Hope from which it is inseparable saith the Apostle will make you that yee shall neither be barren nor vnfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ 2 Pet. 1.8 It ouercomes all difficulties and expells all feares and discouragements and addes courage constancie to the weakest and furthereth our going vp into Christ Ephes 4.15 which without it would not bee But the Hypocrite because he hath not this Spirit of Loue Reuel 21.5 hee is timerous and his character is fearefull hee dares not venture vpon necessarie duties if once they threaten him with danger hee shewes no courage for the truth and goodnesse because indeed he loues them not 1 Ioh. 4.18 for themselues feare makes him abstaine from doing good whereas if the loue of God and goodnesse were indeed in him it would make him couragious for God and goodnes and fill him with an holy zeale and not at all careful for the pleasing or yet displeasing of man as it was an euident signe of Ionathans true loue to Dauid when he feared not the displeasure of Saul his Father for the loue hee shewed to Dauid Section 27. 2. The godly mans faith is followed with desire of good 2 Desire which being strong in him he hungring and thirsting after righteousnes will not let him take any repulse Par. 3. §. 27. how difficult soeuer the duty bee as we vse to say hunger will make a man breake through a stone wall This makes him poure out strong cries to God by the prayer of Faith and whiles hee wrestles hee prayes and fights crying as did Moses Iâ—hosaphat 1 King 22 32. but especially Iacob who would not let God goe till hee blessed him wherefore his name was called Israel for saith God to him Gen. 32.26.28 as a Prince hast thou power with God and with men and hast preuailed Such in their measure are al the true Israelites of God whilest they striue with the difficulties of their duty and herevnto take vnto them other parts of their spirituall Armour they feeling themselues weake and neare foyled haue recourse presently to their Generall and grand Captaine Christ Iesus who is euer when he is farthest off in the Rere and of him by prayer obtaine new forces ayde and strength whereby they are vndoubtedly conquerours in the end But on the other hand Hypocrites and counterfeit Christians wanting this spirit of Prayer as not truly longing after righteousnesse they are as faint and languishing in all good endeauours as they are in their desires and so for want of true desire and of faith whereby they should in their faintings retire to God seeke for strength according to his promise they quite giue ouer the pursuite of goodnes when especially it proues difficult or preiudiciall to their naturall carnall or earthly desires and thus by their want of desire to goodnesse they shew they haue no courage for it and by their want of courage they shew themselues deuoid of Gods spirit which is a spirit of streÌ„gth and so consequently that by it they haue not put on Christ so do they also by their want of Ioy Delight and sweete content in the doing of their duty for it selfe Par. 3. §. 28. which is a third affection which the godly haue to helpe and further them withall which those other want Section 28. This comfort from well doing from the spirit of comfort 3 Ioy and delight in doing his duty or the Comforter both quickens heartens them to it through Hope and in the doing of their duty sweetens it to them and so lessens the irkesomenesse of it when it is done it both giues good content wherby they thinke their labour and paines well bestowed as also leaues in them a desire and readinesse to set vpon it againe or the like duty and in the comfortable experience of Gods assistance not to despaire or yet to be discouraged but more eagerly and couragiously to performe the same againe All things are contrary in the Hypocrite he doth the strictest duties if at all then with little chearfulnesse Par. 3. §. 29. or delight he halfe-repents of his labour losse cost c. and in regard of former discouragements attending or following them he hath lesse heart then before whilest he foresaw not the inconueniences he now finds to returne to or to doe the same or like duties againe the oftner he doth them the more hee wearies of them and lesse reioyceth in them vnlesse perhaps it be vpon carnall and by-respects Section 29. 2 Gods spirit shewes it selfe strong in regard of Temporall good Thus we haue shewed how the good Christian manifests himself to bee inwardly cloathed with Christs spirit of might in regard of Spirituall good touching which it maks him hardy and truly bold to vndertake it though difficult Now we must shew the like in regard of Temporall good things which it teacheth him in comparison of the other to contemne These I call not only freedome and deliuerance from euils which are outward as from sicknesse pouertie disgraces feares imprisonments troubles Which in comparison it makes him contemne but also and chiefely wealth long life power and authoritie pleasures and delights fauour of Princes and of great men and the like in one word Outward prosperitie in three words the Honours Pleasures and Profits of the world which are as the worlds Trinitie which the men of the world doe worship For prosperitie in the generall and generally all good things of this life though the godly man and he onely haue the promise of them by vertue of his faith in Christ haue right vnto them 1 Tim. 3.8 yet he hath so much spirituall wisedome giuen him as in his iudgement to prefer spiritual good things before them and so much spirituall strength and grace giuen him as in his choyce will pursuites indeauours after such things yea in his possession and injoyment of them so to order guide himselfe as that they haue not the first place in his thoughts yea in case of competition and when a good conscience God fauour or our spirituall good and they cannot stand together then in such a case to contemne and to account basely of the best of these things nay of them all though they fawne on him neuer so much and promise all content possible If he cannot haue such things as seruants to godlinesse to further his good and godly intents and indeauours he scornes to make them the Masters of his affections and through a magnanimous and generous spirit in him which is this spirit of strength I speak of he labours to make them seruants to godlinesse or els quite to abandon and put them out of seruice He knowes that if he be Gods hee cannot and therefore must not serue two Masters Mat. 6.24 God and Mammon and so consequently holding to the one which is God and to Christ whose disciple he is he in comparison despiseth the
Articles concerning the Son some shew themselues to acknowledge him in his exaltation glory expecting to be acknowledged of him also in glory but not in his humiliation being ashamed of his crosse and children because of their seeming meannesse Some againe thinke of him in his humiliation as he died and as hee was a Sauiour presuming of saluation therefrom yet neuer seriously thinke of him in his exaltation and last degree of it that hee shall come as a terrible Iudge to iudge the quicke and the dead that so by keeping faith and a good conscience they might with boldnesse looke him in the face at that day In the Articles concerning the Holy Ghost 3. The holy Ghost some acknowledge the Spirit who yet by it are not made members of the true Catholike Church whereof yet many of them may bragge more then any neither yet acknowledge Christ in his Saints whom in stead of any true communion they haue with them they hate and persecute Others will beleeue the Resurrection of the dead and life euerlasting who yet by faith receiue not Christ neither truely know him to the remission of their sinnes And though many at least in seeming and profession doe embrace the whole doctrine of Christ by receiuing all the Articles of the Creed yet Hypocrites diuide the life and example of Christ from his Doctrine doe they not set before them the holy and vnspotted life and death of Christ for their imitation they like him well in his doctrine for that is sweet and comfortable but his life is thought too strict and too austere when they are called by imitation of him to put him on His doctrine they wil both preach and professe but in their practise they come infinitely short and in effect condemne that as may bee seene not onely in the practise of the Iewes of old against him who euen for his good workes hated him he by his holinesse really reproouing their hypocrisie but now in the practise and by the affections of many who yet in the Theorie know Christ and his doctrine fully enough towards and against such as in their liues would bee followers of Christ and imitate him in all his imitable vertues and in his affections of mercy patience loue humility and the like in which hee did his other vnimitable works of omnipotency and Mediatourship These men now distasting and hating Gods children hauing them in derision and a prouerbe of reproach speaking euill of them 1 Pet. 4.4 and doing euill to them because they labouring to imitate Christ and his Apostles in their holy liues runne not with them to the same excesse of ryot plainely shew how for all their knowledge of Christ they would vse yea abuse Christ his Apostles if they might liue and conuerse on earth amongst vs for as they would liue in the like holy manner as formerly they liued so would these men do as those other Scribes and Pharisies did who yet so much bragd of their knowledge Or if any more then others seeme to put on Christ in the workes of righteousnesse yet of those The parts of his life very few can or will imitate him in his sufferings by patience in suffering reproaches vniustly c. when they are called therevnto All these men though by profession Christians yet in effect are no Christians whilest they put not Christ whole on as he is a Prophet 2 Hypocrits diuide Christ as a Priest We must now try whether wee cannot find the like hypocrisie or vnsoundnesse in men by considering and comparing the parts of his priestly office namely Satisfaction and Intercession according to both which sound Christians put on Christ Of which briefly 1. Making his Priesthood common to others 1. Such first as diuide this Office of Priesthood properly so taken and now after his death and reall sacrifice ordaine acknowledge other sacrificing Priestes who daily in their Masse doe offer properly an vnbloody sacrifice to God what doe they but confesse that Christ our Sauiour is but one amongst many and not the onely and sole Priest in a proper sense of the new Testament These put not on Christ whole as a Priest who thus diuide the Priesthood and for any subordination in that office properly considered they will neuer whilest they breathe proue it 2. 2 Diuiding betweene the example of his death and satisfaction Such againe as in the death of Christ looke more to his example in dying then to his satisfaction made to the Iustice of God for our sinne diuide this office nay rather plainely denie it as that most impudent and blasphemous heretike Socinus who denying all satisfaction properly in Christ will haue him to die not properly for our sinnes Rom. 4.25 but onely by occasion of our sinnes as saith he when a Marchant for riches that is by occasion of riches crosseth the seas and is cast away This man and his followers what Christians are they wee shall see more of them anone 3. 3. Diuiding the worke of Merit SatisfactioÌ„ Others acknowledge Christ died and by his death made satisfaction yet acknowledge also the merits of others in the treasury of their pretended church and so diuide the worke of satisfaction betweene Christ and man 4. The same though they will say Christ died 4 Diuiding betweene satisfaction intercession 1 Ioh. 17.9 and satisfied yet they in effect deny the same whiles they acknowledge him not their onely Intercessor seeing he praies for none for whom hee died not Doe not they diuide Christes Priestly office whilest they distinguish and say and they do but say for they doe otherwise Christ is our only Mediator in regard of Satisfaction but not in regard of Jntercession doe these men put on whole Christ as their Priest 5 By seuering praise from prayer Mat. 11.25 Lastly Christ being our Intercessour as well thankes God for his mercies in him to his Church as prayers for it and in both these sound Christians are also spirituall Priests in him But many discouer themselues and their hypocrisie in as much as though their mouthes are wide open to aske good things in the name of Christ and by vertue of his mediation yet receuing good things are vnmindfull to returne thankes in the name of Christ with the nine Leapers as yet their duty is Colos 3.17 Now thirdly 3 Hypocrites diuide for the Kingly Office of Christ Christ as a King and the power of it in our selues some acknowledging Christ a King yet plainely diuide the Kingdone betweene Christ and his Mother By diuiding the kingdome as some of the Popish sort who say that the Father of Heauen hauing his iustice and his mercie as the chiefest goods of his Kingdome Biell in cano lect 8. p. 233. as Doct. Whiâ—e cites him in his preface of his way c. keeping his Iustice to himselfe surrendred his mercie to the Virgin Mother and this they
little conscience many pretend great strength of faith who yet being hot in faith towards God as they would seeme are very cold in loue towards both God and man Their faith to God being without righteousnesse and Iustice to man in the duties of the Second Table is meere presumption Iam. 1.27 for pure Religion and vndefiled before God and the Father is this to visite the fatherlesse and widowes in their affliction c. Others shew a kind of righteousnesse to man doing no man harme yea not wanting in good offices done to them yet their regard of God is but little or none so that their righteousnesse being without faith is but hypocrisie Many againe are zealous and forward in the profession of religion yet they want knowledge at least iudgement and discretion to moderate their zeale and so runne themselues out of breath yea stark dead in regard of any true life of Christianitie or for the exercise of their graces they with Herod and the Pharisies doe somethings but they leaue many other things vndone They pay tithe of mint Mat. 23.23 and annise and cummin but omit the weightier matters of the law Iudgement Mercy and Faith a right tricke of hypocrites to practise themselues lesser matters and duties outwardly and to vrge them fiercely vpon others yet themselues to make little conscience of weightier matters belonging to faith a good conscience whereas concerning such ceremonious matters I say as our Sauiour of the other These ought they to haue done because of conscience of the superiour power but by no meanes to leaue the other vndone For so doe sound Christians though there be that great and wide difference between matter of circumstance and matter of substance that God forbid we should account them no sound Christians whose conscience will not suffer them to practise the former it not being out of obstinacy and contempt of authoritie but out of irresolution of iudgement which they labour to get rightly informed as wee may not account them sound that practise the former without the later And thus we are come to shew that true Christians 2 True Christians put on Christ wholly put on whole Christ and all his graces wholly in regard of their being clothed with him and them on all parts in body and soule and in all and euery part power of the same euen as it is said of good King Iosiah that hee turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soule 2 Kings 23.25 In all parts and with all his might according to all the law of Moses Thus Gods children putting on Christ the new man and therby becomming new men thēselues are renewed and made new men in all parts in some degree or other and so in all things Ephes 4.15 and parts they grow vp c. Christ Gal. 4.19 whom they put on is fully in all parts formed in them according to all his graces and to their renuing in euery part Christ being formed in al parts in them so that wheras they were wholly dead in sins before they by putting on Christ and by application of him to them are aliue in euery part euen as when the Prophet Elisha raising to life the Shunamites child 2 Kin. 4.34 lay vpon the childe and put his mouth vpon his mouth his eyes vpon his eyes and his hands vpon his hands so stretched him vpon the childe and the flesh of the child waxed warme and hee reuiued in all these parts all ouer yet he remained but a child and by degrees in time came to his full and due stature and growth euen so whole Christ being truely put on applies himselfe wholly to his children as it were mouth to mouth eye to eye c. and so quickens them and is spiritually formed in them in euery part yet remaine they but children in this life Yet so as that they growe by degrees to perfection in comparison of that perfection which they at length partly here chiefly hereafter shal attaine vnto Par. 3. §. 66 Now are they like children newly borne perfect men for the integritie of parts as these want no limbe which belongs to an intire man though as yet not any one limbe or part of the body hath attained its ful bignes neither the whole body came to its stature ful bulk and talenesse vnto which yet by degrees it is growing and in time shall attaine if it continue a liuing body Euen thus whosoeuer being truely regenerate puts on whole Christ and his graces he puts him on wholly in all parts and powers of soule and body vnderstāding memory wil conscience affections of loue desire ioy c. and in the outward man body the mēbers wherof are become all of them instruments of righteousnes each of these parts are renued in some degree or other though not any one of them as yet bee come to his due and full growth vnto which the godly Christian Ephes 4.13.15 in the vse of all good meanes is euer striuing to attaine so that he increaseth in spirituall strength and stature in all these proportionably Perfect then he is A threefold perfection of Christians in this life and wholly puts on Christ in these regards to name no moe 1. In regard of perfection of parts as is said vnto which our Sauiour exhorts in that place so much vrged by those that will haue men in this life attaine to such a perfection as Adam had in his innocency Mat. 5.48 1 Of parts namely Familists and Libertines who are furthest of any from it be ye perfect euen as your Father which is in heauen is perfect whereby hee would not haue vs to rest in the graces before commended but to ioyne hereunto the loue of our enemies 2 Of sincerity 2. In regard of perfection of Sincerity each child of God hauing grace in each part truely and in sinceritie though in weake measure 3. In regard of striuing to the perfection of his estate in Christ 3 Of their estate in Christ Ephes 4.13 and vnto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Thus a man is perfect that aimes at and striues to such perfection in the sight and feeling of his daily imperfections yea perfect as God is perfect not in regard of any equality which were horrible blasphemous to think or say with the Familist that a man must bee Godded with God or co-deified but only of qualitie and similitude when hee aymes at the same marke as in his liberalitie not respecting worldly gaine in goodnesse striuing with the malice of wicked men that are his enemies the same exhortation therefore being made elsewhere it is Be ye mercifull as your Father is mercifull c. Mat. 5.44 For as God doth good euen to his enemies so hee would haue vs do to our enemies and that in heart word and deed Thus it is with a true Christian he wholy from
to the earthly Canaan and if then much more now Exod. 23.20.21.2 But said God to his people then and in effect to vs now Behold I send an Angel before thee to keepe thee in the way and to bring thee into the place which I haue prepared Beware of him and obey his voyce prouoke him not for he wil not pardon your transgressions for my name is in him c. And thus doe Gods seruants alwaies conceiue of Christ approuing themselues vnto him as God not daring to sinne in his presence They walke before him and are perfect or vpright as Christ the secoÌ„d Person commanded Abraham Gen. 17.1 Thus Ioseph kept himselfe from sinne being strongly tempted how can J doe this great wickednesse and sinne against God Gen 39.9 2 Cor 4.2 Thus Paul laboured in his Ministry to approue himselfe to euery mans conscience in the sight of God yea he charged Timothy 1 Tim. 6.13 14. in the sight of God and before Iesus Christ to keepe the commandement giuen him without spot vnrebukeable c. which doubtlesse he did Let all vs Christians examine our selues hereby To set our selues euer in Christs presence is a good signe of grace whether our behauiour our words our inward thoughts and affections of soule bee such as may become the presence of Christ whose eyes are tenne thousand times brighter then the Sun If we indeed as we professe did alwaies and in euery place take our selues as cloathed and beset with his presence wee would so reioice therein reuerence the same that we would nether say think do or desire to doe any thing vnseemely wee would make him the witnes yea iudge of all our thoughts intentions so demeane our selues that wee durst in all things appeale to him and to his omnisciencie as to our witnesse for the present whom we acknowledge beleeue shal come to be our Iudge also It wold make vs take heed of secret sins carry our selues vprightly as in his sight and to take heed of hypocrisie to shew our selues constant and the same in all companies whether godly or prophane in priuate when no eie else sees vs as well as in publike sight view of others c. But thus the hypocrite doth not neither doth the adulterer coÌ„sider this that waites for the twilight nor he that closely defrauds and steales from his Christian brother Par. 3. §. 6 nor drunkards when they with Baltazer Dan. 5.5 sit and carouse together they thinke not of the hand in the wall Section 6 Secondly Christ more specially comes and is neare vnto vs by his grace and gracious presence 2. As our Sauiour by his grace 1. Outwardly in and by the Word Sacraments and his Ministers And this is both more outwardly in and by the meanes and Ministers of grace and more inwardly by the presence and motions of his Spirit First he comes vnto vs by his Word and by the Ministry and Ministers thereof as also by the Sacraments Now we are to try our vnion with Christ through Faith by our loue and affection vnto his Word and Sacraments For if euer wee haue beene begotten by the immortall seede of Gods word and made the Sons and Children of God thereby wee cannot but beare much good will and affection thereunto as also to the Ministers thereof If then there bee that vnion betwixt Christ and vs which we make shew of by our outward profession then will we make further demonstration therof by our welcoming of him in his Ordinances whereunto wee should approach with much Ioy and with due preparation and reuerence It is impossible if Christ bee once ours and wee his if once we be espoused to him and haue put him on but that wee should much desire to heare his voice and to inioy his company and reioyce therein What man would willingly be without his garments from which he finds both a couering for his nakednesse and preseruation of his naturall heat and life What man or woman that is betroathed to another doth not wonderfully long to enioy the company conference and presence of their welbeloued and if they bee absent to heare often from them and to receiue Letters and Tokens of their loue certainely where such a bond is there these longing desires and this ioy will be else there is iust cause to suspect the truth and sinceritie of our loue Euen thus if euer we haue found the benefit and comfort of Christ whom we haue put on we cannot endure to be without him and his comfortable presence any long time and if wee be assured and affianced to him we cannot but much delight in his company and conference and seeing he is in body absent in his Ministers whom hee daily sends as his messengers with many significations of much loue great good will towards vs and from whose hands he will haue vs receiue as from him many tokens of his loue as assurances thereof vnto vs. Now this is done not only in the written word which is as his Letter and Epistle from Heauen to vs but also by the publike ministry of his seruants and by the Sacraments these being sent from him to expound and declare what is the meaning both of his Word and Sacraments To heare Christs word with desire ioy care and in obedieÌ„ce and feare is that Eeare maâ—k whereby his Sheepe are knowne Now our desire to these and Ioy in these and care to answer his will signified by these is euer proportionable to the straightnesse of the bond and measure of that loue which is betweene Christ and vs. If then there be little or no desire to draw neere vnto God in his Word by reading hearing and meditation little or no Ioy delight and relish in the same with as little care and conscience to execute performe his whole will and pleasure how harsh soeuer his Word may seeme to our corruptions wee may conclude there is as little loue of Christ and not that neerenesse and coniunction which is and should bee betweeene him the espoused Husband of his Church and such as professe themselues to be affianced to him to be members of his body and to haue put him on And hereby shall their hypocrisie bee discouered for saith our Sauiour Christ My sheepe heare my voice Ioh. 10 27. that is they know him and his voice which they can distinguish from the voice of a stranger or hireling they receiue and heare it ioyfully they beleeue it and readily and most willingly obey it This is that speciall Eare-marke by which Christs Sheepe are knowne to him and to themselues as also in good part to others as for others as the Iewes of old and the Popish and profane sort amongst vs he saith vnto them ye beleeue not because Ye are not of my sheepe Ioh. 10.26 wheras if yee were indeed my sheepe ye would most gladly heare most stedfastly beleeue most readily obey
and sword of the Spirit kils mortifies and abolisheth the flesh or at least if hee finde it too strong as yet for him hee wisely withdrawes from it food and nourishment by keeping vnder the body by temperance fastings or the like or howsoeuer as the flesh in him lusteth against the Spirit so he stirres vp the Spirit to lust against the flesh Gal. 5.17 and when all helpes faile hee cries out of it to God saying Miserable man that I am who shall deliuer mee from the bodie of this death yea implores the aid and assistance of Gods Spirit by which he ouercommeth and for which hee can accordingly praise God saying with the same Paul 1 Cor. 15.57 Rom. 7.25 But thankes be to God which giueth vs the victory through our Lord Iesus Christ Par. 3. §. 46 and I thanke God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Section 46. This inbred corruption of ours is neuer in this life so wholly subdued 2 How he by this strong spirit deales with sinfull affections motions but that it remaines still in the best both for the being of it and for the motions of it whereby a man shall find himselfe inticed to actuall and outward sins that through the subtiltie of Satan most according to his speciall inclination calling age occasion place or time wherein he liues according to these Satan seekes and takes his aduantage from our flesh from our naturall inclination and affection to any sinne more then other to tempt vs accordingly by the baites and bribes of pleasure profit or preferment Now neither good nor bad neither sound nor vnsound Christian is free at all times from such temptations to one sin or other by which Satan seekes to get or keepe possession of him But the difference is to be obserued betweene them Par. 3. §. 49 which generally is The difference betweene the sound and vnsound Christian in temptation to sin 1 Generall that by the power of sauing grace the former masters and mortifies all kind of sinne and vice in him how pleasing how gainefull how aduantagious soeuer in the world it may proue vnto him though it be to the pulling out of a right eye to the cutting off of a right hand or foote not suffering any bosome or beloued sinne to keepe the hold of his heart but keeping euery sinne and sinfull affection vnder himselfe free for euery good duty and exercise for hee knowes that there can be nothing but a bare forme of godlinesse without where the power of any one sinne is within and by this mortification of sinne and of his speciall corruption he giues euidence of the presence of this powerfull spirit in him whereas the other by suffering some sinne or other to sway his affection and to remaine indeed vnmortified in him shewes the contrary But of this thus generally long since Par. 3. §. 47. more particulally we shall find the sincere Christian to haue this spirit of strength in as much as hee both makes resistance against sinne and the temptations thereof Particularly as also impugnes and assailes his sinne continually labouring to dislodge it and roote it out Section 47. No man properly resists sinne by his owne strength 1 He resists and withstands sin but by the strength of Christ and of grace in him The power of our will by nature is so disabled that it hath not any inclinatiō to good much lesse power ouer euill without a further power of grace from Christ but is rather in bondage vnder it And therefore that the godly resist temptation and withstand sinne as it is sinne is from the gift of God not from any strength of theirs 1 Cor. 10.13 It is God that will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we by his grace are able and it is he that with the temptation will also make a way to escape that we may be able to beare it Wee are therefore bid resist 1 Pet. 5.9 stedfast in the faith Now that wee doe by faith which is the guift of God wee doe not of our selues we are also being to deale with temptation bid to be strong not in our selues Ephes 6.10.11 but in the Lord and in the power of his might c. If then any resist and bee not wholly ouercome of sinne it is from Gods grace and strength as it was answered Paul vpon his resistance made by prayer my grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12.9 for my strength is made perfect in weaknesse This grace in the Godly makes them either so soone as they are assaulted to abhorre the temptation and to giue no manner of consent vnto it as being hatefull to God or if they cannot be so soone quit of it yet to account it a burthen and an affliction to them that they are so song molested and as it were buffeted by it and to make resistance by prayer and by wrastling with of sinners that they both thinke and say they haue such a strong faith and such peace of conscience that Satans temptations neuer trouble them and haue no power ouer them whereas there was neuer any so strong in faith but Satan durst did assault him as the Apostles Adam in Paradise yea Christ himselfe Such againe is their securitie sottishnesse that they are most of all captiuated vnder sinne when they sleepe soundly and securely in sin being most assaulted when they feele no assault and therefore making no resistance because they are ignorant of the assault Yea often they are not assaulted or at least molested by Satan and why because they are already by sinne his subiects slaues and so when the strong man Luk 11.21 Satan armed by their sinne keepes the house the things that he possesseth are in peace though it be but a false peace the temptations to sinne doe please them Par. 3. § 48. and therefore they resolue to make no resistance spiritually and thus are they ouercome of the temptation Section 48. But the godly and truly spirituall Christian 2 Hee impugnes and assayles it doth not only resist sinne when it or Satan by it doth assault him but he moreouer assaults and impugnes it and to the vtmost of his power and of grace receiued he striues to dislodge and dispossesse it out of his heart so farre as it is in him though it would let him be quiet and giue him such content as sinners seeke yet he will not let it be quiet but if it would lurke or hide it selfe either vnder his tongue or in some corner of his heart either in his vnderstanding by an ignorance of sin in the nature of it or in his wil by obstinacie or an affection of libertie or in his affections by selfe-pride or selfe-loue which often with the other will not let a man see his sinne yet he hauing himselfe Par. 3. §. 49 stronger then other in Gods children which by reason of long continuance and familiaritie
§. 70 because it growes not Euen such painted Sepulchres and Pictures are all Hypocrites and such as make no progresse in Gods wayes They haue no grace who thinke they want none for the measure of it Thus it is with such Hypocrites as yet would seeme to haue grace As for such who fall away to profanenesse there needes no other discouery of them their Apostasie is made knowne to all men and their sinnes goe before-hand vnto iudgment Hypocrites greiue not when they are depriued of their Meanes Such Hypocrites may they also take themselues to bee who being depriued of the meanes or of opportunitie and ability to doe good are rather glad that they haue such ease and freedome and doe not rather mourne and greiue for such restraint and inabilitie It shewes little desire of grace or goodnesse And thus much of the first sort of Hypocrites who vse no meanes Now secondly of such as vse not right and direct meanes Par. 3. § 71. We haue beene told that the true Sectian 71 Christian puts on Christ True Christians vse onely direct right Meanes of putting on Christ which is especially to his Iustification Now in Iustification there is considerable First our vnion with Christ Secondly the couering of our vnrighteousnes and sinne Thirdly Faith as the meanes on our part of this vnion remission righteousnesse and Iustification Now the righteous man pertaking in all these benefits In particular 1 Of their vnion with him 2 Of couering their sin by him 3 Of Faith in him hath attained thereunto in the vse of those onely meanes which God himselfe hath appointed him to vse which meanes haue bin named before and repeated in the entrance of this last point and the truth is Ephes 6.11 the cloathing we haue by Christ being also Armour it is called the armour of God that is such as God himselfe hath appointed and prescribed in his Word and which is agreeable to his wil It is not any humane carnal worldly meanes or of our owne deuising but diuine spirituall and f Gods o appointing Par. 3. §. 72 1 bound Christians are truely vnited to Christ 1 By Faith And 1. for their vniō with Christ which this clothing implies they come to it on their part only by Faith in Christ and on Gods part by his Spirit effectually cōmunicated vnto them in the vse of the word vnto which they carefully and with conscience doe attend by which when once they haue put him on are truly vnited vnto him they also are further knit and vnited vnto him 2 By Loue. in and by the bond of Loue louing him euen because he as their experience to their comfort telleth them hath loued them first clothing himselfe with their sinne shame and suffering on the Crosse yea for himselfe his own goodnes not in any by base or carnall respect They seeke their vnion with him first their Vine by being by faith graffed into him as branches Secondly their Head by being made his members and one body with him by the Spirit Thirdly their spirituall meat by receiuing him spiritually in the Word and sacramentally in the Eucharist by Faith for so himselfe saith hee that thus spiritually eateth my flesh Iohn 6.56 and drinketh my blood dwelleth in mee and J in him but how Ephes 3.17 Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith Fourthly their Husband by being married to him in faithfulnes or by Faith which as the marriage Ring first knits them together after which or with which goes that other band of Loue which daily more and more increaseth as in married couples Others in seeming only Now I know Hypocrites and such generally as liue in the Church of Christ professe an Vnion with Christ whiles they entertaine his doctrine and beare his Name Yea As first the Papists but what is it in them which makes this Vnion Is it as it should be and also is in the faithfull first Faith and then Loue no the Papist in this Vnion and worke of Iustyfication Par. 3. §. 71 wil haue Loue if not before yet not behind Faith as the forme of it or as a concause of our Iustyfication and not as an effect of Faith inseperable from it as the truth is and as wee teach Whereunto they bring alledge abuse that place in Iesus Christ Galat. 5.6 Explained and vindicated from misinterpretation neither circumcision auaileth any thing nor vncircumcision but Faith which worketh by Loue so it doth but not in the worke of Iustification but in the exercises of Christianity though we admit not of Iewish Ceremonies to keepe vs doing against which the Apostle there disputes yet we want not Loue as the inseperable effect of that faith which we vrge as the only meanes of our Iustification which will neuer suffer a Christian to be idle which place to like purpose almost the mad Familist abuseth 2 The Familist for iumbling it vp with a like place H.N. thus speakes There auaileth before God neither circumcision nor vncircumcision but only a new Creature in Christ Iesus wrought through the Loue. This new creature Gal. 6.15 H. N. in an epistle to two daughters of Warwicke refuted by H. A. in his language Christ himselfe wrought and formed in vs in the Loue for hee makes Christ to be the Louely Being in vs this new Creature auaileth before God for righteousnesse and safe making from our sins as he elsewhere speaketh Thus what belongs indeede to Sanctification as the fruit and effect of our Faith and all Scriptures tending that way hee takes and puts in place of our Iustification as causes thereof making this our new birth and the fruits of faith to be the very cause of our happinesse righreousnesse it selfe yea and Christ himselfe these are Christians with a witnesse making themselues by their doctrine elsewhere very Christ and so one with Christ and God vnto which they abuse our Sauiours words in his prayer that they will be Godded with God Ioh. 17.21 and made pertaker of the very essence and nature of God Par. 3. §. 72 3 The worldling The Worldling also he will bee one with Christ and will be ready to sight with him that shall say otherwise But how is he one with him Is it by Faith and the Spirit nothing lesse his gold is his God and his faith trust and confidence is in vncertaine riches 1 Tim. 6.17 Iude. 19. hee is worldly and sensuall not hauing the spirit He trusts God no farther then hee hath from him these pawnes and pledges of his presence Yet this man wil loue God and so shew himselfe One with him And will he so indeed may it not be truly said of many a mans loue as the Deuill falsely said of Iobs feare of God Iob. 1.9 doth Iob feare God for naught So doe these men loue God for naught What ties them to Christ and to Christianitie and to the