they can defend themselues by the 7. commandement by many precepts of Salomon against such sins Pro. 5. 3. to the 15. Pro 6. 25 c. 7. 22. 22. 14. 23. 26 c. 29. 3. and of Agur Pro. 30. 18. 20. and by many rebukes thereof in the Prophets Iere. 5. 8. Hose 4 10. Amos 2. 7. Mica 3. 5. and in the new testament Eph. 5. 3. Colos 3. 5. Heb. 13. 4. So likewise by the example of a chast mind in Ioseph Gen. 39. 9. and in Iob Chap. 31. 1. 9. and lastly by the iudgements of God not only vpon the Gibeonites for their horrible abusing the Leuites wife but also first vpon the Israelites for being so forward to punish Note the Gibeonites and yet not thinking vpon the Leuit both for hauing a concubine and also for hauing an harlot to his concubine and seeking her vp againe as though she had been an honest and graue matrone when she had most whorishly and wickedly run away from him Iudg. 20. and by exclusion of such out of the kingdom of heauen 1. Cor. 6. 9. Ephe. 5. 5. Reuel 21. 8. and 22. 15. The worldly allurements to theft couetousnesse and to other vniust hard dealing with men concerning their goods and prouocations to withhold their owne when necessity requireth the bestowing of them vpon other they can resist and ouercome by the eight commandement and by many other precepts to the same purpose and by Zech. 5. 2. 3. as also by the great oath of the Lord by his owne excellency against them that swallowed vp the poore and that thought so long for the end of euery new month day and of the Sabbath for setting forth wheat and making the Epha small Amos 8 4 c. and by the iudgements of God vpon Achan Nabal Gehezi Ahab Iudas Isâ—ariot other If any motions be to beare false witnesse to ly c. they haue at hand the ninth commandement with Exod. 23. 1. Leuit. 19. 11. Psal 5. 〈◊〉 and 15 2. 52. 6. Pro. 6. 19. 12. 18. and 22. and 19. 5. 21. 18. and â—4 28. and 25. 18. and that our Sauiour saith The diuell is a lyar and the father thereof Ioh. 8. 44. and the iudgements of God vpon Gehazi as well for his lying as for his greedy couetousnesse and that lyars are reckoned vp among the fearefull and the vnbeleeuing c. which shall haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone Reuel 21. 8. and that whosoeuer loueth or maketh lies shall be without with dogs c. Reuel 22. 15. Against all concupiscence and first motions against our neighbor they haue the tenth commandement and that such concupiscence is the fountaine of actuall sinnes which bring death Iames 1. 14. 15. and the complaint of the Apostle against the same with earnest desire to be released disburdened thereof Rom. 7. 24. That that hath been said of the priuiledge of the children of God by the sword of the Spirit the word of God for their defence against the former tentations may be said touching other tentations also vnto other sinnes The like may be said concerning errors and heresies Let vs take a short view of some of the popish heresies whereunto so many Iesuits and other Romish croaking frogs in euery citie towne village and almost family doe now so busily perswade all states and degrees of men women children and whereof great multitudes of euery state sex age are as apprehensiue because they haue not beleeued the truth of the Gospell thus long preached vnto them but haue had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse 2. Thes 2. 12 as the Iewes were mad vpon sacrificing to the host of heauen Ierem. 7. 18. and as any children are to see plaies goodly shewes and other such vanities Do such frogs therefore and Romish serpents perswade that none can know the scriptures to be of God but by the authority of the Church Against this the children of God may defend themselues by these arguments out of the word First that the Church hath no authority aboue the scriptures and that the scriptures take no authority from the Church First because the Church being a company of men therefore as Christ himselfe receiueth not the record of man though as good as Iohn Baptist Iohn 5. 34. so neither doth the Scripture Secondly because the word being without error and teaching that all men are subiect to error it cannot therefore receiue authority from them much lesse be subiect vnto them Thirdly because the Scripture is the testimonie of God and the testimony of God is greater then the testimonie of man 1. Iohn 5. 9. Fourthly because the Church hauing all her authority from the word for how shall the Church proue that she hath any authority but by the word the word cannot haue any from the Church Fiftlie because the Church is none of the witnesses reckoned 1. Ioh. 5. 7. 8. Sixtly because they that will not beleeue the scriptures will neither beleeue one raised from the dead Luk 16. 31. nor Christ himselfe if hee were here to speake personallie vnto them Iohn 5. 47. How then will they beleeue the Church that will not belieue the scriptures Secondly the children of God haue this to plead against the former heresie viz. that many other things doe witnesse the scriptures to be of God though the Church should not only be silent in that behalfe but also vtterly deny the same Namely first of all the spirit of God whereby they are sealed and crie Abba father which searcheth all things euen the deepe things of God so that as no man knoweth the things of a man but the spirit of a man which is in him so no man knoweth the things of God but the spirit of God 1. Cor. 2. 10. 11. If no man know the things of God but the spirit of God how can any man know the scriptures themselues but by the spirit of God For where are the things of God but in the Scripture How also can any man not know the Scriptures to be of God that hath the spirit of God Secondly the children of God know the scriptures to be of God by the pure and holy matter of the scriptures agreeable to the nature of God himselfe Thirdly by the disagreement of the scriptures to the nature of man condemning whatsoeuer commeth from the same the children of God vnderstand the scriptures not to be of man and therefore consequently of God Fourthly by the excellent harmony of all the scripture and by the perpetuall euen threed of truth spunne thorowout them without any knot of vntruth from the beginning to the ending Fiftly they know the same by the diuine stile and phrase of the scripture sauoring altogether of God himselfe Sixtly by the iust accomplishment of all things foretold in the scripture and that in the manner and time therein also mentioned Seuenthly by the mighty effects of the word at the preaching
verse 16. He teacheth hereby first that the former commandement for calling vpon God in the day of trouble was giuen only Note to the godly because by way of opposition God immediatly speaketh otherwise to the wicked Secondly that if the wicked for all that will pray yet the Lord is so far from approuing them in such praiers that he reproueth them rather for vsing that his ordinance not belonging vnto them and for taking his couenant in their mouth without which all praiers are without grace without good successe So the Lord by the Prophet Isaiah also reproueth the Iewes and all their sacrifices with their obseruation of new moones and appointed feasts and with their praiers all which notwithstanding he had commanded his people the Lord I say reproueth all those things in the Iewes for their wickednesse and saith Who required this at your hands to tread in my courts Isaiah 1. 12. and therefore afterward he biddeth them if they will haue their such seruice accepted of him to wash and make cleane themselues to take away the euill of their workes from before his eyes to cease to doe euill to learne to doe well to seeke iudgement c. vers 16. 17. So by the Prophet Ieremiah he saith to the Iewes of that time Will ye steale murder and sweare falsly and burne incense vnto Baal c. and come and stand before me in this house whereupon my name is called c. Iere. 7. 9. c Doth not the Lord thereby teach vs that the wicked should not without repentance so much as once enter into the house of praier In the seuenth of Matthew and words of our Sauiour before alledged If ye that are euill can giue good things to your children that aske them how much more shall your father in heauen giue good things to them that aske them and in the preface to the forme of praier prescribed by our Sauiour Our father which art in heauen Mat. 6. 9. doth not our Sauiour teach vs that praier belongeth only to the children of God that may call God their father doth not the Apostle likewise teach the same when he saith that We haue receiued the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father Rom. 8 15. We may also obserue that the Apostles doe seldome command Note praier but in the latter end of their Epistles after they haue taught God to bee the Father of them to whom they write and them to behaue themselues like children towards God as Rom 15. 30. Ephes 6. 18. Colos 4. 2. 1. Thess 5. 17. 2. Thess 3. 1. Heb. 13. 18. So also the Prophets do seldome exhort to praier but after their exhortations to repentance and to the honoring of God as a father Hose 14. 2. Ioel 2. 13. and 17. At the least the Prophets and Apostles do ioine seeking of God whiles he is neere and calling vpon him whiles hee may be found with exhortations for the wicked to forsake his waies and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and to returne to the Lord c. Isa 55. 6. 7. and drawing neere to God with hearts sprinkled from an euill conscience and bodies washed with pure water c. Heb. 10. 22. and with cleansing of hands and purging of hearts Iames 4. 8. So it is also said Let euery one that calleth on the name of Christ depart from iniquity 2. Tim. 2. 19. As all commandements for praying doe thus belong onely to the children of God so all commendations of praier are only of the praiers of faith and of the righteous Iames 5. 15. and 16. and of the Saints Reu. 5. 8. Therefore also the blinde man whose eies Christ had opened saith of the praiers both of sinners and also of the worshippers of God We know that God heareth not sinners but if any man bee a worshipper of God and doe his will him heareth he Ioh. 9. 31. The Prophet saith If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare me Psal 66. 18. Salomon saith The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord but the praier of the righteous is acceptable vnto him Prou. 15. 8. And againe The Lord is farre off from the wicked but he heareth the praier of the righteous vers 29. And againe He that turneth away his eare from hearing the Law euen his praier shall be abominable Pro. 28. 9. As I haue shewed by diuers examples before how acceptable the praiers of Gods children are vnto him so I might by diuers examples shew how the Lord hath reiected the praiers of the wicked from time to time not only of the Iewes as before we heard at Isaiahs first prophecying and in the daies of Ieremiah but also afterward as appeareth Isa 58. 3. c. and 59. 1. and Ier. 14. 12. Eze. 14. 1. c. and 20. 3. c. and of the Israelites long before Iudg. 10. 10. c. That sometimes God hath heard the praiers of some wicked men it is either because some of his children haue ioined in such praiers or because the things granted by the Lord haue as much concerned some of his children as them that haue made such praiers or that by hearing so the wicked he may either breake their hearts or make them the more inexcusable Furthermore let vs vnderstand concerning praier that thereby the children of God haue not onely a priuilege in that they may come themselues to make their owne praiers vnto God but also in that they are likewise partaker of the praiers of one another Euery child of God through the world is partaker of all the common praiers of all the children of God liuing vpon the earth wheresoeuer dispersed No man at any time in faith and truth praieth according to the forme of praier prescribed by our Sauiour but that therein he commendeth vnto God all the members of Christ liuing vpon the earth and that may as well as any other call God their Father which is in heauen They that are dead as before wee haue heard haue no need of the praiers of the liuing neither any benefit by such praiers yet the liuing haue very great neede of the praiers one of another and haue also great benefit by such praiers Especially such as are specially and particularly by name so commended to God by other haue the more speciall benefit by such remembrance Yea not onely haue the meanest of Gods children much benefit by the praiers of them that are of the greatest faith zeale and godlinesse but they that haue the greatest measure of faith zeale and godlinesse haue helpe also and benefit by the praiers of the meanest and weakest Therefore as all the Israelites fearing death both for their owne sinnes and also for their asking a King did earnestly intreat Samuel to pray for them lest according to their feare they died 1. Sam 12. 19. So Paul himselfe doth often very instantly craue the praiers of all those to whom he did write of poore and rich of
THE DIGNITIE of Gods children OR AN EXPOSITION OF 1. IOHN 3. 1. 2. 3. Plentifully shewing the comfortable happie and most blessed state of all Gods children and also on the contrarie the base fearefull and most wofull condition of all other that are not the children of GOD. PROV 12. 26. The righteous is more excellent then his neighbor but the way of the wicked will deceiue them IOHN 1. 12. 13. As manie as receiued him to them he gaue prerogatiue to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name Which are borne not of blood nor of the will of flesh nor of the will of man but of God LONDON Printed by Thomas Haueland for Thomas Man and are to be sold at his shop in Paternoster Row at the signe of the Talbot 1610. TO THE NOBILITY AND GENTRY OF GREAT BRITAINE Grace and Peace RIGHT Honorable and right Worshipfull to you all and to euery one of you am I bold to present and dedicate this my treatise of the dignity of Gods children not so much searing the same to be offensiue to any of you either by the meannesse obscurity of my person or by the plaine and homely manner of writing thereof as hoping it will be acceptable to you all for the argument and subiect matter therein handled For to whom more fitly appertaineth the dedication of a treatise of the dignitie of the sonnes of the Psal 29. 1. Almighty in heauen then to those who are called the sonnes of the mighty in earth Although also it behooueth all well to consider and to make good vse of the whole treatise yet the same especially belongeth to all that are of highest honor and dignity in the world For to whomsoeuer much is giuen of Luk. 12. 48. him shall be much required And the more eminent that any are in place the more excellent ought the same to shew themselues in grace Our dread Soueraigne writing to his most princely Sonne by many golden sentences teacheth that as any 1. 〈◊〉 pag. 4. in dignity be erected aboue other so they ought in thankefulnesse towards God that hath aduanced them goe as far beyond all other and that the highnesse of any dignity doth not diminâ—sh but rather much increase the faults of such as are in such dignity The same also is grounded vpon the commandement of the Soueraign of all soueraignes euen of the mighty God and Lord of heauen and earth touching a greater sacrifice for the ruler of the people offending of ignorance then for a priuate person in like manner transgressing 〈◊〉 4. 22. â— â—7 Is not the same much more to be said of the ruler of the people that offendeth of knowledge As in these respects I was the bolder to dedicate these my labors to your Honors and Worships so not fearing any imputation of presumption I thought it more fit to dedicat the same to you all generally then to any one or to some few particularly that so none might think himselfe excluded and that euery one might accept them as dedicated to himselfe and so vouchsafe to read them the more diligently and to make the better vse of them according to his place The rather also did I take incouragement so to doe that yee especially might by these my labors the more cleerly see that without this dignity in this treatise set sorth and the right vse of the same all nobility honor and dignity in this world is of no value of no price of no account As age is a crowne of glory being found in the way of righteousnesse Prov. 16. 31. and no otherwise so may it be said of nobility and of all other dignities of the world The description of the sonnes of Nobles by eating in time for strength and not for drunkennesse this sobriety in eating and drinking for Eccles 10. 17. the rarenesse of it in great persons of the world being synecdochically put for all vertues This description I say of the sonnes of nobles doth plainly teach them only to be truly worthy of the said honorable title which by the foresaid vertue and all other accompanying the same do shew themselues to be the children of God Doth not the same Salomon also say without exception of any degree in the world that the righteous is more Prov. 12. 26. excellent then his neighbor Elsewhere also he preferreth not a great name but a good name aboue great riches and Prov. 22. 1. Ecces 7. 3. before precious ointment both which commonly are apurtenances and ornaments of nobility and other worldly dignity What is a good name but such a name as is gotten by doing of those things which belong to the children of God The former point is further euident by diuers reasons For all honor and dignity according to this world is only in this world But the dignity of being the sennes of the most High is also in heauen For ye shal afterward see in the treatise that the children of God doe sit with Christ Iesus in the heavenly places euen while they are here in the earth All worldly honors and dignities doe end with this life For as in the resurrection men shall neither marry wiues nor women shall be giuen in mariage so then Mat. 22. 30. there shall be neither Gentlemen nor Esquires nor Knights nor Barons nor any such degree of men but all shall be as one in Christ Iesus But the dignity of the children of God after this life is inlarged and in the resurrection shall be made greater then it was Euen then I say shall the dignity of adoption be increased when all worldly dignity shall be vtterly ceased As men are noble honorable or worshipfull in this world they are but in fauor with men but as they be the children of God they are in grace with God himselfe Worldly dignity doth but giue accesse to worldlie Princes but the dignity of adoption hath accesse with assurance of preuailing to the throne of him that is Lord of heauen and earth As here men are Dukes Marquesses Earles Vicounts Barons c. they haue but men to attend vpon them but the treatise following will shew that as any bee the children of God the glorious Angels of heauen do wait vpon them and continually guard them for their safety and further good As here men be in great place they haue but earthlie inheritances whereof they or theirs may be dispossessed and cleane disinherited But as they bee the children of God they haue an inheritance in heauen far passing all the kingdomes of the world and the which all the power of hell shall neuer take away Many other the like prerogatiues shall ye find in this treatise of the children of the Almighty in heauen far excelling the honors of the sons of the mighty in earth Of the which prerogatiues I do here giue you but this tast thereby the more to quicken your appetite and the better to incourage you to
as men halfe asleepe and halfe awake yea as men halfe blind and halfe seeing and as the blinde man whose eies our Sauiour had begunne to open and who said I see men walking like trees Marc. 8. 24. In this respect therefore the Apostle doth the rather heere say Behold what loue c. And because this heere spoken of is of another nature then the things of this world and of this life and because of our selues naturally we are all blinde sitting in darknesse and in the shadow of death Luc. 1. 79. Act. 26. 18. and because such of vs as haue the eies of our vnderstanding lightned haue them not so lightned but that we see only in part and as it were with spectacles thorow a glasse 1. Cor. 13. 12. so that still we had need to pray our selues and to bee praied for by other that the eies of our vnderstanding may bee further lightned Ephes 1. 18. and this weaknesse of sight in our inward man is partly by the reliques of sinne in vs and partly by the obiects of this world heere spoken of therefore wee haue the more need to be called vpon by other and also to prouoke our selues to behold what loue the Father hath giuen vnto vs to be called his children We haue hawkes eies and eagles eies to behold the glory of the world and the worldly dignities of the sonnes of men and that euen in the twilight yea in the darke night we need not be carried vp to the top of an high mountaine as our Sauiour was by the diuell Matth. 4. 8. Where note that if the Diuell Note had power ouer the outward man of Christ himselfe so without sinne to carrie him from place to place we may not think much if he haue power to vex our bodies Such things I say we can see easily enough in the lowest valley we need not be called vpon by other to behold them wee doe too much behold them of our selues But as touching this obiect of sight heere spoken of as Hagar saw not the Well of water that was hard by her till God opened her eies Genes 21. 19. and as the two Disciples that were going from Ierusalem to Emmaus walked and talked with our Sauiour Luc. 24. 16. and Mary did the like Iohn 20. 24. and yet discerned him not because their eies were holden so trulie is it not only with naturall and vnregenerated men but euen sometimes with them that are the children of God Though they be so yet for many causes heereafter to bee spoken of they doe not alwaies discerne themselues to bee so and therefore they haue need to bee spoken vnto as heere the Apostle speaketh Behold what great loue c. Yea the more necessarie is it that all men generally and euen the children of God be so spoken vnto in this behalfe because the word is the means whereby our eies should bee opened at the first to behold this and more and more afterward to behold it more cleerely For the Commandement of the Lord is pure and giueth light to the eies Psal 19. 8. as in other things so also in this Therefore our Sauiour in opening the eies of the bodily blinded men did Note not onely touch them and handle them but also spake vnto them thereby teaching that as himselfe is the Sonne of righteousnesse and the light of the world so his word is the meanes whereby the eies of our minde are to be opened Otherwise he could haue opened the bodily eies of men without any speech at all vnto them Therefore also the Apostle testifieth this to haue beene the end of his ministerie with the Gentiles euen to open their eies that they might turne from darknesse to light Act. 26. 18. But this being a part of regeneration it selfe it shall bee further manifest afterward by proofe of the whole worke of our regeneration to be by the word As it is necessary that at all times wee should be thus called vpon to consider of Gods loue in making vs his children so especially the same is most necessarie in the time of trouble and aduersitie For when haue wee more need of the comfort thereof then at such times For what greater comfort can there be then in considering the loue of God in this behalfe But because this is one speciall drift of this whole Treatise therefore I shall not need in this place particularly to enlarge it Thus much for obseruation of the first particular word in this Scripture CHAP. II. Containing obseruations of the foure next particular words in this Text the ground of the whole treatise viz. Of the word What. Of the word Loue. Of the word Father And of the word hath giuen THe second word to be considered is What or what manner Hee doth not say Behold the loue but Behold what loue or what maner of loue or how great loue This is a word commonly vsed in matters of admiration When our Sauiour by his word had pacified the windes and the seas it is said that the men that saw the said miracle maruelled saying What man is this or what manner of man is this that both the windes and the sea obey him Mat. 8. 27. In which place is the same word that is heere vsed by the Apostle So when the Angell was sent to the Virgin Mary to tell her that she should conceiue the Sonne of God in her wombe and when he had saluted her in this sort Haile Mary or Reioice Mary freely beloued c. it is said that she was troubled or maruelled at this speech and thought what manner of salutation that should be Luc. 1. 29. where also is the same word that is in this place This word therefore is an amplification of the loue of God in making vs his children heere spoken of by an adiunct or attribute that signifieth the same to be very great yea exceeding great yea so great that it is rather to be admired and wondered at then any waies fully to be expressed It signifieth as much as the word how in other places as O Lord of Hosts how amiable are thy Tabernacles Psal 84. 1. that is so amiable that they are also admirable O how loue I thy Law Psal 119. 97. that is I loue thy Law with a loue that cannot bee expressed I am euen sicke of loue towards thy Law as the Church speaketh of her loue towards Christ Cant. 2. 5. How beautifull are the feet of them that bring gladtidings of peace Rom. 10. 15. As if he should haue said so beautifull that no tongue of man can expresse the beautie of them no heart can well comprehend it And indeed we shall see by the handling of this dignitie of the children of God that it is such that as it is said of making Christ the stone which was reiected of the builders to bee the head stone of the corner This was the Lords worke and it is maruellous in our eies Psal 118. 23. so it may
is in them Ierem. 8. 9. So when Saul had made more haste then good speed in offering sacrifice before Samuels comming and that contrary to Samuels direction in that behalfe Samuel feared not to tell him that he had done foolishly because hee had not kept the commandement of God and that the Lord would haue stablished his kingdome for euer but that now his kingdome should not continue c. 1. Sam. 13. 13. 14. Because also Asa though otherwise a worthy king had made a couenant with Benbadad king of Syria to aide him against Baasha King of Israel Hanani the Seer did rebuke him in the very same termes telling him that hee had done foolishly c. as Samuel had reproued Saul 2. Chro. 16. 9. If therefore they were iustly charged to haue done foolishly because they had done that which they did against the commandement of God then by the same reason all naturall men be no better then fooles for asmuch as they doe all neglect and contemne the commandements of God The same is further manifest because Moses exhorteth the Israelites to the keeping of Gods commandements by this argument that they should be their wisedome and their vnderstanding in the sight of the people which hearing all those ordinances should say Onely this people is wise and of vnderstanding Deut. 4. 6. Moreouer Christ Iesus is called the wisedome of his father Luk. 11. 49. he is said to haue all the treasures of wisedome and of knowledge hid in him Coloss 2. 3. Vpon him the spirit of wisedome and vnderstanding the spirit of counsell and strength the spirit of knowledge and of the feare of the Lord doth rest Isai 11. 2. Where the vniting the spirit of wisedome vnderstanding Note counsell and knowledge with the spirit of feare doth teach that where there is not the spirit of feare but the spirit of boldnesse security presumption and other impiety there is not the spirit of wisedome of vnderstanding of counsell or of any true knowledge according to that before said in that behalfe He hath the seuen spirits of God in his hand Reuel â— 2. that is all the gifts of the spirit of God which though he be but one in his essence 1. Cor. 12. 11. Eph. 4. 4. yet is called seuen in respect of the diuersity of his gifts and more specially because of the seuen Churches to which he writeth those seuen Epistles and yet all that variety of gifts is called by the name of spirits because one and the selfe same spirit worketh them all or distributeth them all as the former place to the Corinthians witnesseth As therefore none could haue any corne in Egypt but by the hands of Ioseph so Christ Iesus is the high Lord Treasurer of heauen for the dispensing of all the gifts of the spirit in respect where of none can haue any but such only as come to his gates and giue attendance at the posts of his dores Pro. 8. 33. To comprehend all the arguments hitherto vsed in one thus I argue against all naturall and wicked men They that haue not the vnderstanding of Gods will reuealed in his written word They that feare not the Lord in keeping his commandements They that are without Christ Iesus are vtterly voide of true wisedome and therefore be starke fooles All naturall and wicked men are without vnderstanding of Gods will reuealed in his written word They feare not God in keeping his commandements and they are without Christ Therfore they are vtterly void of true wisedom and be stark fooles If any shall reply and ask how it can be that all before mentioned naturall and wicked men may be said to be without knowledge or vnderstanding I answer as before with addition notwithstanding of Iohns words He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him 1. Ioh. 2. 4. For indeed how can any man say that hee knoweth God to be most iust almighty and able to be reuenged of euery sinne against him and yet dareth to breake his commandements And how can any man say that he knoweth God to be most wise most gratious most kind most mercifull and long suffering and yet doth not loue him Or how can he say he loueth him and keepeth not his commandements Ioh. 14. 15. It is therefore most certaine that no man doth truly know God that doth not loue and obey him But let vs shew the former point all naturall men to be vnwise and foolish by some other reasons Thus therefore I proceed True wisedome maketh them that haue it the better All naturall and wicked men are no whit the better for all the learning and other knowledge they haue They lose all that they do according to such learning and knowledge They get nothing thereby but onely heape vp the more iudgement and condemnation to themselues Luk. 12. 47. Therefore consequently they are vnwise and fooles Doe we not so account of men in the world viz. that they are very simple men and of no vnderstanding yea starke fooles that shall altogether busie themselues and spend their time their strength and their wits and their mony about matters of no profit or that shall toile and moile early and late for trifles and neglect matters of moment great worth The best we say of such is that they are penny wise and pound foolish Why then may we not so iudge and speak of naturall men of all continuing in their natural condition which as was said before by Isaiah lay out siluer and not for bread and labor and be not satisfied Isai 55. 2. and which follow altogether vaine things as Samuel speaketh which shall not profit them 1. Sa. 12. 21. For certainly when they haue done al that they can yet it may be said to them as Paul speaketh to the Romanes What fruit haue you in those things Rom. 621. Yea though they should get neuer so much honour and wealth in the world yea though they should winne the whole world yet what profit shall they haue if they lose their owne soules Mark 8 36. May not God say vnto such for all their reputation for wisedome c. as he said to the rich man that hauing great increase of corne took care only for building his barnes greater and liuing after in pleasures and neuer thought of any thankfulnesse to God or of doing any good with his abundance vnto men O foole c. Luk. 12. 20. Moreouer as the word before translated vnwise Eph. 5. 17. Tit. 3. 3. and foolish Galat. 3. 1. signifieth mad men so in truth naturall men are no better then those whom for distraction or losse of their naturall wits we account mad men yea many distracted in their wits or bereaued of their vnderstanding either by abundance of melancholy or by feares or by some accident or by age c. are in a far better state for the life to come then meere naturall men so long as they doe
hatred is said to haue been more against Tamar then his loue had been towards her 2. Sam. 13. 15. Dogs loue in this manner for let their masters that doe alwaies feed them but vnawares tread a little vpon their foot and they will be ready to bite them by the leg if not to slie in their face It is far otherwise with the children of God For so many as are new borne not of mortall but of immortall seede by the word of God hauing purified their soules in obeying the truth to loue brotherly without feining doe accordingly loue with a pure heart feruently 1. Pe. 1. 23. Now although that place be vnderstood specially of brotherly loue yet he that loueth them that are begotten will much more loue him that hath begotten And indeed how can the children of God but loue him whom they know by his word to be so mighty so infinit so wise so iust and euery way so good in himselfe and so gracious so louing and so mercifull towards them whom he hath so loued as to make them his children in such manner as hitherto we haue heard and shall further heare As touching the loue of the children of God towards men especially towards such as are the children of God with themselues how can they but loue them that are his creatures and the workmanship of his hands yea and which doe resemble their heauenly father and their eldest brother and that are stamped with the same spirit wherewith themselues are stamped that are heires likewise of the same inheritance and for the loue of whom there be so many precepts to command it so many sentences to commend it so many promises to prouoke it so many examples to encourage vnto it In all these respects the said loue is very excellent and precious the more because it doth not only come from God alone but also because that thereby we know that wee are translated from death to life and that we are of the truth and shall before him assure our hearts 1. Ioh. 3. 14. The Apostle saith not that Note thereby we are translated and that thereby we are assured but only that we know our selues so to be So then this loue is a speciall part of the euidence of our saluation and of our comfortable appearance before him both in this life and also in the life to come euen in the great day when all flesh shall be gathered together and when the books of all mens actions known and secret shall be opened before him That which the Apostle in the former Chapter vers 29. had ascribed to the whole worke of regeneration is in the places before alledged ascribed to this one point thereof viz. our vnfeined loue towards other the children of God because indeed all other things are nothing without it 1. Cor. 13. 1. 2. and where that is there are all other graces either as causes working it and by it or as effects and fruits thereof comming from it and therefore as before we haue heard it is called the fulfilling of the law and the bond of perfection Our Sauiour also saith that vpon these two commandements Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy soule with all thy strength and with all thy minde and thy neighbour as thy selfe hangeth the whole law and the Prophets Mat. 22. 40 So that these two points either as they are to be performed by vs or as they Note be performed for vs by our Sauiour Christ Iesus are the text as it were of all the rest of the word of God which is so excellent that when Dauid had learned much thereof yet he praieth the Lord to open his eyes that he might see the wonders of his law Psal 119. 18. thereby nothing that the wonders of the law of God which he did see he accounted in a manner as nothing in respect of those which he did desire further to behold So also in further commendation of the excellency of the said law he saith againe Thy testimonies are wonderfull therefore doth my soule keepe them vers 129. If therefore the word of God be so excellent is not that also excellent that is the chiefe subiect matter thereof and whereunto all that is contained in the word some way or other may well be referred Notwithstanding although this loue be so excellent yet it is not as the papists blurt it out and stoutly defend it the forme of faith For then should it be a part of faith yea the chiefe part of faith and that part without which faith should haue no being at all because the forme doth giue being to that which is formed and so it should be no otherwise distinguished from faith then as a part of faith it selfe which is directly repugnant to that place which they especially plead for the magnifying of loue And now abideth faith hope and loue these three 1. Cor. 13. 13. For in this place we see the Apostle as plainly to distinguish loue from faith as he doth distinguish hope and to make these to be three How could this be if loue were a part of faith and if faith were no faith without loue Indeed there is no faith without loue but if therefore we should make loue to be the principall part of faith we should make many a mad conclusion Againe loue by the doctrine of the Papists vpon the former place is better then faith Can a part be better then the whole Then it should be better then it selfe with addition of another good thereunto Loue also is an effect of faith as before we heard out of 1. Tim. 1. 5. therefore it cannot be the forme of faith Last of al by faith we meane faith in Iesus Christ and euery mans beleeuing of the particular forgiuenesse of his own sinnes and of his own particular saluation by Iesus Christ The loue that is required of vs was in Adam before his fall in whom there was no such faith But to returne to the excellency of the loue before spoken of as we haue heard the loue of the wicked to be very variable and soone quenched yea turned oft times into extreme hatred so the loue of the children of God is most constant and abideth to the end Loue doth neuer fall away though that prophecying be abolished or the tongues cease or knowledge vanish away 1. Cor. 13. 8. The loue of the children of God being sincere without dissimulation Rom. 12. 9. well rooted and grounded Ephes 3. 18. vpon the word and in Christ Iesus it is constant without wearinesse either in affection or in action Gal. 6 9. As God loueth to the end whomsoeuer he loueth Ioh. 13. 1. so his children walke in the steps of the same loue Ephes 5. 1. 2. To conclude this point the more excellent this loue is a speciall point wherein consisteth the matter of our regeneration the more excellent also is the estate and condition of all the children of God so regenerated in whom alone it
to bee with them for the same end so it is not to bee doubted but that then they did and nowe daily do so For they are the good ground into which the good seede of Gods word falling bringeth foorth fruit some an hundred folde some sixty folde and some thirty folde Mat. 13. 23. or as Marke setteth downe the words in a contrary order one thirty another sixty and some an hundred Marke 4. 20. The which change of order is the more to bee obserued that neither they that bring forth Note an hundred fold should despise them that bring foorth but thirty folde neither they that bring bring foorth but thirty should be discouraged because they come short of them that bring foorth an hundred fold For though Matthew set the hundred folde in the first place and the thirty folde in the last place yet Mark setteth the thirty folde in the first place and the hundred fâ—ld in the last place Yea to be thus more and more abundant in the fruits of the spirit and of righteousnesse is that which our Sauiour hath promised To him that hath shall bee giuen and hee shall haue abundance Mat. 13. 12. and 25. 29. and again I am the vine and my father is the hus bandman euery branch that beareth not fruit in me he takeeh away and euery one that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit Iohn 15. 1. 2. The same is likewise taught by the two parables Mat. 13. 31. c. wherein the kingdome of heauen is compared first to a graine of mustard seed that being the least of all seeds groweth to a great tree secondly to leuen which beeing little seasoneth or sowreth an whole lump of dough The end also of the ministery of the gospell is not onelie that the Saints might bee gathered together but also that they might grow vp into him viz. into Christ which is the head by whom euery member receineth encrease Eph. 4 12. 14. 15. The prophet likewise saith that the righteous shall flourish like a palme tree and grow like the Cedars in Lebanon and that they that are planted in the house of God that is onely the children of God for without are dogges Reu. 22. 15. shall flourish in the courts of God and still bring forth fruit in their age and shall be fat and flourishing Psal 92. 12. 13. Finally the angel of the church of Thyatira is commended by our Sauiour to haue had more works at the lust then at the first Reuel 2. 19. By all these arguments who seeth not that it is a most honorable thing not onely to be so partaker of the death and resurrection of Christ as first I said as likewise of many other graces the least whereof is more worth then all the pearles and treasures riches of the earth but also to haue all the said excellent graces euery day more and more encreased in vs and to abound in such dainty and pleasant fruits as it were for Gods owne diet as whereto the most excellent fruits of the garden of Eden at the first planting thereof by God himselfe were nothing comparable For such as the tree is such is the fruit But the tree of these fruits being as before wee heard Christ Iesus himselfe is better then all the trees in the first garden of Eden Therefore the fruits of this tree so planted as it were in the garden of our hearts are like to the tree it selfe That all the children of God do not alwaies thus thriue prosper and beare fruit it is either because they doe not seeke it as they ought to doe or that they doe not vse such meanes as they should or that they are not alike incorporated into Christ or that they doe not alike beleeue the promise of God for the working and encreasing of those things in them as hath beene said they would or for some other such like cause To conclude this point all the former things so said are yet the more because the children of God doe not only beare such fruits and that in great abundance euery day more then before but also that they doe it with great delight and pleasure For so the man that is blessed is described viz. not onelie not to walke in the counsell of the wicked or not to stand in the waie of sinners or not to sitte in the seate of the scornefull but also to haue his delight in the lawe of the Lord Psalme 1. 1. 2. What In the reading of it onely or only in the study of it because it followeth that he meditateth therein day and night Not so but also in the practise and obedience of it This is manifest first by the opposition of this branch to the former of walking in the way of the wicked Secondly by that which followeth in verse 3. viz. that he is like the tree planted by the riuers of waters that bringeth forth not leaues but her fruit in due season So The fear of the Lord and great delight not in the histories nor in the eloquent phrases and sentences of the Scripture Note which beeing more excellent then all other histories eloquence whatsoeuer may and will delight a carnall man but in the commandements of the Lord are ioyned together as concurring in the man that is blessed Psal 112. 1. This is further euident by the example of Dauid who reioiced when they said vnto him wee will goe to the house of the Lord. Psal 122. 1. If he reioyced to see other forward in going to the house of the Lord did he not much more reioice to see them bring forth the fruit and that plentifully of their going to the house of the Lord And if he reioyced to see other so to doe shall we thinke that himselfe did not much more cheerfullie and gladly do the workes of God yea we see that he did For how did he ioy in the bringing home of the Arke Yea is it not sayd that he danced with all his might before the Lord 2. Sam. 6. 14. How glad also was he and how did hee reioice and blesse God when Abigail met him and perswaded him to change his mind and to reuoke his former vowe against Nabal How I say did he then reioyce and blesse God saying Blessed bee the Lord God of Israel that sent thee out this day to meete mee And blessed be thy counsell and blessed bee thou which hast kept me this day from comming to shed bloud 1. Sam. 25. 32. If he so reioyced for being kept from so great a sinne wee may well thinke that he much more reioyced in an higher degree of sanctification viz. in bearing the fruits of godlines aboundantly euery day more then other Such liberty haue all the children of God as that they are not only freed from the bondage of sinne and do bring forth the fruits of the spirit and of righteousnesse but that also they do this with great delight and ioy O sweet
thereof verily it was and therefore the remembrance of it afterward was that whereby he was healed of that wound Mat. 26. 75. What was the cause why the angell of the Church of Sardi was so wounded that though he had a name to be aliue yet hee was dead that is ready to die and at the point of death Euen because he had let go his hold of the sword of the spirit Therfore for curing of his said wound our Sauiour biddeth him to remember how he had receiued and heard to hold fast c. Reuel 3. 2. 3. the like may be said of all wounds of any other of the children of God at any time Thus the children of God must vse the word of God viz. not as a thing to play or sport with or whereof to make iests Note for the mirth of other but as a weapon and as a sword to fight with yea thus they will vse it that are indeede the children of God If at any time they be prouoked by other or by their owne hearts to distrust Gods prouidence they will defend themselues by many precepts for trusting in the Lord Psal 37. 3. and 62. 8. and for casting their care vpon God Psal 37. 5. and 52. 22. and 1. Pet. 5. 6. and by such sentences of scripture as pronounce him blessed that trusteth in the Lord Psalm 40. 4. and 84. 5. and 12. by many promises to them that so do annexed expresly for the most part to the former commādements by the iudgements of God vpon such as haue murmured against God Num. 11. 1. vpon such as haue doubted of Gods promises as vpon the noble man of Samaria that would not beleeue the Prophet in the name of the Lord prophecying of great plenty the next day 2. Kings 7. 2. and 20. yea vpon Moses himselfe for his distrust Num. 20. 12. and 27. 14. and Deut. 32. 50. 51. and lastly by the prouidence of God towards the widow of Zarepta and the Prophet Elijah 1 Kings 17. 6. and 8. c. and towards a widdowe of one of the sonnes of the prophets 2. Kings 4 1. c. and towards many thousands that following our Sauiour for foode of their soules were fed likewise abundantly and miraculously with corporall foode Mark. 6. 36. and 8. 2. c. If they be prouoked to security they can draw out this sword and plead Blessed is the man that feareth alway c. Pro. 28. 14. and that they are commanded to spend the time of their welling here in feare 1. Pet. 1. 17. and the iudgement of God threatned to them that were at ease in Zion c. Amos 6. 1. c. and the fearefull fall of Dauid by security 2. Sam. 11. 2. c. If they be prouoked to idolatry they can draw out the second commandement and many other scriptures as commentaries vpon the said commandement so also that that is written of the wrath of God against Israel for their golden Calfe Exod. 32. and for their other idolatry Iudg. 10. and often els where The like is to be said of tentations against the third and fourth commandement When they are moued to pride they can call to mind the manifold precepts and sentences against it Deut. 8. 14. Psal 75. 4. Pro. 6. 17. and 16. 5. Iames 4. 6. 1. Pet. 5. 5. so also the examples of Haman and Nebuchadnezer with Sancherib and the iudgements of God not onely vpon them but also vpon Vzzia King of Iuda for presuming to meddle with the Priests office in offering of sacrifice 2. Chron. 26. 20. and vpon Dauid for numbring the people in a kind of pride 2. Sam. 24. and vpon Hezekiah for hauing his heart lifted vp after the recouery of his health 2. Chron. 32. 25. c. Being tempted to dishonor of parents they can repell such tentations by the fift commandement and by many other Scriptures against the same sinne as also by Agars curse against the eye that mocketh his father and despiseth the instruction of his mother viz. that the rauens of the valley shall pluck it out and that the yong Eagles shall eat it Pro. 30. 17. as also they can remember the examples of Absalom and of Adonijah and the iudgements of God vpon them Being enticed by Papists or other to rebellion treason or lifting vp their hand against Princes and the Lords annointed they can oppose the contrary commandements for obedience and subiection in the Lord of euery soule to the higher powers Rom. 13. 1. 1. Pet. 2. 13. and the fearefull iudgements of God vpon Corah Dathan and Abiram with their complices yea the deposing also of Abiathar the high Priest from the priesthood by Salomon because he had ioyned with Adonija for preuenting Salomon of the Crowne before he was King 1. Kings 1. 7. and 2. 35. If either their owne hearts or any other perswade them to contempt of the ministers of the Gospell either for plaine rebuking them for their sinnes or for any other causes they can obiect that the Lord hath commanded such to be had in singular loue for their works sake 1. Thes 5. 12. 13. that our Sauiour hath said He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Luk 10. 16. and that It shall be easier for them of the land of Sodome and Gomorrha in the day of iudgement then for that City and consequently for that family and for those persons that shall not receiue such nor heare their words Mat. 10. 13. 14. and that likewise the Lord did not only not prosper good king Asa after that he had put Hanani the Seer into prison for rebuking him for resting vpon the king of Aram c. 2. Chro. 16. 10. but that also he did send two beares out of the forrest that tare in pieces 42. of those wanton children that had reuiled mocked the Prophet Elisha and said vnto him Come vp thou bald-head Com vp thou bald-head 2. King 2. 23. 24. and that yet the least minister of the gospell is greater then Iohn Baptist who notwithstanding was greater then any Prophet Mat. 11. 11. Being moued to murder or to any other cruelty they can hold out the sixt commandement Luk. 6. 36. the commendation of mercy aboue sacrifice Hose 6. 6. and that Iames saith there shall be iudgement or condemnation mercilesse to him that sheweth no mercy Iam. 2. 13. the iudgement of God vpon Cain for the murder of Abel Gen. 4. and vpon the Egyptiās for their cruelty towards the Israelites and vpon all Israel by a great famine towards the latter end of the raign of Dauid for the cruelty of Saul against the Gibeonites 2. Sam. 21. 1. c. and after that vpon Iuda long after the death of Manasses as for other sinnes of Manasses so also for the innocent blood that he had shed 2. Kings 24. 4. Against temptations to adultery fornication and other vncleannesse
children there is but one amongst them all accounted the heire But the children of God though they be many euen as the starres of heauen and the sand by the seashore Gen. 15. 5. and 22. 17. yet they are all heires Yea whereas great men hauing both sonnes and daughters diuide their inheritance for the most part onely amongst their sonnes though also of many sonnes they make but one heire and doe but giue portions of mony to their daughters here the daughters of God shall be heires as well as the sonnes of God The reason of this community of inheritance of all the children of God is from the like communion betwixt Christ himselfe and them The children of men are all and euery one children in themselues they are not children by the eldest or by the heire but the children of God are not children in themselues but only in Christ as before hath been shewed in whom all are one both male and female Galat. 3. 28. There is yet another difference viz. that whereas the children of men do inherit only when their parents die by whom their inheritance commeth vnto them sometimes the Father somtimes the mother all the children of God do inherit their father God himselfe liuing with them for euer Againe whereas somtimes the children of men may indeed be all said to be heires yet the inheritances of them are distinguished one from another the eldest hauing his inheritance by himselfe and euery one of the other hauing his seuerall inheritance the eldest being somtimes heire to all the freeland and the yongest to all the copy hold c. But the children of God are all heires of one and the same inheritance yea they are heires as I sayd annexed with Christ Iesus the only sonne of God by nature Euen by him are they heires through adoption in him of the same inheritance whereof he is heire in which respect their inheritance is called the kingdome of Christ and of God Ephes 5. 5. Neither can it be otherwise sith before we heard they are made one with Christ and in Christ c. This is a great dignity This is a wonderfull prerogatiue and such as is the perfection of all other and wherein all the former or the most of them doe cease Yea this is such that the very Angels of heauen are said as it were to put forth their necks and in some sort to stretch out themselues to behold it 1. Pet. 1. 12. It is much that before we heard that many of Christs titles are communicated to the children of God but this is much more namely that the inheritance of Christ euen the kingdome of God in heauen is theirs For herein especially doth that their kingly dignity before handled consist as before hath been shewed This inheritance was typically fore-signified and shadowed out to the Israelites by the land of Canaan and therefore it is called by this name of an inheritance which properly signifieth a diuision made by lot So is the future condition of Gods children called that it might the better appeare to haue been before represented by the land of Canaan which according to the commandement of God Numb 26. 55. and 33. 54. was indeed by Lot diuided when the Israelites came to the possession of it Iosh 14. 2. c. So would the Lord haue that land to be diuided that the bestowing therof vpon the Israelites might be imputed only to Gods goodnesse not to any merit or worthinesse of their own For The lot being wholly disposed according to the pleasure of the Lord Pro. 16. 33. what merit can there be imagined for any thing that falleth thereby So the Lord would much more teach them that if the type were without respect of any worthinesse in them much more the kingdom of heauen shadowed out by the type was to be imputed to the only free and gratious gift of God Rom. 6. 23. where the word translated the gift of God signifieth the free gift of God or a gift of the free grace of God This doth not a little amplifie and increase the dignity of the children of God The greater gifts that a Prince giueth freely vnto any subiect the more doth such a Prince honor such a subiect How great a grace then and dignity is this for the children of God to be heires of the kingdom of God only by the grace and free gift of God without any price giuen for it without any merit desert and worthinesse of it As the Apostle Peter doth appropriate this inheritance onelie to them Whom God the Father of his rich mercie hath begotten againe 1. Pet. 1. 3. 4. so doth our Sauiour by one sentence twice with great vehemency repeated to Nicodemus Verely verely I say vnto thee except a man bee borne againe he cannot see the kingdome of God and the second time Verely verely I say vnto thee except a man be borne of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Ioh. 3. 3. and 5. And againe our Sauiour saith not Feare not little flocke it is the Fathers pleasure to giue a kingdome but he putteth in the Pronowns your and you saying It is your Fathers will to Note giue you a kingdome Luke 12. 32. Where the words your Father haue also relation onely to them that are his children and which may call God their Father Therefore also they that are so borne againe are called by our Sauiour the children of the kingdome Matt. 13. 38. As it is high treason for any man to say that hee is heire apparant to an earthly king if he be not of the blood royall so and much more is it high treason against the king of heauen and earth for any man to boast that hee hopeth for the kingdome of heauen which is not of the blood royall that I may so speake of God himselfe that is which by regeneration is none of Gods children As in the time of Ezra after the returne of the people from captiuitie some that would haue beene priests sought their writings of the generalogies and could not be found and were therefore put from the priesthood or rather they were kept from it Ezra 2. 62. So whosoeuer they be that would haue this inheritance if by searching and examining their euidences by the word of God they shall not find themselues to bee new borne of God they shall be sure to be kept from the kingdome of God This inheritance is Crowne-land euen such as is annexed to Christs owne crowne and cannot bee alienated from it no not by lease or for any tearme of yeeres therefore none can haue it but such as are members of Christ and made one with Christ As it is said that God cannot lie Tit. 1. 2. so it may be said that neither God nor Christ can giue this inheritance to any but onely to them that beeing incorporated into Christ and so made members of Christ are also the children and heires of God When the
that behalfe then did Ebedmelech finde fauour and was deliuered from captiuitie according to Ieremiahs prophecie also thereof when the Iewes were taken captiue c. Ierem. 39. 16. 17. How also did the Lord recompence the widow of Zarephath for her kindnesse towards Elisa when hauing but an handfull of meale in a barrell and a little oile no more then would make a cake for one meale of her and her sonne then to die because of the extreme famine in those daies vet she beleeued the word of the Lord by Elisa and did cheerefully make him a cake first before she made any thing for her selfe and for her sonne For first of all that meale in her barrell and that oile in her cruse did not waste or diminish vntill the Lord sent raine vpon the earth and secondly when her sonne afterward falling sicke died by the meanes of the said Elisa hee was restored againe to life 1. King 17. 10. c. so her kindnesse receâ—ued a double recompence How plentifully also was the kindnesse of the Shunamite towards Elisha recompenced â—viz fourefold First by the gift of a sonne vnto her in her latter age when she had beene barren alwares before Secondly by restoring her sard sonne to life againe being dead 2. King 4. 8. c. Thirdly by admonishing her before hand of the seuen yeeres famine to come and aduising her to goe some where with her familie to soâ—ourne during that time of famine And fourthly bv directing her at her returne after those seuen yeeres to come at that very instant to make petition to the King for her lands which in her absence seemed to haue beene seized to the Kings vse when Gehazi was making report to the King of the great acts that Elisha his master had done and particularly how he had raised this womans son from death to life For by this meanes Gebizi telling the King that this was the woman vpon whose sonne Elisha had done that great cure shee did not only speedily recouer her lands but the King also vpon her confessing her selfe to bee the said woman commanded all the meane profits of the land to be restored vnto her euen all the fâ—uits of her lands since the day she had left the land vntill that very time 2. King 8 1. c. So euen that wicked man teacheth all men to shew most fauour to such whom they vnderstand the Lord Note most to haue fauoured and to doe most for them for whom the Lord hath done most The good counsell that Iethro the father in law of Moses gaue vnto Moses for the ease of him of that great burden which he saw to be too heauv for him and for the better gouernmeâ—t of the people Exod. 18. 18 c. was not forgotten but most graciously remembred For diuers hundred yeeres after when all men would haue thought that kindnes to haue beene dead and buried in the graue of euerlasting obliuion the Lord raâ—sed vp one to recompence the same that was of all other the most vnlikely as before he had fet water out of the rocke Euen Saul that was most vngratefull to Dauid that had done most valiantly for him and for all his people that afterward most cruelly slew in one dav 85 persons of the Lords Priests and most bloodily smote the whole câ—â—y Nob the city of the Pâ—â—ests with the edge of the sword both man and woman both childe and suckling both oxe and asse and sheepe 1. Note Sam. 22. 18. c. as it were in despight of God and to bee reuenged of him for casting him off because hee had not done the like against the Amalekites according to Gods Commandement in that behalfe 1 Sam. 15. 1. c and who also before chap. 14. 44. and afterward chap. 20. 33. for Dauids sake would haue killed his owne sonne Ionathan Euen this wicked barbarous hard-hearted and desperate Saul did the Lord raise vp to remember the foresard kindnesse of Iethro to his posteritie yea to be importune with them for recompencing the same For being sent against the Amalekites and there finding the Kenits dwelling among them who were the Kenits but the posteritie of Iethro which was also called Keni Iudg. 1. 16. spake very earnestly vnto them to depart c. saying Goe depart and get yee downe from among the Amalekites list I destroy you with them for ye shewed mercie to all the children of Israel when they came from Egypt 1. Sam. 15. 6. What was the mercie of the Kenits but the fore said counsell of Iethro their father Behold therfore a worthy example of iustice in a most vniust man not to bee so ouercome with surie against some whom God himselfe will haue to bee destroied as to forget kindnesse towards them that haue not offended but are rather in respect of themselues or of their ancestours worthie of kindnesse A comfortable president also for all the children of God to teath them not despaire but to know that the Lord can make them that are of themselues most cruell to shew them mercie in their distresse Finally a most excellent spurre likewise to quicken and prouoke al men to be the more ready to shew fauour vnto the children of God sith the same may be remembred euen by such to their posterity long after when themselues shall be dead and rotten yea not onely to prouoke them to do good to them that haue done any good for themselues but also to those that haue done good to their predecessours and forefathers yea to the posteritie of such as by whom their forefathers haue receiued any benefit All this was the more in Saul not onely because he was such an one as he was but also because we read not of any such expresse commandement for the shewing of that kindnesse to the Kenits as before Saul had receiued for seuerity against the Amalekites where therefore we may further obserue from that which is in the same chapter recorded of Sauls shewing fauor to the Amalekits contrary to Gods commandement that the more expresly God forbiddeth vs any thing the more ready we are to doe that which he so forbiddeth Thus much for performance of Gods promise to all them that shew any kindnesse to his children The Scripture is as plentifull in examples of performance of his threatnings before mentioned against all those that shew any vnkindnesse vnto any of them yea as God is more large in his threatnings generally against such as transgresse his Commandements Leuit. 26. 14. c. and Deut. 28. 15. c. so his word seemeth to haue more rather then fewer examples of his iustice in performing his threathing particularlie against all those that are enemies to his children As the Lord threatned for the vniust death of Naboth to take away the posteruie of Ahab and to cut off from Ahab him that â—isseth agaiâ—st the wall that is all his male children as well him that is shut vp as him that is left in Israel and
spoken of Such was the great sinne of Dauid with Bathsheba and against her husband Vrija such was the sinne of Peter in denying his Lord and master with swearing and cursing and such offenses there are daily in the Church yea sometimes the children of God doe lie and continue long in many sinnes almost in all sinnes euen after their regeneration as Salomon did By these things their owne future state is obscured eclipsed and hidden from themselues It doth not appeare to themselues what they shall be God hideth his face from them and they are sore troubled as if they were reprobates and thinking themselues to be reprobates yea so by such things are their good mindes tormented that they cannot endure their said torments but seeke in their weaknesse and in the vehemencie of their tentation to make themselues away and to shorten their owne daies Forasmuch therefore as by this meanes it doth not for the present appeare to the children of God themselues what they shall bee wee may well conclude that much lesse it doth appeare to the wicked Fifthly many that haue seemed to haue beene new borne as well as any other and to haue receiued as plentifull a portion of the spirit of adoption as any other or at the least as many other that were indeed the children of God many such I say haue wholly and finally fallen away from the grace of God and that hath been vtterly taken away from them which they seemed to haue had yea those common graces also of Gods spirit which indeed they had When Saul was amongst the Prophets who would not haue thought him to haue beene one of Gods children When Iehu was so forward and zealous for God and did so great things commanded him by the Lord who would not haue thought him to haue beene one of Gods children When Iudas was amongst the Apostles and receiued the same commission and power to preach and to worke miracles that the rest did who would not haue thought him to haue beene one of Gods children The like may be said of those of whom wee haue heard before out of Ioh. 6. 66. Heb. 10. 25. and of diuers other Now although such indeed were neuer of vs for if they had beene of vs they would not neither could haue gone from vs but would haue continued with vs 1. Ioh. 2. 19. yet the wicked seeing such doe presently say that all are alike there is no barrell better herring and therfore they peremptorily conclude that the end of all shall be like Salomon himselfe iudging according only to naturall reason so iudged and said All things come alike to all and the same condition is to the iust and to the wicked to the good and to the pure and to the polluted and to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not as is the good so is the sinner he that sweareth and he that feareth an oath Eccles 9. 2. Yea according to the same naturall iudgement hee had said before I considered in mine heart the state of the children of men that God had purged them yet to see to they are in themselues as beasts for the condition of the children of men and the condition of beasts are euen as one condition vnto them As the one dieth so dieth the other for they haue all one breath and there is no excellencie of man aboue the beasts for all is vanitie c. Eccles 3. 18. 19. If Salomon according to mans reason so iudged is it any maruell that they that neuer had that spirit that Salomon had doe iudge in like manner and that vnto them it doth not appeare what the children of God shall be All these things together make a thicke cloud of reasons such as doe so hoodwinke and blindfold the wicked that euen at noone day they cannot see what the children of God shall bee And all these are externall causes to the wicked of the not appearance vnto them of the future state of Gods children such causes I say as are rather in the children of God then in the wicked Now besides these there are also other lets and impediments of the foresaid not appearance of the future condition of Gods children euen in the wicked themselues and these are three one without them yet theirs and inuested as it were in them and the other two within them The first of these and the sixth in the whole number is their owne great prosperitie and flourishing state in outward things For by this meanes the wicked blesseth himselfe that he thinketh there is no God and therefore as the iudgements of God against himselfe are high aboue his sight Psal 10. 3. 4. c. so hee saith It is in vaine to serue God and what profit is it that wee haue kept his Commandements and that wee walked humbly before the Lord of hosts c. Malac. 3. 14. Iob 21. 15. As they doe thus speake of their owne hypocriticall seruing of God that there is no reward of it as in truth there is not so they iudge the like of the children of God How therfore can they see what heereafter they shall be Secondly I meane for this second sort of reasons but seuenthly for the whole the generall spirituall blindnesse that is in all the wicked doth also hinder them that they cannot see what the children of God shall bee For without true knowledge there can bee no iudgement in them to discerne things that differ belonging to their owne saluation Philip. 1. 9. 10. How then can they see the things that belong to the saluation of other Much lesse therefore can they see the saluation it selfe of other As the Apostle speaketh in generall of all the things of the spirit of God that the naturall man perceiueth them not neither can know them because they are spiritually discerned 1. Cor. 2. 14. so it may bee said of this particular that it cannot bee discerned by naturall men For it is a spirituall thing as well as other Hee that hath not eies to see any thing for himselfe how shall hee see any thing for another man Hee that cannot see things present how shall hee see things to come Last of all and most principally it doth not appeare vnto the wicked what the children of God shall bee not onely because of their spirituall blindnesse but also beecause of the spirituall hardnesse of their hearts and of that great infidelitie and vnbeleefe that is in them For these goe together and are therefore ioined together the cogitation darkened ignorance and hardnesse of heart Ephes 4. 18. Our Sauiour saith to Martha Said I not vnto thee that if thou didst beleeue thou shouldest see the glorie of God Ioh. 11. 40. If this might bee said to Martha her selfe that beleeued the generall resurrection of all flesh as shee had acknowledged in verse 24. because her faith was weake in that particular of raising vp her brother presently how much more may it it bee said to them and of them
the citie and stoned him Act. 7. 56. c. I might to the former adde the daily most wonderfull workes of Gods gracious prouidence for the true professors of the Gospell in these last daies as the vpholding of Luther many yeeres in despight of all his most mighty aduersaries the often and most miraculous preseruation of our late most blessed Queene and of this whole kingdome both from many most dangerous and secret conspiracies of Popish Traitors at home and also from the great intended inuasion of the Spaniards abroad together with the like deliuerance of our present dread Soueraigne as from many former treasons in SCOTLAND so also from many other sithence his aduancement heere and especially that more then wonderfull preseruation of his Maiestie and of all his royall seede and of the whole state of the Land from the most diuellish plot of the powder treason heere at home I might further remember the great preseruation of little Geneua being so often assaulted by many most mightie aduersaries and the gratious prouision that God did make for Rochel in the great distresse thereof by a long and tedious and no lesse lamentable siege I might with these things ioine many fearefull iudgements of God not onely vpon many particular Papists that haue beene most malicious against the truth and professours thereof but also against their Lord and master Antichrist himselfe I meane the Pope in confounding all his deuices from time to time and in turning all his curses into blessings and blessing vs so much the more the more that hee hath cursed vs and likewise the mighty ouerthrow of his mightie nauie sent against vs I might I say very fitly heere remember all these things and many other the like as very pertinent to our present purpose For were not the Papists by Gods most righteous iudgement exceedingly blinded in their mindes and as extremely hardened in their hearts and fully possessed with infidelitie and vnbeleefe they could not but see the truth of our religion and the future glory and happinesse of all them that doe truly embrace and professe the same But because of their said blindnesse hardnesse and infidelitie it is that how manifest soeuer these things are in themselues and to any that haue any sight and the least measure of faith yet they are hidden from them and to them it doth not appeare either what our religion is or what all the true-hearted professours thereof shall be But howsoeuer I might adde largely handle these things yet hauing beene so plentifull in the premises and somewhat yet remaining it shall be sufficient thus onely to haue named them And this shall be enough for the reasons why notwithstanding we be now already the children of God yet it doth not appeare especially to the world what heereafter wee shall be And this is the second reason also why the world taketh so little knowledge of vs and doth so little respect vs yea why they doe so much hate and despise vs. As the like is often the cause as before I said why great persons are not regarded by some because these some doe not see that future greatnesse of such persons for then they would honour them and seeke their fauour in hope of some benefit by them so is it touching the children of God The vse of this point briefly and in one word is that wee iudge not either persons or things according to the outward appearance but that we iudge righteous iudgement This our Sauiour expresly commandeth Ioh. 7. 24. And to iudge according to outward appearance is reprooued by God himselfe in Samuel for when Samuel was sent to anoint one of Ishai his sonnes for King of Israel after Saul and when he saw Eliab the sonne of Ishai before him hee iudging according to the talnesse of his person and goodlinesse of his countenance it may bee because Saul the first King of Israel whom by the commandement of the Lord he had anointed was higher then any of the people from the shoulders vpward 1. Sam. 10. 23. Samuel I say iudging Eliab according to his goodly person and countenance said Surely the Lords anointed is before mee But what said the Lord Looke not on his countenance nor on the height of his stature because I haue refused him for God seeth not as man seeth for man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord beholdeth the heart 1. Sam. 16. 7. Wee iudge not our coines nor many other things according to their outward appearance nor according to that that for the present they are esteemed by some ignorant persons but we trie them by the touch stone and we esteeme of them according to that which afterward they will bee Therefore when there is any base money in any kingdome allowed and proclaimed for currant money no man laieth or hoordeth it vp but euery man laieth it out as fast as he receiueth it Why Because he daily feareth a fall He esteemeth it not according to that that it is but according to that that it may be The like wee doe with cloth both linnen and woollen For wee esteeme not of the one or of the other according to the present glosse and appearance for many times by the slick-stone or pressing iron or by other cunning meanes they appeare better then they are but we iudge and esteeme of them and giue for them according to their future proofe and as neere as wee can according to that which afterward they will bee The same we doe with many other things Shall wee then bee so foolish in our iudgement of the children of God as to account of them only according to that which presently they appeare to be Thus much of this second answer briefly propounded touching the former obiection or of the second answer why the world knoweth not the children of God viz. because that although they bee not only in name called but are also indeed the children of God yet it doth not appeare especially to the world and to men vnregenerate what they shall be CHAP. XXXIIII Of that which the children of God shall be viz. of their future similitude and likenesse vnto Christ and of the certaintie thereof IT followeth in the text But we know that when he shall appeare we shall be like him c. The first word here in most of our English Bibles is ill translated and because thereby the opposition of these words to the former is much obscured It is in the originall but which plainly noteth the opposition and teacheth the iudgement and knowledge of Gods children to be contrary to the iudgement and knowledge of the world This might be amplified but that it is not a thing very pertinent to the maine point in hand of the dignity of Gods children In all the words following let vs obserue first the proposition of our future state or of the future state of the children of God which is that they shall be like to Christ himselfe secondly the further handling thereof
to blesse him according to his former promise For this patriarke Isaack hauing so blessed Iaacob when his sonne Esaâ— returned from hunting and brought Venison ready dressed vnto him and craued his blessing this Izhaack I say told his sonne Esau what had fallen out in his absence and saith plainly I haue blessed him therefore he shall be blessed Genes 27. 33. As if he should haue said My blessing is past already Thou comest now too late I haue giuen my blessing to him to whom by the appointment of God at the first it did belong therfore whatsoeuer thou hast done at my commandement and howsoeuer I promised indeed to blesse thee yet hauing now spoken the word for the blessing him that came before thee I neither will nor can reuoke it Dauid seeming to allude to the former words of Isaack in his praier for the blessing of God vpon his house vseth the very same words almost if not altogether speaking thus Now it hath pleased thee to blesse the house of thy seruant that it may bee before thee for euer for thou O Lord hast blessed it and it shall be blessed for euer 1 Chron. 17. 27. The like constancy we read of that heathen and wicked man Pilate For when hee had written this title vpon the head of Christ on the Crosse Iesus of Nazaret the King of the Iewes and when the high Priests of the Iewes being offended with the said title perswaded him to alter it and said Write not The king of the Iewes but that he said I am the king of the Iewes what answered Pilate Was he content to alter his former writing Not so but he answered What I haue written I haue written Iohn 19. 19. 21. 22. Did these men the one an elect of God and a good man the other a reprobate and most wicked did these I say thus hold themselues to their own notwithstanding earnest requests to the contrary Shall we think that God will shrinke go back of his word for the casheering of any whom once he hath enrolled and written in the book of life No no though all the world should solicit him to the contrary yea though it were possible that the Angels of heauen shold so do yet wil not God goe one inch back of his word touching any of his children whom he hath determined to make like vnto his owne sonne He will not flinch a whit or start aside an heires bredth but to all such as shall plead for the cutting of the names of any of his out of the table or book of life he will answer as Isaack did to Esau I haue blessed them therfore they shall be blessed and as Pilat answered the high priests of the Iewes whom I haue written I haue written To leaue this argument and to proceed vnto other If they be blessed that walke not in the counsell of the wicked c. that trust in the Lord c. that feare the Lord c. then are they certaine of their future likenesse vnto Christ For where there is no certainty therof there caÌ„ be no blessednes But such are pronounced blessed in the Psalms in the other scriptures therfore they are certaine of this their future likenes to Christ The like may be said of the commandement of the Apostle giuen to all that are in Christ for reioicing in the Lord yea for reioicing alwaies Philip. 44. For what ioy can there be where there is continuall doubting of â—his future likenes vnto Christ Againe by so many arguments as whereby before we haue laid forth the dignity of Gods children we may also be assured of this our future likenes vnto Christ viz. by Gods loue in making vs his children because whom he loueth he loueth to the end by the difficulty and greatnesse of that worke For would he do so difficult so great and so admirable a worke and not bring it to perfection or what perfection hath it without this likenes to Christ by the meanes whereby he worketh it viz. by the immortall seed For how is that seed immortall if they perish that are begotten again by it I meane touching the spirituall life whereby they are so begotten againe Or how doe they continue if they neuer attaine vnto but come short of this likenes vnto Christ by their vnion with Christ and communion with the Father and the holy ghost which we heard to be indissoluble once made and neuer dissolued by their liberty and free accesse to God in praier with assurance to be heard as in other things so also in asking of this their future likenes vnto Christ by the forgiuenesse of their sins the only let of their likenes vnto him Gods couenant therein being a couenant of salt euen an euerlasting couenant by the working of all things together for their good by their freedome from condemnation by the blessed inheritance before spoken of and almost by all the other arguments Last of all all that are in heauen may be sure without doubting of their future likenes vnto Christ But all the children of God that are regenerated by the word of truth are in heauen Therfore they may be sure without doubting of their future likenes in grace and in glory vnto Christ The first part of this reason that all in heauen may bee sure without doubting of their future likenes to Christ c. is so euident that no man will deny the same sith there is no fetching any thing from thence That which our Sauiour saith as a reason to prouoke men to lay vp treasures in heauen viz. that There neither the moth nor canker doth corrupt nor thieues digge through and steale Mat. 6. 30. may be said of all persons in heauen that they are out of all danger c. The second part of the former reason that the children of God regenerated and new borne by the holy ghost are already from the first houre of their regeneration in heauen is expresly affirmed by the Apostle Ephes 2. 6. Most men vnderstanding those words as spoken only of the children of God in respect of their certainty of heauen not in respect of their present possession do notwithstanding iustifie my present purpose Notwithstanding I doe vnderstand with some other much more euen the present possession it selfe of heauen present I say not full possession and that because Christ Iesus hauing taken possession of heauen not as one alone but as the head of many euen of all his members not to his own vsealone but to theirs not in his own name alone but in theirs it must needs be granted that all they also are in present possession whose head Christ is to whose vse and in whose name Christ hath taken possession of heauen I will illustrate this by a law case common amongst vs. A mans wife of Kent or Essex hath coppy hold land purchased by her or giuen vnto her by some friends in Yorkshire in Cumberland in Westmoâ—land or some other country two hundred miles from