ingratitude of such doth suffer blind zealous leaders of the blind zealous multitude often times every where to swarm and abound whereby both Preachers and innumerable people fall into the pit of destruction as Christ the truth it selfe testifieth and denounceth Matth. 15. 14. Let them alone they be blind leaders of the blind And if the blind lead the blind both shall fall into the ditch to wit of destruction And these are the traytours that under colour of greatest friendship with God and of lying in his very lap by working out their salvation in distrust in free grace and in trust in their workes and well-doings doe break our peace with God in this land doe betray whole Kingdomes and Countries into their enemies hand Because they truely know not free justification that only makes our peace with God as these and such like Scriptures teach Rom. 5. 1. Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God c. this place being an exposition as it were of that saying Num. 23. 21. spoken then but prophetically inchoatively and typically at the lifting up of the brasen serpent saying God seeth no iniquity in Jacob and he seeth no transgression in Israel This is to bee justified by faith Then followes the peace and reconciliation that wee have therefrom Therefore the Lord his God is with him and the joyfull shout of a King is among them that comes onely by free justification which prophesie is now by Christ the substance signified by that brasen serpent fully wrought and completely exhibited and brought upon us in the new Testament saying And yee which were in times past strangers and enemies in your minde by evill works hath hee now reconciled How or by what means In the body of his flesh through death by making you so holy that you are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without all blame and without all fault in Gods sight if you continue rooted and grounded in this faith of free justification by Christs blood and death and be not moved away from this hope of the Gospel Col. 1. 21 22 23. But contrariwise Christ weeping over Ierusalem denounced that their enemies should lay their city and them even with the ground and not leave a stone upon another that should not bee cast downe why because they knew not the things that did belong to their peace that is they knew not their reconciliation by Christ they knew not his righteousnesse to justifie them which only makes peace with God but these things were hid from their eyes Luke 19. 41 42 44. Therefore did the Prophet say For Zions sake I will not hold my tongue and for Ierusalems sake I will not rest untill the righteousnesse thereof breake forth as the light for then the safety and salvation thereof will be as a burning Lamp And when the Gentiles or people see thy righteousnesse and the Kings thy glory thou shalt be a Crown of glory in the hand of the Lord and a Royall Diadem in the hand of thy God It shall no more be said unto thee forsaken neither shall it any more bee said unto thy Lands desolate But thou shalt bee called Hephziah that is my delight is in her for the Lord will delight in thee Esay 62. For thy people shall bee all righteous they shall possesse the Land for ever the graffe of my planting shall be the work of my hands that I may be glorified Esay 60. 21. Because as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many to the end of the world be made righteous Rom. 5. 19. whereby if by one mans offence the displeasure anger of God and death reigned by one much more they which receive that abundance of grace and that abundance of the gift of that righteousnesse shall reigne in reconciliation well-pleasing of God peace and life through one that is Jesus Christ That as sinne had reigned unto displeasure wrath and death even so might grace reigne by righteousnesse unto reconciliation peace and eternall life by Iesus Christ our Lord Rom. 5. 17 21. But contrariwise they that are not justified by faith have no peace with God but by their dead faith are fourefold traytours namely traytours to Christ and his Gospel traytours to his Church children traitors to their King and countrey and traytours to their own bodies and soules seeming great friends to all these but betraying every one of these with a Iudas his kisse Because although they seem in this dead Faith and blind zeale of the Law and works to be lifted up in as high a faith and happinesse as any can be yet if they do not come out of this dead faith when they dye be it sooner or later they cast down themselves into greater damnation than if they had never professed Gods word and the Gospel of Christ at all as Christ testifieth Matth. 11. 23 24. saying and thou Capernaum that art exalted into Heaven namely in professing Gods word shalt be thrown down to hell for if the mighty works which have beene done in thee much more being professed to bee received and beleeved of thee had been done in Sodome it would have remained untill this day But I say unto you it shall be more tolerable or easie for the land of Sodome in the day of judgment than for thee And again Wo be unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for ye compasse sea and land that is take exceeding great pains and labour to make one Proselyte that is one zealous Professour as you say of the pure word of God and holy worship of God and when he is made you make him twofold more the child of Hell than your selves Matth. 23. 15. And thus much of the dead Faith gilt over with the legall zeal of works and confidence of practising repentance humiliation and all holy duties by a supposed universall obedience to all Gods commandements and yet all is but a false legall bastard sanctification 3. But now thirdly which most of all discovereth this dead Faith and blind zeale of the good workes of the Law to be meer superstitious hypocrisie whereof Christ giveth warning to his Disciples saying First of all beware of the leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisie Luk. 12. 1. If the old matter of the pure Gospel be uttered but after a new manner otherwise than these like blind mill-horses are accustomed to run round in or if their literall knowledge dead Faith and blind legall zeale be any way a little crossed or but touched although a faithfull Minister must needs teach novè but not nova that is after a new manner but not any new matter yet these humble ones just like Nicodemus Ioh. 3. in that new manner of speaking do rise up against Christ and count the old mysteries of Christ and of his Gospel to be nova novelties new doctrines as these said when Christ himself began first to preach the old revealed will of his Father What thing is this What
would give unto them the spirit of wisedome and revelation in the knowledge of him that the eye of their understanding might bee more enlightned that they might know what the hope is of their calling and what the riches of his glorious inheritance is in his Saints Ephes 17 18. Againe as the former blind and proud knowledge is but literall so this true knowledge is spirituall which by the spirit discerneth and seeth the spirituall things of God both of the Law and of the Gospel especially discerning and seeing the invisible benefits and unsearchable riches of the Gospel wrought upon us by the blood death and resurrection of Christ according as they are spoken Rom. 4. 18. being impossible to humane reason bodily sight sense and feeling as these and such like Scriptures teach The eye hath not seen nor the eares heard nor hath entred in the heart of man that is the naturall man the things that God hath prepared for them that love him But God hath revealed them unto us by his spirit For the spirit searcheth all things yea the deepe things of God For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man that is in him Even so the things of God knoweth no man save the spirit of God Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that we might know or as the originall word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that wee might see the things that are freely given to us of God 1 Cor. 2. 9. to 13. But contrariwise the naturall or the man of the meere humane soul receiveth not or perceiveth not or approveth not the things of the spirit of God as they are spoken by the spirit For they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned but he that is spirituall discerneth all things vers 14 15. Againe hereupon did Paul say Yea doubtlesse I count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the losse of all things and do count them but dung that I may gain Christ that I may be found in him not having mine owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is by the faith of Christ even that which is of God through faith Phil. 3. 8 9. Thus the spirituall man discerneth seeth and onely esteemeth and highly prizeth onely spirituall things and invisible to the bodily eyes and so hath an eare to heare what the spirit saith whereof the Lord Christ so often speaketh saying Hee that hath eares to heare let him heare Matth. 13. 9. and that which is often repeated Rev. 2. 3. chapters saying He that hath an eare let him heare what the spirit saith unto the Churches And these and only these doe compare spirituall things with spirituall 1 Cor. 2. 13. And thus much of the true spirituall knowledge Secondly hereof ariseth the true lively and justifying faith which truly saveth us consisting in having on the wedding garment of Christs perfect holinesse and righteousnesse making us so perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely by faith onely without works that we feel true comfort peace with God in our hearts and joy in the Holy Ghost as these and such like Scriptures teach Esa 61. 10. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord and my soul shall bee joyfull in my God why what is the matter what is the cause of such joy and great rejoycing why Hee hath cloathed me with the garments of salvation That is just matter indeed of great joy A man can wish no greater matter of joy than to be cloathed with the garment of salvation what is that garment of salvation why he hath covered me with the robes of righteousnesse as a Bridegroome decketh himselfe with his ornaments and as a Bride adorneth her self with her jewels But the feast of the Gospel being furnished with guests both good and bad the King came in to see the guests and saw there a man that had not on this wedding garment And hee said unto him Friend how camest thou hither and hast not on the wedding garment and he was speechlesse Then said the King to the servants Bind him hand and foot take him away and cast him into utter darknesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Matth. 22. 10. to 14. Therefore get on the white robe that thou maist bee cloathed and thy filthy nakednesse doe not appeare Anoint thine eyes with eye-salve that thou maist see Rev. 3. 18. For all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God but are justified that is made righteous againe freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus Rom. 3. 23 24. For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many to the end of the world be made righteous Rom. 5. 19. That as sin hath reigned unto death even so might grace reigne by righteousnesse unto eternall life by Iesus Christ our Lord ver 21. Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God Rom. 5. 1. And thus we are regenerated and freely made new creatures to Godward whereby we are made all new even the righteousnesse of God in this faith of Christ as Paul in spirit testified saying If any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away Behold all things are become new and all things are of God who hath reconciled us unto himself by Jesus Christ But how are all things become new why God hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin to what end that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him that is by this faith in him Thus are we become all new and so by relying and resting wholly and onely in these invisible riches wrought upon us by the blood of Christ impossible to our reason and contrary to our bodily sight sense and feeling we do so walke in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham as they are that we may not erre wander and go astray from them plainly described by Paul Rom. 4. 19. to 25. saying And he not weak in faith considered not his owne body now dead being almost an hundred yeares old nor yet the deadnesse of Sarahs womb neither did hee doubt of the promise of God concerning the justifying seed through unbelief But was strengthened in faith and gave glory to God being fully assured that hee which had promised would bee as good as his word though it seemed never so impossible to his present sent sense and feeling and was able to do it And it therfore was imputed to him for righteousnesse Now it was not written for Abrahams sake onely that it was imputed to him for righteousnesse but also for us to whom it shall bee imputed for righteousnesse which beleeve in him that raised up Iesus our Lord from the
doth glory in what in the contempt of his own righteousnesse and that he looketh for the righteousnesse of God by faith Sermon of salvation second part Which established doctrine of our Church is lamentably lost of too many Professors among us now a dayes In stead whereof must needs come in the contrary doctrine and religion of reioycing in and greatly esteeming our owne righteousnesse but of small ioy and little regarding of Christs righteousnesse perfectly iustifying us Thus much of the right zeale of God 4. The fourth and last point and main thing to be considered concerning this dead faith is What is the speediest course and most effectuall meanes by which wee may come out of this dead faith into the true lively and iustifying faith and by which we may call others out of the same which speediest course or most effectuall meanes consisteth but in two maine things throughly marked and deeply considered 1. The first is to look so truely into the pure and infinite righteous nature of God that we cleerly see in the two looking-glasses both of the Law and of the Gospel the horrible filthinesse of sinne to be such that God cannot but curse and throw out of his favour and liking the creature that hath any sinne in his sight as these and such like Scriptures teach Deut. 27. 26. Cursed is every man that continueth not in all things that are written in the booke of the Law to do them Mark Cursed that is cast out of my love and favour for ever Go ye cursed into everlasting fire Matth. 25. 41. is every one that continueth not in all things that is that hath the least sinne in his sight For if we have the least sinne in Gods sight wee doe not continue in all things and so must needs be accursed of God or else his righteous nature must needs be changeable in his definitive sentence against sinne which cannot bee Fearfull examples hereof are First the Angels who although they were most glorious creatures for pure holinesse and righteousnes yet as soone as they conceived but one sinne but in thought onely God spared them not saith Peter that sinned but cast them down into Hell and delivered them into chaines of darknesse to be reserved unto condemnation 2 Pet. 2. 4. Another fearfull example is that of Adam who by one sinne onely brought upon him by subtilty did cast himself into death and destruction and all his posterity even infinite millions of men and women into infinite millions of sins and miseries as Paul expresseth Rom. 5. 12. saying As by one man sin entred into the world and by sin death so death goeth over all men in that all have sinned whereby through the offense of one many bee dead vers 15. Because the iudgement came by that one offense upon all men to condemnation verse 16. Now the reason why God cannot but curse and cast away out of his love and favour the creature that hath any sinne in Gods sight is because the horrible filthinesse of sinne is such to Gods infinite pure and righteous nature that God cannot but detest hate abhorre and count abominable the creature in whom he seeth any sinne or that hath the least sin in his sight as these and such like Scriptures teach Behold the heavens are unclean in Gods sight how much more is man filthy and abominable who drinketh iniquity like water Iob 15. 15 16. Thus we see that sinne doth make the creature spiritually foule filthy loathsome and abominable in Gods sight though no curse or punishment should follow upon the same as Christ himself also testifieth Mark 7. 20. to 23. saying That which commeth out of the man that defileth the man For out of the heart of man come evill thoughts adulteries fornications murders thefts covetousnesse wickednesse deceit lasciviousnesse an evill eye blasphemies pride foolishnesse All these evill things come from within and these defile a man Therefore did the Prophet Habakkuk say God is of pure eyes and cannot see sinne and cannot behold iniquity but he must needs destroy either the sinne or the sinner from before him But for this purpose was the sonne of God made manifest that in the faithfull hee might destroy sinne the worke of the Devill 1 John 3. 6. Because he was made manifest to take away our sinnes For in him is no sin vers 5. But unto the unbeleeving Jewes the Prophet saith Behold the Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot save neither is his eare heavie that it cannot heare but your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sinnes have hindred good things from you Esay 29. 1. Jer. 5. 25. And for the deeper sight of this evill of sinne hear three things which the Law teacheth concerning sinne and deeply to be considered and daily and diligently to be pressed upon secure consciences As first The horrible encrease of the evill of sinne because the least sinne by the Law forbidding it Exod. 19 20. chapters in fearfull thundring and lightning and terrible earthquake flaming fire reaching up to the midst of heaven Hereby the least sin I say is made out of measure sinfull Because the least sin is encreased to disobedience and disobedience is rebellion that is spirituall high treason against the highest Majesty as Samuel testifies of the disobedience of King Saul 1 Sam. 15. 23. And as the Prophet Daniel confesseth of his sinnes and the sinnes of his people saying We have sinned and done wickedly yea we have rebelled even by departing from thy precepts and thus saith hee againe have wee rebelled against God Dan. 9. 5 9. But rebellion saith Samuel is as the sinne of witchcraft and transgression is stubbornnesse and stubbornnesse is wickednesse and idolatry Thus did the Law enter upon sinne making the offense thereof to abound Rom. 5. 20. And thus the least sinne by the Commandement forbidding it in such terrible thundring and lightning becomes out of measure or exceeding sinfull Rom. 7. 13. And this is the first thing that the Law teacheth concerning sin 2. The second thing which the Law teacheth is the multitude of our sinnes that the most honest and most religious among us are guilty of against every one of the ten Commandements especially by the spirituall breach of the Law as Christ expoundeth the same in the fifth sixth and seventh chapters of Matthew which made Paul to see that his whole nature was nothing else but a meer contrariety to the spirituall meaning of the Law saying The Law is spirituall but I am carnall sold under sin Rom. 7. 14. And which made David to cry out saying My sinnes have taken such hold upon me that I am not able to look up yea they are mee in number than the haires of my head Therefore my heart hath failed me Psal 40. 12. 3. The third thing that the Law teacheth concerning sinne is the fivefold punishment belonging to the least sinne which God executeth daily and hourly upon one
Godward Therefore hee cannot choose but bring forth the good fruit to man-ward of Sanctification This is largely taught in the whole fifth and sixth chapters of the Epistle to the Romanes where it is shewed that free justification as the cause and sanctification as the effect doe alwayes follow unseparably one the other Hence it is that S. Iames 2. 14. doth so sharply taunt carnall professors of free justification saying What doth it profit my brethren for a man to say hee hath faith and hath not works Can that faith save him No But shew me thy faith by thy works And here mark how he saith not shew God thy faith by thy works nor shew thy selfe thy faith by thy works but shew me that am thy Christian Minister that have the charge of thy soule and have the keyes given me of the Kingdom of heaven to binde thee and loose thee Matth. 16. 19. shew him thy faith by thy works or thy Christian neighbours that dwell round about thee and deale with thee shew them thy faith namely that it is true and sound by thy works that is by thy sanctified words and deeds that flow from love and a godly conversation For know O thou vaine man that faith without such works is dead Seest thou not that by the example of Abraham and Rahab that faith was effectuall operative and powerfull by works and by their works was their faith made perfect that is declared to bee sound and true But as the body without the spirit is dead so faith also without sanctified words and deeds flowing from true love is dead verse 26. This even Christ himselfe teacheth also Mat. 5. 16. saying Let your light namely of free Justification so shine before men how shine by sanctification that they may see the beames of your good works and glorifie your father which is in heaven Thus a Christian as Saint Iames speaks is made perfect and entire lacking nothing why because he is pure as the Sunne to Godward by free Justification faire as the Moone to Manward by sanctification and terrible as an army with banners by zeale of Gods glory Cant. 6. 9. This is the established doctrine of our Church this is true Protestancy this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to goe with a right foot to the truth of the Gospel Gal. 2. 14. If any man can shew me a better way I will endeavour to run with him in it But if this be the old way that we bee commanded of God Ier. 6. 16. to ask after that old Abraham and all the ancient saved fathers walked in mentioned Heb. 11. And not only the old way but also the good way which only bringeth rest and peace unto our soules For being justified by faith wee have peace with God Rom. 5. 1. Then let us embrace one another in the truth of this way Let no man be so wilfull and obstinate to his owne damnation as to say with the stubborne lost Jewes Wee will not walk in it Ier. 6. 16. FINIS Abrahams Stepps of Faith The two maine saving points of Religion the deep consideration by Gods holy spirit and thorough marking whereof causeth our true conversion peace of conscience and assurance of free salvation by Iesus Christ Being the expresse word of God and the established Doctrine of our Church at the restoring of the pure Gospel of Christ into this land enjoyned to the Ministers of England by the godly authority and publick consent of Parliamēt to be taught to the people for suppression of Errours and Popery for the quieting of consciences in the matters of religion for the beating down of sin and all vitiousness of life out of the Land consisting of these two main points mentioned Iohn 17. 3. This is eternall life to know thee the only true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent FIrst that the filthinesse of sinne is such to Gods infinite pure and righteous nature that God cannot but detest curse and abhor the creature that hath any sin in his sight as these and such like Scriptures teach Esay 59. 2. Deut. 27. 26. 2 Pet. 2. 4. Rom. 5. 12. Deut. 28. 15. to 20. Because sin being spirituall high Treason against the highest Majesty 1 Sam. 15. 23. and the Image of the Devill doth make the creature spiritually foule filthy loathsome and abominable in Gods sight though no curse and punishment should follow upon the same as these and such like Scriptures teach Iob 15. 15 16. Hab. 1. 13. Mark 7. 20. to 25. Yea and makes the best good works of the most sanctified children of God to be sin and all their righteousnesse of sanctification to be as soule filthy menstruous rags as these and such like Scriptures teach Rom. 7. 18. Esay 64. 6. Rom. 4. 5. Gal. 3. 22. And we must look so deepely into the truth of this first point that wee bee throughly affected with the same as the Prophet Esay was chap. 6. 5. the neglect whereof is the main cause that the huge multitude yea of many zealous workers doe perish in the dead Faith Because they know not God that is his righteousnesse that is his holy and righteous nature where in we were most blinded by the fall of Adam Esay 46. 12. 13. this is the first point The second point is that by the power of Gods imputation we are so clothed with the wedding-garment of Christs perfect righteousnesse that all our sinnes being done away and abolished out of Gods sight we and all our works are freely made of unjust just before God that is perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely by faith only without works as these and such like Scriptures doe teach Dan. 9. 24. Esay 45. 24 25. Esay 53. 11. Rom. 5. 16 17 18. 2 Cor. 5. 21. Rom. 5. 19. Rom. 3. 23 24 28. Tit. 1. 15. Hereby we may see that the parts of free Justification are two First that by the blood and wedding-garment of Christs perfect righteousnesse all our sins are done away abolished not out of us 1 Iohn 1. 8. that we may live by faith Gal. 2. 20. but from before God or out of Gods sight 1 Col. 2. 22. and we and all our works are made pure and cleane from all sin freely in the sight of God as these and such like Scriptures teach Esay 44. 22. Iohn 1. 29. Esay 43. 25. 1 Iohn 1. 7. Revel 1. 5 6. Heb. 9. 26. Act. 10. 15. Act. 15. 8 9. Heb. 1. 3. and 9. 13 14. Col. 1. 22. And this was the Prophet Esay's remedy against the filthinesse of his sin in Gods sight chap. 6. 6 7. Secondly that the same wedding-garmēt of Christs perfect righteousnesse doth also make us and all our works of unjust just before God that is perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely without our perfect workings as these and such like Scriptures teach Esay 61. 10. Rom. 3. 21 22. Eph. 5.