branches growing in the tree but drawing no sucke or iuyce of life out of the tree Secondly if we be false and dead limbs then are we separate from the other members hauing no hearty fellowship with them I need not to amplifie this following whereby Gods children follow him by any more specialls for as they follow him in holinesse righteousnesse mercifulnesse loue truth vprightnesse so also in all other things 1 Pet. 1. 15. As he which hath called you is holy even so be ye holy in all manner of conuersation Mat. 5. 48. Be you perfect as your father which is in heauen is perfect 1 Pet. 2. 9. Ye are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darknesse into his maruellous light To this purpose also Christ saith Mat. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen Yea this is the end of your election redemption and calling euen our sanctification 1 Pet. 2. 2. Now the cause why the children of God doe so resemble him in true wisedome righteousnesse and holinesse is because they haue receiued from him the spirit of regeneration Ioh. 3. 4. Except a man be borne of water and the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God that is neither into the kingdome of grace nor into the kingdome of glory He is called the spirit of adoption Rom. 8. 15. You haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba or call God father Whatsoeuer we are how morally good soeuer we be we are but children of wrath quite cut off from God hauing no part at all in him wild Oliues Rom. 11. 24. Bastards and runnagates as Cain and Cham vntill God adopt vs into his family giuing vs the spirit of sonnes of his owne free mercy and grace Tit. 3. 5. 6 Ezech. 36. 26. 17. Because this politicall terme of adoption is vsed often in the Epistles I will briefly declare the meaning thereof Generation or begetting of children is naturall or legall legall generation is a politicall act maintaining nature ordained for their comfort which haue no chidren the law prouiding children for them whom nature hath failed And thus may a man be said to beget children legally Legall generation is also twofold Adrogation and adoption Adrogation is when he that is a free man and vnder no mans power authority or command viz. neither of father or master is receiued into the place of a sonne by an other which thus by law becommeth his father And if he that is thus adrogate haue children they are also vnder his power as Nephewes that is his sons children Adoption is when he that is vnder the power of an other whether father or master is taken by another man to be his sonne and heire And if he haue sonnes that is thus adopted they are the nephewes of the adoptour And although the adoptour cannot giue the spirit of a sonne vnto him which only the naturall father can do yet is the adopted so obliged bound to him for those so great benefits both of freedome and inheritance as that he cannot but for euer be most thankfull to him yea alwayes ready and desirous to testifie the same by his loue dutifulnesse obedience and all meanes towards his adoptour euen as he were his owne sonne and he his naturall father To apply this We euen the best that euer was were vnder the power of others to wit in the bondage and vnder the tyranny of the diuell and sinne who had absolute power and command ouer vs and we miserable wretches yeelded our selues willingly yea with delight into subiection and homage vnto them being destitute of the knowledge of God and godlines Now God of his owne free loue mercy and grace redeemed vs out of the thraldome of those tyrants with the bloodshed and death of his owne sonne which willingly submitted himself in obedience to his father herein for by no other price nor other meanes could this purchase be made Who because he was not only perfect man but perfect God also did by the spirit of sanctification free himselfe from the graue the punishment and imputation of our sinnes and by the power of the same raised himselfe from death vnto life corruption and death hauing no power ouer him This sanctifying spirit of the sonne hath the Father giuen vs that by the power thereof our bond-mens minds wills affections might be mortified and crucified and that sonne-like and spirituall minds wills affections might be put into vs daily renuing vs into the nature of ingenuous and freeborne sonnes This is more then the legall father or adoptour can doe For he can doe no more but binde his adopted sonne to thankfulnesse for his benefits of bodily freedome and earthly inheritance but God hath giuen vs the spirit of his sonne whereby we are made and transformed into naturall sonnes and therefore affectioned towards him as the child is towards his naturall fathel Much more thankfull therefore louing dutifull and obedient ought we to be if we be true sonnes to God our father and Christ our redeemer that hath so dearely bought vs out of the power of sinne death and damnation and brought vs into the glorious liberty of sonnes and hope of euerlasting inheritance together with his owne sonne Therefore it is apparant that it is the spirit which quickneth begetteth fashioneth and conformeth the children of God into the similitude and likenes of God their father wherein at the first they were created and into which they are renewed by the holy Ghost by the Gospell of faith This begetting and quickning spirit is called immortall seede 1. Pet. 1. 23. Being borne a new not of mortall seede but of immortall by the word of God c. 1 Ioh. 3. 9. Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not because his seede remaineth in him c. This seede is not the essence of the holy Ghost but the power thereof begetting faith of the Gospell in vs crucifying the body of sinne in vs and renuing vs into the image of God Rom. 1. 13. 14. If ye mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit ye shall liue for as many as are led by the spirit of God are the sonnes of God Tit. 3 4. We are saued by the washing of the new birth and renuing of the holy Ghost To conclude this point then As the child doth imitate the father by the vnion and identity of the spirit communicated vnto him from the father euen so the child of God doth imitate and follow Christ by the vnion of the spirit of God and Christ which the Apostle calls participation of the diuine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. Wherby most great and pretious promises are giuen vnto vs that by them ye should be partakers
followers but these are secular followers and not pertinent to this place When Christ the light and life of the world preached the Gospell of saluation to the world in the outward forme and appearance of the Prophets that were before him and of his Apostles and ministers after him confirming his doctrine with miracles he had diuers followers I. Some followed him to be cured of their diseases and infirmities Mat. 15. 30. Great multitudes came hauing with them the halt blind dumbe maimed c. Thus the ten leapers followed him and especially the nine that returned not to giue God praise Luke 17. 17. II. Some followed him to gaze on him and his miracles and for this purpose Herod was glad when Pilate had sent him to him hauing been desirous of a long season to see him because he had heard many things of him trusted to see some signe done by him Luk. 23. 8. III. Some followed him for their bellies sake as many doe in these dayes Thus Iudas followed him not because he loued him and embraced his doctrine in sincerity but because he was a theefe and had the bag and bare that which was giuen Iohn 12. 6. Thus the Scribe followed him Mat. 8. 19. Master I will follow thee whither soeuer thou goest He imagined in his earthly heart as did Iudas and the people of the Iewes that Christ should in the end be crowned King of the Iewes and that he would prefer and aduance his followers as earthly Princes vse to doe Therefore Christ shapes him an answer accordingly verse 20. The foxes haue holes and the birds of the heauen haue nests but the Sonne of Man hath not where to rest his head consequently he hath nothing at all wherewith to gratifie his followers and welwillers Thus also a great multitude followed him ouer the sea of Tiberias and from thence backe to Capernaum Iohn 6. 26. Verily verily I say vnto you you seeke me not because of the miracles but because of the loaues that ye ate and were filled Fourthly some followed him of enuy to entangle him in his speechs as did the Pharisies Scribes Sadduces Lawyers and the Herodians which thought that Herod was the Christ These are carnall and hypocriticall followers which neither are meant of here in this place The true following of Christ which here he speaketh of is expressed by diuers similitudes in the Scripture Iohn 10. 21. My sheepe here my voice and I know them and they follow me c. where hearing signifieth Faith and following Obedience In other countries the shepheards driue not their sheepe but they call them and they follow them Euery flocke knoweth the voice of their owne shepheard by often hearing him they follow him but after a strange voice they will not follow Euen so Christs sheep the elect heare his word they know it and acknowledge it and are obedient to it that is they suffer themselues to be ruled and gouerned by their chiefe shepheard Iesus Christ speaking to them and calling them to him in his word yea clocking them together as the hen doth her chickens Mat. 23. 31. But mark the cause why they heare obey him in these words And I know them This knowing is not onely vnderstood of Gods foreknowledge whereby he knew who were his from before all times but of his knowing of them effectually in time I call it effectuall knowledge when the elect are possessed of this knowing or acknowledging them by the inward calling of his spirit And this assurance of Gods knowing them acknowledging and owning them is the cause why they know and acknowledge him and are delighted with his word Againe this true following of Christ is farther expressed in Ephes 5. 1. Therefore be ye followers of God as deare children This verse is a conclusion of an exhortation of the last end of the verse afore going forgiue ye one another euen as God for Christs sake hath forgiuen you Therefore be ye followers c. Children wee know doe imitate their parents not onely in deeds and words but euen in the affections of their hearts and imaginations of their minds resembling them inwardly as they doe outwardly so that a man may say this is right the fathers child or the father will neuer be dead whiles the child liueth Now the reason hereof is because he hath receiued the spirit of generation from the father which frameth fashioneth and worketh him into the image similitude identity or selfenesse as I may say of his father And this is a deare childe because the father doth not onely loue his child but himselfe also in the child and the child not onely loueth his father but himselfe in the father so that the one cannot hate the other vnlesse he hate himselfe and neuer man hated his owne flesh Therfore this vnion is most firme and perpetuall euen so the children of God doe carry the resemblance and likenesse of God in the inner man in holinesse by obedience to the first Table and righteousnesse by obedience to the second Table of the Commandments which both proceed from Loue and Loue from Faith Therefore as God is holy so are his children holy Leu. 11. 44. I am the Lord your God be sanctified and be holy for I the Lord your God am holy As God is righteous so are they righteous 1 Ioh. 3. 7. He that doth righteousnesse is righteous euen as he is righteous As God is mercifull euen so are they mercifull Luke 6. 36. As God is loue so walke they in loue Ephes 5. 2. Walke in loue euen as Christ hath loued vs. 1 Ioh. 3. 14. We know we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren As God is true and iust in all his words and works so are they without hypocrisie and doubting both in respect of God their father and in respect of their brethren For the first it is commanded Ios 24. 14. Feare the Lord and serue him in vprightnesse and truth 1 Sam. 12. 24. Feare the Lord and serue him in truth with all thy heart For the second it is commanded Ephes 4. 25. Cast away lying and speake euery one truth to his neighbour The reason of the commandement is in the words following drawne from the coniunction of our members for we are one anothers members but whose members are we that the 15. verse declareth of Christ our head into whom we grow and by whose spirit we are knit together Therefore if we be the true members we follow Christ our head Contrarily if we be not true members but false counterfeit and dead limmes we are cut off from him separate to the world and bodily lusts or at least if we be not apparantly separate from him but doe still outwardly professe him yet doe we draw no vertue from him leauing no feeling thereof in vs either mortifying sinne in vs or quickning vs to newnesse of life but are as the dead
of the godly nature in that ye flee the corruption which is in the world through lust Quest Hereupon it may be demanded how we are partakers of the godly nature and how we are said properly to be the children of God Answ We are partakers of the godly nature two wayes First in respect of the effect vertues and gifts of the holy Ghost working in vs and by vs as first enlightning our minds with the true knowledge of Christ secondly begetting faith in vs and incorporating vs into Christ thirdly purging out the leauen of naturall corruption in vs fourthly fashioning vs into new obedience fiftly applying Christ with his gifts and treasures vnto vs sixtly leading vs into all truth seuenthly comforting vs in afflictions eightly sealing the certainty of our inheritance in our hearts by his testimony as a pledge or earnest of the promises of God Ephes 1. 14. Hence it is that he is called The spirit of wisedome and vnderstanding the spirit of counsell and strength the spirit of knowledge and feare of the Lord Esay 11. 2. Because hee begetteth worketh and increaseth those vertues and graces in vs. Likewise the spirit of meeknesse Galat. 6. 1. The spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4. 13. The spirit of loue 2 Tim. 1. 7. Moreouer the Apostles were partakers of the diuine nature in respect of those extraordinary gifts wherewith they were endued for the execution of their Apostolicall office Secondly we are partakers of the godly nature in respect of the essence of God not that Gods essence is any part of vs but as he is God euery where filling heauen and earth with his essence so is he in speciall manner with and in his children and by his presence is effectuall in them Whereupon Paul saith Rom. 8. 11. The spirit of him which hath raised vp Iesus dwelleth in you Ioh. 14. 23. If any one loue me he will keep my word and my Father will loue him and we will come and dwell with him God is present with the wicked also but it is in such sort as the Iudge is present with the malefactors Thirdly in this place the following of Christ is compared to the following of light or to a lanterne that giueth light to trauellers to goe the right way without error falling or stumbling Such a comparison the Psalmist maketh Psal 119. 105. Thy word is a lanterne to my feet that I might not stumble nor erre The word then both sheweth the right way for a Christian to walke in and guideth him in the right way to walke without offence So that to follow the light is to haue our conuersation in this world according to the word of God which by his sonne he hath sent and reuealed to vs and is effectuall in them that are saued bringing them out of the darknesse of this world into the glorious light and sunshine of his kingdome and grace Thus much of the exhortation It followeth now to speake of the negatiue reason inforcing the same III. Shall not walke in darknesse What it is to walke or liue in darknesse the Apostle plainly declareth Ephes 4. 17. 18. 19. the 17 verse is a dehortation Walke not as other Gentiles doe in the vanity of their minds Vanity of mind is a priuation or want of true wisedome and knowledge whereupon the imaginations of the minde the affections of the heart and actions of life are not according to true wisedome and knowledge but vaine that is foolish fruitlesse vnprofitable to no end Rom. 6. 21. What fruit had you then in these things whereof you are now ashamed for the end of these things is death In the two verses following he farther expresseth this vaine and foolish life of the Gentiles shewing and declaring it by the causes thereof which are two The first is in the 18. verse namely the corruption of the mind The second is in the 19 verse and that is remorcelesnesse of conscience The corruption of the minde stands in two things First in the presence of euill hauing their cogitation darkned Secondly in the absence of good Being strangers from the life of God Concerning the darknesse of the minde I thus expresse it Man was created in the image of God that is in the true knowledge of God Col. 3. 10. And haue put on the new man which is renued in knowledge after the image of him that hath created him and in true righteousnesse and holinesse Ephes 5. 24. Put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse This knowledge was as a pure and eleare light in the minde of man but after that by the fall man was separated from God this light was darkned that is this knowledge was corrupted with ignorance as a punishment of the fall so that there remained onely some small notions glimmering or remainders of light or knowledge in him Then againe this light or remainder of knowledge is farther corrupted by the frowardnesse of the affections and will Now this small remnant being taken away there succeedeth meere darknesse and brutish ignorance Mat. 6. 23. If the light that is in thee be darknes how great is that darknesse As if he had said if thy naturall reason be darkned through the malice of thy heart there is nothing but meere darknesse Secondly the corruption of the mind standeth in the absence of good strangers from the life of God Life is naturall or spirituall the former we haue by generation from Adam and it is the function of the soule in motion sense and reason Spirituall life is that which we haue by regeneration or new birth which is the action of the holy Ghost begetting faith in vs by the power whereof we destroy the body of sinne and are renued into the image of God which is here called the life of God This life of God Paul doth plainly declare Gal. 2. 19. 20. That I might liue to God I am crucified with Christ as touching the old man 20. Thus I liue yet not I now but Christ liueth in me his spirit worketh new obedience in me In the words following he defineth this dying to sinne and newnesse of life by the cause And in that I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith of the sonne of God The Gentiles and prophane persons are far from this godly life Furthermore this their strangenesse from the life of God is declared by the cause thereof that is their ignorance their ignorance is declared by the cause also to wit the hardnesse of their heart which is the peruersenesse of the will and of the affections in the heart And because froward and peruerse men doe resist and seeke to quench the small light that is in them therefore God giueth them vp into a reprobate minde voide of all iudgement Rom 1. 28. This is the first cause of vaine foolish and fruitlesse liuing The second cause is remorcelesnesse of conscience verse 19. Which being