doth glory in what in the contempt of his own righteousnesse and that he looketh for the righteousnesse of God by faith Sermon of salvation second part Which established doctrine of our Church is lamentably lost of too many Professors among us now a dayes In stead whereof must needs come in the contrary doctrine and religion of reioycing in and greatly esteeming our owne righteousnesse but of small ioy and little regarding of Christs righteousnesse perfectly iustifying us Thus much of the right zeale of God 4. The fourth and last point and main thing to be considered concerning this dead faith is What is the speediest course and most effectuall meanes by which wee may come out of this dead faith into the true lively and iustifying faith and by which we may call others out of the same which speediest course or most effectuall meanes consisteth but in two maine things throughly marked and deeply considered 1. The first is to look so truely into the pure and infinite righteous nature of God that we cleerly see in the two looking-glasses both of the Law and of the Gospel the horrible filthinesse of sinne to be such that God cannot but curse and throw out of his favour and liking the creature that hath any sinne in his sight as these and such like Scriptures teach Deut. 27. 26. Cursed is every man that continueth not in all things that are written in the booke of the Law to do them Mark Cursed that is cast out of my love and favour for ever Go ye cursed into everlasting fire Matth. 25. 41. is every one that continueth not in all things that is that hath the least sinne in his sight For if we have the least sinne in Gods sight wee doe not continue in all things and so must needs be accursed of God or else his righteous nature must needs be changeable in his definitive sentence against sinne which cannot bee Fearfull examples hereof are First the Angels who although they were most glorious creatures for pure holinesse and righteousnes yet as soone as they conceived but one sinne but in thought onely God spared them not saith Peter that sinned but cast them down into Hell and delivered them into chaines of darknesse to be reserved unto condemnation 2 Pet. 2. 4. Another fearfull example is that of Adam who by one sinne onely brought upon him by subtilty did cast himself into death and destruction and all his posterity even infinite millions of men and women into infinite millions of sins and miseries as Paul expresseth Rom. 5. 12. saying As by one man sin entred into the world and by sin death so death goeth over all men in that all have sinned whereby through the offense of one many bee dead vers 15. Because the iudgement came by that one offense upon all men to condemnation verse 16. Now the reason why God cannot but curse and cast away out of his love and favour the creature that hath any sinne in Gods sight is because the horrible filthinesse of sinne is such to Gods infinite pure and righteous nature that God cannot but detest hate abhorre and count abominable the creature in whom he seeth any sinne or that hath the least sin in his sight as these and such like Scriptures teach Behold the heavens are unclean in Gods sight how much more is man filthy and abominable who drinketh iniquity like water Iob 15. 15 16. Thus we see that sinne doth make the creature spiritually foule filthy loathsome and abominable in Gods sight though no curse or punishment should follow upon the same as Christ himself also testifieth Mark 7. 20. to 23. saying That which commeth out of the man that defileth the man For out of the heart of man come evill thoughts adulteries fornications murders thefts covetousnesse wickednesse deceit lasciviousnesse an evill eye blasphemies pride foolishnesse All these evill things come from within and these defile a man Therefore did the Prophet Habakkuk say God is of pure eyes and cannot see sinne and cannot behold iniquity but he must needs destroy either the sinne or the sinner from before him But for this purpose was the sonne of God made manifest that in the faithfull hee might destroy sinne the worke of the Devill 1 John 3. 6. Because he was made manifest to take away our sinnes For in him is no sin vers 5. But unto the unbeleeving Jewes the Prophet saith Behold the Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot save neither is his eare heavie that it cannot heare but your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sinnes have hindred good things from you Esay 29. 1. Jer. 5. 25. And for the deeper sight of this evill of sinne hear three things which the Law teacheth concerning sinne and deeply to be considered and daily and diligently to be pressed upon secure consciences As first The horrible encrease of the evill of sinne because the least sinne by the Law forbidding it Exod. 19 20. chapters in fearfull thundring and lightning and terrible earthquake flaming fire reaching up to the midst of heaven Hereby the least sin I say is made out of measure sinfull Because the least sin is encreased to disobedience and disobedience is rebellion that is spirituall high treason against the highest Majesty as Samuel testifies of the disobedience of King Saul 1 Sam. 15. 23. And as the Prophet Daniel confesseth of his sinnes and the sinnes of his people saying We have sinned and done wickedly yea we have rebelled even by departing from thy precepts and thus saith hee againe have wee rebelled against God Dan. 9. 5 9. But rebellion saith Samuel is as the sinne of witchcraft and transgression is stubbornnesse and stubbornnesse is wickednesse and idolatry Thus did the Law enter upon sinne making the offense thereof to abound Rom. 5. 20. And thus the least sinne by the Commandement forbidding it in such terrible thundring and lightning becomes out of measure or exceeding sinfull Rom. 7. 13. And this is the first thing that the Law teacheth concerning sin 2. The second thing which the Law teacheth is the multitude of our sinnes that the most honest and most religious among us are guilty of against every one of the ten Commandements especially by the spirituall breach of the Law as Christ expoundeth the same in the fifth sixth and seventh chapters of Matthew which made Paul to see that his whole nature was nothing else but a meer contrariety to the spirituall meaning of the Law saying The Law is spirituall but I am carnall sold under sin Rom. 7. 14. And which made David to cry out saying My sinnes have taken such hold upon me that I am not able to look up yea they are mee in number than the haires of my head Therefore my heart hath failed me Psal 40. 12. 3. The third thing that the Law teacheth concerning sinne is the fivefold punishment belonging to the least sinne which God executeth daily and hourly upon one
prescribeth how wee Ministers may our selves come out of this most dangerous DEAD FAITH and call others out of the same into the true lively and justifying Faith Try all things and keepe that which is good 1 Thessalon 5. 21. And accept Christianly in good part the good will of him that is glad Christian READER if hee may speake or write a word that may edifie thee in thy most holy Faith Iud. 20. Vse it in the feare of GOD. And thus I leave thee to the Word of his Grace which is able to build further Thine in all Christian affection JOHN EATON THE DISCOVERY Of the Most Dangerous Dead Faith AMongst divers and sundry causes of peoples being offended at and of cavilling against the expresse Word of God and the Protestants description of the Wedding garment of Christs perfect righteousnesse by which the justified person is made so truely and so perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God that God doth and by his actuall power can see no sin in his justified children freely by faith onely without workes Revel 3. 18. The chiefest cause of all their cavills containing in a manner all the rest is the Dead faith it being not able to understand the mysteries of Christ as Saint Paul testifieth to the carnall Corinthians saying the naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. 14. For the removall of which Dead Faith four main things are here especially to be considered First we must mark how far the Dead Faith will goe in the profession of the Gospel and how like it is to the true lively justifying and saving faith being as like the true faith both in it selfe and in resembling all the actions of the true faith as the Image in the Looking-glasse is like and doth imitate the party that looketh into the same because the Dead Faith consisteth of these three parts First such as are in this Dead Faith may have great knowledge of the whole word and will of God and may joyne therewith the reading of all the Doctors and Expositors in the Church and also may be zealous Preachers of the same as Saint Paul declares Rom. 2. 17. saying Behold thou art called a Iew that is one of Gods chosen above all the Nations of the earth and restest in the Law that is in the Word and Doctrine delivered from heaven and gloriest in God And knowest his will and approvest the thing that are excellent being instructed in the Law or Word verse 18. And art confident that thou art a guid of the blind a light of them that are in darknesse verse 19. An instructer of the foolish a teacher of the ignorant having the whole forme of knowledge and of the truth of the Law c. Againe the Law shall not perish from the Priest nor counsell from the wise nor the word from the Prophet Come let us smite Ieremiah with the tongue Jer. 18. 18. For wee have the adoption and the glory and the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the promises Rom. 9. 4. and such like Scriptures shewing great knowledge in this Dead Faith Secondly such may have a kinde of strong faith in all Gods graces through Christ and thinke that they beleeve them as well and as truely as any other as these and such like Scriptures teach Thou sayest I am rich and encreased with goods and have need of nothing but thou knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked Revel 3. 17. Againe When many beleeved Philip which preached the things that concerned the Kingdome of God and the Name of Iesus then Simon Magus himselfe also beleeved and was baptized and continued with Philip and wondered when he saw the signes and great wonders which were done Acts 8. 12 13. Againe the Apostle saith I would not have you ignorant Brethren that all our fathers were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea and did all eat the same spirituall meat and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of that spirituall Rocke that followed them and that Rocke was Christ But with many of them God was not well pleased for they were destroyed in the Wildernesse and perished 1 Cor. 10. 2. to 11. Thus we see that many bad guests doe sit downe at the feast of the Gospel seeming in their own opinion to abound in faith and knowledge to whom nothing is wanting but only the not-having on the wedding garment Mat. 22. 12. Thus much of their seeming strong faith Thirdly and lastly such as are in this Dead Faith may have a kinde of great humiliation and earnest repentance As Ahab though hee was a King rent his cloaths in great repentance and put on sackcloth upon his flesh and fasted and lay in sackcloth and walked so mournfully that the Lord the searcher of hearts said Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me mark before me the Lord and not before the world onely and yet was Ahab one in this Dead Faith And againe as David in the true faith repenting said I have greatly sinned in that I have done and have done very foolishly So did Saul in the Dead faith say I have sinned and have done foolishly and have erred exceedingly Thou art more righteous than I for thou hast rendred me good and I have rendred thee evill and hee lift up his voice and wept 1 Sam 24. 16 17. 26. 21. Neither onely may such have this great humiliation and earnest repentance but also they may have a great zeale of Gods glory and an earnest endevour of holy and righteous walking in all Gods Commandements as it is plainly declared Esa 58. 2 3. saying Yet they seeke me daily and delight to know my wayes as a Nation that did righteousnesse and forsook not the ordinances of their God They aske of me the ordinances of justice They take delight to draw near unto God by prayer and fasting and punishing and afflicting of themselves And this they may doe not onely not dissemblingly and for vain glory and praise of men as many grosse Hypocrites and Pharisees did mentioned Matth. 6. but as other Pharisees did of a good intent so zealously ayming at Gods glory in resisting their corruptions and sins and so fervently following righteousnesse according to the Law of God Rom. 9. 31. to the intent to be a holy people unto God by their workes and well-doings that concerning prayer and fasting and all good works and righteousness of the Law they may be unblameable as Paul testifieth of himself and many other Jewes before their conversion to the Gospel saying I beare them record that they have the zeale of God Rom. 10. 2. Instantly serving God day and night Act. 26. 7. So eagerly following the Law of righteousnesse as it were by the works
another being Gods whip of five strings with which he lasheth the children of men in one place or other daily and continually which are these five 1. First the curse of God Deut. 28. 15. to 20. If thou wilt not hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God namely which he spake in thundering and lightning and flaming fire but dost break his commandments that is dost do the least sin then all these curses shall come upon thee and overtake thee cursed shalt thou be in the town and cursed in the field cursed shall bee thy basket and thy store that is thy abundance that seemes to thee a blessing shall be to thee accursed cursed shall be the fruit of thy body and the fruit of thy land and the encrease of thy kine and the flocks of thy sheep cursed shalt thou bee when thou comest in and cursed also when thou goest out The Lord shall send upon thee cursing vexation and trouble in all that thou settest thy hand to do c. 2. The second punishment is hardnesse of heart that is no spirituall sense or feeling but little caring for this curse of God upon us for sin and a sleight regarding of free justification which is the onely remedy and means that should heal us of this sinne and curse Matth. 13. 15. For this peoples heart is waxed grosse and their ears are dull of hearing and with their eyes they have winked lest they should see with their eyes and heare with their eares and should understand with their hearts and should bee converted and I should heale them But my people would not heare my voice nor Israel would none of me So I gave them up to the hardnesse of their hearts and they have walked in their own counsell Psal 81. 11 12. whereby thou after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart heapest up like a treasure to thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the just judgment of God Rom. 2. 5. 3. The third sort of punishment for sinne is all manner of miseries crosses and afflictions to body goods and name which are ready every moment to strike us but to what end to knock for us and give us warning to be sure that we bee freely justified and have on the wedding garment of Christs perfect righteousnesse as it is expressed Iob 33. 19. to verse 26. A man is chastened with pain upon his bed and the multitude of his bones with strong paine so that his life abhorreth bread and his soul dainty meats His flesh is consumed away and his bones that were not seen stick out his life draweth neare to the grave c. But if there be a messenger with him an interpreter one of a thousand to shew unto a man his righteousnesse that is his justifying righteousnesse by Christ then God is gracious unto him and saith deliver him from going down into the pit I have found a ransome 4. The fourth punishment of sinne is that uncertain death is ready every moment to strike us wee knowing neither the time when nor the place where nor the manner how death will strike us as God himself saith Deut. 28. 66. If thou breakest my Commandements and so dost sin thy life shall hang in doubt before thee c. Thou shalt have just cause to feare both night and day for thou shalt have no assurance of thy life For God said to the rich man Luke 12. 20. Thou fool this night will they that is the devils fetch away thy soule from thee and then whose shall these things bee which thou hast provided So is every man that is not rich in God that is which hath not on the wedding garment of Christs perfect righteousnesse which only maketh us rich in God Pro. 8. 18. 5 The fifth and last punishment for sinne is when death which is so uncertain is come then follows the full execution of Gods justice in hell fire there to endure easlesse and endlesse torments for ever and ever Therefore saith Christ the Teacher of true wisedome I say unto you my friends be not afraid of them that kill the body and after that are not able to doe any more But I will forewarne you whom you shall feare Feare him which after he hath killed hath power also to cast into hell yea I say unto you feare him Luke 12. 4 5. for then he shall say Depart yee cursed which all are that are not justified into everlasting fire prepared for the devill and his angels and these shall goe away into everlasting paine but the righteous only that is only they that are made perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely with Christs righteousnesse shall goe into life everlasting Mat. 25. 41 46. Thus ought these three maine things that the Law teacheth concerning sin to be daily and diligently pressed upon sleeping consciences secure in the least sin untill the most upright honest yea and most sanctified man in works may feele himselfe slaine by the Law especially by the tenth Commandement as Paul was Rom. 7. 9. saying For I once was alive without the Law but when the commandement thou shalt not lust or covet that is thou shalt not have the least motion to any sinne came that I understood it sinne revived that is I saw my best good works to be sinne which I took to be no sinne before but I died that is I saw my selfe lost and damned by that beautifull sinne which I took to be a good work before God and no sinne And the same Commandment which was by obeying it ordained unto life I found by breaking it in my best good works to be unto death For sinne that is originall corruption dwelling in me taking occasion or force by the commandement deceived me that is made my best good works as I did them sinne when I took them to be no sinne and by it that is by the commandement disobeyed and broken slew me that is made me to see and feele my selfe to be in my best and most sanctified good works a lost and damned creature Because sinne that is originall corruption dwelling in me that it might appeare sinne did work death in me by that which is good that is by that turning that into sinne by defect which was done by the good and holy Law of God that sinne by the commandement disobeyed might become out of measure or exceeding sinfull Hereupon and for this cause doth the most sanctified childe of God truly enlightened and slaine by the Law by this right understanding of this tenth commandement see and feele that which is spoken of by Paul Rom. 3. 9. to 19. to be most true in himselfe and in his best sanctified works namely That there is none righteous no not one there is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh God they are all gone out of the way they are altogether become abominable and unprofitable There is none that doth good no not one Their throat is an open
sepulchre with their tongues they have used deceit the poyson of Asps is under their lips whose mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse their feet are swift by anger and malice to shed blood destruction and misery are in their wayes and the way of peace they have not knowne there is no feare of God before their eyes And whereas the naturall man in the dead faith will by his civill honest and supposed sanctified life put all this away from himselfe to such as are profane and grosly wicked saying that this is spoken of them that are meerly and wholly in the estate of nature and that so peradventure he might have been such a one but now thanks be unto God he is not such a one yet the true sanctified children of God that are truly enlightned to see the spirituall meaning of the Law doe grant and truly feele that by their daily and continuall spirituall breaches of the Law they are truly such indeed as Paul here describeth so shut up under sin both they and all their best sanctified good works Gal. 3. 22. that there is not one that doth good no not one Whereby they feele that every mouth even of the most sanctified is stopped and all the world is found subject to the judgement of God A cleare example of the truth hereof is Paul himselfe who although he was one of the most sanctified amongst men yet he cried out saying The Law is spirituall but I am carnall sold under sinne for to will is present with me but I finde no meanes how to performe that which is good Rom. 7. 18. And thus feeling in himselfe with the Prophet Esay that all his righteousnesse of sanctification was as foule menstrous filthy rags Esay 64. 6. because in all his good works he brake the tenth Commandement and so as much as lay in him did destroy himselfe in all his good works Hosea 13. 9. Even death it selfe being in the pot of his most sanctified good works and best actions therefore hee cried out O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7. 24. This is to bee slaine by the Law this is to understand the Law rightly especially the tenth Commandement And this is the first means to come out of this dead faith and to call others out of the same being throughly marked and deeply considered 2 The second meanes to come out of this dead faith and to call others out of the same is truly to understand and open unto others the excellency of free justification That as the spirit hath convinced us and all our best works of sinne by the looking-glasse of the Law so the spirit may also convince us of free given righteousnesse Joh. 16. 8 9 10. namely that wee and all our works are of unjust made just that is perfestly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely by faith only without works And mark how I say not simply free justification but the excellency of free Justification must be diligently looked into and deeply considered in foure principall respects 1 First in the most excellent and glorious causes of it being the glorious work of the whole Godhead wherein God the Father in giving his sonne and God the sonne in pouring forth his blood and life and God the holy Ghost in applying it to us and in cloathing though mystically yet truly our souls and bodies with this wedding garment and in creating the new eyes of faith to see these spirituall riches doe all work severally and wonderfully to effect the same upon us and that also freely onely by free grace that is God respectign no goodnesse or worthinesse in us to deserve the same but rather that we feele our wretched misery nor respecting no evils or unworthinesse in us to hinder the free taking of his rich grace That it might be to the praise of the glory of his free grace wherewith hee hath made us freely accepted in his beloved one Eph. 1. 6. And for this cause doth God bestow this benefit upon us that is upon the young children of Christian parents usually and ordinarily in our baptisme even when wee were little Infants God pitying our misery when we could not pitty our selves and washed us from the spirituall blood of our originall sinne Ezek. 16. 6 9. with the washing of the new birth and renewing of the holy Ghost that we being iustified by his grace should be made heires of eternall life Tit. 3. 5 6 7. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having made us pure and clean by the washing of water through the word That hee might even when wee were little senselesse Infants and thereby as good as double dead to all sense and feeling in trespasses and sinnes and by nature the children of wrath make us to himselfe a glorious Church not having now at this present time as the Greeke and Latine participles signifie one spot or wrinkle of sinne or any such thing but are holy and without blame Ephes 5. 26 27. Because wee are made thus perfectly pure and clean before God not onely from that one offense of our originall sinne but also from all the many actuall sinnes of our whole life even in our baptisme even when we are Infants that is utterly helplesse in our selves that all this blessednesse may be the more freely upon us And that as Saint Paul saith Although the iudgment was by one offense unto condemnation yet the gift is not so but the free gift is of many offenses to iustification Rom. 5. 16. So that if by one mans offense death reigned by one much more they that receive that abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousnesse shall reigne in life by one that is Iesus Christ vers 17. And thus wee see that as there is no difference of young or old but all have sinned and are deprived and come short of the glory of God so all that receive this free gift of righteousnesse are justified freely by Gods grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ Rom. 3. 23 24. And thus much of the excellent causes of free justification briefly touched 2. Secondly wee must consider deeply the excellent nature it self of free iustification in that it is the head and chiefest benefit of the Gospel whereby by the power of Gods imputation we are so clothed with the wedding garment of Christs perfect righteousnesse that of uniust we are made iust before God that is so perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely by faith alone without works That as St. Paul speaketh wee are made the righteousnesse of God in him that is in this faith in him The excellency of which benefit was so rightly marked and so diligently considered by Chrysostome that he thereupon breaketh out into these words of ioy and admiration of the same saying Qualis sermo what a saying is this what heart or understanding can
sufficiently commend it or set it forth For saith he the righteous one he made a sinner that hee might make the sinners righteous nay he speaketh not so sleightly neither but that which is farre more For he said not hee made him a sinner but sinne that we might be made he saith not righteous but righteousnesse yea and the righteousnesse of God For this is of God because it is not of workes For the former righteousnesse of good esteem in the Church was the righteousnesse of the Law and of works but this is the righteousnesse of God Because it is necessary that no spot bee found in it and from hence all sinne vanisheth away Thus hee teacheth the magnificence both of the gift and giver 3. Thirdly to look the better into the nature of this benefit we must consider deeply the excelent parts of this wonderfull benefit which are these two chiefly 1. First that this wedding garment of Christs perfect righteousnesse doth though mystically that is above our reason sight sense and feeling that we may live by faith in the truth and power of God speaking and not by sight sense and feeling Rom. 4. 18 to 25. yet freely take away and truly abolish not out of our flesh 1 Iohn 1. 8. but utterly abolish from before God and out of Gods sight all our sinnes as these and such like Scriptures teach Iohn 1. 29. Behold the lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the world For I not you but even I being Sol iustitiae the shining sunne of righteousnesse Mal. 4. 2. will do away your iniquities like darknesse and abolish your sinnes like a mist Reioyce ye heavens for the Lord hath done it Shout ye lower parts of the earth break forth into praises O mountaines For thus hath the Lord redeemed Iacob and thus will he be glorified in Israel Esa 43. 25. and 44. 22 23. For by himself hath Christ purified and made us cleane from our sins and is set at the right hand of the highest Maiesty Heb. 1. 3 Because if the blood of bulls and of goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the uncleane sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall spirit offered himsellfe without spot to God purge purifie or make clean our consciences from dead workes to serve the living God Heb. 9. 13 14. Therefore did hee now once in the end of the world appear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to abolish to doe away or to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe Heb. 9. 26. For Iesus Christ is that faithfull witnesse and that first begotten of the dead and that Prince of the Kings of the earth who hath loved us and hath washed us from our sins in his owne blood Rev. 1. 5. whereby the blood of Iesus Christ the sonne of God doth make us cleane from all sinne 1 Ioh. 1. 7. Now the sonne having thus abolished our sinnes from before God or out of Gods sight Col. 1. 22. Hereupon doth the father pardon remit and forgive all the punishment and evill that is due to those sinnes which his sonne hath freely done away and truely abolished out of his fathers sight according to that testimony of David Blessed is the man whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sinnes are covered Psal 32. 1. Hereupon is all the anger of the father and all his displeasure discontentment death and all other evils ceased upon the justified person before God the father And thus much briefly of the excellency of the first part of free justification 2. The excellency of the second part of free justification is That this wedding garment of Christs perfect righteousnesse doth not only make us present us righteous in the sight of God but it also maketh us perfectly and completely and sufficiently holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely by faith onely without workes or without our perfect working Yea so sufficiently and completely and perfectly holy and righteous that though mystically yet wheresoever we sit or walk we shine gloriously holy and righteous in the sight of God freely as these and such like Scriptures teach Rom. 5. 19. For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one man shall many be made righteous whereby if by the offense of one death reigned by one much more they which receive the abundance of grace and that abundance of the gift of righteousnesse shall reigne in life through one even Iesus Christ Rom. 5. 17. Therefore did the Angel Gabriel prophesie to Daniel that after seventy weeks of yeares not onely sinne should be finished and transgression made an end of and reconciliation made for iniquity but also everlasting righteousnesse be brought in upon the faithfull Dan. 9. 24. Thus is this righteousnesse called not only an abundance of righteousnesse and an everlasting righteousnesse but also hence it is said to make us complete before God even complete in him which is the head of all principalities and powers Col. 2. 10. Hence it is said to make us perfect as with one sacrifice he hath made perfect for ever all them that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. Hence it is said to make us and present us to God a glorious Church as he hath made us pure or clean by the washing of water through the word to make us to himselfe a glorious Church not having now at this present time as the Greek and Latine Participles signifie one spot or wrinckle of sinne or any such thing but to bee so holy that wee are unblameable or without blemish before God Eph. 27. Because in the body of his flesh through death he makes us or presents us so holy that we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is without all blame and without all fault in Gods sight if we continue rooted and grounded in this faith upon which place Chrysostome saith He hath not only freed us from sin but also he hath made us honourable and glorious in Gods sight Hence it is that this wedding garment of Christs perfect righteousnesse was signified by the vesture of the gold of Ophir that maketh the bride of Christ a Queen and all glorious within that is spiritually and mystically saying At thy right hand doth stand the Queene in a vesture of the gold of Ophir and shee is all glorious within Psalm 45. 9. Hence is the Church and every true beleever made that great wonder in heaven that is under the time and state of the Gospel called every where in the New Testament the Kingdome of heaven Matth. 11. 11 12. and chapter 13. But what is this wonder A woman that is in generall the whole Church but in particular every true beleeving soule which is as truely by faith married to Christ as any woman can be married to her husband Ephes 5. 30. But what of this woman Amicta sole cloathed with the sunne that shineth in