The Beatitudes, Discourse · Chapter 19

The Beatitudes · Discourse · Chapter 19

p. 289CHAP. XIX.

MATTH. 5.9.

They ſhall be called the children of God.

IN which words the glorious priviledge of the Saints is ſet down: Thoſe who have made their peace with God, and labour to make peace among Brethren,**Per nomen pacifici itur ad nomen filii. this is the great honour conferred upon them, They ſhall be called the children of God.

They ſhall be [called;] that is, they ſhall be ſo reputed and eſteemed of God; God never miſcalls any thing; he doth not call them children which are no children. Luk. 1.76. Thou ſhalt be called the Prophet of the higheſt, that is, thou ſhalt be ſo; they ſhall be called the children of God; that is, they ſhall be accounted and admitted for children.

Doctr. The Propoſition reſulting is this, That peace-makers are the children of the moſt High. God is ſaid in Scripture to have many children.

p. 2901. By Eternal Generation; ſo only Chriſt is the natural Son of his Father. Pſal. 2.7. Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.

2. By Creation; ſo the Angels are the ſons of God. Job 1.6. & Job 38.7. When the Morning Stars ſang together, and all the ſonnes of God ſhouted for joy.

3. By Participation of dignity; ſo Kings and Rulers are ſaid to be children of the High God. Pſal. 82.6. I have ſaid ye are gods, and all of you are children of the moſt High.

4. By Viſible profeſſion; ſo God hath many children. Hypocrites forge a title of ſon-ſhip. Gen. 6.2. The ſons of God ſaw the daughters of men that they were fair.

5. By Real Sanctification; ſo all the faithful are peculiarly and eminently the children of God.

That I may illuſtrate and amplifie this, and that believers may ſuck much ſweetneſs out of this Goſpel-flower, I ſhall diſcuſs and demonſtrate theſe ſeven particulars.

1. That naturally we are not the children of God.

2. What it is to be the children of God.

3. How we come to be made children.

4. The ſigns of Gods children.

5. The love of God in making us children.

6. The honour of Gods children.

7. The priviledges of Gods children

p. 291SECT. 1.

Shewing, that by nature we are not Gods children.

1. THAT naturally we are not the children of 1God: We are not born Gods children, but made ſo**Facti ſumus non naſcimur filii. Hierom.. By nature we are ſtrangers to God; Swine, not ſons, 2 Pet. 2. ult. Will a man ſettle his Eſtate upon his Swine? he will give them his Acorns, not his Jewels: By nature we have the Divel for our father, John 8.44. Ye are of your father the Divel. A wicked man may ſearch the Records of hell for his Pedigree.

SECT. 2.

Shewing what it is to be children.

2. WHAT it is to be the children of God. This 2childſhip conſiſts in two things.

1. Adoption.

2. Infuſion of grace.

1. Childſhip conſiſts in Adoption. Gal. 4.5. That we might receive the Adoption of ſons.

Queſt. Wherein doth the true nature of Adoption conſiſt?

Anſw. In three things.

1. A Tranſition or Tranſlation from one Family to another. He that is adopted, is taken out of the old Family of the Divel and Hell, Epheſ. 2.2, 3. To which p. 292he was heir apparent, and is made of the family of heaven, of a noble family, Epheſ. 2.19.**foreign. God is his Father, Chriſt is his Elder Brother, the Saints Co-heir, the Angels fellow-ſervants in that Family.

2. Adoption conſiſts in an immunity and diſobligement from all the Laws of the former Family. Pſal. 45.10. Forget alſo thy fathers houſe. He who is ſpiritually adopted, hath now no more to do with ſin. Ephraim ſhall ſay, What have I any more to do with Idols? Hoſ. 14.8. A child of God hath indeed to do with ſin as with an enemy to which he gives battel; but not as with a Lord, to which he yields obedience. He is free from ſin, Rom. 6.8. I do not ſay he is free from duty: Was it ever heard that a child ſhould be freed from duty to his parents? this is ſuch a freedom as Rebels take.

3. Adoption conſiſts in a Legal inveſtiture into the Rights and Royalties of the Family into which the perſon is to be adopted; theſe are chiefly two.

1. The firſt Royalty is a new name. He who is divinely adopted, aſſumes a new name; before a ſlave, now a ſon; of a ſinner, a Saint, this is a name of honor, better than any title of Prince or Monarch. Rev. 2.17. To him that overcomes I will give a white stone, and in the ſtone a new name written. The white ſtone ſignifies remiſſion; the new name ſignifies adoption; and the new name is put in the white ſtone, to ſhew that our Adoption is grounded upon our Juſtification; and this new name is written, to ſhew that God hath all the names of his children enrolled in the book of life.

2. The ſecond Royalty is, a giving the party adopted an intereſt in the inheritance. The making one an heir, implies a relation to an inheritance. A man doth not adopt another to a title, but an Eſtate; ſo God in adopting us for his children, gives us a glorious inheritance. p. 293Col. 1.12. The inheritance of the Saints in light.

1. 'Tis pleaſant, 'tis an inheritance in light.

2. 'Tis ſafe; God keeps the inheritance for his children. 1 Pet. 1.4. and keeps them for the inheritance; 1 Pet. 1.5. ſo that they cannot be hindered from taking poſſeſſion.

3. There is no diſinheriting; for the Saints are Coheirs with Chriſt, Rom. 8.15. Nay, they are members of Chriſt, Col. 1.18. The members cannot be diſinherited but the head muſt.

4. The heirs never dye; eternity is a jewel of their Crown. Revel. 22.5. They ſhall reign for ever and ever.

Before I paſs to the next, here a queſtion may ariſe, How Gods Adopting, and mans Adopting differ.

1. Man adopts to ſupply a defect, becauſe he hath no children of his own; but God doth not adopt upon this account; he had a Son of his own, the Lord Jeſus; he was his natural Son, and the Son of his love, teſtified by a voyce from heaven. Matth. 3. ult. This is my beloved Son: Never was there any Son ſo like the Father, he was his exact Effigies; Hebr. 1.3. The expreſs image of his perſon; he was ſuch a Son as was more worth than all the Angels in heaven. Hebr. 1.4. Being made ſo much better than the Angels; ſo that God adopts, not out of neceſſity, but pity.

2. When a man adopts, he adopts but one heir; but God adopts many. Hebr. 2.10. In bringing many ſons to glory. Oh may a poor trembling Chriſtian ſay, Why ſhould I ever look for this priviledge to be a childe of God! 'tis true, if God did do as a man, if he did only adopt one ſon, then thou mighteſt deſpair; but he adopts millions, he brings many ſons to glory; indeed this may be the reaſon why a man adopts but one, becauſe p. 294he hath not Eſtate enough for more; if he ſhould adopt many, his Land would not hold out; but God hath Land enough to give to all his children. John 14.2. In my Fathers houſe are many Manſions.

3. Man when he adopts, doth it with eaſe; 'tis but ſealing a Deed, and the thing is done; but when God adopts, it puts him to a far greater expence, it ſets his wiſdom on work to find out a way to adopt us; it was no eaſie thing to reconcile hell and heaven, to make the children of wrath, the children of the promiſe; and when God in his infinite wiſdom had found out a way, it was no eaſie way, it coſt God the death of his natural Son, to make us his adopted ſons. When God was about to conſtitute us ſons and heirs, he could not ſeal the Deed, but by the blood of his own Son; it did not coſt God ſo much to make us creatures, as to make us ſons: To make us creatures coſt but the ſpeaking of a word; to make us ſons coſt the effuſion of blood.

4. Man when he adopts, doth but ſettle earthly priviledges upon his heir; but God ſettles heavenly priviledges, Juſtification, Glorification. Men do but entail their Land upon the perſons they adopt; God doth more; he not only entails his Land upon his children, but he entails Himſelf upon them. Hebr. 8.10. I will be their God; not only heaven is their portion, but God is their portion.

2. Gods filiating or making of children, is by the infuſion of grace. When God makes any his children, he ſtamps his Image upon them; this is more than any man living can do; he may adopt another, but he cannot alter his diſpoſition; if he be of a moroſe rugged nature, he cannot alter it; but God in making of children, doth diſponere ad filiationem, he doth prepare and ſanctifie them for this priviledge; he changeth their diſpoſition, he files p. 295off the ruggedneſs of their nature, he makes them not only ſons, but Saints; they are of another ſpirit, Numb. 14.24. They become meek and humble, they are partakers of the divine nature, 2 Pet. 1.4.

SECT. 3.

Shewing how we come to be Gods children.

3. THE third thing is, How we come to be the 3children of God?

Anſw. There is a double cauſe of our filiation or childſhip.

1. The Cauſa foreign, or impulſive cauſe, is Gods foreign, his free-grace: We were Rebels and Traytors, and what could move God to make ſinners ſons, but free-grace? Epheſ. 1.5. Having predeſtinated us unto the Adoption of children, according to the good pleaſure of his will. Free-grace gave the caſting voyce; Adoption is a mercy ſpun out of the bowels of free-grace; it were much for God to take a clod of earth, and make it a Star; but it is more for God to take a piece of clay and ſin, and inſtate it into the glorious priviledge of ſon-ſhip. How will the Saints read over the Lectures of free-grace in heaven?

2. The Organical or Inſtrumental cauſe of our ſon-ſhip, is faith▪ Baptiſm doth not make us children, that is indeed a badge and livery, and gives us right to many external priviledges; but the thing which makes God take cognizance of us for children, is faith. Gal. 3.26. Ye are all the children of God by faith in Chriſt Jeſus. Before faith be wrought, we have nothing to do with God; we are (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks in another ſenſe) baſtards, and p. 296not ſons, Hebr. 12.7. An unbeliever may call God his Judge, but not his Father. Wicked men may draw near to God in Ordinances, and hope that God will be their Father; but while they are unbelievers, they are baſtards; and God will not Father them, but will lay them at the Divels door: Ye are the children of God by faith; faith doth legitimate us, it confers upon us the title of ſon-ſhip, and gives us right to inherit.

How then ſhould we labour for faith! without faith we are creatures, not children; without faith we are ſpiritually illegitimate; this word illegitimate, is

1. A term of infamy; ſuch as are illegitimate, are looked upon with diſgrace, we call them baſe-born; Thou who doſt ruffle it in thy ſilks and velvets, but art in the ſtate of nature, thou art illegitimate; God looks upon thee with an eye of ſcorn and contempt; thou art a vile perſon, a ſon of the earth, of the ſeed of the ſerpent; the Divel can ſhew as good a Coat of Armes as thou.

2. This word illegitimate imports infelicity and miſery. Perſons illegitimate cannot inherit legally; the Land goes only to ſuch as are lawful heirs; till we are the children of God, we have no right to heaven; and there is no way to be children but by faith; Ye are the children of God by faith.

Here two things are to be diſcuſſed.

1. What faith is.

2. Why faith makes us children.

1. What faith is: If faith doth inſtate us into ſon-ſhip, it concerns us to know what faith is. There is a two-fold faith.

1. A more lax, general faith. When we believe p. 297the truth of all that is revealed in the holy Scriptures, this is not the faith which doth priviledge us in ſonſhip; the Divels believe all the Articles in the Creed: 'Tis not the bare knowledge of a medicine, or believing the Soveraign vertue of it, will cure one that is ill. This general faith (ſo much cryed up by ſome) will not ſave; this a man may have, and yet not love God. He may believe that God will come to judge the quick and the dead, and hate him; as the priſoner believeth the Judges coming to the Aſſizes, and abhors the thoughts of him. Take heed of reſting in a general faith; you may have this, and be no better than Divels.

2. There is a ſpecial faith; fides quâ creditur; when we do not only believe the report we hear of Chriſt, but reſt upon him, embrace him, taking hold of the horns of this Altar, reſolving there to abide. In the body there are venae ſugentes, ſucking veins, which draw the meat into the ſtomack, and concoct it there: So faith is the ſucking veine, which draws Chriſt into the heart, and applies him there. This is the filiating faith; by this we are made the children of God; and wherever this faith is, it is not like phyſick in a dead mans mouth, but is exceeding operative, it obligeth to duty, it works by love, Gal. 5.6.

2. Why Faith makes us children? why not as well other graces, Repentance, Love, &c?

Anſw. 1. Becauſe Faith is inſtituted of God, and honoured to this work of making us children. Gods inſtitution gives Faith its value and validity; it is the Kings ſtamp makes the Coyne paſſe currant; if he would put his ſtamp upon braſs or leather, it would go as currant as ſilver. The great God hath authorized, and put the ſtamp of his inſtitution upon Faith, and that makes it paſs for currant, and gives it a priviledge above p. 298all the graces to make us children.

2. Faith makes us children, as it is the vital principle. Hab. 2.4. The juſt ſhall live by faith. All Gods children are living, none of them are ſtill-born; now by faith we live. As the heart is the primum vivens, the fountain of life in the body; ſo Faith is the fountain of life in the ſoul.

3. Faith makes us children, as it is the uniting grace; it knits us to Chriſt; the other graces cannot do this; by faith we are one with Chriſt, and ſo we are akin to God; being united to the Natural Son, we become adopted ſons: The Kindred comes in by Faith, God is the Father of Chriſt; Faith makes us Chriſts Brethren**Hebr. 2.11.Heb 2:11, and ſo God comes to be our Father.

SECT. 4.

Setting forth the ſigns of Gods children.

4. THE fourth particular to be diſcuſſed, is, To ſhew the ſigns of Gods children; it concerns us to know whoſe children we are.**Aut filii Dei, aut filii Diaboli. Aug. Auſtin ſaith, All mankind are divided into two Ranks; either they are the children of God, or the children of the Divel†.

11. The firſt ſign of our heavenly ſon-ſhip, is tenderneſs of heart. 2 Chron. 34.27. Becauſe thy heart was tender. A child-like heart is a render heart; he who before had a flinty, hath now a fleſhy heart: A tender heart is like melting wax to God, he may ſet what ſeal he will upon it; this tenderneſs of heart ſhews it ſelf three wayes.

1. A tender heart grieves for ſin; a child weeps for offending his father, Peter ſhewed a tender heart, when p. 299Chriſt looked upon him, and he remembred his ſin, he wept as a childe. Clemens Alexandrinus ſaith, he never heard a Cock crow, but he wept**Da mihi Domine, in hoc exilio, lachrymarum fontem quem ſuper omnem d…litiarum copiam …ſurio. Aug. l. de contrit. cord.: And ſome learned Writers tell us, that by much weeping there ſeemed to be as it were, Channels made in his bleſſed face. The leaſt hair makes the eye weep; the leaſt ſin makes the heart ſmite. Davids heart ſmote him when he cut off the Lap of King Sauls garment? What would it have done if he had cut off his head?

2. A tender heart melts under mercy: Though when God thunders by affliction, the rain of tears doth fall from a gracious eye, yet the heart is never ſo kindly diſſolved, as under the Sun-beams of Gods mercy; ſee how Davids heart was melted with Gods kindneſs. 2 Sam. 7.18. Who am I O Lord God, and what is my houſe, that thou haſt brought me hitherto? there was a gracious thaw upon his heart. So ſaith a childe of God, Lord, who am I? (a piece of duſt and ſin kneaded together) that the orient beams of free-grace ſhould ſhine upon me! Who am I, that thou ſhouldeſt pity me when I lay in my blood, and ſpread the golden wings of mercy over me! The ſoul is overcome with Gods goodneſs, the tears drop, the love flames; mercy hath a melting influence upon the ſoul.

3. A tender heart trembles under Gods threatnings, Pſalm 119.120. My fleſh trembleth for fear of thee, 2 Chron. 34.27. Becauſe thy heart was tender, and thou didſt humble thy ſelf before God, when thou heardſt his words againſt this place, and didſt rend thy clothes, &c. If the father be angry, the child trembles. When Miniſters denounce the menaces and threats of God againſt ſin, tender ſouls ſit in a trembling poſture; this frame of heart God delights in, Iſa. 66.2. To this man will I look, even to him that trembleth at my word; a wicked man p. 300like the Leviathan, is made without fear, Job 41.33. He neither believes the Promiſes, nor dreads the Threatnings; let judgement be denounced againſt ſin, he laughs at the ſhaking of a ſpear; he thinks either that God is ignorant and doth not ſee, or impotent and cannot puniſh; the mountains quake before the Lord, the hills melt, the rocks are thrown down by him, Nahum. 1.5. But the hearts of ſinners are more obdurate than the rocks; an hardned ſinner like Nebuchadnezzar, hath the heart of a beaſt given to him, Dan. 4.16. a child-like heart is a tender heart; the ſtone is taken away.

22. The ſecond ſigne of ſon-ſhip is Aſsimilation, Col. 3.10. Ye have put on the new man which is renewed af-the image of him that created him. foreign; the child reſembles the father; Gods children are like their heavenly Father, they bear his very image and impreſſe; wicked men ſay they are the children of God, but there is too great a diſſimilitude and unlikeneſſe; the Jews brag'd they were Abrahams children, but Chriſt diſproves them by this argument, becauſe they were not like him, John 8.40. Ye ſeek to kill me, a man that have told you the truth which I have heard of God; this did not Abraham. You Abrahams children, and go about to kill me! Abraham would not have murdered an innocent, you are more like Satan than Abraham, ver. 44. ye are of your father the Divel. Such as are proud, earthly, malitious, may ſay, our father which art in hell; 'tis blaſphemy to call God our Father, and make the Divel our Pattern. Gods children reſemble him in meekneſſe and holineſſe; they are his walking pictures; As the Seale ſtamps its print, and likeneſſe upon the Wax; ſo doth God ſtamp the print and effigies of his own beauty upon his children.

33. The third ſign of Gods children is, they have the Spirit of God. 'Tis called the Spirit of adoption, Rom. 8.15. ye have received the Spirit of adoption, &c.

p. 301Queſt. How ſhall we know that we have received the Spirit of adoption, and ſo are in the ſtate of adoption?

Anſw. The Spirit of God hath a three-fold work in them who are made children.

1. A Regenerating work.

2. A Supplicating work.

3. A Witneſſing work.

1. A Regenerating work; whomſoever the Spirit adopts, it regenerates; Gods children are ſaid to be born of the Spirit, John 3.5. Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God; we muſt firſt be born of the Spirit, before we are baptized with this new name of ſons and daughters; we are not Gods children by creation but renovation; not by our firſt birth, but our new-birth. This New-birth produced by the Word as the material cauſe**James 1.18.Jas 1:18, and by the Spirit as the efficient cauſe, is nothing elſe but a change of nature, Rom. 12.2. which though it be not a perfect change, yet is a thorow change, 1 Theſ. 5.23. This change of heart is as neceſſary**Generatus damnatus niſi regeneratus. Auſtin. as ſalvation.

Queſt. How ſhall we know that we have this regenerating work of the Spirit?

Anſw. Two wayes.

By the pangs.

By the products.

1. By the pangs; There are ſpiritual pangs before the new-birth; ſome bruiſings of ſoul; ſome groanings and cryings out, ſome ſtruglings in the heart between fleſh and ſpirit, Acts 2.37. they were prick'd at their heart; The child hath ſharp throws before the birth, ſo it is in the new-birth; I grant the new-birth doth recipere magis & p. 302minus; all have not the ſame pangs of humiliation; yet all have pangs; all feel the hammer of the Law upon their heart, though ſome are more bruiſed with this hammer than others; Gods Spirit is a Spirit of bondage, before it be a Spirit of adoption, Rom. 8.15. What then ſhall we ſay to thoſe who are as much to ſeek about the new-birth as Nicodemus! John 3.4. How can a man be born when he is old, &c? The new-birth is ludibrium impiis, though it be grande myſterium piis; ſome thank God they never had any trouble of ſpirit, they were alwayes quiet. Theſe bleſſe God for the greateſt curſe; it is a ſigne they are not Gods children; the child of grace is alwayes born with pangs.

2. The new-birth is known by the Products, which are three.

1. Senſibility. The infant that is new-born, is ſenſible of the leaſt touch; If the Spirit hath regenerated thee, thou art ſenſible of the ebullitions and firſt riſings of ſin, which before thou didſt not perceive. Paul cries out of the law in his members, Rom. 7.23. The new-born Saint ſees ſin in the root.

2. Circumſpection. He who is born of the Spirit is careful to preſerve grace; he plies the breaſt of Ordinances, 1 Pet. 1.2. he is fearful of that which may endanger his ſpiritual life, 1 John 5.18. he lives by faith, yet paſſeth the time of his ſojourning in fear, 1 Pet. 1.17. This is the firſt work of the Spirit in them who are made children, a regenerating work.

3. The Spirit of God hath a ſupplicating work in the heart: The ſpirit of adoption is a ſpirit of ſupplication, Rom. 8.15. Ye have received the ſpirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father. While the child is in the womb it cannot cry: while men lie in the womb of their natural eſtate, they cannot pray effectually, but when they are p. 303born of the Spirit, then they cry Abba Father. Prayer is nothing elſe but the ſouls breathing it ſelf into the boſome of its Father. 'Tis a ſweet and familiar intercourſe with God; as ſoon us ever the Spirit of God comes into the heart, it ſets it a praying; no ſooner was Paul converted, but the next word is, behold he prayeth **Implet Spiritus Sanctus organum ſuum & tanquam filia chordarum, tangit digitus Dei corda Sanctorum▪ Proſper in Epiſt., Acts 9.11. It is reported in the life of Luther, when he prayed, it was with ſo much reverence as if he were praying to God, and with ſo much boldneſſe, as if he had been ſpeaking to his friend**Theodor. in vit. Luth. p. 142.. And Euſebius reports of Conſtantine the Emperour, that everyday he uſed to ſhut up himſelf in ſome ſecret place in his Palace, and there on bended knees did make his devour prayers and ſoliloquies to God; Gods Spirit tunes the ſtrings of the affections, and then we make melody in prayer. For any to ſay in deriſion, you pray by the Spirit, is a blaſphemy againſt the Spirit: it is a main work of the Spirit of God in the hearts of his children to help them to pray, Gal. 4.6. Becauſe you are ſons, God hath ſent the ſpirit of his Son into your hearts, Crying, Abba Father.

Queſt. But many of the children of God have not ſuch abilities to expreſſe themſelves in prayer; how then doth the Spirit help their infirmities.

Anſw. Though they have not alwayes the gifts of the Spirit in prayer, yet they have the groans of the Spirit, Rom. 8.26. Gifts are the Ornament of prayer, but not the life of prayer. A carcaſs may be hung with jewels. Though the Spirit may deny fluency of ſpeech, yet it gives fervency of deſire, and ſuch prayers are moſt prevalent. The prayers which the Spirit indites in the hearts of Gods children, have theſe three-fold qualifications.

1. The prayers of Gods children are believing prayers: Prayer is the key, Faith is the hand that turns it; Faith feathers the Arrow of prayer, and makes it pierce p. 304the Throne of grace. Matth. 21.22. Whatever you ſhall ask in prayer believing, ye ſhall receive. Whereupon ſaith Hierom **Non orarem, niſi crederem., I would not preſume to pray, unleſs I bring faith along with me; to pray, and not believe, is (as one ſaith) a kind of jeer offered to God**Irriſio Dei eſt. Pelican.; as if we thought either he did not hear, or he would not grant.

That Faith may be animated in prayer, we muſt bring Chriſt in our Arms when we appear before God. 1 Sam. 7.9. And Samuel took a ſucking Lamb, and offered it for a burnt-offering, and Samuel cryed unto the Lord for Iſrael, and the Lord heard him; this ſucking Lamb typified Chriſt. When we come to God in prayer, we muſt bring the Lamb Chriſt along with us. Themiſtocles carried the Kings ſon in his Arms, and ſo pacified the King when he was angry**Thucyd.; the children of God preſent Chriſt in the Arms of their Faith.

2. The prayers of Gods children indited by the Spirit, are ardent prayers. Ye have received the Spirit, whereby we cry Abba, Father, Rom. 8.15. Father, that implies Faith; we cry, that implies fervency. The incenſe was to be laid upon burning coals, Lev. 16.12. The incenſe was a type of prayer; the burning coals of ardency in prayer: Elias prayed earneſtly, Jam. 5.17. In the Greek it is foreign,Verbis addita verbalia apud Hebraeus vehementiam ſignificant. Grot., IN PRAYING HE PRAYED; that is, he did it with vehemency†; in prayer the heart muſt boyle over with heat of affection: Prayer is compared to groans unutterable **Rom. 8.26.Rom 8:26, it alludes to a woman that is in pangs. We ſhould be in pangs when we are travelling for mercy; ſuch prayer commands God himſelf, Iſa. 45.11.

3. The prayers of Gods children are heart-cleanſing prayers, they purge out ſin; many pray againſt ſin, and ſin againſt prayer; Gods children do not only pray againſt ſin, but pray down ſin.

p. 3053. The Spirit of God hath a witneſsing work in the 3heart; Gods children have not only the influence of the Spirit, but the witneſs. Rom. 8.16. The Spirit itſelf beareth witneſs with our ſpirit, that we are the children of God. There is a three-fold witneſs a child of God hath; the witneſs of the Word, the witneſs of Conſcience, the witneſs of the Spirit; the Word makes the major Propoſition; He who is in ſuch a manner qualified, is a childe of God. Conſcience makes the minor; but Thou art ſo divinely qualified; the Spirit makes the concluſion, therefore Thou art a child of God; The Spirit joyns with the witneſs of Conſcience. Rom. 8.16. The Spirit witneſſeth with our ſpirits: The Spirit teacheth Conſcience to ſearch the Records of Scripture, and finde its evidences for heaven, it helps conſcience to ſpell out its name in a promiſe; it bears witneſs with our ſpirit.

Queſt. Queſt. But how ſhall I know the witneſs of the Spirit from a deluſion?

Anſw. Anſw. The Spirit of God always witneſſeth according to the Word, as the Eccho anſwers the voyce. Enthuſiaſts ſpeak much of the Spirit, but they leave the Word: That inſpiration which is either without the Word, or againſt it, is an impoſture. The Spirit of God did indite the Word, 2 Pet. 1.21. Now if the Sp…rit ſhould witneſs otherwiſe than according to the Word, the Spirit ſhould be divided againſt it ſelf, it ſhould be a ſpirit of contradiction, witneſſing one thing for a truth in the Word, and another thing different from it in a mans conſcience.

4. The fourth ſign of Gods children, is, Zeal for 4God; they are zealous for his Day, his Truth, his Glory; they who are born of God, are impatient of his diſhonour. Moſes was cool in his own cauſe, but hot in Gods; when the people of Iſrael had wrought folly in p. 306the golden Calf, he breaks the Tables: When Saint Paul ſaw the people of Athens given to Idolatry, his ſpirit was ſtirred in him, Acts 17.16. In the Greek it is foreign, his ſpirit was imbittered, or as the word may ſignifie, he was in a Paroxyſme, or burning fit of zeal. He could not contain, but with this fire of zeal diſchargeth againſt their ſin. As we ſhall anſwer for idle words, ſo for ſinful ſilence; it is dangerous in this ſenſe to be poſſeſſed with a dumb Divel. David ſaith, the zeal of Gods houſe had eaten him up, Pſal. 69.9. Many Chriſtians whoſe zeal once had almoſt eaten them up, now they have eaten up their zeal; they are grown tepid and neutral; the breath of preferment blowing upon them, hath cooled their heat: I can never believe that he hath the heart of a childe in him, that can be patient when Gods glory ſuffers. Can an ingenuous childe endure to hear his father reproached? though we ſhould be ſilent under Gods diſpleaſure, yet not under his diſhonour: When there is an holy fire kindled in the heart, it will break forth at the lips; zeal tempered with holineſs, is the white and ſanguine, which gives the foul its beſt complexion.

Of all others, let Miniſters be impatient when Gods glory is impeached and eclipſed. A Miniſter without zeal, is like ſalt that hath loſt its ſavour. Zeal will make men take injuries done to God, as done to themſelves: It is reported of Chryſoſtom, that he reproved any ſin againſt God, as if he himſelf had received a perſonal wrong**foreign.. Let not Miniſters be either ſhaken with fear, or ſeduced with flattery; God never made Miniſters to be as falſe glaſſes, to make bad faces look fair; for want of this fire of zeal, they are in danger of another fire, even the burning lake, Rev. 21.8. into which the fearful ſhall be caſt.

55. Thoſe who are Gods children, and are born of p. 307God, are of a more noble and celeſtial ſpirit than men of the world; they minde foreign, things above **Col. 3.2.Col 3:2: 1 John 5.4. Whatſoever is born of God, foreign, overcometh the world. The children of God live in an higher Region, they are compared to Eagles, Iſa. 40.31. in regard of their ſublimeneſs and heavenly-mindedneſs; their ſouls are fled aloft, Chriſt is in their heart. Col. 1.27. and the world is under their feet, Rev. 12.1. Men of the world are ever tumbling in thick clay; they are terrae filii; not Eagles, but Earth-worms; the Saints are of another ſpirit, they are born of God, and walk with God, as the childe walks with the father. Noah walked with God, Gen. 6.9. Gods children ſhew their high Pedigree in their heavenly Converſation, Phil. 3.21.

6. Another ſign of Adoption, is love to them that 6are children. Gods children are knit together with the bond of love; as all the members of the body are knit together by ſeveral nerves and ligaments: If we are born of God, then we love the brotherhood, 1 Pet. 2.17. Idem eſt motus animae in imaginem & rem; he that loves the perſon, loves the picture: The children of God are his walking pictures; and if we are of God, we love thoſe who have his Effigies and Pourtraiture drawn upon their ſouls: If we are born of God, we love the Saints notwithſtanding their infirmities; Children love one another, though they have ſome imperfections of nature, a ſquint-eye, or a crooked back. We love gold in the Oar, though it have ſome droſſineſs in it; the beſt Saints have their blemiſhes: We read of the ſpot of Gods children, Deutr. 32.5. A Saint in this life, is like a fair face with a ſcar in it: If we are born of God, we love his children though they are poor; we love to ſee the image and picture of our father, though hung in never ſo poor a p. 308Frame; we love to ſee a rich Chriſt in a poor man.

And if we are children of the Higheſt, we ſhew our love to Gods children,

1. By prizing their perſons above others: He who is born of God, honoureth them that fear the Lord, Pſal. 15.4. The Saints are the dearly beloved of Gods ſoul, Jerem. 12.7. They are his jewels, Mal. 3.17. They are of the true blood-royal; and he who is divinely adopted, ſets an higher eſtimate upon theſe, than upon others.

2. We ſhew our love to the children of God, by prizing their company above others. Children love to aſſociate and be together; the communion of Saints is precious. Chriſts Doves will flock together in company; pares cum paribus, &c. Pſal. 119.63. I am a companion of all them that fear thee; though a childe of God is courteous to all**1 Pet. 3.8.1 Pet 3:8; We read that Abraham bowed himſelf to the children of Heth, Gen. 23.7. A childe of God hath a love of civility to all, but a love of complacency only to ſuch as are fellow-heirs with him of the ſame inheritance.

By this perſons may try their Adoption; it appears plainly that they are not the children of God, who hate thoſe that are born of God; they ſoile and black the ſilver wings of Chriſts Doves, by their aſperſive reproaches; they cannot endure the ſociety of the Saints. As Vultures hate ſweet ſmells, and are killed with them; ſo the wicked love not to come near the godly, they cannot abide the precious perfume of their graces; they hate theſe ſweet ſmells; it is a ſign they are of the Serpents brood, who hate the ſeed of the woman.

77. The ſeventh ſign of Gods children, is, to delight to be much in Gods preſence. Children love to be in p. 309the preſence of their father; where the King is, there is the Court; where the preſence of God is, there is Heaven; God is in a ſpecial manner preſent in his Ordinances, they are the Ark of his preſence: Now if we are children, we love to be much in holy duties; in the uſe of Ordinances we draw near to God, we come into our Fathers preſence; in prayer we have ſecret conference with God; the ſoul while it is praying, is as it were parlying with God. In the Word we hear God ſpeaking from heaven to us; and how doth every childe of God delight to hear his Fathers voyce! In the Sacrament God kiſſeth his children with the kiſſes of his lips; he gives them a ſmile of his face, and a privy-ſeal of his love; oh it is good to draw near to God, Pſal. 73.28. It is ſweet being in his preſence; every true child of God ſaith, a day in thy Courts is better than a thouſand, Pſal. 84.10. Slighters of Ordinances are none of Gods children, becauſe they care not to be in his preſence; they love the Tavern better than the Temple. Cain went out from the preſence of the Lord, Gen. 4.16. not that he could go out of Gods ſight, Pſal. 139.7. but the meaning is, Cain went from the Church of God, where the Lord gave viſible ſigns of his preſence to his people.

8. The eighth ſign, is, compliance with the will of 8our heavenly Father. A child-like heart anſwers to Gods call, as the eccho anſwers to the voyce; it is like the flower that opens and ſhuts with the Sun; ſo it opens to God, and ſhuts to Tentation; this is the Motto of a new-born Saint, Speak Lord, thy ſervant hears, 1 Sam. 3.9. When God bids his children pray in their Cloſets, mortifie ſin, ſuffer for his Name, they are ambitious to obey, they will lay down their lives at their Fathers call. Hypocrites court God, and ſpeak him fair, but refuſe to go on his errand; they are not children, but rebels.

p. 31099. The laſt ſign is, He who is a childe of God, will labour to make others the children of God; the holy ſeed of grace propagates, Gal. 4.19. Phil…m. 10. He who is of the ſeed-Royal, will be ambitiouſly deſirous to bring others into the Kindred. Art thou divinely adopted, thou wilt ſtudiouſly endeavour to make thy childe a childe of the moſt High. There are two Reaſons why a godly parent will endeavour to bring his childe into the heavenly Kindred.

1. Out of conſcience: A good parent ſees the injury he hath done his childe; he hath conveyed the plague of ſin to him, and in conſcience he will endeavour to make ſome recompence: In the old Law, he that had ſmitten and wounded another, was bound to ſee him healed, and pay for his cure. Parents have given their children a wound in their ſouls, and therefore muſt do what in them lies, by admonition, prayers, tears, to ſee the wound healed.

2. Out of a flaming zeal to the honour of God. He who hath taſted Gods love in Adoption, looks upon himſelf as engaged to bring God all the glory he can; if he hath a childe, or acquaintance that are ſtrangers to God, he would gladly promote the work of grace in their hearts; it is a glory to Chriſt, when multitudes are born to him.

How far are they from being Gods children, who have no care to bring others into the Family of God! Too blame are thoſe Maſters, who mind more their ſervants work, than their ſouls; too blame are thoſe parents, who are regardleſs of their children; they do not drop in principles of knowledge into them, but ſuffer them to have their head; they will let them lye and ſwear, but not ask bleſſing; read Play-books, but not Scripture.

Object. 1 Object. 1. But ſay ſome, to chatechiſe and teach our p. 311children, is to take Gods name in vain.

Anſw. 1. Is the fulfilling Gods command taking Anſw. 1 his name in vain? Deut. 6.6, 7. Theſe words which I command thee this day, thou ſhalt teach them diligently to thy children. Prov. 22.6. Train up a childe in the way he ſhould go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. Epheſ. 6.4. Ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. This three-fold cord of Scripture is not eaſily broken.

2. The Saints of old were continually grafting principles Anſw. 2 of holy knowledge in their children. Gen. 18.19. I know that Abraham will command his children, and they ſhall keep the way of the Lord. 1 Chron. 28.9. And thou Solomon my ſon, know thou the God of thy Father, and ſerve him with a perfect heart. Sure Abraham and David did not take Gods name in vain. What need is there of inſtilling holy inſtructions to over-top the poyſonful weeds of ſin that grow? as Husbandmen, when they have planted young Trees, they ſet ſtayes to them,**Ut Agricolae ſti…pibus pedimenta apponunt. to keep them from bending. Children are young Plants; the heavenly precepts of their parents are like ſtayes ſet about them, to keep them from bending to errour and and profaneſs; when can there be a fitter ſeaſon to diſſeminate and infuſe knowledge into children, than in their minority? Now is a time to give them the breaſt, and let them ſuck in the ſincere milk of the Word, 1 Pet. 2.2.

2. But it is to no purpoſe to teach our children the Object. 2 knowledge of God; they have no ſenſe of ſpiritual things, nor are they the better for our inſtructions.

1. We read in Scripture of children, who by vertue Anſw. 1 of inſtruction, have had their tender years ſanctified: Timothies Mother and Grand-mother taught him the Scriptures from his Cradle, 2 Tim. 3.15. And that foreign, p. 312from a child thou haſt known the holy Scriptures. Timothy ſucked in Religion as it were with his milk; we read of young children who cried Hoſanna to Chriſt, and did trumpet forth his praiſes, Matth. 21.15. And ſure thoſe children of Tyre had ſome ſeeds of good wrought in them, in that they ſhewed their love to Paul, and would help him on his way to Sea-ſhoar. Acts 21.5. They all brought us on our way, with wives and children. Saint Paul had a Convoy of young Saints to bring him to take ſhip.

Anſw. 2 2. Suppoſe our counſel and inſtruction doth not at preſent prevail with our children, it may afterwards take effect. The ſeed a man ſowes in his ground, doth not preſently ſpring up, but in its ſeaſon it brings forth a crop; he that plants a Wood, doth not ſee the full growth till many years after: If we muſt not inſtruct our children, becauſe at preſent they reap not the benefit; by the ſame reaſon we ſhould not baptize our children, becauſe at preſent they have not the ſenſe of baptiſme; nay, by the ſame reaſon Miniſters ſhould not preach the Word, becauſe at preſent many of their hearers have no benefit.

Anſw. 3 3. If our counſels and admonitions prevail not with our children, yet we have delivered our own ſouls. There is comfort in the diſcharge of conſcience, we muſt let alone iſſues and events; duty is our work, ſucceſs is Gods.

All which conſidered, ſhould make parents whet holy inſtructions upon their children; they who are of the Family of God, and whom he hath adopted for children, will endeavour that their children may be more Gods children than theirs; they will travail in birth till Chriſt be formed in them. A true Saint is a load-ſtone that will be ſtill drawing others to God: Let this ſuffice to have ſpoken of the ſigns of Adoption. I proceed.

p. 313SECT. 5.

Diſcovering Gods love in making us children.

THE next particular to be diſcuſſed, is the love of God in making us children. 1 John 3.1. Behold what manner of love the Father hath beſtowed upon us, that we ſhould be called the ſons of God! God ſhewed power in making us creatures, but love in making us ſons. Plato gave God thanks that he had made him a man, and not a beaſt; but what cauſe have they to adore Gods love, who hath made them children? the Apoſtle puts an ecce to it, behold! **O aeterna & vera charitas! Aug.That we may the better behold Gods love in making us children, conſider three things.

1. We were deformed. Ezek. 16.6, 8. When I paſsed by thee, and ſaw thee polluted in thine own blood, it was the time of love. Mordecai adopted Eſther becauſe ſhe was fair; but we were in our blood, and then God adopted us; he did not adopt us when we were cloathed with the Robe of innocency in Paradiſe, when we were hung with the jewels of holineſs, and were white and ruddy; but when we were in our blood, and had our leprous ſpots upon us; the time of our loathing, was the time of Gods loving.

2. As we did not deſerve to be made children, ſo neither did we deſire it. No landed man will force another to become his heir againſt his will; if a King ſhould go to adopt a beggar, and make him heir of the Crown; if the beggar ſhould refuſe the Kings favour, and ſay, I had rather be as I am, I would be a beggar ſtill; the King would take it in high contempt of his favour, and would not adopt him againſt his will. Thus it was with us, we p. 314had no foreign, or willingneſs to be made children; we would have been begging ſtill, but God out of his infinite mercy and indulgence, not only offers to make us children, but makes us willing to embrace the offer**Pſal. 110.3.Ps 110:3: Behold what manner of love is this!

3. Which is the wonder of love that God ſhould adopt us for his children when we were enemies. If a man would make another heir of his Land, he would adopt one that is near akin to him, no man would adopt an enemy; but that God ſhould make us children when we were enemies; that he ſhould make us heirs to the Crown, when we were Traytors to the Crown; oh amazing, aſtoniſhing love! Behold what manner of love is this! We were not akin to God, we had by ſin loſt and forfeited our Pedigree; we had done God all the injury and ſpight we could, defac'd his image, violated his Law, trampled upon his mercies, and when we had angered him, he adopted us: What ſtupendious love was this, ſuch love was never ſhewn to the Angels! when they fell (though they were of a more noble nature, and in probability might have done God more ſervice than we can, yet) God never vouchſafed this priviledge of Adoption to them; he did not make them children, but priſoners; they were heirs only to the treaſures of wrath **Rom. 2.5.Rom 2:5.

Uſe. Let all who are thus nearly related to God, ſtand admiring his love; when they were like Saul, breathing forth enmity againſt God; when their hearts ſtood out as Garriſons againſt him, the Lord conquered their ſtubborneſs with kindneſs, and not only pardoned, but adopted them; 'tis hard to ſay which is greater, the myſtery or the mercy; this is ſuch amazing love, as we ſhall be ſearching into, and adoring to all eternity; the bottom of it cannot be fathomed by any Angel in heaven; Gods love in making us children, is,

p. 3151. A rich love; it is love in God to feed us, but it is rich love to adopt us; it is love to give us a Crumb, but it is rich love to make us heirs to a Crown.

2. It is a diſtinguiſhing love; that when God hath paſſed by ſo many millions, he ſhould caſt a favourable aſpect upon thee! moſt are cut out for fuel, and are made Veſſels of wrath; and that God ſhould ſay to thee, Thou art my ſon, here's the mirrour of mercy, the meridian of love! Who, O who can tread upon theſe hot coals, and his heart not burn in love to God?

SECT. 6.

Declaring the honour of Gods children.

6. THE ſixth particular is, the honour and renown 6of Gods children; for the illuſtration of this obſerve two things.

1. God makes a precious account of them.

2. He looks upon them as perſons of honour.

1. God makes a precious account of them. Iſa. 43.4. Since thou waſt precious in my ſight, &c. A father prizeth his childe above his Eſtate: How dearly did Jacob prize Benjamin! his life was bound up in the life of the Lad, Gen. 44.30. God makes a precious valuation of his children; the wicked are of no account with God, they are vile perſons, Nahum. 1.14. I will make thy grave, for thou art vile; therefore the wicked are compared to chaffe, Pſal. 1.4. to droſs, Pſal. 119.119. There is little uſe of a wicked man while he lives, and no loſs of him when he dies; there is only a little chaffe blown away, p. 316which may well be ſpared: But Gods children are precious in his ſight, they are his jewels, Mal. 3.17. The wicked are but lumber, which ſerves only to cumber the ground; but Gods children are his jewels, locked up in the Cabinet of his Decree from all eternity. Gods children are the apple of his eye, Zach. 2.8. very dear and tender to him, and the eye-lid of his ſpecial Providence doth cover them; the Lord accounts every thing of his children precious.

1. Their name is precious; the wicked do leave their name for a curſe, Iſa. 65.15. The names of Gods children are embalmed, Iſa. 60.15. So precious are their names, that God enters them down in the book of life, and Chriſt carries them on his breaſt. How precious muſt their name needs be, who have Gods own Name written upon them? Rev. 3.12. Him that overcometh, I will write upon him the Name of my God.

2. Their prayers are precious. Cant. 2.14. O my Dove, in the clifts of the Rock, let me hear thy voyce, for ſweet is thy voyce. Every childe of God is this Dove; prayer is the voyce of the Dove, and ſweet is this voyce: The prayer of Gods children is as ſweet to him as Muſick; a wicked mans prayer is as the howling of a Dog, Hoſea 7.14. The prayer of the Saints, is as the ſinging of the Bird; the finger of Gods Spirit touching the Luteſtrings of their hearts, they make melody to the Lord. Iſa. 56.7. Their ſacrifices ſhall be accepted upon mine Altar.

3. Their tears are precious, they drop as pearls from their eyes. I have ſeen thy tears, Iſa. 38.5. The tears of Gods children drop as precious wine into Gods bottle: Pſal. 56.8. Put thou my tears into thy bottle. A tear from a broken heart, is a Preſent for the King of heaven.

p. 3174. Their BLOOD is precious, Pſal. 116.15. Precious in the ſight of the Lord is the death of his Saints. This is the blood God will chiefly make inquiſition for: Athaliah ſhed the blood of the Kings children, 2 Kings 11.1. The Saints are the children of the moſt High, and ſuch as ſhed their blood, ſhall pay dear for it. Rev. 16.6. Thou haſt given them blood to drink, for they are worthy.

2. God looks upon his children as perſons of honour. Iſa. 43.4. Since thou waſt precious in my ſight, thou haſt been honourable, &c.

1. God eſteems them honourable, he calls them a Crown, and a Royal Diadem, Iſa. 62.3. He calls them his glory, Iſa. 46.13. Iſrael my glory.

2. God makes them honourable; as a King creates Dukes, Marqueſſes, Earles, Barons, &c. ſo God inſtalls his children into honour; he creates them noble perſons, perſons of Renown. David thought it no ſmall honour to be the Kings ſon-in-law; 1 Sam. 18.18. Who am I, that I ſhould be ſon-in-law to the King? What an infinite honour is it to be the children of the High God, to be of the blood-royal of heaven? The Saints are of an Ancient Family, they are ſprung from the Ancient of dayes, Dan. 7.9. That is the beſt Pedigree which is fetched from heaven; here the youngeſt childe is an heir, a co-heir with Chriſt, who is heir of all, Hebr. 1.2. Rom. 8.17.

Conſider the honour of Gods children.

1. Poſitively.

2. Comparatively.

1. Poſitively.

1. They have the titles of honour, they are called Kings, Rev. 1.6. The excellent of the Earth. Pſal. 16.2. Veſsels of honour, 2 Tim. 2.21.

p. 3182. They have their Scutchion; you may ſee the Saints Scutchion or Coat-Armour, the Scripture hath ſet forth their Heraldry; ſometimes they give the Lyon, in regard of their courage, Prov. 1.28. Sometimes they give the Eagle, in regard of their ſublimeneſs; they are ever flying up to heaven upon the two wings of faith and love. Iſa. 40.31. They ſhall mount up with wings as Eagles; ſometimes they give the Dove, in regard of their meekneſs and innocency, Cant. 2.14. This ſhews the children of God to be perſons of Renown.

2. Conſider the honour of Gods children comparatively; and this compariſon is double.

Compare the chidren of God

1. With Adam.

2. With the Angels.

1. Compare the children of God with Adam in a ſtate of innocency. Adam was a perſon of honour, he was the ſole Monarch of the World; all the creatures did vail to him as their Soveraign; he was placed in the garden of Eden, which was a Paradiſe of pleaſure; he was crowned with all the contentments of the Earth; nay more, Adam was Gods lively picture, he was made in the likeneſs of God himſelf; yet the ſtate of the meaneſt of Gods children by Adoption, is far more excellent and honourable than the ſtate of Adam was, when he wore the Robe of innocency; for Adams condition, though it was glorious, yet mutable, and was ſoon loſt; Adam was a bright ſtar, yet a falling ſtar; but Gods children by Adoption, are in a ſtate unalterable. Adam had a poſſe non peccare, a poſſibility of ſtanding; but believers have a non poſſe peccare, an impoſſibility of falling; once adopted, and ever adopted; as Iſaac ſaid, when he had given the bleſſing to Jacob, I have bleſſed him, and he ſhall be bleſſed, Gen▪ 27.33. So may we ſay of all Gods children, p. 319they are adopted, and they ſhall be adopted; ſo that Gods children are in a better and more glorious condition now, than Adam was in all his Regal Honour and Majeſty.

2. Let us aſcend as high as heaven, and compare Gods children with the glorious and bleſſed Angels; Gods children are equal to the Angels, in ſome ſenſe above them, and then ſure they muſt needs be perſons of honour.

1. Gods children are equal to the Angels; this is acknowledged by ſome of the Angels themſelves. Rev. 19.10. I am thy fellow-ſervant; here is a Parallel made between John the Divine, and the Angel; the Angel ſaith to John, foreign, I am thy fellow-ſervant.

2. The children of God by Adoption, are in ſome ſenſe above the Angels, and that two wayes.

1. The Angels are ſervants to Gods children. Hebr. 1.14. Though they are glorious ſpirits, yet miniſtring ſpirits. The Angels are the Saints ſervitors; we have examples in Scripture of Angels attending the perſons of Gods children; we read of Angels waiting upon Abraham, Moſes, Daniel, the Virgin Mary, &c. Nor do the Angels only ſervice to Gods children while they live, but at their death too. Lazarus had a Convoy of Angels to carry him into the Paradiſe of God; thus we ſee the children of God have a preheminence and dignity above the Angels; the Angels are their ſervants both living and dying and this is the more to be obſerved, becauſe it is never ſaid in Scripture that the children of God are ſervants to the Angels.

2. Gods children are above the Angels, becauſe Chriſt by taking their nature, hath ennobled and honoured it above the Angelical**Naturam humanam nobilitavit. Aug.. Hebr. 2.16. He in no p. 320wiſe took the nature of Angels. God by uniting us to Chriſt, hath made us nearer to himſelf than the Angels; the children of God are members of Chriſt, Eph. 5.30. This was never ſaid of the Angels; how can they be the members of Chriſt, who are of a different nature from him? Indeed Metaphorically and improperly Chriſt may be called the head of the Angels, as they are ſubject to him, 1 Pet. 3.22. But that Chriſt is head of the Angels in that near and ſweet conjunction, as he is the head of believers, we nowhere finde in Scripture; in this reſpect therefore I may clearly aſſert the children of God have a ſuperiority and honour even above the Angels; though by Creation they are a little lower than the Angels, yet by Adoption, and Myſtical Union, they are above the Angels.

Uſe. How may this comfort a childe of God in midſt either of calumny or penury! he is a perſon of honour, he is above the Angels. A Gentleman that is fallen to decay, will ſometimes boaſt of his Parentage and Noble blood; ſo a Chriſtian who is poor in the world, yet by vertue of his Adoption, he is of the Family of God, he hath the true blood-royal running in his veins, he hath a fairer Coat of Arms to ſhew than the Angels themſelves.

SECT. 7.

The high priviledges of Gods children.

77. THE ſeventh particular to be explained, is, To ſhew the glorious priviledges of Gods children; and what I ſhall ſay now, belongs not to the wicked; it is Childrens bread: The fruit of Paradiſe was to be kept p. 321with a flaming Sword; ſo theſe ſweet and heart-raviſhing priviledges are to be kept with a flaming Sword, that impure ſenſual perſons may not touch them. There are twelve rare Priviledges which belong to the children of God.

1. If we are children, then God will be full of tender Privi∣ledge. 1 love and affection towards us; a father compaſſionates his childe. Pſal. 103.13. Like as a father pitieth his children, ſo the Lord pitieth them that fear him. Oh the yearning of Gods bowels to his children! Jer. 31.20. Is Ephraim my dear ſon? Is he a pleaſant childe? my bowels are troubled for him, I will ſurely have mercy upon him, ſaith the Lord. Towards the wicked Gods wrath is kindled, Pſal. 2.12. Towards them that are children, Gods repentings are kindled, Hoſea 11.8. Mercy and pity doth as naturally flow from our heavenly Father, as light doth from the Sun.

Object. 1. But God is angry, and writes bitter Object. 1 things; how doth this ſtand with love?

Anſw. Gods love and his anger towards his children, Anſw. are not oppoſita, but diverſa; they may ſtand together, he is angry in love. Rev. 3.19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chaſten; we have as much need of afflictions as Ordinances: A bitter Pill may be as needful for preſerving health as a Julip or Cordial. God afflicts with the ſame love as he adopts; God is moſt angry, when he is not angry †; his hand is heavieſt when it is lighteſt**Deus iraſcitur, cum non iraſcitur. Bern.; affliction is an argument of ſon-ſhip. Heb. 12.7. If you endure chaſtening, God dealeth with you as with ſons. Oh ſaith one,**Hoſ. 4.14.Hos 4:14 ſure God doth not love me, I am none of his childe, becauſe he doth follow me with ſuch ſore afflictions: Why, it is a ſign of childſhip to be ſometimes under the Rod; God had one ſon without ſin, but no ſon without ſtripes; God puts his children to the School of the Croſs, and p. 322there they learn beſt**Correctio eſt effica… virtutis gymnaſium.. God ſpeaks to us in the Word, Children be not proud, do not love the world, walk circumſpectly **Epheſ. 5.15.Eph 5:15: But we are dull of hearing; nay, we ſtop the ear: Jer. 22.21. I ſpake to thee in thy proſperity, but thou ſaidſt I will not hear. Now ſaith God, I ſhall loſe my childe if I do not correct him; then God in love ſmites, that he may ſave; Ariſtotle ſpeaks of a Bird that lives among Thorns, yet ſings ſweetly; Gods children make the beſt melody in their heart, when God hedgeth their way with thorns, Hoſ. 2.14. Afflictions are refining: Prov. 17.3. The fining pot is for ſilver, and the furnace for gold **foreign. Chryſoſt.. Fiery Trials make golden Chriſtians; afflictions are purifying. Dan. 12.10. Many ſhall be tryed, and made white. We think God is going to deſtroy us, but he only layes us a whitening: Some Birds will not hatch but in time of thunder. Chriſtians are commonly beſt in affliction; God will make his children at laſt bleſs him for ſufferings; the eyes that ſin ſhuts, affliction opens**Oculos quos peccatum cl…u dit, plena aperi….; when Manaſseh was in chains, then he knew the Lord was God, 2 Chron. 33.13. Afflictions fit for heaven firſt; the ſtones in Solomons Temple were hewen and poliſhed, and then ſet up into a bu…lding. Firſt the Saints (who are called lively ſtones **1 Pet. 2.5.1 Pet 2:5) muſt be hewen and carved by ſufferings, as the corner ſtone was, and ſo made meet**Col. 1.12.Col 1:12 for the celeſtial building; and is there not love in all Gods fatherly caſtigations?

Object. 2 Object. 2. But ſometimes Gods children are under the black clouds of deſertion; is not this far from love?

Concerning deſertion, I muſt needs ſay this is the ſaddeſt condition that …an betide Gods children; when the Sun is gone, the Dew falls; when the Sun-light of Gods countenance is removed, then the Dew of tears falls from the eyes of the Saints. In deſertion God rains hell out p. 323of heaven (to uſe Calvins expreſſion;) The arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poyſon whereof drinketh up my ſpirits, Job. 6.4. This is the poyſoned arrow that wounds to the heart. Deſertion is a taſte of the torments of the damned. God ſaith, in a little wrath I hid my face from thee, Iſa. 54.8. I may here gloſſe with Saint Bernard, Modicum illud vocas Domine? Lord doſt thou call that a little wrath when thou hideſt thy face? is it but a little? What can be more bitter to me than the eclipſing of thy face? God is in Scripture called a light and a fire; the deſerted ſoul feels the fire, but doth not ſee the light. But yet, thou who art adopted mayeſt ſpell love in all this. They ſay of Hercules his club, that it was made of the wood of Olive; the Olive is an emblem of peace; ſo Gods club whereby he beats down the ſoul in deſertion, hath ſomething of the Olive; there is Peace and Mercy in it. I ſhall hold forth a ſpiritual Rain-bow, wherein the children of God may ſee the love of their Father in the midſt of the clouds of deſertion. Therefore I anſwer,

1. In time of deſertion God leaves in his children a ſeed of comfort, 1 John 3.9. his ſeed remaineth in him. Anſw. 1 This ſeed of God, is a ſeed of comfort. Though Gods children in deſertion want the ſeale of the Spirit, yet they have the Unction of the Spirit, 1 John 2.27. Though they want the Sun, yet they have a day-ſtar in their hearts; as the tree in winter, though it hath loſt its leaves and fruit, yet there is ſap in the root: So, in the winter of deſertion, there is the ſap of grace in the root of the heart; as it is with the Sun masking it ſelf with a cloud, when it denies light to the earth, yet it gives forth its influence: ſo though Gods dear adopted ones may loſe the light of his countenance, yet they have the influence of his grace.

Queſt. What grace appears in the time of deſertion?

Anſ. 1. An high prizing of Gods ove. If God ſhould p. 324ſay to the deſerted ſoul, what wilt thou, and it ſhall be granted to half of the Kingdom? he would reply, Lord, that I might ſee thee, as I was wont in the Sanctuary; That I may have one golden beam of thy love; the deſerted ſoul ſlights all other things in compariſon; it is not gardens, or orchards, or the moſt delicious Objects that can give him contentment; they are like muſick to a ſad heart; he deſires as Abſalom, to ſee the Kings face.

2. A lamenting after the Lord. 'Tis the ſaddeſt day with him when the Sun of righteouſneſſe is eclipſed; a child of God can better bear the worlds ſtroak than Gods abſence; he is even melted into tears, the clouds of deſertion produce ſpiritual rain; and whence is this weeping but from love?

3. Willingneſſe to ſuffer any thing ſo he may have a ſight of God. A child of God could be content with Simon of Cyrene, to carry the Croſſe, if he were ſure Chriſt were upon it; he could willingly die, if with Simeon he might die with Chriſt in his armes. Behold here, the ſeed of God in a believer; the work of ſanctification, when he wants the wine of conſolation.

Anſw. 2 Anſw. 2. I anſwer, God hath a deſign of mercy in hiding his face from his adopted ones.

Firſt, it is for the trial of grace; and there are two graces brought to trial in time of deſertion.

1. Faith. 1. When we can believe againſt ſence and feeling; when we want an experience, yet can truſt to a ptomiſe; when we have not the kiſſes of Gods mouth, yet can cleave to the word of his mouth; this is faith indeed; here is the ſparkling of the Diamond.

2. Love. When God ſmiles upon us, it is not much to love him; but when he ſeems to put us away in anger **Pſal 27.9.Ps 27:9, now to love him, and be as the Lime, the more water is thrown upon it, the hotter it burns, this is love indeed. p. 325That love ſure is ſtrong as death **Cant. 8.6.Song 8:6which the waters of deſertion cannot quench.

Secondly, It is for the exerciſe of grace: we are all for comfort; if it might be put to our choice, we would be ever upon Mount Tabor, looking into Canaan: we are loth to be in trials, agonies, deſertions, as if God could not love us except he had us in his armes. 'Tis hard to lie long in the lap of ſpiritual joy, and not fall aſleep. Too much Sun-ſhine cauſeth a drought in our graces; oftentimes when God lets down comfort into the heart, we begin to let down care. As it is with Muſitians, before they have money they will play you many a ſweet leſſon, but as ſoon as you throw them down money they are gone, you hear no more of them. Before joy and aſſurance, O the ſweet muſick of prayer and repentance! but when God throws down the comforts of his Spirit, we either leave off duty, or at leaſt ſlacken the ſtrings of our Viol, and grow remiſſe in it. Thou art taken with the money, but God is taken with the muſick; Grace is better than comfort. Rachel is more fair, but Leah is more fruitful. Comfort is fair to look on, but grace hath the fruitful womb; now, the only way to exerciſe grace, and make it more vigorous and lively, is ſometimes to walk in darkneſſe and have no light, Iſa. 50.10. Faith is a ſtar that ſhines brighteſt in the night of deſertion; I ſaid I am caſt out of thy ſight, yet will I look again toward thy holy Temple, Jonah 2.4. Grace uſually puts forth its moſt heroical acts at ſuch a time.

3. I anſwer, God may forſake his children in regard Anſw. 3 of Viſion, but not in regard of Union. Thus it was with Jeſus Chriſt when he cryed out, my God, my God. There was not a ſeparation of the Union between him and his Father, only a ſuſpenſion of the Viſion**Non ſuit divulſio unionis, ſed tantum ſuſpenſio viſionis,. Gods love through the interpoſition of our ſins may be darkned and p. 326eclipſed, but ſtill he is a Father. The Sun may be hid in a cloud, but it is not out of the firmament. The Promiſes in time of deſertion may be as it were ſequeſtred, we have not that comfort from them as formerly, but ſtill the believers title holds good in Law.

Anſw. 4 4. I anſwer, when God hides his face from his child, his heart may be towards him; as Joſeph when he ſpake roughly to his brethren, and made them believe he would take them for Spies, ſtill his heart was towards them, and he was as full of love as ever he could hold; he was faine to go aſide and weep: So, God is full of love to his children, even when he ſeems to look ſtrange. And as Moſes his Mother when ſhe put her child into the ark of bulruſhes, and went away a little from it, yet ſtill her eye was toward it, the babe wept; I, and the mother wept too; So God, when he goes aſide as if he had forſaken his children, yet he is full of ſympathy and love towards them. God may change his countenance, but not break his covenant. It is onething for God to deſert, another thing to diſinherit. Hoſea 8.11. How ſhall I give thee up O Ephraim! &c. 'Tis a Metaphor taken from a father going to diſinherit his ſon, and while he is ſetting his hand to the Deed, his bowels begin to melt, and to yearn over him, and he thinks thus within himſelf, Though he be a prodigal child, yet he is a child, I will not cut off the entail; So ſaith God, How ſhall I give thee up? though Ephraim hath been a rebellious ſon, yet he is a ſon, I will not diſinherit him. Gods thoughts may be full of love, when there is a vail upon his face; the Lord may change his diſpenſation towards his children, but not his diſpoſition; he may have the look of an enemy, but the heart of a Father: So that the beliver may ſay, I am adopted, and let God do what he will with me, let him take the rod, or the ſtaffe, 'tis all one, he loves me.

p. 3272. The ſecond adoptional priviledge is this, if we are Privi∣ledge. 2 children, then God will bear with many infirmities. A father bears much with a child he loves, Mal. 3.17. I will ſpare them, as a man ſpareth his own ſon that ſerveth him. We oft grieve the Spirit, abuſe kindneſſe; God will paſſe by much in his children, Numb. 23.21. he hath not ſeene iniquity in Jacob; his love doth not make him blind; he ſees ſin in his people, but not with an eye of revenge, but pity; He ſees ſin in his children, as a Phyſitian doth a diſeaſe in his Patient; He hath not ſeene iniquity in Jacob ſo as to deſtroy him; God may uſe the rod, 2 Sam. 7.14. not the Scorpion. O how much is God willing to paſſe by in his children, becauſe they are children! God takes notice of the good that is in his children, and paſſeth by the infirmity. God doth quite contrary to us; we oft take notice of the evil that is in others, and over-look the good. Our eye is upon the flaw in the Diamond, but we obſerve not its ſparkling. But God takes notice of the good that is in his children; God ſees their faith, and winks at their failings, 1 Pet. 3.6. Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham calling him Lord; the holy Ghoſt mentions not her unbelief, and laughing at the promiſe, but takes notice of the good in her, viz. her obedience to her husband; ſhe obeyed Abraham calling him Lord. God puts his finger upon the fears and infirmities of his children; how much did God wink at in Iſrael his firſt-born! Iſrael oft provok'd him with their murmurings, Deut. 1.27. but God anſwered their murmurings with mercies; he ſpared them as a father ſpares his ſon.

3. The third priviledge is this, If we are children, Privi∣ledge. 3 then God will accept of our imperfect ſervices. A Parent takes any thing in good part from his child; God accepts of the will for the deed, 2 Cor. 8.12. oftentimes we come with broken prayers, but if we are children, God p. 328ſpels out our meaning, and will take our prayers as a grateful preſent; a father loves to hear his child ſpeak, though he doth but liſp and ſtammar, Iſa. 38.14. Like a Crane, ſo did I chatter. Good Hezekiah looked upon his praying as chattering, yet that prayer was heard, ver. 5. a Sigh and groan from an humble heart goes up as the ſmoak of incenſe. Pſal. 38.9. My groaning is not hid from thee. When all the gliſtering ſhews of Hypocrites evaporate, and come to nothing, a little that a child of God doth in ſincerity is crowned with acceptance; a father is glad of a letter from his ſon, though there are blots in the letter, though there are falſe ſpellings and broken Engliſh; O what blottings are there in our holy things? what broken Engliſh ſometimes? yet coming from broken hearts it is accepted; though there be weakneſſe in duty, yet if there be willingneſſe, the Lord is much taken with it. Saith God, it is my child, and he would do better, Epheſ. 1.6. He hath accepted us in the beloved.

Privi∣ledge. 4 4. If we are children, then God will provide for us; a father will take care for his children; he gives them allowance, and layes up a portion, 2 Cor. 12.14. ſo doth our heavenly Father.

1. He gives us our allowance, Gen. 48.15. The God which fed me all my life long unto this day. Whence is our dayly bread, but from his dayly care? God will not let his children ſtarve, though our unbelief is ready ſometimes to queſtion his goodneſſe, and ſay, Can God prepare a Table? See what arguments Chriſt brings to prove Gods paternal care for his children, Matth. 6.26. Behold the fowles of the aire, they ſow not, neither do they reap, yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Doth a man feed his bird, and will he not feed his child? Luke 12.27. Conſider the Lilies how they grow, they toyl not, they ſpin not; if then God ſo cloath the graſſe, &c? Doth God cloath p. 329the Lilies, and will he not cloath his Lambs? 1 Pet. 5.7. the Lord careth for us. As long as his heart is full of love, ſo long his head will be full of care. This ſhould be as phyſick to kill the worm of unbelief.

2. As God gives his children a viaticum, or bait by the way, ſo he laies up a portion for them; Luke 12.32. It is your Fathers good pleaſure to give you a kingdom; our Father keeps the purſe, and will give us enough to bear our charges here, and when at death we take ſhipping, and ſhall be ſet upon the ſhore of eternity, then will our heavenly Father beſtow upon us a Kingdom immutable, and immarceſſible; lo here a portion which can never be ſummed up!

5. If we are children, then God will ſheild off dangers Privi∣ledge. 5 from us; a father will protect his child from injuries; God ever lies Sentinel to keep off evill from his children.

1. Temporal evil.

2. Spiritual evil.

1. God ſcreens off temporal evil. There are many caſualties and contingencies which are incident to life; God mercifully, prevents them; he keeps watch and ward for his children, Pſal. 7.10. my defence is of God. Pſal. 121.4. he that keeps Iſrael ſhall neither ſlumber nor ſleep. The eye of Providence is ever awake; God gives his Angels charge over his children, Pſal. 91.11. a believer hath a guard of Angels for his life-guard; we read of the wings of God in Scripture: as the breaſt of his mercy feeds his children, ſo the wings of his power cover them; how miraculouſly did God preſerve Iſrael his firſt-born! he did with his wings ſometimes cover, ſometimes carry them, Exod. 19.4. He bare you as upon Eagles wings; an emblem of Gods providential care; p. 330the Eagle fears no Bird from above to hurt her young, only the Arrow from beneath; therefore ſhe carries them upon her wings, that the Arrow muſt firſt hit her before it can come at her young ones. Thus God carries his children upon the wings of Providence; and they are ſuch, that there is no clipping theſe wings, nor can any Arrow hurt them.

2. God ſhields off ſpiritual evils from his children: Pſal. 91.10. There ſhall no evil befall thee. God doth not ſay, no afflictions ſhall befall us, but no evil.

Queſt. Queſt. But ſometimes evil in this ſenſe befalls the godly, they ſpot themſelves with ſin.

Anſw. Anſw. But that evil ſhall not be mortal; as quickſilver is in it ſelf dangerous, but by oyntments it is ſo tempered that it is killed; ſo ſin is in it ſelf deadly, but being tempered with Repentance, and mixed with the ſacred oyntment of Chriſts blood, the venemous damning nature of it is taken away.

Privi∣ledge. 6 6. If we are children, then God will reveal to us the great and wonderful things of his Law. Matth. 11.25. I thank thee O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, becauſe thou hast hid theſe things from the wiſe and prudent, and haſt revealed them unto babes. A father will teach his children; the childe goes to his father, Father, Teach me my Leſſon; ſo David goes to God, Pſal. 143.10. Teach me to do thy will for thou art my God. The Lord glories in this title, Iſa. 48.17. I am the Lord thy God, which teacheth thee to profit. Gods children have that anointing which teacheth them all things neceſſary to ſalvation; they ſee thoſe myſteries which are vail'd over to carnal eyes; as Eliſha ſaw thoſe Horſes and Chariots of fire, which his ſervant did not ſee, 2 Kings 6.17. The adopted ſee their own ſins, Satans ſnares, Chriſts beauty, p. 331which they whom the god of the world had blinded, cannot diſcern; whence was it that David underſtood more than the Ancients? Pſal. 119.100. He had a Father to teach him, God was his Inſtructer: Pſal. 71.17. O God thou haſt taught me from my youth. Many a childe of God complains of ignorance and dulneſs; remember this, thy Father will be thy Tutor; he hath promiſed to give his ſpirit to lead thee into all truth, John 16.13. And God doth not only inform the underſtanding, but incline the will; he doth not only teach us what we ſhould do, but enable us to do it. Ezek. 36.27. I will cauſe you to walk in my ſtatutes. What a glorious priviledge is this, to have the ſtar of the world pointing us to Chriſt, and the load-ſtone of the Spirit drawing!

7. If we are children, this gives boldneſs in prayer; Privi∣ledge. 7 the childe goes with confidence to his father, and he cannot finde in his heart to deny him. Luke 11.13. How much more ſhall your heavenly Father give his holy Spirit to them that ask him? All the father hath, is for his childe; if he comes for money, who is it for but his childe? If thou comeſt to God for pardon, for brokenneſs of heart, God cannot deny his childe: Who doth he keep his mercies in ſtore for, but his children?

And that which may give Gods children holy boldneſs in prayer, is this; When they conſider God not only in the relation of a Father, but as having the diſpoſition of a Father. Some parents are foreign, of a moroſe, rugged nature; but God is foreign, the Father of mercies, 2 Cor. 1.3. He begets all the bowels in the world; in prayer we ſhould look upon God under this notion, a Father of mercy, ſitting upon a Throne of grace; we ſhould run to this heavenly Father in all conditions.

1. In our ſins; as that ſick childe, 2 Kings 4.19. p. 332He ſaid unto his father, my head, my head! aſſoon as he found himſelf not well, he ran to his father to ſuccour him: So in caſe of ſin, Run to God, My heart, my heart! O this dead heart, Father quicken it; this hard heart, Father ſoften it; Father, my heart, my heart!

2. In our tentations: A childe, when another ſtrikes him, runs to his Father and complains; ſo when the Devil ſtrikes us by his temptations, let us run to our Father; Father, Satan aſſaults, and hurles in his fiery darts; he would not only wound my peace, but thy glory; Father, take off the Tempter; 'tis thy childe that is worried by this red Dragon; Father, wilt not thou bruiſe Satan under my feet! What a ſweet priviledge is this, when any burden lies upon our ſpirits, we may go to our Father, and unload all our cares and griefs into his boſome!

Privi∣ledge. 8 8. If we are children, then we are in a ſtate of freedom. Claudius Lyſias valued his freedom of Rome at an high rate; a ſtate of ſon-ſhip is a ſtate of freedom; this is not to be underſtood in an Antinomian ſenſe, that the children of God are freed from therule of the Moral Law; this is ſuch a freedom as Rebels take: Was it ever heard that a childe ſhould be freed from duty to his parents? But the freedom which Gods children have, is an holy freedom; they are freed ab imperio carnis, from the Law of ſin, Rom. 8.2.

This is the ſad miſery of an unregenerate perſon, he is in a ſtate of Vaſſaladge, he is under the tyranny of ſin**Quamobrem dignitatem tuam abjicis, teque ſervum peccati conſtituis? Bern.. Juſtin Martyr uſed to ſay, It is the greateſt ſlavery in the world for a man to be ſubject to his own paſſions: A wicked man is as very a ſlave as he that works in the Gally; look into his heart, and there are Legions of luſts ruling him; he muſt do what ſin will have him; a ſlave is at the ſervice of an uſurping Tyrant; if he bid him dig in the Mine, hew in the Quarries, tug at the Oar, he muſt p. 333do it. Thus every wicked man muſt do what corrupt nature inſpired by the Divel bids him; if ſin bids him be drunk, be unchaſte, he is at the command of ſin, as the Aſs is at the command of the Driver; ſin firſt enſlaves, and then damns.

But the children of God, though they are not freed from the in-being of ſin, yet they are freed from the Law of ſin; all ſins commands are like Laws repeal'd, which are not in force; though ſin live in a childe of God, yet it doth not reign. Rom 6.14. Sin ſhall not have dominion over you: Sin hath not a coercive power over a childe of God; there is a principle of grace in his heart which gives check to corruption: This is a believers comfort, though ſin be not removed, yet it is ſubdued; and though he cannot keep ſin out, yet he keeps ſin under; the Saints of God are ſaid to crucifie the fleſh, Gal. 5.24. Crucifying was a lingring death; firſt one member dyed, then another; every childe of God crucifies ſin, ſome limb of the old man is ever and anon dropping off; though ſin doth not dye perfectly, it dyes daily; this is the bleſſed freedom of Gods children, they are freed from the Law of ſin, they are led by the Spirit of God, Rom. 8.14. This Spirit makes them free and chearful in obedience. 2 Cor. 3.17. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

9. If we are children, then we are heirs apparent to Privi∣ledge. 9 all the promiſes; the promiſes are called precious, 2 Pet. 2.4. The promiſes are a Cabinet of jewels, they are breaſts full of the milk of the Goſpel; the promiſes are enriched with variety, and are ſuited to a Chriſtians preſent condition. Doth he want pardoning grace? there is a promiſe carries forgiveneſs in it, Jer. 31.34. Doth he want ſanctifying grace? there is a promiſe of healing, Hoſ. 14.4. Doth he want corroborating grace? there is a p. 334promiſe of ſtrength, Iſa. 41.10. And theſe promiſes are the childrens bread; the Saints are called foreign, Heirs of the promiſe, Hebr. 6.17. There is Chriſt and heaven in a promiſe; and there is never a promiſe in the Bible, but an adopted perſon may lay a Legal claim to it, and ſay, This is mine. The natural man who remains ſtill in the old Family, hath nothing to do with theſe promiſes; he may read over the promiſes (as one may read over another mans Will or Inventory) but hath no right to them; the promiſes are like a Garden of flowers, paled in, and encloſed, which no ſtranger may gather, only the children of the Family. Iſhmael was the ſon of the bond-woman, he had no right to the Family; Caſt out the bond-woman and her ſon, as Sarah once ſaid to Abraham, Gen. 21.10. So the unbeliever is not adopted, he is none of the houſhold, and God will ſay at the day of judgement, Caſt out this ſon of the bond-woman into utter darkneſs, where is weeping and gnaſhing of teeth.

Privi∣ledge. 10 10. If we are children, then we ſhall have our Fathers bleſsing. Iſa. 61.9. They are the ſeed which the Lord hath bleſſed. We read that Iſaac bleſſed his ſon Jacob, Gen. 27.28. God give thee of the dew of heaven; which was not only a prayer for Jacob, but a Propheſie of that happineſs and bleſſing which ſhould come upon him and his poſterity**Luther.. Thus every adopted child hath his heavenly Fathers benediction, there is a ſpecial bleſſing diſtill'd into all that he poſſeſſeth. Exod. 23.25. Pſal. 29.11. The Lord will bleſs his people with peace: He will not only give them peace, but they ſhall have it with a bleſſing; the wicked have the things they enjoy with Gods leave, but the adopted have them with Gods love; the wicked have them by Providence, the Saints by Promiſe. Iſaac had but one bleſsing to beſtow, Gen. p. 33527.38. Haſt thou but one bleſſing my father? But God hath more bleſſings than one for his children; he bleſſeth them in their ſouls, bodies, names, eſtate, poſterity; he bleſſeth them with the upper-ſprings, and the nether-ſprings; he multiplies to bleſs them, and his bleſſing cannot be reverſed; as Iſaac ſaid concerning Jacob, I have bleſſed him, yea, and he ſhall be bleſſed, Gen. 27.33. ſo God bleſſeth his children, and they ſhall be bleſſed.

11. If we are children, then all things that Privi∣ledge. 11 fall out ſhall turn to our good. Rom. 8.28. All things work together for good to them that love God.

1. Good things.

2. Evil things.

1. Good things work for good to Gods children.

1. Mercies ſhall do them good.

1. The mercies of God ſhall ſoften them. Davids heart was overcome with Gods mercy. 2 Sam. 7.18. Who am I? and what is my houſe, &c? I who was of a mean Family, I who held the Shepherds ſtaffe, that now I ſhould hold the Royal Scepter! Nay, Thou haſt ſpoken of thy ſervants houſe for a great while to come: Thou haſt made a promiſe that my children ſhall ſit upon the Throne, yea, that the bleſſed Meſsiah ſhall come of my Line and Race; and is this the manner of man O Lord God! as if he had ſaid, Do men ſhew ſuch kindneſs undeſerved? See how this good mans heart was diſſolved and ſoftned by mercy! the flint is ſooneſt broken upon a ſoft pillow.

2. Mercies make the children of God more fruitful; the ground beats the better crop for the coſt that is laid p. 336upon it. God gives his children health, and they ſpend, and are ſpent for Chriſt; he gives them Eſtates, and they honour the Lord with their ſubſtance; the backs and bellies of the poor are the Field where they ſowe the precious ſeeds of their charity; a childe of God makes his Eſtate a golden Claſp to binde his heart faſter to God, a foot-ſtool to raiſe him up higher towards heaven.

2. Ordinances ſhall work for good to Gods children.

1. The Word preached ſhall do them good; 'tis a ſavour of life, 'tis a Lamp to their feet, and a Lavor to their hearts; the Word preached is Vehiculum ſalutis, a Chariot of ſalvation; 'tis an ingrafting, and a transforming word; it is verbum cum unctione, it not only brings a light with it, but eye-ſalve, anointing their eyes to ſee that light; the preaching of the Word is the Lattice where Chriſt looks forth, and ſhews himſelf to his Saints; this golden pipe of the Sanctuary conveys the water of life. To the wicked the Word preached works for evil, even the Word of life becomes a ſavour of death; the ſame cauſe may have divers, nay, contrary effects**Eadem cauſa varios habet effectus.; the Sun diſſolves the yce, but hardens the clay. To the unregenerate and profane, the Word is not humbling, but hardning. Jeſus Chriſt the beſt of Preachers, was to ſome a Rock of offence; the Jewes ſucked death from his ſweet lips; 'tis ſad that the breaſt ſhould kill any; the wicked ſuck poyſon from that breaſt of Ordinances where the children of God ſuck milk, and are nouriſhed unto ſalvation.

2. The Sacrament works for good to the children of God; in the Word preached the Saints hear Chriſts voyce, in the Sacrament they have his kiſs. The Lords Supper is to the Saints a Feaſt of fat things; it is an healing, and a ſealing Ordinance; in this Charger, or rather Chalice, a p. 337bleeding Saviour is brought in to revive drooping ſpirits. The Sacrament hath glorious effects in the hearts of Gods children; it quickens their affections, ſtrengthens their faith, mortifies their ſin, revives their hopes, encreaſeth their joy; it gives a prelibation and fore-taſte of heaven.

2. Evil things work for good to Gods children. Pſal. 112.4. Unto the upright ariſeth light in darkneſs.

1. Poverty works for good to Gods children; it ſtarves their luſts, it enricheth their graces: James 2.5. Poor in the world, rich in faith. Poverty ſends to prayer; when God hath clipped his childrens wings by poverty, they flie ſwifteſt to the Throne of Grace.

2. Sickneſs works for their good; it ſhall bring the body of death into a conſumption. 2 Cor. 4.16. Though our outward man periſh, yet the inward man is renewed day by day; like thoſe two Laurels at Rome, when the one did wither, the other did flouriſh; when the body withers, the ſoul of a Chriſtian doth flouriſh. How oft have we ſeen a lively faith in a languiſhing body? Hezekiah was better on his ſick bed, than upon his Throne; when he was upon his ſick bed he humbles himſelf and weeps; when he was on his Throne, he grew proud, Iſa. 39.2. Gods children recover by ſickneſs; in this ſenſe, out of weakneſs they are made ſtrong, Heb. 11.34.

3. Reproach works for good to Gods children, it encreaſeth their grace and their glory.

1. Diſgrace encreaſeth their grace; the Husbandman by dunging his ground makes the ſoile more rich and fertil; God lets the wicked dung his people with reproaches and calumnies, that their hearts may be a richer ſoile for grace to grow in.

2. Reproach encreaſeth their glory; he that unjuſtly p. 338takes from a Saints credit, ſhall adde to his Crown; the Sun ſhines brighter after an Eclipſe; the more a childe of God is eclipſed by reproaches, the brighter he ſhall ſhine in the Kingdom of heaven.

4. Perſecution to Gods children works for good; the godly may be compared to that Plant which Greg. Naz. ſpeaks of, It lives by dying, and grows by cutting**foreign. Naz.: The zeal and love of the Saints is blown up by ſufferings, their joy flouriſheth. Tertullian ſaith, the Primitive Chriſtians rejoyced more in their perſecutions than in their deliverance.

5. Death works for good to the children of God; it is like the whirle-wind to the Prophet Eliah, which blew off his mantle, but carried him up to heaven; ſo death to a childe of God is like a boyſterous whirle-wind, which blows off the mantle of his fleſh, (for the body is but the mantle the ſoul is wrapped in) but it carries up the ſoul to God; this is the glorious priviledge of the ſons of God; every thing that falls out ſhall do them good; the children of God when they come to heaven (as Chryſoſtom ſpeaks) ſhall bleſs God for all croſs Providences.

Privi∣ledge. 12 12. And laſtly, If we are children, we ſhall never finally periſh, John 5.24. John 10.28. Thoſe who are adopted, are out of the power of damnation: Rom. 8.1. foreign, there is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt. Will a father condemn his own ſon? God will never diſinherit any of his children; fathers may diſinherit for ſome fault: Reuben for inceſt loſt the Prerogative of his birth-right, Gen. 49.4. What is the reaſon Parents diſinherit their children? ſurely this, becauſe they can make them no better, they cannot make them fit for the inheritance; but when we are bad, our heavenly Father knows how to make us better, he can make us p. 339fit to inherit. Col. 1.12. Giving thanks to the Father, who hath made us meet for the inheritance: Therefore it being in his power to make us better, and to work in us an idoneity, and meetneſs for the inheritance, certainly he will never finally diſinherit.

Becauſe this is ſo ſweet a priviledge, and the life of a Chriſtians comfort lies in it, therefore I ſhall clear it by Arguments, that the children of God cannot finally periſh; the entail of hell and damnation is cut off; not but that the beſt of Gods children have that guilt which deſerves hell; but Chriſt is the friend at Court which hath beg'd their pardon; therefore the vis damnatoria, the damning power of ſin is taken away, which I prove thus.

1. The children of God cannot finally periſh, becauſe Arg. 1 Gods juſtice is ſatisfied for their ſins; the blood of Chriſt is the foreign, the price paid, not only meritoriouſly, but efficaciouſly, for all them that believe; this being the blood of God, juſtice is fully ſatisfied, and meddles not to condemn thoſe for whom this blood was ſhed, and to whom it is applied. Jeſus Chriſt was a Sponſor, he ſtood bound for every childe of God as a Surety; he ſaid to juſtice, Have patience with them, and I will pay thee all; ſo that the believer cannot be liable to wrath. God will not require the debt twice, both of the Surety and the Debtor, Rom. 3.24, 25, 26. God is not only merciful in pardoning his children, but righteous: 1 John 1.9. He is juſt to forgive; it is an act of Gods equity and juſtice to ſpare the ſinner, when he hath been ſatisfied in the Surety.

2. A damnatory ſentence cannot paſs upon the children Arg. 2 of God, becauſe they are ſo Gods children, as withal they are Chriſts Spouſe, Cant. 4.11. There is a marriage-union between Chriſt and the Saints; every child of God p. 340is a part of Chriſt, he is Chriſt Myſtical. Now, ſhall a member of Chriſt periſh? A child of God cannot periſh, but Chriſt muſt periſh. Jeſus Chriſt who is the husband, is the Judge, and will he condemn his own Spouſe?

Arg. 3 3. Every child of God is transformed into the likeneſs of Chriſt; he hath the ſame ſpirit, the ſame judgement, the ſame will, he is a lively picture of Chriſt; as Chriſt bears the Saints names upon his breaſt, ſo they bear his image upon their hearts, Gal. 4.19. Will Chriſt ſuffer his own image to be deſtroyed? Theodoſius counted them Traytors who defaced his image; Chriſt will not let his image in believers be defaced and rent; he will not endure to ſee his own picture take fire; the Sea hath not only ſtinking carrion, but jewels thrown into it; but none of Gods jewels ſhall ever be thrown into the dead Sea of hell.

Arg. 4 4. If Gods children could be capable of final periſhing, then pardon of ſin were no priviledge; the Scripture ſaith, Bleſſed is he whoſe tranſgreſſion is forgiven, Pſal. 32.1. But what bleſſedneſs were there in having ſin forgiven, if afterwards a final and damnatory ſentence ſhould paſs upon the heirs of promiſe? What were a man the better for the Kings pardon, if he were condemned after he were pardoned?

Arg. 5 5. If the children of God ſhould be finally diſinherited, then the Scripture could not be fulfilled, which tells us of glorious rewards. Pſal. 58.11. Doubtleſs there is a reward for the righteous. God ſweetens his commands with promiſes, he ties duty and reward together. As in the body the veins carry the blood, and the arteries carry the ſpirits; ſo one part of the Word carries duty in it, and another part of the Word carries reward; now if the adopted of God ſhould eternally miſcarry, what reward p. 341were there for the righteous? and Moſes did indiſcreetly in looking to the recompence of reward, Hebr. 11.26. And ſo by conſequence there would be a door opened to deſpair.

By all which it appears that the children of God cannot be diſinherited or reprobated; if they ſhould loſe happineſs, Chriſt ſhould loſe his purchaſe, and ſhould dye in vain.

Thus we have ſeen the glorious priviledges of the children of God. What an encouragement is here to Religion? how may this tempt men to turn godly? Can the world viey with a childe of God? Can the world give ſuch priviledges as theſe? as Saul ſaid, 1 Sam. 22.7. Will the ſon of Jeſſe give every one of you Field, and Vineyards, and make you all Captains of thouſands? Can the world do that for you, as God doth for his children? Can it give you pardon of ſin, or eternal life; Are not the gleanings of Ephraim better than the Vintage of Abjezer… Is not godlineſs gain? What is there in ſin that men ſhould love it? the work of ſin is drudgery, and the wages death. They who ſee more in ſin than in the priviledges of Adoption, let them go on, and have their ears boared to the Divels ſervice.