these for all that were before him and shall come after him being true beleeuers thirdly the graces of Christ doe farre exceed the sinne of Adam else would Saâ—â—â— in perswade thee thou art halfe saued and halfe damned for if the vertue thou hast by Christ were but equall with the corrupâ—â—on thou hast by Adam it could not produce so incomprehensible a worke as thy saluation is and therefore Rom. 5.17 it is said If by the offence of one death raigned through one much more shall they which receiue that superfluity or superabundance of grace raigne in life through one that is Christ thereby shewing that the righteousnesse of Christ made ours by grace is of greater power to bring life then was the sin of Adam to bring death to his posterity Therefore seeing through faith God reuealeth to thee these riches laid vp for thee in Christ bend thine eie toward him and he will so supply thee with spirituall wisdome as thou shalt answer with ease and comfort the sophistry and deceits of Sathan who willingly would plunge thee into terror and trouble of conscience Which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Vnto such as thus walke there is no condemnation and this is the third thing spoken of at first namely that a sanctified life must be the sure euidence of our ingrafting into Christ for howsoeuer the spirit which is within vs testifieth thus much that we are Christs and Christ is ours as 1. Cor. 2.10 The things which God hath prepared for them that loue him he hath reuealed to vs by his spirit and vers 12. We heaue not receaued the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God yet because through selfe loue no man will say but he hath the spirit therefore steppes in the other testimony of holinesse of life and this is visible reall vndeceiuable and true as 1. Ioh. 3.6.8 Whosoeuer abideth in him sinneth not and he that committeth sinne is of the diuell which place we must not vnderstand simply of sinners for all of vs are so but of such as fauour themselues in their sinnes blesse their soules in them make a trade of sinning and persist in it so as we that are made mystical members of Christ must labour to extinguish the life of any grosse sinne and not to make them the members of an harlot of an vsurer of an Idolater of a flatterer and such like for being ingrafted into Christ it is as odious in Gods sight for vs to commit these sinnes as if Christ should commit them and by them without repentance we doe rend our selues from Christ for the Sonnes of God are led by his spirit Rom. 8.14 And they are led by it that liue in it Gal. 3.25 And this life is knowen by the effects that is by walking in the spirit And they walke in it that fulfill not the lusts of the flesh Gal. 5.16 And they fulfill them not that haue crucified the flesh vers 14. And they onely haue done this that cease from sinne 1. Pet. 4.2 with a full purpose of heart to liue better for as the dead body hath no breath so must sinne haue no strength in vs and he that doeth not this is a reprobate I speake not of a finall reprobate but of a reprobate for the time for such stand in the state of condemnation But if we labour to liue godly as neere as we can after the example of Christ and make holinesse of life as the load star whereby we may be seen to direct our iourney toward heauen then this doth knit vs in the persawsion of our vnion with Christ prouided alwaies that there be speciall repentance for speciall sinnes extraordinary repentance for extraordinary sinnes great repentance for grosse sinnes and daily repentance for daily sinnes Threfore let euery of vs examine our selues what sinnes remaine in vs vnrepented and what vnsubdued what be blushing and shamefast and what be crying and insolent sinnes and let vs take the same course with them all cast them from vs and purge our selues cleane of the leauen of Sathan for a sinne supprest and not destroied will at lengh breake forth to the hinderance of our walke in the spirit and if we be stopt in this course then so long do we stagger in the assurance of our being one with Christ which is the only helmet of our saluation Secondly obserue hence the order the scripture setteth down namely that first we must be in Christ which is the cause and then we shall walke after the spirit which is the effect euen as iustification goeth before sanctification our ingrafting into Christ being our iustification and being so it causeth holinesse of life so as both must goe together making no difference betweene faith and a godly life in the person but onely in the properties and maner and therefore if it be asked who shall be saued Such as leade a sanctified life But if how we shall be saued the answer is by the merits of Christ apprehended by faith so as by faith wee are saued for the fruit maketh not the root good but the root the fruit the streames are not the cause of the fountaine but the fountaine of them and the streames are but the effects euen as breathing is the effect of life so we are not saued because of our workes and walking in the spirit but because of our faith for workes are the fruits of faith yet we shall receiue according to our workes 2. Cor. 5.10 and shal be recompensed for them not for the dignity of the worke but in the benignity of the Lord who hath accepted our persons in Christ and therefore Tit. 2.11.12 the Apostle doth not say Because we deny vngodlinesse therefore the grace of God hath brought saluation but saluation being offered in the Gospell we must thereby learne to be profitable schollers in holinesse of life So Mat. 11.28 Christ doth not call vs to ease vs of our sinnes because we liue godly after his example but faith being wrought in vs by the power of his calling vs we then liue godly euen as the thiefe vpon the crosse Luke 23.40 was no sooner called but he brought foorth fruit his confession being a token of his faith So we must first be within the couenant of God and then we shall walke in the couenant as Gen. 17.1 God said to Abraham I am sufficient therefore walke before me so that he made not his couenant with him to be his God because he walked before him but first he made his couenant with him that being assured of his protection he might more chearefully walk before him euen so fareth it with vs we are first made members of Christ and then being vnited to his body we must shew forth the life of Christ in our coÌ„uersation And here we must further learne to answer two obiections First the carnall man will say Christ hath satisfied for his breach of the law and supplied the imperfection of his
forth our cold petitions and that which was generally beleeued by faith before is now particularly chalenged of God by praier that wee may finde and â—â—ele the former promise to be true by this particular instance of reaching foorth our requests to God by praier And the more to hearten and encourage vs in this exercise and Christian taske God giueth and graunteth our requests differing in three respects from the gifts and benefits of worldly men For first he can giue all things in his power secondly in his wisedome he giueth and neuer repenteth thirdly in his goodnes he giueth and neuer vpbraideth This is the perswasion of faith and therefore now if wee spare to speake wee may well spare to speed whereupon the Prophet Dauid saith I beleeued therefore I spake hauing his faith for most to prepare his lips to praier And surely the cause why wee call not vpon God so often or so boldly as we ought is either because our faith failâ—s vs that wee thinke not to speede or else because wee haue but weake and faint hope to speede For as the Philosopher saith Qui timide rogat docet negare He that craueth fearfully draweth on a deniall for that faith that openeth the eies to see such treasures openeth the mouth to supplicate and to pray for them so as by this learne in one word that the Apostle will measure thy faith by thy praiers Whereby we crie In this word crie is implied three things first a confident boldnesse secondly a great earnestnesse thirdly an importunacy with perseuerance Boldnesse in that wee speake not softly as in feare but loud as in assurance euen as a fauorite of an earthly Prince that hath a promise to haue and obtaine what he can spie out hauing speciall security to speed commeth boldly to his Prince and craueth the performance of that was pledged vnto him by promise before Earnestnesse not to take a nay or deniall at the first at our fathers hands but to goe on with I pray you Father Good Father I beseech you Father and such like speeches of vehemency and feruency which is heere expressed by the geminating and doubling of the word Father Father Then with these must there be an importâ—nacy in praier which Paul expresseth Rom. 15.30 by striâ—ing or wrestling in praier shewing thereby the feruency of the minde and of the voice euen as Iacob did Gen. 32.26 that would not let the Angell goe before hee had blessed him and according to the example set downe Luk. 18. â— of the widow who by her importunity which in the Greeke word signifieth impudency so troubled and wearied with her cries as it were with blowes the vnrighteous Iudge as she wrested her sute from him Christ in that parable teaching vs that wee ought to vse a holy kind of impudency in our petitions vnto God and neuer to giue him rest till hee hath yeelded to our requests which wee make in faith and present in hope Heereupon it is that the soule is very earnest with God as either being laden with some sinne which it desireth to be eased of or priuy to some wants which it faine would haue supplied or in some apprehension of Gods iudgement for sinne which it seeketh to escape or the loue of God constraining it to be thankfull for the rich mercies formerly receiued or else being assaulted with some danger and temptation craueth to bee â—â—liuered so as alwaies the soule hath occasion to bee quicke and earnest in praier for causes to moue vs euen in our owne particular persons vnto this duty besides the generall cause of the Church doe daily occurre and fall out In that it is said We crie Father heere is questionable whether onely God the first person in the Trinity be to be praied vnto and not the Sonne nor the holy Ghost To this we answer that the word Father and God is taken essentially for the whole essence of the God-head which includeth them all as it is in the Lords praier or else it is taken personally for that the Sonne must be praied vnto the place is plaine Act. 7.59 And they stoned Stephen who called on God and said Lord Iesus receiue my spirit And that the holy Ghost must be praied vnto appeareth by Saint Paul who endeth his Epistle 2. Corinthians 13.13 with this praier The communion of the holie Ghost be with you So as the word Father in this place is not meant of any one distinct person subsisting in the name of Father but it is to bee vnderstood of them all the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost for as they be all offended with vs for our sinnes so must they all bee reconciled to vs by our praiers And heereupon is it that Saint Augustine saith that the whole Trinity is Father in respect of the creature and hee is onely named heere because the Father is the fountaine of the God-head and the first in order but not in time howbeit being vnderstood in respect of their diuers subsistences they are seuerall Whereupon it is true that the word Father or God is sometime taken personally as Iohn 3.16 where it is said God so loued the world that hee gaue his onely begotten Sonne that wâ—â—â—euer beleeueth in him should not perish And 1. Corinthians 8.6 Vnto vs there is but one God which is the Father of whom are all things in which places the word God is taken personally as it is also in the Greede when wee say I beleeue in God the Father But the whole Trinitie is called Father in two respects first because hee is the fountaine of the God-head and the fountaine of all loue election and saluation the will of the Father going before the will of the Sonne in order not in time Secondly because howeâ—â—â— wee pray to Christ and to the holy Ghost as we doe to God and howeuer all the workes of the Trinity be vndiuided that they doe all saue and not the Father only yet they doe it by degrees Christ saueth vs insubmitting his will to his Fathers will the holy Ghost saueth vs in perswading and leading vs to goe to Christ and froâ— Christ to the Father so as our praiers are made vnto God in the name of Christ his Sonne by the direction of the holie Ghost Againe in that we name him Father learne that all our security and assurance that our praiers shall be effectuall and that we shall speede in our sutes and requests lieth in this that we are his children and so all that wee doe and performe pleaseth him no further then the person pleaseth him And therefore Dauid Psal 7. 17. 26. making a commemoration of his vertues as that there was no wickednesse in his hands that he had purposed his mouth should not offend that he had not hanted nor sorted himselfe with dissemblers doth it not the rather to moue God to heare him and to incline his eare to his petition but by these testimonies of a good conuersation
cause of war which the godly haue with the worldlings to shew the diuision betweene the seed of the woman and the serpent and to exercise the patience and praiers of Gods seruants for these ends the Gospell breedeth commotion Now for the effect of this feare it makes the King to call a Synod of Diuines and he gathereth the learned and all the learned omitting none to this end not to satisfie the question of the wise men Where he was that was borne but to satiate his owne bloudy purpose That he might know the place where he should be borne Where we learne how Princes doe vse religion and to what purpose they call for Diuines not for conscience but for policy for it was the matter of the crowne onely troubled Herod so as he called them not for any reuerence hee bare to them for he knew them to be miserable claw-backes but to serue his turne and that they might releeue him in this his trouble and scruple Thus did Balak Numb 22.5 send for Balaam onely to curse the people and Ahab 1. Kin. 22.8 sent for Micah only that he might concurre in opinion with the foure hundred false Prophets For the third generall circumstance namely the resolution giuen by these Diuines which is right and sincere out of the Scripture the Iesuites hereupon note that these priests though their persons were neuer so wicked yet God doth force them to speake trueth by vertue of their vnction Iohn 11.50 So Caiaphas onely as high Priest shall say and that truly that one shall die for the sins of the people though he neither know what he speaketh not beleeue what he speaketh We answer that if the priuiledge of oâ—le did this then could he neuer sentence any thing amisse but if this vnction worke but by fits like Sauls frensie 1. Sam. 16.23 then must they seeke out some other cause of the vpright iudgement of these Diuines in this place Balaam Num. 24.17 prophesied true not because he was a Priest but he spake euen as his Asse spake God putting it into his heart to doe so And it is strange that the Popes person may be an heretike and yet the Pope himselfe as Pope be a Catholike and that though his person be ouerflowen with wickednesse yet that as some grounds will beare no poisoned beasts so his Consistory will breed no errors We say the seate of Moses had no such priuiledge much lesse they for though Caiaphas spake true that one should die yet as high Priest hee condemned the Lord Iesus that was innocent So we must take it heere that these Diuines resolued Herod of the truth not by inforcement but voluntarily euen as they thought for their lips preserued so much knowledge as to be acquainted with the Prophets euen in these speciall and secret points of the comming of Christ Note further in the prophesie of the Messias heere cited the great mercy of God that set downe particularly so many things by so many sundry instruments and all fall out to be as true as if the Prophets had then seene them It was first prophesied Gen. 3. he should bee the seed of the woman then to what nation hee should be giuen to the Iewes then to what Tribe to Iuda Gen. 49.10 then to what house of this Tribe to Dauid then at what time he should be borne Dan. 9.25 Genes 49.10 when the Scepter shall goe from Shilo then shall the Messias come then the person that should beare him a virgine his name Emmanuel Esa 7.14 his office a Sauiour the place where hee should bee borne Bethlem Micah 5.2 the maner of his life to be poore Za. 99. he shall come riding on an asse the maner of his death Esa 53.12 he should be condemned with sinners the price should be giuen to betray him and what should be done with it to buy a field Zach. 11.12 that he should be pierced and yet that in his death not a bone should be broken Exod. 12.46 that he should thirst vineger should be giuen him Psa 69.21 that lots should be cast vpon his garments Psal 22.18 Let vs therefore seeing this sweet harmony of the Prophets and as perswaded of the verity of the whole scripture labour to learne all things that are written and so to learne them as to doe them that we may be contrary minded to these Iewes reioyce at his comming who will fill vs with all ioy Further wee are to consider by what occasion the Lord wrought that the virgine should be brought to bed at Bethlem Luke reciteth it chap. 2.1 that Mary hauing purposed to be deliuered at Nazareth where shee had conceiued which had beene contrary to the scripture the Lord changeth this determination and sendeth a thought into the heart of Augustus the Emperour to impose a taxe vpon all the world Mary though great with child and neere her trauell yet is constrained to go to Bethlem Thus doeth the Lord turne the purposes of wicked men to a blessed end and makes all wind blow good for his children and prouokes the Emperor to bee an executioner of the prophesies not that he any whit regarded them in his heart or did this vpon any voluntary obedience for his end was to inrich his fist and to shew the Maiesty of his Empire that by this men might testifie their submission vnto him Thus did the Lord turne Gen. 45.7 the mischieuous malice of Iosephs brethren to an honorable end that he might be a purueyor and a nurse to his Church as Ioseph himselfe testifieth Gen. 50.20 speaking to his brethren Ye thought euill against me but the Lord turned it vnto good that I might preserue the liues of many Note further in the resolution of these Diuines that we are to wonder how they could so sincerely willingly answer to the question propounded whereas afterward they peruert all the scripture rather then they will subiect themselues to this Messias it is because as yet the Messias had not opened his mouth to conuince their sinne and shew their shame nor challenged them for murthering of soules but when he comes to discouer their hypocrisie and persecution of the truth then he is no more the King of the Iewes borne at Bethlem but he is a Nazarean and no good thing can come out of Galile Iohn 7.53 reprouing also Nicodemus verse 52. that would not haue him condemneâ— before he was heard graunting the truth in the generall but denying it in the particular which is the nature of all Atheists and Non-residents 2. Tim. 4.2 Mat. 15.14 which subscribe to the generall places of Scripture that the word must bee preached in season and out of season that if the blind leade the blind both shall fall into the pit of perdition that where the vision faileth the people perish Prou. 11.14 and that the price of soules is bloud but that hee himselfe is in this danger that taketh the fleece yet feedeth not the sheepe or that he doth
life yea scarce possible to abide his smell then Christ by the speaking of a word could doe it when Luk. 15.20 the prodigall sonne had wasted all and was reiected of all then the father receaueth him home againe when Ionas was Ionah 2.2 in the whales belly and as the text saith in the belly of hell that hee thought himselfe cast out of Gods sight then did the Lord bring vp his life from the pit and deliuered him when Daniel was put into the Lions den Dan. 6.22 to be made a pray for beasts then the Lord shewed his power by stopping of the Lions mouthes that they hurt him not when the three children Dan. 3.23 were cast into the fornace seuen times hotter then it was wont to bee because they would not consent to idolatry then did the Lord restraine the nature of the flames that it rather cooled then scorched them when Dauid 1. Sam. 23.26 was compassed on euery side by Saul and his company that he had no way to escape then God sent a messenger to the King to tell him of a power comming against himselfe whereby they left persuing him when the Isralites had the red Sea before them the mountaines on each side them and the Egyptians behind them Exod. 14.21 then did the Lord by a meanes to man impossible prouide for their safety The vse whereof is to our exceeding comfort that if we be closely imprisoned the Angell can vnloose vs when all doe forsake vs then will the Lord gather vs vp Psal 27.10 If we bee ready with Peter to sinke into the sea if we cry but Lord saue vs we shall be safe if we be as dead as the dry bones Ezek. 37.4 the Lord can and will put life into vs the slauery that the Pharaohs of the world can put vs to nor the bondage they can hold vs in is nothing to the Lord with whom nothing is impossible which if we could but once beleeue we would be lifted vp in what misery soeuer for the Lord 〈…〉 â—s from â—ell it selfe so as we are the cause of our â—â—ne miseries and of our discomforts in our miseries because we are so incredulous therfore let vs pray to the Lord to increase our faith that wee may neuer distrust in his power for that hee worketh not till it bee impossible hee is moued thereto by our pride lest if he should doe it by meanes wee might attribute it to the second causes and not to his prouidence and so rob him of his glory and on the other side if wee haue no meanes then we distrust his prouidence and so despaire as men without God in the world whereas our affiance in him should driue out all trembling distrust whatsoeuer for hee that hath thus prouided for our soules when they were mouldring away in our sinnes how can we feare but our bodies which with the soule make the whole man shall bee as deare and pretious to him also For the second which is the person sent it is the sonne of God wherein our vnworthinesse appeareth the more that vnlesse Christ had beene sent wee had not beene saued and this wil the more appeare by considering what we are without Christ euen heires of condemnation subiect to euerlasting curse and if we would haue a description of our selues without Christ before we were borne we deserued that the mid-wiues should teare vs and rend vs out of our mothers wombe and cast vs not into water as Pharaohs mid-wiues should haue done to the Israelites Exod. 1.17 but into the fire which might in some sort prefigure the heat in hell and that the first swathing-band should haue beene the chaines of darkenesse to bind vs fast to the diuel and that the first fire to warme vs at should haue beene that that burneth by the breath of the Lordâ— and that the first milke to cherish vs should haue beene poison to choke vs and that the first garment to cloath vs with should haue beene the wrath and vengance of God for we are so deformed in our conception as the Lord cannot discerne that euer any part of our image came from heauen so polluted in our liues as if the Diuell were let loose among vs yea for our sakes all the creatures both in heauen and earth are accursed except the Angels elect and the diuell who was accursed from the beginning and that ceremoniall leprosie in the law Leuit. 15. prefigureth and 〈…〉 morall vncleannesse and leprosie of our soules for in the law the chaire he sate on the bed he lay on the basen he washt in was vnclean the meat he eat yea the company he kept was so also now in regard hereof God sent his sonne to make that possible which was in vs impossible to make his worth answer our vnworthinesse that since his eie could not indure the sight of our vncleannesse it might delight in the beholding of his holinesse and that the hand that could not bee staied from being auenged on vs might through the obedience of his sonne be tied and fast bound from striking vs and that the violes of vengeance which were opened to bee powred forth on vs might through the pleasure he tooke in his sonne be stopt and diuerted from vs. Secondly it was necessary Christ should be sent for our sinnes being against the maiesty of an infinit God deserue iustice of the same nature which iustice must haue either infinite satisfaction or infinit punishment therefore God being both infinitely iust and infinitly mercifull there must be presented to him one of the same nature who by being infinite may reconcile both these if we should present our selues besides that we are but finit we must needes taste of iustice for what haue we but figge-leaues to couer our shame If we could offer the Angels for our attonemet it were too low a price for they are in themselues finite being at the first created and for this their creation they stand indebted to the Lord and the satisfaction they can giue is but their obedience which is their duty therefore the price of reconciliation must bee the Sonne of God who is infinite aswell as God himselfe equall with him in maiesty in power and in purity and he hath infinitely satisfied his infinite iustice and ioyned him in infinite mercy to vs that as Dauid saith Psal 32.10 we are now compassed about with mercy and we know whatsoeuer compasseth a man there is nothing can come vnto him but it must first come through that doth so compasse him so as wee being through Christ compassed about with the Lords mercy there can no sorrowes come neere vs but either mercy will keepe them out or if they come in they must come through mercy and proceed from mercy and not from iustice nor displeasure 〈…〉 â—â—â—rd in what manner he was sent In the similitude of â—â—â—â—full flesh Out of which learne that God could not be satisfied for sinnefull flesh but by flesh not by the similitude of flesh but of