things to come conteyned in holy Scripture for vs to beleeue neyther only the beleeuing of them historically to be true but also the particular application of them to our selues The very wicked themselues doe beleeue the truth of the Scriptures historically yea many of the reprobat yea the very Diuels themselues do so beleeue and tremble Iames 2. 19. Mar. 1. 24. But the wicked though elected before their calling do not beleeue by particular application because then their harts should be purified from their wickednes as before we heard they hauing apprehended Christ that gaue himselfe for vs not only to redeeme vs from all iniquity but also to purge vs c. Tit. 2. 14. and that he might sanctifie and clense vs c. Ephes 5. 26. The wicked also though elected are in the power of Satan as afterward we shall heare and to be accounted of the world But by faith we ouercome the world 1. Ioh. 5. 4. and the Diuell himselfe Ephes 6. 16. 1. Pet. 5. 9. The reprobat neither haue faith neither can haue it as for the reasons before vsed touching the wicked generally so also because the decree of God touching their reprobation is aswell vnreapealeable and vnchangeable as the decree of God touching election and those reasons which make also for the certainty and perpetuity of the elect make also for the most part as strongly for the immutability of Gods decree touching reprobation That which hath beene sayd of the wicked that are elected viz. before their calling and of the reprobat to bee without faith may much more be sayd of the diuels But for as much as neither reprobat men nor the Diuels can beleeue because Gods decree concerning their reprobation is vnchangeable therfore here may a question be moued whether infidelity and vnbeleefe bee a sinne or no. For sith they cannot be saued what sinne is it in them not to beleeue in him by whom saluation is purchased Nay rather it may seem to be sinne to beleeue that that is vntrue I answer to the latter first that concerning the diuels not to beleeue in Christ with application to themselues is no sinne in Note them because as Christ came not to saue any of them neither tooke their nature vpon him so there is no commandement for them to beleeue in him as their Sauiour Notwithstanding God hauing giuen his sonne for the redemption of all elect men therefore the diuels not beleeuing this or perswading any of the elect not to it do therein greatly sinne and so they shall certainly aggrauat their condemnation This then is breefely the solution of this question touching the Diuels that they sinne not in not beleeuing in Christ for themselues but that they sinne greatly in not beleeuing that Christ came to saue elect men and in perswading any of them not to beleeue it Touching reprobate men though Christ came not to saue them neither did so much as pray for them Ioh. 17 9. yet because Gods decree in this behalfe is not particularly knowen vnto them but God generally propoundeth his promises not particulary telling any by his externall word whose names are written in the booke of life whose are not but only reuealingthis by the worke of his spirit in calling them that are chosen therefore the scripture pronounceth generally of all men that doe not beleeue that they are condemned already Iohn 3. 18. Who then are they that doe or shall beleeue Only the elect For therefore it is not onely said that All men haue not faith 2. Thes 3. 2. but also that faith is the faith of Gods elect Tit. 1. 1. and that as many as were ordained to life beleeued Acts 13 48. And that if the Gospell be hid it is hid to them that are lost 2. Cor. 4. 3. If al had faith all should be saued for by faith we are saued Ephes 2. 8. and The iust shall liue by his faith Heb. 3. 4. The faith of Gods elect is called most holy Iude 20. and most pretious yea more pretious then gold that is tried in the fire because though gold be tried yet it perisheth 1. Pet. 1. 7. But they that trust in the Lord are like to mount Zion that standeth fast Note for euer c. Psalm 125. 1. All the elect that haue faith haue not the like measure of faith because God that giueth it giueth it as pleaseth him Ephes 1. 9. and 4. 7. and because all haue not the like meanes neither the like time c but where it is left euen as a grayne of mustard seede viz. not onely for quantity but also for quality quicknesse life and efficacy there it is most holy and pretious because to such as haue such faith nothing making to Gods glory and their saluation is impossible yea all such things are possible Mat. 17. 20. and 21. 21. and Mark 9. 23. If any obiect the former places to be vnderstood of that kind of faith whereby men wrought miracles and which was but for a time I answer that although our Sauiour doe indeed deliuer those speeches by occasion of some miracles which he had then wrought yet they are also more generally to be vnderstood euen of a iustifying and sauing faith as touching the obiect thereof I meane as touching matters that appertaine to saluation Otherwise that faith whereby a man is to saue his owne soule should be inferior to that and of lesse force then that whereby he is to saue or in those daies was to saue other by such working of miracles were not this absurd in diuinity Thus much shall suffice to haue spoken of faith in this place either as a speciall and internall cause of our regeneration and new birth to be the children of God by incorporating vs in to the onely naturall and first begotten sonne of God or at least as the first step and degree to our said regeneration More perhaps vpon other occasion shall be spoken of this faith afterward In the meane time the more excellent that we haue heard it to be and the more proper to the children of God the more excellent also we must needs acknowledge the state of the children of God to bee in respect thereof The next point to be considered is the matter it selfe wherin chiefly the regeneration of the children of God doth consist This is first of all their communion with Christ For Christ alone being the onely naturall and proper sonne of God as hath been said no other can be the children of God as now we speake but only by communion with him and incorporation into him whereby they may be spiritually flesh of his flesh bone of his bone and members of that body whereof himselfe alone is the head So many as haue this communion with Christ so many may truly bee called the beloued children of God Therefore they that are so regenerated are said to be begotten againe in Christ Iesus 1. Cor. 4. 15. to bee new creatures in Christ 2.
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
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
Cor. 5. 17. Galat. 6. 5. and to be created in Christ Iesus Ephes 2. 10. and 4. 24. So farforth therefore as we are in Christ we are the children of God And so many as are not thus incorporated into Christ are not in truth neither ought to be called the children of God Such perhaps may be so accounted by other yea peraduenture they may so account themselues But as those that are begotten in adultery by an adulterer may be reputed the children of the lawfull husband to the adulteresse and yet are indeed bastards and for the most part may be discerned so to be by their bastardly conditions so is it with them that liuing in the Church of God doe professe them selues to be the children of God and be so reputed by other and yet haue no communion with Christ Though they be reputed to be the children of God yet they are no better then bastards and bastards they bewray themselues to be by their bastardly minds and conuersation Although therefore in one respect we reckoned Christ before amongst the efficient causes of our regeneration and that therfore in respect of his excellēcy our regeneration also is to be accounted the more excellent yet in another respect he may also be accounted the materiall cause of our regeneration euen as naturall parents are both the efficient causes of our naturall birth and doe likewise communicate the matter of their bodies vnto ours And so the more excellent that before we heard Christ to be the more we may againe conclude the dignity of Gods children to be by his being the chiefe materiall cause as well as the efficient cause of their regeneration For as that that is made of siluer or gold or any other such like pretious matter is it selfe more pretious then other things made of brasse tinne lead yron Copper or any other such vile and base matter the quantity of things being alike otherwise a great vessell of copper may be better then a very small cup of siluer so the more excellent that Christ himselfe is who is the chiefe matter of Gods children and of whom they be called Christians as that that is made of gold is called golden and the children of God the more excellent needs must be their state and condition CHAP. IX More largely shewing other things concerning the matter of regeneration especially the renewing of the life of God in vs all that are new borne which before were vtterly void of the said life BVT leauing that point till afterward let vs in the next place looke into the excellent gifts and graces which by the former incorporation into Christ the children of God doe receiue and in respect whereof we are said to be partaker of the diuine nature and the which likewise may be esteemed as parts as it were of that matter whereof they do consist These things let vs consider by opposition of that vnto them that men are since the fall of Adam as naturally descending from Adam and being as it were boughs and branches of him In Adam and by Adam since his fall all men Christ himselfe onely excepted haue vtterly lost that excellent and glorious image wherein Adam and Eue at the first were both created Genes 1. 26. 27. This losse of that excellent and glorious image is described by this phrase of dying the death Genes 2. 17. This death was not a naturall death but it was a spirituall death It was not the separation of the soule and the body but it was the separation of God and man as touching that gratious familiarity which before had beene betwixt them As the soule is the life of the body so is God the spirituall life of the whole man For man is not said to be aliue vnto God any longer then he is in grace and fauour with God so that to die the death in that place was to be vtterly depriued of the inherent grace and fauour of God which before they were created in From that time therefore that our first parents had eaten of the forbidden fruit and thereby had defaced the image of God in them they were drowned ouer head and eares in all sinne and so now also in the state of condemnation and were no more able of themselues to haue gotten out of the same then a man drowned and dead in the bottom of a great riuer or pond is able of himselfe to get out And this is that dying the death before spoken of euen a spirituall death ten thousand times worse then any naturall death I meane then any separation of the soule and body though the same be by neuer so violent meanes For it is the beginning and first step vnto that euerlasting death of body and soule whereof afterward we shall speake more at large and from the which neither wee could haue freed our selues neither could any other creatures or all creatures if God himselfe had not sent his owne sonne as before hath been shewed And that spirituall life which is contrary to the said death and which is also the first effect of Christ in vs after that once wee are ingrafted and incorporated into him is the next point of the matter of our regeneration and being the children of God That we may the better see what this life of God is in vs let vs first more largely consider what the former death is and how all men are by nature wholly possessed thereof That therefore which the Apostle saith of the Ephesians is to be vnderstood of all men by nature viz. that they are dead in sinnes and trespasses Ephes 2. 1. without God and without Christ in the world verse 12. as not beleeuing in God or Christ and therefore being condemned already as before we heard our Sauiour to say Ioh. 3. 18. and the rather were they so indeed dead in their sinnes because they were the children of him that had the power of death that is of the diuell Heb. 2. 14. compared with Ioh. 8. 44. For Sathan hauing once put out the light and the life of God in Adam whereby he was the child of God like vnto God did make him a sonne to himselfe so that as before hee did beare the image of God so for euer afterward hee and all his Christ onely excepted did beare the image of the diuell in which respect it is saide generally that hee that committeth sinne is of the diuell 1. Iohn 3. 8. Thus we see that our naturall state is not as the Papists plead it to be by allegorizing vpon him that our Sauiour saith did fall into the hands of theeues and was by them wounded and left halfe dead Luk 10. 30. but farre worse not halfe miserable but altogether miserable not wounded and yet aliue though halfe dead but so wounded that we are altogether dead We haue a vegetatiue and an animall life as all liuing and brutish creatures haue we haue a reasonable life to talke and reason and discourse and determine and conclude of
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
better manifestation of the glorie of God by his miraculous raising againe after buriall and after death and buriall diuers daies So our Sauiour saith to his disciples before hee was dead This sicknesse is not vnto death viz. to lie or continue in death till the generall resurrection but for the glory of God that the sonne of God might be glorified thereby Ioh. 11. 4. So he said after he was dead and buried vnto Martha who obiected that he had been dead foure daies Said I not vnto thee that if thou didst beleeue thou shouldst see the glory of God vers 40. Fourthly the godly are sometimes taken away by an extraordinary kind of death not onlie to teach other the more to take heede of all such sinnes as for which they are so taken away but also to admonish men not alwaies to iudge other by their end except their life haue also been wicked but rather to hope well of them if their former life haue been godly albeit their end be somewhat vncomfortable Finally to make an end of my answer to the former obiection touching the afflictions of the children of God sith all afflictions are threatned only to the wicked as all blessings are promised only to the godly though the troubles of the righteous be great yet the Lord deliuereth him out of all Yea though they continue long yet the Lord keepeth all his bones not one of them shall be broken whereas the afflictions of the wicked shall slaie them and they that hate the righteous shall perish Psal 34. 19. 20. 21. Therefore Salomon admonisheth the wicked not to lay waite at the house of the righteous because though the iust man fall seuen times yet he riseth again that is though he haue many afflictions be now vp now presently down yet at the last the Lord deliuereth him out of all but the wicked doe fall into mischiefe or do perish and be vtterly at the last ouerthrowne in their misery Pro. 24. 15. 16. Yea though they crie yet there shall be none to saue yea though they cry vnto the Lord yet he shall not answer them Psal 18. 41. Of both these viz. of the deliuerance of the children of God out of their troubles and of the perishing of the wicked in theirs wee haue mentioned diuers examples before not needfull now to be repeated Though also the Lord do suffer the afflictions of his children to continue yet in the end he will most gratiously deliuer them by death and translate them to himselfe where they shall rest from their labor and where they shall reap the fruit of all their workes Reuel 14 13. of the which rest and other reward of their workes all the afflictions of this life are not to be accounted worthy Rom 8. 18. Yea in respect of which most excellent and eternall weight of glorie all affliction here is but exceeding light and momentany 2. Cor. 4. 17. But of this more afterward In the meane time the Lord will either mitigate the said afflictions of his children or shew his power in their weaknesse not laying more vpon them then he giueth strength to beare neither suffering them to be tempted aboue their strength 1. Cor. 10. 13. The Lord knoweth to deliuer the godly out of tentation and to reserue the vniust vnto the day of iudgment vnder punishment or to be punished 2. Pet. 2. 9. Are not these things singular priuileges Are they not excellent dignities To haue the right of all the blessings of this life and to haue the very afflictions of this life made so many waies beneficiall so that the children of God may not only say that light is sowen for the righteous and ioy for the vpright in heart Psal 97. 11. but also that vnto the righteous ariseth light in darknesse it selfe Psal 112. 4. But is this all that may be said touching the blessings of this life and the afflictions thereof in respect of the children of God No we may further adde both of such blessings and of such afflictions and also of all other things that we that are the children of God do not vncertainly hope but fully and most certainly know that all things work together for the good of them that loue God Rom. 8. 28. What all things yea all things youth as well as age weaknesse as well as strength trouble as well as peace sicknesse as well as health pouerty as well as wealth the single state as well as the married disgrace as well as credit contempt as well as honor low degree as well as high imprisonment as well as walking at large bondage as well as freedome losses as well as gaine barrennesse of the body as well as fruitfulnesse a troublesome wife as well as a comfortable wife wicked and rebellious children as well as good and dutifull death of father mother brother sister husband wife children and other friends as well as the life and long continuance of them trauelling abroad as well as keeping at home banishment as well as abiding in our owne country the hatred and displeasure of men euen of the mighty men of the world as well as their loue and friendship dangers as well as safety foule or cold weather as well as faire and hot weather to conclude death as well as life and any one thing els as well as another All this is so to be vnderstood that wee may admire the wisedome of God in turning all things to good to them that loue Note him and that we acknowledge the state and condition of such to be the more honorable and happy not that therefore we make choice of one thing as well as of another but that we direct our choice according to his reuealed will and yet to be content with whatsoeuer the Lord shall doe and to possesse our soules in patience as knowing that howsoeuer things fall out a while yet at the last the end will be good for vs. But this being a matter of good moment it shall not be lost labor to insist somewhat more vpon it and to make it more plaine that all men may the better see that all things worke indeed to the good of them that loue God that is of his children because we haue heard before that they only do loue him and that all the wicked are often said to be enemies and haters of him This therefore is manifest first because God is with al them that loue him as hath been before declared If God bee with them who can be against them Rom. 8. 31. or what skilleth it who or what is against them They may then say as Elisha said 2. Kings 6. 16. and as Hezekiah did 2. Chron. 32. 7. They that be with vs are more then they that be against vs. God is greater then all Ioh. 10. 29. viz. not only in power but also in wisedome and goodnesse as before also hath been shewed Whatsoeuer he will in heauen or in earth that he doth Psal 135. 6. He will not