The Dignity of Gods Children, Chapter 32
CHAP. XXXII
Of the obiection that might be made againſt all generally, before written of the dignity of Gods children, and of the firſt part of the Apoſtles anſwer thereunto.
THe former part of this text being alreadie handled, it remaineth now to ſpeake of the ſecond: viz. of the Apoſtles anſwer to an obiection that might be made againſt that which the Apoſtle had ſpoken, and which I hauehave now more plentifully laid forth, of the dignity of Gods children. This I will but run ouer in a trice, becauſe that which I hauehave written was the principall point, the which at the firſt I intended and propounded vntounto my ſelfe. That which remaineth, is but an appendix of the former, and therefore it needeth not ſo largely to be handled.
The obiection which might hauehave been made againſt the Apoſtles former commendation of Gods louelove in making vsus his children, is this. Is the louelove of God ſo great, ſo vnſpeakable, and ſo admirable in making vsus his children? And is our ſtate and condition in being the children of God, ſo worthy, ſo excellent, ſo honorable? How can this be, ſith of all other men in the world, we are leaſt reſpected, leaſt regarded? yea, we are not ſo much as knowen (almoſt) in the world? To this the Apoſtle giueth a double anſwer: or acknowledging indeed the thing obiected, viz. that we are not regarded, yea, not ſo much as known in the world, he giueth a double reaſon why the world doth ſo little reſpect vsus, ſcarce knowing vsus: namely, firſt, becauſe it knoweth not God himſelfe, in this verſe: ſecondly, becauſe it is not yet euident to the world what wee ſhall bee heereafter, in the beginning of the next verſe.
Before we come to the words themſelues, let vsus note, and only note this, that whoſoeuer will commend any thing to other, as worthy of their conſideration and obſeruation, they muſt before alſo thinke of that which may and will be obiected againſt the ſame, as alſo prepare anſwer to the ſaid obiection. For there is nothing ſo holy, ſo excellent, ſo ſound, but that the wit of man hath ſomewhat, or will hauehave ſomewhat to obiect to the diſgracing, abaſing, and peruerting thereof. Therefore the Lord hath giuen vsus ſuch a word, euen ſuch a Scripture and written word, as is not only profitable or ſufficient to teach (namely the truth) but alſo to improoue (or to couuince and confute all errours, and whatſoeuer may bee obiected againſt the ſaid truth) neither onelyonly to inſtruct in righteouſneſſe, (that is, to exhort vsus vntounto all vertue) but alſo to correct (or to reprooue all vice, and whatſoeuer may bee ſaid againſt vertue) that ſo the man of God (that is, the Miniſter of the word) may be abſolute, being made perfect vntounto all good works. This might largely bee prooued by infinite examples in the Scriptures: but as I promiſed only to note it, ſo I wil performe my promiſe in that behalfe.
To returne therefore to the words of the Apoſtle, let vsus firſt ſee the meaning of the ſaid words, and then the matter it ſelfe.
The firſt word [the world] hath diuers ſignifications. Firſt, it ſignifieth the whole maſſe and lumpe of all Gods creatures, eſpecially viſible: as when it is ſaid, that God made the world: Act. 17. 24. and that hee choſe vsus before the foundations of the world were laid: Epheſ. 1. 4. Secondly, it ſignifieth this inferiour part of the world, with all things therein contained, or thereto belonging. So it is ſaid, the diuell did ſhew vntounto Chriſt all the kingdomes of the world, Matth. 4 8. And the field is the world, Matth. 13. 38. And, He was the light, that ligtneth eueryevery one that commeth into the world: Ioh. 1. 9. Hee was in the world: verſe 10. And, LoueLove not the world, neither the things that are in the world: 1. Ioh. 2. 15.
Thirdly, it is taken for the elect men of the world: Behold the Lambe of God, which taketh away the ſinnes of the world: Ioh. 1. 29. So God loued the world: Ioh. 3. 16. He ſent not his ſonne that the world might be condemned, but that the world might be ſaued: verſe 17. Fourthly it is vſed only for the wicked of the world, and for all men vnregenerated, and that for two reaſons. Firſt, becauſe they ſauor only the things of this world, and do mind nothing but worldly things: Secondly becauſe they are the greateſt part of the world; and for the moſt part beare the chiefeſt ſway and ſwinge in the world, as though they were the only lords and kings of the world: whereas indeed the leaſt part is theirs: yea, they hauehave no right or intereſt to any thing in the world, as hath been before ſhewed. The word tranſlated world, naturally ſignifieth order, or ornament, and beauty, becauſe indeed all things were at the firſt created in moſt excellent order, and were ſo beautifull, that they were a great ornament to God himſelfe, the creator of them. Now the wicked are not only the greateſt part, bearing the greateſt ſway and ſwinge in the world; but alſo accordingly, they are the only gallants (outwardly) of the world: brauing it out aboue all other in ſuch manner, that if they were out of the world, the world might ſeem to be no world, and to hauehave no beauty in it. In this ſignification is the word taken when it is ſaid, the world knew not: Ioh. 1. 10. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me firſt. If ye were of the world, the world would louelove his owne: but becauſe ye are not of the world, but I hauehave choſen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you: Ioh. 15. 18. 19. So it is taken: Ioh. 16. 8. He ſhall reproue the world of ſinne: and Ioh. 17. 9. I pray not for the world. So it is taken in many other places. Theſe are the principall ſignifications of this word world, and in this fourth ſignification it is taken in this place. The next word here, is the word knoweth. To omit the diuers ſignifications of this word in other places, here it ſignifieth (as before hath been inſinuated) not to acknowledge, not to regard, or reſpect. So it is ſaid that our Sauiour ſhall ſay at the laſt day to them that ſhall plead their prophecying, and caſting out of diuels in his name, I neuer knew you, &c. Mat. 7. 23. that is, I neuer approued you, liked you, or regarded you. Yea, here, as the words Despiſe not prophecying, 1. Theſ. 5. 20. import not only, that they ſhould not contemne it, but alſo that they ſhould honorably regard it, ſo this word not to know, in this place ſignifieth not only, not to regard, or reſpect, but alſo to contemne and deſpiſe: yea, to hate, and to proſecute, and to perſecute, with all euil. So it is taken elſe where: All theſe things will they doe vntounto you for my names ſake: becauſe they hauehave not knowen him that ſent me: Ioh. 15. 21. Theſe things will they doe vntounto you, becauſe they hauehave not known the father, nor me: Ioh. 16. 3. In both theſe places not to know ſignifieth, n…t only to be ignorant, or to neglect, or not to regard, but alſo to contemne and deſpiſe. The ſame is the ſignificatiō of this phraſe in this place. The meaning therefore of theſe words (for this cauſe the world knoweth you not) is this, that for this cauſe the wicked & vnregenerated of the world do not acknowledge and regard you, that is, they do contemne, deſpiſe and perſecute you: ſo alſo of the words following, becauſe it knoweth not him, that is, becauſe they regard not or reſpect not himſelfe: yea, becauſe they contemn and deſpiſe, and (what they can) doe alſo perſecute him. Thus we ſee the obiection that might be made againſt the excellency of Gods children to be taken from the hatred of the world, that is, of all the vnregenerate in the world againſt them: and the anſwer thereunto to be, that this is not a thing to be maruelled at, or ſo to be taken, that we ſhould be diſcouraged by it, & the more think the dignity of Gods children not to be ſo excellent as before the Apoſtle had commended it to be, for as much as they that do thus little regard and brook Gods children, yea hate and deſpiſe them, do as little regard, & as hardly brook God himſelſe: yea, they hate and deſpiſe him. And this their not knowing of God; yea their hatred and deſpiſing of God, is the very cauſe why ſuch do not know the children of God, but hate and deſpiſe them.
The truth of both theſe, viz. that all the wicked do hate and deſpiſe both the children of God, & alſo God himſelf, and that they do therfore hate and deſpiſe his children, becauſe they do firſt hate and deſpiſe him, is ſufficiently euident by the places before alledged: For the ſaid places do not only manifeſt the ſignification of the words & phraſes, but the truth alſo of the things themſelues. And the reaſon why the wicked do make ſo little reckning of Gods children, & of God himſelfe; yea why they hate & contemn both, is becauſe of the great contrariety that is betwixt them, & betwixt Gods children, and God himſelfe: euen as great as is betwixt light & darknes: betwixt good and euil. As God himſelf is light and hath no darknes in him: 1. Ioh. 1. 5. ſo they that hauehave fellowſhip with him, and walke in light (euen all his children) are called the children of light and of the day▪ 1. Theſ. 5. 5. and lights themſelues: Philip. 2. 15. Therfore as God himſelfe doth hate & condemne all darknes, and all works of darknes, ſo his children do the like, and cannot beare them in the wicked, but do reproue them rather: Ephe 5. 11. This then is the reaſon of the hatred of the wicked againſt the children of God, and againſt God himſelfe.
And this hatred is manifeſt by examples of ſuch, as being bound one to another by the bond of nature, notwithſtanding hate them to whom they are ſo bound, euen becauſe of the light that is in them, wherby they ſhew themſelues the children of the light, euen of God himſelfe. So Cain hated Abel, becauſe his own works were euill, and his brothers good: 1. Ioh. 3. 12. So Iſhmael hated Eſau Iacob: Saul both Dauid and alſo his own ſonne Ionathan, for his good louelove towards Dauid. The like may be ſaid of many other: yea indeed, of the hatred of al that are wicked, againſt the godly. That ſomtimes the wicked are ſaid to louelove the children of God, yea alſo to reuerence them, & to ſhew them much kindnes: it is firſt of al for other cauſes and reſpects, not for their godlines: as for their beauty: their skill in muſick, or in ſome other ſuch thing: for their policie, and for ſuch like: as before in handling the maine exhortation we hauehave ſhewed. Secondly it is by the ouerruling hand and ſpirit of God, to ſhew that he hath the hearts of all men in his hand: and that he can as well draw louelove, (or at leaſt kindneſſe) from the heart that naturally is poſſeſſed with hatred, as he can fetch water out of the rocke, and make the rauenous rauens to be nurſing mothers (as it were) to his children; and as he can reſtraine the fire from burning ſo much as an haire of his children, being caſt into the mids thereof, or the woollie nappe of their garments. But howſoeuer the Lord doe this ſometimes, yet there is in all the wicked ſuch a ſecret hatred againſt all the children of God, and againſt God himſelfe, that except God do reſtraine them, or force them to worke againſt their nature, they cannot but break foorth into contempt, and into all wrongs and indignities againſt the children of God, and God himſelfe. And ſo they bewray, that albeit they hauehave ſome generall and ſpeculatiue knowledge of God himſelfe, by his works and word, and of his children, by thoſe graces of God in them, wherby they doe reſemble him, and ſhew themſelues to be his children, yet they hauehave no true knowledge either of God, or of his children, becauſe they doe not perſorme thoſe duties to God and to his children, which do belong vntounto them.
And this is a common phraſe amongſt vsus, to ſay that a man knoweth not another, when hee performeth not that dutie which belongeth to his place. Many times we paſſe by great nobles, and other of high calling without any reuerence vntounto them, becauſe indeed we know them not. If alſo wee be brought before them, and yet do not reſpect and honor them according to their places and authority, we are and may be iuſtly charged, that we do not know them: yea, oft times we are and may be iuſtly threatned, to be taught to know them before we goe. And indeed if men knew Gods iuſtice againſt ſinne, his mercy towards them that louelove, feare and obey him; his reckoning that he maketh of all his children; his large promiſes (before ſpoken of) made to all that doe ſhew any kindneſſe to any of them: his contrary threatnings to them that doe the contrary vntounto them: his power and might to performe both all his promiſes, and alſo all his threatnings: and laſtly his faithfulneſſe in performing of them to the full: if (I ſay) the wicked knew theſe things of God, then certainly it could not be, but that they would more reſpect his children, then they doe.
For as much therefore as they doe not reſpect them, but are as ſtrange towards them as if they had neuer knowen or ſeen them, and deale as hardly with them as if they were their enemies (by whom notwithſtanding they do daily enioy many great benefits, as hath been before declared) therefore we may well conclude with the Apoſtle, that they know them not: and that the cauſe why they know them not, is, becauſe they know not God himſelfe: Though they know him ſo, that they be able to ſpeake of him, and to preach the knowledge of him to other, yet they know him not in truth truly, and ſo as that themſelues ſhall be any whit the better by their knowledge. Yea, the more they know him without honoring of him, according to their knowledge, with the more ſtripes they ſhall be beaten, the greater ſhall be their condemnation; and therefore indeed they were better in reſpect of themſelues, to be altogether ignorant of him, then ſo only to know him.
The wicked know the children of God as they are men: as they are of this or that fauor, ſtature, and complexion: as they are rich or poore: as they hauehave ſome place and authority in the world: but yet they know them not, neither regard them, as they are the children of God; and that becauſe they know not God himſelfe. They knew them before they were the children of God; they loued them and reſpected them, whiles they were as themſelues; naturall men, vnregenerated men, wicked men: but as ſoone as there is a change made in them, and that they do receiue the ſpirit of adoption, preſently they are alſo changed. As it is with many, that whiles they were yong, and in their youth liued together, and were well acquainted one with another: but afterward by long abſence and many yeers being both changed, growen to be men, hauing haire on their faces: yea perhaps being gray-headed, they meet one another in the face, and yet ſalute not one another, neither ſpeake one to another, becauſe indeed they hauehave forgotten one another, and do not know one another: ſo is it betwixt the wicked and the children of God, being once taken from out of the wicked, and adopted to bee the children of God: In one day there is a greater change made in the heart, then there is in the face, and in the ſtature by many yeeres. Greater (I ſay) becauſe this change by grace is meerly contrary: but the other change before ſpoken of in nature, is only diuers.
Touching the cauſe of the change of the affections of the wicked towards the children of God, viz. becauſe they know not God himſelfe, it may be fitly illuſtrated by the like amongſt men. For as it often falleth out, that the children of great perſons in the world trauelling or liuing in places where their parents are not knowen, do meet with the harder meaſure, and are the more roughly vſed, and receiue the more wrongs and indignities, becauſe ſuch as do ſo vſe them, (or rather abuſe them,) do not know their parents; ſo is it with the children of God in reſpect of the wicked. They liue in this world as ſtrangers and pilgrims: 1. Pet. 2. 11. (and ſo they are indeed, their country being aboue in heauen) and by this means they receiue much wrong, and many iniuries from the wicked amongſt whom they liue; euen becauſe thoſe that doe them theſe wrongs and iniuries, doe not know God himſelfe, the father of the godly. It was through ignorance of Pauls being a Roman, that he was bound to be ſcourged, and therefore when he reuealed himſelfe to be a Roman, he eſcaped the whip; and they that before had giuen commandement for the whipping of him, began to feare, and to reuoke their ſaid commandement: Acts 22. 25. In like manner therefore, it is not to bee maruelled, that they which know not God himſelfe, doe deale the more hardly with his children, according to that which our Sauiour expreſly ſaith in this caſe: Ioh. 16. 2. 3. as before was alledged.
From this obiection and firſt anſwer therunto, we learn two points: Firſt, that whoſoeuer will be the children of God, muſt prepare and arme themſelues for the hatred of the world: euen to be contemned, deſpiſed, reproued, and perſecuted in the world, and of the men of the world. If we will be glorified with Chriſt, we muſt alſo ſuffer with Chriſt as his members: Rom. 8. 17.
Our Sauiour ſaith, Whoſoeuer will follow me (viz. ſo that he may come to my glory) let him forſake himſelfe, and take vp his croſſe, and follow me: Mark. 8. 34. Yea Luke ſaith, that ſuch an one muſt take vp his Croſſe daily: Luk. 9. 23. Thereby noting that all the wicked that will be Chriſts diſciples, muſt not looke for ſome affliction, at the firſt entrance into that ſtate, or now and then, but continually, euen eueryevery day. Paul ſaith, If we ſuffer we ſhall reigne with him: 2. Tim. 2. 12. ſo inſinuating, that the way to raigne, is firſt to ſuffer. Yea, he ſpeaketh more plainly, and more generally, ſaying, that All that will liue godly in Chriſt Ieſus muſt ſuffer perſecution: 2. Tim. 3. 12. Therefore out of the Prophet he ſpeaketh in the perſon of all the godly, and ſaith, For thy ſake are we killed all day long, we are counted as ſheepe for the ſlaughter: Rom. 8. 36. This was the way by which Chriſt Ieſus himſelfe entred into his glory: Luk. 24. 26. 1. Pet. 1 11. The ſeruant is no greater then his Maſter. If therefore the world hauehave perſecuted the maſter (Chriſt himſelfe) will they not perſecute vsus that are his ſeruants? Ioh. 15. 20. Shall we (I ſay) goe ſcotfree? and looke to aſcend into heauen with eaſe, and to be tranſlated thither (as it were) in our down beds? Shall the Captaine only take paines and fight, &c. and ſhall the common ſouldier ſit ſtill, eating and drinking, and making merry? No, no, It neuer hath beene ſo: It neuer ſhall be ſo. Though Chriſt were the Sonne, yet hee learned obedience by the things which he ſuffered: Hebr. 5. 8. Yea, It became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, ſeeing that hee brought many children vntounto glorie, that hee ſhould conſecrate the Prince of their Saluation, through afflictions: Hebrew. 2. 10. Hath our Prince gone by this way of afflictions, and ſhall wee ſeeke to ſhift it, and looke to goe another way? What a ſhame were this for vsus, to be ſo ſquamiſh, ſo nice, ſo dainty? eſpecially we being ſo baſe, ſo vile, and ſo contemptible as wee are in reſpect of our Prince? Away therefore with ſuch ſluggiſh feares, and fancies: Away with ſuch ſoftneſſe and tenderneſſe. Let vsus make as full reckoning (if we will be chriſtians indeede as well as in name) to ſuffer perſecutions, as we are ſure of the coat of our backes. Let vsus daily looke for it: Let vsus dailie buckle our ſelues vntounto it. And ſo the more wee looke for it, and the better we are armed to it, the more eaſily we ſhall ouercome it: yea, we ſhall find more comfort and ioy in ſuch ſufferings for Chriſts ſake, then all the wicked in the world doe, in all their eaſe, in all their dainty fare, in all their riches and glory, in all their ſports, delights and pleaſures.
Yea, the truth is, that we ſhould ſo looke for trouble in the world, and be alwaies ſo prepared to ſuffer for Chriſts ſake, that if the world laugh or ſmile vponupon vsus, & fauor vsus, we ſhould the more feare our ſtate, & doubt whether yet we be the children of God or no: ſuch as we hauehave been accounted by other; Note.and ſuch as we hauehave taken our ſelues to be. Laſt of all (for this point) let vsus vnderſtand, that as all the children of God muſt make reckning not to be known in the world, that is, to vndergoe many troubles, euen for that cauſe; ſo ſaith the Apoſtle here, for this cauſe (that is, becauſe God hath ſo loued vsus as to make vsus his children) the wo…ld knoweth you not: and becauſe we hauehave receiued the ſpirit of adoption, and ſhew the ſame by the fruits thereof: as (I ſay) all ſuch muſt make reckoning of trouble in the world, ſo eſpecially, the more excellent that any of Gods children are, and the greater meaſure they hauehave receiued of the ſpirit of adoption, the more they muſt looke to be moleſted, and troubled in the world.
Marke the hiſtory of the old teſtament from the beginning to the ending, and ye ſhall find, that alwaies the greateſt afflictions did follow the beſt of Gods children: the beſt Patriarks: the beſt Prophets: the moſt holy men of other ſort.
The like is to be ſaid of the new Teſtament. As the Apoſtles had receiued greater gifts from God then other, ſo they were the more perſecuted by men then other. The Apoſtle Paul ſpeaking of himſelfe and of the reſt of the Apoſtles ſaith, I thinke that God hath ſet foorth vsus the laſt Apoſtles, as men appointed to death: for we are made a gazing ſtocke vntounto the world, and to the Angels, and to men, &c. 1. Cor. 49. and again, We are made as the filth of the world, the ofſcouring of all things, &c. verſe 13.
This cannot but be looked for in reſpect of the world. For if the world know vsus not, that is, do hate vsus and enuy vsus, for this cauſe, becauſe we are Gods children: then it cannot be but that the more we ſhew ourſelues to be the children of God, the more the world will hate & enuy vsus. Neither is any other thing to be looked for in reſpect of God himſelf. For why ſhould we think that God giueth ſome a greater meaſure of his ſpirit of adoptiō, thē he giueth to other ſom? There is no more in one to win Gods louelove in that behalf, thē in another. For God hath frely giuen this louelove to al his childrē alike, to be ſo called, & to be indeed his children. It muſt therefore be in reſpect of the end for which he doth ſo: viz. that ſuch may beare the more afflictions, and by bearing ſuch afflictions they may glorifie God the more, that hath ſo honoured them, not only aboue other men, but alſo aboue other of his children. It ſtandeth alſo with great reaſon: for the higheſt cedars and the talleſt and greateſt okes are the more ſubiect to ſtormes and tempeſts.
This is the firſt point to be obſerued from this obiection.
The ſecond point to be obſerued from the firſt part of the anſwer to the ſaid obiection, viz. from the cauſe why the world taketh ſo little notice of Gods children, &c. namely becauſe they know not God himſelfe, is this, that although all the children of God muſt looke for trouble and vexation in the world, euen as if the world had neuer knowen them, yet they hauehave no cauſe to be offended there with, or to thinke their ſtate to be therfore the worſe, but that rather they hauehave good cauſe well and patiently to beare the ſame, ſith as the world knoweth not them, ſo alſo it knoweth not God himſelfe. Heereby appeareth that more plainly, which before hath beene handled more plentifully, that all the world, that is, all the wicked and vnregenerated in the world, are fooles, and little better then mad men. For how can they be wiſe, yea how can they be other then fooles, that know not him that is moſt wiſe, yea only wiſe, and that is the giuer and the only fountaine of all wiſdome?
If it bee ſo, what cauſe hauehave the children of God any whit to diſlike their ſtate, or to thinke their dignity to be the leſſe, becauſe there is ſo little reckoning made of them by the world, that is, by the men of the world, that are all (ſo long as they doe continue of the world) no better then a brood of fooles? For what wiſe man (ſuch as all the children of God are before ſhewed to bee) will care for the ſcoffes, or ſcornes, or any other indignities offred vntounto him by a foole? Yea, will not eueryevery wiſe man thinke him to bee a foole himſelfe, that will either contend with a foole about ſuch indignities as by ſuch a foole are offred vntounto him; or thinke himſelfe the worſe in any reſpect becauſe of ſuch indignities?
The moſt that can be made of the indignity which wee receiue from the world, is that they do all that that they doe in that behalfe, of meer ignorance. Is there then any cauſe why we ſhould thereby be diſmaied, or think the worſe of our condition?
Let the world therfore and all worldings, euen all the wicked in the world deride vsus, and wrong vsus that are the children of God, as they will. Let them goe with their follies. Let vsus ſhew our wiſedome in not contending with them: but in bearing all things, and in winking at all things, as though we ſaw nothing.
The greateſt noble man of a kingdome, being where he is not known, to be ſo noble, will neuer take it ill, that meane perſons paſſe by him without any ſuch reuerence as is due vntounto ſuch nobility. In like manner therefore ſith we heare that the world knoweth vsus not, let vsus the better beare all their indignities.
By ſuch bearing their follies and wrongs, we ſhall either at the laſt win and conuert them (eſpecially if with our patience, we ſhall alſo ioine earneſt praiers for them) to be of our number, and to turne the children of God as well as we: or els we ſhall make their laſt iudgement and condemnation the greater: which will be reuenge enough for whatſoeuer hurt they hauehave done vntounto vsus.
To the former two points, let me yet adde a third, ariſing from both the former: viz. that all that doe not know and regard the children of God, do thereby be wray themſelues to be of the world; and to be ignorant of God, and ſo to hauehave no communion with God. This hath been proued before by thoſe Scriptures that hauehave been alledged for the fourth ſignification of the word world, eſpecially by Ioh. 15. 20. and that of Ioh. 16. 3. But I do only name this: let the reader further conſider of it.
Thus much for the obiection, and for the firſt part of the anſwer thereunto: or for the firſt reaſon, why the world knoweth not the children of God: and ſo alſo for this firſt verſe of this text.