ingratitude of such doth suffer blind zealous leaders of the blind zealous multitude often times every where to swarm and abound whereby both Preachers and innumerable people fall into the pit of destruction as Christ the truth it selfe testifieth and denounceth Matth. 15. 14. Let them alone they be blind leaders of the blind And if the blind lead the blind both shall fall into the ditch to wit of destruction And these are the traytours that under colour of greatest friendship with God and of lying in his very lap by working out their salvation in distrust in free grace and in trust in their workes and well-doings doe break our peace with God in this land doe betray whole Kingdomes and Countries into their enemies hand Because they truely know not free justification that only makes our peace with God as these and such like Scriptures teach Rom. 5. 1. Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God c. this place being an exposition as it were of that saying Num. 23. 21. spoken then but prophetically inchoatively and typically at the lifting up of the brasen serpent saying God seeth no iniquity in Jacob and he seeth no transgression in Israel This is to bee justified by faith Then followes the peace and reconciliation that wee have therefrom Therefore the Lord his God is with him and the joyfull shout of a King is among them that comes onely by free justification which prophesie is now by Christ the substance signified by that brasen serpent fully wrought and completely exhibited and brought upon us in the new Testament saying And yee which were in times past strangers and enemies in your minde by evill works hath hee now reconciled How or by what means In the body of his flesh through death by making you so holy that you are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without all blame and without all fault in Gods sight if you continue rooted and grounded in this faith of free justification by Christs blood and death and be not moved away from this hope of the Gospel Col. 1. 21 22 23. But contrariwise Christ weeping over Ierusalem denounced that their enemies should lay their city and them even with the ground and not leave a stone upon another that should not bee cast downe why because they knew not the things that did belong to their peace that is they knew not their reconciliation by Christ they knew not his righteousnesse to justifie them which only makes peace with God but these things were hid from their eyes Luke 19. 41 42 44. Therefore did the Prophet say For Zions sake I will not hold my tongue and for Ierusalems sake I will not rest untill the righteousnesse thereof breake forth as the light for then the safety and salvation thereof will be as a burning Lamp And when the Gentiles or people see thy righteousnesse and the Kings thy glory thou shalt be a Crown of glory in the hand of the Lord and a Royall Diadem in the hand of thy God It shall no more be said unto thee forsaken neither shall it any more bee said unto thy Lands desolate But thou shalt bee called Hephziah that is my delight is in her for the Lord will delight in thee Esay 62. For thy people shall bee all righteous they shall possesse the Land for ever the graffe of my planting shall be the work of my hands that I may be glorified Esay 60. 21. Because as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many to the end of the world be made righteous Rom. 5. 19. whereby if by one mans offence the displeasure anger of God and death reigned by one much more they which receive that abundance of grace and that abundance of the gift of that righteousnesse shall reigne in reconciliation well-pleasing of God peace and life through one that is Jesus Christ That as sinne had reigned unto displeasure wrath and death even so might grace reigne by righteousnesse unto reconciliation peace and eternall life by Iesus Christ our Lord Rom. 5. 17 21. But contrariwise they that are not justified by faith have no peace with God but by their dead faith are fourefold traytours namely traytours to Christ and his Gospel traytours to his Church children traitors to their King and countrey and traytours to their own bodies and soules seeming great friends to all these but betraying every one of these with a Iudas his kisse Because although they seem in this dead Faith and blind zeale of the Law and works to be lifted up in as high a faith and happinesse as any can be yet if they do not come out of this dead faith when they dye be it sooner or later they cast down themselves into greater damnation than if they had never professed Gods word and the Gospel of Christ at all as Christ testifieth Matth. 11. 23 24. saying and thou Capernaum that art exalted into Heaven namely in professing Gods word shalt be thrown down to hell for if the mighty works which have beene done in thee much more being professed to bee received and beleeved of thee had been done in Sodome it would have remained untill this day But I say unto you it shall be more tolerable or easie for the land of Sodome in the day of judgment than for thee And again Wo be unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for ye compasse sea and land that is take exceeding great pains and labour to make one Proselyte that is one zealous Professour as you say of the pure word of God and holy worship of God and when he is made you make him twofold more the child of Hell than your selves Matth. 23. 15. And thus much of the dead Faith gilt over with the legall zeal of works and confidence of practising repentance humiliation and all holy duties by a supposed universall obedience to all Gods commandements and yet all is but a false legall bastard sanctification 3. But now thirdly which most of all discovereth this dead Faith and blind zeale of the good workes of the Law to be meer superstitious hypocrisie whereof Christ giveth warning to his Disciples saying First of all beware of the leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisie Luk. 12. 1. If the old matter of the pure Gospel be uttered but after a new manner otherwise than these like blind mill-horses are accustomed to run round in or if their literall knowledge dead Faith and blind legall zeale be any way a little crossed or but touched although a faithfull Minister must needs teach novè but not nova that is after a new manner but not any new matter yet these humble ones just like Nicodemus Ioh. 3. in that new manner of speaking do rise up against Christ and count the old mysteries of Christ and of his Gospel to be nova novelties new doctrines as these said when Christ himself began first to preach the old revealed will of his Father What thing is this What
would give unto them the spirit of wisedome and revelation in the knowledge of him that the eye of their understanding might bee more enlightned that they might know what the hope is of their calling and what the riches of his glorious inheritance is in his Saints Ephes 17 18. Againe as the former blind and proud knowledge is but literall so this true knowledge is spirituall which by the spirit discerneth and seeth the spirituall things of God both of the Law and of the Gospel especially discerning and seeing the invisible benefits and unsearchable riches of the Gospel wrought upon us by the blood death and resurrection of Christ according as they are spoken Rom. 4. 18. being impossible to humane reason bodily sight sense and feeling as these and such like Scriptures teach The eye hath not seen nor the eares heard nor hath entred in the heart of man that is the naturall man the things that God hath prepared for them that love him But God hath revealed them unto us by his spirit For the spirit searcheth all things yea the deepe things of God For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man that is in him Even so the things of God knoweth no man save the spirit of God Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that we might know or as the originall word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that wee might see the things that are freely given to us of God 1 Cor. 2. 9. to 13. But contrariwise the naturall or the man of the meere humane soul receiveth not or perceiveth not or approveth not the things of the spirit of God as they are spoken by the spirit For they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned but he that is spirituall discerneth all things vers 14 15. Againe hereupon did Paul say Yea doubtlesse I count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the losse of all things and do count them but dung that I may gain Christ that I may be found in him not having mine owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is by the faith of Christ even that which is of God through faith Phil. 3. 8 9. Thus the spirituall man discerneth seeth and onely esteemeth and highly prizeth onely spirituall things and invisible to the bodily eyes and so hath an eare to heare what the spirit saith whereof the Lord Christ so often speaketh saying Hee that hath eares to heare let him heare Matth. 13. 9. and that which is often repeated Rev. 2. 3. chapters saying He that hath an eare let him heare what the spirit saith unto the Churches And these and only these doe compare spirituall things with spirituall 1 Cor. 2. 13. And thus much of the true spirituall knowledge Secondly hereof ariseth the true lively and justifying faith which truly saveth us consisting in having on the wedding garment of Christs perfect holinesse and righteousnesse making us so perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely by faith onely without works that we feel true comfort peace with God in our hearts and joy in the Holy Ghost as these and such like Scriptures teach Esa 61. 10. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord and my soul shall bee joyfull in my God why what is the matter what is the cause of such joy and great rejoycing why Hee hath cloathed me with the garments of salvation That is just matter indeed of great joy A man can wish no greater matter of joy than to be cloathed with the garment of salvation what is that garment of salvation why he hath covered me with the robes of righteousnesse as a Bridegroome decketh himselfe with his ornaments and as a Bride adorneth her self with her jewels But the feast of the Gospel being furnished with guests both good and bad the King came in to see the guests and saw there a man that had not on this wedding garment And hee said unto him Friend how camest thou hither and hast not on the wedding garment and he was speechlesse Then said the King to the servants Bind him hand and foot take him away and cast him into utter darknesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Matth. 22. 10. to 14. Therefore get on the white robe that thou maist bee cloathed and thy filthy nakednesse doe not appeare Anoint thine eyes with eye-salve that thou maist see Rev. 3. 18. For all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God but are justified that is made righteous againe freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus Rom. 3. 23 24. For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many to the end of the world be made righteous Rom. 5. 19. That as sin hath reigned unto death even so might grace reigne by righteousnesse unto eternall life by Iesus Christ our Lord ver 21. Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God Rom. 5. 1. And thus we are regenerated and freely made new creatures to Godward whereby we are made all new even the righteousnesse of God in this faith of Christ as Paul in spirit testified saying If any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away Behold all things are become new and all things are of God who hath reconciled us unto himself by Jesus Christ But how are all things become new why God hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin to what end that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him that is by this faith in him Thus are we become all new and so by relying and resting wholly and onely in these invisible riches wrought upon us by the blood of Christ impossible to our reason and contrary to our bodily sight sense and feeling we do so walke in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham as they are that we may not erre wander and go astray from them plainly described by Paul Rom. 4. 19. to 25. saying And he not weak in faith considered not his owne body now dead being almost an hundred yeares old nor yet the deadnesse of Sarahs womb neither did hee doubt of the promise of God concerning the justifying seed through unbelief But was strengthened in faith and gave glory to God being fully assured that hee which had promised would bee as good as his word though it seemed never so impossible to his present sent sense and feeling and was able to do it And it therfore was imputed to him for righteousnesse Now it was not written for Abrahams sake onely that it was imputed to him for righteousnesse but also for us to whom it shall bee imputed for righteousnesse which beleeve in him that raised up Iesus our Lord from the
sepulchre with their tongues they have used deceit the poyson of Asps is under their lips whose mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse their feet are swift by anger and malice to shed blood destruction and misery are in their wayes and the way of peace they have not knowne there is no feare of God before their eyes And whereas the naturall man in the dead faith will by his civill honest and supposed sanctified life put all this away from himselfe to such as are profane and grosly wicked saying that this is spoken of them that are meerly and wholly in the estate of nature and that so peradventure he might have been such a one but now thanks be unto God he is not such a one yet the true sanctified children of God that are truly enlightned to see the spirituall meaning of the Law doe grant and truly feele that by their daily and continuall spirituall breaches of the Law they are truly such indeed as Paul here describeth so shut up under sin both they and all their best sanctified good works Gal. 3. 22. that there is not one that doth good no not one Whereby they feele that every mouth even of the most sanctified is stopped and all the world is found subject to the judgement of God A cleare example of the truth hereof is Paul himselfe who although he was one of the most sanctified amongst men yet he cried out saying The Law is spirituall but I am carnall sold under sinne for to will is present with me but I finde no meanes how to performe that which is good Rom. 7. 18. And thus feeling in himselfe with the Prophet Esay that all his righteousnesse of sanctification was as foule menstrous filthy rags Esay 64. 6. because in all his good works he brake the tenth Commandement and so as much as lay in him did destroy himselfe in all his good works Hosea 13. 9. Even death it selfe being in the pot of his most sanctified good works and best actions therefore hee cried out O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7. 24. This is to bee slaine by the Law this is to understand the Law rightly especially the tenth Commandement And this is the first means to come out of this dead faith and to call others out of the same being throughly marked and deeply considered 2 The second meanes to come out of this dead faith and to call others out of the same is truly to understand and open unto others the excellency of free justification That as the spirit hath convinced us and all our best works of sinne by the looking-glasse of the Law so the spirit may also convince us of free given righteousnesse Joh. 16. 8 9 10. namely that wee and all our works are of unjust made just that is perfestly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely by faith only without works And mark how I say not simply free justification but the excellency of free Justification must be diligently looked into and deeply considered in foure principall respects 1 First in the most excellent and glorious causes of it being the glorious work of the whole Godhead wherein God the Father in giving his sonne and God the sonne in pouring forth his blood and life and God the holy Ghost in applying it to us and in cloathing though mystically yet truly our souls and bodies with this wedding garment and in creating the new eyes of faith to see these spirituall riches doe all work severally and wonderfully to effect the same upon us and that also freely onely by free grace that is God respectign no goodnesse or worthinesse in us to deserve the same but rather that we feele our wretched misery nor respecting no evils or unworthinesse in us to hinder the free taking of his rich grace That it might be to the praise of the glory of his free grace wherewith hee hath made us freely accepted in his beloved one Eph. 1. 6. And for this cause doth God bestow this benefit upon us that is upon the young children of Christian parents usually and ordinarily in our baptisme even when wee were little Infants God pitying our misery when we could not pitty our selves and washed us from the spirituall blood of our originall sinne Ezek. 16. 6 9. with the washing of the new birth and renewing of the holy Ghost that we being iustified by his grace should be made heires of eternall life Tit. 3. 5 6 7. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having made us pure and clean by the washing of water through the word That hee might even when wee were little senselesse Infants and thereby as good as double dead to all sense and feeling in trespasses and sinnes and by nature the children of wrath make us to himselfe a glorious Church not having now at this present time as the Greeke and Latine participles signifie one spot or wrinkle of sinne or any such thing but are holy and without blame Ephes 5. 26 27. Because wee are made thus perfectly pure and clean before God not onely from that one offense of our originall sinne but also from all the many actuall sinnes of our whole life even in our baptisme even when we are Infants that is utterly helplesse in our selves that all this blessednesse may be the more freely upon us And that as Saint Paul saith Although the iudgment was by one offense unto condemnation yet the gift is not so but the free gift is of many offenses to iustification Rom. 5. 16. So that if by one mans offense death reigned by one much more they that receive that abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousnesse shall reigne in life by one that is Iesus Christ vers 17. And thus wee see that as there is no difference of young or old but all have sinned and are deprived and come short of the glory of God so all that receive this free gift of righteousnesse are justified freely by Gods grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ Rom. 3. 23 24. And thus much of the excellent causes of free justification briefly touched 2. Secondly wee must consider deeply the excellent nature it self of free iustification in that it is the head and chiefest benefit of the Gospel whereby by the power of Gods imputation we are so clothed with the wedding garment of Christs perfect righteousnesse that of uniust we are made iust before God that is so perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely by faith alone without works That as St. Paul speaketh wee are made the righteousnesse of God in him that is in this faith in him The excellency of which benefit was so rightly marked and so diligently considered by Chrysostome that he thereupon breaketh out into these words of ioy and admiration of the same saying Qualis sermo what a saying is this what heart or understanding can
sufficiently commend it or set it forth For saith he the righteous one he made a sinner that hee might make the sinners righteous nay he speaketh not so sleightly neither but that which is farre more For he said not hee made him a sinner but sinne that we might be made he saith not righteous but righteousnesse yea and the righteousnesse of God For this is of God because it is not of workes For the former righteousnesse of good esteem in the Church was the righteousnesse of the Law and of works but this is the righteousnesse of God Because it is necessary that no spot bee found in it and from hence all sinne vanisheth away Thus hee teacheth the magnificence both of the gift and giver 3. Thirdly to look the better into the nature of this benefit we must consider deeply the excelent parts of this wonderfull benefit which are these two chiefly 1. First that this wedding garment of Christs perfect righteousnesse doth though mystically that is above our reason sight sense and feeling that we may live by faith in the truth and power of God speaking and not by sight sense and feeling Rom. 4. 18 to 25. yet freely take away and truly abolish not out of our flesh 1 Iohn 1. 8. but utterly abolish from before God and out of Gods sight all our sinnes as these and such like Scriptures teach Iohn 1. 29. Behold the lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the world For I not you but even I being Sol iustitiae the shining sunne of righteousnesse Mal. 4. 2. will do away your iniquities like darknesse and abolish your sinnes like a mist Reioyce ye heavens for the Lord hath done it Shout ye lower parts of the earth break forth into praises O mountaines For thus hath the Lord redeemed Iacob and thus will he be glorified in Israel Esa 43. 25. and 44. 22 23. For by himself hath Christ purified and made us cleane from our sins and is set at the right hand of the highest Maiesty Heb. 1. 3 Because if the blood of bulls and of goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the uncleane sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall spirit offered himsellfe without spot to God purge purifie or make clean our consciences from dead workes to serve the living God Heb. 9. 13 14. Therefore did hee now once in the end of the world appear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to abolish to doe away or to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe Heb. 9. 26. For Iesus Christ is that faithfull witnesse and that first begotten of the dead and that Prince of the Kings of the earth who hath loved us and hath washed us from our sins in his owne blood Rev. 1. 5. whereby the blood of Iesus Christ the sonne of God doth make us cleane from all sinne 1 Ioh. 1. 7. Now the sonne having thus abolished our sinnes from before God or out of Gods sight Col. 1. 22. Hereupon doth the father pardon remit and forgive all the punishment and evill that is due to those sinnes which his sonne hath freely done away and truely abolished out of his fathers sight according to that testimony of David Blessed is the man whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sinnes are covered Psal 32. 1. Hereupon is all the anger of the father and all his displeasure discontentment death and all other evils ceased upon the justified person before God the father And thus much briefly of the excellency of the first part of free justification 2. The excellency of the second part of free justification is That this wedding garment of Christs perfect righteousnesse doth not only make us present us righteous in the sight of God but it also maketh us perfectly and completely and sufficiently holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely by faith onely without workes or without our perfect working Yea so sufficiently and completely and perfectly holy and righteous that though mystically yet wheresoever we sit or walk we shine gloriously holy and righteous in the sight of God freely as these and such like Scriptures teach Rom. 5. 19. For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one man shall many be made righteous whereby if by the offense of one death reigned by one much more they which receive the abundance of grace and that abundance of the gift of righteousnesse shall reigne in life through one even Iesus Christ Rom. 5. 17. Therefore did the Angel Gabriel prophesie to Daniel that after seventy weeks of yeares not onely sinne should be finished and transgression made an end of and reconciliation made for iniquity but also everlasting righteousnesse be brought in upon the faithfull Dan. 9. 24. Thus is this righteousnesse called not only an abundance of righteousnesse and an everlasting righteousnesse but also hence it is said to make us complete before God even complete in him which is the head of all principalities and powers Col. 2. 10. Hence it is said to make us perfect as with one sacrifice he hath made perfect for ever all them that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. Hence it is said to make us and present us to God a glorious Church as he hath made us pure or clean by the washing of water through the word to make us to himselfe a glorious Church not having now at this present time as the Greek and Latine Participles signifie one spot or wrinckle of sinne or any such thing but to bee so holy that wee are unblameable or without blemish before God Eph. 27. Because in the body of his flesh through death he makes us or presents us so holy that we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is without all blame and without all fault in Gods sight if we continue rooted and grounded in this faith upon which place Chrysostome saith He hath not only freed us from sin but also he hath made us honourable and glorious in Gods sight Hence it is that this wedding garment of Christs perfect righteousnesse was signified by the vesture of the gold of Ophir that maketh the bride of Christ a Queen and all glorious within that is spiritually and mystically saying At thy right hand doth stand the Queene in a vesture of the gold of Ophir and shee is all glorious within Psalm 45. 9. Hence is the Church and every true beleever made that great wonder in heaven that is under the time and state of the Gospel called every where in the New Testament the Kingdome of heaven Matth. 11. 11 12. and chapter 13. But what is this wonder A woman that is in generall the whole Church but in particular every true beleeving soule which is as truely by faith married to Christ as any woman can be married to her husband Ephes 5. 30. But what of this woman Amicta sole cloathed with the sunne that shineth in
another being Gods whip of five strings with which he lasheth the children of men in one place or other daily and continually which are these five 1. First the curse of God Deut. 28. 15. to 20. If thou wilt not hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God namely which he spake in thundering and lightning and flaming fire but dost break his commandments that is dost do the least sin then all these curses shall come upon thee and overtake thee cursed shalt thou be in the town and cursed in the field cursed shall bee thy basket and thy store that is thy abundance that seemes to thee a blessing shall be to thee accursed cursed shall be the fruit of thy body and the fruit of thy land and the encrease of thy kine and the flocks of thy sheep cursed shalt thou bee when thou comest in and cursed also when thou goest out The Lord shall send upon thee cursing vexation and trouble in all that thou settest thy hand to do c. 2. The second punishment is hardnesse of heart that is no spirituall sense or feeling but little caring for this curse of God upon us for sin and a sleight regarding of free justification which is the onely remedy and means that should heal us of this sinne and curse Matth. 13. 15. For this peoples heart is waxed grosse and their ears are dull of hearing and with their eyes they have winked lest they should see with their eyes and heare with their eares and should understand with their hearts and should bee converted and I should heale them But my people would not heare my voice nor Israel would none of me So I gave them up to the hardnesse of their hearts and they have walked in their own counsell Psal 81. 11 12. whereby thou after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart heapest up like a treasure to thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the just judgment of God Rom. 2. 5. 3. The third sort of punishment for sinne is all manner of miseries crosses and afflictions to body goods and name which are ready every moment to strike us but to what end to knock for us and give us warning to be sure that we bee freely justified and have on the wedding garment of Christs perfect righteousnesse as it is expressed Iob 33. 19. to verse 26. A man is chastened with pain upon his bed and the multitude of his bones with strong paine so that his life abhorreth bread and his soul dainty meats His flesh is consumed away and his bones that were not seen stick out his life draweth neare to the grave c. But if there be a messenger with him an interpreter one of a thousand to shew unto a man his righteousnesse that is his justifying righteousnesse by Christ then God is gracious unto him and saith deliver him from going down into the pit I have found a ransome 4. The fourth punishment of sinne is that uncertain death is ready every moment to strike us wee knowing neither the time when nor the place where nor the manner how death will strike us as God himself saith Deut. 28. 66. If thou breakest my Commandements and so dost sin thy life shall hang in doubt before thee c. Thou shalt have just cause to feare both night and day for thou shalt have no assurance of thy life For God said to the rich man Luke 12. 20. Thou fool this night will they that is the devils fetch away thy soule from thee and then whose shall these things bee which thou hast provided So is every man that is not rich in God that is which hath not on the wedding garment of Christs perfect righteousnesse which only maketh us rich in God Pro. 8. 18. 5 The fifth and last punishment for sinne is when death which is so uncertain is come then follows the full execution of Gods justice in hell fire there to endure easlesse and endlesse torments for ever and ever Therefore saith Christ the Teacher of true wisedome I say unto you my friends be not afraid of them that kill the body and after that are not able to doe any more But I will forewarne you whom you shall feare Feare him which after he hath killed hath power also to cast into hell yea I say unto you feare him Luke 12. 4 5. for then he shall say Depart yee cursed which all are that are not justified into everlasting fire prepared for the devill and his angels and these shall goe away into everlasting paine but the righteous only that is only they that are made perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely with Christs righteousnesse shall goe into life everlasting Mat. 25. 41 46. Thus ought these three maine things that the Law teacheth concerning sin to be daily and diligently pressed upon sleeping consciences secure in the least sin untill the most upright honest yea and most sanctified man in works may feele himselfe slaine by the Law especially by the tenth Commandement as Paul was Rom. 7. 9. saying For I once was alive without the Law but when the commandement thou shalt not lust or covet that is thou shalt not have the least motion to any sinne came that I understood it sinne revived that is I saw my best good works to be sinne which I took to be no sinne before but I died that is I saw my selfe lost and damned by that beautifull sinne which I took to be a good work before God and no sinne And the same Commandment which was by obeying it ordained unto life I found by breaking it in my best good works to be unto death For sinne that is originall corruption dwelling in me taking occasion or force by the commandement deceived me that is made my best good works as I did them sinne when I took them to be no sinne and by it that is by the commandement disobeyed and broken slew me that is made me to see and feele my selfe to be in my best and most sanctified good works a lost and damned creature Because sinne that is originall corruption dwelling in me that it might appeare sinne did work death in me by that which is good that is by that turning that into sinne by defect which was done by the good and holy Law of God that sinne by the commandement disobeyed might become out of measure or exceeding sinfull Hereupon and for this cause doth the most sanctified childe of God truly enlightened and slaine by the Law by this right understanding of this tenth commandement see and feele that which is spoken of by Paul Rom. 3. 9. to 19. to be most true in himselfe and in his best sanctified works namely That there is none righteous no not one there is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh God they are all gone out of the way they are altogether become abominable and unprofitable There is none that doth good no not one Their throat is an open
in the Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the heathen through faith preached before this joyfull newes of the Gospel unto Abraham saying in thee shall all the Gentiles bee blessed So that they that bee of this faith of free justification are blessed with faithfull Abraham Gal. 3. 8 9. And can our hearts wish or desire any more This is the royalty of having on the wedding garment of Christs perfect righteousnesse freely given us to cleanse us from our secret sinnes and breaches of the tenth commandement unknown unto our selves Psal 19. 12. And to make us and all our works both naturall civill and religious pure clean perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely without workes or our perfect working of them as Saint Paul testifieth saying to the pure all things that is our naturall works and our civill works and our religious workes and all things are pure Tit. 1. 15. Thus onely by free justification hath Christ delivered us from this present evill world according to the will of God even our father Gal. 1. 4. Thus hath God made us meet to bee partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Because he hath thus delivered us from the power or kingdome of darknesse and hath translated us into the Kingdome of his deare sonne Col. 1. 12 13. Thus our righteousnesse exceeding the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees we are entred into the kingdom of heaven Matth. 5. 20. which kingdome of heaven is within us Luk. 17. 21. For the kingdome of heaven is righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. And thus if any man either Preacher or private Christian have some true touch first of the horrible filthinesse of the least sin in Gods sight and then of this glorious excellency of free justification thus perfectly healing us of it it will make us to say with Saint Paul Yea doubtlesse I count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledg sake of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the losse of all things and doe count them but dung that I may make my gain of Christ and be found in him not having mine owne righteousnesse which is of the law but that which is through the faith of Christ even the righteousnesse which is of God through faith Phil. 3. 8 9. which one Scripture I have now divers times alledged because it so fully describeth the markes or rather the very nature and essence of the true saving faith That whosoever doth in any measure of truth feele the same with Paul in his heart let him certainely know that he hath escaped out of the most dangerous dead Faith and hath Pauls faith that is the true lively and justifying faith which onely most certainly saveth him and glorifieth him For whom God justifieth them also hee glorifieth Rom. 8. 30. And thus much be spoken of the two main points of religion which being thus thorowly looked into and deeply considered are the effectuall means to deliver us out of the dead faith and to translate us into the true lively justifying and saving faith Now out of these two points thus thorowly looked into and deeply considered will infallibly flow a third thing which as St. Iohn teacheth in all his three Epistles is Love which Paul also very resolutely testifieth saying For in Christ Iesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith which is effectuall operative or workfull by love For the true beleever having by this true faith a feeling of the true love of Christ toward him it onely and infallibly inflames his heart with the true love of Christ againe and of God in Christ and of his whole Church of every child of God in particular which true love constraineth the beleever 2 Cor. 5. 14. Not onely to doe his vocation diligently and so with David to serve his generation faithfully Act. 13. 36. as S. Paul likewise teacheth Gal. 5. 13. saying Brethren ye have been called unto liberty that is Now after that faith is come ye are no longer under the whipping Schoole-master Gal. 3. 25. Wherein though ye were heires yet being as little children ye differed nothing from servants Gal. 4. 1. Onely use not your liberty for an occasion to the flesh but by love serve one another but also it constraineth him to break off from and to mortifie all sinne and ungodly conversation and to walke freely cheerfully sincerely and zealously in all Gods will and commandements declaratively to manward which is true sanctification And thus it is most true which the established doctrine of our Church largely teacheth saying That this true faith of free justification is a thing of perfect vertue and wonderfull operation strength and power to bring forth all good motions and good works or else it is not the true lively justifying faith but the blind dead faith that leaves men in sin death and double damnation as these and such like Scriptures teach Titus 2. 11. to 15. For that grace of God namely of free justification bringeth salvation for nothing brings salvation upon men but onely the grace of free justification and therefore it is called the iustification of life Rom. 5. 18. hath appeared to all men and teacheth us dictamine charitatis by the instructing power and force of love to deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world What is the moving or effecting cause hereof Because Christ gave himself for us to redeem us from all our iniquities and purge or purifie or make us clean to be a peculiar people to himself zealous of good works vers 14. Thus Paul pithily expresseth also to the Ephesians chap. 2. 10. saying For wee are Gods workmanship namely by free justification created in Christ Iesus that is made by free Justification new creatures to Godward 2 Cor. 5. 17. 21. that is formed anew in Christ Jesus Gal. 4. 19. unto good workes that is to Sanctification Repentance Mortification Sincerity and Vniversall declarative obedience to all Gods will and commandements declaratively to man-ward Which God hath fore-ordained that we should walk in them Hence it is that Saint Iohn also so vehemently testifieth 1 Iohn 3. 6 9. saying whosoever is borne of God that is whosoever is iustified sinneth not that is sinneth not wittingly and willingly with free stream running to sinne as before his free iustification For Gods seed that is some true sight of Gods pure and righteous nature infinitely hating the creature defiled with the least sinne in his sight and some feeling of the infinite love of Christ bleeding out his bloud and life to iustifie him this seed remaineth in him and hee cannot sinne that is hee cannot lead so dissolute a conversation in sinne as he did before Because he is born of God that is Because of a wilde crab-tree he by free iustification is made a perfect good tree to
THE DISCOVERY of the most dangerous Dead Faith BY JOHN EATON Mr of Arts and sometime Student in Trinity Colledg in Oxford and 15. yeers Minister and Preacher at Wickham-Market in Suffolk The second Impression with an Addition of Abrahams Steps of Faith and The true Treasure of the Heart By the same Authour LONDON Printed by R. Bishop for William Adderton and are to be sold at his shop in Duck-lane 1642. THE DISCOVERY of the most dangerous Dead Faith BY JOHN EATON Mr of Arts and sometime Student in Trinity Colledg in Oxford and 15. yeers Minister and Preacher at Wickham Market in Suffolk Heb. 2. 12. Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an evill heart of unbeliefe in departing away from the living God LONDON Printed by R. Bishop for William Adderton and are to be sold at his shop in Duck-lane 1642. The Preface to the READER Christian Reader THE elect vessel of God St Paul gave two speciall and cleare prophesies of things to be fulfilled before the second comming of our Lord Iesus Christ the first of the rising reigne and fall of Antichrist as he saith 2 Thes 2 3 4. that the day of Christ shall not come except there come a falling way first to wit from faith and that man of sin be revealed the son of perdition who opposeth and exalteth himselfe above all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God Concerning whom the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times men shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils speaking lies in hypocrisie having their conscience seared with an hot iron forbidding to marry and commanding to absteine from meats which God hath ordained c. 1 Tim. 4. 1 2 3. All which we now see to be in these latter times clearely revealed and plainly fulfilled and that the man of sin is consumed with the Spirit of Christs mouth that is the Word of God and shall be destroyed to wit utterly with the brightnesse or glory of his comming 2 Thes 2. 8. The other Prophesie followes this plainly describing these our last daies wherein the truth of the Gospel being againe restored and the purity of faith againe professed yet people should be such sleepy embracers of the same and such dead unprofitable unfruitfull atheisticall and unthankful receivers and professors of it that these last dayes should bee farre more perillous and dangerous than the former Which prophesie although some seeme to conjoyne it as all one with the former which for the neer following one of another may beare the more easie interpretation yet Saint Paul doth distinguish them and plainely sever this later from the former as being for time the later yea in the last dayes and for nature the more perillous and dangerous and therefore he saith not in the later times as in the former Prophesie But this know saith he also that in novissimis or extrem is diebus in the last dayes of all shall come hard and perilous times Wherein hard and perilous Because saith he men namely such as professed themselves reformed Christians shall be lovers of their owne selves covetous boasters or braggers proud blasphemers disobedient to parents unthankfull unholy without naturall affection truce-breakers false accusers or make-bates incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good traytors heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God Must it not needs bee a very hard and dangerous living in these last dayes with such a viperous generation as these But that which followes after is more hard and dangerous namely having a forme of godlinesse but denying the power thereof 2 Tim. 3. to the 5. Marke I pray that herein lieth the great perill and danger of these last dayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is having the forme shew and appearance of faith piety and true godlinesse they deny or are farre from the truth vertue or power of faith and godlinesse having indeed neither faith nor love and so are not only overwhelmed themselves in the most dangerous dead faith to the fearfull deceiving and utter destruction of their own soules but also doe so dangerously inwrap the very elect in this dead faith that if it were possible the very elect might finally bee deceived and perish therein And hereby for a time may be deceived because they doe not mark that there are two sorts of such as are in this dead faith The first sort are such and those very many as being borne and brought up in the outward visible Church can talke of Christ and of some generall points of God and his Gospell saying that they hope to be saved by Christ because they thinke that they beleeve and are of that true Religion that all their Countrey is of but being ignorant of the horrible filthinesse of sin before God and of the infinite pure and righteous nature of God against sin and thereby ignorant and carelesse of free justification that only heales them doe continue in their old corrupt natures and are Crab-trees bringing forth only the sower and bitter Crab-apples of a prophane life and a secure and carelesse loose conversation who though they sooth and flatter themselves in this ignorant dead faith and hope they shall doe well enough or at least as well as their neighbours yet doth God by the Prophet Esay denounce against them saying It is a people of no understanding therefore he that made them will have no mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour Esay 27. 11. Therefore hell hath enlarged her selfe and opened her mouth above measure and their glory and their multitude and their pomp and hee that rejoyceth shall descend into it Esay 5. 14. The other sort that are in this dead faith are such as seeme to be awaked out of this dead lethargie and professing a better feeling of sin and a deeper consideration of their lost estate and misery by sinne aspire with a stronger desire and a far greater earnestnesse to life and salvation But because they are naturally conceipted that the meanes to attaine this life and salvatition is to leave their sinne and to become good holy just and righteous therefore they neglect free justification the only true meanes and way to life and salvation and set light of faith in Christs righteousnesse which doth perfectly justifie before God and are carried with a blinde preposterous zeale after their owne good workes and well doings secretly seeking to become good holy just and righteous before God by their diligent keeping carefull walking in all Gods Commandements and so by a carnal understanding of justification are carried away from Christ and true free justification to hang upon their own good works and well-doings and thereby instead of life and free salvation doe drowne themselves in sinne death and eternall damnation and yet under a deepe conceit of great holinesse and righteousnesse
And thus doe they perish with the devout unbeleeving Iewes who although they had a blinde dead faith of righteousnesse life and blessednesse by the Messiah to come for they did all eat of the same spirituall meat and did all drinke of the same spirituall drinke that is by this generall dead faith in Christ to come for they dranke of that spirituall Rock that followed them and that Rocke was Christ But God was not well pleased with them in this dead faith and so they perished 1 Corinth 10. 3. to 6. And yet S. Paul saith of them that they followed after the Law of Righteousnesse but yet did not attaine to the Law of Righteousnesse Wherefore Because they sought the keeping and fulfilling of it not by faith but as it were by the workes of the Law and so stumbled at the stumbling stone Rom. 9. 31 32. Yea Saint Paul testifieth and beareth record of them that herein they had the zeale even of God but not according to knowledge of free justication Because being ignorant of the righteousnesse of God they went about to establish or to make as it were to stand upon its feet their owne righteousnesse and so did not submit themselves to the righteousnesse of God And thus they perished because they knew not that Christ was the fulfilling and end 2 Cor. 3. 7 8 11. 14. of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that beleeveth Rom. 10. 2 3 4. And thus we see that such as are in this dead faith varnished and garnished and gilt over with this preposterous zeal of diligent keeping and carefull walking in all Gods commandements are ignorant of Christs righteousnesse the maine of their free-salvation are unbeleevers onely giving Christ and free justification a Judas his kisse whereby they goe about to stablish or set up as it were upon its feet their owne righteousnesse wish the Iewes and Pharisees and contemne and set light of free Grace are rebellious against God in not submitting themselves to the righteousnesse of God and miserably perish as I said in the deepe conceit of great holinesse and righteousnesse which doth so strongly bewitch the people with a faire glister and beautifull brightnesse of workes of righteousnesse that it cunningly creepes up into the Pulpits also and with her faire shew turneth the Ministers of Satan into the seeming Ministers of Christ 2 Cor. 11. 13 14 15. As Christ said to the Angel of the Church of Sardis Thou bearest a name that thou livest but thou art dead Rev. 3. 1. So that although both these sorts of the dead faith doe reject and set light of free justification and are both enemies to free grace the glory of Christ and to their own free salvation yet doth this second sort more subtilely deceive and more dangerously destroy And therefore the first sort of people in this dead faith are by the Lord of wisedome Jesus Christ likened to Hogs that having the pearle of the Gospel free justification cast before them to call them from their rooting in the earth and wallowing in the mire of sin although they contemptuously trample this onely saving pearle under the filthy feet of their carelesse and swinish affections Yet they commonly against their Ministers and them that wish them well do only give a hoggish grunt of contempt and away they goe to their rooting in their earth or to their wallowing in the mire and so are plainly discerned soon convinced and many of them easilier converted and saved But the second sort are likened to Dogs that greedily feeding upon the carrion of their good workes obedience and well-doings if any cast before these the precious pearles of Christs works and well-doings as sufficient perfectly to justifie them and freely and certainly to save them they do not only trample under the feet of their Pharisaicall affections the same precious pearls but also fall like Dogs abarking at them that wish them well with calumniations railings and slanderings Yea through a secret inbred delight and blinde zeal of esteem of the hidden vain glory of their own righteousness good works obedience and well-doings contrary to the Prophet Esay and Pauls affection that counted all the righteousnesse works and wel-doings of their sanctification but as filthy stained rags and would not bee found in them before God but esteemed them as dung that they might bee found in the righteousnesse of Christ only before God Phil. 3. 8 9. Through this secret lurking vain-glory I say of their owne holinesse and well-doings they will not stick to flye in the face of the Minister and Messenger of Christ that beseecheth them to be reconciled unto God by being made the righteousnesse of God through Christ only 2 Cor. 5. 20 21. but will teare out if they can his very throat because they feel themselves hindred from feeding upon the filthy pleasing carrion of the vaine glory in their owne works of righteousnesse and weldoings And therefore did the Apostle say to the true Christians Beware of Dogs Phil. 3. 2 3. because in stead of life and salvation which they seeme so strongly to aspire unto by works and keeping the Law they rush the more violently themselves and swiftly carry away others with them into beautifull abomination sinne death hell and everlasting damnation So greedily with Aesops dog as Doctor Luther saith snatching at the outward glittering shadow of righteousness of works that they lose the substance of Christ and his righteousnesse that is in their mouth Therefore happy is the man that in these last so dangerous dayes can overcome and escape this Dead Faith by getting on the white robe that he may be clothed and that his filthy nakednesse doe not appear and doth annoint his eyes with eye-salve that hee may see and so become zealous not with the foresaid blind legall zeale of his owne glory but with the true Evangelicall zeale of Christs glory and so amend by comming out of this Dead Faith into the true lively justifying faith For to him that overcommeth this Dead Faith saith Christ will I grant to sit with me in my throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne He that hath an eare let him heare what the Spirit saith unto the Churches Revel 3 18. to 22. And for this cause have I penned this short and abrupt Treatise discovering this most dangerous Dead Faith in shewing how farre it will goe in the likenesse and appearance of true Christianity and true saving faith and yet how farre it comes short of the same because they doe not beleeve with the heart unto true righteousnesse and confesse the same with a thankfull and joyfull mouth unto salvation Rom. 10. 10. and so doe shew by their bragging Pharisaicall life that they perish with the Famine in their Hearts whilst the flesh of qauiles is in their mouths Psalm 78. 30 31. And hereunto I have adjoyned the shortest course that the Word of GOD and the established Doctrine of our Church