The Light of the World, Part 2
II. He that followeth me.
There are ſundry ſorts of followers. I. Yong gentlemen, that are trained vp for education ſake vnderunder great perſonages, and for experience, countenance, and preferment ſake in the world, are called their followers. II. They that hold on ſome ſect of the Philoſophers ſchooles, are called their followers. III. They that faſhion and conforme themſelues to the example of any man that excelleth in any faculty, are called his followers, but theſe are ſecular followers, and not pertinent to this place.
When Chriſt the light and life of the world preached the Goſpell of ſaluation to the world, in the outward forme and appearance of the Prophets that were before him, and of his Apoſtles and miniſters after him, confirming his doctrine with miracles, he had diuers followers. I. Some followed him to be cured of their diſeaſes, and infirmities, Mat. 15. 30. Great multitudes came, hauing Mat. 15. 30.with them the halt, blind, dumbe, maimed, &c. Thus the ten leapers followed him, and eſpecially the nine, that returned not to giuegive God praiſe. Luke 17. 17. II. Some▪ followed Luke 17. 17.him to gaze on him and his miracles, and for this purpoſe Herod was glad when Pilate had ſent him to him, hauing been deſirous of a long ſeaſon to ſee him, becauſe he had heard many things of him, & truſted to ſee ſome Luke 23. 8.ſigne done by him. Luk. 23. 8. III. Some followed him for their bellies ſake, as many doe in theſe dayes. Thus Iudas followed him; not becauſe he loued him, and embraced his doctrine in ſincerity, but becauſe he was a theefe, and Mat. 8. 19.had the bag, and bare that which was giuen. Iohn 12. 6. Thus the Scribe followed him. Mat. 8. 19. Master I will follow thee whither ſoeuer thou goeſt. He imagined in his earthly heart, as did Iudas and the people of the Iewes, that Chriſt ſhould in the end be crowned King of the Iewes, and that he would prefer and aduance his followers, as earthly Princes vſe to doe. Therefore Chriſt ſhapes him an anſwer accordingly, verſe 20. The foxes hauehave holes and the birds of the heauen hauehave neſts, but the Sonne of Man hath not where to reſt his head; conſequently he hath nothing at all wherewith to gratifie his followers and welwillers. Thus alſo a great multitude followed him ouer Ioh. 6. 26.the ſea of Tiberias, and from thence backe to Capernaum, Iohn 6. 26. Verily, verily, I ſay vntounto you, you ſeeke me not becauſe of the miracles, but becauſe of the loaues that ye ate, and were filled. Fourthly, ſome followed him of enuy to entangle him, in his ſpeechs, as did the Phariſies, Scribes, Sadduces, Lawyers, and the Herodians, which thought that Herod was the Chriſt. Theſe are carnall and hypocriticall followers, which neither are meant of here in this place.
The true following of Chriſt, which here he ſpeaketh of, is expreſſed by diuers ſimilitudes in the Scripture. Ioh. 10. 21.Iohn 10. 21. My ſheepe here my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, &c. where hearing ſignifieth Faith, and following Obedience. In other countries the ſhepheards driue not their ſheepe, but they call them and they follow them. EueryEvery flocke knoweth the voice of their owne ſhepheard, by often hearing him, & they follow him, but after a ſtrange voice they will not follow: Euen ſo Chriſts ſheep, the elect, heare his word, they know it and acknowledge it, and are obedient to it, that is, they ſuffer themſelues to be ruled, and gouerned by their chiefe ſhepheard Ieſus Chriſt, ſpeaking to them and calling them to him in his word, yea clocking them together as the hen doth her chickens. Mat. 23. 31. But mark the cauſe why they heare & obey him, in theſe words (And I know them.) This knowing is not onelyonly vnderſtood of Gods foreknowledge, whereby he knew who were his from before all times, but of his knowing of them effectually in time. I call it effectuall knowledge when the elect are poſſeſſed of this knowing or acknowledging them, by the inward calling of his ſpirit. And this aſſurance of Gods knowing them, acknowledging and owning them, is the cauſe why they know and acknowledge him, and are delighted with his word.
Againe, this true following of Chriſt is farther expreſſed in Epheſ. 5. 1. Therefore be ye followers of God, as deare Epheſ. 5. 1.children. This verſe is a concluſion of an exhortation of the laſt end of the verſe afore going, forgiue ye one another, euen as God for Chriſts ſake hath forgiuen you: Therefore be ye followers, &c. Children wee know doe imitate their parents, not onelyonly in deeds and words, but euen in the affections of their hearts, and imaginations of their minds, reſembling them inwardly, as they doe outwardly; ſo that a man may ſay, this is right the fathers child, or the father will neuer be dead whiles the child liueth. Now the reaſon hereof is, becauſe he hath receiued the ſpirit of generation from the father, which frameth, faſhioneth, and worketh him into the image, ſimilitude, identity or ſelfeneſſe (as I may ſay) of his father: And this is a deare childe, becauſe the father doth not onelyonly louelove his child, but himſelfe alſo in the child; and the child not onelyonly loueth his father, but himſelfe in the father; ſo that the one cannot hate the other, vnleſſe he hate himſelfe; and neuer man hated his owne fleſh▪ Therfore this vnion is moſt firme, and perpetuall: euen ſo the children of God doe carry the reſemblance and likeneſſe of God in the inner man, in holineſſe by obedience to the firſt Table, and righteouſneſſe, by obedience to the ſecond Table of the Commandments, which both proceed from LoueLove, and LoueLove from Faith.
Therefore as God is holy, ſo are his children holy. Leu. 11. 44.Leu. 11. 44. I am the Lord your God, be ſanctified and be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. As God is righteous, 1 Ioh. 3. 7.ſo are they righteous. 1 Ioh. 3. 7. He that doth righteouſneſſe is righteous, euen as he is righteous. As God is mercifull euen ſo are they mercifull. Luke 6. 36. As God is louelove, ſo walke they in louelove. Epheſ. 5. 2. Walke in louelove, euen as Chriſt 1 Ioh. 3. 14.hath loued vsus. 1 Ioh. 3. 14. We know we are tranſlated from death to life, becauſe we louelove the brethren. As God is true and iuſt in all his words and works, ſo are they without hypocriſie, and doubting, both in reſpect of God their father, and in reſpect of their brethren. For the firſt, it is Ioſ. 24. 14. 1 Sam. 12. 24.commanded Ioſ. 24. 14. Feare the Lord and ſerue him in vprightneſſe and truth, 1 Sam. 12. 24. Feare the Lord and ſerue him in truth with all thy heart. For the ſecond, it is Epheſ. 4. 25.commanded, Epheſ. 4. 25. Caſt away lying and ſpeake eueryevery one truth to his neighbour. The reaſon of the commandement is in the words following, drawne from the coniunction of our members (for we are one anothers members) but whoſe members are we? that the 15. verſe declareth, of Chriſt our head, into whom we grow, and by whoſe ſpirit we are knit together. Therefore if we be the true members we follow Chriſt our head: Contrarily, if we be not true members, but falſe, counterfeit, and dead limmes, we are cut off from him, ſeparate to the world, and bodily luſts: or at leaſt if we be not apparantly ſeparate from him, but doe ſtill outwardly profeſſe him, yet doe we draw no vertue from him, leauing no feeling thereof in vsus, either mortifying ſinne in vsus, or quickning vsus to newneſſe of life; but are as the dead branches growing in the tree, but drawing no ſucke or iuyce of life out of the tree. Secondly, if we be falſe and dead limbs, then are we ſeparate from the other members, hauing no hearty fellowſhip with them.
I need not to amplifie this following, whereby Gods children follow him, by any more ſpecialls; for as they follow him in holineſſe, righteouſneſſe, mercifulneſſe, louelove, truth, vprightneſſe, ſo alſo in all other things. 1 Pet. 1 Pet. 1. 15.1. 15. As he which hath called you is holy, even ſo be ye holy in all manner of conuerſation. Mat. 5. 48. Be you perfect as your father which is in heauen, is perfect, 1 Pet. 2. 9. Ye are a choſen generation, a royall Prieſthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye ſhould ſhew forth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darkneſſe into his maruellous light. To this purpoſe alſo Chriſt ſaith, Mat. 5. 16. Let your light ſo ſhine before men that they may ſee your good workes, and glorifie your Father which is in heauen. Yea, this is the end of your election, redemption, and calling, euen our ſanctification. 1 Pet. 2. 2.1 Pet. 1. 2.
Now the cauſe why the children of God doe ſo reſemble him in true wiſedome, righteouſneſſe, and holineſſe, is becauſe they hauehave receiued from him the ſpirit of regeneration. Ioh. 3. 4. Except a man be borne of water Ioh. 3. 4.and the ſpirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God; that is, neither into the kingdome of grace, nor into the kingdome of glory. He is called the ſpirit of adoption, Rom. 8. 15. You hauehave not receiued the ſpirit of bondage Rom. 8. 15.to feare againe, but the ſpirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba, or call God father. Whatſoeuer we are, how morally good ſoeuer we be, we are but children of wrath, quite cut off from God, hauing no part at all in him; wild Oliues, Rom. 11. 24. Baſtards and runnagates, Rom. 11. 24.as Cain and Cham, vntill God adopt vsus into his family, giuing vsus the ſpirit of ſonnes, of his owne free mercy, and grace, Tit. 3. 5. 6 Ezech. 36. 26. 17. Becauſe this politicall terme of adoption is vſed often in the Epiſtles, I will briefly declare the meaning thereof.
Generation or begetting of children is naturall or legall: legall generation is a politicall act maintaining nature, ordained for their comfort, which hauehave no chidren, the law prouiding children for them, whom nature hath failed. And thus may a man be ſaid to beget children legally.
Legall generation is alſo twofold, Adrogation and adoption. Adrogation is when he that is a free man, and vnderunder no mans power, authority or command, viz. neither of father, or maſter, is receiued into the place of a ſonne, by an other, which thus by law becommeth his father. And if he that is thus adrogate hauehave children, they are alſo vnderunder his power, as Nephewes, that is, his ſons children.
Adoption is when he that is vnderunder the power of an other, whether father or maſter, is taken by another man to be his ſonne and heire. And if he hauehave ſonnes that is thus adopted, they are the nephewes of the adoptour. And although the adoptour cannot giuegive the ſpirit of a ſonne vntounto him (which only the naturall father can do) yet is the adopted ſo obliged & bound to him for thoſe ſo great benefits both of freedome and inheritance, as that he cannot but for euer be moſt thankfull to him, yea alwayes ready and deſirous to teſtifie the ſame by his louelove, dutifulneſſe, obedience, and all meanes towards his adoptour, euen as he were his owne ſonne, and he his naturall father.
To apply this. We, euen the beſt that euer was, were vnderunder the power of others, to wit, in the bondage, and vnderunder the tyranny of the diuell, and ſinne, who had abſolute power and command ouer vsus: and we miſerable wretches yeelded our ſelues willingly, yea with delight, into ſubiection, and homage vntounto them, being deſtitute of the knowledge of God and godlines. Now God of his owne free louelove, mercy, and grace, redeemed vsus out of the thraldome of thoſe tyrants with the bloodſhed and death of his owne ſonne: which willingly ſubmitted himſelf in obedience to his father herein; for by no other price, nor other meanes could this purchaſe be made. Who becauſe he was not only perfect man, but perfect God alſo, did by the ſpirit of ſanctification free himſelfe from the graue, the puniſhment, and imputation of our ſinnes; and by the power of the ſame raiſed himſelfe from death vntounto life, corruption, and death hauing no power ouer him. This ſanctifying ſpirit of the ſonne hath the Father giuen vsus, that by the power thereof our bond-mens minds, wills, affections, might be mortified and crucified; and that ſonne-like and ſpirituall minds, wills, affections, might be put into vsus, daily renuing vsus into the nature of ingenuous, and freeborne ſonnes. This is more then the legall father or adoptour can doe. For he can doe no more but binde his adopted ſonne to thankfulneſſe for his benefits of bodily freedome, and earthly inheritance; but God hath giuen vsus the ſpirit of his ſonne, whereby we are made and tranſformed into naturall ſonnes, and therefore affectioned towards him, as the child is towards his naturall fathel. Much more thankfull therefore, louing, dutifull and obedient ought we to be (if we be true ſonnes) to God our father, and Chriſt our redeemer, that hath ſo dearely bought vsus out of the power of ſinne, death, and damnation, and brought vsus into the glorious liberty of ſonnes, and hope of euerlaſting inheritance together with his owne ſonne.
Therefore it is apparant, that it is the ſpirit which quickneth, begetteth, faſhioneth, and conformeth the children of God into the ſimilitude and likenes of God their father, wherein at the firſt they were created, and into which they are renewed by the holy Ghoſt, by the Goſpell of faith. This begetting and quickning ſpirit is called immortall ſeede. 1. Pet. 1. 23. Being borne a new, not of mortall ſeede, but of immortall, by the 1 Ioh. 3. 9.word of God, &c. 1 Ioh. 3. 9. Whoſoeuer is borne of God ſinneth not, becauſe his ſeede remaineth in him, &c. This ſeede is not the eſſence of the holy Ghoſt, but the power thereof, begetting faith of the Goſpell in vsus, crucifying the body of ſinne in vsus, and renuing vsus into the Rom. 1. 13.image of God. Rom. 1. 13. 14. If ye mortifie the deeds of the fleſh by the ſpirit, ye ſhall liue; for as many as are led by the ſpirit of God, are the ſonnes of God. Tit. 3 4. We are ſaued by the waſhing of the new birth, and renuing of the holy Ghoſt.
To conclude this point then: As the child doth imitate the father by the vnion and identity of the ſpirit communicated vntounto him from the father: euen ſo the child of God doth imitate and follow Chriſt by the vnion of the ſpirit of God and Chriſt, which the Apoſtle 2 Pet. 1. 4.calls participation of the diuine nature. 2 Pet. 1. 4. Wherby moſt great and pretious promiſes are giuen vntounto vsus, that by them ye ſhould be partakers of the godly nature, in that ye flee the corruption which is in the world through luſt.
Queſt Hereupon it may be demanded, how we are partakers of the godly nature, and how we are ſaid properly to be the children of God.
Anſw. We are partakers of the godly nature two wayes. Firſt, in reſpect of the effect, vertues, and gifts of the holy Ghoſt working in vsus, and by vsus; as, firſt, enlightning our minds with the true knowledge of Chriſt: ſecondly, begetting faith in vsus, and incorporating vsus into Chriſt: thirdly, purging out the leauen of naturall corruption in vsus: fourthly, faſhioning vsus into new obedience: fiftly, applying Chriſt with his gifts, and treaſures vntounto vsus: ſixtly, leading vsus into all truth: ſeuenthly, comforting vsus in afflictions: eightly, ſealing the certainty of our inheritance in our hearts by his teſtimony, as a Epheſ. 1. 14.pledge or earneſt of the promiſes of God. Epheſ. 1. 14. Hence it is that he is called The ſpirit of wiſedome, and vnderſtanding, the ſpirit of counſell, and ſtrength, the ſpirit of knowledge, and feare of the Lord, Eſay. 11. 2. Becauſe hee Eſay 11. 2.begetteth, worketh, and increaſeth thoſe vertues and graces in vsus. Likewiſe the ſpirit of meekneſſe, Galat. 6. 1. The ſpirit of faith. 2 Cor. 4. 13. The ſpirit of louelove. 2 Tim. 1. 7. Moreouer the Apoſtles were partakers of the diuine nature in reſpect of thoſe extraordinary gifts wherewith they were endued for the execution of their Apoſtolicall office.
Secondly, we are partakers of the godly nature, in reſpect of the eſſence of God: not that Gods eſſence is any part of vsus; but as he is God eueryevery where filling heauen and earth with his eſſence, ſo is he in ſpeciall manner with, and in his children, and by his preſence is effectuall in them. Whereupon Paul ſaith, Rom. 8. 11. The Rom. 8. 11.ſpirit of him which hath raiſed vp Ieſus dwelleth in you. Ioh. 14. 23.Ioh. 14. 23. If any one louelove me he will keep my word, and my Father will louelove him, and we will come and dwell with him. God is preſent with the wicked alſo, but it is in ſuch ſort as the Iudge is preſent with the malefactors.
Thirdly, in this place the following of Chriſt is compared to the following of light, or to a lanterne that giueth light to trauellers to goe the right way without error, falling or ſtumbling. Such a compariſon the Pſalmiſt maketh, Pſal. 119. 105. Thy word is a lanterne to my Pſal. 119. 105.feet, that I might not ſtumble, nor erre. The word then, both ſheweth the right way for a Chriſtian to walke in, and guideth him in the right way to walke without offence. So that to follow the light is to hauehave our conuerſation in this world according to the word of God, which by his ſonne he hath ſent and reuealed to vsus, and is effectuall in them that are ſaued, bringing them out of the darkneſſe of this world into the glorious light and ſunſhine of his kingdome and grace. Thus much of the exhortation. It followeth now to ſpeake of the negatiue reaſon inforcing the ſame.