words Rom. 4.2 Abraham was not iustified by workes and therefore they must be so reconciled as both places may bee true lest contrariety and variance appeare in the spirit of God which cannot be This is like those speeches vttered by Christ My Father is greater then I Ioh. 5.17 19. Iohn 10.30 and in another place I and my Father are all one and I count it no robbery to be equall with my Father which is spoken in a different respect the first in the person of a mediator the second in the person of the Godhead So Saint Paul taking the word iustifying for iustification before God said true and Saint Iames taking the word iustifying for iustification or approuing of his faith before men saieth true also but the word being taken in one and the same sense it were impossible for an Angell from heauen or for Christ himself to reconcile them And the reconciliation which the Papists make of these two places fighteth directly with Paul for they say faith and workes doe iustifie Paul saith faith onely iustifieth So as when Paul speaketh of iustifying by faith hee meaneth that whereby wee are acquitted by Christ and doe appeare perfect before God in him and Saint Iames taketh it for being iustified in the sight of men that is declared and approued to bee iustified when our holy life answereth to our holy profession And that the word Iustified is thus vsed and taken in this sense as Saint Iames doth appeareth Psalme 51.4 That thou maiest be iustified when thou art iudged that is declared to bee iust So Luke 7.29 the Publicans iustified God that is declared him to bee iust and in the same place it is said Wisedome is iustified of her children And Luk. 10.29 it is said the Lawyer was willing to iustifie himselfe that is to shew that hee was iust and it is likewise prooued out of the text it selfe Shew mee saith Saint Iames thy faith shew it to mee not to God Againe Saint Iames had falsified and abused the Scripture if he had taken the word iustifying in the sense to be made iust for the sentence that Abraham was iustified had passed the Lords mouth many yeeres before the sacrificing of his sonne for this that hee was iust was pronounced long before Ismael was conceiued as appeareth Genes 15.6 and therefore taking the word iustified to bee made iust hee could in no sort bee iustified by offering vp his sonne because he was iustified before but the meaning of Saint Iames is that it was approoued by this act and worke of Abraham that God had not saied before in vaine that hee was iustified and Rom. 4.10 it appeareth Abraham was iustified in his vncircumcision and this worke Iames speaketh of was done long after his circumcision To this the Papists reply thus Though Abraham was iustified before hee did this worke before God yet there is a degree to bee more iustified and so this place of Saint Iames may bee taken to bee a further iustification and an increase of faith before God as well as not To this wee answer that one pardon from God sufficeth for all sinnes and one droppe of blood serueth for all offences but because our faith is weake that we are not able to apply this bloud all at once therefore it is said that we must grow from faith to faith and he that is washed in the bloud of Christ is all cleane but our sanctification in this life leaueth some grudge and tang of corruption and maketh our feete impure as Christ speaketh Iohn 13.10 so as with God wee are iustified all at once and there is no proceeding by degrees in respect of him for blood pardons all but water that is our renewing groweth by degrees Now for the speeches of Saint Paul Rom. 4.4.5 and Rom. 8.30 that none are iustified by workes the Papists say It is to be taken of the workes of the law ceremoniall but not of the law mâ—â—ll But we must note that Paul speaketh there of the law written in the tables of stone of that law that manifesteth sinne to bee sinne Thou shalt not lust c. which is the law morall and so their distinction false and friuolous Besides they were both the lawes of God and therefore a man may bee iustified as soone by the one as by the other for as Paul saith 2. Corinth 3.5 All our sufficiency is of God and of our selues we can doe nothing and but that the vaile is taken away in Christ the same couering remaineth which was in the old Testament vnder Moses And where Saint Paul saith Abraham was iustified without workes and no man shall bee iustified by the workes of the law True say the Papists by none of the workes of the law that he doth in the time of his infidelity but by them that hee doth after his conuersion he may be iustified And they say that forasmuch as the Apostle saith The workes of Abraham were done in beliefe therefore by this hee excludeth onely those workes done before faith to helpe his iustification So as by this wee see the aduersaries make two iustifications the first when of an infidell a man is made a professor which they say is by congruity when there is a certaine inclination in the heart of man to performe some good workes and yet for want of grace cannot the Lord seeing his heart thus prepared to be iustified doth call him and meerely of his grace doth iustifie him The second when a man is freely iustified by the grace of God then by this grace of God and his owne free-will say they hee may increase his iustification before God For the first we answer that none can be iustified by workes before faith for this is as if a tree should bring foorth fruite without a roote or a body should liue without a soule so in vaine is it to make a question of that cannot be for before wee haue faith it is impossible to worke or to thinke of a good work Secondly where they say that speech concerning Abraham is taken and to be vnderstood of his workes done before faith and that he was iustified by his good workes in faith this doth wholly eneruate and take away the strength of the Apostle his reason for Paul saith If hee were iustified by workes then had he whereof to glory with God Rom. 4.6 which speech extendeth as well to workes after faith as before faith for hee that deserueth any way may glory Secondly the Apostle saith Not to him that worketh but to him that beleeueth is righteousnesse due for if hee worketh hee hath his wages by desert that is say they he that standeth vpon his owne workes before faith without the assistance of Gods grace this man challengeth it by desert because hee did them without faith and grace which euasion and shift is most vaine for a man is not therefore made euill because he doth euill but he doth euill because he is borne euill so a man is
and prostrateth it selfe before God in Christ vpon confession that the soule is Satans due and deserueth to bee bound hand and foote and to bee cast into prison as vnable to pay the debt it intreateth that this obligation may bee taken from Satan it wrastleth with death and damnation and terror of conscience Coloss 2.14 and craueth a pardon bringing nothing but the very heart blood of Christ And euen as the very looking vpon the Serpent healed them in the wildernesse Num. 21.9 and nothing else could appease the tempest Ionâ—h 1.15 but the very casting of Ionah into the sea and the sinnes of the people Leuit. 16.22 were laid onely vpon the Goate so faith in this petition of forgiuenesse brings nothing but commeth emptie and laieth all vpon the shoulders of Christ But now betweene men and men on earth faith worketh by loue so as if we bring nothing to men but faith it is certaine wee neuer brought faith from God for since thy heart is not discernable and the spirit and piety of the heart is vnsearchable in respect of men and good to God wee cannot doe our faith vpon earth must be as busie before men in workes as it is before God in the blood of Christ And as Martha and Mary Luk. 10.39 dwelled in one house one onely to heare Christ the other working and labouring to entertaine Christ euen so our faith with Mary must onely kneele at Gods feet to heare that comfortable voice of the pardon and absolution of our sinnes in the blood of Christ but our faith on earth must labour with Martha by loue and good works to entertaine and helpe our brethren Besides wee must consider that things may worke together but not together in the same worke Euen as Christ in the worke of mediation must haue two natures a diuine humanity and an humane diuinity and we say not that Christ as God onely nor as man onely is Mediator but by these two concurring together and as wee saie that Christ is not Mediator without flesh and as truely we saie that hee raised not vp his flesh by his humanitie but suffered in the flesh and was raised vp by the power of his diuinitie onely and that his diuinitie died not but his flesh onely and in this they worked seuerally in the flesh to be ouercome of death and in the spirit onely to ouercome death yet these two in the worke of our saluation doe worke together Euen so faith worketh with loue in bringing foorth sanctification and a holy life but in the verie apprehending of Christ his bloud this power to iustifie is of faith onely Like as the roote of it selfe giues life but the roote with the branches bring foorth fruite And as the fire maketh warme by heate and light and yet the heate of the fire warmeth alone but light is inseparable from it so no faith can worke well without workes but yet there are none iustified by the power of workes but by faith onely Now where it it said Faith wrought with his workes and through the workes the faith made perfect obserue that this is meant onely of a declaration to men for we are perfectly iustified in the sight of God by the bloud of Christ And though the hand be leprous yet it can receiue sound meate so though our faith be imperfect yet our iustification is perfect For there is but one pardon in heauen through that one death and passion of Christ and before a man be perfectly iustified he cannot do a good worke for we must first be in Christ before wee haue faith and must haue faith before wee can worke for these are fruits of faith And as a Toade is not therefore a Toade because it poisons but therefore poisons because it is a Toade nor a Serpent is not therefore a Serpent because it stings but stings because it is a Serpent so we are not ingrafted into Christ because we are good but being ingrafted into Christ wee are made good Lastly obserue in the wordes that wee are not iustified because wee worke but because wee shall be saued therefore wee worke Zaccheus Luke 19.8 had not saluation because hee restored foure-fold and gaue halfe his goods to the poore but because the Lord was come into his house and had taken possession of his heart therefore hee wrought these works of faith Neither was the poore man in the Gospell healed because he should sinne no more Iohn 5.14 but Christ faith Thou art healed therefore in signe of thankfulnesse for thy health looke to thy life that thou sinne no more for heauen shall not be giuen to workes but to workers and promise of eternall life is made to the workes of the iust as they are iustified Gal. 3.11.12 and they are iustified onely in Christ for in euery worke there is imperfection not but that the spirit could worke perfectly but that euery thing is receiued according to the measure of that that doth receiue it and wee in this life are able onely to receiue the first fruites and not the fulnesse of the spirit for the spirit is like the Sea that is able to fill any vessell but no vessell is able to containe it Now in the 23. verse two parts are to be considered first the purpose of the Apostle in alledging this Scripture secondly the sense of the matter deliuered For the first if Saint Iames cited this place to proue that Abraham was imputed righteous in the sight of God by this work of sacrificing his sonne hee must needes haue wrested this Scripture which were blasphemy to say being written by the singer of God for Abraham had this imputation of righteousnesse through his beleefe giuen him and pronounced by God himselfe Genes 15.6 before either Ismael or Isaak were borne so as then the meaning of the Apostle in alledging this scripture is onely to shew that that testimony which God gaue Abraham of the excellency of his faith was declared and approued to bee true by the performance and execution of this speciall worke Now for the second point concerning the sense of the place cited namely that Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse here we see that it is agreeable to the scripture that the obedience of the sonne which stood in two parts first in fulfilling the law secondly in satisfying for our sins is onely inherent in the sonne and was in him euen from the moment of his conception to the moment of his ascension and that wee haue onely his obedience allowed vnto vs and through the imputation thereof we are made iust not that it abideth in our selues for we are no better then Abraham but we haue it by imputation as Abraham had And this is a doctrine of great comfort and necessitie to be beleeued that wee haue it by imputation and not of our selues for now wee are sure it shall neuer faile vs nor wee shall neuer lose it as Adam at first lost
For the first of these the Papists say it is meant that none can be saued by the works of the ceremoniall Law that it is not to be vnderstood of the morall law Which is most false as is proued Rom. 3.20 By the works of the law shall no flesh be iustified for by the law commeth the knowledge of sin He doth not say by the knowledge of the ceremoniall law and 2. Cor. 3.7 where he calleth the law the ministration of death written with letters and ingrauen in stones we all knowing there was no law written with the finger of God and ingrauen in stones but the law of the tenne commandements and Gal. 3.21.22 the Apostle maketh an opposition between the law and the promise that if life should bee giuen by the law and by that meanes should iustifie then should it abolish that iustification promised to Abraham and â—o his seed by faith which cannot bee vnderstood but of the mâ—â—all law and Rom. 7.7 He had not knowen sinne but by the laâ—â— for he had not knowen lust except the law had said Thou shaâ—â— not lust and this is the law of the ten commandements Howbeit the â—uestion between the Papists and vs is not whether we performing the precise rule of the law may challenge eternall life as merit for there is no question but wee may the commandement being as Rom. 7.10 ordained vnto life as appeareth Deut. 5.33 If you walke in all the commandements of God ye shall liue and Mark. 10.17.18 vpon the question asked how he should possesse eternall life answer was made by Christ by keeping the commandements but the question is whether any child of God euen in the highest degree of regeneration can doe it in that maner and measure as he ought And this can he not doe and that for two reasons First because of the singular purity of the law Secondly because of the extreme impurity of our nature For the first consider that the law is proportionable to the law-giuer which bindeth not onely the hands from petie larce the tongue from ribauldry and the life from incontinency but commandeth the eie and speaketh to the heart And in the nine first commandements whersoeuer there is an affirmatiue expressed there is the negatiue implied and where the negatiue is expressed there is the affirmatiue implied that is where any duty is commanded there the contrary vice is forbidden and where the sinne is inhibited there the contrary duty is required for if we must not kill our brother then must we by all meanes seeke to preserue his life and if his life must be pretious to vs then must we not hate him for this is a sinne that will beget murther But the tenth commandement is the key that is able to discouer the cabinet of the heart this entreth betweene the marrow and the bones and howsoeuer wee may refraine in action and may bee staied in affection yet this striketh dead extending but to the motion though the heart impugne it and this is the sharpest corasiue to eate forth our proud flesh when we shall see our selues arraigned but for a thought which we would haue withstood and if any man will looke himselfe in this glasse he shal see as foule filthy an Adâ—â—â— as can be And this was that awakened Paul out of that dead â—â—eepe wherinto he was cast by nature namely the knowledgâ— of concupiscence to be sinne for he knew the action and the resolution of the heart to vncleannesse to be sinne aswell by the law of nature as by the law written but that the thoughts should be hedged in and inclosed so precisely he did not conceaue before the excellency of the tenth commandement had reuealed it to him howbeit though not to extenuate and lessen any sinne whereby the maiesty of God is violated so offended we must not imagine the thoughts conceaued by a suddaine motion or sight and quickly suppressed againe to be so sinfull for the thoughts meant here are those of the heart which haue an inclination and pronenesse to sinne proceeding from corruption of nature suffering them to rest with vs for a time though they bee after pressed downe by the speciall worke of God and if we could but register the thoughts of this kinde doe passe from vs in one day wee should finde them abominable in Gods sight and onely pardonable in Christ For though they be hid from men yet do they appeare before God the searcher of the heart and shall receaue their reward which is death if they be not passed ouer in Christ And though some haue thought that thoughts without the consent of the heart are not sinfull yet it is certaine they be so for Salomon Pro. 24.9 saith The wicked thought of a foole is sinne and so may it likewise bee proued by three speciall arguments First whatsoeuer hindreth the absolute and perfect conformity of the power of the soule to the liuely image of God wherein we were at first created is sin but thoughts without consent of the heart doe hinder this our conformity to the image of God because the thoughts being admitted in there must needs be excluded therefore they are sinfull Secondly Adam in his innocency could neuer haue any such by-thoughts being created to the absolute image of God Since then we haue lost this perfect image by his fall and haue such thoughts arise in vs they must needs hinder vs from comming to that perfection againe wherin he stood at first while he walked with God in paradise and therefore they are sinfull Thirdly God hath redeemed all the parts both of our body and soule and therfore we ought to honour him with all parts and the thoughts are some parts which he hath redeemed therefore wee must honour him with them but many one thought be wandering and ranging out of the way there â—ants the honour of that thought to God therefore they are sinfull for where it is said in the law we must honor God with all our heart with all our minde with all our soule Christ Luk. 10.27 expounds it we must also loue him with all our thoughts then so many thoughts as tend not to loue God must needes be sinfull Now as concerning thoughts therâ—â—â— foure degrees one more sinfull then another but the least damnable in the reprobate pardonable in the elect The first are when a man thinketh on some childish toie or on a thing that is not which oft commeth into a mans minde by some occasion or other offâ—ed to the sense and represented to the fancie but soone vanisheth away although the thing offered to the imagination be not sinfull yet the very thought of it is sinfull because it possesseth vs for the time and being idle and vnprofitable for that time be it neuer so short so much of Gods image was thrust out of vs the whole man was not takeÌ„ vp for him as it ought and therefore Genes 6.5 it is said all the thoughts of a
Saints of God and put religion on their faces as a maske to hide the foule deformitie hypocrisie of their hearts Therfore vpon the question demanded Whether more in number shall be saued or damned Christ resolueth it Luk. 13.25 shewing that some shall haue bestowed such paines and walked so farre in the course of Christianity as euen to knocke at heauen gates and to challenge the Lord to let them in and yet he shall not know them that whatsoeuer profession they haue made in the face of the world as to come before the Lord as a pâ—â—ple yet because they haue not liued as a people he will not acknowledge them So as true it is that none shall enioy the presence of the Almighty but they that haue their lampes burning at the houre of their death Mat. 25.10 none but they that haue their foundation setled vpon the rockes Mat. 7.25 as not to be shaken with the blast of any persecution none but they who like faithfull seruants by spirituall trafficke haue employed their talents to their Lords aduantage Luk. 19.24 none but they that are able to testifie by the fruites of the spirit that they haue the spirit But vpon demand how we shall be saued our answer is Onely by the blood of Christ as the cause and effectuall meanes thereof for heauen is giuen operantibus non operibus to workers not to works as 2. Cor. 5.10 The Lord shall giue to euery man according as he hath wrought not for that he hath wrought Heb. 13.21 none shall see God without a pure conuersation but not because of his pure conuersation for though we must be perfect in workes yet this working must bee wrought in vs by God as the Apostle there speaketh So likewise none but the obedient child shall be heire not because he is obedient but because he is heire and yet only the obedient child shall receiue the inheritance And euen as we adore and worship Iesus Christ man but not his humanity Hominem non humanitatem so holinesse of life speaking in the abstract quality doth not saue but holy men shall be saued so faith and workes in the person iustified must concurre but in the matter of iustification faith onely and alone hath the place If therefore it be demanded whether workes be necessary to iustification we answer yea as absolutely necessary in their place as faith for wee can not assure our selues of faith but by the visible fruite of workes so as they be not Concausae causes concurring and iumping together but they are Consectaria consectaries and consequents of faith Vers 14. For as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God This is a confirmation of the reason before going on both parts for as many as mortifie the flesh by the sprit are the sonnes of God and they that doe not so are the sonnes of the diuell So the force of the argument is they that are Gods sonnes are led to mortifie the flesh and being his sons they are inheritors of heauen and this the Apostle assumeth and taketh as granted that the sons of God must needs haue eternall life Whereupon the contrary proposition is true he that liues after the flesh is not the son of God for if he were he would liue after the spirit but hee that doth not mortifie the flesh hath not the spirit therefore he is not the son of God Hereupon followeth if they be sons and not Gods they are as Christ speaketh Iohn 8.44 the children of the diuell Wherein we learne that if we be asked by what title and interest we can challenge or lay claime to heauen it is by none but by this that we are the sonnes of God and we are his sons onely by adoption and wee are adopted to it onely in the naturall heire and son of God Christ Iesus by whose blood we are iustified and sanctified by his spirit Being then adopted to this inheritance as heires we are not borne to it for adoptioÌ„ excludeth birth being not borne to it it is purchased for vs in the obedience of Christ wee must learne then to resemble Christ in being obedient to the will of God as he was and shew foorth and expresse our obedience by keeping his commandements Mat. 26.42 and keepe them by leauing of grosse sins and walking according to his will with a full purpose of our hearts to performe it alwaies excepting our infirmities and inborne weaknesse which cleaue so fast to vs as we cannot shake them off nor be deliuered of them till we ouercome all in death Hauing then no title to heauen but by inheritance nor no title to this inheritance but by Christ there is excluded all merits to deserue it and only because we are to be saued we must do well for it is giuen vs as the inheritance of children and not as any stipendary wages of a mercenary man Herupon we must wisely vnderstand that when Christ saith Mat. 25.35 Come ye blessed c. for ye haue releeued the poore c. that this releeuing of the poore and such other workes of faith and loue there mentioned are not set downe as causes of blessednesse for these speeches for and because do not alwaies inferre and bring in a cause but they are such words and particles as sometime ioine the cause with the effect and sometime the effect with the cause as when wee say it is spring time for it blossoms not that the blossoms are the cause of the spring but an effect and euidence that the spring is come So when we say he hath a soule because he breatheth and yet the soul is the cause of breath and breathing but an effect of the soule euen so when Christ saith come and receiue a kingdome for ye haue done such and such particular works of loue it is onely a knitting of the effect with the cause for God hauing preelected or chosen vs before all worlds to this saluation giueth vs this his spirit by whose power and vertue wee worke these good things And in this kinde and phrase of speech the cause is ioyned with the effect as if it should be said Come you that haue releeued the poore that haue comforted the distressed that haue sorrowed with the afflicted receiue the kingdome for it is your inheritance So as the speech of Christ hath this meaning in it You haue done good workes to testifie my kingdome to be yours come take the inheritance prepared for you in the preelection of God for you are the inheritors of heauen because of these fruites and effects which you haue shewed in comforting the aflicted members of Christ We may not take it then that heauen which is the inheritance of the saints is giuen for any desert for when we haue attained to the highest degree of mortification and haue done all that we can we are as Christ saith but vnprofitable seruants Luk. 17.10 True say the Papists vnprofitable
present euen as the time of our life is for Gods children most bee like the rod of the Almond tree spoken of Ierem. 1.11 which in those countries where it groweth is the first that blossometh yea we must not onely giue the first fruits as vnder the law but euen all the fruits of our liues to the Lord for God often punisheth the want of his fear in our youth with the want of wisedome in our age if our godlines be not present he oftentimes cutteth vs off before we can see the time to come Neither yet must we thinke it sufficient to cherish godlinesse in our hearts no not in our chambers but it must be as a light set vpon a hill that not onely Gods children may see it for their direction but that euen the world may see it for their condemnation as Christ saith to his disciples I haue sent you to walke in the midst of a froward and crooked generation yet must they walke still for by this open profession of godlinesse we shew whose liuerie we weare and that we are not ashamed of the crosse nor abashed at it Howbeit this course of godlinesse which we must liue in is no more nor no lesse then an absolute resignation and giuing vp of all things in respect of God which standeth in three things first in giuing vp our reason secondly in denying our affections thirdly in framing our mind to a moderation in what estate the Lord shall set vs in For the first wee must resigne vp our reason to religion in two respects first for that it is an incomprehensible mysterie which is vnsearchable secondly for that the ignominie thereof is vnsufferable in our reason as to thinke that he is blessed that is hungrie they vnhappie that bee rich and that the Lords correction is loue For the second which is the giuing vp of our affections it will teach vs so to walke and so to deale as in the presence of God it will make vs plough vp those furrowes of pride and vaine-glorie which lie so deepe in our hearts and when by the instigation of our affections we are mooued to riot or voluptuousnesse it will make vs abstaine because we haue giuen our selues to God For the third to haue a willingnesse to suffer what the Lord sendeth will make vs resigne vp those inordinate cares of getting wherewith wee are oftentimes perplexed and to content our selues with that portion the Lord hath shared out vnto vs so as by religion and a godly life we shall learne to say with Dauid O Lord thou hast done it therefore I hold my peace and not only to beare an outward contentment in worldly things but euen in all calamities to rest vpon the mercifull hand of God IAMES chap. 2. vers 20.21 verse 20 But wilt thou vnderstand O thou vaine man that the faith which is without works is dead verse 21 Was not Abraham our father instified through workes when he offered Isaac his sonne vpon the altar THe word of God hath two parts in it first it is a word of wisedome secondly it is a word of knowledge by knowledge to reforme the iudgement and to conuince the conscience by wisdome to perswade the affections to the obedience of that we haue truly learned Saint Iames here indeuoreth to perswade that none could be saued without works and he proueth it by a double example of Abraham and of Rahab Wilt thou vnderstand c. as if he should say If that set downe before cannot sufficiently take root to affect thee and to perswade thee that without the workes of a holy life thy faith is no better then a diuels faith take this example of Abraham for all thou wilt grant that Abraham was an excellent person and had true faith and that the couenant was so made with him that none should be saued vnlesse they were of his seed either according to the flesh and spirit or at least according to the spirit And since the couenant was made with him and he was saued by faith so must all we be saued by his faith that is by a faith of the same kind that his was for there is but one faith though there be diuers measures of it Now Abraham had an approued faith as it is proued by this one act and worke of his for all because it was the principallest of all in that he staied not nor demurred vpon the Lords commandement in offering vp his fonne the greatest worke that euer flesh and bloud did except his that was more then flesh and blood namely Christ And because the Iesuits as hardened enemies against the truth haue strangely peruerted this place we must vnderstand a difference betweene these speeches Faith without workes is dead and Faith that is without workes is dead for by the first speech may bee thought that works giue life to faith which is most false but the second speech is true workes being a necessarie consequent of faith and an infallible signe that faith hath gone before euen as in these speeches to say The body is dead without breathing and the body that is without breathing is dead for if wee affirme and attribute the cause of life to breathing it is false for the soule is the cause of life in the body but the other speech is true for the body that hath no breath in it is deadâ— and where breath is it is a signe there is life So to say the tree that is without fruit is dead is true but not to say the tree without fruit is dead for the tree that standeth in the ground is not fruitfull we may well say is dead at the root but when the sap lieth at the root we may well say there is life in the tree though there be no fruit on the branches Now the aduersaries argue thus No dead faith can iustifie faith without workes is dead therefore no faith can iustifie without workes as if they should say Christ Iesus neuer raised vp himselfe without his humanity therefore his humanity helped in raising vp his flesh which is most blasphemous Howbeit Christ separated from his humanity was neuer raised vp this is must true So they in their former argument referre iustification to workes which is most false but if they had concluded therfore faith that is without workes cannot iustifie they had done well for thereby had been proued that works had been inseparable from faith but not that they concurre for faith is alone euer in iustifying but neuer alone in the person iustified euen as the eye alone of all the parts of the bodie doth see but the eye that is alone separate from the other parts of the body doth not sece at all but is a dead eye Was not Abraham c. Heere consider two points first in what sense this is true secondly why this worke aboue the rest is commended and registred for a proofe of Abrahams faith The words heere set downe are directly contrary to the
not iustified because hee worketh not but therefore hee worketh not because hee is not iustified And it is most blasphemous to say iustification is wrought partlie by grace and partly by free-will and to thanke God that thy free-will with his grace can iustifie for heereby shalt thou neuer be iustified for if any thing of thine either preuent the grace of God or assist it in thy iustification then is it not as Paul saith Ex gratia sedex debito not of grace but of dutie And where they speake of two iustifications we neuer heard but of one mentioned by Paul Rom. 4.3 that is iustification by faith And for the second iustification that is that being iustified men may deserue something by their workes this is but a fruite and effect of the first that is a daily proceeding to wash our feete Iohn 13.10 and an earnest endeuour by good workes to make our election sure and to haue our faith approued according to that in the Reuelation 22.11 that hee that is righteous may be more righteous that is may still bring foorth better fruit for the workes of the iustified please God not of themselues but because they are iustified for the person must first bee accepted before his worke can bee accepted And though none shall goe to heauen but they that bee washed where blood hath gone before yet none because hee is washed shall bee saued Now in this example of Abraham which is set downe heere obserue foure parts first a briefe narration of it secondly the speciall worke of Abraham which is aboue all other his workes registred and exemplified thirdly the amplification of the worke in the 22. and 23. verses fourthly the determinate conlusion that a man cannot be saued nor iustified by faith onely Of the example it selfe was spoken before now followeth to intreate of the second part that is of the excâ—â—plifying and enlarging of this worke of Abraham in sacrificing his sonne Heere may be demanded why the Apostle alleageth this worke of his more then any of the rest as if there were some disparagement betweene this and other his workes and excellent vertues hee was peaceable to all harborous to the poore resolute in afflictions wise in the gouernment of his house not affraid in the sight of Kings to set vp and erect an altar as a testimony that he serued the true God euen in the middest of their idolatry yet is this worke preferred aboue all that is heere set downe because though hee was declared to bee iust in all his other workes yet chiefly and aboue all in this of sacrificing his sonne The circumstances to exaggerate and make this worke seeme great are these If Abraham had beene commanded to haue disherited this sonne or to haue banished him or to haue seene him no more it might much haue tried his patience if he had had more sonnes then this yet because he loued this sonne specially well in the affection of a parent it had beene much to haue endured but this that Isaac was borne of the free woman and though borne of flesh yet meerely supernaturall in as much as there was no more life in Sarahs wombe in respect of her age then in a dead stocke Heb. 11.12 that he was his onely sonne his beloued sonne the sonne of the promise when Abraham knew that if Isaac were taken away both himselfe and all the world should bee damned because in this sonne alone was the promise if he had had more children though the couenant onely was tied to this sonne or if there had beene any more hope of children if hee might onely haue heard of the sacrificing of his sonne and not haue seene it or seene it and not haue done it with his owne hands or done it sodainely and not haue gone three daies in strife betweene the law of nature and the law of obedience or if Isaac had offended any thing or if this commandement had come from the tyranny of any Prince and not from God or if it might haue beene closely done and not in a mountaine where the Sunne might abhorre to see such cruelty of a father toward an innocent child it had beene much lesse euen in the affection of a naturall father and yet a most grieuous triall and assault But that this commandement must come from God who first had bid him hope for this sonne and now bids him kill him as if he had before but mocked him that an Angell must be the ambassadour and carier of this message whom the weake eies of man cannot behold for glory that this newes must come in the night when his eies by other obiects could not draw his minde from bethinking of this bitter message and that this must seize vpon him in his sweet sleepe to awake him though in respect of the former he might bee much anguished yet by this so much the greater was his trouble and yet far lesse had it been if he might not haue gone so long perplexed in his thoughts But now not to demurre nor stay vpon it but to rise vp earely in the morning and in three daies iourney wherein no doubt he had many and diuers agitations and combats of spirit not to vtter a repining word or grudging speech this was a further and greater triall For many are wont to be good at a brunt who are altered by after cogitations Then the words of the sweet child Father heere is wood but where is the sacrifice had beene enough to haue rent his heart to see he should be butcher to that sonne could aske so wise a question All which must argue and shew such a strong and mighty faith in Abraham that he could neuer so silently and chearefully haue performed this had hee not beleeued that if his sonne should haue gone to hell the Lord could haue taken him out againe for faith admits of no contradiction when it hath a promise And so we see Abraham forgets not onely to be a father but the matter is so qualified by faith that he forbeareth not only the affection of a parent but in faith beleeueth that out of his ashes the Lord would raise him vp not another but the very same Isaac From hence learne that though the Lord examine not vs so streitly as hee did Abraham yet hee trieth euery one of vs according to his measure for the practise of religion and mortification concerneth all from the Prince to the tankerd-beater and though wee cannot all be swallowed vp so deepely with the zeale of Gods glorie as were Moses and Paul Exod. 32.32 Rom. 9.3 who to win soules to God wished themselues not to see God yet must wee learne when we haue a commandement to exclude and lay aside all discourse of flesh and blood and to follow Christ euen to the hazard of our owne liues not a farre off as Peter did follow him to his suffering Mat. 26.58 but iust behind him as neere as can be according to the rule
take◠from mercy And 1. Cor. 6.15 Your bodies are the temples 〈◊〉 the holy Ghost and yee are bought with a price therefore doe not prostitute them to vncleannesse but let the loue of God constraine vs to loue him againe Yet may wee not heereupon imagine that we make the law of God of no effect through faith nay as S. Paul saith Rom. 3.31 by this we rather establish the Law and that two waies first in the absolute obedience of Christ inherent in himselfe and imputed vnto vs secondly by the spirit of sanctification abiding in vs for the same righteousnesse the law commands the very same doth faith apprehend for we doe challenge the promise of God to saue vs by this that Christ in our person hath absolutely performed it so as there is no difference in respect of the substance but only in the maner of conueiance wherby we apply it vnto our soules So doth the Gospel command the same works that the law exacteth though there be a threefold difference between them for first the law commands works to gaine saluation by them the Gospell because saluation is already gained by the bloud of Christ for as S. Paul saith 1. Cor. 6 2◠we are bought with a price therefore we are debtors secondly the law giueth no power to worke that it commandeth for Moses that was the giuer of it could not frame his owne heart to do it therfore it is called a dead letter written in stones 2. Cor. 3 6◠which prefigured the harts of men but the Gospel in the elect neuer cōmandeth but first giueth grace and power to performe as the Lord neuer pardoneth any mans sin but he first writeth his law in his heart as S. Iohn saith 1. Ioh. 3.8 God sent his son to destroy the works of the diuel in vs and this is the argument of S. Paul Rom. 6.14 Let not saith he sin raigne in your mortal bodies that is haue dominion ouer you for yee are not vnder the law but vnder grace that giueth power to amend Thirdly the law commands works absolutely and admits of no repentance but the Gospel neuer excludes repentance the father euer waiting for the returne of his lost son so as it is true no whoremonger shal be saued continuing such a one but alwaies vnderstand repentance comming between staieth the iudgement for though our sins be of a purple or skarlet die yet if we turne to God the bloud of Christ hath this vertue 1. Ioh. 5.6 that it can make them white as snow so as the summe of al this is bloud water Ioh. 13.8 must go together faith in Iesus and the spirit of the Lord Iesus remission of sins and reformation of life must neuer be disioined Now for that the Papists say the expectation of a reward would make vs worke that in vaine should the worke be if there were no merit Wee answer that if a man freely shall gratifie his bondman with libertie and he shall after preserue his masters life by this hee hath not deserued his freedome for if he had remained still bond he had beene bound to haue done it and all hee can doe after is not to recompence his freedome but to testifie his thankfulnesse So whatsoeuer we can do or deserue we are bound to it by a double bond first of our creation secondly and much more by our redemption and after our saluation promised and purchased to doe well is nothing but dutie for we were bound to doe it before we were saued So as this is the order of exhortation in the Scripture All that haue hope 2. Cor. 7.1 must cleanse themselues not to clense themselues that they may hope but they haue hope therfore they must doe it Mat. 25.34 And not because we releeue the poore therefore wee shall be saued but because in mercy a kingdome is prepared for vs therfore as members of one bodie we releeue the poore And Abraham did not therefore offer vp his sonne that he might be iustified Gen. 22.8 but because he was iustified before Gen. 15.6 therefore he thought nothing too deare to gratifie the Lord with though it were with the sonne of the promise So heere we doe not therefore repent that the kingdome of heauen may come but wee must amend our liues and change our minds because the Messias is already come that will saue our soules Againe obserue he saith it is at hand noting a neere manifestation of him which was more then any of the Prophets could say whereupon Christ saith that there was neuer any Prophet so great as Iohn Baptist Mat. 11.11 yet the least in the kingdome of heauen is greater then he not comparing their persons for there were diuers of the Prophets as excellently qualified as Iohn nor that a Minister of the Gospell now should be greater then hee but that the ministery of Iohn was plainer then that of the Prophets they but foretelling indefinitely that Christ should come Iohn pointing at him with his finger that he was now comming and the ministery now being more excellent then Iohns because he preached but of the Messias at hand wheras we haue seene the fingers of this hand Christ to haue come with power to haue died with triumph and to haue ascended with glorie therefore let him that hath an eare heare and hee that hath hope let him arise for the kingdome is now come not at hand Iohn 14.12 Againe note the excellent Harmonie betweene Iohn the fore-runner and Christ the after-commer for Matt. 4.17 Christ vseth the very same words to perswade to amendement of life because the kingdome of heauen is at hand Which sheweth the agreement ought to be among Ministers and how wee may discerne whether they be of God or no for then as they all worke vpon one foundation so shall they all speake by one spirit and the voice of the herbinger agree with Christ and Christ with him pressing no other doctrine then that Iohn preached before For the fourth circumstance which is the warrant whereby Iohn was authorized to preach wee note that all callings in the Church of God must bee warranted expresly in the booke of God For if any were to bee exempted it was this of Iohns being extraordinarie but he is enforced to prooue it as if hee should say Though I am not Christ nor Elias in person howbeit in power of spirit I am yet looke in Esay 40.3 my authoritie recorded for the place of a Minister is not like the power of the Magistrate which though it be Gods ordinance in generall yet is it not in particular as that there should be this or that Magistrate as an Emperour Duke Chancellor and such like for this is humane and God hath giuen man this freedome by the remnant and portion of reason abiding in him to deuise what may be safest for the state And these offices as they be by man erected so may they be by him abolished But
these for all that were before him and shall come after him being true beleeuers thirdly the graces of Christ doe farre exceed the sinne of Adam else would Saâ—â—â— in perswade thee thou art halfe saued and halfe damned for if the vertue thou hast by Christ were but equall with the corrupâ—â—on thou hast by Adam it could not produce so incomprehensible a worke as thy saluation is and therefore Rom. 5.17 it is said If by the offence of one death raigned through one much more shall they which receiue that superfluity or superabundance of grace raigne in life through one that is Christ thereby shewing that the righteousnesse of Christ made ours by grace is of greater power to bring life then was the sin of Adam to bring death to his posterity Therefore seeing through faith God reuealeth to thee these riches laid vp for thee in Christ bend thine eie toward him and he will so supply thee with spirituall wisdome as thou shalt answer with ease and comfort the sophistry and deceits of Sathan who willingly would plunge thee into terror and trouble of conscience Which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Vnto such as thus walke there is no condemnation and this is the third thing spoken of at first namely that a sanctified life must be the sure euidence of our ingrafting into Christ for howsoeuer the spirit which is within vs testifieth thus much that we are Christs and Christ is ours as 1. Cor. 2.10 The things which God hath prepared for them that loue him he hath reuealed to vs by his spirit and vers 12. We heaue not receaued the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God yet because through selfe loue no man will say but he hath the spirit therefore steppes in the other testimony of holinesse of life and this is visible reall vndeceiuable and true as 1. Ioh. 3.6.8 Whosoeuer abideth in him sinneth not and he that committeth sinne is of the diuell which place we must not vnderstand simply of sinners for all of vs are so but of such as fauour themselues in their sinnes blesse their soules in them make a trade of sinning and persist in it so as we that are made mystical members of Christ must labour to extinguish the life of any grosse sinne and not to make them the members of an harlot of an vsurer of an Idolater of a flatterer and such like for being ingrafted into Christ it is as odious in Gods sight for vs to commit these sinnes as if Christ should commit them and by them without repentance we doe rend our selues from Christ for the Sonnes of God are led by his spirit Rom. 8.14 And they are led by it that liue in it Gal. 3.25 And this life is knowen by the effects that is by walking in the spirit And they walke in it that fulfill not the lusts of the flesh Gal. 5.16 And they fulfill them not that haue crucified the flesh vers 14. And they onely haue done this that cease from sinne 1. Pet. 4.2 with a full purpose of heart to liue better for as the dead body hath no breath so must sinne haue no strength in vs and he that doeth not this is a reprobate I speake not of a finall reprobate but of a reprobate for the time for such stand in the state of condemnation But if we labour to liue godly as neere as we can after the example of Christ and make holinesse of life as the load star whereby we may be seen to direct our iourney toward heauen then this doth knit vs in the persawsion of our vnion with Christ prouided alwaies that there be speciall repentance for speciall sinnes extraordinary repentance for extraordinary sinnes great repentance for grosse sinnes and daily repentance for daily sinnes Threfore let euery of vs examine our selues what sinnes remaine in vs vnrepented and what vnsubdued what be blushing and shamefast and what be crying and insolent sinnes and let vs take the same course with them all cast them from vs and purge our selues cleane of the leauen of Sathan for a sinne supprest and not destroied will at lengh breake forth to the hinderance of our walke in the spirit and if we be stopt in this course then so long do we stagger in the assurance of our being one with Christ which is the only helmet of our saluation Secondly obserue hence the order the scripture setteth down namely that first we must be in Christ which is the cause and then we shall walke after the spirit which is the effect euen as iustification goeth before sanctification our ingrafting into Christ being our iustification and being so it causeth holinesse of life so as both must goe together making no difference betweene faith and a godly life in the person but onely in the properties and maner and therefore if it be asked who shall be saued Such as leade a sanctified life But if how we shall be saued the answer is by the merits of Christ apprehended by faith so as by faith wee are saued for the fruit maketh not the root good but the root the fruit the streames are not the cause of the fountaine but the fountaine of them and the streames are but the effects euen as breathing is the effect of life so we are not saued because of our workes and walking in the spirit but because of our faith for workes are the fruits of faith yet we shall receiue according to our workes 2. Cor. 5.10 and shal be recompensed for them not for the dignity of the worke but in the benignity of the Lord who hath accepted our persons in Christ and therefore Tit. 2.11.12 the Apostle doth not say Because we deny vngodlinesse therefore the grace of God hath brought saluation but saluation being offered in the Gospell we must thereby learne to be profitable schollers in holinesse of life So Mat. 11.28 Christ doth not call vs to ease vs of our sinnes because we liue godly after his example but faith being wrought in vs by the power of his calling vs we then liue godly euen as the thiefe vpon the crosse Luke 23.40 was no sooner called but he brought foorth fruit his confession being a token of his faith So we must first be within the couenant of God and then we shall walke in the couenant as Gen. 17.1 God said to Abraham I am sufficient therefore walke before me so that he made not his couenant with him to be his God because he walked before him but first he made his couenant with him that being assured of his protection he might more chearefully walk before him euen so fareth it with vs we are first made members of Christ and then being vnited to his body we must shew forth the life of Christ in our coÌ„uersation And here we must further learne to answer two obiections First the carnall man will say Christ hath satisfied for his breach of the law and supplied the imperfection of his
God is dishonored and therfore thou must not slightly wish or earnestly pray for though this be well done a change of this corruption and a restitution both of the creatures and of man their head into the state of blessednesse and incorruption but thou must euen in a corner by thy selfe breake foorth as it were into a passion of affection with sighes and grones euen such as may fill the heauens to wait after and to thirst for that day wherein God shall triumph in the fulnesse and perfection of all glory and wherein man shall stand and continue in an incomprehensible degreee of happinesse But alas we are so intangled with the baites and nets of this vaine world that our affections sway vs to a cleane contrary course thinking our feete are neuer sure enough nor haue hold enough on the earth so pleasant doe wee esteeme our habitation here that we would thinke our selues most happie though heauen were neuer our inheritance if we might alway liue heere compassed about and enuironed with these false delights Which doth too much bewray our want and defect in meditation on heauen and heauenly things and sheweth what a scantling we keepe in Christianity outwardly onely to professe it and neuer to enter into the chamber of our hearts to see whether it be furnished with such holy Christian and religious sighs and grones as set forth commend the affection of such a Christian as vpon the comparison of these short troubles with that eternall weight of glory which shall come hath already planted his heart in heauen Lastly obserue hence that it is not possible for the reprobate but it is proper and peculiar to the elect onely to lift vp their heads in hope and expectation of this redemption which is signified by the Apostle in two phrases and speeches heere vsed namely that such sigh as first haue receiued the first fruites of the spirit secondly such as wait for adoption neither of which doe euer befall the reprobate for they may spring vp and flourish for a time but they haue no roote nor take no sap from the spirit and happily they may be weary of the world Gen. 4.13 as Cain was of his punishment by they haue no anchor of any other hope vnlesse they ioy to goe to hell which ought to moue vs with all heedfulnesse to looke to our waies and to labour our ingrafting into Christ for the world passeth Heb. 1.11 and both it and wee are folded vp as a garment and to dust we must and yet out of dust we must arise And if while we be in the body wee can be burdened and sigh that mortality might bee swallowed vp of life then are we most happy and happy in that alone but if thou findest thy selfe empty of such affections that thou canst not sigh for thy redemption which sheweth thou dost not hope for thy saluation then art thou of all men the most miserable and the estate of the beasts is better then thine for they sigh for the liberty of Gods sons and they shall haue part in this blessednes and thou shalt see it and then shalt mone thy selfe thou wantest it Iob 10.18.19 for if the earth might be thy graue and thou mightest perish in the dust thou mightst yet conceiue happinesse in senslesnesse after this life ended For wee are saued by hope In this the Apostle proceedeth to proue that as it is necessary for a Christian to grone so is it also to wait for the day of redemption which hee doeth after this sort We are saued by hope that is all our saluation standeth and consisteth in hope for hope apprehendeth and laieth hold on things absent and inuisible Heb. 11.1 Ephe. 3.9 Pro. 13.12 according to that speech Our life is hid in Christ that is so hid as it will be found though as yet it be not seene now hope that is deferred must needs as Salomon saith bee the fainting of the heart and therefore for feare of this fainting the Apostle releeueth our hope with patience Where we learne that it is the duty of euery Minister to salue vp all breaches and to resolue all doubts that any way may perplex the heart and soule of a weake Christian after the example of the Apostle heere who to releeue the infirmities of the faithfull against the storme of affliction setteth before them the crowne of glory which they haue wonne in the field by their fighting And because this glory was not present but followeth the battell and when the combat is ended then commeth in victory he sheweth though this glory and reward bee not subiect to the sight yet Christians haue an affection in them which is hope that nourisheth and staieth their expectation for a time the heart in the meane time leaping and being established through hope that it will come and yet that they may not bee discouraged in their hope though this glory come not so soone as it is looked for hee giueth them the plaister of patience which shall sustaine and support their hope for he is certaine that hath promised but not to bee prescribed a time by vs but hee must take his owne time and our patience must preuent all distrust Euen so must the feeders of the flocke deale with their people in all cases of doubt and wanering in matters of faith and religion so to compasse and beset the soule with reasons and arguments as it may rest secure and haue the food of comfort ministred vnto them against all doubts and perils that may arise For such ought Ministers to be Mat. 13 52. as are able to bring foorth of their treasure both new and old cures and remedies both against the auncient wilinesse and the fresh and new subtilties and temptations of that old serpent Further obserue we must not vnderstand this speech We are saued by hope as we doe this We are saued by faith For nothing doth concurre in the matter of iustification with God aboue but faith so as the meaning and sense heere is that our saluation consists in those things that we hope for and it were better tranflated We are saued in hope than we are saued by hope Heb. 11.1 for faith is the ground and foundation of hope for what can we hope for vnlesse we beleeue it As the ground of faith is the word and promise for why should we beleeue but in respect of God his promise Faith telleth vs we beate not the aire hope biddeth vs hold on our race finish the course fight the cumbat and then expect the crowne of glory Yea faith is sustained by hope that it doe not wauer and contained by hope that it doe not hasten but waite the time and it is confirmed by hope that we may hold on the faith Mat. 15.22 Example of this we see and haue in the Canaanitish woman who suffered three denials at Christ his hands each of them doubled with seuerall reproches and yet fainted
Elizabet no doubt prayed in their youth for the fruite of their bodie but they were not then heard for the Lords time was not yet but when Zachary as priest was exercising the publike ministerie of the Church and both he and his wise striken in age then the Angell comes and tels him the Lord had heard his prayers and that his wife should haue a child Which may be a great encouragement to vs to grow perfect in this exercise and that the worke of praier may bee easie to vs because there is not a word falls to the ground but either it rebounds presently vpon vs againe with a blessing or that blessing is reserued for a better time when it trebles the ioy in receiuing an vnexpected benefit No doubt Iacob had fetched many a sigh for the losse of his sonne Ioseph Gen. 37.34 but if Ioseph had presently returned to his father before he obtained the honour in Egypt it had nothing so much cheared Iacobs heart Gen. 45.27 as it did when he saw the chariots sent to fetch him that he might see him in his state and dignitie So for the Lord to cary in his remembrance and to keepe as it were a booke of our prayers alwayes open before his eyes and either to heale vs when we are past cure as he did Dauid when he heard him out of the deepe of deeps or in his good time to put vs in mind of our owne prayers by the fruit doubled in our bosome when we thought our haruest past can not but exceedinglie stirre vs vp to magnifie his goodnes and to employ all the powers of our soule to please him Thirdly we pray for many things which we cannot obtaine and yet we must pray for them for if we cannot haue our desire here it shall be fulfilled in the life to come as when wee pray that Gods kingdome may come that we may be deliuered from temptation and that wee may not sinne which onely shall be performed in the life to come for God according to his owne disposition of times hath ordained that we his creatures should apply our selues vnto and therefore hath taught vs by his spirit as well to pray for the end as for the meanes Faith in this life being the foundation of our hope and our hope being perfited in the life to come through the loue of Christ so that as here we pray to haue our faith strengthened our infirmities cured our sins pardoned and Gods graces renewed in vs daily which be apples of such a tree as we taste of in this life so here we pray also that sinne may be abolished the number of Gods elect gathered and the worke of our sanctification perfited which is the end and perfection of the former and which is reserued for a better life when both our owne prayers and the intercession of Christ for vs also shall cease Fourthly obserue that God so heareth thy prayers that though he do not graunt formam the forme yet he graunteth finem the end of thy prayers Euen as Christ when he prayed in the garden Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me now shall wee say that Christ euer prayed and was not heard Mat. 26.39 God forbid and yet the cuppe did not passe from him yet was hee heard as the Apostle to the Hebrewes saith in that he feared for though hee was not deliuered from death Heb. 5.7 yet was hee freed from the horrour of death for an Angell was sent to comfort him 2. Cor. 12.8 So Paul when he prayed to be deliuered from the buffetings of Satan he had his desire thus farre the Lord graunteth the end of his prayer that is strength to abide it exempted he could not be but this was it the power of the Lord should be in him so much the greater as his temptations and afflictions were increased so that none must be discouraged nor grow cold though their first or second voice in praier be not heard for by this we learne first to continue in praier and in this doth the Lord secretly heare vs that wee breake not off Secondlie the Lord doth for a time withdraw his eares from the words of our mouth that we may know the deliuerance praied for comming from God we are not to appoint him the houre Thirdly we stay a time before our hands be filled with our requests to exercise our patience that our desire be not like the longing and fainting of a woman Fourthlie that by this small absence of the Lord in not hearing our praiers at the first we may learne to depend vpon his prouidence Fiftlie that we may vse them the better when we haue them and receiue them with the greater thankfulnesse because things wished for as they are gratefully receiued so are they carefully preserued ROM chap. 8. vers 28. verse 28 Also we know that all things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God euen to them that are called of his purpose HEere the Apostle proceedeth to open another fountaine of exceeding comfort to the faithfull which is all things worke for the best to those that loue God but euery faithfull man is assured he loues the Lord therefore to him all things worke for the best and if all things then afflictions He proues it by this reason to those that be predestinate all things turne to the best but they that loue the Lord are predestinate therefore to them all things turne to the best And to proue this he setteth downe a reason vers 29. Those that be called in the eternall purpose of God them hath he predestinate to be like the image of his Sonne Heb. 2.9 that as he passed by the crosse and from the crosse to glory so shall wee being children of the same Father and who are borne and bound to resemble Christ our elder brother in this point chiefly To declare how afflictions worke for the best in Gods children we must vnderstand that afflictions be of two sorts either remedies to correct our corruptions and heale our infirmities or els exercises of Gods graces in his children that he may try them how much they will suffer for his sake For the first kind of afflictions we cannot doubt but they do worke for the best whether we consider them as chastisements for sins past or as preuentions of sins to come For sins that are committed the rod is necessary for he is a bastard that is not corrected that wee may see and loath the cause of our affliction that is our corruption as it is said 1. Cor. 11.32 We are chastised of the Lord because we should not be condemned with the world And to Dauid the Lord saith Thy sonnes I will correct for their sinnes but my louing kindnesse shall neuer depart from thee for the punishments of these our sinnes are pardoned in the sacrifice of Christ but so is not the chastisement for this proceedeth from the loue of God and Christ
prescribed and with that alacrity and resolution that we ought euen as Abraham did heere to the sacrificing of his sonne Secondly in this example obserue that if Abraham could for beare to command his naturall loue of a father to a child at the Lords commandement how much more shall wee bee vnexcusable that cannot command our selues from vncleannesse of the flesh and such like sinnes but will keepe our sinnes as tenderly and as long as wee keepe our liues and yet will bee counted the children of Abraham But wee must answer our selues as Christ did the Pharisees Ioh. 8.44 and as Saint Iohn did answer those to whom he wrot 1. Iohn 3.7 that we doe but flatter our selues with the name when wee are in truth the children of the diuell for hee that doth righteousnesse is righteous and if Abraham resigned vp the lawfulnesse of the tender affection of a father at the Lords commandement much more must wee resigne vp our affections and discourses in vnlawfull matters Further obserue that it is not enough for vs to deny our vnlawfull pleasures and appetites but wee must euen forbeare things lawfull if the Lord command it If hee call vs foorth to triall for the Gospels sake Mat. 4.20 we must with Peter and Andrew leaue our nets that is our calling and forsake our wiues that is our comforts Mark 9.47 and our selues euen to pull out our right eyes if they be any impediments to vs in the progression of faith and a good conscience and if there be any repugnancy that we cannot enioy our wiues and glorifie God we must not regard them in respect of God for if we doe the Lords mouth hath spoken it we shall neuer be saued Let vs therefore take heed how wee build for if our foundation be of stubble the day of affliction will soone consume it and wee shall be as blowne bladders emptied with the least pricke of any triall and as brasse that yeeldeth an hideous sound vnder the hammer but if we ground vpon that golden foundation of faith then in our afflictions shall we be as gold which is more agreeable in the sound and more pliable in the stroke and we lying betweene the anuill of death and the hammer of the Lords hand shall shew our selues in patience to possesse our soules euen like Abraham who without grudging did execute the Lords ambassage though most repugnant to nature and to the promise made Againe obserue as this matter of triall in Abraham turned in the end to a comfortable issue euen so shall it fare with vs in our afflictions and temptations and if we wil sacrifice vp our honor our affections our Isaac that is our laughter the ramme only shall die for it that is our cares our troubles our afflictions and our vexations shall be wiped away This is agreeable to that Mat. 10. Yee shall for my names sake forsake what you honour most and loue best and then followeth If any man doe this I will giue him in this life an hundred fold more that is more ioy more resolution and peace of conscience and more comfort in this base and low estate then he should haue had in an hundred fathers or an hundred wiues not regarding the quantitie but the blessing of God in the comfortable enioying of them This offereth singular consolation to those that suffer for the crosse of Christ that the thrones of this life shall onely be sacrificed and our soules and consciences shall rest secure filled with greater ioy in the end and issue of our troubles then euer wee were before And as the world saith that he is rich that is contented euen so we say that he is safe that resteth in the Lords hands And if we stretch foorth all our powers to embrace Christ then is he gone as a harbinger to prouide a place for vs in heauen Ioh. 14.3 and he that saueth our soules wee may well trust him with our bodies Further obserue that he offered vp his sonne and yet he did it not wherein we learne that the purpose of a mans heart being fully resolued to do a thing it is in the Lords eies as if he did it though he doe it not for therefore is Isaac said to be offred vp because he was so in the purpose of Abrahams heart which the Lord accepted as an execution of the thing it selfe And this holdeth both in vertues and in vices for if a man be called before the iudgement seate as an heretike in any time whatsoeuer and being called thus to triall offereth to seale his opinion with his blood and matters going further doth not relent what is this man in the light of God if his religion bee true but a Martyr though his life be after pardoned Not that euery resolution is taken of God as if it were performed for Peter was caried with a vehement precipitation and presumptuous conceit of his owne strength when he said Master though all men forsake thee yet will not I Iohn 13.37 but I will lay downe my life for thy sake and yet afterward vpon a small occasion he denied him But if a man stand in the day of his examination and triall and shrinke not but is ready to sacrifice his life for the defence of God his truth as Abraham was ready to haue sacrificed his sonne then because in the triall he did not relent but euen in this time did purpose it it shall be taken of God euen as this worke of Abraham done though not done and his life lost though he escaped with his life In like manner falleth it out in sinnes for if thy heart be full of a dultery and yet because shee that should bee thy harlot dallied too long with thee or else occasion did not fit thee wherby thou art kept from the act it selfe yet art thou a whoremonger in the sight of God Mat. 5.28 The like may be said of other sinnes for though Saul threw not a stone at Stephen but onely kept the clothes of them that did it yet is he Act. 8.1 inrolled in the booke of God as one that consented to his death Vers 22. Seest thou not that the faith wrought with his works and through the works was the faith made perfect 23. And the Seripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham beleened God and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse and hee was called the friend of God 24. Ye see then how that of workes a man is iustified and not of faith onely This is the third part namely the amplifying of this example in the 22. and 23. verses together with the conclusion in the 24. verse Heereupon the Papists take occasion to say that not faith alone but faith together with workes worketh our iustification Whereunto we answer that there be some things wherein faith worketh alone and some things wherein it worketh together with workes Faith worketh alone with God it hath wings and flies to heauen it dealeth onely betweene God and Christ
Psal 58.6 and Psal 59.6 So Paul calleth false teachers dogges snarling against the preaching of the truth sometime they are called swine to disgrace the filthinesse of mans nature sometime for their cruelty to Beares robbed of their whelpes sometimes for their boldnesse to Wolues as Mat. 10. Christ saith I send you as sheepe among Wolues which vers 16. he expounds to be among men sometime to Buls Psalm 22. The fat Buls of Basan seeke to deuoure me sometime to wild Boares as Dauid praieth O Lord set a hedge before thy vineyard for feare of wild Boares Psal 80.13 they are so full of rage sometime for the subtilty they are tearmed Foxes as Christ saith Gord that Fox speaking of Herod that I will preach to day and to morrow Luk. 13.32 sometime to horse-leaches Prou. 30.15 which haue two daughters that crie bring bring they are so full of cruelty so Psal 22. those that persecute and afflict the Church are called Vnicornes and heere the Pharisees are named Vipers that would eate and deuoure the Church and yet they would come to heare which made their sinne so much the heauier that they would come to so holy a place with so vnholy harts Thus doâ—â— sinne strangely change vs and thus are men when the Lord hâ—â—â— giuen them ouer that they haue not the property of one beak but of all beasts for they are as malicious as Apes as enuious as Serpents and as venimous as Adders and yet they dare come and state the Lord in the face in his congregation hauing neuer communed with their hearts before This is that the Lord complaineth of Ier. 7.9 Will you steale and commit adultery auburne incense vnto Baal and come and stand before me in this house where my name is called vpon Nay the Lord abhorreth all such manner of worship and sacrifice as himselfe protesteth Esa 66. The sacrifice of a sheepe in this sort I esteeme as the bloud of a mâ—â— For though the meanes to auoid the wrath to come be by conming to Gods ordinance of preaching yet to come with a pharisaicall heart doth but increase the vengeance and hasten thy destruction Now for the instruction Bring foorth therefore fruits c. Marke how plainly and precisely Iohn doth stand vpon an open declaration of repentance by amendement of life for euery one may say he meaneth well which if he doe he will not be ashamed to bring it foorth So as if we will be trees of righteousnesse engrafted into Christ we must shew foorth the fruits and not the leaues of righteousnesse by the operation of his spirit for thou canst not be one flesh with a harlot and one spirit with the Lord Iesus 1. Cor. 6. and charitie ought not to make mee beleeue him to be Christs sheepe that heareth not his voice So as marke that the Lord measureth the flowre of our hearts by the fruit of our lips for Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and men may see our hearts through our hands Since then the Lord requireth that wee should approoue our faith to men and manifest our reconciliation with God in heauen by the works of loue shewed to men on earth let vs weigh our steppes that they may be straight watch ouer our words that they may be gracious passe nothing through our fingers that shall be entangled with the hurt of our neighbour but measure out our actions by the rule and square of religious loue And say not with your selues c. This is the second point before deliuered namely the godlie and graue exhortation Iohn made vnto these false hearted Pharisees and Sadduces containing two parts first what they should do Amend their liues Secondly what they should not doe that they should not presume vpon the externall priuiledge they had of being circumcised as the children of Abraham For this was the error of their iudgement that the whole seed of Abraham by generation of the flesh were within the couenant of grace to be saued And this is the obiection implied and answered by S. Paul Rom. 9.6.7 namely that if the Iewes were cast away then the word of the Lord was fallen away because it is said I will be thy God and the God of thy seed for euer which is confuted there by the Apostle by a distinction of a double seed There is an Israel in the couenant and an Israel out of the couenant So as there is a double election in the house of Israel first generall that all that came of the loines of Abraham should haue this dignity to be accounted within the couenant to partake of the word and seale of circumcision The second is a speciall election out of the former that out of the seed of Abraham one seed onely should be saued as it is Malach. 1.2 Is not Esau Iacobs brother yet haue I hated Esau and loued Iacob Whereby appeareth there is a speciall election out of the generall so as the grace of the couenant was offered to all Israel and all Israel differed from the vncircumcised nations yet the promise was effectuall onely in the elect Whereupon gather that if these Pharisees had not beene blinded and bereaued of the spirit of truth they would neuer haue stood vpon any externall priuiledge for the promise being made indefinitely had beene fulfilled if ten onely had beene saued for the Scripture goeth onely thus farre I will be the God of thy seed not of all thy seed And this the Apostle proueth in the place before thus If all the Iewes were within the compasse of the promise and the couenant of grace by vertue of the outward seale of cutting the foreskin of the flesh then it was necessary the first borne should bee and that he might challenge this assoone as any to be saued But this was not so for in Ismael the eldest was not the promise but in Isaac shall thy seed be called so as God declared his purpose by distinguishing them at first when the couenant was but new made while Abraham himselfe liued and when he had but two sonnes And lest this particular example might bee excepted against by reason of the disparagement in their birth Israel being borne of the bond-woman Take saith the Apostle Esau borne of the same wombe begot of the same father yea borne at the same time almost and if there were any prerogatiue it was Esaus for he was eldest both of them circumcised yet did not the promise pertaine to Esau as is proued by two testimonies of Scripture Gen. 25 23. The elder shall serue the yonger and Mal. 1.2 I haue loued Iacob and hated Esau his seruitude in the flesh being ioyned with the hatred of God vpon his soule So as the difference betweene the children of Abraham according to the flesh onely and according to the flesh and spirit also standeth in these two things first in Gods secret purpose whom to glorifie and whom to reiect secondly in the effects of faith and
sanctification for he is a true childe of Abraham that walketh in the faith and steppes of Abraham Roman 4.12 and they that doe otherwise as Christ saith Ioh. 8.44 are the children of their father To which the Pharisees in great indignation excepting What say they dost thou account vs bastards Abraham is our father No saith Christ so as trueth and meekenesse it selfe spake it yee are the children of the diuell For vnder this pretence of issuing from Abrahams loines they would despise that sonne and abandon that Messias in whom Abraham and the rest of the fathers looked and trusted to be saued Howbeit if we come to this why doth Ismael persecute the profession of Isaac and Esau sell his birth-right and Iacob embrace it as a pledge of the inheritance of heauen This commeth from the election of God who had purposed to giue this grace to the one and to denie it to the other the cause of his infidelitie resting in his owne soule And it was not an vniuersall promise plight to Abraham that he would be the God of euery particular singular man that should come from his line but it was giuen indefinitely without limitation to thy seed as of one which is that Paul prooueth Gal. 3.16 namely that there could be no reconciliation betweene the Iewes and the Gentiles but by that one seed which was Christ Now the cause Saint Iohn giueth and the reason hee alleageth why they should not thus flatter and deceiue themselues in the name of Abrahams seed is because God is able euen of stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham And at the first Abraham indeed was dead in respect of that strength of nature to beget a childe Gen. 18.12 and it was as easie to make a stone a man as to make a dead man get a man Out of which we learne that God is omnipotent not onely to do what he will but also to do more then euer yet he hath purposed to doe as heere he is able of stones to raise vp men but he neuer did it Answerable to that speech of Christ in the Gospell If I would I could command Mat. 26.53 twelue legions of Angels to rescue me yet he did it not Now three things there be which God cannot doe and yet sheweth no impotencie nor derogateth any thing from his omnipotencie as first he cannot doe contrarie to the propertie of his person as God cannot be begotten nor the Sonne of God cannot beget secondly that is contrarie to the essentiall properties of his Godhead Ier. 1.17 as he cannot repent nor change nor lie nor be finite for all these are signes of weaknesse and imperfection thirdly he cannot doe that which implies a contradiction as that a stone being a stone should be a man but of a stone he can make a man and of a man a stone as Lots wife was turned Gen. 19.26 into a pillar of salt but when she ceased to be a woman So against the Lutherans that hold they eate the very flesh of Christ in the Sacrament wee acknowledge that God is able to turne bread into flesh but then he must change the substance for I will neuer beleeue that that which I see and taste and touch as bread can being bread be flesh also So for the humanitie of Christ as it is his bodie it cannot be euery where for a bodie must haue his dimensities as height breadth and length and must be limited and circumscribed in a place certaine And it abridgeth nothing from his all-sufficiencie for it is contrarie to the nature of a substance to be euery where remaining a substance True it is the Lord can make the sea to stand vp as wals Exod. 14.21 on both sides for the passage of the Israelites but it was a sea still so he can make the Sunne against the course of nature Iosh 10.12 to stand still and stay his course but it was the Sunne still but he cannot make a body to be euery where for that doth abolish the nature of it Now is the Axelaied to the root c. This is the third point was deliuered namely the commination which Iohn vsed mixing and interlacing his sermon with the iudgements of God wherein he threatneth them with eternall damnation except they repent and become new men The whole speech is allegoricall and a continued borrowed speech which may be thus resolued God is compared to a husbandman for he had planted a vineyard in Iuda namely his church the people are compared to trees the ministerie of Iohn to an axe that will cut quickly either to hasten to damnation or to saluation As elsewhere it is compared to a Fanne that separates the chaffe from the wheat and in Ieremie to a hammer either to bruse a broken heart or to beat it downe to hell The roots of the trees are compared to the soules of men the forme of the speech prefigureth the finall sentence that shall bee giuen at the latter day the hewing downe signifieth the separation of the bastardly Iewes from the communion and fellowship of the true Israelites and casting into the fire setteth foorth their eternall damnation in hell so as it is thus much in effect You Pharisees presume not any longer vpon Gods patience for yee cannot now pretend ignorance as yee might haue done and for that time as Acts 17.30 God will not call you to any heauie reckoning he hath bene carefull to dresse his garden he hath suffered you to abuse the people by your gouernment in the Church but now looke vnto your selues for now shall my ministerie cut into your soules and shall shew whether yee be bastards or no and now shall it appeare who is the child of Abraham by receiuing Christ that commeth In that it is said now and that the axe is laid not to lop but to cut downe learne that when the Gospell is preached then the Lord comes to make a separation betweene the elect and the reprobate which could not before be discerned as it is in the Gospell there shall be two in one bed one shall be receiued and the other reiected for when this raine falleth then the Lord meaneth to trie who is truely planted and hath taken root in his sonne Luk. 17.34 and if as Heb. 6.7 it bringeth foorth herbes meet for the dresser then receiueth it a blessing but if the heart bring â—oorth thornes then is meere vnto cursing so as if any obstinately persist in the earth drinking in the moisture and yet increaseth not his damnation shall be the more iust because there is now no place for excuse left And to applie this more neerely to our selues if the Sodomites Gen. 19.28 were wasted with fire for abusing but one Lot If the Niniuites had beene destroyed Ionah 4.11 for not repenting at the preaching of one Ionah If they were put to death that despised but one Moses and the old world Gen. 6.13 swept away for contemning the preaching of one Noah If they were