The Dignity of Gods Children, Dedication 2
To the inhabitants of thoſe places, where at any time, eſpecially laſt of all, I hauehave had a ſetled MINISTERIE.
AS in this treatiſe I ſpeake generally to eueryevery Chriſtian reader, ſo now my deere brethren in the Lord, that hauehave ſometimes heard me preach theſe things which now I hauehave printed, let me more particularly intreate you to vouchſafe the buying and reading of them, becauſe in the printing of them I hauehave had a ſpeciall reſpect vntounto your good.
I am not able to beſlow vponupon eueryevery one of you one of theſe bookes, of as ſmall price as they be. The moſt of you do know, how truely I amy ſay with Naomi, I was full, but the Lord hath made mee emptie: and the Almightie hath brought me vntounto aduerſitie. Ruth. 1. 21. euen in my latter age requiring moſt comfort.
I ſuppoſe alſo, that my willing minde for a greater kindneſſe is not doubted of by you, if my ability were according. If I were as I hauehave beene, yet were it eaſier for the leaſt of many of you to buy one, then for me to giuegive many.
I ſhall not neede to tell you for further perſwaſion in this behalfe, that the fruit of well and aduiſed reading this Treatiſe will abundantly recompence your coſt. Ye hauehave not ſo learned Chriſt, (in whom all of vsus hauehave our adoption) as ſo lightly to eſteeme a treatiſe ſetting forth the excellencie of the ſaid adoption: neither (I am ſure) hauehave yee forgotten that Eſau is pronounced a prophane perſon, for making more account of one portion of meate (euen in his extremity of hunger) then of his birthright, (Heb. 12. 17.) a pledge and a kinde of Sacrament of this adoption.
For me alſo, firſt to gather all theſe things together, then to write, afterwards to correct them, and laſt of all to write them againe for the preſſe, is much more then for to lay out a little money, and to ſpend a few howers in reading of them. In your louelove therefore towards me, accept them as a teſtimony of my vnſeined louelove towards you, and of my like deſire of your welfare in the Lord. Such of you as are beſt able I deſire to buy and to reade them, and hauing read them themſelues, then alſo to lend them to other that cannot buy them. Let all that reade them, make vſe alſo of them, as their ſeuerall occaſions ſhall require.
What more my beloued brethren ſhall I ſay vntounto you? Euen this, that becauſe ye hauehave beene long hearers of the word, the preaching whereof is the meanes both to beginne your regeneration, and alſo to increaſe your ſanctification, therefore remember how yee hauehave receiued and heard, and that alſo ye do hold faſt Reuel. 3. 3. Yea, that with all your might ye keepe that which ye hauehave, that no man take away your crowne, verſe 11.
Are not theſe the latter times wherein the ſpirit long ſince did ſpeake euidently that ſome ſhould depart from the faith, and giuegive heede to the ſpirits of errours, and to doctrines of diuels? 1. Tim. 4. 1. Are they not the laſt daies, & perillous times, wherin men ſhould be louers of themſelues, couetous, boaſters, proud, curſed ſpeakers, &c. fierce alſo, no louers at all of them which are good, traitors (or treacherous) heady, high minded louers of pleaſures more then louers of God: hauing a ſhew of godlines, but (in truth) denying the power thereof? 2. Tim. 3. 1. &c.
HaueHave ye not therefore the more neede, diligently to take heede to the things which ye hauehave heard, leſt at any time ye run out (Heb. 2. 1.) and leake as riuen veſſels vſe to doe? and leſt (alſo) at any time there be in any of you an euil, and an vnbeleeuing heart, to depart away from the liuing God; and further to exhort one another daily, whiles it is called to day, and whiles ye enioy the light of the goſpell, that none of you be hardned through the deceitfulneſſe of ſinne? Heb. 3. 12. &c. Yea, that alſo ye watch one ouer another (euen as eueryevery Paſtor ought to do ouer his flocke) that no man fall away from the grace of God? &c. Heb. 12. 15. Verily beloued ye ought thus to doe, and the times do require it at your hands.
Take heede therefore that in theſe daies wherein the louelove of many waxeth cold, and all iniquity is increaſed, no man deceiue you: Mat. 24. 4. 12. Looke to your ſelues, that wee loſe not the things which we hauehave done, but that we may all receiue a full reward: 2. Iohn. 8. Be ſtedfaſt and vnremoueable (not decaying, but) abounding alwaies in the worke of the Lord: knowing that your labour ſhall not be in vaine in the Lord: 1. Cor. 15. 58.
And becauſe yee hauehave not onelyonly beene hearers of the word, neither ſuch onelyonly as hauehave learned ſomewhat out of the ſame, but hauehave alſo made profeſſion of the hope belonging to adoption, therefore againſt all forces and perſwaſions to the contrary, keepe the ſaid profesſion of your hope, without wauering, conſidering one another (and whetting one another as yron whetteth yron: Pro. 27. 17.) to louelove and to good workes (Heb. 10. 23. 24.) both towards God, and alſo towards men, that ſo ye may flouriſh as palme trees; and grow like Cedars in Lebanon; and being planted in the houſe of the Lord, ye may flouriſh in the Courts of our God: and ſtill bring forth fruit in your age, and be fatte, and flouriſhing. Pſal. 92. 12. Yea, that your louelove, and ſeruices, and faith, and patience, and workes may be more at the laſt, then at the firſt. Reuel. 2. 19.
Shall I here conclude my ſpeech vntounto you? Not ſo my good brethren, but ſuffer a little further the words of exhortation. Heb. 13. 22. Becauſe therefore all the children of God are as it were bound vp in the bundle of life (as Abigail ſpeaketh to Dauid, 1. Sam. 25. 29.) and ſtickes that are bound, continuing ſo bound cannot be eaſily broken, but the bond whereby they are bound being cut in ſunder, a child may breake them one by one: Becauſe alſo they be as it were burning coales; (euen coales of the Lords altar) and coales lying together doe keepe their heat, but being raked out, and ſcattered vponupon the hearth, they are ſoone quenched and doe dye: therefore the more excellent by this Treatiſe ye ſhall ſee, the ſtate and condition of the children of God to be, the more ſiriue (I beſeech you) to keepe communion with them, and forſake not the fellowſhip that ye hauehave with them, as the maner of ſome was, euen in the golden age, and flouriſhing time of the Apoſtles. Heb. 10. 25.
Let no man dare to account that miniſtery Antichriſtian, which God the father hath vſed, and Ieſus Chriſt hath graced with the holy Ghoſt, to the begetting of ſuch Children as cannot be begotten but by the word of truth. I ames 1. 18. As therefore ye cannot deny God, to hauehave begotten againe your ſelues and other, and dailie ſo to doe; by the miniſtrie of the Church of England, ſo ye muſt acknowledge the meanes to hauehave beene and daily to bec no other, then the word of truth. It is no more poſſible for any to be begotten againe by any word of errour, then it is to hauehave any father of regeneration but God. Was it the word of truth, and is it not ſtill? Or is it to ſome, and ought not all ſo to account of it? Or is it the word of truth to make men new borne babes in Chriſt (1. Pet. 1. 23.) and is it not alſo that ſincere & pure milk, which ſuch as are ſo made new borne babes, ought ſtill to deſire, that they may grow thereby? 1. Pet. 2. 2. Or can this ſincere milke of that word of truth be ſucked out of the breaſts and pappes of an harlot? Or can the ſame word of truth be publikely preached and maintained, with as publike a diſclaiming and renouncing of all things contrarie thereunto, in a falſe and an adulterous Church? As the Church of God is the piller of truth, 1. Tim. 3. 15. ſo whatſoeuer company is the piller of truth, and doth publikely preach and maintaine, and vphold the truth, that alſo is to be acknowledged the Church of God. If ſome one man, or diuers particular perſons do preach ſome errours in ſuch a Church: yea and be ſuffered ſo to doe, either by the negligence, or by want of knowledge of them, yet this doth no more nullifie ſuch a Church, and make it to be no Church, then the ſuffering of the woman Iezebel (which called her ſelfe a Propheteſſe) to deceiue Chriſts ſeruants, to make them commit fornication, and to eate meate ſacrificed to Idols, Reuel. 2. 20. did null…fie the Church of Thyatira, and make it to be no Church.
But to returne to that from which I hauehave a little digreſſed: as it cannot be denied to be the word of truth, whereby men hauehave beene and daily are begotten againe amongſt vsus: neither that can be denied to be the Church of God, where the ſaid word is preached, and publikely, euen by publike authoritie maintained, with as publike a renou…cing of all errours, and forraine Canons contrarie to the ſaid word of truth: as theſe things cannot be denied; ſo alſo muſt ſuch miniſters as doe ſo preach that word of truth, that thereby men are begotten againe vntounto God, be acknowledged to be the miniſters of God, and ſent by God. For doth not the Apoſtle ioine all theſe together, calling vponupon God, beleeuing, hearing, preaching, and ſending them that did preach? Rom. 10. 14. 15. And doth he not thereby plainly teach, that they do go all together, and that none can truely call vponupon God which doth not beleeue: none can beleeue which doth not heare: none can heare which hauehave no preachers: none can preach except they be ſent? and that conſequently whoſoeuer do ſo preach, that men therby are brought truely to call vponupon God, and truely to beleeue in God, they are ſent of God ſo to preach?
Is not the ſame point further manifeſt by that argument whereby the ſame Apoſtle inſtifieth his Apoſtleſhip, and miniſtery to the Corinthians: euen by the ſucceſſe and efficacie of his preaching amongſt them, againſt ſuch as denied his Apoſtleſhip, as many in theſe daies doe altogether deny all the miniſterie of the Church of England? Am I not (ſaith he) an Apoſtle? &c. Are not ye my worke in the Lord? If I be not an Apoſtle vntounto other, doubtles I am vntounto you: for ye are the ſeale of my Apoſtleſhip in the Lord. 1. Cor. 9. 1. 2. And againe: Neede we, as ſome other, epiſtles of recommendations vntounto you: or of recommendation from you? yee are our epiſtle written in our hearts: which is vnderſtood and read of all men, in that ye are manifeſt to be the epiſtle of Chriſt, miniſtred by vsus, and written, not with inke, but with the ſpirit of the liuing God: not in tables of ſtone, but in fleſhly tables of the heart. 2. Cor. 3. 1. 2. 3. What meane all theſe words? Euen this, that ſuch had beene the ſucceſſe of the miniſterie of the Apoſtle amongſt the Corinthians, that both himſelfe had good aſſurance in his owne heart of his calling vntounto them, and that other alſo might thereby euidently perceiue and vnderſtand as much.
Doth not our Sauiour proue his ſending as a Meſſias, and to be a Meſſias, by the workes which he did? The workes that I do beare witnes of me, that the father hath ſent me? Iohn. 5. 39. As his workes beſeeming a Meſſias, and in the power of none, but of the Meſſias, proued him to bee the Meſſias, ſo do not alſo the workes of miniſters of the goſpell, and proper onelyonly to ſuch as are ſent from God, proue men to be ſuch miniſters? Doubtleſſe (ſaith hee, that being borne blinde had his ſight giuen him by Chriſt) this is a maruellous thing, that ye know not whence he is, and yet hee hath opened mine eies: Iohn. 9. 30. And againe, If this man were not of God, hee could hauehave done nothing: verſe 33. May it not in like maner, (and much more) be ſaid of the miniſters of the Church of England, to all them that make queſtion of their calling, Doubtles this is a maruellous thing, that ye know not whence they be, (or deny them from whence they are) and yet they open the eies of the mindes of many: Yea, euen of them that doe make ſuch queſtion of their calling, and doe peremptorily deny them to be of God, as thoſe wicked Iewes, to whom that poore man ſo ſpake, denied Chriſt to be of God. If ſuch miniſters were not of God, they could hauehave done nothing in the lightning mens eies of their vnderſtanding, to know what the hope is of his calling, and what bee the riches of his glorious inheritance in the Saints, &c. Epheſ. 1. 18.
No man can make oppoſition to theſe things, but hee muſt alſo oppoſe himſelfe to the former ſcriptures. And if the former ſcriptures be for the iuſtifying of the miniſtery of the Church of England, as thereby the word of truth is preached to the effectuall begetting againe of men vntounto God; no other Scriptures can be againſt it for the nullifying therof: becauſe the ſcriptures do all moſt ſweetely agree together, without any contradiction of any one to any other. As therefore, when our Sauiour ſeeing many of his diſciples to go back, and to walke no more with him (that is, vtterly to leaue him) ſaid vntounto the twelue, will ye alſo go away? Peter anſwered him, Maſter, to whom ſhall we go? thou haſt the words of eternall life: Iohn. 6. 66. 67. 68. ſo (my good brethren) though ye doe ſee many to withdraw themſelues from them that hauehave preached the words of eternall life, and ſtill do preach the ſame; and though ye alſo be earneſtly ſollicited to doe the like; yet determine in your hearts, and anſwer accordingly, To whom ſhall wee go? theſe hauehave the words of eternall life?
The compariſon obiected by ſome, of children begotten to men as well by adulterie and fornication, as by lawfull marriage, thereby to inſinuate, that as ſuch children do not iuſtify either adulterie or fornication; ſo in like maner ſuch Children, as before we hauehave ſaid to be begotten againe vntounto God by the miniſtery of the Church of England, do not iuſtify the ſaid miniſtery; this compariſon (I ſay) is ſo odious, ſo beaſtly, ſo deteſtable, and abominable, that a man would wonder it ſhould come from ſuch men, as they would ſeeme to be that obiect the ſame. For in an adulterous generation, as there is a common worke of God, ſo who ſeeth not alſo a plaine worke of nature? Yea, ſuch a worke of nature, as is in the very beaſts themſelues, in the procreation of other of their owne kinde? But the regeneration of Children vntounto God, is a worke aboue all nature, onelyonly and wholly of God, yea of the free grace and abundant mercy of God, as afterward ſhall further appeare. Furthermore, touching this compariſon, it might as well hauehave beene obiected againſt the former argument of the Apoſtle from the ſucceſſe of his preaching amongſt the Corinthians, as it is now obiected againſt vsus, reaſoning in like maner from the efficacie and fruit of our miniſtery.
Againe, all children, either in adulterie or infornication begotten and borne, in time of the Law, were forbidden to enter into the congregation of the Lord (that is, to bee admitted to any publike office) to the tenth generation: Deut. 2 3. 2. Dare any man ſay the like of ſuch, as are begotten againe vntounto God by the preſent miniſterie of the Church of England? Yea, dare any man deny any ſo begotten to hauehave right and intereſt into all the promiſes and bleſſings of God, for this life and for the life to come, as well as any other begotten vntounto God, by the miniſtery of any other?
Herein (beloued) deceiue not your ſelues: Halt not with God, neither ſhew your ſelues vnthankfull vntounto him, by denying his rich merciemercy towards you in your regeneration. If ye hauehave good teſtimony thereof to your owne ſoules: If by the miniſterie of the Church of England ye hauehave euer felt any true vertue of Chriſts death to the mortifying of ſinne in you; and of his reſurrection to the life of righteouſnes: If thereby ye hauehave attained to that true and vnfeined louelove of the brethrē, whereby ye know your ſelues to bee tranſlated from death to life: and that already ye are of the truth, and hereafter ſhall before him aſſure your hearts: 1. Ioh. 3. 14. and 18. and 19. by which things alſo ye hauehave felt vnſpeakable and incomprehenſible ioy and comfort; then minſe not the matter, neither clippe ye the Lords goodneſſe towards you, by ſaying, that indeede ye hauehave by our miniſterie atteined vntounto ſome knowledge, euen to a verball knowledge (ſo to my griefe, I heare ſome to hauehave ſcoffingly ſaid;) but whether yee hauehave receiued alſo the ſpirit of adoption, that ye cannot tell: yea, ſome of you do vtterly deny. But alas, if ye hauehave euer felt the things before ſpoken of, how ingratefull impietie, and how impious ingratitude is this againſt God? For what is this, but for the excuſe of your wauering mind to lie of the holy ghoſt? And how much leſſe ſinne is this lying of the holy Ghoſt, then that of Ananias and Sapphira of lying to the holie ghoſt. Acts. 5. 3. I may amplifie this point, by that which is written in the law, againſt him that ſinned againſt the Lord, in denying vntounto his neighbour that which was taken him to keepe, or that which was put to him of truſt: Leuit. 6. 2. For if it be ſo great a ſinne againſt the Lord for a man to deny vntounto his neighbour that which was taken him to keepe, or that which was put to him of truſt, to be reſtored againe to the owner, without any benefit to the keeper; oh then, how heinous a ſinne is it againſt the Lord, to deny the free gift of God himſelfe, beſtowed vponupon wretched man, neuer to be reſtored, but to continue to euerlaſting life?
Concerning ſuch as are already ſeparated from amongſt you, and do ſo continue, if they hauehave made ſeparation onelyonly in zeale which is not according to knowledge, without pride, diſdaine, and contempt againſt all other, ſuch I wiſh, well and ſeriouſly to conſider the words and counſell of the angell which found out Hagar being fled from her miſtris Sara, for her hard dealing with her. For as the Angell firſt asked her whence ſhe came, and whither ſhe would goe: and ſecondly vponupon her anſwere, that ſhe fled from her dame Sara, commanded her to returne to her dame, and to humble her ſelfe vnderunder her hands: Geneſ. 16. 7. ſo, and much more, let the ſeparatiſts among you conſider the more whence they came, and whither they are going: as alſo to make the more haſt of returning and humbling themſelues to them whom without ſufficient cauſe they hauehave for ſaken, becauſe their regeneration (if they be regenerated) receiued amongſt them, and wrought by ſome of them whom they hauehave for ſaken, is a farre greater benefit, then all that euer Hagar had had at the hands of her miſtris Sara. Touching both the that are ſeparated, and alſo that are not, I do iointly intreat them with iudgement to conſider, firſt the ſpeedy growth of them that decline that way like to the gourd of Iona: Iona. 4. 6. not like to the graine of muſtard ſeede, whereunto the kingdome of heauen is compared: Mat. 13. 31. which at the firſt being the leaſt of all ſeedes, afterward groweth (not of the ſudden, but) by degrees to be a great tree. For may not this make them to ſuſpect their courſe to be rather according to nature, then according to grace? Is it not more eaſie to goe downe the hill, then vp the hill?
The rather may this ſudden growth be ſuſpected, becauſe it is more without meanes in one day, or at leaſt by ſmall and ſimple meanes, onelyonly by priuate talking, &c. then before they did grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, in many moneths. Great indeede was the ſuddaine ſucceſſe of the ſermon of Peter: Acts. 2. 41. and of the preaching of Paul to the keeper of the priſon. Acts. 16. 33.
But, alas, the extraordinary and ſtrange meanes before mentioned in either place, doe ſhew not onelyonly the ſaid ſuddaine and great ſucceſſe to hauehave beene extraordinary, but alſo that the like extraordinary ſucceſſe requireth more extra ordinary means, then in theſe dais we hauehave warrant to expect.
Secondly, let both ſorts before mentioned further conſider, the ſcoffing, gibing, and contemptuous ſpirit (I ſpeake this with griefe) of moſt of them that are ſeparated, againſt all other, eſpecially not inclining towards them: moſt of all againſt them that hauehave done them moſt good, if euer they hauehave at all taſted (in truth) how good the Lord is, 1. Pet. 2. 2. Is the ſpirit of God the ſpirit of ſcoffing, gibing, and contempt? No: but of ſobrietie, of grauitie, of meekeneſſe, and of reuerence, teaching them in whom it is, not to be high minded, but to make themſelues (though of high place) equall to them of the lower ſort: Rom. 12. 16. and in meekenes of minde, to eſteem other better then themſelues. Philip. 2. 3.
Laſtly, let both ſorts before ſpoken vntounto, further yet obſerue, the ignorance of many that are moſt prone to ſeparation, in the things of greateſt moment, and of moſt neceſſity; and alſo what little conſcience they make of ſactifying the Lords day, not only not ſpending the time of their abſence from our aſſeblies in priuate exerciſes of religion at home, but alſo in walking vp and downe idlely in the fields & woods, &c: and finally, how they neglect their callings, and misſpend their time in running vp and down to talke one with another of ſeparation, and ſo waſt that little ſtocke which before through the good bleſſing of God they had gotten, whiles they did diligently follow their calling. In the largenes of my louelove towards you I could write much more largely of theſe points: But beeing loth to trouble other readers, and too long to de…cine them from the treatiſe following, I do forbeare.
The Father of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, of whom is named the whole familie in heauen and in earth, graunt to all you to whom now I do write, that ye may be ſtrength ned by his ſpirit, in the inner man: Epheſ. 3. 14. &c. and that none of you may euer fall away vtterly from the grace of God.
The ſame God alſo ſo print all good things in all your harts, both which are in this whole booke printed in paper, and alſo which ye do daily read in other good bookes, & which ye heare (or may heare) in the publike preaching of the word, that neither the louelove of the world, nor any other power of hell may euer be able to race them out: that ſo God may hauehave the glory of them, and your ſelues may inioy the fruit; euen righteouſnes, peace, ioy and comfort in this life: and euerlaſting glory in the life to come.
From Much Totham, Aprill 20. 1610. Your moſt vnfained, and faithfull in the Lord, Thomas Stoughton.