law he saith againe Thy testimonies are wonderfull therefore doth my soule keepe them vers 129. If therefore the word of God be so excellent is not that also excellent that is the chiefe subiect matter thereof and whereunto all that is contained in the word some way or other may well be referred Notwithstanding although this loue be so excellent yet it is not as the papists blurt it out and stoutly defend it the forme of faith For then should it be a part of faith yea the chiefe part of faith and that part without which faith should haue no being at all because the forme doth giue being to that which is formed and so it should be no otherwise distinguished from faith then as a part of faith it selfe which is directly repugnant to that place which they especially plead for the magnifying of loue And now abideth faith hope and loue these three 1. Cor. 13. 13. For in this place we see the Apostle as plainly to distinguish loue from faith as he doth distinguish hope and to make these to be three How could this be if loue were a part of faith and if faith were no faith without loue Indeed there is no faith without loue but if therefore we should make loue to be the principall part of faith we should make many a mad conclusion Againe loue by the doctrine of the Papists vpon the former place is better then faith Can a part be better then the whole Then it should be better then it selfe with addition of another good thereunto Loue also is an effect of faith as before we heard out of 1. Tim. 1. 5. therefore it cannot be the forme of faith Last of al by faith we meane faith in Iesus Christ and euery mans beleeuing of the particular forgiuenesse of his own sinnes and of his own particular saluation by Iesus Christ The loue that is required of vs was in Adam before his fall in whom there was no such faith But to returne to the excellency of the loue before spoken of as we haue heard the loue of the wicked to be very variable and soone quenched yea turned oft times into extreme hatred so the loue of the children of God is most constant and abideth to the end Loue doth neuer fall away though that prophecying be abolished or the tongues cease or knowledge vanish away 1. Cor. 13. 8. The loue of the children of God being sincere without dissimulation Rom. 12. 9. well rooted and grounded Ephes 3. 18. vpon the word and in Christ Iesus it is constant without wearinesse either in affection or in action Gal. 6 9. As God loueth to the end whomsoeuer he loueth Ioh. 13. 1. so his children walke in the steps of the same loue Ephes 5. 1. 2. To conclude this point the more excellent this loue is a speciall point wherein consisteth the matter of our regeneration the more excellent also is the estate and condition of all the children of God so regenerated in whom alone it
honourable then is it for the poorest children of God to eate of Christs owne flesh and to drinke Christs owne blood Verily neither the meate of Dauid nor the dainty fare vpon Salomons table in his greatest glory nor the dointiest fare of any other Princes in the world in their greatest solemnities nor the Manna and quailes and water out of the rocke before mentioned to be giuen to the Israelites was euer comparable in any respect to this diet of the meanest sonnes and daughters of God Touching the third former metaphor what a strange thing is it that such siences as we were though indeede compared to wilde oliue branches yet ten times worse should be grafted into so precious and pleasant a stocke as Christ is and thereby bring forth fruits agreeable to Christ himselfe Iohn 15. 5. Philippians 1. 11. Though in our grafting Iouis omnia plena the siences which we graft bee nourished by the vertue of that stocke whereinto they are grafted yet they bring forth fruit according to their owne nature not according to the nature of the thâ—cke whereinto they are grafted But wee beeing grafted into Christ not the better into the worse but starke naught into the best are both nourished by vertue from him and also doe bring forth fruits agreeable to his nature not to our owne Touching the fourth former metaphor how great a grace is it for vs that were so rough and vnhewen stones as we were to be hewen smooth and made fit to bee coupled to such a precious corner stone as Christ is The same is much more to be vnderstood of the dignitie of Gods children in respect of the first former metaphor For if it bee an honour to bee wrought and carued and euery way made fitte to be coupled to such a precious corner stone as Christ Iesus is how much greater honour is it to bee made an house for Christ himselfe to dwell in yea for him not onely as man but also as God and man Hauing beene before habitations of Satan and houses of vncleane spirits Mat. 12. 43. c. Is it not an honourable change of such to be made houses houses yea more then houses For God filleth all things and all things in some sort as touching the essence of GOD euen the wicked themselues are full of God Is it not I say an honourable change of such as we were to bee made houses yea more then houses euen holy houses tabernacles and temples of the liuing God 1. Cor. 3. 16. and 2. Cor. 6. 16. verily touching this matter this second Scripture before alledged is the more to be obserued because with the former point of men to be houses and tabernacles and temples for God himselfe and of Gods dwelling among men and familiar walking or conuersing with them the Apostle ioineth also another ancient promise of God viz. that be would be a father vnto them and that they should be sonnes and daughters vnto him 2. Cor. 6. 18. Leuit. 26. 11. 12. For by this conioining of these two together the Apostle doth most plainly teach that the former honour of being Tabernacles and Temples for God is proper onely to them that are the sonnes daughters of God The dignity of the children of God in respect of this metaphor is yet the greater because as the whole world in all the beautie of it was at the first made a palace for man to dwell in so man himselfe in this second creation is made a palace for God to dwell in Touching the sixt former metaphor is it not more then meruailous that such vile persons as we naturally are euen little better then limmes of the diuell at least his children and bondslaues as hath beene before shewed should haue so honourable and glorious an head as Christ Iesus is that sitteth at the right hand of God in the heauen and hath the Angels good and bad in subiection vnto him 1. Pet. 3. 22. Besides all before spoken of the excellency of Christ in speaking of him as of one of the efficient causes of our regeneration is he not most excellently also described to bee clothed with a garment downe to the feete and girded about his pappes with a golden girdle to haue his head also and haires white as white wooll and snow and his eies as a flame of fire yea to haue his feete like vnto fine brasse burning as in a fornace and a voice as the sound of many waters yea to haue further in his right hand seuen starres a sharp two edged sword going out of his mouth and his face shining as the sunne shineth in his strength Reuelation 1. 13. c. Neither is the dignity of the children of God thus amplified in respect that they haue so excellent a head excellent for power for wisedome for iustice for meeknes for goodnes for all things that are excellent but also because as Christ hath no other body then his Church so the Church hath no other head but Christ Iesus and as none doth or can giue life to other either to quicken them from the death of sinne here or to raise them at the latter day when before that by the doctrine of the Papists themselues the Pope shall be suppressed as none I say can thus giue life to men but onely Christ Iesus for who dareth say that the Pope can raise vp a man either from his sinne or from the graue especially when the Pope himselfe shall be dead so none is or can be the head of the Church but only Christ Sith therefore Christ is not onely so excellent an head but also the sole and onely head of the children of God in this respect also it must bee granted that their state is so much the more honourable Yea this honour of the children of God by Christ Iesus his being their head is the more because as he hath not taken the nature of angels vpon him but onely the nature of man so hee is not the head of Angels as he is of elect men For as it is a monstrous bodie that hath two heads so is it no lesse monstrous for the bodie to bee of one nature and the head of another And as the Angels cannot be neither euer are called the members of Christ so Christ cannot bee called the head of the Angels All the members also of the body of Christ are said to grow to a perfect man in Christ and euery part and member of the body of Christ is said to receiue daily encrease as it were by nerues c. Ephesians 4. 13. 15. 16. Let no man here mistake me As kings are called heads that is chiefe gouernours of their people so Christ not onely as GOD but also as God and man is the head and chiefe gouernour and that absolutely without any such limitation as kings haue of the Angels as well as of all other creatures But in that speciall maner that he is head of men borne anew vnto God hee is not the
where there is no fruit and whereof after recouery of health and true knowledge wee are ashamed Rom. 6. 21. As sicknesse continued and not recouered causeth death at the last so sinne when it is finished and as it were thoroughly ripened bringeth forth death Iames 1. 15. Sinne is likewise compared to an heauy and intolerable burden Come vnto me all ye that are weary and heauy laden viz. with your sinnes and I will refresh you Mat. 11. 28. Therefore Cain complained that his sinne was greater then hee could beare Genes 4. 13. And alas so heauy was the burden of sinne vpon Iudas that to ease himselfe of that burden hee did not onely cast away or deliuer againe to the cheefe Priests and Elders the thirty peeces of siluer which he had taken as wages of vnrighteousnesse to betray the innocent bloud of Christ but that also departing afterward in most dolefull sort he went and most desperately hanged himselfe Mat. 27. 3. The like fearefull euent of the heauy burden of sinne we do too often see by too many examples Wee heard also before that the very imputation onely of our sinnes to Christ Iesus the sonne of God God himselfe made him not only exceedingly to feare and in his feare to offer vp praiers and supplications with strong crying teares vnto God Heb 5. 7. but also to sweat water and bloud Luk. 22. 44. and lastly to cry out most bitterly vpon the crosse vnder the burden of our sinnes My God my God why hast thou forsaken me ' Mat. 27. 46. That some men feele not the sicknes and waight of sinne it is because of another comparison also of sinne viz. vnto death itselfe O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee out of this body of death Rom. 7. 24. And you that were dead in trespasses and sinnes c. Ephes 2. 1. As men therefore that are dead though they died with an hundred plague-sores about them not healed or hauing the waight of a great Church vpon them doe feele nothing either of such sores or of such waight euen so is to bee sayd of them that feele not either the sicknesse or the heauinesse of sinne namely that it is because they are dead in their sinne By these things we see that all whose sinnes are forgiuen are rid and healed of so many diseases Psal 103. 3. and released of so many burdens as they haue sinnes and finally that they are translated from death to life 1. Ioh. 3. 14. Is not then the forgiuenes of sinnes a singular benefit Moreouer the greatnes of this benefit doth further appeare by another comparison of sinne viz. vnto debt Mat. 18. 24. c. In which respect Christ teacheth vs to pray Forgiue vs our debts Mat. 6. 12. Yea he whose sinne is least is more in Gods debt then he is able any way to discharge Therefore in the parable of two debters he that owed but fifty pence is sayd to haue beene as vnable to pay as he that owed siue hundred pence Luke 7. 41. 42. Is it not a great misery yea a kind of hell tormenting a man to be in greater debt then he is able to fatissie Indeed some men are so desperate that they bid their creditors take care how to come by that that is owing vnto them for they will take no care to pay any man therefore they borrow of euery man and pay almost no man so that it is half a wonder what becommeth of all the mony they doe borrow But though some be thus leaudly minded yet most men haue so much ciuill honesty at the least by the light of nature that they finde it very greeuous and troublesome continually to their minds to owe more the they can pay Al debt also aboue ability to pay is the more grecuous the greater and mightier the creditor is to whom the same is owing How great then is the debt of man vnto God by sinnelyea by the least sin The danger of the least sinne much more of many and great sins is the curse of God and euerlasting condemnation of body soule euen an infinit punishment according to the infinit maiesty of God that is by sin offended Who the can expresse the greatnes of the benefit of forgiuenes of sinnes It is a great benefit to be out of debt with men so that a man may walke go any where securely without danger much more then is the benefite of the discharge of all our debt with God Last of al sinne against God is compared vnto treason and rebellion against a prince 1. Sam. 15. 23. Lamon 3. 42. Dan. 5. 9. As therefore it is a great benefit for a traitour and rebell to bee pardoned by his Soueraigne so is it not so much the more to be pardoned by God himselfe of all our treasons and rebellions against him by how much hee is greater then all earthlie princes Verily this is not only more then any tongue of man can expresse but also then any heart of man or wisedome of Angels can comprehend The same benefit of forgiuenes of sinnes is yet the greater because to whom God remitteth one sinne to him hee remitteth all and whose sinnes he doth once forgiue his sinnes hee doth forgiue for euer whom once he doth acquit discharge and iustifie them hee wil neuer condemne or cal to account By all sinnes I meane al the sinnes of Gods children both originall and actuall before baptisme and after baptism before conuersion and after conuersion of knowledge and of ignorance and once or often yea as wel deliberately as vnaduisedly committed Therefore Dauid in the place before vsed Psal 32. 1. 2. speaketh of sinne indefinitely without exception of any and in the other place praiseth God expressely for forgiuing al his sins The Apostle saith that Christ hath not redeemed vs from sin but from all iniquity Tit. 2. 14. So likewise in the other places before mentioned the Apostles speake of sinnes indefinitely c. Ephes 1. 7. Colos 1. 14. not of sinnes before or after baptisme or conuersion c. If by Christ wee haue forgiuenesse onely of originall sinne or of sinnes before baptisme and that wee or some other must make satisfaction for our actuall sinnes or for sinnes after baptisme as the Papists teach then hath Christ satisfied onely for the lesse and left the greater to vs. For who knoweth not actuall sinnes to be greater then originall and sinnes after baptisme to bee more at least for most part then sinnes before baptisme But of the vniuersality of the forgiuenesse of sinnes I hope to speak more to the further comfort of such as are heauy loaden with theyr sinnes in another treatise The second point that whose sinnes are once remitted they are remitted for euer is as certaine as the former Because the couenant of the Lord is an euerlasting couenant and his mercies are the sure mercies of Dauid Isa 55. 3. As high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is
his mercy towards them that feare him As farre as the East is from the west so far hath he remooued our sins from vs. Ps 103. 11. 12. As therefore the heaueÌ„ and the earth shall neuer come together and as the East and the West shall neuer meete so the pardon of sinnes once graunted by the Lord to his children shall neuer be reuoked called backe The same is more plainly testified in the prophecy of Ieremie If the heauens can be measured or the foundations of the earth be searched on beneath then will I cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they haue done saith the Lord Ier. 31. 37. The first of these things is impossible to wit the measuring of the heauens and searching of the bottome of the earth therefore also impossible is the second viz. that the Lord should cast off his people and children for their sinnes Can a woman saith the Lord also forget her child and not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe note that hee vseth the singular number to teach that he compareth him not to a woman that hath many children but to a woman that hath but one child and that a sonne Though they should forget yet will I not forget them Bebold I haue grauen thee vpon the palmes of my hands thy walles are euer before me or in my sight Isai 44. 15. 16. Is this only spoken of the whole body of the Church No It is also to be vnderstood of euery part and member thereof especially of them that by regeneration are indeed made the children of God as here we speake and for their sakes only and no otherwise of the body of the visible Church The same is yet further testified Isai 63. 16. Doubtlesse thou art our father Though Abraham be ignorant of vs and Israel know vs not that is though if these were liuing they would perhaps renounce vs and cast vs off as hauing transgressed their precepts and not walked in the steps of their faith yet thou O lord â—â—t our father and our redeemer thy name is for euer that is hough our sinnes be great and many whereby we haue proâ—oked thee and haue made our selues vnworthy to be called thy â—hildren Luk. 15. 21. yet thou hast pardoned our transgressiâ—n and so redeemed vs that thou wilt still continue thy merâ—y towards vs. The same did Samuel teach the Israelites when they feared â—eath because of their sinne in asking a King besides all their other sinnes Feare not saith he The Lord will not forsake his people for â—â—s great names sake because it hath pleased him to make you his â—â—ople 1. Sam. 12. 72. If the Lord for his names sake will not forâ—â—ke his people then for his names sake also the Lord will not euoke any pardon of sinnes once granted by him to his children regenerated What an happy state and condition therefore is this of the children of God so to haue all their great and manifold iniquities pardoned that none of them shall euer be laid to their charge as it is written Who shall lay anything to the charge of Gods chosen whom before in the same Chapter he had called Gods children It is God that iustifieth Rom. 8. 9. Therefore Iob being assured that God would so iustifie him and pardon all his sinnes triumphantly saith Who is he that will pleade with me Iob 13. 19. I might further amplifie this benefit of forgiuenesse of sinnes because the Lord therein hath passed ouer the Angells that haue forsaken their standing and vouchsafed this grace onely to his children adopted amongst men But because I haue had the like argument before therefore it shall not now be needfull to repeat the same Thus much of this point touching the forgiuenesse of sinnes proper only to the children of God and therefore also of their greater dignity thereby CHAP. XVIII Of the dying more and more of the children of God vnto sinne and of their preseruation from many great sinnes which the wicked doe daily commit and of their liuing more and more to righteousnesse NExt to the forgiuenesse of sinnes let vs further consider that as before we heard concerning the matter wherein consisteth the being of the children of God they were restored from the death of sinne to the life of righteousnesse so being thus altred and changed they neither go backward neither stand at a stay but doe daily die more and more vnto sinne and doe daily likewise liue more and more vnto righteousnesse And thus to proceed from the forgiuenesse of sinnes to these things is the method of the holy ghost in the scriptures For Dauid doth not only pray to be clensed from secret faults that is to haue such sinnes pardoned vnto him and therefore much more to be pardoned of his open sinnes but also that hee might bee kept from presumptuous sinnes Psal 19 12. 13. Our Sauiour also teacheth to pray not onely for forgiuenesse of sinnes but also not to bee led into tentation and to bee deliuered from euill Mat. 6. 12. 13. Therefore the Apostle Peter preacheth repentance and forgiuenes of sinnes together Acts 2. 38 Touching this present point as before we heard the children of God by their incorporation into Christ in their new birth to be reuiued again and made aliue to God in true knowledge and wisedome and in true holines and righteousnesse so now let vs vnderstand that the longer the said children of God continue so incorporated into Christ the more sap and vertue they receiue from him and that therefore that which is natural in them doth more and more decay and that that is of grace and by the new birth of the spirit doth more and more grow and encrease So it is with plantes grafted into any stocke the longer they continue in the stocke the more they are incorporated therinto and the more they thriue and grow and beare fruit First therefore for dying more and more vnto sinne or for the dying more and more of sinne in vs this phrase may seem somwhat harsh strange because in natural things that that is once dead indeed cannot properly be sayd to die any more There cannot bee a continuall dying or a dying by piece-meales but where there is a remnant of life To this I answer first that euen in naturall things that may be said to be killed that receiueth such a deadly wound that from the day of receiuing thereof it neuer thriueth or ioyeth as we speake but pineth wasteth away euery day more and more till it perish So both man and also vnreasonable creatures vpon some wounds giuen them by other creatures or taken by their owne vntulines doe many times consume vnto death it selfe So many trees being either blasted aboue or canker-eaten in the midst or hauing the strings of their rootes cut beneath do from that day wither till they bee altogether dead aboue in the midst and beneath Secondly let vs remember the comparison vsed before chap 8. of sinnes
no other fountaine then at the word of God By the same meanes from time to time hath the Lord comforted his children Abraham Isack Iacob Dauid Hezekiah Paul and other in their afflictions euen by his word and by speaking vnto them When Iohn also wept much because no man was found worthy to open to read and to looke on the booke which before he had seen in the right hand of him that sate vpon the throne c. how was he comforted Not inwardly only by Gods spirit but outwardly also by one of the elders speaking vnto him and saying Weep not behold that Lyon which is of the tribe of Iuda that roote of Dauid hath obtained to open the booke and to open the seuen seales thereof Reuel 5. 5. Here is a double argument to proue the word of God to be the word of comfort First because Iohn in his heauinesse is comforted by the speech of one of the elders vnto him Secondly in respect of the matter of the said speech viz. that there was one found to open the booke and the seuen seales thereof For thereby the holy ghost signifieth that without opening of the book before shewed to Iohn there was nothing to haue comforted him Whatsoeuer benefits therfore whatsoeuer friends whatsoeuer outward delights whatsoeuer learning or other thing men haue yet nothing will soundly comfort them that are heauy hearted or exercised with feares but the word The woman in the Gospell healed of her bloudy issue for healing whereof she had spent all that she had vpon the physitians and was nothing the better doth sufficiently iustifie this For when our Sauiour hauing so healed her for nothing euen so perfectly healed her that she sensibly felt her selfe to be healed when I say our Sauiour hauing thus healed her did but aske who had touched him because he had felt vertue to goe from him she had no more comfort then before but for all the benefit Note of health so miraculously wrought in her she was possessed with great feare and trembling till she came to our Sauiour and till he spake vnto her saying Daughter be of good comfort thy faith hath saued thee Luk 8. 47. 48. So then the former benefit did not comfort her though she had long desired it yea it seemeth she had more feare then before but the word that our sauiour spake was it that tooke away the feare and which did comfort her I might here also speake of Belshazar in what case he was Dan. 5. hauing no comfort in the word but of him and other like more afterward In the meane time let vs vnderstand that the word hath comforts of all sorts and for all afflictions of this life and of the life to come for body and for soule Is any of Gods children poore he can comfort himselfe with the word saying Feare the Lord yee his Saints for no good thing wanteth to them that feare him c. Psal 34. 9. So with those manifold comforts Mat. 6. 25. c. Luk. 12. 32. c. So also with the examples of Iacob Gen. 32. 10. of Elija of the widow of Zarepta and of the other widdow of one of the sonnes of the Prophets before mentioned and with Gods mighty prouidence towards the Israelites in the wildernesse in feeding them with Manna and quailes and in giuing them water out of the rocke Is any child of God in disgrace or in base condition he can comfort himselfe with 1. Pet. 5. 5. and 6. and with the examples of Ioseph Dauid Ester and Mordecai whom the Lord raised vp from the dust and made to sit with Princes yea and some of them to be Princes Is any of them in prison He can comfort himselfe with the examples of Ioseph Ieremiah Peter and Paul who were not only in prison but whom also the Lord most mightily deliuered out of prison Hath any many and great aduersaries He can consider that If God be with him he need not feare who is against him Rom. 8. 29. and that The Lord is alwaies at hand Philip. 4. 6. And how the Lord deliuered Iacob from Esau and from the Sechemites and Dauid from many mighty enemies Is any sicke and sicke vnto death He can call to mind how Hezekiah being so and told also by the word of God that he should die was vpon his praier miraculously restored to health and had his life drawn out for fifteen yeeres more 2. Chron. 32. 24. c. He can also remember that Dauids soule was deliuered from the graue Psal 103. 4. and that Epaphroditus being sicke and neere vnto death God had mercy on him Phil. 2. 27. Hath any man lost all his goods in one day yea children also c. He can comfort himselfe with Psal 24. 1. and with the example of Iob who hauing lost goods and children did not only say The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken Blessed be the name of the Lord Iob. 1. 21. but who also had all and more then all restored vnto him at the last Iob. 42. 10. Is any man heauy loaden with his sinnes doth he feare the wrath of God and euerlasting condemnation and doth he not find or feele any comfort yea doth he feele the terrors of death Oh how may he comfort himselfe with the doctrine of Gods mercy Psal 103. 9. c. before handled with the end of Christs comming to heale them that are sicke not the whole to call sinners not the righteous to repentance Mat. 9. 12. 13. to seeke and to saue that which was lost Luk. 19. 10. that euery one that beleeueth in him might not perish but haue euerlasting life Iohn 3. 6. with the words also of the Prophet Ho euery one that thirsteth c. Isai 5. 5. 1. with the words of our Sauiour Come vnto me all ye that are weary and laden and I will refresh you Mat. 11. 28. And lastly with the examples of such as haue found comfort in such an heauy condition and against great and many sins viz. of Dauid of Salomon of Manasses of Peter of Mary Magdalen of Zacheus of Paul and of diuers other Seing then the word of God hath such excellent and such sweet comforts for euery malady for euery affliction for euery heauinesse who can sufficiently expresse the dignity and prerogatiue of the children of God thereby For they only can receiue comfort by it The childrens bread doth not belong to whelpes Mat. 15. 26. Neither do the holy things of God belong to dogs neither doe such pearles become swine Mat. 7. 6. All this hitherto said of the word is the more both in respect of the writing thereof and also of the preaching thereof In both these respects I say the prerogatiue of the children of God by the word is the greater For as touching the writing thereof howsoeuer the Papists would perswade that it was written onely by the voluntary accord of man not by any expresse commandement of God 〈◊〉 and that therefore it
their eies will be to the faithfull in their lands that they may dwell with them and such as walke in a perfect way shall serue them but deceitfull persons shall not dwell in their houses neither shall such as tell lies remaine in their sight Yea betimes and wiâ—h all speed for feare of further dishonor to God by further infection of their people they will destroy all the wicked of their lands as nigh as they can not leauing one and cut off al the workers of iniquity from the city of the Lord Psal 101. 6. 7. 8. As their heauenly Father also the King of Kings is mercifull so are they after a kingly manner They doe good to them that cannot recompence the same nor doe the like to them and from whom they looke for nothing againe Luk 6. 34. c. And although according to Gods lawes for kings their care is not so much to gather much siluer and gold as to occupy themselues all the daies of their life in reading and meditating of the law of God and to learne thereby the feare of the Lord their God c. Deut. 1â— 17. 18. 19. and so likewise to lay vp treasure for themselues in heauen Matth. 6. 20. yet as the Lord doth therefore of his princely bounty cast outward things the more plentifully vpon them Mat. 6. 33. making them according to the necessity of their places and callings to lay vp gold like dust and the gold of Ophir as the flints of the riuer Iob 22. 24. so they accordingly to the example of Salomon who gaue siluer in Ierusalem as stones c. 1. King 10. 27. are merciful and lend they distribute or disperse and giue to the poore and their righteousnesse doth endure that is they are still by the continuall blessing of God vpon them able to giue Psal 112. 5. and so being rich in good works and ready to communicate they lay a sure fonudatien for themselues to eternall life 1. Tim. 6. 18. 19. Eightly the children of God are said by Christ Iesus to be kings because howsoeuer here they are subiect to the iudgement of other and are often iudged and condemned most vniustly and vnrighteously at the pleasure of men yet as Christ Iesus himselfe is said to be the iudge of the quicke and the dead so it is also said that at his comming to the last iudgement they shall iudge the world yea the Angels viz. the wicked Angels that were the authors of all the vnrighteous iudgement that by the world had been before giuen against them 1. Cor. 6. 3. Yea this they shall doe not only because they being members of Christ and Christ being their head therefore the sentence of Christ shall be their sentence but also because as they haue been before accused by the world to the Iudges of the world so at that time euen at the great iudgement day they shall be accusers of their wrongfull accusers and of their vnrighteous Iudges to the most Iust iudge of all who shall proceed to iudgement and sentence against their former accusers and Iudges according to their accusation of them presented vnto him And lastly the iudgement and sentence so giuen by Christ Iesus himselfe shall bee ratified by all the saints the children of God Ninthly finally all the children of God are by Christ Iesus said to be made kings because as they in kingly manner are richly and sumptuously apparrelled hauing put on Christ Iesus himselfe with his princely robe of righteousnesse and with the whole new man being both glorious within by their faith loue hope patience humility c. and beautifull also outwardly by those fruits of righteousnesse before spoken of and as they fare roially euery day hauing the dainty diet that hath been before also mentioned so also at the last they shall as kings be crowned with crownes of gold Reuel 4. 4. yea with better then gold euen with the crowne of righteousnesse 2. Tim. 4. 8. with the crowne of life Iames 1. 12. with the crowne of glorie 1. Pet. 5. 4 In respect of this crowne belonging to the least of Gods children all the crownes of all the Princes in the world yea put in also the triple crowne of the man of sinne the Pope of Rome though he be more fit to be reckoned among the sonnes of fooles and of villaines and bee not worthy to sit with the dogs of the flockes of other Princes much lesse is he worthy to be named among them In respect I say of this crowne thus belonging to the poorest sonne and daughter of God all the crownes of all the Princes in the world are no better then the crowne of thornes which the souldiers in derision put vpon the head of Christ Iesus Mat. 27. 29. and the which Christ Iesus did patiently weare the better to purchase the foresaid crowne of righteousnesse life and glory for euery one of the children of God To conclude this point because it is not decorum and fit for Princes that in their minority are clothed and fed so roially and afterward crowned so gloriously to stand therefore also they shall haue a throne far more stately then euer was the throne of Salomon though it were made of yuory and couered with the best gold hauing six steps and the similitude of twelue lyons vpon the said steps so that there was not the like throne in any kingdome 1. Kings 10. 18. c. This throne is the throne of Christ Iesus himselfe For so himselfe saith that He will giue vnto them to sit with him in his throne as himselfe sitteth in the throne of his father Reu. 3. 21. By these things before spoken especially by some of them it appeareth what great difference there is betwixt this kingly dignity of Gods children and the kingly dignity of all earthly Kings and Princes For whereas all earthly kings haue their kingdomes without them the children of God haue theirs as well within them as without them Whereas earthly Kings haue earthly iewels and earthly apparrell and earthly crownes made of earthen matter such as come from the earth the children of God haue their robes their iewels and their crownes from heauenly places and of an heauenly matter Whereas earthly kings are robed and decked with iewels as also crowned by their subiects that are base in respect of themselues the children of God are robed decked and crowned by him that is himselfe the Lord of Lords the King of kings the God of Gods and the King of glorie Whereas earthly kingdomes are peculiar but to one of the kings children and that to a sonne though there bee but one and none of the daughters so long as there are heires male aliue haue any part though they bee many the children of GOD both sonnes and daughters are partaker of this kingdome by Christ Iesus whereof now wee treat Whereas earthly kingdomes are not enioied presently vpon the birth of the heires vnto them but for the most part after the death of
better manifestation of the glorie of God by his miraculous raising againe after buriall and after death and buriall diuers daies So our Sauiour saith to his disciples before hee was dead This sicknesse is not vnto death viz. to lie or continue in death till the generall resurrection but for the glory of God that the sonne of God might be glorified thereby Ioh. 11. 4. So he said after he was dead and buried vnto Martha who obiected that he had been dead foure daies Said I not vnto thee that if thou didst beleeue thou shouldst see the glory of God vers 40. Fourthly the godly are sometimes taken away by an extraordinary kind of death not onlie to teach other the more to take heede of all such sinnes as for which they are so taken away but also to admonish men not alwaies to iudge other by their end except their life haue also been wicked but rather to hope well of them if their former life haue been godly albeit their end be somewhat vncomfortable Finally to make an end of my answer to the former obiection touching the afflictions of the children of God sith all afflictions are threatned only to the wicked as all blessings are promised only to the godly though the troubles of the righteous be great yet the Lord deliuereth him out of all Yea though they continue long yet the Lord keepeth all his bones not one of them shall be broken whereas the afflictions of the wicked shall slaie them and they that hate the righteous shall perish Psal 34. 19. 20. 21. Therefore Salomon admonisheth the wicked not to lay waite at the house of the righteous because though the iust man fall seuen times yet he riseth again that is though he haue many afflictions be now vp now presently down yet at the last the Lord deliuereth him out of all but the wicked doe fall into mischiefe or do perish and be vtterly at the last ouerthrowne in their misery Pro. 24. 15. 16. Yea though they crie yet there shall be none to saue yea though they cry vnto the Lord yet he shall not answer them Psal 18. 41. Of both these viz. of the deliuerance of the children of God out of their troubles and of the perishing of the wicked in theirs wee haue mentioned diuers examples before not needfull now to be repeated Though also the Lord do suffer the afflictions of his children to continue yet in the end he will most gratiously deliuer them by death and translate them to himselfe where they shall rest from their labor and where they shall reap the fruit of all their workes Reuel 14 13. of the which rest and other reward of their workes all the afflictions of this life are not to be accounted worthy Rom 8. 18. Yea in respect of which most excellent and eternall weight of glorie all affliction here is but exceeding light and momentany 2. Cor. 4. 17. But of this more afterward In the meane time the Lord will either mitigate the said afflictions of his children or shew his power in their weaknesse not laying more vpon them then he giueth strength to beare neither suffering them to be tempted aboue their strength 1. Cor. 10. 13. The Lord knoweth to deliuer the godly out of tentation and to reserue the vniust vnto the day of iudgment vnder punishment or to be punished 2. Pet. 2. 9. Are not these things singular priuileges Are they not excellent dignities To haue the right of all the blessings of this life and to haue the very afflictions of this life made so many waies beneficiall so that the children of God may not only say that light is sowen for the righteous and ioy for the vpright in heart Psal 97. 11. but also that vnto the righteous ariseth light in darknesse it selfe Psal 112. 4. But is this all that may be said touching the blessings of this life and the afflictions thereof in respect of the children of God No we may further adde both of such blessings and of such afflictions and also of all other things that we that are the children of God do not vncertainly hope but fully and most certainly know that all things work together for the good of them that loue God Rom. 8. 28. What all things yea all things youth as well as age weaknesse as well as strength trouble as well as peace sicknesse as well as health pouerty as well as wealth the single state as well as the married disgrace as well as credit contempt as well as honor low degree as well as high imprisonment as well as walking at large bondage as well as freedome losses as well as gaine barrennesse of the body as well as fruitfulnesse a troublesome wife as well as a comfortable wife wicked and rebellious children as well as good and dutifull death of father mother brother sister husband wife children and other friends as well as the life and long continuance of them trauelling abroad as well as keeping at home banishment as well as abiding in our owne country the hatred and displeasure of men euen of the mighty men of the world as well as their loue and friendship dangers as well as safety foule or cold weather as well as faire and hot weather to conclude death as well as life and any one thing els as well as another All this is so to be vnderstood that wee may admire the wisedome of God in turning all things to good to them that loue Note him and that we acknowledge the state and condition of such to be the more honorable and happy not that therefore we make choice of one thing as well as of another but that we direct our choice according to his reuealed will and yet to be content with whatsoeuer the Lord shall doe and to possesse our soules in patience as knowing that howsoeuer things fall out a while yet at the last the end will be good for vs. But this being a matter of good moment it shall not be lost labor to insist somewhat more vpon it and to make it more plaine that all men may the better see that all things worke indeed to the good of them that loue God that is of his children because we haue heard before that they only do loue him and that all the wicked are often said to be enemies and haters of him This therefore is manifest first because God is with al them that loue him as hath been before declared If God bee with them who can be against them Rom. 8. 31. or what skilleth it who or what is against them They may then say as Elisha said 2. Kings 6. 16. and as Hezekiah did 2. Chron. 32. 7. They that be with vs are more then they that be against vs. God is greater then all Ioh. 10. 29. viz. not only in power but also in wisedome and goodnesse as before also hath been shewed Whatsoeuer he will in heauen or in earth that he doth Psal 135. 6. He will not
in making vs his children For how doth it stand with any reason or iustice that such as God loueth and hath made his children shall be condemned Againe if by faith we are saued as hath been shewed how can we be condemned The like may be said hereof in respect of our incorporation into Christ For the Apostle saith that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Rom 8. 1. so also in respect of other points of that matter wherein we shewed the being of the children of God to consist therefore in the former place they that are in Christ Iesus are described immediatly in this manner according to those things before spoken of the matter as it were of Gods children viz that they walke not after the flesh but after the spirit So Iohn saith of them that loue the brethren one principall point of the said matter of the children of God Hereby we know that we are translated from death to life if we loue the brethren 1. Ioh. 3. 14. The same is also manifest by the ende of Christs comming before spoken of For therefore did he come into the world that whosoeuer doth belieue in him should not perish c. Ioh. 3. 16. and that he might deliuer all them which for feare of death were all their life time subiect to bondage Heb. 2. 15. This also followeth from the forgiuenesse of sinnes before likewise handled For sinnes being that whereby we deserue condemnation it must needs follow that they being taken away condemnation is also taken away Being discharged of the offence wee cannot but be released of the punishment Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christ which is dead c. Rom. 8. 33. 34. So these three are ioined together No man to accuse where God iustifieth no condemnation to them for whom Christ died The Papists indeed doe boldly affirme that the fault remitted the punishment is often retained But as this is contrary to the former and to diuers other scriptures so in common reason it is foolish absurd and grosse For what a thing is this to say that a man hath his treason pardoned but yet he shall be hanged drawn and quartered Were not a man as good haue no pardon of his treason as haue such a pardon If the Papists haue no better pardon of their sinnes as indeed they shall not without great repentance and renouncing of their damnable errours they shall be in a wofull case Touching the truth of this point that the children of God are freed from condemnation I shall not need to say any more Neither shall I need largely to prooue that this freedome from condemnation is onely proper to the children of God sith they onely are elect to saluation they onely are beloued of God they only beleeue in Christ and by faith are made his members they onely may say they haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare they onely walke according to the spirit they onely haue forgiuenesse of sinnes c. The chiefe thing that I doe here propound to my selfe to shewe is how great a benefit and priuiledge this is That wee may therefore see this let vs consider a little as wee may what condemnation is Briefly and in one word Condemnation is the whole curse of God in the world to come first vpon the soule onely till the day of iudgement then vpon soule and body after the resurrection for euer and euer But let vs yet see the degrees of it more particularly The first degree therefore is the angry wrathfull and fearfull countenance rebuke sentence of the Lord Iesus Christ the Iudge of all the world against them that are before appointed or ordained to condemnation viz. against all the vngodly which before had turned the grace of God into wantonnesse and denied God the onely Lord and our Lord Iesus Christ Iude 4. when they shall be all gathered before him For then shall the Lord Iesus Christ that great Iudge of all the world speake vnto such in this manner Depart from mee ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the deuill and his angels Matthew 25. 32. and 41. The wrath of a King saith Salomon is like the roaring of a lyon he that prouoketh him to anger sinneth against his owne soule Pro. 19. 12. and 20. 2. Is the wrath of a mortall king whose breath is in his nostrels so fearefull How fearefull alas then is the wrath of the immortall King of Kings that setteth vp and casteth down 1. Sam. 2. 8. and by whom all Kings reigne and Princes decree iustice c. Pro. 8. 15. The rebuke of a King is the more heauy the more publike it is How heauy then shall that rebuke of the King of kings be which shall be giuen in the presence of all the world not only before all men but also before all the Angels both good and bad The second degree of condemnation is in the former sentence viz. the separation from the gratious and comfortable presence of God For our Sauiour saith depart from me ye cursed c. When he saith depart from me he meaneth the banishment of them not only from himself the second person in the Deity but also from the father and holy ghost For as they that haue communion with Christ haue also communion with the Father and the holy ghost as before hath been shewed so they that are depriued of Christs company are likewise depriued of the company of the Father and of the holy Ghost To be without God in this world as we haue heard before is one principal point of our misery by nature before our calling Yet there they that are so without God haue often times many friends great friends which for a while seem much to allay their misery as it were to still them like little children in their absence from God If it be such a thing to be heere without God where we haue many other friends with whom a little to while away the time what alasse will it be to be without God in the world to come where we shall haue no friends at all with whom to passe away the time or by whom to haue any comfort Amongst men when subiects begin to be suspected of treason or otherwise to be in disgrace with their soueraigns this is no small degree to further punishment afterward viz. to be banished from the court of such princes or to be commanded to keep out of their presence After that Absalom for the murder of his brother Amnon had fled from Dauid as fearing his displeasure had bin absent as a banished mā for three yeers together yet after that was so reconciled to his father that he might returne into the kingdome but notwithstanding was commanded to goe to his owne house and not to see the kings face 2. Sam. 14. 24. in which state he continued for two yeers more how
the second death Reuel 2. 11. And this second death is tenne thousand times worse then the first death I meane then the separation only of the soule and the body yea it were better ten thousand times that the soule and the body of the wicked should die and vtterly perish and come to nothing as the life and body of beasts doe then that they should bee tormented as they shall be Therfore it is called by the name both of the second death and also of fire euen of the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Reu. 19. 20. and 20. 10. It is likewise called a worme and a fire Marc. 9. 44. c. where in verse 43. the word hell and sire are ioined together How intolerable also the paines and torment of hell bee it appeareth by that of the rich mans soule in hell Luk. 16. 23. 24. where it is said that he being touching his soule in hell and seeing Lazarus a farre off in Abrahams bosome marke this word afarre off against the Papists that will haue Abrahams bosome to be neere vnto hell and a part of hell it selfe he cried out to Abraham that Lazarus to whom before he had denied all comfort and to whom his dogs had shewed more mercy then himselfe he cried I say that Lazarus might be sent to dip the top of his finger in water for the cooling of his tongue Why so Because said he I am tormented in this flame Such then were his paines and torments that if he might haue had but a little ease for one member he would haue accounted it an exceeding fauour Such also shall be the torments of all other the wicked that shall be condemned And although the torments of condemnation be thus described by these fearfull things in this life yet the truth is that no fearefull thing in this world can sufficiently expresse the torments of the wicked in the world to come The most exquisite torments that euer haue been deuised by any mercilesse cruell and sauage tyrants for the bodies of men hanging burning either all at once or by piece-meales renting in pieces with wild horses pinching the flesh off with hot irons boyling in lead sawing broiling vpon gridyrons and such like all these I say are but sports pastimes delights and pleasures in respect of the torments to come in an other world All these degrees of condemnation hitherto spoken of are the more because the said condemnation so described shall be euerlasting without end without any mitigation that is signified by the worme that dieth not and by the fire that neuer goeth out Mark 9. 44. c. as also by the answer before spoken of of Abraham to the rich man tormented in hell therefore also we heard it before called euerlasting fire and euerlasting paine Mat. 25. 46. and euerlasting perdition 2. Thes 1. 9. Yea so farre is the condemnation of the wicked from all end and mitigation that when all other things shall haue a kind of end and when the soules of the wicked shall be ioyned to their bodies in the day of iudgment then likewise shal their torments be increased This much amplifieth all the former It is much to haue the frowning countenance and wrathfull sentence of God to be banished from his gratious presence and to be depriued of all good company and of all other good things to bee made a companion of diuels and to be cast into the place of vtter darkenesse where is weeping and gnashing of teeth and there to be tormented with a worme gnawing and a fire burning all these things I say are very much though they should be but for a time but neuer to haue God to looke cheerefully vpon them or to speake comfortably vnto them to bee banished from his gratious presence for euer neuer to haue any good company nor any other comfortable thing to be alwayes companion with the diuels and to be throwne into the place of darkenesse from whence there is no hope of any redemption and to be tormented vnspeakably for euer without any mitigation to haue a worme alwaies gnawing within and neuer dying and a fire euer burning without and neuer consuming or wasting alas alas what eare doth not tingle to heare what heart doth not quake and ake tremble and shiuer to thinke vpon it Yea who quaketh not who in euery member and ioynt trembleth not to consider of it though himselfe be assured of freedome and discharge from it How then shall they quake quiuer and tremble that shall indeed bee so condemned All miserie and punishments here are somewhat mitigated to him that suffereth them by hope of an end at the last if not before yet at least in the houre of death The hardest apprentiship that euer was with the most cruel merciles master after the longest time serued had some cōfort by thinking the time thereof to come to bee shorter than that that was past The like may besaid of any other bondage But in the condemnation of the wicked the longest time is alwaies behind A beginning there is but no ending An hundred yeers past a thousand follow and so million after million O dolefull ô wofull ô fearfull condition When Saul heard of the losse of this life the day following not by the spirit of truth but by the father of lies satan himselfe not transformed into an Angell of light but only appearing in the habit of a Prophet He fell straightway all along vpon the earth and was sore afraid because of those words so that there was no strength in him neither could any body almost comfort him 1. Sam. 28. 17. Belshazzars countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him at the sight of the hand writing vpon the wall writing indeed his present ouerthrow yet not to his vnderstanding till Daniel did read and interpret the said writing that the ioints of his loines were loosed and his knees smote one against the other Dan. 5. 6. His bones as we say did rattle in his skin because from the guiltinesse of his conscience he feared the worst though as yet hee knew nothing How then think we was he perplexed when the sentence of God therein contained was executed vpon him Felix trembled to heare Paul but dispute or preach of righteousnesse temperance and the iudgement to come Acts 24 25. Alas then how do al those tremble and gnash their teeth that do already feele the execution of the sentence of condemnation in their soules And how shall they and all other the wicked quake and tremble in the day of iudgement when they shall receiue the full sentence of condemnation against their soules and bodies for euer and euer without reuocation without mitigation The more fearfull that thus it appeareth and is manifest shal bee the condemnation of the wicked that die in their sinnes the greater priuiledge prerogatiue and dignity it shall be to the children of God to be freed and discharged from the same I might haue illustrated all before
they should and as sometime they behold the same This made the Prophet to say I haue clensed my heart in vaine Psal 73. 13 â—nd to thinke the state and condition of himselfe to be no better then the state and condition of the wicked yea to iudge theirs better then his Yea Dauid being banished from the Arke of God and in danger of many enemies had such trouble of mind and feares of heart that he was faine to rebuke himselfe in that behalfe and to say to his soule as before we heard why art thou cast down O my soule and why art thou disquieted within me Ps 42. 5. 11. 43. 5. Finally somtime such seares of the children of God the error of their iudgement touching them arise from some bodily cause eueÌ„ from a melancholik coÌ„stitutio wherby the iudgemeÌ„t is so crazed that it doth not erre only in matters of God which coÌ„cern saluation but also in things of this world which coÌ„cern this preseÌ„t life For the abundaÌ„ce of melancholy oftentimes taketh away from men the knowlege of their best friends makes them to think that they are vtter enemies to feare theÌ„ accordingly No maruel then though the said humor doe somtime obscure the fauor of God and darken the peace of conscience euen in the best of Gods children These that are thus occupied with feares doe measure their condition more by feeling then by faith and other arguments of greater certainty then feeling But howsoeuer the children of God in these and the like respects be troubled with such feares for a time yet as before we said of other troubles of this life so I may also say of those feares that the Lord doth at the last deliuer them our of all and turne them likewise to their great good yea for the most part the Lord giueth his children most inward peace when they haue most outward calamities at least when they haue Note most need of such inward peace then also haue the godly most peace yea most comfort When the wicked are most dismaied namely in the times of greatest stormes and tempests euen of most mighty and fearfull thundrings lightnings at such times the wicked quake and tremble as fearing some greater euill towards them and so indeed oftentimes it falls out but contrariwise the childreÌ„ of God looking not so much to the lightnings nor hearkning so much to the thundrings as considering therin the great power of God how able he is to saue them how soon he can subdue their enemies do in this respect both follow their callings the more quietly and also hold vp their heads the more cheerfully The like may be said of them in the howre of their death Mark saith Dauid the vpright man and behold the iust for the end of that man is peace Psal 37 37. and why so the sonne answereth the father I meane Salomon answereth Dauid saying the day of death is better then the day that one is borne that is to the child of God Ecâ—l 7 3. and why is this because the day of death to the children of God is the day of deliuerance from all their misery The children of God themselues die not but their misery then dieth yea then also their sinne the cause of their misery and chiefe misery it selfe maketh an end Secondly death to the godlie is but a short bridge and a speedie passage to eternall life they take not onely their leaue of all calamities but they enter also into their Masters ioie and take now more full possession then euer before they had of that moste blessed inheritance whereof before they heard and which they had a long time most earnestly longed for On the contrary howsoeuer the wicked for a time especially in prosperity seem to be at peace and so liue securely fearing nothing yet if aduersity once come then they rage and storme then they fret and chafe then they raile and raue then they curse and sweare then they speake not only against men but also against God himselfe especially the day of their death is most fearfull vnto them as being the end of all their happinesse and the beginnings of their greatest woe and misery and so they finish their daies most heauily most fearfully yea sometime they are so discontent with some things befallen vnto them or so tormented in their minds with feare of Gods iudgements against themselues that they play the bloody butchers vpon themselues So Achitophel in malcontent mind hanged himselfe 2. Sam. 17. 23. so Iudas as before we heard in great desperation of Gods mercy did make the like fearfull end of himselfe Mat. 27. 5. That sometime the children of God die vnquietly in outward appearance it is to admonish other the better to prepare themselues for their end and to labour the more to treasure vp for themselues comfort by keeping a good conscience for the day of their death That the wicked die sometime peaceably and in shew comfortably either it is to admonish all men not rashly to iudge sith God can in a moment secretly worke repentance or else howsoeuer some will say of such that they went away like a bird or died like a lamb yet rather if they shewed no repentance especially if they did not indeed repent they are to be thought to haue died like beasts that for the most part dying naturally of some disease and not being killed violently doe only pant and grone and make no other noise As it is said of Nabal that when Abigail had related what Dauid had purposed against him and what she had done to saue Nabal from the execution thereof that his heart died wit hin him and he became like a stone and so about ten daies after he died 1. Sam. 25. 22. 28. so the wicked dying in their sins and yet not dying raging nor rauing c. doe die like stocks or stones that is neither shewing any more repentance neither any whit more regarding any goodnesse then stocks or stones But to returne to the children of God such is their peace vpon the grounds before mentioned that as they are freed from the seruile feare of Gods wrath and iustice so they are likewise freed from all such feare of other creatures as whereby they should be dismaied or disabled from such duties as belong vnto them For what need they feare any thing sith God hath made a league with all creatures in their behalfe and sith they know that all things doe worke together for their good as before we haue heard we may therefore Note conclude they need not to feare any euill tydings Psal 112. 7. yea though they walke through the vale of the shadow of death Psal 23. 4. but that euery one of them may say the Lord is my light and saluation whom shall I feare the Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid Psal 27. 1. and againe I will lay me downe and also sleep in
Hathaliah that immediatly after Ahaziah vsurped the kingdome All these seuen kings I say were euill and vngodly though some of them at their entrance into their kingdomes made great shewes of godlinesse Neither had any of these seuen any good child for ought that we know but only Ahaz whom Ezekiâ—h his sonne succeeded Yet in the daies of Hezekiah the Lord comforteth him against Zenaherib and promiseth to saue Ierusalem for his owne sake and for Dauid his seruants sake 2. Kings 19. 34. So he noteth that all the former succession of euill kings so long togither euen for the space of about 155 yeers at least not much lesse had not disanulled and made voide the former couenant of God made with Dauid Yea we may say more that sometime the promise of the Lord made to the wicked though indeed as they in some things resemble the children of God is kept with their posterity and they also haue the benefit of it This hath been shewed before by the performance of Gods promise made to Iehu euen to his sonnes afterward though all wicked to the fourth generation What a gratious priuiledge then is it to them that are the children of God indeed that euen their children are by their parents within the couenant of God Although also wicked children of good parents doe depriue themselues of all benefits of Gods couenant touching the life to come yet they do receiue many by the same couenant touching this present life Ismael had not only the seale of the couenant circumcision but for the couenants sake made with Abraham God heard him praying for Ismael that he might liue in his sight and answered him most gratiously saying As concerning Ismael I haue heard thee lo◠〈◊〉 blessed him and will make him fruitfull and will multiply him exceedingly twelue Princes shall he beget and I wiâ—â— make a great nation of him Gen. 17. 18. By the said example of Ismael and by the benefit he had by the praiers of Abraham praying for him wee see the posterity of the children of God to haue great benefit by the praiers of their parents If the praier of the righteous auaileth much for any if it bâ— feâ—â—ent Iames 5. 17. much more may wee assure our selues that the praiers of the righteous parents for their children doe auaile much because they will pray most feruently for them If God heard Abraham praying for wicked Ismael he will also doubtlesse heare other parents praying for their children in the saith of Abraham especially for such children as doe themselues also beleeue Therefore the Gospell testifieth how many children were sometime restored from death to life and somtime were released from a bodily possession of satan by the suit of their godly parents to our sauiour in their behalfe Mat. 9. 18. Mat. 15. 22. Mat. 17. 14. Mark 9. 17. Great likewise is the benefit of Gods childrens children by better education better precepts better exercises of religion better chastisements and corrections and better example of life and conuersation then the children of the wicked for the most part haue As the children of such parents as are themselues the children of God haue these benefits by their such parents so likewise great is the benefit and comfort that such parents haue by their children that walke in the couenant of God viz. by their feare of God by their obedience to them and their praiers for them and by their good behauiours towards all other in which respect Salomon doth often commend such children in the book of the Prouerbs A wise sonne maketh a glad father Prou. 10. 1. and 15. 20. My sonne if thou be wise mine heart shall reioice and I also Pro. 23. 15. and againe the father of the righteous shall reioice he that begetteth a wise sonne shall haue ioy of heart thy father and thy mother shall be glad and she that bare thee shall reioice verse 24 25. My sonne be wise and reioice mine heart that I may answer him that reprooueth me Pro. 27. 11. and 29. 3. sometime also it commeth to passe that good children become parents to their parents by releeuing them in their necessities and helping them in their outward state so Ioseph is said to haue nourished his father Iacob and all the rest of his sonnes and their families Gen. 45. 18. and 47. 12. so likewise Ruth was a great helpe for maintenance to her mother in law Naomi and much other comfort had Naomi by her in her old age The contrary is manifest of wicked children both by many sentences in the Prouerbs before alleged and also by many examples of Ismael Esau the sonnes of Eli Hophni and Phine as Amnon and Absolon the sonnes of Dauid and of many other As it is thus betweene the husband and the wife and parents and children that are themselues the children of God so the master and seruant that are the children of God haue much greater benefit one by another then wicked masters and seruants haue for how great was the mutuall comfort both that Abraham had by the faithfull seruice that his seruant performed whom he imploied about a wife for his sonne Isaac and also that the same seruant had by the former instruction and example of Abraham whereby no doubt he was brought to make such conscience of faithfull seruice vnto Abraham For doth not the Lord himselfe say of Abraham I know him that he will command his seruants and his house after him that they keepe the way of the Lord to doe righteousnesse and iudgement Gen. 18. 19. Yea wicked masters haue great benefit by such seruants as are the children of God Laban an Idolater could say of Iacobs seruice I haue perceiued that the Lord hath blessed mee for thy sake Gen. 30. 27. Potiphar Iosephs master saw that the Lord was with Ioseph and that the Lord made all to prosper that was in his hand and so Ioseph found fauour in his sight and serued him and he made him Ruler ouer his house and put all that he had in his hand and from that time that hee made him Ruler ouer his house and ouer all that hee had the Lord blessed the Egyptians house for Iosephs sake and the blessing of the Lord was vpon all that he had in his house and in the field Gen. 39. 2. Yea Potiphar had a further benefit by Ioseph because when his wife most impudently inticed him to filthinesse with her Ioseph most gratiouslie denied it and said Behold my master knoweth not what he hath in the house with me but hath committed all that he hath to mine hand There is no man greater in this house then I neither hath he kept any thing from mee but only thee because thou art his wife how then can I doe this great wickednesse and so sinne against God And albeit she spake to Ioseph day by day yet hee hearkned not vntâ— her to lie with her nor to be in her companie Ge. 39. 8. 9. 10. Was not this a great
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
that behalfe then did Ebedmelech finde fauour and was deliuered from captiuitie according to Ieremiahs prophecie also thereof when the Iewes were taken captiue c. Ierem. 39. 16. 17. How also did the Lord recompence the widow of Zarephath for her kindnesse towards Elisa when hauing but an handfull of meale in a barrell and a little oile no more then would make a cake for one meale of her and her sonne then to die because of the extreme famine in those daies vet she beleeued the word of the Lord by Elisa and did cheerefully make him a cake first before she made any thing for her selfe and for her sonne For first of all that meale in her barrell and that oile in her cruse did not waste or diminish vntill the Lord sent raine vpon the earth and secondly when her sonne afterward falling sicke died by the meanes of the said Elisa hee was restored againe to life 1. King 17. 10. c. so her kindnesse receâ—ued a double recompence How plentifully also was the kindnesse of the Shunamite towards Elisha recompenced â—viz fourefold First by the gift of a sonne vnto her in her latter age when she had beene barren alwares before Secondly by restoring her sard sonne to life againe being dead 2. King 4. 8. c. Thirdly by admonishing her before hand of the seuen yeeres famine to come and aduising her to goe some where with her familie to soâ—ourne during that time of famine And fourthly bv directing her at her returne after those seuen yeeres to come at that very instant to make petition to the King for her lands which in her absence seemed to haue beene seized to the Kings vse when Gehazi was making report to the King of the great acts that Elisha his master had done and particularly how he had raised this womans son from death to life For by this meanes Gebizi telling the King that this was the woman vpon whose sonne Elisha had done that great cure shee did not only speedily recouer her lands but the King also vpon her confessing her selfe to bee the said woman commanded all the meane profits of the land to be restored vnto her euen all the fâ—uits of her lands since the day she had left the land vntill that very time 2. King 8 1. c. So euen that wicked man teacheth all men to shew most fauour to such whom they vnderstand the Lord Note most to haue fauoured and to doe most for them for whom the Lord hath done most The good counsell that Iethro the father in law of Moses gaue vnto Moses for the ease of him of that great burden which he saw to be too heauv for him and for the better gouernmeâ—t of the people Exod. 18. 18 c. was not forgotten but most graciously remembred For diuers hundred yeeres after when all men would haue thought that kindnes to haue beene dead and buried in the graue of euerlasting obliuion the Lord raâ—sed vp one to recompence the same that was of all other the most vnlikely as before he had fet water out of the rocke Euen Saul that was most vngratefull to Dauid that had done most valiantly for him and for all his people that afterward most cruelly slew in one dav 85 persons of the Lords Priests and most bloodily smote the whole câ—â—y Nob the city of the Pâ—â—ests with the edge of the sword both man and woman both childe and suckling both oxe and asse and sheepe 1. Note Sam. 22. 18. c. as it were in despight of God and to bee reuenged of him for casting him off because hee had not done the like against the Amalekites according to Gods Commandement in that behalfe 1 Sam. 15. 1. c and who also before chap. 14. 44. and afterward chap. 20. 33. for Dauids sake would haue killed his owne sonne Ionathan Euen this wicked barbarous hard-hearted and desperate Saul did the Lord raise vp to remember the foresard kindnesse of Iethro to his posteritie yea to be importune with them for recompencing the same For being sent against the Amalekites and there finding the Kenits dwelling among them who were the Kenits but the posteritie of Iethro which was also called Keni Iudg. 1. 16. spake very earnestly vnto them to depart c. saying Goe depart and get yee downe from among the Amalekites list I destroy you with them for ye shewed mercie to all the children of Israel when they came from Egypt 1. Sam. 15. 6. What was the mercie of the Kenits but the fore said counsell of Iethro their father Behold therfore a worthy example of iustice in a most vniust man not to bee so ouercome with surie against some whom God himselfe will haue to bee destroied as to forget kindnesse towards them that haue not offended but are rather in respect of themselues or of their ancestours worthie of kindnesse A comfortable president also for all the children of God to teath them not despaire but to know that the Lord can make them that are of themselues most cruell to shew them mercie in their distresse Finally a most excellent spurre likewise to quicken and prouoke al men to be the more ready to shew fauour vnto the children of God sith the same may be remembred euen by such to their posterity long after when themselues shall be dead and rotten yea not onely to prouoke them to do good to them that haue done any good for themselues but also to those that haue done good to their predecessours and forefathers yea to the posteritie of such as by whom their forefathers haue receiued any benefit All this was the more in Saul not onely because he was such an one as he was but also because we read not of any such expresse commandement for the shewing of that kindnesse to the Kenits as before Saul had receiued for seuerity against the Amalekites where therefore we may further obserue from that which is in the same chapter recorded of Sauls shewing fauor to the Amalekits contrary to Gods commandement that the more expresly God forbiddeth vs any thing the more ready we are to doe that which he so forbiddeth Thus much for performance of Gods promise to all them that shew any kindnesse to his children The Scripture is as plentifull in examples of performance of his threatnings before mentioned against all those that shew any vnkindnesse vnto any of them yea as God is more large in his threatnings generally against such as transgresse his Commandements Leuit. 26. 14. c. and Deut. 28. 15. c. so his word seemeth to haue more rather then fewer examples of his iustice in performing his threathing particularlie against all those that are enemies to his children As the Lord threatned for the vniust death of Naboth to take away the posteruie of Ahab and to cut off from Ahab him that â—isseth agaiâ—st the wall that is all his male children as well him that is shut vp as him that is left in Israel and
a Iew and say Wee will goe with you for wee haue heard that God is with you Zecbar 8. 23. Other Prophets also before had written to the same purpose thus It shall bee in the last daies that the mountainâ— of the house of the Lord shall bee prepared in the top of the mountaines and shall bee exalted aboue the hilles and all nations shall flow vnto it And many people shall goe and say Come and let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iaakob and be will teach vs his waies and we will walke in his pathes c. Isa 2. 2. Mich 4 1. Many other the like promises there are for the incouragement of all how wicked soeuer to change their state and to make haste in that behalfe before they perish in their wicked condition The examples likewise of those Act. 2. 37. of the gaoler Act. 16. 27. of Paul him-selfe of Mary Magdalen of all the heathen conuerted by the Apostles and infinit other may further encourage men vnto this hast for entring into the way of adoption If once they enter let them proceed and goe forward not halfe way but throughout and to the end Agrippa was halfe yea almost perswaded to bee a Christian Act. 26. 28. but wee read not that hee was altogether perswaded so to bee a Christian Though wee may not absolutely say that hee neuer afterward fully and wholly became a Christian yet that but almost mentioned in the Scripture and no more either there or in any other place being testified of his perfect conuersion may iustly make vs all the more to doubt of him Many in the daies of Christ were his Disciples for a time who at the last tooke such offence at his Doctrine that they went backe and walked no more with him Iohn 6. 66. After that many were followers of the Apostles who afterward forsooke them 2. Tim 4 6. Heb. 10. 25. 1. Ioh. 2. 19. It is a dangerous thing thus to enter and not to go forward No man that putteth his hand to the plough and looketh backe is apt to the Kingdome of God Luk. 9. 62. As this is true in the particular calling to the ministery so much more in the generall to Christianity If any after they haue escaped from the filthinesse of the world that is after they made profession of renouncing the filthinesse of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and of the Sauiour Iesus Christ are yet intangled therein againe and ouercome the latter end is worse with them then the beginning c. 2. Pet. 2. 20. The meanes whereby they that are wicked may be released of the bondage of their sinne and made the children of God is as wee haue heard principally the ministerie of the word So likewise the societie and fellowship of them that are the children of God already as before wee heard If notwithstanding all hitherto said they that are wicked will not forsake their wickednesse but will still remaine such as they are yet let them take heed of all wrongs and iniuries against them that are the children of God lest in the end it be to their cost and they repent as Iudas did when it is too late But of this point also before Thus much for the vses of the doctrine of the dignitie of Gods children which are proper and speciall to the wicked Touching them that are the children of God indeed let them especially first of all take heed that they fall not from their excellent state It is true indeed that they that are once truly the children of God shall euer so continue and cannot fall away Howbeit we are exhorted often to take heed to our selues in this behalfe Heb. 3. 12. and 10. 23. and 12 15. and elswhere because exhortations are the speciallest meanes for our vpholding Wee condemne all that being but base and beggarly and yet taken into some noble mans or gentlemans house and seruice where they are in the way to preferment cannot keepe themselues well whiles they are well Especially wee condemne them that hauing found such fauour with Princes as that from a low degree they are aduanced to some honourable condition as the Earle of TERONE and other cannot containe themselues but breake their lists and so bring themselues to their former basenesse How much more then may they be condemned that being translated from death to life from darkenesse to light from bondage to libertie from seruants and slaues of the Diuell to bee the sonnes and daughters of God from Hell to Heauen doe what in themlieth to returne againe to their former miserie Although indeed the true children of God can neuer bee altogether vnchilded as it were and vtterly degraded yet they in particular things so fall yea generally for a time so decline that they may seeme and often times seeme to other and to themselues neuer to haue beene the children of God All this is by negligence and securitie For as Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies Prou. 28. 14. so it is wofull euen a thing that bringeth much woe often times to the children of God to bee at any time but a little sleepie drowsie secure and watchlesse A second speciall vse for the children of God is that hauing found this loue before spoken of with God to be made his children they trust in him and depend on him not fearing but that hee that hath made them his children and will giue them a kingdome fit for such children wil also and much more giue them all things for this life Luk 12. 32. Our little children when they rise in the morning yea our seruants also take no care what they shall eat or what they shall drinke but they leaue all such care to vs their fathers and their masters and it is indeed our duty to prouide all such things for them For he that prouideth not for his owne and namely for them of his houshold denieth the faith and is worse then an infiâ—ell 1. Tim. 5. 8. Hitherto belongeth the speech of Moses vnto God Num. 11. 12. 13. and the practise of Bathshebaes huswife Prou. 31. 15. Why then should not we much more that professe our selues the children of God cast all our care vpon our heauenlie father that careth for vs 1. Pet. 5. 7. Vnder this vse I comprehend infinite comfort of the children of God The grounds of this comfort being handled before and some of them to be touched againe in the next verse I shall not need to stand vpon them now Yea with this trust in God and comfort from God we may ioine patience both towards God and also towards men Towards God because we haue heard before that he correcteth vr onely in loue and for our great good that wee may not bee condemned with the world 1. Cor. 11. 12. Towards man because hee is but Gods hand to chastise vs and cannot goe beyond his commission and last of all shall himselfe be called
not alwaies in the pangs of the most violent and cruell death reioice with ioy vnspeakable and glorious Verily in respect of this our likenes vnto Christ at his comming to iudgement all our likenes vnto him here is but as an earnest penny As therefore the earnest of a man giuen vpon a purchase is the least part of the paiment and nothing in a manner in respect of that which remaineth to be paied and as the first fruits were but an handfull in respect of other fruits afterward to be reaped so all the graces of God here and all our similitude vnto Christ in this life is but a corner and a pittance as it were of this our future likenes vnto him here spoken of All the perfection that here the best of vs all doe atteine vnto is but as a crust of bread in respect of an whole loafe at least but as a little breakfast to staie our stomackes till the supper of the Lambe when our likenes vnto him shall be compleat in all the delineaments and proportion thereof that so we may not thinke the time too long till the supper it selfe do come All the graces of God likewise in this life and all the beginnings of our regeneration and sanctification in this life are but loue tokens like to the iewels of siluer and of gold and the raiment that Abrahams seruant gaue to Rebecca before her parents and her brother Laban as testimonies of Isaacks loue towards her Gen. 24. 53 giuen by Iesus Christ vnto vs against the solemnization of the mariage it selfe This likenesse of the children of God vnto Christ Iesus being God and man and so excellent euery way as before we heard him to be doth exceedingly increase and amplifie that their dignity which I haue so largely laid forth in handling the maine proposition of the former verse euen as we see the creation of the first man in the similitude and likenes of God doth exceedingly commend and set forth the excellent state and condition of the said first man so long as he continued therein This is the more because this similitude once attained in that perfection that is here spoken shall neuer bee lost as that image of God was wherein at the first we were created yea it shall neuer any more be defaced or any whit blemished Neither Satan nor the world nor our owne flesh shall euer any more preuaile in vs to draw vs to any sinne for a season All these and all other the enemies of our saluation included in these shall then bee fully ouercome and subdued and so farre shall they be from doing vs any harme in any thing that they shall neuer come neere vs neither euer bee able to lift vp their least finger against vs. Then as Moses saide of the Egyptians to the Israelites The Aegyptians whom yee haue seene this day yee shall neuer see them againe So shall we find it true of all the spirituall enemies of our saluation after this our perfect likenesse vnto Christ thus obtained The enemies which we haue seene by whom wee haue beene much molested and troubled yea who did often foile and wound vs most dangerously we shall neuer see them any more yea as we speake in our common prouerbe we shall neuer heare or see hide nor haire of them Thus much of our future likenes it selfe vnto Christ Now followeth the second point here to be considered viz. our knowledge and certainty thereof For the Apostle saith not that howsoeuer it appeare not vnto other yet we hope or expect and looke to be made like vnto him but he saith we know that we shall be like vnto him This word know is not a word of doubting but of most certainty For it is not spoken only of the creatures men and Angels but also of God himselfe Our Sauiour saith twice in one Chapter that Our father euen in heauen knoweth what we neede Mat. 6. 8. and 32. where is the very same word in the originall that is in this place So it is attributed to Christ Iesus knew from the beginning which they were that beleeued not Iohn 6. 64. and againe The world hath not knowen thee but I haue knowen thee c. Ioh 17. 25. in both which places is the very same word Many other the like places there are where this very word is attributed to God and to Christ Iesus Shall we think that their knowledge is not certaine There is therefore no question but that the Apostle meaneth our future knowledge of our likenes vnto Christ to be a thing most certain and vndoubted From whence also followeth that they that are the children of God are sure they shal neuer wholly and finally fall away from God and from that excellent state of the children of God before spoken of and wherunto they are called in Christ Iesus For if they might so fall away then the Apostle could not speake of their future likenes vnto Christ with that certainty that he doth neither could he say we know that we shall be like him For they that are in danger of finall falling without recouery doe not certainly know that they shall be like vnto Christ Now as here the Apostle saith we know so afterward vers 14. of this present chapter he vseth the same phrase and the same word againe in the same matter Wee know that wee are translated from death to life if wee loue the brethren and againe another word of the same signification verse 19 Hereby wee know that wee are of the truth and shall before him assure our hearts I haue spoken of this certainty of our likenes vnto Christ before in speaking of the certainty of our inheritance therefore the lesse shall need in this place notwithstanding something here also will be expected by the reader because I referred him in the former place for further matter of this certainty to the handling of these words For better performance of my said promise and for the better satisfaction of the readers expectation in this behalfe let vs first here in a word remember my former foure arguments besides some things spoken of this point in handling the attributes of that inheritance mentioned 1. Pet. 1. 4 for demonstration of this certainty Those arguments therefore in one word were these The first was from diuers expresse places of Scripture The second from the immutable constancy of God The third from the righteousnesse of God The fourth from this attribute of all the children of GOD that they are the members of Christ These are handled before in Chapter 26. and shall not need now to be otherwise repeated Only for amplification a little of the second former argument from the immutable constancy of God let vs remember the constant speech of Isaack when he had vnwares yet according to Gods appointment blessed his sonne Iacob whereas he had thought to haue blessed Esau yea and did thinke that he had so done when Esaâ— returning home intreated his father Isaack
the place where the said wife dwelleth The wife therefore goeth not her selfe to take possession of the said lands but the husband goeth maketh it manifest to the Lord to whom such lands are customary that he is the lawfull husband of such a woman and therfore craueth to be admitted and to take vp the land in her name and to her vse He is so admitted Is not the woman from that time forward in as good and reall possession by her husbands admission as if she her selfe had been there present though she still remaine in the place where she dwelleth and neuer come foot neerer It cannot be denied The like is to be said touching the present possession of heauen by all the children of God who then shall dispossesse them thereof If none can dispossesse them why should they doubt where is the vncertainty The obiections against this doctrine are of no moment It is no doctrine of pride nor presumption because I shewed before that the consideration of the great dignitie of the children of God whereof this is one speciall point should make men the more to decke themselues inwardly with all lowlinesse of minde and outwardly with all behauiour sutable to such inward lowlinesse It is no doctrine of securitie because the Apostle Paul exhorteth the Corinthians touching their iudgement to be stedfast and vnmoueable and touching their practise to be abundant alwaies in the worke of the Lord for asmuch not as they hoped or vncertainly expected but as they knew their labour of their worke was not in vaine in the Lord 1. Cor. 15. 58. In this Chapter also this our Apostle afterward prouoketh to brotherly loue euen to loue not onely in word and tongue but also in deed and in truth from their knowledge of being translated from death vnto life and of being of the truth and of assuring their hearts before God verse 14. and 18. and 19. Yea in this very place it followeth as we shall heare Euery one that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe as he is pure How then can this doctrine of our certainty of saluation and of our likenesse vnto Christ bee called by the Papists a doctrine of securitie being so often laid for a foundation of good workes and vsed for a spurre to good workes The great place to the Hebrewes Chap 6. 4 the chiefe bulwarke of the Papists for defense of their doubting and vncertaintie as if they that are regenerated might vtterly and finallie fall away from the grace of God and as if consequently none could heere bee sure of this future likenesse vnto Christ is of no force at all the walles thereof are but paper walles yea the truth is it maketh mainly against them and plainly and vnanswerably prooueth that none that once haue true faith c. can possibly altogether and finally fall away For in the ninth verse following the Apostle fearing that some of them to whome hee did write might take hold of his former doctrine and applying it to themselues might thinke themselues in that fearefull state of relapse which before hee had spoken of preuenteth this obiection and saith Notwithstanding we are perswaded better things of you and such as accompanie saluation So he sheweth that there were better things then so to be once inlightned so to haue tasted of the heauenly gift so to haue beene made partaker of the holy Ghost so to haue tasted of the good word of God and of the power of the world to come as before he had spoken So also hee teacheth that those better things only which he meaneth in the ninth verse did accompanie saluation and that therefore he had not before meant a true liuely and iustifying faith and that vnfained and pure Christian loue whereby faith worketh for what better things can there be then this faith and loue If yet any replie that that ninth verse is not to bee vnderstood in respect of the things mentioned in the 4. 5. and 6. verses but onely of that which is said in the 7. and 8. verses I answer that this is but an heartlesse pithlesse and strengthlesse obiection yea indeed foolish and ridiculous For the 7. and 8. verses being the confirmation of that which was said in the 4. 5. and 6. verses how can the 9. verse be referred onely to the 7. and 8. verses and not also to the 4. 5. and 6 In this point of the certainty of our future likenesse vnto Christ let vs obserue the first person Wee know and that wee shall be like Thereby he teacheth that only they and all they shall be like vnto Christ which before hee had said were the children of God All they indeed haue not alwaies the like knowledge or the like feeling of this knowledge of their likenesse to Christ because of some afflictions and because of too much liberty giuen to their sinnes which by the said libertie doe grow vp to bee a thicke groue to stand before their windowes and to eclipse obscure and hide the light of the sunne of righteousnesse from shining into the house of their inner man so cleerely as in former time it hath done As men also though neuer so learned in their sleepe haue no more vse of their learning then men altogether vnlearned and yet for all that they still haue that learning which they had waking so is it with the children of God touching this their knowledge of their likenesse vnto Christ Being sometime ouertaken with the sleepe of some or of many sinnes for a time they are depriued of the vse of the former knowledge viz. so long as their said sleepe in sinne continueth Notwithstanding they still haue their former knowledge and shall recouer the vse of it againe when they shall be awakened out of their sleepe of sinne But to this point many things may be referred that haue been spoken in the former part of this treatise therefore I shall not need to speake any more thereof in this place The more excellent that the subiect of this knowledge is viz. our likenesse vnto Christ the more let all both Scholars and other be prouoked to study this knowledge yea let all other studies and all other learning giue place to this and be referred to this Neither let any other knowledge and learning be in any account but for this and as it may helpe and further vs vnto this Thus much for the knowledge and certainty of our future likenesse vnto Christ CHAP. XXXV Of the time when the children of God shall be so like vnto Christ as before we heard and of the reason of the said likenesse by an effect thereof IT followeth now to speake of the time when the children of God shall be like to Christ This is said to be at his appearing This time is also noted Coloss 3. 4. Tit. 2. 13. 1. Pet. 1. 5. and 7. I doe but name the places not expressing the words because I hasten By his appearing he meaneth his second comming in glorie and