have recited these Words the more fully that you may clearly see what is the Doctrine and Language of the Church of England And this I hope we All take to be good Doctrine For my part I think it is I might add if it were necessary a great deal more As that where it tells us That Man cannot make himself righteous by his own Works neither in Part nor in Whole For that were the greatest Arrogancy and Presumption of Man that Antichrist could set up against God to affirm that a man might by his own Works take away and purge his own Sins and so justifie himself But Justification is the Office of God only and is not a thing which we Render unto him but which we Receive of him by his free Mercy and by the only Merits of his most dearly beloved Son and our only Redeemer Saviour and Justifier Jesus Christ. But I leave those who would see more of it to seek it in the first second and third Parts of the Sermon of Salvation the first second and third parts of the Sermon of Faith and the first second and third parts of the Sermon of Good Works And indeed the nature of the thing will not bear it that any Works of our own should even in part Justify us For Justification being an Act of God Remitting our Sins for the Ransome and Satisfaction made to his Justice It cannot be that any thing which we can now do can be any part of such Ransome or Satisfaction For all that we can do is but part of what is due for the present As our Saviour tells us When we have done all we are unprofitable Servants we have done but what was our Duty to do And there is nothing of Surplusage which might accrew toward Satisfaction for what is past Like as a Tenant who is run deep in Arrears of Rent cannot by paying part of the Growing Rent for the future make Satisfaction for the Arrears allready incurred For this growing Rent was due allso If it be said as perhaps it may That on this account we must renounce our Faith allso For neither doth Faith Satisfie Gods Justice or Deserve our Justification I say so too That Faith as a Grace or Faith as a Work doth not justifie us But onely as by it we embrace the Righteousness of Christ by which Righteousness alone so embraced we can be Justified And I say so the rather because our Church says so too in these words The true understanding of this Doctrine We be justified freely by Faith without Works or that we be justified by Faith in Christ onely Is not that this our own Act to Believe in Christ or this our Faith in Christ which is within us doth Justify us for that were to count our selves to be justified by some Act or Vertue that is within our selves but the true meaning thereof is That allthough we Hear Gods Word and Believe it allthough we have Faith Hope Charity Repentance Dread and Fear of God within us and do never so many Works thereunto yet we must renounce the merit of all our said Vertues of Faith Hope Charity and all other Vertues and good Deeds which we either have done shall do or can do as things that be far too weak and insufficient and unperfect to deserve Remission of our Sins and our Justification and therefore we must Trust onely in Gods Mercy and that Sacrifice which our High-Priest and Saviour Jesus Christ the Son of God once offered for us on the Cross to obtain thereby Gods Grace and Remission of Sins Original and Actual And as great and as godly a Vertue as the lively Faith is yet it putteth us from it self and remitteth or appointeth us unto Christ for to have onely by Him Remission of Sins and Justification So that our Faith in Christ as it were saith unto us thus It is not I that take away your sins but it is Christ onely and to him onely I send you for that purpose forsaking therein all your good Vertues Words Thoughts and Works and onely putting your Trust in Christ. Nevertheless because Faith doth directly send us to Christ for Remission of our Sins and that by Faith given us of God we Embrace the Promise of Gods Mercy and of the Remission of our sins which thing no other of our Vertues or Works properly doth therefore Scripture useth to say That Faith without Works doth Justify So that according to the Doctrine of our Church neither our other Works and Graces nor even Faith it self as a Work or as an Habit or Grace in us doth Justify us But onely as it Accepteth and Embraceth the Righteousness of Christ for which alone our Sins are Remitted and We Justified not for any thing done by us Which Accepting or Embracing the Promise of God and Salvation by Christ therein offered is not so much an Act of the Understanding Assenting to a Truth for thus the Devils believe and Wicked men as an Act of the Will Accepting of it and Consenting to it and Trusting in it which the Devils and Wicked men have not This being the language of Our Church I would not willingly depart from it or gratifie the Papists so far as to join with them in reproching our Church as Decrying good Works because we say We are not Justified by them If any shall yet say That when they affirm We are not Justified by Faith onely but by Works allso they mean not That either the one or the other doth Merit Gods Favour and the Remission of our Sins but onely That both Faith and Works are necessary to the Party Justified and That by Justification they mean all that is required to make one a Good Man and one qualified for Heaven and Salvation which cannot be without these I say The meaning is good But so to speak is not to speak Distinctly and like a Scholar but to speak confusedly and to Jumble together those things which in themselves are very Distinct. For in order to Salvation there are many other things necessary beside Justification There is Election Regeneration Justification Adoption Sanctification and as the fruits hereof a Holy Life with Perseverance therein to the end Of which Divines use to speak distinctly and consider separately what belongs to each Election is the Act of God which we are not curiously to pry into nor can we know it otherwise than as the Effect discovers it in time Justification is an Act of God allso and as to a person peccant it is the Remission of Sins upon which we are in Gods account reputed as Just or Innocent and this onely for the Satisfaction which Christ hath made not for any Work of ours And this Satisfaction of Christ is by us embraced by Faith accepting this Salvation offered by Christ not by any other Grace Adoption is an Act of God likewise whereby he reputes us his Children and Heirs of his Kingdom which is for the Merits of Christ Purchasing Heaven
metaphor or mystical expression as we are plainly told Isai. 3. Say ye to the Righteous It shall be well with him for they shall eat the fruit of their doings But Wo to the wicked it shall be ill with him for the reward of his hands shall be given him In the other two places Rom. 1.17 and Gal. 3.11 the Emphasis seems to ly on the word Faith The just shall live by Faith or The just by Faith shall live 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For here the main point in Question was in both Epistles concerning Justification to Life Whether by Works or by Faith And the Conclusion was That by the Deeds of the Law shall no flesh be Justified in the sight of God for by the Law cometh the knowledge of sin But being justified by Faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. In confirmation of which truth the Apostle cites this testimony out of Habakkuk For it is written saith he The Just shall live by Faith And proves it further from the examples of Abraham and David Who were Justified he tells us not by Works but by Faith To whom God imputed Righteousness with works Thus in the Epistle to the Romans And in like manner in that to the Galatians He argues That Abraham's Believing was accounted to him for Righteousness And That in him the Gentiles also are Justified by Faith And do thereby become the Children of faithful Abraham And this he there also confirms by the same testimony That no man is Justified by the Law in the sight of God is evident he tells us For the Just shall live by Faith or The Just by Faith shall live That is Being justified by Faith we shall obtain Life or become Happy Being Justified by Faith we have Peace with God So that the stress of the Proof from this Testimony is laid upon those words By Faith Not of Works but by Faith We have now therefore dispatched these two things from these Words First That this Happiness whatever it be belongs only to the Just the Righteous the Godly Person and to no other That is to those whom God in favour shall repute so And therefore it concerns Us if we would partake of this Happiness to make sure to be of this number That we be such as whom God will account Righteous Otherwise how ever we may flatter our selves or what ever opinion others may conceive of us God tells us His Soul shall have no pleasure in us Secondly That it is by true Faith in Jesus Christ and no other way that we can be reputed Just or Righteous in Gods sight Not for any Righteousness of our own not by works of Righteousness which we have done Our Works perhaps may look glorious in the sight of Men but not in the eyes of God that we should in His sight be justified by Them Our Works may serve to justifie our Faith We may shew our Faith by our Works and By Works is Faith made Perfect But it is our Faith must justifie us Abraham believed God as there is follows and it was imputed to him for Righteousness If Abraham were Justified by Works saith S. Paul he had whereof to Glory but not before God But Abraham's Believing God for so it follows was accounted to him for Righteousness And this God would have so to be That Himself might have all the Glory of his Grace And That Man may have nothing to Glory in nothing to boast of Now to him that worketh as there it follows the Reward is not reckoned of Grace but of Debt But to him that worketh not but Believeth on him that justifieth the Vngodly his Faith is counted to him for Righteousness And David allso as he further argues describeth the Blessedness of that Man to whom God imputeth Righteousness without Works that is not upon the account of Works saying Blessed are they who 's Iniquities are forgiven and who 's sins are covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not Impute sin Not He that hath no sin for then no man would be blessed but to whom it is not Imputed Who ever therefore would be thus accounted Righteous in Gods sight must be contented to Disclaim his Own Righteousness as to any thing of Merit therein and accept of this Imputed Righteousness on the account onely of Christs Righteousness and Merits to the benefit of which we are intituled by Faith in him So far is the Doctrine of S. Paul from the Popish Doctrine of Merits and Supererogation as if we were able to do no onely as much as is sufficient but more than is necessary to make us Just on the account of Works But when we thus exclude the Merits of good Works as to our Justification We do not deny the Necessity of them as to our Practice For it is not every Faith or every thing which a presumptuous wicked person shall call Faith that will Justifie us in the sight of God But such a Faith as works by Love and By Works is Faith made perfect Not an Idle Lazy Faith But an Operative a Working Faith a Faith that purifieth the Heart A Living a Lively Faith But Faith without Works is Dead and can in no other sense be called Faith than as a Dead man or the Picture of a man may be called a man A Faith in the Heart which doth produce Holyness in the Life For without Holyness no man shall see God For it was never the design of S. Paul nor of our Church neither when shee saith Wee are Justified by Faith onely to derogate from the Necessity of Good Works But he doth directly Assert it And he doth not without some Indignation Disclaim that consequence that some would slanderously fasten upon his Doctrine of Free Grace and Justification by Faith onely What shall we say then Shall we continue in Sin that Grace may abound God forbid And as to those for some such there were who as a consequence of his Doctrine did affirm that he said Let us do evil that good may come thereof He says They do slanderously report it and That their condemnation is just But you will say If we be Justified as our Church tells us by Faith onely what need is there of Holyness or a Godly Life I say Much every way For we must be Sanctified as well as Justified if ever we be saved And though Justification and Sanctification go allways together For God Justifies none whom he doth not also Sanctify yet the Notions of the one and the other are very different And whatever some would slanderously insinuate of those who exclude Good Works from Justification as if they were Enemies to Good Works and held That by Faith a man may be saved let his Life be never so Wicked It will be found in experience That they are not less zealous of good Works who think
for us whereby we are entituled to that Purchased Possession And this by us is Accepted by Faith allso And all those are Relative Acts of God towards us rather then Works wrought in us But Regeneration and Sanctification are Works of God wrought in us by his Spirit and produce not one a Relative but a Real change Whereby is wrought in us a New Nature or as the Scripture calls it the New Man or the New Creature whereby Holyness and the Graces of Gods Spirit are Begun and Increased gradually till we come to that of the perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ to that Perfection which we shall attain in Glory And the Practise of Holyness and a Godly Life toward God and toward Man are the Fruit and Effects of such Holyness and Sanctification and necessary allso to Salvation So that Holyness and a Good Life with the Works of Piety Charity and other good Deeds are indeed Necessary to Salvation but belong properly to Sanctification rather than to Justification And I would Ask those Men who choose to speak otherwise Whether they think that beside Justification there is such a thing as Sanctification The Papist if he would speak out must say roundly There is not For when they say we are justified by Inherent Righteousness that is by Holyness they leave nothing for Sanctification But We who think that Justification and Sanctification though of the same Person be different Notions Why should we not rather refer Sanctify to Sanctification If it be said That the Justified and the Sanctified person are the same and therefore we need not so nicely distinguish between Justification and Sanctification I say 'T is true the Persons be the same But the Notions be different And though we may truly say Justus est Sanctus or Justificatus est Sanctificatus yet not Justificatio est Sanctificatio He that is Justified is Sanctified but not that Justification is Sanctification And a little Logick would teach a Fresh-man That Concretes may be predicated one of another when the Abstracts may not We may say that Homo est Animal but not that Humanitas est Animalitas Or that Homo est Albus but not Humanitas est Albedo If lastly It be thought Advantageous to the Practise of Holyness and a Godly Life to say that we are Justified by it I say Neither is this Necessary For this is as well done by preaching the Necessity of Regeneration and Sanctification as without which we cannot hope for Salvation And then the Exercise of Holiness and a Godly Life comes in properly in its own place as the necessary Effect of Sanctification And in this capacity it is that our Church without derogating any thing from the necessity of them doth place Good Works as the necessary Fruits of that Faith which Justifies and a Pretense of Faith without these she esteems to be not Faith but Fancy And therefore though shee exclude them as hath been said from the Office of Justifying yet thinks them necessary to be joined with Faith in every Person that is justified And makes it the Office and Duty of every Christian man unto God not to pass the time of this present life unfruitfully and idly not caring how few good Works we do to the Glory of God and the Profit of our Neighbours Much less to live contrary to the same For that Faith she tells us which bringeth without Repentance either Evil Works or no Good Works is not a right pure and lively Faith but a dead devilish counterfeit and faigned Faith as S. Paul and S. James call it For even the Devils Know and Beleeve That Christ was born of a Virgine That he fasted fourty days and fourty nights without meat and drink That he wrought all kind of Miracles declaring himself very God They beleeve also that Christ for our sake suffered most painfull Death to redeem from Everlasting Death And that he Rose again from Death the third day They beleeve that he Ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the Right hand of the Father and at the last end of this World shall come again and Iudge both the quick and the dead These Articles of our Faith the Devils Beleeve And so they Beleeve all all things that be written in the New and Old Testament to be true And yet for all this Faith they be but Devils remaining still in their damnable state lacking the very true Christian Faith For the right and true Christian Faith is not onely to believe that holy Scripture and all the foresaid Articles of our Faith are true But also to have a sure Trust and Confidence in Gods merciful Promises to be saved from everlasting Damnation by Christ Whereof doth follow a Loving heart to Obey his Commandements And this true Christian Faith neither any Devil hath nor yet any man which in the outward Profession of his Mouth and in his outward Receiving of the Sacraments in coming to the Church and in all outward appearances seemeth to be a Christian and yet in his Living and Deeds sheweth the contrary So that Our Church is far from allowing an Idle Lasy Life much less a Sinful and Wicked Life to accompany Faith But tells us that where there are Faith is not There is indeed she tells us a Faith which in Scripture is called a Dead faith which bringeth forth no good Works but is idle barren and unfruitful which is by S. James compared to the Faith of Devils And this is not properly called Faith as a Dead man is not a Man But as he thus readeth Caesar 's Commentaries Beleeving the same to be True hath thereby a Knowledge of Caesar 's Life and notable Acts because he beleeveth the History of Caesar Yet is not properly sayd That he Beleeveth In Caesar of whom he looketh for no help or benefit Even so he that Beleeveth That all that is spoken of God in the Bible is True and yet liveth so Vngodly that he cannot look to enjoy the Promises and Benefits of God Although it may be sayd that such a man hath a faith and belief To the Words of God yet it is not properly sayd That he beleeveth In God or hath such a Faith and Trust In God whereby he may surely look for grace mercy and everlasting life at Gods hand but rather for indignation and punishment according to the merits of his wicked life If then they phantasy that they be set at liberty from doing all good works and may live as they list they trifle with God and deceive themselves And it is a manifest token that they be far from having the true and lively Faith and allso far from knowledge what true Faith meaneth For the very sure and lively Christian Faith is not onely to Beleeve all things of God which are contained in holy Scripture but allso is an earnest Trust and Confidence in God This true lively and unfeigned Christian Faith is not in the Mouth
and outward Profession onely but it liveth and stirreth inwardly in the Heart This Faith doth not ly Dead in the Heart but is Lively and Fruitfull in bringing forth Good Works This true Faith will shew forth it self and cannot long be Idle For as it is written The Just man doth Live by his Faith Deceive not your selves therefore thinking that you have Faith in God When you live in Sin For then your Vngodly and Sinfull Life declareth the contrary whatsoever you Say or Think With much more to the same purpose Shewing the Necessity of Good Works to our Salvation though we be not Justified by them With many serious Exhortations to the Preacher of them And this is that safe way which I sayd our Church directs in this point To be Fruitfull in Good Works not as to be Justified by them But as the Necessary Fruits of that Faith by which we are Justified Thus have I considered the Words The Just shall live by Faith according to both these Emphases allready mentioned That on the word Just or Righteous as contradistinguished from the Wicked And that on the word Faith as contradistinguished from Works in the point of Justification But beside those Two already mentioned there is yet a Third Emphasis of which these words are capable And which I think is principally intended in this place By Life as is already shewed is meant Happyness as on the contrary by Death is meant Misery Now the Christians Life of Happiness is commonly distinguished into that of Grace and that of Glory That of Glory is to be expected hereafter and is the Completion of our Hapyness or as the Apostle calls it the End of our Hope even the Salvation of our Souls That of Grace is the Exercise of our Faith here Which the Text calls Living by Faith And S. Paul elsewhere The Life which I now live in the Flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God And this I think though not Exclusive of the Life of Glory is that which is here principally and most emphatically intended when he saith The Just shall live by Faith And this I judge not barely from the Form of the Words themselves which stand equally fair for all those Emphases already mentioned but from the Scope of Content which lookes this way For such is the Richness of the Scripture language That comprehensive Words are improvable to different Purposes according as a different Accent or Emphasis may be putt upon them and all included within the general Scope of them Now if we look back to Vers. 19. and those that follow we find the Apostle Paul whom I take to be the Author of this Epistle and so doth our Church of England as appears by the Title which our Translators prefix to it Or whoever else were the Author of it of which we need not here be very solicitous After he had before cleared that Doctrine That the Legal Offerings and Sacrifices were but Types of that One Oblation of Christ And This the Accomplishment of what was Presignified in Them Makes this Vse or Inference from that Doctrine Having therefore Boldness to enter in the Holiest by the Bloud of Jesus By a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the Vail that is to say this Flesh Let us draw near with a true Heart and full assurance of Faith having our Hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our Bodies washed with pure Water Where beside the Assurance of Faith he presseth allso for Holyness of Life both in Soul and Body And that both Singly and Jointly in Publike and Private As which we are not onely to Practise Our selves but to Promote as we have opportunity in others allso For so it follows And let us consider one another to Provoke to Love and Good Works Not forsaking the Assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is And having then intimated the Dangers which hereby they might incur as Reproches Afflictions Spoiling of Goods and the like of Themselves and their Friends being made a Gazing-stock themselves and Companions of those that were so used Enduring patiently the spoiling of their goods c. Not onely from the common practise of Wicked and Profane men who are ever prone to scoff at the Power of Godliness walking after their own Lusts having a Form of Godliness but Denying the Power of it But especially at a Time and Place wherein it was not countenanced by the Publike Authority the Government being the Heathen And that therefore they had need of Patience that after they had done the Will of God they might receive the Promise Their chief Reward not being in present Possession but in Expectance onely Yet should they not be Discouraged For yet a little while and he that shall come Will come and will not Tarry The Reward will certainly come in due Season 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the appointed time and not be put off beyond that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it will not be Delayed too long or as in Habakkuk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it will not come too late but at the End it shall speak and not Ly. And in the mean time The Just shall live by Faith But if any man draw-back my soul shall have no pleasure in him So that the Words are manifestly a Direction and Encouragement for the Exercise of our Faith while we are yet but in Expectation of the Promised Reward which is hereafter to be completed So to Live by Faith here that we be not Disappointed of our Hopes hereafter And the same he pursues in the following Chapter Giving us Great Examples of Living by Faith and the Advantages of so doing in Abel Enoch Noah Abraham Sarah Isaac Jacob Joseph Moses and a many more throughout the whole Eleventh Chapter And then Exhorts them in the beginning of the Twelfth Chapter That being compassed about with so great a Cloud of Witnesses they should themselves do as those before had done The great Doctrine of the Text therefore is this That it is our Duty and it is our Privilege to Live by Faith That is to Live in a constant Exercise of that Grace upon all occasions It is our Duty which we Ought to do And it is our Privilege that we May do it It is our Duty to Trust in God And it is our Privilege that we have a God to trust in Nor doth this Duty and Privilege concern these onely to whom this Epistle was particularly directed the Christian Hebrews But it looks Backward to the First Ages of the World and Wider than the Jewish Nation I say first It looks Backward to the first Ages of the World Nor onely before the Coming of Christ but even before the Establishment of the Jewish Church To Abel Enoch Noah before Abraham and then to Abrabraham Isaac Jacob Joseph before Moses All which are sayd to Live
by Faith And even by the same Faith to which he doth there exhort the Christian Hebrews It was the same Christ the same Gospel though not so clearly reveiled and the same Eternal Life which they expected though they were more in the dark as to the particulars and the distinct ways and methodes of bringing it to pass And as the first Threatening In the day that thou Eatest thereof thou shalt surely Dy extended to Spiritual and Eternal Death as well as the Natural For we are not to suppose that God Inflicts a greater Punishment than what he threatened So the Life there Promised by way of Insinuation and elsewhere Expressed He that doth them shall Live in them must be understood in a like sense not of Temporal Promises onely but of Spiritual and Eternal And the Apostle expounds it if the same Life or what is equivalent to be obtained by the first Covenant upon condition of Obedience and by the second Covenant by Faith in Christ. That no man is Justified by the Law in the sight of God is evident For the Just shall live by Faith And the Law is not of Faith but the Man that Doth them shall live in them The same Life or Blessedness though by different ways attainable And the Apostle here shews That it is the same Faith by which We beleeve to the saving of our Souls and by which the Elders obtained a good Report And by Faith Abraham with Isaac and Jacob Heirs with him of the same promise Sojourned in the Promised Land as in a strange Countrey of which though promised to them they had no other Enjoyment than mere Strangers For he looked for a City who 's Builder and Maker was God another kind of City than those on Earth All these Died in Faith not having Received the Promises which were therefore such as were to be enjoyed after Death but seeing them afar off and were perswaded of them and Embraced them and confessed that they were Strangers and Pilgrims upon Earth this being not the Countrey they sought for For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a Countrey such a Countrey as yet they had not And truly if they had been mindful of such a Countrey as that from whence they came they might have had opportunity to have returned But now 't is manifest they desire a Better Countrey that is an Heavenly Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called Their God the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob For he hath prepared a City for them By all which the Apostle doth not only Declare that they expected an Heavenly Happiness but Argues strongly That it must needs be so And by Faith Moses he tells us Esteemed the Reproches of Christ greater Riches than the Treasures of Egypt For he had respect to the Recompense of Reward as Seeing him that is Invisible Others were Tortured not accepting Deliverance that they might obtain a better Resurrection Others had Tryal of or did undergo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expertisunt Cruel Mockings of Bonds and Imprisonment Were Stoned were Sawn asunder were Slayn with the Sword c. And all these having obtained a good Report through Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 received not the Promise their Faith was exercised on better Promises than of what they here received God having provided for them Better things that they without us should not be perfect the Promises to them and those to us being the same Again As this Duty and Privilege of Living by Faith extended Backwards to the times before Christ So it extends Wider than the Nation of the Jews A Blessing which the Gentiles are particularly concerned in and which we this day celebrate The Epiphany or the Manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles For the Blessing of Abraham is come upon the Gentiles also through Jesus Christ that We might receive the promise of the Spirit through Faith And the Scripture foreseeing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that God would Justify the Heathen through Faith preached before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did before hand preach the Gospell to Abraham saying In thee that all Nations be blessed So then they which are of Faith the same are the Children of Abraham They which be of Faith are Blessed with faithfull Abraham And are therefore of the number of those as there it follows who shall Live by Faith Now if it be asked What it is thus to Live by Faith It is too large a Task for one Sermon to give a full account of it For allmost the whole Bible and the Practise of the Saints in all Ages are but a Comment on it I shall therefore content my self to give a short account of some of the chief Heads thereof To Live by Faith therefore is First to Beleeve the Word of God to give Credit to the Truthes of God or things by him declared how unlikely soever they may seem to be and however different from the common Sentiments of Natural men or what the Light of Nature alone could teach us For though there be nothing in Divine Truths Contrary to what the Light of Nature truly understood may teach us Yet there may be some things much above it which without Revelation cannot be known Thus By Faith we Beleeve That the Worlds were made by the Word of God that things that are now seen were made not of things that do appear That is that the now visible World was not made up of such things as we now see or that there was no praeexisting Matter such as we now see of which it was made but was indeed made of Nothing Which however contrary to the sentiments of Philosophers Ex nihilo nihil in nihilum nil posse reverti That nothing can be made out of Nothing Yet when God hath told us that it is so we are to give full credit to it There is indeed nothing from the Light of Nature Contrary hereunto why we should Disbeleeve it when it is Reveiled But yet we are sayd to know it by Faith because it is Above what Nature alone could have taught For when we see this glorious Fabrick of the World we might well admire it but could never know whence it was if God had not told us For though Naturalists have with a great deal of Reason talked of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Causa prima a Common Maker or First Cause which should give Original to all things else Yet this was but either from some faint Remains of an ancient Tradition from Adam and Noah downward to after Ages Or atmost be Conjectural and Groping in the dark and Guessing at this as a more likely Supposition than That it had Allways been or should take its beginning from a Fortuitous Concurse of Atomes Which yet the Wits of this Age as they would be thought or the Fools rather would now cry-up as
somewhat of Faith requisite to put them into a capacity of Receiving a Cure S. Paul at Lystra seeing the Cripple impotent in his feet and perceiving that he had Faith to be Healed sayd to him Stand upright And Christ to Mary Magdalene Thy Faith hath saved thee And again to one of the ten Lepers Thy Faith hath made thee whole And to the Father of the Demoniack praying him to have Compassion on them and heal his Son If thou canst Beleeve saith Christ all things are possible to him that Beleeveth who thereupon replied Lord I Beleeve help my Vnbelief and obtained the Cure And contrarywise of his own Countrey-men it is sayd He did not or could not do many mighty works there Because of their Vnbelief And though Miracles be now ceased yet the Effects of Faith are not And in pursuance of Gods Promises That Whatsoever we ask in Prayer Beleeving we shall Receive We may still expect a suitable Supply Especially if we take it with that Limitation that If we Ask any thing according to his Will he Heareth us And will accordingly Grant us the things we Ask in Faith or at lest what shall be Better for us And this is to Live by Faith Now if thus as is sayd we can Live by Faith and while we be Faithfull in the discharge of our Duty Trust God upon his Promises and from Him Fetch a supply of Strength and Grace Direction and Consolation This will naturally work in us 1. An humble Submission to his Will The Will of the Lord be done Not as I will but as Thou wilt 2. A quiet Contentment in every Condition It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good We are Less than the Lest of thy Mercies Thou hast Punished us Less than our Iniquities deserve Why doth the living man Complain It is the Lords Mercy that we are not Consumed because his Compassions Fail not 3. A Patient Waiting Gods leisure He that Beleeveth maketh not Hast. The Vision is for an Appointed Time and in the end it will not Ly Though it Tarry Wait for it It will surely come 4. An Acquiescence in Gods Wisdome as to Events Casting our Care upon the Lord who careth for us Not by a Supine Negligence or Carelessness as wholly unconcerned But while we are Carefull to do our Duties leave the Care of Success to God who hath Promised That He will not leave us nor forsake us And that All things shall work together for Good to them that love God So that if things be not just as we could wish they will at lest by so as God sees Better for us And if singly some things may seem for our Hurt yet taken all together they will Work together for Good 5. An assured Hope that in the End All shall be well how contrary so ever things may seem at present As Children of faithfull Abraham Who against Hope Beleeved in Hope That he might be the Father of Many Nations Not considering his own Body as now dead nor the Deadness of Sarah 's Womb Nor Staggered at the Promise of God through Vnbelief Being fully perswaded that he who promised was Able to perform And this both as to the Church of God in general That the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it And as to Our selves in particular As Knowing whom we have Trusted and that He is Able to Keep what we have Committed to him That He who hath Begun a good Work will perfect it unto the day of Jesus Christ That none is able to pluck us out of our Fathers hand That Nothing shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord That the Lord shall deliver us from Evill Work and will preserve us to his Heavenly Kingdome To whom he Glory for ever and ever Amen FINIS Job 2.4 Deut. 30.15 Ver. 19. Jer. 21.8 Gen. 2.17 1 Tim. 5.6 Joh. 11.25 Ver. 29. Hebr. 9.27 Rev. 20.6 Rom. 8.13 Ver. 6. Joh. 3.15 16. Gal. 3.11 Heb. 10.38 Hab. 2.4 Heb. 10.38 Dr. Pecock Exod. 14.19 20. Isa. 3.10 Ver. 11. Rom. 3.20 Rom. 5.1 Rom. 1.17 Rom. 4.2 5 6. Gal. 3.6 7. Ver. 11. Tit. 3.5 Jam. 2.18 Ver. 22. Ver. 23. Rom. 4.2 Ver. 3. Ver. 4. Ver. 5. Ver. 6. Ver. 7. Ver. 8. Gal. 5.6 Jam. 2.22 Acts 15.5 Jam. 2.20 Heb. 12.14 Artic. 11. Rom. 6.1 Rom. 3.8 Rom. 6.22 Mat. 1.19 Theognid Tit. 2.12 Ver. 13. Ver. 14. 1 Cor 6.9 Ver. 10. Ver. 11. (a) Article II. Of the Justification of Man We are accounted righteous before God onely for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by Faith and not for our own Works or Deservings Wherefore that we are Justified by Faith onely is a most Wholsome Doctrine and full of Comfort as more largely is expressed in the Homily of Justification (b) Article 12. Of Good Works Allbeit that Good Works which are the Fruits of Faith and Follow After Justification cannot put away our sins and endure the severity of Gods Iudgement yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ and do spring out necessarily of a true and lively Faith in so much that by them a lively Faith may be as evidently known as a Tree discerned by the Fruit. Luk. 17.10 Eph. 1.14 Eph. 4.24 Gal. 6.15 Eph. 4.13 1 Pet. 1.5 Gal. 2.17 Heb. 10.19 Ver. 20. Ver. 22. Ver. 24. Ver. 32 33 34. Ver. 33. Ver. 34. 2 Pet. 3.3 2 Tim. 3.5 Heb. 10.36 Ver. 37. Hab. 2.3 Heb. 10.37 Ver. 38. Heb. 11. Heb. 12.1 Heb. 11.4 5 7. Ver. 8 9 20 21 22. Gen. 2.17 Levit. 18.5 Ezek. 20.11 Gal. 3.11 12. Rom. 10.5 6. Heb. 10.39 Heb. 11.2 Ver. 8 9. Ver. 1$ Ver. 13. Ver. 14. Ver. 15. Ver. 16. Ver. 26. Ver. 27. Ver. 35. Ver. 36. Ver. 37. Ver. 39. Ver. 4$ January 6. Gal. 3.14 Ver. 8. Ver. 7. Ver. 9. Ver. 11. Heb. 11.3 Psal. 14.1 2 Tim. 1.10 Tit. 1.11 1 Cor. 11.16 Mat. 12.41 42. Luk. 11-31 32. Joh. 11.24 Mat. 22 23-32 Jam. 2.19 Luk. 9.23 Mat. 10.38 Mar. 8.34 Mat. 19.21 Mar. 10.19 Joh. 12.25 Heb. 11.8 Ver. 9. Ver. 17. Ver. 18. Ver. 19. Ver. 24 25. Ver. 26. Ver. 33. Ver. 34. Ver. 35. Ver. 36. Ver. 37. * Mr. Gataker in his Adversaria Cap. 44. thinks that for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should rather be read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because Vivicumburium or Burning alive being a punishment then frequently inflicted on Christians of which in this Catalog of suffrings there is no other mention he thinks it more likely that it should thus be here mentioned with such a Paronomasia which the Apostle seems to affect than that in the Enumeration of their Torments should be here inserted their being Tempted And our Church seems to favour this Reading which in the second part of that Sermon of Faith where this place is cited at large hath it thus Some have been Racked some Slain some Stoned some Sawn some Rent in pieces some Beheaded some Brent without mercy and would not be delivered because they looked to Rise again to a better state Ver. 38. Ver. 39. Act. 19.22 Ver. 23. Ver. 24. Act. 21.13 Heb. 11.7 Prov. 14.16 Prov. 22.3 Prov. 27.12 Exod. 9.20 Ver. 21. Prov. 14.9 Prov. 10.23 Prov. 7.22 Ver. 23. Mat 12.41 Luk. 11.32 Jonah 2.4 Ver. 5. Ver. 8. Ver. 9. Gen. 19.14 Ver. 24 25. 2 Pet. 3.3 Ver. 5. Luk. 13.3 5. 2 Pet. 3.10 1 Thes. 5.2 Ver. 3. Psal. 1.1 Wisd. 5.3 Ver. 4. Ver. 5. Ver. 7. Deut. 29.19 Ver. 20. Ver. 21. Deut. 17.13 Heb. 11.9 Ver. 10. Ver. 11. Ver. 20. Ver. 22. Psal 10.14 Prov. 16.3 Prov. 3.15 Psal. 37.5 Ver. 7. Ver. 9. Psal. 18.2 Joh. 15.4 Ver. 5. Gal. 2.20 Joh. 1.16 Joh. 7.37 38 39. Joh. 4.14 Isa. 12.3 Rom. 8.26 Phil. 2.13 Collect for Easter Week Phil. 4.13 Jam. 1.5 Ver. 6. Jam. 4.2 Ver. 3. Ver. 15. Heb. 4.2 Act. 14.9 10. Luk. 7.50 Luk. 17.19 Mar. 9.22 Ver. 23. Ver. 24. Mat. 13.58 Mar. 6.5 6. Mat. 21.22 1 Joh. 5.14 Act. 21.14 Mat. 26.39 1 Sam. 3.18 Gen. 32.10 Ezr. 9.10 Lam. 3.39 Ver. 22. Isai. 28.16 Hab. 2.3 1 Pet. 5.7 Heb. 13.5 Rom. 8.28 Gal. 3.7 9. Rom. 4.18 Ver. 19. Ver. 20. Ver. 21. Mat. 16.18 2 Tim. 1.12 Phil. 1.6 Joh. 10.29 Rom. 8.39 2 Tim. 4.18