publikely expounded whereas in the meane time the Bible lieth neglected or little regarded wherein wee may see the notable worke of the Diuell and his malice toward the Church of God for the Schooles of the Prophets are the fountaines of learning Now when as Sathan by this meanes doth steale away from them the study of the Bible and in stead thereof foisteth in corrupt humane writings hereby hee poisons the fountaines to the danger of infecting the whole Church And as this is common in the places of Poperie so likewise some fault is this way committed among vs that be Protestants for many in their priuate studies take little paines in the booke of God but apply themselues wholly to the writings of mē as Counsels Fathers Schoole-men and other Expositors and in the handling of the Scripture they glory more to proue a point of doctrine by multiplicitie of humane testimonies then by the written word But the truth is thus to doe is to preferre the handmaide before the Mistris and as for the opening expounding of Scripture by other Writers it is no such point of deepe learning a man of ordinary capacity and diligence may easily deliuer what others haue done before him But to open the Scripture soundly and purely as it ought to be is of another nature then these mē take it and hereto the sound study of the Text itselfe will proue the best helpe as they will confesse who haue tried most of all And though the best mens works be but base stuffe to the pure word of God yet the writings of holy mē must not be contemned but must be read and regarded in their place for our furnishing and enabling to the study of the Scriptures and for the helping of our knowledge and iudgement in the word of God they that hold or practice the contrary knowe not what helpes they be and what light they yeeld to many dark places of Scripture But stil aboue and beyond before and after all the word of God must be eaten vp of vs and studied with all diligence Secondly in that the Author of this Epistle noteth their particular sentence and by consequence gathereth this meditation out of it that they sought a Country Hereby all men are taught to exercise themselues in hearing and reading all the places of the Bible euen the Histories of men therein and out of the words to gather godly meditations So Paul saith to the Colossians Let the word of God dwel plentiously in you Coloss. 3.16 The Prophet Dauid also noteth it for the property of a good man to meditate in the Law of God day and night And the practice of the blessed virgine Mary is registred as an example for vs to followe that she kept all the sayings of Christ in her heart But pitty it is to see how reading in the word of God is laid aside for it is so little practiced that men now-adaies will not be at charge to buy a Bible for bookes of Statutes men will not onely haue them in their houses but at their fingers ends but Bible they haue none and if they haue it lieth on the deske or table and they reade it not and if sometime they reade yet they neuer meditate thereon as wee are taught in this place Further whereas the holy Ghost reasoneth thus vpon these examples Abraham Isaac and Iacob were strangers and Pilgrimes therefore they sought a Country Herein hee teacheth vs this speciall point to wit that a doctrine though it be not expressed in plaine words in the Bible yet being gathered thence by right and iust consequence is no lesse to be beleeued and receiued then that which is plainly expressed and therefore they are farre to blame which mislike these tearmes in Diuinitie person nature sacrament consubstantiall trinitie c. because they are not expressed in the word But they may with good conscience and much profit be retained because though not literally yet in sense and meaning they are contained in the Scripture and may by iust consequence be gathered thence And wee denie not transubstantion because the word is not in the Scripture but because the matter is not there nor can by necessary consequence be deriued from it but rather the contrary Againe many refuse these doctrines the proceeding of the holy Ghost from the sonne and the baptizing of children because they are not expressed in the Scripture But hence we answer that though they be not expresly set downe in so many wordes yet by iust consequence they may be soundly gathered out of Scripture and therefore are true doctrines no lesse to be beleeued then that which is plainly expressed And thus much of the first part of the reason And if they had beene mindfull of that Countrey whence they came they had leisure to haue returned But now they desire a better that is an heauenly Wherefore God is not ashamed of them to be called their God For he hath prepared for them a Citie Here the holy Ghost proueth the second part of the former argument by 2. reasons the first is contained in the 15. verse and the beginning of the 16. It is taken from the distinction of Countries and may be framed thus They either sought an earthly Country or an heauēly Country But not an earthly Therfore they sought an heauenly Country The first part of this reason is cleare of it selfe The second part is in the 15. verse from whence followeth the conclusion in the beginning of the 16. verse To come to the first part in these words And if they had beene mindefull of the countrey c. That is if they had regarded or thought vpon Mesopotamia or Caldea from whence they came and where they were borne with any desire to haue enioyed the profits or pleasure therof they had leisure enough to haue returned backe thither by reason of the length of their daies which they liued in the Land whither God called them Here obserue two points First that they are not mindefull of or as the word imports they remember not the countrey from whence they came but when God gaue them commandement to depart thence and not to returne to Mesopotamia againe after this commandement giuen they came forth and did forget their owne countrey Whence we learne that howsoeuer vsually Forgetfulnesse be a vice yet some kinde of forgetfulnesse is a notable vertue namely to forget the things that displease God and which hee would not haue vs to thinke vpon Psal. 45.9 The Church is commanded to forget her own people and her fathers house That is her owne will and desires shee must neuer thinke thereof nor of any other thing whereby God is displeased vnlesse it be with dislike This condemneth the practice of many aged persons in these daies who delight themselues among the yonger sort to tell of the bad practices of their youth in wantonnesse contentions and breaking Gods commandements But in so doing they sinne grieuously for a man must not
gold siluer or promotion but reconciliation with my God and his fauour in Iesus Christ If thou hast these two then thou goest beyond Cain then shalt thou stand before God with Abell and be accepted Remember these two humiliation for sinne and desire of reconciliation these two is the summe of religion If thou hast these thou art blessed with Abell if not cursed with Cain howsoeuer thou liuest in the world If thou say Cain kill'd his brother and so would not I doe for all the world I will do no man hurt in body or goods This will not serue for it is said that God had no respect to Cain afore he kill'd his brother euen when he offred his sacrifice and therefore this duty is most necessary and there is no shifting it off 2. Cain offred as well as Abell yea Cain offred afore Abell as it is manifest in Genesis 4.3 And yet Abels sacrifice was better when it came to the proofe and was accepted not Cains which came first Hence we learn that a man may be more forward then many other in many outward duties of religion and yet not be accepted of God Another may be not so forward to the duty and yet when hee comes be better accepted Whence comes this what is forwardnesse in good duties a fault Nothing lesse but hence it is he that outwardly is most forward may come in hypocrisie without faith the want whereof makes his forwardnesse nothing worth Many such haue we in our Church great frequenters of places and exercises of religion and yet they come but as Cain did or it may be in worse intents Thy forwardnesse is to be commended but take this with thee also Care not so much to be first at the SermoÌ„ or to be there oftner theÌ„ other as to goe with true faith repentance a heart hungâ—ing for grace if not boast not in thy forwardnes Cain offred afore Abell yet not accepted so there may com an Abell after thee bring faith with him be accepted wheÌ„ thou with thy hypocriticall forwardnes shalt be reiected as Cain was Thirdly did Cain offer as wel as Abel Hence we learn that the Church militant is a mixt coÌ„pounded coÌ„pany of men not of one sort but true beleeuers hypocrites mingled together as here in the very infancy of the Church here was a Cain worshipping in shew as wel as Abell that worshipped in truth So was it in the infancy so in her perpetual growth so shal it be in the last age of the church the good shal neuer be quite separated froÌ„ the bad vntil Christ himself do it at the last iudgement Goates shall alwaies be mingled amongst the sheepe till Christ the great shepheard do separate them himselfe Math. 25.34 And he that imagineth a perfect separation till then imagineth a fancy in his braine and such a Church as cannot be found vpon the earth This being so let no man therfore be afraid to ioyne himself to the visible Church neither let any that are in it go out of it because the bad are mingled with the good for so it hath been alwaies euer wil be he then that wil go out of a Church because there be hypocrites in it must go out of the world for such a Church is not fouÌ„d but triuÌ„phant in heaueÌ„ Fourthly 〈◊〉 that Cain Abel offred hence we learne that the Church of God which truly professeth his name hath been euer since the beginning of the world For this Church was in the houshold of AdaÌ„ wheÌ„ there was no more but it in the world for sacrifice to God is a sign of the Church yea beside the sacrifice they had a place appointed where Adam his family came together to worship God For so much Cain intimateth Gen. 4.14 16. Cain went out from the presence of the Lord that is not onely out of his fauour protection but from the place of his solemne seruice where he wonted to manifest his special presence to his childreÌ„ seruing him and therfore Cain as being excomunicate complaines verse 14 because he must leaue it Thus the Church hath been froÌ„ the beginning therfore is truly call'd Catholike The Papists abuse this place notoriously for whereas the Church hath been so antient they argue therfore it is aboue the Scripture yea that we could not know it to be Scripture but by the antient testimonie of the Church We must know the Scripture is two wayes to be considered 1. As it was written penned by holy men and so it is later then the Church for Moses was the first penman of Scripture but secondly as it is the word of God the substance sense and truth therof is much more antient theÌ„ the Church yea without the word of God there can be no Church For without faith is no Church because the Church is a coÌ„pany of beleeuers and without the word it is no faith therfore no word no faith no faith no Church So then the Scripture was afore the Church but penned after Thus we see that Cain and Abell offered Now secondly what offred they sacrifices Sacrifices were vsed in the worship of God for two ends 1. When a sacrifice was offred especially of beasts when a man saw the bloud of the beasts poured out it put him in mind of his own sins and the desert of them taught him to say thus Eue as this creature is here slain his bloud distils drops away so my sins deserue that my bloud should be sâ—â—ed and my soule be drenched in hell for euer This creature can die but one death for it sinneth not but my sins deserue both the 1. and 2. death Secondly sacrifices serued to put theâ—â— in minde of the Messias to come and the slaying of the beasts shewed them how the Messias should shed his bloud giue his life for the â—irâ—s of the people These are the 2. principal ends of sacrifices for these 2. ends did Cain Abel offer Cain in hypocrisie and for fashion sake Abell in truth conscience and sinceritie As it was in the old sacrifices so is it in our Sacraments of the new Testament whereof the sacrifices were all types 1. In baptisme sprinkling of the water serues to shewe vs how filthily we are defiled with our owne sinnes 2. It signifies the sprinkling of the bloud of Christ vpon the heart of a sinner for his sanctification from sinne 2. In the supper the breaking of the bread signifies 1. how we should be broken in humiliation for our sinne and the pouring out of the wine how our bloud and life should be shed and poured out for our sinnes if wee had that that we deserue And secondly they represent vnto vs how the body of Christ was broken his bloud poured out for our sinnes which he was content to suffer vnder the wrath of his Father for our sakes so that we see both the sacrifices and
body and soule and for proofe thereof they bring S. Paul where he saith Christ is the first fruits of them that sleepe Answer True indeede of them that sleepe that is of all that die for Christ entred into heauen both in body soule first of all them but Henoch neuer died as the Text here auoucheth therefore that place hinders not but Henoch might be in heauen in his body before Christs humane flesh ascended thither Thirdly they argue out of Saint Iohn No man hath ascended into heauen but he that descended the sonne of man which is in heauen But say they this sonne of man is not Henoch but Christ therefore none but Christ ascended bodily into heauen Answer That place is not meant of corporall ascending but of vnderstanding mysticall and heauenly things no man ascendeth to the full knowledge of heauenly Misteries but Christ alone who descended from heauen from the bosome of his Father And thus we see this opinion hath no strength of Argument to rest vpon but wee may safely hold notwithstanding any thing that can be said against it that Henoch was translated both in body and soule And if any man yet doubt how he could be takē vp in body before he was glorified Wee are to know though he died not yet his body was changed as those men shall be which shall be found aliue at the last day The second opinion is that Henoch was taken vp in soule and body into Paradise some say the heauenly but the most the earthly Paradise and there liues in his mortall and corruptible body and must afore the last day come againe in his body with Elias and fight against Antichrist and when by their doctrine they haue ouercome him hee shall by violence kill them and so they shall die Martyrs And this is the generall receiued opinion of the most Papists But it is a meere conceit and a dreame and there is no ground for it but good argument against it For first as for the Earthly Paradise it was defaced by the flood nor doe we read that euer man was in it but Adam And some of their owne fables tell vs that Seth went to the gates of Paradise when his father Adam was sicke to get some Physicke out of Paradise for his father but hee could not get in Nor doe we finde any mention of it afterwards So that it is likely in all reason that it was defaced by the vniuersall flood And if they meane he was translated into the Heauenly Paradise I answer thither can no vncleane thing come but a mortall body is vncleane and themselues say hee was taken away in his mortall body and in it shal come againe and die Therefore Henoch hauing a mortall and vnglorified bodie cannot be in the highest heauens into which nothing can enter which is not glorified and made immortall If they alleadge Ecclesiasticus 44.16 Enoch pleased God and was translated into Paradise c. I answer we neede not call in question the authoritie of the booke nor answer that it is not in the Canon of faith For the text is corrupted wilfully by some that shewed thēselues in the Latine too bold with the text both there and elsewhere for in the Greeke originall there is no such matter as Paradise but the words are these Enoch pleased God and was translated for an example of repentance to the generations And thus we see this opinion is euery way erroneous and hath no shadow of reason in it nor for it Seeing therefore both these opinions are to bee refused let vs in few words set downe the true and Orthodoxall iudgement of the Church out of the Scriptures in the olde and new testament And it is this That this holy man by Gods special fauour to him was assumed into heauen both body and soule his soule beeing perfectly sanctified and his body glorified in the instant of his translation and there he remaineth in glory expecting the generall resurrection and the full glorification of all Gods elect Out of this translation of Henoch we may learne First that there is a life euerlasting prepared of God for his children wherein they shall liue for euer both in soule body for hereof hath God giuen vs most euident testimonies both here in Enoch and afterward in Elias Elias a Iew Enoch none Enoch in the first world Elias in the second Enoch before the flood Elias after Enoch vncircumcised Elias circumcised Enoch married Elias vnmarried and both were assumed into heauen in soule and body and are there to this day and tarry for vs till the ende of the world assuring vs that our soules liue for euer that our bodies thogh they die shall rise againe to life Here therefore wee haue a notable ground for that last but not the least article of our faith where we professe to belieue life euerlasting Secondly in this example we learne that God is not tied to the order of Nature The order which God established set downe concerning all men after Adams fall is this Dust thou art and to dust shalt thou returne By vertue of this decree all men are to die as sure as they once liue and when that time appointed by God is come all the world cannot saue one man but accordingly die he must But here notwithstanding we see God that tied man to this order is not tied himselfe Enoch and Elias are exempted they die not their bodies neuer turned to dust such is the power of God ouer the order of Nature in all naturall actions Thirdly whereas the Papists holde that all the Fathers who died before Christ were in Limbus a place out of heauen and came not in heauen till Christ fetcht them thence and carried them with him at his ascension Here wee learne it is most false forged For here we see Henoch and afterwards Elias were in heauen both in body and soule many hundred yeares before Christs Incarnation whereby as also by many other euidences that might be brought it is apparant that Limbus Patrum is nothing but a deuise of that hereticall Church of Rome Hitherto hath the holy Ghost auouched the translation of Henoch Now hee proueth substantially that he was taken away Neither was hee found for God had taken him away And for his proofe he first laieth downe his ground then he thereupon frameth his argument consisting of diuers degrees of demonstration The ground is the plaine and euident testimonie of the old Testament in Genesis where the words are these Henoch was not found or not seene for God tooke him away Against this ground being the very wordes of the olde Testament no man can take exception And heere in a word let vs all marke the high and soueraigne authoritie of Gods word which euen the holy Ghost himselfe vouchsafeth to alledge for the confirmation of his owne words It had beene sufficient that the holy Ghost here affirmed Enoch to be taken away but we see
it This sanctification is called inward righteousnesse Now the Church of Rome saith A man may be iustified by this But it is not so as appeares by these reasons First this righteousnesse is in this life imperfect and that is proued by the Apostle where he saith VVee doe here knowe but in part 1. Corinth 13.12 Therefore our vnderstanding is but in part regenerate and as it so consequently all other parts or powers of our soule are but in part regenerate and in them all we are partly spirit and partly flesh Galath 5.17 Therefore if our sanctification be imperfect it cannot iustifie vs. Againe this righteousnesse is mingled with sinne and vnrighteousnesse and from this mixture comes the combat betwixt the flesh and the Spirit spoken of Galath 8.17 For these two are contrary one to the other If it be mingled with sinne then it cannot make vs righteous no nor the works of grace that come from it though God in mercy reward them And though as S. Iames saith They iustifie our faith and make vs iust before men Iames 2.21 Yet can they not iustifie vs before Gods Iustice nor at the barre of the last Iudgement will they passe for payment S. Paul saith 1. Corinth 4.4 I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified that is I haue so walked in my calling since I was an Apostle and Minister of the Gospell as I am not priuie nor guilty to my selfe of any negligence therein If he dare not stand to that to be iustified by iâ— who dare take hold when he refuseth Againe no man can doe any perfect good workes vnlesse hee be perfectly iust For how can perfection come out of imperfection But no man can be perfectly iust in this sinfull body as is proued in the first reason therfore his works here in this life cannot be such as may make him righteous But it may be obiected Though our workes haue some defects in them yet Gods mercy accepts them for righteous and iust and therefore they may iustifie vs. I answere As Gods mercy accepts them so must his Iustice be satisfied also but they being imperfect cannot satisfie his Iustice for Gods infinite Iustice requires perfect satisfaction But as for our best workes as they are done by vs weigh them in the balance of Gods Iustice and they are so light as they deserue damnation yet in Gods mercy in Christ their defects are couered and they are reputed good workes and are rewarded but we incroach vpon Gods mercy and abuse his Iustice if therefore wee imagine they should deserue Gods mercy or be able to iustifie vs in his sight Thus then seeing Legall righteousnesse faileth vs let vs come to Euangelicall Euangelicall righteousnesse is that that is reuealed in the Gospell and should neuer haue beene reuealed if that of the Law could haue saued vs. But when it not by defect in it but default in our selues could not then God in mercy affordeth vs another in the Gospell Euangelicall righteousnesse is that that is in Christ Iesus his it is that must make a man righteous before God But this Christ was an extraordinary person consisting of two natures Godhead Manhood And accordingly hee hath a double righteousnesse in his holy person First as he is God he hath in his nature the righteousnesse of God and that is vncreated and infinite and therefore incommunicable and so none is nor can be righteous by it Secondly there is in Christ a righteousnesse of his humanity and this though it be finite and created yet is it beyond measure in comparison of the righteousnesse of man or Angell So saith S. Iohn 3. God giueth not him the Spirit by measure This righteousnesse of Christ as man or Mediator consisteth in two things 1. In the purity of his nature 2. In the perfection of his obedience The first branch of our Mediators righteousnesse is the holinesse of his humanity which was perfectly sanctified in his conception by the powerfull operation of the Godhead and this was done at the first instant of his conception in the virgins wombe From this purity of nature proceeded his obedience which was as perfect as his nature was pure and so pure a nature made a plaine way to perfect obedience And therefore as his conception was free from sinne originall so was his whole life from the least sinne actuall Now the Mediators obedience was double Actiue Passiue And both these he performed in his owne person His Passiue obedience was his passion or suffering of whatsoeuer the Iustice of God had inflicted on man for sinne whether for soule or body The Actiue obedience of the Mediators person was his perfect fulfilling of the morall Law in all duties to God or man in thought word or deede and all this for vs in our steade and on our behalfe And here is true righteousnesse for where the nature of anie person is perfectly pure and the obedience perfect the righteousnesse of that person is perfect And I saye all this was done by him for vs hee suffered all that wee should haue suffered and suffered not hee did that which wee should haue done and did not And this is that righteousnesse by which a sinner is made righteous before God For seeing legall cannot it is this that must And now wee haue found that righteousnesse by which Noah and all holy men were made and counted righteous namely that that is resident in the holy person of Iesus Christ the Mediator And yet this is aboue and beyond all reason that one should be iustified by anothers righteousnesse and the doctrine though it be of God and grounded neuer so strongly on Gods word yet hath it enemies and is mightily oppugned by the Church of Rome Therefore let vs first proue it and then answere the obiections to the contrarie Wee proue it thus First from plaine Scripture 1. Corinth 3.24 Hee that knew no sinne was made sinne for vs that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him What can be said plainer he was made sinne for vs and wee righteousnesse by him Therefore as Christ was no sinner in his owne person but our sinnes were laid vpon him and so he was made a sinner by our sins so though we be not righteous in our owne persons yet hauing â—hrists righteousnesse imputed to vs we are made righteous by his righteousnesse Againe the righteousnesse that must saue vs must be the righteousnesse of man and God as in the aforenamed place it is said that wee might be made the righteousnesse of God in Christ. But no mans owne righteousnesse can make him the righteousnesse of God nor can Gods righteousnesse be the righteousnesse of man therefore it remaineth that onely Christ being both God and man hath in him that righteousnesse which may make a man the righteousnesse of God Thirdly the Scripture saith Christ is the end of the Law to all that beleeue Rom. 10.3 The end of the Law that is not the taker away
to beleeue the promises of God and indeede that is the fittest time for faith to shew it selfe in for faith as wee haue before heard is the ground of things hoped for and the subsisting of things which are not seene Now further it is said Abraham receiued Gods promises that is hee applied them to his owne soule and conscience and beleeued them and made them his owne by faith This is a notable point and worthy the marking God made his promises to Abraham now Abrahā he doth not onely heare and learne the promises but applies thē to himselfe and by faith makes them his owne And thus ought wee to doe with all the gratious promises made in Christ. But the manner of our daies is farre otherwise for when the mercifull promises of God are laid downe vnto vs in the ministerie of the word wee are content to heare and it may be to learne and know the same But where is the man to bee found that will apply them to his own◠conscience and by faith make them his owne Men commonly are like vnto way-faring men or trauellers on the sea that passe by many goodly faire buildings rich townes and Islands which when they behold they admire and wonder at and so goe their way without making purchase of any of them And thus deale the most men with Gods mercifull promises In the ministery of the word God laies open vnto them his rich mercies and bountifull promises in Christ and men approoue thereof and like them well whereupon many doe willingly apply themselues to know the same but for all this they wil not receiue them by faith and so apply them to their owne soules But we must take a better course and when we heare of the promises of God made vnto vs in Christ wee must not content our selues with a bare knowledge of them but labour to beleeue them and apply them vnto our selues to our soules and consciences and so by faith make them our owne As it is said of Abraham and in him of all the faithfull The blessing of Abraham came on the Gentiles thorough Iesus Christ that wee might receiue the promise of the spirit through faith Gal. 3.14 Further obserue the holy Ghost setteth down that particular promise which God made to Abraham in his son Isaac To whom it was said in Isaac shall thy seed be called Gen. 21.12 Rom. 9.7 In which places it is said that in Isaac should his seede be called The meaning whereof is plaine and thus much in effect Ismael shall not be thy sonne heire but Isaac is the childe which shall be thy heire hee it is in whom I will accomplish the promises of life and saluation made to thee From the words thus explaned first wee must obserue Pauls collection gathered from Gods dealing with those two persons Romanes 9.7 namely that God before all worlds hath chosen some men to saluation in his eternall counsell to manifest the glory of his grace and hath refused and reiected others leauing them vnto themselues to shew forth his Iustice vpon them This Doctrine is gathered out of this place after this manner Such as is Gods practice and dealing towards men in time such was his eternall counsell and decree for as God before all time determined to deale with men so in time hee dealeth with them Now Gods practice and dealing with Isaac and Ismaell is this Ismaell is vouchsafed to bee made partaker of temporall blessings but yet he is cut off from the spirituall couenant of grace and Isaac is the man that must receiue the Couenant and by vertue thereof be made partaker of life euerlasting And so accordingly it is with others GOD hath decreed to chuse some men to saluation and these are admitted into the Couenant others he hath decreed to reiect and they are cut off from the Couenant and from life euerlasting These two persons Isaac Ismaell are two types of these two sorts of people whō God doth elect and reiect Isaac representeth those that are chosen to saluation who become the true members of Gods Church and Ismaell is a type of those that are reiected Now in regard of this different dealing of God with mankinde chusing some and refusing others wee must all put in practice Saint Peters lesson with feare and trembling euen carefull aboue all giue all diligence to make our election sure 2. Peter 1.10 for all be not elected to saluation but some are reiected all be not Isaacs but some are Ismaelites If all were elected and chosen to saluation then no man needed to care for it but seeing some are reiected and neuer vouchsafed to come within the Couenant indeed therfore it standeth vs greatly in hand to take the good counsell of the Apostle and to giue all diligence to make our election sure Secondly whereas it is said Not in Ismael but in Isaac shall thy seed be called Wee may note the state of Gods Church in this worlde in regard of the different sorts of men that liue therein For Abrahams family was GODs Church in those daies and therein were both Isaac and Ismael though both his children yet farre differing in estate before God Ismael indeede was borne in the Church and there brought vp taught and circumcised but yet he was without the Couenant in Gods sight Now Isaac was not onely borne and brought vp in the Church and circumcised but also receiued into the Couenant and herein differed farre from Ismael for hee is that sonne of Abraham in whom God will continue the Couenant of grace vnto life euerlasting to his posteritie And so it is with GODs Church at this day in it there bee two sorts of men one which are baptized and brought vp in the Church heare the word and receiue the Sacraments but yet are not saued because they haue not the promise of the couenant effectually rooted in their hearts The other sort are they which beeing baptized in the Church heare the word effectually and receiue the Lords supper worthily to their saluation because God doth establish his Couenant in their hearts This difference is plaine in Scripture in the parables of the draw-net Math. 13. of the Sower and of the tares as also by Christs behauiour at the last iudgement Math. 25.32 seuering the sheep from the goates both which liue together in the Church And by Saint Paul who speaking of those which are borne and brought vp in the Church saith that some are children of the flesh some children of the promise Rom. 9.8 This beeing so that euery one which liues in the Church is not of the Church that is is not a true member of the Church and the true childe of Abraham it must make vs all carefull to vse all holy meanes whereby wee may be fully assured that the Couenant of grace belongs vnto vs for it is not enough for vs to dwell in the Church to heare the word and to receiue the sacraments for so did Ismael and
For he being a righteous man in that wicked age wherein all the world weltred in wickednesse and walking before God in great holinesse when no man cared for religion hee had this speciall fauour from God that when hee purposed to destroy the world for their sinne hee first of all reuealed to righteous Noah that purpose of his So that these words haue reference to the reuelation which Noah had from God in the 6. of Genesis For this message came not from God by any Prophet for wee know none in those euill dayes except Noah himselfe but either by the Ministerie of an Angell or else by immediate reuelation from God himselfe and this fauour he receiued from God not for any cause in the world but because he was a holy and righteous man From hence wee may learne diuers excellent instructions First whereas God maketh choise of Noah to reueale vnto him his counsell and his iudgements to come wee learne that this is a prerogatiue which God bestoweth on such as feare him he reuealeth his counsels to them in a speciall manner whether they be purposes of Iudgements vpon his enemies or of mercies vnto his Church Thus dealt he with Abraham Gen. 18.19 Shall I saith God hide from Abraham the thing that I will doe which thing was the destruction of Sodome and her sisters And so when the Sodomites liued in wanton carelesnesse and put farre from them the euill day then Abraham knew from God their destruction was at hand And as in that for is it generally true in all his great workes that the Lord God will doe nothing but he reueales his secrets to his seruants the Prophets Amos 3.7 Now this is not a prerogatiue of Prophets alone or of such as were extraordinary men as Abraham was but the secrets of the Lord are amongst such as feare him Psalme 25.14 All that feare the holy name of God are Gods friends and of his Counsaile and therefore not Abraham onely is called the friend of God Iames 2.23 But of all true beleeuers saith Christ Iohn 15.14.15 You are my friends If you doe what I commaund you henceforth I call you not seruants but friends for the seruant knoweth not what his Maister doth but all things that I haue heard of my Father haue I made knowne vnto you As if he had said I will communicate and impart my secrets vnto you as one friend doth vnto another as farre as shall be fit for you to know And the Apostle saith 1. Corinth 2.15 A faithfull and a holy man discerneth into the deepe counsailes of God which are reuealed vnto them as much as concerneth their saluations and sometimes more as here vnto Noah who was fore-warned of God of things then not seene This prerogatiue of Gods children is to be vnderstoode with some cautions First that this is more proper to Prophets and holy Ministers of God then to ordinary Christians Secondly that it was more ordinary in the old testament then now in the dayes of the Gospell If any obiect Then the state of the Church afore Christ was better then it is now vnder Christ I answere Not so for first we are recompenced by hauing the Scriptures perfect and complete which they had not and by hauing the substance of their shadowes and the performance of their promises in which respects our state is farre more excellent then theirs And secondly for this particular I answere they indeede had more ordinarie reuelation of matters personall and priuate and not directly touching saluation but of such things as are generall and doe necessarily concerne saluation wee in the time of the new Testament haue more euident demonstration and more full reuelation then they had afore Christ. For exsample particular mercies to some faithfull men or particular iudgements on Gods enemies whether particular men or whole kingdomes were after reuealed to godly men in those dayes as here to Noah but saluation by the Messias and the manner how the Messias should saue his Church is more fully and plainly reuealed now then in those dayes Out of which consideration ariseth the third caution which is that reuelations of Gods will to be expected now vnder the Gospell are ordinarily nothing else but these the true meaning of Scripture a discerning of true Scripture from forged of true Sacraments from supposed of true doctrine from false of true Pastors from false Prophets These such like as farre forth as they are necessary to saluation all true and faithfull beleeuers which out of an humbled heart by deuoute prayer doe seeke it at Gods hand are sure to haue reuealed vnto them from God But as for other purposes of God of personall and particular matters or what shall be his blessings or what his iudgements to these and these men families Cities or Kingdomes or when or how he will change States or translate kingdomes Or by what extraordinarie meanes hee will haue his Gospell propagated or a declining Church or State vpholden these we are not to expect nor easily to belieue any that shall say such things are reuealed vnto them And yet wee tye not the Lord in such straite bonds but that hee may sometime extraordinarily reueale his purpose therein to some his selected seruants yet prouided that that reuelation be examined and allowed of the Church But as for such things as concerne immediatly the saluation of our soules Gods spirit doth most comfortably reueale them vnto vs in our prayers in his word and in his Sacraments of all which it is most true that the secrets of God are amongst them that feare him The vse of this doctrine is double for instruction and for exhortation For our instruction here we learne how to answere the Church of Rome they aske vs how doe wee know true religion from erroneous or true Scripture or Sacraments from forged We answere first by it selfe by sight and sense of the excellencie thereof as we know gold from brasse or siluer from lead But what if the brasse or tinne be gilded ouer I then answere secondly wee can know gold from brasse and siluer from tinne by the sound and smell and hardnesse to endure and by the operation so there is a spirituall sound of the Scriptures in the eares of a Christian a spiritual comfort and taste in true religion a spirituall operation in holy mens hearts of the true Sacraments But what if false Prophets come in sheepes cloathing and by lying wonders seeme to giue the same sound taste smell vertue and operation vnto their forgeries or at least chalenge it and say that theirs is true I answere lastly Then we know true Religion true Scripture true Sacraments true Prophets true Doctrines from false by a holy and supernaturall reuelation from Gods spirit which by euident and powerfull demonstration assureth vs what is true and what is false for the substance of saluation And this spirit is giuen to all that in true humility doe seeke it in holy prayer and in a
the world so the same word of God which beleeued and obayed by godly men is their saluation disobayed and refused by vngodly men shall be their condemnation And thus much for the two ends why Noah prepared the Arke consequently of the second effect of Noahs faith It followeth And was made heire of the righteousnesse which iâ— by faith Here is the third and last effect whereby the excellencie of Noahs faith is commended It made him an heire and that not of the world for so he was besides but of that that the world could not yeeld of righteousnesse and that of the best of all euen of that righteosnesse which is by faith These words haue relation to that testimonie which God gaue of Noah in Genesis 6.9 Noah was a iust and vpright man and walked with God Now that which is spoken there more generally is here particularly opened and vnfolded he was iust or righteous how hee was righteous by the righteousnesse of faith so that these words are a commentarie vnto the other But because that that is here affirmed of Noah is a most glorious thing his faith made him an heire that is made him that was heire of all the earth a better heire therefore these words are to be well waighed For their full opening three points are to be considered 1. What is the righteousnesse here spoken of 2. Why it is called the righteousnesse of faith or by faith 3. How Noah was made Heire of it by his faith For the first That righteousnesse by which Noah and all holy men are to stand righteous before God is not a righteousnesse of any nature but such a one as is appointed of God for that purpose That wee may knowe it the more distinctly wee must examine the seuerall kindes thereof Righteousnesse is of two sorts Created Vncreated Vncreated is that which is in God and hath no beginning nor ending no meanes nor measure Of this speaketh the Prophet Psalm 119.137 Righteous art thou O Lord. This cannot make any man righteous for two reasons First for the Godhead and it are all one It is in God essentially A man is one thing and his righteousnesse is another But God and his righteousnesse are all one And therefore it is as impossible for any man to haue this righteousnes as it is to be God Secondly it is infinite and mans soule a finite creature and therefore not capable of any thing that is infinite and consequently not of the vnmeasurable righteousnes which is in the godhead Therefore this we must leaue vnto God as proper to the Deitie Created righteousnesse is that which God frameth in the reasonable creature Men and Angels Of Angels we are not to speake though theirs and man 's differd not much in nature at their creations Created righteousnesse of man is of 2. sorts Legall or Euangelicall Legall righteousnesse is that which the Morall law prescribeth Euangelicall that which the Gospell hath reuealed Of legall righteousnesse I finde there are three sorts spoken of 1. One that is a perfect righteousnesse 2. One that is a ciuill righteousnesse 3. One that is an inward righteousnesse Perfect righteousnesse Legall is the perfect fulfilling of the law in a mans owne selfe And by this shall no man liuing be iustified before God for no man since the fall of Adam is able perfectly to fulfill the Law If any can then shall he be righteous by it but none did nor euer can therefore no man shall stand righteous by perfect legall righteousnesse in himselfe Some will obiect But a regenerate man may for he is restored by grace therefore though by Adams fall a man is disabled yet by regeneration hee is inabled to fulfill the law perfectly I answere It were so if they were perfectly sanctified in their regeneration but they are sanctified but in part and it is not perfect vntill death Obiect 1. Thess. 5.23 We are sanctified throughout spirit soule and body If all those what then remaines vnsanctified therefore our sanctification is perfect I answere It is perfect in parts but not in measure nor degree As a childe is a perfect man in all the parts of a man but not in the quantitie of anie part So a childe of God is perfectly sanctified in all parts but not in the measure of any part vntill flesh and mortality and corruption haue an end Secondly some may obiect The virgine Mary sinned not I answere so teacheth indeede the Church of Rome that she neuer sinned that her life was free from sinne â—ctuall and her conception from sinne originall But so taught neither the Scripture nor Gods Church but contrariwise it is more then manifest shee was a sinner For first she confesseth her soule reioiced in God her Sauiour but if she were no sinner she stoode in neede of no Sauiour Againe she died but if she had not sinned she should in Iustice not haue died For death entred by sinne and where no sinne is there death is not due Thus no man can be righteous by the perfect righteousnesse of the law in himselfe Secondly there is a ciuill righteousnesse and that is when a man in his outward actions is conformable to the law especially to the Commaundements of the second Table For example hee is free from the outward actions of murther adultery or theeuery and such like or he can refraine his anger and ouercome his passions that they shall not break out into open violence to the view of the world and for the first Table he comes to the Church professeth religion All this is a ciuill righteousnesse and by this can no man be iustified nor made righteous For first it is not a perfect but a most imperfect righteousnesse and therefore cannot iustifie It is so imperfect that it is as good as none at all in Gods sight for it is but an outward and constrained and dissembled obedience and wants the inward and true obedience of the heart and soule Secondly it cannot make a man righteous for wicked men haue it which are vnrighteous and cannot be saued Haman hated Mordecay in his heart yea his heart boyled in malice against him yet the Story saith That neuerthelesse he refrained himselfe till he came home Ester 5.10 And therefore Christ saith that except our righteousnesse exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies we cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Math. 5.20 Now what was theirs but an outward ciuill righteousnesse whereby they kept the law onely in outward actions as appeareth in that Christ afterward in the same Chapter expounding the law doth reduce it to the inward which is to his full and proper sense So then yet wee haue not found that righteousnesse which may make a man righteous Thirdly there is a righteousnesse called the inward righteousnesse of a Christian man which is this A man hauing repented and his sinnes being forgiuen hee is by the holy Ghost sanctified inwardly in his soule and all the parts powers of
The second point is that faith alone and no other vertue nor spirituall power in mans soule is able to doe this And this may be proued by comparing it with all the principall vertues of the soule for amongst all there are none that may come into comparison with faith but hope and loue both which especially loue haue their seuerall and special excellencies yet haue neither of them nor both of them this vertue to apprehend and apply Christes righteousnesse The property of loue is to extend it selfe and with it selfe to carie manie passions or affections of the heart and to place them vpon the thing that is loued yet cannot loue be said properly to apprehend Christ for he must needes be apprehended before he can be loued And the proper action of Hope is to waite and expect for a blessing to come so hope waites for saluation but properly apprehends it not For saluation must first be beleeued and then hoped or expected so saith Ieremie Lament 3.26 It is good both to trust and to waite for the saluation of the Lord To trust that is to beleeue assuredly it will come there is the action of faith and to waite till it doe come that is the action of Hope Thus we see the seuerall natures and actions of these two worthy vertues But the proper action of faith is to apprehend and lay hold on Christ and his righteousnesse and to apply them to a mans owne soule and that being done then come Loue and Hope do their duties And so though loue last longer then faith doth yet faith is afore loue and makes the way for it To conclude this second point Faith is a hand to take hold on Christ his benefits Loue is a hand to giue out tokens of faith both to God and man For 1. Cor. 13.5 Loue seeketh not her owne but others good namely the good of them that are loued Hope is an eye looking out and wayting for the good things promised So that as faith is the hand of the soule so loue is the hand and hope is the eye of faith Loue the hand wherby it worketh and Hope the eye whereby it waiteth and looketh for the performance of such things as faith hath apprehended and beleeued If the Church of Rome thinke this any wrong to this holy vertue of loue to be the hand of faith let them know it is not ours it is the doctrine of the Apostle where he saith Faith worketh by loue If faith worke by it then surely loue is the hand of faith Thus faith worketh by loue waiteth by hope but beleeueth by it selfe And for this cause the righteousnesse that makes vs righteous before God is rather called the righteousnesse of faith then of any other Christian vertue or grace of the spirit And for the same cause is it that so often in S. Pauls Epistles it is called by the same name as Philipp 3.9 The third and last point concerning Noahs faith is that Noah was made heire of this righteousnesse A speciall commendation of his faith It made him heire of true and sauing righteousnesse that is it gaue him a true title vnto it made him heire apparant of that glory which it assureth euery one that apprehends it by this true faith and so he was made as certainly and as truly partaker of it as the young Prince is assured of his Crowne and Kingdom at his time or the heire of his Fathers lands Here two most worthy doctrines doe offer themselues to our view 1. The excellencie of faith 2. The excellencie of a Christian mans estate The excellencie of faith appeares thus It makes a holy man assured certaine of his saluation by Christ Iesus The Church of Rome saith it is presumption in any man to thinke so vnlesse he haue an extraordinary reuelation but we learne from the Scripture that if a man haue true faith that is able to assure him of saluation For faith makes him an heire of true righteousnesse and of saluation thereby Now we know the heire is most sure and certaine of his inheritance what-euer hee gets or loseth he is sure of that But this righteousnesse and saluation by it is his inheritance therefore he may be and is by faith assured of it The Papists therefore doe wrong vnto this doctrine and derogaâ—e from the dignitie of true faith But this is their custome they will extoll any thing rather then that which the holy Scripture so much extolleth namely true faith For if they knew what it is trulie to know Christ and to beleeue in him by that faith which worketh by loue they would then know that faith makes a man heire of happinesse and therefore most assured of it Secondly here we may see the excellencie of a Christian mans estate he is not naked nor destitute of comforts but is heire of a glorious inheritance by meanes of his faith and a Christian mans inheritance is Christs righteousnesse Out of which we learne First that no man by any good workes done by or in himselfe can merit true and iustifying righteousnesse the Pharisaical Papists teach so but their conceit is here ouerthrowen by the doctrine of the holy Ghost For sauing righteousnesse is his inheritance which we know is alwaies gotten by the Father and descends from the Father to the Sonne as a free token of his loue And it were scornfull and absurd to see a Sonne offer to buy his inheritance of his Father it being against the nature of an inheritance to come any other wayes but by free gift from the Father to the Sonne therefore our righteousnesse that must saue vs being as wee see here our inheritance let vs resolue of it we cannot buie nor merit it Againe heere is sure and solide comfort against all the grieâ—â—s and crosses and losses of this world Gods children must needes haue their portion of afflictions in this life But here is their comfort they may lose their goods liuings possessions their good names their healths their liues but their inheritance standeth sure and firme and cannot be lost Let them therfore here learne not to grieue out of measure for a holy man may say thus to himselfe and that most truly My Father may frowne on me for my faults and chastice me for my sinnes but I am sure he will not disenherite me for I am heire by faith of Christs righteousnesse and I may lose many things but I shall not lose that Thirdly and lastly here must Gods children learne their duties They are heires to a godly and glorious inheritance and Christes righteousnesse is their inheritance therefore they must learne to set and settle all their affections on this inheritance For there is nothing in the world more worthy to be affected then a faire inheritance We must therefore first labour aboue all worldly things for this inheritance namely to be made partakers of this righteousnesse This is that pearle which wee hauing found must sell all we haue to
mens constitution may help forward this feare yet many times it comes from an accusing conscience as a fruit of sinne And the way to remooue it is here to be learned namely to doe as Moses did that is labour to bee resolued of Gods presence with vs and prouidence ouer vs and this wil arme vs against al satanicall and foolish feare For if God be on our side who can be against vs to do vs harme Againe the Souldier by his place and calling ought to be a man of courage for els the state of his life and the thought of his enemies will much affright him Now how may he become courageous They vse to sound the drumme and trumpet for this ende and it must be granted they be good incitements prouocations vnto battell but when it comes to the point of danger these cannot giue heart Others vse against the battell to fill themselues with wine and to make thēselues valiant by strong drinke This indeede may make them senselesse and so desperate But the true way is to become Christian souldiers knowing and fearing God and with their bodily armour to bring also the shield of faith wherby their hearts may be assured that God hath called them to that fight that he is present with them to couer their heads in the day of battell This will make them to take heart and courage to themselues and to become truly valorous though by nature they be weake and timorous Thirdly who knows whether God will bring vs to this triall either to lay down our liues or forsake his truth for he may iustly take from vs these golden daies of peace for our ingratitude Now if such times come vpon vs what shall we doe Shall wee denie the faith of Christ God forbid But how shall we stand out in such a triall Surely we must follow Moses and labour to see him that is inuisible by faith This will make vs couragious and without feare in Gods cause remēbring this also that among those which are reckoned to goe downe to hell the fearefull man is one Reuel 21.8 who dares not stand to the truth of God but for feare of men denies it Let vs therefore now begin to settle our hearts in the assurance of Gods prouidence and protection that so when triall comes wee may be bold in the case of God Him that is inuisible That is God who is a most simple essence voyd of all composition or corporall substance for God is a spirit Iohn 4.24 and therefore inuisible and not subiect to mans senses But some will say God is said to haue head heart hands and feete with other parts of mans body and therefore he is visible Answ. The holy Ghost so speaketh in scripture of God by way of resemblance of him vnto man that we might the better thereby conceiue of his works for therefore are the parts of mans body ascribed vnto God in scripture that we might know he doth such workes by his diuine power as man doth by the parts of his body Man sheweth his strength and valour in his arme and by resemblance vnto man God is said to haue an Arme to note out his power and valiant actes And so God is said to haue eies because wee should conceiue that by his infinite wisdome he seeth all things more cleerely than man doth any thing at noone day with his bodily eies And so of the rest But Moses is said to talke with God face to face and to see his backe parts Exod. 33.11 23. Answ. This imports not that he saw the substance of God but onely that God did after a familiar manner reueale himselfe vnto him and in some resemblance shewe him his glory so farre forth as Moses was able to behold it for the text is plaine My face can not be seene There shall no man see me and liue vers 20. Here wee learne that when wee pray to God wee must not conceiue of him by any forme or image in our minds for so we make an idoll of God Quest. What then must we doe for how will some say can I pray to him and not thinke of him Answ. When wee thinke of God or pray vnto him wee must conceiue of him in our mindes as hee hath reuealed himselfe in scripture that is by his workes and by his properties wee must thinke in our mindes of an eternall essence most holy wise c. who made all things and gouernes them by his mighty power For euery image to resemble God by either to the minde or to the eie is a plaine lie making him visible who is inuisible as saith the Prophet Hab. 2 18 The image what profiteth it for it is a teacher of lies Which flatly ouerthroweth the opinion and practice of the Romish Church who resemble the true God euen God the father and the holy Trinitie in images what else doe they herein but make a lie of God But the Papists say they deuise no image to resemble God in but onely such whereby hee hath shewed himselfe as the scripture testifies as the father like an old man the sonne as he was incarnate and the holy Ghost like a doue Math. 3.16 Answ. Wee must not conceiue of those formes of an old man or of a doue to haue beene euer any images of the father or of the holy Ghost but onely signes and pledges for a time whereby those persons did then manifest their presence Now there beeing an expresse commandement against all representation of God by images not excepting those very shapes whereby it pleased God for a time to signifie his presence it must needes be idolatrous presumption to make any image of God or of the Trinitie And indeed God being inuisible as the text saith it is impossible to make any true image or resemblance of him VERSE 28. By faith hee ordained the Passeouer and the effusion of blood lest hee that destroyed the first borne should touch them IN the former verses the author of this Epistle hath shewed vnto vs the notable faith of Moses by two worthy acts 1 His refusing to be called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter 2 His departing out of Egypt Now here in this verse he commends his faith vnto vs by a third action which is the ordination or celebrating of the Passeouer This verse is the summe of the 12. Chapter of Exodus the effect whereof is this After that God had sent nine seuerall plagues vpon the Land of Egypt which were occasions to harden Pharaohs heart at last he sends Moses to certifie Pharaoh that vnlesse he would let the people go he would send a tenth plague which should bee more grieuous to them than all the former euen the slaughter of all the first borne in Egypt both of man and beast Yet Pharaohs heart was not softened neither did he let the people goe Therefore Moses departeth from him and according to Gods commandement assembles the Elders of Israel together and causeth them to kill euery