the Son though it be for a moment hee ceaseth for that moment to haue life but the life of theÌ„ which haue the Sonne of God is euerlasting in the world to come and because as Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more death hath no more power ouer him So the iustified man being allyed to God in Christ Iesus our Lord doth as necessarily from that time forward alwaies liue as Christ by whoÌ„ he hath life liueth alwayes for as long as that abideth in vs which animates quickneth and giueth life so long wee liue wee know that the cause of our faith abideth in vs for euer If Christ the fountaine of life may flit and leaue his inhabitation where once hee dwelled what shall become of his promise I am with you to the worlds end If the seede of God which containeth Christ may be first conceiued then cast out how doth hee terme it immortall How doth he affirme it abideth if the spirit which is giuen to cherish and preserue the seed of life may be giuen and taken away How is hee the earnest of our inheritance vntill redemption How doth he continue with vs for euer CON. 38. Wee are apt prone and ready to forsake God but God is not as ready to forsake vs. EXPLA. Our mindes are changeable so is not Gods For whoÌ„ God hath iustisied Christ hath assured it is his fathers will to giue them a Kingdome Notwithstanding it shall not be other wise giuen them then if they continue grounded and stablished in the faith and bee not mooued away from the hope of the Gospell if they abide in loue and holinesse Our Sauiour therefore when hee spake of the sheep effectually called and truely gathered into his fold I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hands in promising to saue them he promiseth no doubt to preserue them in that without which there can be no saluation as also from that whereby it is irreuokeably lost Euery error indeed in things appertaining to God is repugnant to faith euery fearefull cogitation vnto hope vnto loue euery stragling inordinate desire vnto holinesse euery blemish wherby either the inward thoghts of our mindes or outward actions of our liues are stained which by earnest repentance mercy doth restore to life againe in them whom sin had made the children of death But infidelity extreame despaire hatred of God and all goodnesse obduration in sin c. doth not stand where there is the least sparke of faith hope loue and sanctity euen as cold in the coldest degree cannot be where heate in the highest degree is found It is true no man liueth that sinnes not Yet the man that is borne of God hath a promise that the seed in him shal abide which seede is a sure preseruatiue against obstinate heresie and pining discouragement of the heart for greater and cleerer assurance we cannot haue of any thing then this that from such sins foresaid God shall preserue the righteous as the apple of his eye for euer for if the iustified erre as hee may and neuer come to vnderstand his errour God doth saue him through generall repeÌ„tance but if he fall into herisie hee calleth him at one time or other by actuall repentance but from infidelity which is an inward direct deniall of the foundation hee preserueth him by speciall prouidence for euer CON. 39. We must put a difference betwixt them that erre of ignorance retaining neuerthelesse a minde desirous to bee instructed in truth and them which after the truth is laid open persist in the stubborne defence of their blindnesse EXPLA. Heriticall defenders froward and stiste-necked teachers of circumcision the Apostle calleth dogs silly men who were seduced to thinke they thought the truth he pittied hee tooke vp in his armes hee louingly embraceth hee kisseth and with more then Fatherly tendernesse doth so temper and qualisie his speech he vseth toward theÌ„ that a man cannot easily discerne whether did most abound the loue which hee bare to their godly affection or the griefe which the danger of their opinion bred him Their opinion was dangerous Was not theirs also who thought the Kingdome of Christ was earthly Was not theirs who thought the Gospell only should bee preached vnto the Iewes What more opposite to prophetical doctrine coÌ„cerning the coÌ„ming of Christ theÌ„ the one concerning the catholike church then the other Yet beeing admonished found the mercy of God effectuall in conuerting them from their error So was there difference betwixt Pharisies And the Pharisies which beleeued Of the Galathians which were yet weak he saith You know God or rather are knowne of God how turne you againe to impotent rudâ—ments The Law engendreth seruants they which are gotten by the Gospell are free we are not children of the seruant but of the free woman and will ye bee vnder the Law Yet he saith if yee be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing as many as are iustified by the Law are fallen from grace and why Because they know that in grace and in Christ their saluation dothly and so their hearts shall tremble and quake within them he knoweth mans imbecillity he hath a feeling of our blindnesse and weakenesse how great it is CON. 40 Our saluation is not vpon vncertainty if wee doe thus or thus but God â—ramed vs to bee and to doe whatsoeuer belongeth to the attainement thereof EXPLA. The Spirit as he is the reuealer of the mystery of our election vnto vs so is he the earnest of the effect of Gods predestination by the gift whereof God giueth vnto vs the certaine assurance of all the rest that remaineth to be giuen for he is the pledge of the inheritance promised as a hand-writing or bond of assurance of euerlasting saluatioÌ„ making vs the temple and house of God being the worker of holinesse in vs that hee may bring our bodies to eternity and so the immortality of the Resurrection whilest in himselfe he accustomes them to bee tempered with heauenly vertue to bee accompanied with the diuine eternity of the holy Ghost And this earnest God neuer taketh backe againe because it is so the earnest of our inheritance vntill the redemption of the possession as that it is an earnest also that in the meane time God stablishes vs in Christ and that he hath created vs for this namely to clothe vs with immortality and eternall life for God giuing earnest for the assurance of the end doth thereby vndertake against all lets and impediments that should hinder the atchieuing of that that is earnested thereby and therefore the things present which thou hast attained already doe assure vnto thee those things that are yet to come CON. 41. If man depend vpon himselfe he hath iust cause to feare and doubt his own perseuerance EXPLA. The faithfull doe say with the
euery one that shal follow him So that this is our glory in afflictions we are fashioned by them into the similitude of Christ and wee are made like vnto him So it pleased God when hee would bring many children vnto glory to consecrate the Prince of their saluation through afflictions and to make both him that sanctifieth and them that are sanctified all one that they that suffer with him should also liue with him So we when we feele many troubles to rest vpon vs we may say now we are like vnto Christ especially when wee feele the greatest trouble the minde oppressed it maketh vs like vnto him and to say Now we supply in our flesh the remnant of the afflictions of Christ in nothing in this world as wealth honor c. can I behold the liuely Image of Christ. Affliction and trouble a minde broken with the remembrance of sinne a troubled spirit horrors of death and a conscience burdened with the wrath of God here light shines out of darknes and hope out of despaire When I thinke my selfe furthest off from the Lord them am I neerest vnto him and when I thinke my selfe fullest of confusion then the Image of Christ is most liuely within me The Lord may hide his face for a while for a moment in his anger aâ— he did from Christ but hee will returne vnto me with euerlasting mercies for the Image of his Sonne is cleere within me Wee are afflicted one euery side but not so as that wee are shut from hope wee are in pouerty but not ouercome with pouerty we are persecuted but not forsaken we are cast down but wee perish not wee are troubled in all things fightings without and terrours without but God that comforteth the abiects he will comfort vs. Vnto this he hath predestinated vs that we should bee like vnto his Son in afflictions and so be glorified with him in the day of honour CON. 80. God sendeth vs sundry chastisements especially the anguish of heart and affliction of the soule that we should be warned how to be free from the plague when it commeth EXPLA. The iudgements of God daily preached vnto vs pierce deepe into the hearts of the true beleeuers and the word that they heare it worketh mightily in them more sharpe in their eares then a two edged sword and it entreth through them euen to the diuiding asunder of the soule and of the spirit and of the ioynts and of the marrow and examines all the thoughts and the intents of the heart so that it is impossible that any part of theÌ„ should be hid but they are al open vnto iudgement and heare the voice of the Lord. Then their sinne is reuiued in the middest of their bowels their conscience hath no rest they feele death working in their hearts and hell is before them they see sin on their right hand and Satan on the left shame vnder their feete and an angry Iudge aboue them the world full of destruction without and a worm gnawing the heart within the poore sinner knoweth not what to doe to hide himselfe it is impossible and to appeare it is intollerable then hee breaketh out into loud crying O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death He giueth no rest vnto his eyes nor sleep vnto his eye-lids vntil he find that which is able to saue him from this wrath In his bed by night hee seeketh him whom his soule loueth in the streetes and open places hee enquireth after him and after many daies in which hee cannot finde him Christ sheweth himselfe at the last a perpetuall deliuerer a victorious Lion of the Tribe of Iuda in whom he hath strong saluatioÌ„ when he hath mourned because of the plague that was before him Christ will approch neere and wipe away al the tears froÌ„ his eies So said he When I heard the word of God my belly trembled my lips shooke at the voyce rottennesse entred into my bones and I trembled in my selfe that I might finde rest in the day of trouble So is it with vs all the plagues of God because they are pronounced against iniquity maketh the childe of God to feare that foreseeing the harme he might prâ—pare himselfe For though Christ hiâ— himselfe at the first the wounded spirit and troubled spirit must needes finde him out We are ful of griefe but we are chastised of the Lord because we should not be coÌ„deÌ„ned with the world we dye with Christ because we should liue with him we lament and weepe but because Christ might wipe away all teares from our eyes wee are deliuered vnto death for Iesus sake but because the life of Iesus should be manifest in our slesh We beare about vs the mortification of our Lord Iesus but because also the life of Iesus might bee manifest in our bodyes We haue anguish of spirit and vexation of minde for this cause that when destruction shall come vpon the careles world wee might lift vp our heads and behold our redemption at hand let vs then in patience poffesse our soules for for these causes wee are now afflicted that wee may receiue mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of neede and for this cause we tremble and are affraid that after many prayers wee might bee deliuered from the things which we haue feared CON. 81. That our life is in the hand of God that we shold not be pleased with it but as it pleaseth him ready to lay it downe when it pleaseth him EXPLA. This is the great commandement to loue God aboue all and this is the greatest obedience required of man to be ready to dye at the will of God Against this commandement the nature of man striueth the delights of this life rise against it we are loth to make our beds in the darke we would see the Sunne our eares would heare worldly elements our flesh indeed is grasse yet grasse hath a flowre and our frayle bodies haue vanishing fantasies agreeable vnto them from which we cannot bee pulled away So Patriarches and Prophets were afraid yea Peter and Paule loued that life which they saw in hope but they did feele the death which did fight in their members they were men as we are yet obtained at last to bee dissolued and bee with Christ. If we be weaker then they the graces of God shall bee more exalted in vs and wee shall also say at the last Let thy seruant O Lord depart in peace And â—â—ough wee feare for a little â—â—ile yet feare shall bee cast out and we shall say with a free spirit O death where is thy sting Our greatest enemy last is troden vnder our feet what else can hurt vs The Lord of life hath crushed him in pieces vnder vs. It is a blessed day that bringeth vs into this battel a blessed sicknesse that maketh vs indure this fight and most blessed end in which wee get victory This doth he
dead it is dead indeede touching the guilt but it is not yet dead as touching corruption and infection and therfore doth infect the works of the most regenerate for none is perfect as long as he continueth in this life Indeed God hath quickened vs together with Christ and hath raised vs vp together and hath made vs sit together in the heauenly places in Christ Iesus but that is not yet really but in hope yea in our prayers there is much weaknesse and imperfections and distractions yet God respects the truth and not the measure of our faith pardoneth the same for Christs sake who is our high Priest to beare the iniquity of our offerings to make them acceptable before the Lord therfore the godly say Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord for in thy sight no man liuing shal be iustified The righteous fall seuen times a day and dayly prayeth for forgiuenesse and when by frailty he doth fal God doth in mercy looke vpon him as he did vpon Peter and cause him to rise againe CON. 51. Faith created in our hearts is the onely sufficient supernaturall instrument to apprehend the free couenant of grace in Christ that is Christs righteousnesse for our iustification EXPLA. Faith is the instrument to receiue because it is the hand which wee stretch to heauen to take holde of Christ and to hold him sitting there it is the mouth whereby we eate and drinke Christ because to beleeue is to eate it is the stomack whereby we digest him for he is to be digested by faith it is the foot wherby we enter in possession of the benefits of Christ and possesse so farre as we stretch the same it is the vessell whereinto God putteth the oyle of his mercy it is by faith wee touch him and looke how much faith we bring to receiue so much we draw out of the abundant grace of God Now that whereby we are iustified is the obedience of Christ for by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous and his obedience is his righteousnesse and wee are made the righteousnesse of God in him by apprehending and receiuing the righteousnesse which is in him He is called the Lord our righteousnesse not who maketh vs righteous only but who also himselfe is our righteousnes and how should he be our righteousnes but by his righteousnes therefore in apprehending receiuing Christ by faith we apprehend and receiue the righteousnes of Christ to be our iustification before God which is that merit and obedience of Christ imputed vnto vs. The efficient and finall cause of iustification then is God in Christ Iesus for our saluation the glory of his name the Materiall is the merit obedience of Christ the Formall cause is Gods imputation apprehended and receiued by vs the instrument of this apprehension is faith alone CON. 52. Iustifying faith is euer accompanied with godlinesse and care of godly life EXPLA. As naturall birth draweth not onely guilt but also corruption so faith wherein is our new birth giueth not onely forgiuenesse of sinne to iustification but also sanctification to holinesse and newnesse of life In the iustified man faith onely is the seat and fountaine of spirituall life because as the quickning faculty and power of the liuing soule dwelleth in the heart so Christ who is our life dwelleth in our faith or in our hearts by faith But yet we consist not spiritually of faith onely but many other vertues and graces are required to make vp the perfection of a Christian man to which as to the other members frō the heart so from faith life is imparted and communicated that in them wee may bee aliue to God which are signes and tokens of a iustified man not any causes of iustification but a declaration and testimony of his being formerly iustified by the faith of Iesus Christ. So good workes follow a man being iustified but are not precedent to iustification and nothing that man can doe either by nature or grace concurreth to the act of iustification as any cause but faith alone for our hearts are purified by faith by faith we reeiue the promise of the spirit and the Law of the Spirit of Christ which is in Christ Iesus deliuered vs from the law of sinne and of death Neither is the very act of faith any part of our righteousnesse but onely the merit and obedience of Christ apprehended and receiued by faith but as the heart giueth life to the body not by the substance of it selfe which is but flesh as the rest of the body is but by the vitall and quickning power of the soule that is seated therin and as the hand feedeth the body not as beeing it selfe the food of the body but by receiuing and ministering vnto it meate wherby it is sustained euen so faith iustifieth and giueth life by receiuing Christ to bee our righteousnesse and life in him receiuing forgiuenesse of sinnes inheritance among them that are sanctified vnto eternall life CON. 53. When God promised tied the effect of his promise to the beleeuing of it not to beleeue that in beleeuing whereof wee are partakers of that which we beleeue is to make God a lyar and to frustrate that which he hath promised EXPLA. By faith onely we accept of a promise in all the benefits of God wee are the children of promise heires by promise heires of promise expecting all things by the gracious promise of God by promise to be partakers of the diuine nature the blessing by promise the spirit by promise the inheritance by promise life eternall by promise by promise a new heauen and a new earth wherein righteousnesse dwelleth all which be promises in Christ and are yea and in him amen that is for his sake first made and for his sake to bee performed also Now seeing God hath taught vs that by faith wee obtaine the promises that wee receiue the promise of the spirit by faith that the promise of blessing is giuen by the faith of Iesus Christ to them that beleeue that as we beleeue so it shall be vnto vs that whatsoeuer wee desire when wee pray if we beleeue we shall haue it it shall be accordingly vnto vs. Why should wee then not beleeue such God hath promised Christ to bee our righteousnesse and that by the faith of Iesus Christ that is by beleeuing in him to bee that vnto vs which God hath promised surely in beleeuing him to bee our righteousnesse hee is our righteousnesse and we are made the righteousnesse of God in him CON. 54. The righteousnesse and merit of Christ is spiritually and really ours within and without in spirit and body and soule to sanctifie and cleanse vs vnto God EXPLA. And this is indeede not by receiuing Christs righteousnes really into vs but by hauing righteousnesse imputed vnto vs for his sake for we