The Abuse of Gods Grace, Chapter 3 · Section 9
SECT. 9.
ADopting Grace is turned into Wantonneſs. I have nouriſhed 9 Adopting grace is turned into wantonneſs.and brought up children, and they have rebelled againſt me. Iſa. 1. 2. Ah ſeed of evill doers, children that are corrupters, v. 4. A ſon honoreth his father: If I be a father, where is mine honour? Mal. 1. 6. As Jacobs Sonnes, Simeon and Levi's wickedneſs made him ſtink. Gen. 34. 30. Eli's wanton ſons were his reproach, ſo Gods Adopting grace is wronged by his profeſſed children to his diſhonour. As when a Beggar is an adopted ſonne, and is ſaucy, ſcornfull, ſtout in his fathers preſence, this differencing grace is turned to wantonneſs; ſo when a beggarly ſinner in external Adoption, is admitted into Gods family, his looſe, unmannerly carriage in his Fathers preſence, puts an affront upon Adopting grace. To the Iſraelites appertained the Adoption. Rom. 9. 4. They owned the promotion. God is our Father. Joh. 8. 41. But the high abuſe of this preferment in Heathenizing, like Sodom and Gomorrah. Iſa. 1. 10. wronging the Stewards of Gods ſelect family, the holy Prophets. Act. 7. 52. deſpiſing the orders of his government. Jer. 13. 9, 10. Idolatrizing with the Gentiles. Pſ. 106. 35. Their a Impudence, b Ʋniverſality, and c Incorrigibleneſſe of ſinne, a Jer. 6. 15. b Jer. 6. 28. c Jer. 2. 30. turned their external adoption into exprobation. Their profeſſed owning of God their Father in an externall covenant of Grace, with unchild-like rebellions, did aggravate their abominations. Their want on luſts ſpoyled their Adoption: God was in Title, the Devil in reallity their father. Joh. 8. 44. His Luſts, but not the divine Laws of Jeſus Chriſt ruled over them. Too much a kin are diſſolute Chriſtians to the Jews, diſhonourers of adopting grace. The looſer, the ſtricter ſort of Chriſtians.
1. The Looſer. With what boldneſſe, confidence, yea impudence doe many ſay, Our Father, who have nothing leſſe than the diſpoſitions and affections of children? as if God could own Satans image for his living pictures, and perpetuall eſtrangements, diſaffections, enmities, yea reproaches could have any reconcilement with the heavenly dignity of Adoption. God that hath taught men to pray, hath bid no man to lye, and to ſay hee is their Father in Chriſt, when they are unchriſtian in heart and life. I confeſſe the worſt of men may wiſh they had reall intereſt in Adopting grace. But under the Fatherhood of Satan, to claim ſpiritual Sonſhip, is ſo to call God Father, as Judas called Chriſt Maſter, Luk. 14. 45. a mockery, but not a truth. How rare is it for the prophane pretended children of God, in good earneſt to charge groſſe hypocriſie on their profeſſion, and thus to quaere; Can theſe oathes, drunken, unclean, unrighteous, voluptuous lives bear any fair conſiſtency with Adopting grace? Am I not an impure offspring of Hell, though I pretend to an heavenly progeny? Will theſe thoughts, words, and actions ſpeak Gods children? Theſe ſerious reflexions are very rare. duplicate page duplicate page The notorious ſeed of the Serpent will complement and write themſelves in their deceitfull hearts Gods children. Many of them have been, the reſt will be blotted out of this bleſſed roll. Ah bold intruder! ere long, in this life, or the next, thy Conſcience wil tel thee, Heaven holds no ſuch children, as wil live as they liſt, reject the paternal government of God, evidently darken the glory of God in the world, and yet call him father.
2. The ſtricter ſort of Chriſtians too much follow the diſſolute Jew, in blemiſhing the glory of divine Adoption, and theſe are of two ſorts. Such as really, ſuch as are opinionatively godly, are indeed children, and that ſeem to be ſo.
1. Chriſtians of ſtrict profeſſion, that are indeed children. What doe you for your fathers name? Doe not even you, that ſhall hear theſe ſweet words from the mouth of your Judge and Saviour, Come ye bleſſed of my Father, hinder his renown in the world? Are not you Key-cold, Hard-hearted, of diſ-ingenuous unchild-like ſpirits, when you ſee the dreadfull teſtimonies of his diſhonour? Doe not you, who in the next world ſhall lift up his name, and make his praiſe glorious, caſt down his name, and make it infamous? Your undutifulneſs to your dear Father is too much, that your too looſe hearts diſhonour him, and inward wickedneſſe provokes his abſence; but is it not enough in irreverence and diſobedience within doors to wrong your childhood? will you dare to diſhonour him, and your ſelves in the publick ſtreet of common notices? Againſt the precious fame of your Father, how are your tongues heated with a fiery ſatan, and the flames of ungoverned paſſion, to abound in tranſgreſſion before malicious obſervers, glad of your halting? How unwarily doe you publiſh your over-eager, yea it may be in ſome things, injurious chaſes after the worlds gainfull prizes? Why diſcover you the nakedneſs of your diſ-love and hardneſs to forgive a ſaint or ſinner? Why doth your voluptuouſneſs, too much declare you yet live not above the world? Why are you ſilly chapmen to take off the braid wares of corrupt errours? Have no opininions taught you looſeneſs? Why doe you not ſhew you are Chriſtians to purpoſe, in doing illuſtrious ſingular things; that the neighbours that ſtudy your lives, and are ſtrangers to your inward Faith and Love may ſay, Theſe are children of God indeed, would I were in their condition? It is not the language but the power of your Profeſſion that will draw hearts after it. How have you defaced your Adoption, when your ſinfull omiſſions of convincing duties, and breakings forth of corruption, ſharpen the edge of bitter language, and tempt to theſe words of reproach; O theſe are the children of God (in ſcorn) denying you the honour, becauſe you have denyed God the glory, and your ſelves the credit of your Adoption. Let this lord your hearts for your unwatchful and diſhonourable converſation, and call for future caution: Your publick ſinnes make your Father hear ill in the world.
2. Chriſtians of ſtrict profeſſion, that have onelyonly childrens name, not nature, artificial, not ſupernaturally natural, not lively in externall exerciſes of Religion, that put over impious deſigns and practiſes, the too good cover of a pious name, that are adorned, painted Sepulchers, unclean within; that make not Religion the great expedient for bleſſed eternity, but a fair net Quidam probitate fictac viam ſibi ad potentiā muniunt. Lact. de vero cult. l. 6. c. 6.to catch the world in: That in your zealous devotions, more hot in the mouth than heart, call God frequently your Father, and make it the pleaſing Prologue and uſher of many of your Petitions, Confeſſions, and Thankſgivings, and yet have no filiall affections of love, and feare, ſhame and ſorrow, no pleaſure in pleaſing him, no real godly ſorrow for his diſhonour: That betray the weakneſſe of your painted piety, having no real fervencie of heart for the intereſt of Gods name, but your own concernments: That betray the whole body of your Religion is a dead carkaſs, without the life and ſoul of it, the quickning Spirit: No wonder if you ſtink, when the ill ſavour of your loathed pollutions, intemperance, incontinence, unrighteouſneſſe, unnaturall ſins betray the power of Religion was but feigned, never feared in the heart, that could never diſperſe inward, nor outward beloved, and delighted in imperious ſins. O you that are ſtrict in the exerciſes of piety, and do but feign, not really affect and purſue Chriſtianity, Gods moſt heavy, and ſmarting blows will be at you, without great repentance, and ſingular reforming ſinceritie: Doe no longer mock God nor men: Hypocriſie at length ends in Apoſtaſie: The feigned friends of Chriſt are real enemies. O let not Religion, holy Religion be wickedly blaſphemed, nor be your play and game, but your ſerious buſineſſe in good earneſt; and know when you dye, as well may you expect a painted fire ſhould warm you, as a painted Religion comfort your ſelf-accuſed, and tempted departing ſoules. Before I cloſe this point, I muſt warn the looſe and ſcoffing generation that poſſibly may read this page, to forbear their triumph: Some may ſay, The Author hath hit the mark, and ecchoes with our thoughts; we are glad he hath payd the Hypocrites; out upon theſe Preciſians, they are all Hypocrites. And are you glad indeed; Where is your charity? That would not rejoice in iniquity, 1 Cor. 13. 6. What if your merry ſarcaſmes, and ſatyricall invectives againſt the Hypocrites, be an arrow juſtly ſhot againſt your ſelves? Did you never read, there are hypocritical mockers in feaſts? Pſal. 35. 16. The ſevere cenſurers of Hypocriſie had need be upright. Are not you eminently groſly guilty of the crime you cry down? If you will not believe it, it is eaſie to prove it, deny it if you can: Do not you profeſs ſalvation only by Jeſus Chriſt? Do not you know, except you be born again, you cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven? Joh. 3. 5. Is it not plain Scripture, He that is in Chriſt is a new creature, 2 Cor. 5. 17. They that are Chriſts have crucified the fleſh with the affections and luſts? Gal. 5. 24. Are you not commanded to redeem the time? Epheſ. 5. 16. Are not livers in pleaſures dead to God while they live? 1 Tim. 5. 6. Muſt not he that abides in Chriſt, walk as he walked? 1 Joh. 2. 5. Now I beſeech you that throw the dreadfull charge of Hypocriſie, and it may be truly againſt ſome perſons, and yet care not though through the ſides of Hypocrites yee wound the generation of Gods children, are not you groſs Hypocrites your ſelves? You profeſs Chriſtianity, credit Goſpelrevelation, call Chriſt your Saviour, dare not ſay you will not be ruled by his Laws, expect ſalvation by him, own his Ordinances, and if asked the queſtion, before a Sacrament, or on a ſick bed, by Miniſters that pleaſe you, will you follow the rules of the Goſpel to fit you for heaven? My charitie perſwades me you would ſay yea, God forbid but I ſhould be ruled by Jeſus Chriſt. It is very eaſie then to conclude from your own conceſſions you are Profeſſors, now what is Hypocriſie but a conſtant contradiction to the profeſſion of the power of godlineſſe; Is not yours ſuch? Be not angry with this home-ſpeaking to your boſomes, your conſciences, if you repent not, will ſpeak a thouſand times more after death than a few pages. Can your ſtudious, and ordinary giving up your ſelves to the luſts, pomps, and vanities of the world, be interpreted a devoting, or reſignment of your perſons up to Jeſus Chriſt? Are you born of the Spirit that ſhew no ſcripture proofs of your high heavenly birth, the life of the Spirit, the graces of the Spirit, the leading of the Spirit, that are not acquainted with the breathings of the Spirit at the throne of grace, who never made your families houſes of prayer? Are you indeed new creatures? Is it poſſible that the old oathes, drunkenneſſe, uncleanneſſe, ſlighting, and contemning the Word of God, laughing at thoſe truths you hear, that ſhould ſet you a trembling, loathing of religious exerciſes, living in the old affections and converſation, ſhould prove you were new creatures? Can you beleeve Chriſt in you hath crucified the fleſh with its affections, and luſts, which you pamper and keep alive? Doe you redeem precious time, all which ſhould you live an hundred years, abating the neceſſary and moderate attendances on the things of this life, would call for all time in the numerous ſervices of Religion, conqueſts of Temptations, ſubjection to the Goſpel, and preparation for Eternity? Will you call your covetous, coſtly, paſſionate gaming in the afternoon till night, yea ſometimes from night till morning, redeeming the time? Is your ſleeping till nine or ten a clock on the Lords day, time Redemption? Is your earthy, frothy, unedifying diſcourſes one with another, when you are commanded to provoke one another to love and good works. Heb. 10. 28. To ſpeak what may miniſter grace and ſoul advantage to the hearer. Eph. 4. 29. Time improvements? Are your tyring attendances an hour or two on Gods Worſhip time advantages? Are your many hours attendances on your fleſh-pleaſing ſenſualities, the ſhorteſt and ſweeteſt hours, the reall profit of time? I beſeech you in good earneſt, ſtudy how Chriſt walked, and then judge your ſelves, whether your debauched looſe lives, ſtrangers, yea enemies to the ſtrict waies of Chriſtianitie, will prove you walk like Chriſt; what remains then, but if your eies be open, the fruit of this arraignment of you, before the word of truth, will be real conviction you are groſs hypocrites your ſelves. I ſay not this delighting to diſcover the nakedneſſe of your deceits, but if Gods grace help, to reform them. It is true, there are that make ſtrict profeſſion, are hypocrites, but wil this help you when God ſeeth, and your ſelves know your palpable hypocriſies? As drunkenneſſe condemns drunkenneſſe, treaſon treaſon, uncleanneſs uncleanneſs, covetouſneſſe covetouſneſſe, paſſion paſſion, ſo too Clodius accuſat maechos, Catilina Cethegum. Juven.often hypocriſie hypocriſie. How is the Devill pleaſed to ſee fellow ſinners peal and deeply charge one another, who without infinite mercy, are fellow travellers to hell; and will have no pleaſure in accuſing each other there? O you that are the looſer ſort of Chriſtians, deal not with the ſtricter, who abuſe their eminent religious appearances, as Diogenes did with Plato, Calco faſtum Platonis, Majore faſtu.comming into his adorned and ſtately room, he trampled on his braverie; being asked the reaſon of this incivilitie, the Cynick anſwered, I trample on Plato's pride: Yea (ſaith Plato) with greater pride. Do you ſee and comment on the errors and ſcandals of ſtrict profeſſion? Take heed you doe not trample on their hypocriſie with greater hypocriſie. I ſhall finiſh this digreſſion, with an humble and hearty admonition to larger, and ſtricter profeſſors, to fear and tremble, leſt they live and die under the dominion and damnation of hypocriſie. Ah Chriſtians, who are too Eagle-ey'd in diſcerning each others hypocriſies, and are too guilty of this ſad retaliation, to charge one another with bitter words, but are too Mole-like in ſeeing your own diſſimulation; ſtudy both I beſeech you, your own boſom Arch-juglers, your own deceitfull luſts: Let your chiefeſt anger Me me adſum qui feci, in me convertite ferrum. Virgil.and revenge be againſt the craft and willneſſe of your own corruption; Be willing, O be willing that the word of the Spirit ſhould ſlay your own. See you of looſe, and you of ſtrict profeſſion one anothers hypocriſies, O turn your declamations into lamentations, your ſharp charges into praiers, your ſcoffs into teares for one another; and you that need bowels of compaſſions, and a mantle of charitie, to put over, not to blaze Veniam damus petimuſ que viciſſim.one anothers hypocriſies, return piety and tenderneſſe of ſpirit to your fello… deceivers; I mean not ſoul-ruining flatterie, but regular Goſpel-charitie.
To return to the abuſe of Adopting grace. Whoſoever they are, as there are but few that are guiltleſſe, very few but diſhonour the glory and dignitie of their Adoption, I could wiſh that it might be laid to heart, three things may be ſeriouſly conſidered.
1. The naturall reſpects, reverence, lively affections, and zeal that children bear to their parents, …ho…onow the guidance of that engraven Law God hath put into the… spirits. The force of this conſideration is this: Is it not an high diſhonour to the Father of ſpirits, that the Parents of the fleſh ſhould have moſt regard? It is ſtoried of a dumb ſonne, who ſeeing his fathers life endangered, in mightie zeal burſt open the long ſhut doors foreign. Herodotus.of ſilence, and ſaid, O kill not the man. Doe we not ſee the name of our heavenly father, we call ſo, endangered, his Goſpel in perill to be loſt by common contempts and barrenneſſe, our own ſoule; endammag'd, and yet we are not delivered from a dumb devill, we want hearts and words to ſpeak for our Father, to cry mightily to him that his glory may not be ſo obſcured, his Goſpel may be preſerved, our ſoules may be ſanctified and eternally ſaved? Where are our ſuſpitions leſt we darken his name by our diſ-ingenuous unchild-like carriages? I am afraid, ſaid the ſon of Declus, leſt when I am made Emperour I forget my Vereor, inquit Decii filius, ne ſi fiam Imperator, dediſcam eſſe fictus. Valerius Max. 1. 5.ſelf to be a ſon. …re we as zealous in our eaſe, proſperities, ſweet creature injoyments, Leſt fulneſs rempt to forgetfulneſs, leſt we ſhould be leſſe reverent and obedient children, when our Tables are moſt delicious, and beds ſofreſt? Doth the light of nature ſay, Parents can never be recompenced? Doth the Scripture bid children to requite their parents. 1 Tim. 5. 4. which endeavour they may, fully accompliſh they cannot? What ſhame is Parentibus nunquam redditur aquale.it when we are infinitely more indebted to our heavenly father, then our earthly progenitors, that we ſhould return him irreverence, daily diſhonours; but be very rare and cold, and weary of religious, loyal, and filial returns? We reverence (ſaith the Apoſtle) the correcting fathers of our fleſh, ſhall we not much rather be in ſub…ection to the father of ſpirits and lives? Heb. 12. 9. There foreign.is a much rather for an honourable deportment, under the heavenly than earthly adoption: But the fathers of the fleſh have a large harveſt of reſpect and ſervice, our heavenly Father hath ſ…rce the gle…nings of duty. Would Chryſoſtome have children Tanquam verna genitoribus euis ſervito. Chryſoſtom.ſerve the carefull and zealous inſtruments of their worldly beeing, with as cloſe a conſtraint and duty of love, as ſlaves do their maſters from ſervile fear? How do we abuſe our high, holy, and heavenly relation of children, when neither out of fear of his hot diſpleaſure, nor love of his drawing goodneſs, we doe to God faithful ſervice?
2. It is an eminent piece of moſt abominable ingratitude to abuſe beſt friends, dear parents; vengeance would not ſuffer Abſolom to live, that roſe up againſt his Fathers Crown and life; and they who would not obey their Parents (a ſad monument of divine wrath) have obeyed the Hangman. Hath God borne ſo ſevere teſtimony againſt the diſhonours of fleſhly parents, will he not revenge our unthankfulneſſe, who profeſſe him our heavenly Father, live every moment by his protections and proviſions; ſpend upon his creatures, his bounty, his care, his patience, yea hope to be with him in heaven, and yet riot, grow unruly and inſolent with his goodneſs, wax wanton like well fed heifers in fat paſtures, refuſe his ſweet Goſpel yoak, deafen our ears to our fathers call; kick at the tender bowels of his love, not onelyonly reject, but ſome of us jeer at the orders of his family diſcipline? Can we think that the zeal of God, that hath burnt hot in dreadfull examples againſt the abuſe of Parental rights, will not break out in dreadfull flames againſt all of us very mock-gods, that complement God our Father, and take it for granted, we are his children (as indeed we are in externall Baptiſmal Covenant) when it will be found, as the degenerated ſeed of Abraham, were ranked with Sodom and Gomorrah in wickedneſſe, ſo without exceeding practical repentance, we ſhall be found no better, caſting off our Fathers holy government, than very heathens, yea worſe than they, by how much the more we have put the cover of an heavenly adoption over helliſh rebellions.
3. In the great day God will ſtrictly examine all thoſe that 3 In the great day God will examine Profeſſors.paſſed for the members of his family. Admiſſion unto his houſhold, and calling him Father, will not ſecure from the wrongs of this heavenly relation. It is impoſſible now infallibly to diſcern between the ſpurious adulterate iſſue of the ſerpents ſeed, and the new-born reall children of the moſt high God; but at the great day, when the thoughts of all hearts ſhall be opened, and the lives of all Profeſſors, ſtricter or larger ſhall be examined, Quomodo Chriſtus filios regni appellat, qui nibil minus erant quam Abrahae filii? quamvis ex Dei eccleſia vere non eſsent, quia tamen in eccleſia locum occupabant, hunc ipſis titulum concedit, Marlorat, in loc.then (which is a dreadfull place) The children of the Kingdom ſhall be caſt out. Mat. 8. 12. Thoſe that had a name without the heavenly nature, diſpoſitions, affections, and converſations of Children that have blotted their Fathers name, with inward filthineſs, and outward pollutions of the World, that have clearly proved Gods Houſe hath been haunted with unclean Spirits, that have owned God in title, the Devil in reallity their Father, that have as many times mockt God, as they have called him their Father in Chriſt: Then ſhall theſe, not Children of God, but Rebels; not the Image of Chriſt, but Satan; not the exalters, but debaſers of Gods name, be ſet on their proper ſide among the children of the Divel, and publikely before God, his holy Angels, his real Saints and Children, be everlaſtingly diſowned from being reputed and rewarded as his Children, and be baniſhed from his bleſſed and comfortable preſence, to the Devil their Father, to keep company with all the Apoſtate Angels, and the Serpents ſeed, whether Pagan, abuſing the light of nature, or Chriſtian, the glorious Goſpel of Grace: O conſider this, all you that are called Chriſtians, that either are more open and groſs, or cloſe prophaners of your Fathers Name, Fear and tremble ſtill to abuſe it, leſt as the degenerate Children of the Kingdom, ye be caſt out: Then all thin fig-leaves, and external pretenſions, you are Gods Children, will vaniſh from you as darkneſs before the Sun, and flee away as chaff before the wind: It will be found, that Profeſſion of Chriſtianity is eaſie, but a ſuitable diſpoſition and converſation to it is hard and rare; Lord, Lord, will not alter the purpoſes of that angry, natural Juſtice, that will take vengeance on the diſhonors offered to adopting Grace.