The Marks of the Children of God and their Comforts in Affliction, Chapter 2
How we ſhall knowe that we are the children of God.
CAP. 2.
OF this concluſion it followeth, that there is no greater ioy or contentmēt in this preſent life, or any thing more ſure or more neceſſarie for the happie ouercomming the difficulties of it, thā to knowe and feele that wee are the children of God. For this foundation being laid, wee ought to bee aſſured that whatſoeuer ſhall happen vntounto vsus, can bee none other than the bleſsing of a father, and ſo conſequentlie a meane, aide, and way diſpoſed by his prouidence, either to leade vsus vntounto life euerlaſting, or to increaſe our glorie in it. True it is, that GOD onelie knoweth his owne,2. Tim. 2.19. whom hee hath choſen before the foundation of the world to bee his children.2. markes of our adoption. Yet there are two principall meanes by which he giueth vsus to vnderſtand who are his children: the one is outward, by markes viſible vntounto men: the other is inward by teſtimonies, which he that is the child of GOD feeleth in himſelfe. The outward marke lieth in this,Of the outward mark that we be mēbers of the church of Chriſt. Now, wee call that the church of Chriſt, in which the word of God is trulie preached, the Sacramēts are purelie miniſtred, and one onelie God is called vponupon in the name of his onelie ſonne Ieſus Chriſt.Matth. 13. Firſt, this Church is often called the kingdome of heauen, becauſe that by it, wee enter in thether; ſo that it is (as it were) the ſuburbs or the gate of it. Whereof it followeth, that being the true members of the Church, we are in the way and forwardnes to enter, & make our abode in heauen.Mat. 21.13. It is alſo called the houſe of God, to giuegive vsus to vnderſtand,Ephe. 2.19. that thoſe that abide there, are by good right accompted the childrē and houſehold of God. Furthermore, when after wee hauehave proteſted in our Creede, that wee beleeue the holie Church vniuerſall, we adde the communion of Saints, the forgiuenes of ſinnes, the riſing againe of the bodie, and the life euerlaſting: is not this to aſſure vsus that thoſe that are the members of the Church, hauehave a communitie in all theſe treaſures and goods of it, and conſequently that they are the children of God, and inheritours of euerlaſting life? According vntounto this S. Luke alſo ſaith reſolutlie,Act. 2.47. that God ioyned vntounto the Church thoſe that ſhould be ſaued. The which is confirmed by the Prophet Ioel ſaying,Ioel. 2.32. that there ſhall be ſaluation in Sion. And S. Paule himſelfe ſticketh not at all,1. Theſ. 1.4 to call thoſe that are the members of the Church, the elect of God. But yet ſo much the more to reſolue vsus, let vsus conſider the marks of the true church touched here before. The firſt is, the pure preaching of the word of God. Now, Ieſus Chriſt ſaith, my ſheepe heare my voyce, and they follow me:Ioh. 10.27. ſhewing thereby very manifeſtly, that this is one marke to bee the child of God,Ioh. 8.47. to heare the voyce of his ſonne Ieſus Chriſt: As alſo he ſaith in another place,2. Cor. 5.18 Ephe. 6.15. Act. 14.3. Act. 20.32. Act. 13.26. Act 5.20. Phil. 2.15. that is of God, heareth the voyce of God. And indeed, ſeeing that the preaching of the Goſpell is called the miniſterie of reconciliation, the Goſpell of peace, the word of grace, of ſaluation and of life, (as without doubt, God by the miniſterie of his word, preſenteth Reconciliation, peace, grace, ſaluation and life): So they that are the members of the Church, heare and receiue the word, ſhew therein, that they are partakers of all theſe benefites, and conſequentlie, the children of God. The ſecond mark of the Church conſiſteth in the Sacraments of Baptiſme and of the Lords ſupper. As touching Baptiſme, it is a ſeale & ſure warrant that the ſinnes of thoſe that receiue it are waſhed away by the bloud of Chriſt:Act. 22.5. Rom. 6.4. Tit. 3.5. Gal. 3.27. that they are ingrafted and incorporate into his death and reſurrection: that they are regenerate, & that they hauehave put on Ieſus Chriſt. Whereof it followeth, as S. Paule affirmeth,Gal. 3.26. that they are the children of God. The like aſſurance of our adoption is giuen vsus in the Lords ſupper. For if the bread and the cup,1. Cor. 10.16. which are giuen to the members of the Church, are the communion of the bodie and of the bloud of Ieſus Chriſt: it followeth that in this communiō of Chriſt, they hauehave the foode and life of their ſoules. And that conſequentlie, as the children of GOD, they ſhall obtaine life euerlaſting, according to the proteſtation of Chriſt. He that eateth my fleſh, and drinketh my bloud,Ioh. 6.54. he hath euerlaſting life. The third marke of the Church of God, is the inuocation of the name of God, in the name of that onlie one leſus Chriſt. Now,Pſal. 14 4. Gen. 12.7. Act. 2.21. Act. 9.14. as all the ſeruice of God is oftentimes ſignified by this inuocation: So Saint Luke noteth the faithful and children of God by this deſcription, that they call vponupon the name of the Lord. As on the contrarie ſide,Pſal. 14.4. it is ſaid of the reprobate, that they do not call vponupon the name of God. And indeede when the members of the Church ioyne together and lift vp their praiers vntounto God,Matth. 6.9. ſaying: Our Father which art in heauen: and ſo calling him father, by the commandement of Chriſt, they may well aſſure themſelues that God doth acknowledge them for his children, and that he wil make them feele the fruit of their praiers, according to the promiſe of Chriſt,Mat. 18.19. that whatſoeuer they ſhall with one conſent aske of GOD, it ſhall bee giuen them. By this that is aboue ſaid, it manifeſtlie appeareth, how euerie member of the Church may and ought to aſſure him ſelfe to be the child of God, and to acknowledge all other members of the Church with him in like manner to be the children of God. If any alledge that we may thus accompt ſuch a one for the child of God, who poſsiblie is an hypocrite, and may after ſhewe himſelfe a reprobate, we anſwere, that ſuch diſcourſes are contrarie to charitie, ſo much recommended vntounto vsus by Saint Paule, 1. Cor. 13.noting amongſt other properties of charitie, that ſhe thinketh not euill, or is not ſuſpitious, but that ſhe beleeueth all things, and hopeth all things. Wee ought then to hold the members of the Church, for the children of GOD. vntill that departing from it, or diſcouering their hypocriſie, they ſhewe themſelues reprobates. Furthermore, as GOD would that al thoſe to whō he vouchſafeth to bee father, ſhould acknowledge the Church for their mother: ſo let vsus not doubt, but being borne againe, and nouriſhed in the Church our mother, we may call God our father, and abiding vnited to the familie of the mother, let vsus not doubt but that wee bee the heires of the father. Thus much for the outward markes.
Now let vsus come to the inwarde markes. As to the blind and deaffe the opening of their eyes and eares is needfull, clearelie to ſee and heare the voyce of him that ſpeaketh:Of the inward marks of our adoption. So being of our owne nature both blind and deaffe as touching vnderſtanding, the holie ſpirit is hee, that openeth our eyes and eares, to comprehend thereuelation of our adoption, and to feele in our harts the aſſurance of it, ingendring in vsus faith, which is as it were the hand, by which wee apprehend this great benefite: whereof alſo the fruites and effects as well of the holie ghoſt dwelling in vsus, as of the faith that is in vsus, are the principall & moſt aſſured markes, to giuegive vsus knowledge of our adoption. A ccording wherevnto,Rom. 8.16. Saint Paule ſaith, that the Holie ghoſt giueth teſtimonie to our ſpirits that we are the children of God, ſo as hauing receiued this ſpirit of adoption, wee crie with all aſſurance, Abba father.1. Ioh. 3.24 This is it alſo which S. John teacheth vsus, ſaying: we know that he abideth in vsus, by the ſpirit which he hath giuen vsus.1. Ioh. 4.13 Alſo, By this we knowe that we dwell in him, and he in vsus, becauſe he hath giuen of his ſpirit vntounto vsus. In like manner the Apoſtle S. Paule affirmeth,Rom. 5.1. that by the peace and quietnes which we feele in our conſciences before GOD in the free forgiuenes of our ſinnes by the bloud of Ieſus Chriſt, we ſhewe and prooue that wee are iuſtified by faith, and ſo the children of God. Wherein to confirme vsus, he ſaith in another place, that after wee hauehave beleeued, wee are ſealed by the holie ſpirit of promiſe, which is the earneſt penie of our inheritance,Ephe. 1.13. vntill the redemption of the poſſeſſion purchaſed to the praiſe of his glorie. Firſt he ſheweth there, that faith is as it were the ſeale whereby the Holie ghoſt imprinteth in our hearts for our aſſurance, that wee are the children of God. Furthermore, as in a thing that is bought there is ſomtimes giuen an earneſt penie, to wit, ſome part of the monie agreed on, as well for the beginning of the paimēt, as by conſequent, for the aſſurance that the bargaine ſhall be held firme: ſo the holie ghoſt, who by faith ingē dreth peace and ioye in the hearts of the faithfull, is the earneſt penie, aſſuring vsus, by this beginning, of the ſpirituall bleſsings which God promiſeth to his children, that he holdeth vsus for his poſſeſsion, purchaſed to the praiſe of his glorie, and that at the length he will gather vsus into the full inioying of the inheritāce of heauen. Hereunto it is alſo, that goodly gradatiō leadeth vsus, which is propoſed of the ſame Apoſtle,Rom. 8.28. ſaying: Thoſe whō God hath before knowne, thoſe hee hath alſo predeſtinate to be made like vntounto the image of Ieſus Chriſt: and thoſe whō he hath predeſtinate, he hath alſo called, and thoſe whom he hath called, he hath alſo iuſtified: and thoſe whō he hath iuſtified, thoſe he hath alſo glorified. For all will confeſſe, that thoſe that are elected and predeſtinated to be made like vntounto the image of Ieſus Chriſt, are the children of God, as alſo they, who in his eternall counſel and decree are glorified. Now they, who being lightened with the knowledge of the Goſpell, beleeue that their ſinnes are waſhed away by the bloud of Ieſus Chriſt through his ſatiſfaction, and ſo are called and iuſtified, are elected and glorified before God, as S. Paule teacheth here: it followeth then, that they are the children of God. And this is ſo certaine, that the Apoſtle, oppoſing the will & power of GOD, againſt all impediments, addeth: If GOD bee on our ſide, who ſhall bee againſt vsus?Rom 8.30. Bern. ſer. 5. in dedica. templi. S Bernard teacheth the ſelfe ſame thing verie aptlie, ſaying: we are certain of the power of God to ſaue vsus: but what ſhall we ſay of his will? who is he that knoweth whether he bee worthie of hate or of louelove? who is he that hath knowne the will of the Lord? or who hath bin his counſeller? It behoueth that herein faith helpe vsus, and that trueth ſuccour vsus. That that, which is hid concerning vsus in the heart of the father, may bee reuealed vntounto vsus by the ſpirit, and his ſpirit teſtifying vntounto vsus, may perſwade vsus that wee are the childrē of God; that he perſwade it vsus, I ſay, in calling and iuſtifying vsus freelie by faith, which is as it were a meane or paſſage from the predeſtination of GOD to the glorie of the life euerlaſting. The ſame thing is it which S Augustine meaneth, ſaying:Aug Hom. in Ioan. 35. Wee are come into the way of faith, let vsus hold it conſtantlie, it ſhall leade vsus from degree to degree euen vntounto the chamber of the heauenlie King, where all the treaſures of knowledge and wiſedome beeing hid, wee may learne and behold the reuelation of our election. From hence proceedeth yet another fruite ſeruing vsus for a marke to aſſure vsus more & more that we are the children of God, when we louelove God, and our neighbours for his ſake: whereof alſo followeth the hatred of euill, and an earneſt deſite to render obedience to God. For if it be ſo as Saint Iohn ſaith,1. Ioh. 4.19 that our louelove to God commeth of this, that he hath firſt loued vsus: The louelove that we beare vntounto him, is a teſtimonie that he loueth vsus. As alſo Ieſus Chriſt maintaineth and ſheweth, that by the ſignes of louelove,Luk. 7.47. which the ſinful woman gaue him, God loued her greatly, and had forgiuen her manie ſinnes. So the brightnes of the Moone is a certaine argument that the Sunne miniſtreth whollie to her, for otherwiſe ſhe hath no brightnes at all. And in ſommer, the heate that is felt in the ſtones ſet againſt the Sunne, is a ſigne that the Sunne ſhineth vppon them. Of our owne nature and firſt generation we are vnprofitable to all goodnes, and inclined to al euill,Rom. 3.10. as Saint Paule very largelie ſetteth forth vntounto vsus writing to the Romanes. If then on the contrarie wee walke in the feare God, giuing our ſelues to his ſeruice, and occupying our ſelues in all good works: is not ſuch a chaunge a teſtimonie of our regeneration, and conſequentlie of our adoption? The tree is knowne by his fruit, ſaith Ieſus Chriſt:Matt 7.17. If then wee beare the fruit of iuſtice, holines and of charitie, wee are trees planted in the garden of God by his holie ſpirit, and ſo conſequentlie the childen of God. Charitie, ſaith Saint Iohn, 1. Ioh. 4.7.is of God, and he that loueth, is borne of God, and knoweth God. As then the heate and light of a coale is a ſigne that it hath fire: and as the moouing and actions of the bodie are certaine ſignes, that it liueth, & that the ſoule is within it: ſo the teſtimonie of the holie ghoſt in our hearts, the peace & quietnes of our conſciences before GOD, feeling our ſelues iuſtified by faith; this louelove towards God and our neighbour, this chaunge of our life, and deſire to walke in the feare and obedience of God, are aſſured tokens of our adoption: as alſo this, that we are members of the Church of Chriſt hearing his word, participating with the holie Sacraments, and calling vppon God in the name of Ieſus Chriſt, are teſtimonies that wee are the children and houſhold ſeruants of God, and heires of eternall life.