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
vouchsafe the reading of those more largely handled and of many other contained in the treatise it selfe Pleaseth it your Honors and worships further to see the former point in the glasse of a few examples Behold then I beseech you Moses Ioshua Othniel Ehud Deborah Gideon I phtah Sampson and all the other good Iudges of Israel before the kingdome of Israel established For were they so honourable by being kings fellowes and hauing kingly authority as they were by doing those things which testified their adoption Behold Dauid and Salomon two mighty kings of al Israel with Asa Iehoshaphat Hezekiah and Iosiah all good Kings of Iuda For were these so honorable by being great and mighty princes as they were by being the children of God Behold Ester Mordecai Shadrach Meshach Abednego and Daniel For were they so honorable the one by being a Queene and the wife of a most mighty monarch that had 127. prouinces vnder him the other by beeing in great grace fauor with the like mighty monarchs as they were by shewing themselues the children of God Yea behold Cyrus Artashasht Darius and Ahasbuerosh all heathen Emperors For were they so honorable by being such Emperors though some of them had 127. pro. uinces vnder their gouernment as they were by doing some things for the Church and people of God whereby they did only resemble Gods children and were not so indeed May not the like be said of Iehu King of Israel For was he so honorable by being King of Israel extraordinarily annointed so to bee by the appointment of God as he was by his zeale though only temporary against Baal and his Priests and seruants Behold further Ioseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus For were they so honorable in that the one was a rich man and an honerable Mat. 27. 17. Mark 15. 45. Ioh. 3. 1. 10. counsellor and the other a great Pharisee a ruler of the Iewes and a teacher in Israel as they were in that the one went to Pilat and begged the body of Iesus and the other ioined with him in the honorable buriall thereof Behold the Eunuch of Ethtopia For was he so honorable Actâ— 8. 27. by being the Queen of the Ethiopians chiefe gouernor and her Lord treasurer as hee was by comming out of his owne country a long a chargeable and a dangerous iourny to worship the Lord at Ierusalem by reading the scriptures as hee rode in his chariot whereas such great men for the most part spend such times in vaine sports or in some idle discourses and by his meeke acknowlegement of his ignorance of the Scripture which he did read by his courteous speech to Philip a poore trauelling footman neuer before nor after seen of him and by his like kind taking him vp into his chariot to himselfe to be further instructed by him and by his humble submitting himselfe to bee examined of his faith and to be baptized of him The like may bee said of many Christian Emperors Constantine and other of our late most noble King Edward the sixt and of our more late Queen Elizabeth of most happy and blessed memory To produce the examples of any Princes or nobles liuing would not perhaps bee so well approued as suspected of flatterie or some other sinister meaning What now right Honorable and right Worshipfull shall I say more As Noah said God perswade Iaphet that he may dwell in the tents of Shem so say I If any of Gâ—â—es 9. 27. you to whom I doe in all humilitie present and dedicate these my labours haue not yet receiued the spirit of adoption God perswade such to dwell in the tents of his such children as whose dignitie I doe in this treatise lay foorth as likewise to thinke it a woe vnto them to vemaine in Meshech and to dwell in the tents of Kedar Psal 120 5. The same God also of power maiestie and glory who hath the hearts of all Kings and Nobles and of all other great persons in his hand as the riuers of waters to turne the same whither it pleaseth him euen this God that Father of our Lord Iesus Christ so incline all your hearts Prov. â—1 1. both to consider of the reasons whereby the dignitie of his children is here declared and also to apply the vses of the doctrine thereof to your selues according to your seuerall states and places in this world that as some of you doe sometimes here in earth sit in Parliament with our most gratious Soueraigne King IAMES so yee may all at the last sit with Christ Iesus in heauen euen in his throne as himselfe sitteth Rev. 3. 21. in the throne of his Father and that for euer and euer Much Totham in Essex Aprill 16. 16 10. Your Honors and Worships Most humble in the Lord to be commanded THOMAS STOVGHTON To the inhabitants of those places where at any time especially last of all I haue had a setled MINISTERIE AS in this treatise I speake generally to euery Christian reader so now my deere brethren in the Lord that haue sometimes heard me preach these things which now I haue printed let me more particularly intreate you to vouchsafe the buying and reading of them because in the printing of them I haue had a speciall respect vnto your good I am not able to beslow vpon euery one of you one of these bookes of as small price as they be The most of you do know how truely I amy say with Naomi I was full but the Lord hath made mee emptie and the Almightie hath brought me vnto aduersitie Ruth 1. 21. euen in my latter age requiring most comfort I suppose also that my willing minde for a greater kindnesse is not doubted of by you if my ability were according If I were as I haue beene yet were it easier for the least of many of you to buy one then for me to giue many I shall not neede to tell you for further perswasion in this behalfe that the fruit of well and aduised reading this Treatise will abundantly recompence your cost Ye haue not so learned Christ in whom all of vs haue our adoption as so lightly to esteeme a treatise setting forth the excellencie of the said adoption neither I am sure haue yee forgotten that Esau is pronounced a prophane person for making more account of one portion of meate euen in his extremity of hunger then of his birthright Heb. 12. 17. a pledge and a kinde of Sacrament of this adoption For me also first to gather all these things together then to write afterwards to correct them and last of all to write them againe for the presse is much more then for to lay out a little money and to spend a few howers in reading of them In your loue therefore towards me accept them as a testimony of my vnseined loue towards you and of my like desire of your welfare in the Lord. Such of you as are best able I desire to buy and 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
and praise with all that is inheauen and earth that his is the kingdome and that he excelleth as head ouer althâ—â— both riches and honour come from him and that he reigneth ouer all hath power and strength in his hand and is able to make great and to giue strength vnto all c. 1. Chron. 29. 11. 12. Againe who is the King of glory The Lord strong and mighty euen the Lord mighty in battel Psal 24. 8. And againe The Lord raigneth c. Clouds and darknesse are rounnd about his Righteousnes and iudgement are the foundation of his throne c. Psal 97. 1. c. But why do I thus discourse of his excellency whom the heauen and the heauen of heauens are not able to contain 1 King 8. 27. It is hard to set forth the excellency of the children of God now in hand as it is worthy how impossible then is it to set forth the excellency of God himselfe For is he not so excellent that those creatures which next to himselfe are by creation most excellent I meane the Angels for their excellency called princip lâ—â—es powers and mights c cannot behold his excellency without hiding their faces with their wings from the sight thereof Isa 6. 2. Is he not so excellent that Moses one of the most excellent seruants of God that euer were amongst men hearing his title of mercy The God of Abraham Isaak and Iaakob hid his face being afraid to looke vpon him Exod. 3. 6. Is hee not so excellent that when hee gaue his Law there were thunders and lightnings and a thicke cloud vpon the mount and the sound of a trumpet exceeding loud so that all the people that was in the camp was afraid and that all mount Sinai was on a smoake because the Lord came downe vpon it in fire and the smoake thereof ascended as the smoake of a furnace and all the mount it selfe trembled exceedingly Exod. 19. 16. 18. Is he not so excellent that when hee had so giuen the law and when the people sawe the thunders and the lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountaine smoaking they fled and stood a farre off and said vnto Moses Talke thou with God and we will heare but let not God talke with vs lest we die Exod. 20. 18. 19. Is he not so excellent that when he passed by before that great Prophet Eliiah a mighty strong wind rent the mountaines and that after the wind came an earthquake and after the earthquake came fire and after the fire came a still and soft voice which notwithstanding when Eliia heard he couered his face with his mantell 1 Kings 19. 11. 12. 13. If any desire to behold more of the excellency of this God besides the booke of his excellent creatures and besides those things before alleadged out of the booke of his word let him further looke in the said booke of his word vpon the places following Deut. 7. 9. 10. and 32. 4. 2. Chron. 20. 6. c. Nâ—hem 9. 17. and 32. Iob 9. 3. c. and vers 14. and chap. 12. from 13. to the end Psal 47. 3. c. 84. 8. to 16. Isai 40. 9. to 18. and verses 22. 23. 24. Isai 42. 5. and 48. 12. Ierem. 10. 10. c. and 51. 15. c. and 31. 35. c. and 32. 17. c. Dan. 6. 27. Amos 4 13. and 5. 8. c. Reuel 4. 3. c. and vpon many other the like places Let him also consider his most wise powerfull righteous gratious and euery way most admirable administration and gouernment of all things in heauen in earth in the waters and vnder earth and water For as God made all things at the first most excellently so he still gouerneth all things according to his first creation of them If God himselfe be thus excellent how can his children be but excellent For all the children of God are in some measure made like vnto him euen in power wisedome holinesse and righteousnesse as afterward we shall heare And they are not his children by adoption and regeneration that do not in the former things somewhat resemble him Many men indeed haue children nothing like them either in fauour or in conditions But certainly there are none of the children of God but are in part like vnto himselfe yea this is a most certaine note of a child of God to haue the Character and similitude and image of God vpon him and in him As Adam who was the sonne of God by creation Luk. 2. 38. was at the first male and female made and formed in the image and similitude of God so likewise are all these children of God by regeneration of whom now I speake How great therefore is this their dignity The dignity of the sonnes of men is measured according to the dignity of their fathers as also according to their resemblance of them Therefore the dignity of Kings being the greatest dignity of the sonnes of men their children are accounted most honorable and most noble yea to be but sonne in law to a king by mariage onely of a kings daughter is accounted is indeed a very great aduancement especially for a poore and meane man When Saul the first king of Israel and a wicked King giuen in the Lords anger offered his daughter Merab vnto Dauid what answered Dauid Who am I or what is my life or the family of my father in Israel that I should be sonne in law to the King When againe Sauls seruants set a worke by Saul himselfe spake with Dauid secretly to perswade him to take Michael an other of Sauls daughters Merab being giuen to Adriel and said Behold the King hath a fauour vnto thee and all his seruants loue thee Be now therefore the Kings sonne in lawe He answered againe to the same effect that before he had done Seemeth it to you alight thing to be a Kings sonne in lawe seeing I am a poore man and of small reputation 1. Sam. 18 18. 22. 23. So Dauid that could tell how to iudge of things as being then a Prophet and hauing before that written the 9. Psalme vpon the ouerthrow of Goliah accounted it a very great dignity yea too great for him being a meane person to be but sonne in law to a King to the first king of Israel and therefore the least for as naturall things are least at their first birth or springing vp so the dignities of men of Kings and other are least at the first and in time doe increase and grow to a greater state and stature yea also to a wicked King For Saul before that had shewed his wickednesse both in offering sacrifice before Samuels comming contrary to his direction 1. Sam. 13. and also in sparing of Agag and the best of the Amalekites sheepe and Oxen. 1. Sam. 15. Who then can sufficiently expresse the dignity of them that are the children of the most high God King of kings c. by mariage
things to come conteyned in holy Scripture for vs to beleeue neyther only the beleeuing of them historically to be true but also the particular application of them to our selues The very wicked themselues doe beleeue the truth of the Scriptures historically yea many of the reprobat yea the very Diuels themselues do so beleeue and tremble Iames 2. 19. Mar. 1. 24. But the wicked though elected before their calling do not beleeue by particular application because then their harts should be purified from their wickednes as before we heard they hauing apprehended Christ that gaue himselfe for vs not only to redeeme vs from all iniquity but also to purge vs c. Tit. 2. 14. and that he might sanctifie and clense vs c. Ephes 5. 26. The wicked also though elected are in the power of Satan as afterward we shall heare and to be accounted of the world But by faith we ouercome the world 1. Ioh. 5. 4. and the Diuell himselfe Ephes 6. 16. 1. Pet. 5. 9. The reprobat neither haue faith neither can haue it as for the reasons before vsed touching the wicked generally so also because the decree of God touching their reprobation is aswell vnreapealeable and vnchangeable as the decree of God touching election and those reasons which make also for the certainty and perpetuity of the elect make also for the most part as strongly for the immutability of Gods decree touching reprobation That which hath beene sayd of the wicked that are elected viz. before their calling and of the reprobat to bee without faith may much more be sayd of the diuels But for as much as neither reprobat men nor the Diuels can beleeue because Gods decree concerning their reprobation is vnchangeable therfore here may a question be moued whether infidelity and vnbeleefe bee a sinne or no. For sith they cannot be saued what sinne is it in them not to beleeue in him by whom saluation is purchased Nay rather it may seem to be sinne to beleeue that that is vntrue I answer to the latter first that concerning the diuels not to beleeue in Christ with application to themselues is no sinne in Note them because as Christ came not to saue any of them neither tooke their nature vpon him so there is no commandement for them to beleeue in him as their Sauiour Notwithstanding God hauing giuen his sonne for the redemption of all elect men therefore the diuels not beleeuing this or perswading any of the elect not to it do therein greatly sinne and so they shall certainly aggrauat their condemnation This then is breefely the solution of this question touching the Diuels that they sinne not in not beleeuing in Christ for themselues but that they sinne greatly in not beleeuing that Christ came to saue elect men and in perswading any of them not to beleeue it Touching reprobate men though Christ came not to saue them neither did so much as pray for them Ioh. 17 9. yet because Gods decree in this behalfe is not particularly knowen vnto them but God generally propoundeth his promises not particulary telling any by his externall word whose names are written in the booke of life whose are not but only reuealingthis by the worke of his spirit in calling them that are chosen therefore the scripture pronounceth generally of all men that doe not beleeue that they are condemned already Iohn 3. 18. Who then are they that doe or shall beleeue Only the elect For therefore it is not onely said that All men haue not faith 2. Thes 3. 2. but also that faith is the faith of Gods elect Tit. 1. 1. and that as many as were ordained to life beleeued Acts 13 48. And that if the Gospell be hid it is hid to them that are lost 2. Cor. 4. 3. If al had faith all should be saued for by faith we are saued Ephes 2. 8. and The iust shall liue by his faith Heb. 3. 4. The faith of Gods elect is called most holy Iude 20. and most pretious yea more pretious then gold that is tried in the fire because though gold be tried yet it perisheth 1. Pet. 1. 7. But they that trust in the Lord are like to mount Zion that standeth fast Note for euer c. Psalm 125. 1. All the elect that haue faith haue not the like measure of faith because God that giueth it giueth it as pleaseth him Ephes 1. 9. and 4. 7. and because all haue not the like meanes neither the like time c but where it is left euen as a grayne of mustard seede viz. not onely for quantity but also for quality quicknesse life and efficacy there it is most holy and pretious because to such as haue such faith nothing making to Gods glory and their saluation is impossible yea all such things are possible Mat. 17. 20. and 21. 21. and Mark 9. 23. If any obiect the former places to be vnderstood of that kind of faith whereby men wrought miracles and which was but for a time I answer that although our Sauiour doe indeed deliuer those speeches by occasion of some miracles which he had then wrought yet they are also more generally to be vnderstood euen of a iustifying and sauing faith as touching the obiect thereof I meane as touching matters that appertaine to saluation Otherwise that faith whereby a man is to saue his owne soule should be inferior to that and of lesse force then that whereby he is to saue or in those daies was to saue other by such working of miracles were not this absurd in diuinity Thus much shall suffice to haue spoken of faith in this place either as a speciall and internall cause of our regeneration and new birth to be the children of God by incorporating vs in to the onely naturall and first begotten sonne of God or at least as the first step and degree to our said regeneration More perhaps vpon other occasion shall be spoken of this faith afterward In the meane time the more excellent that we haue heard it to be and the more proper to the children of God the more excellent also we must needs acknowledge the state of the children of God to bee in respect thereof The next point to be considered is the matter it selfe wherin chiefly the regeneration of the children of God doth consist This is first of all their communion with Christ For Christ alone being the onely naturall and proper sonne of God as hath been said no other can be the children of God as now we speake but only by communion with him and incorporation into him whereby they may be spiritually flesh of his flesh bone of his bone and members of that body whereof himselfe alone is the head So many as haue this communion with Christ so many may truly bee called the beloued children of God Therefore they that are so regenerated are said to be begotten againe in Christ Iesus 1. Cor. 4. 15. to bee new creatures in Christ 2.
in darknesse groap here and there Is he not euery minute in danger at least doth he not and may he not continually feare Is it not more vncomfortable to walke or ride one mile in the night then six in the day time If outward darknesse and bodily blindnesse be so vncomfortable what alasse is to be said of inward darknesse and of the spirituall blindnesse of the mind If it be an heauy thing to be depriued of all light of Sunne Moone Starres candle and other fire how heauy is it to be vtterly destitute of the light of the Sunne of righteousnesse As darknesse and blindnesse bee most vncomfortable so who knoweth not how sweet and comfortable the contrary light and sight are And if the outward light and bodily sight be so sweet and comfortable how much more sweet and comfortable are spirituall light and the sight of the inward man These things I might amplifie by many arguments the more to set foorth the dignity of Gods children that doe only enioy the said spirituall light and whose mindes doe behold and vnderstand the high things of God pertaining to their saluation but because it followeth to speake of them in the next place therefore this shall be sufficient to haue spoken here Thus to leaue the former metaphors I come to the things signified by them Touching therefore the ignorance of God in all naturall and vnregenerate men we heard before that the Apostle speaking of the Gentiles as they were such had ioined these together hauing their vnderstanding darkned and being strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that was in them Ephes 4. 18. To the same purpose speaking againe of the state of himselfe and other before regeneration he saith We were in times past vnwise c. Tit. 3. 3. That which before we alleged out of the third to the Romanes as by other things to describe the naturall state of all men so by this that none whatsoeuer doth vnderstand any thing shall not need here to be repeated Yea so farre are all men naturally from all true knowledge of God that they are vtterly vncapeable thereof For the naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can hee know them for they are spiritually discerned 1. Cor. 2. 14. Yea the more naturall wit and vnderstanding men haue which is called naturall wisedome or the wisedome of the flesh the further off they are from all true knowledge and wisedome of God For the wisedome of â—he flesh is death enmity against God not subiect to the law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8. 6. 7. Therefore elsewhere the Apostle saith that God hath not chosen many wise men after the flesh but the foolish things of the woâ—ld and things that are despised to bring to nought things that are c. 1. Cor. 1. 26. 27. By the neuter gender here hee meaneth the masculine and by things hee vnderstandeth persons as also wee haue the like phrase Iohn 6. 37. Colossians 1. 20. Ephesians 1. 10. This is a point of great moment and the more worthy a little more to be insisted vpon because many naturall men are men of great humane learning in the tongues in the arts in all philosophie in the lawes and statutes of kingdomes in martiall and ciuill affaires for warre and for peace And for such learning they are oft times in great reputation in great honor and authority euen aduanced to bee great states men to stand before the mighty Princes of the world to giue counsell vnto them and accounted the only men for policy and gouernment of kingdomes Such were Achitophel and Ioab and such no doubt are many in these daies in many kingdomes and such haue been many in all ages which notwithstanding are so far from all true knowledge of God that they doe vtterly distast the same and oppose themselues with tooth and naile with might and maine thereunto Some also meer naturall men haue such knowledge in the mysteries of God that they can teach other and being called to the ministery doe conuert others themselues being castawaies For Iudas receiued gifts and a commission to preach as well as other and it is not to be doubted but that he did some good by the exercise of his gifts and execution of his commission as well as other For there is no commandement or commission from God without a promise of a blessing and there is no promise of a blessing but that God some way or other and in some measure or other doth performe the same because he that hath promised is faithfull Heb. 10. 23. Therefore our Sauiour saith that in the last day many should plead that they had prophecied euen in his name and that in his name they had cast out diuels whom notwithstanding he would reiect as meer naturall and wicked men saying vnto them I neuer knew you depart from me ye workers of iniquity Mat. 7. 22. 23. what shal we say of such men so highly accounted of in the world so greatly aduanced so deeply learned euen in diuinity and doing so great things Are they all vnwise Are they all without vnderstanding Are they all fooles yea verily the Scripture and God himselfe that is only wise and knoweth best what men are hath so pronounced of them Man therefore neede not feare to giue the like sentence and iudgement of such so long as they continue naturall and wicked men themselues though they conuert and make neuer so many other wise and righteous Such sentence and iudgement is not the sentence and iudgement of man but of God This appeareth by the description of true wisedome in the word of God For Paul by opposing the word vnwise to the vnderstanding of the will of the Lord and saying Be not vnwise but vnderstand what the will of the Lord is Ephes 5. 17. doth plainly teach true wisedome to be vnderstanding the will of the Lord and that all that doe not vnderstand what the will of the Lord is are vnwise But what will of the Lord doth the Apostle meane Only that that is reuealed in his word Therefore it is said that the testimony of the Lord giueth wisedome vnto the simple Psal 19. 7. and that the scriptures that is the word written are able to make men wise to saluation 2. Tim. 3. 15. Therefore also the feare of the Lord which is the keeping of Gods commandements Eccles 12. 13. is often called the beginning of wisedome or the chiefe and most principall wisedome Iob 28. 28. Psal 111. 10. Pro. 1. 7. Yea the truth is that there is no good and sound policy for the gouernment of kingdomes and common wealths but by the word of God Therefore in this very case the Prophet speaketh thus to the Priests and Prophets and Doctors of the Law that tooke vpon them to be politicians and states men without the word of God They haue reiected the word of the Lord and what wisedome
mouth is full of eursing and deceit and fraude Vnder his tongue is mischiefe and iniquity he heth in wait in the villages in the secret places hee doth murther the innocent his eies are bent against the poore He lieth in wait secretly euen as a lion in denne Hee lieth in wait to spotle the poore when he draweth him into his net Psal 10 56. 7. 8. 9. c. Yea he had said before in the same Psalme verse 2. The wicked doth persecnte the poore c. he hath made boast of his owne hearts desire and contemneth the Lord. No maruell then though such contemne men especially their inferious And thus indeed wee daylie see how the wicked abuse all the mercies of God either by all in temperancy as if they were absolute Lords of all that they haue and were not to giue any account to any or by extreme pride and cruelty carrying themselues like Lords and Kings ouer other scorning them contemning them and oppressing them at their pleasure But the children of God on the contrary knowing that they are but for a time the Lords ftewards of all that they haue vse this world and all things they haue in this world honors riches authority friends c as though they had them not that is they so possesse them and so dispose them that they be no hinderances vnto them but rather furtherances of them concerning the life to come Therefore if they be rich in this world they put not their trust in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God and they be rich in good workes distributing and communicating vnto other according to need and so laying vp a sure foundation to themselues against the time to come towards eternall life 1. Tim. 6. 18. c. They eat not their bread alone but the fatherlesse eat thereofwith them They see not any to perish for want of clothing nor the poore to goe without a couering but doe cause their loines to blesse them They lift not vp their hand against the fatherlesse when they see they may helpe them in the gate c. Iob 31. 17. c. They make not their gold their hope neither say they to the wedge of gold thou art my confidence vers 24. Thus did Iob. Thus did other that haue receiued the same spirit of adoption that Iob had Is not this excellent wisedome so to prouide towards eternall life as before we heard and so to make themselues friends with the riches of iniquity that when they shall want they may be receiued into euer lasting habitations Luk. 16. 9. Let the world account of this as they will All they that vse it shall find it a principall part of wisedome The like may be said of their vsing authority and honours not to the vexing or oppressing of any but to the good and comfort of all They open their mouth for the dumbe in the cause of the children of destruction they open their mouth and iudge righteously and iudge the afflicted and the poore Pro. 31. 8. 9. They deliuer the poore that crâ—e and the father lesse and him that hath none to helpe him The blessing of them that are ready to perish are vpon them and they cause the widdowes heart to reioice They put on iustice and couer themselues Their iudgement is as a robe and a crowne They are eyes to the blind and seet to the lame They are fathers to the poore and when they know not their cause they seeke it out diligently They breake the iawes of vnrighteous men and plucke the prey out of their teeth Iob 29. 12 c. Thus the children of God goe vpright in their prosperity they reele not neither stagger either to the right hand or to the left hand as drunke with their riches and honours but walke on right in the way that God hath laid out before them towalke in But what doe they in aduersity The braines as I may so speake of their mindes are no more distempered neither are the affections of their hearts any more disordered therewith then before with prosperity For they carry not themselues as men without hope but cheerfully and comfortably they looke to the cause in themselues to the hand from heauen that sendeth the same to the loue from which it doth proceed to the end why it is sent they remember what a blessed end other haue had of the like afflictions and they forget not what comfort themselues haue had in former times in the like perhaps also in greater dangers According to these things they make such vse of all their afflictions that they shall be able truly to say It is good for vs that we haue been afflicted that we may learne thy statutes Psal 119. 71. So they neither be too much cast down with that which the righteous Lord laieth vpon theÌ„ neither do they make too light account thereof If they lose all that euer they had wealth and honor and friends in one day they murmur not against God but humble themselues and say Naked came we out of our mothers wombes naked shall we returne thither The Lord hath giuen The Lord hath taken Blessed be the name of the Lord. Iob 1. 21. This sober cheerful cariage of themselues in such a state is the greater point of wisedom if we shal cosider how the wicked are either hardned like brawne that they make no reckoning of it yea that they scarce feele it as Belshazaer in the midst of his cups hearing that he was found too light and that the Medes and Persians should come and take from him his kingdome and his life was not a whit moued with it but in a brauery for all that commanded Daniel to be clothed with purple and to haue a chaiue of gold put about his necke c. Dan. 5. 29 or else they are moued with it only for a time as Ahab 1. Kings 21. 27. returning afterward to their former sinnes that procured it or els they fret and rage like mad men as they are not only being most impatient towards all about them but also blaspheming the God of heauen himselfe But I will not stand vpon these things being especially more particularly handled by M. Rogers in his sixt treatise viz. of the priuiledges of Christians and hauing my selfe some occasion to speake of them afterward in this treatise In the meane time we see the wicked in euery condition of life to reele and stagger like drunken men in either of both conditions falling most dangerously and as Salomon speaketh of drunkards Pro. 23. 29. euery where meeting with woe with sorrow with strife c. with wounds without cause The like may be said of the children of God touching the moderation and sobriety of all their affections anger ioy greefe loue feare c. in other matters as also of the distemper of the affections of the wicked As the children of God are sober according to that before spoken so likewise they are alwaies in such sort watchfull that
thereof in the hearts both of the elect and also of some reprobates it is the more euident to come from the mighty God In Iosiah 2. Kings 22. 11. in the people that heard our Sauiour Mat. 7. 28. euen in the messengers of the Priests and Pharisies sent to apprehend him Ioh. 7. 46. in the great multitude that heard Peter preach Acts 2. 37. in Felix hearing Paul Acts 24. 25. and in the daily hearers of the word sincerely preached either as a sauor of life vnto life or as the sauour of death vnto death 2. Cor. 2. 16. Eightly by the perpetuity of the scriptures before spoken of in despight of all the enemies thereof Ninthly by the old and new iudgements of God vpon all the contemners thereof and by the old and new mercies of God vpon the professors of it If such Romish frogs and serpents before mentioned vrge the Apocrypha books to be canonicall and diuine scripture the children of God may draw out the sword of the word against that error Luke 1 70. and 16. 39 and 24. 27. where it is euident that all the old Testament is written by Prophets and that therefore the Apocrypha books being no part of the new testament are not also any part of the old as not hauing been written by any Prophets Secondly they may obiect against the former error that the whole old testament was giuen to the Iewes Psal 147. 19. Rom. 3. 1. 2. and that therefore the Apocrypha books are no part thereof as the which were neuer giuen to the Iewes because they were neuer written in the Iewes language Thirdly they may wound the former error by the attribute truth often giuen to the word of God Psal 19. 10. and 119. 142. Iohn 17. 17. 2. Tim. 2. 15. Ephes 1. 13. Coloss 1. 5. Iames 1. 18. sith that in euery Apocrypha booke there is some repugnance to the Scripture and some of them doe disagree with themselues If any do demand why the new testament was not written in the Iewes language as well as the old testament the children of God may easily answer the reason to haue been double First because the time of the Iewes casting off and cutting off from beeing a people for a time being at hand when the new testament beganne to be written there was no cause why it should be written in their tongue Secondly the time being also come of translating the kingdome of God from them to other nations yea to all nations there was the greater reason why the Scriptures of the new Testament shold be written in that tongue that was most common especially that was the tongue of that nation where the Lord purposed first to plant his Church after the reiection of the Iewes The Greeks being that people it was therefore most fit that is should be written in that tongue If any doe further reply that I take that for granted which may well be doubted of viz. that the apocrypha books are no part of the newe testament I do answer that this cannot bee so much as doubted but to affirme it must be held a great absurditie for as much as there is no mention at all in any of them of Christ manifested in the flesh either conceiued or borne or put to death c. Against the defect and insufficiency of the Scriptures pretended by the Papists for the iustifying and stablishing of their traditions both all before spoken of the perfection of the word may be opposed also our Sauiours owne sentence against humane traditions though not altogether repugnant to the Scriptures but rather hauing some affinitie with them Mat. 15. and Mark 7. To the imagined difficulty of the scriptures the children of God may oppose First that the word is the word of him that is light it selfe 1. Iohn 1. 5. Secondly that the law is sayd to giue wisedome to the simple light to the eyes Psal 119. 7. and that the word is a lanthorne to our feet and a light vnto our paths Psal 119. 105. and Prou. 6. 23. Thirdly that wisedome saith that all her words are plaine to them that will vnderstand and straight to them that would finde knowledge Pro. 8. 9. and that knowledge is easie to him that will vnderstand Pro. 14. 6. and Fourthly that if the Scripture be sufficient or profitable to teach to conuince to correct and to instruct in righteonsnesse 2. Tim. 3. 16. then they be not obscure for no obscure writings are profitable for such ends The same place also last before mentioned prooueth that the Scriptures ought to be interpreted by themselues and are sufficient for interpretation of themselues by the help of the Spirit whereby they were giuen For if they be able to make men wise to saluation and if they be able to make the man of God absolute to euery good worke then are they sufficient for interpretation of themselues and for bringing of men to the vnderstanding of them For how shall men be wise that vnderstand not what the will of the Lord is as before we heard Eph. 5. 17. And how shall the man of God bee absolute to euerie good worke if he be not able to interpret the Scripture Is not interpretation of the Scripture one good worke of the man of God Yea is it not the most principall what other worke can be performed without it The doctrine of particular election of some vnto saluation being denied by the Papists the children of God may defend it by the word of God First by the particular election of Iaakob and of the Lady to whom Iohn did write his second Epistle Secondly by the words of Christ I know whom I haue chosen Iohn 13. 18. Thirdly by the like phrase of the Apostle The Lord knoweth who are his 2. Tim. 2. 19. Fourthly by the phrase of writing names in heauen Luk. 10. 20 Election by the free grace of God without any respect of our works may be defended by the word of God as before vpon other occasion it hath beene shewed That the election of God cannot be nullified or frustrated as the Papists doe teach the children of God may iustifie against them by the word of God Iohn 6. 37. Rom. 8. 30. Mat. 24. 24. and by many other things alledged in this treatise That there is but one Mediator against the plurality of mediators blasphemously taught by the Papists is to bee defended by the word of God 1. Tim. 2. 6. Rom. 8 â—4 1 Iohn 2. 1. Against iustification by works wholly or in part mainteined by the papists the children of God haue the word of God Rom 3 28 Gala. 3. 2. c Philip. â— 9. Secondly that as Christ was condemned without any euill of his own only by impuâ—ation of our sinne vnto him so we are iustified without any righteousnes of our own only by imputatioÌ„ of his righteousnesse actiue and passiue vnto vs. Thirdly that all our works being condemned in scripture as vnperfect are therefore excluded from
like which the mention of these and diligent reading will bring to thy vnderstanding He that doth these things viz. which walketh vprightly worketh righteousnesse speaketh the truth in his heart slandereth not with his tongue neither doth euill to his neighbor nor receiueth a falsereport that contemneth a vile person but honoureth them that feare God and keepeth his couenant though it be to his owne hinderance and giueth not his money vnto vsury nor taketh reward against the innocent euen this man shall dwell in the Lords tabernacle and rest in his holy mountaine and shall neuer be remoued Psal 15. 1 c. and 24 3. c. They that trust in the Lord shall be or are as mount Zion which cannot bee remooued but remaineth for euer Psalm 125. 1. Whosoeuer heareth of mee saith our Sauiour himselfe these words and doeth the same viz. not perfectly for that is not possible in this life but vprightly which therfore is placed before Note all the particulars following in Psal 15. 2. I will liken him to awise man which hath built his house vpon a rocke and the raine fell and the flouds came and the windes blew and beat vpon that house and it fell not for it was grounded on a rocke Mat. 7. 24. 25. I say vnto thee thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not ouercome it Mat. 16. 18. All that the Father hath giuen vnto me shall come vnto me and he that commeth I cast not away Ioh. 6. 37. This is the Fathers will that sent me that of all that the Father hath giuen vnto me I should lose nothing but should raise it vp againe at the last day vers 39. Marie hath chosen the good part which shall not be taken away from her Luk 0 42. If ye do these things ye shall neuer fall 2. Pet. 1 10. This world passeth away and the lusts thereof but he that fulfilleth the will of God that is which endeauoureth sincerely to do it as before was shewed abideth euer 1. Ioh. 2. 17. This shall suffice for expresse scriptures Many other the like there are but I leaue them to the obseruation of the diligent reader Touching other arguments First the immutable constancy of God confirmeth the certainty of the inheritance of Gods children God is not as man that he shold lie neither as the Sonne of man that he should repent hath he said and shall he not doe it and hath he spoken and shall he not accomplish it Num. 23. 19. 1. Sam. 15. 29. My counsell shall stand and I will doe whatsoeuer I will c. I haue purposed and I will doe it Isai 46. 10. 11. Whom he loueth he loueth to the end Ioh. 13. 1. The gifts and callings of God are without repentance Rom. 11. 29. God is faithfull 2. Thes 3. 3. With God is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning Iames 1. 17. He is faithfull that hath promised Heb. 10. 23. Secondly in respect of Gods promise in respect of Gods â—ath in respect of the earnest and pledge of Gods spirit giuen vnto vs to seale vs to the day of redemption in respect of the great price that Christ hath giuen and God the father hath receiued for this inheritance for vs all that are Gods children in respect of Christs former prayer for it Ioh. 17. 20. which God the father alwaies heareth Ioh. 11. 22. and 42. and in respect also of his daily intercession in the behalfe for vs at the right hand of God Rom. 8. 34. it standeth not onely vpon the mercie of God to make this their inheritance certaine but also vpon his righteousnesse 2. Thes 1. 7. Heb. 6. 10. Thirdly the children of God all and euery one are the members of Christs body as before hath beene shewed As therefore it is impossible for any power to take away any member of Christs glorified body in heauen so is it impossible for any power to take away any member of his mysticall body in earth The souldiers that brake the bones of the two theeues that were crucified with Christ could not for their liues break the bones of Christ because it was written Not a bone of him shall bee broken Iohn 19. 33. 36. Could not a bone of his naturall body be broken by the malice and violence of all his aduersaries armed with the power of hell it selfe and that because the Scriptures had said in one place that a bone of him should not bee broken How then shall it bee possible for any member of his mysticall body coupled together by the eternall and all powerfull spirit to be altogether taken away and depriued of that inheritance which God hath prepared for it especially sith the Scripture hath not in one place but in many places said that not one of them shall perish I might adde many other arguments for further confirmation of this certainty but because the next verse of my text offereth fit occasion to speake againe thereof therefore in the meane time I will content my selfe with these This notwithstanding I may further adde for the better amplification of the dignity of Gods children by this certainty of their inheritance viz. that thereby in pouerty they are made content in abundance they are sober and wary in the enmity of other against them they are couragious and magnanimous and in afflictions they are cheerfull and comfortable By all hitherto said of this inheritance who seeth not the exceeding dignity and most honorable condition of the children of God On the contrary as the state of the children of God is the better by their freedome from the condemnation beforespoken of although they should neuer come to this great inheritance so the state of all naturall and wicked men is the more base the more vile the more wofull and the more fearefull because though it were possible they should not be so condemned as before we heard they shall be yet they shall haue no part of this inheritance but shall be vtterly cast out and excluded Genes 21. 10. Reuel 22. 15. to whom it shall be said whatsoeuer they shall plead for themselues from their great workes of prophecying in Christs name and casting out diuels in his name c. I neuer knew you Depart from me ye that worke iniquity Mat. 7. 22. 23. and 25. 12. Thus much of this inheritance and of the benefits of the children of God in the life to come CHAP. XXVII Of the peace of conscience in the children of God ALthough I haue heretofore spoken of diuers singular benefits of the children of God both for this life and the life to come yet there remaineth one more of great price and excellency without which all the former spoken of for this life or for the life to come enjoyed in this life are of lesse reckoning This is peace of conscience accompanied with exceeding ioy of this the Apostle speaketh as of a fruit of forgiuenesse of sinnes and iustification
argueth that hee was very forward to haue smitter them Elisha answered Thou shalt not smiâ—e them Doest thou not smite them that thou hast taken with thy sword and with thy bow Set bread and water before them that they may eat and drinke and goe to their mâ—ster Aâ—d so that King though a wicked man did not reason the cause with the Prophet or any whit cotradict his couÌ„sel but most willingly made great great preparation for theÌ„ 2. King 6. 21. By al these things we see what great benefits other of all sorts superiours inferiors equals good bud foes as wel as friends the liuing the dead receiue by the children of God If any that professe theÌ„selues the children of God be not thus beneficiall to other or be hurtful to any it is either because they are hypocrites and bee not that in deed which they professe themselues to be or because the old man yet remaining in them in some particulars preuaileth against their new man and the flesh against the spirit of adoption wherby they are regenerated do cry cal God their father Let vs yet proceed a little further coÌ„sider that the childreÌ„ of God are not only beneficial to men both of their own sort others but that likewise other creatures fare the better for theÌ„ As al things at the first were made for the vse of man very good when he should be made in the image of God in that respect were made no doubt the more excellent that they might bee the better to serue him that should bee made more excelleÌ„t then they to haue the dominion ouer theÌ„ so it is not to be doubted but that man falling away froÌ„ his excellencie the rest of the creatures also lost a great part of their excelleÌ„cy beauty wherin before they were created that so stil there might be the fitter proportion betwixt theÌ„ man who was to haue the vse of them Therefore it is expresly said that they grone as it were sigh with an earnest desire of release from that vanity wheâ—unto by the sin of man at the first coÌ„mitted daily increased they are made subiect As it is so with theÌ„ by the sin of man so it seemeth probable for in this case I am not pereÌ„ptory that as the nuÌ„ber of Gods elect do daily increase the image of God in mankind is generally more more repaired so the rest of the cretures of God find some release froÌ„ or at least some mitigatioÌ„ of their former seruitude boÌ„dage by the vanity whereto they were are yet subiect Moreouer as the childreÌ„ of God are fuller theÌ„ any other meÌ„ of the works of iustice mercy goodnes vnto men so are they vnto other creatures whether they be such as are coÌ„mon wherin none hath any propriety or such as particularly belong either to or others Touching the first viz. such as no man can challenge any proprietie of or any speciall right and interest as the Lord hath commanded that if a man doe finde a birds nest in the way in a tree or on the ground whether they be yoong or egges and the damme sitting vpon the yoong or egges that he that sindeth such a nest should not take the damme with her yoong but that be should oâ—ely take the yoong and let the damme goe Deut. 22. 5. 6. as I say the Lord commandeth this so the children of God that know this Commandement are ready to shew mercy in that behalfe according to the said Commandement Touching such creatures as whereof some haue a propritie it is said to him that hath such creatures Thou shalt not muzzell the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne Deut. 25. 4. which particular rule for the care of oxen that doe any thing for vs is likewise to be vnderstood generally of euery other creature the labour whereof we vse in our businesse According to this precept Salomon speaketh of the practise of Gods children and of other in that behalfe A righteous man regards the life of his beast but the mercies of the wicked are cruell Prou. 12. 10. Daily experience also teacheth that the godly haue great respect to their beasts both for their worke taking no more of them then they are able to do neither laying greater burdens vpon them then they are able to beare and also keeping them and giuing them meat accordingly Whereas on thâ— contrary we daily see the great crueltie of the wicked towards their working cattle making them to worke as long as they can goe on their legges yea sometime till they fall and sinke downe vnder their work laying extreme burdens vpon them keeping them so short for meat that they haue nothing but skinne and bone and most cruelly beating them as though themselues had made them and were able either to restore them to life or to make others new in their stead when they had by such hard dealing killed them The Lord sheweth how odious this is by opening Balaams assâ—s mouth to reprooue Balaam for smiting him for that wherein hee did better then hee Numbers 22. 28. Touching such creatures as belong to other the Lord commandeth thus If thou meet thine enemies Oxe or his Asse going astray thou shalt bring him to him againe If thou seest thine enemies Asse lying vnder his burden wilt thou cease to helpe him as if he should haue said wilt thou be so hard hearted and vnmercifull thou shalt helpe him vp againe Exod. 23. 4. As this is commanded so the children of God are ready to performe it In respect of this benefit that other creatures thus haue by the children of God as also in respect of the bondage wherein they are by the sinne of man vnto vanitie whereunto they are subiect we may very well thinke that if such creatures had knowledge vnderstanding and iudgement to discerne twixt the children of God and the wicked they would vtterly renounce all seruice of the wicked and wholly and only with all willingnesse and cheerefulnesse submit themselues vnto the children of God Thus much for the benefits that inferiour creatures I meane the creatures of this nether world doe receiue by them that are sealed with the spirit of adoption and therefore are regenerated and borne againe to be sonnes and daughters of God But is this all Not so wee may yet take one steppe further And as before we descended from man to other base creatures heere below so we may now from both those kinds ascend vnto the very heauens that is to principalities and powers in the heauenly places Touching these therefore it is first said by the Apostle that this was one speciall end of his ministerie and of the ministerie of the Gospell of others viz. to make cleere vnto all men what the fellowship of the mysterie is which from the beginning of the world had beene hid in God Wherefore vnto all men That so vnto principalities and powers in heauenly places might be
the lips of him that is asleepe to speake by this similitude signifying that the word of God in the custodie of the Church and deliuered by her ministery is like to wine that sparkleth vpward and which worketh so powerfully being the word of life that euen the dead hearing the voice of God therein are awakened and haue their mouthes opened to speake to his praise These be the chiefe similitudes whereby Salomon in that most excellent song called therefore The Song of Songs that is the most excellent of all songs whereby I say Salomon in that most diuine song generally setteth foorth the excellencie of the whole Church and the which may bee applied to euery particular member of the same In respect therefore of these similitudes wee may well conclude againe the state of all the children of God to bee the more excellent Besides these let vs also briefly consider of some other similitudes whereby in other respects the dignitie of Gods children is likewise set foorth vnto vs. First therefore let vs call to minde the excellent speech of that wicked man Balaam which notwithstanding hee spake not of himselfe but by the holy Ghost and wherein he prophecieth most diuinely of the state of the Israelites comparing them most elegantly in one sentence to diuers things As the vallies saith hee are they stretched out as the gardens by the riuers as the Aloe trees which the Lord bath planted as the Cedars besides the waters Num. 24. 6. That which he speaketh of the children of Israel may much more be spoken of all the true Israel of God euen of all that by regeneration and adoption are such children of God as now we speake of Secondly let that also bee remembred that is Psal 1. 3. where the children of God by other properties described in the two first verses the Prophet saith further that they shall be like trees planted by the riuers of water which doe bring foorth their fruit in due season whose leafe shall not fade The application of which similitude he maketh in the next words saying Se whatsoeuer he doth shall prosper then hee addeth a contrary similitude of the wicked saying the wicked are not so but as the chaffe which the winde driueth away verse 4. The Prophet Ieremie hath the like in a manner of both I meane both of the children of God and also of the wicked But first of the wicked then of the children of God for hauing set downe this generall sentence of the wicked Cursed is the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme and withdraweth his heart from the Lord so doe all the wicked then hee proueth the same by a similitude for he shall bee like the heath in the wildernes and shall not see when any good commeth but shall inhabit the parched places in the wildernes in a salt land and not inhabited Chap. 17. 5. 6. In the very next verses hee addeth the contrary of the children of God saying blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is such are the children of God for hee shall be as a tree that is planted by the waters which spreadeth out her roote by the riuer and shall not feele when the heate commeth but her leafe shal be green and shal not care for the yeare of drought neither shall cease from yeelding fruit In the Psalme 92. 12. the Prophet commendeth the righteous by these similitudes the righteous shall flourish like a palme tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon such as bee planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God they shall bring forth fruit in their age they shall bee far and flourishing But of the wicked it is said the wicked shall perish and the enemies of the Lord shall bee consumed as the fat of Lambes euen with the smoke they shall be consumed Psalm 37. 20. We haue heard likewise before other similitudes in respect of the certaine estate of Gods children viz. that they are said to bee like to mount Sion and like to Ierusalem compassed about with mighty mountaines Psal 125. 1. 2. and like a house built vpon a rocke against which no stormes can preuaile whereas on the contrary the wicked though hearing the word but not doing it are compared to a house built vpon the sand which when stormes and tempests came was ouerthrowne Mat. 7. 24. With these let vs remember the comparison before mentioned of the children of God vnto a thing hallowed to the Lord and vnto his first fruits Ierem. 2. 3. The Prophet Zacharie compareth the people of God to the Apple of Gods eie Zach. 2. 8. By both these similitudes the holy Ghost teacheth that as things in the law consecrated to God as the first fruits and other things were pretious vnto God and as euery man accounteth highly of the apple of his eie and is very tender thereof so all the children of God are very pretious to God and he is very tender of them Doe not all these similitudes much set foorth the excellent state and condition of Gods children There are many other the like similitudes but hauing giuen this tast of these I will leaue the rest to the reader as he shall meet with them in the scripture To come to other comparisons if it were a great honor to the Israelites to be called the people of God yea such an honor as that in that respect they were more excellent then all other nations how great a thing then is it now for them that at that time were no such people of God to be called the sonnes of the liuing God Hos 1. 10. Paul often calleth himselfe the seruant of Iesus Christ the sonne of God as reioicing in that name and thinking the same more honourable then if hee had beene heire of all the monarches of the world And indeed what seruice of anie King or of all Kings is comparable to the seruice of God King of kings are able to giue such rewards for their seruice as there is in keeping of Gods commandements Psalme 19. 11. If it bee such an honour to bee the seruant of the Sonne of God is it not much more to bee the sonne or daughter of God himselfe Let no man here obiect that the difference is not great because they that are seruants of Iesus Christ are also the children of God For though this were so in the particular example of Paul yet it is not so in the generall all are not the children of God that are the seruants of Iesus Christ or of God himselfe Iudas was a seruant of Iesus Christ as well as the rest of the Apostles Nebuchadnezer is called the seruant of God Ierem 27. 6. yet neither of them both were the sonnes of God by adoption such as we doe now speake of It is a great honour to bee called the friend of God as Abraham is called Iames 2. 23. as likewise for Lazarus to be called by