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
these knew them not But the Church of God the Israelites knew them not yea they were worse then the Aliants For the Niniuites persecuted not Ionas but beleeued God Ionas 3 4 5. c. But the Israelites persecuted al the Prophets with derision contempt imprisonment death Act. 7. 52. Which of the Prophets haue not your fathers persecuted and they haue slaine them that shewed before of the comming of that iust c. Which were the slaughter-houses of the Prophets and Saints before Christ euen Samaria and Ierusalem Mat. 23. 37. Euen Ierusalem where was the Temple and worship of God where aboue all places in the world Gods name was called vpon Ezec. 16. 46. Thy eldest sister is Samaria thy younger sister is Sodome Againe the world knew not the Apostles that were after Christ In Acts 5. 28. the preaching of the Gospell is counted sedition and rebellion In verse 38. 39. Gamaliel a Doctor of the Law doubteth whether it be of God or of men comparing the Apostles to Theudas and Iudas of Galile that made insurrection in the dayes of tribute In Acts 24. 5. Paul is counted a pestilent fellow a moouer of sedition a maintainer of the sect of the Nazarites In the vers 14. his doctrine is called Heresie chap. 26. 44. Madnesse 1. Cor. 4. 13. We are counted the of-scourings of al things And Iohn the Baptist that came in the way of righteousnesse is said to haue the diuell In the primitiue Church what euills soeuer happened to the City or prouinces of Rome whether famine pestilence earth-quakes warres vnseasonable weather the Christians were thought to be the causes thereof whereupon rose great persecutions whereas indeed they themselues were the causes thereof which by reason of their vnbeliefe and malice brought these iudgements of God vpon thei owne heads And herein note the condition of this blinde world it alwayes hath beene and is suspitious of the truth and the true profession thereof fearing and dreading the same as an enemy to their peace and safety Worldly peace rest safety liberty prosperity is all that the carnall man seeketh for or careth for making the end of their owne doings and Gods doings also the rest ease and pleasures of their bodies and the pompous gloryfying of their persons Whatsoeuer is aboue this and for God they take to be against them because they are against God though not in outward shew yet in spirit yea making themselues their owne Idols Ioh. 11. 48. If we let him alone all men will beleeue in him and the Romanes will come and take away both our place and the Nation These worldly Politicians whose policy was not guided nor seasoned with grace are afraid of Christ and Christian profession If we let him thus alone say they all men will beleeue him to be the Prophet and Messias that should come and so make him King which when Caesar heareth he will come with an inuincible host against vs and vtterly destroy this City and the whole nation Therefore our safest course is by some meanes to plot his death which plot and which meanes was the cause of the same destruction that they feared for the Romane Emperour came and tooke away their place and nation because they slew the sonne of God and persecuted the Gospell These wicked wretches neuer feared that their infidelity pride couetousnes oppression hypocrisie should be the causes of their ruine but they feared the Gospell and godly life Againe Act 5. 24. The chiefe Priest Saduces had put the Apostles in prison but an Angel deliuered them in the night and commanded them to preach in the Temple the next day Now the chiefe Priest and the Captaine of the Temple and the high Priests hearing what was done doubted of them whereunto this would grow These carnall and gracelesse politicians regarding only the establishing of their place and of themselues and of all things for themselues feared an alteration doubted whether it would in the end proue to be with them or against them And because indeed that it could not but be against them for the preaching of Iesus to be the sonne of God the Prince and Sauiour of the world must needs conuince them of rebellion and murther to their vtter disgrace shame and confusion among all the people therefore they laboured by all meanes to murther the Apostles to quench the light of the Gospell In like sort very many in these times hanging between Popery and protestancy doubt and haue long doubted what this geare will grow to in the end In the meane time not regarding at all what their vnbeleefe pride oppression couetousnesse epicurisme and mocking will grow to Furthermore as the world in all times and ages heretofore hath not knowne the straight paths of God so in these present dayes of ours the true and right profession of Christianity is counted of many puritanisme and precisenesse phantasticalnesse affectation of singularity and hypocrisie True it is indeed that as there are true Preachers and true beleeuers so Satan stirs vp counterfeits that haue an outward shew and resemblance of them but are not purged from their inward filthinesse These are they that worldlings stumble at concluding thus euen so are they all therefore their profession is but a kind of sect and to follow the common course and practise of the world is the surest and safest way Here Satan hath his desire Againe if any godly man that hath alwayes made conscience of his wayes shall offend though of meere infirmity or occasioned by some strong temptation but yet so as he may iustly be taxed why then the matter is now out of all doubt both he and all of his rancke are hypocrites and none else such is the blindnes of the world and their praeiudicate opinion of the children of God But now to conclude this first part let me leaue this as a bone for the world to gnaw on that stumbling blockes shall euer be cast before the feet of the wicked yet shall the lanterne of Gods word shine vnto them to guide them without stumbling or erring notwithstanding stumble they will and fall downe euen to the breaking of their necke for their owne wickednesse blindeth them yea and they doe wilfully out of tbe hardnesse of their hearts close their eyes against the wayes of truth because the waies of errour death destruction are more pleasant vnto them Thus much of the principle or ground of the reasons enforcing the exhortation which followeth next in order to be spoken of II. He that followeth me There are sundry sorts of followers I. Yong gentlemen that are trained vp for education sake vnder great personages and for experience countenance and preferment sake in the world are called their followers II. They that hold on some sect of the Philosophers schooles are called their followers III. They that fashion and conforme themselues to the example of any man that excelleth in any faculty are called his
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