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
immediately make our soules how then câ—me we stained with originall sinne it may receiue a double answer First that they come by sinne at their entrance into the body as in old time men might get the leprosie by entring into an house only infected with the leprosie and as men may now get the plague by going to the house lately visited therewith though no man dwell in the said house as also by putting on a garment comming from one that had the plague For the body is an house or garment of the soule comming from our polluted and defiled parents Secondly touching the said great obiection it is altogether curious to inquire of the manner when the thing is manifest For a man may as well inquire of Note them that were raised from death to life by the Prophets and by our Sauiour and his Apostles especially of the faithfull so raised Lazarus Dorcas c. how after their said restoring to life againe they became sinners againe and so subiect to death againe For being dead and their soules and bodies in death separated it cannot be denied but that during that time they were free from sinne both in body and in soule If therefore this bee a curious question how they became againe defâ—led with sinne and to need to pray for forgiuenesse of their trespasses then also is the former For there is the like reason of the one and of the other To returne to our former speech of adoption although God haue such a Sonne of his owne in whom he is well pleased yea many other sonnes likewise by creation keeping still that glorious image wherein they were created viz. al the blessed Angels yet because Adam had transgressed and that through his fal he had no children amongst the sons of men therefore it pleased him also to adopt vs vnto himselfe This then is one difference betwixt the adoption of God and the adoption of men that men only adopt children when they haue none of their owne but God adopteth vs though he haue one of his owne by nature and many by creation like vnto himselfe Another difference is that when men doe adopt there is Note not neither can be any second generation of him that is adopted whereby to make him like to him that doth adopt him being before vnlike vnto him For to make one like to another passeth the worke of any man But in our adoption to God there is not onely an acceptation of vs for his children but there is also an actuall regeneration and second birth wrought in vs by Gods spirit therefore called the spirit of adoption whereby we are made like to our Father that doth adopt vs. Secondly men hauing no children of their owne cannot adopt other in any or by any but God hauing a Sonne of his owne as we said doth in him and by him and through him as it were by marying of vs vnto him and incorporating vs into him adopt vs for his children Moreouer touching adoption the whole number of children adopted to God considered iointly together are accounted as one viz. as a daughter so made by marriage to the only Sonne of God Psal 45. 10. Hos 2. 9. in which respect the whole Catholike Church comprehending all the elect and children of God and no other is often called by the name of a Spouse and of one spouse vnto Christ Cantic 4. 8. 9. 10. and 5. 1. Iohn 3. 29. Reu 21. 2. and 9. and as of one wife Ierem. 3. 1. c. and the Church is said to be but one euen one alone and the only daughter of her mother Cantic 6. 8. and one body in Christ Rom. 12. 5. 1. Cor. 12. 12. Ephes 4. 4. But the children of God being seuerally considered according to the seuerall sex of euery one they are called the sonnes and daughters of God as before we heard Thus much of the eighth particular word in this text In the last place the Apostle doth rather repeat the name of 〈◊〉 God God then vse the relatiue his saying that we should be called the children of God rather then his children the more to keepe them to whom he wrote in a serious consideration of this their dignity whereof he speaketh and to make them the more to lift vp their eies and their minds and whole hearts to him whose children they are Thus much as breefly as I well could for the consideration of the particular words of this exhortation to the beholding of the great loue of God in making vs his children CHAP. IIII. Of the dignity of Gods children from the excellency of God himselfe who is their Father the rather because it is further prooued by the difficulty and greatnesse of the worke of regeneration that the sayd worke is altogether and only the worke of God NOW according to my method and order first propounded to my selfe I will more amply lay forth the mayne point of the dignity of Gods childreÌ„ viz. How great how admirable how incomprehensible this loue of God is in making declaring vs to be the childreÌ„ of God in such fort as hath been before touched For it cannot be but of very great excellency sith the Apostle hath made such a graue exhortatioÌ„ to the beholding thereof cuery word wherof is so emphatical significant as we haue heard And indeed so excelleÌ„t is it that as M. Rogers saith Chap. 3. of his sixt treatise so I may also say that when I haue said what I can of their state I must confesse that I haue said but a little NOtwithstanding I hope that this little shall be somwhat for the helping of them that considered not so much before and for the prouoking like wise of other to enter into further meditation of this argument and perhaps to write more largely there of then I haue done or could do For it is well worthy of the best meditation and largest writing that may be for the better comfort of such weake ones as whose hearts are almost broken with the manifold indiguities that dayly they meete with in the world and for the prouoking of all aduanced thereunto to more thankful â—es to him that hath so aduanced them and to make such other vses as after the point it selfe more largely handled shall be breefely noted To come therefore to the matter touching this dignity of the children of God let vs first of all consider the same by the excellency of him whose children they are hâ—â—e sayd to bee For he is described to be high and excellent to inhabite the eternity to be called by the name of The holy one and to dwelin the high and holy place Isai 57. 15. He is called The God of Gods and Lord of Lords A great God mighty and terrible Deut. 10. 17. Hensâ—d to haue 〈◊〉 his hands the deep places of the earth the height of the mountains the sea c. Psalm 95. 5. and to haue greatnesse and power and glâ—ry and victory
his right hand bold them from escaping If they should say the darknes shall hide vs the night should be light round about them Psal 139. 1. c. Therefore if God he thus from them touching his grace and only present in his wrath power iustice against them what alas shall it boote them to haue any of his creatures with them Truly nothing at all They were as good be alone If Salomon say Wo vnto him that is alone for hee falleth and there is no asecond to to helpe himvp Eccles 4. 10. how much more wocfull is the state of the wicked that are altogether destitute of the gracious presence of God For if he withdraw himselfe from them who dareth accompany them for any good By these things we see how great the prerogatiue of the children of God is by their communion with God But this is not all For this communion with Christ Iesus and so consequently with the other two persons in the deity is the more excellent not onely in respect of the excellency of the persons with whom our base nature is vnited neither in other respects before spoken but also because being once made it is indissoluble and vnteparable All the vnions before mentioned whereunto this vnion metaphorically and by way of similitude is resembled may be dissolued For the garment put on is also put off The most of our meat and drinke touching the matter thereof is eiected and cast out The vine and the branches as also any other tree and the boughs may be diuided by the axe or some other toole So may the corner stone and the rest of the building therewith coupled The inhabitant or tenant is oft times turned out of his house yea sometime the lawfull owner is cast out of his owne free-hold The naturall head and the naturall body yea the body and the soule of man are for a time separated by death Finally by the same meanes there is a separation betwixt the man and the wife But nothing whatsoeuer can euer dissolue the vnion betwixt the children of God and God himselfe Father Sonne and holy Ghost As the personall vnion betwixt the two natures in Christ the Godhead and the manhood could not be dissolued euen when the humanity it selfe touching the parts thereof was by death for a time dissolued the soule being in heauen with the father and the body lying in the graue but the knot once knit did continue in death it selfe and shall continue for euer so also is the vnion betwixt God and the children of God an euerlasting vnion As therefore the misery of man is in the separation of man from God who is blessed for euer and blessednesse it selfe so the happinesse of man is in his vnion and communion with God especially in the continuance thereof for euer As all the wicked and vngodly are most miserable by their being without God in the world as before wee haue heard euen so long as they so continue because all that while they are as farre from heauen as earth yea as hell it selfe and remaine in darknesse and in the power of satan Acts 26. 18. oh wofull condition so all the children of God hauing in their adoption this communion with God are happy and ten times happy because the benefit and comfort thereof hath no end CHAP. XVII Of the benefits of the children of God by their fore said communion with Christ and with the whole Deity and first of the forgiuenesse of sinnes TO proceed a little further into the foresaid communion of the children of God with Christ Iesus and by Christ Jesus with the father and with the holy ghost let vs somewhat more behold the excellency thereof by such benefits as the children of God doe thereby enioy wherein all wicked and naturall men so continuing haue no part or portion Here let vs first consider the great benefit of forgiuenesse of sinnes It is indeed a principall point as hath been before obserued of that mercy of God which was one of the principall motiues of God to worke the worke of our regeneration And of that mercy of God I haue spoken a little generally before Notwith standing this particular point thereof touching the forgiuenesse of sinnes is a little more largely here to be handled because this place in some respects is fitter for that purpose then the former the rather because it is not onely to be considered as a cause of regeneration but also as an effect and fruit of our foresaid communion with God Touching this benefit therefore that it is by our communion with Christ Iesus it is manifest because he is said to be the reconciliation for our sinnes and not only for our sinnes but also for the sinnes of the whole world 1. Ioh. 2. 2. By reconciliation for our sinnes and for the sinnes of the whole world the Apostle meaneth the sinnes both of all already regenerated and new borne and also of other the elect of God in the world remaining yet in their naturall and vnregenerate state Paul also saith that Christ gaue himselfe for vs that he might redeeme vs from all iniquity c. Tit. 2. 19. What is it to redeem vs from all iniquity but to purchase a free and absolute pardon for vs of all our sinnes Moreouer he saith that in Christ we haue redemption through his bloud the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to his rich grace Ephes 1. 7. Coloss 1. 14. In both which places let this be obserued Note that the Apostle interpreteth the redemption of the elect to be the forgiuenesse of sinnes Why shall we so obserue this interpretation of the word redemption Because thereby the Apostle insinuateth a twofold or double redemption wrought by Iesus Christ one proper onely to the elect consisting in the forgiuenesse of sinnes and other things depending thereupon the other common to all as well to the reprobate as to the elect But what is this so common a redemption viz. It is a release from the bondage and obedience of the ancient ceremoniall law touching the going diuers times of the yeere to Ierusalem and performing there diuers rites and ceremonies in the worship of God namely the paiment of tithes and of first fruits the bringing of diuers oblations and sacrifices as also touching diuers kinds of washings and clensing men of the leprosie of pollution by handling the dead by any issue c. and concerning likewise abstinence from diuers kinds both of fish and flesh and many other the like things The redemption I say of men from obedience of these things is common to the reprobate and not peculiar to the elect For Christ Iesus hath so nailed the whole law of ceremonies and ordinances to his crosse that although Christ were taken down from the said crosse that although Christ were taken down from the said crosse yet they shall as it were so remaine fast fixed thereunto that they shall neuer come downe or be in force with men by anv authoritv from
the first creation was as it were but one worke namely to make that which was not made before But in this worke of regeneration there is a double worke first to take away our naturall corruption secondly in stead thereof to create and forme Gods owne image 2. In the first creation there was no opposition no enemies no let no hinderance to God But in our regeneration there are many and mighty enemies and many great lets and hinderances and as it were blocks layd in Gods way Satan himselfe with all his angels and the whole power of hell do labor what they can to hinder tâ—â—s worke So also doth the whole world with all the power thereof Our hearts likewise with all the thoughts lusts and affections thereof and our whole man doe striue and struggle with God by all meanes resisting him and opposing themselues vnto this worke Yea sometimes the children of God themselues euen being regenerated doe interpose and oppose themselues to the regeneration of other For did not Iohn say to our Sauiour Master wee saw one casting out diuels by thy name which followeth not vs and we forbad him because he followed vs not Mark 9. 38. Could Iohn and the other disciples with him forbid another casting out of diuels in the name of Christ and not hinder the worke of regeneration Peter aduised Christ not to goe to Ierusalem there to suffer those things which he was to suffer Marke 8. 32. The like did all the Apostles Ioh. 11. 8. Peter also seeing Christs glory in the mountaine where Christ transfigured himselfe being rauished therewith would haue had Christ to haue continued there still and to haue built three Tabernacles one for him another for Moses a third for Elias Mark 9. 5. Could Christ by the foresaid counsell haue auoided death and not haue hindered the whole worke of mans redemption and therefore also of his adoption and regeneration yea had not the hinderance of Christs death been the way to haue fet all the saints from heauen that in their soules had been there before by vertue of Christs death after their translation into heauen to be suffered for them in earth The taking away of the cause must needs be the nullifying of the effects depending vpon that cause If any in great place doe bestow an office vpon an other as pretending the bestowing thereof to belong vnto his place shall not the receiuer of that office though hauing for sometime enioied the same be dispossessed thereof afterward by another that shall find the right of collating the same to be in him and neuer to haue been in the other that before had bestowed it The like might besayd euen of the dispossessing of the soules of the righteous of heauen it selfe if they had been admitted thereunto by virtue of his death that had not died Thirdly touching the difficulty of our second creation aboue the first in our sayd first creation God did no more for vs in our kind then for all other creatures in their kind He made vs perfect and so he made euery other creature perfect in his kind But in our second creation God doth not only more for vs then for the Angels that had fallen but also then for the Angels that stand as afterward we shall heare Fourthly in the first creation God wrought as God alone but in our second creation regeneration and adoption it was needfull that God should be made man and that God and man made one person should worke the said worke of our second creation regeneration and adoption as afterward also we shall heare more largely Fiftly our first creation and the first creation of all things was made as of nothing so also for nothing But our second creation was not only wrought of nothing and of lesse or at least worse then nothing for the new man is formed in vs but not of vs but it was also wrought at a price or by a price Note For Christ gaue himselfe for vs and we are said to be bought with a price as likewise shall be shewed anon Sixtly the first creation of all things was perfected and consummated in six daies but albeit our regeneration be begun in a moment yet it groweth by small degrees yea if one of the children of God be inclined to some speciall sinne as who is not how hard a thing is it in long time and by many mâ—â—â—es to represse and reforme the same And though a man doe liue many yeeres after his regeneration begun yet it is neuer perfected in this life neither shall be till our corruptible bodies haue put on incorruption and till that that is mortall be made immortall Seuenthly to illustrate this by similitude as it is more easie for the potter or glasse man to make an whole house full of pots or glasses then to set one together and make it as sound as it was being broken all to peeces so was it more easie for God at the first to make an whole world of creatures then now only to restore and build man vp againe and as it were to set him together againe being touching the image of God in him destroied and as it were broken in peeces All this of the difficulty of our second creation in comparison Note of the first creation is to be vnderstood but only in respect of mans iudgement touching the difficulty of things not simply in consideration of Gods power For to speake simply of Gods power all things are alike thereunto There is nothing harder or easier then another with God It is as easie for him to make an whole world yea many worlds as to make the least creature By this greatnesse of this worke the worke it selfe is the more manifest to be the worke only of God For if to make a man or to make an whole world be not the worke of any but of God himselfe as the whole Scripture teacheth vs how much lesse may we say that any but God alone can regenerate a man and make a man the child of God this worke being as hath beene shewed greater then the work of creation The more proper therefore that this worke of regeneration is only to God the more excellent needs must be the condition of them that by this worke are made the children of God According to the rarenesse of the workeman so is the worke it selfe esteemed If but one man in a country or in a kingdome can doe some speciall worke in what estimation is the worke it selfe what then shall wee say of this worke of regeneration and of making the sonnes of men the sonnes of God which none can doe in the world but only one euen God himselfe How honorable therefore is their stateâ— CHAP. V. Of the first moouing cause of our regeneration viz. which first mooued God to regenerate vs. AS in the former Chapter the dignity of Gods children hath been declared by the excellency of God who is their Father as also by this that God
on the contrary hunger as much after the bread of God that lasteth to eternall life and thirst after the water of life which whosoeuer drinketh of he shall neuer thirst againe and if we shall as new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that we may grow thereby 1. Pet. 2. 2. this shall be a further assurance to our own hearts that we our selues are borne of God The like is to be said of other spirituall actions so also of our spirituall growth and increase For as the naturall child new borne doth daily wax and increase in stature and in strength till it be able to goe and to doe other things answerable to the growth thereof as digesting of stronger meats bearing of burdens speaking like a man c so is it with all that are new borne not of mortall but of immortall seed by the word of God They will be able to digest high points of doctrine and not say of some things as some said of Christs doctrine touching his flesh to bee meat in deed and his bloud to be drinke indeed This is an hard saying who can heare it and so take occasion to leaue Christ and to walke no more with him Ioh. 6. 60. and 66. They will be able to walke strongly vp and downe not stumbling at euery straw They will bee able to beare Gods chastisements without murmuring wrongs at the hands of men without seeking reuenge c. They will be able to do the works of God both belonging to all Christians and also which are more sutable to their speciall callings These things I say and such like will all borne againe grow to doe and by these things they shall discerne their spirituall birth and the life of God to be in them Notwithstanding these things are not alike in all that are new borne no not in all of the same spirituall age For as it is amongst naturall men touching naturall strength some are of a low stature some of a taller some are strong men some are weaklings yea sometimes the yonger are taller and stronger then their elders by many yeeres so is it amongst spirituall men touching this spirituall life and this spirituall birth wherof now we speake But these things shall be more manifest by other things after to be spoken This life of God is the more excellent because it is euerlasting Being once begun it shall neuer haue end being once giuen it shall neuer be taken away Our naturall life shall haue an end I meane the life of the body and soule together begun and continued by naturall meanes and no man knoweth how soone But the life of God shall continue as God himselfe abideth for euer and as the seed whereby men are begotten to this life is not mortall but immortall But of this also more afterward In the meane time by that which hath been said it may appeare that this benefit of our spirituall life is a matter well worthy of all good account and reckoning This present life which our bodies doe liue in this world by their communion with the soule is greatly to be esteemed yea more then all other things appertaining thereunto Satan himselfe could say vnto God Skin for skinne and all that euer a man hath will he giue for his life Iob 2. 4. Amongst the benefits for which wisedome is commended about siluer and gold and pearles and all things that can be desired length of daies is not only one but also the first and placed in the right hand of wisedome whereas riches and glory are in the second place and said to be in the left hand Pro. 3. 16. Our Sauiour saith Is not the life more worth then meat Mat. 6. 25. What then is to be compared vnto it what benefit shall a man haue by any other thing yea by all other things if he haue not meat The Prophet saith that none of those that trust in their goods and beast themselues in the multitude of their riches can redeeme his brother viz. appointed by God to dye or giue a ransome for him that is no man can by any mony prolong the daies of his friend or buy out his death so precious is the redemption of their soules c. that he may liue for euer Psal 49. 6. 7. 8. 9. Is this naturall life so precious which yet as I said shall haue an end and no man knoweth either how soon or in what place or in what manner How excellent then is that spirituall life the life of God and the life that is eternall The more excellent therefore that this life is being a part of that matter wherein consisteth our new birth next to Christ himselfe and comming by Christ the more excellent also is the new birth it selfe of the children of God and their state and condition thereby Thus much for the life of God which all the children of God haue in their regeneration by Iesus Christ CHAP. X. Of some other things further concerning the matter of the regeneration of the children of God and of their very being the children of God viz. of their knowledge of God and of their true wisedome declared by the opposition thereunto of the ignorance foolishnesse and madnesse of all meere naturall wicked and vnregenerate men TO proceed further in declaration of other things concerning the very matter and being of the children of God the next point to be considered is the true knowledge vnderstanding and wisedome wherewith all the children of God are indued and enlightned And these things are to bee taken as some particular degrees of the life of God generally before spoken of as also as parts of the new man and of the image of God repaired and restored in our regeneration yea finally as parts also of our said regeneration it selfe Of these things I will speake as before I haue done generally of the life of God viz. by opposing vnto them the naturall ignorance foolishnesse and madnesse of all naturall men not regenerated that so by this opposition of their contraries the said true knowledge vnderstanding and wisedome may be made manifest to be the more excellent things and the more to set foorth the dignity of our regeneration Now as these things I meane this our naturall ignorance foolishnesse and madnesse be contrary to true knowledge vnderstanding and wisedome so the contrary may be said of these euils that hath been said of those vertues viz. that as those vertues are degrees and parts of the life of God of the new man and of the image of God newly created in all that are regenerated so these euils are also to be accounted as degrees and parts of that death of that old man and of that image of Satan in all the vnregenerate before generally touched Touching both these contraries they are expressed first by certaine metaphors the better to set forth their nature These metaphors are light and darknesse sight and blindnesse and such other phrases as are sutable to the
the second death Reuel 2. 11. And this second death is tenne thousand times worse then the first death I meane then the separation only of the soule and the body yea it were better ten thousand times that the soule and the body of the wicked should die and vtterly perish and come to nothing as the life and body of beasts doe then that they should bee tormented as they shall be Therfore it is called by the name both of the second death and also of fire euen of the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Reu. 19. 20. and 20. 10. It is likewise called a worme and a fire Marc. 9. 44. c. where in verse 43. the word hell and sire are ioined together How intolerable also the paines and torment of hell bee it appeareth by that of the rich mans soule in hell Luk. 16. 23. 24. where it is said that he being touching his soule in hell and seeing Lazarus a farre off in Abrahams bosome marke this word afarre off against the Papists that will haue Abrahams bosome to be neere vnto hell and a part of hell it selfe he cried out to Abraham that Lazarus to whom before he had denied all comfort and to whom his dogs had shewed more mercy then himselfe he cried I say that Lazarus might be sent to dip the top of his finger in water for the cooling of his tongue Why so Because said he I am tormented in this flame Such then were his paines and torments that if he might haue had but a little ease for one member he would haue accounted it an exceeding fauour Such also shall be the torments of all other the wicked that shall be condemned And although the torments of condemnation be thus described by these fearfull things in this life yet the truth is that no fearefull thing in this world can sufficiently expresse the torments of the wicked in the world to come The most exquisite torments that euer haue been deuised by any mercilesse cruell and sauage tyrants for the bodies of men hanging burning either all at once or by piece-meales renting in pieces with wild horses pinching the flesh off with hot irons boyling in lead sawing broiling vpon gridyrons and such like all these I say are but sports pastimes delights and pleasures in respect of the torments to come in an other world All these degrees of condemnation hitherto spoken of are the more because the said condemnation so described shall be euerlasting without end without any mitigation that is signified by the worme that dieth not and by the fire that neuer goeth out Mark 9. 44. c. as also by the answer before spoken of of Abraham to the rich man tormented in hell therefore also we heard it before called euerlasting fire and euerlasting paine Mat. 25. 46. and euerlasting perdition 2. Thes 1. 9. Yea so farre is the condemnation of the wicked from all end and mitigation that when all other things shall haue a kind of end and when the soules of the wicked shall be ioyned to their bodies in the day of iudgment then likewise shal their torments be increased This much amplifieth all the former It is much to haue the frowning countenance and wrathfull sentence of God to be banished from his gratious presence and to be depriued of all good company and of all other good things to bee made a companion of diuels and to be cast into the place of vtter darkenesse where is weeping and gnashing of teeth and there to be tormented with a worme gnawing and a fire burning all these things I say are very much though they should be but for a time but neuer to haue God to looke cheerefully vpon them or to speake comfortably vnto them to bee banished from his gratious presence for euer neuer to haue any good company nor any other comfortable thing to be alwayes companion with the diuels and to be throwne into the place of darkenesse from whence there is no hope of any redemption and to be tormented vnspeakably for euer without any mitigation to haue a worme alwaies gnawing within and neuer dying and a fire euer burning without and neuer consuming or wasting alas alas what eare doth not tingle to heare what heart doth not quake and ake tremble and shiuer to thinke vpon it Yea who quaketh not who in euery member and ioynt trembleth not to consider of it though himselfe be assured of freedome and discharge from it How then shall they quake quiuer and tremble that shall indeed bee so condemned All miserie and punishments here are somewhat mitigated to him that suffereth them by hope of an end at the last if not before yet at least in the houre of death The hardest apprentiship that euer was with the most cruel merciles master after the longest time serued had some cōfort by thinking the time thereof to come to bee shorter than that that was past The like may besaid of any other bondage But in the condemnation of the wicked the longest time is alwaies behind A beginning there is but no ending An hundred yeers past a thousand follow and so million after million O dolefull ô wofull ô fearfull condition When Saul heard of the losse of this life the day following not by the spirit of truth but by the father of lies satan himselfe not transformed into an Angell of light but only appearing in the habit of a Prophet He fell straightway all along vpon the earth and was sore afraid because of those words so that there was no strength in him neither could any body almost comfort him 1. Sam. 28. 17. Belshazzars countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him at the sight of the hand writing vpon the wall writing indeed his present ouerthrow yet not to his vnderstanding till Daniel did read and interpret the said writing that the ioints of his loines were loosed and his knees smote one against the other Dan. 5. 6. His bones as we say did rattle in his skin because from the guiltinesse of his conscience he feared the worst though as yet hee knew nothing How then think we was he perplexed when the sentence of God therein contained was executed vpon him Felix trembled to heare Paul but dispute or preach of righteousnesse temperance and the iudgement to come Acts 24 25. Alas then how do al those tremble and gnash their teeth that do already feele the execution of the sentence of condemnation in their soules And how shall they and all other the wicked quake and tremble in the day of iudgement when they shall receiue the full sentence of condemnation against their soules and bodies for euer and euer without reuocation without mitigation The more fearfull that thus it appeareth and is manifest shal bee the condemnation of the wicked that die in their sinnes the greater priuiledge prerogatiue and dignity it shall be to the children of God to be freed and discharged from the same I might haue illustrated all before
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
Loc. 1. and answering the 11. obiection of Gardiner thus he writeth If you doe beleeue that Enoch and Elias doe yetliue you doe beleeue it without the Scripture Elias was taken away after an admirable sort and withdrawen from Elizeus in a firie chariot but that his spirit was not stript from his body by what testimonie of Scripture will you prooue it Then immediately concerning Enoch hee acknowledging that which is written Heb. 11. 5. to haue beene done that God might testifie by his said extraordinary kinde of translating his loue towards him for the better prouocation of other to the imitation of his goodnesse hee demandeth of Gardiner But how know you that afterward viz. after his taking from the Common sight of men he dyed not when he was safe and out of danger of sinne you will say that the epistle to the Hebrewes bath that he might not see death A man may vnderstand that that he might not feele death whiles he was in the world that he might not die a common and an ordinarie death But that hee died not after his translation how will you make vs belieue And there want no Hebrew writers which expounding the second booke of the Kings doe say that Elias his body and all his garments except his cloake or mantle were consumed in the whirlweinge but that the Spirit of the Prophet went vnto God Oecolampadius in Heb. 11. 5. citing the words of Genesis translated by the Septuagints And Enoch pleased God and was not found because God translated him Notwithstanding saith he by these words it is not prooued that hee did not die Because if hee were of the seede of Adam it must be that hee was mortall And truely this is most agreeable to truth and consonant to the analogy of faith For Christ alone is the first begotten of the dead and hath opened paradise to them that beleeue And that which moueth me more so long time as Christ had not payed the price of our redemption so long also a long sword or a fierce and shaken sword did stop all passage into paradise If also he were translated into paradise how did Christ bold safe his dignitie But if you will make here a miracle then he must yet looke for death and a change But if any will obserue the maner of the Apostle bee will not meruaile that he hath said that he did not see death For as wee haue seene him to doe before touching Melchisedech hee would affirme nothing besides the testimonie of the Scripture and because that he saith not expresly that he died therefore he did not endeauour to set downe so much In the meane time notwithstanding he denyeth him not to haue died as likewise he doth not Melchisedeth c. Thus much Occolampadius Martinus Borrhaus a learned writer about the yeare 1539. in his commentaries vpon Genesis Chap. 5. 24. doth so interpret that place as I doe That worthy and famous man M. Doctor Fulke also is most plainly of my side and agreeth fully with me For confuting the marginall note of the Rhemish translators of the new testament vpon Heb. 9 8. he saith that heauen was not opened by the sacrifices of the first tabernacle c. and that our Sauiour was the first that entred into perfect glorie of heauen So to their marginall note vpon Heb. 11. 5. that there it appeared that Enoch yet liueth and is not dead against the Caluinists he briefly answereth thus It appeareth not that Enoch yet liueth in bodie more then Moses or Elias but that hee was translated by God out of the world and died not after the common maner of men So he insinuateth that he died but not after the common maner of men To their notes at large vpon Reu. 11. 3. he answereth thus You will saith he proue that they that is Enoch and Elias are aliue in paradise But what place is paradise but heauen as the Apostle declareth 2. Cor. 12. 2. and 4. for earthly paradise either by the flood or before was defaced Now what doctrine it is to affirmâ— that men in mortall bodies ascended into heauen I leaue to the learned to consider And presently after It is euident indeed saith he that Elias was taken vp aliue but not that hee continueth aliue Yea because it is said expresly that he was taken vp into heauen it is certaine that his body was not carried into heauen for Christ was the first that in whole humanity ascended into heauen Master Samuel Bird likewise a learned and godly minister late of Ipswich in Suffolke writing vpon Heb. 11. 5. saith thus It is said that he was taken vp that he might not see death the meaning is that he did not die after the common maner of men he was exempted from the violent separation of the soule from the body which nature doth abhorre not but that his bodiâ— did wast away and did not ascend into heauen For Christ is the first that entred in his body into heauen to take possession of it for vs. Heb. 9. 12. With the former testimonies affirming that Enoch and Elias are not bodily yet in heauen but that their bodies were dissolued as well as the bodies of other though after an extraordinary maner I may ioine the testimonie of Doctor Downam For in his second booke of Antichrist chap. 6. page 59. though he doe not plainely affirme as much as the former Authors haue done yet he maketh it so doubtfull of their bodies yet being in heauen that a man may easily perceiue that he rather inclineth to the former writers then otherwise The obiections to the contrary are of no moment and be answered before Onely where it is said that Elias was carried vp in a whirlewinde into heauen first wee must vnderstand that some read this word heauen in the genitiâ—e case thus carried vp in a whirlewinde of heauen Secondly the word heauen in the scripture is often vsed for the aire or for all aboue the earth Let the foule flie vpon the earth in the open firmament of the heauen Gen. 1. 20. so the foules of the heauen verse 26. and in diuers other places And that it is so here to be taken it is the more probable because it is not to be thought but that Elias had other garments besides his mantle Except therefore his said other garments were carried vp into the high heauen we must grant that the word heauen doth only signify the aire in the which his body might as well waste as his other garments besides his mantle which fell from him did consume Some man perhaps may thinke all this discourse of Enoch and Elias to bee altogether idle and impertinent vnto my present treatise of the dignity of Gods children and a meere digression from the same But if it be well considered it maketh much for it as much amplifying the said dignity of Gods children For sith Enoch and Elias were so rare and excellent men for their times as the Scriptures
also depriued of all other good company and of all other comforts how wofull is his state and condition What then is to be said of the condemnation of the wicked in this behalfe in that I say they shall not only be cast out from the presence of God but also be bereaued of alother good cōpany comfort The fourth degree of condemnation is that besides the three former they shall be awarded the company of the diuell and his Angels So our Sauiour saith Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuell and his angels In this description of euerlasting fire from the persons to whom the same belongeth or for whom it is prepared and who also were first thrown into it namely the diuell and his angels we see who shall be the companions of those that shall be thrown out from the presence of God How fearfull this is let it be considered by the fearfulnesse that is in the best and stoutest hearted men at the apparition euen of blessed spirits For to omit how Mary feared when the Angell appeared vnto her with the ioyfullest salutation that euer before she had heard To omit I say her feare because she was but a woman To omit also the feare of the shepheards when the Angell of the Lord came vpon them c. and brought them glad tidings that should be to all people viz. that vnto them was that day borne a Sauiour c. Luk. 2. 8. c. To omit I say this also because they being but simple poore and plaine men might perhaps be afraid without a cause and yet who oftentimes of better courage then such How did Cornelius a valiant man a man of courage a Captaine of a band called the Italian band a deuout man also or a religious man and one that feared God how did he feare when an Angell came to him as he was priuately humbled before God in praier and fasting oh how few such or other great persons in these daies are so exercised in their priuat closets and when the said Angell called him by his name Cornelius Acts 10. 3. 4. Neither onely is the apparition of spirits indeed thus fearfull to flesh and bloud euen to the stouest but also the very suspition and imagination of a spirit is very fearfull not to one alone but to many together When all the disciples saw our Sauiour come walking vpon the sea in the night toward their ship how were they troubled how cried they out for feare saying according to their imagination It is a spirit Mat. 14. 26. After that also how were the said disciples abashed and afraid when in the meane time by the companie and sermons and works of our Sauiour they should haue gathered more strength supposing only they had seen a spirit Luk. 24. 37. because Christ came vnto them and stood in the midst of them all the dores of the house where they were being fast shut Was the apparition of a blessed spirit from heauen sent with most comfortable message so fearfull to them before mentioned Was the bare supposition and imagination of a spirit so fearefull to all the disciples not once but twice Alasse then how fearefull shall it be to the wicked in the end to haue the company of no other but of all vncleane spirits euen of all the diuels in hell Dauid crieth out as bewailing his condition that in the time of his exile he was not only banished from the Courts of God and from the tabernacles of God and from those ioifull assemblies that sometimes he had had in those places but was also forced to dwell for a time with the wicked Woe is to mee saith he that I remaine in Meshech and dwell in the tents of Kedar◠My soule hath too long dwell with him that hateth peace Psal 120. 5. 6. Indeed the companie of the wicked here is the porch or portall of hell and the wicked are called diuels Ioh. 6. 70. yet they are but yoong diuels and little diuels in respect of the diuels in hell and some of them are sometimes by the mercie of God made Saints If therefore Dauid thought it so wofull and if it be indeed so wofull to be but in the porch or portall of hell and to dwell but a little and as it were to lodge a night or two by the way in our pilgrimage heere and our iourney towards heauen in an Inne with yoong and little diuels how wofull may the wicked thinke it will be to dwell alwaies withall the great and master diuels in hell it selfe Truly how lightly soeuer they account it now because they do but slightly think of it yet one serious thought of it would make their haire stand vpright on their heads If it doe not the lesse feare they finde by hearing and thinking of it heere the more shall their feare be when they shall see this foule company and none but them The fifth degree of condemnation is that besides all hitherto said of this argument they shal be throwen into a place of vtter darknesse Matth. 8. 12. and 22. 13. and 25. 30. And indeed how can it be otherwise For sith God is light and in him dwelleth no darknesse 1. Ioh. 1. 5. and seeing he dwelleth in the light that none can attaine vnto 1. Tim. 6. 16. and seeing Christ Iesus also is the Sunne of righteousnesse and the light of the world as before we haue heard therefore it cannot be but that such as are shut out from the presence of God and of Christ are also in extreme darknesse As also the wicked doe heere loue darknesse more then light Ioh. 3. 19. so it is meet they should afterward be committed to a place of darknesse Therefore also when the wicked are heere conuerted they are said to be turned from darknesse to light Act. 26. 18. and to bee called out of darknesse into his maruellous light 1. Pet. 2. 9. How fearefull in this behalfe the condemnation of the wicked shall be may appeare if we shall consider both that which I haue before written in Chap. 10. of the spirituall darknes and blindnesse of the wicked in this world as also that which wee daily see of outward darknes heere and of the vncomfortable condition of such as are either blinde and so liue continually in darknesse or that are cast into prisons and dungeons where they are depriued of all light The sixth degree of condemnation is that besides all the former points the wicked shall haue most exquisite yea vnspeakable torments yea such as no heart of man can conceiue These are expressed by the names of such things in this world as are to flesh and blood most fearefull For in those places before alleged Matth 8. 12. and 22. 13. and 25. 30. the place of condemnation is not onely called a place of vtter darknesse but a place also where is weeping and gnashing of teeth It is also called by the name of death Rom. 6. 23. yea also of