The Dignity of Gods Children, Chapter 1
CHAPTER 1.
Of the ſpeciall reaſon of writing this Treatiſe. Of the Text of Scripture generally whereupon the ſame is grounded. Of the coherence of the ſaid Scripture with the words going before. As alſo of the reaſon of them in reſpect of the words following. Of the Logicall analyſis, or reſolution of the ſaid Scripture. And of the firſt particular word therein.
AMongſt many other ſinnes of theſe laſt daies, in reſpect whereof the Apoſtle hath foretold by the ſpirit, that the times would be the more perillous, this is one, & not the leaſt, that as men ſhould be louers of themſelues, ſo they ſhould not bee louers of them that are good. 2. Tim. 3. 3.
Now as by wofull experience we ſee other ſinnes mentioned by the Apoſtle in the former place (according to his ſaid Prophecie) to abound, ſo all men whoſe eies are not ſmitten with too great blindneſſe may behold the extreme hatred of the ſons of men againſt …he children of God, and the manifold indignities that theſe do daily beare at their hands that know not how worthy their ſtate and condition is. For this cauſe I hauehave taken in land this preſent treatiſe of the dignitie of God, children; both for their better comfort againſt all ſuch indignities as daily the wicked doe offer vntounto them: as likewiſe for their better inſtruction how to carrie themſelues towards ſuch their aduerſaries: and alſo that theſe their aduerſaries may the better conſider what they doe mo… … ſuch indignities to them whom they ought to honor: that ſo ſeeing their fault in that behalfe, they may (if they belong to God) repent thereof.
I am not ignorant that ſome things by diuers learned, godly, and reuerend men, hauehave beene written pertaining to this theame. Peter de La Place, a noble man (as it ſeemeth) of France, at leaſt a worthy Chriſtian, and deſcribed by the name of one of the Kings Counſell, and chiefe Preſident of his Court of Aids in Paris, hath written a godly Treatiſe in French, Of the excellencie of a Chriſtian: which is alſo tranſlated into Engliſh, and printed 1576.
In that worthy worke alſo of M. Rogers, publiſhed about ſome fiue yeeres ſithence, there is one treatiſe (viz. the ſixt) wholly of the priuileges of a Chriſtian: which argument differeth not much from this preſent theame, Of the dignitie of Gods children.
Otho Caſmannus likewiſe a very learned and godlie man, hath written more lately two bookes in Latine, one intituled, Hominis ſpiritualis anatomia & meditatio, &c. The anatomie and meditation of a ſpirituall man, printed Anno 1605. the other intituled, Chriſtianus nomine & re, &c. A Chriſtian in name and in deed, &c. publiſhed Anno 160…. In both which are many ſweet points, not impertinent to my preſent argument.
Notwithſtanding, becauſe the firſt of theſe (Peter de La Place) hath written very briefly, and ſo long ſithence, that his booke is worne (almoſt) out of date, (ſo eaſily doth this age neglect and forget things how good ſoeuer, of neuer ſo little antiquitie) and becauſe alſo that booke is hardlie now to be had. Againe, becauſe M. Rogers his treatiſe of the priuileges of a Chriſtian, being a part of his great booke, neuer ſeparated from his other ſix treatiſes therein contained, is not therefore eueryevery mans money: beſides, becauſe it goeth vnderunder another title, and doth handle but ſome part of the matter of this treatiſe: and laſtly, becauſe the two workes of Caſmannus are only in Latine, and therfore not fit for common Engliſhmen, ignorant of the Latine tongue: and becauſe they are written in ſuch a method, as eueryevery one vnderſtanding the Latine tongue, cannot well conceiue the ſame; therefore, notwithſtanding all thoſe ſaid workes, I hauehave thought it worthy the labour to write more largely of the dignity of Gods children, then either Peter de La Place, or M. Rogers (and that in our mother tongue) or then Otho Caſmannus hath written; and in ſuch a volume, as that although it be of greater quantity and price then the firſt other treatiſe before mentioned, yet it is leſſe then either the booke of M. Rogers, or the two laſt bookes of C…ſmannus, and therefore the more eaſily to be purchaſed by any of very meane abilitie. Such alſo as hauehave read the other bookes before named, ſhall not only finde the chiefe points in this that are handled in all thoſe, but alſo many other, not touched in any of them: in reſpect whereof, they ſhall not thinke their labour loſt in reading of this.
Now foraſmuch as the Scripture ought to be the only ground of all Theologicall Theames: therefore for the foundation whereupon to build all my worke following, I hauehave the rather choſen 1 Iohn 3. 1. 2. 3. becauſe ſometimes I hauehave preached of this Text, though nothing ſo largely as heere I doe write thereof. The words of the Apoſtle are theſe:
The text of all the treatiſe.
1. IOHN 3. 1. 2. 3.
Behold what louelove the Father hath giuen vntounto vsus, that we ſhould be called the Sonnes of God: for this cauſe the world knoweth you not, becauſe it knoweth not him.
Deerely beloued, now are we the ſonnes of God: but it is not manifeſt what we ſhall be: and we know that when he ſhall be made manifeſt, we ſhal be like to him; for we ſhal ſee him as he is.
And eueryevery one that hath this hope in him purgeth himſelfe, as he is pure.
IN theſe three verſes, two things are conteined. The firſt is the dignitie of Gods children. The ſecond is the dutie of them. Touching the former, let vsus obſerue: firſt, the coherence of the Apoſtles words, concerning the dignity of Gods children, with that which before he had ſaid in the end of the former Chapter: as alſo the reaſon of the ſaid words in reſpect of the matter following in the reſt of this Epiſtle: Secondly, let vsus conſider the preſent words of the Apoſtle, touching the foreſaid dignity, &c.
Touching the coherence of theſe words with the former, it is this:
In the 28. verſe of the former Chapter, the Apoſtle had exhorted theſe Chriſtians to whom he writeth, vntounto conſtancy, ſaying, And now little children abide in him, meaning Chriſt. This exhortation he had cōfirmed by an argument taken from the end in the very ſame verſe, viz. That when hee ſhall appeare they might be bold. This end he illuſtrateth by the contrary in the next words, adding, and not be aſhamed before him at his comming. In the 29. verſe he had alſo confirmed the ſame end, by an argument taken from an adiunct or attribute of them that abide in Chriſt. Which alſo he laieth foorth not barely or nakedly, but (as it were) cloathed with an argument from their owne knowledge, or teſtimonie, in theſe words: If ye know that he is righteous, know yee that he that doth righteouſly is borne of him. In which argument let vsus obſerue, that hee doth not ſay (as Note.before) he that abideth in him, but that changing the words he ſaith, he that doth righteouſly, is borne of him. Wherefore is this change of words? To teach, that when he had before exhorted them to abide in him, his meaning was not, that they ſhould be conſtant only touching their ſound iudgement, not embracing any errours contrary to the wholſome doctrine of Chriſt before heard and learned by them; but alſo that they ſhould be conſtant in all holy and righteous liuing, agreeable to ſuch conſtancie in ſound iudgement.
So Paul ioineth conſtancie in iudgement, and in godlineſſe of life, together, 1. Cor. 15. 58. Therefore my beloued brethren, be ſtedfaſt and vnremooueable, (ſee heere the conſtancie of iudgement or minde) abounding alwaies in the workes of the Lord. See heere alſo, conſtancie in practiſe and true godlineſſe.
Secondly, let vsus obſerue, in the former argument and in that 29. ver. that the Apoſtle doth not ſay eueryevery one that doth righteous things is borne of God; but unto eueryevery one that doth righteouſly. For the wicked and reprobate (as Saul, Iudas, and Horod, &c.) doe many righteous things, but the children of God and the elect doe onelyonly righteouſly.
Thridly, let vsus obſerue in the ſaid verſe, that the Apoſtle ſaith not, eueryevery one that doth righteouſly is the child of God; but eueryevery one that doth righteouſly is borne of God. Hereby he teacheth that he ſpeaketh not of them that are the children of God by creation of their ſubſtances, but of them that are the children of God by regeneration, and by that new birth, where of our Sauiour ſpeaketh to Nicodemus, Iohn 3. 3. Except a man be borne againe, he cannot ſee the kingdome of God: and againe, Except a man bee borne of water & of the ſpirit, hee cannot enter into the kingdome of God: verſ. 5. By creation of ſubſtance the wicked and reprobate, yea▪ the diuels themſelues are the children of God, but the …lect onelyonly are the children of God by regeneration.
Fourthly, in that he ſimply ſaith not, EueryEvery one that doth righteouſly is borne of God, but fortifieth the ſame by their … teſtimony and knowledge: hee thereby teacheth, that the worke of regeneration is not a matter of doubtfull coniecture, but of certaine knowledge.
…ea, fiftly, in that hee ſtrengthneth all this by an argument called by the Logicians, a coniugatis, or from the like attribute in God, to that wherof he ſpeaketh touching them that are borne of God, ſaying, If yee know that he is righteous know ye that he that doth righteouſly, is borne of God. Thereby he further teacheth the foreſaid certainty of their regeneration, viz. that as certainly as they know God himſelfe to be righteous, ſo certainly they might aſſure themſelues that EueryEvery one (without exception of any) that doth righteouſly is borne of God.
He teacheth moreouer, that there is no other way, wherby to declare our ſelues the children of God, then by doing righteouſly as he himſelfe is righteous. No naturall child of man doth more declare himſelfe to be the child of him whoſe child indeed he is, by any ſimilitude of perſon or of behauiour, then they that doe righteouſly, doe ſhew themſelues to be children of God. One man may be like another in perſon, and in behauiour, that is of no kindred to him to whom he is like. But it is impoſſible that any ſhould doe righteouſly, but he that is the childe of the righteous God: or that any ſhould be the child of the righteous God, but hee that doth righteouſly. If God were your Father ſaith our Sauiour to the Iewes) then would ye louelove me, Iohn 8. 48. And If yee louelove me, then (ſaith he againe) keepe my Commandements, Iohn 14. 15. What is the keeping of his Commandements but to doe righteouſly?
From theſe things hitherto noted of the certaine knowledge Note.of regeneration, and of being borne of God, followeth alſo another point, viz. of the certaintie of the appearing of ſuch as are ſo borne of God, with boldneſſe without all feare of any ſhame before him at his appearing: Doe not all theſe things make much for that dignitie of the children of God, for the writing whereof, wee hauehave intended this preſent treatiſe? But of theſe things more afterward.
In the meane time by all hitherto ſaid, wee ſee how the Apoſtle in the former Chapter hath come to the mention of our being the children of God, and that this is the very laſt point handled in the former chapter. Now becauſe it is a point of great moment, and yet for the moſt part too lightly regarded, yea ſearcely ſo much as once looked vponupon, therefore in the beginning of this chapter hee inſiſteth vponupon it, and commendeth it to their further conſideration, as a matter very excellent and admirable, and in no caſe to be too ſlenderly paſſed ouer, but worthy all diligent obſeruation and making. Therefore the Apoſtle ſaith, Behold what louelove the Father hath giuen vntounto vsus, that we ſhould be called his children. This is the plaine coherence of theſe words with the end of the former Chapter.
Touching the reaſon of them in reſpect of the chiefe matter following in the reſt of this Epiſtle, eſpecially in this Chapter and in the next, that is likewiſe plaine and euident. For the Apoſtle being afterward to exhort theſe Chriſtians to mutuall brotherly louelove, that is, to the louelove of the children of God, what better foundation could hee lay for the ſaid exhortation, then a graue admonition, ſeriouſly to conſider the dignity of Gods children, and the vnſpeakable, yea the admirable louelove of God towards them in aduancing them to the ſaid dignitie? For ſo the Apoſtle in this preface, and graue exhortation to the conſideration of Gods louelove, in making men his children, laieth two maine arguments for the better prouoking of men to the louelove of Gods children: one from the example of Gods louelove towards them in making them his children: this being farre more then all other can doe for them: the other from the excellencie of them that are ſo made his children. For ought not all to louelove them whom God loueth? eſpecially whom he ſo loueth, as to make them his children? The more excellent alſo that any bee, are they not the more worthy of the louelove of all other?
Thus much for the coherence of theſe words with the former; as alſo for the reaſon of them in reſpect of the matter following.
Now to come to the preſent words of the Apoſtle: they are (as partly we hauehave ſeene) a graue exhortation to the ſerious conſideration of the louelove of God in making men his children by the worke of regeneration, touched in the laſt verſe of the former chapter. For how excellent ſoeuer this louelove of God be, yet the Apoſtle ſeeing the ſame to bee made a matter of nothing in the world, neither the children of God to be eſteemed according to their excellency, but rather to be deſpiſed and contemned, doth therefore commend that which before he had touched, to their further conſideration, preuenting alſo an obiection touching their contempt in the world, and ſhewing the reaſon thereof to be, partly becauſe the world knoweth not God himſelfe, and partly becauſe the future ſtate and condition of Gods children is not ſo apparent to the world as it is to themſelues. From hence he taketh occaſion to ſet foorth their future excellencie and happineſſe, (whatſoeuer their preſent baſeneſſe and miſerie ſeeme to bee) and laſt of all ſheweth what vſe they are to make in the meane time of their hope of the ſaid future excellencie and happineſſe.
This briefly is the ſumme of all theſe three firſt verſes of this Chapter: viz. that in them is contained (as firſt I ſaid) both the excellencie of the children of God, and alſo their duty according to their ſaid excellencie.
To ſpeake more particularly of theſe words, concerning the former of theſe two points, let vsus obſerue theſe two things: viz.
1. The exhortation it ſelfe to the ſerious conſideration of the excellencie of Gods children.
2. The preuenting of an obiection that might hauehave beene made againſt the ſame.
The exhortation is in theſe words: Behold what louelove the Father hath giuen vntounto vsus, that wee ſhould be called the ſonnes of God.
The preuenting of the obiection is in the words following, both in that verſe, and alſo in the ſecond. Then in the third verſe followeth the dutie of the children of God, by occaſion of the ſecond part of his anſwer to the former obiection.
To returne to the exhortation, let vsus firſt of all note, and Note.but note this one thing: namely, that as in other places of Scripture the holy Ghoſt commendeth the louelove of God toward vsus, in making his owne Sonne to bee the ſonne of man for vsus; ſo heere hee commendeth his louelove towards vsus, in making vsus, that are but men, to be the ſonnes of God. As in other places we are taught, that the ſonne of God was made alſo the ſonne of man; ſo heere we are taught, that the ſonnes of men are alſo made the ſonnes of God: and this he doth, the better (as was before noted) to prouoke them afterward to the louelove of them, whom God ſo loueth, as to make them his children: for it cannot be, but that the more men doe conſider of the louelove of God towards themſelues and other in making them his children, the more they ſhould be prouoked to louelove them whom God hath loued, and made his children as well as themſelues.
To returne againe to the preſent exhortation, let vsus firſt briefly conſider the words thereof particularly, and then more largely lay foorth the thing it ſelfe (that is, the dignitie of Gods children) heere ſpecially commended to our beholding. The words vſed by the Apoſtle are eueryevery one very emphaticall and ſignificant, and ſuch as doe import the dignitie of Gods children to be very great.
Behold] The firſt word, Behold, is a note of attention, or of exhortation to the moſt diligent marking and obſeruing of that which followeth. It is often vſed in the Scripture, and prefixed before matters of great moment and importance, that by the hearers or readers they may the better bee noted and obſerued. Pſal. 77. 5. Come and behold the workes of God, &c. Pſal. 133. 1. Behold how good and how comely a thing it is, brethren, to dwell euen together. Pſal. 134. 1. Behold, praiſe ye the Lord all ye ſeruants of the Lord, &c. Ioh. 1. 29. Behold the Lambe of God, &c. Luc. 19. 8. And Zacheus ſtood foorth, and ſaid vntounto the Lord, Behold Lord, the halfe of my goods I giuegive to the poore, &c. Rom. 11. 22. Behold therefore the bountifulneſſe and ſeuerity of God, &c.
In all theſe, and diuers other the like places, the word Behold is vſed to prouoke men diligently to note and marke, and not to looke as it were aſquint, or glauncingly to caſt one eie aſide at a thing, but with both eies to take a view of that which is commended vntounto vsus: yea, not only to marke with the eies of our body, but alſo to note with the eies of our minde. For it is all one with the word Conſider: 1. Sam. 12. 24. Conſider how great things the Lord hath done for you, &c. Oh conſider this ye that forget God, &c. Pſal. 50. 22.
Therefore in ſome places the holy Ghoſt is not content with the word Behold alone, but he ioineth another therewith of like ſignification, euen the word ſee, to excite and awaken men to the more ſerious conſideration of the matter ſpoken of: as Lament. 1. 12. to mooue all men the more diligently to marke the wofull ſtate of Ieruſalem, the Prophet ſpeaking in the perſon of Ieruſalem, ſaith, Behold and ſee, if there bee any ſorrow like vntounto my ſorrow.
It is alſo a vſuall thing with vsus, when we thinke men do not well conſider any ware, or other benefit offred vntounto them, to ſay thus, I pray ſee it, I pray you behold it, &c. This then is it that the Apoſtle ſignifieth and requireth by this word, in the firſt place, that men ſhould diligently note, marke, obſerue, and conſider, the louelove of God towards other men, & towards themſelues, in making them his children; and that, as a matter of great worth and excellencie.
Yea, the Apoſtle inſinuateth by this word, that although the dignitie and honourable ſtate of Gods children be very great, yet men are too ſecure and negligent in beholding the ſame, except they bee rouſed vp and awakened, and (in a manner) cried vntounto (as men in a dead ſleepe, yea, as Chriſt cried with a loud voice to Lazarus in the graue) to behold it.
If it were not ſo, the Apoſtle would hauehave reſted & contented himſelfe in that mention which he had made of our being the children of God, in the end of the former chapter. But becauſe hee ſaw that men for the moſt part were heerein aſleepe, therefore concerning this matter, hee ſpeaketh vntounto them as another Apoſtle ſpeaketh in another matter, Awake thou that ſleepeſt, and ſtand vp from the dead, Epheſ 5. 14. and ſaith heere, Behold what louelove the Father hath giuen vntounto vsus, that wee ſhould be called his children.
Touching earthly dignities and prerogatiues, we are wakefull enough. Our eies are alwaies both broad open, and euer poring into them, ſo that wee need not be bidden to behold: for wee ſee and behold too much. Or if at any time wee fall aſleepe touching this matter, yet wee are halfe awake, and the leaſt whiſpering that is of any worldly preferment, will make vsus ſtart vp, and ſtand vponupon both our legges, and looke round about vsus, and ouer eueryevery mans head, (though taller then our ſelues by the head) not only to looke vponupon it, but alſo to looke after it, and (if poſſibly we can by hooke or crooke) to get it, euen from them that are ten times more worthy of it then our ſelues.
Yea, ſo much doe wee looke vponupon and after ſuch matters, that either we hauehave neuer an eie to behold this dignity of Gods children, or any ſuch ſpirituall matter; or elſe we ſee but weaklie and dimlie, as men halfe aſleepe and halfe awake: yea, as men halfe blind and halfe ſeeing: and as the blinde man, whoſe eies our Sauiour had begunne to open, and who ſaid, I ſee men walking like trees, Marc. 8. 24. In this reſpect therefore the Apoſtle doth the rather heere ſay, Behold what louelove, &c. And becauſe this heere ſpoken of, is of another nature then the things of this world, and of this life, and becauſe of our ſelues naturally, we are all blinde, ſitting in darkneſſe and in the ſhadow of death, Luc. 1. 79. Act. 26. 18. and becauſe ſuch of vsus as hauehave the eies of our vnderſtanding lightned, hauehave them not ſo lightned, but that we ſee only in part, and as it were with ſpectacles thorow a glaſſe, 1. Cor. 13. 12. ſo that ſtill we had need to pray our ſelues, and to bee praied for by other, that the eies of our vnderſtanding may bee further lightned, Epheſ. 1. 18. and this weakneſſe of ſight in our inward man, is partly by the reliques of ſinne in vsus, and partly by the obiects of this world heere ſpoken of; therefore wee hauehave the more need to be called vponupon by other, and alſo to prouoke our ſelues, to behold what louelove the Father hath giuen vntounto vsus, to be called his children.
We hauehave hawkes eies, and eagles eies to behold the glory of the world, and the worldly dignities of the ſonnes of men, and that euen in the twilight, yea in the darke night: we need not be carried vp to the top of an high mountaine, as our Sauiour was by the diuell, Matth. 4. 8. Where note, that if the Diuell Note.had power ouer the outward man of Chriſt himſelfe, ſo without ſinne to carrie him from place to place, we may not think much if he hauehave power to vex our bodies. Such things (I ſay) we can ſee eaſily enough in the loweſt valley: we need not be called vponupon by other to behold them: wee doe too much behold them of our ſelues.
But as touching this obiect of ſight heere ſpoken of, as Hagar ſaw not the Well of water that was hard by her, till God opened her eies, Geneſ 21. 19. and as the two Diſciples that were going from Ieruſalem to Emmaus, walked and talked with our Sauiour, Luc. 24. 16. and Mary did the like, Iohn 20. 24. and yet diſcerned him not, becauſe their eies were holden: ſo trulie is it, not only with naturall and vnregenerated men, but euen ſometimes with them that are the children of God. Though they be ſo, yet for many cauſes (heereafter to bee ſpoken of) they doe not alwaies diſcerne themſelues to bee ſo: and therefore they hauehave need to bee ſpoken vntounto, as heere the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, Behold what great louelove, &c. Yea the more neceſſarie is it, that all men generally, and euen the children of God, be ſo ſpoken vntounto in this behalfe, becauſe the word is the means whereby our eies ſhould bee opened at the firſt to behold this, and more and more afterward to behold it more cleerely. For the Commandement of the Lord is pure, and giueth light to the eies, Pſal. 19. 8. as in other things, ſo alſo in this. Therefore our Sauiour, in opening the eies of the bodily blinded men, did Note.not onelyonly touch them and handle them, but alſo ſpake vntounto them, thereby teaching, that as himſelfe is the Sonne of righteouſneſſe, and the light of the world, ſo his word is the meanes whereby the eies of our minde are to be opened. Otherwiſe he could hauehave opened the bodily eies of men, without any ſpeech at all vntounto them. Therefore alſo the Apoſtle teſtifieth this to hauehave beene the end of his miniſterie with the Gentiles, euen to open their eies, that they might turne from darkneſſe to light, Act. 26. 18.
But this being a part of regeneration it ſelfe, it ſhall bee further manifeſt afterward by proofe of the whole worke of our regeneration, to be by the word.
As it is neceſſary, that at all times wee ſhould be thus called vponupon to conſider of Gods louelove in making vsus his children, ſo eſpecially the ſame is moſt neceſſarie in the time of trouble and aduerſitie. For when hauehave wee more need of the comfort thereof, then at ſuch times? For what greater comfort can there be, then in conſidering the louelove of God in this behalfe? But becauſe this is one ſpeciall drift of this whole Treatiſe, therefore I ſhall not need in this place particularly to enlarge it. Thus much for obſeruation of the firſt particular word in this Scripture.