The Dignity of Gods Children, Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
Of the excellent instruments that God vſeth in the work of our regeneration, viz. the miniſter of the word, and the word it ſelfe.
HAuing hitherto ſpoken of the excellency of the authors of our regeneration, and of the principall motiues of them thereunto, &c. let vsus in the next place conſider what inſtruments the ſayd authours hauehave vſed to effect our regeneration. This point I will diſpatch very briefly that I may the more haſten to other things. Touching this therefore, though God himſelfe (I meane Father, Sonne, and holy ghoſt) bee the onelyonly authors of our regeneration, yet we heard before, that men are the inſtruments of God, whereby the immortall ſeed of our new birth is conueied vntounto vsus, for the effecting of our ſayd new birth. Theſe are chiefly the miniſters of the word, touching whome, as wee hauehave heard, the Apoſtle ſaith that ſome plant, and other water, but that God giueth increaſe; ſo hee alſo ſaith of himſelfe and all other that they are labourers together with God.
Now touching the miniſters of the word, eſpecially of the goſpell, it is ſaid for their commendation and honour; How beautiful are the feete of them that bring glad tidings of peace &c. Rom. 10. 15. out of Iſa. 52. 7. Where the word of admiration, (how) is to be noted, as teaching, (as before hath beene inſinuated chap. 2.) that indeede the calling of the miniſters is more honorable then well can be expreſſed. The ſynecdoche alſo of their feete, put for their whole man, importeth that if the feete of them that bring glad tidings bee ſo beautifull, how much more beautifull ſhould their faces be?
For what doth the glad tidings of peace there meane, but the preaching of the Goſpell, which is the doctrine of our reconciliation to God, and of our peace made with God by Ieſus Christ, by whom it pleaſed the Father to reconcile all things vntounto himſelfe, and to ſet at peace through the bloud of his Croſſe, both the things in earth, and the things in heauen? Col. 1. 20. that is, both the elect liuing ſtil vponupon the earth, and alſo elect, whoſe ſoules before that time had beene tranſlated into heauen. For as touching the Angels of heauen, what neede they any reconciliation, or how could they be reconciled, that neuer had offended God, or were alienated from him? Therefore the goſpell is called the miniſterie of reconciliation. 2. Cor. 5. 18 and the word of reconciliation, verſe 19.
It is alſo called the Goſpell of peace. Epheſ. 2. 15.
As the miniſtery of the Law may be called the miniſtery of wrath, becauſe it diſcouereth our ſinnes, whereby we deſerue the wrath of God, and ſo it teſtifieth the wrath of God, (in which reſpect Ioſias at the finding of the book of the Law, that had bin long hid, is ſayd to hauehave rent his clothes, 2. Kings 22. 11. as perceiuing thereby the tranſgreſſions of the people, and the wrath of God hanging ouer their heads for the ſame) as (I ſay) the Law in that reſpect may ie called the miniſtery of wrath becauſe it teſtifieth and ſheweth the wrath of God prouoked by mens ſinnes againſt the Law: ſo the goſpell may be and is called the goſpell or the glad tidings of peace; not only becauſe it maketh peace here below betwixt man and man, & betwixt man and other creatures, Iſa 11. 6. &c. and in man Note.likewiſe towards God, making them as meeke as lambes that were before as fierce as Lions & Tigers: but alſo becauſe it teſtifieth God to be at peace by Ieſus Chriſt with mē. In this reſpect therfore, wel might the Apoſtle, & wel might the Prophet ſay in commendation of the miniſters of the goſpell, How beautifull are the feet of them that bring glad tidings of ſaluation! And if their feet are to be thought ſo beautifull, much more their faces. The face of Moſes hauing receiued that law that is, as wee heard, the miniſtery of wrath, was ſo beautiful and did ſo ſhine, that the people could not indure the ſight thereof. Exod. 34. 30.
Wherefore did the Lord put ſuch glory vponupon the very face of Moſes? was it not to make him in reſpect of his miniſtery, the more honorable with the people? What then is to be ſaid of the miniſters of the Goſpell in the former reſpect?
Before the comming of Chriſt, prophets that were ſent to call men to repentance, (the firſt ſtep of the children of God and the beginning of their regeneration) prophets (I ſay) ſo ſent to call men to repentance by denouncing the iudgments of God againſt them, were ſo honorable that both God himſelfe ioyned the regard of them with the regard of kings, ſaying, Touch not mine anointed, and doe my prophets no harme. Pſal. 105. 15. and alſo that kings were glad of their company, for the honoring of them before their people: 1. Sam. 15. 3. And therfore they accounted them as their fathers: 2. Kings 6. 21. and 13. 14. yea, wicked kings did ſo account of them; as appeareth by the two former places ſpeaking of the kings of Iſrael, who after the falling away of the ten tribes from the houſe of Dauid were all euill.
In the time of our Sauiour ſuch Prophets beeing in ſome ſort ceaſſed, Iohn Baptiſt rayſed vp betwixt ſuch prophets and Euangelicall miniſters, is commended by our Sauiour in this manner; What went ye out (into the wildernes) to ſee? A reed ſhaken with the wind? but what went ye out to ſee? a man clothed in ſoft raiment? Behold, they that we are ſoft clothing (that is, ſuch as flant & ruffle it out in ſilkes & veluets, and be georgeouſly aparrelled) are in Kings houſes. But what went ye out to ſee? A Prophet? yea, I ſay vntounto you, and more then a Prophet &c. So our Sauiour magnifieth Iohn Baptiſt, not onelyonly aboue gallant and gorgeous courtiers, but alſo aboue the ancient Prophets: yet for al that, he commendeth the leaſt miniſter of the Goſpell aboue him, ſaying, Notwithſtanding, he that is least in the kingdom of heauen, is greater then he, Mat. 11. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.
The excellency alſo of the miniſters of the word (eſpecially of the Goſpell) is manifeſt by the honorable names and titles giuen vntounto them by God himſelfe. For are they not called in a ſpeciall manner, the men of God? 1. Kings 13. 1. 2. Tim. 3. 17. Be they not intituled the lights of the world? Mat. 5. 14: yea, was not Iohn Baptiſt called a burning and a ſhining candle, Ioh. 5. 35. Doth not the Apoſtle ſay of himſelfe and of other: We are Embaſſadors for Chriſt, 2. Cor. 5. 20. Be they not called the ſalt of the earth? Mat. 5. 13. becauſe by their doctrine they ſhould both ſuck out the corruption of men, and ſeaſon them (as it were) to be fit ſacrifices for God.
Are not miniſters of the word, as well as Kings, and Princes, oft times in the Prophets, as alſo in the writings of the Apoſtles, called by the names of Paſtors or ſhepheards? Are not the miniſters of the ſeuen Churches of Aſia called ſtarres and Angels? Reu. 1. 20.
Hath then the Lord alwaies imploied ſuch honorable perſons in the calling of his children, that is, both in the firſt gathering and begetting of them againe vntounto himſelfe: and alſo in the feeding, nurſing, and ſtrengthning of them being ſo gathered and begotten? And ſhall we thinke that the ſtate of the children of God themſelues is not likewiſe very honourable? Princes and other men of great place and wiſedome, vſe the more honorable perſons in any buſineſſe (as before vponupon other occaſion wee hauehave heard by the example of Balak King of Moab, of Hezekiah, and Ioſiah, &c. chap. 5.) by how much the ſeruice it ſelfe is more honourable. Shall we then thinke that the moſt high God of heauen, great in wiſedom and power, would imploy ſo honorable perſons vponupon a buſineſſe not ſutable vntounto them? Doubtleſſe as Princes ſending forth ſuch in Embaſſage, or employing in ſome other great ſeruice ſuch as before were not very honorable, doe therefore grace and dignifie them with ſome new honorable titles, as of Knights, whereas before they were ſcarce eſquires; or of Barons, whereas before, they were but knights; or of Earles, whereas before they were but Barons, & that to this end that their ambaſſage or other works wherein they are imployed may be the more honorably accounted of, yea, and becauſe their emploiment being it ſelfe honourable, doth therefore require like honorable perſons to be employed therein: ſo becauſe the worke of our regeneration is very honorable, and to teach all men honorably to thinke of it, therefore hath the Lord with ſuch Titiles dignified and graced his ſeruants whom he doth employ to worke and effect the ſame.
If any, notwithſtanding that before ſaid of the excellency and preheminence of the miniſters of the goſpell (aboue the miniſters of the Law, euen aboue the great prophets) ſhall for all that conceiue more honourably of the prophets, then of the ordinary miniſters of the goſpell (though there bee no reaſon ſo to do, becauſe as the miniſtery it ſelfe of the goſpell is more honorable then the miniſtery of law and vnderunder the Law, ſo the miniſters alſo of the goſpel, are in like manner to be eſteemed) let ſuch conſider alſo, that all the doctrine of the prophets is written for the begetting of the children of God in theſe dayes, as well as it was preached in thoſe dayes, for the begetting of the elect then liuing. So it is expreſſely ſayd, whatſoeuer things are writtē aforetime are writtē for our learning, that we through patience & comfort of the ſcriptures may hauehave hope. Rom. 15. 14. What hope can there be without adoption and regeneration, as ſhall afterward appeare? If then the former writings of the prophets be as well for the regeneration of children to God now, as the miniſtery of the preſent miniſters; why may not thoſe writers be as well called miniſters for vsus, as they were indeed for thoſe ages wherein they liued? yea, they are ſo called; yea, they are ſayd to hauehave miniſtred rather for vsus then for themſelues, and for other, that then liued with them.
So ſayth the Apoſtle Peter moſt expreſſely, ſpeaking of the prophets that had enquired and ſearched of the ſaluation before ſpoken of by him, and ſaying, that vntounto them it was reuealed that not vntounto themſelues, but vntounto vsus they ſhould miniſter the things which are now ſhewed by them that hauehave preached the Goſpell, &c. 1. Pet. 1. 12. Theſe words are not to be taken for a ſimple deniall, as if the Prophets had not miniſtred at all vntounto themſelues and to other of thoſe times, the things that were afterward preached, but rather they are comparatiuely to be vnderſtood, viz. that they did not ſo much miniſter thoſe things to them of that age, as to ſucceeding generations. Therfore the regeneration of the children of God of theſe times, is not wrought only by the preſent miniſtery: but alſo by the miniſtery of the ancient Prophets.
How honorable therefore is that ſtate and condition, for the better working whereof the Lord hath not only now giuen preſent miniſters, and graced them with honourable names, but hath alſo ſo many yeers before raiſed vp ſuch worthy perſons as the ancient Prophets were?
With this argument from the excellency of the inſtrumentall fathers of our regeneration, let vsus ioyne an other the like, from the excellency of the inſtrument it ſelfe, whereby the ſaid inſtrumentall fathers doe beget vsus againe vntounto God, that is, from the excellency of the word of God. For this is it wherof the Apoſtle Iames ſaith thus: Of his owne will hath he be gotten vsus againe with the word of truth, Iames 1. 18. and whereby our ſoules are renued, or reſtored, Pſal. 19. 7. The Apoſtle Paul alſo ſaith: In Chriſt Ieſus hauehave I begotten you through the Goſpell, 1. Cor. 4. 15. It is that alſo, whereby we being ſo regenerated and new borne, are fed, and nouriſhed, and doe grow to a perfect man in Chriſt Ieſus, 1. Pet. 2. 2.
This word of God is not onelyonly excellent in reſpect of the author thereof: 2. Tim. 3. 16 and reſpect of the perfect matter therein conteined, (as afterward wee ſhall heare) but alſo for theſe attributes thereof, ſure, right, pure cleane, (or cleane) true, &c. Pſal. 19. 7. 8. 9. and for that it is called and is ſaid to be the ſword of the ſpirit: Epheſ. 6. 17. liuely and mighty in operation, ſharperthen a two edged ſword, entring thorow, euen vntounto the diuiding aſunder of the ſoule and the ſpirit, and of the ioynts, and of the marrow, and d…ſcerning the thoughts and intents of the heart, Heb. 4. 12. So in theſe and in other reſpects, it is ſaid to be more to be deſired then gold, yea, then much fine gold: and to be ſweeter then the hony and the hony combe, Pſal. 19. 10. 11. and 119. 14. & 72. and 103.
And as the word of God generally is thus commended ſo ſpecially the Goſpel is valued at the ſame rate, Mat. 13. 44. 45. where it is not only called by the name of the kingdome of heauen, becauſe it is the word of that kingdome, Mat. 13. 19. that is, the word whereby we attaine both vntounto the kingdome of grace in this world, and alſo the kingdome of glory in the world to come, but alſo by a double parable, (for the more certainty thereof) it is commended to be better then all treaſures, and then all pearles.
Paul alſo comparing the Goſpell with the law, ſaith thus: If the miniſtration of death written with letters, and ingrauen in ſtones was glorious, ſo that the children of Iſrael could not behold the face of Moſes for the glory of his countenance, &c. how ſhall not the miniſtration of the ſpirit be more glorious? For if the ministration of condemnation was glorious, much more doth the miniſtration of righteouſneſſe exceed in glory, 2. Cor. 3. 7. 8. 9. Yea, ſo excellent alſo is the myſtery of the Goſpell, that one end thereof is ſaid to be that vntounto principalities and powers in heauenly places (that is, vntounto the bleſſed Angels, waiting vponupon God in the heauens) might be made knowen by the Church the manifold wiſedome of God, Epheſ. 3. 10. our Sauiour alſo threatneth, that ſuch as ſhould not receiue his diſciples ſent forth by two and two, to preach for a time for preparation of the way to the Goſpell, ſhould find it harder at the day of iudgement, then the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrha, who had been moſt fearefully deſtroied with fire and brimſtone from heauen, Mat. 10. 15. The Apoſtle alſo ſpeaking comparatiuely of the puniſhment of the tranſgreſſors of the law, and of the Goſpell ſaith: If the word ſpoken by Angels was ſtedfaſt, and eueryevery tranſgreſſion and diſobedience receiued a iuſt recompence of reward, how ſhall we eſcape if we neglect ſo great ſaluation, which at the firſt began to be preached by the Lord, and afterward was confirmed vntounto vsus by them that heard him? God bearing witneſſe thereunto both with ſignes and wonders, and diuers miracles and gifts of the holy Ghoſt? &c. Heb. 2. 3. 4.
In theſe two places ioyntly conſidered, we hauehave firſt an argument for the excellency of the Goſpell from the puniſhment of the contemners thereof. For firſt if they ſhould receiue ſo great a iudgement (not that reſiſted them, and draue them out of their countries with fire and ſword, but) that did not receiue them which were ſent only by their preaching to prepare a way for the Goſpell; then (as followeth comparatiuely in the ſecond place before alleged) how much greater ſhall the puniſhment of thoſe be, that both neglect, and alſo contemne, and perſecute the Goſpell? Doth not this commination of ſo great puniſhment to the neglecters and contemners of the Goſpell, much magnifie the excellency of the Goſpell?
Againe, in the ſecond place before alleged, we ſee other arguments for the excellency thereof, viz. firſt it was firſt preached (touching the cleare manifeſtation of it) not by any ſeruants, (as in former time the word had been preached) but by the Lord himſelfe, as before he had ſaid, that in theſe laſt daies God hath ſpoken vntounto vsus by his ſonne, Heb. 1. 1. Secondly that God himſelfe had borne witneſſe actually to the excellency thereof by ſignes & wonders, &c. thirdly that he alſo graced it with many gifts of the holy ghoſt, according to former prophecies in that behalfe, eſpecially that of Ioel, 2. 28. ſo applied by Peter, Act. 2. 17
To conclude therfore this argument, ſith this word of God is ſo excellent, (whereby the regeneration of the children of God, of whom I doe now ſpeake, is at firſt wrought, and afterward perfected,) ſhall we not thinke, that the ſtate of ſuch children of God is alſo excellent?
Do not wiſe men according to the worthineſſe of any work apply and vſe the more worthy inſtruments about the ſame? Much more therefore are we to thinke the ſame, of the moſt wiſe God.