The Dignity of Gods Children, Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII.
Of a further degree of the freedome of Gods children.
THus we hauehave heard of the precious freedome of Gods children, in that they are not only diſcharged from the ſeruitude of ſinne, but are alſo made the ſeruants of God, and may ſerue him in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe: from whence it commeth, that they are ſober, watchfull, and louing, as before we hauehave heard.
There remaineth yet a further degree of the ſaid liberty and freedome of Gods children, as one ſpecial part (as it were) of the matter of their new birth: and as one ſpeciall point, wherein as well as in other things conſiſteth their being as they are the children of God.
This is, that beſides that before mentioned, they are alſo enfranchized and made free of a moſt excellent, of a rich, and of a glorious city: euen of the heauenly Ieruſalem, wherof many glorious things are ſpoken, in many places of the ſcripture (as the Prophet ſpeaketh of the old Ieruſalem in the ſame reſpect viz. as it was the Church of God, Pſal. 87. 3.) eſpecially in the 21. Chapter of the Reuelation: where it is moſt excellently and diuinely deſcribed, not only, as it is in heauen with God, and in the preſence of God, and of his holy Angels; but alſo as yet it is and ſhall be vponupon earth. Of this excellent and glorious city are all the chilldren of God made free, beeing releaſed from their naturall ſeruitude, and bondage vntounto ſinne.
This freedom of the new Ieruſalem ſeemeth to be noted by the Apoſtle to the Hebrews, where after the oppoſition of many and diuers things whereunto they were not come, as vntounto the mount that might not be touched, to the burning fire, to blackneſſe, and darkneſſe, and tempeſt, and the ſound of a trumpet, and the voice of words, &c. (by all which hee meaneth their deliuerance from the Lawe which conſiſted in the letter, not in the ſpirit) then hee addeth, that they were come vntounto the mount Sion, and to the city of the liuing God, the celeſtiall Ieruſalem, and to the company of innumerable Angels, and to the aſſembly and congregation of the new borne, which are written in heauen, and to God the iudge of all, and to the ſpirits of iuſt and perfect men, and to Ieſus the Mediator of the new Teſtament, and to the bloud of ſprinkling, which ſpeaketh better things then that of Abel. Heb. 12. 22. &c. This is a moſt pregnant and noble teſtimony, not only ſetting forth the excellency of that City whereof all the children of God are made free; but many other points alſo before more largely handled.
To ſpeake yet a little more of this freedom: As apprentices that ſerue in Cities (in London, Canterbury, Yorke, Norwich and other) when they hauehave ſerued a certaine time, according to the cuſtome and order of ſuch Cities or other townes corporate, then they are not only releaſed from their ſeruice, but they are alſo themſelues made free of the Cities, and do enioy diuers priuileges and benefits belonging to ſuch Cities: ſo they that are releaſed from the bondage of ſinne and ſatan, are made free alſo of the heauenly Ieruſalem before ſpoken of; and do enioy the priuiledges and benefits thereof: ſuch as do not belong to any forrainers, but are proper only to the children of God, and to thoſe that are diſcharged of their maſters, whom by nature they ſerued. Yet here this difference is not to be forgotten betwixt the priuileges of this heauenly City, and the priuileges of all earthly cities. For the priuileges of earthly cities are intended towards ſuch as hauehave ſerued their times in ſome trade or other, as rewards of their ſaid ſeruice, ſuppoſed faithfully to hauehave been performed by ſuch ſeruants: but the priuileges of the heauenly city now ſpoken of are no rewards of our ſeruice to ſinne and ſatan, (for the reward or wages thereof is nothing but death. Rom. 6. 23.) but only benefits belonging to the children of God, only of Gods free grace and goodneſſe: yet the more to comfort them againſt their former hard ſeruice of ſinne, and againſt the daily reliques of ſinne in them, and the manifold ſtormes and tempeſt…, whereu…to by the meanes thereof they are ſubiect.
Now the more excellent this heauenly city is the greater needs muſt be the benefits, and priuiledges belonging thereunto, and therefore alſo the greater benefit is the freedome thereof.
The freedome of Rome was wont to be ſo highly eſteemed, Note.that Claudius Lyſias a chiefe captaine for the Romans at Ieruſalem, acknowledged that freedome to hauehave coſt him a great ſumme. Acts 22. 28. Paul alſo himſelfe being free borne of that city, pleadeth his ſaid freedome in that behalfe againſt thoſe iniuries that were offered vntounto him, verſ. 25. and ſo by pleading thereof he found the more fauor, at leaſt they feared the more to wrong him, as they had done.
The freedom of many Cities in this land (eſpecially of London, and of the …inque ports in Kent) is ſuch, that many great men are content, both that their ſonnes (being of good yeers and growth) ſhall ſerue ſeuen, eight, or nine yeeres: yea, and to giuegive likewiſe good ſummes of mony right out with them, that they may hauehave the benefit of the freedome after their time expired; and alſo to procure the ſaid freedome for themſelues in diuers reſpects.
What then is the freedome of this heauenly Ieruſalem, whereof now we ſpeake, and for which Chriſt hath giuen a greater price, then all the cities in the world, yea, then ten thouſand ſuch worlds are worth? Truly it is this, that whereas we are here pilgrims and ſtrangers, 1. Pet. 2. 11. yet beeing free of the heauenly Ieruſalem, wee hauehave our conuerſation in heauen. Philip. 3. 20. that is, that we behaue our ſelues as citizens of heauen, liue according to the lawes which we hauehave from heauen, and do that which we doe as cheerfully and willingly as the Angels in heauen. Is this all? No: we hauehave liberty alſo to trade for heauenly wares, yea, neceſſity lieth vponupon vsus, and we are bound, and as it were by our baptiſme (the ſeale of Gods couenant) ſworne ſo to doe at our enrolment: yea, daily wee may, and we ought to trade euen for heauen it ſelfe.
As many free of London, by vertue of their ſaid freedome do trade in other countries for ſuch commodities as will be moſt vendible in London, and for the moſt benefit either of Londoners themſelues, or of ſuch as reſort to London: ſo is it with all the children of God, that being releaſed from their ſeruice of ſinne, are made free men of heauen. For by this their freedome, they may trade, and do trade for heauen, and for the daily increaſe of that heauenly ſtock, which in their regeneration their heauenly father doth giuegive them to occupy withall, and wherwith (as it were) to begin the new world: euen the world to come, whiles they liue as ſtrangers in this preſent world.
From heauen, and from the father of lights in heauen, commeth eueryevery good and perfect gift. Iames 1. 17. And this father of lights, being ſole and abſolute gouernour of heauen and earth, will not admit any to trade for any merchandiſe of his chiefe city (heauen) but only ſuch as can (as it were) ſhew by their Indentures that they are freed from their ſeruice, and that they had their names alſo enrolled in heauen book. If they can ſhew this they ſhall be ſuffered to trade for any merchandiſe of the city: yea, they ſhall be ſure, neuer to be bankrupts: but that they ſhall gaine well for themſelues and their, Ioh. 7. 37. but of this afterward.
This freedome is ſuch, that there is none ſo poore but may occupy frankly: for he may hauehave the beſt commodities of the city, freely and for nothing. Iſai. 55. 1.
This freedome is the greater becauſe the commodities of that city, are better then all other, and no where elſe to be had. According to the worth of any commodities of any country, ſo is the freedome for trading to ſuch countries eſteemed: eſpecially, if ſuch commodities be not to be found in other countries.
This freedome is ſuch, that as free men of London hauehave certaine priuileges, as well out of London, as in London, euen whereſoeuer they dwell: ſo likewiſe hauehave all that are free of heauen, whatſoeuer part of the earth they do inhabit.
By this freedome all partaker thereof hauehave this ſingular benefit, (be they neuer ſo poore) that if any man (how mighty ſoeuer) do them any wrong, eſpecially by infringing their liberties any way, they may hauehave their action againſt him in the Court of heauen: where they ſhall hauehave a good aduocate Chriſt Ieſus the righteous, 1. Ioh 2. 1. where they ſhall be at no coſts of ſuit: and where they ſhall be ſure to hauehave ſo good audience, ſo vpright iuſtice, and ſo large dammages againſt the defendant that hath wronged them, yea, againſt any aduerſary, that he ſhall neuer be able to ſatiſfie the ſame, but ſhall be forced to lie by it for euer, except the ſubmit himſelfe and be reconciled. Mat. 5. 24. 25. For ſhall not God auenge his elect, which crie day and night vntounto him? yea, though he ſuffer long for them? I te…l you (ſaith Chriſt) he will auenge them quickly. Luk. 18. 7. 8. Is not this a great priuilege; for poore men to hauehave ſuch iuſtice, againſt their mighty aduerſaries? and to hauehave it ſpeedily without ſuch delaies as are often too vſuall in the courts of earthly Iudges vponupon earth?
Laſtly, this freedome is ſuch that it can neuer be loſt, it can neuer be forfeited: No man can euer put vsus by it. No man? yea, no p…we… … all the power of hell. As the ſonne himſelfe that maketh vsus free. …oh. 8. …6. … for euer Hob. 1…. 8. As the truth whereby he maketh vsus free, Ioh. 8. …2. abideth for euer. Pſal. 19. 9. As the ſpirit by whom our names are enrolled in the book of heauen, and we are ſealed to be made free, Eph…ſ. 4. 3…. is an eternall ſpirit. Heb. 9. 14. As the city whereof we are made free, is not (as earthly cities) ſubiect to conqueſts, to fire, to mundations of ſeas or other waters, or to any deſolation, but is an abiding continuing city: Heb. 13. 14. and an euerlaſting habitation. Luk. 16. 9. ſo whoſoeuer is once free of this city ſhal be free for euer: this freedome is an euerlaſting freedom. Heb. 9. 12.
But touching all earthly freedomes, they may be loſt, either by too long abſence, or by not paiment of ſome yeerly ſumme of mony: or by not obſeruing ſome other rites and cuſtomes of the cities whereof ſuch freedoms are: or elſe they that hauehave ſuch earthly freedoms, may be ſo impriſoned in their own country, or ſo captiued abroad, or ſo by ſickneſſe deteined in their own houſe, or otherwiſe in ſuch condition; that although they hauehave their freedome. yet they ſhall not be the better thereby: yea, neither the children of any Princes, nor any Princes themſelues are ſo free, but that they may come i…to captiuity, and bondage. But the children of God once made free, are free for euer; in all countries, in all conditions, in proſperity, in aduerſity, in wealth, in pouerty, in priſon, out of priſon; in health, in ſickneſſe, yong or old: vnderunder the tuition of other, or at their own hands: in life, and in the houre of death. Yea, they alwaies hauehave the benefit of this freedome and liberty, and may as well trade for the commodities of heauen, in one condition as in another. Oh who would not hauehave ſuch a freedome! How ſweet, how pretious, and how honorable ought the name of this freedome to be! And how great, how ample, and how excellent is the dignity of Gods children in reſpect of this freedome!