grace doth concurre with it to the act of justification So are we sanctified in part â—â—gether with other graces and therefore is never severed from the grace of regeneration or from other sanctifying and saving graâ—â—â— and further it is the property of faith having justified us inwardly to purifie the heart Act. 15. 9. and outwardly to work by love Gal. 5. 6. Therfore though to the act of justification neither outward obedience nor inward graces do concur with faith as any cause thereof Yet in the subject that is in the party justified they must and do concur as necessary fruits of a true and lively faith without which it is dead Iam. 2. 20. And therefore a true lively justifying faith is also a sanctifying faith Now both from the order and conjunction of these graces we may infer a singular consolation to all the trueâ— Children of God For if there be such a conjunction between these two graces of justification and sanctification that whosoever hath the one hath also the other and who hath not both hath neither then it followeth necessarily that as he that is justified is also sanctified So he that is sanctified is also justified and if the order between them be such that a man cannot serve God in the duties of sanctification untill he be justified nor cannot worship God aright untill he be redeemed from his spiritâ—all enemies then it followeth 〈◊〉 that they who are in any true measure sanctified are also justified that they who sincerely desire and endevour to walk in the obedience of Gods holy will making conscience of their wayes are redeemed from the hand of their spirituall enemies And not only may we from our sanctification come to the certain knowledge of our justification but also we may thereby make our calling and our election sure For dost thou professing the true faith endevour to keep a good conscience and to walk uprightly before God then it is certain that thou art justified by a true faith art thou justified then 〈◊〉 is certain that thou art effectually called art thou called according to Gods purpose then without doubt thou art elected art thou elected then undoubtedly thou shalt be saved Seeing then such singular comfort â—â—setâ— from the leading of a godly and upright 〈◊〉 as that thereby we may make our calling and election sure hereby we should all of us be excited to the study of godlinesse and practise of piety for the greatest comfort that we can have in this life is to be 〈◊〉 of our election and salvation But to the knowledge of our election we cannot come 〈◊〉 by any thing going before as the cause thereof but à posteriori by the effects The sâ—ries or chaine of the degrees of salvation may not unfitly be compared to Iacobs ladder which reached from the earth to heaven the lowest step whereof in this life is our sanctification whereon if we can set our foot we may from thence arise to our justification and from thence to our effectuall calling and from thence to our election But if we will without ascending by these degrees take upon us to conclude the certainty of our election we shall be like him that being to go up a ladder would strive at the first to set his foot on the highest step of the ladder neglecting the lower degrees CHAP. V. Of the parts of the gift severally and first of Redemption NOw we are to speak of the parts severally and first of redemption in these words That we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies Where wee are to note Three things 1. The parties that are redeâ—med 2. The party by whom and after what manner 3. The parties from whom our enemies 1. The parties redeemed are We who have Abraham to our Father that is to say the faithfull not all men but those only that believe For so God loved the world that he gave his only begotten Sonne that whosâ—ever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Ioh. 3. 16. Thus he is said to have saved his people from their sins Matth. 1. 21. to lay down his life for his sheep Iohn 10. 15. to have given himself for his Church Ephes. 5. 25. that he might redeem us from all iniquity and might purifie to himself a peculiar people Titus 2. 14. The Prophet Esay teâ—tifieth that Christ by his knowledge that is by the knowledgement of him which is faith shall justifie many Esay 53. 11 12. for he shall bear their iniquities and that he bare the sin of many and our Saviour himselfe Matth. 26. 18. that his blood was shed for many for remission of sins It is true that Christ his death is a sâ—fficient price of ransome for the sinnes of the whole world Yea of more worlds if there were more then one for his blood and his sufferings whereby he redeemed us were the blood and sufferings of him that was and is God Act 20. 28. but yet they are effectual only to those that do believe Arg. 1. For if Christ had redeemed all men then all should be saved 1. For all that are redeemed are also justified and all that are justified shal be glorified 2. For for whom Christ died for them he hath satisfied the justice of his father so that there is no condemnation to them whom Christ hath redeemed 3. For whom Christ dyed them by his death he reconciled to God now they who when they were enemies were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled 〈◊〉 be saved by his life Arg. 2. Neither may we think that Christ would die for them for whom he would not pray But for the world faith he Iohn 17. 9. that is for the company of the 〈◊〉 and reproâ—atâ—s I pray not but for them whom thou hast given me out of the world Arg. 3. But if the Oath of an honest man ought to be the end of controversie much more ought the Oath of God in this place end this controversie concerning universall redemption For God hath sworn that to so many as he redeemeth he wil give them to worship him in holsness and righteousness But the greater part of mankind have never the grace to worship God in holyness and righteousness and therefore to them the benefit of redemption doth not belong Now when we do profess our selves to be the redeemed of the Lord we do withall confess that in our selves we are bondmen and servants whom Christ came to redeem out of this bondage But howsoever all will challenge to themselves the benefit of Redemption yet how few in comparison do acknowledg their bondage But like the unbelieving Iews when our Saviour promised them liberty profess that they never were in servitude Iohn 8. 33. and so bewray themselves not to be redeemed But this humble conceipt of our selves before our Justification is necessary for us if either we would seek to Christ or have him to respect us For if by nature we be not
else according to that Prov. 14. 26. In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence 2. In respect of the thing feared fear iâ— either of the evill of punishment or of the evill of sinne But this distinction is the same in effect with that distinction of fear in respect of the subject whereof I am now to speak 3. In respect of the subject that is the persons fearing Fear is either of Bond-servants who are under the Law which is a servile or slavish fear Sons who are not under the Law butunder grace which is a son-like or shall fear The former is properly called metus whose effect is metuere ab aliquo to be afraid of the object that is feared The other is timor of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose effect is to fear or to reverence the object feared The former is a fearfull expectation of some evill from the party feared the other is an awfull reverence of the party feared not to offend him by doing evil so that the formall object of the former is maluÌ„ poena the evil of punishment in regard whereof they are afraid of God of the other malum culpae the evil of sin in regard whereof they fear to offeâ—d or displease God The former is rather metus poena then timor Dei fear of punishment rather then of God For if there were no punishment they that have but this fear would not fear to offend God Oderunt peccare mali formidine pocnae The other out of the love of God of goodness though there were no punishment to be fearâ—d feareth to offend Oderunt peccare boni virtutis dmore The former being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit of bondage Rom. 8. 15. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit of fearfulness 2 Tim. 1. 7. is a fruit and effect of the Law forcing and compelling those that are under it to yeeld some outward obedience for fear of punishment The other is a fruit of the Gospell and of faith when a man being perswaded of Gods mercy and goodness towards him in Christ feareth to offend so gracious a God and mercifull Father according to that Psalm 130. 4. There is mercy with thee that thou 〈◊〉 be fâ—ared Of this son-like fear there is no question but that we are to worship God therewith Psal. 2. 11. 5. 7. Nay we cannot worship God arigh without it Den. 6. 13. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him this being one of the chiefest things required in his service Deut. 10. 12. Eccles. 12. 13. and is therfore called caput sapientiae the very chief point of wisdom that is of true piety and godliness Psa. 111. 10. Pro. 9. 10. Of the other there may be a question whether God hath promised to those that are redeemed that they shall worship him without all serviâ—e fear seeing that it is profitable that men should be restrained from sinne by feare of punishment And to that end doth the Lord threaten judgements and punishments to terrifie and to deterre men from sinne To this I answer as I delivered before in the doctrine of redemption that our Saviour in delivering us from the terrour and coaction of the Law doth free us also from servile fear but we are to consider quatenus how far forth For such as is our redemption I speak of it passively as it is in the redeemed such is our freedom from servile fear to wit inchoated or begun in this life and increasing by degrees compleat and perfect in the life to come which is called our full redemption which being not totall in this life doth not free us totally from this servile fear Full and perfect charity indeed casteth out this fear and he that thus feareth is not perfected in charity 1 Ioh. 4. 18. But whiles the reliques of sin or rather the body of sin remaineth in us whiles we are in part flesh as well as spirit we have not perfect charity And therefore so far forth as we are flesh we are subject to servile fear yea so far as we are carnall we are servants Rom. 7. 14. 23. but so far forth as we are spirit we are freed from that fear as not being under the Law but under grace Yet because concupiscence and the corruptions of the flesh still abide in us it was expedient for the subduing and mortifying of the flâ—sh that we should in some part be obnoxious to this fear To which end the rest also of our spirituall enemies though they be overcome and we delivered out of their power are still 〈◊〉 to â—â—counter us that we standing upon our guard and exercising and maintaining a spiritualâ— warfare against them may at length triumpâ— over them and receive the crown promised to those that overcome In the mean time we are freed from this servile fear by degrees from the time of â—ur justification to our glorification as our faith hope and charity do encrease by encrease whereof we are more and more enabled to worship God as without fear so also with willing and cheerfull minds And therefore we are to be stirred up to labour for the encrease of these graces in us that our fear may be diminished and our assurance encreased wherein our happiness in this life doth consist Security likewise is two-fold Carnall Spirituall The carnall security is when a man being void of grace and of the true fear of God and destitute of faith hope and charity goeth on carelesly in his sinnes without repentance presuming of Gods favour and â—is own salvation The spirituall security as I distinguished before is either of the object signifying the spiritual safety of the faithful because there is no condemnation to them that be in Christ. In regard wherof they worship God securely or without fear that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without danger or cause of fear The spirituall security in respect of the subject is when a man being justified before God by faith and assured in some measure of 〈◊〉 is favour as knowing himself to have received grace to believe and having peace of conscience worshippeth God in assured expectation of everlasting life And of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or spirituall security the Holy Ghost speaketh in this place The summe of that which hath been said by way of exposition is this 〈◊〉 that God hath promised to give the faithful being redeemed by Christ to worship him without fear not without the true fear of God for that is a chief part of his worship but without fear of their spiritual enemies and namely without fear of damnation and that in two degrees so that they may worship him without fear that is without cause of fear securely and safely without danger because their salvation is certain and sure there being no condâ—mnation to them that are in 〈…〉 Secondly without fear it self namely of their enemies from whose power they believe themselves to be redeemed and consequently from the servile fear
of God performing a worship unto him not of bondslaves who are under the dominion of the Law forced and extorted from them by servile fear but the service of sons yeelding voluntary obedience Not that we are delivered from servile fear altogether and at once in this life but by degrees according to the measure of our faith hope and charity wherwith we being indued in some good measure shall worship the Lord securely or in security not carnall but spirituall and consequently not in fear of damnation but in expectation of everlasting happiness Now this being the principall point in this whole text and the chief thing wherein the happiness promised in Christ the promised seed doth consist in this life viz. to worship the Lord without fear Therefore as I have stood the longer in explaining the words so I will endevour to set down the doctrines and uses which are to be made of this point CHAP. VIII The first doctrine concerning the certainty of salvation THe first doctrine that there is a twofold certainty of salvation of all those that truly believe in Christ. The former is called the certainty of the object in regard whereof the salvation of al that truly believe is sure and certain though they perhaps be not assured thereof For this is the main promise of the Gospel that who soever doth traly believe in Christ shall not perish but have life everlasting Joh. 3. 16. To my sheep saith our Saviour that is to all the faithfull I will give eternall life and they shall never perish neither shall any be able to pluck them out of my hands Joh. 10. 28. Saint Peter testifieth I Epist. 5. that the faithfull are kept safe by the power of God through faith unto salvation And the Apostle Paul Rom. 8. I. That there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus And in this place the Lord by oath assureth them that they shall worship him without fear that is without cause of fear at the least all the dâ—yes of their life yea such is the certainty of their salvation who truly believe that the Holy Ghost doubteth not to affirm that theâ— havâ—â—â—ernall life Ioh. 6 47. 54. â— Ioh. 5. 11 12. and thaâ— they are passâ—d from death to life Ioh. 5. 2â— and thâ—t whom the Lord hath justified â—e hath also glorifiâ—d Rom. 8. 30. The latter iâ— the certainty of the subject when a faithfull man soundly applying the promises of the Gospel to himself is perswaded and in some meâ—sure assured of his salvation for he that knoweth himsâ—lf to believe may apply the promise to himself and by appliration be assured of that which is promised This certainâ—y of perswasion or assurance some call special faith special I say first in respect of the object which is Christ and is therefore called sometimes the faith of Iesus Christ Rom. 3. 22. 26. 〈◊〉 2. 16. 2. 3. 22. Phil. 3. 9. sometimes faith in Christ Act. 20. 21. 24. 24. 26. 18. Gal. 3. 26. faith in his blood Râ— 3. 25. For although by that faith which doth justifie we do believe al the Articles of faith and the whole word of God and every part and parcell thereof containing threatnings as well as promises yet the obâ—ect of it â—uatenus justificat is Christ. For it justifieth as it is the instrument to receive Christ who is our righteousnesse Secondly and more especially it is called speciall in regard of the effect which is specially to apply Christ unto our selves And this speciall Faith is a degree oâ— that assurance which the Grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in some more in somâ— lesse which some Divines both Protestants and Papists not curious to speak so disâ—inctly and properly as they might have called 〈…〉 this special Faith to be affrance when indeed fiducia is not Faith but a necessary and unseparable fruit thereof So unseparable that sometimes it seemeth to be implyed in the phrase of believing in Christ. For to believe in Christ implieth three things First to believe that Christ is the Saviour of all that believe in him secondly to believe that he is my Saviour which is the special faith and from this followeth the third as a necessary fruit and effect that because I believe he is my Saviour therefore I put my trust and affiance in him for my salvation But though it be an unâ—eparable fruit of faith yet it is not to be confounded with it For faith is the cause affiance the effect For by faith we have affiance Eph. 3. 12. upon which place Bezâ— noâ—eth that they are deceived who confound faith and affiance Faith is a perswasion or assurance of the mind though working upon the heart Affiance is an affection of the heart though proceeding from the assurance of the mind The fear therefore of faith is the mind or intellectuall part of affiance the heart which is the seat of the affections And as itâ— subject they differ so also in the object the object of faith being verum of affiance benum there being little difference betwixt it hope in respect of the time to come which are oft in the Scriptures confounded the same word Batach being translated sometimes to trust and sometimes to hope Notwithstanding in the behalf of some of our Divines it may be said that when they call this special faith fiduciam or fiduciall assent they mean nothing else but a certain perswasion or assurance of that which is believed This speciall faith the Papâ—ts abhor and scorne and yet cannot deny but that true Christians ought to labor for assurance namely the assurance not of faith but of hope They must have a kind of hope that their 〈◊〉 be remitted and that they shal be saved but they may not believe the remission of their sins or eternall life as belonging to themselves Howbeit all their assurance is meerly conjecturall and uncertain Neither can they have any sound assurance of hope unlesse first they had assurance of Faith for Faith is the foundation of hope and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the subsâ—ance of things hoped for Heb. 11. 1. But howsoever the Papists do scorn the speciall Faith yet it is a certain truth that there is 〈◊〉 not any grace either more profitable to the faithfull or more necessary For as all other sâ—ving graces in the faithfull proceed from Faith first apprehending and after applying Christ unto themselves in so much that without it there is no other saving grace so according to the measure of it such is the measure of all other saving graces That peciall Faith which the Holy Ghost worketh in us by shedding abroad the love of God in our hearts that is by perswading our soules of the love of God towards us in Christ produceth the love of God for therefore do we love God because we are by Faith perswaded that God loveth us first and consequently the love of our brother for Gods sake Charity which is the â—nd of the