preferments of the Iewes aboue the Gentiles before the comming of Christ that the Lord gaue them his word his statutes and his iudgements Psal 147. 19. and that to them were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3. 2. viz. outwardly and concerning the letter to be kept by them whereas no other nation had the like benefit then how great is this priuiledge of the children of God aboue the wicked that they only haue the keeping of his word in the closets and cofers of their hearts to their euerlasting good Thus much of the dignity of Gods children by the word of God It remaineth now to speake of the Sacraments wherein I may and will be the shorter because they are only seales for confirmation of the word and either to strengthen our faith the more in the promises of God or to quicken our obedience the more vnto the commandements of God For as touching baptisme it is instituted first of all the better to assure vs of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes by the bloud of Christ by that visible element of water which therein is to be vsed This Peter teacheth when he exhorteth them that by his sermon were pricked in their hearts to bee baptized in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes Acts 2. 38. because as the water washeth away the filth of the body so the bloud of Christ clenseth vs from all our sinnes Rom. 5. 9. Ephes 1. 7. Coloss 1. 20. 1 Iohn 1. 7. Reuel 1. 5. Secondly baptisme was instituted as a Sacrament also of repentance and regeneration because the bloud of Christ doth not onely wash vs from the guilt of our sinnes but also from the spot and blemish of them as we haue heard before And therefore Peter saith that we were elect or select viz. in our calling vnto sanctification of the spirit through the obedience and sprinkling of the bloud of Christ 1. Pet. 1. 2. and againe that We were redeemed from our vaine conuersation receiued by tradition of our fathers by the pretious bloud of Christ c. verse 18. 19. Another Apostle also saith that the bloud of Christ shall purge our consciences from dead works to serue the liuing God Heb. 9. 14. Therfore to apply these things vnto baptisme the baptisme of Iohn is called the baptisme of repentance Acts 19 4. and Iohn neuer baptized but hee preached repentance Mat. 3. 8. Luk. 3. 8. Therefore also baptisme is said to teach vs to die vnto sinne and to liue vnto righteousnesse Rom. 3. 4. Gal. 3. 27. Col. 2. 12. In the same respect Paul saith that Christ gaue himselfe for the Church that he might sanctifie it and clense it by the washing of water through the word Ephes 5. 26. In which words the Apostle at least alludeth vnto baptisme and againe he seemeth to vnderstand baptisme by the washing of the new birth Tit. 3. 5. The Apostle also to the Hebrews seemeth to allude to baptisme when hee saith that wee are purged in our hearts from an euill conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water Hebr. 10. 22. Finally touching both the former ends of baptisme baptisme is said to bee the baptisme of repentance and forgiunesse of sinnes Mark 1. 4. As baptisme so serueth for confirmation of faith and instruction in godlinesse so doth also the supper of the Lord. The bread that wee eate and the wine that wee drinke in a religious manner according to Christs institution doth teach vs that as the bread and wine are incorporated into our bodies and made one with them so Christs his flesh and blood are spiritually incorporated into vs and wee into Christ through faith whereby it is said as wee heard before that Christ dwelleth in our hearts Ephes 3. 17. In which respect the cup of blessing which the Minister in the celebration of the Supper blesseth that is which hee praieth God to blesse to that speciall and holy vse is said to bee the communion of the blood of Christ and that the bread which he so blesseth is said to be the communion of the body of Christ 1. Cor. 10. 16. And indeed the Supper of the Lord by the visible elements and the visible actions therein commanded by Christ himselfe putting vs better in remembrance of all that Christ hath done for vs and better shewing his death till he come 1. Cor. 11. 24. 25. 26. then bare preaching would doe for so our eies doe see our hands doe handle our tongues doe taste and our stomaks by the vertue of the bread and wine do feele that which in the word preached our eares doe heare it cannot but be a maruellous and most comfortable confirmation of our faith both for euerlasting saluation in the world to come and also for all things necessary for this life in this present world For how can we doubt of saluation which Christ Iesus hath so deerly purchased for vs and the price whereof we see in so liuely manner represented vnto vs by the bread and the wine by the breaking of the one and the pouring out of the other would he giue so much for vs and then leaue vs in the suds or in danger Yea do not the bread and the wine with the eating of the one and drinking of the other teach vs that Christs flesh and bloud are meat indeed and drinke indeed to preserue vs to that eternall life which he by his death hath purchased for vs Ioh. 6. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. Hath Christ paid so deerly for vs and doth he feed vs so daintily and with such costly diet better then Angels food and will he lose vs and suffer vs to perish and to be taken out of his hands yea sith we that eat his flesh and drinke his bloud spiritually not only in the word but also in the Sacrament doe dwell in Christ and haue Christ dwelling in vs as Christ himselfe in the place before alledged doth testifie will he dispossesse himselfe of his habitation or hauing all power in heauen in earth and euery where els in his hands can he violently by any other power be thrust out of his house and home yea sith as we haue heard the supper of the Lord doth plainly teach vs that wee are flesh of his flesh c. can we perish and he not also perish Touching things necessary for this life whiles we liue in this world the supper of the Lord by putting vs in such remembrance of Christ himselfe doth also most comfortably assure vs of them For he that spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all how shall he not with him giue vs all other things also Rom. 8. 32. And he that spared not his owne life and his owne soule but gaue them for vs and daily doth giue them vnto vs by faith how shall he not being made the heire of all things Heb. 1. 2. and hauing all things in his power and at his disposition how shall hee not I say with himselfe giue
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
them in nothing to feare their aduersaries Why so Because saith he this is to them a token of perdition but to you of saluation Philip. 1. 28. So he sheweth by an argument taken from comparison of equals that euen as to be an aduersary to the children of God and to persecute them is a token and manifest testimony to such so long as they continue such that they shall perish so to be hated of them and persecuted by them is a great assurance of saluation Only this is the difference that they that by hatred and persecution of the children of God haue a great signe of perdition may for all that by faith working repentance be saued but they that once by any good testimony be assured of saluation shall neuer perish Sixtly by suffering a little smart of the fruit of sinne heere they doe the better learne both what all is that they haue deserued in the life to come and also what Christ hath suffered for them in bearing the whole punishment of all their sinnes and therefore how they ought to loue him in that behalfe and how thankfull they ought to bee to God for their deliuerance from euerlasting torments in respect whereof these light and momentany afflictions of this life are but as fillips and fleabites and consequently also they learne how they are to pity them that are going towards the place of such torments and how in pity they are to labor their reclaiming and conuerting These are the principall particular points of the lawe of God which the children of God doe learne by the afflictions of this life the least whereof is more worth then all outward prosperity and all which might be much more enlarged but finding this treatise to arise to a far greater volume then at the first I made account of I am thereby forced in many things to write the more briefly By this that I haue thus briefly set downe in that behalfe it may sufficiently appeare that the exchange sometimes of momentany afflictions for temporary blessings is no detriment to the children of God but rather an exceeding gaine and benefit If it be obiected that some of Gods children are subiect also to extraordinary deaths as Eli brake his neck falling backwardâ— 1. Sam. 4. 18. The Prophet that had done contrary to the word of God was killed by a lyon 1. Kings 13. 24. Noble Iosiah died of the wound that he had taken by the sword of the vncircumcised Egyptians 2. King 23. 29. and that for going somewhat obstinately as it seemeth against Pharo Neco 2. Chron. 35. 2. Many of the Corinthians are said to haue slept that is to haue died somwhat extraordinarily by an vntimely death for abuse and disorder in the supper of the Lord 1. Cor. 11. 30. If I say this be obiected and so confirmed by these former and other the like examples and vpon those grounds it be further demanded how such things can be for the good of the children of God and for the learning any thing out of the word of God sith the dead praise not God neither is there any remembrance of God in death Psal 6. 5. and 30. 9. To this I answer briefly that although after death there be no learning any thing except only either of torments to the wicked or of ioy and happinesse to the godly and that by sense and feeling as the rich man and Lazarus did Luk. 16. 23. yet in such sicknes vnto death there may be before death and no doubt is repentance in al the children of God of such particular sinnes as whereby they see they haue procured such particular chastisements vpon themselues and so by iudging of themselues for the said sins they haue the better assurance that they shall not be iudged of the Lord. Therefore the Apostle saith in the place before alledged after mention of sicknesse and death when we are iudged we are chastned of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world 1. Cor. 11. 32. which is all one with the generall end of afflictions before mentioned viz. that we may liue Heb. 12. 9. Againe both further to amplifie that answer to the former obiection and also now to shew some other vses of the afflictions of Gods children in respect of other they are so afflicted especially for particular sins that other as well as themselues liuing after their said vntimely death seeing how he whom they call father iudgeth euerie man as well his own children as other according to their worke in this world without respect of persons may afterward passe the time of their dwelling here in the more feare 1. Pet. 1. 17. and make an end of their saluation with the more trembling Philip. 2. 12. Secondly in respect of other they are afflicted and loaden with affliction for the manifestation of their faith patience and other graces to such as did before doubt thereof as thinking all that they did in the worship of God to be in hypocrisie and rather because God had so compassed and walled them about with his mercies then in a simple and a pure loue towards God himselfe Is not this euident by the answer of satan vnto God when God had asked him if he had not considered Iob and all his vprightnesse c. Doth Iob saith satan feare God for nought Hast thou not made an hedge about him and about all that he hath on euery side Thou hast blessed the worke of his hands and his substance is encreased in the land But stretch out now thine hand and touch all that he hath to see if hee will not blaspheme thee to thy face Iob 1. 8. 9. 10. Doth not satan in these words plainly accuse Iob to haue done all that he had done only in hypocrisie c Therefore the Lord gaue him leaue to try Iob to exercise him with many afflictions one after another one in the neck of another for the confutation of that slanderous accusation of Iob by satan for declaration of his integrity to al the world Yea by this occasion to insert here another benefit by afflictions to the children of God concerning themselues as by wrastling a man somtimes knoweth his own strength better then before he did so oftentimes by afflictions a man better knoweth his owne faith and other graces of God in himself for his further comfort then before he did Thirdly in respect of other sometimes the children of God are so afflicted that the workes of God may be shewed on them Our Sauiour being asked by his disciples of the man that was borne blind whether he or his parents had sinned that he was borne blind answered Neither hath this man sinned nor his parents but that the worke of God might be shewed on him Ioh. 9. 2. 3. So it seemeth that Lazarus was therefore sick died of his sicknesse sooner then by the course of nature he should haue died not for any speciall sinne of his owne but for the
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
said metaphors Secondly they are further taught by their owne proper words euen the words before mentioned Touching the foresaid metaphors the Apostle saith first of the two first couple light and darknesse The night is past and the day is at hand let vs therefore cast away the workes of darknesse and let vs put on the armor of light Rom. 13. 12. And again Ye were once darknesse but are now light walke as the children of the light Ephes 5. 8. And haue no fellowship with the vnfruitfull works of darknesse verse 11. And againe Who hath deliuered vs from the power of darknesse and translated vs into the kingdome of his deare sonne Coloss 1. 13. So he teacheth that there is no participation of the kingdome of Christ except first we be deliuered from the power of darknesse And againe But ye brethren are not in darknesse that that day should come on you as it were a theefe ye are all the children of the light and the children of the day wee are not of the night neither of darknesse 1. The. 5. 4. 5. Peter saith Ye are a chosen generation a royall priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that ye should shew foorth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darknesse into his maruellous light 1. Pet. 2. 9. Iohn saith The darknesse is past and the true light now shineth 1. Ioh. 2. 8. Zachariah the father of Iohn Baptist saith that the day spring from on-high had visited them to giue light to them that sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death Luk. 1. 78. 79. By darknesse in all the places before alleged is meant that extreme ignorance without any knowledge of God wherewith the minds of all men naturally are ouerwhelmed before such time as they be regenerated The same is likewise signified by the word blindnesse in diuers other places The Lord giueth light to the blind Psa 146. 8. that is the Lord giueth knowledge to them that are ignorant The Prophet also setting forth the glory of Christs kingdome saith Then shall the eyes of the blind be lightned Isai 55. 5. that is then they shall beenlightned with the true knowledge of God that before were altogether ignorant of him and knew no more for their saluation then a stone-blind man doth see colours The same Prophet speaking of the office of Christ saith that the Lord had called him c. that he might open the eyes of the blind and bring out the prisoners from the prison and them that sit in darknesse out of the prison house Isai 42. 7. The Apostle Paul also speaketh the very like of his Apostleship noting the end therof to haue been to open the eyes of the Gentiles here he signifieth that before they were spiritually blind that they might turne from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan vnto God Acts 26. 18. Our Sauiour saith of euery plant whom the father had not planted that they were blind leaders of the blind and if the blinde lead the blind they shall both fall into the ditch Matth. 15. 14. Vpon the opening also of his eies that had beene borne bodily blind our Sauiour saith I am come vnto iudgement into this world that they which see not that is which are blind and ignorant of God and of the things pertaining to their euerlasting peace might see and that they which did see that is that thought they knew much might be made blind that is might haue that taken from them which they seemed to haue Luk. 8. 18. Vpon which words of our Sauiour the Pharisies replying Are we also blind our Sauiour answereth further If yee were blind yee should not haue sinne c. Iohn 9. 39. 40. 41. that is if ye were ignorant indeed your sinne should be so much the lesse I might heape vp many other the like testimonies touching the said metaphors of darknesse and blindnesse so applied But these alleged shall be sufficient They are both vsed in the former and in other places to signifie the same thing viz. the darknesse blindnesse and extreme ignorance of our minds concerning God and our saluation because indeed they are both of like nature For he that is in darknesse can see nothing though he haue neuer so good eyes and he that is blind can likewise see nothing though the sunne or moon or starres or candles or fire be neuer so cleere or bright By these metaphors doth the holy ghost so often expresse our ignorance because they doe best agree with that which before we heard of our being by nature the children of the diuell who is called the prince of darknesse Ephes 6. 12. and whose kingdome is said to be the place of vtter darknesse Mat. 8. 12. and 22. 13. and 25. 30. as also because they doe well agree with the maine thing before spoken of the spirituall death of all naturall and vnregenerated men for they that are dead are also depriued of all sight and therefore they be in continuall darknesse In which respect death is described to bee the land of darknesse Iob 10. 21. and the Psalmist saith Wilt thou shew a miracle to the dead or shall the dead rise and praise thee Shall thy louing kindnesse be declared in the graue or thy faithfulnesse in destruction then he addeth Shall thy wondrous workes be knowen in the darke c. Psal 88. 10. 11. 12. And finally that so we might the better see the vncomfortable wofull and most miserable estate and condition of all men naturally to make them the more thankfull for their comfortable ioyfull and most blessed change by grace and regeneration For is not darknesse one of the great iudgements inflicted by the Lord vpon the sonnes of men for their most hainous sinnes was it not one of Gods fearefull iudgements in Egypt Exod. 10. 22. When our Sauiour was most wickedly and vnrighteously put to death the greatest sinne that euer was before committed was there no darknesse in all the land from the sixt houre to the ninth Mat. 27. 45. The like may be said of blindnesse When the Sodomites came vpon Lot to haue abused the Angels entertained by him did not the said Angels smite them with blindnesse Gen. 19. 11. Amongst the rest of the iudgemēts also which the Lord threatneth to the Israelites if they should not obey him c doth he not threaten to smite them with madnesse and blindnesse Deut. 28. 28. Where let it bee obserued that hee conioineth madnesse and blindnesse let this I say bee obserued for the better manifestation of that which afterward I shall say touching the madnesse of all men naturally When Elymas also the Sorcerer resisted Paul was he not stricken with blindnesse for certaine daies Acts 13. 8. Againe who knoweth not by his owne experience how fearefull a thing darknesse and blindnesse is when the mist and darknesse before signified fel vpon Elymas did not he go about seeking one to lead him doth not any man that is blind or
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
abiect persons much more may they be no more esteemed then boies or children The suffering also the losse of all that they haue in the world and of the world and the submitting themselues to the most shamefull death that is for Christs sake that died the cursed death of the crosse for them what doth it declare but that they haue that noble mind for the contemning of the world and all that is therein that was in Christ Iesus himselfe Who for the ioy that was set before him is said to haue endured the Crosse and despised the shame Heb. 12. 2. What is more princely and kingly then this If it be also accounted fortitude for the common souldier to follow his captaine and to aduenture any danger though it be with losse of life wherein he hath seene his Captaine goe before him shall wee not account it fortitude likewise for the children of God to endanger and to lose their liues in such things as wherein Christ Iesus their chiefe Captaine hath gone before them To proceed yet further in the consideration of the Kingly dignity of Gods childreÌ„ let this be our fourth meditation in that behalfe that whereas by nature through our foresaid bondage to sinne and Satan and to euery wordly vanity wee were also captiues vnto death it selfe and prisoners of hell and in the state of condemnation now being made the children of God and members of Christ Iesus God hath giuen vs such victory through our said Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 7. â—5 that we may victoriously triumph ouer death hell and condemnation saying Death is swallowed vp in victory O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victory 1. Cor. 15. 55. and againe Now there is no condemnation to vs that are in Christ Iesus Rom. 8. 1. Fiftly as Kings that haue power and courage doe protect and defend their subiects from forraine powers so also the children of God doe valiantly protect and defend those that are committed to their charge against all the enemies of their saluation except themselues doe cowardly and slauishly run vnto them or will not be released from that bondage wherein by nature they are Sixtly as when God the father set Christ Iesus his King vpon Sion his holy mountaine that is ouer his Church he gaue him vpon his asking the heathen for his inheritance and the ends of the earth for his possession euen to crush them with a scepter of iron and to breake them in peeces like a potters vessell Psal 2. 8. so also the children of God hauing Christ Iesus the heire of all things Heb. 1. 2. all other things likewise are said to be theirs 1. Cor. 3. 21. and they shall inherit all things Reu. 21. 7. Yea Christ hath promised to giue them and will giue them power ouer nations to rule them with a rod of iron and to breake them in peeces like a potters vessell Reu. 2. 26. 27. Heereby therefore it is that onely the children of God hauing by Iesus Christ recouered that right vnto al the creaturs of God which was lost by Adam and hauing likewise liberty now in the time of the gospell to vse al those things which for the time of the law were restrained that such restraint of some things might be to the Church then and to the Church also in these daies a testimony and a witnesse of the former losse of all things Hereby I say it is that only the children of God haue power with sobriety and without offence according to their ability and beseeming their calling and with obseruation of some other rules in the word to vse all the creatures of God freely to Gods glory and to their comfort not only for necessity but also for their honest delight For vnto the pure only are all such things pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing that is vnto all that are not the children of God nothing is pure but euen their minds and consciences are defiled Tit. 2. 15. But of this right of the children of God vnto all things more afterward Moreouer thereby also howsoeuer the children of God are here for a time by their enemies and the enemies of Christ Iesus molested and vexed yet the time shall come when all such enemies shall bee fully subdued vnto them euen as a pot broken in peeces by the potter yea they shall bee indeed broken in peeces by Christ Iesus the head of all the children of God and that which is done by him being their head shall bee accounted as done by them yea euen as the head doth vse the hands and other parts of the body for executing what it selfe shall thinke good against all the aduersaries thereof and of the whole body so shall Christ Iesus vse the members of his Church not onely by the Ecclesiasticall and spirituall power and censures thereof to correct them that shall be of heathenish conditions and behauiour amongst them and to binde their Kings with chaines and their Nobles with fetters of yron that is by excommunication and such other like seuere courses to make such as were as Kings and captaines in all euill to stoope and bend as if they were bound with chaines and fetters of yron Psalme 149. 7. 8. not onely I say shall Christ thus vse the members of his Church to bridle and subdue the wicked but also hee shall vse Christian Kings and Princes by little and little euen by the sword to vanquish all the great enemies of the Church till there be scarce a man left that shall professe himselfe an enemie thereof Especially Christ Iesus shall vse such christian Kings and Princes and some other also to ioine with them though perhaps in worldly respects and in desire of the spoile in hatred of the whore of Babylon euen of Antichrist the Pope and of all that shall take his part Princes as well as other euen to make them desolate and naked and as it were to eat their flesh and to burne them with fire Reuel 17. 16. Seuenthly touching other princely vertues as kings are to be amiable and courteous to the good and austere and seuere to the wicked so the children of God are indued with this kingly grace A vile person is contemptible in their eies but they honor them that feare the Lord Psal 15 4. All their delight is in the Saints and in them that are excellent vpon the earth Psal 16. 3. but they haunt not with vaine persons neither keepe company with the dissemblers but hate the assembly of the wicked Psal 26. 4. 5. Yea they may call God himselfe tâ— witnesse that such as hate him they also doe hate and they doe earnestly contend with them that rise vp against him yea that they hate them with an vnfained hatred as if they were their owne enemies Psal 139. 21. 22. Yea though the children of God bee aduanced to kingly dignities in the earth as well as they are kings spiritually by Christ Iesus together with other yet
for them Touching the first of these thus it is written who so dwelleth in the secret of the most high shall abide in the shaddow of the Almighty Psal 91. 1. Surely hee will deliuer thee from the snare of the hunter and from the noisome pestilence Hee will couer thee vnder his wings and thou shalt bee sure vnder his feathers his truth shall bee thy shield and buckler Thou shalt not bee afraid of the feare of the night nor of the arrow that flyeth by day verse 3. c. For indeede that whole Psalme is specially occupied in the argument of the safety of Gods children as touching the euils of this life and in declaring the contrary dangers of the wicked The like promise for the children of God is in Psalme 97. Yee that loue the Lord hate euill hee preserueth the soules of his Saints hee will deliuer them from the hand of the wicked verse 10. The whole 121. Psalme is also of this argument For there the Prophet assureth all the children of God that the Lord will not suffer their foot to slip that hee will so keepe them that the Sunne shall not smite them by day nor the Moone by night Yea hee saith verse 7. that the Lord shall preserue them from all euill c. Yea that he shall preserue their going out and their comming in The same is likewise euident by the couenant that God maketh with all creatures euen the fiercest and cruellest for his childrens sake But of this more afterward The Prophet Isaiah also saith of the same point But now thus saith the Lord that created thee and hee that formed thee O Israel feare not for I haue redeemed thee I haue called thee by thy name thou art mine When thou passest through the waters I will bee with thee and through the floods that they doe not ouerflow thee When thou walkest through the very fire thou shalt not bee burnt neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee Isai 43. 1. 2. What meaneth the Lord by these words but that his children should haue no hurt by those things that doe most deuoure and consume other I might adde many other Scriptures to the same purpose but these shall be sufficient Besides those and the like Scriptures and promises the same is manifest by great reason For sith all the afflictions of this life are part of the curse and punishment that is due to our sinnes and sith Christ Iesus tooke vpon him and came into the world to suffer the whole curse of God both of this life and of the life to come that wee had deserued and hauing accordingly indeed borne our infirmities and caried our sorrowes and was wounded for our transgressions and broken for our infirmities and had the chastisement of our peace vpon him Isai 53. 4. 5. and did himselfe beare our sinnes that is the full punishment of our sinnes in his body on the tree 1. Pet. 2. 24. therefore it standeth no more with the iustice of God to cast such afflictions vpon vs as punishments of our sinnes then it agreeth with the iustice of man to receiue his debt of the surety and yet after to require the same of the principall debter or to punish him for not paying the same yea forasmuch as the higher and greater any Iudge is the more it behoueth him to doe iustice and iudgement and sith God is the Iudge of all the world Genes 18. 25. therefore if it agree not with the iustice of man to demand that debt of one that is paied by another much lesse doth the like stand with the iustice of God The former point is likewise manifest by many examples Noah and a few of his were kept in the great floud that drowned all the world besides Lot with some of his were preserued in Sodom and Gomorra whereall other inhabitants of those cities were consumed by fire from heauen The widdow of Sarephta with the Prophet Elija was fed in that great dearth and famine when many other were in great extremity Ieremiah and Ebedmelech were well prouided for and had great liberty when the great nobles and Princes of Ierusalem with many other of the common people which before had reiected the word of the Lord were either cruelly put to the sword or slauishly carried away captiue Iehoshaphat was preserued from the Aramites though in great danger of them when Ahab was wounded to death by them The red sea gaue way to the Israelites and stood vpon heapes like a wall for their safe passage through it when Pharao and all his host were ouerwhelmed in it Againe to some speciall sinnes there are some speciall afflictions belonging To drunkennesse belongeth woe sorrowes strife murmuring or much talke wounds without cause or wounds without punishment rednesse of eies Pro. 23. 29. So likewise to it and to all other intemperancy there belong many noisome diseases as the dropsie the gout apoplexies and such like yea not only diseases but deformity also of body blockishnesse of wit and dulnesse of vnderstanding of how sharpe wit and quick capacity soeuer they were before with hardnesse of heart like to brawne so that hauing many sorrowes yet they shall feele none Adultery likewise and all incontinency is accompanied with some foule diseases and many other euils Boldnesse and rashnesse is not without many great dangers To those also and to diuers other sinnes belong pouerty great shame disgrace reproch and contempt with men The like may be said of many other sinnes as hauing many speciall calamities attenâ—ing vpon them For as much then as before we haue heard that the children of God are freed from such sins it followeth likewise that they are the more safe from those euils that they doe specially meet with that fall into such sinnes Thus much briefly for the immunity of the children of God from the euils of this life Touching the second sort of benefits for this life belonging to the children of God they are as before I said all the blessings of this life far foorth as they are good for them and may be accounted benefits not only in their own nature but also to the children of God These are length of daies health peace safety liberty riches credit honors authority friends and such like All these do belong only to the children of God and that by a double right First by promise Secondly by participation of Christ and that communion with him before handled in whom all the promises of God belong vnto men and are said to be yea and Amen that is begun and accomplished 2. Cor. 1. 10. Touching the right of those blessings by promise the Apostle saith that godlinesse hath the promise not only of the life that is to come but also of the life present 1. Tim. 4. 8. If ye require where they are promised looke these places specially Leuit. 26. 3. to vers 14. Deut. 28. 3. to verse also 14. Iob. 11. 13. c. and 22. 23. c. Psal also 34. 9.
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
peace for thou Lord makest me dwell in safety Psal 4. 8. this peace of the children of God is not only common to them all neither only proper to them alone neither only alwaies in them euen in all troubles and in death it selfe in manner notwithstanding and with the exceptions before expressed but it is also accompanied with great ioy of the holy ghost and such as none of the wicked doe enioy though they be kings and Princes or otherwise abounding in all prosperity Indeed commonly the state of the children of God is accounted the most lumpish dumpish heauy and solitary state of all other Yea amongst many other things that do discourage men from being the children of God this is not the least that they thinke there is no ioy no mirth no gladnesse belonging to them but that if once men will frame themselues to be the children of God then they must bid farewell to all ioy and they must prepare themselues to all sadnesse and heauinesse But this is a foule and grosse error euen proceeding from the father of lies For the truth is that as the righteous and none but the righteous are often bid be glad and reioice Psal 32. 11. and 33. 1. Phil. 4 4. and elsewhere so indeed in respect of the forgiuenesse of sinnes and of the fauour of God and of all other benefits before mentioned they haue more cause to be glad and reioice then all the world besides Yea none but they haue sound cause to be glad and reioice For ioy and peace are as well as accounted fruits of the spirit as loue patience goodnesse faith gentlenesse and temperance Gal. 5. 22. and the kingdome of heauen is as well said to be in peace and ioy in the holy ghost as in righteousnesse Rom. 14. 17. in both which places this is to be obserued that the Apostie ioines peace and ioy together as I now doe euen as the cause the effect it is therefore euident that there is no sound ioy but where there is the spirit and kingdome of God The Lord speaking of the wicked and of the godly saith thus Behold my seruants shall reioice and ye shall be astonted behold my seruants shall sing for ioy of heart and ye shall cry for sorrow of heart and shall howle for vexation of mind Isai 65. 13. 14. Before likewise the Lord had said by the same Prophet The redeemed of the Lord shall returne and come to Ston with proise and euerlasting ioy shall be vpon their head they shall obtaine ioy and gladnesse and sorrow and mourning shall flie away Isai 35. 10. Therefore the Apostle commendeth this peacero be the peace of God and to passe all vnderstanding Phil. 4. 7. first because no humane vnderstanding can sufficiently comprehend it Secondly because no humane vnderstanding can prize or value it according to the worth thereof Salomon also speaking of a good conscience which is only to be found in the children of God saith that it is a continuall feast Pro. 15. 15. because it bringeth that ioy before spoken of and maketh men alwaies as merry as if they were at a greatfeast alwaies I say and not somtimes only doth a good conscience make a man merry viz. not only in abundance of other things and in prosperity but also in want and penury vea vnder many greatand heauy afflictions For so the Apostle testifieth of them to whom he did write that being by the rich mercy of God begotten againe to a liuely hope of that excellent inheritāce wherof before wespake they didreioice although by many afflictions they were in heauinesse 1. Pet. 1. 6. yea afterward he describeth their sound ioy by two notable attributes vnspeakable and glorious vers 8. As these christians did so reioice so the Apostle Paul though continually vnder great and heauy afflictions and persecutions Acts 20. 23. 2. Cor. 11. 23. yet he testifieth that the testimony of his conscience was his reioicing 2. Cor. 1. 12. Therefore often elsewhere he professeth that he was so far from being ashamed of his crosses and manifold troubles that he did rather reioice and glory in them and so we see indeed that he and Stlas being in prison did not mourne and weep but sang Psalmes euen at midnight Acts 16. 25. The like ioy we read to haue been if not in all yet diuers of the martyrs mentioned in the book of the Acts and Monuments Yea the truth is that in respect of the premises the meanest child of God that hath faith and regeneration but as a grain of mustard seed hath more sound and true matter of reioicing euen in afflictions then the greatest the richest and the mightiest monarch in all the world that hath not receiued the spirit of adoption Yea how can they reioice that haue no communion with Christ that are dead in their sinnes that are no better then fooles and madmen that are in bondage vnto sins yea vnto satan himselfe that haue no freedome in heauen neither any trade for any merchandise therof whose sins doe all remaine in the book of Gods account and that may continually feare when God will enter into iudgement with them that haue no liberty to come to God once to aske pardon of the said sinnes because they haue not faith wherein they should offer vp their praiers and without which all their praiers are abominable vnto God that haue no benefit by the word of God either for their direction or for their comfort or for their defence against the enemies of their saluation that therefore are alwaies naked and lie open to all their assaults that much lesse haue any thing to do with the sacramēts which are seales of Gods word that haue no right or interest in any blessings of this life but shall giue an account of euery thing they haue had vsed as vsurpers as thieues against whom all things work together for their euill prosperity and aduersity friends and foes their good deeds which they seem to haue done as well as their apparant euill deeds that are excluded out of the kingdome of heauen and are in the state of condemnation euen so long as they continue without the spirit of adoption condemned already what ioy I say can any haue that are in such a case though they be neuer so great neuer so rich and neuer so mighty monarchs in the world Verily as they shall if they repent not bee throwne into vtter darknesse where shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth and where they shall be tormented for euermore with the diuell and his Angels so if they know their wofull and miserable condition they haue cause to mourne and to houle continually in this life yea more cause so to doe then the poorest man in the world good or bad because the more God doth aduance them in this world the greater shall their damnation bee in the world to come if in this life they do not glorifie God according to their said
vnruly They comfort the feeble minded they be are with the weake they be patient towards all men they doe not recompence euill for euill to any man but euer follow that which is good both towards themselues and towards others 2. Thess 5. 14. 15. They exhort one another daily whiles it is called to day lest any should be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne and so depart from the liuing God Heb. 3. 12. They consider one another to prouoke or whet to loue and to good workes they forsake not the fellowship that they haue one with another in the exercises of religion Heb. 10. 24. They are mercifull and lend they distribute and giue to the poore Psal 112. 5. They doe good and be rich in good workes ready to distribute and communicate 1. Tim. 6. 18. They are iust and giue to euery man his right owing nothing to any man but loue Rom. 13. 8. If in the time of their ignorance and their vnregenerate state or afterward through the corruption of nature they haue taken or gotten any thing vniustly being conuerted and knowing the wrong they haue done they will willingly make restitution with recompence also for their wrong So did Samuel offer to doe if any man could haue charged him rustly with doing wrong to any 1. Sam. 12. 3. So did Zaccheus Luk 19. 8. They comfort the afflicted they strengthen the weake â— they raise vp them that are fallen by the spirit of meeknesse considering themselues lest they also be tempted Gal 6. 1. That which Iob saith of himselfe that he was etes to the blinde and feet to the lame c. Iob 31. 16. they likewise put in practise towards others in the like necessitie Yea howsoeuer the wicked hate and abhorre the children of God yet they also haue great benefits by them They fare the better for them euery day they rise and the godly are the fairest flowers of the garland of the wicked They escape many outward iudgements and enioy the like mercies by their meanes This is plaine not onely by the words of Ioash King of Israel touching Elisha neither by the example of Laban that confessed himselfe to haue fared much the better by Iacob and of Potiphar who saw that God blessed him for Iosephs sake but also by diuers other examples The whole world escaped drowning so long as Noah was among them Fire and brimstone came not from heauen vpon Sodome and Gomorrha all the while that Lot was in their Cities For Pauls sake all that were in the ship in great danger were preserued and safely set on land though the ship it selfe were broken in peeces Acts 27. 14. The like may bee said of diuers other As before wee heard that sometime the wicked are kept from sinnes by meanes of the godly so also they are sometime prouoked to doe that good by them which otherwise they would not doe Did not Saul many good things in suppressing of the Witches c. by the meanes of Samuel which otherwise hee would not haue done Did not Ioash King of Iuda most worthily repaire the house of the Lord and otherwise doe that which was vpright in the eies of the Lord all the daies of Iehoiadah the Priest who notwithstanding as soone as Iehoiadah was dead hearkned to the flatteries of the Princes of Iudah and fell so greeuously that hee commanded Zachariah the sonne of the foresaid Iehoiadah to bee stoned to death onely for rebuking him by the word of God for his sinnes and exhorting him and the rest of the people to repentance 2. Chron 24. 2. and vers 17. 18. 19. Is not Herod said to haue done many things by meanes of Iohn Baptist Mark 6. 10. Neither onely doe the children of God much good generally to the wicked but euen particularly also to them that are their enemies according to Gods Commandement in that behalfe doing well to them that hate them and praying for them that persecute them and bate them Luâ— 6. 27. If also they that hate them bee hungry they giue them bread to eat if they bee thirstie they giue them water to â—rinke Prou. 25. 21. Rom. 12. 20. And all this they doe as they are the children of God and that they may declare themselues so to bee Matt. 5. 45. As our Sauiour the naturall sonne of God healed the high Priests seruants â—are that Peter had with his sword strucken off Luk 22. 51. and praied for them that did crucifie him Luk. 23. 34. So Stephen one of Gods children by adoption praied for them that stoned him to death that God would not lay that great sinne to their charge Act. 7. 60. So Mela a certaine Bishop of Rhinocurum set the best and daintiâ—st fare hee had before them that were sent to kill him Sozomen Lib. 6. Cap. 31. Polyearpus did the like to them that were sent to apprehend him Euseb Eccles Hist. Lib. 4. Cap. 15. Yea the children of God doe good not onely to the liuing but also to the dead not by praying for them whereby they should dishonour God and doe them no good as before hath beene shewed but otherwise and that both to their friends and also to their enemies So Naomi commended Booz for not ceasing to doe good to the liuing and to the dead Ruth 2. 10. because hee had shewed great kindnesse vnto Ruth her selfe for her husbands sake that then was dead So Dauid shewed kindnesse to Mephibosheth the sonne of his ancient faithfull friend Ionathan for Ionathans sake that was dead 2. Sam. 9. 7. and commanded also Salomon his son to shew kindnes to the sons of Barzillaâ— the Gileadite then dead because Barzillai whilest hee liued had shewed kindnesse vnto him 1 King 2. 7. The same Dauid also put the Amalekite to death that had brought him tidings of the death of Saul and that had told him that hee had quite killed him being halfe dead before 2. Sam. 1. 13. Then hee made likewise a most excellent mournfull song in commendation of the good things that had beene in Saul whiles hee lâ—ued verse 19. Afterward also hee sent messengers vnto Iabesh Gilead with great thankes as it were to them and most high commendation of them as men blessed of the Lord or whom hee praied to bee blessed of the Lord because they had shewed kindnesse to their Lord Saul and had buried him 2. Sam 2. 5. Yet who knoweth not how mortall an enemiâ— Saul had been vnto Dauid Neither do the children of God themselues onely good to their enemies liuing or dead but they sometime cause the very wicked that are wholly set vâ—on reuenge to shew kindnesse to their enemies For when Elisha had brought the armie of the Aramites that had beene sent to fetch him into the midst of Samaria so that they were in the hands of the King of Israel and when the King of Israels fingers itched against them so that hee said to Elisha My father shall I smite them shall I smite them this repetition
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
to make his house like the house of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat that made Israel to sinne and like the house of Baasha the sonne of Ahijah because of the prouocation wherewith hee had prouoked and made Israel to sinne and touching Iezebel who for Ahabs sake had commanded to put Naboth to death that the dogges should eat her by the wall of Izreel and further that the dogges should eat him of Ahabs stocke that died in the Citie and that the fowles of the field should eat him that should die in the field As I say the Lord had threatned all this for the innocent blood of Naboth euen of poore Naboth that had but one vineyard to so great a King and Queene as Ahab and Iezebel were 1. King 21. 21. c. so was not all performed accordingly partly 1. King 22. 38. and partly 2. King 9. 35 As the Lord from time to time by Ieremiah had threatned captiuitie and desolation to the Iewes partly for their other sinnes partly for their hard dealing with him so was not all performed As our Sauiour threatned to make Ierusalem desolate not only for her great contempt and obstinacie generally in that he hauing laboured to gather her children together as an hen gathereth her chickens they would not for all that be so gathered together but also particularly because they had killed the Prophets and stoned them which had beene sent vnto them Mat. 23. 37. so was it not performed in due time and is not that citie desolate as touching the habitation of the lewes to this day and are not the Iewes more scattered heere and there thorow all countries vpon the earth then any other nation whatsoeuer As the Lord had commanded Moses to write in a booke the vtter destruction of the Amalâ—kites and that the Lord would haue euerlasting warre with them till they should bee confounded so did hee not remember this booke of remembrance 400. yeeres against after-generations when all men thought it to haue beene so raked vp in dust that it should neuer haue beene reuiued Did not the Lord for execution of that which he had written before raise vp Saul telling him that he remembred though all other had forgotten and did not so much as dreame of any such thing what Amalek had done to Israel how they had laid wait for them in the way as they came vp from Egypt a worthy thing to bee considered by all such as securely sleepe in their old sius long sithence committed Note because God doth not speedily execute sentence Eccl. 8. 11. and therefore straightly commanding him to goe and to smite Amalek and to destroy all that pertained vnto them hauing no compassion on them but slaying both man and woman both infant and suckling both oxe and sheepe both camell and asse 1. Sam. 15. 2. 3. As the Lord threatned by the mouth of Zechariah the son of Iehoiada when he was most wickedly and vnkindly put to death by Ioash whom Iehoiada the father of Zechariah preserued when all his other brethren were murdered and aduanced to the kingdome of Iuda as I say the Lord threatned by the said Zechariah at the time of his stoning to death that the Lord would looke vpon his death and require it so did not the Lord indeed looke vpon it and require it For did he not send a fourefold iudgement vpon Ioash and his people in that behalfe First when the yeere was out Aram came against him and against Iudah and Ierusalem and destroied all the Princes of the people sending the spoile of them to the King of Damascus Yea though the army of Aram were but asmall company yet did not the Lord deliuer a very great army of loash into their hands Secondly did not he being left by the Aramits fall into great diseases Thirdly did not his owne seruants so thirst after his blood that though they saw his diseases to signifie hee would not liue long yet they could not stay till he died of them but conspired against them for the blood of the children of Iehoiada the Priest not so much respected by them as they were directed by God to reuenge it and slew him on his bed Fourthly when he was so slaine is it not noted that they buried him indeed in the cily of Dauid but for his dishonour not in the Sepulchre of Kings 2. Chron. 24. 21. c. Not to trouble the reader with too many examples I will adde but one more of the performance both of Gods promise and also of his threatning as well in the life to come as before wee haue heard the same by the former examples to haue beene performed in this life For how doth our Sauiour describe his last sentence in the day of iudgement Doth he not giue this the reason why hee placed the sheepe on his right hand and pronounced them blessed and bade them inherit the king dome prepared for them from the foundations of the world viz. that when hee was hungry they had giuen him meat when he thirsted they had giuen him drinke when he was a stranger they had lodged him when he was naked they had cloâ—hed him when he was sicke they had visited him when he was in prison they had come vnto him And when they are described to reply when they had seene him so and so and when they had done so and so vnto him doth not our Sauiour answer Verily I say vnto you inasmuch as yee haue done it vnto one of the least of these my brethren ye haue done it vnto me Doth hee not in like ma merset downe the reason of his sentence aâ—ainst the goats placed on his left hand and condemned to euerlasting fire prepared for the dineil and his angels viz for that he had beene hungry and they had giuen him no meat hee had beene thirsty and they had giuen him no drinke he had beene a stranger and they had not lodged him c. And when they are there produced as replying When saw we thee thus thus and did not thus thus vnto thee doth not our Sauiour returne this answer Verily I say vnto you Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me Mat. 25. 34 c. Do not these things further demonstrate the excellent state of Gods children Do we not heereby see in what grace and fauour they are with God What greater interest can there be what sweeter fruit then the reward of the kindnes that is shewed vnto the children of God what heauier losse what sharper sauce then the iudgements of God vpon them that shew any vnkindnesse vnto the children of God Though they perhapssee no benefit for the present but rather may seeme to impaire their outward state yet in the end they shall find that in respect whereof they shall thinke wharsoeuer cost they haue bestowed vpon the children of God to be the best bestowed money that euer they laid out in all
markes of them For if a little leauen sowreth the whole lumpe 1. Cor. 5. 6. and if euill words corrupt good manners 1. Cor. 15. 33. then it cannot be but that good words and the good behauiour of men must be and are of great efficacy not only to conuert at the first but also afterward to strengthen and further in all goodnesse them that are already conuerted And this is taught both by our Sauiour Mat. 5. 16. and also by the Apostle Peter 1. Pet. 2. 12. Therefore also so amiable should the society of Gods children be to all euen to the wicked that although they should not purpose to make vse of the fellowship of Gods children to their conuersion yet if at any time they should be violently depriued thereof then they should be so distempered as it were and disquicted therwith that nothing else should please satisfie and content them till they doe againe recouer the same When the enemies of Daniel by their exceeding importunity had ouercome Darius for tne casting of Daniel into the lyons denne how was the said Darius though an heathen affected therwith verily so that he went into his palace and remained fasting and forbad the instruments of musique to be brought before him and lastly that his sleepe went from him Dan. 6. 18. If Darius not only a wicked man but also a meere heathen and altogether out of the Church were so affected and so disquieted with the losse of Daniels company for a time till he recouered him againe how should all other wicked men especially liuing within the Church take their losse of the company of the godly till the same be restored againe Againe if the company of some of the godly ought to be so amiable and their absence so dolefull as it were to the wicked themselues how amiable should the communion of an whole Church be vnto them yea to all so long as they may enioy it And therefore wofull and dolefull ought the casting of them out to be from the communion of an whole Church if they shall so continue in their wickednesse as to deserue the same what then is to be said both of those that are so contumatious and obstinate as to continue in their sinnes till the Church proceed iustly and according to the rule of the word to the fearfull sentence of excommunication against them whereby they are giuen ouer vnto satan and also of those that being so proceeded against do not regard the same and lastly of those that in a kind of pride and high conceit of their owne excellency and sufficiency without iust and sufficient cause do make a wilfull separation of themselues from such whole Churches as haue the pure ministery of the word and administration of the sacraments according to the word and wherein they haue been bred and borne not only as men but as the children of God if they haue at all receiued the spirit of adoption and where also after their regeneration and according to their regeneration if they be regenerated they haue been maintained nourished and increased by the sincere milk of the word To inlarge this point of the desire of all men yea of the delight that all men euen the wicked should haue in the communion of the godly let the same be further applied to the matching of themselues in mariage with the children of God yea though themselues â—e neuer so honorable and noble in the world and the children of God for worldly things neuer so meane base and contemptible For as the Lord doth often forbid his children to match with the wicked and as such matches are testified oftentimes by many examples to haue been very dangerous for the peruerting of the children of God especially by the example of Salomon Nehâ—m 13. 26. so it cannot be denied but that the matching euen of the wicked with the godly is very effectuall and helpfull to draw them that are so matched though before wicked to be the children of God themselues also And why should any honorable and noble personages in the world being vnâ—egenerated disdaine to match with the children of God being otherwise for education qualities conuersation and behauior fit yea rather why should not the children of God disdaine to match with the wicked though themselues be neuer so meanly borne and the said wicked neuer so honorably descended in the world what is carnall nobility to nobility of the spirit what is it to come of Princes in the world in respect of being of the bloud roiall of God himselfe the king of kings yea why also in that respect should not the greatest nobles in the world not regenerated thinke it a great aduancement to match with a sonne or daughter of God fit for qualities as before I said though borne of neuer so meane and poore parents As it is honorable and no manner of disparagement at all for the wicked though neuer so nobly descended according to the flesh to match in mariage with the children of God though in worldly respects neuer so meanly borne being otherwise as I said for conditions fit to match with so honorable persons so are such matches likewise of no meane efficacy to draw such wicked ones as sometimes they match with to be themselues of the number of Gods children So saith the Apostle as before we heard what knowest thou O wife whether thou shalt saue thine husband or what knowest thou O man whether thou shalt saue thy wife 1. Cor. 7. 16. Hereof Ruth is a most pregnant and liuely example For being her selfe an heathen and hauing matched with one of the sonnes of Elimelech and Naomi she was so effectually conuerted by this match that after the death of her husband she would by no meanes part from Naomi Indeed Orpah that matched with another sonne though she seemed a while to be very earnest to goe with Naomi into the land of Iudah yet she was at the last perswaded to returne backe to her owne people but Ruth had tasted so deeply of the spirit of adoption by her foresaid match and marriage that her mother in law Naomi for the better triall of her soundnesse therein vsing many words to perswade her to returne backe as Orpha had done she answered most gratiously constantly and resolutely to the contrary saying Iâ—â—reat me not to leaue thee nor to depart from thee for whither thou goest I will goe where thou dwellest I will dwell thy people shall be my people and thy God my God where thou diest I will die and there will I be buried The Lord do so to me and more also if ought but death depart thee and me Ruth 1. 16. 17. O rare example O noble paterne O admirable president Let not men therefore only match and mate themselues with them that are the children of God but let them also so animate and hearten themselues to hold fellowship and communion with them that albeit they should be most earnestly perswaded by the children of God themselues
denie the resurrection and say that we shall not haue the same bodies in the resurrection that heere we haue but other newly created in their stead may bee thought to speake also reason It is therfore as certain that the same soules do remaine in the children of God after regeneration as well as the same bodies Yea the wicked doe also see the godly to retaine the same shape the same fashion the same outward forme and the same countenance that they had before regeneration and whiles they were vngodly as well as others It may bee indeed that after regeneration of the heart there is also some change in the countenance and outward behauiour and so verily it ought to be in men and in women For Wisdome is in the face of him that hath vnderstanding but the eies of a foole are in the corners of the world Prou. 17. 24. And those men that before regeneration had light countenances wanton and adulterous eies and did either weare long haire contrary to the decencie of nature 1. Cor. 11. 14. or that otherwise did disfigure themselues by setting vp a foretop starching their beards and such like after regeneration doe frame countenance haire and all things to manly and Christian modesty and grauity So likewise women that before did paint their faces as lezabel or that did lay foorth or set vp their haire top and top gallant or wreath it in most vncomely sort that did likewise lay forth their naked brests in most lasciuious manner that did weare mans apparell doublets and ierkins as mine owne eies haue lately seene directly contrary to the word of God as hath beene before shewed and that did euery way conforme themselues to those wanton wenches who are by the Prophet described to walke with streched out necks and with wandring eies walking and mineing as they went and making a tinkling with their feet and whose ornaments the Lord doth threaten to take away c. Isa 3. 16. c. Such women I say being new borne and made daughters to God doe change their countenance attire and gate coâ—tenting themselues with that natural beautie which God hath giuen them and which will not fall off with the steame of hot broth yea which need not daily bee renued and arraying themselues in comely apparell with shamefastnesse and modestiâ— and with good workes 1. Tim. 2. 9 10 But howsoeuer there bee a change in these things yet the wicked seeing the godly still to be of the same complexion and naturall countenance that they were of they are therfore the blinder in seeing that great and glorious change that afterward shall be in them and whereof afterward we are to speake Secondly forasmuch as they see the godly to be subiect to the same sicknesses and to the same other outward calamities that themselues are subiect vnto yea that many times the afflictions of the righteous are greater then of other men Ioâ— 21. 6. Psal 34. 19. as before wee haue declared with the differences notwithstanding betwixt the afflictions of the wicked and of the children of God therefore also they can the lesse see and they are the more hardly perswaded that there is any difference betwixt the future state of them and of other men Yea this maketh the children of God themselues many times to doubt of their future state and to say yea in a maner to conclude with themselues in their owne hearts for a time till they goe into the Sanctuarie of God and consult with God himselfe and with his word that certainly they haue cleansed their hearts in vaine and washed their hands in innocencie sith they are daily punished and chastened euery morning Dauid himselfe had these thoughts Psalm 73. 13. 14. long after his regeneration No maruell therefore though the wicked bee so blinded that it doth not appeare vnto them what the children of God shall be in the life to come Thirdly they doe not onely see the children of God for a time to bee thus subiect to the same outward afflictions that other are subiect vnto but also sometime that such afflictions doe continue all the daies that the children of God doe liue heere yea that at the last also they die oft times the common death of men yea that they are taken away also in the same manner and doe perish in the same sort that the wicked themselues doe perish viz. touching their outward man and touching outward appearance yea that sometimes as touching still their outward man they perish somwhat extraordinarily and are taken away somewhat suddenly and strangely as well as the wicked As rebellious Hophni and Phinebas were slaine in one day by the Philistins according to the word of the Lord in that behalfe 1. Sam. 2. 34. so their good father Elâ— himselfe also when he heard thereof and of the taking of the Arke of God fell backward from his seat and brake his neckâ— 1 Sam. 4. 18. As wicked Saul was hit and sore wounded by the Archers of the said vncircumcised Philistins and therefore fell vpon his owne sword and thereby hastned his owne death so good and vertuous Ionathan also was slaine in the same battle 1. Sam. 31. 2. c. The Prophet that being deceiued by another old Prophet did contrary to the word of God before spoken vnto him in his returne homeward was killed by a Lion 1. King 13. 24. That most worthy King Iosiah who hath this high commendation by the spirit of God that cannot lie Like vnto him there was no King before him that turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soule and with all his might according to all the Law of Moses neither after him arose there any like him 2. King 23. 25. euen this most worthy King was slaine by Pharao Necho King of Egypt verse 29. that is he was so wounded that hee was carried away sicke out of the battle and died of that wound 2. Chron. 35. 23. c. and that because hee would fight against the said Pharao Necho though by him hee were aduised to the contrarie So for some abuse in the Supper of the Lord it is said not only that many in the Church of Corinth were weake and sicke but that also many were asleepe 1. Cor. 11. 30. that is that the Lord had taken many of them away by death These things being so as well with the children of God as with the wicked is it any maruell though it doe not appeare vnto the wicked what the children of God shall be heereafter Fourthly the children of God are neuer freed heere from sinne Sinne indeed doth not raigne in them They are freed from the bondage of it yet still they are subiect to sinne of infirmitie as before we haue heard yea they sometimes fall into one and the same sinne often yea they doe sometimes commit very great sins euen such as whereby they doe greatlie scandalize and offend other and cause the glorious name of God to be euill
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