hee had rather enter upon the Church by undermining the Faith with Heresies than at an open breach upon good manners Ill manners finde more resistance there 's feare of lawes and rod of discipline to curbe them they want their apologies and colourable excuses so lye open to the reproofe and hatred of morall honesty they come accompanied with shame and disgrace following at the heeles which hinders their appearing and entertainment in publike But Heresie easily enters and quickly spreads abroad it findes favourers enough having the advantage of mens common infirmity who are apt to entertaine novelties and take a pride to bee singular it comes armed with reason and such justifications as it thinkes it needs not blush being painted over with the colour of truth lastly it aimes at the fairest the Leaders of the flocke whose authority and example speedily infects the rest With this weapon hath the Dragon made warre with the woman raising up even of her owne children such as have fought against her by damnable Heresies against all the Articles of Faith Of which part have been cut asunder by the sword of the Spirit and yet some againe reviving have been brought into the field under new colours part though convicted condemned yet stand it out under the support of tyrannicall violence remain to this day in that Augean stable that sink or common sewer of the Romish Synagogue whereto all Heresies almost of former latter times have made their confluence Besides a new breed of Hereticall opinions not plainly denying but by consequent overturning sursum vorsum the maine Articles of Christian beleefe and therefore are so much the moâ—e dangerous by how much the lesse easily they are discernable in their damnable issues So as the Doctrine thereof is no lesse perplexed with strange disputes and difficulties than the Grace it selfe is continually assaulted by fearefull doubting and distrust Whether it bee mans infelicity to be ignorant of that which stands him in most stead or the divells malice to lessen our comforts in the vse of Faith by confounding our understanding in the knowledge of the nature thereof that so we might either dangerously erre or discomfortably doubt touching the truth of it in our selves or Writers misexplication of that excellent grace through their own weaknes or want of faith sure I am if any point of Divinity this touching faith is full of much obscurity and contention T is much men should have a grace so divine and powerfull and yet know not what it is but as the Apostle speakes of men Faith is not of all so may wee say of Writers All have not faith that write of it especially Popish Doctors who speaking of faith but by imagination have profanely censured the faith of Gods elect expounded by Protestants according to Scripture to bee but a very fancy Among whose curious and Metaphysicall discourses of this subject he that wants faith shall never finde it and hee that hath faith may chance lose it at least the life and powerfull practice of it whilst his head is intangled in subtile and nice speculations about it For our selves let it be our care so to speake and judge of faith as that most precious grace which is given us to save our soules not exercise our wits the knowledge whereof by contemplation is most empty and vain without the reall inhabitation of it within our soules It shall be my weake and yet best endeavour by the helpe of Gods assistance to give you the knowledge thereof so farre as the word in manifold precepts and examples of the Saints together with the paines of the learned have discovered it to my poore understanding In the unfolding of the nature of it I must spend more time than at first I purposed to doe because in this point some other parts of Divinity are so enterwoven and linked one with another that without the knowledge of all wee shall not cleerly discerne of any alone Such are our Vocation the forerunner and our Iustification the follower of our faith All that I have to say I will reduce to these foure generalls 1. Touching the antecedents of faith namely our Conversion Vocation of which so much as shal serve to discover unto us the generation and birth of faith 2. Touching the nature of faith it selfe wherein the being of that most heavenly vertue consists 3. Concerning the consequents and concomitants of faith both in regard of God as Iustification and our selves as Obedience whereby we may be able to judge as of the benefit so of the truth of our faith 4. Concerning the opposites and enemies of faith the knowledge whereof may arme us against them For the first namely our Conversion the knowledge thereof will give us some light to finde out how faith is wrought in us which by Divines is made the first degree of our Conversion and last Terminus of our effectuall Vocation However a part it is and that a principall one too of our first resurrection from the death of sinne to the supernaturall life of grace Which that it may appeare we must distinctly consider of the threefold difference of such qualities as are in the reasonable soule and doe either help or hinder it in its operations This difference is according to mans triple estate 1. In the state of innocency man was created right or upright Eccl. 7. 29. and very good Gen. 1 ult endowed with such strength and integrity in all parts as did wholly dispose them to all operations conformable to Gods will His understanding so farre as was needefull before his translation had a cleer apprehension of the Deity in his nature attributes and worship as also of the creatures in their essence and qualities His will embraced and clave fast unto God whom Adam knew to be the author of his being and happinesse His affections and all inferiour faculties obeyed without all resistance the rule of reason and motions of the sanctified Will This universall holinesse and perfection in the whole man was that Image of God or originall justice wherein Adam was created but continued not For in the second place 2. After his fall for a punishment of his wilfull transgression God withdrew from Adam this his Image and stript him naked of that habite of grace and perfect holinesse wherewith he was before in all parts qualified leaving onely here and there some few traces or lines of that excellent Character unblotted out And now in place of originall justice succeeds originall corruption being an universall depravation and disability of mans whole nature to work well and conformably to the law of his first creation The understanding is dark erroneous confused in the apprehension of naturall stark blinde in perceiving spirituall things The will froward averse from affecting or choosing its chief good The affections and lower faculties disorderly violent untameable And this universall corruption of mans nature is that which we call the image of Satan to whom Adam
by his fall became like and in Scripture it is termed The flesh The old man The sinne that dwelleth in us The sinne of the world The law of sin The law in our members The body of death Concupiscence or Lust also The first death of the soule which Adam died immediately upon his sin in which death and separation of grace from the soule all Adams posterity remaine dead and rotten till they be quickned againe by Christ. Whereas then the soule being of a lively and active substance worketh altogether by and according to its inherent qualities where they are onely good all the actions thereof are regular where naught there all its operations must needs be crooked and incongruous as in men unregenerate of whom the Apostle gives this definitive sentence They that are in the flesh cannot please God And out of this roote growes that fruit which wee properly call mans aversion or turning from God to himselfe to Satan to any creature yeelding service and love to any but to God to whom onely he owes it 3. But there is yet a third estate wherein the habits of righteousnesse and sinne are not severed as in the former two but coupled both together and this is in the state of grace when holinesse is againe infused into our natures and corruption done away in part Which worke of the holy Ghost upon us is set forth by sundry appellations in Scriptures all signifying but divers circumstances of one and the same thing It s called the Spirit the new man the new creature our regeneration or begetting againe our renascentia or new birth our renovation or renewing the law of our minds viz. renewed the first resurrection from the dead our effectuall vocation our conversion and in one word which compriseth and expoundeth the extent of all the rest Our Sanctification which is nothing but that Image of God which we had lost in Adam restored unto us again by the supernaturall worke of Gods Spirit creating holinesse or grace in our unholy and gracelesse hearts For then only are we renewed being made new men and new creature then onely begot and borne againe by the Spirit then raised to life effectually called and turned from darknesse to light when we are sanctified throughout by this new quality of grace brought into us rectifying and repairing every part of our whole man In which state the operations of the soule are mixt neither simply good as in the first nor simply evill as in the second but partaking of both qualities according to the different habites of corruption and grace whereby the soule is depraved or perfected in her working Now the proper fruit of this renued grace is our Conversion or Turning unto God when upon the infusion of spirituall life and grace we begin again to acknowledge our Creator and forsaking our lusts Satan and the creature to fasten againe our love upon God that made our soules and best deserves our service But yet touching this our sanctification or inherent righteousnesse we are to enquire a little more distinctly and for the cleerer understanding of it to distinguish betweene 1. The Habit of Grace 2. The Operations proceeding from thence The sacred habite of grace is one supernaturall qualitie of holinesse universally infused into all the powers of the soule at once and spreading it selfe over all leaves no part unsanctified as corruption on the contrary leaves no part untainted And as this being one containes in it originally the seed of every sinne so doth the other of every gracious action It is bestowed on every elect person through the worke of the holy Ghost who when hee enters to take possession of the heart by his quickning and sanctifying vertue brings life holinesse not to one only part but to all at once I say to all at once in the habituall renovation of every part For grace comes into the soule like light into the aire which before darke is in all parts at once illuminated or as heate into cold water that spreads it selfe through the whole substance or as the soule into the body of Lazarus or the Shunamites childe not by degrees but all at once infused and giving life to every part So is our new man borne at once though he grow by degrees that is the soule in our conversion is at once reinvested with the Image of God in all its faculties so that howsoever the actions of grace doe not presently appeare in each one yet the habite the seede the roote of all divine vertues is firmely reimplanted in them and by the strength of this grace given they are constantly disposed to all sanctified operations The operations flowing from this blessed habite of renewed grace are many For Grace as in all parts it workes imperfectly during this life so in divers parts it workes diversly or rather because habits are not active per se thus Every faculty having proper operations belonging to it different from others which it produceth by the strength of its proper nature if it be perverted by corruption it doth the action ill if it be rectified by grace it performes it well As to know to assent to choose to desire to joy to love c. are naturall workes of the understanding and will or reasonable appetite But when they shall put themselves forth to action nothing will be done in a right manner nor directed to a right object unlesse the faculties be reindued with their Primitive perfection totally or in part For this rule is sure Nothing can worke as God would have it unlesse it be such as God made it Now by the restoring of grace or Gods image a man becomes in part like unto that he was in his first creation and consequently the motions of every faculty conformable to their first regularity Well then Grace like the Ocean is one Element but takes divers names according to the severall regions and parts of the soule which it washeth and sanctifieth according to the severall objects about which they are imployed and lastly according to the severall occasions that stirre them up to action As for instance Grace in the understanding is called spirituall wisedome in discerning of holy things Grace in the will is a rectified choice and embracing of its right object God and his goodnesse Grace in the affections are their pure and sanctified motions towards their proper objects Grace in the outward man is its prompt and ready obedience in doing the commands of a sanctified soule Now in all these parts albeit the seede of renewing grace bee so deepely sowne and rooted that as S. Iohn speakes 1. Ioh. 3. 9. it remaines within us the Image of God being though more imperfectly yet more firmely imprinted on the regenerate than on Adam himselfe yet the Actus secundi the actuall operations of this Grace appeare neither perfectly nor equally in every part but shew themselves sooner or later more strongly or weakely according as the strength of sinnefull corruption
that prayer To give a reason of this different working why grace is bestowed on some presently at baptisme in others t is deferred till a long time after is to unlocke the treasurie of Gods secret counsells onely this wee may say that God will shew that no age is uncapable of grace and that he will bee glorified aswell in sauing some from falling into the fire as by pulling others out of it by the gentle and easie deliverance of one and by the more violent torments and panges of the New-birth in another that both wayes he may have the Thankes and wee the Benefit of this his grace and power 3. A Defence of the salvation of Infants dying before Baptisme against the Popish assertion to the contrary For this ground being certaine No uncleane thing shall enter in the kingdome of Heaven it followes by the law of contraries that whatsoeuer is cleane may enter thereinto But Infants such as are elect may be cleane and holy before their Baptisme as is manifest whether we respect the guilt of Sin or the corruption of it They are cleane from the guilt of originall sinne by the death of Christ which God hath accepted to their perfect justification long before they were borne They are likewise made cleane in part from the Corruption of originall sinne by the infusion of Habituall sanctity into their soules For being justified by Christ from the guilt and punishment of sinne what should hinder why they may not be sanctified by the Holy Ghost in part whilst they live and perfectly upon the severing of the Soule and Body when originall corruption is in a moment done away and the soule invested in the robes of righteousnesse fit for its entrance into happinesse Cannot this worke of Sanctification be wrought in them before Baptisme it may as well as after seeing it is not baptisme but the Spirit is the cause thereof whose worke is free and not so to be tyed unto that ordinance as they of the Romish Synagogue would make us beleeve but that hee may sanctifie the Elect sometime before sometime after and not alwaies at the present celebration of it Now if Infants thus justified and sanctified depart this life what should stoppe their passage to heaven It will bee vaine to object that they have not actuall Faith and therefore must be excluded Wee may aswell say they want repentance and therefore cannot be saved seeing the Scriptures make alike necessitie of both graces to our salvation And the objection holds aswell after Baptisme as before when yet all grant the salvation of Infants For t is a thing inconceivable and inexplicable how Infants should have Actuall Faith whilst they are not yet able to exercise any one faculty of their reasonable soule The truth is that the Habits of Faith and Repentance they have as of all other Spirituall graces infused into them which if they lived would also appeare by their actuall opperations but for that time they have not the Acts of those graces nor are they capable of them nor is it simply needfull they should have them The case is extraordinary and God as before they were hath pardoned them of their originall righteousnesse by the bloud of Christ so can hee aswell bestowe Holinesse and Happinesse on them without any actuall faith of theirs comming betweene as an instrument to receive both If this may not bee said touching such elect Infants I must confesse that unto me the knowledge of the salvation of their soules is as inscrutable as the fashioning of their tender bodies in their mothers wombe And this which hath beene said of Infants may be also applied to such as are Deafe or â—ooles having such naturall defects as make them uncapable of Discipline 4. A just apologie for the lawfulnesse of Childrens Baptisme against Hereticall impugners of the same For how can the Signe be denied unto them which have and enjoy the thing signified That which is signified in Baptisme is our Iustification by the blood of Christ our Sanctification by the Spirit of Christ. Baptisme is the Scale of both unto us and Infants may be partakers of both being washed from the guilt of sinne by the blood of Christ in whom they are reconciled to God and actually justified before him and also purified in partfrom the uncleannesse of sinne by the infusion of Grace from the Holy Ghost What then should hinder why these Infants should not also be washed with the water of the Sacrament thereof If it be demanded how wee can presume that Christian Infants have a part in the graces of Iustification and Sanctification I answer we have good warrant so to thinke from the Covenant and Promise of God that hee will be the God of the faithfull and of their seed But for Heathens and Infidells wee haue no such promise whereon to ground our judgement of Charity and therefore albeit some of them who are out of the Church may bee within the compasse of God selection yet seeing God hath excluded them by an apparant barre wee may not venture to give them the Sacrament of Baptisme till such time as they shall make profession of their faith and that by their appearing conversion wee may charitably judge they belong to the Covenant of Grace Now although of such as live within the Church we know for a certainty in the generall that many both of Christian parents are not faithfull and of Christian children that they have no part in Christ yet we may not exclude them from Baptisme because no man dares be so hardy as to passe his peremptory censure of this or that persons rejection in particular This is one thing if wee did know infallibly now that any one were certainely excluded out of Gods election and should never have benefit by Christs death such a one be hee Infidell or borne of the most Christian parents in the world wee ought by no meanes to baptize no more than wee may admit of that person to come to the Lords Supper that hath apparantly sinned against the Holy Ghost or as the Church doth with such as are justly Excommunicated who for the time of their open inpenitencie declare themselves publikely to have no Faith nor part in Christ. For it were a manifest mockery and abuse of this sacred institution to apply this Seale to a Blanke and to dip them in the water of Baptisme whom wee know shall never be washed with the Holy Ghost Further it helpes not the Caâ—abaptists a jot that when Christian Infants come to age and ability to make profession then wee may discerne and judge of their estate For that 's impossible no man can infallibly perceive by any words or actions what the Heart is whether there be in it true faith or not And so in this case if Baptisme should never bee administred till other men may judge of their Faith it shall bee afforded to none at all or if it be given to every one that professeth and saith hee
Of the former sort are those manifold allusions similitudes and other passages of Scripture about the properties of living creatures of Plants of Mineralls of Meteors and other naturall things mentioned often in Iob Ecclesiastes and divers other places And also those sundry precepts of Oeconomickes Ethickes and Politickes scattered as in the whole body of Scriptures so specially collected in the booke of Proverbes Now in these things albeit it be true that by reason of our extreme ignorance in many things which greatly prejudiceth our exactnesse of knowledge in any wee doe in part firmely rest even in these common matters upon the truth of Gods revelation yet it cannot be denied but that they are in part evident unto our sense and reason It were no hard matter for a man that hath but little goodnesse to make an exact commentary of all Philosophicall matters mentioned in Scriptures much grace needs not to the writing or understanding of such a booke as Vallosius his sacra Philosophia And there 's no doubt but a meere Moralist or Politician had he no more goodnesse in him than ever was in Machâ—avoll should hee but diligently reade Salomons Proverbes the booke of Ecclesiastes and other parts of the Bible that touch upon things within his Sphere would evidently see that there is in these Scripture-precepts the most pure and exquisite reason of all true Honesty and Policy in the world But now in other points that are the more proper doctrines of Divinity of a higher and more spirituall nature some there are that can never be comprehended by any evidence of reason no not of the most illuminated in this life such are the mystery of the Trinity the union of two natures in one person in the Incarnation of Christ That there is a Catholicke Church c. Some againe there are which may be in part evidently knowne in their proper nature but yet only by such as are truely sanctified and illuminated by the Spirit of grace not by the unregenerate I need give but one instance t is a large one and takes up at least one halfe of Christian Religion and that is the whole mystery of mans Regeneration and his estate in Grace in this life Wherein a thousand particulars there are cleere and evident unto the sanctified and spirituall man which the carnall man knowes no otherwise than by rote and relation That wonderfull change which the Spirit of God workes in raising a sinner from death to life the power of a saving Faith the nature of godly sorrow for sinne of peace of conscience of joy in the holy Ghost of Gods sweetest mercies in the remission of sinnes the infinite comfort the soule finds in his favourable countenance our communion with Christ of the testimony of Gods Spirit and our Conscience in point of Adoption the whole art of our Spirituall warfarre containing the wiles and subtile methods of Satan and Corruption in tempting with the admirable power of Grace and Spirituall wisedome in making resistance and overcomming these things with the like wherein consisteth the very soule and life of Christian Religion are very riddles unto the man unregenerate when he heares them spoken of and press'd upon him his heart is overflowed with a kinde of bitter humour betweene admiration and scorne that another should speake so earnestly about that wherein hee findes no such great matter of consequence No hee knowes these things onely by the booke experience and evidence of them in his owne heart hee hath none and therefore his knowledge of these things is cloudy uncertaine hovering floting in superficiall flourishes of Rhetoricall discourse not piercing into the substance and life of the thing it selfe and where hee comes neere to it t is but the imitation and bare repetition of others inventions whereunto his owne barren head and gracelesse heart that little to adde of new store Whence it falls out in common experience that in these points of Divinity and in such cases of conscience as neerely concernes the Spirituall estate of man you shall have many a godly Minister of meane gifts but of an holy heart yea many a plaine and simple man in regard of any depth of other knowledge that yet will discharge himselfe with greater skill and dexterity and give better satisfaction than some of those that may challenge the praise and admiration of being deepe Divines and learned Teachers in Israel And this is no small fault wherewith Popish Schoolmen and Casuists are taxed by our Divines that even the words of Regeneration Sanctification c. are somewhat strange to be found in their writings and that their discourses and decisions in matters of that kind are intentionall forraine dull and heartlesse Thus we have seen touching this Object of Faith namely Gods written Revolations How far forth they are Evident and may be Knowne how farre forth they are Inevident and must be Beleeved Briefly thus All things in Scripture may be knowne by the plainnesse of the written narration else the study of Divinity were a vaine and impossible attempt All things in Scripture cannot be known by the sight and evidence of the things themselues for then were Faith utterly taken away Wherefore againe Points of Nature and Morality may be in themselves evident to all but the proper mysteries of Divinity can be in part evident onely to the Regenerate Now by this wee must learne what to judge of the Popish doctrine which makes Obscurity one essentiall property of Faith Faith say they is an assent given to any proposition revealed by God Propter authoritatem revelantis and two essentiall properties this assent hath 1. Certainty 2. Obscurity Of Certainty wee shall speake hereafter concerning Obscurity wee yeeld unto them thus farre That all the Objects of Faith are Obscure that is in the Apostles sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Things not seen and comprehended in their proper nature by our senses or understanding And so not onely the more secret mysteries of Religion as the Trinity Incarnation c. whose depth and largenesse our reason cannot compasse but all other matters Historicall or Propheticall which are easie enough to be understood are notwithstanding Obscure that is Inevident not lying open to the direct view of body or minde But this doth not please our Adversaries t is not want of evidence in the thing revealed but want of perspicuity in the Revelation it selfe which they understand by obscurity Their meaning is thus Faith is an assent to obscure Propositions that is to Propositions not understood whereof wee know not the meaning I this is it this is as a learned man speakes one roote of Popery in graine whence originally issues out that blacke darknesse of superstitious ignorance which covers the face of all that part of Christendome where Romish tyranny hath the upper hand And yet that wee may here also gratifie them a little wee confesse that Christians can for a need yeeld assent to such propositions whereof they understand not
after its future estate conclude after diligent search that as yet it hath neyther part nor portion in the inheritance of grace or glory Be assured that conscience will not lye and flatter at such a time and that where it findes no reformation of manners no change of the heart no puritie in the affections and desires no sense of the powerfull worke of the Spirit of Grace conscience will not spare to tell such a man to his face That he is a man of death prepared against the day of slaughter one hated of God detested of Saints and Angels living without communion and fellowship with Christ and so in a continuall expectation of Gods vengeance to fall on him in hell assoone as death shall strike him to the ground This will put the heart into a cold sweate and make the powers of the soule to shake specially when it shall looke about to all those things whence succour may seeme to be had and then shall finde it selfe utterly forsaken by them in its distresse Againe consider with me that no stranger can partake or perceive the unspeakeable joy of that heart which upon the like examination finds it selfe to be translated out of the bondage of Corruption into the libertie of Grace washed from its uncleanenesse by the Holy Ghost linked in communion with the Saints and body of Christ and sealed with the Spirit of promise to the assured Hope of everlasting happinesse If any thing can these thoughts will melt the heart into most humble thanksgiving and make us fall on our knees and with hands and eyes lifted up to him from whom our help commeth to confesse with the holy Prophet I was brought low but thou hast helped me I was in thraldome but thou hast loosed my bonds the sorrowes of death compassed mee and the paines of Hell gat hold on mee I found trouble and sorrow but thou hast delivered my soule from death mine eyes from teares and my feete from falling What is now my duty I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call upon the Name of the Lord My soule praise thou the Lord and all that is within me praise his holy Name And againe My soule praise the Lord and forget not all his benefits saith the same holy David Psal. 103. 1. 2. But wherefore was all this contention of Spirit why this striving with utmost endeavour to bee thankefull Oh there was good cause Grace was worth God-a-mercy and t is for that this holy man thus strives to bee thankefull to God who forgave all his iniquities and had healed his diseases Certainely where so undeserved mercy in such desperate misery in that shewed upon a wretch as not onely to free him from all evill but also put him into the possession of all blessednesse where this grace workes not the heart to Thankfulnesse and Humility it is most apparant that such a heart knowes not what such Grace meanes For our selves let us shew forth these vertues of the Spirit which hath converted us and dwells in our hearts let 's looke to the rocke out of which we were hewen to the pit whence we were digged consider what wee were and should have beene what we are and shall be and then take we up that most modest speech of that noble Athenian Captaine in the midst of all his glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from how great basenesse and misery to what great glory and blessednesse are wee advanced Make wee our confession with Iacob With my staffe I came c. and the Israelites Deut. 26. 5. A Syrian was my father ready to perish c. And now let us in like manner make unto God our thankefull acknowledgement and say in the words of the Prophet O Lord wee confesse unto thee that our father was an Amoâ—ite our mother an Hittite that our birth is of the land of Canaan wee were borne bond-slaves and children of the curse In the day of our nativity our navell was not cut we were not washed with water not salted with salt nor swadled in clouts none eye pitied us to doe any of these things unto us and to have compassion upon us but wee were cast out into the open field to the contempt of our persons in the day that wee were borne Onely thou O Lord when thou passest by and sawest us polluted in our bloud hast had mercy on us and saidst unto us Live even when we were in our bloud thou saidst unto us Live Of vile thou hast made us Honourable of sinnefull Holy of miserable Happy Wee praise thee wee blesse thee and wee beseech thee to finish the good worke thou hast begunne and as by thy mercy thou hast brought us into the kingdome of Grace so by thy power preserve us through faith unto thy Kingdome of Glory Amen I proceed to the third Circumstance considerable in this point of our Conversion namely the Subject wherein it is wrought Now this in generall is the Elect and they onely whom onely God hath called to glorie and vertue appointing them to that as the end preparing them unto it by this as the meanes I shall need to name vnto you but one place for proofe hereof and that 's Rom. 8. 30. Moreover whom he hath predestinate them also hath he called whom he hath called c. The linkes of this chaine are so surely fastned together that no power of hell no wit of man may breake and sunder them Whom God fore knew he predestinated to be made like to the image of his Sonne in grace and glorie whom he hath thus elected before all time those in due time he calls or converts those he justifies those he glorifies Wherefore Sanctification Iustification and Glorie are bounded within those limits which Gods predestination or election hath prescribed unto them extending to no other persons but such only as haue their names written in the booke of life and are enrolled in the List of Gods eternall election But this generalitie of the Subject is yet more particularly to be differenced The Elect in this life are of two sorts 1. Infantes Infants whose age permitteth them not the knowledge of good or actuall practise of evill 2. Adulti Such as are of age who may both know and doe eyther good or evill Both these are the Subjects of Conversion or Sanctification but with some difference in the circumstances or maner of working it in them Which will thus appeare our Vocation unto the state of grace is double 1. Inward in the worke of the Spirit of grace upon our hearts regenerating and sanctifying them by the infusion of Holinesse Now though this be properly a Worke yet it is metaphorically termed a Voyce or Calling whereby the Spirit speakes unto our hearts and perswades us to Obedience But you must know that this inward voyce or speaking of the Spirit to the heart of a man unregenerate is much more than a bare suggestion of some thing to bee done by him it
admiration to themselves for being the only oracles of Religion that so they may beare rule over the peoples faith Or else the god of this world hath blinded these Leaders eies and they not willing to goe to hell alone put out also the eyes of the people to the end they may not know more than themselves or all that themselves doe and so their knavery be discovered For us let us detest a doctrine so contrary to the profession of Christianity that takes away all care and study after godly knowledge and makes way for the entrance of Heresies Profanenesse and Irreligion nor rest we in our seach after divine things till wee bee able to say with the Apostle I know whom I have beleeved 2. Tim. 1. 12. and with the true worshippers of God Wee worship that which wee know Ioh. 4. 22. Hitherto of the First Part proposed to bee handled in the Definition of Faith generally taken namely the Obiect of it which are all Reuelations of what kind soeuer made by God vnto the Creature We come vnto the Second point namely the Subiect in which this Quality of Faith is inherent which in the Definition was expressed to be the Reasonable Creature Within which Latitude wee comprise all created vnderstanding whether of men or of Angels Of liuing men there is no Question not of the best of men that euer were Adam in his innocency and Christ. That Adam had Faith it cannot be doubted by any who knowes that the cause of his fall was his not perseuering in a firme beliefe of that threatning In the day that thou eatest thou shalt die When his ascent to the truth of this reuelation once tottered Satan presently closes in vpon him and so plyes him vpon the aduantage that he leaues him not till he had laid the Happinesse and Honour of that glorious creature in the dust For the Humanity of Christ what was in innocent Adam was also in him as is apparant by those Prayers and Supplications which in the dayes of his flesh he offered vp with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death Heb. 5. 7. and that complaint vpon the Crosse in his greatest agony My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Mat. 27. 46. Those prayers were made in Faith and so Hee was heard in that which hee feared nor was his complaint though very pitiful and fetcht from the lowest depth of Misery without much strength of Faith whilst yet he cals him his God whom for the present hee found his enemy Moreouer though Christ as the Son of man was ignorant of the time of the end of the world yet no question but he did perfectly belieue the Article of the last iudgement Touching Angels wee haue S. Iames testimony of the euill Spirits Iam. 2. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They belieue that those chaines of darknesse in which they are now imprisoned shall bee euerlasting and that they shall bee made much heauier vpon them by a multiplication of their torments in the iudgement of that great Day as Iude speaketh Iude 6. This they belieue with such horror besides a world of other particulars which by reuelation of Scripture they know will fall out For there is no doubt but the diuels though they tempt men to vnbeliefe yet doe themselues belieue the truth of the Scriptures which they know well enough to bee of God Their rage and malice against them proues it euidently For the blessed Angels we cannot deny vnto them nothing what wee grant vnto the accursed but as their knowledge of many things is more cleare and exact then it is in the Diuels so is their faith vnto others much more firme and resolued Whence though they know not the day and houre of the end of the world Mar. 13. 32. yet they belieue it with ioy expecting the augmentation of their owne happinesse by accesse of the Churches accomplished glory Nor doe the Spirits of iust men who liued by Faith in this life vtterly cease to liue by Faith after their translation into heauen for euen when they are there they yet still belieue many things both past and to come as the resurrection of their bodies euerlasting life c. And that prayer which the Saints in heauen make for auengment of their bloud-shed vpon the Earth How long Lord Holy and true doest thou not iudge and auenge our blood on them that dwell on the Earth Reu. 6. 10. is certainely a prayer made in Faith Wherefore you see that euery part of the world hath faith in it Faith on earth Faith in heauen and Faith in Hell too Whereas there is Created Reason there also there is Faith The reason is this because Perfect Vision only takes away all Faith and where all things that may be knowne are euidently seene and looked vpon being comprehended in their proper nature there is no faith at all But now there is no Created Intellectuall Nature but it may vnderstand more by reuelation then it can comprehend Intuitiuè by beholding the thing it selfe And therefore all Future things which doe nor naturally depend vpon necessary causes cannot be knowne vnto the Angels themselues but onely by reuelation from God Whence the Apostle Peter speaking of the mystery of mans redemption by Christ 1 Peter 1. 11. affirmeth that euen the Angels were greatly desirous to behold that wonderfull mystery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to stoâ—pe downe and looke into it as wee doe into darke and obscure places For such was the mystery of the Gospell euen secret and hidden from the knowledge of Angels till God by reuealing it vnto the Church made it knowne also vnto them as the Apostle shewes Eph. 3. 10. In like sort for matters of Fact long agoe past euen the Saints in heauen haue no euident knowledge by Uision but onely by reuelation they must still belieue the stories of the Bible know them they cannot by sight vnlesse we should belieue that vaine opinion De Speculo Trinitatiâ— that the Saints beholding the face of God doe as in a glasse behold in Sin all things present to their view which is iustly reiected by the learned as an impossible thing Wee dare not be curious in these things pressing too farre into those matters which wee haue not seene thus much wee may with reason affirme that God alone is without all beliefe whatsoeuer because hee onely is Perfect in knowledge most distinctly comprehending at once all things past present and to come calling the things that are not as if they were in whose sight all things are manifest yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 4. 13. stripped starke naked and presented to his view in their proper shapes Only such an absolute infinite knowledge takes away all Faith in any kinde whatsoeuer As for the creature it knowes but in part and therefore it mâ—st in part bee alwaies bound to belieue whatsoeuer the creator shall reueale vnto it Thus in the generall you see that
Atheisticall to denie his truth or strangely subtle to shift it off from it selfe when t is pressed with it in particular But when the spirit of Grace hath overshadowed the soule sanctifying all the powers thereof throughout t is admirable to see how it stoopes to the command of the Word There is then a singular harmony betweene the holinesse of the Will and of the Word this food of spirituall life relisheth as sweet and savoury unto the soule as milke to Infants or strong meat to able and healthy men Regeneration hath restored health unto the soule whereby it hath recovered a true taste of the Lords bounty and goodnesse whence followes a constant appetite thereunto asmuch as unto corporall nourishment as the Apostle argues 1 Pet. 2. 1. 2. 3. Hence the soule begins to conceive a high esteeme of the dignity of the Word it sees now nothing so reasonable excellent as the wisedome thereof it beholds nothing â—o terrible as Gods threats nothing so lovely as his favour it sees no ornament of the soule comparable to Grace no pleasure like unto the peace of Conscience it comprehends an end of all other perfection but the further it lookes into Gods law the deeper wonders it discernes it lookes upon the world and reades Vanity in all the things thereof and strange folly in mens desires of them and now it counts no preferment any whit comparable to the hope of heaven it hath now Reall apprehensions of Divine things and conceives of Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as of a Worke to be done not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a businesse to bee discours'd and talked of it judges now that there is an absolute necessity of obeying God though all the world bee displeased and that the regard of saving a mans soule must thrust out of the way all importunate pleasures and profits that would presse in upon us Being thus illightened and inwardly touched by the finger of God the soule presently puts it wholly upon the certainty and excellency of Gods truth revealed it stretcheth forth the armes of her strongest confidence affiance unto every branch of the Scriptures embracing absolutely and without all limitation the truth goodnesse power and wisedome of God shining therein it beleeves what it knowes and as it can where t is ignorant it prayes for knowledge where weake it sues for strength and increase of faith where stubborne it offers it selfe unto God to bee bowed or broken if he please counting it now a happy thing to be crossed in sinne to bee met with at every by-turning with some reproofe or chastisement let him chide or strike it falls downe at his feet and without quarrelling disputing and arguing the case takes all with a Benedictus Dominus c. Blessed be the Lord and blessed bee his Ministers and blessed be their counsell who have kept me from committing this sinne against the Lord. When thus the heart is softened and sanctified then and not before is wrought that habituall Grace and blessed disposition of the will which we call true Faith whereby the Creature is willing to resigne up its understanding desires affections thoughts words workes and all to the disposing of his Creator in such a sort as by his revealed Will hee hath or shall make known beleeving certainly that in every thing t is best to follow his counsell This for cause of true Faith next followes 2. The Object of this particular Faith which is twofold 1. The whole Will of God revealed unto us in his Word containing all Histories Doctrines Commands Threatnings Promises of what kind soever 2. The particular Promise of Remission of sinnes and Everlasting Life by the death of Christ which in one word we call the Gospell It is needfull thus to distinguish of the object of Faith because although it be but one and the same infused grace of true Faith which respects both forasmuch as by the same sacred Habite of the soule we are inclined to beleeve both the whole and each part of Gods will be it in it selfe more or lesse excellent or more or lesse needfull to us neverthelesse Faith as it hath reference to these Objects The whole Will of God and The particular Promise of the Gospell admitteth of divers considerations names and uses Faith as it assents to the whole Will of God in what kind soever I call Legall because it is such a Vertue as is immediately required by the Morall Law in the same manner as other duties of the Morall Law are Forasmuch as all men are bound by the Law of their creation to give full assent and affiance to all things whatsoever God shall reveale unto them And as all other Morall dueties are required of us in their degrees as parts of our outward obedience and inward sanctity necessary to salvation so is this of Faith commanded as 〈◊〉 principall grace of the soule and a prime part of our obedience to the first Commandement And so Faith in this respect may bee called Saving namely as all other Graces are because required in their measure as needfull to Salvation Faith as it assents unto the speciall promise of grace I call Evangelicall because it is such an Act as is expressely commanded in the Gospell the object thereof being not revealed by the Morall Law It is called also properly Saving and Iustifying in regard of the use it now hath through Gods gracious appointment to be the onely instrument of our Iustification and Salvation by Christ. In which distinction between Legal Evangelicall Faith we must not conceive of two distinct Habits of Faith it is but one gracious quality of the soule disposing it to the beliefe of all divine truth which for the substance of it was the same in innocent Adam with that which is in regenerate men The difference stands onely herein 1. In the Degrees Adams Faith was perfect because his understanding was fully inlightened and his affections absolutely conformable to all holinesse Wee know but little and by reason of our inward weaknesse beleeve but weakly what we doe know 2. In the Originall in Adam it was naturall by creation in us t is supernaturall from the holy Ghosts infusion 3. In the particular Object Adam beleeved God without reference to Christ the Mediatour wee beleeve chiefly the promise of Grace in Christ and all other things with some relation to him Here then is no new Faith but a New object of Faith not revealed unto Adam whereto our Faith is now directed and here 's also a singular priviledge newly granted unto Faith that God accepteth it to our Iustification in his sight Otherwise if wee looke unto the grace it selfe as it was in Adam a part of Gods Image given him by creation and is in us a part of the same Image restored by regeneration so there 's no difference at all and therefore in that question whether Iustifying Faith bee commanded in the Morall Law there needs no great dispute t is manifest that