we hauing right thereunto wee haue the accomplishment of glory when wee beleeue in regard of right and propriety thereunto When first wee beleeue then we are intituled to life euerlasting Euen as the title to an outward inheritance followeth vpon the birth so the right and hope of this kingdome doth follow our spirituall birth By our spiritual birth None that are not begotten of God by water and the spirit shall enter into the kingdome He hath begotten vs vnto an inheritance 1. Pet. 1.3.4 Now the Lord begets vs his sons daughters when he giueth vs to beleeue For first the good pleasure of God resteth on his naturall and onely begotten Sonne on whom when we come to lay holde by faith we are then made sonnes Iohn 1.12 Yea sons accepted Eph. 1.6 And being sonnes accepted vvee are heires As Gods sons and heires euen ioynt-heires with Christ. Rom. 8.17 The glory of heauen is therefore called by the name of Adoption because it followeth thereon and is the thing to which we are adopted By faith therefore when we obtaine to be the sonnes of God wee also thereby obtaine that euerlasting life which is to be reuealed Which truth that wee may cleare somewhat better obserue with me briefely these three things First then Christ hath merited life euerlasting no lesse for vs For Christ hath merited it for vs. then righteousnes as Heb. 10.19.20 By the bloud of Iesus we may be bold to enter into the holy place by the new liuing way which he hath prepared throgh the vaile that is his flesh And Heb. 9.15 Through the death of the Mediatour wee which are called receiue the promise of the eternall inheritance Secondly 2. Faith doth apprehend it also as well as righteousnes faith applies and apprehendeth the one as well as the other We are saued by grace through faith Eph. 2.8 It is the Apostles meaning that faith doth looke vnto and lay holde euen of saluation it selfe which we haue of Gods grace as well as of any benefit tending thereunto And if it be obiected that hee speaketh not of life euerlasting which is laid vp for vs in due time to be reuealed but of the present saluation and redemption whereof heere wee are partakers I answer It is manifest in the verse going before what he meaneth by saluation euen specially the treasures of glory God hath raised vs vp together and made vs sit in heauenly places c. For wee are saued by grace through faith 3. Faith doth euer rest vpon it vntill wee come to enioy it Thirdly Faith doth not onely beginne to apprehend it and then leaue vs to workes that wee may attaine it but faith doth still apply life vnto vs till wee are iustified and saued By faith we stand and reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of God Rom. 5.2 Wee are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation which is to be reuealed 1 Pet. 1.5 So that our faith neuer giueth ouer till wee haue this saluation euen the end of our faith And these considerations doe sufficiently shew that faith is it or rather Christ receiued by faith by for which we are righteous and accepted yea and at length attaine life euerlasting The opinion of the Papists touching life eternall Now let vs consider a little what is the sentence of the Papists in this poynt The Papists then confesse that life is merited by Christ and is made ours by the right of inheritance so farre wee go with them Yea touching works they holde many things with vs that no works of themselues can merit life euerlasting 2. that works done before conuersion can merit nothing at Gods hand and merit of works much lesse life euerlasting 3. that there is no merit at Gods hand without his mercy no exact merit as often there is amongst men all these are true The point whereabout wee dissent Our dissent from thâ—m is that with the merit of Christ and free promise they vvill haue the merit of works ioined as done by them who are adopted children That which directly must be opposed vnto this is that Gods gracious promising Gods grace and any merit of workes cannot stand together and giuing it to vs in Christ cannot stand with the merit of our workes And the Scripture herein is so euident As it is euident by the Scripture that some of the Papists are forced to deny this coniunction of a double title vnto life eternall For in the fourth of the Romanes 4. the wages cannot be counted both by meere fauour and also by debt and desert and Rom. 11.6 If it be of grace then not of workes for grace then were no grace In which place obserue this that fauour and grace are meant and to bee taken for the rich grace of God which is now made manifest in Christ For otherwise there is a grace which may stand with workes It was grace that God did couenant with man in Adam that had hee stood in righteousnesse hee should haue deserued eternall life but the riches of grace of meere grace cannot abide one worke as meritorious to be coupled with it If any heere except The Apostle speaketh of workes of the Ceremoniall Law or done by force of nature not by the grace of Christ I answere that in the first place Workes of grace being excluded from iustification the Apostle reasons of the workes of Abraham being now iustified and euen in the flower and prime of workes Further we may see plainely Ephes 2.8 9 10. that grace doth exclude al works of regeneration We are saued saith the Apostle by grace not by workes What workes Such as are ceremoniall or done in our naturall state No nor by workes of regeneration euen such good workes as we are created to in Christ Iesus And marke heere the reason of the Papists All our workes say they come from the grace of God in vs and are from Christ dwelling in vs Ergo it hindreth not the grace of God nor Christs merit that we haue them and merit by them Now the Apostle doth inferre the quite contrary Our workes euen our best workes cannot saue vs. Why For they are not ours but they are of God whose workemanship we are being by him created vnto them Gal. 3.11 12. And faâ—th and the Law being opposed Further The iust doth liue by faith Ergo he cannot liue by doing For The Law is not of Faith Nor is faith of the Law neither can these two be conioined As Gal. 3.18 If the inheritance be of the Law it is no more by the promise but God gaue it freely by the promise Marke heere that there is such opposition betweene workes and grace that a thing cannot bee together a donatiue of mercy and deserued by working If any thing bee ioined with Christ as together meritorious of righteousnesse and life it abolisheth Christ But why then doth God promise life euerlasting to workes If ye mortifie the deeds of the flesh yee shall liue Rom. 8.13 If yee sowe to the Spirit you shall reape of
where I liue It were happely more credit for mee to make this whatsoeuer satisfaction out of mine owne stocke but it will bee your greater gaine that I doe it out of anothers purse Mine owne would proue but short pay and copper coine whereas what heere I haue borrowed to tender vnto you is currant and pure gold of Gods sanctuary which if it please you to put it vp will adde some good increase to your spirituall treasure of sauing knowledge What on my part is wanting in performance I will make vp with my harty desires and prayers for your prosperous state in the world and spirituall welfare in the Lord. At the Free-schoole in Cranebrooke in Kent December the 14. 1618. Your Worships in all Christian seruices J. E. THE MIRROVR OR MIRACLE OF GODS LOVE VNTO THE WORLD OF HIS ELECT IOHN 3.16 For God so loued the world that hee hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life THERE is no wisedome to bee compared with the knowledge of God in Christ The excellency of the knowledge of Christ This hath not a few Arguments to commend it 1. Cor. 2.7 Ioh. 17.3 It is not simply wisedome but Gods wisedome in an eminent and high degree wrapped and folded vp in a mysterie which all men cannot conceiue It is a secret hidden wisedome and that not lately deuised but thought on of old resolued and decreed by God euen before his purpose to create the world for a more speciall aduancement vnto glory Yea to know God in Iesus Christ is life it selfe that life which is euerlasting which it bringeth vs not onely in a sure hope and expectation but in some fruition of it in the foretaste and first fruits therof I haue therefore made choice of this place as in which both God our louing Father and Christ the gift of his grace are vnfoulded vnto vs. But before we come to handle the words themselues it is fit by obseruing their coherence to know the true scope they aime at and if any thing bee obscure to vnfould it The coherence of the words The dependance they haue on the former words is on this sort Christ in the verse immediately going before gaue this out generally That whosoeuer beleeueth shall haue life euerlasting Now the Iewes giuen to emulation might thinke much that the priuiledge of life should bee communicated with the vncircumcised Gentiles Christ therefore meeteth with this corruption Which come in to meete with a scandall of the Iewes and confirmeth the vniuersality of that proposition with this reason What GOD proposeth as his end shall certainely be My counsell shall stand and I will do whatsoeuer I will Isay 46.10 But God hath set downe with himselfe this end in giuing his Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth shall haue life Ergo Whosoeuer beleeueth shal haue life euerlasting The Minor is in these words of my Text the conclusion in the fifteenth verse the proposition is from elsewhere to be gathered and supplied In the words there is onely one phrase of speech that doth neede to be vnfoulded that is what is meant by the world Their sense Theophylact giueth two significations of this word What is meant by the world in the eleuenth of Iohn the one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the whole vniuerse The other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is men worldly minded Some taking it in the former sense very largely Not all mankinde aâ— some thinke though not for the vniuersalitie of the creature yet for all men vniuersally giue these two interpretations of it The first thus God so loued all men that he vouchsafed to giue and offer his Sonne in the preaching of the Gospell vnto all according to those places Goe teach all Nations Mat. 28.19 Preach the Gospell to euery creature Marke 16.15 A trueth I confesse but not meant in this place For heere is not meddled with the Ministerie but the Decree of God and manner of our Redemption is manifested And when wee come to handling of those words of giuing the onely begotten we shall see that agreeably vnto the context they are to be taken in another sense The second exposition is that God so loued all that hee gaue his onely Sonne to death of purpose and effectually for all But this is false For euen this one reason ouerthroweth it For God did not purpose the saluation of all mankinde by Christ Whatsoeuer the Lord purposed Christ perfectly performed I haue finished the worke thou gauest mee to doe Iohn â—7 4 But Christ did neither make intercession nor dye for all Ergo. The first is proued Iohn 17.9 Since Christ did not intercede for all mankinde c. I pray not for the world That is say some not that they should continue in worldly courses Ans There is an opposition betweene the world and those that were giuen vnto Christ which plainely sheweth that hee doth exclude the world from the benefit of his prayers as being none of those which were giuen him by his Father which opposition doth also inferre and inforce thus much that if in one member as for them which thou gauest me persons namely Gods elect are meant as is most euident then in the other we are to vnderstand not worldly courses not approued of God but men passed by neglected of him But this prayer is not made by him as Mediatour Euen when he prayed as Mediatour Ans Thiâ— sh ft is vtterly ouerthrowne by the context of this Chapter For this was made when the houre of his offering vp approached was as it were the sanctification of himselfe thereunto was not made for a few godly but all that euer should beleeue verse 20. Which Cyril saith to be put in least that the high Priest and Mediatour of our soules should not seeme to intercede for vs. Pontifex mediatar animaruÌ„ nostrarum pro nobis minime interrogare videretur And the iudgement of Cyril is that he maketh this prayer as Mediatour on the ninth verse of this Chapter Where hee hath these words Christus suos a non suis separans pro his qui verbum audierunt qui iugum susceperunt rogat quorum Mediator atque Pontifex est istis tantummodo mediationis bonum non iniuria attribuens that is Christ separating his from those that were not his doth pray for those which heard his word which had taken his yoke on them not vniustly bestowing the benefit of his mediation onely on those whose Mediatour and high Priest he is Not did die for all mankinde but his sheepe onely The second thing that he died not for all appeapeareth Iohn 10. verse 15. I lay downe my life for my sheepe Yea but may it be said all are his sheepe Ans Not so For his sheepe haue their note and name giuen â—â—em of separation from others which are not so Secondly in the twenty sixt verse hee saith to
since his loue was so wonderfull toward vs when wee were enemies that hee gaue his Sonne for vs to reconcile vs to him will now much more freely exercise his loue toward vs and firmely abide in his good vvill vnto vs that enmitie being vndone and dissolued Now the end followeth in these three things First the meanes whosoeuer beleeueth on him Secondly the state from whence wee are deliuered shall not perish Thirdly the condition to which wee are reserued but shall haue euerlasting life In the first viz. the meanes I consider these three things First that the beleeuer hath a benefit aboue others Secondly the vniuersalitie of this benefit whosoeuer beleeueth Thirdly the obiect which our faith must rest vpon beleeue on him These remaine to bee handled and then wee will proceede to the state from vvhence we are deliuered and condition whereto we are reserued First then Christ maketh this the end of Gods giuing him that euery one beleeuing should not perish c. Doct. 5. All of whaâ— sort soeuer beleeuing are saued The point which wee are heere to obserue is that without regard of any outward circumstance as well one as other is by faith iustified and shall bee saued All sorts of people that beleeue are made thereby heires of Saluation Which is plaine by testimony of the Scripture and euident by reason The grace of God hath appeared and doth bring saluation vnto all mon. Tit. 2.11 So Rom. 3.22 23. The righteousnesse of God is now made manifest by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all that beleeue For there is no difference There is in this case no Nation before Nation no preheminence of any sexe sort kinde or degree aboue other but as well the Gentile as the Iew the poore as the rich vnlearned as learned euery one that beleeueth is an heire of life and child of God For thus is it expounded Rom. 1.16 The Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth to the Iew first and also to the Grecian Reasons Reason 1. Now the first reason of this vniuersalitie in the subiect of saluation Paul doth set downe Rom. 3.29 For hauing laid downe this generall proposition that a man euen euery one is iustified by faith lest the Iew as he was apt to doe should stomacke and disdaine this equality and fellowship of the Gentile in the matter of saluation doth adde a reason for it What saith he is God the God of the Iew onely and not of the Gentiles also Yea of the Gentiles also If then you aske why the world beleeuing doth inherit the blessing we answere euen because God hath pleased to be the God of all without difference of Gentile as well as Iew of one as well as other So againe Rom. 10.11 12. Whosoeuer beleeueth on him shall not be ashamed What Gentile as well as Iew Yea surely For there is no difference betweene them and hee that is Lord ouer all is rich vnto all that call on him Reason 2. A second reason is opened Rom. 11.32 from the purpose of God in shutting the Gentiles vp in vnbeliefe And what was that Not that they should bee vtterly finally reiected but that he might at length shew mercy on them his iustice ministring and making way vnto his mercy euen as now he dealeth with the Iewes whom hee hath cast off for a season to receiue them againe with the greater mercy Reason 3. Thirdly it is necessarie that it should be so that the Lord might cleere and manifest his equitie as most free from acceptation of persons that it might bee seene that neither Iew found acceptance with him as a Iew nor the Gentile was the lesse accepted vvith him as a Gentile Wherefore Peter when he saw in a manner the first fruits of the Gentiles saith Act. 10.34 35. Of a trueth I perceiue that God is no accepter of persons But in euery Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him Reason 4. Fourthly this was prefigured in Abraham Rom. 4.10 11. who by faith obtained the account of righteousnesse euen when hee was vncircumcised as well as after circumcision Reason 5. Lastly it was foreprophesied that in the seed of Abraham all the Nations of the earth should be blessed Gen. 22.18 that is haue the blessing of righteousnes and life through faith But now when was this specially accomplished Saluation was impaâ—teâ— to â—ll soâ—ts of people most pleâ—tiful y vndâ—r the Goâ—pell that the world through faith did receiue righteousnesse euen in the day of saluation in the acceptable yeere which was foreprophesied of and which the Apostle applyeth to the times of the Gospell 2. Cor. 6.2 and beganne from the Ascension of Christ to receiue generall execution Act 13.46 47. Wherefore this vniuersalitie of beleeuers is heere made to follow the lifting vp and giuing of Christ as procured thereby as also he speaketh elsewhere Iohn 12.32 when I am lifted vp I will draw all men vnto me In Christ then is the world reconciled in his death the wall of partition broken downe and both Iew and Gentile created into one new man The Iewes onely were before the people of God And no wonder is it that sauing knowledge was so straitly confined For they had Christ but in the shaddow onely and the light which did shine to them was as the light of a Candle and might easily bee bounded in little compasse but when the Sunne of righteousnesse appeared it was impossible but that the beames of it should be spread through the face of the earth Vses 1. An helpe to explicate some Scriptures speaking of the saluation of all First this helpeth for the vnderstanding of many Scriptures as of that 1. Ioh. 2.2 that Christ is a reconciliation for the sinnes of the whole world and Heb. 2.9 that hee tasted death for all men with the like 1. Tim. 2.6 2. Cor. 5.15 What is in these Scriptures the world What all men Must wee vnderstand thereby as some would haue it the whole body of mankinde and euery particular person in the world There is no such thing But these vniuersals must be vnderstood as in this place All that beleeue So there is a threefold vniuersalitie A threefoâ—d vniueâ—silitie first of all in generall both good and euill we must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ c. 2. Cor. 5.10 Secondly of all euill and vnbeleeuing persons expressed by the world Iohn 17.9 Thirdly of all beleeuing ones as in the former Scriptures a speciall vniuersalitie as Ambrose doth call it 2. A ligâ—t to shew vs our happinesse aboue the Gentiles before Châ—ist Secondly this teacheth vs our happinesse aboue the Gentiles of former times who foure thousand yeeres almost were no people without God and estranged from the life of God but wee now beleeuing are become consederates with God We see his saluation as they who liue in the acceptable
her Doest thou beleeue this that whoso beleeueth on me shall not die euerlastingly She doth answere Yea Lord I beleeue that thou art the Christ that is Since I beleeue this that thou art the Messiah I cannot doubt but that those that cleaue to thee shall haue euerlasting life teaching that these confessions imply an affiance and trust of all good through him The second ranke of places proue that to beleeue the power of God is iustifying faith Scriptures affirming faith to be a beliefe of Gods power Mat. 9.28 c. Christ required no more of the blinde man then to beleeue that hee was able to heale him And Luke the seuenth that faith of the Centurion which Christ commended to be greater then hee had found any in Israel seemeth to bee no more then a perswasion of Christs power to restore his sicke seruant Say the word and my seruant shall be whole verse 7. So Marke 1.4 The Leper seemeth to doubt of Christs will but was well perswaded of his power If thou wilt thou canst make me cleane And how is Abrahams faith otherwise set out vnto vs then by this that hee was fully assured that he which had promist was also able to doe it Rom. 4.21 Hence it is thus argued That faith which Christ requireth and confirmeth by miracle that is a iustifying faith But to bee perswaded touching the power of God is that faith which hee requireth and hath so confirmed Ergo c. I answere to the first part of this reason that it is false For the faith which Christ requireth to iustification is such a faith as doth acquite vs from our sinnes and procure vs righteousnesse but such a faith is not heere required but onely a faith seruing to receiue a temporall blessing Which speake not of iustifying faith but of a faith auailing to temporall blessing to which faith it suffices to bee perswaded of Gods generall goodnesse and power as hee is a Creatour The which faith since it doth giue vnto God the glory of power aboue all his creatures it pleaseth him to reward with temporall benefits as a thing good in it selfe though it doe not iustifie vs in his sight But Abrahams example must bee further examined and explaned from the which they goe about to conclude the same thus Abrahams faith Abrahams faith was a iustifying faith But his faith was not a perswasion of mercy To confirme which they make two maine exceptions at this example First that it was of a temporall promise and ergo the obiect of it was not forgiuenesse of sins in Christ Secondly that it was of Gods power Rom. 4.21 and not of any speciall grace and fauour For the first this promise was as well spirituall was of a spirituall blessing as temporall It was as you may see Gen. 15.5.18 17.5 6 7 8. c. of a seed which God would raise vp out of him and of Canaan which should bee giuen to his seede and in that seede the blessed seede Iesus Christ In Iesus Christ and vnder Canaan as a type heauen was figured and promised Now the obiect of Abrahams faith so farre as it did iustifie him was that blessed seede which is Christ Gal. 4 16. For it was rather the sight of Christ which hee had by faith then the perswasion of a sonne to bee borne to him and Canaan to be giuen his seede that made him to reioyce as Iohn 8.56 Abraham reioiced to see my day and hee saw it and was glad For the second when they say it was a perswasion of the power of God and not of his fauour they are mightily ouershot For the text saith first verse 20. that he did not doubt of the promise of God Now the promise alwaies implyeth Gods good will Looked first to Gods good will in the promise and grace The promise runnes not I can giue thee a seede Abraham and this Canaan to be possessed by thy seede but I will do thus and thus How then doth the Apostle set out Abrahams full beliefe in this that hee was assured that he who had promised was able also to doe it I answere Not because Abrahams saith did iustifie him as it did beleeue the power of God but because his iustifying faith which was fixed on the promise did sustaine it selfe Next to Gods power to sustaine himselfe in temptation by this consideration of Gods power in the time of triall betweene the promise and execution For vsually the Lord puts a time of delay betweene these vvherein faith is exercised Thus it was with Abraham he had a promise touching a seed the execution is deferred Hereupon his faith is assailed thus Thy body is dead Abraham thy wife hopelesse that way These things foiled Sarah Now when Abrahams faith on the promise is likewise set vpon hee holds fast the promise and against these arguments of vnbeliefe faith opposeth the all-sufficient power of God and sustaineth it selfe with this consideration God is able A third ranke of places tendeth to shew that to beleeue Christ dead and risen Scriptures putting faith in a beliefe of Christs death resurrection is true faith As Rom. 10.9 If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt beleeue in thine heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saued And 1. Cor. 15.3 4. c. it is made the summe of the Gospell To beleeue the death and resurrection of Christ Hence thus they reason To giue credit that Christ is dead and risen is a iustifying faith but this is no perswasion of mercy Ergo. I answer The Apostles must interpret and construe themselues To beleeue Christ dead and risen as they taught him is true beleefe but they teach these things still with application But these are to be vnderstood with applicatiō as Rom. 4.25 He was deliuered to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification And Rom. 8.34 Who shall condemne it is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen againe for vs for that is to be vnderstood in euery member of this sentence which is added onely in the last that he maketh request for vs. So also say the Apostles Acts 5.31 that God had raised vp Christ to be a Prince and Sauiour to giue repentance to Israel forgiuenesse of sinnes Now thus to beleeue the death resurrection of Christ as thereby to look for forgiuenesse of sinnes is not bare knowledge but true affiance and assurance And these are the scriptures from the which they would proue this generall faith to be true faith Now follow the reasons Aduerse reasōs answered by which they goe about to shewe that there is not any particular assurance of mercie in faith First then thus they dispute There is no faith where there is no word but there is no word that saieth to any of vs Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Ans We haue a particular word infolded and wrapped
a weake and feeble faith doth as truely and entirely if not more as the strongest Nay let mee say more for the comfort of such as are weake in faith If they haue but a true desire to beleeue He is enioyed euen by a desire to beleeue and cannot yet in an expresse and explicite manner beleeue on Christ they haue Christ and enioy him vnto righteousnesse and the pardon of their sinnes If a man should want hands to receiue his Princes Pardon tendered to him it would suffice to entitle him vnto it and the benefit thereof To shew his will to accept it euen so will God in rich mercy accept in a broken and humbled soule a desire to beleeue for faith it selfe and thereby shall they become possessed of Christ with all his merits to the saluation of their soules Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied Math. 5.6 3. It accordeth grace faith in our iustification Lastly this doth shew how grace and faith doe well agree in our iustification Workes cannot stand in this matter with Gods grace as they are vrged to merit any thing toward it For that it is not wholly of grace which in the least degree doth come of merit But faith as it doth iustifie vs doth bring nothing of its owne to present to God and to make the beleeuer righteous it doth chalenge nothing for its owne worth but doth seeke all righteousnesse in Christ alone Since faith doth seeke for all from Gods grace in Christ doth onely take Christ for its righteousnesse as he is ordained and giuen by the grace of God doth onely present him and his obedience and plead Gods grace and mercy promised in him It doth nothing derogate from the Kings grace in giuing a Pardon to his subiect and from hauing the whole praise of his safety that his subiect doth receiue and plead the same for his life nay rather hereby doth the subiect proclaime to all men that he hath no other meanes to scape the gallowes but the gracious pardon of the King Euen so faith doth not any thing obscure Gods grace toward vs but rather aduance it For can a poore sinner giue larger testimonie and more amply set out the glory of Gods grace then when disclaiming himselfe and his best workes as filthy clouts he doth wholly flye vnto and relye vpon Iesus Christ his obedience and Gods gracious pardon of his sinnes by and through him And if the life and safety of a Malefactor saued by the Kings pardon notwithstanding his receiuing of it be wholly ascribed to the grace and mercy of the Prince how much more must our saluation notwithstanding that we beleeue in Christ be the praise glory of Gods rich grace whose grace it is first to prepare and offer Christ vnto vs and saluation in him and then also to giue vs faith which otherwise wee could neuer haue to receiue and beleeue on him It followeth should not perish but haue life euerlasting We are now at length from the meanes come to consider the benefit which doth stand on two parts as hath beene before touched 1. in deliuerance from that miserable state wherein we were should not perish 2. in conferring great good vpon vs but haue euerlasting life The first thing that heere we may obserue is what wee are before and without faith euen lost wretches Doct. 8. We are by nature lost wretcthes It is by faith in Christ that wee are kept from perdition which teacheth plainely that by nature before the Lord hath quickened vs by faith we are all children of perdition But of this more largely and more fitly in another place Doct. 9. Secondly therefore obserue that though wee bee by nature dead yet by faith we are quickened By faith we are quickned and entitled to eternall life and made partakers of life euerlasting So Christ verse 36. of this chapter Hee that beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life And chapter 5.24 Verely verely I say vnto you Hee that heareth my word and beleeueth in him that sent mee hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life And Iohn 17.3 This is eternall life to know that is with the knowledge of faith thee to bee the onely true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ. For Christ is our life For Christ is our life whom by faith we possesse our life is in him Col. 3.4 And therefore whosoeuer do beleeue in him haue life through and with him As 1 Iohn 5.11.12 From this principle we may see the same conclusion to be gathered God hath giuen vs life and this life is in his Sonne he that hath the Sonne hath life he that hath not the Sonne hath not life But to see this better how by faith we come to haue life euerlasting we must consider that we haue it either in regard of the beginning or of the accomplishment and perfection If once we bee brought to beleeue in Christ life eternall is then begunne in vs 1 Eternall life is by faith begun in vs Iohn 7.38 Hee that beleeueth in mee out of his belly shall there flowe riuers of water of life And the nature of these waters is such that they neuer let the soule thirst againe but they are in the beleeuer a well of water springing to eternall life Neuer to be extinguished Iohn 4.14 Neither let any man except That they shall be so vnlesse a man cast them vp againe for that cannot bee since if they could be cast vp how should they then be a well in a man still springing to euerlasting life By faith we receiue the promised spirit Gal. 3.14 By faith we haue Christ liuing in vs. Eph. 3.17 Who since hee cannot dy as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 6.9 wee must not thinke that this life begunne once in any member can vtterly bee extinguished For this life is a fruit of the spirit the first resurrection a life in substance all one with that blessed and glorious estate which vvee shall enioy It is an eternall life euen for the qualitie and condition of it and not onely by reason of the promise of God the merit and intercession of Iesus Christ Secondly 2. Thereby wee obtaine euen heere the fulnes of it If once we beleeue wee also come to haue the fulnes of life euerlasting and that 2. waies de facto or de iure in regard of the thing it self in very deed or in regard of right vnto it For euery beleeuer hath in very deed the fulnes of life glory thogh not in himselfe yet in his head Christ Iesus Hee may say My head Iesus Christ is glorified In deed in Christ who is glorified for vs. and I in my head sit in heauen Thus the Apostle speaketh Eph. 2.6 God hath raysed vs vp together and made vs sit in heauenly places in Christ Iesus Secondly 2. In right
the Spirit life euerlasting Gal. 6.8 I answere hereunto that there are some conditions The conditions of the Gospell are not couenantâ— binding 〈◊〉 merit but simple conditions according well with mercy simply conditionall that doe well stand with grace Such are those conditions whereon they onely interceding we promise and vndertake to doe a matter or bestowe a kindnesse on any As Goe with me to such a place and I will giue thee hidden treasure Come to me to morrow and I wil giue thee an hundred pound There are other conditions which haue the reason of a cause meritorious Such doe not onely intercede but deserue vpon contract as much as wee promise as Doe my worke well and I will pay you truely Of this kinde are those conditions which are contained in the Law Doe this and thou shalt liue As for the other of the Gospell they are onely bare and simple conditions which deserue nothing but must intercede and precede the bestowing of eternall life And heere it were worth our labour to consider the grounds of merit 4. Grounds of the merit of workes laid by Papists which the Papists lay downe in the chiefe of their arguments They are these First Christs Merit Secondly our Adoption Thirdly our Workes Fourthly Gods couenanting with vs. But none of these are sufficient to establish merit But they are false ones For first we cannot merit as children eternall life because it is our right by birth No child can be said to merit the inheritance to which hee is borne and how doth any merit that which is his right already Nor doe our workes of themselues merit when all obedience is but a witnesse of our thankefulnesse nor is there any proportion betweene the duety and the inheritance Neither yet as they are died with the bloud of Christ or doe come from his spirit For as they are of Christ dwelling in vs by his spirit so are they also from our selues hauing a Law of sinne dwelling in vs and lusting against the spirit which make them to be done imperfectly and by halues But this say they maketh them the more meritorious because they bee done with the greater difficultie Yea but this is a doctrine which the Apostle knew not For then hee needed not to haue cried out in that respect O miserable man that I am c. and to flye to Christ that he might escape condemnation as he doth Rom. 7.24 25. And for their couenant it is not a couenant binding vs to doe any thing meritorious toward the obtaining of life but onely a simple condition requiring some thing to be done before the full fruition of glory but well agreeing with and no way hindering mercy It is further obiected that life euerlasting is a reward and that rewards are deserued Answ All rewards are not due vpon nor giuen for desert there is a reward giuen by fauour Rom. 4.4 There are rewards of fauour as well as desert When Paul saith that to him that worketh the reward is counted not by fauour but by debt doth hee not insinuate so much that some oft receiue euen liberall rewards onely vpon the fauour of the donour And our Sauiuiour saith Luke 6.32 And if yee loue them that loue you what thankes shall ye haue c. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a gratuitie as it were and a reward of free fauour importing thus much that what reward men haue of God euen vpon their best seruice it is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a gratuitie no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no debt vpon desert Lastly they say that which is giuen according to workes is deserued by workes But so is eternall life Answ That indeed which is giuen according vnto workes as the meritorious causes thereof that may wel be said to be deserued by works But now eternall life is not so giuen but is bestowed according to workes as they are testimonies of our faith Workes haue a reward not as merits but as testimonies of Faith whereby we rest on Christ onely for our saluation and for whose sake onely beleeued on they expect eternall life Vses 1. It sheweth the prerogatiue of the faithfull Now for the vses of this point First it doth shew vs our prerogatiue that we haue by faith and should excite vs to reioice therein yea to long and labour fully to enioy it What is then the prerogatiue of such as beleeue Surely as Saint Paul saith of the Iew Rom. 3.2 much euery manner of way For thereby wee are brought out of dismall darkenesse to walke in the light of Gods countenance and truth wee are translated out of the wofull condition of eternall death to life and immortalitie both which are brought to light for vs to behold and enioy by the Gospell 2. Tim. 1.10 wee are made aliue to God exalted to the dignitie of Gods sonnes and daughters Who are thereby Gods children heires of life called to the hope yea inuested with some possession of euerlasting life And are not these great preferments aboue the residue of mankinde who through vnbeliefe abide still in death and misery Are not these worthy dignities for earth and ashes as wee are to attaine to Behold saith Iohn 1. Ioh. 3.1 what loue the Father hath shewed vs that wee should be called the sonnes of God Yea it is an honour and dignitie Which is a great dignity so to be Iohn 1.12 When Saul did offer vnto Dauid to make him his sonne by the marriage of his daughter it did seeme too high an honour for him whose parentage was meane for to accept Seemeth it vnto you saith he a light thing to bee a Kings sonne in law seeing I am a poore man and of small reputation 1. Sam. 18.23 What an vnspeakeable dignitie is it then that by faith wee obtaine to bee the sonnes of the great King of heauen and earth are made his heires and adopted into fellowship of eternall life and glory with Iesus Christ For God dealeth not with vs as Abraham did with his base sonnes so to call them vnto whom he gaue gifts and then sent them packing Gen. 25.6 God doth not so turne off his faithfull ones but he receiueth and keepeth them in his family and admitteth to be partners in the inheritance witâ—â—is Isaac euen with his Christ who is the heire of all things It is then an inheritance that by faith we are bâ—gotten too and such a one as is immortall vndefiled and neuer fading It is life that we obtaine life I say which of it selfe is most sweet chiefely to such as we were who were condemned to die and could looke for nothing but death and such a life as is both accompanied with all fulnesse of ioy peace glory and happinesse and shall also euer endure Now then this being our prerogatiue how should
we reioice therein Wherein we should reioice And what should wee more long and labour to enioy then this Reioice not in this saith our Sauiour to his Disciples Luke 10.20 that spirits are subdued vnto you but if you reioice in any thing reioice that your names are written in heauen and that you are appointed to liue in glory there And truely blessed Paul did so prize this hope laid vp in heauen for him that for it he neglected and forgate all things behinde and did onely looke and endeauour himselfe vnto this happinesse which hee saw before him following hard toward the marke for the price of the high calling in Christ Iesus Phil. 3.13 14. Yea the desire of it was so vehement that it made him sigh and groane longing to bee clothed with this Tabernacle which is from heauen And long to enioy it in heauen 2. Cor. 5.2 Would not a poore begger if he should vnderstand of some great and goodly liuing fallen to him in a farre countrey much reioice therein long to goe to see it and take possession of it And if any man should offer to detaine it would he not striue with all might and sue for it at the law in forma pauperis as wee say rather then goe without it Doubtlesse wee haue dead and dull hearts if wee doe not reioice in this life and glory which by faith in Christ wee obtaine if wee doe not long to take our iourney vnto heauen to haue the full fruition of it and doe not striue for it with praiers to God struggle with all our power against the world and Satan that would defeat vs of it Children for want of vnderstanding Which wee doâ— not or want of vnderstanding mind not those goodly possessions they are born to content if they haue a hobby-horse to ride a painted rattle or couÌ„ters to play with And is it not of a childish ignorance concerning the glory of eternall life that we so little minde it and carelesly look after it but are well contented with these painted bables of the world spend all our thoughts and strength about them It should therefore bee our continuall praier vnto God That we are to beg of God as Eph. 1.18 that the eyes of our minde may bee lightened that wee may know what is the hope of Gods calling and what is the riches of this glorious inheritance One cleare view of this glorious condition would rauish our harts with the loue of it and excite all the powers within vs to lay holde of it 2. It teacheth vs patience in worldly losses and crosses Secondly wee may learne patience and vvith the more quiet mindes to beare afflictions and worldly losses from the contemplation of this euerlasting life which we haue by faith in Christ Abraham did leaue his friends his natiue country all his earthly hopes there which were not small and came to dwell in a strange country where he susteined many grieuances by the vncircumcised and heathnish people and was exercised with sundry troubles all which hee passed ouer with singular patience by the hope and desire of eternall life and that heauenly country to which hee was called Heb. 11.8.9.10.16 So likewise Moses that man of God did quit Pharaohs court set light by all the pleasures wealth and honours of it chusing aboue these the rebuke of Christ and to suffer affliction with Gods people And what gaue him in these and all his sufferings encouragement but the large recompence of eternall life which he saw before had respect vnto Heb 11 24 25 26. Finally the faithfull Hebrewes are highly commended by the Apostle Heb. 10 32 33 34. for their great patience which they shewed in bearing afflictions enduring reproaches being partners with Gods persecuted people and suffering with ioy the spoiling of their goods of which their patience this was the ground that they knewe in themselues Since by faith we know of better things reserued for vs. how that in heauen they had a better and an enduring substance If a man of noble birth rich reuenue trauailing homeward through a forraine land should there haue base indignities offered him nay should fall into the hands of theeues and by them be stripped of his rich apparell and robbed of all his mony all this would the lesse trouble him for that he meant to stay among these churlish people no longer then needs hee must and if hee could make shift for a season till hee came to his natiue country that he knew himself there to haue friends that would honour him and golde and siluer enough to supply this losse and fully to furnish him Why then should we fret and grieue at the base intreaty which wee receiue from worldlings at the wrongs and reproaches that are offered vs at our worldly losses and generally all the miseries of this life Which will recompence worldly discomforts For haue not we an heauenly home and an eternall life by Christ prepared for vs at the which if wee once arriue wee know by faith that there we haue friends euen God his Saints and Angels who will honour vs riches and treasures inestimable to store vs ioy and glory vnspeakeable to refresh vs. Thouâ—h wâ—rldly â—â—enâ—â— such cases whine not without câ—â—â—e whâ— leesing their worldly comforts leeâ—â— all None would thinke it strange to see a poor man that did carry al his treasure about him to whine and cry if falling into the hands of theeues hee did at once leese all for hee is cleane vndone and hath nothing left to succour him but it were extreame basenes in a wealthy man to take on for the losse of some small summes when it is well knowne that hee hath thousands at home that are safe and entire Thus for worldly men wee may well allow them to chafe and fret howle and cry at the losse of their outward peace wealth mirth honor and reputation For alas how can they doe otherwise they are become starke beggers are cleane vndone haue nothing left nor know not whence to looke for a supply but truely Gods people doe too too bad shame their profession who in outward afflictions and losses grow impatient and are out of hart whose losses are nothing to that which is left them and whose hopes which are in heauen reserued for them will abundantly recompense all the miseries of this life 3. It staieth our hart in worldly cares feares Thirdly This doth serue to establish our hearts against sundry worldly cares and feares we are in restlesse maner tossed in our selues distracted hither thither one while affecting earthly greatnes abundance another while carking for earthly necessaries and fearing the want of them But all without cause For what neede wee so admire at For we need 〈◊〉 â—â—oâ—tâ—on 〈◊〉 bâ—â—â—â—â—â—es who 〈◊〉 heauenly which are better meant vs. and aspire vnto the glory and happinesse of this life who haue an eternall