our enemies compassing vs about like mighty bulls of Bashan and like dogs Psal 22. 12. and 16 and as thicke as bees Psal 118. 12. and albeit in that respect whiles we thus hue amongst our enemies wee are subiect to many dangers yet we are as safely kept and as it were garded euen walled round about not by Angels alone but by God himselfe yea the better to assure vs that we shall be as safely kept here in earth notwithstanding all our enemies for that inheritance as that is kept for vs he saith that we are kept by the power of God So saith our Sauiour that he will giue his sheepe eternall life and that they shall not perish neither that any man shall plucke them out of his hands because the father that hath giuen them vnto him is greater then all and no man shall plucke them by any violence out of his hand Ioh. 10. 28. 29. So then the sheep of Christ and children of God are in the hands and custody of God the Father and God the Sonne They may therefore as well doubt of the power of God as of their preseruation for the inheritance now spoken of O inseparable happinesse Without the former preseruation of this inheritance for vs it is small comfort to heare it to be immortall vndefiled and not withering yea the more excellent that this inheritance is noted to be by those three attributes the more would be our griefe if it were not safely kept for vs. What comfort also should we haue by all the foure former commendations if we our selues might in the meane time perish and miscarry Alas what comfort had king Edward the fift by this great kingdome when himselfe was in the custody of his most wicked vnkle Richard the third that most vnnaturally and horribly murthered him and his yonger brother Besides all before written of this inheritance the excellency thereof is laid foorth further in Scripture by phrases of such things as are in greatest regard here vpon earth and chiefly by such things as belong to kings and kingdomes Therefore it is said as before we heard that we shall be cloathed in white that we shall haue crownes vpon our heads and that we shall sit vpon thrones yea on the throne of Christ Iesus himselfe Because kings also fare daintily therefore it is said that the children of God shall eat of the fruit of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God Ren. 2. 7. and of the Manna that is hidden Reuel 2. 17. As also in the Courts of Princes there is the voice of singing men and women 2. Sam. 19. 32. so in heauen all the Saints and all the Angels shall sing a new song and the song of Moses and of the Lamb Reuel 5. 9. 10. 11. and 14. 3. where there is mention of harpes and of a new song yea such a song that no man could learne but the elect bought from the earth Whereas Princes also dwell in stately and princely palaces lift vp thy eies to heauen behold the beauty and glory thereof and consider whether the inside of the greatest and most sumptuous palaces in all the world with all their rich and sumptuous furniture be comparable to the outside of heauen If the outside be so beautifull and glorious are not the inner parts where God himselfe with all his Angels are in all glory much more beautifull and glorious How doth Dauid oft times commend the house of God vpon earth Doth he not speake of the tabernacle before the temple was built by way of admiration O Lord of hosts how amiable are thy tabernacles Psal 84. 1. Doth not he therefore pronounce them Blessed that might dwell in his house verse 4. yea doth he not say that a day in the courts of God is better then a thousand elsewhere and that for his part though hee were then annointed heire apparant to the crowne and diadem of the kingdome of Israel yet he had rather bee a doore-keeper in the house of his God then to dwell in the tabernacles of wickednesse verse 10. If he thought the house of God so amiable vpon earth which is as it were but the gatehouse of heauen how amiable thought he heauen it selfe to be Glorious things saith the Prophet are spoken of thee thou citie of God Psal 87. 3. what city of God The earthly Ierusalem What glorious things are spoken of that city That it is built as a city compact together in it selfe that thereunto the tribes of the Lord goe vp according to the testimony to Israel or of the Israelites to praise the name of the Lord and that there are thrones set for iudgement the thrones of the house of Dauid Psal 122. 3. 4. 5. Were these and many other the like glorious things spoken of the city of God and of Ierusalem vpon earth What then may be said of the City of God and of the Ierusalem of God in heauen That was but a type this is the thing signified That was corruptible and is now destroied this abideth for euer That was an habitation for a time for corrupt and mortall men this is an euerlasting habitation of God himselfe in his glory for all the Angels and for all the Saints purged of all their sinnes and made glorious without any spot or wrinkle That was made by men and with hands this was made by God himselfe without hands That had goodly towers almost past numbring Psal 48. 12. this likewise hath many dwelling places more artificially compact together then all the gorgeous palaces of Ierusalem or of all the Princes in the world Thither the tribes of Israel did goe vp but hither all tribes of all nations vnder heauen are and shall be gathered to praise the name of the Lord by singing those songs before spoken of There were the thrones of Dauid but here is the throne of Christ Iesus for the iudgement of all the world What shall I say more When we shall come to this inheritance though the happy state thereof be described by such things as are vpon earth in greatest price for our better capacity yet for all that no such things are sufficient to set forth and fully to expresse the thousandth part of the excellency thereof The eie of man hath not seen neither hath the eare of man heard neither can the things enter in to the heart of man which God hath prepared for them that loue him 1. Cor. 2. 9. What tongue then of man by any thing or by all things in the world is able to expresse them Yea the truth is that albeit the future condition of the children of God be described by white raiment by eating of the fruit of the tree of life c. and of the Manna that is hidden c. yet we shall neither haue apparrell nor food for our bodies in the world to come As man before his fall liued by corporall food without apparell and after his fall had need as well
the snow euen so white as no fuller can make vpon the earth Mark 9. 3. but Moses also and Elias appeared and were talking with him both which likewise are said to haue appeared in glory Luk 9. 31. For that they appeared not in soule only but also in body it is cleere first by that that they were visibly seene of those Apostles Secondly because it is further said that they talked with Christ Thirdly because Luke also expresly calleth them by the name not of two spirits but of two men This our likenesse also vnto Christ Christ himselfe promiseth to those few names in Sardi which had not defiled their garments saying of them that they should walke with him in white Reuel 4. 34. What is it to be clothed in white and to walke in white with Christ but in glory to be made like vnto Christ who before in his transfiguration had shewed himselfe in white And by this colour of white is the glory of Christ and of Gods children rather described then by any other colour because Princes and great potentates of the earth when they would shew themselues in their greatest pompe and glory did vse to cloath themselues in white yea so did our late most renowned Queene oftentime at the entertainment of some great Embassadors and other great solemnities This our likenes likewise vnto Christ is further promised in the same chapter verse 21. to euery one that ouer commeth namely in these words that to such Christ will giue to sit yea to sit with him in his throne What more as himselfe sitteth in the throne of his Father So then as Christ is in glory like to his Father so shall the children of God also be like vnto Christ This point of our likenesse vnto Christ is a most sweet and heauenly point so full of comfort that it is able to comfort vs though neuer so much compassed with sorrowes and loaden with griefes It is able to recouer vs though neuer so sicke of sinne It is able to reuiue and restore vs though not only halfe dead but also altogether dead in sinnes and trespasses It is much that wee shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and as the starres for euer Dan. 12. as also that we shall shine as the Sunne it selfe in the kingdome of our Father Mat. 13. 34. It is more that we shall be like to the Angels of God in heauen Mat. 22. 30. of whose great glory we haue heard before Who therfore can expresse or conceiue this that is here spoken that we shall be like vnto Christ himselfe For what is the brightnes of the firmament what is the glistering of the starres what is the light of the Sunne in the greatest and cleerest height thereof what is the glory of the Angels in respect of Christ Iesus When he was in the shape of a seruant he taught with such power and authority that all that heard him were astonied at his doctrine Mat. 7. 28. 29. and wondred at the gratious words that proceeded out of his mouth Luk 4. 22. Yea the very officers of the high Priests and Pharisies that were sent to take him being rauished with his words returned without him and being asked why they had not brought him they answered Neuer man spake like this man Iohn 7. 32. 45. Afterward also his aduersaries that came out to apprehend him with one word of his mouth were turned backe and fell to the ground Ioh. 18. 6. I omit heere the amplification of this point by the glory of Moses his face comming from receiuing the law which Moses was but a seruant as also by the rauishment of Peter Iames and Iohn with the transfiguration of Christ in the mount to giue them a tast of his glory These things I say I do omit as hauing spoken of them before Neither also is it to any great purpose to compare the glory of Christ with the glory of the Monarchs of the world and so thereby to amplifie our glory in regard that we shall be like vnto Christ For alas all the glory of earthly Princes is not so much as a picture or a shadow of the glory of Christ who is the first begotten of the dead the Prince of the kings of the earth Reu. 1. 5. and who walketh in middes of the seuen candlestickes is cloathed with a garment downe to the feete and girded about the pappes with a golden girdle whose head and haire are white as white as wooll and as snowe and his eies as a flame of fire and his feete like vnto fiâ—e brasse burning as in a fornace and his voice as the sound of many waters hauing in his right hand seuen starres and a sharpe two-edged sword going out of his mouth and whose face shineth as the Sunne in his strength Reuel 1. 13. c. To whom also being newlie borne certaine wise men did not only come out of the East but also fell downe and worshipped him opening their treasures and presenting vnto him gifts of gold and incense and myrrhe Mat. 2. 1. and 11. Yea who is so excellent that not only a multitude of heauenly souldiers sang at his birth though he were borne in a stable and laid in a manger Glory to God in the high heauens and peace in earth and towards men good will Luke 2. 14. but also that afterward the foure and twenty Elders did sing vnto him a new song saying Thou art worthy to take the booke viz. which before Iohn had seene in the right hand of him that sate vpon the throne written within and on the backeside sealed with seauen seales and which none in heauen and in earth or vnder the earth was worthie to open and to open the seales thereof because thou wast killed and hast redeemed vs to God by thy bloud out of euerie kindred and tongue and people and nation and hast made vs vnto our God Kings and Priests c. Reuelat. 5. 9. 10. Yea whose excellencie and glorie and worthinesse is such that not only they did so sing but that also Iohn did heare many other Angels round about the throne c. euen thousand thousands to sing with a loud voice saying Worthy is the lambe that was killed to receiue power and riches and wisedome and strength and honor and glory and praise Yea concerning whom also he heard all creatures in heauen on earth and vnder the earth and in the sea c. saying Praise and honor and glory and power be vnto him that sitteth vpon the throne and vnto the Lambe for euermore verse 11. c. If Christ himselfe be thus excellent shall not we also be excellent that shall be like vnto him Why then should we be dismaied why should we feare why should any affliction any disgrace with men any threatning of men any pouerty any banishment any imprisonment any losses or any other calamities make vs to hang down our head yea why should any thing take away our ioy from vs why should we
THE DIGNITIE of Gods children OR AN EXPOSITION OF 1. IOHN 3. 1. 2. 3. Plentifully shewing the comfortable happie and most blessed state of all Gods children and also on the contrarie the base fearefull and most wofull condition of all other that are not the children of GOD. PROV 12. 26. The righteous is more excellent then his neighbor but the way of the wicked will deceiue them IOHN 1. 12. 13. As manie as receiued him to them he gaue prerogatiue to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name Which are borne not of blood nor of the will of flesh nor of the will of man but of God LONDON Printed by Thomas Haueland for Thomas Man and are to be sold at his shop in Paternoster Row at the signe of the Talbot 1610. TO THE NOBILITY AND GENTRY OF GREAT BRITAINE Grace and Peace RIGHT Honorable and right Worshipfull to you all and to euery one of you am I bold to present and dedicate this my treatise of the dignity of Gods children not so much searing the same to be offensiue to any of you either by the meannesse obscurity of my person or by the plaine and homely manner of writing thereof as hoping it will be acceptable to you all for the argument and subiect matter therein handled For to whom more fitly appertaineth the dedication of a treatise of the dignitie of the sonnes of the Psal 29. 1. Almighty in heauen then to those who are called the sonnes of the mighty in earth Although also it behooueth all well to consider and to make good vse of the whole treatise yet the same especially belongeth to all that are of highest honor and dignity in the world For to whomsoeuer much is giuen of Luk. 12. 48. him shall be much required And the more eminent that any are in place the more excellent ought the same to shew themselues in grace Our dread Soueraigne writing to his most princely Sonne by many golden sentences teacheth that as any 1. 〈◊〉 pag. 4. in dignity be erected aboue other so they ought in thankefulnesse towards God that hath aduanced them goe as far beyond all other and that the highnesse of any dignity doth not diminâ—sh but rather much increase the faults of such as are in such dignity The same also is grounded vpon the commandement of the Soueraign of all soueraignes euen of the mighty God and Lord of heauen and earth touching a greater sacrifice for the ruler of the people offending of ignorance then for a priuate person in like manner transgressing 〈◊〉 4. 22. â— â—7 Is not the same much more to be said of the ruler of the people that offendeth of knowledge As in these respects I was the bolder to dedicate these my labors to your Honors and Worships so not fearing any imputation of presumption I thought it more fit to dedicat the same to you all generally then to any one or to some few particularly that so none might think himselfe excluded and that euery one might accept them as dedicated to himselfe and so vouchsafe to read them the more diligently and to make the better vse of them according to his place The rather also did I take incouragement so to doe that yee especially might by these my labors the more cleerly see that without this dignity in this treatise set sorth and the right vse of the same all nobility honor and dignity in this world is of no value of no price of no account As age is a crowne of glory being found in the way of righteousnesse Prov. 16. 31. and no otherwise so may it be said of nobility and of all other dignities of the world The description of the sonnes of Nobles by eating in time for strength and not for drunkennesse this sobriety in eating and drinking for Eccles 10. 17. the rarenesse of it in great persons of the world being synecdochically put for all vertues This description I say of the sonnes of nobles doth plainly teach them only to be truly worthy of the said honorable title which by the foresaid vertue and all other accompanying the same do shew themselues to be the children of God Doth not the same Salomon also say without exception of any degree in the world that the righteous is more Prov. 12. 26. excellent then his neighbor Elsewhere also he preferreth not a great name but a good name aboue great riches and Prov. 22. 1. Ecces 7. 3. before precious ointment both which commonly are apurtenances and ornaments of nobility and other worldly dignity What is a good name but such a name as is gotten by doing of those things which belong to the children of God The former point is further euident by diuers reasons For all honor and dignity according to this world is only in this world But the dignity of being the sennes of the most High is also in heauen For ye shal afterward see in the treatise that the children of God doe sit with Christ Iesus in the heavenly places euen while they are here in the earth All worldly honors and dignities doe end with this life For as in the resurrection men shall neither marry wiues nor women shall be giuen in mariage so then Mat. 22. 30. there shall be neither Gentlemen nor Esquires nor Knights nor Barons nor any such degree of men but all shall be as one in Christ Iesus But the dignity of the children of God after this life is inlarged and in the resurrection shall be made greater then it was Euen then I say shall the dignity of adoption be increased when all worldly dignity shall be vtterly ceased As men are noble honorable or worshipfull in this world they are but in fauor with men but as they be the children of God they are in grace with God himselfe Worldly dignity doth but giue accesse to worldlie Princes but the dignity of adoption hath accesse with assurance of preuailing to the throne of him that is Lord of heauen and earth As here men are Dukes Marquesses Earles Vicounts Barons c. they haue but men to attend vpon them but the treatise following will shew that as any bee the children of God the glorious Angels of heauen do wait vpon them and continually guard them for their safety and further good As here men be in great place they haue but earthlie inheritances whereof they or theirs may be dispossessed and cleane disinherited But as they bee the children of God they haue an inheritance in heauen far passing all the kingdomes of the world and the which all the power of hell shall neuer take away Many other the like prerogatiues shall ye find in this treatise of the children of the Almighty in heauen far excelling the honors of the sons of the mighty in earth Of the which prerogatiues I do here giue you but this tast thereby the more to quicken your appetite and the better to incourage you to
thereby ye haue attained to that true and vnfeined loue of the brethreÌ„ whereby ye know your selues to bee translated from death to life and that already ye are of the truth and hereafter shall before him assure your hearts 1. Ioh. 3. 14. and 18. and 19. by which things also ye haue felt vnspeakable and incomprehensible ioy and comfort then minse not the matter neither clippe ye the Lords goodnesse towards you by saying that indeede ye haue by our ministerie atteined vnto some knowledge euen to a verball knowledge so to my griefe I heare some to haue scoffingly said but whether yee haue receiued also the spirit of adoption that ye cannot tell yea some of you do vtterly deny But alas if ye haue euer felt the things before spoken of how ingratefull impietie and how impious ingratitude is this against God For what is this but for the excuse of your wauering mind to lie of the holy ghost And how much lesse sinne is this lying of the holy Ghost then that of Ananias and Sapphira of lying to the holie ghost Acts. 5. 3. I may amplifie this point by that which is written in the law against him that sinned against the Lord in denying vnto his neighbour that which was taken him to keepe or that which was put to him of trust Leuit. 6. 2. For if it be so great a sinne against the Lord for a man to deny vnto his neighbour that which was taken him to keepe or that which was put to him of trust to be restored againe to the owner without any benefit to the keeper oh then how heinous a sinne is it against the Lord to deny the free gift of God himselfe bestowed vpon wretched man neuer to be restored but to continue to euerlasting life Concerning such as are already separated from amongst you and do so continue if they haue made separation onely in zeale which is not according to knowledge without pride disdaine and contempt against all other such I wish well and seriously to consider the words and counsell of the angell which found out Hagar being fled from her mistris Sara for her hard dealing with her For as the Angell first asked her whence she came and whither she would goe and secondly vpon her answere that she fled from her dame Sara commanded her to returne to her dame and to humble her selfe vnder her hands Genes 16. 7. so and much more let the separatists among you consider the more whence they came and whither they are going as also to make the more hast of returning and humbling themselues to them whom without sufficient cause they haue for saken because their regeneration if they be regenerated receiued amongst them and wrought by some of them whom they haue for saken is a farre greater benefit then all that euer Hagar had had at the hands of her mistris Sara Touching both the that are separated and also that are not I do iointly intreat them with iudgement to consider first the speedy growth of them that decline that way like to the gourd of Iona Iona. 4. 6. not like to the graine of mustard seede whereunto the kingdome of heauen is compared Mat. 13. 31. which at the first being the least of all seedes afterward groweth not of the sudden but by degrees to be a great tree For may not this make them to suspect their course to be rather according to nature then according to grace Is it not more easie to goe downe the hill then vp the hill The rather may this sudden growth be suspected because it is more without meanes in one day or at least by small and simple meanes onely by priuate talking c. then before they did grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ in many moneths Great indeede was the suddaine successe of the sermon of Peter Acts. 2. 41. and of the preaching of Paul to the keeper of the prison Acts. 16. 33. But alas the extraordinary and strange meanes before mentioned in either place doe shew not onely the said suddaine and great successe to haue beene extraordinary but also that the like extraordinary successe requireth more extra ordinary means then in these dais we haue warrant to expect Secondly let both sorts before mentioned further consider the scoffing gibing and contemptuous spirit I speake this with griefe of most of them that are separated against all other especially not inclining towards them most of all against them that haue done them most good if euer they haue at all tasted in truth how good the Lord is 1. Pet. 2. 2. Is the spirit of God the spirit of scoffing gibing and contempt No but of sobrietie of grauitie of meekenesse and of reuerence teaching them in whom it is not to be high minded but to make themselues though of high place equall to them of the lower sort Rom. 12. 16. and in meekenes of minde to esteem other better then themselues Philip. 2. 3. Lastly let both sorts before spoken vnto further yet obserue the ignorance of many that are most prone to separation in the things of greatest moment and of most necessity and also what little conscience they make of sactifying the Lords day not only not spending the time of their absence from our asseblies in priuate exercises of religion at home but also in walking vp and downe idlely in the fields woods c and finally how they neglect their callings and misspend their time in running vp and down to talke one with another of separation and so wast that little stocke which before through the good blessing of God they had gotten whiles they did diligently follow their calling In the largenes of my loue towards you I could write much more largely of these points But beeing loth to trouble other readers and too long to deâ—cine them from the treatise following I do forbeare The Father of our Lord Iesus Christ of whom is named the whole familie in heauen and in earth graunt to all you to whom now I do write that ye may be strength ned by his spirit in the inner man Ephes 3. 14. c. and that none of you may euer fall away vtterly from the grace of God The same God also so print all good things in all your harts both which are in this whole booke printed in paper and also which ye do daily read in other good bookes which ye heare or may heare in the publike preaching of the word that neither the loue of the world nor any other power of hell may euer be able to race them out that so God may haue the glory of them and your selues may inioy the fruit euen righteousnes peace ioy and comfort in this life and euerlasting glory in the life to come From Much Totham Aprill 20. 1610. Your most vnfained and faithfull in the Lord Thomas Stoughton THE CONTENTS OF THE SEVERALL CHAPTERS OF THIS TREAtise of the Dignity of Gods children with a note of
immediately make our soules how then câ—me we stained with originall sinne it may receiue a double answer First that they come by sinne at their entrance into the body as in old time men might get the leprosie by entring into an house only infected with the leprosie and as men may now get the plague by going to the house lately visited therewith though no man dwell in the said house as also by putting on a garment comming from one that had the plague For the body is an house or garment of the soule comming from our polluted and defiled parents Secondly touching the said great obiection it is altogether curious to inquire of the manner when the thing is manifest For a man may as well inquire of Note them that were raised from death to life by the Prophets and by our Sauiour and his Apostles especially of the faithfull so raised Lazarus Dorcas c. how after their said restoring to life againe they became sinners againe and so subiect to death againe For being dead and their soules and bodies in death separated it cannot be denied but that during that time they were free from sinne both in body and in soule If therefore this bee a curious question how they became againe defâ—led with sinne and to need to pray for forgiuenesse of their trespasses then also is the former For there is the like reason of the one and of the other To returne to our former speech of adoption although God haue such a Sonne of his owne in whom he is well pleased yea many other sonnes likewise by creation keeping still that glorious image wherein they were created viz. al the blessed Angels yet because Adam had transgressed and that through his fal he had no children amongst the sons of men therefore it pleased him also to adopt vs vnto himselfe This then is one difference betwixt the adoption of God and the adoption of men that men only adopt children when they haue none of their owne but God adopteth vs though he haue one of his owne by nature and many by creation like vnto himselfe Another difference is that when men doe adopt there is Note not neither can be any second generation of him that is adopted whereby to make him like to him that doth adopt him being before vnlike vnto him For to make one like to another passeth the worke of any man But in our adoption to God there is not onely an acceptation of vs for his children but there is also an actuall regeneration and second birth wrought in vs by Gods spirit therefore called the spirit of adoption whereby we are made like to our Father that doth adopt vs. Secondly men hauing no children of their owne cannot adopt other in any or by any but God hauing a Sonne of his owne as we said doth in him and by him and through him as it were by marying of vs vnto him and incorporating vs into him adopt vs for his children Moreouer touching adoption the whole number of children adopted to God considered iointly together are accounted as one viz. as a daughter so made by marriage to the only Sonne of God Psal 45. 10. Hos 2. 9. in which respect the whole Catholike Church comprehending all the elect and children of God and no other is often called by the name of a Spouse and of one spouse vnto Christ Cantic 4. 8. 9. 10. and 5. 1. Iohn 3. 29. Reu 21. 2. and 9. and as of one wife Ierem. 3. 1. c. and the Church is said to be but one euen one alone and the only daughter of her mother Cantic 6. 8. and one body in Christ Rom. 12. 5. 1. Cor. 12. 12. Ephes 4. 4. But the children of God being seuerally considered according to the seuerall sex of euery one they are called the sonnes and daughters of God as before we heard Thus much of the eighth particular word in this text In the last place the Apostle doth rather repeat the name of 〈◊〉 God God then vse the relatiue his saying that we should be called the children of God rather then his children the more to keepe them to whom he wrote in a serious consideration of this their dignity whereof he speaketh and to make them the more to lift vp their eies and their minds and whole hearts to him whose children they are Thus much as breefly as I well could for the consideration of the particular words of this exhortation to the beholding of the great loue of God in making vs his children CHAP. IIII. Of the dignity of Gods children from the excellency of God himselfe who is their Father the rather because it is further prooued by the difficulty and greatnesse of the worke of regeneration that the sayd worke is altogether and only the worke of God NOW according to my method and order first propounded to my selfe I will more amply lay forth the mayne point of the dignity of Gods childreÌ„ viz. How great how admirable how incomprehensible this loue of God is in making declaring vs to be the childreÌ„ of God in such fort as hath been before touched For it cannot be but of very great excellency sith the Apostle hath made such a graue exhortatioÌ„ to the beholding thereof cuery word wherof is so emphatical significant as we haue heard And indeed so excelleÌ„t is it that as M. Rogers saith Chap. 3. of his sixt treatise so I may also say that when I haue said what I can of their state I must confesse that I haue said but a little NOtwithstanding I hope that this little shall be somwhat for the helping of them that considered not so much before and for the prouoking like wise of other to enter into further meditation of this argument and perhaps to write more largely there of then I haue done or could do For it is well worthy of the best meditation and largest writing that may be for the better comfort of such weake ones as whose hearts are almost broken with the manifold indiguities that dayly they meete with in the world and for the prouoking of all aduanced thereunto to more thankful â—es to him that hath so aduanced them and to make such other vses as after the point it selfe more largely handled shall be breefely noted To come therefore to the matter touching this dignity of the children of God let vs first of all consider the same by the excellency of him whose children they are hâ—â—e sayd to bee For he is described to be high and excellent to inhabite the eternity to be called by the name of The holy one and to dwelin the high and holy place Isai 57. 15. He is called The God of Gods and Lord of Lords A great God mighty and terrible Deut. 10. 17. Hensâ—d to haue 〈◊〉 his hands the deep places of the earth the height of the mountains the sea c. Psalm 95. 5. and to haue greatnesse and power and glâ—ry and victory
vnto Christ Iesus by adoption and incorporation into him Furthermore concerning these children of God let vs remember that before said touching their regeneration by God himselfe It is the worke of God only to make a child of God in this maner In the time of the law to speake according to the phrase of those times men might beget children to other and raise vp seed vnto other For we know that a man after mariage dying without issue Note the next of that kindred not maried before was bound to take the wife of him deceased and so to raise seed vnto him and this seed so raised was accounted the seed of the dead not of the liuing Deut. 25. 5. 6. By adultery also in these daies the children of some are accounted the children of other But certainly to raise vp such children to God as here I intreate of is the worke only of God himselfe Men and Angels cannot beget such a sonne or daughter vnto God This hath been proued by testimonies of Scripture before Notwithstanding I will now further prooue the same by the greatnesse of the sayd worke of regeneration For indeed it is the greatest of all other the personall vnion of the diuine and humane nature in the person of Christ only excepted because it containeth almost all miracles mentioned in the Gospell to haue been wrought vpon men What be those miracles The giuing sight to the blind hearing to the deafe speech to the dumb health to the sicke strength to the lame cleannesse to the leapers life to the dead and release and liberty to them that were possessed of diuels All these are wrought at once in the worke of our regeneration Wheras we were by nature spiritually blind the eyes of our mind are lightned to see the great things of God and the deepe secrets of his kingdome Whereas by nature we are spiritually deafe our hearts are opened that our eares do attend to the word of God Whereas by nature we are spiritually dumb not able to speake a good word our lips are so opened that our mouth doth shew foorth the praise of God and is able to speak of righteousnesse Whereas by nature we were spiritually sicke heart sicke sicke vnto death we are in regeneration restored to spirituall health in part and certainly assured of perfect recouery of all our spirituall infirmities at the last Whereas by nature we were spiritually lame and impotent not able to stirre hand or foot toward any thing that good is we are in regeneration made strong in time to walke about and to doe the workes of God in some measure Whereas by nature we were wholly defiled from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foot with a most noysome spirituall leprosie ten thousand times more infectious and dangerous then any bodily leprosie we are in regeneration clensed thereof and made as whole as we say as a roch yea wheras by nature we were dead in our sinnes we are in regeneration raised vp to the life of God Finally whereas by nature wee were possessed spiritually of the diuell yea touching both our soules and bodies in his thraldome not able to doe any thing but what he would haue vs to doe and doing that with all delight we are in regeneration released of this bondage and made the freemen of God himselfe Are not all these great things How did men admire the least such miracle wrought vpon the bodies of men Since the world began saith the blind man restored to bodily sight it was not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was borne blind Ioh. 9. 32. How great then and how wonderfull is the worke of all the former miracles at one instant wrought Verily farre greater vpon the inner man and being spiritually wrought then all the former outwardly wrought vpon the outward man yea all the former are the greater because by working of them in our regeneration we are in a moment aduanced from hell to heauen it selfe The disciples which Iohn sent vnto Christ to know whether he were the Messias or no or whether they should looke for another were returned by Christ to Iohn with this message Goe and shew Iohn what things ye heare and see The blind receiue sight the halt doe goe and the leapers are cleansed and the deafe heare the dead are raised vp and lastly he addeth as the greatest of all the poore receiue the Gospell Mat. 11. 4. 5. How did the poore receiue the Gospell viz. to their regeneration of being the children of God And that the meaning of our Sauiour by setting this in the last place was to commend it as the greatest it appeareth because in the place next before that he had mentioned the greatest of all the former For who will deny the raising vp of the dead to be greater then making the blind to see the halt to goe the leapers to be cleane or the deafe to heare The proofe of all these particular miracles to be wrought in our regeneration wee shall heare afterward In the meane time hereby it is most euident that the worke of our regeneration is the worke only of God For God only worketh all miracles Blessed be the Lord God euen the God of Israel which only doth wondrous things Psal 72. 18. Thou artgreat and dost wondrous things thou art God alone Psa 86. 10. So the Prophet proueth God to be God alone by the effect of doing wondrous things Praise ye the Lord of Lords for his mercy endureth for euer which only doth great wonders Psal 136. 3. 4. Darius an Heathen could acknowledge the working of signes and wonders in heauen and in earth as a thing belonging to God only Dan. 6. 27. And indeed if the working of miracles did not belong to God only it had beene no good argument of our Sauiour to returne the messengers of Iohn with report of his miracles for demonstration of himselfe to be the Messias which should come and no other to be looked for If any that is learned desire further handling of this generall point I referre him to Beza against Holderus in pages 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. c. To returne to the former matter the worke of our regeneration is not only a miracle and the greatest miracle of all other except only before excepted but it is also as great as the creation of man at the first For therefore it is called by the very name of a creation If any man be in Christ let him bee a new creature 2. Cor. 5. 17. In Christ Iesus neither circumcision auaileth any thing nor vncircumcision but a new creature Galat. 6. 15. We are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus Ephes 2. 10. Our new man also is said to be created in Christ Iesus Ephes 4. 24. Neither is our regeneration as great only as the first creation of man but also greater yea then the first creation of all things This is manifest by these reasons 1. Because
only hath begotten them againe vnto himselfe and that no other can worke the worke of our regeneration so now to set foorth the same further by the first and principall cause thereof viz. by that which first mooued God so to regenerate and adopt vs vnto himselfe let vs a little more consider of the infinit loue of his towards vs in this behalfe whereof before we haue heard euen that that loue is the principall cause of our adoption and regeneration This loue of God is here to be considered two waies First as the cause of election before the foundations of the world were layd both to adoption whereof now we speake and also to the fruition of all other mercies in this life and the life to come Secondly as it was afterward in the fulnesse of time declared by the sending specially of his sonne into the world for the effecting of that our adoption Touching the first it hath been before noted that the Apostle in this very place speaking of the loue of God as of the cause of making vs his children doth not speake in the time present but in the time past by that circumstance of time signifying the said loue of God not to be a new loue or a present loue only but an ancient loue euen from the beginning The same besides the Scriptures before alledged is expresly testified by the Apostle Paul who not only saith that God hath elected vs before the foundation of the world but also touching the cause and the end of our said election hee addeth that God hath then predestinated vs to be adopted or to bee made children through Iesus Christ vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will Ephes 1. 5. that is according to his meere and most free grace without respect of any worthinesse of them whom he hath chosen and the words following of the principall end of our election viz. the praise of the glory of his grace do further manifest his free grace to haue beene the principall cause of election to adoption and to the sonneship if I may so speake of God For if there were any other principall cause thereof then only Gods free grace then also the praise of the said cause should be the end of our election as well as the praise of the free grace of God As also it is said that God chose the children of Israel to be his speciall people because only he loued their fathers Deut. 4. 37. and as Samuel saith it had pleased the Lord to make them his people 1. Sam. 12. 22. insinuating by that phrase the meere pleasure of God to haue bin the cause of making them his people so and much more may be said touching our adoption to bee the children of God Yea so also it is said that God of his own will hath begotten vs againe c. that is of his meer loue Iam. 1. 18. As this loue of God afterward declared by the act it selfe of adopting vs to be his children was thus eternall without beginning so also it is eternall in respect it shal be without end Therefore it is called euerlasting loue Ierem. 31. 3. and Iohn saith that whom God loueth once he loueth to the end Iohn 13. 1. And indeed whatsoeuer is without beginning is also without end Many things haue beginning which shall haue no end as all Angels good and bad and the spirits of all men but nothing shall haue end that hath no beginning Therefore as before we heard that all that are regenerated haue beene beloued of God without beginning of his loue so Peter saith that such also are kept by the power of God vnto saluation c. 1. Pet. 1. 5. But of this before Chap. 2. Neither only is that loue of God towards the regenerated euerlasting and without end because it is without beginning but for the same reason also it is the more free and without all respect of any worthinesse in them that are without beginning beloued For how can they pretend any worthines in themselues to haue beene the cause of that loue that was more ancient then themselues yea then the world The cause must be before the effect and not the effect before the cause In this respect therefore the dignity of Gods children is so much the greater first because they are beloued of God secondly because they haue been so long beloued of God thirdly because they haue been and are freely beloued of God fourthly because the loue of God is euerlasting Concerning the first if the fauor of a king be as the dew vpon the grasse Pro. 19. 12. and if in the light of a Kings countenance be life and his fauour be like a cloud of the latter raine Pro. 16. 15. what shall we say of the fauor of God and of the light of his countenance that is king of kings The same is to be said of the antiquity of Gods loue For as it is the greater grace and honor for a subiect the longer he hath been in fauor with his Prince so likewise that all the children of God haue been so long in fauour with God and that God hath so long loued them it cannot but be the greater honor vnto them Thirdly the freenesse of Gods loue without respect of any desert in his children doth as much dignifie his said childreÌ„ as the free grace of a Prince without any desert or gifts whereby to procure the Princes fauor doth the more honor such a subiect as is in such free fauour with his Soueraigne Fourthly and principally the loue of God is the more honorable in respect that it is euerlasting because we see the grace and fauour of all Princes to be mutable Though Haman were in such grace with Ahashuerosh that hee procured him to write his royall letters for the destruction of all the Iewes yet we know what a change fell out afterward Yea how soone and vpon how light an occasion euen vpon the false report only of flattering Ziba was the great loue of Dauid quaâ—led towards Mephibosheth the sonne of his ancient and most faithfull friend Ionathan Sith therefore the loue of mortall Princes is so vncertaine it cannot but be the greater honor to the children of God that they are so rooted and grounded in grace and fauor with God that nothing whatsoeuer shall euer bee able to disgrace them with him so as that he shall for euer cast them off But this shall further appeare by other things afterward handled concerning their further dignity All this of the loue of God of his ancient loue and of his free loue and of his vnchangeable loue towards his children is the more honor vnto them because as it is said Iacob haue I loued and Esau haue I hated Rom. 9. 17. so it is said that the Lord hateth all the workers of iniquity Psal 5. 5. and that his face is against them that do euill to cut off their remembrance from the earth Psal 34. 16. And therefore
not this then a great dignity For this is one of the specialest promises that God hath made vnto his people namely that he will set his tabernacle among them and that his soule shall not loath them that also he will walke among them c. Leuit. 26. 11. 12. So then they with whom God hath such communion as to set his tabernacle among them and dwell with them may assure themselues that God will neuer loath them nor leaue them Yea we doe thereby further see that he promiseth not only his presence but also his gratious presence by his power to vphold them by his grace to direct them and by his goodnesse to giue them euery good thing For hee is greater then all Ioh. 10. 29. both in power and wisedome Who therefore can destroy or hurt them whom he will preserue In a strange country and in places of danger oh how great a comfort is it to haue some companie In such a place the truth of that is most apparant that Two are better then one because if they fall the one will lift vp his fellow Eccles 4. 9. 10. But alas what is all the company of man in respect of the society of God They that haue God so with them may truly say If God be with vs who can be or what skilleth it who be against vs God is light and in him is no darknesse 1. Ioh. 1. 5. If therefore we haue him alwaies with vs we shall be sure of light whereby so to see our waies that we may not erre Yea God is the father of lights from whom commeth euery good and perfect gift Iames 1. 17. Therefore they that haue him their shepheard may assure themselues they shall want nothing but that he will make them to rest in green pastures and lead them by the still waters of life restoring their soules and guiding them into the paths of righteousnesse Psal 23. 1. c. Yea they that haue thus God their shepheard shall be sure not only of green pastures and water but also that he will giue them that wine and milke and bread c. whereby their soules may liue and be made fat to eternall life Isai 55. 1. 2. What a priuiledge is this It is a great prerogatiue of the children of God to be garded by an Angel as afterward wee shall heare But alas smal cōfort is there in the presence of an Angel if God himselfe be not with vs. When the Israelites had so offended God and prouoked his wrath against them by making a molten calfe that he denied to go himselfe with them vnto the land which he had promised them and yet at the praier of Moses was content to send an Angell before them to cast out the Canaanites the Amerites the Hittites c. How I pray you did they take this It is said that when they heard this tidings they sorrowed and no man put on his best raiment Exod. 33. 1. c. There is therefore no comfort in the presence of any creature whatsoeuer if God himselfe be not graciously present with the eies of his fauour to behold them and their slate with the eares of his grace to heare their crie Psal 34. 15. and with the right hand of his power to support them Psal 144. 7. and to fill them with good things Psal 104. 28. and 145 16. Therefore Moses himselfe in the three and thirtith of Exodus before alledged vpon Gods deniall of his going in person with the Israelites offering notwithstanding to send an Angell before them Moses himselfe I say reasoneth the case with God in these words saying Wherein shall it be knowen that I and thy people haue found fauour in thy sight Shall it not be when thou goest with vs So I and thy people shall haue preheminence before all the people that are vpon the earth vers 16. As the former sorrowing of the people in the beginning of the Chapter sheweth how heauy a thing it is to want Gods companie though we haue the company of Angels so what can be more plainly spoken then these words of Moses to shew how great preheminence there is in that gratious presence of God wherof now we speake This priuiledge is the more because as all the points before handled so this is both common to all the children of God and also peculiar to them only For it is apropriated to them that are elected called instified and which shall be glorified Rom. 8. 31. and therefore before our calling as wee haue heard we are said to be without God in the world Ephes 2. 12. and it is before obserued that the promise of Gods dwelling with men and making them his tabernacles and temple is ioined with another of making them also his sonnes and his daughters 2. Cor. 6. 18. as noting that it is both common to them all and also proper to them only Therefore the wicked haue no more part in this priuiledge then in the former As the children of God may say that when they are alone they are not alone because God euen the fafather sonne and holy ghost is alwaies with them so whatsoeuer company else the wicked haue yet they may truly say they are alone because God euen the father Sonne and holy Ghost is absent from them As God is infinit and filleth all places so he cannot but be wheresoeuer the wicked are But cold is the comfort of this his presence only For if their eies were opened to see him they should see him no otherwise then Dauid saw the Angell of the Lord between the earth and the heauen with his sword drawen in his hand and stretched out toward Ierusalem 1. Chron. 21. 16. What to do had the Angell of the Lord his hand so stretched out toward Ierusalem euen to destroy it 2. Sam. 24. 16. Neither any otherwise should the wicked see the Lord to be present if their eies were opened then Balaams Asse saw also the same or another Angell of the Lord stand in the way and a sword drawn in his hand at the sight whereof the Asse being stricken with feare flung the first time out of the way into the field and the second time dasnt her masters foot against the wall and the third time lay down vnder him not daring to go in the way Numb 22. 23. Thus I say and no otherwise should the wicked see the Lord present with them not to do them any good but to be reuenged of them for all their wickednesse Thereby they should be so filled and possessed with feare that they should be ready to fly if it were possible and to run away from his presence But whither should they flie from his presence If they should ascend into heauen be is there If they should goe down into hell or make their bed in the graue hee is there If they should take the wings of the morning and dwell in the vttermost parts of the sea yet thither should his hand follow them and
where there is no fruit and whereof after recouery of health and true knowledge wee are ashamed Rom. 6. 21. As sicknesse continued and not recouered causeth death at the last so sinne when it is finished and as it were thoroughly ripened bringeth forth death Iames 1. 15. Sinne is likewise compared to an heauy and intolerable burden Come vnto me all ye that are weary and heauy laden viz. with your sinnes and I will refresh you Mat. 11. 28. Therefore Cain complained that his sinne was greater then hee could beare Genes 4. 13. And alas so heauy was the burden of sinne vpon Iudas that to ease himselfe of that burden hee did not onely cast away or deliuer againe to the cheefe Priests and Elders the thirty peeces of siluer which he had taken as wages of vnrighteousnesse to betray the innocent bloud of Christ but that also departing afterward in most dolefull sort he went and most desperately hanged himselfe Mat. 27. 3. The like fearefull euent of the heauy burden of sinne we do too often see by too many examples Wee heard also before that the very imputation onely of our sinnes to Christ Iesus the sonne of God God himselfe made him not only exceedingly to feare and in his feare to offer vp praiers and supplications with strong crying teares vnto God Heb 5. 7. but also to sweat water and bloud Luk. 22. 44. and lastly to cry out most bitterly vpon the crosse vnder the burden of our sinnes My God my God why hast thou forsaken me ' Mat. 27. 46. That some men feele not the sicknes and waight of sinne it is because of another comparison also of sinne viz. vnto death itselfe O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee out of this body of death Rom. 7. 24. And you that were dead in trespasses and sinnes c. Ephes 2. 1. As men therefore that are dead though they died with an hundred plague-sores about them not healed or hauing the waight of a great Church vpon them doe feele nothing either of such sores or of such waight euen so is to bee sayd of them that feele not either the sicknesse or the heauinesse of sinne namely that it is because they are dead in their sinne By these things we see that all whose sinnes are forgiuen are rid and healed of so many diseases Psal 103. 3. and released of so many burdens as they haue sinnes and finally that they are translated from death to life 1. Ioh. 3. 14. Is not then the forgiuenes of sinnes a singular benefit Moreouer the greatnes of this benefit doth further appeare by another comparison of sinne viz. vnto debt Mat. 18. 24. c. In which respect Christ teacheth vs to pray Forgiue vs our debts Mat. 6. 12. Yea he whose sinne is least is more in Gods debt then he is able any way to discharge Therefore in the parable of two debters he that owed but fifty pence is sayd to haue beene as vnable to pay as he that owed siue hundred pence Luke 7. 41. 42. Is it not a great misery yea a kind of hell tormenting a man to be in greater debt then he is able to fatissie Indeed some men are so desperate that they bid their creditors take care how to come by that that is owing vnto them for they will take no care to pay any man therefore they borrow of euery man and pay almost no man so that it is half a wonder what becommeth of all the mony they doe borrow But though some be thus leaudly minded yet most men haue so much ciuill honesty at the least by the light of nature that they finde it very greeuous and troublesome continually to their minds to owe more the they can pay Al debt also aboue ability to pay is the more grecuous the greater and mightier the creditor is to whom the same is owing How great then is the debt of man vnto God by sinnelyea by the least sin The danger of the least sinne much more of many and great sins is the curse of God and euerlasting condemnation of body soule euen an infinit punishment according to the infinit maiesty of God that is by sin offended Who the can expresse the greatnes of the benefit of forgiuenes of sinnes It is a great benefit to be out of debt with men so that a man may walke go any where securely without danger much more then is the benefite of the discharge of all our debt with God Last of al sinne against God is compared vnto treason and rebellion against a prince 1. Sam. 15. 23. Lamon 3. 42. Dan. 5. 9. As therefore it is a great benefit for a traitour and rebell to bee pardoned by his Soueraigne so is it not so much the more to be pardoned by God himselfe of all our treasons and rebellions against him by how much hee is greater then all earthlie princes Verily this is not only more then any tongue of man can expresse but also then any heart of man or wisedome of Angels can comprehend The same benefit of forgiuenes of sinnes is yet the greater because to whom God remitteth one sinne to him hee remitteth all and whose sinnes he doth once forgiue his sinnes hee doth forgiue for euer whom once he doth acquit discharge and iustifie them hee wil neuer condemne or cal to account By all sinnes I meane al the sinnes of Gods children both originall and actuall before baptisme and after baptism before conuersion and after conuersion of knowledge and of ignorance and once or often yea as wel deliberately as vnaduisedly committed Therefore Dauid in the place before vsed Psal 32. 1. 2. speaketh of sinne indefinitely without exception of any and in the other place praiseth God expressely for forgiuing al his sins The Apostle saith that Christ hath not redeemed vs from sin but from all iniquity Tit. 2. 14. So likewise in the other places before mentioned the Apostles speake of sinnes indefinitely c. Ephes 1. 7. Colos 1. 14. not of sinnes before or after baptisme or conuersion c. If by Christ wee haue forgiuenesse onely of originall sinne or of sinnes before baptisme and that wee or some other must make satisfaction for our actuall sinnes or for sinnes after baptisme as the Papists teach then hath Christ satisfied onely for the lesse and left the greater to vs. For who knoweth not actuall sinnes to be greater then originall and sinnes after baptisme to bee more at least for most part then sinnes before baptisme But of the vniuersality of the forgiuenesse of sinnes I hope to speak more to the further comfort of such as are heauy loaden with theyr sinnes in another treatise The second point that whose sinnes are once remitted they are remitted for euer is as certaine as the former Because the couenant of the Lord is an euerlasting couenant and his mercies are the sure mercies of Dauid Isa 55. 3. As high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is
his mercy towards them that feare him As farre as the East is from the west so far hath he remooued our sins from vs. Ps 103. 11. 12. As therefore the heaueÌ„ and the earth shall neuer come together and as the East and the West shall neuer meete so the pardon of sinnes once graunted by the Lord to his children shall neuer be reuoked called backe The same is more plainly testified in the prophecy of Ieremie If the heauens can be measured or the foundations of the earth be searched on beneath then will I cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they haue done saith the Lord Ier. 31. 37. The first of these things is impossible to wit the measuring of the heauens and searching of the bottome of the earth therefore also impossible is the second viz. that the Lord should cast off his people and children for their sinnes Can a woman saith the Lord also forget her child and not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe note that hee vseth the singular number to teach that he compareth him not to a woman that hath many children but to a woman that hath but one child and that a sonne Though they should forget yet will I not forget them Bebold I haue grauen thee vpon the palmes of my hands thy walles are euer before me or in my sight Isai 44. 15. 16. Is this only spoken of the whole body of the Church No It is also to be vnderstood of euery part and member thereof especially of them that by regeneration are indeed made the children of God as here we speake and for their sakes only and no otherwise of the body of the visible Church The same is yet further testified Isai 63. 16. Doubtlesse thou art our father Though Abraham be ignorant of vs and Israel know vs not that is though if these were liuing they would perhaps renounce vs and cast vs off as hauing transgressed their precepts and not walked in the steps of their faith yet thou O lord â—â—t our father and our redeemer thy name is for euer that is hough our sinnes be great and many whereby we haue proâ—oked thee and haue made our selues vnworthy to be called thy â—hildren Luk. 15. 21. yet thou hast pardoned our transgressiâ—n and so redeemed vs that thou wilt still continue thy merâ—y towards vs. The same did Samuel teach the Israelites when they feared â—eath because of their sinne in asking a King besides all their other sinnes Feare not saith he The Lord will not forsake his people for â—â—s great names sake because it hath pleased him to make you his â—â—ople 1. Sam. 12. 72. If the Lord for his names sake will not forâ—â—ke his people then for his names sake also the Lord will not euoke any pardon of sinnes once granted by him to his children regenerated What an happy state and condition therefore is this of the children of God so to haue all their great and manifold iniquities pardoned that none of them shall euer be laid to their charge as it is written Who shall lay anything to the charge of Gods chosen whom before in the same Chapter he had called Gods children It is God that iustifieth Rom. 8. 9. Therefore Iob being assured that God would so iustifie him and pardon all his sinnes triumphantly saith Who is he that will pleade with me Iob 13. 19. I might further amplifie this benefit of forgiuenesse of sinnes because the Lord therein hath passed ouer the Angells that haue forsaken their standing and vouchsafed this grace onely to his children adopted amongst men But because I haue had the like argument before therefore it shall not now be needfull to repeat the same Thus much of this point touching the forgiuenesse of sinnes proper only to the children of God and therefore also of their greater dignity thereby CHAP. XVIII Of the dying more and more of the children of God vnto sinne and of their preseruation from many great sinnes which the wicked doe daily commit and of their liuing more and more to righteousnesse NExt to the forgiuenesse of sinnes let vs further consider that as before we heard concerning the matter wherein consisteth the being of the children of God they were restored from the death of sinne to the life of righteousnesse so being thus altred and changed they neither go backward neither stand at a stay but doe daily die more and more vnto sinne and doe daily likewise liue more and more vnto righteousnesse And thus to proceed from the forgiuenesse of sinnes to these things is the method of the holy ghost in the scriptures For Dauid doth not only pray to be clensed from secret faults that is to haue such sinnes pardoned vnto him and therefore much more to be pardoned of his open sinnes but also that hee might bee kept from presumptuous sinnes Psal 19 12. 13. Our Sauiour also teacheth to pray not onely for forgiuenesse of sinnes but also not to bee led into tentation and to bee deliuered from euill Mat. 6. 12. 13. Therefore the Apostle Peter preacheth repentance and forgiuenes of sinnes together Acts 2. 38 Touching this present point as before we heard the children of God by their incorporation into Christ in their new birth to be reuiued again and made aliue to God in true knowledge and wisedome and in true holines and righteousnesse so now let vs vnderstand that the longer the said children of God continue so incorporated into Christ the more sap and vertue they receiue from him and that therefore that which is natural in them doth more and more decay and that that is of grace and by the new birth of the spirit doth more and more grow and encrease So it is with plantes grafted into any stocke the longer they continue in the stocke the more they are incorporated therinto and the more they thriue and grow and beare fruit First therefore for dying more and more vnto sinne or for the dying more and more of sinne in vs this phrase may seem somwhat harsh strange because in natural things that that is once dead indeed cannot properly be sayd to die any more There cannot bee a continuall dying or a dying by piece-meales but where there is a remnant of life To this I answer first that euen in naturall things that may be said to be killed that receiueth such a deadly wound that from the day of receiuing thereof it neuer thriueth or ioyeth as we speake but pineth wasteth away euery day more and more till it perish So both man and also vnreasonable creatures vpon some wounds giuen them by other creatures or taken by their owne vntulines doe many times consume vnto death it selfe So many trees being either blasted aboue or canker-eaten in the midst or hauing the strings of their rootes cut beneath do from that day wither till they bee altogether dead aboue in the midst and beneath Secondly let vs remember the comparison vsed before chap 8. of sinnes
of a kingdom furnished with the knowledge of all former lawes of the same kingdom and well instructed likewise in the word of God doe meet together to make new lawes for that kingdome yet after consultation one with another and after many daies conferring their readings and iudgements one with another the lawes that they make will not be so perfect but that either something might haue been added or something might haue been left out But the word of God is so absolute and complete that as nothing therein is superfluous so nothing is wanting vnto it What a singular priuledge then haue the children of God that haue the benefit of this law To lay forth the perfection of Gods word yet a little more fully and to make the same somwhat more euideut let vs vnderstand it to be so perfect for matters of faith and knowledge vnto saluation that whatsoeuer is not agreeable thereunto is to be held as erroneous Touching manners life and conuersation it teacheth all duties to God and men euen to all sorts of men superiors inferiors equals friends and foes and in euery state and condition viz. what to doe for them or to them in sicknesse or health in pouerty or wealth in liberty or in prison being ioyfull or mourning dwelling far off or nigh vnto vs being of the same nation or of another kinsfolk or strangers friends or aduersaries within our family or without widowes or fatherlesse or in any other state whatsoeuer As it directeth vs how to carry ourselues towards al of what condition soeuer and in what state soeuer they be so it prescribeth our behauiour at all times and in all places in the day and in the night when we eat when we drink when we labour when we rest when we walke when we lye when wee sleepe in the winter and in the summer publikely and priuately at home and abroad in our secret chambers and when wee are with company in the time of peace and in the time of warre It hath rules likewise for our selues in respect of our selues what to do in prosperity in aduersitie when wee are children when we are men and when we are old touching meate drinke apparell sleepe and the vse of all other things indifferent or not indifferent for this life and for the life to come Whereas also the lawes of men reach only to the outward man to restrain the same from euill and to bind it to the performance of good the lawes of God are giuen for the gouernment not onely of the outward man but also of the inward not onely of the body but also of the soule euen of our mind vnderstanding memorie thoughts and all affections There is likewise no member of the body but that in the word of God there is direction for it for the eye to see for the eare to heare for the nostrell to smell c. But of these things before in Chap. 11. where for further sight of these things I referred the learned reader to the Treatise of Otho Casmannus in his anatomy of a spirituall man By these things thus pointed at touching the perfection of the word of God we may the better see the priuiledge of the children of God to bee such by the word of God that they need neuer to bee to seeke further for direction in anything concerning saluation then only to the word This briefly shall suffice for the perfection of the word of God Touching the perpetuity of the word it is testified in many places of the Scripture The feare of the Lord that is the word which teacheth and worketh the feare of the Lord is cleane and endureth for euer Psal 19. 9. and againe O Lord thy word endureth for euer in the heauens Psal 119. 89. Another prophet saith The grasse withereth and the flower fadeth but the word of God shall stand for euer Isai 40. 8. Our Sauiour saith Heauen and earth shall passe away but my words shall not passe Mat. 24. 35. Luk. 16. 17. Luk 21. 33. This is manifest by experience For whereas the word of God hath continually had both more aduersaries in number as also greater for power as some Emperors and for malice as the hereticks especially the Papists then all other bookes whatsoeuer the one sort of such enimies seeking vtterly to extinguish the word and the other endeauouring to corrupt the very text it selfe yet al other writings haue beene mangled and some bookes haue vtterly perished but the Lord hath alwaies preserued the Scriptures from destruction on the one side and from corruption on the other side As the souldiers that brake the bones of the two theeues that were crucified with our Sauiour had no power for all that to breake any bones of our Sauiour himselfe so they that haue either consumed or corrupted other bookes haue neuer had the power either to destroy or corrupt the scripture touching the originall text thereof The Lord hath alwaies most mightily preserued some copies both inuiolate and also vndefiled Yea the papists that at their pleasure haue mangled clipt defaced and corrupted all the writings and bookes of the ancient fathers taking out of them what they haue thought in them preiudiciall to their damnable heresies as appeareth in Index expurgatorius their dealing in that behalfe may be called Ignis expurgatorius haue notwithstanding neuer had power to laye such violent hand vpon the originall text of the Scripture This perpetuity of the Scripture is not onely to be vnderstood of the very letter and word thereof but also of the sense and meaning Euery sentence of the scripture is not onely the same in letters and words that was at the first but also in sense Note and meaning No scripture no sentence of scripture hath any other meaning now then it had at the first giuing thereof by inspiration from God As God himselfe is immutable so likewise the will of God reuealed in his word is vnchangeable Therefore the word is one of the two immutable things wherby we may haue strong consolation Heb. 6. 16. As no man may adde any thing to the words themselues nor take ought from them so no man may alter or change any thing touching the sense meaning of them The letters and words of the scriptures are but as the bodie thereof the sense and meaning are as the life and soule of it If therefore no man may encrease or diminish any thing of the former much lesse may any alter or change any thing in the latter The Lord that hath forbidden the maiming of a man in any limme hath much more forbidden the hurt of him in his life The like is to be sayd of the word of God This then is a great difference of the word of God from the lawes of men For though the lawes of men doe remaine the same touching the letter of them yet oft times the sense and meaning of them is changed as times and Iudges are chāged And therefore it is a
vs all things also yea this phrase how shall he not noteth it to be impossible not to giue vs all things All things I say not only for the life to come but also for this For the generall all things comprehendeth both the particular sorts of things And if we may assure our selues the more of all things for the life to come how can we doubt of any thing for this life Feare not little flocke saith our Sauiour speaking in this very argument for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome Luk. 12. 32. Is it our fathers pleasure for Iesus Christs sake to giue vs a kingdome and shall he stick at giuing vs the trifles of this life The supper of the Lord therefore assuring vs that the Father hath giuen vs Christ and that by Christ and with Christ and for Christs sake he will giue vs a kingdome doth likewise much more assure vs that he will giue vs all other things which in respect of Christ himselfe and of that kingdome are but trifles As the supper of the Lord doth thus make for confirmation of our faith so doth it also for our instruction in godlinesse and for our prouocation to the loue of him that hath so loued vs. For did he so loue vs altogether voide of goodnesse and therefore vnworthy to be loued and shall not we much more loue him that is free from all euill the fountaine of all goodnesse and most worthy of our loue Verily though he had neuer so loued vs yet he was and is worthy of our loue because of his perfect and infinit goodnesse How much more then is he worthy of our loue that hath so loued vs and that in such exceeding manner that as Dauid speaketh of the loue of Ionathan Thy loue to mee was wonderfull passing the loue of women 2. Sam. 1. 26. so euery child of God may much more say of the loue of Christ Thy loue to me was wonderfull passing the loue of women yea of any mother towards her child or of any woman towards her husband yea of any Virgin or new married yong woman towards the husband of her youth So likewise the supper of the Lord doth serue to prouoke vs to the loue one of another First by representing so vnto vs the loue of Christ as we haue heard Secondly by teaching vs that we are all of the same family yea members of the same body by sitting at the same table by eating all of the same bread and drinking all of the same wine For hath Christ so high and excellent and so far aboue vs so loued vs his seruants and shall not we loue one another Hath he so loued vs that neuer deserued any loue at his hands and who neuer can be any waies beneficiall vnto him and shall not wee much more loue one another that either are beholding one to another or that may bee beneficiall one towards another if not any other way yet at least by praying one for another Shall wee also by sitting by eating and drinking together in one house euen in the house of the Lord and at one table euen at the Table of the Lord testifie ourselues to bee seruants to the same Lord children of the same Father and members of the same body and shall we not prouoke one another thereby to the mutuall loue one of another I might applie to this purpose the exhortation of the Apostle in that behalfe Ephes 5. 1. 2. and 1. Ioh 4 11. and other the like But in a case so plaine such labour may well be spared Let vs only remember that here by loue towards God and men we must not only vnderstand the affection of loue but all such duties and works of loue as whereby we may the better declare our loue to God to Christ Iesus and one to another and so shew our selues the more thankfull for his vnspeakable and incomprehensible loue towards vs Heb. 6. 10. and 10. 24. To conclude therefore this point and this Chapter by these things thus written of the two Sacraments who seeth not the great prerogatiue of all the children of God If a man be weake and sicke not able to goe without a staffe and yet hauing no staffe to goe with doth not he a great pleasure vnto him that shall giue him a staffe the better to stay him in his walking Is it not especially both a great helpe and also a great grace if a Prince shall giue a staffe to some poore man that is sicke and weake yea not onely one staffe but two for each hand as it were one and both according to the magnificence of a Prince of beaten gold All the children of God are sicke they are weake they cannot walke without staues they are so poore that they haue not a staffe of their owne neither can they buy one neither can they make one Christ Iesus therefore the Prince of Princes of his Princely grace and magnificence hath giuen two for each hand one both of beaten gold yea much more precious then the finest gold for such as the word is such are the Sacraments These two golden staues more pretious then gold hath Christ Iesus giuen to the children of God first the one and then as they grow better able to guide two another to walke with in this slippery and stumbling world the better to stay and support them Great therefore and very great is the dignity of the children of God by the two Sacraments as it were by two most pretious staues giuen vnto them by Iesus Christ the Lord of heauen and earth Thus much of the word and also of the Sacraments CHAP. XXI Of the prerogatiue of Gods children by their liberty and free accesse to the throne of Gods grace to aske any thing euery one for himselfe and also for other with much assurance of obtaining that which they aske THe next benefit of the children of God by their communion with Christ Iesus seemeth to be that thereby they haue boldnesse and liberty to come freely without any interruption let or disturbance to the throne of Gods grace there without doubting euen confidently and in full assurance of speeding to aske what they will This the Apostle expresly testifieth saying In whom that is in Christ we haue boldnesse and entrance with confidence or full assurance by faith in him Eph. 3. 12. To this another Apostle exhorteth Let vs draw neere with a true heart in assurance of faith Heb. 10. 22. This assurance our Sauiour himselfe also maketh vnto vs saying Aske and ye shall haue seeke and yee shall finde knocke and it shall bee opened vnto you Matth. 7. 7. Yea hee addeth that If wee that are euill can giue good things to our children when they aske vs much more shall our heauenlie father giue good things to vs that aske them verse 11. so he maketh God much more ready to giue any good thing to his children by grace asking the same then any earthly father is to
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
peace can there be vnto them when so many sinnes as they haue committed in great number remaine vncancelled and vnpardoned in heauen and vnrepented of in the earth This that I speake of the wicked is not only to be vnderstood of the meaner sort of the wicked that are bare poore without friends and worldly delights but also of Princes and other in great place that haue great friends that abound in wealth that flow in delights of the world that are mighty in authority and want nothing which might seeme helpfull to them against feare or to make for their peace and good security And this is manifest by the deadly feare of Nabal Saul Belshazzar and Felix before spoken of If therefore the greatest sort of the wicked be subiect to such feares who notwithstanding haue many meanes in the iudgement of men to secure them against feare what shall be said of other True indeed the wicked do not alwaies feare thus because through the extreme hardnesse of their hearts whereunto God in great iustice doth giue them ouer which is the greatest iudgement of all other in this life they are without feeling of the cause of this feare Sometimes also when they feele this feare comming vpon them they labour by the pleasures of this life or by company or by some such meanes to shift and shake it off But alas poore men they striue against the streame yea they haue wind and tide against them in that behalfe The more they put off feare for a time the stronger it will returne in the end As a man troubled with the tooth-ake for the mitigation thereof for the present taketh cold water which maketh the paine more violent afterward and as one that hath scald his leg rhrusteth the same presently into cold water and thereby findeth ease of the heat for a while but afterward feeleth the greater and longer paine so they that by pastimes and pleasures and worldly businesse and good fellowship put away their feares for a time doe finde them more extreame in the end It is with such men as with many an ill debter that being arrested by some bay liffe or sergeant at the suit of some one of his creditors to auoid imprisonment doth either violently resist or smiteth the bailiffe or the sergeant on the head that he laieth him for dead or else gerteth him into a tauerne or Alehouse and there maketh him so drunk that himselfe escapeth for the present But what doth he helpe himselfe by this meanes nothing at all yea he plungeth himselfe into further danger For in the end the creditor at whose suit he was arrested dealeth the moreseuerely with him Euen so the wicked that by any sleights passe ouer their feares not by humbling themselues to God the great creditor to whom all men owe more then they are able to pay as hath beene before said but by striuing and strugling and by making their feares drunke as it were for the present doe thereby in the end increase their feares and make them stronger and more violent then before Great especially shall the feares of the wicked bee and farre greater then they shal be able to beare when God shall come in speciall Iudgement against them The Prophet Isay threatneth the Iewes with such a day of vergeance as wherin the wicked should goe into holes and caues of the earth from before the feare of the Lord and the glorie of his Maiesty when hee should arise to destory the earth Isay 2. 19. So the Prophet Osea denouncing the iudgements of God against the Israelites saith that they should say to the Mountaines couer vs and to the hilles fall vpon vs. Hosea 10. 8. According there unto also our Sauiour seeing some women to follow him weeping as he went to suffer vpon the Crosse for vs biddeth them not to weepe for him but for themselues and for their Children and why because such daies of Gods wrath were comming as wherein they that is the wicked and such as had persecuted him yea their posterity should begin to say to the Mountaines fall vpon vs and to the hills couer vs Luke 23. 30. Most of all shall the feare of the wicked bee in the great daie of the Lord. The feare I say of Kings of the earth of great men of rich men and of the chiefe Captaines and of the mighty men who most bragge of their courage and thinke scorne to bee told that they will be afraide of any thing and of every bond man c. the feare I say of all these shal be so great that when the sunne shal be blacke and the moone turned into bloud then they shall hide themselues in dennes and among the rockes of the Mountaines saying to the Mountaines and the Rockes fall on vs and hide vs from the presence of him that sâ—â—tcth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. Reuâ—lati 6. 15. But euen in this great and fearefull day such shal be the peace of the Children of GOD that they shal be bold and not ashamed before CHRIST Iesus as this Apostle hath said in the former Chapter verse 28. Oh vnspeakable happinesse Is not therefore the dignity of Gods Children in this respect exceeding great This peace of the Children of God shall abide with them so that they may alwaies lift vp their face and bee stable without feare c. and that they may be bold c. and lie down safely taking their rest Iob. 11. 15. For the Lord hath promised that the Mountaines shall remoue and the hilles fall dâ—wn but that his mercy shal not depart nor his couenaÌ„t of peace fal away Isa 54. 10 but shal be an euerlasting couenant Ez. 37. 26. Hither also belongeth that of Isay 9. 7. and that before alledged Isay 32 17. This also the Apostle teacheth in the place before alledged Rom. 8. v. 15. For in that the Apostle saith they haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe he plainely noteth that they that are now freed from the spirit of feare shall neuer feare againe What then shall the children of God haue no feare at any time yes they shall feare God more then before in a child-like maner and so as that in such feare of God they depart from euil Iob. 1. 8. and as feare is commended to be the beginning of wisdome Psal 111 10. and to be a wel pring of life to keepe from the snares of death Pro. 14 17. and as the feare of God testifieth vs to be blessed is ioyned with great delight in his Commandements Psal 112 2. and as this feare of God working the keeping of his Commandements is said to be the whole duty of man Eecl 12 13. and as we are further exhorted euen in respect of the promise of God to clense our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and of the spirit and to grow vp to full holinesse in the feare of God 2. Cor. 7 1. and to feare the Lord and
first combination of man and wife there is exceeding benefit of the one by the other where both parties ioined together are the children of the Lord. For there the husband loueth the wife euen as Christ loueth his Church accounting her as flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone cleauing only vnto her protecting her from all wrong instructing her where she is ignorant touching her saluation increasing the knowledge which shee hath bearing with her in her weaknesse prouoking her to all good duties belonging to her sex and calling So the wife reuerencing the husband is in all things in the Lord subiect vnto him and ordered by him gouerning the things wisely that are committed to her charge for the good of her family not onely bringing foorth children as the Lord blesseth the mariage bed vnto them but much also helping her husband in the Christian education of them in the feare of the Lord. So Bethsheba helped Dauid in the instructing of Salomon Pro. 31. 1. Dauid himselfe being imploied in the publike affaires of the kingdome So Lois the grandmother and Eunice the mother of Timotheus were great helpes or rather more then helpes doing all themselues alone for the instructing of Timothie in the Scripture from his childhood Furthermore the Christian wife is an helpe to her husband by ouerseeing the waies of her seruants and seeing them to doe their worke early and late Both such parties also are comfortable one to another in prosperitie reioicing together in aduersity mourning together and so bearing one anothers burdens that betwixt both it is the lighter This mutuall helpe and benefit that the man and wife being both the children of God haue one by another is more apparent by the great hindrance that the one hath by the other either where they are both wicked or where they are vnequally yoked tâ—e one striuing vpward towards heauen the other drawing downewards euen to hell Yet where there is such an vnequall match sometime the beleeuing wife saueth the vnbeleeuing husband sometime the vnbeleeuing wife is saued by the beleeuing husband the one conuerting the other 1. Cor. 7. 14. Touching the children of such parents oh in how happie state condition be they in respect of the children of other For first of all they are within the Couenant of God made with their parents for this life and for the life to come whereby God doth bind himselfe to be their God and the God of their seed Gen. 17. 78. and to blesse them that blesse them and to curse them that curse them Gen. 12. 3. Yea though but one of the parents be the childe of God and the other none of Gods children yet the children of two such so vnequally yoked are within the Couenant by vertue of that party which is the childe of God 1. Cor 7. 14 Is not this a singular benefit to be within the Couenant of God It was a great honour to Abraham that Abimelech king of Gerar came to him and made a Couenant with him Gen. 21. 27. How great then is this honour that the Lord of heauen and earth the king of kings vouchsafeth to looke downe from heauen yea as it were to come down from heauen and to make a Couenant with man yea with poore miserable man that would neuer so much as once haue looked toward heauen but onely to make warre with heauen and with God that dwelleth in heauen euen with euery man I say and woman that feareth him yea not only with them but also with their posteritie Verily this Couenant is the more because by vertue thereof it is said The children of thy seruants shall continue and then seed shall stand fast in thy sight Psal 101. 28. And againe Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and delighteth greatly in his Commandemenâ—s his â—â—ed shall be mighty vpon earth the generation of the righteous shall bee blessed Psal 112. 1. 2. If children receiue not benefit by this Couenant it is because they themselues doe breake Couenant with God and doe not honour the God of their Fathers and serue him with a perfect hart and willing mind as Dauid exhorteth Salomoâ— 1. Cron. 28. 9. and in this respect the children of God may be said to fall away from God and to goe backe albeit they themselues neuer had any grace of God neither euer walked with God because by their wickednesse they doe in a manner disclaime and renounce the couenant of God made with their fathers So Manasses at the beginning of his raigne and long before he had repented or entred into the way of walking with God euen when he did euill in the sight of the Lord like the abomination of the heathen c. is said to haue gone backâ— 2. Chro. 33. 2. 3. viz. because he had transgressed the couenant which God had made with his father Ezekiah and walked not in the waies of his said father Notwithstanding although some of the next children of the children of God or the whole next posterity of such do fall away and so renounce the couenant of God yet this doth not altogether abrogate and disanull the said couenant of God made with the good parents of the said children because the efficacy thereof doth not appeare in their next generation For the couenant of God is made to thousands of them that loue him and keepe his commandements Though some boughs of a good tree be broken off and so wither and come to nothing yet the stock and root remaining there may other spring out as good as any at the first so is it with the children of God with whom God hath made his couenant One or two yea many whole generations may be cut off or fall away yet the couenant of God remaineth with the stock or root and first parents This Paul doth excellently handle by this very similitude touching the Iewes Rom. 11. 16. This is further manifested if we consider that after the daies of Salomon there was often succession of euill kings to good kings and yet the couenant made with Dauid remained firme and inuiolated Yea after the daies of Iehoshaphat the kingdome of Iudah continued by succession for many yeers together in the hands of wicked kings none other of the house of Iehoshaphat being mentioned to haue feared God For first succeeded Iehâ—ram 2. Kings 8. 16. and 2. Chro. 21. 1. then Ahaâ—â—ah 2. Kings 8. 24. 2. Chro. 22. 1. then Hathaliah 2. Kings 11. 3. 2. Chro. 22. 10. or rather because she was but an vsurper Ioash 2. Kings 12. 2. 2. Chro 23. 4. Fourthly Amatziah 2. Kings 14. 2. 2. Chro. 25 1. Fiftly Vzziah or rather Azariah 2. Kings 15. 1. 2. Chr. 26. 1. Sixtly Iotham 2. Kings 15. 33. 2. Chr. 27 1. â—â—uenthly Ahaz 2. Kings 16. 1. 2. Chro. 27. and then Hezekiah 2. Kings 18. 1. 2. Chro. 29. 1. So between Iehoshaphat and Ezekiah two good kings of Iudah there were seuen wicked kings all succeeding one another besides
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
and body and of euery power of the one and of euery member of the other All is comprehended in the word himselfe Hither belong the places before alledged 2. Cor. 7. 1. 1. Thess 4. 23. Heb. 10. 22. Iames 4. 8. and many other Neither must this purging be of some things onely but of euery euill 2. Cor. 7. 1. Tit. 2. 12. Iames. 1. 21. 1. Pet. 2. 1. The like may be said of conforming our selues to euery good worke and to all that God requireth of euery one either as he is a Christian or is of any speciall calling God wil not haue some sinnes onely purged but all God wil not haue some good dueties performed but all These things are common and haue beene partly handled before Therefore I doe but name them This also as hath beene noted before must be a daily work 1. Because there is alwaies some sinne remaining of the old store which needeth daily purging 2. Because as the nailes of our hands though neuer so well clensed one day doe yet gather such new filth that they haue neede of new clensing the next day so it is with vs we daily so gather corruption that we haue need daily to purge ourselues Our whole hands and face also need daily washing yea the more they are vsed in any busines the oftener they neede to be washed So is it with our linnen for often washing and with our woollen apparell for often brushing according to our often wearing of one or of the other Our houses likewise must be the oftner swept not in the weeke only but also euery day the more that they are vsed The like is to bee said of any vessell that wee occupy touching scouring and other clensing thereof As it is with these things so is it with vs touching the cleansing and purging of our whole man from spirituall vncleannesse As also our bodies for the better preseruation of our bodily health need the oftener to be purged the corrupter the aire is where we doe liue likewise our soules and whole man for the better preseruing of spirituall health are the oftner to be purged because generally the aire of this neather world where we do liue is very corrupt and infectious sithence the first fall of mankind whereby not onely the breath as it were of all men is putrified and made infectious but also all other creatures likewise are in some sort defiled and made the more dangerous and pernicious vnto vs. The more likewise that men liue with sicke persons sicke especially of some infectious and contagious disease the more needfull it is for them not onely to take daily preseruatiues but also some daily purge mithridate or such like to expell whatsoeuer noisome breath they haue receiued from them with whom they do liue The like is necessary in this worke of purging for all men according to the company with who they haue to deale namely that the more they conuerse with the wicked the more carefull they bee not onely to carry about them continually the better preseruatiues against all spirituall infections viz. the more knowledge of the word which as a precious sauour they may often smell vnto and the more watchfull eie ouer all their behauiour and alwaies be the more in all priuate meditation and in priuate praier c but also to take daily some spirituall purge by examining their daily conuersation by the word by praying both forgiuenesse and also reformation of whatsoeuer where with they haue beene ouertaken contrary to the word that so they may the better expell whatsoeuer spirituall infection they haue any waies taken This world generally is like a flax-dressers shop or some other such house where it cannot be but any man shall receiue some soile In this respect therefore the children of God need daily the more carefully to brush as it were the garments of their Christian profession the more that they are conuersant in the world and deale with worldly affaires Though I spake briefly before of this point in my fourth obseruation vpon this verse viz. vpon the word purgeth especially vpon the present tence thereof yet considering the great necessity of this matter in this secure and carelesse age I thought it not amisse to take occasion to adde thus much for the better application of it But let the Christian reader with patience giue me lcaue to returne a little more backe To that therefore that euery one that hath this hope in him puâ—geth himselfe that onely doth not belong that before we heard out of Paul to Titus chap. 2. 11. 12. 13. but aâ—so diuers other scriptures The Apostle hauing commended the goodnes of God 2. Cor. 6. in promising to dwell with men and to be their God and their father and to make them his people and his sonnes and daughters he beginneth the seuenth Chapter with an exhortation to this purging of our selues saying Seing then we haue these promises deerly beloued let vs clense our selues from all filthnesse of the flesh and of the spirit and finish our saluation in the feare of God So he teacheth all that hope for the performance of the former promises with the appurtenances of them to purge themselues in that manner euen from all filthinesse of the flesh and of the spirit c. To the Philippians also he ioineth these two together viz. to haue our conuersation in heauen that is to purge our selues as here the Apostle speaketh from all earthly corruption and to liue after an heauenly manner and from heauen to looke likewise for the Sauiour euen our Lord Iesus Christ Philip. 3. 20. 21. So he teacheth vs that whosoeuer doe looke for the Lord Iesus Christ from heauen to change their vile body and to make it like to his glorious body according to that which our Apostle hath before written do also behaue themselues here in earth after the foresaid heauenly manner To the Colossians likewise hauing said when Christ which is our life shall appeare then shall wee also appeare with him in glory here is the hope in this plaâ—â— mentioned presently he inferreth an exhortation of mortifying therefore our earthly members c. that is of purging our selues Must not all therefore that haue that hope in them so purge themselues and mortifie their earthly members The Apostle Peter also vpon the like premises maketh the like conclusion Wherefore beloued saith he seeing that yee lookâ— for such things be diligent that yee may be found of him in peace without spot and blamelesse 2. Pet. 3. 14. What is that to looke for such things but to haue this hope that heere the Apostle speaketh of what is this to be found in peace without spot and blamelesse but to purge our selues in that sort that here the Apostle commendeth yea the same Apostle in the same place and in the verses immediatly before had ioined holy conuersation and godlinesse with looking for and hasting vnto the comming of that day of God c. Iude. like wise
ioineth these 4 together 1. to edifie our selues in our most holy faith 2. to pray in the holy Ghost 3. to keepe our selues in the loue of God 4. to looke for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ to eternall life Iud. 20. and 21. The first 3 pertaine to the purging of our selues the last is a plaine description of this hope Finally for conclusion of all let vs remember that the Apostle Paul hauing plentifully proued the doctrine of the resurrection no lesse eloquently laid forth the maner thereof and the future similitude likenes of our bodies to the body of Christ doth from the expectation thereof shut vp all with this graâ—e exhortation tending to this purging of our selues Therefore my beloued brethren be stedfast and vnmoueable abounding alwaies in the worke of the Lord knowing that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. 1. Cor. 15. 58. Here the first word therefore secretly insinuateth and the last sentence added for confirmation plainly expresseth this hope that hither to we haue spoken of and the exhortation it selfe betwixt both inserted doth as euidently intimate this purging of our selues in regard of that hope which here also the Apostle commendeth I shall not neede to enlarge this point any further Onely let vs consider thereof by this familiar similitude that euery one prepareth himselfe and house and all according to the person whom he looketh for What seruant that is in continuall expectation of his masters returne home but will prepare himselfe and all things belonging vnto him accordingly what meane man looketh for the comming of a Noble man especialle what subiect looketh for the comming of his Prince but that hee will prepare himselfe for apparell and for all other things beseeming the entertainement of such a person Shall wee then looke for the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ and at his appearing to be made like vnto him and so to see him in all his glory and maiestie and shall we not purge our selues and cast away al filthines of the flesh of the spirit and put on the robes of he lines and righteousnes that so we may be the fitter to intertain him and to be intertained of him into his glory Let no man deceiue vs with vaine words neither let vs deceiue our selues It is not possible for vs to haue this hope and to looke for these things but that wee will thus purge our selues If we do not thus purge our selues then certainly wee haue not this hope neither do we look to be made like vnto Christ Iesus at his appearing and to see him as he is Would we be like vnto him in glory and will we not be like vnto him in holinesse Would we see him as he is now in heauen with our bodily eies and will we not see him as he offereth himselfe to be seene in earth in his word and sacraments with the eies of our mind and by faith Let vs remember and let vs not forget what the Apostle saith follow peace and holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. Yea let vs consider what our Sauiour saith Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Mat. 5. 8. For doe not these sentences plainly shew that without the former holinesse and purity of heart none shall see the Lord But sith many things before spoken may be referred to this argument I will therefore insist no longer thereupon If we doe thus purge our selues as heere the Apostle speaketh then let vs assure our selues that our hope of being made like vnto him and seeing him as he is shall not by any thing whatsoeuer be frustrated Earthly Princes may shake vs out of their Courts as Mordecai might not enter within King Ahashuerosâ— his gates because hee was clothed with sackcloth Ester 4 2. but Iehouah the Lord of Lords and King of heauen and earth will receiue vs into his euerlasting palace of heauen there to behold all his glory and riches Heauen and earth shall rather perish then Gods word in this behalfe shall fall to the ground But if we doe not so purge our selues our hopeâ—s altogether a vaine hope and shall deceiue vs in the end The diuels themselues shall as soone be made like to Christ and see him as he is as that man or woman that is not here purged But in what measure must euery one that hath this hope in him purge himselfe First according to his measure of the said hope For this purging being an effect of that hope it cannot bee but that the more the hope is the more he that hath that hope will purge himselfe Secondly according to the meanes before mentioned of purging himselfe viz. according to his hearing reading of the word meditation company of the godly praiers c. For all these meanes being the ordinances of God for a maÌ„ to purge himselfe it cannot bee but that the more any man doth in truth vse the said meanes the more blessing God will giue vnto them for effecting this purging Thirdly according to other meanes that God himselfe doth vse towards them that haue the said hope for the purging of them viz. according to the mercies which he bestoweth vpon them and according to the chastisements wherwith he doth exercise them For these doth the Lord vse as before hath beene mentioned to kill the weedes of sinne in men and to make them the more plentifull in the fruits of righteousnes What is this but to purge them as here the Apostle speaketh and as our Sauiour himself speaketh in the very same case Ioh. 15. 2. Gods mercies are as it were the marling and manuring or to speake more plainely as the mucking and dunging of our barren hearts and Gods chastisements and corrections are as it were the ploughing of them after they are so marled manured mucked and dunged or as the harrowing of them to breake their hard clods and both are to make them the more fruitfull in all goodnes As men therefore doe looke that their grounds should bee the more freed from weedes and bring forth the better crops of good corne the more they dung plough and harrow them so the more that God doth multiply his mercies vpon his children and exercise them with his corrections the more he looketh they should be purged of sinne and bring forth the fruits of righteousnes Vnder this 〈◊〉 comprehend the purging of our selues according to any dignity whereunto God hath aduanced vs. As wee doe more wash our face then the inferiour parts of our body so the more eminent that any is in Church or common wealth the more he ought to be purged from all vice and the more also to shine in all vertue Moreouer â—uery child of God is to purge himselfe and to be so much the more holy by how much the more impure filthy vnholy he seeth other to be Therfore the holy ghost by the examples of such as haue been idolaters fornicators tempters of