not to abolish but to fulfill the law and the Prophets And therefore Paul doubteth not to say that the righteousnesse of the Law is still fulfilled in vs. Rom. 8.4 Namely Euangelicè and applicatiuè according to the tenour of the Gospell by application but in Christ legaliter and inhaesiuè according to the Law inhaesiuely in himselfe 3 Causeâ— wâ—y in Scripâ—â—râ—â—â— so small mention of Câ—â—â—stâ— actâ—ue obâ—dâ—eâ—ce Why then will some say doth the Scripture speake so little of this kinde of obedience and so much of his passion There are sundry causes of it First because That of his Passion was most sensible and exposed to the eyes of all Secondly because that the Ceremoniall types had in that their accomplishment Thirdly because his Passion hath in it the chiefe actuall obedience See Chrysostom in the second homily on the Acts. The third degree of the giuing of Christ 3. In his death to suff r for 〈◊〉 which standeth more agreeably with this place is the giuing of him to be lifted vp vpon the tree that there in his bodie hee might beare our sinnes 1. Pet. 2.24 For in his lifting vp which phrase noteth the manner of his death hee answereth to the type of the brazen Serpent Iohn 3.14 Which as whoso looked on had cure for the stings of the fierie serpents so wee looking on Christ by faith are cured of the sting of that old serpent sinne and death Of this giuing Paul speaketh Rom. 8.32 He hath giuen his own Sonne for vs all Which iâ— the height â—f Godâ— louâ— And the Epitasis and height of Gods loue is made manifest in it that our hearts should burne within vs. Yea with the Spouse in the Canticles Cant. 2.5 we should swoone to consider it For what vnspeakeable loue is it that Almightie God a father so glorious and full of Maiestie should giue his onely Sonne a sonne like and equall to himselfe for his enemies to be made vnder the Law yea the curse of the Law and to be deliuered vp to the powers of darknesse This doctrine hath foure vses Vses 1. To make vs mourne for our â—â—nnes First it serueth to shew vs how horrible sinne is to engender in vs godly griefe and to make vs studiously auoide it Such Epicurisme is in vs that wee count sinne a light hurt which any thing will salue But whoso duely weigheth this that sinne ere it could bee done away and satisfied hath made the Lord of glory to empty himselfe of his Maiestie the Son of God to walke as a seruant God himselfe to shed his bloud this will make his heart to melt bleed within him for his sinnes and to water his cheekes with teares no lesse aboundantly then he hath before laughed merrily and blithely I will poure saith the Lord Zachary 12.10 vpon the house Dauid and vpon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and compassion and they shall looke vpon mee whom they haue pearced and they shall lament for him as one mourneth for his onely sonne and be sorry for him as one is sorry for his first borne c. If once the Lord make vs turne our eyes to Christ and to regard what he hath suffered for our sinnes nothing will more then that humble vs with godly sorrow and bruise our hearts for them For what sorrow can we thinke deepe enough what teares sufficient for our sinnes which haue pearced the Sonne of God vvith extreame sorrowes and put him to most base vile and painefull sufferings And this grace also will curbe a man most effectually from breaking forth into euill and â—o curbe vs from sinne As Tit. 2.11 12. The grace of God which bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared and teacheth vs that wee should deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts What is this grace of God but that fauour and loue vvhich God hath shewed vs in the sufferings of Christ then the vvhich there is no better master to teach vs and to presse vpon vs this lesson of vsing all endeauour to shunne sinne For therein as in a cleere glasse may we contemplate and behold what Christ hath endured to free vs from it what fearefull torments it deserueth how odious and hatefull it is to God which he would so seuerely punish in his owne Sonne And lastly into vvhat horrible misery it will eternally plunge vs if we doe not shake it off and abstaine therefrom 2. To comfort in temptation Secondly it is comfortable in temptation For when Sathan shall trouble our mindes and charge vs with our sinnes and vvant of righteousnesse there is nothing in the world that can quiet our mindes and stop his mouth but this that Christs righteousnesse and satisfaction is ours Shewing Christ to be ours and that by his death we are acquitted from our sinnes and by his righteousnesse made righteous before God But how is Christs righteousnesse and satisfaction made ours Euen by the gift and donation of God For as wee haue heard By Gods gift God hath giuen vs his Sonne and if Christ himselfe be giuen vs doubtlesse vvith Christ wee haue all the merits of his obedience conferred on vs by the same gift And what better right and title can we haue to him and his righteousnesse then this that God who is the sole owner possessour of him hath bestowed him on vs 3. To make 〈◊〉 trust to God â—or all other good things Rom. 8 3â— Thirdly it is a ground of hope in all our vvants that God vvill supply vnto vs all things good and needfull For hath God giuen vs Christ his Sonne How shall hee not with him giue vs all things also No man vvhose kindnesse and loue to vs hath beene so great as to bestow on vs the best and dearest thing he hath vvill hold backe any thing that should make that gift sure and behoouefull to vs or see vs in distresse for want of smaller matters Loe God hath giuen vs his Sonne the most excellent deere and precious thing he had And can wee thinke that his loue is so cold as that hee vvill sticke to bestow vpon vs earthly things that are toyes and trifles to this great gift if he see them fit for vs or that he will not giue vs faith and other graces whereby this gift should be made certaine and of vse vnto vs 4. To â—ssuâ—e vs of the continuance of â—oâ—s loue herâ—a â—er Fourthly it doth assure vs of Gods loue for the time to come If when we were enemies vvee were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne much more being reconciled shall wee bee saued by his life Rom. 5.10 If a man out of loue haue sought the friendship of his enemie and vsed meanes to be reconciled to him is it not likely that he will be constant in this loue and take all waies to maintaine it vnto the end But howsoeuer it fall out with man who is variable most sure it is that GOD
life that hath most excellent glory riches and happinesse ioined with it prepared and giuen vs through faith in Christ Is it not a base minde in a man that is owner or at least heire of most sumptuous and stately palaces to couet the poore cottages of beggers that stand by the high way side and repine if he cannot get them What will satisfie vs if heauen and etenall life cannot Doubtlesse Dauid made account that in this possession he was as well as heart could wish The lines saith he Psal 16.6 are fallen vnto me in pleasant places yea I haue a faire heritage So also is it very strange to see a godly man toile and moile for earthly matters in feare of want Feare not little flocke for it is your Fathers pleasure to giue you a Kingdome Not doubt of earthly necessaries when God hath giuen vs an heauenly kingdome saith Christ Luke 12.32 What is it that we are bid not to feare The want of foode raiment and earthly necessaries which are mentioned in the former verses And why Because our Father in heauen doth meane vs a kingdome For what hath God prepared an eternall life for vs and will he not maintaine this temporall Hath he purchased heauen and the glory of it for vs and will hee see vs perish for want of earthly things There is not any earthly father that doth with great summes of money purchase large possessions for his sonne and meaneth to bestow on him his whole estate who will neglect to finde him with foode and raiment and giue him such maintenance as is fitting Perhaps he will keepe him somewhat short during his nonage and not let him haue his purse alway full of money for his idle expenses vntill he haue wit how to lay it out and manage so great an estate So heere God doth not giue to his children outward things alway in that fulnesse that they desire because they haue not vnderstanding in this their nonage to dispose of them and it might be dangerous to feede their humours but if by faith we can once see that he hath meant vs his kingdome and appointed eternall life for vs it is foule distrust to doubt that hee will forsake vs and put vs to our shifts for our earthly necessaries 4. It is an incitement to faith Fourthly it must excite vs highly to prize faith and make vs looke about to get faith and how to grow in it Peter 1. Pet. 1.7 calleth faith a precious thing yea much more precious then gold And surely there is not a more precious iewell in the world then it is by which we obtaine Christ and all his riches As by which we obtaine saluation in Christ are drawn out of deaths dungeon quickened with a spirituall and interessed in eternall life It is not all the gold of America nor Rubies of the Ocean that can doe this for vs No there is no other grace of the Spirit but faith which can help vs to this benefit possesse vs of Christ and entitle vs to heauen For as we can onely see the light of the Sunne with the eye and take our foode with the mouth so is it faith onely And that onely by which we can see Iesus Christ and enioy him for our righteousnesse vnto life Yea Which is its speciall dignity aboue other graces there is more moment in a weake faith to our saluation then all other graces though they were perfect in vs. Light and heate cannot be separated in the Sunne Nor can faith loue repentance and other graces be found single in a godly soule But had a man perfect repentance knowledge and loue these could not saue him if there were not faith to apprehend Christ for his satisfaction and a propitiation for his sinnes A dimme eye to looke on the Brazen Serpent was of more auaile to a poore Israelite stung with a fiery serpent then the vse of all his other members For what would the swiftnesse of his feete strength of sinewes nimblenesse of hands c. stand him heere in stead if he had not an eye to looke on the Brazen Serpent So without faith we lye dead in sinnes and cannot but perish of the mortall stings which Satan hath giuen It it onely faith in Christ that can cure our soules of them and make vs heere to liue vnto God and hereafter in all happinesse with him FINIS A Pillar erected on the Graue and inscribed to the deere memory of that learned and godly Diuine Mr. PAVL BAINE By I. E. SOme Men in shape are Diuels and other some Mis-shapen monsters we may truely say Brute beasts full oft in humane shape doe come Whom carnall sense and furious rage doth sway The forme and name of Men many retaine That come farre short of the right humane straine Againe Some babes are demy-men I know In whom of man some ruder lines appeare But to mans stature few there are that grow Or the ripe nature of a man doe beare In troupes of men to finde a Man at Noon With Torch-light were a taske not easily doon Aye me deare Baine what treasure then we had Whil'st thou amongst vs didst aliue remaine And by thy death which good men made so sad What losse vnvalued doe we now sustaine Ah harmefull Death what Age shall vs requite So great a dammage and so foul despite Deere worthy Baine a man complete to be And more then any one meere man I finde The vertues which in most we single see As choyse Ingredients were in him combin'd Him to set forth though made of humane bloud A rich Pandera of diuinest good Rare is a faithfull zealous Christian More rare good conscience and great learning meet One of a thousand proues a godly man A learned Scribe a skilfull a discreete A watchfull Pastour Teacher excellent Such who can finde vnlesse Paul Baine be meant There was in him a blamelesse innocence A feruent zeale sound iudgement pearcing wit Not vulgar learning moouing eloquence An vnderstanding of deepe points to it An hart high-mounted farre aboue the sky Yet low as earth in true humility O Death I nere should cease of thee to plaine Who of such treasure hast vs now bereft Did not our losse turne to his greater gaine And had he not a world vnthankefull left Which sets at nought as drosse and basest Mine Most precious Pearls and of the brightest shine Worthy Elisha when thy Master deere In flaming coach was rapt vp vnto God Thou did'st obtaine that O thou happy Seer His doubled spirit on thee might make abode Oh! well were mee if so within my brest But halfe the spirit of this blest Saint might rest I. E.
since his loue was so wonderfull toward vs when wee were enemies that hee gaue his Sonne for vs to reconcile vs to him will now much more freely exercise his loue toward vs and firmely abide in his good vvill vnto vs that enmitie being vndone and dissolued Now the end followeth in these three things First the meanes whosoeuer beleeueth on him Secondly the state from whence wee are deliuered shall not perish Thirdly the condition to which wee are reserued but shall haue euerlasting life In the first viz. the meanes I consider these three things First that the beleeuer hath a benefit aboue others Secondly the vniuersalitie of this benefit whosoeuer beleeueth Thirdly the obiect which our faith must rest vpon beleeue on him These remaine to bee handled and then wee will proceede to the state from vvhence we are deliuered and condition whereto we are reserued First then Christ maketh this the end of Gods giuing him that euery one beleeuing should not perish c. Doct. 5. All of whaâ— sort soeuer beleeuing are saued The point which wee are heere to obserue is that without regard of any outward circumstance as well one as other is by faith iustified and shall bee saued All sorts of people that beleeue are made thereby heires of Saluation Which is plaine by testimony of the Scripture and euident by reason The grace of God hath appeared and doth bring saluation vnto all mon. Tit. 2.11 So Rom. 3.22 23. The righteousnesse of God is now made manifest by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all that beleeue For there is no difference There is in this case no Nation before Nation no preheminence of any sexe sort kinde or degree aboue other but as well the Gentile as the Iew the poore as the rich vnlearned as learned euery one that beleeueth is an heire of life and child of God For thus is it expounded Rom. 1.16 The Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth to the Iew first and also to the Grecian Reasons Reason 1. Now the first reason of this vniuersalitie in the subiect of saluation Paul doth set downe Rom. 3.29 For hauing laid downe this generall proposition that a man euen euery one is iustified by faith lest the Iew as he was apt to doe should stomacke and disdaine this equality and fellowship of the Gentile in the matter of saluation doth adde a reason for it What saith he is God the God of the Iew onely and not of the Gentiles also Yea of the Gentiles also If then you aske why the world beleeuing doth inherit the blessing we answere euen because God hath pleased to be the God of all without difference of Gentile as well as Iew of one as well as other So againe Rom. 10.11 12. Whosoeuer beleeueth on him shall not be ashamed What Gentile as well as Iew Yea surely For there is no difference betweene them and hee that is Lord ouer all is rich vnto all that call on him Reason 2. A second reason is opened Rom. 11.32 from the purpose of God in shutting the Gentiles vp in vnbeliefe And what was that Not that they should bee vtterly finally reiected but that he might at length shew mercy on them his iustice ministring and making way vnto his mercy euen as now he dealeth with the Iewes whom hee hath cast off for a season to receiue them againe with the greater mercy Reason 3. Thirdly it is necessarie that it should be so that the Lord might cleere and manifest his equitie as most free from acceptation of persons that it might bee seene that neither Iew found acceptance with him as a Iew nor the Gentile was the lesse accepted vvith him as a Gentile Wherefore Peter when he saw in a manner the first fruits of the Gentiles saith Act. 10.34 35. Of a trueth I perceiue that God is no accepter of persons But in euery Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him Reason 4. Fourthly this was prefigured in Abraham Rom. 4.10 11. who by faith obtained the account of righteousnesse euen when hee was vncircumcised as well as after circumcision Reason 5. Lastly it was foreprophesied that in the seed of Abraham all the Nations of the earth should be blessed Gen. 22.18 that is haue the blessing of righteousnes and life through faith But now when was this specially accomplished Saluation was impaâ—teâ— to â—ll soâ—ts of people most pleâ—tiful y vndâ—r the Goâ—pell that the world through faith did receiue righteousnesse euen in the day of saluation in the acceptable yeere which was foreprophesied of and which the Apostle applyeth to the times of the Gospell 2. Cor. 6.2 and beganne from the Ascension of Christ to receiue generall execution Act 13.46 47. Wherefore this vniuersalitie of beleeuers is heere made to follow the lifting vp and giuing of Christ as procured thereby as also he speaketh elsewhere Iohn 12.32 when I am lifted vp I will draw all men vnto me In Christ then is the world reconciled in his death the wall of partition broken downe and both Iew and Gentile created into one new man The Iewes onely were before the people of God And no wonder is it that sauing knowledge was so straitly confined For they had Christ but in the shaddow onely and the light which did shine to them was as the light of a Candle and might easily bee bounded in little compasse but when the Sunne of righteousnesse appeared it was impossible but that the beames of it should be spread through the face of the earth Vses 1. An helpe to explicate some Scriptures speaking of the saluation of all First this helpeth for the vnderstanding of many Scriptures as of that 1. Ioh. 2.2 that Christ is a reconciliation for the sinnes of the whole world and Heb. 2.9 that hee tasted death for all men with the like 1. Tim. 2.6 2. Cor. 5.15 What is in these Scriptures the world What all men Must wee vnderstand thereby as some would haue it the whole body of mankinde and euery particular person in the world There is no such thing But these vniuersals must be vnderstood as in this place All that beleeue So there is a threefold vniuersalitie A threefoâ—d vniueâ—silitie first of all in generall both good and euill we must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ c. 2. Cor. 5.10 Secondly of all euill and vnbeleeuing persons expressed by the world Iohn 17.9 Thirdly of all beleeuing ones as in the former Scriptures a speciall vniuersalitie as Ambrose doth call it 2. A ligâ—t to shew vs our happinesse aboue the Gentiles before Châ—ist Secondly this teacheth vs our happinesse aboue the Gentiles of former times who foure thousand yeeres almost were no people without God and estranged from the life of God but wee now beleeuing are become consederates with God We see his saluation as they who liue in the acceptable