of the sobriety of Gods children in prosperity and in aduersity as also of that watchfulnesse which doth alwaies accompany and associate the said sobriety For whereas the wicked in prosperity swell and rage are proud and insolent contemning and despising all men as if they would beare down all before them and so do fall into infinit outrages the children of God looking to him that giueth prosperity considering for what end they haue more then other regarding the vncertainty of all that they haue and remembring before the account that one day they shall make of the emploiment of all that they haue receiued are kept from the former euils So whereas the wicked in aduersity do mutter and murmur against him that sendeth the same and particularly in the times of need and great penury do occupy their heads with many wicked imaginations and put in practise many vnlawfull shifts of stealing of borrowing without purpose of paying againe of promising much and performing nothing of deceiuing cosening and such like the children of God liuing euen this life by their faith and belieuing the promises of God as well for this life as for the life to come and remembring the performance of them in all ages and calling to mind the experience that themselues haue had of Gods prouidence c. do so commit their waies vnto him and cast their care vpon him that they are kept from those former scandalous euils These things might be prosecuted more at large but the religious reader by these instances may consider of other the like Touching the other point before named the raising againe of them that after regeneration doe fall to disgracefull sinnes Dauid also is a most worthy example thereof For how gratiously he was raised after his foule adultery with Bathsheba and his most horrible murder of her husband Vriiah it is manifest by the confession of his sinne to Nathan the Prophet 2. Sam. 12. 13. and by that dolefull and no lesse heauy then heauenly one and fifty Psalme written afterward by him in further testimony of his most serious and vnsained repentance When he was againe afterward ouertaken with numbring of the people yea though Ioab coūselled him very grauely to the contrary how was he raised out of the same being admonished thereof by Nathan and corrected with a great pestilence amongst his people by the angell of the Lord Yea did he he testifie that his rising againe by acknowledgement of his sinne and by praying for the people that the hand of might be turned from them vpon himselfe and his own house saying I haue done wickedly but these sheepe what haue they done Let thine hand I pray thee be against me and my fathers house 2 Sam. 24. 17. How did Hezekiah humble himselfe and cause the inhabitants of Ierusalem to humble themselues when hee saw wrath to come from the Lord vpon him and Ierusalem because he had not rendred vnto the Lord according to the reward of health miraculously bestowed vpon him 2. Chroni 32. 25. 26. How bitterly did Peter weepe after his foule and shamefull denying and forswearing of his master Yea how zealous was he from that time forward for him For being with other and Christ being there vnknown to his disciples and hauing bidden them to cast out their net on the right side of the ship with promise to finde for they had laboured all night and taken nothing and the net according to the former promise of Christ hauing comprehended a great multitude of fishes whereby Iohn discerned him to be Christ that had so spoken vnto them Peter no sooner heard Iohn say It is the Lord but presently he girded his garment vnto him and leapt into the sea and so came swimming vnto Christ whereas all the rest staied in the ship and so at leisure brought it and came themselues therein vnto the land Ioh 21. 1. To these things let me heere insert this one point more viz. that whereas the children of God regenerated doe sometimes fall into greater sins then the common sort of eiuill men not regenerated as Dauid in the things before spoken of and Salomon in many things this falleth out by the speciall prouidence and wisedome of God the better to teach what men are of themselues without God and beeing left vnto themselues as also to admonish such as thinke they stand to take heede lest they fall 1. Cor. 10. 12. and to instruct all to finish ther saluation with the more feare and trembling Phill. p. 2. 12. So by their sinnes they are made schoolemasters vnto other Is not this a singular priuiledge so to haue the old man more and more mortified so to bee preserued from great sinnes after regeneration So to arise out of them being by frailty and naturall corruption fallen into them and so by falling into them to bee made schoolemasters of such excellent things vnto other Verily we cannot but acknowledge it to be a great priuiledge if we shall consider with what greedinesse all the wicked and vnregenerate commit sinne continue in sinne and like wilde horses doe runne on and proceed from one sinne to another without any restraint But to proceed yet further as the childrenof God do daily more and more die vnto sinne and are preserued from notorious euils wherein the wicked wallow and welter themselues like filthy swine in the mire and will not be plucked out or if they fall into such euils yet they rise againe As I say the children of God do thus so also hauing by the vertue of their regeneration once brought foorth the fruits of the spirit and of righteousnesse they are made more and more abundant in them As the Apostle hath often exhorted the children of God so to doe viz. to abound alwaies in the works of the Lord 1. Cor. 15. 58. to encrease more and more c. 1. Thes 4. 1. to bee rich in good works c. 1. Tim. 6. 18. to consider one another to prouoke to loue and to doe good works Heb. 10. 24. to toyne vertue with faith and with vertue knowledge with knowledge temperance with temperance patience with patience godlinesse with godlines brotherly kindnes with brotherly kindnes loue and not onely to haue all these things but that also these things should abound in them 2. Pet. 1. 6. 7. 8. And as the Apostle praied most earnestly to be with the Philippians to this end that their loue might abound more and more in knowledge and iudgement and that to these ends first that touching their inward man their minds might be able to iudge things that differ and their hearts might be pure as the Sunne Cantic 6. 9. that is cleer and sincere without mixture of hypocrisie and touching their outward man both without offence euen till the comming of Christ and also filled with the fruits of righteousnesse Philip. 1. 9. 10. 11. As I say the Apostles haue exhorted the children of God so to abound in all goodnesse as also whiles they liued praied
him suffered by God himselfe to preuaile in some things as for some reasons before mentioned so also for some afterward to be spoken of By denying also the new borne of God to sinne the Apostle insinuateth that seruing of God in holinesse and righteousnesse which was before touched and so the word not to sinne is taken by our Sauiour when he saith to the man restored to his limbs Sinne no more lest a worse thing happen vnto thee Ioh. 5. 14. He meaneth not onely that he should abstaine from the euils forbidden but that also he should performe the things required in the law of God For the law of God saying not only Eschew euill but also Doe good Psal 34. 14. he must be a transgressor of the law not only that doth commit the euill forbidden but also that neglecteth or omitteth the good commanded So the distinction of sinnes of commission and of sinnes of omission is as sound and true as it is ancient and common As God himselfe is not only free from all euill but infinit also in all goodnesse so his law is like himselfe and doth as well command that which is holy and iust as it forbiddeth all vnholinesse and vnrighteousnesse According to this law men shall be condemned and that most iustly as well for leauing vndone good duties as for perpetrating acting of those things that are euill It is not said That euery tree that bringeth forth euill fruit but which bringeth not forth good fruit shal be bewen down or stubbed vp by the roots and cast into the fire Mat. 3. 10. And our Sauiour pronounceth sentence of condemnation for not visiting the sicke entertaining the strangers feeding the hungry clothing the naked c. Mat. 25. 41 c. By condemning notwithstanding them that haue not done good he teacheth that much more they shal be condemned that do commit that which is euill Mat. 12. 36. 37. 1. Cor. 6. 9. Reuel 21. 8. and 22. 15. So then this freedome of Gods children is not only a release from the most grieuous seruitude of sinne but also a participation of holinesse and righteousnesse Without this holinesse and righteousnesse our life before spoken of were no life neither were our freedome any freedome at least not worth the hauing The soule of man may be as well without motion in the body as the life of God without the fruits of righteousnesse That which is spoken of faith Iames 2. 20. is true also of the life of God What freedome also of any city is without commodities belonging thereunto But of this anon This also touching the fruits of righteousnesse is to be vnderstood in respect of the knowledge and wisedome before handled For how can a man be accounted a man of knowledge and wisedome that sheweth not the same by his workes of knowledge and wisedome And indeed we haue heard before that our knowledge and wisedome consisteth in the feare of God and keeping of his commandements And the Apostle Paul describeth that excellent knowledge of Christ before spoken of to be not the knowledge of his natures and person onely as they are things in Christ himselfe but as they are effectuall in other both to iustification and also to sanctification by the power of his death and the vertue of his resurrection of the one to our release from that bondage of sinne before handled and of the other to the quickning of vs to newnesse of life Philip. 3. 8. 9. 10. Therefore also Christ in the place before diuers times alledged is said to be made vnto vs not only wisedome righteousnesse and redemption but also sanctification 1. Cor. 1. 30. Therefore without Christ no more sanctification then wisedome righteousnesse or redemption In this respect Christ is not only said to haue giuen himselfe for vs that we might be pure or purged and holy or sanctified these things I say are not spoken in the nowne or in the verbe passiue as if either we or some other might purge and sanctifie vs but in the actiue verb that he might purge vs c. Note Tit. 2. 14. and that he might sanctifie his Church c. Epo 5. 26. to teach that the purging and sanctifying of vs is the worke only of Christ as well as the redeeming sauing and iustifying of vs. The same is yet further taught by our Sauiour himselfe As the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe except it abide in the vine no more can ye except ye abide in me and againe without me ye can doe nothing viz. that good is Iohn 15. 3. 4. 5. and Paul accordingly saith that the fruits of righteousnesse are by Iesus Christ Phil. 1. 11. All this is to be vnderstood of Christ not as God only but as God and man the mediator betwixt God and man and as in that respect he is the head of the Church and so communicateth his vertue to all in regeneration incorporated into him and in whom he dwelleth by faith euen as the naturall head of a naturall body communicateth the vertue thereof to all the members of all the said naturall body So that also is to bee vnderstood that of his fulnesse we doe all receiue grace for grace or grace vpon grace or grace after grace Iohn 1. 16. All hitherto spoken of our life of our knowledge and wisedome of our redemption freedome and liberty and of our sanctification and holinesse and righteousnesse as the matter of our regeneration and things wherein the Note same doth consist must be vnderstood to be by Iesus Christ in a double respect first in that he hath purchased them for vs by the same price which hee gaue for our selues and for our saluation Secondly by working them in vs himselfe being apprehended by a true and liuely faith as hath been shewed before by the similitude of the vine and the branches and of the head and the members Moreouer touching this holinesse and righteousnesse now in hand we must vnderstand that it must not only be inward but also outward not in heart alone but also in our outward man and in our outward behauiour For Let your light so shine before men saith our Sauiour that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen Mat. 5. 16. Clense your selues saith the Apostle from all filthinesse of the flesh and of the spirit that ye may grow vp to full holinesse 2. Cor. 7. 1. he speaketh not only of filthinesse of the flesh but also of the spirit and therefore the holinesse there commended and opposed to the former filthinesse must be answerable thereuno viz. of the flesh that is of the body as well as of the spirit and heart Peter exhorteth them to whom he did write not only as strangers and pilgrims to abstaine from fleshly lusts because they fight against their soules but also to haue their conuersation namely their outward conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they which did speake euill of them as of euill doers
might by their good works which they should see glorifie God in the day of their visitation 1. Pet 2. 11. 12. Iames biddeth not only to purge our hearts but also to clense our hands Iames 4. 8. The Apostle to the Hebrewes teacheth that none can draw neere to God in full assurance of faith but only such as whose bodies are as well washed with pure water as their hearts are purged from an euill conscience Heb. 10. 22. that is such as are sanctified as well in their outward behauiour as touching their vnderstanding iudgement thoughts memory and affections This well agreeth with all before said of our faith of our life of our knowledge and wisedome The faith which is without workes is dead Iames 2. 17. and 20. and againe betwixt both viz. vers 18. Shew me thy faith by thy workes With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth man confesseth to saluation Rom. 10. 10. by confession of the mouth he meaneth the acknowledgement and profession of Christ in all our outward behauiour To the same purpose the Apostle also applieth that of the Psalmist I beleeued therfore I spake and saith We also beleeued and therefore speake Psal 116. 10. 2. Corinth 4. 13. The life of God before handled hath been shewed not onely to be inward but also to shew it selfe outwardly The knowledge also and wisedome of God renewed in the regeneration of the children of God hath been declared to consist in the feare of God and keeping of Gods commandements which concerne as well the good cariage of all the parts and members of our bodie as the disposition of our mindes and hearts This holinesse therefore and righteousnesse must be shewed by the gouernment of euery member of the eie of the eare of the mouth of the hands of the feet and of the whole body according to the rules prescribed in the word for direction of euery such member I forbeare the particular confirmation of these things by shewing the particular scriptures for direction of euery particular member because the labor were too great for me the writer and for any reader For indeed it would require a whole volume by it selfe Yea and Otho Casmannus in the beginning of this treatise mentioned hath learnedly and religiously performed this For his book intituled Hominis Spiritualis anatomia c. The anatomie of a spirituall man is altogether of this argument Whereunto the learned desirous to see the former point more particularly and largely handled may repaire That this holinesse and righteousnesse whereof now wee speake both inward and outward is not alike in all that are regenerated yea that are of the same age in regeneration I shall not need here to speake sith that which hath been said before in that behalfe of the life of God doth also belong to this holinesse and righteousnesse which are but effects or fruits of our said life Now let vs further vnderstand that as all other vertues are comprehended vnder the former life liberty wisedome holinesse and righteousnesse so specially that sobriety that is so commended in the scripture is a principall branch as of all the former generally so particularly of that wisedome The rather because the word translated soberly Tit. 2. 12. signifieth wisely and the like word translated Be sober 1. Pet. 4. 7. signifieth to be wise as also the word translated modesty or sobriety Note 1. Tim. 2. 9. and 15. signifieth wisedome and the same word translated sobernesse or sobriety is opposed to the word that signifieth being mad Acts 26. 25. and 2. Cor. 5. 13. By all these places wherein the holy ghost speaking of sobriety vseth a word that signifieth also wisedome we are taught that sobriety is a speciall point of true wisedome This sobriety notwithstanding that now we speake of is not only the moderation of our selues for drinke which is apposed to that foule sinne of drunkennesse in these daies too too common neither that only which is in apparrell contrary to the disguised attiring of men and women whereby the people of one country conforme themselues to other countries directly against Gods word Zeph. 1. 8. yea like monsters to other creatures at least one sex to another the women especially wearing mens apparell and men suffering their haire to grow like to women both directly also against the word that Deut. 22. 5. and this as contrary to nature it selfe 1. Cor. 11. 14. and whereby likewise the professors of sincerity conforme themselues to the world and to the vanity vsed by the world which is to be vnderstood as well forbidden by the Apostle in apparell as in other things Rom. 12. 2. Neither also is this sobriety now spoken of only that which is repugnant to other lightnesse either in countenance or in gesture condemned with the former of apparell Isai 3. 16. and by it selfe alone generally in all persons by opposition thereunto of the contrary sober and wise gestured Pro. 17 24. and more specially in women as a tricke of harlots Pro. 7. 13. This sobriety I say doth not consist only in these things but it consisteth in moderation of our selues and of all our affections in any slate of life in prosperity and in aduersity that in the one we be not drunken with delights and pleasures with wealth and riches with honors and preferments of this world and that in the other we be neither surfetted with cares and feares nor ouercome with sorrowes and griefes whereby as drunken men wee should be vnfit for other dueties belonging vnto vs. He that is sober in this manner is a wise man indeed And this sobriety is the spring of all other holinesse and righteousnesse or that which comprehendeth them both All the other kinds of sobriety before rehearsed are no other but such as may be and oft times are euen in meere naturall men Many naturall men are as abstemious from wine and all strong drinke and as far from all drunkennesse that way I meane in their outward behauiour as any other men Many are as sober in their apparell and as graue and modest in their countenance gesture speech and all other behauiour as any other so that these kinds of sobriety are not proper and peculiar only to the children of God but common also to other But this sobriety that consisteth in moderation of our selues and of our affections in euery state of life in prosperity and in aduersity especially in such sort as the Scripture commendeth the same is only in them that are new borne of the spirit of God and by incorporation into Iesus Christ are made the sonnes and daughters of God They that are not new borne in their prosperity pride is vnto them as a chaine and cruelty couereth them as agarment Psal 73. 6. The wicked is so proud c. that be thinketh there is no God His waies prosper c. therefore he desieth all his enemies He saith in his heart he shall neuer be moued c. His
know God Can they loue him whom they know not The same is to be said of their loue towards men For how can they loue men when they loue not God How can they loue the lesse when they loue â—ot the greater If they loue not God of whom they receiue all that they haue and who receiueth noâ—◠〈◊〉 them â—â—ther is any waies chargeable vnto them how can they loue them from whom they receiue nothing or very little and that only as from the instruments of God and vpon whom they are forced to bestow somthing of their owne and so to be at charge with them For these reasons and the like when the Apostle in the place before alledged had described vs in our naturall state and being vnregenerated to be vnwise disobedient deceiued he addeth further that we were hatefull and hating one another Tit. 3. 3. So the wicked are both hated of other and doe also hate other and nothing but hatred is to be looked for amongst them This hatred of the wicked against God and men is a notable testimony of that extreme foolishnesse and madnesse beforespoken of which is in the heart of the wicked For what extreme madnesse is it for mortall men that are but as the pot in the hand of the potter to hate the immortall God who being of all might and power is able when he will to breake them all in pieces like a potters vessell What folly also is it to hate all other whereby to make themselues likewise hatefull and odious to all other Doe not such both waies as we say much worse then bring an old house vpon their owne heads They that make themselues odious to God and men shall certainly smart full deeply and wofully in the end If it be obiected touching the loue of God that Paul being but a naturall man before he knew Christ so loued God that he speaketh much of his zeale and that in his said zeale his righteousnesse of the law was such that he was vnrebukeable Phil. 3. 6. and that that seemeth to haue been in truth and not in shew If any I say obiect this I answer that though the aforesaid zeale and feruent loue of Paul were indeed true as this word Note true may be an attribute of the affections and is opposed to hypocrisie or to that which is but counterfet and feined and as it signifieth vnfeined and without hypocrisie yet as the same is an attribute of the obiects of the mind and is opposed to erroneous and signifieth right so it cannot be said that the zeale or seruent loue of Paul was true Though he loued God vnfeinedly and in the truth of his affections from the heart and so was very strict touching the outward righteousnesse of the law yet it cannot be said that he loued God truly that is rightly because his mind being not rightly informed his iudgement therefore touching the principall causes why and the manner how God was to be loued could not but be erroneous For so long as he knew not Christ but persecuted him and the doctrine and professors of him and so much lesse beleeued in him he wanted that which should haue giuen life to his loue For as we haue heard Faith worketh by loue Gal. 5. 6. and loue must come from faith vnfeined 1. Tim. 1. 5. The like is to be said of the zeale of God in the Israelites whereof Paul beareth them witnesse and yet saith that it was not according to knowledge Rom. 10. 1. 2. So also of the zeale of many other ignorant men Howsoeuer their loue and their zeale may be said to be true that is vnfeined and without hypocrisie euen in simplicity yet because it is without knowledge and much more without faith therefore it cannot be right and therefore also not at all acceptable vnto God For without knowledge the mind or heart is not good Pro. 19. 2. and without faith it is not possible to please God Heb. 11. 6. Yea Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14. 23. That which I haue said of this loue towards God in meere naturall men may be said of the like loue in the like towards men For that which condemneth the loue of such towards God how vnfeined soeuer condemneth also the loue of such towards men how earnest and feruent soeuer the same bee The loue therefore that is betwixt man and wife betwixt parents and children betwixt kindred and betwixt friends c. the parties that doe so loue being not regenerate but meerly naturall cannot be right as not comming from sound knowledge and faith vnfeined neither being directed by the word which is the only rule both of affections and also of actions Againe the loue of such towards God and men is most vncertaine and altogether vnconstant so that to day a friend and to morrow a mortall enemy I will not stand vpon the examples either of ancient or of later times of such as haue seemed at the first to haue been very zealous of God and for God and yet afterward reuolted such in old time were Ioash 2. Chro. 24. and Vzzta 2. Chro. 26. and Demas and many other Heb. 10. 25. and in late times euen here in England Bonner Harding a brother of Doctor Reinolds that is reported first to haue conuerted him to the truth and yet afterward fell away from it and by writing persecuted it I will not stand vpon these examples but I will chiefly insist vpon the vncertainty and inconstancy of the loue of natural men towards other Touching this therefore as Salomons words may be by way of similitude applied to other things euen to the vncertainty and shortnesse of the prosperity of the wicked as afterward also we shall see so they seeme chiefly and most properly to be vnderstood of the loue of the wicked either towards God or towards men but in that place chiefly towards men viz. Note that it is like the cracking of thornes vnder a pot Eccles 7. 8. that is though very great for a time yet suddenly vanished away This I say seemeth to be the most proper and naturall sense and meaning of that place because Salomon hauing said in the verse next before It is better to heare the rebuke of a wise man then that a man should heare the song of fooles that is it is better to heare some sharpe words wisely by wise men spoken in the iust reproofe of sinne then the soothing and faire words of foolish men what protestation soeuer they make of their loue and whatsoeuer their loue be for the present Salomon I say hauing so said immediatly inferreth the former words as a reason and confirmation of these and saith For like the noise of the thornes vnder the pot so is the laughter of a foole meaning by laughter that which before he had meant by the word song and by the word song vnderstanding the sweet and pleasant words whereby the wicked doe flatter and sooth vp other in any
vaile that is in heauen haue such strong consolation as that no storms or tempests of all the power of hell it selfe shall be able to remoue the same or at least so to remoue it as that they shall suffer shipwracke To the same purpose the Apostle Paul â—oineth these two together euerlasting consolation and good hope through grace 2. I hes 2. 16. The faith euen of the best and the best faith may sometime be so wounded that it may for a time fall into a kind of swoone as the faith of Peter did for a while and of Salomon for a long time In like manner their hope may be much quailed and shaken and obseured For faith being wounded hope cannot be found because it dependeth vpon faith But neither faith nor hope can be altogether and vtterly ouerwhelmed This then is a most singular priuiledge and comfort And hereby the children of God in great afflictions of this life in common death and famine in speciall want and penurie in sicknes in prison in banishment in the hatred and malice of many and mightie aduersaries in crosses abroad and in crosses at home as also in great assaults of Satan in great accusation of their owne conscience in remembrance of their great and manifold sinnes set before them by Satan in all their colours and amplified and aggrauated by all the circumstances that may be by this hope I say the children of God in all these are most cheerefull and comfortable as Paul was 2. Cor. 4. 8. c. when the wicked hang downe their heads are oppressed with cares feares and griefes and doe vtterly despaire and be also vncapable of all comfort But of these things somwhat hath beene said before and more shall be afterward Now all before said of our life knowledge wisedome holines and righteousnes generally as also more particularly of our sobrietie watchfulnes loue and hope is not so to be vnderstoode as if the said things were in like measure in all the children of God For all haue not the like outward meanes whereby to atteine vnto them neither the like time c. Besides as the hand of a man is greater then the hand of a child and as the hand of one man is larger then the hand of another and the larger the hand of any is the more it will comprehend of whatsoeuer it doth apprehend so there is difference both in the measure of faith which is the hand of our heart whereby we lay hold of Christ and also in the measure of Christ himselfe laid hold of by faith For although euery one that layeth hold of Christ layeth not hold of a peece of Christ but of whole Christ spiritually touching his essence yet it is not so touching his efficacy So then the more faith any man hath the more he layeth hold of Christ in maner aforesaid and consequently he receiueth the more life the more wisedom the more sanctification generally and particularly the more sobriety loue and hope In the matter notwith standing of iustification this holdeth Note not For he that hath the least faith is as perfectly iustified as he that hath the greatest Our life knowledge wisedom c. doe admit plus minus more and lesse But our iustification doth not so No man is iustified in part before God except he be iustified perfectly and altogether If a man could be iustified and discharged of all his sinnes but only of one and that one the least of all otehr yet that one were sufficient to the eternall coÌ„demnation of that party notwithstanding his iustification and discharge from all the rest The worke also of our iustification is but one worke wrought all at once not by degrees But though our regeneration be so likewise I meane of the whole man together not first of one part then of another though also in our regeneration our sanctification be likewise begun yet our sanctification is not perfected all at once but by degrees it is more more encreased To shew this more Note plainly for I desire to be rather indeed perspicuous for the edification of the simplest theÌ„ by obscurity to seem profound for the affecting of the learned or rather of some that are more curious then truly desirous of good knowledge to whoÌ„ plainnes seemeth basenes To shew this I say more plainely as our regeneration is nothing elst ut our new birth so our sanctification may be compared to our starure As therefore a man is but once naturally borne not by degrees but all together and the new borne babe as soone as eure he is out of the mothers wombe is as perfectly borne as he that is 20. or 40. yeeres old but being new borne he is not presently of his perfect stature but commeth groweth to that by degrees in time by meate drinke and other meanes fit for the same so is it touching our regeneration saÌ„ctification we are new borne all at once euen the first day we receiue by the word the spirit of adoptioÌ„ but though the also we begin to be saÌ„ctified yet we grow more more therin afterward as the new born babe doth in stature Last of all the matter of our iustification is altogether without vs euen wholly in Christ as he did actiuely passiuely obey his father performing his whole wil for doing suffering that which he required but our spiritual life and other things before spoken of are things within vs. As Christ first apprehended by faith aloft as it were doth iustify vs in heauen hauing before notwithstanding here in earth fully satisfied his fathers will in our behalfe so after ward and from the very moment of our iustification hee dwelling likewise in our hearts by the said faith spiritually doth sanctifie vs here in earth Within this excâ—ption likewise of our iustification to be without differing degrees of more or lesse as are in other things before mentioned I comprehend the freedome of the children of God before noted as one point of their being the children of God esâ—ecially touching the latter branch thereof that is not their freedome from the bondage of sinne and satan but their freedome of the new heauenly Ierusalem for trading and traffiquing for the merchandises thereof as also for enioying other priuiledges belonging to the said freedome For to grant that the freedom of the children of God from the bondage of sinne is not all alike though in some respects it must be acknowledged to be like yet this is most certaine that the other branch of their freedome is alike in all For one as well as another of them that are regenerated and borne againe to God haue the like freedome of heauen and all may in like manner trade for the commodities thereof Notwithstanding as they that are alike free of a city neither haue all the like stock at the first to begin with neither all the like dexterity Note to vse their freedome and stock to the most
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
were as well now if wee had no word written at all but that all were deliuered vnto vs only by tradition yet it is certain both that God himselfe commanded the word from time to time to be written and also that it was so written to very great purpose and for very great vse of the children of God That the word was written by Gods expresse commandement many places doe testifie Ier. 30. 2. and 36. 2. Reuel 2. 1. c. The speciall purposes of so writing the word of God are two First that the Church might the lesse erre touching the word for if all should haue beene by tradition men might haue deuised what they would and pretended a tradition who almost could haue controlled them That therefore the Church might haue a certain rule both of faith also of manners against which no exception might be taken it pleased God to command his word to bee written for the better examining of all other writings and preachings thereby Secondly it was so written that all men might the better haue the benefit thereof as well priuately to read as publikly to heare the same preached The rather because sometimes by persecution sometimes by sicknesse sometimes by extremitie of weather sometimes by imprisonment sometimes by some other meanes they be kept from the publike ministrie thereof Touching the preaching of it the Lord tooke order also in that behalfe for the better instruction of all by sound interpretation and by wise application of it according to persons and times and places For the preaching of the word is the right diuiding thereof as euerie one needeth the same in respect of age of sexe of calling of state and condition any manner of way 2. Tim. 2. 15. What a singular benefit is this that all men poore as well as rich base as well as honourable may haue the word and ought to haue the word as their seuerall necessitie requireth And truely though a man know neuer so much yea though a man be neuer so rich in faith and godlines yet the preaching of the word is necessary partly to increase his knowledge which is alwaies imperfect 1. Cor. 13. 9. and partly to helpe his memory in those things he knoweth yea to strengthen the same and as it were to stop the holes thereof for the time to come that the things which they shall heare may not at any time runne out Heb. 2. 1. and partly to quicken him both to obedience according to his knowledge and also to make vse of the word for his comfort for his humbling for his strengthning that he may not fall for his raising if hee shall fall and many other waies For alasse what is the best and most godly man that is but drousie and dull needing both to be awakened daily and also with the spurre as it were of the word to bee quickned yea what is the greatest measure of faith of loue of zeale of meeknesse of patience and of any piety in any man here vpon the earth but as a little fire a coale or two kindled vnder and in a great deale of greenewood which will easily bee quenched and goe out without continuall puffing and blowing for nourishing maintaining and encreasing thereof Neither is the word of God in this manner onely a great benefit for the children of GOD in respect of the writing and preaching thereof that so they may both heare it and read it but also because they may at all times both conferre thereof with other and also priuately meditate thereof by themselues yea this conference and meditation must goe with hearing and reading Otherwise all hearing and reading will bee to little purpose yea whatsoeuer wee learne by hearing and reading it will quickly vanish and come to nothing As the two disciples that were going to Emmaus did talke and conferre together of those things that had fallen out at Ierusalem concerning Christ Luk 24. 14. and as the men of Berea did not content themselues with hearing but conferred together of the things they had heard and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things viz. which they had heard were so or no Acts 17. 11. so may and must and will all the children of God do touching the things they heare The like is to be said of meditation Therefore as Ioshua is commanded to meditate in the law of God day and night Iosh 1. 8. and as it is commended to be the continuall exercise of the man that is blessed Psal 1. 2. to teach that he is none of the blessed company that doth not so meditate on the law so it was practised by Dauid himselfe who proueth his exceeding loue vnto the word of God euen such as wherof he was in a manner sick and the which he could not wel expresse by this argument saying Oh how loue I thy law it is my meditation continually Psal 119. 97. This is such a worke as wherin the children of God may euen in the night as they ly in their bed when they haue no light whereby they may read in the way as they walke or ride in their sicknesse lamenesse and in imprisonment when all other comforts doe faile them yea in their old age and when their eie-sight is either dim and weake not able to endure reading or none at all and when they shall be deafe not hearing any thing or at the least not able to endure the speech of any finally when all other things will be loathsome vnto them Euen then I say may the children of God exercise themselues to their great comfort and to a sweet passing away of the time in meditation of the word This is the more because the wicked not hauing this priuiledge do either spend their time in eating drinking swilling carding dicing dancing chambering wantonnesse and in all vanity or else they find all things more tedious vnto them then they can beare Aboue all things great is the benefit of the word for the former vses because it may be and must be locked vp in the chest of our hearts Iob. 22. 22. Pro. 2. 2. and 10. 3. 3. 4. so that when we fall into the hands of theeues that rob vs of al other things yet that cannot be taken away from vs yea though men take away our liues yet the benefit of the word shall continue with vs For this is that good part that Mary did chuse which our Sauiour saith should not be taken away from her Luk. 10. 42. This especially is proper to the children of God Many of the wicked heare the word read the word confer of the word no doubt also but do oft meditate of the word though somtimes rather for euil then for good as al Papists heretiks do study the word the more to maintaine their heresies contrary to the word but only the children of God doe lay and lock it vp in their hearts to their euerlasting good To conclude therefore this point If it were one of the greatest
before handled Being iustified faith saith he we haue peace towards God Rom. 5. 11. yet it is not only a fruit of iustification but also of all or of most of all at least of the knowledge of all or of most of all the benefits before declared For not only being iustified by faith haue we this peace of conscience but also by faith being made one with Christ and in Christ being quickned and freed from sinne made wise holy and righteous and hauing freedom to trade for heauen and heauenly things being made the children of God in speciall manner to glorifie God being so incorporated into Christ that we haue also communion with the father and the holy ghost such a communion with all the three persons as shall continue for euer such also as is represented vnto vs by many excellent similitudes wherby our dignity is made more manifest in respect wereof many of Christs names and honorable titles are communicated vnto vs as also whereby we haue liberty with boldnesse to aske at all times any thing for vs at the hand of God with better assurance of obtaining it the greater the thing is we aske yea whereby we are freed from all the euills of this life as they are euills and haue right to all the blessings of this life and lastly whereby we are freed from euerlasting condemnation and are made heires of the kingdome of heauen Hauing I say this manner of communion with Christ and all other benefits and prerogatiues of the children of God hither to spoken of we haue this peace of conscience and ioy of heart whereof we are now to speake So this peace and ioy being fruits of all the former things I haue therefore reserued the handling thereof for this place after all before written From hence that this peace and ioy are fruits of all the former benefits it followeth that as we haue heard all the former to be proper to the children of God so these are in none other to be found but only in them Where there is not nor euer was the cause there cannot be the effect Secondly this the Apostle expresly teacheth opposing these two one to the other the spirit of bondage and the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father Rom. 8. 15. so nothing first that the spirit of bondage vnto sinne is the spirit offeare Secondly that they that are freed from that spirit of bondage and haue receiued the spirit of adeption whereby they cry Abbâ— father are freed from the former spirit of feare There being therefore such an opposition betwixt these two there can bee no agreement As therfore all the children of God are freed from the spirit of feare so they onelie are freed from the spirit of feare Hence also it followeth that all the children of God and they only haue this peace whereof wee speake For they that are freed from feare must needs haue peace and they that are possessed with the spirit of feare cannot possibly bee at peace To speake yet further of this peace let vs consider that the children of God hauing as hath beene shewed Christ himselfe they can no more bee without this peace then without the life the light the knowledge the wisedome the holinesse the righteousnesse the liberty and other things before spoken of This is euident because Christ is called the Prince of peace Isat 9 6 can any haue the Prince of peace and bee without peace Is it not expected that where there is in any companie a Iustice of peace there all should bee at peace and none should breake the peace how then can wee doubt of peace to be there where there is and dwelleth the Prince of peace himselfe When Christ was new borne into the world and laie in his swadling clouts hauing done nothing in his owne person to wards our reconciliation and saluation his in carnation and comming into the world only excepted is not this a part of the song that the Angels with the multitude of heauenly souldiers did sing in the hearing of the shepheards Peace on earth as well as glory to God in high Luk. 2. 14. Hauing now by the bloud of his Crosse made that peace which was then proclaimed Eph. 1. 15. Coloss 1. 20. how much more may men and Angels sing and say not only peace in earth but also peace in the heart of euery child of God Verely all the children of God may the better bee at peace in their hearts because the Prince of peace Christ Iesus in his owne person hath said to his diseiples and in them to all that belong vnto him peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you not as the world giueth giue I vnto you let not your hearts bee troubled nor greeued Iohn 14. 27. It is much that hee had said before by his Prophet The worke of instice shall be peace euen the worke of iustice quietnesse and assurance for euer and my people shall dwell in the tabernacles of peace c. Isai 32. 17. 18. But this that he speaketh in his owne person is much more As this peace is thus manifest to belong to all the children of God so that it is proper only to them and that the wicked haue no part in it doth further appeare because the Lord saith that there is no peace to the wicked Isai 48. 22. yea in the same respect viz. that there is no peace to the wicked after much peace promised to the godly he compareth the wicked to the raging sea which cannot rest and whose waters doe cast vp as it were continually mire and dirt Isai 57. 20. Salomon likewise speaking of the wicked and the righteous that is of them that are not and of them that are the children of God saith the wicked fleeth when no man pursueth but the righteous are bold as a lyon Prou. 28. 1. Eliphaz saith that the sound of feare is euer in the eares of the wicked and that euen in the daies of his prosperity the destroier shall come vpon him Iob 15. 20. Iob himselfe likewise speaketh thus of the wicked terrors shall ouertake him as waters c. Iob 27. 20. The wicked indeed cry to other and to their own hearts especially peace peace as it is often in the Prophets Ier. 6. 14. and 8. 11. but yet the Lord saith as before we heard that there is no peace to the wicked Yea how can they haue peace that know not the way of Peace Isat 59. 9. and which reiect the Gospell of peace Ephes 6. 15. yea the Prince of peace Christ Iesus himselfe and which alwaies are in contention wounding one another and sowing the seeds of discord and contention amongst men As when Iehoram said to Iehu is it peace Iehu Iehu answered what peace whiles the whoredomes of thy mother Iezabel and her witchcrafts are yet in great number 2. Kings 9. 22. so to the wicked that shall speake of peace or enquire after peace it may be answered what