Commentary on the Minor Prophets, Treatise · Chapter 4
CHAP. IIII. God is a Father to all his faithfull ſervants. And I will ſpare them, as a man ſparethhis own ſon that feareth him.
VVHat gracious reſpects and high honours the God of heaven puts upon the perſons of them that fear him,Pſal. 115.13. both ſmall and great, hath been ſaid already. That which follows in the text, concerneth their performances.Pſal. 19.11. For every childe in Gods houſe know's his own work; in doing whereof as there is great reward, ſo there is no little favour ſhewed him, in caſe it be not all out ſo well done. For I will ſpare them, ſaith the Lord of hoſts, as a man ſpareth his own ſon that ſerves him, I will be no leſſe propitious unto him, then is the moſt indulgent parent to his moſt obedient childe. Videmus ergo &c. We ſee then, ſaith judicious Calvin, the Prophets purpoſe in this precious promiſe.
1. That they ſhal ſerve God, and ſerve him as ſons do, that is, ingenuouſly and freely.
2 That God will graciouſly accept the ſervice of ſuch, taking in God part from them what they are able, and pardoning the reſt.
Theſe are his notes upon the text, and theſe ſhall be ours.
Doct 1. That God is a father to all his faithful ſervants: Deus nobis eſt, Pater, & nos ſibi reconciliavit in Chriſto Calvin in loc.He looks upon ſuch as ſerve him in ſincerity as upon ſons and daughters.
2. That he will ſurely ſhew like mercies and mildneſſe to his children in their faults and failings, in their wants and weakneſſes, as the kindeſt father would do to his deareſt ſon that ſerveth him.
For the former point: The promiſe of pardon is here fitly made ſub patris parabola, ſaith Gualther, under the ſimilitude of a father.Figuier in loc. And the ſenſe is thus much, ſaith another Interpreter,: although I ſeem for a time to the blinde moles of the world, to be negligent of thoſe that are diligent about me, of my beſt, and buſieſt ſervants; yet I think upon them ſtill as my deareſt children, and when I may be thought moſt careleſſe and cruel towards them, then am I a moſt propitious and ſin-pardoning father, fully reconciled unto them in Chriſt, for there comes in the kinred, according to that of our Saviour in his meſſage by Mary to his diſtreſſed diſciples after his reſurrection, I aſcend unto your father,Iohn. 20.17. and my father, mine and yours, and therefore yours becauſe mine. For as many as received him, ſaith St. Iohn, to them he gave priviledge to become the ſons of God.Ioh. 1.12. And again, when the fulneſſe of time was come, ſaith another Apoſtle, God ſent forth his ſon (his natural, onelyonly begotten ſon) made of a woman (and ſo by perſonal union of the two natures in one Chriſt, his ſon by a new relation,Gal. 4.4. according to that, This day have I begotten thee, and all to the end,) that we may receive the adoption of ſons. That we which by nature were children of wrath, and by practiſe, children of the devil, might by divine acceptation and grace be made the children of God: who had predeſtinated us unto the adoption of children by Jeſus Chriſt to himſelf, according to the good pleaſure of his will,Ephe. 1.4, 5. to the praiſe of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved One.
SECT. I. Reaſons hereof drawn from the cauſes.
IN which heavenly Text, Reaſ. 1 we have the firſt and chief ground of this doctrine, drawn from the cauſes of our ſpiritual ſonſhip.
1. The fundamental and original cauſe, Gods decree of election by grace; we have an act for it in Gods eternal counſel. According as he hath choſen us in Chriſt before the ſoundation of the world &c. For which cauſe alſo the predeſtinate are called the Church of the firſt-born who are written in heaven. Heb. 12.23, And whom he did foreknow, ſaith Saint Paul, them he did predeſtinate alſo to be conformed to the image of his ſon: like him in glory, as well as in ſufferings, like in being ſons, as he is a ſon, that he might be (even according to his humanity) the firſt-born among many brethren.Rom. 8.29.
2. The meritorious and procuring, or working cauſe of our adoption, is here ſet forth to be the Lord Chriſt, in whom he (as a father) hath bleſſed us with all ſpiritual bleſſings in heavenly things Ephe. 1.3. but all in Chriſt, and all in this order. A chriſtian by the Goſpel is made a beleever. Now faith afteran unſpeakable manner engrafteth him into the body of Chriſt the natural ſon, and hence we become the adopted ſons of God: it being the property of faith to adopt as well as to juſtifie, ratione objecti by means of the object Chriſt, up whom faith layeth hold. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Chriſt Jeſus Gal. 3.26. Children, I ſay, not by creation as Adam is called the ſon of God Luk. 3. becauſe he was produced in the ſimilitude of God; but by marriage and myſtical union with Chriſt the fecond Adam, the heir of all, who hath
1. Laid down the price of that great priviledge Heb. 9.15. even his own moſt precious blood, redeeming us thereby that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of ſons Gal. 45.
2. He hath ſealed it up to us by his ſpirit, that earneſt of our inheritance Eph. 1.13. called therefore the ſpirit of adoption, and the ſpirit of Gods ſon (as ſpringing out of his death,Rom. 8.15. Joh. 16.14. Gal 4.6 and procured by his interceſſion) For becauſe ye are ſons, God hath ſent forth the ſpirit of his ſon into your hearts crying Abba, father.
3. Here is the motive and impulſive cauſe: and that is the good pleaſure of his will, Joh. 1.12 1 John 3.1. 2 Tim. 1. vlt.his abſolute independent grace and mercy was the ſole inductive. He giveth us this dignity, ſaith St Iohn in his Goſpel. And what more free then gift? he ſheweth us this love, ſaith he in his epiſtle, becauſe it was the time of love, that we ſhould be called the ſons of God. So that our Adoption is not a priviledge purchaſed by contract of juſtice,Rom. 8.23. Prov. 16.4. but an inheritance caſt upon us of free grace and goodneſſe. The Lord ſhew mercy to Oneſiphorus in that day when our adoption ſhalbe crowned with its ful accompliſhment. Laſtly here we have the final cauſe of our adoption,: …hepr…iſe of the glory of his grace. This is the end God propounds to himſelf in this, as in all other his works, as having none higher then himſelf, to whom to have reſpect, for he is the moſt higheſt. God hath made all things for himſelf, yea the wicked alſo for the day of evil: viz. for the glory of his Juſtice and power (as he told Pharaoh Rom. 9.17.) but eſpecially of his grace: ſith all that his juſtice doth in the Reprobation of ſome, tendeth to this ultimate end of all, that the riches of his grace may be the more diſplayed in the election of others.
SECT. II. Reaſons from the effects of his father-hood.
A Second reaſon followeth from the effects, and thoſe are no leſſe demonſtrative of the point then the cauſes. Reaſ. 2
Theſe are 1. Gods fatherly affections. 2. His expreſſions, both which ſpeake him a father to all his.
For his affection, firſt, to his people: Albeit they be but his Adopted children, yet he loves them more then any naturall father doth his own bowels.Jam. 1. ult. Hence he is called the father by an eminency, as if there were no father to him, none like him, none beſides him, as indeed there is not originally and properly. Called he is the father of all mercies, Eph. 3.15 foreign Paternitas, paerentela. Math. 23.9the fountaine of all that mercy; that is found in any father: all is but a ſpark of his flame, a drop of his ocean, Yea he is ſtiled the father of all the fatherhoods in heaven and earth. Whence alſo our Saviour, Call no man, ſaith He, your father on earth, for one is your father, even God. To enter compariſon in ſome few particulars.
Firſt a father loves freely, not ſo much for that his child is witty, or wealthy,Patriam amat quiſque, nonquia magna, ſed quia ſua. Sen. ep. 66. ſic et prolem De mercatore pro filijs ſuis duobus captis ſeipſum offerente, ut filijs ſervatis ipſe interficeretur; lege Sozom. lib. 7 cap. 24. or wel-favour'd, as for that he is his. There needs no other argument to a father but that, this is my child. So is it with God. Deut. 7.7. Ezek. 36.32.
Secondly, a father loves hugely: there is an ocean of love in a fathers heart: he loves his child as well if not better then himſelf; as Joab twitted David with his exceſſive love to his unnaturall Abſolom. There is alſo an immenſe, incomparable, incomprehenſible love in God toward his children, an hyperbole, an exceſſe of love, a love paſſing knowledge Eph. 3.19. And that paſſeth all the dimenſions. It is higher then heaven Pſal. 36.5. deeper then hell Pſal. 86.13. longer then the earth, and broader then the ſea Pſal 98.4. & Pſal. 104.24. a tranſcendent, boundleſſe, bottomleſſe love, truely exalted above the love of naturall parents, which yet is wonderous great. Pſal. 103.13. Eſay, 49.15. But infinitly ſhort of Gods love, it makes not the tith of it.
Thirdly, a father loveth conſtantly and unchangably, yea though his child be never ſo untoward and diſobedient, as David did his Amnon, and his Abſ… …em, even to the laſt of them did he love them. So, and much more then ſo doth God his children. For as himſelf is an everlaſting father, ſo is his love everlaſting. Eſay 9.6. & 49.14. His compaſſions faile not. Lam. 3.22. He cannot grow out of kinde, nor be weary of loving. Having loved his own, ſaith the evangeliſt, to the end he loved them. Ioh. 13.1. Frown he can, if need be, hate he cannot: hide his face he may for a while, but his heart is ever earning towards them, his bowels are turned within him, his repentings are kinled together: ſco…e them he doth (other-whiles) with the rods of men,Hoſ. 11.8 Pſal. 89. Eſa. 57.7, 8, 9… foreign Rom. 1 Pſal. 27.10 foreign Heb. 13. but the ſure mercies of David he will never take from them. Naturall parents may prove unnaturall: not ſo our heavenly father, he is all bowels: they may hate where they loved, they may loath whom they liked; but he reſts in his love. Zeph. 3.17. He hates putting away. Hoſ. 2. Davids father and mother may caſt him out, but then God will gather him. Father Abraham may forget us, and Iſrael may diſown us. Eſay 63.16. But God hath ſaid, I will not leave thee. I will not not not forſake thee. The Fathers and governours of the Church may, under a faire pretence of zeale, caſt us out, and ſay, let the Lord be glorified: but then ſhall God appeare to our joy, and they ſhall be aſhamed. Eſay 66.5. The fathers of our fleſh are mutable, and fickle-minded,Jam. 1.17 but with the father of light is no ſhaddow of change, his love laſteth to all eternity without any alteration.
SECT III. Other reaſons from the effects of his fatherhood.
NExt, as Gods affection to his children is more then fatherly, ſo are his expreſſions and proviſions for them too.
For, 1. Beſides his eternall electing them to the adoption of children Eph. 1.4. It was he that took us out of the womb Pſal. 22.9.Hoſ. 13.13 foreign. Math. 28.19 that we might not (Ephraim-like that unwiſe ſon) ſtay over-long in the birth, and dye before we ſaw his marvelous light. It was he that baptized us into his own name, whereby we are called as a childe by his fathers.
2. He loves the very places they firſt breathed in the better for their ſakes Pſ. 86.7. and the very ground they tread upon. Hence Judaea, the ſeate of the church, is called a delightſome land Mal. 3.12. the glorious land,Zach. 7.14 …om. 4.13. Pſal. 89.12 the land of deſires or ornaments Dan. 11.41. yea Canaan, for this, is called the whore world, and Tabor and Hermon is put for the Eaſt and Weſt of the world.
3. He chargeth all ſorts, as they love him to love his lambs, his little ones, to handle them gently for his ſake. He feeds them with ſincere milk ſtreaming from thoſe fullſtrutting breaſts of conſolation, the lively oracles, he brings them forth butter in a lordly diſh Judg. 5.25. he makes them ready and unready,Eſay 66.11 Act. 7. Ezek. 36.25 as new-borne-babes, lulling them aſleep in a holy ſecurity, ſhifting them in their ſcapes by the clean water of his ſpirit in their ſanctification, and the clean linnen of Chriſts righteouſneſs in their juſtification. He keepeth them from fire & from water, the fire of temptation which the Dragon ſpers, and the water of perſecution which he ſpews out of his mouth, as a flood,Rev. 12.4, 15 to drown the…t avelling church, and to devour her babe as ſoon as it was borne.
All this God doeth for his children aſſoon as they are any thing. Afterwards, as they grow up to any bigneſſe, he beares them in his boſome as a nurſing-father bears the ſucking child Num. 11.1…. carries them in his armes till ſuch time as they can go Eſa. 46.4. guides them with …is eye when they begin to finde their feet (I taught Ephraim alſo to go, 1 Theſ. 2.7taking them by their armes Hoſ. 11.3. leads them in his hand, as a horſe in the wilderneſſe Eſ. 63.13. If the way be too rough for their tender feet, or too long for their ſhort legs, he lifts them over by his ſpirit, he chargeth alſo his angels to bear them in their hands, who are as glad of ſuch an office as the ſervants are to get their yong maſter in their armes. It's certain that no yong Prince goes better guarded and attended then a childe of God. Heb. 1. ult.
Next for their diet and apparrell: God feeds his children with the kidnyes of wheat, with the hidden Manna, with the bread of life, with the beſt of the beſt, fat things full of marrow, Gen. 47 12 Luk. 15. foreign. Diog: apud Plutarch. Prov. 15.15wines on the lees well refined Iſa. 25 6. Thus he nouriſheth them (as Ioſeph did his fathers family in Egypt) as a little child is nouriſhed. And for appa…rell they have it of the fineſt. Bring forth the beſt robe, and the beſt ring &c. the righteouſneſſe of the ſaints, even the red upper-coat of Juſtification, and the white under-coat of ſanctification. They are ever in their holy-day cloaths, their feſtivall apparrell every day-being the chriſtian mans holy-day, and he having within him a continuall feaſt.
6. For their teaching and tuition,foreign Prov. 1.4 foreign. Ioh. 16.8 Eph 5.9 Cant. 2.4 Such comfort there is in Chriſts preſence, (though but in the womb) as it made Iohn to ſpring. Luc. 1 Shindler: Pentag. Buxtorf. Lexic. Cartw: Harm. The North is a nippingwind, the South a cheriſhing wind, but both for the ſaints. D. Sibbes they are all taught of God Eſay 54.13. who 1. by his word makes them wiſe to ſalvation, gives ſubtlety to the ſimple, and to the youg man knowledge and diſcretion. 2. by his ſpirit of revelation convinceth them of their falſe principles, refells their fallacious reaſonings, unteacheth them the devils learning, and then leads them into all truth and goodneſſe: for the fruit of the ſpirit is in all goodneſſe, righteouſneſſe and truth. And of this teaching ſpeaketh St. Paul 1 Theſ. 4.0. and St. Iohn 1 Epiſt. 2.27.
7. Next for their delight and recreation, he allowes them his garden to walk into, his wine-cellar to go down into. He pleaſeth himſelf wondrouſly in their company, be they but two or three of them, he is in the midſt: as once he made the third with thoſe two going Emaus. He ſets them between his legs (as it were) ſo ſome read that text Deut 33.3, He loved tho people and (as an effect thereof) they ſat down at thy feet, or, they were ſet between thy feet, as the fathers darlings. Moreover, when he hath them there, he rejoyceth over them with joy, yea he rejoyceth ouer them with ſinging. Zeph.p 3.17. like as earthly parents dandle, dance, and ſing their little ones upon their knees.
Further, he is wondrous choyce and chary of his children, ſo that he cannot abide the cold wind ſhould blow upon them. The ſun muſt not ſmite them by day, nor the moon by night, and what wind ſoever blow, whether North or South (and what more contrary then thoſe?) they muſt blow good to Gods children Cant. 4. ult. In a word, he thinks nothing good that he hath to himſelf, except they may ſhare a part. And is not this the part of a loving parent?
8. Laſtly, for matter of maintenance, and outward ſubſiſtence, your heavenly father knowes that ye need theſe things alſo Mat. 6.32. and it's enough for you that he knowes it. He holds them to hard-meat ſometimes, but then they have it of free-coſt, when the wicked pay deare for their tid-bits, and dainty morſels. Their meat is ſawced, and their drink ſpiced with the wrath of God, Iob 20.14. their very table is a ſnare to them. The Inne-keeper gives his gueſts the beſts diſhes, but reſerves the inheritance for his children: ſo here, God gives his people mony in their purſes, ſo much as will ſerve turne to beare their charges home, to buy them neceſſaries, and to keep them true men at leaſt; though they have not to laviſh and riot, becauſe he knows their weakneſſe that way; and therefore holds them (moſtly) to ſtraight allowance. Not out of niggardize, I muſt tell you: for he could beteeme them more meanes, and ſo he doth alſo to ſome of his better children, that have grace to uſe it, and make them friends with it. But the leſs he allowes them here, the more he layes up for them in heaven. Pſal. 89.28, & 31, 19. And when they are once come to the full ſtature of a man in Chriſt (for now they are in their nonage) the whole inheritance ſhall be given them of the father Rom. 8.16. They ſhall have power over all creatures Rev. 2.26. and poſſeſſion of that new heaven and new earth. 2. Pet. 3.13. And if theſe be not the expreſſions and proviſions of a bountifull father, pray y' what is?
SECT. IIII. God no Father to the wicked, what ever they pretend to him.
NOw for Application, Doth God the Lord look upon ſuch as ſons and daughters as ſincerely ſerve him? Use 1 How then (think we) doth he look upon all ſuch as ſerve not God but Mammon, as ſerve not the Lord Chriſt but their own bellies their baſe luſts, this preſent evill world, nay the God of this world,Matth. 6. Rom. 16. 2 Cor. 4.4 Ioh. 8. 1 Ioh. 3.8 Ver. 9.10 foreign. whoſe works they do, and will do, and are therefore of their father the devill. This, ſaith St. Iohn, entitles the devill to a man; for he that commits ſin is of the devill, that's flat. And again, In this the children of God are manifeſt and the children of the devill, He that is borne of God doth not commit ſin. Well he may ſlip into it of infirmity, and at unawares Gal. 6.1. A ſheep may ſlip into a ſlough, but delights not to wallow in it. He doth not work iniquity on ſet purpoſe, he doth not ſell over himſelf to ſin with Ahab, Rom. 6. Eph. 4.he doth not hire out his members as weapons of wickedneſſe, working all uncleanneſſe with greedineſſe. No, this is not the guiſe of a childe of God, but of an impe of hell, of a brat of fathomleſſe perdition. They have corrupted themſelves, ſaith Moſes, Deut. 32.5their ſpot is not the ſpot of his children, they are a perverſe and crooked generation. And yet who ſo forward as theſe to claime kindred of the Almighty, to fawn upon God, and call him father? Wilt thou not from this time (ſaith He to Idolatrous Iſrael, that had in this behalf an whores forehead, a wainſcot face hatcht all over with impudence) wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, my father, art thou not the guide of my youth? Will he reſerve his anger for ever? will he keep it to the end? Here were good words: Sed quid verba quaero, facta cum videam? How canſt thou ſay,Judg. 16.15 Ier. 3.2, 3, 4, …. thou loveſt me, when thy heart is not with me? Behold, ſaith God in the ſame place, thou haſt ſpoken and done evill things as thou couldeſt, thou haſt polluted the land with thy whoredomes and wickedneſſe, and haſt thou yet a ſace to call me Father? Whoſoever tranſgreſſeth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Chriſt, hath not God 2 Ioh. 9. He that walketh not in the ſteps of Abrahams faith, Obj. Sol. hath not Abraham to his father Rom. 4.12. what-ever he pretends to him with thoſe braving Jews. Ioh. 8. Tell me not here that God hath bleſſed you, as a father, ſuſtein'd you with corne and wine Gen. 27.37. given you of the fatneſſe of the earth, and of the dew of heaven &c. for Eſau had as good a portion as this, and yet a caſt-away: and Abraham gave the moveables to the children of the concubins, whom he leſſe reſpected, but Iſaac had the inheritance.
Oh but we are children of the free-woman, Obj. Sol. borne and bred in the boſome of the church, and enjoy many outward priviledges. So did Eſau, and yet was hated of God, ſo did Iudas, and yet a firebrand of hell. Obj. Sol.Mat. 3.
Neither is it any ſuch buſineſſe, as many make of it, that they have had their Chriſtendome. For unleſſe they be withall baptized with the holy Ghoſt and with fire, with the ſpirit of judgement and of burning, Eſay 4.4whereby they have ſo put on Chriſt, as that they are become the children of God, by faith in him, Gal. 3.26, 27. Its pity that ever Font-water was ſpilt upon their faces. Saul was circumciſed, and yet David calls him Cuſhite, Pſal. 7. Title.or Ethiopian; and unregenerate Iſrael is to me as Ethiopia, ſaith God, Amos 9.7. and as Gomorrah, Eſay 1.10. notwithſtanding all their externall ſervices, and ſudibrious devotions. Chriſt ſhall one day rid his houſe, and waſh his hands of all ſuch unworthy hang-byes, and powerleſſe pretenders. Depart from me, ſhall they hear, to their everlaſting amazement. Go, get ye to the gods whom ye have choſen.Eſay 51.1 Look to the rock from whence ye were hewen, and to the hole whence ye were digged: ſee what your father the devil will do for you, for Ile take no further charge of you: his work ye have done, and his wages ye ſhall have. And ſith ye have runne out with the Prodigall, and loathing ſuch wholeſome fare as my houſe afforded, ye have fed hungerly on thoſe murthering morſels of iniquity, the devils husks, therefore ſhall they ſtick in your throats, like the envenomed arrows of the Almighty, thoroughout all eternity.
SECT. V. Terrour to thoſe that maligne or miſuſe Gods children.
BUt ſecondly, Ʋſe 2 is God a Father to all faithfull Chriſtians? how ill-adviſed then are all ſuch as either by their violent hands, or virulent tongues, miſuſe or maligne them? yea, that offer them the leaſt affront or offence, deſpite or diſpleaſure? For know they not whoſe children they are, and to whoſe charge they belong? Shall not God avenge his own, though he bear long with them? Very Infidels and worſe will defend their own. Very beaſts will ſee to the ſafety of their young ones, and ſpend their lives freely for their reſcue. Amongſt fowls, the Phoenix is famous, and the Pellican much more, for reviving her dead birds, with her heart blood. Now, is there mercy and good nature in a man, in a bird, in a beaſt, in the creature, in the unreaſonable creature alſo, and can we without blaſphemy, or extreme injury,It is a Spaniſh proverb: He that wipeth the childs noſe, kiſſeth the mothers check. Gen. 4. Num 12.14 imagine worſe of God? It's more then evident to him that hath but half an eye, or doth obſerve any thing at all in Gods word, or works, that as he taketh notice of ſmalleſt curteſies, even to a cup of cold water, to requite them, ſo of their leaſt or lighteſt indignities, and injuries to repay them, be it but a frown or a frump. Cain ſhall anſwer it before the Lord, if he but lowre upon Abel. Miriam ſhall be a leper ſeven dayes at leaſt, and ſtand aſhamed of her fathers ſpetting in her face, if ſhe but mutter againſt Moſes. An Ammonite, or a Moabite ſhall be baſtardized, and baniſhed the beauty of holineſſe, the threſhold of the Sanctuary, to their tenth generation, merely for an omiſſion, becauſe they met not Gods firſt-born Iſrael with bread and water in the wilderneſſe: How much more becauſe they hired Balaam to curſe him, Deut. 23.3, 4. which when he could not do, God turning his curſe into a bleſſing unto his children, becauſe he loved them, verſe 4. yet for that he ſhewed his good-will to have done it, and moreover taught Balac to lay a ſtumbling-block before Gods Iſrael, to eat things ſacrificed to Idols, and to commit fornication, Rev. 2.14. therefore was he ſlain by the ſword of the Lord.Gen. 34.31 For is ſhe not our ſiſter? ſhould be make our ſiſter a whore? ſaid thoſe two brethren in iniquity: which if it ſeemed a ſufficient plea to them, (as likewiſe to Abſolom, in the behalf of his ſiſter Tamar) for that barbarous and bloody maſſacre, how ſhall the Lord drench and drown the ſword of his juſtice in the bowels of ſuch as wrong his children to his face, and do them all the deſpite that may be?Eſth. 7.8 what will they force the Queen alſo in the houſe? will they offend Gods little-ones, rake into his bowels, pollute his preſence with the ſlaughter, or but miſuſage of his children?Job 9.3 Had Zimri peace that ſlew his Maſter? Hath ever any waxed fierce againſt God and proſpered? Look to it, all ye that ſmite any child of his, either with hand or tongue. 'Twere better a milſtone were hanged about your necks, and your ſelves drowned in the depth of the Sea, then that ye offend one of theſe little-ones,Mat. 18.6, 10 if a beleever. For I tell you (Chriſt tells you) that in heaven their Angels do always behold the face of their heavenly Father, waiting for a commiſſion to do ſpeedy execution on the enemies of his children.
SECT. VI. Try your title to God as a Father: Marks.
EXhortation, and firſt, to try our title to God as a loving Father, Ʋſe 3 by our care to ſerve him as obedient children. There be ſundry diſtinctive notes of a child of God ſparſed here and there, up and down the Scriptures: but that in the Text ſhall ſuffice for the preſent, and it is infallible. I will ſpare them, as one ſpares his own ſonne that ſerves him. Every ſonne then of his ſerves him, we ſee, and not as a ſlave his Lord, but as a ſon ſerves his father. How's that?
Firſt, cheerfully and willingly: Every one that is born of God, ſerves him with gladneſſe, Pſal. 100.2. loves to be his ſervant, takes hold of his covenant, counts it his meat and drink to do the will of his heavenly Father, in whoſe houſe therefore he hath a name better then of a ſonne or daughter, Eſay 56.6.
Next, reverently, with a filiall fear and awfull reſpect to God as his father, whoſe favour he finds better then life, and whoſe diſpleaſure he fears, and hath felt more bitter then death, Heb. 12.27. 1 Pet. 1.17. Pſal. 2.11. How fearfull is this place, ſaid Jacob? where yet he had ſeen viſions of love.Gen. 28
Thirdly, confidently and with an humble boldneſſe, as well aſſured of his Fathers both aſſiſtance and acceptance: treating with him ever and anon by affectionate prayer (as God hath no dumb children) and making his requeſts known unto him with affiance of acceſſe, and ſucceſſe in all his ſuits: which the phraſe of crying Abba, Father, alſo importeth. See Heb. 4.16.
Sincerely, and entirely, both 1. For ſubject, not having a heart and a heart, (as that deſperate Neapolitan ſaid, he had one for God, and another for the devil) not carrying two faces under a hood, (as one wittily ſaith of Haymo and Remigius:) which double-dealing is moſt deteſtable in a child toward his father, (we ſay of an arrant diſſembler, He would not ſpare to cozen even his own father) and no good child will offer it. But ſerving him with ſingleneſſe of heart; yea with all the heart,Dent. 10.12 Rom. 12.1 2 Cor. 6.20 and all the ſoul: preſenting our bodies alſo, as a whole burnt ſacrifice, which is our reaſonable ſervice, yea glorifying him with both our ſpirits and bodies, which are the Lords: Not offering to detain from him that hath bought us with a price, any part of his purchaſe; for why ſhould we lie to the Holy Ghoſt? All Gods children are ſuch as will not lie, Eſay 63.8.Act. 5.3, 4 but obey from the heart that form of doctrine, whereunto, denying themſelves, they have been delivered, rather ſeeking to be good, then ſeeming to be ſo. 2. For object: Every true child of God obeys his father in all, as well as in any part or point of duty.Rom. 6.17 He is a doer of righteouſneſſe, 1 Joh. 3.10. a fulfiller of all righteouſneſſe, Mat. 3.1 Joh. 3.10 ſomething (at leaſt) he is doing at it, as he is able (and this diſtinguiſheth him from a child of the devil, ſaith St. John) he follows after it (as Solomons expreſſion is) as a man follows his trade, wherein uſe makes maſtery: he lifts at the latch, though he cannot do open the door: he ſhews his good will, and is humbled for his failing: when either he miſſeth of his work, or marres it in the manner. So purifying himſelf by the practiſe of mortification, as God is pure, in ſome truth of reſemblance, and all out of a right hope, that he is his child, 1 Joh. 3.2, 3.
Conſtantly, and unweariably. A good child will be ſerviceable to his father, in whatſoever he can, ſo long as they two ſhall live together. Semblaby, Gods children ſerve him in righteouſneſſe and holineſſe, all the dayes of their lives.Luk. 1.75 Thus David, as he ſwore himſelf to Gods ſervice, and promiſed to dwell in his houſe for ever, without ſhifting his ſervice, ſo he performed it accordingly: for he ſerved out his whole time, as an Apprentice to the trade, Act. 13.36, 22. and ſpent all his dayes (after he was once bound) in doing all the wills of God,foreign. one as well as other.
Laſtly, unanimouſly with the reſt of his fellow-ſervants, with one conſent, and one ſhoulder, as the ſcripture ſpeaketh, Zeph. 3.9. obſerving our Lords laſt charge, the ſame in effect with that of Joſeph to his brethren: Fall not out by the way, but bee at peace among your ſelves, loving one another out of a pure heart fervently. For, by this ſhall your ſelves know, that ye are my children, 1 Joh. 3.10, 13. and by this ſhall all men know,Heb. 4 that ye are my diſciples, if ye love one another: and ſeale up this love by ſtirring up your ſelves, among your ſelves, to love and good workes.
Lo, Theſe are the ſignes of ſuch a ſervant of God as he will own for a ſon, and account of as a Jewell to be made up in his Magazine. If ye be ſuch, ye are made for ever: As if otherwiſe
SECT. VII. Settle this, that ye are Gods children, and how.
MY ſecond Exhortation is, that ye give no reſt to your eyes, nor ſleep to your ey-lids, till you have ſecured and ſettle this to your ſelves: it being a matter of that moment, that without nothing can be ſafe, nothing comfortable. Now to become children of God there is no other way under heaven, then to paſſe thorough the narrow womb of repentance, and be born againe. For fleſh and blood cannot inherit:1 Pet. 1.3 Gal. 5.21 and all unrighteous perſons are utterly excluded from the benefit of Adoption, 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. And yet ſuch were ſome of you: but ye are waſhed, but ye are ſanctified, but ye are juſtified. And how juſtified? but by the name, that is, by the merits of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt apprehended by faith, which adopts as well as juſtifies? And how ſanctified? but by the ſpirit of our God,1 Cor. 6.10: 11 Homo templum Dei: Deus ara hominis. whoſe office and operation it is, to transfuſe the divine nature into us, and to erect that faire fabrick of the new man in our hearts for a temple to himſelf; that he may dwell in us, and walk in us, yea ſecretly and ſweetly ſay to us, being now ſeparated from all il I courſes and companies, I will be a father unto you,2 Cor 6.1.6, 17, 18. and ye ſhall be my ſonnes and daughters, ſaith the Lord Almighty.
SECT. VIII. Let all Gods children know their Father: and how.
INſtruction to all ſuch as are received into the number of Gods children, Ʋſe 4 as ever they expect his bleſſing, or reſpect their birth-right, to diſcharge that duty that this dignity calles for.
And firſt to know their father: So to know God as a child doth his father, not only with an apprehenſive but an effective knowledge, that unites the heart unto him, labours not only after an union, but a unity with him. We are all by nature like runagate children, who would never have kept neer their parents houſe,Hoſ 4 but aſſembled themſelves by troopes, in harlots houſes, with the prodigall, where whordome and wine, and new wine hath taken away our hearts: the things of this life are ſo neer and naturall to us, ſo preſent and pleaſant, that we cannot aſcend into heaven to learne wiſdom, to get the knowledge of the Holy One, Prov. 30.3, 4. The ſpirit of fornication hath ſo beſotted us, that we have not ſo much as a mind to look toward God. Hence that complaint. I have brought up children, and they have rebelled againſt me. The ox knoweth his owner, and the aſſe his maſters crib, but Iſrael doth not know; my people doth not conſider. Do ye thus requite the Lord,Iſa. 1.2, 3 Deut. 32.6 Pſal. 14.3 Eſa. 64.7 Judg. 18.24 Iſa. 65.1 1 Chron. 28.9 O fooliſh people and unwiſe? Is not he thy father &c? But there is none that underſtandeth, and ſeeketh God, none that ſtirrith up himſelf to take hold of God &c. Graceleſſe and heedleſſe impes we are all, that will not once take knowledge our of father, or cry after him though loſt, as Micah did after his loſt idols: albeit we have ſo taſted of his ſweetneſſe, and he hath ſaid, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by his name. But thou, Solomon my ſon, know thou the God of thy fathers, yea God thy father: for, I will be his father and he ſhall be my ſon, ſaid the Lord to David. 2 Sam. 7.14.Telemachus apud Homer. Odyſſ. a. 1 Ioh. 2 13 We uſe to ſay (and we have it from the Greeks) that he is a wiſe child that knows his father. But he is no child of God, that knowes not him for his father. I write unto you babes, ſaith St. Iohn, becauſe ye have known the father. Loe he is not yet a babe in Chriſt that hath not ſome knowledge of this, that God is his father. True it is that the moſt gray headed, and moſt experienced Chriſtian knowes but in part, and imperfectly, becauſe he is taught but lamely, we prophecy in part 1 Cor. 13.9.foreign. Exod. 33. Iſa. 6.2 Pet. 3.18 Heb. 1.3 foreign Lumen de lumine. we ſee here but as in a glaſſe obſcurely, we ſee but Gods back-parts, the later end of his traine: we hear of him here by the hearing of the eare, but it is no more then as the later end of a ſentence, or ſo much only as the Eccho reſounds. But we muſt be getting and growing in this grace, even in the knowledge of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. He is the brightneſſe of his fathers glory, and the expreſſe image of his perſon. The beam of the Sun is not ſo like the body of the Sun, the character on the wax is not ſo like the ſeal that imprints it, nay milk is not ſo like milke, as Chriſt is like his father. He is up and down the ſelf-ſame that his Father is: they differ in nothing,Chriſtus eſt alius à patre, non aliud. but that the one is the father, and not the ſon, the other is the ſon, and not the father. Hence that of our Saviour to Philip, when he ſaid, Lord ſhew us the father, and it ſufficeth us. Jeſus ſaith unto him, Have I been ſo long time with you, and yet haſt thou not known me, Philip? He that hath ſeen me,Ioh. 14.8, 9 hath ſeen the Father, and how ſayeſt thou then, ſhew us the Father?
The very ſame All-powerfull God, who in fellowſhip of his ſacred perſon hath a ſoul and body glorified, the ſame ſpirituall nature is the nature of the Father: As if the ſame ſoul and body that is in you, were communicated with the perſon of your child. Well might our Saviour therefore ſay, If ye had known me, ye ſhould have known my father alſo. John 14.7. Oh learne and labour therefore to profit more and more in the myſtery of Chriſt, to know him better in his natures, in his offices, in his workes both of Abaſement and Advancement, of Humiliation and Exaltation: but eſpecially to know him as St. Paul did (for the other you may eaſily know out of every Catechiſme) to know him and the power of his reſurrection, and the fellowſhip of his ſufferings, being made conformable to his death Phil. 3.10. This is the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus ver. 8. this is life eternall Ioh. 17.3. We know no more of God and his will, then we practiſe, and have experience of: Chriſt is ſaid to know no ſin, becauſe he did none: and Eli's ſons knew not the Lord; (though prieſts) becauſe they feared him not: they deteined the truth, they knew, in unrighteouſneſſe, as thoſe Philoſophers did Rom. 1.18.
SECT. IX. Let them thankfully acknowledge his free grace in their adoption: and why.
A Second duty we owe to God as his children is thankfull acknowledgement of that never-enough adored depth of his ſingular love in our Adoption. The abſolute and independant freedome of his grace herein was ſuch, that without any the leaſt colour of cauſe, or ſhew of reaſon in us, without any defect on his part or deſert on ours, He drew us out of the moſt vile and ſervile condition that could be, into the glorious liberty of the ſons of God. David was to be gathered to his fathers,Pſal. 132.11 Eſay 9.6 1 Tim. 1.17 Pſal. 2. and it was therefore a ſingular favour to him that he ſhould have children to ſit upon his throne after him. But God is the King immortall, as St. Paul ſtiles him, the everlaſting Father, as Eſay, and therefore needs no ſon to ſucceed him. But if he did, he had a ſon of his own as like him as is poſſible, whom alſo he hath ſet as King upon his holy hill of Sion. Amongſt men, thoſe that have children of their own, if they adopt another mans childe, it is commonly becauſe their own are unfit for ſucceſſion either from ſome bodily weakneſſe as not likely to leave iſſue, or for baſeneſſe of ſpirit, and badneſſe of behaviour, as uncapable and unfit for government. Now none of all this can without horrible blaſphemy be ſaid of the Lord Chriſt. But admit the caſe had ſo ſtood with God, that it had been requiſite he ſhould have adopted any for his ſons, and heirs, the good Angels might have drawn away his affection from us by their holineſſe, or the evill angels his compaſſion, for their wretchedneſſe: or he could, for a need, of very ſtones have raiſed up children to himſelf, to be heirs of his kingdome in Chriſt. It was his will only, and nothing elſe, that moved his will to ſet his love upon us, as we may ſee both in the type Deut. 7.7. and in the truth E…h. 1.5. Surely as there was no defect or need in him, ſo there was as little merit or deſert in us. For whereas in the civill adoption (as when Pharaohs daughter adopted Moſes, Mordecai adopted Eſther, Jacob the two ſons of Joſeph) there is ſomething in the Adopted that moveth the Adoptant: cither ſome outward inducement, as kindred, beauty, favour &c. or ſome inward, as the gifts of the minde, underſtanding, ingenuity, hopefulnes &c. there was nothing at all in us to move God to ſuch a mercy. For outward reſpects, there was neither kindled to m…te him (for our father was an Amorite, Ezek. 16.3, 4, 5, 6. Chriſt calls his ſpouſe firſt his Love, and th…n his fair one. C…t. 2.10. Homo eſt inverſ…s decalogus. Eph. 2.1, 2.our mother a Hittite: we were the ſons of the perverſe rebellious woman, as Saul reproached Ionathan) nor yet beauty to intice him, for we were in our blood, in our blood, in our blood, when he ſpread the skirt of his garment over us, and ſaid unto us, Live. Blood is ſo many ſeverall times there named, to note our extreme filthineſſe: ſo little amiable were we when he ſet his love upon us.
And for any inward motive, grace (which is the only thing that God looks after Pſal. 14.2.) is not at all to be found in the naturall man. Nay he ſtands acroſſe, and is quite contrary to it; as being acted and agitated by the devill, and held captive, as a ſlave by him, at his pleaſure. Loe this was our eſtate, thus the Lord found us when he came to adopt us. And indeed Adoption (to ſpeak properly, as it is a borrowed terme from the civil law) imports as much. For it is the raking of one fo… a ſon, who is, for preſent, in ſome ſervitude to another. And ſo Lawyers diſtinguiſh it from Arrogation, which is, ſay they, the chuſing of one for a ſon that is free, his own man, & not under the command of another. But ſuch (alaſs) was not our caſe:foreign. Gal. 3.23. for both Jews and Gentiles were ſhut up under ſin, fiſt ſhut up cloſe priſoners in the devills dungeon, whoſe works we did, as ſlaves, and could not but do them, whoſe image we bear, as ſons, and could not but reſemble him: being as like the devill, as if we had been ſp…tout of his mouth, and had periſhed together with him in our own filth and blood like that forlorne infant, Ezek. 16. had not he of his mere grace and goodneſſe, when it was thetime of loves, ſaid unto us, Live, yea when we were weltring in our blood, he ſaid Live. Oh let the deep and due conſideration of this matchleſſe mercy and free favour raviſh and affecti… hearts, to greateſt cheerfulneſſe and thankfulneſſe: let it ſwallow up an …o…tents, and make us ſend up many an humble, joyfull, and praiſefull heart to him.
SECT. X. Let them honour their father: and how.
A Third duty we are to performe to God as a father is Reverence, according to that in the Prophet,Mal. 1.6 A ſon honoureth his father. If then I be a father, wher's mine honour? and that in the Decalogue, Honour thy father and thy mother, which, ſaith St. Paul, it the firſt commandement with promiſe. Promiſe, I ſay, of long life to him that (by honouring them) lengtheneth his parents life.foreign. Hi…rocl. Reverence and loving reſpect to parents never went unrecompenced, as in Iapheth, Iſaac, Ruth, others: much leſſe ſhall that to God: for, them that honour him he will honour.
Here then we are 1.1 Sam. 2. to have an high and honourable eſteem of God in our hearts: lifting up, and laying open thoſe everlaſting doors, that the King of glory may come in,Pſal. 24. and come in ſtate, in his own likeneſſe. Ignorant people caſt him into a diſhonourable mould as it were: they have bald and baſe conceits of God: they think him altogether ſuch a one as themſelves, or worſe: they change the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man &c. Pſal. 50.21. Rom. 1.13.26. foreign. 2 Cor. 6.16they diſhonour him, and therefore he gives them up to paſſions of diſhonour, or vile affections. For as a king will take it ill to be entertained no otherwiſe by his ſubjects, when he comes amongſt them, then if he were ſome Knight or meaner man: ſo will God, when we have low conceptions of him, when we glorifie him not as God, when we enlarge not his roome, and let him in-dwell richly in us, when we conceive not of him as the onelyonly potentate; repreſent him not to our thoughts in the apprehenſion of one that is in and of himſelf All-ſufficient, Omnipotent, onelyonly wiſe, and in Chriſt our moſt merciful father, yet ſtill our father in heaven; who without reſpect of perſons judgeth according to every mans works:1 Pet. 1.17. whom therefore if we call father we muſt paſſe the whole time of our ſojourning here (till he ſend for us home) infear. Lo this is to honour God in our hearts. And this is that. that is required ſo often in ſcripture, under the term of magnifying God, or making him great, and of glorifying God, or making him glorious: ſo he is pleaſed to account of it, when we get ſo far, as to conceive of him above all creatures: and that is when he comes into our hearts as a king of glory, far above all the glory that can be found in earthly princes.
2. We muſt honour him in our ſpeeches, both to him, and of him.
1. In our prayers to God, we muſt take unto us words, neither too curious,Verba nec lec…a ſint nec neglec…a. nor too careleſſe, we muſt ſpeak ſupplications, with the poor publican, we muſt addreſſe our ſelves unto him in lowlieſt manner, as the Prodigal did, Father I have ſinned againſt heaven and before thee, I am no more worthy to be called thy childe. A ſervants place in thine houſe is too good for me. Briefly, our words to God in prayer muſt be, as the words uſe to be of a childe to his father, humble, earneſt, and direct to the point, avoiding vam babblings This is to be ſober in prayer 1 Pet. 4.3.Eccleſ 5.2. foreign interparlance 1 Tim. 2.1. Omnino oportet nos ora…iotionis tempore curiam intrare coeleſtem, in qua Rex regum ſtella… ſedet ſol… &c. Quant … ergo cum reveremia quanto timore, quanto illuc humilitate accedere debet epalude ſu… procedens & repens vilts ranuncula? Bern. Lev. 19.12. when conſidering that God is in heaven, and we on earth, conſidering the infinite diſtance, and diſproportion between him and us, therefore our words are few. We are allowed to parle with God by prayer, to uſe an holy and humble familiarity, and to come boldly unto the throne of grace; but yet we muſt ſo couch our petitions, that all needleſs heartleſſe repetitions, ſuperfluous endleſſe digreſſions, tedious and unneceſſary prolixities be carefully avoided. Humble and pithy prayer findes freer acceſſe to God, and returns with better ſucceſſe to us.
2. As we muſt thus honour our heavenly father in our ſpeeches to him, ſo in our ſpeeches alſo of him to others. Take heed, that we take not up that great and terrible name of his, unreverently, lightly, looſely, diſreſpectfully: for he hath vowed that he will hold none guiltleſſe, he hath ſworn that no vain ſwearers, or other diſhallowers of his name ſhall ever enter into his kingdom. Reviling of parents was baniſhment by Plato's laws, death by Gods laws Exod 21.17. How ſhall they eſcape that bore thorough the glorious and dreadful name of God, toſſing it in their common talk as filthy dogs do ſtinking carrion; that ſwear in …ſt and not in judgement; that play with oathes as apes do with nuts, not conſidering that there is a large roll of ten yard; long and five yards broad full of curſes againſt the ſwearer, and that ſhall reſt upon his houſe, which he calls his caſtle, and where he thinks himſelf moſt ſecure. Zach. 5.2. Oh what will become of thoſe helliſh mouthes that belch out blaſphemies againſt him. (whom yet they daily call Our father which art in heaven) ſo ordinarily and ſo openly, that ſome of them are become very inter ections of ſpecch to the vulgar,S. Edw. Sands. and other-ſomemere phraſes of gallantrey to the braver, as one complaineth. How ſhould we grieve at this, as thoſe good men did when David was reviled by Shimei, how ſhould our hearts riſe to hear our heavenly father thus diſhonoured? ſurely good blood will not belie it ſelf.
3. God is to be honoured as a father in our whole converſation, remembring that we are ever in his eye: and ſhould therefore walk before him in an holy baſhfulneſſe, as aſhamed and afraid to do any thing unworthy of his preſence, or that may give him discontent. It was ordered in Moſes law, that when any went forth of the camp to eaſe nature, they ſhould dig a hole with a paddle, and cover their excrements: And why? For the Lord thy God walketh in the midſt of thy camp, therefore ſhall it be holy, that he ſee no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee Deut. 23.13, 14. Now there was more in this law, then every man looks unto. Sin is the ſouls excrements: St. Iames therefore calls it the ſuperfluity of naughtineſſe,Jam. 21. H…b. 1.13. Amos 3.3. 2. Sain. 12.9. …. 10.33. foreign Heb. 4.13. Gen. 27.12, 41 Prov. 17.2. as Samuels and … ſons as …onathan the four G…rſhom, the ſon of Meneſſeh, or as ſome copies have it, the ſon of Moſes. In accuratiſſimis libris Num ſuſpenſum eſt ſupra …l…as literas in ſignum, cam ſiteram adeſſe vel abeſſe peſſe…ut ſit & ſilius Moſis & Manaſſis 2 Reg. 21. iſtius, proſapiâ, hujus imitatione. Buxtorf Tiber. Amam Coronis. in reference to the dung of the beaſts that were ſlain in ſacrifice. Now God is of purer eyes then to behold ſin with patience, in his own eſpecially: for can two wal… together and they not be agreed? David is grievouſly threatened for despiſing God his father, that is, for daring to do that before him, that he would not have done before a childe of a dozen yeers-old. Cornelius and his company ſet themſelves as in Gods view, looked him ful in the face, and carried themſelves accordingly: ſo muſt we, remembring that al things are naked and open before the eyes of him, with whom we have to do. Iacob feared to diſpleaſe his father; leſt he ſhould get himſelf a curſe, and not a bleſſing: yea that profane Eſau would not offer to attempt any thing againſt Iacob his brother during his fathers dayes, for fear of diſpleaſing him. Epaminondas rejoyced in nothing more, then that he had done noble exploits, and atteined great victories: whiles his parents were yet alive, that they might ſhare with him in the comfort and credit thereof. Oh let it be our conſtant care ſo to carry our ſelves, that we may not ſhame our fathers houſe, as Solomons fool, but to get him honour from others Mat. 5.16. that they may ſee and ſay that we are the ſeed that the Lord hath bleſſed Eſay 61.9. It is not for noble mens ſons to be lingering and lodging in the ſtable or gate-houſe, (that's a place for grooms and hindes) much leſſe to be found filling muck-cart. the No more doth it ſute with the ſons of God to be loading themſelves with thick clay, to have their hands elbow-deep in the world, to buſie themſelves about many things with neglect of the one thing neceſſary, to run ſqeaking up and down the world, as rats and mice good for nothing but to devour victuals. This is not to walk worthy of God their father, and of Chriſt their elder brother.
SECT. XI. Let them reſemble their father, and wherein.
GOds children muſt reſemble him,M. Rob. Harris Math 23. foreign. Euſeb. as well as reverence him. The child is but the father multiplied; the father of the ſecond Edition, as One ſpeaketh, like him ordinarily, both in countenance and condition. The Phariſees were ſo like their fathers they were the worſe again. Iſaac trod in his fathers foot-ſteps, and heyred him, even in his infirmities, Gen. 26.7. Conſtantines ſonnes exactly reſembled their father in his good parts and practiſes. We muſt alſo be followers of God as dear children. 1. In light, 1 Joh. 1.5. being tranſparent as a chryſtall glaſſe with a light in the midſt of it. 2. In love, Epheſ. 5.1, 2. for have we not all one father, Mal. 2.10. Epheſ. 4.5, 6. love therefore as brethren, 1 Pet. 3.8. fall not out by the way, Gen. 45.24. let there be no difference, for we are brethren, and the Canaanite is in the land Gen. 13.7, 8. How can we look our father in the face, or expect his bleſſing, when we know that he knowes there is diſſention amongſt us? Oh how happy and pleaſant a thing it is, brethren to be at unity; there ſurely it is that God commands the bleſſing Pſal. 133.1, 3. He never came at Abraham that we read of till the breach betwixt him and Lot was made up again; live therefore at peace, and the God of love and peace ſhall be with you. 3. In mercy Luk. 6.36. loving them that hate us, bleſſing them that curſe us, doing good to them that perſecute us: for ſo ſhall we be the children of our heavenly father, who doth good both to the juſt, and to the unjuſt, cauſeth his ſun to ſhine, and his raine to fall, not onelyonly upon flowers, and fruit-trees, but alſo upon briers and thorns of the wilderneſſe, ſuch incarnat devils, as march up and down the earth with hearts and hands as full as hell, with al manner of malice and miſchief. Such a childe of God was Eliſha that feaſted his enemies, & Steven that prayed for his perſecutours, and that Martyr, that when he could not obtain a fair hearing before Steven Gardner, cryed out. Send me to my priſon again among my frogs and toads which will not interrupt me, whiles I pray for your Lordſhips converſion. 4. In ſanctifying the ſabbath, Exod. 20.11. Eſay 56.5.6. by reſting not only from corporal labour, but ſpiritual idleneſſe:Acts & Mon. as God reſted on that day from creating, and yet works hitherunto in preſerving and upholding all things by the word of his power. The baſer ſort of people in Sweth-land do alwayes break the ſabbath,Davids deſire by Rob. Abbot. p 16 ſaying that its onelyonly for gentlemen to keep that day. And in many places amongſt us Gods ſabbaths are made the voyder and dunghill for all refuſe buſineſſes. But the Phariſees (taking it for granted that Chriſt had done that he could not juſtifie on that day, (where in they were miſtaken) rightly conclude: If this man were of God he would not have broke the ſabbath day: this not the guiſe of Gods children. 5. Laſtly,2 Cor. 7.1 1 Pet. 1.14, 15 in all holy life and pure converſation, according to that, Be ye holy as I am holy, pure as I am pure, perfect as I am perfect. Our lives ſhould be as ſo many viſible commentaries upon Chriſt's life: we ſhould preach forth his vertues,Coloſſ. 2.6 1 Joh. 2.6 and expreſſe him to the world in all his imitable praiſes, and practiſes. Then we are ſaid to walk in Chriſt, yea, to walk as Chriſt walked, when we reſemble him; not as an image doth a man in out-ward lineaments onelyonly, but as a ſon doth his father in nature and diſpoſition, in affection and action. Our utmoſt good conſiſts in communion with God, and conformity to him: in keeping inward peace with him that he abhor us not, becauſe of the provoking of his ſons and of his daughters Deut. 33.13. and in ſeeking and keeping (if it be poſſible, and as much as in us lies) peace with all men, and holineſſe; for ſuch ſhall both ſee God (which is not every mans priviledge,)Heb. 12.14 and be counted and called the ſons of God Math. 5.10. they ſhall have both the comfort and credit of divine Adoption.
SECT. XII. Let them love their Father: and how to expreſſe their love.
IF God be our Father, it's but fit we ſhould love him;5. foreign. Avi magis amant nepotes, quàm ſuosliberos. Heidfeld. Cos amoris amor. Joh 3.16 God having tied parents and children together with cords of love, ſaith Nazianzen. Love, I grant, though of a fiery nature, yet (contrary to the nature of fire herein) deſcends rather then aſcends. Hence, grandfathers oft love their grandchildren better then their own. But love ſhould (and in good children doth) aſcend alſo. It is but reaſon they ſhould reciprocate, and return their parents love for love: do not publicans the ſame, Mat. 5.46? Do not our clothes warmed by us, warme us again? That God loves all his with a love more then Fatherly, hath been abundantly proved above. God ſo loved the world, that he gave his onelyonly begotten Son. This is a ſic without a ſicut: there is no ſufficient ſimilitude in nature to expreſſe it by. Herein, if ever, he made naked unto us the bowels of his Fatherly affection, as in an anatomy. God ſo loved his Son, as he gave him all the world for his poſſeſſion, Pſal. 2. but he ſo loved the world, that he gave Son and all for its redemption. Thus (ô ye ſinfull ſonnes of men) Gods bowels are open unto you, his heart is enlarged. Yee are not ſtraitned in him, but yee are ſtraitned in your own bowels. Now for a recompence in the ſame, 2 Cor. 6.11, 12, 13 Conjungendo lumen ſuae aeternitatis limo tuae mortalitatis. Bern. foreign. Pſal. 18.1 Pſal. 119.97 Pſal. 84.1 Pinkes Serm. of love.(he ſpeaks unto you as unto his children) be ye alſo enlarged. Amate amorem illius, ſaith St. Bernard. Oh love, that love of his, who for love of thee coupled his love to thy love, by abaſing himſelf, by advancing thee, by uniting the light of his eternity to the mire of thy mortality. Whom therefore having not ſeen, ye love, ſaith Peter, 1 Epiſt. 1.8. and My love was crucified, ſaid Ignatius. And, I love thee dearly, O Lord my God, ſaith David. And again, O how I love thy law! O how amiable are thy Tabernacles! he even wondereth at his own love, and vents himſelf by an exclamation. For, Amor Dei eſt extaticus, nec ſe ſirit eſſe ſui juris, ſaith One. There is a two-fold love, (and both due to him in whom there is a concurrence of all attractives, and retentives of our love) 1. Of Deſire; this is an earneſt longing after that which wee beleeve would do us much good, if we could attain to it. 2. Of Delight, or complacency, when having attained that which we deſired, we hugge and imbrace it, and ſolace our ſelves in the fruition of it. Now Chriſt, (the Everlaſting Father, Eſay 9.6.) muſt have both theſe, and that in the higheſt degree: For he is white and ruddy, white in his life, and ruddy in his death, the chief of ten thouſand, or the ſtandard-bearer of ten thouſand. Cant. 5.10 foreign.For as the talleſt and goodlieſt men uſe to carry the Enſigne, to diſplay the Banner, or Standard: ſuch is Chriſt: All excellency is inveſted in him, all good is conveyed unto us by him, all love is therefore due from us to him.Non bene conve…unt nec in una ſede morantur Majeſtas et Amor. Juvenal. foreign. 1 Pet 2.21 We ſay that Majeſty & love cannot dwell together, becauſe love is the abaſing of the ſoul to all ſervices. But its otherwiſe in Chriſt. Majeſty and love could cohabite in his heart, & hereof he gave us the beſt aſſurance, when the Lord of life was crucified to death. Love is moſt ſeen in ſuffering: as it ſelf is a paſſion, ſo it is tried rather by paſſions then actions. He ſealed up his love both by doing and dying for us: leaving us a Copie to write after, (as St. Peter hath it) to do whatſoever he bids us to forbear whatſoever heforbids us, and to lay down our deareſt lives for his ſake, if called thereunto, according to that: For thy ſake are we ſlain all the day long, Acts & Mon. fol. 14 …8. Ib. 1430.we are in deaths often. Ye were every haire of my head a man, (ſaid Ardely the Martyr, to bloody Bonner) I would ſuffer death in the opinion and faith I am now in. The heavens ſhall ſooner fall, then I will forſake my Chriſt, ſaid William Flower. Ib. 805.My wife and my children are ſo dearly beloved unto me (ſaid George Carpenter burnt at Munken) that they cannot be bought from me for all the riches and poſſeſſions of the Duke of Bavaria: but for the love of my Lord Chriſt I will willingly forſake them. He that loveth father or mother more then me, is not worthy of me: and he that loveth ſon or daughter more then me, is not worthy of me Math. 10.37. If a man hold not the Lord Chriſt worthy of more love then his deareſt friends, he hath no part in him. All our love muſt be beſtowed upon him as moſt worthy, there is not one particle of it to be beſtowed on any other thing. But then he gives us our love againe, and then we may diſperſe it here and there, and love other things: but no otherwiſe then as they convey love to us from Chriſt, and may be meanes of drawing up our affections to Chriſt.Pinkes Serm of love. p. 21 My love unto my Saviour (ſaith one) although it came occaſionally and impulſively from my love of my ſelf, yet it is terminated principally in his glory, though acceſſorily likewiſe, as he is contented it ſhould, in mine own happineſſe.D. Sibbes Ser on 1 Cor 2.9 But it is a kind of miracle (ſaith another) in evill, when we love other things beſides God; or better then God, baſer then our ſelves: It is as much as if a river ſhould turne backward. What a baſe thing is it for a man to ſuffer ſuch a ſweet ſtreame as love, to run into ſuch a ſinke? And a little after, It was a miracle, ſaith he, that the three young men ſhould be in the midſt of the furnace, and be there as if they were in another place, no hotter. And it is as much a miracle, that men ſhould be in the midſt of all incouragements to love God, and yet love any thing more then God. He is abſolutly good, and ſo is to be loved abſolutly and for himſelf,Vix diligitur Jeſus propter Jeſum. Aug. but all other things in him, and for him, as our friends are to be loved in the Lord, and our foes for the Lord. This is child-like indeed.
SECT. XIII. Let them depend upon their Father, both for prevention of evill, and proviſion of good.
LAſtly, learn we to depend upon God as a father, for both prevention of evill and proviſion of good.Phil. 4.6. In nothing be carefull, but in all things make your requeſt known to God with thankſgiving, ſaith Paul. And marke, that he bids us bring our thanks together with our requeſt,2 Sam. 13.4 to have the one as ready as the other, for we are ſure to ſpeed. Why art thou then pale and leane from day to day with carking cares,1 Pet. 5.5. Pſal. 55.22. and diſquieting feares of this or that danger? Art not thou the Kings ſon? and will he deny thee any thing thou askeſt? Caſt all thy care upon God, for he cares for thee. Roll both thy ſelf upon him, and thy Gift upon him, ſaith David: that is, whatſoever thou wouldſt that God ſhould beſtow upon thee, caſt it firſt upon him by faith and it ſhall be effected:Rom. 8. Qui miſit unigenitum immimiſit ſpiritum, promiſit vultum quid tandem tibi negaturus eſt. B…r. de tem. he ſhall bring it to paſſe. Away with the ſpirits of bondage to feare againe: we have now received the ſpirit of Adoption, whereby we cry Abba father: yea, for an unqueſtionable pledge of his infinite love, he hath given us his ſon: how ſhall he not then together with him, give us all things alſo? That's St. Pauls argument. If ye which are evill can give good things to your children, how much more wil your heavenly father give to them that ask of him? that's our Saviours argument. Whereunto let me adde this.
God made himſelf known to be our gracious and provident Father,Mat. 6 A Chriſtian is crowned not only in his cradle with K. James, but before he is born, as Sapores K. of Perſia was. For his father dying, left his mother with child, and the Perſian Nobility ſet the crown on his mothers belly, acknowledging thereby her iſſue for their Prince. Heyl. Geog. p. 64 Mat. 6 foreign. Pſal. 23.3 before we could know our ſelves to be his children. He formed us in the womb, crudled us there like cheeſe, curiouſly wrought us in thoſe lowermoſt parts of the earth, (as an Artificer, when he hath ſome ſpeciall piece of work to do, retires into ſome private room out of the ſight of others) whileſt we were there, he filled two bottles of milk for our entertainment into the world: whereinto we no ſooner came, but he entred into covenant with us, to be our God and Father: hee ſigned and ſealed this covenant by the Sacrament of Baptiſme, the ſolemne ſeal of our adoption: And all this before ere we knew what was done unto us. And will hee now forget to do us good, when we know and acknowledge him, when we pray unto him, and by faith depend upon him? It is not poſſible. He feeds the fowls, and clothes the lillies, to whom he is no father: And will he not much more do ſo for you, Oh ye, mall faiths. A child whiles he hath his fathers favour cares for nothing; never troubles himſelf to think where he ſhall have his next meal, or a new ſuit of clothes: let him but pleaſe his father, and thoſe things ſhall be provided to his hand. Again, let a child walk in dark and dangerous places, ſo long as he hath hold of his father he fears not. Did we but ſtirre up our ſelves to take hold of God, wee ſhould be ſecure, yea though we walked in the vale of the ſhadow of death, with David: we ſhould never be heard to ſay, (as Heathens that have no intereſt in God) What ſhall we eat? or what ſhall we drink? or wherewith ſhall we be clothed? ſo long as our heavenly Father knows that we need all theſe things, and will not fail to provide them in a competent meaſure. The men of Gods hand, it may be, ſhall have more then wee, becauſe they have their portion here with the prodigall. But we need not envie them that: for it is but an eſtate for life, granted them in the utmoſt and moſt remote part of our inheritance.Pſal. 17 Will a child think much a father ſhould give a penſion for life, out of this, or that, whiles he hath far greater things left him; yea the inheritance alſo of that, out of which an annuity is granted for a time to ſome other? Children ought not to lay up for their parents, but parents for their children, ſaith the Apoſtle. And, Oh how great things, ſaith the Prophet, haſt thou laid up in ſtore for them that fear thee! Now,2 Cor. 12.14 will he give us a crown, and deny us a cruſt? provide heaven for us, and with-hold earth from us? Ask onelyonly and it ſhall be given you: the earth is the Lords, and the fulneſſe thereof. In your Fathers houſe is bread enough. Shall the prodigall call ſo confidently for his childs part? ſhall Eſau go ſo roundly to his father for the bleſſing?Luk. 15.12 Gen. 27.34 And do we ſtand doubting whether we were beſt ſpeak, or hold our tongues? and not fall down with Eſther before Ahaſhueroſh, or with Achſah before her father Caleb, and beg the upper-ſprings of ſpirituall bleſſings, and the nether-ſprings of temporall comforts? which he with-holds, haply, for a time, with an unwilling willingneſſe, that he may hear of us, and have our prayers: which, though never ſo poor and imperfect, yet he is much taken with, as a naturall parent is with the pratling, and ſtammering of his own, above all the plain ſpeech of all the children in the Town beſides.
SECT. XIV. Comfort of Adoption: where are ſhewed the Priviledges of ſonnes, privative, and poſitive.
COmfort to all Gods faithfull ſervants: Ʋſe 5 they are ſonnes and daughters to the Almighty: and count you that a ſmall matter? Is it nothing to be ſon-in-law to a king, ſaith David? What pains did Jacob take night and day to be but ſonne-in-law to Laban, who changed his wages ten times, and ever for the worſe: Joſeph and Daniel were for their good ſervice highly advanced, but not adopted. But every ſervant of God is a ſonne, and every ſonne an heir. Great was the glory of our firſt Parents in Paradiſe, had they held it: and yet if they had, what had they gotten, more then a confirmation of their preſent eſtate, or at moſt, the reward of their ſervice, wages for their work? they could never have attained to this honour,Joh. 1.12. foreign. to be the ſons of God. This St. Iohn in his goſpell calls a dignity, an eminency, a royalty. And in his firſt epiſtle, he ſtands and wonders, as tranſported with an extaſy of admiration at it 1 Ioh. 3.1. And well he might: For this (ſaith the pſalmiſt) is to be ſet above the Kings of the earth, it intereſteth and inrighteth a man to the inheritance of heaven and earth. The poſſeſſion of the earth is as yet deteyned from God; children by the wicked for a time, as the promiſed land was from Iſrael by the Amorites: but they have great things meanwhile in reverſion, even heaven with all its happines, whither they may comfortably look up and boaſt, on better ground then Nebuchadnezzar did of his Babel,1 Pet 1.4 Is not this mine inheritance? Am I not kept by the power of God to that ſalvation reſerved for me in the heavens? Yea they may comfortably lift up their eye (as God b…d Abraham, toward heaven, and tell the ſtarrs if he were able) ſo they their glorious priviledges. This, Moſes well underſtood, and therefore choſe rather to ſuffer as a ſon,Heb. 11. then to ſcape as a baſtard, he preferr'd the reproach of Chriſt before the honour of being the ſon of Pharaohs daughter, and the poſſibility of being heir to two kings, as Ioſephus relates it. He was faithfull in all Gods houſe as a ſervant:Joh. 8.35 but that was not all. For the ſervant abideth not in the houſe for ever, as the ſon doth. Moreover, the kings of the earth take tribute of their ſervants and ſubjects, but their children go free Mat. 17.26. Behold, Gods children are all manumitted by Chriſt, and poſſeſſed of a twofold freedome.
1.Multò plures ſunt gratiae privativae quam poſitivae. Gerſon Privative from the dominion, and damnation of ſin, from the rigour and irritation of the law, from the captivity and cruelty of the devill, from the danger of death, and horrour of hell &c. This is a priviledge far beyond that of a citizen of Rome, which yet might neither be ſuffered to beg, nor be bound with thongs Act. 22.29.Rom. 8. And this is that the Apoſtle calls the glorious liberty of the ſons of God, as elſewhere he couples Adoption with glory Rom. 9.4. includes it in glory Rom. 8.30. and puts it for glory Rom. 8.23. Freed Gods children are not (I confeſſe,) of croſſes and corrections, for then were they baſtards and not ſons. He ſcourgeth every ſon whom he receiveth,Joh. 14.18 but he never leaveth them orphans, helpeleſſe, comfortleſſe. In the midſt of deſertion (the ſoreſt kinde of affliction) they may, nay they muſt call him Father, and ask him bleſſing. Eſay 64.7, 8, 9. and he knowes not how to ſay them nay, coming unto him in that name, and under that notion. Should a parent ſee his ſick childe pant and look pittifully, cry out (as once the Shunamites ſon to his father) O my head, my head! my heart is ſick, my head is heavy. I am weary with paines: what ſhall I do? where ſhall I reſt? &c. He could not turn his back upon him and neglect his moans: much leſſe could he continue to ſtrike him, lifting up his feeble hands for mercy, and looking upon him with watery eyes; but would rather ſet himſelf to ſeek out, and to do him all poſſible eaſe and comfort.Hic cum triſte aliquid ſtaruit fit triſtis & ipſa. Cui que ferè poenam ſumere poena fua eſt: Ovid. 2 de Pont eleg 2. To ſay, God hath caſt you off, becauſe he hath hid his face is a fallacy fetcht out of the Devils Topicks. And ſhall not the God of all mercy, and the Father of all conſolation pity his poor children that are diſtreſſed, or diſeaſed, and ſend deliverance? Will he not melt over his childe, and burn his rod (Will he not hold him up with one hand as he did Iacob, when he beats him down with the other? will he not look through the chinkers to ſee how we do, when he hath ſhut us up cloſe priſoners? will he not deal by us as the mother deals by her littleone, makes him beleeve ſhe will caſt him away to the puttock, or pitch him headlong into the pool, when yet ſhe keeps faſt hold on him?
2. Poſitive, and ſo he is made a free-deniſon of Jeruſalem that is above, and poſſeſſed of all the priviledges of that ſupernall citty. See a brief extract of them in that 1 1 Cor. 3.22, 23. All things are yours? A very large charter; All illuminations, inſpirations, gifts and graces of the ſpirit, gifts of Gods miniſters and the abler ſort of Chriſtians, all theſe are not more their own then yours to uſe; you have title to them, and intereſt in them, and may claime them for your own: Whether Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas, or the world, you are heirs of it together with faithfull Abraham: Or life, grace to ſpend it well, or death, to the wicked a trap-dore to hell,Janua vita porta coeli Bern. but to the ſaints an inlet into eternall happines, or things preſent, all occurrences are ſanctified to you, or things to come, heaven waits for you, hell hath nothing to do with you. Thus all is yours, as the Apoſtle there reiterates it, though not in poſſeſſion (unleſſe it be in our Head) yet in uſe, in right or by way of reduction, as we ſay, the worſt things are Gods childrens: they are heirs of the kingdome ſaith Iames, heads deſtinated to the diadem,Jam. 2.5 Serms non valet exprimere, experimento opus eſt. Chryſ. Lati ſimus non ſecuri, gaudentes in ſpiritu ſancto, ſcd tamen caventes à recidivo. Bern. ſaith Tertullian. Their priviledges as ſons, are fitter to be beleeved, then poſſible to be diſcourſed. And this ſhould make them hold up their heads, but not too high, and be cheerfull, but not, withall, ſcornefull.