The Dignity of Gods Children, Chapter 4
CHAP. IIII.
Of the dignity of Gods children from the excellency of God himſelfe who is their Father: the rather becauſe it is further prooued by the difficulty and greatneſſe of the worke of regeneration, that the ſayd worke, is altogether and only the worke of God.
NOW according to my method and order firſt propounded to my ſelfe, I will more amply lay forth the mayne point of the dignity of Gods childrē, viz. How great, how admirable, & how incomprehenſible this louelove of God is in making & declaring vsus to be the childrē of God, in ſuch fort as hath been before touched. For it cannot be but of very great excellency, ſith the Apoſtle hath made ſuch a graue exhortatiō to the beholding thereof: cuery word wherof is ſo emphatical & ſignificant as we hauehave heard. And indeed ſo excellēt is it, that as M. Rogers ſaith (Chap. 3. of his ſixt treatiſe) ſo I may alſo ſay, that when I hauehave ſaid what I can of their ſtate, I muſt confeſſe that I hauehave ſaid but a little. NOtwithſtanding I hope that this little ſhall be ſomwhat for the helping of them that conſidered not ſo much before: and for the prouoking like wiſe of other to enter into further meditation of this argument, and perhaps to write more largely there of then I hauehave done or could do. For it is well worthy of the beſt meditation, and largeſt writing that may be, for the better comfort of ſuch weake ones as whoſe hearts are almoſt broken with the manifold indiguities that dayly they meete with in the world; and for the prouoking of all aduanced thereunto, to more thankful …es to him that hath ſo aduanced them: and to make ſuch other vſes, as after the point it ſelfe more largely handled, ſhall be breefely noted.
To come therefore to the matter: touching this dignity of the children of God, let vsus firſt of all conſider the ſame by the excellency of him whoſe children they are h…e ſayd to bee. For he is deſcribed to be high and excellent to inhabite the eternity, to be called by the name of The holy one, and to dwelin the high and holy place. Iſai. 57. 15.
He is called, The God of Gods, and Lord of Lords, A great God, mighty and terrible, Deut. 10. 17. Henſ…d to hauehave … his hands, the deep places of the earth, the height of the mountains the ſea &c. Pſalm. 95. 5. and to hauehave greatneſſe and power, and gl…ry, and victory, and praiſe, with all that is inheauen and earth: that his is the kingdome, and that he excelleth as head ouer alth… both riches and honour come from him, and that he reigneth ouer all, & hath power and ſtrength in his hand, and is able to make great, and to giuegive ſtrength vntounto all &c. 1. Chron. 29. 11. 12.
Againe, who is the King of glory? The Lord, ſtrong and mighty: euen the Lord mighty in battel: Pſal. 24. 8.
And againe, The Lord raigneth &c. Clouds and darkneſſe are rounnd about his Righteouſnes and iudgement are the foundation of his throne &c. Pſal. 97. 1. &c.
But why do I thus diſcourſe of his excellency whom the heauen and the heauen of heauens are not able to contain? 1 King 8. 27. It is hard to ſet forth the excellency of the children of God now in hand, as it is worthy; how impoſſible then is it to ſet forth the excellency of God himſelfe? For is he not ſo excellent, that thoſe creatures which next to himſelfe are by creation moſt excellent (I meane the Angels, for their excellency called princip l…es, powers, and mights &c) cannot behold his excellency, without hiding their faces with their wings from the ſight thereof? Iſa. 6. 2.
Is he not ſo excellent, that Moſes (one of the moſt excellent ſeruants of God, that euer were amongſt men) hearing his title of mercy, The God of Abraham, Iſaak, and Iaakob, hid his face, being afraid to looke vponupon him? Exod. 3. 6.
Is hee not ſo excellent, that when hee gaue his Law, there were thunders, and lightnings, and a thicke cloud vponupon the mount, and the ſound of a trumpet exceeding loud; ſo that all the people that was in the camp, was afraid? and that all mount Sinai was on a ſmoake becauſe the Lord came downe vponupon it in fire: and the ſmoake thereof aſcended as the ſmoake of a furnace, and all the mount (it ſelfe) trembled exceedingly? Exod. 19. 16. 18. Is he not ſo excellent, that when hee had ſo giuen the law, and when the people ſawe the thunders and the lightning, and the ſound of the trumpet, and the mountaine ſmoaking, they fled and ſtood a farre off: and ſaid vntounto Moſes, Talke thou with God, and we will heare: but let not God talke with vsus, leſt we die. Exod. 20. 18. 19.
Is he not ſo excellent, that when he paſſed by, before that great Prophet Eliiah, a mighty ſtrong wind rent the mountaines; and that after the wind came an earthquake and after the earthquake came fire: and after the fire, came a ſtill and ſoft voice: which notwithſtanding when Eliia heard, he couered his face with his mantell? 1 Kings 19. 11. 12. 13.
If any deſire to behold more of the excellency of this God beſides the booke of his excellent creatures, and beſides thoſe things before alleadged out of the booke of his word; let him further looke in the ſaid booke of his word vponupon the places following. Deut. 7. 9. 10. and 32. 4. 2. Chron. 20. 6. &c. N…hem. 9. 17. and 32. Iob 9. 3. &c. and verſ. 14. and chap. 12. from 13. to the end Pſal. 47. 3. &c. 84. 8. to 16. Iſai. 40. 9. to 18. and verſes 22. 23. 24. Iſai. 42. 5. and 48. 12. Ierem. 10. 10. &c. and 51. 15. &c. and 31. 35. &c. and 32. 17. &c. Dan. 6. 27. Amos 4 13. and 5. 8. &c. Reuel. 4. 3. &c. and vponupon many other the like places.
Let him alſo conſider his moſt wiſe, powerfull, righteous, gratious, and eueryevery way moſt admirable adminiſtration, and gouernment of all things in heauen, in earth, in the waters, and vnderunder earth and water. For as God made all things at the firſt moſt excellently, ſo he ſtill gouerneth all things according to his firſt creation of them.
If God himſelfe be thus excellent, how can his children be but excellent? For all the children of God are in ſome meaſure made like vntounto him, euen in power, wiſedome, holineſſe, and righteouſneſſe, as afterward we ſhall heare. And they are not his children (by adoption and regeneration) that do not in the former things ſomewhat reſemble him. Many men indeed hauehave children nothing like them, either in fauour or in conditions. But certainly there are none of the children of God, but are in part like vntounto himſelfe, yea, this is a moſt certaine note of a child of God, to hauehave the Character and ſimilitude and image of God vponupon him and in him.
As Adam who was the ſonne of God by creation, Luk. 2. 38. was at the firſt (male and female) made and formed in the image and ſimilitude of God, ſo likewiſe are all theſe children of God by regeneration, of whom now I ſpeake. How great therefore is this their dignity? The dignity of the ſonnes of men is meaſured according to the dignity of their fathers: as alſo according to their reſemblance of them. Therefore the dignity of Kings being the greateſt dignity of the ſonnes of men, their children are accounted moſt honorable and moſt noble; yea to be but ſonne in law to a king, by mariage onelyonly of a kings daughter, is accounted, & is indeed a very great aduancement: eſpecially for a poore and meane man. When Saul the firſt king of Iſrael, and a wicked King, giuen in the Lords anger, offered his daughter Merab vntounto Dauid, what anſwered Dauid? Who am I, or what is my life or the family of my father in Iſrael, that I ſhould be ſonne in law to the King? When againe Sauls ſeruants (ſet a worke by Saul himſelfe) ſpake with Dauid ſecretly, to perſwade him to take Michael, (an other of Sauls daughters, Merab being giuen to Adriel) and ſaid, Behold the King hath a fauour vntounto thee, and all his ſeruants louelove thee: Be now therefore the Kings ſonne in lawe. He anſwered againe to the ſame effect, that before he had done, Seemeth it to you alight thing, to be a Kings ſonne in lawe, ſeeing I am a poore man and of ſmall reputation? 1. Sam. 18 18. 22. 23. So Dauid, that could tell how to iudge of things, (as being then a Prophet, and hauing before that, written the 9. Pſalme vponupon the ouerthrow of Goliah) accounted it a very great dignity, (yea, too great for him being a meane perſon) to be but ſonne in law to a King, to the firſt king of Iſrael, (and therefore the leaſt; for as naturall things are leaſt at their firſt birth or ſpringing vp; ſo the dignities of men, of Kings, and other, are leaſt at the firſt, and in time doe increaſe and grow to a greater ſtate, and ſtature) yea, alſo to a wicked King. For Saul before that, had ſhewed his wickedneſſe, both in offering ſacrifice before Samuels comming & contrary to his direction. 1. Sam. 13. and alſo in ſparing of Agag, and the beſt of the Amalekites ſheepe and Oxen. 1. Sam. 15. Who then can ſufficiently expreſſe the dignity of them that are the children of the moſt high God, King of kings, &c. by mariage vntounto Chriſt Ieſus, by adoption, and incorporation into him?
Furthermore, concerning theſe children of God, let vsus remember that before ſaid touching their regeneration by God himſelfe. It is the worke of God only to make a child of God in this maner. In the time of the law (to ſpeake according to the phraſe of thoſe times) men might beget children to other, and raiſe vp ſeed vntounto other.
For we know that a man after mariage dying without iſſue, Note.the next of that kindred (not maried before) was bound to take the wife of him deceaſed; and ſo to raiſe ſeed vntounto him: and this ſeed ſo raiſed, was accounted the ſeed of the dead, not of the liuing. Deut. 25. 5. 6. By adultery alſo in theſe daies the children of ſome are accounted the children of other. But certainly to raiſe vp ſuch children to God, as here I intreate of, is the worke only of God himſelfe. Men and Angels cannot beget ſuch a ſonne or daughter vntounto God. This hath been proued by teſtimonies of Scripture before. Notwithſtanding, I will now further prooue the ſame by the greatneſſe of the ſayd worke of regeneration. For indeed it is the greateſt of all other: (the perſonall vnion of the diuine and humane nature in the perſon of Chriſt only excepted) becauſe it containeth (almoſt) all miracles mentioned in the Goſpell to hauehave been wrought vponupon men. What be thoſe miracles? The giuing ſight to the blind: hearing to the deafe: ſpeech to the dumb: health to the ſicke: ſtrength to the lame: cleanneſſe to the leapers: life to the dead: and releaſe and liberty to them that were poſſeſſed of diuels. All theſe are wrought at once in the worke of our regeneration. Wheras we were by nature ſpiritually blind, the eyes of our mind are lightned to ſee the great things of God, and the deepe ſecrets of his kingdome. Whereas by nature we are ſpiritually deafe, our hearts are opened, that our eares do attend to the word of God. Whereas by nature we are ſpiritually dumb, not able to ſpeake a good word, our lips are ſo opened, that our mouth doth ſhew foorth the praiſe of God, and is able to ſpeak of righteouſneſſe. Whereas by nature we were ſpiritually ſicke, heart ſicke, ſicke vntounto death: we are in regeneration reſtored to ſpirituall health in part, and certainly aſſured of perfect recouery of all our ſpirituall infirmities at the laſt. Whereas by nature we were ſpiritually lame and impotent, not able to ſtirre hand or foot toward any thing that good is, we are in regeneration made ſtrong (in time) to walke about, and to doe the workes of God in ſome meaſure. Whereas by nature, we were wholly defiled from the crowne of the head to the ſole of the foot, with a moſt noyſome ſpirituall leproſie, ten thouſand times more infectious and dangerous, then any bodily leproſie: we are in regeneration clenſed thereof, and made as whole (as we ſay) as a roch: yea, wheras by nature we were dead in our ſinnes, we are in regeneration, raiſed vp to the life of God. Finally whereas by nature, wee were poſſeſſed ſpiritually of the diuell: yea, touching both our ſoules and bodies in his thraldome, not able to doe any thing, but what he would hauehave vsus to doe and doing that with all delight: we are in regeneration releaſed of this bondage and made the freemen of God himſelfe; Are not all theſe great things? How did men admire the leaſt ſuch miracle, wrought vponupon the bodies of men. Since the world began (ſaith the blind man reſtored to bodily ſight) it was not heard, that any man opened the eyes of one that was borne blind. Ioh. 9. 32. How great then and how wonderfull is the worke of all the former miracles, at one inſtant wrought. Verily farre greater, vponupon the inner man, and being ſpiritually wrought then all the former outwardly wrought vponupon the outward man: yea, all the former are the greater, becauſe by working of them in our regeneration, we are in a moment aduanced from hell to heauen it ſelfe.
The diſciples which Iohn ſent vntounto Chriſt to know whether he were the Meſſias or no, or whether they ſhould looke for another, were returned by Chriſt to Iohn with this meſſage, Goe and ſhew Iohn what things ye heare and ſee: The blind receiue ſight, the halt doe goe: and the leapers are cleanſed, and the deafe heare; the dead are raiſed vp: and laſtly he addeth as the greateſt of all, the poore receiue the Goſpell. Mat. 11. 4. 5.
How did the poore receiue the Goſpell? viz. to their regeneration of being the children of God. And that the meaning of our Sauiour by ſetting this in the laſt place, was to commend it as the greateſt, it appeareth, becauſe in the place next before that, he had mentioned the greateſt of all the former. For who will deny the raiſing vp of the dead to be greater then making the blind to ſee, the halt to goe, the leapers to be cleane, or the deafe to heare? The proofe of all theſe particular miracles to be wrought in our regeneration, wee ſhall heare afterward.
In the meane time, hereby it is moſt euident, that the worke of our regeneration is the worke only of God. For God only worketh all miracles. Bleſſed be the Lord God, euen the God of Iſrael, which only doth wondrous things. Pſal. 72. 18. Thou artgreat, and doſt wondrous things; thou art God alone. Pſa. 86. 10. So the Prophet proueth God to be God alone, by the effect of doing wondrous things. Praiſe ye the Lord of Lords: for his mercy endureth for euer, which only doth great wonders. Pſal. 136. 3. 4. Darius an Heathen could acknowledge the working of ſignes and wonders in heauen and in earth as a thing belonging to God only. Dan. 6. 27. And indeed, if the working of miracles did not belong to God only, it had beene no good argument of our Sauiour to returne the meſſengers of Iohn with report of his miracles, for demonſtration of himſelfe to be the Meſſias which ſhould come, and no other to be looked for. If any that is learned deſire further handling of this generall point, I referre him to Beza againſt Holderus, in pages 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. &c.
To returne to the former matter, the worke of our regeneration is not only a miracle, and the greateſt miracle of all other (except only before excepted) but it is alſo as great as the creation of man at the firſt. For therefore it is called by the very name of a creation. If any man be in Chriſt, let him bee a new creature. 2. Cor. 5. 17. In Chriſt Ieſus neither circumciſion auaileth any thing nor vncircumciſion, but a new creature. Galat. 6. 15. We are his workmanſhip created in Christ Ieſus. Epheſ. 2. 10. Our new man alſo is ſaid to be created in Chriſt Ieſus. Epheſ. 4. 24. Neither is our regeneration, as great only as the firſt creation of man, but alſo greater; yea, then the firſt creation of all things. This is manifeſt by theſe reaſons.
1. Becauſe the firſt creation, was (as it were) but one worke: namely to make that which was not made before. But in this worke of regeneration, there is a double worke, firſt to take away our naturall corruption, ſecondly in ſtead thereof to create and forme Gods owne image.
2. In the firſt creation, there was no oppoſition, no enemies, no let, no hinderance to God. But in our regeneration, there are many and mighty enemies, and many great lets and hinderances, and as it were blocks layd in Gods way. Satan himſelfe with all his angels and the whole power of hell, do labor what they can to hinder t…s worke: So alſo doth the whole world with all the power thereof: Our hearts likewiſe with all the thoughts, luſts, and affections thereof, and our whole man doe ſtriue and ſtruggle with God, by all meanes reſiſting him, and oppoſing themſelues vntounto this worke.
Yea, ſometimes the children of God themſelues (euen being regenerated) doe interpoſe and oppoſe themſelues to the regeneration of other. For did not Iohn ſay to our Sauiour: Maſter, wee ſaw one caſting out diuels by thy name, which followeth not vsus: and we forbad him, becauſe he followed vsus not? Mark. 9. 38. Could Iohn and the other diſciples with him, forbid another caſting out of diuels, in the name of Chriſt, and not hinder the worke of regeneration?
Peter aduiſed Chriſt not to goe to Ieruſalem there to ſuffer thoſe things which he was to ſuffer: Marke 8. 32. The like did all the Apoſtles: Ioh. 11. 8. Peter alſo ſeeing Chriſts glory in the mountaine, where Chriſt transfigured himſelfe, being rauiſhed therewith, would hauehave had Chriſt to hauehave continued there ſtill, and to hauehave built three Tabernacles, one for him, another for Moſes, a third for Elias. Mark. 9. 5. Could Chriſt by the foreſaid counſell hauehave auoided death, and not hauehave hindered the whole worke of mans redemption, and therefore alſo of his adoption and regeneration? yea, had not the hinderance of Chriſts death, been the way to hauehave fet all the ſaints from heauen, that in their ſoules had been there before, by vertue of Chriſts death, after their tranſlation into heauen, to be ſuffered for them in earth? The taking away of the cauſe muſt needs be the nullifying of the effects, depending vponupon that cauſe. If any in great place, doe beſtow an office vponupon an other as pretending the beſtowing thereof to belong vntounto his place; ſhall not the receiuer of that office (though hauing for ſometime enioied the ſame) be diſpoſſeſſed thereof afterward by another, that ſhall find the right of collating the ſame to be in him, and neuer to hauehave been in the other that before had beſtowed it? The like might beſayd euen of the diſpoſſeſſing of the ſoules of the righteous of heauen it ſelfe, if they had been admitted thereunto by virtue of his death, that had not died.
Thirdly, touching the difficulty of our ſecond creation aboue the firſt: in our ſayd firſt creation God did no more for vsus in our kind, then for all other creatures in their kind. He made vsus perfect: and ſo he made eueryevery other creature perfect in his kind. But in our ſecond creation, God doth not only more for vsus, then for the Angels that had fallen, but alſo then for the Angels that ſtand, as afterward we ſhall heare.
Fourthly, in the firſt creation, God wrought as God alone: but in our ſecond creation, regeneration and adoption, it was needfull that God ſhould be made man, and that God and man made one perſon, ſhould worke the ſaid worke of our ſecond creation, regeneration and adoption, as afterward alſo we ſhall heare more largely.
Fiftly, our firſt creation, and the firſt creation of all things, was made as of nothing, ſo alſo for nothing. But our ſecond creation was not only wrought of nothing, and of leſſe (or at leaſt worſe) then nothing, (for the new man is formed in vsus, but not of vsus) but it was alſo wrought at a price, or by a price. Note.For Chriſt gaue himſelfe for vsus, and we are ſaid, to be bought with a price: as likewiſe ſhall be ſhewed anon.
Sixtly, the firſt creation of all things was perfected, and conſummated in ſix daies: but albeit our regeneration be begun in a moment; yet it groweth by ſmall degrees: yea, if one of the children of God be inclined to ſome ſpeciall ſinne (as who is not?) how hard a thing is it in long time, and by many m…es to repreſſe and reforme the ſame? And though a man doe liue many yeeres after his regeneration begun, yet it is neuer perfected in this life; neither ſhall be, till our corruptible bodies hauehave put on incorruption; and till that that is mortall be made immortall.
Seuenthly, to illuſtrate this by ſimilitude, as it is more eaſie for the potter, or glaſſe man, to make an whole houſe full of pots or glaſſes, then to ſet one together, and make it as ſound as it was, being broken all to peeces: ſo was it more eaſie for God at the firſt, to make an whole world of creatures, then now only to reſtore, and build man vp againe, and (as it were to ſet him together againe) being (touching the image of God in him) deſtroied, and (as it were) broken in peeces.
All this of the difficulty of our ſecond creation, in compariſon Note.of the firſt creation, is to be vnderſtood, but only in reſpect of mans iudgement touching the difficulty of things: not ſimply in conſideration of Gods power. For to ſpeake ſimply of Gods power, all things are alike thereunto. There is nothing harder or eaſier then another with God. It is as eaſie for him to make an whole world, yea, many worlds, as to make the leaſt creature.
By this greatneſſe of this worke, the worke it ſelfe is the more manifeſt, to be the worke only of God. For if to make a man, or to make an whole world, be not the worke of any but of God himſelfe (as the whole Scripture teacheth vsus) how much leſſe may we ſay, that any but God alone can regenerate a man and make a man the child of God? this worke being (as hath beene ſhewed) greater then the work of creation.
The more proper therefore that this worke of regeneration is only to God, the more excellent needs muſt be the condition of them, that by this worke are made the children of God. According to the rareneſſe of the workeman, ſo is the worke it ſelfe eſteemed.
If but one man in a country, or in a kingdome, can doe ſome ſpeciall worke, in what eſtimation is the worke it ſelfe? what then ſhall wee ſay of this worke of regeneration, and of making the ſonnes of men the ſonnes of God, which none can doe in the world, but only one euen God himſelfe? How honorable therefore is their ſtate…