me doth it Here marke Paul calls concupiscence in himselfe after regeneration sinne and that properly because he saith it is the same that maketh men to sinne And Col. 3. 5. he saith Mortifie your earthly members and among the rest he nameth euill concupiscence And to the Ephesians 4. 22. Be ye renewed in the spirit of your mindes Therefore after baptisme some portions remaine still of the old man or of originall sinne S. Iohn saith 1. Ioh. 1. 8. If we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues Answer is made that this is spoken of veniall or small sinnes but how can they be small sinnes that are to be washed away with the blood of Christ as he saith v. 7. And if these words be spoken of infants as they are then must Concupiscence be a sinne in them for they haue no actuall sinnes Lastly Christ saith Ioh. 13. 10. He that is all washed must haue his feete that is his carnall affections washed Here obserue two things One that defilements of sinne remaine in them that are washed The second that they are after the first washing to be done away by Christ and not by the acts of our pennance The grounds of Popish doctrine in this point are two The first is this They make three degrees of Concupiscence The first is the pronesse in the flesh to rebell against the law of the minde or the proâ—esse to euill The second stands in the first motions to sinne which goe before consent of will The third stands in acts of lust ioyned with consent of will This third they say is forbidden in the moral law which forbids and condemnes voluntarie concupiscence and the two first are not Because as they speake concupiscence it selfe with the first motions are not in mans power and therefore they are rather to be tearmed defects or infirmities then sinnes and that men are no more to be blamed for them then for the diseases of their bodies Ans. The doctrine is false for it is an euident truth that Concupiscence with the first motions thereof to euill is condemned in the Morall law It is a Principle in expounding the law where any actuall sinne is forbidden there all causes occasions furtherances thereof are likewise forbidden Therefore considering actuall concupiscence ioyned with consent is forbidden in the law Originall concupiscence with the first motions thereof beeing causes of the former are likewise forbidden And Paul saith he had not knowne Lust to be sinne vnlesse the law had said Thou shalt not lust Rom. 7. 7. Now he was a Doctor of the law and knew that lust with consent was a sinne for thus much the light of nature teacheth therfore the law speakes of an higher degree of lust namely of lust going before consent The second ground is this When sinne is remitted it doth not make men guiltie but ceaseth to be a fault Originall sinne therefore ceaseth to be sinne after baptisme Ans. Though actuall guilt be taken away yet potentiall guilt remaineth namely an aptnes in Originall sinne to make men guiltie and though it be not the fault of this or that person yet it is a fault in nature or as it is considered in it selfe The vse If Originall sinne remaine after baptisme to the death then we must humble our selues and vse to the very death the plea of mercie and pardon denying our selues and resting on Christ. Againe if persons baptised be sinners to the death it may be demaunded what difference there is betweene the godly and vngodly Ans. In them that are regenerate there is a sorrow for their inward corruptions and for their sinnes past with a detestation of them and withall there is a Purpose in them to sinne no more and with this purpose there is ioyned an endeauour to please God in all his commandements so as if they doe sinne they can say with good conscience that they sinned against their purpose and resolution This cannot the vngodly man doe The third point is how baptisme conferres grace Ans. It conferres grace because it is a meanes to giue and exhibit to the beleeuing minde Christ with his benefits and this it doth by his signification For it serues as a particular and infallible certificate to assure the partie baptised of the forgiuenes of his sinnes and of his eternall saluation And whereas the Minister in the name of God applies the promise of mercie to him that is baptised it is indeede as much as if God should haue made a particular promise to him In this regard baptisme may well be said to conferre grace as the Kings letters are said to saue the life of the malefactour when they doe but signifie to him and others that the kings pleasure is to shew fauour Againe baptisme may be saide to conferre grace because the outward washing of the bodie is a token or Pledge of the grace of God and by this pledge faith is confirmed which is an instrument to apprehend or receiue the grace of God And this confirmation is made by a kind of reasoning in the minde on this manner He that vseth the signe aright shall receiue the thing signified I saith the partie baptised beeing of yeares vse the signe aright in faith and repentance therefore I shall receiue the thing signified remission of sinnes and life euerlasting A king saith to his subiect He that brings the head of such a traytour shall haue a thousand poundes Well the head of the foresaid traytour is cut off and he that hath the head may say Here is a thousand pounds or this will bring me a thousand pounds because it is vnto him as a pledge vpon the kings word of the reward of a thousand pounds And so is the washing in baptisme an infallible pledge to him that beleeues of the pardon of his sinnes Thus doe the sacraments conferre grace and no otherwise One reason for many may be this The word of God confirs grace for it is the power of God to saluation to them that beleeue and this it doth by signifying the will of God by the eare to the mind now euery sacrament is the word of God made visible to the eye the sacrament therefore confirs grace by vertue of his signification and by reason it is a pledge by the appointment of God of his mercie and goodnes It may be said a sacrament is not only a signe and a seale but also an instrument to conuay the grace of God to vs. Answer It is not an instrument hauing the grace of God tyed vnto it or shut vp in it but an instrument to which grace is present by assistance in the right vse thereof because in with the right vse of the sacrament God conferres grace and thus is it an instrument and no otherwise that is a morall and not a physicall instrument The doctrine of the Papist is that the sacrament conferres grace by the worke done that is that the outward action of the Minister conferres grace by his owne force when
for grace and peace The reason true happinesse which all men desire consists in peace and is founded in grace they are said to be happie blessed that mourne suffer persecution for iustice sake Mat. 5. because in the middest of their sorrows miseries they haue the fauour of God the peace of good conscience Thirdly in that grace peace are ioyned we learn that peace without grace is no peace There is no peace to the wicked saith my god Isai. 57. last They which make a couenāt with hel death are soonest destroyed Isai. 28. 18. Laughter saith Salomon is madnes namely when it is seuered from grace and peace When men say peace peace then comes destruction 1. Thess. 5. The prosperitie of the men of this world ends in perdition read Ps. 73. Paul saith not simply that Grace and peace comes frō God but from God the father and from Iesus Christ that he may teach vs rightly to acknowledge and worship God For God is to be acknowledged and worshipped in the father in Christ in the holy spirit It was the fault of the Pagans and it is the fault of sundrie Christians to worship an absolute God without the father and without Christ. This fault must be amended for it turnes God to an Idol Againe when Paul saith that grace proceeds first from the father and secondly from Iesus Christ he sets downe the Order which God obserueth in the communication of grace peace The father is the fountaine of grace and giues it from none but from himselfe Christ againe is as it were a conduit or pipe to conuaie grace from the father to vs. Of his fulnesse we receiue grace for grace Ioh. 1. In him we are complete Col. 2. Election Iustification Saluation and all is done in and by Christ. 2. Tim. 1. 9. The vse I. Let them that trauell vnder the burden of a bad conscience and a bad life come to Christ by turning from their sinnes and by beleeuing in him and they shall obtaine grace finde rest to their soules II. In our miseries our hearts may not be troubled ouermuch but we must alwaies moderate our sorrowes For if we beleeue in Christ we shall alwaies haue grace and peace Read Ioh. 14. 27. III. We must moderate our cares for this life For if we trusting in Christ haue grace and peace we shall want nothing read Psal. 4. v. 6. 7. Iesus Christ that giues grace and peace is called Our Lord for two causes One is to teach vs to acknowledge Christ aright and that is as well to acknowledge him to be our Lord as wel as our Sauiour He is a Priest to procure life a prophet to teach the way of life a Lord to command them to walke in the way of life The fault of our times All men professe Christ yet many allowe of no Christ but of their owne deuising namely a Christ that must be a Sauiour to deliuer them from hell but not a Lord to commaund them that they cannot brooke The second cause why Christ is called our Lord is to signifie the persons to whome grace and peace belong and they are such as acknowledge Christ for their Lord and yeild subiection to him in heart and life They finde rest to their soules that take vp the yoke of Christ in newe obedience and the patient bearing of the Crosse Math. 11. v. 29. 4. Who gaue himselfe for our sinnes that he might deliuer vs out of this present euill world according to the will of God our father 5. To whome be glorie for euer and euer Amen In these words the second argument is propounded whereby Christ is described namely the effect of Christ which is that he gaue himselfe And he is said to giue himselfe for two causes First because he presented himselfe as a price and sacrifice for sinne to God the Father Math. 20. 28. Eph. 5. 2. 1. Tim. 2. 6. The second because he did publikely propound and set forth himselfe to the world as a sacrifice and price of redemption Rom. 3. 25. Ioh. 3. 14. and Act. 4. 12. In this giuing there are fiue things to be cōsidered The first the giuer Christ the second the thing giuen and that is Christ himselfe The third is the ende of his giuing for sinne that is that he might make satisfaction for our sinnes The fourth is another end of his giuing that he might deliuer vs out of this present euil world Here the present world signifies the corrupt estate of mē that liue according to the lusts of their own hearts 1. Ioh. 2. 16. And men are here said to be deliuered takē out of the world when they are seuered from the condition of sinnfull men by sanctification and newnes of life and by diuine protection whereby they are preserued from euill after they are sanctified Tit. 2. 14. and Ioh. 17. 15. And this deliuerance is not in this life in respect of place but in respect of qualitie The fifth thing is the cause that mooued Christ to giue himselfe and that is the will of God In the 5. verse there is set downe a corollarie or conclusion which containes the praise of God The vse followes Whereas Christ is the giuer of himselfe hence it followes that his death and sacrifice was voluntarie And this he shewed in two things When he was to be attached he fledde not but went to a garden in the mount as his custome was which was knowne to Iudas Ioh. 18. 2. And in the very separation of bodie and soule he cried with a loud and strong voice which argued that he was Lord of death died because his will was to die This must be remembred For otherwise his death had not beene a satisfaction for sinne In that Christ gaue himselfe to be a sacrifice we learne many things First that the worke of redemption exceedes the worke of creation For in the creation Christ gaue the creatures to man in the redemption he gaue himselfe and that as a sacrifice Secondly in that he gaue himselfe it appeares that he gaue neither angel nor meere man nor any thing out of himselfe and that all merits of life and satisfactions for sinne are to be reduced to the person of Christ and consequently that there be no humane satisfactions for sinne nor meritorious workes done by vs because they pertaine not to the person of Christ but to our persons and they were neuer offered of Christ vnto God as merits and satisfactions because he gaue nothing but himselfe and the things which appertained vnto his owne person Thirdly in that Christ giues himselfe we must take and receiue him with hungering hearts Nay he is to suffer violence of vs and the violent are to take him to themselues Lastly in that he giues himselfe to vs we againe must giue our bodies and soules vnto him in way of thankefulnes and dedicate all that we haue or can doe to the good of men The creatures at our tables
whereof he declared and made manifest in the flesh after his resurrection Thus was he made Lord by declaring himselfe to be so indeede Rom. 1. 4. 1. Tim. 3. 16. Thus we see how God sent forth his sonne the vse follows This act of God in sending declares his infinite loue for this sending was for their sakes that were the enemies of God And it further signifies vnto vs the most free loue of God For nothing in vs mooued him to send but his owne goodnes This loue of God must mooue vs to loue God againe and to be thankfull The sonne of God takes not to himselfe the office of a Mediatour but he is called and sent forth of the father whereby two things are signified one that the office of a Mediatour was appointed of the father the other that the Sonne was designed to this office in the eternall counsell of the blessed Trinitie And so that we may please God in our callings and places we must haue a double assurance in our consciences one that the offices and callings which we performe are good pleasing vnto God the second that we are designed and called of God to the said offices and callings By this must we stay our minds in all our miseries The sonne is sent forth that is he comes from his father laies aside his maiestie and takes on him the condition of a seruant The same minde must be in vs to humble and abase our selues before God to thinke better of others then of our selues to be content with our condition to be well pleased when we are despised and contemned because we are worthie of it This is to conforme our selues to Christ. That the sonne of God himselfe must be sent forth from the bosome of his father this shewes the greatnes of our sinne and miserie which was the occasion of this sending And this must teach vs with bitternes to hate and detest our sinnes which fetched the sonne of God from heauen and to humble our selues with Dauid euen to the deepes and thence to pray to God for his mercie Psal. 130. 1. The second point namely the Incarnation of the sonne is expressed in these words Made of a woman that is made man or made flesh of a woman The Word was made flesh Ioh. 1. 14. Here three questions are to be handled The first is why the Sonne was made flesh Ans. There be two speciall causes hereof First the order of diuine iustice requires that Gods wrath should be appeased and a satisfaction made in the same nature in which his maiestie was offended Now the offence was in mans nature and therefore in it must satisfaction to God be performed Secondly the Mediatour betweene God and man must be both for nature and condition in the meane betweene God and man that is both God and man and thus the sonne of God is a perfect Mediatour The second question is how farre forth the sonne of God was made flesh I answer three things The first that he tooke vnto him the whole and perfect nature of man in respect of essence namely the intire substance of a reasonable soule and humane bodie Here remember that quantitie that is length breadth and thicknes is not an accident which may passe and repasse but it is of the substance of euery bodie therefore of the bodie of Christ. And for this cause it is impossible that the bodie of Christ in his quantitie beeing foure or fiue foote in length should be included in the compasse of a peece of bread that is but two or three inches in quantitie The second is that the sonne of God â—ooke vnto him the properties of mans nature the powers of life sense motion the facultie of reason will and affection The third is that he tooke to him the infirmities and miseries of mans nature Here two caueats must be remembred The first that he tooke to him onely such infirmities as are meere infirmities and no sinnes For example vpon the words of Christ Let this cuppe passe Matth. 26. some say that their was obliuion in Christ but this may not be said For obliuion is a sinne namely a forgetting of that which a man ought to remember there may be in Christ or other men a suspending of the Memorie by some externall and violent cause without obliuion The second caueat is that the sonne of God tooke to him the infirmities which pertaine to the nature of man and not such as pertaine to the persons of men as dropsies gouts consumptions and such like For he tooke not the person of any man but the nature of all men with all the appurtenances thereof except sinne The third question is How was he made flesh Ans. The flesh or manhood of Christ was first framed then sanctified and then vnâ—ted to the godhead of the sonne And thus was he made man Remember here that the forming of the flesh of Christ the sanctifying of it and the personall Vnion are all together for time and I distinguish them in this sort onely for doctrines sake In the framing of the manhood I consider the matter and the manner The matter was the substance of the Virgin signified in these words Made of a woman By this Christ is distinguished from all men in the world from Adam because he was neither of man nor woman but of â—edde clay From Eue because shee was made of man and not of woman From all that come of Adam and Eue for they are both of man and woman whereas Christ is of woman and not of man Againe Paul addes these words made of a woman to note the accomplishment of the promise the seede of the woman shall bruise the serpents head Gen. 3. 15. The manner of framing is expressed when Paul saith made not begotten of a woman The manhood then of Christ was framed without naturall generation by an extraordinarie worke of the holy Ghost Here a doubt is answered Some man may say if he were made of a woman he comes of Adam and consequently he is a sinner Ans. The order set downe by God with Adam in the creation is that whatsoeuer he looseth all his posteritie shall loose that comes of him by generation Vpon this order all that are begotten of Adam with the nature of man receiue the sinne and corruption of nature And so should Christ haue done if he had descended of Adam by generation But considering his flesh was made of the substance of a woman and not begotten of any man therefore he takes the nature of man and not the corruption of nature The sanctifying of the manhood of Christ is a worke of diuine power whereby at the time of the framing thereof it was filled with the gifts of the holy Ghost aboue measure that he mightin both natures be a perfect Sauiour Here obserue that Christ by the actions of his life did not merit for himselfe glorie and eternall happines because he was most worthie of all glorie and honour
For Christ in his Sacrifice Satisfaction intercession merit admits no corriuall or associate All actions of his are perfect in their kind and neede no supplie This againe must teach vs to content our selues with Christ alone and not to set vp any thing with him or against him This is the safest and the surest course A certen Papist writeth to this effect that we Protestants in our iustification cleaue only to the bodie of the tree and that the Papists cleaue both to the bodie and the branches And I say againe it is the safest with both the hands to cleaue to the bodie of the tree and he that with one hand laies hold vpon the bodie of the tree and with the other staies himselfe vpon the branches â—in great danger of falling The second conclusion of Paul is that to set vp any thing out of Christ as a meritorious cause of saluation and to place our iustification in it either in whole or in part is indeede the seruice of Idols And the reason is plaine For this is to set vp something in the place and roome of Christ and men put a confidence in that which they make a cause of their owne saluation The doctrine then of Iustification by works is a doctrine that maintaines idolatrie for if they iustifie we may put our trust in them and if we put our confidence in them we make idols of them That works may merit at Gods hand they must not onely be sanctified but also deified The distinction vsed of the Papists of Latria and Dulia that is of worship and seruice falls to the ground They say they giue worship to God and seruice to Angels and Saints It is a toie For here Paul condemnes the very seruice to heathen gods and the seruice of the rudiments of the law is the Apostasie of the Galatians And to giue seruice or worshippe to any thing are all one The third conclusion of Paul is that they which haue giuen their names to God and Christ must not returne to any thing that they haue forsaken or ought to forsake He that puts his hand to the plough must not looke backe he that goes to the land of Canaan must not looke backe to Egypt We in England haue bin long deliuered from the superstition of Poperie and we must not so much as dreame of any returne It is a common fault among vs that in outward profession we cleaue to Christ yet in affection and practise we cleaue to the world and walke after the lusts of our owne hearts This is in shew to goe forward but in deede to turne backe againe But our dutie is in thought conscience will affection word and deede to go on forward and no way to goe backe Vers. 10. In the former verse Paul sets downe the Apostasie of the Galatians in generall tearmes saying How turne ye againe to the Elements of the world In the 10. verse he shewes what these Elements be Ye obserued daies and moneths and times and yeares By daies are meant Iewish Sabbaths by moneths the feasts obserued euery moneth in the day of the new moone By times some vnderstand the feast of the Passeouer the feast of Pentecost and the feast of Tabernacies But the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies seasons or fit times for the doing of this or that busines So is it translated Act. 1. 7. It is not for you to know the times and seasons It was the manner of the Gentiles to make difference of times in respect of good or bad successe and that according to the signes of heauen And it is very likely that the Galatians obserued daies not onely in the Iewish but also in the heathenish manner By yeares are meant euery seuenth yeare and the Iubelie yeares which the Galatians obserued after the fashion of the Iewes Againe there is a fourefold kind of obseruation of daies one naturall the other ciuill the third Ecclesiasticall the fourth superstitious Naturall is when daies are obserued according to the course of the sunne moone Gen. 1. 14. thus day follows night and night followes day and euery yeare hath foure seasons spring sommer autumne winter And the obseruation of these times is according to the law of nature Ciuill obseruation is when set times are obserued for husbandrie in planting setting reaping sowing for houshold affaires and for the affaires of the commonwealth in keeping of faires and markets c. And thus to obserue daies is not vnlawfull Ecclesiasticall obseruation of times is when set daies are obserued for orders sake that men may come together to worship God these daies are either daies of thanksgiuing or daies of humiliation Of daies of thanksgiuing take the example of the Iewes Hest. 9. 26. who obserued yearely the feast of Purim for a memorie of their deliuerance In like manner they appointed and obserued the feast of Dedication and it seemes that Christ was present at Ierusalem as an obseruer of this feast Ioh. 10. 22. And thus for orders sake to obserue certaine daies of solemnitie is not forbidden Superstitious obseruation of daies is twofold Iewish or heathenish Iewish when set daies are obserued with an opinion that we are bound in conscience to obserue them and when the worship of God is placed in the obseruing of this or that time Heathenish when daies are obserued in respect of good or bad successe Now then to come to the point the intent of Paul is onely to condemne the Iewish manner of obseruing of daies in these words Ye obserue daies moneths yeares and the heathenish manner in these words ye obserue seasons Against this interpretation the place of Paul may be obiected Rom. 14. 6. He that obserues the day obserues it to the Lord. Ans. Indeede Paul in these words excuseth the Romanes that obserued daies and saith that their intention was to obserue them to the honour of God and this he saith because as yet they were not fully instructed touching Christian libertie but withall let it be remembred that in mild sort he notes this to be a fault in them when he saith that they were weake in faith Now the case was otherwise with the Galatians because they obserued daies after they had bin informed touching their libertie in Christ and withall they placed their saluation in part in the obseruation of daies and thus they mixed the Gospel with the law And therefore they were iustly to be blamed Againe it may be obiected that now in the time of the new Testament we in religious manner obserue the Lords day Ans. Some men both godly and learned are of opinion that the Lords day was appointed by the Apostles for orders sake and that it is in the libertie of the Church to appoint the Sabbath vpon any other day in the weeke because they say all daies without exception are equall and they adde further that when the publike worship of God is ended men may then returne to their labours or giue themselues to recreation
fruits of the spirit the hatred of our owne sinne the purpose of not sinning the feare of God and such like we must content our selues and waite for the fruition of further grace till the life to come Thirdly we must become waiters for the mercie of God and for life euerlasting Gen. 49. 18. Iud. v. â—1 For this cause we must doe as they doe which waite attend for some great benefit we must daily stand with our supplications knocking at the mercie gate to the death and we must daily prepare our selues against the day of death and it must be welcome vnto vs for then is the ende of all our waiting and attending The third point is by what are we to waite Paul saith We waite by faith Hence it followes that faith brings with it a speciall certentie of the mercie of God and of life euerlasting For men vse not to waite for the things whereof they are vncerten Waiting presupposeth certentie The Papists therefore that make speciall hope should also make speciall faith The last point is where is this waiting Paul saith in spirit Here obserue that all the exercises of Christian religion are to be in the spirit God must be worshipped in spirit Ioh. 4. 24. Rom. 1. 9. The heart must be rent and not the garment Ioâ—l 2. The inward motions of the spirit are of themselues the worship of God whereas our words and deedes are not simply but so farforth as they are founded in the renewed motions of the heart Men in our daies thinke they doe God high seruice if they come to Church heare Gods word and say some few praiers Indeede these things are not to be condemned yet are they not sufficient vnlesse withall we bring vnto God a renewed spirit indued with faith hope â—oue In the 6. verse Paul propounds three conclusions The first is this that externall and bodely priuiledges are of no vse and moment in the kingdome of Christ. Paul saith 1. Tim. 4. 8. Bodily exercise profiteth little and that godlines is profitable for all things It was a great priuiledge to be familiarly acquainted with Christ and to haue eaten and drunke with him yet is it of no vse in the kingdome of Christ. For of such Christ saith Luk. 13. 26. Depart from me ye workers of iniquitie It was a great priuiledge to be allied to Christ in respect of blood yet in the kingdome of Christ it is of no vse and therefore Christ saith He that doth the will of my father is my brother sister and mother Mark 3. 33. To conceiue and beare Christ was a great honour to the virgin Marie yet was shee not by this meanes a member of the kingdome of Christ but by her faith in him And if shee had not borne him in her heart as well as shee bare him in her wombe shee had not bin saued To prophecie or preach and that in the name of Christ is a great dignitie and yet many hauing this prerogatiue shall be condemned Matth. 7. 22. It may be alleadged that some outward exercises as baptisme and the Lords supper are of great vse in the Church of Christ. I answer the outward baptisme is nothing without the inward Not the washing of the flesh but the stipulation of a good conscience saueth 1. Pet. 3. 18. Circumcision is profitable if thou keepe the law Rom. 2. 35. By this we are taught not to esteeme of mens religion by their riches and externall dignities For the fashion of the world is if a man haue riches and honour to commend him for a wise vertuous and godly man This is foolishly to haue faith in respect of persons Iam. 2. 1. Secondly by this we are taught to moderate our affections in respect of all outward things neither sorrowing too much for them nor ioying too much in them 1. Cor. 7. 30. The second conclusion Faith is of great vse and acceptation in the kingdome of Christ. By it first our persons and then our actions please God and without it nothing pleaseth God It is the first and the greatest honour we can doe to God to giue credence to his word and from this flowes all other obedience to all other commandements Hence we learne First that we must labour to conceiue faith a right in our hearts by the vse of the right meanes the word praier sacraments as also in and by the exercises of spirituall inuocation and repentance This beeing done we must rest vpon the bare word and testimonie of God without and against sense and feeling and quiet our hearts therein both in life and death Secondly faith in Christ must raigne and beare sway in our hearts and haue the command ouer reason will affection lust And by it whatsoeuer we doe or suffer specially the maine actions of our liues are to be ordered and disposed Lastly it is a thing to be bewailed that the common faith of our daies is but a Ceremoniall faith conceiued without the ordinarie meanes and seuered from the exercises of inuocation and repentance The third conclusion is that true faith workes by loue Hence the Papists gather that loue is the forme and life of faith not because it makes faith to be faith but because it makes it to be a true faith a good faith a liuely faith But this their doctrine is false and erronious For faith is the cause of loue and loue is the fruit of faith 1. Tim. 1. 5. Loue out of a pure heart good conscience and faith vnfained Now euery cause as it is a cause hath his force and efficacie in it selfe and receiues no force or efficacie from his effect Secondly true faith is liuely and effectuall in it selfe and hath a peculiar forme of his owne and that is a certen power to apprehend Christ in the promise For in faith there are two things knowledge and apprehension which some call application or speciall affiance which affiance because the Papists cut off they are constrained to make a supplie by loue Thirdly the operation of faith according to the doctrine of the Papist is to Prepare and dispose a sinner to his future iustification Now if this operation be from loue then loue is before iustification and that cannot be because as they teach iustification stands in loue Loue therfore is not the forme of faith They alleadge for themselues this very text in hand where it is said faith worketh by loue or as they translate it faith is acted and mooued by loue Ans. The meaning of the text is that faith is effectuall in it selfe and that it shewes and puts forth his efficacie by loue as by the fruit thereof And it cannot hence be gathered that faith is acted and mooued by loue as by a formall cause Againe they alleadge Iam. 2. 26. As the bodie is dead without the spirit so is faith without workes Ans. 1. The soule of man is not the forme of his bodie but of the whole man 2. Spirit may as well signifie breath or
the price of eternall life Phil. 3. 13. Luk. 9. 62. Here comes a common fault to be considered we in respect of profession goe forward yet we looke backe in our course and minde earthly things Lastly we must not be mooued with the speaches of men which are giuen of vs either to or fro They are lookers on and must haue their speaches and our care must be not to heede them but to looke to our course The second dutie of Christian people is that they must not onely be runners but they must runne well And that is done by beleeuing and by obaying the true religion or as Paul saith by hauing faith and good conscience 1. Tim. 1. 18. These are as it were the two feete by which we runne to life euerlasting Vnder faith we are to comprehend the true acknowledgement of God affiance in him and inuocation c. Vnder good conscience is comprised the purpose of not sinning and the care to obay God in all his commandements To applie this to our selues runners we are but alas few of vs are good runners We haue one good foote and that is our faith or religion which is sound and good but we halt on the other foote our care to keepe conscience is not sutable to our religion And three things cause a lamenes or feeblenes in this foote the lust of the eye that is couetousnes the lust of the flesh and pride of life The third dutie is that we must runne the race from the beginning to the ende and finish our course so as we may apprehend life euerlasting 1. Tim. 6. 11. 2. Tim. 4. 7. 1. Cor. 9. 24. And for this cause we must cherish in our hearts a loue and feruent desire of eternall life and by this meanes we shall be drawne on through all miseries and ouerpasse them to the ende Secondly we must hold and maintaine a constant and daily purpose of not sinning And where we are the weakest there must our resolution be the strongest And thus shall we be constant to the death 8 It is not the perswasion of him that calleth you The meaning This opinion of iustification by the workes of the law is not from God who hath called you from bondage to libertie The scope Paul here meetes with a conceit of the Galatians which was this Why dost thou so often and so sharpely reprooue vs for we hould nothing against conscience but are perswaded of the thing which we say To this Paul answers here this perswasion is not of God because it is against the calling of God for he calles you to libertie and this your opinion drawes you into bondage Here we see the cause of mens declining from God and his worde and that is this Men denie credence to Gods word listen to plausible perswasions and so fall awaie Thus Eue fell in the estate of innocencie by listning to the false perswasions of the deuill The Papists â—usle themselues in their superstitions by a presumption that the Church cannot erre and that god wil not leaue his church destitute of the assistaÌ„ce of his spirit Our common people boulster themselues in their blind waies by a presumption that God is all of mercy and that if they doe their true intent serue God say their praiers deale iustly and doe as they would be done vnto they shall certenly be saued Tradesmen often vse many practises of fraud and iniustice and that vpon a perswasion that they haue a charge and family which must be maintained If men now a daies will not blaspheme drinke and riot as others doe they shall be charged with precisenes and that comes vpon a perswasion that it sufficeth to auoid the outward and notorious crimes which are mentioned and condemned in the law Thus the whole world is misled by blind perswasions Secondly hence we learne to close vp our eyes as it were and absolutely to follow the calling of god to subiect all the powers of our soules vnto it Thus did Abraham when he was called to go he knew not whether and Paul without vsing consultation went and preached in Arabia at the calling of Christ. Thirdly Paul here sets downe a note to discerne of false doctrines and opinions in religion If they be sutable to the calling of God they are good if they be against the calling of God they are naught This is Pauls rule God calles vs to libertie therefore the doctrine of iustification by the workes of the law is naught for it drawes vs into bondage In like â—ort God calles vs to free iustification and therefore the doctrine of humane satisfactions and of the merit of workes is naught Againe God calls vs to an vtter deniall of our selues and therefore the Popish doctrine of preparation and of freedome of will in the conuersion of a sinner is naught Lastly it is to be obserued that Paul saith in the time present of him that calleth you for hence it appeares that God continues to call the Galatians euen after their fall in which they fell away to an other Gospel and as much as in them lay abolished themselues from Christ. This shews Gods patience and that there is a possibilitie of mercie after great and grieuous falls It may be saide how long doth God continue to call men vnto him Ans. So long as he vouchsafeth them the benefit of the publike Ministerie Thus then more then fourtie yeares hath God called vs in England And for this cause it is our part to pray to God for hearing eares to be pearced in our hearts and we must answer the calling of God Psal. 27. 8. at the least in the desires and groanes of our hearts And lastly we must in life and conuersation be sutable to the calling of God 9 A little leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe The sense As a little leauen leaueneth and fauoreth the whole lumpe of dow euen so one errour or point of corrupt doctrine corrupteth the whole bodie of Christian religion because all the points of religion are linked and compounded together so as if one be corrupt the rest cannot remaine â—ound and incorrupt The scope The obiection of the Galatians is Put case that we erre in ioyning Circumcision and Christ yet there is no cause why thou shouldest â—o sharpely reprooue vs for it is no great errour to ioyne workes and Christ in the cause of our Iustification Paul answers to this obiection by a prouerbe saying that a little leauen of false doctrine corrupts the whole bodie of religion and one errour though it seeme to be of small moment at the first may at length bring with it the corruption and deprauation of many other points The vse In the example of the Galatians we see what is the common fashion of men namely to extenuate their faults and to make small matters of great offences The Phariâ—ies taught that sundrie of Gods commandements were small and little commandements Matth. 5. 19. To them that make no conscience of sinne great
the sense which is agreeable to the words of the text to the scope of the place to other circumstances and to the analogie of faith in the plainer places of Scripture is the proper and infallible sense of Scripture Thus fetching the sense of Scripture from it selfe we shall keepe our selues within the limits of Scripture and in the matter of our saluation haue certentie of faith which we shall neuer haue if we listen to reason tradition and the authoritie of men II. Read the Scriptures be a doer of them in the exercises of inuocation faith repentance then shalt thou neuer be a heretike It is Gods promise Ioh. 7. 17. If ye will obay ye shall know whether my doctrine be of God or no. Psal. 25. 14. The secret of the Lord is reuealed to them that feare him Marke them that make Apostasie and become Papists they are such as neuer had a minde to loue and obay the religion in which they haue bin baptized and brought vp III. Col. 2. 8. Let no man spoile you through Philosophie Paul doth not condemne the Philosophie of the Gentiles but he puts a caueat that it be vsed with circumspection as Marchants vse the sea to wit in eschewing rockes and sands and pirats So students may vse the Philosophie of the Gentiles but they must take heede lest their mindes be corrupted with the errors thereof which are to be considered Naturall Philosophie giues too much to nature or to second causes and too little to God It puts downe principles flat against the word as the eternitie of the world and the mortalitie of the soule Morall Philosophie placeth happinesse in ciuill vertue out of Christ it teacheth that vertue is a meane or mediocritie of affection whereas in true vertue there is not onely a restraint or moderation of affections but also the renouation of them by regeneration It teacheth that Vrbanitie in iesting frumping is a vertue Paul saith no Eph. 5. 4. It teacheth that Magnanimitie whereby a man thinkes himselfe worthie of great honour is a vertue but it is contrarie to Christian humilitie Psal. 131. 1 2. Lastly it teacheth that man hath a freedome of will in good actions which doctrine applied by the Schoolemen to matters of religion is false and erronious The third head of sinnes are such as are against Charitie and they are in number eight The first is Enmitie of it I consider three things The first is whether it be a sinne or no for somewhat may be obiected to the contrarie Obiect I. Psal. 139. 21. Doe not I hate them that hate thee Ans. Dauid here speakes of the hatred whereby he hated Gods enemies not in respect of their persons but in respect of their sinnes whereby they were enemies of God And this hatred is commendable and not here to be vnderstood Obiect II. Luk. 14. 26. He that will be a disciple of Christ must hate father and mother and his owne soule Ans. This hatred is not simply commanded but only in a certaine respect namely as father and mother and a mans owne soule are in comparison opposed to God and Christ in regard of whome they are vtterly to be despised Obiect III. Rom. 9. God chose Iacob and hated Esau and we must be like vnto God Ans. We are to be like vnto God in holines and the duties thereof and not in the soueraigntie and Lordship ouer the creatures whereby he either loues or hates them Obiect IV. It is the vniuersall nature of all creatures to flie their contrarie therefore men may hate their enemies Ans. Man and man are not contrarie in nature or naturall properties but are all one flesh the contrarietie that is is by reason of the corruption of nature The second point is what is this Enmitie Ans. It is a peruerse disposition of minde whereby men remember iniuries discourtesies and vnkindnesses and carrie about them a purpose and desire to requite like for like when time and place shall serue Thus did Esau hate Iacob Gen. 27. 41. and Absolom his brother Amnon 2. Sam. 13. The third point where is this Enmitie Ans. Euery where among vs. For we daily see person diuided against person familie against familie and Corporation against Corporation This shewes that we are carnall and that Gods kingdome takes no place among vs as it should For in it the lambe and the wolfe quietly dwell together Isa. 11. The remedie of this Enmitie is That all be of one mind desire and affection in the receiuing and furthering of the Gospel of Christ. 1. Cor. 1. 11. If in the maine point there be a concord in leffer matters the agreement will be easie Debate It is a contention in words whereby men striue who shall shew most courage who shall get the victorie and who shall carrie away the last word no respect had of equitie or truth In this respect crying or lifting vp the voice in reasoning is condemned Eph. 4. 31. Emulations There is a good emulation and that is when men striue to be like to them that excell in vertue or to goe beyond them And it is commanded by the holy Ghost 1. Cor. 14. 12. and it were to be wished that it were more common then it is Beside this there is a carnall emulation whereby men that excell in any thing grieue that any should be equall to them or goe beyond them The vse If to grieue at another mans Excellencie be a worke of the flesh then it is our dutie to reioyce in the excellencie of others Thus did Moses when Eldad and Medad prophecied Numb 11. 29. And Iohn the Baptist when Christ increased and he decreased Ioh. 3. 29 30. And Paul gaue thankes as well for the graces bestowed on the Churches as for gifts bestowed on himselfe Anger Of it I consider three points The first is whether there be any lawfull anger Aus Yea. Christ in whome was no sinne was angrie Mark 3. 5. When there is a iust cause of anger then is anger iust When there is a manifest offence of God there is a iust cause of anger therefore anger is then iust The second is when is anger a sinne Ans. When men are hastie to be angrie Eccles. 7. 11. and are offended at euery thing that goes against their mindes Or againe hauing a iust cause to be angrie yet they keepe no measure in their anger The third point is the Remedie And that is here set downe Hastines is a worke of the flesh or of corrupt nature and it barres men from the kingdome of heauen and therefore it is to be auoided Contention There are sundrie kinds of lawfull contention as contention with the enemie in iust warre contention at the barre with an aduersarie in a iust cause contention in disputation with an heretike contention in Schoole disputation for exercise and trialls sake Contention is carnall and finnefull in respect of matter and manner In matter when men contend for things for which they should not contend as the
they are here reprooued that haue many good gifts of God in them and yet neuer proceede to a thorow reformation For they vse to cherish in themselues naughtie affections and damnable lusts There is some one sweete sinne or other that they cannot abide to crucifie III. They also are to be blamed that cannot abide to heare their owne particular sinnes to be noted and reprooued They are vncrucified and vnmortified persons And the word of God is the sword of the spirit that serues to kill and destroy the flesh IV. In afflictions be content and quiet For we ought to crucifie the affections and lusts of our flesh and because we faile in this dutie therefore God himselfe takes the worke in hand and he will crucifie our corruption by his chastisements Further of this dutie of crucifying the flesh there are three points to be considered I. The time when this action must beginne namely in our baptisme or first conuersion Therefore Paul saith they that are Christs haue crucified c. II. What must be crucified Ans. The whole flesh with euery inordinate affection and lust This makes against them that flie and detest some fewe sinnes and runne headlong into others III. What is crucifying Ans. In it are two things the restraint of the exercise of sinne which is in part in ciuill men and the killing of Originall corruption in all the parts and branches thereof And that is done when we doe not onely mourne for our corruptions but also hate and detest them in our selues 25. If we liue in the Spirit let vs also walke in the Spirit In these words is cōtained the last reason of the rule of good life before mentioned in the 16. verse For the vnderstanding whereof two things are to be considered what it is to liue in the Spirit and what to walke in the Spirit Touching the first Life is twofold created or vncreated Vncreated life is the life of God Created is that which pertaineth to the creature And this is either naturall or spirituall Naturall life is led by naturall causes and meanes as by meate drinke cloathing breathing such like Spirituall life is by and from the Spirit Of this there be two degrees The first is when the Spirit of God takes vp his habitation in man and withall gouerneth all the powers of his soule by putting into the minde a new light of knowledge into the will and affections newe motions and inclinations whereby they are made conformable to the will of God The second degree of spirituall life is when the spirit dwelleth in man and gouerneth the powers of the soule and further doth sustaine the bodie immediately without naturall means 1. Cor. 15. 44. It riseth againe a spirituall bodie that is a body liuing in the second degree of spirituall life not beeing sustained by meanes but immediately by the eternall sustentation of the spirit The first of these degrees is in this life the second after this life in and after the last iudgement when body and soule shall be reunited And of the former this place is to be vnderstood To walke in the Spirit is first to sauour the things of the Spirit Rom. 8. 5. 7. And that is to minde wish like desire and affect them or in a word to subiect a mans selfe to the law of God in all the powers and faculties of the soule For the things reuealed in the Lawe are the things of the spirit which spirit must at no hand be seuered from the word Secondly to walke in the path way of righteousnesse without offence either of God or man Psal. 143. 10. Thirdly to walke not stragglingly but orderly by rule by line and by measure For so much the word walke importeth in the originall as if Paul should haue said Let vs whilest we liue in this world not onely indeauour to doe some one or some fewe good actions but in the course of our liues and callings order our selues according to the rule and line of the word of God The vse This text in the first place cuts off the shiftes and excuses of sundrie persons in these daies who professe themselues to be the children of God and yet for their liues are much to be blamed because they lead them not according to the Spirit but according to the flesh And these persons whatsoeuer they say doe indeed and in truth deceiue themselues and are quite destitute of Gods Spirit For if they liued in the Spirit they would also walke in the Spirit It is not an idle spirit in any but it will shew and manifest it selfe in a holy and orderly conuersation You will say If such persons haue not the Spirit of god what other Spirit haue they Ans. If there life be naught they haue an vncleane Spirit dwelling in them and the god of this world hath blinded their eies and makes them that they cannot see the right way wherein they should walke 1. Cor. 4. 4. Againe we learne from hence a true and a pregnant signe whereby to discerne whether any man hath in his heart the spirit of God or no The life of a man will discouer and proclaime to all the world before God men and angels what himselfe is If a man in the course of his life and calling be godly and vertuous leading his life according to the will word of God in an honest and carefull indeauour though he faile in some particulars what euer the world thinkes of him he is the man that is indued with the Spirit of God Lastly this teacheth what is the office of all Christian people namely to walke in the Spirit that is to frame and order the whole course and tenour of their liues according to the line square of Gods word and Spirit A motiue to which dutie may be that fearefull threat pronounced vpon those that turne aside and walke in their owne crooked waies Psal. 125. 5. 26. Let vs not be desirous of vaine-glorie prouoking one another enuying one another The scope From this 26. verse to the 11. verse of the chapter following S. Paul handles the second Rule which he had propounded in the 13. verse of this chapter By loue serue one another In the handling whereof he first laboureth to take away the impediments of Loue and then he sets downe the māner how the rule is to be obserued This 26. verse is a rule the ende whereof is to remooue the impediments of loue In this verse foure points are especially to be considered First what the desire of vaine-glorie is Answ. It is a branch of pride which makes men to referre all they haue or can doe to their owne priuate glorie and aduancement For better vnderstanding whereof consider a little the excuses that men haue for the defence or excuse of this sinne I. Excuse Vaine-glorie in effect is no more but the seeking of mens approbation which may lawfully be done Answ. To seeke the approbatiō of men is no fault so that it be
signifie prints with a hot yron But it is here vsed generally to signifie any blemish skarre or marke whatsoeuer whether such as was wont to be set vpon seruants bought with money which among the Iewes was a hole in the eare pearced with a naule Exod. 21. 6. Deut. 15. 17. or vpon slaues taken in the warres as the Samians set vpon an Athenian captiue the signe of an owle and the Athenians vpon a Samian the signe of a shippe Or vpon malefactours as a hole in the eare an F in the forehead a brand in the hand Or such a marke as some thinke was set vpon Cain Gen. 4. 15. or the marke of God Ezek. 9. 4. or of the beast Apoc. 16. 〈◊〉 The markes of Christ are of two sorts either inward and inuisible or outward and visible The inuisible markes are two The first is Gods eternall Election which is called Gods seale or marke 2. Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale The Lord knoweth who are his All the Elect are marked with this marke Apoc. 7. and by it Christ knoweth and acknowledgeth them for his sheepe Ioh. 10. The second is regeneration or the imprinting of the defaced image of God in the soule By this marke which is the true indelâ—ble character neuer to be blotted out are all beleeuers sealed 2. Cor. 1. 22. Eph 1. 13. These inward inuisible markes of Election and Regeneration are in the soule and therefore not here meant for he speakes of bodily markes I beare in my bodie the markes .... The outward visible marks are twofold Typicall or Reall Typicall as circumcision which was a marke set in the foreskin of the flesh Rom. 4. 11. The blood of the Paschal lambe wherewith the houses of the Israelites were marked when the first borne of the Aegyptians were slaine by the destroying Angel And Baptisme is of the same kind for by Baptisme Christians are distinguished from Iewes Turkes Infidells whatsoeuer Reall markes of Christ are either in his naturall or in his mysticall bodie In his naturall bodie the wounds which were giuen him in his hands feete and sides which he shewed to his Disciples after his resurrection Ioh. 20. 27. which whether they be now to be seene in his glorified bodie as some affirme or abolished as others I leaue to the Reader as a thing vncerten and meerely coniecturall seeing there is nothing in Scripture either for it or against it that doth necessarily conclude it But of these markes the Apostle speaketh not in this place The markes in his mysticall bodie are those which are in his members as wounds skarres whippings maimednes c. of which we read 2. Cor. 4. 10. Euery where we beare about in our bodie the dying of the Lord Iesus and 2. Cor. 11. 24 25. Fiue times receiued I fourtie stripes saue one I was thrise beaten with roddes once stoned c. And these the Apostle here calleth the marks of Christ because they are inflicted for the profession of Christ and the Gospel as the wounds and skarres of a souldier may be called his Princes woundes and skarres because they are had in his cause and quarrell Now those in his naturall bodie differ from these in his mysticall First in that they are meritorious for by his stripes we are healed 1. Pet. 2. 24. These in his mysticall body are glorious in the sight of god as the death of his Saints is yet not meritorious Secondly those in his naturall bodie were prophecied of before in particular Psal. 22. 16. They pearced my hands and my feete These in his mysticall bodie onely in generall that we should be conformable vnto him In this place Paul speaketh of the latter onely which were in his owne person and this he doth not to put any merit in theÌ„ as S. Francis did but to testifie himself to be a faithfull seruant of Christ. And he further meeteth with the false Apostles who would needes haue had the Galatians circumcised that so they might glorie in the flesh as hauing seâ— the marke of circumcision in the foreskin of their flesh As if he should say I set not markes in other mens flesh to glorie of them as the false Apostles doe but I beare about in my bodie the markes of the Lord Iesus these are the signes of mine Apostleship and arguments of fidelitie in my Ministerie which I set not in other mens flesh but haue in mine owne Here we see what we are to thinke and what vse we are to make of the wounds skaâ—res and blemishes that are in any of the Saints for the profession of the Gospel and maintenance of the truth First that they are the sufferings wounds and marks of Christ himselfe as Paul tearmeth them here and Coloss. 1. 24. seeing they are the wounds of the members of that bodie wherof he is the head Secondly they haue this vse to conuince the consciences of persecutors and wicked men that they are the seruants of Christ which suffer thus for righteousnes sake for which cause they are here mentioned by Paul Thus he prooues himselfe to be a member of Christ by the afflictions which he suffered for his sake 2. Cor. 12. Thirdly if men be constant in their profession namely in faith and obedience they are banners of victorie Therefore no man ought to be ashamed of them no more then souldiers of their wounds and skarres but rather in a holy manner to glorie of them as Paul did For as it is a glorie to a souldier to haue receiued many wounds and to haue many skarres in a good cause in his Princes quarrell and for the desence of his countrey So it is a glorie for a Christian souldier to haue the markes of the Lord Iesus in his bodie as of wounds scourges bonds imprisonment for the profession of the truth Therfore Constantine the great as the Ecclesiasticall historie records kissed the holes of the eyes of certaine Bishops which had them put out by the Arrians for the constant profession of the faith of Christ reuerencing the vertue of the holy Ghost which shined in them This makes nothing for the fratres flagellantes who glorie in the markes which they make in their flesh by whipping of themselues For first it is not the punishment as Cyprian saith but the cause that makes a Martyr Secondly the marks which men set vpon themselues contrarie to the Law Leuit. 19. 28. are not the markes of the Lord Iesus but those onely which are set vpon them by others for the profession of the truth Thirdly this whipping and afflicting of themselues beeing but will-worship in not sparing of the bodie Coloss. 2. 23. is no better accepted of God theÌ„ the superstitious practise of Baals priests lancing themselues with kniues till the blood gushed out 1. King 18. 28. Againe if this be the glorie of a seruant of Christ and a note of constant profession what shall we say of them who haue not onely their consciences seared