The Dignity of Gods Children, Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
Containing obſeruations of the foure next particular words in this Text, the ground of the whole treatiſe: viz. Of the word What. Of the word LoueLove. Of the word Father. And of the word hath giuen.
THe ſecond word to be conſidered, is, What, or what manner. Hee doth not ſay, Behold the louelove, but, Behold what louelove, or, what maner of louelove, or, how great louelove. This is a word commonly vſed in matters of admiration. When our Sauiour by his word had pacified the windes and the ſeas, it is ſaid that the men that ſaw the ſaid miracle, maruelled, ſaying, What man is this, or what manner of man is this, that both the windes and the ſea obey him? Mat. 8. 27. In which place is the ſame word that is heere vſed by the Apoſtle.
So when the Angell was ſent to the Virgin Mary, to tell her that ſhe ſhould conceiue the Sonne of God in her wombe, and when he had ſaluted her in this ſort, Haile Mary, or, Reioice Mary freely beloued, &c. it is ſaid, that ſhe was troubled (or maruelled) at this ſpeech, and thought what manner of ſalutation that ſhould be, Luc. 1. 29. where alſo is the ſame word that is in this place.
This word therefore is an amplification of the louelove of God in making vsus his children, heere ſpoken of, by an adiunct or attribute that ſignifieth the ſame to be very great; yea, exceeding great; yea, ſo great, that it is rather to be admired and wondered at, then any waies fully to be expreſſed.
It ſignifieth as much as the word how in other places, as O Lord of Hoſts, how amiable are thy Tabernacles! Pſal. 84. 1. that is, ſo amiable, that they are alſo admirable. O how louelove I thy Law! Pſal. 119. 97. that is, I louelove thy Law with a louelove that cannot bee expreſſed. I am euen ſicke of louelove towards thy Law, as the Church ſpeaketh of her louelove towards Chriſt, Cant. 2. 5. How beautifull are the feet of them that bring gladtidings of peace! Rom. 10. 15. As if he ſhould hauehave ſaid, ſo beautifull, that no tongue of man can expreſſe the beautie of them, no heart can well comprehend it. And indeed we ſhall ſee by the handling of this dignitie of the children of God, that it is ſuch, that as it is ſaid of making Christ the ſtone which was reiected of the builders, to bee the head ſtone of the corner, This was the Lords worke, and it is maruellous in our eies, Pſal. 118. 23. ſo it may be likewiſe ſaid of the worke of our adoption, and of the louelove of God in making vsus his children, This is the Lords worke, and it is maruellous in our eies.
This circumſtance noted by this word, is to bee ioined with the former word, Behold, the more to prouoke vsus to long after the knowledge of the excellencie of the children of God: eſpecially after that knowledge that is by experience, ſenſe, taſte, and feeling (as it were) of the excellencie thereof. For no man ſo well knoweth this excellencie, or can ſo well ſpeake or write thereof, as he that is partaker of it, and findeth the ſweetneſſe of it in himſelfe. For this is that white ſtone promiſed to them that ouercome, wherein is a new name written, which no man knoweth, ſauing he that receiueth it, Reu. 2. 17.
The rather is this to bee ioined with the former word, to make vsus more deſirous of getting this title, and the more carefull to keepe it being gotten, yea to carry our ſelues according vntounto it. All men doe gaze vponupon the honourable titles of the world, and are in great admiration of them: but no man almoſt doth once looke after this: yea eueryevery man (almoſt) in reſpect of the contempt wherein this name is with the world, (afterward to be ſpoken of in handling this obiection) is afraid to be called or knowen by this name. As many of the chiefe Rulers that beleeued in Chriſt, for feare notwithſtanding of the Phariſes, durst not profeſſe him, Ioh. 12. 42. ſo many hearing ſo much as often times they do, of the dignity of Gods children, hauehave ſome deſire, and could be content to bee the children of God: but fearing the world, and the great men in the world, (eſpecially ſuch as to whom they doe ſpecially belong) are loth to be ſeene to hauehave any minde or affection that way. But of theſe more afterward. Thus much of the ſecond word in this text, preparing vsus to thinke the more highly of the dignity of the children of God heere ſpoken of.
The third word is LoueLove. Behold what louelove: This word ſetteth foorth the fountaine or principall cauſe of making vsus the children of God, to be the louelove of God. So it is ſaid to bee the cauſe why God ſent or gaue his onelyonly ſonne for vsus, Ioh. 3. 16. and. 1. Ioh. 4. 9. wherof we ſhall heare more afterward. If the louelove of God be the fountaine of ſending his ſonne, then alſo it is of our making or adopting to bee the children of God. For whence is it that we are made the children of God? Is it not by Ieſus Chriſt? It cannot bee denied: and it ſhall afterward bee more plentifully prooued. Heerein the Lord differeth from men: for men cannot properly bee ſaid to beget children of Note.louelove. There may be, and is in men, a deſire of children: but there cannot properly be a louelove of children, till children bee begotten and borne. For how can men louelove them that hauehave no being at all in nature? But God is ſaid to louelove vsus, and in louelove of vsus, to make vsus his children, or to beget vsus againe to himſelfe, and ſo his louelove towards vsus is before we are borne againe, or begotten againe vntounto him. As this louelove of God was before the action of our regeneration, ſo it continueth euer after. Gods louelove is vnchangeable. As Chriſt is the ſame yeſterday, to day, and for euer, Heb. 13. 8. ſo is God in his louelove towards them whom he loueth: yea, there is not only no change in him, but alſo with him there is no variableneſſe nor ſhadow of turning: Iames 1. 17. But being to ſpeake of this louelove againe afterward, this in this place ſhall be ſufficient thereof.
The fourth word heere to be obſerued, is, the Father. As the former word ſetteth foorth the originall cauſe of our being the children of God, ſo this ſetteth foorth the authour thereof, and the ſubject of that louelove before ſpoken of: and that to be, not onelyonly God, barely conſidered in his diuine eſſence, but as he is inueſted with the title of a Father.
To ſpeake more plainly: The louelove before ſpoken of, whereby wee are made the children of God, doth not come from God as he is God only, but as he is a Father: and that firſt of all, as he is the Father of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt. And therefore when the Apoſtle Peter ſpeaketh of this matter, euen of our regeneration, he ſaith not only, Bleſſed be God, but hee ſaith further, euen the Father of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, which of his abundant (or rich) mercy hath begotten vsus againe, 1. Pet. 1. 3. God was alwaies the Father of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt in the diſtinction of perſons in the diuine eſſence: and ſo Ieſus Chriſt, as the ſecond perſon in the Deitie, was alwaies the ſonne of the Father, euen before all times: ſo that there neuer was any time when the one of theſe two perſons was not the Father, and the other the Sonne.
Secondly, this louelove heere ſpoken of, commeth from God, not only as he is the Father of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, but alſo as by Ieſus Chriſt he is our Father. To ſpeake this alſo a little more plainly, the Apoſtle heere ſpeaking of himſelfe and of them to whom he did write, not only as the people of God, nor as the workes of God, but as the children of God, it was therefore the more ſit that hee ſhould deſcribe God by ſuch a title as was moſt anſwerable to that reſpect, wherein he ſpeaketh of himſelfe the writer, and of them to whom he did write. Theſe being, as they were, the children of God, it was more anſwerable to the word children, that he ſhould ſay, Behold what louelove the Father hath giuen vntounto vsus, then, Behold what louelove God hath giuen vntounto vsus. For the word God doth more fitly anſwer to the word creatures, or people, and the word Father is a plain correlatiue to the word children. Now although euer ſithence the creation, and ſithence the firſt time that there were any elect and beleeuing men, God was alwares their Father, yet as God was not ſo knowen to bee the father of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, in the old Teſtament, and before the mearnation and manifeſtation of Chriſt in the fleth, as …thence: ſo God alſo Note.did not ſo plainly open and manifeſt himſelfe to be the father of the elect, as he hath done ſithence the time of the Goſpell. And therefore wee finde this title, Father, oſtener attributed vntounto God in reſpect of Chriſt, and of the elect, in the new Teſtament, then in the old. In the old Teſtament he is moſt called and made knowen by the name of The God of Abraham, the God of Izaak, and the God of Iaacob: but in the new Teſtament he maketh himſelfe knowen by the name of The Father of our Lord Ie…us Chriſt, and of them that by faith are made members of Chriſt, and fleſh of his fleſh, euen one bodie with him. As the grace of God, which bringeth ſaluation vntounto all men, is ſaid eſpecially to hauehave (as it were) broken foorth thorow all the clouds of ceremonies and other things, whereby before it was obſcured, and ſo to hauehave ſhined more clecrelie and brightly now then euer before it did, Tit. 2. 11. ſo God doth make himſelfe knowen by this bleſſed, ſweet, and gratious name of Father, more now in the time of the Goſpell then euer he did before.
This is the reaſon why the Apoſtle heere rather ſaith, Behold what louelove the Father hath giuen vntounto vsus, &c. then, Behold what Ioue God hath giuen vntounto vsus, And although the name God bee in the very next words vſed, (that wee ſhould bee called the children of God) yet this is only to teach vsus, that we are to conſider and apprehend God not onelyonly in his diuine Ma…eſtie, (which conſideration is enough to ſwallow vsus vp, and to make vsus feare and tremble) but alſo in the perſon of a Father, and as hee is our Father.
Notwithſtanding, this that I hauehave hitherto ſaid of this word the Father, is not ſo to be reſtrained to the firſt perſon in the Godhead, but that therein alſo is included the Sonne. As in the former Chapter, verſ. 22. 23. and 24. the Apoſtle had ioined them together, making the deniall of the Sonne to be the deniall of the Father, and the continu ince in the Sonne and in the Father, to be all one. And as our Sauiour himſelfe doth the like, ſaying, that He that honoureth not the Sonne, the ſame honoureth not the Father that hath ſent him, Ich. 5. 23. ſo in this place, the word Father is not perſonally to be vnderſtood, but rather eſſentially, as comprehending the Sonne as well as the Father. Therefore, as there it is ſaid, Behold what louelove the Father hath giuen vntounto vsus, that we ſhould be called the Children of God: ſo it is alſo ſaid by the ſame ſpirit, that directed the pen of this Apoſtle, euen of the Sonne, that he came to his owne, and his owne receiued him n…t: but as many as receiued him, to them hee gane power to be made the children of God, Iohn 1. 12. Therefore the ſpirit of God, which is the immortall ſeed whereby we are begotten againe vntounto God, and made the children of God, (as afterward we ſhall heare) Rom. 8. 9. &c. and 1. Pet. 1. 11. and often elſwhere, is called the ſpirit of Chriſt, as well as the ſpirit of the Father, and therefore alſo Chriſt in that reſpect may be as well ſaid to beget vsus againe vntounto God, to make vsus the children of God, and to giuegive vsus this louelove, that wee ſhould be called the children of God, as the Father and the firſt perſon in the Deitie. To conclude this point, as when we pray and ſay, Our Father which art in heauen, we direct our praiers immediately to the perſon of the Father by a kinde of excellencie, becauſe he is Principium Deitatis, (not in time, but in order) the beginning of the Deitie: and yet in the Father we pray alſo to the Sonne and to the holy Ghoſt: ſo in this place this word the Father is to be vnderſtood as well of the Sonne as of the Father. Thereſore in the very next verſe, without any further expreſſe mention of the Sonne, vſing only a relatiue, and thereby making a relation to that before ſpoken in this verſe, the Apoſtle ſaith, that we know, that when hee ſhall appeare (or be made manifeſt) we ſhall be made like v…to him. Theſe words muſt needs bee vnderſtood eſp…c…ally of the Sonne, becauſe the Father ſhall not appeare or be made manifeſt, but in the Sonne. But ſo neere is the coni…ction, or rather vnion betwixt the Father and the Sonne that heere and elſwhere the holy Ghoſt meaneth both, by vſing a continued ſpeech of one for both.
Furthermore, the addition of this word ſerueth to teach, that we are not made the children of God by the gifts, labour, and induſtrie of any man or Angell, but onelyonly by God himſelfe. Therefore our Sauiour forbiddeth this name Father to bee attributed to any other then to God alone. Call no man (ſaith hee) your Father vponupon the earth: for there is but one your Father which is in heauen, Matth. 23. 9. The Apoſtle Paul, according with our Sauiour, ſaith, there is one God and Father of vsus all, Epheſ. 46. and ſo by ioining theſe two words God and Father together, and vniting them in one, hee teacheth, that it is as abſurd in religion, to ſay, there are diuers fathers, as to ſay there are diuers Gods, and that we may as well ſay there are diuers Gods, as diuers fathers. Whereas the Apoſtle calleth himſelfe the father of the Corinthians, ſaying, Though ye hauehave ten thouſand inſtructers in Chriſt, yet hauehave yee not many fathers: for in Chriſt Ieſus I hauehave begotten you through the Goſpell, 1. Cor. 4. 15. he ſpeaketh of himſelfe only as the inſtrument of God in their regeneration. He derogateth nothing from God, neither arrogateth that to himſelfe that was proper to God, but ſheweth only that God had vſed him as his inſtrument of their firſt conuerſion to him. Therefore before he had ſharphe rebuked them for ſaving, I am Pauls, I am Apollos his, I am Cephas his, and I am Chriſts, Chap. 1. 12. And againe, Who is Paul? who is Apollos … but the Miniſters by whom ye beleeued? and as the Lord gaue to eueryevery man: I hauehave planted, Apollos watered, but God gaue the increaſe, 1. Cor. 3. 5. 6. Doe wee not heere plainly ſee, that hee maketh God all in all in our regeneration? So doth the Apoſtle Peter in the place before alleged, 1. Pet. 1. 3. So doth the Apoſtle Iames, not only generally ſaying of all good and perfect gifts, that they come from the Father of lights, but alſo adding immediately touching the worke of our regeneration, Of his owne will begat he vsus, &c. Iames 1. 17. 18.
I might confirme this againſt Papiſts, and alſo other Patrons of mans free will, by many other teſtimonies, and proue our regeneration to be wholly the worke of God, by ſhewing eueryevery part thereof in our ſoule and in our body, to be attributed vntounto God; and by diuers other arguments: but becauſe I ſhall (I truſt) doe this in another place, and deale with this point againe in this Treatiſe afterward, therefore this ſhall ſuffice thereof in this place. And thus much alſo for the fourth particular word in this text.
The fift followeth, hath giuen. This word is added for two Hath giuen.con…iderations. The firſt is, to preuent an obiection, and to take away all conceit of our worthineſſe of this honour of being Gods children, and that no man might thinke God ſo to h… loued him for any goodneſſe that was in him. This (I ſay) hee preuenteth, by ſhewing the manner of Gods louelove in making vsus his children. It is indeed an vnproper phaſe, to ſay that God or any other doth giuegive louelove. It is more apt to ſay, that he ſheweth louelove: and therefore ſome Tranſlators have ſo turned this wo…d in this place. But though this phraſe of ſhewing louelove be more apt, yet the other phraſe of giuing louelove is more naturall and agreeable to the proper ſignification of the wo…d heere vſed. And it is not to be doubted, but that the … it of purpoſe, firſt to exclude all merits and worthineſſe of our ſelues, for d…ſeruing this louelove of God towards … making vsus his children, and to ſhew that this louelove of God … a…d without any reſpect of any good in vsus. So … words, louelove and giuing l…ue, are as much as the word … other places, which is all oppoſed to merits in vsus in … of God. … is called election of grace: and it is … that … be of grace, it is no more of worke: or elſe were g…e no m… …: but if it be of workes it is no more grace: or … were worke, no more workes, Rom 11. 5. 6. So in the ſame … it i… …a…d in theſe me epiſtle before, that are the children were borne (viz. Ia…cob and Eſau) and when they had done neither good nor …ui…l (that the purpoſe of God might remaine according to election, not by …kes, but by h…m that calleth) it was ſaid vntounto her, The elder ſhall ſ…ue the younger, Rom 9. 11. 12. And … afterward he concludeth, So then it is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in God that ſheweth mercy, verſ. 16 Can there be a more plaine and manifeſt oppoſition and contrariety then this is? Verily it is ſo plaine and manifeſt, that all the cauilling and quarrelling wit in the world cannot waſh the ſame away. Touching …uſtification, it is ſaid, that God hath ſaued vsus, not by the workes of righteouſneſſe which wee had done, but according to his mercy, Tit. 3. 5. And againe: By the workes of the Law no fleſh ſhall be iuſtified, Rom. 3. 20. and that we be iuſtified freely by his grace, verſe 24.
Touching both our iuſtification and calling (whereby wee are made the children of God) the ſame Apoſtle alſo ſaith, that God hath ſaued vsus, and called vsus with an holy calling, not according to our workes, but according to his owne purpoſe and grace: 2. Tim. 1. 9.
In all theſe places, and touching theſe points, who ſeeth not a moſt euident oppoſition of Gods grace to our worthlneſſe, and that Gods grace doth exclude our worthineſle? I grant ſometime grace mentioned, and ſometime merciemercy, and that there is ſome diſtinction betwixt grace and merciemercy (as afterward ſhall be ſhewed) yet there is alſo ſuch affinity betwixt them, that as two brethren being very like one another, are ſometimes taken one for another; ſo alſo theſe two words (in this argument eſpecially) are confounded, and the one vſed for another.
Now let it bee noted that I ſaid grace was oppoſed to our Note.worthlneſſe, …ot to all worthineſſe. When we heare that God hath freely of his owne louelove made vsus his children, this indeed excludeth al worthineſſe of vsus and in vsus, from being any cauſe of making vsus the children of God. Notwithſtanding if wee looke to Chriſt Ieſus and to that that he hath done, it is certain that God hath not, either ſaued vsus freely, or freely ma…e vsus his children: ſaue in the ſending or giuing his ſonne freely and of his owne onelyonly louelove, grace, and mercy, for the ſauing vsus, and for the making vsus his children, that ſo by adoption we might be capable of ſaluation. Otherwiſe if we looke to that which Chriſt did for vsus, being ſo freely giuen or ſent in the world, in our behalfe, it is certaine that Chriſt Ieſus by his paſſiue and actiue righteouſnes, that is, by thoſe things which hee ſuffred, and by that obedience which otherwiſe he performed vntounto God his Father for vsus, hath both iuſtified vsus, and alſo purchaſed this honour for vsus, of being the children of God. Though therefore wee hauehave this honour freely and only of Gods free grace in reſpect of our ſelues; yet it is not ſo free in reſpect of Chriſt (his ſending only of Gods free grace excepted) becauſe (as we ſhall afterward heare more largely) Chriſt hath moſt deerely bought all that wee hauehave, and moſt ſweetly paid for it, in the ſatisfying the iuſtice of God in our behalfe. Thus much for the firſt conſideration, why the Apoſtle vſeth this phraſe, that God hath giuen vsus this lone of calling vsus his children.
The ſecond conſideration is for the diſtinguiſhing of vsus from Chriſt Ieſus, and to teach, that though wee bee the children or ſonnes of God, yet there is great difference betwixt Chriſt and vsus in this behalfe. Chriſt, as hee is the ſecond perſon in the Deity, is the Sonne of God immediately by nature, by communication of the whole eſſence of the Father vntounto him, and from all eternitie before all times: ſo that there neuer was any time when God was not his Father, &c. as hath beene before ſaid.
As Chriſt alſo was man, he was the Sonne of God, by miraculous conception of the holy Ghoſt, and by a moſt wonderfull coniunction of the godhead and manhood together hypoſtatically in one perſon. But we are the ſonnes, or children of God immediately, and only by grace, by gift, by ad…ption, in, by, and through Chriſt Ieſus, being incorporated and ingrafted into him, that is in himſelfe the naturall, the eternall, & the only ſonne of God; hauing no fellowes, either amongſt men, or amongſt Angels. Therefore hee is called Gods owne Sonne, Rom. 8. 32. his firſt be gotten Sonne, Heb. 1. 6. and his only be gotten Sonne, Iohn 1. 14. and 3. 16. and 1. Iohn 4. 9.
Now, as heere it is ſaid, that God hath giuen vsus this louelove, to be called his children; ſo it is alſo ſaid, that to as many as receiued him (that is, Chriſt) hee gaue prerogatiue to be the ſonnes of God, euen to them that beleeue in his name. Ioh. 1. 12. In which place the holy Ghoſt ſheweth the meanes more plainly, whereby we are the ſonnes or children of God: namely, by receiuing Chriſt by faith, and by being through faith ingrafted into Chriſt.
Howſoeuer therefore wee bee called the ſonnes of God as well as Chriſt, yet there is great difference betwixt Chriſt and vsus in this behalfe: and Chriſt is in a farre more excellent maner the Sonne of God, then either we or the Angels can claime the ſame title and prerogatiue.
Let vsus heere note one thing more: viz. that the Apoſtle Note.ſpeaketh not in the preſent time, ſaying, doth giuegive; but in the time paſt, ſaying, hath giuen. This obſeruation is not to bee vnderſtood onelyonly of the firſt actuall beginning of our adoption and regeneration, but alſo of Gods eternall election of vsus thereunto before the making of the world. For ſo the ſame phraſe in the ſame tenſe importeth elſewhere. The Father that hath giuen them vntounto me, &c. Iohn 10. 29. As thou haſt giuen him power ouer all fleſh, that he ſhould giuegive eternall life to all them that thou baſt giuen him, Iohn 17. 2. And againe: I hauehave declared thy name to the men which thou gaueſt me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gaueſt them mee. verſe 6. In this one verſe is the ſame word and tenſe twice. The ſame phraſe and tenſe is often vſed afterward in the ſame chapter, to the ſame purpoſe, viz. verſe 7. verſe 9. and verſe 12. So before he had ſaid, This is the Fathers will which hath ſent me, that of all which he hath giuen me, I ſhould loſe nothing, &c. Iohn 6. 39. But this ſhall bee ſufficient for this obſeruation, touching the tenſe heere vſed by the Apoſtle. And thus much alſo for the fifth particular word in this text.