Reason why Happinesse is thus called is rendered to be this for that it is easier to tell what shall not be in Heaven than what shall be there And of this kind is the Salvation our Saviour speaks of in this place This Salvation is to be considered Aug de Civ Dei l. 19. c. 20.27 either as it is initiall and begun here or as it is complementall and shall be perfected hereafter as it is here begun so Ephes 2.7 By Grace you are saved Here it is given us and assured unto us though that full and absolute perfection of it in respect of degree is reserved for another world and thus our Saviour saith to Mary Thy Faith hath saved thee It is done allready for Substance and not now to doe Thence Observe Doct. The true and beleeving Penitent even in this life is salved The Evidence of this Truth appeareth by the contrary for if the wicked and unbelieving be condemned already as is evident Ioh. 3.18 then it will not be hard to conceive that the Beleever is saved already But what need we seeke for further proofe when it appeares so evidently by Gods owne testimony who frequently affirmes of such as are penitent and believing and of that estate of theirs which is only via even in this their pilgrimage that they are blessed saved c. Mat. 51. Psal 1.1 32.1 Ephes 2.7 Iohn 17.3 For first we have Salvation in the Promises of it as 2 Cor. 7.1 Secondly Wee have it in those Graces which beginne it Iohn 17.3 Tit. 3.5 And 2.12 Iohn 3.8 3. We have it in the Assurance of it 2 Cor. 1.10 2 Tim 2 19. Act. 5.39 doth the Lord say and shall he not doe His Foundation standeth sure and hath his seale And if this Counsell be of God as Gamaliell said in another case ye cannot destroy it Vse 1 This may first informe us of the happy estate of every such one as believes and repents unfainedly Let their outward estate be what it will be yet their Salvation is certaine Rom. 8.38 Rom. 14 8. they are already saved and have the beginnings of eternall Life in them so that neither Life nor Death shall be able to deprive them of that Say we be in as great a strait as were the Israelites betwixt the Red-Sea and Pharaoh's Hoast One danger before us ready to ingulfe us another behind us ready to destroy us yet if thou beest righteous and truly penitent I will speake in the confidence of Moses Feare not stand still behold the Salvation of the Lord. Thine enemies may interrupt thine Assurance but they shall never overthrow thy Salvation As for outward things resigne up thy selfe wholy to Gods absolute dispose whither it be by Life or Death Say with Eli 1 Sam. 3.18 It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good and as David 2 Sam. 15.26 Let him doe to me as he pleaseth Keepe thou the coast of Faith and Repentance and feare not thy comming to the holy Land Vse 2 But as for such who acquaint not themselves with Salvation here woe to those If there be no Salvation here had expect none hereafter The Gate of Heaven is here below Christ is the Doore by which we must enter into the Paradise of God Who so layes hold on him with his merits by the beliefe of his soule hath gotten Salvation already But in not believing and repenting a man is condemned allready Woefull therefore is the estate of such men who never acquaint themselves with Salvation before the end of their dayes and then begin to dreame of another condition Cyp tractat de habit Virgin 1 Sam. 14.13 Non est facilis ad magna ascensus saith S. Cyprian things which are great are not easily climbed unto What sweat and labour takes a man before he comes to the top of an Hill as you find Ionathan and his Armour-Bearer tooke before they came to the Philistins garrison And can we thinke to attaine the height of Mount Sion with a leape Wherefore let nothing delivered cause Security but put us on to a working out our Salvation with feare and trembling Thy Faith Text. Here we have the Instrumentall cause or meanes of the Iustification and Salvation of this Penitent Where observe we two things First The Quality 2. The Propriety The Quality of the Means is Faith The Propriety Thy Faith First of the Quality We may observe in that Remission of sins was before attributed to this womans Charity and now is said to come of her Faith That true Faith is joyned with Love Hope and other Graces It is not alone where one is there is the other likewise Doct. Faith Hope Charity and other graces are concomitants Where one is there is the other Her Love was spoken of before and here Her Faith is mentioned so that it is cleare enough both were in the same subject The frequent Conjunctions of these Graces in the Apostles writings makes this good as 1 Thes 1.3 3.6 7. Colos 1.4 Philemon verse 5. 1 Cor. 13.13 This is a truth which the Papists seeme with their strongest forces to gaine-say Stifly maintaining that Faith may be without Love and indeed we grant that fides Daemonum the faith of Divells may but not fides Christianorum the Faith of Christians A man may have an Historicall Faith which is that Faith of the Church of Rome defined by a Catechisme authorized by the Counsell of Trent and yet want Charity Yea he may have a miraculous Faith and yet be without true Love 1 Cor. 13.2 But a Iustifying faith which is that Faith must save cannot bee separated from it 1 Iohn 4.7 16. 1 Iohn 5.1 And wheras their Schoolemen in resolving of this case assigne to Faith a double subsistence Tho 1. â— q 6â— art 4. one in genere naturae when it hath all the Essentialls of its nature wherby it is distinct from other intellectuall habits and is principle of the proper acts therof in respect of its proper objects The other in genere moris when it is grown to have a virtuous subsistence in us that is Scot in 3. Dist 36. art 4. an acceptablenesse with God as Scotus interprets it and becomes to be a disposition to beatitude which they confesse cannot be without Charity They say little herein against us For we grant that in Nature and Property these Graces may be distinguished one from another If we consider them as Habits of the renewed soule they be distinct graces But that in the Vse they should be severed or that there should be such a kind of faith as gives interest to Christs Righteousnesse and eternall life without Charity we deny Vse 2 To come nearer home by our Love proove we the truth of our Faith Our blessed Saviour hath foretold a scarcity of Faith on Earth in the last times Luk. 18.18 And yet never were times fuller of Faith then these times which yet are the last times if it be
Comfort in believing It preserves the Soule as in a strong Garrison so that a man is as quiet there as Elisha in Dothan and guards the principall forts from being surprized as the city of Damascus was guarded by the King 2 Cor. 11.32 It passeth all understanding surpasseth all commending Therefore as S. Austin speaking of the excellency of this grace and not being able to set foorth the happinesse therof saith so must I crave leave to speak Differamus omnes laudes pacis Aug. in Ps 48. ad illam patriam pacis ibi enim pleniùs laudabimus ubi pleniùs habebimus Let us deferre all the praises of Peace untill we come into the proper Country of Peace For there we shall praise it more fully where we shall possesse it more fully I have a word or two of advice for you before I end If in case it be your happinesse to be set into the way of Peace Heb. 12.13 14 Duae sunt amice justitia pax tu fortè unam vis alteram noÌ„ facies Nemo enim est qui non velit pacem sed non omnes volunt operari justitiaÌ„ Interroga omnes homines vis pacem uno ore respondebit tibi genus bumanuÌ„ opto cupio amo volo Ama justitiam quia duae amicae sunt justitia pax ipsae se osculantur si amicam pacis non amaveris non te amabit ipsa pax nec veniet ad te Aug. in Psal 84. have a care to keepe that way and see that you make straight pathes for your Feet Let Righteousnesse be your guide These are two friends that will not part as St. Austin shews excellently But if Righteousnesse take one way Peace will take another Let S. Paules dayly exercise be yours Study in all things to keepe a good Conscience voyd of offence both towards God and towards man I say in all things For it is with Conscience as with the Ice breake it in one place and it will soone breake in many Some deale vvith their Consciences as they deale with a new sute which at first vvearing they are afraid of soiling they looke where they sit they looke where they leane c. But when the glosse begins to fade and it begins to be a little old they have little care vvhere they bestow it There are who are like some new married husband for a while his Love may not be out of his sight in nothing crossed the wind may not blow on her the Sunne must be shaded from her beauty c. But within a while this fond dotard grows weary of his choice And if he be so kind as to give good words and kind looks abroad yet he can for a need chide his wife at home Have you not known some upon the suddain turne zealous Professours who have strained at a Gnat and shortly after swallowed a Camell At the first scrupeld an honest innocent Ceremony and yet soone after made no bones of Drunkennesse Adultery and the like If you never knew any such I pray God you never may Ob. But true Peace is everlasting Peace of that there shall be no end Isa 9.7 Resp. Though true Peace cannot be lost yet the Counterfeit of Peace may that cannot abide 2. Though the Peace of Iustification cannot be lost yet the peace of Sanctification may be lost which is the peace of Conscience and within your selves and that either by some grosse sinne of Commission or Omission or by some strong fit of Temptation Whilst the Tennant paâ—es his Rent all is well but if that be long neglected then stresse is taken the ground driven so is it here And in such a case there is no other way but speedily to make our Peace with our Land-Lord Râ—pentance will do it Thus you have had the way of Peace chalked out unto you with direction how to keepe the way 2 Thes 3.16 Now the God of Peace give you peace allwayes and by all meanes The Lord bee with you all Amen FINIS AN ALPHABETICALL INDEX OF THE CHIEFE Points handled in the foregoing Exposition on LVKE 7.40 41 c. A. ABsolution is a power belonging to Christ Page 225. Whence Ministers have their power to Absolve pag. 226. Difference betwixt us and Papists concerning it pa. 224 How God absolves how Christ and how man pag. 224 Particular Absolution is to be sought after pag. 230. Accusation none against the godly pag. 254 Acquaintance is not friendship pag. 236. Actuall sins of sundry sorts and kinds pag. 51. Adultery a great sinne page 206. Affections are the soules Sentinell pag. 163 They betray us to Satan Ibid. Signes of Affection to be shewen pag. 185 Afflictions come in love to the Godly page 70. Annoynting how in use at Feasts pag. 191 What was signified by Maries annoynting Christ pag. 196 Whither Christ was once annoynted by Mary or oftner ibid. Arrowes Gods Ministers shoot pag. 113 Assurance of Salvation in this life is to be had pag. 217. It must bee sought after page 231. It tends not to licentious liberty pa. 122. B. Baptisme of Repentance what it is pag. 171. Bagge God hath for a sinner and the bottle for the Saint p. 175. Bath twofold of Justification and Sanctification pa. 162 Banquerouts sinners are pa. 59. Bailiffes are abroad to attach the Sinner pa. 48. Body we must be carefull of iâ— pag. 162. The members of the Body are servants to the soule ibid. Borrowing lawfull p. 36. It is a fruit of sin p. 37 We may not needlesly become Borrowers p. 38. It is more base not to pay then it is to borrow pag. 39. C. Censure rash is dangerous p. 212 Especially of Governours and what it is like unto p. 251 None so holy that can escape it p. 245. Ceremonies of courtesie may not be sleighted p. 152 Creditor God is to all p. 41 Yet denied by many p. 42 He is a free and bountifull Creditour p. 43. There are few Creditors mercifull p. 61 Credit is by repentance recovered p. 14â— Christ is true God p 241. How he is the Son of man p. 242 Who holds him up highest preacheth him best p. 80 Christians there are both strong and weake pag 99. 103. Circumstantiall omissions are blame worthy p 151 Our best actions receive their life or bane from their Circumstances p. 154 Conscience is like an il wife 271 If good it affoordeth joy p 194. The Peace of it ariseth from Faith pag. 271. A benummed and sleepy Conscience how knowne p. 274. Company how and when to frame our selves to it p. 234. What Company we are to shun ibid Community Anabaptisticall unlawfull p. 37 Consideration neglected a cause men seek not pardon p. 65. Conversion a greater work than Creation p. 2. Conversation outward no sure signe of Conversion p. 239 Cost bestowed on Christ we are apt to grudge p. 199. Curiosity is the nurse of detraction p. 247. Curtesie is commendable yea necessary p. 155. It is much respected by men
so wee stand discharged through his ransome before God Almighty Object This Objection may be further urged thus That is freely bestowed which is conferred without any help or work in the Receiver But many necessary works and acts are necessarily required of those that are discharged as Faith Repentance Charity c. How then is it freely given Resp Though it be not conferred without these yet it is not conferred for these They are not Causes but Conditions Signes and Proofes to settle our hearts in this comfortable Assurance that we have found mercy with God and that our sins are pardoned as we shall heare hereafter in the Application of this Parable Vse This makes against the Papists who with a like Pride cry up their Actions to be Meritorious as they doe their Passions and Sufferings to be satisfactory to Gods Iustice They make a double merit A merit of Congruity which they say goeth before Conversion and obtaineth Justification and Remission of sins And a merit of Condignity which followeth after Conversion and furthereth our Reward when this life is ended Neither of these can stand with Free Grace Grace and Merit fight ex diametro Rom. 3.28 If by Grace we are saved then merit is no merit if by merit Grace is no Grace Which doctrine of the Church of Rome had she no more alike unsound may justly fasten upon her the ill name of Meretrix Babylonica Dr. Featly Meretrixa merendo nam mercede suam exercet malitiam c. Calepin Tit. meretrix Bem Serm. 52 Fateor non sum digum ego nâ—â— proprijs possum merit is regnum obtinere c loruÌ„ caeterùm duplici jure illud obtinens Dominus meus Faeredita te scilitet Patriâ— meri o passionis alâ—â—o ipse contencus alteruâ— mihi donat ex cujus dono juâ—e illuâ— mihi vendicaÌ„â— non consua lorauthor vit kern l. c. â—2 Bellar de â—uâ—â—iâ— c. â—6 6 â—5 c. 7 the Whore of Babylon saith one For Meretrix a merendo sie dicta est a whore hath her name from meriting Her standing upon termes with God and pleading merit marres all her merit Sufficie ad meritum scire quod non sufficiant merita saith S. Bernard If there be any merit it is in denying all merit And thus that Father merited for I find in his life that seeming to be before Gods Tribunall and Sâ—tan opposing him S. Bernard there seemed thus to reply I confesse I am not worthy neither can I by my owne deserts obtaine the Kingdome of Heaven But my Lord obtaining it by a double right by his Father Inheritance and the merit of his Passion being content with one himselfe giveth me the other of whose gift challenging it by right I am not confounded And of this mind are the Papists when they come to the point indeed So Bellarmine out of Bernard because saith he of the uncertainty of our Righteousnesse and the danger of Vaine-glory Tutissimumest filucians totam in sola Dei misericordia benignitate reponere It is safest to put our whole trust in the sole mercy and goodnesse of God Here he playes Penelope texit telam retexit he sews and ravells after much written and great paâ—â—es taken in defence of merit hee dasheth all with his Pell telling us what is the safest way And in a case so neerely concerning our Salvation he that will not take the safest way is much too blame Vse 2 Therfore be we directed in the surest and safest course fly we to the Mercy of God in begging Pardon use no other plea but the freenesse of his Grace in Christ Thus did David seek Psal 6.2 4. 25.6.7 55.1 So Daniel Cap. 9 9.18 and the poore Publican Luk. 18.13 So the woman of Canaan Mat. 15.22 So the two blind men Mâ—t. 9.27 20.30 So do thou Had a man any other Plea for pardon it must be from something in himself or for somthing in some other creature but from neither of these From a mans selfe there is no ground to hope for Pardon there is nothing in man in regard wherof he may looke for respect from God For 1. There are many staines and blemishes in our best workes as before we have heard Isa 64.6 1 Ioh. 1.8 In respect whereof S. Paul that chosen Vessell professeth That hee was nothing 2 Cor. 2 11. 2. Though a man did know no evill by himselfe nor were conscious of any blemish in his righteous Actions yet God who is a God of pure Eyes knowes much and sees much in us In which respect Saint Paul saith I know nothing by my selfe yet I am not thereby Iustified Hee that judgeth mee is the LORD Quisquis tibi enumerat vera meritasua quid tibi enumerat nisi munera tua Aug. l. 1. Confes Si de â—uo retriouis peccatum retribuâ— omnia enim quae habes ab illo habes tuumâ—olum peâ—â—atum habes Aug. in Psa 102. 1 Cor. 4.4 3. If in case that there should be no Imperfection at all in it yet there is no pleading of our workes to the Almighty by way of merit for these Reasons 1. They are not our owne but Gods Isa 26.12 1 Cor. 4.7 15.10 2 Cor. 3.5 Phil. 2.13 If thou renderest any thing saith S. Austen to God of thy owne thou renderest Sin For all the good thou hast thou hast received from God thou hast nothing which thou maist call thine owne but sinne And elsewhere he strongly inferreth against all Plea of mans Merit thus Si bonasunt c. If thy workes are good they are Gods gifts if they are evill God crowneth them not Si hona sunt Dei dona sunt si Dei dona sunt non coronat taÌ„quam merita tua sed tanquaÌ„ dona sua Aug. de lib. Arbit c. 7 Quicquid gesse â—is parum est quicquid feceris minus est Chrys Hom. 70. Eâ—si millies moriamur et si omnes virtutes animae expleamus nihil dignum gerimes adea quae ipsi à Deo percepimus Chrys l. de compuactione cordis If therfore God crowneth thy workes he crowneth them not as they are Merits but as his own Gifts Certainly that which is not our worke is not our Merit Can we oblige a man to us by paying him his own 2. We do no more then we stand ingaged to do when we have done the best we can Luk. 17.10 How then can we challenge any thing from God by way of Merit Is any man engaged to us for discharging of a Bond which they are bound under a great penalty by a precise day to satisfie 3. There is no Proportion betwixt that goodnesse which is in us and that we expect to receive from God for it What is all the mony we can make all that we can do or suffer towards the payment of a debt of ten thousand Talents and such a debt is sin Math. 18.24 Heare the Apostle speaking to this Rom. 8.18 2 Cor. 4.17 And yet Suffering
it and shews that Love was the cause why her many sins were forgiven her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 idem valet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aret. in loc But are they ignorant of this the For is oftentimes a note of Inference or Consequence and as well an argument of the Effect from the Cause as of the Cause from the Effect We say it is Spring-time Why so For or Because the Fig-tree puts forth and buds The putting forth of the Figg-tree argues the Spring-time Dilectio hic nō dicitur esse venia causa sed posterius signum Calv. but the budding and putting forth of the Fig-tree is not the Cause of Spring-time I say this child is alive because it cryes or this man lives because he mooves will any so understand me as if I meant the crying of the one and the mooving of the other is the Cause of life and motion in the one or in the other Our Saviour himselfe useth this kind of arguing as we find Iohn 15.15 I have called you Friends for all things I have heard of my Father I have made knowne unto you where declaring of those things to them is the Effect not cause of his Love And that our Saviour here reasoneth from the Effect to the Cause is evident enough from the whole discourse the scope wherof is to shew that the forgivenesse of the debt of sinne is a just cause of Love according to the measure and rate of the sins forgiven as is evident in such debters from whom the similitude is taken who beare no speciall love unto their creditours untill they know how they shall bee dealt withall Now if it should be as the Papists would have it that Love and the Fruits therof should be a cause of Remission our Saviours Application should be directly contrary to that which in this Parable he had propounded for then the greater Sinner should have somewhat to satisfie when the Parable saith that not so much as the lesser can doe it And that which in the Parable hee had made the Cause of the Love of the Forgiven Person heere hee should make the Effect of it Besides the other clause immediately following doth evidence it sufficiently that our Saviour argueth from the Effect For to whom little is forgiven saith our Saviour the same loveth little so that according to the proportion of Forgivenesse the proportion of Love followeth S. Ambrose thus understands the plate Bellar. depaenit lib. 2. c 14. resp ad object and Bellarmine himselfe saith that these words of Christ Many sinnes are forgiven her Confirmant absolutionem invisibiliter datam doe confirme the Absolution invisibly before given So then the Absolution which was given before was confirmed by her Love and by it shee might know and rest assured that her sins were remitted according to that of St. Iohn 1 Epist 3.14 Wee know that we have passed from death to life because we love the Brethren This Collection then of theirs you see is but grating upon a word and contrary to the sence of the place a meere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A folly it is to follow them too far we come to such as the Text will naturally afford as first Doct. A Proofe a posteriore from the Effect is a strong Proofe and very Demonstrative Thus the Truth of our Faith is to be prooved Iames 2.18 And of Repentance 2 Cor. 7.11 And of Charity 1 Iohn 3.14 And so Saint Iames prooves Wisedome from above by the Effects Iames 3.17 Still Scripture puts us upon the Tryall of our Graces by these kinde of Proofes Grace is invisible in its Nature it cannot be seene in habitu Therefore as GOD was seene to Moses so is Grace to men by its Backe-parts and as the wind which no man can see in its proper Essence by the full sayles of the Ship is perceived which way it stands Vse Let this be a Direction to us in our Examination and tryall of our selves I deny not but a Proofe or Demonstration a priori from the Cause to the Effect is better and more excellent in its owne nature then the other But for us in the tryall of our spirituall estates it is safer and more demonstrative to proceed from the Effect to the Cause Would I know if the Sun shines there is no climbing up to the Sky to be resolved nor examining what matter it is made off I looke upon the beames shining on the Earth I perceive it is up and shines by the light and heat it gives Would I know if GOD hath elected me to life and to salvation There is no climbing up into Heaven to know his Decrees and hidden Counsell as too many would most audaciously but study well the markes of it from the Effects The head of Nilus cannot be found but the sweet Springs issuing from thence are well knowne No surer way to the Sea then by taking a River by the hand Our Vocation and Sanctification will carry us to Election Rom. 8.30 2 Pet. 1 5-10 These are the meanes whereby our Election and Salvation is made certaine not the efficient Causes wherby it comes to be decreed The Sun not the shadow makes the Day yet we know not how the Day goes by the Sunne but by the shadow In a word as the Planets are knowne by their Influence the Diamond by his Lustre and the Soule by her Vitall Operations so Grace is most sensibly knowne to us by the Effects therof Doct. Secondly we observe from hence That a true and unfeined love of Christ is a sure signe that our sins are remitted David thus reasons Psal 18.1 2. I will love thee O Lord my strength he got that lesson by heart yea in his heart now presently he takes forth The Lord is my Rocke and my Fortresse and my deliverer my God my strength in whom I will trust my Buckler and the horne of my Salvation This Argument our Saviour useth to raise up and comfort Peter after his fall who questionlesse was much cast downe under the sight and sense of his sin Simon thou sonne of Jonah lovest thou me Ioh. 21.15 q. d. If this be in thee be of good comfort know thy sins are remitted and God reconciled to thee So 1 Iohn 4.16 Hee that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in GOD and GOD in him Now as the Prophet speaks Can two walke together except they be agreed Questionlesse God is reconciled to them who truly love him els he would not bee an Inhabitant within them Soe 1 Pet. 1.3 4 8. Reason And it cannot otherwise be in that true Love ariseth and springeth from Faith Therfore in the place of S. Peter before noted 1 Tim. 1.5 after he said they loved the Lord he inferreth presently they also beleeved in him Which as we shall after see vers 50. is the instrumentall Cause of our Iustification It is Faith that brings the holy Fire of Love into our frozen hearts Gal. 5.6 or they would never
be warmed with it In Nature we see nothing can moove in desire to this or that till first it hath apprehended it lovely whilst the debtor thinkes of the rigour of his Creditour he doth feare him not affect him truly so our affections cannot in love and desire move to God and unite themselves with God till by Faith we discerne him as reconciled to us and an amiable object for us sinners to imbrace But when once it comes to see Gods love forgiving it many sins then it cannot but love much again Vse And this serves to the overthrowing of their opinion who hold that Assurance of Pardon of Sin cannot in this life be attain'd unto If the Assurance of our Love to God may be had then may the Assurance of the Pardon of our Sins be attaind unto but the former may be had therfore the latter That the Assurance of our Love to God may be had is cleare S. Peter was undoubtedly assured of it and that even in the time of the great dejectednesse of his spirit els he would never have said as he did Joh. 21.17 Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee So the faithfull in whose name the Apostle speaketh 1 Iohn 3.14 were undoubtedly assured that they loved the children of GOD by which Love likewise they were assured that they were translated from Death to Life for that none can truely love the Children of God but they must love the Father also Ob. But every Grace hath its counterfit and the heart is deceitfull above all things Resp. This Grace can the hardliest be counterfetted of any other Grace There is scarce any thing els that we can instance in saith one but a Hypocrite may go cheeke by jowle with a good Christian He may do all outward services D. Preston his Treat of Love p. 151. on Effectuall faith page 72. he may abstaine from sinnes a great change may be wrought in him we know how farre the third ground went Matth. 13. And those Hebr. 6. But this they cannot counterfeit to love the LORD A Hypocrite may heare the Word Pray give Almes but to doe these out of Love that is a thing which no Hypocrite is able to reach unto Secondly though saving Graces have their Counterfets yet a man may be assured by the Word that he hath this and other Graces in him in Sincerity so as that he cannot be deceived in them For as God gave Moses in the Mount a Patterne according to which he would have all things made in the Tabernacle Hebr. 8.5 So that when he viewed the worke and saw all was done according to that Patterne he was sure he had done right and blessed them as we read Exod. 39.43 So hath God given us a Patterne in his Word according to which he would have every thing in his spirituall Tabernacle as Faith Repentance Love Obedience c to be wrought And if a man can find that the Grace he hath be according to the Patterne as if he take paines with himselfe to view the work as Moses did he may then he may be sure it is right and shall have cause of rejoycing as the Apostle saith Gal. 6.4 Vse 2 Secondly Learne hence a notable way to establish our hearts in the Assurance of the pardon of Sinne. Thou needest not climbe up into Heaven to search Gods Books whither they be crost or no there to behold the Face of God whither he smile or frowne but dive into thine owne soule and there find out what love thou bearest to thy Maker and blessed Saviour if thou findest that thou lovest him unfainedly that is that thou lovest him more than these lovest him for himselfe for those beauties and excellencies that are in him It is the greatest Comfort that thou canst have in this life for that thou mayest rest assured hereupon that God is reconciled to thee and that thy sins be they never so great or many are forgiven thee Finding this in thee thou mayest be sure and never till than canst thou be assured of it For we may easier carry Coales in our bosome without burning than by Faith apprehend truly this Love of God in the pardoning of sin without finding our hearts burne in Love to him answerably But in finding that we have the giving hand of Love giving to God as Mary here did those duties that are owing we may assure our selves that we have likewise the receiving hand of Faith wherby we have apprehended and laid hold of those mercies which are peculiar to Gods elect in Christ though for the present it may be thou maist have no feeling of it Only see that our Love be rightly qualified that it hath these requisites which Gods Word speaks off that it be with all our hearts with all our soules with all our might Deut. 6.5 Mark 10.30 By which variety of words God would teach us that he must be loved with all whatsoever is in us and in our powers both intensively and extensively as farre as is possible All the affections and powers of the soule must be gathered together and united like the Sunne-beames in a burning-Glasse to make our Love more hot and fervent Our love to him must be greater then to our selves or to any other thing belonging to us Plusquam te plusquam tua plusquam tuos as St. Bernard speaketh otherwise as Simon Peter said to Simon Magus in another case Thou hast neither part nor portion in this businesse In the third place we do observe Doct. That loving much argues much mercy received from the beloved party When men have bin extraordinarily kind unto us you know how marvellously it works with us upon the apprehension of it so was it here with Marie and so with Peter and so with other of the Saints still you shall find the deeper sense they have had of their own sin and wretchednesse the more have their hearts bin instamed with love to Gâ—â—â—â—pon the apprehension of his Mercie in their Râ—â—â—ssion the more zealous have they bin for his Glory the more thankefull for his Mercy the more desirous to please him the more fearefull to offend him and the more ready to turne unto him by Repentance as hath bin before shewed vers 43. Now because the next part or member of this verse is brought in as an Illustration of this Position we will add only a word or two for Application Vse Be informed hence of one Reason why God is delighted in forgiving great offences why he is so ready to forgive much surely he would be loved much And who deserves to be loved much if not this God who hath forgiven much Let a man but consider what God hath done for him in giving him his Son c. every other common mercy would be as bellowes to blow our Love to a greater flame and till we enter upon that thought we shall not love with any great fervency of spirit as follows in the opposite clause
9.2 Yea the Faith of another may be profitable to the soule of his Brother in things Spirituall so farre as to pray for him or be a meanes to allure him unto Christ or give him a right to the outward Covenant as the Parents Faith doth to the Child 1 Cor. 7.14 Rom. 11.16 But in things Eternall as to save from everlasting vengeance and to the obteyning of eternall life it is ineffectuall Quest But if every one be saved by his owne Faith what becomes of young Infants who by reason of their age have neither knowledge or Faith and so depart this life Are they saved Resp When we thus urge the necessity of a Particular Faith we are to be understood to speake of such as are of a reasonable age Secondly Infants have Faith Christ himselfe reckons them amongst Beleevers Mat. 18.6 Whosoever offendeth one of these little ones which beleeve in mee In which respect Circumcision was called a seale of Faith Vse 2 Endeavour wee to have therefore of our owne In Gideons Campe every soldier had his owne Pitcher Salomons valiant men had each one his owne sword by his side and each Virgin is said to have a lamp in her own hand So every true Beleever professeth for himselfe I Beleeve But how can it be said to be mine when it is the Common Faith Tit. 1.4 And as Athanasius in his confession calles it the Catholike faith being the Faith of all Christians and received and professed by the whole Catholike Church It is called the Common or Catholike Faith First in respect of the Object of it which is Common and belongs to all the Faithfull Secondly In respect of the Profession of it it being the badge of every true Christian Thirdly In regard of the Common end of it which is eternall life and Salvation which S. Iude likewise cals the Common Salvation Iude. v. 3. But in this one Common or Catholike Faith every one that is a true member of the Church hath an interest and to it layes a particular claime they have a peculiar portion in the common stocke as appeares 2 Pet. 1.1 Like pretious Faith with us Like for kind not for degree such Faith though not so much Faith The paralell is not drawne à quantitate sed à qualitate fidej In briefe though Faith be one ratione objecti yet it is not one ratione subjecti every one must have a Faith of his owne Object 2. But how is Faith ours when it is the gift of God for so wee finde Philip. 1.29 Iohn 6.29 Resp. If it be given to us then it is ours For what is freer then gift gifts once bestowed are proper to the possessors Secondly It is so given as that it is by us also got in part as the woman of Tekoah said to David God doth devise meanes 2 Sam. 14.14 So God hath ordained meanes for obteyning Faith as we find Rom. 10.17 which who so neglects I speake of those who are adulti growne up to a reasonable age shall never obteyne Now such is Gods grace and goodnesse as that he accounts those graces ours which are in part obteyned through our endeavours though hee hath therein the leading hand aâ—d is the All and in All And thus much of the womans Certificate wee now come to examine her Passport Goe in Peace Text. Post quam ei peccati dimifit non sist it in remissione peccati set adijcit operationem boni unde subditur vade in pace Theoph. In which words we cannot but observe First the Course enjoyned Goe not sit still be idle c. Secondly the way directed in Peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Goe To the benefit of Remission is added this Injunction which in Beda's and Theophilacts opinion is as much as Bene vive or bene age Doe well Live well c. So that you see Vbi vigilanter collige divinam clemâ—ntiam peccata non dimittere dormitanti bis sed cooperaÌ„tibus fide spe atque dilectione c. Royard More is required of a Christian then bare beleeving Though no more be required in the act of Iustification yet more is required in respect of Conversation as these places prove Psal 1.1 2. 3â— 1 2 119.1 2. Mat. 5.20 Iam. 2.18 2 Pet. 25. 10. And good reason there is for it for that Gods elect are brought to glory not by Iustification alone but by Vocation and Glorification also Rom. 8.30 Acts. 26.18 we must passe through Sanctification before we come to Glory Vox praeterea nihil What shall we think then of the wording Christian the tribe of Nepthalie who like the Spartons Nighting all are voice and little else Surely they are fitter for the Cage then Church sing they never so sweetly These are they who have brought the staine of Sol fid ans upon us Hofin in judicio sup articulo 4. Confes Augustanae Nor had the Papists stood so stiffe against the Doctrine of Iustification by Faith alone as one amongst themselves professeth but for some mens disgracing of Good workes What we write and preach concerning the necessity of Good workes the world knowes how in your lives you shew the power of what you heare and learne D Willets Catalogue of charitable workes annexed in the end of his Synopsis Papismi we have little cause to glory And yet with them we will glory for it haâ—h beene proved by a particular induction from an able Penne that more charitable workes have beene performed in the times of the Gospell then they can shew to have beene done in the like time of Poperie And if we looke homewards and consider the workes of this nature that have beene done by us within the space of 80. yeares under the happy Raignes of King EDVVARD Queene ELIZABETH King JAMES of blesled memory and now under the Raigne of our gratious Soveraigne King CHARLES it will appeare that there hath beene more workes of charity shewed then was in twice so much time going immediatly before yet wee justifie not our selves for what is this we have done or doe answerable to the meanes we do enjoy and the profession we make Our Church is pestered with a company of Hypocrits whose Faith is cloathed much after the fashion that Iohn the Baptist was They put upon it a Coat of Camels haire some refuse and cheape outside which they tye together with the leathern girdle of dissimulation and the Food of it is Locusts 2 Kings 5.11 meere speculation and wild-honey table talke We may say of them as Naaman said of the Prophet I thought hee would have done something that hee would have come out unto mee and stood and strike his hand over the place and recover the leper c. so wee hearing such a profession of their Faith expect great matters but behold no deeds at all or very few and small Yea so confidently doe some hope for Salvation by Faith that there is worse then naught done little honesty or
p. 122. It carries us through all difficulties p 101 It gives great light if well kindled p. 10â— And is ascending p. 104 How the Love of God in us may be encreased p. 100. Love is a lovely sute page 95. No better way to be loved then to Love p. 106. Love our enemies onely a Christian can p. 90 Some may be loved above others p 91. There is a secret Love which is blame-worthy p 185. Love that is chambered is sicke p. 185 Lust increaseth the Divels revenewes p. 207. Lyes of three sorts p. 115. All sorts unlawfull ibid. Lying is the father of detraction and slâ—nder p. 246 M. Manners should attend Faith as well as good workes pag. 156. Meanes though weake yet not to be despised pag. 148 All profit not by the Meanes page 77 79 To sinne against Meanes aggravates it page 54 Mercie is Gods Face page 76 It is to be sought for page 77. All to be ascribed to Mercie p. 75. Merit double p. 73 No man can Merit page 72. Mildnesse must bee used in reprooving page 14. Ministers are to be honoured p. 28. The meanest Minister under the Gospell honourable pag 29. Contempt of their Persons redounds to their Message pag. 30 They must reproove offenders p. 23. How they must reproove page â—11 They may not reproove for every light offence p. 24. Who are best Ministers p. 202. They must preach both in life and doctrine pag. 127. They are Fâ—shers Physitians nâ—â— Stewards pa 1â—2 They are Heralds pa. 1 8. Scandalous Ministers may convert pag 1â—6 Ministery standing is necessary pa 230. Mirth allowed a Christian pag 193 The wicked have no cause of Mirth p. 195. Be not so merry as to forget God page 195. Mourne for those who mourne not pag. 167 N. Names a double use of them p. 16. Men of good Names may miscarry p. 26. Good Names should be made good pa. 25. Sinners are not worthy Naming p 143. O. Oyntment of Mary was very precious page 198. Still there is use of our Oyntments pa 200. Ornament of the body not tâ—o good for Christ p. 182. P. Parables have both barke and piâ—h pag. 8. There are as many Parables in the Scripture as weeks in the year p. 10 Why Christ affected this Parabolicall way of teaching page 9. Great ones are to be spoken unto in Parables p. 24. The best of a Parable is the sense mysticall pag. 36. Pardon is offered to all without exception pa. 79 Peace the sorts and kinds of it pag. 269 True Peace the fruit of Faith pa. 271 It is the inheritance of the Saints p. 275 The excellency of it pa. 276 How to get and keepe it p. 278 All other blessings attend it pag 277. There is none to the wicked p. 271. They have a seeming peace but not true pag 272 The difference betwixt sound and seeming peace p. 273 How peace may be lost pag. 278. Penitent to be well thought off page 144. His deportment and carriage must be observed pa. 139 He is an excellent actor p. 137. A good life argues a true Penitent pag. 139 Pennance popish wherein it is faulty pag. 181. Praise must be given to whom it is due p. 129. It may not be too much affected page 130. And is to be sought in the way of well-doing pag. 131. Precepts should be turned into Prayers pag. 58. Preachers who are the best pa. 202. Propriety of goods established pag. 37. Q. Question it is who loves God most pa. 103. R. Reformation outward not sufficient pag. 238 Redemption plenteous to be had in Christ page 81. Remission of sinne is attainable p. 62. Repentance is rather seene then heard pag. 136 It restores virginity youth and credit pag. 144 145 Reproofe this age will not indure pa. 20. How to Reproove aright is difficult pag. 21. It must be wisely given p. 111. It is an careting to the obedient pag. 110 Love must be seene in it pag. 15. So Reproove as that we doe not blemish pag. 18 In some cases it must be auricular pag. 17 When to reproove by name and in what cases pag. 16 Sharpe Reproofe is sometimes to be used pa. 14. Reproofe is like wormwood pa. 112. Riches of God are great pag. 41. Revenge taken by a Penitent wherein it stands pag. 181 S. Salvation what pag. 255 In this life to be had pa. 256. Nothing can hinder the Salvation of the godly pag. 257. Salvation to bee remembred page 185. How and whom to Salute page 156 Satisfaction to God no man can make pag. 57 68 To our Bretheren it may and must pag. 69. Security dangerous pag. 49. Sermons of some men are like fire-works pag. 202. Serpents all Detractors are pag. 248. Silence in the presence of sinne implyes consent pag. 21. Sinnes how there are both mortall and veniall pa. 52 83. Parity of Sinnes an idle dreame pag. 52. How to distinguish betwixt Sinne and Sinne pag. 53. Greatest Sinnes may be pardoned pag. 82 211. Some sinnes deserve greater punishment then other pag. 83. No sinne is so small as to bee sleighted pag. 85. Sinne is in all but all are not in sinne pag. 203 How sinne is in the godly pag. 204. Sinners who are so to bee accounted pag. 203 Slander is a kind of Persecution the godly suffer pag. 250. Magistrates and Ministers especially pag. 251. Sorrow accompanies true Repentance pag. 1â—6 It must bee answerable to the sinne pag. 177. If deepe it sometimes wants a tongue pag. 135 A man may exceed in it and when pag. 178 Unsound Sorrow how discerned pag. 177. Sociable to be so is commendable pag. 233 Nons may bee rashly censured for it pag. 236. What Society wee may have with Sinners pag. 235. Spirit what kind of one a slanderer is page 249. A troublesome spirit is a Sacrifice for Hell ibid T. Teares what they are and whence pag. 164. The severall sorts and kindes of them pag. 165. They are necessary appendances of Repentance pag. 168. Yet very deceitfull things pag. 168. Repentance may bee without them pa. 169 The tryall of true Teares page 170. Teares of the body and soule compared ibid. The benefit and profit of them pag. 172 Counterfeit Teares have prevailed pag. 173. Thoughts make conscience of page 11. The Word discovers them p 12. They are knowne onely to God pag. 240. How they are discovered by man and Satan pag. 243. Tongue may be too sudden in answering pag. 109 Truth must be spoken pag. 114 120. Sometimes it may be concealed in whole or in part and in what cases page 114. It is Gods whoever brings it pag. 125. U. Veniall no sinne in it selfe is page 83 84. Two wayes sin may be termed Veniall pag. 83. Virginity how restored page 144. Vncleannesse that sinne so called is accompanied with other p. 216 Vsury difference betwixt it and Faenory pag. 35. What it is and what kind lawfull p. 35 W. Waters-lying what they are p. 168. When the city of Waters is taken the danger is great p. 176. Weeping proves life p. 166. To weepe for other things and not for sin a bad signe p. 169. Motives to weepe p. 167. It is no childish Propertie page 172. Weakest vessell oft holds the liquour p. 149. Whoredome is a pit-fall page 207. Wisedome of the Serpent God allowes us p. 119 Woemen their carriage to bee wisely observed p. 140 They may not bee spoken contemptibly of p. 141. God hath highly honoured that Sex p. 142. Women of speciall note montioned p. 149 Such should be observed and imitated p. 146 A virtuous woman hard to finde out p. 141. Bad women Satans chiefe instruments p. 141. Such women as are bad should be shunned p. 147 How a woman may lawfully speake in the Church p. 149. How they should provoke men to jealousie p. 150. Whether it was one and the same woman that anoynted Christ so often p. 196. Words of Christs mouth should prevaile with us p. 202. Words are the pictures of the mind and how p. 110. Workes Protestants are no enemies unto them p. 260. They must accompany Faith pag. 265. They are to be pressed p. 267. In what respects they are necessarie pa. 268. The best are full of imperfection p. 74. They are not causes but conditions of Remission p. 72. How St. Paul and St. Iames agree concerning them page 269. Perlegi tractatum hunc cui titulus The Penitent CITIZEN in quo nihil reperio quò minus cum summa utilitate imprimatur THO. WYKES Aprill 4. 1640. FINIS
pledges to confirme their hope and assurance of injoying that good I and which God had promised to give them notwithstanding the malice of their enemies Thus the former Doctrine delivered of the vilenesse and dauger of that sin of Vncleanenesse and Incontinency is like to the Valley of Achor full of trouble and griefe to all such as are guilty But this Valley of Achor is given for a doore of hope this Maries Repentance is of purpose recorded to raise up the hopes of dejected spirits for God is still the same and as ready to receive Penitents as he ever was At the presence of the Sunne all the other lights with-draw themselves and hide their heads in a cowardly kind of fashion but when the Moone begins to shine they recover their former boldnesse and liberty Had we no other to cast our Eyes you but such as Iohn Baptist and that Mary who was blessed above women the mother of our Lord where were our hopes But where we have the Examples of such Sinners as these afore mentioned shining to us we cannot but hold up our heads and come abroad expecting to be made partakers upon Repentance of the like Mercy Wherfore let not the Eunuch say I am a dry Tree let none say J have beene an Adulterer a Murtherer and can have no place in Heaven For who so confesseth and forsaketh sin shall find Mercy assuredly Noli dicere nuÌ„ quid ecce talem hominem Deus correcturus est â—am malum taÌ„ perversum noli desperare queÌ„ rogas attende non pro quo rogas magnitudinom moâ—bi vi deâ— potentiaâ—n nedici non vides Aug in Ps 55. As we may not despaire of our selves neither may we despaire of others say not saith S. Austin what will God ever amend such a man so wicked so perverse Do not despaire look on him to whom thou prayest and not on him for whom thou prayest Thou seest the greatnesse of the disease thou seest not the power of the Physitian Thou seest such an one to runne on in the race of wickednesse led captive of the Divell to doe his will a branch of the wild Olive c. yet let all rash Judgement of his future estate be restreyned how desperate soever his present estate may seeme to thee to be Qui fecit reficere potest he that made him can mend him God is able to graft him in Rom. 11.23 And who knoweth what his will is Whose wayes are past finding out Shoot not thâ—n your Fooles bolt so rashly as with the Barbarians to say surely this man or woman is a Reprobate notorious Sinners may be called when glorious Hypocrites shall be condemned Publicans and Harlots saved when conceited Scribes and Pharisees shall bee rejected Mat. 21. Was not this woman as unlikely to have prooved a holy liver as any thou knowest Had not the Divell as strong Possession of her whilst she was under the guard of seven uncleane spirits Was not Paul as unlikely to have prooved so able a Minister of the Gospell of Christ whilst he was a Persecutor of the Saints a Blasphemer of God Act. 9.1.2 c. Hadst thou seen him with the High-Priest when his Commission was a sealing for the apprehending and punishing of all those who professed Christ whither they were men or women and met him in the way trudging to Damascus for that end and purpose little wouldst thou have thought that this man would ever have sealed the Gospell with his blood and have bin so zealous as afterwards he was in that way which he now persecuted As the winde bloweth where it will so the Spirit beateth where it pleaseth him Nec quantitas crianinis Cypr Serm de cana Domini nec brevitas temporis nec horae extremitas nec vâ—tae enormitas excludit a venia saith St. Cyprian Neither doth the greatnesse of the Crime not the shorâ—â—â—sse of the Time neither the extreamity of the last howre nor the Enormitie of the whole life exclude from pardon In the 2 Sam. 1. We read of an Amalekite who brought news to David the King of the Death of Saul and to assure David therof he told him that he himselfe stood upon him and slew him because he was sure hee could not live beeing fore wounded verse 9 10. Upon which Relation David presently commanded that this Amalekite should be put to Death as one condemned by his owne mouth verse 15 16. Why what was his offence Wherin had he deserved Death Alas Saul was fallen before upon his owne Speare it was but mercy to kill him out right who was halfe dead already c. Yea but Saul said by his owne Confession my life is yet whole in me he was not dead yet he was alive and whilst there is life there is hope therfore did David slay him Qâ—um percussum ab hoste desperasset esse victurum eum sublata spei filucia jugulasset Dâ—â—erm â—om in Eccl. c. 2. v. 20 because that being wounded of the Enemy he despaired of life and having no confidence of hope he had killed the annoynted of the Lord He should have used his best diligence to have preserved Saul and done what lay in him to have bound up his wounds and not by despaire of helpe to say he could not live And thus is it in the case of sinne If we see any desperately wounded yet whilst life remaines there is hope of Mercy to be had fall not upon him with thy Sword slay him not out right by thy rash censure but follow thou the Apostles Direction 2 Tim. 2.25 Instruct them who are contrary minded use all good means to reclaime them prooving if at any time GOD will give them Repentance and bring them out of the snares of the Divell who are taken Captive by him to doe his Will Are forgiven Text. In Graeco non est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 se◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod prâ—eteritâ— temporis nota peccata jam ipsi remissa suisse osten lit Mathes in loc Something may be noted from the Tence They are not shall be hereafter nor are now to be at this present but already it is done No sooner did she believe in Christ her Saviour but her sinnes were remitted and forgiven her even before she washed and annoynted him It is noted against the Papists who would have works to share halfe with Faith in mans Justification and therfore urge the Text as speaking of the time present we hold that workes follow Instification Non precedunt as speakes St. Austin Aug. de fide oper c. 14. But more of this in that which follows We come now to the Proofe of the Point 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For she loved much The Rhemists note upon this is Not only Faith as you may perceive say they but Love or Charity obtaineth Remission of Sinne in the first act of Iustification But how may we perceive this Why the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proves