to al his people in all their necessities bodily or spirituall Because the faiâ—hfull in all ages haue stood in need of this comfort therefore is this so oft repeated that we in our generation may looke for the like helpe in our neede To the same intent be many other like speeches That God will lighten our darkenesse hee will keepe the feete of his Saints he will not forsake them nor forget their complaint That they shall not be confounded In time of trouble he will hide them His Angels shall pitch about them He wil heale them and take all sicknesse from them They shal not feare their enemies but God will make their enemies afraid of them Be avenged of their enemies That God wil repent him of the evill pronounced against them with many other of like sort and oft more specially of removing warre pestilence c. The summe of all which is Application that into whatsoever calamitie or distresse Gods children shall fall though the Lord doe leaue them for a season as though he did not regard it yet hee will be with them by his Spirit to helpe them that they shall not vtterly perish yea rather that they shall be able with patience to hold out till God send them a happy end and issue out of all That this hath beene Gods dealing with his beloved in all ages needs no proofe it is so manifest Ioh David and Paul may be sufficient to witnesse this how wonderfully God was with them in al their tryals The other branch of this last ground of comfort is this God will deliver that the Lord will not onely assist his vnder the burthen of their afflictions with all needefull helpes that they may be able to beare them but will in due season fully deliver them out of them all which being so hardly beleeved especially in great and sore afflictions therefore the Lord hath very often renewed his promise of delivering his out of all their troubles All of which for the most part being the fame both in sense words a few may suffice for many David had great proofe hereof and therefore after a mighty deliverance and that by a hard shiftfull of infirmitie hee composed that excellent Psalme 34 where magnifying Gods mercy for so great deliverance hee riseth higher to set out the like goodnes of God to all the faithfull saying verse 7. The Angell of the Lord 〈◊〉 round about them that feare him and delivereth them and verse 17. speaking of the righteous he sayth they cry and the Lord heareth and delivereth them out of all their troubles and verse 19. many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of all so Psalme 27. 39. 40. But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord is their strength in the time of trouble And the Lord shall helpe them and deliver them he shall deliver them from the wicked and saue them because they trust in him These shall suffice in so cleere a point for there are none that be any whit exercised in the Scriptures but may finde like testimoninies and proofs of the truth though not alwayes in the same words It is fully to the same purpose that the Apostle â— Cor. 10. 13. comforteth them with this amongst other Arguments that God will with the tentation make away to escapeâ—… 〈◊〉 ye may be able to beare it and that of Ieremy 29. 11. For I know the thoughts that I thinke towards you saith the Lord thoughts of peace to giue you an expected end By these and very many other the like it is cleere that this is Gods wonted favour towards his Children that though for sundry and those most iust causes he lead them into troubles and oft leaues them a long time vnder them yet he never finally forsakes them but when the time to haue mercy is come Psal 102. theÌ„ the Lord will surely succour all his and deliver them by one meanes or other such as shall make most for his glory and the good of all his All of which being so certaine Application that how many and great soever and of long continuance the afflictions of Gods children shal be yet the Lord will never leaue nor forsake them but will be a present helpe in time of neede ministring all needefull comforts both outward helpes and inward graces to support them and in the end will one way or other fully set them free and quite deliver them out of all their feares and troubles we may see what small cause wee haue to be discouraged by our afflictions or to fret and repine at them yea rather wee haue most iust cause to reioyce in theÌ„ to blesse God for them and to labour both to beare them and to profit by them that God may haue glory thereby our selues may reape the benefit by them and others may profit by our example And thus laying all together which hath beene sayd of afflictions we shall find that they be no lets but special helps as to godlinesse in this life so to happines in the life to come Thus much for this fourth point how to liue by faith in all afflictions of what sort soever THE FIFT GENERALL HEAD OF living by FAITH is for earthly blessings THvs haue we in these foure points handled how wel God hath provided for our spirituall life all needfull blessings that whatsoever our condition shall be yet we may comfort our selues in God who as he hath promised so will he performe that we shall not want any thing that is good And whatsoever doth befall vs though never so hurtfull in it selfe yet it shall turne to our good in the end Now we are come to the fift generall head of this Treatise of living by faith which concernes all earthly blessings how we may be provided of all things needfull for this naturall life which being so necessary as we well know that we cannot be without them we be naturally so addicted to them that nothing doth more take vp our minds and hearts Care for earthly is a hinderance to spirituall then our care labour for these neither doth any thing more hinder our spirituall life All which the Lord our God well considering hath herein most bountifully provided for vs and promised vnto vs all needfull blessings for this life in such sort that were we wise to see and imbrace this bountie of the Lord we should not onely be freed from a world of cares and troubles wherewith most men be vsually so incumbred that they can find or spare no time nor travell to seeke after the things which belong to a better life but we should be so furthered by our contentment in those outward and earthly blessings that with more chearfulnesse we should run our race of Christianitie and be every way more fit to all holy duties Let vs then heare and consider what the Lord saith vnto vs in this behalfe Generall promises for earthly blessings
of many moneths from morning to night euery day in the weeke to instruct in the first oracles of the word of God euery one vnder his charge sometimes one by one seuerally and other times many ioyntly together which he did with such successe as there were but few that were not able to giue a reason of their hope to bee saued and so were admitted to the Lords Table From which time euer after so long as hee continued there he had weekly meetings in his Church for all sorts distinctly on seuerall daies to catechise them in the Principles of Religion whereby I am perswaded he did more good then by preaching which yet was very powerfull and not in vaine For as his owne and his hearers labours in teaching and learning abounded so God gaue answerable fruits in obedience to the word For as the Lords day was very religiously obserued so the foule sins whereunto people vntaught are vsually giuen were there abandoned all contentions among neighbours so laid aside as most louingly they came to one anothers house And though there were many poore and none greatly rich yet did none of the poore begge abroad for food but were releeued at home Among other euidences of the power of Gods word among them I will record one a very remarkeable one and worthy to bee had in more frequent vse It was this In time of great dearth of corn and other food there was order taken by publike authority that euery family should forbeare one meale in the weeke and vpon the Lords day bring the value of it to the collectours for the poore This being faithfully performed by them all therewith they did prouide good corne which cost 8. or 9. shillings the bushell and solde it to the poore at 12. pence the pecke and yet reserueda good stock to set the poore on worke These and many other good works were done vnder his ministery who was ready on all occasions to presse the doctrine of faith so as the preaching of faith hindereth not the performance of good works This Treatise will giue euident proofe thereof Well vse his paines and thou shait not lose thy paines WILLIAM GOVGE A TREATISE of Faith WHEREIN IS declared how a man may liue by faith and finde reliefe in all his necessities IT is a matter much to bee lamented Few attaine the end of the Gospel that in this cleere light of the Gospell so fewe attaine to the right end of the Gospell which is to liue by faith as wee shall see by and by further laide open to such as will consider For to say nothing of all vnregenerate men who neuer felt any worke of Faith for their true conuersion and therefore could neuer finde any sound comfort of their saluation The matter that I complaine of is this that many of Gods children who haue some true faith and hope to bee saued by Christ as they professe and others in charitie are so to conceiue of them doe not inioy that sweet life and blessed estate in this world which God their Father hath prouided for them and they full well might attaine were not the fault in themselues The truth hereof may appeare in these two things especially First that so few doe hold fast that ioy in the holy Ghost which might comfort them ouer all the discouragements of this life either in forgoing the sweet delights of this world or in patient bearing the manifold troubles of this life which vsually are their portion Secondly that so few doe cast out such a sweet sauour of holy conuersation Hose 14 8. as might make those that dwell vnder their shadowe as the Prophet speaketh to giue a sent like the wine of Lebanon Or to speake more plainely they be not many euen of those who take vpon them the Christians profession who haue gotten that certainty of their saluation constancy in holy conuersatiō which might abundantly comfort themselues and moue others to desire labour to be lik them To proue these to be so is not hard the life and practise of the most of our professors daily witnessing the truth hereof The consideration of these hath oft and long moued mee to seeke how this great euill might be redressed and to make known by Gods word how all Gods children may enioy this large allowance of their Father to liue comfortably to die happily so farre as in this vale of miserie may be attained whatsoeuer shall be said or done to the contrary by any aduersarie notwithstanding This seemeth vnto me Remedie to bee notably set out vnto vs in that one sentence Hab. 2. 3. The iust shall liue by Faith Rom. 1. 17. which for the excellencie thereof is often repeated Gal. 3. 11. both in the old and new Testament Heb. 10. 38 and confirmed by the examples of Gods worthy seruants in all ages as is plentifully to be seene Hebrews 11. The true meaning whereof is this that the man who is now accounted iust and righteous before God being iustified and sanctified by Christ as he first was made aliue by the holy Ghost through Faith receiuing Christ so likewise by the same faith he is to receiue in and from Christ the continuance of this life both in all comfort that he shall receiue all needfull blessings and in all good conscience to yeeld vnto God all required obedience Wherein are laid downe two maine pillers of our holy profession One Two main pillers of our profession that all grace which wee want is alone in Christ and from him to be receiued by vs that it may be ours The other that all this grace which is in Christ for vs is made ours onely by faith whereupon followes this our principall conclusion in this Treatise intended that the onely way to attaine to all comfort in Gods fauour and conscience to liue a godly life by which alone our life and death be happie is to get keepe and increase this precious gift of Faith whereby alone we receiue Christ 2 Pet. 1. 3. and in him all things pertaining to life and godlinesse Now to come to a more full opening and so to a more plentifull vse of these so heauenly matters specially for such as most need helpe herein this must bee laid as the foundation of all this building That man beeing created of God perfectly holy and happy and hauing by his disobedience vtterly lost both and cast himselfe and all his posteritie into the contrary miserie of sinne and damnation so that neither hee himselfe nor any other creature was able to deliuer him out of this miserie and restore him to his former happinesse It pleased the diuine Maiesty to ordaine that the second person in Trinitie the onely begotten Sonne of the Father should assume and take to his diuine nature the nature of Man that so hee might become a meet Mediatour betweene God and Man to which end the diuine Nature sanctified the humane nature which he
tooke and filled it with all grace for vs whereby hee was made Iesus Christ our Lord Iohn 1. 16. That of his fulnesse wee might receiue grace for grace that is in stead of that grace which God gaue man by creation he lost by disobedience and God long before promised and shaddowed in the Ceremoniall law and required in the Morall law in stead hereof I say we haue in Christ fully and truely all grace needfull for our saluation and to bring vs to a farre more excellent estate then wee lost by our transgression All which are most sufficiently by the Apostle drawne to foure heads But 1 Cor. 1. 30 yee are of him in Christ Jesus who of God is made to vs wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption In which Scripture I desire more to be obserued specially these two things as most pertaining to our purpose 1. First 2 Obseruations that the Wisdome Iustification Sanctification and Redemption whereby any sinner naturally foolish guiltie defiled and in bondage is made wise iustified sanctified and redeemed is all alone in Christ who is made of God vnto vs all of these that is hee himselfe wrought all these things for vs and giues them freely to vs and no other way can any man haue any of these but from and in Christ We haue all grace in Christ as is expressely said in the first words of this verse where it is said that yee are of him that is of God in Christ Jesus that is made by God one with Christ set into him by faith as shall in the second generall point bee shewed the other speciall point 2 Obseruation which I thinke meet in this forenamed Scripture to bee obserued is this Many seek to be iustified by Christ not to be sanctified by him That whereas all who look to be saued by Christ in all the accusations of their conscience for any sinne doe runne to Christ alone for pardon of their sinne yet many of them being ouercome by their corrupt nature and so falling into sinne doe pray to God for more grace to mortifie the same and doe purpose and striue to master it both which must be done but these men not so cleerely seeing that all power to mortifie all sinne and to practise all good duties lieth onely in Christ and must from him be receiued by vs that so we may preuaile herein they faile that not receiuing this power from Christ nor well knowing how doe lose much labour and in long time get small victorie yea rather many times their corruptions get strength ouer them The chiefe remedie of this euill I take to be this that as wee obtaine pardon of sinne and be iustified by applying Christ vnto our selues so we in like manner must apply Christ vnto our selues for our sanctification being no more able to purge our selues then to iustifie our selues This is liuely represented vnto vs by the parable of the Vine and the branches Ioh. 18. 5. that as the branch receiues all sap whereby it is fruitfull from the Vine so doe we from Christ therefore hee himselfe saith Gal. 2 20. without me ye can doe nothing and to like effect the Apostle speaketh plainely neuerthelesse I liue yet not I but Christ liueth in me The reason hereof is as manifest that mans nature beeing so wholly corrupted that hee hath no inclination much lesse ability to doe Gods will Christ taking mans nature hath so sanctified it in his owne person that it is able perfectly to please God which puritie of his nature being in some measure communicated to vs sinners 2 Cor. 3. 18 we are changed into the same Image frō glory to glory euen as by the Spirit of the Lord which the Apostle Peter calleth to bee partakers of the Diuine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. By all which and the like many it is euidēt that as all our comfort for our full free Iustification must be had from and in Christ alone so all the power whereby wee may mortifie our corruptions and performe all holy duties lyeth in Christ alone and must bee had in and from him And thus much for the former generall point that all grace we want is in Christ Now for the second that Christ 2. Of faith and all grace in him is receiued by faith Wee are well to weigh the nature of this faith what it is and how it is gotten and kept that so we may liue by it wherein this is to bee remembred that in this businesse we haue nothing to doe but with a true sauing faith which is vsually termed a Iustifying faith How iustified not for that it doth properly for any worthinesse in it selfe or by any efficacie in it make righteous but only for that as a weake hand it receiueth Christ our righteousnes who hath fully wrought all righteousnesse for vs and freely bestowed it on all those who receiue him by this hand of Faith Now then to say what this Iustifying Faith is howsoeuer many learned Diuines haue diuersly defined or described it I conceiue the whole nature of it may thus be sufficiently set forth vnto vs. Iustifying Faith is a beliefe of the Gospell What Iustifying faith is wherby I receiue Christ offered to me in the same This is plainely to bee seene in this Scripture among many others Iohn 1. 12. But as many as receiued him to them hee gaue power to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeued on his name Which I desire may be well considered for that so many bee deceiued in this matter of Faith and that diuersly who all by the light of truth may bee drawne into the right way and so finde that sweet and precious fruit of Faith which so few attaine vnto For the better vnderstanding whereof we are to obserue two speciall points pertaining to the nature of this Iustifying Faith 1. First what it hath in common with all other kindes of faith 2. Secondly what in speciall whereby it differeth from them all For the former Faith is a beliefe I call it a beleefe which is a giuing credit to that which is spoken whereby a man is assured that it is true which is spoken which assurance may be more or lesse according to the perswasion we haue of the truth of the speaker Now What is to be beleeued the matter the bee beleeued is here said to be the Gospell That is Gospell the glad tydings of of reconciliation made by Christ Iesus betweene God and man which though it be diuersly and in sundry speeches set out vnto vs in holy Scriptures yet all is most sufficiently contained in this one sentence deliuered by Christ himselfe Ioh. 3. 16. For God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life wherein this is euident that the matter to be beleeued vnto saluation is this That
free and vndeserued so on the other side there is no sinne which ought to hinder any one from receiuing pardon so freely offered vnto him but rather as the greatnesse of the disease should more hasten the sick to seek to such a physitioÌ„ as can cure al diseases not keep backe such as be called to bee cured 〈◊〉 so no heinousnesse of sinne should driue any from comming to Christ which is able and willing to cure all that come vnto him but rather hasten the poore sinner more speedily to come to Christ and so much the more for that Christ shall haue greater glory in pardoning great offenders and more loue from them beeing pardoned As a Physition shall haue more credit in curing great then small diseases So then the maine thing that must mooue and draw a poore sinner to come to Christ to be eased is the free mercy of God offering Christ without exception to all that beeing laden would bee eased which euery one must apply to himselfe that seeing it hath so pleased God to send these glad tydings to him to call him command and beseech him to receiue this grace offered therefore hee neede not feare but may boldly beleeue and receiue Christ offred to him as wee shall further heare by and by For our further helpe Who promiseth wherein in the third place it shall bee highly needfull well to weigh who it is that maketh this great offer vnto vs miserable sinners euen God himselfe who is both 1. able and 2. willing and 3. as faithfull to performe what hee promiseth all which are so manifest that they need no proofe for the truth of them But wee haue neede oft to set them before vs for our vse to strengthen our faith in making vs more boldly to relye on Christ To this end are specially these testimonies of Gods power mercy and truth so often repeated in 1. Gods power the scriptures that wee might haue them euer before vs to vpholde vs against our doubtings and feares whereof our nature is full for though in generall none will deny but God is Almighty yet it may appeare in al ages not onely the wicked but euen Gods children haue doubted of Gods power as though hee were not able to helpe them as it is euident in Gods people in the wildernesse in their often murmurings through their distrust of Gods power Psal 78. 19. Can God furnish a table in the wildernesse For this cause was the Lord so often constrained to oppose his Almighty power against their distrust As for Sarahs laughing thinking it impossible she should haue a child the Lord saide to Abraham Is any thing hard or impossible to God Gen. 18. 14 And againe to Moses obiecting Whether al the fish in the sea should bee gathered for foode for Israell in the wildernes Num. 11. 23 The Lord answered Is the Lords hand waxed short thou shalt see whether my words shall come to passe or not The like many whereby it appeares to be a great cause of vnbeliefe that looking too much vpon the impossibilities which are apparent to vs and not opposing to them Gods power wee so despaire of helpe as is most sensible to bee seene in poore afflicted consciences whose chiefest feare and doubts are that their sinnes are greater then can be forgiuen and they thinke it an impossibilitie for such as they are to bee saued Who now knowing by Gods owne word that saluation in Christ is freely offered and proclaimed euen to them though neuer so vilde and vnworthy and that by God himselfe Psal 115. 3. 135. 6. who is of all power in heauen and earth to do whatsoeuer he will and to whom nothing is impossible this may bring the afflicted and despairing ner at least thus farre as to say then it may be God will be mercifull vnto mee wherein I doubt not may be found some true faith in apprehending the mercy offered though so weak as caÌ„not be discerned or felt by the beleeuer himselfe and this I should take to be the lowest degree of faith For the further strengthening whereof it shall be much auaileable for all such as yet feele not not their faith Weakest faith and for euery weake beleeuer Goodnesse and mercy of God to cast their eies vpon the wonderfull mercy and goodnesse of God which alone maketh him so loath to cast away any poore sinner and so willing to saue euen his enemies and ranke traytours against his high Maiestie Here if euer is a fitte place for all such scriptures as set out Gods mercy to poore sinners the more to perswade them to beleeue as that of Ezechiel 33 11. where the Lord sweareth by himselfe saying As I liue saith the Lord I haue no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue turne yee turne yee from your euill wayes for why will yee dye oh house of Israel 2. Pet. 3. 9. And to like effect is that of Saint Peter That God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance which scriptures and many the like are not to bee vnderstood of Gods determining will and decree but of his reuealed and approouing will which hee would haue vs to know and beleeue thar thereby wee might bee drawne to rest our selues vpon him for saluation which whosoeuer though neuer so great sinner shall doe he shall not perish but haue euerlasting life This then is that sure foundation of faith whereon all that truely beleeue doe build namely the rich and free mercy of God reuealed in the Gospell whereby all that shall be saued be drawne thankfully to accept this mercy so freely offered to them beeing yet starke dead in their sinnes and voide of all sauing grace and therefore all they who looking into themselues and finding nothing to draw them but all to driue them from hope of life are often and much to set before them this vnspeakeable and vnualuable mercy of Almighty God as in preparing such a remedy for all our misery so in making so free a grant therof in the Gospell to all sinners excepting none And now more specially in â—endring it to them so that they may boldly accept this mercy in Christ offered to them and shall not sinne but please God therin that thereby they may be drawn on in a further degree to beleeue to finde mercy at Gods hands wherunto if one thing be added I see not what can be wanting to make the sinner bold to lay hold vpon Christ with all his merits so freely offred to him by God who is so able and willing to bestow Christ euen vpon his enemies This one thing I meane Gods truth is Gods truth and faithfulnesse in performing with his hand whatsoeuer commeth out of his mouth as Dauid and Solomon oft professed which howsoeuer as before I spake of Gods power it is confessed of all that God is both faithfull and iust
not sufficientlie performed I make no doubt but these of whom I speak doe constantlie call vpon God and therein doe vsuallie pray for faith which as I must needs approoue and hope that it is not without his fruite so I desire in this case a further matter that they who would liue by faith 〈…〉 do so consider of the great benefite attained hereby dammage by the want hereof that they may make it that one thing which they doe begge of God and therefore especially in case of necessitie bee so importunate with God for this grace as to giue him no rest till he fulfill their desire Thus if any shall ioyne these two feruent praiers and diligent meditation on Gods promises I nothing doubt but dare from the Lords owne mouth assure him that he is the man who shall stand when others fall and shall sing for ioy of heart when others shall cry for sorrow of heart For to these if to any may that promise Esay 65. 13. be applied and to whom else may that agree Math. 7. 7. Aske and yee shall receiue seeke and yee shall finde knocke and it shall bee opened vnto you So that he who thus trusteth in the Lord shall be as mount Sion which shall neuer be moued Psal 125. 1. Yea more before I conclude this point which I haue vndertaken concerning liuing by Faith this will I adde Gaine of liuing by faith what I conceiue will be the exceeding gaine hereof which I haue once or twice before generally mentioned but reserued more particularly to this place to lay open to this end that they who desire to enioy these sweet comforts may be willing to vse the meanes prescribed for the attaining thereunto Wherein vpon some triall I will forewarne of this danger which will hardly be auoided without great care That though the labour to liue by Faith bee neither tedious nor vnpleasant much lesse so grieuous as cannot be endured yet our corrupt nature will not easily bee brought to vndertake it and more hardly be held with any constancie to continue it Few labour for this or attaine to it Whereby it will come to passe that few will finde the fruit hereof promised which I obserue comes to passe by a speciall policie of Sathan who knowing that all our strength to resist him lieth in Christ and all the helpe we haue from Christ is principally by faith doth therefore in speciall labour by all meanes to hinder our growth in faith that so he may more easilie ouercome vs. Wherefore we are exhorted 1 Pet. 5. 9. To resist the deuill stedfast in faith And our care must bee to striue for the maintenance of the faith which was once giuen to the Saints Iude ver 3. As the Apostle Jude exhorteth And aboue all to take to vs the shield of faith Eph. 6. 16 that we may quench all the fiery darts of the Deuill That is those dreadfull terrors of an afflicted conscience arising from sense of Gods wrath hanging ouer vs which as venomed Darts lie burning in the flesh so these doe torment mens consciences The more to moue vs to bee specially careful herein let vs wel weigh what bee the vnualurable commodities hereon ensuing that we may to our comfort enioy the same In thinking of these me thinkes I might make a like answer to this question What is the benefite of liuing by faith to that which the Apostle made Rom. 3. 1 2 What is the profitte of Circumcision Much euery way For to say the truth there is no good thing which God hath prepared for the sonnes of men or promised to any of his children or they may euer looke for and inioy which can any other way be obtained then by Faith As the Scripture plentifully sheweth especially in that worthie Chapter Heb. 11. where it is further said v. 2. That by faith the Elders obtained a good report Which I vnderstand thus That neuer was nor can bee done any acte which is worthy true praise but by Faith For as it must needs be sinfull that is not done of faith and cannot please God so where true faith is according to the measure of it it carries aboue all strength of nature to such admirable effects as doe euidently shew the power of God to be present and chiefe agent therein As may well bee concluded out of that which the Apostle prayeth for the Ephesians Eph. 1. 19. That they might know what is the exceeding greatnesse of Gods power in vs that beleeue which we see admirably extolleth the excellencie of Faith Now therefore not to rest in generall but to laie open some part of these great treasures which are enioyed by Faith I might content my selfe to referre such as desire to behold and attaine the same to that excllent Treatise of the Priuiledges which belong to euery true Christian set out by Master Rogers which I could wish were better regarded wherein is fully laid out what speciall fauours and benefites God hath prouided for his children both in this life in all the seuerall estates thereof and in the life to come all which being the free gift of God and Legacies bequeathed to vs in Christ are receiued of vs only by Faith and are so many strong motiues to stirre vp all to stand fast in the faith and by all good meanes to maintaine the same But seeing that many haue not the booke and others want leisure or delight to reade such large Treatises I will draw out some of the principall which shall be sufficient to perswade vs to spare no paines whereby we may be made partakers of so great benefites Wherein let this be first That whereas they bee exceeding few who attaine to that blessed estate set downe Rom. 5. 1 2 3 4 5. yet they that bee iustified by Faith doe inioy them all As first 1. Benefite of faith is peace To haue peace towards God That is whereas euery soule by nature is the childe of wrath and so at mortall warre with God being a seruant of sin and Sathan Gods sworne enemie and therefore vtterly out of Gods fauour and subiect to his fearefull indignation Now for such an one to bee released from his trespasse and punishment and to bee so reconciled to God through our Lord Jesus Christ that there is an euerlasting peace concluded betweene God and him that there shall neuer be any more variance or displeasure this cannot bee thought a small benefit And if it were betweene a rebell and his Prince it would be redeemed with a great price This is much yet behold more for as it is a farre higher fauour for a Traitor not onely to be pardoned and freed from the Kings displeasure and so fully reconciled but to be taken into to speciall grace 2. To bee admitted into high fauour to be sonnes and made one whom the King singularly loueth and maketh of his priuie Councell and taketh great delight in so that he
euery man out of himselfe for happinesse seeing God iustifieth the vngodly verse 5 and to draw all that shall bee saued to looke for saluation onely in Gods free mercy forgiueing their iniquitie and couering their sinne and not imputing to them their sinne Vnder which speeches is contained the way and meanes how the righteous God who will not let one sinne and breach of his Law to escape vnpunished without deserued condemnation doth yet set free poore sinners from their sinne and punishment which is onely by the satisfaction which Christ hath made for them in bearing their punishment wherwith God being satisfied doth fully and freely forgiue all those who by Faith accept this mercie offered vnto them To this end throughout the Scripture is this great benefite of forgiuenes of sinne by Christ so plentifully proclamed vnto vs miserable sinners I wil cite a few for many When Iohn the Baptist was sent to prepare way for Christ first seeing Christ coÌ„ming vnto him Ioh. 1. 29. hee cried out Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world Our Sauiour himselfe after his resurrection appearing to two of his Disciples going to Emaus Luk 24. 45. hauing opened their vnderstanding that they might vnderstand the Scriptures 46. said vnto them Thus it is written 47. and thus it behoued Christ to suffer and to rise againe from the dead the third day and that Repentance and Remission of sinnes should bee preached in his name among all nations beginning at Ierusalem Likewise the Apostle Paul preaching at Antioch to the Iewes in their Synagogues said vnto them Be it knowne vnto you therefore men and brethren that through this man meaning Christ is preached vuto you forgiuenesse of sinnes Act. 3. 38 39. And from all things from which yee could not be iustified by the Law of Moses Rom. 4. 25. by him euery one that beleeues is Iustified Gal. 1. 4. And so all the rest of the Scriptures Tit. 2. 14. in which it is said Heb. 1. 3. that Christ was Deliuered to death for our sinnes 1. Pet. 2. 24. And gaue himselfe to redeeme vs from all iniquitie And hath by himselfe purged our sinne Reu. 1. 5. That he bare our sinnes on the tree That hee loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes And to shut vp all with that worthie saying of Saint John If any man sinne 1 Ioh. 2. 1 2. wee haue an Aduocate with the Father Christ the righteous And he is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but for the sinnes of the whole world In all of which what can any man thinke to be Gods meaning Vse but to prouide a meanes to saue vs sinners And therefore whosoeuer feeles his sinne and feares Gods wrath may boldly come to Christ and stedfastly beleeue that God for Christs sake will forgiue him and remember his sinnes no more And so much the more may and ought euery one to whom this good newes of pardon is brought by the preaching of the Gospell lay claime to this pardon and so shall hee please God and saue his owne soule otherwise as his sin shall bee exceeding great so shall his damnation bee more grieuous I doe therefore againe exhort euery poore soule who faine would beleeue not to make his sinne greater then Gods mercy but seeing Christ hath borne the punishment of his sinne and fully appeased Gods wrath for him and doth expresly call him and proclaime this pardon vnto him therefore that hee commit himselfe to Christ and so giue glorie to God in beleeuing that through Christ his debt is discharged and he freed from condemnation so that neither God will nor the deuill nor his owne conscience shall be able to lay any thing to his charge then which what can bee more comfortable to a distressed sinner I know not This might content vs if wee were not so full of vnbeleefe but the Lord both knowing and pittying our distrustfull hearts hath said much more to perswade vs of our saluation in and by our Lord Christ Iesus And whereas wee haue learned that to the iustifying of a sinner there is required not onely that his sinne and punishment bee quite taken away but that hee haue perfect righteousnesse 2. part of Iustification without which there can be no life for although these two bee neuer parted no more then soule and body in a liuing man yet they be not both one Imputation of righteousnesse but necessarily distinguished and both required in him that is iustified in Gods sight The Lord therefore hath graciously prouided a meanes whereby we who since the fall of our first parents haue vtterly lost our originall righteousnesse and bee no way able to attaine such righteousnesse as God in iustice requires at our hands may recouer our losse be made perfectly righteous such as God will allow and for which hee will in his iustice grant eternall life As Paul in his glorious triumph before his departure did boldly professe 2 Tim. 4. 6. For I am now readie to be offered 7. and the time of my departure is at hand 8. I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the Faith Henceforth is laid vp for mee the crowne of righteousnâ—sse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue me at that day and not to me onely but to all that loue his appearing Which one Scripture might suffise to perswade vs to looke for this righteousnesse and eternall life which by due debt through Gods mercie and the merit of Christ is made ours But because this is not so easily seene much lesse beleeued that such as we shall euer attaine to this high dignitie the Lord hath reuealed his good will towards vs sinners in this behalfe that he hath prepared such a perfect righteousnesse for vs and made a faithfull free grant therof vnto vs that so wee may make it our owne by Faith This is most manifest in that heauenly comparison betweene the first Adam and the second Adam Christ Iesus set forth at large and in many degrees Rom. 5. 12 to the end The summe of all is this that the benefite we haue in Christ doth euery way exceede all the hurt we had in Adam as the Apostle himselfe saith verse 20. Where sinne abounded grace did much more abound v. 21. That as sinne had reigned vnto death so might grace also reigne by righteousnesse vnto eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Where wee see that as sinne through Gods iustice brought death so by Gods mercy the righteousnesse of Christ brought to vs eternall life As is expresly said verse 19. For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Wherin it is cleere that as Christ by his obedience was perfectly righteous so by it many that is all that by Faith receiue Christ are made
of the old man and weapons of vnrighteousnesse but rather yeelding themselues vnto God as those that are aliue from the dead and their members as instruments of righteousnesse vnto God And wheras this might iustly bee obiected Alasse how shall wee who by nature are so vnable to resist so mighty a Tyrant as sin is who hath ouercome all mankinde Christ onely excepted euer be able so to withstand sin For answer whereto the Apostle brings a most comfortable promise vnto all that be not vnder the Law Verse 14. but vnder grace that is who be not still vnder the condemnation and tyranny of the Lawe whereby it reignes ouer all vnregenerat but by true receiuing of Christ by faith are now deliuered from that bondage so brought into the liberty of Gods children which he saith is to be vnder grace whereof the Apostle speaks more fully Rom. 6. 1. Of these he saith That sinne shall not haue dominion ouer them meaning that although these doe still carry sinne that is corruption of nature which continually fights against the grace of God in thē yet the corruption and sinnefull nature shall neuer any more reigne as in times past it did and so haue the full victory ouer them But they by the grace of Gods Spirit reigning in them shall daily more and more ouercome this their sinnefull nature and in the end get a glorious conquest ouer it and all other their spirituall enemies This one Scripture if there were no more is sufficient if it be truelie weighed and beleeued to comfort euery childe of God ouer all his sinnes that though they bee neuer so many or neuer so great and of long continuance yet being here assured the roote of sinne shall be killed ver 18. 22. hee may then quietly rest his soule in peace that all the fruits and branches shall in time quite wither for certainety whereof this is twise repeated But the Lord knowing how hardly we be brought to be perswaded hereof especially when we be vnder captiuity of any sin as of vnbeliefe pride anger worldlinesse and the like hath much laboured in his word to comfort vs herein that though the battell be sore and our strength small yet his grace shall bee sufficient for vs and his power shall bee made perfect in weakenesse 2. Cor. 12. 7 8 9. as was said to Paul in his wrestling against some priuie corruption which he felt a pricke in his flesh to be sent as a messenger of Sathan to buffet him least he should be exalted aboue measure by the aboundance of reuelations which though spoken to him yet indeede belongs to all in his case and therefore euery poore soule who feeles his sinne too hard for him that when he would doe well euill is present with him hee is to lay holde on this promise that Gods grace shall bee sufficient for him and Gods strength shall bee made perfect in his weakenesse That so complaining with the Apostle O wretched man that I am Rom. 7. 24. who shall deliuer mee from the body of this death hee may comfortably cheere vp his heart with him saying verse 25. I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord that through the power of the Spirit of Christ he shall subdue that body of sin which otherwise would carry him headlong to death and destruction both of body and soule for euer This the Prophet Micah notably expresseth Mich. 7. 18 hauing highly magnified the mercy of God in pardoning iniquity and passing by the transgression of his people hee addeth this He wil turne again he will haue compassion vpon vs he wil subdue our iniquities c. The Apostle also layeth out this matter at large how the Christian souldiour being armed with the whole armour of God Eph. 6. may bee able to stand in the euill day and hauing done all to stand that is being furnished with those excellent graces of the Spirit which he afterwards names he may manfully fight the Lords battell against sinne and Sathan and so hold out to the end of the battell that he shall stand vp as conquerour when sinne and Sathan shall fall as vanquished Beholde what encouragements the Lord giues against all our fearefulnesse in our spiritual battell which if wee could remember would put more spirit into vs to fight against our sinnes like men and not to faint or flye like cowards And yet these bee not the tenth of these gracious promises which the Lord hath made to this end that wee faint not when we see the force of the enemy Of this sort be all those Scriptures which setting out the rich benefites wee receiue in Christ among the rest mention our sanctification by him whereby is meant that Christ hauing taken our humane nature and sanctified it by his holy Spirit we being made one with him doe receiue the selfe same spirit though in measure to sanctifie vs Ioh. 17. 29. that is to make vs holy Whereunto these two be necessary first the killing of all sinne in vs and secondly the quickning of vs to newnesse of life 1. Cor. 1. 30 Of the latter more in the next point of the former heere concerning which this is oft repeated that Christ shall saue his people from their sin Mat. 1. 21. which as it is true in the matter of our iustification for the forgiuenesse of our sinne so it is also true in this point of our sanctification for deliuering vs from the power of sinne And so are all those generall speeches to be vnderstood that Christ is the lambe of God Ioh. 1. 29. 39. which taketh away the sinne of the world That hee hath loued vs Reu. 1. 5. and washed vs from our sinnes in his owne blood 1 Ioh. 1. 7. That the blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all our sinne Act. 3. 26. That God hath sent his Sonne Iesus to blesse vs in turning euery one of vs from our iniquities And the like many in all which this must needes bee contained that one great benefite wee enioy by Christ is that we who bee members of him are cleansed as from the guiltinesse of sinne that it shall not bee imputed so from the filthinesse of sinne that it shall not preuaile ouer vs. For more manifest proofe whereof this grace of mortification is expresly promised in sundry places Gal. 5. 16. as Walke in the Spirit and yee shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh Likewise the Apostle Iohn ioyning together both our iustification and sanctification 1 Ioh. 1. 9 sayeth If wee confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse so doth the Apostle Paul to Titus Tit. 2. 11. hauing shewed that the grace of God which bringeth saluation doth also teach men to deny vngodlines and worldly lusts he addeth this that Christ gaue himselfe for vs 14. that hee might redeeme vs from all iniquitie and purifie
to himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes This is the same whereof the Prophets foretold in their time that God would purge cleanse his Church Esa 1. 25. Esai oft that God will purely purge their drosse and take away all their tinne that is their sinnes as in another place more plainely hee saith And it shall come to passe Esa 4 3. that hee that is left in Sion and hee that remaineth in Ierusalem shall be called holy euery one that is written among the liuing in Ierusalem ver 4. when the Lord shall haue washed away the filth of the daughters of Sion and shall haue purged the blood of Ierusalem from the middest thereof by the Spirit of iudgement and by the Spirit of burning 27. 9 Againe By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his sinne Notable is that place of Ezekel Then will I sprinckle cleane water vpon you Eze. 36. 25 and you shall bee cleane from all your filthinesse and from all your idols will cleanse you Of this sort I might gather many moe out of these and the other Prophets who spake of this grace which should be giuen by Christ to all the members of his Church the cleansing of them from all their filthinesse which Dauid expresseth Ps 103. 3. By healing all our diseases The matter beeing so cleare and the testimonies so many I iudge it will bee too tedious to heape vp more It shall bee more to our profite well to weigh these and the like promises when wee reade them that when wee feele our hearts discouraged by the little strength wee finde to maister our speciall corruptions then we may apply to our selues any one of these promises wherein the Lord himselfe doth vndertake this worke which is too hard for vs That hee will subdue our iniquities he will cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse his grace shall be sufficient for vs and his power shall bee mad perfect in our weaknesse which if we doe beleeue how can we feare or bee faint-hearted to enter into this spirituall battle against our sinnes Yea this will make vs bold to resist and able to ouercome our strongest sinnes which formerly haue most preuailed ouer vs. For our further encouragement herein wee haue the examples of all the faithfull who before were seruants yea bondslaues to their vilde lusts Examples as Zacheus to oppression Mary Magdalen to whooredome Paul to persecution and generally the famous Churches to whom the Apostles writ who before their calling were idolaters and liued in all abhominable sinnes as other Gentiles beeing conuerted they turned from their idols and so from all their former vaine and vilde conuersation to serue the liuing God as is to be seene in all the holy Epistles written to them and in the history of the Acts which was long before prophesied by the Prophets Esa 11. 6. that the wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe c. meaning by all these cruell and deuouring beasts all kinde of beastly and wicked men who by the Gospell should be so changed that al their cruell and beastly qualities should be so abated that they should become like to Gods children and so haue a holy Communion with them Let not any therfore who feeleth any measure of mortification in himselfe Vse though hee cannot yet ouercome all his sinnes and keepe vnder his vnruely affections say in his heart I shall neuer ouercome such and such sinnes but shall one day perish by these for this were not onely to mistrust his owne strength which well he may but to call Gods power goodnes and truth into question which were a great iniury to God and to his owne soule but rather let vs all doe as Jehosaphat when hee sawe a great army gathered together against him 2. Chro. 20 12. so as hee sawe no power in himselfe to withstand them hee did wholly cast himselfe vpon the Lord saying O our God wilt thou not iudge them for wee haue no might against this great company that commeth against vs neither know wee what to doe but our eyes are vpon thee So let vs be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might and so taking to vs and vsing the holy armour of his spirit fighting valiantly we may be sure of the victory These thus being that Gods children may be so certaine that no sinne shall haue dominion ouer them but that they shall in the end ouercome them all and so haue that glorious conquest ouer them and ouer all their spirituall enemies who can no way hurt them but by sinne how can it sufficiently be bewailed that so few do enioy this benefit and the sweet comfort thereof This may well bee seeee in the many and foule spots in the faces of sundry professours I meane their open pride their impatiency their worldlinesse and deadnesse of spirit in all spirituall duties all which though they might in some of loÌ„ger standing in Christ haue been long before well mortified yet they still remaine liue and grow in them to their reproch before others and small peace and comfort to their owne hearts A principall cause hereof must needs be this that these pleasing themselues in their estate for that they be forward in publike exercises of Religion though many bee slacke enough in priuate especially secret by themselues alone and for that they bee free from the grosse sinnes of the wicked doe either not see or not bewaile these their sinnes and therefore doe not so much as seeke after much lesse enioy these pretious promises and the fruit of them An other sort who are more to be pitied for their want of this comfort which God hath prepared for them and so plentifully promised to them in especiall bee they who groane vnder the burden of their infirmities and take much pains to be eased yet in long time finding small amendment be much discouraged with feare that they shall neuer be able to ouercome these corruptions which doe most annoy them I cannot thinke of any thing to bee a greater cause of this discouragement in these then either the ignorance forgetfulnesse or not beleeuing these promises Phil. 1. 6. that Hee who hath begun the good worke in them will perfect it vntill the day of Christ and as God promised oft to his people going to conquer the land of Canaan Deut. 7. 2â— 11. 25 that no enemie should bee able to stand against them Iosuâ— 1. 5. 10. 8. so hath hee as certainely promised to these that no sinne shall haue dominion ouer them It remaineth therefore that these and all other who desire to conquer their corrupt nature and vnruely lusts thereof thâ—â— they do oft set before themselues these promises and so considering that he is faithfull who hath promised confidently looke for the victory and so constantly fight till they obtaine the same This I hope may suffise in this
point to quiet the minds of all that be troubled with the doubt how they shall be able to get the mastery ouer their greatest corruptions If any should further require to haue particular promises for particular sinnes hee is to know that howsoeuer the Lord doth sometimes descend to particulars Ezek. 36. 25 26. as that the wil cleanse them frō their Idols and that he will take away the stony heart out of them and such like Yet this is not done in euery sin neither is it needfull for when God speaketh so generally that he will clense vs from all vnrighteousnes and that he will heale al our diseases and the like many as we haue seene in the forenamed places who would require more Let vs then learne to apply these generall promises to our particular occasions I nothing doubt but it will as sufficiently comfort vs as if the Lord had saide in particular hee will kill our pride our vnbeleefe our hypocrisie and the rest Onely let vs be familiarly acquainted with these as need shal require and be oft in meditation vpon these whereof wee shall haue daily vse and hereunto ioyne feruent prayer that the Lord would perswade vs by his Spirit thus to rest vpon his promise for his helpe in our greatest need and then shal we more couragiously set our selues against our greatest sinnes and dayly more and more get the victory ouer them all to the honour of God and of our holy profession to the good ensample and incouragement of our brethren and to the present comfort and saluation of our owne soules c. THE THIRD generall head of liuing by faith is concerning holy duties THus hauing seene how we are to gather out of Gods promises daily more certainety of our saluation both by faith and by the principall fruits thereof and in the second place how wee may bee daily more assured of a full victory ouer all our corruptions that they shall neuer ouercome vs but wee them which must needs bring much comfort to all poore distressed soules who groane vnder the burthen of them till they may be eased Wee are to proceede to the third generall point propounded wherein wee are to haue vse of our faith against those many doubts which arise in our hearts how we who be so full of frailty and so weake in grace may yet be able to performe all those duties which God requireth at our hands both towards his maiesty in the first table of the ten commandements and towards man our selues and others in the second table and that in such manner as may bee pleasing to him For howsoeuer many carnall professours in truth little better then hypocrites imagine it is no such hard matter to leade a godly life and so content themselues with such common duties as may vpholde a name in profession of true Religion as frequenting the publike assemblies saying prayers in their houses and liuing honestly among their neighbours all which must bee done and many come not so farre yet they who haue truely tasted of Gods mercy in their redemption by Christ doe know that God hath deserued better seruice at their hands What holinesse God requires and requires more duty of them 1. Pet. 1. 15 namely That as he who hath called them is holy so they must bee holy in all manner of conuersation and that it must be their chiefe Study to adde to their faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance 2. Pet. 1. 4. 6. and to temperance patience and to patience godlinesse and to godlinesse 7. brotherly kindnesse and to brotherly kindnes charity And for the manner of their seruice it must bee 1. without feare that is not seruile and constrained but willing and cheerefull 2. vniuersall in holinesse towards God in righteousnes towards mē 3. before him as in his sight sincerely Luk. 1 78. 75. 4. all the dayes of their life constantly in all estates vnto the end and so to please God in all things Col. 1. 10. The faithfull people of God know Gods children vnable thus to liue by themselues that this is the life which God in his word so much requireth at their hands and which they so earnestly desire and endeauour to performe But so are they beset round with sinne Heb. 12. 1. and oft so taken captiue by the power of their corrupt nature That when they would doe good euill is present with them Rom. 7. 21 whereby it comes to passe that all euen the strongest Christians finde it a matter aboue their ability thus to leade their liues and many of the weaker sort bee oft discouraged to see how weakely they performe all Christian duties And no meruaile for seeing the regenerate themselues haue not receiued any such measure of grace whereby they may thus willingly and throughly sincerely and constantly so serue God as to feare him with reuerence and godly feare Heb. 12. 28 witnesse the slips and fals of the most worthy seruants of God but all our sufficiency is of God 2 Cor. 3. 5. 12. 9. and his grace must bee sufficient for vs Ioh. 15. 5. and his power must bee magnified in our weakenesse and without Christ we can doe nothing Out of all this may be gathered what need we haue of faith to enable vs to leade this life wherby we may please God and finde comfort to our soules Which shall further appeare What is necessary to please God if we well consider what is necessarily required of vs sinners that we may please God in any duty we performe which I conceiue be these three 1. First a conscionable indeauour to doe the will of God Mat. 7. 21. in such sort as hee in his word commandeth 2. Secondly Psal 51. 17 a true griefe for our many failings heerein Esa 66. 2. both in the deede Heb. 11. 6. and right manner of doing 3. Thirdly a beliefe that God for Christs sake will assist vs and accept of our weake obedience All which as we see be euident in the scripture and oft required so are they as manifest by reason that seeing Gods will is the rule of all equity therefore whatsoeuer swarueth from it though neuer so little must needes be vnequall and so displeasing to God And on the other side seeing all our righteousnesse is as a stained or defiled cloath such as Gods pure eyes cannot endure of necessity it follows that they who will be acceptable to God must come vnto God in Christ All our sufficiency is in Christ receiued by faith both for strength to do that which God requireth and for fauour that God will bee pleased to accept of the satisfaction made by Christ for the pardon of their defects in their best duties and for the allowing of their obedience to bee well liking in his sight Whereupon it necessarily followes that whosoeuer intends so to leade a godly life that he may be pleasing
expressely said so much Psal 84. 11. For the Lord God is a Sunne and shield The Lord will giue grace and glory no good thing will he with-hold from them that walke vprightly Which being so generall I nothing doubt but it includes this grace of holinesse among the rest To this end also doth the Lord so often promise to sanctifie and make holy his people as Exod. 19. 6. 31. 13. Leu. 20. 8. 21. 8. 22. 32. Deut. 22. 8. 9. Esa 4. 3. 35. 8. Joel 3. 17. I spare to set downe the words which they that list may easily reade Againe to the same end God promiseth to make his people fruitfull and so compareth himselfe to a good husband-man as in the 15. of Iohn I am the Vine and my Father is the husbandman Euery branch that beareth not fruit he taketh away and euery branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruite So Esa 27. 2 3. In that day sing yee vnto her a vineyard of red wine I the Lord doe keepe it I will water it euery moment least any hurt it I will keepe it night and day and Psal 92. 14. They shall still bring foorth fruit in old age they shall be fat and flourishing This also is meant where the Lord as a good shepheard saith he will feede his people that they may be fat that is abounding in grace as Psal 23. Ezek. 34. 13 14 15. and Psal 36. 8. They shall bee abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house and thou shalt make them drinke of the riuer of thy pleasures c. This grace of God to leade a godly life is likewise intended in many other promises God giues strength as where it is said That God will giue strength to his people which as it is in some places meant against enemies bodily or spirituall so in other to walke in the waies of the Lord c. Esa 45. 24. Surely shall one say In the Lord haue I righteousnesse and strength Zach. 10. 12. And I will strengthen them in the Lord and they shall walke vp and downe in his Name saith the Lord and the like That God hath wrought all our workes in vs. Esa 26. 12. and so the Apostle Phil. 4. 13. I can doe all things through Christ who strengtheneth me But to this purpose be most plaine those promises where God saith Hee will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seede to loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soule that thou mayest liue Deut. 30. 6. God makes able to obey And to the like effect verse 8. And thou shalt returne and obey the voice of the Lord and doe all his commandements which I command thee this day which is here made a promise of God to them what hee would make them able to performe as may appeare by Hosea 3. 5. and 14. 7. and Ierem. 24. 7. where the like promise is made And so Ezek. 11. 19 20. And I will giue them one heart and I will put a new spirit within you and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and will giue them a heart of flesh That they may walke in my statutes and keepe my ordinances and doe them and they shall be my people and I will be their God The like is repeated 36. 27. and 37. 24. Thus wee may see in these Scriptures and many 〈◊〉 of like sort Vse of these generall promises for sanctification how the Lord seeing the frailtie of his children both in obeying his will and in beleeuing that euer they shall be able to attaine thereunto hath for their comfort herein giuen many pretious promises in generall containing all grace needfull to the leading of a godly life which euery childe of God may boldly apply to himselfe in this manner seeing God who is faithfull hath said to all his people that he will giue grace that hee will sanctifie them and make them fruitfull satisfie them with the fatnesse of his house make them strong to walke in his waies and giue them a new heart to feare him for euer and to walke in his statutes and to keepe his ordinances and to doe them c. therefore I may boldly assure my selfe though I be neuer so weake yet through Christ I shall be able to doe all things For he hath wrought and will worke all our workes 2 Cor. 12. 9. and his grace shall be sufficient for vs. Yea we may say as Esa 45. 24. In the Lord haue I righteousnesse and strength If thus we would call to minde what God hath spoken for our comfort in this kinde it would well hearten vs to set vpon any dutie which the Lord shall require at our hands with confidence that we shall be able so to performe it as he will approoue and say Matth. 25. 21. It is well done good and faithfull seruant Whereas otherwise if wee looke vpon the difficultie of the worke and our owne insufficiency to euery good dutie we shall haue no heart to set vpon it but either quite giue it ouer or very vnfruitfully and vncomfortably goe about it as the manner of most is whereby God hath small honour and themselues as little comfort in all their profession This might suffice Particular graces to encourage vs cheerefully to set vpon a godly life in all the parts of it if we were not so vntoward to it in our selues and had not so many discouragements from others and so full of vnbeleefe towards God But because of all these the Lord in loue is constrained to take more paines with vs and not onely thus in general to promise vs his helpe but he descends to particulars and where he sees vs most mistrustful there he doth more specially promise his helpe that so we might more willingly serue him And first whereas we be all ignorant euen after regeneration in many things what is Gods will and how to performe such things as God requireth as may bee seene in those speciall duties before named in euery commandement and this hath beene of old and is at this day the complaint of the godly and so their oft and earnest prayer to God to teach them as that one booke of the Psalmes and therein that one Psal 119. doth shew wherein this prayer is oft repeated For these causes it is so oft said God will teach vs. that the Lord will teach his people As in that famous prophesie of the dayes of the Gospell where the zeale and faith of Gods people is foreshewed that they called vpon one another to frequent the publike assemblies vpō this ground That God would teach them his waies and they would walke in his pathes Esa 2. 3. Mich. 4. 2. So Psal 25. 8 9. He will teach sinners in the way and the meeke he will teach his way So Esa 54. 13. And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord. And to this purpose that is special 1.
Ioh. 2. 27. where speaking of the spirit giuen to all the faithfull hee saith But the annointing which ye haue receiued of him abideth in you and yee need not that any man teach you but as the same annointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lie and euen as it hath taught you yee shall abide in him Many moe promises to this effect might be alleadged Out of them all Vse thus we may conclude Seeing Christ doth bid vs come to him and so to annoint our eyes with eye-salue that we may see Reu. 3. 18. and God hath made so many promises to teach vs and that his Spirit shall leade vs into all truth Ioh. 16. 13. therefore be our ignorance neuer so great and our capacitie neuer so small yet we shall not want so much spirituall knowledge as God seeth meete And therefore we may with confidence come to God for it and vsing the meanes as he hath appointed we shall not misse This may suffice for knowledge Now for abilitie God will set our hearts in frame to walke according to our knowledge enough hath beene said in the generall Where also we heard that God will giue vnto his a new heart which is the fountaine of all obedience and may be a singular comfort to all those who being acquainted with the vntowardnesse of their hearts to any holy dutie specially to some doe mistrust nothing more then this how to get a good heart and so to keepe it who for their comfort are to set before them all those promises wherein God hath said that hee will change their hearts whereof I spake a little before vpon occasion that God would make his people able to obey his statutes and doe his commandements which cannot be without a new heart and none can haue that but from God for it is not in man to set his heart aright but this is Gods gift As besides the former Scriptures that is manifest Ierem. 31. 33. Where the Prophet speaking of the new Testament which God would make to his people vnder the Gospell saith I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts c. which is twice repeated in the Epist to the Hebrewes 8. 10. 10. 16. which is also intended Acts 15. 9. where it is said of the Gentiles to whom Peter preached that God purified their hearts by faith and in the next chapter that the Lord opened the heart of Lydia Act. 16. 14. Againe 2 Cor. 1. 22. that God hath giuen the earnest of his Spirit in our hearts 2 Thess 2. 17. and 4. 6. that God hath shined into our hearts that God comforteth our hearts Phil. 4. 7. keepes our hearts stablisheth them directs them 2 Thes 3. 4. and the like many From whence wee may safely gather this Vse That though our hearts bee neuer so corrupt so hardned and shut vp so darkned distressed declining fainting and wandring out of the right way yet that God as he hath promised will certainly succour vs in all and both set and keepe our hearts in frame that they may be fit for all such seruices as it shall please the Lord to set vs about This I doubt not will be welcome newes to all sound hearted professours who so much see and bewaile their naughtie and vnbeleeuing hearts that they may comfortably rest vpon God that he will by his holy Spirit so guide their hearts that they may be seruiceable to him Thus much for the heart in generall Now seeing the Lord contents not himselfe herewith but comes more particularly to the well ordering of our affections of ioy loue feare trust and the like we shall finde it vsefull for vs to apply to our selues these promises to hearten vs against all our doubts concerning these affections which are as the hands and feete of our soules by which we worke and be carried to euery dutie that being well furnished with these we shall be more apt and ready to euery good worke And whereas among these God giues faith trust and hope there are none more profitable then Faith trust and hope which three though they haue some speciall difference one from the other 1 Tim. 2. 8. yet they be neuer parted Eccle. 5. 1. and bee vsually contained one within another and so we will take them together Of these the Scripture exceeding oft witnesseth that God giues these to all those whom hee meanes to saue As Iude verse 3. saith of Faith that it was once giuen to the Saints the like Eph. 2. 8. And Heb. 12. 2. Christ is said to be the Author and finisher of our faith and so his Apostles prayed to him Lord increase our faith and Rom. 12. 13. that God hath dealt to euery man the measure of faith So likewise for trust and confidence in God it is said of Gods people Esa 10. 20. that they shall stay vpon the Lord the holy one of Israel and 14. 32. That the Lord hath founded Sion and the poore of his people shall trust in it and 17. 7. At that day shall a man looke to his Maker and his eyes shall haue respect to the holy One of Israel and Jer. 3. 19. Thou shalt call me my Father and shalt not turne away from me Zep. 3. 12. And for Hope Dauid oft professeth Psal 71. 5. 22. 10. that God was his hope and his trust euen from his youth and God made him hope euen from his mothers wombe 65. 5. Yea more that God is the hope of all the ends of the earth c. Did we well consider on the one side Vse of these what neede we haue of those three graces throughout our whole life as may easily be seene by that which hath beene said in this whole Treatise and on the other side how exceedingly we faile in them all in times of triall we would then with both hands lay hold on these promises wherein God giues and by his Word and Spirit doth work these in the hearts of all his children and therefore so oft as wee feele our hearts to faile let vs with Dauid comfort our hearts in the Lord Psal 73. 26. and say My flesh and my heart faile me but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for euer And seeing the Lord Iesus is both Author and finisher of our Faith let vs rest in hope that hee who hath begun the good worke of faith in our hearts will finish it and so pray with the Apostle 2. Thess 1. 11. that God would fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodnesse and the Worke of Faith with power Come wee now to the next grace in the heart God promiseth Ioy. the first fruit of our faith which is Ioy I meane spirituall ioy which is called ioy in the Lord and ioy in the holy Ghost In thinking whereof I cannot but wonder in comparing together what God hath
seruedst not the Lord thy God with ioyfulnesse and with gladnesse of heart for the abundance of all things Therefore shalt thou serue thine enemies which the Lord shall send against thee in hunger and in thirst c. The Prophets also in their times did oft foreshew like chastisements to the peoples trespasses As Haggai and Malachy Because they were sumptuous in their owne houses and neglected the Lords house therefore the Lord sent a great dearth and scarcitie among them So for the contempt of the word God threatned to send a famine of the word Amos 8. 11. The same might we see in Gods dealings with our selues if we would obserue them When we set our affections on any thing too much whereby our hearts be stolne from God whether they bee persons or things pleasures or profits It is vsuall with the Lord either to take them from vs or to make them bitter vnto vs that wee may lesse esteeme them and haue our hearts free for better things The comfort which we are to take by this wise dealing of God with vs Application is this that as we know all afflictions to Gods children to be Physicke to cure their corruptions so knowing also they all come from so wise skilfull a Physician who cannot erre but alwaies sends such Physicke and in such season as shall surely doe vs good This must make vs not onely quietly to beare them but to be thankfull to God for them and to labour to be the better by them But this will more appeare if we shall well consider Gods wisedome in moderating all his chastisements both for the measure and continuance of them 2. In measure so as may be most fit both for the strength of the patient and qualitie of the disease both which may be shewed in all the afflictions which God layeth vpon all his children though he chastise some much more seuercly and holdeth the rod longer vpon them then vpon others who either haue not so much prouoked the Lord or be not so able to beare the hand of the Lord. This is plainely taught by the Apostle 1. Cor. 13 saying There hath no tentation taken you but such as is common to man But God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you are able but will with the tentation make way to escape that ye may be able to beare it In which one sentence we haue these speciall incouragements to beare such afflictions as God our heauenly Father shall lay vpon vs first that God deales no otherwise with vs then with others euen of his owne children whereof before secondly that God neuer ouer-loadeth his but wisely moderateth the burthen according to his strength that beares it And this he doth according to promise most faithfully nothing shall mooue him to deale otherwise yea more God will so assist vs by his Spirit to endure and beare that in due season wee shall haue a good end and deliuerance out of all which if there were no more might be sufficient to vphold vs from sinking in any triall though neuer so great But because the Lord well saw how hardly we be perswaded heereof and be euer thinking our burthen too heauy for vs to beare therefore the Lord is faine oft to beate this into our mindes and memories as Elâ—hu told Iob Iob 34. 23. That God will not lay more on man then is meete that he should enter into iudgement with God and so much the Apostle Peter intendeth when he saith that the faithfull did greatly reioyce in their saluation purchased by Christ Though for a season they were in heauinesse through manifold temptations 1. Pet. 1. 6. yet he addeth if neede be meaning that this is neuer but when God seeth needfull in all respects for this cause also doth the Prophet Esay notably set out this wise dealing of God with his people Esa 27. and with the wicked comparing these to thornes and bryers but his people to a vineyard which the Lord did keepe and water euery moment least any hurt it Verse 3. As for the bryers and thornes he would burne them together And thereupon saith Verse 7. Hath he smitten him as hee smote those that smote him or is he slaine according to the slaughter of them that are slaine by him Verse 8. In measure when it shooteth forth thou wilt debate with it c. Which I vnderstand that wheras God will stub vp as thornes by the rootes and cast into the fire the wicked aduersaries of his Church hee will but shred and prune as a vine his Church that they may bring more fruit as our Sauiour plainly speaketh Iohn 15. 2. And more plainly doth Ieremie 46. 28. and 30. 11. say Feare thou not O Iacob my seruant saith the Lord for I am with thee for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I haue driuen thee But I will not make a full end of thee but correct thee in measure yet I will not leaue thee wholy vnpunished Wherein we see great oddes betwixt Gods dealing with his children and with the wicked whom he vtterly consumeth when he most wisely moderateth the corrections of his children that they may better beare and profite by them which must needes allay the sharpnesse of them if well considered And this no doubt was that which the Prophet Dauid and Ieremie so earnestly begged of God Psal 6. 1 that he would not correct them in his anger Iere. 10. 24 neither chasten them in his hot displeasure But with iudgement that is most wisely considering what they were able to beare least otherwise they should bee consumed and brought to nothing This wisedome of God in chastening his children as it manifesteth it selfe in the measure of the burthen laid vpon them Gods wisedome in moderating the continuance so also in moderating the time of the continuance of it least it should be ouer tedious and make them faint and giue ouer Heereof the Prophet Dauid had great experience as hee oftentimes professeth Psal 30. 5. For his anger indureth but a moment in his fauour is life weeping may endure for a night but ïoy commeth in the morning Psal 103. 9. He will not alwaies chide neither will he keepe his anger for euer Psal 129. 3. For the rod of the wicked shall not rest vpon the lot of the righteous lest the righteous put forth their hands to iniquitie The Prophet Esay in the name of the Lord professeth the like Esay 10. 25 For yet a very little while and the indignation shall cease and mine anger in their destruction and Chap. 26. 20. Come my people enter into thy chambers and shut the doores about thee hide thy selfe as it were for a little moment vntill the indignation be ouer-past and 54. 7 8. For a small moment haue I forsaken thee but with great mercies will I gather thee In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for
make our vse of all these three benefits by afflictions 1. That they be sent from God to be trialls to discover to our selues and others godly and wicked what strength of grace and sinne doth remaine in vs which is many waies profitable 2. To be effectuall purgations to wast and weaken those speciall corruptions which most hinder our soules health 3. And lastly to quicken all saving graces in vs and so every way to make vs better both to glorifie God in this life and to be glorified of him in the life to come The least of all which fruits of afflictions Vse of all these benefits by afflictions though it went alone if the profit and comfort it bringeth might be well prised would moue any good heart if lawfully they might to desire afflictions at least to be glad of them when the Lord our loving Father and wise Physitian doth send them to vs how much more then when as all these shall be joyned together should we rejoyce and blesse God for them There is no good Christian but he greatly desires to be more humbled in the sight of his manifold sinnes and to be comforted with the sweet feeling of Gods graces in him Yea much more desires he to be purged from these spirituall corruptions which take away his stomacke and strength that he can neither feed nor worke as his place requires And aboue all doth he covet spirituall graces that he might shine out in a godly life to the honour of his profession the winning of oothers and making sure his calling and election All which seeing they be procured by afflictious and hardly or never without them as that place 1 Pet. 4. 18. proveth And if the righteous be scarcely saved And this is the chiefe cause why none of Gods children are without them as Heb. 12. 6. 7. 8. me thinkes there is great reason why we should be thankfull to God for them and so labour to reape this fruit by them that we may say and sing with the Psalmist as it is sweetly expressed in the Meeter O hâ—ppie time may I well say when thou didst me correct For as a guide to learne thy lawes thy rodâ—â—d me direct So little cause haue Gods children to thinke their condition miserable because of afflictions that if we will beleeue and practise what the Apostle Paul professed and performed we must in a holy manner boast of our afflictions Rom. 5. 3. as a Souldier of his scarres got in battell And as a little before we heard 2 Cor. 12. 10. Paul did take pleasure in reproches in necessities in persecutions in distresses fâ—â— Christs sake Thus we see what comfort we may get out of Gods Word fitly applyed vnto vs by faith for the better bearing of all afflictions of what sort soever I might gather many other fruits of afflictions as some haue done but if all be well wayghed they may be referred to one of these three and so having sayd sufficient of the three former grounds of comfort in afflictions I will come to the fourth and last The fourth ground of comfort in afflictions which is to set out what helpe God hath promised vs in all our troubles that we may be able to beare them and in due season to giue vs a good issue out of them Concerning which it will be profitable to obserue that the Lord knowing our great weaknes to beare the crosse and how full of distrust we be that God will not be ready to helpe vs at least as we would both which are so often to be found in the liues of Gods faithfull servants in all ages as needs no further proofe the Lord I say well acquainted with this frailtie of his children hath most plentifully provided all sufficient helpe to support them and therefore made so many promises to be with them in all their troubles and succour them in all extremities that they shall never perish but in the end find a good end and issue out of them to his glory and their endlesse comfort Having pervsed these promises and gathered them out of the Scripture I may boldly say they doe farre exceed in number all the former so that it would be too tedious to set them down all I will therefore make choice of some of the chiefe that we may haue them ready for our vse against time of need Among all that is exceeding full of comfort which is written Rom. 8. 26. In which chapter the Apostle intending to teach that nothing should hinder the happines of those that be in Christ whereas there be but these two corruption and affliction hee first confutes the one from verse â— to â—7 and secondly the other concerning afflictions from verse 17. to 31. And whereas it might be obiected that though afflictions were profitable to those that could endure them yet oft they be so heauie that we cannot so much as cry to God for helpe as we ought hee answers that even then the spirit helpeth our infirmities c. meaning that when we begin to sincke as not able to stand vnder the burthen then Gods Spirit puts vnder his hand to support vs. Which is in so many words said Psal 37. 24. Though he fâ—ll he shall not vtterly be cast downe for the Lord vpholdeth him with his hand Which is when hee doth by his Spirit strengthen vs with faith and patience to waite for Gods helpe one way or other either to rid vs out of our afflictions or make vs quietly to beaâ—e them so long as shal seem good to his heavenly wisedome to continue them For which cause our Saviour Christ fortelling his Disciples of many afflictions Iohn 14. 15. 16. which should befall them in the worlde among other incouragements hee oft tels them that he will send them his holy Spirit to be their comfoâ—â—r who shall be stronger in them then all their adversaries And to the same purpose 16. 33. telling them that in the world they should haue tribulation he bids them bee of good cheare for hee hath overcome the World Likewise the Apostle 2. Cor. 1. 3 4. to hearten the Corinthians to indure all troubles calleth God the God of all comfort who comforted him and all others in all their tribulations that they might be able to comfort others which are in any trouble The like is to be seene almost in all the holy Epistles in which the Saints be incouraged to suffer afflictions patiently But to proceede exceeding many be the places in which God promiseth to his people that he wil be a sure and speedy help in all troubles in due season ready to be found David had great experience thereof The booke of the Psalmes is full of those speeches God â—s my 〈◊〉 my tower my refuge my shield and buckler my health and strength and many moe all tending to this that looke what helpe any man in danger may find in any earthly meanes what soever God is the same much more
the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ which is est repeated 〈◊〉 Cor. p. 9. and 10. 〈…〉 that we might haue it in better remembrance and vse And for confirmation hereof 2. Tim. 2. 19. it s sayd the foundation of God 〈…〉 grounded vpon this the Lord knoweth who 〈◊〉 his meaning that they whoÌ„ God before the foundation of the world did chose ordaine to be saved cannot possibly perish as it is sayd Mat. 24. 24. If it were possible intending that it is not possible for then should God bee either mâ—table to change his decree or not Almighty as not able to performe that which he did purpose both which be most blasphemous to thinke of God for this cause Christ did bid his Disciples reioyce that their names were written in heaven Luke 10. 20. yea more in the same place 2. Tim. 2. 19. is said that this foundatioÌ„ of the certainety of salvation to all the Elect hath a seale which is after expressed in these words Let every one 〈…〉 of Christ depart from iniquity which I conceiue the same which is sayd Ephes 1. 13. that they after they beleeved more 〈◊〉 with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance vntill the redemption of the purchased possession vnto the prayse of his glory In both this is meanâ— that the worke of true sanctification which the holy Ghost workes in every true beleever is an vnfallible marke that we are true beleeverâ— effectually called and elected to salvation by Christ and therefore are sure wee cannot perish but shall persevere and bee saved This is notably set downe 2 Cor. 1. 21. 22. Now he which establisheth vs with you in Christ and hath annointed vs. is God who hath also sealed vs and given the earnest of his spirit in our hearts so that as true dealing men doe make sure their grants and covenants by seales and giving of some earnest which being a part of the prise covenanted doth assure the whole payment so doth the most faithful God by these first fruits of the spirit of sanctification assure vnto vs that we shall never quite fall away from grace but shall be fully sanctified by his holy spirit at the time appointed The Apostle Peter 2. 1. 10. by this moueth the faithful to make their calling and election sure And yet more if this be not enough to assure vs that we shall never fall away but continue to the end and be saved how often doth the Lord passe his word vnto vs that his spirit shall abide in vs for ever Notable is that place of the Prophet Esa 59. 21. As for me this my covenant with them sayth the Lord My spirit that is vpon thee and my wordes which I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed sayth the Lord from henceforth and for ever By this did our Saviour Christ much labour to comfort his Disciples who were full of sorrow to heare of his leauing them Ioh. 14. 16. And I will pray the Father and he shall giue you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever 17 Even the spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receiue because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth in you and shall be in you So againe Ioh. 15. 16. Ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you and ordeined you that you goe and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remaine Ioh. â—6 22. Your ioy shall no man take may and more to like effect as Iohn 10. 28. 29. I giue them eterâ—all life and they shall never perish c. So the beloved Apostle Iohn wrote his first Epistle to this end especially to confirme the faithfull in the certaintie of their salvation that they should not fall away as many hypocrites then did and daily doe To this end as he setteth downe sundry markes whereby they may proue themselues to be in the state of grace so he giues many comfortable promises that they shall continue 1 Ioh 2. 24. and abide for ever and more specially vers 27. 17. But the anointing which ye haue received of him abideth in you and yee need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lye 〈◊〉 as it hath taught you yee shall abide in him c. Chap. 3. 2. Beloved now are we the sonnes of God and it doth not yet appeare what we shall be but we know that when he shall appeare we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Vers 9. His seed remaineth in him and much more in this Chapter the rest I nâ—ed not rehearse all To shut vp this point A principall cause of this certaintie of our perseverance is that which the Apostle Peter expresseth 1 Pet. 1. 4 5 saying that their inheritance is reserved in heaven for them who are kept by the power of God through faith vnto salvation And to like effect the Apostle Iude closeth his Epistle with these words Now to him that is able to keepe you from falling and to preserue you faultlesse before the presence of his glory with exceeding ioy to the onely wise God our Saviour be glory and maiestie dominion and power now and ever Amen Thus haue I gathered you may see good store Application yet not all of those comfortable promises which God hath made to his Church in all ages to confirme their faith that seeing he hath freely loued them chosen them and called them to be his therefore none shall ever be able to plucke them out of his hand What remaineth then for vs who be compassed with such a cloud of testimonies which all agree in one but to be perswaded with the Apostle Rom. 8. 38 39. That neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come Nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Let vs then whensoever wee fall into this temptation oh I shall never be able to hold out I find my corruption so strong or if I should be called to any such fiery triall as in Queene Maries dayes I shall never be able to indure them but shall as many then did for feare fall away and deny the truth Let vs I say against this tentation set the many promises which the Lord hath made vnto vs that he will never leaue vs nor forsake â—s Heb. 13. 5. yea more that we shall be kept by his power vnto salvation that hell gates shall not prevaile against vs Mat. 15. 18. with many the like whereof before that duely wayghing these and the faithfulnes of him who hath promised them we may comfort our hearts that he who hath begun the