The Dignity of Gods Children, Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
Of faith a chiefe internall cauſe of regeneration, or the firſt degree and ſtep thereunto; and of Chriſt againe, as he is the chiefe matter of regeneration, as before we heard him to be one of the principall efficient cauſes likewiſe thereof.
HItherto we hauehave heard of the dignity of Gods children, by the efficient cauſes of their adoption, both principall and inſtrumentall. And all theſe cauſes touching their owne being hauehave beene externall. For although the ſpirit of God be within in vsus, when it doth adopt and regenerat vsus, and ſo may be called internal, in reſpect of the operation thereof in vsus, yet it may be accounted externall in in reſpect of the being that it hath of it ſelfe, and by it ſelfe, without vsus.
The next thing to be handled for the further amplification of the ſaid dignity is faith: becauſe it may be conſidered in this argument, either as a meer internall efficient cauſe of our ſaid adoption and regeneration: or as the firſt ſtep and degree thereunto.
It may be conſidered firſt as a meere inward thing: becauſe all the being of it is altogether within vsus, not at all without vsus. It may be conſidered as an efficient cauſe of our adoption, becauſe it is that whereby we lay hold of Chriſt, by whom and in whom alone, we do both at the firſt receiue the ſpirit of adoption, and be regenerated the children of God: and alſo afterward do feede ſo vponupon him, that wee grow vp to a perfect ſtature of him. Therefore theſe phraſes, to come to him, to eat his fleſh, and to drink his bloud are often vſed (eſpecially Ioh. 6.) to expreſſe our communion with him by faith, and to ſignifie our beleeuing in him. So alſo it is ſaid that Chriſt dwelleth in our hearts by faith, Epheſ. 3. 17, and that we ſtand by faith, viz. in Chriſt Rom. 11. 20. So alſo faith is not only the inward inſtrument of our communion with Chriſt, but alſo the next fountaine of all other vertues (afterward to be ſpoken of) wherein likewiſe conſiſteth our regeneration and new birth. For by faith our harts are purified, Act. 15. 9. and faith worketh by louelove, Galat. 5. 6. and this louelove is the fulfilling of the Law. Rom. 13. 10. and the bond of perfection. Coloſ. 3. 14. and commeth out of faith vnfeined. 1. Timo. 1. 5. and therefore fayth vnfained may be ſaid to bee the next cauſe of our communion with Chriſt, and conſequently of all other things, wherin our regeneration doth conſiſt.
As alſo, not beleeuing God, and beleeuing the diuell, were the firſt degrees of mans fall, Geneſ. 3. 3. and 6: ſo to caſt away al giuing credit to the diuell, and to beleeue in God, is the firſt degree of our regeneration and new birth, whereby, wee that were fallen are rayſed vp againe.
This faith is the beleeuing of all things paſt, of all things preſent, of all things to come, conteyned in holy Scripture for vsus to beleeue: neyther only the beleeuing of them hiſtorically to be true, but alſo the particular application of them to our ſelues.
The very wicked themſelues, doe beleeue the truth of the Scriptures hiſtorically: yea, many of the reprobat, yea, the very Diuels themſelues do ſo beleeue and tremble: Iames 2. 19. Mar. 1. 24. But the wicked (though elected) before their calling, do not beleeue by particular application; becauſe then their harts ſhould be purified from their wickednes (as before we heard) they hauing apprehended Chriſt that gaue himſelfe for vsus, not only to redeeme vsus from all iniquity, but alſo to purge vsus &c. Tit. 2. 14. and that he might ſanctifie and clenſe vsus, &c. Epheſ. 5. 26. The wicked alſo (though elected) are in the power of Satan (as afterward we ſhall heare) and to be accounted of the world. But by faith we ouercome the world: 1. Ioh. 5. 4. and the Diuell himſelfe: Epheſ. 6. 16. 1. Pet. 5. 9.
The reprobat neither hauehave faith, neither can hauehave it: as for the reaſons before vſed touching the wicked generally; ſo alſo becauſe the decree of God touching their reprobation is aswell vnreapealeable and vnchangeable as the decree of God touching election: and thoſe reaſons which make alſo for the certainty and perpetuity of the elect, make alſo (for the moſt part) as ſtrongly for the immutability of Gods decree touching reprobation.
That which hath beene ſayd of the wicked that are elected (viz. before their calling) and of the reprobat to bee without faith, may much more be ſayd of the diuels.
But for as much, as neither reprobat men, nor the Diuels can beleeue, becauſe Gods decree concerning their reprobation is vnchangeable, therfore here may a queſtion be moued, whether infidelity and vnbeleefe bee a ſinne or no. For ſith they cannot be ſaued, what ſinne is it in them not to beleeue in him, by whom ſaluation is purchaſed? Nay rather, it may ſeem to be ſinne, to beleeue that that is vntrue.
I anſwer to the latter firſt, that concerning the diuels, not to beleeue in Chriſt, with application to themſelues, is no ſinne in Note.them: becauſe, as Chriſt came not to ſaue any of them, neither tooke their nature vponupon him, ſo there is no commandement for them to beleeue in him as their Sauiour. Notwithſtanding, God hauing giuen his ſonne for the redemption of all elect men, therefore the diuels not beleeuing this or perſwading any of the elect not to it, do therein greatly ſinne, and ſo they ſhall certainly aggrauat their condemnation. This then is breefely the ſolution of this queſtion touching the Diuels, that they ſinne not in not beleeuing in Chriſt for themſelues, but that they ſinne greatly in not beleeuing that Chriſt came to ſaue elect men, and in perſwading any of them not to beleeue it.
Touching reprobate men, though Chriſt came not to ſaue them, neither did ſo much as pray for them. Ioh. 17, 9. yet becauſe Gods decree in this behalfe is not particularly knowen vntounto them, but God generally propoundeth his promiſes, not particulary telling any by his externall word, whoſe names are written in the booke of life, whoſe are not; but only reuealingthis by the worke of his ſpirit in calling them that are choſen, therefore the ſcripture pronounceth generally of all men that doe not beleeue, that they are condemned already: Iohn 3. 18. Who then are they that doe or ſhall beleeue? Only the elect. For therefore it is not onelyonly ſaid that All men hauehave not faith. 2. Theſ. 3. 2. but alſo that faith is the faith of Gods elect. Tit. 1. 1. and, that as many as were ordained to life beleeued. Acts 13, 48. And, that if the Goſpell be hid, it is hid to them that are loſt. 2. Cor. 4. 3. If al had faith all ſhould be ſaued, for by faith we are ſaued. Epheſ. 2. 8. and The iuſt ſhall liue by his faith. Heb. 3. 4.
The faith of Gods elect is called moſt holy: Iude 20. and moſt pretious: yea, more pretious then gold that is tried in the fire: becauſe though gold be tried, yet it periſheth. 1. Pet. 1. 7. But they that truſt in the Lord are like to mount Zion that ſtandeth faſt Note.for euer. &c. Pſalm. 125. 1.
All the elect that hauehave faith, hauehave not the like meaſure of faith, becauſe God that giueth it, giueth it as pleaſeth him. Epheſ. 1. 9. and 4. 7. and becauſe all hauehave not the like meanes neither the like time &c, but where it is left, euen as a grayne of muſtard ſeede (viz. not onelyonly for quantity but alſo for quality, quickneſſe, life and efficacy) there it is moſt holy and pretious: becauſe to ſuch as hauehave ſuch faith, nothing (making to Gods glory and their ſaluation,) is impoſſible, yea, all ſuch things are poſſible. Mat. 17. 20. and 21. 21. and Mark. 9. 23.
If any obiect the former places, to be vnderſtood of that kind of faith, whereby men wrought miracles, and which was but for a time: I anſwer, that although our Sauiour doe indeed deliuer thoſe ſpeeches by occaſion of ſome miracles, which he had then wrought: yet they are alſo more generally to be vnderſtood euen of a iuſtifying and ſauing faith, as touching the obiect thereof, I meane, as touching matters that appertaine to ſaluation: Otherwiſe that faith whereby a man is to ſaue his owne ſoule, ſhould be inferior to that, and of leſſe force then that, whereby he is to ſaue, (or in thoſe daies was to ſaue) other, by ſuch working of miracles: were not this abſurd in diuinity?
Thus much ſhall ſuffice to hauehave ſpoken of faith in this place: either as a ſpeciall and internall cauſe of our regeneration and new birth to be the children of God, by incorporating vsus in to the onelyonly, naturall, and firſt begotten ſonne of God: or at leaſt as the firſt ſtep and degree to our ſaid regeneration. More perhaps vponupon other occaſion, ſhall be ſpoken of this faith afterward. In the meane time, the more excellent that we hauehave heard it to be, and the more proper to the children of God, the more excellent alſo we muſt needs acknowledge the ſtate of the children of God to bee in reſpect thereof.
The next point to be conſidered is the matter it ſelfe, wherin chiefly the regeneration of the children of God doth conſiſt. This is firſt of all, their communion with Chriſt. For Chriſt alone being the onelyonly, naturall and proper ſonne of God (as hath been ſaid) no other can be the children of God (as now we ſpeake) but only by communion with him, and incorporation into him, whereby they may be (ſpiritually) fleſh of his fleſh, bone of his bone, and members of that body, whereof himſelfe alone is the head. So many as hauehave this communion with Chriſt, ſo many may truly bee called the beloued children of God. Therefore they that are ſo regenerated are ſaid to be begotten againe in Christ Ieſus, 1. Cor. 4. 15. to bee new creatures in Chriſt, 2. Cor. 5. 17. Galat. 6. 5. and to be created in Chriſt Ieſus, Epheſ. 2. 10. and 4. 24. So farforth therefore as we are in Chriſt, we are the children of God. And ſo many as are not thus incorporated into Chriſt, are not in truth, neither ought to be called the children of God. Such perhaps may be ſo accounted by other, yea, peraduenture, they may ſo account themſelues. But as thoſe that are begotten in adultery by an adulterer, may be reputed the children of the lawfull husband to the adultereſſe, and yet are indeed baſtards, and for the moſt part may be diſcerned ſo to be by their baſtardly conditions; ſo is it with them that liuing in the Church of God doe profeſſe them ſelues to be the children of God, and be ſo reputed by other, and yet hauehave no communion with Chriſt. Though they be reputed to be the children of God, yet they are no better then baſtards, and baſtards they bewray themſelues to be, by their baſtardly minds and conuerſation.
Although therefore in one reſpect we reckoned Chriſt before amongſt the efficient cauſes of our regeneration, and that therfore in reſpect of his excellēcy our regeneration alſo is to be accounted the more excellent: yet in another reſpect, he may alſo be accounted the materiall cauſe of our regeneration, euen as naturall parents are both the efficient cauſes of our naturall birth, and doe likewiſe communicate the matter of their bodies vntounto ours. And ſo the more excellent that before we heard Chriſt to be, the more we may againe conclude the dignity of Gods children to be by his being the chiefe materiall cauſe (as well as the efficient cauſe) of their regeneration. For as that that is made of ſiluer, or gold, or any other ſuch like pretious matter, is it ſelfe more pretious then other things made of braſſe, tinne, lead, yron, Copper, or any other ſuch vile and baſe matter (the quantity of things being alike: otherwiſe a great veſſell of copper may be better then a very ſmall cup of ſiluer) ſo the more excellent that Chriſt himſelfe is, who is the chiefe matter of Gods children, and of whom they be called Chriſtians (as that that is made of gold is called golden) and the children of God, the more excellent needs muſt be their ſtate and condition,