iustification of vs before God who being himselfe most perfect can accept of nothing but that which is likewise fully perfect absolute like vnto himselfe Fourthly that all men owe more to God as hath been before shewed then they are able to pay yea euen he that oweth least Luke 7. 41. 42. and that therefore no man is able by anie workes whatsoeuer to purchase any new benefits at the hands of God Fiftly that Christ hauing satisfied for all our sinnes as hath been before prooued there are none left to vs to make satisfaction for Touching the Sacraments whereas the papists proclaime matrimony to be one we defend our deniall thereof First because God hath instituted no Sacramental signe for matrimonie Secondly all Sacraments are proper to the church but mariage is as well for them that are without the church as for them that are within it Thirdly that whereas Sacraments are to be coÌ„mon to all sorts of members of the church the Papists themselues deny matrimony to belong to their most holy order of Priesthood Fourthly that Sacraments are instituted for confirmatioÌ„ of our faith in Christ but that matrimony was instituted whiles Adam was perfect not belieuing in Christ before his fall neither standing in need of Christ The like we plead against their other supposed Sacraments besides baptisme and the supper of the Lord. Touching baptism wheras we deny against them baptism to take away originall sinne we defend our selues in this behalfe by the word of God viz. by the example of Dauid in his age acknowledging his originall sinne Psal 51. 5. and of Paul complaining of his like sinne Rom. 7. 7. c. and by the testimony also of Iames Chap. 1. 13. c. Whereas we further deny against them baptism to be absolutely necessary to saluation we defend our selues in this behalfe by the word First because circumcisioÌ„ being the same in significatioÌ„ vse that baptism is was intermitted for 40. yeers in the wildernes 2. Because the children of the faithful as soon as they are born and before baptism are within the Couenant 1. Cor. 7. 14. Touching the supper of the Lord whereas they take away the cup from the people we oppose First the institution in both kinds Secondly the words of the Apostle according to the institution mentioning the cup as well as the bread 1. Cor. 11. 25. c. Thirdly the continuall practise of the Apostles Their transubstantiation feined changing of the essence of the elements in the said supper we confute First by the deliuering of them by Christ himself to his disciples he going afterward into the garden and suffering vpon the crosse which he could not haue done if he had giuen himselfe to his disciples before if they had eateÌ„ him before especially he being then not glorified SecoÌ„dly by the end of the supper viz. the remembrance of Christ Christ being preseÌ„t what need of remeÌ„brance Remembrance is of things absent Thirdly the continuance of Christ in heauen til the end of the world Acts 3. 21. Fourthly the nature of a Sacrament requiring an external signe indeed not only the accidents of a sign as well as the thing signified Fiftly that the fathers of the old testament did eat the same spirituall meat drink the same spirituall drink that we do 1. Cor. 10. 3. who could not carnally eat Christs flesh and drinke his blood he then not being made man Sixtly the fruit of eating Christs flesh drinking his blood viz. eternall life Ioh. 6. 51. which cannot be said of al that receiue that supper Lastly that as there is no alteration of the signe in baptisme so there is no cause of change in the signes of the supper of the Lord. The Popish Masse to be a propitiatory sacrifice for the quick and the dead we lay on the ground as Dauid did great Goliah by the sword of the spirit the word of God Tit. 2. 14. Heb. 9. 12. and 25. 1. Pet. 3. 18. All praier to saints we ouerthrow by the same sword First because in the day of our trouble when if euer we haue need of other friends to solicite our cause to God then especially we haue need of them such trouble testifying God to be displeased with vs because I say in the day of such trouble we are coÌ„maÌ„ded to cal vpon God Psa 50. 15. and vpon no other Secondly because from the beginning of the scriptures to the end there is neither precept nor example nor any sentence to warrant inuocation of saints Thirdly because this is derogatory and disgracefull to the onely mediation of Christ before spoken of yea it is blasphemous against the same Fourthly because although it should be granted that the Saints departed doe know our necessities yet they know not our hearts whether when we pray for our selues we pray in faith and trueth or no. All praier for the dead we wound mortally by the same weapon because the word teacheth vs that they that die and are translated out of this world they die either in the Lord and so are blessed and rest from their labor and haue their reward with God in heauen Reu. 14. 13. or els they die out of the Lord and so they goe to that rich man of whom the Gospell maketh mention euen to the diuell and his angels where they are tormented for euer and from whence there is no more passage to heauen then from heauen thither Luk. 16. 26. And this twofold distinction of men dying either in Christ or out of Christ either in the state of saluation to goe presently to God in heauen or in the state of damnation to be thrown immediatly into hell without any third sort either of men here or of state and place after this life we gather from our Sauiour himselfe saving Either make the tree good and his fruit good or the tree euill and his fruit euill Mat. 12. 33. So he maketh only two sorts of men here all to be good or euill therefore he excludeth any middle sort and so consequently denieth also all middle state or place after this life distinct from heauen and hell Secondly we wound the former heresie of praying for the dead by the forme of praier prescribed by our Sauiour wherein he teacheth vs to pray only for them that may doe the will of God vpon earth that haue need of daily bread for this life and that are in danger of tentation and other euill al which things do belong only to the liuing in this world Worshipping of images or of God in images we doe likewise wound vnto death by the same word viz. by the second commandement and by infinit other Scriptures in the old testament and by some also in the â—ewâ— Acts 17 2â— c. 1. Cor. 6. 9. and 10. 7. 14 1. Pet 4. 3. 1 Iohn 5 21 Reu 21. 8. and 22. 15. Secondly because we are forbidden the worship of the holy glorious Angels Reuel 19. 10. and 22. 8. Much
in making vs his children For how doth it stand with any reason or iustice that such as God loueth and hath made his children shall be condemned Againe if by faith we are saued as hath been shewed how can we be condemned The like may be said hereof in respect of our incorporation into Christ For the Apostle saith that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Rom 8. 1. so also in respect of other points of that matter wherein we shewed the being of the children of God to consist therefore in the former place they that are in Christ Iesus are described immediatly in this manner according to those things before spoken of the matter as it were of Gods children viz that they walke not after the flesh but after the spirit So Iohn saith of them that loue the brethren one principall point of the said matter of the children of God Hereby we know that we are translated from death to life if we loue the brethren 1. Ioh. 3. 14. The same is also manifest by the ende of Christs comming before spoken of For therefore did he come into the world that whosoeuer doth belieue in him should not perish c. Ioh. 3. 16. and that he might deliuer all them which for feare of death were all their life time subiect to bondage Heb. 2. 15. This also followeth from the forgiuenesse of sinnes before likewise handled For sinnes being that whereby we deserue condemnation it must needs follow that they being taken away condemnation is also taken away Being discharged of the offence wee cannot but be released of the punishment Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christ which is dead c. Rom. 8. 33. 34. So these three are ioined together No man to accuse where God iustifieth no condemnation to them for whom Christ died The Papists indeed doe boldly affirme that the fault remitted the punishment is often retained But as this is contrary to the former and to diuers other scriptures so in common reason it is foolish absurd and grosse For what a thing is this to say that a man hath his treason pardoned but yet he shall be hanged drawn and quartered Were not a man as good haue no pardon of his treason as haue such a pardon If the Papists haue no better pardon of their sinnes as indeed they shall not without great repentance and renouncing of their damnable errours they shall be in a wofull case Touching the truth of this point that the children of God are freed from condemnation I shall not need to say any more Neither shall I need largely to prooue that this freedome from condemnation is onely proper to the children of God sith they onely are elect to saluation they onely are beloued of God they only beleeue in Christ and by faith are made his members they onely may say they haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare they onely walke according to the spirit they onely haue forgiuenesse of sinnes c. The chiefe thing that I doe here propound to my selfe to shewe is how great a benefit and priuiledge this is That wee may therefore see this let vs consider a little as wee may what condemnation is Briefly and in one word Condemnation is the whole curse of God in the world to come first vpon the soule onely till the day of iudgement then vpon soule and body after the resurrection for euer and euer But let vs yet see the degrees of it more particularly The first degree therefore is the angry wrathfull and fearfull countenance rebuke sentence of the Lord Iesus Christ the Iudge of all the world against them that are before appointed or ordained to condemnation viz. against all the vngodly which before had turned the grace of God into wantonnesse and denied God the onely Lord and our Lord Iesus Christ Iude 4. when they shall be all gathered before him For then shall the Lord Iesus Christ that great Iudge of all the world speake vnto such in this manner Depart from mee ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the deuill and his angels Matthew 25. 32. and 41. The wrath of a King saith Salomon is like the roaring of a lyon he that prouoketh him to anger sinneth against his owne soule Pro. 19. 12. and 20. 2. Is the wrath of a mortall king whose breath is in his nostrels so fearefull How fearefull alas then is the wrath of the immortall King of Kings that setteth vp and casteth down 1. Sam. 2. 8. and by whom all Kings reigne and Princes decree iustice c. Pro. 8. 15. The rebuke of a King is the more heauy the more publike it is How heauy then shall that rebuke of the King of kings be which shall be giuen in the presence of all the world not only before all men but also before all the Angels both good and bad The second degree of condemnation is in the former sentence viz. the separation from the gratious and comfortable presence of God For our Sauiour saith depart from me ye cursed c. When he saith depart from me he meaneth the banishment of them not only from himself the second person in the Deity but also from the father and holy ghost For as they that haue communion with Christ haue also communion with the Father and the holy ghost as before hath been shewed so they that are depriued of Christs company are likewise depriued of the company of the Father and of the holy Ghost To be without God in this world as we haue heard before is one principal point of our misery by nature before our calling Yet there they that are so without God haue often times many friends great friends which for a while seem much to allay their misery as it were to still them like little children in their absence from God If it be such a thing to be heere without God where we haue many other friends with whom a little to while away the time what alasse will it be to be without God in the world to come where we shall haue no friends at all with whom to passe away the time or by whom to haue any comfort Amongst men when subiects begin to be suspected of treason or otherwise to be in disgrace with their soueraigns this is no small degree to further punishment afterward viz. to be banished from the court of such princes or to be commanded to keep out of their presence After that Absalom for the murder of his brother Amnon had fled from Dauid as fearing his displeasure had bin absent as a banished mā for three yeers together yet after that was so reconciled to his father that he might returne into the kingdome but notwithstanding was commanded to goe to his owne house and not to see the kings face 2. Sam. 14. 24. in which state he continued for two yeers more how
shewing the reason thereof to be partly because the world knoweth not God himselfe and partly because the future state and condition of Gods children is not so apparent to the world as it is to themselues From hence he taketh occasion to set foorth their future excellencie and happinesse whatsoeuer their present basenesse and miserie seeme to bee and last of all sheweth what vse they are to make in the meane time of their hope of the said future excellencie and happinesse This briefly is the summe of all these three first verses of this Chapter viz. that in them is contained as first I said both the excellencie of the children of God and also their duty according to their said excellencie To speake more particularly of these words concerning the former of these two points let vs obserue these two things viz. 1. The exhortation it selfe to the serious consideration of the excellencie of Gods children 2. The preuenting of an obiection that might haue beene made against the same The exhortation is in these words Behold what loue the Father hath giuen vnto vs that wee should be called the sonnes of God The preuenting of the obiection is in the words following both in that verse and also in the second Then in the third verse followeth the dutie of the children of God by occasion of the second part of his answer to the former obiection To returne to the exhortation let vs first of all note and Note but note this one thing namely that as in other places of Scripture the holy Ghost commendeth the loue of God toward vs in making his owne Sonne to bee the sonne of man for vs so heere hee commendeth his loue towards vs in making vs that are but men to be the sonnes of God As in other places we are taught that the sonne of God was made also the sonne of man so heere we are taught that the sonnes of men are also made the sonnes of God and this he doth the better as was before noted to prouoke them afterward to the loue of them whom God so loueth as to make them his children for it cannot be but that the more men doe consider of the loue of God towards themselues and other in making them his children the more they should be prouoked to loue them whom God hath loued and made his children as well as themselues To returne againe to the present exhortation let vs first briefly consider the words thereof particularly and then more largely lay foorth the thing it selfe that is the dignitie of Gods children heere specially commended to our beholding The words vsed by the Apostle are euery one very emphaticall and significant and such as doe import the dignitie of Gods children to be very great Behold The first word Behold is a note of attention or of exhortation to the most diligent marking and obseruing of that which followeth It is often vsed in the Scripture and prefixed before matters of great moment and importance that by the hearers or readers they may the better bee noted and obserued Psal 77. 5. Come and behold the workes of God c. Psal 133. 1. Behold how good and how comely a thing it is brethren to dwell euen together Psal 134. 1. Behold praise ye the Lord all ye seruants of the Lord c. Ioh. 1. 29. Behold the Lambe of God c. Luc. 19. 8. And Zacheus stood foorth and said vnto the Lord Behold Lord the halfe of my goods I giue to the poore c. Rom. 11. 22. Behold therefore the bountifulnesse and seuerity of God c. In all these and diuers other the like places the word Behold is vsed to prouoke men diligently to note and marke and not to looke as it were asquint or glauncingly to cast one eie aside at a thing but with both eies to take a view of that which is commended vnto vs yea not only to marke with the eies of our body but also to note with the eies of our minde For it is all one with the word Consider 1. Sam. 12. 24. Consider how great things the Lord hath done for you c. Oh consider this ye that forget God c. Psal 50. 22. Therefore in some places the holy Ghost is not content with the word Behold alone but he ioineth another therewith of like signification euen the word see to excite and awaken men to the more serious consideration of the matter spoken of as Lament 1. 12. to mooue all men the more diligently to marke the wofull state of Ierusalem the Prophet speaking in the person of Ierusalem saith Behold and see if there bee any sorrow like vnto my sorrow It is also a vsuall thing with vs when we thinke men do not well consider any ware or other benefit offred vnto them to say thus I pray see it I pray you behold it c. This then is it that the Apostle signifieth and requireth by this word in the first place that men should diligently note marke obserue and consider the loue of God towards other men towards themselues in making them his children and that as a matter of great worth and excellencie Yea the Apostle insinuateth by this word that although the dignitie and honourable state of Gods children be very great yet men are too secure and negligent in beholding the same except they bee roused vp and awakened and in a manner cried vnto as men in a dead sleepe yea as Christ cried with a loud voice to Lazarus in the graue to behold it If it were not so the Apostle would haue rested contented himselfe in that mention which he had made of our being the children of God in the end of the former chapter But because hee saw that men for the most part were heerein asleepe therefore concerning this matter hee speaketh vnto them as another Apostle speaketh in another matter Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead Ephes 5. 14. and saith heere Behold what loue the Father hath giuen vnto vs that wee should be called his children Touching earthly dignities and prerogatiues we are wakefull enough Our eies are alwaies both broad open and euer poring into them so that wee need not be bidden to behold for wee see and behold too much Or if at any time wee fall asleepe touching this matter yet wee are halfe awake and the least whispering that is of any worldly preferment will make vs start vp and stand vpon both our legges and looke round about vs and ouer euery mans head though taller then our selues by the head not only to looke vpon it but also to looke after it and if possibly we can by hooke or crooke to get it euen from them that are ten times more worthy of it then our selues Yea so much doe wee looke vpon and after such matters that either we haue neuer an eie to behold this dignity of Gods children or any such spirituall matter or else we see but weaklie and dimlie
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
be likewise said of the worke of our adoption and of the loue of God in making vs his children This is the Lords worke and it is maruellous in our eies This circumstance noted by this word is to bee ioined with the former word Behold the more to prouoke vs to long after the knowledge of the excellencie of the children of God especially after that knowledge that is by experience sense taste and feeling as it were of the excellencie thereof For no man so well knoweth this excellencie or can so well speake or write thereof as he that is partaker of it and findeth the sweetnesse of it in himselfe For this is that white stone promised to them that ouercome wherein is a new name written which no man knoweth sauing he that receiueth it Reu. 2. 17. The rather is this to bee ioined with the former word to make vs more desirous of getting this title and the more carefull to keepe it being gotten yea to carry our selues according vnto it All men doe gaze vpon the honourable titles of the world and are in great admiration of them but no man almost doth once looke after this yea euery man almost in respect of the contempt wherein this name is with the world afterward to be spoken of in handling this obiection is afraid to be called or knowen by this name As many of the chiefe Rulers that beleeued in Christ for feare notwithstanding of the Pharises durst not professe him Ioh. 12. 42. so many hearing so much as often times they do of the dignity of Gods children haue some desire and could be content to bee the children of God but fearing the world and the great men in the world especially such as to whom they doe specially belong are loth to be seene to haue any minde or affection that way But of these more afterward Thus much of the second word in this text preparing vs to thinke the more highly of the dignity of the children of God heere spoken of The third word is Loue. Behold what loue This word setteth foorth the fountaine or principall cause of making vs the children of God to be the loue of God So it is said to bee the cause why God sent or gaue his onely sonne for vs Ioh. 3. 16. and. 1. Ioh. 4. 9. wherof we shall heare more afterward If the loue of God be the fountaine of sending his sonne then also it is of our making or adopting to bee the children of God For whence is it that we are made the children of God Is it not by Iesus Christ It cannot bee denied and it shall afterward bee more plentifully prooued Heerein the Lord differeth from men for men cannot properly bee said to beget children of Note loue There may be and is in men a desire of children but there cannot properly be a loue of children till children bee begotten and borne For how can men loue them that haue no being at all in nature But God is said to loue vs and in loue of vs to make vs his children or to beget vs againe to himselfe and so his loue towards vs is before we are borne againe or begotten againe vnto him As this loue of God was before the action of our regeneration so it continueth euer after Gods loue is vnchangeable As Christ is the same yesterday to day and for euer Heb. 13. 8. so is God in his loue towards them whom he loueth yea there is not only no change in him but also with him there is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning Iames 1. 17. But being to speake of this loue againe afterward this in this place shall be sufficient thereof The fourth word heere to be obserued is the Father As the former word setteth foorth the originall cause of our being the children of God so this setteth foorth the authour thereof and the subject of that loue before spoken of and that to be not onely God barely considered in his diuine essence but as he is inuested with the title of a Father To speake more plainly The loue before spoken of whereby wee are made the children of God doth not come from God as he is God only but as he is a Father and that first of all as he is the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ And therefore when the Apostle Peter speaketh of this matter euen of our regeneration he saith not only Blessed be God but hee saith further euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which of his abundant or rich mercy hath begotten vs againe 1. Pet. 1. 3. God was alwaies the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ in the distinction of persons in the diuine essence and so Iesus Christ as the second person in the Deitie was alwaies the sonne of the Father euen before all times so that there neuer was any time when the one of these two persons was not the Father and the other the Sonne Secondly this loue heere spoken of commeth from God not only as he is the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ but also as by Iesus Christ he is our Father To speake this also a little more plainly the Apostle heere speaking of himselfe and of them to whom he did write not only as the people of God nor as the workes of God but as the children of God it was therefore the more sit that hee should describe God by such a title as was most answerable to that respect wherein he speaketh of himselfe the writer and of them to whom he did write These being as they were the children of God it was more answerable to the word children that he should say Behold what loue the Father hath giuen vnto vs then Behold what loue God hath giuen vnto vs. For the word God doth more fitly answer to the word creatures or people and the word Father is a plain correlatiue to the word children Now although euer sithence the creation and sithence the first time that there were any elect and beleeuing men God was alwares their Father yet as God was not so knowen to bee the father of our Lord Iesus Christ in the old Testament and before the mearnation and manifestation of Christ in the fleth as â—â—thence so God also Note did not so plainly open and manifest himselfe to be the father of the elect as he hath done sithence the time of the Gospell And therefore wee finde this title Father ostener attributed vnto God in respect of Christ and of the elect in the new Testament then in the old In the old Testament he is most called and made knowen by the name of The God of Abraham the God of Izaak and the God of Iaacob but in the new Testament he maketh himselfe knowen by the name of The Father of our Lord Ieâ—us Christ and of them that by faith are made members of Christ and flesh of his flesh euen one bodie with him As the grace of God which bringeth saluation vnto all men is said especially to
hauing none by nature and to whom to leaue their inheritances or their Crownes yet for some considerations they will not haue this to be known But it is otherwise with God He hath so loued vs that he doth not only make vs his children but that also hee doth declare and publish and proclaime vs so to be 3 From the former reason ariseth another viz. that the Apostle vseth this phrase to teach vs that if he be not ashamed that such as we are should bee called his children then much lesse should we our selues be ashamed of this honourable title If a great king be not ashamed that the sonne of a poore begger should bee called his sonne is there any cause why the said sonne of such a poore begger should be ashamed to bee called the sonne of such a great King In like manner if God the king of kings be nor ashamed that we poore beggers brats should be called his children is there any reason why wee should bee ashamed of so honourable a title I could much amplify this point But for further amplification therof I do only wish that if any for feare of the disgrace of the world to be spoken of in the obiection following be ashamed to call himselfe the child of God and to carry himselfe accordingly such an one do wel remember what our Sauiour saith of them that are ashamed of him of his words before such an adulterous sinfull generation viz. as this last age of the world is where in we now liue to wit that he also will be ashamed of him when he shall come in the glory of his Father with the holy Angels Mark 8. 38. For certainely in like manner will God the Father bee ashamed of all such and wil vtterly deny them to be his children in the world to come that were ashamed to bee called his children and to liue as his children in this life Yea this is the more certaine because there is infinitely more cause why God should bee ashamed of vs then why wee should be ashamed of him Thus much of the seuenth particular word in this text The eighth word is the children of God Some read the sonnes of God but the originall is the children of God comprehending sonnes and daughters men and women and so the same word is vsed Iohn 1. 12. and 11. 52. and Rom. 8. 16. 17. and in many other places This is to be obserued for the comfort as well of women as of men and for the instruction as afterward wee shall heare of one sex as well as of the other And therefore the Apostle allegeth the words of the Prophet in the name of God himselfe speaking in this manner I will be a Father vnto you and ye shall be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord Almightie 2. Cor. 6. 18. Heere wee see expresse mention as well of daughters as of sonnes This is to be the rather noted because some in the brauery of their wit or rather in the rage of their madnesse doe not sticke to deny women to haue any part in the matters of saluation although the Scripture doe both expreslie say that there is no exception of male or female with God but that all are one in Christ Iesus Galat. 3. 28. and although it doe also record vnto vs example as well of beleeuing women as of beleeuing men But what doth the Apostle heere meane by children For the vnderstanding of this besides diuers other waies how men may be and are called the children of God let vs know that in a more strict sense this title the children of God is taken two waies First for all the members of the visible Church so long as they continue such members and that because of the outward couenant of God made with the whole body of the visible Church In this sense it is said The sonnes of God saw the daughters of men that they were faire c. Genes 6. 2. Heere the sonnes of God doe signifie such as professed themselues the sonnes of God and so were of the visible Church In the same sense also our Sauiour himselfe calleth the Iewes euen in his time generally by the name of children saying It is not meet to take the childrens bread and to cast it to â—helpes Matt. 15. 26. Secondly this title the children of God is taken for them that haue receiued the spirit of adoption and that are regenerated by the immortall seed of the spirit and by the word of God So it is taken in the place before alleged Rom. 8. 16. 17. and often elsewhere and so only not in the former sense is it taken in this place For the Apostle speaketh of them that worke righteously and are borne of God as wee haue heard in the end of the former chapter and of them that know that when Christ shall appeare they shall be like him as appeareth in the next verse But none worke righteously c. neither doe any know they shaâ—l be like vnto Christ at his appearing but onely they that are by the spirit of God regenerated and therefore the Apostle speaketh oâ—ly of such in this place To speake a little more of adoption and regeneration for Note the making thereof the plainer and more perspicuous wee must vnderstand that the adoption of God differeth much from the adoption of men For the ciuill Lawyers that write of 〈◊〉 say that adoption must be of the yoonger by the 〈◊〉 that he that adopteth a childe must bee elder then the person adopted neither doe they onely distinguiâ—h thus betwixt adoption and arrogation that arrogation is the taking of one to bee a childe which is already of age and at libertie and as we say at his owne hand and his owne man but adoption is of one vnder age and of one that is in tuition gouernment and gardianship of another the ciuill Lawyers I say doe not onely write thus of adoption but they also say that adoption properly is when one that hath no children of his owne doth adopt the childe of some other to be called by his name or at least to be brought vp by him and to bee his heire God doth not so adopt vs for hee hath a Sonne of his owne yea more properly his owne then any man can say of any childe in the world because Christ is the proper Sonne of God from euerlasting by communication as wee haue heard of the whole essence of his Father vnto him But the children of men are their children long after them and therefore they are yoonger then their fathers They are also children by taking some part of their parents nature and that of their bodily substance only for their soules are immediately from God who therefore by opposition to the fathers of our bodies is called the Father of spirits Heb. 12. 9. and is said to forme the spirit of man Zechar. 12. 1. As for the great obiection that doth most trouble men viz. if Note God
courtiers but also aboue the ancient Prophets yet for al that he commendeth the least minister of the Gospell aboue him saying Notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heauen is greater then he Mat. 11. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. The excellency also of the ministers of the word especially of the Gospell is manifest by the honorable names and titles giuen vnto them by God himselfe For are they not called in a speciall manner the men of God 1. Kings 13. 1. 2. Tim. 3. 17. Be they not intituled the lights of the world Mat. 5. 14 yea was not Iohn Baptist called a burning and a shining candle Ioh. 5. 35. Doth not the Apostle say of himselfe and of other We are Embassadors for Christ 2. Cor. 5. 20. Be they not called the salt of the earth Mat. 5. 13. because by their doctrine they should both suck out the corruption of men and season them as it were to be fit sacrifices for God Are not ministers of the word as well as Kings and Princes oft times in the Prophets as also in the writings of the Apostles called by the names of Pastors or shepheards Are not the ministers of the seuen Churches of Asia called starres and Angels Reu. 1. 20. Hath then the Lord alwaies imploied such honorable persons in the calling of his children that is both in the first gathering and begetting of them againe vnto himselfe and also in the feeding nursing and strengthning of them being so gathered and begotten And shall we thinke that the state of the children of God themselues is not likewise very honourable Princes and other men of great place and wisedome vse the more honorable persons in any businesse as before vpon other occasion wee haue heard by the example of Balak King of Moab of Hezekiah and Iosiah c. chap. 5. by how much the seruice it selfe is more honourable Shall we then thinke that the most high God of heauen great in wisedom and power would imploy so honorable persons vpon a businesse not sutable vnto them Doubtlesse as Princes sending forth such in Embassage or employing in some other great seruice such as before were not very honorable doe therefore grace and dignifie them with some new honorable titles as of Knights whereas before they were scarce esquires or of Barons whereas before they were but knights or of Earles whereas before they were but Barons that to this end that their ambassage or other works wherein they are imployed may be the more honorably accounted of yea and because their emploiment being it selfe honourable doth therefore require like honorable persons to be employed therein so because the worke of our regeneration is very honorable and to teach all men honorably to thinke of it therefore hath the Lord with such Titiles dignified and graced his seruants whom he doth employ to worke and effect the same If any notwithstanding that before said of the excellency and preheminence of the ministers of the gospell aboue the ministers of the Law euen aboue the great prophets shall for all that conceiue more honourably of the prophets then of the ordinary ministers of the gospell though there bee no reason so to do because as the ministery it selfe of the gospell is more honorable then the ministery of law and vnder the Law so the ministers also of the gospel are in like manner to be esteemed let such consider also that all the doctrine of the prophets is written for the begetting of the children of God in these dayes as well as it was preached in those dayes for the begetting of the elect then liuing So it is expressely sayd whatsoeuer things are writteÌ„ aforetime are writteÌ„ for our learning that we through patience comfort of the scriptures may haue hope Rom. 15. 14. What hope can there be without adoption and regeneration as shall afterward appeare If then the former writings of the prophets be as well for the regeneration of children to God now as the ministery of the present ministers why may not those writers be as well called ministers for vs as they were indeed for those ages wherein they liued yea they are so called yea they are sayd to haue ministred rather for vs then for themselues and for other that then liued with them So sayth the Apostle Peter most expressely speaking of the prophets that had enquired and searched of the saluation before spoken of by him and saying that vnto them it was reuealed that not vnto themselues but vnto vs they should minister the things which are now shewed by them that haue preached the Gospell c. 1. Pet. 1. 12. These words are not to be taken for a simple deniall as if the Prophets had not ministred at all vnto themselues and to other of those times the things that were afterward preached but rather they are comparatiuely to be vnderstood viz. that they did not so much minister those things to them of that age as to succeeding generations Therfore the regeneration of the children of God of these times is not wrought only by the present ministery but also by the ministery of the ancient Prophets How honorable therefore is that state and condition for the better working whereof the Lord hath not only now giuen present ministers and graced them with honourable names but hath also so many yeers before raised vp such worthy persons as the ancient Prophets were With this argument from the excellency of the instrumentall fathers of our regeneration let vs ioyne an other the like from the excellency of the instrument it selfe whereby the said instrumentall fathers doe beget vs againe vnto God that is from the excellency of the word of God For this is it wherof the Apostle Iames saith thus Of his owne will hath he be gotten vs againe with the word of truth Iames 1. 18. and whereby our soules are renued or restored Psal 19. 7. The Apostle Paul also saith In Christ Iesus haue I begotten you through the Gospell 1. Cor. 4. 15. It is that also whereby we being so regenerated and new borne are fed and nourished and doe grow to a perfect man in Christ Iesus 1. Pet. 2. 2. This word of God is not onely excellent in respect of the author thereof 2. Tim. 3. 16 and respect of the perfect matter therein conteined as afterward wee shall heare but also for these attributes thereof sure right pure cleane or cleane true c. Psal 19. 7. 8. 9. and for that it is called and is said to be the sword of the spirit Ephes 6. 17. liuely and mighty in operation sharperthen a two edged sword entring thorow euen vnto the diuiding asunder of the soule and the spirit and of the ioynts and of the marrow and dâ—scerning the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb. 4. 12. So in these and in other respects it is said to be more to be desired then gold yea then much fine gold and to be sweeter then the hony and the hony combe Psal
19. 10. 11. and 119. 14. 72. and 103. And as the word of God generally is thus commended so specially the Gospel is valued at the same rate Mat. 13. 44. 45. where it is not only called by the name of the kingdome of heauen because it is the word of that kingdome Mat. 13. 19. that is the word whereby we attaine both vnto the kingdome of grace in this world and also the kingdome of glory in the world to come but also by a double parable for the more certainty thereof it is commended to be better then all treasures and then all pearles Paul also comparing the Gospell with the law saith thus If the ministration of death written with letters and ingrauen in stones was glorious so that the children of Israel could not behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance c. how shall not the ministration of the spirit be more glorious For if the ministration of condemnation was glorious much more doth the ministration of righteousnesse exceed in glory 2. Cor. 3. 7. 8. 9. Yea so excellent also is the mystery of the Gospell that one end thereof is said to be that vnto principalities and powers in heauenly places that is vnto the blessed Angels waiting vpon God in the heauens might be made knowen by the Church the manifold wisedome of God Ephes 3. 10. our Sauiour also threatneth that such as should not receiue his disciples sent forth by two and two to preach for a time for preparation of the way to the Gospell should find it harder at the day of iudgement then the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrha who had been most fearefully destroied with fire and brimstone from heauen Mat. 10. 15. The Apostle also speaking comparatiuely of the punishment of the transgressors of the law and of the Gospell saith If the word spoken by Angels was stedfast and euery transgression and disobedience receiued a iust recompence of reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great saluation which at the first began to be preached by the Lord and afterward was confirmed vnto vs by them that heard him God bearing witnesse thereunto both with signes and wonders and diuers miracles and gifts of the holy Ghost c. Heb. 2. 3. 4. In these two places ioyntly considered we haue first an argument for the excellency of the Gospell from the punishment of the contemners thereof For first if they should receiue so great a iudgement not that resisted them and draue them out of their countries with fire and sword but that did not receiue them which were sent only by their preaching to prepare a way for the Gospell then as followeth comparatiuely in the second place before alleged how much greater shall the punishment of those be that both neglect and also contemne and persecute the Gospell Doth not this commination of so great punishment to the neglecters and contemners of the Gospell much magnifie the excellency of the Gospell Againe in the second place before alleged we see other arguments for the excellency thereof viz. first it was first preached touching the cleare manifestation of it not by any seruants as in former time the word had been preached but by the Lord himselfe as before he had said that in these last daies God hath spoken vnto vs by his sonne Heb. 1. 1. Secondly that God himselfe had borne witnesse actually to the excellency thereof by signes wonders c. thirdly that he also graced it with many gifts of the holy ghost according to former prophecies in that behalfe especially that of Ioel 2. 28. so applied by Peter Act. 2. 17 To conclude therfore this argument sith this word of God is so excellent whereby the regeneration of the children of God of whom I doe now speake is at first wrought and afterward perfected shall we not thinke that the state of such children of God is also excellent Do not wise men according to the worthinesse of any work apply and vse the more worthy instruments about the same Much more therefore are we to thinke the same of the most wise God CHAP. VIII Of faith a chiefe internall cause of regeneration or the first degree and step thereunto and of Christ againe as he is the chiefe matter of regeneration as before we heard him to be one of the principall efficient causes likewise thereof HItherto we haue heard of the dignity of Gods children by the efficient causes of their adoption both principall and instrumentall And all these causes touching their owne being haue beene externall For although the spirit of God be within in vs when it doth adopt and regenerat vs and so may be called internal in respect of the operation thereof in vs yet it may be accounted externall in in respect of the being that it hath of it selfe and by it selfe without vs. The next thing to be handled for the further amplification of the said dignity is faith because it may be considered in this argument either as a meer internall efficient cause of our said adoption and regeneration or as the first step and degree thereunto It may be considered first as a meere inward thing because all the being of it is altogether within vs not at all without vs. It may be considered as an efficient cause of our adoption because it is that whereby we lay hold of Christ by whom and in whom alone we do both at the first receiue the spirit of adoption and be regenerated the children of God and also afterward do feede so vpon him that wee grow vp to a perfect stature of him Therefore these phrases to come to him to eat his flesh and to drink his bloud are often vsed especially Ioh. 6. to expresse our communion with him by faith and to signifie our beleeuing in him So also it is said that Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith Ephes 3. 17 and that we stand by faith viz. in Christ Rom. 11. 20. So also faith is not only the inward instrument of our communion with Christ but also the next fountaine of all other vertues afterward to be spoken of wherein likewise consisteth our regeneration and new birth For by faith our harts are purified Act. 15. 9. and faith worketh by loue Galat. 5. 6. and this loue is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13. 10. and the bond of perfection Colos 3. 14. and commeth out of faith vnfeined 1. Timo. 1. 5. and therefore fayth vnfained may be said to bee the next cause of our communion with Christ and consequently of all other things wherin our regeneration doth consist As also not beleeuing God and beleeuing the diuell were the first degrees of mans fall Genes 3. 3. and 6 so to cast away al giuing credit to the diuell and to beleeue in God is the first degree of our regeneration and new birth whereby wee that were fallen are raysed vp againe This faith is the beleeuing of all things past of all things present of all
naturall things and of things pertaining to this life whereby we differ from beasts but as touching the spirituall life whereby to thinke of any thing to affect any thing to approue of any thing to speake of any thing or to doe any thing towards eternall saluation of body and soule and as touching that life of God that is that life that is acceptable to God as the worke of God Ioh. 6. 29. and the workes of the Lord 1. Cor 15. 5. 8. are such as are acceptable to God as touching this life I say which is the first degree and the very beginning of eternal life to be afterward enioyed with God and his holy Angels in heauen all the whole posterity of Adam Christ only still excepted is altogether void of For as the root and stocke of a tree being altogether dead without any sparke of naturall life therin it is not possible that any of the boughs or branches can be aliue and as it is not possible for those men and women that are altogether naturally dead their soules and bodies being separated one from another to bring forth liuing children so it is not possible that our first parents beeing altogether dead vnto God and without the life of God before spoken of we or any other of their posterity should be aliue vnto God They may seeme to haue this spirituall life and this life of God because after a naturall manner they can conceiue and doe conceiue some things thereof yea sometimes the greatest mysteries thereof either after a meere carnall sort or by the speciall wisedom of God reuealing the same vnto them for the furthering of the saluation of other and for the making of themselues the more inexcusable and so for the increasing of their own condemnation but in truth and deed they are altogether destitute of it In this case it is with them as it is with many a woman that hauing a Tympany by the abundance of water or of some other matter of the said Tympany or other such like disease feeling some little stirring in her body like the mouing of a yong infant doth therefore thinke her selfe with child and yet in the end she is deceiued being not with child with any other thing then of a disease vnto death so I say many naturall and wicked men hauing some similitude and like actions of the life of God in them and feeling as it were some little motions of such life as it were little flashes suddenly wrought and suddenly vanishing like lightning do therfore thinke themselues with child of Christ and to haue conceiued him in the womb of their hearts but in the end they are deceiued and find themselues only with child of a spirituall sicknesse vnto death that is of hypocrisie and of a bare resemblance of the life of God in them and not to haue that life it selfe This is not only euident by the former testimony of the Apostle but also by another afterward in the same Epistle where he describeth our naturall state and condition to be that we had our vnderstanding darkned and were strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that was in vs because of the hardnesse of our hearts Ephes 4. 18. Thus I say in that place the Apostle describeth the state of all men naturally The same namely that we are all void of that life of God is manifest by other reasons To omit that before insinuated viz. that as the body is dead without the communion of the soule so man cannot be aliue vnto God that hath lost his communion with God and that indeed naturally men are without God in the world and that because they are without Christ Ephes 2. 12. by whom alone there is communion betwixt God and man and in whom alone is that life so that he that hath the sonne hath life and he that hath not the sonne hath not that life 1. Ioh. 5. 11. 12. although after a common manner effectiuely we all liue moue and haue our being in God Acts 17. 18. To omit I say this reason the same is further manifest because all meer naturall men are also without the immortall seed of God in them whereby they should be borne againe the children of God This immortall seed is the spirit of God as before we haue heard Meer naturall men therfore being without this seed how can they haue the life of God in them Againe if naturally we haue this life of God in vs it must be in our soules or in our bodies It is neither in our soules nor in our bodies therefore not at all Touching our soules what life of God can be in them when as we cannot so much as thinke a good thought of our selues 2. Cor. 3. 5. but al the imaginations of our heart are continually euill Genes 6. 5. and when as we cannot so much as will any thing that is good of our selues but it is God that worketh the will as well as the worke Philip. 2. 13. Where there is any life there will be some hunger and thirst after meat and drinke for preseruing of life or at least some desire of other meanes of life But alasse so farre are we from all hunger and thirst after either bread or water of life that we do vtterly refuse them and reiect them offered vnto vs. Yea that which is more we lay foorth our siluer for that which is not bread and we labour and take great paines for that which will not satisfie vs Isai 55. 2. Those things therfore being as it were the very breath of the life of God if we haue them not how can we haue that life of God it selfe For what life can there be without breath If our soules be thus dead what life of God can be in our bodies As our Sauiour saith If the light that is in vs be darknesse how great is that darknesse Matth. 6. 23. so may I say If the life that is in vs be deadnesse how great is that deadnesse Our eares cannot attend to the word of God therefore also not to any other goodnesse except God open our hearts Acts 16. 14. we cannot so much as turne our eyes from any vanity except the Lord do turn them Ps 119. 36. we cannot open our lips that our mouth may shew forth the praise of God except God do open them Psal 51. 15. neither can we so much as say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy ghost 1. Cor. 12. 5. Moreouer this our spirituall death doth appeare by our bearing all spirituall burthens though neuer so heauy without any sense and feeling of them What is heauier then sand yet all the sand â—n the whole world yea the whole earth with all the minerals of siluer gold lead yron tynne and pewter with all the quarries of stones with all the buildings and all other creatures thereupon is not so heauy as sinne Did not the imputation only of other mens sinnes vnto Christ lie so heauy
said metaphors Secondly they are further taught by their owne proper words euen the words before mentioned Touching the foresaid metaphors the Apostle saith first of the two first couple light and darknesse The night is past and the day is at hand let vs therefore cast away the workes of darknesse and let vs put on the armor of light Rom. 13. 12. And again Ye were once darknesse but are now light walke as the children of the light Ephes 5. 8. And haue no fellowship with the vnfruitfull works of darknesse verse 11. And againe Who hath deliuered vs from the power of darknesse and translated vs into the kingdome of his deare sonne Coloss 1. 13. So he teacheth that there is no participation of the kingdome of Christ except first we be deliuered from the power of darknesse And againe But ye brethren are not in darknesse that that day should come on you as it were a theefe ye are all the children of the light and the children of the day wee are not of the night neither of darknesse 1. The. 5. 4. 5. Peter saith Ye are a chosen generation a royall priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that ye should shew foorth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darknesse into his maruellous light 1. Pet. 2. 9. Iohn saith The darknesse is past and the true light now shineth 1. Ioh. 2. 8. Zachariah the father of Iohn Baptist saith that the day spring from on-high had visited them to giue light to them that sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death Luk. 1. 78. 79. By darknesse in all the places before alleged is meant that extreme ignorance without any knowledge of God wherewith the minds of all men naturally are ouerwhelmed before such time as they be regenerated The same is likewise signified by the word blindnesse in diuers other places The Lord giueth light to the blind Psa 146. 8. that is the Lord giueth knowledge to them that are ignorant The Prophet also setting forth the glory of Christs kingdome saith Then shall the eyes of the blind be lightned Isai 55. 5. that is then they shall beenlightned with the true knowledge of God that before were altogether ignorant of him and knew no more for their saluation then a stone-blind man doth see colours The same Prophet speaking of the office of Christ saith that the Lord had called him c. that he might open the eyes of the blind and bring out the prisoners from the prison and them that sit in darknesse out of the prison house Isai 42. 7. The Apostle Paul also speaketh the very like of his Apostleship noting the end therof to haue been to open the eyes of the Gentiles here he signifieth that before they were spiritually blind that they might turne from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan vnto God Acts 26. 18. Our Sauiour saith of euery plant whom the father had not planted that they were blind leaders of the blind and if the blinde lead the blind they shall both fall into the ditch Matth. 15. 14. Vpon the opening also of his eies that had beene borne bodily blind our Sauiour saith I am come vnto iudgement into this world that they which see not that is which are blind and ignorant of God and of the things pertaining to their euerlasting peace might see and that they which did see that is that thought they knew much might be made blind that is might haue that taken from them which they seemed to haue Luk. 8. 18. Vpon which words of our Sauiour the Pharisies replying Are we also blind our Sauiour answereth further If yee were blind yee should not haue sinne c. Iohn 9. 39. 40. 41. that is if ye were ignorant indeed your sinne should be so much the lesse I might heape vp many other the like testimonies touching the said metaphors of darknesse and blindnesse so applied But these alleged shall be sufficient They are both vsed in the former and in other places to signifie the same thing viz. the darknesse blindnesse and extreme ignorance of our minds concerning God and our saluation because indeed they are both of like nature For he that is in darknesse can see nothing though he haue neuer so good eyes and he that is blind can likewise see nothing though the sunne or moon or starres or candles or fire be neuer so cleere or bright By these metaphors doth the holy ghost so often expresse our ignorance because they doe best agree with that which before we heard of our being by nature the children of the diuell who is called the prince of darknesse Ephes 6. 12. and whose kingdome is said to be the place of vtter darknesse Mat. 8. 12. and 22. 13. and 25. 30. as also because they doe well agree with the maine thing before spoken of the spirituall death of all naturall and vnregenerated men for they that are dead are also depriued of all sight and therefore they be in continuall darknesse In which respect death is described to bee the land of darknesse Iob 10. 21. and the Psalmist saith Wilt thou shew a miracle to the dead or shall the dead rise and praise thee Shall thy louing kindnesse be declared in the graue or thy faithfulnesse in destruction then he addeth Shall thy wondrous workes be knowen in the darke c. Psal 88. 10. 11. 12. And finally that so we might the better see the vncomfortable wofull and most miserable estate and condition of all men naturally to make them the more thankfull for their comfortable ioyfull and most blessed change by grace and regeneration For is not darknesse one of the great iudgements inflicted by the Lord vpon the sonnes of men for their most hainous sinnes was it not one of Gods fearefull iudgements in Egypt Exod. 10. 22. When our Sauiour was most wickedly and vnrighteously put to death the greatest sinne that euer was before committed was there no darknesse in all the land from the sixt houre to the ninth Mat. 27. 45. The like may be said of blindnesse When the Sodomites came vpon Lot to haue abused the Angels entertained by him did not the said Angels smite them with blindnesse Gen. 19. 11. Amongst the rest of the iudgemēts also which the Lord threatneth to the Israelites if they should not obey him c doth he not threaten to smite them with madnesse and blindnesse Deut. 28. 28. Where let it bee obserued that hee conioineth madnesse and blindnesse let this I say bee obserued for the better manifestation of that which afterward I shall say touching the madnesse of all men naturally When Elymas also the Sorcerer resisted Paul was he not stricken with blindnesse for certaine daies Acts 13. 8. Againe who knoweth not by his owne experience how fearefull a thing darknesse and blindnesse is when the mist and darknesse before signified fel vpon Elymas did not he go about seeking one to lead him doth not any man that is blind or
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
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
is to be obserued viz. that he saith not but one foole destroieth Note much good but that he saith but one sinner destroieth much good so he sheweth his meaning by wisedome to be such wisedome as whereby men take heed of sinne and that according to my former writing all sinners are fooles whereunto it accordeth that Dauid saith not The wicked man or the sinner but The foole hath said in his heart there is no God Psal 14. 1. and 53. 1. by the foole meaning the sinner and the wicked man Againe what was it that first deceiued our first mother Eue was it not a false hope of further knowledge doth not this therefore shew that knowledge is a thing much to be desired and that true knowledge is highly to be esteemed Doth not Paul professe that he accounted all things losse yea as very dung euen aâ— the dung that is in the inwards of beasts so the word signifieth in respect of the excellent knowledge of Christ his Lord Philip. 3. 78. All these things doe plainly shew the great dignity of the children of God in respect of the said knowledge and wisedome as wherein as well as in other things consisteth the very matter as it were of their so being the children of God CHAP. XI Of some other branches of the former life of God in all new borne viz. of holinesse and righteousnesse both generally and also in someparticulars LET vs now proceede to some other points both of the life of God before mentioned and also consequently of the further matter of our regeneration and new birth that is of other things wherein our said new birth and regeneration doth consist and that according to our former method in this point viz. of opposition of contraries Here therefore let vs remember that before said namely that euen when men are dead in their sinnes and vtterly voide of the life of God before handled then they are aliue vnto sinne Being so aliue vnto sinne they are likewise seruants not only thereunto but also to satan himselfe For to whomsoeuer we giue our selues as seruants to obey his seruants we are Rom. 6. 16. Iob. 8. 34. 2. Pet. 2. 19. This seruice is the greatest slauery and bondage of all other far greater then the bondage of the Israelites in the house of bondage in the land of Egypt because that was with such feeling that it wrought great heauinesse in them and many praiers and earnest desires to be released thereof But this bondage is such by the meanes of spirituall death that there is no sense at all either of the heauinesse of sinne as hath been before shewed or of the bitternesse thereof yea though for bitternesse no wormewood nor gall be comparable to it yet they thinke it as sweet as hony and the hony combe yea such delight and pleasure doe they take therein that they commit the same with greedinesse Eph. 4. 19. Therefore being offered liberty with most gracious conditions they will by no meanes accept thereof Fearefull therefore in this behalfe is the estate and condition of all men by nature yea hereby also doth that the better appeare which before I handled concerning the naturall foolishnesse and madnesse of men For who but fooles and mad men could beare such burdens as sinnes are without sense and feeling As therefore the very Philosophers accounted such sottish and senselesse persons for seruants by nature so this seruile and slauish condition of all men by nature is the more fitly handled in this place next to that before of the foolishnesse and madnesse of all naturall men because it is an effect or at least a consequent thereof But what is the state of men by Iesus Christ in their regeneration Truly a most sweet and gratious liberty and freedome For as Christ is made wisedome and righteousnesse so also is he made redemption vnto vs. 1. Cor. 1. 30. and often doe we read that Christ hath redeemed vs. Tit. 2. 14. Galat. 3. 13. 1. Pet. 1. 19. and often elsewhere Our Sauiour himselfe saith that If men did continue in his word then they should shew themselues to be his disciples indeed and they should know the truth and the truth should make them free Ioh. 8. 32. and againe If the sonne shall make you free you shall be free indeed vers 36. He meaneth in this place freedome from the yoke bondage and extreme slauery of sinne When Peter had answered our Sauiour that Princes tooke toll or custome of strangers our Sauiour replieth then are the children free Mat. 17. 26. That which our Sauiour speaketh in that case may be much more vnderstood in this whereof now we speake because we speake of the children of God What Prince of power to deliuer will suffer his subiects especially his children to be in bondage and captiuity How then can it be that God being of all power should suffer his children to be in bondage especially so great a bondage as the bondage of sinne Notwithstanding being freed from the seruitude of sinne we are made the seruants of righteousnesse Rom. 6. 18. But this seruice is perfect freedome When any child especially the sonne of a Prince hauing been in captiuity to some enemies is freed from the said captiuity doth he account it any bondage to serue his Father and soueraigne No it is his liberty and great honor that he may serue him When men therefore are freed from the bondage of sinne and Satan how great is their liberty how vnspeakable is their honour to serue their heauenly father the king of kings It is not possible to serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse till first we be deliuered from our enemies Luk. 1. 74. 75. As a man loaden with many fetters and irons cannot in any thing serue his Prince till his said fetters and irons be knocked off so no man can serue God except first he be discharged from the bolts and fetters of sinne ten thousand times more heauy then any irons Therefore Paul saith in the place before alledged that Christ gaue himselfe for vs first that he might redeeme vs from all iniquity secondly that he might purge vs and thirdly to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe zealous of good workes T it 2. 14. We cannot therefore be zealous of good works except first we be redeemed from the guilt of all iniquity and purged from the blemish and freed from the bondage thereof This our freedome likewise and liberty is signified by that which before was alleged that he that is borne of God sinneth not neither can sinne because the seed of God abideth in him 1. Ioh. 3. 8. that is sinne hath not dominion ouer him as before it had neither can haue because being once freed he shall neuer returne into the bondage thereof neither doth hee sinne with delight therein so far foorth as hee is regenerated and borne of God That sinne wherewith at any time he is ouertaken is but a suddain passion of the old man remaining in
although the diuell their aduersary compasse the earth to and fro and walke about neuer so often Iob 1. 7. and neuer so diligently like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may deuoare 1. Pet. 5. 8. yet he doth not take them so napping that he doth so preuaile against them as he doth against other neither doth any euill so ouertake them but that before hand they be in some measure prepared for it This watchfulnesse is an effect of the said sobriety as sleepinesse drousinesse and security is an effect of the contrary For as it is in that sobriety which consisteth in abstaining from wine and strong drinke and in the contrary thereof namely being drunken with wine wherein is excesse Ephes 5. 18. viz. that the more sober and abstemious any man is the more vigilant and watchfull also he is yea the apter for vigilancy and watchfulnesse and on the contrary the more any man is ouercome with wine or other strong drinke the more apt he is to sleepe yea the more heauy and drowsie so the more sober any man is touching the former moderation of himselfe in euery state and condition of life the more vigilant and watchfull he will be to take heed of all spirituall danger and on the contrary the more liberty men doe giue to their affections and the more they are drunken and ouercome either with riches honours and pleasures on the one side or with cares feares and sorrowes on the other side the more sleepy also they are in their minds and the sooner ouertaken with danger This watchfulnesse is according to the former sobriety viz chiefly of the inward man As the former sobriety is of the affections so this watchfulnesse is of the mind namely when that is alway forecasting of dangers and seriously studying and meditating how to shun and auoid the same In which respect it is said that the wise mans eyes are in his head but the foole walketh in darknesse Eccles 2. 14. that is a wise man is neuer secure but alwaies carefull and looking about him for the preuenting and auoiding of dangers but a foole is alwaies in danger and continually ouertaken with some euill or other as one that walketh in darknesse falleth into this hole or that or at least stumblethat at this and that That like is in another place A prudent man seeth the plague and hideth himselfe but the foolish goe on still and are punished Pro. 22. 3. and 27. 12. In these places it is to be obserued that this watching whereof now I speake is commended as a speciall point of wisedome and that therefore as it concurreth with the sobriety of the inward man before spoken of so also it is not vnfitly here handled with that before said of wisedome Doth not this therefore much also increase the foresaid dignity of Gods children verily it doth this being considered that wicked and naturall men doe daily fall into infinit dangers as euen now was shewed by want of this watchfulnesse CHAP. XII Of the true loue of God and of men only found in the children of God and so of the further dignity of the children of God in respect thereof AS I haue before spoken of some particular branches of the life of God and wisedome and holinesse before generally handled so I might likewise speake of the rest For the very least is of great price and doth not a little amplifie the dignity of Gods children But so to particularize in this place would be too tedious I shall also by other occasions speake of some of them afterward and such as I shall not at all speake of may be esteemed by that which I write of the rest Notwithstanding that such as I haue not handled or shall not speake of may be the better considered let me adde something touching the loue of the children of God towards God and men as that indeed which comprehendeth all that shall be omitted which is also the fountaine of all the other particulars of the former life of God c. it being the fulfilling of the law and bond of perfection as before we haue heard But of this loue of the children of God towards God and men I will only speake very briefly leauing the rest to the consideration of the reader Some perhaps may looke that I should haue spoken thereof before but seeing our freedome from sinne to serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse doth so depend as wee haue heard vpon wisedome such as be fooles being commonly accounted seruants by nature and seeing the sobriety before handled is of so neere kindred as it were to the said wisedome that it is called as we haue likewise heard by the same name and seeing the foresaid watchfulnesse doth also so depend as hath been shewed vpon the said sobriety therefore I thought it not amisse to handle all the said particulars together as I haue done To come now to the loue of God and of men let vs only obserue this one point namely that it is as proper to the children of God only as the life of God wisedome freedom from the bondage of sinne with liberty to serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse the sobriety and watchfulnesse before handled All that are not the children of God but be wicked and meere naturall men are as far from all right loue of God and men as they are destitute of the former life of God of the former wisedome and of the other things before spoken of As none haue the life of God neither are wise neither are freed from sinne neither can serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse of life neither are sober in the manner before described neither can be watchfull for the auoiding of dangers but only the children of God so none can rightly loue God or men but only they Touching the loue of God this is manifest because if we be the friends of Christ if we doe what soeuer be commandeth vs Ioh. 15. 14. then it must needs follow that they are the enemies of Christ and consequently of God that do not that which is commanded them If the wicked be Gods enemies how can they loue him Againe these words are often confounded in the Psalmes viz. the wicked and the enemies of the Lord. The wicked shall perish and the enemies of the Lord shall be consumed as the fat of lambes Psal 37. 20. Psal 68. 1. the wicked are said to be enemies to the Lord and hate him and againe God will wound the bead of his enemies and the harry pate of him that walketh in his sinnes vers 21. So the wicked according to that spoken before of wisedome are said to be foolish ones and the Lords enemies Psal 74. 18. and 23. So the wicked especially that are enemies to the Church are called haters of the Lord Psal 81. 14. 15. The like is in many other places Psal 83. 2. Psal 89. 10. Psal 92. 10 and often elsewhere Last of all we haue heard before that the wicked doe not
sinne as likewise their actuall testimonies and very deeds of kindnesse shewed by them for the better incouragement of other to such euill as themselues doe approoue Of such loue Salomon saith that it is but as the cracking or ratling of thornes vnder a pot though vehement hot and feruent for a time yet by and by euen vpon nothing or at least vpon trifling reasons though sometime also vpon good ground quailed cooled and brought to nothing sometime also turned into extreme hatred Hereof there are many examples At Iakobs first comming to Padan Aram to his vnkle Laban how kindly and louingly was he entertained by Laban what great signes did he shew and what great profession did he make of loue As soone as he heard he was come he tarried not till he came to his house but he ran out to meet him What more he embraced him What more he kissed him What more he brought him to his house What more he said vnto him Thou art my bone and my flesh What more he abode with him the space of a moneth What more He said further vnto him Though thou be my brother shouldst thou serue me for nothing Tell me what shall be thy wages What more At his first asking he gaue him his daughter yea but not the right but Leah for Rahel Yea but presently he gaue him Rahel also Gen. 29. 13 c. Here were great matters who would not haue thought there had been great loue and such as much water would not haue quenched Notwithstanding how his heart was afterward changed how his countenance was estranged and how many waies he delt hardly with him and worse would haue dealt if God had not appeared vnto him and commanded him to doe nothing but good to Iakob we know Saul at the first is said to haue loued Dauid exceedingly 1. Sam. 16. 22. yet afterward when Dauid had much more deserued his loue he hated him as extreamly yea his own sonne Ionathan also for his sake 1. Sam. 20. 30. Yea he so hated all the Lords priests for his sake that for the supposed fault of one he commanded them all to be slaine 1. Sam. 22. 18. yea though he did afterward with teares relent vnto Dauid acknowledging him more righteous then himselfe 1. Sam. 24. 17. and so making a great shew of renuing his first loue yet presently againe he persecuted him as eagerly as before The like may be said of the loue of the said Saul towards his owne Sonne Ionathan to whom he was bound by nature but of this before Iehoram King of Israel one while could call Elisha the Prophet by the name of his father 2. Kings 6. 21. against whom notwithstanding such immediatly almost was his indignation and fury that he said God doe so and more also to me If the head of Elisha the sonne of Shephat shall stand on him this day vers 31. To day Herod could so reuerence Iohn Baptist that he heard him gladly and did many things c. yet the next day he beheaded him vpon the request of an whorish and wanton damsell Mark 6. 20. c Demas one while was the familiar friend of Paul Colos 4. 14. Philem. 24. but not long after he forsooke him and made more account of this present world that is both of the things and also of men of this world 2. Tim. 4. 10. What also may be said of the great fauour of Ahashuerosh towards Haman to whom he did not only command that all his seruants should bow their knees Ester 3. 2. but who also was all in all with him so that he obtained of him letters written in his own name and sealed with his own seale for the destroying of all the Iewes in one day Notwithstanding this great grace did not only die suddenly and with speaking of one word but it was turned also into such vnreconciliable indignation that Haman was hanged in a moment vpon the same gallowes which he had prepared for Mordecas Ester 7. 9. 10. So may all Hamans euen such enemies of the Lord and of the Lords people be disgraced and perish in the end that do not as Paul did before his calling belong vnto the Lord. The like we see by daily experience For be the loue of the wicked either towards the children of God or towards them of their own crue and sort neuer so great neuer so hot neuer so burning yet euery trifle putteth all cleane out and for euery toy they are ready to fall out with their ancientest and the best friends they haue and oft times they become as bitter enemies as euer before they were feruent friends Sometimes they fall out in play somtimes vpon the false reports of tale-bearers somtimes for a matter of profit though perhaps not of a penny value somtimes for an vnkind word somtimes vpon meer suspition somtimes vpon mistaking either of some speeches or some actions and somtimes vpon other occasions But why is the loue of the wicked so variable so mutable and so easily alienated from them towards whom it is Euen because it is not wel rooted grounded neither are they wel rooted grounded in it Ephes 3. 18. They loue for profit or for pleasure or for some other carnall respect Their loue is of the flesh not of the spirit The knot thereof is not made by theeternall spirit of God therfore it is easily dissolued As a stake stuck into the earth not rooted is easily plucked vp As an house without groundâ—ill and good vnderpinning especially standing bleakly subiect to the winds hauing no defence of trees of other buildings or of hills is quickly ouerthrown so is the loue of the wicked straight quailed and with euery little blast quite blown ouer This especially may be said of the loue of the wicked towards the children of God For although such loue on Gods part be not without his speciall prouidence yea and oft times wrought by his speciall power of his speciall goodnesse yet on the wickeds part it is for the most part not grounded vpon the godlinesse or goodnesse of such as they loue but vpon some speciall respect vnto themselues So Potiphar loued Ioseph because he was a good steward for him and the Lord blessed him in that which he took in hand yea all things that Potiphar had for his sake So Pharaoh did afterward loue grace the same Ioseph because he had well interpreted his dreames and had giuen good counsell against the time of dearth signified by one part of the said dreames So Saul loued Dauid for his skill vpon the harpe the same may be said of other Thus then we see what the loue of the wicked and of meer naturall men is and thereby how vile and base their state and condition is For what a dogged nature is it to loue no longer then they see benefit towards them and so to loue one while that presently they hate and oft times do hate more then they did loue as Ammons
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
once mortified vnto the carcases of men slaine in warre As therefore carcases of men so slaine must be remoued and buried or else they will bee very infectious to them that liue where such dead carcases lye euen so the dead carcases of our sins mortified in vs must be more and more remoued and as it were daily buried that so they may not bee infectious to the vertues that are aliue in vs. And this remoouing or burying of the dead carcases of our sinnes before mortified and slaine by the sword of Gods spirit accompanied with the rest of the spirituall armour is a kind of daily killing sinne more and more Wheras likewise before in the said 8 chapter I compared the remnants of sinne in vs to old rags or patches of an old coate vpon a newe to the disgrace of the said new coate the casting shaking off of such sins remaining that so they may not be disgracefull to the new man which we haue put on in our regeneration is putting off more and more of the old man and therfore also a killing likewise or mortifying of sin more and more in vs. For to put off the old mā or to mortify crucifie sin wherin consisteth the old man do both signify one thing To proceede therefore further in this point as the children of God are commanded thus to put off the old man daily and thus to mortifie and crucifie the same and al earthly members thereof Ephes 4 22. Col. 3. 5. c so the same commandements do imply a promise of a blessing viz. of strength and grace for performance of that which is commanded especially such commandements being not only legal but also euangelicall The legall and the euangelicall commandements teach one Note thing touching the eschewing of euill and doing of good For euen the grace of God that is the gospell which bringeth saluation to all men hauing appeared that is in most bright and glorious maner broken foorth through the clouds of the ceremonies and of the law of ordinances wherewith before it was obscured doth teach vs as it were little children to deny all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue godly and righteously and soberly in this present world Tit. 2. 11. 12. The same things the law also did teach But there is a great difference betwixt the teaching of these things by the law and by the gospell For the law teacheth onely demostratiuely and imperatiuely shewing vs what we should do commanding vs to do it but the gospell teacheth operatiuely and effectiuely giuing grace to perform that which it teacheth and therfore as the law going no further then to shew and command vs what to doe is called the letter that killeth as a man that requires much and giueth not wherewith to do it doth as it were kill the heart of him of whom he requireth such things so the Gospell quickning and enabling a man to do that which it requireth is therefore called a quickning spirit 2. Cor. 36. To returne to the former point the old man being thus daily mortified and crucified in the children of God they haue thereby a further priuilege for their better preseruation from presumptuous and reprochfull sinnes so that either they fall not into them or if they doe it is for some speciall good intended by God permitting them so to fall and in the end they are raised vp againe and made so much the stronger afterward by how much the weaker they shewed themselues in their fall and so much the more circumspect and fearefull of falling againe in like manner by how much the more secure and fearlesse they had been and lastly so much the more zealous of and forward vnto euery good work by how much the more grieuously they had before fallen into euill And this is partly the meaning of the Apostle Iohn when he saith that he that abideth in him that is in Christ sinneth not 1. Ioh. 3. 6. and againe that he that is borne of God sinneth not for his seed remaineth in him neither can be sinne because bee is borne of God vers 9. For these speeches signifie that they that are in Christ and regenerated are not only so freed from sinne that it doth not raigne and beare dominion in them generally as before their regeneration and incorporation into Christ it did but that also they make not a trade of any one sinne but that they so watch ouer themselues and are watched ouer by the Lord that they fall not into such reprochfull and disgracefull sinnes as the naturall and vnregenerate men doe daily commit This is more plentifully taught by the Apostle Paul For it is the chiefe argument of all the first fourteen verses of the sixt Chapter to the Romans It is also further euident by the example of Isaack For though the Lord before the birth of Iacob and Esau had expresly said that the elder should serue the yonger Genes 25. 23. And although Esau had most wickedly and prophanely sold his birthright vnto Iacob verse 33. and Heb. 12. 16. yet Isack had fully purposed to haue bestowed the blessing vpon Esau Had not this been a matter of great reproch For such a patriark so to haue crossed the former word of the Lord touching the blessing of Iacob well notwithstanding the purpose of Isack yet the Lord by the wisedome of Rebecca crossed him kept him from that sinne and directed him to bestow the blessing according to his former word The most of the brethren of Ioseph hauing fully and most vnnaturally and wickedly determined to haue murdered him for his dreames and for his accusing them to their father were notwithstanding by the counsell of Reuben kept from that fearefull sinne and so they sold him by the aduice of Iudah which afterward turned not onely to the great aduancement of Ioseph according to his former dreames but also to the preseruation of themselues and of their father and of all their families in the time of famine and to the accomplishment of the former word of God touching their soiourning in the land of Egypt Genes 37. 8 c. Dauid hauing through the reliques of the old man in him both fully intended and also earnestly protested the vtter destruction of the house of Nabal at least of Nabal himselfe and all the males appertaining vnto him by the gracious prouidence notwithstanding of God in sending Abigail to counsell and perswade him to the contrary was kept and restrained from the execution of that cruell and bloudy purpose 1. Sam. 25. 32 c. By all these examples as we see the speciall priuilege of the children of God in being kept from such hainous sinnes so by the two former examples we see also that God turneth such sinnes as wherinto the righteous of infirmity doe fall to their great good The same point viz. the preseruing of the children of God from many great sinnes is also cleere by daily experience of these things that before wee spake
state O singular priuiledge O honorable condition The wicked indeed make great mirth They laugh and shout in the midst of their wickednesse that all the place where they are rings of them But alas miserable men this is but painted ioy It is but like the cracking of thornes c. But of this more afterward And againe as touching ioy in any good thing they are so far from it that to heare any thing that way is a death vnto them yea when they are vrged by christian authority to do any thing that good is they do it so against the haire so murmuringly so grudgingly with such griefe moiling and fretting that their said worke is altogether abominable in the sight of God For if God loueth a cheerefull giuer or doer of any thing 2. Cor. 9. 7. then he must needs hate and abhor him that giueth or doeth any thing vnwillingly and grudgingly Thus much for this matter CHAP. XIX Of the dignity of Gods children by the word as it is a rule of faith and life and a speciall part of our christian armor IN the next place let vs consider the benefit of the children of God by the word and Sacraments The word indeed seemeth to be common to the wicked and to Gods children Notwithstanding it is effectuall to saluation only in the children of God If our Gospell be hid saith the Apostle it is hid to them that perish 2. Cor. 4. 3. As whatsoeuer euill we haue we haue it by Adam so whatsoeuer good we haue we haue it by Christ Therefore by Christ we enioy the benefit of the word which is likewise the more euident because by Adam and in Adam we were without the word Ephes 2. 12. They therefore that haue not Christ cannot claime any benefit by the word or any interest into the word Now although the word be the meanes of dying more and more vnto sinne as also of growing more and more in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ 2. Pet. 3. 18. yet because I haue spoken of the word before as of that mighty instrument whereby God beginneth our regeneration at the first and because that before spoken in that behalfe may be vnderstood of the word as a meanes of the things handled in the last former Chapter therefore I will not so speake of it here but in other considerations viz. first as it is a perfect rule of faith and manners containing all things necessary to saluation either to be known and beleeued or to be done and practised Secondly as it is a principall part of that christian armor whereby the children of God are to defend themselues against the enemies of their saluation Thirdly as it is their speciallest consolation and comfort in any affliction Concerning the word as it is a rule of faith and of life or manners two things are to be noted first the perfection of it secondly the perpetuity of it The perfection thereof is expresly commended and prooued by diuers effects viz. the conuersion of the soule the giuing wisedome to the simple c. The law of the Lord is perfect conuerting or restoring the soule c. Psal 19. 7. c. We are also forbidden either to adde any thing thereunto or to detract any thing therefrom Deut. 4. 2 â—â— 12. 32. Pro. 30. 6. Reuel 22. 18 19. It is said to be the power of God to saluation Rom. 1. 16. to be able to saue the soule Iames 1. 21. And lest these things should be mistaken as spoken partly of the word written and partly of a word vnwritten deliuered by tradition from hand to hand as the Papists vrge and that the word only written were not so perfect or powerfull therefore the very Scriptures that is the word only written are said to be able to make a man wise to saluation and to make the man of God perfect vnto euery good worke 2. Tim. 3. 15. 16. 17. If the man of God that is the minister of the word so often times called for excellencies sake then euery child of God els For no child of God is bound to know to beleeue or practise more towards saluation then the minister of God is bound to teach Yea whatsoeuer is vrged more for saluation is abomination It is further said that those things that are before written are written that we might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the sonne of God and that beleeuing they might haue life through his name Ioh. 20. 31. God giueth vs this faith and life by the scriptures and let the Papists take any thing els by their vnwritten verities and traditions Paul repeateth this twice If wee or an Angell from heauen should preach vnto you otherwise then that which we haue preached vnto you let him be accursed Galat. 1. 8. 9. But Paul preached or said no other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come Acts. 26. 22. and he preached no other Gospell then that which God had promised before by his Prophets in the holy Scriptures Rom. 1. 1. 2. So perfect is the word of God that when the learnedst man in the world by long study of any one sentence hath spoken all that he can yet another may come after and adde somewhat which the former neuer spake nor vnderstood concerning that place It is like a bottomlesse well that will neuer be drawn drie yea like the sea it selfe that will neuer be emptied As the Prophet speaketh of the righteousnesse and iudgements of God Thy righteousnesse is like the mighty mountaines and thy iudgements like a great deep Psal 36. 6. so may it be said of the scriptures for the height and depth of them The Apostle by exclamation speaketh thus of the wisdome knowledge iudgement and the way of God O the deepnesse of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God! How vnsearchable are his iudgements and his waies past finding out Rom. 11. 33. May not this be spoken of the word of God Where is that wisedome and knowledge of God Where are those his iudgements and waies declared but in the word All the writings of all men in the world are but shallow in respect of the word of God All the books in the world not handling the word of God and doctrine thereof do not containe so much and deep matter as is in one of the least canonicall Epistles An heathen man meeting with the Gospell written by Iohn and reading but the first verse thereof could say that that rude fellow so rudely he termed the Apostle had comprehended more matter in that one sentence then was in all the bookes of all Philosophers How much matter then is contained in that whole Gospell Especially in all the Scriptures All other books whatsoeuer are so much more excellent the more they agree with and the neerer they come to the word of God contained in holy scriptures How excellent then is the said word of God it selfe When all the chiefe wise men
of a kingdom furnished with the knowledge of all former lawes of the same kingdom and well instructed likewise in the word of God doe meet together to make new lawes for that kingdome yet after consultation one with another and after many daies conferring their readings and iudgements one with another the lawes that they make will not be so perfect but that either something might haue been added or something might haue been left out But the word of God is so absolute and complete that as nothing therein is superfluous so nothing is wanting vnto it What a singular priuledge then haue the children of God that haue the benefit of this law To lay forth the perfection of Gods word yet a little more fully and to make the same somwhat more euideut let vs vnderstand it to be so perfect for matters of faith and knowledge vnto saluation that whatsoeuer is not agreeable thereunto is to be held as erroneous Touching manners life and conuersation it teacheth all duties to God and men euen to all sorts of men superiors inferiors equals friends and foes and in euery state and condition viz. what to doe for them or to them in sicknesse or health in pouerty or wealth in liberty or in prison being ioyfull or mourning dwelling far off or nigh vnto vs being of the same nation or of another kinsfolk or strangers friends or aduersaries within our family or without widowes or fatherlesse or in any other state whatsoeuer As it directeth vs how to carry ourselues towards al of what condition soeuer and in what state soeuer they be so it prescribeth our behauiour at all times and in all places in the day and in the night when we eat when we drink when we labour when we rest when we walke when we lye when wee sleepe in the winter and in the summer publikely and priuately at home and abroad in our secret chambers and when wee are with company in the time of peace and in the time of warre It hath rules likewise for our selues in respect of our selues what to do in prosperity in aduersitie when wee are children when we are men and when we are old touching meate drinke apparell sleepe and the vse of all other things indifferent or not indifferent for this life and for the life to come Whereas also the lawes of men reach only to the outward man to restrain the same from euill and to bind it to the performance of good the lawes of God are giuen for the gouernment not onely of the outward man but also of the inward not onely of the body but also of the soule euen of our mind vnderstanding memorie thoughts and all affections There is likewise no member of the body but that in the word of God there is direction for it for the eye to see for the eare to heare for the nostrell to smell c. But of these things before in Chap. 11. where for further sight of these things I referred the learned reader to the Treatise of Otho Casmannus in his anatomy of a spirituall man By these things thus pointed at touching the perfection of the word of God we may the better see the priuiledge of the children of God to bee such by the word of God that they need neuer to bee to seeke further for direction in anything concerning saluation then only to the word This briefly shall suffice for the perfection of the word of God Touching the perpetuity of the word it is testified in many places of the Scripture The feare of the Lord that is the word which teacheth and worketh the feare of the Lord is cleane and endureth for euer Psal 19. 9. and againe O Lord thy word endureth for euer in the heauens Psal 119. 89. Another prophet saith The grasse withereth and the flower fadeth but the word of God shall stand for euer Isai 40. 8. Our Sauiour saith Heauen and earth shall passe away but my words shall not passe Mat. 24. 35. Luk. 16. 17. Luk 21. 33. This is manifest by experience For whereas the word of God hath continually had both more aduersaries in number as also greater for power as some Emperors and for malice as the hereticks especially the Papists then all other bookes whatsoeuer the one sort of such enimies seeking vtterly to extinguish the word and the other endeauouring to corrupt the very text it selfe yet al other writings haue beene mangled and some bookes haue vtterly perished but the Lord hath alwaies preserued the Scriptures from destruction on the one side and from corruption on the other side As the souldiers that brake the bones of the two theeues that were crucified with our Sauiour had no power for all that to breake any bones of our Sauiour himselfe so they that haue either consumed or corrupted other bookes haue neuer had the power either to destroy or corrupt the scripture touching the originall text thereof The Lord hath alwaies most mightily preserued some copies both inuiolate and also vndefiled Yea the papists that at their pleasure haue mangled clipt defaced and corrupted all the writings and bookes of the ancient fathers taking out of them what they haue thought in them preiudiciall to their damnable heresies as appeareth in Index expurgatorius their dealing in that behalfe may be called Ignis expurgatorius haue notwithstanding neuer had power to laye such violent hand vpon the originall text of the Scripture This perpetuity of the Scripture is not onely to be vnderstood of the very letter and word thereof but also of the sense and meaning Euery sentence of the scripture is not onely the same in letters and words that was at the first but also in sense Note and meaning No scripture no sentence of scripture hath any other meaning now then it had at the first giuing thereof by inspiration from God As God himselfe is immutable so likewise the will of God reuealed in his word is vnchangeable Therefore the word is one of the two immutable things wherby we may haue strong consolation Heb. 6. 16. As no man may adde any thing to the words themselues nor take ought from them so no man may alter or change any thing touching the sense meaning of them The letters and words of the scriptures are but as the bodie thereof the sense and meaning are as the life and soule of it If therefore no man may encrease or diminish any thing of the former much lesse may any alter or change any thing in the latter The Lord that hath forbidden the maiming of a man in any limme hath much more forbidden the hurt of him in his life The like is to be sayd of the word of God This then is a great difference of the word of God from the lawes of men For though the lawes of men doe remaine the same touching the letter of them yet oft times the sense and meaning of them is changed as times and Iudges are chāged And therefore it is a
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
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
more therefore are we forbidden the worship of dead and helplesse images Thirdly because there should be some resemblance betwixt that that putteth vs in mind of another thing and the thing it selfe whereof it putteth vs in mind But there is not so much similitude betwixt God and images as there is according to our common speech betwixt an apple and an oyster For both these are the good creatures of God they are both meat for man either of both are beyond the power of man to make But there is no agreement at all betwixt God and idols or images What fellowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse and what communion hath light with darknes c. 2. Cor. 6. 14. c. Images haue mouthes and speake not eies and see not eares and heare not hands and handle not feet and walke not as before we heard Deut. 4. 28. Psal 15. 5. c. But God hath no eies and yet seeth all things no eares and yet heareth all things no mouth and yet speaketh vnto vs by his word no hands and yet doth and ruleth all things he hath no feet and yet is euery where Last of all for images to put vs in mind of God is derogatory to the Sacraments especially to the supper of the Lord which Christ himselfe instituted chiefly in remembrance of him That which I haue said of some of the chiefe heresies of Popery I might shew of the rest so likewise of other heresies To deale in like manner with all would be too large for this place By these things but thus briefly written other may be vnderstood And thus we see what an excellent priuiledge the children of God haue by the word of God being such an armor of proofe as we haue heard it to be for defence of themselues against all sinnes both of practise and also of iudgement Yea this priuiledge is the greater because all the wicked and meer naturall men being without this word are therfore in a wofull state altogether vnarmed naked lying open to the enemy of their soules yea being indeed in his posession as before we haue often heard For although the Apostle doe describe other parts of the christian armor yet none can haue any of those other parts except he haue the word The word is the most principall of all the rest as being the meanes as before hath been shewed of all the rest Thus much for the second consideration of the word in this place viz. as it is a speciall part of our spirituall armor to defend our selues against the enemies of our saluation CHAP. XX. Of the word as it is giuen for consolation and comfort of the children of God in their afflictions and also of the Sacraments THe third consideration of the word before mentioned yet remaining is as it is the speciallest consolation and comfort of the children of God in their afflictions This I haue reserued for this last place because it ariseth from the two former For if the word of God be so perfect as before wee heard then it must needs be a word of comfort If also it be such a speciall part of our christian armor for our defence as before also we haue seen it to be then it cannot but minister likewise great comfort vnto vs. For where a man hath many and mighty enemies there cannot but be great feare where there is great feare there cannot but be great heauinesse also Yea what almost is feare but the heauinesse of heart from the expectation of some euill So far therefore as the word doth arme vs against our enemies whom we haue most cause to feare so far it cannot but be a great comfort vnto vs. This that I speake of the comfort of the children of God by the word of God Dauid testifieth Psal 19. both saying that the statutes of the Lord are right and reioice the heart verse 8. and also adding that they are sweeter then the hony and the hony combe vers 10. But we are there to obserue these commendations to bee placed after some other attributes and effects for which in the same Psalme he had before commended the word viz. after the perfection of it and the conuersion of the soule thereby after the faithfulnesse or surenesse of it and the giuing wisedome vnto the simple c. Thereby the Prophet giueth vs to vnderstand that the word of God doth reioice and comfort the heart only of those whom first it hath inwardly conuerted or restored whom first it hath made wise vnto saluation c. Therfore also he saith againe This is my comfort in my trouble that thy promise or thy word doth quicken me Psal 119. 50. that whereas by nature I am dead in sinnes and trespasses thy word hath awakened me and restored me to life and so giuen me much comfort and againe This is my comfort that I keep thy commandement verse 56. and againe Except thy lawes had been my delight or my comfort I had long sithence perished in mine afflictions verse 92 Paul also doth not obscurely signifie the word of God to be the word of comfort when he saith that whatsoeuer things are written afore time are written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might haue hope Rom. 15. 4. Do we not here plainly see true comfort to be called the comfort of the scriptures Another Apostle also setteth down the word for one of the two immutable things whereby we might haue strong consolation c. Heb. 6. 18. But what shall I need to stand long vpon this point For as afterward in the vses of this dignity of Gods children we shall heare this whole treatise is as well for comfort as for instruction And how shall we know that God hath so loued vs as to make vs his children but by the word How are we made the children of God but by the word How doe we vnderstand any thing else either before or after in this treatise concerning the dignitie of Gods children but by the word Yea and that all true comfort is to be had by the word our Sauiour seemeth to insinuate because his disciples being in great feare partly by a great tempest vpon the sea partly and more specially because seeing him come towards them walking vpon the sea they imagined him to be a spirit though our sauiour by his bodily eies seeing their trouble by the tempest and by his diuine nature vnderstanding their imagination of him could secretly by his said diuine nature and power haue taken all feare from them and comforted them yet he did rather comfort them by his word and speech Note saying vnto them Be of good comfort it is I bee not afraid Matth. 14. 27. Wherefore did hee thus rather then otherwise comfort them Euen the better to sanctifie and commend the word for the word of comfort for euer to his disciples and to all other in any feare or heauinesse that so all might alwaies seek comfort at
no other fountaine then at the word of God By the same meanes from time to time hath the Lord comforted his children Abraham Isack Iacob Dauid Hezekiah Paul and other in their afflictions euen by his word and by speaking vnto them When Iohn also wept much because no man was found worthy to open to read and to looke on the booke which before he had seen in the right hand of him that sate vpon the throne c. how was he comforted Not inwardly only by Gods spirit but outwardly also by one of the elders speaking vnto him and saying Weep not behold that Lyon which is of the tribe of Iuda that roote of Dauid hath obtained to open the booke and to open the seuen seales thereof Reuel 5. 5. Here is a double argument to proue the word of God to be the word of comfort First because Iohn in his heauinesse is comforted by the speech of one of the elders vnto him Secondly in respect of the matter of the said speech viz. that there was one found to open the booke and the seuen seales thereof For thereby the holy ghost signifieth that without opening of the book before shewed to Iohn there was nothing to haue comforted him Whatsoeuer benefits therfore whatsoeuer friends whatsoeuer outward delights whatsoeuer learning or other thing men haue yet nothing will soundly comfort them that are heauy hearted or exercised with feares but the word The woman in the Gospell healed of her bloudy issue for healing whereof she had spent all that she had vpon the physitians and was nothing the better doth sufficiently iustifie this For when our Sauiour hauing so healed her for nothing euen so perfectly healed her that she sensibly felt her selfe to be healed when I say our Sauiour hauing thus healed her did but aske who had touched him because he had felt vertue to goe from him she had no more comfort then before but for all the benefit Note of health so miraculously wrought in her she was possessed with great feare and trembling till she came to our Sauiour and till he spake vnto her saying Daughter be of good comfort thy faith hath saued thee Luk 8. 47. 48. So then the former benefit did not comfort her though she had long desired it yea it seemeth she had more feare then before but the word that our sauiour spake was it that tooke away the feare and which did comfort her I might here also speake of Belshazar in what case he was Dan. 5. hauing no comfort in the word but of him and other like more afterward In the meane time let vs vnderstand that the word hath comforts of all sorts and for all afflictions of this life and of the life to come for body and for soule Is any of Gods children poore he can comfort himselfe with the word saying Feare the Lord yee his Saints for no good thing wanteth to them that feare him c. Psal 34. 9. So with those manifold comforts Mat. 6. 25. c. Luk. 12. 32. c. So also with the examples of Iacob Gen. 32. 10. of Elija of the widow of Zarepta and of the other widdow of one of the sonnes of the Prophets before mentioned and with Gods mighty prouidence towards the Israelites in the wildernesse in feeding them with Manna and quailes and in giuing them water out of the rocke Is any child of God in disgrace or in base condition he can comfort himselfe with 1. Pet. 5. 5. and 6. and with the examples of Ioseph Dauid Ester and Mordecai whom the Lord raised vp from the dust and made to sit with Princes yea and some of them to be Princes Is any of them in prison He can comfort himselfe with the examples of Ioseph Ieremiah Peter and Paul who were not only in prison but whom also the Lord most mightily deliuered out of prison Hath any many and great aduersaries He can consider that If God be with him he need not feare who is against him Rom. 8. 29. and that The Lord is alwaies at hand Philip. 4. 6. And how the Lord deliuered Iacob from Esau and from the Sechemites and Dauid from many mighty enemies Is any sicke and sicke vnto death He can call to mind how Hezekiah being so and told also by the word of God that he should die was vpon his praier miraculously restored to health and had his life drawn out for fifteen yeeres more 2. Chron. 32. 24. c. He can also remember that Dauids soule was deliuered from the graue Psal 103. 4. and that Epaphroditus being sicke and neere vnto death God had mercy on him Phil. 2. 27. Hath any man lost all his goods in one day yea children also c. He can comfort himselfe with Psal 24. 1. and with the example of Iob who hauing lost goods and children did not only say The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken Blessed be the name of the Lord Iob. 1. 21. but who also had all and more then all restored vnto him at the last Iob. 42. 10. Is any man heauy loaden with his sinnes doth he feare the wrath of God and euerlasting condemnation and doth he not find or feele any comfort yea doth he feele the terrors of death Oh how may he comfort himselfe with the doctrine of Gods mercy Psal 103. 9. c. before handled with the end of Christs comming to heale them that are sicke not the whole to call sinners not the righteous to repentance Mat. 9. 12. 13. to seeke and to saue that which was lost Luk. 19. 10. that euery one that beleeueth in him might not perish but haue euerlasting life Iohn 3. 6. with the words also of the Prophet Ho euery one that thirsteth c. Isai 5. 5. 1. with the words of our Sauiour Come vnto me all ye that are weary and laden and I will refresh you Mat. 11. 28. And lastly with the examples of such as haue found comfort in such an heauy condition and against great and many sins viz. of Dauid of Salomon of Manasses of Peter of Mary Magdalen of Zacheus of Paul and of diuers other Seing then the word of God hath such excellent and such sweet comforts for euery malady for euery affliction for euery heauinesse who can sufficiently expresse the dignity and prerogatiue of the children of God thereby For they only can receiue comfort by it The childrens bread doth not belong to whelpes Mat. 15. 26. Neither do the holy things of God belong to dogs neither doe such pearles become swine Mat. 7. 6. All this hitherto said of the word is the more both in respect of the writing thereof and also of the preaching thereof In both these respects I say the prerogatiue of the children of God by the word is the greater For as touching the writing thereof howsoeuer the Papists would perswade that it was written onely by the voluntary accord of man not by any expresse commandement of God 〈◊〉 and that therefore it
for them Touching the first of these thus it is written who so dwelleth in the secret of the most high shall abide in the shaddow of the Almighty Psal 91. 1. Surely hee will deliuer thee from the snare of the hunter and from the noisome pestilence Hee will couer thee vnder his wings and thou shalt bee sure vnder his feathers his truth shall bee thy shield and buckler Thou shalt not bee afraid of the feare of the night nor of the arrow that flyeth by day verse 3. c. For indeede that whole Psalme is specially occupied in the argument of the safety of Gods children as touching the euils of this life and in declaring the contrary dangers of the wicked The like promise for the children of God is in Psalme 97. Yee that loue the Lord hate euill hee preserueth the soules of his Saints hee will deliuer them from the hand of the wicked verse 10. The whole 121. Psalme is also of this argument For there the Prophet assureth all the children of God that the Lord will not suffer their foot to slip that hee will so keepe them that the Sunne shall not smite them by day nor the Moone by night Yea hee saith verse 7. that the Lord shall preserue them from all euill c. Yea that he shall preserue their going out and their comming in The same is likewise euident by the couenant that God maketh with all creatures euen the fiercest and cruellest for his childrens sake But of this more afterward The Prophet Isaiah also saith of the same point But now thus saith the Lord that created thee and hee that formed thee O Israel feare not for I haue redeemed thee I haue called thee by thy name thou art mine When thou passest through the waters I will bee with thee and through the floods that they doe not ouerflow thee When thou walkest through the very fire thou shalt not bee burnt neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee Isai 43. 1. 2. What meaneth the Lord by these words but that his children should haue no hurt by those things that doe most deuoure and consume other I might adde many other Scriptures to the same purpose but these shall be sufficient Besides those and the like Scriptures and promises the same is manifest by great reason For sith all the afflictions of this life are part of the curse and punishment that is due to our sinnes and sith Christ Iesus tooke vpon him and came into the world to suffer the whole curse of God both of this life and of the life to come that wee had deserued and hauing accordingly indeed borne our infirmities and caried our sorrowes and was wounded for our transgressions and broken for our infirmities and had the chastisement of our peace vpon him Isai 53. 4. 5. and did himselfe beare our sinnes that is the full punishment of our sinnes in his body on the tree 1. Pet. 2. 24. therefore it standeth no more with the iustice of God to cast such afflictions vpon vs as punishments of our sinnes then it agreeth with the iustice of man to receiue his debt of the surety and yet after to require the same of the principall debter or to punish him for not paying the same yea forasmuch as the higher and greater any Iudge is the more it behoueth him to doe iustice and iudgement and sith God is the Iudge of all the world Genes 18. 25. therefore if it agree not with the iustice of man to demand that debt of one that is paied by another much lesse doth the like stand with the iustice of God The former point is likewise manifest by many examples Noah and a few of his were kept in the great floud that drowned all the world besides Lot with some of his were preserued in Sodom and Gomorra whereall other inhabitants of those cities were consumed by fire from heauen The widdow of Sarephta with the Prophet Elija was fed in that great dearth and famine when many other were in great extremity Ieremiah and Ebedmelech were well prouided for and had great liberty when the great nobles and Princes of Ierusalem with many other of the common people which before had reiected the word of the Lord were either cruelly put to the sword or slauishly carried away captiue Iehoshaphat was preserued from the Aramites though in great danger of them when Ahab was wounded to death by them The red sea gaue way to the Israelites and stood vpon heapes like a wall for their safe passage through it when Pharao and all his host were ouerwhelmed in it Againe to some speciall sinnes there are some speciall afflictions belonging To drunkennesse belongeth woe sorrowes strife murmuring or much talke wounds without cause or wounds without punishment rednesse of eies Pro. 23. 29. So likewise to it and to all other intemperancy there belong many noisome diseases as the dropsie the gout apoplexies and such like yea not only diseases but deformity also of body blockishnesse of wit and dulnesse of vnderstanding of how sharpe wit and quick capacity soeuer they were before with hardnesse of heart like to brawne so that hauing many sorrowes yet they shall feele none Adultery likewise and all incontinency is accompanied with some foule diseases and many other euils Boldnesse and rashnesse is not without many great dangers To those also and to diuers other sinnes belong pouerty great shame disgrace reproch and contempt with men The like may be said of many other sinnes as hauing many speciall calamities attenâ—ing vpon them For as much then as before we haue heard that the children of God are freed from such sins it followeth likewise that they are the more safe from those euils that they doe specially meet with that fall into such sinnes Thus much briefly for the immunity of the children of God from the euils of this life Touching the second sort of benefits for this life belonging to the children of God they are as before I said all the blessings of this life far foorth as they are good for them and may be accounted benefits not only in their own nature but also to the children of God These are length of daies health peace safety liberty riches credit honors authority friends and such like All these do belong only to the children of God and that by a double right First by promise Secondly by participation of Christ and that communion with him before handled in whom all the promises of God belong vnto men and are said to be yea and Amen that is begun and accomplished 2. Cor. 1. 10. Touching the right of those blessings by promise the Apostle saith that godlinesse hath the promise not only of the life that is to come but also of the life present 1. Tim. 4. 8. If ye require where they are promised looke these places specially Leuit. 26. 3. to vers 14. Deut. 28. 3. to verse also 14. Iob. 11. 13. c. and 22. 23. c. Psal also 34. 9.
them in nothing to feare their aduersaries Why so Because saith he this is to them a token of perdition but to you of saluation Philip. 1. 28. So he sheweth by an argument taken from comparison of equals that euen as to be an aduersary to the children of God and to persecute them is a token and manifest testimony to such so long as they continue such that they shall perish so to be hated of them and persecuted by them is a great assurance of saluation Only this is the difference that they that by hatred and persecution of the children of God haue a great signe of perdition may for all that by faith working repentance be saued but they that once by any good testimony be assured of saluation shall neuer perish Sixtly by suffering a little smart of the fruit of sinne heere they doe the better learne both what all is that they haue deserued in the life to come and also what Christ hath suffered for them in bearing the whole punishment of all their sinnes and therefore how they ought to loue him in that behalfe and how thankfull they ought to bee to God for their deliuerance from euerlasting torments in respect whereof these light and momentany afflictions of this life are but as fillips and fleabites and consequently also they learne how they are to pity them that are going towards the place of such torments and how in pity they are to labor their reclaiming and conuerting These are the principall particular points of the lawe of God which the children of God doe learne by the afflictions of this life the least whereof is more worth then all outward prosperity and all which might be much more enlarged but finding this treatise to arise to a far greater volume then at the first I made account of I am thereby forced in many things to write the more briefly By this that I haue thus briefly set downe in that behalfe it may sufficiently appeare that the exchange sometimes of momentany afflictions for temporary blessings is no detriment to the children of God but rather an exceeding gaine and benefit If it be obiected that some of Gods children are subiect also to extraordinary deaths as Eli brake his neck falling backwardâ— 1. Sam. 4. 18. The Prophet that had done contrary to the word of God was killed by a lyon 1. Kings 13. 24. Noble Iosiah died of the wound that he had taken by the sword of the vncircumcised Egyptians 2. King 23. 29. and that for going somewhat obstinately as it seemeth against Pharo Neco 2. Chron. 35. 2. Many of the Corinthians are said to haue slept that is to haue died somwhat extraordinarily by an vntimely death for abuse and disorder in the supper of the Lord 1. Cor. 11. 30. If I say this be obiected and so confirmed by these former and other the like examples and vpon those grounds it be further demanded how such things can be for the good of the children of God and for the learning any thing out of the word of God sith the dead praise not God neither is there any remembrance of God in death Psal 6. 5. and 30. 9. To this I answer briefly that although after death there be no learning any thing except only either of torments to the wicked or of ioy and happinesse to the godly and that by sense and feeling as the rich man and Lazarus did Luk. 16. 23. yet in such sicknes vnto death there may be before death and no doubt is repentance in al the children of God of such particular sinnes as whereby they see they haue procured such particular chastisements vpon themselues and so by iudging of themselues for the said sins they haue the better assurance that they shall not be iudged of the Lord. Therefore the Apostle saith in the place before alledged after mention of sicknesse and death when we are iudged we are chastned of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world 1. Cor. 11. 32. which is all one with the generall end of afflictions before mentioned viz. that we may liue Heb. 12. 9. Againe both further to amplifie that answer to the former obiection and also now to shew some other vses of the afflictions of Gods children in respect of other they are so afflicted especially for particular sins that other as well as themselues liuing after their said vntimely death seeing how he whom they call father iudgeth euerie man as well his own children as other according to their worke in this world without respect of persons may afterward passe the time of their dwelling here in the more feare 1. Pet. 1. 17. and make an end of their saluation with the more trembling Philip. 2. 12. Secondly in respect of other they are afflicted and loaden with affliction for the manifestation of their faith patience and other graces to such as did before doubt thereof as thinking all that they did in the worship of God to be in hypocrisie and rather because God had so compassed and walled them about with his mercies then in a simple and a pure loue towards God himselfe Is not this euident by the answer of satan vnto God when God had asked him if he had not considered Iob and all his vprightnesse c. Doth Iob saith satan feare God for nought Hast thou not made an hedge about him and about all that he hath on euery side Thou hast blessed the worke of his hands and his substance is encreased in the land But stretch out now thine hand and touch all that he hath to see if hee will not blaspheme thee to thy face Iob 1. 8. 9. 10. Doth not satan in these words plainly accuse Iob to haue done all that he had done only in hypocrisie c Therefore the Lord gaue him leaue to try Iob to exercise him with many afflictions one after another one in the neck of another for the confutation of that slanderous accusation of Iob by satan for declaration of his integrity to al the world Yea by this occasion to insert here another benefit by afflictions to the children of God concerning themselues as by wrastling a man somtimes knoweth his own strength better then before he did so oftentimes by afflictions a man better knoweth his owne faith and other graces of God in himself for his further comfort then before he did Thirdly in respect of other sometimes the children of God are so afflicted that the workes of God may be shewed on them Our Sauiour being asked by his disciples of the man that was borne blind whether he or his parents had sinned that he was borne blind answered Neither hath this man sinned nor his parents but that the worke of God might be shewed on him Ioh. 9. 2. 3. So it seemeth that Lazarus was therefore sick died of his sicknesse sooner then by the course of nature he should haue died not for any speciall sinne of his owne but for the
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
obtaine mercy Matt. 5. 7. then much more blessed and much more may they hope for mercy that iudge wisely of the godly and that shew mercy to the children of God Againe the Prophet praieth or exhorteth to pray that they may prosper that loue Ierusalem Psal 122. 6. by Ierusalem there meaning not only the publike state of the Church but euery particular member thereof because it cannot goe well with the whole except it goe also well with euery member Now although that bee a praier or exhortation to praier yet the matter thereof insinuateth a promise for neither the Church nor any part thereof may pray for any thing in their owne behalfe or in behalfe of any other whereof they haue no promise Forasmuch therefore as the Church praieth or exhorteth to pray for them that loue Ierusalem viz. that such may prosper it followeth that there was and is a promise of the prosperitie of all those that loue Ierusalem that is of the Church and whole compaine of Gods children and euerie part thereof that is of euery one of Gods children therein or thereunto belonging Our Sauiour speaketh yet more plainly and expresly saying that he that receiueth arighteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receiue thereward of a righteous man and that whosoeuer shall giue vnto one of his little ones that is to one of the smallest and meanest children of God a cup of coldwater only in the name of a disciple verily he should not lose his reward Matt. 10. 41. Thus much briefly for the promises of God to all that shall shew any kindnesse to any of his children Touching the threatnings against all that shall deale vnkindly with them first all that our Sauiour speaketh of offending generally any one of his little ones Match 18. 6. Mark 9. 42. Luk 17. 2. may particularly be applied to this purpose If the Angell of the Lord also as Dâ—borah reporteth said Curse yee Meroz Curse yee the inhabitants thereof because they came not to helpe the Lord to helpe the Lord against the mightie Iudg. 5. 23. so condemning them not to haue helped the Lord that did not helpe his people how much more doth the curse of God belong to them that go out to hurt the children of God or that doe any thing for the damnifying of them When the Prophet Ieremiah had said that Israel was as a thing hallowed vnto the Lord and his first fruits presently hee addeth All they that eat it shall offend euill shall come vpon them saith the Lord Ier 2. 3. By eating there the Prophet meaneth the offring of any indignity vnto them For in the time of the Law when things according to the Law were consecrated vnto God what common person soeuer not of the stocke of the Priests did eat of them they did greatly sinne against the Lord and prouoked his heauy indignation against themselues When the Prophet Zecbariah had said He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his ete immediately he addeth this commination against such persons saving For behold I will life vp mine hand vpon them and they shall be a spoile to those that serued them c. Zech. 2. 8. The Prophet Amos saith against the rich men of Israel that dealt hardly with the poore buying them for siluer and for old shoes selling vnto them the refuse of the wheat c. as many rich men doe in these daies the Prophet Amos I say speaketh thus against such The Lord hath sworne by the excellencie of Iaacob Surely I will neuer forget any of their workes Amos 8. 6. Did the Lord with an oath so threaten them that dealt hardly with the poore of Israel who long before were fallen away from God What then doe we thinke threatneth he against all those that any waies deale hardly with them whom in his abundant mercy he hath begotten againe vnto himselfe and whom so begotten he loueth with an euerlasting loue and wil neuer cast them off When Amalek came out to fight against the children of Israel as they came out of the land of Egypt and were trauelling by the wildernesse towards the land of Canaan the Lord spake thus vnto Moses Write this saith hee for a remembrance in the booke and rehearse it vnto Ioshua who was to succeed Moses and in his stead to fight the Lords battles against the enemies of Israel for I will vtterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from vnder heauen Also hee said The Lord hath sworne that hee will haue warre with Amalek from generation to generation Exod 17. 14. and 16. Though this were spoken and threatned particularly against the Amalckits yet it insinuateth a generall commination against all the like enemies of the children of God To conclude this point of Gods promises to them that shew kindnesse to his children and of his threatnings against those that doe shew them any vnkindnesse to conclude I say this point as I beganne the same viz. with a sentence comprehending both so let vs remember that our Sauiour applieth the parable of the vnrighteous Iudge and of the poore widow in this manner Heare what the vnrighteous Iudge saith Now shall not God auenge his elect which cry day and night vnto him yea though hee suffer long for them I tell you hee will auenge them quickly Luke 18. 6. 7. This word to auenge seemeth to import not onely a promise of deliuering the elect from all their wrongs but also a threatning of a iudgement against them that had wronged them All this of Gods promises to the friends of his children and Note of his threatnings against their enemies is much more to bee vnderstood of all good towards them that are any furtherers of their saluation and of all euill against them that doe any wates oppugne and hinder their said saluation Therefore as such loue to the Saints is reckoned vp as a thing accompanying saluation Heb 6 9. 10. so also to hate and persecute the children of God is set downe as a token of perdition Phil. 1. 28. The more excellent also the person of the children of God is to whom any kindnesse is shewed the greater promise is made vnto him that sheweth such kindnesse Therefore in the place before alleged Matt. 10. 41 it is said that He that recesueth a Prophet in the name of a Prothet shall receiue a Prophess reward The same is to bee vnderstood of threatnings The more excellent the person is that receiueth any wrong the more is threatned to him that doth the wrong Thus much of these promises and threatnings Touching the performance of them the Scripture affoordeth vs many examples to witnesse the same As Ebedmelech a stranger none of the people of Israel but a Black-moore had made request to the king of Iuda for Ieremiah being in prison and so had deliuered him Ier. 38 8. c. so when the city of Ierusâ—lem was taken by the Babylonians according to the word of the Lord before spoken by Ieremiah in
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
a Iew and say Wee will goe with you for wee haue heard that God is with you Zecbar 8. 23. Other Prophets also before had written to the same purpose thus It shall bee in the last daies that the mountainâ— of the house of the Lord shall bee prepared in the top of the mountaines and shall bee exalted aboue the hilles and all nations shall flow vnto it And many people shall goe and say Come and let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iaakob and be will teach vs his waies and we will walke in his pathes c. Isa 2. 2. Mich 4 1. Many other the like promises there are for the incouragement of all how wicked soeuer to change their state and to make haste in that behalfe before they perish in their wicked condition The examples likewise of those Act. 2. 37. of the gaoler Act. 16. 27. of Paul him-selfe of Mary Magdalen of all the heathen conuerted by the Apostles and infinit other may further encourage men vnto this hast for entring into the way of adoption If once they enter let them proceed and goe forward not halfe way but throughout and to the end Agrippa was halfe yea almost perswaded to bee a Christian Act. 26. 28. but wee read not that hee was altogether perswaded so to bee a Christian Though wee may not absolutely say that hee neuer afterward fully and wholly became a Christian yet that but almost mentioned in the Scripture and no more either there or in any other place being testified of his perfect conuersion may iustly make vs all the more to doubt of him Many in the daies of Christ were his Disciples for a time who at the last tooke such offence at his Doctrine that they went backe and walked no more with him Iohn 6. 66. After that many were followers of the Apostles who afterward forsooke them 2. Tim 4 6. Heb. 10. 25. 1. Ioh. 2. 19. It is a dangerous thing thus to enter and not to go forward No man that putteth his hand to the plough and looketh backe is apt to the Kingdome of God Luk. 9. 62. As this is true in the particular calling to the ministery so much more in the generall to Christianity If any after they haue escaped from the filthinesse of the world that is after they made profession of renouncing the filthinesse of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and of the Sauiour Iesus Christ are yet intangled therein againe and ouercome the latter end is worse with them then the beginning c. 2. Pet. 2. 20. The meanes whereby they that are wicked may be released of the bondage of their sinne and made the children of God is as wee haue heard principally the ministerie of the word So likewise the societie and fellowship of them that are the children of God already as before wee heard If notwithstanding all hitherto said they that are wicked will not forsake their wickednesse but will still remaine such as they are yet let them take heed of all wrongs and iniuries against them that are the children of God lest in the end it be to their cost and they repent as Iudas did when it is too late But of this point also before Thus much for the vses of the doctrine of the dignitie of Gods children which are proper and speciall to the wicked Touching them that are the children of God indeed let them especially first of all take heed that they fall not from their excellent state It is true indeed that they that are once truly the children of God shall euer so continue and cannot fall away Howbeit we are exhorted often to take heed to our selues in this behalfe Heb. 3. 12. and 10. 23. and 12 15. and elswhere because exhortations are the speciallest meanes for our vpholding Wee condemne all that being but base and beggarly and yet taken into some noble mans or gentlemans house and seruice where they are in the way to preferment cannot keepe themselues well whiles they are well Especially wee condemne them that hauing found such fauour with Princes as that from a low degree they are aduanced to some honourable condition as the Earle of TERONE and other cannot containe themselues but breake their lists and so bring themselues to their former basenesse How much more then may they be condemned that being translated from death to life from darkenesse to light from bondage to libertie from seruants and slaues of the Diuell to bee the sonnes and daughters of God from Hell to Heauen doe what in themlieth to returne againe to their former miserie Although indeed the true children of God can neuer bee altogether vnchilded as it were and vtterly degraded yet they in particular things so fall yea generally for a time so decline that they may seeme and often times seeme to other and to themselues neuer to haue beene the children of God All this is by negligence and securitie For as Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies Prou. 28. 14. so it is wofull euen a thing that bringeth much woe often times to the children of God to bee at any time but a little sleepie drowsie secure and watchlesse A second speciall vse for the children of God is that hauing found this loue before spoken of with God to be made his children they trust in him and depend on him not fearing but that hee that hath made them his children and will giue them a kingdome fit for such children wil also and much more giue them all things for this life Luk 12. 32. Our little children when they rise in the morning yea our seruants also take no care what they shall eat or what they shall drinke but they leaue all such care to vs their fathers and their masters and it is indeed our duty to prouide all such things for them For he that prouideth not for his owne and namely for them of his houshold denieth the faith and is worse then an infiâ—ell 1. Tim. 5. 8. Hitherto belongeth the speech of Moses vnto God Num. 11. 12. 13. and the practise of Bathshebaes huswife Prou. 31. 15. Why then should not we much more that professe our selues the children of God cast all our care vpon our heauenlie father that careth for vs 1. Pet. 5. 7. Vnder this vse I comprehend infinite comfort of the children of God The grounds of this comfort being handled before and some of them to be touched againe in the next verse I shall not need to stand vpon them now Yea with this trust in God and comfort from God we may ioine patience both towards God and also towards men Towards God because we haue heard before that he correcteth vr onely in loue and for our great good that wee may not bee condemned with the world 1. Cor. 11. 12. Towards man because hee is but Gods hand to chastise vs and cannot goe beyond his commission and last of all shall himselfe be called
denie the resurrection and say that we shall not haue the same bodies in the resurrection that heere we haue but other newly created in their stead may bee thought to speake also reason It is therfore as certain that the same soules do remaine in the children of God after regeneration as well as the same bodies Yea the wicked doe also see the godly to retaine the same shape the same fashion the same outward forme and the same countenance that they had before regeneration and whiles they were vngodly as well as others It may bee indeed that after regeneration of the heart there is also some change in the countenance and outward behauiour and so verily it ought to be in men and in women For Wisdome is in the face of him that hath vnderstanding but the eies of a foole are in the corners of the world Prou. 17. 24. And those men that before regeneration had light countenances wanton and adulterous eies and did either weare long haire contrary to the decencie of nature 1. Cor. 11. 14. or that otherwise did disfigure themselues by setting vp a foretop starching their beards and such like after regeneration doe frame countenance haire and all things to manly and Christian modesty and grauity So likewise women that before did paint their faces as lezabel or that did lay foorth or set vp their haire top and top gallant or wreath it in most vncomely sort that did likewise lay forth their naked brests in most lasciuious manner that did weare mans apparell doublets and ierkins as mine owne eies haue lately seene directly contrary to the word of God as hath beene before shewed and that did euery way conforme themselues to those wanton wenches who are by the Prophet described to walke with streched out necks and with wandring eies walking and mineing as they went and making a tinkling with their feet and whose ornaments the Lord doth threaten to take away c. Isa 3. 16. c. Such women I say being new borne and made daughters to God doe change their countenance attire and gate coâ—tenting themselues with that natural beautie which God hath giuen them and which will not fall off with the steame of hot broth yea which need not daily bee renued and arraying themselues in comely apparell with shamefastnesse and modestiâ— and with good workes 1. Tim. 2. 9 10 But howsoeuer there bee a change in these things yet the wicked seeing the godly still to be of the same complexion and naturall countenance that they were of they are therfore the blinder in seeing that great and glorious change that afterward shall be in them and whereof afterward we are to speake Secondly forasmuch as they see the godly to be subiect to the same sicknesses and to the same other outward calamities that themselues are subiect vnto yea that many times the afflictions of the righteous are greater then of other men Ioâ— 21. 6. Psal 34. 19. as before wee haue declared with the differences notwithstanding betwixt the afflictions of the wicked and of the children of God therefore also they can the lesse see and they are the more hardly perswaded that there is any difference betwixt the future state of them and of other men Yea this maketh the children of God themselues many times to doubt of their future state and to say yea in a maner to conclude with themselues in their owne hearts for a time till they goe into the Sanctuarie of God and consult with God himselfe and with his word that certainly they haue cleansed their hearts in vaine and washed their hands in innocencie sith they are daily punished and chastened euery morning Dauid himselfe had these thoughts Psalm 73. 13. 14. long after his regeneration No maruell therefore though the wicked bee so blinded that it doth not appeare vnto them what the children of God shall be in the life to come Thirdly they doe not onely see the children of God for a time to bee thus subiect to the same outward afflictions that other are subiect vnto but also sometime that such afflictions doe continue all the daies that the children of God doe liue heere yea that at the last also they die oft times the common death of men yea that they are taken away also in the same manner and doe perish in the same sort that the wicked themselues doe perish viz. touching their outward man and touching outward appearance yea that sometimes as touching still their outward man they perish somwhat extraordinarily and are taken away somewhat suddenly and strangely as well as the wicked As rebellious Hophni and Phinebas were slaine in one day by the Philistins according to the word of the Lord in that behalfe 1. Sam. 2. 34. so their good father Elâ— himselfe also when he heard thereof and of the taking of the Arke of God fell backward from his seat and brake his neckâ— 1 Sam. 4. 18. As wicked Saul was hit and sore wounded by the Archers of the said vncircumcised Philistins and therefore fell vpon his owne sword and thereby hastned his owne death so good and vertuous Ionathan also was slaine in the same battle 1. Sam. 31. 2. c. The Prophet that being deceiued by another old Prophet did contrary to the word of God before spoken vnto him in his returne homeward was killed by a Lion 1. King 13. 24. That most worthy King Iosiah who hath this high commendation by the spirit of God that cannot lie Like vnto him there was no King before him that turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soule and with all his might according to all the Law of Moses neither after him arose there any like him 2. King 23. 25. euen this most worthy King was slaine by Pharao Necho King of Egypt verse 29. that is he was so wounded that hee was carried away sicke out of the battle and died of that wound 2. Chron. 35. 23. c. and that because hee would fight against the said Pharao Necho though by him hee were aduised to the contrarie So for some abuse in the Supper of the Lord it is said not only that many in the Church of Corinth were weake and sicke but that also many were asleepe 1. Cor. 11. 30. that is that the Lord had taken many of them away by death These things being so as well with the children of God as with the wicked is it any maruell though it doe not appeare vnto the wicked what the children of God shall be heereafter Fourthly the children of God are neuer freed heere from sinne Sinne indeed doth not raigne in them They are freed from the bondage of it yet still they are subiect to sinne of infirmitie as before we haue heard yea they sometimes fall into one and the same sinne often yea they doe sometimes commit very great sins euen such as whereby they doe greatlie scandalize and offend other and cause the glorious name of God to be euill
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
in the description of the resurrection 1. Cor. 15. 52. there is no other sort mentioned but the dead to bee raised and the liuing at that time vpon the earth to be changed The trumpet shall blow and the dead shall be raised vp incorruptible and we viz all which at that day shall be liuing shal be changed The like is 1. Thess 4. 15. 16. 17. This say we vnto you by the word of the Lord that we which liue and are remaining in the comming of the Lord shall not preuent them which sleepe for the Lord himselfe shall descend downe from heauen with a shout and with the voice of an Archangell and with the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Then shall wee which liue and remaine be caught vp with them also in the clouds c. In neither of both these places is there any mention of any but of the dead and of the liuing and remaining here vpon the earth Enoch therfore and Elias must be reckned with the dead accounted as dead though they died in an extraordinary maner neither violent or painfull to themselues or discerned by other Fifthly all the elect being compared to a body and it being contrary to the nature of a body that any one member should bee perfected till the body haue all the members belonging thereunto how can it bee that one or two of the members of Christs body should be perfected and wholly glorified in heauen Christ wanting many members and not being compleat in his said body till the very last age of the world and till the last point of the said age For who can deny but that there are many of the elect yet vnborne When also they shall bee all borne who can deny but that they shall be called one after another Till all be borne and all be called Christs body is not perfect Sixthly who can deny the Ministers of the Gospell to bee more excellent especially the Apostles and Euangelists who first planted the Churches among the Gentiles who I say can deny these to bee more honorable then any Ministers vnder the Law Much more then any before the Law This hath beene shewed before therefore I doe not now stand vpon it This only I adde that it is said of the Apostles as an honourable thing and as a dignity and prerogatiue of them aboue all other namely that they should sit vpon twelue seats or thrones and iudge the twelue tribes of Israel Matth. 19. 28. It is likewise to be acknowledged that as the calling was more honourable then the calling of any of the Prophets so also they had more excellent graces not only speciall for discharge of their speciall places but also generally of sanctification Is this so How vnlikely then is it that any especially vnder the Law or before the Law should haue any degree of glory and be perfectly glorified before them Seuenthly there were some as wicked in their time before their time and after their time and daily are as they now in question were godly yea former times and these last times doe affoord many much more wicked then they then were or any other are godly Such was Ieroboam that made Israel to sinne Ahab and many other of the kings of Israel So Iudas that betraied our Sauiour the Pharisees that sinned against the holy Ghost the man of sinne called likewise the sonne of perdition the aduersarie that exalteth himselfe against all that is called God c. and many other contemners of the Gospell Yet none of these doe goe bodily into the place of all the damned till the day of iudgement Why then should wee thinke that they before named Enoch and Elias went bodily into heauen the place of the blessed This that I haue hitherto written of Enoch and Elias is the iudgement of diuers other that must bee acknowledged to haue beene glorious lights and worthy of much praise in the Churches Caluin indeed writeth heerein somewhat obseurely and I confesse somewhat aboue my reach and capacitie for first thus hee writeth vpon Genes 5. 24. euen word for word the Latine turned into English In summe saith hee speaking of Enochs taking away such a rapture or taking away was but a gentle and ioifull passage out of this world Yet he was not receiued into the heauens to glorie but was onely released of the miseries of this present life vntill Christ the first fruits of them that rise again sâ—ould come And sith bee was one of the members of the Church it was necessarie that hee should wait till all the members together should come foorth to meet Christ that the whole body might bee vnited to the head Notwithstanding in the very next words he doth much obscure that which before hee had written adding If any shall obiect that of the Apostle It is appointed all men to die once the solution is easie namely that death doth not alwaies make a diuorce of the soule and body but they are said to die which put off the corruptible nature in which manner they shall die whom the last day shall finde remaining These last words I confesse I cannot conceiue namely how any may be said to die whose soules and bodies are not separated and how they that shall be liuing at the last day may be said to die whom the Apostle expresly saith shall not die but only be changed Peter Martyr according to his manner writeth very largelie and somewhat I confesse different from something before written by me namely in his Commentarie vpon 2. King 2. 11. Notwithstanding in another place he commeth neerer vnto me and agreeth more with me In the former place first he writeth that it is not probable or Consentâ—â—eum like that these two Enoch and Elias should be taken to the places of blessednesse before Christ himselfe which is the first fruits of all had aduanced himselfe thither The words also of our Lord may seeme to perswade this who in Iohn saith No man hath ascended into heauen but the sonne of man that descended from heauen He therefore denieth any man to haue ascended into heauen before himselfe c. Yet afterward hee saith that they went bodie and soule into Abrahams bosome and he maketh Abrahams bosome a place aboue yet distinct from the glorious place where Christ and all his Saints departed this life are How sound this is I leaue to other of sound iudgement For my part I know no such distinction as he there maketh After this he proceedeth further denying them to haue died opposing himselfe to them that said as I haue written viz. that they died but yet an extraordinary kinde of death neither by any defect or decay of nature nor by any force and violence but after some other sort with ease and delight c. Notwithstanding in the other place before insinuated he differeth from that which himselfe had before written and agreeth with me For writing of the Eucharist against Steuen Gardiner
ioineth these 4 together 1. to edifie our selues in our most holy faith 2. to pray in the holy Ghost 3. to keepe our selues in the loue of God 4. to looke for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ to eternall life Iud. 20. and 21. The first 3 pertaine to the purging of our selues the last is a plaine description of this hope Finally for conclusion of all let vs remember that the Apostle Paul hauing plentifully proued the doctrine of the resurrection no lesse eloquently laid forth the maner thereof and the future similitude likenes of our bodies to the body of Christ doth from the expectation thereof shut vp all with this graâ—e exhortation tending to this purging of our selues Therefore my beloued brethren be stedfast and vnmoueable abounding alwaies in the worke of the Lord knowing that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. 1. Cor. 15. 58. Here the first word therefore secretly insinuateth and the last sentence added for confirmation plainly expresseth this hope that hither to we haue spoken of and the exhortation it selfe betwixt both inserted doth as euidently intimate this purging of our selues in regard of that hope which here also the Apostle commendeth I shall not neede to enlarge this point any further Onely let vs consider thereof by this familiar similitude that euery one prepareth himselfe and house and all according to the person whom he looketh for What seruant that is in continuall expectation of his masters returne home but will prepare himselfe and all things belonging vnto him accordingly what meane man looketh for the comming of a Noble man especialle what subiect looketh for the comming of his Prince but that hee will prepare himselfe for apparell and for all other things beseeming the entertainement of such a person Shall wee then looke for the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ and at his appearing to be made like vnto him and so to see him in all his glory and maiestie and shall we not purge our selues and cast away al filthines of the flesh of the spirit and put on the robes of he lines and righteousnes that so we may be the fitter to intertain him and to be intertained of him into his glory Let no man deceiue vs with vaine words neither let vs deceiue our selues It is not possible for vs to haue this hope and to looke for these things but that wee will thus purge our selues If we do not thus purge our selues then certainly wee haue not this hope neither do we look to be made like vnto Christ Iesus at his appearing and to see him as he is Would we be like vnto him in glory and will we not be like vnto him in holinesse Would we see him as he is now in heauen with our bodily eies and will we not see him as he offereth himselfe to be seene in earth in his word and sacraments with the eies of our mind and by faith Let vs remember and let vs not forget what the Apostle saith follow peace and holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. Yea let vs consider what our Sauiour saith Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Mat. 5. 8. For doe not these sentences plainly shew that without the former holinesse and purity of heart none shall see the Lord But sith many things before spoken may be referred to this argument I will therefore insist no longer thereupon If we doe thus purge our selues as heere the Apostle speaketh then let vs assure our selues that our hope of being made like vnto him and seeing him as he is shall not by any thing whatsoeuer be frustrated Earthly Princes may shake vs out of their Courts as Mordecai might not enter within King Ahashuerosâ— his gates because hee was clothed with sackcloth Ester 4 2. but Iehouah the Lord of Lords and King of heauen and earth will receiue vs into his euerlasting palace of heauen there to behold all his glory and riches Heauen and earth shall rather perish then Gods word in this behalfe shall fall to the ground But if we doe not so purge our selues our hopeâ—s altogether a vaine hope and shall deceiue vs in the end The diuels themselues shall as soone be made like to Christ and see him as he is as that man or woman that is not here purged But in what measure must euery one that hath this hope in him purge himselfe First according to his measure of the said hope For this purging being an effect of that hope it cannot bee but that the more the hope is the more he that hath that hope will purge himselfe Secondly according to the meanes before mentioned of purging himselfe viz. according to his hearing reading of the word meditation company of the godly praiers c. For all these meanes being the ordinances of God for a maÌ„ to purge himselfe it cannot bee but that the more any man doth in truth vse the said meanes the more blessing God will giue vnto them for effecting this purging Thirdly according to other meanes that God himselfe doth vse towards them that haue the said hope for the purging of them viz. according to the mercies which he bestoweth vpon them and according to the chastisements wherwith he doth exercise them For these doth the Lord vse as before hath beene mentioned to kill the weedes of sinne in men and to make them the more plentifull in the fruits of righteousnes What is this but to purge them as here the Apostle speaketh and as our Sauiour himself speaketh in the very same case Ioh. 15. 2. Gods mercies are as it were the marling and manuring or to speake more plainely as the mucking and dunging of our barren hearts and Gods chastisements and corrections are as it were the ploughing of them after they are so marled manured mucked and dunged or as the harrowing of them to breake their hard clods and both are to make them the more fruitfull in all goodnes As men therefore doe looke that their grounds should bee the more freed from weedes and bring forth the better crops of good corne the more they dung plough and harrow them so the more that God doth multiply his mercies vpon his children and exercise them with his corrections the more he looketh they should be purged of sinne and bring forth the fruits of righteousnes Vnder this 〈◊〉 comprehend the purging of our selues according to any dignity whereunto God hath aduanced vs. As wee doe more wash our face then the inferiour parts of our body so the more eminent that any is in Church or common wealth the more he ought to be purged from all vice and the more also to shine in all vertue Moreouer â—uery child of God is to purge himselfe and to be so much the more holy by how much the more impure filthy vnholy he seeth other to be Therfore the holy ghost by the examples of such as haue been idolaters fornicators tempters of
were as well now if wee had no word written at all but that all were deliuered vnto vs only by tradition yet it is certain both that God himselfe commanded the word from time to time to be written and also that it was so written to very great purpose and for very great vse of the children of God That the word was written by Gods expresse commandement many places doe testifie Ier. 30. 2. and 36. 2. Reuel 2. 1. c. The speciall purposes of so writing the word of God are two First that the Church might the lesse erre touching the word for if all should haue beene by tradition men might haue deuised what they would and pretended a tradition who almost could haue controlled them That therefore the Church might haue a certain rule both of faith also of manners against which no exception might be taken it pleased God to command his word to bee written for the better examining of all other writings and preachings thereby Secondly it was so written that all men might the better haue the benefit thereof as well priuately to read as publikly to heare the same preached The rather because sometimes by persecution sometimes by sicknesse sometimes by extremitie of weather sometimes by imprisonment sometimes by some other meanes they be kept from the publike ministrie thereof Touching the preaching of it the Lord tooke order also in that behalfe for the better instruction of all by sound interpretation and by wise application of it according to persons and times and places For the preaching of the word is the right diuiding thereof as euerie one needeth the same in respect of age of sexe of calling of state and condition any manner of way 2. Tim. 2. 15. What a singular benefit is this that all men poore as well as rich base as well as honourable may haue the word and ought to haue the word as their seuerall necessitie requireth And truely though a man know neuer so much yea though a man be neuer so rich in faith and godlines yet the preaching of the word is necessary partly to increase his knowledge which is alwaies imperfect 1. Cor. 13. 9. and partly to helpe his memory in those things he knoweth yea to strengthen the same and as it were to stop the holes thereof for the time to come that the things which they shall heare may not at any time runne out Heb. 2. 1. and partly to quicken him both to obedience according to his knowledge and also to make vse of the word for his comfort for his humbling for his strengthning that he may not fall for his raising if hee shall fall and many other waies For alasse what is the best and most godly man that is but drousie and dull needing both to be awakened daily and also with the spurre as it were of the word to bee quickned yea what is the greatest measure of faith of loue of zeale of meeknesse of patience and of any piety in any man here vpon the earth but as a little fire a coale or two kindled vnder and in a great deale of greenewood which will easily bee quenched and goe out without continuall puffing and blowing for nourishing maintaining and encreasing thereof Neither is the word of God in this manner onely a great benefit for the children of GOD in respect of the writing and preaching thereof that so they may both heare it and read it but also because they may at all times both conferre thereof with other and also priuately meditate thereof by themselues yea this conference and meditation must goe with hearing and reading Otherwise all hearing and reading will bee to little purpose yea whatsoeuer wee learne by hearing and reading it will quickly vanish and come to nothing As the two disciples that were going to Emmaus did talke and conferre together of those things that had fallen out at Ierusalem concerning Christ Luk 24. 14. and as the men of Berea did not content themselues with hearing but conferred together of the things they had heard and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things viz. which they had heard were so or no Acts 17. 11. so may and must and will all the children of God do touching the things they heare The like is to be said of meditation Therefore as Ioshua is commanded to meditate in the law of God day and night Iosh 1. 8. and as it is commended to be the continuall exercise of the man that is blessed Psal 1. 2. to teach that he is none of the blessed company that doth not so meditate on the law so it was practised by Dauid himselfe who proueth his exceeding loue vnto the word of God euen such as wherof he was in a manner sick and the which he could not wel expresse by this argument saying Oh how loue I thy law it is my meditation continually Psal 119. 97. This is such a worke as wherin the children of God may euen in the night as they ly in their bed when they haue no light whereby they may read in the way as they walke or ride in their sicknesse lamenesse and in imprisonment when all other comforts doe faile them yea in their old age and when their eie-sight is either dim and weake not able to endure reading or none at all and when they shall be deafe not hearing any thing or at the least not able to endure the speech of any finally when all other things will be loathsome vnto them Euen then I say may the children of God exercise themselues to their great comfort and to a sweet passing away of the time in meditation of the word This is the more because the wicked not hauing this priuiledge do either spend their time in eating drinking swilling carding dicing dancing chambering wantonnesse and in all vanity or else they find all things more tedious vnto them then they can beare Aboue all things great is the benefit of the word for the former vses because it may be and must be locked vp in the chest of our hearts Iob. 22. 22. Pro. 2. 2. and 10. 3. 3. 4. so that when we fall into the hands of theeues that rob vs of al other things yet that cannot be taken away from vs yea though men take away our liues yet the benefit of the word shall continue with vs For this is that good part that Mary did chuse which our Sauiour saith should not be taken away from her Luk. 10. 42. This especially is proper to the children of God Many of the wicked heare the word read the word confer of the word no doubt also but do oft meditate of the word though somtimes rather for euil then for good as al Papists heretiks do study the word the more to maintaine their heresies contrary to the word but only the children of God doe lay and lock it vp in their hearts to their euerlasting good To conclude therefore this point If it were one of the greatest
preferments of the Iewes aboue the Gentiles before the comming of Christ that the Lord gaue them his word his statutes and his iudgements Psal 147. 19. and that to them were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3. 2. viz. outwardly and concerning the letter to be kept by them whereas no other nation had the like benefit then how great is this priuiledge of the children of God aboue the wicked that they only haue the keeping of his word in the closets and cofers of their hearts to their euerlasting good Thus much of the dignity of Gods children by the word of God It remaineth now to speake of the Sacraments wherein I may and will be the shorter because they are only seales for confirmation of the word and either to strengthen our faith the more in the promises of God or to quicken our obedience the more vnto the commandements of God For as touching baptisme it is instituted first of all the better to assure vs of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes by the bloud of Christ by that visible element of water which therein is to be vsed This Peter teacheth when he exhorteth them that by his sermon were pricked in their hearts to bee baptized in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes Acts 2. 38. because as the water washeth away the filth of the body so the bloud of Christ clenseth vs from all our sinnes Rom. 5. 9. Ephes 1. 7. Coloss 1. 20. 1 Iohn 1. 7. Reuel 1. 5. Secondly baptisme was instituted as a Sacrament also of repentance and regeneration because the bloud of Christ doth not onely wash vs from the guilt of our sinnes but also from the spot and blemish of them as we haue heard before And therefore Peter saith that we were elect or select viz. in our calling vnto sanctification of the spirit through the obedience and sprinkling of the bloud of Christ 1. Pet. 1. 2. and againe that We were redeemed from our vaine conuersation receiued by tradition of our fathers by the pretious bloud of Christ c. verse 18. 19. Another Apostle also saith that the bloud of Christ shall purge our consciences from dead works to serue the liuing God Heb. 9. 14. Therfore to apply these things vnto baptisme the baptisme of Iohn is called the baptisme of repentance Acts 19 4. and Iohn neuer baptized but hee preached repentance Mat. 3. 8. Luk. 3. 8. Therefore also baptisme is said to teach vs to die vnto sinne and to liue vnto righteousnesse Rom. 3. 4. Gal. 3. 27. Col. 2. 12. In the same respect Paul saith that Christ gaue himselfe for the Church that he might sanctifie it and clense it by the washing of water through the word Ephes 5. 26. In which words the Apostle at least alludeth vnto baptisme and againe he seemeth to vnderstand baptisme by the washing of the new birth Tit. 3. 5. The Apostle also to the Hebrews seemeth to allude to baptisme when hee saith that wee are purged in our hearts from an euill conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water Hebr. 10. 22. Finally touching both the former ends of baptisme baptisme is said to bee the baptisme of repentance and forgiunesse of sinnes Mark 1. 4. As baptisme so serueth for confirmation of faith and instruction in godlinesse so doth also the supper of the Lord. The bread that wee eate and the wine that wee drinke in a religious manner according to Christs institution doth teach vs that as the bread and wine are incorporated into our bodies and made one with them so Christs his flesh and blood are spiritually incorporated into vs and wee into Christ through faith whereby it is said as wee heard before that Christ dwelleth in our hearts Ephes 3. 17. In which respect the cup of blessing which the Minister in the celebration of the Supper blesseth that is which hee praieth God to blesse to that speciall and holy vse is said to bee the communion of the blood of Christ and that the bread which he so blesseth is said to be the communion of the body of Christ 1. Cor. 10. 16. And indeed the Supper of the Lord by the visible elements and the visible actions therein commanded by Christ himselfe putting vs better in remembrance of all that Christ hath done for vs and better shewing his death till he come 1. Cor. 11. 24. 25. 26. then bare preaching would doe for so our eies doe see our hands doe handle our tongues doe taste and our stomaks by the vertue of the bread and wine do feele that which in the word preached our eares doe heare it cannot but be a maruellous and most comfortable confirmation of our faith both for euerlasting saluation in the world to come and also for all things necessary for this life in this present world For how can we doubt of saluation which Christ Iesus hath so deerly purchased for vs and the price whereof we see in so liuely manner represented vnto vs by the bread and the wine by the breaking of the one and the pouring out of the other would he giue so much for vs and then leaue vs in the suds or in danger Yea do not the bread and the wine with the eating of the one and drinking of the other teach vs that Christs flesh and bloud are meat indeed and drinke indeed to preserue vs to that eternall life which he by his death hath purchased for vs Ioh. 6. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. Hath Christ paid so deerly for vs and doth he feed vs so daintily and with such costly diet better then Angels food and will he lose vs and suffer vs to perish and to be taken out of his hands yea sith we that eat his flesh and drinke his bloud spiritually not only in the word but also in the Sacrament doe dwell in Christ and haue Christ dwelling in vs as Christ himselfe in the place before alledged doth testifie will he dispossesse himselfe of his habitation or hauing all power in heauen in earth and euery where els in his hands can he violently by any other power be thrust out of his house and home yea sith as we haue heard the supper of the Lord doth plainly teach vs that wee are flesh of his flesh c. can we perish and he not also perish Touching things necessary for this life whiles we liue in this world the supper of the Lord by putting vs in such remembrance of Christ himselfe doth also most comfortably assure vs of them For he that spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all how shall he not with him giue vs all other things also Rom. 8. 32. And he that spared not his owne life and his owne soule but gaue them for vs and daily doth giue them vnto vs by faith how shall he not being made the heire of all things Heb. 1. 2. and hauing all things in his power and at his disposition how shall hee not I say with himselfe giue