The Dignity of Gods Children, Chapter 30
CHAP. XXX.
Of the promiſes of God to them that ſhall ſhew kindneſſe to any of the children of God: and of the threatnings to the contrary, &c.
HAuing hitherto beene thus large and plentifull in laying foorth the dignity of Gods children; I will now inlarge the ſame but by one argument more: viz. by the promiſes of God to them that ſhall doe any thing for his children, by his threatnings againſt thoſe that doe them any hurt, and by the performance from time to time of the ſaid promiſes & threatnings. For heereby it doth the more manifeſtly appeare in what price and reckoning they are with God.
Touching the promiſes and threatnings of God in behalfe of his children, they are firſt of all ioined together. For, when God firſt made a ſpeciall couenant with Abraham and his ſeed, this is one ſpeciall article (as before vponupon other occaſion wee hauehave heard) of the ſaid couenant, that God would bleſſe them that should bleſſe him, and curſe them that ſhould curſe him: Gen. 12. 3. Was this promiſe made to Abraham as one man? Not ſo: but as he was the root and father of the faithfull. Therefore all the faithfull children of God hauehave right to the ſaid promiſe: and it doth belong to eueryevery one of them as well as it did to Abraham himſelfe: ſo that whoſoeuer ſhall bleſſe or doe any good to any of Abrahams children by faith, hee may as well looke for a bleſſing from God, as any that bleſsed Abraham, or did any good to Abraham himſelfe: and whoſoeuer ſhall curſe or doe any hurt to any of Abrahams children by faith, he may as well feare a curſe from God, as any that euer did curſe or doe any hurt to Abraham himſelfe.
Touching promiſes in particular, If hee bee bleſſed (that is, vnderunder many bleſſings) which generally iudgeth wiſely of the poore, Pſal 41. 1. and that generally likewiſe is mercifull, becauſe he ſhall obtaine mercy, Matt. 5. 7. then much more bleſsed, and much more may they hope for mercy, that iudge wiſely of the godly, and that ſhew mercy to the children of God.
Againe, the Prophet praieth (or exhorteth to pray) that they may prosper that louelove Ieruſalem, Pſal. 122. 6. by Ieruſalem there meaning, not only the publike ſtate of the Church, but eueryevery particular member thereof, becauſe it cannot goe well with the whole, except it goe alſo well with eueryevery member. Now although that bee a praier, or exhortation to praier, yet the matter thereof inſinuateth a promiſe: for neither the Church, nor any part thereof, may pray for any thing in their owne behalfe, or in behalfe of any other, whereof they hauehave no promiſe. Foraſmuch therefore as the Church praieth (or exhorteth to pray) for them that louelove Ieruſalem, viz. that ſuch may proſper; it followeth, that there was and is a promiſe of the proſperitie of all thoſe that louelove Ieruſalem, (that is, of the Church, and whole compaine of Gods children) and euerie part thereof, that is, of eueryevery one of Gods children therein, or thereunto belonging. Our Sauiour ſpeaketh yet more plainly and expreſly, ſaying, that he that receiueth arighteous man in the name of a righteous man ſhall receiue thereward of a righteous man: and that whoſoeuer ſhall giuegive vntounto one of his little ones (that is, to one of the ſmalleſt and meaneſt children of God) a cup of coldwater only, in the name of a diſciple, verily he ſhould not loſe his reward: Matt. 10. 41.
Thus much briefly for the promiſes of God to all that ſhall ſhew any kindneſſe to any of his children.
Touching the threatnings againſt all that ſhall deale vnkindly with them, firſt, all that our Sauiour ſpeaketh of offending generally any one of his little ones, Match. 18. 6. Mark. 9. 42. Luk 17. 2. may particularly be applied to this purpoſe.
If the Angell of the Lord alſo (as D…borah reporteth) ſaid, Curſe yee Meroz: Curſe yee the inhabitants thereof becauſe they came not to helpe the Lord, to helpe the Lord againſt the mightie: Iudg. 5. 23. (ſo condemning them, not to hauehave helped the Lord, that did not helpe his people) how much more doth the curſe of God belong to them that go out to hurt the children of God, or that doe any thing for the damnifying of them? When the Prophet Ieremiah had ſaid, that Iſrael was as a thing hallowed vntounto the Lord, and his firſt fruits; preſently hee addeth, All they that eat it ſhall offend: euill ſhall come vponupon them, ſaith the Lord: Ier 2. 3. By eating there, the Prophet meaneth the offring of any indignity vntounto them. For in the time of the Law, when things according to the Law were conſecrated vntounto God, what common perſon ſoeuer (not of the ſtocke of the Prieſts) did eat of them, they did greatly ſinne againſt the Lord, and prouoked his heauy indignation againſt themſelues. When the Prophet Zecbariah had ſaid, He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his ete; immediately he addeth this commination againſt ſuch perſons, ſaving, For behold I will life vp mine hand vponupon them, and they ſhall be a ſpoile to thoſe that ſerued them, &c. Zech. 2. 8.
The Prophet Amos ſaith againſt the rich men of Iſrael, that dealt hardly with the poore, buying them for ſiluer, and for old ſhoes, ſelling vntounto them the refuſe of the wheat, &c. (as many rich men doe in theſe daies) the Prophet Amos (I ſay) ſpeaketh thus againſt ſuch: The Lord hath ſworne by the excellencie of Iaacob, Surely I will neuer forget any of their workes: Amos 8. 6. Did the Lord with an oath ſo threaten them that dealt hardly with the poore of Iſrael, who long before were fallen away from God? What then (doe we thinke) threatneth he againſt all thoſe that any waies deale hardly with them whom in his abundant mercy he hath begotten againe vntounto himſelfe, and whom ſo begotten he loueth with an euerlaſting louelove, and wil neuer caſt them off?
When Amalek came out to fight againſt the children of Iſrael, as they came out of the land of Egypt, and were trauelling by the wilderneſſe towards the land of Canaan, the Lord ſpake thus vntounto Moſes: Write this (ſaith hee) for a remembrance in the booke, and rehearſe it vntounto Ioſhua (who was to ſucceed Moſes, and in his ſtead to fight the Lords battles againſt the enemies of Iſrael) for I will vtterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from vnderunder heauen. Alſo hee ſaid, The Lord hath ſworne that hee will hauehave warre with Amalek. from generation to generation: Exod 17. 14. and 16. Though this were ſpoken and threatned particularly againſt the Amalckits, yet it inſinuateth a generall commination againſt all the like enemies of the children of God.
To conclude this point of Gods promiſes to them that ſhew kindneſſe to his children, and of his threatnings againſt thoſe that doe ſhew them any vnkindneſſe: to conclude (I ſay) this point, as I beganne the ſame: viz. with a ſentence comprehending both; ſo let vsus remember that our Sauiour applieth the parable of the vnrighteous Iudge, and of the poore widow, in this manner: Heare what the vnrighteous Iudge ſaith; Now ſhall not God auenge his elect, which cry day and night vntounto him; yea, though hee ſuffer long for them? I tell you, hee will auenge them quickly: Luke 18. 6. 7. This word, to auenge, ſeemeth to import, not onelyonly a promiſe of deliuering the elect from all their wrongs, but alſo a threatning of a iudgement againſt them that had wronged them.
All this of Gods promiſes to the friends of his children, and Note.of his threatnings againſt their enemies, is much more to bee vnderſtood of all good towards them that are any furtherers of their ſaluation, and of all euill againſt them that doe any wates oppugne and hinder their ſaid ſaluation. Therefore as ſuch louelove to the Saints is reckoned vp as a thing accompanying ſaluation, Heb 6 9. 10. ſo alſo to hate and perſecute the children of God is ſet downe as a token of perdition: Phil. 1. 28.
The more excellent alſo the perſon of the children of God is to whom any kindneſſe is ſhewed, the greater promiſe is made vntounto him that ſheweth ſuch kindneſſe. Therefore in the place before alleged, Matt. 10. 41 it is ſaid, that He that recesueth a Prophet in the name of a Prothet, ſhall receiue a Prophess reward. The ſame is to bee vnderſtood of threatnings: The more excellent the perſon is that receiueth any wrong, the more is threatned to him that doth the wrong.
Thus much of theſe promiſes and threatnings. Touching the performance of them, the Scripture affoordeth vsus many examples to witneſſe the ſame.
As Ebedmelech a ſtranger (none of the people of Iſrael, but a Black-moore) had made requeſt to the king of Iuda for Ieremiah being in priſon, and ſo had deliuered him, Ier. 38 8. &c. ſo when the city of Ieruſ…lem was taken by the Babylonians, according to the word of the Lord before ſpoken by Ieremiah in that behalfe; then did Ebedmelech finde fauour, and was deliuered from captiuitie, according to Ieremiahs prophecie alſo thereof, when the Iewes were taken captiue, &c. Ierem. 39. 16. 17.
How alſo did the Lord recompence the widow of Zarephath for her kindneſſe towards Eliſa, when hauing but an handfull of meale in a barrell, and a little oile (no more then would make a cake for one meale of her and her ſonne, then to die, becauſe of the extreme famine in thoſe daies) vet ſhe beleeued the word of the Lord by Eliſa, and did cheerefully make him a cake firſt, before ſhe made any thing for her ſelfe and for her ſonne? For firſt of all, that meale in her barrell, and that oile in her cruſe, did not waſte or diminiſh, vntill the Lord ſent raine vponupon the earth: and ſecondly, when her ſonne (afterward falling ſicke) died, by the meanes of the ſaid Eliſa, hee was reſtored againe to life: 1. King. 17. 10. &c. ſo her kindneſſe rece…ued a double recompence.
How plentifully alſo was the kindneſſe of the Shunamite towards Eliſha recompenced …viz. fourefold: Firſt, by the gift of a ſonne vntounto her in her latter age, when ſhe had beene barren alwares before. Secondly, by reſtoring her ſard ſonne to life againe being dead: 2. King. 4. 8. &c. Thirdly, by admoniſhing her before hand of the ſeuen yeeres famine to come, and aduiſing her to goe ſome where with her familie to ſo…ourne during that time of famine. And fourthly, bv directing her at her returne after thoſe ſeuen yeeres, to come at that very inſtant to make petition to the King for her lands (which in her abſence ſeemed to hauehave beene ſeized to the Kings vſe) when Gehazi was making report to the King of the great acts that Eliſha his maſter had done, and particularly how he had raiſed this womans ſon from death to life. For by this meanes (Gebizi telling the King that this was the woman vponupon whoſe ſonne Eliſha had done that great cure) ſhee did not only ſpeedily recouer her lands, but the King alſo, vponupon her confeſſing her ſelfe to bee the ſaid woman, commanded all the meane profits of the land to be reſtored vntounto her, euen all the f…uits of her lands, ſince the day ſhe had left the land, vntill that very time: 2. King. 8 1. &c. So euen that wicked man teacheth all men to ſhew moſt fauour to ſuch whom they vnderſtand the Lord Note.moſt to hauehave fauoured, and to doe moſt for them, for whom the Lord hath done moſt.
The good counſell that Iethro the father in law of Moſes gaue vntounto Moſes for the eaſe of him of that great burden which he ſaw to be too heauv for him, and for the better gouernme…t of the people, Exod. 18. 18 &c. was not forgotten, but moſt graciouſly remembred. For diuers hundred yeeres after, when all men would hauehave thought that kindnes to hauehave beene dead and buried in the graue of euerlaſting obliuion, the Lord ra…ſed vp one to recompence the ſame, that was of all other the moſt vnlikely, as before he had fet water out of the rocke. Euen Saul that was moſt vngratefull to Dauid that had done moſt valiantly for him and for all his people, that afterward moſt cruelly ſlew in one dav 85 perſons of the Lords Prieſts, and moſt bloodily ſmote the whole c…y Nob (the city of the P…eſts) with the edge of the ſword, both man and woman, both childe and ſuckling, both oxe, and aſſe, and ſheepe: 1. Note.Sam. 22. 18. &c. (as it were in deſpight of God, and to bee reuenged of him, for caſting him off becauſe hee had not done the like againſt the Amalekites according to Gods Commandement in that behalfe: 1 Sam. 15. 1. &c) and who alſo before, chap. 14. 44. and afterward chap. 20. 33. for Dauids ſake. would hauehave killed his owne ſonne Ionathan. Euen this wicked, barbarous, hard-hearted, and deſperate Saul, did the Lord raiſe vp to remember the foreſard kindneſſe of Iethro to his poſteritie, yea to be importune with them for recompencing the ſame. For being ſent againſt the Amalekites, and there finding the Kenits dwelling among them (who were the Kenits but the poſteritie of Iethro, which was alſo called Keni? Iudg. 1. 16.) ſpake very earneſtly vntounto them to depart, &c. ſaying, Goe, depart, and get yee downe from among the Amalekites, list I deſtroy you with them: for ye ſhewed merciemercy to all the children of Iſrael when they came from Egypt: 1. Sam. 15. 6. What was the merciemercy of the Kenits, but the fore ſaid counſell of Iethro their father? Behold therfore a worthy example of iuſtice in a moſt vniuſt man, not to bee ſo ouercome with ſurie againſt ſome whom God himſelfe will hauehave to bee deſtroied, as to forget kindneſſe towards them that hauehave not offended, but are rather (in reſpect of themſelues or of their anceſtours) worthie of kindneſſe. A comfortable preſident alſo for all the children of God, to teath them not deſpaire, but to know that the Lord can make them that are of themſelues moſt cruell, to ſhew them merciemercy in their diſtreſſe. Finally, a moſt excellent ſpurre likewiſe to quicken and prouoke al men to be the more ready to ſhew fauour vntounto the children of God, ſith the ſame may be remembred euen by ſuch to their poſterity long after when themſelues ſhall be dead and rotten: yea not onelyonly to prouoke them to do good to them that hauehave done any good for themſelues, but alſo to thoſe that hauehave done good to their predeceſſours and forefathers, yea to the poſteritie of ſuch as by whom their forefathers hauehave receiued any benefit. All this was the more in Saul, not onelyonly becauſe he was ſuch an one as he was, but alſo becauſe we read not of any ſuch expreſſe commandement for the ſhewing of that kindneſſe to the Kenits, as before Saul had receiued for ſeuerity againſt the Amalekites: where therefore we may further obſerue from that which is in the ſame chapter recorded of Sauls ſhewing fauor to the Amalekits (contrary to Gods commandement) that the more expreſly God forbiddeth vsus any thing, the more ready we are to doe that which he ſo forbiddeth.
Thus much for performance of Gods promiſe to all them that ſhew any kindneſſe to his children.
The Scripture is as plentifull in examples of performance of his threatnings before mentioned, againſt all thoſe that ſhew any vnkindneſſe vntounto any of them: yea, as God is more large in his threatnings generally againſt ſuch as tranſgreſſe his Commandements, Leuit. 26. 14. &c. and Deut. 28. 15. &c. ſo his word ſeemeth to hauehave more rather then fewer examples of his iuſtice in performing his threathing particularlie againſt all thoſe that are enemies to his children.
As the Lord threatned for the vniuſt death of Naboth to take away the posteruie of Ahab, and to cut off from Ahab him that …iſſeth agai…st the wall, (that is, all his male children) as well him that is ſhut vp, as him that is left in Iſrael, and to make his houſe like the houſe of Ieroboam the ſonne of Nebat, that made Iſrael to ſinne, and like the houſe of Baaſha the ſonne of Ahijah, becauſe of the prouocation wherewith hee had prouoked, and made Iſrael to ſinne; and touching Iezebel (who for Ahabs ſake had commanded to put Naboth to death) that the dogges ſhould eat her by the wall of Izreel: and further, that the dogges ſhould eat him of Ahabs ſtocke that died in the Citie, and that the fowles of the field ſhould eat him that ſhould die in the field: As (I ſay) the Lord had threatned all this for the innocent blood of Naboth, (euen of poore Naboth that had but one vineyard) to ſo great a King and Queene as Ahab and Iezebel were: 1. King. 21. 21. &c. ſo was not all performed accordingly, partly, 1. King. 22. 38. and partly, 2. King 9. 35?
As the Lord from time to time by Ieremiah had threatned captiuitie and deſolation to the Iewes, partly for their other ſinnes, partly for their hard dealing with him, ſo was not all performed?
As our Sauiour threatned to make Ieruſalem deſolate, not only for her great contempt and obſtinacie generally, in that he hauing laboured to gather her children together as an hen gathereth her chickens, they would not for all that be ſo gathered together; but alſo particularly, becauſe they had killed the Prophets, and ſtoned them which had beene ſent vntounto them: Mat. 23. 37. ſo was it not performed in due time? and is not that citie deſolate (as touching the habitation of the lewes) to this day? and are not the Iewes more ſcattered heere and there thorow all countries vponupon the earth, then any other nation whatſoeuer? As the Lord had commanded Moſes to write in a booke the vtter deſtruction of the Amal…kites, and that the Lord would hauehave euerlaſting warre with them till they ſhould bee confounded, ſo did hee not remember this booke of remembrance 400. yeeres againſt after-generations, when all men thought it to hauehave beene ſo raked vp in duſt, that it ſhould neuer hauehave beene reuiued? Did not the Lord, for execution of that which he had written before, raiſe vp Saul, telling him, that he remembred (though all other had forgotten, and did not ſo much as dreame of any ſuch thing) what Amalek had done to Iſrael, how they had laid wait for them in the way as they came vp from Egypt: (a worthy thing to bee conſidered by all ſuch as ſecurely ſleepe in their old ſius long ſithence committed, Note,becauſe God doth not ſpeedily execute ſentence: Eccl. 8. 11.) and therefore ſtraightly commanding him to goe and to ſmite Amalek and to deſtroy all that pertained vntounto them, hauing no compaſſion on them, but ſlaying both man and woman, both infant and ſuckling, both oxe and ſheepe, both camell and aſſe? 1. Sam. 15. 2. 3.
As the Lord threatned by the mouth of Zechariah the ſon of Iehoiada, when he was moſt wickedly and vnkindly put to death by Ioaſh, whom Iehoiada the father of Zechariah preſerued (when all his other brethren were murdered) and aduanced to the kingdome of Iuda: as (I ſay) the Lord threatned by the ſaid Zechariah at the time of his ſtoning to death, that the Lord would looke vponupon his death, and require it ſo did not the Lord indeed looke vponupon it, and require it? For did he not ſend a fourefold iudgement vponupon Ioaſh and his people in that behalfe? Firſt, when the yeere was out, Aram came againſt him: and againſt Iudah and Ieruſalem, and deſtroied all the Princes of the people, ſending the ſpoile of them to the King of Damaſcus.? Yea though the army of Aram were but aſmall company, yet did not the Lord deliuer a very great army (of loaſh) into their hands? Secondly, did not he (being left by the Aramits) fall into great diſeaſes? Thirdly, did not his owne ſeruants ſo thirſt after his blood, that though they ſaw his diſeaſes to ſignifie hee would not liue long, yet they could not ſtay till he died of them, but conſpired againſt them for the blood of the children of Iehoiada the Prieſt (not ſo much reſpected by them, as they were directed by God to reuenge it) and ſlew him on his bed. Fourthly, when he was ſo ſlaine, is it not noted, that they buried him (indeed) in the cily of Dauid (but for his diſhonour) not in the Sepulchre of Kings? 2. Chron. 24. 21. &c.
Not to trouble the reader with too many examples, I will adde but one more of the performance both of Gods promiſe, and alſo of his threatning, as well in the life to come, as before wee hauehave heard the ſame by the former examples to hauehave beene performed in this life.
For how doth our Sauiour deſcribe his laſt ſentence in the day of iudgement? Doth he not giuegive this the reaſon why hee placed the ſheepe on his right hand, and pronounced them bleſſed, and bade them inherit the king dome prepared for them from the foundations of the world: viz. that when hee was hungry, they had giuen him meat; when he thirſted they had giuen him drinke; when he was a ſtranger, they had lodged him; when he was naked, they had clo…hed him; when he was ſicke, they had viſited him; when he was in priſon, they had come vntounto him? And when they are deſcribed to reply, when they had ſeene him ſo and ſo, and when they had done ſo and ſo vntounto him: doth not our Sauiour anſwer, Verily I ſay vntounto you inaſmuch as yee hauehave done it vntounto one of the leaſt of theſe my brethren ye hauehave done it vntounto me? Doth hee not in like ma merſet downe the reaſon of his ſentence a…ainſt the goats, placed on his left hand, and condemned to euerlasting fire, prepared for the dineil and his angels: viz for that he had beene hungry and they had giuen him no meat; hee had beene thirſty, and they had giuen him no drinke; he had beene a ſtranger, and they had not lodged him, &c. And when they are there produced as replying, When ſaw we thee thus & thus, and did not thus & thus vntounto thee? doth not our Sauiour returne this anſwer, Verily I ſay vntounto you, Inaſmuch as ye did it not to one of the leaſt of theſe, ye did it not to me? Mat. 25. 34 &c. Do not theſe things further demonſtrate the excellent ſtate of Gods children? Do we not heereby ſee, in what grace and fauour they are with God? What greater intereſt can there be, what ſweeter fruit then the reward of the kindnes that is ſhewed vntounto the children of God? what heauier loſſe, what ſharper ſauce, then the iudgements of God vponupon them that ſhew any vnkindneſſe vntounto the children of God? Though they perhapsſee no benefit for the preſent, but rather may ſeeme to impaire their outward ſtate, yet in the end they ſhall find that, in reſpect whereof they ſhall thinke wharſoeuer coſt they hauehave beſtowed vponupon the children of God, to be the beſt beſtowed money that euer they laid out in all their liues. Though theſe (viz. that diſgrace, & otherwiſe wrong the children of God) eſcape a while vnpuniſhed, & ſeeme to laugh in their ſleeues, and to ſhew their faces in all companies pleſantly with Agag, & to ſay in their harts, as he ſpake with his tongue, Truly the bitternes of death is paſt: 1. Sa. 15. 32. yetwofull (without repentance) ſhall their reward be at the laſt, when they ſhal find that they had beene better (the greateſt, the proudeſt, and mightieſt of them all) to hauehave bitten their fingers ends to the bones, to hauehave eaten the fleſh from their armes, or to hauehave gone a thouſand miles of an errand, & that on their bare feet, all the while vponupon thornes, then to hauehave done any hurt to the leaſt, to the pooreſt, and to the meaneſt of Gods children.
Laſt of all, the more any king rewardeth any kindneſſe done to any of his children, or puniſheth any indignitie offred vntounto them, the more hee ſheweth himſelfe to regard ſuch as hauehave receiued ſuch kindneſſe, or met with ſuch indignity: and the more hee doth grace and honour them before his people, that ſee his rewards vponupon ſuch as hauehave ſhewed that kindneſſe, or that heare of his ſeuerity againſt ſuch as hauehave offred that indignitie. I conclude therefore the like of the dignity and honourable ſtate of the children of God in reſpect of his gracious promiſes made and performed to any that ſhew but the leaſt kindneſſe towards the leaſt of his children: as likewiſe in reſpect of his indignation threatned and executed vponupon all that doe any of them any wrong. Thus much for this point: and thus much alſo for all the arguments whereby I thought good to lay foorth the doctrine of the dignitie of Gods children.