faire shew of faith and loue when in truth these bee not in them these be plaine Hypocrites so farre from happinesse as they be from sincerity 4. Lastly to end this point great euidence may bee had that our profession is sincere and not fained Obedience in matter and manner from our obedience to Gods Commaundements and that two wayes partly from the matter partly from the manner In eyther of which wee shall see apparant difference betweene the childe of God and him that is onely in shew For the former the true child of God from his heart hateth all sinne which hee knoweth to bee sinne yea those sinnes most which most annoye him and such as his corrupt nature is most inclinable vnto and contrarily in his heart desireth to please God in all things and so in truth laboureth chiefly to yeeld obedience to God in those duties to which naturally hee is most vnwilling and so indeed doth mortifie the flesh when it would most reigne ouer him The carnall Protestant on the other side will euer haue some sin so sweete that he hides it like sugar-candy â—â—der his tongue and cannot forgoe it and he must bee borne with in such sinnes as are most pleasing to his nature as the proud person in his pride the voluptuous in his pleasures the couetous in his sinfull gaine which shewes that their heart is false and doe leaue some sinne for by-respects for did they in truth hate sinne because it is sin and offendeth God they would hate one as well as another So againe hee that pretendeth conscience in some duties commanded and wilfully neglecteth others which hee knoweth God requireth of him and will by no meanes be brought to doe them his heart is vnsound respecting more his owne ease gaine and credit then Gods honour or fauour towards him As for example hee that will not forgiue an offence or debt and will not shew mercy and releeue by giuing and lending when hee knoweth hee ought And so for the first table he that wilfully neglects holy exercises of religion by himselfe and with his family which hee confesseth he should vse and will not sanctifie the Sabboth whch God commands these men and the like can haue no sound proofe or comfort that they be truly regenerated In all which I would not bee vnderstood of frailtie in neglecting the good commanded or doing the euill forbidden both which doe fall into Gods true children Rom. 7. 18. whose will is present to doe the will of God though through the strength of corruption and weakenesse of grace they much faile in either of these But I speake of such as set their hearts to sinne Psal 66. 18 as in the Psalm and their hearts rise against such duties so that they will not as they say be held vnder such slauery these bee hollow-hearted hypocrites what shew soeuer they make to the contrary in any case notwithstanding 5. Now for the other propertie of true obedience concerning the right manner thereof Manner this is the care of those who make conscience to please God that they content not themselues with the deed done as to heare Gods word to pray to giue 〈◊〉 and the like but they endeauour to doe all these in such a holy manner especially for the inward affection as God requireth and therefore bee as much humbled for their defects this way as if they had not done these duties at all whereas the hollow hearted Hypocrite so contenteth himselfe yea boasteth of the outward deede done that he thinkes himselfe wronged if hee bee not approoued of God and commended of men Witnesse these and such other voyces of theirs to God Esa 58. 3. Why haue we fasted and thou seest not wherefore haue wee afflicted our soules Luk. 18. 12 and thou takest no knowledge And againe I fast twice in the weeke I giue tythes of all that I possesse Take Saul for example saying 1 Sam. 15. 13. I haue performed the Commandements of the Lord. In which it is manifest they looke onely to the outward worke and so wash onely the outside of the cuppe but neuer looke to the heart and in what manner they performe these and all other holy duties Thus haue we seene some speciall markes whereby euery man who taketh vpon him the name and profession of a Christian may try himselfe and know whether his heart be vpright and his conuersion sound without which there can be no true comfort But hee that findeth these markes of Christs sheep vpon him though not so cleerely as some others may hee may haue boldnes before God and assure himselfe that he hath rightly receiued the grace of Gods Spirit So then to conclude this point how any man may certainely knowe by the causes and effects soundly wrought in him that hee hath true faith and thereby is a true member of Christ and sothe child of God and heire of life euerlasting I desire euery one wisely to laye all together and to raise vp their iudgement of their estate not vpon a peece or part therof but on the whole worke ioyned together which is onely auaileable to prooue any to be a house or Temple for the Holy Ghost to dwell in This I adde for their sakes who dangerously hazard their hope of happinesse vpon some one of these workes of Gods Spirit or more which may be in those that perish who haue many of these I say not in a sanctified manner but in a common sort as hath beene shewed already whereas this among all is one infallible marke of Gods regenerating and sanctifying Spirit that where he beginneth hee perfecteth his worke whom hee vniteth to Christ by faith he quickneth and purgeth so that faith without fruits is a dead stocke and all fruites not growing out of faith are but as wild and bitter grapes vnacceptable to God and vnprofitable to man Hauing hitherto shewed what true faith is How to liue by faith how it is wrought and how any man may knowe that this is truely wrought in him by God Spirit Now it followes to consider how hee that indeede harh this pretious faith may liue thereby which is the principall matter by me in this Treatise intended For the better vnderstanding and practise whereof wee are wisely to weigh these two things First thing What it is to liue by faith Secondly How this is attained For the former to liue by faith is this that God hauing made promise of all good things more then wee could aske or thinke that no good thing shall be wanting and whatsoeuer commeth shall be for our good Wee are so to beleeue that we thereby be aswell satisfied when we haue no meanes of helpe as if we had all that our hearts could desire which is to be seen both in earthly and spirituall matters As for example if a man should fall into any grieuous calamity as into a dangerous disease and should see no way of helpe yet if he beleeue that
master their strongest corruptions For here the Apostle finding no where out of Christ any sufficient power to deliuer him out of this captiuitie to sinne and death by the hand of faith hee layeth holde vpon Christ assuring himselfe vpon Christs promise 2. Cor. 12 9 That his grace should be sufficient for him and that his power should be magnified in his weaknesse Therefore hee should not bee left in his enemies hands but in due time to be set at libertie more freely to serue the Lord. This is that I commend to the practise of euery true beleeuer that whensoeuer hee feeles his corruptions too hard for him that he cannot by all his endeauors get the masterie ouer them then to flye to Christ and by true faith to applye his promises for the mortifying of sinne that thereby hee may receiue power from Christ more to crucifie the olde man with his members For our better performance whereof I will a little digresse though not farre from my purpose briefly to set out the readiest and the surest way which I know to mortifie any sin which standeth in the diligent exercise of these 4 rules following First 4. rules of mortification that whereas wee bee all blind by nature that wee see not our sinnes and so full of pride and selfe-loue that wee thinke better of our selues then there is cause euery one who will mortifie his sinne must labour by all good meanes to finde out what bee his chiefest sinnes most displeasing â—o God These meanes be 1. A true examination of our selues in euery commandement 2. Secondly a carefull obseruation of all our wayes and as men doe trace the creatures in the time of snowe so to marke our steppes in time of temptation as our impatience when wee be prouoked and so for all other sinnes as pride and couetousnesse c. 3. Thirdly a seeking and receiuing admonition from such as spye our infirmities 4. And fourthly earnest praier to God to discouer our chiefest imperfections By all which and the like faithfully vsed wee shall finde out wherein we haue most need to be reformed that so vpon sight thereof wee may better applye all our endeauours for our recouerie The second rule is 2. rule to be weary of our sins when wee haue found out our sinne then to get our hearts to be weary of the same and willing to be cured of it which shall be if we consider the great hurt it brings vs partly in keeping good things from vs and partly in pulling downe vpon vs so many euills vpon soule and body our selues and others belonging to vs. To set out these in particulars would not be hard but it would carry mee too farre from my matter intended It shall suffice to remember in this case that all our woe comes from our sinnes as both Scripture reason and continuall experience doe shewe which if it were well weighed would make vs more weary of our sinne then of our sicknesse or other affliction and breede in vs much more feruent desires to bee cured And therefore this must bee another daily consideration both what bitter fruites our sinnes bring foorth and that from thence all the woes we meete withall doth spring The third and most principall rule is 3. rule is to get power froÌ„ Christ That for so much as such is our frailtie that when we haue got some true sight of our principall corruptions and therewithall some loathing of them with an earnest desire to be ridde of them yet wee haue no ability in our selues to mortifie them but All our sufficiency is of God and without Christ wee can doe nothing as is oft said but neuer sufficientlie regarded Therefore hereupon especially dependeth all our power to mortifie sinne that we by faith doe drawe from Christ that power and vertue which is in him to change our crabbed and sowre nature that wee may bee sweete and pleasant grapes for the Lord our God This is that especially which I ayme at to perswade all that faine would get more mastery ouer their strong corruptions and vnrulie affections namely to do as the woman in the Gospel Who hauing an issue of blood twelue yeers and had suffered many things of the Physitions Mar. 5. 25. and had spent all that she had and was nothing better but rather grew worse when she heard of Iesus came in the preasse behind him and touched his garment for she said if I may but touch him I shall be whole and straight way the fountaine of her blood was dryed vp and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague Euen so must we all who haue had many foule issues of sinne of pride hypocrisie security presumption wrathfulnesse vncleanenesse worldlinesse and the like many and haue taken great paines and beene nothing the better but rather growne worser for so must it needes be till we come to Christ doe wee what possiblie wee can such I say must come to Christ and touch him by a true faith and then shall they feele vertue to come from him to drye vp this fountaine of their corruptions Oh that this might be brought more into tryall what would be the difference betweene this and all other practises for the mortifying of the flesh which without this shall bee found insufficient if not deceiueable for where shal be found any vertue to kill sinne in our nature but in Christ in our nature Can mans reason will or resolution suffise to draw him to forsake his so pleasing and profitable sinnes as hee supposeth If this might bee in some outward actions in respect of men yet this cannot bee in the heart to please God which is onely the worke of Gods Spirit in true beleeuers How this is to be done hath beene before declared here onely I commend the vse of this liuing by faith without which as there is no true mortification of any sinne whatsoeuer so by this wee shall surely obtaine power against the oldest and strongest corruptions in our nature Whereunto if one thing be added I well see not what should be wanting to the mortification of them all at least in such measure as God will accept of and wee may haue comfort in which is the fourth rule by mee intended 4. rule of mortifying sinne namely That hauing receiued 1. a true sight of sinne 2. a willing minde to bee cured of it 3. power from Christ for the subduing of it then in the last place that with this furniture we enter the battaile and with good courage set against al the assaults of Sathan all the allurements of this world and all the euill lusts of our owne hearts Eph. 4. 27. That we giue not place to the diuell Iam. 4. 7. but resist him rather 1. Pet. 5. 9. stedfast in faith as wee oft be exhorted and that vpon promise that hee shall flie from vs which is the same whereto the Apostle exhorts and perswades by many arguments To
to beleeue and for an example to set before them Gods dealing with the Ephesians of whom the Apostle saith Eph. 2. 3. That when they were dead in trespasses and sinnes which is as bad as may bee yet hee heapes more of their wofull condition verse 2. 11. 12. yet these were quickned in Christ so likewise the Colossians Col. 1. 21. being before their conuersion strangers and enemies because their mindes were set on euill workes were reconciled to God c. And to say the truth so is it with all that bee conuerted as Paul testifieth of himselfe and all other beleeuers before their effectuall calling that they had their conuersation in times past in the lusts of their flesh in fulfilling the will of the flesh of the minde and were by nature the children of wrath as well as others All which if a poore sinner shall consider that others in as bad a state as he and many farre worse were receiued to mercy and that God doth in mercy as freely offer it to him as them and is as faithfull as euer to performe what he saith this doubtlesse will in time moue him to expect like mercy at Gods hands if hee shall with patience waite the Lords leisure and neuer giue ouer earnest supplication to God to draw him and daily meditation on Gods mercy Thus will I leaue this point hauing said more then I purposed Peace only I desire to be considered that vnder this reconciliation I containe that peace which Christ makes betweene God and vs whereof Rom. 5. 1. Eph. 2. 17. and elsewhere oft that it may bee referred to this head Now we come to the second fruite of our Iustification which is Adoption Adoption whereby I vnderstand that high fauour of God whereby hee maketh those who be iustified by Christ and so reconciled his owne children and heires of all his blessings If Dauid thought it no small preferment to bee sonne in Law to King Saul 1 Sam. 18. 23. what may bee thought of this And therefore the Apostle Iohn calleth all to an admiration of that vnspeakeable loue of God in calling vs to be the sonnes of God 1 Ioh. 3. 1. Wherein we haue to consider not only the excellencie of this estate but the certainetie of it without which we could haue no comfort by it This certaintie appeares as in this that God hath called all true beleeuers to be his sonnes so further in the next verse where he saith Dearely beloued now are we the sonnes of God though as he saith is appeares not what wee shall bee To this purpose well serueth that gracious promise which the Apostle citeth out of the Prophet Hosea And it shall be in the place where it was said vnto them Rom. 9. 26. yee are not my people that there they shall bee called the children of the liuing God So likewise when the Lord promiseth to such as shall separate themselues from the wicked And I will bee a Father vnto you 2 Cor. 6. 18. and yee shall be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord Almightie Reu. 21. 7. Againe Hee that ouercommeth shall inherit all things And I will be his God and hee shall be my sonne these promises must be the cause of our faith and our faith the cause of our obedience as hath beene said And therefore it is said Yee are all the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus Gal. 3. 26. And yet much more to our present purpose is that excellent Scripture Gal. 4. 4 5 6 7. which containes much for the strengthening of our faith in this whole point of the assurance of our saluation therfore I rehearse it all But when the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman and made vnder the Law that hee might redeeme them which were vnder the Law that we might receiue the adoption of sonnes And because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts which cryeth Abba Father Wherein to passe ouer all the rest this is euident that a maine end why God sent his Sonne to redeeme vs miserable sinners who are by nature vnder the curse of the Law was this that wee might by this redemption by Christ bee made Gods children and as the Apostle saith Rom. 8. 17. If children then also heires euen the heires of God and coheires with Christ as it followeth in the former Scripture Gal. 4. 7. Wherefore thou art no more a seruant but a sonne now if thou bee a son thou art also an heire of God through Christ If this be so as the deuill himselfe cannot denie who can sufficiently admire and magnifie the bountifulnesse and loue of God to man Vse by so great a price to purchase so high a dignitie Tit. 3. 4. as the Apostle John calls it that wee should be the sonnes of God Ioh. 1. 12. and partakers with Christ of all his glory in his Fathers kingdome But me thinkes I heare some one say It is true this is a most blessed estate if a man might bee assured it were his owne but seeing the Scripture oft witnesseth that they be but few who attaine this fauour Obiection how may I who am so vnworthy so full of sinne and voide of grace euer hope to bee a partaker hereof This beeing so great an obiection and so common whereby many be kept from beleeuing it is meete to be well answered It hath two partes first that so fewe come to bee Gods children to which I answer first the fault hereof is not in God who as oft hath beene said hath so largly proclaimed life in the Gospel to euery sinner Again if there were an almes of great value cast among many which a few onely could enioy what scrambling is there who could get it A memorable story of late yeares I will relate to be a witnes against all such wicked seruants Mat. 25. 26 and slothfull as our Sauiour calls them who hearing that a few shall bee saued will let others striue for it and be content to goe without it themselues which is indeede and so the Lord will count it a flatte despising of his mercy offered vnto them A rich woman gaue at her death a dole of sixe pence to the poore that came to Leaden Hall in London for which there was such striuing that many were troden to death how shall these rise in iudgement against our dainty idle ambitious couetous and voluptuous worldlings who euery one in their kinde striue extreamely for their desires but take no paines to be saued But to leaue these and to come to the second part of the obiection which concerns a better sort and farre neerer saluation who be kepr backe by their vnworthinesse whom as I much pitty for their vncomfortablenesse so can I no lesse blame for their ignorance that after so long preaching of the Gospell wherein all the mercies of God be
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