The Dignity of Gods Children, Chapter 15
CHAP. XV.
Of the finall cauſe of the regeneration and new birth of the children of God.
AFter the efficient cauſes both principall and inſtrumentall, and after the materiall cauſes of our regeneration, ſo conſidered as we hauehave done: it followeth now that we ſhould enter into conſideration of the forme and of the end of our ſaid regeneration.
Touching the forme, it is very hard in ſo ſpirituall a thing to diſtinguiſh it from the matter. For what is this forme but our ſimilitude and likeneſſe to the ſpirit of God, and therfore alſo to God himſelfe? For is it not ſaid, that we that are adopted to be the children of God, are ſealed by the ſpirit of God to the day of redemption? Epheſ. 4. 30. and 1. 13. And what is to be ſealed by the ſpirit of God, but to hauehave the ſtampe and ſimilitude of the ſpirit ſet vponupon vsus? Is not the ſealing of letters or of other writings the imprinting of the ſimilitude of the ſeale it ſelfe vponupon the wax affixed to the ſaid letters and other writings? that is, the impreſſion of the forme that is engrauen vponupon the ſaid ſeale? And what is all this but that which we heard before, of the knowledge, wiſedom, holineſſe, righteouſnes, &c. wherein conſiſteth the matter or being of the children of God? To paſſe therfore from the form, and not to be curious in diſtinguiſhing therof from the matter, let vsus come to the end why God hath ſo loued vsus, as to make, or to call, or to declare vsus to be his children.
This is noted and expreſſed, to be the praiſe and glorie of his grace: Epheſ. 1. 6. For theſe words are not there vſed as the end of our predeſtination onelyonly, but alſo of the end whereunto wee were predeſtinated, namely that we might be adopted, or made the children of God. Afterward alſo in the ſame Chapter, the Apoſtle repeateth the ſame end of our election: viz. that wee Which firſt truſted in Chriſt, ſhould be to the praiſe of his glory. Not much vnlike alſo is that place before alledged, touching the end of our deliuerance from our enemies, namely that we might ſerue him, &c. Luk. 1. 74. For that of our deliuery from our enemies, doth import our adoption, becauſe all not adopted, are ſtill in the hands of their enemies: and all that are deliuered from their enemies are the children of God. When the Lord alſo ſaith, If I be a father where is mine honor? Malac. 1. 6. doth he not inſinuate, that this was the end why he had made them his children, namely, that they ſhould honor him? But of all other places, that of Iames is moſt pregnant in this behalfe: Of his owne will begat he vsus with the word of truth, that we ſhould be vntounto him, as the firſt fruits of the creatures: Iames 1. 18.
In this place the Apoſtle ſpeaketh directly of our begetting againe, noting God himſelfe to be the author thereof: his owne will to be the mouing cauſe of him there unto: the word of truth, to be the mea…s (all which hauehave been obſerued before) and that wee might be the firſt fruits of his creatures, to be the end. What is it to be the firſt fruits of his creatures? Euen to be ſet apart in ſpeciall manner for his ſeruice and glory, as in the time of the law, the firſt fruits were ſeparated from all other, and ſet apart from all common vſes (whereto other fruits might be applied) and dedicated only to the ſpeciall ſeruice of Gods worſhip. Exod. 34. 25. Deut. 12 17
What can be greater then to honor or glorifie God? In that our Sauiour teacheth vsus in the firſt place, and before all; vea, before the forgiueneſſe of our ſinnes, to pray Hallowed be thy name, or Glorified be thy name, doth he not thereby plainly teach vsus, that the hallowing or glorifying of the name of God, is more then all other things? Doth not the Apoſtle teach, that this ought to be the end of all the fruits of righteouſneſſe, which are by Ieſus Christ, viz. the glory and praiſe of God? Phil. 1. 11. Doth not our Sauiour himſelfe complaine of the great trouble of his ſoule, and pray thus vntounto his father; Now is my ſoule troubled, and what ſhall I ſay? Father ſaue me from this houre: but therefore came I to this houre. Father glorifie thy name: Ioh. 12. 27. 28. We ſee in this pra…er, Chriſt to be in ſuch an agony, that (as he was man) he could ſcarce tell what he ſaid: yea, that hauing praied the father to ſaue him from that houre, he correcteth himſelfe, (not as acknowledging his former petition to hauehave beene euill, but onelyonly to make that better that was good before) that (I ſay) he ſo correcteth himſelfe, by remembring that houre (from which hee praied to be deliuered) to be the end of his comming, And by the laſt clauſe notwithſtanding of the ſaid praier, Father glorifie thy name, we ſee further, that hee preſerreth the glorifying of his fathers name to the deliuerance from that houre, againſt which before he praied. Doth he not thereby teach, that hee regarded not himſelfe, but was well content ſtill to indure that agonie, ſo that thereby he might glorify the name of his father? If Chriſt therefore did ſo highly eſteeme of the glory of God, is it a ſmall matter, that we are made the children of God for the glory of God? Doth not the Apoſtle further command, that whether we eate or drinke, or what ſoeuer doe, wee ſhould doe all to the glory of God? 1. Cor. 10. 31. If then this ought to be the end of all things we doe, muſt it not be acknowledged to be more excellent then all things that we doe? For who will, or can deny the end of things to be more excellent then the things referred to the end?
Againe, what can be more honourable and glorious, then to ſerue him, that is moſt honourable and glorious? The greater that men are, the more honourable it is to ſerue them: therefore to ſerue a king, is more honourable then to ſerue any other. How honourable a thing then is it to ſerue the king of kings?
Yea, bu… (will ſome man ſay) The Lord hath made all, things for his owne ſake. Pro. 16. 4. that is, for his owne ſeruice and glorie. Nebuchadnezer alſo a reprobate and a moſt wicked man, is called for all that the ſeruant of the Lord: euen in and for the deſtruction of Ieruſalem. Ier. 27. 6. and 43. 10. yea, the diuels in ſome ſort doe the workes of God, in executing the commiſſion which God giueth them. 1. Kings. 22. 22. at leaſt in performing the decree of God. Acts. 2. 23. If theſe things bee ſo, (as indeed they are) what ſingular thing, or what preferment or prerogatiue is it for the children of God to bee borne or made the children of God, for the glory of God, and to ſerue God? For do not all things, yea, do not the moſt wicked men; yea do not the diuels themſelues the ſame? I anſwer, that this that I ſpeake of the end of the adoption of the children of God, for Gods glory and ſeruice, is to be vnderſtood of their ſeruing and glorifying God in a more ſpeciall and excellent manner then other do: euen ſo much more as they are neerer to God, and more dignified and aduanced by God then other are How is this? Not by force (as it were) and only conſtrained by the ouerruling hand and power of God, but willingly and cheerfully with a minde to ſerue and glorifie God in that which they do: and being guided and directed thereunto by the ſame gratious ſpirit of God, whereby they are made the children of God.
In the greater place that any is emploied about an earthly king, or for an earthly king, the greater honor is ſuch emploiment for him that is ſo emploied: So likewiſe the neerer the ſeruice of any is to the kings own perſon, the more honorable is the ſame ſeruice. God hath no greater emploiments, neither any neerer to his owne perſon here vponupon the earth then thoſe things are, wherein he emploieth his children. Then ſuch emploiment therfore cannot but be very honorable vntounto them.
Though all things be made to the glory of God in a generall reſpect, and ſo accordingly do ſerue his prouidence, yet the elect and children of God in a ſpeciall manner and meaning are called veſſels of honor: as contrarily the reprobate are called veſſels of diſhonor: 2. Tim. 2. 20. Though therefore thereprobate themſelues do alſo ſerue God (in manner aforeſaid) vet their ſeruice it is but baſe in reſpect of the ſeruice of his children, becauſe ſuch ſeruice is altogether ſeruiſe.
In the time of the law all beaſts and fowles, Pſal. 50. 10. &c. and all ſiluer and gold, Hag. 2. 9. were the Lords as wel as now: yet who knoweth not but that any beaſt or fowle, or ſiluer or gold conſecrated to the ſeruice of the Lord, either firſt in the Tabernacle, or afterward in the Temple was the Lords in a more ſpeciall, and a more holy, and a more honorable manner?
The like then might be ſaid, and ſtill may bee ſaid of the ſix common daies, and of the ſeuenth. The ſix were and are the Lords as well as the ſeuenth, in a generall reſpect: yet the ſeuenth was and is conſecrated to the Lord in a more ſpeciall manner: in reſpect whereof it is to be accounted more holy. For theſe cauſes there was more ſeuere puniſhment commanded to be inflicted vponupon any common perſon, and was often inflicted by the Lord himſelfe vponupon any perſon whatſoeuer, that ſhould apply ſuch things as were ſpecially conſecrated to Gods ſeruice, to any common vſe, then vponupon any that ſhould abuſe any other thing not ſo conſecrated to God, though otherwiſe it were of the ſame kind and nature. God ſpared Belſhazzar all the while he did eat and drinke in his own veſſels (though it be not to be doubted, but that hee did abuſe the meat and drinke to exeede, and therefore alſo the veſſels themſelues wherein he did ſo eat and drinke to Gods diſhonor) but when beſides …s owne veſſels, he muſt alſo hauehave the veſſels of the Lord, which had been taken out of the temple of the Lord… houſe at Ieruſalem; when theſe (I ſay) were brought out …, and when hee and his Princes, his … in them, oh what a fearefull hand of God in … of a man appeared preſently vponupon the wa… before him: and how fearfull contents were written therby vponupon the wall againſt him? For was not the kings countenance pre…ently chan…d? Did not his thoughts trouble him? Were not the ioynts of his l…ynes looſed? Did not his knees ſmite one againſt another? Did he not in a great extremity and agony crie aloud for the aſtrologians, Chaldeans, and ſoothſaiers? Dan. 5. 3. &c. Though he were a king, and a mighty king, yet he had been better to hauehave gone a thouſand miles on his bare feet vponupon an errand from God: yea, he had been better to hauehave eaten his fingers to the bones: yea, the very fleſh from his armes.
Touching the ſeuenth day, now called the Lords day, though many diſgrace it as being now but an ordinance of the Church not commanded of God himſelfe to be ſanctified, yet by how many iudgements of God vponupon the prophaners thereof hath the Lord commended it to be inſpeciall maner holy aboue all other daies?
So though the wicked themſelues do ſerue the Lord genegenerally, yet the children of God are ſet apart and conſecrated (as it were the firſt fruits, or ſpeciall veſſels of honor as we hauehave heard) to the ſeruice of God in ſpeciall manner. yea, to returne againe to that ſimilitude (that hath been before cloſely inſinuated) as the counſellors to a king for matters of ſtate, are ſubiects as well as other: and as they be ſubiects generally differ not from other; and yet being made choice of by the king, in ſome ſpeciall manner to ſerue him, by conſulting one with another, and conferring their wiſedomes and counſels together, for the more good of the king, and of the whole kingdome, and being thereunto alſo ſworne in a ſpeciall manner: as (I ſay) ſuch in theſe reſpects differ from other, and are more honorable then other; euen then other of the ſame quality, ſort, and degree: So is it with men adopted and ſelected from the common ſort of men, to be the children of God. For though they be men as well as other, and ſinne as well as other; yet the Lord by making them his children hauing aduanced them aboue other, to be, as it were, of his priuy counſell: not to giuegive counſell to him that is the mighty counſellor, but to take his counſels from him: that is, ſuch as to whom be may reueale his ſecrets: Pſal. 25. 14. and as the Lord ſaith of Abraham, Shall I hide from him the thing which I doe? Geneſ. 18. 17. therefore and in this reſpect they are certainly more honorable then other men. If it be no ſmall honor to be a priuy counſellor to a mortall king: how great ſhould we thinke that honor to be of being one of thoſe, to whom the king of glory doth reueale his ſecrets… Verily this honor is ſo much the greater, becauſe our Lord Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe doth giuegive thanks to his father in this behalfe: yea becauſe in his ſaid giuing thanks, he teſtifieth the ſaid dignity to be the greater, in as much as the Lord his father had hid them from the wiſe, and men of vnderſtanding and had reuealed them vntounto babes, babes, and that only of his meere good will and pleaſure: Mat. 11. …5. 26. So likewiſe afterward as he ſaith to his diſciples, to you it is giuen to know the ſecrets of the kingdome of heauen, ſo he ſaith of other that were not his diſciples (much more that were not the children of God) but to them it is not giuen: Mat. 13. 11. But of this before, Chap. 10.
Thus much briefly of the forme, and of the end of the children of God.