The Dignity of Gods Children, Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI.
More largely, laying forth the Communion of the children of God with Chriſt Ieſus, and of ſome ſpecial benefits they hauehave therby.
IT may be now expected, that I ſhould in the next place ſpeake of the effects of the children of God: but I will not bee curious in diſtinguiſhing effects from benefits, or commodities belonging vntounto them. I grant that by the exact rules of art, benefits properly are to be accounted adiuncts, or appurtenances and things belonging to another. But herein I will not be curious: but rather endeauor to be plaine, and therefore to write for the vnderſtanding of the ſimpleſt, then for the pleaſing of ſuch as reſpect method more then matter. That which is plaine and perſpicuous may be vnderſtood of all: but that which is curious & exact altogether according to the rules of art, is moſt for the capacitie onelyonly of them that are acquainted with artes. Some effects of a thing are not to be denied to be alſo benefits thereof; or at leaſt beneficiall thereunto: albeit that all benefits cannot aptly be called effects, as afterward we ſhall ſee in this matter of our adoption. For eueryevery benefit belonging thereunto neither aptly or truely can bee called an effect thereof. Iuſtification is a benefit belonging to adoption: yet adoption is rather and effect or thereof, then that a fruit or effect of adoption. Peace of conſcience alſo another benefit of adoption, is both a benefit and alſo a fruit ariſing from adoption, as afterward ſhall appeare. The like may be ſaid of other things. For this cauſe I will be bold to confound fruits or effects with benefits and commodities of the children of God. Now becauſe all, both effects and fruits, and alſo benefits and commodities of regeneration depend vponupon the communion of the new borne children of God with Chriſt Ieſus, therefore although I hauehave before ſpoken ſomewhat of their ſaid communion (Chriſt Ieſus being ſhewed to bee the chiefe matter wherein their new birth and being the children of God doth conſiſt, and all other points thereof before handled beeing effects of the former) yet I will now returne againe thereunto, and lay the ſame more largely forth then before I hauehave done.
Touching therfore this communion, that we may yet better ſee what other benefits the children of God hauehave, and what fruits they bring forth thereby, let vsus further vnderſtand, that it is in the Scriptures expreſſed by diuers moſt ſignificant metaphors, and excellent ſimilitudes.
For firſt, it is compared to the communion betwixt our bodies and our garments, in which reſpect we are bid to put on the Lord Ieſus Chriſt: Rom. 13. 14. Secondly it is compared to the communion betwixt vsus and our daily meate and drinke. In which reſpect Chriſt calleth himſelfe the meat that abideth to eternall life: Ioh. 6. 27. and the bread of God which came downe from heauen, verſe 33. and the liuing bread, which whoſoeuer eateth ſhall liue for euer: and alſo ſaith that his fleſh is bread, &c. verſe 51. and that except we eate his fleſh and drinke his blood, we hauehave no life in vsus, verſe 53. becauſe his fleſh is meat indeed, and his blood is drinke indeed. And that he that eateth his fleſh and drinketh his blood dwelleth in him, and he in him: verſe 55.
Thirdly, it is compared to the communion betwixt the vine and the branches. In which reſpect Chriſt calleth himſelfe the vine, and vsus the branches: Ioh. 15. 5. and Paul expreſly ſaith that we are branches &c. Rom. 11. 17.
Fourthly, it is compared to the communion betwixt the chiefe corner ſtone, and the reſt of the building: Mat. 21. 42. Ephe. 2. 20.
Fiftly, it is compared to the communion betwixt a man and the houſe wherein he dwelleth. In which reſoect Chriſt ſaid before, that he dwelleth in them that eate his fleſh and drinke his blood: ſo Paul ſaith (as before alſo hath beene ſhewed) that Chriſt dwelleth in our hearts: Epheſ. 3. 17.
Sixtly, it is compared to the communion betwixt the head and the members. For he is ſaid to be the head of his Church, and the Church is ſaid to be his body: Epheſ. 2. 20. and wee are called his members: Epheſ. 5. 30.
Seuenthly, it is compared to the communion betwixt the man and the wife in marriage. Therefore he is often called the husband, and the Church is often called his ſpouſe. And that which the Lord ſaith and promiſeth of marrying the Iſraelites vntounto himſefe for euer in righteouſnes, in indgement, in mercy, in cō paſſion, and in faith fulnes, &c. Hoſea 2. 19. 20. is to be vnderſtood as of all other the elect as well as of Iſrael, on the one part: ſo alſo of the ſecond perſon in the Deity (to be, after that propheſie, incarnate and made man) on the other part. For it cannot be vnderſtood of the father or of the holy ghoſt, becauſe they were neuer to aſſume our nature, whereby to be a fit huſband for vsus. Therefore alſo as the man and the wife, being before marriage (or at leaſt before contract) two, are after marriage and contract called one fleſh. Gen. 2. 24. Mat. 19. 5. 6. ſo the Apoſtle vſing the ſame ſimilitude of Chriſt and vsus, ſaith, wee are of his fl…ſh and of his bones: Epheſ. 5. 30.
To ſhut vp this point, ſuch is the communion betwixt Chriſt and the children of God, that the Apoſtle doth not only account them compleat in him: Coloſ. 2. 10. but ſaith alſo that they are the fulnes of him that filleth all in all things: Epheſ. 1. 23. and ſo he inſinuateth generally, that Chriſt is in ſome ſort vnperfect without the children of God, as the husband is vnperfect without the wife: the head without the other members: a man without an houſe: the reſt of the building without the chiefe corner ſtone: the vine without the branches; the meate and drinke without ſome to receiue them: and the garments without ſome to weare the ſame.
Now to returne to the former metaphors and ſimilitudes, ſo many as the communion betwixt Chriſt the naturall ſonne of God, and vsus the adopted children of God is in Scripture expreſſed by: by ſo many waies is our dignity by thi communion amplified and encreaſed.
For touching the firſt, was it not a great honour for Daniel (as the commandement of Belſhazzar) to be clothed with purple, and to hauehave a chaine of gold put about his necke? Dan. 5. 29. Was it not more, for poore Mordecay before appointed to the ſword, and who had before and who had before ſit at the gate of Ahaſhueroſh in ſackeloth and aſhes, to be cloathed with the kings royall apparell? Eſter. 6. 8. 9. 10. 11. How honourable then is it for ſuch beggerly perſons as we were (that were not onelyonly ſtarke naked, and vtterly without any good apparell, but that alſo were clothed before with moſt polluted garments of all ſinne, &c.) to be clothed with ſo rich a garment as Chriſt Ieſus is? Verily neither Herod himſelfe when hee clothed himſelfe In his royall apparell, Acts 12. 21. not all the Princes in the world (that had not Chriſt Ieſus) were euer ſo glorious in apparell, as the pooreſt child of God is that hath put on the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. It was an honourable thing to the Iſraelites, that the Lord led them ſo through the wildernes, that for forty yeeres their clothes waxed not old vponupon them, &c. Deuteronomie 29. 5. How honourable a thing then is it, for all the children of God (both yong and old, great and ſmall) to be clothed with that garment, which as it is called the new man, ſo it will alwaies bee new, neuer worne, neuer threed-bare, or waxing old, but remaining as freſh for euer as it was the firſt day, euen the ſame yeſterdaie, to day and for euer? Hebrewes 13. 8. for euer, (I ſay) not onelyonly in this world, but alſo in the world to come.
Touching the ſecond Metaphor, was it not an honourable thing for the brethren of Ioſeph at their ſecond comming into Egypt, to dine with Ioſeph, and to hauehave meates ſet before them from Ioſephs owne table? Geneſis 43. 16. and 34. So alſo for Mephiboſheth (though Ionathans owne ſonne, and therefore of the blood roiall of Saul) to be fed with meate from Dauids owne table, a… one of Dauids own ſonnes? 2. Sam. 9. 7. and likewiſe for Chinham the ſonne of Barzillai, not onelyonly to eate of Dauids meate, 2. Sam. 19. 38. but alſo to be among them that ſhould eate at Salomons table? 1. King 2. 7. Was it not a great honour alſo for the Iſraelites to be miraculouſly fed in the wildernes with Manna from heauen (which is therefore called angels foode) and with quailes, and with water out of the rocke? How honourable then is it for the pooreſt children of God, to eate of Chriſts owne fleſh, and to drinke Chriſts owne blood? Verily, neither the meate of Dauid, nor the dainty fare vponupon Salomons table, in his greateſt glory, nor the dointieſt fare of any other Princes in the world in their greateſt ſolemnities, nor the Manna and quailes, and water out of the rocke before mentioned to be giuen to the Iſraelites, was euer comparable in any reſpect, to this diet of the meaneſt ſonnes and daughters of God.
Touching the third former metaphor, what a ſtrange thing is it, that ſuch ſiences, as we were (though indeede compared to wilde oliue branches, yet ten times worſe) ſhould be grafted into ſo precious and pleaſant a ſtocke as Chriſt is; and thereby bring forth fruits agreeable to Chriſt himſelfe? Iohn 15. 5. Philippians 1. 11. Though in our grafting Iouis omnia plena.the ſiences which we graft bee nouriſhed by the vertue of that ſtocke, whereinto they are grafted, yet they bring forth fruit according to their owne nature, not according to the nature of the th…cke whereinto they are grafted. But wee beeing grafted into Chriſt, (not the better into the worſe, but ſtarke naught into the beſt) are both nouriſhed by vertue from him; and alſo doe bring forth fruits agreeable to his nature, not to our owne.
Touching the fourth former metaphor, how great a grace is it for vsus, that were ſo rough, and vnhewen ſtones as we were, to be hewen ſmooth, and made fit to bee coupled to ſuch a precious corner ſtone as Chriſt is?
The ſame is much more to be vnderſtood of the dignitie of Gods children in reſpect of the firſt former metaphor: For if it bee an honour to bee wrought and carued, and eueryevery way made fitte to be coupled to ſuch a precious corner ſtone as Chriſt Ieſus is, how much greater honour is it, to bee made an houſe for Chriſt himſelfe to dwell in? yea, for him, not onelyonly as man, but alſo as God and man? Hauing beene before habitations of Satan, and houſes of vncleane ſpirits: Mat. 12. 43. &c. Is it not an honourable change of ſuch to be made houſes: houſes? yea, more then houſes: For God filleth all things and all things; (in ſome ſort, as touching the eſſence of GOD, euen the wicked themſelues, are full of God: Is it not (I ſay) an honourable change of ſuch as we were, to bee made houſes, yea more then houſes, euen holy houſes, tabernacles, and temples of the liuing God? 1. Cor. 3. 16. and 2. Cor. 6. 16. verily touching this matter, this ſecond Scripture before alledged, is the more to be obſerued, becauſe with the former point, of men to be houſes and tabernacles and temples for God himſelfe, and of Gods dwelling among men, and familiar walking or conuerſing with them, the Apoſtle ioineth alſo another ancient promiſe of God, viz. that be would be a father vntounto them, and that they ſhould be ſonnes and daughters vntounto him. 2. Cor. 6. 18. Leuit. 26. 11. 12. For by this conioining of theſe two together, the Apoſtle doth moſt plainly teach that the former honour of being Tabernacles and Temples for God, is proper onelyonly to them that are the ſonnes & daughters of God.
The dignity of the children of God in reſpect of this metaphor, is yet the greater, becauſe as the whole world in all the beautie of it, was at the firſt made a palace for man to dwell in, ſo man himſelfe in this ſecond creation, is made a palace for God to dwell in.
Touching the ſixt former metaphor, is it not more then meruailous, that ſuch vile perſons as we naturally are (euen little better then limmes of the diuell, at leaſt his children and bondſlaues, as hath beene before ſhewed) ſhould hauehave ſo honourable and glorious an head as Chriſt Ieſus is that ſitteth at the right hand of God in the heauen, and hath the Angels (good and bad) in ſubiection vntounto him? 1. Pet. 3. 22.
Beſides all before ſpoken of the excellency of Chriſt (in ſpeaking of him as of one of the efficient cauſes of our regeneration) is he not moſt excellently alſo deſcribed to bee clothed with a garment downe to the feete, and girded about his pappes with a golden girdle? to hauehave his head alſo and haires white as white wooll and ſnow? and his eies as a flame of fire? yea, to hauehave his feete like vntounto fine braſſe burning as in a fornace? and a voice as the ſound of many waters? yea, to hauehave (further) in his right hand ſeuen ſtarres, a ſharp two edged ſword going out of his mouth, and his face ſhining as the ſunne ſhineth in his ſtrength? Reuelation. 1. 13. &c.
Neither is the dignity of the children of God thus amplified in reſpect that they hauehave ſo excellent a head (excellent for power, for wiſedome, for iuſtice, for meeknes, for goodnes for all things that are excellent) but alſo becauſe as Chriſt hath no other body then his Church, ſo the Church hath no other head but Chriſt Ieſus: and as none doth or can giuegive life to other, either to quicken them from the death of ſinne here, or to raiſe them at the latter day (when before that, by the doctrine of the Papiſts themſelues, the Pope ſhall be ſuppreſſed) as none (I ſay) can thus giuegive life to men but onelyonly Chriſt Ieſus (for who dareth ſay that the Pope can raiſe vp a man either from his ſinne, or from the graue, eſpecially when the Pope himſelfe ſhall be dead?) ſo none is or can be the head of the Church but only Chriſt. Sith therefore Chriſt is not onelyonly ſo excellent an head, but alſo the ſole and onelyonly head of the children of God, in this reſpect alſo it muſt bee granted, that their ſtate is ſo much the more honourable.
Yea, this honour of the children of God by Chriſt Ieſus his being their head, is the more, becauſe as he hath not taken the nature of angels vponupon him, but onelyonly the nature of man, ſo hee is not the head of Angels, as he is of elect men. For as it is a monſtrous bodie that hath two heads: ſo is it no leſſe monſtrous for the bodie to bee of one nature, and the head of another. And as the Angels cannot be (neither euer are called) the members of Chriſt, ſo Chriſt cannot bee called the head of the Angels. All the members alſo of the body of Chriſt, are ſaid to grow to a perfect man in Chriſt, and eueryevery part and member of the body of Chriſt is ſaid to receiue daily encreaſe (as it were) by nerues, &c. Epheſians 4. 13. 15. 16. Let no man here miſtake me: As kings are called heads, that is, chiefe gouernours of their people, ſo Chriſt (not onelyonly as GOD, but alſo as God and man) is the head and chiefe gouernour (and that abſolutely, without any ſuch limitation as kings hauehave) of the Angels, as well as of all other creatures. But in that ſpeciall maner that he is head of men borne anew vntounto God, hee is not the head of Angels. Therefore in this reſpect alſo the condition of Gods children is ſo much the more excellent.
Touching the ſeuenth and laſt former metaphor, what heart of man can conceiue the depth, the height, the bredth and the length of this louelove of Chriſt, in matching and ioining himſelfe to vsus, and vsus to him? that hee (I ſay) that was the heire of all things, by whom the worlds were made, and who was the brightnes of the glory, and the engrauen forme of the perſon of God the father: Hebrewes. 1. 1. 2. and beeing in the forme of God, thought it no robbery to bee equall to God. Philippians 2. 6. 7. that hee (I ſay) ſhould ſo caſt his louelove and liking vponupon vsus, as to take vsus to be his ſpouſe and wife, and that way alſo to make vsus the daughters (as it were in lawe, and by marriage) to God the father? euen vsus, that not onelyonly had no portion, and were eueryevery mothers childe of vsus beggers brattes, but that alſo were baſe horne creatures, and had an Ammonite to our Father, and an Hittite to our mother: and that therefore (as moſt baſe children are) were in ſuch miſery as a new borne childe whoſe nauell is not cut, neither is waſhed with water to ſoften him, neither is ſalted with ſalt (for the better hardning the nauell and the whole skinne; for the better ſtrengthning of all the inward parts, and for the better decocting and conſuming of all corrupt humors) neither was ſwadled with clouts, and whom being borne in miſery there was no eie to pitie, or to ſhew compaſſion. ſo that hee lay in the open field, to all contempt, and altogether polluted with blood, Ezekiel. 16. 3. 4. 5. 6. yea, who were altogether deformed and misſhapen, euen a crocked generation, hauing neither good face, nor good heart, nor good eie, nor any member well proportioned: yea, being altogether alſo without witte and vnderſtanding of heauenly things (as wee hauehave heard) euen pure naturals (as wee ſpeake) and no more able to conceiue the things of God, and pertaining to our owne good, then very ideots. Is not this wonderfull, that ſuch an one as Chriſt was and is, ſhould ſo vnequally (in many reſpects) match himſelfe with ſuch as wee were? and that by matching himſelfe ſo with vsus, ſhould make ſuch a change in vsus: of crooked to make vsus ſtraight: of deformed to make vsus beautifull: of beggerly to make vsus rich: of fooles to make vsus wiſe: of prophane to make vsus holy: of earthly to make vsus heauenly: and of children of the diuell, to make vsus the children of God his father? What a preferment therefore is this? Were it not a great aduancement and a matter of exceeding honor for a mighty Prince to take ſome vagabond woman, poore, naked, deformed, miſerable, &c. and to marry her to himſelfe, and to put her preſently into all coſtly and princely robes? yea, it was an honor for Ab…ga…l though the wife of a rich but a miſerable yeoman (ſuch as this time hath too many like) and alſo a wiſe and a vertuous woman, to be taken to wife vntounto Dauid? was it not alſo an high preferment for Eſter a poore maiden of another nation, to be made wife and Queen to that mighty Monarch and Emperor Ahaſhueroſh, that raigned ouer an hundred & ſeuen and twenty Prouinces? How honorable then is it for vsus, (more poore, baſe, miſerable then any rogue) to bee married to the naturall and only ſonne of God, hei…e and Lord of all things?
Verily this match is ſo much greater preferment of vsus, then the former matches were, either of Abigail with Dauid, or of Eſter with Ahaſhueroſh, becauſe both Dauid and Ahaſhueroſh had many other wiues beſides thoſe: but Chriſt Ieſus hath ſo matched himſelfe with vsus, that as he had no other before vsus, ſo he deſireth no other beſides vsus, but contenteth himſelfe wholly with vsus, and taketh as great delight in vsus, as if we had been his equals when he firſt made choice of vsus: and as though we had been as wiſe, rich, beautifull, vertuous, and eueryevery way as glorious, as either he doth make vsus (after his marying of vsus) in this life; or as hee will make vsus hereafter in the life to come.
To leaue theſe metaphors and ſimilitudes, whereby hitherto the communion of the children of God is ſo deſcribed, and their dignity in ſuch ſort amplified, let vsus further vnderſtand that our ſaid communion, is the more admirable in it ſelfe, and honorable to vsus, in as much as thereby we cannot but hauehave communion alſo with the Father: becauſe Chriſt and the father are one: Ioh. 10. 30 And the father is in the Sonne, and the Sonne in the Father: Ioh. 14. 10. 11. In which laſt place our Sauiour praieth, that as he and the father are one in another, ſo alſo the children of God (whom God had giuen to Chriſt: Ioh. 6. 37. and 17. 6.) might be one, (not only amongſt themſelues, but alſo) in them, that is, in the father and in the Sonne. Therefore our Sauiour likewiſe ſaith before, If any man louelove me, he will keepe my word: and my father will louelove him, and we will come vntounto him, and will dwell with him: Ioh. 14. 23. Yea therefore Chriſt came into the world, and was made one with vsus, that we might hauehave communion with the Father, and be made one with him: and as he was made one with vsus to make vsus one with the father, ſo alſo he did effect that for which he did come. Therefore the Apoſtle hauing ſet forth our miſerable ſtate in the world by nature, viz. that amongſt other things, we were without God in the world: Epheſ. 2. 12. he doth preſently by way of oppoſition adde our contrary ſtate in Chriſt, and by Chriſt, ſaying, But in Chriſt Ieſus ye which once were farre of, are made neerer by the bloud of Chriſt, &c. verſ. 13.
Hauing that communion with the Father, and with the ſonne, we hauehave alſo the like with the holy ghoſt: and therefore it is not onelyonly ſaid that they that are led by the ſpirit of God are the ſonnes of God, but alſo that they that are the ſonnes of God, hauehave receiued the ſpirit of God, whereby they …rie Abba father: Rom. 8. 14, &c. and againe: that becauſe they are ſonnes, God hath ſent forth the ſpirit of his Son into their hearts, which crieth Abba father. Therefore alſo our Sauiour, Ioh. 14. (where he promiſeth the communion of himſelfe and of his father, vntounto his diſciples) promiſeth alſo to ſend the holy ghoſt, which ſhould abide with them. Therefore alſo the holy ghoſt is ſaid to bee ſhed on vsus abundantly, through Ieſus Christ our Sauiour: Tit. 3. 5. Finally, as by the ſonne we hauehave communion with the father, ſo the holy ghoſt is the bond of our communion with the father and with the ſonne. Through him (ſaith Paul) wee hauehave an entrance to the father by one ſpirit: Epheſ. 2. 18. and by one ſpirit we are all baptized into one body, &c. 1. Cor. 12. 13.
Is not this then a great dignity? For this is one of the ſpecialeſt promiſes that God hath made vntounto his people, namely, that he will ſet his tabernacle among them, and that his ſoule ſhall not loath them, that alſo he will walke among them, &c. Leuit. 26. 11. 12. So then they with whom God hath ſuch communion, as to ſet his tabernacle among them, and dwell with them, may aſſure themſelues that God will neuer loath them, nor leaue them: Yea, we doe thereby further ſee, that he promiſeth not only his preſence but alſo his gratious preſence, by his power to vphold them, by his grace to direct them, and by his goodneſſe to giuegive them eueryevery good thing. For hee is greater then all, Ioh. 10. 29. both in power and wiſedome. Who therefore can deſtroy or hurt them, whom he will preſerue? In a ſtrange country, and in places of danger, oh how great a comfort is it to hauehave ſome companie? In ſuch a place the truth of that is moſt apparant that Two are better then one, becauſe if they fall, the one will lift vp his fellow: Eccleſ. 4. 9. 10. But alas, what is all the company of man, in reſpect of the ſociety of God? They that hauehave God ſo with them, may truly ſay, If God be with vsus, who can be (or what skilleth it who be) againſt vsus? God is light, and in him is no darkneſſe: 1. Ioh. 1. 5. If therefore we hauehave him alwaies with vsus, we ſhall be ſure of light, whereby ſo to ſee our waies, that we may not erre. Yea God is the father of lights, from whom commeth eueryevery good and perfect gift: Iames 1. 17. Therefore they that hauehave him their ſhepheard, may aſſure themſelues they ſhall want nothing, but that he will make them to reſt in green paſtures, and lead them by the still waters of life, reſtoring their ſoules and guiding them into the paths of righteouſneſſe: Pſal. 23. 1. &c. Yea, they that hauehave thus God their ſhepheard, ſhall be ſure not only of green paſtures, and water, but alſo that he will giuegive them that wine and milke, and bread, &c. whereby their ſoules may liue, and be made fat to eternall life. Iſai. 55. 1. 2.
What a priuiledge is this? It is a great prerogatiue of the children of God, to be garded by an Angel, as afterward wee ſhall heare. But alas, ſmal cōfort is there in the preſence of an Angel if God himſelfe be not with vsus. When the Iſraelites had ſo offended God, and prouoked his wrath againſt them by making a molten calfe, that he denied to go himſelfe with them vntounto the land which he had promiſed them, and yet at the praier of Moſes was content to ſend an Angell before them to caſt out the Canaanites, the Amerites, the Hittites, &c. How (I pray you) did they take this? It is ſaid that when they heard this tidings, they ſorrowed, and no man put on his beſt raiment: Exod. 33. 1. &c. There is therefore no comfort in the preſence of any creature whatſoeuer, if God himſelfe be not graciouſly preſent, with the eies of his fauour to behold them and their ſlate, with the eares of his grace to heare their crie: Pſal. 34. 15. and with the right hand of his power, to ſupport them. Pſal. 144. 7. and to fill them with good things: Pſal. 104. 28. and 145 16. Therefore Moſes himſelfe in the three and thirtith of Exodus before alledged, vponupon Gods deniall of his going in perſon with the Iſraelites, (offering notwithſtanding to ſend an Angell before them) Moſes himſelfe (I ſay) reaſoneth the caſe with God in theſe words. ſaying, Wherein ſhall it be knowen that I and thy people hauehave found fauour in thy ſight? Shall it not be when thou goeſt with vsus? So I and thy people ſhall hauehave preheminence before all the people that are vponupon the earth: verſ. 16. As the former ſorrowing of the people in the beginning of the Chapter ſheweth how heauy a thing it is to want Gods companie, though we hauehave the company of Angels, ſo what can be more plainly ſpoken then theſe words of Moſes to ſhew how great preheminence there is in that gratious preſence of God wherof now we ſpeake?
This priuiledge is the more, becauſe as all the points before handled, ſo this is both common to all the children of God and alſo peculiar to them only. For it is apropriated to them that are elected, called, inſtified, and which ſhall be glorified: Rom. 8. 31. and therefore before our calling (as wee hauehave heard) we are ſaid to be without God in the world: Epheſ. 2. 12. and it is before obſerued, that the promiſe of Gods dwelling with men, and making them his tabernacles and temple, is ioined with another of making them alſo his ſonnes, and his daughters: 2. Cor. 6. 18. as noting that it is both common to them all, and alſo proper to them only.
Therefore the wicked hauehave no more part in this priuiledge then in the former. As the children of God may ſay, that when they are alone they are not alone, becauſe God (euen the fafather, ſonne, and holy ghoſt) is alwaies with them: ſo whatſoeuer company elſe the wicked hauehave, yet they may truly ſay they are alone; becauſe God (euen the father, Sonne and holy Ghoſt) is abſent from them.
As God is infinit and filleth all places, ſo he cannot but be whereſoeuer the wicked are. But cold is the comfort of this his preſence only. For if their eies were opened to ſee him, they ſhould ſee him no otherwiſe then Dauid ſaw the Angell of the Lord, between the earth and the heauen with his ſword drawen in his hand, and ſtretched out toward Ieruſalem: 1. Chron. 21. 16. What to do had the Angell of the Lord his hand ſo ſtretched out toward Ieruſalem? euen to deſtroy it: 2. Sam. 24. 16.
Neither any otherwiſe ſhould the wicked ſee the Lord to be preſent (if their eies were opened) then Balaams Aſſe ſaw alſo the ſame or another Angell of the Lord stand in the way, and a ſword drawn in his hand, at the ſight whereof, the Aſſe being ſtricken with feare flung the firſt time out of the way into the field: and the ſecond time daſnt her maſters foot againſt the wall: and the third time lay down vnderunder him, not daring to go in the way: Numb. 22. 23.
Thus (I ſay) and no otherwiſe, ſhould the wicked ſee the Lord preſent with them, not to do them any good, but to be reuenged of them for all their wickedneſſe. Thereby they ſhould be ſo filled and poſſeſſed with feare, that they ſhould be ready to fly (if it were poſſible) and to run away from his preſence. But whither ſhould they flie from his preſence? If they ſhould aſcend into heauen, be is there: If they ſhould goe down into hell (or make their bed in the graue) hee is there: If they ſhould take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the vttermoſt parts of the ſea, yet thither ſhould his hand follow them; and his right hand bold them from eſcaping. If they ſhould ſay, the darknes ſhall hide vsus, the night ſhould be light round about them: Pſal. 139. 1. &c. Therefore if God he thus from them touching his grace and only preſent in his wrath, power & iuſtice againſt them, what (alas) ſhall it boote them to hauehave any of his creatures with them? Truly nothing at all: They were as good be alone. If Salomon ſay, Wo vntounto him that is alone: for hee falleth, and there is no: aſecond to to helpe himvp: Eccleſ. 4. 10. how much more wocfull is the ſtate of the wicked, that are altogether deſtitute of the gracious preſence of God? For if he withdraw himſelfe from them, who dareth accompany them for any good?
By theſe things we ſee, how great the prerogatiue of the children of God is by their communion with God. But this is not all: For this communion with Chriſt Ieſus, (and ſo conſequently with the other two perſons in the deity) is the more excellent, not onelyonly in reſpect of the excellency of the perſons, with whom our baſe nature is vnited; neither in other reſpects before ſpoken: but alſo becauſe being once made, it is indiſſoluble, and vnteparable. All the vnions before mentioned, whereunto this vnion metaphorically and by way of ſimilitude is reſembled, may be diſſolued: For the garment put on is alſo put off: The moſt of our meat and drinke (touching the matter thereof) is eiected and caſt out: The vine and the branches, as alſo any other tree and the boughs, may be diuided by the axe, or ſome other toole: So may the corner ſtone and the reſt of the building therewith coupled: The inhabitant or tenant is oft times turned out of his houſe; yea ſometime the lawfull owner is caſt out of his owne free-hold: The naturall head and the naturall body, yea the body and the ſoule of man are for a time ſeparated by death: Finally by the ſame meanes, there is a ſeparation betwixt the man and the wife. But nothing whatſoeuer can euer diſſolue the vnion betwixt the children of God and God himſelfe, Father, Sonne, and holy Ghoſt.
As the perſonall vnion betwixt the two natures in Chriſt, (the Godhead and the manhood) could not be diſſolued; euen when the humanity it ſelfe (touching the parts thereof) was by death for a time diſſolued (the ſoule being in heauen with the father, and the body lying in the graue) but the knot once knit did continue in death it ſelfe, and ſhall continue for euer: ſo alſo is the vnion, betwixt God and the children of God an euerlaſting vnion. As therefore the miſery of man, is in the ſeparation of man from God (who is bleſſed for euer, and bleſſedneſſe it ſelfe) ſo the happineſſe of man is in his vnion and communion with God, eſpecially in the continuance thereof for euer.
As all the wicked and vngodly are moſt miſerable by their being without God in the world, (as before wee hauehave heard) euen ſo long as they ſo continue, becauſe all that while they are as farre from heauen, as earth; yea as hell it ſelfe, and remaine in darkneſſe and in the power of ſatan, Acts 26. 18. (oh wofull condition!) ſo all the children of God, hauing in their adoption this communion with God, are happy and ten times happy, becauſe the benefit and comfort thereof hath no end.