of the old man and weapons of vnrighteousnesse but rather yeelding themselues vnto God as those that are aliue from the dead and their members as instruments of righteousnesse vnto God And wheras this might iustly bee obiected Alasse how shall wee who by nature are so vnable to resist so mighty a Tyrant as sin is who hath ouercome all mankinde Christ onely excepted euer be able so to withstand sin For answer whereto the Apostle brings a most comfortable promise vnto all that be not vnder the Law Verse 14. but vnder grace that is who be not still vnder the condemnation and tyranny of the Lawe whereby it reignes ouer all vnregenerat but by true receiuing of Christ by faith are now deliuered from that bondage so brought into the liberty of Gods children which he saith is to be vnder grace whereof the Apostle speaks more fully Rom. 6. 1. Of these he saith That sinne shall not haue dominion ouer them meaning that although these doe still carry sinne that is corruption of nature which continually fights against the grace of God in thē yet the corruption and sinnefull nature shall neuer any more reigne as in times past it did and so haue the full victory ouer them But they by the grace of Gods Spirit reigning in them shall daily more and more ouercome this their sinnefull nature and in the end get a glorious conquest ouer it and all other their spirituall enemies This one Scripture if there were no more is sufficient if it be truelie weighed and beleeued to comfort euery childe of God ouer all his sinnes that though they bee neuer so many or neuer so great and of long continuance yet being here assured the roote of sinne shall be killed ver 18. 22. hee may then quietly rest his soule in peace that all the fruits and branches shall in time quite wither for certainety whereof this is twise repeated But the Lord knowing how hardly we be brought to be perswaded hereof especially when we be vnder captiuity of any sin as of vnbeliefe pride anger worldlinesse and the like hath much laboured in his word to comfort vs herein that though the battell be sore and our strength small yet his grace shall bee sufficient for vs and his power shall bee made perfect in weakenesse 2. Cor. 12. 7 8 9. as was said to Paul in his wrestling against some priuie corruption which he felt a pricke in his flesh to be sent as a messenger of Sathan to buffet him least he should be exalted aboue measure by the aboundance of reuelations which though spoken to him yet indeede belongs to all in his case and therefore euery poore soule who feeles his sinne too hard for him that when he would doe well euill is present with him hee is to lay holde on this promise that Gods grace shall bee sufficient for him and Gods strength shall bee made perfect in his weakenesse That so complaining with the Apostle O wretched man that I am Rom. 7. 24. who shall deliuer mee from the body of this death hee may comfortably cheere vp his heart with him saying verse 25. I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord that through the power of the Spirit of Christ he shall subdue that body of sin which otherwise would carry him headlong to death and destruction both of body and soule for euer This the Prophet Micah notably expresseth Mich. 7. 18 hauing highly magnified the mercy of God in pardoning iniquity and passing by the transgression of his people hee addeth this He wil turne again he will haue compassion vpon vs he wil subdue our iniquities c. The Apostle also layeth out this matter at large how the Christian souldiour being armed with the whole armour of God Eph. 6. may bee able to stand in the euill day and hauing done all to stand that is being furnished with those excellent graces of the Spirit which he afterwards names he may manfully fight the Lords battell against sinne and Sathan and so hold out to the end of the battell that he shall stand vp as conquerour when sinne and Sathan shall fall as vanquished Beholde what encouragements the Lord giues against all our fearefulnesse in our spiritual battell which if wee could remember would put more spirit into vs to fight against our sinnes like men and not to faint or flye like cowards And yet these bee not the tenth of these gracious promises which the Lord hath made to this end that wee faint not when we see the force of the enemy Of this sort be all those Scriptures which setting out the rich benefites wee receiue in Christ among the rest mention our sanctification by him whereby is meant that Christ hauing taken our humane nature and sanctified it by his holy Spirit we being made one with him doe receiue the selfe same spirit though in measure to sanctifie vs Ioh. 17. 29. that is to make vs holy Whereunto these two be necessary first the killing of all sinne in vs and secondly the quickning of vs to newnesse of life 1. Cor. 1. 30 Of the latter more in the next point of the former heere concerning which this is oft repeated that Christ shall saue his people from their sin Mat. 1. 21. which as it is true in the matter of our iustification for the forgiuenesse of our sinne so it is also true in this point of our sanctification for deliuering vs from the power of sinne And so are all those generall speeches to be vnderstood that Christ is the lambe of God Ioh. 1. 29. 39. which taketh away the sinne of the world That hee hath loued vs Reu. 1. 5. and washed vs from our sinnes in his owne blood 1 Ioh. 1. 7. That the blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all our sinne Act. 3. 26. That God hath sent his Sonne Iesus to blesse vs in turning euery one of vs from our iniquities And the like many in all which this must needes bee contained that one great benefite wee enioy by Christ is that we who bee members of him are cleansed as from the guiltinesse of sinne that it shall not bee imputed so from the filthinesse of sinne that it shall not preuaile ouer vs. For more manifest proofe whereof this grace of mortification is expresly promised in sundry places Gal. 5. 16. as Walke in the Spirit and yee shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh Likewise the Apostle Iohn ioyning together both our iustification and sanctification 1 Ioh. 1. 9 sayeth If wee confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse so doth the Apostle Paul to Titus Tit. 2. 11. hauing shewed that the grace of God which bringeth saluation doth also teach men to deny vngodlines and worldly lusts he addeth this that Christ gaue himselfe for vs 14. that hee might redeeme vs from all iniquitie and purifie
intend What benefite it is to liue by faith Which may more manifestly be seene by the Apostles own words in the scripture Rom. 5. 1. where he of purpose vndertakes to set out what is the blessed estate of those that be iustified by faith and so brings in all these singular benefites we haue mentioned Yea and addeth that it is by faith that wee haue accesse into this grace wherein wee stand And to say the truth as hath beene said alreadie neither these nor any other sauing grace or true blessing is obtained but by faith And therefore I may conclude that hee that lookes to finde any comfort in this life and to nourish the hope of a better let him make it his chiefe indeauour thus to liue by faith by which alone these and ail that may be desired are enioyed And thus would I leaue this point to be proued rather by experience then by argument and so come to that I chieflie aime at to bring this doctrine into practise and as I promised to collect some speciall promises and to shew how they are to bee applied particularly to euery person and condition to whom they belong But that I remember there is one other singular vse of Faith whereof though we stand in great need yet it is very weakely attained because it is so little sought after Another benefite of liuing by faith is our Sanctification And this it is how by faith wee might more master our greatest corruptions and better discharge those duties wherein wee most faile Wherein the more to moue all that reade this better to regard it I doe with hearts griefe bewaile to see so many of whom I conceiue good hope that they haue truly receiued the grace of God that yet neither themselues can feele nor others discerne any apparant growth in true sanctification either in the subduing of their chiefest infirmities or such a walking in their places as beseemeth their condition But in generall such a conformitie to the corruptions of the times such deadnesse of spirit in all holy exercises with a grosse and continuall neglect or common abuse of them as priuate reading meditation and prayer Many blemishes in regenerate persons instruction and wise gouernment of their Families holy conference in their brotherly meetings with such care of edifying one another And on the other side such vaine and sinfull merrie-making that there is but small difference betweene them and meere naturall men As for their worldly dealings as eagerly following the world and contending thereabouts as busily following their pleasure with curiositie in houses apparell decking their children and the like and generally such setting their mindes and affections vpon these things here below as men that are not risen with Christ I might say no lesse of their vnmercifulnesse many waies and great impatiencie in euery thing that crosseth them with sundrie the like great and long continued blemishes of their holy profession and iust abaters of their spirituall comforts in such sort that I haue seen heard the deathes of many to haue had little to be reioyced in and no maruell seeing they tooke so little care either to glorifie God in their life or to win others or to make their calling election sure It was most iust with God that their death should want of that glory with others comfort to themselues which others of Gods childreÌ„ do enioy who liuing by faith haue learned better to bridle their vnruly affections more wisely to walke to the honor of God edification of others peace to their owne consciences All which is attained by â—aith notwithout it as hath before bin touched and now shall further be made manifest The Apostle Romanes 7. 14 saith speaking of himselfe beeing now regenerate saith That the Lawe is spirituall but I am carnall solde vnder sinne which in many words following hee prooueth and exclaimes saying vers 18. For I know that in mee that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing for to will is present with me but how to performe that which is good I finde not and more to like effect Whereout this may euidently be gathered that euen in those that haue true faith Strength of sinne in true beleeuers and be effectually regenerated there remaineth such a corrupt nature as keepeth them from many good duties and carrieth them to suâ—dry euill actions yea and that with such strong hand oftentimes that they haue no power to withstand as followes where he compares himselfe to a poore souldiour taken prisoner by the enemy and helde in captiuity till he be rescued by his captaine meaning that Gods children are oft so held captiues to their corruptions that they haue no power to resist much lesse to ouercome till by the power of Christ they be deliuered out of this thraldome as may bee seene in all the particulars before mentioned As for example when a poore Christian shall be so possessed with the loue of this worldly wealth that though he desire and purpose to be more mercifull to Gods needy Saints yet when he comes to it he cannot ouercome himselfe to relieue according to his ability and their necessitie but euen against the light of his conscience either giues not or not so much as he should So much more for lending for conscionable buying and selling and as in all matters of profite so of pleasure hee that is in captiuity to them no purposes prayers no vowes can keepe him backe but he will obey his lust in vaine apparrell in going to playes in cardes dice and other gaming 's The impotency of many in withstanding their lusts shewes in what captiuity they be held likewise in reuenge and vncharitable thoughts of such as haue done them wrong They which be able to discerne their owne corrupt nature may easily see with what difficultie they doe bridle their lusts nay oft how impossible it is to giue to such as offend them a good word or a good countenance By all which and many the like it euidently appeares that many of Gods children be thus held in captiuity that they cannot by all the strength they haue get out so that without they bee deliuered by Christ they shal bequite ouercome which the Apostle himselfe in this very place expresseth where complaining hereof with griefe and admiration at the difficulty of the worke not in any despaire cryeth out Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death Wherunto he makes answere himselfe saying I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord meaning that though hee sawe neither in himselfe nor in any creature beside any power to deliuer him from the corruption of nature which brings death where it is not subdued yet hee sawe such helpe in Christ as made him ioye to giue thankes to God for the same Wherein I obserue a worthy practise of this which I chiefly endeauour to drawe beleeuers vnto namely How by faith to
Faith for our saluation by Christ For our strengthening in both of these assurances the Lord maketh diuers promises In all of which wee shall finde vsually these two things Matter what First what bee the excellent benefites and vnsearchable riches which be brought to vs in Christ which bee set forth vnto vs sometimes generallie all in a lumpe that hee will saue vs and sometimes more particularlie that hee will forgiue and cleanse vs all to this end to draw vp our earthly mindes and affections so to hunger and thirst after them as neuer to be at rest till wee doe in some measure enioy them Secondly Persons to whom the persons to whom these bee in the Gospell proclamed that so euery one may applie them to himselfe by Faith and be assured they be his Both which shall now better appâ—are in the particular promises And first concerning Christ and the benefites brought by him Christ promised wee may well begin with that which was the first promise made to man and the foundation of all others where the Lord denouncing his vengeance against the Serpent the deuils instrument in seducing mankinde said Gen. 3. 15. And I will put enmitie betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seed and her seed It shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heele In which besides sundrie other things there intended this is chiefe for our purpose that Christ the promised seed of the woman should fullie conquer Sathan and his whole kingdome howsoeuer Sathan would continually molest the seede of the woman till hee were quite vanquished The selfesame matter is more plainelie taught Heb. 2. 14. that Christ tooke our nature That through death hee might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Deuill And deliuer them who for feare of death were all their life subiect to bondage Which if God had made no other promise might bee a sufficient word to perswade euery soule that heareth it not onely to desire and seeke this deliuerance by Christ but to beleeue that hee shall enioy it seeing God hath so faithfully said it For the further confirmation of the faith of gods people in this point in all ages the Lord renewed this promise of sending Christ the promised seede As immediatly after the flood Noah by Prophesie blessing his two sonnes said God shall enlarge Iaphet and hee shall dwell in the tents of Sheâ—â— Gen. 9. 27. Which intendeth that wee Gentils Gal. 3. 16. should be called to bee one body with the Iewes in Christ The same was afterwards oft renewed to Abraham 22. 18. In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed 26. 4. 28. 14 Act. 3. 25. The like to Isaacke and to Iacob also In all which Christ was promised the true seede in whom alone all families be blessed And so forward in all succeeding ages Moses and all the Prophets in their times foretold of Christ as we reade Act. 3. 24. 10. 43. So that it is needelesse to write all the scriptures tending to this point All this serues thus to strengthen the faith of all that will giue credit to God Vse that seeing the Lord nourished the faith of his Church from Adam to Christ with those promises of saluation by Christ the promised seede we therfore may boldly rest hereupon much the rather seeing we vnder the Gospel haue all things fulfilled which they vnder the former Testament sawe a farre off Heb. 11. 13 and were perswaded of them and embraced them To passe ouer then all the promises of the olde Testament concerning Christ his benefits to come to the new Multitude of promises concerning Christ wherein all things which were foretolde are fully accomplished and wee may with open face beholde as in a glasse 2. Cor. 3. 17 the glory of the Lord. Here be so many promises wherein Christ and his benefites bee set foorth vnto vs that the bare rehearsing of them without any further opening of them would make a sufficient book and longer I feare then any of our idle professours would once reade ouer I intend therefore to range these into some order and to make choice of some principall of euery sort and by them to shew how wee may make vse of the rest that are of the same kind Now all these promises concerning this first point for the strengthening of our faith in the assurance of our saluation by Christ be propounded either generally or more specially as was before said Generall Matter Generally Persons in respect of the matter promised as that Christ shall saue vs and the like as also of the persons to whom these promises be performed that is generally to all mankinde Both which be for the most part ioyned together what is promised and to whom therefore we will handle them together for breuity sake least otherwise wee should be faine to alleage the same scriptures againe to sundry purposes which would bee tedious which I desire to auoide To begin then with the very names which throughout the new Testament bee giuen to our redeemer Iesus Christ they are both of great force to confirme our faith When the angell Gabriel was sent from God to the Virgin Mary with that heauenly salutation he told her That she should conceiue in her wombe and bring foorth a Sonne and she shall call his name Iesus Iesus Whereof the Euangelist Mat. giues this reason Luk. 1. 26. 31 for hee shall saue his people from their sinne Mat. 1. 21. and to like effect oft All flesh shall see the saluation of God Luk. 3. 6. 1 When Christ came to Zacheus he saide This day is saluation come to this house 19. 9 10. for as much as he also is the sonne of Abraham for the Sonne of man is come to seek and to saue that which is lost Christ himselfe saide Ioh. 3. 17. God sent not his Sonne into the world to condemne the world but that the world through him should be saued And againe I came not to iudge the world 12. 47. but to saue the world And to heape vp no more of this sort to this end is Christ to oft called our Sauiour In all which we ought to reason thus Vse Seeing the eternall Son of God did take mans nature and so was Immanuel God with vs Mat. 1. 23. as the Euangelist Matthew Esa 7. 14. sheweth out of the Prophet and that to this end to saue vs being lost and not to condemne the world but to saue the world therefore vnlesse we will thinke all this is but a fable we are vndoubtedly to beleeue that there is in this Iesus and in him alone saluation for vs sinners Act. 4. 12. For there is no other name vnder heauen giuen among men whereby wee must bee saued And further if wee will not despise this wonderfull mercy of God in sending his Sonne and of
proclaimed vnto yea bestowed vpon sinners yea great and all vnworthy as in the last point before this was shewed yet theese poore soules doe sticke so fast in the mudde of their naturall pride of Popery as to seeke for some worthinesse in themselues for which God should make them his sonnes To conclude then this point seeing God is a free giuer of this high fauour of Adoption and no seller of it and seeing he so freelie offers it to thee in Christ beware that neither by idlenesse nor proud ignorance thou depriue thy selfe of it but thankfullie accept it so shalt thou bee saued The last speciall benefit which we receiue from Christ Hope of glory as a fruit of our iustification seruing for strengthening of our faith in the assurance of our saluation is the Hope of Glory whereby I vnderstand that God hath prepared for vs sinners this singular comfort that wee may enioy in this life such a hope and expectation of euerlasting glorie as may both inwardlie cheere our hearts and cause vs outwardlie to professe the same to the glorie of God encouragement of other faithfull people of God amazing of the wicked and strengthening of our selues to hold out to the end against al discouragements whatsouer That God hath prouided such a stay to support vs in all the changes of this life may sufficiently appeare by that which we reade Hebr. 6. 17. 18 19. a Scripture containing great force for the strengthening of our faith in the certaintie of our saluation as we shall see Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew vnto the heires of promise the immutability of his couÌ„sell confirmed it by an oath That by two immutable things in which it was not possible that God should lye wee might haue a strong consolation who haue fled for refuge to lay holde vpon the hope set before vs which hope we haue as an anker of the soule both sure and stedfast and which entreth into that which is within the vaile whither the forerunner is for vs entered euen Iesus made an high Priest after the order of Melchisedech Wherein bee these heauenly matters contained which I wil only laie open so gather out that which makes most for our presentintention to make vs more sure of this grace the hope of glorie 1. Gods decree and euerlasting counsell concerning our saluation is vnchangeable 2. It was Gods good pleasure to make this exceedinglie manifest 3. The persons to whom God would thus manifest his counsell were the heires of promise 4. The meanes whereby God would thus manifest his counsell was this That what he promised he bound with an oath 5. These two euidences of Gods counsell bee sure and vnchangeable 6. It is impossible that God should lye in these 7. By these wee may haue strong consolation 8. They who shall haue strong consolation must make hope their refuge that is holde fast on ir 9. That hope is set before them to hold fast by 10. This hope is to our soules in tentations as an Anker to a ship in stormes 11. This Anker which will holde it is sure and stedfast 12. It is entred vpward into heauen as our earthlie ankâ—â—â—e cast downewards 13. Christ our forerunner is gone to heauen for vs. 14. Christ is our euerlasting high Priest Behold what store of heauenlie matters be here contained which when I did consider so closelie folded vp and so well furthering the point in hand I was drawne thus to vnfold them Among all this is speciall for our purpose that Almighty God as a louing Father hauing prouided for his children a good estate was very carefull to make it sure vnto them and therefore hath giuen two such euidences as cannot deceiue his promise and oath that wee being perswaded heereby might in all our feares for out refuge cast our hope vpon his fidelitie so shall we bee safe and haue strong consolation Wherein we see the singular vse of this hope of eternall life that it is hope which makes vs not ashamed Rom. 5. 5. as the Apostle speaketh and the Prophet Dauid exceeding oft the same Psal 25. 3. Yea that we are saued by hope that is Rom. 8. 23. we are so assured of our saluation as if wee possessed it already and therefore doe with patience waite for it There is much in this Scripture to this end that as the whole Creation as it were groaneth and trauelleth in paine with earnest expectation waiting for the manifestation of the sonnes of God what time they shall bee deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God So all true beleeuers who haue the first fruites of the spirit groane in themselues waiting for the Adoption to wit the redemption of their bodies that is for a full glorification of soule and body This is to bee seene in the liues and deaths of Gods faithfull seruants Heb. 12. 2. who for this hope endured the crosse and despised shame as is testified of our Sauiour himselfe and of Moses that hee did choose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God Heb. 11. 26. then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season esteeming the reproch of Christ greater riches then the treasures in Egypt for hee had respect to the recompence of reward The same is to be seene in all that honourable company mentioned Hebr. 11. And so in all the holy Martyrs in all ages what was it but this hope of glory after a short suffering which made them willingly to endure so great and sore persecutions I might bee long in this for the Scripture speakes much hereof exhorting vs to reioice in hope making it th' end of our vocation and regeneration God hath called vs to his kingdome and glory 1 Thes 2. 12. God according to his mercy hath begotten vs againe to a liuely hope 1 Petr. 1. 3. by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible vndefiled that fadeth not away reserued in the heauens for vs c. And more to like effect as doth follow well worth our reading and carefull consideration seruing much for the comfort of Gods children Out of all which this is that I gather Vse seeing this hope of glory is so sure an Anker in all storms so strong a helmet in all our battailes that we therefore carefully prouide our selues of this grace yea rather seeing God hath so plentifully prouided it for vs and giuen vs so many promises hereof and hath called vs hereunto and so oft exhorteth vs to reioyce in this hope of glory all this should mooue vs to hold fast the profession of our hope without wauering For hee is faithfull that promised Heb. 10. 23 as the Apostle exhorteth otherwise we shal call Gods truth and faithfulnesse into question which is a high degree of tempting God and no lesse prouocation of his high displeasure whereas on the other side by casting this anker in