The Dignity of Gods Children, Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII.
Of the dying more and more of the children of God vntounto ſinne, and of their preſeruation from many great ſinnes which the wicked doe daily commit, and of their liuing more and more to righteouſneſſe.
NExt to the forgiueneſſe of ſinnes, let vsus further conſider, that as before we heard concerning the matter wherein conſiſteth the being of the children of God, they were reſtored from the death of ſinne to the life of righteouſneſſe: ſo being thus altred and changed, they neither go backward, neither ſtand at a ſtay, but doe daily die more and more vntounto ſinne: and doe daily likewiſe liue more and more vntounto righteouſneſſe. And thus to proceed from the forgiueneſſe of ſinnes, to theſe things, is the method of the holy ghoſt in the ſcriptures. For Dauid doth not only pray to be clenſed from ſecret faults, that is, to hauehave ſuch ſinnes pardoned vntounto him, and therefore much more to be pardoned of his open ſinnes, but alſo that hee might bee kept from preſumptuous ſinnes: Pſal. 19 12. 13. Our Sauiour alſo teacheth to pray not onelyonly for forgiueneſſe of ſinnes, but alſo not to bee led into tentation, and to bee deliuered from euill: Mat. 6. 12. 13. Therefore the Apoſtle Peter preacheth repentance, and forgiuenes of ſinnes together: Acts 2. 38 Touching this preſent point, as before we heard the children of God by their incorporation into Chriſt in their new birth, to be reuiued again, and made aliue to God in true knowledge and wiſedome, and in true holines and righteouſneſſe; ſo now let vsus vnderſtand, that the longer the ſaid children of God continue ſo incorporated into Chriſt, the more ſap and vertue they receiue from him; and that therefore that which is natural in them doth more and more decay; and that that is of grace, and by the new birth of the ſpirit, doth more and more grow and encreaſe.
So it is with plantes grafted into any ſtocke: the longer they continue in the ſtocke, the more they are incorporated therinto, and the more they thriue and grow and beare fruit.
Firſt therefore for dying more and more vntounto ſinne, or for the dying more and more of ſinne in vsus, this phraſe may ſeem ſomwhat harſh & ſtrange: becauſe in natural things, that that is once dead indeed, cannot properly be ſayd to die any more. There cannot bee a continuall dying, or a dying by piecemeales, but where there is a remnant of life.
To this I anſwer, firſt, that euen in naturall things, that may be ſaid to be killed, that receiueth ſuch a deadly wound that from the day of receiuing thereof it neuer thriueth or ioyeth (as we ſpeake) but pineth & waſteth away eueryevery day more and more till it periſh. So both man, and alſo vnreaſonable creatures vponupon ſome wounds giuen them by other creatures, or taken by their owne vntulines, doe many times conſume vntounto death it ſelfe. So many trees being either blaſted aboue, or canker-eaten in the midſt, or hauing the ſtrings of their rootes cut beneath, do from that day wither till they bee altogether dead; aboue, in the midſt, and beneath.
Secondly, let vsus remember the compariſon vſed before chap 8. of ſinnes once mortified, vntounto the carcaſes of men ſlaine in warre. As therefore carcaſes of men ſo ſlaine, muſt be remoued, and buried, or elſe they will bee very infectious to them that liue where ſuch dead carcaſes lye: euen ſo the dead carcaſes of our ſins mortified in vsus, muſt be more and more remoued, and as it were daily buried, that ſo they may not bee infectious to the vertues that are aliue in vsus. And this remoouing or burying of the dead carcaſes of our ſinnes before mortified and ſlaine by the ſword of Gods ſpirit, accompanied with the reſt of the ſpirituall armour, is a kind of daily killing ſinne more and more.
Wheras likewiſe before in the ſaid 8 chapter I compared the remnants of ſinne in vsus to old rags or patches of an old coate vponupon a newe, to the diſgrace of the ſaid new coate; the caſting & ſhaking off of ſuch ſins remaining, that ſo they may not be diſgracefull to the new man which we hauehave put on in our regeneration, is putting off more and more of the old man, and therfore alſo a killing likewiſe or mortifying of ſin more and more in vsus. For to put off the old mā, or to mortify & crucifie ſin (wherin conſiſteth the old man) do both ſignify one thing.
To proceede therefore further in this point; as the children of God are commanded thus to put off the old man daily, and thus to mortifie and crucifie the ſame, and al earthly members thereof, Epheſ. 4, 22. Col. 3. 5. &c, ſo the ſame commandements do imply a promiſe of a bleſſing, viz. of ſtrength and grace for performance of that which is commanded: eſpecially ſuch commandements, being not only legal but alſo euangelicall. The legall and the euangelicall commandements, teach one Note.thing touching the eſchewing of euill and doing of good. For euen the grace of God (that is, the goſpell) which bringeth ſaluation to all men hauing appeared (that is, in moſt bright and glorious maner broken foorth through the clouds of the ceremonies and of the law of ordinances wherewith before it was obſcured) doth teach vsus (as it were little children) to deny all vngodlineſſe and worldly lusts, and to liue godly, and righteouſly, and ſoberly in this preſent world, Tit. 2. 11. 12. The ſame things the law alſo did teach. But there is a great difference betwixt the teaching of theſe things by the law, and by the goſpell. For the law teacheth onelyonly demoſtratiuely and imperatiuely, ſhewing vsus what we ſhould do, & commanding vsus to do it: but the goſpell teacheth operatiuely and effectiuely, giuing grace to perform that which it teacheth: and therfore as the law, going no further then to ſhew and command vsus what to doe, is called the letter that killeth (as a man that requires much, and giueth not wherewith to do it, doth as it were kill the heart of him, of whom he requireth ſuch things) ſo the Goſpell quickning and enabling a man to do that which it requireth, is therefore called a quickning ſpirit: 2. Cor. 36.
To returne to the former point, the old man being thus daily mortified and crucified in the children of God, they hauehave thereby a further priuilege for their better preſeruation from preſumptuous and reprochfull ſinnes: ſo that either they fall not into them, or if they doe, it is for ſome ſpeciall good intended by God permitting them ſo to fall, and in the end they are raiſed vp againe, and made ſo much the ſtronger afterward, by how much the weaker they ſhewed themſelues in their fall: and ſo much the more circumſpect and fearefull of falling againe in like manner by how much the more ſecure and fearleſſe they had been: and laſtly ſo much the more zealous of, and forward vntounto eueryevery good work, by how much the more grieuouſly they had before fallen into euill. And this is partly the meaning of the Apoſtle Iohn, when he ſaith that he that abideth in him (that is, in Chriſt) ſinneth not: 1. Ioh. 3. 6. and againe, that he that is borne of God ſinneth not: for his ſeed remaineth in him, neither can be ſinne, becauſe bee is borne of God. verſ. 9. For theſe ſpeeches ſignifie, that they that are in Christ and regenerated, are not only ſo freed from ſinne, that it doth not raigne and beare dominion in them generally as before their regeneration and incorporation into Chriſt it did: but that alſo they make not a trade of any one ſinne, but that they ſo watch ouer themſelues, and are watched ouer by the Lord, that they fall not into ſuch reprochfull and diſgracefull ſinnes, as the naturall and vnregenerate men doe daily commit.
This is more plentifully taught by the Apoſtle Paul: For it is the chiefe argument of all the firſt fourteen verſes of the ſixt Chapter to the Romans.
It is alſo further euident by the example of Iſaack: For though the Lord before the birth of Iacob and Eſau had expreſly ſaid that the elder ſhould ſerue the yonger: Geneſ. 25. 23. And although Eſau had moſt wickedly and prophanely ſold his birthright vntounto Iacob, verſe 33. and Heb. 12. 16. yet Iſack had fully purpoſed to hauehave beſtowed the bleſſing vponupon Eſau. Had not this been a matter of great reproch? For ſuch a patriark ſo to hauehave croſſed the former word of the Lord touching the bleſſing of Iacob? well, notwithſtanding the purpoſe of Iſack. yet the Lord by the wiſedome of Rebecca, croſſed him, kept him from that ſinne, and directed him to beſtow the bleſſing according to his former word. The moſt of the brethren of Ioſeph, hauing fully, and moſt vnnaturally and wickedly determined to hauehave murdered him, for his dreames, and for his accuſing them to their father, were notwithſtanding by the counſell of Reuben kept from that fearefull ſinne, and ſo they ſold him by the aduice of Iudah: which afterward turned not onelyonly to the great aduancement of Ioſeph, according to his former dreames, but alſo to the preſeruation of themſelues, and of their father, and of all their families in the time of famine: and to the accompliſhment of the former word of God, touching their ſoiourning in the land of Egypt: Geneſ. 37. 8, &c. Dauid hauing (through the reliques of the old man in him) both fully intended, and alſo earneſtly proteſted, the vtter deſtruction of the houſe of Nabal (at leaſt of Nabal himſelfe, and all the males appertaining vntounto him) by the gracious prouidence notwithſtanding of God in ſending Abigail to counſell and perſwade him to the contrary, was kept and reſtrained from the execution of that cruell and bloudy purpoſe: 1. Sam. 25. 32, &c.
By all theſe examples, as we ſee the ſpeciall priuilege of the children of God in being kept from ſuch hainous ſinnes, ſo by the two former examples we ſee alſo, that God turneth ſuch ſinnes as wherinto the righteous of infirmity doe fall, to their great good.
The ſame point, viz. the preſeruing of the children of God from many great ſinnes, is alſo cleere by daily experience of theſe things that before wee ſpake of the ſobriety of Gods children in proſperity and in aduerſity: as alſo of that watchfulneſſe which doth alwaies accompany and aſſociate the ſaid ſobriety.
For whereas the wicked in proſperity ſwell and rage, are proud and inſolent; contemning and deſpiſing all men, as if they would beare down all before them, and ſo do fall into infinit outrages; the children of God looking to him that giueth proſperity, conſidering for what end they hauehave more then other; regarding the vncertainty of all that they hauehave; and remembring before the account that one day they ſhall make of the emploiment of all that they hauehave receiued, are kept from the former euils.
So, whereas the wicked in aduerſity do mutter and murmur againſt him that ſendeth the ſame; and particularly in the times of need and great penury, do occupy their heads with many wicked imaginations, and put in practiſe many vnlawfull ſhifts, of ſtealing, of borrowing without purpoſe of paying againe: of promiſing much and performing nothing: of deceiuing, coſening, and ſuch like: the children of God, liuing euen this life by their faith; and belieuing the promiſes of God, as well for this life, as for the life to come; and remembring the performance of them in all ages; and calling to mind the experience that themſelues hauehave had of Gods prouidence, &c. do ſo commit their waies vntounto him, and caſt their care vponupon him, that they are kept from thoſe former ſcandalous euils. Theſe things might be proſecuted more at large, but the religious reader, by theſe inſtances may conſider of other the like.
Touching the other point before named (the raiſing againe of them that after regeneration doe fall to diſgracefull ſinnes) Dauid alſo is a moſt worthy example thereof. For how gratiouſly he was raiſed after his foule adultery with Bathſheba, and his moſt horrible murder of her husband Vriiah, it is manifeſt by the confeſſion of his ſinne to Nathan the Prophet: 2. Sam. 12. 13. and by that dolefull, and no leſſe heauy then heauenly one and fifty Pſalme, written afterward by him in further teſtimony of his moſt ſerious and vnſained repentance.
When he was againe afterward ouertaken with numbring of the people (yea, though Ioab coūſelled him very grauely to the contrary) how was he raiſed out of the ſame, being admoniſhed thereof by Nathan, and corrected with a great peſtilence amongſt his people by the angell of the Lord? Yea, did he he teſtifie that his riſing againe by acknowledgement of his ſinne, and by praying for the people that the hand of might be turned from them, vponupon himſelfe and his own houſe, ſaying, I hauehave done wickedly: but theſe ſheepe what hauehave they done? Let thine hand I pray thee be againſt me and my fathers houſe: 2 Sam. 24. 17.
How did Hezekiah humble himſelfe, and cauſe the inhabitants of Ieruſalem to humble themſelues, when hee ſaw wrath to come from the Lord vponupon him and Ieruſalem, becauſe he had not rendred vntounto the Lord according to the reward (of health miraculouſly beſtowed vponupon him? 2. Chroni. 32. 25. 26.
How bitterly did Peter weepe after his foule and ſhamefull denying and forſwearing of his maſter? Yea how zealous was he from that time forward for him? For being with other, and Chriſt being there vnknown to his diſciples, and hauing bidden them to caſt out their net on the right ſide of the ſhip, with promiſe to finde (for they had laboured all night and taken nothing) and the net (according to the former promiſe of Chriſt) hauing comprehended a great multitude of fiſhes, whereby Iohn diſcerned him to be Chriſt that had ſo ſpoken vntounto them, Peter no ſooner heard Iohn ſay, It is the Lord, but preſently he girded his garment vntounto him, and leapt into the ſea, and ſo came ſwimming vntounto Chriſt: whereas all the reſt ſtaied in the ſhip, and ſo at leiſure brought it, and came themſelues therein vntounto the land: Ioh, 21. 1.
To theſe things let me heere inſert this one point more, viz. that whereas the children of God regenerated doe ſometimes fall into greater ſins, then the common ſort of eiuill men not regenerated (as Dauid in the things before ſpoken of, and Salomon in many things) this falleth out by the ſpeciall prouidence and wiſedome of God, the better to teach, what men are of themſelues without God, and beeing left vntounto themſelues: as alſo to admoniſh ſuch as thinke they ſtand, to take heede leſt they fall. 1. Cor. 10. 12. and to inſtruct all to finiſh ther ſaluation with (the more) feare and trembling. Phill. p. 2. 12. So by their ſinnes, they are made ſchoolemaſters vntounto other. Is not this a ſingular priuiledge, ſo to hauehave the old man more and more mortified? ſo to bee preſerued from great ſinnes after regeneration? So to ariſe out of them, being by frailty, and naturall corruption fallen into them? and ſo by falling into them to bee made ſchoolemaſters of ſuch excellent things vntounto other? Verily, we cannot but acknowledge it to be a great priuiledge, if we ſhall conſider with what greedineſſe all the wicked and vnregenerate commit ſinne, continue in ſinne, and like wilde horſes doe runne on, and proceed from one ſinne to another, without any reſtraint.
But to proceed yet further, as the childrenof God do daily more and more die vntounto ſinne, and are preſerued from notorious euils, wherein the wicked wallow and welter themſelues (like filthy ſwine in the mire, and will not be plucked out) or if they fall into ſuch euils, yet they riſe againe: As (I ſay) the children of God do thus, ſo alſo hauing by the vertue of their regeneration once brought foorth the fruits of the ſpirit and of righteouſneſſe, they are made more and more abundant in them.
As the Apoſtle hath often exhorted the children of God ſo to doe, viz. to abound alwaies in the works of the Lord: 1. Cor. 15. 58. to encreaſe more and more, &c. 1. Theſ. 4. 1. to bee rich in good works, &c. 1. Tim. 6. 18. to conſider one another to prouoke to louelove, and to doe good works: Heb. 10. 24. to toyne vertue with faith; and with vertue knowledge: with knowledge temperance: with temperance patience: with patience godlineſſe: with godlines brotherly kindnes: with brotherly kindnes louelove: and not onelyonly to hauehave all theſe things, but that alſo theſe things ſhould abound in them: 2. Pet. 1. 6. 7. 8. And as the Apoſtle praied moſt earneſtly to be with the Philippians, to this end that their louelove might abound more and more in knowledge and iudgement; and that to theſe ends, firſt that touching their inward man their minds might be able to iudge things that differ, and their hearts might be pure (as the Sunne: Cantic. 6. 9. that is, cleer and ſincere without mixture of hypocriſie) and touching their outward man, both, without offence euen till the comming of Chriſt, and alſo filled with the fruits of righteouſneſſe: Philip. 1. 9. 10. 11. As (I ſay) the Apoſtles hauehave exhorted the children of God ſo to abound in all goodneſſe (as alſo whiles they liued praied to bee with them for the ſame end) ſo it is not to bee doubted, but that then they did, and nowe daily do ſo: For they are the good ground into which the good ſeede of Gods word falling bringeth foorth fruit, ſome an hundred folde, ſome ſixty folde, and ſome thirty folde: Mat. 13. 23. or as Marke ſetteth downe the words in a contrary order, one thirty, another ſixty, and ſome an hundred: Marke 4. 20. The which change of order is the more to bee obſerued, that neither they that bring forth Note.an hundred fold ſhould deſpiſe them that bring foorth but thirty folde: neither they that bring bring foorth but thirty ſhould be diſcouraged, becauſe they come ſhort of them that bring foorth an hundred fold. For though Matthew ſet the hundred folde in the firſt place; and the thirty folde in the laſt place: yet Mark ſetteth the thirty folde in the firſt place, and the hundred f…ld in the laſt place.
Yea, to be thus more and more abundant in the fruits of the ſpirit and of righteouſneſſe, is that which our Sauiour hath promiſed To him that hath ſhall bee giuen, and hee ſhall hauehave abundance: Mat. 13. 12. and 25. 29. and again, I am the vine, and my father is the huſ bandman: eueryevery branch that beareth not fruit in me, he takeeh away: and eueryevery one that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit: Iohn. 15. 1. 2.
The ſame is likewiſe taught by the two parables, Mat. 13. 31. &c. wherein the kingdome of heauen is compared firſt to a graine of mustard. ſeed, that being the leaſt of all ſeeds groweth to a great tree: ſecondly to leuen, which beeing little (ſeaſoneth or) ſowreth an whole lump of dough.
The end alſo of the miniſtery of the goſpell is not onelie that the Saints might bee gathered together, but alſo that they might grow vp into him, (viz. into Chriſt) which is the head, by whom eueryevery member receineth encreaſe. Eph. 4, 12. 14. 15. The prophet likewiſe ſaith that the righteous ſhall flouriſh like a palme tree, and grow like the Cedars in Lebanon: and that they that are planted in the houſe of God (that is, onelyonly the children of God; for without are dogges: Reu. 22. 15.) ſhall flouriſh in the courts of God, and ſtill bring forth fruit in their age, and ſhall be fat and flouriſhing. Pſal. 92. 12. 13.
Finally, the angel of the church of Thyatira is commended by our Sauiour, to hauehave had more works at the luſt, then at the firſt: Reuel. 2. 19.
By all theſe arguments, who ſeeth not that it is a moſt honorable thing, not onelyonly to be ſo partaker of the death and reſurrection of Chriſt as firſt I ſaid; as likewiſe of many other graces, the leaſt whereof is more worth, then all the pearles, and treaſures, & riches of the earth; but alſo to hauehave all the ſaid excellent graces eueryevery day more and more encreaſed, in vsus; and to abound in ſuch dainty and pleaſant fruits (as it were for Gods owne diet) as whereto the moſt excellent fruits of the garden of Eden, at the firſt planting thereof by God himſelfe, were nothing comparable? For ſuch as the tree is, ſuch is the fruit: But the tree of theſe fruits being (as before wee heard) Chriſt Ieſus himſelfe, is better then all the trees in the firſt garden of Eden. Therefore the fruits of this tree (ſo planted (as it were) in the garden of our hearts) are like to the tree it ſelfe.
That all the children of God do not alwaies thus thriue, proſper and beare fruit, it is either becauſe they doe not ſeeke it as they ought to doe: or that they doe not vſe ſuch meanes as they ſhould: or that they are not alike incorporated into Chriſt: or that they doe not alike beleeue the promiſe of God for the working and encreaſing of thoſe things in them, as hath beene ſaid they would: or for ſome other ſuch like cauſe.
To conclude this point, all the former things ſo ſaid are yet the more, becauſe the children of God doe not only beare ſuch fruits, and that in great abundance, eueryevery day more then before; but alſo that they doe it with great delight, and pleaſure. For ſo the man that is bleſſed is deſcribed, viz. not onelie not to walke in the counſell of the wicked, or not to ſtand in the waie of ſinners, or not to ſitte in the ſeate of the ſcornefull, but alſo to hauehave his delight in the lawe of the Lord: Pſalme 1. 1. 2. What? In the reading of it onelyonly? or only in the ſtudy of it, becauſe it followeth that he meditateth therein day and night? Not ſo: but alſo in the practiſe and obedience of it. This is manifeſt, firſt by the oppoſition of this branch to the former of walking in the way of the wicked. Secondly by that which followeth in verſe 3. viz. that he is like the tree planted by the riuers of waters, that bringeth forth (not leaues but) her fruit in due ſeaſon.
So The fear of the Lord, and great delight (not in the hiſtories, nor in the eloquent phraſes and ſentences of the Scripture, Note.which beeing more excellent then all other hiſtories & eloquence whatſoeuer, may and will delight a carnall man, but) in the commandements of the Lord, are ioyned together, as concurring in the man that is bleſſed: Pſal. 112. 1.
This is further euident by the example of Dauid, who reioiced when they ſaid vntounto him, wee will goe to the houſe of the Lord. Pſal. 122. 1. If he reioyced to ſee other forward in going to the houſe of the Lord, did he not much more reioice to ſee them bring forth the fruit (and that plentifully) of their going to the houſe of the Lord? And if he reioyced to ſee other ſo to doe, ſhall we thinke that himſelfe did not much more cheerfullie and gladly do the workes of God? yea, we ſee that he did. For how did he ioy in the bringing home of the Arke? Yea, is it not ſayd that he danced with all his might before the Lord? 2. Sam. 6. 14.
How glad alſo was he, and how did hee reioice and bleſſe God when Abigail met him, and perſwaded him to change his mind, and to reuoke his former vowe againſt Nabal? How (I ſay) did he then reioyce, and bleſſe God ſaying; Bleſſed bee the Lord God of Iſrael, that ſent thee out this day to meete mee: And bleſſed be thy counſell, and bleſſed bee thou, which haſt kept me this day from comming to ſhed bloud. 1. Sam. 25. 32. If he ſo reioyced for being kept from ſo great a ſinne, wee may well thinke that he much more reioyced in an higher degree of ſanctification, viz. in bearing the fruits of godlines aboundantly eueryevery day more then other?
Such liberty hauehave all the children of God, as that they are not only freed from the bondage of ſinne, and do bring forth the fruits of the ſpirit and of righteouſneſſe, but that alſo they do this with great delight and ioy: O ſweet ſtate! O ſingular priuiledge! O honorable condition!
The wicked indeed make great mirth. They laugh and ſhout in the midſt of their wickedneſſe, that all the place where they are, rings of them. But (alas miſerable men) this is but painted ioy: It is but like the cracking of thornes, &c. But of this more afterward. And againe, as touching ioy in any good thing, they are ſo far from it, that to heare any thing that way is a death vntounto them: yea, when they are vrged by chriſtian authority to do any thing that good is, they do it ſo againſt the haire, ſo murmuringly, ſo grudgingly, with ſuch griefe, moiling, and fretting, that their ſaid worke is altogether abominable in the ſight of God. For if God loueth a cheerefull giuer or doer of any thing: 2. Cor. 9. 7. then he muſt needs hate and abhor him that giueth or doeth any thing vnwillingly, and grudgingly. Thus much for this matter.