righteousnesse but what is his Rom 5.22 Hereupon the same Apostle Saint Paul speaking of himselfe a iustified sinner saith that the life he hath in the new life of the Gospell is not his but Christs who breathed it in him and liueth in him Galat. 2.20 all his minde ranne vpon the gaine he had by Christ hauing his righteousnesse all other things in the world were but losse and dunge to this Philip 3.8 9. Therefore in his Epistles to the Romanes to the Galathians and Ephesians hee strongly pleades the cause of faith in the power of iustification without workes plainly in the second Chapter of his Epistle to the Ephesians vers 8. and 9. he excludeth the best things left in nature and the best workes in new nature from the merit of saluation saying We are saued by grace not of our selues against Pelagius and not of workes against Papists and giues the reason which is to preuent all boasting in our selues as if wee did as Papists say we doe bring somewhat in hand to the purchase of our saluation And so we see that faith maketh our way to God and that works follow Reasons The reasons Our workes the best of them are imperfectly good and partly euill and what account can such haue before him whose eyes cannot behold euill Haba 1.13 that that pleaseth him is Christ absolutely holy Christs righteousnesse perfectly good onely 〈◊〉 that but neither hee nor this is ours further then by the grace of faith wee can make them so with application to our selues Secondly the best come out of an vncleane pit and their best works are but as foule ragges Isa 64.6 And who can bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse Iob 14.4 Now can any thing that is vncleane and filthy enter into so holy a place as heauen and stand before so holy a person as the Lord or if it cannot our persons not purged by Christs holinesse and our works not couered with his iustice whither shall they go in heauen there is no place for them and they must stand without with dogges sorcerers and other sinners Apocal. 21.27 22.15 It was sinne that brought vs out with God it must be that which we haue not perfect righteousnesse that must bring vs in againe And this is the Sonne in whom the Father is well pleased Matth 3.17 all other things as we heard are losse and dunge and what good sauour in workes of dunge This is against the Papists Vse 1 who like dogges barke against the truth of sole iustification by faith Their tenet is that the righteousnesse whereby we are iustified is inherent in vs. But the righteousnesse that doth iustifie is called a robe and why a robe but because wee haue it as wee haue our clothes from another out of our selues Flesh and skin we haue from our mothers but our apparell is made vs. So nature we haue by birth but grace by gift in the hand of faith Therefore Saint Paul desired to be found in Christ Philip 3.9 clad with him Obiect True say the Papists all wee haue in our first iustification or change to righteousnesse wee haue from God onely and all is due to him for it But say they there is a second iustification or change and that as a stocke giuen vs to set vp for themselues as it increaseth vnder our hand maketh some part of pay to our saluation Answer But if the Apostle as we heard had knowne any iustification but one and that one onely and altogether by gift hee would not haue giuen away his owne part as hee did and haue acknowledged no other iustification but that of beeing in Christ And further the Apostle giues the reason why hee did so though in another place For speaking of God that iustifieth and saueth onely hee saith For and that for must stand For saith he of him and through him are all things Rom. 11.36 by all things wee must vnderstand all good things specially the good things of life eternall and these all are of and from God And now where wee speake of faith we vnderstand not such a faith as Saint Iames reproueth which is a faith without workes and so dead as the bodie is dead that breatheth not Iam. 2.26 but a saith accompanied with or breathing in manifest symptomes of new life such a faith this woman had which in her was so commended And yet faith only iustifieth our persons before God good workes serue but to iustifie our faith before men Iam. 2.18.21 Also though wee acknowledge good works to be the quicke pulses of a louing faith yet withall wee say that they come not to God in way of iustification For true it is that wee must do good works if we will bee saued and yet it is as true that wee shall not bee saued for them An admonition to Christians to labour to get and hope faith Vse 2 so greatly commended in this woman of great faith and to do so wee must vse the meanes as first the Word faith is by it Rom. 10.17 If then wee will wrestle with God by faith when he proues our faith by temptation we must know what promises God hath made in his word and vpon what tearmes Psal 9.10 so wee shall hold him by the words of his owne mouth and with Iacobs hand till he blesse vs who will surely doe it for bee cannot deny himselfe But how shall wee know what promises God hath made in his word and to whom and vpon what conditions when we know neither East nor West in it and when wee turne from it in the day of hearing When Sathan shall sift vs in the maine point how shall we hope in more then the chaffe if we be not sound graine by the knowledge of saluation Faith is by hearing and hearing by the Word Rom. 10.17 Therefore no hearing no faith and without what possibilitie to please God Hebr. 11.6 and not pleasing him what hope to bee saued A fearfull darknes therefore must needes bee vpon all that want this Sunne of their holy faith And let them thinke of it who as one saith well haue passed an estate of their soules to ignorance for tearme of life neither haue they heard nor will they For how can such obey when they know not God and not knowing him how can they escape the vengeance that is threatened in the flame of fire 2. Thessal 1.8 Secondly if we would haue and get faith wee must pray for it to the authour and finisher of our faith Hebr. 12.2 Mark 9 24. Luk. 17.5 They deserue not good things that will not open their mouthes for them and we haue a saying Spare to speake spare to speed Faith then being of good things the best how vnworthy shall wee shew our selues of so faire a Iewell if wee will not aske it Thirdly as we get faith by the Word and prayer so being had we must keep it in a good conscience For faith and good conscience are relata
no comparison with Izhak that was in the couenant Gen. 17.20 21. the inheritance of life with the best conueyance went that way Esau was Iacobs twinne-brother yet because in no couenant with God hated as a dog Iacob in couenant with him was beloued of him Mal. 1.2 3. Saint Peter in the Acts speaking to the children of promise saith that God vnto them had raised vp his Son Iesus Act. 3.25 26. but with the good effect of turning them from their iniquities wherin if they had abidden still they had beene no better than dogs and the vncleane swine of the Gentiles the iustified Gentiles were differenced from the other by faith which was their grace of being in Christ and of being the children of Abraham after the Spirit Gal. 3.8 but the wilde among them who still wandred in the by-waies of nature had no such priueledge And thus wee are all by nature as Christ called this woman with reuerence to nature dogs or worse Reasons the reasons all that since the fall of the first Man were not in a change of nature giuen to Christ are in such nature vnchanged giuen to Satan in a reprobate minde Iohn 17.12 3.36 but also so giuen are vnder a woe euen a wâ— vnto damnation Matth 26. â—4 worse than neuer borne and so worse than dogs which hauing a being haue an end of being miserable when they die but not so these Secondly by nature we are children of wrath Eph. 2.3 vnder Gods displeasure so long as such and sinners 5.8 comming ouâ— of and lying downe in an vncleane bed Psal 51.6 and enemies to God Rom. 5.10 till reconciled by the gift of a better nature in Christ and now put these together children of wrath sinners altogether and enemies to God and Christ and what difference betweene men and doggs in point of true happinesse saue that men are worse Dogs as they are no children so they are not children of wrath nor sinners by nature nor in their kinde who do but their kinde enemies to God Man is all men by nature are for the nature of all is alike in all and no barrell better than another was not Esau Iacobs brother Mal. 1.2 that that puts difference betweene an Israel in the flesh and an Israel in Christ is Gods election and his loue before time entred Rom. 11.7 Vse 1. The vse is for admonition to vs that are now Christians better much than dogs and Princes that are not aduising vs to take heed of a reuolt and hauing cast to beware how with dogs wee returne againe to our vomit 2 Pet 2.22 If we will come to Gods table and feed with the children wee must lay away our snarling nature and not come with vnpurged consciences thither wee are called to holinesse 1 Thes 4.7 without it we may feed among dogs In hearing of the word or after hearing wee must not play the dogges snarling at those that breake the bread of life vnto vs it is a propertie of curres to snap at those that bring them their meat at prayer wee must not enter without reuerence nor lie all along as dogs doe we are set at table with the children we must therfore forget and not doe after the kinde wee came of that is snatch one at another by brotherly dissentions wee cannot but forget malice if wee remember our high calling in Christ Some will not come to the table where the children are such as they count enemies lest they should meet them there nor to Church lest they should treade vpon the ground they go on and what may wee thinke of such but that neither will they come to heauen lest they should meet them there nor goe the way of saluation lest they should goe their way these are yet in their old nature not changed from dogs to children But are the best by nature no better than the miserable heathen were Vse 2. or than were the Cananites it may serue for instruction teaching that there is no difference and that all haue sinned Pom. 3.22 23. if one nature speed better than another grace or the gift of God by grace hath made it happier Matth. 11.26 God when he saued fallen man stamped in lether who might haue set his stampe vpon the nature of Angels and so haue stamped in gold but Christ refused their nature and tooke ours Heb. 2.16 hence came our happinesse and hence onely which was denied to the Angells that fell Now therefore what hast thou that thou hast not receiued 1 Cor. 4.7 or why should any by any claime from nature whether Papist or Pelagian lift vp himselfe As Merchants place their counters for thousands hundreds tennes and for nothing so this Merchant of pearles hath placed vs in a higher cast of his rich grace than many thousands vnto whom hee hath had no such respect shall wee therefore boast our selues in comparison of them as if one counter were better than another saue in account If God should crie downe his stampe in vs that giues vs all the valew we haue what would become of our base metle rather of our nothing and should not this take away all comparatiue and vnseemely reioycing in flesh The third vse is for meditation Vse 3 and teacheth vs often to thinke of the vnworthinesse of this our now corrupt nature Of some we vse to say that they are of a very good nature but the truth is nature is alike in all though better set in some than in some by the God of nature hence some are of a calmer spirit and some more boisterous which difference proceedeth not from the nature of the clay alike in all but from the Potters workemanship One saith that a Lyon chained doth not that hurt which one loose doth for this what may wee 〈◊〉 the Lyons nature or his chaine so when some are of better temper than some the thankes is not due to them but to Gods chaine vpon them by restraining grace In the glasse of Cain Saul Iudas wee may see our naturall faces and our naturall mold also that the seed of an ill corne is sowen in vs by naturall propagation Here therefore is matter of deiection for the best and let them thinke of it as they should all are hampered with a miserable necessitie of sinning Rom. 7.19 and as a fire brand neuer so little stirred casts out sparkes euery way so corrupt nature in vs vpon euery motion breakes forth into wickednesse no day goes ouer vs but some concupiscences of sinne goe through the heart and should not this humble vs truely if any thing shall this will which therefore should teach vs to watch the fire that it get not into the drie straw of our nature and burne to destruction daylic wee should purge by repentance who haue a nature from which such foule streames of lust rise vp and fill the house The bread of the children in this place is that holy thing that may not be giuen to dogs Mat.
this holy woman and to set it as a prick in their sides but they wil not be gotten in the afternoones of the Sabbath to come to Catechisings and preaching as soon you shall catch a Hare with a Taber as perswade them The reason why this Woman came to Christ followeth in two occasions of her comming to him Whose young daughter had an vncleane Spirit OR as S. Matthew read's out of the Womans owne speach to Christ was grieuously vexed with a Deuill Matth. 15.22 This is another occasion as it were legge of the Womans comming to Christ and consequently an impelling occasion of the conference had with him and this made her to come readily and running to him Here a sharp assault was made vpon her Faith who being but lately it would seeme conuerted from Paganisme to religion had so ill a welcome to God as to haue a Deuill throwne into her Daughter yet the shield of Faith in her right hand warded off the temptation and she neither laid blame vpon the holy Faith vnto which she was conuerted nor repented of the change followed with so grieuous an affliction Many would in such a case haue thought they had made but a bad change of their old religion thus to bee welcomed by the Deuill in a new but her Faith which was an occasion in her of this conference would not permit her so to mistake rather it driues her to the throne of mercie with an implicit confession of her little worth in any thing for Matth. 15.22 with the voice of a crying supplication she said haue mercy vpon Mee O Lord. Surely it was no light affliction and it could not but be strange newes to a woman and that woman a Cananite to haue a kinde of hell in her house or a deuil at home in a daughter so deare vnto her For what might she think but that God had cast her off who thus had cast the Deuill into her Daughter yet shee bore all quietly as we heard and in her faith attended with hope went boldly to Christ for helpe Doct. 1. From hence we are taught that the nature of Faith is to follow Christ vnder any crosse So the Prophet in trouble gaue not ouer but took surer hold fastning vpon God for deliuerance to whom he directed the eye of his soule Psal 25.1.2 at another time in some great trouble of minde and question of life hee commended into the hand of his supreme Lord the spirit which God had redeemed Psal 31.5 and so went not from God in that crosse but by its approach drew nearer vnto him Herevpon Christ inuiteth sinners that are pressed downe with the weight of their corruption to come to him Matth. 11.28 by Faith Peter speakes for himselfe and all his fellow-Disciples that they had forsaken all to follow Christ Matth. 19.27 that is that to be with him they stuck at nothing and by like Faith he could boldly say that he would follow him into prison and vnto death Luc. 22.33 Saint Paul being faithfull was so well prouided against troubles that might come all which hee receiued vpon the shield of his assurance in Gods promise that hee was resolued that none of them euen vnto death should separate him from the loue of Christ Rom. 8.35.38 Those witnesses also of Christ spoken of by the Author to the Hebrewes of whom wee haue a large Role in the 11. Chapter of that Epistle were all of them faithfull men and women and therefore hauing pitched vpon Christ no terrors of deathcould take them off Hebr. 11.35.36.37.38 so certain it is that no crosse of troubles can beate the faithfull from Christ Reas The reasâ—ns Faith is our eye into heauen the spirituall eye where with we see those innumerable pleasures which are at Gods right hand the least whereof laid in balance with all the glorie on earth is as a Kings crowne to a sâ—pter of reed for the heauiest afflictions of this life sâ—iled but light in the heauenly dialect are as nothing to that farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glorie that they worke for vs in an euer enduring kingdome 2 Cor. 4.17 our worke here not worth a straw is paid with gold And who knowing this and the faithfull know it will sticke at any hardnesse to haue so rich a reward for so small labour Secondly where faith is all troubles are swallowed vp in victorie for faith is the victorie that ouer commeth the world that is whatsoeuer troubles are in the world 1 Iohn 5.4 Now where no troubles are of force what shall force any withdrawing in that kinde Thirdly faith is the ring of our contract with Christ the chiefest of ten thousand Cant. 5.10 and what faithfull soule so contracted will desire to be loosed againe and not rather long for the mariage day Philip. 1.23 A good mariage would not bee brokenâ— for any thing and should any troubles then breake betweene Christians and such an husband and if they should not they shall not in those that are Christians indeed S. Paul a notable Christian and chiefe Apostle would not as we heard to die for it make the mariage void that the spirit had made betweene Christ and him Rom 8.38 Acts 20.24 21.13 The vse reproueth those Vse 1. as persons of no faith who are readie to cast off Christ for euery crosse If you would know an hypocrite looke in the face of him that is wearie of his profession when a crosse comes and there you may haue him the true beleeuer is as true cloth that is as cloth truely made that will not shrinke in the wetting the hypocrite pulls in at euery shâ—wer if a deare yeare come the Gospell shall heare of it and then he talkes of the merry world and when the masse was vp for then there was pleÌ„â—y of all things And this was the song in Ieremias daies taken vp by a desperate people who opposing the Prophet desperately said The word that thou hast spoken in the name of the Lord wee will not heare it of thee Ier. 44.16 and why not their reason was such as theirs with vs who measure religion by the belly so long said they as we burnt incense to the Queen of heauen wee had plentie of victualls and saw no euill but since we left off wee haue wanted all things V. 17.18 This woman endured a greater matter than some restraint of victualls yet did she not mislike her profession for it but for it pinned faster vpon Christ and they who haue seene him that is invisible Heb. 11.27 will doe no lesse The messenger whom Iehoram sent to Eliâ—ha wanting this eie-sight said Behold this euill is of the Lord what should I wait on the Lord any longer 2 King 6.33 Hee should haue charged the sinne of that age but he foolishly charged God so too many in these daies wherein sinne is at full age when any iudgement is iustly executed by famine pestilence or otherwaies blame God or religion but sparingly
been so strange as it was strange for a Cananite to shew such a faith one effect whereof is here shewed in the humble gesture shee vsed comming to Christ for she fell at his feet so low she was so humbly she came vnto him which teacheth Doctr. that they who come in nature of Petitioners to God must come humbly to him as vpon both knees when wee come to worship before his face we must kneele before the Lord our maker Psal 95.6 the godlie will enter with reuerence Dauid was vncouered before the Arke 2 Sam. 6.20 and men like Dauid will be bare headed speaking to God In this matter the Publican to shew a deiected minde stood afarre off Luke 18.13 where the Pharise not humbled pearched higher Ezechiel prophecying fell downe vpon his face Ezek. 11.13 so did the foure and twentie Elders in heauen Apoc. 4.10 5.8 a president for vs on earth The reasons Reasons In such the heart must be humbled 1 Chr. 17 16 17 18.19 and where that goes low the bodie cannot but goe low with it it being the mouing wheele of the bodie and of the whole man where it bends the knee will bend and both fall downe and we vpon both Secondly he is worthie for as the foure and twentie Elders said Apoc. 4.11 hee made knees and all and can wee giue him lesse than his owne Christ therefore fell on his face Matth. 26.39 or as Marke reades fell on the ground when hee prayed Marke 14.35 Christ gaue so much to his Father and shall we giue lesse or if wee fall vpon the knee to a mortall Prince shall wee not fall downe flat before the Lord that made vs The vse is for taxation of some proud Vse and vnciuill beggers in Gods house who pray sitting and couered to whom I say as one once well said if euerie knee were of gold it could not be too good to be giuen to him euen vnto the dust of the ground who filleth this house Wee will not speake to a great man and our hats on how dare we then be couered speaking in prayer to the great God if we had him in any reuerence the knees would doe reuerence that come before him therefore of Saint Iames it is written that his knees became hard as a Camels hoofe with often and long kneeling in prayer but it may be written of some in the booke of their shame that their tender knees cannot endure to touch the hard ground when they should bow downe to pray if they vncouer the head that 's all they neither fall on their faces nor downe on their knees in worshiping I speake of those that are young and haue able bodies for all are not such and they that be not may stand vp which is a fit gesture in prayer and vsed by the godly Patriarchs Isaac Iacob and others the Pharise stood praying and is not reproued for that Luke 18.11 and so did the Publicane who went home iustified more than hee 13.14 But the humbler the heart is the lower will the bodie goe in prayer therefore in signe of humilitie children aske blessing vpon their knees we are not worthie to gather vp those crummes of grace that fall from our Lords table and are wee too good to aske them on our knees and bare headed Indeed God requireth the heart the knee doth litle seruice and the hat off as litle reuerence yet as out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Matth. 12.34 So from an humble heart proceeds the humbling of the bodie the humble bending of the knees and our humble vncouering before that Arke of presence at Church Hypocrits are prodigall enough this way in their double diligence and Iudas kisse but all that which they doe with such an outwardnesse and farre from the heart haue no thanks from God but where Christians doe as much vnder as they ouer it argueth saue where necessitie giues the Law a proud and vnhumbled soule So much for that the woman did what she said followeth She besought him Or according to S. Matthew Cried vnto him IN these words wee haue the manner of this womans petition and in the words following the matter for the manner she besought Christ not coldly but by crying vnto him Christ called not to her She cried to him so strōgly did her faith work Common beggers when they would haue an almes will cry for it but this cry was of an other nature stirred vp another way euen by the renewing of the holy Ghost shed on her abundantly or richly through Christ Tit. 3.5 6. and this made her to crie in the Spirit Doct. as well as with tongue and voice By this meanes shee was strong in faith strong in prayer and so wee learne that powerfull faith causeth powerfull prayer Iacob was a man of singular faith therefore hee made strong and preualent prayer Gen. 32.26.28 Moses one that saw God face to face was a great beleeuer and he also is said to make crying prayer when no voice was heard Exod. 14.15 Hanna likewise prayed with a troubled spirit but in no voice of words her faith spake her tongue said nothing 1 Sam. 1.12.13 and the Prophet that had within a fire of faith brake forth into a flame of words he beleeued and therefore could not but speake Psal 116.10 Ichosaphet prayed powerfully his faith had made him a good Oratour 2 Chr. 20.6 7 8 9 12. Daniel in the captiuitie was not behinde him his feruent faith gaue him a hot breath in prayer Dan. 9.2 3 5 19. and zealous prayer such as Elijah made is called by S. Iames the prayer of faith Iam. 5.15.17 18. the reasons Reasons Prayer is a fruit that groweth vpon the stalke of faith called therefore as was said the prayer of faith and therefore what the tree of it is such is the fruit of more or lesse earstnesse as wee more or lesse beleeue Therefore as our faith is so are our prayers warme faith hot prayer litle faith small prayer no faith no prayer they increase or decay together Secondly they that haue faith with power are more spirit than flesh which none are but they that haue the spirit in a good measure which is the spirit of grace and of supplications Zechar. 12.10 and then how can they but make strong prayer that haue the spirit of prayer all that haue faith with power haue this power and therefore powerfull faith powerfull prayer for this faith is resembled to fire and vnto life the greater fire the greater heat the more of life the stronger motion The vse is for the right triall of our faith Vse where we may iudge of it by our prayers they that pray coldly haue but a weake faith or small fire within but they that otherwaies are of great faith runne a spirituall descant with Daniel in their prayers Dan. 9.19 their heart is prepared and they are not as the dull and sloathfull in their deuotions
flesh of the males of his house when he gaue charge that he with them should be circumcised Gen. 17.10 11. And when God by his Angel would smite the Aegyptians and spare his people for the stronger assurance of their faith hee signeth the two side postes of their houses with the bloud of the Lambe called the bloud of the Passeouer that the destroying Angel seeing it might passe by Exod. 12 22 23. Also God promising deliuerance from the hand of the Midianites by the hand of Gideon doth seale it with two signes Iudg 6.36 37 38 39 40. and our deliuerance from the Madian of hell in the estate of the new Testament hee signeth with the two Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper and so hee doth not punish vs as hee might for not beleeuing and what great person will not storme if his word shall not bee taken but giues vs somewhat in hand to confirme vs rather Reasons the reasons The best are weake to hold the graces which hee giues of faith hope loue patience and other therefore and because hee would not haue so precious wares to goe to losse who saith gather vp the fragments that nothing bee lost Iohn 6.12 hee strengtheneth with sensible helpes the hand into which hee puts them Further also faith is that ladder which Iacob saw and that raught from earth to heauen Gen. 28.12 Now a ladder hath steps vpon it higher and lower and so the ladder of our faith which reacheth from vs to God must likewise haue like steps of helpe or risings toward him and yet further wee are but babes in faith who therefore haue neede of outward things as a wall to hold by Secondly the stubborne heart of nature is not quite gone from the best beleeuers in their new estate of grace and still it hath a stubborne root therefore must haue many hands vnto it besides the promises in the word to pull it vp Thirdly the end of Christs comming one of them was to strengthen the weake lambes of his Fathers election Ezeck 34.16 Now the best that are beleeue but weakely Matth. 8.26 and therefore Christ must either lose the end of his comming or keepe and fulfill it by strengthening the weake in faith The vse is first for instruction Vse 1. teaching Christians to confesse the weakenesse of their faith and that it is not so easie a matter to beleeue as they thinke some say they neuer yet doubted but this easie beleeuing is a sure signe no surer of no faith for they that beleeue indeed are not high minded but feare Rom. 11.20 and some againe trust to their old store neuer seeking as the disciples prayed the increase of their faith Luke 17.5 but wherefore doth God so helpe euen the best in their weake faith if it were strong as it seemes in their imaginate degree of beleeuing besides the shield of faith must bee managed with more humilitie or we shall neuer make vse of it against Satans firie darts either to Gods glorie or our owne preseruation Ephes 6.16 A reproofe of those who despise in the sinne of Ahaz Vse 2. the helps of their weake faith Isa 7.12 which would be considered of those that finde no taste in the Sacraments neither tarrying at Baptisme nor caring to receiue the Lords Supper more then once if once a yeare Indeed God is to bee credited of his word yet in regard of our weake estate in saith his seals confirme vs more When we haue an honest mans seale and writing with his word wee doubt no longer The promise of God is sealed and deliuered in the Sacraments to make it of lesse question with vs in our staggerings here yet in contempt of them we had rather hold by no lease or one that hath no seale vnto it then come and bee at the Sacraments on the dayes of sealing The Lords Supper is the feast of thanksgiuing and here we should take the cup of saluation Psal 116.13 but if a few of the meaner sort come to giue thanks those of higher place take state as nothing concerning them who should bee most thankfull And may not Christ then say as of the Lepers Are not ten cleansed But where are the nine Luk. 17.17 that is are not all bounden and yet where is one of ten that obeyes For of sixteene score in a Parish how few come to meat as Saul said of Dauid Yesterday or to day 1. Sam 20.27 If it were to take some house or peece of Land wee would take it ouer anothers head for hast but where wee may buy for nothing Isa 55.1 wee let all go house and land though of farre better purchase in heauen Vpon this answer to the woman and Christ bidding her to go her way or to take his word she gaue ouer went away and beleeued though hee went not with her in person to cast the deuill out of her daughter And so she beleeued what she did not see Doctr. 2. From whence we may gather That Faith and shee had a great faith standeth not in sight but in the promise of the World We therefore are said to behold the glory of Christ not by face but in the mirrour of the Gospel 2. Corinth 3.18 Simon Peter had faith and that made him to take Christs word for that which hee saw not Luk. 5.5 And that true Israelite Nathanael beleeued vpon a word that Christ spake Ioh. 1.47 48 49. Abraham receiued the promise and so did that cloud of faithfull Saints spoken of in the eleuenth to the Hebrews by faith not by seeing by an inuisible hand not by an hand of visible matter Rom. 4.20.21 And this is the word of faith that wee preach not the word of man which is but the word of opinion Rom. 10.8 and this is the ground of things hoped for and euidence of things that are not seene Hebr. 11.1 Therefore Christs first Text was Repent and beleeue the Gospell Mar. 1.15 hee saith not Repent and see but repent and beleeue what you cannot see And it is no proper speech to say wee beleeue what we see for faith goes when sight comes Hebr. 11.1 And thus the obiect of Faith is not sight but matter that cannot be seene Reasons The reasons Faith is in the heart Rom. 10.10 therefore not vnder sense also of things to come and therefore neither vnder sight For who can see that that is not Secondly the obiect of Faith is God the Father Son and holy Ghost And is God in Trinitie vnder the sense of sight whom we see with other eyes in the glasse of the Gospel For in it we haue Christ and in him eternall life Ioh. 5.39 But neither he nor it is in the norison of our sight and what mortall eye can see so farre A reproofe of those who go all by sight Vse 1. In matters of high mysterie they will go no further then reason doth bring them drawne from the senses where it is reason of faith