to those which are redeemed and justified by faith to give them grace to worship him in holyness and righteousness Secondly we note that our justification and sanctification are both the free gifts of God for it is he that redeemeth and justifieth and it is he also that sanctifieth which point needeth no proof seeing God 〈◊〉 swear they are both his gifts The use where of in a word is that both they which want these benefits being neither freed from the guilt of their sins nor purged from their corruptions may know where to seek themâ— also those that have them maybe thankful to God the giver of them which is the thing whereunto the holy Ghost by Zachary exciteth us in this Psalm Now this gift promised by Oath that I may come to the parts thereof is twofold our redemption or justification for to be redeemed is to have our sins remitted Ephes. 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. and to have our sins remitted is to be justified and the fruit or end of our redemption which is our sanctification consisting in the faithful sincere and constant service of God in holyness and righteousness Of these I am to speak First joyntly of both together and then of either of them severally In the ioynt consideration we are to observe both the order and coniunction of them The order is plainly expressed by the Participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that being delivered from the hand of our enemies we should worship him c. For the meaning of the holy Ghost is that God would give us both that we should be redeemed and delivered from the hand of our enemies and also that we should worship him But to note the order he hath expressed the former part which is the benefit of redemption by the Participle that being delivered from the hand of our enemies we should worship him c. which teacheth us that before we can worship God aright we must be delivered from the bondage of our spiritual enemies and that for two reasons For first naturally we are the servants of sin and of Sathan Being servants of sin we are in two respects utterly disabied from serving God until we be delivered out of this bondage for first being servants of sin we are frâ—e from righteousness Rom. 6. 20. in respect of that privative corruption which is in us all derived from our first parents being a privation of all spiritual goodness Rom. 7. 18. not only in respect of the act but also in respect of the habite and power as blindness is of sight being a meer impotency to that which is spiritually good in so much that not only we do not think nor wil nor do that which is good but also we are not able thereunto Of our selves we cannot so much as think a good thought 2 Cor. 3. 5. The natural man doth not understand spiritual things neither can he understand them 1. Cor. 2. 14. Fulgentius De incarnat gratia 〈…〉 wel that Adam by his sin wholy lost the faculty of thinking those things which appertain to God and also of willing that which is good and much more of doing that which is good for wil may be present when performance is wanting Rom. 7. 18. But it is God that worketh in us both to wil and to do Phil 2. 13. Insomuch that the faithfull themselves if they think or 〈◊〉 or do any thing that is good may truly say every of them 1 Cor. 15. 10. not I but the grace of God which is with me For the carnal mind or the disposition of our corrupt nature is not subject to the Law of God neither can it be Rom. 8. 7. Augustine truly faith that man by his fall lost bonum passibilitatis and our Saviour professeth that without him or not being in him we can do nothing John 15. 5. Doth not the holy Ghost elsewhere teach the same when he affirmeth thaâ— we are naturally dead in fin Ephes. 2. 1. 5 And therefore as a dead man cannot perform the actions of the natural life no more can he that is dead in sin perform the actions of the life spiritual likewise when he calleth our recovery from sin sometimes the first resurrection whereby the soul which before was dead is Homo per peccatum facultatem 〈…〉 perdidit bona voluntatis it raysed as it were from the grave of sinne sometimes regeneration whereby we being before dead are quickened and begotten a new unto God Sometimes new creation by which we are made new creatures created unto good works For as the first creation was a motion from nothing to those things which are so the new creation is a motion from our not being of grace and spiritual goodness to a being thereof which serveth notably to confuâ—e the erroneous conceipts of the patrons of freewil the Pelagians Papists Arminians and our new Anabaptists Secondly being servants of sin sin raigneth in us as a Iyrant without resistance imposing upon us a necessity of sinning In respect whereof it may truly be said that naturally we do nothing but sin neither can we do otherwise but sin Our free-wil by nature having as Augustine saith no hability but to sin For as the same Augustine saith 〈…〉 The frame of a mans thoughts and imaginations which the Apostle calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is evil and only evil and that 〈◊〉 Gen. 6. 5. 8. 21. and therefore of the 〈…〉 Apostle affirmeth Rom. 8. 7. 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not an 〈…〉 also enmity against God And for the 〈◊〉 cause our Saviour when Peter 〈…〉 counsel called him Sathan 〈…〉 why he so called him was 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is mind and affect the things which are of men Mat. 16. 23. And S 〈◊〉 affirmeth that that wisdom which is 〈◊〉 and carnal is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iam. 3. 15. As therefore it was wel said of Augustine De natura gratiae contra Pelag that man by his fall did lose 〈◊〉 possibilitatis so as truly he did deny that he retaineth possibilitatem non peccandi And this 〈◊〉 the estate of all men in their pure 〈◊〉 which the Philosophers do magnifie as good and the Papists qualifie as not evil In regard whereof notwithstanding we may truly be said besides the guiltiness of Adams heynous transgression to have but two faults the one that there is in us no goodness spirituall nor possibility of our selves but a meer impotency to that which is good The other that there is us naturally an evill disposition and 〈◊〉 into all mâ—â—â—er of sâ—â— which doth so domâ—â—â—â—r in us that it imposeth a necessity of sinning so that by nature as we do no good neither can we think or wil or do that which is good so do we nothing but sin neither can we do any thing but sin And as we are naturally the servants of sin so by sin we are also the serof the devil who is the
Prince Ioh. 12. 31 and God of this world 2 Cor. 4. 4. under whose subjection the whole world of the wicked lyeth 1 Ioh. 5. 19. who is the powerful Prince of the aire working effectually in the children of disobedience Ephes. 2. 2. carrying them away captive to do his wil. 2 Tim. 2. 26. This servitude to sin and Sathan the mystery of our redemption doth presuppose For if we were not captives we needed not to be redeemed And he doth therefore redeem us that we might serve him and therefore before he doth actually redeem us we cannot serve him in holyness and righteousness Socondly we are by nature the children of wrath Ephes. 2. 3. and enemies yea rebels against GOD. And therefore until we be reconciled unto him by the death of Christ and justified by faith through redemption wrought by Christ we cannot do any thing which may be acceptable to God for they that are in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8. 8. The person must be accepted before his actions can be accepted And without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. Now if this be so that we cannot serve God or do any thing that shal be accepted of him unleâ—s we be first redeemed justified and reconciled to him how doth it behoâ—e every one that hath not yet obtained these graces to labour for them above all thâ— things in this world For until then he doth nothing but sinn and by multiplying sinns he doth hoard up wrath against the day of wrath The means of Gods part is the preaching of the Gospel which is therefore called the ministry of reconciliation which God hath committed to the Preachers thereof by whom as his Embassadors in Christs steed he intreateth you to be reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 5. 18 20. The means on our part are faith prayeâ— and repentance For if thou dost truly and by a lively faith effectually believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and Saviour of all that believe in him thou art bound to believe also or else thou makest God a lyar that he is thy Saviour and so believing thou art justified and being justified by faith thou shalt have peace with God Secondly if the Lord who is the party offended and needeth not thy friendship desiâ—eth thee to be reconciled unto him wilt not thou who art the offendor who also without his favour shalt perish eternally wilt not thou I say by hearty and earnest prayer deâ—iâ—e him to be reconciled unto thee Now if 〈◊〉 dost by the prayer of faith desire God to be reconciled unto thee what should hindâ—â— thy reconciliation when thou destrest 〈◊〉 of God which God by his Ministers desireth of thee But unto these two we must add the duty of repentance For if we continue in sinn without repentance and please our selves in â—â—â—pleasing God how can we perswade our sâ—lvâ—s that we desire to be reconciled unto him And if we do not desire to be reconciled then are we the professed enemies of God for whom remaineth the fearful expectation of that judgment which shaldestroy the adversaâ—â—â—â— of God Heb. 10. 27. So much of the order Now we are to speak of the concurâ—â—nce of these two graces For when the Lord sweareth that to those whom he redeemeth and justifieth he wil give grace to worship him in holyness and righteousness from hence we do necessarily collect that sanctification is an unseparable companion of justification and that no man can have assurance that he is justified unless he be in some measure sanctified Let no man therefore deceive himself with a vain profession of an idle and dead faith 〈◊〉 2. 14. for unlesse thou doest at the least desire and endevour to worship God in holnesse and righteousnesse it is as certain as the oath of the Lord is true that as yet thou art not justified nor actually made partaker of the redemption wrought by Christ. It is true that our Saviour Christ in the dayes of his flesh did redeem us meritoriously paying a ransome sufficient for all that should beleeve in him but none are actually made partakers of this Redemption but they to whom it is applyed and it is applyed only to those that truly believe and true faith purifieth the heart Act. 15. 9. and worketh by love Gal. 5 6. and is to be demonstrated by good works 〈…〉 faith as all those are which truly believe in him in them Christ dwelleth by his Spirit for Rom. 8. 9. they are not his who have not his Spirit applying unto them not only the merit of his death to their redemption and the benefit of his resurrection to their justification Rom. 4. 25. but also the vertue and efficacie of his death to mortifie their sinnes Phil. 3. 8 9. and of his resurrection to raise them to newnesse of life so that for whose sinnes Christ died they die to their sinne and for whose justification he arose they also rise to newnesse of life The Apostle Rom. 6. 3. 4. affirmeth that those who have been baptâ—zed into CHRIST were baptized into his death and resurrection that as CHRIST did die and rise againe so they also die to sinne and rise to a newnesse of life 2. CHRIST was given unto us by his Father not only to be our justification and redemption but also our Sanctification 1 Cor. 1. 30. Neither did hee come with blood alone or with water alone 1 Iohn 5. 6. But as Saint Iohn in his Gospell carefully observeth as a thing most remarkable Iohn 19. 34 35. He came both with water and with blood with the blood of redemption to expiate the guilt of our sins and with the water of ablution or sanctification to cleanse us from the corruption 1 Iohn 5. 6. And in respect of both his blood doth cleanse us from all our sins 1 Ioh. 1. 7. from the guilt perfectly in our justification from the corruption in part and by degrees in our sanctification See Hebr. 9. 14. 3. Whosoever are the sons of God by adoption as all those are Io. 1. 12 13. that truly believe they also are his sons by regeneration 4. The same is implied in the benefit of Redemption whereby Christ our blessed Saviour doth not only redeem us from the guilt of sin which bindeth men over to damnation but also from the bondage of sinne that howsoever sinne doth remaine in the faithfull yet it shall not reigne in them Rom. 6. 14. nor have dominion over them For they that practise sinne are the servants of sinne Iohn 8. 34. and of Satan 1 Ioh. 3. 8. in them sin reigneth and therefore they are not by Christ redeemed from the bondage of sinnâ— For whom the Sonne maketh free they are free indeed Ioh. 8. 36. 5. The same is proved by the nature and property of a true faith For faith is a grace of regeneration which the Spirit of God when he doth regenerate us ingenerateth in us wherby as we are justified alone because no other
grace doth concurre with it to the act of justification So are we sanctified in part â—â—gether with other graces and therefore is never severed from the grace of regeneration or from other sanctifying and saving graâ—â—â— and further it is the property of faith having justified us inwardly to purifie the heart Act. 15. 9. and outwardly to work by love Gal. 5. 6. Therfore though to the act of justification neither outward obedience nor inward graces do concur with faith as any cause thereof Yet in the subject that is in the party justified they must and do concur as necessary fruits of a true and lively faith without which it is dead Iam. 2. 20. And therefore a true lively justifying faith is also a sanctifying faith Now both from the order and conjunction of these graces we may infer a singular consolation to all the trueâ— Children of God For if there be such a conjunction between these two graces of justification and sanctification that whosoever hath the one hath also the other and who hath not both hath neither then it followeth necessarily that as he that is justified is also sanctified So he that is sanctified is also justified and if the order between them be such that a man cannot serve God in the duties of sanctification untill he be justified nor cannot worship God aright untill he be redeemed from his spiritâ—all enemies then it followeth 〈◊〉 that they who are in any true measure sanctified are also justified that they who sincerely desire and endevour to walk in the obedience of Gods holy will making conscience of their wayes are redeemed from the hand of their spirituall enemies And not only may we from our sanctification come to the certain knowledge of our justification but also we may thereby make our calling and our election sure For dost thou professing the true faith endevour to keep a good conscience and to walk uprightly before God then it is certain that thou art justified by a true faith art thou justified then 〈◊〉 is certain that thou art effectually called art thou called according to Gods purpose then without doubt thou art elected art thou elected then undoubtedly thou shalt be saved Seeing then such singular comfort â—â—setâ— from the leading of a godly and upright 〈◊〉 as that thereby we may make our calling and election sure hereby we should all of us be excited to the study of godlinesse and practise of piety for the greatest comfort that we can have in this life is to be 〈◊〉 of our election and salvation But to the knowledge of our election we cannot come 〈◊〉 by any thing going before as the cause thereof but à posteriori by the effects The sâ—ries or chaine of the degrees of salvation may not unfitly be compared to Iacobs ladder which reached from the earth to heaven the lowest step whereof in this life is our sanctification whereon if we can set our foot we may from thence arise to our justification and from thence to our effectuall calling and from thence to our election But if we will without ascending by these degrees take upon us to conclude the certainty of our election we shall be like him that being to go up a ladder would strive at the first to set his foot on the highest step of the ladder neglecting the lower degrees CHAP. V. Of the parts of the gift severally and first of Redemption NOw we are to speak of the parts severally and first of redemption in these words That we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies Where wee are to note Three things 1. The parties that are redeâ—med 2. The party by whom and after what manner 3. The parties from whom our enemies 1. The parties redeemed are We who have Abraham to our Father that is to say the faithfull not all men but those only that believe For so God loved the world that he gave his only begotten Sonne that whosâ—ever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Ioh. 3. 16. Thus he is said to have saved his people from their sins Matth. 1. 21. to lay down his life for his sheep Iohn 10. 15. to have given himself for his Church Ephes. 5. 25. that he might redeem us from all iniquity and might purifie to himself a peculiar people Titus 2. 14. The Prophet Esay teâ—tifieth that Christ by his knowledge that is by the knowledgement of him which is faith shall justifie many Esay 53. 11 12. for he shall bear their iniquities and that he bare the sin of many and our Saviour himselfe Matth. 26. 18. that his blood was shed for many for remission of sins It is true that Christ his death is a sâ—fficient price of ransome for the sinnes of the whole world Yea of more worlds if there were more then one for his blood and his sufferings whereby he redeemed us were the blood and sufferings of him that was and is God Act 20. 28. but yet they are effectual only to those that do believe Arg. 1. For if Christ had redeemed all men then all should be saved 1. For all that are redeemed are also justified and all that are justified shal be glorified 2. For for whom Christ died for them he hath satisfied the justice of his father so that there is no condemnation to them whom Christ hath redeemed 3. For whom Christ dyed them by his death he reconciled to God now they who when they were enemies were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled 〈◊〉 be saved by his life Arg. 2. Neither may we think that Christ would die for them for whom he would not pray But for the world faith he Iohn 17. 9. that is for the company of the 〈◊〉 and reproâ—atâ—s I pray not but for them whom thou hast given me out of the world Arg. 3. But if the Oath of an honest man ought to be the end of controversie much more ought the Oath of God in this place end this controversie concerning universall redemption For God hath sworn that to so many as he redeemeth he wil give them to worship him in holsness and righteousness But the greater part of mankind have never the grace to worship God in holyness and righteousness and therefore to them the benefit of redemption doth not belong Now when we do profess our selves to be the redeemed of the Lord we do withall confess that in our selves we are bondmen and servants whom Christ came to redeem out of this bondage But howsoever all will challenge to themselves the benefit of Redemption yet how few in comparison do acknowledg their bondage But like the unbelieving Iews when our Saviour promised them liberty profess that they never were in servitude Iohn 8. 33. and so bewray themselves not to be redeemed But this humble conceipt of our selves before our Justification is necessary for us if either we would seek to Christ or have him to respect us For if by nature we be not
certainty of salvation W. P. whereat no man is to marvel and much lesse to take offence For so long as our knowledge is but in part it cannot be avoided but there wil be diversity of opinions among the Faithfull who notwithstanding hold the maine substance and foundation of Faith and true Religion The points of difference are eight The first errour Vocation and sanctification confounded 1. The first that he confoundeth our vocation and sanctification alleadging that in our vocation and first conversion the universall or generall habite of grace containing in it all sanctifying graces is infused whereby all the parts and powers of man being renewed together and at once and the image of God in them all renewed by the infusion of the habites of all sanctifying graces together are sanctified throughout Resâ— To omit his acception of the word Grace even where of purpose he doth at large discourse of Grace for one supernaturall quality inherent in us or habite of grace infused into us according to the use of the school-men who thereby have overturned the doctrine of justification and salvation by Gods grace magnifying under the name of grace their own righteousnes inherent which in the question of justification is to be esteemed as dung Phil. 3. 8. and not once mentioning that which is out of us in him which most properly is the grace of God for it is one of his attributes and not according to the scriptures which never speake of grace in that sense but alwayes use the word either properly for the gracious favour of God in Christ by which grace we are elected called justified sanctified and shal be glorified or metonymically for the Speciall gifts of Grace To omit this oversight I answere it hath beene the received opinion and usuall practise of all Orthodox Divines to hold and set downe in this order the degrees of salvation which are wrought in this life viz. Our vocation justification sanctification And that in order of nature vocation wherin justifying faith is begotten goeth before justification and that justification wherein we are made just before GOD by imputation of CHRISTS righteousnesse goeth before sanctification wherein we being already justified from the guilt of sinne and redeemed from the hand of our spirituall enimies and reconciled unto God receive grace to worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse before him Howbeit we deny not but that in time our justification doth concurre with our effectuall vocation for as soone as a man doth truly believe so soone is he justified before God and that in time the first act of sanctification which is our regeneration doth concurre both with our justification and effectuall vocation Now of our regeneration which is the beginning of our sanctification and of our spirituall life Which we live by faith there seeme to be two acts the one wherein we are begotten unto God of incorruptible seed by the word of God the other wherein the image of God being in some measure renewed in us and our Saviour Christ formed in us we are borne anew The former is our spirituall conception the latter our spirituall or new birth in the former regeneramur we are begotten anew in the latter renascimur we are borne anew And as in naturall generation there is a meane time betweene the conception and the birth in which time that which is begotten is formed in the wombe according to the image of the first Adam so betweene the first act of regeneration and the new birth there intercedeth a time wherein the image of the second Adam is in all parts by degrees renewed untill Christ bâ— formed in us Gal. 4. 19. The former which also is the first act of our conversion is the same with our calling or vocation wherein our Saviour Christ is conceived in our hearts when we doe receive him by the true and lively assent of faith which is the seed the root the fountaine of all other sanctifying graces which whosoever hath 1 Iohn 5. 1 he is begotten of God This act the holy spirit worketh ordinarily by the ministry of the word For faith commeth by the hearing of the word Rom. 10. 17. For how should men believe in him of whom they have not heard and how should they heare without a preacher Rom. 10. 14. In this regard preachers being ministers by whom others believe 1 Cor. 3. 5. are the instruments of the holy Ghost for our spirituall regeneration and are therefore called fathers in the faith who beget men unto God 1 Cor. 4. 15. Phil. 10. 1 Tim. 1. 2. Now in our vocation the worke of the holy Ghost is partly preparative and partly operative The preparation unto faith is 1. the illumination of the minde partly by the ministery of the law revealing unto us our miserable estate in our selves and partly by the ministery of the Gospel revealing unto us the mystery of our salvation by Christ. 2. the molifying of the heart by the finger of the spirit humbling us in the consideration both of our damnable estate in our selves and of the undeserved mercies of God offered in Christ from which being effectuall ariseth a desire both to be freed from that damnable estate and to be made partakers of that happinesse promised in Christ. 3. The invitation of the hearers and the stirring of them up to come out of that wofull estate and to accept of Gods mercies in Christ by the Ministers of the word who being the Embassadours of God in Christs stead doe beseech you as if God himself did intreate you by them that you would be reconciled unto God 1 Cor. 5. 18. 20. The Holy Ghost having thus knocked at the dore of our hearts doth himselfe in his good time open our hearts as he did the heart of Lydia to assent to and to believe the Gospel By which beliefe being lively and effectuall we receive Christ not onely in our judgements by assent but also in our hearts by an â—arnest desire to be made partakers of him and in our wills by an earnest purpose and settled resolution to acknowledge and professe him to be our Lord and Saviour and to rest upon him for salvation The Holy Ghost having wrought this assent and by it this desire and purpose of applying Christ unto our selves and thereby also some beginnings of hope of the hatred of sinne of the love of God and of our neighbour and of other graces by which the Image of God beginneth to be renewed and Christ to be formed in us being yet as it were Embryones in the womb he teacheth every one of us who have through his blessed operation the condition of the promise to apply the promise to our selves and to believe not onely that Christ is the Saviour of all that do believe but also that he is my Saviour that he died for my sins and rose again for my justification so that when the Minister according to the word pronounceth this generall proposition whosoever truly believes in Christ hath
remission of his sins and shall be saved the conscience of every faithfull man may both safely assume but I through Gods grace doe truely believe in Christ and also certainly conclude by the testimony of the holy Ghost bearing witnes with our conscience in the assumption according to the word in the proposition therefore I through the grace of God have remission of sinnes and shall be saved When the holy Ghost hath thus taught us to apply the promises unto our selves and hath sealed us after we have believed and testified together with our spirits that we are the children of God then it appeareth that we are already born of God and that we are the sons of God not only by regeneration but also by adoption Eph 1. 15. Rom. 8. 15 16. Joh. 1. 15 16. And being sonnes God sendeth forth the spirit of his Son into our hearts crying Abba father Gal. 4. 6. By this faith first apprehending and then applying Christ unto us we become not only the sonnes of God but also members of Christ and having union with him as our head we have communion also with him both in respect of his merit unto justification first before God and then in the court of our own conscience and in respect of his graces unto sanctification receiving of his fulnes euen grace for grace Joh. 1. 16. As therefore men are first conceived before they be born and they are borne before they are said to lead a life in this world so we must first be begotten and born anew in our vocation and regeneration before wee can live unto God the spirituall life of sanctification These two therefore were not to be confounded sanctification being the end as of our election Eph. 1. 4. and of our justification Luk. 1. 75. Tit. 2. 14. 1 Pet. 2. 24. so also of our vocation 1 Thess 4. 7. By our vocation we are begotten unto God by sanctification we being both begotten and born anew do live unto GOD. In our vocation the spirit of God first draweth us unto God Joh. 6. 44. in our sanctification we being already drawn the Spirit of GOD doth lead and guide us in the way which leadeth to life Rom. 8. 14. Gal. 5. 18. Vocation produceth Faith Faith being begotten produceth sanctification both habituall for the heart is purified by Faith and actuall for Faith worketh by love producing good workes as the fruit both of Faith and Charity Act. 15. 9. I do not deny but that Faith is a part of our sanctification and of our inherent righteousnesse yet this hindereth not but that both it self doth sanctify us and is also the mother of all other inward graces wherein our habituall sanctification consisteth and of all the works of grace wherein our actuall signification is occupied For when the Holy Ghost doth regenerate us he doth ingenerate the grace of Faith in us and by it al other graces The second error That sanctification goeth before justification The second which is a consequent of the former that sanctification goeth before justification The contrary whereof I have proved in the discourse whereunto I adde 1. That sanctification is the end and fruit of our justification the cognizance also and evidence whereby it is known and therefore a consequent thereof Col. 1. 22. Rom. 6. 22. 2. As we are made siners first by imputatioÌ„ of Adams sin then being guilty of his transgression are made partakers of his corruption so we are made just first by imputation of Christs righteousnes and then being justified we are in some measure made partakers of those graces which he received without measure Again the persons of men being sinners in themselves must be accepted of GOD as righteous in Christ before either thereâ— be qualities or their actions which when they are at the best are defiled with sinne can be acceptable unto GOD. Therefore we must be justified before either our qualities or actions can be holy and righteous before God Neither can there be any sanctification without justification and reconciliation with God going before in order of nature as there is no justification without sanctification accompanying and following the same For by the same Faith whereby we are justified we are also sanctified Christ being apprehended by faith to justification dwelleth in us by his Spirit to work in us sanctification and to whom the merits of Christ apprehended by Faith are imputed to their justification to them the vertue of his death and resurrection is applyed by the holy Ghost to the mortifying of sin and raising againe to newnes of life to which purpose the Apostle saith Col. 2. 12. by Faith we are risen with Christ in Baptisme Again faith by which we are justified in order of nature goeth before repentance wherein our sanctification consisteth It is a resolved Case by Calvin Penitentiam seu rescipiscentiam non modò fidem continuò subsequi sed ex â—a nasci extra controversiam esse debet See Calvin Instit. l. 3. c. 3. sect 1. 2 and by Fulâ—entius quòd vita sancta à fide sumit initium The same is testified by the ancient Fathers as Clem. Alexandr strom l. 2. Faith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first inclination to salvation after which follow feare hope and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repentance Ambros de sacram l. 1. c. 1. In Christiano prima est fides Chr. hom de â—ide spe char fidem esse originem justitia August de predest SS c. 7. fides prima datur ex qua caetera impetrantur Prosper ad Dubium 8. Genev. fides omnium virtutum fundamentum Greg. Moral l. 2. 6. c. 13. fidem primam in corde nostrâ— gignit If any object that the learned Chamier in his paustrat l. 10. treateth of sanctification before justification let him heare his own apology c 1 n. 2. Debueramus sanctificationi justificationem preponere si nostri arbitrij methodus esset ut tum re tum ratione priorem quod ab ea profluat altera sed quia Papistâ— non distinguunt cogimur de sanctificatione prius dicere The third error that justification goeth before Faith 3. The third that justification and remission of sins goe before faith which may seeme a strange assertion to be delivered by him who holdeth that sanctification whereof faith as he confesseth is a principall part goeth before justification But this absurdity he salveth with a distinction that he speaketh of justification not in foro Dei but in foro conscientiae and consequently acknowledgeth no justifying faith but that by which we are in our conscience assured of our justification But when we speak of justification as of a degree of our salvation it is evident that justification is to be censidered as an action of GOD for it is God that justifieth Rom. 8. 30 33. wherby he imputing to a believing sinner the righteousnesse of Christ apprehended by faith absolveth him from his sins and accepteth of him as righteous in Christ. As for that justification
the thing Iohn 2. 14. as Luk. 16. 11. and also in the passive and that also with the accusative of the thing Rom. 3. 2. 1 Cor. 9. 17. Gal. 2. 7. 1 Tim 1. 11. Tit. 1. 3. The seventh error that there is no other justifying faith but that by which we are justified in our conscience 7. The seventh which I take to be the originall of some other of his unsound opinions that he holdeth no other justifying faith but that whereby we are justified in the court of our conscience For before God all the elect as he teacheth stand actually justiâ—ied before and without faith so indeed they doe before this faith and so it is also true that sanctification goeth before this justiâ—ication and remission of sinnes before thiâ— saith for how can a man be assured of that wâ—ich iâ— not The proper act of 〈◊〉 fâ—ith by which we are justified in our Consciâ—nce that is as I understand it assured in some measure of our justification is as he teacheth to trust wholly and perfectly to the promise of forgivenesse of sinne and eternall life for remission and Salvation For by this faith as he teacheth the Lord giveth us assurance of our justification by Christs righteousâ—esse whereupon followeth peace of conscience and that kind of â—iducia Which we call saith he assurance or full perswasion of the pardon of our sins this is a fruit of the other â—iducia or trusting to the promise it selfe wherein standeth the proper act of justifying Faith And it followes not alwayes presently but after sometime haply a long time which he speaketh for the comfort of those who doubt they have no faith because they have not that full assurance Here divers things are to be misliked 1. That he maketh affiance the proper act of justifying faith which I have already disproved 2. That he holdeth that there may be a full affiance whereby a man may wholly and perfectly trust to the promise without the like assurance But this is a manifest errour borrowed from the Papists who hope well of the remission of sinnes but dare not believe it For this full affiance in trusting wholly and perfectly to the promise for the performance of it to a mans selfe is that which the Apostle calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the assurance of hope which ever presupposeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the assurance of faith where by the way you may take notice of a threefold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned in the Scriptures the first is 1 Col. 2. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the assurance or full perswasion of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mystery of GOD and the Father and of Christ this is the plerophory of assent when a man understanding the mystery of the Gospel giveth full assent thereto that is true and that Jesus the Sonne of the blessed Virgin is the eternall Sonne of GOD and the Saviour of all that truely believe in him The second is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the assurance of faith when thou applying the promise to they selfe doest assuredly believe not onely that Christ is the Saviour of all that believe but also that he is thy Saviour The third is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the assurance of hope when thou being fully perswaded that Christ is not onely the Saviour of the faithfull but that he is also thy Saviour doest assuredly trust and hope to be saved by him Every one of these plerophories or assurances are infallible in their kind nec falsum iis subesse potest but this is absolutely to be understood of the first the object whereof is the word of GOD which is principium â—idei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second is not absolutely true as a principle like the former but as a conclusion is necessarily and infallibly true concessis praemissis For if this proposition be true that Christ is the Saviour of all that truly believe which is the undoubted word of GOD and if this assumption be true also but I through GODS mercy doe truly believe which is certainly true in all the faithfull then this conclusion cannot be false therefore Christ is my Saviour whereupon followeth the plerophory of hope that seeing he is my Saviour therefore I do assuredly hope for salvation by him 3 That he maketh the assurance of Faith to be a consequent of that assurance of trust which is nothing else but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the assurance of hope the contrary whereof is true for as hope is a consequent and fruit of Faith so from the assurance of faith proceedeth the assurance of affiance and hope and according to the measure and degree of that is the measure and degree of this Neither is it possible that a man should have a full affiance wholly and perfectly to trust to the promise to â—e performed to himselfe who is not first fully assured that the promise doth belong unto himselfe And therefore it is but a cold comfort to be given to a man distressed in Conscience to tell him that if he have affiance to trust wholly and perfectly to the promise for remission of sinne he hath Faith though he have not full assurance But miserable comforters are they who teach as this man doth not that where is not full assurance there is no Faith But if we desire to minister true comfort to the distressed Conscience perplexed with doubtings concerning Faith we must unteach these Doctrines either that justifying Faith is an assurance of remission and much lesse a full assurance or that it is affiance much lesse a full affiance trusting wholly to the promise for the performance of it to a mans selfe which cannot be had unlesse thou hast the like assurance that the promise doth belong to thee For indeed that faith by which we are justified before GOD is neither assurance properly nor affiance for assurance is the second degree of Faith by which we are not justified before GOD but in the Court of our own Conscience and affiance is a fruit and consequent of both Aske then the party distressed this question Doest thou believe that the promise of the Gospell concerning remission and salvation doth belong to thee If thou dost then thou hast assurance that Christ is thy Saviour and that by him thou hast remission and that by him thou shalt be saved If he cannot affirme that he believeth the promise to belong unto him never go about to perswade him that he trusteth to the performance of the promise â—nto himselfe But aske him againe dost thou truly believe that Jesus the sonne of the blessed Virgin is the eternall sonne of GOD and Saviour of all that trâ—â—y believe in him If he say he doth so â—â—ll him then thou hast the condition of the promise therefore thou maist and thou must undoubtedly conclude that he is thy Saviour and that thou shalt be saved by him If hâ— say 〈◊〉 doubteth whether he doth truly believe that Christ is the
the keeping of the law doth consist For when a woman out of the crowd cryed unto our Saviour blessed is the womb that bare thee and the papes that gave thee suck Our Saviour returned this answer Luke 11. 28. Yea rather blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it The same hath Salomon Prâ—v 29. 18. and who knoweth not that which the Apostle teach 1 Tim. 4. 8. Godlinesse hath the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come and consequently of the happinesse both of this life and of the other life 3 To the parts of Gods worship as namely to holiness Apoc. 20. 6. Blessed and holy is the man who hath his part in the first resurrection Which testimony yeeldeth unto us a double proof First because he useth the terms of 〈…〉 of life And not only to holiness in generall but to the severall branches thereof is blessedness ascribed as to saving knowledge Prov. 3. 13. Ioh. 17. 3. to faith Luke 1. 45. Ioh. 20. 29. to assiance Psal. 2. 12. 34. 8. 40. 4. 84. 12. to hope Esayâ—0 â—0 18. Ier. 17. 7. to obedience Apoâ— 22. 14. to the feare of God Psal. 112. 1. 128. 1. 4. to humilitie Mar. 5. 3. Ioh. 13. 17. to patience Iam. 1. 12. 5. 11. 4 To righteousness Ps. 106. 3. Es. 56. 1 2. and not only to righteousness it self but also to the true desire of it Mat. 5. 6. Yeâ— and to the several branches of it as to mercifulness Mat. 57. Psal. 40. 1. 2. Prov. 14. 21. to meekness Mat. 5. 4. to peace-making Mat. 5. 9. And not only to the parts of Gods worship but also to the properties Fiftly therefore to the worship of God without fear of our enemies that is in confidence Psal. 146. 5. Whether you understand it without cause of fear because there is no condemnation to theâ— that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. 1. or without servile feâ—r in expectation of eterâ—al happiness Tiâ— 2. â—3 for this indeed is the top of our happiness in this life to worship God as without fear of damnation so in a found expectation of eternal life And this seemeth to be implyed in the Hebrew word Hithbaracu which being of a reciprocal signification signifieth that in Abrahams seed all Nations should not only be blessed but also should bless themselves that is esteem and accompt themselves blessed Sixtly To uprightness and integrity or to the worshipping of God in holiness and righteousness as before him Psal. 1 19. 1. Blessed are the upright in the way that is who walk uprightly So Psal. 84. 11. and not only the upright themselves but their children also after them are pronounced blessed Prov. â—0 7. If therefore blessedness be ascribed first of all to redemption 〈…〉 secondly to the true worship of God in general thirdly to holiness fourthly to righteousness fiftly to the worship of God without fear sixthly to integrity or to the worship of God as before him seventhly to perseverance or to the worship of God 〈…〉 days of our life Then seven times happy is that man who being delivered from the hand of his enemies hath grace given unto him to worship God without fear in holyness and righteousness before him all the days of his life By this conference of places we learn what the happiness of a Christian is in this life not to abound in wealth not to attain to great honours not to wallow in pleasures 〈…〉 graces above all the things in this world for what is our happiness that is our chief good esteeming all wordly things as dross and dâ—ng yea as loss in comparison thereof Phil. â— 8. 9 For as without these spiritual graces all wordly things are â—ain and unprofitable yea to them that set their hearts on them hurtful and peâ—â—icious So having fought and obtained these graces all temporal blessings shal be added unto us or if we seem to want any of them our seeming want thereof shall not hinder our happyness And therefore our Saviour pronounceth the faithful though living in poverty hunger sorrow and persecution happy and blessed Luke 6. 20. 21. 22. CHAP. IIII. Of the gift promised by this Oath in general and of the two parts thereof joyntly THus much of Zacharies exposition of Gods Oath now we come to the words thereof that he would give us c. The thing then promised in this Oath is a gift Of this gift we are to speak first in general and then in particular In general we may observe first the main difference between the Covenant of works made with all mankind and the Covenant of Grace made with Abraham and his seed the heires of promise In the former the Lord 〈◊〉 perfect obedience to the performed by our selves to our justification and salvation and denounceth his fearful câ—rse against those that do not continue in a total and perfect obedience In the latter the Lord iâ— in stead of requiring perfect obedience to be performed of us to our justification and salvation promiseth to those which believe redemption and justification without works and being redeemed and justified by faith he promiseth to give them grace to walk in new obedience as being an unseparable fruit of our redemption and justification and as the high-way wherein we are to walk towards our glorification Of this new Covenant the holy Ghost prophesieth by Ieremy Chap. 31. vers 31. 32 33. Behold the days come saith the Lord that I wil make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah not according to the Covenant which I made with their fathers when I brought them out of Aegypt which was the covenant of works but this shal be the Covenant that I wil make with them I wil put my law in their inward parts write it in their hearts c. which is the covenant of grace recited by the Apostle Heb. 8. v. 8. 9. 10 of which being a better Covenant Christ is the mediator v. 6. according to that Iohn 1. 17. This Law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ. The same Covenâ—nt repeated by Ezekiel Chap. 36. 26. 27. The Gospel therefore or Covenant of Grace is not a new law nor Christ a new law-giver as the Papists absurdly teach confounding the Law and the Gospel saving that they teach that the Gospel requireth more perfect obedience to be performed by our selves then the Law it self doth prescribe unto justification but to them that are redeemed and justified by faith it promiseth grace to walk in new obedience Howbeit this is true that as men deprived themselves of what was promised in the Old Covenant by disobedience So if men do live in sin without faith and without repentance not so much as desiring caring and endeavouring to worship God in holyness and righteousness they can have no assurance that they are within the Covenant of grace made only with those that truly beleeve God having promised
contained in this sentence that is to Do the things commanded to do them all and to continue in doing all therefore it cannot be denied but that in my self I am most accursed who to the not performing of these three degrees of obedience have added the three contrary degrees of disobedience For I have not only nor done the things commanded but also I have done the things forbidden I have not only not kept all Gods Commandements but also I have broken them all I have not only not continued in perpetuall obedience but I have also continued in a perpetual course of disobedience O therefore wretched man that I am and in my self thrice accursed O that I were delivered from the fearfull curse O that I were freed from this wofull state of damnation Thus by applying the sentence of the Law to themselves men come to see and acknowledge their own damnable estate in themselves whereby they are forced to seek for salvation out of themselves in Christ especially if to the application of the sentence of the Law they adjoyn a serious consideration of the day of judgement which the Apostle calleth the terrour of the Lord. at which time all of us shall appear before the judgement seat of God to receive according to those things which we have done in the flesh 2 Cor. 5. 10 11. But without this application men not seeing nor feeling their own misery neglect the promises of the Gospell not caring to apply them to themselves but most ungraciously suffring the most precious blood of Christ as much as in them lyeth to be spilt in vain as it is in vain to them unto whom it is not applied But when by the paedagogie of the Law which is a School-master unto Christ Gal. 3. 24. men are brought to see and to feel their misery O then how beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings of salvation How acceptable is the promise of deliverance to them that are captives of justification to them that in themselves are accursed Of salvation to them that are lost In respect of these the Kingdom of God is said to suffer violence and these are they which with violence take it to themselves Mat. 11. 12. Thus then being schooled by the Law by which the Holy Ghost worketh in us the Legall faith which is a preparative to the Evangelical we become fit auditors of the Gospâ—l by which the Holy Spirit worketh in us the grace of justifying faith And therefore in the next place we must be diligent and attentive hearers of the Gospell by the hearing whereof commeth faith In which regard as the Gospell is called the Word of faith So also the Preachers of it are not only termed Ministers by whom you believe 1 Cor. 3. 5. but also are said to justifie men Dan. 12. 3. and to save them 1 Tim. 4. 16. 1 Cor. 9. 23. as being the instruments of the Holy Ghost working in us the grace of faith by which we are justified and saved By the Ministery of the Gospel the Holy Ghost worketh in us the grace of faith in two degrees The former is of assent the other of application As touching the former the Holy Ghost having prepared us by the Law doth in the ministery of the Gospell first reveale unto us the mercies of God in Christ. Secondly he stirreth us up by the Ministers of reconciliation to embrace Gods mercies 2 Cor. 5. 18. 20. and to be reconciled to him And thirdly having thus knocked as it were at the door of our hearts he himself doth open out hearts Apoc. 3. 20. as he did the heart of Lydia Act. 16. 14. not only to attend but as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also signifieth to assent unto or to believe the Gospel Neither is it to be doubted but that by that phrase is meant that the Holy Ghost did work in her the grace of faith And as touching the latter the Holy Ghost having opened our hearts to receive Christ by a true willing and lively assent which is the condition of the promise he teacheth us to apply the promise unto our selves as belonging to us Here therefore three things are to be done 1. We are to believe in Christ by a lively assent to the promise of the Gospell 2. So believing in Christ we are to apply the promises of the Gospell to our selves 3. Having by application attained to some assurance we must give all diligence that this assurance may more and more be encreased As touching the first we must be very carefull that our assent to the doctrine of the Gospell promising salvation to all that believe in Christ be willing true lively and effectuall otherwise though we may believe that Jesus the Son of the blessed Virgin Mary is the Son of God and Saviour of all that shall be saved which not only hypocrites and wicked men but the Devils themselves after a sort believe yet we cannot truly be said to believe in Christ. First therefore it must be a willing assent and therefore approving what we believe not forced as that of the devils and of some wicked men who being convicted with the evidence of the truth do whether they will or no know and believe the truth of the Gospell and with horrour acknowledge it Iam. 2. 19. Mat. 8. 29. Secondly it must be true lively and effectuall For as there is a two-fold knowledge the one literall swimming in the brain informing the judgment but not reforming the heart and the conversation serving only to purchase the more stripes Luk. 12. 47. the other spirituall not only informing the judgment but also reforming the heart and conforming our lives to the practise of that which we know which in Divinity is accompted the only true knowledge I Ioh. 2. 3 4. for the other though in regard of the object it is true because it is the knowledge of the truth yet it is not true formally and in respect of the efficacy or of the effect so faith which sometimes goeth under the name of knowledge or acknowledgment may be distinguished For there is a counterfeit idle dead faith which having neither root nor fruit is uneffectuall either to justification or to sanctification which is the faith of hypocrites and of all carnall and worldly Professours which the Papists themselves 〈◊〉 fidem informem And there is a true lively and effectuall faith which the School-men call formatam and not amisse saving that they hold Charity which as I have showed is a fruit and â—ffect of faith 1 Tim. 1. 5. to be the form thereof by which we receiving Christ and being rooted in him or engraffed into him do receive from him spirituall life Gal. 2. 20. For having by faith union with Christ we have also communion with him both in his merits to our justification and in the vertue of his death and resurrection to our fanctification Rom. 6. 3 4 c. Phil. 3. 9 10. Now this Assent is
effectuall to justification when by it we receive Christ who is our righteousnesse For when this beliefe is willing lively and effectuall we do receive Christ not only in our judgements by this true and lively assent but also this lively assent working both on the heart and the will we receive him in our hearts by an earnest desire that he may be applied unto us and we made partakers of him which desire we expresse in hearty prayer and in our will by resolving to acknowledge him to be our Saviour and to rest upon him for our salvation For 〈◊〉 a man truly and effectually believe that in himself and without Christ he is accursed according to the sentence of the Law and that in Christ if he believe in him he shall be happy and blessed according to the doctrine of the Gospell and not desire both to be freed from that damnable estate and to be made partaker of happiness in and through Christ can a man truly and effectually believe that being in himself accursed he shall notwithstanding the curse of the Law notwithstanding the testimony of his own accusing conscience notwithstanding the accusations of Satan become happy and blessed in Christ if he shall believe in him and not resolve with himself that whatsoever the Law his own conscience or the Devill can object to the contrary he will acknowledge Christ to be his Saviour and rest upon him for salvation For as the understanding when it conceiveth any thing to be true not by evidence of reason but by the authority of God speaking in his Word as in matters of faith hath the concurrence of the will acted by the Spirit of God willingly to assent thereunto So when the understanding enlightned by the Holy Ghost conceiveth and judgeth any thing to be good it commandeth the will to embrace it the will ordinarily following the judgement of the practiâ—â— understanding To sanctification it is effectuall as it is a grace of regeneration 1 Ioh 5. â— purâ—fying the heart and working by love and transforming a man into a conversation answerable to that which he doth believe and therfore is ever joyned with repentance which the Holy Ghost regenerating us with it and by it worketh in us and therefore a lively faith is never severed from repentance nor repentance from it for as we cannot truly repent unlesse we believe so we cannot truly know that we believe unlesse we repent This assent being true willing lively and effectuall as I have said is the very condition required in the promise of the Gospell and the first degree of justifying faith which if we have obtained we may and ought to apply the promise of the Gospel to our selvs This being a matter of excellent comfort and of singular use I will prove by plain testimonies of Scripture and by evident reasons the rather because I know to some it will seem a paradox 1. The testimonies of the Scripture are these For first This is the saith for which our Saviour pronunoceth Simon Peter blessed Thou art Christ the Son of the living God Mat. 16. 16 17. The like profession is made by the Apostles Ioh. 6. 69. and by Martha Ioh. 11. 27. 2. Joh. 20. 31. These are written that you might believe that Iesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing you may have lâ—fe through his Name 3. Act. 8. 37. 38. Here is water saith the Eunuch what doth hinder me to be baptized Philip said If thou believe with all thine heart thou mayest And he answered and said I believe that Iesus Christ is the Son of God 4. Rom. 10. 9 10. If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved For with the 〈◊〉 man believeth unto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made to salvation 5. This is the Faith without which it is impossible to please God For he that commeth to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him Hebr. 11. 6. 6. 1 Joh. 5. 1. Whosoever believeth that Iesus is the Christ is born of God 7. 1 Joh. 5. 5. Who is he that overcommeth the world but he that believeth that Iesus is the Son of God 1. The reasons 1. The justifying and saving Faith many times goeth under the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acknowledgement which is all one with assent 1 Tim. 2. 4. 2 Pet. 1. 2 3. or of knowledge meaning acknowledgement as Ioh. 17. 3. Esay 53. 11. My righteous servant meaning Christ agnitione sui by the acknowledgement of himself that is by faith in him shall justifie many 2. To receive Christ is to believe in him Ioh. 1. 12. By this lively assent we receive Christ as hath been said in our minds in our hearts in our wils If any man therefore object that justifying faith consisteth not in assent but in application of the promises 3. I answer that there are two degrees of justifying faith the one being 〈◊〉 assent to the promise of the Gospell the other a sound application therof to our selves By the former as being the condition of the promise we are justified in foro coelesti in the court of heaven by the latter in the court of our own conscience By the former we are justified before God by the latter we are perswaded in our conscience and in some measure assured of our justification 4. By the second degree of faith which some call speciall faith the promises of the Gospâ—ll are to be applied But they cannot be applied to any aright but only to those who have the condition of the promise which is the justifying faith For the Gospell doth not promise justification and salvation to all but to those only who have a justifying faith Therefore a man must be endued with justifying faith before he can or ought to apply the promises of the Gospell to himself For as salvation is promised to them that believe so damnation is denounced to them that believe not Mar. 16. 16. Ioh. 5. 16. 18. 5. It is a very erroneous opinion to think that we are justified or do obtain remission of sins by being assured and much more by being fully assured of the forgiveness of our sins or that we are to believe that they are forgiven to the end that they may be forgiven For justification and remission of sins is promised only to those that believe by a justifying faith I speak of those who are adulti and are come to the years of discretion not of infants who are justified sometimes before they actually believe therefore a man must have justifying faith before he hath remission of sins for by faith we obtain remission of sins and by faith we are justified and therefore have we believed in Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ A mans sins must be forgiven before he can be assured that they be
forgiven and it is absurd to imagine that the assurance that our sinnes be forgiven goeth before the forgivenesse of them For if a man must believe or be assured of the forgivenesse of sins before they be forgiven then he is bound to believe that which is false And lastly a man must ascend by divers degrees of assurance growing or proceeding from faith to faith before he can attain to ful assurance And here I hold it expedient briefly to touch a certain discourse of the learned Chamiers that it may evidently appear that they who do not acknowledge this distinction of justifying faith must of necessity be forced to it For whereas Vasques objecteth against us that we teach that we ought to believe that our sins are remitted to the end that we may be justified and may obtain remission of sins he answereth that it is a meer slander For saith he Quid monstri est credere sibi remissa peccata ut remittantur Sic enim constituitur fides remissionis prior reipsa ipsa remissione quod omnem absurditatent superat Enimveroè si prius remissa credimus quam sint remissa falsum nos oportet credene Quid plura Nobis potius est pâ—rsuasissimum remissa esse peccata antequam credimus c. It is a monster that a man should believe that his sins be forgiven to the end that they may be forgiven for so the faith that our sins be forgiven should go before the forgivenesse it self which surpasseth all absurdity Surely if we are to believe that our sins be forgiven before they be remitted then must we believe that which is false What should I say more We rather are fully perswaded that our sins be forgiven before we do believe c. But say I if no other justifying faith be acknowledged but the speciall faith whereby we are assured of the remission of our sins and if this also be true which the Scripture teacheth that by faith we are to obtain remission of sins that absurdity will necessarily follow which he so much diâ—claimeth For to hold that the sins of those who are adulti or come to years of discretion be forgiven before they do believe is as great an absurdity as the other because by faith we obtain remission of sins neither is remission promised to any who are of years but only to those that believe Of necessity therefore we must hold this distinction of faith viz. that there is one degree of justifying faith which in order of nature goeth before remission of sins by which we obtain forgivenesse of sins and by which we are justified before God and that there is another degree of justifying faith which followeth after justification and remission of sins whereby we being perswaded and in some measure assured of the remission of our sinnes are justified in the court of our own conscience And of this indeed it is true that our sins be forgiven before we believe or be assured that they be forgiven 6. For the further clearing of this distinction of Faith let us distinctly consider the differences between the two degrees for 1. By the former as I have said we are justified before God in the Court of Heaven by the latter we are justified in the court of our own conscience by the former we are justified properly by the latter we are assured of our justification 2. Of the justification which we have by the first degree which properly is called justification there are no degrees but of that which we have by the second degree which properly is not justification before God but the assurance of it in our own consciences there are degrees according to the measure of our faith 3. The first degree goeth before the remission of sins the second followeth after 4. Every man is bound upon pain of damnation to have the first degree of faith which is truly and firmly to believe that JESUS the Son of the blessed Virgin is the Eternall Son of God and Saviour of all that truly believe in him but no man ought to have the second who hath not the first for a man must first have â—ustifying Faith which is the condition of the promise before he ought to believe that the promise of remission of sins or of salvation belongeth to him 5. The former degree seemeth more properly to be the work of the Spirit regenerating us 1 Ioh. 5. 1. the latter of the same Spirit as it is the Spirit of adoption sealing us after we have believed Ephes 1. 13. 4. 30. Rom. 8. 15 16 17. 6. The former is begotten ordinarily by the ministry of the Gospell and not by the ministry of the Sacraments which notwithstanding were ordained of purpose as I shall shew hereafter that they who have the first degree might attain to the second For to him that believeth truly according to the first degree the Sacrament is a seal of the righteousness which is by faith and a pledge to assure him that so certainly as the sign so also the thing signified which is Christ with all his merits are communicated to him 7. The former as hereafter I wil make plain is fides principiorum the latter of conclusions deduced from thence by application and by necessary consequence 8. Of the former the four first notes of happiness Mat. 5. are the signs and fruits of the second the four latter For though the Papists make of them eight Beatitudes yet there is but one Beatitude in this life whereof Christ is the foundation and Faith is the instrument whereby we receive and apply Christ unto our selves of which those eight are so many notes For these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or pronunciations of blessednesse the Lord Jesus directeth to his Disciples and in them to all the faithfull saying Blessed are you poor c. Luk. 6. 20. The foure first Beatitudes as I said are the Notes of the former degree for those that have the first are not at the first happy in their own sense and apprehension but rather the contrary being poor beggars in spirit mourning for their wants subdued by the sense thereof unto meeknesse hungring and thirsting after righteousness which they find themselves to want and yet our Saviour pronounceth them blâ—ssed which proveth that they are justified before God though not assured thereof in their own conscience The foure latter are markes of the second degree For when we are in some measure assured of Gods mercy towards us we become mercifull to others for Gods sake when we have assurance of salvation we endevour to purifie our selves as he is pure when being justified by faith we have peace with God we become peace-makers among men When men have obtained the assurance of Faith to them it is given not only to believe in Christ but also to suffer for him 2. Thus much of assent which being lively and effectuall is the very condition of the Evangelicall promise Now I come to application whereby we do attain to assurance
to be regarded But they should remember him who sayeth that of every idle and much more of every malicious word men shall give an accompt at the day of judgment For by thy words saith he thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned If therefore any among you saith St. Iames I am 1. 26. seeme to be religions and hath not learned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were with a bitte or a brible to refraine his tongue that man deceiveth himselfe and his religion is vaine that is to say he is an hypocrite having a shew of religion but denying the power thereof For in whom there is any power of religion they have learned to bridle their tongues Yea in their words iâ— a disâ—ord not only between them and their hearts and between their words and their works but also between their words and their words For as they speaâ—e with an heart and an heart that is a double hart whence they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so also with a tongue and a tongue that is a double tongue whence they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 3. 8. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bilingues Eccles. 28. 13. Out of the same mouth they breath hot and cold which the Satyre liked not out of the same fountaine issueth both bitter and sweete both salt water and fresh with the same tongue blesse God and curse men Iam. 3. 9. 16. 11. 12. out of the same mouth procedeth blessing and cursing It is strange to see and lamentable to consider how some men and women who would seeme religious are given to ill speaking being not onely â—â—arâ—e cenâ—â—rers and depravers of their brethern but also detracters back-biters and slanderers and which is an evident signe of an hypocrite thinking that the dispraise of other men â—endeth to their 〈◊〉 and the praise of others to their disgrace 3. The obedience of the upright is â—o tall in respect of his whole 〈◊〉 after the time of his justification and reconcilation with God as it is here said all the dayes of our life Not but that sometimes he stumbleth in the way of Christianity and sometime falleth but yet notwithstanding in respect of his desire purpose and endevour his obedieâ—ce is constant and permanent For he keepeth a constant course in well-doing as namly in the practise of piety wherein by continual practise he is habituated He so giverth himselfe to prayer as that in the scriptures he is said to pray alwayes Acts 10. 22. not that he doth nothing els but pray but that he prayeth both ordinarily at see times every day perhaps thrice a day as Daniel did Dâ—â— 6. 10. and also extraordinarily aâ— ocâ—asion is offered Likewise he keepeth a constant course in reading meditating and hearing Gods word and in other Christian duties wherein he sted fastly goeth on with desire to increase in goodnesse And as his obedience is constant so 〈◊〉 it is permanent For uprightnesse is evermore accompanyed with perseverance to the 〈◊〉 â— as 〈◊〉 I shall shew But the obedience of the hypocrite is neither constant but as it were by fits for the double minded man is inconstant in all his wayes Iam. 1. 8. neither permanent but momâ—ntany oâ— temporary like the morning â—â—ist or the early dew Hos. 6. 4. like the seed sowne upon the rocâ—ie ground which in time of heat withereth Luk. 8. 13. like the building of the foolish man which in â—ime of temptation is overthrowne Mat. 7. 26. Graces Now I come to the graces every one whereof in the upright is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is unfained and as Salomon speaketh Pro. 3. 12. tusâ—â—jak that which truly is but in the hypocrite counterfeit In these the generall note of uprightnesse is desire of increase and striving forward towards perfections Phil. 3. 14 for in this life we are in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in our growing age and God doth orowne their righteousnesse with incrâ—ase for to him that hath it shall be given The hypocriteâ— are non-proficienâ—s contenting themselves with that measure of graâ—e which they seeme to have and have not and having not they are so farre from increasing in grace that that which they seeme to have Luk 8. 8 is taken from them And first the faith of the upright is lively and effectuall both to justification apprehending and applying Christ who is our righteousnesse and also to sanctification because it doth purify the heart Acts 15. 9. and worke by love Gal. 5. 6. Againe the faith of the upright is permanent by it he standeth Rom. 5. 2. and by it he shall live Heb. 2. 4. by the power of God through faith he is preserved unto eternall life 1 Pet. 1. 5. And therefore those who are of the defection are not of faith And contrarywise Heb. 0. 39. The seeming faith to the hypocrite is dead being nether effectual to justification as being without roote Luk. 8. 13. nor to sanctification as being without â—â—uit For as the body without breath is dead Iam 2. 26. so is faith without works Neither is the faith of hypocrites permanent but temporary which in time of tryall faileth Luk. 8. 13. Love The love also of the upright is unfained whether we speake of his love to God which appeareth by obedience both active which is obedients legis for this is the love of God that he keepe his commandements 1 Iohn 5. 3. Exod 20. 6. and passive which is obedientia crucis that is to say patience for love suffereth all things 1 Cor. 3. 7. or of his love to man which appeareth in giving and forgiving But more specially an undoubted sigue of uprightnesse is to love and respect the godly though of mean accompt in the world for their godlinesse sake Iam. 2. 24. and to disrespect the wicked though great in the world for their wickednesse Ps. 15. 4. following therein the disposition of God himselfe 1 Sam. 2. 30. and the example of Elisha 2 King 3. 13 14. for in the eyes of the upright prety maketh men honorable but wickednesse maketh them vile and despicable Dan. 11. 21. And as the upright are an abomination to the wicked so contrarywise Pro. 29. 27. The world loveth her owne but those that be not of the world the world hateth it is therefore a good signe that we are not of thâ— world if we love and affect those whom the world hateth The love of hypocrites is not true neither towards God For they be haters of God Exod 20. 5. 6. that will not keepe his commandements nor towards men being in word and tongue onely 1 Iohn 3. 18. or as we use to speake from the teeth outward But especially their hypocrisy is discovered as by hating or envying the godly even for his godlinesse sake because they cannot endure that any should be esteemed better then themselves Thus Cain hated Abel 1 Iohn 3. 12. and Saul David 1 Sam. 18. 9. and the Pharisees Christ so
which is in foro conscientiae it is not justification properly but the knowledge and assurance of it Neither is that to be accounted justifying faith properly by which we are not justified before God nor obtaine remission of sinnes But before and without this faith by which we are justified in our consciences that is assured of our justification we are as he truly saith justified before God The 4th error that all the elect before their conversion c. stand actually reconciled and justified The fourth that all the elect before their conversion and before they have faith stand actually reconciled unto God and justified before him may also seeme a strange assertion to be uttered by a godly man For if this were true then every one that will perswade himselfe that he is elected which most men are ready to do who will thank GOD for their election before they are called may cast off all care of converting unto God of repenting for his sins of suing unto God for the pardon of them of believing in Christ because without and before either faith or repentance he hath remission of his sins and standeth actually justifyed before GOD and reconciled unto him And this is the very ground whereupon carnall Gospellers who turne the grace of God into wantonnesse do build all their presumptuous licentiousnesse that Christ having dyed for their sins they need not to dye to them that Christ having freed them from sin and from damnation they may sinne freely and without danger that Christ having reconciled them to God and purchased Salvation for them they neither need to sue for reconciliation or pardon nor take care of their Salvation that Christ having fully satisfied the justice of God by his obedience and sufferings they neither are obnoxious to punishment nor tyed to obedience But this assertion is most evidently confuted by the Scriptures which do teach that the elect are by nature the children of wrath servants to sin and Sathan enemies against God obnoxioâ—s in themselves to the fearfull curse of God as well as others untill they turne unto God crave pardon of their sins and lay hold upon Christ by faith then indeed but not till then they are reconciled unto God Col. 1. 11. Rom. 5. 10. who before were enemies then but not untill then they are actually redeemed who were before bondslaves then but not untill then they are justified who before were guilty of sin and damnation then and not untill then their sins are actually pardoned For actuall pardon is of sins past Orig. in Rom. 3. Lib. 3. indulgentia non futurorum sed preteritorum criminum datur Rom. 3. 25. and we may not presume that our sins are pardoned before we repent of them and much lesse may we dreame that they are actually remitted before they be committed For the better understanding whereof we are to consider the merits of Christ and the benefits which we have therby according to his own intention expressed in the covenant of grace the condition whereof is faith and are not to extend them to those to whom they were not intended Christ is the Saviour of the world yet al are not saved nor to be saved for many still remain in the state of damnation he is the Redeemer of man-kind yet all are not actually redeemed for many still remaine in the servitude of sin and Sathan For they that commit sin are the servants of sin Whereas if the sonne had made them free they should have been free indeed 2 Cor. 5. 19 Joh 8. 34 36. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe and yet very many as they continue in their rebellion against God so the wrath of God abideth upon them Joh. 3. 36. Neither ought this to seeme strange seeing the covenant of grace promiseth and assureth neither Salvation nor remission of sins nor other benefits of Christ to all but only to those that believe So God loved the world that he gave his onely begotten sonne that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have life everlasting John 3. 16. Mark 16. 16. he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be condemned To this purpose consider the diversifying of the phrase used by the Apostle in the comparison betwixt the first and the second Adam Rom 5. 19. As by the disobedience of one man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the many that is the multititude of them which shall be damned were made sinners so by the obedience of on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the multitude of them that shall be saved he doth not say were made but shall be made righteous The reason of which diversity is this because the Apostle had respect to all those elect who as yet have not believed either because as yet they were not or as yet are not or because as yet they were not or yet are not called For it is necessary that all men should confesse and acknowledge themselves to be sinners in Adam ab origine from their first being For by generation the sinne of Adam is actually communicated to all his posterity and no sooner are they partakers of the humane nature then they do participate in his sinne But we may not say that the righteousnes or obedience of Christ is communicated to all from their beginning but onely I speak after the manner of the Scriptures of those which are adulti to those that believe Neither are they in their generation or before made partakers of Christs righteousnes but in their regeneration That no man therefore should neglect the benefit of justification as though he had already obtayned it before his conversion or effectuall calling or regeneration in which faith is ingenerated by the Holy Ghost in the soules of the elect he speaketh in the future tense that men should understand that they are not borne just or justifyed but that they shall be justified so soone as they turning unto GOD shall believe in Christ and that they are just nonnatâ—sed renati not born but born anew wherefore before we ought to presume that we are justified we must be called converted regenerated For whom GOD hath elected them hath he called according to his purpose and whom he hath so called them and no other hath he justified Rom. 8. 30. Thus then we are to conceive of Christs merits and the benefits which we have thereby that howsoever our Saviour Christ did in the dayes of his flesh meritoriously redeeme and save men paying a price of ransome sufficient for all and fully satisfying the justice of GOD in the behalfe of al that shall be saved yet notwithstanding none are actually redeemed or reconciâ—ed or justified but they only to whom the merits of Christ are applyed and they are applyed only to those that believe I speak of those which are adulti for to elect infants dying in their infancy they are applyed by the Holy Ghost neither can any be assured that they truely believe
but such as repent of their sinnes and make conscience of their wayes This learned man therefore should have distinguished betweenâ— the merâ—t of redemption and actuall redemption even as well as between the merit of Salvation and the actuall possession thereof Christ merited our redemption and Salvation long since yea his merit thereof hath ever been in force since the beginning of the world Apoc. 13. 8. but yet none are actually made partakers of redemption but such as to whom it is appyed that is to those that truely believe for they only receive it and to them onely according to the Covenant of grace it was intended Otherwise he might say that all the elect are actually saved for whom Christ purchased eternall life who notwithstanding are not saved so much as in hope untill they do truely believe And if all the elect be actually justified before God because Christ did merit their justification why doth he not say in like manner that all the elect are actually sanctifyed seeing Christ was made unto us of GOD not onely righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1. 30. and redemption but also sanctifycation and hath as well merited our sanctification for us as our justification Againe what benefits we obtaine by Christ we receive them by Faith and therefore in the Scriptures the same benefits which we receive from Christ are ascribed to Faith by which Christ and his merits are ours by which also Christ dwelleth in us Eph. 3 17. we live by Christ we live by Faith Gal 2. 20. by Christ we have remission of sinnes by Faith we obtaine remission Act. 10. 43. 26. 18. we are justified by Christ we are justified by Faith Rom. 3. 28. By Christ we are made the sonnes of God by faith we are made the sonnes of GOD Joh. 1. 12. and so in the rest and therefore to imagine that we are justified before GOD without Faith is a dreame Moreover this assertion cannot stand with the perpetuall Doctrine of the Apostle Paul who teacheth that we are justified before GOD by Faith therefore not before nor without Faith By faith saith he without workes that is by the righteousnesse of Christ apprended by Faith and not by inherent righteousnesse Neither doth he in those places speak of justification in the Court of Conscience whereby we are assured of our justification for as before men we are justified Jam. 2. â—4 that is declared and known to be just by good workes so much more by our good workes by which we are to make our election 2 Pet 1. 10. our calling our justification sure we are justified in our own Conscience that is assured of our justification And to conclude this assertion is such a 〈…〉 Protestant nor Papist did ever hold that a man who is come to yeeres is actually justified before GOD before and without faith The fifth erâ—our that Faith is not the mother grace 5. The fifth that faith is not the root nor the mother of other graces and that the soule is not disposed to believe sooner then to love GOD or our neighbour or to produce the act of any other grace But this I have sufficiently disproved in the discourse shewing evidently that as without faith there can be no other grace so not onely from it all other graces do spring but also according to the measure and degree of it is the measure and degree of all other graces We are not disposed to love GOD as we ought untill we be by faith perswaded of GODS love towards us we cannot hope for the performance of Gods promises to us unlesse by faith we are perswaded that they belong unto us we cannot trust in GOD nor rejoyce in him unlesse by faith we are perswaded of his goodnesse and bounty towards us and so â—n the rest and what is more plaine then that love which is the fulfilling in the whole law proceedeth from Faith unfained as being the fruit thereof 1 Tim 1. 5. Chrysostome and Theophilact call faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mother and fountaine of all graces and Calvin Justit l. 3. c. 2. sect 41. sect 42. c. 3. sect 1. sola est fic'es quae in nobis charitatem primum generat it is faith only which first ingendereth charity in us it begetteth also hope and newnesse of life as he saith But to omit other testimonies St. Peter seemeth to acknowledge this truth 2 Pet. 1. 2 3. where he prayeth for them to whom he wâ—iteth that grace and peace be multiplyed unto them by the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertaine to life and godlinesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the acknowledgement of him that hath called us c. that is by faith The sixt error that Faith is assiance 6. The sixt that faith is assiance and so to be defined and that trusting to the promise is the proper act of faith as it justifieth c. But I have proved that faith is not affiance nor affiance faith But a fruitâ— of faith as well as hope and that by faith we have affiance Eph. 3. 12. whereunto I adde that the trust in GODS promises to be in particular performed to us is not faith but â—ope Yea but promises faith he are both true and good therefore our assent to them is with adherence affiance and trust Answ. The promises are true the things promised are good we believe the promise we hope for the thing promised As contrarywise Gods threatnings are also true and the things threatned evill as therefore he that believeth the threatning to be true feareth if it be applyable to himselfe the thing threatned and yet this feare is not of the nature of faith but a fruit and consequent thereof so he that believeth a promise to be true and can apply it to himself trusteth hopeth for the thing promised which trust in respect of the promise is no more of the nature of faith then feare in respect of the threatning But that affiance is of the essence of justifying faith he will make good by divers reasons first from the phrases of believing Iohn 1. 12. Rom. 10. 1â— â—s Rom 4. 5. Act. 16. 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Eph 1. 12. 〈◊〉 that is in or upon which imply affiance A. That as I said in the discourse affiance is such an unseperable fruite of faith that sometimes it is implyed in the phrase of bliâ—ving in Christ. For that phrase may and sometimes doth imply three acts the first of assent that he is the Saviâ—â—r of all that believe in him which ass 〈◊〉 it be lively and effectuall is the proper act of that faith whereby we are justified before God and in this sense the phrase of beliâ—ving in him is ordinarily used in the Scriptures yea sometimes it is attributed to those who have assented onely by a bare historicall and temporary Faith which is the Faith of hypocrites and all
Saviour because many say they believe who do not truly believe Aske him again dost thou believe that in thy selfe and by nature thou art no better then a firebrand of hell a vassall oâ— sinne and Sathan subject to â—ternall death and damnation To this no doubt he will say Yes say then it seemeth you believe the sentence of the law concluding you under the curse but do you not also believe the Gospell that notwithstanding 〈◊〉 guilt of your own Conscience accusing and the sentence of the law condemning you you shall be blessed if you believe in Christ This also if he have any grace he will confesse as being the expresse Doctrine of the Gospell aske him then is there any othâ—r meâ—nâ—s whereby you may hope to be saved but by Christ He will say he renounceth all other meanes well then you acknowledge you may say that in your selfe you are a wretched sinner but yet notwithstanding by Christ you shall be happy if you shall believe in him tell me then have not you earnestly desired to come out of that damnable estate wherein you werâ— by nature and to be partaker of that happinesse purchased by CHRIST for all that believe in him He will say he hath and that he hath often expressed this his desire by hearty prayer But you believing may you say and desiring those things have you not also resolved to acknowledge and professe CHRIST to be the onely Saviour and to rest upon him alone for salvation renouncing all other meanes and to acknowledge him to be your Lord and therefore to obey him and serve him making conscience of all your wayes All this have I done will he say and yet I have not assurance But say I if thou hast done all this then thou hast a true justifying Faith for to believe in Christ is to receive him and thoâ— hast received him not onely in thy judgement by a firme and lively assent but also in thy heart and will by an earnest desire and setled purpose of applycation by which thou hast received him to be thy Saviour Hereupon I inferre that thou hast the condition of the promise and therefore that the promise doth belong unto thee and that thou believing truly that Jesus is the Saviour of all that believe in him he is thy Saviour and therefore needest not yea thou oughtest not to doubt of thy salvation for by refusing to apply the promise to thy selfe when thou hast the condition thereof thou makest GOD a lyar 1 John 5. 10. If thou wilt not believe me yet believe the Apostle Paul Rom. 10. 9 10. If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that GOD raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved For with the heart man believeth unto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made to Salvation Believe St. Iohn whose first Epistle was written to this very purpose that those who truly believe that Jesus Christ is the Saviour might have assurance that he is their Saviour 1 John 5. 13. For so he writeth in the same Chapter vers 1. Whosoever believeth that Iesus is the Christ is borne of GOD and vers 5. Whatsoever is borne of GOD overcommeth the world and this is the victory that overcommeth the World even our Faith who is he that overcommeth the World but he that beliâ—veth that IESUS is the sonne of GOD Believe our Saviour himself For if being asked with the Apostles what you thinke he is thou shalt answer with St. Peter Thou art the CHRIST the sonne of the living GOD he will pronounce thee blessed Matth. 16. 16. If for all this thou canst not gather assurance know then that the premises being granted thou canst not but have assurance unlesâ—e thou wilt deny the conclusion which cannot possibly be false the premises being true But for thy better assurance tell me what you are to thinke of a man believing truly that Jesus is the Christ yet in respect of his spirituall estate is so poore that he is as it were a meere beggar who having nothing of his owne whereby he might hope to be saved dependdeth wholly upon the mercies of GOD and merits of Christ Even as beggers who having nothing of their owne depend upon the Almes of well-disposed people what thinke you of him who believing that Christ is the Saviour is not yet assured that he is freed from that damnable estate wherein he is by nature but mourneth in the sense and acknowledgement of his wofull condition desiring to be freed from it What thinke you of him who truly believing that Jesus is the Christ but not yet assured of his justification doth therefore hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Whatsoever you thinke of them or whatsoever they be in their own sence they are justified before GOD. And that I prove thus Whosoever are blessed are justified and contrariwise but all believers though they be beggers in Spirit though they mourne though they do but hunger and thirst after righteousnesse are blessed by the testimony of our Saviour himselfe Matth. 5. 3 4. 6. Where directing his speech to them that believe vers 1 2. Compared with Luke 6. 23 21 22. He saith Blessâ—d are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beggers in Spirit blessed are they that mournâ— blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse 2. This assertion cannot stand with the ortâ—odoâ— doctrine of justification by faith For that teacheth the justification of a sinner or as the word signifyeth of an ungodly person before God this justification is neither of an ungodly person but of a man already justified before God and also sanctified neither is it before God but in the court of conscience that justification is an action of God acquitting the sinner and accepting of him as righteous by imputation of Christs righteousnesse in this there is no such matter in that we are taught that by â—aith a sinner doth receive remission of sinnes and that he is to believe to that end that he may obtaine pardon and to the same end is both to repent of his sinne and to sue for pardon by this doctrine are taught that a man hath his sinnes actually forgiven not onely before he believe or repent or sue for pardon but also before he commit them there we are taught that a man is justified before God by faith here that a man is justified 〈…〉 and without Faith there we are taught that faith doth justify not as it is an habit or quality inherent or as a part of inherent righteousnesse but onely as the hand receiving Christ who is our righteousnesse and is therefore said to justify because the object which it receiveth doth justify But according to this new doctrine faith doth neither justify as the hand to receive Christ unto justification not in respect of the object but as a part of the generall habite of grace infused not justifying a sinner before God by apprehension of Christs righteousnesse but
assuring the party already sanctified and justified of his justification and salvation in that we are taught that we are justified by faith alone but in this we are justified that is assured of justification not onely by faith but by good workes and all other meanes by which we are to make our calling and election sure The eighth error that assent is not the act of justifying faith 8. The eighth that faith as it is an assent doth not justifie the contrary whereof speaking of a true lively and effectuall assent I have fully and as I hope sufficiently proved But let us examine his proofes the first is this The Act of justifying faith is supernaturall Eph 2. 8 this assent to the truth of the Gospell concerning salvation by Christ is not supernaturall ergo I deny the assumption and affirme that the true lively and effectuall assent is supernaturall and cannot be had without the helpe of the holy Ghost as being a proper work of the holy Ghost when he doth regenerate any of us No man can say that Iesus is the Lord 1 Cor. 12. 3. but by the holy Ghost And who knowes not that it is the proper work of the holy Ghost in the ministery of the Gospell to open the hearts of the elect as he did the heart of Lydia Act. 16. to assent unto the word To use arguments to perswade the hearers to embrace the Gospell and to receive Christ may be the worke of the Minister but to perswade the hearer thereunto is the worke of the holy Ghost Againe that whereby we become the sonnes of God is not a work of nature but of the regenerating spirit by this lively assent we become the sonnes of God For By this effectuall assent as I have shewed we receive CHRIST But as many as received him to them he gave this power to become the sonnes of God Iohn 1. 12. 13. even to them that believe oâ— his name which are begotten or borne not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of GOD. Would you therefore know who is borne of GOD Whosoever believeth that Iesus is the Christ Iohn 5. 1. is borne of God But the assumption he proveth thus Whatsoever the understanding by the onely light of nature judgeth to be honest and good that the will can desire or will by the onely strength of Nature But by the onely light of nature the understanding judgeth that it is an honest thing to believe Gods authority revealing any thing unto us Therefore 〈◊〉 will by thâ— onely strength of nature â—ay dâ—sirâ— this act of believing and so consâ—quently there is no need of grace to mâ—ve the Will 〈◊〉 command the understanding If aâ—y man imagine that this conclusion doth contradict mine assertion affirming such an assent as I have spoken of to be â—aith he must understand that I speake not of a baâ—â— assent to whatsoever God revealeth unto us but the assent must be â—hus qualified First it must be a willing or voluntary assent For the understanding whereof we must know that what soever the understanding conceiveth and judgeth to be true and good that the will doth receive as true and good for the will is intellectus extensus And such is the naturall harmony betweene the understanding and the will that as the will followeth the judgment and resolution of the practicke understanding so the will having received for true and good that which the understanding hath so conceived the minde or the reasonable soule doth both assent to it as true and approve it as good So that the assent and approbâ—tion of the minde is an act both of the understanding and of the will But how the will which naturally followeth the direction of the understanding should as he speaketh command the understanding to assent or approve I doe not conceive But on the contrary I supposâ— that the minde many times doth assenâ— not onely without the command but also without the consent of the will as namely when the understanding of a man or devill doth know a thing to be truâ— but doth not conceive it to be good but hurtfull and pernicious to himselfe That therâ— is a God who is the Iuâ—ge of the world that this God is just that he hath prepared hell for the wicked the divells and wicked men doe conceive and know to be true and because they cannot dâ—ny 〈◊〉 they doe acknowledge and after a sort assent unto 〈◊〉 but yet this truth they doe abhorre and with horrour they doe believe it Iam. 2. 19. The legion of 〈◊〉 did know our Saviour CHRIST and confesse him to â—ee the Sonne oâ— Go◠〈…〉 câ—me to torment them before their time Mark 8 〈◊〉 so that the wicked botâ— men and Angâ—lâ— doe many times believe that which they doe not willingly assent unto but abhorre and wish it were otherwise But the faith of Gods children is a willing assent Secondly it is a true lively and effectuall assent For in Divinity we are said to believe and by Faith to know no more then we believe effectually and know by a lively faith Now where there is a true lively and effectuall faith it worketh a disposition in us answerable to that which we believe and know The wicked doe believe after a sort that there is a God that he is just and good that he is infinite in essence power and wisdome c. that IESUS the Sonne of the blessed Virgin is the Saviour of the world c. Yet none of all this doe they truely and effectuall believe For if they did believe inded that there is a GOD they would not deny him in their deeds behaveing themselves as if there were no God If they did truly believe that he is good yea goodnesse it selfe they would love him if just they would feare him if omnipresent they would walke before him if omnipotent or all-sufficient they would either trust in him oâ— feare him if omniscient they would not play the hypocrites before him If they did truly believe that IESUS is the Saviour they would desire to be made partakers of his merits they would be carefull to apply them to themselves they would rest upon him for salvation they would obey and serve him as their Lord But he that saith he knoweth him that is believeth in him and hath no desire nor care to keepe his commandements John 2. 1. he is alyar saith Sant Iohn and there is no truth in him That faith therefore which is not lively and effectuall but a dead faith as Saint Iames calleth it Jam. 2. 10. is no more to be accompted a true faith then the carcase or counterfeit of a man is a true man 3. The formall object of this assent as it justifieth is not every truth reavled of God though it believeth whatsoever God hath revealed in his word but that onely which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is called truth of God John 5. 33. 18 37. 1 Tim. 2. 4. that
promâ—â—â—gation of the Gospel it should be explained what this blessedness is which was promised by the Messias 1. First for confutation of the erroneous and pernicious conceipt of the Iews who thinking that the Messias should be â— temporal Monarch expected only temporaâ— blessings from him But if our hope in Christ were only in respect of this life then were we of all men most miserable 1 Cor. 15. 19. Secondly For prevention of a most dangerous scandal which otherwise would have ensued upon that erroneous conceipt For it beingâ— received opinioÌ„ among the Iews from which the Disciples of Christ were not free Mat. 20. â—1 Act. 1. 6. that the Messias should be a teâ—poral Monarch who should restore the Kingdom unto Israel and make his followers happy with external and â—emporâ— blessings If this opinion had been nourishâ—d in them it could not have been avoided but that they would have taken offence at Christs 〈◊〉 and poor estate when in stead of honours riches greatness and gâ—â—ry in this world which they expected from the Messias all things should happen contrary to their expectation Our Saviour therefore pronounceth them blessed who were not offended at him in respect of his mean condition and poor estate Mat. 11. 6. Thirdly For rectifying our judgment in that most weighty point concerning our happiness For the very foundation of a Christian conversation is the right belief concerning happiness For all men desire happiness as the supream end And such as is the end or happiness which they propound unto themselves such are the means which they use such are their studies and endeavours As for example if men place their happiness in pleasure their whole course of life is volumptuous if in riches covetous if in honour ambitious c. For these causes as I said it was necessary that it should be declared what this blessedness is Our Saviour therefore in the beginning of his gracious Sermon upon the Mount sheweth that the happiness which by him they were to expect did consist in spiritual grace and eternal glory Mat. 5. 3. Blessed are the poor or beggers in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven and so in the rest in every whereof two degrees of happiness are noted 〈◊〉 the one set down as the Schoolmen speak per modum meriti which I called grace the other per modum praemij which Lealled glory the one being be 〈◊〉 via or our happiness nâ—this life the other beatitudo patriae or our happiness in the life to come S. Paul likewise expoundeth the happiness which we have by Christ to be spiritual Ephes. 1. 3. Blessed be God saith he who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessingâ— in heavenly things in Christ. Thus S. Peter speaking of this Covenant which God made with Abraham and applying it to the Iewâ— expoundeth this blessedness to be their turning and consequently their freedom from sin Ye â—e saith he Act. 3. 25 26. the children of the Covenant which God made with our fathers saying unto Abraham and in thy seed shal all the families of the earth be blessed unto you first Gâ—d having raised up his Son Iesus sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from your iniquities In like manner the Apostle Paul Galat. 3. expoundeth this blessedness of justification by faith redemption from the curse of the Law and receiving the promise of the spirit Those which are of faith saith he vers 7. 8. 9. are the sons of Abraham and the Scripture that is the holy Ghost who speaketh in the Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the 〈◊〉 through faith preached the Gospell before to Abraham saying in thee that is in thy seed shall all nations be blessed Gen. 12. 2 3. chap. 13. 15. 17. chap. 15. 18. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham Again vers 13 14. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Iesus Christ that we might receive the promise of the Spirit But most chiefly in this place where the Holy Ghost doth as it were ex professe expound what this blessednesse is viz. That he would give us that we being deliverâ—â— from the hand of our enemies should worship him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him al the dayes of our life Now that this is a most true perfect exposition I will prove by these two reasonâ— And first for the truth of it For wheraâ— there 〈…〉 called obtain in this life 〈…〉 and sanctification justification by 〈…〉 to the Kingdome of 〈…〉 with it concur redemption 〈…〉 adoption being all in substance the 〈…〉 only in some relation or respect For when God doth forgive our 〈…〉 of Christs righteousnes he doth both redeem and reconâ—â—â—e and justifie and adopt 〈◊〉 but with this distinction First that when fâ—rgiving our sins by which we are bound over to death and damnation and held 〈…〉 sunne and Satan he fiâ—eth us from this bondage he is said to redeeme us Ephâ—s 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. Secondly when forgiving 〈…〉 whereby we are the children of wrâ—th and enemies against God he receiveth us â—nto his love and favour in Christ he is said to reconcile us 2 Cor. 5. 19. Thirdly when forgiving our sins which exclude us from heâ—ven and make us guilty of 〈…〉 absolve and 〈◊〉 us from the 〈◊〉 and doth accept of us in Christ 〈…〉 and as heires of salvation he is said to just 〈…〉 Rom. 3. 24. 25. 4. 6 7 8. Fourthly wâ—en forgiving our 〈…〉 of the Devill he doth in Christ 〈…〉 to be his children he is said to adopt us The second degree is Sanctification by which we are prepared and made fit for Gods Kiâ—â—dome Now these two are the two parts of the gift which God by oath in this place promised to give to the faithful the sons of Abraham viz. deliverance from the hand of our spiritual enemies namely the law sin death and the devil which is our redemption or justification and grace to worship God without fear in holyness and righteousness before him all the days of our life which is our sanctification 2. And that it is a ful and perfect exposition it is easily proved because not only to the whole gift here promised but to every part and parcel thereof happyness is ascribed in the word of God As first to redemption for what is it to be redeemed by Christ but to have remission of sins by him Ephes. 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. By him we have redemption even the remission of our sins But to the remission of sins the holy Ghost ascribeth blessedness Psal. 32. 1 2. Rom. 4. 6 7. Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity 2. Secondly to a godly life which is here termed the worship of God in holiness and righteousness in which
From the yoke of the Ceremonial Law Act. 16. 10 which neither we nor our Fathers were able to bear our Saviour Christ delivered us blotting out or cancelling the hand-writing of ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the way nayling it to his Crosse Col. 2. 14. and abolisâ—ing in his flesh the enmity even the law of the Commandements consisting in ordinances Epheâ—â— â— 15. And as touching the morall law our Saviour hath delivered us first from the curse of the law and consequently from all punishments of sin whether temporall or eternall himself being made a curse for us Gal. 3. 13 not only so but hath also made us 〈◊〉 of the blessednesse promised in him to Abraham and to his feed that is to all the faithfull who are the 〈◊〉 of promise 2. From the rigour and 〈◊〉 of the law eâ—acting of us perfect righteousnesse inherent in us and perfect obedience to be performed by us to our justification by performing perfect righteousnesse in his owne person for us by which righteousnesse being apprehended by faith we are justified be one God without the works of the Law that is without respect of any righteousnesse inherent â—n us or obedience performed by us Rom. 3. 28. Now this two-fold bondage was most miserable to be subject to the fearfull curse of God if we did break the law when we could do nothing els but break it to be excluded froÌ„ justification salvation if we did not perfectly fulfil the law which by reason of the flesh is impossible unto us 〈◊〉 8. 3. 3. From the terrour and coaction of the law working servile feare in those who are under the Law forcing them by fear of punishment as bondslaves by the whip to the outward though unwilling performance of it From this spirit of fearfulnesse â— Tim. 1. 7. which is also called the spirit of bondage Rom. â— 15. Christ hath freed us that as a voluntary people Psal. 110. 3. Zealous of good works 〈◊〉 2. 14. we may worship God 〈◊〉 as it â—oâ—â—oweth in my text without servile fear with upright hearts and willing minds 1 Chron. â—8 9. as not being under the Law but under Grace 4. From the irritation of the Law in regard wherof especially it is called the strength of sin 1 Cor. 15. 56. whereunto our own corruptions did make us subject as unto an husband Rom. 7. 15. begetting foule issue by us tending to death For such is the corruption of our untamed nature until we be renewed by the Spirit of God that when the Law which is holy and good forbiddeth sin and seeketh to bâ—idle our sinful affections like an untamed 〈◊〉 rebelleth so much the more and that it might appear exceedingly sinfull taketh occasion by the Law forbidding sinne to work in us al manner of concupiscence Rom. 7. 8. 13. But when we being adopted in Christ are also regenerated by the Spirit and so made dead to sinne we are mortified to the Law and the Law to us in respect of this irritation accidentally caused by our corruption alwayes prone to that which is forbidden and consequently are delivered from the bondage of the Law as of a former husband being dead Rom. 7. 2 c. Secondly we are by Christ freed from death both from the first death as it is a punishment and from the second For as of all other afflictions so of death the nature is changed in respect of the faithfull to whom it is not a punishment or curse the sting of it which is sin being taken away but rather a blessing no losse but advantage because to them it is the end of sin and consequently of all misery the beginning of happiness a passage from the vale of tears to the kingdom of glory the end of a mortall life and the beginning of a life immortall Likewise from the second death for he hath delivered us from the wrath that is to come 1 Thes. 1. 10. so that to them that are in Christ there is no condemnation Rom. 8. 1. this being the main promise of the Gospel that whosoever beleeveth in him shall not peâ—ish but have everlasting life Ioh. 3. 1â— 16 18. Thirdly from the power of the dâ—vil that howsoever he may assault us yet he shall not hurt us Because he that is in us being greater then he that is in the world 1 Ioh. 5. 18. hath overcome this strong man Luk. 11. 22. hath bound him as being stronger then he For by his death he hath overthrown him that had the power of death that is the devil delivering them who through fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage Heb. 2. 14 15. having spoiled principalitiâ—s and powers meaning the devill and his angâ—ls he hath made a shew of them openly and triumphed over them on the crosse Col. 2. 15. Fourthly But the most pernicâ—ous enemy is that which we carry in our own bosom and that is sin from which if we be freed we are delivered from all the rest For if we be dâ—livered from sin then are we freed from the curse of the Law from the evill of death having lost his sting from the danger of damnatiâ—n being absolved from the guils of sin from the malice of Satan who if we be freed from sinne hath nothing to object against us For who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that doth justifie who shall condemn Christ having died and being risen again sitteth at the right hand of his Father making intercession for us Rom. 8. 33 34 Therefore in the Scriptures the whole benefit of our Redemption is expressed sometimes by deliverance from sin as Eph. 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. By Christ we have redâ—mption viz. â—reâ—â—ssion of sins For therefore Christ gave himself for us that he might redeâ—m us from all iniquity Tit. 2. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 18. Act. â—3 25 26. Now from sin he doth deliver us first in respect of the guilt thereof by 〈◊〉 us and reconciling us unto God Act. â—3 38 39. 2 Cor. 5. 19. Secondly in respect of the corruption of sin which he 〈…〉 in us by degrees he 〈◊〉 us from the bondage and dominion of â—in that howsoever it remaineth in the children of God yet it shall no more reigne in them Rom. 6. 14. The use of this doctrine concerning our redemption is First seeing Christ our Saviour hath redeemed us from our enemies that therefore we should not stand in fear of them according to that Esay 43. 1. Fear not for I have redeemed thee But as we are taught in the next words we should all the dayes of our life worship him 〈◊〉 fear and in the end of our dayes commend our soules into the hand of God saying with David Psal. 31. 6. Into thy hands I commend my 〈◊〉 for thou hast redeemed me Lord God of truth 2. When we have sinned against God the remembrance of our redemption should encourage
else according to that Prov. 14. 26. In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence 2. In respect of the thing feared fear iâ— either of the evill of punishment or of the evill of sinne But this distinction is the same in effect with that distinction of fear in respect of the subject whereof I am now to speak 3. In respect of the subject that is the persons fearing Fear is either of Bond-servants who are under the Law which is a servile or slavish fear Sons who are not under the Law butunder grace which is a son-like or shall fear The former is properly called metus whose effect is metuere ab aliquo to be afraid of the object that is feared The other is timor of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose effect is to fear or to reverence the object feared The former is a fearfull expectation of some evill from the party feared the other is an awfull reverence of the party feared not to offend him by doing evil so that the formall object of the former is maluÌ„ poena the evil of punishment in regard whereof they are afraid of God of the other malum culpae the evil of sin in regard whereof they fear to offeâ—d or displease God The former is rather metus poena then timor Dei fear of punishment rather then of God For if there were no punishment they that have but this fear would not fear to offend God Oderunt peccare mali formidine pocnae The other out of the love of God of goodness though there were no punishment to be fearâ—d feareth to offend Oderunt peccare boni virtutis dmore The former being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit of bondage Rom. 8. 15. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit of fearfulness 2 Tim. 1. 7. is a fruit and effect of the Law forcing and compelling those that are under it to yeeld some outward obedience for fear of punishment The other is a fruit of the Gospell and of faith when a man being perswaded of Gods mercy and goodness towards him in Christ feareth to offend so gracious a God and mercifull Father according to that Psalm 130. 4. There is mercy with thee that thou 〈◊〉 be fâ—ared Of this son-like fear there is no question but that we are to worship God therewith Psal. 2. 11. 5. 7. Nay we cannot worship God arigh without it Den. 6. 13. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him this being one of the chiefest things required in his service Deut. 10. 12. Eccles. 12. 13. and is therfore called caput sapientiae the very chief point of wisdom that is of true piety and godliness Psa. 111. 10. Pro. 9. 10. Of the other there may be a question whether God hath promised to those that are redeemed that they shall worship him without all serviâ—e fear seeing that it is profitable that men should be restrained from sinne by feare of punishment And to that end doth the Lord threaten judgements and punishments to terrifie and to deterre men from sinne To this I answer as I delivered before in the doctrine of redemption that our Saviour in delivering us from the terrour and coaction of the Law doth free us also from servile fear but we are to consider quatenus how far forth For such as is our redemption I speak of it passively as it is in the redeemed such is our freedom from servile fear to wit inchoated or begun in this life and increasing by degrees compleat and perfect in the life to come which is called our full redemption which being not totall in this life doth not free us totally from this servile fear Full and perfect charity indeed casteth out this fear and he that thus feareth is not perfected in charity 1 Ioh. 4. 18. But whiles the reliques of sin or rather the body of sin remaineth in us whiles we are in part flesh as well as spirit we have not perfect charity And therefore so far forth as we are flesh we are subject to servile fear yea so far as we are carnall we are servants Rom. 7. 14. 23. but so far forth as we are spirit we are freed from that fear as not being under the Law but under grace Yet because concupiscence and the corruptions of the flesh still abide in us it was expedient for the subduing and mortifying of the flâ—sh that we should in some part be obnoxious to this fear To which end the rest also of our spirituall enemies though they be overcome and we delivered out of their power are still 〈◊〉 to â—â—counter us that we standing upon our guard and exercising and maintaining a spiritualâ— warfare against them may at length triumpâ— over them and receive the crown promised to those that overcome In the mean time we are freed from this servile fear by degrees from the time of â—ur justification to our glorification as our faith hope and charity do encrease by encrease whereof we are more and more enabled to worship God as without fear so also with willing and cheerfull minds And therefore we are to be stirred up to labour for the encrease of these graces in us that our fear may be diminished and our assurance encreased wherein our happiness in this life doth consist Security likewise is two-fold Carnall Spirituall The carnall security is when a man being void of grace and of the true fear of God and destitute of faith hope and charity goeth on carelesly in his sinnes without repentance presuming of Gods favour and â—is own salvation The spirituall security as I distinguished before is either of the object signifying the spiritual safety of the faithful because there is no condemnation to them that be in Christ. In regard wherof they worship God securely or without fear that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without danger or cause of fear The spirituall security in respect of the subject is when a man being justified before God by faith and assured in some measure of 〈◊〉 is favour as knowing himself to have received grace to believe and having peace of conscience worshippeth God in assured expectation of everlasting life And of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or spirituall security the Holy Ghost speaketh in this place The summe of that which hath been said by way of exposition is this 〈◊〉 that God hath promised to give the faithful being redeemed by Christ to worship him without fear not without the true fear of God for that is a chief part of his worship but without fear of their spiritual enemies and namely without fear of damnation and that in two degrees so that they may worship him without fear that is without cause of fear securely and safely without danger because their salvation is certain and sure there being no condâ—mnation to them that are in 〈…〉 Secondly without fear it self namely of their enemies from whose power they believe themselves to be redeemed and consequently from the servile fear
Câ—mmandement proceeding from faith unfained It worketh in us affiance Foâ— when we believe that Christ is our Saviour we rest upon him for salvation It worketh in us hope for when we believe that the promises belong unto us we expect the performance Faith having begotten affiance and hope and working by love begetteth zeale peace of conscience Rom. 5. 1. rejoycing in God and joy in the Holy Ghost thankfulnesâ— voluntary and cheerfull obedience patience and comfort in afflictions c. And indeed how can a man love his neighbour for Gods sake who lovâ—th not God much more how can a man love God as he ought who is not perswaded of Gods love towards him in Christ which perswasion is this special Faith And if he cannot love God without Faith much lesse can he have the zâ—alâ— of God foâ— zeale is the servency of love How can a man have affiance in Christ and rest upon him for salvation who is not by Faith perswaded and in some measure assured that he is his Saviour How can he hope and wait for thâ— performance of the promises that doth not believe that they belong unto him Fâ—ith being the substance of things hoâ—ed for How can a man have true peace of conscience who is not perswaded that God is reconcled tâ— him How can a man rejoyce in God whâ— is not assured of Gods favour towards him How can a man trust in God that is not perswaded of Gods goodness towards him How can a man be thankfull unto God whâ— is not perswaded of Gods love and 〈◊〉 towards him How shall thâ—y fear Godâ— as sons that is fearing to offend so mercifull a Father who are not perswaded that he iâ— their Father in Christ Or when they have sinned how shall they be encouraged to return unto him if they be not perswaded of his fatherly respect to tâ—em How shall they perform voâ—â—ntary and cheâ—rful â—bâ—diencâ— who are not perswaded that their endevours are accepted of him How shall they pray who do not believe they shall be heard Or as the Apostle speaketh How shall they call â—pon him in whom they have not believed Rom. 10. 14. How shall they patiently and comfortably bear afflictions who are not perswaded they be fatherly chastisements or trials proceeding from Gods love and tending to their goodâ— Finally with what heart 〈…〉 worship God who are not perswaded that their service is accepted of him And as it worketh all other graces in us so according to the measure of our Faith such as I said is the measure of all other graces For the more a man is perswaded of Gods love and favour towards him in Christ that is by how much the greater is a mans speciall Faith so much the more he loveth God and his neigâ—bour for Gods sake so much the more is he inflamed with the 〈◊〉 of God so much the more confidently doth he rest upon Christ for salvation so much the more he hopetâ— for and expecteth the good things promised so mucâ—â—he more he rejoyceth and gloâ—ieth in God so much the more he is thankfull to God for his goodnesse so much the more he trusteth in God so much the more the feareth to offend so gracious a God and so 〈◊〉 a Father 〈◊〉 offended he will 〈…〉 return unto God so much the more 〈◊〉 comfortably he beareth afflictions saying with Iob Though he kill me 〈◊〉 will I pâ—t my trust in himâ— Iob. 13. 15. So much the more willingly and cheâ—rfully will he obey and serve the Lord. Wherfore it is evident that they which renounce this Faith as the Papists do discover themselves to be void of all saving graceâ— and to have no truth nor power of religion in them But whatsoever they think or speak of speciall Faith let us know and acknowledge these three things First that it is the duty of every true Christian that doth truly assent to the doctrine of the Gospell to apply also by special Faithâ— the promises of the Gospell unto himself For this is most profitable most comfortable most necessary Profitable because from this application of Faith all othâ—â— graces do proceed as hath been said Comfortable because by this application we grow to assurance as shall be shewed Necessary first because That beliefe or assent is not lively and effectuall as you shall heare which is not joyned with â— desire to apply CHRIST to thy self and with a resolution to acknowledge him to be thy SAVIOVR and to rest upon him for salvation For although he which at the â—â—rst believâ—th only by aâ—â—ent â—oth not yet actually apply the promises of the Gospâ—ll to himself yet that assent if it bâ—livâ—ly and â—ffectuall worketh both an earnest desire and setled resolution of â—pplication 2. He â—haâ— knoweth himself to believâ— by a true assent and refuseth to apply the promises to himself he maketh God a lyar as shall bâ— shewed 3. Where this application is not at least in desire resolution and endevour there is no other saving grace as I have proved The second thing which we are to take notice of is that it is the chiefest comfort and indeed happinesse of a Christian in this life by speciall faith to be assured of the â—ternall love and favour of God in Christ. For so Zaâ—hary in this place expoundeth our blessednâ—ssâ— to be this being redeemed by Christ to worship God without fâ—ar c. The third that seeing it is a thiâ—g so profitable so â—â—cessary and so comfortable that our happiness is to be repoâ—ed therein it is therefore our duty to do our best endevour to attain unto the assurance of salvation and to this speciall faith or as the Apostle Pâ—terâ—xhorteth â—xhorteth in other words to give diligâ—â—nce to make our calling and election sure 2 Pâ—t 1. 10. or as the Apostle Paul speaketh 1 〈◊〉 6. 1â— to lay up iâ— stâ—re a good foundation against the time to come that we 〈◊〉 lay hold upon etâ—rnall lifâ— For though the Apostle in that place doth by this argument exhort them that be rich to works of charity yet his meaning is not that those works are the foundation but that we by doing of them may gather assurance to our selves of our justification and salvation as by tâ—stimonies and evidences of our faith which assurance of speciall faith is so sure a foundation against the day of triall as they who hâ—ve built thereon cannot by any temptation bâ— removed but like mount Sion stand fast for ever or like to three-square or triangular bodies which howsoever they be tossed and turned keep alwayes their positure which 〈◊〉 undique sursum Now you must not think that full assurance is obtained at the first or at oncâ— but we must attain unto it by divers degrees And first we are to know that the ordinary way to exaltation by sound comfort and assurance is Humilâ—tion according to that generall rule given by our Saviour after 〈◊〉 had reported the notable humiliation of thâ— penitent Publican which
speciall Faith that this man or that man shall be saved is not grounded on the Word ergo it is not a true Faith Resp. Particulars are included in the generall quod omnibus promittitur singulis promittitur therefore if it be true that all believers shall be saved then it is as true that this or that believer shall be saved and this the Apostle teacheth Rom. 10. 9. if thou c. 3. Because Faith mentioned in the Scripture is the Faith of assent and not of application I answer that as there are many places which speak properly of assent some wherof I before cited so there are many which mention or meane the speciall Faith As namely all those places which are very many and almost innumerable wherein the faithfull doe apply and as it were appropriate those things which are spoken of God * to themselves As my God my Lord my Saviour the God of my salvation c. * Psal. 3. 7. 4. 1. 5. 2. 7. 1. 5. 13. 3. 16. 2. 18 1 2. 46. 19. 4. 22. 1 8. 27. 1. 9. 38. 41. 22. 43. 4 5. 51. 14. c. Hab. 3. 18. Luke 1. 47. John 20. 28. c. So Gal. 2 20. Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the Faith of the Sonne of God who loved me and gave himselfe for me Likewise in those places where the faithfull professe their assurance of justification and salvation as Iob. 13. 18 19. 25 26 27. Psal. 103. 3. who forgiveth all thine iniquities Psalm 32. 5. Rom 8. 35. 38. 2 Tim. 1. 12. Secondly upon the Patrons of speciall Faith the Papists doe presle divers inconveniences and absurdities As 1. If every man be bound to believe in particular his owne salvation then it would follow that every man shal be saved because no man is bound to believe an untruth but the consequent is false therefor the antecedent Answ. I have shewed before that every man is bound upon paine of damnation to have the first degree of Faith which is to give a firme assent to the promise of the Gospell assuring salvation to all those that believe in CHRIST but the second degree none ought to have but they only who have the first no man ought to apply the promise of the Gospell to himselfe who hath not the condition of the promise unlesse he will pernieiously deceive himselfe For as hee that believeth shall be saved so he that believeth not shal be condemned Mark 16. 16. If thou dost truly believe that CHRIST is the Saviour thou art bound to believe that he is thy Saviour And so believing in CHRIST and receiving him both by assent and applycation thou shalt undoubtedly be saved The second absurdity 2. Those that have this speciall Faith ought not to aske the forgivenes of sinnes which notwithstanding our Saviour teacheth his owne Apostles to aske For they that have full assurance of the forgivenes of all their sinnes ought not to aske forgivenes unlesse they will dally with God for nothing desireth that which it hath I answer 1. that not all believers have full assurance some are incipients some proficients some perfect or growne men in CHRIST Those that are incipients pray both that their sinnes may bee forgiven and that they may have some assurance there of proficients and those that bee growne men pray both that their sinnes may bee remitted and their assurance augmented for none are so perfect but that their assurance may be increased 2. As wee dayly sinne so wee must dayly ask forgivenes prayer being the meanes that GOD hath ordayned to that end Ob. Yea but saith the Papist yee forsooth have already full assurance of the remission of all your sinnes not only past but also to come Answ. It is absurd to imagine that sinnes be remitted before they be commited and much more that we be assured they are remitted before they be either remitted or committed that indeed were a doctrine to animate and to encourage men to sinne But howsoever the Pope somtimes forgiveth sinnes to come yet God doth not when God justifieth a man he giveth him remission of sinnes past Rom. 3. 25. As for time to come we teach that although Christ hath merited and God hath promised remission of sinnes of all the faithfull unto the end of the world Notwithstanding remission of sinnes is not actually obtayned and much-lesse by speciall faith believed untill men doe actually believe and repent and by humble and faithfull prayer renew their faith repentance For as God hath promised to the faithfull all good things but how Mark 7. 7 8. 〈◊〉 them that ask that seek that knock so also remission of sins Neither is it to be doubted but that remission of sin though merited by CHRIST though promised by GOD though sealed unto us in the Sacrament of Baptisme is obtayned by the effectuall prayer of those that believe and repent for whom CHRIST hath merited it and to whom GOD hath promised it in his Word and sealed it by the Sacrament even as the obtayning of the raine which GOD hath promised 1 Kings 18. 1. 41. and the Prophet Elias had fore-told is ascribed Iam. 5. 16. 18. to the effectuall prayer of Elias 3. The third absurdity which the Papists put upon the doctrine of speciall Faith is that by it men are animated to commit all manner of sinne As if it were no matter how many or how great sinnes a man doth commit so long as he is assured by speciall Faith that all his sinnes past present and to come are remitted Answ. That which they say of sinne to come is a malicious slander as I noted before but I answere the practice of sinne especially of any crime and going on in the same without repentance cannot possibly stand with the assurance of Faith Neither can a man be assured of the forgivenes of any sinne whereof he doth not repent and much lesse can he be assured before hand of the forgivenes of that sinne which presumptaously he doth purpose to commit As for the doctrine of speciall Faith I doe confidently professe that there is scarce any one doctrine in all Divinity of greater force and efficacy either to encourage men to well-doing or to preserve them from evill For as I have shewed before the more a man is assured of GODS love towards him in CHRIST in forgiving his sinnes and giving unto him eternall life the more will his heart be inflamed with love towards GOD and towards his neighbour for GODS sake the more zealous will he be of GODS glory the more thankfull for his mercies the more desirous to please the more fearefull to displease the more carefull to obey him the more ready when he hath offended to returne unto him c. and therefore not without cause chasidim the favourites of GOD who have experience and assurance of GODS speciall favour towards them are every where almost translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that
laboureth to keepe his conscience cleare towards God and towards men The hypocrite preferreth the opinion of others concerning himselfe before the testimony of his owne conscience not regarding the verdict of his owne conscience condeÌ„mning him so he may have a good reputation among men commending him not caring though he be dead so he may have a name that he liveth desiring to seeme to be good rather then to be so and to be evill rather then to seeme so which is extreame madnesse seeing it is better to be good then to seeme good and worse to be evill then to seem evill The speciall notes respecting The spiciall notes respect either good things intended by the upright and pretended by the hypocrite or evil things whether of sinne or of punishment Good things as their Profession of Religion Worship of God Obedience Graces The profession of the upright is iâ— truth Both in respect of the Purpose and desire of his heart Practice of his life The purpose of his heart is sincere without any sinister sinnefull or worldly reâ—spects or if any worldly respects may seeme to concurre yet they are not the chiefe or those for which he professeth religion but secondary respects which he subordinateth to his profession and to his care of keeping a good conscience being resolâ—ed Luke 14. 28. 13. not to forsake his profession for a world nor willingly and wittingly to violate his conscience though he might gaine never so much for what would it profit a man to gaine the whole world and to loose his owne soulâ— Mark 8. 36. The hypocrite maketh his profession in pretence Phil. 1. 18. pretending religion to his worldly and sometimes to his wicked respect and first for his worldly respects whereunto he subordinateth his profession and his seeming caâ—e of keeping a good conscience careing indeed for neither â—urther then they may stand with the fruition of his worldly desires halting betwixt God and Mammon and dividing himselfe between them but so as to God he giveth the outward shewe and to Mammon his heart of such Mammonists the Apostle speaketh Phil. 3. 18 19. There be many saith he that walk oâ— whom I have told you often and now tell you weeping that they are the enimies of the crosse of Christ whose end is destruction whose God is their belly and whose glory is their shame and who are these of whom all this evil is spoken viz. such as walk that is make profession of christian religion and yet minde and affect principall earthly things These men when they are brought to this exigent that either they must make ship-wrack of a good conscience and perhaps forsake their profession or forgoe their worldly desires they will readily violate their conscience and renounce their profession rathâ—r then they will be disappointed of that worldly thing which they principâ—lly affect and which is in deed their God Such a profession made Saul 1 Sam. 18. of providing 〈◊〉 when in his covetousnesse he sparâ—d all the best of the cattell which he ought to have destroyed Iudas Iohn 6. 71. â—2 6. who for his gayne followed Christ being a those and for all his faire shewes a Devill The people that followed our Saviour that they might be filled Iohn 6. 26. Ananias and Sapphâ—ra who seemed â—orward professors but were worldlings Act. 5. and in a word all such to whom not godlinesse is gaine but gaine is godlinesse 1 Tim 6 5 6. These men professing themselves Christians doe withall professe themselves to be pilgrimes on earth Heb. 11. 13. citizens of heaven whose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and countrey is above Phil. 3. 20 but in deed behave themselves like earth-wormes being wholly addicted and as it were glewed to the earth and worldly desires not desiring nor expecting a better countrey Heb. â— 14. 1â— but placing their Paradise upon earth Sometimes also they pretend religion to their wicked designes as the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 23. 14. who devoured widowes houses and for a pretence made long prayers even as the Priests and Jesuits at this day do prey upon their devout Proselites Absolom when he intended rebellion pretended the performance of a vow 2 Sam. 15. 7. Iezabel when shee meant to have Naboth unjustly condemned appointed a fast to be proclaimed as a preparative to that judgement 1 King 21. 9. Herod maketh a shew to the Wiseman that he would come and worship CHRIST when he meant to kill him Matth. 2. 8. Thus men many times pretend conscience either to the not doing of their duties as they will lend no more because they have vowed the contrary or to the committing of sinne because they think they are bound thereto by oath as Herod rather then he would break his oath beheaded Iohn Baptist so they sinne double first in their promise but much more in the performance The high priest Caiphas Matth. 16. 25. when he sought most unjustly to condemne our Saviour unto death in an hypocriticall zeale rent his clothes pretending that he had spoken blasphemy And what zeale soever those Priests and Pharisees which most hotly pâ—rsecuted our Saviour pretended towards God and his Law yet their true intent was This is the heire come let us kill him and let us seize upon his inheritance Mat. 21. 38. In respect of the desire of his heart the upright is a forward professour and iâ— some measure Tit. 2. 24. zealous of religion The hypocrite is backward carelesse and luke warme Apoc. 3. 17. So much of the intent purpose and desire of the heart now followeth the practise The upright being Christians within Rom. 2. 10 and not without onely doe Walk in the truth 2 John 4. 3 John 3. endeavouring to frame their lives according to their profession and as the truth is in Iesus Ephel 4. 21 22 23 24. joyning workes with faith Iam 2. 24 and doing with hearing Iam 1. 2. and well-doing with saying well sanctification with justification 2 Cor. 17. living not after the â—lesh but after the spirit which by the Apostle is propounded as the proper signe of those who be in CHRIST Rom 8. 1. The hypocrites being Châ—istians without Rom. 2. 28 and not within professe the truth but doe not walk in the truth not framing nor desirous to frame their lives according to their profession but live after the flesh and not after the spirit professing â—aith Iam. 2. 14 without works justifiâ—ation without sanctification saying well but doing ill being hearers of the word but not doers being fruitlesse branches in the vine John 15. 2. 6. siggetrees in Gods vineyard bearing no sigges Luke 13. 6. having leaves but no fruit like the fig-tree which Christ cursed Matth 2â— having lamps but no oyle like the foolish virgins Mat. 25. Of such our Saviour speaketh Mat. 7. 21 22 Luke 13. 25 26 that notwithstanding their profession they shall at the last day be excluded from the kingdome of heaven Gods worship Now I come to the worship of God first in