The child's portion, or, The unseen glory of the children of God asserted and…

1. That the World hates them is rather an evidence of their Sonship, than any Argument against it; as being an exercise, and discovery of that enmity which God hath put between the seed of the Serpent & of the Woman. The Devil, who is the Father of ungodly Men, is Gods ⟨p. 30⟩great Enemy, and the ringleader of Rebellion against him; and no wonder, since he cannot touch God in his Being, if Hell rise up against him, and oppose him in his Children: It is true that wicked men do not know them to be certainly the Children of God, for the world know us not, ver. 1. but they know them to be other kind of men from themselves, and for this reason they hate and persecute them: our Saviour foretold his Disciples, that they must expect to meet this measure from the World, and gives the reason, Mat. 10. 22. Ye shall be hated of all men for my Name sake: it is for the profession which they make and the glory of God which they are bound for, that they are hated and scorned in the World.

2. That God suffers the World to afflict and persecute them, denies not his fatherly care of them; for in this very thing he makes men and devils to serve them: there is no Saint that ever was, or ever shall be a loser by all that Gods and his Enemies shall do against him: and that because what they intend for harm, God evermore, by a powerful over-ruling providence, turns for their good: his Graces are hereby tried, and made to shine forth, and that trial proves to be much better than that of God, 1 Pet. 1. 7. God hereby puts an advantage into his hands to glorify him, and testifying his love and sincerity to him, in cheerfully suffering all ⟨p. 31⟩things for his Name: and Faith at such a time, teacheth him to rejoice that he may be counted worthy for this, so did the Apostles when scourged before the Council,