great and small that did beleeue as Rom. 15. 30. Ephes 6. 18. c. and in other places before alledged Yea he hoped for great comfort by their such praiers Philip. 1. 19. Philem. 22. If it be a great benefit to haue a good friend for furtherance of our sutes to mortall Princes is it not much more for euery child of God to haue all the rest of Gods children on earth speciall fauorites with God to be furtherances of their sutes vnto him Verily though a man despaire of his own praiers yet might he haue exceeding comfort in the praiers of all the rest of Gods children This shall suffice to haue spoken of the prerogatiue of Gods children both by their liberty and boldnesse for making their own praiers to God and also by that that other yea all other of Gods children do remember them euen euery one another so often as they pray to God themselues CHAP. XXII Of the communicating of many titles of Christ to the children of God TO proceed yet further into the benefits which the children of God haue by their communion with Christ such is their prerogatiue thereby that as they are called the children of God by grace as Christ himselfe is by nature the sonne and the onely sonne of God so likewise they haue many other of his names and titles communicated vnto them in holy Scripture For first of all this name Christ is attributed to the whole body of the Church whereof euery true child of God is a member 1. Cor. 12. 12. And therefore Christ doth professe that whatsoeuer good or euill is done vnto any that are ingrafted into him is done vnto himselfe Matthew 25. 40. and 45. Acts 9. 4. In which respects as such are called by the name of Christians Acts 11. â—6 so they may also euery one of them bee called petty Christs or little Christs because as the word Christ signifieth nothing else but annointed and as Christ is said to be anointed with the oyle of gladnesse aboue his fellowes Psal 45. 7. so it is said of euery one of vs that are his members that the anointing which we haue receiued of him dwelleth in vs and that we need not that any man teach vs but as the same anointing teacheth vs all things 1. Ioh. 2. 27. And as the pretious ointment poured vpon the head of Aaron ran downe vpon his beard and so also vpon other his inferior parts Psal 133. 2. so the pretious ointment of Gods spirit powred vpon Christ Iesus our head hath so descended vpon vs his members that of his fulnesse we haue all receiued grace vpon grace Ioh. 1. 16. Neither is this name only Christ thus communicated to the children of God but also the name Iesus touching the signification thereof For what doth it signifie but a Sauiour So the Angell himselfe interpreteth it Thou shalt saith hee to Mary call his name Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinnes Mat. 1. 21. Now it is not onely said to Timothie and in him to all ministers of the word that by taking heede to himselfe and to learning and by continuing therein hee should saue himselfe and other 1. Tim. 4. 16. but it is also said of all other the children of God that by praier instruction admonition c. shall conuert a sinner from going astray out of the way that they shall saue a soule from death and shall hide a multitude of sinnes Iames 5. 20. So likewise Iude writing to all sorts not onlie Ministers but other exhorteth them to haue compassion on some in putting difference and to saue other with feare pulling them out of the fire c. Iude. 22. 23. Doth not the Apostle by these words insinuate that they that shall so saue other though it bee with feare may in that respect bee called a Iesus or a Sauiour instrumentally The name Ioshua in signification is all one with Iesus and therefore Ioshua is called Iesus Acts 7. 45. because by sauing the Israelites from their bodily enemies hee was a type of Christ Iesus that should saue his people from their spirituall enemies If therefore Ioshua were so called in that typicall respect why may not they bee so called that are the instruments of Christ Iesus to saue men from their sinnes and so consequently from euerlasting damnation Againe as Christ is called the first fruits of the dead 1. Cor. 15. 20. and as in a typicall respect of Christ all the first borne of cleane liuing creatures al the first fruits of other things were in the law and by the law dedicated and consecrated vnto God so the Iewes in former times in respect of Gods special couenant with them Ier. 2. 3. and much more now all whom God of his owne will hath begotten againe with the word of truth are called by the name of the first fruits of God Iames 1. 8. Reu. 14. 4. As Christ is called a King and a Priest so likewise it is said that he hath made vs vnto God Kings and Priests Reu. 1. 6. and 5. 10. wherewith the Apostle Peter accordeth saying that wee are a roial Priesthood 1. Pet. 2. 9. which is al one with that which the Lord saith by Moses of the Israelites in that respect wherein before wee heard the Iewes to be called the Lords first fruits that if they would indeed heare his voice and keepe his Couenant c. then they should bee his chiefe treasure and a kingdome of Priests c. Exod. 19. 6. And indeed touching these two attributes how can wee but bee Kings and Priests being incorporated into him and made one with him to whom most properly and principally the said two attributes doe belong More particularly to begin first with the last we are Priests first in offring vp our bodies that is our whole selues a liuing sacrifice vnto God holy and acceptable c. Rom. 12. 1. and that first by crucifying the old man and letting out the blood of our sinnes which is the life of our said old man and then by seasoning our selues with the gracious word of God as some sacrifices were seasoned with salt Leuit. 2. 13. and as the Apostle requireth our speech to be seasoned Colos 4. 6. Secondly wee are called Priests for our offring vp to God the calues of our lips Hos 14. 3. and the spirituall sacrifices 1. Pet. 2. 5. both of Praiers Psal 141. 2. and of Praises Psalm 50. 14. and 23. as also of doing good and distributing Heb. 13. 16. and of other duties of righteousnesse Psal 4. 5. Thirdly wee are called Priests not onely in respect of the former sacrifices but also because if need require we must be ready to giue our liues for Gods glory and for the strengthning of the faith of other which is that which the Apostle meaneth by being offred vp vpon the sacrifice and seruice of the faith of Gods elect Phil. 2. 17. According to which phrase also the Apostle saith againe that hee was ready
haue as it were broken foorth thorow all the clouds of ceremonies and other things whereby before it was obscured and so to haue shined more clecrelie and brightly now then euer before it did Tit. 2. 11. so God doth make himselfe knowen by this blessed sweet and gratious name of Father more now in the time of the Gospell then euer he did before This is the reason why the Apostle heere rather saith Behold what loue the Father hath giuen vnto vs c. then Behold what Ioue God hath giuen vnto vs And although the name God bee in the very next words vsed that wee should bee called the children of God yet this is only to teach vs that we are to consider and apprehend God not onely in his diuine Maâ—estie which consideration is enough to swallow vs vp and to make vs feare and tremble but also in the person of a Father and as hee is our Father Notwithstanding this that I haue hitherto said of this word the Father is not so to be restrained to the first person in the Godhead but that therein also is included the Sonne As in the former Chapter vers 22. 23. and 24. the Apostle had ioined them together making the deniall of the Sonne to be the deniall of the Father and the continu ince in the Sonne and in the Father to be all one And as our Sauiour himselfe doth the like saying that He that honoureth not the Sonne the same honoureth not the Father that hath sent him Ich. 5. 23. so in this place the word Father is not personally to be vnderstood but rather essentially as comprehending the Sonne as well as the Father Therefore as there it is said Behold what loue the Father hath giuen vnto vs that we should be called the Children of God so it is also said by the same spirit that directed the pen of this Apostle euen of the Sonne that he came to his owne and his owne receiued him nâ—t but as many as receiued him to them hee gane power to be made the children of God Iohn 1. 12. Therefore the spirit of God which is the immortall seed whereby we are begotten againe vnto God and made the children of God as afterward we shall heare Rom. 8. 9. c. and 1. Pet. 1. 11. and often elswhere is called the spirit of Christ as well as the spirit of the Father and therefore also Christ in that respect may be as well said to beget vs againe vnto God to make vs the children of God and to giue vs this loue that wee should be called the children of God as the Father and the first person in the Deitie To conclude this point as when we pray and say Our Father which art in heauen we direct our praiers immediately to the person of the Father by a kinde of excellencie because he is Principium Deitatis not in time but in order the beginning of the Deitie and yet in the Father we pray also to the Sonne and to the holy Ghost so in this place this word the Father is to be vnderstood as well of the Sonne as of the Father Theresore in the very next verse without any further expresse mention of the Sonne vsing only a relatiue and thereby making a relation to that before spoken in this verse the Apostle saith that we know that when hee shall appeare or be made manifest we shall be made like vâ—to him These words must needs bee vnderstood espâ—câ—ally of the Sonne because the Father shall not appeare or be made manifest but in the Sonne But so neere is the coniâ—â—ction or rather vnion betwixt the Father and the Sonne that heere and elswhere the holy Ghost meaneth both by vsing a continued speech of one for both Furthermore the addition of this word serueth to teach that we are not made the children of God by the gifts labour and industrie of any man or Angell but onely by God himselfe Therefore our Sauiour forbiddeth this name Father to bee attributed to any other then to God alone Call no man saith hee your Father vpon the earth for there is but one your Father which is in heauen Matth. 23. 9. The Apostle Paul according with our Sauiour saith there is one God and Father of vs all Ephes 46. and so by ioining these two words God and Father together and vniting them in one hee teacheth that it is as absurd in religion to say there are diuers fathers as to say there are diuers Gods and that we may as well say there are diuers Gods as diuers fathers Whereas the Apostle calleth himselfe the father of the Corinthians saying Though ye haue ten thousand instructers in Christ yet haue yee not many fathers for in Christ Iesus I haue begotten you through the Gospell 1. Cor. 4. 15. he speaketh of himselfe only as the instrument of God in their regeneration He derogateth nothing from God neither arrogateth that to himselfe that was proper to God but sheweth only that God had vsed him as his instrument of their first conuersion to him Therefore before he had sharphe rebuked them for saving I am Pauls I am Apollos his I am Cephas his and I am Christs Chap. 1. 12. And againe Who is Paul who is Apollos 〈◊〉 but the Ministers by whom ye beleeued and as the Lord gaue to euery man I haue planted Apollos watered but God gaue the increase 1. Cor. 3. 5. 6. Doe wee not heere plainly see that hee maketh God all in all in our regeneration So doth the Apostle Peter in the place before alleged 1. Pet. 1. 3. So doth the Apostle Iames not only generally saying of all good and perfect gifts that they come from the Father of lights but also adding immediately touching the worke of our regeneration Of his owne will begat he vs c. Iames 1. 17. 18. I might confirme this against Papists and also other Patrons of mans free will by many other testimonies and proue our regeneration to be wholly the worke of God by shewing euery part thereof in our soule and in our body to be attributed vnto God and by diuers other arguments but because I shall I trust doe this in another place and deale with this point againe in this Treatise afterward therefore this shall suffice thereof in this place And thus much also for the fourth particular word in this text The fift followeth hath giuen This word is added for two Hath giuen conâ—iderations The first is to preuent an obiection and to take away all conceit of our worthinesse of this honour of being Gods children and that no man might thinke God so to hâ—â—â— loued him for any goodnesse that was in him This I say hee preuenteth by shewing the manner of Gods loue in making vs his children It is indeed an vnproper phase to say that God or any other doth giue loue It is more apt to say that he sheweth loue and therefore some Translators have so turned this woâ—d in this place But
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
them and therein had shed their bloud for vs it had been nothing to the blood of Christ because Christ was the Lord of the Angels and all the Angels were to worship him Heb. 1. 6. But to leaue that which was not and to returne to that which was it is much and exceeding much that God hath honored mankind especially his children by giuing vnto them all liuing creatures to be killed for preseruation of their present life Much more then is this honor and ten times greater then the heart of man can conceiue that God hath not spared his owne sonne but giuen him to the death Rom. 8. 32. yea to such a death as he suffered euen the cursed death of the Crosse that being dead in sinnes we might be made aliue Ephes 2. 5. and so receiue the promise of the spirit Gal. 3. 14. where by to call God our father and to be called the children of God This were a worthy meditation euery time we see sheepe or lamb or pigeon or chicken or any thing els by butcher or by any other body to be killed for vs it were I say a worthy meditation if then we could thinke and say This is a great honor of God towards vs that this innocent and harmelesse creature must die to preserue vs aliue But O Lord how hast thou honored vs by giuing thy sonne thy only sonne thy sonne whom thou louedst most deerely euen as thy owne soule thy sonne Iesus to be slaine and to suffer more then a thousand bodily deaths to make vs thy children that so we might liue in thy sight Did not Abraham greatly honor God when he was so willing to take now without delay or any stay for issue of him his sonne his only sonne his sonne Isaack in whom the promise was made of blessing for all nations his sonne whom he loued most tenderly not only for natures sake but also for the promise sake and to goe to the land of Moriah an vnknown country and to offer him that is to kill him with his own hands not to giue him to another to be offered and killed for a burnt offring an honourable but an hard and wofull kind of death for the naturall father to put his own naturall sonne vnto vpon one of the mountaines which God should shew him Genes 22. 2. he could not tell where did not Abraham I say greatly honor God by being willing and ready to doe it and by going so farre in the doing of it that the knife was in his hand to haue killed his owne sonne vpon Gods commandement in that behalfe and that therefore he had done it indeed if God himselfe had not countermanded him and forbidden it Doubtlesse Abraham did so thereby honour God that Abrahams faith in that behalfe hath beene the more renowned and honorable euer sithence and shall be renowned and honorable to the end of the world How then hath God honored vs by giuing his sonne for vs and how hath Christ Iesus honoured vs by giuing and offring vp himselfe a sweet smelling sauour and sacrifice to God for vs that did by our sinnes stinke most noy somely in the nostrills of God Abraham had receiued his sonne from God God had not receiued his sonne from vs. Abraham might haue had an other sonne from God as well as he had Isaak God could not haue an other besides Christ Abraham did owe his sonne and all that he had yea himselfe also to God God oweth nothing to vs. Abraham had a commandement to offer his sonne Isaak vnto God Had God any commandement or could any command God to giue his sonne vnto vs and for vs. Abraham and his sonne both were to dy at the last The sonne of God was as immortall and free from death as God himselfe because he was God with his father Abraham had had his sonne but a while but God had had his sonne from all eternity Abrahams sonne was like to himselfe but in part Gods sonne was perfectly and fully like vnto him In all these respects and in diuers other we plainly see how much more God hath honored vs by giuing his sonne as also how much more Christ hath honoured vs by giuing himselfe for vs then Abraham honored God by giuing his sonne vnto God that had first giuen him to Abraham Againe were it not a great honour to any poore and base subiect c. being in miserable bondage and captiuity as before I said for his Prince being wise and knowing what he doth or for such a sonne of such a Prince to giue a very great price for his ransome who then can expresse the honor that Christ Iesus hath done to vs in that being the sonne of his father tender and deere vnto him as Salomon speaketh of himselfe in respect both of his father and mother Pro. 4. 3. and being euen the sonne of his fathers desires as Bethsheba spake of Salomon and to Salomon Pro. 31. 2. and being full of wisedome and grace Luk 2. 40. and being the wisedome of his father Luk. 11. 44. And hauing all treasures of wisedome and knowledge hid in him Coloss 2. 3. who I say can expresse the honor that Christ Iesus being such as he is and alwaies was hath done vnto vs in giuing a greater price for our ransome and adoption to his father then all the kingdomes of the world ten thousand times told are worth For do we not account of all things according to the price that wise men doe giue for them Is then the adoption of Gods children lightly to be accounted for which Christ gaue as great a price as for our saluation This of the price which Christ hath giuen to make vs the children of God is the more because he gaue not the same price or any other for to redeeme the Angels that kept not their standing that they might with vs receiue the adoption of sonnes Before their fall they were so much more glorious then man before his fall by how much more their habitation and employment in heauen was more glorious then Adams in earth yet hath Christ Iesus in making in vs his children altogether passed them ouer and they are still reserued in euerlasting chaines vnder darknesse vnto the iudgement of the great day Iude 6. How greatly therefore hath Christ honoured vs by giuing such a price to make vs the children of God who dwell in houses of clay and who touching part of vs are but wormes meat whereas he hath giuen none at all for them that before their fall were most glorious spirits dwelling with God himselfe in heauen Because also the holy ghost is of the same glory and excellency with God the father and God the sonne therefore the worke of the holy ghost in our adoption is likewise to be considered with the worke of the father and of the sonne For the father and the sonne worke not without the holy ghost As in the first creation it is said that the spirit of God
moued vpon the waters or sate vpon the waters and vpon the whole matter of all things before created euen as a bird sitteth vpon her egs to bring the said first matter into forme and fashion and so did immediatly execute that in the first creation which God the father had decreed and which God the sonne had spoken concerning the said creation so in our second creation and adoption God the father and God the sonne work not immediatly but by God the holy ghost The same holy ghost also is he by whom the comming of Christ into the world his death and other things he suffered euen the whole price which hee gaue of his actiue and passiue obedience for vs is applied vnto vs. Our Sauiour likewise attributeth our regeneration to the spirit as well as it is elsewhere ascribed to the father Except a man be borne of water and of the spirit c. That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that that is borne of the spirit is spirit c. and againe The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it commeth nor whither it goeth so is euery man that is borne of the spirit Ioh. 3. 5. 6. 7. 8. Yea the spirit of God seemeth to be that very immortall seed of our new birth whereof Peter speaketh 1. Pet. 1. 23. I know that other doe interpret the word to be that immortall seed there spoken of because it is said not of mortall but of immortall seede by the word Notwithstanding to me it seemeth otherwise because the Apostle changeth the first preposition of vsed in the first place into another viz. into by vsed in the second place in speaking of the word And therefore I doe rather thinke the word there to be noted as the instrument onely whereby that immortall seed of our new birth before spoken of is conueied into vs. This I say I doe the rather thinke because of the change of prepositions the Apostle not saving being borne anew not of mortall but immortall seed of the word but saying in this last clause by the word Yea I am and shall be the more fully perswaded of this interpretation to be the right till I shall heare or see better reason then I haue done for the former because of the places before alleged to proue our regeneration to be of the spirit of God as well as of the father and of the sonne and because the preposition of first vsed in that place of Peter is so constantly vsed in all the former places concerning the spirit viz. Ioh. 1. 13. and 3. vers 5. 6. and 8. I acknowledge the word to be called seed in respect of the fruits of righteousnesse Luk. 8. 11. but for the reasons before alleged I cannot yet thinke it to be there vnderstood for the seed of our regeneration any otherwise then it is the instrument of conueying the spirit of God into vs. Moreouer the spirit is called the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father that is whereby we call God our father and whereby we are called the children of God Yea it is further said that the same spirit beareth witnesse to our spirits that we are the children of God Rom. 8. 15. 16. So then the holy ghost doth both immediatly beget vs to God and is also a witnesse of that our begetting again to God and of our being the children of God But I will stay no longer in this point To conclude therefore all the former arguments hitherto vsed for the dignity of Gods children sith they haue so honourable a father and sith their adoption is thus honored with the worke of all the three persons in the Deity and sith the originall cause of the said adoption is both the free loue of God the father in sending his owne and onely sonne and of the sonne in comming so willingly and submitting himselfe so cheerfully to so base a condition for the effecting of the said adoption and sith also he gaue so great a price for it it cannot be but the worke it selfe is very honorable Thus we see that they that be againe so regenerated of him and by him by whom they were at the first made haue obtained a new state and condition and are not as they were of the world worldly of the earth earthly and of flesh fleshly but of heauen heauenly of God the father of whom the whole family in heauen and in earth is named Ephes 3. 15. called his children of Christ denominated Christians Acts 19. 26. and of the spirit said to be spirituall 1. Cor. 2. 15. So they are not only humane by the humane nature but also diuine by participation of the diuine nature 2. Pet. 1. 4. not touching their substance but touching diuine qualities and operations Such therefore and only such may truly speake of nobility For only they may most truly say they are borne of God as we haue seen before chap. 2. 29. and as the Apostle speaketh afterward chap. 4. 7. And they onely may most truly also say further that they are the generation of God Acts 17. 28. and that in such maner as that thereby they are citizens of heauen and inhabitants together with the glorious Angels as afterward we shall heare more at large In respect of this nobility and without this all other nobility is nothing in Gods sight Yea that which our Sauior speaketh of the Iewes particularly may be said generally of al that are not the children of God They do the works of their father the diuell and the lusts of their father they will doe Iohn 8. 41. 44. Not much vnlike also is that description of the King that is the sonne of nobles that eat in time for strength and not for drunkennesse Eccles 10. 17. For what doth Salomon by this description teach els but that such kings are most renowned and noble which doe adorne their kingly descent with true piety and sobriety And though Salomon speake but of eating in time for strength and not for drunkennesse yet by this one vertue hee meaneth all other And of this vertue he maketh choice aboue other because it is in a manner the rarest of all other especially in kings It is hard to find any man that hath abundance to be sober and moderate in the vse of meats drinke and to eat both only in time and also for strength not for excesse and pleasure I may also apply to this purpose that which is said by the Prophet which confoundeth them that are excellent or noble in the earth with the Saints and the Saints with them Psal 16. 3. thereby teaching that the Saints onely haue the best excellency and nobility and that none may rightly be called excellent or noble but such as are Saints And indeed seeing all that are not sanctified cannot but be of the diuell as doing his works what greater basenesse vilenesse and ignobility can there be then to be such Seeing
argueth that hee was very forward to haue smitter them Elisha answered Thou shalt not smiâ—e them Doest thou not smite them that thou hast taken with thy sword and with thy bow Set bread and water before them that they may eat and drinke and goe to their mâ—ster Aâ—d so that King though a wicked man did not reason the cause with the Prophet or any whit cotradict his couÌ„sel but most willingly made great great preparation for theÌ„ 2. King 6. 21. By al these things we see what great benefits other of all sorts superiours inferiors equals good bud foes as wel as friends the liuing the dead receiue by the children of God If any that professe theÌ„selues the children of God be not thus beneficiall to other or be hurtful to any it is either because they are hypocrites and bee not that in deed which they professe themselues to be or because the old man yet remaining in them in some particulars preuaileth against their new man and the flesh against the spirit of adoption wherby they are regenerated do cry cal God their father Let vs yet proceed a little further coÌ„sider that the childreÌ„ of God are not only beneficial to men both of their own sort others but that likewise other creatures fare the better for theÌ„ As al things at the first were made for the vse of man very good when he should be made in the image of God in that respect were made no doubt the more excellent that they might bee the better to serue him that should bee made more excelleÌ„t then they to haue the dominion ouer theÌ„ so it is not to be doubted but that man falling away froÌ„ his excellencie the rest of the creatures also lost a great part of their excelleÌ„cy beauty wherin before they were created that so stil there might be the fitter proportion betwixt theÌ„ man who was to haue the vse of them Therefore it is expresly said that they grone as it were sigh with an earnest desire of release from that vanity wheâ—unto by the sin of man at the first coÌ„mitted daily increased they are made subiect As it is so with theÌ„ by the sin of man so it seemeth probable for in this case I am not pereÌ„ptory that as the nuÌ„ber of Gods elect do daily increase the image of God in mankind is generally more more repaired so the rest of the cretures of God find some release froÌ„ or at least some mitigatioÌ„ of their former seruitude boÌ„dage by the vanity whereto they were are yet subiect Moreouer as the childreÌ„ of God are fuller theÌ„ any other meÌ„ of the works of iustice mercy goodnes vnto men so are they vnto other creatures whether they be such as are coÌ„mon wherin none hath any propriety or such as particularly belong either to or others Touching the first viz. such as no man can challenge any proprietie of or any speciall right and interest as the Lord hath commanded that if a man doe finde a birds nest in the way in a tree or on the ground whether they be yoong or egges and the damme sitting vpon the yoong or egges that he that sindeth such a nest should not take the damme with her yoong but that be should oâ—ely take the yoong and let the damme goe Deut. 22. 5. 6. as I say the Lord commandeth this so the children of God that know this Commandement are ready to shew mercy in that behalfe according to the said Commandement Touching such creatures as whereof some haue a propritie it is said to him that hath such creatures Thou shalt not muzzell the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne Deut. 25. 4. which particular rule for the care of oxen that doe any thing for vs is likewise to be vnderstood generally of euery other creature the labour whereof we vse in our businesse According to this precept Salomon speaketh of the practise of Gods children and of other in that behalfe A righteous man regards the life of his beast but the mercies of the wicked are cruell Prou. 12. 10. Daily experience also teacheth that the godly haue great respect to their beasts both for their worke taking no more of them then they are able to do neither laying greater burdens vpon them then they are able to beare and also keeping them and giuing them meat accordingly Whereas on thâ— contrary we daily see the great crueltie of the wicked towards their working cattle making them to worke as long as they can goe on their legges yea sometime till they fall and sinke downe vnder their work laying extreme burdens vpon them keeping them so short for meat that they haue nothing but skinne and bone and most cruelly beating them as though themselues had made them and were able either to restore them to life or to make others new in their stead when they had by such hard dealing killed them The Lord sheweth how odious this is by opening Balaams assâ—s mouth to reprooue Balaam for smiting him for that wherein hee did better then hee Numbers 22. 28. Touching such creatures as belong to other the Lord commandeth thus If thou meet thine enemies Oxe or his Asse going astray thou shalt bring him to him againe If thou seest thine enemies Asse lying vnder his burden wilt thou cease to helpe him as if he should haue said wilt thou be so hard hearted and vnmercifull thou shalt helpe him vp againe Exod. 23. 4. As this is commanded so the children of God are ready to performe it In respect of this benefit that other creatures thus haue by the children of God as also in respect of the bondage wherein they are by the sinne of man vnto vanitie whereunto they are subiect we may very well thinke that if such creatures had knowledge vnderstanding and iudgement to discerne twixt the children of God and the wicked they would vtterly renounce all seruice of the wicked and wholly and only with all willingnesse and cheerefulnesse submit themselues vnto the children of God Thus much for the benefits that inferiour creatures I meane the creatures of this nether world doe receiue by them that are sealed with the spirit of adoption and therefore are regenerated and borne againe to be sonnes and daughters of God But is this all Not so wee may yet take one steppe further And as before we descended from man to other base creatures heere below so we may now from both those kinds ascend vnto the very heauens that is to principalities and powers in the heauenly places Touching these therefore it is first said by the Apostle that this was one speciall end of his ministerie and of the ministerie of the Gospell of others viz. to make cleere vnto all men what the fellowship of the mysterie is which from the beginning of the world had beene hid in God Wherefore vnto all men That so vnto principalities and powers in heauenly places might be
to depart and forsake them yet they do answer such as shall so perswade them as Ruth did Naomi Intreat vs not to leaue you nor to depart from you for whither ye goe we will goe where ye dwell we will dwell c. Yea verily the more stedfast should all be in holding fast the communion and fellowship of Gods children in respect of those benefits which before we haue heard in Chap. 28. to accrue and grow to all especially by mariage matched and liuing with the godly yea not only to themselues but also to theirs I write not this to incourage the children of God to match with the wicked a thing much condemned as we haue heard but to represse the pride of the wicked in disdaining the company of the godly at least all mariages with them especially if there be any imparity on their part to the godly in respect of nobility worship or portion yea not so only but also to teach them notwithstanding to match themselues and their children with Gods children if by any meanes they may attaine therunto in respect of the dignity excellency of them as also of those benefits that may be expected by them Now although these vses hitherto mentioned be common both to the wicked and also to the children of God yet they are to be acknowledged principally to belong to the children of God themselues They principally are to honour them according to their dignities and to vse them kindly according to their necessities They principally are reuerently to regard the Ministers of the word whom God hath ordained as instrumentall fathers to beget children to himselfe They principally are to take delight both generally in the societie of the children of God and also more particularly in matching and making mariages with them Yea they that are most noble and wealthy are not to disdaine them that in worldly respects are base and poore Who may for nobility and riches bee preferred before Dauid by God himselfe aduanced to a kingdome Yet he generally of the company of the children of God saith that all his delight was in them that were excellent in the earth Psalm 16. 3. And againe I am a companion not of some as of some of the noblest and wealthiest but of all them that feare thee and keepe thy precepts viz. how base or poore soeuer they be Psal 119. 63. Therefore touching the wicked hee doth not onely say I haue not haunted with vaine persons neither kept companie with the dissemblers I haue bated the assembly of the euill and haue not companied with the wicked Psal 26. 4. 5. neither I haue hated them that giue themselues to deceitfull vanities Psalm 31. 6. neither againe Doe not I hate them O Lord that hate thee and doe not I earnestly contend with them that rise vp against thee I hate them with an vnfained hatred as they were mine enemies Psal 139. 21. 22. Dauid I say doth not only say thus touching the wicked but to shew his detestation of them the more hee saith with great vemency Away from me or auant yee wicked for I will keepe or that I may keepe the commandements of my God Psal 119. 115. so nothing that no man can keepe the commandements of God except with great detestation he reiect and renounce the company of the wicked As Dauid spake thus generally of the society of the godly and therefore contrarily of the fellowship of the wicked to note that none can delight in the godly that abhorreth not the vngodly so for mariage though hee were the anointed heire apparant of the Crowne and Kingdome of Israel as also a Prophet that had composed diuers Psalmes before yet hee disdained not to match with the widow of the churle and perfect country clowne Nabal because by her wisdome shee had shewed her selfe to be one of the daughters of God 1. Sam. 25. 39. Thus much for those vses of the former doctrine of the dignity of Gods children which are common to all Now follow those which are more speciall These are twofold viz. either concerning the wicked and such as are in their naturall state not regenerated or belonging and proper to the children of God new borne that haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby they call God their father Touching the wicked as they may heereby see their owne wofull and fearefull state and condition the same hauing been in the former arguments shewed to bee in all things or most things contrary to the state and condition of the children of God so let them learne to abhorre the same and in such manner to dislike of themselues as they are vnregenerated that they may make the more haste to change their copie as wee vse to speake and to come out from among them that are of their ownesort and to ioine themselues with the children of God and to be one of them The wicked and vnregenerated thinke themselues the only happie men of the world But alas how they are deceiued may appeare by the premises Not onely is the poorest the meanest the weakest and the sickest the basest the most destitute and forlorne childe of God destitute I meane of all worldly helpe and comfort in farre better state then the greatest Monarke in the world that is not by regeneration the childe of God but such an vnregenerated man is also in farre worse state and condition then any worme any toad or any other creature whatsoeuer and that both for this life and for the life to come For this life because euery other creature hath all things Note necessary for the kinde thereof without any care and without any griefe or sorrow What mighty Monarke had euer so For the life to come because all other things perish with their life but the wicked remaine in their soules and are committed to Hell there to bee reserued in chaines and vnspeakable torments till the last iudgement day when their bodies also shall be raised againe and ioined to their owne soules and so both in soule and bodie they shall bee cast againe into hell fire prepared for the Diuell and his Angels thence neuer to bee deliuered but there to be tormented for euermore as before hath beene shewed Should not this make them to make all haste to forsake this state and to ioine themselues to the children of God Neither let them feare so to doe whatsoeuer their former sinnes haue beene For if once they see and dislike their vnregenerated state then are they in the way to adoption and regeneration Such came Christ to heale and to call to repentance Matth. 9. 12. 13. Luke 19. 10. Such Christ hath promised to comfort and to ease of the heauie burden of their sinnes Matth. 11. 28. Such haue the better warrant so to doe because it is written by the Prophet Zecharie that the Lord of bosts had said that in these last daies ten men out of all languages of the nations should take hold of the skirt of him that is
Christ we must also suffer with Christ as his members Rom. 8. 17. Our Sauiour saith Whosoeuer will follow me viz. so that he may come to my glory let him forsake himselfe and take vp his crosse and follow me Mark 8. 34. Yea Luke saith that such an one must take vp his Crosse daily Luk. 9. 23. Thereby noting that all the wicked that will be Christs disciples must not looke for some affliction at the first entrance into that state or now and then but continually euen euery day Paul saith If we suffer we shall reigne with him 2. Tim. 2. 12. so insinuating that the way to raigne is first to suffer Yea he speaketh more plainly and more generally saying that All that will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution 2. Tim. 3. 12. Therefore out of the Prophet he speaketh in the person of all the godly and saith For thy sake are we killed all day long we are counted as sheepe for the slaughter Rom. 8. 36. This was the way by which Christ Iesus himselfe entred into his glory Luk. 24. 26. 1. Pet. 1 11. The seruant is no greater then his Master If therefore the world haue persecuted the master Christ himselfe will they not persecute vs that are his seruants Ioh. 15. 20. Shall we I say goe scotfree and looke to ascend into heauen with ease and to be translated thither as it were in our down beds Shall the Captaine only take paines and fight c. and shall the common souldier sit still eating and drinking and making merry No no It neuer hath beene so It neuer shall be so Though Christ were the Sonne yet hee learned obedience by the things which he suffered Hebr. 5. 8. Yea It became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things seeing that hee brought many children vnto glorie that hee should consecrate the Prince of their Saluation through afflictions Hebrew 2. 10. Hath our Prince gone by this way of afflictions and shall wee seeke to shift it and looke to goe another way What a shame were this for vs to be so squamish so nice so dainty especially we being so base so vile and so contemptible as wee are in respect of our Prince Away therefore with such sluggish feares and fancies Away with such softnesse and tendernesse Let vs make as full reckoning if we will be christians indeede as well as in name to suffer persecutions as we are sure of the coat of our backes Let vs daily looke for it Let vs dailie buckle our selues vnto it And so the more wee looke for it and the better we are armed to it the more easily we shall ouercome it yea we shall find more comfort and ioy in such sufferings for Christs sake then all the wicked in the world doe in all their ease in all their dainty fare in all their riches and glory in all their sports delights and pleasures Yea the truth is that we should so looke for trouble in the world and be alwaies so prepared to suffer for Christs sake that if the world laugh or smile vpon vs fauor vs we should the more feare our state doubt whether yet we be the children of God or no such as we haue been accounted by other Note and such as we haue taken our selues to be Last of all for this point let vs vnderstand that as all the children of God must make reckning not to be known in the world that is to vndergoe many troubles euen for that cause so saith the Apostle here for this cause that is because God hath so loued vs as to make vs his children the woâ—ld knoweth you not and because we haue receiued the spirit of adoption and shew the same by the fruits thereof as I say all such must make reckoning of trouble in the world so especially the more excellent that any of Gods children are and the greater measure they haue receiued of the spirit of adoption the more they must looke to be molested and troubled in the world Marke the history of the old testament from the beginning to the ending and ye shall find that alwaies the greatest afflictions did follow the best of Gods children the best Patriarks the best Prophets the most holy men of other sort The like is to be said of the new Testament As the Apostles had receiued greater gifts from God then other so they were the more persecuted by men then other The Apostle Paul speaking of himselfe and of the rest of the Apostles saith I thinke that God hath set foorth vs the last Apostles as men appointed to death for we are made a gazing stocke vnto the world and to the Angels and to men c. 1. Cor. 49. and again We are made as the filth of the world the ofscouring of all things c. verse 13. This cannot but be looked for in respect of the world For if the world know vs not that is do hate vs and enuy vs for this cause because we are Gods children then it cannot be but that the more we shew ourselues to be the children of God the more the world will hate enuy vs. Neither is any other thing to be looked for in respect of God himself For why should we think that God giueth some a greater measure of his spirit of adoptioÌ„ theÌ„ he giueth to other som There is no more in one to win Gods loue in that behalf theÌ„ in another For God hath frely giuen this loue to al his childreÌ„ alike to be so called to be indeed his children It must therefore be in respect of the end for which he doth so viz. that such may beare the more afflictions and by bearing such afflictions they may glorifie God the more that hath so honoured them not only aboue other men but also aboue other of his children It standeth also with great reason for the highest cedars and the tallest and greatest okes are the more subiect to stormes and tempests This is the first point to be obserued from this obiection The second point to be obserued from the first part of the answer to the said obiection viz. from the cause why the world taketh so little notice of Gods children c. namely because they know not God himselfe is this that although all the children of God must looke for trouble and vexation in the world euen as if the world had neuer knowen them yet they haue no cause to be offended there with or to thinke their state to be therfore the worse but that rather they haue good cause well and patiently to beare the same sith as the world knoweth not them so also it knoweth not God himselfe Heereby appeareth that more plainly which before hath beene handled more plentifully that all the world that is all the wicked and vnregenerated in the world are fooles and little better then mad men For how can they be wise yea how can they be other then fooles that know
vouchsafe the reading of those more largely handled and of many other contained in the treatise it selfe Pleaseth it your Honors and worships further to see the former point in the glasse of a few examples Behold then I beseech you Moses Ioshua Othniel Ehud Deborah Gideon I phtah Sampson and all the other good Iudges of Israel before the kingdome of Israel established For were they so honourable by being kings fellowes and hauing kingly authority as they were by doing those things which testified their adoption Behold Dauid and Salomon two mighty kings of al Israel with Asa Iehoshaphat Hezekiah and Iosiah all good Kings of Iuda For were these so honorable by being great and mighty princes as they were by being the children of God Behold Ester Mordecai Shadrach Meshach Abednego and Daniel For were they so honorable the one by being a Queene and the wife of a most mighty monarch that had 127. prouinces vnder him the other by beeing in great grace fauor with the like mighty monarchs as they were by shewing themselues the children of God Yea behold Cyrus Artashasht Darius and Ahasbuerosh all heathen Emperors For were they so honorable by being such Emperors though some of them had 127. pro. uinces vnder their gouernment as they were by doing some things for the Church and people of God whereby they did only resemble Gods children and were not so indeed May not the like be said of Iehu King of Israel For was he so honorable by being King of Israel extraordinarily annointed so to bee by the appointment of God as he was by his zeale though only temporary against Baal and his Priests and seruants Behold further Ioseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus For were they so honorable in that the one was a rich man and an honerable Mat. 27. 17. Mark 15. 45. Ioh. 3. 1. 10. counsellor and the other a great Pharisee a ruler of the Iewes and a teacher in Israel as they were in that the one went to Pilat and begged the body of Iesus and the other ioined with him in the honorable buriall thereof Behold the Eunuch of Ethtopia For was he so honorable Actâ— 8. 27. by being the Queen of the Ethiopians chiefe gouernor and her Lord treasurer as hee was by comming out of his owne country a long a chargeable and a dangerous iourny to worship the Lord at Ierusalem by reading the scriptures as hee rode in his chariot whereas such great men for the most part spend such times in vaine sports or in some idle discourses and by his meeke acknowlegement of his ignorance of the Scripture which he did read by his courteous speech to Philip a poore trauelling footman neuer before nor after seen of him and by his like kind taking him vp into his chariot to himselfe to be further instructed by him and by his humble submitting himselfe to bee examined of his faith and to be baptized of him The like may bee said of many Christian Emperors Constantine and other of our late most noble King Edward the sixt and of our more late Queen Elizabeth of most happy and blessed memory To produce the examples of any Princes or nobles liuing would not perhaps bee so well approued as suspected of flatterie or some other sinister meaning What now right Honorable and right Worshipfull shall I say more As Noah said God perswade Iaphet that he may dwell in the tents of Shem so say I If any of Gâ—â—es 9. 27. you to whom I doe in all humilitie present and dedicate these my labours haue not yet receiued the spirit of adoption God perswade such to dwell in the tents of his such children as whose dignitie I doe in this treatise lay foorth as likewise to thinke it a woe vnto them to vemaine in Meshech and to dwell in the tents of Kedar Psal 120 5. The same God also of power maiestie and glory who hath the hearts of all Kings and Nobles and of all other great persons in his hand as the riuers of waters to turne the same whither it pleaseth him euen this God that Father of our Lord Iesus Christ so incline all your hearts Prov. â—1 1. both to consider of the reasons whereby the dignitie of his children is here declared and also to apply the vses of the doctrine thereof to your selues according to your seuerall states and places in this world that as some of you doe sometimes here in earth sit in Parliament with our most gratious Soueraigne King IAMES so yee may all at the last sit with Christ Iesus in heauen euen in his throne as himselfe sitteth Rev. 3. 21. in the throne of his Father and that for euer and euer Much Totham in Essex Aprill 16. 16 10. Your Honors and Worships Most humble in the Lord to be commanded THOMAS STOVGHTON To the inhabitants of those places where at any time especially last of all I haue had a setled MINISTERIE AS in this treatise I speake generally to euery Christian reader so now my deere brethren in the Lord that haue sometimes heard me preach these things which now I haue printed let me more particularly intreate you to vouchsafe the buying and reading of them because in the printing of them I haue had a speciall respect vnto your good I am not able to beslow vpon euery one of you one of these bookes of as small price as they be The most of you do know how truely I amy say with Naomi I was full but the Lord hath made mee emptie and the Almightie hath brought me vnto aduersitie Ruth 1. 21. euen in my latter age requiring most comfort I suppose also that my willing minde for a greater kindnesse is not doubted of by you if my ability were according If I were as I haue beene yet were it easier for the least of many of you to buy one then for me to giue many I shall not neede to tell you for further perswasion in this behalfe that the fruit of well and aduised reading this Treatise will abundantly recompence your cost Ye haue not so learned Christ in whom all of vs haue our adoption as so lightly to esteeme a treatise setting forth the excellencie of the said adoption neither I am sure haue yee forgotten that Esau is pronounced a prophane person for making more account of one portion of meate euen in his extremity of hunger then of his birthright Heb. 12. 17. a pledge and a kinde of Sacrament of this adoption For me also first to gather all these things together then to write afterwards to correct them and last of all to write them againe for the presse is much more then for to lay out a little money and to spend a few howers in reading of them In your loue therefore towards me accept them as a testimony of my vnseined loue towards you and of my like desire of your welfare in the Lord. Such of you as are best able I desire to buy and to
but that changing the words he saith he that doth righteously is borne of him Wherefore is this change of words To teach that when he had before exhorted them to abide in him his meaning was not that they should be constant only touching their sound iudgement not embracing any errours contrary to the wholsome doctrine of Christ before heard and learned by them but also that they should be constant in all holy and righteous liuing agreeable to such constancie in sound iudgement So Paul ioineth constancie in iudgement and in godlinesse of life together 1. Cor. 15. 58. Therefore my beloued brethren be stedfast and vnremooueable see heere the constancie of iudgement or minde abounding alwaies in the workes of the Lord. See heere also constancie in practise and true godlinesse Secondly let vs obserue in the former argument and in that 29. ver that the Apostle doth not say euery one that doth righteous things is borne of God but unto euery one that doth righteously For the wicked and reprobate as Saul Iudas and Horod c. doe many righteous things but the children of God and the elect doe onely righteously Thridly let vs obserue in the said verse that the Apostle saith not euery one that doth righteously is the child of God but euery one that doth righteously is borne of God Hereby he teacheth that he speaketh not of them that are the children of God by creation of their substances but of them that are the children of God by regeneration and by that new birth where of our Sauiour speaketh to Nicodemus Iohn 3. 3. Except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdome of God and againe Except a man bee borne of water of the spirit hee cannot enter into the kingdome of God vers 5. By creation of substance the wicked and reprobate yea the diuels themselues are the children of God but the â—lect onely are the children of God by regeneration Fourthly in that he simply saith not Euery one that doth righteously is borne of God but fortifieth the same by their 〈◊〉 testimony and knowledge hee thereby teacheth that the worke of regeneration is not a matter of doubtfull coniecture but of certaine knowledge â—ea fiftly in that hee strengthneth all this by an argument called by the Logicians a coniugatis or from the like attribute in God to that wherof he speaketh touching them that are borne of God saying If yee know that he is righteous know ye that he that doth righteously is borne of God Thereby he further teacheth the foresaid certainty of their regeneration viz. that as certainly as they know God himselfe to be righteous so certainly they might assure themselues that Euery one without exception of any that doth righteously is borne of God He teacheth moreouer that there is no other way wherby to declare our selues the children of God then by doing righteously as he himselfe is righteous No naturall child of man doth more declare himselfe to be the child of him whose child indeed he is by any similitude of person or of behauiour then they that doe righteously doe shew themselues to be children of God One man may be like another in person and in behauiour that is of no kindred to him to whom he is like But it is impossible that any should doe righteously but he that is the childe of the righteous God or that any should be the child of the righteous God but hee that doth righteously If God were your Father saith our Sauiour to the Iewes then would ye loue me Iohn 8. 48. And If yee loue me then saith he againe keepe my Commandements Iohn 14. 15. What is the keeping of his Commandements but to doe righteously From these things hitherto noted of the certaine knowledge Note of regeneration and of being borne of God followeth also another point viz. of the certaintie of the appearing of such as are so borne of God with boldnesse without all feare of any shame before him at his appearing Doe not all these things make much for that dignitie of the children of God for the writing whereof wee haue intended this present treatise But of these things more afterward In the meane time by all hitherto said wee see how the Apostle in the former Chapter hath come to the mention of our being the children of God and that this is the very last point handled in the former chapter Now because it is a point of great moment and yet for the most part too lightly regarded yea searcely so much as once looked vpon therefore in the beginning of this chapter hee insisteth vpon it and commendeth it to their further consideration as a matter very excellent and admirable and in no case to be too slenderly passed ouer but worthy all diligent obseruation and making Therefore the Apostle saith Behold what loue the Father hath giuen vnto vs that we should be called his children This is the plaine coherence of these words with the end of the former Chapter Touching the reason of them in respect of the chiefe matter following in the rest of this Epistle especially in this Chapter and in the next that is likewise plaine and euident For the Apostle being afterward to exhort these Christians to mutuall brotherly loue that is to the loue of the children of God what better foundation could hee lay for the said exhortation then a graue admonition seriously to consider the dignity of Gods children and the vnspeakable yea the admirable loue of God towards them in aduancing them to the said dignitie For so the Apostle in this preface and graue exhortation to the consideration of Gods loue in making men his children laieth two maine arguments for the better prouoking of men to the loue of Gods children one from the example of Gods loue towards them in making them his children this being farre more then all other can doe for them the other from the excellencie of them that are so made his children For ought not all to loue them whom God loueth especially whom he so loueth as to make them his children The more excellent also that any bee are they not the more worthy of the loue of all other Thus much for the coherence of these words with the former as also for the reason of them in respect of the matter following Now to come to the present words of the Apostle they are as partly we haue seene a graue exhortation to the serious consideration of the loue of God in making men his children by the worke of regeneration touched in the last verse of the former chapter For how excellent soeuer this loue of God be yet the Apostle seeing the same to bee made a matter of nothing in the world neither the children of God to be esteemed according to their excellency but rather to be despised and contemned doth therefore commend that which before he had touched to their further consideration preuenting also an obiection touching their contempt in the world and
19. 10. 11. and 119. 14. 72. and 103. And as the word of God generally is thus commended so specially the Gospel is valued at the same rate Mat. 13. 44. 45. where it is not only called by the name of the kingdome of heauen because it is the word of that kingdome Mat. 13. 19. that is the word whereby we attaine both vnto the kingdome of grace in this world and also the kingdome of glory in the world to come but also by a double parable for the more certainty thereof it is commended to be better then all treasures and then all pearles Paul also comparing the Gospell with the law saith thus If the ministration of death written with letters and ingrauen in stones was glorious so that the children of Israel could not behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance c. how shall not the ministration of the spirit be more glorious For if the ministration of condemnation was glorious much more doth the ministration of righteousnesse exceed in glory 2. Cor. 3. 7. 8. 9. Yea so excellent also is the mystery of the Gospell that one end thereof is said to be that vnto principalities and powers in heauenly places that is vnto the blessed Angels waiting vpon God in the heauens might be made knowen by the Church the manifold wisedome of God Ephes 3. 10. our Sauiour also threatneth that such as should not receiue his disciples sent forth by two and two to preach for a time for preparation of the way to the Gospell should find it harder at the day of iudgement then the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrha who had been most fearefully destroied with fire and brimstone from heauen Mat. 10. 15. The Apostle also speaking comparatiuely of the punishment of the transgressors of the law and of the Gospell saith If the word spoken by Angels was stedfast and euery transgression and disobedience receiued a iust recompence of reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great saluation which at the first began to be preached by the Lord and afterward was confirmed vnto vs by them that heard him God bearing witnesse thereunto both with signes and wonders and diuers miracles and gifts of the holy Ghost c. Heb. 2. 3. 4. In these two places ioyntly considered we haue first an argument for the excellency of the Gospell from the punishment of the contemners thereof For first if they should receiue so great a iudgement not that resisted them and draue them out of their countries with fire and sword but that did not receiue them which were sent only by their preaching to prepare a way for the Gospell then as followeth comparatiuely in the second place before alleged how much greater shall the punishment of those be that both neglect and also contemne and persecute the Gospell Doth not this commination of so great punishment to the neglecters and contemners of the Gospell much magnifie the excellency of the Gospell Againe in the second place before alleged we see other arguments for the excellency thereof viz. first it was first preached touching the cleare manifestation of it not by any seruants as in former time the word had been preached but by the Lord himselfe as before he had said that in these last daies God hath spoken vnto vs by his sonne Heb. 1. 1. Secondly that God himselfe had borne witnesse actually to the excellency thereof by signes wonders c. thirdly that he also graced it with many gifts of the holy ghost according to former prophecies in that behalfe especially that of Ioel 2. 28. so applied by Peter Act. 2. 17 To conclude therfore this argument sith this word of God is so excellent whereby the regeneration of the children of God of whom I doe now speake is at first wrought and afterward perfected shall we not thinke that the state of such children of God is also excellent Do not wise men according to the worthinesse of any work apply and vse the more worthy instruments about the same Much more therefore are we to thinke the same of the most wise God CHAP. VIII Of faith a chiefe internall cause of regeneration or the first degree and step thereunto and of Christ againe as he is the chiefe matter of regeneration as before we heard him to be one of the principall efficient causes likewise thereof HItherto we haue heard of the dignity of Gods children by the efficient causes of their adoption both principall and instrumentall And all these causes touching their owne being haue beene externall For although the spirit of God be within in vs when it doth adopt and regenerat vs and so may be called internal in respect of the operation thereof in vs yet it may be accounted externall in in respect of the being that it hath of it selfe and by it selfe without vs. The next thing to be handled for the further amplification of the said dignity is faith because it may be considered in this argument either as a meer internall efficient cause of our said adoption and regeneration or as the first step and degree thereunto It may be considered first as a meere inward thing because all the being of it is altogether within vs not at all without vs. It may be considered as an efficient cause of our adoption because it is that whereby we lay hold of Christ by whom and in whom alone we do both at the first receiue the spirit of adoption and be regenerated the children of God and also afterward do feede so vpon him that wee grow vp to a perfect stature of him Therefore these phrases to come to him to eat his flesh and to drink his bloud are often vsed especially Ioh. 6. to expresse our communion with him by faith and to signifie our beleeuing in him So also it is said that Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith Ephes 3. 17 and that we stand by faith viz. in Christ Rom. 11. 20. So also faith is not only the inward instrument of our communion with Christ but also the next fountaine of all other vertues afterward to be spoken of wherein likewise consisteth our regeneration and new birth For by faith our harts are purified Act. 15. 9. and faith worketh by loue Galat. 5. 6. and this loue is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13. 10. and the bond of perfection Colos 3. 14. and commeth out of faith vnfeined 1. Timo. 1. 5. and therefore fayth vnfained may be said to bee the next cause of our communion with Christ and consequently of all other things wherin our regeneration doth consist As also not beleeuing God and beleeuing the diuell were the first degrees of mans fall Genes 3. 3. and 6 so to cast away al giuing credit to the diuell and to beleeue in God is the first degree of our regeneration and new birth whereby wee that were fallen are raysed vp againe This faith is the beleeuing of all things past of all things present of all
they should rather vse such examples as glasses wherein to behold the iudgement of God vpon such that may perhaps more iustly fall vpon themselues Therefore euery time they looke vpon such they should feare and tremble lest God smite them with the like yea they should be thankfull to God and consider of his goodnesse in sparing them so long whereas hee might haue made them such as those are and those as witty naturally as themselues In which respect also they should be the more carefull to vse their naturall wit and vnderstanding the more to Gods glory Achish king of Gath though a naturall man a wicked man and an heathen man when Dauid was brought into his presence and fained himselfe mad before him scrabling vpon the dores of the gate and letting his spittle fall down vpon his beard in driueling sort said vnto his seruants lo the man is beside himselfe wherefore haue ye brought him vnto me Haue I need of mad men that ye haue brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence Shall he come into mine house 1. Sam 21. 13. 14. 15. So little pleasure did Achish take in such so far was he from making himselfe merry with such and from laughter at their behauiour that hee was highly offended with them that had brought him before him Hereby then we see how odious a thing madnesse is And indeed though some foolishly take pleasure in the foolishnesse and madnesse of other yet touching themselues who abhorreth not the name of a foole and who feareth not the state of madnesse And who I say againe not altogether void of reason himselfe especially hauing any sparke of grace doth not pitty both them that are voide of naturall vnderstanding and also them that hauing had reason for some secret cause are depriued thereof with Nabuchadnezar and possessed with the spirit of phrensie Oh then what can be said of spirituall simplicity and of spirituall madnesse The more wofull therefore and fearfull these things are the greater is the dignity of the children of God who onely are enlightned and haue the eies of their mindes opened to behold the excellent wisedome of God yea who also are partakers thereof For as Christ is before generally shewed to be their life so particularly he is their light their vnderstanding and wisedome For therefore is he called as we haue heard the sunne of righteousnesse Malac. 4. 2. and the light of the world Ioh. 8. 12. and 9. 5. yea that it may the better appeare that life and light goe together he is in one place called both life and light Ioh. 1. 4. As therefore the children of God being partaker of Christ cannot but be partaker also of life so they must be also partaker of light If they be in the light and the light in them how can they be in darknesse The like is to be said of knowledge and wisedome For Christ being the wisedome of his father hauing all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge in him and hauing the spirit of wisedome knowledge and vnderstanding yea hauing all the seuen spirits of God as hath been shewed it must needs be that they that haue him haue also true knowledge and true wisedome If they that haue him not neither haue life nor light nor knowledge and that because they haue not him then it must needs follow that they that haue him haue also all those and that because they haue him and so far as they haue him Therefore Christ is said to be made vnto them not only righteousnesse but also wisedome 1. Cor. 1. 30. So then as all new borne being incorporated into Christ are also partaker of his wisedome so also all that are out of Christ are also without wisedome Therefore our Sauiour speaking of his children saith that to them onely it is giuen to know the secrets of the kingdome of God Mat. 13. 11. Which are hid from the wise and from men of vnderstanding Mat. 11. 25. viz. from them that are worldly wise and who being after the flesh doe sauor the things only of the flesh Rom. 8. 5. If also the feare of the Lord be as we haue heard the beginning of wisedome and that wisedome doe consist in keeping Gods commandements then all that are new borne and so clensed from their sinnes and sanctified to the feare of God cannot but in that respect also be wise the rather because it is expresly said that whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not neither can sinne c. Ioh. 3. 8. Dauid testifieth that by keeping Gods commandements c. God had made him wiser then his enemies of more vnderstanding then all his teachers and then the ancient Psal 119. 98. 100. Though euery one of the children of God cannot thus compare for wisedome with their teachers and ancients yet they may with their aduersaries yea why not also with their ancients and teachers if such be not regenerated For they that know the will of God and doe it are more learned Doctors though otherwise they be but simple men yea not booke learned viz. not able to read then all other great doctors in the world yea then al doctors in diuinity that are able to teach other and doe teach other and yet doe not themselues the things which they teach other For hereby as we haue heard are we sure that we know him viz. truly and rightly if we keepe his commandements He that saith he knoweth him and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him 1. Ioh. 2. 3. Such great Doctors therefore as haue knowledge without obedience according to their knowledge doe indeed know nothing as they should For what are they the better by the knowledge of any thing if they know not him rightly that knoweth all things and in the right knowledge of whom and of Iesus Christ his sonne whom he hath sent is eternall life Ioh. 17. 3. Now touching the excellency of knowledge and wisedome and thereby also of the state and condition of Gods children as it appeareth by the metaphors before vsed so the same is further manifest by many testimonies of Scripture Iob magnifieth wisedome aboue gold and siluer and the wedge of gold aboue crystall and the plate of fine gold aboue the corall and the pretious pearles aboue the topaz of Ethiopia and the wedge againe of pure gold c. Iob. 28. 15. c. Salomon extolletn it aboue the merchandise of siluer the gaine of gold and aboue pearles yea he saith that all things that a man can desire are not to bee compared vnto her c. Pro. 13. 14. 15. c. Where also it is commended by diuers excellent fruits as by the length of daies riches glorie pleasures eternall life and blessednesse It is in like manner commended Pro. 8. 10. 11. and 16. 16. In another place he preferreth it before strength and weapons of warre Eccles 9. 16. 18. where in the latter comparison the opposition he maketh of wisedome
aduantage of themselues wherby some thâ—iue and prosper more then other so is it with the children of God Though they be all alike free of the heauenly Ierusalem euen of the Câ—ty of God which is called the kingdome of God yet the Lord giueth not the like stocke and portion of his graces to all where with as it were to set vp and to begin and so they do not all alike thrâ—ue and prosper In all these things hitherto handled from the eight Chapter to this place doth consist the matter of our being the children of God and that excellent and glorious image of God which being before regeneration altogether defaced in vs is now by regeneration through the great grace and mercy of God againe renued in vs. It is I say only renued in vs that are regenerated It remaineth still in all the wicked and meere naturall men altogether defaced Yea as this image of God so before described iâ— daily more and more increased in all that are new borne so likewise the image of the Diuell which all naturall men haue by nature and by propagation from their parents is the more increased in such the longer they continue in their said naturall state As naturall children borne in fauour like their father the more they grow in stature doe the more resemble their naturall Father so all naturall men being as we haue heard the children of the diuell and fashioned in qualities like vnto him do the more resemble him the longer that they coÌ„tinue in their naturall state the more they heape sinne vpon sin By this image of God so renewed and daily increased in all the new borne children of God the poorest and meanest of the said children of God how deformed soeuer they be in body bleare-eied or squint-eyed crook-necked crook-backed or crook-handed or legged or hauing any other bodily deformity are notwithstanding more truly beautifull then euer was Absolom though In all Israel there was none so much to be praised for beauty as Absalom because that froÌ„ the sole of the foot euen to the top of his head there was no blemish in him 2. SaÌ„ 14. 25. This beauty of the body may decay by age by sicknesse and by diuers other meanes There be many sinnes also the continuance wherein doth take away the most excellent bodily beauty that is Doth not whoredome this oftentimes For doth not that foule disease not fit almost to be named which for the most part accompanieth that sinne eat vp a man within and without doth not drunkennesse cause rednesse of eyes Pro. 23. 29. bloughtinesse of face and tunne-like growth of the whole body yea doth it not as it were transubstantiate them into monsters that were before acquaintance with that sinne comely and goodly persons As therefore Bathsheba speaketh euen to Salomon her sonne whom she knew should be king for the better directing of him in choice of a wife that he might not respect beauty of the body so much as inward graces and vertuâ—s and yet who should respect beauty if kings may not As I say Bathsheba speaketh to Salomon touching this matter so say I Fauour is deceitfull and beauty is vanity Pro. 31. 30. But the image of God renued in the new birth of the children of God and the spirituall beauty therof shall continue for euer in all sicknesse and in death it selfe yea it shall euery day increase more and more as afterward we shal heare yea at the last in the resurrection also it shall be crowned with such a glorious beauty euen of the body as in handling of the second verse and of our future similitude to Christ himselfe shall be shewed as in respect wherof the goodliest beauty of any man or woman that euer was in the world shall be seen to haue been deformity Doth not this also amplifie the dignity of Gods children To conclude all hitherto spoken of the things wherein the being and matter of the children of God as they are the children of God doth consist whatsoeuer other things meer naturall men haue or whatsoeuer resemblances be in some hypocrites either of all the things before handled or of some of them yet in truth all such are vtterly void of them As before touching the life of God we compared meer naturall men to images applying that vnto them that Habbakuk speaketh of images that although they were laid ouer with gold and siluer yet they had no breath in them so now also all those things whereby images be described Psal 115. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. may likewise be spoken of meer natural men and of all wicked men whatsoeuer They haue a mouth and speake not they haue eyes and see not they haue eares and heare not they haue noses and smell not they haue hands and handle not they haue feet and walke not neither make they a sound with their throat These things I say wherby images are thus described may also be applied to all meer naturall men For though such haue all such parts of men yet they performe no office of such parts either towards God or men which do belong vnto them Thus much touching the image of God renued in the new borne children of God and touching all things wherein the same consisteth as also touching the increase of the dignity of the children of God thereby CHAP. XV. Of the finall cause of the regeneration and new birth of the children of God AFter the efficient causes both principall and instrumentall and after the materiall causes of our regeneration so considered as we haue done it followeth now that we should enter into consideration of the forme and of the end of our said regeneration Touching the forme it is very hard in so spirituall a thing to distinguish it from the matter For what is this forme but our similitude and likenesse to the spirit of God and therfore also to God himselfe For is it not said that we that are adopted to be the children of God are sealed by the spirit of God to the day of redemption Ephes 4. 30. and 1. 13. And what is to be sealed by the spirit of God but to haue the stampe and similitude of the spirit set vpon vs Is not the sealing of letters or of other writings the imprinting of the similitude of the seale it selfe vpon the wax affixed to the said letters and other writings that is the impression of the forme that is engrauen vpon the said seale And what is all this but that which we heard before of the knowledge wisedom holinesse righteousnes c. wherein consisteth the matter or being of the children of God To passe therfore from the form and not to be curious in distinguishing therof from the matter let vs come to the end why God hath so loued vs as to make or to call or to declare vs to be his children This is noted and expressed to be the praise and glorie of his grace Ephes 1. 6. For these words are not there
vsed as the end of our predestination onely but also of the end whereunto wee were predestinated namely that we might be adopted or made the children of God Afterward also in the same Chapter the Apostle repeateth the same end of our election viz. that wee Which first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of his glory Not much vnlike also is that place before alledged touching the end of our deliuerance from our enemies namely that we might serue him c. Luk. 1. 74. For that of our deliuery from our enemies doth import our adoption because all not adopted are still in the hands of their enemies and all that are deliuered from their enemies are the children of God When the Lord also saith If I be a father where is mine honor Malac. 1. 6. doth he not insinuate that this was the end why he had made them his children namely that they should honor him But of all other places that of Iames is most pregnant in this behalfe Of his owne will begat he vs with the word of truth that we should be vnto him as the first fruits of the creatures Iames 1. 18. In this place the Apostle speaketh directly of our begetting againe noting God himselfe to be the author thereof his owne will to be the mouing cause of him there unto the word of truth to be the meaâ—s all which haue been obserued before and that wee might be the first fruits of his creatures to be the end What is it to be the first fruits of his creatures Euen to be set apart in speciall manner for his seruice and glory as in the time of the law the first fruits were separated from all other and set apart from all common vses whereto other fruits might be applied and dedicated only to the speciall seruice of Gods worship Exod. 34. 25. Deut. 12 17 What can be greater then to honor or glorifie God In that our Sauiour teacheth vs in the first place and before all vea before the forgiuenesse of our sinnes to pray Hallowed be thy name or Glorified be thy name doth he not thereby plainly teach vs that the hallowing or glorifying of the name of God is more then all other things Doth not the Apostle teach that this ought to be the end of all the fruits of righteousnesse which are by Iesus Christ viz. the glory and praise of God Phil. 1. 11. Doth not our Sauiour himselfe complaine of the great trouble of his soule and pray thus vnto his father Now is my soule troubled and what shall I say Father saue me from this houre but therefore came I to this houre Father glorifie thy name Ioh. 12. 27. 28. We see in this praâ—er Christ to be in such an agony that as he was man he could scarce tell what he said yea that hauing praied the father to saue him from that houre he correcteth himselfe not as acknowledging his former petition to haue beene euill but onely to make that better that was good before that I say he so correcteth himselfe by remembring that houre from which hee praied to be deliuered to be the end of his comming And by the last clause notwithstanding of the said praier Father glorifie thy name we see further that hee preserreth the glorifying of his fathers name to the deliuerance from that houre against which before he praied Doth he not thereby teach that hee regarded not himselfe but was well content still to indure that agonie so that thereby he might glorify the name of his father If Christ therefore did so highly esteeme of the glory of God is it a small matter that we are made the children of God for the glory of God Doth not the Apostle further command that whether we eate or drinke or what soeuer doe wee should doe all to the glory of God 1. Cor. 10. 31. If then this ought to be the end of all things we doe must it not be acknowledged to be more excellent then all things that we doe For who will or can deny the end of things to be more excellent then the things referred to the end Againe what can be more honourable and glorious then to serue him that is most honourable and glorious The greater that men are the more honourable it is to serue them therefore to serue a king is more honourable then to serue any other How honourable a thing then is it to serue the king of kings Yea buâ— will some man say The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake Pro. 16. 4. that is for his owne seruice and glorie Nebuchadnezer also a reprobate and a most wicked man is called for all that the seruant of the Lord euen in and for the destruction of Ierusalem Ier. 27. 6. and 43. 10. yea the diuels in some sort doe the workes of God in executing the commission which God giueth them 1. Kings 22. 22. at least in performing the decree of God Acts. 2. 23. If these things bee so as indeed they are what singular thing or what preferment or prerogatiue is it for the children of God to bee borne or made the children of God for the glory of God and to serue God For do not all things yea do not the most wicked men yea do not the diuels themselues the same I answer that this that I speake of the end of the adoption of the children of God for Gods glory and seruice is to be vnderstood of their seruing and glorifying God in a more speciall and excellent manner then other do euen so much more as they are neerer to God and more dignified and aduanced by God then other are How is this Not by force as it were and only constrained by the ouerruling hand and power of God but willingly and cheerfully with a minde to serue and glorifie God in that which they do and being guided and directed thereunto by the same gratious spirit of God whereby they are made the children of God In the greater place that any is emploied about an earthly king or for an earthly king the greater honor is such emploiment for him that is so emploied So likewise the neerer the seruice of any is to the kings own person the more honorable is the same seruice God hath no greater emploiments neither any neerer to his owne person here vpon the earth then those things are wherein he emploieth his children Then such emploiment therfore cannot but be very honorable vnto them Though all things be made to the glory of God in a generall respect and so accordingly do serue his prouidence yet the elect and children of God in a speciall manner and meaning are called vessels of honor as contrarily the reprobate are called vessels of dishonor 2. Tim. 2. 20. Though therefore thereprobate themselues do also serue God in manner aforesaid vet their seruice it is but base in respect of the seruice of his children because such seruice is altogether seruise In the time of the law all
once mortified vnto the carcases of men slaine in warre As therefore carcases of men so slaine must be remoued and buried or else they will bee very infectious to them that liue where such dead carcases lye euen so the dead carcases of our sins mortified in vs must be more and more remoued and as it were daily buried that so they may not bee infectious to the vertues that are aliue in vs. And this remoouing or burying of the dead carcases of our sinnes before mortified and slaine by the sword of Gods spirit accompanied with the rest of the spirituall armour is a kind of daily killing sinne more and more Wheras likewise before in the said 8 chapter I compared the remnants of sinne in vs to old rags or patches of an old coate vpon a newe to the disgrace of the said new coate the casting shaking off of such sins remaining that so they may not be disgracefull to the new man which we haue put on in our regeneration is putting off more and more of the old man and therfore also a killing likewise or mortifying of sin more and more in vs. For to put off the old mā or to mortify crucifie sin wherin consisteth the old man do both signify one thing To proceede therefore further in this point as the children of God are commanded thus to put off the old man daily and thus to mortifie and crucifie the same and al earthly members thereof Ephes 4 22. Col. 3. 5. c so the same commandements do imply a promise of a blessing viz. of strength and grace for performance of that which is commanded especially such commandements being not only legal but also euangelicall The legall and the euangelicall commandements teach one Note thing touching the eschewing of euill and doing of good For euen the grace of God that is the gospell which bringeth saluation to all men hauing appeared that is in most bright and glorious maner broken foorth through the clouds of the ceremonies and of the law of ordinances wherewith before it was obscured doth teach vs as it were little children to deny all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue godly and righteously and soberly in this present world Tit. 2. 11. 12. The same things the law also did teach But there is a great difference betwixt the teaching of these things by the law and by the gospell For the law teacheth onely demostratiuely and imperatiuely shewing vs what we should do commanding vs to do it but the gospell teacheth operatiuely and effectiuely giuing grace to perform that which it teacheth and therfore as the law going no further then to shew and command vs what to doe is called the letter that killeth as a man that requires much and giueth not wherewith to do it doth as it were kill the heart of him of whom he requireth such things so the Gospell quickning and enabling a man to do that which it requireth is therefore called a quickning spirit 2. Cor. 36. To returne to the former point the old man being thus daily mortified and crucified in the children of God they haue thereby a further priuilege for their better preseruation from presumptuous and reprochfull sinnes so that either they fall not into them or if they doe it is for some speciall good intended by God permitting them so to fall and in the end they are raised vp againe and made so much the stronger afterward by how much the weaker they shewed themselues in their fall and so much the more circumspect and fearefull of falling againe in like manner by how much the more secure and fearlesse they had been and lastly so much the more zealous of and forward vnto euery good work by how much the more grieuously they had before fallen into euill And this is partly the meaning of the Apostle Iohn when he saith that he that abideth in him that is in Christ sinneth not 1. Ioh. 3. 6. and againe that he that is borne of God sinneth not for his seed remaineth in him neither can be sinne because bee is borne of God vers 9. For these speeches signifie that they that are in Christ and regenerated are not only so freed from sinne that it doth not raigne and beare dominion in them generally as before their regeneration and incorporation into Christ it did but that also they make not a trade of any one sinne but that they so watch ouer themselues and are watched ouer by the Lord that they fall not into such reprochfull and disgracefull sinnes as the naturall and vnregenerate men doe daily commit This is more plentifully taught by the Apostle Paul For it is the chiefe argument of all the first fourteen verses of the sixt Chapter to the Romans It is also further euident by the example of Isaack For though the Lord before the birth of Iacob and Esau had expresly said that the elder should serue the yonger Genes 25. 23. And although Esau had most wickedly and prophanely sold his birthright vnto Iacob verse 33. and Heb. 12. 16. yet Isack had fully purposed to haue bestowed the blessing vpon Esau Had not this been a matter of great reproch For such a patriark so to haue crossed the former word of the Lord touching the blessing of Iacob well notwithstanding the purpose of Isack yet the Lord by the wisedome of Rebecca crossed him kept him from that sinne and directed him to bestow the blessing according to his former word The most of the brethren of Ioseph hauing fully and most vnnaturally and wickedly determined to haue murdered him for his dreames and for his accusing them to their father were notwithstanding by the counsell of Reuben kept from that fearefull sinne and so they sold him by the aduice of Iudah which afterward turned not onely to the great aduancement of Ioseph according to his former dreames but also to the preseruation of themselues and of their father and of all their families in the time of famine and to the accomplishment of the former word of God touching their soiourning in the land of Egypt Genes 37. 8 c. Dauid hauing through the reliques of the old man in him both fully intended and also earnestly protested the vtter destruction of the house of Nabal at least of Nabal himselfe and all the males appertaining vnto him by the gracious prouidence notwithstanding of God in sending Abigail to counsell and perswade him to the contrary was kept and restrained from the execution of that cruell and bloudy purpose 1. Sam. 25. 32 c. By all these examples as we see the speciall priuilege of the children of God in being kept from such hainous sinnes so by the two former examples we see also that God turneth such sinnes as wherinto the righteous of infirmity doe fall to their great good The same point viz. the preseruing of the children of God from many great sinnes is also cleere by daily experience of these things that before wee spake
of the sobriety of Gods children in prosperity and in aduersity as also of that watchfulnesse which doth alwaies accompany and associate the said sobriety For whereas the wicked in prosperity swell and rage are proud and insolent contemning and despising all men as if they would beare down all before them and so do fall into infinit outrages the children of God looking to him that giueth prosperity considering for what end they haue more then other regarding the vncertainty of all that they haue and remembring before the account that one day they shall make of the emploiment of all that they haue receiued are kept from the former euils So whereas the wicked in aduersity do mutter and murmur against him that sendeth the same and particularly in the times of need and great penury do occupy their heads with many wicked imaginations and put in practise many vnlawfull shifts of stealing of borrowing without purpose of paying againe of promising much and performing nothing of deceiuing cosening and such like the children of God liuing euen this life by their faith and belieuing the promises of God as well for this life as for the life to come and remembring the performance of them in all ages and calling to mind the experience that themselues haue had of Gods prouidence c. do so commit their waies vnto him and cast their care vpon him that they are kept from those former scandalous euils These things might be prosecuted more at large but the religious reader by these instances may consider of other the like Touching the other point before named the raising againe of them that after regeneration doe fall to disgracefull sinnes Dauid also is a most worthy example thereof For how gratiously he was raised after his foule adultery with Bathsheba and his most horrible murder of her husband Vriiah it is manifest by the confession of his sinne to Nathan the Prophet 2. Sam. 12. 13. and by that dolefull and no lesse heauy then heauenly one and fifty Psalme written afterward by him in further testimony of his most serious and vnsained repentance When he was againe afterward ouertaken with numbring of the people yea though Ioab coūselled him very grauely to the contrary how was he raised out of the same being admonished thereof by Nathan and corrected with a great pestilence amongst his people by the angell of the Lord Yea did he he testifie that his rising againe by acknowledgement of his sinne and by praying for the people that the hand of might be turned from them vpon himselfe and his own house saying I haue done wickedly but these sheepe what haue they done Let thine hand I pray thee be against me and my fathers house 2 Sam. 24. 17. How did Hezekiah humble himselfe and cause the inhabitants of Ierusalem to humble themselues when hee saw wrath to come from the Lord vpon him and Ierusalem because he had not rendred vnto the Lord according to the reward of health miraculously bestowed vpon him 2. Chroni 32. 25. 26. How bitterly did Peter weepe after his foule and shamefull denying and forswearing of his master Yea how zealous was he from that time forward for him For being with other and Christ being there vnknown to his disciples and hauing bidden them to cast out their net on the right side of the ship with promise to finde for they had laboured all night and taken nothing and the net according to the former promise of Christ hauing comprehended a great multitude of fishes whereby Iohn discerned him to be Christ that had so spoken vnto them Peter no sooner heard Iohn say It is the Lord but presently he girded his garment vnto him and leapt into the sea and so came swimming vnto Christ whereas all the rest staied in the ship and so at leisure brought it and came themselues therein vnto the land Ioh 21. 1. To these things let me heere insert this one point more viz. that whereas the children of God regenerated doe sometimes fall into greater sins then the common sort of eiuill men not regenerated as Dauid in the things before spoken of and Salomon in many things this falleth out by the speciall prouidence and wisedome of God the better to teach what men are of themselues without God and beeing left vnto themselues as also to admonish such as thinke they stand to take heede lest they fall 1. Cor. 10. 12. and to instruct all to finish ther saluation with the more feare and trembling Phill. p. 2. 12. So by their sinnes they are made schoolemasters vnto other Is not this a singular priuiledge so to haue the old man more and more mortified so to bee preserued from great sinnes after regeneration So to arise out of them being by frailty and naturall corruption fallen into them and so by falling into them to bee made schoolemasters of such excellent things vnto other Verily we cannot but acknowledge it to be a great priuiledge if we shall consider with what greedinesse all the wicked and vnregenerate commit sinne continue in sinne and like wilde horses doe runne on and proceed from one sinne to another without any restraint But to proceed yet further as the childrenof God do daily more and more die vnto sinne and are preserued from notorious euils wherein the wicked wallow and welter themselues like filthy swine in the mire and will not be plucked out or if they fall into such euils yet they rise againe As I say the children of God do thus so also hauing by the vertue of their regeneration once brought foorth the fruits of the spirit and of righteousnesse they are made more and more abundant in them As the Apostle hath often exhorted the children of God so to doe viz. to abound alwaies in the works of the Lord 1. Cor. 15. 58. to encrease more and more c. 1. Thes 4. 1. to bee rich in good works c. 1. Tim. 6. 18. to consider one another to prouoke to loue and to doe good works Heb. 10. 24. to toyne vertue with faith and with vertue knowledge with knowledge temperance with temperance patience with patience godlinesse with godlines brotherly kindnes with brotherly kindnes loue and not onely to haue all these things but that also these things should abound in them 2. Pet. 1. 6. 7. 8. And as the Apostle praied most earnestly to be with the Philippians to this end that their loue might abound more and more in knowledge and iudgement and that to these ends first that touching their inward man their minds might be able to iudge things that differ and their hearts might be pure as the Sunne Cantic 6. 9. that is cleer and sincere without mixture of hypocrisie and touching their outward man both without offence euen till the comming of Christ and also filled with the fruits of righteousnesse Philip. 1. 9. 10. 11. As I say the Apostles haue exhorted the children of God so to abound in all goodnesse as also whiles they liued praied
thereof verily it was and therefore the remembrance of it afterward was that whereby he was healed of that wound Mat. 26. 75. What was the cause why the angell of the Church of Sardi was so wounded that though he had a name to be aliue yet hee was dead that is ready to die and at the point of death Euen because he had let go his hold of the sword of the spirit Therfore for curing of his said wound our Sauiour biddeth him to remember how he had receiued and heard to hold fast c. Reuel 3. 2. 3. the like may be said of all wounds of any other of the children of God at any time Thus the children of God must vse the word of God viz. not as a thing to play or sport with or whereof to make iests Note for the mirth of other but as a weapon and as a sword to fight with yea thus they will vse it that are indeede the children of God If at any time they be prouoked by other or by their owne hearts to distrust Gods prouidence they will defend themselues by many precepts for trusting in the Lord Psal 37. 3. and 62. 8. and for casting their care vpon God Psal 37. 5. and 52. 22. and 1. Pet. 5. 6. and by such sentences of scripture as pronounce him blessed that trusteth in the Lord Psalm 40. 4. and 84. 5. and 12. by many promises to them that so do annexed expresly for the most part to the former commādements by the iudgements of God vpon such as haue murmured against God Num. 11. 1. vpon such as haue doubted of Gods promises as vpon the noble man of Samaria that would not beleeue the Prophet in the name of the Lord prophecying of great plenty the next day 2. Kings 7. 2. and 20. yea vpon Moses himselfe for his distrust Num. 20. 12. and 27. 14. and Deut. 32. 50. 51. and lastly by the prouidence of God towards the widow of Zarepta and the Prophet Elijah 1 Kings 17. 6. and 8. c. and towards a widdowe of one of the sonnes of the prophets 2. Kings 4 1. c. and towards many thousands that following our Sauiour for foode of their soules were fed likewise abundantly and miraculously with corporall foode Mark. 6. 36. and 8. 2. c. If they be prouoked to security they can draw out this sword and plead Blessed is the man that feareth alway c. Pro. 28. 14. and that they are commanded to spend the time of their welling here in feare 1. Pet. 1. 17. and the iudgement of God threatned to them that were at ease in Zion c. Amos 6. 1. c. and the fearefull fall of Dauid by security 2. Sam. 11. 2. c. If they be prouoked to idolatry they can draw out the second commandement and many other scriptures as commentaries vpon the said commandement so also that that is written of the wrath of God against Israel for their golden Calfe Exod. 32. and for their other idolatry Iudg. 10. and often els where The like is to be said of tentations against the third and fourth commandement When they are moued to pride they can call to mind the manifold precepts and sentences against it Deut. 8. 14. Psal 75. 4. Pro. 6. 17. and 16. 5. Iames 4. 6. 1. Pet. 5. 5. so also the examples of Haman and Nebuchadnezer with Sancherib and the iudgements of God not onely vpon them but also vpon Vzzia King of Iuda for presuming to meddle with the Priests office in offering of sacrifice 2. Chron. 26. 20. and vpon Dauid for numbring the people in a kind of pride 2. Sam. 24. and vpon Hezekiah for hauing his heart lifted vp after the recouery of his health 2. Chron. 32. 25. c. Being tempted to dishonor of parents they can repell such tentations by the fift commandement and by many other Scriptures against the same sinne as also by Agars curse against the eye that mocketh his father and despiseth the instruction of his mother viz. that the rauens of the valley shall pluck it out and that the yong Eagles shall eat it Pro. 30. 17. as also they can remember the examples of Absalom and of Adonijah and the iudgements of God vpon them Being enticed by Papists or other to rebellion treason or lifting vp their hand against Princes and the Lords annointed they can oppose the contrary commandements for obedience and subiection in the Lord of euery soule to the higher powers Rom. 13. 1. 1. Pet. 2. 13. and the fearefull iudgements of God vpon Corah Dathan and Abiram with their complices yea the deposing also of Abiathar the high Priest from the priesthood by Salomon because he had ioyned with Adonija for preuenting Salomon of the Crowne before he was King 1. Kings 1. 7. and 2. 35. If either their owne hearts or any other perswade them to contempt of the ministers of the Gospell either for plaine rebuking them for their sinnes or for any other causes they can obiect that the Lord hath commanded such to be had in singular loue for their works sake 1. Thes 5. 12. 13. that our Sauiour hath said He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Luk 10. 16. and that It shall be easier for them of the land of Sodome and Gomorrha in the day of iudgement then for that City and consequently for that family and for those persons that shall not receiue such nor heare their words Mat. 10. 13. 14. and that likewise the Lord did not only not prosper good king Asa after that he had put Hanani the Seer into prison for rebuking him for resting vpon the king of Aram c. 2. Chro. 16. 10. but that also he did send two beares out of the forrest that tare in pieces 42. of those wanton children that had reuiled mocked the Prophet Elisha and said vnto him Come vp thou bald-head Com vp thou bald-head 2. King 2. 23. 24. and that yet the least minister of the gospell is greater then Iohn Baptist who notwithstanding was greater then any Prophet Mat. 11. 11. Being moued to murder or to any other cruelty they can hold out the sixt commandement Luk. 6. 36. the commendation of mercy aboue sacrifice Hose 6. 6. and that Iames saith there shall be iudgement or condemnation mercilesse to him that sheweth no mercy Iam. 2. 13. the iudgement of God vpon Cain for the murder of Abel Gen. 4. and vpon the Egyptiās for their cruelty towards the Israelites and vpon all Israel by a great famine towards the latter end of the raign of Dauid for the cruelty of Saul against the Gibeonites 2. Sam. 21. 1. c. and after that vpon Iuda long after the death of Manasses as for other sinnes of Manasses so also for the innocent blood that he had shed 2. Kings 24. 4. Against temptations to adultery fornication and other vncleannesse
they can defend themselues by the 7. commandement by many precepts of Salomon against such sins Pro. 5. 3. to the 15. Pro 6. 25 c. 7. 22. 22. 14. 23. 26 c. 29. 3. and of Agur Pro. 30. 18. 20. and by many rebukes thereof in the Prophets Iere. 5. 8. Hose 4 10. Amos 2. 7. Mica 3. 5. and in the new testament Eph. 5. 3. Colos 3. 5. Heb. 13. 4. So likewise by the example of a chast mind in Ioseph Gen. 39. 9. and in Iob Chap. 31. 1. 9. and lastly by the iudgements of God not only vpon the Gibeonites for their horrible abusing the Leuites wife but also first vpon the Israelites for being so forward to punish Note the Gibeonites and yet not thinking vpon the Leuit both for hauing a concubine and also for hauing an harlot to his concubine and seeking her vp againe as though she had been an honest and graue matrone when she had most whorishly and wickedly run away from him Iudg. 20. and by exclusion of such out of the kingdom of heauen 1. Cor. 6. 9. Ephe. 5. 5. Reuel 21. 8. and 22. 15. The worldly allurements to theft couetousnesse and to other vniust hard dealing with men concerning their goods and prouocations to withhold their owne when necessity requireth the bestowing of them vpon other they can resist and ouercome by the eight commandement and by many other precepts to the same purpose and by Zech. 5. 2. 3. as also by the great oath of the Lord by his owne excellency against them that swallowed vp the poore and that thought so long for the end of euery new month day and of the Sabbath for setting forth wheat and making the Epha small Amos 8 4 c. and by the iudgements of God vpon Achan Nabal Gehezi Ahab Iudas Isâ—ariot other If any motions be to beare false witnesse to ly c. they haue at hand the ninth commandement with Exod. 23. 1. Leuit. 19. 11. Psal 5. 〈◊〉 and 15 2. 52. 6. Pro. 6. 19. 12. 18. and 22. and 19. 5. 21. 18. and â—4 28. and 25. 18. and that our Sauiour saith The diuell is a lyar and the father thereof Ioh. 8. 44. and the iudgements of God vpon Gehazi as well for his lying as for his greedy couetousnesse and that lyars are reckoned vp among the fearefull and the vnbeleeuing c. which shall haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone Reuel 21. 8. and that whosoeuer loueth or maketh lies shall be without with dogs c. Reuel 22. 15. Against all concupiscence and first motions against our neighbor they haue the tenth commandement and that such concupiscence is the fountaine of actuall sinnes which bring death Iames 1. 14. 15. and the complaint of the Apostle against the same with earnest desire to be released disburdened thereof Rom. 7. 24. That that hath been said of the priuiledge of the children of God by the sword of the Spirit the word of God for their defence against the former tentations may be said touching other tentations also vnto other sinnes The like may be said concerning errors and heresies Let vs take a short view of some of the popish heresies whereunto so many Iesuits and other Romish croaking frogs in euery citie towne village and almost family doe now so busily perswade all states and degrees of men women children and whereof great multitudes of euery state sex age are as apprehensiue because they haue not beleeued the truth of the Gospell thus long preached vnto them but haue had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse 2. Thes 2. 12 as the Iewes were mad vpon sacrificing to the host of heauen Ierem. 7. 18. and as any children are to see plaies goodly shewes and other such vanities Do such frogs therefore and Romish serpents perswade that none can know the scriptures to be of God but by the authority of the Church Against this the children of God may defend themselues by these arguments out of the word First that the Church hath no authority aboue the scriptures and that the scriptures take no authority from the Church First because the Church being a company of men therefore as Christ himselfe receiueth not the record of man though as good as Iohn Baptist Iohn 5. 34. so neither doth the Scripture Secondly because the word being without error and teaching that all men are subiect to error it cannot therefore receiue authority from them much lesse be subiect vnto them Thirdly because the Scripture is the testimonie of God and the testimony of God is greater then the testimonie of man 1. Iohn 5. 9. Fourthly because the Church hauing all her authority from the word for how shall the Church proue that she hath any authority but by the word the word cannot haue any from the Church Fiftlie because the Church is none of the witnesses reckoned 1. Ioh. 5. 7. 8. Sixtly because they that will not beleeue the scriptures will neither beleeue one raised from the dead Luk 16. 31. nor Christ himselfe if hee were here to speake personallie vnto them Iohn 5. 47. How then will they beleeue the Church that will not belieue the scriptures Secondly the children of God haue this to plead against the former heresie viz. that many other things doe witnesse the scriptures to be of God though the Church should not only be silent in that behalfe but also vtterly deny the same Namely first of all the spirit of God whereby they are sealed and crie Abba father which searcheth all things euen the deepe things of God so that as no man knoweth the things of a man but the spirit of a man which is in him so no man knoweth the things of God but the spirit of God 1. Cor. 2. 10. 11. If no man know the things of God but the spirit of God how can any man know the scriptures themselues but by the spirit of God For where are the things of God but in the Scripture How also can any man not know the Scriptures to be of God that hath the spirit of God Secondly the children of God know the scriptures to be of God by the pure and holy matter of the scriptures agreeable to the nature of God himselfe Thirdly by the disagreement of the scriptures to the nature of man condemning whatsoeuer commeth from the same the children of God vnderstand the scriptures not to be of man and therefore consequently of God Fourthly by the excellent harmony of all the scripture and by the perpetuall euen threed of truth spunne thorowout them without any knot of vntruth from the beginning to the ending Fiftly they know the same by the diuine stile and phrase of the scripture sauoring altogether of God himselfe Sixtly by the iust accomplishment of all things foretold in the scripture and that in the manner and time therein also mentioned Seuenthly by the mighty effects of the word at the preaching
giue his children by nature that which they doe aske Why Because God our heauenly Father is good yea infinit in all goodnesse but all earthly fathers are euill euen full of euil yea it is to be obserued that where Mathew saith Much more shall your heauenly Father giue good things for good things Note Luke saith the holy ghost Luk. 11. 13. both to teach vs what we are specially to aske viz. the holy ghost and also to assure vs that the better and greater things we do aske the same being good in themselues and good for vs the more we may make our reckoning of them and the sooner we shall receiue them The like assurance euen of all such good things we haue made vs also by our Sauiour in diuers other places as in Mat. 21. 22. Ioh. 14. 13. 14. 15. 17 In the which last place our Sauior plainly teacheth that our assurance of speeding in all our lawfull requests is by our communion with him For If ye abide in me saith he and my words abide in you note here how we may know our selues to abide in Christ viz. by the abiding of his words in vs aske what ye will and it shall be done vnto you Can we haue greater promises Can we haue better assurance Verily we can haue no greater promise then the promise of the greatest and that of whatsoeuer we shall aske yet haue we better assurance For Christ hath not only promised whatsoeuer wee shall aske but hee hath also purchased for vs whatsoeuer he hath promised and that at the same price whereby hee hath purchased the fauour of his Father for vs. Yea himselfe I meane Christ hath praied for all things for vs especially for all things belonging to the life to come Ioh. 17. 9. c. yea he doth sit for euer at the right hand of God his father and there maketh continuall and daily intercession by vertue of his former righteousnesse for the performance of all things before promised Rom. 8. 34. and whatsoeuer he asketh at any time or hath asked therein he is heard by his Father for so he saith to his father I know thou hearest me alwaies Ioh. 11. 42. So also Martha had confessed before in the same Chapter I know that whatsoeuer thou askest of God God will giue it thee verse 22. Both which testimonies are to be vnderstood of those things that Christ asked for other not of any thing for himselfe This is an vnspeakable prerogatiue If we had the like preferment and the like liberty with the like assurance with some great and mighty monarke of the earth were it not a great honor How much more honorable then is this to haue this boldnesse and assurance with God himselfe This is the more because we need not feare being troublesome in comming too often to God For the oftner we come in faith and with reuerence the more welcome and acceptable we shall be vnto him For he hath not only bid vs to come but to come againe and againe yea to continue in praier Coloss 4. 2. 1. Thess 5. 17. Euery benefit also obtained is a pledge and an encouragement for the asking of another If we be not weary of asking God will neuer be weary of giuing Yea by Christ Iesus and by our adoption in him to be the children of God we haue assurance not only of the things we aske but also of other things euen exceeding abundantly aboue all we aske or thinke Ephes 3. 20. according to Gods owne promise to all the seed of the blessed of the Lord and to their buds with them that before they should call he would answer and whiles they should speake he would heare Isai 65. 23. 24. Salomon asked but wisedome but God gaue him not only a wise and an vnderstanding heart aboue all that euer had been before him or should be after him but he also gaue him that which he had not asked both riches and honor so that among the Kings there was none like vnto him all his daies 1. Kings 3. 9. c. The poore man in the Gospell asked only the throwing of the diuell out of his child but Christ did not only throw him out but forbid him to enter any more into him Mark 9. 25. God gaue vs all that we haue at the first before we asked any thing and so he giueth daily more then we aske For alas how poore naked and miserable should we be if God should giue vs no more then we doe aske yea the truth is that the gift of an heart vnto vs for the asking of any thing as wee should aske it is more then all almost that we doe aske Yea it is a good assurance vnto vs of any thing that we do aske For an heart so to aske is the worke of the spirit and the grones of such an heart are called the grones or the sighs and requests of the spirit Rom. 8. 26. 27. Can God reiect the grones the sighs and requests of his owne Spirit Neither haue we boldnesse onely to aske and assurance to speed when we aske by those things before spoken but also by the mighty and glorious successe that the praiers of Gods children haue alwaies had with God For certainly a poore man that is the child of God by his praier of faith may doe more with God then the greatest monarch in all the world that is none of Gods regenerate children can doe with all his wealth or with all the power he can make So mighty were the praiers of Iacob that it is said that hee wrestled with God and would not leaue wrestling till God had blessed him and that blessing of God was the change of his name Iaacob into Israel with this gracious answer Because thou hast had power with God thou shalt also preuaile with men Gen. 32. 24. c. And that this was to be vnderstood of Iacob in respect of his praiers it is the more manifest because that history of his wrestling and hauing power with God as also of the gracious answer of God to his request of a blessing viz. that because hee had had such power with God he should also preuaile with men because I say all this history is set down immediatly vpon the earnest praier that in the same Chapter verse 9. he had made to God to be deliuered from his brother Esau And indeed as he had praied to be deliuered from Esau and as God vpon that praier had promised that hee should preuaile with men so although Esau came out against him like a lion with a great band of men yet the Lord made such a change of his heart that at their meeting Iaacob found him as calme and as meeke as a lambe as we see in Chap. 33. So mighty were the praiers of Moses and such power had he with God by his praiers that so long as he held vp his hands viz. in praying Israel preuailed against the Amalekites but when he let his hand
by Christ made Priests vnto God so are they kings likewise vnto God and that euen because they are sons or children of God For as sometimes all the sonnes of some Emperors which haue had their Empires by inheritance not by election are borne kings or at least haue been left kings by their Fathers or haue had such dukedomes as haue had kingly power and kingly dignities the title only of kings excepted and as in some countries at this day all the sonnes of an Earle are Earles so likewise al the sons and children of God the Emperor of all the world being especially incorporated and ingrafted to the proper and naturall sonne of God and made one with him may in that respect not vnfitly be called kings But what is the kingly power and what be the kingly dignities of the children of God Verily their power by Iesus Christ and through faith in him is very great yea farre greater then the power of any worldly king whatsoeuer For of what king in the world as he is onely a worldly King can that be said that is said by him that is truth it selfe of euery one that hath faith but as a graine of mustard seede viz. that nothing is impossible vnto him Matthew 17. 20. and againe All things are possible to him that beleeueth Mark 9. 23. What earthly King also as he is only an earthly King can say of himselfe as poore Paul saide of himselfe by that Spirit that cannot lye I am able to doe all things by the helpe of Christ which strengthneth me Philip. 4. 13. Secondly such as the power of the children of God is such also is their heart and courage namely altogether princely yea much more then princely For who but the child of God can say Though I should walke through the valley of the shadow of death I will feare no euill Psal 23. 4. and againe I will not bee afraide though ten thousand beset mee round about Psalme 3. 6. and againe Though an host pitched against mee mine heart should not be afraid Psal 27. 3. and againe I will not feare what flesh can doe vnto mee Psalme 55. 4. Thirdly according to the former princely power and magnanimitie of the children of God their effects are likewise princely and sutable to their said power and magnanimitie For to omit in this place those great mighty effects of the praiers of Gods children before mentioned whereas by nature they are seruants and bondmen to satan to their owne wicked lusts and to euery worldly vanity as well as any other after that they are partaker of the spirit of adoption they are so armed also With weapons that are not carnall but mighty through God that they cast downe all the strong holdes of sinne in them 2. Corinthians 10. 4. which are stronger then all Castles and defenced Cities whatsoeuer Yea hauing put on all the spirituall armour Whereby they wrestle not with flesh and bloud but with principalities and powers and worldly gouernors Princes of darknesse c. Ephes 6. 12. they ouercome all these they raigne ouer all and through him that loued them they are more then conquerors so that neither Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be euer able to separate them from the loue of God in Christ Iesus to deiect them from that excellent state whereunto Christ Iesus hath aduanced them Rom. 8. 37. Therefore it is not only said that by faith they ouercome the world that is the things of this visible world that do any waies hinder their saluation but satan himselfe also is so by Christ Iesus subdued vnto them and in a manner brought into such feare of them that they doe no sooner turne their face vpon him and resist him but that presently he flieth from them and as it were taketh him to his heeles as not able to abide their countenance Iames 4. 7. O noble victory O glorious conquest All the great conquerors in the world how renoumed soeuer for their worldly victories neuer got the like Yea all kings and Princes and other conquerors that are not in Christ Iesus are as very slaues to satan to the world and to all lusts of the flesh which fight against their soules 1. Pet. 2. 11. as euer was Samson to the Philistims when they put out both his eies and made him to grind in the mill Iudg. 16. 21. or as Zedekiah was when he was taken by Nebuchadnezer before whose eies they first slew all his sonnes and then put out his owne eies also and bound him in chaines and so carried him to Babel 2. Kings 25. 7. or finally as any captiue or slaue now is either in the Turks Gallies or in subiection to the Spaniard in the West Indies or els where Yea for the most part such great champions and captaines and conquerors touching flesh and bloud are of all other the most slaues most cowards and soonest ouercome by euery lust But so to ouercome such lusts and other enemies of saluation is more then in a carnall and outward manner with the arme of flesh to ouercome the whole world yea if there were many worlds yet for a man to ouercome himselfe with satan and the world is more then to ouercome them all He that ruleth his owne mind is better then he that winneth a city Pro. 16. 32. What is he then that ouercommeth himselfe and the whole power of hell Moreouer euen touching the arme of flesh and worldly enemies greater is the power oft times and courage of the children of God in resisting and ouercomming of them then of all the wicked in the world Yea in this respect the children of God haue true fortitude and magnanimity beseeming Princes For these sentences before alledged of Dauids fearelesse heart are not spoken in respect of his spirituall enemies but in respect of his outward aduersaries And what victories are comparable to the victories of Ioshua Gedeon Iephte Samson Ionathan Dauid and other such worthies mentioned in the scripture All wicked and meere naturall men are void of the spirit of true fortitude euen for withstanding and ouercomming bodily enemies how then can they haue true fortitude it selfe The foresaid more then kingly power and courage of the children of God is apparant likewise by other effects wherein they seem most cowardly euen by all the reproches contumelies wrongs and indignities which they put vp patiently at the hands of the wicked as disdaining to resist them as not being their equals As noble men disdaine and scorne to contend with base persons and such as are much their inferiors and as all men would thinke it and might thinke it a disgrace vnto them to fight with boies though neuer so much abusing them so is the mind and courage of the children of God in respect of the wicked in the world who are indeed no better to be accounted of in comparison of them then as base and
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
of apparell to couer his nakednesse as of meat to nourish him so â—n the resurrection the children of God shall liue without either of both without meat and without apparell As concerning mariage it is said that In the resurrection they neither marry wiues nor wiues are bestowed in mariage but that they shal be as the Angels of God in heauen Mat. 22. 30. so shall it be for meat and apparell The children of God shall liue foreuer without both There shall be neither cold nor hunger nor thirst Their bodies that are sowen naturall bodies shal be raised spirituall bodies They shall stil be bodies the same bodies in substance that they were before otherwise how could it be said that they are raised againe but touching their qualities as they shall be changed many other waies so also this way that they shall be spirituall bodies that is such as shall not liue by naturall meats as vpon the earth they did but altogether by the immediat vertue of the spirit euen as the Angels do now liue in heauen This then in the life to come shall be the perfection of the children of God that they shall need no outward meanes for their euerlasting maintenance and preseruation as here they did for their maintenance and preseruation for a time yea for a short time which for the shortnesse thereof is not worthy to be called halfe a time So hauing nothing they shall be ten thousand times more happy then they were here hauing many things Men are not so happy here by hauing many things as they shall be in the world to come by needing nothing I meane no such outward things as without which before they could not liue To illustrate this by a familiar similitude As a man being in poore state and in a meane calling here in this world as a shoemaker a tailer a husbandman or such like caÌ„not liue without such things as appertain to such trades as the shoemaker cannot liue without his last cutting-knife awle the tailer without his sheers and pressing yron the husbandman without his spade mattock flaile plough hedging bill c. but yet the same man being aduanced to welth higher calling amongst men hath none of the former things and yet is not the worse but the better because he needeth no such things now as without which before he could not liue so the children of God in the life to come being in full possession of their inheritance shall be neuer a whit the worse because they shall haue no meat nor apparell nor any other such outward thing for maintenance and preseruation of their state as here they had but they shall be so much the more happy and blessed because they shall need no such thing Besides all hitherto spoken of the happy and blessed inheritance of the children of God in the world and life to come whereas here they had the company of men yea oft times of wretched wicked men such as of whom they might cry out as we heare Dauid did Woe is to vs that we haue them in our company Our soules haue too long dwelt with them in the life to come in stead of such company they shall haue the society fellowship of the blessed Angels the least wherof is more glorious then euer was Salomon in al his roialty or then are al the kings Princes in the world when they shew themselues most in al their kingly and princely robes glory yea then as before we heard they shall haue perfect communion with God himselfe Father Son and holy ghost and they shall see Christ Iesus God and man in all his glory be also themselues in their own persons partaker therof as we shal hear more at large vpon the second verse following they shal I say see Christ Iesus in al his glory be themselues partaker therof according to the praier of Christ himself for them in that behalfe Ioh. 17. 22. 23 24. How sweet happy comfortable a thing is this when Peter Iames and Iohn saw Christ but a little transfigured in the mountain and Moses Elias in some glory talking with him how were they affected how were they rauished How did Peter say in the name of the rest Master it is good for vs to be here If thou wilt let vs make here three tabernacles c Mat. 17. 4. were they thus affected were they so rauished did they so desire stil to dwell in the mountain and to enioy the sight only of Christ and of two of his Saints themselues being yet clogged with their sins and cloathed with corruption mortality Oh how happy then shall that day be when the children of God shall see Christ Iesus in his perfect glory accompanied and attended vpon with millions and many millions of most glorious Angels and when themselues also shall haue put on incorruption and immortality and according to their degree and measure be also crowned with a crowne of the same glory The Prophet amongst diuers other arguments wherby he prouoketh all the seruants of the Lord to praise the name of the Lord setteth downe this for one that The Lord raiseth the needy out of the dust and lifteth vp the poore out of the dung that hee may set him with the Princes euen with the princes of the people Psal 113. 1. c. Was it and is it so great a dignity so great an honour so great an aduancement to make poore men to sit with Princes in this world What then is the dignity honor and aduancement of the children of God to sit with God and with Christ Iesus and with all the holy Angels in the heauens It is here also to be considered that this inheritance is so ample and so excellent that how few soeuer shall enioy the same they shall haue neuer a whit the more and how many soeuer Note shall be admitted thereunto none shall haue any whit the lesse In all earthly inheritances it is far otherwise yea cleane contrary The fewer they are amongst whom any inheritance is diuided the greater is the portion of euery one And the more the heires of any inheritance are how ample soeuer the same be the lesse is the portion of euery one All hitherto said or which can be said yea more then any tongue can speake or then any heart can conceiue is the more in respect of the certainty thereof Nothing in this world though it be in present possession is so certaine as all spoken before of this inheritance For the certainty of faith is much greater then the certainty of sense and humane reason This certainty of this inheritance and of the things before spoken thereof doth not only depend vpon that before written of the safety both of the inheritance it selfe and of the children of God to whom the same inheritance belongeth but also vpon diuers expresse scriptures and vpon diuers other reasons Touching scriptures consider these that follow and many other the
like which the mention of these and diligent reading will bring to thy vnderstanding He that doth these things viz. which walketh vprightly worketh righteousnesse speaketh the truth in his heart slandereth not with his tongue neither doth euill to his neighbor nor receiueth a falsereport that contemneth a vile person but honoureth them that feare God and keepeth his couenant though it be to his owne hinderance and giueth not his money vnto vsury nor taketh reward against the innocent euen this man shall dwell in the Lords tabernacle and rest in his holy mountaine and shall neuer be remoued Psal 15. 1 c. and 24 3. c. They that trust in the Lord shall be or are as mount Zion which cannot bee remooued but remaineth for euer Psalm 125. 1. Whosoeuer heareth of mee saith our Sauiour himselfe these words and doeth the same viz. not perfectly for that is not possible in this life but vprightly which therfore is placed before Note all the particulars following in Psal 15. 2. I will liken him to awise man which hath built his house vpon a rocke and the raine fell and the flouds came and the windes blew and beat vpon that house and it fell not for it was grounded on a rocke Mat. 7. 24. 25. I say vnto thee thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not ouercome it Mat. 16. 18. All that the Father hath giuen vnto me shall come vnto me and he that commeth I cast not away Ioh. 6. 37. This is the Fathers will that sent me that of all that the Father hath giuen vnto me I should lose nothing but should raise it vp againe at the last day vers 39. Marie hath chosen the good part which shall not be taken away from her Luk 0 42. If ye do these things ye shall neuer fall 2. Pet. 1 10. This world passeth away and the lusts thereof but he that fulfilleth the will of God that is which endeauoureth sincerely to do it as before was shewed abideth euer 1. Ioh. 2. 17. This shall suffice for expresse scriptures Many other the like there are but I leaue them to the obseruation of the diligent reader Touching other arguments First the immutable constancy of God confirmeth the certainty of the inheritance of Gods children God is not as man that he shold lie neither as the Sonne of man that he should repent hath he said and shall he not doe it and hath he spoken and shall he not accomplish it Num. 23. 19. 1. Sam. 15. 29. My counsell shall stand and I will doe whatsoeuer I will c. I haue purposed and I will doe it Isai 46. 10. 11. Whom he loueth he loueth to the end Ioh. 13. 1. The gifts and callings of God are without repentance Rom. 11. 29. God is faithfull 2. Thes 3. 3. With God is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning Iames 1. 17. He is faithfull that hath promised Heb. 10. 23. Secondly in respect of Gods promise in respect of Gods â—ath in respect of the earnest and pledge of Gods spirit giuen vnto vs to seale vs to the day of redemption in respect of the great price that Christ hath giuen and God the father hath receiued for this inheritance for vs all that are Gods children in respect of Christs former prayer for it Ioh. 17. 20. which God the father alwaies heareth Ioh. 11. 22. and 42. and in respect also of his daily intercession in the behalfe for vs at the right hand of God Rom. 8. 34. it standeth not onely vpon the mercie of God to make this their inheritance certaine but also vpon his righteousnesse 2. Thes 1. 7. Heb. 6. 10. Thirdly the children of God all and euery one are the members of Christs body as before hath beene shewed As therefore it is impossible for any power to take away any member of Christs glorified body in heauen so is it impossible for any power to take away any member of his mysticall body in earth The souldiers that brake the bones of the two theeues that were crucified with Christ could not for their liues break the bones of Christ because it was written Not a bone of him shall bee broken Iohn 19. 33. 36. Could not a bone of his naturall body be broken by the malice and violence of all his aduersaries armed with the power of hell it selfe and that because the Scriptures had said in one place that a bone of him should not bee broken How then shall it bee possible for any member of his mysticall body coupled together by the eternall and all powerfull spirit to be altogether taken away and depriued of that inheritance which God hath prepared for it especially sith the Scripture hath not in one place but in many places said that not one of them shall perish I might adde many other arguments for further confirmation of this certainty but because the next verse of my text offereth fit occasion to speake againe thereof therefore in the meane time I will content my selfe with these This notwithstanding I may further adde for the better amplification of the dignity of Gods children by this certainty of their inheritance viz. that thereby in pouerty they are made content in abundance they are sober and wary in the enmity of other against them they are couragious and magnanimous and in afflictions they are cheerfull and comfortable By all hitherto said of this inheritance who seeth not the exceeding dignity and most honorable condition of the children of God On the contrary as the state of the children of God is the better by their freedome from the condemnation beforespoken of although they should neuer come to this great inheritance so the state of all naturall and wicked men is the more base the more vile the more wofull and the more fearefull because though it were possible they should not be so condemned as before we heard they shall be yet they shall haue no part of this inheritance but shall be vtterly cast out and excluded Genes 21. 10. Reuel 22. 15. to whom it shall be said whatsoeuer they shall plead for themselues from their great workes of prophecying in Christs name and casting out diuels in his name c. I neuer knew you Depart from me ye that worke iniquity Mat. 7. 22. 23. and 25. 12. Thus much of this inheritance and of the benefits of the children of God in the life to come CHAP. XXVII Of the peace of conscience in the children of God ALthough I haue heretofore spoken of diuers singular benefits of the children of God both for this life and the life to come yet there remaineth one more of great price and excellency without which all the former spoken of for this life or for the life to come enjoyed in this life are of lesse reckoning This is peace of conscience accompanied with exceeding ioy of this the Apostle speaketh as of a fruit of forgiuenesse of sinnes and iustification
before handled Being iustified faith saith he we haue peace towards God Rom. 5. 11. yet it is not only a fruit of iustification but also of all or of most of all at least of the knowledge of all or of most of all the benefits before declared For not only being iustified by faith haue we this peace of conscience but also by faith being made one with Christ and in Christ being quickned and freed from sinne made wise holy and righteous and hauing freedom to trade for heauen and heauenly things being made the children of God in speciall manner to glorifie God being so incorporated into Christ that we haue also communion with the father and the holy ghost such a communion with all the three persons as shall continue for euer such also as is represented vnto vs by many excellent similitudes wherby our dignity is made more manifest in respect wereof many of Christs names and honorable titles are communicated vnto vs as also whereby we haue liberty with boldnesse to aske at all times any thing for vs at the hand of God with better assurance of obtaining it the greater the thing is we aske yea whereby we are freed from all the euills of this life as they are euills and haue right to all the blessings of this life and lastly whereby we are freed from euerlasting condemnation and are made heires of the kingdome of heauen Hauing I say this manner of communion with Christ and all other benefits and prerogatiues of the children of God hither to spoken of we haue this peace of conscience and ioy of heart whereof we are now to speake So this peace and ioy being fruits of all the former things I haue therefore reserued the handling thereof for this place after all before written From hence that this peace and ioy are fruits of all the former benefits it followeth that as we haue heard all the former to be proper to the children of God so these are in none other to be found but only in them Where there is not nor euer was the cause there cannot be the effect Secondly this the Apostle expresly teacheth opposing these two one to the other the spirit of bondage and the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father Rom. 8. 15. so nothing first that the spirit of bondage vnto sinne is the spirit offeare Secondly that they that are freed from that spirit of bondage and haue receiued the spirit of adeption whereby they cry Abbâ— father are freed from the former spirit of feare There being therefore such an opposition betwixt these two there can bee no agreement As therfore all the children of God are freed from the spirit of feare so they onelie are freed from the spirit of feare Hence also it followeth that all the children of God and they only haue this peace whereof wee speake For they that are freed from feare must needs haue peace and they that are possessed with the spirit of feare cannot possibly bee at peace To speake yet further of this peace let vs consider that the children of God hauing as hath beene shewed Christ himselfe they can no more bee without this peace then without the life the light the knowledge the wisedome the holinesse the righteousnesse the liberty and other things before spoken of This is euident because Christ is called the Prince of peace Isat 9 6 can any haue the Prince of peace and bee without peace Is it not expected that where there is in any companie a Iustice of peace there all should bee at peace and none should breake the peace how then can wee doubt of peace to be there where there is and dwelleth the Prince of peace himselfe When Christ was new borne into the world and laie in his swadling clouts hauing done nothing in his owne person to wards our reconciliation and saluation his in carnation and comming into the world only excepted is not this a part of the song that the Angels with the multitude of heauenly souldiers did sing in the hearing of the shepheards Peace on earth as well as glory to God in high Luk. 2. 14. Hauing now by the bloud of his Crosse made that peace which was then proclaimed Eph. 1. 15. Coloss 1. 20. how much more may men and Angels sing and say not only peace in earth but also peace in the heart of euery child of God Verely all the children of God may the better bee at peace in their hearts because the Prince of peace Christ Iesus in his owne person hath said to his diseiples and in them to all that belong vnto him peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you not as the world giueth giue I vnto you let not your hearts bee troubled nor greeued Iohn 14. 27. It is much that hee had said before by his Prophet The worke of instice shall be peace euen the worke of iustice quietnesse and assurance for euer and my people shall dwell in the tabernacles of peace c. Isai 32. 17. 18. But this that he speaketh in his owne person is much more As this peace is thus manifest to belong to all the children of God so that it is proper only to them and that the wicked haue no part in it doth further appeare because the Lord saith that there is no peace to the wicked Isai 48. 22. yea in the same respect viz. that there is no peace to the wicked after much peace promised to the godly he compareth the wicked to the raging sea which cannot rest and whose waters doe cast vp as it were continually mire and dirt Isai 57. 20. Salomon likewise speaking of the wicked and the righteous that is of them that are not and of them that are the children of God saith the wicked fleeth when no man pursueth but the righteous are bold as a lyon Prou. 28. 1. Eliphaz saith that the sound of feare is euer in the eares of the wicked and that euen in the daies of his prosperity the destroier shall come vpon him Iob 15. 20. Iob himselfe likewise speaketh thus of the wicked terrors shall ouertake him as waters c. Iob 27. 20. The wicked indeed cry to other and to their own hearts especially peace peace as it is often in the Prophets Ier. 6. 14. and 8. 11. but yet the Lord saith as before we heard that there is no peace to the wicked Yea how can they haue peace that know not the way of Peace Isat 59. 9. and which reiect the Gospell of peace Ephes 6. 15. yea the Prince of peace Christ Iesus himselfe and which alwaies are in contention wounding one another and sowing the seeds of discord and contention amongst men As when Iehoram said to Iehu is it peace Iehu Iehu answered what peace whiles the whoredomes of thy mother Iezabel and her witchcrafts are yet in great number 2. Kings 9. 22. so to the wicked that shall speake of peace or enquire after peace it may be answered what
peace can there be vnto them when so many sinnes as they haue committed in great number remaine vncancelled and vnpardoned in heauen and vnrepented of in the earth This that I speake of the wicked is not only to be vnderstood of the meaner sort of the wicked that are bare poore without friends and worldly delights but also of Princes and other in great place that haue great friends that abound in wealth that flow in delights of the world that are mighty in authority and want nothing which might seeme helpfull to them against feare or to make for their peace and good security And this is manifest by the deadly feare of Nabal Saul Belshazzar and Felix before spoken of If therefore the greatest sort of the wicked be subiect to such feares who notwithstanding haue many meanes in the iudgement of men to secure them against feare what shall be said of other True indeed the wicked do not alwaies feare thus because through the extreme hardnesse of their hearts whereunto God in great iustice doth giue them ouer which is the greatest iudgement of all other in this life they are without feeling of the cause of this feare Sometimes also when they feele this feare comming vpon them they labour by the pleasures of this life or by company or by some such meanes to shift and shake it off But alas poore men they striue against the streame yea they haue wind and tide against them in that behalfe The more they put off feare for a time the stronger it will returne in the end As a man troubled with the tooth-ake for the mitigation thereof for the present taketh cold water which maketh the paine more violent afterward and as one that hath scald his leg rhrusteth the same presently into cold water and thereby findeth ease of the heat for a while but afterward feeleth the greater and longer paine so they that by pastimes and pleasures and worldly businesse and good fellowship put away their feares for a time doe finde them more extreame in the end It is with such men as with many an ill debter that being arrested by some bay liffe or sergeant at the suit of some one of his creditors to auoid imprisonment doth either violently resist or smiteth the bailiffe or the sergeant on the head that he laieth him for dead or else gerteth him into a tauerne or Alehouse and there maketh him so drunk that himselfe escapeth for the present But what doth he helpe himselfe by this meanes nothing at all yea he plungeth himselfe into further danger For in the end the creditor at whose suit he was arrested dealeth the moreseuerely with him Euen so the wicked that by any sleights passe ouer their feares not by humbling themselues to God the great creditor to whom all men owe more then they are able to pay as hath beene before said but by striuing and strugling and by making their feares drunke as it were for the present doe thereby in the end increase their feares and make them stronger and more violent then before Great especially shall the feares of the wicked bee and farre greater then they shal be able to beare when God shall come in speciall Iudgement against them The Prophet Isay threatneth the Iewes with such a day of vergeance as wherin the wicked should goe into holes and caues of the earth from before the feare of the Lord and the glorie of his Maiesty when hee should arise to destory the earth Isay 2. 19. So the Prophet Osea denouncing the iudgements of God against the Israelites saith that they should say to the Mountaines couer vs and to the hilles fall vpon vs. Hosea 10. 8. According there unto also our Sauiour seeing some women to follow him weeping as he went to suffer vpon the Crosse for vs biddeth them not to weepe for him but for themselues and for their Children and why because such daies of Gods wrath were comming as wherein they that is the wicked and such as had persecuted him yea their posterity should begin to say to the Mountaines fall vpon vs and to the hills couer vs Luke 23. 30. Most of all shall the feare of the wicked bee in the great daie of the Lord. The feare I say of Kings of the earth of great men of rich men and of the chiefe Captaines and of the mighty men who most bragge of their courage and thinke scorne to bee told that they will be afraide of any thing and of every bond man c. the feare I say of all these shal be so great that when the sunne shal be blacke and the moone turned into bloud then they shall hide themselues in dennes and among the rockes of the Mountaines saying to the Mountaines and the Rockes fall on vs and hide vs from the presence of him that sâ—â—tcth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. Reuâ—lati 6. 15. But euen in this great and fearefull day such shal be the peace of the Children of GOD that they shal be bold and not ashamed before CHRIST Iesus as this Apostle hath said in the former Chapter verse 28. Oh vnspeakable happinesse Is not therefore the dignity of Gods Children in this respect exceeding great This peace of the Children of God shall abide with them so that they may alwaies lift vp their face and bee stable without feare c. and that they may be bold c. and lie down safely taking their rest Iob. 11. 15. For the Lord hath promised that the Mountaines shall remoue and the hilles fall dâ—wn but that his mercy shal not depart nor his couenaÌ„t of peace fal away Isa 54. 10 but shal be an euerlasting couenant Ez. 37. 26. Hither also belongeth that of Isay 9. 7. and that before alledged Isay 32 17. This also the Apostle teacheth in the place before alledged Rom. 8. v. 15. For in that the Apostle saith they haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe he plainely noteth that they that are now freed from the spirit of feare shall neuer feare againe What then shall the children of God haue no feare at any time yes they shall feare God more then before in a child-like maner and so as that in such feare of God they depart from euil Iob. 1. 8. and as feare is commended to be the beginning of wisdome Psal 111 10. and to be a wel pring of life to keepe from the snares of death Pro. 14 17. and as the feare of God testifieth vs to be blessed is ioyned with great delight in his Commandements Psal 112 2. and as this feare of God working the keeping of his Commandements is said to be the whole duty of man Eecl 12 13. and as we are further exhorted euen in respect of the promise of God to clense our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and of the spirit and to grow vp to full holinesse in the feare of God 2. Cor. 7 1. and to feare the Lord and
serue him 1. Sam. 12 24. or to serue the Lord in feare and to reioyce in trembling Psal 2 11. and to make an end of our salution with feare trembling Phil. 2 12. and lastly in consideration as well of his seuere iustice in rewarding euery man according to his works as of his fatherly goodnesse towards vs to passe the time of our dwelling here in feare 1. Pet. 1. 17. Thus I say the children of God must feare and doe feare If men be without this feare they are secure and without the spirit of adoption that is they are not the children of God as afterward vpon an other occasion we shall heare againe But as for slauish feare such as is forbidden such as ariseth only froÌ„ regard of Gods power iustice without respect to his mercy and goodnesse and such as is repugnant to faith which is the assurance of Gods fauour Heb. 10. 22. this is also contrary to the peace of Gods children and of this it is to be vnderstood that they are deliuered out of the hands of their enemies that they may serue God without feare Luk. 1. 74. But are the children of God indeed alwaies without this kind of feare so that they neuer haue any brunts thereof I answer that the children of God are not only spirit but flesh there is none of the children of God so regenerate but that his regeneration or rather his sanctification which is as I said the slature of a man regenerate is here imperfect although therefore so far forth as they are sanctified or regenerate for I will not striue about words nor be too curious or precise for phrases they be freed from feare as hauing receiued the spirit of adoption which is contrary to the spirit of bondage and of feare and whereby they may be bold to call God their Father and assure themselues of his fatherly loue towards them â—et so far forth as they haue some reliques still of the old man so far they cannot but sometime feare euen so feare as feare is forbidden Yea so much the more doe they often feare otherwise then they should both Gods iustice and also the rage and cruelty of their enemies because the vnsanctified part doth so oppresse and sometime and for a time ouerwhel me the sanctified part and the spirit of adoption in them that they thinke themselues not to be regenerate at all neither euer to haue receiued the spirit of adoption but to be meer naturall men and as wicked as any other But although they doe thus feare looking only to Gods iustice and not to his mercy and respecting only the corruption of nature remaining in them not the beginnings of grace wherby they are assured of an inheritance reserued in heauen for them as also of their own preseruation here by the power of God yet euen then haue they cause not to feare but to be of good cheare in respect of those arguments against feare before handled As the wicked do sometimes taste the powers of the world to come Heb. 6. 5. that is of the ioies of heauen so the Lord will haue his children to haue a little marke of the feares that are proper only to the wicked that they may pray the more earnestly for recouery of their former peace of conscience as Dauid did Psal 51. 8. and 12. and the 〈◊〉 to esteem of it when they find it againe as also that after the recouery of their former peace of conscience they may be more carefull to keep it themselues and the more diligent in teaching other to keep it likewise for euery benefit is the sweeter by tast of the contrary Againe the Lord will haue such feare of his children to be as a glasse to the wicked wherein they may the better see their own fearfull state and condition in not being the children of God as gathering by such feares of the godly that they themselues are in much more fearfull condition and haue much more cause to feare Moreouer such feare in the children of God doth often arise from the mistaking of things and from their imagination of that that is not So we did see before that the dâ—sciples of Christ feared vpon imagination that they had seen a spirit when they saw him So many of the children of God haue in all ages feared and now doe often feare because they iudge not aright of the graces of God in themselues but thinke they haue no faith at all no loue at all c. and therefore no assurance at all of Gods fauor and of their owne saluation because their faith loue and other graces of God are weake and come short of that they ought to be because they are able to distinguish between a nullity and an imperfection of Gods gifts accompanying saluation in them therefore they thinke that to be a nullity that is only an imperfection It is also with the godly in this case as sometime with a company of rebellious subiects where notwithstanding the king hath pardoned and sent his pardon vnto them signed with his owne hand and sealed with his own seale For as such hauing no skill to read their pardons doe therefore doubt of them and feare the kings displeasure so many of Gods children being pardoned of all their sins and hauing their pardon written in their hearts by Gods own finger and sealed with the spirit of adoption do notwithstanding doubt and feare because they cannot well read the said pardon But why can they not read it either because it is written in small letters which their sight being but in part cannot see or because they haue not gone long enough to schoole for the learning to read Gods hand perfectly and readily or because they themselues haue forgotten that which they had learned in that behalfe or because they haue kept their pardon so rechlesly and carelesly that the same being blotted and obscured with many sinnes through their negligence and carelesnesse committed cannot well be read by themselues or any others for a time viz. so long as they liue so carelesly and till they haue purged themselues of such sinnes as whereby not only the writing of their pardon is blurred and made vnlegible but also their own sight is dimmed so as they neither can read their pardons nor see any thing els touching their salution as they ought So had Dauid blotted and obscured the pardon of all his sins and dimmed his own sight by his sinne with Bethsheba and against Vriah that he was troubled with many feares which made him to complaine of his state as if it had been as bad as any mans and that he praieth the Lord to create in him a new heart as if he had neuer been regenerate before Psal 51. 10. The afflictions also of this life befalling the children of God being especially compared with the prosperity of the wicked do so blind their eies that they cannot behold the goodnesse of God to the peace of their consciences as
aduaÌ„cement Sith that the children of God haue such ioy and peace as that no afflictions doe or can expresse the same how great is their dignity in that behalfe Their ioy I grant may be and sometime is eclipsed and obscured for a time by the same meanes whereby it is so with their peace for such as any mans peace is such is his ioy but as the sunne being somtime eclipsed by the interposition of the moone betwixt vs and it and more often darkned by thicke and blacke clouds doth notwithstanding break out againe and shine as bright as before so it is with the children of God Their ioy is sometime obscured and hidden not onely from others but also from themselues But though they weep for a time yet their sorrow shall bee turned into ioy and their heart shall reioice for the most part in this and most certainly in the life to come and their ioy shal no man take from them Ioh. 16. 20. 21. As the wicked shall mourne and no man shall be able to comfort them as before we haue seen by the examples of Saul and Indas so shall the children of God reioice and no man shall take their ioy from them Though sometime they lie among pots or stones and by many afflictions be as it were coloured yet they shall bee as the wings of a Doue that is couered with siluer and whose fethers are like yellow gold Psal 68. 13. they shall haue beauty for ashes the oyle of ioy of mourning the garment of gladnesse for the spirit of heauinesse Isai 61. 3. yea euen in their heauinesse their ioy from aboue is greater then their mourning here below As Sampson found hony and the hony combe in the carkasse of a deuouring lyon so the children of God find most sweet comfort euen in the very belly and bowels of those afflictions which deuoure the wicked The riddle of Sampson touching the foresaid hony out of the eater came meat and out of the strong came sweetnesse was inexplicable to the Philistims till they had ploughed with Sampsons heyfer Iudg. 14. 14. so indeed that the children of God are cheerfull and comfortable euen full of ioy and gladnesse in their pouerty reproch sicknesse and such other like aduersity seemeth a thing very strange to the vngodly and no man can explicat or expound the same but only the children of God and they that haue ploughed with their heyfer that is with the same spirit of vnderstanding wherewith they and they only are indued For they only haue that white stone spoken of before wherein is a new name written which no man knoweth but he that receiueth it Reu. 2. 17. And how great the peace and the ioy of the children of God is and how truly it may be said to passe al vnderstanding and to be vnspeakable and glorious as before we heard it to be called doth not only appeare by the feare and griefe of the wicked but also by the like afflictions trouble and heauinesse of mind sometimes in the godly when God for the reasons before spoken of hideth his face from them For that which is said generally of all creatures may particularly be said of them if thou hide thy face they are troubled Psal 104. 29. By this trouble I say of the godly themselues when sometimes for a time they haue lost their former ioy and peace it appeareth how great their said peace and ioy is and how worthie of that commendation which before we haue heard to be giuen vnto it For aske one of them that haue for a season lost their former peace and ioy and that troubled in that behalfe yea aske the very wicked themselues which feele the terrors of an euill conscience and feares of Gods wrath aske I say either the one or the other what they would giue for a release from their troubles and feares and for comfort and they will crie out with teares that if they had a thousand worlds they would giue all for true peace and ioy Consider how the Church mourneth for neglect of her beloueds voice yea how her heart fainted in that behalfe and how she charged the daughters of Ierusalem that if they did find her welbeloued they should tell him that she was sicke of loue for him Cantic 5. 6. how Dauid also was troubled when he wanted that peace and ioy which before he had we haue already shewed Touching the ioy of the wicked which seemeth to be very great first the truth is that it is a painted and pictured ioy without any ground yea without any substance it is only in face and countenance and as wesay from the teeth it is not from the heart it is but as the laughter of phrensie and madnesse in the pangs of death Secondly it is therefore very short and vncertain as it is said of the laughter of a fools that it is like the cracking of thornes vnder a pot Eccl. 7. 8. though it make a great blaze a loud noise for a time yet on a sudden it vanisheth and commeth to nothing Thirdly which is more then the former the more the wicked laugh and are merry here the more they shall weep and mourne and houle in the world to come As the strongest wine makes the sharpest vineger euen such as will fetch off the skin from the rough of ones mouth so the greater shall be their calamity and their greater ioy shal be turned into the greater heauinesse But because many things before written of the prosperity of the wicked may likewise bee referred to that point of their ioy which ariseth from no other cause then from their prosperity therfore I will here cease to write any more thereof To conclude this point of the ioy and peace of the children of God as they haue better cause of peace and ioy then all the wicked in the world though kings and Princes so their peace and ioy cannot but be much greater how poore base and miserable soeuer they seem to be in the world and are indeed touching their outward state They may reioice when the wicked euen Princes may mourn they may laugh when such may weep they may sing when the others for all their wealth pleasures friends power and authority and glory may cry and houle As the Virgin Mary was saluted in this manner baile Mary or reioice Mary thou art freely beloned the Lord is with thee c. and againe feare not for thou hast found fauour with God for thou shalt conceiue in thy womb beare a son and call his name Iesus Luk. 1. 28. 29. 30. and as the Angell said to the shepheards bee not afraide behold I bring yon glad tidings of great ioy which shall bee to all people that vnto you is borne this day in the City of Dauid a Sauiour which is called Christ the Lord Luk 2. 10. So no man will denie but that Marie and the shepheards had cause ro cast away feare and to bee giâ—â— and to reioice
both in respect of the person that did bid them 〈◊〉 the same being a blessed Angell and also in respect of the message it selse and that she had found fauour with God and should conceiue and beare a sonne which should beâ— called lesus because he should saue and hath saued his people from their sinnes Matth. 1. 21. and that when the Angels did so appeare vnto the shepheards the same Sonne was then borne into the world How much more then may all the children of God now throw away all seare and reioice euen with ioy vnspeakable and glorious â—ith not only Christ Iesus is borne but hath also suffied is risen againe and hath ascended into heauen hath accomplished all things for our saluation that were written of him and doth sit at the right hand of God the Father in all power and glory to protect vs from all our cnemies and to make intercession for vs sith I say Christ Iesus hath not onely done all this for vs but is also conceined and formed spiritually in vs Gal. 4. 9. and sith we haue put him on as a garment Rom. 13. 14. and sith he dwelleth in vs as in a temple and hath made himselfe one with vs and vs with him Ioh. 17. 22. as before hath beene shewed and sith by all these things he doth assure vs of the perfection of the whole worke of our saluation and of neuer leauing vs till hee haue brought vs where himselfe is there to behold his glory and to bee partakers thereof and that our ioy may indeed be full neuer againe mixt with any drop of heauinesse neither euer any whit obscured or ouercast with any mist of sinne or affliction Verily there is no question but that euery one of Gods children in respect of all things pertaining to their saluation already wrought by our Sauiour and in respect of their assurance of that which remaines for themselues in particular hath more cause to reioice then either Marie or the shepheards had by vnderstanding onely of Christ to bee conceiued and borne or to bee alreadie borne but not hauing accomplished it for which hee was borne As there can be no greater indignity offered to an honest man promising any thing which he is able to performe and giuing earnest vpon his promise and further also binding of himselfe to performe all that he hath promised then to doubt of his promise earnest and further assurance so yea ten thousand times greater indignity is it to God for vs to doubt of the things before mentioned God hauing not only promised them but also made vs far better assurance of them then all the Princes in the world can make of any thing they promise So far is the full perswasion of these things and ioy according from all presumption against God as the Papists doe most boldly and wickedly affirme Thus therefore I conclude this part that euery one of Gods children being the seed which the Lord hath blessed yea being that seed only may say as the Prophet saith they should say I will greatly reioice or reioicing I will reioice in the Lord and my soule shall bee ioifull in my God for he hath clothed me with the garments of saluation and couered me with the robes of righteousnesse he hath decked me like a bridegroome and as a bride tâ—reâ—h her selfe with her iewels Isai 61. 9. In respect of this ioy of the children of God euen of the meanest of them the ioy of the wicked is nothing but sorrow griefe anguish and vexation of spirit Thus much of the peace and ioy of the children of God CHAP. XXVIII Of the benefits that other doe enioy by Gods children HAuing thus spoken of the exceeding great benefits which the children of God enioy themselues for the further declaration of their dignity let vs also take a view of those benefits which other doe enioy by them Here let vs vnderstand first that they hurt no body but suffer euery one with whom they doe liue or with whom they haue any dealings to liue in peace and quietly to enioy their owne Secondly that they are many waies helpfull and do much good vnto other The first is no small matter if we consider how harmfull the wicked are continually vnto all with whom they dwell as to some by their prophanenesse and impiety either animating them to the like or discouraging them from the contrary so also to other by their vnreuerend behauiour towards their superiors by their pride and violence against their inferiors by their contempt of their equals by their cruelty and vnmercifulnesse in word and deed by their vnchast speech gesture and other actions by vniust dealings touching the goods of their neighbors and by their backbitings slandering and false accusing and otherwise defaming of them They that haue daily experience or haue heard of these things would thinke it a great benefit to liue where they might be without feare of such dammage And that this is a benefit and so to be accounted appeareth by the words of Nabals seruants to Abigail after that Nabal had so wickedly and churlishly sent away the messengers of Dauid empty For they doe amplifie the churlish and wicked answer of Nabal to Dauids messengers as by some kindnesse of Dauid towards them in the wildernesse so also by pleading that they had no displeasure neither had missed any thing so long as they were conuersant with them when they were in the fields 1. Sam. 25 15. But are these things all No verily but as themselues do no hurt to other so likewise they are great meanes to keep other from doing that euill against God against their neighbors and against themselues which otherwise they would commit for who seeth not that the wicked conuersing daily with the godly and being especially in their company do refrain from many sinnes many othes many blasphemies many curses from much vaine talke filthy speech much foolish iesting from other outrages also which they would freely commit if they were by themselues alone Many times also the Lord keepeth the reprobate themselues from some hainous sinnes for the godlies sake which otherwise they would greedily commit Did not God keep Abimelech king of Gerar from defiling Sara for Abrahams sake Gen. 206. and may not the like be said of many other Doubtlesse this is partly the meaning of that which is written of Herods feare and reuerencing of Iohn Baptist that is of the fearing to commit some euils for his sake from which otherwise he would not haue refrained Mark 6. 20. So that Esau hoped of the death of Isaac and then purposed to haue killed Iacob what doth it else import but that in the meane time he feared the committing of that fearefull murder for Isaac his sake Gen. 27. 41. But not to stand vpon this let vs come to the good they doe to other Heere at the first let it be considered that as God made the woman first to be an helpe to the man so by this
made knowen by the Church the manifold wisdome of God Ephes 3. 9. 10. By this place we plainly see that the Angels haue the benefit of more knowledge then before they had Of the fellowship of the foresaid mysterie and that by the Church What is the Church but the companie of Gods children This is the more manifest by that that there is said of that mysterie to haue beene before hidden in God himselfe and not so to haue beene opened to the sonnes of men in other ages as now it is vers 5. and to haue beene kept secret since the world began Rom. 16. 25. For doe not these phrases intimate that the said mysterie had beene hidden so in God himselfe from the beginning of the world that the very Angels themselues did not fully vnderstand it till it was made knowen by the Church The same is to bee thought of many mysteries contained in the Reuelation because it is said of the booke in the right hand of him that sate vpon the throne written within and on the backe side sealed with many seales whereby the Chapters in the Reuelation following seeme especially to be vnderstood because I say it is said of that booke that none in heauen nor in earth nor vnder the earth was able to open the booke or to looke thereon but only the Lion of the tribe of Iuda that is Christ Iesus Reu. 5. 2. This Lion of the tribe of Iuda doth not only vnderstand the same booke himselfe but also by his spirit maketh it knowen to the Church by whom also the Angels attending thereupon in all assemblies thereof seeme likewise to come to know it and not by any immediate reuelation thereof vnto them in heauen neither as some doe weakly imagine by contemplation of God himselfe in whom all things past present and to come are as it were ingrauen For so they should know the secrets of mens hearts and the day of iudgement which none knowes but God himselfe For are not all those things ingrauen in God as well as others I grant the Angels to know much more of their owne nature and of the nature of God himselfe then the Church knoweth yea then perhaps is reuealed in the written word yet this letteth not but that the Angels may bee ignorant of the meaning of some things contained in the word concerning Gods pleasure towards the Church till the same by the spirit of Christ be reuealed to the Church I will not so inlarge this point in this place as Isee it handled in some late printed bookes but I will content my selfe with this thus generally spoken thereof Another benefit of the Angels by the children of God is that they haue great iov of their conuersion and repentance This our Sauiour teacheth plainly by a double parable Luk. 15. 3. c. one of the lost sheepe the other of the lost groat for the finding whereof there was great ioy the application of bâ—th which parables is thus made by our Sauiour hin selfe I say vnto you that likewise ioy shall bee in heauen ouer one sinner that repenteth c. and againe I say vnto you there is ioy in the presence of the Angels of God for one sinner that conuerteth 7. and 10. And indeed there is a great reason of this their ioy for doe men reicice in earth for the birth of a sinner and shall not the Angels in heauen reioice for the regeneration of a christian Doe men reioice for the birth of one of Gods enemies and shall not the Angels reioice for the birth of one of Gods children Doe the true subjects of an earthly prince reioice and declare their ioy by some testimony at the birth of a child to such an earthly Prince how much more should the Angels in heauen Gods perfectest subjects reioice at the birth of a child to God himselfe the king of heauen and earth euen of one that shall it selfe be and is as soone as it is borne not only a Priest but also a king as before we heard Is there ioy in earth for the birth of one that shall die againe and perhaps a miserable death how then should the Angels not reioice in the birth of one that shall neuer die more but shall liue for euer a life of grace here till the time of translation from hence do come and then a life of glory with themselves yea with Christ Iesus Did the Angels reioice when Christ was borne a man vpon earth and shall they not reioice when men are borne partaker of the diuine nature from heauen and for heauen yea wherefore did the Angels so reioice at the birth of Christ was it not because by his birth in the world many should afterward be borne vnto God As soone as euer Christ had taken the book before spoken of out of the hands of his Father to open the same to the Church how did the Angels reioice and sing for ioy as wel as the 24. Elders Reu. 5. 8. 9. Did they so reioice at the taking of the book to be opened to the Church how much more cause haue they to reioice and sing when by the opening of mysteries in the same book contained men shall be enlightned with true sauing knowledge of God and of his Sonne Iesus Christ and be also new borne children vnto God As the Angels doe thus reioice in the first regeneration of the children of God that is when men first begin to be the children of God so it is not to be doubted but that their ioy is increased as such graces are increased in men whereby they are the more declared both to men and Angels to be so regenerated and new borne vnto God I might amplifie this point much more but hauing been large in other things it shall be sufficient thus briefly to haue spoken of this matter So we see what great benefits both men and other creatures the inferior creatures of this inferior world and the superior creatures euen the blessed Angels in heauen haue by the children of God Is not this therefore a great increase of their dignity Is it not an high commendation of their state and condition That the wicked are hurtfull to all and beneficiall to none doth make their estate the more base and vile abiect and contemptible Therefore that the children of God are hurtfull to none and so beneficiall and helpfull to many it must needs make their condition more honorable and noble CHAP. XXIX Of diuers similitudes and comparisons setting foorth the dignity of Gods children TO omit diuers other arguments whereby the dignity of Gods children might bee furthered enlarged and illustrated let vs now come to certaine comparisons Herein I will a little transgresse the order of Logicians as I haue not hitherto been curious therein and therefore I will begin with some similitudes whereby the holy ghost in respect of some things before handled doth set forth the excellency of the children of God From these similitudes I will
in comparison of all other men with that generall sentence of Salomon before spoken in the title page that the righteous is more excellent then his neighbour Prou. 12. 26. From those comparisons of the children of God with other men I may now ascend into heauen it selfe and compare them with the holy and blessed and glorious Angels and that first in some sort as equall fellowes and companions secondly being in some respect more excellent and honorable then such Angels The first is acknowledged by the Angels themselues for when Iohn falling downe before the Angell which had bidden him to write Blessed are they which are called to the Lambes Supper would haue worshipped him he forbade him so to doe saying See thou doe it not I am thy fellow seruant and one of thy brethren Reu. 19. 10. and 22. 9. Touching the second the Angels are not onely fellow seruants vnto God with the children of God but they are also themselues seruants vnto the children of God for it is expresly said that they are ministring spirits sent out for their sakes which shall bee heires of saluation Heb. 1. 14. Who are such heires of saluation but only the children of God Rom. 8. 17. It is also written in the Psalme The Angell of the Lord pitcheth round about them that feare him and deliuereth them Psalm 34. 7. The same is curdent by examples of the Angels in scripture attending vpon diuers particular persons vpon Abraham Iacob Moses Ioshua Gedeon Dauid Daniel Mary Ioseph Peter Cornelius Paul c yea not only attending vpon them but also deliuering them out of their dangers in flicting the iudgements of God vpon their aduersaries and otherwise helping and comforting them according to their necessities This is the more because it is neuer said that the children of God are seruants to the Angels Yea when the children of God haue offered their seruice to the Angels at least to worship them they haue refused and forbidden it as before we heard Neither doe the Angels attend vpon the children of God whiles they liue only but also when they die viz. to carry their soules into heauen Luk. 16. 22. But this perhaps may seem no good argument for the prerogatiues of the children of God aboue the Angels because sometime a Prince may honor an inferior subiect with the attendance of a more honorable person and with some seruice to be done vnto him by such a more honorable person then himselfe and because also the Angels being mightier may seem therather to gard and otherwise to attend vpon the children vpon earth in respect of their manifold infirmities and weaknesses as also because of their great aduersaries not for any such dignity of the children of God vpō earth as we haue spoken of Though I should grāt all this and not contend of the preferment of Gods children aboue the Angels in that respect yet this I may boldly I thinke vtter that there seemeth to be a great preheminence of the children of God in respect that there is a more neere coniunction betwixt Christ and them then there is betwixt Christ and the Angels I meane in nature not in place In place the Angels for the present are neerer to Christ then the children of God in earth but in nature the children of God are neerer to Christ then the Angels For it is expresly said that Christ tooke not the nature of Angels vnto him and it is plaintly affirmed that he tooke on him the seed of Abraham Heb. 2 16. and that he was made of the seed of Dauid Rom. 1. 3. as also it is said that he took our nature vpon him in respect of his conception in the womb of the virgin so by contracting and marrying himselfe vnto vs and and vs vnto himselfe he hath made as we heard a further vnion with vs whereby it is said of vs in respect of him that we are flesh of his flesh So then by conception and incarnation he is made one with vs and by the former contract of marriage we are made one with him First he is flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone and secondly we Note are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone this latter speech cannot be spoken properly but by vertue of his marriage and contract with vs for otherwise he is rather flesh of our flesh touching his humanity then we flesh of his flesh Because we in that respect were before him The former cannot truly be said to be of the latter but the latter may well be said to be of the former According also to that before spoken by vertue of the said marriage contract of Christ with vs we are said to be members of Christ or of the body of Christ with vs we are said to be members of Christ or of the body of Christ To apply all this is the like euer said of the Angels that they are members of Christ yea how can they be said to be his members being altogither of a diuers nature from him for must not the head and the members be both of one nature or will not the whole that hath a head of one nature and the body of another be a kind of monster I grant that Christ improperly and by a kind of metaphor may be called the head of the angels in respect that euen as mediator the angels and powers and mights are subiect vnto him 1. Pet. 3. 22. but that he is the head of the angels in such sort as he is the head of elect men adopted to be the children of God it cannot be because they cannot be his members as we are In respect therefore that we are more neerly vnited vnto Christ then the angels first by nature in his conception secondly by his mariage contract with vs why may I not say that we haue a kind of preheminence aboue the angels for as euery thing is more vile the further off it is from that which is most excellent so euery thing cannot but be the more excellent the neerer it is to the most excellent Moreouer we haue before heard that the great names and titles of Christ are communicated to the children of God Can the like be shewed of the Angels As therefore because God had in Scripture said of Christ thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee and neuer so said of the Angels the Apostle maketh this conclusion that Christ was made so much more excellent then the Angels by how much hee had obtained a more excellent name then they Hebr. 1. 4. so why may not I make the like conciulion from the premises that the children of God are made so much more excellent then the Angels by how much they haue obtained more excellent names then they The names of Seraphims principalities powers and mights c. are great names but are they like to the names before mentioned especially may they be compared to the name Christ Againe for as much as wee haue
before heard that the regeneration or new birth or second creation of the children of God is a greater and more excellent worke then the first creation of all things and sith the Angels haue their part onely in the first creation why may not this also bee thought to bee some prerogatiue of the children of God aboue the Angels Last of all Christ promiseth that the children of God shall sit with him in his throne as himselfe sitteth in the throne of his Father and that by them hee will iudge the world yea the Angels that are fallen Hath hee promised any such thing to the Angels that doe stand or hath hee saide anie such thing of them they are indeed said to stand before him and about his throne c. but they are neuer said to sit in his throne To stand before him and round about his throne importeth onely seruice But to sit and that in his throne importeth authoritie and maiesty But some man against all before spoken of the preeminence of the children of GOD in earth aboue the Angels in heauen may perhaps obiect that our Sauiour speaking of the state of Gods children in the world to come doth set it foorth by their similitude to the Angels in heauen saying when they shall rise againe from the dead they are as the Angels of God in heauen Matth. 22. 30. If in the resurrection they shall bee but like to the Angels how can they here be said to haue any preeminence aboue them To this I answer that it is but a sleight and weake obiection for our Sauiour doth not simply say that in the resurrection the children of God shall be like the Angels but onely that as touching mariage where of the question was propounded by the Sadduces they shall be like and therefore he saith In the resurrection they neither marrie wiues nor wines are bestowed in marriage but they are as the Angels of God in heauen So then this comparison of likes is not in all things but only as touching marriage and this is more manifest by that which followeth in the second verse of this present text where we read and shall afterward by Gods grace heare that at the appearing of Christ we shall not only bee like to the Angels but also to Christ himselfe which is likewise more then euer we read of the Angels Now though I haue hither to thus written of their preeminence of the children of God aboue the Angels in respect of their communion with Christ and by vertue thereof yet we must neuer forget that as there is that preeminence so also in some other respects the Angels for the present time especially haue great prerogatiue aboue the children of God Namely first that they dwell in heauen the children of GOD in earth Secondly that they are altogether spirit the children of God flesh and spirit Thirdly they are free from all sinne and consequentlie from all miserie the fruit of sinne the children of God whiles they are clothed with corruption are subiect to sinne and doe sinne daily and by sinne they are also subiect as to many other calamities so at last to death it selfe So in these respâ—cts they are inferior to Angels but in the former they haue a great prerogatiue What a dignitie is this what an honour what a glorie to all the children of God to be so aduanced was it not a great honor for Daniel to be one of the three rulers that were by Daniel to be one of the three rulers that were by Darius set ouer all the one hundred and twenty gouernors whom hee had before set ouer all his whole kingdome How greate then is the honour of all the children of GOD in that they haue a preeininence aboue Angels who in respect of other creatures vnder GOD are principalities powers mights and dominions What was Darius himselfe yea what was great King Salomon in all his earthlie pompe in all his honor in all his roialtie and glory in respect of the least Angell If any man notwithstanding all before written of this point touching the preeminence of the children of God aboue Angels shal differ in iudgement let him vnanswerably and plainlie without cauilling answer my former reasons and shew better for his iudgement and I will easily change my former opinion I affect not any noueltie I am not delighted with singularitie neither am I so peremptorie in any thing that I hold differing from other the true seruants of God but that I am ready in al humilitie to submit my spirit to the Prophets which shall speake according to the ancient holy Prophets and Apostles In the meane time let not this point be thought a curious or vnnecessarie paradox but let it rather be regarded as a point of great vse to prouoke vs to more thankfulnesse vnto God and to be so much more zealous of his glorie by how much the more he hath aduanced vs and finally the more to comfort vs and the better to assure vs of the continuance of Gods fauour towards vs the more highly he hath exalted vs. CHAP. XXX Of the promises of God to them that shall shew kindnesse to any of the children of God and of the threatnings to the contrary c. HAuing hitherto beene thus large and plentifull in laying foorth the dignity of Gods children I will now inlarge the same but by one argument more viz. by the promises of God to them that shall doe any thing for his children by his threatnings against those that doe them any hurt and by the performance from time to time of the said promises threatnings For heereby it doth the more manifestly appeare in what price and reckoning they are with God Touching the promises and threatnings of God in behalfe of his children they are first of all ioined together For when God first made a speciall couenant with Abraham and his seed this is one speciall article as before vpon other occasion wee haue heard of the said couenant that God would blesse them that should blesse him and curse them that should curse him Gen. 12. 3. Was this promise made to Abraham as one man Not so but as he was the root and father of the faithfull Therefore all the faithfull children of God haue right to the said promise and it doth belong to euery one of them as well as it did to Abraham himselfe so that whosoeuer shall blesse or doe any good to any of Abrahams children by faith hee may as well looke for a blessing from God as any that blessed Abraham or did any good to Abraham himselfe and whosoeuer shall curse or doe any hurt to any of Abrahams children by faith he may as well feare a curse from God as any that euer did curse or doe any hurt to Abraham himselfe Touching promises in particular If hee bee blessed that is vnder many blessings which generally iudgeth wisely of the poore Psal 41. 1. and that generally likewise is mercifull because he shall
their liues Though these viz. that disgrace otherwise wrong the children of God escape a while vnpunished seeme to laugh in their sleeues and to shew their faces in all companies plesantly with Agag to say in their harts as he spake with his tongue Truly the bitternes of death is past 1. Sa. 15. 32. yetwofull without repentance shall their reward be at the last when they shal find that they had beene better the greatest the proudest and mightiest of them all to haue bitten their fingers ends to the bones to haue eaten the flesh from their armes or to haue gone a thousand miles of an errand that on their bare feet all the while vpon thornes then to haue done any hurt to the least to the poorest and to the meanest of Gods children Last of all the more any king rewardeth any kindnesse done to any of his children or punisheth any indignitie offred vnto them the more hee sheweth himselfe to regard such as haue receiued such kindnesse or met with such indignity and the more hee doth grace and honour them before his people that see his rewards vpon such as haue shewed that kindnesse or that heare of his seuerity against such as haue offred that indignitie I conclude therefore the like of the dignity and honourable state of the children of God in respect of his gracious promises made and performed to any that shew but the least kindnesse towards the least of his children as likewise in respect of his indignation threatned and executed vpon all that doe any of them any wrong Thus much for this point and thus much also for all the arguments whereby I thought good to lay foorth the doctrine of the dignitie of Gods children CHAP. XXXI Of the vses of the former doctrine concerning the dignity of Gods children IT remaineth now according to my order before insinuated in the beginning of the fourth Chapt. that I shew the vse of all the doctrine hitherto handled concerning the dignity of Gods children These I will only touch and as it were but point at with the finger leauing the further inlarging of them to the better consideration of the reader as also of such as shall haue occasion more to apply and presse them then it is fit for me to doe in this Treatise Thesevses are generally of two sorts viz. either common to all euen to the wicked as well as to the children of God or speciall either to the wicked alone or to the godly alone Touching common vses this doctrine first of all serueth to correct the base opinion that most men haue conceiued of the children of God and to teach vs to thinke and esteeme of them according to those things before spoken All men for the most part regard men more according to their state in the world that is according to their riches to their honour and credit with great men in the world to their power and authority for doing of worldly matters All men I say for the most part doe more regard men according to these things then according to their adoption according to their graces whereby they shew foorth their adoption and according to that estimation in which the said graces accompanying adoption doe declare them to be with God himselfe Neither is this the fault onely of naturall men such as are not the children of God themselues but euen sometimes of them that are themselues regenerated and sealed with the spirit of adoption euen they I say doe not so regard one another as they ought to doe in respect of their adoption yea the children of God doe often times thinke the more basely of themselues and are the more deiected in their owne hearts because they are so little regarded by other But sith wee haue heard before how honourable their state and condition is and how God hath most highly dignified and aduanced them why should they not be so regarded of other Why should they not so esteeme of themselues Not any whit to puffe themselues vp and to make themselues to set vp their bristles as it were with contempt against any other but rather to comfort themselues the more against such contempt disgrace and indignity as they meet with in the world at the hands of other This vse the Apostle Iames commendeth when hee exhorteth not to haue the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons or to esteeme of men according to their ccstly apparell or outward countenance which they did beare in the world but according to their riches of faith and according to their in heritance in the kingdome which God hath promised to them that loue him Iames 2. 1. c. Vnder this opinion I comprehend also loue of the heart and honour of the outward man agreeable to the said opinion For so much Iames signifieth in the placâ— before alleged by hauing the faith of Christ inrespect of persons which appeareth plainly by his words immediately following viz. For if there come into your company saith hee a man with a gold ring and in good apparell and there come in also a poore man in vile raiment and ye haue respect vnto â—im that weareth gay clothing and ye say vnto him Sit thou heere in a good place and sâ—y vnto the poore Stand thou heere or Sit heere vnder my footstoole These words I say of the Apostle doe plainly shew that hee reprooueth not only a base opinion inwardly of the children of God but also the outward abasing and disgracing of them by preferring men before them according to their riches and costly apparell c. And this Iames wrote not to heathen men nor to meere naturals but to them whom God of his owne will had begotten with the word of truth to bee as the first fruits of his creatures chap. 1. 18. thereby shewing that it is a fault not onely amongst the men of the world too lightly both in their iudgments and in their affections and also in their outward carriage to regard the children of God but also in them that are of the same father and haue the same in hert ance And this indeed in these daies is a fault not onely amongst prophane men that contemne all goodnesse nor amongst Papists and professed Atheists but also amongst professors themselues euen of the best sort viz. too much to esteeme the gay men of the world and such as are gentlemen borne and haue good estates in the world though they bee neuer so wicked and vngodly and despisers of all grace and too basely to esteeme and too little to regard the most apparant children of God knowen to bee vertuous and shewing many tokens that they are turned from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan vnto God and haue receiued â—orgiuenesse of sinnes and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith in Christ Acts 26. 18. Whom a king will honour all his subiects also honour much more Therefore it is said that when Ahashuerosh promoted Haman
spoken of Such was the great sinne of Dauid with Bathsheba and against her husband Vrija such was the sinne of Peter in denying his Lord and master with swearing and cursing and such offenses there are daily in the Church yea sometimes the children of God doe lie and continue long in many sinnes almost in all sinnes euen after their regeneration as Salomon did By these things their owne future state is obscured eclipsed and hidden from themselues It doth not appeare to themselues what they shall be God hideth his face from them and they are sore troubled as if they were reprobates and thinking themselues to be reprobates yea so by such things are their good mindes tormented that they cannot endure their said torments but seeke in their weaknesse and in the vehemencie of their tentation to make themselues away and to shorten their owne daies Forasmuch therefore as by this meanes it doth not for the present appeare to the children of God themselues what they shall bee wee may well conclude that much lesse it doth appeare to the wicked Fifthly many that haue seemed to haue beene new borne as well as any other and to haue receiued as plentifull a portion of the spirit of adoption as any other or at the least as many other that were indeed the children of God many such I say haue wholly and finally fallen away from the grace of God and that hath been vtterly taken away from them which they seemed to haue had yea those common graces also of Gods spirit which indeed they had When Saul was amongst the Prophets who would not haue thought him to haue beene one of Gods children When Iehu was so forward and zealous for God and did so great things commanded him by the Lord who would not haue thought him to haue beene one of Gods children When Iudas was amongst the Apostles and receiued the same commission and power to preach and to worke miracles that the rest did who would not haue thought him to haue beene one of Gods children The like may be said of those of whom wee haue heard before out of Ioh. 6. 66. Heb. 10. 25. and of diuers other Now although such indeed were neuer of vs for if they had beene of vs they would not neither could haue gone from vs but would haue continued with vs 1. Ioh. 2. 19. yet the wicked seeing such doe presently say that all are alike there is no barrell better herring and therfore they peremptorily conclude that the end of all shall be like Salomon himselfe iudging according only to naturall reason so iudged and said All things come alike to all and the same condition is to the iust and to the wicked to the good and to the pure and to the polluted and to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not as is the good so is the sinner he that sweareth and he that feareth an oath Eccles 9. 2. Yea according to the same naturall iudgement hee had said before I considered in mine heart the state of the children of men that God had purged them yet to see to they are in themselues as beasts for the condition of the children of men and the condition of beasts are euen as one condition vnto them As the one dieth so dieth the other for they haue all one breath and there is no excellencie of man aboue the beasts for all is vanitie c. Eccles 3. 18. 19. If Salomon according to mans reason so iudged is it any maruell that they that neuer had that spirit that Salomon had doe iudge in like manner and that vnto them it doth not appeare what the children of God shall be All these things together make a thicke cloud of reasons such as doe so hoodwinke and blindfold the wicked that euen at noone day they cannot see what the children of God shall bee And all these are externall causes to the wicked of the not appearance vnto them of the future state of Gods children such causes I say as are rather in the children of God then in the wicked Now besides these there are also other lets and impediments of the foresaid not appearance of the future condition of Gods children euen in the wicked themselues and these are three one without them yet theirs and inuested as it were in them and the other two within them The first of these and the sixth in the whole number is their owne great prosperitie and flourishing state in outward things For by this meanes the wicked blesseth himselfe that he thinketh there is no God and therefore as the iudgements of God against himselfe are high aboue his sight Psal 10. 3. 4. c. so hee saith It is in vaine to serue God and what profit is it that wee haue kept his Commandements and that wee walked humbly before the Lord of hosts c. Malac. 3. 14. Iob 21. 15. As they doe thus speake of their owne hypocriticall seruing of God that there is no reward of it as in truth there is not so they iudge the like of the children of God How therfore can they see what heereafter they shall be Secondly I meane for this second sort of reasons but seuenthly for the whole the generall spirituall blindnesse that is in all the wicked doth also hinder them that they cannot see what the children of God shall bee For without true knowledge there can bee no iudgement in them to discerne things that differ belonging to their owne saluation Philip. 1. 9. 10. How then can they see the things that belong to the saluation of other Much lesse therefore can they see the saluation it selfe of other As the Apostle speaketh in generall of all the things of the spirit of God that the naturall man perceiueth them not neither can know them because they are spiritually discerned 1. Cor. 2. 14. so it may bee said of this particular that it cannot bee discerned by naturall men For it is a spirituall thing as well as other Hee that hath not eies to see any thing for himselfe how shall hee see any thing for another man Hee that cannot see things present how shall hee see things to come Last of all and most principally it doth not appeare vnto the wicked what the children of God shall bee not onely because of their spirituall blindnesse but also beecause of the spirituall hardnesse of their hearts and of that great infidelitie and vnbeleefe that is in them For these goe together and are therefore ioined together the cogitation darkened ignorance and hardnesse of heart Ephes 4. 18. Our Sauiour saith to Martha Said I not vnto thee that if thou didst beleeue thou shouldest see the glorie of God Ioh. 11. 40. If this might bee said to Martha her selfe that beleeued the generall resurrection of all flesh as shee had acknowledged in verse 24. because her faith was weake in that particular of raising vp her brother presently how much more may it it bee said to them and of them
all maiestie accompanied with his holy Angels and comming to iudge the quicke and the dead as at his former comming in the forme of a seruant he came to be iudged and not to iudge This is called his appearing because as the Gospell or grace of God which bringeth saluation vnto all men is said now to haue appeared Tit. 2. 11. in respect it had beene kept secret before since the world began and had not beene so opened as it is now reuealed vnto the sonnes of men c. Rom. 16. 25. Ephes 3. 5. so Christ Iesus being ascended into heauen and there sitting at the right hand of his father is not now so manifested at least to the bodily sight as hee shall manifest himselfe at his second comming This time of this his appearing is his mariage day whereas all time before is but as it were the time of his and our betrothing and of the preparing of vs for that mariage day to be the fitter spouse for him All this sentence of our certainty and knowledge of our being Note made like vnto Christ at his appearing is not to bee taken as spoken in the person of the Apostle onely and of them to whom he did write but of all other the children of God whatsoeuer None must looke for this perfection and likenesse vnto Christ before this time of his appearing What then will some man aske doe you say of Enoch and Elias Of the one it is said that he walked with God and was no more seene for God tooke him away Genes 5. 24. And againe that By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death neither was he found for God had translated him Heb. 11. 5. Of the other of Elias that he went vp by a whirlewinde into Heauen 2. King 2. 11. Concerning therefore the two former examples of whom the question is mooued whatsoeuer men haue thought or doe thinke and whatsoeuer the former words may seeme to insinuate which their insinuated sense shall be opened afterward this I thinke that they are not yet bodily in heauen Enoch and Elias not bodily yet in heauen neither shall be till the resurrection of all flesh when all the rest of Gods elect shall receiue their consummation and perfect blisse My reasons for this opinion are briefly these First Heb. 11. 13. after the mention as well of Enoch as of 1. Reason Noah Abraham and Sara it is expresly said All these died in faith It were absurd to restraine the generall word all onely to the three last and not to extend it also vnto Enoch and Abel Therefore it is manifest that these two died as well as the other three If it be obiected that it is said before that Enoch was translated that he might not see death and that therefore if here this verbe died bee as well vnderstood of him as of the rest then there shall be contrarieties in one and the same place I answer that the reconciliation of this doubt is very easie namely by interpreting the former phrase that hee might not see death of not feeling death after the common painfull manner of men And so the word to see for to feele or to discerne or by experience to perceiue is often taken in the Scripture The waters saw thee O God the waters saw thee c. that is they did as it were feele and by experience perceiued thy power Psal 77. 16. So the Apostle saith I see another Law in my members c. that is I feele Rom. 7. 23. There might bee many other the like places alleged but these are sufficient That also of being translated signifieth nothing els but he was taken away in an extraordinary manner not seen of men but so secretly that no man knew or by any outward thing could iudge otherwise of him but as if God tooke him immediatly into heauen And so would God in that euill and sinfull age take him away so gently and extraordinarily dissoluing the soule and the body that men might thinke him to goe body and soule into heauen for the better honoring that holy life which he then liued the rather because all other liued so wickedly To any but very meanly exercised in the Scripture it is well knowen that many things are spoken according to the opinion of men according to that which they seemed vnto men So Samuel is said to haue been raised after death by the witch and to haue spoken vnto Saul 1. Sam 28. 11. c. Not that it was Samuel For they that die in the Lord rest from their labors Reu. 14. 13. and are not therefore at the call or command of witches but onely because he appeared in the likenesse of Samuel as Satan can change himselfe into the likenesse of an Angell of light 2. Cor. 11. 14 and because Saul and his company tooke him so to be My second reason is out of the same Chapter For of all the former and of diuers other examples afterward mentioned it is written thus All these through faith obtained good report and receiued not the promise God prouiding a better thing for vs that they without vs should not be made perfect verse 39. 40. If Enoch had beene taken vp in body into heauen then had hee beene made perfect without vs. My third reason is out of the same Epistle also Chapt. 9. 8. where the Apostle by the entrance or going once yeeâ—ely of the high Priest alone into Sanctum Sanctorum into the most holy place doth teach that vnder the Law and whiles the first Tabernacle was standing the way into the holiest of all was not yet opened What meaneth the Apostle by the holiest of all but heauen especially for the bodies of men to enter thereinto For howsoeuer God had prepared heauen to be the common receptacle of the soules of the righteous after death yet Christ was the first that entred in body And this seemeth to bee the stronger argument because in the description of heauen in the same epistle afterward Chap. 12. 23. it is called the city of the liuing God the celestial Ierusalem which hath the company of innumerable Angels the assembly of the congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen and God the iudge of all and the spirits of iust and perfect men and Iesus the Mediator of the new Testament Heere therefore is mention of Angels of God of the spirits of iust men and of Iesus the Mediator heere is no mention at all of any bodies or of any men altogether in heauen If any will reply that this is a description of the whole Church in heauen and in earth both gouernours children and seruants I answer that then the words the congregation of the first borne must comprehend the Church militant in earth and so there will bee none found in heauen but God Iesus Christ the spirits of iust and perfect men and the Angels So all bodies beside the body of Christ are yet excluded Fourthly