then it signifieth either the doctrine of the Gospell it selfe or the faithfull discharge of their office that preach the same or else some speciall gift which the holy ghost vouchsafeth vnto vs Now of those gifts of the holy ghost there are but three onely which are intituled by the name of faith For sometimes the knowledge of that great mysterie which the holy ghost reuealeth and the certaine vnderstanding of the truth of GOD is called faith which may fitly be named either historicall Faith or the faith of knowledge Now for this Faith although al the Saints haue it in some measure yet is it not peculiar to them alone for vsually many wicked and filthy doe excell in this yea euen Satan himselfe doth goe farre beyond all others in this kind of Faith For hee beleeueth that God is the creatour of the world that hee is Lord ouer all and acknowledgeth himselfe vnder his dominion And that God made all things by his word as it is written Gen. 1.3 Psal 33.9 He spake the word and they were made he beleeueth this word to be that which is both called the Son of God and is so indeed by whom and for whom all things were made begotten before all time the immortall and wise God alwaies blessed for euer and euer Who after diuers maners appeared to the fathers and spake by the Prophets Hee beleeueth that the same Word in fulnesse of time came downe into the Virgin by the power of the holy ghost was made flesh and of her was born that annointed Sauiour thence-forth called Iesus Christ that the same wrought great miracles preached that hidden mystery of the will of GOD which beeing at that time almost buried in obliuion was long before foretold by the Prophets and hee likewise sealed and confirmed it by his Apostles Hee beleeueth furthermore that the same Word or sonne of GOD Christ Iesus after all this was nailed to the crosse dead and buried according to the Scriptures the third day rose to life againe and was taken vp into heauen sitteth there at the right hand of the Father which hath put all things vnder bis feete Because hee alone is worthy Hee is also most vndoubtedly perswaded that the Lord Iesus Christ did for supplying his own place send down from heau en the powerfull efficacie of his holy spirit to guide and gouerne his Church which past question is nothing else but the company and societie of his holy ones in all places here and there scattered ouer the whole world And hee beleeueth that this companie of Gods owne people is sanctified by the lauer of repentance and the word of faith to bee an holy nation for euer to the Lord himselfe Hee beleeueth moreouer that the same Lord Iesus shall at the last day come in the clouds with greatest power and shall then take vp the Saints to receiue reward of eternall life and to enioy the promises of heauen But as for the vngodly and wicked his comming shall bee to condemne them vnto euerlasting fire yet both sorts shall in that day receiue their fleshly bodies with restauration whereof they shall from the first death returne againe And with thus much faith the very skirmigers of Satan Bribers promoters hypocrites witches heretickes reprobates couetous persons whoremongers and filthy fellows of which kinde of beleeuers at this day the whole world is full betwixt whom and Infidels this is all the difference the one by not beleeuing like wretches as they are doe come vnto perdition the other by beleeuing in such wofull manner as they doe bring themselues to most damnable destruction This kinde of faith if any one would define he may well expresse his minde in saying that it is nothing else but a sure knowledge and a setled assent of the minde by which any man most vndoubtedly beleeueth such things to bee reuealed for the saluation of mankind Secondly that gift of the holy ghost by which any one causeth great admiration to be amongst the people at his great signes and wonders is very often in holy writ called by the name of faith which not vnfitly wee may call miraculous faith But this faith neither haue all the sanctified nor they onely For Iohn wrought no miracles although on the contrarie Iudas did excel therin And with this faith are sometimes notably indued and made famous those witches deceiuers and Iuglers which Rome that head of abominations both calleth Saints and worshippeth them also with altar praiers and Images of whom our Sauiour hath foretold saying And they shall doe great wonders Math. 24. works of great power so that they would deceiue if it were possible the very elect And this kinde of faith may one sitly define in this manner namely that it is a certaine vndoubted confidence whereby one beleeueth that God will by him doe this or that miracle Thirdly that the gift of the holy ghost which any one receiues to eternall life is called by the name of Faith and that most often of all the rest which very same the scripture calleth the Faith of God The faith of the son of God The faith of Abraham The faith of Iesus The faith of Christ and the faith of Iesus Christ The professors of diuinitie haue significantly named it Iustifying Faith Now for this kinde of Faith both all the Saints and they onely haue it for this kinde of faith cannot befall any but such as are sanctified This faith if wee will wee may fitly define in this manner Namely that it is a certaine full and firme confidence engrauen by the power of the holy Ghost in the heart of such a one as is penitent whereby hee assuredly beleeueth that all his sinnes are remitted and that hee is reconciled and made one with God in an euerlasting loue through Christ Iesus See now B. this is the Faith which sanctifieth him that hath it and of one miserable maketh him Blessed as it is written Psal 32.1 Belssed is the man whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose God is the Lord Iehouah Behold B. this is the Faith which Iustifieth the wicked and by which the Iustified liueth as it is written The iust shall liue by Faith Abac. 2.4 This is that faith which ouercommeth which excelleth and which the diuine writer to the Heb. setteth forth with such ornament and inuironeth on euery side with such a multitude of praises this is the faith vvhose worth and fairenesse so cleerely shineth throughout the scripture that as it is to bee wondred how euer it could be so grossely darkned by the vnskilfulnesse of some wise diuines of this our age so much more maruellous is it that the ignorance of such a great benefit especially in this cleare light of all things should not hitherto by Gods most righteous iudgement be seuerely punished And this is that faith concerning which is all the controuersie this day betwixt me and B. which also the Apostle commendeth to the Romans in these words
sorrows and vpon the heart of this wofull and trembling penitent that confidence of grace which wee enquire after is imprinted by the same Spirit whereby he assuredly beleeueth that all his sinnes which oppressed him so are now forgiuen vnto him and that God whose goodnesse and fauour hee once so greatly longed after now beareth good wil and hath a loue vnto him not onely for the present but for euer And this is that third effect or worke of the holy ghost viz. the sanctification of faith which finisheth or maketh vp our regeneration which B. himselfe also calleth the third effect of the Spirit and which he so much endeauoureth to commend vnto his hearers miserablie begging it as it were from other mens coffers This is Gods stedfast and immutable order whereof hee will neither repent nor change it for euer Hereof giueth he assurance vnto all by his owne testimonie who alone is asmuch as all other being a faithfull witnesse and Lord ouer all who preaching his own kingdome to men in expresse words speaketh after this manner Mar. 1.15 Mar. 6. Repent and beleeue the gospel Likewise the Apostle being sent forth to preach going forth they admonish all men euery where to repent Repentance is it indeede which in the first place they euer proclaimed for hereby as by a ladder wee must ascend to Christ The same Apostle when the Iewes asked Acts 2.37.38 Men and brethren what shall wee doe Peter answered Repent and bee baptised in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sins And good reason because the Baptisme of the holy ghost for the remission of sinnes can bee vouchsafed to none but such as repent The same Peter exhorteth those which murdered the Lord of life to repent and bee conuerted Acts 3.19 that your iniquities saith hee maybe done away And very rightly for no mans sinne can bee taken away vnlesse hee repent and bee conuerted Isay thus prophecieth concerning the Sauiour of Israel Isai 61.1 The spirit of the Lord is vpō me that I should preach the gospel viz. The ioy full and happie embassage of the free grace fauour of God for Christs sake to bee vouchsafed But vpon whom To the captiues the poore the broken viz. The penitent for the kingdome of heauen pertaineth to none but the humble the poore the lowly little ones viz. The penitent Stayest thou stil whilest I ouersway thee with the authoritie of the scriptures art thou not rather amazed that these things should either bee vnknowne or denied of such a one as thou art To goe a little further I will demand this one thing of thee wherfore I pray thee did the Lord giue such an honorable testimonie of his seruant Iohn assuring Namely Luke 7. that hee was a Prophet yea and more then a Prophet and that amongst all the sonnes of women there was not his greater Beware thou answere not with Babylon either because hee was neuer maried or for his austere and hard kinde of liuing lest thou make the vvhole cope of heauen laugh at thy folly Why stickest thou at it man I will rid thee of this trouble it was indeede for the dignitie and necessity of his ministery and the ministerie of Iohn was the baptisme of Repentance wherewith except a man bee first washed hee can by no meanes put on Christ for which cause the Prophet calleth Iohn Mal. 3.1 Jsai 40.3 The forerunner appointed to prepare the ways of the Lord for in very truth euen as a field is not fit for seede vnlesse it be tilled so the hearts of sinners are neuer made ready prepared to receiue the promise of faith but by Repentance as it were by diuine and heaueniy tillage And that thou maist neuer make more doubt but know past question that this is both the ordinance of God and also euerlasting heare what the Baptiser himself speaketh I saith hee baptise you with water With the water namely Luke 3.16 of regeneration viz. with Repentance But hee that commeth after shal baptise you with the Spirit and with fire viz. shall sanctifie you vvith faith Therefore Faith meeteth or taketh a place with Repentance that hath bin before it for by these two only is made of a sinner a new creature John 3.5 as it is written Except a man be borne againe of water and the Spirit hee cannot enter into the kingdome of God Yea but I saiest thou do not so vnderstand these things And saiest thou so indeede Thou so great a man Dector of the chaire that as it were lettest out to farme thy learning in the Scriptures teaching from an higher place heauenly matters and yet vnderstandest not earthly and such as are farre beneath the chaire for so our Sauiour calleth these principles and rudiments as it were or first beginnings of christianitie But let vs dispatch that vvhich remaineth and consider what this true repentance towards GOD is indeed Concerning the name therof in another place may bee spoken Now wee will insist vpon the thing it selfe Wee say therefore that repentance is an effectuall operation of the holy Ghost whereby a man returneth from his owne waies and conuerteth himselfe vnto GOD. Now to returne from his owne waies is to bewaile his sinnes and the transgressions of his life in which as in wandring pathes hee hath gone astray Wherefore his returning comprehendeth the mollifying of his heart or contrition and to bee conuerted vnto God is to confesse our sinnes vnto God and most earnestly to seeke peace and reconciliation with him Therefore conuersion vnto God conteineth in it confession detesting and praying against the offence and a certaine incredible desire or longing after Peace Requirest thou further proofe B. of this repentance looke then vpon that prodigall and forlorne sonne of a very exceeding good Father in whose example our Sauiour teacheth both thee and mee and all sinners what to doe Hearken therefore what the Lord saith concerning him Luke 15.17 But when saith he hee came to himselfe viz. When be was returned from his owne waies which was by bethinking himselfe more seriouslie how rashly and vnaduisedly he had dealt in sinning against God his most bountifull and kinde father then was hee in an vtter dislike of himselfe and with a broken heart he sorrowed amaine continually Thus hast thou his contrition Now listen after what manner hee conuerteth himselfe vnto God I will returne Luke 15.18 saith he vnto my Father There thou hast his conuersion Now hearken further what confession hee maketh vnto his Father And I will say vnto him Father I haue finned against heauen and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thine In this thou hast the guilty confessing his fault with detestation of it and strong requests against it knocking his wofull brest in rufull manner with his guilty hand Last of all hearken vnto his incredible desire of Peace and reconciliation Make me as one of thy hired seruants as if
deliuered by Moses Heare ô Israel Deut. 6.4 the Lord our God is one God thou shalt loue the Lord with all thy heart c. Againe Deut. 10.12 Now ô Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but that thou feare the Lord thy God and honour him c. This is that Law whereof the same Moses saieth Deut. 30.19 Behold I set before you blessing and cursing Life and good death and euill c. Blessing and life if thou chuse this viz. If thou loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart c. Deut. 28. If thou chuse this saith he Blessed shalt thou be at home and blessed abrode c. But contrariwise saith he If thou wilt not be obedient to the voice of the Lord thy God to keepe and doe the Commandements of this Law cursed shalt thou bee at home and cursed abroad c. Behold B. the Law the most high and perfect publishing whereof when the Prophet foresaw thus said The Law shall goe foorth of Sion and the word of the Lord out of Ierusalem He speaketh not of the Law of the Decalogue which was come out most perfectly 700. yeeres before but this Law of life viz. The word of truth viz. The Gospell Behold the Law of which the Prophet Ieremy speaketh I will write my Law in their hearts Not that of the tenne commandements which is to bee trembled at He that doth these things shall line by them but this Law of life and the promise I will bee their God and they shall be my people and I will remember their sinnes no more saith the Lord. Behold the law wherof the true speaking King and Prophet Dauid saith The Law of the Lord is perfect euery way conuerting soules c. Hee meanes not B. that Law of the Decalogue which although it be the Law of God and a Law euery way perfect yet doth not conuert soules neither can it giue life nor restore a sinner But he meanes this Law of grace viz. The promise and righteousnesse of God by the faith of the Messias which is giuen to the beleeuer Behold B. the law wherein faith is commanded for none can loue God with all his heart and his neighbour as himselfe but he that first is sanctified by faith viz. none but he that is washed before by vertue of the holy ghost shal beleeue that al his sins are forgiuen him Hoe saith B. what newes bring you here for that which you cal the Law of grace we say it is the same with the law of the Decalogue What exposition is this will you thus inwrap the Israel of God with your exposition Dare you say this is the same Law with that when God himselfe saith it is another from it Ier. 31.31 For behold the daies come saith the Lord that I will make a new couenant with the house of Iacob Heb. 8.9 not such as I made with your Fathers c. Hitherto leades the Testimony of Moses and that so cleare as if it were written with the beames of the Sunne which yet this Oule sees not Who when hee had deliuered this Law of life to Israel and had added Ceremonies which were as a shadowing out of a Redeemer at length breathing out saith Deut 29.1 These are the words of the couenant which the Lord commanded Moses that he should make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab besides that couenant which hee made in the mount Horeb. And that the law of the Decalogue and the righteousnesse of it which is of workes is not onely another from but also opposit to the law of grace and righteousnesse of God which is manifested by faith the Apostle is a most plentifull witnesse who calleth the law of the Decalogue A weake Law the Law of sinne the Law of death the ministry of condemnation But the law of grace hee cals the power of God vnto saluation The righteousnesse of God the ministrie of the spirit the ministrie of life But hoe will some say Paul is a meere Maniche and a manifest Marcionite that thus detracts from the maiesty of the Law and so odiously inueies against the holy Law of God Saiest thou so dog is the Apostle an Hereticke because thou art blind Thou conceiuest not the truth of his words for hee hath not brought in this combat of the law either in respect of God or the lawes themselues for both are of and from the same God both perfect holy and iust but in respect of vs and our sinne for what so repugnant and hostile as to condemne a sinner and to absolue the same Therefore as we are wont to call a day deadly or fatall not in respect of the day it selfe but of them which must vndergoe some danger And the Iulian law of Treason we call a deadly law in respect of them that are accused of Treasō So the Apostle cals the law of the Deca a weake law because it cannot giue life to the sinner The law of wrath because it causeth wrath against sin The law of sin because it accuseth vs of sin The law of death because it iudgeth vs being bound ouer to death The Ministry of condemnatiō because it cōdemneth euery transgression In which phrase of speech hee calleth also the Gospel it selfe sometimes the sauour of death vnto death namely in respect of those that perish But B. opinion gasping at last doth yet throw one dart more if saith he the righteousnes of the law be so cōtrary to the righteousnesse of God which is of faith how doth faith establish it This I say B. Christ and his righteousnes is giuen to vs who are iustified by faith now the righteousnesse of Christ is the righteousnes of works viz. the ful perfect performance of the Decalogue To vs then that are in Christ Iesus viz. to vs that beleeue in him who hath performed the righteousnesse of the law for vs it is as much to vs as if we our selues had fulfilled it For the end of the law is to iustifie the keeper of it but he that beleeueth in him who hath perfectly performed it this faith shall bee imputed to him for righteousnes no lesse thē if he had perfectly performed the same But let vs proceed and pursue this breathlesse opinion euen to the sepulchre which in a manner dying cannot cast darts doth yet cast out words To what end then saith he serueth the law or what vse is there of it now I say much euery way first it is set downe for the sinner both that hee may not deny the punishment denounced against him for sinne and also that it may take vengeance against him iustly for the same it is also set for a holy and regenerate man that as often as he looke vpon it and alwaies hee ought to looke vpon it hee may so often bewaile his wickednesse and quake at it and likewise as often as he cals to minde which night and day hee