iustification of vs before God who being himselfe most perfect can accept of nothing but that which is likewise fully perfect absolute like vnto himselfe Fourthly that all men owe more to God as hath been before shewed then they are able to pay yea euen he that oweth least Luke 7. 41. 42. and that therefore no man is able by anie workes whatsoeuer to purchase any new benefits at the hands of God Fiftly that Christ hauing satisfied for all our sinnes as hath been before prooued there are none left to vs to make satisfaction for Touching the Sacraments whereas the papists proclaime matrimony to be one we defend our deniall thereof First because God hath instituted no Sacramental signe for matrimonie Secondly all Sacraments are proper to the church but mariage is as well for them that are without the church as for them that are within it Thirdly that whereas Sacraments are to be coÌ„mon to all sorts of members of the church the Papists themselues deny matrimony to belong to their most holy order of Priesthood Fourthly that Sacraments are instituted for confirmatioÌ„ of our faith in Christ but that matrimony was instituted whiles Adam was perfect not belieuing in Christ before his fall neither standing in need of Christ The like we plead against their other supposed Sacraments besides baptisme and the supper of the Lord. Touching baptism wheras we deny against them baptism to take away originall sinne we defend our selues in this behalfe by the word of God viz. by the example of Dauid in his age acknowledging his originall sinne Psal 51. 5. and of Paul complaining of his like sinne Rom. 7. 7. c. and by the testimony also of Iames Chap. 1. 13. c. Whereas we further deny against them baptism to be absolutely necessary to saluation we defend our selues in this behalfe by the word First because circumcisioÌ„ being the same in significatioÌ„ vse that baptism is was intermitted for 40. yeers in the wildernes 2. Because the children of the faithful as soon as they are born and before baptism are within the Couenant 1. Cor. 7. 14. Touching the supper of the Lord whereas they take away the cup from the people we oppose First the institution in both kinds Secondly the words of the Apostle according to the institution mentioning the cup as well as the bread 1. Cor. 11. 25. c. Thirdly the continuall practise of the Apostles Their transubstantiation feined changing of the essence of the elements in the said supper we confute First by the deliuering of them by Christ himself to his disciples he going afterward into the garden and suffering vpon the crosse which he could not haue done if he had giuen himselfe to his disciples before if they had eateÌ„ him before especially he being then not glorified SecoÌ„dly by the end of the supper viz. the remembrance of Christ Christ being preseÌ„t what need of remeÌ„brance Remembrance is of things absent Thirdly the continuance of Christ in heauen til the end of the world Acts 3. 21. Fourthly the nature of a Sacrament requiring an external signe indeed not only the accidents of a sign as well as the thing signified Fiftly that the fathers of the old testament did eat the same spirituall meat drink the same spirituall drink that we do 1. Cor. 10. 3. who could not carnally eat Christs flesh and drinke his blood he then not being made man Sixtly the fruit of eating Christs flesh drinking his blood viz. eternall life Ioh. 6. 51. which cannot be said of al that receiue that supper Lastly that as there is no alteration of the signe in baptisme so there is no cause of change in the signes of the supper of the Lord. The Popish Masse to be a propitiatory sacrifice for the quick and the dead we lay on the ground as Dauid did great Goliah by the sword of the spirit the word of God Tit. 2. 14. Heb. 9. 12. and 25. 1. Pet. 3. 18. All praier to saints we ouerthrow by the same sword First because in the day of our trouble when if euer we haue need of other friends to solicite our cause to God then especially we haue need of them such trouble testifying God to be displeased with vs because I say in the day of such trouble we are coÌ„maÌ„ded to cal vpon God Psa 50. 15. and vpon no other Secondly because from the beginning of the scriptures to the end there is neither precept nor example nor any sentence to warrant inuocation of saints Thirdly because this is derogatory and disgracefull to the onely mediation of Christ before spoken of yea it is blasphemous against the same Fourthly because although it should be granted that the Saints departed doe know our necessities yet they know not our hearts whether when we pray for our selues we pray in faith and trueth or no. All praier for the dead we wound mortally by the same weapon because the word teacheth vs that they that die and are translated out of this world they die either in the Lord and so are blessed and rest from their labor and haue their reward with God in heauen Reu. 14. 13. or els they die out of the Lord and so they goe to that rich man of whom the Gospell maketh mention euen to the diuell and his angels where they are tormented for euer and from whence there is no more passage to heauen then from heauen thither Luk. 16. 26. And this twofold distinction of men dying either in Christ or out of Christ either in the state of saluation to goe presently to God in heauen or in the state of damnation to be thrown immediatly into hell without any third sort either of men here or of state and place after this life we gather from our Sauiour himselfe saving Either make the tree good and his fruit good or the tree euill and his fruit euill Mat. 12. 33. So he maketh only two sorts of men here all to be good or euill therefore he excludeth any middle sort and so consequently denieth also all middle state or place after this life distinct from heauen and hell Secondly we wound the former heresie of praying for the dead by the forme of praier prescribed by our Sauiour wherein he teacheth vs to pray only for them that may doe the will of God vpon earth that haue need of daily bread for this life and that are in danger of tentation and other euill al which things do belong only to the liuing in this world Worshipping of images or of God in images we doe likewise wound vnto death by the same word viz. by the second commandement and by infinit other Scriptures in the old testament and by some also in the â—ewâ— Acts 17 2â— c. 1. Cor. 6. 9. and 10. 7. 14 1. Pet 4. 3. 1 Iohn 5 21 Reu 21. 8. and 22. 15. Secondly because we are forbidden the worship of the holy glorious Angels Reuel 19. 10. and 22. 8. Much
reade them and hauing read them themselues then also to lend them to other that cannot buy them Let all that reade them make vse also of them as their seuerall occasions shall require What more my beloued brethren shall I say vnto you Euen this that because ye haue beene long hearers of the word the preaching whereof is the meanes both to beginne your regeneration and also to increase your sanctification therefore remember how yee haue receiued and heard and that also ye do hold fast Reuel 3. 3. Yea that with all your might ye keepe that which ye haue that no man take away your crowne verse 11. Are not these the latter times wherein the spirit long since did speake euidently that some should depart from the faith and giue heede to the spirits of errours and to doctrines of diuels 1. Tim. 4. 1. Are they not the last daies perillous times wherin men should be louers of themselues couetous boasters proud cursed speakers c. fierce also no louers at all of them which are good traitors or treacherous heady high minded louers of pleasures more then louers of God hauing a shew of godlines but in truth denying the power thereof 2. Tim. 3. 1. c. Haue ye not therefore the more neede diligently to take heede to the things which ye haue heard lest at any time ye run out Heb. 2. 1. and leake as riuen vessels vse to doe and lest also at any time there be in any of you an euil and an vnbeleeuing heart to depart away from the liuing God and further to exhort one another daily whiles it is called to day and whiles ye enioy the light of the gospell that none of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Heb. 3. 12. c. Yea that also ye watch one ouer another euen as euery Pastor ought to do ouer his flocke that no man fall away from the grace of God c. Heb. 12. 15. Verily beloued ye ought thus to doe and the times do require it at your hands Take heede therefore that in these daies wherein the loue of many waxeth cold and all iniquity is increased no man deceiue you Mat. 24. 4. 12. Looke to your selues that wee lose not the things which we haue done but that we may all receiue a full reward 2. Iohn 8. Be stedfast and vnremoueable not decaying but abounding alwaies in the worke of the Lord knowing that your labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord 1. Cor. 15. 58. And because yee haue not onely beene hearers of the word neither such onely as haue learned somewhat out of the same but haue also made profession of the hope belonging to adoption therefore against all forces and perswasions to the contrary keepe the said profession of your hope without wauering considering one another and whetting one another as yron whetteth yron Pro. 27. 17. to loue and to good workes Heb. 10. 23. 24. both towards God and also towards men that so ye may flourish as palme trees and grow like Cedars in Lebanon and being planted in the house of the Lord ye may flourish in the Courts of our God and still bring forth fruit in your age and be fatte and flourishing Psal 92. 12. Yea that your loue and seruices and faith and patience and workes may be more at the last then at the first Reuel 2. 19. Shall I here conclude my speech vnto you Not so my good brethren but suffer a little further the words of exhortation Heb. 13. 22. Because therefore all the children of God are as it were bound vp in the bundle of life as Abigail speaketh to Dauid 1. Sam. 25. 29. and stickes that are bound continuing so bound cannot be easily broken but the bond whereby they are bound being cut in sunder a child may breake them one by one Because also they be as it were burning coales euen coales of the Lords altar and coales lying together doe keepe their heat but being raked out and scattered vpon the hearth they are soone quenched and doe dye therefore the more excellent by this Treatise ye shall see the state and condition of the children of God to be the more siriue I beseech you to keepe communion with them and forsake not the fellowship that ye haue with them as the maner of some was euen in the golden age and flourishing time of the Apostles Heb. 10. 25. Let no man dare to account that ministery Antichristian which God the father hath vsed and Iesus Christ hath graced with the holy Ghost to the begetting of such Children as cannot be begotten but by the word of truth I ames 1. 18. As therefore ye cannot deny God to haue begotten againe your selues and other and dailie so to doe by the ministrie of the Church of England so ye must acknowledge the meanes to haue beene and daily to bec no other then the word of truth It is no more possible for any to be begotten againe by any word of errour then it is to haue any father of regeneration but God Was it the word of truth and is it not still Or is it to some and ought not all so to account of it Or is it the word of truth to make men new borne babes in Christ 1. Pet. 1. 23. and is it not also that sincere pure milk which such as are so made new borne babes ought still to desire that they may grow thereby 1. Pet. 2. 2. Or can this sincere milke of that word of truth be sucked out of the breasts and pappes of an harlot Or can the same word of truth be publikely preached and maintained with as publike a disclaiming and renouncing of all things contrarie thereunto in a false and an adulterous Church As the Church of God is the piller of truth 1. Tim. 3. 15. so whatsoeuer company is the piller of truth and doth publikely preach and maintaine and vphold the truth that also is to be acknowledged the Church of God If some one man or diuers particular persons do preach some errours in such a Church yea and be suffered so to doe either by the negligence or by want of knowledge of them yet this doth no more nullifie such a Church and make it to be no Church then the suffering of the woman Iezebel which called her selfe a Prophetesse to deceiue Christs seruants to make them commit fornication and to eate meate sacrificed to Idols Reuel 2. 20. did nullâ—fie the Church of Thyatira and make it to be no Church But to returne to that from which I haue a little digressed as it cannot be denied to be the word of truth whereby men haue beene and daily are begotten againe amongst vs neither that can be denied to be the Church of God where the said word is preached and publikely euen by publike authoritie maintained with as publike a renouâ—cing of all errours and forraine Canons contrarie to the said word of truth as these things cannot be denied so also
must such ministers as doe so preach that word of truth that thereby men are begotten againe vnto God be acknowledged to be the ministers of God and sent by God For doth not the Apostle ioine all these together calling vpon God beleeuing hearing preaching and sending them that did preach Rom. 10. 14. 15. And doth he not thereby plainly teach that they do go all together and that none can truely call vpon God which doth not beleeue none can beleeue which doth not heare none can heare which haue no preachers none can preach except they be sent and that consequently whosoeuer do so preach that men therby are brought truely to call vpon God and truely to beleeue in God they are sent of God so to preach Is not the same point further manifest by that argument whereby the same Apostle instifieth his Apostleship and ministery to the Corinthians euen by the successe and efficacie of his preaching amongst them against such as denied his Apostleship as many in these daies doe altogether deny all the ministerie of the Church of England Am I not saith he an Apostle c. Are not ye my worke in the Lord If I be not an Apostle vnto other doubtles I am vnto you for ye are the seale of my Apostleship in the Lord. 1. Cor. 9. 1. 2. And againe Neede we as some other epistles of recommendations vnto you or of recommendation from you yee are our epistle written in our hearts which is vnderstood and read of all men in that ye are manifest to be the epistle of Christ ministred by vs and written not with inke but with the spirit of the liuing God not in tables of stone but in fleshly tables of the heart 2. Cor. 3. 1. 2. 3. What meane all these words Euen this that such had beene the successe of the ministerie of the Apostle amongst the Corinthians that both himselfe had good assurance in his owne heart of his calling vnto them and that other also might thereby euidently perceiue and vnderstand as much Doth not our Sauiour proue his sending as a Messias and to be a Messias by the workes which he did The workes that I do beare witnes of me that the father hath sent me Iohn 5. 39. As his workes beseeming a Messias and in the power of none but of the Messias proued him to bee the Messias so do not also the workes of ministers of the gospell and proper onely to such as are sent from God proue men to be such ministers Doubtlesse saith hee that being borne blinde had his sight giuen him by Christ this is a maruellous thing that ye know not whence he is and yet hee hath opened mine eies Iohn 9. 30. And againe If this man were not of God hee could haue done nothing verse 33. May it not in like maner and much more be said of the ministers of the Church of England to all them that make question of their calling Doubtles this is a maruellous thing that ye know not whence they be or deny them from whence they are and yet they open the eies of the mindes of many Yea euen of them that doe make such question of their calling and doe peremptorily deny them to be of God as those wicked Iewes to whom that poore man so spake denied Christ to be of God If such ministers were not of God they could haue done nothing in the lightning mens eies of their vnderstanding to know what the hope is of his calling and what bee the riches of his glorious inheritance in the Saints c. Ephes 1. 18. No man can make opposition to these things but hee must also oppose himselfe to the former scriptures And if the former scriptures be for the iustifying of the ministery of the Church of England as thereby the word of truth is preached to the effectuall begetting againe of men vnto God no other Scriptures can be against it for the nullifying therof because the scriptures do all most sweetely agree together without any contradiction of any one to any other As therefore when our Sauiour seeing many of his disciples to go back and to walke no more with him that is vtterly to leaue him said vnto the twelue will ye also go away Peter answered him Master to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternall life Iohn 6. 66. 67. 68. so my good brethren though ye doe see many to withdraw themselues from them that haue preached the words of eternall life and still do preach the same and though ye also be earnestly sollicited to doe the like yet determine in your hearts and answer accordingly To whom shall wee go these haue the words of eternall life The comparison obiected by some of children begotten to men as well by adulterie and fornication as by lawfull marriage thereby to insinuate that as such children do not iustify either adulterie or fornication so in like maner such Children as before we haue said to be begotten againe vnto God by the ministery of the Church of England do not iustify the said ministery this comparison I say is so odious so beastly so detestable and abominable that a man would wonder it should come from such men as they would seeme to be that obiect the same For in an adulterous generation as there is a common worke of God so who seeth not also a plaine worke of nature Yea such a worke of nature as is in the very beasts themselues in the procreation of other of their owne kinde But the regeneration of Children vnto God is a worke aboue all nature onely and wholly of God yea of the free grace and abundant mercy of God as afterward shall further appeare Furthermore touching this comparison it might as well haue beene obiected against the former argument of the Apostle from the successe of his preaching amongst the Corinthians as it is now obiected against vs reasoning in like maner from the efficacie and fruit of our ministery Againe all children either in adulterie or infornication begotten and borne in time of the Law were forbidden to enter into the congregation of the Lord that is to bee admitted to any publike office to the tenth generation Deut. 2 3. 2. Dare any man say the like of such as are begotten againe vnto God by the present ministerie of the Church of England Yea dare any man deny any so begotten to haue right and interest into all the promises and blessings of God for this life and for the life to come as well as any other begotten vnto God by the ministery of any other Herein beloued deceiue not your selues Halt not with God neither shew your selues vnthankfull vnto him by denying his rich mercie towards you in your regeneration If ye haue good testimony thereof to your owne soules If by the ministerie of the Church of England ye haue euer felt any true vertue of Christs death to the mortifying of sinne in you and of his resurrection to the life of righteousnes If
courtiers but also aboue the ancient Prophets yet for al that he commendeth the least minister of the Gospell aboue him saying Notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heauen is greater then he Mat. 11. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. The excellency also of the ministers of the word especially of the Gospell is manifest by the honorable names and titles giuen vnto them by God himselfe For are they not called in a speciall manner the men of God 1. Kings 13. 1. 2. Tim. 3. 17. Be they not intituled the lights of the world Mat. 5. 14 yea was not Iohn Baptist called a burning and a shining candle Ioh. 5. 35. Doth not the Apostle say of himselfe and of other We are Embassadors for Christ 2. Cor. 5. 20. Be they not called the salt of the earth Mat. 5. 13. because by their doctrine they should both suck out the corruption of men and season them as it were to be fit sacrifices for God Are not ministers of the word as well as Kings and Princes oft times in the Prophets as also in the writings of the Apostles called by the names of Pastors or shepheards Are not the ministers of the seuen Churches of Asia called starres and Angels Reu. 1. 20. Hath then the Lord alwaies imploied such honorable persons in the calling of his children that is both in the first gathering and begetting of them againe vnto himselfe and also in the feeding nursing and strengthning of them being so gathered and begotten And shall we thinke that the state of the children of God themselues is not likewise very honourable Princes and other men of great place and wisedome vse the more honorable persons in any businesse as before vpon other occasion wee haue heard by the example of Balak King of Moab of Hezekiah and Iosiah c. chap. 5. by how much the seruice it selfe is more honourable Shall we then thinke that the most high God of heauen great in wisedom and power would imploy so honorable persons vpon a businesse not sutable vnto them Doubtlesse as Princes sending forth such in Embassage or employing in some other great seruice such as before were not very honorable doe therefore grace and dignifie them with some new honorable titles as of Knights whereas before they were scarce esquires or of Barons whereas before they were but knights or of Earles whereas before they were but Barons that to this end that their ambassage or other works wherein they are imployed may be the more honorably accounted of yea and because their emploiment being it selfe honourable doth therefore require like honorable persons to be employed therein so because the worke of our regeneration is very honorable and to teach all men honorably to thinke of it therefore hath the Lord with such Titiles dignified and graced his seruants whom he doth employ to worke and effect the same If any notwithstanding that before said of the excellency and preheminence of the ministers of the gospell aboue the ministers of the Law euen aboue the great prophets shall for all that conceiue more honourably of the prophets then of the ordinary ministers of the gospell though there bee no reason so to do because as the ministery it selfe of the gospell is more honorable then the ministery of law and vnder the Law so the ministers also of the gospel are in like manner to be esteemed let such consider also that all the doctrine of the prophets is written for the begetting of the children of God in these dayes as well as it was preached in those dayes for the begetting of the elect then liuing So it is expressely sayd whatsoeuer things are writteÌ„ aforetime are writteÌ„ for our learning that we through patience comfort of the scriptures may haue hope Rom. 15. 14. What hope can there be without adoption and regeneration as shall afterward appeare If then the former writings of the prophets be as well for the regeneration of children to God now as the ministery of the present ministers why may not those writers be as well called ministers for vs as they were indeed for those ages wherein they liued yea they are so called yea they are sayd to haue ministred rather for vs then for themselues and for other that then liued with them So sayth the Apostle Peter most expressely speaking of the prophets that had enquired and searched of the saluation before spoken of by him and saying that vnto them it was reuealed that not vnto themselues but vnto vs they should minister the things which are now shewed by them that haue preached the Gospell c. 1. Pet. 1. 12. These words are not to be taken for a simple deniall as if the Prophets had not ministred at all vnto themselues and to other of those times the things that were afterward preached but rather they are comparatiuely to be vnderstood viz. that they did not so much minister those things to them of that age as to succeeding generations Therfore the regeneration of the children of God of these times is not wrought only by the present ministery but also by the ministery of the ancient Prophets How honorable therefore is that state and condition for the better working whereof the Lord hath not only now giuen present ministers and graced them with honourable names but hath also so many yeers before raised vp such worthy persons as the ancient Prophets were With this argument from the excellency of the instrumentall fathers of our regeneration let vs ioyne an other the like from the excellency of the instrument it selfe whereby the said instrumentall fathers doe beget vs againe vnto God that is from the excellency of the word of God For this is it wherof the Apostle Iames saith thus Of his owne will hath he be gotten vs againe with the word of truth Iames 1. 18. and whereby our soules are renued or restored Psal 19. 7. The Apostle Paul also saith In Christ Iesus haue I begotten you through the Gospell 1. Cor. 4. 15. It is that also whereby we being so regenerated and new borne are fed and nourished and doe grow to a perfect man in Christ Iesus 1. Pet. 2. 2. This word of God is not onely excellent in respect of the author thereof 2. Tim. 3. 16 and respect of the perfect matter therein conteined as afterward wee shall heare but also for these attributes thereof sure right pure cleane or cleane true c. Psal 19. 7. 8. 9. and for that it is called and is said to be the sword of the spirit Ephes 6. 17. liuely and mighty in operation sharperthen a two edged sword entring thorow euen vnto the diuiding asunder of the soule and the spirit and of the ioynts and of the marrow and dâ—scerning the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb. 4. 12. So in these and in other respects it is said to be more to be desired then gold yea then much fine gold and to be sweeter then the hony and the hony combe Psal
is in them Ierem. 8. 9. So when Saul had made more haste then good speed in offering sacrifice before Samuels comming and that contrary to Samuels direction in that behalfe Samuel feared not to tell him that he had done foolishly because hee had not kept the commandement of God and that the Lord would haue stablished his kingdome for euer but that now his kingdome should not continue c. 1. Sam. 13. 13. 14. Because also Asa though otherwise a worthy king had made a couenant with Benbadad king of Syria to aide him against Baasha King of Israel Hanani the Seer did rebuke him in the very same termes telling him that hee had done foolishly c. as Samuel had reproued Saul 2. Chro. 16. 9. If therefore they were iustly charged to haue done foolishly because they had done that which they did against the commandement of God then by the same reason all naturall men be no better then fooles for asmuch as they doe all neglect and contemne the commandements of God The same is further manifest because Moses exhorteth the Israelites to the keeping of Gods commandements by this argument that they should be their wisedome and their vnderstanding in the sight of the people which hearing all those ordinances should say Onely this people is wise and of vnderstanding Deut. 4. 6. Moreouer Christ Iesus is called the wisedome of his father Luk. 11. 49. he is said to haue all the treasures of wisedome and of knowledge hid in him Coloss 2. 3. Vpon him the spirit of wisedome and vnderstanding the spirit of counsell and strength the spirit of knowledge and of the feare of the Lord doth rest Isai 11. 2. Where the vniting the spirit of wisedome vnderstanding Note counsell and knowledge with the spirit of feare doth teach that where there is not the spirit of feare but the spirit of boldnesse security presumption and other impiety there is not the spirit of wisedome of vnderstanding of counsell or of any true knowledge according to that before said in that behalfe He hath the seuen spirits of God in his hand Reuel â— 2. that is all the gifts of the spirit of God which though he be but one in his essence 1. Cor. 12. 11. Eph. 4. 4. yet is called seuen in respect of the diuersity of his gifts and more specially because of the seuen Churches to which he writeth those seuen Epistles and yet all that variety of gifts is called by the name of spirits because one and the selfe same spirit worketh them all or distributeth them all as the former place to the Corinthians witnesseth As therefore none could haue any corne in Egypt but by the hands of Ioseph so Christ Iesus is the high Lord Treasurer of heauen for the dispensing of all the gifts of the spirit in respect where of none can haue any but such only as come to his gates and giue attendance at the posts of his dores Pro. 8. 33. To comprehend all the arguments hitherto vsed in one thus I argue against all naturall and wicked men They that haue not the vnderstanding of Gods will reuealed in his written word They that feare not the Lord in keeping his commandements They that are without Christ Iesus are vtterly voide of true wisedome and therefore be starke fooles All naturall and wicked men are without vnderstanding of Gods will reuealed in his written word They feare not God in keeping his commandements and they are without Christ Therfore they are vtterly void of true wisedom and be stark fooles If any shall reply and ask how it can be that all before mentioned naturall and wicked men may be said to be without knowledge or vnderstanding I answer as before with addition notwithstanding of Iohns words He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him 1. Ioh. 2. 4. For indeed how can any man say that hee knoweth God to be most iust almighty and able to be reuenged of euery sinne against him and yet dareth to breake his commandements And how can any man say that he knoweth God to be most wise most gratious most kind most mercifull and long suffering and yet doth not loue him Or how can he say he loueth him and keepeth not his commandements Ioh. 14. 15. It is therefore most certaine that no man doth truly know God that doth not loue and obey him But let vs shew the former point all naturall men to be vnwise and foolish by some other reasons Thus therefore I proceed True wisedome maketh them that haue it the better All naturall and wicked men are no whit the better for all the learning and other knowledge they haue They lose all that they do according to such learning and knowledge They get nothing thereby but onely heape vp the more iudgement and condemnation to themselues Luk. 12. 47. Therefore consequently they are vnwise and fooles Doe we not so account of men in the world viz. that they are very simple men and of no vnderstanding yea starke fooles that shall altogether busie themselues and spend their time their strength and their wits and their mony about matters of no profit or that shall toile and moile early and late for trifles and neglect matters of moment great worth The best we say of such is that they are penny wise and pound foolish Why then may we not so iudge and speak of naturall men of all continuing in their natural condition which as was said before by Isaiah lay out siluer and not for bread and labor and be not satisfied Isai 55. 2. and which follow altogether vaine things as Samuel speaketh which shall not profit them 1. Sa. 12. 21. For certainly when they haue done al that they can yet it may be said to them as Paul speaketh to the Romanes What fruit haue you in those things Rom. 621. Yea though they should get neuer so much honour and wealth in the world yea though they should winne the whole world yet what profit shall they haue if they lose their owne soules Mark 8 36. May not God say vnto such for all their reputation for wisedome c. as he said to the rich man that hauing great increase of corne took care only for building his barnes greater and liuing after in pleasures and neuer thought of any thankfulnesse to God or of doing any good with his abundance vnto men O foole c. Luk. 12. 20. Moreouer as the word before translated vnwise Eph. 5. 17. Tit. 3. 3. and foolish Galat. 3. 1. signifieth mad men so in truth naturall men are no better then those whom for distraction or losse of their naturall wits we account mad men yea many distracted in their wits or bereaued of their vnderstanding either by abundance of melancholy or by feares or by some accident or by age c. are in a far better state for the life to come then meere naturall men so long as they doe
is to be obserued viz. that he saith not but one foole destroieth Note much good but that he saith but one sinner destroieth much good so he sheweth his meaning by wisedome to be such wisedome as whereby men take heed of sinne and that according to my former writing all sinners are fooles whereunto it accordeth that Dauid saith not The wicked man or the sinner but The foole hath said in his heart there is no God Psal 14. 1. and 53. 1. by the foole meaning the sinner and the wicked man Againe what was it that first deceiued our first mother Eue was it not a false hope of further knowledge doth not this therefore shew that knowledge is a thing much to be desired and that true knowledge is highly to be esteemed Doth not Paul professe that he accounted all things losse yea as very dung euen aâ— the dung that is in the inwards of beasts so the word signifieth in respect of the excellent knowledge of Christ his Lord Philip. 3. 78. All these things doe plainly shew the great dignity of the children of God in respect of the said knowledge and wisedome as wherein as well as in other things consisteth the very matter as it were of their so being the children of God CHAP. XI Of some other branches of the former life of God in all new borne viz. of holinesse and righteousnesse both generally and also in someparticulars LET vs now proceede to some other points both of the life of God before mentioned and also consequently of the further matter of our regeneration and new birth that is of other things wherein our said new birth and regeneration doth consist and that according to our former method in this point viz. of opposition of contraries Here therefore let vs remember that before said namely that euen when men are dead in their sinnes and vtterly voide of the life of God before handled then they are aliue vnto sinne Being so aliue vnto sinne they are likewise seruants not only thereunto but also to satan himselfe For to whomsoeuer we giue our selues as seruants to obey his seruants we are Rom. 6. 16. Iob. 8. 34. 2. Pet. 2. 19. This seruice is the greatest slauery and bondage of all other far greater then the bondage of the Israelites in the house of bondage in the land of Egypt because that was with such feeling that it wrought great heauinesse in them and many praiers and earnest desires to be released thereof But this bondage is such by the meanes of spirituall death that there is no sense at all either of the heauinesse of sinne as hath been before shewed or of the bitternesse thereof yea though for bitternesse no wormewood nor gall be comparable to it yet they thinke it as sweet as hony and the hony combe yea such delight and pleasure doe they take therein that they commit the same with greedinesse Eph. 4. 19. Therefore being offered liberty with most gracious conditions they will by no meanes accept thereof Fearefull therefore in this behalfe is the estate and condition of all men by nature yea hereby also doth that the better appeare which before I handled concerning the naturall foolishnesse and madnesse of men For who but fooles and mad men could beare such burdens as sinnes are without sense and feeling As therefore the very Philosophers accounted such sottish and senselesse persons for seruants by nature so this seruile and slauish condition of all men by nature is the more fitly handled in this place next to that before of the foolishnesse and madnesse of all naturall men because it is an effect or at least a consequent thereof But what is the state of men by Iesus Christ in their regeneration Truly a most sweet and gratious liberty and freedome For as Christ is made wisedome and righteousnesse so also is he made redemption vnto vs. 1. Cor. 1. 30. and often doe we read that Christ hath redeemed vs. Tit. 2. 14. Galat. 3. 13. 1. Pet. 1. 19. and often elsewhere Our Sauiour himselfe saith that If men did continue in his word then they should shew themselues to be his disciples indeed and they should know the truth and the truth should make them free Ioh. 8. 32. and againe If the sonne shall make you free you shall be free indeed vers 36. He meaneth in this place freedome from the yoke bondage and extreme slauery of sinne When Peter had answered our Sauiour that Princes tooke toll or custome of strangers our Sauiour replieth then are the children free Mat. 17. 26. That which our Sauiour speaketh in that case may be much more vnderstood in this whereof now we speake because we speake of the children of God What Prince of power to deliuer will suffer his subiects especially his children to be in bondage and captiuity How then can it be that God being of all power should suffer his children to be in bondage especially so great a bondage as the bondage of sinne Notwithstanding being freed from the seruitude of sinne we are made the seruants of righteousnesse Rom. 6. 18. But this seruice is perfect freedome When any child especially the sonne of a Prince hauing been in captiuity to some enemies is freed from the said captiuity doth he account it any bondage to serue his Father and soueraigne No it is his liberty and great honor that he may serue him When men therefore are freed from the bondage of sinne and Satan how great is their liberty how vnspeakable is their honour to serue their heauenly father the king of kings It is not possible to serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse till first we be deliuered from our enemies Luk. 1. 74. 75. As a man loaden with many fetters and irons cannot in any thing serue his Prince till his said fetters and irons be knocked off so no man can serue God except first he be discharged from the bolts and fetters of sinne ten thousand times more heauy then any irons Therefore Paul saith in the place before alledged that Christ gaue himselfe for vs first that he might redeeme vs from all iniquity secondly that he might purge vs and thirdly to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe zealous of good workes T it 2. 14. We cannot therefore be zealous of good works except first we be redeemed from the guilt of all iniquity and purged from the blemish and freed from the bondage thereof This our freedome likewise and liberty is signified by that which before was alleged that he that is borne of God sinneth not neither can sinne because the seed of God abideth in him 1. Ioh. 3. 8. that is sinne hath not dominion ouer him as before it had neither can haue because being once freed he shall neuer returne into the bondage thereof neither doth hee sinne with delight therein so far foorth as hee is regenerated and borne of God That sinne wherewith at any time he is ouertaken is but a suddain passion of the old man remaining in
hatred is said to haue been more against Tamar then his loue had been towards her 2. Sam. 13. 15. Dogs loue in this manner for let their masters that doe alwaies feed them but vnawares tread a little vpon their foot and they will be ready to bite them by the leg if not to slie in their face It is far otherwise with the children of God For so many as are new borne not of mortall but of immortall seede by the word of God hauing purified their soules in obeying the truth to loue brotherly without feining doe accordingly loue with a pure heart feruently 1. Pe. 1. 23. Now although that place be vnderstood specially of brotherly loue yet he that loueth them that are begotten will much more loue him that hath begotten And indeed how can the children of God but loue him whom they know by his word to be so mighty so infinit so wise so iust and euery way so good in himselfe and so gracious so louing and so mercifull towards them whom he hath so loued as to make them his children in such manner as hitherto we haue heard and shall further heare As touching the loue of the children of God towards men especially towards such as are the children of God with themselues how can they but loue them that are his creatures and the workmanship of his hands yea and which doe resemble their heauenly father and their eldest brother and that are stamped with the same spirit wherewith themselues are stamped that are heires likewise of the same inheritance and for the loue of whom there be so many precepts to command it so many sentences to commend it so many promises to prouoke it so many examples to encourage vnto it In all these respects the said loue is very excellent and precious the more because it doth not only come from God alone but also because that thereby we know that wee are translated from death to life and that we are of the truth and shall before him assure our hearts 1. Ioh. 3. 14. The Apostle saith not that Note thereby we are translated and that thereby we are assured but only that we know our selues so to be So then this loue is a speciall part of the euidence of our saluation and of our comfortable appearance before him both in this life and also in the life to come euen in the great day when all flesh shall be gathered together and when the books of all mens actions known and secret shall be opened before him That which the Apostle in the former Chapter vers 29. had ascribed to the whole worke of regeneration is in the places before alledged ascribed to this one point thereof viz. our vnfeined loue towards other the children of God because indeed all other things are nothing without it 1. Cor. 13. 1. 2. and where that is there are all other graces either as causes working it and by it or as effects and fruits thereof comming from it and therefore as before we haue heard it is called the fulfilling of the law and the bond of perfection Our Sauiour also saith that vpon these two commandements Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy soule with all thy strength and with all thy minde and thy neighbour as thy selfe hangeth the whole law and the Prophets Mat. 22. 40 So that these two points either as they are to be performed by vs or as they Note be performed for vs by our Sauiour Christ Iesus are the text as it were of all the rest of the word of God which is so excellent that when Dauid had learned much thereof yet he praieth the Lord to open his eyes that he might see the wonders of his law Psal 119. 18. thereby nothing that the wonders of the law of God which he did see he accounted in a manner as nothing in respect of those which he did desire further to behold So also in further commendation of the excellency of the said law he saith againe Thy testimonies are wonderfull therefore doth my soule keepe them vers 129. If therefore the word of God be so excellent is not that also excellent that is the chiefe subiect matter thereof and whereunto all that is contained in the word some way or other may well be referred Notwithstanding although this loue be so excellent yet it is not as the papists blurt it out and stoutly defend it the forme of faith For then should it be a part of faith yea the chiefe part of faith and that part without which faith should haue no being at all because the forme doth giue being to that which is formed and so it should be no otherwise distinguished from faith then as a part of faith it selfe which is directly repugnant to that place which they especially plead for the magnifying of loue And now abideth faith hope and loue these three 1. Cor. 13. 13. For in this place we see the Apostle as plainly to distinguish loue from faith as he doth distinguish hope and to make these to be three How could this be if loue were a part of faith and if faith were no faith without loue Indeed there is no faith without loue but if therefore we should make loue to be the principall part of faith we should make many a mad conclusion Againe loue by the doctrine of the Papists vpon the former place is better then faith Can a part be better then the whole Then it should be better then it selfe with addition of another good thereunto Loue also is an effect of faith as before we heard out of 1. Tim. 1. 5. therefore it cannot be the forme of faith Last of al by faith we meane faith in Iesus Christ and euery mans beleeuing of the particular forgiuenesse of his own sinnes and of his own particular saluation by Iesus Christ The loue that is required of vs was in Adam before his fall in whom there was no such faith But to returne to the excellency of the loue before spoken of as we haue heard the loue of the wicked to be very variable and soone quenched yea turned oft times into extreme hatred so the loue of the children of God is most constant and abideth to the end Loue doth neuer fall away though that prophecying be abolished or the tongues cease or knowledge vanish away 1. Cor. 13. 8. The loue of the children of God being sincere without dissimulation Rom. 12. 9. well rooted and grounded Ephes 3. 18. vpon the word and in Christ Iesus it is constant without wearinesse either in affection or in action Gal. 6 9. As God loueth to the end whomsoeuer he loueth Ioh. 13. 1. so his children walke in the steps of the same loue Ephes 5. 1. 2. To conclude this point the more excellent this loue is a speciall point wherein consisteth the matter of our regeneration the more excellent also is the estate and condition of all the children of God so regenerated in whom alone it
subiect and continueth the same time but herein it differeth that the obiect of faith is the whole word of God but the obiect of hope is only the promises in the word By faith we beleeue all things written in the word of things past present and to come as hath been said in chap. 8. But by hope we â—â—e expect and looke for onely those things that are in the word promised to be performed her easter either generally concerning the Church or particularly concerning our selues So all the good promised hereafter to be performed is beleeued by faith and expected or looked for by hope Euery truth therfore of God reuealed in his word written is the obiect of faith For by faith we beleeue the word touching the creation of the world by the word Heb. 11. 3. but hope hath only relation to the promises of God Therefore the Apostle exhorting the Hebrews to keepe the profession of their hope without wauering confirmeth the same by the faithfulnesse of him that hath promised Heb. 10. 23. So he restraineth hope only to the promises of God As by faith we beleeue as well the promises of this life as of the life to come and therefore the iust man doth liue by his faith as well touching this life as touching the life to come so by hope we doe expect or looke for the performance as well of the promises of this life as of the life to come Notwithstanding as the things of the life to come are the principallest obiect of faith so also be they of hope This hope is as proper to the children of God as faith it selfe because it is an handmaid only of faith looking only for the performance of those things which faith beleeueth shall be performed Therefore it is ioined with faith 1. Cor. 13. 13. T it 1. 1. 2. 1. Pet 1. 21. and Iude 20. and 21. Therefore also these words Faith and hope to beleeue and hope are often confounded and are vsed one for another This faith and hope are immortall they shall neuer perish The seed of saith is immortall Christ Iesus the obiect of faith is the sâ—me yesterday to day and for cuer By faith we ouercome all things and all things are possible vnto vs. How then can faith decav By faith â—e are also kept vnto saluation 1. Pet. 1. 5. How then can faith itselfe perish It faith perish whereby we are kept vnto saluation where is our safety Peter proueth faith o be better then gold because gold perisheth though it be neuer so well tried and refined in the fire 1. Pet. 1. 7. How is this argument good if faith may perish as well as gold If faith do thus continue then also doth hope for these are twinnes borne together liuing together and lasting one as long as the other The hope therefore of Gods children shall neuer be frustrated it shall not be confounded Those things that proue the perpetuity of faith proue also the perpetuity of hope The same is also euident by the attribute liuing wherby Peter deseribeth the hope of them that be begotten againe 1. Pet. 1. 3. Paul saith it maketh not ashamed Rom. 5. 5. Salomon saith The patient abiding that is the hope of the righteous shall be gladnesse Pro. 10. 28 In this place and in that of Peter let it be obserued that hope is limited only to them that are begotten againe and to the righteous This is the more because we are as often taught that the hope of the wicked shall perish When Salomon had said in that place before alleged The hope of the righteous shall be gladnesse presently he addeth but the hope of the wicked shall perish Bildad saith that As the rush cannot grow without mire or moisture so the hypocrites hope shall perish Iob 8. 13. Zophar saith The eye of the wicked shall faile and their refuge shall perish and their hope shall be sorrow of mind Iob 11. 20. The Psalmist saith The desire of the wicked shall perish Psal 112. 10. If their desire shall perish can their hope continue Who doth not desire that which he hopeth for Salomon saith againe when a wicked man dieâ—h his hope perisheth and the hope of the vniust shall perish Pro 11. 7. Examples hereof are many How vaine was the hope of the mother of Sisera and of her wise laâ—â—es touching the safe returne of Sisera with great so â—ile Iudg 5. 28. How was the great boasting hope of great Goliah decerued 1. Sam. 17. 44. The like may be said of Ahâ—b touching good successe against Ramoâ—h Gilead 1. Kings 22. 6. and of the hope of Saneherib touching the like successe against Ierusalem 2. Kings 18 28. So also of the hope generally of all Papists and particularly both of the Spaniards in the yeer 15 88 and also of many of our own Papists here at home here to fore and of late in the powder treason and of many other What an excellent priuilege then is this of the children of God that their hope grounded vpon God word for things either of this life or of the life to come shall not be frustrated but certainly accomplished yea that we may be the better assured that our hope shall not deceiue vs it is called the helmet of saluation 1. â— hes 5. 8. whereby we are taught that as the helmet or an head peace defeÌ„deth the head from all wounds so likewise hope is a principall part of the spirituall armor for the defence of a spirituall man from spirituall dangers and for keeping him from despaire of saluation If hope bee a speciall preseruatiue against despaire of saluation then also must it be against despaire of things promised for the comfort of this life Feare not little flocke saith our Sauiour it is your Fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome Luk. 12. 32. By the assurance therefore of a kingdome hee strengthneth them against all feare of want of things for this life Can we rightly hope that God will giue the greater and doubt or feare that he will not giue the lesse viz. the things of this life yea therefore hope is compared to a sure and sted fast ancre of the soule fastened to that which is with in the vaile Heb. 6. 19. This is a sweete and most comfortable comparison viz. of hope not to an ancre only but to a sure ancre to a stedfast ancre not fastened in the bottome of the sea in sand or in any earth but in heauen euen in God himselfe or in Christ Iesus more firm then any rocke How soeuer therefore the children of God be here as it were vpon the midst of the seas tossed with mighty stormes and tempests yet as a ship by a strong ancre with a cable sutable well fastened is the more safe in great stormes and tempests so according to the words of the same Apostle in the same place verse 18. the children of God by their hope well fixed and fastened vpon the things especially within the
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
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
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
had so graced and aduanced him in his family though he were still but a seruant what conscience are we to make of all duty to God for honouring of him that being so base and vile as wee were are by him aduanced to be his children That we may thus heare and obey God it becommeth vs especially to auoid the society of the wicked before lightly touched And indeed what greater disgrace for the sonnes of a Prince and a mighty monarke then to confort with clownes and scullians and such like Much more may bee said of the disgrace of the children of God by the communion and fellowship of the wicked If we cannot auoid their company yet let vs take heed of all pollution by them Noah and his family liued amids the whole sinfull and wicked world and Lot among the filthy Sodomits yet these kept themselues vnspotted Our Sauiour saith to the Angell of the Church of Sardi Thou hast a few names yet in Sardi which haue not desiled their garments Reu. 3. 4. yet these few liued amongst a great number that had a name to be aliue and yet were dead Howsoeuer therfore we be thrust and thronged with the wicked yet such must be our care for our selues that their soily and filthy garments may not defile and pollute ours We must also take heed of too much worldlinesse lest therby we be defiled and do spot those ornaments and rich robes before spoken of we must vse the world as if we vsed it not As the moule alwaies liueth in the earth and yet keepeth her skinne as faire as cleane and as fine as the best and most curiously brushed veluet gowne in a kingdome so must we keep our adoption and all the robes thereof euen in the mids of this sinfull and therfore most dangerous age This caueat thus to looke to our selues in respect of the world is very necessary For there is nothing more dangerous to mans saluation then the world with the riches delights honors and other things therein When no tentation els could take hold of our Sauiour then the diuell set vpon him with this argument from the world viz that hauing shewed him all the kingdomes of the world he woulâ— giue him all these if he would fall downe and worship him Esau for the world sold his birthrigh Heb. 12. 16. Iudas for a small morsell of the world sold and betraied his Lord and master and our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Demas foâ—sooke the Apostle Paul and embraced this present world 2. Tim 4. 10. The like may bâ— said of many other Another more speciall vse conceâ—neth chiefly the ministers of the word viz. that the more excâ—llent they vnderstand the state of the children of God to be the more diligent they be in teaching of them and warching ouer them as also the more carefull to feed them with the purer and better diet beseeming their excellency Do not nurses to the children of kings and Queens thus at least ought they not so to do may they then whom God hath appointed to be nurses to his own children be more carelesse This briefly shall suffice for the vses of the former discourse of the dignity of Gods children yea this also shall serue for the first part of my present text viz. of the Apostles exhortation to the serious consideration of the dignity of Gods children CHAP. XXXII Of the obiection that might be made against all generally before written of the dignity of Gods children and of the first part of the Apostles answer thereunto THe former part of this text being alreadie handled it remaineth now to speake of the second viz. of the Apostles answer to an obiection that might be made against that which the Apostle had spoken and which I haue now more plentifully laid forth of the dignity of Gods children This I will but run ouer in a trice because that which I haue written was the principall point the which at the first I intended and propounded vnto my selfe That which remaineth is but an appendix of the former and therefore it needeth not so largely to be handled The obiection which might haue been made against the Apostles former commendation of Gods loue in making vs his children is this Is the loue of God so great so vnspeakable and so admirable in making vs his children And is our state and condition in being the children of God so worthy so excellent so honorable How can this be sith of all other men in the world we are least respected least regarded yea we are not so much as knowen almost in the world To this the Apostle giueth a double answer or acknowledging indeed the thing obiected viz. that we are not regarded yea not so much as known in the world he giueth a double reason why the world doth so little respect vs scarce knowing vs namely first because it knoweth not God himselfe in this verse secondly because it is not yet euident to the world what wee shall bee heereafter in the beginning of the next verse Before we come to the words themselues let vs note and only note this that whosoeuer will commend any thing to other as worthy of their consideration and obseruation they must before also thinke of that which may and will be obiected against the same as also prepare answer to the said obiection For there is nothing so holy so excellent so sound but that the wit of man hath somewhat or will haue somewhat to obiect to the disgracing abasing and peruerting thereof Therefore the Lord hath giuen vs such a word euen such a Scripture and written word as is not only profitable or sufficient to teach namely the truth but also to improoue or to couuince and confute all errours and whatsoeuer may bee obiected against the said truth neither onely to instruct in righteousnesse that is to exhort vs vnto all vertue but also to correct or to reprooue all vice and whatsoeuer may bee said against vertue that so the man of God that is the Minister of the word may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good works This might largely bee prooued by infinite examples in the Scriptures but as I promised only to note it so I wil performe my promise in that behalfe To returne therefore to the words of the Apostle let vs first see the meaning of the said words and then the matter it selfe The first word the world hath diuers significations First it signifieth the whole masse and lumpe of all Gods creatures especially visible as when it is said that God made the world Act. 17. 24. and that hee chose vs before the foundations of the world were laid Ephes 1. 4. Secondly it signifieth this inferiour part of the world with all things therein contained or thereto belonging So it is said the diuell did shew vnto Christ all the kingdomes of the world Matth. 4 8. And the field is the world Matth. 13. 38. And He was the light that ligtneth euery one that
commeth into the world Ioh. 1. 9. Hee was in the world verse 10. And Loue not the world neither the things that are in the world 1. Ioh. 2. 15. Thirdly it is taken for the elect men of the world Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world Ioh. 1. 29. So God loued the world Ioh. 3. 16. He sent not his sonne that the world might be condemned but that the world might be saued verse 17. Fourthly it is vsed only for the wicked of the world and for all men vnregenerated and that for two reasons First because they sauor only the things of this world and do mind nothing but worldly things Secondly because they are the greatest part of the world and for the most part beare the chiefest sway and swinge in the world as though they were the only lords and kings of the world whereas indeed the least part is theirs yea they haue no right or interest to any thing in the world as hath been before shewed The word translated world naturally signifieth order or ornament and beauty because indeed all things were at the first created in most excellent order and were so beautifull that they were a great ornament to God himselfe the creator of them Now the wicked are not only the greatest part bearing the greatest sway and swinge in the world but also accordingly they are the only gallants outwardly of the world brauing it out aboue all other in such manner that if they were out of the world the world might seem to be no world and to haue no beauty in it In this signification is the word taken when it is said the world knew not Ioh. 1. 10. If the world hate you ye know that it hated me first If ye were of the world the world would loue his owne but because ye are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you Ioh. 15. 18. 19. So it is taken Ioh. 16. 8. He shall reproue the world of sinne and Ioh. 17. 9. I pray not for the world So it is taken in many other places These are the principall significations of this word world and in this fourth signification it is taken in this place The next word here is the word knoweth To omit the diuers significations of this word in other places here it signifieth as before hath been insinuated not to acknowledge not to regard or respect So it is said that our Sauiour shall say at the last day to them that shall plead their prophecying and casting out of diuels in his name I neuer knew you c. Mat. 7. 23. that is I neuer approued you liked you or regarded you Yea here as the words Despise not prophecying 1. Thes 5. 20. import not only that they should not contemne it but also that they should honorably regard it so this word not to know in this place signifieth not only not to regard or respect but also to contemne and despise yea to hate and to prosecute and to persecute with all euil So it is taken else where All these things will they doe vnto you for my names sake because they haue not knowen him that sent me Ioh. 15. 21. These things will they doe vnto you because they haue not known the father nor me Ioh. 16. 3. In both these places not to know signifieth nâ—t only to be ignorant or to neglect or not to regard but also to contemne and despise The same is the significatioÌ„ of this phrase in this place The meaning therefore of these words for this cause the world knoweth you not is this that for this cause the wicked vnregenerated of the world do not acknowledge and regard you that is they do contemne despise and persecute you so also of the words following because it knoweth not him that is because they regard not or respect not himselfe yea because they contemn and despise and what they can doe also persecute him Thus we see the obiection that might be made against the excellency of Gods children to be taken from the hatred of the world that is of all the vnregenerate in the world against them and the answer thereunto to be that this is not a thing to be maruelled at or so to be taken that we should be discouraged by it the more think the dignity of Gods children not to be so excellent as before the Apostle had commended it to be for as much as they that do thus little regard and brook Gods children yea hate and despise them do as little regard as hardly brook God himselse yea they hate and despise him And this their not knowing of God yea their hatred and despising of God is the very cause why such do not know the children of God but hate and despise them The truth of both these viz. that all the wicked do hate and despise both the children of God also God himself and that they do therfore hate and despise his children because they do first hate and despise him is sufficiently euident by the places before alledged For the said places do not only manifest the signification of the words phrases but the truth also of the things themselues And the reason why the wicked do make so little reckning of Gods children of God himselfe yea why they hate contemn both is because of the great contrariety that is betwixt them betwixt Gods children and God himselfe euen as great as is betwixt light darknes betwixt good and euil As God himself is light and hath no darknes in him 1. Ioh. 1. 5. so they that haue fellowship with him and walke in light euen all his children are called the children of light and of the day 1. Thes 5. 5. and lights themselues Philip. 2. 15. Therfore as God himselfe doth hate condemne all darknes and all works of darknes so his children do the like and cannot beare them in the wicked but do reproue them rather Ephe 5. 11. This then is the reason of the hatred of the wicked against the children of God and against God himselfe And this hatred is manifest by examples of such as being bound one to another by the bond of nature notwithstanding hate them to whom they are so bound euen because of the light that is in them wherby they shew themselues the children of the light euen of God himselfe So Cain hated Abel because his own works were euill and his brothers good 1. Ioh. 3. 12. So Ishmael hated Esau Iacob Saul both Dauid and also his own sonne Ionathan for his good loue towards Dauid The like may be said of many other yea indeed of the hatred of al that are wicked against the godly That somtimes the wicked are said to loue the children of God yea also to reuerence them to shew them much kindnes it is first of al for other causes and respects not for their godlines as for their
not alwaies in the pangs of the most violent and cruell death reioice with ioy vnspeakable and glorious Verily in respect of this our likenes vnto Christ at his comming to iudgement all our likenes vnto him here is but as an earnest penny As therefore the earnest of a man giuen vpon a purchase is the least part of the paiment and nothing in a manner in respect of that which remaineth to be paied and as the first fruits were but an handfull in respect of other fruits afterward to be reaped so all the graces of God here and all our similitude vnto Christ in this life is but a corner and a pittance as it were of this our future likenes vnto him here spoken of All the perfection that here the best of vs all doe atteine vnto is but as a crust of bread in respect of an whole loafe at least but as a little breakfast to staie our stomackes till the supper of the Lambe when our likenes vnto him shall be compleat in all the delineaments and proportion thereof that so we may not thinke the time too long till the supper it selfe do come All the graces of God likewise in this life and all the beginnings of our regeneration and sanctification in this life are but loue tokens like to the iewels of siluer and of gold and the raiment that Abrahams seruant gaue to Rebecca before her parents and her brother Laban as testimonies of Isaacks loue towards her Gen. 24. 53 giuen by Iesus Christ vnto vs against the solemnization of the mariage it selfe This likenesse of the children of God vnto Christ Iesus being God and man and so excellent euery way as before we heard him to be doth exceedingly increase and amplifie that their dignity which I haue so largely laid forth in handling the maine proposition of the former verse euen as we see the creation of the first man in the similitude and likenes of God doth exceedingly commend and set forth the excellent state and condition of the said first man so long as he continued therein This is the more because this similitude once attained in that perfection that is here spoken shall neuer bee lost as that image of God was wherein at the first we were created yea it shall neuer any more be defaced or any whit blemished Neither Satan nor the world nor our owne flesh shall euer any more preuaile in vs to draw vs to any sinne for a season All these and all other the enemies of our saluation included in these shall then bee fully ouercome and subdued and so farre shall they be from doing vs any harme in any thing that they shall neuer come neere vs neither euer bee able to lift vp their least finger against vs. Then as Moses saide of the Egyptians to the Israelites The Aegyptians whom yee haue seene this day yee shall neuer see them againe So shall we find it true of all the spirituall enemies of our saluation after this our perfect likenesse vnto Christ thus obtained The enemies which we haue seene by whom wee haue beene much molested and troubled yea who did often foile and wound vs most dangerously we shall neuer see them any more yea as we speake in our common prouerbe we shall neuer heare or see hide nor haire of them Thus much of our future likenes it selfe vnto Christ Now followeth the second point here to be considered viz. our knowledge and certainty thereof For the Apostle saith not that howsoeuer it appeare not vnto other yet we hope or expect and looke to be made like vnto him but he saith we know that we shall be like vnto him This word know is not a word of doubting but of most certainty For it is not spoken only of the creatures men and Angels but also of God himselfe Our Sauiour saith twice in one Chapter that Our father euen in heauen knoweth what we neede Mat. 6. 8. and 32. where is the very same word in the originall that is in this place So it is attributed to Christ Iesus knew from the beginning which they were that beleeued not Iohn 6. 64. and againe The world hath not knowen thee but I haue knowen thee c. Ioh 17. 25. in both which places is the very same word Many other the like places there are where this very word is attributed to God and to Christ Iesus Shall we think that their knowledge is not certaine There is therefore no question but that the Apostle meaneth our future knowledge of our likenes vnto Christ to be a thing most certain and vndoubted From whence also followeth that they that are the children of God are sure they shal neuer wholly and finally fall away from God and from that excellent state of the children of God before spoken of and wherunto they are called in Christ Iesus For if they might so fall away then the Apostle could not speake of their future likenes vnto Christ with that certainty that he doth neither could he say we know that we shall be like him For they that are in danger of finall falling without recouery doe not certainly know that they shall be like vnto Christ Now as here the Apostle saith we know so afterward vers 14. of this present chapter he vseth the same phrase and the same word againe in the same matter Wee know that wee are translated from death to life if wee loue the brethren and againe another word of the same signification verse 19 Hereby wee know that wee are of the truth and shall before him assure our hearts I haue spoken of this certainty of our likenes vnto Christ before in speaking of the certainty of our inheritance therefore the lesse shall need in this place notwithstanding something here also will be expected by the reader because I referred him in the former place for further matter of this certainty to the handling of these words For better performance of my said promise and for the better satisfaction of the readers expectation in this behalfe let vs first here in a word remember my former foure arguments besides some things spoken of this point in handling the attributes of that inheritance mentioned 1. Pet. 1. 4 for demonstration of this certainty Those arguments therefore in one word were these The first was from diuers expresse places of Scripture The second from the immutable constancy of God The third from the righteousnesse of God The fourth from this attribute of all the children of GOD that they are the members of Christ These are handled before in Chapter 26. and shall not need now to be otherwise repeated Only for amplification a little of the second former argument from the immutable constancy of God let vs remember the constant speech of Isaack when he had vnwares yet according to Gods appointment blessed his sonne Iacob whereas he had thought to haue blessed Esau yea and did thinke that he had so done when Esaâ— returning home intreated his father Isaack
to blesse him according to his former promise For this patriarke Isaack hauing so blessed Iaacob when his sonne Esaâ— returned from hunting and brought Venison ready dressed vnto him and craued his blessing this Izhaack I say told his sonne Esau what had fallen out in his absence and saith plainly I haue blessed him therefore he shall be blessed Genes 27. 33. As if he should haue said My blessing is past already Thou comest now too late I haue giuen my blessing to him to whom by the appointment of God at the first it did belong therfore whatsoeuer thou hast done at my commandement and howsoeuer I promised indeed to blesse thee yet hauing now spoken the word for the blessing him that came before thee I neither will nor can reuoke it Dauid seeming to allude to the former words of Isaack in his praier for the blessing of God vpon his house vseth the very same words almost if not altogether speaking thus Now it hath pleased thee to blesse the house of thy seruant that it may bee before thee for euer for thou O Lord hast blessed it and it shall be blessed for euer 1 Chron. 17. 27. The like constancy we read of that heathen and wicked man Pilate For when hee had written this title vpon the head of Christ on the Crosse Iesus of Nazaret the King of the Iewes and when the high Priests of the Iewes being offended with the said title perswaded him to alter it and said Write not The king of the Iewes but that he said I am the king of the Iewes what answered Pilate Was he content to alter his former writing Not so but he answered What I haue written I haue written Iohn 19. 19. 21. 22. Did these men the one an elect of God and a good man the other a reprobate and most wicked did these I say thus hold themselues to their own notwithstanding earnest requests to the contrary Shall we think that God will shrinke go back of his word for the casheering of any whom once he hath enrolled and written in the book of life No no though all the world should solicit him to the contrary yea though it were possible that the Angels of heauen shold so do yet wil not God goe one inch back of his word touching any of his children whom he hath determined to make like vnto his owne sonne He will not flinch a whit or start aside an heires bredth but to all such as shall plead for the cutting of the names of any of his out of the table or book of life he will answer as Isaack did to Esau I haue blessed them therfore they shall be blessed and as Pilat answered the high priests of the Iewes whom I haue written I haue written To leaue this argument and to proceed vnto other If they be blessed that walke not in the counsell of the wicked c. that trust in the Lord c. that feare the Lord c. then are they certaine of their future likenesse vnto Christ For where there is no certainty therof there caÌ„ be no blessednes But such are pronounced blessed in the Psalms in the other scriptures therfore they are certaine of this their future likenes to Christ The like may be said of the commandement of the Apostle giuen to all that are in Christ for reioicing in the Lord yea for reioicing alwaies Philip. 44. For what ioy can there be where there is continuall doubting of â—his future likenes vnto Christ Againe by so many arguments as whereby before we haue laid forth the dignity of Gods children we may also be assured of this our future likenes vnto Christ viz. by Gods loue in making vs his children because whom he loueth he loueth to the end by the difficulty and greatnesse of that worke For would he do so difficult so great and so admirable a worke and not bring it to perfection or what perfection hath it without this likenes to Christ by the meanes whereby he worketh it viz. by the immortall seed For how is that seed immortall if they perish that are begotten again by it I meane touching the spirituall life whereby they are so begotten againe Or how doe they continue if they neuer attaine vnto but come short of this likenes vnto Christ by their vnion with Christ and communion with the Father and the holy ghost which we heard to be indissoluble once made and neuer dissolued by their liberty and free accesse to God in praier with assurance to be heard as in other things so also in asking of this their future likenes vnto Christ by the forgiuenesse of their sins the only let of their likenes vnto him Gods couenant therein being a couenant of salt euen an euerlasting couenant by the working of all things together for their good by their freedome from condemnation by the blessed inheritance before spoken of and almost by all the other arguments Last of all all that are in heauen may be sure without doubting of their future likenes vnto Christ But all the children of God that are regenerated by the word of truth are in heauen Therfore they may be sure without doubting of their future likenes in grace and in glory vnto Christ The first part of this reason that all in heauen may bee sure without doubting of their future likenes to Christ c. is so euident that no man will deny the same sith there is no fetching any thing from thence That which our Sauiour saith as a reason to prouoke men to lay vp treasures in heauen viz. that There neither the moth nor canker doth corrupt nor thieues digge through and steale Mat. 6. 30. may be said of all persons in heauen that they are out of all danger c. The second part of the former reason that the children of God regenerated and new borne by the holy ghost are already from the first houre of their regeneration in heauen is expresly affirmed by the Apostle Ephes 2. 6. Most men vnderstanding those words as spoken only of the children of God in respect of their certainty of heauen not in respect of their present possession do notwithstanding iustifie my present purpose Notwithstanding I doe vnderstand with some other much more euen the present possession it selfe of heauen present I say not full possession and that because Christ Iesus hauing taken possession of heauen not as one alone but as the head of many euen of all his members not to his own vsealone but to theirs not in his own name alone but in theirs it must needs be granted that all they also are in present possession whose head Christ is to whose vse and in whose name Christ hath taken possession of heauen I will illustrate this by a law case common amongst vs. A mans wife of Kent or Essex hath coppy hold land purchased by her or giuen vnto her by some friends in Yorkshire in Cumberland in Westmoâ—land or some other country two hundred miles from
the place where the said wife dwelleth The wife therefore goeth not her selfe to take possession of the said lands but the husband goeth maketh it manifest to the Lord to whom such lands are customary that he is the lawfull husband of such a woman and therfore craueth to be admitted and to take vp the land in her name and to her vse He is so admitted Is not the woman from that time forward in as good and reall possession by her husbands admission as if she her selfe had been there present though she still remaine in the place where she dwelleth and neuer come foot neerer It cannot be denied The like is to be said touching the present possession of heauen by all the children of God who then shall dispossesse them thereof If none can dispossesse them why should they doubt where is the vncertainty The obiections against this doctrine are of no moment It is no doctrine of pride nor presumption because I shewed before that the consideration of the great dignitie of the children of God whereof this is one speciall point should make men the more to decke themselues inwardly with all lowlinesse of minde and outwardly with all behauiour sutable to such inward lowlinesse It is no doctrine of securitie because the Apostle Paul exhorteth the Corinthians touching their iudgement to be stedfast and vnmoueable and touching their practise to be abundant alwaies in the worke of the Lord for asmuch not as they hoped or vncertainly expected but as they knew their labour of their worke was not in vaine in the Lord 1. Cor. 15. 58. In this Chapter also this our Apostle afterward prouoketh to brotherly loue euen to loue not onely in word and tongue but also in deed and in truth from their knowledge of being translated from death vnto life and of being of the truth and of assuring their hearts before God verse 14. and 18. and 19. Yea in this very place it followeth as we shall heare Euery one that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe as he is pure How then can this doctrine of our certainty of saluation and of our likenesse vnto Christ bee called by the Papists a doctrine of securitie being so often laid for a foundation of good workes and vsed for a spurre to good workes The great place to the Hebrewes Chap 6. 4 the chiefe bulwarke of the Papists for defense of their doubting and vncertaintie as if they that are regenerated might vtterly and finallie fall away from the grace of God and as if consequently none could heere bee sure of this future likenesse vnto Christ is of no force at all the walles thereof are but paper walles yea the truth is it maketh mainly against them and plainly and vnanswerably prooueth that none that once haue true faith c. can possibly altogether and finally fall away For in the ninth verse following the Apostle fearing that some of them to whome hee did write might take hold of his former doctrine and applying it to themselues might thinke themselues in that fearefull state of relapse which before hee had spoken of preuenteth this obiection and saith Notwithstanding we are perswaded better things of you and such as accompanie saluation So he sheweth that there were better things then so to be once inlightned so to haue tasted of the heauenly gift so to haue beene made partaker of the holy Ghost so to haue tasted of the good word of God and of the power of the world to come as before he had spoken So also hee teacheth that those better things only which he meaneth in the ninth verse did accompanie saluation and that therefore he had not before meant a true liuely and iustifying faith and that vnfained and pure Christian loue whereby faith worketh for what better things can there be then this faith and loue If yet any replie that that ninth verse is not to bee vnderstood in respect of the things mentioned in the 4. 5. and 6. verses but onely of that which is said in the 7. and 8. verses I answer that this is but an heartlesse pithlesse and strengthlesse obiection yea indeed foolish and ridiculous For the 7. and 8. verses being the confirmation of that which was said in the 4. 5. and 6. verses how can the 9. verse be referred onely to the 7. and 8. verses and not also to the 4. 5. and 6 In this point of the certainty of our future likenesse vnto Christ let vs obserue the first person Wee know and that wee shall be like Thereby he teacheth that only they and all they shall be like vnto Christ which before hee had said were the children of God All they indeed haue not alwaies the like knowledge or the like feeling of this knowledge of their likenesse to Christ because of some afflictions and because of too much liberty giuen to their sinnes which by the said libertie doe grow vp to bee a thicke groue to stand before their windowes and to eclipse obscure and hide the light of the sunne of righteousnesse from shining into the house of their inner man so cleerely as in former time it hath done As men also though neuer so learned in their sleepe haue no more vse of their learning then men altogether vnlearned and yet for all that they still haue that learning which they had waking so is it with the children of God touching this their knowledge of their likenesse vnto Christ Being sometime ouertaken with the sleepe of some or of many sinnes for a time they are depriued of the vse of the former knowledge viz. so long as their said sleepe in sinne continueth Notwithstanding they still haue their former knowledge and shall recouer the vse of it againe when they shall be awakened out of their sleepe of sinne But to this point many things may be referred that haue been spoken in the former part of this treatise therefore I shall not need to speake any more thereof in this place The more excellent that the subiect of this knowledge is viz. our likenesse vnto Christ the more let all both Scholars and other be prouoked to study this knowledge yea let all other studies and all other learning giue place to this and be referred to this Neither let any other knowledge and learning be in any account but for this and as it may helpe and further vs vnto this Thus much for the knowledge and certainty of our future likenesse vnto Christ CHAP. XXXV Of the time when the children of God shall be so like vnto Christ as before we heard and of the reason of the said likenesse by an effect thereof IT followeth now to speake of the time when the children of God shall be like to Christ This is said to be at his appearing This time is also noted Coloss 3. 4. Tit. 2. 13. 1. Pet. 1. 5. and 7. I doe but name the places not expressing the words because I hasten By his appearing he meaneth his second comming in glorie and
Loc. 1. and answering the 11. obiection of Gardiner thus he writeth If you doe beleeue that Enoch and Elias doe yetliue you doe beleeue it without the Scripture Elias was taken away after an admirable sort and withdrawen from Elizeus in a firie chariot but that his spirit was not stript from his body by what testimonie of Scripture will you prooue it Then immediately concerning Enoch hee acknowledging that which is written Heb. 11. 5. to haue beene done that God might testifie by his said extraordinary kinde of translating his loue towards him for the better prouocation of other to the imitation of his goodnesse hee demandeth of Gardiner But how know you that afterward viz. after his taking from the Common sight of men he dyed not when he was safe and out of danger of sinne you will say that the epistle to the Hebrewes bath that he might not see death A man may vnderstand that that he might not feele death whiles he was in the world that he might not die a common and an ordinarie death But that hee died not after his translation how will you make vs belieue And there want no Hebrew writers which expounding the second booke of the Kings doe say that Elias his body and all his garments except his cloake or mantle were consumed in the whirlweinge but that the Spirit of the Prophet went vnto God Oecolampadius in Heb. 11. 5. citing the words of Genesis translated by the Septuagints And Enoch pleased God and was not found because God translated him Notwithstanding saith he by these words it is not prooued that hee did not die Because if hee were of the seede of Adam it must be that hee was mortall And truely this is most agreeable to truth and consonant to the analogy of faith For Christ alone is the first begotten of the dead and hath opened paradise to them that beleeue And that which moueth me more so long time as Christ had not payed the price of our redemption so long also a long sword or a fierce and shaken sword did stop all passage into paradise If also he were translated into paradise how did Christ bold safe his dignitie But if you will make here a miracle then he must yet looke for death and a change But if any will obserue the maner of the Apostle bee will not meruaile that he hath said that he did not see death For as wee haue seene him to doe before touching Melchisedech hee would affirme nothing besides the testimonie of the Scripture and because that he saith not expresly that he died therefore he did not endeauour to set downe so much In the meane time notwithstanding he denyeth him not to haue died as likewise he doth not Melchisedeth c. Thus much Occolampadius Martinus Borrhaus a learned writer about the yeare 1539. in his commentaries vpon Genesis Chap. 5. 24. doth so interpret that place as I doe That worthy and famous man M. Doctor Fulke also is most plainly of my side and agreeth fully with me For confuting the marginall note of the Rhemish translators of the new testament vpon Heb. 9 8. he saith that heauen was not opened by the sacrifices of the first tabernacle c. and that our Sauiour was the first that entred into perfect glorie of heauen So to their marginall note vpon Heb. 11. 5. that there it appeared that Enoch yet liueth and is not dead against the Caluinists he briefly answereth thus It appeareth not that Enoch yet liueth in bodie more then Moses or Elias but that hee was translated by God out of the world and died not after the common maner of men So he insinuateth that he died but not after the common maner of men To their notes at large vpon Reu. 11. 3. he answereth thus You will saith he proue that they that is Enoch and Elias are aliue in paradise But what place is paradise but heauen as the Apostle declareth 2. Cor. 12. 2. and 4. for earthly paradise either by the flood or before was defaced Now what doctrine it is to affirmâ— that men in mortall bodies ascended into heauen I leaue to the learned to consider And presently after It is euident indeed saith he that Elias was taken vp aliue but not that hee continueth aliue Yea because it is said expresly that he was taken vp into heauen it is certaine that his body was not carried into heauen for Christ was the first that in whole humanity ascended into heauen Master Samuel Bird likewise a learned and godly minister late of Ipswich in Suffolke writing vpon Heb. 11. 5. saith thus It is said that he was taken vp that he might not see death the meaning is that he did not die after the common maner of men he was exempted from the violent separation of the soule from the body which nature doth abhorre not but that his bodiâ— did wast away and did not ascend into heauen For Christ is the first that entred in his body into heauen to take possession of it for vs. Heb. 9. 12. With the former testimonies affirming that Enoch and Elias are not bodily yet in heauen but that their bodies were dissolued as well as the bodies of other though after an extraordinary maner I may ioine the testimonie of Doctor Downam For in his second booke of Antichrist chap. 6. page 59. though he doe not plainely affirme as much as the former Authors haue done yet he maketh it so doubtfull of their bodies yet being in heauen that a man may easily perceiue that he rather inclineth to the former writers then otherwise The obiections to the contrary are of no moment and be answered before Onely where it is said that Elias was carried vp in a whirlewinde into heauen first wee must vnderstand that some read this word heauen in the genitiâ—e case thus carried vp in a whirlewinde of heauen Secondly the word heauen in the scripture is often vsed for the aire or for all aboue the earth Let the foule flie vpon the earth in the open firmament of the heauen Gen. 1. 20. so the foules of the heauen verse 26. and in diuers other places And that it is so here to be taken it is the more probable because it is not to be thought but that Elias had other garments besides his mantle Except therefore his said other garments were carried vp into the high heauen we must grant that the word heauen doth only signify the aire in the which his body might as well waste as his other garments besides his mantle which fell from him did consume Some man perhaps may thinke all this discourse of Enoch and Elias to bee altogether idle and impertinent vnto my present treatise of the dignity of Gods children and a meere digression from the same But if it be well considered it maketh much for it as much amplifying the said dignity of Gods children For sith Enoch and Elias were so rare and excellent men for their times as the Scriptures
commend them to be and for further testifying of their rarenesse and excellency were honoured with so rare and extraordinary a translation out of this world and yet are not in their bodies glorified neither shall be till all the rest of Gods children shall bee glorified and made like vnto Christ at his second comming in all pomp and maiesty doth not the Lord thereby testify vnto all the world that all his children are in so high regard account with him that he will not haue the first and the greatest as it were to be aduanced to the perfection of happines till the whole number be accomplished and till the last and the meanest be borne and made fit for the like perfection and happines that all and euery one may receiue their crownes together If a King or some other great person make a great feast and inuite many thereunto and some come betimes some that dwell further of tary somewhat longer and the master of the feast will not haue them that first come to sit downe till all the rest be come is it not a great gracing and countenancing of all the guests so to prolong the time of sitting downe till the rest be come Though some may thinke that the first are somewhat disgraced and wronged by staying for the last yet the matter well weighed they may consider that euen so the Lord of the feast would haue stayed the rest for them if the rest had come first and the first had tarried to be last Yea all men may well see the said Lord of the feast to be well perswaded of their loue and patience in staying them for the comming of them that remaine It is the chiefe honour of any guest inuited by one much greater then himselfe to be openly graced with testimony of the good opinion of the Lord of such a feast For so all men may see that the Lord of such a feast hath good regard as well of them that come late as of them that came first and of them that came first as of them that come after By all hitherto spoken of this time when we shall be made like vnto Christ let vs learne first to be patient till that time come Secondly the longer it is ere it do come the more earnestly to pray for that day of Christs comming the oftner in all zeale to say Come Lord Iesus come quickly I doe but briefly note or rather name things leauing the larger discourse of them to other and euer to the meditation of the godly reader Thus much of our similitude and likenes vnto Christ of our certaintie thereof and of the time when we shall enioy it The confirmation of our said similitude or likenesse vnto Christ followeth which is that we shall see him as he is Heere let vs first obserue the causall coniunction whereby this reason is â—oined with the former proposition This is commonly translated for but it is in the originall because It is the same word that is vsed Luk. 7. 47. I say vnto thee Many sinnes are forgiuen her for say our English translations but because saith the originall she loued much This I doe the rather note because the Rhemists and other Papists in that place of Luke doe vrge the originall word signifying because as there noting the loue of the woman to haue beene the cause of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes whereas our Sauiour reasoneth not from the cause to the effect but from the effect to the cause assuring her and other then and there present not for that loue which before shee had shewed but by that loue which then she did shew so abundantly towards him that many sinnes were forgiuen her As the same viz. that much loue of man towards God and Christ are not the cause but an effect of the forgiuenesse of many sinnes and doe not goe before but follow the forgiuenesse of sinnes As this I say is plaine by the parable of two debtors before in that Chapter mentioned to one of which were forgiuen but 50. pence and to the other 500. and concerning whom our Sauiour had asked the Pharisee with whom he then dined not which had loued but which would loue the Creditor most so it is the more plaine by this place where the same coniunction is taken for a note of an effect not of a cause of our former similitude and likenes vnto Christ It is so also taken Ioh. 8. 44. where our Sauiour saith of the diuell He abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him Heere the same word because is a note of an effect For Christ prooueth the diuell not to haue abidden in the truth not because before his fall there had beene no truth in him for hee was created an Angell of light as well as other but because now there is no truth in him So Ioh. 15. 15. I haue called you my friends for or because all things that I haue heard of my father I haue made knowen vnto you Heere the same word also noteth an effect not a cause Thus then the Apostle prooueth that wee shall bee made like vnto Christ at his appearing by an effect of this likenesse that is because wee shall see him as hee is This to see Christ as hee is is not the cause of our being like vnto him but our being like vnto him shall bee the cause of our seeing him as he is For wee cannot see him as he is except first wee be made like vnto him The effect is not before the cause but the cause before the effect By seeing here he meaneth seeing with our bodily eies and by seeing him as he is the seeing of him plainely not obscurely fully not in part face to face not on his back parts as Moses is said to haue seene God Exod. 33. 23. not as a mightie God alone but also as a Sauiour and therefore not in his diuine nature alone but vnder the veile as it were of this humanity and yet also in so great glory as no flesh liuing did euer see the like This seeing of him in this maner is opposed to seeing him through a glasse darkely and to knowing of him in part 1. Cor. 13. 12. Where these two words seeing and knowing seeme to import that there we shall both see him more plainely with our bodily eies and also know him more perfectly in our vnderstanding then here we do or can doe For here wee see him but by pictures and images I meane not by dead pictures images made by men but by the liuing pictures and images of our selues and of other Gods children representing him in holinesse and righteousnesse and made onely as before wee heard by God himselfe as also we see him by outward signes and elements with the actions belonging vnto them that is the sacraments ordeined by him selfe And here wee know him by his word euen by hearing such things of him as therin hee hath reuealed but then wee shall see
ioineth these 4 together 1. to edifie our selues in our most holy faith 2. to pray in the holy Ghost 3. to keepe our selues in the loue of God 4. to looke for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ to eternall life Iud. 20. and 21. The first 3 pertaine to the purging of our selues the last is a plaine description of this hope Finally for conclusion of all let vs remember that the Apostle Paul hauing plentifully proued the doctrine of the resurrection no lesse eloquently laid forth the maner thereof and the future similitude likenes of our bodies to the body of Christ doth from the expectation thereof shut vp all with this graâ—e exhortation tending to this purging of our selues Therefore my beloued brethren be stedfast and vnmoueable abounding alwaies in the worke of the Lord knowing that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. 1. Cor. 15. 58. Here the first word therefore secretly insinuateth and the last sentence added for confirmation plainly expresseth this hope that hither to we haue spoken of and the exhortation it selfe betwixt both inserted doth as euidently intimate this purging of our selues in regard of that hope which here also the Apostle commendeth I shall not neede to enlarge this point any further Onely let vs consider thereof by this familiar similitude that euery one prepareth himselfe and house and all according to the person whom he looketh for What seruant that is in continuall expectation of his masters returne home but will prepare himselfe and all things belonging vnto him accordingly what meane man looketh for the comming of a Noble man especialle what subiect looketh for the comming of his Prince but that hee will prepare himselfe for apparell and for all other things beseeming the entertainement of such a person Shall wee then looke for the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ and at his appearing to be made like vnto him and so to see him in all his glory and maiestie and shall we not purge our selues and cast away al filthines of the flesh of the spirit and put on the robes of he lines and righteousnes that so we may be the fitter to intertain him and to be intertained of him into his glory Let no man deceiue vs with vaine words neither let vs deceiue our selues It is not possible for vs to haue this hope and to looke for these things but that wee will thus purge our selues If we do not thus purge our selues then certainly wee haue not this hope neither do we look to be made like vnto Christ Iesus at his appearing and to see him as he is Would we be like vnto him in glory and will we not be like vnto him in holinesse Would we see him as he is now in heauen with our bodily eies and will we not see him as he offereth himselfe to be seene in earth in his word and sacraments with the eies of our mind and by faith Let vs remember and let vs not forget what the Apostle saith follow peace and holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. Yea let vs consider what our Sauiour saith Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Mat. 5. 8. For doe not these sentences plainly shew that without the former holinesse and purity of heart none shall see the Lord But sith many things before spoken may be referred to this argument I will therefore insist no longer thereupon If we doe thus purge our selues as heere the Apostle speaketh then let vs assure our selues that our hope of being made like vnto him and seeing him as he is shall not by any thing whatsoeuer be frustrated Earthly Princes may shake vs out of their Courts as Mordecai might not enter within King Ahashuerosâ— his gates because hee was clothed with sackcloth Ester 4 2. but Iehouah the Lord of Lords and King of heauen and earth will receiue vs into his euerlasting palace of heauen there to behold all his glory and riches Heauen and earth shall rather perish then Gods word in this behalfe shall fall to the ground But if we doe not so purge our selues our hopeâ—s altogether a vaine hope and shall deceiue vs in the end The diuels themselues shall as soone be made like to Christ and see him as he is as that man or woman that is not here purged But in what measure must euery one that hath this hope in him purge himselfe First according to his measure of the said hope For this purging being an effect of that hope it cannot bee but that the more the hope is the more he that hath that hope will purge himselfe Secondly according to the meanes before mentioned of purging himselfe viz. according to his hearing reading of the word meditation company of the godly praiers c. For all these meanes being the ordinances of God for a maÌ„ to purge himselfe it cannot bee but that the more any man doth in truth vse the said meanes the more blessing God will giue vnto them for effecting this purging Thirdly according to other meanes that God himselfe doth vse towards them that haue the said hope for the purging of them viz. according to the mercies which he bestoweth vpon them and according to the chastisements wherwith he doth exercise them For these doth the Lord vse as before hath beene mentioned to kill the weedes of sinne in men and to make them the more plentifull in the fruits of righteousnes What is this but to purge them as here the Apostle speaketh and as our Sauiour himself speaketh in the very same case Ioh. 15. 2. Gods mercies are as it were the marling and manuring or to speake more plainely as the mucking and dunging of our barren hearts and Gods chastisements and corrections are as it were the ploughing of them after they are so marled manured mucked and dunged or as the harrowing of them to breake their hard clods and both are to make them the more fruitfull in all goodnes As men therefore doe looke that their grounds should bee the more freed from weedes and bring forth the better crops of good corne the more they dung plough and harrow them so the more that God doth multiply his mercies vpon his children and exercise them with his corrections the more he looketh they should be purged of sinne and bring forth the fruits of righteousnes Vnder this 〈◊〉 comprehend the purging of our selues according to any dignity whereunto God hath aduanced vs. As wee doe more wash our face then the inferiour parts of our body so the more eminent that any is in Church or common wealth the more he ought to be purged from all vice and the more also to shine in all vertue Moreouer â—uery child of God is to purge himselfe and to be so much the more holy by how much the more impure filthy vnholy he seeth other to be Therfore the holy ghost by the examples of such as haue been idolaters fornicators tempters of